The Newtown bee., 1906-07-27
TOWN TOPICS.
LITTLE SERMONS.
IMMORTALITY.-BYO o. o. WRIGHT.
LITTLE SER MONS

and die and never fulfil the common
conditions and relations of this pres
emit world. Few, indeed, are really
perfected in their social, intellectual
or moral education in this state of be-
ing, and few comparatively ever ex'
press any real enthusiasm for the
things spiritual and divine.
How can we know whether these
creatures and things which live for a
time and perish have fulfilled the end
for which they we're made? The bios
som that falls and produces no fruit
was apparently as beautiful, fragrant
and perfect as the one next TO it,
which grew into splendid apple, OF
peach. The seed which returned tc
the dust of the soil, but did not germ
mate seemed to be as complete as the
one which sprung up and grew to be a
great tree. The worm that died and
had no risen life in the winged crea-
ture was like the rest so far as we
can see. The child that departed
this life in it's infancy was just as
"fearrully and wonderfully made" as
the man of three score and ten. The
men and women who do not fulfil the
common relations Of life; those who
are not mentally, morally, nor spirit
ually developed, may have the same
capacities, and faculties that belong
to all human souls. They may even
inherit the same privileges and oppor-
tunities OF life which are the common
birthrignt of others. But what diff
ference.
And so we may think that all life is
conditioned. Nothing lives except as
it has its proper source, motive, rela-
tion, and spirit of life. 1t may have
the capacity for life but not the pow
er to live. The blossom may be beau
tiful and fragrant, but If the frost
nips it so that it cannot draw the sap
from its twig, it is cut off from it's life
of fruitage. II the seed falls upon a
rock it may not find soil, rain, MOI
sunshine to cause it to spring up into
life, and so it rots, and is no more.
l. uO 40k q u0y 14VO OuU UAO SohA PAOUON
life of the worm though some armed
insect may have stung through its
body and destroyed the germ of the
moth within, so that when the worm
dies there can be no resurrection into
the higher state of life. And even so,
man, whose composite life is one OF
body, soul, and spirit, may have ply
seal life without the spiritual; may
be alive as to the flesh, but dead to
God; active as to.the world, and dead
to Christ. He may die under "the
law of a carnal commandment" OF
live "after the power of an endless
life"
What then, is life, and from whence
is it? Life is activity and power
Physical life is bodily activity anc
physical power; mental life is the &C.
tivity and power Of mind; moral life
Is moral activity and power; and spir
itual life is the activity of the spirit
with power. When the body has nj
activity and power it is dead. If the
soul has no power of activity it il
dead; and If the spirit has no actiyit,
and power, that also is dead. When {
man has no interest, love, or enthusi
asm for anything, we say that man il
dead. But when a man has dee
and burning love for anything, we sa
that man is alive. 1t may be bust
ness; it may be learning; it may b
some great moral cause; it may be hi
religion. Whatever it may he, hi
love for it leads him to put himsel
and all he has into it, which proves b
is alive to it. But when man doe
not manifest any thought, care, aztec
ton, sacrifice or enthusiasm for any
thing, we often say that such a man
dead, and he is. The man who has n
moral activity and power is morall
dead; If he has no spiritual activit
and power then he is spiritually dead
1t may be we'll said that the measur
of ones life is the quality and powe
OF his love. II he loves God he is dea
to the world; if he loves the world b
is dead to God.
The doctrine of science is that a
life comes from. life. Physical lii
from the physical life; and spiritu
life from the spiritual life. And tn
is also the teaching of the Holy ScriI
lures. And as we have already int
mated the spiritual, eternal life come
only from God through Jesus Chris
He only has the Life Eternal in Hin
self and Eternal Life can come onl
from Eternal Life. "That which
born Of the flesh is flesh, and tina
which is born of the Spirit is spirit
That which is mortal is not immert
and that which is immortal is NJ
mortal" ..,
"Immortality, from the true Chri
tian point of view, is something MOI
than an endless life. 1t is Etern
Life, which is the life Of God, "wl
only hath Immortality" Not simp
continued life but that kind of Ii
which comes by union and fellowsh
with the divine nature in Christ.
must be sought, attained, put on, pa