ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE REV. P. B. CABELL OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, AT THE FUNERAL OF WM. SHEFFIELD OCTOBER 7, 1883.

DEATH. There are few words in our language which imply so much as the word life. It suggests to the mind all that man is or can be; his thoughts, his affections, his joy, his sorrows, his hopes and his fears. These form his internal life -- externally it implies warmth, activity, sensation, motion -- without these life would not be. The apparent cessation of these is a cessation of life, and is called death. Philosophers tell us that we never understand anything fully until we see its opposite. Painters are wont to enhance the glories of a beautiful conception by contrasting with it that which is hideous and deformed. Orators and Poets delight in antithesis, and moralists excite our admiration of that which is right and just by picturing in all their repulsiveness that which is evil and wrong. So, too, the Lord In his mercy would teach his children the loveliness and attractiveness of life by contrasting with it the stillness, the coldness, the unseemliness of death. That the death of the body, however, is not a real but only an apparent death ought to be known to all who rea the holy scriptures. Our Lord did not regard it as any death at all, for at the grave of Lazarus He said, "He that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and he that liveth and believeth on me shall never die." It is repeatedly declared in the sacred pages that those who have passed from this world are yet alive, and but for the traditions of men, Christianity might have remained such as it was at the beginning, the religion which "brought life and immortality to light." The Christians were able many of them to welcome the messenger of death as an angel of light. whereas it is to be feared that now the majority of majority of mankind regard him as the "King of Terrors."

In the doctrines of the New Church now revealed from the Lord out of heaven we have a description of the death of the body so full, so clear, so comforting as to be quite wonderful, all shown, too, as in full accord with the sacred scriptures concerning which it is declared that when sepulchre and burial are mentioned in the holy pages, there is meant resurrection to eternal life. Natural death is like a gate or portal on the one side of which stand men, .on the other angels. To either men nor angels are both sides visible at the same time; to the passenger alone it is granted to see both in quick succession. But to him, what a contrast do these present, the scene which he leaves and that to which he goes! On the one side he leaves friends weeping and mourning for his loss on the other he finds friends equally loving, equally dear, welcoming him to an eternal home and congratulating him on the happy change. On the one side he leaves perhaps sickness, Suffering, old age, sorrow on the other he finds Health, ease, soon a renewal of youth and joy. behind him he leaves his natural body, all cold and still and soon to pass away beyond, he finds himself in a spiritual body, alive, active, healthy and immortal. The time was, we are told, when both sides of this gate of life (for such it really is), was visible to man and angels; but men by their sins caused a veil to be drawn between, impenetrable to their eyes, and have thus cut themselves off from the brighter and better side. But this latter is now in mercy so fully revealed that death ought no longer to be regarded as a gloomy portal or a stygian river, but a new birth, or an entrance into eternal life. It is true there remains inseparable from death the sorrow which is brought "by a separation from those we love, yet when we remember that naught has happened to them which calls sorrow -- and that for sorrow tor ourselves alone is not wise or good; even such sorrow it might seem could almost be turned into joy. There is another circumstance also revealed in regard to death which should enhance and strengthen the comfort which all revelation gives, and that is that it never comes without our Heavenly Father's will "Our times are in His hand." More than eighteen hundred years ago He said "Not a sparrow falls to the ground but your Heavenly Father knoweth it. Ye are of more value than many sparrows." Therefore we conclude that it is not a calamity to die young, no disadvantage to the aged that they are not so sooner called; naught but a blessing even to infancy that it, can grow in manhood or womanhood under the care of those who always behold His face. And is there then no death? Does the sad change which comes over our mortal part when the spirit has left it mean nothing? Teach us no lesson? Ah, yes, there is a death, the horrors of which cannot be exaggerated. The unhappy accompaniments of that death are real, and they never pass away. The stillness, the coldness, the cruelty, the misery of that death endure forever. It is the death of the soul in trespasses and sins. Here were a death to be avoided and feared indeed. For let us but consider, in all this wide universe of God where all things were made for active use, there is nothing really still but hands which do no good, and feet which run on no errands of mercy. In all this wide and warm creation there is nothing really cold but human selfishness, nothing so blind as an evil understanding, nothing so deaf as a disobedient soul,- - nothing so unseemly, so ghastly in the sight of heaven as an evil spirit.

