^ That I Spent, I Had
That I Invested, I Lost That I Gave, I Have Forever. ^^
An Important Question Many people have asked the question: “How can I give while living — and thus be sure that my gift goes where I wish it to go after death? Many wills are broken nowadays, so that what I had best do is puzzling me.” The Business Department of the Bible Institute will be glad to serve you, as it has many other Christians, and to indicate the proper methods of arranging your affairs in a manner which absolutely avoids contests of any kind.
Address: Business Department BIBLE INSTITUTE o f LOS ANGELES 558 SOUTH HOPE STREET LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
PAU L W. ROOD, Editor M ildred M. C ook , Managing Editor H. S. R isley , Circulation Manager
Published Monthly by and Represent ing the Bible Institute of Los Angeles
“To The JEW FIRST” This is the bedrock upon which we predicate the Jewish Mission ap peal to every Bible-believing soul. “To the Jew first” is as basic in Missions„,as faith in Christ is basic in. Salvatjpn. Ev^ryJanuary brings to us an increasing number of gifts “to the Jew first.” And many letters tell us, “Thank you so much■ for calling my attention to my duty and privilege. I want to start the New Year right.” Think it over. For some day you too will join this blessed host and you too will say, “ I want to preach God’s Gospel in God’s way—to the Jew first.’,- And while you think it over, just bear in mind that there are today nearly 2,000,000 Jewish souls in New York City who have never even been given the gospel “to the Jew last!” Our work merits your every con fidence. Our field is not only the 2,000,000 Jews of New York, but the 4,000,000 Jews of America. And through co-operating mission aries we are represented, and our Yiddish publications are being dis tributed, in the important Jewish centers o f the world. In America, branches are being established in the larger cities as the Lord gives us the' means . and the workers. Your help and prayers are always needed. “The Chosen People” loved by many Bible students for its help ful information on Prophecy and the Jews, is sent to all contributors. May we hear from you? American Board of Missions to the Jews Inc. 31 Throop Ave. Brooklyn, N. Y. If interested in annuities ask for our free booklet “ Jewish Mission Bonds.**
©heSihle Tamils S itatine Motto: : “ Unio him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood?.’^— R ev . 1 :5.
Volume XXVII
January, 1936
Number 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS Around the King’s Table— Paul W . Rood...........:.......... ,.....—........... 4 V R. A. Torrey äs a Preacher-—W . B. Riley.............-........-.......-........—- 6 Dr. Torrey as I Knew Him—William Evans....:............................... . 7 Dr. Torrey'äs a Teacher-^Jdhn H, Hunte^........................... ............. 8 As His Students Saw Him—Mrs. Lyman Stewart arid Cutler B. Whitwell.......................................................................... - 9 R. A. Torrey as He Was Known in Great Britain— . - Mrs. A . C .'D ixon.-.-......................................... ................................ 10 Dr, Torrey, Chind, and the Hunan Bible Institute— ’ Grace Pike Roberts........................... .........................——— -............11 Reminiscences of Dr. Torrey— Edith F. Norton................................. 12 Dr. Torrey as a Counselor—A . B. Prichard-..................... .......13- Desiring God’s Glory—Mrs. R. A. Torrey..................................... -.....14 Dr. Torrey as a Friendv^Duncan A . Morton—:.................... -............14 Dr. Torrey’s Sense of Fairness—Mrs. W . E. Wright—.....................15 From Dr. Torrey’s “ Christian Life Card” .................. ~...................... 16 Junior King’s Business—Martha S. Hooker....................................... 17 International Lesson Commentary................... ...................................... 19 Notes on Christian Endeavor—Mary G. Goodlier.— — ...—.,28 Daily Devotional Readings...............—....................................-.......... ‘-3J. Helps for Preachers and Teachers..—...............—.................................-3 7 Bible Institute Family Circle..........................:............................. -........... 38 Our Literature Table................................................................-................ 39
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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
A D V ER T ISIN G : For information with reference to advertising in THE KING'S BUSINESS, address the ADVERTISING MANAGER, 558 SOUTH HOPE STREET, LOS ANGELES, CALIF., or our eastern representative. Religious Press Association, 325 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., or 333 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Entered as Second Class Matter November 17, 1910, 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. M A N U SCRIPTS: THE KING’S BUSINESS cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent to it for consideration.
