Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Incorporated
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Phone MUtual 5092
Los Angeles 13, Calif.
who knows his Bible A fter a fu ll day at the office, the treas urer o f a W yom ing town finds time for personal Bible study through a Moody hom e study course. H e says . . . “ . . . your course stands right by the Bible, with clear and definite inform a tion on how to handle G od’s W ord in teaching all classes o f people” W ouldn’t you like a better understand ing o f how to present the B ible to others—in all its convincing power? T h e Teacher Training Course will heln vou. W rite for details. Address Dept. K 822
Every Lesson a "BIBLE"Lesson Send today for big compendium and learn many advantages o f the G O SP EL L IG H T SERIES o f S>!MlcUiyScJtO<&o(g¿ HENRIETTA C. HEARS, Editor Not dated—No waste as surpluslessonsmaybe used for new classnextyear. Closely graded— Modern and scientific in teaching plan. Fundamental— Presents the whole Gospel of Christ and covers the entire Bible with a complete course of studyfrom BeginnersthroughAdults. Popular, practical, economical. Write for particulars today, THE GOSPEL LIGHT PRESS, 1443A No. Vine St., Hollywood 28, Calif.
15Year Complete Curriculum
N ow in use in more than 1 5 , 0 0 0 Churches An All-Inclusive Song B ook for Every Purpose and Every Age
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A soldier in Guadalcanal wrote his mother: “ I have been reading my New Testament which the Chaplain gave me from the Amer ican Bible Society and it has caused me to think seriously about my soul and the future. “ I am writing you, Mom, to ask that you read with me a chapter from the New Testa ment each d a y. . . ” A Challenge to Am ericans! Only the Bible can make this nation truly in vincible ! Let all unite to make it a power in our lives. A Plan 100 Years Old Today! You help this work and yourself when you pur chase an American Bible Society Annuity Agreement. Under this Plan you receive a regular income as long as you live. Send for s the booklet “ A Gift That Lives!’ URGENT! m i OUT AND MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY! □ Please send me, without obligation, your booklet KB-49 entitled “ A Gift That Lives” □ I enclose $ ,......-...to provide Testaments for young men in our armed forces. Name ...................... ...............— ......... .American B ible Society, Bible House, NewYork 22, N.Y.
312 Familiar Hymns and Gospel Songs that are the popular favorites for church use everywhere. Each song in this book has stood the tests of quality, character, singability, adaptability. Also, many new songs that appear in this book for the first time. “ Christian Service Songs’* will revive inter est in your congregational singing. It is keyed to the tempo of TODAY and will create an atmosphere o f welcome for return ing service men. Here’s a book that supplies a song for every Church need . . . for every type of congregation and any denomination. THE RODEHEAVER HALL-MACK CO. Sacred Music Publishers, 119 Ninth St., Winona Lake, Ind. Please send free examination copy of |~l C hristian S ervice S ongs Name of song boo\ used mow _________________ We will be needing new books about Name _____________ ' Q Pastor Q Supt. □ Committee Member Address ____________ ,. City and State
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WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHO WE ARE
Headauarters—27 Throop Ave., Brooklyn 6, N. Y. The American Board of Mis sions to the Jews dates its origin to 1894. It is supported by the free-will offerings of God’s chil dren who, through a study of the Word, have come to realize the importance of giving the Gospel to God’s covenant p e o p l e , “of w h o m as concerning the flesh Christ came,” and who desire to fulfill their duty by using us as their messengers and their chan nels of operation. Our field is not only the 2,000,- 000 Jews in New York City, nor even the 4,000,000 s c a t t e r e d throughout America, but God has enlarged our borders so that we are now at grips with the prob lems of reaching a world Jewry.- Our magazine THE CHOSEN PEOPLE— ■ Is sent to all contributors. Home Missions New York, 27 Throop Ave., Brooklyn 6 Philadelphia, Harry J. Burgen • Buffalo, N. Y., Joseph Serafin Pittsburgh, Pa., -Rev. John Solomon Columbus, Ohio, Rev. Sanford C. Mills Des Moines, Iowa, Rev. Emil D.' Gruen Los Angeles, Calif., Rev. Elias Zimmerman Miami, Florida, Mrs. G. Larsen Foreign Stations Hamilton, Ont., 39 King William Street, Mr. William Jones in charge, Montreal, Que., .Karl Goldberg. Jerusalem, Palestine, Gospel Gate Room, Russian Compound. London, England, Mrs. Marie Awerbuch, missionary. Birmingham, England, Abraham Gradow- sky, missionary. Paris, France, Rev. Henry Vincent, Honorary Director. Canadian gifts are spent for Gospel work among the Jews in Canada. Also in Great Britain, and in Palestine. You lose no ex change charges on your gifts. I do ’Want to help the Jews. Here Is Use it as God directs, to make known the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ to Israel. N a m e ..................................................•••••* Address City. . . . . . . * ................ State . . . . . . . AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS TO THE JEWS, Inc. 31 Throop Ave. Brooklyn 6, New York 39 King William Street Hamilton, Ontario • Canada
The Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. “ Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Rev. 1:5), THE KING'S BU S IN ESS"™ Cover Photograph by Courtesy of Yosemite Park and Curry Co. Current Business —Editorial ....................................................... ....................... 291 Things That Outlast Time — Arthur Hedley ................................................ 292 Faith of a Jewess — Nadine K . Warner .:.........................................................294 Having Nothing, Yet . . . •— W . Grist... ________ 1....................... ...............295 I Fled Him —Ben Owen.... ..............................................................!........ ......... 296 Christian Endeavor— -E. Harlan Fischer, Claude F. M offitt, J)orothy Goodner Kennedy, Dorothy Thompson King, Dudley L, Girod ........... ........................ .......................................................298 Junior King’s Business —Martha S. Hooker .......