What then are we to understand by this expression? Are we to regard it as proving their present state to be one of unconsciousness or stupor? God forbid! for then how could such a spirit as hers that has now left us, say, “To me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” She could truly say during her life time, “I delight to do thy will O Lord,” and it could be no gain to such an one to sink down into stupor and inactivity. But still they are said to sleep in Christ, and the beautiful suitability of the expression may be seen from two points of view. In the first place, death is the separation of the immortal spirit from the mortal body, and the body alone now lies sleeping in the grave. When we assembled around that opened grave on Friday, it was to leave there the body. We committed her body to the grave, “earth to earth, dust to dust, ashes to ashes.” And this body may be justly said to sleep. It sleeps, for it is without feeling. There is no pain or languor now, no advancing illness, or exhaustion from decaying strength. This is all over now, and the poor body sleeps in Jesus. Then again it is a sleep, for the time of labour has now passed. That beautiful and cheerful activity which for twenty-five years has been such a blessing and example to this place, is now over. The night is come when she cannot work, and let us who remain learn the lesson that while the day lasts, we must be, like her, most vigorously employed for God. And lastly it is a sleep, for it is not permanent, but only for a time. The night is quickly passing; already we see the streaks of morning; and when the Son of Righteousness appears, the sleeping body shall spring from the couch of its slumber, and take its place in the great company before the throne of a risen Lord. Thus the body may be well said to sleep in the tomb. But the immortal spirit who shall fetter, who shall entomb it? The immortal spirit never sleeps, it needs no sleep, for it knows no fatigue, and the language of the Scripture is, “They rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Rev. iv, 8.