King's Business - 1948-08

AUGUST , 1948

And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart . . . and rest a while77 — Mark 6:31.

"Is it Nothing to You ? ” fío you know . . . • That 6 ,000 ,000 Jews have died in 15 years without Christ? • That Palestine is about to flame with war? • That 10,000,000 Jews know not whither to Chairman, Board

R each T he C hildren

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melody and musical taste." Foundation ^ ' S I NGI NG STORI ES 296 North 5th Street « San Jose 12, California or from your Christian Supply Store W E S T E R N B A P T IS T B IBLE C O L L E G E 528 33rd St. OAKLAND 9, CALIF. H. O. Van Gilder, D.D., President Three-year intensive Bible Course in Mis sions, Pastoral, Chr. Ed., Music. Approved for Veterans. Write for Catalog.

THE TIME IS RIPE!

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WILL YOU PRAY?

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Will you invest in souls for eternity? Write AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JEW ISH EVANGELISM Incorporated HARRY A. IRONSIDE, Chairman Winona Lake, Indiana HYMAN J . APPELMAN, Pré«. 400 MILLION IN CHINA Did you know that there is a complete Bible Institute in the heart of China dependent upon your sacrificial gifts for its support? The Hunan Bible Institute in Changsha is now a department of the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles oper ating under a four-fold program: (1 ) A Bible Institute (2 ) An orphanage for children lAJithout the Cjt e

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(3 ) An itinerant evangelism ministry (4 ) A hospital operated by another mission board

As a holder of an Annuity Agreement of the American Bible Society you receive a check at stated intervals, regardless of disturbing world conditions. Such checks have never failed, though theyhave been issued regularly for more than 100 years. You enjoy protection in old age through a steady income. You enjoy also the permanent satisfaction of taking part in the essential work of making the Bible more widely available throughout the world. Let us send you “A Gift That Lives” a little booklet that explains the plan and how you may enjoy its two-fold advantages—plus cer tain tax exemptions. 0 Please send me without obligation your booklet KB-95 entitled “ A Gift That lives’’ □ X enclose $____ __ for the world-wide dis tribution of the Scriptures. Name.......................-----------...———....——---------- Denomination______________ ...—---------------- — Address------------------------— ---------------------------- City____ American Bible Society 450 Park Ave., New York 22, N. Y

$100.00 WILL TRAIN A CHINESE. YOUTH FOR ONE YEAR IN THE INSTITUTE. $120.00 WILL CLOTHE, FEED AND GIVE MEDICAL CARE TO ONE ORPHAN.

Any offering, large or small, is welcome

China Department THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, California

T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S

Page Two

Official Publication of The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated

Louis T. Talbot, D.D.

Betty Bruechert Managing Editor

William W . Orr, D.D. Associate Editor

Editor in Chief

The Death of Mrs. Prayer Meeting We note in the Free Will Echo that Mrs. Prayer Meeting is dead. In the belief that friends of the deceased might be interested, we print the death notice: Mrs. Prayer Meeting died recently at the First Neglected Church on Worldly Avenue. Born many years ago in the midst of great revivals, she was a strong, healthy child, fed largely on testimony and Bible study, soon growing into world-wide prominence, and was one of the most influential members of the famous Church family. For the past several years, Sister Prayer Meeting has been failing in health, gradually wasting away until rendered helpless by stiff ness of knees, coldness of heart, inactivity, and weakness of purpose and will power. At the last she was but a shadow of her former happy self. Her last whispered words were inquiries concerning the strange absence of her loved ones now busy in the marts of trade and places of worldly amusements. Experts, including Dr. Works, Dr. Reform, and Dr. Joiner, disagreed as to the cause of her fatal illness, administering large doses of organization, socials, contests, and drives, but to no avail. A post-mortem showed that a deficiency of spiritual food, coupled with the lack of faith, heartfelt religion, and general support, were contributing causes. Only a few were present at her death, sobbing over mem ories of her past beauty and power. In honor of her going, the church doors will be closed on Wednesday nights, save the third Wednesday of each month, when the Ladies' Pink Lemonade Society will serve re freshments to the men's handball team. —Baptist Messenger. VACATION NEW S ! A NOTHER recreational and spirit ually profitable Conference, spon sored by the Bible Institute of Los An geles at beautiful Mount Hermon Con ference Grounds in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is to be held August 15-22, 1948. The speakers this year will in clude Dr. Louis T. Talbot, Dr. J. Ren- wick McCullough, Dr. J. Vernon McGee, with Dr. William W. Orr as director. Inquiries concerning accommodations should be sent to Rev. Cyrus Nelson, Mount Hermon, California. All other inquiries should be addressed to the Ex tension Department, Bible Institute of Los Angeles, 558 South Hope St., Los

