We buried Bruce today. It is not my place to talk too much of his life, for I only knew him over the last three years. He had thirty years in the church he served. He had sixty years in the tramping club. He was married 68 years. His children, grandchildren and about 250 others were there.
These are the hymns and lyrics.
King of glory, King of peace,
I will love thee;
and that love may never cease,
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
thou hast heard me;
thou didst note my working breast,
thou hast spared me.Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing thee,
and the cream of all my heart
I will bring thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
thou didst clear me;
and alone, when they replied,
thou didst hear me.Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise thee;
in my heart, though not in heaven,
I can raise thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
to enroll thee:
e’en eternity’s too short
to extol thee.
Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found.Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus’ keeping we are safe, and they.Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and he is on the throne.Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,
and Jesus call us to heaven’s perfect peace.
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee.Take my silver and my gold,
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take my self, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
The service ended not with this dismissal, but a slightly more modern version. The gospel was preached. In death, as in life, Bruce served his saviour.
ALMIGHTY God, with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity: We give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world; beseeching thee that it may please thee, of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Robyn, Chris and family,
Our sincere condolences.
Mick
Thanks
How about Spurgeon then? Evening March 22nd.
O death! Why dost thou touch the tree beneath whose spreading branches weariness have rest? Why dost thou snatch away the excellent of the earth, in who is all our delight? If thou must use thine axe, use it upon the trees which yield no fruit; thou mightest be thanked then. But why will thou fell the goodly cedars of Lebanon? O stay thine axe, and spare the righteous. But no, it must not be; death smites the goodliest of our friends; the most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, the most devoted must die. And why? It is through Jesus’ prevailing prayer – “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” It is that which bears them on eagle’s wings to heaven. Every time a believer mounts from this earth to paradise, it is an answer to Christ’s prayer. A good old divine remarks, “Many times Jesus and His people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee and say ‘Father, I will that Thy saints be with me where I am’; Christ says, ‘Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.’ ” Thus the disciple is at cross purposes with his Lord. The soul cannot be in both places: the beloved one cannot be with Christ and with you too. Now, which pleader shall win the day? If you had your choice; if the King should step from His throne and say, “Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another, which shall be answered?” Oh! I am sure, though it were agony, you would start from your feet and say, “Jesus, not my will but Thine be done.” You would give up your prayer for your loved one’s life, if you could realize the thoughts that Christ is praying in the opposite direction – “Father, I will that they also, whom they have given Me, be with Me where I am.” Lord, Thou shalt have them. By faith we let them go.
Bruce was an Anglican, and I quoted from the Book of Common Prayer, which he loved.
The Spurgeon quote is needful. Thank you.