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Funeral sermon preached on the death of Col. Richard Dallam : in the Methodist meeting-house, Lexington, Ky. / by the Rev. Robert Cloud. Cloud, Robert. 400dpi TIFF G4 page images University of Kentucky, Electronic Information Access & Management Center Lexington, Kentucky 2002 b92-155-29772560 Electronic reproduction. 2002. (Beyond the shelf, serving historic Kentuckiana through virtual access (IMLS LG-03-02-0012-02) ; These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Funeral sermon preached on the death of Col. Richard Dallam : in the Methodist meeting-house, Lexington, Ky. / by the Rev. Robert Cloud. Cloud, Robert. Printed by D. Bradford, Lexington, Ky. : 1820. 16 p. ; 23 cm. Coleman Cover title. Microfilm. Atlanta, Ga. : SOLINET, 1994. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm. (SOLINET/ASERL Cooperative Microfilming Project (NEH PS-20317) ; SOL MN02988.20 KUK) Printing Master B92-155. IMLS This electronic text file was created by Optical Character Recognition (OCR). No corrections have been made to the OCR-ed text and no editing has been done to the content of the original document. Encoding has been done through an automated process using the recommendations for Level 1 of the TEI in Libraries Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file. Dallam, Richard. A FUNERAL SERMON PREACHED ON THE DEATH OF Col. RICHARD DALLAM, In the Methodist Meeting-ouse, LEXINGTOI, Ky.. BY THE REV. ROBERT CLOUD. ;' If ye know that he is rigideows, ye know that evry on. t1 4 ijIfjtIhqmf is born of him."l- Epis. John ii- I-4IfTAD1 DI ]ANIEL ZRADTGFOR CTLECQTH ON, Ky This page in the original text is blank. A SERMON, e. Psalms, cxii. 6.-The righteous shall be in everlasting remeebrum. WHEN honourable titles are given to men irn the most elevated stations in civil or religious socie- ty, there are none which so much embelish and digni- fy a human being, as that of RIGHTEOUS. King, Pre- sident, General, Doctor, Bishop, with all their pow- er, prowess, and learning, are but pests to society, and destroyers of their own souls, if they remain un- righteous: while all who are found in the way of righteousness, whether rulers or ruled, rich oxr poor, learned or illiterate, are a blessing to both church and state, and enjoy the approbation of God. " For the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour"-and " The righteous Lord, loveth righteousness." Man, possessing in his heart the graces of the Spirit of God in their plenitude, and being thereby inclined, and en- abled to walk uprightly in the sight of God and man, is entitled to all the blessings of the life, that now is, and of that which is to come. If we are righteous, we are qualified to perform with approbation, our du- ty to God, in works of piety; to our neighbour, in works of charity, and to ourselves, in temperence and self-denial. Our works of piety will be accepted:- A 4 we shall is believe with the heart unto righteowrness, and with the mouth make confession to salvation." Our hope will be as an anchor to the soul, both sure and stedfastV'r" It will be 4 full i.of immortality." " Our love will be without dissimulation-It will be the fulfilling of the law." We shail trust in the Lord, "1 for in the Lord we have righteousness and strength."-We shall be resigned to his will, under every dispensation of Providence; and patiently say, it is the Lord1 let him do whatseemeth. good to khm. When our souls are sincerely devoted to God, in acts of faith, hope, love, confidence; and reisignation; we shallbe prepared to join in the congregation of the righteous, to 'pay supreme honours, -and. worship to his name. -'-And while he says t the wicked-" what have you. to do to declare -my statutes ". in the pon- gregation of the righteous he will maiifest his.-pres- ence, and will "make them joyful in the -house of prayer." When we approach the Divine Majestygs supplicants, in the namne of our Mediator, Jesusj`we shall have a witness in ourselves,-" that thie eyes. of the Lord are. over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers." "1 For God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a doer of his will, him he heareti." And as the pious acts of the righteous are all pleasimg to God-,whether prayer, praise, or thanksgiving; so are their deeds-of charity: "; For God is not unjust, to forget their works and labour of love." The -pi- ous and charitable, are also temperate and self-deny- ing. The righteous are. not only -adorned with .all necessary virtues to- render their persons and..servi- ces acceptable to God.; but also to prepare them to pass safely through all the vicissitudes of life, to. meet death. and to eniev glory, in the presence of Go(lfor- 3ut what is this rigteonisness. of which wsts Speak What constitutes the children of Adam ripiv tEqus in .the' si1ght of God tfDo we possess this by Dature No. We are all, by nature, dhiidr.cia of wrajth. All we, like sheep, lave gone astray-There js (in- owt unconverted state) none riglteouis, no, not one. But may not those who are nowr uartghtoous, becorne righteous, by forsaking thbeir inse and aftend ing to. moral conduct, and an observance of the formss ,Vf religion They may become moralized, asad UIxay have a form of Godliness; but be destitute of the power. If. we could acquire saving rightieousnzess bv Qir oqwn works, after we have acknowledgc oCurselves sinners our works must not only be cqpsidered as duty, in which light, we are, in the holy Scriptures, taught to view them; but we must believe them me- ritorious; and this would contradict not only the ec- nomjy of the Gospel, but every principle of reason, aiMd cowmon sense. it contradicts Scripture, which .uniformly declares, that we are in need of the. meits of CkristLand it is opposed to reasonwhich teach- es us, that as we receive our being our power, and our time from God, that we owe all wave have ani am, to him; and that one minute of time being lost, we never can call it back; and that every sin, Must, for any thing we can afterwards perform, stanid in full force against ns. 