The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-01
lT[lhs3sQuesSllon us Jesus Allye2" involves
your Duty and Yeur Destlny.
THE SIGNIFICANT QUESTION OF LIFE
IF sesns' Life Faded Oh Calvary We
Released From Claims oil
nv ChrtstianitS- If 1ke Rose. service
TssSs 10 Our Duty-whatcver Our Beitei
the Reality OF Sin is Sure
a. S. JERN1GAN. columbus, o.
''R am He that Iiveth and was dead
and behold, am alive forever more.
Rev. T., is.

.
y ''R am He that Iiveth and was dead
K and behold. I am alive forever more"
Rev. T., is.
ais Jesus Alive?" The answer In
wolves your duty and destiny. II the NE
Y ended on Calvary was never resuineu
y YOU are released from the claims OF
Christianity If, however, Jesus rose
lives and reigns. service Is your duty
and redemption your privilege
VIVA teycr your belief about Jesus, you
s are doubtless sure of the reality of sin.
Name It as you will there Is something
that leads YOU to do that which you do
not approve. Call 1t sin. sec If. surround
ings of satan. The name is nothing
The fact Is you are enslaved and would
be released. You coret the perfect self
mastery that marked Jesus.
Were you sure Jesus were alive, You
would gladly accept him as Saviour
But you are unable to believe In Ills
resurrection. You say of him. - good
man, but dead; Il teacher, all wise, We're
he present to interpret his teachings
Saviour nuite sufficient II here to-
day-but deadr'
AS an honest doubter" you are, doubt
less. ready to reopen this question. The
text says. "Behold 7 am alive forever
more" "Behold" is meaningless to you.
CSonfessedly Jesus Is not visible In hui
man FORM Neither telescope or micro
4 scope may discern him. In 1.-THE lack of
tangible evidence you feel unable TO ac-
cept the text.
But you cannot let the matter rest
here; for this question. us Jesus aliveT
Is the one perennial and infinitely Sig
nificant Sluestion of our mortal life. II
he did not live again. then none may.
II he rose, all may hope. The question
OF the beyond" Is, after ALL the most
living of issues. Even Ingersoll. beside
his brothers grave, dares to hope. Even
4 Huxley wished Inscribed upon his tomb
stone his wife's lines upon this theme.
The answer lies In Jesus, III anywhere.
81 Let us. II YOU will. Ignore the usual
proofs of his resurrection. Some claim
immediate converse with him. but this
you think imagination. Some consider
& the gospel account demonstrative, nnd
4 this you term fallacy. We grant tina,
X neither sight nor logic will ever prove
= his resurrection. Jesus. then, ia for
ks ever dea0?" Nay, not so fast Science
y cannot prove him alive, much less cur
~ she prove him still to be dead Truth
+ IS larger than science.
We may begin with the hope that Je
s3sus is alive. 4 mere hope seems made
s5 quate to answer SO weighty q question
d But perhaps hope counts for more il
81 lie than you have supposed. 1t ha
seemed to you inferior to reason pel.
a& maps 1t serves higher purpose. Prof
81 fessor John Fiske recently said that tn,
rs deepest ana strongest implication OF tn,
ooctrine OF evolution is that which as
y serts the everlasting reality of religion
Religion turns upon the hope of immor
tality. Science then asserts the per
nsnence OF this hope.
science herself has depended Iargel,
On this subtle guide. Its history show
That man has an instinct for nntIci
pating truth" rand that nature is nrn
SAD Professor James lately: Hard,
a law mas been established in science
naroly TACT ascertained, that was no
uIst sought after, often with sweat anc
niood, to crafty an inner need"
70 not fear. therefore, that reaso,
conlpels you to abandon your instinct
ave nope or Immortality. If the ..euesse
OF science" have been SO often ver6ot
ft Is more reasonable to believe that !,
the vast uneXplored regions of tr,tt
there us a reality corresponding 10 IN,
aspiration for Immortality than to "a r
urn mat the universe is q nest of boye,
with nothing in the last box" The 10 :
ter creed is neither credible nor lcradit,
oie; 10 belief, not unbelief said Goethe
IS Que the progress OF the race
:, tiit IS TOT the NEST part. founded or
maybes" The hope that we NAV sic.
4 eeea IN business. make great discover.
ieS CT WIN distinction, is the main sprina
- oui euOIlS. Inc secret nj
SUCCESS lies not more in superior knopyl.
ease shan IN the courage of hope. Time
would iall TO tell Of Palissey, Steven.
son, Edison; of Columbus Stanley TN
ooiii, OIL OF them. and many others. man
VINO acnieved by daring to hope where
theT Fellows would not venture. beyond
the pounds Of certain KNOWLEDGE
IN religion hope Is no less potent ma
ao'ieai. II may seem rash to you 10
pase the highest interests OF life on n
sope' But not to do so Is greater dan.
ger Life, with Its weighty moral iss,,es
pEessins Tor decision, compels US TO ct
neheVlng or disbelieving in God a
SaVlor and future life. Every man is
oaaiy revealing his creed. aclsnowledged
as such or not. You may starye your
Il neaTt and stultify your mind by ref,iein o
70 uecioe the claims of religion. Yo,
NAY, may govern your life by the convan-
Slohs OF society or the dictates of Mac
= ure, out In 80 doing you really decln ro
G yourseii mortal and consign yoursa,f
leyer 70 that low inn whose door 10
opened with a spade" u0oi is
The New Testament men.,o,, ,
aSsu;., OF nope. suggesting thai r.
aa,. nn u grows to certainty. This
L iay sem 70 you self-delusion. Yon
20 cMeiuliy summed the intox;cution
" b ~ LYME. warned by many shattered
3ay hopes you nuild little on the future
bnt the nope OF the gospel' is no air
~ castle. 1t Is a. solid Conviction ~ ~ al an
X acquaintance with Jesus. You ,"a,' -. vi
g Join beholding him In the Zach d. os
" conversing with him through onan r,u,
heavens, @ child learning Of him ~
4,