The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1921-05-26
REAL LIFE"
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Jesus as our great Master or refuse
to recognize it by not becoming a
child of God does not affect the
question. An obligation is an obi
cation till discharged. A duty is a
duty till performed. The essence of
real life is service for God in SER
vice to man.
Real life is a life of self sacri-
flee.
The law of self sacrifice is deeply
imbedded in nature. It is the essen
tial of development, the key of pro
gress and the harbinger of the high
er life. The tiny cell which forms the
basis Of all life develops by absorp-
ton from without. But in its growth
1t reaches stage when it can thus
no longer sustain its life,. the center
of the cell being too far from the
surface to be able to obtain suffi-
cient nutrition. Rather than per-
ish it divides itself into two cells
thus making "a sacrifice of itself
but in that sacrifice it has given
birth to two lives. And when by
this law of sacrifice God has made
sure of the basis of all life for bud,
bird, beast adm man, then the law
continues to operate for the beauty
and development of the plant or in
dividual, and for the perpetutity of
the species. In each grain of wheat
there is a little golden speck which
is apt to give a yellowish cast to
the flour. That spot is the germ.
When life begins to develope out of
this germ the white flour begins to
be taken up for food and decrease.
AS the plant grows the grain is alb
sorbed and yields its life to the
higher form. In the orchard the
bloom must fall before the fruit can
swell. The apple blossom must be
sacrificed before the goldn pippin
can develop. Then one step further,
the cluster must be sacrificed ere
the life giving wine can be obtained
the fax must be broken before the
linen can be secured; the forest
must be leveled before our beau
tiful homes and churches and other
structurs can be reared for our com.
fort and enjoyment. Nature grants
no free favors, heat costs the coal
in the mines, wealth costs much toll
and sweat by day, wisdom costs
study and long night vigils, charac-
ter costs the long fierce conflict
with vice and sin.
The law of self sacrifice is also
an industrial law. The power of
wealth is great. Besides life's ne
cessities. 1t procurs comforts, pur-
chases travel, secures the means of
culture. 1t is the great stream that
makes civilization fertile and frag-
rant. It is like some Nile flowing
through Egypt with soft irrigating
current bearing mans burdens upon
its breast at the same time furnish
ing food for bird, beast and man.But
the story of each Peter Cooper, each
George Peabody, each Amos Law
renee is the story Of the sacrifice of
ease of life today that the strength
Of life might be husbanded for to-
morrow. They lost many pleasure
many an hour of ease. They denied
themselves many an enjoyment. Low
ing luxury and beauty their eye was
denied It's hunger, and taste its sat
isfaction. The vanity of dress was
rebuked. SCOTS of niggardliness
were endured and rigid economy
practiced. Their social instincts were
curbed and many an evenings gai-
ETY. was given up that knowledge
and culture might lbe brohdened.
They lost the lower good, but gain
ed the higher reward of universal
fame as successful men and philan-
thropists. They lost ease and self
Indulgence in early life only to gain
in later life the higher comfort and
enjoyment and an immortal crown.
This is the secret of men Of re-
nown. All society's crowned immor-
tails are such. They have been men
and women of self-renunciation. In
all ages. selfishness has been like 9
flame consuming society, but self
sacrifice has more then repaired the
ravages and achieved many great
victories.
The company of immortals whose
birthdays we celebrate is not large
yet when upon these high days, the
sspoet or orator draws aside the cur
tain revealing to the assembled
multitude some Washington or Lin
coin, while they are clothed with
genius their brows are encircld will
a crown of self sacrifice. The selfisl