PURE RELIGION by J. C. BROWER

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 11, 1902

PURE RELIGION.

By J. C. BROWER

J. C. BROWER. (Americus, Ga.)

Of the many religions extant to-day, only one is pure, only one teaches “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” James thus defines this religion: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” This embodies a twofold principle—service and sacrifice. The prophet Isaiah, in the grandeur of his thought, held out this same twofold idea, for he says, “Relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isa. 1:17); and “wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well.” Isa. 1:16, 17.

This same poet and scholar, in the fifty-third chapter of his song, depicts the life of a man who was pure religion—the Man of Galilee, the Christ. During His earth-life it was He who did and was; for He went about doing good, and found His Father’s commandments “not grievous.”

These two elements—doing and being—characterized the entire life of the Son of man. They were so inwrought into His life that He never forsook His God, never, though exposed to every temptation that ever assails man. It has ever been the heart desire of good men to do good and to be good. The Bible is replete with the history of men who, Joseph-like, were unselfish and pure in heart.

In the story of Abou Ben Adhem, based upon an Oriental legend, Ben Adhem, on seeing an angel writing in a book of gold, asked what was being written. Upon being told that it was the names of those who loved the Lord, he wished to know, of course, if his name was there. The angel told him it was not. Nothing discouraged, he requested that his name be written as one who loved his fellow men. It was done. The next night the angel came again to reveal the names whom love of God had blessed, “when lo, Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.”

Our love to God is measured by our love to man. “He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” 1 John 4:20. This, conversely stated, is, “And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

This Philadelphian condition of the individual heart cannot exist as long as our ego lives. The ego must be killed, or it will kill everything else. This is an age of selfishness. Sensitiveness is the garb worn by too many of us. Self is pitied. Self is terribly abused. Self is slighted. Self would do something if it were not for others. But let us remember that, as Shakespeare says, “The fault is in ourselves, and not in our stars that we are underlings.” If we miss eternal life with all its glories, which “eye hath not seen,” through some besetting-sin ego, the whole fault is in us—not in God, nor in our fellow men. The late Henry Ward Beecher’s father used to say to Henry, “Be a hard master to yourself but lenient to everybody else.” But now this good advice seems, yea, is, just turned about.

It is this ambition to be first that kills. This was why Brutus killed Cæsar—“Death for his ambition,” said Brutus. All through Cæsar’s life this principle to be first—selfishness—reigns supreme. He is said to have expressed it one day while marching through a miserable little Iberian village. His lieutenant, seeing the few hovels, filled with vermin and squalor, wondered who would care to be first in such a place. Cæsar, on hearing it, replied, “I’d rather be first in a little Iberian village than be second man in Rome.” The Cæsar lives in many hearts to-day—hearts that claim to have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus—indeed, in hearts that profess to live the Third Angel’s Message.

Paul says: “I am crucified with Christ;” again, “I die daily.” Self was given up; then, after self had been crucified, had died, could selfishness reign supreme?

The religion of Jesus Christ—if it means anything—means being above getting offended or hurt at real or imagined grievances. Unselfish souls will not injure or be injured, and can not imagine nor surmise evil. Only pigmy souls are capable of it.

This pure religion and undefiled means being blind and deaf to everything that hinders a close, daily, companionable walk with God. It means being kind to the unholy and unthankful, as Jesus was. It means being meek and pure in heart—Jesus was this, too. It means being CHARITABLE, not only to those of like faith, but to those of other faiths, indeed, even to those of no faith at all; for “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God gave all for us; we must give all for Him. How?—By acting divinely unselfish day by day, and by being pure in heart; for that will enable us to see God.

“Who gives himself with his alms feeds three—Himself, his hungering neighbor, and Me.”