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 uoni Ham #603 
 

 DELIVERED AT 
 
 -O 0-4 
 
 OF 
 
 REV. JOHN M. CUNN; 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. W. M ROBEY. 
 
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 pn79j 
 
 STATESVILLE, N. C. : 
 
 rUlMJ.i) AT TJIE JOU OO'ICE (JV THE UiEDLLL L.WIU. 
 
 1863. 
 
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 JS. IDISCOXJrLSES 
 
 " For before liis translation he had this tcstinionv, that he pleased God." — IIeb. 11, 5. 
 
 Surely, no passage of Hoi}' Writ invites a more appropriate train of 
 reflections for this occasion, than the one we have just quoted. Indeed, 
 it seems as if it had hccn penned for lliis very hour ; or rather as if he, 
 whom we now mourn as dead, had lived with his eye ui)on it in holy 
 emulation of f lithful Enoch, 
 
 Witli wliat wonderful munificence and simple accuracy hath the Holy 
 Spirit scattered through the sacred book the various delineations of 
 virtuous character ! Not a good man dies but we are able to read his 
 prominent traits, imaged in some verse or lino — sometimes in many. — 
 And wdiat a consolation this, to read what God has said of his faithful 
 servants long ago, and then find its exact counterpart in the lives of 
 our dear departed ! 
 
 Under such circumstances, we cannot "sorrow as others which have 
 no hope." We must look up and trust a faithful God, and feel that 
 what he does is right. We must grasp, with new energy and interest, 
 the lessons of instruction which the book of Wisdom contains ; and we 
 must appreciate more keenly and sweetly the consolations derived from 
 the wholesome doctrines of the gospel. Now to set these doctrines 
 clearly before us — to impress them indelibly u])on our minds, and to 
 lead us to the rich and full enjoyment of their comfort, God often bids 
 us look upon their exemplification in his servants. One stands before 
 us in the page of sacred history, while the other, with whom perhaps 
 we have been intimately associated, lies at our feet in the embrace of 
 death, yet speaking stiH, in words tliat must l3e heard and heeded. — 
 Surely God thus deals with us to-day. 
 
 Let us therefore turn our minds upon what he tells us of liis servant 
 Enoch. "Before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased 
 God.'' '^Before his translation" — not at that time, not afterAvard, but 
 before it. 
 
 It is 2^ossihle then to please God, even in life — while man dwells in the 
 flesh. 
 
 But let us remember on this as well as all other occasions when we 
 read God's word, that it is God who speaks to us— ^not in the dialect 
 of heaven, but in the imperfect language of fallen mortals. We could 
 comprehend, even partiall^^, no other. The words in which we are ad- 
 dressed, and the imagery on which we look must be, not such as angels 
 are accustomed to hear and behold, but sucli as will not dazzle or be- 
 wilder the weakest mortiils. Heavenly things must be com])ared to 
 earthly. The mean and the weak must represent to our senses the 
 
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 IT) 1 I 
 
.nlorioiis and the mighty. EvcMthc polluted iiuist often fijriire to us 
 the pure. When wc rend therfM»)re of God's ple;isurc, or disi)leasure ; 
 liis anger, or ai)i>roval ; his hatred, or love ; we must not imagine that 
 he is "altogether such acne as ourselves" — a being of caprice, passion, 
 or impulse. These terms are (mly used to indicate to our weak under- 
 standing the relations we sustain to God ; or rather the consequences 
 involved in our obedience or disobedience to his law. God has given 
 us a law as a rule of life, and "in tin; keeping of his commandments 
 there is great reward." "When we read therefore that Enoch "pleased 
 God," we are shnply to imderstand that he kept the law given him, 
 and thereby secured the "great reward.'" 
 
