Page:Education and Life; (IA educationlife00bakerich).pdf/183

 teacher must carry this conception of the child's nature into the work of education. It is a scientific fact that prayer is for the health of the soul. It is useless to theorize on the subject—men pray because it is their nature; they can not help it. Even if prayer does not change the will of God, at least it does change the will of man, which may be the object of prayer. The Christian experience shows that prayer is a communion of man's spirit with God, the Spirit. John Fiske affirms the reality of religion. He argues that the progress of life has been achieved through adjustment to external realities; that the religious idea has played a dominant part in history; that all the analogies of evolution show that man's religious nature cannot be an adjustment to an external non-reality. He says: "Of all the implications of the doctrine of evolution with regard to Man, I believe the very deepest and strongest to be that which asserts the Everlasting Reality of Religion."

In this message to students we have emphasized a particular ideal, namely, normal activity, because one's own effort and experience count most for growth and power.

"It was better youth Should strive, through acts uncouth, Toward making, than repose on aught found made."

Students are at an age when to them the roses nod and the stars seem to wink. Their mental landscape is filled with budding flowers, singing birds, and rosy dawns. Every one has a right to consider his own perfection and enjoyment, his own