March 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
150
hands of their families and friends. While the Government does not pun ish them for professing Christianity, it may accuse them of disloyalty and try to convict them of treason on other grounds. A Turk is not usually per secuted or punished for attending a Christian service; and in spite of the fact that mission schools are known as Christian institutions, Turks not only enroll in them in increasing numbers, but the Government itself places chil dren in mission schools. As a result of the present governmental restric tions, emphasis must now be on per sonal work with individuals.— From the Missionary Review of the World. Then will follow the great “ white throne” judgment (Rev. 20:11-14), which facts prove that what is usually termed the second coming of Christ will be pre-millennial. Omitting various intervening facts, permit me to urge that we do not min imize the majestic doctrine of the Lord’s return. And when some one preaches or writes on the subject, or on related events, even less frequently and ardently than some inspired writ ers .did, let us not characterize it lightly or unworthily. Instead let us pray that we may see its vastness and glory as never heretofore, and praise God that when Jesus “ shall appear we shall be like him) for we shall see Him ab he is.” Hallelujah! IMPORTANT NOTICE TO SUN DAY SCHOOL SUPERINTEN DENTS AND TEACHERS! Notice has already been given in The King’s Business S. S, Quarterly, and- is now repeated here, that at the end of this year (1926) we will discontinue pub lishing helps on the Whole Bible Series of Sunday School Lessons, and devote ourselves to the Inter national Series only, incorporat ing them with The King’s Busi ness magazine proper, as was formerly done. This course has .been deemed wise for various reasons, chief among which is the fact of much duplication between the W h o l e Bible Series and the International Series of Scripture p o r t i o n s selected for study. While the International Outline will be followed, the lessons will, of course, be treated from a defi nitely Fundamental standpoint and we are sure that those who depend upon The King’s Business for help in preparing their les sons for teaching will not be disappointed.
Agnosticism and even atheism have made great strides among the Turks since the failure of the call to the Jihad, or holy war in 1914. The pres ent situation forms a testing time for Christian missionaries. While the Government has not put an absolute ban on missionary teaching or the preaching of Christianity to Turks, such work can only be done individu ally and privately, not in schools or churches. According to law, every one is free to profess whatever religion he chooses, so that Turks may become Christians. In that case, however, they must face opposition, bitter per secution and possibly death at the
Armenian churches, and various other religious bodies. Syrian disturbances. No report has yet come to indicate how much dam age has been done to the physical equipment of the European societies occupying the disturbed areas. In any case such damages are not the most important features from the mission ary standpoint. Naturally the most serious effects of such disturbances are not physical but spiritual. They are the effects, difficult to assess, that are found in minds and hearts. They are the resentments, the more potent be cause suppressed by force; the wound ed •self-respect of proud peoples; the nursed wrath, the long memories of outraged sensibilities. This is the more serious because the West, which these people regard as the source of their wrongs, is also the direction from which missionaries come, and it would not be strange if the missionary enterprise were regarded as part and parcel of the Western program of occupation. It takes a discerning mind, and one adequately informed, to Uiake the necessary distinction. For tunately many of the leading Arabs can make it for they have been trained in mission schools and colleges or have been associated with those so trained and have been able to understand the non-political motives back of these Christian enterprises. Nevertheless the missionary must face his future task with the realization that he will find hearts further hardened by recent events. Syria needs something more than the iron hand. She needs an un derstanding heart. Mrs. E. E. Olcott, treasurer of the American Christian Literature Society for Moslems, has recently visited the missions in Arabia of the Reformed Church in America. She compares conditions now with what she found in a similar trip twenty years ago: “ It was a joy to shake hands with a few converts and some inquirers and to realize that there have been some ‘sweet first-fruits’ even in Arabia, where ‘an open confession of Christ leads to certain persecution and some times even to death. Twenty years ago no missionaries were allowed to locate in Kuweit, and the colporteur had been put to sea in an open boat shortly before we were in Arabia. What a contrast now in the two good hospitals, two excellent missionary homes and three rented buildings, as well as in great friendliness of the sheikhs of recent years." Turkey was once the stronghold of Mohammedanism. The Sultan was the Caliph, the acknowledged head of all Islam, which was the state religion. Education was vitally related to the mosque. The laws Of Mohammed were the laws of the land. What a change has come over Turkey. Not only has the Sultan been expelled and the cal iphate abolished, but the Republic has been made a secular state, with nom inal religious liberty. Government and religion have been separated by decree of the State. The mosques are under the Commissioner of Public Instruc tion and the teaching of religion in public and private schools is forbidden.
A ‘ HARP” WITH MANY MELODIOUS STRAINS Rev. A. W. Orwig
NUMBER of years ago a preacher whom I h i g h l y esteem said, he did not "see why some men harp so much on the second coming of
Christ.” Perhaps they did it less than he thought, or possibly he was not par ticularly interested in the subject, nor very familiar with it. When one sees its great significance, and how often it is mentioned in the Word of God, he will certainly preach on it more or less frequently, or on one of its numerous aspects. Very many persons do not know that there are more .than three hundred references on the subject In the New Testament alone. f Many stupendous occurrences or events are connected with the return of Jesus Christ. Among these are the manner, object and prophetical signs of His coming; also its relations to the church, the Jews as a separate people, and to the nations. The antichrist and Satan will figure conspicuously for a time. The rapturous ascent of God’s real children to meet and greet Jesus “ in the air" will be a wonderful and brilliant event. The blissful millen nium and the “ great tribulation” will follow Christ’s coming. All these and various other startling things have a bearing on the same. Surely here is ample and diversified material for pro found study and almost endless Scrip tural Proclamation with voice and pen. Verily the Word of God constitutes a “ harp” of many melodious strains to those who "listen in” to catch them. O Lord, adapt our spiritual ears more fully to the music of the Ho'y Spirit’s harp! A very few of the strains are: “ I will come again” , “ Hold fast till I come” , “ Occupy till I come” , "At His coming", “ Love His a p p e a r i n g” , “ Looking” for His “ appearing” , “ Wait ing for Christ.” Angels declared that He would come as He went, boldly and visibly. “ Behold, I come quickly.” “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus” . Christ will come first “ in the air” for hlB saints (1 Thess. 4:15-17) and some time afterwards with them to end the tribulation (Jude 14; Rev. 1: 7; Zech. 14:4, 6 , 9) and introduce the glorious millennium on the earth of one thousand years (Rev. 20:4, 6 ).
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