G
THE DAILY EVKmrfQ TELEGRAPH PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 1870.
ILM EYJEfelORIAHI.
llir Lnlo ISishops Thomson iind
liiugslcy, of the M. E. Church.
An Eloquent Tribute to their
Memory by Bishop Simpson.
Yestcrtlay morning, Union M. E. Churcti,
Fourth street, below Arch, was crowded, on
the occasion of the delivery v! the memori il
sermon by Bishop Simpson on the death of
Bishops Kingsley and Thomson, of the M. E.
Church. 'Among the audience were a largo
number of the clergy of this city and adjacent
counties.
The exercises were opened by Hev. Alfred
Cookman, of the Delaware Conference, who
gave out ymn 1083.
Rev. Charles Cooke, of St. George's
Church, then offered prayer,
The nineteenth Psalm and the closing part
of the fourth chapter of the First Epistle of
l'aul to the Thessalonians were read by He v.
S. E. Post, of the New Jersey Conference,
after which He v. T. T. Tasker announced the
1077th Ilymn.
Bishop Simpson then delivered the sermon,
of which the following is a verbatim report:
The Bishop selected the following text it
being the 15th verse of the Kith Psalm:
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death
of ?Us saints."
He then said: Sad are our hearts when
the angel of death enters the circle of our
friends and calls some loved one away. We
bow, smitten ! The tomb seems dark 2 And
at once we are joined to the spirit world by a
strong though unseen tie. When the wise
and the good and the great are taken from
the family of the Church and of the nation,
the hearts of the community are made sad,
and, clouded, the congregations feel that God
has smitten them. And yet from these signs
of sorrow and of death we are called to think
of the sovereignty of God; of his care to
wards his creatures; that death is not un
noticed by Him; that living or dying we are
the Lord's! and that especially those who
put their trust in Ilim, and in His Word, are
denominated as "saints"; that He seems to
bend over their dying bed, and precious in
His sight are thoir dying moments. '
It seems sometimes difficult for us to real
ize this, for so still and quiet, so sad and
solemn are such scenes, that we do not think
it possible, as we ought to, that God is pre
sent in the dying chamber, and that, pre
cious to us as loved ones may be, more pre
cious are they in the sight of God ! The
reflections on this passage lead us to consi
der, first, that one great object of revelation
seems to be to assure us of the constant pre
sence and supervision of God. We speak of
the Work of God as a revelation. It is not
only a revelation of His will, which might
not be learned from the voices and outgoings
of nature, but there is a sense in which this
Word takes off the veil from the face of na
ture, and gives it meaning, and force, and
power in ail its utterances.
That there is a God, the heavens 'above us
declare, and the earth beneath no echoes
back. There is a voice that comes in every
gale; there seems to be a tongue in every
tree and shrub and flower, that tells us of the
wisdom and the skill and the goodness of
God. And yet such is the perversity of our
nature, and such the veil which sin throws
over our hearts, that we go through this
world a greater part of our journey without
recognizing the, presence of God around
and about us. It is His declaration
that the whole earth shall be filled with His
glory; and when the veil is lifted from the
heart and the eye, the heavens declare His
glory, and the firmament showeth His handi
work. His voice goes out through the earth,
and on the winds to the ends of the world.
When God's spirit touches the human
heart, the utterances of His word make us
feel His presence, and man rises to something
like the dignity which God designs him to
have the moral position he ought to occupy,
and wherever he goes reoognizing the pre
sence of God around him. If he walk in the
streets of a crowded city, God .is there ! If
he pass through the untrodden waste, God is
there ! In the midst of the business of the
world, in all its surroundings, and in the
pressure and excitements of all its scenes,
the man whose heart is right recognizes the
presence of God. At home and abroad, in
sickness as well as health, in poverty as
well as in wealtheverywhere and
under all circumstances, when the
veil is taken from the eye, God is above U9.
Even if enemies press us, when the eye is
enlightened, the hills and the mountains are
full of chariots and horsemen and fire !
The great error of our hearts, and the error
of the day, is a failure to recognize the
presence of God with us everywhere. If our
hearts could but feel this, it would make us
strong to think, strong to work, able to suffer,
to do and to die, and make us feel that the
arms of overlasting love, everywhere and at
all times and circumstances, encircled us.
