Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-13
Two strange Thtng..

C. u. Hepworth. in New York Herald.
What thing Is this2 for with authority
c~omu1andeth tie even the upcieau spirits,
and they DO obey Him. i.2s.
No onewho observes the signs 81 the times
can fail to he interested in the strange
things that have come TO pass in the reli-
Eious world during the last generation and
a half.
Fifty years ago the number OF dcuhters
was very much larger than It IS to-day. The
doubt was especially In relation 10 another
life.
That people should become Indifferent 20
many OF the dogmas OF the church Is a mat
ter OF small consequence. for one can he a
good Christian without giving assent 70
any body OF doctrine. But when there is a
prevalent inclination to limit human exist
ence to the narrow span Of earthly life the
moral tone Of the whole community Is erad-
ually lowered and the ucbler virtues become
enfeehled. Belief in a life beyond the grave
is necessary 70 a perfect life on this side OF
Il. II your Journey Is a short one. YOU are
careless in deed and motive: Il IL is a lonE
one. that is quite another matter, and your
outlook is very different. II after a few
years death or oblivion will wipe out our
score we live merrily and leave as many
debts behind as we please, but IL the debts
we incur must be paid by ourselves either
~ ~ ~ NV
10 make them larger than they need be. I
say. therefore. that unless Immortality Is a
factor IN your philosophy OF life YOU lack a
certain restraining influence which is nee
eSSary to success.
Now there are two peculIarities IN the re
ligious life Of to-day Witch demand respect
full attention. They are very startling Pc
culiaritses. and though We may repTdiste
them both as nothing more than vagsries
- - 49, e. A.. -.
cannot escape our notice.
We are told. IN the first place. that there
Is no such place as a bourne from whence
no traveller returns. but that, on the con-
trary, the two worlds are so close 20 one
another that a message can he sent either
way. This statement Is made in all SORT
business. and we are implored to investigate
for ourselves and prove It's truth or faisity.
At first we are shocked, for all our religious
preiudices are contravened. and the whole
him seems spectacular and wildly sensa-
tional. a huge piece Of charlatsnry. In
these days, however. we have learned 90 he
hospitable to some very wild assertions.
and the word impossible only falls from
t~houshtless lips.
one thing is certain-that men and women
who had laid aside the doctrine OF lmmor-
tally have had their reason In IL revived,
and for this reason n for no other the
movement should be welcomed. We may
oven tremble at some OF the incidents which
are related as Authentic and feel that We
are on the threshold OF a wonder world. but
II n quarter Of ChristCndom are thinking OF
this matter very eagerly Il constitutes n
conspicuous sign OF the times.
Then. again. we are told that physical
health is the rule OF righteousness and that
disease is an anomaly in Gods universe. A
second time we are astounded. and once
more our p~rejudices begin to bristle. Tit
cure for our maladies. they saw. IL 90 he
in the mind and heart. The tenden-
cy Of n devout mind and a pure heart Is
10 make us whole. Love Of God and faith
i'm His power to redeem us from all evil, or.
10 put the whole matter in n single phrase,
the Christ-lke spirit is the spirit OF the
Disease means n broken law
somewhere. either In the present or In the
past. II you would be cured, Christ can
touch your blind eyes or deaf ears to-day
as He did Il yesterday In Iudca. Close
to Christ. close TO health-that seems TO
be the motto OF these good folk.
For myself. | think l am beyond the
reach OF surprise. when science tells OF
biography without wires. and prououuces
the transfcrrcnce OF thought an undeuia-
bic fact. and assures us that the pFycnolog-
e territory is as vet practically UNEMPLOYED
NnA NNftI inc AhNNAf VIII WIZ 'Ff HAN-N'fN
able marvels. 1 simply close my eyes and
wait.
And when we think Of God as our Fa-
her. Who will help us over the rough
places Of life and put His everlasting arms
beneath us in time OF great distress. IL
teens entirely natural that lie should
make us feel His presence and speak in
,uch tones that We can hear. And. again.
when | turn the pages Of the Book and
ind that He has actually done these
hings in times past. my soul cries out Z
hat His arm has not been shortened and :
hat He can do them again. i
The subject Is one Of intense and absorb
ng interest. and It's contemplation kindles '
enthusiasm within US. II makes God and =
,hriet so real and brings them so close 90
is, The heart beats quickly IA our eyes
the possibilities that are presented.
nd tho realization Of them would make
desert bloom like the rose. ,
AZ the Mission school Z
rom the New York Press.