August, 1960
A life
DedicatedIn Song
TRU E
WORD
of GOD
Over 50 years of training Christian Youth for Christian Service
BIOLA COLLEGE
OFFERS MAJORS IN TEN FIELDS
WRITE TO ADMISSIONS OFFICE
B u e i n e B s
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
AUGUST, in the year of our Saviour Nineteen Hundred and Sixty
Vol. 51, No. 8
Established 1910
Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home
I M a
DEATH STALKED CLOSE— TOO CLOSE — Dorothy Grunbock Johnston .............................................................. 7 A SAINT ENTERS HIS REST — Walter L. Sutherland ..................... 8 THE TV GOES DOWNSTAIRS — Robert James St. Clair .................. 9 THE WILL OF GOD — Gerald L. Stover ................................................ 11 LIGHTHOUSE OF EVANGELISM — Mary Belle Steele .................. 12 HOW WE GOT OUR NAME — Vance Havner ...................................... 14 WILL THE CHURCH ENTER THE TRIBULATION? — Gerald Stanton ...................................................................................... 21 THE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE LIBRARY — Arnold Ehlert .................. 28 MY BEST FOR MY CHILDREN — V. Raymond Edman ....................... 32 WHY JOHNNIE RAN AWAY — Leonard Eilers ................................. 36 A DECADE OF SERVICE — Larry Ward ............................................... 40 Fedum MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR — Samuel H. Sutherland .............. 4 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX — Louis T. Talbot............................ 16 TALKING IT OVER — Clyde M. Narramore ...................................... 18 PERSONAL EVANGELISM — Benjamin Weiss ...................................... 19 HYMNS YOU LOVE — Phil Kerr ........................................................... 20 SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE — Bolton Davidheiser ............................ 25 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold Ehlert ........................................................... 26 THE CHRISTIAN HOME — Paul Bayles ............................................... 33 WORLD NEWSGRAMS — James O. Henry ........................................ 34 ALUMNI NEWS — Inez McGahey ......................................................... 39 ( W t Tony Fontane, popular singing artist who found the Lord as his personal Saviour through a serious automobile accident which nearly claimed his life, is our cover subject this month. He will be featured soloist for the two Biola family Bible conferences this month: August 14-21, Mount Hermon, Calif.; August 22-28, The Firs, Bellingham, Washington. Photo courtesy Cornerstone Recordings, Box 41108, Los Angeles 41, California. — All Rights Reserved —
DR . W IL L IAM CULBERTSON Presiden t, Moody Bible institute speaks on the fundamentals of the faith . Christ’s Resurrection “ Our Lord’s bodily resurrection is essen tial to Christianity. The apostles witnessed to His resurrection (Acts 4:33). The Book of God sets forth His resurrection as a his torical fact. The apostle Paul by the Spirit asserts that without the resurrection, we are yet in our sins and we are without hope. “ This importance of the Christian doc trine of the resurrection of Christ was early recognized by the enemies of the cross, and they hare done their best to discredit it. But the truth of it stands. History, the presence of the risen Christ in His true Church, the power of the gospel—all are ringing affirmations of its truth. The tragic consequences which must follow if our Lord did not rise are potent reminders of its necessity to salvation, and to the conception of God’s concern for and God’s rule over the world. “ No one can explain away the clear statements of the Word of God as though it were only the spirit that survived. ‘Flesh and bones’ were characteristics of that resurrected body (Luke 24:39). Denials of the resurrection and ‘explanations’ of it are both to be rejected. Be sure of it, without the resurrection there is no more to our Lard’s death than the death of any man. But with the resurrection, His deity is attested, His sacrifice is vindicated, His power is established, His judgeship is settled. 'If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation’ (Romans 10:9, 10).” Every Christian should have a copy of Dr. Culbertson’s book God’s Provision for H oly Living, a happy blending of Bible study and practical exhortation. 112 pages, paper bound. For your free copy, write Moody Bible Institute, Dept. K-0-867, 820 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago 10, Illinois.
S. H. SUTHERLAND: Editor
PAUL SCHWEPKER: Controller
JANE M. CLARK: Circulation Manoger EDITORIAL BOARD Irene Boyd, Bolton Davidheiser, Arnold D. Ehlert, Charles L. Feinberg, James O. Henry, Martha S. Hooker, Al Sanders, Oran H. Smith, Gerald B. Stanton
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AUGUST, 1960
A MESSAGE History repeats itself. Fifty years ago w i t h i n creasing frequency unfamil iar voices were beginning to be heard within Christian churches and denominational gatherings. These voices were raised in denial of the full authority of the Scrip- t ur e s, in questioning the authenticity of the Virgin birth of Jesus Christ and in proclaiming the documentary theory of the Pentateuch, the late date of the writing of the book of Daniel, the dutero-Isaiah hypothosis, and all the other destruc tive theories propounded by the higher critics of both the Old and the New Testaments.
