Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-03-09
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THE PROFIT OF PIETY.
BY Rev. Henry f. Cope


mans great adversary. 1t is a most
natural one from the satanic point of
view, where selfish gain is the only
admissible explanation Of any action,
where the sole question is, will it pay?
and where personal advantage is the
only known standard of ethics. 1t is
not strange that the ledger view Of
life looks on religion as possibly prof
table business venture, side line TO
be carried for what there is in it.
The accusation in the question is
trite enough to-day; but it only per-
sists because Of the truth In 1t. The
Christian soldier who lives for the loot
keeps alive this sneer at religion. A
mans testimony in prayer meeting is
often only an economical method Of
advertising his sugar or his dry goods.
Many a man is serving God with an
eye single to the good of his trade,
while to others piety is but profess
sional pull To yet others religion is
performance to be regarded as one
of the penalties paid to social conven-
ton.
More dangerous because more sub
tie is the error Of those who look on
pious practices as means of placat-
ing the wrath Of the deity, who hope
to buy passports to heaven by prayer
meeting pretenses ON earth. Acts Of
worship are to them things devoid Of
delight which they dare not forego
for fear of future pains. If heaven
could be earned this way they would
certainly deserve it.
But the hypOcrites deceive no one.
Their pretenses are too palable. They
alone are satified with themselves.
Pity for profit alone is almost its own
sufficient punishment. Who can help
pitying the masqueraders who toll so
hard to produce no impression. Meth
er heaven nor earth takes any stock
in them. Their mummery has no more
to do with religion than charity balls
have to do with beneficence. 1t neither
pays as business nor as religion.
In spite Of all pretenders, who are
after all relatively few in number, re-
ligion Is a reality in the life Of man
and the question, does religion pay?
deserves a fair answer. Life has no
place for that which does not pay.
Neither superstition nor sentiment can
sanction the waste of life on useless
ends. Taking the souls infinite stand
ard Of values all things must come to
the test of their service the profit to
mankind.
The profit of piety can never be ex-
pressed in cash; it is personal, a mat
ter of the soul. A man serves God
for the satisfaction secured; not for
dissatisfaction, but because deep
within him he feels his need Of the di-
vine, of one who can satisfy his thirst
for good, who can surpases his high
est aspirations, who can constantly
tone up his life and lead him to things
better than himself.
Friendship is not without its fruits;
yet the true friend does not figure on
them. He who unselfishly seeks an
other soul, who delights in his service,
and counts all sacrifice as joy, finds
rewards such as the cunning of selfish
ness could never extract. So Is 1t with
the service of the Most High. The
soul of man seeks after the soul of
all; religion is service for this supreme
friend; worship the communion with
him, work the doing of things that
please him; who shall measure the
profit Of such love, or what shall a
man give in exchange for its Joy and
peace2
The souls need of God, the need of
the sources Of our lives for the source
Of all life. the need of the inner spirit
of man for touch with the great spirit
of all is as real. as definite, and as
steadily assertive as the need of the
body for food. There are men so busy
making money that they think they
have no time even to eat; but their
folly Is as wisdom compared to tha
of those who think it does not pay tc
take time to feed the inner life, the
eternal man.
Nor can a man estimate the profit
,, of religion by his own soul possessions
, alone. Wherever even two or three
lift up their eyes and hearts to noblel
things the whole race Is raised Tn,
. worship of the things that are worthy
: makes the whole world more worthy
: The profit of one mans faith becomes
common possession, and the mos
goddess share the benefits of the godl!
!, life.
The daily search for God is th'
, tuning of the whole life closer to thu
= music of the infinite; the harmony