'W"hen law is transgressed, the pens alty is incurred; and subsequent obedience cannot -ernove it: for that obedience is due, when it is per- formed-It cannot take aretrospect; butis identifi- ed with the time it occupies4 Obedience, then, is ev- cry moment due; and when we have done a'll that is commanded us, we are unprofitable servants. Henwe w. e conclude, we are all under sin-we bare all sinned and come short of the glory of God Now .as we -are 4' sinners, and as such guilty, in the sight of God; so by the law, or, on the principles of the legal, or Ad.- amick covenant, no man, no sinful man can be justi- fied in the sight of God. How then can we sinners become righteous How can we obtain pardon of our sins and be renewed in the spirit of our minds, af- ter the image of him that created us in righteousness and true holiness We can be made righteous in the sight of God by Jesus Christ.-By the merit and pirlt of Christ only, according to the principles of the new covenant. Our righteous God, who loveth right- eousness, was pleased in his infinite wisdom and goodness, to create man, in his own image and like- ness ; which the apostle says, was righteousness, and true holiness. While in that state he gave him a law, the penalty of which was death. "' Of all the trees in the garden, thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Man disobeyed-and by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners.-Judgment came on all men, to condemnatioi. While in this state of sin and death, divine pity moved toward us. "It pleased God, for the great love wherewith he loy- ed us, while we were yet sinners, to provide a Saviour -for us."' It appears to7 have been determined in the couacils of Heaven, to give the offender, man, a new trial-to establish a new covenant, in the hand of a Mediator. - Hence, the plan of redemption set forth in the gospel. This plan secures the honor of the di- vine government-maintairns the truth of God-com- pletely stisfies law and justice-and opens a door of hop- to guilty man. i God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believ- th in him, should not perish but have ever- 7 lasting life." To restore us to righteousness, upon the principles of the new covenant, the Son of God, the second person in the adored trinity-" the bright- ness of the Father's glory-the express image of his person-"the Word, was made flesh, and dwelt among us.'-" He was made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem us from the curse of the law ; that we might receive the adoption of sons." Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows.-IHe was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was up- on him; and by his stripes, we are healed." He was made sin for us, (a sin offering) who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." In Christ, our mediator, "s mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace, have kissed each other." Christ hath died for us, the just, for the un- just, to bring us to God. He died for car sins, and rose again for our justification ; and hath ascended to the right hand of God ; where he ever liveth to make intercession for us-he bath fulfilled to us, the prom- ije of the Father, and his' own promise ; in sending the Holy Ghost, the comforter ; who, is to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment- to guide us into all truth-to take of the things which are Christ's, and show them unto us-to abide with us forever. In this wise, and gracious plan of the Gospel, we see a display of the majesty of God, which far trahseends his other works ; and may justly use the language of Dr. Young, " Redemption ! 'twas creation more sublime; Redemption ! 'twas the labour of the skies ; Far more than labor-it was death in Heav'n, A truth so strange, 'twere bold to think it true) If not far bolder still to disbelieve." qt s this all th , is. e.ces.spry to constitute nca. rigtthieoiS Witiiout the merit and spirit of hrtisl, no child of Adama can be, saved ;., for there is no other' pne, given: arno g.men, whereby we can be saved; hu4 Chist. rThis se ures, unconditionaIty, the s;vala on, of ail. wig) die in iltangy, and all idjpts. But alt who, are comwtent, and arrive to adult age, in order to be rigkteaou ;. it is required of us, by, God, and tds-; tied in tate pel of our salvatio1n, that we rcpe't, and believe in the Lord Jesfis Christ . If wve enjoy, divine revelation. [While those who have nxt that preecious gif4, are only required to fear GOd, and work righteousness, (according to the light of their dispen- satio9) to be accepted of him. Acts, X. 3a'. lfor6 we who have the gospel can be righteous, in teN sight of God, we must truly, and evangelicafly repent,- Thus the Lord Jesus Christ,-except ye repent, H shall perish,-and the Apostle, "God commands all men every where to repent." Gospel reperifapq4,' supposes a clear, and sensible conviction of our sinful ard guilty: state. A Godly sorrow for sin,-forsaking thle love and practice of sin.