Child Evangelism Number
1937
PHOTO BY EWING GALLOWAY N.Y.
Have You Started Your King’s Business Club? Prize Contest fo r Churches, Church Societies and Individual Workers
Ten Cash P R IZ E S * LIBERAL COMM ISS IONS First Prize for largest number of * g annual subscriptions *P 1 1 I f 1 (above 200) " Second Prize for next largest number .. of annual subscriptions $ (above 100) T h ird P r ize FIVE PRIZES OF $10.00 each for next largest number of annual subscriptions above 25. TW O PRIZES OF $5.00 each for next largest number of annual subscriptions above 15. In the event that two winning clubs are found to be of the same number, prizes of equal value will be given to each contestant. Re member, a liberal commission is allowed on each subscription. Thus each contestant is well paid for his or her work. *The amount offered in prizes is NOT in excess of K IN G 'S BUSI NESS needs. It is, rather, a sum obtained through an economy in mailing, and it has been voted that this saving shall be shared with K IN G 'S BUSINESS friends who co operate in building the magazine's circulation during this contest. Ten cash prizes totaling $235. for next largest number * of annual subscriptions $ (above 50)
Contest Closes June 30, 1937
PRICES AND CO M M IS S IO N S
Subscriptions
Price
Commission $ .50 ea. .75 ea. 1.00 ea.
Remit
Single annual ..................$1.50 Club of 3 to 10 .............. 1.50 Club of 10 or m o re ......... 1.50 In order to secure the widest distribu tion among Christians, TH E K ING ’S BUSINESS announces a prize contest in which more than $200.00 will be given to churches, church societies,
$1.00 ea.
.75 ea. .50 ea.
Bible classes, and individual organizers who will participate, provided they en roll the required number of annual sub scribers. Everybody is welcome, with good commissions and prizes assured.
MOST FOR LEAST The King’s Business represents the nearer to being the perfect “Bible “most for the money” in the entire Family Magazine” than does any other field of evangelical publications. Beau- contemporary publication. It will bring tifully illustrated, attractively printed, a blessing to any home, Bible class or thoughtfully edited, it comes perhaps church in which it is circulated. NO ONE CAN LOSE
church, Bible class, or church society work. Thus working together and securing 200 subscriptions (provided the church in question wins the first prize of $100) and by applying the $1.00 commission on each subscription toward church work, the group would find their gross returns to be $300, enough to aid materially in the church income. Lesser returns would produce proportionate results to PRIZE win ners.
Remember, this is a contest in which no one can lose. You will receive a commission, whether you win a prize or not. You can work alone, or you can organize the workers of your church, church society, or Bible class, in a steady and profitable subscription campaign. A church congregation can secure a most desirable reward by working for and winning the $100 First Prize, and, further, by pooling the commis sions and applying the whole sum to
E N R O L L M E N T F O R M
The King’s Business, 558 So. Hope Street, Los Angeles, Calif.
Please send me................. ..............................copies of THE KING’S BUSINESS free, to be used as samples, in the campaign I am starting. I hope to secure..................... ...............................—subscriptions before June 30. I understand that subscriptions which are to count in this contest are to be received at the full price of $1.50 for each annual subscription.
Sent by..&...C.i..-.—---- -------------- - ---------—-........ .A , . . ............ -...........——.......
Address............................ ......... ............ .............................................................................
Pastor’s Name.......................... ..... ....... - — ....i».*....-....:;.:......... .................................................. :....^.L............ ,—....
Superintendent’s Name.
161
May, 1937
THE K I N G ' S BUS I NESS
PAUL W. ROOD. Editor M ildred M . C ook , Managing Editor H. S. R is le y , Circulation Manager
Official Organ of The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated
“ Œ f t o u g > ()0 t tU > e g t jgot jjabe 3 lookeb” The tide of Jew hate is rising. A propaganda such as America has never known before is being waged, to stir up base passions against God’s covenant people. The child of God needs to be warned of these heart-breaking conditions, and needs also to take an active share in op posing them. Solemn is the warning of God to those who stand quies cently by while the attacks go on: “But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress” (Obadiah 12). If ever in their history the Jews needed your help they need it now. A Hitler in Germany with such brutality as the Jews have not known since the days of Titus; a sudden explosion of Jew ha.te in Poland with the Government itself determined to drive all 3,000,000 Jews out of the land; a Russia drunk with blasphemy and rooting out all traces of religion, so that the Jew is being robbed of his most priceless possession, ' his pristine faith in God; a Roumania urged on by Greek Catholic priests to exter minate Jews— what despair faces the Jew! The age-old cry of the wandering Jew must pierce the heart of every true child of God— WOHIN SOL ICH GEHfiN? For such a time as this, the Lord has called the American Board of Missions to the Jews to be the chan nel through whom you as a child of God may bring a bit of that comfort and cheer which only can come from a true proclamation of the Gospel message. Mr. - Cohn 'is leaving shortly for a visit of mercy to these harrassed Jews of Central Europe. Your fellowship in prayer and in gift will truly be the cup of cold water given in His name, which shall not lose its reward. Will you pray? Will you help, if and as He gives you the means? AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS TO THE’ JEWS, INC., 3 I Throop Ave., Brook lyn, N. Y. Dear Friends in the Lord: I pray for Israel in her hour of agony, and gladly, enclose $ .................. as fellow ship with you in your world-wide Gospel work. Name................................................................... Street. . . . . * ........................................................ C ity ..................................... ••• .S tate..................
S f b l e T a m i l # r i n a t i n e Motto: “ Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood ."— R ev . 1:5.
