The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-05-27
@aturday Digit
Soek q BY Rev. r. E. DAWSON
Z JQsNC Rutland, W.
FAITH AND WORKS
International Bible Lesson for
May 80, 'oo-Uames 2: I4-26)'
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

1here are O1ten more tnan tndt. lTutH
Is very much like the New Jerusalem.
1t lieth four square, with three gates
of entrance toward every point of the
compass. Bigotry and egotism would
drive all mankind through one OF
those gates. denying or ignoring all
the others, but clear eyed charity sees
every one Of those pearly gates, and
is interested in getting people through
them. Er
Untensbie Claims.
Some OF the bitterest ecclesiastical
controversies have been waged by
men who have shut their eyes to this
principle and who have insisted that
their system of theology was as axio-
matte as mathematics. Just as GER
tainly as two and two are four in
their estimation they have the only
demonstrable theological dogma. A
cursory perusal Of the writings of tho
apostles reveals the fact that each %
those men presented one side of the
body Of divinity. Thus Paurs theme
was almost exclusively justification by
faith; John, in gospel and epistlc
dwelt upon the value of love: Peter
was the champion of hope, and James
shows up the necessity of good works.
The idea Is never intimated by any
one OF these writer's that the subject
is expounding Is all there is to chris
tianity, they each merely emphasize
and develop one phase OF truth.
And yet there have always been
carping critics who have sought to set
these writer's over again each other.
and make them appear to contradict
and oppose each other. Especially
has that been true in regard to Paul
and James. They have been repre-
sented as fighting each other. Even
so clear headed a man as Martin
Luther called the epistle of James.
IAN epistle of straw"
Fighting Common Foe.
But such a view is altogether wide
OF the mark. Instead OF attacking
each other Paul and James stand back
TO back fighting the common foe.
Paul's faith works by love and puri-
fes the heart, and James works are
the fruit of the tree, of which the
sap is faith. If there were no invisi-
bic sap in the tree there would be
no visible fruit, the tree might claim
to have sap but it's falsity would be
shown by lack Of fruit. That sort OF
profession could not save the trco
from the axe. So the loudest profess
sion of faith would avail nothing for
the man who produced no fruit OF
right living. The world demands
fr,,i 20 =,
thinks not at all of the sap which pro
duces it. So James says: Don't talk
to me about faith in your heart If It
does not show itself in works in your
life.
Faith and Work Harmonious.
Faith Is necessary and works are
necessary and they can no more be
separated than thunder and lightning.
AS Frederick W. Robertson puts it:
Suppose l say. A tree cannot bs
struck without thunder that is true,
Tor there is never destructive light
ming without thunder. But again, if
say, The tree was struck by lightning
without thunder that is true, too, il
! mean that the lightning alone struck |
1t without the thunder striking it,"
Yet read the two assertions together !
and they seem to be absolutely con-
Trajectory. So, in the same way, Paul |
says Faith alone is that which justi- |
hes us, and James completes the state |
ment by adding, But not faith |
which is without works." There will |
be works with faith, as there is thun- |
der with lightning; but just as it Is |
not the thunder, but the lightning, the |
nghtning without the thunder, that |
strikes the tree so it is not the works !
that. Justify. Put it in one sentence
taith alone justifies but not the faith
that is alone.
Works are the proof that our faith
is genuine. A thistle might claim to
be rose bush but it would never pro-
duce American Beauty roses.
Or to change the figure Arch
bishop Whately tells the follow
Ing story: 1.-TWO gentlemen were one
day crossing the river in a row-boat.
dispute arose about faith and works,
one saying that good works were of
small importance, and that faith was
everything, the other taking Just the
opposite view Not being able to
agree the boatman asked permission
10 give his opinion, and said 81 hold
IN my hand two oars. This In my
right hand call faith, this In my
left hand ] call work Now, gentle.
men, please to observe. pull the oar
OF faith and pull that alone, and the
boat goes round and round and makes
no progress. l do the, same with the
oar OF works. and with precisely the
same result-no advance. But now
pull both oars together, we rush
ahead. and are soon at the landing"
so faith without works, or works with.
out faith. will not suffice. We must
use them both in order to reach the
maven OF rest. Or, as James puts It,