from the editor
HeaderReaction FROM A FOREIGN LAND I am writing this letter nearly 10,000 miles from your country. W e live in India where there are few Christians. W e try to preach the gospel to friends through various methods. I teach Sunday school and have a youth fellowship, but our funds are very limited. Would there be anyone there who would help us by sub scribing to your worthy .publication? Such magazines, even the old ones, provide us much material and help. God bless you. T. I. Romulus, Vellore, South India. E ditor ’ s note : Our KING’S BUSINESS “free fundi’ is completely depleted and we are unable to send out more complimen tary subscriptions. Gifts to the KB “free fund” are tax deductible. M oney is used entirely to send gift magazines to mission aries, servicemen and prisoners. KB IN THE CONGO We have seen THE KING’S BUSINESS in several homes, but this is the first time it has arrived in our home as a subscrip tion. Needless to say, we are very pleased. Thank you kindly for the trouble involved. Congo seems to have been caught in the turmoil of this old world. Do remember in prayer, please, the Lord’s work and His workers in Congo. The situation, though quiet on the outside, is quite tense. But God is on His throne and is bringing to pass His will and purpose. May we be faithful followers of His leading and guidance. May the Lord bless the ministry of your magazine wherever it goes, and also those who make it possible. Rav. H. Elvln Paters, Congo Beige, Africa GENERAL COMMENTS I certainly enjoy THE KING’S BUSI NESS. Each copy seems to be getting more and more interesting. Mrs. H. J. Coleman, Glendale, California. I like the new KING’S BUSINESS. I find it very spiritually helpful. Nancy Gllbreth, Fresno, California. I think THE KING’S BUSINESS is tops among all the Christian magazines. The subjects and articles are so interesting. I want to thank you for publishing such a wonderful magazine. Mrs. Marrold, La Mesa, California. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST ARTICLE Some time ago I sat down with my Bible and studied the Seventh-day Adven tist magazine through from cover to cover. I also studied my Bible from cover to cover and then I took my red pencil and wrote over the errors the truth and put Bible references over each. Then I re turned the magazine to the publisher. You know I never did receive another maga zine from them. Guess why? I enjoy THE KING’S BUSINESS so very muck Thank you. Mrs. Thorvald Skaar, Washington.
In the field of science, the theory of evolution had gained quite widespread acceptance. All of these ideas were comparatively new and rather startling, but they seemed quite acceptable, especially to those ministers who either did not have or had lost an awareness of the deep significance of the great foundation doctrines of the Word of God. And because of this lack of spiritual conviction and discernment, many men among the clergy accepted these theological vagaries and began to proclaim them from their pulpits. These man-made, Bible-denying notions became crystal lized into what is now known as "modernism." The popular thing of that day was to proclaim oneself a "modernist," thus giving the impression of being right up-to-date in one's thinking and cognizant of the discovery of the very latest truth. Modernism began as a very sly, subtle form of unbelief. A minister would begin by raising doubt about some relatively unimportant portion of Scripture. When the shock of that passed away, he would then put a question mark over another more significant point of Scripture. By use of repetition, persuasion, ridicule of Bible-believing Christians, and by representing himself as refined, cul tured, and charming, the faithless pastor would then proceed to "brain-wash" his parishioners until they came to the point of believing that he could do or say no wrong. Denominational leaders of this stripe sought to estab lish the same aura around themselves. When anyone dared to take exception to what they said, immediately the cry of "Persecution!," "Heresy hunting!" and similar epithets went up. The issues became confused in the welter of per secution complexes that were created by the modernists themselves and in their own behalf. Many churches were lost to the cause of Christ and were led into the abysmal depths of blatant modernism because their pastors would not allow the issues to be decided on their own merits but, instead, kept the arguments on a personality level, thus making sure that they would have the support of their undis cerning friends and parishioners. Of course, modernism did not show itself in all of its hideousness right at the first; it posed, as it were, as an angel of light. The process of emerging into full view was slow, subtle, and satanic. The generation of Chris tians fifty years ago would have been shocked beyond words had they been able to look ahead and see just where these attractive new ideas were leading them and their churches. (continued on page 6)
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M a il coupon below for your FREE lesson packet FREE Sample packet includes lessons with explanatory notes, take- home papers, folder on adult characteristics. Mail today. Please send me the FREE Adult Sample Packet name address city .