Article March 24, 1934 Issue

Signs of the Times

with contributions from Jane Brucke, F. C. Hoggarth, W. G. Johnston

[From the Lethbridge Herald, Alberta, Canada]

Ideals are splendid things. But ideals are of no consequence unless we seek to put them into practice and so allow them to govern our lives and to influence us in every way. Ideals should not be viewed merely in the light of golden images. It is not merely the glamour but the reality of ideals which should possess us. We can only show an honest and sincere belief in ideals in making them our guidance, and so manifest in ourselves that we are not merely stirred by their glitter. In the way we ourselves live up to our ideals, the more will ideals gain in the estimation of the world. We cannot merely honor things or admire things with our mouths—this is lip service. What we need to do with our ideals is to take them to our heart.

Ideals can only grow and have their influence in the world if that influence is shown in the national and in individual life. This cannot be too strongly emphasized. Christianity is an ideal religion. That is to say, it contains splendid ideals. But our Christianity, just as our ideals, stands or falls in the estimation of men in the way we practice it. Here every sincere professor of Christianity and every sincere professor of the beauty of ideals has his or her responsibility. To profess and not to practice is a besetting sin which the individual has to be warned of.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Signs of the Times

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access