National Republican., 1875-07-19
CONSIDER YOUR ways.
fconfinusd from First Pace !

curse to religion, that . mere profession could
compensate for the absence OF Christian character
To stand up and speak for Christ was In TOO
The one true standard Of religion was that in
the text: "Pure religion and undefiled before
and widows in their afiiiction, and to keep him.
self unspotted from the world" That was to say
something @ disrsDt from this boisteroas protes,a.
tiou II was to live religious and act Il out In the
world. James in this was not antsgonistic to
Paul. The epistle written to show the world what
was faith, and true faith, was written as COM
element 70 others. What was reprobated was the
igion snd il Tas tbat OR Which they could not TOO
treqaently reprobate and condemn In modern
They found it one of the most important Of the
Jewish traits to
HELP THE DESTITUTE,
as though Il was one of the best illustrations OF
the life and spirit.
The tenn fatherless and widow had been taken
to represent the whole class Of ths destitute, and
james said to visit them, not as the extortioner,
but as the angels Of God, as nlnistsring Ing spFits
practical aid and benevolence.
The other side of the standard was the inward
om ySs TOrid." nam @ could visit ali his days
but that was not all. His own life. his own char
aeter, the very depths Of his heart were hid In
Christ. Side BY side, with benevolepce-and this
poor, wretched world needed all they could do
was the maintenance Of q pure and unspotted
tainted in this world. As they passed through
the sinful world they breathed the contagion 10
the air. 1t was theirs to keep themselves un.
spotted from the plague spots OF the world. But
Christ could keep them from It. Without that
purity, religion would be failure. Christ had
spotted, and every minister, every member of his
church he would keep untaiuted BY his blessed
power Of salvation.
Waugh II. 3. Church.
Those who remember the barn-like aad ILL.,
ventilated building OF few years ago at the cor
ner Of Third street east and A Eorth feel great
deal OF pride in the elegant church ediice Into
which 1t has been reconstructed. The front hasa
slightly bizarre appearance to stickler for plain
ness in church architecture, but within the deco
rations are in admirable taste. These changes,
which have nearly all been made In the last three
years. are due to the enterprise Of large mem
bership and to the untiring efforts OF Rev. Rich
ard Norris, who has been the pastor during that
The services yesterday were Of an interesting
character. The text was Proverbs xvil:24:
There is friend that sticksth closer than a
Of social life. Man longs for friendship. True
friendship can only exist between true hearts.
To true hearts true hearts turn fnstinctively.
The regenerated heart yearns for divlner
friendship-a friendship such as the world yields
not. They, therefore, should feel peculiar inter
est in the words Of the text. Jesus meets the
desire of the heart and proclaims himself the
friend. He delighted to dwell on this subject.
in which he enforced the idea that he was mans
friend.
His friendship was divine. An earthly friend
may be valuable but an earthly friend may fail
for want Of ability; but Jesus is Of infinite re-
sources. He has infinite wisdom, too, aud can
give to man what is needed while other friends,
able to supply some wants, might so do it as to
iniure rather than benefit.
Human friends may be alienatedI but
MANS UNwoRTHINEss
cannot chill the friendship Of Jesus. The doubts
Of Thomas, the denial Of Peter did not shake It.
de is the almighty friend who can defend man
from all his enemies, whether from without or
within.
His friendship is constant and unwavering. He
says: al will never leave thee" A mother may
forget her child, but Jesus never forges. Whether
in temporal or eternal affairs man may always
rely upon him; though all other friends fail. yet
Jesus remains. Man must learn to realize this.
In old age (Which was most touchingly pictured
by the speaker) all the friends of an early life
are gene-some removed, some alienated, some
dead-and then Jesus is peculiarly mans friend:
And following this comes the hour OF death ana
the entrance into another world where no other
friend can aid. Then, indeed, he is q friend.
His friendship is everlasting. In his great
agony his prayer was for life eternal to all that
had been given him-not for the twelve, not for
the eleven. Be faithful to him, conide in him,
consult him. Mans service delights him, his
trust honors him. Man may lose other friends,
but not this one II he trust him.
The singing at this church is by choir under
the leadership of Mr.. William Wlshart, and on
yesterday was very hne.