May it not be the one lesson which our Heavenly Father would teach us when he calls us together on occasions like this, is that we should so live as to avoid that death of which this is only the shadow and faint resemblance. The rule is simple which ho has given us by which we may avoid it "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

We infer, therefore, that this death according to both scripture and reason, is the result of a persistent and life-long violation of the commandments of God -- "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." This death, dear friends, we may safely and surely believe, he who now lies before us has escaped. Far be it from me to assert that man is not responsible for his own acts or the last act of a human life is not in some sort an index of the character within; yet I think you will agree with me in believing that the act which removed the soul of Wm. Sheffield to another world was not his own.

Man is held responsible by laws both human and divine only for those deeds done In freedom and according to reason. "The same law allows that when the reason is dethroned, freedom and responsibility depart along with it, and the man does, he knows not what. The man who in a moment of passion and without malice prepense takes the life of another is not regarded as criminal in the highest degree. The law spares his life and allows hope for repentance. How much more should human charity condone the net of him who in a moment of despondency or of intense physical suffering takes his own life. It is true, he violates the great command "Thou shalt not kill," yet he destroys not that which is another man's, but that which is his own and his creators, and to that creator alone he is responsible. Again, when one is oppressed by want or is overwhelmed with sorrow shame or remorse, voluntarily casts down the burden of life, as no longer supportable, the act however deliberate is pitied by humanity rather than condemned, but when one who is surrounded by earthly abundance, with family ties unbroken and faithful friends about him, who can look back upon a long and useful life, who has been kind to the poor. helpful to the deserving, has contributed generously to every good and charitable cause, who is beloved by all. when the hands of such an one commits a deed so strange, so apparently uncalled for, the conviction comes straight home to every mind that he was not himself, and hence that the deed was not his own. What was it then (you will say? What force was it which so rudely stormed and took the citadel of his life? An answer to this question involves in part the solution, the enigma of human life. In common thought we often imagine ourselves to be alone, and according to appearances we so speak, whereas in fact there is no such tiling as a man's being alone.

Every human being we are told in those doctrines lately revealed by the Lord out of heaven, and by means of His word) Is attended constantly by spirits both good and evil, these being always with him, at least two of each sort.

For wise purposes the man is unconscious of the presence of these inhabitants of another world, for he must, to himself, appear to act and speak as of himself. Yet in truth, he thinks no thought, utters no word, and performs no deed, except through these unseen and constant companions. Of these the good or angelic spirits suggest every good thought and prompt every good action, while the evil and infernal attendants urge him on to every sin. The first are ever seeking to win the soul to goodness and truth and to eternal life. The latter as constantly endeavor to instill the evil and the false, to bring the man to their own unhappy condition by inflicting the blight of eternal death.

By the power of an all-wise and all-merciful providence man is kept in equilibrium between these two opposing forces, and either of them is free to choose.

That influence which he in freedom makes his own through life by choice moulds his character for heaven or for hell, for character is formed by habit by affection and by choice of daily life. It is this character so formed that decides his fate when he comes into another life, and no arbitrary decree of divine power as some suppose. Now as reason would teach, and as all revealed religion would assure us, that a character confirmed in evil by a life led in utter disregard of the letter or the spirit of God's most holy commandments, cannot be changed by any act of mere lip confession or apparent repent - and at the last. So we must also believe that a character for uprightness and integrity built up by a long life of obedience to laws, human and divine, cannot be destroyed in a moment by the utmost malignity of its spiritual foes, however, these for the time may seem to triumph over it. Here, then dear friends, let us rest our hope and faith in the ultimate safety and happiness of our departed brother, that the unfortunate act which has ushered him before his time into the presence of his matter was not his own, but must be attributed to the aid and wicked spirits who, owing to the accident of his physical condition, temporarily obtained the mastery over him; a mastery altogether foreign to his previous life and conduct as I hope to show.

