The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-09
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Religion is not a mood, but a life;
not a seasonal observance, but con-
tinuaI practice.
A person is not more Christian in
his character than he Is in his con-
duct when engaged in the humdrum
pursuits of every day. The man who
shouts at the Sunday services, and yet
shows never a sign of religion in the
workshop; and the young person who
IL glib in Christian Endeavor meeting,
but silent when the recreation that is
going forward gives opportunity for
q quiet. modest witness-bearing to his
faith. are both lacking in primary
conception of the real nature of re-
ligion.
The robe of righteousness is
workaday clothes.
The accepted Example of all Chris
tians expressed his life passion when
he said, 81 must work" Scorn of ig-
noble ease burned intensely within
him. He gave himself unstintingly to
arduous days and laborious nights.
WEAKNESS could not master him. He
held 1t ever subordinate to what he
deemed his work. A sense of the Sc
to press upon the consciousness of
Jesus Life, for him, was an oppor
tunity to express the mind of God
by his work In the world
Somebody has written a morning
counterpart for the child's evening
prayer, Now 1 lay me down to
sleep" This one seeks to express the
sandtity of ones own work, Its in
herent Righteousness:
Now I get me up to work,
1 pray the Lord I may not shirk;
And II die before the night.
pray the Lord my works all right"
Only the rare man or woman can
write an uplifting poem. The gift
of painting an inspiring picture is CIV
en- to few. The persons who can
preach great, soul-moving, life-lifting
sermons are not numerous Ihese
common lot. The everyday Christian
must express his religion, II at all, in
one of two ways; by his regular work
or by his social relationship. This
makes work sacred. 1t is mans way
of making known the best that God
has revealed to him. What man is
his work shows. Therefore shirked
work, half done work. shoddy work,
inferior work, is irreligious. There is
a sort of impiety about poor work
manship. The sanctity Of labor is
what has made Christian nations eff
ficient, and the best Christian usually
is the best workman. For mans
work Is his way OF showing forth the
glory Of God.
The way we do work now Is our
apprenticeship to that eternal service
wherein "Iis servants shall serve
him."
7 said. LET me walk in the fields.
He said. "No. walk in the town.
I said, "There are no flowers there.
He said, mo flowers, but a crown
7 said. "But the skies are black;
There Ia nothing but noise and DIN.
And he went as he sent me back;
.srhere is more" he said, there is
SIM"
said. but the air is thick.
And foes are yelling the sum-.
ua answered, "Yet hearts are sick.
And souls in the dark undone.
said. "'I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me they say.
III am to miss you, or they.
I pleaded for time to be given:
He said. els it hard to decide!
1t will not seem hard IN heaven
To have followed the steps OF your
George Macdonald.
Good times are not the right of bad
neonle. Joy is supremely the pos
session of those who are at peace
with this world and the next
little boy had Joined church
shortly afterward, before Sunday
school one day. out of sheer exuper-
ance Of life, he was rolling down
sa~d An older boy came by, and
with a sheer that cut, said, You're
pretty sort of church member, you
aret" The lad was deeply ashamed,
incident for he had not thought of
bringing dishonor upon the Lord
whom he loved. Later. he realized
that the youth who sneered was
wrong; that the up-welling and over
bubbiing Joy of life are peculiarly the
privilege of the Christian. A Chris
tian boy less than other boys should
be a staid and solemn image The
best that life affords, of any kind OF
pleasure which does not leave an ar
privilege of the Christian. Nobody
else has so great a right to happiness
as he.
Recently, in sermon, the cele-
brated preacher-author. Ralph Con-
nor" raised the vital question, why
is it that Christians go over to the
world for their good times?" There
fs a large measure of truth in the
contention that many Christians seek
their pleasures in peculiarly worldly
WAYS. A grave incident against the
twentieth century church is that she
has abdicated her right to large
range of legitimate pleasures. What
is the church offering as substitute
FOR the amusements which she rightly
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