{ 9 ) "3 



vine perfection and the Divine will. Obedience to these 

 influences constitutes the practice of religion, while the 

 statement of the growth and operation of these influ- 

 ences constitutes the theory of religion, or doctrine. 



The Divine Spirit planted in man shows him that 

 which is in harmony with the Divine Mind, and it re- 

 mains for his free will to conform to it or reject it. This 

 harmony is man's highest ideal of happiness, and in 

 seeking it, as well as in desiring to flee from dissonance 

 or pain, he but obeys the disposition common to all 

 conscious beings. If, however, he attempts to conform 

 to it, he will find the law of evil present, and frequently 

 obtaining the mastery. If now he be in any degree ob- 

 serving, he will find that the laws of morality and right 

 are the only ones by which human society exists in a 

 condition superior to that of the lower animals, and in 

 which the capacities of man for happiness can approach 

 a state of satisfaction. He may be then said to be 

 " awakened " to the importance of religion. If he carry 

 on the struggle to attain to the high goal presented to 

 his spiritual vision, he will be deeply grieved and hum- 

 bled at his failures : then he is said to be " convicted." 

 Under these circumstances the necessity of a deliver- 

 ance becomes clear, and is willingly accepted in the 

 only way in which it has pleased the Author of all to 

 present it, which has been epitomized by Paul as " the 

 washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit 

 through Jesus Christ." Thus a life of advanced and 

 ever-advancing moral excellence becomes possible, and 

 the man makes nearer approaches to the "image of 

 God." 



Thus is opened a new era in spiritual development, 

 which we are led to believe leads to an ultimate condi- 



