Thy words were found.,. and they became the joy and rejoicing of mine heart." 'Jeremiah 15:16.
Dobbie Comes to America rr in SUNDAY Magazine for January a ne of the most colorful stories to come out of this war— of the top-ranking British General, hero of the Battle of Malta and a born- THESE FEATURES 64 PAGES, PO CK ET S IZ E
gain Christian, Lt. Gen. Sir W illiam Dobbie . . . But only one of the many crisp, hard-hitting articles; short stories, and outstanding features you’ll find in the Big January Issue of SUN D A Y . . . Y ou can’t afford to miss this magazine any longer.
^ Seven full-length picture articles— “Your Inferiority Complex,” “Seminary President at 28,” “ How to Write for Sunday School Papers,” “Christians Who Have Made Me,” . . . and others. ^ Thrilling Short Story— “One Memorable Night.” Six top-flight features— “Behind the Scenes,” “ Interesting Things People Do,” “ Bright Idea Department” and others.
FREE S p e c i a l Introductory Offer for this month! Absolutely f r e e — Life Story of Harry Ironside, a fast-moving narrative of the amazing career of one o f the most famous Bible teachers of our day, pastor of M o o d y Memorial Church — with your subscription for one year to SUNDAY for only $2.
I I am enclosing only $2 for one year’s subscription to SUNDAY. I understand this entitles me to a FREE COPY of “ Life Story of Harry Ironside.”
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January, 1945
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>R0PHECY MONTHLY
Drs. Brooks end Kellogg, Editors This official monthly handbook of American Prophetic League». Inc., gives. the world picture for theNpro- phetic student, with the spiritual vita mins Christians need in these trying days. Meat of the Word in every page. New features in 1945. $1 yr. in U. S., $1.15 foreign. 4 mo. special trial 25c. Simply address PROPHECY Box BB, Eagle Rock Sta. Los Angeles, 41 WORKMEN... DO YOU HAVE YOUR TOOLS? When men would construct a building two things are necessary in addition to the building mate rials. The Christian Workman finds comparable essentials as he builds upon the One Foundation, a work which will endure. A PLAN or blueprint must be followed. The Christian finds hi* in the Word of God. GO O D TOO L S are needed. The Christian’s tools are found in a knowledge o f:
The Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. “ Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5).
THE KING’S BUSINESS v,Nf r ' Cover Photograph by Witzel Three Grains of Rice —Don Hillis as told to Anne Hazelton...:. ....... 2 Current Business —Editorial ............ ......... ..............................__ i................. 3 W ill Your Home be Happier in 1945 ?— William F. McDermott........ 4 Permanent Things— B. B. Sutcliffe................. _____........_________........ 6 Who is Dead?— -G . E. Arnold ..........._............... ........... ....................._____ 8 The Uncondemned Heart —Arthur Hedley...,:. ______ .......____ _______ 9 Are Christians Asleep ?—Dan E. L. Patch:. ..................... ........_..........^__10 Dr. Talbot’s Question Box......._______ !_______..:...__........__...".............. 12 Junior King’s Business —Martha S. Hooker..... .............. ..........................13 International Lesson Commentary................................................................15 Biola Family ................................................................... ..................................26 Christian Endeavor— Roy E. Creighton, Lyman A. Wendt, Paul W . Browns Gene W . Fussell .......................................................28 Daily Devotional Readings........................ ............ ......................................31 Literature Table ................................................. ........................... .................37 S U B S C R IP T IO N IN F O R M A T IO N —“ The King’s Business” is published monthly; $1.50, one yr.; $2.00, two yrs. ; 75 cents, six months; 20 cents, single copy. Clubs ' of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 26 cents extra. It requires one month for a change Of address to become effecive. Please send both old and new addresses. R E M IT T A N C E —Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to “ The King’s Business.” Date of expiration will show plainly on outside wrapper or cover oljnagazine; ADVERTISING—For information, address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, Calif., or our eastern' representative, Religious Press Association, 51 No. 52nd St., Philadelphia 39, Pa. M A N U S C R IP T S —“ The King’s Business” cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent in for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office at Los An geles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at spe cial rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925,. embodied in para graph 4, section 538; P. L. and R.t authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. A D D R E S S : The King’s Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 13, Calif. LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-In-Chief MILDRED M. COOK, Managing Editor RANSOM D. MARVIN, Staff Artist
Christian Doctrine Bible Book Studies Biblical History Biblical Geography Child Evangelism Personal Evangelism
CHRISTIAN WORKERS, DO YOU HAVE YOUR TOOLS?
M ail thlc coupon to th . Correspondence School of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles for free literature concerning courses available and prices. N am e .............................. .................. Street ......................... C it y ......... Sta te .............. (Please Print) 558 S. Hope St., L o s A ngeles 13, Cal.
