The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-05-25
What the Church
Doing.
WHEN CREED BECOMES DEED
The International Sunday School Les
son for May 3Oth is Relieving and
Doing" James >: 1926.
BY T. ELLIS.

"show me- is the slangy expression
of the spirit of these times. The
worlds attitude today toward all
things is skeptical. 1t accepts only
the man or enterprise that has made
good" 1t wants q demonstration that
will convince its own Judgment. Mere
empty profession in religion or IN
business is treated with scant pa
thence. Belief hat is barren, is given
no heed. Our own day stands rather
James, hat the faith which is alive
must produce. All eyes look for this
practical expression of their profess
sion.
The Sunday schools of the world
are this week studying a fragment of
by James. There is an intrinsic -ap-
preparedness in the interruption Of
the historical studies from the Book
of Acts in order that this letter of
James may be considered in connec
ton with the letter which he wrote as
president of the council at Jerusalem
to the Gentle Christians at Antioch
n throughout Asia Minor. The deep
ly practical strain in this epistle has
led many to question its right to a
place in the Canon. 1t was not until
the council of Laodicea, about 364,
that it was formally and finally ad-
mitted. During the early centuries,
however, it was always printed as i'm
mediately following the Book of the
Acts, being more clearly related there
to than the letters Of Apostle Paul. 1t
was Jerome's translation which dis
turbed this order and made it likely
that henceforth the ecclestine ar
rangement of books will be followed
always.
There are several Jameses in the
New Testament, and the question
arises as to the identity of this one.
1t is generally agreed that he is not
one of the two James who belonged
to the college Of apostles, but rather
the brother of Jesus himself. He is
commonly called James the Just, and
there are many interesting extra
scriptural traditions concerning him.
We know that he was presiding over
the council at Jerusalem, thus having
a primary over Peter and John and
Paul, during the first ounci He
was q Jew of the stricter sort, and his
letter is written as a Jew to Jews.
Possibly it was meant to recall the
Church from an Decentralization o.
the teachings of Paul; for all who
have been inclined to spiritualize the
latter's words have found fault with
these writings of James. Luther, his
whole being concentrated on the great
truth that the just shall live by
faith did not like James apparently
disparaging remarks concerning faith,
and thus he called this book AN epis-
tie of straw Later he is thought to
have revised this judgment. and GER
tainly his followers and the church
that bears his name have come to q
correcter Interpretation of the import
ance of James teachings and of their
place in the anon.
mo Religion to Speak off,
One Of those busting persons who
talk as freely about the innermost
sanctities of the spirit as they dc
about the crops or the weather. had
aDDrOachpd q nrOf01nlly roll oin
man with some casual inquiry con
corning the state of his spirit. L have
no religion to speak Of" dryly replied
the latter, knowing that his interro-
double-ended sentence. There are
many who have a deep sympathy
with the man who had no religion tc
speak Of" They feel that the house
tops are not the places for an ora
confession of faith. The creed tina
counts in the market place is the
creed that expresses itself not in piou>
phrases. but in a square deal.
In all charity it may be Questioned
whether the persons who are mos
prone to talk about religion are those
who best realiez it. The deeply relig
dous mar is possessed of a profounC
reverence. He Will speak his faith
OF course, upon rOp OCCASION; bu
he does not wear either his soul OF
his heart upon his sleeve. With al
spiritual emotions there may be foune
a great difference. A woman does no
a of her children: she shows it
James makes q center shot at tn
talkative saint when he writes: IF {
man say'-stressing the word SAY
he hath faith but have not works
can that faith save him?'
The Faith That is q Dead One.
Plous admonitions fill no empt,
stomachs. The common religious salu
tatlon of the early Christian wa,
Peace" James declares that III,
Christian who cries Peace to a hun
cry or naked person in need, with
holding food and raiment from him
"a no means expressed his religion
- WORDS are no substitute 70
n clothes. A achrymose mir
WHICH Is ever pluming itself on it's ow1