Volume XXVIII
May, 1937
Number 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover— The drawings surrounding the central picture are the work of Ransom D . Marvin, K ing ’ s B usiness artist. Around the King’s Table — Paul W . Rood . . . . Looking Ahead with Boys and Girls — Claire Weiermuller “ That’s Not Enough for M e” . . . . . Omitting the Essential . . .......................................
162 163 164 164 166 167 168 168 169 171 179 184 191 199
Children of Poland— For Christ— Tordis Christoffersen Children at the Altar of Decision — Frank A. Miller Girls’ Query Corner —Myrtle E. Scott . . . . W orld ’s Christian Fundamentals Association Junior King’s Business —Martha S. Hooker International Lesson C om m en ta ry ............................... The Bible Institute Family C i r c l e ............................... Notes on Christian Endeavor — Mary G. Goodner Daily Devotional Readings . . . 1. Evangelistic N o t i c e s ......................................
I N F O R M A T I O N F O R S U B S C R I B E R S
TERMS: Single Copies.________ 15c Annual Subscription _________ ______. . . _________ $1.50 Two-year subscription or two annual subscriptions 2.50 Five annual subscriptions________ 5.00 Eleven annual subscriptions_______________________10.00 Subscriptions in countries outside of U. S. require 25c extra. REMITTANCE: Should be made by Bank Draft, Ex press or P. O. Money Order, payable to "The King’s Business." Receipts will not be sent for regular subscriptions, but date of expiration will show plainly each month, on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please send both old and new address at least one month previous to date of desired change.
ADVERTISING: For information with reference to advertising in THE KINO’ S BUSINESS, address the ADVERTISING MANAGER. 558 SOUTH HOPE STREET. LOS ANGELES, CALIF., or our eastern representative. Religious Press Association, 825 North 13th Street. Philadelphia, Pa., or 333 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 111. Entered as Second Class Matter November 17, 1310, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3. 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage pro vided for in Section 1103. Act of October 3, 1917, authorized October 1, 1918. MANU8CRIPT8: THE KING’S BUSINESS cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent to it for consideration.
POLICY (a) To stand for the infallible Word of God. and its great fundamental truths, (b) To strengthen the faith of all believers, (c) To stir young men and women to fit themselves for and engage in definite Christian work, (d) To act as the official organ of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated, (e) To magnify God our Father and the person, work, and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: and to teach the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our present practical life, (f) To emphasize in strong, constructive messages the great foundations of Christian faith.
THE KING’S BUSINESS
Los Angeles, California
558 South Hope Street
May, 1937
THE K I N G ' S BUS I NESS
162
Around the King's Table
By PAUL W . ROOD
He was comparatively young at the time of His death. His interest in youth was revealed by His attitude toward the rich young ruler: “ Jesus beholding him loved him.” Christ wanted the young ruler as a disciple. He was con cerned for his spiritual welfare and dealt with him faith fully. The Lord has the same deep concern for the youth of our day. Christ desires the cooperation of young people. He wants not only men’s souls for eternal joy but also their services through the passing years. Don’t give Him the ashes of a life burned out in sin. Give Him the bloom and fragrance of the years of youth. Christ wants the en thusiasm of youth. Christ has a program for youth. He wants to give young people a real experience of salvation that will solve the sin problem and will produce the peace that passeth all understanding, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. He wants young people who will surrender everything to Him and will go to the ends of the earth for Him. Christ has a solution for every problem of youth. He can solve intellectual problems. In John 7:17 we read: “ If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doc trine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of my self.” Christ came to change the heart, and He solves in tellectual problems by changing the life. If a man is will ing to obey the Light, that Light will be revealed to him. The text quoted gives the test. Let the skeptic be honest and give a fair trial to the test given by the Lord, and the doubts will disappear?- Christ can solve social problems. Young people crave companionship. Christ will direct the young man who commits his problems into the hands of the Lord. Christ is able to bring together the two young people who can be of the greatest possible blessing to each other and to the world. The Lord can solve moral prob lems. He leads young people to say “ N'o” to sin and “ Yes” to God. He fills the mind with legitimate interests so that there is no time nor inclination for that which is not worthy. Christ solves the spiritual problems of young people by dwelling in their hearts and giving them victory day by day. He is the answer to every question and the solution of every difficulty. In effect, Christ is saying to the young people of our day, “ Accept Me as your Saviour. Surren der to Me as your Lord. Take care of your body, for it is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Develop your mind, be cause it is your duty to place at your Lord’s disposal a dis ciplined intellect. Serve Me by serving your fellow men for M y sake. W in souls and make your life count for eternity.” Christians above all people should be Phraseology sin“ re> honest, transparent, and genuine. 87 Christ denounced in no uncertain terms the hypocrisy of the Pharisees of His day. He dealt in both righteousness and great compassion with those who because of the frailties of human nature had been over- [ Continued on page 198] Pious
Why Evangelize . ^ M of ^ ° d in the present hour p , , is a call to child evangelism. Chris- ren tians in various parts of the world are being stirred by the Holy Spirit to devote themselves to winning boys and girls for Christ. Many of us believe that the next great revival will be a children’s revival. There are five reasons that Christians should1engage in child evangelism. First, children need salvation. In Matthew 18:11, we read: “ For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” W e note from the context that Christ had been talking about children, and the logi cal inference is that children are lost and need salvation. In this connection, we are talking of those who have reached the age of responsibility. In infancy, a babe’s in herited sinful nature is covered and atoned for by the blood of Christ, by His substitutionary death for sin, for the grace of God operates where it is not resisted. When a child reaches the age of responsibility, that child must accept Christ as his personal Saviour and confess Christ before men. The age of responsibility may begin very early, and therefore the way of salvation should be ex plained to the child just as soon as he can understand that the Lord Jesus died for him on the cross. The second reason for making earnest efforts in child evangelism is that Christ died for children as well as for adults. “ Christ died for the ungodly”— for the child who has only begun to sin, and for the adult who has long hardened his heart in unbelief. In the third place, we should stress child evangelism because Satan is seeking to enlist the children of tjie world for his service. There are Communistic camps for chil dren in this country, camps in which boys and girls are instructed in the philosophy of Communism and atheism. The theory of evolution is presented to the children at an early age, and attempts are made to rob them of their faith in God. The increasing activities of the adversary to mislead and destroy children should cause us to redouble our efforts to win them for the Lord Jesus Christ. A fourth reason for emphasizing child evangelism is that the winning of children means everything to them. If they are to be saved at all, they will need to be saved in childhood in the majority of cases. Much ado is made of the conversion of a hardened criminal. Far more wonder ful is a child’s salvation and his escape from a life of crime. The fifth reason for engaging in child evangelism is that the nation and the world never can be evangelized un less the children are reached. If the way of salvation is presented simply and clearly, most of the children con tacted will be won for the Lord. Let us win the boys and girls for Christ!