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
A New Year Meditation
By DON H IL L IS * as told to A N N E HAZELTON
B HE half-starved beggar lifted his bowl in entreaty toward the endless stream of oxcarts plod ding past him on one of India’s hot, dusty roads. White dust swirled about him and settled in his long, matted hair and over his partly clothed body. But no one gave heed to his cry. Then suddenly his heart lifted as he saw, far down the road where it almost vanished into a thin ribbon in the heat haze, an approaching procession. A crowd was coming. It must pass him before long. He thought: “Perhaps if the gods are kind, I shall receive a few extra grains of rice, or even a small coin or two.” The procession drew near. Uniformed officers walked in front and around a magnificently caparisoned elephant, and on the elephant sat a prince, dressed in royal robes, his jewels blaz ing in the sun. To the beggar’s amazement, the royal procession stopped immediately opposite him. This was an undreamed of opportunity. Stretching forth his hands, he lifted his voice in the fa miliar pleading tones of the beggar, *Served as a missionary in India under the Scandinavian Alliance Mission of North Ameri ca from 1937-1944: He is now a member of the faculty of the Bible Institute of Los An geles, teaching Public Speaking and Church History until the way opens for his return to India .
and petitioned the prince to have mercy upon him. Joy and hope filled his heart as he saw the prince dismount and walk to ward him. The beggar’s hands shook in anticipation, and he wished he had a larger bowl to receive the prince’s gift. Then on his dismayed ears fell the words of the prince: “Beggar, give me some of your rice.” “But, honorable sir,” , the beggar stammered, uncomprehending, j “it is all I have.” The outstretched hand of the prince did not waver as he repeated his re quest. “Beggar, give me some of your rice.” “Oh, great King,” the beggar sobbed. “ I have such a little—and I starve.” For the third time the prince, his hand still outstretched, requested, “Beggar, give me your rice.” Slowly, reluctantly, the b e g g a r reached into his bowl and from its meager contents he counted out three of the smallest grains and put them into the hand of the waiting prince. The prince deliberately cast the rice aside. Carefully he counted out three small nuggets of gold from his vast store and dropped them into the beg gar’s bowl. Without a word the prince turned, mounted his elephant, and moved on, leaving the beggar staring at the three gold nuggets in his bowl. [ Continued on Page 27]
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January, 1945
Cu r ren t Bu s ine s s LOU IS T. TALBOT, Editor-in-Chief
those 4,000 ships and 11,000 planes they tell us about, invading Nazi ter ritory. To think that God . . The photographer instructed the young people how to .display the Bible in the picture he was about to take. “We must make plain that this Book is the Bible,” he affirmed. ‘The world would not be in the mess that it is today, if it had followed the teaching of this Book. God will bring us the victory—not just the ships and the arms. We have got to do a lot of praying.” ' The skilled Jewish workman heard about Christ that day and on follow ing ocasions, the only One in whose name any p r a y e r will avail. The lieutenant and his wife c o u l d speak of Him with p e r s o n a l conviction and affection, and so could the repre sentative of THE KING’S BUSINESS office. A ministry of prayer was be gun that morning that included the photographer and his son “over Eu rope” and the thousands represented by those two. Who shall say how far-reaching this witness shall become? May it please God that the purpose of the picture— “to comfort and to challenge and to lead to Christ”—may be achieved, for His own glory and the spread of His everlasting Word. Day of Prayer Whether or not the Lord’s people are pleased with the results of Novem ber’s election, each of them faces a stern responsibility as 1945 dawns. That responsibility is to pray (1 Tim. 2:1-3). Accordingly, January 21 has been set aside in many places as a day of prayer particularly lor the President, for his Cabinet, for the members of the Senate and of the House of Rep resentatives—indeed for all leaders in our national life. 'The inauguration of Franklin Del ano Roosevelt, our fourth-term Presi dent, is scheduled to take place on January 20. In what better way could Christian people serve the President and the nation than by spending a day in intercession? “ If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray,” God declares, . . then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14). As an encouragement in the needed intercession, hear this: The National Committee of Christian Leadership has announced that a series of gath- [ Continued on Page 40]
January Cover Who but the Lord Himself could have brought together, on one of the most significant days of all time, two students of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, a Jewish photographer, and a copy of the Word of God, and used them all to bear testimony to His grace? Always the covers of THE KING’S BUSINESS are prayed about; they must give at a glance “the message of the King,” for some readers never will turn -the page; and for thetn, therefore, the cover must be vastly more than a decorative design. For the first issue of the new year, the need seemed particularly important. It was June 6, 1944, when this pic ture was taken, the now memorable occasion of the invasion of Europe. Bdpause the magazine m u s t be planned, months in advance of its de livery to subscribers, the, January cover had to be made in midsummer, but the choice of this particular day was not prearranged by men. Who is the young man and his wife shown in the picture? They are stu dents of the Institute, or were until the lieutenant’s duties called him else where, and surprisingly enough they were to be in Los Angeles only one day—the day the picture was to be made. The photographer, new to THE KING’S BUSINESS, was born in Jeru salem and had a Jew’s reverence for the land and for the Book. “This is what we want,” he was told. “We must have a picture that carries the idea of joy—joy found in the Word of God . . . the same kind of joy for those in the service as for those who remain at home—the 'joy of the Lord. The picture must go further and .say at a glance that as modern airmen girdle the globe, so the Word of God must, in this new year of 1945, reach to the remotest regions if stable peace is to come. It must be a picture to challenge, and to comfort, and tp lead to Christ.” The photographer lifted the Book from its tissue-paper wrappings. His “Voice was low: “To think,” he said, “ that the Lord God Almighty would let me take a picture . . . like this . . . of this Book . . . and on this day!” It soon became apparent what he meant. “You are in the air force, lieu tenant?” he asked as he posed the couple. “Yes.” “My son is too. He may be over Europe right now. He may be with
