, 1886-02-07

When you can understand a simple analogy
| think you can understand why. The silk
worm lives by craving leavos- 1t seems TO
enjoy It, and doubtless its highest Idea OF
life Is sucking leaves, and enough OF it By
and by 1t weaves its own silken shroud;
and whom IL wakes up 1t finds
itself n butterfly. How unique, tho silk
worm saying to some fellow worm; III
there is an after-lifs for me, l will come
back after l m dead and tell you all about
It." l should ike to know how tho worm
can know that 1t Is to get n living by suck
ing honey from the fiowersl The reorgani-
milton puts the old and the now creatures on
such different platforms that tho experience
OF one has nc rotation To the experienc co or
capacity OF the other. And mon In this life
going through that peculiar part OF Gods
experiment which requires husk, waste,
chaff; living in tho body and in conditions
adapted to bodily wants; when they go out
OF that into tn, grain itself, or the nnd
fruit itself, how can they, in their lower state
and condition, understand that which be
longs TO its entirely new and superior condi
tons of existencei
This does not solve all Intellectual ques-
tons. There are profound depths, from
which no solution has yet been given. We
throw the line, and tho plummet runs out
and out and out, and there seems TO be no
bottom. But in regard, generally. to the
not understanding of the upper and the
higher state, in a generic way, l think It Is
suficient for any reasonable man to say;
1--WE are to DO exalted so far above the OK
perience which men have in this primitive
organic state in bodily relations, that 1t is
tellable; It is not communicable; 1t Is an ex-
isteuce whose nature is not parallel to that
earthly condition In which we are, and
---latu-l "
Revelation says, in effect; You cannot
know that which exists outside and
higher 1t says: "Now nro we the sons of
Col. but It doth not yet appear what We
shall "a That has not been revealed yet;
1t Is unrevealable 1t Is TO be known only by
| expt rionce. But in tho midst OF these ex-
plantations and doubts, and yearnings, and
longings, now comes the great truth: I'm
tho world beyond, so STANCE, 50 vast, so un-
| explorable, so little known, even doubted,
from which comes no sound; down from
which come no documents; in that great
world beyond there Is n government pre-
pared to receive not only, but to superintend
in preparation, all those that are on the way
there.
Why, the granary docs not know what Is
coming in on tho cart 1t has nothing TO do
with il. When the fruit is ripe 1t is gathered
I hba III INV ~ ~
grain is ripe it is gathered and carried to the
granary, and they know nothing OF it while
they arc growing. In that great receiving
| land there Is a distinct knowledge of all that
nra coming, and OF all their wants and their
| requisitions; but there Is one there
that has gone before, and Is adj
vocate, intercessor. interpreter. governor
For He hs put all things under His feet,
AM unto His hands" that He may ring
Sous and daughters homo to glory.
Here. then, Is that wonderful declaration
when you come to really put IL on, and
SEQ how it fills up tho void and
vast-namely, that whilo this life seems
to us to DO n b~ustling and busy
place-and it surely is-anl the other seems
To nave nothing in it-no sound, nothing
that ordinarily attracts mems senses. Yet
tho business OF the universe Is in tho invisi-
bic, and all tho racket and all the care,
and all the dust and defilement
and all the preparation, Il down here;
this is the lumber room Of the universe, tho
workshop OF God, and all the thing, most
active, supernal, divine are going on above
our heads, and out OF our sight, and beyond
our Consciousness. But faith discerns and
accepts Whatever Is invisible. but in
activity above; whatever is not known 10
us, but known to God-it is all for us. and II
Is going on without our cognition, but,
nevertheless, going on. The heavens arc
taking care OF the earth. And this vast con
fusion that we SEQ in the career OF time Is
not confusion as witnessed from the other
life.
This great truth, theu, stands before you
to-day; namely, Jesus Christ governs In high
places and in tho invisible realm, with ref
erencs to the conduct OF all that live upon
earth. step by step, to tho higher develop
ment OF spiritual life.
Then, in tho absence OF all scientific OF
sight knowledge, 1t ought to rejoice Us to
know that there is such u realm-a realm
whose experiences cannot 10 guessed by
lower mon, and only dimly by the very
highest Developments In tho very highest
men upon earth. 1t is a question whether
this life Is worth living. 1t Is n weary
question OF a weary philosophy, tho philoso-
ply OF doubt-'Is this life worth livingF'
The highest minds, looking over all the ply.
steal aspects OF time, are inclined to think
that tho world, taken fairly on both
sides, cannot indicate a benevolent God.
Taking all the neglects, all the silsnces, all
tho organized sufferings. all that which
physical nature reveals; cruelty organized
destruction triumphant In all the lower
spheres OF life; apparent misrulo and neglect
Ia the higher forms OF life; taking the
average from age to age. philosophy says,
IL Is doubtful whether there is a benevolent
God.
But beyond the evening, ehlnd the
clouds, beyond the report of the senses, their
Is an eternal provision going on for us; fol
you, for me and for mine, and for the poor
est and most necessitous. As some
great elemental law may DO seen
in silence to draw up the grass
the shrub, the tree, and with silence to per
fect and ripen 1t, 50 in the eternal silence o.
Gods providence in heaven there are steady
drawings and influences spreading ahroaf
over all creation, that are drawing men N
out OF matter and out OF animalism int
spiritual elements And that there is sucl
an organic kingdom, such an efiuent power
Is a matter that ought TO assuRge many sor
rows and cure many doubts
God thinks for US. The world Is like q
cradle. God rocks 1t and he hears the In
tant 5 cry and knows It's needs, and tn
eternal Father cares continually for hi
creatures upon earth The world o
sense Is like husk. Very necessary, AM
yet OF very little value. except as 1
nurse OF the coming grain The moan
by which we are developed In this life ",
must not study them too closely their func
ton Is not revealed In their action-theii
heavenly and higher function The frui
Is the explanation OF tho tree and o
the vine. And TO know, from authority
above, that the fruit celestial Is tho out
come OF all the treatment OF life-ho~
many tears It will cure, how many heart
aches 1t will soothe, how many fears and
doubts IL will destroy and take away; wha
light 1t will throw upon misfortune, WIN
riches upon poverty, what humility upor
pride, what rejoicing upon sorrow; tina
we are I'm the great wonder-working HAND
OF Jesus Christ. that He Is inter
cossor, forerunner; that He stands in tn
heavenly place, TO do all that which /