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Show Searching for True Religion Art. I The Dispositions and Preparations of Soul Neccs-sary Neccs-sary to Discover What God Demands Rational Man Should Know and Study. (Written for the Intermountain Catholic.) There are very many at the present day, very much occupied and interested interest-ed in religious discussions. Amongst such persons are to be found those who are honestly and eagerly desirous desir-ous to find out where the real truth can be found amidst the numberless conflicting and contradictory creeds and religions that exist throughout the world. Owing to the great variety of contradictory con-tradictory religions that exist many conscientious inquirers lose courage in their endeavors to discover where the true one can be found. The undertaking under-taking presents difficulties that multiply multi-ply as they proceed in their investigations investiga-tions and this leads only too many sincere sin-cere persons to give up the work as a hopeless task. It is to assist such sincere inquirers and all who are zealous to discover the truth and to embrace and profess it when found; as well as to further enlighten many who already possess it, that this and the following articles are intended. It is, by no means, intended for persons per-sons who art- indifferent in matters of religious trutn and such persons who choose to belong to whatever creed or sect, regardless of truth. J that will prove most beneficial to their material ma-terial and worldly interests. Those who measure, bring down, degrade, regard and select religion by this standard and for no higher motive than that which is worldly, are by no means few. Whilst it is ardently desired de-sired that the following instructions should benefit and lead thi3 class of people to better disposition of mind and heart, yet the following articles are, to say the least, principally iR tended for all sincere inquirers, who are not only anxious to discover religious re-ligious truth, but, equally so, to embrace em-brace and live up to it when found.. Although such inquirers may possess pos-sess the full use of their reason and be truly sincere before God, yet it cannot can-not be denied that they require aid and directions in order to put into action ac-tion the reason and conscience that God has given them. If left to themselves or to those who may well be called "leaders of the blind," the result 13 that they never begin at the "right end," and ultimately ulti-mately get into such perplexity and confusion as will cause them to abandon aban-don the task altogether. It is not because a person has attained at-tained the full use of reason that he can, without aid, discover for himself exactly what he is bound to know, believe be-lieve and live up to, in order to fulfil the end of his creation, the salvation of his immortal soul. The first question to answer then is: What are the dispositions and preparations prep-arations of soul, necessary in order to discover with certainty what the doctrines doc-trines are that God demands of rational ra-tional man, to study, know, believe, profess and live up to as conditions absolutely necessary for salvation? In reply it must be said that the first disposition and preparation of soul, of a person who would come to the knowledge of the above truths is a sincere, conscientious desire to find out the truth and a readiness and determination, de-termination, "no matter at what sacrifice" sac-rifice" to embrace the truth and live up to it when found. Any person who would start to investigate in-vestigate the truth for himself should first of all, carefully endeavor to form these dispositions in his heart and soul. He should examine himself with the utmost rigor and resolve, before proceeding further, to cast aside every obstacle that he may find in his soul, at variance with these essential dispositions. dis-positions. To enter upon the arduous task of searching for the truths he is bound to believe, without this preparation, would be to -attempt a buildin? with, out a foundation. It would be beginning begin-ning at the wrong, end and would in must cases prove fruitless. Anmngst the large class of truth- ' seekers in matters of religion, most of them may be said to be "sincerely" de- i sirous to find where the truth is amid the numerous forms of belief that exist, but their sincerity eudd there. They do not possess that disposition dis-position of mind and will to embrace and follow the truth "at any cost" when found. Hence, without this essential es-sential disposition of soul all their labor la-bor proves to be "labor in vain." ! It is, therefore, certain that a readiness, readi-ness, a willingness, and a full determination deter-mination to follow ami live up to the true religion when once discovered i3 an indispensable disposition of soul, required for every man who would en- i ter upon the search for truth, if he would expect to ultimately fulfill the conditions necessary to sav his soul. Untn he has formed such dispositions he cannot proceed further with any lasting benefit to himself. It may be otherwise, if it were sufficient for salvation, sal-vation, to search for, to study, and to believe in the. true religion without having to practice it accordingly, with- out having to live up to the "faith that i ic in him f Hence, those who are interested in j searching for truth and who give I themselves eagerly to the study of it, i without any intention of making any sacrifice for it, may be truly said to ! be doing nothing for their salvation. Nay, more; .their judgment will be all I the more severe, in proportion as they come to know what they are bound to believe and practice, if they fail to j live up to the lights they may have received. I The many, then, for example, who j are continually arguing matters of re- I llgious belief, for argument's sake, and v without any sincerity or wish to find I out the true religion in order to em- brace it and work out their salvation, I are working to no purpose, as far as I the eternal interests of their souls are concerned. I Needless to say, that with then may f also be classed those who will not make the sacrifices that their religious con- victions demand. How many there are. for instance, who will not embrace the truth when found, because members of their fam- ilies, who are less enlightened, are I opposed to it? I How many others will not take the ! step because of some pecuniary loss ! that they would have to suffer i thereby? Such persons deplorably miscalculate f what is at stake and seem not to un- derstand the importance of saving their immortal souls at any cost. Whilst they remain thus disposed, it is in vain for them to study the truths they are not willing to embrace, the same may be said of all who would refuse to follow and embrace the truth i when found, for any reason whatso- j ever. j If. as has been stated, to believe the S truths that God demands us to believe I were sufficient for selvation, if faith I alone would save us, the difficulty I should not exist, but "Faith without good works is dead," "The devils be- lleve 'it' and tremble." f Lastly, there are many who are most eager in searching for truth, and who imagine they have the necessary dispositions to follow it "at any cost" when found, but who fail to do so when it comes to make the necessary sacrifices. sac-rifices. It is, therefore, of essential Importance Import-ance to carefully and firmly form these , i dispositions and thus prepare the soul, : before entering with sincerity and ear- nestness in the search for and the j study of the true religion. C. E. B. (To be Continued.) |