( ) state Dos. in church________ no. in S.8 full church name &mailing address limited visual leaching ideas Adult visual ideas—chalkboard, slapboard, displays , Inadequate tools for encouraging student home Bible study and les- u son preparation Attractive, illustrated student manual with readable type, giving step-by-step suggestions for personal Bible study, plus discussion questions, daily readings . Dept. KBA-80 But alas, by the time the course and destination became apparent, it was too late to do anything about it and church members were forced to one of two alternatives— either to submit to the trends of the times and to remain more or less loyal to their pastors, or to pull up stakes and to leave the churches that very possibly they themselves had helped financially to build and in which they had la bored for many years, and to seek fellowship in some unin viting environment, but in a place where at least they could hear the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed. Today many Bible-believing church lay leaders, who were brought up in churches where modernism has been exposed and repudiated, would be utterly shocked if they were told they were being taught a modern version of the old modernism of a generation ago. But, this is actually the case in all too many places. Even as modernism crept in almost unawares fifty years ago, so history is beginning to repeat itself in our day and generation. At that time the old terminology was still used. Later new shades of meaning were attached. There was a great deal of high- sounding talk given out from the pulpits about God's love for everybody and that therefore Christians should love everybody and never say anything of a derogatory nature about anyone, especially the man behind the pulpit. And as a result of all this, the modernist minister was able to say almost anything whether it was true to the Word of God or not, and no one dared question him. So, today, we are having a repetition of exactly the same condition that prevailed a generation ago. We are hearing more and more about the "neo-orthodoxy" or the "new-evangelicalism." And in the field of science such phrases as "progressive evolution," "threshold evolution" and others of a similar nature are becoming more and more widely used in theological circles. This "new" brand of modernism— for that is exactly what it is— gained great momentum with the issuance of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. When stripped of all the beautiful verbiage which surrounds these "new" ideas, they boil down at the present time to a toning down of the author ity of the Word of God, the completed work of Christ on Calvary's cross, the utter sinfulness of the heart of man, and the attendant necessity for the new birth to take place before a man can be saved. There is a belittling of the "faith of our fathers, " and an effort on the part of modern ist preachers to persuade their hearers that at last the Word of God and the will of God have been revealed to them so that they have something brand-new to present to the expectant world. Now the old cry is going up, if any criti cism is offered— "Unloving!," "Intolerant!" and the like. One's heart is grieved and saddened almost beyond words to realize, (1) that there are men who are willing to take the great truths of the Word of God as they have been pre sented to the world during the past nineteen hundred years and change, modify, or adapt these truths to the whims and fancies of the free thinkers both in theological and scien tific fields, and (2) there are people in the pews who would never think of classifying themselves or allowing themselves to be classified as modernists but who are suc cumbing to this latest and most insidious form of modernism. From all indications, the old controversy is emerging, once again, albeit under a new guise. Evidently the old battle must continue to be fought between belief and un belief, with merely a change of terminology, of names, and of faces among the principal contestants. If there ever was a day when a call to prayer and extremely clear thinking were needed on the part of true Christians everywhere— now is that time ! H E R E ' S M Y C O U N S E L T O F E L L O W C H R I S T I A N S when they say: “We’d like to put our money in the Lord’s work, but we need the income from it’’ ( —and if you are faced with the same problem, perhaps you’d be interested in hearing what l tell these Christian f riends) I know of a very satisfying solution that will enable you to give to the Lord’s work—and to receive a regular, secure income, too. I can recommend two plans which have been well received by many Christian men and women—both provide generous returns on your money, and without risk of any kind. income for Life . . . The first is Moody Annuities, which assure you of a guaranteed income (up to 8%% , depending on your age) as long as you live. These annuities are backed by all the re sources of Moody Bible Institute. The In stitute has never been late, or missed a single payment in more than 50 years. Unlike stocks which vary with market fluctuations, annuity payments are always the same, regardless of economic conditions. Annuity checks come regularly, annually or semi-annually, as you prefer. . . no invest ment problems, no fees to pay, a truly worry- free income—and much of it is tax exempt. Deposit Agreement Plan . . . is my other recommendation for you. This plan enables you to place surplus funds in the Lord’s work— with the privilege of with drawal in case of emergency. Deposits (in multiples of $100) may be made at any time. Current rate of interest on this plan is 3%% per year. This plan is also backed by all the resources of the Institute. With either plan, you’ll have peace of mind, plus the joy of sharing in Moody’s many Christ-honoring ministries . . . know ing that your money is being used to help train missionaries, pastors and other church workers. . . and to proclaim the gospel through the printed word, gospel-science films, daily broadcasts and the other varied ministries of Moody Bible Institute. I heartily recommend both plans for your consideration and would suggest that you C L IP A N D M A IL C O U P O N T O D A Y Writ«: Annuity D«partm«nt Dept. K-0-41 -3 MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE 820 N. LaSalle Street * Chicago 10, Illinois Please send me, without obligation, information relating to: G Moody Annuity Plan. G De- posit Agreements. □ Will». City I_ 6 THE KIN G 'S BUSINESS I t w a s just four years ago that it happened. A bullet streaked through the air. Had it gone six inches to the left, I would have been a widow, and my five children