The Universalist., 1897-07-24
ONE RELIGION ONLY"
BY REV. MARION cRosLEY.

on the subject, There is but One
Religion" as it appeared in The UNI
vERsALIsT of July 3rd, has set my
thoughts to work somewhat in the
following fashion:
1t is, indeed, true that there is but
one "pure and undefiled religion,
while there are great many re-
ligions in form and even in spirit.
There are also certain striking re-
semblances among the religions of
the world from the fact that our hui
manity is the same everywhere.
Bro. Gorton misses the mark in
my estimation when he assumes that
"creed or dogma, whether true or
false, is not religion, nor is it any
part of it," venture the affirmation
that there can be no such thing as
religion without a creed. There can
not be even the form of religion with
out form of belief. A religion, true
or false, grows out of what is be-
lieved. An erroneous belief leads to
false religion, while a true belief
tends to pure and holy religion.
What man believes is leading
feature in his religion. 1t is forever
true that as man thinketh, believes,
in his heart, so is he.
Belief is the foundation, the start
ing point in the growth of the soul.
We might as we'll declare and say
that the roots of tree are no part of
the tree, or that the foundation is no
part of the house, as to affirm that
belief is no part cf a mans religion.
We cannot have the trunk or branches
without tie roots, and the fruit is by
no means possible without roots,
trunk and branches. A house can
not be of service TO live in without
safe and sure foundation. What we
call religion is the product or fruitage
of what is believed. A tree is known
by the fruit it bears. A man is
known By the life he lives. The
fruit of the tree partakes of the ma
ture and quality of the roots, trunk
and branches, and house assumes
in its process of building, size and
form in accordance with the founda-
ton.
And it is we'll to keep in mind the
fact that there is never a time when
roots and foundations can be dis
pensed with. A tree needs its roots
just as much while bearing fruit as
while growing to the fruit bearing
period. A house cannot dispense
with its foundation after it is occu-
pied any more than a man can dis
pense with his creed or ignore his
creed after he begins to live we'll
ordered life. If our beliefs have no
connection with the higher modes of
life what great big fools we have all
been since we have had under consid-
Grafton the revision of our Winchester
Profession of Faith. Why discuss mat
ters of belief at all? Let us give up
our opinions, stiae our convictions,
put out the fires, and say to the ma
chinery of thought, be still. We can
get along without taxing our brains
to get at the truth. If we give up
our principles and declare that belief
is humbug, where should we go,
for it is the words of truth that Civ
eth life to the spirit in man. l can
see no way of doing if we abandon
our beliefs except that we take wings
and fly away into some far away cor
ner of the universe where there is
nothing to do but to be forever at
rest. If we suppress our convictions
and put an end to all forms of belief
stagnation will set in and death will
soon follow. If we become creed
less sect we shall, to say the least,
live at poor dying rate.
In connection with the greatest of all
the commandments we are enjoined
to love God with all the mind as we'll
as with all the heart, and how can we
love with the mind except as we do
some thinking, and how can we think
to any advantage without formula
ting belief, or constructing creed.
Our religion, whatever it may be,
must partake of what we have both
in our heads and our hearts. We live
essentially as we think and feel.
cannot go to church and worship
God only as l believe in God. 1
must formulate a creed concerning
God or else my worship will be nom
productive CT good. | cannot visit
and help my fellowman to any ad-
vantage to either party unless l be-
lieve in the great common brother
hood of the race of man. If love
God and serve him as ought l must