The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-04

Is asked, ana this time with reference
to the brevity Of human existence. The
shortness of human life is everywhere
spoken of in the Old Testament with
sadness and regret. It is like a sleep
In the morning, like whitening grass.
like an unsubstantial dream, vanish
ing away. Unlike the man who walks
upon them, the hills and mountains
bear upon their foreheads the stamp
or eternity. the rivers flow INCREASINGLY
to the sea, and Everlasting seems
written on the floor of the heavens in
large letters. Compared with these. the
life of man seems like the tiny animal
culae, hundreds having their home in a
single drop of water; they live but a
single hour, then give room for others
fast crowding, on their death. Ephe-
mera like, man passes away, accom-
plishes but little. completes nothing
that seems worthy the attention of
God. Thus thinking OF life, David
asks the question, Lord, what is man
that Thou takest knowledge of him, or
the son OF man, that Thou makest ac-
count of him. Man is like to vanity;
his days are as a shadow that passeth
away" He could make no answer to
the question, for the issues of human
life had not yet been revealed, the full
pattern of man in his breadth and
height had not yet been woven. The
weaving into human history the issues
which by and by should be revealed in
the great Archetypal man, who would
gather them up in his own short life
and present them as the solution of the
problem, showing that the life of man
is but a means to an end, and the end
is God.
Let US now open the New Testament
for an answer to the question that be-
lTNVlr rC1 % ffl ..ae a
tion, when men saw thro glass
darkly. Here we have the history of a
man, even Christ the mystery of God,
in whom are all the treasures of wis
dom and knowledge hidden" With
this. book in hand, the mysteries hid
den from ages and generations. are
now made maifest, and the question
asked by Job in his Affections, with ref
erence to the moral trial of man, is an
swered in the life of Jesus of Nazareth
and we now understand why humanity
has been visited by God, and Tried
from moment ito moment" He was
"A man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief" subject to temptation in
its most ingenious and. malicious form.
Enjoying no immunity from trial, his
life was a struggle with the combined
forces of evil, only relieved by the Joy
of victory the warrior feels and the
bright hope of ultimate perfection,
wrought out of suffering. Subject to all
the laws of our nature, he sounded the
depths of human woe. Learning
obedience by the things which he suf-
fered," and as captain of our saliva
ton was made perfect thro' suffering.
He reached the highest mark of hui
man development thro' suffering, and
as the perfect man, is Gods answer to
the question of tried humanity. Jesus
is also the answer to the question
when asked with reference to
mans place on the scale of
being. Beginning his life without
the prestige of ancestry. in no wise ex-
ceedipg the measure of the humblest
in his birth, his life reversed the
worlds ida of greatness. In all his re
bations he bore himself as a man, pious
towards God and just towards his fell
low man. Courage, patience, temper
ance. kindness and love shone in his
life like stars in the forehead of the
morning. Living for others. not for
himself, he exhibited in his manliness,
Gods own idea of righteousness. Born
in humiliation, his death was the coun-
terpart of his birth; but cradle and
cross were but steps to the throne of
perfect manhood. Ascending from the
grave into heaven, a triumphant con-
queror, He sat down at the right hand
of God, in perfect manhood throned.
Christ in sovereign power throned In
royal state, is the answer to the ques-
ton of the psalmist with reference to
the place of man in the plan of life.
Consider Him also as the answer to
the question of the psalmist in the sec
ond instance. In a short ministry of
three years and half. He set in mo-
ton forces that have revolutionized the
world. As sower, casting seed in the
ground. he labored industriously SOW
ing the human heart with seeds of
good. to bring forth a hundredfold
Bravely meeting the issues of life, He
lost no opportunity to do the work of
God and fulfilled every trust reposed In
His being When warned of danger
He calmly replied, Are there not IL
hours in a day." Awaiting Himself of
the daily light He filled the measure
of each day with good, knowing that
His work would not be lost, tho He
should be cut off at noon or eventide.
He demonstrated the ability OF man
to make the world better. by doing well
whatsoever the hands find to do. The
forces by which He worked are all
grounded I'm human nature. and in His
life is seen their God-like potency.
Though the period of mans life is
brief, Jesus has shown that because of
the moral influence he exerts, man is
not unworthy of the attention OF God.
his destiny. If / ever become an inf
del. IL will not be because / cannot be-
lieve in miracles or In the Mosaic rec
ord of the creation of man, but IL will
be because / cannot believe in the des-
tiny of man revealed in the Bible. A
mans greatness is measured by his in
qreritance, and the Bible declares man
the heir of the earth, OF the kingdom ~
God. of everlasting life, of all knowl-
edge, all power. all worlds The uni
verse of universes is his inheritance.
More than this: Man is destined TO ex-
ercise judicial power in the eternal
ages. over the angels in heaven. I'VE
shall Judge angels" But this Is not
all: there Is yet a loftier height for
man in redemption. Jesus said. TO
him that overcometh, I will grant 10
sit with Me in My throne, even as
also overcame, and am set down with
My Father in His throne" To be as
socsated with the Son of God in the
government Of the universe. as he Is
associated with His Father, this Is the