Show PRACTICAL RELIGION CONSISTS CHIEFLY I IN BEING CHARITABLE J At St St Marks cathedral Dean Brewster l having last Sunday presented reent some ret rea reasons re sons why his hiG hi should shoud b thankful as a individuals as members or of orthe orthe the church and citizens as of this nation l spoke on Thanksgiving morning on Practical Religion as a enforced In the words of St S James Jame Be ye doers of the and not hearers only occurring in inthe Inthe inthe the Epistle appointed in the Vr Preer ryer jer BOOK Boo BOOKfor Bo for this day He said sid in part parte We e all want religion rel ion to De pe practical to show its Is power in acts ats of or mercy merc anI benevolence Such a text as this suits the temper of oC the world today toda which often oren finds fault faul with churchgoing av alii a athe the ordinary expressions of Christina Christian faith falth as being impractical and senti sentimental sent sentimental mental How we may ma best be t reach rach the de do desired d sired end of being heing doers of at the word wordIs Is set forth clearly In this passage from the first chapter of or St James Written very vel likely somewhat late in the e apostolic age of or the church after the great Pauline doctrines about grace aol ani faith had ha tak taken n root this may mu have be b i l designed to counteract the abuse of those doctrines which wilch led ld men to content then selves with a merely and emo emotional emotional tonal religion forgetful of the example of the Master who iho ho wet about doin doing good The Tle fundamental thought thou ht Is that the word of God bringing salvation is meant to th be a living power pow r among men emphasizing emphasizing sizing the brotherhood that follows from our common dependence upon Gods The first condition of our being In a atrue atrue atrue true sense doers of ot the word is to recognize that dependence upon God Thanksgiving day daj da reminds us of ot this and andi It i is WH wl to be so reminded for In our prosperity we Americans are too apt to boast like the Israelites of old whom Moses warned My I power and the might of or mine hand hath gotten goten me this wealth and this pride can never produce pruce a sense of brotherliness and a genuine desire to show mercy See how In reality realty God has made us the inheritors of the ages made us to profit by b the genius of a long succession of gifted gired men who have hae studied the secrets of nature We have hae inherited too our free Cree institutions as well wel as a land rich In material re resources resources sources What at have we which we w have not received Let Lt us u therefore in thankful humility humility ity it seek seel Bek out ways as of spreading abroad the blessings In hi which we e share For in inthe inthe n the next flat place to be b really doers of or the tile word ord we need to study ways way of doing dol Gods Sods will Trill wil and not merely to do deeds of impulsive here and there It I Is easy and natural to relieve relee fly ily fy some distress that presses upon our attention but we have to take pains to look into gaze into Gods perfect law the law of ot liberty and continue therein if we would be effective doers and not hearers only deceiving even ourselves Moreover true practical religion means that we be strict with ourselves as well wel as to others If I any man mm among you continues St James seem among to be religious and not his tongue this mans religion is vain Pure religion and before God and the Father Is this to visit the tile fatherless and widows In their affliction and to kee himself unspotted from the world The mercifulness and practical benevolence which God requires of ot us is sustained and effective only when we w cultivate temperance and purity purt Let Lt this tills Thanksgiving sentiment of practical philanthropy which Is in the theair thear theair air today toda take root in us and In the community ar and Ond bring forth ferth the fruit of continual good works 7 |