Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-04-23

~ If they have had experience i'll LEAD
Ing men TO Christ.
y more recent definition Is one gwen
by Or. +. $. Amcs, associate professor
OF philosophy In the University oil IN
cago. lie declares that religion !
complex Of activities and emotions, an
organization of attitudes and habits
III the service of commanding Ideals.
ana that 'it expresses itself In polihcai
economic ana social relations. lie
further asserts that religion arises
IRON human nature itself
From these definitions. elaborate but
elusive We turn 10 our text and us
context. The latter part of the FIRST
chapter of the EpiStle of James deals
with the subject of real religion.
Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above. and comcth down
from the Father of Lights Real re-
lision, which is the binding back of
the soul To God is from above. "Ot
His own will be=at He Us with the
word of truth" This marks the be-
ginning of real religion. only twic"
born people possess real religion; all
other Is unreal and unsatisfying. II
does not meet either the need Of the
heart or the demands Of the con
science. There is no entrance into the
kingdom Of God except that of the
new birth. Unless man he porn
from above he cannot see or enter the
Kingdom of God. Apart from seeing
and entering the kingdom of God
there can be no real religion.
The greatest loss that has ONE 10
the churches Of America In he last
thirty years Is the loss of proper en-
phaSS upon this great and fundamen-
tai truth-"Ye must be born again.
As consequence of this n vague re-
ligiuuSneSS has taken the place of a
vital Christian experience.
The result Of the new birth and the
new life from God is that its recipient
becomes a spiritual child Of God. This
new relationship brings with ii new
Responsibilities. These responsibilities
a. outlined in this Scripture mark ont
the path of the one who is truly and
really religious. Let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak. slow 10
wrath" The Fathers children must
be swift To hear" that is. alert To
hear the voice Of God rs Ii speaks
through the indwclling Spirit. and by
the study Of the Word. ar in the provi.
dental circumstances Of life In the
midst of the babel of false religious
tongues we must be alert 10 hear the
voice of God.
Being thus swift TO hear" the
Christian must also he "slow 10
speak = not desiring to parade his
knowledge and make for himself a
name; not seeking prominence and
popularity but walking humbly before
God. Anyone who has a name TO
make for himself in this world can
never be used Of God There i only
one name 10 he exalted, and that the
name Of Jesus" II the Christian has
opportunity 10 speak and is led To
tell Of those things which he has teen
swift Ia hear" he may possibly find
little or no response To his message
His hearers may turn away and criti-
cize What then: Shall he be angry
or rcScntful: No. he must he SLOW 10
wrath" fer such wrath or anger or re
sentiment "workeih not the righteous
ness Of Cod" II only units for serv-
ice All such clamorings Of the self
life must hc resisted and the cnsraftcd
Word he received with mcckueSs for
this alone j. able Ia save your souls
that is. To keep uS cNpcrimcntally IN
the way Of salvation The Word must
be transmitted into life 81 that we
shall he "doerS of the Word and not
hearers only" As food unaSsimilated
pniSonS MS 50 hearing without apply.
ing produces harmful and disastrous
effects But the man who looks into
the perfect law Of liberty" ana adj
iusts his life according 20 IT, teach.
in.s. is preserved in the way Of real
religion and trle hle>>edneS>.
Real religion relates both To ONES
self and 70 others. III any NAN among
YOU seem 10 be- religious and hridleth
not his tongue hui deccivrlh his own
heart. this mans religion is vain" His
profession il empty The evidences Of
;hc new life are absent ANA he stands
condemned 10y his own inability 10 re
strain and control himself
Real religion IN IL, exercise toward
others i said 70 consist in visiting
the fathcrlcSS and widows IN their af.
Fiction" This il Tia. outward express
sion of real ur true religion The nrac-
tice of those things suggested by the 4
phrase visiting The fatherless md /
widows" is n rar nj our outward serv-
ice. The doing Of such 'hir'.e -
natural outf w of the III