Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-02-11

her testimony and theirs accorded with
my reason-I could not be an agnostic.
THE RELIGIOUS ASSET.
BY Rev. 4. 4. BerIe.
1t is one of the Judgments of history
which viii be least challenged that the
most fertile asset which 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. 1t
supplies for one thing sufficient and
permanent motive for every appropri-
ate activity in which a right-minded
man can engage. 1t is not an accident,
that historically the most religious ma
tons and in later centuries the dis
tinctiyely Christian nations have out
stripped the rest in power. prosperity
land strength and in the rulership Of the
world. 1t is not without a similar sig
nificance that the Christian manhood
of the land holds so conspicuous place
in the government of the nation. espe-
cially in it's large and worldwide as
pect. Religion supplies the only suffl-
cient motive to produce the needful
sacrifice and industry and attention to
detail which are the absolute requisites
of an effective life. Men undertake I'M
der the influence of the religious mo-
tive what they would not dare or care
to attempt under any other.
Religion, moreover, as a personal re-
source for an effective career supplies
the factors of restraint ana correction
which are necessary to all growth and
stability of life. It's coral restraint
prevents the increment of falsehood
and hence decay in the powers of dis
elimination and clearnesS of vision. Its
spiritual uplift maintains i reserve for
the hours of depression and seeming
failure and gives recuperation and
hope when the visual aspects of the
case are disheartening and barren. The
human mind needs nothing more in its
moments of victory like restraining
power which scrutinizes every act and
passes judgment on every motive thai
seeks re- employ the energies OF the
heart and mind. In a similar way,
when the burdens and the hea vircss of
failure or possible failure lie upon the
mind, nothing has ever appeared in the
history of man for recuperative 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 relig-
ion, are made concrete through the per-
sonality of Jesus Christ. Here We see
life utilizing all its powers at the
same moment. Here we see the motives
which we call religious, embodying sac
rifice, self-forgetfulness and obedience
to the higher Hill producing a singular,
exceptional and well-poised life which
/ has been from his day to ours the won
der of mar. Here is unseltishness pro-
ducing the most magnificent selfhood
| the world knows. Here is a personal
! ity appearing in an obscure corner of
forgotten and lost empire centuries
ago, filling the whole world with hope
and ambition because it supplies all the
needful concrete illustrations of a Der
feet life in all relations. The study of
such model, the mastery of the mo
tive that governed it. the patient imi-
tation of it, are among the most pow
erful resources which man can
weave into the organiza ton of his life.
As knowledge of the Bible is the most
useful knowledge in the world, so the
personality of Christ is the most fer
tile and productive resource which
man can bring into his life.