The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-05
THE PULPIT.
4 SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON BY
TIE REV. J. a. r. CAIRNS.
Theme: The Glory of Death.

oSlJhoS IClolu hC hobiS'S
Presbyterian divine. the Rev. ]. A. R.
Cairns, recently delivered the follow
ing sermon entitled, The Glory Of
Death He took as his text:
ITO die is gain - Phil. 1:21.
-" = The victory."-1 Cor. Is:
ST.
Is it not remarkable that the thing
that haunts US like a terror is the
thing that burns like an inspiration to
the men who wove together the teach
ing of this Book? What we try to
forget. they strove to remember.
What we call calamity, they called
blessing and deliverance. What
makes us cry, made them rejoice.
The clearest teaching of this Book Is
that death is glorious. 1t is an in
%spiration. And that teaching makes
the uniqueness of the Christian Cos
pei.
Let US gather the incidents that
seem to present this teaching:
The great Teacher is going to die.
The hints at death grow clear and
unmistakable, and the hearts Of the
disciples begin to fail them. The la
bors and prayers and denials of those
busy, ministering years appear as
though they would issue in nothing
ness. Even friendship is going to be
taken away,s and out of all those
years only a memory will be left
them. No other issue seemed posi-
BILE. They had no knowledge and
they had no power.
And how did Jesus face that?
What does He say? What can He
say? He seems shut up by a logical
necessity to admit the dark forebod-
ings of His disciples. But it was just
there that the opportunity for the
new truth came-just at the point
when human effort seemed to fail and
human inspiration to die-that its
meaning could be vaguely felt If not
clearly understood. And His new
truth is this simply-"That death is
glorious" It has a glory all it's own.
John IA gathers about that single
truth. That is its meaning, its pur-
pose-"I 60 to prepare a place for
you, that where I am there ye MAY
be also" Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid"
That friendship and that inspira-
ton and that teaching that they loved
60 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 We would rejoice because I CO."
But you say Christ was somehow
unique. He was tempted in all
points like as we are, and yet without
sim" With His spiritual vision and
power we can see how He could be
fearless of death, and find in it a 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 confess
sion. ITO die is gain the vic
tory"
Paul's life was hard. His years
were crowded with labors and de-
malls. 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?
It was death. Il 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. = = y Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown"
nd u,hot &c tho Glad nnfo thot Do
ter strikes to cheer the hearts of
those who suffer and pray and weep
and wait? What light does he throw
across the dark pathway of their
tribulation? Nevertheless we, &C
cording to His promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth wherein
dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore,
beloved, seeing that We look for such
things be diligent, that ye 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 their
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 tenn
pie. They shall hunger no more,
neither thirst any more, neither shall
the sun light On them or any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst
of the throne shall feed them, and
shall lead them unto living fountains
of water, and God 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 l think it is
abundantly clear that most of us are
far away from such a view. Death is
to US the last calamity. We meet it
with fear and uncertainty.
How is n to account for this
strange dissimilarity? How has a
soy become a h%eartbreak, and an in
spiration become a terror? If we
can answer this we shall answer
many lesser questions, and discover
how it 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.
1t is clear, l 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