The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

the year after 1t grew, and all It's lineal
descendants had been planted and re-
planted from that time until now, its
progeny would today be sufficiently Ru-
merous to feed the teeming millions OF
the world. An unbroken chain of life
connects the earliest grains of wheat
with the grains that we SOW and reap.
There is in the grain OF wheat an lhVls-t
ible something which has power to dis
card the body that we see, and from
earth and air fashion new body so
much like the old one that we cannot tell
the one from the other. If this invisible
germ of life In the grain of wheat can
thus pass unimpaired through 5000 res
directions, shall not doubt that my soul
has power to clothe itself with a body
suited to its new existence when thiSv
earthly frame has crumbed into dust
belief in Immortality not only con-
soles the Individual. but it exerts a pow
erful influence in bringing peace between
individuals. Il one actually thinks that
man dies he will yield more easily to the
temptation TO do injustice to his neshhor
when the circumstances are such as to
promise security from detection. But If
one really expects to meet again, and
live eternally with those whom he knows
today, he is restrained from evil deeds
by the fear of endless remorse. We do
not know what rewards are in store for
us or what punishment may be reserved,
but IL there were no other it would be
some punishment for one who deliberate
~ and consciously wrongs another u \
have to live forever in the company OF
the person wronged and have his little
ness and selnshness laid bare. repeat
a belief in immortality must exert pow
erful influence In establishing Justice be
tween men and thus laying the founda-
ton for peace,
Again, Christ deserves to be called The
Prince of Peace because He has given
us a measure of greatness which promotes
peace. When His disciples quarreed
among themselves as to which should
be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
lie rebuked them and said Let him
who would be ehiefest among you be the
servant of all" Service is the measure
of greatness; it always has been trues
1t is true today, and it always Will be
true that he is greatest who does the
most of good. And how this old world
will be transformed when this standard
of greatness becomes the standard of
every life.
Christ also led the way TO peace by
giving us a formula for the propagation
of truth. Not all OF those Who have
really desired to do good have employed
the Christian method-not all Christians
even In the history of the human race
but two methods have been used The
first is the forcihle method. and it has
been employed most frequently. A manN
has an idea which he thinks is good: he
tells his neishhors about it and they do
not like it. This makes him angry; he
thinks it would he so much better for
them if they would like it. and seizing a
club, he attempts to make them like it,
But one trouble about this rule is that it
works both ways; when a man starts out
to compel his neighbors to think as he
does, he generally finds them willing to
accept the challenge and they spend SO
much time in trying to coeree each other
that they have no time left to do each
other good.
The other is the Bible plan-"Be not
overcome of evil but overcome evil with
good" And there is no other way of T.
overcoming evil. | am not much of
farmer get more credit for my farming
than | deserve and my little farm re-
ceives more advertising than 1t Is entitled
to. But ! am farmer enough to know
that If I cut down weeds they will spring
up again; and farmer enough to know
that if | plant something there which
has more vitality than the weeds | shall
not only get rid of the constant cutting
but have the benefit of the crop besides.
In order that there might be no mis-
take In His plans of propagating the truth
Christ went into detail and laid emphasis
upon the value of example-"So live that
others seeing your good works may be
constrained to glorify your Father which
is in heaven" There is no human influ-
ence so potent for good as that which
goes out from an upright life. \ sermon
may be answered; the arguments present
ed in speech may be disputed. but no
one can answer Christian life--it is the
unanswereble argument in favor of our
religion
My faith ir tho future-and have faith
and my optimism-for | am an optim-
isttny faith and my optimism rest upon
the belief that Christs teachings are
being mere studied today thar ever be-
fore, and that with this larger study viii
come a larger application of those teach-
inss to the everyday life of the world.
and the questions with Which We deal.
But this Prince Of Peace promises not
only peace bur strength Some have
thought His teachings ht only for the
weak and the timid and unseited 10 men
of vigof energy and ambition Nothing
could be farther from the truth. Only
the man of faith can be coura geous.
Only those who believe attempt tho
seemingly impossible, and by attempting
prove that one. with God, can chase a
thousand to flight. ! can imagine that
the early Christians who were carried
into the coliseum to make d spectacis
for those more savage than the beasts.
were enteated by their doubling COM
panions not to endanger their lives But
kneeling in the center of the arena. they
prayed and sang until they were de
Voured. How helpless they seemed. and,
measured by every human rule now help
less was their cause. And yet within
few decades the power which they in
yoked proved mghter than the legions
of the emperor and the faith in which
they died was Triumphant Ger all the
land 1t is said that those who went To
mock at their sufferings returned asking
themselves. What IS ii that can enter
into the heart OF man and make him die
as these die?" They were greater con-(
oQererS i'm their death than theV roifl1 .