Managing Editor Resigns It is with great regret that we an nounce the resignation of Miss Mil dred Cook from the staff of THE KING’S BUSINESS, effective in Febru ary. She has served as Managing Editor for the past ten years, and has resigned this position in order to de vote more time to writing and Bible teaching. Few people know that the content and production of the magazine have been in large measure the result of her personal efforts. She has been in constant contact with the great Chris tian leaders of the country in an effort to obtain material of lasting worth for publication in this magazine. The high caliber of the articles and the superior quality of all the. material attest to her literary and ’ spiritual discernment. Because of her ability, THE KING’S BUSINESS has been of great blessing to thousands of people through the years. Never wishing to make herself prominent, she has frequently writ ten and left unsigned much of the ma terial that has appeared in the various magazine sections from month to month. Her.influence and the testi mony of her life of prayer and loyalty .will be felt in all departments of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles for a long time to come. We pray God’s richest blessings for Miss Cook in all the days t h a t .lie ahead, bnd we trust that the experi ence gained in her work here will- prove to be of help to her in new and enlarged fields of service. B oard of D irectors Bible Institute of Los Angeles
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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T HERE will be more “ broken homes” in America in 1945 than in any other year in the nation’s history! This may seem like a dire prediction, but it is a fact. Both good and evil, however, are involved. One type of “broken homes” that we will have, we may well be proud of. I mean the patriotic firesides from which have gone the eleven million or more of our youth to the defense of homeland and of our Christian faith. Every window from which shines a service star, reveals a “broken home,” and there will be more than ever of these in the year to come. It is tragic, but nonetheless true, that hundreds of thousands of these homes will be forever “broken," because the bloodiest fighting of the war is at hand. Without any doubt, during 1945, our country, along with the other al
lies, will be at close grips with both Germany and Japan in their home lands. This means a dreadful slaugh ter before victory and final peace. Well may the prayers of all of us go up to Almighty God for His comforting care during the troublous days to come. Glimpse of Homes in America While we may well be proud of the homes “broken” by the absence of our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, scattered over the far-flung battlefields of the world, we can only be ashamed - of those other “broken homes” which will exist in 1945. I speak of the house holds where family life has gone on the rocks through jealousy, infidelity, drunkenness, hatred, selfishness, pa ganism, or other sin. The harvest of death has long been
under way in the home life of Amer ica, but never has the reaping been as evilly fruitful as it is today. Within the lifetime of this writer, the divorce rate in this country has been as low as one divorce out of fifty marriages. Now in many parts of America, one marriage out of every four goes on the rocks, and, believe it or not, we have two or three cities in which there are as many divorces granted as there are wedding geremonies performed! Promi nent authorities say that there will be a tragic increase in divorces after the war, and they predict that, if the pres ent rate of increase in home smash- ups in America continues, by 1962 there will be a divorce to match every marriage! • As one stands on the side lines and watches the marriage procession go
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January, 1945
Praying people are believing people and believing people are happy people.
we believe the future, is entirely in God’s hands. We can pray “Thy will be done,” and then do our very best to help accomplish God’s will, as we see it. Thus in our home life we can main tain a confident faith that in God’s own good time all will be well, and consequently can be cheerful in mind and buoyant in spirit. Morbidity, moodiness, self-pity, and fear have no place in God’s scheme of things, and, therefore, should have no place in our homes and in our lives. We can, if we will, build a sane and serene, helpful and hopeful, joyous and useful home' life during the com ing year. Separation of war or death can' be made to strengthen and hallow the home ties if we but believe in and adventure upon that course. Only One Way Some may ask how this ideal, can be achieved. Well, there is only one way to have faith in God, and that is to know Him by experience and by daily fellowship. There^are millions of homes in our land in which the curtains of despair have been drawn, and where the chill of doubt and fearsomeness pervades the place like a gloom, that could be turned into firesides of light and warmth if only Christ were invited in to dwell as a member of the house hold. In other words, a Christian altar in the home becomes like a glowing fire place, from the live coals of which radiate both warmth and cheer. Such an altar means, not only a Bible open, but also a Bible lovingly read and ad- [Continued on Pag? 8]
we have ever had before, inspite of all the trials and tribulations of war. The point is granted that we want that happy state; how can we then attain it? The title of the rest of this piece might be “How to Have a Happier Home in 1945.” * Secret of Increased Happiness There is some sadness in every home. I doubt whether there is a home in all America that is not in one sense or another;“broken,” or at least affected directly by the absence of someone at the fighting front. It may not be a member of the household, but there is someone Who is dear to us as a relative or whom we love as a friend, who is out there fighting in. the muck and mire, praying in fox holes, or navigating the high 'seas. Much as we long for them we know that they c a n n o t return, unless wounded or sick, until the battle is done. We all live in dread apprehen sion that word will come that there will be no return at all. It is not hu manly possible to be indifferent either to the present absence, or to the pos sible future separation, which this cruel war imposés upon all of us. Nevertheless,, we can have a happier home in 1945 than in 1944, even in this regard, if we will. For practically all of us, the initial separation is al ready an accomplished fact. In my own case, I have become somewhat adjusted to being separated from my two sons, one in the far Pacific, and the other on this side, ready to go. I pray that my home, like yours, may be made happiest by their homeward journey during 1945, but whether God wills that or not, I will go on to do my best to make a motherless home happier this year than last. This we can all do by having a deepened faith in God and a more complete dedication of ourselves to His will and to His keeping. I do not be lieve in being resigned to current events in the sense of being inactive or indifferent, but we need not feel that paralysis has struck us just because
