Middletown transcript., 1899-09-09
NEcRoLoGY
DAVID srEwkRr. ND.

| DAVID STEWART ND
The funeral Of Dr. David Stewart occurred
Sent. 6th from his lata residence in Port
Penn st Q. p. m. The services were con-
i Quoted by Rev. o. A. Gillineham, pastor of
the church, and Rev. s. B. Wylie. of New
Castle. The pail bearers were four of the
sons OF DR.. Stewart: DR.. David Stewart, Jr.,
Rufus Stewart, T. Dale Stewart. and Rev.
K. ]. Stewart, also Joseph Cleaver and John
B. vandegrift. He was laid in the family
cemetery and many relatives and friends
followed him to the grave.
The services were simple and beautiful.
The hymns sung were "How blest the
righteous when be dies" and "Why do we
mourn departing friends"
Remarks of Rev. O. A. Gillinghsm. at the
| funeral of DR.. David Stewart Sept. 9th 1899.
Job 5: %; sThou shalt come to the grave
in q full age like as snock OF corn COM
eth i'm his season"
Death is always more or less affecting.
To whatever other impressions the mind
fails to respond. il is always touched by
death; we are 80 constituted that the very
mention Of death generally casts gloom
over Us. But however true these facts may
be in general, there is something grand and
glorious in the death of the aged christian; |
when the unripened grain is cut down. we
feel justified in an expression of regret; but
when the grain 10 yellow and ripe for the
harvest we cannot but approve Its being |
garnered. Many Of Gods people are called
home in early life, even in infancy, and we |
cannot but feel that they are among his |
brightest jewels; they are his, and he takes
them according to the pleasure of his own
will; but length of days and long life is
promised the people Of God as one Of their
peculiar blessings; this promise was made
to Abraham, and repeated to other OF the
old Testament worthies who walked and
talked with God; 1t has been extended and
fulfilled to many Of the saints in alt genera
tons. Long life Is also promised as re-
ward for honor and obedience to parental
authority; and from merely human stand
point, old age on the part Of the good and
prudent, is to be desired: It lengthens their |
opportunities for doing good; their expert
guCS IL WOIbn kuuC4 w SAOSS "AsAA UA~SA~ II
they associate an aged christian is pillar
of strength in whatever community his lot
may be cast. Our text presents the death
of q saint ripe in years and in good works
ready to be gathered home TO his God; in
this particular it is in happy keeping with
the death of him whose memory we honor
to-day; especially is the word ripe" appro-
pirate to this occasion. As to years, DR..
Stewart had lived his three-score and ten,
and almost seventeen years of borrowed
tine; for benefcent reasons which We are
not able to divine, God granted him more
than mans allotted time; he had followed
his own generation to the sepulchre, but
was himself spared to mingle with the next,
and to give it his counsel.
Though reared and schooled in Q former
generation, be was not dull to the needs Of
the present.
While we are unable to fathom the Di-
vine purpose in extending the life of this
saint through 80 many years, yet we feel
safe in affirming that 1t was in the interest
Of his kingdom. Occasionally we see
rugged, old oak, that has withstood the
storms of many years, which has been
spared by the woodsman from the primi'
tive forest, as landmark; it reminds us Of
these aged men who have cutliVed their I
own generation they seemed to be spared =
BY time, who wields the sickle Of death, as
moral landmarks from which the rising
generation are to take their bearings. The
world and the church has need of these s
men of God as long as he will spare them:
well may we lament that the old land
marks are being removed so rapidly. This /;
and the church, Of which the
departed was an honored member, and in
which he was faithful official, were great
" blessed because of these years Of rips .
christian character and experience; his long
service Of more than sixty years in the 4
sldership, made his counsel valuable, and
his Judgment respected; his vigor and I
energy in be half of his church duties were
retained until his last illness; his last active
Iervices were In behalf of his masters king
lom, and the church that he loved. Like II
he true soldier Of the cross he was "faith-
al unto death" and we have every assur. d
.nce that he Is now wearing an unfading a.
crown of lifs." Only Of the mature =:
christian may it be said that he is ripe for
leath; the sinner may be ripe for destruc-
ion, bnt not for death; length of years is q
lothing to the credit of the sinner, it only p
Increases his responsibility: but, unlike the b
inner, the saint who has spent his life and -
nergies in the services Of his God, can say :,
nth Simeon, whose desire had been fulfill
d. '.let now thy servant depart in peacs,n "
nd that peace was Youch safed to him who q
as departed, leaving his mortal remains
ow before Us; his death was like that of be
ome Of the old Scriptual characters Of :.
'hom It was said HE fell on sleep"
The Christian who has spent life of ser ID
ice in the interests of his Redsemer's king
ON is ripe for translation from the earthly ~
} the heavenly kingdom; 1t is true that =
le body of the departed will be committed Pl
J the grave where it will rest until the n
call but the soul, like the ripe
-aiD, is gathered into Gods garner where
remains in close union and communion
ith its Saviour God. To-day the soul of
o departed Is in Paradise AMI that estate
far better than this. DeliYerance has e.
me; the captive, retained so long in the
rthly prison house, has been set free and
gone home to mingie with the spirits of
st men made perfect: there, associated
ith those who. like him, were faithful
d useful in the church while on earth, be
sits to extend the hand Of fellowship as Pr
rs bis wont while here. Hitherto we
we been accustomed to think of this fa-
er in the church as he occupied his won't III
placa in the sanctuary or passed the sa- an
ID elements to those who assembled about an
9 spread table Of our blessed Lord; we ~,
ali continue to think Of him thus, but n
% as citizen Of the upper kingdom:
'thed in his Savlour's righteousness, he
8 gone to meet him whom he had served
long; liks the ripe shock Of corn, he has
m uakh mrn1 Sv,h hS