The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-09-12
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Z A SERMON %ss.&
IN TTlE REV MT%aS@
s''AMHENDEeS0NWSi
Subject. Life.


sal Sa Rev. Ira Wemmell Henderson.
fnk as his text John IA. He said:
;uts Last Lords Day we discussed in
TS,s H1pe measure and manner the fact
death. To-day we shall discuss
oOld the moments that we are together
N fact OF life. The reality with
MISS VIZ have more presently and
ri dliately to deal.
~ Is among the mightiest reali-
rien '6nehh which humanity Is familiar
II ~ One lis and suffuses every living
81 tu +--us II energizes all that is
La ceqi re and moving and sentient
81 - md about us. 1t is at the source Of
NJ "a that is; at the centre OF all crea-
n riol ION. 1t is divine, for It is of God and
nparted from Him. II is real and
y le one thing In all the world of
n hich we are conscious. For we see
Ger z odtworking itself into the pulsat-
Mt Jug, throbbng universe about It.
ID II nature sings the praise and mani
" tle is the force of life as 1t chants the
at v and the might of God. In it
Ave and move and have our being.
is at the centre of humanity's ex-
tence
is pa All of which Is trite and obvious
W aud old. There is not much that is
new that we can tell about concern
4 wh ing life. For the primal man knew
life in its fullness and its beauty as
10 we. He heard the songs of the
IN theptd host and witnessed the
nifestations of the majesty OF Je-
4 0vah as He revealed 1t in the heav-
4 f. 1ly galaxies and expressed II in the
aried forms and the diverse beauties
Sh ( nature The primal man may not
i hlgl ave oeen SO familiar WIN 50 many any
snee we are. He may not have been so
lscious of the subtler forms of life
1t modern scientific investigation
w lie revealed to the world of to-
ay. But taking in the broad we
Sip. lay safely say that there is not much
town ist IS new 'na' we can say ABOUT
S In fact. life is so intangible that 1t
, q reality properly indefnable. We
kluneAInot define life exactly. We may
/ corr )propriate a definition, but we can
" compass in the forms of finite
sech the fullness of life itself. For
a re is divine and limitless Language
is finite and circumscribed in its
pr cope and possibilities Life knows
wh, no bounds. Language is confined
life is the creation of God and is CO.
Orln nsxtensive with Him. Language is
storofe method of human intercommuni-
Jon, and as such II is hemmed
ing r in the horizons of humanity.
elper Sc is intangible. 1t Is as in
igible as 1t is ultimately indefin-
- lie. We may touch a mans hand
at is sentient with life; we may
Char )k into his eye that is alive with
Ci0 ce and witness the exhibition of
fur Is strength; we may see the various
IN, xpressions of the life that vitaliZes
i'm. But we do not see his life. We
le ay roam the fields and sail the seas
g.. and climb the hills and till the pas
~ lures till God calls us home. We may
fro tee the evidences of life. but life it.
T, elf we DO not see Life is intangible.
We may, know it in its manifestations
b. nd though them But we shall not
know 'life-that mysterious, wonder
working energy that enliyens us
>, until we enter into the presence Of
q ivinity hereafter For life is as in
bV~f lngible as God.
Life is indefnable. We may de-
Je' ne life in the terms of lifes expires
w )ns Whether We see life in cloud
tree or drop or bud, this is ever so.
Va r the beauty of the cloud is not the
IN, life that brings the beauty into being.
The grace and dignity and charm that
WI is manifest in humanity is not the
r life that animates humanity. We
nay define human life in the terms
u life's self-expression through the
medium of humanity as we may de-
scribe its manifestations in the nat
Il j oral world about US. But when all
said and done, to define life in the
rms OF its manifestations Is not en-
rrely TO define life. For life is more
than its 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,
1t is not really necessary that we
shall be able to do more to-day than
define life in the terms of its express
sions and relations For II is not
necessary to know all about the con-
=. stitution Of the world in order 10
live happily within II. II Is not need
f,,1 hot haI al ufe he
inner and hidden laws of electricity
in order to ride on an electric car or
to enjoy the Illuminating power of
the electric light II is not necessary
that we shall be able to define God
with comprehension and finality in
,rder to draw near TO Him and to
njoy the pleasures of communion
with Him or enter into the realization
of the potency of His love. Not 9th.
erwise Is it with life. We may not
understand it all. we may not be able
. define il with finality. we may not
competent to penetrate its mys
cry, but we know that II Is, that II
> central In ourselves and In our
Oeiety; we are aware that we are in
ne midst OF 1t; we view its mani
stations and experience its express
4 ms We may state our experiences
nd the results of our Investigations
no, and observations In the terms OF hu-
manly understandable speech. And
cn afsc,t enough, We shall know more.
3lsf.. VII lat Is enough for now.
,,ostor Ia may, therefore, define life in
tlerms OF opportunity, responsible
place possibility, divinity
,or Life is de1nable and to be grasped
iie' N the terms OF opportunity. To be
fv alive to have a chance. A chance
TO be a man, TO do a mans work, tc
follow in the footmarks of the Al
mighty as we tread through life, tc
eeskind, to be gentle, to be noble and
pure and holy. Existence correiates
opportunity To be a live man IS tc
be q man divinely gifted. For the
whole world is the field OF living
humanity. And opportunity is moi
only within the reach of every living
soul It forces Itself. whether We
Will or no. upon us. II is inslstent
II Is lnescaDaDie II is omniDresent