Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-03-11
The Test Of Religion.

9 snail know Them by Gnelr 1rulGS. Mat
thew, VIII i6
Considering religion merely as force
one of the factors in the human life,
do for man? If you can accomplish
then it is matter of Indifference
whether you have it or not. If, on the
contrary, it is an absolute necessity to
one who is ambitious for the noblest
achievements, then its value cannot be
estimated. +. -
Let us understand each other at the
start, that there may be no chance for
controversy. do not refer to theology
which, is a system of thought formulate
ed by scholarship for our convenience,
but which often produces the greatest
spiritual embarrassment. Doctrine and
religion are two different things, be-
cause one may have doctrine with out
religion, and the great majority have
religion without doctrine. l refer not
to theology, therefore, but to those
simple principles which W ere taught to
the multitude on the hillsides of Judea
and on the glistening shore of Galilee
love of God and man and faith that
flies past the open grave into another
world.
And would put these principles to
the same test that would apply to any
mechanical energy. With entire rever-
ence l would compare faith as a spir-
itual force with electricity and steam
as natural forces. If electricity can do
something which we need to have done
then we want it; if it cannot, then we
do not want it. To that test 1 would
put religion, and say without hesitation
that it's worth to US depends on what it
can do for us.
Suppose | had a magician's power
and could take away from the ordinary
man his selfishness and put love in it's
place; could eliminate his sensuality
and give him pure heart and chiv
alrous nature; could destroy, with a
word OF command, all his doubts of a
future life and substitute the certainty
OF immortality-a certainty as clear as
crystal-in word, could so saturate
him, as it were, with the spirit of the
Christ that it would percolates every
part of his being and become the con
trolling influence in his character
should Edo him a service or an injury?
Would he be higher or a lower type
of man?
Even with the merely homeopathic
taste of true religion which it is our
custom to indulge in we do take rather
q bright and cheerful view of life The
man with strong belief does more for
himself and the world than the man
with strong doubt. There are emer-
gencies daily arising when we would
give all we possess for the power to re
sist and overcome temptation, or for
the ability to say goodby to dear one
with firm assurance that the parting
is only for a time These facts are an
Incompatible tribute to the efficiency
of what religion teaches. 1t is a more
eloquent eulOgy than human lips ever
uttered.
There is not in the soul of man any
longing SO profound, SO intense, so ca
ger as the longing for eternal life. 1t
is painfully urgent, for the impression
prevails that to day is nothing without
a tomorrow. You cannot give one a
deeper wound than to convince him
that the requirements of religion are
not binding and are not followed by
blessing, for what adds to your faith
adds to your strength, and what dis
slpates your faith Increases your weak
ness.
1t is as true, then, that religion is
beneficial as that electricity is of ser
vice to the community. Judge the two
by precisely the same standard and you
will reach precisely the same conclu
sion-namely, that once having enjoy
ed the benefits of electricity we cannot
dispense with them, and hav-
ing noted the effect produced by relig
lon on character we cannot get on with
out it The test in both cases is per
fectly fair one, and that kind of reIig
Ion which will not stand the test is not
worth having.
Put side by side two men, a sceptic |
and believer. How different the way
in which they face both life and death! |
They shall both be good men, richly |
endowed by nature and governing
themselves by high sense of honor.
Their daily lives shall be equally above
and they shall be equally es-
'eemed for public spirit and private
virtue.
Still what difference in those secret
places where character is formed and
rope and good cheer are born! The
me surveys his life and finds that he
las only few years; the other has a
Whole eternity. A short career and then
darkness, a little day and then long
light-can this belief campare in prac
zeal value, in the production of mo
ives, with the belief that God is above
Is and that impartality awaits our
oming? Is it possible for an ideal
ceptic to be as large as an ideal Chris
ian?
Religion in it's divine simplicity is !,
Ike lantern lighted, and doubt is like
lantern with no flame inside. With |
ne Sermon on the Mount in your soul
and it is all you need-you are like I
eed which, properly planted, breaks
ITO life, grows in sunshine and storm,
nd becomes tree that bears golden /!
uit. With God you may do great i
lings, but alone you will soon become t
iscouraged. a
GEORGE H. HEPWORTH. o
Let parents not live for their chill b
zen, but with them.n The mother Il