The Denison review., 1899-09-15
THE CONFERENCE.
Continued From Page one.)


THE CONFERENCE.
Continued From Page one)
Sermon by Rev. J. 6. English.
! b Romans e-ss; Last Clause. "The gift of
Lord,
The spirit Of the Gospel is to inspire
hope. While it pronounces nathama
against evil it always presents the light
Of hope to the sinner. We are assured
that it ts only by grace that we can
overcome, but the assurance is that
that shall be abundant; it does not
leave us in the dark, but promises that
''The gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ the Lord" Hardly any
promise could be more encouraging
than this. In considering eternal life
we notice first,
IT'S PECULIAR NATURE.
1t affords immunity for all Sufferings.
Suffering belongs to every station here.
Uninterrupted prosperity and content
ment would seem inconsistent with a
state of trial, but suffering can have no
place with the redeemed in heaven.
The scripture promises that tall tears
shall be wiped from our eyes, This
truth is not alone set forth in scriptures
for there is collateral evidence support
ing the word. We find Nature Speak
ing the Truth of this Prophecy. There
is strong probability of future life as
we see it illustrated in the universal
LAWS OF DEvELorMENT,o OR EVOLUTION
which are synonymous terms. As we
observe this great law we observe that
things begin in the small and grow to
the larger; begin in the gross and grow
to the finer; that complexity is not
first, but simplicity. that matter in its
simplest forms lies at the basis. This
is the trend Of all development. If it
be the development of worlds it is from
chaos to. finish; if of plants, from the
simple wild forms to the highly develop
ed varieties; if of animals from their
wild savage nature to the finest blooded
beasts; if of men, from their degraded
cannibalism to the finest type of human
character in our best civilization. In
all the universe we find this law work.
ing like the reliner's furnace bringing
forth the pure gold from the dross and
refuse. So take it for granted today
that all are agreed with me that this
is universal law SO far as material
things are concerned. What l want to
harmonic is that
MAN is NO EXCEPTION TO THE
TENDENCY.
AS in the material world, we observe
that the tendency is now and ever has
been from crudeness and rudeness of
savageism to the enlightenment and
refinement of civilization; away from
the life that is fed by the eyes, the ears.
the tongue, the stomach to the life fed
by devotions, aspirations, thoughts,
duties, etc. 1t is immaterial whether
man fell or was originally down. we
soon found him in savagery, and we
find his tendency upward, and it has
ever been 30 through the centuries.
And now. 1, with my intelligence.
trace the hand of my creator through
this slow but constant evolution, Il must
conclude that it will ever continue
through eternity. But again, when /
consider the nature of this eternal life.
l conclude that, 1t will Afford Pre-
eminent Intellectual Enjoyment.
Here we know in part. there we shall
know as even we are known there we see as in
a glass darkly, but there we shall see face to
face,''
knowledge will there be unmixed
with error. 1t seems to me that
strong argument for the future life is
IN that
THE FACULTIES DO NOT REACH THEIR
HIGHEST POSSIBILITIES HERE.
The broken, fragmentary, incomplete
character of life as we see it here amply
Justifies us in the belief that this is not
all. We would naturally conclude that
man has right to come to himself.
and it is true that he does not do that
IN this world. This privilege is grant
ed everything else in all the world.
We find the most inferior as well as all
superior animal, vegetable and mineral
products OF the world reaching it's
greatest possible heighth. and man alone
cut off in the midst of his growth of
faculties. This is true with the individ-
uals and with the generations. A fly
come to itself. All there is in possibil-
lty is reached in its single life. This is
true of all animals. Nothing better is
possible for the horse, the COW, the
bird should ii live fhnuaa1.d una.a