Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-10-11

Eoo lollg aS we continue to Judge re-
iglon by its exceptions, and allow the
weakling, the coward and the hypocrite
to stand as the opponents and samples
of piety, the honest and worthy will
refuse to be identified with them. Men
are not afraid Of religion; they honest
~ desire some faith. But they are
afraid of seeming to be unreal or fos-
tering the false
Religion is simply a mans concep-
ton of what IS highest, noblest and
best. 1t is the summing up and living
out Of his ideals. The religious person
simply is the one who lives by some
thing greater than the rule of thumb,
who has standards. fundamental prin-
ciples, and who sees some vision higher
than things.
Ones faith may have crystalliZed it
self into the person or memory of ideal
persons; 1t may sum up all it's ideals
and excellencies In a being who be-
comes supreme, dominant over charac-
ter, determining by the 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 sees beyond the things
that the beasts see and, 50 seeing, puts
into his life his vision, follows his star
and expresses his ideals-he is relig-
ious 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. He
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.
Here is the great difference between
men, not lines of party or 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
setting of the affections on things
above The religious man lives toward
the best; the irreligious, no matter
what church name he may be, is he
who Is living toward the unworthy.
1t is easy for a man then to test
himself Am l yielding to the good
and the true? Do l honestly seek out
the best and honestly endeavor to real
lie 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.
It cannot be initiated. 1t needs no liv-
erv or label. Within the church or
without it has a aower and an aroma
Of its own. It is a life that no man
can take from you. Living up to 1t
lives forever. Death has no dominion
over it.
One does not have to wait for coun-
ellis or churches to begin this 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
shin with such noble souls To seek
the best. to serve the best, to secure the
best for all neither is difficult nor
doubtful religion.