 It is possible th(n, we say, to please God — to keep his law — to meet 
 the deman<ls which he makes of us even in life. Enoch did it, and his 
 example is a demonstration which ])ears down all argument to the con- 
 trary. Enoch di<l it, and he was but a man — a poor, weak, fallen man. 
 None will contend that ho was more. Enoch did it, and that too under 
 a dispensation less propitious than that under which we live — in that 
 blank age ere God had written^vurd — in tliat dim age ere the Gospel 
 had brought "life .".nd immortaJity to light" — in that profane age when 
 "' the v;ickedness of man was great in the earth," and when all the 
 world but a faithful few had bowpd the knee to Baal. "Will it be said 
 that there was less requu'ed or more bestoAved in proportion to circiun- 
 stances then than now ? Let those who assert it prove it. Against 
 the one stands the intlexible Justice of God, who is no respecter of 
 [m rsons — who requires neither more nor less of one than another, — 
 v.hose ways are equal in all ages and nations. Against the otlier stands 
 lIiG Gospel — a dispensation of grace, wherein, not an angel speaks, but 
 Christ the Lord, the Son of 6^od, wlio Jiiniself declares the least saint 
 to 1)0 greater than the greatest of former prophets. 
 
 We therefore assume without further proof that, in as much as Enoch 
 pleased 6-'o<l, it is possible for men now, even tor us, in the use of the 
 i leans appointed, to ])lease him also. 
 
 God has done all things well, lie has therefore revealed to man the 
 precise manner in which the divine approval may he secured. He has a})- 
 jjointed the means on which the possibility of pleasing him depends — 
 the condition with wliicli lie promises to enable every man to comply, 
 lii;;t will. We are told that " Enoch walked with God" God was his 
 'lido, his leader, his friend, his comforter, his daily companion. As a 
 -• tlier God took him by the lumd, and lead him wherever he went, 
 'raiding his unwary feet into smooth and safe paths. Alone as a 
 ;[ ranger and pilgrim in the earth, God was his companion and friend. 
 Ajourneyer through a wilderness, beset with dangers and often be- 
 wildered, 6^od was his guide and defense. And when burdened with 
 ;• loud of grief he mourned and wept, he w^ould fly to God for comfort. 
 
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Thus he "walked with God." lie 'Ais dedicated to God. He made 
 no other calculations but to serve him while he lived on the earth, and 
 then to go to him. It is easy to perceive that all this grew out of 
 one temper (if, we may call it so) :0f the mind, namely : faith in God. 
 Without faith there could have been no such dedication to 6^od. Why 
 did he walk with 6^od ? Because he believed in him. He beheved 
 there was a 6'od and he trusted in him. Had he said in his heart 
 "There is no 6^od." it could never have been recorded that "Enoch 
 walked with God." Had he believed in other gods, he never could 
 have been the servant of the true one. Had he not leaned upon and 
 trusted in (}o{[, it could never have been said that he pleased Qod. — 
 One of the grandest sentences that Paul ever wrote, must have remain- 
 ed forever blank Hence it is easy to see what the Apostle means 
 when he says "v;ithout faith it is impossil)lc to please Qod.'' How 
 natural! For "he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and 
 that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." 
 
 It is not a dead inactive faith. It is one that expects reivard, and conse- 
 quently inculcates lahor — obedience. It is a faith like Enoch's, which pro- 
 duces good works; for "faith without Avorks is dead," — useless, vain. It 
 does not please God. For obedience is the soul, the spirit, the life of faith. 
 
 It is not because men say "Lord ! Lord !" that they enter into the king- 
 dom of heaven. This is not what pleases God. This may all be empty pro- 
 fession — the sound of brass — the tinkling of a cymbal — flattery, deceit. It is 
 because for the Lord's sake they do the will of their Father in heaven. God 
 is pleased with them, not because tliey say to the beggar, " Be thou clothed, 
 and be thou warmed and fed," and give him nothing, but because for the Lord's 
 sake they feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and do good to all 
 men, even their enemies. 
 
 It is not because men call themselves Christians that they enjoy the divine 
 favor ; but because the Father beholds in them the Spirit that was in his Son 
 — " Christ the hope of glory formed within them." But the spirit that was in 
 Jesus was a spirit of beneficence. " He went about doing good." In no other 
 way can such a spirit be manifested. The tree can be known only by its fruits. 
 The character of the luminous body can be determined only by the light it 
 dispenses. 
 
 Again. God is pleased only with those instruments which answer the end 
 for which they were made. For this reason in the beginning he pronounced 
 the work of his hands "good." He saw that all things answered the end de- 
 signed in their creation. Man was created and redeemed for His glory. But 
 "herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit," — not that ye simply 
 say ye believe, or cry "Lord ! Lord! " but that ye show that ye love me by 
 keeping my commandments. 
 
