{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_63724/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_63724","id":"gutenberg_63724","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63724","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Funeral sermons","Sherman, Roger M. (Roger Minott), 1773-1844"],"text":"Death disarmed of its sting.\n\nA\n\nTRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY\n\nOF THE\n\nHON. ROGER MINOTT SHERMAN,\n\nBEING THE\n\nDISCOURSE PREACHED AT HIS FUNERAL,\n\nJanuary 2, 1845.\n\nBY\n\nLYMAN H. ATWATER, PASTOR OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN\nFAIRFIELD.\n\n\nNEW HAVEN: PRINTED BY B. L. HAMLEN.\n\n1845.\n\n\n\n\nDISCOURSE.\n\n\n     1 CORINTHIANS, xv, 55.--O death! where is thy sting? O grave!\n     where is thy victory?\n\n\nThis triumphant ejaculation, which Christ hath made the property of all\ndying believers, implies that death may lose its sting and the grave\nits victory. And whence comes this change in the issue of the conflict\nwhich man is ever waging with death, and in which death is the natural\nconqueror? How shall we account for this transmutation so strange,\nso wondrous, so heavenly, by which this most resistless, relentless,\nunsparing conqueror, is itself made to die, is swallowed up in victory,\nand at the very moment of seeming to crush its victim, translates him\nto an endless life, gilds him with fadeless glory, transports him with\nthe fullness of joy evermore, and crowns him with an immortal diadem?\n\nOur answer is found in that record which God hath given of his Son,\nwho hath brought life and immortality to light. \"Thanks be to God who\ngiveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,\" who has made\nthe sublime annunciation on which all human hope depends. \"I AM THE\nRESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; WHOSO BELIEVETH ON ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD,\nYET SHALL HE LIVE.\"\n\nSince then, death, through the wondrous work of Christ, may be disarmed\nof its sting, and the grave robbed of its victory, let us for a few\nmoments consider more precisely _in what way, to what extent, and with\nrespect to what persons_, this comes to pass.\n\n1. In the verse following our text, the Apostle declares, \"the sting\nof death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.\" Hence it is\nsomething wholly distinct from the mere physical pangs of expiring\nnature, or the instinctive dread and abhorrence of its own dissolution\nwhich it ever cherishes. This dread of self-annihilation is a property\nof life itself, which is in its very nature a ceaseless effort to be,\nand to avoid non-existence. Irrespective of sin or holiness, penalty or\nrewards, whether the death of the body be, or be not regarded as the\nonly and certain passage to a perfect and blissful state of existence,\nit is in itself what we instinctively dread and shun. Like pain, we\navoid it if possible. We never choose it as in the least desirable for\nits own sake; although we may cheerfully submit to it as we submit to\nbitter drugs and burning caustic, because without it, we cannot escape\nthe pains of earth, or reach the bliss of heaven. In this light the\nChristian may desire death, because to die is gain, and he desires to\ndepart and be with Christ which is far better: but not because it is\nin itself lovely, or otherwise than grim, ghastly and terrific. This\nnatural aversion to the physical pangs of death, therefore, is not its\nsting, since it is a part of our sentient nature, and still cleaves to\nChristians as to others.\n\nBut _the sting of death is sin_, i. e. the violation of the law of God\nand consequent subjection to its tremendous penalties. Thus \"the law\nis the strength of sin,\" so far forth as it is a sting. Now death is\nthe penalty of sin, its wages, \"it passed upon all men for that all\nhave sinned;\" even death temporal and death eternal, the death of the\nbody and the death of the soul. And unless its nature and power as a\npenalty be annulled by faith in him who conquered it, the sting of\ndeath lies in this, that it is not merely a _natural_ but a _penal_\nevil, not the mere dissolution of the body, but the entrance of the\nsoul upon the merited woes of the second death; not the mere end of\nlife, but a transfer to the pains of eternal retribution. It is the\nlaw, the violated, threatening, immutable law, that invests sin with\nthis fearful power. Viewed in this light, the only light possible out\nof Christ, death indeed has its sting, which no tongue can tell or mind\nconceive.