The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-01-09

the best pictures-Titian's Assumption"
Raphael's TRANSPORTATION, Ruben's de
scent from the Cross" Clarde's Burning
Bush" and Angelo's Last Judgment"
Religion has made the best music Of the
world - Haydns "Creation,n Handel's
Messiah" Mozart's "Requlem." Is 1t pos
sible that religion which builds such inde-
struc,ible monuments, and which lifts its
ensign on the highest promontories Of
worldly power, can have any effect upon Q
mans intellect but elevation and enlarge
mentl Now, commend god1iness as the
best mental discipline-better than bellies
lettres 70 purify the taste, better than
mathematics TO harness the mind to all
intricacy and elaboration, better than logic
TO marshal the intellectual forces for onset
and victory. 1t will go with Hugh Miller
and show him tho footprints Of the Creator
In the red sandstone. II will go with the
botanist aud show him Celestial glories en-
camped under the curtain Of the water lily,
1t will go with the astronomer on the great
height where God shepherds the great flock
Of worlds that wander on the hills OF
Heaven answering His voice as he calls
them all by their names.
Again | remark, that godliness IL profit
able for ones disposition. Lord Ashley, be-
fore he went into great battle, was heard
TO offer this prayer: 30, Lord, shall be
very busy to-day; II forget Thee, forget
me not" With such Christian disposition
as that, man is independent Of all circum-
stances. Our plety will have tinge Of our
natural temperament II man be cross and
sour and fretful naturally, after he becomes
q Christian he will always have TO be armed
against the rebellion Of those evil inclina-
tions; but religion has tanned the widest
nature; II has turned fretfulness into graft
tude dependency into good cheer, and those
who were hard and ungovernable and un-
compromising have been made pliable and
concillatory. Good resolution. reformatory
effort, will not effect the change. II takes
mightier arm and q mightier hand 10 bend
evil habits than the hand that bent the bow
Of Ulysses, and 1t takes a stronger lance
than ever held the buffalo on the prairie.
A man can not go forth with any human
weapons and contend successfully against
these Titans, armed with uptorn mountains.
But you have known men into whose spirit
the influence the gospel OF Christ came, un-
I'll their disposition was entirely changed.
SO 1t was with two merchants In New York.
They were very antagonistic. They had
done all they could TO injure each other.
They we're in the same line of business One
OF the merchants was converted TO God.
Having been converted he asked the Lord
10 teach him how to bear himself toward
that bu iness antagonist, and he was im-
pressed with the fact that 1t was his duty
when customer asked for certain kinds OF
goods which he had not, but which he knew
his opponent had, TO recommend him to 20
TO that store. suppose that is about the
hardest thing a man could do; but being
thoroughly converted 10 God, he resolved
to do that very thing, and being asked for
certain kind Of goods which he had not, he
said: "You go to such and such store,
and you will get IT," After WHILE mer-
hant number two found these customers
,oming so sent, and he found also tnat mer-
chant number one had been brought TO God,
and he sought the same religion. Now they
are good friends and good neighbors, the
grace Of God entirely changing their dlspo-
sition.
"O," says some one, 81 have rough, Jag
ged. impotuous nature, and religion cam do
anything for mep Do you know that Mar
tin Luther and Robert Newton, and Richard
Baxter were impetuous, all-consuming ma
lures, yet the grace OF God turned them into
the mightiest usefulncssi A manufacturer
cares but very little for stream that slow
ly runs through the meadow but a strong
torrent that leaps from rock 10 rock, and
rushes with mad energy through the valley
and out toward the sea. Along that river
you will find Auttering shuttles and grind
ing mill and flashing water-wheel. And
nature the swlftost, tho most rugged and
the most tremendous, that is the nature
God turns into the greatest usefulness. 0,
how many there are who have been pug
naclous. and hard to please, and irascible,
and more bothered about the mote In their
neighbor's eye than about the beam-like
ship timber In their own eye, who have been
entirely changed by the grace Of God, and
have found out that "Godliness Is proiita-
BILE for the life that now Is as well as for the
life which is 10 come"
Again romark that religion is good for q
mans worldly business. ! know the general
theory Is the more business the less religion,
the more religion the less business. Not so
thought DR.. Hans In his Biography OF a
Christian Merchant" when he says. "He
grew In grace the last six years OF his life
more than at any time in his life; during
those six years he had moro business crowd
Ing him than at any other time" In other
words the more worldly business q man
has, the more opportunity TO serve God.
Does religion exhilarate or rctard worldly
businessl Is the practical question for you
10 discuss. Does 1t hang like mortgage
over the farmi Is II bad debt on the
ledgerl Is II lien against the estatei Does
IL crowd the door through which customers
come for broadcloths and siltsi Now, re.
ligion will hinder your business II II be
bad business, or II II bo q good business
wrongly conducted. II you tell lies behind
the counter, II you use false weights and
measures, II you put sand In sugar, aud
beot-juice 10 vinegar and lard 10 butter, aud
sell for one thing that which Is another
thing, then religion will interfere with that
business; but lawful business, lawfully
conducted, will find the religion OF the Lord
Jesus Christ its mlghiiest auxiliary.
Religion will give an equipolse OF spirit.
II will keep you from ebuilitons OF temper
and you know great many fine busi-
nesses have been blown 10 atoms by bad
temper-it will keep you from worrlment
about frequent loss, II will keep you indus
trious and prompt, It will keep you back
from squandering and from dissipation, IL
will give you o kindness OF spirit which will
be easily distinguished from that mere store
courtesy which shakes hands violently with
you, asking about the health Of your fami-
ly when there is no anxiety TO know wheth-
er your child Is well or sick but the ankle
ty Is 10 know how many dozen cambric
pocket handkerchief, you will take and pay
cash down. 1t will prepare you for the
practical duties Of every day life. do not
mean to say that religion will make US fnan-