The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-05-07
FUNERAL SERMON
|. FOR A M0RAL|ST
THE REV. DIR. IRA q. McCHIAk
DELIVERS FIRST OF UH1QuES
SERIES.
Will Preach for Several Sunday Even
tngI on Sermons From Many
Standpo1ntE.

The Rev. DR.. Ira G. McCreary, pastor
of the Second United Presbyterian
church. delivered his first discourse OF
series Of sermons on Funerals at tne
! services last night. DR.. McCreary VIII
preach on funerals from the several
phases at the Sunday evening. services,
for the next several weeks. He Will
tell from the standpoint of a minister
the attitude Of the last sad rites to De
performed over deceased men and WoH-
en- in various walks OF life.
DR.. McCrcary preached last night on
"A Moralist's Funeral Sermon" taking
his text from Proverbs 30:l2. reading:
There Is a generation that are pure ~
their own eyes and yet is not washed
from their tilthiness.'
He said in part:
1T is customary. In this Christian
country to have some sort of religious
service in connection with the burial or
our dead This seems quite fitting in
| case of those who have lived lives OF
faith on the Son Of God and have en-
! dcavoI cd TO please Him. But 1t not IN
frequently happens that the minister OF
the gospel is called upon to officiate
at funerals where the deceased mas
| never made any profession OF Religion.
! lie has lived without Christ. he mas
] perhaps been VIGOROUSLY wicked. Whlte
| u religious service under such circum-
stances may seem little lnconEruouS.
the minister there has an opportunity to
/ preach the Gospel TO some whom other
| wise he may never be permitted 10 ad-
dress. Hearts may be more susceptible
ithen than at any other time anu the
message of truth may be received and
| changed lives may result. And so the
minister Of the gospel can hardly refuse
! 10 accept such opportunities to tell the
! gospel story. 1t may be like casting
| bread upon the waters. He may ma IL
after many days.
The fact that the friends and rela-
| tivcs OF those who during their life time
have made no profession OF religion,
wish to have religious service In con-
ncction with their burial is testimony
10 the value Of our service in connec-
tion with their burial is u testimony to
| the value Of our religion. A family
may scoff at religion when all goes we'll
with them, but when death enters the
| home they often desire the presence Or
! the minister of the gospel. and while not
| intending perhaps 10 do so they thus
| give evidence TO some faith in Christ
and His gospel.
1T often happens that at funerals
| the minister cannot we'll say all that
| he would like TO say. The concrete
case before him places certain restrfc-
! tinns upon him. II he were to speak
| ali that hn may have in mind he would
be- accused nf being too personal. Then
too he is in danger Of being mistaken
with reference to the deceased. He may
| not have known him as well as he thinks
h" has. Too much criticism or too much
praise may give nffense. But there are
| certain things concerning those who
! have gone that may well be said. And
| hence this series OF funeral sermons has
been planned. Without having any par
! ,icular individual before US we may
character thnt have been reproduced
among us This evening we have q NOR
alist's funeral sermon.
Cannot Preach Dead Ito Heaven
In funeral sermon the life Of the
deceased may we'll be reviewed. Some
man into heaven when he has not gone
there at all. Extended eulogy is not in
| good taste. But there are some things
that ought 10 be said about the life OF
! the departed. Especially in this case.
We can think of the life Of a moralist.
'Thcrc is 4 generation that are pure in
their own eyes. That is q good descrip-
lion. The moraliSt thinks he is pure.
According to the standards of men he
may be- He Is honest. Possibly he -
Thing. We need moro of it in the world.
Gods law requires it. But morality is
not enough. Even though he thinks he
is upright that will not save him. All
have sinncd ad come short OF the glory
of God That applies to those who
claim Ia h. moral as we'll as to others.
Those who have Sinncd are under con
domination.
"Rut the life Of this particular NOR
Hlist is over. This is a funeral sermon.
| What then is his present condition:
Death does not end all. Hc must still
live on. Bur where: That is the i'm
pnrtant question. Two places arc be-
fore each one when they pass out Of
| this life. We call them heaven and hell.
ono is a place of happiness and blessed
ness. The other is q place OF misery
and of suffering. Can We tell to which
of these places the moralst has gone?
May not be- easy in concrete case. But
the condition Of the moralist. who has
nothing else than his morality can be
determined. He thinks he is pure. He
boasts "f that fact. But Gods word
says that he and all have sinned. Sin
G"Iilcs. Not necessary for one 10 COM
nit murder or 10 be- VIGOROUSLY wicked
| in order To j." unclcan. One single sin
will d"il". Heaven is place Of abso-
| lutte purify. No sin can enter there.
There is only way by which the guilt