In all probability, as the ground is already sunk to a great extent, and riven and shaken for a considerable distance, there will be a more than usual conflux of water to the place; which may, from time to time, produce other sinkings of the earth, and other eruptions of mud and water, upon a less extensive and less destructive scale.
The operating cause, whatever it was, must have been very powerful; as two cavities were formed, one of which was not less than four or five yards deep, in some places, and six or seven hundred yards in circumference; and a rapid torrent of mud and water issued forth, varying from twenty to thirty yards in width, and from four to five in depth; which, in its course for six or seven miles, entirely threw down or made breaches in several stone and wooden bridges — uprooted trees — laid prostrate walls — and gave many other awful proofs, that, in the hand of Omnipotence, it was an irresistible instrument to execute his judgments.
Having thus stated how earthquakes are produced, we shall briefly mention some of the reasons which God has for giving birth to, and employing them, in different ages and nations.
God, sometimes, produces earthquakes as manifestations of his power and majesty. In this sense he employed them at the delivery of the Ten Commandments to Moses; when “Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace; and the whole mount quaked greatly.”
Sometimes earthquakes are produced as instruments of condign and final punishment; when men have obstinately persevered in rejecting the offered mercies of the Lord, and have proceeded to open rebellion against him. Such was the earthquake that caused that horrid opening which swallowed up the Israelitish rebels in the wilderness, and spread consternation and dismay throughout the remainder of their host.
Sometimes, God produces earthquakes as awful monitors to turn sinners from the error of their ways, and as solemn forerunners of that last and greatest day, when the earth shall be burnt up — and the heavens shall pass away with a great noise — and the universal frame of nature shall tremble, and break, and dissolve. In this sense, earthquakes are viewed in our text; and in this sense our Lord viewed them, when he spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of his coming to judgment; and in this sense we ought to view the earthquake that has lately been produced in our own neighbourhood and parish.
Let us then endeavour, by God’s help, to improve this solemn visitation, by making some particular observations in reference to it, as being the immediate object of our attention this day.
On the day after the earthquake, when the fame of it had reached the inhabitants of Haworth and surrounding parishes, motley groups of people from all quarters, hastened in to view the scene; and exhibited, in miniature, a picture of the world — a picture not merely of the inhabitants of Haworth, and Keighley, and Bradford, but of England, and France, and Spain, and the four quarters of the globe.
As I was myself one of the number, I had an opportunity of a near view of the picture, in the most advantageous light; and found it exactly to resemble fallen man, in all ages and climates, since God expelled our first parents from the garden of Paradise.
Whether we examine the Scriptures, or uninspired history, or the inhabitants of the most highly polished and civilised countries, or of the most remote and barbarous islands, where men come nearest to an unsophisticated state of nature, with the exception of a few outward and merely incidental circumstances, we find there is such an exact likeness, that each might be taken for a twin brother to the other; and that it might be truly said, this is but one family, whose whole souls and bodies are polluted by the sins of their common and fallen parents, and who all stand equally in extreme need of the enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit, and the cleansing efficacy of the crucified Saviour’s blood.
As I proceeded up the channel, along which the overwhelming and ruinous flood had lately passed, I heard some, whilst surveying the ruins of overthrown bridges and walls, lament in pathetic terms the great expense that must be incurred by the different townships.
Others, I observed, were absorbed in matters still nearer home; whose sorrows were confined within the narrow limits of their own fields of corn, so lately their hope, but now laid prostrate and ruined. But the greater part, by far, I could perceive, rushed on, impelled by mere idle curiosity.
Here and there, however, I was able to discern one in deep contemplative mood, who saw by faith through nature to nature’s God, and could in the appropriate language of our text say — “His lightnings enlightened the world, the earth saw and trembled. The hills melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.”
Some, I discovered, who being mere scientific men, could neither penetrate so far, nor rise so high as this; who only looked at second causes, and grovelled here below. In all their observations, however shrewd and appropriate in some respects, I could easily perceive, that they generally left out of their reasoning, the Grand First Cause. They wanted the wings of faith, to soar above matter into the region of spirit — and this want cannot be supplied, by the utmost stretch of human invention and power.
When I arrived at the two great cavities, I was strongly reminded of some memorable events recorded in the Scriptures, and of many of the occurrences of daily life.