What may be the capabilities of man, or what
may be the possibilities of man, so recog
nizing the presence and power of God who
can tell? If God be foi m, who shall be
against us? If God be in us, what strength
can he impart to us!
I have oone into the philosophical rule. I
have seen a person isolated on a stand, and
the electric current brought into contract
with them, and from the end of every finger
and the extremity of every hair would go out
a stream of lire. Meat wnicn was unseen,
unnoted, and unf elt, beoomes, palpable, visi
ble, powerful! So it seems to me a man nriy
be in going through this world. Isolate him
from his Bins, cut olf the connections thut
Limd him to this lower earth, and let the
stream of grace be turned on his heart, and
let him feel the power and the presence of
Almighty God, and in going through this
world he becomes a power from whoiu shall
issue heavenly influences touching the world
wheresoever he goes. For if God work
through a man, what may he not accomplish?
As I have said, one great object of revolution
is to take olf the veil from the face of nature,
that God stands revealed an our God, witu
his influence guiding, directing, strengtheu
ing! It is comparatively easy for us to think of
God caring for active workers. The Psalmist
says, 'The steps of a good man are ordered
of the Lord and He lighteth bis way;" and the
figure is one of parental fi'otiou and solici
tude. The little child is jubt begiuniug to
take its iirtt stepB, is unable yet to overcome
difficulties and encounter obstacles. But the
father and mother, bending, watch its steps,
direct it in the right pathway, are delighted
when it is able to walk, hold it by the hand,
and rmile at its going forth. And so God is
ieprebeuted as bending over a good man,
directing his Rteps, delighting in his way, and
strengthening him to labor. And so, too, this
watchful Providenoe is illustrated reaching to
every part of our being. God is with us
watching our fall, if we must fall, with great
sorrow and care; knowing and counting every
hair of our heads. We can more easily be
lieve all this, however, than we can bring
ourselves to feel that the dying moment is
bo especially noted of God. We take an in
terest in active workers. Society wants strong
men, thinkirg men, planning mon, labor
ing men, men of power. Our hearts
are drawn to them. We are co-workers with
God, and when and while we can work here,
it would fteem but proper that God should
care for us. His works strengthen ns, work
ing in find through ns; and when nature fails,
when diseases enfeebles, when death draws
near, when the power to labor is gone, often
times society takes but little interest in us.
But how sweet to turn from what may be
carelessness and human thoughtlessness, to
remember, "Precious in the sight of the Lord
iu the death of His saints."
Some of you, my brothren, possibly have
or may feel this chango in society. When
yon were younger and stronger, when yon
could stand in the churches and speak words
of life and power; when you were contres around
which the moral power of the community
gathered, how many warm friends, and kind
and active friends gathered around you!
When you have been unable to go in and
out before the Church; when God has seemed
to put you aside to perfect your grace by
suffering, the heart has sometimes been
pained when friends have seemed
few and far between, and the lonely hours
have scarcely been comforted by the visita
tion of a friend or one expression of kindly
feeling. Not so with God watching over
the most enfeebled; watching over the
moments of old age; watching over the
moments when life seems friendless almost;
bending over . the very bed of death, and
uttering of the voice from Heaven "Pre
cious in the sight of the Lord is the
death of His saints," Ho shows His un
fathomable love for us.
An occasion which calls us together, like
this, brings the thought of death very vividly
before us; and I think, in the case of our
brethren, whose memories are with us to-day,
we can well employ the phrase here of
"saints." It is true in the highest use of the
phrase. It would seem to be one above the
infirmities of human nature, and we are too
liable to these, and man in his best estate is
altogether vanity ! Living, there are few of
us who would like to assume the title of
"saint," and yet there is a sense in which we
are such; that is, taken from the original
phrase, we are set apart, sanctified and purified
by the Holy Spirit. We are in the process of
purification, getting ready and preparing for
the society of the blessed above, and for com
munion with God. And those whom God calls
in to His Church should submit themselves to
His sway, should pray for the guidance and
purifying power of the Holy Spirit. The
Scriptures apply the term "saints" to the
"saints that are in Ephesus," and to the
"sainis that are in Corinth," and the people
of that day had all the human nature we
have, and all the imperfections we have, and
the term in this modified sense is applicable
to all the servants of God.
