King's Business - 1930-02

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Both for $2.00 A Whole Year’s Subscription to Two Helpful Magazines at a Money-Saving Price! Act Now—Be Glad a Whole Year! The two magazines may be ordered sent to different addresses. Again we have arranged with The Illustrator to make a combination offer so that pastors, Sunday-school teachers, and their friends may have the benefit of the saving offered by the combination. THE KING’S BUSINESS . . . THE ILLUSTRATOR (Twelve numbers of each) $ 1 .2 5 Save 25c $1.00 $2 $ 2 .2 5 for the two For nearly half a century The Illustrator has been accepted by all denominations as the Sunday-school worker’s magazine without a peer. Its wide and sweeping range answers every re­ quirement of the successful teacher. Ministers use it for its helpful notes and illustrations. ‘‘Everyone takes The Illustrator these days,” writes an en­ thusiastic worker. TRIAL OFFER: The Illustrator and The King’s Business 3 months for 50c Sunday-school teachers, superintendents, preachers, Bible class scholars, and others who study the International Sunday School Lessons award a high place to The Illustrator. The reason is obvious— it solves the teaching problem for all grades in a most practical way. Its high spiritual tone endears it to all.

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E N J C y A W C C LD T C I I P W I T H THE MISSIONARY P B W Ä ) R L D THE TRIP IN THE GREAT ZEPPELIN Cost $7,000 each Lasted Three Weeks Gave Only a Bird’s-Eye View of the Earth A TRIP WITH THE REVIEW Costs only $2.50 Lasts One Year Gives An Intimate View of All Lands And Work of All Societies A VETIT T© UNFAMILIAR CORNERS CF TUE EARTU This invitation is extended by the REV IEW . w onderful voyage are such well The pilots on this known folk s as Pictures, maps, articles and editorials present view s o f the progress o f Christianity in North Am erica, China, Japan, India, Korea, Moslem Lands, A frica, Latin Am er­ ica. A ll visited on this trip. If you are a m issionary leader, Mrs. F. I. Johnson, President of the Federation o f W om en’s Boards o f F o r­ eign Missions, w ill help you use what you see to help others. You w ill also become acquainted w ith the latest and best m issionary books and authors. COME WITH US! BUY YOUR TICKET NOW! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TRIP! HERE IS A SPECIAL OFFER The Missionary Review of the World - $2.50 The King’s Business . . . . $1.25 Both $3.00. Save 75 cts. Subscribe to these two indispensable magazines T rjnl Affpr The Missionary Review of the lldl UllUl World and The King’s Business fourMonths$1.00 ADDRESS YOUR ORDERS TO E ITHER OFFICE The Missionary Review of the World 156 F IF T H A V E N U E , N E W Y O R K , N. Y . The King’s Business 536 So. H O P E S T R E E T , LOS A N G E L E S , C A L IF . Dr. Arthur J. Brown Helen B. Montgom ery W illiam R. K ing Mrs. Henry W. Peabody and others fam iliar w ith the conditions at home and abroad. Samuel M. Zwemer John R. Mott R obert E. Speer E. Stanley Jones NOTE— Each magazine will be mailed to. subscribers direct from its own office of publication. The two magazines may be ordered sent to different addresses. Postage extra to Foreign Countries— The Missionary Review of the World 50c; The King’s Business 25c.

f 3he K in g ’s W illiam P. W hite , D.D., E ditor

8 “ • E I C L / V * A N N U I T I E S ■N e y E A E X ! The Investments o f one Annuitant — A n d t h e Influencing Reasons: B E C A U S E - - - I believe Biola has God’ s favor and blessing. I believe in the steward­ ship o f money. I believe in t rai ni ng young people in the Bible. I believe in Biola’s native missionary plan and program in Changsha, China. I want to support a clear Bible testimony in the heart o f a great city. I believe in permanently settling o n e ’ s affairs whilst living. I want to avoid needless law costs. My needed income comes prompt­ ly month by month without thought or worry or tax. I believe in safety, both for time and eternity. I enjoy having my in­ come t h r o u g h the hands o f e a r n e s t Christians. Information as to rates of. income on our thoroughly protected An­ nuity Bonds gladly given. Address Bible Institute of Los Angeles 536-558 South Hope Street Los Angeles, California