Christ and
Christ is interested in young people. The Lord Jesus had a normal development dur ing His early years: “ And Jesus increased
Youth
in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” He developed physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.
163
THE K I N G ' S BUS I NES S
May, 1937
Looking Ahead with Boys and Girls
d jU U
By CLA IRE WEIERMULLER* Pasadena, California
Photo by Ewing Galloway, W. Ï .
H O W long will the church of Jesus Christ devote most of its energy and spend thousands of dollars yearly in the almost hopeless task of trying to per suade men and women to be reconciled to God, when with comparatively little effort great numbers of boys and girls can be brought to know Him ? When will- we Christian workers learn to evaluate our labor properly and put the major emphasis where we may obtain the best results? Though we bear the name of Christ, if we ignore the need of the children we are unlike Him in love for the lost. When the disciples and the multitude would have pushed the boys and girls aside, H'e took them up in His arms and said: “ Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God” (M k . 10:14). Again, He said: “ Whosoever shall not re ceive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Lk. 18:16). When our Lord thus urged upon His early followers the value of devoting attention to a little child, why should we in the present day be satisfied to concentrate effort chiefly upon winning adults? V ision E ssen tial W e need a new vision of the possibilities in the evan gelization of boys and girls. W e must sense the vastness of the task. In the United States alone, there are 27,000,- 000 boys and girls who receive no religious instruction whatever.t W ith shame we must admit that of the num- * Director of Christian Education, Immanuel Baptist Church, t An estimate based on a careful survey made by Chicago authori ties a few years ago.
her who enroll in Protestant Sunday-schools, 65% cease to attend before or when they reach adolescent years. More tragic still is the realization that during.the years of their attendance at Sunday-school, a majority of these boys and girls never were even given an opportunity to face the Lord’s requirement: “ Ye must be born again” (John 3 :3 ). W e must recognize, too, that when a boy or girl is won for Christ, in the return of that one to the fam ily circle a way is open for the gospel’s entrance into that home. This fact was emphasized by a missionary to Japan who said, “ The greatest evangelistic agency in all Japan is the kindergarten.” Many an adult with whom Chris tian people have dealt for a long time concerning his or her need of the Saviour will yield to His claims readily when Christ’s winsomeness is manifested through a little child in the home. F ourfold A im As Christian parents and teachers, we should have 'a fourfold aim in dealing with children. First, we must lead boys and girls to the Saviour. It is not enough to talk to them about Christ; we must pre pare the way for each individual to see his need of the Lord Jesus Christ and to receive Him into the heart. It is recorded concerning Joseph Smith, the founder of Mor- monism, that as a little lad in New York, he was ejected bodily from Sunday-school for misbehavior. What a dif ferent story of subsequent years might have been written if a tactful Sunday-school teacher, alert to the boy’s need, [Continued on page 182]
IM
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
May, 1937
What is to be done when a boy in Sunday-school declares
“That's Not Enough for M e " His Teacher Suggests a Reply
S O M E T H IN G was evidently wrong. Walter, the popular thirteen-year-old, whom twenty boys were proud to call their class president, apparently had suffered a sudden loss of interest in everything. He was usually the very life of the group, not only a good mixer but also a real soul-winner and a promising youthful execu tive. But today he was silent and depressed. At the close of the lesson in which, contrary to custom, he had taken no active part in discussion, he waited until the other boys had gone off, bounding down the stairs, before he approached the teacher. “ I— I must speak to you— all alone,” he faltered. Determination and manliness marked the set of the jaw, though the chin quivered a little. His lithe young body was tense. Politely, he refused the chair that was offered, and paced back and forth in the little classroom. “ You’re going to be ashamed of me!” he finally confided. “ I’m afraid you’re going to be terribly ashamed of me.” “ No,” the understanding one replied, “ I ’ll not be ashamed of you, Walter. You could not do anything that would make me ashamed of you. If you have somehow grieved our Lord Jesus, I shall be sorry—more sorry than I can ever tell you. But however shameful may be the offense, I shall always be your friend, and proud to bear that name.” “ Boy! I’m glad of that!” the words slipped out as a great sigh. “ What is it that troubles you, Walter?” There was a long pause. Then, in slow, painful sentences, the boy laid bare the burden of his heart. “ Last week,” he said, “ something happened— and I didn’t know whether I was saved or not.” The boy did not tell then or later what that “ something” was, and the teacher did not pry. “ Oh, it was terrible' not to know,” he went on. “ I couldn’t eat or sleep.” S eek ing for U nderstanding “ Did you tell your parents? Couldn’t they have helped you?” The father and mother were active members of the church and Sunday-school. “ Oh, no, I could never tell them that,” the boy gasped in amazement. “ They would have laughed, or else felt dis graced. But I ’ll tell you what I did do. I hunted up the man who knelt beside me at the altar a long time ago when I was just a kid in the Junior Department. I went to his house, last week, and talked to him all alone in his yard. I said to him right straight, ‘M r. Green, did you save me?’ “ And he laughed, and said, ‘W hy no, lad, I didn’t save you. Nobody on earth could do that.’ “ I thought he had forgotten me, so I said, ‘Don’t you remember? It was during the evangelistic campaign. The preacher asked all of us who wanted Christ as our Saviour to come to the altar and pray. A lot of us boys and girls went forward, and older people, too. You knelt down right beside me, and you prayed for me, and I felt happy afterwards. Honestly— didn’t you save me that night?’
