FOR M EN ONLY . . . page 9
THE KING'S BUSINESS
M A Y 1958 25c
HERE ARE TWO TOP CONFERENCE SUGGESTIONS
SU N DA Y SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TRA IN ING CONFERENCE
Week o f July 2 7 -August 2 Specialized instruction and workshops in every phase of the Sunday School work PLUS special sessions for Church Volunteer Youth Leaders
LEADERS include Dr. Edward Simpson, Pres. National Sunday School Assn., and Dr. David Laurie.
COLLEGE CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
August 2 5 -September 1 First time as a full week’s conference.
Leaders include Dr. Bernard Ramm, Director o f Graduate Studies in Religion at Baylor University; Dr. Robert B. Munger, First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley; Rev. Warner Hutchinson, Inter- Varsity Christian Fellowship, New Zealand; Dr. Neill Q. Hamilton, Instructor in New Testament, San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Enjoy the Santa Cruz Surf Each Afternoon
M O U N T HERMON MEMOR IAL PRAYER CHAPEL
See cover picture of Chapel interior.
C O M IN G UP EARLY IN ’5 ? Mount Hermon’s Fourth Annual Christian Youth Leaders' Conference — open to all youth leaders serving voca tionally on the local church level . . . FEBRUARY 23-27, 1959 7/tocutt t r erutto#
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MOUNT HERMON, CALIFORNIA
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A publication of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor
S. H. Sutherland, President
•
Ray A. Myers, Chairman of the Board
MAY In the year of our Saviour
Vol. 49, No. 5
Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-Eight
Established 1910
Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home
ARTICLES FOR M EN ONLY — Shorty Harris of Death Valley ....................... 9 THE GREAT DISPARITY — A. W. Tozer ...... - .......................... 11 JACK W YRTZEN A N D H IS INTERNATIONAL CAMPS ............... 12 GRAY SHADES — Charles J. Woodbridge ................................. 14 ATOM IC PREACHER OF THE 16TH CENTURY — Herbert J. Pugmire............................................ 16 THE BEST TH ING IN LIFE — Gerald B. Stanton .......................... 17 REAL POLISH — Hildur G. Nelson ............................................ 18 SUMMER CONFERENCE DIRECTORY ......................................... 19 FEATURES UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF — Althea S. M ille r................... 6 PEOPLE — A monthly column of names in the news ................... 7 READER REACTION ................................................................ 8 SCIENCE A N D THE BIBLE — Bolton Davidheiser........................ 20 WORDS FROM THE WORD — Charles L. Feinberg ....................... 21 JUNIOR K ING 'S BUSINESS ROUND-UP — The Misfit — Betty Swinford .............................. 22 WORLD NEW SGRAMS — James O. Henry ................................. 28 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold D. Ehlert ......................................... 30 SEARCH ING THE SCRIPTURES: 2 COR INTH IANS — Chester J. Padgett ............................................ 36 TALKING IT OVER — A psychologist answers — Clyde Narramore _. 40 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX ................. 41 CHR ISTIAN EDUCATION OBJECT LESSONS — Elmer L. Wilder ....................................... 37 COVER The color engraving on this month's cover is of the beautiful little chapel at the Mt. Hermon Bible Conference Grounds, Mt. Hermon, Calif. In the heavily forested (yellow pine and gigantic redwood) Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco, Mt. Hermon is typical of many evan gelical Bible conference grounds throughout the West.
we invite you to read the fine print
Last month we printed a full page of
comments on The King's Business
from nationally known ministers like
Percy Crawford, M. R. DeHaan, Charles E.
Fuller, Bob Pierce and Jack Wyrtzen.
Just as you and these busy men receive a
blessing from The King's Business so
can your friends and loved ones. But
many will never have a chance unless
you make it possible. Perhaps this is
God's missionary call for you. Won't
you set aside $30 or so of your tithe
to buy subscriptions to The King's Business?
S. H. SUTHERLAND: editor MARY PAGE: copy editor
LLOYD HAMILL: managing editor MILTON R. SUE: advertising manager J. RUSSELL ALLDER: business manager
Put your pastor and the Sunday school
JANE M. CLARK: circulation manager
NORMAN B. ROHRER: editorial-advertising coordinator EARNESTINE RITTER: editorial assistant editorial boord Bolton Davidheiser, Arnold D. Ehlert, Charles L. Feinberg, James 0. Henry, Martha S. Hooker, Chester J. Padgett, Oran H. Smith, Gerald B. Stanton.
teachers in your church on your
gift list. And the neighbor next door
or just down the block. Aren't there
several loved ones you'd like to include
MANUSCRIPTS — "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office of Los An geles. California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, em bodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P.L. and R.. authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Californio.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION — "The King's Business" is published monthly: U.S., its possessions, and Canada, $3.00, one year; $1.50. six months; 25 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Foreign subscriptions 50 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES — Should be mode by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to "The King's Business." ADVERTISING — For information address the Advertising Manager, The King's Business, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California.
too at this time? If God is speaking to
you through the "fine print" of this
message then won't you help now to get
the gospel out through the printed page?
Thé King's Business/558 South Hope
Sfreet/Los Angeles 17/Calif.
