La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1916-05-27

human investigation and human eH-
perience were the only sources to
which We could turn. When We stop
to think about II. man could not be
expected TO answer ii from these
sources We cannot detach the ques-
ton. What Is Our Life7" from our
selves. and stand It off there for in
yestigation. We are the question.
How and where did this life begin
How does II proceed How will II
terminate? These are questions
that cannot be answered without in
formation from some source outside
ourselves God is the only one who
can give satisfactory answer. 1
have taken the question from God
revelation to us because In this set
ting 1t carries with it the answer In
His book. God has told US how our
life came TO be. and how Ne are to
spend It's energies We shall endeav-
or TO meet the question In view OF
this broad answer
Life is an incompatible Kilt.
once heard young man. Who
was fighting against what seemed to
him the adverse proyidene.s OF God.
say. I am not responsible Tor my be
Ing here He said this In vindica-
tion OF himself. and with a clearly
implied criticism OF divine proyi-
dence. True 1t h., you and are not
responsible tor our being here. That
7 H. self-eyident. We did not give
/ birth to ourselves HUT Ve are re-
+ sponsible FOR being what We are in
view OF the equipment We have re-
csiyed. To whom much il given. OF
the same shall much be- required Is
the motto over the scales that weigh
out to US the issues Of life The meas
ure OF endowment t. the measure of
responsibility. when a man makes
a brute OF himself. IL had been better
FOR that man had he been a brute.
Then he would have been judged by
the instincts OF an animal. and no,
by the endowments OF man. II n
man deliberately wrecks his life. or
car.l-ssly squanders its resources. II
had been better for that man had he
never been born
We are entrusted with the seri-
Gus responsibility OF life: some would
say that It Is imposed upon Us We
need to get our bearings. The earli-
er We do this In the running OF our
sands the better.
our life il Gods gift to US Some
OF you school people. with an ear
keen for correctness OF statement.
may be ready TO say. Well. till God
made US live there was nothing to
which he could give anything Our
7 life may be a creation. but how f. 4,
a gift'" II were conducting class
. in rhetoric. might aecep, your crit
icism. but We preachers sometimes
claim the privilege Of cutting the
corners what | mean is this, that
He might have made Us live aud no,
made US live the Kind OF life We
have, The simple scripture record
of the beginning OF life bears out
this distinction most beautifully. /,
runs like this; Let there be grass
and plants and trees and there Wer.
/ Let the waters teen with life OF .y-
cry Kind. let the heavens be filled
with winged tribes. let the earth be
stocked with every kind OF animal
| from the creeping reptile 10 IN.
swift quadruprd. and II was so. But
when 4, comes to the creation OF
man there was solemn pause. and
God said. Let US make man In our
own image Accordingly. out OF
the dust Of the ground. the same
material from which lie had formed
other kinds OF life. lie mad. his
body. and into that carth-born body
He brcathcd the breath OF life. and
man became. not an automation. lIk.
the horse, but living soul. Tha, d..
vine kiss made man rodlike. In pass
Ing permit me to say that n there
are any OF you welded to the idea
that your physiornomy has come to
you from the cha,terinx monkey or
the Erinning chimpanxee. you may
still claim a place in the human
family. You can get In at this break
between the creation OF the body out
OF the dust OF the earth and the In
breathing Of . soul. God could easi.