The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-05-25
TN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
Folk Are Thinking About and
Religious News From
Elsewhere

However high and far a man spirit
ma soar. his feet must remain
~squarely planted on earth. In tins
material world even spirituality must
be shown in material ways,
James declares unequivocally that
faith without works is dead. In the
collOquial speech of today-and
James letters are extremely colo
quialhe would declare that the re-
ligion which is not busy about help
fulness is "a dead one" The world is
right in judging creed by A
man may not take refuge from his
failure to sauar himself in the
worlds eyes by W~himpering that he is
not understood.
There is a that is never
misunderstood, in earth or IN Heaven.
and that is the language Of practical
conduct. If a man is tight-fisted,
crafty, usurious, unmerciful, and
blind to the claims Of his ~nelghb0rs
pom him, he cannot get q rating any
where as a religious man, though he
make prayers as long as one Of Paurs
letters. and dot the landscape with
memorial churches. AS the body
apart from the spirit is dead, even
50 faith apart from works is dead"
declares James. At times the Church
has sought to weed out creeds, heret-
les. Better far would it be for her
to pluck out the dead members of the
sort described by James. who are a
contaminated ana a TepTOdcI.
Who Was the More Religious?
Two men were holding o cOntro-
versy concerning orthodoxy a short
time ago. One was inclined to deny
to all who did not hold his faith the
right hand of fellowship, or any hope
of divine favor. He would give them
no hearing, and scant charity. In his
earnestness he cited by name u per
son known to both, whom he said was
away off" in belief.
The other rejoined: T grant that
in some matters of belief this person
is not as dxed as you or |; yet in the
practical religion of actual good works
and IL the spiritual attitude of rev.
erence and devotion. which IS the
foundation of all religion, she is more
religious than either you or l.. But
the first man had evidently not been
reading his Epistie Of James. He
could not conceive Of Gods viewing
With favor even 50 humble and truth
full and seeking n charitable o spirit
as this common friend, because, for
sooth, her credal subscription was not
orthodox. The religion of James is
the religion of his Brother and Lord:
Not he that saith unto me, Lord,
lord shall enter into the Kingdom;
but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in Heaven
Assailino a F'rieniy Church.
h twentieth century is not inter
ested in any religion that does not
produce good works. Social service
has come to be the accepted test of
a church's right to live. The Liberal"
sects have made themselves strong in
popular favor because they have en-
phasized mans obligation to God. 1t
is a point for the most serious con-
sideratiOn of ~theologians and religious
leaders, in h present state of relig-
ious thought, whether the so-called
orthodox sects have been as strong
or stronger than either critics in their
ministry to mankind. Assuredly the
sterility of formal religiOsity can have
no defenders in these times.
One denomination has been thrown
into considerable agitation, in which
a large body OF the public shares, over
the criticisms upon Trinity Church, in
New York. The great newspapers and
denOminational Organs and public
speakers, both in and out Of the
church. as we'll as innumerable pri-
Nate critics, nave hurled their seyerest
condemnation upon the Trinity cor
poration, primarily bcause it has lived
for itself. and not for service. It has
considered before the welfare Of peo-
pie the prosperity of Trinity's invest
ments. 1t has not even paid it's eur
! rent expenses out of the contributions
of its own members, but has drawn
on the money which it has made Of
and other Investments. It's
missionary contributions have been
pltiably small. 1t has the unenviable
distinction of being the richest eccle-
slastlcal corporation in America, but
despite all that may be said in its
favor, it has come to be
With the sort of churchliness to which
the world is ever pointing the finger
OF scorn. At the judgment bar Of
pubic opinion. as we'll as Of Christian
truth, Trinity has been called to make
answer and has promised to mend its
ways.
This criticism of a wealthy church
corporation is really a wholesome
sign. It shows that our day is de
handing that Christianity make
good according to the standards OF
its Founder. The sentiment of the
civilized world dooms the non-Chris-
tan faith, because they are not pro
duclng. in the social order which
they dominate, the spirit of helpful
ness. b~rotherhoOd. and nroarocs