by, he cannot fail to realize the do mestic tragedies that lie a h e a d . Youngsters go into matrimony as a lark, thinking it but an indulgence that, if not satisfactory, can be passed up for another. God is left out of the picture as marriage courts grind "out secular, even pagan, ceremonies at the rate of one every three minutes. Drab surroundings, irreverent justices of the peace or judges, and the general gay atmosphere of a passing adventure, destroy all sense of sacrednesS1which true marriage involves. Then one may witness the final aat of this burlesque on the sanctity of marriage, as the writer has done, in divorce courts w h e r e decrees are ground out with the regularity of ma chines coming off the assembly line. One day last spring in Chicago, a judge hurrying to get away on his vacation, granted seventy-nine di vorces in one day, or at the rate of one every four minutes. That meant tak ing of testimony, hearing arguments of the lawyers, if any,, and signing the divorce papers. What a travesty upon the very basic relationship 'of humanity such proceedings are! If the authorities are not mistaken, the dreadful record of 1945 will be only the beginning of an epidemic of mari tal smashups, due to the looseness, ridicule, and even contempt, with which marriage is so extensively re garded by millions of Americans—due also in large measure to the scorn heaped upon marital fidelity, homage of husbands and wives to each other, and the general integrity Of family life, by the movies, the stage, the press and current literature; likewise by the examples set in-Hollywood and other centers of “ dog-kennel” morals in our land—unless there is a sweeping coun teraction by the rebirth of religious fervor, in which marriage is truly sanc tified, and the home is revered. This may seem like a foreboding and morbid approach to the subject of “Will Your Home Be Happier in 1945?” But I believe we are honor bound to be realistic instead of just Polyannish in our approach to this critical subject. No one wishes more than I do that I might write a shining prophecy that every home would be happier in 1945 than ever before, leaving out of con sideration the fact of war, and the separations and heartbreaks, it causes. But I cannot do that, and be true to myself. I do, however, believe that in 1945 it is perfectly possible for every one of us to have a happier home than
Youngsters go into matrimony as a fork.’
Courtesy of Yosemite Park and Curry Co.
P e rm an en t Th in g s By B. B. SUTCLIFFE Portland, Oregon
R HAT are we coming to?” ‘‘Where will it all end?” A tragic note is heard in these oft-repeated questions. Men desire sta bility and permanency, and find only change and disintegration. Supposed verities of yesterday are on the scrap heap today. The futility of the pres ent order is aptly described in the line of Lyte’s hymn, “Change and decay in all around I see.” But in the midst of the change and decay, the Christian gains courage by calling to mind the things that endure. - >• God Himself The eternal God Himself remains changeless-and imperishable. His very name, “I AM,” speaks of eternity. He is the uncreated One, existent through all the millennia of yesterday, present through all the centuries of'time, and enduring through all future ages. There is a vast store of comfort for the Christian when he is told that “the eternal God is thy refuge, and under neath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27). His power is also eternal, and its manifestation is seen through all of nature. For instance, it is said that
the earth weighs six septillion tons (a “six” with twenty-one noughts after it). This immense weight m o v e s through space at the rate of twelve hundred pniles a minute, while spin ning with incredible speed upon its own axis, meanwhile whirling around the sun; yet it never varies in timing by so much as a hairsbreadth. The earth is a very tiny thing compared with millions of heavenly bodies of gigantic size, also whirling through space, each in its own orbit, and each with the same precise timing as the earth. How are all these heavenly bodies controlled in their courses, and regu lated with amazing accuracy? It is by the eternal power of God. “The invis ible things of Him *[God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,, even his eternal power and Godhead” (Rom. 1:20). Assurance comes to the Christian when he re members he is in the hands of God whose power is eternal. His purpose is likewise eternal (Eph. 3:11). God is not moving about in a labyrinth without a settled objective, but He moves’ intelligently in an or
dered path, forcing each event of his tory to yield its quota toward the final fulfillment of His eternal purpose. God's Son Likewise, God’s Son is eternal. As He was yesterday, so He is today; and as He is today, so He will be through all eternity. .He is the “same yester day, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). The life He lived, the Scrip, tures that speak of Him, the influence He exerts throughout the world, all bear witness that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is imperishable. The more the record is examined, the rtiore clearly is revealed the changeless character of His person. Of Him it is written, “The heavens are the work of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest: and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail” (Heb.’l:10-12). Here is revealed the glorious fact that God’s Son existed before the sun began to shine, or the moon to give its light, or the heavens were sprinkled with planets; and when all these shall wax old as a garment and shall per-
January, 1945
T
less message brings comfort and cour age to the Christian at all times, and particularly in times of distress. God’s Church The existence of the church Is a mir acle which is being performed every day, before the eyes of the world.. Con sidering the conditions of its existence, the church’s vitality is truly miracu lous. Often rent by schisms and heresies within, the church is hated by evil men outside its borders. All too frequently, pulpits, which have been dedicated to the proclamation of God’s Word, are prostituted to proclaiming political ideologies; buildings, conse crated to the worship of the eternal God, are used for card playing or dancing; rooms set apart for prayer and Bible study are the scene of the expression of the “ best thought of the modern mind.” The winning of souls for Christ has become largely a forgotten art. Considering all these facts, it Is amazing indeed that the church exists. But in spite of all attacks and op position and disorders, the church of Jesus Christ remains, a living organ ism, “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). Whatever may be wrong with the visible church, the true Church—the real Body of Christ composed pf all born-again believers— is assured that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). God’s Saints Because the word “saint” has be come synonymous with saintliness, Christians hesitate« to assume that name. It is true that believers should “ adorn the gospel in all things,” should conduct themselves as children of the King. But the word “saint” is simply a family name, the one by which God calls each of His children.
