The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-09-09

| OF eV0lutlnS TO nlgner leVelS OIL tTuIH
and sanity. 1t is bound to keep step
with the march of mans moral and
mental growth and scientific achieve
ment.
So out of the worlds crude and
primitive religionos Chased largely on
myths, miracles, fables and formali-
ties), there eventually energies the
nucleus of truth and higher spirit
ual significance.
AS the fly leaves its chrysalis for
the better air of higher altitude, so
religion of today is casting off its
worthless worn out vestments, its en-
numbering, unsound creeds, rites and
rituals for a religion of truth as
based on Gods universal laws.
The religion of today must be sci
entifc, humanized, brought up to date,
made lovable and rule for daily
practice.
1t must be an ideal truth that in
spires US to live for it and to live by
it and not doctrine to die by for the
remission of our sins or the salvation
of our souls, which God only can care
for
Gods one indelible, unmistakable
revelation to man is found in the
discovery of His laws and forces and
their uses and their observance, in
his infallible guide for all that is
grand and good.
For the object of our living is for
life's eXaltation and for learning.
The religion of the future will be
scientific, constructive and instruc
tive and will teach men to rely on
natures changeless laws, her truths
and facts and less on Journalism and
unreasoning faith.
Our choice will be between Gods
revelation of His self-evolving, all
creative plan and the one by man de-
vised in the book of Genesis. AS it
can't be God who makes mistakes we
know that it must be man who's
wrong.
The first step towards a useful,
peaceful, happy life is to recognize
the fact that natural laws govern us,
each and all, here and everywhere,
precisely as much in the realm of
mind, manners and morals as in the
chemical union of the elements.
We reap exactly what and as we
sow. We cannot escape the conse-
quences of our erroneous thoughts or
our smallest unjust deeds. And death
does not settle the score any more
than moving to a new town pays our
debts in the old one.
| Science has no creed, no hobby, no
selfish axe to grind and knows no
such word as faith that has no fact
behind it.
Religion is not a thing that men or
institutions can fabricate, transcribe
it in a holy book and then vote them
selves to be holy men and by God in
Splreu TO just so make II.
If God ever inspired man or men
| land we are told it took fifty-seven)
to reveal Himself in a sacred book, do
you honestly think He would contra
dict Himself, repudiate His laws or
allow one untruth to creep within it?
No. Then why not to God and to
yourself be just and admit that it is
fallible? Accept what is good and
true and reject the false and incred-
ible
| Religion is one grand, sublime emo
ton that purifies our lives and lifts
our souls to glorious exaltation.
AS mejestic, giant boulder is rob-
bed of its grandeur and rugged beauty
by lichens and accumulated moss and
many climbing and overhanging
vines, so the intrinsic values and viz
tues that religion is designed to be-
stow on man are lost in the obscur-
ity of many kinds of UNCONVENTIONAL
decorations, sectarian veneer, priestly
vestiture and fashionable formalities.
On religion has been lavished
great wealth. 1t has been duly organ
lied, churched and housed in costly
, temples while Gods poor have been
kept in ignorance of His guiding laws
and to bed have gone cold and hun
cry.
But rising out of and above bromid-
, ic, historic preachments, the one day
, perfunctory observance of rites, ritu-
ais, ceremonials and their ostentatious
trappings, a religion of truth and hu-
man helpful service is emerging into
the light of brighter, better day
Religion is living, growing force,
but it can not expand and thrive in
the sterile soil Of a long forgotten
past.
Religion concerns US in present time
and it functions only when it puts
righteousness into our lives while liv-
ing.
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