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Show H B r"""SgM"S5a3 True religion has pow- I 'tis 1- ltf cr t transfigure tho fiintgtDtt fi POUJr whole of this poor hu- BJ . man life of ours, and .to W 10 (llf tUtHIOf ttt dinn6 its often ambi- H : tious countenance into H By REV. J. P. MEYER, "n aspect of light and BJ Unitirim. Milwaukee. beauty, because it can Bb BBSS 5SS3 uut a new content, a BM more glorious meaning BM and deeper values into each of the three great experience words of life, Bl i namely: duty, joy and sorrow. B i' The religious faith can transfigure joy; that it not only increases B ' the natural gladness of our life, but exalts, purifies, and intensifies it, is Bl almost a commonplace of devotional literature. Religion enriches the meaning of the duties of lifo just as it trans- B figures its joys. To the religious man, conscience is the voice of God, duties arc divine commands, the need of a brother is our divinely given opportunity, an open door which God has set before us; our ideals and B aspirations arc tho inspirations of his spirit, and since they aro of God p" " they arc not vain imaginations, but assured promises; they arc angelic voices calling us to highor ploncs, the approval of conscience is the smile of a heavenly father, tho reproach of conscience is tho rebuke of a BJ supreme righteousness, and the pangs of contrition and remorse arc tho H v castigations of an infinite love. H From the religious point of view every duty faithfully performed, H every sacrifice made for conscience sake is an act of obedience to one to H whom obedience is due. It is a deed of personal loyalty to one whom H the soul both knows and loves. It is an offering of loving gratitude to B him who is the source of all the soul's blessings. It is a lesson well B learned, a problem set for us to solve by tho great eternal teacher. It is B a holy and blessed sacrament by which wo have real communion with" fl God. This is the transfiguration of duty. m Sorrow is the last of tho three great words of life. It is tho com- B panion word to joy. The great word of religion which corresponds to it M tV if resignation. II J To tho magic of religion even sorrow becomes translucent, as it U were, and we see the love of God slung through it all. As the material H sun shines through the rifted clouds, so God, who is the sun of our souls, Bj sends the light and warmth of his love through tho clouds of sorrow. |