CONTENTS Editorially Speaking .....................................................................•.......... 4 The Bible in the News, William W. Orr ................................................ 5 Mission to Europe, Olaude E. Copperwheat ........................................ 6 Suffering is Normal, Merrill C. Tenney ................................................ 8 The Need to Pray........................................................................................ 9 One Tithe Wasn’t Enough! Daisy L. Monroe ...................................... 10 Moral Re-Armament, Louis T. Talbot ..................................................... 12 Enoch, Who Walked With God, Vance Havner .................................... 15 Not by the Staff Alone, Betty Bruechert ............................................ 15 Biola Family Circle .................................................................................... 16 Dr. Talbot’s Question Box ....................................................................... 17 Junior King’s Business, Martha S. Hooker .......................................... 18 The Junk Wagon, Mrs. Wm. Schobert ....................... ........................... 18 Book Reviews .............................................. 19 Fruit o f the “ Free Fund” .......................................................................... 20 Young People’s Topics, Walter L. Wilson .............................................. 21 “ It’s An Idea,” Carlton C. Buck ..................... ..................................... 21 Sunday School Lessons, Homer A. Kent, AUison Arrowood ............. 24 Object Lessons, Elmer L. Wilder ............................................................. 28 Picture Credits: Cover: Twintree Creek, Mount Barra, Jasper Na tional Park, Alberta, Canada —Courtesy Canadian National Railways. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION—“The K im ’s Biuineu” is published monthly; <2.0*. one year; $1.00, six months; 20 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions.25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES—Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express, or post offioe money order payable to “The King’s Business.’’ Date of expiration will show plainly on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. ADVERTISING—For information, address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, California. MANUSCRIPTS— “The King’s Business” cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1988, at the Post .Office at Los Angeles. California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, embodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P. L. and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. ADDRESS: The King’s Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 13, California. Page Three

Angeles 13, Calif. A U G U S T , 19 48

The study of astronomy always stag gers the imagination, making us feel how inconsequential we really are, and how incomparably great is our God. We venture to predict that the findings from this new giant eye will only serve to further illustrate that the universe is absolutely boundless in its extent, and try as he will, the eye of man can never reach its limits. For the Christian it will be a new lesson in the infinite greatness of his Heavenly Father. For the atheist it will be another annoying unsolvable riddle. . Israel Is A Nation! T HERE is no doubt that the an nouncement of the new state of Israel is the greatest piece of prophetic news that has appeared in the twentieth century. Three events of tremendous sig nificance have taken place: the Jewish people have declared themselves a na tion; they have declared themselves a nation on the very spot of ground which God gave by promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and they have named the new state the land of Israel! These events happened with unbeliev able speed. With the termination of the British mandate, an improvised Jewish Parliament called forth the admiration of a waiting world as they declared themselves a new member of the family of nations. This was, followed, almost im mediately, by official recognition from the United States and the Soviet Union. And even with the temporary hin drances by Arab opposition, it seems that the Declaration of Independence will stick. All of this is a striking commen tary on the theme of fuelled nronhecy. It is true that the news dispatches from Tel Aviv do not mention the name of God nor is there any national pet;- tion for His favor. Everything seems to be conducted on the natural plane and battles seem to be. won either through in telligence of wily diplomats or by the force of Jewish arms. Yet, behind all of this stands Israel’s unseen Jehovah, bringing things to pass according to His own will. To the Jew this means the resurrec tion of hopes that haVe been dead for nineteen long and bitter centuries. To the nations of the world, it is an ap parent solution to the troubling problem of Semitism. But to the Bible-believing Christian, it is the beginning of a series of events which will not close until the Lord Jesus Christ Himself returns to take the reins of government which are rightfully His. It Is Not Too Late: T O attend the Conference of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles at Mt. Her- mon, California, August 15-22; write Dr. William W. Orr, 558 So. Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, California, for details. TH E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S

Volunteers or Draftees? S INCE Congress has approved the 19- 25 draft bill presented by the Armed Services Committee, this means that American young men have the choice of volunteering for one year of military service or, failing to do this, will be drafted for two years’ compulsory serv ice. It is estimated that about 400,000 men will be drafted in the first twelve months of the impending peace-time draft. Among those affected will be a large number of Christian young men, the direction of whose lives presumably belongs to Christ. At a recent missionary conference, there were present representatives from almost every large faith mission board in operation. Veterans, from these mis sion boards presented the needs of their fields. A plea which found its way into almost every missionary’s address was the desperate need for more young men on the mission fields. While sincere ap preciation for the' part that women have played was expressed, the business of being a missionary was shown to be a service that demanded the strength and determination that only red-blooded men could supply. Concern was frequently expressed over the large percentage of available young men who choose pastor ates in this land rather than; service on pioneer fields. Can we see any relation between the foregoing? Is the peace-time draft an other warning to the heart of America that unless she takes heed of God’s call for volunteers for Christian service, her sons will be drafted for bloody war? Is the time on God’s clock running short for untouched tribes to be reached with the gospel? Is this a warning to Chris tian people that they have been merely playing with the serious business of world-wide evangelization? May God give us eyes to see His will with clarity. May our Christian churches be fired with a deep and earnest deter mination to urge upon our best youth the absolute necessity of offering them selves as volunteers in God’s great army to press the Lord’s battle against the impending tide of evil before it is too late! Pac;e Four

Let Us Be Accurate A STORY, presumably true, appeared in a recent periodical. It seems that a church member went to her Bible to find the location of a phrase frequently used by her pastor. Often when speak ing of Christ and His salvation he would add, “Whom to know aright is life eter nal.” This church member was unable to locate such a passage and inquired again of the minister concerning its where abouts. He replied confidently that it was in the Bible but he was not sure where. The story ends with a realization of the truth that this is not Bible phraseology, and that this quotation is not Scripture. When dealing with the Word of God, Christians need to exert more than usual care. Our quotations should be meticu lously exact. Within God’s Word is the guarantee given that that Word “shall not return . . . void.” But this guarantee is only valid where Scripture is accu rately quoted. Surely such inexactitude must be displeasing to the heart of our Heavenly Father. Biggest Eye OCIENTISTS and laymen alike are k j thrilled with the news of the opening of the new observatory on Mt. Palomar in Southern California. After years of waiting, the giant 200-inch telescope is now being trained nightly on heavenly bodies. Now it will be possible to look 500,000,000 light years in each direction. This is quite a little distance! As an astronomical unit of measure, a light year is six trillion miles. Those who will be working with the telescope say that the interest of the astronomers is not so much in the details of neighboring or nearby stars, but rather with the far away outer edges of the universe. They seek information and data regarding galaxies which, while of immeasurable size, are at unbe lievable distances. The giant eye will be pointed at the faint stellar bodies which our smaller instruments have marked as the limits of the universe. Great atten tion is being given to the questions whether the universe is larger than had been previously pictured or whether it is still expanding, according to the latest theory.