“ ‘Why no, boy,’ he said. ‘I didn’t save you. I just prayed for you.’ He didn’t seem to want to talk any more about it, so I said good-bye and went on home.” Walter paced up and down in the little classroom, his hands clenched, his face white and drawn in an agony of fear. “ I tell you that’s not enough for me," he cried. “ I ’ve got to know. Prayed for me! That’s not enough! I ’ve got to know I ’m saved.” T h e P a t h of C e r t a in t y “ You may know, Walter, my lad. You may know right now and forever.” The words were quietly spoken, but they must have carried with them sincerity and hope, for the boy stood still, relaxed. “ How, then?” he asked. “ You may know on the authority of God’s own Word. You may safely place your trust in the W ord that is for ever settled in heaven. On that night that you knelt at the altar, did any one direct your attention, Walter, to passages in the W ord of G od?”
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmiiiimimimiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiMmiiiniiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiimiiimmiimmiiiii
Om itting the
I. In the Church
“ You never led me to the Saviour!’’ What will parents and teachers and ministers answer if the children now in their care shall some day bring that charge against them? They may have given their boys and girls a taste of religion, but have withheld from them the experimental knowledge of sins forgiven through the blood of Christ. One wonders what reply would be offered by the “adopted father’’ who writes in “ The Parents’ Magazine’’ (April, 1937), and of the “ intelligent minister’’ to whom he refers in the article, and of hundreds of others like these two. “As far as I was concerned,’’ comments the writer, “ I felt the boy was better off without any religion. But . . . I felt he might as well be exposed to religion in one of its milder forms. “ I picked a liberal church with a highly intelligent min ister and for the first time in many years attended a Sunday morning service. I told the minister that on the following Sunday I would ask the boy to attend all services in the church. Thereafter I would do nothing further about the matter. If the boy found something he needed, well and good. If not, he should not be forced to attend. “He attended the services the following Sunday. He en joyed the Sabbath school because he found out they argued informally or debated about such matters as Hitlerism or Soviet Russia, but he calculated how he could come fifteen minutes later next Sunday and avoid the hymns and prayers which, he said, he did not like. He enjoyed the minister’s sermon. He especially admired his vocabulary. . . “ Thereafter he attended the church regularly for three Sundays. Later he dropped off. Now he goes occasionally if there is a particularly interesting subject up for debate, or
I6S
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
May, 1937
with understanding. He silently reread the verses. “ One more passage, Walter— John 10:27-29. Follow the words with your pencil as we read them: ‘M y sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck thém out of my Father’s hand.’ ” “ Why, I never saw that before!” the boy exclaimed. “ A fellow can always be sure just where he stands, can’t he? If he gets to wondering, he can just turn right away to what God says— and be sure. “ Say,” he continued,
“W ell,” Walter mused reminiscently, “ M r. Green did have a Bible in his hand. He recited several verses to me.” “ Do you recall one of them?” “ That’s just the trouble— I don’t !” “ Let’s look into the W ord together, shall we? Suppose we turn to John 1 :12 and read it aloud: ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.’ ” “Why, that’s what I did that night,” the boy’s face brightened. “ I received Christ; I ’m sure I did. I ’ll mark that verse in my Bible so I ’ll always remember it.” “ Then shall we turn to Romans 10:9 and 10?”
“ why didn’t somebody tell us boys how to find what we need in the Bible, like you’ve showed me this morning?” S h a m e f u l A b an d o n m e n t Many another boy and girl is echoing Walter’s question . “ I t is easy,” Christian workers say, “ to lead a child to Christ.” True— but spiritual trag edy is imminent when one presents the plan of salva tion to a trusting child, without taking the trouble to establish that precious one in a knowledge of the Word. And the work of instructing the young con vert may be a long, slow, repetitive process that has not the vestige of glamor
Walter read slowly and thoughtfully: “ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto right eousness ; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” “ I did that, too,” he added. “ I confessed Christ that very night.” The joy of conviction was mounting, and the bright eyes of the boy shone
IllllllllllllllllllllllllUllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!
