The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-07-09
THE PULPIT.
A SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON BY
The REV. J. a. r. CAIRNS.
1heme: The Glory Of Death.

Cairns. recently delivered the follow
ing sermon entitled. THE Glory OF
Death He took as his text:
To die is gain" - Phil. 1921.
81.
Is IT not remarkable that the thing
that hannts us like q terror Is the
thing that hurns like an inspiration tc
the men VINO wove together the teach.
ing Of this Book? What we try &c
forget, they strove 20 remember
What we call calamity. they called
blessing and doliverance. What
makes us cry, made them rejoice.
The ciearest teaching of this Book is
that death is glorious. It is an In.
spiratIon And that teaching makes
the unlquenass of the Christian Cos
pei
Let rs gather the incidents that
seem 20 present this teaching.
The great Teacher Is going 10 die.
The hints at death grow clear and
unmistaka0le, and the hearts of the
disciples begin 10 fail them The la.
bors and prayers and denials OF those
busy ninis.ering years appear as
thoCEl they would Issue in nothing
ness. Even friendship is going to be
years only memory will be left
them. No other Issue seemed posi-.
BILE They had no KNOWLEDGE and
they Rad no power.
And how did Jesus face that?
what does He say? What can He
say? lie seems shut up by a logical
necessity 20 admit the dark forebod.
ings O. His disciples. But it was lust
there that the opportunity for the
new truth came--iust at the point
when human effort seemed to fail and
human Inspiration TO die-that its
meaning could be vaguely felt IL not
clearly understood. And His new
truth is this simply-"That death Is
glorious II has glory all its own
John "A gathers about that single
truth. That is its meaning. its pur.
pose-'l go 10 prepare a place for
you, that where | am there ye may
be also. Let not your heart be
troubled. neither let it be afraid"
That friendship and that inspira.
tion and that teaching that they loved
so much and feared so much to lose.
would become deeper and fuller and
eternal because of the coming Of
death They would lose nothing.
they would gain much. IF ye loved
Me ye would rejoice because | go.
But you say Christ was somehow
unique. He was tempted in all
points like as we are, and yet without
sin. With His spiritual vision and
power we can see how He could BE-
fearless Of death. and find in it rich
and abiding testimony to the truth
of His Gospel, but what of the bur.
dened men-the men who walk in
mists and mysteries. who lack the
vision and the power? Can death
ever be less than a terror and devoid
OF glory? Let us see Take Paul
Our text is his testimony and ccnfes-
sion. ITO die is gain the vic.
tory"
Pauls life was hard. His years
were crowded with labors and de.
mails How little response there
seemed to be for all he gave! And
what was it that burned before him
as the shining goal to which he
longed to come-what was the inspir.
alton that warmed his weary heart?
1t was death. II am in a strait be.
twixt two-having a desire to depart
and to be with Christ, which Is far
better. Nevertheless to abide in the
flesh IS more needful to you" Il am
ready. Henceforth there is
laid UP for me "A crown"
And what is the glad note that Pc
ter strikes to cheer the hearts of
those who suffer and pray and weep
and wait? What light does he throw
lcross the dark pathway of then
lribulation2 Nevertheless we, ac.
cordinS 10 His promise. look for new
heavens and new earth wherein
dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore.
beloved. seeing that ye look for such
things be diligent, that We may be
found Of Him IN peace, without spot
and blameless"
And what consolation stole into the
heart OF that lonely thinker on Pat.
mos shut away from work and
friendship. and suffering for the
cross? Who are these that are ar.
rayed in the white robes. These
are they which come out of the great
tribulation. and they washed theit
robes and made them white in the
blood Of the Lamb. Therefore. are
they before the throne of God. and
serve Him day and night in His TEN.
pie. They shall hunger no more,
neither thirst any more. neither shall
the sun Hight on them or any heat.
For the Lamb which is ia the midst
Of the throne shall feed them, and
shall lead them unto living fountains
Of water. and Cod shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes"
Such, then, Is the view of death
that was taken by the disciples of
Jesus and the apostles of the early
Christian church. And / think II is
aDundantly clear that most of us are
far away from such a view. Death Is
10 us the last calamity We meet it
with fear and uncertainty.
How is one TO account for this
Ftrange dissimllarty? How has
Joy become a heartbreak. and an In
spiratlol become terror? If we
can answer this We shall answer
many lesser questions. and discover
how II is that not only in death, but
in sorrow and sickness and disap-
pointment we are missing the con-
ISOLATION and the glory that ought to
dwell eVermOre in our hearts
it is clear, / think. that the men
who found and held TO the glory Of
death were free from many OF the
subtle temptations that surround our
lives The atmosphere they breathed
was pagan. The work they did was
unpopular The Gospel they pro-
fessed was bitterly ridiculed and op-
posed These men could not live
Christian lives as "of course" They
had got to live IL deliberately, pas
sionately, earnestly. They were driy-
en- back 10 draw out OF Christianity
the very richest that 1t would give.
To drift was impossible. They we're
definitely out OF II. And as they
faced II all with the Spirit OF Christ