J. E. J aderquist , P h .D., M anaging E ditor Motto: “I, the Lord, do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.” Isaiah 27:3. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY AND REPRESENTING THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES Volume XXI February, 1930 Number 2 Table of Contents Crumbs from the King’s Table—The Editor.................................. 59 Editorial Comment ............................................................—................ 61 The Attractive Christ—Rev. William H. Pike......... I..................... 63 Christianity or Religion?—Arno C. Gaebelein, D.D....................... 65 One Church—Bernard M. Farson..................................................... 68 The Gospel in BelgiumM-Edith F. Norton.................................... -- 69 What is the Supreme Need of the Church? —Dr. Mark A. Matthews...................................................... 71 The Christian Attitude Toward Non-Christian Religions Sy^i-Rev. H.. V. Andrews............................................................. 72 The Salvation of Scripture—The Source —B. B. Sutcliffe..............:.......•-............................................... 74 Why “ Streams in the Desert” was Written :-(#-Mrs. Charles E. Cowman.................................................... 76 Seed Thoughts from St. Mark—Rev. Wilfred M. Hopkins......... 77 Gleanings from the Harvest Field................................................... — 79 Heart to Heart with Our Young Readers —Florence Nye WhitwelL—................................................. 81 Radio KTBI .......... .............................................. -.............................. 84 Homiletical Helps for Preachers and Teachers............................ . 85 To the Jew First—David L. Cooper....... .......................................... 86 The Junior King’s Business— Sophie Shaw Meader........................ 87 Alumni Notes—Cutler B. Whitwell.................................................. 89 The Regions Beyond...................... 90 International Lesson Commentary.................................................... 91 Notes on Christian Endeavor—Alan S. Pearce.............................. 101 Our Literature Table ................................................... Daily Devotional Readings................................................................... 106

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SUBSCRIBERS’ INFORMATION

25 cents reduction 6n each subscription sent to one or to separate addresses as preferred. Remittance: Should be made by Bank D raft, Express or P. O. Money Order, payable to “ Bible Institute of Dos A n ­ geles.” R eceipts w ill not be sent for regular subscriptions, but date o f exp i­ ration w ill show plainly, each month, on outside w rapper or cover o f magazine. Manuscripts: THE KING’S BUSINESS cannot accept responsibility fo r loss or damage to manuscripts sent to it for consideration. Change of Address: Please send both old and new addresses at least one month previous to date o f desired change.

A dvertisin g: F or inform ation w ith re fe r­ ence to advertising in THE KING’S BUSINESS address the R eligious Press Assn., 325 North 13th St., Philadelphia, P a„ or North Am erica Bldg., Chicago, 111. Entered as Second Class Matter Novem ­ ber 17, 1910, at the P ost Office at. Los Angeles, California;, under the A ct of March 3. 1879. A cceptance fo r m ailing at special rate of postage provided fo r in Section 1103, A ct o f October 3, 1917, authorized October 1, 1918. Terms : $1.25 per year. Single copies 25 cents. F oreign Countries (including Can­ ada! $1.50 per year. Clubs o f 5 or more

POLICY AS DEFINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BIBLE INSTI­ TUTE OF LOS ANGELES (a) To stand for the in fallible W ord o f God and its great fundamental truths, (b) To strengthen the faith o f all believers, (c) T o stir young men and women to fit themselves fo r and engage in definite Christian work, (d) To make the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles known, (e) To m a gn ify God our Father and the person, w ork and com ing o f our Lord Jesus Christ: and to teach the transform ing power of the H oly Spirit in our present practical life, ( f ) T o em ­ phasize in strong, constructive messages the great foundations o f Christian faith. 536-558 S. Hope St., BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Los Angeles, Calif.

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Showing Some o f the Results Obtained, from the Use o f Money Committed to Us.

A Brief Siaiisfical Survey of Work Done bg ihe ¿Bible Institute o f £os ^Angeles Through its Student B odg and Evangelistic Departments from September, 1 9 28 , to August, 1 9 29 , inclusive

Student Body

Jewish Shop

Harbor Work

Boys* Work

Bible Women

Work

TOTAL

Work

177 1,266 12,938 10,300 30,000 10,133 112,398 175,769 5 520 581 30 21,744 21,774 118 47 474 6,335 82 30 3,950 4,775 1 12 35 131 97 1,310 1,316 545 663 7,342 16,072 22 40 66 80 601 1,392 113 113 2,730 952 6,062 12,350 48 636 11,353 2,279 19,028 4,675 5,213 2,678 8,034 20,600 18,710 69,919 38,919 1,520 14,709 172,012 359 125 800

Indoor Meetings ................................................ 164 Estimated Attendance ............. ..................................... Outdoor Meetings ........ ............. ...................... . 56 Estimated Attendance ................................................... Sunday School Classes Taught.:..... sjf.............. 5,696 Bible Classes Taught.....................— 713 Other Religious Services Conducted............. 935 Personal Interviews ........ ...... ........-r*--- -— 6,206 Professed Conversions .................................... 583 Backsliders Restored ......................................... ........ Visits Made .................................................. ----- 2,606 Bibles, Testaments, and Gospels given away.. 4,712 Personal Letters Written ............................................ Pieces of Gospel Literature Distributed.........28,575 Ships Visited ........ ...................... ——.............I-............. Church Services Conducted ............-............. 694 Bible Readings Given............-........................................ Mission Meetings Conducted..........-..... -......... 208 Mission Study Classes Taught......................... 162 Children’s Meetings Conducted...'................... 1,024 Young People’s Meetings Conducted............. 665 Shop Meetings Attended............ 1,664 Visits to Hospitals ........ 914 Sermons Preached ........— .............. 496 Interesting Additional Data The number of students enrolled from the begin­ ning, day and evening classes, totals 8,324. Individual students enrolled during the school year 1928-29, day and evening, numbered 555. 92 day school students graduated, and 14 from the evening classes. 40 professions and occupations were represented in the evening classes. 27 Countries Sent Students Australia, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, India, Ire­ land, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Persia, Philippine Islands, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Wales. 36 States of the Union Represented. 92 Day School Graduates during the School Year 1928-29. 14 from the Evening Classes. 40 professions and occupations were represented in the evening classes. Correspondence School Students Enrolled during School Year, 1928-29.. 846 Graduated in 1929 .................................................... 138 Actively Engaged in Study, Aug. 31, 1929......... .1848 Thousands of Gospel tracts were sent to these students for distribution.

