The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24

gion is not foreign good, not sudden
impulse, a mysterious experience but
that which comes of the growth and
supremacy of the religious faculties, or
is the product of divine processes in
the soul of man, cOnjoined with his
own consenting and helping agency.
The persuasion, therefore, is not to be
yielded, that the work of obtaining re-
ligion, of building up the Christian
character, is largely within our power.
Nothing" it has been said, ''has
more palsying effect on ones exertions
in any enterprise, than the doubt
whether he be equal to it. Destitute
of confidence a man hesitates and fall
ters and accomplishes little or nothing.
But when he has confidence, as the
Christian may have, that his strength
is equal to his task, that he cannot fail
if he go resolutely forward, and that all
hindrances must disappear before a
steady and industrious zeal, which
leans upon God and is strong in the
power of the Lord, then he presses on
with untiring energy, and the toughest
path is smooth to him, and the darkest
path is light to him, and he will achieve
victories with mighty odds arrayed
against him, and nothing but his own
fault can prevent his winning eternal
life."
That by which religion is chiefly
characterized, or which is a leading, a
marked popularity, is expressed by one
word, and that is the word GROWTH.
1t may be stated in this way Personal
religion involves growth toward the
perfect man. or toward 1.-The meas
ure of the fullness of the stature of
Christ" This, then, is to be said, that
where there is growth, there is per-
sonal religion and where there is no
growth, although there may be inter-
est in religious subjects, keenness
about controversies, and a perception
of the Importance of divine truth, and
warm defense of church and creed,
there personal religion is unknown.
AS in the animal and vegetable worlds,
so in the realm of spirituality, growth
is the only sure sign of life. Impulse,
or emotion, is not the sign. The ques-
ton, therefore, whether any one of US
has personal religion, resolves itself
into the question whether he has in
him principle of spiritual growth
and spiritual growth implies spiritual
life. The point to be determined then
is, not whether at times l have been
impressed and moved, and kindled and
aroused, by some sermon, or event, ,-er
memory, or vision, but whether L am
growing all of slip and fall, de-
cline and pause, getting forward, and
winning ever, by my efforts at recovery,
new and safer ground.
Lest any should lose heart by the
application of the test, seeing there are
so many intirmities to be e0ntended
with, and the old habits of inattention
and presumption are hard to be over
come, let them remember that all of
sound, healthy growth is very slow. We
never see plants actually growing-we
only take notice that they have grown
that they are little further along
to-day than they were yesterday or the
day before. This may teach us that if
we would form correct judgment of
spiritual progress, or would determine
with any accuracy whether we have
grown in religion, or religion has grown
in us, we must compare the self of this
year with the self of last year, not the
self of to-day with the self of yester-
day. Sufficient for our encouragement
will it be, if amid the divers and shift
ing experiences of the world, amid the
alterations of heat and cold, sunshine
and cloud, calm and storm, the spirit
ual life has grappled its roots a little
deeper into the soil as the years have
come and gone.