— ................................J....301 International Lesson Commentary.......................................................................303 Biola Family ___________________ _____ ............................................. ..............315 Daily Devotional Readings_____________.............................----------- ...........316 Literature Table.......;.-........................... ............................................................... 319 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION— “ The King’s Business" is published monthly; $1.50, one y r.; $2.00, two yrs.; 75 cents, six months; 20 cents, .single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. W rite for details. Canadian and for eign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change o f ad dress to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses- REMITTANCE—Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to “ The King’s Business.” Date of expiration will sh’ow plainly on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. ADVERTISING—For information, address the Advertising Manager,, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, Calif., or our eastern representative, Religious Press Association, 51 No. 52nd St., Philadelphia 39, Pa. MANUSCRIPTS— “ The King’s Business” .cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent in for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office at Los An geles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at spe cial rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, embodied in para graph 4, section 538, P. L. and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. ADDRESS: The King’s Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 13, Calif. LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-In-Chief MILDRED M. COOK, Managing Editor RANSOM D. MARYIN, Staff Artist
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Shining Secret by Helen Frazee-Bower
32 Page» Illustrated ■. Cover in Colors
Last year, Mrs. Bower’s Christmas gift book exhausted two editions, and SHINING SECRET will be even more popular. Yet because of the paper shortage, a limited number will be printed. Get your prder in TODAY, for delivery November 1, in time for Christmas. If you wish, subscriptions will be entered as Christmas gifts,'b e g i n n i n g with the Christmas number or the January 1045 is sue. Gift cards will be sent in your name if you request them.
SHINING SECRET is sn exceptional gift book, suited to adults and children. It fur nishes a delightful Christmas story and poems, with heart-warming selections about Easter and mothers. It exalts Christ. This beautiful book is offered FREE with one annual subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS (new, renewal, or extension^ at the regular rate, $1.50 in U. S.* Price of the book alone is 35 cents; 3 for $1.00. Orders accompanied by subscriptions will be given preference.
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TAILS OF CONTENTS
I. ABOUT CHRISTMAS Story: Shining Secret
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III. ABOUT MOTHERS
Letter: To My Soldier $on....27 < Poem: A Mother’s Prayer....«.3l I
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Current Business LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-in-Chief
J1SUS, MY LORD By Martha Snell Nicholson Whom do I hunger for? Thee, Living Word I Feed Thou my famished soul, Jesus, my Lord. Who is my cleansing Fount? From sin, abhorred. Who else can wash me, save Jesus, my Lord? Whom am I waiting for? Thy footfall, heard. Raptures my yearning soul, Jesus, my Lord. Soaring’ on eager wing Past planets toward Mansions Thy hands have reared, Jesus, my Lord! Dazzled by heaven's gate . . . His voice, adored: "This is thy home. My child." Jesus, my Lord!
day; for if you had missed that day, I might have missed this.’ ” The minister’s letter was marked with tears, and at the end of it was written, “God helping me, I never will hesitate again.” Yes, the difficulties in thé way of winning a soul may be stupendous, but let us keep our appointments with the Lord at the trysting place, rely on His guidance, and trust Him to cut in sunder the bars of iron. Bible Mastery Campaign “I am going to have a more Bible- centered program than ever before. I want young, people to know God through an understanding of the Scrip tures.” According to Tim«' magazine, this was one of the resolutions of an army chaplain on returning to his Pennsyl vania pastorate. From the perspective of his army experience, he saw that the great need of church people was a study of the Bible, not first of all books about the Bible, but the Book itself. The great preacher, Joseph Park er, once said: “The first thing to do with the Bible is to read it; the sec ond thing to do is to read it; then the third thing to do is to read it.” Many an individual lacks faith in the Word of God simply because he does not know what it says. The Bible Mastery plan has been launched in order to promote the daily reading of a selected portion each month. For example, the book for Oc tober is 1 Timothy: one that fits pres ent-day conditions, as if written ex pressly for our times. Let the pastor read it, and preach from it. Let the people read it: in homes, in classes, in neighborly groups. All will be re warded with a new freshness of under standing and depth of blessing. For further information about the Bible Mastery campaign, send a stamped addressed envelope to C. J. Boppell, 2666 37th Street, S.W„ Seattle 6, Wash. Turning toward Biola As registration days at the Bible In stitute of Los Angeles draw near— September 5 and 6—hundreds of young people are turning toward this school. Already more than 600 have signified a desire to enroll. There is indication that the largest enrollment in the his tory of the institution is in prospect. Viewpoints Have Changed A quarter of a century ago, we heard a great deal about “making the world safe for democracy,” about fighting a
