The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-05
IL This Life Ends All

II This Life Ends All!
To THE EDITOR OF The SuS-Sir: OF great
interest has been the discussion In your LIBERAL
MINDED paper on Immortality and. on tho
whole. its conclusion see ms to tend to negative
rather than to affirm the belief. But let us take
comfort. We who desire to believe. for not tho
most learned. not the greatest thinker. can
prove to us whether annihilation or immor-
tally " to be ours. Spirit only can discern
spirit the living spirit can only testify OF
itself
II may be considered to be an unworthy
thought that II there 10 not life hey md the
grave We will permit ourselves the more en-
joyment hero. But let us be truthful about II.
10 II not so7 We have some secret enjoyable
desire In the fulfilling OF which wrong would
como In som where. and because OF that wrong
even though by our fellow men II might
never bs known-we have refused to do H. But
let some one come to us and say. 1T Ia proved
incontestably that our soul dies with the body"
and our point OF view s changed. Il must do
this thing before die. Ia the instant decision.
To know limitation Is to go just as far as
limit allows. then to retrogress or stand still.
A mother shuts her little one safely into the
yard and the child runs and presses himself
against the picket fence and peeps through the
bars. Oh. how delightful to wander along that
upward path. climb to the very top OF the hill
and see wha' Is on the other side! oh. how
Topping Il that grave whore there are flowers
to ricR. and the blue sky to see between tho
branches OF the trees! But sooner or later he
dig. contentedly in his small garden plot. or
goes to sleep on tho dust heap.
Not the hope Of Heaven. nor the fear OF hell.
not the homo OF reward. nor the dread OF pun
ishment. braces US to be mon. and good at
that. but the ineItinguishable inward faith
w W ~ AZ I'd nrd
upward: progress. advance. achieve. What.
then. II the body die before It's time. or 10 worn
our We do not understand a halt, for tho
soul Ii young and strong. We are children We
have only begun to learn: we wish to be full
grown in mind and spirit: We have even
dreamed that here. where We cay Il believe"
there We shall say Il know" Can we stop short
OF such? And what miracle Ia there more In the
immortality Of the soul than In the pink OF tho
rose. the golden Of tho orioc. the beat OF the
heart? Prove to us satisfactorily that we die.
body and soul and we will. consciously or I'M
consciously. lower our standard. II but an
inch: but It cannot be proved. as little can IL
that tho soul lives forever. AMI yet 40 finely 10
man built that he will not act "a II the chance
were aga nst 1t; he will not impede tho prog
res OF his higher nature: he will not dull the
inward voice with Indifference nor with wan
tonnes. In the poem. Rugby Chapel" Mat
thew Arnold writes thus OF his father:
os;rong soul. by what shore
Tarriest thou now, For that force.
Surely, has not been left vain
Somewhere surely. afar.
In the sounding labor. house vast
or being, Is practIsed that strength,
Jealous, bsn-hcent, arm.
Yes. in some fAr.shining sphere.
Conscious not OF the past.
SIN thou performest the word
oithe spirit in whom thou dost live
Prompt unwoiried. as here!
But let US particularly notice the words - For
that force" Is IL impsratively necessary to
immortality that here the soul be a living
force? Follow up the thought. and are We
justified In saying II am tho captain OF my
soulY" On the other hand. whom We consider
the possi bity of the souls extinction. We cry
from the depths Of our hearts: 20 my Father.
Is this all .? And to such hearts comes the an
swer. What. my children. have not given
you free will. the power to choose between
rood and evil. the materials within you TO
make Of life heaven or u hellP Have not
given YOU love and hate. faith and doubt. &C.
stasy and despair tho power to suffer aud
70 enIoyl Have not given you JOYS OF tho
body and brightness ofthr intellect Have /
not given you music and arts. trades and
sciences. inventions and discoveries, bodily
uspH) anu DOully th~c nave NOT given you
nature in ali her r!chness-yolcano and whir-
wind. rain aud sunshine. moonlit waters and
starry nights. thu flower and the forest. the
tempest and the laugh OF children. the tiger
and the song bird. tho snake and the but
tsrhy. pestience and health. beauty aud
dvsoiaton-and do you say this. and In
nnitely more. 10 all? And We ponder.
and with parg OF noble shame We say.
I'VE are ung rateiul." We attuns our minds
to bow to the decree: we argue: 1T is well. I
have enjoyed. have suffered; and there is.
after oil. n great restiu ness in knowing that
when We die II means annihilation. the shilling
forever Of restless. aspiring mind and heart. 1t
Is we'll" But no. lust as II Ia the exception
for man not to know the deep need OF u
God. and. not knowing. not to sock the living
God. so II Ia surely tho exception for spiritual
man not to feel tho deep need OF life beyond
tho grave. and feeling. to believe. lie 1t SO or
not. lot US rather believe than not. II nothing
remains ut our death but the body. We shall
never know that faith and aspiration arc OK
tinguishsd; II. on tho contrary, the soul lives
continuously and is conscious OF doing So so
much the moro will our past belief illumins
then. as now. tho path OF advance"
ELIZABETH II. Bowie.
CENTRAL CITY, Mob, Oct 81