The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-06-08

| continually burning uponsthe altar of
their hearts, which has commanded
them to seek, and they have sought and
| found.
| Unthinking teachers and parents
often ridicule the day dreams, the cas-
tle-building of childhood, when if they
but knew these are but the abortive
children Of undeveloped life. Tho
promise of merchant prince, the en-
bryo soldier or statesman, the intelli-
gent farmer of the future are plainly
seen in the pleasure and pastimes Of
childhood.
have made general statements which
believe we will all recognize as true
as applied to certain ways of life, but
we are especially concerned tonight in
that part of life which is so often neg
lected, yea even despised. So many of
us are content to view the shield of life
from but one side and more than ready
to contend that there is but one side.
| would not have you forget that our
feet must trod upon the humble earth,
but would have you to know the Joy of
the spirits life with God. You cannot
afford, neither for this life nor in the
life to come, to neglect so great saliva
tion. Religion is not an after-thought
in life, an excrescent. 1t is not merely
tool of designing deceivers. Often.
blasphemed and ridiculed, it stands
today the richest blessing of mankind.
! Every soul has the problem of the
ages to solve. What benefit have l re-
ceived from the learned of the past, i'll
AM uninterested in life? Would l know
the source and purpose of life? Do l
desire to live so as to derive the great
est good? Am ! interested in the great
question of immortality? These and
similar problems are intricately related
to religion as we know it. Is it unim-
portant? 1t should be the center of
interest in all life. You are before me,
this evening, as learners AS students
who are seeking to know the truth. l
ask your earnest consideration of these
thoughts.
The first fact to which / would call
your attention is the universally Of
religion. John Fiske, the historian and
scientist, has said: "In my little book,
Through Nature to God,' l called atten-
tion to the fact that belief in an Unseen
World, especially associated with the
moral significance of life, was coeval
with the genesis of man, and had played
a predominating part in his develop
ment ever since, and l argued that
under such circumstances the belief
must be based upon an eternal reality,
since contrary supposition is negativ-
ed by all that we know Of the habits
and methods of the cosmic process of
Evolution" This does not mean to say
that every form of religion is true. We
find the basis of every religion, whether
!, false or true, to be founded on the fact
of mans dependence upon Spiritual
Power, outside of self. The fact is
{ there to be reckoned with. The story Of
, Columbus instructing the superstitious
|, natives concerning the dragon swallow
; ing the sun is a.scase at point. The
dragon was myth but the eclipse a
fact.
1t cannot be denied that belief in
: Immortality is especially adapted to
( the nature Of man. The psalmist has
: expressed it in these words: "As the
: hart panteth after the water brooks, SO
my soul panteth after thee, o Cod"
Again it is written: Il shall be satis-
= fed when l awake in thy likeness"
j And is this not true?
q With the Apostle Peter we are con-
e scious of being made partakers of the
4 Divine nature, for only in the Divine is
: the human satisfied. What does it take
n to satisfy? Wealth? Behold, we tear
Y down and build larger granaries.
d Power? 1t brings responsibility worry,
! and but little comfort. Wisdom? That
e which you do not know is always great
S er than that you know. This is true in
$ spite of our egotism. Will pleasure
/ satisfy? She is a tickle goddess, promis-
}: ing felicity, but giving sorrow. would
d rather heed the words of Him who suf-
fered, yet was full Of joy. These
S things have / spoken unto you, that my
d joy may be in you and that your joy
e may be made full
d have spoken OF religion in general
way. l believe that the concensus of
d opinion will agree that the highest form
h of all religion is the Christian. No
n where else do we obtain such ideal of
i character or clearness of spiritual yis-
ion.
It Peter often expresses to the Master
= the inmost thought of all the disciples,
II and none more true than when in reply
a to Jesus pathetic question, "And will
j you also go away?" he said: 'sAnd to
q whom shall we go, thou alone hast the
= words of eternal life?"
In studying the cause of Christianity
l. we must come to one of two conclusions
either that the Christian faith made
Christ, or that Christ made the Chris
tian faith. We must believe that Jesus
was but of human stature, and that his
disciples created the ideal character of
4, the New Testament, or we must accept
- the evident meaning of the written
record, that in Jesus was the Divine,
e. revealing himself unto the World of
Men.
The fact of Christianity and of the
Christ is evident, it remains for you to
ce decide which is the cause and which is
q the effect. The Bible becomes but a
book of inconsistencies with the accep-
tance of the first theory. A number Of
independent writers covering a long
period of time, under varying conditions
! bring all the testimony to bear upon one
"e grand character with the holiest mis-
sion in heaven or on earJh--n not hesita-
= = ting to bear false testimony, laying the
- foundation of Christ's purity and spirit
: uality in deception, themselves lifted
- - from groveling men of the earth into
= heroic martyrs of their fictitious faith
y. You have believed a miracle hnt ono