In the Strength of the Lord Spiritual warfare is as real as phys ical combat. A young sergeant, a Christian of only a few months, found this to be true when he faced the nec essity of witnessing for Christ to uh- saved loved ones. He wrote: On my coming furlough, God is. sending me to my home and to my unsaved family — although you have no idea, how much I would rather enjoy a time of fel lowship and worship and feeding on the Word at Biola. But my loved ones are unsaved, and they have not known me, ex cept through my letters, since I came to know the-Lord as my per sonal Saviour and Lord. I am sorry to say that they have not* received my letters favorably. I - must witness for Christ to them, and I will need much grace, wis dom, and understanding in order to know when to speak and when to be quiet. I will go “in the strength of the Lord,” spending a day or so alone with Him before reaching my home. I don’t think anything surpasses the privilege of being alone with Christ. Nothing less than complete victory through Christ will be God’s gift to any man who thus goes forth “in the strength of the Lord.” Incidentally, the writer of this letter is one who receives THE KING’S BUSI NESS regularly, and appreciates it. The contributions of friends (special rate: $1 for one year) make possible these gifts to servicemen. On Soul-Winning The best time to win souls is NOW. J. Wilbur Chapman telis of walking with a minister who asked him, “What would you do if' you were impressed to speak to a man about his soul?” “Speak to him.” '. “But this man has not been in church for thirteen years.” “Nevertheless,” said Dr. Chapman, “ speak to him.” The minister called on this man, who opened the door himself, and said, “Doctor, I am glad to see you. I have been in all day thinking you might come.” In a few minutes this gentle man was led to Christ. A year later, the man died, quite suddenly, and Dr. Chapman received a letter from his minister-friend, who said: “ I was with him when he died. He sent for me; and when I arrived, he said: ‘Thank you for coming that
“war that would end war.” Of course, no .one who knew his’ Bible expected a strifeless world before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign. But numbers of less well-informed people did look forward to a utopia following World War I. Noy one hears about the “next war,” and about conditions that may be expected to obtain when another cataclysm occurs. For example, in a recent issue of Life magazine, an ar ticle on London and the Second Blitz pointed out that “ the robot bomb had given the long-enduring people of England the worst month they have had since the 1940 blitz. They were coming over at the rate of 100 a day, sometimes a score at one time . . . over 3,000 of them, killing about one person per bomb, of whom a little It [the robot bomb] certainly: . established itself, with possible variations, as a weapon to be reckoned with in warfare from now on. It is not a pleasant prospect that future generations may face even more diabolical means of human de struction than have been devised as yet. But it is gratifying to know that people are beginning to give credence to Christ’s words—at least to His utterance about the continuance of “wars and rumors of wars” until the coming of the Prince of Peace. Would that they accepted also His other declarations of the means of salva tion and of personal peace “through the blood of the everlasting covenant” ! over half were 'women.” The article concluded:
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TH E K I N G ’ S B U S IN E S S
Y EARS AGO, when I was on holi day in Cornwall, an old fisher man entered into conversation with me. Pointing to two great rocks, hie said he could remember when it was barely possible to get a row boat between them, but the erosion of thé years now made it possible for a fair sized steamer to pass through. The fisherman’s talk brought home to me the fact that even the things which seem most stable are subject to the law of change and decay. Sun, moon, stars, mountains, rocks, trees, áre no more exempt from this law than is man. With the passing years, man be comes conscious that things are not the same with him as they once were. He cannot do that Which was once no trouble to him. It is with labored breath that he now mounts the hill, which once he climbed with ease. In the course of a lifetime we wit ness momentous changes in the politi cal, social, economic, moral, and spirit ual life of any nation. The tragic days in which we live have completely changed the circumstances of young and old. The young find themselves in entirely new surroundings and faced with new trials and temptations. At the same time, here in Britain tens of
thousands of aged people have lost their homes and live with strangers far from their native towns. Where shall we find comfort, hope; and strength in these days when the present Is full of ehange, and the future is fraught with uncertainty and forebodings? We must turn from the things Which are subject to the law of change, and center our affections on the things which are enduring. The Apostle Paul, who suffered much in body, constantly turned his thoughts to' things eternal. “We look not,” he says, “at the things which are seen . . . for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). The Bible' speaks of many things in which we may trust in a time of change; because they change not, we can be sure of them in time and in eternity. God’s Changeless Son First, the Son of God is eternally the same-; “Jesus Christ the same yester day, and to-day, and for ever” (Heb. 13:8). The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews sought to strengthen those who were in danger of drifting back to Judaism, by showing that the old
Jewish order was subject to revision, by reason of man’s mortality. Every priest was subject to the law of change and decay,-and thus other priests were appointed to replace those who died. . But Christ, after having tasted death for “every man” (Heb. 2:9) rose from the dead and is alive for evermore. He is now a Priest forever and “ever liv- eth to make intercession” for us (Heb. 7:25). Because He is beyond the law of change and is the same for ever more, we can trust in Him and hold fast to Him, knowing He waits to bless us in every hour of need. When npthing about us seems stable and sure, we can turn to our Lord and say: “Thou art the same” (Heb. 1:12). Our hope in Him is “sure and stead fast” (Heb. 6:19) and is unaffected by the vicissitudes of life. And yet Christ’s changelessness is not the sameness of monotony, for He is ever revealing to us new aspects of His c h a r a c t e r , His attributes, His Word. Whatever our circumstances, whatever the alteration that time may work in and around,-us, we find Christ meets us a c c o r d i n g to our need. Throu'gh the ever-living and all-power ful Christ we are equal to every emer gency: “ I can do all things through C h r i s t w h i c h strengthened me” (Phil. 4:13).
