The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-15
LIFE IS IMMORTAL.
an. for the view Advanced by
uov DIR. schaeffer.

..,se of the pressure OF the serflces
-...,dsv Rev. DR.. w. c. Schaener'
l'S' - +he Luthern Church of the AS
p's' ala not preach his Easter ser
living it for yesterday, when 1t
NV" nsar5 and enjoyed by large con-
va Immortality was the subject
gree ~. Dr. Schaeffer, the lesson being
- nv Easter, and he pronounced
s1oi u..aiitI- whether it be well-founded
imino., pleasing delusion, to be a WORLD
hoPe 5azIra the foundation of all religion.
VIDE ~ .saeous for belief in the doctrine
Iul1V..t,lttv we're advanced by the pas
Of immorliH'S
to Orb 6rst strong presumption IN teVor
,,ortaIity is found IN our cohnueuce
o. M IL whole of creation is under intel
tndl ,5irection Every student of nature
Asvu This much when he attempts 10
aSSu classification of the facts OF
arm md a statement of her laws.
na'u,. ol,,s uniformity. 1t is yesterday,
IA" and forever the same, like GOD
lo.1a.te aud therefore, we call 1t law
hHsa The stability of law Is really
u - oi,r best reasons for our 1alth IN
U Tho universe is not a thing, chance
lou I'D ainless. We know that be-
mdue ~ rules. There is order In 1t all.
Iag 5a. means intelligent direction to ra-
I'll end. If we are certain or an Or
w ne equally certain or an ordalneF'
hos fixed the law and set the or
chance means confusion ana chaos.
oeH ,I5 could never have come out
n chaos into cosmos; tnat 10 ouI VI
W into the beauty and order and law
Cnd""ro,t ZION without some directing pur-
OIL hitch we call the Divine mind-the
~ end
,rhe evolution of all things according
me law of development is not
.,@ciant explanation of the universe.
rhera comes a point at which cTc!ct!on
IN not tell US what we want to know.
=. ,iu not account for life; for the ex-
is.ercs. of the material on which evolu-
,ton works: for the immaterial MIND by
hitch the greatest changes have been
n.rought on the face or the
elobe Evolution might account for
The rocks. but it cannot account
for the cathedral built on the rocks; built
,,,t If the rocks Evolution might build
W, orid hut it could not build a house.
rbat reoures interference, intelligence,
ahoica and such qualities of mind as are
,ot included in a material philosophy.
,,N-ou, the course of creation through
oc,s has been towards the point which
man has reached Everything has been
preparing for him. ....
rature That is to say, the highest thing,
me most sacred thing, the only thing
Nm one way of looking at it, in all this
great universe is mind. the unseen and
immaterial thing-thought. So we are
made in the image of God. 1t is not alb
soute proof of Immortality to say that
all this wealth of creative outlay has
=
creates the strong conviction. the almost
certain presumption in favor of such
thought and thus becomes outside sup
port Of the doctrine.
1.-THE measure of our knowledge of ma
ture-in her uniformity of law, her up
ward movement towards an end that has
meaning in it's the measure of our con-
yictjon that behind il all is the controll-
ing purpose of God, and the measure of
our belief in God is the measure of our
belief in q future life. Because He lives
We shall live also. The faith in immortal
ity is necessary to our rounding out and
explaining satisfactorily what we now
know of the world about us
The pastor then proceeded with his
second reason. saying: THE second
strong presumption in favor of iulmor-
tality is found in our confidence in the
truth Of our own best instincts. God has
not set A trap in which to catch US. This
universal desire of mankind for immor-
tality is not blind al
icy which ell the race has mis-
taken for an open thoroughfare.
Creation is not built upon such lines in
any other respect. There is a law of APP
potency by which the students of nature
describe the tendency of all nature to
reach the ends towards which she strives;
or for which there is an appetite. This
law does seem 10 work on natural lines.
BY it we account for the f1eetness Of
the deer; the neck of the giraffe, the shell
o. the crustacean, the human eye and
other thousand marves in nature. Along
the same lines we might range spiritual
appetency: and we should be compelled
10 think that the race ought. some time,
TO reach point where Immortality would
be assured
The moral distinctions which are
lound in the souls of men are always
reaching towards Judgment, which in
'oiFeS tuturity, and in the longer sweep
OF the divine pendulum, makes time run
INTO eternity life into immor-
ahty. The skepticism which be-
Uouds the future life. at the same
ume confusses the moral sense, and con-
ROUNDS all distinctions between right and
"e' therefore, our confidence IN the
gishteous God is one of the best grounds
lor our faith in Immortality. Our noblest
mSllhclS confirm the Scripture truth that
inc gift of God is eternal life, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Inc third and last presumption In ia
Wi OIL immortality is found in our con-
"uVHce thdt somehow earth's wrongs will
soheume be righted. There is so much
''al mas gone wrong i'm this world--from
Dueh TO Calvary-from Gethsemane to
NV Each soul has its Gethsemane.
o ."e nedrt knoweth its own bitterness
agillee must have a meaning. There
20 many good men and noble women
WIZ nave devoted their whole lives to the
Nellare Of their fellows. What is the
medHlng OF it all? The full heart cries
oo' 10 Know whether all the martydoms
al the centuries are never to have in
pleIauon? Calvary is everywhere and
Gu aSn must bear the cross. But after
'alg, IN the New Testament history,
Ines Inc resurrection. So we feel it
sn 80, a. ways be or the greatest wrong of
fon. WI result. Those who died for their
soIS, "S' IN held, in hospital, missionaries,
for parents for children children
In. parents, hremen to resuce the perish
u.s. % II all sheer waste? When others.
Inc s syeh up all that is dearest. in will
81 N.lllce OF themselves (even as Christ
sa,e HIMSELF not reckoning fame
oil I' Hedlth, home, earthly happiness
SUI erndered in the interests OF knowl-
hs .or the Improvement of mankind; for
Inc 'eInent of the world; for the saw
cbri., tuer brethren; for the love OF
w. nds all that gone for nothing?
T5at an these fools? Grasping shadows.
M % lhe only conclusion. u there Is