The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-04-17
Practical Religion.

The essential part of religion is its
practice. All religious creeds and organ
izations worth anything have respect to
practice. They are valuable Just in pro-
portion to their efficiency in promoting
personal godliness. Neither correct
theories of doctrine and duty, nor pro-
fessions of faith, nor zeal for the church,
can save any man. There is no con-
ceivable substitute for doing the will of
God.
Intellectual loyalty to creeds and con-
LESSONS of faith have great value; but as
an end, it is not, enough. The creed
may be only an artificial Orthodoxy-a
sort of dry light in the mind" which
affects not the life. 1t is possible to hold
the truth in unrighteousness," to know
and believe all that Christ taught, and
yet do nothing that he commanded. The
most correct faith, if not reduced to
practice, sis dead being alone" For
not the hearers of the law''-those who
accept the law of God as their creed
the law shall be justified" Nor is the
public profession of faith in Christ suffi-
Gent. Christianity is not a thing of the
lip merely. Loud professions are no
proof of vital goodness. AS matter of
fact, many who "witness good confess
sion'' are often very defective in moral
conduct. Christ had commanded us to
confess Him before men; but that con-
fession means that He is " all in all. -
"Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, makes strong
avowals of devotion to Christ
:" shall enter into the Kingdom
of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in Heaven" Deeds,
not words, are the surer test of charac-
ter. There is more of the beauty of holi-
ness in one act of brotherly love, like that
of the Good Samaritan, than in all the
professions men can make. The man
who feeds the hungry and clothes the
naked, who "does good unto all men as
he has opportunity" gives proof of the
genuineness and vitality of his faith that
men cannot gainsay. ST. James declares
that Pure religion and undefiled before
God and the Father is of this practical
type: ITO visit the widows and the
fatherless in their affection, and to keep
himself unspotted from the worldn
Zeal for the church is not substitute
for practical religion. 1.-The religion
of the church is an excellent variety, if
it be guaranteed by the holy rite of
confirmation embodied in a.godly life.
That religion is very poor which lacks
this solemn attestation.'' The Phari-
sees were devoted to the Jewish
Church; were extremely punctilious in
observance of its rites and ceremonies:
yet Christ condemned them. He did
so, not for their zeal in these matters,
but because while they paid tithes OF
"mint, anise and cummin,' they omit.
ted the weightier matters of the law
Judgment, mercy and faith. - These
ought We to have done, and not to have
left the other undone." Whoever is
Jealous for the church is certainly con.
cerned for most worthy cause, but there
is danger that ecclesiastical zeal may
take the place of that practical righteous.
ness which the church was designed tc
secure. Many persons seek to substitute
the punctilious use of prayers, hymn
and sacraments for an equally punctil
ious morality. They abound in zeal fol
the church, but omit the weightier mat
tiers of the law. They deal not always
Justly, love not mercy, and walk not up
right before God and man.