The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1904-04-09


evolution from the lower to the
higher, rs the gospel of Christ is
fraught with ever fuller revelation.
Humanity lifting its head out of the
batLybian slime-cradle Ut its
early infNncy. growing in its own
self developed consciousness, forgets
its humble origin in heaven born
aspiration. The child rises to the
strength of manhood ana in pride of
higher things casts away the swad-
ding clothes that bound it from an
! ann Ter purpose. Each moment is
life in death. At no period is exis
tence stationary; but ever with the
putting off of the old and the putting
on of the new there is the entrance
into new spheres of being. The in
organic must crumble away to be
built into the cellular tissues OF the
vegetable. The vegetable must perish
to form the food of the animal. The
animal achieves its crown in the
higher rule of spirit. 1t is the law of
endless life, the principle OF universal
being. Change and decay are but
the accidents of the triumphant pro-
gress, which Christ declared in the
words. II have come that they might
have life, and that they might have
it more abundantly.
The brute is not content with brut-
ishness and the reasoning intelligence
is born. Heresn is the illumina
tion of all that is obscure and IRA
tional in the universal plan. The
soul vindicates itself upon the corpse
of the carnivore. The flashlight of
human insight is thrown upon the
dark processes of lower life, and they
are lit up with the divine spark of
u higher consciousness. Life's nobler
aims are combined and harmonized in
a supreme, ethical purpose, and man,
growing moe and more into the
abundant life, becomes moral being,
able to determine right and wrong.
The feelings are developed into the
knowledge of art and literature. The
emotions of human life, so solemn, SO
divine in their intensity, are painted
upon undying canvases. The
worlds thoughts are bound in books,
revealing the risen light to the re-
mote nations. All things re con-
tributary to this higher life. Re-
ligion and culture come upon the cy
cloramio stage of existence, with new
lessons Of risen being. The earth
is regenerate with the baptismal
spirit. The soul of God communes
with the soul of man, imparting to
it the intimations Of immortality.
All the great natural operations har-
monte with the central doctrine OF
the Christ who cried. Il am come
that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly."
The law of Christ cannot end at
the threshold of the spiritual but
here it realizes its supreme fulfilment.
A divine consciousness must supple.
ment the human consciousness. No
human object can satisfy the souls
new born aspiration. Like as the
hart desireth the WATERPROOF, so
panteth my soul for thee, o Godl"
The sublimest contemplation of hu-
man life, in all it's great expressions.
the loftiest reach of human achieve
ment, the poets dreams, the sculp-
tors fancies, the musicians creations,
the orator majestic eloquence, the
scholars tTanscendent knowledge, the
inventors colossal discovery are as
nothing in the presence Of this insa-
table longing for the more abundant
life. The human cannot content h.
manity, risen in the power OF Christ S |
resurrection. For the world surveys
itself in Christ, and reads in His u !.
dy ing utterances the gospel OF its Own
divinity. No sensualist's dream can
please the reawakened vision. The
light from Calvary, in the glory of
the riven tomb has transformed the
worlds desires. In tho joy of his
own immortal dignity man looks be-
yond the earthly be-all and end-all of
the grave, and the perishable objects
that are buried there. to the heavenly
heights OF conquer,ng faith beyond.
No earthly throne or riches or
pleasures can quench the spiritual
thirst which has come to him.
The Psalmist and the EpiAtoler were
right. All human glory must pass
away. The greatest trumphs of the
universe must eventually be
swallowed up in doom and wreck of
worlds. From tire-mist we came: to .
ire mist we must return. But the c
spirit of risen man [
rood cannot be subdued It's vision is |
Ibove; in omnipotent love it cries to d
is maker, ana the great prayer is .
leard-the prayer that it may have v
ife and may have it more abundantly
Tod IS its throne for ever and ever
n God its p-rpose is achieved. In
Tod is realized the glory of Christ's Il
romise in the words, L am come /,
hat they might have life, and that a
hey might have it more abundantly. " Ii
The tomb which held dead hui A
Danity is eternallv burst open. and Il
'hrist, our risen manhood, has
scenGed in clouds of glory to the y,