True religion... is giving and finding one's happiness by

“True religion... is giving and finding one's happiness by bringing happiness into the lives of others.” — so taught William J. H. Boetcker, a preacher of the early dawn of the modern age, when men sought meaning amidst machines and faith amidst the noise of progress. In these few yet luminous words lies a truth that transcends temples, scriptures, and creeds: that the heart of true religion is not ritual but love, not ceremony but service, not blind faith but compassion in action. For what is divinity, if not the light that shines through human kindness? What is holiness, if not the joy we kindle in another’s soul?

In the age of the ancients, the sages of every land spoke of this same mystery in their own tongues. The Buddha taught that to relieve another’s suffering is to relieve one’s own; Christ proclaimed that to love one’s neighbor is to love God; and the prophets of old declared that mercy is greater than sacrifice. Across all these voices echoes the eternal truth Boetcker reaffirmed: that the path to happiness does not run through self-seeking, but through giving—the sacred act of turning outward instead of inward, of finding purpose in the joy of others.

The origin of this wisdom lies deep within the soul’s nature. The human heart is not a vessel meant to hoard happiness, but a lamp meant to spread it. Just as a candle loses nothing by lighting another flame, so too does the spirit grow brighter when it brings warmth to others. This is why those who live only for themselves are never truly satisfied, for their joy is like water trapped in a jar—it soon grows stagnant. But the one who pours himself out in generosity, in kindness, in compassion, finds that the well of the heart never runs dry.

History offers countless mirrors to this truth. Consider the life of Mother Teresa, who walked among the poorest of the poor in the streets of Calcutta. She possessed no wealth, no power, and yet she was one of the richest souls on earth. Her happiness did not spring from comfort, but from giving—from lifting the dying, soothing the forgotten, and reminding the world that every life has worth. She once said, “If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed one.” In that small act, the universe itself was made holier. This is what Boetcker meant: that true religion is not confined to words, but to deeds that awaken life where despair once ruled.

But there is a secret within this teaching that only the wise perceive: that in giving, we receive. When we bring happiness to others, something shifts within us. Our burdens grow lighter, our hearts expand, and the walls of isolation crumble. Service transforms the giver as much as the receiver. To comfort another is to rediscover one’s own humanity. To forgive is to be freed. This is the divine alchemy of love—through bringing happiness, we become happy ourselves.

Yet, how easily we forget! The world tempts us with false altars—wealth, success, fame—and tells us that joy can be bought, that peace can be owned. But these are illusions that fade with time. The only joy that endures is the joy that flows outward. Boetcker’s call is therefore both humble and heroic: to rebuild the temple of true religion not of stone, but of compassion; not in grand sermons, but in the quiet moments when one human heart reaches out to another.

Therefore, my children, remember this: religion is not found in the heavens—it lives within your hands, your words, your acts of mercy. If you wish to find happiness, give it away. If you wish to touch God, touch the life of another with love. Begin with small acts—a kind word to a stranger, a moment of patience with a friend, a gesture of gratitude to those unseen who serve you. Each act is a prayer, each kindness a psalm, each smile a hymn to the divine.

And when your days grow long, and your strength wanes, you will see the truth that Boetcker spoke—that true religion is not a creed but a way of being. It is the flame that burns in all who live not for themselves but for others. To bring happiness is to worship, to give love is to live eternally. For the soul that shines upon the world never fades; it becomes part of the great light that guides all humanity home.