The Washington herald., 1907-11-17
A SUNDAY TALK.

fure religion and indebted before God and the
rather Is this To yisi, the fatberiess and widows
IN their affection and to keep himself mspotted
from the world James t. q.
The first general epistle Of James ad-
dressed 20 the twelve tribes which were
scattered abroad is a beautifully written,
carefully thought out letter OF advice as
to the ways OF conduct that would best
conduce TO the living of Christian life.
And as Jesus Christ. in the last COM
mandment which he gave to the world.
emphasized the duty Of loving one an
other, so we find the Apostles constantly
dwelling on this theme, recognizing that
this was the fundamental doctrine. the
foundation stone on which the whole fab
ric Of Christianity was reared
Already in that day had come division
OF sects. dissension in doctrine, lack Of
unity in the church. and even in these
early days Of the church's history there
came up those questions as 20 the true
religion, the true methods of worship
which have continued ever since. and
which are responsible. in our day. for
many minute divisions into which the
church of Christ is split
It was Il task which St James felt laid
upon himself TO do what in him lay 10
prevent the lack of unity which he recog-
niZed as one Of the gravest dangers to
which the church was exposed. He sought
in this letter 20 the twelve scattered
tribes to find some essential thing; one
plot Of common grounds on which they
might all unite and thus, in their battle
afr.f ms h.
and determination. And he found in the
text which I have quoted above In which
he tells the breathren that pure religion
and undefled before God has in II, after
all, little 10 do with forms and cere-
monies. The real thing. the vital thing
In religion. is love. To love one another
to visit the fatherless and the widows. TO
live unselishly and generously. 10 give
freely not only of our goods. but Of our
selves.
Through the years we have become well
acquainted with those professors Of re-
ligion who talk much and who do little;
who express their faith in words, not
works. They must have been known even
in the days of ST James For further
along in his letter he mentions this vice
specifically:
II e brother or sister BE- naked. and destitute q
daily food
And one Of you say unto them Depart IN peace
he We warmed and filed notwithstanding We give
them not those things which necdful 70 the body
what doth il proft3
Even faith. II Il have not works. is dead. being
alone.
The truths that St James uttered IN
this epistle are truths that should come
home 10 all OF US to-day. Lacking that
loving faith which is made manifest IN
works Of kindness and tenderness and
generosity and charity. there can be no
true morality possible. Beattie expressed
this beautifully when he wrote:
From the PRAYER q want and the plant Of woe.
never. never tJsrn away thine earl
For0rn in this bleak wilderness below.
Al. what were should Heaven refuse TO
hear
IL is not only that man cannot be truly
religious and shut out the doctrine OF
loving kindness from HIS heart: he can
hardly hope % be a true man. fit TO do
true mans work IN the world. There
Is not one Of US who IS secure enough In
bis own strength 10 be beyond the need
or help and no one need expect help when
the need arises unless out Of his ability
he has given help 10 others. Always we
must push toward the goal, travelling
blthely or trudging gloomily according to
our natures. along that road long straight.
and dusty 20 the end. where. at the last.
we may hope 10 meet the Master by
whose grace and love we have made the
perilous journey. But II is not for US 20
push along lies highway selishly. By
the side we arc sure 10 come upon the
lame, the halt the weak who have fallen
by the way. And the eXhortation Of St
James is meant 10 show Us that the duty
and the law Of love demand that beside
doing our own work we shall help others
IN theirs. and scat the last-we may
hope 10 find the hand Of God stretched
out 20 help us in the hour CT need