In Memoriam [Bourdeau]

ADDRESS OF THE OFFICIATING MINISTER

Elder Uriah Smith, having read the above sketch, delivered the following appropriate address:- IMBG 12.1

THERE is one text which will naturally come to the mind of every one who has listened to the foregoing sketch of our deceased sister, and that is, the text which constitutes the comfort and embellishment of the third angel’s message of Revelation 14:9-12: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit; that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” IMBG 12.2

The word, “Blessed,” is defined to mean, “favored with blessings; highly favored; esteemed or accounted happy.” This is not a benediction which, from any human standpoint, would be pronounced upon the dead. But it is true; for the Lord has said it; and it was not left for John to write it, as he wrote the other portions of the book of Revelation; but it was designed to be made so prominent, and emphatic, that an independent voice, - even a voice from heaven - makes the announcement: but even that is not sufficient to impress it upon the attention of his people, as God designed it should be; hence the Spirit hastens to add its testimony by an emphatic affirmation: “Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” IMBG 12.3

Tracing the use of the word, “Blessed,” as employed in the Scriptures, we find it applied to the most important and exalted conditions and subjects; as, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly;” and to such a most gracious promise is made. Again, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Psalm 32:1, 2. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12. IMBG 13.1

As used in the New Testament, when spoken of men it almost invariably has reference to the blessings and joys of the future state, and whatever pertains to that eternal condition of happiness and bliss, eclipses all that belongs to the things of time and sense, as far as heaven is higher than the earth. And this assurance concerning those who, in the special time brought to view in the message, fall asleep in Jesus, must have been made chiefly because of the destiny that awaits them in a future state, for there is nothing in death, in itself considered, to make one blessed. But there is no avenue to a future life but by the resurrection from the dead, for the apostle assures us that if there is no resurrection, then even those who have fallen asleep in Christ are perished. IMBG 13.2

This word, in this text, therefore, affirms in the most satisfying manner the glorious doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. But the blessing covers all the time between the moment when they fall asleep, and the time when they awake again in the resurrection, for the “henceforth” begins with the present, and takes in all that is to follow. Hence, all who fall asleep under this message are thus set apart for the unique blessing here announced. IMBG 13.3

The reason for this will appear when we take into consideration the nature of this time. It is the period when evil influences are to prevail in such unwonted power as to make the times pre-eminently perilous; “in the last days perilous times shall come”; the time when strange and abnormal conditions will prevail in the natural world; in the political, social, and moral branches of society; when diseases will break forth with epidemic power, and wickedness of all names and grades will run riot; a time which will try men’s souls, and put every man’s faith to the severest test; a time when the current will set so strong in the direction of all unrighteousness that it will be almost impossible to stem it, and none but the elect will be able to do it; but when to draw back is to draw back to perdition. IMBG 14.1

Is not, therefore, he blessed who, by falling asleep, can be exempted from all these dangers, and crucial tests, and yet be counted as if he had passed through them all, and been victorious? who can thus escape the dangers, and rest with a hope in Christ which there is no more possibility of losing, and a reward made everlastingly sure to him; for his “works do follow him,” to be remembered and rewarded in the kingdom? How forcibly is our attention called by these words to the importance of living daily in the Lord; for if death overtakes us, and we are not in him, we can not die in him; and must then be debarred from the blessing of the text. IMBG 14.2

We have here also, an assurance that nothing can separate us from God. The words are a confirmation of what Paul says in Romans 8:38: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Christ is the Lord of life, not death. Hence those who are in him, do not lose their title to life, even in death. And in view of this fact, the apostle exclaims that he (God) “is not ashamed to be called their God; for he has prepared them a city.” They are therefore to have a future life to possess and dwell joyfully in that city. He represents that God would be ashamed to be called their God, if they are to be allowed to remain forever dead. IMBG 14.3

Our Saviour himself had declared that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; and this was spoken of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were at that time in their graves: but in the promise and purpose of God they were “living,” for God speaks of those things which are not, as though they were, because they are sure to be. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the family of God, of which they were a part, are therefore to live again, and live to all eternity. IMBG 15.1

It is not the teaching of revelation that there should be an attempt to counteract the sorrows of bereavement by mere human stoicism; but the sorrow is to be mollified by the hope of the gospel. The Apostle Paul declares to the Thessalonians that he would not have them ignorant concerning them which are asleep, that they might not sorrow as others who have no hope. Underneath the sorrow there is a foundation, not of sand or miry clay, but of the sure adamant of the blessed hope; and there is nothing that shows more clearly the divine origin of the volume of revelation, than its complete and perfect adaptability to all our conditions and our necessities, in that it meets the solemn and profound inquiries of the human heart. No theodicy ever devised in the pagan world has ever made any such provision. IMBG 15.2

