Rev. Minot J. Savage preached at Appleton Chapel last evening on the theme, The true law of sacrifice, and its relation to the religious life, taking as his text Micah vi. 6-8. In one profound sense we may say that there has been but one religion in the world, in that all have sought to find God. This has been the aim of men everywhere according to their intelligence, in all stages of the world's development.

Sacrifice originated in the idea that the dead needed ministry and care, and the necessary things were brought and laid on the graves, the first altars. Then it was thought that by bringing their gifts to the altar, they entered into close relations with their God and formed ties of loyalty to him. The next step made it a necessity that the gifts to the god should be of the finest and these the people willingly gave. And we tonight to come close to God, must give to him the finest and dearest that we have.

The classics were among those who thought the gods were open to barter and were influenced by the richness of the the gifts. This view was justly decried by the Hebrew prophets. Jesus himself did not oppose sacrifice so far as it expressed the higher feelings, only as it took the place of these feelings. According to the teaching of Jesus, the pathway into the presence of God is through right relations to our fellow men.

It is hard for us to keep the standard of our lives up to the highest that is in us; it is not strange then that the church has at times fallen away and substituted the rights of religion for the real expression. The ceremony and framework in religious work has a place as long as it is the channel and not the substitute for real religious feeling. Let us not make the common mistake of thinking there is any virtue in suffering, pain or sacrifice for their own sake. The laws of nature when kept mean everywhere joy and happiness; broken laws bring pain and suffering.

If Religion had its way it would make every human being an ideal man. If a man could live rightly in body, soul. and spirit, religion could do nothing for him. The ideal for a man in life is to be on right relation with his fellow man and with his God.

That we may see better where the law of sacrifice comes on we may make the following subdivisions of man, first the perfect body, the ideal mind, the heart, that is the affectionate nature. We should always sacrifice the lower for the higher, the body for the mind, the mind for the heart where the love of others demands it. But above all is the soul and the grandest thing man can do is to sacrifice every thing for the integrity of his nature.

The one thing on earth worth great sacrifice is the culture and development of our own manhood. This life is only an entranceway to a greater life hereafter and our supreme object here should be to enter into that life as men. Whatever sacrifice there is necessary for that object should be gladly borne as bringing us nearer that divine manhood which is the Ideal of life.

The choir sung "It shall come to pass." Tours, and "But the Lord is mindful." Mendelssohn.