Wrangling, and even fighting, for religion is ex-
tremely easy for most people. It is an opportunity
for serving God and Satan both at once, which is too
congenial to human nature to be easily resisted. To
speak of religion as a " battle, " is to put it in its most
attractive light to many. They may be really good
people, but combativeness craves something to op-
pose, and destructiveness something to destroy. The
church is fuller of Peters with drawn swords ready to
cut off high priests' servants' ears, than of Maries to



1^6 Poetry and Prose of Marie R. Butler.
wash Christ's feet with tears. Very often, too, Hke
Peter, these bellicose disciples come out of a battle for
the Lord, and then — deny their Master; and yet, at
last, like Peter, they would willingly be crucified
head downward for the Master's sake. Then, too,
there is something glorious in dying for the Lord.
We must all die ; but it is grand to choose it.
There is something mighty in clasping death, and
with a kiss bribing it to sweeten dissolution. Tliis,
in the conception of many, is the highest triumph of
spirit over dust, the nearest approach to a divine
impulse.
Men will write for religion ; and this is very easy,
for, aside from any inspiring influence of the Holy
Spirit, religion appeals strongly to the esthetic part
of our nature; ideality, sublimity and veneration,
here find their widest field of happy exercise.