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t r i u m p h , “ O death, where Is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory” (1 Cor. 15:55). God’s Changeless Kingdom Moreover, the kingdom of God will o u t l a s t / a l l the “kingdoms of this world,” yea, the day is coming when the “kingdoms of this world” will “be come the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ” (Rev. 11:15). The king doms of Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome have had their day and have ceased to be. Present kingdoms are in a state of disintegration and decay. The boast ed Empire of Mussolini passed in a night, and Italy, bereft of her posses sions, looks to the Allied Nations for mercy and protection. In contrast to the transient king doms of this world is God’s kingdom which is an “everlasting kingdom” (Dan. 7:27). Because it is founded by God, built upon spiritual and eternal verities, it “ cannot be moved” (Heb. 12:28). The believer can be bright and op timistic a m i d great 'and terrifying world changes, because he labors for the King of kings and Lord of lords, who one day will come and “reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). When the King reigns, then every knee will bow before Him and “ every tongue. . . con fess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10, 11 ).
Under the guise of scholarship, cer tain theologians so discredited the Word that many people became dis turbed and wondered whether they could trust it any longer. The modern istic beliefs in Germany infected the pulpits of America and Britain. But today it is the critics of the Word who stand discredited, and their books are worthless. The spade of the archaeolo gist has exposed their lies. Some indi viduals have humbly confessed their folly and have become stalwart de fenders i of the Word they mutilated. Here, then, in the midst of change is the Book we can trust, the Book we can rest in, for time and eternity, for it is the Word of One who cannot lie (cf. Titus 1:2). This is the Book to which men turn when death draws near, for it is the Book which tells the truth about our selves, about God, about eternity. In his last hours, Sir Walter Scott de sired his devoted son-in-law to read to him. When asked which book, Sir Walter replied: “Need you ask? There is but one,” William Lockhart r e a d the four teenth chapter of John after which the dying man said: “Well, this is a great comfort,” and then fell into a soft slumber. The eternal Word fortifies the soul that is face to face with its last enemy. It enables the believer to shout with
God’s Changeless Love The love of God is eternal. To Israel whose love was so variable God said, “Yea, I have loved thee with an ever lasting love” (Jer. 31:3). Our love to God fluctuates; sometimes it is warm, intense, sincere, and at other times cold and feeble. The proof of our love is seen not in our emotions so much as in the sacrifices we are ready to make for Christ’s dear sake. Unless love re veals itself in practical deeds it is worthless and even harmful. Whatever be the degree of our love to God, His lpve to us is greater, and it is, eyer the same. The affection of friends may change and die, but God’s love in Christ never wanes. Nothing that may happen to us on earth—no change that may come into our lives by reason of war, revolu tion, age, or misfortune — will make the slightest difference in God’s love to us. Yea, the greater our need, the greater will be His love. - The Apostle Paul, considering the many a d v e r s i t i e s and adversaries which threatened to separate him from the love of God, rises to the con viction that there is nothing powerful enough in heaven or earth to separate him from the love of God in Christ. It is God's love for him in which he rests; he is sure pis love is so strong and enduring that it will never let him go. We live in a day when the word of man endures but for a day. Dictators will say one thing today, and without the least sense of inconsistency or. of falsehood will flatly contradict their utterances tomorrow. Yea, they justify a lie and scorn the truth. How refreshing it is to turn to the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever (cf. 1 Pet. 1:25). “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17), said Jesus, and because it is truth it abideth, for truth cannot die. It is eternal. Men may scorn, despise, reject it, and try to de stroy it, but it cannot perish. King Jehoiakim cut the Word of the Lord into pieces and threw them into the fire, thinking that was the end of the matter (cf. Jer. 36:23). What folly! The sacred Word exposed his foolish ness, for he soon perished. But the Word of God spoken through His serv ant abideth forever. Men have tried to extinguish- the Word by destroying it, its translation, its printers, and its preachers. Thiey have smashed the presses upon which the Word was printed, but all in vain. The Word has outlived its destroyers by> centuries. I change;. He changes not, The Christ can never die; His love, not mine, the resting place, • His truth, not mine, the tie. God’s Changeless Word . >
Salvation Is for YOU
It is: FREE "For by grace are ye saved through faith; . . . it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). TIMELY "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isa. 55:6). INDIVIDUAL "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven . . . whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). VITAL m "Jesus answered and said unto him . . . Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). SUFFICIENT '"Wherefore he [Christ] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him" (Heb. 7:25). PERMANENT "Jesus answered them . . . I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any mem pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:25, 28). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). What Are You Going to Do About it?
