The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-11-23
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study Of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Dec.
3, 1893.


Subject, Grateful Obedienoe. Sc. James,
1:I6-27.
lone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from tbs Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
INTRODUCTION.
Christ said, "Search the Scripturesn The
Sunday school is one of the products of obedi-
ence to such command. In every way the
Bible is an ad vantage.
Someone wrote the following: 1.-THE Bible
has been tried in the ages of the past by goddess
men, like VOltaire; il has been tried by the
best classes. like Wilberforco; it has been tried
by ed ucators. like Alexander; il has been tried
by men in every conceivable position. in prog
Perity and in adversely, and it has stood the
test. You Beed not be afraid to build your
hopes upon IL for time and etersity."
Bishop Dubs. of Cleveland o., in q sermon
at Utica. n. Y. 1884, said: We must under
stand our message. The Bible is the best book
III the world. AS physician must understand
medicine and q lawyer law, SO We must under
stand the message. the gospel which we are to
preach. We should be at home in the Bible,
aud understand it thoroughly. So long as live
will | read the Bible through twice year. and
this have ] done for many years. l read it
once in German and once in English, besides
what other Bible study have. / beg OF you.
a 'homiletic monthly or treasury and
any number of commentators. Read your
Bible carefully and thoroughly and you will not
want for texts or ideas or thoughts"
st. james the Less
The author of the Episte was ST. James,
not the James who was son of Zebedee but
the son of AIpheus Tor Cieopas). He WAS one
of the ORIGINAL Twelve Apostles. He was
known as st. James the Just. He was the first
Bishop of jerusalem. In A. d. 62 ne became q
martyr. He was hurled heaiiong from pin
uscie Of the Temple. IL did not quite kill him.
A fuller passing along dispatched him with q
club. The APOSTLE was the of the sister of
Mary. the Mother of Christ's humanity. Ira
ditions say it WAS difficult to tell when apart
which was Jesus aud which James.
Tradition tells us ST. James was called the
Less because so low of stature as com pa rcd
with st. James the Evangelist. Some think
him called because be was the younger.
This st. James was President of the first
Christian Council ever held. aud very great
Difference was shown by the fact that, when q
serious dispute existed between SITS. Peter and
Paul. It was left to st. James to give the Anal
decision.
The Epistle of 81. James
Five of the Episiles of the New Testament
are known "a Catholic Epistles-Jaines, First
Peter Second Peter, First john and Jude
or circular. because they were not written to
one nation or city I've may add, person) but
70 believers everywhere" We can see letters
sent so eeneraly-uot addressed directly to
any body or person-might be slower TO get
recognition. 1t would require time TO receive
universal assent. When at length they were
admitted to be genuine Episiles they were
called catholic. They had received general
recognition. So catholic may be equivalent to
can0aical.
There has been very much discussion as to
what James wrote the Epistle. 1t is quite
generally aIlowed~we are to give the credit to
st. James, son of Alpbeus.
We remember Luther treated the Epistle of
st. James very shabbily. calling IL an Epistle
oil straw. He was the strong sd vocate of jnstif-
cation by faith, and imagined the teachings of
tho Epistle OF 81. James were too much given
to works as conditions of acceptance with God.
Rev. DR.. Il. K. Swope says: st. James has
been called the postle of Practical Christian
ity. The keynote of bis epistIe 10 that the
religion of Jesus Christ our Lord is less thing
TO talk about than thing to act upon that
action IS worth great deal more than either
profession or argument; that Christianity is
nothing if 1t is not q life molding life. con-
trolling power"
The Epistle is brief-only five short chapters.
1t is the 18th episfle in New Testament. 1t
is addressed to the 12 tribes which are scat
tered abroad ~ that is to say. to ali jews
living out Of Palestine. 1t exhibits Christian
ity from the standpoint of works-the prscti-
cal side OF Christ's religion. IL does not de-
preciate faith while it magnfies works.
ST.. JAMES, 1927.
Notes.
/. Not err. 49, Do not get the impression
God countenances evil in any way or degree
CT We. 1875.
2. Behold 16 While seemingly rebuking,
or at least indirectly calling attention to =
possible weakness on the part OF the persons
he yet speaks very kindly.
3. Every good is from God IL. No evil is |
from him. Nor does ST. James imply there |
are two deities. representing the one Good. the |
other Evil. Sin was introduced into Gods |
by mans voluntarinessL Verses 1875 |
deny Gods relations to evil in any originating |
sense. One who could be party to holiness |
and sin alike could not be . unity, but q self |
When he originated Good, he /
was obliged to turn from Evil. Hence he |
would vary. but God is Interchangeable. IL. He /
who Wills good must mill evil
The sun Ii not the same to as all the year
around. Now he 10 near. then afar; uows be
remains many hours light, then our days
now he gives vegetation, then all
soil Is frozen. God does not thus vary. He Ia
alike all the year.