Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-02-25
RELIGION AND LIFE
By Rev A. H. Rapking

you see them both as they are and
as they might be under the impulse
of new vision, under the power of
new affection? If you can see them,
then you can see them in somewhat
the same light in which Jesus of Naz-
areth saw them" This challenging
statement by Joseph S. Morris caught
my eye in the January 22nd issue of
the "Hoard's Dairyman."
As | look back sixteen years ago
while in college, the very fact that
such magazines as the Outlook,
Literary Digest, and "Harper's
were publishing articles on religion
was a great inspiration to me- Dur
ing the past few years, the volume
of material of this kind published in
all the standard magazines, the farm
papers, and in the weekly and daily
papers has greatly increased. 1t is
indeed encouraging to know that
practically all of the newspaper men
are interested and, in fact, anxious
to secure the right kind of material
pertaining to religion for publica-
ton.
Two of the Upshur County papers
for several years have published all
the contributions | have furnished
them along these lines under the
heading of Sunday School Notes.
The interest manifested on the part
of the folks who have been reading
these "Notes' has been such that |
have decided to change the heading
to Religion and life, and send this
material every week to the papers
that are published in Harrison, Lewis,
Braxton, Barbour, Gilmer, and Up
shur Counties. Ny work for the pre-
sent year has been so arranged that
expect to spend practically all my
time in these counties.
Again with j. S. Morris, let me
say, "Our religion may be poor and
superficial thing or it may be great
deep, helpful thing, and it is for US
to determine which it shall be. We
are often too eager to avoid facing
hard facts. We are willing to let
things ride as they are. We want our
religion to be calm and understanding.
We do not want it to cost us much.
We are asking of true religion that
it do for us what it cannot do and
continue to be. worthwhile religion.
There are hidden treasures to be I'M
covered, new fields to be explored, new
trails to be blazed, new realms of
beauty to be found. Religion helps
us to face the facts and to discover
joy even though the way be hard"
In these articles / will interpret
life in terms of religion. They will
be written in my study, on trains, un-
der the trees-anywhere and at any
time that thoughts and ideas come to
me that / consider worthy of passing
on in this way. Quite often, as in
this article, l will quote statements
that have gripped me and will help us
in interpretatnig religion in terms of
life. And Morris requests the same
thought: There is a direct relation
ship between successful, optomistic
life and religion. If we face all the
facts of life fully and completely and
wrestle for the meaning, we shall
find it mellowing, deepening and
ever enriching life. No man can af-
ford to despise anything that will
serve to make his life more complete
and rounded"
AS minister | am primarily inter-
ested in incorporating life in terms
of religion. To my way of thinkinF
religion and our best life cannot b.
separated. These two are as naur1
a part of each other as the root az J
branches of tree. In fact, IN real
religion are the roots for best life.
These roots extend through Christ to
the very heart and life of God. Our
thoughts, our acts, our lGeaia, ouI az
titude toward others are the branches
of our real philosophy of life.
Jesus Lived The good that was
in Him expressed itself in life and
action. He was a man Of prayer. He
was able to take hold of the Unseen
in such mastery fashion that He al
WAYS had reserve of power by which
to live. His soul and His mind were
packed full of the devotional life OF
a very religious people, yet His re-
ligeon of argument and controversy
He found the heart of the Eternal
Goodness and laid it bare to human
eyes. He was powerful because he
was so completely in harmony and ac-
cord with God" In building up the
~ .l.Jo1a,>L,1 oT lifo raliup0u iS