 Faith is therefore the great condition on wdiich it is possible for us to "please 
 God." Vain is every effort to this end without it : and that an active, ener- 
 getic faith, producing all the fruits of holiness, "without which no man shall 
 see the Lord." 
 
 The possibility of pleasing God is a doctrine /uZZ ff comfort and encourage- 
 ment to every Christian. To know that the God whom we serve, and with 
 
whom we Lave to do, diougli '* high^rxl lifted up," is not implacable — that he 
 regards us ia such mercy and love, as to watch our ways, and approve our 
 works — that he beads from his throne to smile upon mortals, is a cheering 
 thought. !Much of human happiness and christian hope depends upon this. — 
 Were there no divine approval of any thing that we can do, how sad and cheer- 
 less the toil of life ! AVho then could hope for heaven ? \Vho then would long 
 for the appearing of such a (lod ? Ask that child flying homeward Avith such 
 delight the occasion of its joy. It is the joy of anticipation. A day has been 
 faithfully spent. It hastens to render its little account to an attentive mother, 
 who will smile and say, " well done." Tluit .'-mile, that word is worth a world. 
 The thought of it opens a fountain of gushing happiness in its little heart, and 
 nerves its limbs with unwonted ener^'y. Wow it strives to do its part to ac- 
 complish well its task I How it sings amid its toil in view of the kind words 
 and looks to be bestowed, when all is done I 
 
 Ask that other child the cause of its grief. It has a father who never ap- 
 proves — who never smiles. For such things it has never learned to hope. — 
 iSternness, severity, and cold indifference have chilled its heart. It never 
 sings — it always sighs. Sadly and slowly it Avcnds its way to the presence of 
 one it cannot love, because he is never pleased. It speaks not, with a bound- 
 ing heart, of a task performed. It waits not for the word, "well done," for 
 it never heard that word. O wretched child ! but not more wretched than 
 every christian did he not know that his is an approving God. What a motive 
 to action this, and how full of comfort I We are children hastening home to 
 our Father in heaven : not a stern indifferent father; but one that loves, ap- 
 proves, and smiles. Our toil is often hard and difficult, but he sees us and is 
 pleased. It is enough. We will toil on. We are stronger when we remem- 
 ber that God is pleased. The world may chide, complain, and frown, liut 
 all is well. Still we will go on, and still we'll sing : for God is pleased. Ere 
 long we shall hear the Father's "well done," and behold a smile that shall 
 drive all darkness from the universe, and cause new rapture even among the 
 angels. 
 
 This divine approval according to the text is a matter of testimony even in 
 this life. It was so in the case of Enoch. It is so in the case of every true 
 servant of (iod. It is not only possible to please God, but to know that he is 
 pleased. It is not only possible to "keep the commandments," but to know 
 that we do keep them. AVhoever docs right, has the testimony in himself. — 
 And right is but the sum total of what (!od rcfjuircs. 
 
 Our God is not an isolated selfish being, dwelling far off in the distance from 
 his creatures, whose presence is unapproachable by mortal man. " His taber- 
 nacle is with men." He is about us, and in us. We may commune with him 
 upon our beds in the quiet of midnight, and hear his voice in the midst of daily 
 tumult. " His Spirit itself hoareth witness with our spirit that we are the 
 children of God." That Spirit is our comforter assuring us of divine favor — 
 teaching us that God "first loved us," and thus leading us to love him. That 
 Spirit is "sent forth into our hearts crying Abba, Father ;" and producing 
 within us "love, peace, and joy." Where these are found there is overpow- 
 ering testimony of divine favor. 
 
 But this testimony is of such a character as to satisfy, not only ourselves, 
 but others also. God writes it by his spirit in our hearts, in bright, living 
 characters — in holy tempers, which shine through all our actions, and the 
 
world beholds the light. Enoch knew himself that he pleased God, ami the 
 world around him knew it. They read it in his life — in all his words and acts. 
 Wherever he went the Spirit of the Lord in him, as a burning lamp, shone 
 through the crystal medium of pure woi'ds and deeds, and revealed to all ob- 
 servers that he pleased God. "How did he die?" asked one of a departed 
 friend. " How did he live ? " was the reply of an eminent divine. This is the 
 test that the world applies. They appeal to the life to judge of the death.—* 
 They watch for the tcstimonjj of divine approval. They have learned to re- 
 gard it as infallible, and they are seldom mistaken in their decision. 
 