At the same tune let us not fail to read a lesson in that which has befallen him, and as in his loss or decline to take to ourselves the warning which has so sadly come upon us.

He, In that sphere where he now sees the nothingness of earthly things and the reality of those which are eternal, would not have us acquit him of all blame. Doubtless had he, or had any one who has come to an end like his, resisted from the first rightly and prayerfully the promptings of his spiritual enemies, or had he manfully and in the beginning abstained from the use of that pernicious drug which may be regarded as the cause of all his sufferings, and into which as into a congenial plane his spiritual foes acted. they would not have been permitted by his heavenly Father to quench the lamp of reason, and. to suddenly as they did to turn Ills own hand against his bodily life. Let us all who feel, or shall ever feel, such unholy promptings, take this warning to heart, and arm ourselves against them with the Psalmist's prayer : "O Lord consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred." Having now said so much concerning death in general, and In extenuation of the manner In which our friend met his own, let me direct your attention for a little to what is now of far more importance, both to him and to you, namely, his life.

William Sheffield was born in the town of Painesville, O., November 19th, 1817. He was therefore 65 years. 11 mo. and 15 days old at the time of his death. His early education was obtained in the common country schools of the period. Having attained his fourteenth year he was sent to Oberlin College by his parents, who designated him for the ministry. Mr. Sheffield remained at Oberlin until his eighteenth year, when he left the institution before graduation. Though recognized as one of their best and most reliable pupils, he early became skeptical as to the religious doctrines taught in that school. He exhibited his independence of mind by publicity declaring his intentions to read the works of Tom Paine, which somewhat displeased the Faculty and lead to his leaving the College. It is proper to state that Mr. Sheffield's parents belonged to the old school Presbyterian church.

After leaving Oberlin Mr. Sheffield begin the study of law with his father, and having pursued his studies with great assiduity was admitted to the bar before he was twenty-one. Though offered advantageous openings elsewhere Mr. S. remained with his father until the later's death in 1840, soon after which he married Miss Hulda Harper and moved to Napoleon, which has since been his home except a few years spent in Defiance county.

During these years from the time he left Oberlin until 1840, Mr. Sheffield had been an unbeliever in the doctrine usually taught in the churches. About 1800 a friend who had been an old law partner sent him a "Life of Swedenborg" saying that the book had changed his views with reference to a belief in the truths of Christianity. Mr. S. read the book through many times. From that time for more than twenty years he was a firm believer in the truths of the Christian religion as taught in the Doctrines of the New Church. During long years. of mental and bodily suffering, he tried to live a life consistent with the Heavenly teachings.

As a proof that he was at least partially successful in his efforts, I am told that they who knew him best loved him best, and that there were many deeds of kindness done by him, which were known only to himself and the recipients.

As a key to what some supposed to be eccentricity of character, or at times a seemingly cold exterior, it is proper to state that for many years our friend was a victim of the drug morphine, which was at first administered as a medicine in small quantities. His health at last became wholly shattered.

Judge of the desperate straight to which he was reduced, from the following lines, found in his Bible the day of his death, which are probably the last he ever wrote:

"A victim who is fast in a burning Rail-Road train may anticipate the fire by any other means. "It is not wrong to sacrifice our lives for the benefit of others." John xv, 13. "3.My case falls within both propositions."

Though suffering both bodily and mental agony, from which he saw no relief but in death, he yet sought to reconcile what he was about to do with the precepts of religion. If his eyes were blinded, who will say his heart was not right? Amen.