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POLICY AS D EFIN ED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TH E B IB L E IN ST ITU TE OF LOS A N G ELES (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 wemen to fit themselves for and engage in definite Christian work, (d) To make the Bible Institute of Los Angeles known, (e) To magnify God our Father and the person, work and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: and' to teach the transforming power ef the Holy Spirit in our present practical life, (f) To emphasize in strong, constructive messages the great foundations of Christian faith. 558 So. Hope St., BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Lot Angele», California
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REUBEN ARCHER TORREli BORN HOBOKEN. N. J. JAN. 28 ,1836 DIED ASHEVILLE. N.C.OCT. 2 6 . 1928 AUTHOR - PREACHER • TEACHER EVANGELIST TO FOUR CONTINENTS I l l l l i f i l i l iS I DEAN b ib l e i n s t i t u t e o f I l o s a n g e l e s FROM 1912 TO 1924 FIRST PASTOR CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR: FROM 1913 TO 1924 "H E BEINC: D E X lX V E X S PEAKETK ” ^ ' A . I T O B P M ' i L w .
Artist’s pattern of the Torrey Memorial Tablet to be cast in bronze and unveiled at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles by President Paul W . Rood on January 28, 1936, the eightieth birthday anniversary of R. A. Torrey.
The Biola Family, October, 1935, of whom Dr. Tortey might have said, in the words of Paul: “ Ye are our epistle writtMi in our hearts, known and read of all men.” 2 Cor. 3:2.
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4
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1936
c_ Around the King’s Tables B y P aul W . R ood
This issue of the K ing ’ s B usiness is A . Torrey dedicated to the memory o f Dr. Reuben and Biola A. Torrey, who was Dean o f the Bible Institute of Los Angeles from 1912 to 1924, and who has marked the school indelibly. Dr. Torrey was an internationally known character through his years o f association with the Moody Bible Institute and the Moody Church; through his campaigns in Australia, Great Britain, and in various parts o f the United States; and by the widespread circulation o f his books. It is no wonder that “ Torrey Bible Institute” be came the unofficial but commonly accepted name of the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles. Dr. Torrey once said to his w ife : “ I have given twelve o f the best years o f my life to Biola.” Recognizing this out standing Christian leader’s great contribution to the Insti tute, we are honoring his memory, not only through this issue o f the magazine, but also by a memorial service to be held on Dr. Torrey’s birthday, January 28. On that occa sion, a bronze tablet honoring Dr. Torrey will be dedicated. It is to be placed on the front o f the building. The Annual Bible Conference of the Bible Institute, January 26 to February 2, will cover this date, and we expect that thousands who knew and loved Dr. Torrey fvill be present. “ Evangelism” is to be the theme o f the conference, and specialists will deal with various aspects o f this important subject. In honoring the life and ministry of Dr. Torrey, Biola desires also to convey to the world that it is still and ever will be in hearty accord with the doctrines taught by this outstanding Christian leader and with the principles that characterized his life and ministry. Dr. Torrey believed! in reverent scholarship, doctrinal soundness, deep spirit uality, and aggressive evangelism. Biola, today, stands on -1 this platform. In another sense, it is true that God buries the work man but continues the work through another chosen serv ant. The mantle o f Elijah fell upon Elisha. In that sense, R. A . Torrey was the successor of D. L. Moody. With his wonderful gift of discernment, Moody saw the qualities o f Torrey and chose him to be the head o f the Bible Insti tute which was later known as the Moody Bible Institute. Dr. Torrey became also the pastor o f the church now known as the Moody Memorial Church. In the provi dence o f God, he took up Moody’s mantle in the evangelistic field. Dr. Torrey’s ministry was world-wide, and multiplied thousands were saved under his preaching. Torrey’s con verts sat under Biblical preaching and were soundly con verted and Scripturally instructed in regard to the basis and assurance o f salvation, so that the results of his cam paigns were permanent. In one sense, Moody had no successor. When God made Moody, He threw away the mold. The same thing could be said about many great leaders. Moody*s Successor
Dr. Torrey was a rare combination o f scholar, teacher, and evangelist. Few men in the history of the church have had possession o f such a combination o f gifts, and few have exerted such a world-wide influence as did this man of God.