that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Heb. 12:26, 27). Thé emergence of God’s throne from the cataclysm of that great day will reveal, what the Christian already knows, that it is a throne, that cannot be shaken, stable and permanent,- without a germ of decay, enduring for ever (Dan. 2:44; 7:9-14). Contemplat ing that throne, the Christian can look upon the toppling of all earthly thrones with entire freedom from fear. God’s Word "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven,” and that word “ is true from the beginning” (Psa. 119:89, 160). Other so-called sacred writings require amending from time tt> time as new facts or errors are discovered that make the writings obsolete. But God’s Word needs no change. It is true from the beginning. Sometimes science offers hypotheses that seem to impugn the teaching of God’s Word, 'but sci* ènee has yet to find a solitary fact that contradicts any of the Bible’s statements. Every established scien tific fact, in so far as it bears upon anything in God’s Word, fully confirms the Scriptures.' Concerning God’s Word David wrote, “Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psa. 138:2). The “name” includes all that can be thought about God: His.holiness, right eousness,truth, love, mercy, grace, and so on. A pyramid built of all that God is would have as its crowning capstone His holy Word, magnified above all His name, to ëndure as long as that name endures. Other books run their course and soon become out of date; God’s Word is perennial in its appeal to all gener ations, and continues to be the best seller from year'to year. Its change
lsh, God’s Son will be as He always has been, the “same yesterday, and today, and ior ever.” “Before the hills in order stood, Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.” The archangels, with seraphim and cherubim, and all the saints and mar tyrs, know Him to be the changeless and indestrtictible Son of God, the glorious object of their adoring wor ship. To them His person is eternal, His love immutable, and His grace un ceasing; they know His “years shall not fail.” On the other hand, demons rebel against Him, and men reject His authority. But the day is coming wherein every created intelligence in the universe will acknowledge His Lordship, even though some may refuse His Saviour- hood. It is ordained “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,j o the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10, 11). Christians may well rejoice in their union with this eternal Person, their Saviour and their Lord. God’s Throne Thrones that once ruled the world, such as Babylon, Persia, and others, have' disappeared. Some of them seemed to have been founded upon Solid ground, but the foundation proved to be but sand. And like dunes beside the sea, the sand shifted and the Ahrones toppled. Even modern thrones totter and fall. It is said that no less than twenty-four were over thrown during World War I, and he is a bold prophet who would predict how many will remain after the present global war. The Christian knows there is one throne with s o u n d foundations. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his [God’s] throne” (Psa. 97:2, R. V.). Because His throne stands upon such immovable and eter nal foundations, it can be written, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Heb. 1:8). . God’s throne will not be shaken in the day when “the sun [shall] be dark ened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matt. 24:29). It will emerge unshaken from the future upheaval when the word will be ful filled, “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the re moving of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made,
Begin the New Year Right RECEIVE NEW LIEE: "If any man be In Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). RECEIVE NEW JOY: “He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord" (Psa. 40:3). RECEIVE NEW HOPE: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glori ous appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit. 2:13).