359 694 270 162 665 1,072 1,664 3,430 496

62 49 ......... .......... ........ ; 2,516 ..........

Hunan Bible Institute

Activities include: Bible School giving three-year course of Bible study and training in methods of Christian work, and two six-weeks courses each year for Christian workers. Correspondence Department in which students are enrolled from every province in China. Biola Evangelistic Bands consisting of trained Chi­ nese workers engaging in systematic evangelism and Bible teaching in cooperation with various evangelical missions. The following figures give an idea of the work done by the eight bands from October, 1928, to July, 1929: Homes Visited ...................................-......... 70,060 Scriptures Distributed .......................... 18,648 “ Selected Portions ofHoly Scripture**__ 10,426 Gospel Booklets ............................................149,715 Sheet Tracts .......... 52,275 Gospel Posters ....... _.../_..... _........................ 6,050 Total Number of Pieces of Gospel Literature ...................................................... 237,1 14 Christian literature, including bi-monthly religious magazine Evangelism, and tracts, booklets, etc., used mainly in connection with the evangelistic bands. Autumn Bible conference at Nanyoh, one of the five so-called sacred mountains of China, held at the time of the annual pilgrimage to this famous shrine.

We will invest your money in Christian life and service, thus giving you a share in these definite results o f eternal value.

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Qrumhs O ' ----------------- B y the Editor

romtheKing’s I

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but Patience was willing to take his governor’s advice and wait for his good things until the next year; and these two boys, says John Bunyan, are typical of the worldly man and the true Christian. The worldly man., with his favorite proverb of, “ A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” wants his good things at once, wants his bag of gold in the hand, not seeming to realize that his money must perish with him. But the Christian, in fellowship with God, is willing to do without this world’s wealth . and fame and pleasure because he looks not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. And in all this John Bunyan has shown his usual un­ erring insight. Most men side with Passion; they want the bag of gold in the hand; they can understand the advantage of that; and, fascinated by the prospect o f that, they have no thought for heaven, they see only that which is near. The world takes men captive by the promise of quick returns. 'This man sees the solid advantages that wealth brings, and he lives for it, never caring to think of the day when his money will slip from his nerveless fingers. This man sees the present and substantial ad­ vantages that fame brings, and he lives for it, never caring to look forward to that time when the first will be last and the last first. And so men become absorbed by the world and live for its business, its wealth and its power, and then awake to find themselves wretched and poor and blind and miserable and naked, all because they have never given a thought to heaven but have seen only that which is near. “ L ift up your eyes,” is the appeal of a loving God. We need to lift them up to the things unseen and eternal, to the everlasting hills, to the everlasting city where place is determined not by wealth, but by holiness; and position, not by worldly fame, but by love. We need a more con­ stant thought of heaven, a more abiding realization of eternity. We must give heaven a larger place in our speech and thought. It is only as the thought of heaven is ever with us that we shall be emancipated from the thralldom of “ the swim.” There never was a more magnificent triumph over the spirit of worldliness than that which Moses achieved when he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daugh­ ter. How did he win that triumph? Listen: “H e had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” The safety of a Christian lies in the long look. Be not persuaded that the thought of heaven, and the reward yonder for service rendered in His name, is the mark of the dreamy and un­ practical man. Cultivate the long look. “Looking not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen” ; enduring “ as seeing Him that is invisible,” “ looking away” — for so the Greek reads— “ looking away to Jesus.” Fol­ low everything to its ultimate issue and see how it will look in the light of eternity and heaven. Bring business and wealth and fame and power and high station, and measure them all by the standard of eternity. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which en- dureth unto everlasting life.

Worldliness HEN the Sprit of God spoke through His servant John, “ Love.not the world, neither the things that are in the world. I f any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” he did not refer to the beauti­ ful things that are in the world of nature.

