The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-02-27

they have 80 thoroughly put out the light that
that God meant should light every man who
comes into the world that, supplementary 10
the natural moral system, lie has in great
beue,oleuee, devised q scheme Of religion,
embracing salvation, This Is Christianity,
and ip purpose % 10 get you back upon the
track whore the race first started, II n d.
'ina eoutd,nnco or plan for accomplishing
lhis purpose. Jesus Christ saw the whole
mass qf human machinery of the track, and
going 10 irremcdinblr ruin Just so truly us he
did not interfere 10 preyentit lie came and
told us all how 10 get back, through repent
ancc, faith, refpmalion the surrender Of will
the obucgalion OF self and the devotion Of
the heart in love to God and good win to
men, lie placed himself upon the track and
run oycritiuot ouly lyshuwing us how to got there
oursehos, but showing rs how to run when
there. In other words, he exhibited 10 us
true human life, Then, when be had cleared
away all the rubbish from the track, shown
us how 20 get upon Il again, how 10 run when
We get there, how to avoid and repair ncoi.
dents hy the way,-whcn hc had done al this,
and set hi, agents 90 work in carrying out his
plans, hc went back 10 Heaven, and now look,
down to see how the work goes on.
Young men, believe this. kapw it is
true, aud know, and God knows, that this
plan which be has devised to save you and
make IL possible for you 70 lead true hu-
man life, which shall ultimate in lfcs highest
issues,s the only one which can save you.-
! know 'Hatyou can never be happy until you
have heartily aud practically accepted this
religion aud Tor you 10 90 on, year after
year, carclc,'ly, ihoughtlc,sly, spelling your.
SELF growing harder, mcancr, dirlicr, with
uo love 20 God aud outgushiug bcncyolcucc
TO men, is an insult 20 Jesus Christ and
brutal wrong TO that which he came to save.
The fact !, that sin is the most unmanly thing
in Gods world, You never was made for sin
and scd,hncss. You was made for love and
obedience. II YOU think It is manly 10 re-
jcct religion, and the noble obligations il inn
poses upon YOU, it only shows how strong
hold the devil has upon YOU, Il shows how
degraded YOU are how the beast that is in
YOU dominccrs over the soul that is in YOU.
Young man, your personal value depend,
entirely upon YOUR possession of religion
You are worth to yourself what You are capa-
blr of ENJOYING; YOU are worth 20 society the
happiness You are capanlc oi impartng 10
yourself without religion, YOU are worth very
little \ man whose aims are low, whose
motives are selfish, who has in his heart no
alteration for the great God, aud no love ofhs
a..
Supreme will-gladly aud gracefully who
has no fniih. no icnahlc hope of happy i'm.
mortality, no ,trong-armcd trust that with his
q 24ul Il shall be wall in all The fuiurc.- cannot
bc worth very much to himself Neither can
such man be worth very much to society,
hccnnec he has not that 10 hcstow which 50.
eic,y most needs for It's prosperity and is
happiness. A locomotive off the track is
worth nothing to lis Gvncr or the public, so
long rs it i, of the track The conditions
of the legitimate and highest value arc no,
complied with. II cannot be operated salts.
ae,oryto the owner, or useh,lly to the pub
lic because il is not where it was intended to
run by the man who made il.
Just look at the real object of religion, and
see how ratiogal it is. 1t is the placing Of
your souls in harmony with God and his laws
God Is the perfect, supreme soul, and your
souls are the natural offspring of that soul
Your souls are made in the image of his, and
like all created things, are subject to certain
immutahlc laws. The transgrcssion of these
laws damage your souls, warps them, stunts
their growth, outragcs them. DO YOU not
see that you can only be manly and attain a
manly growth by preserving your true rela-
tons and likeness to the father SOUL and a
strict obedience to the laws of your being !?
God has given YOU appettes and he meant
YOU should indulge them and that they should
be sources of happiness to youi but always
in way which shall not interfere with your
spiritual growth and development. lie gave
you passions, and they are just as sacred as
any part oF you, but they are to be under the
strict control of yout reason and your con-
science. lie gave you desires for earthly
happiness He planted in you the love of
human praise, delight in society, the faculty
to enjoy all his works but you can on
ly enjoy them truly when you regard them
uN blNNNlHBo lINn lut great BCIll, W lttu anu
not starvc your higher natures. There is not
a true JOY in life which you are required to
deprive yourself OF, in being faithful to him
and his laws. Without obedience to law,
your souls cannot be healthful, and it is only a
healthful soul that pleasure comes with its
natural-its divine aroma. Is nose stuffed
with drugs capable of pcrceiying the delicate
fragrance of the rose Is the soul hat in
tensifes its pleasures as an object of life ca
pabe of healthful appreciation of even
purely sensual pleasure? The idea Of mans
enjoying life without religion is absurd.
have been thus particular upon this point,
because love you, and because know that
n. Ill