Northwestern's Radio After nearly two years, a grant has heen received from the Federal Com munications Commission by the North western Schools of Minneapolis, Minne sota, acting favorably upon their request for a standard broadcasting station of 1,000 watts, and an FM station of 3,000 watts. Both of these are commercial licenses, but Northwestern Schools yvill operate them on a non-commercial basis. Important Decision ^ In a case sponsored by the American Protestant Defense League, a :sixteen- year-old Protestant girl, held in Roman Catholic institutions since earliest child hood, was released to live with her Protestant sister in North Carolina. The girl, an orphan at two years of age, had been placed in a Roman Catholic orphanage by a Catholic aunt. The League invites correspondence from in dividuals or organizations knowing of similar cases. Religious Illiterates In a survey which' Time felt import ant enough to devote an entire column to, the result of '50 examination papers from a college sophomore class revealed a pitiful ignorance of religious topics. Most of the sophomores held there was no dif ference between the Old and New Testa ments and that everything in the Bible happened more or less at the same time and place, and that God appeared as “ a somewhat arbitrary yet sentimental old man who had a tendency to ran people’s knuckles when they didn’t show Him proper respect.” In this same survey, the seven Roman Catholics out of the 60 knew no more than the rest in spite of the popular myth that Catholics know what they believe! Informed Protestants have long been aware of the exceedingly superScial Biblical knowledge of both old and young. It is questionable wheth er 50 average mature church members would have passed the test more cred itably ! 3|§ Million ■£* In twelve years since it eopeared on the market, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold the remarkable total of 3V,- million copies. This is record for non-fiction and perhaps no one is more surprised at it than the author who is quoted as saying, “ I am probably one of the most aston ished authors now living.” However, dur ing this same period, nearly a billion copies of the Bible and portions of it in 1,250 languages have been sold to all races and classes of people. Popular Name •8* New York City’s Health Department is authority for the' report, following a study of the 1948 birth certificates, that the most popular names for boys, are Robert, John, James and Michael, and for girls, Barbara, Linda, Patricia and Mary. Four of these names are of Bib lical origin. Ever since the advent of-the A U G U S T , 1 9 4 8

William W . Orr, D.D.

united in service to mankind, there was a great gulf fixed. Two were believers in Christ as the Son of God, and only Saviour, two apparent unbelievers. God’s favor is not purchased on the basis of heroic death but by a personal accept ance of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Released Time Approved •St It is the opinion of Los Angeles Coun ty Counsel, Howard W. Kennedy, that the .recent decision of the United States Supreme Court with regard to religious instruction in the schools does not apply to the system now in use in California. Mr. Kennedy holds that since the local programs are conducted in accord with California law, which provides that the pupils must leave the school premises and take their religious training accord ing to their parents’ wish, there is no conflict with the Supreme Court decision. Keep Calm •S* In a recent Associated Press dispatch, the army urged our population to keep calm if atomic bombs should start fall ing on American cities. With an admira ble attempt to reassure the citizens, the dispatch pointed out that it would not necessarily mean that the entire popula tion would be wiped out, or. that nothing could be done for survivor^ in case of such emergencies. Most of the readers of this statement, without a doubt, man aged a wry smile as they tried to asso ciate calmness with a rain of these super - destructive missiles, especially those who examined the photograph of Japanese cities leveled by the force of one, now outmoded, A-bomb. It is too much to hope that such assurances from the Army will bring peace of heart and mind to our population. Underlying the veneer of our civiliza tion today we find, as the Scripture has said, “men’s hearts are failing them for fear.” Let it be remembered also that “ There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked; they are like the troubled sea that cannot rest.” Calmness of heart comes only as a gift from the Heavenly Father when men and women receive His Son into their hearts. Page Five

■Christian era, people have been naming their boys Paul and their dogs Nero which indicates the unconscious yet pow erful impact of spiritual truth upon the lives of men. Catholic Emperor? «8* A recent visitor in Tokio with Em peror Hirohito was the Catholic Church’s most zealous missionary, Monsignor Ful ton John Sheen. Hopes were being pinned on this super-salesman for another Catholic conquest in this much-publi cized ruler. Japan’s Shintoism was al ready in a bad state and Rome’s hier archy sensed the possibility of a tremen dous scoop in another “ conversion.” Less Nicotine & A recent anouncement from the Plant Pathologist of the University of Ken tucky tells of a newly-developed tobacco containing but one-tenth of the nicotine content of most cigarettes. Supposedly a boon for .smokers, it is recognized by the Department of Agriculture, and ciga rettes from it are accepted for advertis ing in the journal of the American Med ical Association. Now if someone would just invent a 90% decrease in its stench and filthiness, and the rudeness and self ishness of smpkers, that really would be something ! Chaplain's S'amp <8* Recently released by the Post Office Department is a 3c stamp, commemora ting the heroic action of four United States Army chaplains during the last war. The United States troop carrier. Dorchester, was struck by a torpedo off the coast of Greenland and sank within twenty-five minutes. Nearly all the men were drowned, but four survived because life jackets were forced upon them by two Protestant, one Catholic, and one Jewish chaplains..That this was one of the outstanding acts of heroism of the war there can be no doubt. The Lord Himself taught that the epitome of love was reached when a man laid down his life for his friend. Yet, for all of this, let us not fail to understand that be tween these chaplains, even though