\n\nWe see then how this sting is removed by Christ. He took it upon\nhimself. Sin is its cause. He bore our sins, was made under the law,\nbecame a curse, suffered and died, the just for the unjust. He thus\ndischarges the demands of the law against the believing. What then if\nthe wages of sin is death; is not \"the gift of God eternal life through\nour Lord Jesus Christ?\" What though death in its original nature, be\nthe first, stinging, insupportable stroke of God's wrath revealed from\nheaven against all unrighteousness? We are delivered from the body, the\nsubstance, the sting of this death, thanks be to God, through our Lord\nJesus Christ. \"His blood cleanseth from all sin.\" Whoso believeth on\nhim \"shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto\nlife,\" for he is \"not under law but under grace.\"\n\n2. Let us consider briefly the extent of this deliverance. It is\nperfect. It is co-extensive with sin and all its dismal fruits; if sin\nabounds, grace doth much more abound. The destruction of sin, involves\nthe removal of all its direful effects, the whole ghastly retinue which\nit brings with it. Christ the second Adam restores us to the primeval\nperfection, glory and bliss, which we lost by the apostacy of the\nfirst Adam. The parts of this restoration are successive and gradual,\nso that it is not wholly consummated, till the body is raised and\nglorified at the last day. But it is wholly and forever secured by the\nfirst act of true faith. For we are \"justified by faith.\" And whom God\njustifies, them he also glorifies, and none shall be able to separate\nthem from his love or pluck them out of his hands. With respect to the\ncondemning or penal power of sin, deliverance is perfect at the moment\nof our union to Christ by faith, and ever afterward: for there is \"no\nmore condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.\" Whatever sorrows,\nsufferings or calamities visit the believer, they are not a part of the\ncurse and penalty of the law. They are chastisements sent in fatherly\nlove and faithfulness, and not in vengeance; not willingly, but for our\nprofit; for the very purpose of promoting our deliverance from sin. As\nto sin itself, at the new birth, it receives a mortal blow, by being\nsubjected to a reigning principle of holiness, which is then born into\nlife, and is ever waxing stronger and stronger until death, when it\nextirpates the last remnant of sin, and the spirits of the just are\nmade perfect in holiness. Although ever dying, sin is never perfectly\nextinct in this life; it is the heaviest burthen under which the\nbeliever groans in this tabernacle; its end is the sweetest part of the\ndeliverance which death brings with itself. With respect to the body,\nit is not freed from the pains and infirmities in this life, which\nbelong to its frail and perishing nature. Nor does it escape death. It\nis not renovated and glorified till the last day, when the archangel's\ntrump shall wake from the grave its slumbering tenantry, the dead shall\nbe raised incorruptible and we shall be changed; \"our vile bodies\nfashioned like unto Christ's glorious body, according to the working\nwhereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.\" But at death it\nsleeps in Jesus. Its pains are forever ended. The disembodied spirit\nis already glorified with Christ in Paradise, awaiting its reunion to\nthe glorified body. Thus death has lost its whole sting: nay, it is the\nbirth-throe of an endless, glorious and blissful life. There the wicked\ncease from troubling, and the weary are at rest, undisturbed by the\nslightest annoying sensation. They shall hunger no more and thirst no\nmore, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. \"Blessed are\nthe dead that die in the Lord from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit,\nthat they may rest from their labors, their works do follow them.\"\n\n3. And who receive this stupendous deliverance? To whom rightly belongs\nthis strangely rapturous outburst, which sheds a halo of glory even\nover sepulchral darkness? I answer to those who die in the Lord; i.\ne. to those who are joined to Christ by a living union. This union is\nconstituted by faith, which lays hold of and rests upon Christ as he is\noffered to us in the gospel, and gives us an interest and participation\nin all the benefits of his salvation. \"He that believeth on the Son\nhath everlasting life\"--he shall not perish or come into condemnation.\nThe just are saved by faith through grace--they walk by faith--they\nlive by faith, and overcome and triumph by faith. Without this faith it\nis impossible to please God. Unbelief is a rejection of Christ; he that\nbelieveth not is condemned already.