The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-02-28
REV. Pow1oK s SERMON.
A Text Embodying PersoniHcation o
Religion.

Text Embodying - PersOnificatiOn of
Religion.
The sermon in the Methodist Episcopal
church on Sunday evening was from
Proverbs 3, II; "Her ways are ways Of
pleasantness and all her paths are peace"
Religion is here PersonGcd as quccnly
woman dispensing her heavenly blessings.
In her right hand she holds length Of days
and in her left, riches and honor Her ways
are pleasant and her paths are peaceful
This contradicts the notions Of the ungodly.
The sinful world thinks only Of what re-
ligion takes away and not of what she gives.
The giddy and voluptuou5 votaries of pleas
ure and fashion can see nothing pleasant in
anything which docs not minister to the
sensual nature. They are of the earth
earthly. They live by bread alone-and, in
deed, spend their money for that which is
not even bread and their labor for that
which satisfeth not. To the great mass of
humanity there is still in JESUS mo beauty
that they should desire Him, and the worst
Of all is that they have not the penetration
to see that it is not His fault but their own.
There is established no arbitrary standard
Of pleasure What affords pleasure to one
may be a burden to another. We sec this in
the varying tastes of men. Some find
pleasure in study and others in business, some
in neither. Some men can see more beauty
and find more pleasure in a pipe and a beer
mug-which are the foulost blots upon our
civilization-than in our holy religion which
is its crowning glory. There are pleasures
in sin-while they last-to the groveling
nature which is foul enough to enjoy them
as well as in that 'fullness of joy" which is
in Goods presence" to the soul which is
capable of discovering it. What we are able
to get out of these things depends altogether
upon what we are able to bring to them.
There must be music in the soul before
musie can charm the ear.
A thing may justly be said to be pleasant
when it is fitted to please And thing
may be eminently adapted to please without
actually pleasing. The hand is adapted to
serve, but many hands are rendered useless
through the laziness of their owners The
eye is fitted for light, but if the lids refuse to
open the landscape has no charms. So re-
ligion is adapted to awaken agreeable sensa-
tions and pleasurable emotions if only men
can be brought into sympathy with its aims
and its ways. There are three ideas involved
in the word which is rendered "pleasantness." >"
The first is that of suitableness, and calls
attention to the adaptation of religion to
satisfy the deepest longings and loftest as.
| pirations Of mans better self. The second is
that of beautfulness, and calls attention to
the gracious influences and exquisite joys of
communion with God which none but twice.
born souls can know. The third is that of
/ fayorableness, and calls attention to the
security with which the children of this
heavenly wisdom may look into the future.
/ If these things be so all the conditions of
/ happiness of the most sublime and enduring
character meet in the pleasant ways and
peaceful paths of our holy religion. And if
the utmost possibilities of holiness and hap
piDess are not realized by the professor OF
religion it is not because of any want Of
adaptation in religion. 1t must be because
of defective assimilation of its principles
or some want Of sympathy with its ways OF
its aims