South, are classified as Christian, be cause of the dominance of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. However, a glance back into the religious history of these lands, reveals the threatening and forceful means used to induce millions to become so-called Chris tians. The truths of the Word of God and the light of the gospel have been smothered by ritualism and paganism. The Reformation either did not pene trate to them or was rejected, and con sequently today great ignorance prevails as well as bitter prejudice against what is conceived as being the church and Christianity. Unevangelized millions in these areas are living and dying without the gospel. Traveling through the devastated areas of the northeastern part of France, we came to the city of Amiens. As in many other towns, small and hastily-con structed wooden huts served to accommo date what was left of the business dis trict of the town, and, in addition, there were blocks and blocks of rubble. A man in a café to whom I spoke told me that seventy per cent of the city had been destroyed or damaged. Having the address of a Protestant minister there, I sought him out. He was the only pas tor in this city with a population of 90,000. Imagine my delight when I dis covered him sitting in his small room enjoying fellowship over a cup of tea with another pastor from a town some miles away. Soon we were discussing the task of evangelizing France. “ I am the only Protestant pastor in this city,” explained the Amiens brother, “ and my church was the first of the Protestant churches of France to be destroyed in this war. We now meet in a hall and find things most difficult. Then our situation is so dif ferent from yours. Most of the people in your country have some conception of God; they know something about the Bible, about Christ and about the church. But in France it is different. So many people here seem to have little concep tion of God. The word God means little to them. The church they know in the sense of the visible Roman Church—the building—and the name of Christ con nected- with it. The significance of the church, the Saviourhood of Christ, the Bible, the gospel, these are practically unknown. We have to commence with the ABC of Bible facts.” We spent the night in dreary, devas tated Amiens. There was a terrific gale. Windows rattled, the place rocked, and the electricity failed. “ I have always thought of France as a strong Roman Catholic country.” How often we have heard these words after speaking about the conditions in that land today. Traditionally, of course, France is Catholic, but not actually. In 1905, the Roman Church was disestab lished, since which time France has had no national or state religion. In 1939, religious statistics showed that only 25% of the population were claimed by the •Roman Catholic Church as nominal ‘. T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S

lâ â ion D o £ u r o p e By Claude E. Copperwheat OF THE EUROPEAN CHRISTIAN MISSION

W E have extinguished the heav enly lights with a magnificent gesture,” boasted Viviani in the French Assembly after the disestab lishment of the churches in France in 1905. He had in mind the dignitaries of the Roman Church whose power had been curbed. However, if we attach a different significance to his words, and think of the heavenly lights as the Word of God and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will have one of the basic causes of the tragic conditions prevail ing in Europe today. The heavenly lights have been either completely extinguished, or have been shining but dimly. Some European nations have made it part of their policy to banish the Word of God and to curtail the preaching of the gospel. On the other hand, the un belief and unconcern of professional and professing Christians have allowed the heavenly lights to burn low. This trend of things has gone sa far that a well- known British philosopher describes it as a “ God-shaped vacuum” in the life of Europe today. Only a few years ago, thousands of the finest of the youth of several na tions—America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and India set out on a “ Mission to Europe” to fight and overcome an evil system which threatened to dominate the world. The suffering and shambles left in the train of this struggle have called forth many another such mission to administer relief to the starving and ill-clad, to get the wheels of industry turning again, and to stabilize the polit ical and economic conditions. And, once again, the Macedonian call which stirred the apostle to the Gentiles to leave Troas and to launch out on his mission to Europe during his second missionary journey, is falling upon the ears of Christians in more favored lands. “ The day is past,” writes the secretary of one of the oldest British missionary societies, “when the church can divide the world into black areas representing mission fields and white areas represent ing Christian countries. Rather should we conceive of the whole world in varying shades of gray, and we must include Europe in our missionary thinking.” One afternoon not long after the lib eration of Holland, as we sat in the home of a Protestant pastor, he related to us some of his experiences and anx ieties during the years of occupation. He spoke of the unfavorable influence of the years of occupation. He mentioned particularly the effect of the occupation upon the moral standards and outlook of the people, especially the youth. “ It Page Six

