The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-20

heat and labor OF the harest only to have
his barns burned and to be deprived OF
the enjoyment OF his labor. For religion
and soa no se s'f before n men be en des s
or self-realization, the only true ideal. He
no longer obeys the moral law as an irk-
Paul said he is freed from the letters OF
the law The law then is opeyed as a
means 10 an end. The end is everything,
the law I'm itself Is nothing.
TRUE GROUND OF MORALITY.
Thus religion furnishes the only true
ground for morality To obey the moral
for fear He will punish you II you don't
Is not morality or religion. But 10 ae.
eeept ones GENERALIZATION as the end OF
Ire and obey the commandments neces-
sary TO realize this Is TO be both moral
and religious.
thoughts suggest have been pointed out
as we have gone along; But there are
lessons that may be applied 10 the church
@ent ws0s of OUR mss saf G:s efs the to
ity. To morality. too, that savors OF
the religion OF Jesus Christ. IT Is infused
are recognizing their mutual dependence;
They are, binding themselves INTO great
organizations The great secret soeie-
ties, the splendid organizations for char
ity, the binding OF men together in labor
unions. movements that lie outside or
the church. are at heart moral move
The compexity OF our modern life de-
mands temperance and sobriety. The
business world enfuses honesty and IN
last word and still It may be said with
Browning, as one observes the stimulus
and the practice OF morality. that 600
How much OF this moral strength lies
outside Of the church we are al on- con-
near II is to the kingdom Of God the
teaching OF Jesus witnesses Here Is tne
church, great opportunity b,wfsu II wns, mSe we
rality and religion be true.
But let us make no mistake , ao2ut tn,s ms
day Is thoroughly rational. IL calls tor
no faith in legend or mytholosy ~ oogs
not call poetry, prose p or myth I'M history ta ans.
guise its Juggling with facts.
THE ONLY REL. .IGIoN.
The. only religion that can win this
! mean a religion that is honest and ra-
tional. A rational religion Is religion
that appeals to the whole Ss nJes man his Will Viii
and oonvinces his mind. Such a religion
! believe to be the religion Of Jesus
Christ That the ia Chnstiaan ,n rshslon ths gress AZ
per cent OF churches today is such q re-
ligion / do not believe any man can nom
eStly anlrm.
But there is hope. The times are chang
ing. Another generation will enter INTO
a new world of religious thought Inc
past has been shaken TO It's founda,ion
and out of the superstition and ignorance
of that past will come forth once again
the Christ who was and shall be me
image OF an IDEAL manhood. To Him
again freed from the shackles with which
the ages have bound Him, knees snail
bow and lips proclaim Him God.
For myself l ask no greater reward
than to live TO see that day when the
pulpit shall be freed from Its dogmausm
and the pew from Its prejudice. when
men shall preach the truth with courage
and conviction and men shall hear the
truth with JOY ard gladness. -,
Such n ministry and such church VIII
draw TO itself the strong and noble man
hood of the land. The gulf will then be
healed in practice as II is now healed IN
theory between morality and religion, and
not only will men who are moral become
religious. but men who now believe them-
selves religious will finally become moral