And all the winds that round us blow

Would whisper of our shame about. No! let the tempest rock the land!

Our faith shall live! our truth shall stand!

"True as the Vaudois hemmed around

With Papal fire and Roman steel, True as the Christian heroine bound

Upon Domitian's torturing wheel,

We bate no breath! we curb no thought! COME WHAT MAY COME! WE FALTER NOT!"

16*

VII. THE YOUNG MAN IN THE CHURCH.

In concluding this series of addresses, I feel that I can select no better subject than that which supports, and embraces, and crowns a manly character, namely, a true religion. Our course would be as incomplete without the consideration of this subject, as a young man's character would be incomplete without the presence of religious principle. As in the arch, which the builder raises, there is necessary the keystone to make his work firm and durable; so in the structure which we have here, through the last three months, been endeavoring to plan, we need the keystone of religion to complete our labors and make the edifice strong.

In treating our present subject, -the Young Man in the Church,—that I may show you what should be the character of a young man's religion, I shall speak of the nature and form of religion itself; the universality of its application; the manliness of a religious character, and its influence upon life. I think I shall be able to show you that our subject is the most practical we have yet considered.

Before we enter directly upon the discussion, however, it seems necessary to make a few preliminary

remarks, that I may meet the objections which young men sometimes have to a consideration of a subject like this. There are ideas which to me appear erroneous, but which still have their place in a young man's mind. If we can succeed in dispossessing them, we shall do a great service, not only to ourselves but to all with whom we have intercourse.

1. It is often the case that we are inclined to look upon religion as something we do not need in early life. Our days now pass on without much that embitters them, and, regarding religion rather as a retreat from care, or a consolation from sorrow, or a refuge from the ills of life, than as an active principle, which is the inspiration of all life, we leave, to the convenient season of mature age, the consideration of a subject which is suited for graver years. Now, we think religion would interfere with the pleasures of our youth; it would cast a shadow over the brightness of these happy days; it would make us sombre and serious, when our hearts should be filled with a more natural joy; and we should become old before our time. We entirely mistake the character of religion when thus we suppose it is for our safety only that we must become religious; that, because we need solace, and support, and rest, when we are sad, and weak, and weary, we should fly to the strengthening influences of religion; that because there are evil days in the prospect, we should provide some shelter from the fury of the tempest which they will bring with them. We en

tirely mistake the character of religion when we suppose it is to diminish our pleasures, or make us too grave, or darken our days, or produce premature old age. It is a mistake to suppose that religion is nothing more than a convenient refuge for a man when he has become sick and tired of the world, and has found an earthly life empty and unsatisfactory; that it is an expedient for his salvation from the threatened woes of the future, which his conscience dreads. No, I shall advocate religion as a principle, to make us more manful, more dutiful, more true; as suited particularly to the season of youth; as an experience of the soul, which will enhance the enjoyment of life; which will make the daily toil easier and more blessed; which, instead of making the life sad, will fill it with happiness; and, instead of producing untimely age, will keep the heart fresh and young through all the days of a man's life, and never allow it to grow old! Religion is the power of a man's soul in the present life, and far more concerns itself with the duties of the present hour than with a way of escape from the merited punishment of one's wrong-doing in the future. It belongs to the life of to-day, and the scenes of time, as well as, and possibly even more than, to the life of tomorrow and the scenes of eternity.

2. Another mistake which people fall into, and which in its practical consequences produces a distaste to religion in the young man's mind, is the habit with some religious people of regarding religion as something to

be obtained, rather than cultivated and grown. Many persons say "get religion" very much in the same way, and with the same manner, as a worldly man would advise his son, "Get money-honestly if you can, but by all means get money." So religion is to be obtained by subjecting one's self to certain religious influences, which thus become a kind of religious machinery, and the product of which is mechanical and formal. Young men are accustomed to look at matters in a common-sense and natural way. They do not believe in formalism. They rebel against authority. It is a natural state of the mind, and can not be prevented, and if religion is presented in a formal and mechanical way, it becomes offensive to them. And the result is, they absent themselves from the presence of religious influences of all kinds, and soon cease to obey religious sanctions. They begin to doubt religious truths, and soon fall into that supercilious and irreligious frame of mind which sneers at and derides all moral and religious declarations; and if they do not fall into utter atheism, they find themselves in that condition which believes nothing and hopes for nothing!

3. Another mistake which in its results repels young men from religion, is to suppose that all the deeds that are done in the name of religion are the results of religious workings. As the young man reads history, he can not fail to find the story of persecution, of intolerance, of bigotry. His moral sense tells him that