Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-05-12

warm cur homes; SO that In the: black
lump Of coal there is packed away;
and hidden FROM 81 t3the ght:whicht
was first created by the fat of God.
! And dare we assign a broader destiny
| to the, material than the ,spiritual?.
We are told that these forces of ma
ture are stern, unbending and inexor-
liable, sweeping through all space,
binding all worlds and imperial over
all creation; but they cannot bind the.
fmind that solves the problems. de-
ciphers the. hieroglyphics. utilizes
! gravitation, harnesses the trade
winds, subsidies the lightning and
interprets the literature OF the stars.
Herein is the triumph of the soul.
that 1t subordinates matter, plays
upon the keys of physical power, tri-
umphs over the forces of nature, and
becomes in a lofty though secondary
sense a creator. And must heat,
light. electricity and grayitation
sweep on forever and the mind, with
| Its full orbed, powers. Its 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 1t Is founded uron the
discoveries Of the senses; but re 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 assailed upon the
ground that 1t is contrary to the i'm
mutable laws Of nature. This argu-
ment has no standing in court, since
immortality is notEunder the control
of natural, but. spiritual laws. Paul
said, Thou fool, knowest thou not
that which thou soweti 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 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. resurrection
to gloriousilife. 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
pillar, lc.-thsome thing to look
upon. 1t falls asleep, weayes itself
q winding sheet. and is sepulchred
in its chrysalis fortweeks. There is
no sign Of life. no Indication of ami
(, nation, yet ;sudd denly the chrysalis
bursts open, and instesd of the loath-
some worm that fell asleep, there
! comes forth a butterfly, which en-
chants us with its beauty. Great is
the mystery. Who can understand
it? Is it not prophetic? Is 1t not
symbolic Of; another resurrection?
John exclaims, '.It doth not yet ap-
pear what we shall be-" Paul de-
clares, Our vile bodies shall be fash
ioned like unto His own glorious
body" Though buried In the earth,
though no block or t.sh aft mark the
resting place Of the Christian, Gods.
Word for it, he shall rise again, and
III such a sforrnatinnSis Is possible in
the lifesof a worm. who shall attempt
to limit the possibl transformation
awaiting the human body, which is
the temple Of the soul 8 immortal?
Surely, It shall come forth changed,
sublimated and glortfed. Nature
does not absolutely prove this, but.
her striking anaIogies 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 ..the first
f. is of them that Sleep" and again,
"Il 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
representative, and therefore, since
He assumed a human body and re-
sumed that body changed and glori-
fled 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, kindled 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.
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.
Halleluiah! Christ arose!r
Because He lives, we shall live also.