Funeral sermon of david marks Delivered by Charles Finney (pictured, left), president, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, where David Marks studied in the years just preceding his death in 1845.   Sermon text courtesy of Baptist Library Online, Mark Powell, editor.

DAVID MARKS FUNERAL SERMON BY CHARLES FINNEY

Text: 1 Timothy 1:7, " Exercise thyself rather unto godliness."

In discussing the subject presented in the text, I shall consider,

I. THE SPIRIT OF THE INJUNCTION IT CONTAINS.

II. THE CONDITIONS OF OBEYING IT.

III. THE REASONS FOR THE INJUCTION.

I. Taking into view the whole of the verse of which the text is a part, it is obvious that there are two prime ideas involved in the spirit of the injunction: namely,

1. A caution against giving attention to things that are idle and profit less. By "profane and old wives' fables," Paul may have referred to the doctrines of the Rabbins, than which nothing can well be more worthless and ill befitting a sensible and Christian man who has the gospel to preach to perishing men. Take heed, Paul would say to his son Timothy �] take heed that you be not ensnared by any reading, or any legends of tradition which can only amuse without instructing, and therefore waste time without profit. Let "old wives' fables" alone. A man of God to be thoroughly furnished must store his mind with better things than those. If thou wouldst keep thyself pure, take care to avoid such things. Fables and stories for amusement, fit only for such as are in their first or second childhood, will pollute your mind, and grieve away the Holy Spirit of Truth. From all such things turn away.

2. Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. This is the more excellent way. Practice godliness;not only learn what it is, but put it in practice--bring it into your daily spirit and daily life. Godliness is being like God. Of course the meaning of this precept is--become God like. Adopt the spirit of Jesus your Master, and live a life like His. Exercise yourself in this. The word exercise seems to be an allusion to the ancient Elysian and Olympic games, in which various exercises were carefully practiced, to discipline the body for victory in the hour of conflict. The next verse sustains this allusion "Bodily exercise profiteth little." Yet those candidates for contest in the games. shrink not from any severity of discipline--they keep their body under and are temperate in all things,only to obtain a perishable twig of laurel. How much more should you exercise yourself to be like God, since the prize is an immortal crown of glory, and the profit is beyond measure great, both in this life and the next? These two points then(first avoid all diverting and polluting influence,  and, secondly, discipline yourself to become like God,) constitute the spirit of the injunction of our text.

II. We pass to notice some of the conditions of obeying it.

1. True and thorough regeneration--a new birth which transforms the moral character, causing old things to pass away and all things to become new. This is a change not merely of opinion, or of intellect, but of the heart. There is no beginning to exercise one's self unto godliness without this change. This change itself is from the image of Satan to the image of God.

2. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is perfectly indispensable to success and even to diligent effort. The being like God, which is required and implied in exercising one's self unto godliness, demands a deep study of God and of godliness. But none will ever learn God except as taught by the Spirit. And none will exercise themselves n this study and in the practice of living like God unless the Spirit of God mightily imbue their hearts.

3. A deep and abiding sympathy with God. There is substantial and rich meaning in this language. There is such a thing as having sympathy y with God.  Nay, every real Christian must and does have such sympathy-he enters into the feelings of the Deity, adopts the same great end of life, has the same objects of supreme affection, so that heart beats in unison with heart. This is sympathy �] such as man must have with his God. This is plainly involved in exercising one's self unto godliness.

4. To obey this precept effectually, you must have so strong and deep a sympathy with God as shall,

   1.  Overcome the love of promiscuous reading. By "profane" in the verse of our text is meant whatever is not sacred: just as we call all history profane history which is not sacred history. The true spirit of the requirement therefore enjoins Christians to forgo at least in general all profane reading, and certainly all that in the least interferes with exercising themselves unto godliness. No profane works are to be read or studied only so far as their reading and study will make you more like God, and thus help you in exercising yourself unto godliness. You must have so much sympathy with God as shall annihilate all relish for reading that tends not to make you like God. Nothing can be more certain than this.