Essential
Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts
He if they have a hike. The sermons he no longer hears, says he has that preacher’s vocabulary down pat.” Is this father guiltless? Is the minister? II. In the Home “ Twenty Gospels of John, please.” The young man waited for the salesman to wrap them. “For a class?” queried the interested storekeeper. “No, for a little boy.” “ For a boy! How old?” “ Seven.” “ A bit unusual, isn’t it?” “Well, no, not when you know the story. You see, this boy is an only child in a home where the parents are away most of the time. I am employed to care for him, keep him amused, and teach him a little. Our first night together, I told him about the Lord Jesus. He looked at me in sur prise. *Jesus!* he echoed reproachfully; ‘why, that’s a swear word.’ In a very respectable home, in so-called Christian America, I told that boy a story he never before had heard, the story of Calvary, and the empty tomb, and the coming Christ. He was deeply impressed. To my delight, he wil lingly received the Saviour into his heart.” “ But where do the twenty Gospels of John come in?” “ Why, don’t you know that the most natural thing for a saved sinner to do is to begin right away to witness for Christ? In one day, with absolutely no urging, the youngster accosted twenty of his playmates. He used his own phraseology and demanded: ‘Don’t you want to know all about the adventures of Jesus?’ They did, of course. In their homes, as in his, the name of Jesus usually did not mean ‘Saviour.’ “ ‘Then I’ll get you a book that tells all about Him,’ the boy promised. So— at his request, I’m buying little red booklets, to change homes, and hearts.” — Actual Experience of a Biola Student.
about it for the adult teacher or adviser. On every hand, one hears humanitarian leaders declar ing that parents have no right to bring into the world boys and girls for whose physical welfare they are not will ing to take responsibility. There are fierce denunciations of those parents who will bring a child to the birth, and then abandon the little one to the care of strangers. Yet the same loose practice, in a spiritual sense, is going on all the time, and no one lifts a voice in protest. There are innumerable indictments of the modernistic teacher or preacher who either scoffs at or else ignores the Bible teaching concerning the absolute necessity of the new birth for obtaining eternal life. But many Bible-believing teáchers and preachers are likewise in need of correction when they take lightly the holy responsibilities that devolve upon them in connection with the birth of a soul. Any person, adult or child, may experience the New Birth, “ being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of in corruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” There is no question that, even in a child, the work of regeneration may be genuine and complete. And the promise is to every one, at any age: “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). The believer, although a tiny child, is then a new creature in Christ Jesus, one who will be “ kept by the power of God.” Is the soul-winner, then, to bear no responsibility? Shall the one present at the birth— the spiritual birth of a child— take no vital interest in the provision of its food and care ? In the world, such heart lessness would merit scathing criticism. In the realm of [Continued on page 190]
U
May, 1937
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
166
Jewish girls happi l y leaving Warsaw for a two-weeks' stay at Villa Bethel at Radosc, a re sort a few miles from Warsaw.
Children of Poland— For Christ By TORDIS CHRISTOFFERSEN Warsaw, Poland
F O L L O W me, if you will, on a day’s visitation in the ghetto of Warsaw. W e meet Jews almost exclusively. W e enter the home of Mrs. G -------, a true believer. Her little place is a dark cellar, and she has to live there with her husband and child, under most miserable conditions. In order to pay the rent, she must let four men sleep with the family in this one small room every night, on folding beds. Yet Mrs. G------- is happy. She has music and prayer in her heart, access to the Throne of God, and gratitude for everything. “ H ow good that I have even this!’ ’ she says, with a glance about the tiny place. Alas, not every sad little home in Poland has received the Light as this home has! W e pass into an old, dark house. A mother is sitting- on a bed with her sick baby in her arms. The room is cold and dirty, and the mother is weeping bitterly. She moans, “ M y child is dying! He needs help— now! An operation on his ear!” There is no hope; there is no money. No hospital will open its doors to a poor Jewish mother. In a corner of [“A fter my happy days of training at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, concluding in 1929,” writes Miss Christoffersen, “it was my privilege to teach Bible classes and join prayer groups in intercession for missions. The ministry of prayer drew me, for I believed it to be the greatest work of all— and I still do.” Arriving in Warsaw in the summer of 1933, she joined a mis sionary who had been working alone since the martyrdom of Miss Grace Mott, another Biola graduate who loved not her life “unto the death.” Weakened in strength, M iss Christoffersen’s fellow missionary was obliged to leave the field. Thus soon after her arrival in Poland, the new worker found herself alone in a strange land, confronted with a most difficult language and the responsibility for a work. In the accompanying article, which pre sents only one phase of the evangelistic activity in which Miss Christoffersen is engaged, there is insight not only into condi tions in Poland, but also into the heart of one to whom com munion with a Loved One, and intercession on behalf of other loved ones, is “the greatest work of all ."— E ditor .]
