Culture can do much, but art, music, books, and travel have their
limitations. When that brave boy returned from battling with the Black
Prince, the tenants gathered before his father's castle and presented him
tokens of love and honor. The farmer brought a golden sheaf, the husbandman
brought a ripe cluster and a bough of fruit, the goldsmith offered a ring,
the printer gave a rare book, while children strewed flowers in the way.
But last of all his father gave the youth the title deeds of his
inheritance and lent him name and power. Not otherwise the soul enters the
scene like a conqueror to whom gifts are offered. The library offers a
book. The lecture hall offers learning. The gallery offers a picture.
Travel offers experience. But the fine arts, wisdom and culture cannot do
everything. Culture can beautify the life, lend refinement to reason, lend
wings to imagination. But God, the soul's father, alone can crown life with
richness and influence. The secret of strength and beauty is hidden with
Jesus Christ. What the great thinkers and seers can do for the intellect,
what the poets can do for imagination, what the heroes can do for
aspiration and purpose, that and a thousand fold more the Christ can do for
the soul's life. He alone has mastered the science of right living. He only
can teach the art of character building. He can lend reason true wisdom. He
can lend taste true refinement. He can make conscience clear, and will
invincible. Freeing the soul from sin, He can crown it with supreme beauty.
He can make life a song, and the soul career a symphony.