4
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beginning SATURDAY. MAY 3
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The King's Business/May 1958
5
Under th e P a r s o n a g e R o o f b y A lt h e a S. M i l l e r RESPONSIBILITY
A rdyth prayed s i n c e r e l y , “ Dear Lord, let this be the last time I don’t get on the honor roll. I made it last report time, but not today. And Mommie is disappointed. Thank you. For Jesus’ sake, amen.” On the premise that so-called “ set” prayers often lead to stilted, formal praying this method has been avoided in our family. From the time the children can lisp a word they are guided in calling on the Lord. As each child launches out in original prayer-thinking, their parents rejoice in the voluntary expressions of their hearts to the Father. Suddenly, Ardyth had arrived at that desired point in praying. But Mother was a little bothered by the general attitude of her six-year-old daughter. In our school only two “ B’s” are permitted if one desires to be on the honor roll. All other marks must be “A ’s.” “ Aren’t you putting too much re sponsibility on the Lord, little lady? It is not His fault you fell to a “ B” in conduct. I’m very disappointed. That is an easy ‘subject’ in which to get an ‘A.’ ” “Well, all I did was talk a little. Then the Lord made me get a ‘B.’ ” “ The Lord did not make you get a ‘B.’ That is of your own making.” “ Anyway, I hope He doesn’t let me get any more.” “ A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.” The old adage seemed to fit Ardyth’s attitude. With considerable amusement Moth er pondered the demands of her small daughter upon God. Childish immaturity allowed her to justify such reasoning. Now the words of the Lord through James kept running through Mother’s mind. “ Submit yourselves . . . unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Spiritual victory is not attained by passive living. Pos itive and negative action is required. Submission to God is the first step; saying “no” to Satan the all-impor tant second. Spiritual maturity re quires the acknowledgement that God is not the cause of our failures. “ From whence come wars . . . among you? . . . even of your lusts . . .” (James 4:1). From whence come victories? “ But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57).
This is Georgia Melisova. The hovel before which she is standing is her Athenian home in Greece. Her mother occasionally works at straw chair weaving but is never able to find permanent employment. Her father just disappeared. She has four younger brothers. Georgia is amazingly, intelligent for a ten-year-old child who hasn’t had a dozen weeks in school. She should be given an education as she has great charm and potentialities. As it is, she hardly gets enough to eat. There is severe unemployment and heart breaking, harsh poverty in Greece. Even many of the children who are helped have only one meal a day and go to bed hungry every night. The bed is some old rags on the dirt floor of a bleak shanty. There isn’t much to do in the daytime except to sit and think how hungry they are. There’s no use going through the garbage cans, for too many are doing that. And for lack of funds, the relief agency doesn’t serve any meals at all on Saturdays and Sundays. Children like Georgia can be “ adopted” and properly fed, clothed and edu cated in Greece and all of the countries listed below. The cost to the con-
tributor is the same in all—$10 a month. The child’s name, address, picture and story is furnished the donor. The donor also can correspond with the “ adopted” child. Christian Children’s Fund, incorporated in 1938, with its 231 affiliated orphanage- schools in 34countries is the largest Prot estant orphanage organization in the world. It serves 22,000,000 meals a year. It is registered with the Advisory Com mittee on Voluntary Foreign Aid of the International Cooperation Administration of the U. S. Government. It is .experi enced, economical and conscientious. COUNTRIES: Austria, Belgium, Borneo, Brazil, Burma, Fin land, France, Free China, Greece, Hong K ong, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran , Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Lap- land, Lebanon, Macao, Malaya, Mexico, Oki nawa, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Syria, United States, Western Germany. — American Indians.
For Information Write: Dr. J. Calvitt Clarke CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S FUND, INC. Richmond 4, Virginia I wish to “ adopt” a boy..........girl.......... for one year in......................................... (Name Country) I will pay $10 a month ($120 a year). Enclosed is payment for the full year ................first month................. Please send me the child’s name, story, ad dress and picture. I understand that I can correspond with the child. Also, that there is no obligation to continue the adoption. I cannot “ adopt” a child but want to help by giving $.................................. Please send me further information. Name .................................................... Address ........ ....................................... City ..................................... Zone .......... State ..................................... . Gifts of any amount are welcome. Gifts are deductible from income tax.
6
Young M en ... you can serve Christ better after you’ve been trained for the ministry in Moody’s Pastors Course At Moody Bible Institute, you become grounded in the Bible and Christian theology. . . study the New Testament in its original Greek. . . learn how to prepare and deliver sermons. . . and receive training in the many other subjects which prepare a man for the ministry. Because of Moody’s sound academic standards, many colleges and universities allow liberal transfer of credit for work taken. Practical assignments include superintending and teaching Sunday schools, conducting teacher training classes and prayer meetings, working in young people’s clubs and doing house-to-house visitation. In addition, the vast Chicago metropolitan area provides ample opportunity for working in missions, holding services Moody’s 50,000-volume library, which includes rare and priceless works, provides pastoral students with extensive research facilities. Active, growing churches in all parts of the country- guided by graduates of Moody’s Pastors Course-are a living testimony to the effectiveness of MBI training. INTERDENOMINATIONAL . . . EVANGELICAL Moody Bible Institute 820 N. LaSalle Street * Chicago 10, Illinois — __ ___ ___ Dr. William Culbertson, president Dr. S. Maxwell Coder, dean Dept k -58-254 Gaining a thorough knowledge of the Word . . . and how to use i t . . . is the most important part of this three-year course. ' n jails, orphanages and hospitals.
