August 1932
347
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Cljouih
andthe O P E I s f D O O
B y LOUIS S. BAUMAN Long Beach, Calif.
M
a n y m o n t h s a g o , the door of this Insti tute swung inward, and you young men and women walked through. You came because, at some mother’s knee, or before some altar, or upon some sacred ground, you had already made a great surrender; you had made a consecration o f the powers of spirit, soul, and body, which had brought them into harmony with the everlasting Spirit o f the universe. You came here that, by patient study, you might better understand God, His great purposes and His plans, and that you might develop here, to their fullest possibilities, those powers that you had consecrated. Tonight, the door of this great Institute swings outward for you. Most o f you will go out to poverty—that others may be rich. Once upon a time, in that sacred long ago, the Greatest of all the great came on His way to Jerusalem. A vast multitude “ took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Ho sanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” The Pharisees snarled: “ Behold, the world is gone after him!” Then Jesus, knowing the meaning of their jealous hate, said: “ The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it'abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” How meaningful the words! He sought the glorifica tion which could come to Him only through death. “ He that loveth his life shall lose it; but he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” And He Him self went before. He went through death to glory, and cried : “ If any man serve me, let him follow m e!” T h r o u g h D e a t h to G l o r y ! George Muller was one o f those noble souls who heard the call, “ Follow me,” and followed on to death! Some one asked George Muller the secret of his service. He answered: “ There was a day when I died—utterly died!” Then, bending lower and lower, until his head almost touched the floor, he continued: “ Died to George Muller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will—died to the world, its approval or censure—died to the approval or blame of my brethren and friends; and since then, I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.” Young men and women, if you did not die a death like that, before you walked through these doors, we hope you will utterly so die, even yet tonight, before you pass out. The world is in dire need o f a great many things today. But, oh, how the world needs the spirit of Christ—the spirit of willingness to die that others may live! Only by its possession can any o f us live the abundant life.
In a Storm off the Diamond Shoals o f Eng land, a ship was foundering in the tempest-tossed waves. Captain Pat Etheridge got the lifeboat ready. In the face of the tremendous peril, his crew hesitated. “ Captain Pat,” said one, “ it’s no use in that wind. We can launch the boat, and we can reach the ship, but we can never come back!” “ Boys,” replied the old hero, “ we don’t have to come back!” Heroes, one and all, they launched the boat, they reached the ship, they took off the survi vors; and, after nine hours of terrific battling with the maddened sea, they returned safely to their station. They, too, died —to themselves. Had they not died to themselves, they would have abode alone. Dying to themselves, they passed through death to an abundant life—to glory! If this spirit could be injected into the veins of the great commercial and political worlds, how the troubles of nations would disappear over night! Is T h e r e N o t h in g L e f t t o A c h ie v e ? e c a n n o t understand the mentality of men who feel that everything worth while has been done, and that life is therefore a useless burden. The fact of the matter is that no generation in human history has stood face to 'face with such worth-while tasks, such monumental prob lems, such tremendous opportunities, such absolutely necessary operations calling for the highest faculties and the noblest qualities. The problems which now await solu tion, the tasks which are calling loudly for speedy accom plishment, are making all our modern Edisons and Ein steins stand aghast. And well they may, for the tasks defy the solution of the natural man with his physical instru ments, no matter how cunning their workmanship. The only instruments that will ever successfully perform the necessary operations upon this cancer-smitten old world of ours are spiritual instruments. Yes, problems fraught with staggering difficulties con front the graduate, no matter of what school, the moment he takes his diploma and passes out of the door of his Alma Mater today. Men are saying significantly that we need a superman to successfully grapple with present-day problems. Well, God’s men, “workers together with him,” are always supermen. To God’s men—real, red-blooded, two-fisted, Spirit-filled Joshuas and Daniels and Pauls— mountainous difficulties, such as appear in the pathway before us today, should be but exhilarants. We should count it a joy just to be alive and to have the privilege of letting God manifest His power through u s! The church of Jesus Christ never before faced so glorious an oppor tunity for the manifestation of her divine power. Let us, then, thank God that problems exist. ’ They give
Louis S. B auman Dr. Bauman is a much- sought speaker and writer, $ especially on prophetic themes. The accompanying article is a summary of the com mencement address given at the Bible In stitute on June 1, 1932.
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