\n\nBut since there are divers sorts of faith on which men rely for an\ninterest in this inestimable boon, we must distinguish that which is\ndead and spurious, from that which is living and genuine. Omitting much\nthat might be said on this topic, I will only observe that true and\nsaving faith shows itself in correspondent works, in a life of holy,\nconscientious obedience to all the requirements of God. Without such\nworks, faith is declared by the Apostle to be dead. Ye are my friends,\nsays Christ, if ye do whatsoever I command you. And any other faith\nthan that which leads us to walk in all the commands and ordinances of\nthe Lord blameless, gives no warrant for the triumphant exclamation,\n\"O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory!\" But he\nthat truly believeth, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and in\nhis dying moments may with truth adopt the words of Simeon: \"Lord, now\nlettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for\nmine eyes have seen thy salvation.\"\n\nThe full and well-founded conviction that death has lost its sting\nand the grave its victory, with respect to our deceased, beloved and\nrevered friend, whose breathless body now lies before us, chiefly\nassuages the grief produced by this melancholy dispensation of divine\nProvidence. It has diffused a sensation of gloom, as wide-spread as\nhis honorable fame. But we sorrow not as those without hope. He ended\na consistent and exemplary Christian life, with a serene and peaceful\ndeath. After a life in which his piety had been known by its fruits,\nand when the signs of death were stealing upon him with an unexpected\nand surprising rapidity, he assured me that in the prospect of a speedy\ndissolution, he felt supported by the consolations of that gospel he\nhad long professed, and that he rested calmly on that Savior, who had\never been, and now seemed peculiarly, his only hope. And when the\ndying hour came, he seemed free not only from the mental sting, but\nthe physical agonies of death. There was not a pang, not a struggle,\nnot even a motion of a muscle, beyond the mere gasp of expiring\nnature. So wholly had death lost its sting. It was good to be there\nnotwithstanding the gloom: to see the venerable servant of God calmly\nand placidly falling asleep in Jesus, \"quite on the verge of heaven.\"\n\"Mark the perfect man, behold the upright, for the end of that man is\npeace.\"\n\nIt is due to the occasion, to present such a sketch of his life and\ncharacter as the time will permit.\n\nThe Hon. Roger Minott Sherman was born at Woburn, Mass., May 22, 1773,\nand was the youngest of six children of Rev. Josiah Sherman, then the\nCongregational minister of that place. His father was in the fourth\nline of descent from Captain John Sherman, who emigrated from Dedham,\nin England, to Watertown, Mass., about the year 1635. He was brother to\nthe Hon. Roger Sherman, who was one of the signers of the Declaration\nof Independence, and raised himself from a humble condition to a\ncelebrity for statesmanship, that brightens with the lapse of time.\nThe mother of Judge Sherman was Martha, daughter of the Hon. James\nMinott, of Concord, Mass., one of the distinguished men of his time,\nand in the fourth line of descent from George Minott, who was born in\nEngland, was one of the first settlers of Dorchester, Mass., and a\nruling elder in the church in that place thirty years. Owing to the\ndisturbances produced by the Revolution, Judge Sherman's father removed\nin 1775 to Milford, in this state, and was for some time pastor of the\nsecond church in that town. He thence removed to Goshen in this state,\nand was pastor of the church in that place several years. He finally\nremoved to Woodbridge, near New Haven, where he preached the remainder\nof his life, and now lies buried. Of his children, the four oldest were\ndaughters, the two youngest sons. They are all now dead, Judge Sherman\nhaving been the last survivor.\n\nIn 1789, at the age of sixteen, Mr. Sherman entered the Sophomore\nclass in Yale College. Six weeks afterwards his father died, leaving\nno property, since his income, like that of most ministers, had been\nbarely equal to his current expenses. He was thus deprived of the\nmeans on which he had relied for defraying his college expenses. But\nby the kindness of his uncle,[A] who received him into his family and\nrendered him other important aid, together with his own exertions, he\nwas enabled to go through the academic course. He kept a school in New\nHaven during a considerable portion of his two last college years, and\nat the same time attended regularly all the exercises of his class, and\ngraduated with a high standing. He then took an academy in Windsor,\nand commenced the study of law under the Hon. Oliver Ellsworth. He\nafterwards took a common school in Litchfield, and continued the study\nof law under the Hon. Tapping Reeve. In March, 1795, he was appointed\na tutor in Yale College, and instructed the class that graduated in\n1797, at the same time pursuing his professional studies under the Hon.