   2. Again, so deep must be your sympathy with God that it shall quite overcome the disposition to useless speculation and vain philosophizing. There is a vast amount of this among men whose minds are more intellectual than spiritual, and who love the amusement of curious speculation more than the luxury of studying the depths of godliness. This state of mind must he changed. Those studies which furnish neither the head nor the heart with any thing really useful to God or man must be put away:�]nay, you must have so vital a sympathy with God, that it shall quite eradicate that vile taste for things profitless, and implant a vigorous thirsting of soul after the better things of God.

   3. So deep must be your sympathy with God that it shall destroy your love of popularity with men. Surely you must have enough of God to effect this, or you cannot in spirit obey the injunction of our text. You never can exercise yourself to be like God until you value his favor incomparably more than the favor of man. Indeed, according to the Bible, you cannot even believe, so long as you "seek honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only." Plainly, you must have so much sympathy with God as shall overcome alike the love of applause and the fear of reproach �]for while these prevail, you will do any thing rather than exercise yourself unto godliness.

   4. Of sympathy with God you must have enough to overcome the thirst for worldly gain. So long as this thirst bears sway in your heart, you surely cannot exercise yourself to be like God. You must be satisfied with the comforts of life, and content with the awards of divine providence �]content moreover to live by faith in God for future good, so as to have no anxieties except for the kingdom of God and his righteousness Else you cannot exercise yourself for the Christian strife.

   5. Your sympathy with God must be so strong as to overcome your love of ease. Those men of the Olympic Games had to crucify their love of ease. So and much more must you if you would contend with principalities and powers, with the rulers of the darkness of this world, with wicked spirits in high places. So and much more if you would exercise yourself unto godliness. Did Christ indulge his love of ease, or did Paul! Have any of those men ever done so who have achieved much for God, or for their generation according to the will of God?

   6. You must have sympathy with God in such a degree as shall suppress a self indulgent spirit. Even Christ pleased not himself nor did Paul, nor have ever any of those men whose life and labors have blessed the world, and have secured the favor of God. No man can live for the end of self�]indulgence, and yet do any thing great and good for God or for his race.

   7. Your sympathy with God must beget a self�]sacrificing spirit. The doctrine of the gospel on this point is�]"Present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God." All must be laid on his altar. He demands a whole burnt offering.

I have been struck with the exemplification of this, in the example which brother Marks has left us. Indeed, if this were the place, I could show, under each of these heads, how appositely each point is illustrated in his life and spirit. Seldom in any man have I seen the love of ease and of reputation so entirely subdued. He has often told me that he grudged the hours of sleep. He could not bear to suspend his labors for God long enough to take the repose which his physical and nervous system demanded.

A man needs to have his heart so set upon his work as to beget a thirst after truth, and an intense desire to know what he shall do to honor and serve God. Unless a man has this spirit, he cannot do much for his generation. He must have enough of it to set his soul all on fire to set to the very foundations of those great principles which are involved in the salvation of our race. The men who would move the minds of the age must understand these things fundamentally.

Again, a man must have great honesty, and a child-like spirit, if he would attain the truth and avoid all error. “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." This was a most remarkable feature in the character of brother Marks. In illustration of it I may adduce one fact of his history.  He once fell into a snare in consequence of reading a book in defense of Unitarianism. It presented arguments which he did not then see how to answer, and his honesty was such that he could not do otherwise than to hold his mind in suspense and humbly seek fair light. There stood the arguments which he knew not how to meet: he could not get round them or thrust them aside out of his way. It should he noted here that he was yet very young, and not extensively read in the abstruse things of divinity. . He began to preach at the age of fifteen, and devoted so much time to preaching, as left little leisure for deep study in the more speculative departments of polemic theology. To return. As his honesty and simplicity of character were conspicuous in the way of his getting into the snare, so were they also in his way of getting out. He shrank not away from his ministerial brethren, afraid of their censure, and sensitive lest his orthodoxy should he questioned, he frankly laid before them all his difficulties. A father in the ministry asked him to sit down with himself and read the Bible. They began with the first chapter of Paul to the Hebrews, and read on with no marked results till they came to the tenth verse. Here, said brother Marks, the aged father paused, laid his finger down upon it, and read it with such a tone of reverence and solemn emphasis, as made its truth flash in floods of light upon my mind. "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands." I now, said he, saw Jesus to be the supreme Creator in so strong and clear a view as showed me at once that I could no longer suppose him to have made the worlds by any delegated power. Thus his candor and honesty brought him promptly out of the snare, and are not less beautifully illustrated here than in his manner of holding up his mind when unanswerable argument fell in his way.

