The Indianapolis journal., 1898-10-24
OCTOBER AND DEATH.
Rev. MIR. Milburn's Beautiful Sermon
-OstentatiOus Stones

Rev. Joseph A. MilDurn preached at the
Second Presbyterian Church yesterday
morning upon the subject of Death" His
text was Isaiah Xvi, 6, And we all do fade
as the leaf"
Mr. Milburn began his sermon with a
beautiful reference to the sad days of
autumn and the falling of the leaves which
are typical with the evening of life and the
sinking of man into his grave. Isaiah and
October" said he, "blend their messages
in this one solemn note, all things tend to
dissolution all things, animate and mani
mate, every force and entity in nature all
institutions, races, peoples and each and
every human being. all tend towards one
common goal, toward one consummation,
the consummation of death.
I'VE regard death as a sorrow 1t is a
parting from friends, a separation from the
loveliness of earth. Death is mystery and
we hesitate to plunge into the unknown
Yet death should not be a sorrow, and al
though mysterious, is good. Gods wisdom
has caused it and mans mind can see that
1T rs just. The intellect affirms that death
is necessary, and because necessary benign.
benign as June day is benign, benign as
beautiful music is benign, benign ais every
thing that conspires toward a better world
is benign.
If mans vigor were eternal it might be
that life would be beautiful always. But
the body, the mind and the heart wear out
Ihe world looks toward rest, and death is
the best rest. Death, too expedites the
world s advancement. When a soul has done
It's work 1T must make way for the growing
SOUL Death Sottens the heart which looks
forward to it, 1t breaches the sovereignty
of God. 1t tells the world that there is a
fA ole 9
HE because 1t leads to death, the cOnsum-
nation of life, the entrance into beautiful
Mr.. Milburn had a few words to saw about
the display attendant upon death. Said he:
And so also should we meet the mystery
or death with reverent simplicity. Death
Is an august and majestic thing, monu-
mental in its austerity, and we should meet
1t with a simplicity and reverence worthy
OF our simple Christian faith. l think we
all err here very seriously We make death
an occasion for far too much display. | do
not say this unfeelingly; / reverence the
dead body with the same tenderness that
/ reverence the living; but still | am con-
scious of the fact that it is a foolish hing
to minister wealth extravagantly upon the
poor poor body that is now insensible of and
treat our dead tenderly and lovingly and
lay them away simply, as simply as pos
sible, and, therefore, in the way most con-
gruous with the simple dignity of death it.
self.
Whenever 1 go to our beautiful cemetery
l. contemplate with Keen sorrow the evil
denceS that | there behold of ceremonial
oStentation as ostentation born of love and
reverence. l know, but still, nevertheless
ostentation in the costly and expensve
memorial stones and shafts that Indicate
the last resting places of the dead memoir
ials many of them so very costly and vet
that will be in a little while so meaning
less. A few generations will go by and with
a few exceptions every memorial stone and
every shaft, no matter how stately or how
imposing, will bear witness only of the en-
duringness of the stone out of which il was
carved. Despite the name craven thereon
after we have lain there but little while
we all shall be forgotten. Others shall take
our place and we shall be remembered no
more.
And what a waste is this, Think of the
tens of thousands upon tens of thousands
of dollars that have been spent wastefuly
upon these monuments that stand over the
graves of the dead, soon 10 be meaningless
and useless, that might have been utilized in
living memorials that would have been for
ever fruitful blessings TO humanity How
morialize loved ones by making their
death minister 10 the perpetual happiness.
enrichment and hope of the world TO make
their death minister culture. Kindness con-
ISOLATION and assuagement through all future
time to the homeless, to the friendess. to lit
tie children. to the aged. the dscons late the
prodigal forsaken. 10 the Magdalen forlorn
Oh let us come to q better wisdom in re-
gard TO our recognition of the worth and
beauty of those that we nave loved and
lost. Let us not put over their dead bodies
great. costly stones, shafts and mauso1eums.
but let US rather remember that the only