I have driven my car more than one hundred times be­ tween Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles. What won­ derful things I have seen in these trips! The towering mountains on one side, some of them capped with eternal snow. The great Pacific Ocean on the other side of the road, and oh, the sunsets! But the joy these themes have given to my natural vision have not compared with the rapture of soul. While looking upon these wonder­ ful things in the natural world, I have remembered that my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, made them all. “All things zvere made by him; and zinthout him zvas not any­ thing made that zvas made.” Now, it is not the world of nature that we are to re­ frain from loving. To use a colloquialism, the thing that we are not to love is, “ The Swim.” We speak of the swim of politics. Good men get into this swim and they are swept off their feet in spite of themselves. We speak of the swim of business. Good men get into this swim and’ they forget God, they forget their duties to their fel­ lows, and sometimes they forget their families. Then there is the social swim that carries so many thousands of Christians out of fellowship with God, dulls their ears to the call of God, and blinds their eyes to spiritual vision. There is also an ecclesiastical swim in which many ser­ vants of God lose their testimony. This is the “ world” which we are not to love. “ For all that is in the world, the lust o f the flesh, the lust o f the eves and the pride o f life, is not of the Father, but is o f the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will o f God abideth for­ ever.” ' ' “ Other worldliness” is not the besetting sin of the twentieth century— worldliness is the moral atmosphere in which we live; it casts its fatal spell upon us all and the sore temptation of us all is to lay up our treasure upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal. The reason for this prevalent and well-nigh universal sin of worldliness is spiritual short-sightedness. _ The prizes that “ the swim” offers are plausible, tangible, imme­ diate. They engross men’s attention, they absorb their thoughts, they fill the horizon of their desires. Heaven and the smile of Christ and the “well done” of the Father seem remote, far off, unsearched. Money, pleasure, fame, banish them from the mind, and to the acquisition of these things men devote themselves, seeing cmly what is near. Christian saw in Interpreter’s house, two boys: Pas­ sion and Patience. Passion had a bag of gold in his hand,

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Heartlessness and Despair T HE long look is not only a remedy for worldliness, but it is a remedy for hopelessness and despair. “ Lift up your eyes on high,” for we despair when we see only the things that are near—the sin, the vice, the indif­ ference and callousness of men—but we gain courage and hope when we see God. In our work for Jesus Christ we are much in need of the ability to look above our dif­ ficulties, real and near as they are, and realize the love and interest and power of our unseen Helper. “ Open his eyes, that he may see,” prayed Elisha for his despairing ser­ vant at Dothan. That servant could see only the things that were near—the encircling Syrian host intent upon the prophet’s destruction; but when his eyes were opened he saw the mountain was full of chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha. Oh, despairing child of God, you have seen the opposing host, but have you seen the army of celestial helpers? Take the long look about the things that are near and which work against you, to the invisible but almighty and eternal forces which are work­ ing for you. The nearest and most obvious facts are the facts of sin and wrong and vice and selfishness, and they are ter­ rible enough to make anyone despair; but faith in God gives one a long look, for he looks up and away and he sees in the place of supreme authority and dominion, the Sacrifice of Calvary with the nail-prints still in His hand and the' spear-gash still in His side, the Man who died for- H im ; and seeing Him, he cannot despair. The burdens of life are heavy, but “ all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The governments of the world are,fast drifting to destruction, but he sees One coming whose name shall be called “ Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. O f the increase o f his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne o f David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with jus­ tice from henceforth even forever. The zeal o f the LORD OF HOSTS will perform this.” — o— Spiritual Atmosphere HP HERE are whole communities in which the moral tone, is so low that no man can live in them long without being more or less consciously debauched. The Patriarch Lot is represented as “ righteous,” but protracted residence in Sodom dragged him down to such a depth that we shudder to contemplate the things of which he showed himself capable. This principle o f atmospheres will help to determine many questions that are apt to perplex and trouble conscientious Christian minds. Questions touching the books we read, the diversions we indulge in, the places of amusement to which we resort. “ What’s the harm ?” somebody asks, and it may not be easy always to give an answer. “ What’s the harm in the dance ?” “ The card table ?” “ The theater ?” “ The Sun­ day newspaper ?” It may not be possible always to formu­ late an indictment that will hold. To reach sound conclu­ sions we must go farther back and deeper down and con­ sider tendencies and far-reaching results. What is the matter with these things which we have named, and ever so many more such questionable indulgences ? For answer we have only to point to the multitude of church members who have been living in the atmosphere surrounding such things until they have become so enfeebled by malaria that

they have not the strength to crawl to prayer meeting or to stand upon their feet and witness for Jesus Christ, if ever by chance they do go to the mid-week meeting. “In vain they tune their formal songs, In vain they strive to rise; Hosannas languish from their tongues, And their devotion dies.” On the other hand, there is nothing so contributes to the development of robust and beautiful Christian man­ hood and womanhood as perpetually dwelling in the scenes eloquent with sacred suggestions and breathing an atmosphere charged with the whole psalm of heaven. Our Saviour prayed, “ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Here, in the Word, rise the glorious heights of the everlasting hills; here rolls the ocean of God’s infinite love. I may climb these heights, get inspiration and outlook over the immensities and eter­ nities ; I may ’wander on the shores of this ocean and drink in the breath of heaven that blows over it, and thus get hope and heartening for life’s toils and conflicts. A very beautiful aspiration was that which the Psalmist breathed when he cried, “ One thing haare I desired o f the Lord, that will I seek out: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” We have known what it is to repair to the house of the Lord in time of trouble; we have been sorely tempted and maybe had grievously sinned, and as a consequence had long time been “ tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt” until at last we said to our poor, tired souls, “ Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” And, like Noah’s weary dove, we came fluttering back to the sanctuary and there we rested; and as we listened to the sweet strains of well- remembered sacred songs and to the precious Word of God, and to the voice of prayer on the wings of which we mounted upward to the very throne of God, we said to ourselves, “ My willing soul would stay in such a plane as this and sit and sing herself away to everlasting bliss.” But, alas, we cannot stay. The sweet and solemn ser­ vices will presently be over and we will be gone out to the street, out into the chilly air, out amid the rush and roar of worldliness and godlessness, and we tremble with ap­ prehension. We know, from long and sad experience, that we will be caught up and carried away by the cur­ rents of the world that go long overmastered us. But, oh, if we could only “ dwell in the house o f the Lord forever,” then would we be indeed wiser and better men.-- Well, thanks be to God, we can dwell there. The real hoqse of the Lord is the Word of the Lord, so far as spiritual atmosphere is concerned. Here is a temple whose foundations are eternal. It has gorgeous windows adorned with glorious symbols through which streams the light of redemption; it has groined and pillared arches re­ sounding ever with the music of angelic choirs; it echoes with the voices of patriarchs, priests, prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ Himself, who is “ the Way, the Truth and the Life.” In this temple we may dwell forever. And thus abiding, thus encompassed, surrounded with the truth, breathing in the truth, permeated by the truth, we are uplifted by the truth, transfigured by the truth; and this is what our Saviour means when He prays, “Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth.”.