 In conclusion, the life of brother Gunn was a demonstration of all that we 
 have said. He "had this testimony that he pleased God." No man ever ap- 
 preciated this blessing more deeply than he : and no man ever shoAved it more 
 clearly to the world. We knew him well, and when with him we never forgot 
 that we were in the presence of a holy man. On his placid brow seemed writ- 
 ten in bold relief "Holiness to tue Loud." The spirit of christian meek- 
 ness beamed softly in the light of an eye, that ever sparkled with the fire of 
 love. In every act and word was an air of humility which seemed continually 
 to say " Thou God seest me." Yet it was not that humility that folds its 
 hands and says " I can do nothing." lie was a man of zeal and energy. He 
 wrought in the vineyard of the Ijord as a servant that entered at the eleventh 
 hour, and would fain redeem the time of his life, which he considered wasted in 
 sin. He felt that he owed himself to God, and was fully imbued with the spirit 
 of the divine maxim : "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those 
 things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants : we have 
 done that which was our duty to do." He repeated this passage not as a com- 
 pliment to God, nor in the way of affected humility, but because he really felt 
 its truth. 
 
 His soul was ardent, passionate, impulsive ; but sanctified and subdued. — 
 When a sinner, he sinned with all his might. When the stroke of conviction 
 came, like Saul of Tarsus, he fell conquered. AVhen the voice of pardon stole 
 upon his ear, he leaped to life, beheld the cross with rapture, and never ceased 
 to gaze upon, and appreciate its glory till he reached the crown. Conversion 
 with him was a perfect change — a thorough and entire revolution — a breaking 
 of the soul into a new state — the entering upon a career from which there was 
 no retireing. 
 
 He was not a sad, sighing, drooping christian. He was always cheerful, 
 even under trials and afllictions that would have crushed other men. His man- 
 ner was a beautiful illustration of the poet's sentiment : 
 
 "Religion never was designed 
 To make our pleasures less." 
 
 But while he was cheerful, he was never light or trifling. He always remem- 
 bered that his mission clothed him with a dignity above the follies of the world. 
 He guarded well his words and acts lest he should offend his God or damage 
 his cause. He served God not through servile fear — for his was not a mean, 
 cowardly, skulking heart — but because he loved him. He lived in constant 
 and happy communion with Him. Like Enoch, he " walked with God." Like 
 him, he had this testimony, that he pleased God ; and like him " he was not, 
 for God took him," almost in perfect health. He scarcely seemed to die, but 
 simply ceased to live. 
 
 Thus passed away one whom we knew, with whose weakness and follies, as 
 
8 
 
 well as virtues we were familiar, but one who, through grace, was mighty Jh 
 Israel, and one who leaves behind for our encouragement the testimony thrtt 
 he — weak and feeble as we — yea, one of us — " pleased God." And now as 
 we fold his body softly to rest, and feel that wo have lost a friend and a guide, 
 that shall never be replaced in this world, let us remember, our Lord has said 
 "I will not leave you comfortless : I will come to you" ; and let our hearts 
 respond, "Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus." 
 
 "Servant ofCioil, well done ! 
 Ivest from thy loved eni|ilov. 
 Tlie battle foupht, the vict'ry won, 
 Enter thy Master's joy." 
 The voice at midnight ranic ; 
 He t^tarlcd uji to henr: 
 A mortal arrow pierced liis frame: 
 lie foil— but felt no fear. 
 
 Tranquil amid alarms, 
 It fount! liim on tbe field, 
 A vet'ran slunibc'rint; on his arms 
 Beneath liiH red-crws whield. 
 His Bword was in Iiis hand, 
 Still warm with recent fight, 
 Rea<lrthat moment at command 
 Through rock and steel to emite. 
 
 Tlie painB of death are past. 
 
 Labor and eorrow ccane ; 
 
 And, life's long warfare closed at latst, 
 
 His soul is found in peace. 
 
 Soldier of Christ, well done! 
 
 Praise be thy new employ ; 
 
 And while eternal apes run, 
 
 Rest in tliy Savior's joy. 
 
p€RfnaliP6« 
 
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