The Moral Power of a Pious Life

On opening the New Testament, one of the first things that rivets the attention of the careful reader, is the beauty and perfection of the Christian character, as sketched by Christ and His apostles. Read the Sermon on the Mount; turn then to the sixth, eighth, and twelfth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans; ponder then the thirteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; then study the third chapters of the Epistles to the Ephesians and Philippians; with the addresses of our risen Lord to the seven churches of Asia-in fine, read all the Scriptures. Here you will find religion as it is, and as it should be. Upon the pages of God's Book the Christian character shines forth in all its unearthly beauty. Look at religion as it was displayed by the first Christians. True, they had some imperfections; but these imperfections were like spots in the sun. But above all, witness religion as it was exemplified in the character of Jesus Christ. He was a pattern as well as the author of our religion.