Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-09-26

is: at the centre Of all crea-
It is divine, for it is of God and
impaired from Him. 1t is real n
the one thing in all the world or
which we are conscious. For we see
it outworking itself into the pulsat-
ing. throbbing universe about 1t.
All nature sings the praise and mani
tests the force of life as it chants the
glory and the might Of God. In 1t
we live, and move and have our being.
It 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 its beauty as
do we. He heard the songs of the
feathered host and witnessed the
manifestations of the majesty or Je-
hovah as He revealed 1t 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 indefinable. We
cannot define life exactly. We may
appropriate a definition, but we can
not compass in the forms of finite
----L u RH~~-~ 80 1f$4 fk4o1f E0p
life is divine and limitless. Language
is finite and circumscribed in its
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 indefn-
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; we 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 its 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 indefnable. 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 LIES self-expression.. Though the
medium Of humanity. as we may de
scribe its Manifestations in the nat
ural world about us. But when al
is said and done, to define life in thu
terms Of its manifestations is not en-
tirely to define life. For life is more
than its manifestations, as Is God
Life is more than what we e an(
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
1t is not really necessary that w
shall be able to do ore to-day thai
define life in the terms of it's expires
sdons and relations. For it is no
~decessary to know all about the con
stitution of the world in order Il
live happily within it. It is not need
full that we shall know all about tn
inner and hidden laws Of electricit
In order to ride on an electric car o
to enjoy the Illuminating power o
the electric light. It is not necessar
that we shall be able to define Co
with comprehension and finality i
order to draw les to Him and t
enjoy the pleasures of commune
with Him or enter into the realizatio
of the potency of His love. Not 9th
erwise Is it with life. We may ne
understand it all, we may not be abb
to define it with fnality, we may nc
be competent to penetrate its nays
terry, but we know that it Is, that
is central In ourselves and in GU
society; we are aware that we are /
the midst of it; we view its man
~festations and experience its expires
sions. We may state our experience
and the results of our investigation
and observations in the terms of b,
manly Understandable speech. An
that is enough. We shall know NOR,
But that is enough for now.
We may, therefore, define life j
the terms of opportunity, responsible
ity, possibility, divinity.
! Life is defnable and to be graspe
! in the terms Of opportunity. To
: alive to have a chance. A chant
to be a man, to do a mans work. 1
) follow in the footmarks of the A
' mighty as we tread through life.
be kind, to be gentle, to be noble ar
: pure and holy. Existence correlat,
: opportunity. To be a live man is
: be a man divinely gifted. For Il
= whole world is the field Of livir
. humanity. And opportunity is n
= only within the reach Of every livir
SOUL It fsress itself, whether =