\nSimeon Baldwin, who still outlives his pupil, and is here to attend his\nburial. In his own class in college were several distinguished men.\nThe class which he instructed also numbers several eminent names. In\nthe office of tutor he was peculiarly successful. Instead of relying\non official authority or magisterial airs to gain an ascendency over\nhis pupils, he rather won their respect and esteem by the ability and\nfaithfulness of his instructions, the benignity of his manners, and the\njustness of his discipline. His extraordinary power of disentangling\nthe intricate, mastering the profound, and making the obscure plain,\ncombined with a rare faculty of expression, must have rendered him a\nmost able and brilliant instructor.\n\nAfter holding this office somewhat more than a year, he resigned it,\nand in May, 1796, was admitted to the bar in New Haven. He then\nestablished himself as a practicing lawyer at Norwalk. On Dec. 13, of\nthe same year, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Gould, daughter of\nDr. Wm. Gould, then of New Haven, previously of Branford, sister of\nthe late Judge Gould of Litchfield, who after a happy conjugal union\nof forty eight years, near half a century, is still spared to mourn\nhis loss. They had but two children, twin sons of high promise; but\nby an inscrutable Providence they were cut down, and as we trust, are\nsleeping in Jesus. In 1807 he removed to this place, where he has since\nresided for a term of near forty years; and has become so identified\nwith all our social and public interests, that there is no sphere in\nwhich his loss will not be deeply and intensely felt.\n\nMr. Sherman had not long pursued the practice of law, before his\npowerful intellect and untiring industry raised him to that high\neminence in his profession, of which he had already given promise. He\nrealized the most sanguine anticipations of his friends. As a jurist\nhe had few equals, and scarcely a superior in the country. While\nhe most excelled in handling abstruse, mazy questions of law, he\nmaintained the very first rank in whatever belongs to his profession.\nHis legal knowledge, his logical skill, his high persuasive powers, his\ncommanding eloquence, his unwearied industry, his faithfulness to his\nclients, gave him the highest success and celebrity in every department\nof legal practice, attracted to him an overflowing business in this and\nother counties of the state, and often led to a demand for his services\nin great cases in other states. Seldom does the bar suffer the loss of\nso distinguished an ornament.\n\nFrom 1814 to 1818 Mr. Sherman was a member of the upper branch of our\nstate legislature, in which he distinguished himself by his thorough\nknowledge of the laws, policy and institutions of the state, his\nmastery of all subjects under discussion, his high power in debate, his\nassiduous attention to business, his patriotic devotion to the welfare\nof the people. Though among the younger members, he rose rapidly to an\nascendant influence.\n\nIn 1814, he was chosen by the legislature of this state a delegate to\nthe convention of the New England states, assembled at Hartford, for\nthe purpose of devising measures suited to the exigency into which they\nwere brought by the war. This is not the time nor the place to discuss\nthe merits of that convention. This however is undeniable, that New\nEngland sent to it her choicest, most gifted, trusted, and honored\nstatesmen; and that whatever impartial history may say of the wisdom of\nthe movement, it will pronounce their intentions pure and patriotic.\nIt is proof of the estimation in which Mr. Sherman was already held,\nthat he was selected to bear responsibilities which New England would\nconfide to none but her most tried and able men. In this galaxy of\neminent statesmen he shone as elsewhere with his own peculiar lustre.\nOf the nature, objects, and doings of the convention, he has given a\ndetailed account as a witness in court, under the responsibilities of\nan oath, which has been published to the world.\n\nFrom 1818 to 1839 he was almost wholly devoted to his profession, and\nheld no public office, except that he was occasionally a representative\nof his own town in the legislature. He was not however without interest\nin, or influence upon, the legislation of the state. He originated and\ndrafted many important laws, which have become inwrought into her fixed\npolicy. Most of these have reference to the administration of justice;\ntend to abridge the cost and delay involved in vindicating our rights\nat law; and to abolish cumbrous formalities, which defeat or embarrass\nthe attainment of justice.