The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-09-04

In many eases II is slave i" tead OF a
master The power OF passion drcwus It's
voice and weakens 1t by every deliberate
sin. A man believing IN the existence q
no higher authority will driit upon the
current Of his aniiAal nature Tor those ten
denotes which re strongest wall eventuslly
enslave him. No. without a living faith IN
God or a personal union with Him the con-
scieace loses ITS power 10 govern ana guide,
but religion clothes II with exceeding
strength by revealing to man the source OF
those magnificent moral ATTRIBUTES WIN
which he is endowed. thus giving 10 that
"st,ll small voice within the soal an lnh'
mite worth.
There ia not heart but has some con
ception OF a higher lite than l. how ieels.
Every young man and woman at the gate
way of responslbilit'- i fired wlth enthusi'
asm and ambitious with great purpose
which they long 20 accomplish; going on.
into the world they have 10 stem mighty
currents. within ana without. the tenden'
cies of their lower nature and temptations
10 sin clothed with beguiling hnery. Crises
will arrive when the future will b. deter
mired. Moments of dire peril iraGght
with tremendous responsibility. They will
then feel the need OF higher power.
greater strength than their own 10 thwart
the enemy OF rectitude. The ideal ~ pure
manhood and womanhooi shining before
them will appear unattalnably beyond
IL
they safeguard against this dread exper-
fence which has hlehted many promising
Young lives which. unable 10 stand against
the waves OF adversely have sunk helpless
and desnairingy | answer, BY being relg-
ious. Religion alone can give them that
victory which crowns llte, complete IN
Christ. IL places them into direct commu-
nicatiou with God, whose delight Is that
they should become worthy TO share HIS
glory Temptations will surely come, hut
religion gives them a new meaning; they
are but reminders OF the existence OF
Father who ever waits to AID and sustain
and as blessings in disguise they carry
messages of an infinite love for every lndi
vidual soul. proclalmlng that virtue is the
beginning and the end of holiness, the mar
row road TO perfection.
Another wonderful revelation OF religion
asserts that you and | sprang from the
bosom OF the eternal Father That as lie
is eternal we too shall live through endless
aces. created in His image. sustained bv
His snirit our life shall gather unto itself
magnificent growth. Religion sets before
us a destiny whose divine splendor startles
aud overnowers our weak conception OF its
glory. The Word OF God calls into being
an amazing sense of power To think. my
trothe and sister. that through aeons OF
time we shall be adding purity TO purity,
love to love knowledge 10 knowledge.
glory 10 glory. living forever IN the pres
ence of the immortal and infinite God. ris-
ing 10 spiritual planes OF lnconoeNabIe
grandeur and beauty. scaling heights ot
happiness beyond the dream of angels. The
incomprehensible destiny of living sou!
| loyal 10 God and duty hyings our faces 10
| the dust when we consider that this ~ our
| heritage; you and j. with all our weakness,
conquering death and the power OF moral
| evil
In the midst of the trihng follies of the
| ,k L., nf ha IppraDs
OF a thoughtess society, and ,he whirl OF
vapid pleasures, let us keep this thought
| like "A burning fire within the bran-the
thought OF God holiness and heaven.
Brethren. allow the character OF your
heavenly Father as revealed by Jesus
! Christ TO stand before yon as the goal on
all attainment. Religion gives ms an ideal
| and an incentive to reach IT. BY contem'
plating and really loving this excellence IS
| To be insured by IL. The Christian man ~
always conscious of a divine presence. In
every phase of his lie ne marks the guid-
ance OF God He beholds His handiwork
| IN every flower of the field. The hosts OF
shining stars ne they whirl through space
declare His majesty. and in the phenomena
| OF nature he dlscerns a living o~pression ot
| His glory Thus by contemplating and
| adoriug His handiwork IN the natural
| world without and the spiritual world
within. Christian is given grace TO subdue
|
growth. True religion rs not behet IN n
| set of dogmas, or the recitation OF creed,
| or a profession OF faith. these are but the
| accessories of particular attitude toward
truth. but it is Infinitely more than thus
! il is the life giving breath OF the spirit OF
| God which rules. not certain re,auons' but
| all correspondence OF the heart soul and
body with the Creator and with fellow
| men.
Religion is something more than worship
and exalted states of mental happiness.
We cannot in the stress OF competitive
| life ignore the demands OF imperative du-
| ties. or sacrifice the claims OF others on
our consideration for a morbid ascetcism:
| Religion teaches the true performance OF
| little duties, as well a. the cultivation oil
| the souls highest properties IL was never
| intended that we should go into desert
| place and foster our immortal SPIRITS py
meditation and sec.usion. The lesson OF
| the Christ IL one OF practical goodness.
| performing all things, even TO the giving
of glass o. cold water 10 the glory OF God.
| Under these conditions a.onc can we crow
| to perfect manhood and wsmauhood
There is no limitation 20 the exercise OF
! the intellect. yet without a mora! princlple
| to guide and enlighten ITS research, there
| can be no advance in the path OF truth.
MANY OF the greatest thinkers have died
atheists. Religion gives 10 intellect an
| added power OF ANALYSIS and dlscrmlna.
| ton. a medium whereby we discern truth.
! II places the mentality OF man in commu.
| MON with infinite knowledge. Gifted
with the eye of the spirit. the glory OF
God streams upon the page Of history. ana
| every department OF scientific research tes-
| tiies to His perfection and wondrous love:
| The mind OF the most brilliant 'cho,ar VIII
| only see in phenomena natural results.
| Religion alone has power 70 permeate ms
work with magnificent ms. ming. There Is
| n hidden wisdom only revealed 10 the chlld
| of a rev birth" who has mad a special
and individual revelation of the Father.
Religion crowns intellect with deep in
sight into the mysteries OF life. heeatth,
sea and sky the complex organism oil so'
cety. the depths OF human nature, me
| history OF nations. all these things shine
| with a new luster, and food the mind with
profound meaning a blade Of grass oe'
| comes worthy OF study, for the supreme
| Intellect has imprinted on its fragile stem
divine thought and action. In everything
/ we see Cod Under the beneficent infiu-
ence OF His Spirit our faculty OF compre-
| hension is robed with sacredness and gram
| deur. for He calls il forth 10 glorious
| communion and expansion, until one Gay
| IL shall fully understand the love which
now passoth knowledge.
True religion above all things forms an
upright mind; 1t eievates the Judgment
| above prs judice and creates a noble pur.
nose 10 receive knowledge through al le.
! climate channels. IL endows a man with
| sincerity and a quality OF far teaiing
| which no university can teach. IL breaks
/ down :he barriers oi set opinions and de.
! str0vs the bitterness between sects and
/ parties II opens tho heart 20 conviction
and a ready candor IN confess error. The
| intellect was never intended 10 be bound
| a. a.. ruies NJ encomuassed with man-made