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T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
February 1930
ism and missionary work. Churches thus managed would “ stand in” with the public officials and receive special favors, while any churches outside the great organization would be hindered just as far as the law would allow. The result would be a veritable creed of unbelief, which would attempt to enforce “ liberalism” on the nation. This would lead by logical steps to atheistic control o f both church and state, and head up in the reign of antichrist. We therefore believe that we are more safe with lib erty to differ on non-essentials; to have our denomina tions, even though they show certain unchristian charac teristics at times, and to- support two churches where one could hold the congregations, than to run the danger of falling into the hands of any such giant ecclesiasticism. As to the differences regarding non-essentials, which are responsible for the existence of most o f the present denominations, we believe that it is largely through dis cussion of these more or less non-essential points that in terest in the Church has been kept alive. They have stimu lated study of the Bible and of church history. Many of them are gradually eliminated, the chaff is blown away, leaving the good grain. So long as our differences are softened by love for one another, it is not essential, not desirable, that we all be members of, and be governed by the same church organization. For the one true Church is the ekklesia, the “ called out” from every kindred and tongue and nation, the Church of the firstborn, whose members have been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible; the great Church of the redeemed who follow the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. fearful of the consequences attending an out-and-out stand for the evangelical position. But hundreds, yea, thousands there are, also,' who have faced the cost, have gladly paid it and are today rejoicing in their glorious Saviour, and faithfully and constantly witnessing for Him. In this very town not long ago, one of the members of our church was taken ill. His malady soon took a grave turn and after some days ‘he lapsed into uncon sciousness. When our resident pastor went to see him he was refused admittance by the fanatical relatives. How ever, the Roman Catholic priest was welcomed, and when the man regained consciousness, the priest was at hand to ask him if he did not desire to confess to him his sins and receive the last rites of the church. The man, though weak, had strength sufficient to reply boldly, “ I am sorry, sir, but you have come too late. I have already confessed to Him | who is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness .” Then the Roman Catholic family, angered at his refusal of the offices of the church, began to make lying accusations against the Protestants, failing, of course, to tell him that they had refused admittance again and again to the pas tor,— even readjusting the doorbell so that it would not ring. After the priest’s departure, an officer of the church came, to add his entreaties that the sick man might return to the Romish church. Again he refused, saying, “ No, I thank you,— I have now a faith that assures me of
where little children were burned to death in idols’ arms, where captured foes were sacrificed and cannibalism prac ticed. Would anyone, with these in mind, dare to say that “ one religion is as good as another” ? This statement then must be a fallacy. There is a difference in religions, and without going any further into detailed argument, let us claim that the difference favors Christianity. Shall we then say that all forms of Christianity (using the term in a broad sense) are equally good? We have referred above to the great church of the middle ages, and to the attempts to enforce religious conformity even after the Reforma tion. But our modern united church advocates claim that this enforcement was based on creed; therefore, they will have no creed. Now, a religion with absolutely no creed (and they surely cannot stop short of this) is not a Christian religion. They must take in Jew and Moham medan, Hindu and Taoist, or else they must establish a creed. If they take in all, atheist, pantheist, and what not, then the church ceases to have an objective and loses all its reason for existence. But if they have a creed, be it never so brief, an organization so vast might become an other such power as was the church of the dark ages. Would such a giant organization be a menace to re ligious liberty? We believe it might easily become such. It is well known that in certain of the larger denomina tions, men who differ from the “ powers that be” are in a losing race. If they cannot be retired from the ministry, they are placed in the poorest fields. It is easily possible that local church boards would become controlled by worldly men who would crush all efforts toward evangel f T was at a market meeting held in the fanatical Flemish town of Poperinghe, that one of the work ers of the Belgian Gospel Mission heard two Flem ings in the crowd conversing, while the meeting was being carried on. Said one woman to her friend, “Well, those people have a better faith than we have. My husband bought one of their Bibles at the tent meetings here two years ago. I also attended some of their meetings but you know we have a little business and we have to be very careful what we do, that we do not lose our trade. My husband used to read regu larly in the Bible, and we all sat around the table and lis tened. He still reads it every day, and often he looks up from his book and says to us, ‘Yes, sir, that’s the truth, that’s the only real religion.’ We do not really care at all about the Roman Catholic church, but like to go to the Protestant hall, for there all they speak of is of Jesus and salvation.” “ Well,” replied her friend, “ if you enjoy it so much, why do you not go always to their meetings ?” “ Oh,” responded the first woman, “we do not dare to do so because of our business, for there are always spies about, and if we should be identified with the Protestants, our business would be ruined.” M any are W holly P ersuaded of the T ruth Hundreds there are in Belgium like these fearful ones, wholly persuaded of the truth that we are preaching, but -V yu . ~ ~
The Gospel in Belgium B y E dith F. N orton
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