Page:The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 2.djvu/174

 of heroes, the noblest of martyrs, the most ardent of patriots, the most selfless of philanthropists, have in all countries been schooled in Religion and have always graduated from the Academy of Faith. Never has a man or nation been really great without religion — without deep, pure, child- like faith in God ; for, they who have ventured to sail "over life's solemn main" without the rudder of faith, the compass of hope and the steering of the Almighty Pilot, have been either wrecked on the rocks of temptation or drifted to the shores of disappointment. It is trust in an unerring Truth and submission to an omni-potent Love that result in high thinking, pure living and noble doing. By counsel- ling the bold and strengthening the weak, by confirming the loyal and assuring the wavering, by curbing the precipitous and consoling the bereaved, by refining the coarse and softening the hard, Religion plays a potent part in the fulfilment of the one increasing purpose that runs through the ages. It chisels off crooked-