Crowds listening to the gospel at Marseilles, France. is difficult to understand what it means to live in occupied territory, and subject to the discipline of an enemy power, unless you have experienced it.” This I had heard a number of times in post war Europe. The pastor went on to ex plain that during those years many young people were trained in the arts of trickery, treachery, lying, deceit and theft, for these were weapons used against the occupying powers. The trag edy is that after the liberation these very means were used by the young people in their own interests. This has had a very detrimental effect upon their lives. I well remember being in the great city of Lille, France, and having to take my meals in a restaurant near the center of town. Each day I watched first one, then another, young man come into the restaurant, and go from table to table with packets of cigars and cigarettes. These they brought out from beneath their coats; and sold for high prices. The young men had procured them by dis honest means and in a matter of a few hours had accumulated sums of money which ordinarily would take weeks to earn by honest labor. The sense of insecurity which is the atmosphere in which the peoples of Europe live today also has a very great effect upon their outlook. One day in France, I read in one of their periodicals that nearly a million young people were applying to emigrate from the country, for they could see no future for them selves there. Three times in the living memory of some French people they have seen their country invaded and devastated. Now in its wounded state it lies torn between two great sections of humanity whose attitude towards each other seems increasingly threatening. The moral deterioration is the result of the spiritual conditions. Spiritually, the picture is dark indeed. Vast areas of Europe, particularly in the East and

adherents. That term has a wide inter pretation. The nominal Protestants are estimated at about 600,000, but the rest of the population are unattached, mate rialistic, and indifferent. Today the Roman Catholic Church is looking upon France as a mission field. While in Paris after the war, I bought a book written by two Roman Catholic priests and printed by a Roman Catholic publishing house, entitled “ France—a Mission Field.” Published in France in 1943, this book contains the findings of a survey of conditions in Roman Catholic parishes in France, and also a study of moral standards and the attitude toward religion among the people of the indus trial areas. Therein reference is made to the statement of a Roman Catholic priest in one French town with a popu lation of 40,000 who challenged anyone to find him twelve men of the working class community who were good Catho lics. The challenge has not been taken up. The authors go on to say that this case is by no means exceptional. In the dilemma and disillusion of post war Europe, many are like ships broken away from their moorings. They are “ at sea” with no port of destination and no set course. But this very condition of things provides Christian workers with a wonderful opportunity to evangelize. The other day one of our missionaries wrote, “ It seems that the young people of Europe are ready to try anything once.” There are those who would seem to be giving away before the tragedies and sufferings which they have seen, or are experiencing. This is evidenced by the popularity of the new philosophy of the Frenchman, Jean Sartres, called Existen tialism. In a sentence, it may be described as fostering the attitude: “What’s the use of anything? Why, nothing.” Nevertheless among these confused people, there is many a seeking heart.

An illustration is an experience I had while traveling on a crowded train from Paris to Marseilles. Near me, two young Frenchmen were in earnest discussion, and I was able to follow the trend of their conversation. They were grappling with some of life’s .problems, and were deeply concerned about conditions in their country. When I heard the name of Christ mentioned, I was soon inquiring as to their knowledge of Him. Upon discover ing the limitations of that knowledge, I quickly pulled out my New Testament, pointing out to them some passages which had to bear directly upon their problems. Their interest was quick to be seen, so I went on to give them my testi mony and to speak of the power of the living Christ and the gospel. The result was that each of them gladly accepted a New Testament which I offered, after I had expained something of its contents. Then one of them gripped my hand and his words were most challenging: “ It is people like you with this message that our land needs today,” he said. Who can tell what may result from such a conversation, and from the read ing of those New Testaments'? One woman who has been brought to the Lord through the gift of a New Testa ment by one of our missionaries in Southern France has now opened her home to friends and neighbors for a weekly Bible study and gospel hour. The missionary, who gladly accepted this opportunity, reports that during the first twelve months about thirty people came to the Lord. We know that atheistic Communism is straining to take advantage to the full of this situation of confusion and uncertainty. While we were part in a conference on evangelism in a mining town in the northeastern part of France in 1946, a Communist orator came to

speak to us in the Protestant Church. He told us frankly that the working classes were looking for nothing from the church today. He said the church was through. The following evening, a French evangelist replied to him, not in the church, but in the main public au ditorium of the town. He spoke for an hour and a half, and was given rapt attention. With great sincerity and pas sion he proclaimed from the New Testa ment, the risen, living Christ as the Saviour of men, with such effect and power that when opportunity for dis sent or question was given at the close of the meeting, not a voice was raised. The whole crowd left in a thoughtful mood. In a conversation with him after ward, the French evangelist, explaining the situation, said to me, “ So many of these people are opposing a distorted and wrong conception of Christianity. They do not know the New Testament and are conversant only with a Church and system which has compromised much in the interest of political power and worldly gain.” The day of opportunity which may be fast slipping away confronts us in large areas of Europe today. Millions of people on that continent, in its broken and rest- Jess condition, stand at the crossroads. Their choice will be far-reaching in its effect. Pray for Europe, and so take part in the spiritual struggle. Send relief par cels, and so open doors for the gospel. Scriptures are sorely needed. Help in the training and support of European nationals will make a vital contribution. Bible teachers and young people’s work ers from the United States are being much used, and are needed. “ And they beckoned unto their part ners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them” (Luke 5:7).

A Slovak family which has been perse- . cuted for their Christian faith; the father suffered imprisonment. Page Seven

A French woman who lost her home three times in two world wars, her son

Typical Street Scene in Southern France,

and her husband.

A U G U S T , 1 94 8

A thoughtful and challenging message by the head of the Graduate School of Wheaton College.

