The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-01-19

IL the spiritual Interpretation be true,
but it is more wonderful still If this
be only material world, and If the
idea of immortality Quoting from Mr..
IngersolD has not shred of reality
behind it"
He goes on to argue that the insist
ence of the hope is the one strong ar
gument IN it's favor.
But then comes along Rev. Holmes
and says that while it is true that all
along the ages good and wise men
have held to the belief of mans i'm
mortality, and even as he is swept
away by this great argument, and
borne, as if on the wings of knowl-
edge, to the glowing empyrean of con-
viction, he finds himself caught back
to earth by the sudden realization of
the fact that if certain men have cher
ished this great hope through all the
ages, other men have been as insist
ent in their doubts and denials.
If there have always been those, he
says, who have asserted with Solo nan
that God created man to be immor-
tal," it is no less true that there have
always been those who have declared
that there is no healing when a man
cometh to his end, neither was any
man known to return from the grave. "
And he adds that these skeptics have
not always been ungodly men. On
the contrary, these doubters have oft
en- been the purest and noblest men !;
often, too, men of transcendant intel
lectual power and far-reaching knCwl-
edge. At the very moment, he says,
in human history when the immortal
hope was given its clearest express
sion and its most rational justifica-
ton, there were those who doubted or
disbelieved.
He then says:
Thus you remember that wonderful
scene In the Athenian prison C lam-
Der, when Socrates said farewell to
his friends and disciples, on the last
morning of his life. About the cCn-
demned philosopher there is an air
of deep composure and serene con-
teri. He faces death in cheerfulness
and confidence, and, amid these most
solemn circumstances Of his depar-
ture, bears quiet testimony to his per-
feet faith in Immortality. Did l not
think" he said, that I should go to
dwell III the company not only of gods
wise and good, but also of men that
have died better than these here en-
earth, should be wrong at not feel
ing sorry at my approaching death.
But az it is, be assured that l trust
to join the society not only of good
men, but that shall go to abide with
Cod" But this very statement of his
abiding trust, you remember, only
awakens the doubts and fears of his
disciples. They beg that he will not
depart, keeping this belief wholly to
himself, they plead that he will share
with them the reasons for his faith;
and, in spite of his affirmation, they
give pathetic expression to their fears
that the soul will perish at the mo-
ment of death, vanishing away like
smoke that is dissipated in the empty
air. Again, recall that st. Paul, aft
er two years of constant teaching in
the city of Corinth-after preaching
during all of that period, to his little
group of followers there, the new Cos
pei of the ACKNOWLEDGMENT away
on the journey to other cities of the
Gentiles, only to leave doubt and de-
NAL behind him. And | recall that it
was the teachings of those persons
who asserted that there is no resur-
rec-lon of the dead" which inspired
that grea passage in the Apostles
first letter to the Corinthians, which
constitutes one Of the most wonderful
statements of the immortal hope that
ever came from the mind of man.
And, most extraordinary of all, am l
forced to remember that, when Jesus
OF Nazareth was bidding farewell to
lis disciples, on the last night Of his
existence, and discoursing to them "of
the resurrection and the life" there
were those present, even in the little
group of the twelve, who. like Philip,
did not understand, and those present
also who. like Thomas, doubted and
denied. In short, candid survey OF
human experience and an unprejudic-
ed study of the history of human
thought, shows that mans persistent
doubt upon this question of immortal
ity is almost as impressive as man S
persistent faith, and that for every
hope within the human breast that
the eternal life is a reality, there is
a corresponding fear that it is del'l-
eior."
Talking thus and admitting with
DIR. Gordon that we must surrender
at the start all hope of demonstration
of the souls immortality" that it's
demonstration is one of the impossi-
bles, the thought is so insistent and
inspiring he attempts to prove that
it's truthfulness is susceptible of dem
onstration.
Agreeing at one moment, he says,
with DR.. Gordan and Dr. Fiske, that
the scientific demonstration of immor-
tality is impossible, and then at the
next moment boldly asserting that he
hinges his belief of Immortality be-
cause it is susceptible of belief A
contradiction, he admits, but he says