-The true penitent use5 the means qf grace-comes out from amonng the Wyic ed, denies himself takes up his cross daily, and fol lows Christ. Ile associates with the pcople of'GO44 ,nd diligently plies the throne of grace, by fervent prayer, for an evidence of parcdoningi rnercy. The burden of guilt, is a load, too heavy for him tQ bear. As light ineseases, bis sins to him, appcar more sin- ful.-- As heincreases in diliaence- and flervency, he wq more fully convinced, of his inability to save- himself. At length he is constrained to givewup al trust in any thing that fe cafi do, in point of merit, and to seek a righteousness, betltr than his own.- The language of his heart is, "W What must I do to be saved " "Lord 9 that wilt thou hve me to do-" Through the lght of the word, and spiritasf God, he sees more clearly, the love of God- i Christ; this view mclts and breaks his heart in penitential sorrow, and extorts from his soul, these appropriate words-4" ! the ebief of sin- ners am, but Jesus died for me."l He sees Christ, but it is' but dimly. He feels his needs of stronger faith: Hence his cry is, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. Or, in the language of the poets "; A guily, weak, and helpless worm, ii Into thy arms I fall: "Be thou my strength, -and righteousness "1 My Jesus, and my all." Now he sees in Christ, a fullness, a fitness and fre fless for just such a guilty, hell-deserving, helpless, selfLdenying, broken-hearted, penitent sinner as he is; and cries 6ut of his' fll -soul, " save Lord, or I pe- fish."l He now offers to God "i the sacrifice of a, broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, which he will not despise." When the penitent is brought to this crisis., God works in him the work of faith with power-and hc " believes with the heart unto tighte- ousness, and with the mouth, makes confession -to sal- vation'" Having the faith, which is ofthe operation of Godathe faith of Christ,- the faith which ape prehends the blood and rigidleusnzess of Christ, as the meritorious cause of his justification. 2Now, be- ing justified by faith, as the instmniental cause, he has peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ- fis feet are taken out of the mirey clay, and set upon a rock; and a new song is put ihto his mouth, even praises to his delivering God. He breaks forth in this delightful strain - - 0, Lord, I will praise thee; for though thou wast angry wth me, thine anger is turned away, and thot comfortest nie. Therefore with joy will I draw water out of the well of salvaa tionnY "R e has received the spirit of adoption, harehy lI cries Abba, Fathe4t The Spirit itself. B beareth witness with his spirit, that he 'is a child of God." He now proves the, truth of the ap.ostles words,--" To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is count- ed to him for righteousness." And with Paul, c; he counts all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, his Lord, for whom he has suffered the loss of all things; and counts therm but dung, that he may win Christ, and be found in him; not having on his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith or Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith. Phil. iii. 8, 9. The righteous man, thus united to Christ by faith, as he Iias received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so he walks in him. " He adds to bis faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, and to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliress, brotherly kindness, and brotherly charity." Ile is now "cre- ated in Christ Jesus -unto good works, which God bath betore ordained that he should walk in." Heputs -on the whole armour of God, that he may be able to stand igainst-the -wiles of the devil His loins. are girt about with truth, and-he has on the breast-plate of righteousnets. Hisfeet-are shod with the .preparation of the gospel of peace. Abqve al) he takes the shield of faith, whereby he is able to quench all the fiely darts of the wicked. And he takes the; helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Thus renewed and armed, he stands " his course to heaven :" and forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, he presses toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus. I bave nqar given a brief sketch of the promi- nent features df a righteous man; I would add, that whatever duitie are 'senpried in Ale dispensation im) It der which he lives, and connected with the station he fills, and the relation he sustains in society, he reli- giously and conscientiously observes, always endear vouring to keep a conscience void of offence, towards God and man. He carefully attends to whatsoever things are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good reports If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, he thinks on these things. The righteous trust in- God in the way of duty,. and