\n\nIn 1839, he was chosen Judge of the Superior Court, and Associate\nJudge of the Supreme Court for the revision of errors in this state.\nThis station he was pre\u0106\u00abminently fitted to adorn. He brought to it\nrare legal learning, logical acumen, expertness in the practice of\nlaw, unbending integrity, untiring industry, a commanding person,\na dignified and courteous address. I need not say that he filled\nthe office with honor to himself and advantage to the state. His\nwritten opinions in the Court of Errors, published in the thirteenth\nand fourteenth volumes of the Connecticut Reports, will speak for\nthemselves; and, alas! are the most important monuments of his great\nintellect which he has left to posterity. In May, 1842, he resigned\nthis office, on account of ill health. Since that period, he has passed\nhis time chiefly in domestic retirement, as increasing infirmities have\nincreased his need of those genial supports and solaces which can only\nbe found in the bosom of home. While his body has been gradually giving\nway, his intellect has wonderfully retained its pristine clearness,\nvigor and elasticity. It has scarcely been affected by the decays of\nage. To the last, so far as he had the power of articulation, his mind\nappeared to seize all subjects that came before it, with its wonted\ngrasp. After a short illness, which reduced him more rapidly than the\nworst fears of his friends, he died, Dec. 30, 1844, at the age of\nseventy one years and seven months.\n\nI will now attempt a brief delineation of his character.\n\nHis intellect, as has been already implied, was naturally of\nextraordinary power, invigorated by thorough discipline, sharpened by\nconstant exercise, well stored by laborious research, and polished\nto a classical finish by the study of the finest models. To these\nhigh inward endowments, he added a noble person, a voice of uncommon\ncompass, clearness and melody, a free and graceful elocution. Hence\nhe was not only a powerful reasoner, but a powerful orator. His mind\nwas clear, capacious, discriminating, comprehensive. Nor was it\nfitful in its vigor, now breaking forth in meteoric brilliancy, and\nthen sinking into dullness and indolence; but it had an iron patience\nand perseverance, and was ever active, ever buoyant. This trait it\npossessed in a most extraordinary degree. It never seemed to flag or\nshrink from exertion, or lose its elastic vigor under any degree of\nbodily exhaustion or pain. There was no web of sophistry, no covert\nflaw or labyrinthine maze in an opponent's argument, which it would not\nreadily detect and expose. And in constructing a positive argument, his\nmethod was logical and direct. Starting with some principle or fact\nwhich none could dispute, he would evolve from it link after link,\ntill the conclusion which he sought to establish, before it was looked\nfor, seemed fastened as by an adamantine chain. Above all, his mind\nloved clearness, and abhorred all obscurity and mist. He delighted to\nmake things plain himself, and was impatient of all transcendental and\ndreamy speculations in others. He had great confidence in the power of\ntruth and argument, and that what he felt to be true himself, he could\nmake appear so to others. This gave an ardor and enthusiasm to his\npleas, which was one great cause of his success. Nor were his studies\nand attainments exclusively professional. He was largely furnished with\nliberal knowledge. He was well versed in theology and metaphysics, and\npeculiarly fond of the exact and natural sciences. He was familiar with\nthe science of government and political economy, and whatever it most\nconcerns a statesman to know. Nor did he neglect elegant literature.\nThis various knowledge he made tributary to his profession, in cases\nthat could be illustrated by it, and sometimes astonished and delighted\nhis auditors, as he poured forth its treasures.\n\nBut our venerable friend and brother was not only a great, he was also\na good man: good, not merely according to the standard of worldly and\nfashionable virtue, but according to the Christian and evangelical\ncode. His extraordinary gifts and endowments, the great fame and\ninfluence which they won for him, were strictly subordinated to moral\nand religious principle. \"What things were gain to him, those he\ncounted loss for Christ: yea, doubtless, and he counted all things but\nloss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.