August 1927
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suade ourselves that we are not sinners, or that our faults are venial and trifling. Flailing that, we love to hide our shortcom ings or to find some excuse for them which shall quiet our con sciences and satisfy our minds. Neither of these attitudes leads to forgiveness. God is ever ready to_ blot out our transgressions, but He can do it only when there has been a frank and humble avowal of our misdeeds. There can be no peace for the soul that refuses to admit its wickedness. Like a festering sore the pollu tion of evil will work its deadly mischief and though there is “balm in Gilead” powerful for its healing, we cannot experience its relief until we have laid the malady open before the Great Physician of souls. Sooner or later, here or hereafter, we shall have to confess our transgressions; let us lay aside our pride and our excuses and do it today, that we may experience the Sav iour’s tender touch and hear Him say: “Go in peace; thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven thee.” THERE was once a king’s daughter who tried to make her self all glorious without "(see 2 Kings 9:30). She came to an unhappy end and was designated “this cursed woman.” How different her fate from that of the Princess before us who is to enter into the King’s palace and become the honored mother of a royal line. Mark the secret of it: the one is the result of mere outward adornment, the other is the consequence of internal and essential beauty. The one is but a “white sepulchre,” the other is “an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Mere gilding, paint and varnish will not turn a charnel house into a holy temple: Humanity needs, not so much re-decoration as regeneration. Out ward comeliness delights the eyes of our fellows, but it is inward beauty that is pleasing in the sight of God. Men are apt to over look this truth. They strive after reputation and neglect char acter. They “make clean the outside of the cup and platter,” but they do not seek for purification of the heart and will. Jezebel tied her hair and painted her face herself; it was God who made the king’s daughter “all glorious within.” Self efforts after im provement ;|are merely external in their operation;. the results will seldom be more than skin deep. If we would enter into the King’s palace, if we would have Him greatly desire our beauty, if we wish our name to be “remembered in all genera tions,” we must seek for the cleansing and sanctifying influ ences of the Holy Ghost. ALTHOUGH mere outward adornment can never com pensate for lack of inward grace (see Aug. 27), yet we are not to despise external beauty of character. The king’s daughter was “all glorious within,” but she did not therefore come to her spouse in sackcloth or in rags. There is no virtue in uncouth ness and ugliness of outward deportment. We are the children of a Father Who is “glorious in holiness,” and “the beauty of the LORD our God” should be “upon us” as well as within us, that all men may see His effulgence, and that He may be “glo rified in His saints and admired in all them that believe.” The Princess’ vesture was a “raiment of needlework.” Internal decoration is the work of God; the outward manifestation of it lies with ourselves; We can do nothing to make ourselves beau tiful within but, that beauty being given, we must strive con tinually to display it in the life. Needlework pre-supposes effort; it also involves attention to the minutest detail. Little by little, in the most trifling acts and words of every day, we are A ugust 27. “The king’s daughter is all glorious within.’’ —Psa. 45 :13. A ugust 28. “Raiment and needlework.’’- —Psa. 45 :14.
=FOR YOUR VACATION READINGS
“B e s t” B o o k s
Books of Real Merit Books that have an increasingly large sale each year. Read them and you will know why.
God’s Best Secrets
By Andrew Murray The author, a man who truly “dwelt in the secret place of the Most High,“ has provided in this volume a very simple help for all believers who are longing to enter into the wonderful privilege which is open to them through PRAYER. Have you failed in your prayer life? Andrew Mur ray, through the Spirit, tells you the cause of failure, and leads you into the secret of Fulfillment; the secret of Fellowships the secret of Intercession; the secret of Ad oration; the secret of the Faith Life. You will be delighted with his simple method of meditating upon a single verse of scripture until the Holy Spirit flows in and through your soul revealing, illuminating, making real the secrets of Christ. Send for this splendid book and meditate upon these secrets. Cloth $2.00 The Bible and Spiritual Life By Dr. A. T. Pierson Mysteries of the Kingdom
By W . C. Stevens If you a re looking for a book dealing with the Second Coming of Christ, th a t is dif ferent— entirely out of the o r dinary—-you will thoroughly enjoy this one. Mr. Stevens has presented this m arvelous truth with all the love of the Spirit who gently pressed upon his heart the words, "U nto you it is given to know the m ysteries of the Kingdom.” Thé ch ap ter entitled, ‘‘The Bride of Christ in Parable”— which is an exposition of the “virtuous woman”— Proverbs 31: 10- 31— will delight the reader. Every believer should read this book a t once. It will greatly deep en you r love of ‘‘His appear ing.” Cloth 75 c, P ap er 35c B y Thos. L. H. Jones In these days of so much false psychology, Mr. Jones has w ritten charm ingly in sim ple words and easily under stood phrases the true psy chology of the conditions of salvation. It is a book th at every believer will read w ith pleasure, for the phraseology is personal and makes a direct appeal to the reader. Some of the chapter headings will give an i d e a of the leading thoughts: “Defective Present Day Sense of Sin;” “The Haunting Pow er of Sin;” “ Is Future Punishm ent R igh t?” “Plans of Salvation Com p ared ;” “The Genial C haracter of Je su s;” “The Pow er of The A tonem ent;’’ “M istaken Im pressions of God.” Send for your copy today. Keep it for a text and reference book. Cloth $2.00 The World’s Greatest Need
This splendid book illus- trates the fact th a t for all the cravings and crises of m an’s m oral and spiritual life the Book of God is the exact pro vision, satisfaction and guide. Dr. Pierson shows th at the Bible will answ er every p ro blem th at is presented to man — the Problem of the Fam ily, the problem of the W orld th at now is and the problem of the unseen world of spirits, ^the problems of Faith, Salvation, Pray er, Service and Suffering. This is a book which will deepen the spiritual life and clarify the thinking of every Christian who reads it. Cloth $2.00 By K ate Drew The story of a Church whose first love has w axed cold. Then a few faithful ‘‘Old S tag ers’* begin praying and things begin happening in an am az ing way. The preacher is re stored, an agnostic is brought into a saving faith, sinners are converted. It is the story of a R EA L revival. The way of salvation is clearly told, how to live the victorious life is m anifested; the method of dealing personally with the lost is set forth, all through the natural story form , which is based largely on facts. The love-them e is developed in a wholesome and happy manner. This is a book th a t every preacher and Christian worker, especially, should read. It will give inspiration to call upon God to ‘‘revive His work in the m idst of the years.” Cloth $1.75 The Revival at Broad Lane
If money does not accompany order, goods will be sent C. O. D. If goods are to come by mail add 10% for postage. B I O L A B O O K R O O M Bible Institute, Los Angeles, Cal.
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