St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-20
4 PRAcrrcAn RELIGION.

Many tnlngS may be SAID OF Ine CnrlsLian
religion, that it is satisfying religion; that
it is holy peaceful religion; and that when
once it enters into the secret consciousness
of any one. it becomesEa clamp unto bis
feet;'' but all these truths may be summed
up in this one phrase, it is a practical re-
ligion, it is suited to all the needs of hui
manity.
The Bible does not give an outline picture
Of the Christ but full faced and life-sized
portrait so that we may find in every emer-
gency the help we need. Religion is not
cloak or mantle to be put on for special oc-
casions, neither is it an expression of face or
tone of voice, nor saying 'Iord, Lord!" 1t
is the man himself, it is his life. whether,
therefore, We eat or drink, or whatsoever We
do, do all to the glory Of God" Religion is
an entire conservation of life to the service
of God. ''What! to spend ones days in
praying and bible-reading, to think always
of death and eternity" say those who know
nothing of the easy yoke or light burdens
born, by Christ's disciples. Is it a task to
pray!
We believe that Christ is our true loving
friend and that all the blessings of life come
from God through him I'VE believe that he loves
to do for US, that he loves to hear our voices,
whether we ask for some favor or tell him of
our love and trust in him. Do we esteem it
task to talk with our friends on earth? Yet
what friend can compare with our Elder
Brother?
Have we no need of prayer? We are like
ignorant, HELPLESS children, lost in an I'M
and quicksands; perils are on every hand,
and at some place on the way death is wait
ing for US all. Christ has passed through this
wilderness, he is acquainted, with all its per
lis, "he was tempted in all points like as we
are" ''He himself hath suffered, being
tempted, he is able to succor them that are
tempted" Why not ask him, if we believe
he can do it? If we will not trust him we
must shift for ourselves; but if we do
believe that che is able to save unto the utter
most" is it not pleasure, a glad relief, to
trust all to him.
Prayer is not set form of speech uttered
in some particular place on Bonded knees.
Words, place or posture are no part of pray
er. 1t is communion with God; it is secret
holding on to God, perfect trust in him
pervading the whole life. When we awake
to new day with its fresh opportunities and
possibilities, conscious that some power be-
You'd us has kept us through the darkness
and helplessness, is it a harder task to say
''thank God" than it would be to acknowl-
edge favor from a friend!
When we gather in our homes with our
best beloved, and see no vacant chair, miss
no sweet face, is it difficult to say, 'I thank
Thee, Father, for Thy tender mercies"? When
we stand by ''the low green tent, "whose cur
tain has swung inward to admit one, who
was the light of our home and the 10Y of our
heart, and the only hope or comfort heaven
or earth can give one the words of Christi IT
am the resurrection and the life; he that be-
lieveth on me, though he were dead, yet shall
ne live" is it hard to say, "God, l thank Thee
for Thy Son our Savior''2 When the end of
life comes, and earth fades from our sight.
when the gates of death are standing wide for
us, and there is no helping power in friends,
when the promise of Jesus comes like strong
staff to lean upon, "He that beleveth on me
shall not PERISH" will not our last words be,
''God, thank Thee for the hope of immor-
tality''9
1t is because we are so ignorant that we
consider religion such hard task-master,
and its service a round of gloomy uninterest-
ing duties. The enfranchised christian never
looks upon the service of God as duty But
those who want to make the
most they can out of this
world and then slip into heaven, those who
count over the moneyin their pockets to find
the smallest piece to put on the plate Sun
day. and who never pray unless they are in
peril, regard these small services as the duty
they owe their Lord.
watch in prayer with Thanksgiving"
said the apostle. The assurance of unbeliev-
ers in assuming that a christian must be
gloomy is inexplicable. In the first place
lhey know nothing about the experience of
christians, and in the second place they are
ignorant of their own sad condition.
Why shonld follower of Christ be gloomy?
In all the trials and sorrows of life, he has
an infinite eternal friend who can carry him
safely through, not only because his honor
is pledged, but because he loves him
with an everlasting love-" When this
vexatious life is passed, he can ''approach
his grave-sustained and soothed by an I'M
faltering trust" in Him who has promised
to bring him from the dead; and afterward
"eye.hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love
him" Is there any cause for sadness or
gloom in all that?
A gloomy, unhappy Christian is an abnor-
NAL one, made such through ignorance of
the true spirit of Christianity, or so wrapped
up in himself that he cannot see ''the light
shining in darkness" or he is naturally
gloomy and enjoys misery, one of those who
Ego to market for troubles" ANY wav the
inference is conclusive that gloomy Chris
tian needs more love of God and his fellows
to act as leaven upon his whole nature and
raise him out of the "slough of despond.n
What cause has sinner for gaiety, with
out hope or safety for this life or the here
otter? Poverty, sickness, grief and death
are the lot of all just or unjust, but there is
this difference, ''all things work together for
good to them that love God;'' the lust are
safe living or dying; God will take care of
them, while the sinner is adrift, surrounded
with dangers and no pilot, and beyond
outer darkness.
Shakespeare's Hamlet tells himself that
men would not endure the ills of life when
''they might their own quietus make" were
it not for the dread of something after death.
The Christian endures the trials and calami-
ties of life because he has a hope (which is
an anchor to the soul sure and steadfaet ,,