Once more, let me observe, you must have so much sympathy with God as will overcome ungodly ambition. Else you cannot live for God, for this ambition can never be blended with godliness.

Again, an essential condition of obeying the injunction of the text is great love for spiritual labor, love for every sort of labor to which the Lord calls you. This has a most remarkable illustration in the case of our deceased brother. You know he has preached a great deal �] few men of his years, if any, have preached so much. And he has loved this work. His love and thirst for his work have been all consuming. It seemed to swallow up his whole soul. His economy of his time was most rigid. No man perhaps was ever more peculiar for this than he. You have seen him riding these streets in his little old wagon, or on horseback, and reading all along as he went, jealous lest even a moment should slip away unimproved. I have often gazed at him with admiration, as I have seen him, sometimes drawing lumber, and seated upon a board or upon the naked reach of his little wagon, so deeply engaged in reading, that, but for the fact that his little horse was so aged and gentle, I should have feared for his safety in riding with no attention to his driving I have met him out of the village, riding in the same manner, so lost in reading as not to appear to know whether he was going or standing still. You would be surprised to know how rigidly his manner of spending his time was noted down �]how carefully all his moments were measured out, and how scrupulous he was to see to it that every moment was well spent.*

I only add further, that any man to comply with this requirement needs a most controlling and absorbing love for souls. Such a love for souls had Paul, and such had his great Master.

III. I must next adduce some of the reasons for this requirement.

1. This world is a place of training for the next. This is its chief business. The characters of men are here being molded either to be like God or like the devil. All moral agents here are either preparing for those high scenes of usefulness and glory that are reserved for the saints; or for the wailings, the blasphemies, and the despair of the damned. Now, be it well understood, if a man is not exercising himself unto godliness, he is not training for heaven. "Blessed in God," said brother Marks, "God has trained me for my work. I doubt not that when I get into eternity, I shall find that all my labors here, and all my love for my work, have been fitting me for a more glorious sphere of labor there. O, it will be so blessed to work for God to all eternity! There I shall never tire, never wear out; shall not need to stop to sleep or to eat�]but may go on my unwearied and unretarded course forever!"

2. The Apostle subjoins as another reason for exercising one's self unto godliness �] For bodily exercise profiteth little. It is of small avail to chastise the body and discipline it as the ancient athlete were wont to do; and all the usual results of physical labor now are of small account; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of all needed good here and of all possible good hereafter.

3. It is indispensable to doing much in this world. No man will ever do much unless he accustoms himself to work with all his might, and sees to it moreover that his work be indeed exercising himself unto godliness, laboring to become and be like God. Then something great and good will be done.

4. This is indispensable to true peace of mind. A man may have an Antinomian peace of mind without it�]a peace delusive and baseless, resting on that strange notion that Christ's righteousness imputed to us while we live in sin, avails for us, instead of Christ's righteousness wrought in us. How many such there are now, filling the church with numbers, with spiritual lethargy, and fatal delusion!  Ask such�]Are you personally holy? O no, I know I am not; but I trust in Christ's imputed righteousness. Are you indeed walking with God and living for God daily? O, I do not expect to do that myself �] I believe in an imputed righteousness. Christ has obeyed the law perfectly: his obedience answers instead of mine. Thus a man may cry, peace, peace, and his conscience be quite at ease in his sins; but assuredly unless he exercise himself unto godliness, he can have no solid peace here nor hereafter.