The outstanding need o f the hour is a revival that will stir the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and that will speedily evangelize the regions be
The Challenge of the Hour
yond. The solution o f our problems is an old-fashioned, heaven-sent, prayed-down, Holy Ghost revival that will make^God and eternity real. Even Tolstoi, the humanist, sa id ,“ The distinctive mark o f this age is its lost sense of God.” Men have forgotten God, and therefore we face a national crisis. History teaches us that every nation that forgets God must perish. What we need is a manifestation o f the presence and power o f God. This divine demonstra tion can be brought about only through earnest, impor tunate prayer that releases the resources o f heaven and brings back a God-consciousness to the children o f men. God’s challenge in the present crisis is found in Jere miah 33 :3 : “ Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” God will answer prayer if we will meet the conditions. We must be on praying ground by confessing and forsaking every known sin. We must believe God. I f we will pray according to God’s conditions, marvelous things will takp place. Prayer is the greatest power in the world. “ Prayer changes things.” Something happens when we pray that would not happen if we neglected to pray. People are depending on our prayers. There will be people in heaven because we have prayed, Prayer makes it possible for the Holy Ghost to convitifjyf sin. Prayer creates an atmosphere in which the Third Person in the Trinity can work. Only praying men and women can be used in God’s service. grayer is_a.duty, and to neglect to pray is a sin. The tragedy o f the present hour is that there is so little prayer. We have allowed Satan to blind us. W e are depending on talents, machinery, and organization instead o f depending on God. It is because o f spiritual laziness that we neglect to pray. Satan knows that his kingdom loses many sub jects whenever God’s people pray earnestly. It is Satan’s ^strategy to keep the church in a prayerless condition. W e need a revival that will make closet prayer common, restore the family altar, and make the public prayer meet ing largely attended. W e need a compassion for souls that will give us a burden o f prayer. W e need to spend hours— yea, whole nights— in prayer. Every true revival that has ever come to this world has come in answer to prayer. Abel Clary prayed, and Charles Finney led multi tudes to Jesus Christ. Aunty Cook prayed for D. L Moody, and a million souls were born into the kingdom of God. Hudson Taylor prayed, and the China Inland Mis sion was brought into existence. George Muller prayed and $10,000,000 came into his hands to care for the or-
“ Every true revival . . . has had its earthly origin in prayer.” — Torrey.
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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1936
solve all our problems. Thou who didst weep tears of sym pathy at the grave o f Lazarus, art the same today, and Thou dost comfort us in our sorrows. Thou art indeed a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. W e love Thee and worship Thee. W e thank Thee that Thou hast robbed the grave o f its terror and hast caused the star o f hope to shine upon us. W e thank Thee for the glorious prospects for the future— an eternity with Thee, O Christ. Bless us, and grant that we, through our influence, intercessions, and witnessing, may lead many to Thee. Amen.
phan children. “ Prayer moves the arm that moves the world.” The praying people o f the nation must bestir themselves in this hour of crisis and pray persistently, earnestly, with heart yearning and tears: “ Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me.” Will you respond to God’s challenge?
