Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-10-11

sImnIy Is the ono who lives by some.
thing greater than the rule OF thumb.
who has. standards, fundamental prin1
ciples, and who sees some vision higher
than things.
Ones faith may have crystallized it.
self into the person or memory of ideal
persons; it may sum up all its ideals
and excellencies III a being who be-
ome supreme, dominant over charac-
ter, determining by he beauty and
power of the ideal the life of the wor.
shipper.
With others it may be the ideals and
impressions, the hopes and visions, are
lacking in form or personality; they
are simple principles of living. Relig-
ion becomes with such the recognition
of a higher law, not given from with
out, but springing up within; not writ
ten on tables of stone, but clear cut
in glowing visions of the beauty of
ideal character.
On the one side, in religion are the
impressions made on the mind and, con-
science by these conceptions OF the
| ideal; on the other will be the express
sion of these IN conduct, in definite
acts. in daily living. On one side as
piration, on the other plain morals. /
Whoever thus welcomes the higher
visions, whoever secs beyond the things
that the beasts see. and, so seeing. puts
into his life his vision, follows his star.
and expresses his ideals-he is a relig-
lous man, He may belong to no formal
institution. but he has Joined the broth
erhood of those who are living up and
therefore lifting up.
The religious man yields himself to
the light and leading of the best he
knows; he is true to his best self. lie
is not afraid to obey conscience. He
is only afraid of losing light by refus-
ing to obey it. He develops into full
ness of life because he lives to the full
the life he has. ,@ w.r...
Here is the great difference between
men, not lines of party OF lines Of
creed. but obedience to the heavenly
vision. The open heart, the will that
responds to the call from above, the de
sire to live up rather than down, the
SctlIlS VI lHC aISNIlSho VIZ Ing,
above. The religious man lives toBard
the best; the i~rreligious. no matter
what church name he nay be, is he
who is living toward the unworthy.
1t is easy for a man then to test
himself. Am I yielding to the good
and the true? Do I honestly seek out
the best and honestly endeavor to real
ize it? 1t is easy for us all to pick
out the religious man. He is known
by his fruits; if his roots strike down
into eternal good his fruit will not be
bad. but will be full of blessing.
You can't hide that Kind of religion
and you do not have to advertise it.
1t cannot be initiated. 1t needs M liv-
cry or label. Within the church or
| without it has a power and an aroma
| Of its own. 1t is q life that no man
can take from you. Living up to it
lives forever. Death has no dominion
over it.
One does not have to wait for coun-
ellis or churches to begin his religious
life. Let him move out toward all
things good and true and pure and
lovely. If to him the thought of God
moves to goodness, if to him the fact
of the ideal life of the man of Naz-
areth is an inspiration to live the life
above the clay, let him seek fellow
the best, to serve the best, to secure the
best for all neither is a difficult nor a
doubtful religion.