King's Business - 1921-02

113

THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S not a little upon peace and order. For in China, where brigandage, civil strife, and famine increasingly imperil life and hamper missonary opera­ tions, state craft alone is utterly inadequate; the problem^, at heart, are spiritual.” _Tr , . ' The Christian would grip the world m prayer. We are too apt to pray for our Church and our community and forget world conditions. A few months ago the General Director of the China Inland Mission came into the office on a matter of business. Before leaving he suggested having a word of prayer. He never once mentioned1China in his prayer, but he prayed for European countries, Africa, the Islands of the Sea, and especia y South America. Concerning this last mentioned country, he went into some detail, telling God about the condition of the government, the people, and the need of workers there. Before he closed his prayer we were taken around the world. Its people, its need of Christ, its oppression and misery and misrule were all laid before God. It is said of his predecessor, Dr. J. Hudson Taylor, that he was greatly burdened during the latter part of his life for South America and prayed much for that country* although he himself founded the China Inland Mission and spent most of his life m ^ ^Shall we not pray with a larger vision than heretofore? Let us learn all we can about these vast countries and be ever praying for a worid-wide revival. ~ W- H‘ P‘ m SUBTLE Sermons There are some very clear "warnings in the New Testament against the last phase of religion in this age. We are plainly told that there will be ministers masquerading as ‘‘ministers of righteousness who will preach trQth—but not THE TRUTH (John 14:6). They will exhort us to be full of sweetness, to be kind and helpful, honest and upright—but they will have not a word to say about the sacrificial death of Christ as the only approach to God and the only source of righteousness that is acceptable with God. These babblings will be eagerly listened to. They are of the flesh. (GaL 5 49-20) All heresy suits the flesh because it minimizes sin. None need wonder at the large followings gained by policy preachers It is prophesied and the big following of worldly people is an indication of the mfernal origin of the things taught. The adversary is bending, every, subtle energy to the task of deceiving men as to the way of salvation. Rev. C. H. Fquntain in ‘‘Prophetic News” said recently: ‘‘The magnitude of religious error is largely in proportion to its sub­ tlety and the subtlety of the error lies in the fact that often the words spoken are true, but only if addressed to the right people. One may listen to num­ bers of sermons in which no effort is made to distinguish between sinner and saint. It is assumed that everyone in the audience is a Christian. The un­ saved are confirmed in their belief that their position before God is all that could be desired. The impression is given that God is an indulgent Father who is aware that we have a great deal to contend with and will deal merci­ fully with our small failings, with possibly a word or two of indulgent re­ proof.” —Kl L‘ B'

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