Evening star., 1925-08-01
Sunday School Lesson

put aside every thing in our life that
degrades. debases or defiles.
Obedience to Gods word was re-
auired II they were to preserve the
spiritual liberty given them by the
grace OF the Lord Jesus. II Is still
true that people can delude them
selves. thinking that they are doing
the Masters will, when they are fail
ing. Christianity is an extra that re-
quires more than the external mani.
festation OF the religious life. James
in dema hiding that Christia ms be doers
and not hearers of the word was EN-,
phasiZing what Jesus taught when he
instructed His disciples to pray Thy
will be done" Ii calls for more than
church attendance and financial sup
port. Christianity, according to both
James and Christ, demands a prscti-
cal expression.
Practical Religion.
Pure religion called for the visiting
"of the fatherless and widows in their
affiiction." The best way Ito keep
oneself unspotted from the world" is
through service for others. Faith re-
veals itself, according TO James. by
works In his definition OF religion
there Is no indication, or anywhere
In his epistle, <that we can be saved
religion of Jesus Christ was a practi
cal one and that a man, who had been
saved by personal faith, would prove
that fact by his labor. Our religious
life develops by life of self-denial
and sacrificial service. In his attitude
on practical religion James recalls
the solemn words spoken by the Lord
Jesus: Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord. shall enter into the
1t ST n he
the will of my Father which is in
heaven
The epistle is an echo of the teach
lngs of our Lord One feels, as he
reads 1t, that II breat thes the atmos-
phere of the Sermon on the Mount.
II is this characteristic that makes it
the leading book of wisdom of the
New Testament 1t has modern
messase concerning not only personal
religion. but he grapples with ques-
tionB that separate capital and labor,
demanding Justice for both. He
pointed out that every sociological
oroblem could be settled If 1t were
laced and sought to be solved in the
spirit of Christ and of human brother
hood. James displays the same coura
geous spirit of fairness. justice and
love as did the Lord. He calls us 10
face one of the most serious problems
of our age. The skepticism which Is
the most dangerous TO Christia nifty to-
day is not doubt as TO the age or
authenticity of its sacred books. or
distrust of it's time ,honored doctrines,
but loss of faith in its vitality" The
secret of William Jennings Bryan $
power as leader in our American
life and the thought OF the world was
due to the fact that he believed In
the power of the gospel TO cure the
Ills of the world. The world needs
in his passing more believers who are
doers and not hearers of Gods word.
With the passing of the foremost
champion of purity in public life.
loyalty 10 Gods word and abiding
faith in its power to save and direct
not only the personal life of men and
nations as demonstrated in his own
career. il viii help us to demonstrate
the power Of the gospel TO recall that
James. the author of the earliest
epistle OF the New Testament. died for
his faith. According to Josephus
"Festus was dead and Albinus had
not yet arrived. SO Ananias (son of
Annas of the gospel assembled the
Sanhedrin. and he brought before Ii
the brother of Jesus who Is called
Christ (his name was James, and
some others and delivered them 10
be stoned, on a charge of being ira MS
sressors OF the law" The one
whose knees became hard like camels
because he was always kneelins In
the temple. asking forgiveness for the
people" was killed in a fit of passion
because he was faithful to Christ.
The great Recha bite, for James
kept their vows, az TO drink. has
taken his place among the immortal
heroes Of faith. The great Commoner
whose body rests in Arlington within
view of the Capital City, that he loved
was a follower of James in seeking to
| have his countrymen practice in then
private and public life the teachings
of the Christ. so that the spirit o1
democracy and freedom might ever re
! main their possession. II We shall
! be doers of the word and not hearers
then the work of the great spiritual
! leaders from James to Bryan. will not
| be lost and the gospel of Christ viii
! demonstrate afresh its power to save
men and ations.