do something high and holy, something that is not necessary,
utilitarian, with some other motive than bread-winning. But there
seems to be no opportunity; such deeds are supposed to belong to
special callings; one must be ordained to do divine service.

The truth is, divine service is the duty and high privilege of every
human being; we all are divinely called to the ministry; the service of
God and humanity belongs to us all. We must not wait for ordaining
hands nor ecclesiastical robes nor for the environment of official
sanctity. Every impulse to do good, to show human love, and do loving
service is a commission from high heaven.

The good Master invites men and women to His kind of service, the
highest and holiest known to all the ages. He never was separated to a
clerical calling; He did not wait for an ordaining council nor did He
confine His divine service to prayer and praise or to the activities of
the church ritual. His divine service was the service of the sons of
men, the going about doing good.

Heavenly work is not work for some far off heaven; it is the work of
making this present earth like heaven. The work of God is not working
for an absent deity; it is doing the work that the God of all love
would do in this world; it is being feet and fingers, voice and lips to
the great Spirit who is over and in us all. It is making that spirit
of love real, actual, concrete to our fellows.

The holiest work in this world may be done in the humblest places; the
most divine service may not be in the cathedral but in the cottage; the
angels may pass by the intoning choir to listen to a mother's crooning
cradle song or to watch the patient service, the loving kindness shown