Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-03-07
THE RELIGIOUS ASSET,
Shristianity Furnishes the Resource
That Makes for the Most and
the Beat Things.

It is one of the judgments Of history.
which will be least challenged, that the
most fertile asset which a man can
have, the personal resource which
makes for the most things and makes
In them for good, is the resource of a
personal religious faith and life. It
supplies for one thing a sufficient and a
permanent motive for every appropri-
ste activity in which a right-minded
nan can engage. 1t is not an acct
lent, that historically the most reli-
gious nations and in later centuries
the distinctively Christian nations,
have outstripped the rest in power,
prosperity and strength and in the ru-
lership of the world. 1t is not without
similar significance that the Chris
tian manhood of the land holds so con-
spicuous place in the government of
the nation, especially in it's large and
worldwide aspect. Religion supplies
the only sufficient motive to produce
the needful sacrifice and INDUSTRY and
attention to detail which are the alb
solute requisites of an effective life.
gious nations, and in later centuries
Men undertake under the influence of
the religious motive what they would
not dare or care TO attempt under any
other.
Religion, moreover, as q personal
resource for an effective career sup
plies the factors of restraint and cor
rection which are necessary to all
growth and stability of life. It's moral
restraint prevents the increment of
falsehood, and hence decay in the pow
ers of discrimination and clearness of
vision. Its spiritual uplift maintains
reserve for the hours of depression
and seeming failure and gives recuper-
alton and hope when the visual aspects
OF the case are dishearte ming and bar
rem The human mind needs nothing
more in its moments Of victory than a
restraining power which scrutinizes
every act and passes judgment on
every motive that seeks to employ the
energies of the heart and mind. In a
similar way, when the burdens and the
heaviness of failure or possible fail
nre lie upon the mind, nothing has ever
appeared in the history of man for re-
euperative power like the belief that
God lives for men and that through
failure He can and does guide them
to success and power.
In Christianity these motives, which
are inherent in the nature of all reli-
gion, are made concrete through the
personality of Jesus Christ. Here we
BEE a life utilizing all its powers at
the same moment. Here we see the
motives which we call religious, en-
bodying sacrifice, self-forge tfulness
and obedience to the higher will pro-
ducing singular, exceptional and
weIl-poised life which has been from
His day to ours the wonder of man.
Here is unselfishness producing the
most magnificent selfhood the world
knows. Here is a personality ap-
Pearing in an obscure corner of for
gotten and lost empire centuries ago.
filling the whole world with hope and
ambition because it supplies all the
needful concrete illustrations of per-
feet life in all relations. The study of
such a model, the mastery of the mo-
tive that governed it, the patient
imitation of it, are among the most
powerful resources which a man can
weave into the organization of his
life. AS knowledge of the Bible is
the most useful knowledge in the
world, so the personality of Christ is
the most fertile and productive re-
source which man can bring into his
hfe---A. A. Berle, in Chicago Stand
ard.