The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-05-14
Precious Gifts.

in human soul, the divine gift of HEAVIER
who knows the utility and worth o
yn this precious gem? None but Go'
es whose identity it is. The human sou
er is Jewel, for the Bible says we ar
on Gods precious Jewels. 1t reads thus
he when | come to make up my prec
or ious iewels-meaning al death. Wha
is is Jewel? 1t is precious GEM
IN is something rare. And the scarcity
ly of jewels makes them precious anC
We costly. But the jewels here referee
to are not gold and silver, the con.
oi temptible iross of earth, but they are
N human souls, the imperishable gems,
!. which are to be polished and brought
r ont into heavens light to shine for,
- eyer. Christ is to gather up these
- Jewels. And we can console ourselves,
l. at the last moment, as we immerge
= from life into death to be born again
of the spirit into that gloryworld
8 forever free from pain an death.
/ Next in the line of gifts, we shall
: consider life. Life is divine gift.
: All nature is full of life. The whole
/ universe is made up of material and
q immaterial things. We are bettor
acquainted with the life of material
things, yet the highest kind of life is
in the immaterial world. Above us,
J around us, and beneath us, we see
life everywhere. What is life' Life
must be force, for it we think of mat
ter without life, what is it but some
thing silent and dead? Man, while
he has life, has force, but when dead,
he has no power. Life is the highest
kind of force, and the kind that is
hardest to account for. When we
search for the origin of life, we find a
chasm that we can neither think |
through nor see through. But we are
forced to say that God is the origina-
tor of life, and he gave it to us as a
gift. 1t was ubiquitous mind that
created the universe, and that same
mind originated life. And God is
TIE center of life, and he alone can
preserve it or destroy it at his will.
He holds up the earth, measures the
water in the hollow of his hand, and
drives yonder sun that rides through
the heavens in his golden chariot.
Who knows the utility and worth of
life but the one who is about to lose
ii? You see the dying man grasping
at a shadow. What does this prove
but life is valuable to its possessor
and he hates to part with it? Yet the
highest life is in that supermundane
sphere to which his immortal soul is t
passing. The soul is waited home f
ward through the ethereal heights to t
the eternal throne Of God. This for
ces another question upon the mind. a
Where does God dwell? l am in t
clined to answer that the universe is e
Gods abiding place. All nature is b
full of the manifestation of God. His s.
simple power guides the millions OF d
suns around his throne, t.
which encircle the great constellation u
of unnumbered universes. God first b
breathed light into matter while it t
was in chaos. Afterwards he breathed
the breath of life into man and he be- "
came living soul. lie still breathes G
and inspires life into the souls of his a
chosen. The Sabbath day, the bles- IL
sed day of rest, reveals the existence d
and wisdom of the Almighty unto us, ell
for it is the illumination of Gods Il
spirit. God dwells in the human il
heart and moulds the mortal character te
which is the noblest embodiment in w
n man, for it exhibits him in his best at
state. Character is one of the great fl
st motive powers in this world. Good de
character is to young man or young m
ady what good foundation is to ri
house. Men of genuine character m
command the spontaneous homage of dc
mankind. wi
Character is an internal thing. 1t iii
S what the individual is. Character w
S made up of actions and principles. al
Character is what we take with us in su
o the life everlasting. A person who ia
uilds corrupt character can never tn
scape the punishment set forth by the he
1corrigible decree Of God. "Char- til
cter most secures respect, but genius Sc
lways commands admiration" Gee trr
ius is the product of brain power, in:
nd in the outcome it is the heart that fro
nles in life" Every man can not be to
genius and command the highest sh
ositions in life; but every man can fol
e the possessor Of good character. pr
lie can act his part In the drama of an
fe honorably. Providence has placed sh
i'm in certain sphere, and he can of
g true, just and faithful in the dis ha
large OF the duty of his Office to 70,
'hich he has been appointed. He Ey
an use his gifts and not abuse them. be-
lis duty, however commonplace it SUI
ay be, embodies the highest ideal Of me