5. It is indispensable to peace with God. It is absurd that God should be at peace with a man who is not holy: �] who does not exercise himself unto godliness: and is not perfecting holiness in the fear of God. It is indeed a marvelous fact that men should thus pervert the gospel �] should thus dream of being in such a covenant with Christ that God will accept them while they are living in sin. Is Christ tile minister of sin? Did he come both to save his people from their sins, and also to quiet their consciences, and give them peace in their sins by his imputed righteousness? What can be more absurd? It would not be easy to name a sentiment fraught with more mischief to the souls of men than this.

Again, it is indispensable to salvation. No man can be saved who does not exercise himself unto godliness. It is the only consistent course. Every Christian professes to be a follower of Christ. Consistency therefore requires that he should be.

It is indispensable to a right understanding of the spirit of the gospel, also to true spirituality of mind. Persons may talk about being spiritually minded; but it is all a dream unless they exercise themselves unto godliness. Away with all such spirituality! Perhaps they would immure themselves in a monastery, or resign themselves to mystic dreaming, but unless they vigorously seek to live for God, and exercise themselves to do all his will, it can avail them nothing.

Again, this is the only comfortable course of life. There will indeed be many trials, but those who meet and endure them in the spirit of faith and patience can bear a full and glorious testimony that this is the only way of comfort.

Let me add that this is the only course that is honorable to God, also that this is the only course of usefulness. I have known more than one poor woman, an invalid too perhaps, and unable to do any thing but pray and converse, and pour out the fullness of the soul on the great things of God's kingdom �]such I have known who have done apparently more good than almost any minister of the gospel. O, it is a luxury to hear such persons recount the mercies of God towards themselves. In conversing with one of them not long since, a member of the church of which I was pastor when in the city of New York, I was greatly interested in the story of the good hand of God upon her, since I had seen her. She was brought up a slave until (I think) forty years of age. When a child, herself and two little brothers were sold into a most Christless and cruel family, I believe in the northern part of New Jersey, or in southern New York. She has informed me that they had no bed or covering whatever provided for them in the coldest weather in winter, that they would lie down together upon the kitchen floor, and as the room grew cold, would get upon the hearth close together as possible, and, to keep from freezing, would get more and more into the fireplace, until sometimes they were severely burned in their sleep. This is it specimen of her treatment when young. But God finally gave her liberty and converted her soul. She is a cripple and an invalid, and has lived these many years by faith. It is always refreshing to meet her and witness her confidence in God. She does much for the cause of God in many ways. Although she is unable to work, and lives wholly on the free�]will offerings of her friends, yet she gives more in money to support the gospel, than many men of wealth. She knows how to draw upon the "Bank of Faith." She contributes regularly twenty�]five cents every Sabbath to the support of public worship. This amounts to $13 a year. When I asked her how she obtained it she replied that she obtained it by faith; that whatever she may need, she always lays by the first money that is given her from week to week, to give the next Sabbath to the support of the gospel. This amount is what she gives where she worships. To the mission, and to every good cause, she contributes; and by visiting, conversation, and prayer, she effects much for the cause of Christ. There is another woman in New York, who, although entirely destitute of earthly goods of her own, and confined these many years to her room, and most of the time to her bed, is a living example of the power of faith and prayer. She is also able, through faith, to contribute to every good cause, more in money, than is given by many wealthy professors of religion. These women, and other men and women like them, are full of faith and the Holy Ghost. They have learned to live by faith in Jesus, and when they open their mouths to speak of his love, you see that their souls are ravished, and that Jesus is indeed to them the chief among ten thousands. They have thoroughly exercised themselves unto godliness, and now they are bringing forth fruit unto God.

Finally, all such and such only shall die the death of the righteous. If any of you have never known what this is by seeing a righteous man die, I would to God you might have witnessed the death�]bed scenes and triumphs of brother Marks. There was a glorious illustration of the blessedness of dying the death of the righteous.

