September 1928
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clear-cut mind that was fired with a genuine passion for Christ and men, which made him an exceptional preacher. He had a rare gift for exposition of. the highest type. He made the Scriptures live. His chief characteristic, how ever, was his devotion to Jesus Christ as God manifest. It was said in our presence one day that Dr. Francis denied the deity o f Christ. W e emphatically protested against this statement and said we would not believe it on oath until Dr. Francis had a chance to speak. At the( very earliest opportunity we approached him and told him about the statement and our response. He stopped and his whole being became concentrated as .he spoke with mani fest feeling saying: “ You can tell that man, or any other man anywhere at any time, that there are no words in the English language sufficiently strong to express my con viction that Jesus Christ is Godl’ffff Christianity was a tremendously real thing to him. It centered in Christ—-Christ as Saviour and Life. This is impressively expressed in the sermon preached at the dedi cation of the beautiful temple of worship which stands as a monument in Los Angeles to his work and ideals. This sermon is chapter ten of his little volume of sermons entitled “ The Real Jesus,” a good sample o f his sound and compelling preaching. He was a good man, a good servant of Jesus Christ, much loved, sometimes misunderstood and tragically mis-. represented, but always bearing a true witness to the purity and the love that are in Christ. Our sym pathy and prayers are with his widow in her loneliness and with the flock so faithfully shepherded by him for fourteen fruit ful years.
knowledge and mere opinion, and as opinion is uncertain, there can be no certainty in human knowledge.” If we Cannot get the words o f God Himself, we are all at sea. Thank God, there is an authoritative Word. \C“ liveth and abideth forever.” The proof o f it is that “ it effectually worketh in them that believe.” The word of man, while it may charm the understanding, is powerless to change the heart. The only preachers today, as in all the past, who are witnessing results in the transforming of lives, are those whose preaching “ is not with enticing words o f man’s wis dom, but in demonstration o f the Spirit and o f power.” .They can see that the faith of'their converts “ stands not in the wisdom o f men, but in the power o f God.” Is Fundamentalism Being Redefined? M R. PH IL IP MAURO , well-known Bible scholar and defender o f the Faith, was for several months adver tised as one o f the principal speakers for the World’s Fundamentals Conference recently held in Chicago. He did not appear. Many were led to wonder why, as no explanation was given. Mr. Mauro has since been send ing out a “ Letter to the Household o f Faith” stating that after making all preparations to take his part, he was noti fied at a late hour by the president of the association that it had been thought best to eliminate him from the pro gram because of the fact that he had expressed disagree ment with some o f the notes of the Scofield Bible. Mr. Mauro believes the lines are being drawn by some
o f the leaders today in such a way as to s p l i t the forces of orthodoxy in every direction. He an nounces the publica tion o f a booklet re vealing the serious ness o f this situa tion. Must one now s u b s c r i b e to the “ postponed kingdom theory” in order to fellowship with the F u n d a m e n t a 1- ist g r o u p ? If so, scores o f loyal min isters and teachers, among them some of the greatest living expositors o f Scrip ture, will find them- s e l v e s — l i k e Mr. Mauro— ostracized. Not long since, a p r o m i n e n t Bible teacher speaking be fore a company of ministers o f South ern California, said with g r e a t vehe- mence: “ I am proud to belong to an insti tution that believes the Scofield Bible.” There were sev eral loud “ Amens” in r e s p o n s e to this
The Wisdom of Men “ When ye received the word o f God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word o f men, but as it is in truth, the word o f God, which effect ually worketh in you that believe" (1 Thess. 2 : 12 ). T HERE is no end to the words of me n . A R o m a n scholar o n c e said: “ There is no possible folly which philoso phers, at one time or another, h a v e not propounded as a les son o f the highest wisdom.” Yes— and the hu man mind is s t i l l rambling on in its delirium. More ri diculous n o t i o n s / were never advanced in the name of schol arship than are being propagated today. Wisely did Aris totle say: “ There is no difference be tween what men call
REV. GERALD B. WINROD Leader of the Defender Movement M R. W INROD , editor o f “ The Defen ded’ and organizer o f The Defenders o f the Faith, now a, national organization with headquarters at Wichita, Kansas, proved a popular speaker at Biola Summer School this year, and his many recent Bible con ferences in Southern California have won
fo r him a host o f new friends. The Defenders, with branches in many states, have as their aim the defense o f the Faith by means o f conferences fo r constructive Bible teaching and the refutation o f modernism and evolution through the dissemina tion o f printed matter setting forth in a courteous spirit, the teachings o f Scripture and the findings o f reliable scientists. The phenomenal growth o f the movement shows that it is meeting the need o f many churches. Pastors who desire to strengthen their people without antagonizing those whom the church is seeking to win fo r Christ, will do well to arrange a conference fo r Mr. Winrod or some o f his strong corps o f speakers. Many o f our readers are aware o f Mr. Winrod’s defense o f The Bible Institute o f Los Angeles in his paper. H e has shown himself a man ready to defend that which he believes to be right, regardless o f all personal cost. W e are deeply grateful fo r his splendid loyalty and gratified to know that in place o f a few friends whom he lost by reason o f his stand, he has gained hundreds o f new subscribers fo r his paper and recruits fo r the Defender movement.
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