God often speaks to men's souls through music; He also speaks to
us through art. Millet's famous painting entitled "The Angelus"
is an illuminated text, upon which I am going to say a few words
to you to-night.

There are three things in this picture--a potato field, a country
lad and a country girl standing in the middle of it, and on the
far horizon the spire of a village church. That is all there is to
it--no great scenery and no picturesque people. In Roman Catholic
countries at the evening hour the church bell rings out to remind
the people to pray. Some go into the church, while those that are
in the fields bow their heads for a few moments in silent prayer.

That picture contains the three great elements which go to make up
a perfectly rounded Christian life. It is not enough to have the
"root of the matter" in us, but that we must be whole and entire,
lacking nothing. The Angelus may bring to us suggestions as to
what constitutes a complete life.

I.

The first element in a symmetrical life is WORK.

Three-fourths of our time is probably spent in work. Of course
the meaning of it is that our work should be just as religious as
our worship, and unless we can work for the glory of God three-fourths
of life remains unsanctified.