the room stand two boys whom we had with us last sum mer at the Mission’s home in Radosc. Today they have had nothing to eat, and they show it. The father has lost his mind and has wandered away, no one knows where. W e go a little farther, deep down in a dark cellar, to visit a family with six children. In the corner crouches a middle-aged man. “ Who is he?” we ask. The woman answers, “ M y brother. He has been sitting there for the last fifteen years. He is deaf and dumb, and not quite right, so we must keep him.” The father is out hunting for bread. At the next place are some .old friends whom I have not seen for six months. The father has changed so greatly that at first I did not recognize him. He is very low with tuberculosis. He speaks some English. “ I am dying,” he whispers. “ And I am afraid!” There are children in that home, too, and the mother worn out with sorrow and care. Everywhere is the same story— hunger and dirt, sickness and sorrow, children without shoes and coats. Everywhere, children! Chil dren! T o t h e F a m il y T h r o u g h t h e C h ild W e have found that work among Jewish youth will open gates which could not be unbarred by any other means— entrances into needy hearts and needy homes. In Poland, whatever kindness one shows to a destitute child is interpreted as being a kindness to the whole house. Ever afterwards, one may go in and out of the home freely, teaching and ministering to the family. In and about Warsaw, there are at least 150 families that-have received the witness in this way, and what a joy it is to enter these homes and hear the whole family sing and read the Bible together! Warsaw has a population of a million and a quarter souls, approximately 350,000 of them being Jews. About
167
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
May, 1937
a hundred years ago, the first witness to Israel was borne to the Jews of this region by an English layman, who loved them. Twenty years later, the Church Mission So ciety to the Jews began its work here. This is still a blessed work, under the leadership of a consecrated young man. Later, the Mildmay Mission began a ministry in this territory, and today has two workers. Last spring, another mission established a work on. the other side of the Vistula River, with two men workers. In addition to these other evangelical groups that are at work in this area, there is our mission, the American- European Fellowship, which, up to the present time, is the only one to carry on work particularly among children. The four missions cooperate most happily. A united prayer meeting is held the first Friday of each month, and a united evangelistic service the following Saturday night. But how few are the witnesses among a million souls! About eighteen kilometers outside Warsaw, lies beau tiful Radosc. Served bv a new electric train which travels on an hourly schedule, Radosc is developing into an attrac
Children at the Altar of Decision
By FRANK A. MILLER* Los Angeles, California F OR M O N TH S , I had been praying for an evangel ist and his wife who were conducting only night services, and who paid little or no attention to boys and girls. As I pleaded with them to hold after-school meetings for children, they replied, “ W e are not interested. W e don’t know how to deal with children.” One day as I was driving to San Diego from Los An geles, I saw a large tent near the highway, bearing an announcement of meetings being held by these workers, and I stopped to see my friends. “ Next Saturday morning, the Lord willing, I shall be passing this way on my return trip,” I told them, “ and if you will invite the children to be here, I believe the Lord will help me show you how they may be won for the Lord Jesus Christ.” They assented readily. The following Saturday morn ing, a large company of boys and girls with some teach ers and parents greeted me in the tent. I unfolded my blackboard and little organ. For an hour— aided by chalk and story—we showed these eager listeners that they needed Christ to save them from their sins, and that, moreover, Christ must be received as personal Saviour. How they listened! When the invitation to accept Christ was given very quietly and thoughtfully, about twenty boys and girls stood up apd said, individually, “ I want to be a Chris tian.” They came forward, and prayed. Their faith was based upon the W ord of God which each one held in his hand, and these young believers arose and confessed Christ as their Saviour. This response was a revelation to my evangelist friends. It gave them an insight into the necessity for presenting the gospel to youth, and they began to seek to win the boys and girls for the Lord Jesus Christ. Wonderful letters have come to me from these workers, telling about the conversion of children "in their meetings and of in stances in which fathers and mothers and whole families have been won for the Lord Jesus Christ through the chil dren’s acceptance of Him. M ethods W h ic h H ave P roved U seful The question may be asked, What are some of the methods to be employed in dealing with youth? First, be sure that your own heart is absolutely right with God. Then pray that He will show you the value of a soul, especially the soul of a child. Second, plan special services for the boys and girls. Visually present the great truths of God’s Word. Show what sin is. Make plain that all are sinners, needing a Saviour (cf. John 1 :12). Third, give an invitation to accept Christ. This need is vital. Shun “ mob decisions,” and beware of premature responses. Never say,' “ Now all of vou who want to be Christians come forward.” I once witnessed about 150 [Continued on page 190] * Superintendent of the Children’s Evangelistic Union and author of Evangelistic Chalk Talks.
tive summer resort. From Radosc, a walk of twenty minutes over the sand will bring one to Villa Bethel, the property of the Ameri can-European Fellowship— a place of happy memories where Jewish children and others have learned of the Messiah’s love for them. Situated on the edge of a great pine forest, and sur rounded by a beautiful gar den, green lawns, and an orchard, rise four buildings. First, there is Villa Bethel proper, which has nine large rooms and seven smaller ones, including the kitchen and two good-sized porches. There is another building with four rooms, a laundry, and a combination woodshed and barn. This location is
Miss Christoffersen (left) and Helper
known to many Jews and is a great attraction to them in the summer time when it is the scene of many activities. W ho S h a l l A t t e n d ? How are we to determine who shall enjoy the privileges of Villa Bethel? In the spring, when we gather at the mission in Warsaw for meetings on Saturday afternoons, a mixed company usually greets us. There are pious Jews, rationalistic and communistic Jews, and some who are altogether indifferent. There are finely dressed ladies, poor mothers with babies in their arms, children of all ages, from three to sixteen years of age, young business women, young men, and even workingmen— all begging for a holiday at Radosc. Their motive, of course, is to get out of their dark and dirty quarters in the slums and into the beauty and freedom of the woods and garden. W e begin our work of preparation. W e teach'these pupils gospel songs. W e give them Bible verses to mem orize— especially those portions bearing on sin and salva tion. As nearly as we can, we take note of every phase of the listeners’ response. After five or six weeks o f .ob servation, and when we have given prayerful consideration to the matter, we begin to register pupils for attendance at Villa Bethel. Parents of children who attend are [ Continued on page 1SS]
