The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-05-07

becomes IN a lofty though secondary
sense a creator. And must heat.
light, electricity and gravitation
sweep on forever, and the mind, with
its full orbed powers, it's God-or-
dained attributes and boundless ca
pacity, be shrouded in eternal night?
If matter is indestructible, is not the
spirit of man of more value than
the gain of sand that defies all disin-
tegrating agencies? These great
principles of science are not cited
as positive proof, for science cannot
radically teach Immortality of the
soul, since it is founded upon the
discoveries of the senses; but we do
find in these laws of nature some
striking and significant analogies,
and, studying them, we are comforted
even by their mute testimony, and
our faith is strengthened in the i'm
mortality of man. But again, this
doctrine has been assaulted upon the
ground that it is contrary to the i'm
mutable laws of nature. This argu-
ment has no standing in court, since
immortality is not under the control
of natural, but spiritual laws. Paul
said, "Thou fool, knowest thou not
that which thou soweth is not quick
ened except to die?" Here is an ap-
peal to nature, yet the Christians
faith must stand upon the Word of
God rather than the laws of nature,
Notwithstanding nature is full of
analogies to help our minds and if
possible to strengthen the foundation
of faith in the future life. Let us
take a few glances at this question
from the standpoint of nature. ''The
tree. though bare, though covered
with the ice of winter, though there
Is no bursting bud to be seen, yet
when the springtime returns the bud
swells, the leaves reappear, the flow
ers crown the branches and the tree
brings forth fruit after its kind"
Here is an awakening, a resurrection
to glorious life. And is it not an init
nation that beyond the winter of
death there is eternal spring, where
the soul will unfold in perennial
beauty, and where life shall take on
immortal glory? There is the cater
upon. 1t falls asleep, weaves itself
a winding sheet, and is sepulchred
in it's chrysalis for weeks. There is
no sign of life, no indication of ami
nation, yet suddenly the chrysalis
" III OpSh, anu lh0IOou VI C1O IOdl ILL
some worm that fell asleep, there
comes forth a butterfly, which en-
chants us with it's beauty. Great is
the mystery. Who can understand
it? Is it not prophetic? Is it not
symbolic of another resurrection?
John exclaims, cit doth not yet ap-
pear what we shall be-" Paul de-
clares, "Our vile bodies shall be fash
toned like unto His own glorious
body" Though buried in the earth,
though no block or shaft mark the
resting place of the Christian, Gods
Word for it, he shall rise again, and
if such transformation is possible in
the life of a worm, who shall attempt
to limit the possible Transformation
awaiting the human body, which is
the temple of the soul immortal?
Surely, it shall come forth changed,
sublimated and glorifed. Nature
does not absolutely prove this, but
her striking analogies all point in
that direction, and we are justified in
accepting them as the revelations of
God. The final evidence, however,
of the doctrine OF immortality no less
than that of the resurrection, rests
upon the resurrection OF Jesus Christ.
Paul declares Him to be ttthe first
fruits of them that slesp," and again,
eff Christ be not risen from the dead,
then there is no resurrection of the
dead; but if Christ be risen from the
dead, how say some among you that
there be no resurrection" He was
our Heaven appointed prototype. He
came into the world as our federal
and therefore, since
He assumed a human body and re-
sumed that body changed and glori-
fed after it had been buried for three
days, is powerful argument that we
also shall share in His resurrection.
He met death as our representative,
suffered Himself to be taken captive /
that He might lead captivity cap
tive" He met death in his own ter
ritory, plucked out his sting, robbed |
him of his crown, devastated his en-
pire, kind1ed the star of immortality |
in the night of death, and three days |
hence, was seen standing upon the .
verge of the sepulchre crowned with
victory.
I" Up from the grave He arose,
A mighty victor DER His foes;
He arose victor DER the dark domain,
And He lives forever with the saints to
reign.
Hallelujah! Christ arose!"
Because He lives we shall live also