By Merrill C . Tenney, Ph.D.

for he had experienced almost every kind of suffering known to man, whether physical or psychological. The confinement of imprisonment, the frustration of a work undermined by his enemies, the privation of separation from friends, the pains of hunger and of cold, the overbearing consciousness of increasing old age, and the dismal prospect of execution at the headsman’s block were all a part of his consciousness at the time when he wrote these words. Nevertheless he took all of these things uncomplainingly as accompaniments of regular Christian experience without seeking to refer them either to the unhappy accident of a blind cosmos, or to the malicious meanness of an unfeeling deity. Suffering Is Inevitable In the Christian’s understanding suffering is inevitable be cause all followers of Christ are still in the world. Jesus never taught His disciples that they would be exempted from the testings and trials of life simply because they had be lieved on Him. On the contrary, He said, “ In the world ye shall have tribulation.” The Christian has no right to ex pect that he will lodge in an ivory tower far from the dis agreeable wickedness and crushing sorrows that envelop other men. As long as he is a human being with a mission to per form he must share the lot of others like himself; and as he enters into their suffering he has the best opportunity to bear witness to the reality of salvation. Jesus Himself did not remain aloof from the woes of men; He drank the cup of their miseries to the full. • Suffering is also inevitable for the Christian because he is engaged in a struggle. In the same epistle in which Paul characterized suffering as normal, he spoke of being “ a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). When a soldier enlists in an army, he takes for granted, that he is engaging in a struggle. Whether he is placed on patrol duty, at a desk to handle routine matter, or in the front line trenches, he must accept as a matter of course the inconveniences, the separa tion from home and friends, the authority of his superiors, the dangers of the conflict, and perhaps sudden or painful death. There is a cause to be defended and a victory won, regardless of the price involved. In the conflct which is be ing waged between good and evil, between Christ and sin, the soldier scarcely can expect to emerge without some dents in his armor and without some scars on his person. Suffering Is Explainable If it be admitted that suffering is inevitable, can it be ex plained, or must there be a permanent concession to fatalism? Paul’s statement begins with the words, “ For which cause.” Suffering was for him reasonable; at least, it could be ac counted for by a legitimate cause. For the Christian, suffering is a direct result of his being a Christian. The gospel always produces hostility between its adherents and the world, for it makes an essential difference between them. There is a •principle which runs through all nature that differentiation creates tension. If a large body of water is impounded be hind a dam at a higher level than the stream below, it will exercise constant pressure until the two bodies of water reach the same level, either by the lowering of the one or by the ris ing of the other. The same principle obtains in animal life. If a black chicken be put in a pen of white fowls, the latter will pursue it, pick at it, drive it from the flock, and perhaps kill it. In human life, the non-conformist in dress, or in inter ests, or in convictions meets anything from polite and humor ous teasing to bitter persecution. The more fundamental the divergence and the more serious the issue, the sterner the conflict is likely to be. Whenever a man becomes a new crea ture in Christ, sensitive to sin as never before and acutely TH E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S

^ 1 ^ HE problem of suffering is as old and as universal as mankind. Wherever men feel the pains of illness, the slights and injuries of jealousy or hatred, the sting of injustice, or the shock of death, they are forced to reflect on the meaning of suffering, and to try to find some reason for it. Various answers to this problem have been propounded. The evolutionist believes that suffering is the inevitable result of an upward struggle. The life of the universe, striving for full manifestation through uncounted generations of succeed ing forms of life and levels of consciousness, must endure pain and temporary frustration in order to achieve the goal of ulti mate self-realization. Suffering, therefore, should be accepted as a necessity by man, since it marks one of the stages in this ascending ladder of development. By arduous effort he will perfect himself in the same way that the dragonfly, straining to escape from the prison of the chrysalis, finally finds his wings and flutters off into the sunlight. Others have taken a more pessimistic view of the universe. Schopenhauer, a noted philosopher and mystic of the nine teenth century, taught that the world in which men live is the worst of all possible worlds. All of life is essentially predatory, and is simply an unending series of murders, rob beries, intrigues, and lies. These evils are not merely the acci dental misfortunes of life; they are life, and life is inevitable and irremediable suffering. The only solution to the problem that life possesses is to quit it; existence must be renounced once and for all if any person is to find peace. Suffering presents a special problem for the Christian. Believing as he does in the sovereign rule of a transcendent God who is all good and all just, it is hard sometimes for him to reconcile the present status of the world with his concept of God. If God is good and just, how can He permit injustice and unhappiness to continue in the world which He has made? Or, on the other hand, if He is all powerful, why does He not intervene to eliminate these evils? A Christian cannot subscribe to the blind force which is the god of evolution, nor to the malevolent and capricious deity assumed by Schopen hauer. The Christian solution for this problem is suggested by the words of Paul in Second Timothy 1:12:A.S.V. “ For which cause I suffer also these things.” He had been reviewing the cardinal aspects of the Christian life: salvation, calling, appointment to some definite task, and stability in maintain ing one’s career. Among these experiences which are regard ed as normal in every Christian life he placed suffering. In no way did he consider it as exceptional, but he took it as a matter of course. Paul did not make this assumption because of ignorance, an... §= 1 PRAYED for light; the sun went down in clouds, The moon was darkened by a misty doubt, The stars of heaven were dimmed by earthly fears, n And all my little candle flames burned out; But while 1 sat in shadow, wrapped in night, The face of Christ made all the darkness bright. 1 PRAYED for peace, and dreamed of restful ease, ü n 1 A slumber drugged from pain, a hushed repose; n Above my head the skies were black with storm, And fiercer grew the onslaught of my foes; §n But while the battle raged, and wild winds blew, 1 1 heard His voice, and perfect peace 1 knew. iniiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiintiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiinniiitiiiiiiniiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiHiiiuinp Page Eight

