Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-02-11
INDEPENDENT.
sATURDAY. FGBRUARYll. I888.
Sunday Reading.
REL1aroN ANp MorALIrY.

"
many times in each generation, The
same quest ons are asked, the same
queries answered. Constantly, over
and over again, comes up the old
query as to the difference between
morality and religion. The youth
full seeker after truth is still perplex
ed with what may be termed half
truths. He is told on one hand that
moral life will not avail and on
the other that if he but lead moral
life he need fear nothing. His per
plexities increase as experience in
the world shows him that the relig-
ious ESQ called) sometimes violate
the moral code, and as occasionally
the morally just shock his religious
sense, he cries cut in his despair,
ssShow me the true way"
Our sympathies are always touch
ed when these esger questioners be
gin seeking the "true way" The ex
perienced Christian, who has grown
step by step to know that both re-
ligion and morality are needful to a
life of perfection, is oftimcs puzzled
70 point out the stepping stones. Or
he may think each one must seek as
he sought, and withhold the light he
may give, forgetting that's man may
transgress as truly by holding his
tongue as by speaking unadvisedly
with his lips.'
II we bear in mind the accepted
definition of religion, which in Gem
prehensive sense, is "a belief in the
being and perfection of God, in the
revelation Of mis- will to man, and in
mans obligations to obey his com
mands and to be accountable to God
we will readily see that it embraces
morality, and thst therefore we can
not too much insist on the inSepara-
BILE connection between the two. The
first embraces the last, and will not
be true unless it does. To be relig-
ious, one must love God supremacy,
and then will follow the obseryances
of the new commandment of"loving
eur neighbour as ourselves" and in
doing this in all of life's relations,
the moral law will be obeyed.
The expression religious life" is
always suggestive of divinity, con-
Meeting u. in our life here with God
himself through the moral attributes
that emanate from him. The study
of the New Testament will show
clearly how life can be both moral
and religious, for Jesus relied for
strength and direction upon his
Father, and was enabled to say from
the perfect manner in which he car
ried out the moral law that 81 and
my Father are one" and here we see
a perfect example of both lives COM
blned.
If there existed clearer idea Of
this close connection, we might hope
for greater increase in the number
Of we'll rounded lives, and see less of
the abnormal development of some
who professedly follow a religious
life, having clear spiritual percep-
tions, yet sometimes falling short in
a moral sense. Then, too, some who
practice o severe morality might not
lose the softness and sweetness that
springs from a sense of the Divine
touch, from a love that is above, but
not apart from, the moral plane, a
loue, if we could but family compre
bend it, that would so ennohle our
lives that we should be done with
doubts and questionings; for light
and happiness would abound with US
here and in the eternity to come
hteLligencer and Journal.
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