A few gravely contemplated the sunk and riven earth, and, in pious ejaculations, poured out their hearts unto God. Like pious Noah and his family, whilst surveying the ravages of the Deluge, they thought of the direful effects of sin, of the infinite mercy, as well as justice, of the Lord; and how, in this instance especially, he had graciously remembered mercy in judgment.
Several graceless persons wrangled and disputed with each other, even in the very bottom of the cavities, and on their edges; utterly regardless of the warning voice of Providence, that so lately spoke to them in thunder, and seemed, even yet to give a tongue and utterance to every chasm that yawned around them.
Similar to this, was that bad spirit that actuated the discontented Israelites, when they murmured rebelliously over the very seam of the closed pit, which, but the day before, had swallowed up a part of their host for the sin of rebellion.
Many, I perceived, on their return home, who in all the giddy frivolity of thoughtless youth, talked and acted as if they dreamed not either of heaven or hell, death or judgment. And some, as I afterwards learnt, though they had been thoughtful for a time, lost, in a day or two afterwards, all their serious impressions.
Thus we often find it to be in daily life. When some grievous calamity befals a neighbourhood, or unexpected and sudden death hurries away an individual of consequence, a few are only impressed as they ought to be with the solemn occurrence: the greater part continue to indulge in their bad passions and practices, utterly regardless of every warning, and not considering the awful reckoning they will be brought to for these things on the last day.
Let us pray earnestly for divine grace, that we may be enabled to act differently, and to walk by faith in Christ Jesus. We have just seen something of the mighty power of God: he has unsheathed his sword, and brandished it over our heads, but still the blow is suspended in mercy — it has not yet fallen upon us. As well might he have shaken and sunk all Haworth, as those parts of the uninhabited moors on which the bolts of his vengeance have fallen.
Be thankful that you are spared. — Despise not this. merciful, but monitory voice of Divine Wisdom — Hear, and learn to be spiritually wise, lest the day come suddenly upon you, when God “will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as a desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;. when distress and anguish cometh upon you.” The Lord is long-suffering and of tender mercy; but if sinners continue to despise his mercies, and disregard his judgments, they shall at last be placed for ever beyond the reach of redemption, in eternal torments.
Happy are they, and they only, who attend to the voice of the Holy Spirit; who deny themselves, and take up their
daily cross, and follow Christ. They shall have faith, which is the victory that overcometh this world — they shall come off more than conquerors over death — and, in perfect security on the last day, they shall fearlessly and triumphantly survey the wreck of universal nature, when the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood — when the stars shall fall from their orbits, and the heavens and earth shall dissolve in flames, and pass away.
Printed at the Columbian Press, by T. Inkersley, Bradford.
[This Sermon, preached Sept. 12th, 1824, in reference to the Eruption ten days before, was reprinted in the Cottage Magazine, (Bradford), Jan. 1825, pp. 9-18. It, and the “Phenomenon” that precedes it, with the Sermon on Mr. Weightman that follows, were reprinted at Keighley for R. Brown, Bookseller, Haworth, about a dozen years ago, in a pamphlet of 41 pages.]
A FUNERAL SERMON FOR THE LATE REV. WILLIAM WEIGHTMAN, M. A., PREACHED IN THE CHURCH OF HAWORTH, ON SUNDAY, THE 2nd OF OCTOBER, 1842,
BY THE REV. PATRICK BRONTË, A. B., INCUMBENT.
A SERMON.
IN THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS, AND THE FIFTY-SIXTH, FIFTY-SEVENTH, AND FIFTY-EIGHTH VERSES, YOU WILL FIND THE FOLLOWING WORDS: — “THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY, THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE YE STEADFAST, UNMOVEABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, FOR AS MUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.”
For more than twenty years, during which time I have ministered amongst you, this will be the first sermon I shall have read to this congregation, and it may be the last. This is owing to a conviction on my mind, that in general, for the ordinary run of hearers, extempore preaching, though accompanied with some peculiar disadvantages, is more likely to be of a colloquial nature, and better adapted, on the whole, to the majority. I might not, even now, have departed from this my usual line, had it not been, that some have requested I would publish what I may say on the present solemn occasion. Seeing that I mean to do this, I deem it proper, with prayer to God and previous meditation, deliberately to write down my thoughts, but yet in such plain terms that, whatever they were, they might be understood without the aid of extraordinary learning. I was also desirous that there should be no discrepancy between the pulpit and the press, but that what may be heard now, may be read again, without any alteration, which could hardly be done if all were to be trusted to memory.