\"\n\nHe united with the church of Christ in Yale College at the age of\ntwenty two, when he was tutor, and for nearly half a century has\nadorned the doctrine he then professed. As to his religious principles,\nthey were those of our Pilgrim Fathers, in which he had been educated.\nHe loved and revered the Puritan doctrine and the Puritan character.\nNor did he adopt his principles merely from traditional authority or\nhereditary attachment. His great mind could receive nothing for truth,\nwithout inquiry and evidence. So thorough had this investigation been\non his part, that there were few abler theologians than he, even among\nthe clergy. Hence he was intelligent, earnest and steadfast in his\nreligious opinions. Without bigotry, with the most catholic spirit,\nwith hearty love for all of every name who love the Lord Jesus Christ\nin sincerity, he was himself a Congregationalist and a Calvinist of the\nschool of Edwards, Dwight and Scott. These views he adopted because he\nbelieved them to be taught in the Scriptures, and to accord with his\nown religious experience. He felt that by the grace of God he was what\nhe was. He was a man of prayer; and he prayed with all prayer, in the\ncloset, the family, and the Christian assembly. He had great confidence\nin its efficacy, and believed the promises made to it.\n\nHe was clothed with humility, that most fundamental of Christian\nvirtues. Indeed his modest, unassuming, unobtrusive spirit and manner,\nimpressed all who became acquainted with him; it made his greatness\nstill greater, and lent to it its peculiar charm, its crowning glory.\n\nHe maintained the strictest integrity and uprightness in all his\npublic, private and professional transactions. He scrupulously adhered\nto truth, fulfilled his promises, abstained from any which he could not\nfulfill, would not sell his conscience for office or emolument, and\ndiscouraged what seemed to him to be groundless litigation.\n\nHe was remarkably kind and benevolent in his disposition, and free\nfrom the malevolent passions. He was mild, courteous, and benignant\nin his deportment, compassionate and tender towards the unfortunate\nand distressed, condescending and affable to all--not appalling even\nthe humblest. He lent a charm and a dignity to the society in which he\nmoved--of which he was always fond--which he illuminated and enlivened\nby his capacious mind and his high conversational powers. Nor will it\nbe deemed an improper invasion of the sacredness of domestic grief, if\nI say, that he was a model of parental and conjugal love, tenderness\nand fidelity.\n\nMr. Sherman always cherished the strongest interest in promoting the\ncause of pure religion and sound morals. He gave to it the benefit\nof his extended influence, his persuasive powers, his liberal\ncontributions. The cause of evangelical missions received his ardent\nand constant support. He plead with great frequency and eloquence\nin behalf of home missions, being persuaded that the welfare of\nour country and the permanency of its government, depend more on\nChristianizing the people than on the devices of statesmen. He was\namong the earliest and most powerful advocates of the temperance cause.\nHe was deeply interested in the welfare of the colored people of this\nland, and their relations to the well-being of this country and of\nAfrica. He believed the Colonization Society to be the best medium of\nblessing the African race in this country and their own. He was grieved\nthat it received so feeble a support from the Christian community. He\nhad of late deeply interested himself in the cause. He had called the\nattention of clergymen to it, as he had opportunity. He was exceedingly\nanxious to attend the recent meeting of Consociation in Southport, for\nthe purpose of laying the subject before the ministers and delegates.\nHe had prepared himself to start; but found himself so ill that he\nwas obliged to desist. From that time he sunk rapidly, and before the\nlapse of a fortnight, was released from all further earthly toils and\nresponsibilities.\n\nAs an upholder of good public objects, a counsellor and adviser in\nprivate and public affairs, Mr. Sherman was much resorted to from this\nparish, town and vicinity, and indeed from a still greater distance,\nand from wider spheres. In this respect his loss will be, to human\nview, irreparable. But in his own church and society, it will be most\ndirectly and intensely felt. They were dear to him as the apple of his\neye, for he preferred Jerusalem above his chief joy. He was ardently\ndevoted to its peace, welfare, and enlargement. While he gave it a\nlarge pecuniary support; yet this was not the most important of the\nservices he rendered to it. He was an invaluable counsellor. By the\namenity of his temper, the suavity of his manners, and his persuasive\neloquence, he gave a strong support to all important measures, and did\nmuch to preserve peace and unity. He delighted to attend and sustain\nall our social meetings. And when the aid of the brethren was needed,\nhe was a powerful helper. In expounding the Scriptures and giving the\nword of exhortation, he was mighty. And how shall the void be filled?