The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-02-21
RELIGIOUS READING.
GROWTH UNDER PRESSURE.

Sub pondere crcsco" (I grow under n wcight)
was motto on the crest OF john Sprcul. OF
Glasgow, who for his defense OF religious
liberty In the times Of Caverhouse was i'm.
prisoned on the Bass Rock. In the Firth OF
Forth. This Is the great motto OF the world.
Nature Is like huge watch, whose move.
ments are caused by the compression of the
mainspring. Onlyby restraint Is life possible
The forms OF all living things. from the
smallest moss to man himself. are determined
by the extent and degree to which the force
OF life ovcrcomcs the dead forces Of nature
The simple principle of growth under limita.
tion will account for the shape Of every leaf
and the formulation Of every organ OF the
human body; for the termination of
seed, and for the beating of the heart
within tho human breast. -. Have
you ever watched bubble OF air rising
up from the bottom Of clear pond 10 the
top? II so. you cannot fail to have noticed
that IL asccnds not ia straight line, but In o
corkscrcw or spirit form. The force whict
draws 1t upward 60 rcipin thenntivc air from
which IL has been separated would do So. 81
left TO itself by the shortest course: but it en-
counters continually the resistance oi the
dcnscr element Of the wator. and this press
ure DELAYS It's ascent through IL and makes 1,
take larger zig2ac path. II you understand
the reason Uf this simple phenomenon, YOU
Will understand the way In which every hrIl
anu tree grows in the air, and why thcii
grow In the most varied and comp icn,cc
spiral forms because they grower under r..
sistaucc. This ts the Simple method Of ma
turr's working, the law which determines al
her forms.
The same law obtains throughout tho sri-
itual world. There. too. growth is under re-.
sis;aE'c. The law of the spirit II life IL
Christ jesus contends against the law Of sit
ana death. The laws IN tho members wal
against the law OF the mind. The most 80.
sontinl character Of spiritual life Is that 1t de-.
Ionds upon the resistance of ono form OF
moral force by another; it, tension Is holt
ness, righteousness, soi-rontrul. We grow
In grace ~ th" trees grow in space under
limitations ard the various forms and lie
grccs OF spirituallitc which mon exhibit are
due TO the extent of these limitations. Spirit.
ual lil" docs not assume -tcrcotypcd rat
tern. The pharispcs of religion have always
endcaVotcd TO east IL into one mold, to pruu,
all the trees of the Lord into pollards. IT,
this. happily. they have not succeeded. The
individuality OF men and tie circumstance
OF life have been too strong for them, anG
human beings have developed spiritually ~
they have developed naturally, according &
The sum Of forces that have been brought &C
Dear upon them. And thus, by this sim.
pie law In III" spiritual world as in the nat
ural. the law of growth under pressure. God
has produced that wonderful variety Of Christ.
IAN character and experience which strikes
" ~ nu'h u tho kingdom oi heaven a, IL
the Held II nature ana which l. one 81 the
most powerful factors Of human progress
sorrow ,- the cummono~t uf all prcssuro- thni
cast down the soul. THIS experience hclon.,
To 30 class or condition of life exclusively. II
T. shared NJ some time or other hy all humuu
beings 10y virtue Of their humanity.
God has ordered that sorrow should lc the
most powerful factor IN the education Of oui
race. 'Ousht not Christ to have suffered
IN, So things and 10 enter into his glory
That wa' the law of Chrsts life, andit l. the
law OF ours. That Christ, though holy, ,hnrm.
less undrll.rd and separate from sinners.
should, nevertheless, be- the Man OF sorrows
mako- sorrow sacred. and ~ s-ociatys /, with
q le diciplinr oi n heavenly Father nud with
q training of n blessed and glorious !ilc--
Hugh Ma snilan, u. ID.