A monthly column of names in the news
A group of camp directors in the West are sprucing up the conference ministry with an exclusive aid pro gram. Begun by Graham Tinning of Forest Home eight years ago, The Western Conference and Camp Asso ciation has since enrolled more than 115 camps. The WCCA has helped members reduce taxes by as much as 60%, supplemented camp kitchens with government stockpiles of food and hardware, successfully lobbied bills detrimental to church camps, furnished members with tested pro grams and building plans. With Executive Director Tinning are: Pres ident Walter A. Warkentine of Hume Lake, Calif.; V ic e -P r e s id e n t Grant Whipple of The Firs in Wash.; and Treasurer Hal Donovan of Camp Cedar Crest, Calif. Psychologist Clyde M. Narramore (see p. 40) is being heard in 12 states and Canada in a new weekly radio pro gram entitled “ Psychology for Liv ing.” Narramore discusses problems of daily living based upon Bible truths and research findings. Evangelistically speaking, The Old Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet has joined Evangelist Merv Rosell's radio- TV staff for a new broadcast called “ The American Crusade Album” to be heard on 100 stations across the na tion and on mission fields. Russian- born Hyman Appelman has returned from preaching behind the Iron Cur tain in Russia. Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., presi dent of Bob Jones Univ., made front page news in Cape Town, South A f rica in the Christian Recorder which carried a 1000-word editorial eulogy for Jones’ “ evangelism in modem terminology” in St. Andrews pulpit. Taylor University’s basketball-man Don Odle (Venture for Victory) has picked his 1958 missionary dribblers. To leave for the Orient on June 9 are: Ed Beck, Tink Van Patton, Jack Mount, Jack King and Roger Jenkinson. One more will be chosen. Dr. Torrey M. Johnson will be in England and Wales this month. Dr. Charles "Chuck" Tem pleton, 42, internationally known Pres byterian evangelist, is bowing out of the pulpit. Once associated with Billy Graham, but more recently his severest critic, Templeton will devote his time to television and writing. He’s headed for Egypt and Italy to interview people on TV for the Ca nadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Accredited by
Accrediting Association of Bible institutes
and Bible Colleges
□ Please send me a copy of the illustrated
Q Please send me the latest Moody catalog,
booklet, Life at Moody.
N a m e - ~ -
Address.
L City _
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The King's Business/May 1958
7
SH IVER ING WORSHIPPERS
He Didn't Retire
Preachers generally have a hard time filling our com fortab le churches in this country. I am won dering how many would attend services if they had to meet in a tent in the midst o f winter with 20 inches o f snow outside and no heat in the tent. That is exactly the tragic situation o f the Evangelical believers o f the town o f Volos in Greece, where 80% o f the build ings were destroyed by earthquake, among them the houses of the Prot estant believers and also their church. This happened over three years ago and they are still wor shipping in tents and living in piti able conditions. It is wonderful that in spite of these circumstances the people are so hungry for the Gospel that they still come. From Rev. Basil Sakellis, the Gos pel worker in that area, comes the following word: “ For almost three years now the earth has been almost constantly shaking under our feet. Our nerves are at the point of a breakdown. We have experienced hundreds of minor earthquakes and we live in a state o f alarm all the time." The most amazing thing is that the poor believers in Greece gave $4,000 out o f their indescrib able poverty for the purpose o f re building their church, giving pri ority to the house o f God even while they were homeless them selves. They have now turned to the Christian public of America, to you. They need an additional $11,000 and to help meet that need the American Mission to Greeks has al ready sent $1,000. The need is so imperative and the cause so holy, that we entreat you not to let this opportunity of serving the Lord go by. Surely there are 1,000 readers o f this magazine who could sacri fice $10 or more. Will you be one of them? What a heritage these people have given us! Here is an opportunity to say "thank you” to them for the missionary zeal of their forefathers. Send your gift for this urgent need to: American Mission to Greeks, Inc., Rev. Spiros Zodhi- ates, Gen. Sec., Dept. K, Box 423, New York 36, N.Y. (In Canada: 90 Duplex Ave., Toronto 7, Ont.)