I shall now conclude with some notices of the life, history and death of our departed brother. One general remark at the outset will have continual illustration as we proceed; �]he seemed to possess the characteristics of fulfilling this great command�]'"Exercise thyself unto godliness." Converted from sin at the age of ten years, he began to preach at the early age of fifteen, since which time his labors have been incessant. At the age of twenty�]six, he published a Narrative of himself, at the instance of his friends, made up chiefly from his own diary. From this I shall take the liberty to make some extracts. It appears from this that his labors in the denomination of Free�]will Baptists, to which he belonged, were almost unbounded. Probably no man living has done more for that order than he. When his labors commenced, twenty�]five years ago, they were few �]their preachers mostly illiterate, though distinguished for their piety and zeal. They had no religious paper of their own, no Book Concern, no literary institutions. This accounts for the course brother Marks pursued with regard to his early education. He traveled and preached over the whole country from the Ohio river to the remote parts of New England �]at the cost of immense and self�]sacrificing labor, he, at length, with others, got up a Book Concern.

He came here and located himself and family three years ago, mainly for the sake of improving his own education. Having commenced his labors in preaching very young and with little education, he felt the need of it greatly, and seized the earliest opportunity to turn aside from his career of incessant preaching for this purpose. He had also collateral reasons. His health was already impaired, and he greatly needed rest. Moreover his acquaintance in this great western valley had shown him its immense importance in view of the future progress of Christ's kingdom. He saw that a great struggle of truth with error must take place on this field, and it would seem that his heart was set upon improving his education, that he might bear an active and vigorous part in its achievement. From some circumstances, I have supposed that his Baptist brethren have not fully understood his reasons for coming here. They may have feared that it was some ambitious scheme; but nothing can be farther from the truth. He came here to prepare himself for a great work in this great western battle�]field of Zion.

His diary shows that he was at onetime greatly exercised on the subject of sanctification. I have often observe that God seems to move on many minds independently of each other, at the same time. So it often happens when a great series of revivals is about to ensue; you will find Christians moved in various parts of the country simultaneously, and so far as we can see without any concert or communication with each other. So the Lord led brother Marks to inquire on this subject, at the same time that other minds in other Christian denominations were also inquiring, yet without concert with each other.

In his diary for February 20, 1928, he writes:

 "On the way to Middlesex my mind was impressed with the necessity of salvation from all sin. The commandment of the Lord Jesus, Matt. 5:48, 'be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,' came with power into my soul. And, remembering the declaration of the Apostle, 1 John 5:3, 'His commandments are not grievous,' my unbelief fled away, and faith said, 'God's ways are equal, and his requirements just.' 'Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.' Matt. 5:19. Then the following queries arose: 'If he shall be least, who practices and teaches contrary to the least of Christ's commandments, what will be the fate of him who not only violates, but teaches contrary to the greatest commandment? And what commandment is greater than this, to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect? How then dare I, a vessel of the Lord's sanctuary, that ought. to be holy in body and in spirit, live in sin?�]and, like Satan, bring Scripture to justify my iniquity, or screen my guilty conscience? When I preach to sinners that they should 'repent,' do they not quote the words of Christ to justify themselves, ‘Without me, ye can do nothing?' And were I to preach to Christians that they should be 'perfect,' would they not say, 'There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not?' After reflecting on the above queries, the conviction settled into my soul, as if from heaven, that these Scriptures are as unjustly misapplied as that quoted by the tempter, Matt. 4:6, 'Cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee,' &c. Now it is certain that Satan did act himself in reciting this text, that he seemed to have holy Scripture directly to the point that he wished to gain. So, alas! it is a fact, and my blood chills at the reflection, that sinners, and even saints, often quote Scripture as Satan did, and make an application equally erroneous, to justify their living in sin. 'And thou, my soul, be humbled exceedingly before God; for, alas! thou also, since Heaven forgave thee all hast recited and applied Scripture to justify thyself; as though those who are redeemed from sin could not help living in sin!  Hast thou found that the death of Christ was not sufficient to enable his children to become like Nathaniel, 'An Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile?' O be thou abased exceedingly, for thou hast applied the word of God like unto Satan, to content thyself without entire victory over sin. How vain was thy thought, that death, the offspring of sin, should in any way save thee, or fit thee for heaven. If the blood of Jesus have not the cleansing power to perfect thee for glory, how shall death fit thee for the better world?' From these reflections, I sunk into nothing before God, and turning aside into a wood, I fell on my face and called on the Lord; and, blessed be his name, I felt resolved in his strength to strive to live without sin, and ' follow the Lamb whiterso he goeth.' "

Those of you who were acquainted with the deceased, know that he entered most heartily into all the great Reforms of the age as soon as their respective subjects came fully before his mind. In respect to those reforms, he has no doubt done much for his denomination. It is an interesting fact, that they are now remarkably harmonious on all these points, more so than almost any other denomination in the land.

