The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-05
THE REV. WORTH M. TIPPY BEGINS
SERIES OF SERMONS.
Topic Always One Of Fascinating In
terest, the Minister Says-Dr.
Haines's Morning Sermon.


age, recoil from religions and are thrown
into agnosticism by scientific thought IL
a man believe only in that which he can
demonstrate to the senses he Will cut out or
his life much that Is noblest and truest.
But to most people. without distinc-
tons of ability or culture, the thought OF
the heavenly world never grows old. This
Is because the evidence for immortality is
so very strong and the desire of the soul
TO live again overwhelming. AS we
grow older and one by one our friends and
loved ones pass away there comes a time
when all that we hold dearest Is on the
other side. A friend of mine. an old man,
the morning after the first stroke of paraly-
sis. said to me: L would be glad to go
now. The friends of my youth have died
and find 1t difficult TO form new associa-
tons. 1t is hard, also, to have that conf
dence in those I meet now that / had in
those who are gone l wish that God would
let me go 20 them.
REASONS FOR IMMORTALITY.
zone might reason for the souls i'm
mortality from that old but powerful ar
gument that practically all men in all ages
have longed for, and most often passion
ately believed In, the endless life. Or one
might approach the subject from the point
Of view Of scientific probability, as John
Fiske in Life Everlasting and Newman
Smyth in The Place of Death in Evolu-
ton Or one might find cause for wonder
and for hope in the Investigations that are
being carried on by scientific men, In the
mysterious phenomena of spirit manifesto
lions. A great many think that some day
We shall have an accredited demonstration
of the future life. If it is possible, L am
sure that We will welcome such demon
stration. But, tonight, L desire to speak
wholly from the teachings of Jesus. l
do this because to most of US what He says
will be conclusive, and because a good
part OF His teachings is capable of personal
demonstration.
This striking fact is everywhere appar-
ent in the form of gospels, that the entire
l,..I~ a. e..
certainty. SO far as He was concerned, of
the future life. Only once does He argue
for Ii, and then TO men who could receive
no other form of evidence. When the Sadu-
Gees asked the question about the woman
who had had seven husbands, whose she
should be in the resurrection, He answered
by an appeal to the Old Testament, and
by new statements Of great significance.
The Saducees had no faith in the future
life, and sought only to discredit Him by
ridicule. Jesus answered them: But as
touching the dead that they are raised;
have we not read in the Book of Moses,
in the place concerning the bush, how God
spake unto him, saying, l am the God OF
the God of the dead, but of the living; We
do greatly err
ETERNAL LIFE.
Usually Jesus assumed eternal life as a
present reality, as though 1t were an at
mosphere in which he breathed. The very
phrase, ''the kingdom of heaven" about
which all His teaching conferred, forever
tells the story of the heavenly world-for
the kingdom is the rule of God in the un-
seen about to be established among men.
The Lords Prayer begins, Our Father
who art in heaven" In the BeatitudeS He
strengthens those who endure prosecutions
for righteousness sake by the vision of
great reward in heaven. So certain is He of
that life that He dares to counsel men in
the Sermon on the Mount Lay not up for
yourselves treasures upon the earth
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heav-
en-. he said again OF those who had
made heavy sacrifices for the gospel that
they should receive in the present world
great return and in the World to
back exultantly from the first missionary
tour He said: 'Howbeit in this rejoice not
that the spirits are subject unto you, but
rejoice that your names are written in
heaven
John records two incidents that carry
peculiar comfort as to the future. The first
Is the story of the first meeting with Mar
tina after the death of Lazarus. The an
swer of Jesus TO her despair are the SUBJ
lime words of the ritual for the dead. am
lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live, and whatsoever lveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest
with the disciples. i suppose that the open
ing words of the fourteenth chapter of John
are turned to by people In sorrow more
be troubled; We believe in God. believe also
in me- In my Fathers house are many
mansions; if it were not so would have
told you. / go TO prepare place for YOU.
LOYALTY OF JESUS.
ct notice here a sentiment that is adj
mirable. 1t brings out the loyalty of Jesus
to truth. People often say. IF the future
life were not true. / would not want to
know it," Jesus said: "If it were not so 1
would not have told YOU" 1t expresses a
ones self so to truth. and it inspires con-
fidence In the words of man who has
nothing to conceal.
Through all this teaching of Jesus there
runs a golden thread. 1t is that eternal
life is not a gift for the future. but the
simplest reality to the children of the
kingdom of God. He that hath the Son
hath life," He said. and again. This is
life eternal that they might know Thee,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent" The significance of the
coming of the Spirit upon which the Master
laid so much emphasis in the discourses
of passion week. is the entering into hu-
man life of the eternal life of God.
Here 1t is that each OF us may demon
strate the teachings of Jesus. We may
prove to ourselves. if His teachings are
true, that there is a possible conscious
ness of God and certainty of life that is
endless, in each mans soul. This is such
an elemental fact with multitudes of Chris
tian men, that Ii needs no defense. One
who has entered into such an experience
will count it the richest fact i'm his life.
And now a few words about the home
of the soul, and the nature of the heavenly
life. Here one speaks with caution, for we
know almost nothing. Questions come
pressing in for answer that one would love
| 10 satisfy. Jesus was largely silent about
the nature of that life. He left the dis
| ciples with its certainty as though i'm His
Judgment that were sufficient He wanted
their thought conferred on the work He had
| left them to do on earth. And I think that
| for us this certainty of the future is really
enough. We can be sure that the character
or God will insure that 1t will not be a dis
appointment, but an advance upon what
we have known.
Certain facts stand out in His teaching
In the conversation with the Saducee
referred TO before, over the woman with
the seven husbands. He made Ii clear that
IL is a spiritual existence.
THE Saducees erred and limited the
power OF God, supposing the heavenly life
could be only sense life. like the present
Jesus repudiates the sensuous character of
the future life. 1t IS rather like the state
OF the angels What that means one does
the beauty and joy of a relationship be-
tween people that are purely intellectual
and spiritual and the freedom of an exist
| ence that Is no longer bound down by linn
itations and weaknesses of flesh and blood.
THE INVISIBLE.
Here. again. one may speak with conf
| dence- The teachings of Jesus presuppose
the continuance of earthly relations among
the children of the kingdom. He goes
away to receive them again unto himself
/ He ascends 20 Ills God and to their God