SEE BACK COVER FOR ATTRACTIVE OFFER. THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN OF THE KING’ S BUSINESS.

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with a loud protest. He cannot permit such a “ funda­ mental assumption.” The secret is that he has one of his own which he prefers. He says: As a matter o f fact Christ was spiritually and providentially present at the destruction o f Jerusalem. As a matter o f fact, also, He has been present, not physically, but spiritually and providentially, at ev.ery visitation o f wrath upon men and nations from that day to this. Thus, at length, the real issue comes to the surface. Shall prophecy be approached with the presumption that, other things being equal, a literal interpretation is likely to be the right one, or shall the mind be so dominated by a theory concerning the progress of the Gospel in this age that it compels the spiritualizing of predictions of judg­ ment at the end of the age? It is an old argument, re­ vived with unusual heat in recent years. If the discussion must continue, why not counsel the partisans to stick to the text and not to substitute epithets for arguments ? As to “ chieftain Gray,” who comes in for a big share of the dishonor, or honor, that attaches to his views on the sub­ ject of prophecy, no defense is needed. He will carry his new title with his accustomed dignity. The many thou­ sands of Christian leaders at home and abroad who share his opinions will ask the privilege of also sharing with him the honor of being reproached. They will say, as the Rev. Canon Horsefield is quoted as saying recently, “ It is better to suffer derision than to suffer delusion.” Diffidence or Definiteness T HE Advent Witness reviews a pamphlet by a British author, which, they say, “ is really a plea for indefi­ niteness in the interpretation of prophecies of Christ’s second coming on the ground that the Jews misinterpreted the prophecies of the first coming.” The editor refuses to admit that there is any force in such an argument and plea. The answer to the argument is that the Jews were wholly wrong in their interpretation of Messianic proph­ ecy, because “ they made void the Word of God with their traditions.” That is, they refused a definite and literal interpretation of their Scriptures, and so when Jesus came they had a perverted idea of the kingdom, which it was difficult to dislodge. Even the disciples of Jesus were be­ clouded by the prevailing “ spiritualizing” method of in­ terpretation. It is recalled that after the resurrection, Jesus said to the two men at Emmaus, “ O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets had spoken . . . and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he ex­ pounded unto them in all the scriptures the things con­ cerning himself” (Luke 24:25, 27). It is safe to presume that Jesus said many such things to the disciples when He was with them on occasions during the forty days, “ speak­ ing o f the things pertaining to the kingdom o f God.” At any rate, the New Testament writers somehow got the impression that prophetic statements of the Lord Jesus and of the Old Testament prophets called for a literal — o —

Fundamental Assumptions HE study of predictive prophecy has its delights and its perils. To the inquisitive and reverent mind the search after knowledge concerning things to come awakens interest and enthusiasm such as can scarcely be found in the pursuit of any other branch of knowledge. Who does not want to know the things that shall be hereafter? Per­ haps one of the greatest perils in the study of prophecy is that the mental bent may be determined in advance by fixed presuppositions. If these presuppositions or assump­ tions pervert the method of interpretation of the Scrip­ tures, there is no telling to what ridiculous extremes the student may be led. The author of a recent book on the Great Tribulation waxes eloquent, hot and sarcastic as he thinks of some other writers on this popular prophetic theme. The fol­ lowing is one of his milder paragraphs: Lately these writers are multiplying. Their name is legion. And they are so inexpressibly inane. Mussolini, for example, as a youngster, got down on his hands and knees and “pinched the bare legs of the other boys and girls” in school, and kissed a little girl once, “the prettiest in her class,” and using her two long braids for lines, played horse with her; therefore, forsooth he is the “little horn” with “eyes like the eyes of a man,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet! Furthermore, the legs of Nebuchad­ nezzar’s image were of iron, and Mussolini’s father was a blacksmith.— mirabile dictul If the author had stopped at this point, there would have been little room for argument with him. But he is not content. It is not only this type of juggler with the Scripture that he is pursuing, for he speedily enrolls in the class of “ the inexpressibly inane” all who believe that the Great Tribulation is yet future. Speaking of such teachers he writes: Of these latter we may take . . . as a typical example— There is no length to which he seems unwilling to go........... He would be at home with the Scofield Bible, W. E. Blackstone, and S. D. Gordon . . . . and doubtless also he would be ready to pay his salaams to Dr. James M. Gray, the chieftain o f the group, who, though more cautious and guarded than his fellows, yet builds on the same plot of sand. . . . These men all base their theories on the same fundamental assumptions. But what about “ fundamental assumptions” ? Do not both proponents and opponents of “ dispensationalism” have assumptions? All Christians will accept the first “ fundamental assumption” of Scripture, “ In the begin­ ning God.” On the other hand, they will reject the as­ sumption of the advanced liberal critics that the prophets spoke only to their own times, for this means the elimina­ tion of all predictive prophecy from the Bible. They refuse also the Modernist’s assumption that the historic facts of Christianity are not essential to Christian faith, for this compels the conclusion that Jesus Christ is never coming back to earth again. Where, then, is the issue? The “ dispensationalist” believes that such a phrase as “ the coming o f the Son of man” in the Olivet discourse means the literal and personal return of Christ. At this point, however, the author whose book is under discussion, rises