But to those who have, in nis language,
devoted their lives to His calling; who have
given themselves, with all their power, to the
work of lifting this world nearer Heaven;
who have given their all to go forth to pro
claim the Gospel to man in all its glorious
fullness, the term seems peculiarly applicable;
and I think I may say oi our dear departed
friend?, that "Precious in the sight of the
Lord were their deaths. What may be in
cluded in this phrase, how much may be im
plied, it is scarcely for us to say. A man,
though a good man, who neglects the laws of
nature or fails to comply with them, notwith
standing all his goodness, must bear the con
sequences and toe eflect of those laws. I
don't believe that it is only because a man
lives out the days of his life that God in
tended to have him live. There are laws of
nature that environ ub on all sides.
And yet where there is no intentional
wrong, wnere mere is no intentional viola
tion of the laws of nature, where men en
deavor to perform the law of God, there are
errors overruled, imperfections are atoned
for, and "precious in th sight of the Lord"
is every death. And He overrules all the
circumstances connected with a death, and
endeavors to bring the greatest possible good
to them and the community.
And yet I would not inculcate a carelessness
for the laws of nature; I would not give any
one to suppose that such is the watchful care
of God, that do as he may, he will live until a
certain period; that living as he choose, life
will be of the same length. It is not so. God
directs ns; gives us judgment, wisdom, know
ledge, and we are to care for the health he
gives ub, for the life he bestows upon us, and
thus a great duty falls upon man to live just
as long as he possibly can in doing his Mas
ter's work. He should care for his physical
energies, and preserve them, and it should be
one of the great objects of his life so to act
that that death may be postponed as far as
possible, which is to sever him from the asso
ciations of life, and to render him incapable
on earth to work for his Master s cause.
But while I would guard that point, I
would say, on the other hand, that we are to
use the powers God gives us; aud though
we may make mistakes God can overrule
these both for our good aud for nis glory;
and when we die, "Precious in the sight of
the Lord" is our death. He so orders all cir
cumstances connected with it that, first, tho
saint hball be released from earth aud taken
home to glory, and, secondly, that in his death
he shall inUuence, in some mysterious way
poFsibly, society all around him.
But the death of the saint is preoious in
the sight of troa in this sense that lie gives,
at that time, a clearer sense of llta presence,
and a greater consciousness of His power. So
dear is He, that He comes to the dying room,
bends over the dying pillow, and brings a
realizing sense to the person dying that God
is there. And then that which seems dark
becomes light; that which seems dillioult be
comes easy; that whioh they dread as painful
loses its terrors, and the person calmly.
sweetly lays his head on Jesus' breast and
breathes his life out there. Oh, how many
have said, in the language of Bishop Thorn-
Bon, when dying, "If this be dying, it is easy
to die." At that moment who can tell what
vibions of glory come to the mind, already
partially freed froinjtbe chains that bind it to
mortality, about to'granp the invisiblo and
dwell in the infinite ! The human soul hero
seems to be strangely constituted. It has
always room for another beside it the iu
dwelling of some spiritual power besides its
own. that hlmpts and influences life. And
while there is that strange capability on one
hand, there seems to be another this is the
nowtr of attracting luseii to sometbins le
yond it. It is on both of these that the dig
iiitv of human nature is iounaea.
Man has a fearful responsibility in his
cower to admit an evil spirit, which will take
up lodging with him. For it is in his power
to have God dwell in him. The outgoing
soul can commune with the powers of dark
ness, on the one hnnd, or cau seem to grasp
the very glories of heaven on the other. A
man may, while here, have communion with
the Futher of his spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The soul has this power of outgoing, that
can grapp the distant and the invisible, and
the dying soul feels but a little more of this
power, le is Hearing the banks; it is ready
to join the throng; it is almost listening to
the music, almoht charmed by the visions,
waiting to be numbered with the blest above.
Ihe Church to-day feels, in the death of
BishopsThomson and KingHley,a sore bereave
ment. In the wJsole history of the Church
no other such scene has been witnessed. If
we trace the lives of the bishops who labored
in the Church, a great majority of thorn will
be found to have lived to good old age, and
died under circumstances that did not so
deeply impref s the Church's mind. Bishop
Coke was an exception, who, though but
partially connected with the Church in this
country, labored for the Church in England
ns well. But Asbnry, McKeutlree, Roberta,
Soule, Hedding, and Waugh all lived to a good
old age, and all died surrounded by their friends.