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THE K I N G ’ S BUS INES S
Believers are saints because they are bom of God and therefore in His fam ily. They may be unknown to one another individually, and scattered far and wide over the earth, but “the foundation of God standeth sure, hav ing this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his” (2 Tim. 2:19). Each is upon the heart of God, each is the spe cial object of His care, and each is held in His mighty hand, and so se curely held that not one of "them is lost” (Isa. 49:15, 16; John 17:12). The world, the flesh, and the devil vainly try to separate the saints from their Lord, but all their attempts are foredoomed to failure. Believers can rely confidently upon the word spoken by Jesus Christ, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they fol low me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish^ neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28). In the face of all failures within and fightings without, every believer can say with full assurance, “I am per suaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come . . . shall be able to sepa rate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38, 39.) The Future of the Lost Alas, among the things that shall never change is the future state of W HY Walk around Half-Dead when We Can Bury You for Sixty Dollars?” was the ar once displayed over an undertaker’s establishment. However, many people who have physical life are unwittingly doing this very thing—walking, though dead. They are alive physically, but are dead spiritually. God’s Word speaks of un believers as being “ dead in trespasses and sins.” The spirit’ of every unre generate person is dead until it is quickened by7 the Holy Spirit The moment a person accepts Christ, he passes from death unto life. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath- everlasting life,, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The tragedy is that there are men and women all about us who think they are enjoying life, when in
the lost. This word “forever” is fre quently used in Scripture with the meaning of endlessness. In the Book of The Revelation alone it is used twelve times; eight times of God and Christ, once of the saints, and three times of the lost (Rev. 1:6, 18; 4:9, 10; 5:14; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5). Even though there were no other references in Scripture con cerning the future of the lost, these twelve occurrences would be amply sufficient to reveal that as long as God endures, as long as Christ en dures, as long as the saints endure, the future of the lost will endure. Perhaps there is no more dreadful fact than that the future condition of the lost will be endless. Today salvation is available to every person upon earth, without exception. To the question, “What must I do to be saved?” the answer is, “Believe on the. Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:30, 31). In . the light of all these eternal things, the Christian may be" serene in all disturbing experiences, know ing that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, -worketh for us far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17, 18). truth they are spiritually lifeless, and utterly dead to the living God! Death for the Christian God’s desire for us is that we should be no longer dead in our sins, but alive unto Him, reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin. Here is' the message to believers: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3). Now, “likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive-unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). To realize the force of this paradox, let us consider the meaning of the word . “dead,” as it pertains to the physical nature. There is no response whatever in a dead body. It is deaf to every plea, and is motionless. These same facts regarding the “ dead” are [Continued on Page 12]
YOUR HOM E IN 1945 [ Continued from Page 5].
hered to. It means the fusing of. the soul with God through the truths of its sacred pages, and the lighting of a spiritual flame within the heart that no winds'of doubt or adversity can ever put out. The Lord has said plainly, “There fore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul. . .. . And ye shall teach them to your chil dren, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou risest up” (Deut. 11:18, 19). Companion of the open Bible in the home altar set-up, is the daily devo tion of prayer. Praying people are be lieving people, and believing people are happy people—all in keeping with Christ’s promise “that my joy might be in you and that your joy might be made full.” The Chrisf-ceritered home is the home in which jealousy, selfishness, disloyalty, and hatred cannot‘enter to wreak their havoc of divorce. It is in teresting to note, by the way, that the survey by a University of Chicago so ciologist shows that courtships origi nating in church circles,, and mar riages performed with religious rite«, far outlast any other types. Reinforc ing this statement is the word of a Jewish divorce judge, who has fold me repeatedly that marriages sanctified by religion are the most desirable of all, and that if he had his way; every wedding ceremony would be performed at the altar of a church. Therefore, if any young people enter ing the marriage relationship and set ting up a home during 1945, wish their future life to be founded upon a "rock,” they should have it hallowed by the presence of God both in the courtship, in the ceremony of mar riage, and finally in the establishment of the home. Let a new home be opened with prayer, and it likely will be a home that will endure until, the final separation brought on by death. Homes already facing disaster may be made safe if the doors are opened to Christ, who said, “Behold J stand at the door and knock.” Homes started and maintained on such a basis carry a guaranty of success. The family altar, in my judgment of many years, both as a newspaperman and as a minister, alone guarantees the altar of freedom. Christianity is the greatest guarantor of the democ racy we love. And if we would keep the fjres burning upon the altars of freedom, we must keep the spiritual fires burning in our homes and in our hearts. By this renewed and constant devotion to God, and by daily fellow ship with Him, we make brighter not only the prospects of our country, but also make happier our firesides in the years to come.
W ho Is Dead? By C. E. A R N O LD Kenmore, N. Y. I
resting headline of a facetious •sign
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January, 1945
The U n c o n d em n e d Hea r t
X L u a .
