A FUKERAL SERMON, 



DELIVERED IX THE 



PRESBTTEKIA^" CHURCH AT ASHEYH^LE, 



ox THE TENTH OF JULY 1857. 



By the REV. ROBERT HETT CHAPMAN, D. D., 



A SOX OF THE SECOND PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 



Max kxoweth xot uis time : . * * ^ the soxs of mex are sxared in 



AX evil WHEX it FALLET^ SUDDEXLT UPOX THEM.^ — Eccl. chap. 9, V. 12. 



What words of truth are these ? and how fearfully have they been rea- 

 lized in the incidents which have convened us here to-day I The doctrine 

 of the Text is, that there is a dreadful uncertainty respecting things ter- 

 re.stial — that trials, and changes, and death are our heritage here-— that in 

 our calmest, and even apparently in our safest hours, we are but short 

 sighted and frail — all exposed and in peril : and know not what a day may 

 bring forth ! Children of clay, and inhabiting a globe of graves, we are 

 in peril every hour ! It is true the Almighty upholds, and Ave are in His 

 hands ! His Providence is over us, but whether it shall be afflictive, or be^ 

 nisnant — whether of the issues of Life, or of Death we cannot tell! The 

 future is all before us, but shadows, clouds, and darkness rest upon it ! 

 its issues, and its events are alone kno\tn to the Infinite ! To the Chris- 

 tian, and in his conception there are no accidents — nothing fortuitous — ■- 

 the hand of God is in it all; and so it is in point of fact XLutli us all; 

 whether we realize it, or not — God telleth off your days and mine, and 

 those of the entire race ! — as an hireling we shall each accomplish our 

 day, and then pass on and up to the Judgment of the great God ! Then 

 should we not watch? ought we not to be ready? lest suddenly coming He 

 find us sleeping ! 



Man knoweth not his time ! but certain it is, that here, on earth, where^ 

 ver found he is all incident to suffering — exposed to calamity and danger 

 = — the sure victim of coming dissolution, aye the certain trophy of Death I 

 His leaden fingers shall be laid upon you and me, chilling the pulsations 

 of life — His arm of power snail be by us felt, breaking the golden bowl at 

 the fountain I — we shall all experience his wasting influence, changing 



