p. 44 | Bible Obituaries by Roswell F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 21, 1873

Bible Obituaries.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

“And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” It is simply said, “He died.” So of Seth and Enos and Cainan and Mahalaleel and Jared. Enoch was an exception. He did not die. “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” But those that were before, and those that followed, died. Nothing is said of their immortal spirits soaring away to the spirit land. Neither is it said that their remains were buried.

The dead were buried. “There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.” Gen. 49:31. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. “And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab.” Deut. 34:5, 6. “The Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead.” Josh. 1:1, 2. “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city.” 1 Sam. 28:3. How convenient to have said instead of this, that Samuel was in the spirit land, ready to come and communicate with the living at the call of any witch, wizard, or necromancer.

Let us come to the New Testament. “Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth! And he that was dead came forth.” Jno. 11:14, 43, 44. “Enoch was translated that he should not see death.” But of others of the faithful, it is said, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises.” Heb. 11:5, 13. By faith they saw the reward “afar off.” And it will be given; for God hath prepared for them a city. They “received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us; that they, without us, should not be made perfect.”

R. F. COTTRELL.