Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-08-10


vi ~A Au ON o b lie 9,
monographs, SUBJ
marines, airplanes, photographs these
things have crowded the horizon until
gross materialism has constituted
the field of endeavor, struggle and
achievement.
In the midst of this mad pursuit Of
the temporal and perishing, life, the
greatest value of all, has been almost
forgotten; has become cheap, COM
mon, surfeit in the worlds market.
Life, priceless and precious, crowd
ing the highways and byways Of every
day activities, is ground to dust De
meath the wheels Of industry, COM
merce and pleasure. The daily pa
pers are one big catalogue of the
cheapening estimate of life. With
the speed fever upon us, the priceless
value Of life is lost sight Of, until a
hecatomb of victims is sacrificed on
the altar of accident, preventable dis
ease and dissipative folIies.
Think of the source of life, the cost
Of Its development, its marvellous pos
sibilitfes! Then remember that life
Is endless, projected into an eternal
environment of veal or woe, and be-
yond all calculation.
Nothing in the world of matter,
however beautiful, however useful,
however wonderful, Is comparable.
Out Of Gods Book speaks voice from
every page, telling out the wonders
of life. Hear Christ's unanswerable
question: "What shall it profit
man if he gain the whole world and
lose his life?"
Life is the fabulous inheritance of
every human being. Yet Scripture
says 1t is the price paid for the cheap
est, commonest commodity in the
world-sin. Sin that pushes It's dark
ugly face up everywhere; that
abounds like weeds growing alike in
the most carefully cultivated gardens
and on the deserted barren refuse
heaps; that pOllutes the atmosphere
Of city, town and hamlet until they
reek with the foulest poisons, the
deadliest fevers, the cruelest defile-
ments.
Sin Is so plentiful, so rampant, so
penetrating that it is unacceptable.
It is the enemy Of life, its implacable
and undefeatable nemesis. 1t is
rapid infection, a treacherous con-
tagion, deadly poison gas, loath-
some leprosy. And it is an indivisible
part Of human nature. God, who alone
knows the heart of man, declares it
"deceitful and above all things and
desperately wicked"
What can heal? What can cleanse?
What can remove? How can we es-
cape? The answer is In the textile
shedding Of blood IS the price Of sins
remission, and the life is In the blood
Life, the highest price paid for sin,
the cheapest commodity.
Life Is paid when its blood is shed.
This has always been recognized as
the noblest act, the supreme sacrifice,
the richest expression of intelligent
consciousness. 1t is this which trans
figures the indescribable horrors Of
war; that wreathes with crowns Of love
and affection the hero In any cause
who unselfishly, chivalrously gives all.
The awful experience Of the World
war brought near to hearth and home
the real value of life, and the nearer
1t came to our hearth and home, the
greater its value If 1t claimed the
best, the dearest, our all, then, oh
how priceless the price we paid, be-
cause Of the awful tragedy Of sin
the horrible misunderstanding of ma
lions and peoples.
Men began to call death In battle
the supreme sacrifice, and impute to
1t eternal merit and efficacy; but 1t
is still written: Neither is their sal
walton In any other, for there Is none
other name under heaven given among
men whereby we must be saved
1t Is the shedding Of blood that re-
mits sin, the blood of the sinless
Christ of God. He shed His blood.
He gave His life. He paid the price.
Sin Is remitted God can save you.
What can wash sway my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood Of Jesus.
What ought to be the response Of
sinners to such Savior? "Just as 1
am, o Lamb of God, l come"