The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-03-26

I1kI I1A :
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BY Henry =. Cope.

~ E1euIy = Nopo. |
The path II the just il as a shining
light shining more and more with the
perfect day.-Prov.. w., is.
Either religion Is everything to one
or II Ia nothing SO a good many say.
but the saying means more than they
mean. Ii would be "A pity II the re-
ligion OF forms or OF narrowing phil
osophy became the whole OF ii man $
world. 1t would be a fine thing III the
high motives OF religion pernleated all
things In all worlds.
We have become so accustomed 10
calling certain things and acts sacred
while others we call secular, TO draw
Ing clean lines OF separation between
religion and life that 1t Is exceedingly
difficult for any Of us 10 constantly
make all life mean religion aud TO
make religion meal the whole of life.
Here are our creeds II our
churches. with their customs and &C
t~iyities; these. we say. are religion.
Here are our homes and our occupa-
tons ; they make life. Thus do we sep
arate the essentially inseparable and
confound the tools and products or
things with the things themselves.
The churches are the agencies Of re
ligion, the communal expressions OF the
spiritual life Of peoples the creeds are
their attempts to state their under
standing Of religious experience and to
formulate theories OF the mysteries Of
the higher life. Church and creed are
but tools and expressions OF religion
they neither constitute 1t nor do they
make II.
Religion is not q department or SCI
tion Of the life. 1t is a motive and
method OF living. 1t Is our life In the
consciousness Of its highest values.
You can be Just as truly religious in
making money as In saying II mass I;
you can be just as truly pious in max
ing a pudding as In going to a prayer
meeting.
1t often happens that ones piety is
better expressed In daily commonplace
living and duties than In special eccle-
astical exercises. A church service
or a prayer meeting may be the OPP
posite Of Il holy place, while some
home, where a mother Is too absorbed
In the care Of the children to think Of
church, may glow with a divine glory.
Either God is everywhere or there Is
no God anywhere for US either our re-
liglon operates through, molds, and de-
termines every act and all Of life or is
All empty, formal, and useless burden
to us. The religion you can confine
to a corner Of your life finds its grave
there.
You may measure any faith and you
may test your own By its power TO VI
talize all your life, to permeate and
direct every motive, to make itself felt
your life. Whatever does this for you,
that is your creed and your religion.
No matter what dreams of living
bliss, what mystic pleasures or exalta-
ton may become yours through your
religious devotion. 1t is all a mockery
and delusion unless Its power is such
hat it goes with you on the street,
guides III actions and your bearing
toward your fellows, and translates its
dreams into deeds.
When the religion, or creed, or or
ganiZation. sect. or opinion fills all q
mans mental horizon his heart Il
chilled, an eclipse OF the soul takes
place. But the religion that IS like
a well of water within refreshes AND
cheers him continually.
He only Is religious who Is always
religious, always facing toward thing:
true, seeking the higher and full liz,
for himself and for all, making all hi,
life tell for the best In all life, ant
somehow with his wholesome cheer ant
high faith and idealism, making us be
lieye In goodness. and truth. and Low,