George died early, yet in mature years, with
his family and friends about him. Hamline
was in the midst of his family, but life had
been ekeing away for years and he resigned.
Emory was smitten down in the middle of
life, strangely, unpleasantly cut off in one
instant, within a short distance of his own
borne. But these two, among the strongest,
smong the most talented, among the most
endeared to the heart of tho Church, in
middle life, in a career of usefulness, at a
moment whon the Church had no thought of
such a catastrophe, are cut down within a few
days of other one on the banks of the Ohio
and the other on the shores of the Mediter
ranean. How strange, that their deaths
should be so sudden, so unexpected, and so
near together!
I pause but for a moment or two, not to
recite their history; not to give biographical
sketches such as you have already been per
mitted to read, but to recall some of the
prominent traits in their lives and to draw
lefiBons for ur advantage. And first, this
morning we do devoutly thank God that He
ever gave such men to the Church. In their
early childhood they had religious training,
for, es a general rule, those whom God de
signs to be preachers in His Church, very
cany in me lie throws around them and gives
to them influences which are to mike them
powers in the world. It is not always the
cuse, but it is Uod s general rule.
Bishop Thomson lived until the years of a
young man belore he gave his heart to God.
In this city he graduated in medicine, lteceiv-
ing his diploma at the age of nineteen, from
the Jenerson Medical College, he com
menced the practice of medicine, but as in
the case of Calvin, Luther, and other emi
nent men, the sudden death of a friend
startled him. Shortly after, a sermon to
which he listened from the lips of that won
derful man of God, Russell Bigelow unpre-
posseFsing in appearance, strange in his
manner, and yet whose words went like a
flame through our Western land shook his
fidelity. Subsequently ho gave himself to the
work of God; and, some two or three years
after his graduation in medicine, and after he
commenced to practice it, at the age of
twenty-one, he sought and found peace in
Jesus Christ. Scarcely had he finished his
probation in the Church of six months, when
he was licensed to preach, and at the next
conference was admitted in a travelling con
nection. He gave himself wholly to the work
of a Methodist preacher, but having been
blessed with an early education, being pos
sessed of far more than ordinary talent, the
Church selected him for literary labor, and
Norwalk Seminary, Ohio, was placed under
his care. That institution has since cone out
of connection with the Church, yet out of it
come great influences, lie founded a West
ern university, over which he presided many
years in after life.
Hishop Kingsley was born in Western Mew
York. Early in life he was converted, and
felt himself called to the ministry. He strug
gled in the midst of difficulties, lie was a
young man grown before he was able to ob
tain an education. 1 hrst met him in lHdd,
just about thirty-one years ago, and when I
accepted a chair in Allegheny College I found
hinfisley a student a young man, strong.
manly, working, and willing to do anything to
support himself in the college. He displayed
unusual talent and power, and a class was
given him to instruct. He was employed as
tutor, with the exception of a short time,
when he retired from the college to gain ad
ditional means for his support by giving in
struction to a few in the primary classes. He
thus worked his way through college, and, iu
1841, graduated, and what is very unusual,
having entered an institution with very little
education ana worked his way turounu it
the very hrst year atter his graduation he was
elected to a professorship there; such was the
confidence of the faculty and the trustees aud
the Church in his wisdom, skill, and pru
dence.
lbe history of both of these men is before
the Church. They were educated, both were
editors, both of them had spoken aud written.
Both were clear theologians men of might
and power. Ihey had been with the Church
in its various localities, and in various posi
tions, and then they were called to the highest
honor it could bestow upon its ministers. As
a mark of the continued afi'eotion towards
them by the Church, it may be said that in
lHf; they were among the highest in votes of
those not elected to the episcopal office.
Twelve yesis passed away, and the Church,
having had their walk before its eyes, again
turned to thtm, and contirmod the indication
given twelve years before, iu honoring them
with a place in the Episcopal Board.
