The streets were nearly empty. The stores and offices, with closed
doors, were deserted and still. A solitary policeman on the corner
appeared to be meditating, indifferent to his surroundings. The few
pedestrians to be seen moved leisurely and appeared as though in a
mood for reflective thought and quiet interest in the welfare of their
fellows. The hurrying, scrambling, jostling, rushing crowd; the
clanging, crashing, roaring turmoil; the racking madness, the fierce
confusion, the cruel selfishness of the week day world was as a
dreadful dream in the night. In the hard fought battle of life, the
world had called a truce, testifying thus to the place and power of
Religion.
This is not to say that the world professes Religion; but it _is_
to say that Religion possesses the world. In a thousand, thousand,
forms, Religion possesses the world. In thoughts, in deeds, in
words--in song and picture and story--in customs and laws and
industries--in society, state, and school--in all of the Thirteen
Truly Great Things of Life, Religion makes itself manifest and
declares its power over men. If one proclaim himself without Religion
then is its power made known in that one's peculiarity. If Religion
did not possess the world, to scorn it would mark no one as different
from his fellows, And this, too, is true: so imperial is the fact of
Religion, that he who would deny it is forced to believe so firmly in
his disbelief that he accepts the very thing he rejects, disguised in
a dress of his own making, and thus bows down in worship before a God
of his own creation.
To many, Sunday is a day of labor. To many others, it is a day of
roistering and debauch. To some, it is a day of idleness and
thoughtless pleasure. To some, it is a day of devotion and worship.
But still, I say, that, whatever men, as individuals, may do with the
day, the deserted streets, the silent stores, the closed banks, the
empty offices, evidence that, to the world, this day is not as other
days and give recognition--not to creeds and doctrines of warring
sects indeed--but, to Religion.
Again the man awoke. Coming slowly out of his sleep and turning
leisurely in his bed he looked through the open window at the day. And
still he did not think of Religion.
Leisurely he arose and, after his bath, shaved himself with particular
care. With particular care he dressed, not in the garb of every day,
but in fresher, newer, raiment. Thus did he, even as the world, give
unthinking testimony to the power and place of Religion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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