The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-04-12
SHELLEY breaches
ODELLEASTER SERMON

One of the Hood River valleys most
beloved pioneers is Rev. Troy Shelley.
He has participated in the joys and
sorrows of all pioneer families. The
following sermon was preached by
Rev. Shelley at 0dell last Sunday.
Subject, 1.-The Law of the Resurrec-
tion." Text, ii Tim. 2:ll, ''lf we be
dead with Him, We shall also live
with Him.
Not all laws relating to the resurrec-
tion but the grand law of the resur-
reetion, is found in this verse.
God is God of law, just as truly as
He is God of mrecy, or God Of
love. In fact, he always works ac-
cording to law. This is very readily
acknowledged in nature, but not so
readily in revelation. 1t is my purpose
to try to show you that He not only
works according to law in spiritual
things, but that the laws in the two
domains of nature and spirit are the
same e-exactly the same. If this be
so it as strong proof, conclusive proof.
| may say that the author is the same |;
that the book Of nature and the book
of revelation were made by the same
hand.
But it is not for the comfort of this
proof seek to study the laws Of God
today. 1t is the assurance feel it
will bring a timid soul in contemplat-
ing death. want him to know that
the law of the resurrection is as etern-
al, as far reaching, and backed by the
same power, as the law that sends the
planets circling round the sun and con-
trolls the whole universe of God.
The subject of the text is death and
life, and | want to notice the laws of
death and life in nature and IN revela-
tion.
Let US look at these laws little.
You will notice that death is men.
toned first. Does death come first in
nature? That depends. If you speak
of one stage of life only, life comes
first and then death. But if you speak
of changing from one stage of life to
another, death comes first and then
life.
In everything in the world that has
life In it, as plants, animals and hu-
man beings there is constant evolu-
tion of life, a constant change from
one stage of life to another. And in
this change death comes first, and then
life. In every change, before the new
life begins death in the old life inter-
venes. The plant grows, natures and
brings forth seed. In this seed is
wrapped up a new life. But before
this new life begins the seed must die
and rot in the ground. The egg must
die before the chicken is Matched. The
environment from which the animal or
child in the womb received its life
must die when it is born into the world
into new life. Jesus noticing this
natural law, said Except corn Of
wheat fall into the ground and die, it
abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth
forth much fruit. :"
The law is so true and so plain there
is no question or dispute about it by
anyone. In truth the evolution of the
world at creation was according to this
law. 1t was in a state of chaos, of
darkness and night; a state of death,
and light and life followed. And so
the evening, typical of death, and the
morning typical of life, made up the
day.
When we turn to the book of God
and study it we find that exactly the
same law governs the spiritual world.
There are two ways in which we die
with Him: The death to sin and the
natural death. In both of these we are
passing from one stage of life to an
other, and in both of them, everywhere
in the word of God, death comes first
and then life. Let US see. First the
text, IF we be dead with Him, we
shall also live with him." Let me
give some others. In Galatians, II
am crucified with Christ, nevertheless
l live" In Romans, Knowing this,
that our old man. is crucified with Him,
that henceforth we shall not serve
SIM" Also, Likewise reckon ye also
yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus
Christ our Lord" In Ephesians He
tells them to put off the old man and
to put on the new man. In Colossians
he says, For We are dead and your
life is hid with Christ in God"
might give many more, but this is
tIlOuBil W DTUNt ltldt GAdCIiy tHt SdHit
law exists in the spiritual world that
is found in the natural world. To
change from one stage of life to an
other. the universal law of all creation
is given in the text; death first and
then life.
And, mark you, it is not simply
death and then life, but one hinges up
on the other. Just as truly as the
grain of wheat must fall into the
ground and die before it lives in the
new life-in the stalk and the blade
and the ear-just so must you die to
the old life of the flesh, the life of sin,
before you can live the new life of the
spirit, which God gives you in the new
birth. And just as truly must your