And light well did they perform their du
ties. Many of these ministers have s it under
their presidency. - You know their kindness,
their fidelity, their power. Men of deep
piety, great modesty, unaffected simplicity,
uniting the highest order of taluut with the
deepest humility and doepost devotion in
the cauEe of Christ. No man who ever min
gled with them could doubt their constant
and uninterrupted piety. Thoir lives mark a
great era. They were leaders in the latter
part of the first century of the Church, aud
just entered upon tho second century. I
have alluded to the fact thit they were edu
cators. The Church needed them at a time
wbtn her institutions were few and feeble,
and there are veiy few men who had so much
to do iu institutions, and iu developing
the literary interests of the Church, and
laboring to give it an elevation of power iu this
land and throughout the uaiverse. Iu all
lands and religious institutions their memo
ries will be blest; for they had students scat
tered over the earth. They found them iu
China, in India, in California, in Oregon,
wherever these bishopH went iu their widely
diffused journeyiugs they fonnd some who,
under tl eir early instruction, had been brought
to Chrisi, aud consecrated to the ministry of
the Lord.
In their closing scenes we know that all
was well. We have not yet heard of the
closing scenes of Bishop Kingsley 's life fur- I
. V .1 .1..... t. .r .1 .! 1
luer uinu iuul mii-u wnn utn iiuuorm U"vuuuu
to the cause of God that all must have been
well. Of Bishop Thomson's death we hve
full knowledge. It is peculiar thit both of
them died without their families being with
them. Thomson was at homo, and yet so
sudden was his death that the wife of his
affection nnd the children of his love were
not permitted to visit him. Kingsley ended
his life on the other side of the ocean. lint
though they fell without their families beiu;?
with them, kind friends were around Thom
son, and I have no doubt that Kingsley fell in
the midst of the missionary families of the
American Board that are stationed at Beyrout,
for thre are loving, manly, noble Christina
spirits there, as I can testify to, for in thit
same place I lay for days in dangerons illness.
and received the sympathies and auectiou of
brethren who were there then.
lbe lessons to the Church are first, les
sons of warning to us as ministers and mem
bers, "Be ye also ready." How powerfully
this voice sounds in our ears this morning!
When many of you, my brethren, meet in
your conferences, when you greet each other
there, your memories will go back to a few
weeks ago, when you little thought that
Thomson and Kingsley would be no more.
Some of us had not so much prospect for
long life as they had, but God ordered differ
ently, and called at a moment least expected,
to ns at least, and they departed to receive
the crown. To ns, as ministers who remain,
the lesson should be to do the work the Mas
ter gives us with increased energy and in
creased care. The fewer the men who are
left the more diligent the workers should bo.
The nearer we approach to the close of life
the more faithful ought we to be; and this
morning there are some hearts, I trust, that
are resolved to make a more perfect confes
sion of faith than they ever made, and to be
every moment more perfectly prepared than
they have been in the post.
The second lesson is one of humiliation to
the Church. Why is it that God is calling
our leaders away ? McClintock dear to all of
us, a name honored by all died aud the
Church was in tears. Then from the banks
of the Ohio came the tidings that Thomson
the gifted, eloquent, and polished writer, the
powerful Christian man, Thomson had
fallen, and scarcely had we recovered from
this bereavement than there came along the
wires the terrible intelligence that Kingsley
had fallen in a moment at Beyrout. Oh,
how the Church bowed ! I was in the New
Hampshire Conference, and was closing the
services, and the telegram was placed in my
hands as I stood in the pulpit. The choir
and congregotion were singing. I asked
them to pause at the close of the verse, and
I read the dreadful tidings to them. Bishop
Baker burst into tears by my side, and sunk
to his seat. Strong men sat with heads bowed
and streaming eyes, and for a few moments I
never saw a congregation so powerfully
moved. ,
We should humiliate ourselves and see
whether we have in any way offended the
Great Head of tho Church. There is cause
for humiliation. We are not faithful as a
Church, and devoted as a Church, as we ought
to be. We should be more upon our Knees.
I think, again, that possibly in passing
throuch the centenary exercises we have
closed we had too much of the spirit of boast
ing. We have failed to be grateful to God.
Sometimes I have feared that we have failed
to give all the credit to God on account of
soli-congratulation, possibly self-adulation.
We have magnified our position beyond what
was, possibly, acceptable to Uod. lie may
need to smite ns to bring us to our knees and
make us feel our dependence on nim. And
if in any of these things we have been smit
ten, that the lesson should reach our hearts,
let us humbly arise and look up, feeling that
He is a jealous God and will not give His
glory to men.