This denomination has enjoyed a rapid growth and a very unusual degree of prosperity, no inconsiderable share of which it is believed those who best know will ascribe to his influence and labors. It has indeed had many other able and faithful ministers, yet his labors have been immense, and in the main very successful. The body of Free�]will Baptist, which numbered about ten thousand when he entered the ministry, is now said to number sixty thousand, and to have not far from one thousand ministers in its connexion.

He was a man of great uprightness of character, as all know who have had any business with him. He was most scrupulously accurate in all his dealings, careful to pay every cent which was righteously due, and expecting a similarly equitable course from those with whom he dealt. Yet obviously the spring of this was not in his case avarice, but genuine uprightness of character.

As another instance, I will mention that he called on me once this fall, and wanted me to attend to a little matter between him and another individual. But he would not tell me any part of the story lest he should prejudice my mind. He wished me to hear both sides at once, and hear his own statement in presence of the other party concerned.

I have already alluded to the fact that for many years he counted sleep a burden, and grudged even the moments which he must lose from his Master's work in this repose of nature. When I first became acquainted with his state, I said to him �]You must sleep. It is your duty to your God and to your generation. You are almost worn out, but you are too young to close up your labors yet. Sleep enough may restore your system, and you may yet live to do much more for your Master. I faced him down in it, and was earnest and decided with him. I said, it is impossible for you to live so, and what a pity that you should die an old man while yet young. He received it kindly, and tried to sleep a great deal more: but, as sometimes happens, tried so hard that he could not sleep. It was in his heart to do all known duty The spirit was willing �]the flesh weak. The fact was, his whole system was upon the strain. His mind and whole nervous system were in a state of the utmost tension. The ardor of his spirit, glowing through his kindling eye, and every thing about him, spoke a soul in most solemn earnest. His soul indeed was grown too great and too mighty for his poor broken body. I admired and revered his most devout zeal for God and souls, and seldom, if ever, have I been blessed with the acquaintance of one whose presence and spirit were at all times so refreshing to my soul, as were brother Marks', and yet so loud a rebuke to my comparative want of self­denying zeal during much of my ministerial life. I always found myself benefited by his society. I feel that it would have been a great favor had my Heavenly Father suffered him to abide at Oberlin as long as he anticipated.

But brother Marks, though young, comparatively, in years, being only forty, had lived long in the actual results of his labors. He had performed more than the usual work of a hundred years. It was impossible without a constant miracle, that he should live under such a weight of exciting and exhausting labors. His mind, since I have known him, has been like a powerful steam engine in a frail and broken vessel, crowded with terrible and self�]destructive speed through an ocean of stormy waves. This figure has repeatedly presented itself to my mind, when I have seen or thought of him. I have thought brother Marks will soon go to pieces, unless he abates his speed. It was plain as noon­day, that his ardent soul was tearing its frail tenement all in pieces. But rest was out of the question with him. As I said, when I faced him down, I insisted that he should rest; but so great and irrepressible was the ardor of his soul, that the effort he made to keep still, cost him more than to let his zeal for God have all the vent that his frail body could from day to day sustain. I have regarded myself as peculiarly blessed in that providence which made me more particularly acquainted with brother Marks, than many of our brethren here, who, since his death, have expressed their grief that they had not sought more intimacy with him. Many here can attest the truth of my testimony in regard to what he was, and many more might have done so, but for the fact, that we are all so pressed with labor, and brother Marks was so truly a modest and unobtrusive man, that those who knew him well, must have been providentially brought into contact with him. This was my lot, and I can truly say, that to me his memory is most sacred and beloved. All my acquaintance with him was sweet arid Hallowed. He was at all times the Christian, and he is one of the few men with whom I have been at all intimate, of whom I can say, that I never saw any thing in his spirit and temper, and never heard any thing from his lips, or saw any thing in his life to deplore. "The memory of the righteous is blessed." I love to think of him, for it does me good. It makes me feel my littleness. His countenance, all radiant with love, seems even now to smile and take on that affectionate and most earnest look, with which he used to meet and greet me.