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and exact interpretation. The editor of The Advent Wit­ ness concludes: We believe that the Scriptures mean what they say, and say what they mean, in such a simple manner that the wayfaring man and the fool shall not err therein. We do not want the Lord to say when He comes, "O fools and slow o f heart to be­ lieve all that the prophets have spoken.” It will be a poor answer to say we did not like to take them literally. Are Miracles a Liability or an Asset ? S OME modern Christian ( ?) apologists claim to have a Christ who can effect a sinner’s adjustment with God, who can and does furnish the soul with those “abiding experiences” which bring peace and rest, who guides unerringly through the journey of life and lights up the path beyond the grave— in short, a Christ who does all that orthodox Christianity has ever expected the Lord Jesus Christ to do—and yet who is not the Christ of the New Testament. He is accredited with power to accom­ plish in the soul a work that is nothing short of miracu­ lous, but we are asked to believe that He was not born of a virgin, that He performed no miracles, that He did not rise from the dead, and we are told that if we load up our Christian faith with the necessity of supporting a belief in such miracles we have a heavy liability and not an asset. The question arises, however, can a Christ who never rose from the dead, quicken one who is dead in trespasses and sin? Are not the miraculous deeds of Jesus necessary to attest His right and power to save the soul? This is the conclusion reached by Professor C. R. Hard­ ing. He writes in The Presbyterian o f the South as follows: I ask in all earnestness, in all soberness, and, too, in all reverence, who would care to commit his soul for time and eter­ nity to a man Jesus, no matter how noble and good his life, who merely professed to know about God and heaven and hell, about His love and His wrath, His mercy and His judgments, and yet was unable or unwilling to do miraculous deeds attesting this knowledge, and whose body once dead remains to this twentieth- century day mere dust and ashes in some lonely Syrian grave? Love Him? Yes. Follow Him? Yes. Trust Him for eternal salvation? No. Rather pity Him for His tragic and helpless fate. Persuade men that Jesus did not rise from the dead, and Christianity, as such, will itself soon be dead and humanism will reign supreme. Why cannot the silent or sleeping or unalarmed religious pacifist of our day understand that this is true, and gird himself to fight the deadly poison of Modernism? What Is Repentance? T HE Westminster Confession, adopted in 1647, has the following definition of repentance: Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out o f a true sense of his sin, and apprehension o f the mercy of God in Christ, doth with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God with full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience. And now comes a leading Modernist with a totally different conception of the meaning of the word. He says : Repentance is right-mindedness, sanctified common sense, the intelligent réadaptation of one’s personality to its divinely purposed development. One is struck with the high-sounding phrases of this modernistic creed. It will appeal to sinners who do not wish to think of the guilt of sin and who do not intend to quit sinning. There is no recognition of the justice of God, or of the mercy of God in Christ. There is no shame, no sorrow, no recognition of need. Who will say that this is the Christian doctrine of repentance? Nor is this

creed anything new; its sentiments can be found in pre- Christian Greek Philosophy.