Another lesson is this: that the Church
should learn to depend more perfectly on
God and less on men. ihere is a wrong
feeling pervading the Church. It is among
ministers and among members. We should
be grateful that God gives man the power in
the Church; and yet I think congregations
depend too much on their ministers, and
ministers depend too much on church arrange
ments and church officers. It is right that
there should be affection; it is right there
should be harmony and co-operation; it is
right that we have a brotherly love, and yet,
after all, the strength of the Church is in the
dependence on the love of uoa, ana no
man should be suffered to come between us
and God. Members of the Church of the
living God, do you not expect your ministers
to do a large proportion oi the worn, and are
you not dependent upon the strength, the
power, and eloquence alone of your minister
to conquer the world for Christ i I will not
underrate all those strong in faith and hope
and love. We should be grateful to God for
all the power given, but at the same time
learn the Church has the right to go directly
to the throne of power and find strength, be
the minister whom he may. If ho leads well.
all right; if he does not lead us well, go
directly to the great ear.
And this lesson, in this respect, we would
do well to. heed and learn. How beautiful
the thought, that while God buries nis work
men lie carries on llis worK still I now
blessed to feel that God guides His Church
He took His Son, sent to earth, from the
band of the Apostles, and left them poor,
smitten, scattered, and helpless, and yet
founded a Church through the mstrumen
tality against which the gates of hell cannot
prevail, and who is able at all times and in
all circumstances to give to His Church ex
pansion and perpetuity.
But there is in the death of these brethren,
it seems to me, a providential voice calling
the Church to greater exertion aud greater
labor than it has yet undertaken in the past,
And that voice, it seems to me, comes from
Asia's shores. It seems to be strange, and
yet I think it is in the order of God that to
America has been reserved in a great measure
the honor and ability to raise Asia from its
stupor and bring it to the toot of the uross,
Our first bishop. Dr. Coke, felt his heart turn
with intensest love for Asia. He was then
connected with the English Wealeyans, and
it was this missionary spirit of his that led
him to our shores and over the extent of our
then settled country and Canada. The same
yearning led him to care for Asia and he
looked out; and when men thought missions
to the multitudes of Asia, were almost an im
possibility, his heart yearned to demonstrate
that the Gospel was the power of God unto
salvation even in Asia, lie pieau lor it,
Men thought him fanatical. At last he suo
ceeded iu getting a few chosen young men
to go with him and start on a voyage to plant
the Church in India. He had almost reached
that shore when God called him up higher,
and one morning be was found dead in his
room. No one had witnessed the struggle.
No one bad known he was ill. He had
retired feeling a little unwell; he desired no
aid, and the next morning was found dead.
It was a great calamity, as it appeared to me,
and in one sense it was. And vet that death
of Dr. Coke on the far shores of India while
going to lift a heathen people up, whita tailing
nn advanced step in the history of Christian
effort bound the great heart of the Church
to India. Up to that moment there were uo
missionaries there; there was no missionary
societies. Coke's great heart yearned for
their establishment. He founded missions.
He himself was the planner and arranger, not
only for the relief of this country, but for
India, too. And when be fell, men felt some
thing more must bo done. A society was
formed; men combined together, and they
resolved that India should not be forsaken.
Missions were formed and progressed with
great rapidity after the death of Dr. Coke.
Mow these two bishops have had the honor
of laboring in our Church, of laying broad her
foundations. Bishop Thomson had been
through India and China; had seen the mis
sions, and the last literary work of his life.
to comprise two volumes, lust coming out of
the press, is entitled "Missions in the Orient."
He bad given his last days to this work of
bringing this Hubject more lully before the
Church, and ho called upon it loudly in behalf
of India and China. It was the great burthen
of his thoughts. He plead for China and he
plead for India in missionary boards, an J on
the platform, by voice and by pen; and he
asked the Church to take possession of that
part of the heathen land. How strangely
God bos been joining our nation to China!
In the midst of all this work, America the
youngest and China the oldest have been
joining hands. A strange intimacy has
pprung up. Burlingame was selected as our
Minister and became her Minister. You
know the whole history of the embassy, and
how he led their chosen men through tho
world, finding out what might be done for
China, and they copied American institutions.
America has now aroused China, she has in
fluenced her, and is beginning to arouse
India, though she is not so powerful in India
as England, as the latter has civil oontrol.