fatherless. The goodness and the mercy of the Lord spared us that tragedy. But it was bad enough. A shattered nerve in the arm o f my breadwinner and the partial loss of the use of one hand is lamentable to say nothing o f the anxious moments, the three-hour ordeal on the operating DEATH STALKED CLOSE— too close! table, the days in the hospital, the endless hours of pain. The cause of this sudden catastrophe? A gun in the hands of a careless teenager. It wasn’t an accident, exactly. You read in the papers about guns being accidently discharged and o f stray bullets maiming and killing. This gun was aimed at my husband and the trigger was pulled deliberately. Did the boy hate m y husband or have it ‘in for him ’ ? No. Yet my husband had a close brush with death. Too close. W hy? A convalescing kid had been confined to his room. Stomach flu. Not well enough to go to school. Not sick enough to be in bed. He was bored. Televi sion helped pass away the hours. What did he see on television? Gunplay. Lots of it. Some gangster shot from a third-story window. This teenager was on the third floor. There was a gun in the closet. He got it out. He loaded it, worked all the bullets out—he thought. People came and went on the avenue outside his window all afternoon. Not one of them suspected that a gun was aimed at him as he walked innocent ly along. The teenager practiced aiming until that sport got tame. He was bored. He decided to ‘dry- fire’ . M y husband came up the walk. The gun was aimed at him. The kid pulled the trigger. His little game of dry-firing backfired. The impact and the shock of it sent my husband crumbling to the ground. I’ve heard that in ancient Rome it was against the law to deliver evil tidings to a pregnant woman. But what could they do? I had to be told. The doctor put me under sedatives to ease the shock of those first anxious hours. I lived through the ordeal, our little unborn Gregory lived, and Monroe lived. I’m still looking for an answer to the ‘why’ o f it all. Of this one thing I am convinced: children are not taught to respect a gun. It is a lethal weapon. Yet very young children come to play in our woods and to climb all over our stamp pile. They come bran dishing very real-looking guns. Toys, to be sure. But real to the child. They didn’t aim them at the squir rels or the birds or at the dog. That’s too mild. They aim them at each other. Bang! You’re dead. I got you. I did, too. Fall down. You’re dead! Was it right for that teenager to point a gun at Monroe and pull the trigger? Had he moved a hair breadth to the left, the teenager would have been a murderer and might have spent his life behind bars. If that was wrong, then why do we allow our chil dren to point guns at people and yell, “ Bang, you’re dead” ? I don’t. M y children don’t play with guns. I ex plain to the neighbor children that we don’t play with guns at our house, and I ask them to leave tnem with me until they are ready to go home— or if they prefer, they can take their guns home and leave them there while they come over to play. A four-year-old accepts my verdict, but there are a five and a six-year-old who don’t. Suddenly they mumble that they want their guns. The Bible says that we are to abstain from all appearance of evil. That isn’t a code just for adults. It goes for children, too. “ Thou shalt not kill,” says God. “ Thou shalt not pretend to kill when you are a child,” I say. It isn’t easy. Toy guns are every- (concluded on next page) by Dorothy Grunbock Johnston 7 AUGUST, 1960 Walter M. Sutherland: A Saint Enters H is Rest W a l t e r M. Sutherland was bom on March 6, 1868, in Hanover, Indiana. He was one of seven boys and two girls in the family. auditorium at 8:30 and were taught the great truths of Scripture by means of object lessons, slides, and other visual aids which were originated by Reverend Sutherland. for ten years as Stated Clerk of the Benecia Presbytery (now Presbytery of the Redwoods). He served as Moderator of the San Joaquin Presby tery for two terms. He was graduated with his Bacca laureate degree from Hanover Col lege, in 1895, and graduated from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in 1898. In 1904, he received his Mas ter of Arts degree from Hanover Col lege. He was ordained to the Gospel min istry at Fulton, California, where he began his public ministry in 1898. In that year he was married to Miss Mary Baldridge, daughter of Dr. Baldridge, President of Hanover Col lege. At Fulton, two sons were bom, Samuel H. (1900) and Walter F. (1907). In 1910 he was called to the pastor ate of the First Presbyterian Church of Sausalito, California. In 1912 Mrs. Sutherland passed away and in 1914, he married again to Miss Jessie Leslie, a public school teacher of Windsor, California. In 1915 he was called to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Bragg, California, a redwood lumbering town; here he had also a very effective ministry among the men of the lumber camps. In 1920 he became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Lemon Cove, California. During his eleven years in Lemon Cove, he established what was probably the first Released Time Education program in the state of California. The church adjoined the public school grounds and for a num ber of years, each school day morn ing at least 75% of the grammar school children met in the church In 1959 he flew to Hanover College to attend the inauguration of the present President of the College, as representative of his class of 1895. He was recognized at that time as the oldest living alumnus in attendance and as the oldest living member of the Sigma Chi National Fraternity. During the time of the BIOLA fund raising campaign for the new campus, in 1955 and 1956, Mr. Sutherland ob tained more gifts for the campus than any other volunteer solicitor. On the occasion of his ninetieth birthday, his friends in Chowchilla presented him with a b i r t h d a y g i f t exceeding $2,000.00 which, at his