The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-22
Religion and Business.

NOW III Teldlu LI6 SplTlb VI ScTlOuS
piety in the busy activities of life is
a question vital to Christian charac-
ter. The practical divorce of religion
and piety in our daily affairs is fraught
with peril. Too many regard religion
as out of place in the thoroughfares of
trade; as fabric of too fine texture,
or as an exotic transplanted from a
tropical to polar cline. The easy quiet
ude of the sanctuary or closet BELTS it.:
"Holiness to the Lord may be put on
the Bible, but not on the ledger; ON the
inter of priest, but not on the bells of
horses. This severance of religion
and business comes of misapprehen-
sion of the nature of real piety. Piety
stands related to life as consciousness
to the mind, underlying all its activi-
ties. ..-..s.-
Let US consider the question, How
can religion and business be properly
blended?
l. By having all actions constrained
by holy motives. We do not, indeed,
have God as distinct object before
us every moment, but we do the work
which He has appointed us in our
special sphere as a service to Him.
''Not slOthful in business, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord" The blood
circulates silently in our veins and so
religion is silent but vital force in our
hearts,
2. We are to remember that religion
is being good and doing good. Il is
not quietism or asceticism, but a
Hnr1ir oy,f ,N1.inoi,1Io hot
thought and speech and action. 1t is a
reflection of Christ's life in the flesh.
1t shows itself in minutest details-the
soft step, the gentle voice, the courte-
GUS demeanor, in honest speech, in
nobility of dealing and truthfulness of
disposition. True religion, some one
says, puts no sand in sugar, alum in
bread, water into milk, or otter into
butter; it keeps the wife from ill-temper
when her husbands dirty boots soil the
floor, and keeps him from having dirty
boots; it prevents him from fretting at
a late dinner and keeps her from having
late dinners. Religion rebukes deceit
and insincerity of all kinds, and
teaches us to keep our promises one
with another. Ofcourse, contingencies
sometimes interrupt us in meeting APP
pointments, but it is noticeable that in
the same busy scenes some are
atoays, and others are nearly never
victims of contingencies.
8. Religion is doing secular acts from
sacred motives oftener than it is doing
merely sacred acts, so called. When
piety stamps our life, all our acts are
religious. 1t is wrong to separate toll
and worship and to forget that motive
gives character todeeds. A automaton
may do many of our acts but it has no
moral character. The heart makes the
work of the workman holy. "An anvil
may be consecrated and a pulpit
desecrated." Robes and vespers and
ceremonials, the cowl of monk and hood
of nun, cannot make service holy. 1t
is not beautiful words but beautiful
lives we need This will soonest silence
the cavils of skeptics. A religion that
is not fitted to weekday work never
had Sabbath-day origin. We want
Mary's heart and Martha's hand; the
splendid force of celestial presence to
inspire and sanctify all our deeds, that
on thought and act shall be written
"Holiness to the Lord in lines of
living light. Thus will our spirit be
tuned to the harmony of celestial
world and our whole life heF below a
grand and sacred song. = ChaAtch Union.