But lor China, especially, America seems to
have a wonderful mission. The first bishop
sleeps in the ocean, not far from Ceylon.
The first bishop consecrated and ordained
over the Methodist Episcopal Church here
has his grave by tho hores of India; and the
last bishop elected and ordained has his grave
on the outlook of the Mediterranean Beyrout.
Asia has ever called to the American Church
to take possession of India.
Strange seems it to be that the ocean and
the land should bind us to Asia. The ceme
tery is a beautiful spot. On the brow of yon
hiil, on tho out-look of yon sea, the American
Missions below, on the way up where Le
banon summit seems to tower towards the
clouds it is there that Kingsley sleeps. His
heart of sympathy is silent in the body; but
strongly, before it ceased to beat, it beat for
India and China. No man has ever rendered
the Church so famous in India and China as
Bishop Kingsley, by his faith, by his vivid
description of the degradation of the people,
bv his genius, by his nietv. This is the
labor he bad performed, and yet, possibly, it
may be that in the death of these men the
Church will take a wider outlook. Had but
one of them fallen, possibly the shock would not
have so deeply aroused the whole heart of the
Church. But both have fallen aud the stroke
is heavy. Let the spirit of these men live in
the young men of the land. I am glad to
say that the fruit of their labors is appearing.
I passed through Mew York on Tuesday even
ing. On that afternoon I learned they had
just selected six missionaries for China and
India, to send tliem on to reinforce a band
of men who have labored so faithfully and
long for the conversion of the country to the
blessed saviour,,
In Bishop Kingsley 'a death there is some
thing especially beautiful. I could have
wished for him long life. We were waiting
lor his return, lie gave us intelligence.
Papers respecting our mission had been sent
to him in Germany. We wanted his know
ledge and ability. But oh, how grand that
death! lie had almost completed the circum
navigation of the globe. He had started in
June, had scaled the mountains of Colorado,
bad gone down into California, had sailed
across to China, penetrated far into its inte
rior, swept around to India, held its confer
ence, arranged with its laborers for future
triumph, had come back to the lied Sea, had
gone tnrougn that great canal which had iust
been opened one of the wonderful works of
the world and there his heart turned to the
Holy Land. He sailed from Alexandria to
old Joppa, went up to Jerusalem, had stood
doubtlessby the sepulchre of Abraham and
the manger at Bethlehem, had
wandered over the lit: le fields and hills
of Nazareth, had looked at Capernaum.
passed over the Sea of Galilee, looked where
fire came down on Mount Carmel, had made
his way up to Tyre and Sidon, and had reached
Beyrout. He bad longed to see Jerusalem; ho
had talked very much of it and now he had
been at the City of the Great King; he had
been at Gethsemane; he had looked upon
Calvary; had been at the sepulchre and the,
Hill of Zion; had walked over the places
where Jesus' feet pressed this earth and
where the apostles spoke in His name; had
wandered over the lands where angels used to
come down from heaven to earth, to give
glad tidings to men; seemed almost to bear
the sound of praise through the opening
heavens; he had finished his mission and
God called him to go up higher; he had seen
the gates of the earthly Jerusalem, and his heart
was full of love, full of joy, full of zeal, but
God said "It is enough;" he completed the
journey around the globe aud be was taken
up totieavento join the saints in glory; he
had no tidings of MoClintock's death, but oh!
they meet in glory ! lie had not heard of
Thomson's decease, but a glad hand met him
on the other shore and what a meeting
there! and with the redeemed! Blessed
meeting, where parting is no more !
I might say of these brethren gone that the
Church of God could illy spare them. They
were men of progress, knowledge, ideas; of
deep sympathy for all the movements in the
Church; men that were planning for the en
largement of its borders. But they have
ceased to work, and now let us gird ourselves
for labor. Brethren of the ministry ! brethren
of the membership ! let us covenant before
God this day to do better work for the Master
than we have ever done before; now, in the
opening century, that opens bo grandly, to
develop the means and resources of the
Church and to bring it to a higher plane of
action. Let us resolve to conquer the world
for Christ, and let Asia be the pivot on whioh
our labors shall rest. Oh, let us conquer that
land for Christ. Now for an era of missionary
labor; now for an era of heroio valor. Young
men, some of you niny come to work for the
Church in foreign lands; and no matter where
you labor, beautifully it will be said of you:
"Precious in the sight of the Lord io the
death of the saints." God grant us, when we
fall, to fall on the side of glory. God grant
ns that when we die we may be permitted to
join thote dear spirits, and all the loved ones
who have gone before us, around the throne
of God.