But my brother is gone'! My heart is sadly joyful when I remember that his work on earth is done, his conflicts are over, and especially that his dying strife has ceased. Death has no more to do with him. He lives forever. Do not let us conceive of him as to be carried and left in yonder grave­yard. O no, he is beyond the reach of death and the grave. We may carry the frail tabernacle in which he lived, as we might carry the clothes he wore, and leave them in the grave. But brother Marks will not be there. No, there is no dark, cold, damp grave to him, but, bathed in the sunlight of heaven, he walks the golden streets, and gazes upon the ineffable and unsullied glories that surround him forever. What a contrast! A few days ago we saw him dragging about, with a body crushed and broken, racked with pain and limbs swollen and heavy with dropsy, but with a soul all fresh and energizing almost to a miracle in so poor a body. But now, could we draw aside the veil, and behold him lost in wonder and admiration, standing in the effulgence of heaven's glories, and surveying the unutterable wonders of his Savior, and of his palace with its myriads of mansions for his saints, we should rejoice to leave him there, and have no wish to bring him back again to earth.

It may have been supposed by his people at a distance from us, that since he came here he has relinquished his preaching too much, and given himself up too much to study; but in this, if such has been their view, they are mistaken. He has by no means relinquished his labors among the churches faster than he was compelled to by his waning strength. His labors abroad a part of the time, have been very great, particularly in assisting in getting into operation a high school at Chester, Geauga Co. Ohio. It seemed to be his meat and drink to labor in the gospel. Few men can say with more truth than he, "The zeal of thine house bath eaten me up." It had eaten up the very energies of life from his system.

[Professor Finney here read much of the memoranda of his conversation during the last days of his life.]

Brother Marks said to me during his sickness, that he wanted the ministers in his connexion to hold up sanctification, and to LIVE it, to live it forth in all their daily life. I long, said he, to go among them, and urge upon them this great duty and responsibility, but if I may not have strength to do it, I hope you will do it by your preaching in my stead. As I visited him every day, I continually observed that he seemed to rejoice in every fresh symptom of approaching death. Especially was this manifest when his stomach failed so that he could not receive and digest food. This was a glorious signal that the time drew near when he might go home. His wife at one time remarked to him�] "You appear so little changed in your state of mind from what I have usually seen you, that I cannot realize that you are so near your end." He replied �] Why should I appear changed before dying! Ever since you have known me, I have lived in the near view of death, ready each day to depart and be with Christ.

When he found that he could no more write his own name, his soul seemed to be in ecstasy. Not one of his friends around him could refrain from tears, but his soul seemed to be radiant with the glories of heaven. He felt the Christian's hope to be the most substantial reality that can be known on earth. O, it has been a luxury for me and many other friends to see him day after day�] triumphing over death, and showing how easy a man may die, if he has only lived right. Then he has nothing to do but to wait in patient hope till the hour of release shall come. So died our departed brother. "Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace."

*For many years, Mr. Marks had been in the habit of keeping a most rigid account of the occupancy of his time. He always carried with him a little hook, celled his "Time Economizer," in which he daily charged himself with the twenty­four hours, and on retiring for the night, accounted for every moment as carefully as a miser would reckon his dollars and  cents. Several times during the last two years of his life, he attempted to lay aside this practice, thinking it had injured his health, but so powerful had the habit become, that its suspension affected him so unpleasantly that he would soon resume it as the least of two evils.

the life and writings of David Marks

David Marks' Final Sermon, Thursday, November 13, 1845

Funeral of David Marks (Funeral sermon by Charles Finney)

Final Remarks of David Marks

Sermon Notes in his own hand (Courtesy Bates College Special Collection)

David Marks’ Last Resolutions