The Tupelo journal., 1911-06-23
Is Life Worth
Living?
By REV. F. NJ. HUBBELL
Pastor Of Congregational Church
Mayvills. N. D.

TExT-My soul IL weary of lfs.-os
X. l.
At time Job. with q large happy
family. had lived In comfort surround.
ed by flocks and herds and great album
dance. But calamity after calamity
fell upon him. The Sabeans carried
OF his oxen: the lightning fell upon
his sheep; the Chaldeans took away
hi5 camels: q storm buried his son
under q fallen building; he himself
vas smitten from head to foot with
loathsome sores. And Job began to
wish that he was dead-perhaps he
even thought Of committing suicide.
But calamity stricken Job IL only
one of a vast multitude who, crushed
to earth by the relentless weight Of
adversely. have eked out a miserable
existence, while perhaps the mind has
been crowded with thoughts of self
destruction. We are moved therefore
to ask, with Job of old and with the
poor wretch, the tragical ending OF
whose life Is noted in last nights pa
per.
depends, not so much upon the expe-
~riences, painful and p~leasurable.
through which he passes, as upon the
significance which he attaches to those
experiences. This is conclusiveiy
shown from the fact that from no
quarter are the answer uniform.
Out of similar conditions one be-
walls existence while another rejoices
In it. From the fires of persecution
there comes back to our question, now
a positive negative, now as possible
IN affirmative, and again a mere ques-
ton point. Such different estimates
of life grow out of a mans funda-
; mental beliefs-they seem often to de-
pend absolutely upon his ex4NgienceS
the experiences often affect Che be-
liefs; but a mans philosophy OF life
Is the determining factor.
One man declares there Is no God;
another believes in the Christ reys-
lation of God-and they reach differ
ent conclusions as to whether life ia
worth living.
Take the first man who denies the
existence OF a personal God. Then, for
him. there's 40 conscious, Intelligent
volitional for his existence. His
OWE mental and heart powers are sim
ply unique products of such materials
and forces as food, water, light. air.
heat and electricity. He is but a crea-
ture OF circumstances, developed from
a material thing-call 1t a protoplas-
mic germ-into a sentient being that
burgers and thirsts. suffers physical
pain, writhes in mental agony.
Moral responsibility is excluded;
there's nc moral source for tho
higher moral to be held responsible to.
Then there's no obligation resting up
on the strong to regard the weak; the
midnight rufilan is as innocent as the
babe he murders. groveling millions
must suffer to no purpose, for no d.
recting God means no directing pur-
. pose. To endure for a time is of no
avail, for Immortality has no mean.
The soul is but a Pigment Of the mag
nation; imagination is but a bubble
oozing out OF brain tissue; human
love merely the effervescence which
passes off from chemical reaction.
The bald pessiminism of Won Hart
man and Schopenhauer is a widely ac-
cepted doctrine OF life today. Won
hartman finds no purpose In history;
progress simply increases mans con-
seriousness Of the vanity of life. Schop-
enhauer says: ITO live is to desire,
to desire is to want, to want is to SUI
fer; hence, to live is to suffer.
But the average man cannot escape
the conviction that God lives and
reigns. What answer, then, does the
man make who knows only the stern.
relentless God discoyerabIe from na-
ture? This nan admits a controlling
purpose. The apparent invariableness
of natural law cen shut out the pos
sibility of special Providence. Though
his whole nature cries out to God in
prayer, he has no assurance Of being
heard. And he feels the burden OF
sin with no hope of mercy. Conscience
cries out his guilt; swift penalties fall
ing when physical law Is violated sug-
gest dire consequences for the viola
ton OF moral law.
To square himself with an angry
God he mutilates his body, consigas
his children to the flames, expects to
become an Ixyon bound to a revolving
wheel, a Tantalus with an Unsuitable
thirst. To drown the voice Of con-
science he plunges into dissipation or
throws himself into the turmoil OF
trade, and yet conscience speaks.
He tries to fulfill its behests, but tina
man, tempted in all points like as he.
vet without compass or rudder. he