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 social nature  would  never  have  been  content  with worshipping the  Deity  in  spirit  alone,  but  would  have irresistibly impelled  him  to  the  building  up  of  a  code of ceremonies  as  unworthy  of  their  high  purpose  as were  the  rites  of  Paganism. This craving  for  ritualism is  evidenced  even  to-day,  no  less  in  the  powerful influence  of  our  grand  Catholic  functions  over  the minds and  hearts  of  the  faithful,  than  in  the  elaborate rituals of  secret  and  semi-religious  societies;  and  the absence of  such  was  one  of  the  many  weak  points  in primitive  Protestantism. But the  world's  tendency has ever  been  to  convert  the  means  into  an  end,  to be  content  with  the  outward  form  to  the  neglect  of interior  sanctification,  to  divorce  religion  and  morality, to  so  exaggerate  the  importance  of  creeds  and rites and  ceremonies  as  to  lose  sight  in  whole  or  in part  of  God's  commandments. But religion,  clean  and unspotted before  God  and  the  Father  is,  first  of  all, to keep  oneself  undefiled  from  this  world. Neither the click-clack  of  the  Buddhist's  prayer-wheel,  nor the Pharisee's  scrupulous  loyalty  to  ancient  traditions, nor  the  Catholic's  devotedness  to  his  daily prayers and  his  Sunday  Mass  will  avail  one  particle unless the  inner  man  be  right  with  God;  unless  the end and  object  of  all  religion,  personal  sanctification, be looked  to,  and  the  means  necessary  for  its  attainment employed.

Brethren, religionism  has  wrought  more  mischief than religion  can  ever  undo. Holy wars  have  again and again  rent  the  world  in  twain,  and  Church  controversies have  at  times  dismembered  Christ's  mys-