May, 1937
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
168
Right Kind o f Ambition “ Seekest thou great things for thyselff seek them not” (Jer. 45:5). The context shows that these words were spoken to Baruch, who acted as the aman uensis of Jeremiah, writing out the mes sage of God. That message was read to Jehoiakim, the then ruling king of Judah. You will recall that Jehoiakim rejected the message, cutting up the parchment with his penknife and casting it into the fire (Jer. 36:20-23). This outcome disheartened Baruch, and he apparently took Jehoiakim’s act as a personal insult. He was evidently saying or thinking, “ They are not giving me the honor that I ought to have as a servant of God.” Then came the rebuke from the Lord, “ Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.” Judgment was about to fall upon Judah, and it was no time for a servant of God to be thinking of his own honor. Many devout students of the Word of God and of the signs of the times believe that we are nearing the end of this age and that judgment will soon fall upon this ungodly world. This is no time for us Christians to be pursuing a selfish ambi tion, seeking great things for ourselves. We should be ambitious to be well pleasing to Jesus Christ in our daily living, and ambi tious to do our part in proclaiming the glad tidings of Christ, that those, who be lieve may be saved from the terrible judg ment upon sin that is surely coming, per haps soon.— J ohn A. H ubbard . conform in its entirety to the doctrinal statement of the World’s Christian Funda mentals Association. In commenting on this change, one of the officers of the Phil adelphia organization writes: “ In the in ception of the Philadelphia group, they had changed paragraph No. 7, leaving out the premillenarian coming of our Lord, think ing that it might bring into the member ship some who might believe in the other fundamentals but were open on this point. However, they have not found it so, and we have come to the conclusion that it will be best to include this in our statement.” Merrill T . MacPherson, P. O. Box 7, Philadelphia, Pa., has been serving as President of this group. Meetings in California Fred A. Flora, one of the field workers of the World’s Christian Fundamentals As sociation, came to California in January and has been engaged in Bible conferences and evangelistic meetings in the follow ing communities: Lincoln Acres, Westmore land, Niland, Mt. Signal, Campo, and Poway. He plans to go East in the sum mer and will be available for work there after September 26. He can be addressed at any time at Route 4, Box 463, South Bend, Ind.
Girls' Query Corner Conducted by M yrtle E. S cott
Questions for answer in this corner should be sent to Miss Scott, 8961 Dicks St., West Hollywood, Calif., and a stamped envelope should be enclosed for reply. No name will appear with the questions chosen for publication.
they saw God’s miracle and rejoiced the more. The priests of Israel had to have faith in God to bear the ark into the Jordan before they saw the waters divide to let Israel through. How much God’s people would miss if they never were placed in difficult places to see the deliverance of the Lord! My dear, it is time to say: “ The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Now is the time to wait patiently and expectantly to see how He is working for you and proving Romans 8:28 in your case. When God permits experiences to come to us, we need to let Him use them to train our faith and to teach us to re joice in Him, that we may lean upon Him as our strength in the days that are ahead. Look up! God has never failed, and He will not fail now. If you will but put your trust in Him and wait before Him, you will see that He is working out a good and loving purpose in your life. “As for God, his way is perfect" (Psa. 18:30). Regional Bible Conferences North Dakota and Minnesota were the states in which Alvin O. Carlson, 1625 E. Sixth St., Superior, Wis., Regional Chair man of the World’s Christian Fundamentals Association, held Bible conferences, with sessions in Mankato, Minn.; Jamestown, N. D .; St. Cloud, Minn.j Fargo, N. D .; and Kulm, N. D. Last fall, Mr. Carlson had the privilege of organizing both a state conference and divisional conferences in North Dakota. A. E. Bowman of Kulm, N. D., was elected President of the state organization. Tri-County Fundamentals Association The Tri-County Fundamentals Associa tion, which A> J. Levengood, pastor of the Zion Reformed Church, New Bedford, Ohio, has been serving as President, holds monthly meetings which are addressed by fundamental pastors and Bible teachers. The group plans to conduct Bible confer ences and young people’s rallies, and will seek to promote summer Bible schools wherever possible. Philadelphia Fundamentalists A t their meeting in February of this year, the Philadelphia Fundamentalists amended their doctrinal basis to have it
Dear Miss Scott: I am no longer a girl, but I am in need of spiritual help and know no one to go to unless I come to the Query Corner. Things have come thick and fast in my life lately. I have prayed and have been trying to trust the Lord through it all; but as one thing and another has come— sickness, loss of crops, home, and most of our life’s sav ings—things look very dark, and I can see no light ahead. I am having a fight to keep bitterness and despair from entering my soul. I try to assure myself with the thougnl that “ all things work together for good to them that love God,” but it may be that I am seeing the present too clearly to re joice in, future good. What shall I do? — D istressed . My Dear: My heart goes out in sympathy for you and for the others in our country who re cently have passed through an experience like yours. I rejoice, though, that you know the Lord as the One to whom to turn for help in your ne,ed. You can be sure He has not made a mistake nor forgotten His child. Listen to these words of the prophet in Habakkuk 3:17-19: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” What a ring must have been in the prophet’s voice as he said: “ Yet I will re joice in the Lord” I With the falling of the leaves before an autumn wind, we can see the sky more clearly. Sometimes things slip from our hands, and show us the uncer tainty of temporal things that we may set our affections more fully upon the things that are above, the things that are eternal. I f we are rejoicing in the Lord instead of in circumstances, the loss of material things will only melt our hearts and draw us closer to Him who “ abideth faithful.” Is the Lord God your strength, or are you depend ing on a bank account and a crop? God brings us into seemingly impossible places that we may see His wonder-working power. Christ waited until Lazarus was dead before He went to comfort Mary and Martha. When it seemed too late for help to come, they saw Him, the God of the im possible, and they saw their brother re stored to life. Abraham and Sarah had to wait for their promised son until they were past the age for a child to be born. Then