allergic to the moral and spiritual wrongs of life, his suffer- ing will naturally be keener than it was previously. Furthermore, being a Christian imposes new responsibilities upon a man. When Paul was converted, God said to Ananias, his sponsor, “ I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16 A.S.V.). His calling involved danger, not only because of the new trend in his spiritual nature, but also because of the commission given to him. The pioneer who is sent to build a road through a trackless wilderness must undergo many privations which his brother who remains in the center of civilization escapes en tirely. Suffering is part of the Christian’s task for Christ. Suffering Is Profitable Suffering, however, may bring benefits of its own. It is not to be regarded simply as an unavoidable evil, like a husk that must be stripped slowly and painfully from fruit before the inner sweetness can be enjoyed. For the person who sees suf fering from the Christian viewpoint, there are at least three blessings that may accrue from it. Suffering cleanses. It is not always punishment for evils; it may be a preventive of evils. God pronounced Job “ a per fect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and. turneth away from evil” (Job 1:8 A.S.V.). The infliction of suffer ing on such a man would seem to be irrational, since he did not deserve the disasters that befell him. Nevertheless, when the long siege of trouble was ended, and when God had re stored to Job double for all he had temporarily lost, he said: I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:5, 6 A.S.V.) The harsh experience of physical, social, and mental suffer ing had stripped Job completely of any tendency to self- righteousness. His previous conduct had been righteous, but perhaps he was a little.too conscious of his own integrity. After the catastrophes that he endured, he attained a true humility. A similar situation was apparent in the national affairs of Israel. Prior to the captivity the nation dabbled in idolatry, and finally fell a victim to the enchanting allurements of other gods than Jehovah and of other ethics than His law. The bitter lesson of defeat and deportation with the interim of seventy years in Babylon purged them of their duplicity. Whatever other sins may be laid at the door of orthodox Judaism today, idolatry is not one of them. Suffering, like a surgical operation, is sometimes beneficial because it removes a spiritual cancer from men’s lives. Again, suffering brings understanding. Only those who have themselves suffered can aid others who are suffering. Every pastor knows how helpless he feels when he tries to comfort some parishioner who is undergoing a sorrow that the pastor himself has never experienced. Sometimes that parishioner will say with perfect justice, “ You do not know anything about it.” The measure of an effective ministry is often the extent to which the minister has suffered. Finally, suffering may draw men to Christ. If it leads them to a new understanding of Him and into a new comradeship with Him, it cannot be an unmitigated evil. Of course, He can be a companion in joy as well as in sorrow. The Chris tian life is not predominantly a gloomy and depressing affair; but sometimes the Good Shepherd is never closer than when He and His servants walk the valley of the shadow together. Paul sought to know Christ in “ the fellowship of his suffer ings” (Phil. 3:10), perhaps because he felt that in such a comradeship the deepest knowledge of Christ would be achieved. What shall the Christian do with suffering? If it is inevi table, explicable, and profitable,, how shall he meet it? Suffering need not be sought. Suffering for the sake of “mortification of the flesh” in the spirit of medieval asceti cism is nowhere taught in the Scriptures. The believer does not search for suffering that he may add to his merit or drama tize himself. There may be a crown for martyrs, but none is promised for a martyr-complex. If the Christian will seek to A U G U S T , 1 94 8

)t J l e e b f t o $ r a p When prayer delights the least, then learn to say "Soul, now is the greatest need that thou shouldst pray." Crooked and warped I am, and I would fain Straighten myself by Thy right line again. O come, warm sun, and ripen my late fruits; Pierce, genial showers, down to my parched roots. My well is bitter; cast therein the tree That sweet henceforth its brackish waves may be. Say, what is prayer when it is prayer indeed? The mighty utterance of a mighty need? The man is praying who doth press with might Out of the darkness into God's own light. White heat the iron in furnace won, Withdrawn from hence, 'twas cold and hard anon. Flowers, from their stalk divided, presently Droop, fall, and wither, in the gazer's eye. The greenish leaf, divided from the stem, To speedy withering doth itself condemn. The largest river, from its fountain head Cut off, leaves soon a parched and dusty bed. All things that live, from God their sustenance wait, And sun and moon are beggars at His gate. All skirts extended of thy mantle hold When angel hands from heaven are scattering gold. —Author Unknown do the will of God at all costs, the sufferings and successes involved in the pursuit of his aim will take care of themselves. Enough hardship will come without self-immolation; but what does come should be borne bravely. Suffering need not be shunned. This present generation is more likely to shrink from hardship than to seek it. The comforts of civilization have accustomed men to taking them for granted, and the least privation evokes a wail of com plaint. Do Christians suffer? So did Christ, “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2 A.S.V.). Suffering should be regarded as the normal accompani ment of Christian progress. It is the growing pain that fol lows the new birth, the logical consequence of the tension that is created by repudiation of the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Christian’s own inner development and his min istry for God may necessitate a struggle which must be en dured bravely and fought through to the end. If such a view point be adopted, suffering will be seen in its true light. In itself it may be an evil ; but in the perspective of God’s broader purpose it may ultimately be productive of good. In the light of eternity, it appears transitory, a normal part of the total process of redemption. So the Scripture says : Wherefore we faint not . . . For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an 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 thè things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:16-18 A.S.V.). Page Nine

ONE TITHE WASN'T ENOUGH !