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B NE of the deepest and most searching lessons in the art of suffering came to me from a seventeen-year-old Jewess. I can see Miriam npw, though It is a number of years since she sat be fore me in class—a slender girl with a'cascade of chestnut hair falling about her shoulders. Her eyes were deep set . with thoughtfulness, and serious with problems. Her acquiline nose was her only outstandingly Jew ish feature. Why she, an orthodox Jewess, ev^r came to that high school Bible class I cannot answer, except to say that the Saviour Himself brought her there. At first she was sullen and defiant as the winsomeness of her Messiah-Saviour was set before her. But He Himself spoke to her—He who, years before, had revealed His Godhead as He min istered among other needy ones of earth. Bit by bit, so slowly that' the change was almost imperceptible, her attitude became different. Her heart, too, was gripped by the words of the Son of God. The day came when the lesson was about the death of Christ. Actually, the blackness of Calvary seemed to settle down upon that roomful o f girls as the story of that death, unlike all other deaths, was recounted. One heart there was hearing the message for the first time. With rapt attention she listened to Isaiah 53. How clearly the pattern of prophecy fitted into the fulfillment of history! She saw. She understood. One knew it by her eyes— yet out of the class she went without saying a word. Two weeks passed, and I felt im pelled to speak. Realizing that “im pression without expression” is a dan gerous thing, I longed to hear from my young Jewish friend the words of p e r s o n a l testimony that would strengthen her own faith. Praying *Member of the /acuity and head of the Department of Christian Education at the Biole institute of Los Angeles.
much for the Lord’s guidance and con-, trol, I went to the class and waited. The first of the group, Miriam bounded into the room—the same girl who had come on so many earlier occa sions, and yet not the same. Almost immediately voices and footsteps an nounced that the crowd had arrived, and there was no time for the longed- for conversation. “Miriam,” I whispered to her quick ly, “I’d like to see you at the close of class; may I, please?” “Oh, yes,” was the ready reply, as a Smile lit up her face. “I want to see you, too! It is very important!” , When the other girls had gone, and Miriam and I were alone, before I could open my mouth to say anything to her, the girl’s eager words came tumbling out: “Oh, I’ve just got to tell you. I’ve done what you’ve said so often. I’ve accepted Christ, as my Saviour. I know He’s my Messiah, and I’ve asked Him to come into my heart, and I’m His.child!” My heart missed a beat, I kndW it did. And then it raced along at tfeble pace. Did she understand what she was saying? Had she comprehended? Was she sure? How would her family react? Had she told them? Could she?
One by one the questions were answered. Jubilantly she explained what had taken place. The week be fore, just as. she was leaving the Bible club, she had ‘stopped right beneath a lafhppost, and there she had “thought it all out.” With characteristic eager ness and childlikeness she added: “I knew that all you’ve taught us was true. So I just did what you said to do: I asked Him to»come into my life —and He did!” Yes, she had told her parents. Her explanation of this incident was very simplej “I knew the hardest ones to tell would be my mother and father,” she said, “so I told them the minute I got in the door.” And what had been their reaction? “Oh,” Miriam told me,' "they just stared at me and mumbled something about a new fad.” Weeks slipped into months. There seemed to be no opposition raised in this Jewish home. Miriam grew, spir itually, by leaps and bounds, as her heart laid hold on deepest truths. June came with a climax of gradua tion. In the fall, -Miriamexpected to be enrolled at a near-by college, and there, too, I ‘ held a struggling Bible class. I thought of what a valuable asset she would be in that group,
neither death, nor life . . . nor things present, nor things to come . . . shall be able to sep arate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus" Romans 8:38, 39.
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Having Nothing, Yet . . . By W . GRIST
even as she had' been in the high school class. About that time, news was circulated of a summer Bible conference to be held for university girls. I could send one delegate, a potential leader, from each of the classes that I taught. Who would be a better representative, 1 thought, than Miriam? Thus it was that I wrote and mailed the letter, inviting her to be a guest at the conference and explaining some of its outstanding features. Humanly speaking, -that was a fate ful letter, though I had no way of knowing it would be. I did not dream that Miriam’s father would intercept her mail. He had shown no marked antagonism before. But news travels fast, especially bad news, and soon 1 learned that Miriam had that night been beaten so severely that the police wpre-called; so severely that she had to be taken" to an emer gency hospital for medical attention. After thought and prayer, I sat down and wrote a, second letter, send ing it in care of another Hebrew Chris tian girl in the class. 