But, as man may flout and ignore the warnings of the physical censors, the nerves of the body which report dangers to the King in the Palace, so the warnings of the mental censors or nerves of perception may be ignored until the penalty of suffering, caused by abnormal conditions, may be visited upon the individual. The neglect or procrastination in action may lead to the extreme penalty.

The wise man will sense and heed the warnings of life whether in the physical realm or mental horizon, and move to rectify all abnormal conditions whether in body, mind or spirit.

Many such unusual or abnormal conditions may arise as purely affecting only the physical or mental life of the individual, or these conditions may be associated with conscience, the great spiritual censor. This censor rises above, but associates with all other censors of the life. It peers into all relations of life, accusing or excusing, according as the various relations may be just or unjust, pure or impure, warning of the dangers of self-indulgence, infringing upon the rights of others and violations of the laws of God and humanity. This censor, conscience, may be trained and enlightened as the nerves of the body and mental perception, in all its activities, weighing, adjusting, balancing until the whole man is moved with a keen sense of God and recognition of courtesy, kindness and good-will.

""Tis held that sorrow makes us wise
Whatever wisdom sleeps within."

TENNYSON.

Having observed that suffering is designed to preserve the race and contribute to the welfare of mankind,

we would naturally look for the sequence of suffering in its relation to man.

Death appears to be the great clearing-house, so to speak, or the great reservoir to receive the aches, pains and sufferings with the decay of old age, and the torn body even by the accidental violation of the inexorable law.

Why should man die or pass beyond the vale of sense? The Great Teacher would liken it to the harvest when the wheat may be separated from the tares. As the rain falls upon the just and unjust alike, so death comes to all. As suffering is seen to preserve the race, so death, in conformity to the same law or principle, follows automatically as the ultimate relief from suffering. It is the end of suffering and may be considered in this light.

The maimed body, the distorted mind, the worn-out physical machine, so to speak, all remind us that the end must come to all imperfections. As the law of decay is inexorable, so the law of suffering and death must of necessity be inexorable.

Man is born to die. Whether he reaches the age of three score and ten or even four score, the Biblical writer reminds us that there is still strength, labour and

sorrow.

As we read the lives of men and note the thanatopsis of mankind, we see that few men are self-supporting and of sufficient strength to enjoy life beyond four score years. Man at this age does not consider it a boon to live, but rather a joy to pass. The great question is not why men pass in old age or why man passes under suffering, but why childhood, youth and middle life should be subject to this inexorable law; or why the innocent should suffer for the guilty.

Death may be considered the extreme penalty, but not

necessarily a punishment, for violated law, either by the person himself or another. However, the penalty is suffering and ultimately death. Ignorance, and underestimating conditions may thereby violate law, as the prophet says: "Because of ignorance my people perish." Ignorance would say, "We shall not surely die;" prudence and righteous judgment would say, "Observe the law and live."

Many men worn with physical pain and suffering would welcome a surcease from such life; and a man with distorted mind or vision may so imperil the lives of others that it would be better for all that he pass.

We place men in the penitentiary or other prisons, dead to mankind, as it were, for violation of law, why then may we not consider it a just and providential kindness for man to pass away?

The body and mind will ultimately reach the point of decay and warped vision so that all men would say it is better to pass. Even the most righteous person, when in his full vigour of youth, may become, through suffering and old age, a person to be feared and to be placed under guard.

The seed of the future happiness of the race is wrapped up in death. The only way in which we can reconcile the passing of youth, walking in his integrity and in the path of righteousness, is in considering him as a part of the whole. A part of the body may suffer and be destroyed in order that the rest of the body may be preserved. Ignorance, youth, innocence and guilt, all fall under this law of sacrifice, "A part for sake of the whole."

So the human family may be considered as one body under the inexorable law of suffering and death, which functions to preserve the whole race. These immutable

laws apply as the rain and weather, they fall upon the just and unjust alike. Ignorance is no excuse; whether young or old, innocent or guilty, the law would operate upon all alike.

It is evident that the innocent must suffer, also the mother for the child and even the innocent for the guilty. But the final judgment is with the Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift.

The grain of corn falls into the ground and does not bring forth or produce except it die. The grass grows and the fruits ripen and are assimilated, thus destroying identity and life, so to speak, that they may produce a larger and different body for the higher creation.

The spider may feast upon the fly, and the wasp likewise upon the spider for the same cause. Or the larger fish may live upon the smaller fish, and it likewise upon the minnow, thus producing and reproducing from the lower to the higher creations until man is reached, who feeds upon the vegetable, fish and cattle.

Were it not that man passes away as provided under these laws, man would be kept so busy providing for the old and decrepid that the children of the youth could not be provided for or receive nourishment. In fact, the whole would become unbearable, and mankind would be destroyed by conservatism. We need the new life. and the progressive spirit of youth which would be checked were men allowed to cumber the earth in old age.

It is good, therefore, that the laws of suffering and death are inexorable; that the new life-giving stream may abound and then, having run its course, to likewise pass away.

"Without the shedding of blood (as suffering and

death) there is no remission," or putting behind the evils and imperfections of life.

It requires the young life to properly sense and vision the needs of life as man progresses towards the higher ideals.

It would appear therefore that suffering and death may be considered as necessary and economic expedients for the preservation and development of mankind, also as benign factors in working out the summum bonum for the race.

But as the great apostle might say: "Yet I show unto you a more excellent way," as these reflect their purpose in the final destiny of man in the purpose of life.

What a fine tribute to life and its issues were voiced in the memorable words of Mrs. Harding, spoken in the following beautiful lines:

"Let me see his face.

He was magnificent in life;

He is still more wonderful in death."

(Spoken at the closing of the casket of the President at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco.)

THANATOPSIS (excerpt)

To him who in the love of nature holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language; for his gayer hours
She has a voice of gladness and a smile
And eloquence of beauty, and she glides
Into his darker musings, with a mild
And healing sympathy, ere he is aware.

So live that when thy summons come to join
The innumerable caravan, which moves

To that mysterious realm, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,