Sirs: We would certainly like to know just where you received the informa tion that I have stepped into retire ment to be succeeded by Rev. Ralph Odman (“ People,” Feb. K.B.). The facts of the case are that Ralph Od man has been voted to become my assistant for the next four years. Bala-Cynwyd, Pa. Rev. Edwin J. Pudney General Secretary Unevangelized Fields Mission The Small Gadfly Sirs: The article, “ A Small Gadfly Does a Big Job” (Mar. K.B.) and the un christian manner in which it was written struck me as being quite out of the realm of “The King’s Business.” Uklah, Calif. S. L. Folkenberg Sirs: I am surprised that you step on the Adventists with the idea of making yourself look taller. In our town we have quite a settlement of them. They are good neighbors and helpful in welfare projects. Paradise, Calif. Mrs. Ellen Arcadia Sirs: Thank you for the article concern ing the SDA misrepresentation of The Salvation Army’s inadvertent contact last July. We much appreciate this explanatory article. New York City, N.Y. L. W. Cowan Lt. Commissioner The Salvation Army Sirs: My heart goes out to you because of the slandering remarks made in your behalf in regard to the articles on segregation and predestination. H en ry W a rd B eech e r said, “ The American idea is not that every man shall be on a level with every other, but that everyone shall have liberty without hindrance to be what God made him.” As to predestination, God in a very sweet, slow and loving way caused me to accept it. It did not happen over night or in an instant. I would advise Christians not to be quick to reject this doctrine but to go to the Scriptures and search them. Find out what the Bible teaches. Portland, Ore. Mrs. Glenn Wasem Slandering Remarks
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8
men
A for-men-only feature dealing with basic Christianity/ by Lloyd HamUl
Shorty Harris of DEATH VALLEY
S horty Harris was the kind of in dependent old codger that typifies the prospectors of western boom- days. He had a mining camp named after him (Harrisburg) and located the fabulous Bullfrog strike (Rhyo lite). But he lived and died poor. His burro was probably his most valuable possession. But such miserable luck didn’t bother Shorty Harris in the least. Every time he’d make a strike in the sizzling heat of Death Valley or the hills surrounding it he’d head for the nearest saloon and celebrate. And celebrating for Shorty Harris meant bragging and drinking and gambling. When the celebration was over Shorty would be down to his lone burro. A few friends would express their sorrow at his loss. Shorty just squinted up at his com forters, “ It ain’t nothin’ to get all riled up about. I had my fun. I reckon I’ll just go out and locate me another mine.” Shorty was an individualist even in death. In 1899 his close friend Jim Dayton died in the terrific sum mer heat while hy ing to drive a wagon out from Furnace Creek Ranch. Friends found him under a mesquite near the road 20 miles south of the ranch. They buried him on the spot. Shorty’s last wish when he died in 1934 was, “ Bury me beside Jim Dayton in the Valley we love. Above me write: ‘Here lies Shorty Harris, a s in g le -b la n k e t jackass prospector.’ ” A few mourners and a CCC chaplain gathered to carry
out this wish. The grave had been dug by two old friends who worked with Shorty’s size in mind, rather than the standard size of a coffin. When the service was ready the casket did not fit the grave and there was a delay while the diggers picked away at the hard desert floor. Mourners grew chilled as the sun dropped behind the Panamints and one called out, “ Oh, bend the old cuss in the middle and plant him. Let’s get it over with.” The coffin was then tilted into the still-too- small grave and Shorty Harris was buried. M y wife and I visited Shorty’s lonely grave the other day and then drove on south to a rough, isolated road into Butte Valley and to Anvil Spring at the 4,500-foot level of the Panamints. Up in this beautiful desert valley we counted 96 wild burros. They are as shy as deer and fat and sleek. These burros are the descendents of those left hy the old- time prospectors like Shorty Harris. Back in camp that night I sat close to our campfire and wondered about Shorty Harris and his philos ophy of life. I suppose some folks would call his philosophy of life foolish. It may have been short sighted but to Shorty Harris it cer tainly wasn’t foolish. He wanted life to be just the way it was for him. He liked the excitement of trudg ing the hot desert with the prospect of finding gold the very next day. And he found it just often enough to keep the excitement at a high
pitch. He didn’t want the respon sibility of running a mine. He wanted the thrill of making a strike and of bragging about it. He want ed people to admire him. And he was always the center of attention when he drifted into a saloon load ed with money from a new strike. For Shorty Harris this was the good life. Shorty Harris has a lot of com pany for his way of life . . . espe cially in spiritual matters. You and I find it much simpler often to take the short-sighted view in our rela tionship to God. There’s nothing unusual about this. It’s just part of human nature. But I wonder if that’s really the way we want it . . . even if it is the easy way. For most of us I think not. When we take time to think through on our own life and our own relation ship to God we know it’s a long- range proposition. W e can’t afford to put off spiritual matters to a more convenient time. To do so is disasr trous. The Bible says, “ Come now . . . .’” i And again (Jesus Christ speaking), “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him . . . .” Is Jesus Christ knocking on your heart’s door? Is there a still small voice deep within speaking to you? When He knocks invite Him into your life. It will be a transaction with deep meaning for today and for all of eternity.
The King's Business/May 1958
9
Introducing to America
A NOTABLE NEWWORK ONTHE BIBLE!
IN SIX HANDSOME, GILT-TITLED, WELL-BOUND VOLUMES (83/4 x 51 / 2 ) APPROXIMATELY 300 PAGES EACH “EXPLORE THE BOOK”
A basic, progressive, interpretative course of Bible study, from Genesis to Revelation. A new approach. Every page packed with systematized teaching. In lucid language pleasant to read. Soundly evangelical throughout. By
The Internationally-known Treacher, Teacher, Author,
D R . J. S ID L O W B A X T E R
A six-volumes set; four on the Old Testament; two on the New. They not only exhibit the literary edifice of the Bible as a whole and in its parts, but elucidate throughout the focal significance. The whole Bible is unfolded, showing the wonders of its progressive plan; the significant features of the book-groups and separate books. Things which have puzzled are explained. If you really want a full grasp on the Bible, this six-fold set is your answer. A unique boon to all who teach the Bible; to Preachers, Ministers, Missionaries, Christian Workers, and all who would know the Bible thoroughly. Letters of glowing appreciation from Christian leaders and workers and other readers all over the world. Evangelical Amer- can and Canadian seminaries and Bible Colleges already using or recommending them to their students. None can go through the Bible using this six-volume course without lasting enrichment of mind. There is nothing else anywhere quite like them. A W O N D E R F U L O F F E R 2 This notable work sells for $22 the six vol umes. But to the first 500 applicants the whole set will be supplied for only $17 with no extra for mailing. For this special concession apply direct to author: Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter, c /o 5331 Horrocks Street, Philadelphia 24, Pennsylvania. Payment by check or post office order.
