immortality, of the
Christian Hope, as almost to make it for the first time effective as a
source of courage, hope and consolation. He has turned the hope of
immortality into the Power of His Resurrection. All hopes exercise
some influence on those who hold them; yet apart from Christ the hope
of immortality has been less effective than we might expect. By His
Resurrection Christ has raised this yearning hope into a mighty present
power brought to bear on humanity. The Christian hope of immortality,
certain and rich in the possession of abundant life, gives breadth and
outlook to all human efforts. It inspires duty. Brought to bear on
our work, it makes effort worth while. If all we have striven to do
and yet failed to do is to be perfected in the eternal morning, we can
face our tasks with fresh courage. All social reconstructions that
deny or neglect the Christian thought of an endless life fail here.
Their scope is too limited; their outlook too narrow. The Christian
hope brings the power of endurance and victory to sorrowing hearts.
Death is not a leap in the dark, but the passing into a larger,
brighter room in the House of the One Father. In short, when this hope
of immortality is tested by life, it is verified by the loftiness of
the character it builds.

The rising life is the present demonstration of the risen life. All
low, worldly, unspiritual living tends to doubt in it. If we would
escape from doubt about the future, let us through the Living Christ
make life larger now. If we would overcome weakening uncertainty, let
us daily practice immortality. If we set our affections on things
above, our rising life will assure us that we shall live forever. One
of Gladstone's great exhortations was: "Be inspired with the belief
that life is a great and noble calling; not a mean and grovelling
thing, that we are to shuffle through as we can, but an elevated and
lofty destiny." This belief is created and can be maintained only by
viewing life in relation to God and immortality.

Every man should therefore put the question to himself: "If _I_ die,
shall I live again?" "What kind of life am I living now? Is it life
eternal, or life merely temporal? Is it a friendship with God which
death can never extinguish?" Only One Life has ever won open victory
over death. Only one kind of life ever can win it--that kind of life
which was in Christ, which _is_ in Christ, which He shares with all
whom faith mak