'I knew that if there was any human way she would slip my letter to Miriam. Back through her underground sys tem came Miriam’s reply. I have it in my desk even yet. Often I read it for the spiritual blessing it brings to my heart. After a brief introduction in which she rather casually mentioned the beating, the disinheritance, the ^fact that, from then on for the course of at least a year she would be compelled to live a very abnormal life, she enu merated other restrictions: She was to be escorted to aifd from classes by an older brother; she was not to mingle with, nor even eat with, the other members of her beloved family. Her meals were to be brought to "the door of her room and she was to eat them in silence alone. She was forbidden by her parents to have any contact with any Bible club, church, or Christian friend; and she was to be privately in structed by the rabbi in an effort to bring her back to their orthodox faith. The letter concluded with a testi mony, the fragrance of which has grown sweeter with the years: “In the meanwhile, Miss Warner, do not worry; just pray. I have God’s greatest gifts: His Son, my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to be my con stant friend and companion; the bless ed Holy Spirit to be my teacher and comforter; His own precious Word to be my guide and my source of delight. “Yours in His loving grace, “Miriam. “P. S*i ‘I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi palities, nor powers, nor things pres ent, nor things TO COME . . . shall be able to separate ME from the love of [ Continued on Page 318]
■ HE WORDS in 2 Corinthians 6:10, “having nothing, yet pos sessing all th ings,” constitute one of those paradoxes in which Paul makes more bold a great affirmation." He is here opening out something of his intimate personal experiences, and we see that that great mind which so grasped and expounded the doctrines o f grace was accompanied by a great heart. Paul here presents a portrait not only of himself as a good minister of Jesus Christ, but of every believer as well. It is a portrait in contrasts. Having Joy "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." This incomprehensible contradiction constituted the harmony of the Lord’s life. Though He was the Man of sor rows, yet He bestows His own joy that our joy may be full (John 15:11). Paul, too, had sorrow. The sickness of a dear friendi added “sorrow upon sor row” (Phil. 2:27). For the blindness of Israél what sorrow was his, and how burdened with grief was he for the sin that marred the church at Corinth (Rom. 9:2; 2 Cor. 2:3)! Nevertheless was he not both sor rowful and yet a l w a y s rejoicing? Over and over a g a i n we find his repeated exhortation to rejoice in the Lord, and his tracing of the source of thart joy to “joy and peace in be lieving” (Phil. 4:4; Rom. 15:13). The believer may not escape sorrows and disappointments, but b e n e a t h the storm-swept surface of a disturbed life there are the quiet deeps of joy. This joy cannot be had by being sought after for itself as a Separate quality. “The fruit, of the Spirit is . . . joy.” It issues as a product fsom the life of Christ in the believer, impregnating his whole- being. Christian, is this joy yours today? Having Richness "As poor, yet making many rich." To those merchants of Corinth, Paul must have seemed very poor. Yet he trafficked in a merchandise more pre cious than ever they handled — the things that outlast time itself. Again, how this seeming impossibility had been seen in Christ, of whom it is said, “Though he was rich, yet for .your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). The believer, however small his This message in amplified form appeared first in a magazine published in England THE LIFE OF FAITH .— EDITOR,
“ A n d G o d is abfe to m ak e all g r a c e ab ound toward y o u ; t h a t y e , al- w a y s h a v i n g all suffi- c ie n c y in all t h in g s m a y a b o u n d t o e v e r y g o o d wo rk ” (2 Co r. 9 : 8 ) .
stock of earthly goods may ' be, has much to give of that which wealth can not buy. To give, he must have. We cannot impart more of spiritual treasure than we ourselves possess, and that- stock must ever be in a state of repleoMh. ment. Let all Christian workers pause from time to time to ask, “What have I of real spiritual possession?” For that and no more can we impart. Where that is bestowed — even in a word, a look, or a smile—then is this contradiction realized, “as poor, yet making many rich,” Having All "As having nothing, yet possessing all things." We may have nothing per haps of the things on which men set value — of power and influence, of money that buys ease of mind — yet possess all things. “For all things are yours” (1 Cor. 3:21)—that is, for your possession and usîhg. There is one startling exception: “Ye are Christ’s” ; for “ye are not your own” (1 Cor. 6:19). It is only as we belong to Christ that we possess the “ all things,” and then is it that though having nothing we possess all things. What rich possessions has a believ er! Look at some of the items in his inventory: “We have peace with God"; “we have access to God by faith” ; “ through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we have hope” ; “wé hâve redemption through his blood” ; “we have a building of God, eternal in the heavens”—and overarching all these possessions, “He that hath the Son hath life.” Was ever one so rich! But these pos sessions are wily theirs who “have nothing”—nothing of merit, no claim on God’s royal bounty; no worthiness, "yet possessing all things.” , .
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TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Now a student at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, the author of this article has learned some hard lessons. “ But I found out," he says, “how wonderful was the lore of God, even when ...
