Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1913-08-21

have not believed in vain.
Jesus said: Il am the resurrection
and the life: he that believeth in me.
though he were dead. yet shall he
live: and whosoever iiveth and be-
lieveth In me shall never die And
again: If a man keep my word. he
shall never see death He shall new
sr see" death-what does that meant
II means that ne shall never gaze up
on death as the outlook or the obiec-
| tive Of his life. There are but two
I spheres; life. and death The mo-
ment a man believes in Jesus Christ
he passes out Of the sphere OF death
into that OF life: life. not death. 10
heEceforth his outlook. The believer
is nowhere told TO look forward to
death Since he believed. death has
ceased to be the object OF his gaze
The Christian shall never die" In
the words OF Jesus to Martha: Be
lievest thou this?- That those dead
shall one day live because OF him. is
not hard to believe: but that those
living shall never die" because OF
their faith In him. is more difficult to
believe. Nevertheless It is a fact. The
death Of the body Is no more TO be
considered death to the Christian,
than the life OF the body Is to be
counted life as compared with that
life which is life indeed This does
not mean that Christians will not see
the grave. but that. in the deepest
sense they will not die. The life Of
faith survives the shock OF death.
which is but a momentary shadow up
on the life which Is very far better |
There are no Christian dead. The /
God OF the Christian is the God of the 1
living. and not of the dead This Is I
he truth enunciated By God to Moses
1t the burning bush Moses was TO
that Abraham. Isaac and
Jacob were still living
U. Christians Fall Asleep In Christ.
A distinction is made between "dy-
ng" and falling asleep" For II We
believe that Jesus died so them al
% which sleep IN Jesus xill God bring
With him Jesus died. that is, he
asted and drained the cup to its bit
crest dregs, in order that we might
lot have to do the same. He died; we
leep. He has abolished death and
'rought life and immortality to light
Three things are suggested by the
erm sleep" continued existence. re-
lose. awakening. In what the world
,alls death the believer simply closes
his eyes upon all that is mortal. and
opens them upon that
which Is eternal. What blessed
why make ye this ado. |
and weep- The dansel is not dead. |
but sleepeth--
The living presence OF Christ Is
what greets the Christian In the place
Of death How beautifully this Is
brought out In the Shepherd Psalm.
Yea, though l walk through the val
ley OF the shadow OF death. will fear
no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me" Note
the change In the personal pronoun.
Up to this point. the psalmist has used
the third personal pronoun he" but
now he uses the second person. thou
Why Because in the hour when We
pass through the valley OF the shadow.
no third person. no loved one. parent
or child. can go with Us through that
narrow vale The valley is so narrow
that q mother cannot take her one
day old babe with her II we have no
Christ. we press our way through that
valley alone. and missing him. our
stumbling feet must fall
o. % hAve 70 Christ. 10 Savior. no han.
20 clasp thine own
I Threu-h the dars- dark vale % shadows
tnca Ezzxt press thy way alone
The assurance OF the believer Is
that Christ Etll be ~ith him in the
hour % departure. that be will stand
By ais bedside az the light OF earth
fails. ready % Lead I'm through the
valley into the home beyosd the skies
II vas the ASSURANCE OF tais presenes
that led Mr. Moody % say when dy
inE Il this death. Way there Is nc
dark valley ~ Is wfEh ne The Iiv
ing Christ taxes the place In the ex
psrfsncs Of the believer o. what the
Norid calls and - IN reality 70 the
wording death
Ard wseu. a las bar ths shsr-
AnE ths fearful hrsalssrs roar
-wtxr ne ar1 ~ heavenly rest.
TH~n. sniie l~aniax On my breast. nay
I hs4r thee SAY 60 re
Tsar not | vi Diiat the~--