The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-19
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 ried interpretations in the modern man, pr. J. T. PIunket delivered a most in spring and clearly illustrated gospel dis course from the pulpit of the South High lands Presbyterian church yesterday morning.
 The sermon was an answer to the inter rogation, What is religion?' the biblical text being selected from the first clause of the twenty-first verse of the epistle of Jude in the New Testament
 The music rendered by the choir as the opening ceremonials was in keeping with the usual Sunday morning programmes. and the soprano solo sung by Mrs. Leon Cole composed the offertory.
 Dr. Plunket. reading the context of the theme verse. Keep Yourself in the Love of God" spoke as follows upon the sub ject of religion:
 The Sermon
 'We know very little about Jude except that he was the half brother of Jesus Christ. and that he was also a carpenter by trade, being man of little learning and untrained in letters. This man, whose plain mind had little room for tilo ilNtStiShtluii Ol sibii0 NA scholars, but came direct to the matter at hand with few words en route, we know to have been straightforward, hon est and holding the faith with a great contempt for heresy, hypocrisy and deceit. He never could have written that epistle unless the times and deeds of the people had necessitated a form of sound words to vindicate the Kingdom of God. If Peter. James or the sainted John had been pres ent they would have spoken, but their ab sence demanded that Jude speak for the truth as represented in Jesus Christ.
 "The clause, Keep vonrso'' the love of God sens tt H# 1a chord of the whole mstter af religion is no easy thing to d ano .siau ou aver age person is se nror 70 a. at part rather than the whoic af tas sfa Iues- ton. We are forever 5aeias .rfa HHe ten- dency of mistaliaf rEla a r'eas re- ligion as the sI r he's the sublime truths 5HE f som- plexity- Men an luUaiaHf .as to regard religion a EeEzaa- za than a circle, which 1t reals E.. GH l'uble is in getting a vi ioa aa tttHs sesHzzr and grounding our rel 'ou l EHsal Let me outline a ser of aHro q mse8 ,om- monly practiced tHa eaHtlaeH8z#1l of religion.
 Is N Dogma
 "The first error iie -s fgiaa re- ligion as dogma int nef1ins aoH As understand dogma, T, 10 s duly appre- hended and accepted belief and a creed is a system of dogmas. If there is anything that marks the signs of modern times it is 'creedofobia.' Men are saying that it doesn't matter what creed his neighbor conducts himself by just so he lives right. I would withdraw my patronage from my grocer tomorrow if he did not adhere to the creed that 16 ounces make a pound, that feet make yard and pints make a quart. In politics the man who .soicits my vote must say what he advocates and must be fitted either by special aptitude and training. in my judgment. to hold that particular office before he merits or se- cures my ballot.
 Let me pause here to inject the warn ing that on every hand this community is admonished that great dereliction is prevalent because every voter has not lived up to the requirements of every man soliciting office.
 "Why should we not have fixed prin- ciples in religion as In every day life? There is nothing more sound or sane than to stand flat footed and say, T believe yet a man will subscribe to every doctrine of the creed and is still lacking in religion.
 Religion Is Not Life
 "The second error is the idea that religion is life. There is a great deal to be said in favor of this also. You and I have known men,, soundly ortho- dox in their creed yet who hated their brother worse than anything on earth and who were coyetous of their neigh bor's prosperity to the point of evil- doing We have seen men who were intelectyal advocates of a sound be- lief whom we would not trust in a business deal or who could not walk in mercy and justice. We have known men to come to church devoutly and regularly and believe in It's tenets but to whom tho cry of distress from the widow and orphan received no response and who did not heed the appeal of the unfortunate. I thank God that Chris tianity Is catching glimpse of social service and the mission of cheering the garret of the poor and bearing laughter to the back yard. But the final definition of religion is not at tained in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting the unfortunate in prison.
 Not Outward Show