10
The deadening effect o f religious make-believe on the human mind is beyond all describing
THE GREAT DISPARITY
by A. W . Tozer
enjoy the thrill of feeling right but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of being right. So the divorce between theory and practice becomes permanent in fact, though in word the union is declared to be eternal. Truth sits forsaken and grieves till her professed followers come home for a brief visit, but she sees them depart again when the bills come due. They protest great and undy ing love for her but they will not let their love cost them anything. Could this be the condition our Lord had in mind when He said, "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” ? What can the effect be upon the spectators who five day after day among professed Christians who habitually ignore the commandments of Christ and live after their own private notions of Christianity? W ill they not conclude that the whole thing is false? Will they not be forced to believe that the faith of Christ is an unreal and visionary thing which they are fully justified in rejecting? Certainly the non-Christian is not too much to be blamed if he turns disgustedly away from the invitation of the gospel after he has been exposed for a while to the inconsistencies of those of his acquaintance who profess to follow Christ. The deadening effect of religious make-believe on the human mind is beyond all describing. In that great and terrible day when the deeds of men are searched into by the penetrating eyes of the Judge of all the earth what will we answer when we are charged with inconsistency and moral fraud? And at whose door will lay the blame for the millions of lost men who while they lived on earth were sickened and revolted by the religious travesty they knew as Christianity? ( Included in "The Root of the Righteous,” Christian Publica tions, Inc., Harrisburg, Pa.) END.
'"There is an evil which I have seen under the X sun and which in its effect upon the Christian religion may be more destructive than commu nism, Romanism and liberalism combined. It is the glaring disparity between theology and prac tice among professing Christians. So wide is the gulf that separates theory from practice in the church that an inquiring stranger who chances upon both would scarcely dream that there was any relation between them. A church conference, for instance, may listen to and applaud the most spiritual message and 20 minutes later adopt the most carnal procedure altogether as if they had not heard the impas sioned moral appeal a few moments before. Christians habitually weep and pray over beau tiful truth only to draw back from that same truth when it comes to the difficult job of putting it in practice. The average church simply does not dare to check its practices against biblical precepts. It tolerates things that are diametrically opposed to the will of God, and if the matter is pointed out to its leaders they will defend its unscriptural practices with a smooth casuistry equal to the verbal dodging of the Roman moralists. This can be explained only by assuming a lack of integration in the religious personality. There seems to be no vital connection between the emotional and volitional departments of the life. The mind can approve and the emotions enjoy while the will drags its feet and refuses to go along. And since Christ makes His appeal directly to the will, are we not justified in wondering whether or not these divided souls have ever made a true committal to the Lord? Or whether they have been inwardly renewed? It appears that too many Christians want to
11
The King's Business/May 1958
m INTERNATIONAL CAMPS
and
Jack Wyrtzen
J a z z master Jack Wyrtzen, who turned evangelist in 1940 following his conversion to Christ, hadn’t preached long before he realized the potent force of a summer camp and conference program in tu rn in g many to righteousness. Subsequently, he and the mem bers of his Word of Life Fellowship, Inc. which he had organized in New York City, bought a 90-acre pine- clad island in the middle of Schroon Lake, N.Y., nestled in the Adiron dack Mountains. The island was opened as a Bible c o n fe r e n c e center in 1946. The mile-off-shore seclusion, the water- skiing, aqua-planing, h o r se b a ck riding and the old-fashioned evan gelistic meetings in a pine pavilion began appealing to more and more people. Jack plugged the camp over his radio program and announced its program at his giant Times Square rallies. Whole families began driving up U.S. Highway 9, about 250 miles out of New York City, for fun at Word of Life Island. Cool spirits were fired to live for Christ. Mis sionary zeal was generated under the ministry of choice speakers from all over the world. Presently, Word of Life missionaries were heading into all the world, with support checks coming in part from the Word of Life family. The unsaved came too. Kids like Larry from Brooklyn, sponsored by an aunt who was steering him away from a life of crime. When Larry climbed into the motorboat that linked the island with the main
land at Schroon Lake, he wasn’t prepared for what he saw. Arriving just before supper on Sunday afternoon, Larry watched hundreds of campers bow their heads and pray before eating. He figured he had set foot on the wrong spot. The evangelistic service he at tended in the pavilion that night made him sure of it. When his aunt had paid his way to the lake he had had the vague impression he was going to an athletic camp. “ Look,” he said to Bob Schindler, a member of the Word of Life male quartet, “ I’m shoving off. This is no place for me! I don’t know these hymns. And I don’t know one book of the Bible from another. I just don’t fit around here.” “Well you will,” Bob told him. “ Promise me you’ll stick around until Tuesday. If you don’t like this place by then I’ll personally help 3 rou pack your bags and take you to shore.” It was a long swim to the main land, so Larry stayed on. Word got around to the counselors about what to do with the kid from Brooklyn. Monday afternoon they put him in a rough and tumble football game to soften him up a bit. He discov ered that some of the staffers could match his punches with the gloves, out-ski him on the lake, ride horse back better and farther. The Word of Life’ers tinned out to be regulars that Larry re sp e cted m ore and more. Further, he saw that the heart-peace these young people pos sessed gave them a wholesome grip on life that he utterly lacked.