I Fled Him By BEN OWEN
and I was blamed with his death. My protestations of i n n o c e n c e of the charge fell weakly against the perjur ing testimony of the others who were banded against me. In the long weeks pending the trial, while I waited, a prisoner on a hospital bed, something wonderful had hap pened. I began to see the pattern of things. I needed no one to tell me the seriousness of my condition. I needed no one to tell me why it had come about. Like a kaleidoscope, the events of years formed themselves into brief, haunting pictures—years of self-will that had brought me to a narrow prison bed and a sentence ahead. I felt once more the spirit of bra vado that caused me, on the day of my graduation from Junior High School, to wear the red necktie with the in scription “We Want Beer” emblazoned upon it. Now, before I was out of my teens, there was embla^ned across the daily paper the headlines that told of the results of that self-will. I saw again the lad of fourteen that I was when I first felt the touch of Control—that which had been denied me in the educational process that had been mine where self-expression was developed rather than old-fashioned self-control. I had gone to a meeting in a large church in the city and there had heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus t C h r i s t presented. Recognizing my need, I went forward and accepted the Lord as my Saviour. What a difference my life might have shown had I heeded all His lead ing then! Young as I was, I knew the Lord was -calling me to preach His Word. But there was none to guide me. No attempt was made to win my life for service, no Sunday s c h o o l teacher attempted to enrojl me in her class, no young peoples’ worker invited
me to attend youth services. In such a large church I went unnoticed. And I took the line of least resistance. I drifted away, determining that the way of the Lord was not for me, and turned to the way of the world. Lfled Him. It was not surprising that trouble, even disaster, followed. Our home was broken by divorce and I was alone, “on my town,” still in my early teens with a background of unhappy homelife, divorce, and a drinking father. Flee ing the Lord and His will for me, I had found myself in serious trouble indeed. And yet, it'was the end of trouble, too. For I had reached the end of my self-will. Certainly I had wrecked things as far as I was con cerned. “O God,” I had whispered as I lay in the hospital. “ If You can make any thing out of the wreckage, I give in.” I didn’t see how He could ever make a minister of me, but when I said, “Yes, Lord,” I knew I was surrender ing my life to the preaching ministry. I had fled Him and His plans for my life until now. When I sought Him, He found me. I came back to .the courtroom surroundings as the attorney rested the case and the jury was charged. I knew now why I was untroubled. The peace I had was from God. Though I did not understand how He was to do it, I knew He had called me to the ministry and would lead me into it. I did not believe I was to die in the electric chair. There was an instant of^silence when the foreman of the jury gave the verdict, “Guilty.” I knew my three attorneys had not been able to make headway acainst the perjurv and mis- representai. ,n or material evidence of the others. But somehow I had not
^n r^H E LONG courtroom was dark with the January storm outside, 1 and it seemed to me the result ing gloom was in keeping with the occasion. I waited to hear the verdict in the trial for my life. It was nearing the end of the week of the second trial. The first jury had hung Itself. I glanced at this one, now, wondering what its decision would be. The prosecuting attorney was plead ing for the electric chair, as he had with the other jury. Through the maze of his harsh, accusing wgrds a sense o f unreality assailed me. I felt oddly aloof—almost unconcerned. True, there had been hours of keen mental suffer ing as I strove to grasp the full sig nificance of all that had happened to me, trying to remember just how much guilt had been mine. Hour after hour I had battled to pierce the fog of my memory, and recall the circumstances that had brought me here. It had been midnight, -on a dark street in the foreign sector of the city, and I had been drinking heavily—try ing to still the restlessness that was consuming me. Beyond that, I could remember but dimly: a girl, three men, a fight, the sound of shots—and then darkness. I came to in the prison ward of the hospital, near death from severe wounds, with a trial ahead of me—for one man had not survived the fracas,
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expected that verdict. Through the almost tomblike silence of the court room, I heard the judge say, “Twenty years’ imprisonment,” and my heart wavered. Twenty* years behind the bars! Could I face it? Could God make a preacher of me in prison? In Prison I had heard that when the heavy iron doors of the prison clanged to gether behind the prisoner, even the strongest of men would break: that courage would fail and hope would cease. I wondered how I would feel. Certainly there is an uncom promising sound to the bolting of that door. The narrow corridor be fore me, lined with small cells, the close air, charged with a nauseating disinfectant, was hardly inviting. But aside from a slight trejnor at facing the unknown, there was a good deal of interest and curiosity in my thoughts as I heard the doors bang together and I began my twenty years’ sentence. This was to be -my home. This was to be the place and these were the men among whom I was to labor as best I could for the Lord. I looked with interest at their hard ened faces, as they sized up the “new- grounder.” I had been praying about the work I hoped to do here. I did not think so much of the years ahead as of the opportunities at hand. With a prayer on my lips, hope in my heart, and with the Lord Jésus at my side, I walked down the corridor to .my cell. It is not easy to maintain an ag gressive witness among hardened criminals, with their jeers and scof fing. But somehow, before long five fellows had the courage to step out— and what we termed a “Sunday school” was started. There was a prison chaplain, of course, and re gular Sunday services; but we were not satisfied with the lifeless mes sages and lack of response on the part of the inmates. Attendance at our Sunday school varied with the weather. In cold weather several hundred would be present. In warm weather maybe half a hundred would gather. Out of the Sunday school grew a “choir,” called that by necessity, for that was the only way we could re main out of the cells on Sunday night. Ostensibly, we practiced our songs for Sunday school. But preaching, testi monies, and prayer circle took up the major part of the time. Since mem bership was limited, we drew off the best of the Sunday school—the cream of the convicts, if you will—for this privilege of meeting in the choir on Sunday nights. It was a real treat.
