The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-06-28
New York Herald.

Growing interest In the SuOJocC
of Mans Immortality.
New York Herald.I
But then shall know even as also am
known-I Cor. xiii, l2
There is not as much scepticism in
the world nowadays as there was twen
ty years ago.
A careful survey of the times will
convince you that the old lines Of
doubt have been abandoned and that
men are thinking afirmatively about
the future life.
Not that men are going back to
Church dogmas. On the contrary,
they are getting further from them, if
possible.
But they are silently formulating a
religion of their own-a peculiar kind
of religion, which the clergy are in
clined to look at askance, but which
contains the essential principles on
which an honest life here and the hope
of a life hereafter are securely based.
The people were never more averse
to creeds than now. That is a rather
startling characteristic of the age.
Thoughtful men have feared that the
multitude after slipping the moorings
of Calvanism, would drift out to sea
or on lee shore, because it frequently
happens that when one gives up his
old faith he lives the rest Of his life
without any faith at all.
This danger, however, has been
safely passed. The tendency is to-
ward wider and deeper faith than
we have ever had. IT the Church
would recognize this fact and fit itself
to the new condition of affairs it could
easily become the leader of the people
in their explorations. But ifthe Church
persists in emphasizing the formulas OF
other days and continues to ignore all
sources of information except those to
which it has been accustomed the peo-
pie will 60 on without it and find it
and leaders among themselves.
In illustration of this general state
ment, and also in proof of it, we may
safely assert that at no hour in the
whrld's history has there been so much
interest in the subject of mans immor-
tality as now. Nor has there been SO
much legitimate curiosity as to the
conditions which will prevail in that
other life to which we are fastening.
Whether this is the result of that old
movement called spiritualism, which
started in the forties and spread like a
prairie fire; which loudly declared
that communion between the two
worlds was privilege to be enjoyed
by every shadowed home; or whether
it came from a combination OF other
causes, is matter of inferior conse-
quence. When the thirsty man has
water to drink he simply drinks it and
is thankful, not stopping to inquire
from what mountain range the river
flows on whose green banks he reposes
in peace.
But besides the bare fact of contin-
ued life we desire to know what our
relations to each other will be after
we cross the golden threshold. Is our
love merely temporary contrivance,
volatile element which will evaporate
at death, a bond of union based on
the necessity of perpetuating the race
which will be broken at the grave, OF
is it the mutual attraction of souls
which have luckily found each other
in this life and which will continue in
all other lives which may lie ahead
of US?
Much depends on the answer to
that question. If love is an earthly
convenience, and only that, then prac-
tically the end comes when the cur
tain drops on our little drama, comedy
or tragedy, as the case may be. But
if the mothers love or the lovers
.. love, being a love of souls and not ol
bodies, is part of the soul itself, then
| both we who remain little longer
/ and they who 60 amid our sighs and
tears can wait patiently, as one waits
in Europe for the coming of the dear
one or waits in America for the return
home.
The problem is not difficult to solve
if we face facts bravely. That we
shall recognize each other in tie life
beyond needs no argument. Com
mon sense simply says, "Of course We
SHALL" and that ends all controversy
That we shall know each other better
than we do now goes without saying
That we shall see through all our dis
guises, even as we shall be seen, seems
to be very certain. There will be nc
deceptions, tor soul will look at sou
and motives cannot be concealed.
That this clearer sight will alter :
great many of our relationships be-
comes perfectly evident, just as it il
evident that if our hearts were laio
bare in this life our relations to eact
other would be changed.
If love, therefore, our present love
is connected in any way with ou
physical passions or is all dependen
on them, then death, which deprive
us Of our bodies, will bring that love
to an end. We may know each othe
there, but the peculiar attraction which
now binds US will cease to exist. There
will be no fuel for its fame must need
die out. Clearly that kind Of love i
merely earthly expedient or incident
or even accident, and will have tul
filled its mission when the breatl
leaves the body. 1t cannot 60 henc'
when we 60, but must be left behint
because there is no element of immor