Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-09-01
WHAT IS TRUE RELlGloNt

Whom brought to You 1t Shed. IA I.urid
Light Across Your Path.
1t is not time to lose faith In tho
veritios of religion. 1t Is not n time
to doubt that God Is in the world rul-
Ing the nations. and preparing them
for tho acceptance OF n religion whose
foundations were laid once and for nll
time. Religion never had greater re-
suits to show; religion never had more
beautiful characters to Illustrate the
saving and purifying power OF the Cos
pei; religion never produced IL broader
and more philanthropic spirit; II never
commanded the loving assent and the
anxious endcavors OF so many people
THAT which has done 30 much In the
long centuries of the past, is doing SO
much in the enlightened present, and
has so largo and prosperous an out
look, must rest on an enduring basis.
1t must be tho word OF tho Lord en-
dureth forever"
But as long as you arc looking upon
religion as q series OF precepts which
you feel you ought to oboy, the moro
Will you feel n reluctance to have any
thing to do with It; when II Is brought
10 you you will feel that II sheds rnth-
or lurld light across your path you
VIII fight against II. AS long as that
Ia tho case. you have not entered into
the spirit OF Christ. you have not un-
derstood tho power OF an indlssoluble
life. When you look ut what real rellg-
Ion Is, you see 1t should be a living
| + In h,l,
All that He does is simply the out
como OF what His very nature Ia. Tho
lifo Is within Him and Ho lives accord
Ing to 1t. 1t Is His Joy to do tho Faith
ers will. He applies Himself for the
wcll-belng OF mankind. The very vir-
suro of the sacrifice OF Christ lay In
this, that 1t Ia by His will that He Of
ters Himself unto God, IL is tho love in
It. tho Willingness In 1t. And this Is
what religion ought to be-a Joy; 1t
ought to DO our nature; 1t ought to be
our freedom, n delight to us. If you
say "Oh some day | will turn over n
new leaf. will bring my life in har-
mony with the Decalogue. and begin to
act In tho way in which the minister
says 1 ought to act, according to tho
procepts OF the Ten Commandments"
as long as that sort OF spirit exists,
you look through n dim glass, you do
not see the real Significance OF faith
and religion.
] Religion Is life. and ought to work
out from you as n life, and therefore
should be your very nature.
Tho religion of the Bible is q posi-
tive religion. 1t deals with certaInties.
It tells what Is, and what shall be. 1t
rests upon fixed and definite princi-
pies. 1t has to do with what is true.
It has an undertaking standard Of
right. 1t prescribes rules of conduct
As well as articles of faith. II has a
promise for "the life that now Is and
that which is to come" 1t proclaims q
God. and sets forth with clearness His
character, His will, His requirements,
His promises, His curses and His bless-
ings. 1t presents the nature OF sin and
It's consequences. 1t insists on a per-
sonal holiness, and pictures the result
ant benefit. 1t provides Il Saviour for
sinners, and requires faith in Him In
order to the enjoyment OF His redemp-
lion.
II tells of His person, life. death and
work. 1t reveals the Holy spirit and
Inc offices which He performs: 1t dis
closes n Heaven to be won, and hell
to be Stunned.
In 1t there Is a divine will to be fol-
lowed-a revelation to be received and
needed. He who accepts it In It's en-
.irety is assured and responsive. He
mas faith which prompts Him to ac-
lion.
He has love which gathers about a
living Lord and Redeemer. Ho has a
cause to uphold, and work to engage
His sympathies and activities. He has
l hope which rises above the present
and revels in the future. He is ever
On the move, and presses towards the
realization Of His expectations.
He has a sure guide in life, a firm
support in death, and a guaranteed re.
Ward In eternity. The Christian re-
iigion. rightly and fully apprehended,
, never falls to develop positive charac-
ter.
Adelaide May Thompson.
Stepping-Stones.
The little worries that we meet each
day
May lie as stumbllng-blocks across our