The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-05-28

climbing toward lofty ranges now. III
an enthralling bondage held him in
long gone ages, he is tasting the
sweets of liberty now. Out from the
night through the dawn he comes and
enters upon day of growing bright
ness and power.
Thou hast made us for Thyself,"
must ever be answer of our hearts
to the loving purpose of God. Thou
makest him to have dominion" the
charter of mans liberty which indi-
Gates the field of his power.
That he is coming into this domin-
ion is apparent to every thoughtful
mind. The pathway over which he
has come has been a rugged one. He
found the earth without pathway on
its plains, bridge across its streams
or boats upon its currents. If the de.
cayed log carried along by the waters
aroused his wonder, it was long ages
before 1t challenged his imagination
and stirred his inventive genius. But
both have been aroused and now he
sails the seas in triumph.
In such simple matters as clothing,
methods of locomotion and means of
transportation it has been a long,
steep climb from the rude inconveni-
ences of former days to the marvellous
appliances of modern times. 1t was
a far cry from the crude hieroglyphics
of far off day to the modern multi
pie printing press, producing books
and magazines and daily papers in
bewildering abundance. But the lat.
| ter speak eloquently of the domin-
ion in which man has come.
AS in the physical, so in the intel
lectual he has conquered. Here also
is borne out the declaration, Thou
hast made him a little less than di-
vine" God, the first thinker. Man
thinking Gods thoughts after Hin"
God, who thought Of beauty. display
! ing it in ever-changing panorama in
the clouds, wrapping sunsets in it,
| touching ocean and mountain and
meadow and spilling 1t in diversified
colors upon a myriad flowers any one
of which might grace the coronation
of queen. But this display has chal-
lenged man to WELD the brush and
think with God of beauty. So of love
and force and kindred matters. God
| thought and a universe came out of
the chaos and disorder-a universe
without bounds, but challenging man
to walk where God had walked.
These feet of clay could not roam
through the solitudes and celestial
wastes that lie about and beyond the
stars, but the intellect with winged
ieet has climbed to these vast
heights, measured the orbits of suns
and worlds, and in his mental bal
ance man has weighed their ponder
Gus mass. God placed man in an un-
charted universe and challenged him
by every point of light and interven-
| ing space to master the relation OF
world to world. The challenge was ac'
/ cepted and man has become an as
| tronomer. In a score of sciences H.
| Illustration might be had of mans do
minion.
What obtains in the physical and
intellectual obtains equally in the
moral and spiritual.
In mans personal life there have
been bloody conflicts, defeats and
victories. haltings and progress-bu-
the progress has been real Men
apart from religion today hesitate &c
do what men in bygone ages did in
the name of religion!
Man has reached a place in his
religious living, which his forefathers
could scarce discern through the
mists and logs of their day. A di.
viner ethic peTmeates society, while
honor between man and man grows
from more to more.
Mastery over the evil habits and
passions of life indicates the dominion
into which he comes. The power OF
the Cross was never so regnant in
human life as today. In broader
sense the spiritual victory has been
achieved. Social ills are being cor
rected. Injustice, bribery and oppres
sion are being brought to bay. The
interests of the child are being
guarded against the interruptions
greed OF men. Traffic in human vir-
tue is being dragged into the white
| light of day. Christian fraternity
grows, and brotherhood is the watch
word OF the hour. Christian co-opeTa,
ton is lifting the load of ignorance
and superstition from the darkened
nations. Great movements are in
progress for the redemption of the
race. The biggest undertakings OF
the modern world are in the moral
and spiritual realm, and the glory and
honor with which God has crowned
man are revealed in these wide-ex
! tending projects.
Our answer to this question, What
is man." would not be complete with
out Christ's word upon it. How
much, then, is a man of more value
than a sheep!" was His declaration
of that day. Were He living in our
age and in our land He would institu
tute the comparison between man and
that which produces wealth. How
much, then, is a man of more value
than a store, or bank, or factory, or
farm, or t1ocks and herds! 1t was the
convection of this value which led
Him to say, What will it profit a
man to gain the whole world and for
felt his own life?"
We ought TO defer TO His estimate
of man for He spoke with authority,
Needing not that any should tell
Him what was in man"
Christ spoke of man religiously, as
several recent writers have observed
and not scientifically. So that a man
may be a devout follower of Christ
and hold whatever view of mans orig.
In may appeal to him. Among the
devoutest souls of recent days are
| those who are pronounced in their