254 THE WEENOE AND THE WHITHER OF MAN 



include these, but it is vastly more aaid higher. It is 

 neither ecstasy nor remorse. The most resolutely im- 

 penitent sinner can shout " Hallelujah," and " Woe 

 is me," as loudly as any saint. Now feeliag is of vast 

 importance. It stands close to the will and stimu- 

 lates it, but it is not conformity. The will must be 

 aroused to a robust life. 



3. Christianity is these and a great deal more. Mere 

 beUef would make religion a mere theology. Mere 

 emotion would make it mere excitement. The true 

 divine idea of it is a life ; doing his will, not indolent- 

 ly sighing to do it, and then lamenting that we do it 

 not ; but the thing itself in actual achievement, from 

 day to day, from month to month, from year to year. 

 Thus religion rises on us in its o^vn imperial majesty. 

 It is no mere delight of the understanding in the doc- 

 trines of our faith ; no mere excitement of the sensibil- 

 ities, now harrowed by fear, and now jubilant in hope ; 

 but a warfare and a work, a warfare against sin, and a 

 work with God. Eeligion is not an entertainment, 

 but a service. We are to set before us the perfect 

 standard, and then struggle to shape our hves to it. 

 Personal sanctity must be made a business of.* 



A little more than thirty years ago a regiment was 

 sent home from the Army of the Potomac to enforce 

 the draft after the riots in this city. Some of you may 

 picture to yourselves a thousand men with silk banners 

 and gold lace and bright uniforms, resplendent in the 

 sunshine. You could not make a worse mistake. 



First in that gray early morning came two old flags, 

 so torn by shot and shell that there was hardly enough 



* This page is mainly a series of quotations from Dr. R. D. Hitchcock's 

 sermon on " Beligion, the Doing of God's Will." 



