The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-02
SERMON ON
IMMORTALITY
Delivered by Rev. George M.
Rourke.
MASTERFUL DISCOURSE
Is Heard by an Appreciative
Audience.
Lawrence E. Ames, the Boy Pleach-
er Occupies the Pulpit at the
U. B. Church.


FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Immortality" was the subject of
most able address by Rev. George
nj. Rourke at the First Presbyterian
church, Sunday morning. Rev. MIR.
Rourke selected his text from Paul's
second letter to Timothy in the
tenth verse, in which he says: But
is now made manifest by the appear
ing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who
hath abolished death and hath
brought life and Immortality to
| light through the gospel.
The pastor In opening his ad-
dress spoke OF the tendency of peo-
pie to associate eternity with end
less time and immortality with in
finite space. There is no other way
to consider 1t for 1t is beyond hui
man reach and cannot be grasped
by the finite or be associated with
the material. Man naturally thinks
of eternl life as being his heritage.
Some may be content to believe that
with death we have reached our
goal but no one really believes so
narrowly for there is an inward
hope of eternal life in every soul.
There is the constant vision in time
of sorrow and affliction and in the
loss of loved ones that there is
eternal life aheal, infinite in its i'm.
mensity and glory and which out
strips all material conception.
There are some who do not as
sociate eternal life along with eter-
nal DEATH" said the speaker. when
we think of the parent we must
think OF the child, we must asso-
ciate the wife with the husband, we
associate life with death AMI 1t is
contrary to all logic to refuse to ac-
cept eternal death along with eternal
life. There are no crossroads and
no ending in the way but the soul
with an immortal existence will
either put on Immortality or suffer
eternal death"
According to the pastor, there
are three separate phases to be con-
sidered concerning life and death.
1t must necessarily be accepted that
there Is a physical death as we'll as
a physical life. Then there is the
spiritual death which must also be
ASSOCIATED with spiritual life. When
the Christian is converted he be-
comes alive and seeks to inculcate
: his spirit in others, while after
neglect he may become spiritually
dead 1t is again contrary to logic
to hope for eternal life and neglect
the idea of eternal death. II is
contrary to the scriptures and a
radical breach of logic.
ihe speaker said that there were
various ideas OF man in regard to
Immortality. The difficulty in all
religious affairs" said the pastor,
rs in distinguishing between the
natural and the supernatural. We
say that Shakespeare and Dante
are immortal but we do, not mean
that their works will not perish
from our Libraries. Their power and
the lives of these men will live for
ever. while their works will perish
In time. Charlemange was the great
est man of the middle ages, without
exception, but at his death his
world wide empire fell. Alfred, the
Great, with the passing of his name.
though hailed immortal is fading
away from the minds of man Diyest
your mind OF all such thoughts''
said the speaker, 'it is only through
Jesus Christ that eternal life can
be secured and 1t is through the
rejection OF Him that eternal life
Is brought about, Christ is the ruler
whose power is incorruptible. up.
defllable and fadeth not away"
Rev. Mr.. Rourke dn closing his
address referred his hearers to the
Bible and asked them to logically
consider 1t and accept The Lord
Jesus Christ, who alone can give
| a Iifn