request, was designated for the BIOLA College campus. It was also his request that at his death gifts to BIOLA should be given in lieu of any floral remem brances. An appropriate memorial will be provided by these gifts. Reverend Sutherland suffered a coronary occlusion on the evening of June 1, and on June 2, went home to be with the Lord. He is survived by his two sons: Samuel H. Sutherland, President of BIOLA, Los Angeles, and Walter F. Sutherland, U. S. Park Ranger in Nevada; by five grand c h i l d r e n , Phillip Sutherland and Mary (Sutherland) Chase, David Sutherland, Beverly (Sutherland) Zimmerman, and Leslie Sutherland; and by three great-grandchildren, Kenneth Chase, Susan and Sharon Sutherland. In 1931 he became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Chow- Four generations of Sutherlands. Top to bottom: Walter, Samuel, Phillip and David. chilla, California, where he served until his retirement in 1947. He was made Pastor Emeritus of the Church in Chowchilla. Until shortly before his death he was regularly teaching a young people’s Sunday School class and frequently preached in the pas tor’s absence and whenever calls came for his services. During the years of the depression and World War II, in addition to his many pastoral duties, he directed and assisted in many civic and patriotic committees and programs. He served army the men are instructed, “ Don’t aim a gun at a man unless you intend to kill him.” Had the teenager dry-firing from a third-story window been told that? Commercial interests are brainwashing the minds o f our children into believ ing that pointing guns at people is the thing to do. Could it be that we are raising a generation of gangsters who think that killing is a mere pastime? By the way, we bought our four oldest children a B-B gun not long ago. Under their father’s supervi sion, they are learning to respect it as the lethal weapon that it is. They don’t look down the barrel, and they never, never point it at a person. Had a certain sixteen-year-old been taught the proper handling o f a gun, my husband wouldn’t have been the near-casualty that he was. Death stalked close. Too close. Because a careless teenager was trigger-happy! THE KIN G 'S BUSINESS DEATH STALKED CLOSE— TOO CLOSE (cont.) where. But by patiently explaining my reasons, m y children understand. They are being reared in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. W e want to be consistent. So toy guns are out. Maybe it sounds as if I would toss out all guns. Far from it. Guns are a wonderful invention; a necessary auxiliary to our economy. The chances of survival for our early pioneers would have been slimmer had they not had guns, crude as they were, to help keep meat on the table. I married a soldier. He carried a gun for three and a half years in the service of his country. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness which we cherish must sometimes be defended — at gunpoint. But bearing arms in the service of your country and pointing a gun at an individual in civilian life are two different things. When guns are issued to an outfit in the T-V GO E S .. h e s h o c k wasn’t as great as I thought it would be. I supposed the two boys would consider it losing a member of the family. But after the simple announce ment: “ The TV goes downstairs,” there were a few shoulder shrugs, nothing more. Maybe they were fed up. Or possibly they consoled themselves by remembering the staircase. At least TV was DOWN, but not OUT! As far as the rest of us were concerned, however, it would take a miracle to bring it back up. It wasn’t the quiz fixes that did it. It was far more. Last week the oldest boy was ill. He sat on the couch watching TV and I sat with him. I saw television for the first time. Oh, I had watched it, but it is as if something slowly creeps upon you until you are accustomed to it, and ou don’t actually come to grips with it until you turn round and stare right into it. I stared. I stared first at the appalling violence. Three out of bur shows on this particular station demonstrated every stupid kind of poisoning, brutality, and skullcracking imaginable. The fights were all from the same script. bloSp vto the midsection, and blow with the open hand on the jack of the neck. The guns cracked until we were ositiviE f i e glass would shatter. Blood was everywhere. The jli/JMren were soon in their rooms playing. Then a u MmBleft me dumbfounded. The program “Wagon ain’ pis pne of TV’s most popular. The program of vent i|II ip depicted a cruelly tyranical ranch owner ogdEpriempd to be an elderly woman. After one scene ier^qi MJaer of her sordid deceit, she is shown on her paying fervently for forgiveness and blessing, er she resumes her foul life, after that a program “Wichita Town” came on . - - „ a famous movie actor. This program featured an attractive member of the “ Rhode Island Missionary Society” ; who succeeded in making a fool of herself and of missions by making collections through saloons, im peding law and order and demonstrating petulant and childish behavior. With the programs eliminated, one is left, in the main, to the quiz show, the variety show and the drama. The less said about the quiz show the better. The variety show has now brought the night club into the American home. The prurient dances are now stock material on almost all programs, especially the “ spectaculars.” Believe (continued on next page) DOWNSTAIRS by Robert James St. Clair AUGUST, 1960 9 sponsor is king, and the fickle viewers are the power be hind the throne. To ensnare the widest possible audience the producer must appeal to the lowest common denomi nator of mass emotion. If the Lord Jesus Christ has not delivered the believer from that level of interest and enjoyment, what has He done for him? TV dramatically portrays the difference between the community of the Spirit and the community of worldli ness. The people of Christ are given a new nature which seeks to grow in the image