That night in the pavilion Larry listened intently to a sermon on the judgment of God and His mercy extended in the person of Jesus Christ. The thought of these claims troubled him. Tuesday came but he decided to stay on. Before the week ended, he had given his heart to Jesus Christ and was determined to live for Him. Back in New York his aunt wel comed him joyfully at the news and then showed Larry the New York Daily News. In it was a picture of Larry’s buddy in crime lying dead in a pool of blood on a Brooklyn street. That scene so gripped Larry he determined not to waste one day getting started in witnessing. He took his Bible with him to the fac tory where he worked and told the men what had happened to him. He took it to the gym where he was practicing for the Golden Gloves and gave his sports buddies his tes timony. The following fall he was in Bible school and the next summer went back to Word of Life Island to take the counselors’ training course and work with toughs who came to the island. What happened to Larry is be ing duplicated in hundreds of lives each summer at Word of Life Is land — one of the nation’s fastest growing camps. Two newer projects under the Word of Life banner at Schroon Lake are seeing similar success. One is The Inn, once a plush nightclub on 40 acres valued at $250,000 which was sold to Jack for half that figure five years ago.
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It has been cleansed of its bar, cig arette machines and dances and made into a family resort which houses 300 adult guests each week. The Ranch, purchased in 1955, was a family resort of 135 acres valued at $300,000. Realizing the need for a camp for boys and girls 7 to 13, Jack and his advisors offered the owner $60,000 and got it. It was equipped like a western ranch and today accommodates 325 boys and girls each week. Several years ago two Word of Life missionaries, Rrainerd and Elva Legters, wént to Mexico to preach the gospel. They began with a camp. On the shores of the blue Carib bean, about 70 miles northeast of Merida, Mex., a Word of Life camp was opened in Yucatan state. The Legters took over the management of a boys’ camp organized by a Presbyterian missionary about 25 years ago and called it “ Palabra de Vida” (Word of Life).
With the help of several Chris tian national leaders the Legters moved the camp from a swampy wooded area to a beach site on the Caribbean. Conditions at first were quite primitive, featuring palm- thatched huts and open kitchen cooking on the ground with wood or charcoal. There was no sports equipment at all and few living comforts. Palabra de Vida began with 25 youngsters and has grown to 200. There are now water and land sports, games and Rible-centered ac tivities just as on the island at Schroon Lake. The buildings have Mexican thatched roofs and stuc coed walls, hemmed in by a fruitful banana plantation and various types of fruit trees. Mexican Word of Life’ers begin their day at five a.m. with a hymn which a boy or girl leads over a loud-speaker. After 15 minutes for dressing, everyone goes to the beach for a time of private devotions. As
the sun rises over the sea, the Leg ters lead a sunrise service of songs, prayer and message. Refore break fast campers roll up their hammocks and night clothes. After breakfast the men gather and cut wood for the kitchen fires, boys draw water and girls prepare meals for the day. Regular Rible study hours and mis sionary meetings are scheduled throughout the day. Ry these the Legters seek to raise the vision of their Mexican campers to the needs of people beyond their own country. Evening vespers is te s tim on y time. Roys and girls sit quietly in huddled groups. In the background waves wash softly on the sand. Hearts pound as first-timers declare publicly their e te rn a l decisions made at Palabra de Vida. At one meeting Gamaliel Naal came tearing around from the back of the crowd like an end in football. Out of breath, his big eyes turned up to the Legters in a sudden look of fright. With wavering voice he
Above photo shows the beautifully wooded, 90-acre Word of Life Island in Schroon Lake, N.Y. At right is group of young people at one of Wyrtzen’s inter national camps. This one is in Brazil.
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The King's Business/May 1958
blurted out, “ You all know how bad I’ve been, but Jesus is in my heart now and He is going to help me behave like a good boy.” Then he bolted back into the darkness. Conchita (Little Shell) was very sure of what the Lord had done for her. The first time she or any of her family ever heard the gospel they gave their hearts to Christ and just couldn’t get enough Bible study. “ When I go home,” asked Conchita, “ I will need to live differently, won’t I, now that Jesus is in my heart?” Last March a new overseas Word of Life camp closed its first season. It is “ Acampamento Palavra da Vida ” (Word of Life Camp) located near Sao Paulo, Brazil. Word of Life missionaries Harold Beimer and Harry Bollback raced against time to build this camp in a seclud ed spot in the mountains. The first week accommodations were ready for about 48 campers, but by the time camp closed, over 100 were en rolled at Palavra da Vida. Here is the fascinating history of its estab lishment. It was at an early morning prayer meeting on the island in New York when the first ideas of beginning a Brazilian camp were introduced. Bollback and Beimer, home on fur lough from Brazil, were kneeling with Jack and other staffmen. Each one prayed the Lord’s blessing on the Latin American camp work which they were to undertake upon their return. “ That’s strange,” said Beimer, rising from his knees. “W e’re all centering our prayers on a camp ing program. But that was to be considered later as our ministry grew.” “ If the camp is God’s plan for now,” said Jack, “He will surely give you a ‘go-ahead’ sign.” It was still morning. Bollback went to the Inn to play the piano for the morning meetings. At the close of the meetings a lady came up to him and said that God had been speaking to her since Harry’s message the Saturday night past. She wanted to give a little of what she had to his South American min istry and handed him a check for $ 100 . Barely 10 minutes later Harry met a gentleman in the washroom of the Inn who encouraged him in his South American venture. “ God 14