don. I did not dare to hope. After all, it was in God’s hands, whether I stayed or was freed. One morning, a fellow from the rec ords office came up to me and said, “Well, Ben, it’s over. You can go home this afternoon.” For a moment I sat there, stunned, scarcely able to realize that the long wait was over. Then I went to my window overlooking the field, and poured out my heart in thanksgiving to the Lord. Four years to the day after sen tence was pronounced, I walked out of prison, a free man, with a pardon in my pocket. God’s wonderful grace and providence had manifested itself through the intervention of the trial judge and many others, to give me my freedom. . Into Service With the call of the Lord’s service firmly before me, I went to work for a year and then enrolled in a Mid west university for further training. Later I came to the west coast and went to work in one of the shipyards, anxious to help in the war effort, even if I could not fight. Still. I did not feel I had as yet found God’s best for me. I was living in the Y.M.C.A. in San Pedro, California, at the time, and one day I took a book from the library. It was the life of Charles Fuller. Read ing through that, I came to the place where he told of his training at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. “If a man like that came from the Bible Institute,” I said to myself, “that’s the place for me. At least, I want to look into it.” On my first day off, I came up for a visit. To my amazement, I found, that Dr. Louis T. Talbot was President of the school. Immediately, I was carried back in thought to prison days. Once a visitor at the prison had loaned me two of Dr. Talbot’s books. They were such a blessing to me that I desired them for my own, but I had promised to return them and’ I, could not buy others. Laboriously,. I copied them both in longhand, typed them up, and later had them bourtd in the prison workshop for myself and others of the Bible class. Now I had come “home!” I had found an old friend. With the clear certainty that I had also found God’s place for me, I enrolled in the Bible Institute of Los Angeles for the train ing that1would fit me to serve Him better. My heart’s desire is that I may exalt Him in all things. All that I have, and am belongs to the Lord Jesus' Christ, who loved me out of sin, lifted me out of prison, and is leading me into service.
Other work grew put of the Sun day school. One of the boys, through the help of the governor of the state, had a Bible course introduced into the prison school curriculum, and I was privileged to teach the Bible class at various times. Another of the fellows started a prayer circle which met in a room adjacent to the main auditorium just prior to the Sunday evening services. Soon after that he was pardoned, and is now a pastor of a small church in his home state. All the others in the prayer circle have since been pardoned. God heard their prayers. Those years in prison were wonder ful years and I thank the Lord for them. I learned to know the peace and satisfaction of a heart and will right with God. From my little window high in the office building, I could, see a small bit of God’s creation; fields and4 trees and cows and birds. I learned to love that small world from the window. And I learned to love the God who made it; to love Him more and more. Many were the hours spent in the spirit of prayer and fellowship with Him from my seat at the window. Did Jesus satisfy? Yes, even in prison! No longer did I flee Him. Right glad ly did I accept His plan for me. I be gan to look forward to the day I would be serving Him fully. The constant prayer on my lips was the seventh verse of Psalm 142: “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.” It was to be answered sooner than I thought. Brought Forth When I entered prison, I was pre pared to serve the full twenty years. But after a few years, I was told that my friends were working for a par-
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The prisoners sang.
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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Claude F. Moffitt
Dorothy G. Kennedy
Dorothy T. King
E. Harlan Fischer
Ch r i s t i an Endeavor
OCTOBER 1, 1944' WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MINISTER 2 C orinthians 4:1, 2 ; 1 T imothy 3:1-7 By Harlan E. Fischer I am writing this article aboard a transport en route to the South Paci fic. On board are a number of Marines. These men will soon be spilling their young blood on beachheads p.nd ter rain new to them. It takes the same qualities to be a minister to these fel lows as it does to serve Christ, in the homeland. Let us find out what they are. For Those Who Have Topics I. A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST. First of all, we must have Christ, and He must have us. This means that we know Him as Saviour, Lord, and Master. We must have had a vital ex perience With Christ in our own lives. If we do not know Him, wq have noth ing but theory and idle words for those around us. On a previous trip, our ship went t h r o u g h a hurricane. Every man aboard was scared. Someone said, “They were all ready to become Chris tians,” When such a time comes, we must have Christ to offer them. This requires a spiritual preparation. II. ' A MENTAL ALERTNESS. The minister must be intellectually alert.--He is in the greatest work in the- world, therefore he should have the: best preparation possible. Men in the service love to “shoot the breeze.” Oftentimes the discussion will be over
October L —E. HARLAN FISCHER
Mr. Fischer (Biola ’26) is a Chaplain in the U. S. Marine Corps. Before his entrance into the service, he served as president of the Long Island Christian Youth Center, teacher in the Royal Ambassador Boys’ Camp, and president of the Long Island Inter-church Athletic Association, in addition to being a pastor in Long Island, N. Y. Mr. Moffitt (Biola ’37) is pastor of the Hoover Street- Baptist Church, Los Angeles, Calif., which has been in- strumentai in closing one liquor store and one night club. The latter has been leased and turned into a young people’s fellowship club. Here young people receive fellowship, recreation, and spiritual inspiration.
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October 8, —CLAUDE F. MOFFITT
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October 15,—DOROTHY GOODNER KENNEDY
Mrs. Kennedy (Biola ’35) is .working with her husband at the Good News Center in Glendale, Calif., which is a free youth center where the various needs of young people are met. She also serves on the Good News Hour, a Sunday radio program over station KFWB.
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October 22,—DOROTHY THOMPSON KING
Mrs. King (Biola ’19) has worked with young people in Chile, So. America, in the United States in teacher- training groups, and in jail work. She is now serving under the auspices of the radio station, “Voice of the Andes” of which her husband is'Regional Coordinator in
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Los Angeles.
October 29,—DUDLEY L. GIROD
Mr. Girod (B. Th. ’38 at Biola) is pastor of the Shoredale Chapel, Los Angeles, Calif. For seven years, he has served on the faculty of the Sunrise Hills Conference for young people.
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