The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1916-09-01
LIFE A BLESSING
Best Gift of God, a Period Of
Highest Possibilities, as
They May Be Used.


had not been born.-Matthew 1924
This startling statement was made
by Christ concerning Judas. We can
not doubt the correctness of our Lords
judgment. 1t was on the last night
when the disciples were gathered in
the upper room, and Jesus had been
speaking of his betrayal, and he had
told the disciples that one of them was
q traitor One after another asked
Lord, is it II" a striking proof of the
fact every man of them had learned TO
distrust himself and had realized the
inherent wickedness Of the human
. heart.
But it is not of that incident in the
upper room that I wish to speak, but
of that remarkable statement of our
Lord, and the inevitable question
which it thrusts upon us. Can 1t be
said of human life that 1t would have
been better if 1t had never been2
Men have said that Of themselves. In
some deep affection, in some spasm Of
pain, in some deep depression of soul,
men have cursed the day Of their birth.
Many life seems to US to be a doubt
full blessing, and some positive evil.
Many a person has longed for death to
get away from the troubles Of life, real
and imaginary. Oyerworn and ever
weary souls have sighed for the rest
Of the grave, where the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary are at
rest" But note that there lis, vast
difference between longing for that
rest, and a desire that one had never
lived. / have known many u person
who was glad to depart this life, even
as man is glad to get home after
long and heavy days work, glad of
the rest and of the hours Of sleep. But
that man is also glad that he mas lived
through the day and done a mans
work. A good man, who has made much
Of life and fought the good fight man.
fully, may yet be willing to lay down
his arms. 1t seems to me that the nat
ural fruit of the best life is to, be ready
for the harvest. Age should bring
mellow ripeness to, which all the
worlds suns and summers could add
nothing.
Paul's Desire for Rest.
Paul, who had filled up his life with
great deeds and great thoughts, when
he saw death approaching, was willing
to remain for the works sake, but he
desired to depart and be with Jesus.
1t is only the weak and cOwardly who
desire to end life In order tO escape It's
duties and responsibilities.
Still the question Is insistent, Is life
a blessingi or were 1t better for man
that he had never been born? Here
is our Lords deliberate Judgment con-
corning man who was disciple,
man Of some aspirations. And If we
observe life about us, and see the mis-
shapen, worthless, wicked and wrecked
lives of men, perhaps we would agree
concerning many of them that 1t had
been better if they had never been
born. Some time ago 1 heard a speak
er pass that judgment concerning the
children of the city slums, who are
born to little chance Of anything that
is true and pure and beautiful In life.
But am not ready to pass that judy
ment, for out of those conditions
have seen come to flower some of the
finest manhood of Gods kingdom. Life
Is judged according to the opportuni-
ties and the talents given us, and what |
use we make Of them. Let the Lord |
Jesus Christ judge but to us let every |
life be a good gift of God, a life OF
possibilities, potential blessing.
Despair Always Wrong.
I have known good people who de-
SPARED of their own life. They con-
sidered it futile, worthless, not a bless
ing. The reason back of that is usually |
lack of faith In God. He said: 'Let
the day perish wherein I was born"
BE had happy and prosperous life,
and then misfortune overlook him. He |
lost all that he had, and even his chill
dren, and he himself was bodily af-
fected. Does 1t seem like pettish irri-
tatlon that he wishes that he had never
been born? That is to misread the
story. II was not his personal mlsfor-
tune which made him despair, but the
fact that he was losing his faith In God
and his fatherhood. For Job to lose
that was to lose everything. 1t seemed
that the whole fabric Of the universe
was crumbllng about him, and he sit
ting in misery among the ruins. And
is 1t not still true Of men, that when
they lose their faith in God they lose
their faith In human life? Life be-
comes an intolerable burden when God
is left out.
Is life a blessingi It depends on
how you use 1t. You may have had |
no success and little sunshine; you
may have nothing to show for all your
effort; you may have known pain and |
tasted sorrow, and yet life has been
eminently worth living; and when the
summons comes, you pass out laden |
with the treasures that pass current In
heaven. II for you the Joy Of life is
gone, its duties remain. and Its oppor-
tunities for service. And even though |
to others your life may seem Of little
account, to Jesus Christ II is so /
precious that he gave himself a sacri.
fee that vnnr lie rrnIrht Ia anrod =