The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-09-15
(Examiner and Chronicle.
What Will If Do For Won Z

take of looking upon religion as ex.
cellent IN theory but impossible in
practice. 1t is all well enough to talk
about, they say, but human nature
cannot climb high enough to live it.
In proof Of this, after setting forth
what Christianity demands of its
possessors, they hold up individual in
stances In which professors" con-
spicuously fail to meet its. require
ments. Then they clinch what
seems to them an unanswerable argu-
ment by asking you to point out
in turn a single man or woman of
your acquaintance who has in all re-
spects lived up to the Christian rule.
There they rest. Who has not met
something of this sort in daily expert
ence?
Nor is this way of regarding relig-
ion confined to the skeptical and an
tagonistic If it were, it would not
be worth while to give heed to it. But
oftentimes just this wrong view is a
source Of stumbling to an honest
inquirer; and perhaps as often does it
cause trouble and apprehension in the
mind Of believer not yet thoroughly
rooted and grounded in the faith once
delivered to the saints. Indeed the
tallying of profession and practice is
point that enters seriously into the
problem of life with every soul that
faces the issue how to make religion
the practical, everyday, ever-present
force, as well as controlling force in
all its actions.
1t is most natural as it is a most
common thing to judge Christianity
by individual professors Of it. But it
is lamentable and repugnant to right
reason. An exception does not dis
prove the rule, nor does wrong ap-
plication of a principle vitiate the
principle. Any approach to the vital
subject of religion in n true spirit must
be made on the line of what Chris
tianity itself is, and what it will do
for you; not what it has done or failed
to do for others. No doubt if every
professor Of religion lived up to his
profession and privileges this would
be vastly different world, and the
prayer "Thy kingdom come" be near
ing realization. No doubt more
Christlike Christians are wanted
in every church and in every place
and inl every community, nor
that such men would be powers for
good everywhere. But that is not
the first question. The question you
have to meet is simply, What is the
religion Of Jesus Christ, and what is
it the one thing needful for you?
When the soul has said Yes to that,
has bowed convicted before the one
perfect pattern and exemplar of Chris
tianity, and risen redeemed through
his shed blood, then it is prepared to
meet the practical questions growing
out of its new conditions.
But then, also, it is found that diff
culties are to be overcome by "look-
ing unto Jesus, the author and fin
isher of our faith" not unto this or
that professed follower Of him. The
life of Christ, not the life of Chris
tians, is the study for the renewed
heart that seeks to know his will and
do it. On that line of inquiry and
obedience it is that doubts and diff
culties disappear as you advance. The
man who lives close to Christ, and
whose single purpose is to be like
Christ, does not find the theory and
practice of the Christian religion in
consistent and irreconcilable. He
does what he can to prove to every
one with whom he has to do that they |
are not inconsistent; that the theory
is living, working force manifested
daily in his own practice.
Christianity is the only religion |
that can thus be worked out in real
and practical life. That it can there
is the clearest evidence on every side,
despite the frailty and shortcomings
to which all flesh is subject. Chris
tians are not perfect, but when man
is in trouble he instinctively turns to
a Christian for help. And the testi-
mony is ample that as rule when
unselfshness, friendship, trustworthi-
ness, sympathy, consolation or help
fulness in any way are needed, they
are soonest sought for-and soonest
found-in Christian men and women,
who have proved for themselves by
deep experiences and have shown in
their lives to others what faith in
Christ could do for them. Skeptic,
inquirer, weak-hearted one, never
mind hunting up examples Of faithless
professors, but turn prayerfully to
the light and life revealed in the Saw
iour, with the one question, What
will it do for you? and the answer he
will not leave in doubt.