It is the duty of every minister of the gospel, at all times, so to speak that, if possible, he may be understood by all his attentive hearers. Yet, whilst he sets forth the weighty truths in the Scriptures, he ought to do it in the pure and dignified language of Scripture, and not to debase them by a garb foreign to their character, but to clothe them in that attire with which it pleased Him to vest them, who has arrayed the heavens in majesty, and even the lilies of the field in robes eclipsing all Solomon’s glory.
These reflections press upon me with unwonted force, whilst I consider, as on the present occasion I must necessarily do, the shortness and uncertainty of this mortal life, our vast responsibility, the speed of time, and the consequent near approach of eternity; an eternity to every one of us either of unspeakable happiness or unutterable woe.
The text itself is a sermon in reference to what I have already hinted, and in discussing it I shall first give a general explanation; and then apply it more immediately, directly or indirectly, in reference to the present occasion.
Both in biographical sketches and funeral sermons great care should be taken to consider, full as much the interest of the living as the fame of the dead; and everywhere, and at all times, there should be a due regard to truth, whether it may please or displease, disappoint or satisfy. For want of abiding by this rule many productions, such as I refer to, are calculated to mislead rather than edify, and most assuredly to give us a very different idea of men and manners from what we obtain by a careful perusal of the unerring and impartial word of God.
Our text would powerfully urge us to believe the truth, and to speak and practise it. Who that reads it can avoid being almost absorbed and lost in the contemplation of its doctrines. “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” This it commences with, and solemn words they are, especially when it is considered that it is appointed for man once to die, and after that the judgment. None of us can plead any exemption. Die we must, whether we will or no, and judged we must be, though we should call on the hills and mountains to cover and hide us from the face of Him, who will sit on the great white throne of judgment. And should we on the last day of account be found to have been under the law and not under grace, then we shall discover by sad experience “that the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” Through sin, and sin alone, death entered into the world; and not only was death introduced by sin, but sin gave death a goad, a poisoned dagger, fatal and tormenting, and capable of destroying both body and soul in hell for ever. The perfect law of God, so far from wiping off this poison, or demolishing this sting, added virulence to the one, and strength and poignancy to the other. The perfect law of God, through man’s imperfection, notwithstanding its divine ordination for life, was found to be unto death — like a just but stern and inexorable judge, this law, in its spotless purity and wide latitude, arraigned the thoughts, desires, words, and actions, and all the commissions and omissions of the criminal, considering a breach of one, as a breach of all its commandments, and finding that there was none righteous, no not one, and not making atonement or opening a way for pardon, it passed the dreadful sentence on the culprit, and would have left him to perish for ever. We may, therefore, say with the Apostle, “thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Yea we must come, after all our windings and subterfuges, and seek out the strait gate and narrow way, which is Christ, the truth and the life. We must enter in at the one, and walk in the other, if we would escape hell, and get into heaven. This may puzzle, or perplex, and disgust fallen proud man; the infidel may sneer, the scorner may laugh, the philosopher may despise, the lukewarm may disregard, and the sophist cavil; and Satan, and the evil deceitful heart may join the unholy alliance; yet the cause of God must stand. What was the result of the operations of the Eternal Mind, what was suggested by infinite mercy, and love, and executed by the hand of the Almighty, has prevailed, and shall for ever prevail, till the wicked shall be consigned to perdition, and heaven shall be peopled with the redeemed. To fulfil the Law, and make it honourable, to make atonement for the sins of the world by dying to conquer death, and take away his sting, by descending into hell to gain more than the victory over hell, was the work of Christ, who alone was capable of executing it, whilst the prerogative of the Spirit is to make Christ to be formed in our souls the hope of glory. Who then, in the fulness of his heart, would not say, “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ;” and with St. Paul would not add, “therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord?” In this sinful, perverse world, we may often meet with difficulties and dangers, in our way to heaven, which, where faith is weak, may tend powerfully to shake us from our steadfastness; but knowing what is threatened, and what is promised, who it is that opposes, and who it is that encourages, whom we fight for, and whom we fight against, let us put on the whole armour of God, and courageously dispute every inch of the ground; marching vigorously and boldly on, till the victory is won, and we obtain the prize of immortality. We must abound, and continue to abound in the work of the Lord. Our obedience to Him, must not be niggardly, and dealt out in sparing measure, but must result from the overflowings of a heart changed by the renewing of regeneration — so shall we infallibly obtain the reward of our labour — a reward, indeed, not of debt but of grace — the free unmerited grace of Him who was dead and is alive again, wh
o has the keys of hell, of death, and of the prison of the grave, and the kingdom of heaven. Our frail bodies must soon perish, and return to the dust; but by the power of Him who has said, “Let it be,” and the universe was created, they shall be raised in their own proper identity, in a manner far surpassing the comprehension of man, and probably of the highest Archangels, when this mortal shall put on immortality, and shine with unfading splendour for ever and ever.