of God. It is an upward way to an exciting life of joy and purpose. Television, however, plays to a perverted mass mind which seeks to be further perverted. Evil feeds on itself until it destroys its host. The author, playwright, and producer are destined to help the worldly mind drag itself down still lower. Period ically society must revolt against the course of evil to destroy itself and the community with it, and we are now in one of those hysterical baths of witch-hunting and repentance. The really big men in money and production are biding their time until the phase is over and once again it becomes a cheery, “ Business as usual.” Why is it the church can not lead the way in prophe- cying to the moral climate of the nation? More than denunciations are needed. Too often the world’s retort has been, “ Oh, those narrow-minded Christians are against something else now!” The need is for an inviting alternative on the part of the Christian community to entertainment by TV. May it not be that the reason America has not been won for Christ on a grander scale is not because of the lack of evangelism, but the lack in sanctification? In the book of Acts the joy, the love and the exciting, cohering power of the Holy Spirit convicted and convinced the surrounding society of the truth of the apostles’ message. “ See,” they could declare, “ Christ calls you from sin to this kind of a life. Does an exciting life of purpose and power enthuse your imagination? Then let the blood of Christ cleanse you from sin. Be baptized and become a part of the body of Christ.” As part of our striving to present an appealing alterna tive to the wasted hours before the hypnotic screen, we in our home are going all out for a “ Back To People” movement. The idea behind it is simple. The spiritual, social and mental interaction of Christian people is more fun than anything. We’re out to discover each other, and I know of many other homes that are doing the same. Take an evening at home with the TV gone. We read a chapter from “ Little Visits With God,” by Jahsmann and Simon (Concordia, 1957) and had a lively discussion. Then we played with some toy plastic models and had some refreshments. After that we played a game called “ Occupations” which we made up ourselves and got into some of the things missionaries do. I don’t believe there are as many facts in the world as there are boys’ questions to go with them. Maybe I just like to talk, but discussions have always fascinated me. To exchange ideas about what you believe and why, and to have your mind enriched by a Christian of thiry-four or a boy four is one of life’s purest pleasures. It occurs to more and more of us that radio has a great future after all. The few good programs on TV could well be enjoyed by listening to them on radio. Anyway, in case a good ball game comes up, or there’s a good program for the children involving demonstrations or gadgets the TV is still within reach. And there’s always the possibility of timing in a worthwhile rally or Christian service on Sunday. Who knows? Some enterprising Christian some where will get enough of the Lord’s people to back him in producing a program worthy to be brought into a Christ-honoring home. THE TV GOES DOW N ST A IR S (cont.) it or not, the dramas trouble some of us most of all. The reason for this is clear. 1 Peter 2:9 declares: “ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” The Christian’s heart is in the world but it is ruled by God. His soul is here on earth but it is nourished in the heavenlies with Christ. We inhabit this life, but we are indwelt by God’s life through the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of heaven was ordained to be a totally different breed of men from the world of pilgrims riding the wild horses of pride and pleasure. But the television has invaded the sanctity of the home with a way of life utterly alien to the Christ life. Of course, we study literature with no reference to Him. But the TV, hour after hour, thrusts into the family circle a way of living without grace at meals, without prayer, without reference to the Word of God, without the hope of salva tion. Here is a way wherein the goals of life are satisfac tion of immediate and basic emotions. The fulfillment of objectives are born through status-seeking, nourished through self-aggrandizement, tempered by ethics of expedient altruism and teary-eyed sentimentalism, and consummated in artificial representations of joy and make-believe happiness. Naturally, one may learn something from drama in which the Christian viewpoint plays no part. But I have witnessed Christians turn on their TV as soon as they enter the house. It rattles on interminably. One drama after the next is usually tenth rate, inane rubbish which drones on and on and on, and a stupid, foreign way of life plays on our eyesight until sleep mercifully ends the enchantment with drivel. This sort of thing has a wear ing effect. The philosophy underlying it all makes its subtle intrusion into our thinking. This is the sort of thing which now characterizes the mind of the American public as a whole. Think about it for a minute. Dr. Truman B. Douglas of the home mis sions board of the Congregational Christian Churches, speaking in Indianapolis, said recently, “ Cheating on quiz programs is only a litle fix, not worth the indignation that it has elicited. The big fix is television itself, with its contempt for and perversion of the minds of men.” One reader, writing to the editor of a Cleveland paper said, “The polls showed that the American public ap proved of TV quiz fixing by a ratio of 9 to 1. The moral and intellectual climate of this nation has reached such a state of stagnation that it outrivals that of the Dark Ages which eclipsed Europe for so many centuries.” The Rev. Robert St. Clair is pastor of the North Hill United Presbyterian Church, Akron, Ohio. As a pastor for nearly a decade, he has been a specialist in conferences and seminars