When our loved ones leave us, in the intensity of our hearts’ desires, we want to know what their condition is; is death the final goal? will they live again? shall we see them and live with them in conscious companionship once more? No science of men, no philosophy of the schools make any adequate or certain reply to these momentous questions. But the Bible with explicit assurance answers, “Thy dead men shall live.” “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust.” “O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves.” “It [the body] shall be raised in glory.” “The dead [in Christ] shall be raised incorruptible.” The Lord shall “fashion anew this body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory.” “Neither can they die any more.” “There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” “I [Christ] will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” IMBG 16.1

So much for the general promises of God on this great question. Is it then to be wondered at that the Scriptures do not spread over the grave the pall of mourning, nor blot the cheering record with hopeless tears? IMBG 16.2

But more than all this, in the words of our text, and for such an occasion as this, it crowns the lesson, with a soul-inspiring benediction: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” What better hope could be set before us? What more comforting prospect could we have opened to our view, concerning those who are taken away from our companionship in this life? IMBG 16.3

This mother in Israel, so far as human discernment, enlightened by the declarations of God’s word, can penetrate, had happily complied with all the conditions on which these glorious promises are suspended, and the blessing pronounced upon the dead in the Lord, at this time, when to live has become so perilous, is hers. IMBG 17.1

Another part of the promise, which here applies with peculiar force, is contained in these words: “And their works do follow them.” It would be esteemed a blessed thing to live an unbroken life to the end, filling up the time with faithful service, and then hear the sentence awarded, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.” Equally blessed are the pious dead, who go down to the grave in a living connection with the Lord at the time noted in the text. All the period from their death to their resurrection is counted as filled up with just such faithful service as they performed while living, taken on the merits of Him in whom their life is then hid. Easily you will recall the faithful course of life pursued, and the intensely devoted service rendered as set forth in the sketch that has been read. Think, then, what will be the blessed record of ministry standing to her account in the resurrection. And here the words of the apostle to the Hebrews will be fulfilled: “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister.” Many years of service for the Lord; a life well filled with obedience to duty, and the calls of the gospel; the record well concluded, with no chance for any change, and no danger of any failure; - what better legacy can a Christian leave to his sorrowing friends and brethren in the Lord? What stronger elements of comfort can be given to the bereaved? What sweeter consolation can be poured into mourning hearts? There is nothing more satisfying than this, except that promise, unfailingly certain, of the happy meeting of these dear and parted friends in a day now not far away. We have not only the privilege, but the happy command of an inspired apostle, to “comfort one another with such a hope as this.” IMBG 17.2

The hymns sung at the Tabernacle were Nos.715, 568, and 748 of The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book. At the house, the residence of Elder A. C. Bourdeau, where the deceased died, was sung, “The Last Lovely Morning,” No. 853 of the same collection. As this was a favorite of the deceased, and was the last hymn that was sung to her at her request, it is here inserted in full: IMBG 18.1

1. The last lovely morning,
All blooming and fair.
Is fast onward fleeting,
And soon will appear. IMBG 18.2

CHORUS.- IMBG 18.3

While the mighty, mighty, mighty trump
Sounds, “Come, come away!”
Oh, let us be ready
To hail the glad day. IMBG 18.4

2. And when that bright morning
In splendor shall dawn,
Our tears will be ended,
Our sorrows all gone. IMBG 18.5

3. The Bridegroom from glory,
To earth shall descend;
Ten thousand bright angels
Around him attend. IMBG 18.6

4. The graves will be opened,
The saints will arise,
And with the Redeemer
Mount up to the skies. IMBG 18.7

5. The saints, then immortal,
In glory shall reign;
The Bride with the Bridegroom
Forever remain. IMBG 18.8

When the turn of the relatives came to take a last view of the corpse in the Tabernacle, one of them broke forth in these terms: “Mother dear, tender, loving, faithful, true, heroic, abounding in deeds of love and righteousness, good bye till the voice of thy Father shall shake heaven and earth, and call thee forth with those who have fallen asleep in Jesus in the message. Sleep on sweetly till then, dear mother. Adieu.” IMBG 19.1

Another said: “Farewell, dear mother! By the assisting grace of God, I will meet you in the kingdom at the morning of the resurrection.” IMBG 19.2

The remains of the deceased were deposited in the Battle Creek Oak Hill Cemetery, there to be soon resuscitated after the likeness of Christ’s most glorious body. IMBG 19.3