World's CHR IST IAN FUND AM EN TA LS Association
May, 1937
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
169
Junior King's Business By MARTHA S. HOOKER
SMILES FOR GIGGLES B y B ertha B. M oore Illustration by Ransom D. Marvin
M iss M ason was trying very hard to impress her boys and girls with the wonderful fact that Jesus loved them and was yearning for them to accept Him as their very own personal Saviour. With all her heart she wanted every boy and girl in that Junior Department to be come a real, earnest, “ Stand-up-for-Jesus” Christian. But Eric, one of the very bright est boys in the ten-year-old class, simply sat and giggled while she spoke to them. P erhaps you know
hardly wait to come to Jesus. He would have been willing that morning to come with every one watching him, but for some reason Miss Mason never asked them that way. “ I wonder whether there is some one who wants to come to Jesus this morning?” asked Miss Mason, as soon as the eyes were closed and the heads were all bowed. Eric did not hesitate. Something was wrong with his eyes. They kept filling up, but he wiped them and marched straight to Miss Mason. Almost as soon as he reached her side, there stood Guy' beside him. Guy was his chum. After the other children were dismissed, Eric and Guy knelt beside Miss Mason and asked the Lord Jesus to forgive their sins and save them. Realizing that their prayers had been answered, they offered a prayer of thanksgiving and arose from their knees, very, very happy because they were Chris tians. Eric’s eyes still bothered him, but Miss Mason seemed to understand. “ God bless you, boys,” she said, as she shook hands with Eric and then with Guy. “ I have been praying for you every single day all week. It is wonderful to have you receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and give your hearts to Him now s'o that you will have long lives of usefulness for Him. May He make of each of you a real soul-winner.” That day Eric did not stop on the side walk. His heart was light. He was happy. He was on his way to heaven, and Jesus was his Captain. Memory Work for May Question: What was the command of the Lord Jesus about the little children when He was here upon earth? Answer: Jesus said, “ Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). Question: What is the heavenly Father’s will in regard to little children? Answer: “ Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish” (Matt. 18:14). Question: Is a child known by the things he does? Answer: “Even a child is known by his doings” (Prov. 11:20). Question: How may a boy or girl become a child of God? Answer: “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
will you follow as you leave this room for your homes?” Eric’s giggles were beginning to be less frequent. He merely glanced around at the other boys and girls with a little smirk on his face. But he did not receive much en couragement as he looked about. Many of the faces of his classmates were very seri ous. His own became more thoughtful. Then Miss Mason asked each one to bow his head and close his eyes tight and not
peep a bit while they prayed together. While all the eyes were closed, she gave the invitation to any one who wanted to come to Jesus that very morning. Eric felt an urge in his heart to raise his hand. Then a voice seemed to say to him, “Wait till some other time. Your friends will laugh at you. You don’t understand!” And he waited! Nancy and Tom and Marietta did not wait. One and then the other received the Lord Jesus as Saviour. And not a child laughed! Eric felt
how giggles are. Gig gling is a queer some thing. It seems often that the more one gig gles, the more he has to giggle. Thus it was with Eric. Miss Mason wished she could take him out into the church yard and punish him. Then she realized what was ac tually happening. It was Satan, the devil him self, that was the cause of Eric’s giggles. Satan did not want Eric to be come a Christian. He knew that just as soon as Eric surrendered his
heart to the Lord Jesus and gave his life to Him, Satan would lose Eric forever. And Satan is never willing to lose a single one of his followers, especially a young boy who might have a long life to devote to the Saviour. When Miss Mason realized what was happening, she prayed even as she talked. She was emphasizing the “ B Verse” in the Scripture alphabet: “Be not deceived.” Surely it seemed to her that Eric was be ing deceived. “ Children, I believe the Lord Jesus espe cially longs that boys and girls shall not be deceived into believing that they are too young to become Christians, that they are so good that they are saved already, that only grown-up people are lost. If you are believing that this morning, you are lost and are already on Satan’s road which is leading you straight toward hell. You who have not been deceived but who have believed in Jesus and have surrendered your hearts to Him and have become His boys and His girls, have already started up Jesus’ road, and He is leading you straight to heaven. Every girl and boy in this room is old enough to decide for him self whether or not he wants to follow Jesus or to follow Satan. You must be a follower of the one or the other. Now, which one
as if he were going to giggle again, but he managed to keep from it when he saw how serious every one else was. It was time to go home. Suddenly Eric stood perfectly still on the sidewalk. “Miss Mason said if we were not follow ing Jesus, we were following Satan. Why—y, I must be following Satan! And that means I am on my way to hell, just as I am on my way home. Oh, I wish I had asked Jesus to save me, too!” Poor Eric! He spent a perfectly miserable week, for he did not know that he could receive Jesus as his Saviour just any min ute, even though he was not in the Junior classroom with Miss Mason. It seemed to him as if Sunday would never come. He wished he could talk to his mother or to his father about the Saviour, but his parents seldom even went to church, and they never mentioned the name of the Lord Jesus at home. He did not suppose they could help him at all. Then Sunday came. The “ C Verse” was “ Come, ye chil dren.” Come! Ah, that was what he wanted to do. With all his heart he hoped that Miss Mason would have the boys and girls bow their heads and close their eyes again and that then she would ask whether any one wanted to come. He really did want to answer that invitation. He could
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online