on the I application of I Christianity to personal I and fam ily life. 10 THE KIN G 'S BUSINESS WILL of GOD / by Gerald L. Stover the were praying. They were not busy on their feet; they were bowed before God. This is not ministry for the Lord; it is ministry to the Lord and accompanied by fasting. They were occupied with Christ. This is holy occupation of the soul with the Lord Himself, our blessed and won derful Lord! They had withdrawn from the busy streets of service and were alone, blessedly alone with the Lord. Their souls were engaged in fellowship with Christ, and it was in this exercise of the heart that they heard the voice of the Spirit. The child of God must be occupied with Christ if he is to leara the sacred secrets of the will of God for his life and labor. One cannot neglect prayer and succeed with God. One cannot neglect His Person and discern His will. David wrote (Psa. 32:8), “I w ill instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: l will guide thee with mine eye.” As one examines this promise carefully he will discover that the guidance of God is associated with beholding the eye of God. This predicates a walk with God, a nearness to God in fellow ship, near enough to behold the face of the Father. Does a parent ever guide the child with his eye? No spoken words, just a directipn of the eye! And as we thus fellow ship with our wonderful Lord we behold His eye, and through the Word of God we are directed to do His will. Walking afar off from our Lord, out of fellowship with Him, neglecting the Word, shunning the place of prayer, how can we know the will of God? Yet, as the believer enters into the holy of holies with God, and there with bowed soul, occupies himself with the beauties and per fections of his lovely Saviour, the lights and graces of his Lord, the Holy Spirit speaks and gives direction to the life. Occupation with Christ issues in revelation of the will of God. God’s will does not consist merely in an opportunity for service. Paul’s experience with the Holy Spirit points up this fact (viz. Acts 16:6-10). Having gone throughout Phrygia and Galatia, the Apostle was forbidden to preach the Gospel in Asia. He desired to enter into Bithynia with the Gospel, but the Holy Spirit suffered him not to do so. Did not Asia an Bithynia need the Gospel? Was this not an opportunity for service? Most assuredly, but —an opportunity for service does not always constitute the will of God. God was to ultimately lead Paul to Europe with the gospel. It behooves the child of God to wait patiently in matters of service until the Holy Spirit points out that one, precious and God-ordained place of ministry for His servant. Beware of construing opportunity as necessarily revealing the will of God. It may, but it does not always constitute His perfect plan. Through an intimacy of walk with God may our ears become ultra-sensitive to the voice of our Lord! Happy is that Christian who devotes himself to a life of surrender, separation and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ! Happy is that child of God who knows the Word and bows before it as the supreme authority in His life! How blessed for the believer to be occupied with the Lord in an intimacy of fellowship made possible to all! May it please God that His children shall be wise in the will and ways of the Lord. May the Holy Spirit sweep aside the hypocritical use of pious expressions with regard to the leading of God, and may it please Him to guide us with His eye. “ Therefore be y e not unwise, but understanding what the w ill of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). G od has ordained that his will for the individual Chris tian’s life shall be revealed by the Holy Spirit. It is equally true that God’s will cannot be clearly discerned apart from vital spiritual preparation. Few scriptures make this clearer than the classic of the Christian life as found in Romans 12:1, 2, “ / beseech you, therefore, breth ren by the mercies of God that y e present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be y e transformed by the renewing of your mind, that y e may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, w ill of God.” Three vital factors contribute to the knowledge of the will of God, the first being a total, unqualified surrender of the human w ill to the w ill of God. The conflict of the Christian life is in the area of the will. Self-will stands in opposition to the will of God. By an act of total committment to the will of God, by an unconditional resignation of the human will to the Lord, the soul of the Christian is prepared for the full revela tion of the marvelous plan and purposes of God as they relate to life and service. Secondly, the Christian must know an unqualified separation from the world. Conformation to this age grieves God. This age stands in opposition to the things of the spiritual realm. For the Christian to assume an expression of life which is not in keeping with the new nature within, is to grieve the Holy Spirit. To refuse conformity to the spirit of the age is to place oneself in a position of spiritual advantage, and wherein he can discern the will of God. Thirdly, an unqualified submission to the Word of God is spiritual pre-requisite to the understanding of God’s will. Partial obedience cannot please God. The Christian does not determine the terms of blessing. He does not decide the ground upon which God will pour out His best by way of gifts and power. This is God’s holy prerogative, and it must never be forgotten that God has decreed bless ing in response to obedience to the Word. These three preparatory steps are undeniably necessary if the Christian is to be led of the Holy Spirit. There are no synthetics, no substitutes for God’s requirements. When the way is dark and the will of God is veiled from our understanding, it becomes us to diligently inquire of our soul and to ask God to search our hearts on the steps above. It must be understood that God’s