Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-02-15

when we realize that the sacred dust
Of our parents Is sleeping in Gods
acre" "Oh. no. answered my friend
that should not be- II | uiure my
leg aud have It cut on. do not want
10 preserve my leg because il is part
OF me. When my leg Is cut OF II
ceases 10 be me. II is then only u dead
piece of flesh. And when the soul Of
my loved one leaves the body all that
loved and clung TO Is gone II makes
very little difference then what We do
with that body. The soul is the vital
and the beloved part the soul aud not
the body"
| could understand my friends att
tudc. IL Is not the body of my dear
mother. whose memory | cherish.
love that soul which took wings and
flew away from her poor suffering
body on Aug ;. 1895 II is that soul.
which for years impelled that poor sur
ferng pain racked body against It's
viii To labor for me. that | vcncrate
htii iPNf w iAfn nNA Ub'Af az TAHEt llk
was crying Let me lie down Let
me sleep. Let me rest" her soul re-
minded her OF her children When ut
last my mothers body cried IN sheer
WEAKNESS. come. let me die" the
soul answered. NAY nay. You may
die, but shall live, shall live and
continue to live and never die" Now.
If the body is so frail. 50 eVanesccnt
so transiiory. SO short lived. do YOU
not think II foolish to waste So mitch
time IN trying to crafty IL: What is
the good OF MichelaucclO trying
TO duplicate his statue of David or
Il Moses out Of a snow baukt What
Is the good Of jeweler trying to make
diamond rings out OF deWdrupf What
IS the good of trying TO build forti-
hcatiou upon the shifting sands: is
not the life more than meat ana the
body. than raiincntt' Is not the soul
more important than the body. which
will be dead in few years at the
mostf
OF Infinite Importance.
Oh. the infinite Importance " the i'm
mortal soul. Oh, the never ending ex.
istencc which Is stretching ont before
all Of us after our bodies are dcad
Can you not catch n faint glimpse 81
that apocalypse? In one Of our great
educational institutions some years
ago there was student noted for his
mathematical genius He loved to
challenge his fellow students to
friendly trial OF skill In figures. But
one day Christian student entered
his room ana said. TON here Is Il
problem wish you would try TO solve
for me" THE mathematician tool, il
and looked Mt it and then read the
words, What shall It profit man II
he shall gain the whole world and lose
his own s0ulf" In anger he fore the
paper up and threw It upon the floor.
But after his Christian friend had left
he proceeded to study the problem. He
began 10 compute the value Of money
and fame and position and worldly
success. Then he commenced 10 weigh
the value of his soul "Mhat shall II
profit u man II he shall gain the whole
~
last revelation Of the souls value
above the combined value of all other
things came to him Then he dropped
upon the floor and cried out. God he
merciful TO me and save my soul" SO
! put the question 10 you. Do You de
sire To make the most out of Your HE?
What o man, is TO be your lifc's work
How shall you get the maximum Of
return for your laborst DO You not
see how this text rises and spreads UNI
Ill at last it girdles the earth and cir
dies the heavens and girdlcS the eterni-
ties: lie that winneth souls IS wise"
But these words of my text are sig
nficant for another reason. Soul win
ming is not only the greatest of all
work. but II Is also the most rational
Our Lord God is not unreasonable nor
does he require of Ms more than we
can do. but he says Go forth in this
mighty work of soul saving and will
be with thee. will give thee divine
power ana | will work through thee
as | worked through the great soul
winners Of olden times" Paul express
es my meaning in words more power
ful than any living man could frame.
He maps ont great evangclistic cam
paign for Christ. He maps ont great
religious campaign that from a human
standpoint appears that of a crank or
a fool From the human standpoint Paul
seems to Ice the widest OF fanatics
but for one reason. He says: In my
own power can do nothing but IN the
divine power | can do everything. !
can do all things through Chris. which
strengthened me" In other words. he
believed that God would rc-cnforce
him, as he will us, with divine power
In the great work of saving a soul.
In the Spirit Of Paul.
All. this is a blessed, n mighty en-
enlargement, / do not feel we have a
right to speak the words of my text
unless AZ the same time we do 1t ia
u u q %