The Penn's Grove record., 1907-09-20
y pUIE/f
A SERMON AG@
BY TAa REV. MM
lMMHENDERS0NW
Subject: Life.

irving Square Presbyterian Church,
Hamburg avenue and VERIFIED
street. on the above theme, the pas
tor. Rev. Ira Wemmell Henderson,
took as his text John IA. He said:
Last Lords Day we discussed in
some measure and manner the fact
of death. To-day we shall discuss
for the moments that we are together
the fact of life. The reality with
which we have more presently and
Immediately to deal.
Life is among the mightiest reali-
ties with which humanity is familiar.
1t thrills and suffuses every living
n of us. 1t energies all that is
active and moving and sentient
round about Is. 1t is at the source of
all that is; at the centre of all crea-
ton. 1t is divine, for it is of God and
impaired from Him. 1t is real and
the one thing in all the world of
which we are conscious. For we see
it o~utworking itself into the pulsat-
ing, ~throbbing universe about it.
All nature sings the praise and mani
tests the force of life as it chants the
glory and the might of God. In it
we live and move and have our being.
1t is at the centre OF humanity's eX-
istence.
All of which is trite and obvious
and old. There is not much that is
new that we can tell about concern
ing life. For the primal man knew
life in its fullness and it's beauty as
do We. He heard the songs of the
feathered host and witnessed the
manifestations Of the majesty Of Je-
hovah as He revealed it in the heav-
emily galaxies and expressed it in the
varied forms and the diverse beauties
Of nature. The primal man may not
have been so familiar with so many
of the actual laws operated in life
as We are. He may not have been so
conscious Of the subtler forms of life
that modern scientific investigation
the revealed to the world of to-
day. But taking in the broad we
may safely say that there is not much
that is new that we can say about
life.
In fact, life is so intangible that it
Is in reality properly indefnable. We
cannot define life exactly. We may
appropriate a definition, but we can
not compass in the forms of finite
speech the fullness of life itself. For
life is divine and limitless. Language
is finite and circumscribed in it's
scope and possibilities. Life knows
no bounds. Language is confined.
Life is the creation of God and is CO.
extensive with Him. Language is
the method of human intercommuni-
cation, and as such it is hemmed
within the horizons of humanity.
Life per Sc is intangible. 1t is as in
tangible as it is ultimately indefin-
able. We may touch a mans hand
that is sentient with life; we may
look into his eye that is alive with
life; we may hear the sound of his
voice and witness the exhibition of
his strength; WI may see the various
expressions of the life that vitalizes
him. But we do not see his life. We
may roam the fields and sail the seas
and climb the hills and till the pas
lures till God calls us home. We may
see the evidences of life, but life it.
self We do not see. Life is intangible.
We may know it in it's manifestations
and through them. But we shall not
know life-that mysterious, wonder
working energy that enlivens US
until we enter into the presence of
Divinity hereafter. For life is as in
tangible as God.
; Life is i~ndefnable. We may de-
fine life in the terms of life's express
sions. Whether we see life in cloud
or tree or drop or bud, this is ever so.
For the beauty of the cloud is not the
life that brings the beauty into being.
The grace and dignity and charm that
is manifest in humanity is not the
life that animates humanity. We
may define human life in the terms
of life's self-eXpression, through the
medium of humanity as we may de-
scribe its manifestations in the nat
ural world about us. But when all
is said and done, to define life in the
terms Of its manifestations is not en-
tirely to define life. For life is more
than it's manifestations, as Is God.
Life is more than what we see and
know of the expressions of life.
And yet, for the sake of definition
and in the interest of the culture
of the moral and spiritual life of man,
it is not really necessary that we
shall be able to do more to-day than
define life in the terms of it's express
sions and relations. For it is not
necessary to know all about the con-
III Nv NoI1u III 0IOCA W
live happily within it. It is noteneed-
full that we shall know all about the
inner and hidden laws of electricity
in order to ride on an electric car or
to enjoy the Illuminating power of
the electric light. 1t is not necessary
that we shall be able to define God
"ith comprehension and finality in
order TO draw uea 10 Him and tc
LrtN. Ih. ,T-ar-,r- - y----z-so-
with Him u enter into the realization
OF the potency If Frs love. NOT 9TH
erwise is it with l-l4. We may not
understand it al, we may not oe able
to define it, with fuafity. We may not
be competent to penetrate it's mys-
terry, but We know that it is, that it
is central in ourselves n in Il
society, we are aware tnaU ~. are in
the midst Of it, We view its mani
festatiOns and experience It's cypress
sions. We may state oer experiences
and the resu!ts of u Investigations
and observations in Che terms Of HUI
manly uuders- andable speech. And
That IS enough VIZ shall know more
But that is enough for now.
VS. NAY. therefore, define life IN
the terms Of opportunity, responsible
ity, possibility. divinity.
Life Is Gefnable and to be srasped
in the ~erps Of opportunity. To be
alive 10 have q chance 4 chance
to be a man, to do d mans work, to
follow n the footmarks Of the AL
mighty as we tread through lite, to
be kind, TO be gentle, to be noble and
pure and holy. Existence ~correlates
opportunity. To be a live man is to
be a man di.iue}y gifted, For the
whole world is the field Of living
humanity, And opportunity IS not
only within the reach OF every living
soul. 1t forces itself. whether We
will or no, upon US. 1t is insistent.
It is unacceptable. It is omnipresent.
Whether our position ne high or low,
our labor great or inconsequential,
our capacity much or small, oppoT-
tunity enters into the sphere of our
activities. 1t dominates our vision.
He is a dull man who cannot hear
the insistent call OF opportunity to
the soul. we may in our wilfulness
close cur ears and shut our eyes TO
the ~entreaties of opportunity. But
-- hall r. LaTl h og~a.,4{ Erg cd