can claim the promise in the text-" The rtighteou Asd be in everlasting rememr brauwe." The above stated doctrine, our departed brother embraced in the bloom of life, and retained, for al- most fifty years. A righteous man, answers the end of his creation, and is a fit and proper subject, to re- ceive all the blessings promised in thf new covenant "For the Lord God, is a sun and shield; he will give grace and glory; no good thing will he with- hold from them that walk uprightly." God will be "their life, their light, their defence, and portion." The holy scriptures, to them, is the word of life, the gospel of their salvation. The preaching of the word is profitable to them, being mixed with faith- " It is the power of God, and the wisdom of- God." fn the holy sacrament, they will discern the Lord's body: so that the bread which they break and eat, will be to them, the communion of the body of Christ; and the cup they drink, will be to them the commu- nion of the blood of Christ. When they pray, " whatsoever they ask, they receive of God, because they keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." God will remember the righteous in all their conflicts in this hostile world. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." "In six trou - bles he will be with them; yea, in seven he will not forsake them." "c Though they pass through the wa- tr he will be with them, and throagh the rivers, they 1I shall not overflow them Though they walkl threug the tire, they shall not be- burned; the flame shall Dot kindle 'I n theyg. I they aretenpted, he wil succour them-e With the temptation, he will make Oawy their escape, tat they mafbe ab-to bear it." "Yea, when the enemy, comes in like a flod, his' spirit will lift up a stand 'afragaist hizp." The uh- changeable Janguoge of Jehovih, is,. "'Fear not, tliov worm Jacob- neither be Aismayed, ) Isael, bri Frill fight against them that fight ainskthee, and no wea- pon formed- against thee shall prosper." In a word, as they love God, and keep big commandments-e they make him their confidence and boast-is they patiently submit to all hig providenees; they have this assurance-that all things work gether for their good. And as ample provision is mae, andpromis' ed, through Christ, both for soul aid body; and as God himself deigns to rememnber and watch over them, so that not a hair of their head can fall tathe ground without his notice,-they may boldly say, the Lord is our helper, we will, not fear what man can do unto us. Our bred shall he given us, and our watr shall be sure. His grace shall be sufficient for them, Yes. though they walk through the valley, and shad. pw of death, th ey fear no evil; for the Lord is with them. The righteous have hope in their death.- The maemory of the righteiais is precious; but the memory of the wicked shall perish. Much labour and expense have been bestowed on some whom men called great, to perpetuate their memory. Stately tombs, and superb mausoleums- as 'well as the page of history: hut all these will pe- rish with the ruins of time; while the righteous will flourish in immortal youth, amidst the wreck of mat- ter, and the crush of worlds. For God himself hath said, Vie righteous shall be in everlasting remnI brance. Let us, then, endeavour to understand, and 1t4 the dutyt of rewenbe;ing the pious dcead Fx is item we have seen, while they remained tmoUg urN the example of godliness; and their fai -and works are WOrhy of imitatiou.. We are to follow- theny. as they folowed- hrist. The affictions they enuduo rd the, crosses they took up and bore, -may ex- cit in us emulation, and lead us to trust Almighty. grace. Their holy lives, will be to. us, a tusefu1 le'- son; and their triumphant death, will. emboleu us, in the exercise of patient persevercnce. to trutst in God. aid; shall say, "Let me die the death of the fig , and let my last end be like hisa" Oirw departed Brother, Col. RICHARD DALLAtt, on the occasion of whose decease we are now -nsew- bled, was a native of the state of Matylaxd. He wras educated in the E piscopal church; but remained a stranger to experimentcl religicmi, till he became ac- quainted with the people called, Methodists; throgL whose instrumentality, he was brought to the know- ledge of the truth, in seventeen hundred and seventy, The methfddists, at that time wera but little known in America; only'two itinerant preachers were ox the continent. Col. Dallas, at that tiae xn.a'iencc, took Mr. BOARDMAN, a Methodist preacher, to hil house, and became a member ofsooiety, in which he remained till, death. By joining the lMethodist at that time, when their number was small, composed mostly- of the poor, and much persecuted; he gavc clear and undeniable proof of an humble and self-de nying spirit: For by joining with them, he not Only became a companion of the poor, but excited the con- tempt and derision of his rich relations and Msociatee, What. I woulk ask, but a genuine, and powerful worV of grace upon his heart, could have pr eailed on bim , in the bloom of youth-iW the sunshine of a4uence, and surrounded by rich and fascinating friends, tV unite himself to poor, despised, persecuted, profc- sors of the religion of the ineek and lowly Jesus .. And that this rak notthe dlaeh of pas-oisqn the sp--- of tme momeyit; his strict adherence, RUd patient per sertnceqr