The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-12-05

last Sunday morning, although he was here
The preceding Friday to officiate at the fu.
neral of the late Mrs. Noble, one of his
parishioners.
The PRESS joins with the people of Ra-
VIENNA in extending to them both hearty
and in felicitating the church to
whose pulpit he has been called, and the
whose privilege it will be to
listen to him, on the good fortune that real
ICES to them the services of SO able pulpit |
thinker and spiritual eIpounder.
A comfortably filed auditorium greeted |
him Sunday morning. Preparatory to his
the Society made some very ap- |
preciable interior sanctuary improvements,
thus enabling the work of the year to be in
under conditions peculiarly ac-
ceptable to Pastor and people.
His theme for the morning discourse was
Immortality and Nature" and the text,
"If man die, shall he live again?" Pre-
facing the sermon proper, he said that this
was the first in series of four discourses on
the general subject of Immortality of the
human soul.
We regret our inability to present the mas
terly production in its entirety, for it is i'm
possible to do it justice in any synopsis. But
some idea can, we trust, be conveyed in this
manner. He stated, first, that " God reveals
himself to man !; the revelation that is true
is written on the desire of the heart, wrought
into the mental structure, engraved on the
palm of the hands. That which touches
deepest human need is in origin, divine.
Pascal said he believed the Bible was Gods
Book because it was mans book.
There is in man the suspicion that, in the
transient course of things there is yet an
intimation of that which is not transient >
Nature is prospective; its final aim is
proportioned to its preparation.
In the face of natures tendency, why do
men doubt, while they believe, the SOULS
immortal life? = What evidence is
there that man will survive? Men have said,
matter is not destroyed. Why, then,
shall life only pass away? The soul of man
is a unit, and indestructible. The reply was
made that if life continues as we'll as matter,
animal life must be included.
We must relinquish our claim for man, or
affirm that death, in spite of similar aspect,
is not one and the same to all but under an
apparent identity conceals difference truly
infinite. Man, final aim of Natures cease
less struggle, the best science declares, throws
off the laws that govern other life. Admit
that extreme form of evolution-that matter
has potent force that has produced all life;
if it can attain to mind, that longs for i'm
mortality, may not that same potential force
achieve it? If it develops the conception,
why not the fact? If it can work itself into
such forms as Shakespeare and Newton,
why not reach corresponding achievements
in regard to time? = A living thing
develops power of self perpetuation; why
may it not be SO with that life that culmi-
mates in man? He is the flower of life, and
in his soul is the seed of Immortality.
How can man leap the chasm, death? Ma
ture knows no such thing as disembodied
life; all life is a body builder. Therefore
with what body will he come? There is a
theory which makes reply. > The res
direction is an operation from without, not
development from within; vivid display,
not an orderly process of law; stupendous
miracle, not an evolution. No al
lowance is made for Oriental Symbolism.
Another form of thought asks, May not
the resurrection be considered consistent
part of the orderly system of Gods work?
Science tells of another, too ethereal for
mortal vision, two subtle for chemical anal
ysis, floating in the revolving worlds.
It's only evidence is that the nature of light
demands it. No less does the soul of man
demand proper sphere, as wings need air
as fins need water; otherwise, Creation is
without order. The assumption of this in
visible ether is hint to something finer still
as basis of the minds activity when the
material body has passed away. Science
demands subtle, non-atomic substance to
| float the worlds. Revelation asserts "there
| is spiritual body" The spirit that
passes the gate of death as living thing,
and, for aught we know, begins to build the
spiritual body here, behind the screen OF
| flesh and blood. # Jesus said, "He
that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood
hath eternal life, and will raise him up al
the last day." The figure is intense.
Christ's spirit Of love, and truth, and right
eousness mingles with the current of spirit
ual life, conveying the power of His Divine
life into affection, thought and purpose
producing that complete, embodied heaven
| ly state-the object of life's struggle. 1t is
the entrance into that perfected state of en-
bodied being which is the spiritual result OF
an earnest Christian life in this present
world. The question, with what will they
come, includes another-what kind of spir
it builds? Perfection of body depends on
the vital forces within; as the present life il
permanently conditioned by transient caus
es, the persuasion seems to follow that laws
of spiritual growth, now operating in life
will develop enduring conditions that We
now have power to determine. Therefore
so live as to establish the vital conditions for
complete embodied life, in that land of bliss
A vast distinction there is between the
| world of nature and the human mind.
pie of life can do no more; its design is full
filed. The capacity of MIND is not exha ust
ed. = Its present knowlege is a frag
ment only; its thirst for wisdom never
quenched. 3 The growth of the soul
reveals no prison walls; its progress shows
its boundless might
Man with capacity for never-ending pro-
gress, must live when natures products have
passed away.
Thirst for continued being in proportion to
progress and obedience to God, is proof ire
sistible of destined immortality.
If there is nothing behind the veil, life is
disappointment; the higher faculties are
incomplete; desired perfection mockery
the moral nature overfreighted; society a
hopeless injustice. An intense perception
of earth would be of much more value than
dreams of what we cannot be. The
logic of love declares "there is no death.
Hum an or Divine, it's only symbol is FOR
EVER. To doubt Immortality is to reverse
instinct, reject reasons loftiest verdict, =
To crowd man back into animal nature,
makes him thing TO eat, drink and perish,
and cuts every tie that binds him to
God. j
Man is here but seed of possibility. The
great law of development continues in the
better land. Man is power, emu
lative through the rolling years. What he
will be in the years to come, transcends the
highest vision of this mortal life.