A Memphis man, who last week brought a
suit for 5U damages agaioit the owner of a dog
which bad killed hit cat and left him aa unpro
tected victim of rats, lost his cose.
OAHPETINQS, ETO.
E. J. LESTER. OHAS. T. WEBEB.
WM. T. CEH!A.
E. J. LESTER & CO.'S
CARPET WAREHOUSE,
Ko. 29 North SECOND Street,
Opposite Christ Church
PHILADELPHIA.
VELVETS,
eodit nnvnsniiS,
TAPSSSIIY BRUSSELS,
THREE-PL?,
1TJ GRAIN,
VEI7ETIAZ7 CARPETS,
ALSO,
Oil Cloths, Window Shades, Etc.,
IN GREAT VARIETY.
ALL TDK ABOVB GOODS WILL BR SOLD,
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, AT TUB
Lowest Market Rates.
E. J. LESMSl tL CO.,
Opposite Christ Church
No. North SECOND Street
4 8 BmwSm PHILADELPHIA.
CARP E T I N C S,
Oil. CLOTIIN, lHATTIIf 8,
lCUUH, imUUUUTM,
Stair and Hall Carpeting;,
IN GREAT VARIETY.
PRICES ALL REDUCED.
R. L. KNIGHT & SON,
No. 1222 CHKSNUT STREET,
8 6 BtathSm PHILADELPHIA.
tj E W CARPETING 8.
W are now opening a fall Una of
FOREIGN and DOMESTIC CARPETS
OIL CLOTHS,
AND
m a. rr rr i iv & ,
OV ALL GRADES,
Which we are offering at greatly redaoed price from iasi
eaaou.
LEEDOM, SHAW & STEWART,
Wo. 635 3IAKUET Street,
8 34 thstnSm PHILADELPHIA.
CARPETS AND OIL CLOTHS
ASSIGNEES' SALE OF A LARGE STOCK OP
CARPETS, MATTING, OIL CLOTH,
AND
WINDOW SHADES.
TO BE 80LD FOR CASH, AT STORE,
DEPUY'S OLD STAND,
No. 253 SOUTH SECOND STREET,
4 86 6trp PHILADELPHIA
ARCH STREET CARPET
WAREHOUSE.
New Styles at the Reduced Rates
BRUSSELS. 3-PLY8, INGRAIN, AND VENETIAN
- CAItPUTIHttS,
At 85 per cent, lower than last aaaaon't prioa.
JOSEPH BLACKWOOD,
No. 832 ARCH STREET,
r 1 19 imrp Below Ninth, Roath 8ld.
REFRIGERATORS.
REFRIGERATORS.
TOR THE CHEAPEST AND BEST
GO TO THE MANUFACTORY 09"
P. P. K EARN 8.
No. 39 NORTH NINTH STREET,
4 83smw3mrp
BBLOW ARCH, KA8T SIDE.
BOZORTH'S
FREEZING REFRIGERATOR
FREEZING WATER DAILY..
GXtxrriTix a fage,
Ko. 1001 A1CC1I Street,
til 6trp
PHILADELPHIA. .
YT -ALL REFRIGERATORS
-tVJ ALWAYS RELIABLE.
The eubeoiiber guarantee the make and fintah of hl
BUPKKIOR REKHIGKKATOR equal in ernrj reepect
to nil former make. Th thouaanda aold and now in
ns Unify to their (uperior qualiuoatioua. For ale
wboleaaleana retail at the Manufactory, No, 8U6 OHERR Y
btreet, abov Third.
Alao, W.F.NIUKEL'8 Patent Combination ale, beer,
and liquor ooolar and refrigerator.
a WthatuStit 6KOROR W. NICKELS.
LOST.
I OST CERTIFICATE No. 6551 FOR a
J WH ARKS COMMON 8TOOK of the LKHtGU,
VAIXKY RAILROAD OOMPAMY, in nu of UaryK..
Chanva. Ainlioation haa been luada lor raua.al.
April 30, lb?U. 20Ut-