The Heart>Warming Account of a Christian Womanfs Experience in Giving

By Daisy L. Monroe As Told to Betty Bruechert

A LTHOUGH often urged by friends to do so, I have always hesitated about putting into print the story of God’s dealings with me in the matter of giving for two reasons: I feared that I might appear to take credit for what God had done for me; or that I might leave the impression that I felt others must follow my example. I trust it will be clear from this account that all glory belongs to the Lord and that His plan for me is not necessarily His will for anyone else. A brief mention of my life will be. nec essary as background. Born and reared in Canada, I was one of eleven chil dren. Mine was not a Christian home, for my father believed that all “church people” were pious hypocrites. Conse quently, we had no religious training whatever. I married my grade school sweetheart while in my ’teens and we moved to Detroit, Michigan. My husband, who had a Christian background, wanted some kind of religion in his new home. So, beginning with our wedding night, he decided that at the close of the day we would kneel down together and say the Lord’s Prayer. However, our lives were completely worldly; we attended shows, played cards, and danced; I was particu larly fond of dancing, and could keep it up all night. My husband, who was in the jewelry business, delighted in be decking me with gems and dressing me in glamorous clothes. We lived for the world, the flesh, and the devil, but somehow Mr. Monroe seemed to realize all was not well. When we made a down payment on a little house, he said, “ Now that we have a home of our own, we are going to join a church.” This did not interest me, but I wanted to please him, so I went around with him from church to church until finally we found one full of lively young people, which we began to attend regularly, even going to Sunday School. When the young minister called and asked us to join the church, I asked him a question that had been troubling me: “ What happens to us after death?” He answered indifferently, “ Oh, after death comes judgment.” He left a booklet in which the requirements for membership were stated: abandonment of worldly amusements and regular attendance at all services, including prayer meeting, and faithful support of the church. We were even asked to say grace before and after meals! My heart sank as I read it, for it seemed to me they were' Page Ten

taking away from me everything I en joyed and giving me nothing in return. On a memorable Sunday—February 16, 1913—the minister asked my hus band directly: “Aren’t you going to join today?” Immediately Mr. Monroe re plied, “ Yes,” and before I realized what was happening to me, I was up in front, shaking hands with the preacher—an unsaved member of a Protestant church! By the time I*got home, I was the most unhappy person in the world. My fa ther’s remarks about hypocrites in the church came back with renewed force. I was totally ignorant of salvation. I did not know a single Bible verse. I loved the world and knew I could not give up its pleasures. In utter despair, I spent a most wretched night. Conversion The next morning, after my husband went to business, I could bear it no longer. There was a terrible weight of sin upon my heart. I paced up and down the house, from room to room. Finally, with tears running down my face, I knelt down and cried out, “ Oh, God, do some thing!” And He did! Suddenly the awful burden was gone; joy sprang up in my heart like a fountain, bubbling over so that I could scarcely contain myself. Now I know that what happened was that I was born again by the Spirit of God, but then all I was aware of was that God for Christ’s sake had for given my sins. Suddenly, mysteriously, in a moment, the things of the world which I had loved so dearly lost their charm. May I say to the glory of God that from that day to this my hands have never played a game of cards, my eyes have not beheld a theatrical per formance or a “movie,” and my feet have never whirled about a dance floor. My Saviour has really satisfied! And as for fine clothing—but that belongs with the giving part of my story. I got down my Bible and read it with a hungry heart, and although I did not under stand much of it then, I loved it from that minute. When my husband came home, he found me radiant. He went along with me in a life of separation, and we were very happy. Surrender Of course, I was but a babe in Christ, but soon I joined a Bible class where I was instructed more perfectly in the things of God. As I grew in Christ, I discovered many things in my nature displeasing to Him. I well remember be

ing very impatient with an obstreperous Junior Church of which I had charge. One day, in a heart-searching service, without demonstration of any kind, with the additional spiritual understanding which I had acquired, I knelt, and said to Him from the depths of my being, “ God, come in and rule my life.” While I have no quarrel with those who try to “locate” this experience doctrinally, all I know is that for me it was the fulfillment of Romans 12:1: “ Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac ceptable unto God, which is your rea sonable service.” It has been so won derful to have the Lord in control that from that time I have never desired to run. my own life. To be thus wholly yielded to God is the secret of a joyous and victorious Christian life. The First Tithe I first learned about giving a tenth from a tract entitled Thanksgiving Ann. The idea of giving ten cents out of every dollar was new to me, but I saw the promise in God’s Word that He would pour out a great blessing if it was practiced, so I decided to do it. I wondered if my husband would have any objection. After all, we were buy ing our home, and payments had to be made regularly. However, by this time, I had learned the greatest lesson of my entire life: The quickest and easiest way to get things is to pray for them. So I asked the Lord to make Mr. Mon roe willing to give a tenth of his salary for home and foreign mission work. Then I co-operated by giving him a good dinner before approaching the sub ject! Husbands are always better-na- tured when they are well-fed. When I told him what was on my heart, he said, “ I was thinking about the same thing.” So right away we began to give a tithe, and it seemed that the nine-tenths we had left went twice as far. Over and over again God more than made up to us for what we gave to His work.. One incident will serve as an illustra tion: In the company for which my hus band worked was a lonely old watch maker into whose life as young married people we tried to bring a little cheer. One day Mr. Monroe came home with the sad news that our dear old friend had died. Later, to our astonishment, we were notified that he had left us $500.00— $450.00 to pay on our ljttle home, and $50.00 for the Lord’s work! Our house was paid for in a remarkably short time. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S

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