Italy and Palestine A WR ITER in The New Palestine is aroused by the >report that plans are under way for the setting up of an international commission to investigate conditions in Palestine. He is astonished that any Englishman should publicly support such a proposal, particularly because the British Commission of Investigation, headed by Sir Wal­ ter Shaw, may not conclude its labors for some months. In casting about for an explanation of this strange propo­ sition, his eyes turn toward Rome. He says : ine idea is one which has a great many ramifications, one o f the lines extending to Italy. When the Mandate for Palestine was bestowed upon Great Britain there was keen disappointment in Italy. The feeling now prevails that the Fascisti are gazing hungrily toward an expansion in the Mediterranean with an eye to the Holy Land. The Italians have been deeply interested in every occurrence in that section of the world. When the troubles broke out in Syria, Mussolini was in expectation that his aid might be required. Now that Palestine is in the limelight Italy favorably_ views it as a potential outlet for her surplus popula­ tion. Italian ambitions in this direction are fortified by the new status o f the Vatican, which would seem to justify Italy in keep- mg an eye on the Holy Land. One wonders whether England is willing to encourage Italy s affection for the Jewish homeland. Classified Fundamentalists XJTUMAN nature does not fail to assert itself wherever J. J- groups of men gather together for fellowship and service. It is usually only a question of a short time before there is at least a temptation to cleavage in the ranks, as minor questions arise.' In political organizations may be found a “ right wing” and a “ left wing,” and then a larger group in the “middle of the road,” ready to be swayed to either extreme. And now there seems to be evidence of the same tendency within the ranks of the Fundamentalist movement, even at this early date in its history. Evangelist W. E. Pietsch is quoted in Grace and Truth as saying, at a recent meeting of the Fundamentals Association of Colorado: Fundamentalists have, by their actions and public utterances here in America, consciously or unconsciously classified them­ selves in one o f three groups: Pacifist Fundamentalists, Con- tending r Fundamentalists, or Contentious Fundamentalists. I would like to be definitely placed in the second class. This is a day when we must earnestly contend for the Faith, and with no uncertain sound. Fundamentalism is not merely a high-sounding word and a sound doctrinal statement, but a godly, consistent principle in life—living daily the truth we profess. Every Contending Fundamentalist should have a heart big enough to take in every child of God and narrow enough to exclude all evil. Many are.more loyal to their denomination than they are to Christ. We have some Contentious Fundamentalists who have always some fault to find with any other Christians who are not in their particular camp, branding as heretics, Modernists, mid- dle-of-the-roaders, and other vicious names, those who differ with them. There are two dangerous extremes to be found among Fun­ damentalists : the sweet, suave people who are afraid to declare themselves, and the Contentious Fundamentalists. We can earn­ estly contend for the Faith with no compromise, and yet in the spirit o f love and kindness. May God find us faithful at our respective posts until we hear the summons' home 1 Editorial Announcement I N the March issue, will appear the first of a short series of sermons on the Second Coming of Christ, by Dr. P. W . Philpott, pastor of the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.

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The A t t r a c t i v e Chr i st B y R ev . W illiam H . P ike

Noah Webster, maker of our first American diction­ ary, says : “ I should be ashamed to acknowledge Christ as my Saviour if I could comprehend Him—He would be no greater than myself. Such is my sense o f sin, and consciousness of my inability to save myself, that I feel I need a superhuman Saviour— one so great and glorious that I cannot comprehend Him.” Napoleon I, Emperor

"For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root but o f a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected of men; a man o f sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised: and we esteemed, him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten o f God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastise­

ment of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed ."— Isa. S3 :l-5. , OR centuries the picture of Jesus Christ, as Isaiah saw Him, h a s been held before us. We n e e d this picture and cannot see it too often. There are other attrac­ tive pictures of J e s u s Christ. What was it that drew the cultured Greeks and brought them to Philip, “ saying, Sir, we would see Jesus’’ (John 12:21)? Je­ rusalem was astir' over the fact that Jesus, who had raised Lazarus, was coming into the city to the feast. The people gathered along the roadside with palm branches in their hands, and made a pavement of t h e i r g a r m e n t s and branches over which Jesus rode info Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of an ass. They all cried, “Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name o f the Lord, even the king o f Israel’’ (John 12:13), thus unconsciously

of France, said of Christ: “ The nearer I approach, the more carefully I exam­ ine. Everything is above me. Everything remains grand—of a g r a n d e u r which overpowers. His re­ ligion is a revelation from an Intelligence' which cer­ tainly is not that of man.” Daniel Webster, Amer­ ican statesman and orator, s a i d : “ I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. . . . I believe there is no other way of salvation than through the merits of His atonement.” William E. Gladstone, one of England’s greatest statesmen, testified: “ All that I think, all that I hope, all that I write,, and all that I live for is báséd upon the divinity of Jesús Christ; the one central joy of our poor wayward race.” It will be noticed that

these quotations are not ex­ clusively from the ranks of the Church. Jesus Christ does not need the testimony of those who are recog­ nized as leaders in the world, but it is interesting to see how He has attracted the interest, and appeals to the hearts of rúen. II. F igures T alk F or C hrist Seventy per cent of the earth’s surface is ruled by professing Christian governments. In 1820 there were 600,000,000 people in the world, 5,000,000 of whom were professing Christians. One hundred years later, in 1920, there were 1,125,000,000 people and 50,000,000 Christians, so that while the population of the world has doubled there has been a tenfold increase in Christianity. What is happening to non-Christian religions ? Let us consider two of the greatest. Buddhism counts its fol­ lowers by the millions. It began about six-hundred years before Christ and increased in numbers and power for twelve hundred years. Since then it has decreased. Mo­ hammedanism began about 600 A. D., and. increased for

Gilliam's Service HERE PASSED CHRIST, SEATED UPON AN ASS, THROUGH THE GOLDEN GATE OF JERUSALEM.

fulfilling a prophecy written five hundred years before. “ Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter o f Zion; . . . behold, thy king cometh . . . riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal o f an ass’’ (Zech. 9 :9 ). At this demonstration, the Pharisees were incensed and said, “ Behold, how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him” (John 12:19). This was true not only in their day, but in ours also. The world is going after Jesus Christ. Some will challenge this, but here are some quotations and figures to prove this statement. I. T estimonies of M en of the W orld A bout C hrist The third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, said: “ A more beautiful and precious morsel of ethics I have never seen: it is a document in proof that I am a real Christian; that is to say, a disciple of the doc­ trines of Jesus.”