guidance is never con trary to His Word. God has declared the great principles of the Christian life in the Word. Belief and behavior are to be governed by the scriptures. He has no other message for the Christian. A double set of standards is unthinkable. Nevertheless, there are believers who persuade themselves to believe that the-Lord is leading them to action, though that action be diametrically opposed to God’s pronounce ments in His Word. The knowledge of the will of God is associated with occupation with Jesus Christ. Having named the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, Luke said (Acts 13:2), “ As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the H oly Ghost said . . .” They were not preaching; they 11 AUGUST, I960 A Lighthouse with him in the Downey Church. After his graduation and the conclu sion of his pastorate in Paramount, Dr. Gould worked at the First Baptist Church of Compton as youth pastor. His vital personality and energetic abilities became more widely known in Southern California when he trans ferred his sphere of activity to the First Baptist Church of Van Nuys. The youth again were his field and Dr. Porter Barrington was the pastor. The , Gould family had grown to include three children by 1953 when the zeal ous leader went to the Temple Baptist Church of Los Angeles as church ad ministrator. It was during their time here that Doris became ill with polio (see King’s Business — Nov. 1958) , which, while leaving her greatly physically curtailed, only served to heighten her good judgment and spir itual stamina which are a real asset to her husband’s ministry. Their next move came in 1954 when Dr. Gould was invited to serve as youth pastor at the First Baptist Church of Downey during the ministry of Dr. Jack Mac- Arthur. Upon the latter’s resignation, Dr. Gould became interim pastor. The pulpit committee, however, felt that they could find no one better qualified to fill the pulpit permanent ly than this man of God. So it was that late in 1954, the members of the First Baptist Church of D o w n e y unanimously called Dr. Gould as pastor. He has led the church forward in many phases and the blessing of God has been felt in many ways. The recent completion of a new youth cen ter (and education building) has been a real milestone in his work. His dy namic preaching and organizational ability are well-known and highly respected. Never satisfied to sit back and watch others work, Dr. Gould is active in the musical program of the church, directing the 80 voice Youth Choir as well as taking part in the educational phases of the church by teaching the young married couples. The busy Youth Pastor at Downey is Rev. Al Johnson (Biola ’49). Bom and reared in North Carolina, Rev. Johnson was stationed at Blythe, Cali fornia during his service with the Air Force. It was here that he met two important people in his life. One was Roland Meyer, who was a vital influ ence and challenge to him in turning THE KIN G 'S BUSINESS T h e ministry and Christ-centered influence of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles is well-known. In world wide Christian circles. The fact that young people enter Biola’s portals to receive training in Bible and related subjects is a well-known fact to many thousands of people around the world. The side of the story that is most im portant to the people of our communi ties and churches, however, is the dedicated and effective ministry that follows the preparation of the student. It is as graduates go out from the school and into the churches for active Christian services that the ministry of the school begins to take fruit. There are many examples of the min istry carried on by former students and alumni the world over. We illus trate with only one example here. T h e F i r s t B a p t i s t Church of Downey, California, a ninety-one year old monument to the grace of God, has been a lighthouse of the gospel, and a repository of the Word of God for nearly a century. For the past few years it has had an unique and un usual situation in which all of the staff members and their wives are either alumni or former students of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The church has an active membership of 1300, a forward looking building pro gram, and a lively Sunday School with average attendance of over 1050. Dr. Milton C. Gould, pastor and Biola graduate of the class of ’47 is a man of great energy. He has been active in the Lord’s work for the past 13 years as pastor and minister of youth in several Southern California churches. Reared on a farm in Cali fornia’s San Joaquin Valley, he came to the Southland to live with his sister in Van Nuys when his high school days were over. Next door was the girl who later became his wife. A new C h r i s t i a n , Doris, discussed many things of God with him and each whetted the other’s interest in spirit ual truths until the conviction grew that Bible training was the thing that should occupy their time. Dr. Gould enrolled at Biola. He was first active in Christian work as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Paramount while still a student at Biola. Here he formed a team of students which consisted of himself, Frank Peters, and Thomas “ F.d” Steele who are again working Dr. M ilton Gould, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Downey ( cen ter), has the honorary doctor of divinity degree conferred upon him at the recent Biola commencement exercises. Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, president of Biola, reads cita tion, while Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, direc tor, Talbot Theological Seminary, adjusts hood. Dr. Harold L. Fickett, pastor, Van Nuys First Baptist Church, is seated at the left. Staff of Downey First Baptist Church gathers around pastor M ilton Gould. At left is assistant pastor Rev. Frank Peters. Youth D irector A l Johnson is on the right. ,
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