s, being pure spirits without a body, render to God a purely
spiritual worship. The sun, moon and stars of the firmament pay Him a kind
of external homage. In the Prophet Daniel we read: "Sun and moon bless the
Lord, ... stars of heaven bless the Lord, praise and exalt Him above all
forever."(408) "The heavens show forth the glory of God, the firmament
announces the work of His hands."(409) Man, by possessing a soul of
spiritual substance, partakes of the nature of angels, and by possessing a
body partakes of the nature of the heavenly bodies. It is therefore, his
privilege, as well as his duty, to offer to God the twofold homage of body
and soul; in other words, to honor Him by internal and external worship.

Genuine piety cannot long be concealed in the heart without manifesting
itself by exterior practices of religion; hence, though interior and
exterior worship are distinct, they cannot be separated in the present
life. Fire cannot burn without sending forth flame and heat. Neither can
the fire of devotion burn in the soul without being reflected on the
countenance and even in speech. It is natural for man to express his
sentiments by signs and ceremonies, for "from the fulness of the heart the
mouth speaketh;" and as fuel is necessary to keep fire alive, even so the
flame of piety is nourished by the outward forms of religion.

A devoted child will not be content with loving his father in his heart,
but will manifest that love by affectionate language, and by the service
of his body, if necessary. So will the child of God show his affection for
his heavenly Father not only by interior devotion, but also by the homage
of his body. "I beseech you," says the Apostle, "by the mercy of God, that
you present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy pleasing unto God, your
reasonable service."(410)

The fruit of a tree does not consist in its bark, its leaves and its
branches. Nevertheless, you never saw a tree bearing fruit unless when
clothed with bark, adorned with branches and covered with leaves. These
are necessary for the protection of the fruit. In like manner, though the
fruit of piety does not consist in exterior forms, it must, however, be
fostered by some outward observances or it will soon decay. There is as
close a relation between devotion and ceremonial as exists between the
bark and the fruit of a tree.

The man who daily bends his knee to the Maker, who recites or sings His
praises, who devoutly makes the