The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-12

A brief notice of the funeral services
in the Methodist Episcopal church of
the late Frederick Dreyer, appeared
in Wednesdays Tribune but because
of the universal esteem in which Mr..
Dreyer was held, and the great in
fuence for good his thirty years resi-
dence in Dunmore has been to all
who knew him, the following tribute
to his memory by Rev. y. j. Van
Cleft, pastor of the Methodist Epis-
copal church. will be read with deep
interest by the many who could not
be present NJ the last sad rites over
their departed friend. After very inn
pressiVe remarks in German by Rev.
Heinman, of the Petersburg Presby-
terian church, of which Mr.. Dreycr
was a faithful member, Mr.. Van Cleft
said:
When Moses was informed that of the
great host with him travelling to Canaan
only two would be permitted to reach the
promised laud, he realized something OF
the brevity and uncertainty of human
life. And under the inspiration of that
fact he penned the ninctieth Psalm. He
asked that the Lord would teach us to
number our days that we may apply our
hearts to wisdom" King David know
ing that life is short and uncertain prayed
"LOru make me to know mine end, and
the measure Of my days, what 1t is, that
/ may know how frail am Paul, the
great apostle in writing to the Ephesians
and also to the ColossiaEs eXhortcd them
to redeem the time" And Jesus. the
Marvellous Teacher, said Watch, there
fore, for ye know neither the day nor
the hour wherein the Son of Man COM
eth" therefore be ye also ready, for
in such an hour as ye think not the Son
of Man Cometh." And i'll speaking of
Himself he said IL must work the works
of Him that sent Me. while it is day;
the night cometh, when no man can
work" AS we stand today by the re-
mains of our brother who has been called
away by death so suddenly and unax-
pectedly these words and CXhOrtatiOns
from Gods word come to us with won
derful force and power. We realize that
we ought to "be also ready, for in such
an hour as we think not the Son of
Man" may come. That we should 'lC-
deem the time" and number our days
by applying our hearts to wisdom -
which personifies religion. We should
"seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness and be prepared to live
or die, for "in the midst Of life are we in
death"
We should number our days by using
them for our highest good, because they
are to us of great value They are days
of probation and our probation was Sc
cured at the cost of the SaviOur'S life
and by shedding Of His blood. A great
work is to be accomplished in time. Dur
ing life we are to prepare for another and
higher life. In time we are building for
eternity. Each day we are adding some
thing to our work. This life is only the
preparatory school which fits us for the
noblcr life beyond. We shall need all
of our time for this work. Time is so
valuable that God deals out our days to
us with the greatest care. We cannot
purchase or even lease absolutely a sim
gle day of life. AS our days are given
us for "A grand and noble purpose we
should spend them properly. AS we must
give an account of our stewardship we
should strive each day to do our very
best. We should redeem our time and
number our days, because the days which
are passed can never be recalled. If we
had an opportunity of changing some
things In our past life We would gladly
do so. but what is passed is gone be-
yond our recall
We should number our days because
life at the longest is short, ,s'o5 said
unto Pharaoh: Few and evil have the
days of the years of my life been" Da-
vid said: Thou hast made my days as
an hand-breadth, and mine age is as
nothing before Thee" The metaphors
and figures employed in the Bible to de-
scribe the brevity of human life are
striking and fCrcefu IT is likened to
"A shadow, a step, to grass to the flower,
to ''vapor which appeareth for a little
time and then vanisheth away"
But life is not only short it is uncer-
tain. Surely our brother left his home
on Saturday morning in perfect health.
but was carried back i'm the afternoon,
and before the sun had went down had
breathed his last But he had been for
years living for his God and was doubt
less found ready at his Masters call A
life such as We have been describing
makes US useful here ard thoroughly pre-,
pares for death. Who was of greater
service to his people and age than Moses,
the man of God, who desired TO number
his days and apply his heart to wisdom.
and when the time for his departure
came God let the glory into his soult.
the vessel broke and he was not for God
took him,
1t is said of David after he had served
his generation by the will of God fell in
sleep and was laid unto his fathers -
But before he was called away he stated
most emphatlcally: Yea, though / walk
through the valley of the shadow of