The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-07-25
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following remark during a heated
debate: Religion is one thing and
creed is another; but, 1 want to tell
my Christian friends that they will
find more creeds in hades than they
will find heathen in Christendom."
No one challenged his assertion for the
simple reason that no one cared to
question his own belief. With such
bitter internal dissensions continually
being waged among the religious creeds
of the universe, it is but natural that
religion should become every mans
hobby, to do with as he sees best to his
personal advantage.
Let us investigate this every-man's
religion and apply it to ourselves.
Let us presume that the individual is
morally sound, that nothing bothers
him or causes anxiety to his soul; he
cares nothing for creed, but never
grows disrespectfuI to those who
believe in its ethics; his main object in
life is to get as much good out of it as
he can, to help those less fortunate
than himself, to build up a character
that shall rebound to his glory, to gain
the confidence of his brothers and
business associates by honest dealing
and moral suasion, to treat all men
with impartial justice and, above all,
to rule his home with the love of
fidelity and constancy of heart, to keep
pure from the seeds of vice regardless
of environment. That, then, is his
religion, his mind is serene. If he can
manage to carry out that code to the
best of his ability, he will find he lived
nearer the ideal than all the creed
zealots in Christendom, and the chances
are he will die long time after his
creedish brother. To him, industry
was and is applied religion. We have
nothing to fear but our folly If our
folly leads us from the paths of
rectitude and our conscience has not
altogether deserted us, it should
behoove us to acknowledge our folly
and thereby gain the respect and con-
tldence we have forfeited Yesterdays
failure should guide us toward today's
success.
The best example of applied religion
that ever came under the writer's notice
was that of Reuben R. Springer, a
millionaire philanthropist of Gin
cinnati, O. When quite young man
an incident happened before his home
that changed his whole life. 1t seems
bishop had just left him after re-
ceiving check for a large sum of
money to be used in foreign missionary
work among the heather. Going to
his window he saw street waif slyly
pick ap an orange peeling that he
himself had but few moments before
thrown away and eat it. Rushing out
to the boy he took the peeling from
him and tenderly carried him into his
home. Mindful of the check he gave
the bishop, he ordered his cab and
drove to the bank and told the cashier
not to honor that check when it was
presented. Reuben r. Springer re-
nounced creed that very DAY, became
the most liberal-minded and open
hearted man Cincinnati ever hOnored.
He died in active harness., and no
citizen ever drew to his bier greater
number of sincere mOurners than did
this loyal, patriotic, self-sacrificing old
man. Creeds that fought and cursed
him, now fought amongst themselves
for the honor of burying him. He
died as he had sworn to live; in honor
and the architect of his own heavenly
mansion. He drew his fruit from the
trees of happiness he had planted in
the hearts of his poorer neighbors. He
carried out his religion by applied
deeds and lived up to it himself. The
pessimist is more apt to live in the fog
than sunshine and so it is with religion,
for unless we apply it to ourself first
and then strive to live within its at
mOsphere, we are more apt to find at
the end that we lived in dense fog.
If all creeds are right, then religion is
wrong; but, if the theory of religion is
right, then surely few creeds must be
wrong.
eff little birds in their nests agree,
why in the deuce can't creeds agree ?"
An honest, homemade religion will
do more for mankind than all the
theological conclusions the human
mind is capable Of; all that it needs is
a little self-sacrifice and a broad mind.
JULIUS.