20 MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



And this brings us to say finally, Let us cultivate a religion 

 which puts due emphasis on the ethical and practical side of 

 human life. I do not plead for an undue emphasis on this side 

 — to the disparagement of the imagination, the emotional, the 

 mystic elements in the religious life — those which make men 

 devout and unworldly and saintly. But, strange as it may 

 sound, these are the easier attainments in religion. It was easier 

 for Solomon to make that sublime prayer at the dedication of 

 the temple than to live a blameless life. It is easier for any of 

 us to be pious than to be honest. But hard as it is to be honest, 

 to be true to that in us and above which is deepest and highest 

 and best, it is easier with religion than without it. To bring 

 heavenly natives down to help us in the discharge of earthly 

 duties is one of the holiest offices of religion. Therefore let 

 the man whose integrity is in danger of being overborne by 

 conventionalities seek aid in a religion which is strongly realistic, 

 which never gets away from the fear of God, which can sing 

 and soar with St. Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians and the 

 thirteenth chapter of Corinthians but never lets go of the Sermon 

 on the Mount and the Epistle of James, which so requires hard 

 work during six days, that Sunday will be welcomed as a day 

 of real rest, which sympathizes with and blesses men who use 

 tools and ply manual arts, which mellows and sanctifies the 

 cares and troubles, joys and sorrows of family and kindred, 

 friends and neighbors, which calls no human art or relation 

 common which it can fill with its blessing and so make holy. 

 Thus in great cities, amid civilization however splendid, in 

 society however luxurious, ministered to by all the arts, beset 

 by all the corruptions of modern life, young men and maidens 

 may keep themselves as simple, and pure, and true hearted, 

 and strong as in the days of antique virtues, and may add thereto 

 the new powers and facilities for living which the new civilization, 

 essentially a Christian civilization, has put into their hands for 

 the adornment and enrichment of their lives. 



