The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-11-02

OLD CHURCH CALENDAR.
Oct 80. Twentieth Sunday after Trinity.
Nov. /. All Saints Day.
Nov. 9. Twenty -first Sunday after Trinity

When the Apostle James, that most prac-
teal writer, and matter-of-fact Christian
would exhibit, side by side, two phases of
religion one of which is but too commonly
seen, the other that which God approves /; be
states the case thus: Yea, man may say,
Thou hast faith, and have works show me
thy faith without thy works, and will show
thee my faith by my works"
The point in the csseis this, that Christian
faith is more than profession, is not to be
in word only, but in the reality and power of
a changed life. Religious faith is a motive
force. It's only reliable test is the practical
test of habitual conduct BY their fruits ye
shall know them.n Faith works by love,
and purifies the heart"
Many applications of this principle might
be made. In the present article it is briefly
designed to make this single one,-that
Christians, in their daily lives, and especially
in the matter of self pleasing amusements,
pastimes, ought to be. aud be seen to be- differ
eut from the people of the world. For their
daily bread, they must do the same sort of
work as the ungodly and the profane, and
often, in working hours be the companions of
such. In the way of working. they will show
their Christian character chiefly by the dill
gence and integrity with which they do IT,
seeking their employers advantage as though
it were their own, doing honest work, as In
the great TaslS-Master's eye "Not slothful
in business, fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord" In intercourse with their associates
they will guard their tongue, and shield their
ears, so that, as far as possible, they may
keep their minds pure aud their speech clean
and charitable. With no effort at display,
the light of their religion will yet shine out,
clear, quiet, serene, and men will know them
as servants Of the living God, and He win be
honored in them.
But out of working hours, when they may
choose both companions and occupations, then
especially should Christians show their faith
by their works, and be not conformed to this
world. The old Puritans no doubt often
went to an extreme In condemning unholy
amusements, and assuming external marks of
very artificial character. May-poles and
Christmas cheer are not necessarily sinful
and there is nothing lovely or pious in cutting
hair by pumpkin shell, or wearing long
faces.
But it is Christ-like, to discourage sinful
levity and rebuke irreverence, by grave and
sorrowful look If one is not in position to
utter words of reproof 1t is worthy of our
calling, to deny ourselves whatever personal
qualification we might gain by visiting places
of amusement, shows and entertainments,
which we know necessarily involve much of
temptation and sin on the part Of the per-
formers, and are always accompanied by i'm
morality and promote vice among many of
those who frequent them. The clean dollars
of the well-dresscd, respectable and pious
Save the mark j citizens, paid at the tent
door, keep up the clowns stock of low jests-
send the acrobat on his perilous flights, which
wickedly endanger, for no worthy motive, bis
God-given life, and bring the rabble into the
streets and commons, for idle, profane, i'm
pure mirth, and make gala days for the tip
ping houses, and sad hearts for the wives at
home, unless they, too, have joined the gaping
crowds, who are wasting time and sixpences
and losing their nicer sensibilities In the
jostling with ill-bred and tipsy men and boys.
What do these Christians here ? But for
their indulgence of curiosity and taste--far
from lofty OF elevating-the streets would be
orderly, theschool rooms filed, the mechanics
at work, the townspeople's money kept in
town, the taverns unthronged, the people
disposed for better amnsements and the
healthy enjoyment of home--the wifes tattle,
the children's frolics.
Christians in matters such as these show
the reality Of your faith-your aim and hope
for things above the skies-and SO. with no
unreasonable restraint or self-denial you will
have yet shown your citizenship in heaven to
be more than name. "Ye are the salt OF
the earth but if the salt have lost its sadness,
wherewith W ill We season it?n