Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-11-08

ngiOn OF him VINO spoke Ine "oIus'
and we desire to insist that this re-
ligion should be the supreme thing IN
life. its lack being promptly acknowl-
edged
The apostle James does not give a
definition of religion when he says
pure religion and undetiled before
God and the father Is this, to visit
the fatherless and widows in their al
Fiction, and to keep himself unspot-
ted from the world" Two elements
Of religion only here appear, that
which is broadly called charity, which
with many is nothing more than al
truism, and separation from the
world, which has been designated re-
Gently as aloofness. In religion there
is something that Is positive, 1t must
go beyond kind deeds to the needy.
and retirement from the world. A
great theologian defines religion as
the sum Of the relations which man
sustains to God, and comprises the
truths. the experiences. the actions
and institutions which correspond to,
or grow out Of those relations.
AS thus defined religion must be
the supreme thing in life. This life
may be OF the community. for no COM
munity realizes the acme OF social
happiness unless IL Is in a corporate
way respectful to the elements OF re-
ligion Just presented; but we desire
to place the emphasis on the fndi-
vidual life We would not do this be-
cause we ignore community life, but
because reaching the Individual lives
that make the community we reach
the community in a way that Is In
f1nitely more satisfactory than by
reaching It in its corporate capacity.
We would not confuse any individual
by calling his attention to religion as
supreme in the community, but as su-
preme in himself.
The first reason for this is that
God commands it as in the text an
nounced, as creator. preserver, daily
benefactor and guarantor Of blessings
on man, the value of which cannot be
measured. This right of God to COM
mand is denied by many, and not
even a word of thanksgiving for the
daily blessings OF life, nor a prayer
for their continuance is heard. eX-
cept from very few
Religion should be the supreme
thing because only in 1t is It possible
to have true manhood realized. This
might be a thought OF force even II
we would divorce everything Of the
spiritual from mans being, which
cannot be done Man was created in
the image and likeness Of God, and
II he fairly reflects the character Of
God he becomes a very Bible to the
world, revealing God himself. Jesus
said man was more than the fowls Of
the air, or sheep, yet how many men,
and, sad to say, women, too, so beas-
tialize themselves that they can hard
ly be considered better than swine!
The universal belief in the immor-
tality of the soul Of man puts en-
phasis on the value of the perma-
nent. Religion directly affects the
permanent. 1t emphasizes that which
is beyond this life, yet one of the
strange things Of human experience
is that multitudes come to the end
of life as If there was nothing be-
yond. The old prophets prepare to
meet thy God" is not a mere matter
of historical interest, it should ring
in the ears of every living man and
woman. After death there Is judg-
t>I - 81 ho
Judge has likewise been appointed.
But what are the issues of judgment?
In short, heaven and hell Yet bow
cynically these great facts are thought
OF and spoken about, but religion pro-
vides for the winning of the one, and
escaping the other. II heaven and
hell are myths. there must be re-
vision not only of the teachings OF
Jesus Christ and his apostles. but Of
the moral philosophy Of all the ages.
II these great facts Of the beyond
were a more permanent element in
the evangel Of the day. that evangel
would be far more effective.
Another reason why religion should
be supreme is that the worry of men
and women over the things of small
importaL,e would disappear In
close connection with this text Jesus
spoke of the anxious care for food
and clothing. That Is what is eating
out the life Of multitudes today,
something entirely unnecessary. II
religion Is made supreme. food. cloth
ing. housing and the like, will be add
ed by God. God sees tc 1t that those
who obey his command, and recognize
the purpose Of their being are pro-
vided for. for as Father he knows
that men have need Of all these
things, and yet supplying them he
never puts premium on laziness or
unthrift.
The word first an used here may be
taken first as referring to interest or
| concern. At this point even a little
thought as to what religion can do
for man would increase this concern.
But the word may mean first in time,
and the text might be paraphrased In
this way, become religious by taking
the initial step OF believing in Jesus
Christ, and do 1t without a ~
ment's delay.