has been good to me,” said the gen tleman. “ I want to put some of my money into the Lord’s work. You’ll be hearing from me.” That was all he said. At noon while Harry was eating lunch, a waitress gave him an en velope. Inside he found a check for $500 from the man who had pledged his support earlier in the washroom. Harry jumped up and ran to a phone. “ Jack!” he said, “maybe you’re used to receiving $600 in one morning for your ministry, but I’m not.” “ Praise the L o rd ,” Jack ex claimed, “ God has given you His sign to go ahead.” From August to October, when the Bollbacks sailed for Brazil, Word of Life young people and friends had given over $12,000 for the Bra zilian camp. Most of it came from the pockets of Word of Life camp ers who had found Christ at Schroon Lake. In Brazil, Bollback and his wife began searching for a site to accom
modate Acampamento Palavra da Vida. Five months later Reimer and his family joined them. They had no lack of realtors to hound them for sales. One day a Portuguese realtor took Bollback to a sprawl ing, luxurious resort hotel to be sold complete with all the furnish ings. “ If this were the place,” Boll back told Reimer enthusiastically, “ we could set up camp immediate- m . Reimer, the same day, had been shown around by another realtor who took him to a beautiful valley secluded high in the Monteigeira Mountains of Sao Paulo, not more than two hours out of the city. He also returned to Sao Paulo impressed by what he saw. The fellows decided to visit both places together. “ Bollback’s Place” they rejected as too fancy and fab ulous for a bunch of teen-agers bent on fun and relaxation. “ Reimer’s Place” on the other hand had three ponds on it, some fruit trees and a 45-foot waterfall. They pictured
Gray Shades by Charles J. Woodbridge
T h e last 20 years have witnessed in America a very distressing phenomenon. Christians are becoming theologically confused. Some leaders seem unhappy with the old evangelicalism. The message and method employed by Drs. James M. Gray, Reuben A . Torrey, William L. Pettingill, Harry Ironside and other mighty men of God seem to these people outmoded or in adequate. The very existence of this so-called "neo-evangelicalism” implies a discontent with and disapproval of the old-fashioned approach. It is felt that there must be a new, more moderate definition of orthodoxy, a milder view of the inerrancy of Scripture, less contending for the faith and more friendly give-and-take with modernists. The neo-evangelical’s desire seems to be to make as much common cause as possible with the enemies of the cross, to regard ministers who deny the Bible as "fringe friends,” to fraternize with unbelievers as though we were all in the family of God and to do theological evil in order that good might result.
One day he was asked to play the piano for a church in Sao Paulo. During the meeting a Christian ar chitect named Dr. Walfredo Thome, 25, was called up to show his plans for the new church building. At the close of the meeting Harry told the young man about the mountain camp. Thome leaped at the oppor tunity to help and become a part of the camp staff. Besides giving his professional help he “ talked camp” to everyone he met in Sao Paulo. Camp was scheduled to be opened on January 11. Two weeks before one of Reimer’s old friends at Mato Grosso, a highly-trained engineer, drove out to the camp and put the finishing touches on the buildings. The staff expected about 200 peo ple for the dedication service on January 4. Instead, nearly 500 came to join in the ceremony to dedicate the camp— a gift from North Amer ican young people to their South American friends— to be used for the glory of the Lord. Some of the campers came only for a good time. A group of five ruffians turned up one week. Two left, but three stayed and were con verted to Christ. One testified, say ing, “W e wanted to come only for a good time— to see how many rules W'e could break.” When his buddies came back the counselors heard him say, “ Man, you should have been in the meeting last night. So many got saved!” Another boy who spent two weeks at camp also arrived at home a new crea tu re. He started attending church and Sunday school and tak ing part in all of the activities of the church that nobody could drive him to do before. He even turned up at the women’s missionary meeting with a Bible tucked under his aim. A third boy wrote back, “ The only thing wrong with Acampa- mento Palavra da Vida is that you have to go home again.” What this lad in Brazil was so fervently expressing seems to be the trademark of a Jack Wyrtzen camp. Whether the camp is in Bra zil or Mexico or New York the spir itual enthusiasm generated seems to be the same. For those who wonder what Jack Wyrtzen’s success for mula is he has a ready answer. “We simply try to obey the Great Com mission to disciple all nations by ‘holding forth the Word of life.’ ”
in the area. “Daddy” subsequently became the foreman to build the camp in the valley. With the ring of hammers and saws were the tunes of hymns and choruses from happy hearts. In July of last year Reimer and his family moved into a mud shack on the property to supervise the work. Having spent several years among the Indians in Mato Grosso it wasn’t too difficult for them to re adjust at first to life without water, electricity, refrigeration or bath room facilities. As these necessities for a modern camp were being in stalled Reimer kept the workmen on the job, seeing that the walls were straight, doing all the carpentry work on the cabins and buildings. Later Christian friends loaned him an electric power mower. From the motor he rigged a power saw and thus smooth boards rolled out. Bollback worked on the supply end hunting good bids on cement, tile, nails, screws, pots and pans and beds.
