Death disarmed of its sting. A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE HON. ROGER MINOTT SHERMAN, BEING THE DISCOURSE PREACHED AT HIS FUNERAL, January 2, 1845. BY LYMAN H. ATWATER, PASTOR OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN FAIRFIELD. NEW HAVEN: PRINTED BY B. L. HAMLEN. 1845. DISCOURSE. 1 CORINTHIANS, xv, 55.--O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? This triumphant ejaculation, which Christ hath made the property of all dying believers, implies that death may lose its sting and the grave its victory. And whence comes this change in the issue of the conflict which man is ever waging with death, and in which death is the natural conqueror? How shall we account for this transmutation so strange, so wondrous, so heavenly, by which this most resistless, relentless, unsparing conqueror, is itself made to die, is swallowed up in victory, and at the very moment of seeming to crush its victim, translates him to an endless life, gilds him with fadeless glory, transports him with the fullness of joy evermore, and crowns him with an immortal diadem? Our answer is found in that record which God hath given of his Son, who hath brought life and immortality to light. "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," who has made the sublime annunciation on which all human hope depends. "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; WHOSO BELIEVETH ON ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE." Since then, death, through the wondrous work of Christ, may be disarmed of its sting, and the grave robbed of its victory, let us for a few moments consider more precisely _in what way, to what extent, and with respect to what persons_, this comes to pass.