The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-16

spirits, but they do not concern us.
Unfortunately the world was not
ready for such high teaching; Jesus
disciples even could not bear it, and
although the example of their Master
did nightly modify the dread of
death. it remained for our own day to
receive the full significance of Jesus
twin declaration, 'tDeath Is a
friend, - ''The devil to you is nil. y
The intervening ages, however, be-
tween the early Church and the nine
teenth century witnessed the awful
process Of the dedication of Fear, the
creation of the medieval Hell, and the
dread enslavement even of the child
mind to the terrors of the future
world The hideousness of those fate
fuS centuries is still upon US in our
dreams, and it will take generations
to work all the dire effects out of
human nature.
Meanwhile Science, the handni.lo. %
the Christ, reechoes His formula,
death is a friend The elder sci
entists, slaves themselves of the super
stition that death is the implaeable
enemy of life, rather than its lndds-
pensabie ally, pictured the vast evo-
lutionary process as a sanguinary bat
tIefeld where Nature fred in tooth
and claw" exacted the blood of count
less species in her savage game of sur
vival Twentieth century scholars,
however, chant with Prof. Shaler the
refrain, death is the immemorial
sacrifice of the individual to the good
of the whole the very foun-
dation of all the higher life" Good
That sentiment has the ring of the
Christ. The myriad living species
that have come and gone took from
the waters of the sea and from the
air the elements needed to form soil.
Patiently all life that preceded man
made world for him to live in. No
higher forms would have been possible
but for the quiet duty-doing of these
lowlier organisms and their gentle sur
render to Friend Death, losing them
selves for you and for me.
No wondrous story of creation then,
no marvels of growth, no promise of
progress without death! Mark this pie
ture painted by one of the great seien-
lists of the generation just passing. elf
we could obtain an ultimate analysis
of what is at work in the world about
US, shaping the minds and the desti-
MES of mankind, we would doubtless
find there the deeds of all the vanish
ed units of our race, each bearing
share, great or small, In the human
activity of the present moment" No
man ever lived for hought. Must we
not go further and say that every tiny
amoeba, every vanished species of plant
and animal had its work to do, def
mite share in the sum total Of life
today? Nothing ever lived in vain. At
death it gave its contribution to make
possible Cod kingdom of sons on
earth.
What would we do2 What could we
do without the passage of the genera
tions of men? John Baptist feels the
demand for death, splendid prophet that
he is, and cries, He must increase, but
must decrease. John had to go to
give place to Jesus Friend Death
ushered him out that a grander actor
might come in. Jesus Himself saw the
situation and exclaimed, cit is expedi-
ent for you that L 90 away; for if I
90 not away, the Comforter win not
come unto YOU Even the Christ felt
that some one larger than himself,
bound as his spirit was by his environ
ing body, was needed among men. He
must pass TO make room for his sue
cessor. Every unselfsh man realizes
the same. Theodore Roosevelt sails for
Africa TO leave William Howard Taft
with free hand President Eliot re-
signs at Harvard to make wav for
younger man. Our generation drives
today, tomorrow If it Enger on the
scene, let it gently hand the reins 90
its coming brother and look upward for
its translation. Let it gladly bequeath
its increment to world progress. Mourn
full DO you say? Never! It is the con
summating glory of life. Death IS the
spirit 5 victory over the lower self.
But how about premature death, the
needless sweeping away Of beautiful
children, the cutting of Of strong prom
ising natures at the very threshold Of
large service, the sudden swift removal
Of men in full prime joyously bearing
Iife's burdens, an inspiration TO al who
know thema The world certainly can
never rest content with this large drain
upon its noblest resources. Nor should