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gave his life for Christ and for others. “He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. I f any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my ser­ vant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor” (John 12:25, 26). The world’s philosophy is: Get every­ thing possible of position, possession, prestige and popu­ larity. The unbeliever’s life is the inflowing life. Jesus taught and practiced the outflowing life. Men have watched and been attracted by this self-for­ getful, Christlike life manifested in His followers. Col­ onel Lawrence was practically the only Christian among a company of wild Mohammedan Arabs. On a very try­ ing march through the desert, one of his men was lost. His camel was with the party, but the man was not there. It was one of those days when sun and desert wind dried up lips till they cracked, and granulated eyelids. Lawrence, alone, went back seventeen miles in that desert inferno until he found the man, half dead. He revived him with some water, put him on the back of his own camel, and brought him to the line o f march. The others had said, “ Let him perish. Do not risk your life for his,” but Lawrence was a Christian. Self-forgetfulness is a mark of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The world says,. “ Push ahead and ride over your fellow men.” But Jesus has taught us to forget ourselves in helping others. A H eavenly W itness to H is L ife Three times in the earthly life of Jesus did heaven witness for His life, service, and teaching: U At His baptism, a voice from heaven said, “ Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). 2. At His transfiguration, a voice said, “ This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye him” (Luke 9:35). 3. When Jesus was facing the cross, with the weight of the sins of men bearing down upon Him, He said, “ Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name” (John 12: 27). And a voice out of heaven said, “ I have both glori­ fied it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:28). God honored Jesus’ life, lived nineteen hundred years ago; He also honored Him in His death, by raising Him from the dead. He has glorified Jesus at His right hand during all these centuries. According to the testimony of the heavenly voice, God will glorify Him again when He comes in power and glory. T he D eath of J esus “ W e would see Jesus,” said the Greeks, and Jesus an­ swered, “ Except a grain o f wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit” (John 12:24). “ If you wish to see me,” said Jesus, “ look at the cross. I have lived the crucified life ; not the self-centered, but the self-abandoned life. My life has been centered in the will of my Father. It has been given in service for others, as my Father has directed my by His Spirit. I am now going to offer my life on the cross as an atonement for the sins of men.” A little girl sat with her father on the front seat in a church. The preacher was telling about Jesus being lifted up on Calvary, when suddenly she burst into tears. “What is the matter, dear?” her father asked. “ Oh,” she said, “ Jesus died for my sins.” How did that little child know? Because the Creator is still honoring the life and death of His Son by appealing to the hearts of men. “And / / ’ said Jesus, “ if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself” (John 12:32).

Biola Anniversary The anniversary o f the Bible Insti­ tute will be celebrated with special ser­ vices February 25 to March 2, 1930. Dr. James M. Gray, President o f the Moody Bible Institute, will be present four days. Other speakers cannot yet be announced. A special feature will be a mass meet­ ing o f Christian Endeavorers and other young people’s groups on Friday evening, February 28. Watch the daily papers for further announcements.

about one thousand years. Since then it has been on the decline. What about Christianity? Christ came six hundred years after Buddha and six hundred years before Moham­ med. Christianity has steadily increased, and is still grow­ ing. Jesus Christ has enough followers today to convert the whole world in three years, if each professing Chris­ tian would win one soul for Christ each year. It is no wonder that Lecky, the historian, said: “ The three short years of the active life of Jesus have done more to regen­ erate and to soften mankind than all the disquisitions of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.” But why this great attractiveness of the Christ ? T he P erfect L ife of J esus Why did the Greeks want to ,see Jesus ? They had cul­ ture, art, literature. They loved beauty, the perfection of which they saw in Jesus. His life was beautiful in its simplicity and simple in its marvelous beauty. They ad­ mired character, and in Jesus saw their ideal. His life was the most beautiful they had ever seen— accurate in His conceptions of life and perfect in conduct. Luke, a cultured Greek, has given us a picture of this marvelous life of Jesus Christ. Even the infidel Renan said the Gospel according to Luke is “ the most beautiful book in the world.” An unconverted Japanese statesman has said: “ The most beautiful life on the pages of history is the life of Jesus of Nazareth.” No one has ever been able to point to one thing in Jesus’ life that is unjust, or rash, or deceitful, or jealous, or mean, or small. His life on earth was a perfect exam­ ple for all men, in all countries, among all races, and for all time. It is no wonder that Jean Paul Richter said: “ Christ, who, being the holiest amongst the mighty, the mightiest among the holy, lifted with His pierced hand empires off their hinges, turned the stream of centuries out of its channel, and still governs the ages.” The founder of Christianity came from God, in the fulness of time, to express God in a perfect human life. J esus ’ P hilosophy of L ife Men were, and are, drawn to the teaching of Jesus Christ. He taught that God would honor a man if he

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