MEMORIAL SERMON.

Hutt News, Volume 9, Issue 16, 25 September 1935, Page 5

MEMORIAL SERMON.

THELATE JOHN PAUL. An in memoriam sermon on the passing away of the late John Paul was preached by the Eev. J. E. Lopdell at tit. Stephen's Church on Sunday morning, 15th inst. Following is the substance of Mr Lopdell's sermon; — I Thess. 4: 13-14: "But I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep, that yo sorrow not even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring him." i f II Tim, 1-10: "But it is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, through life and immortality to light through the Gospel." Both of th-ase texts deal with the future and speak with that assurance which is comforting indeed; both these passages show that this assurance comes through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has put down death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Four things ara said here: (1) Jesus Christ. Can we ever think of Him too much? Do we ,think of our Lord until what He has done plants itself indelibly on our minds; until what He shows plants itself in our actions. (2) Christ has abolished death. Death is what most people are afraid of. Longfellow in his "Resignation" says; "Th'jre is no death! What seems so is transition This life of mortal breach Is but a suburb of life elysian, Whose portal we call death. In the Oth century missionaries had penetrated to the court of King Edwin of Northumbria. The old wattled hall was lit with torches, eag>3r listeners were hearing 1 Ahe message of the missionaries. At last one of the elder men rose up; one, grim looking with the passing of tha years, one of their leaders,, and said; "Can this new religion tell us anything of what happens after death? It was this problem then, as it is the problem now. Dr. David Livingstone ■tells us, when pressing through primitive peoples; in Central Africa, the chiefs invariably asked: "If a man die will he live again." (3) Life and immortality to light. This naturally follows the putting down of death. 'Tis life for which our souls are scant, 'Tis life not death for which we pant, More life and fuller that I want. Jesus gives us life, and we have it, whether we live here or yonder; whether we are a member of the church militant or the church triumphant. (4) The Gospel. "Brought life and Gospel.'' "Now we see through a glass darkly, immortality to light through the then face to face, now wo know in part, theu shall we know even as also wo are known." ,

'■Tar better thus. "Wo know tliat thou art free; sorrow and tears no shadow cast on thee; thou knowest now, all glorious as thou art, not through a , darkling glass; not now in part. But face .to face, thine eyes in raptur'd gaze see Him the Light uf Light, tie '' I Day of Days." s J The Gospel was made manifest by j the appearing of Our Saviour Jesus I Christ. '' 11. Consider for a little the problem ' of young people being called away. (1) Have you thought of the fact that Jesus died as a young man. The [ fact that He was able ,to put His work ' into those few busy years shows that b 'age docs not count. It is the man that I counts. A study of Jesus, as His life I I is revealed to us, gives us an insight into the nature of this world. Jesus ' ' suffered and died, and yet victory was His. He abolished death and brought * life and immortality to light through the Gospel. (2) Life gives examples of those ' called away in the prime of manhood and womanhood. Kobert Murray Mch Cheyno was scarcely thirty years when he died, with only some seven years of a ministry in Bt. Peter's, Dundee, and c ' yet to-day neaily a century afterwards '' the mention of his name is a benediction to a Christian gathering. II Over thirty years ago a young doctor ' who had completed his training was sent '' out by the Presbyterian Church of New I Zealand to the Canton Villages. After a busy six months he died of dysentery. '' Mr Lopdell gave several examples of ' young men, who could ill bo spared— some killed in tre Great War —which l ' went to show that life here is not a question of years but rather a question of God's will, with His knowledgo of " all tilings. People ask the question, iWhy 1 ? Why should this one be taken? ' t Why not some waster, who is doing J ' ; nothing for himself or anyone else, but is u source of temptation'? " Huch talk is foolishness. God has '' special work in some place beyond my J ' ken, and He looks down and says, "So "■ and so is the best suited," and He sends ' for him, and we are left wondering, anil because we are foolish and ignorant, wc question this act of Providence. Sometimes we live long 1 enough, and grow wise •enough to see, even here, sonic reasons for what looked to us in the first place to be a calamity. 111. 1 wish to say something now '6 about John Paul, to show in what way sr he impressed me. 1) (1) John Paul was transparent. After e a talk with him you felt that you could y read his soul; he kept nothing back II that should be spoken. If he could not -s be generous in what he said of another, is he was silent. But he generally found n some good to speak about in every one. g' This transparency so marked in him '0 | did not mean that he was superficial— > as. a matter of faet there were depths i- in him that everyone could not fatlioin. Ie (2) He was a communicant member >e 6f this Chtireh. -He joined our fellowp- ship pome six" years fe'go. Prior to that and up hfttil his fealb, he' wiafc a mem-

rber of one of our Bible Classes, nt f was a great help to his Biwe Class [ leader, and held the respcct of all the members of the class. Some few years back ,the work at Normandale was reorganised, and he became a joint superintendent of the Sunday Bchool there. He was the means of commencing u Busy Bee hive, which did good work up till the time when weakness and sickness made it impossible for him to attend to supervise it. He was made a manager of St. Stephen's Church, and at his death was the youngest of oui office-bearers.

(3) 'With John Paul service was a part of his discipleship . During his sickness ho spoke again and again of the i work he hoped to do when he returned to health, in all this, of course, he was fitting himself for that specialised work God was calling him to do. (4) John Paul was a thinker. Questions dealing with theology, church history, and ethics he sought to know something' of. To-day tho average young fellow knows little of theological or devotional literature, and yet no young man or woman can be proficient, and can grow in grace, without some knowledge of the literature I have alluded ,to. A good deal of that strength seen in John Paul camo from the fatt that he brought questions of Biblical knowledge to the bar of his judgment. (5) John Paul was taught of God. There are some who scorn to be more clear-eyed, and whose spiritual natures are more sensitive ,than others. John Paul was of this class. He would eagerly discuss some chapter of verse and apply it to life. This spiritual experience made him a generous frisud. He was generous in his praise and thanks to his minister, his Bible Class leader, his doctor, and to anyone who crossed his pathway and helped him (6) He was a quiet boy in his home. The veil cannot tre pulled aside very far; it is enough to say he was a worthy son and brother. His reverence and leve fot his mother was beautiful to see and a benediction. When the first pangs of this sorrow passes, it will be seen by all that his death is not a loss or calamity. He serves where he has been called, and who would have it otherwise. Our knowledge of that lif'j is small, the eye of faith is dim. "But 'tis enough .that Christ knows all and they are there with Him." IV. His passing hence has created a gap. Murray McCheyne once said, "Live so as to be missed." John Paul so lived. He is sorely missed. To the younger people of this congro : gation the challenge comes: allow Jesus Christ to make you what fie wishes you to be. Do not copy John Paul or anyone else, copy the model, Jesus Christ our example. Do not wait until asked to do this service or the other, volunteer, for one volunteer is worth a dozen pressed men. Take the axe in your hand and blaze your own trail; give your own contribution to an age when servies such as you can give is sorely needed. John Paul has left unfinished tasks, and His Lord is asking you to give a hand and serve in your day and generation. Believe in Jesus Christ in such a way as ,to witness and confess Him continually. Go where He sends you, do what He commands you, apply His teaching to lifeVidaily round. The life of John Paul has shown us in some small measure how this can be done.