By ARTHUR HEDLEY Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England presence, then we must live in'holi ness and love. Power in Prayer The uncondemned heart bedomes bold and confident in making its re quests known unto God. It knows the blessedness of answered prayer. It receives from God because it keeps His commandments, and does those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22). There is a vital con nection between prayer and obedience. The blind man whose sight was re stored by our Lord knew that obedi ence brought down God’s blessing. When the Pharisees basely accused his Benefactor of being a sinner, the man warmly replied, “We know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31). It is clear why obedience means success in prayer. In walking along the path of obedience the soul obtains a clearer vision of God’s will and pur pose. He whispers His secrets into the ears of those who delight to do His will. Such knowledge so influences our petitions that they become echoes of God’s voice, and cannot fail of ac complishment. . It is not surprising that men like George Mueller and Hudson Taylor were so daring and successful ifi prayer. They obeyed the will of God so perfectly that they enjoyed un broken fellowship with God, and walk ing closely with God they received a clear insight into His mind and pur pose. Knowing that their prayers were in accordance with the will of God, because such were inspired by their knowledge of His mind and character, they had no doubt about the answer. When there is nothing between us and God, and it becomes our delight to do that which is well pleasing in His sight, then God gives a further revelation of His will; and thus, be cause our prayers are based on a knowledge of His will, the answer is assured, for “this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14, 15). his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). What a comfort it is to know that in the time of "failure “we have an advocate with the Father” ! There is this further consolation in the hour of self-condemnation. The Apostle John reminds us that “God is greater than our heart” (1 John 3:20). _The heart is severe in its con demnation, but powerless to give re lief. It is God’s prerogative alone to cleanse the heart and breathe the word of pardon and peace. Our grief- stricken hearts see only the evil with in; but God, who is greater, sees also the desire to be conformed to His image. Knowing that He knows us better than we know ourselves, we can look into His face and say'with per fect confidence: “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee” (John 21:17). The Glorious Possibility But God means us to be "more than conquerors" in our conflict with “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” It is gloriously possible to live a life of un broken fellowship with God, and this is the ideal life for every believer. When we surrender ourselves wholly to the will of .God, and walk in the path of obedience, then, because no condemning sin comes between us and our heavenly Father, we enjoy a sweet sense of His smile- and friend ship. As we abide in Christ, walk ac cording to His Word, and look to Him continually for guidance and grace, it becomes possible to live the victorious life. It is selfishness which robs us of our faith in God, rather than adver sity. Cavalier was a Huguenot leader who devoted his life to the cause of God with his fellow Protestants and suffered much at the hands of hjs persecutors. For years he enjoyed un broken fellowship with God; then he became vain and forsook the cause of God. Finally he came to England and entered the British army. When presented to Queen Anne she said, “Does God visit you now, Monsieur Cavalier?” These words went home as a sharp arrow to his heart. He stood dopdemned, and with bowed head re mained silent. If we( would come freely, joyously, confidently into God’s P" | MANY Christians, one of the most precious verses in the New Testament is that which declares; “There is therefore (now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). Many of us can recall the day when we lived in a state of condemnation and fear because our hearts were not right with God. We sought to repress our guilty fears by losing ourselves in pleasure, politics, business, music, or literature. But we found no rest of soul till, we were reconciled to God through faith in the atoning sacrifice of our Saviour. Today we are resting our souls on His gracious promise for He has said: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). But although reconciled to God through: the death of His dear Son, there are occasions when in our un guarded moments we are overtaken by some sin, and our hearts condemn us for our weakness and failure. Or, as we walk in the light of God’s Word and in close fellowship with our Lord, we begin to discover our own hearts, and become sadly conscious of our pride, envy, jealousy and impurity. When we see ourSelves as we really are, we cry out alifiost in despair: “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Young converts are apt to think that the saints were guilty of using exag gerated language when speaking of their sinful state, but ere long they, too, find, themselves turning to the penitential Psalms for comfort, and in the silence of their own secret cham ber they cry: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psa. 51:10). The Christian’s Advocate In such times, when we suffer from a deep sense of humiliation, condem nation, and shame, we are not left without consolation and hope. We are assured of God’s willingness to for give the moment we humbly confess our sin, and there is the blessed as surance that “the blood of Jesus Christ 1 10 THE K I N G ’ S BUS INESS \J By DAN E. L. PATCH * Police officer questioning this mother knows who is really to blame for the trouble— and it is not the child. International News Photo A IE Christians asleep?” I ask that question in all serious ness. It is my contention that ance with many of them. I know their habits. There are far too many somnambu listic Christians, Christians walking in their sleep. We find them everywhere: self-satisfied, professing believers who have no interest in the spiritual wel- fare of others. They remind me of a boy I encoun- tered at three o’clock one summer morn ing when I started patrolling a beat. In the silence, I heard the pit-a-pat of bare feet. Stepping into the shadow of a hedge, I watched the apparition skilled, he has been made Chief of Police twice, in different communities, servina at present at Ypsilanti, Mich. Always within easy reach are his gun— and his Bible. “ To check «rim , at if. s o u r c e h e declares, "w e need the ktnd of relation that exalts Jesus Christ as personal Saviour." —EDITOR. Author of this article ts a veteran of twen- i -e,i j Uear.s tn law enforcement. Highly approach. I-.threw the beam of my flashlight on the figure an^i SAW ? imj about twelve years old, clad in his night clothes, wholly mauierem. u, v,.e world about him. He was asleep. I was merely an object in his pathway. He turned slightly from his course as though he would pass me. My pres ence was unreal to him. He saw, but saw not. When I seized his arm, he uttered a startled exclamation and awoke. I took him home and restored him to a deserted bed and to anxious parents. A somnambulist—whether in the physical or spiritual sense—is one who walks while he is asleep. He goes somewhere before he knows he is go ing. When he arrives, he does not know where he is. When he wakes up, he does not know how he got there; and when he gets back, he does not know where he has been. . . . #s All too many Christians are like that —even some preachers. Tney are in a fog. They are sleeping, though they give the appearance of being normal and active. You know the type. To the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” they re spond with a cold attitude, if not one of defiance. “ No,” they say, “we’ll take the responsibility for our own transgressions. If other people want to go in the way of Cain, why should we interfere?” Every community has disgruntled misfits like this who never do any thing for Christ, yet are critical of the efforts of others. As long as they can manage their own affairs, they are satisfied. We try to make ourselves believe that this attitude involves non-Chris tians only, but this is not true. We forget that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that “ all” includes every one of us. Our smug satisfaction is sin, no matter how happily v