the ways of piety, is sufficient to evince. His house became a home for the ministers of the Rospel, rwho wo5re comfortably entertained, under his hospitable roof. yea, they found in himnk friend, in whose generous mansion, they could both five and dicm. Another evidence which he gave, of the since- ritr of his profession, was the emancipation of his StiVCS which he was led to do, purely from a princid ple of conscience: there being no rule of society, at that time existing, to require it. Men may be coer- ced into measuires, for fear of punishment, or priva- tions, e he destitute of the principles of piety; but when a man closely examining the gospel of his sal- ration, from a clear conviction, conceives that to be his duty, which calls for a sacrifice, and from a prin- ciple of conscience prforms it, we have full proof of Sis sincerity. When the American revolution commenced, we find the Colonel a firm, p-atriotick friend to liberty Sc took an early and firm stand in his country's cause. He was first appointed colonel of the county. He was chosen a member of convention; and when the flying camp was organized, he was appointed their pay-master; which service he performed, till ith term for which they cnlistecexpired. Congress then offeraed him the commnand of a regiment, which he refused; preferring the office of commissary, in -;7;hich he served till the end of the war. After sure i-bing, the revolutionary conflict, with all its priva- ions arMd dangers, he returned to his family in peace. tie now rejoiced in the independence and freedom of his beloved country, notwithstanding he had suffered srat loss of property. But what shall we say respecting his religious caracter Thesed be God, throcgh whose free grace, i'e find him possessing the same pious principles and f-indso tip l wis.1 in g to contribute his aid, to pre 15 mote the interest of the Redeemer's kingdom. tne religion of Christ shines forth in the subjects of it; not only in their publick, but their more private sta- tions, and relations in life. If we consider the Cole- nel in the relation of Husband, we find him kind and loving-as a Father he was tender and affectionate. In a word,-he possessed the principles of friendship and love, not only to his relations, but to his follow- men in general; but especially to the household of Faith. I had a long, and familiar, and happy acquain- tance with the Colonel. My first visit to his house, was in seventeen hundred and seveny-six; after which, for several years, I frequently enjoyed his company and conversation in Christian communion; in which be gave full satisfaction, of his warm attachment to the cause of truth. After an interval of several years, kst May Swas a year, I had the pleasure of his comn- pany-I found him, as formerly, a steady, warm friend to truth. We renewed our acquaintance, with plea- sing and reciprocal feelings of friendship, and bro- therly love. After spending a short timne together, we parted to meet no more in this tale of. tears; but not without a hope, of meeting in a better world- where parting shall be no more. C'ol. Dallam is now no more an inhabitant of earth-he has taken his flight from mortals; we hope, to dwell amongst the just. He died suddenly, and from home-no one with him but servants; and they not apprised of his approaching dissolution. So, we know nothing of his last, or dying words; but we have reason to believe, that if we had then heard him speak, his language would have been in unison with that held by him for fifty years, as it regards the sub- Ject of religion, If the end of his conversation was Jesus Christ, the samne yesterday, to-day, and forever; let us remember it. Ye children and friends of the departed, I request, I entreat, yea, I enjoin upon you, 16 TIo raimmbcr his holyesample, and the pious precapts .e set bcfaxc you. Follow hiw,as he followed Christ Take Christ for your wisdoit, righteousness, sanctifi- cation, mid redemption. Lay hild of him by faith, s, the Lord you ighteoess Pathim on, and so walk iIm T you will be able to say with the poet, Jsus; thy 6IOC and righteusns, My beauty are, my glorious dress; Midst flaming worlds in these array'd, With joy,-shllIliftup my head. I. the Lord you will have righteousness- and ,trcngth. Then you will, on Gospel principles, elaim alt the promises- God has made to his chilidren in this (his life, and in that which is to come. My beloved friends, let us gll-remejnber -te rigTgttous, whom God will not forget. tet eir pi- 9US example stimulate us to duty. Let the vicories they have gained, through grace, over tAhe devil, the world and the flesh, encourage our trust in God. So sball, we persevere in holiness, through this fleetihg life-obtain a fitness, through-grace, and then die ht death of the righteous; and our last end be like his. '4 Then shall we discenu between the righteous and the wkke-between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.", The faithful Christian will then say with Paul, " I have -fought a good fight, I hat -kept the faith, I have finshed my course-Hence ibrth there is laidup fc me a crown of righteowsness, which the Lono, the RIGHTEOUS Judge, will give me at that day and, nt unto me only, but to all them also,ivho love his;appearing." Now to GoD the FATHER, COD the SON, and Gov He RoYu GHOST, beeutaland utndirided PRAWF. AME NEN.