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mean and how can an entire people so completely reverse itself within one human span? Is it progress? Is it war? Is it jazz? Is it all three, and more, that have conspired to the creation of a spirit that a few short years ago would have been characterized as infidelity or worse? Has the inventive genius of man so frenzied the world by its mar vels .of human creation—culminating in the radio and wireless telephone, to say nothing of the demoniac in struments of destruction—that we forget man has not yet produced a synthetic blade of grass or imparted breath to the very lowest order of animal life?” Scores of daily papers have condemned Lewis’ book. One says: “The American people don’t take very seriously the production of alcohol-befuddled minds.” We are not so sure of that, however, for in times of apostasy people are ready to receive anything that tends to confirm un belief and ease them in their sins. Fred Lewis Pathe, writing in the Pacific Christian Ad vocate, said: “Elmer Gantry is no more a living man than Spark Plug is a real horse.” Certainly those who have had opportunity to know any considerable number of Gospel ministers, know this statement to be true. There may be a few “Elmer Gantrys” in the ministry, but the church never fails to run them out wherever they are dis covered. ate ate How Do You L ike I t? Perhaps you’ll like some of Dr. Moffat’s uprto-date translations. In his new version of the Old Testament he refers to David’s city as “David’s Burg.” The editor of Punch says we should be thankful he didn’t call it “Lil old Jerusalem.” Here is his rendering of Ex. 4:26:. “Then the Eternal let him alone, when Zipporah cried.” In the following words from the same translator, all the beauty of the old version is scrapped, and modern forms of speech are thrust on the ear of the reader ' “He leads me to refreshing streams And revives life in me And guides me by true paths, As He Himself is true, When the famous Austrian surgeon, Dr. Adolph Lorenz, performed many wonderful bloodless operations, a newspaper reporter asked him if his scientific studies had destroyed or disturbed his religious faith. He re plied : “Does medical science, or any other science, tend to destroy belief in God? My friend, you are young. I am old. Science, truly pursued, does not tend to destroy belief in God. The pursuit of scientific knowledge makes an honest man humble. It makes him realize how little he knows. It makes him believe in God.” Jte A S e a rch W a rr a n t A Roman Catholic priest in Ireland reproved a peasant for reading the Bible. “But I have a search-warrant to do so,” replied the man. “What do you mean, sir?”said the priest in anger. “Why,” answered the peasant, “Jesus said, ‘Search the Scriptures,’ and I am doing only what He tells me to do.” The argument was unanswerable. My road may run through a glen of gloom, But I fear no harm for Thou art beside me; Thy club, Thy staff-—they give me courage.” ate ate Science T ru ly P u r s u e d
constituting a hopeless contradiction between life and tes timony in countless numbers of confessing Christians. But where are the melted and humble and surrendered lives? We see blatant mockery in the confessors on every hand—where are the lives “hid with Christ in God” ? The definite need right now is a revival of the essence of God’s great salvation that comes to us confirmed in the lives of those who profess to possess it, according to He brews 2 :3. How scarce today is the .sacrifice of Psa. 51: 17 and Rom. 12:1, 2, 3. T h is E lm e r G a n try B u sin e ss P ROBABLY one of the most widely read books of the day is Sinclair Lewis’ “Elmer Gantry,” a story that openly attacks Christianity and the Ministry. This book, which was recently banned by the District Attorney at Boston, Massachusetts, because of its 'obscenity, seems to be welcomed by many as giving concrete expression to the mind of the day. Those who, as a result of casting away their Christian faith, are living loose lives, naturally wel come such a book and find in it complete justification for their renunciation of Christianity. The church is r o tte n - all ministers are hypocrites—Sinclair Lewis says so in his story, and that makes it true. The Bookman (June) contained a striking article con trasting the reception given thirty-five years ago to Charles M. Sheldon’s story: “In His Steps” or “What Would Jesus Do?” The bdok went like wildfire. It has since been translated into nearly every known language. Its sales have run into many millions. The book became an epidemic, and while it was bitterly criticized by some Christian leaders, the common people read it gladly and thousands of Christians were no doubt helped to higher levels in the acts and activities of daily life by applying the question: “What Would Jesus Do?” Says The Bookman: “One cannot but pause and marvel at such a change 'of public heart, and honestly inquire: What does it all
1 / We Say That We Have No Sin! »»» T ELL us, O holy Apostles, after the Lord rose again, and confirmed you with the Holy Ghost sent from heaven, did ye cease to have sin? Let us hear, that sinners may not despair, and leave off to pray to God. He answers us whom the Lord loved the most, “who lay on the Lord’s breast, and drank deep in the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven which he was to pour forth again:—“If,” he says, “we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” So great was he, that, like an eagle he soared above the clouds, and in the serene clearness of his mind saw these words—-“ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Yet this Apostle de clares—“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” —Augustine.
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