Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-09-05
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Subject: Death.

brooklyn, N. Y.-Preacnlng 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 subject we
avoid. The most of us endeavor to
forget that there Is such fact for
us. Many of us live as though we
had eliminated 1t 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 its 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 century and
more ago made their lasting reputa-
tons because of their mastery expo
sitions of the scriptures about death.
Many soul was swung into obedi-
ence to God by the impulse of an in
tense and vivid sermon on death.
However unwise 1t may be to lead
men to God and to Christ through
fear Of death, 1t is much more I'M
wise never to bring this fact to their
attention. For the life after death
is the major part of our existence.
The days that God allots to us here
are but 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
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 1t. We must
give 1t consideration. For 1t 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
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
II we fear God.
For death is natural. 1t is as nat
ural as 1t is inevitable 1t Is as nat
ural as birth. There Is nothing I'M
usual about 1t however mysterious its
processes may be. 1t Is as natural
to die as 1t Is to be born. Men talk
OF death as though it were hiatus.
Death is not 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
valuable asset to humanity.
For death is not final but tran
sitional 1t Is not 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
minal. Death Is not an end itself.
It Is not the last Of life though 1t
Of ha Of -
death Is final 1t is at least question
able whether 1t were any use to live
at all. II death is absolute and ulti-
mate, If 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 life beyond, with no promise OF
Immortality. But such philosophy,
however sound it may be for some
minds, does not appeal to me. For
/ am persuaded that we live to some
greater purpose than just to die, and
60 back into the dust and be forever
orgotten-forever. / 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
has in yours, a promise of another
life and of a nobler and fairer
world. look for q land and life
that is eternal. heavenly country.
For, to me, death is a portal.
It is gate. 1t Is boon, 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
beginning than an ending. 1t is a
door through which we enter into the
undiscovered country. 1t 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
the mystery of eternity. 1t unfolds
the future existence before us.
Through it we achieve a knowledge
of he unknown. To those of us who
have endeavored sincerely, however
partially we have succeeded, to do
the will of God and to submit our
selves to His divine control, death
comes as friend over whom we may
rejoice. Not that we should desire
to die. For this is 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 sur
cease from care and from pain and
from disciplines. But we welcome
and expect death, If we be in Christ,
as a friend, because 1t augments our
days, and expands our opportunities,
and clarifies our vision, and intensi-
fies our knowledge. And that 1s
good.
This death. which is inevitable and