they are. I have a personal acquaint January, 1945 I t They walked the streets until nearly morning. He suggested they go to a hotel and procure separate rooms. With misplaced trust in her compan ion, exhausted, and having no other place to turn, the girl consented— only to discover after she retired that the rooms were connected by a door between. The story of this girl’s humiliation was heart-breaking. Her greatest con demnation was directed against the sleepy, indifferent Christians who failed to welcome her at the church when she was homesick and hungry for God. Between repentant sobs she turned to me with tearful, pleading eyes and said, “I’m in jail, for—for the first time. It will kill my mother. No one else cares. I wish I could die. I had to get in jail to find the first person that would speak to me about my soul.” The records of our department are black with the evidence of Christians’ lost opportunities. Failures may be definitely attributed to the lack of ap prehension of the spiritual needs of others. The saving of souls is becom ing a lost art. Even while the closing words are being added to this article, the evi dence multiplies. An eighteen-year- old lad who regularly ushers at church will be missing next Sunday. He is to be taken to court for break ing and entering in the night. I invite you to listen to a confer ence over my desk in relation to this young man’s downfall. It is the same story: Christians have been asleep. Oh, yes, they have prayed, but too many prayer meetings have been held too. late, after the loved one is in jail. There should have been prayer and love and earnestness displayed all along. What Is Needed I speak as an officer of the law. You say, “What do law enforcement offi cers know about God’s program for the ages?” You have a right to ask. And I must confess frankly, “They do not know as much as they should!” They certainly know a lot about the devil’s side of the program. They are on duty in the devil’s garden twenty- four hours a day. They see the scourge of sin in all its phases. They never are free from listening to the troubles of those who face a payday for sin. The police department is a clearing house for trouble, a clearing house which records the deed but provides no cure. No human agency can reach sin in the hearts of men. “What about the church?” you ask. The church, likewise, never saved any one. Salvation comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—by His touch upon the individual life. It was faith in the personal touch of Jesus . . . Christians As leep? It is easy to go to sleep when one is out of touch with God. The devil knows this fact, as well as he knows man’s weakness for sleep. He knows that no one can do more for God than pray, until he has prayed. He invited sleep to the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane while Jesus went aside to pray. The artful de ceiver, he invents ways by which to keep us out of touch with God, for he does not care how many pretending Christians there are, as long as he can induce them to walk in their sleep. What Happened While Christians Slept I will give you some facts from my own experience to show that Christians have the bad habit of dozing when they should be alert. You may draw your oWn conclusions. Even as I write, the evidence gathers. A police report on my desk relates the circumstances of Dorothy, a young woman who came from another state six months ago. She had been reared in a Christian home, had attended Sunday school, and had kept a church contact until she left a good job in her home town to procure work in a defense plant. The parting words of her mother were: “Remember, Doro-' thy, if you keep in touch with God, He will permit nothing to happen that isn’t for the best.” When Dorothy arrived in her new location, she immediately began look ing for a church home that had the same heart-warming hospitality that she had known in her own state. She met, instead, innumerable Christians in an atmosphere of cold storage. A few bowed, spoke, and passed* on; others were too much engrossed with their own affairs to notice the new comer. She went from church to church, only to meet with this same indifference. No one was interested in her spiritual welfare. All were too sleepy to heed the fact that somebody’s girl was turning from the church to court, the way of hell, because nobody cared. Homesick and discouraged, she per mitted Satan to invite her into a so cial atmosphere where she could for get her troubles. Her former church' connections were forgotten. The ad monition of her mother was far in the back of her mind. The devil’s disci ples, wide awake to the situation, readily found the sort of amusement that momentarily permitted the girl to forget the pain in her heart • Three weeks ago, Dorothy met a soldier who showed a kindly interest in her. He discouraged her when she drank, advocated a higher standard of morals than she was exhibiting, and condemned other companions with whom she associated. Her heart was hungry for even this veiled demon stration of sympathy. ' The night before they were to be married they quarreled over the type of ceremony that would pronounce them man and wife. She left him, went to a beer garden and drank six glasses of wine. An old woman in the next booth listened to the story of the girl’s misfortune in life. She, tbo, was sympathetic and produced a~ barbital tablet to help her forget. The next morning Dorothy awoke in a hospital. Her mind was blank to the ordeal of the previous evening. The soldier, thinking she had been drugged for ulterior purposes, demanded a po lice investigation. The interview took place and it revealed this: What Doro thy needed 'was spiritual advice, rather than police protection. With! tears of repentance in her eyes she confessed her. sin .of forgetting God. “I did not expect to meet a man like you here,” she told me. “I need a good bawling out, but—but I—I don’t believe I could stand that. You—you talked to me about God. I tried to go to church, but nobody cared.” I prayed with that girl, and gave her God’s promise from His Word. A young pastor and his wife called upon her that same afternoon to help her renew the broken contact. Dorothy’s suffer ing was directly traceable to sleeping Christians. Consider another case similar to Dorothy’s. Three weeks ago, Alice, a girl in her teens, came here from an other state. She came for the same purpose that Dorothy did. The girl’s church background at home had been similar. Unable to produce a birth certificate for war work, Alice was forced to seek employment in a res taurant. Faithful to her mother’s in struction, she attended church for a time when she first arrived, but the Christians that she met were asleep to the fact that God had placed a val ue upon her soul. Alice could not un derstand the lukewarm indifference embodied in their social formalism. She, too, forgot God and drifted into the social functions of the world. The climax came when she was enticed to a neighboring city-by a male escort who purposely missed the last bus.
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