Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-05-05
SATURDAY NIGHT
&lEZSERNoNS
,W-Al@ By
- REvSAMUEL
u WpURVlSDll
THE QUESTION OF THE AGES.

to human brain. III man ule'-nO
need Of Scripture or philosophy to
prove ut is appointed unto man once
to die" Sir Walter Scott wandering
through the streets of eXhumed Pom
peii mutters over and over again, city
of the dead" Well could he muttcr
the same wandering through our city
streets. Builders of our blocks, found
ers of our establishments, writer's OF
our books, long ago We're dust.
Country lane and city street all lead
to one spot-the cemetery. The worlds
shuttles fly fast to weave Grape for
every doorknOb. The worlds emblem
not a lily, but skull and crossbones.
One vehicle stops before hut and man.
sion-it is known by its black plum
age. No Euclid needed to prove all
things are passing.
If we were not here yesterday and
won't he here tomorrow, where are we
going? Job IS on the dismal ash heap.
sick Of the world that now is, wonder
ing if there Is yet another to come, try.
ing to read a guidebook i'll the dark,
IN the teeth of the gale endeavoring to
light his torch. IF man die shall he
live again?" is his piteous cry.
Question Upon Question.
What is man-an organ or an organ
list, violin or violinist, boat or boat
man, house or tenant? What is life
water poured on ground, no hope OF
getting 1t again? Is it n shadow, here
this moment, gone the next? Is 1t
cloud Of mist, in the heavens now,
dissipated when the sun rises? Is 1t
thread in q weaver's loom broken, cut:
Will some skillful hand gather the
ends together? Is it Il pilgrims tent,
if taken down may be set up again?
What Is the grave-a door or a blind
window, an entrance or an exit, the
way down or the way up? Do we go
to the grave or through the grave? Ia
it the beginning or the end, the rising
curtain or falling? Don't ask nature
That inverted bowl we call the sky.
Whereunder crawling. coop'd. we live and
die;
Lift not your hands to it for help. for 1t
AS impotcntly moves as you or l.
Strange if there's only three score
years and ten! The elephant may live
200, the giant redwood 1900. Phidias
constructed the Parthenon 2,4O0 years
ago. phidias lived but seventy-two.
Is the Parthenon greater than Phi
dias? Does the design live and the
designer die? Praxiteles chiseled
IIcrmcs 300 years before Christ. Is
the sculpture immortal and the sculp'
tor mortal? Is the work greater
than the worker? Is "Evangeline"
greater than Iongfellow? Does the
thought live and the thinker die? John
Howard Payne wrote Home, Sweet
Home" Does the song live and the
singer die?
Tho Great Riddle.
In his brief walk from cradle to
grave man outlives ten bodies, changes
bone system half dozen times, re-
places brain fiber every six months.
yet he knows friends Of fifty years
ago, and they know him. What holds
that constant flux Of matter in a con-
tinual identity of form? Must be a
fixed identity within. Can that be
what Paul meant, '"There Is physical
body. and there IL a spiritual bodyy'
What Is It that thinks-brain or 1? 1o
the gray matter In the skull l? Does
It secrete thought ''as the liver secretes
bile?" Is this column Of words ana
sentences 80 much glycerophosphate,
sodium or oxygen, or-hold firm rein,
my soul!-am l the charioteer, wltn
woridrous vehicle and blooded steeds!
o thou eternal One, thy likeness calls!
] have body; am soul. Desires are
prophetic. What means this gnaw'
Inc hunger for the beyond, this eter-
nal homesickness Of the soul? Never
homine pigeon felt surer sense OF d.
rection, never robin call of SUMMER
CLINE. It must he so, Plato; tnou
rca soonest well!
Signals Of Hope.
"Why should it be thought thing
Incredible with you that God Should
raise the dead" But with what body:
know not nor care Nor does grub In
poze of creek bed know Of dragon hy's
body. Nor does caterpillar understand
Ia translated mother, the butterfly.
Nor can deaf and dumb make blind
glories Of sunset. Let him
argue who will. 'Tisn't proved that
way! I've gone down to the beach
with a mother. I've given last greet
Ing. smiled through rain Of tears.
I'VE seen anchor weighed, ,harbor bar
cleared. fluttered a farewell, watched
the CLINT Of snowy sail as 1t passed
through Golden Gate on to the bosom
II Il great eternity. And I've seen and
known Of others. mighty army yes
terlay, many going today.
Part Of the host has crossed the Mood.
And part are crossing now.
Day is breaking over Judean hills.
There's a CLINT Of fire tipping the tenn
,le and palace. A mist hovers over
he distant Jordan. A little company
# disciples Is hurrying through Jer'l'
talents half awakened streets. Amaze
nent and Joy SIT On ever face. They
,r,ng messa"e concerning their cru,
flied Lord. Listen. We sad visitants OF
Mount Auburn. Laurel