The copper era., 1909-09-23
The Natural Life.

law" I John 3:4.
 The natural life is the sinless life. Sin is the transgrescion of the law. When we speak of law, we mean the law of God and by Claw of nature and law ot science, so far as science has proven true. The laws of science and of nature are the laws of God. Take the law of gravitation. It is the law of nature because it has all ways existed; it is the law of science because it is systematized knowledge that every mass attracts every other mass according to the size of the mass aud iEversely as the square of the dis tance-it is the law of God because it was He who created it. All nature was created by God, and all the laws of nature are His. Therefore, nature is not evil but good. Lowell says, "There's never leaf nor blade too mean to be some happy creature $ palace" And Shakespeare says, "We find tongues in trees, sermons in stones, books in running brooks and good in everything"
 It is a natural law that men should walk on the face of the earth and not on the bottom of the sea nor in the air. Therefore it is sin when men transgress this law by jumping from ten story wind ow or wilfully walk ing under the water. Water was made to drink and not to breath. But we should not tamper with God $ laws. Water was made to be drunk pure and not to be adulterated with poisonous drugs. Now if men trans gress this law, they must suffer the penalty which is hell or a part of hell. I met man the other day who says he is a "Freethinker''; that is, he don't believe in devil nor a hell. And so, not having these things to fear, he spends most of his money for water that has been mixed. While he says he doesent believe in a devil nor a hell, little does he think that he is putting the devil inside of him. self and that hell is continually com ing out. It is a law of God and of nature that for people to have good health and a clear mind they must breath pure air. Air was made to breath and to be breathed but once till it has been purified. Therefore, when people live in still-or unven- tilated houses, thus transgressing this law, they sin, and must suffer the penalty which is colds, headaches. tired-feelings etc., and consequently they feel sad, thinking God has for saken them when in reality they have forsaken God in breaking His laws.
 If then you would live according to the natural law, you would live a Christian life and you would be a Christian. Christ came to save men from their sins. Sin is transgressing the law. We have thought that to be Christian was to be something mysterious, supernatural-tha is, un- natural-and queer. While in reality, the sinner is the one who is unnatural and queer, because he is breaking the natural laws. God saw this unnatural ness among men and sent Jesus to lead them back to the intended way. things in their proper place and for their intended purpose.
 Have you ever thought of the Chris tian life as the most natural way to live? Why then is it so hard to be a Christian? Because it is hard to be natural and we are not used to it. The little child always acts perfectly natural, but he soon becomes sensi- tive, selfish and awkward. The elocu- tion teacher will tell her pupil to act and speak naturally, to entirely for get self and think only of those to whom she is speaking. That is what Jesus pleads for in Christian life-a forgetting of self.
 A Sapolio advertisement has hit up- on the right principle. It says, "The finest art and fairest faces are always natural" The implication is to use Hand Sapolio instead of paints and powders because they are artificial. But the principle is true in every kind of art whether pictures or real life. The man who can paint sum- set the most natural is the best artist. The man who can chisel a bust of Washington to look the most natural is the best sculptor. The man who can gve a life most natural has at tained then highest art in being a Christian. Jesus lived a perfectly natural life. He was not an actor. There was never anything "put on" about Him. He was not proud; He was not naughty; He was not selfish. As far as self was concerned, He threw it away. He discovered that law by his own life and then gave us the rule; "He that saveth his life shall lose it, but he that loseth his life for my sake the same shall save it unto life eternal"
 JOHN G. DEININGER.