These were the scriptural doctrines preached, practised, and maintained by him whose loss we deplore.
In his preaching, and practising, he was, as every clergyman ought to be, neither distant nor austere, timid nor obtrusive, nor bigoted, exclusive, nor dogmatical. He was affable, but not familiar; open, but not too confiding. He thought it better, and more scriptural, to make the love of God, rather than the fear of hell, the ruling motive for obedience. He did not see why true believers, having the promise of the life that now is, as well as that which is to come, should create unto themselves artificial sorrows, and disfigure the garment of gospel peace with the garb of sighing and sadness. Pondering on, and rejoicing in the glad tidings of salvation, he wished others to rejoice from the same principles, and though he preached the necessity of sincere repentance, and heart-felt sorrow for sin, he believed that the convert, in his freedom from its thraldom, should rejoice evermore in the glorious liberty of the gospel; nevertheless, that he should mix fear with his joy, and pray earnestly, and watch continually, lest he should fall into temptation, well knowing that our adversary the devil, goeth about as a roaring lion, or in the assumed form of an angel of light.
After these preliminary remarks, in which I have been rather anticipating what I proposed for the second head, I shall now proceed to apply what has been said, directly, or indirectly, in reference to the present solemn occasion. Since many maybe desirous of retaining this sermon as a memorial of our departed friend, I shall give a few more hints, respecting his history and character, which though not full and perfect, may, nevertheless, in some measure answer the ends for which they are intended. The Rev. William Weightman was a native of Westmorland, and born of respectable parents, who spared no expense within the range of their power in the education of their children; wisely judging this to be the best, the most intrinsic, and abiding fortune they could give them. From school he went to the University of Durham, and at that well-conducted and celebrated seat of learning, for his assiduity, steadiness, and abilities, he obtained both fame and favour, and in due time graduated as a Bachelor and Master of Arts. Whilst he was there, I applied to the justly venerated apostolical Bishop of this Diocese, requesting his Lordship to send me a Curate, adequate to the wants and wishes of the parishioners. This application was not in vain. Our Diocesan, in the scriptural character of the Overlooker and Head of his Clergy, made an admirable choice, which more than answered my expectations, and probably yours. The Church Pastoral Aid Society, in their pious liberality, lent their pecuniary aid, without which all efforts must have failed. For about three years our Reverend Friend in his sacred office has laboured amongst us, faithfully preaching the doctrines expressed and implied in our text. There are many, who for a short time can please, and even astonish — but, who soon retrograde and fall into disrepute. His character wore well; the surest proof of real worth. He had, it is true, some peculiar advantages. Agreeable in person and manners, and constitutionally cheerful, his first introduction was prepossessing. But what he gained at first, he did not lose afterwards. He had those qualities which enabled him rather to gain ground. He had classical attainments of the first order, and above all, his religious principles were sound and orthodox. This was manifest in his sermons, which, with the key of scripture, opened through Christ, the door of salvation to all — and which, though sometimes above the reach of ordinary capacities, always exhibited clearness, truth, and argument, well calculated to edify the generality of attentive hearers. When I stated to him that it would be desirable he should descend to the level of the lowest and most illiterate of his audience, without departing from the pure and dignified simplicity of the scriptures, he would good naturedly promise to do so — and in this respect, there evidently was a gradual, but sure improvement. As it ought to be with every Incumbent, and his clerical coadjutor, we were always like father and son — according to our respective situations — giving and taking mutual advice, from the best motives, and in the most friendly spirit; looking on each other, not as rivals, but as fellow labourers in the same glorious cause, and under the superintendence of our common Lord and Master.
Delphi Complete Works of the Brontes Page 365
