The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-10-05
By REV. d. J. QUILI.AN

| nor poverty barter them away. Know
ledge can only confirm them. and any
| philosophy that would set them aside
is a betrayal or reason itself.
Can God. then, the Giver Of these
great gifts, the Author OF these human
| perrogatives, be excluded from the
thoughts OF men when men are devils
ing the means Of securing their right
to live?
Suppose for a moment that a stu
dent of nature should say will fol-
low the course of energ but care
not whence it comes; that he leaner
In finance should say will trace n
distribution of wealth, but give no
heed to its sources; that the eacher
should pretend to set forth truth
with no concern for its warrant.
Would such disregard of fundamental
facts be alleged or accepted as evil
dence OF wisdom?
Answer this question sanely and
YOU will have passed Judgment on
those who Imagine that thS world can
settle its affairs and r~einstate man
kind in their rights without regard for
the Creator or His claims. Answer 1t
consistently and there will be no need
| to ask whether religion is entitled to
a place in the worlds reconstruction.
For II right and duty are correiative.
! then the very assertion OF our right
! to live carries with 1t the obligation
to acknowledge the Source OF that
| right. And such an acknowledgment
is the foundation on which reiigion
Is based.
But this conclusion invites the fur
Their inquiry: What precisely is the
share that religion should nave!
| What influence can it exert that VIII
be helpful to all other factors ana
agencies, that will give direction 10
effort, and temper to zeal, and calm
determination as a safeguard Tor en-
thusiasm?
That religion can do much Is beyond
doubt. History bears witness to It's
achievements in spreading civilization,
in developing the arts, In
the rights OF individuals and nations,
n proyiding for the observance OF law
as he bulwark of order. Can 1t DO
as much in the present emergency!
That depends, first OF all, on
religion means-what attitude OF mind
and disposition OF heart 1t requires
what aims and desires 1t sanctions
what manner of deeds 1t blesses or
condemns. Until these things are
rightly understood, 1t is useless to ask
what religion can accomplish, either
now or at any other time, Tor the
worlds restoration. Indeed, one OK
the disheartening facts in the present
s,tuatinn In the confusion thai pre-
walls in this very matter. 1t Is not
simply that creed is in conflict with
creed, and that intolerance is rampant
where all are supposed to be free. IL
IL rather the clash Of opinion regard
ing the essential nature OF religion
and therefore regarding Its function
in life. that obscures the issue. and
; too easily leads to erroneous concur
sions. .
|, II religion were simply a form Oh
, emotion or impulse, as many declare
3 II. then surely 1t would help US pu,
' little. There has been too u o.
the emotional in Dur recent expert
ence-too much stirring n eDuiii'
tiop in the countless forms OF indigna
4 tion. of sorrow and hatred n 9
I what we need is not any new ! o
8 emotion, but rather an influence ina
will calm and steady us. We need
in ords- to see THINGS clearly. to sudg'
of them wisely. to deal with them nrn
+ ~ and consistently.
no be Continued October 26.)