The Penn's Grove record., 1907-09-13
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Sabject: Death.


Brooklyn, N. Y.-Preaching at the
irving Square Presbyterian Church,
Hamburg avenue and VERIFIED
street, on the theme, Death" the
Rev. Ira Wemmell Henderson, pas
tor, took as his text those words
which are found so frequently in the
earlier part of the Old Testament
scriptures, And he died" He said:
Death is a subject of which we do
not like to speak. 1t is a subject we
avoid. The most of us endeavor to
forget that there is such a fact for
us. Many of us live as though we
had eliminated it from our lives.
1t is the fashion in the church
nowadays not to preach about death
with any frequency. For the people
quite largely do not desire sermons
on that theme. Ministers forbear to
press home it's consideration. They
do not care to urge men to come to
Christ by playing ON the element of
fear in their characters. And strange
ly enough death and fear have been
correlative terms for generations.
Death used to be a forceful and
popular subject for pulpit ~presenta-
ton. The divines of a century and
more ago made their lasting reputa-
tlons because of their mastery expo
sItions of the scriptures about death.
Many a soul was swung into obedf-
ence to God by the impulse of an in
tense and vivid sermon on death.
However unwise It may be to lead
men to God and to Christ through
fear of death, it is much more I'M
wise never to bring this fact to their
attention. For the life after death
IS the major part of Il existence.
The days that God allots to us here
are but a minute fraction of the ages
we shall live, If we be righteous,
within Him forever. This life is not
all of life. Nor does death end all.
However difficult and distasteful a
subject death may be to discuss, it
repays investigation and considera-
ton. We may not care to study it,
to face it, to analyze it. But we
ought.
For death is inevitable. 1t is GER
tain that as we have come into this
world we shall, in all human proba-
bility, go out of it. We cannot es-
cape death. We cannot avoid it. We
ought not to hasten it. We must
give it consideration. For it is sure
to come. We do not know the day
or the hour. We cannot forecast the
time. No man can tell the order in
which we shall go hence, you and I.
But the last day will dawn upon earth
for each of US. The chimes will ring
a last farewell upon our ears. The
call of relentless death will ring
through every soul. We may not be
able to forecast deaths coming, but
he will arrive. We may not be able
to enumerate the order of our going,
but we shall go. For death is in
evitable. His coming is unacceptable.
He stands waiting at the terminus of
every life. And we should not fear
if we fear God.
For death is natural. 1t Is as nat
ural as it is inevitable. 1t is as nat
ural as birth. There is nothing I'M
usual about it however mysterious its
processes may be. 1t is as natural
to die as it is to be born. Men talk
OF death as though it were a hiatus.
Death is not a break. 1t is a method
of procession. They speak of death
as something that ought not to be.
We shall not discuss that to-day.
But we shall assert without fear of
contradiction that in the world as it
is at present constituted death is a
valuable asset to humanity.
For death is not final but tran
sitional. 1t is not a goal. 1t is but
an incident in the life of the soul
as it flies through life into eternity.
Death is not ultimate. 1t is not ter
mlnal. Death is not an end itself.
1t is not the last of life though it
comes at the end of this life. For if
death is final it is at least question
able whether it we're any use to live
at all. If death is absolute and ulti-
mate, ii it writes fms to the close of
every mans life, then in the words
of Paul, "of all men most miserable
There may be use and there may be
wisdom in living simply for the sake
OF living and then dying, with no
hope of eternity, with no expectation
OF a life beyond, with no promise of
immortality. But such a philosophy,
however sound it may be for some
1AANo NOSo hOL oppSdl " ulC. II Vi
l am persuaded that we live to some
greater purpose than just to die, and
go back into the dust and be forever
forgotten-forever. l am persuaded
that We are more than the flower of
the field or the grass thereof, which
to-day is and tomorrow is consumed
by the quenchable fire. For God has
written in my heart, and l hope He
a in yours, a promise of another
life and of a nobler and a fairer
world. l look for a land and a life
that is eternal, a heavenly country.
For, to me, death is a portal.
1t is a gate. 1t is a boon, a gift OF
God, a blessing. To my mind it
writes Ito be continued" after the
last word of the last chapter of the
record of every souls earthly life has
been inscribed upon the pages of
human history. For death is more a
beginning than an ending. 1t is a
door through which we enter into the
undiscovered country. It affords us
a vision of another world the view
Of which is withholden from our NOR
tai eyes. 1t releases US from the cir
subscriptions of earth. 1t unlocks
Ihc LuyolcIy VI 0lGIulty. IL unIOlQS
the future existence before us,
Through it we achieve a knowledge
of the unknown. To those of us who
have endeavored sincerely, however
partially we have succeeded, to dc
the will of God and to submit our
selves to His divine control, death
comes as a friend over whom we MAJ
rejoice. Not that we should desire
to die. For this is a good life. Not
that we should regret that we have
days ahead that we must fill full of
action and of holy living. Not that
we should pray for death as a sur
from care and from pain and
from disciplines. But we welcome
and expect death, if we be in Christ,
Us a friend, because it augments oul
days, and expands our opportunities,
and clarifies our vision, and intensi-
fies u knowledge. And that is
good.
This death, which is inevitable and
natural in the career of every man
whether he be rich or poor, wise OF
ignorant, good or bad, may be ter
rible, doubtful or beautiful, accord
ing to the manner of our lives and
the quality of our characters. Fol
death cannot he houpht off Inv rioboc