Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-20
THE TIMES DISPATCH
SUNDAY SERMON
BY G. HERMAN TRUEBLooD,
DurrOMN Memorial Nnntist l,hnrah

| could"
| Born Man. Died a Merchant" is the la
! comic epitaph said to be. engraved upon ar
| English tombstone. We have been told tina,
! there wps once another tombstone bearing
This inscription: Gle Did He Best" tafter-
wards. somebody added), "Friends."
""pposll'on says that in ancient buryng
sFo"fo there was IL small monument, unique
'e'a"se !, marked no grave. with these words
ih"rouEht upon 1t: tSacred to the Memory OF
Enocf-'He walked with God; and he was not;
for GCd took him
The words of the text were not given direct
~ ~ an epitaph for tomb however, Jesus
SAID In connection with the text: verify say
""'o YOU wheresoever this gospel shall be
preached throughout the whole world this
also that she hath done shnll he smoke, OF for
a memorial OF her" II Is not unreasonable.
therefore, to imagine that in. or near Bethany.
years after The Master uttered tho words OF
inc text, there must have been little cemc-
terry. In which there was a grave and at its
head modest slab containing this epitaph:
sacred TO the memory OF the who
nroke the Alabuster Box over the Sa vior: Jesus
Ea'd concerning her: She Hath Done What She
Could"
But somebody will ask: ..why talk about
sraveyards the dead, and epitaphs? Tell us OF
me- JOY. and happiness: let us eat drr% and
ne merry, for we care TO hear OF the cold.
silcn: tomb"
Here is the crux OF the matter for too many
arc dcaf TO the cry OF Gods prophet that comes
numbering down the corridors OF time: Pre-
Eare 20 meet thy God" In their pell- nell rush
Tor material things, conscience has lost the
keen cage OF moral and spiritual dsccrnmcnt.
ana The challenging question of Plate: What
snail DO with Jesusy' goes unanswered: and
indifference to his question is equivalent to
saying: Cruelty Him! Cruelty Him."
Let me ask this startling question: Should
God this night thy soul require" and later
whea the living laid away your tabernacle OF
clay. what would be the very hes, word that
the hand OF truth could carve upon the marble
slab erected by loving hearts for the pcrpetua-
ton OF your memory?
Would truths unerring finger write in bold
letters across your tombstone: Indifference"
''Impurity." profanity" pleasure Mad"
"Moncy-Crazed." Law Breaker" Church En-
envy" Lost Opportunities" "Unforgivcncss."
"For-Sclf Only" "Shirker." "Rcjcctcd- Christ"
God forbid that any OF these cptaphs should
MT our case God help us TO covet the text
own
The gracious deeds or devotion. performed
by this woman, won from her Lord the most
wonderful of all compliments; and tho tooth
OF time" shall not be able to "gnaw away" her
cpitaph Of mpcrishablc glory.
The story connected with the text Is a por-
trayal Of love in action:
Loves Ingenuity-Edison and Marcon are
not our greatest inventors: love invcnts
thousand devices: love constructs a bridge
across the chasm OF difficulty. and crosses over
obstacles mountain to reach it's hearts desire;
love lights the lamp of hope when all is dark:
there will BIZ no Alps in the pathway OF
love. for love must and "wili And way" TO
break its Alabaster Rox OF ointment
Loves Thoughtfulness--"She came before
hand TO anoint His body the burying." We
SO often come behind timo. How extravagant
We with words OF cheer and praise.
when the one for whom they are Intended lies
cold in death. Bountifui. indeed, are the flow
crs bring when deaths prohibition keeps
back their sweet fragrance from the caskcts
silent sleeper.
Better buy n small bouquet.
And give to your friend today,
Than bushels OF flowers.
White and rcd to place on his casket
When he is dead
Loves Generosity--Love gives It's best; love
breaks boxes OF ointment that are very
precious. This woman accused of being
waseful; nay! the aroma Of her broken Ala
has'cr Cox has been waited by the spiritual
winds Of twenty centuries. across the fields OF
lime.
Loves Acceptance. .;,3oiH:e and whole
hearted acceptance Of Jesus Chris; as Sa vor
remarkable incident surely it could he said
OF her: she loved much'-"Thy faith hath
saved thee; go in peace
love grows brave and Determines then 1t
openly and publicly breaks it's AIaOuster BOX
Of costly ointment upon the Lord.
And il with this woman; her loves
ingenuity. thoughtfulness, generosity, accept
ancc, and confession, provoked those immortal
word. OF the Savior: She Hath Done What
She Could"