Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-07-23
THE PUIPII
4 SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON BY.
THE REV. J. A. r. CAIRNS.

THE REV. J. A. r. CAIRNS.
Theme: The Glory of Death.
Belfast, Ireland. - The famous |
Presbyterian divine. the Rev. j. A. r. |
Cairns, recently delivered the follow
Ing sermon entitled. The Glory cf |
Death. j" He took as his text:
To die is gain. Phil. 1:21. |
"s The victory.'--1 Cor. Is:
81.
Is it not remarkable that the thing
that haunts us like terror is the
thing that burns like an inspiration to
ing Of this Book? What we try to
forget, they strcve 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. It is an in
spiration. And that teaching makes
the uniqueness of the Christian Cos
pei. ~~,--~a',-4-.---.-
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, and out OF all those
lyears only a memory will be left
I No 9th ,oH
bic. 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 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 it's
meaning could be vaguely felt if not
clearly understood. And His new
truth is this simply-'.Tha death is
glorious" 1t has glory all it's own.
John IA gathers about that single
truth. That is its meaning, it's pur-
pose-"I go 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-
tfon 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 We 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
i power we can see how He could be
e 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 terror and devoid
of glory?' Let lis see.N Take Paul
Our text is his testimony and confes
sion. ITO die is gain the vic
4 tory"
Paul's life was hard His year.
were crowded with labors and de
e malls. How little response ther,
= seemed to be for all he gave! Ant
Il what was it that burned before hin
:. as the shining goal to which b
alton that warmed his weary heart
. 1t was death. II am in a strait be
Q twixt two-having desire to depar
n and to be with Christ, which is ia
" better. Nevertheless to abide in tn
d flesh is more needful to you II an
o ready. Henceforth there i
= laid up for me CROWN
And what is the glad note that Pc
ter strikes to cheer the hearts o
i those who suffer and, pray and wee
It and wait? What light does he thro,
across the dark pathway Of thei
# tribulation? Nevertheless we, az
y cording to His promise, look for ne,
" heavens and a new earth wherei
= dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore
:. beloved, seeing that ye look for sue
things be diligent, that ye may b
I. found Of Him in peace. without spc
IS and blame1ess.'
ID And what consolation stole into th
heart of that lonely thinker on Pa
mos - shut away from work an
friendship. and suffering for th
cross? Who are these that are a,
rayed in the white robes. 'Thes
r are they which come out of the gres
a. tribulation, and they washed the
1e robes and made them white in tt
e blood of the Lamb. Therefore, al
: they before the throne Of God, an
= serve Him day and night in His ter
II ple They shall hunger no NOR
neither thirst any more, neither sha
the sun light on them or any hea
- For the Lamb which is in the mid
- Of the throne shall feed them, ar
~ shall lead them unto living fountain
ur of water, and God shall wipe aw;
n, all tears from their eyes,