\nOf late he often expressed his grief to me, that his feebleness\ndisabled him from attending our evening meetings. May his mantle fall\nupon his surviving brethren! If beyond the sanctuary of domestic grief,\none place more than another feels an aching void, it is the sanctuary\nof God! If any beyond his own desolated fireside have cause of weeping\nand lamentation, I more! He was peculiarly fond of the society of\nministers, and far and wide enjoyed their confidence and esteem. His\ninfluence and opinions were highly valued by them. To his own pastors\nhe was ever a stay and helper, doing his utmost to promote their\nusefulness and salutary influence, as my brethren who have preceded\nme will bear me witness. And in these things, with which a stranger\nintermeddleth not, they alone can fully appreciate my meaning.\n\nFor the bereaved and estimable lady, who is now suddenly left solitary\nafter having been so long cheered by his presence, and the helper of\nhis joy, this occasion has the deepest, tenderest interest. It is our\nhope and prayer, that in this sorrowful crisis she will be supported\nby that gospel which she has so long received, and which was the\nsufficient stay of her departed husband in the still more trying hour\nof death; and that she will be enabled so to improve this melancholy\ndispensation, that it shall work out for her a far more exceeding and\neternal weight of glory; and that when her summons also shall come,\nshe may go to her rest as a shock of corn ready in its season. Great,\npeculiar mercies are mixed in this cup of affliction. Indeed, all\nthat in the character of her bereaved husband which renders his loss\npeculiarly great, is of God's peculiar mercy.\n\nLet me exhort this church and society, together with his public\nassociates, professional brethren, and personal friends, particularly,\nand all this great assembly generally, to lay this dispensation to\nheart. It is a great, a solemn, a mournful event. How are the mighty\nfallen! The fathers, where are they? One of our strong pillars is\nshattered and torn from underneath the temple. He must be scarcely a\nman who is not softened and humbled by it. As human helps fail, let\nus go to the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength. Although\nmen die, he ever liveth; and because he lives, his church shall live\nalso, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Let us then\nbe moved to especial and extraordinary prayer, that God would supply\nwhat he has taken from us. \"Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for\nthe faithful fail from among the children of men.\" It is exhibited as a\nsign of a degenerate and sinking race, to be unaffected by the deaths\nof God's servants. The prophet sounds the alarm, because the righteous\nperisheth and no man layeth it to heart. Let then those that survive,\nponder these things, and be subdued and chastened. Let them consider,\nthat to them are now passed the burdens and responsibilities hitherto\nborne by God's servants, whom he has taken to their eternal rest.\nLet them manfully, and in dependence upon God, meet the crisis, and\ndischarge the high trust he has confided to them. Let them put their\ntwo talents to use, and he shall give them other two. Let them come\nup to the help of the Lord, the help of the Lord against the mighty.\nAnd the set time to favor Zion will come, because his servants take\npleasure in the stones and favor the dust thereof.\n\nLet me speak a word to those who are without that faith, and rejecters\nof that Savior, which were the support and solace of our venerated and\ndeceased brother, in his dying hour. With all his vast endowments and\nresources, his possession of all worldly good to which human ambition\naspires, he counted all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of\nJesus Christ. He deemed man in his best estate to be altogether vanity.\nIf he then dared trust no other foundation but Christ crucified,\nreceived by faith, and honored by a holy life, HOW SHALL YE ESCAPE, IF\nYE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION!\n\nFOOTNOTE:\n\n[A] Hon. Roger Sherman.","title":"Death disarmed of its sting : $b A tribute to the memory of the Hon. Roger Minott Sherman, being the discourse preached at his funeral, January 2, 1845","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":5533}