The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1908-09-25


suspend or overcome the law of grav-
itation every dayS Every time we
move a foot or lift a weight we tenn
porarily interfere with the operation
OF the most universal of natural laws,
and yet the world is not disturbed.
Science has taught us so many
things that we are tempted to con.
clude that we know everything, but
there is really great unknown which
Is still UNEMPLOYED, and that which we
have learned ought to increase our
reverence rather than our egotism.
Science has disclosed some OF the ma.
chinery of the universe, but science
has not yet revealed TO us the great
secret-the secret of life 1t is to be
found In every blade of grass In every
insect, in every bird and in every ami
NAL, as well as in man. Six thousand
years of recorded history, and yet we
know no more about the secret of life
than they knew in the beginning. We
live, We plan, We have our hopes, our
fears, and yet in moment a change
may come over any one Of US, and this
body will become a mass of lifeless
clay. What is 1t that, having, we live
and, having not, we are as the clod?
We know not, and yet the progress Of
the race and the civilization which
We now behold are the work of men
and women who have not solved the
mystery of their own lives.
And our food-must we understand
It before We eat 1t? II We refused to
eat anything until we could under.
stand the mystery Of It's growth, we
would die of starvation But mystery
does not bother US in the dining room.
Only in the church is it an obstacle.
l was eating a piece of watermelon
some months ago and was struck with
Its beauty. took some of the seed
and dried them and weighed them and
found that 1t would require some FIVE
thousand seed to weigh pound. And
then l applied mathematics to that
forty pound melon. One Of these
seeds put into the ground when warmed
by the sun and moistened by the rain
goes to work. 1t gathers from some
where two hundred thousand times its
own weight and, forcing this raw ma,
terial through tiny stem, constructs
watermelon. 1t covers the outside
with a coating Of green, inside Of the
green It puts a layer Of white, and
within the white core Of red, and all
through the red 1t scatters seeds. each
one capable Of continuing the work OF
reproduction. Where did that llttls
seed get its tremendous power? Where
did 1t find its cOloring matter? How
did 1t collect Its flavoring extract?
How did It build a watermelon? I'm.
til you can explain a watermelon do
not be too sure that you can set limits
to the power Of the Almighty or say just
what he would do or how he would do
It. l cannot explain the watermelon,
but l eat It and enjoy It.
Power That Is Infinite and Divine.
Everything that grows tells a like
story OF Infinite power. why should I
deny that a divine hand fed a multi.
tude with a few loaves and fishes
when see hundreds OF millions fed
every year by hand which converts
the seeds scattered over the field into
an abundant harvest? We know that
food can be multiplied in a few
months time. Shall we deny the pow
er Of the Creator TO eliminate the ele-
ment OF time when we have gone so
far in eliminating the element Of
space?
But there is something even more
wonderful still, the mysterious change
that takes place in the human heart |
when the man begins to hate the
things he loved and TO love the things
he hated, the marvellous transformation |
that takes place in the man who be- |
fore the change would have sacrificed |
the world for his own advancement, |
but who after the change would give
his life for principle and esteem 1t |
privilege TO make sacrifice for his con-
victions. What greater miracle than !
this that converts selfish, self cen
tered human being into a center from !
which good influences flow out In /
every direction! And yet this miracle |
has been wrought in the heart of each
one of us, or may be wrought, and we
have seen 1t wrought in the hearts of |
those about us. No; living in the midst !
Of mystery and miracles, | shall not |
allow either to deprive me Of the bene-
fits of the Christian religion.
Some of those who question the mir |
acle also question the theory of atone
ment. They assert that 1t does not ac-
cord with their idea of justice for one
to die for others. Let each one bear |
his own sins and the punishments due
for them, they say. The doctrine OF |
vicarious suffering is not a new one
1t is as old as the race. That one |
should suffer for others is one OF the !
most familiar of principles, and we see
the principle Illustrated every day of
our lives.
find proof that man was made in
the image Of his Creator in the fact
that throughout the centuries man has
been willing to die that blessings de
MED to him might be enjoyed By HI
children, his children's children and The
world. #.. BY. .... .'r. '..
The seeming paradox, "He that saw
eth his life shall lose 1t, and he that
loseth his life for my sake shall find
It." has an application wider than that