February, 1942
THE , K I N G ’ S BUS I NE SS Around the King's Table LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-in-chief
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house of God? Do we think He fails to judge us for what we place""in an envelope to send for the support of some Christian institution? “This poor widow hath cast in more than they all,” said the Master (Lk. 21:3). The true estimate of human ac tions is on the basis of their quality, not the quantity. There may be little of it, but much in it. Not only is this recognized by our Lord, but it is also something more and more appreciated by institutions like the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in these days when the great bulk of the contributions comes in small amounts from those who we know have given: themselves with their gifts. It is self-denying givers who make the best prayer supporters. In the temple at Jerusalem, the rich out “of their abundance” (lit., "the overplus” ) had made their offerings. But the ¡essence of character is sacri fice. Too many these days give mites out of their abundance. A wealthy man, when solicited for. a contribution for Christian work, said: “Well, I sup pose I should give my mite like the widow.” “ I would have been satisfied with half of that,” said the representative,' “for the widow’s mites were her all.” God never refuses the poor offerings Of the poor, but He is not pleased with the poor offerings of those who are well-to-do. “She . v . cast in all the living that she had.” What a cutting rebuke to the calculating prudence which even the world despises! For patriotic motives, men are ready these days to give their all, even their lives, for their country. What is ad mirable in the lower sphere is funda mental in the higher. In these days when the gospel testimony is more sorely needed than ever before, are there those who, out of thankfulness to God for the blessings of freedom, are ready to cast in their all, to keep the doors of sound Christian institu tions open?—Keith L. Brooks.
Afraid to Die Leonard Lyons, the columnist, re cently reminded us of an incident in the life of the late Justice Louis Bran déis. “When" France surrendered, a troubled gentleman visited the home of the Justice. ‘What do you think the future will bring?’ he asked the venerable jurist. ‘What’s going to happen to the' world?’ . . . Brandéis shook his head sor rowfully', and sighed, ‘It looks dark, and there is little hope. Peo ple are afraid to die.’ . . . A few months later, after the Nazi bomb i ng , of London, Plymouth, and Coventry, that same man returned to Brandéis’ home and asked,"‘Do you still think our civilization is doomed?’ . . . ‘Oh, no, on the con trary, Nazism must lose,’ said Brandéis, ‘for ah last there are a people who are not afraid of dy ing.’ ” , Afraid to die! Not afraid of dying! Let us think of these two classes for a moment or two. While war cheapens life and hardens the heart of man as to the act o f dying, the fact remains that multitudes of unsaved people are mortally afraid of death. They shud der at the thought of eternity. And; well they might tremble at the dark prospect awaiting them. How terrible it is to die without Christ! Are you . afraid to die? Can -it be that you are not right with God and ready for eternity? Well, turn to the Saviour, and let Him deal with the load of your sin, thus causing you to be no longer fearful of the grave. Tt is only thus that you will be able to face the future with the song of con fidence: “The fear of death has gone forever, No moré to ¡cause my heart to grieve; There is a place, I do believe, In heaven for me beyond the river.” Not afraid of dying! While death is a foe to the-sinner.and a king'of ter rors, it is a friend to the saint, for all who know the Saviour realize death has no sting, the grave no victory. ■ “Open the door1, and let in more of that music,” said Jacob Bohme when he was dying. “And pow,” he went on, “I go to be with my Redeemer and King in Paradise.” And for every dis ciple, “the best is yet to be”—“ the new wine’s foaming flow, the Master’s lips aglow.”
Do you recall Sir Noel Paton’s pic ture of "Lux in Tenebris," the girl who walks through the V a l l e y of the Shadow with her hand clasped in Christ’s hand? Trust is conquering terror in her face, and she grows con fident that no enemy will vanquish her. So may it be with me, what time I enter the ravine and breast the chill ing floods. By His death Christ con quered Death, and ended Death’s des potism and dominion, and as I .trust myself to Him, the last adversary is powerless to retain me in his grasp. When I pass over the river, it is with the Pilgrim’s watchword on my ilips, “Farewell, nightl Welcome, day!1* Mite Givers Between some of our Lord’s sternest predictions we find an exquisite little •incident, full of beauty. He saw rich men casting their gifts into the treas ury. Mark’s account tells us that the contributions were large. But much larger than the amounts they were giving were those they were keeping for their own indulgence in pleasure. Giving a thousand dollars is nothing for a man who is keeping a million for himself. The Lord sees what a man-keeps as well as what he gives. The giving of a tithe is com monly a test of stewardship, but another test is the use one makes of the principal. Our Lord fixed His eyes upon a poor widow who was casting in her two mites. Do we think we are unobserved as the offering plate passes us in the
Significance of t|ie News By DAN GILBERT Wash ington, D. C , and San Diego, California
MIRACLES AND SCIENTIFIC SPECULATION: • Christmas, 1941, brought — along Vntn other things—-a new series of scientific speculations calculated to “throw new light on the puzzling solar phenomenon that ' marked Christ’s birth.” The astronomical publication, Sky and Telescope, contained an article by
Jesse A. Fitzpatrick suggesting that the planet Vends may have been the famed star of Bethlehem. In support ' of this claim, attention is called to the fact that: “Astronomical records show that in the year of Christ’s birth Venus was particularly brilliant at thé' time when He is said to hâve been laid in the manger. Venus was
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