the ponds dug out for swimming, cabins on the cleared ground, a din ing room, chapel and picnic area at the base of the cataract. After two weeks of negotiating, the price was fixed at $6,000 and the 45 acres of valley floor became the Brazilian version of Word of Life. The exchange of the Ameri can dollar to the Brazilian cruzeiro was much in their favor. The end result was a savings of $2,000 on the deal because of it. One day after inspecting their property, Bollback and Beimer were walking back to the main road from the camp site when they passed a couple of little girls watering their vegetable garden. And as they w ork ed the girls sang a hymn. Through them the men learned that they had bought ground for their camp in a Christian community and most of their neighbors worshiped in a little church down the road. Further, they discovered that the girls’ father was a bricklayer and had done several construction jobs
This Jesuit attitude is not advocated in the Bible. Indeed it runs precisely counter to the plain commandments of the Word of God. The true believer is to have no spiritual traffic with sin or error. God honors His Word today just as He always has. When the grand and holy themes of redemption, victory and testi mony are explained and applied, the results are swift and sure. I think this holds a great lesson for all summer Bible confer ence speakers and counselors. Young people appreciate a two-fisted, double-barreled, straight-forward message. They do not want mollycoddling or honeyed words. They respond to the call to a disciplined life. Otherwise there would be no waiting list for admission into West Point and Annapolis. Young folks want no part in a meek, hazy, tremulous form of challenge. Far better to bluntly describe sin and worldliness as they actually are. From here it is a natural step to make an appeal for an all-out dedi cation to Christ. In a society of gray shades and half-truths a clear-cut black and white gospel message still "pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” About the author. A former Fuller Theological Seminary professor, Dr. Woodbridge is the Bible teacher for Jack Wyrtzen’s Word of Life camps. Woodbridge is a graduate of Princeton University and Seminary and holds a PhD. degree in church history from Duke University. He has also studied in the German universities of Berlin, Gottingen and Marburg and in the Sorbonne, Paris. The King's Business/May 1958
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by Herbert J. Pugmire
c Atomic preacher o f the
J ohn Knox did not begin preach ing until his 42nd year; yet his sermons rocked a nation, caused the crowned heads to quake, and his name to become a watchword with the Scots. It has been said that when he had finished preaching his sermon “ Cleansing the Temple” at St. An drews Cathedral, the Scottish Ref ormation was begun then and there. At the close of that oration the con gregation rose en masse and tore the statuaries and relics from the walls. Actually this was but the be ginning of the real struggle that finally reformed Scotland. John Knox, Christ-honoring and Spirit-filled, was the chief instru ment used of God in that place and that day. Bom in 1505, he was en rolled at the University of Glasgow in 1522, and after completing his education, he seems to have entered the priesthood of the Roman Cath olic Church and to have continued in it up to at least 1543, for his name is found as notary affixed to a document which is still extant and bears that date. His first r e c o r d e d stand for Protestantism took place in 1546 when armed with a large two- handed sword, he accompanied George Wishart (the martyr) to Haddington to protect him from assault. He was occupied as a teacher of young men and was dwelling with his students at the Castle of St. Andrews which had been captured by the Protestants and was being used as their head quarters and place of protection. Up until that time he had not en tered the Protestant ministry nor had he any plans in that direction. Henry Balnaves, a distinguished Scottish priest, and many others, had urged Knox to enter the minis try of the gospel; but he always put them off saying, “ I will not run where God has not called me.” His friends did not give up how ever, and on a certain day John Rough, pastor of the Castle Church,
carried out a pre-arranged plan to give Knox a public call to the min istry. After preaching a sermon on the election of ministers, John Rough, in the presence of all the congregation, turned to Knox and said, “ Brother, ye shall not be of fended, albeit that I speak unto you that which I have in charge, even from all those that are here present, which is this: in the name of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, and in the name of those that pres ently call you by my mouth, I charge you that ye refuse not this holy vocation, but. that, as ye ten der the glory of God, the increase of Christ’s kingdom, the edification of your brethren and the comfort of me, whom ye understand well enough to be oppressed by the mul titude of labors, that ye take upon you the public office and charge of preaching, even as ye look to avoid God’s heavy displeasure and desire that He shall multiply His graces with you.” Then turning to the congregation he said, “Was not this your charge to me?” They answered, “ It was, and we approve it.” John Knox was completely brok en by the solemnity and suddeness of the call and fled the room in tears. He stayed secluded in his own room a number of days while seeking assurance of God’s will. Finally he agreed to their wishes and from the acceptance of that call he never laid down the sword of preaching until his death. It would seem the effectiveness of John Knox’s preaching was his love of God’s Word. On one occa sion, when summoned to stand before Queen Mary for interroga tion, he made it quite clear to her that he was not happy at being dis turbed in his study of the Word. Said he to the queen, “ Albeit I am here now at your Grace’s com mand, yet cannot I tell what other men shall judge of me, that at this time of day am absent from my
book and waiting upon court.” To him the Bible was more important t h a n t he w h i m s o f Scotland’s sovereign. Knox had an excellent knowl edge of Greek and he learned Hebrew after he was 50. His min istry was interrupted shortly after its beginning, when the French fleet landed and took the Castle occupants captive. His short term as a galley slave must have been in the plan of the Almighty as it ended in his journeying to Geneva where he spent some time with Theologian J o hn C a l v i n . This further prepared him for his part in the liberation of Scotland. He possessed a marvelous mem ory and never wrote out his ser mons except to exonerate himself when charged by the enemy. His sermon outlines consisted of a few notes written on the margin of his Bible. His sermons were expository in form, setting the pattern fol lowed by Scots clergymen for gen erations. A firm believer in continuous v e r s e b y v e r s e exposition, he wrote in the First Book o f Disci pline, “W e think it most expedient that Scriptures be read in order — that is that some one book of the Old or the New Testament be begun and orderly read to the end. And the same we judge of preach ing, where the minister for the most part remaineth in one place; for this skipping and divagation from place to place, be it reading or be it in preaching, we judge not so profitable to edify the church as the continual following of one text.” His humor is exhibited in a state ment from a sermon on idols in which he attacked the Roman doc trine of transubstantiation. Refer ring to the “ Wafer God” he says, “ Yea that god is a prey, if he be not well kept, to rats and mice, for they will desire no better dinner than white round gods enow. But oh, then, what becometh of Christ’s
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