The three fundamental needs of man are forgiveness for the past, comfort and guid ance for the present, and hope for the
Christ Is Sufficient
future. All o f these needs are satisfied in Christ. “ Jesus Christ the same yesterday . . W e come to Christ in repentance and confession; He forgives our sins and we are justified and stand before God as if we had never sinned. “ The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.” Wonderful grace! “ Jesus Christ the same . . . today . . . ” In the present we are facing the problems o f life. W e need strength in the hour o f temptation, and comfort in the hour o f sorrow and bereavement. Christ is sufficient! He understands us and. has a heart o f love and sympathy. He weeps with the sorrowing and speaks words of healing and comfort. He is our victory in every moment o f testing. “ Jesus Christ the same . . . for ever.” W e dare not face the future without Christ. He has prepared a home for us on the other side. He will be with us in the valley of- the shadow o f death. W e are not hopeless; we are not alone when we belong to Christ. W e have a glorious Hope and future. “ Let not your heart be troubled,” because there is in Christ salvation from the guilt o f sin, which takes care of the past; salvation from the power of sin, which takes care of the present; and salvation from the presence of sin, which takes care o f the future. W e thank Thee, our Father, that Thou didst send Thine only begotten Son to be our Saviour. W e thank Thee, Lord, that Thou didst go all the way to Calvary to make it possible for us to be saved. W e thank Thee for Thy shed blood, Thy finished work o f redemption. W e thank Thee for the promise: “ Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out,” and that we have the witness o f the Spirit that every sin is forgiven and our names are written in the book of life. We thank Thee that Thou art able and willing to T H E annual conference for 1936 of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles will be held, the Lord willing, January 26 to February 2, inclusive. There will be sessions daily, except Saturday, from 8:30 to 11:30 A. M., from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M., and from 7:30 to 9:00 P.M. The speakers will include a score of men and women whose service in the field of evangelism has had upon it the marked blessing of the Lord. J. Edwin O rr will represent the youth of Great Britain. Mr. O rr is an Ulsterman, not yet twenty-five years of age, to whom tens of thousands of miles of travel— suffering hardships and preaching the gospel all the way— has become an "adventure" of the most spiritually satisfying kind. Mr. Orr will speak daily during the confer ence. His emphasis will be on revival. Other phases of the subject of evangelism will be dis cussed: City and Rural Evangelism Open A ir Evangelism Evangelism in Song ® “ The rejection of Jesus Christ, the Son of G o d ,. . . i
It is customary for the business man to take inventory at the close of the year, Certainly we Christians, in the same man ner, should individually take inventory, and by retrospection and introspection find
On the
Threshold of a New Year
out our exact status. Self-examination is important and necessary. “ Examine yourselves” is the Pauline injunction. With the psalmist, let us pray: “ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” It will undoubtedly humiliate us to learn the truth about ourselves, but certainly we do not want to be self-deceived; and assuredly we would rather know the truth now while there is time for repentance than at the judgment seat of Christ when it would be too late for anything but regrets for wasted opportunity. Let us claim the promise of 1 John 1 :9 : “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright eousness.” The new year may be our last year upon earth. The law o f averages indicates that some who are reading these lines will be in eternity before the year is over. T o the unsaved, this thought is an incentive to accept Christ, and to the Christian it is a motive for living an out-and-out Christian life. W e also must recognize the fact that this may be the year when Christ shall return. Are we thinking, working, and living as those who expect Christ to come at any time ? Let us be among those who “ love his appearing” and who are “ looking for that blessed hope” and who say with John: “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Conference on Evangelism
The Pastor as an Evangelist Evangelism Through the Printed Page Radio Evangelism
Individual Soul-Winning Evangelism and Missions
It is fitting that the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, having had as its early leaders such men of vision and consecration as Lyman and Milton Stewart, T. C . Horton, and R. A. Torrey, should continue to give prominence to evangelism, for which each of these men gave the best that he had. And it is proper also that on the anniversary of the birth of R. A. Torrey, January 26, the Christian public— and especially the men and women whom Torrey's life touched, should give thanks to God for such a soul-winner as he. Home-like accommodations at reasonable rates are avail able for out-of-town guests at the Willard Hotel, a part of the Bible Institute building. W hy not spend a week in Los Angeles, enjoying the inspiration of fellowship with the Lord's people? Come praying, and pray if you cannot come. the most daring and damning of all sins.”— Torrey .®
6
January, 1936
T H E
K I N G ' S
B U S I N E S S
'eyas a PREACHER B y W. B. RILEY
R .
This denunciation is as irrational as public opinion is superficial. Truth is the most uncompromising thing in the world, and the man who ministers in it is never in necessity of the slightest trimming, much less o f hesitancy. John Tauler used to be called “ Dr. Illuminatus” or the “ enlightened man.” Charles H. Spurgeon had occasion to say, “ God uses the faith o f His ministers to bring faith in their people. You may depend upon it that souls are not saved by the ministers who doubt. W e must have faith in the Word o f God if we are to be winners o f our fellows.” But Dr. Torrey was as tender in spirit as he was bold in speech. On a few occasions, I counseled him on matters that involved controversy between brethren,' and he always amazed and delighted me. This man who seemed to preach with a doubled-up fist was as gentle as a woman when giving advice. He was not only anxious to be just, but ready to be generous always, toward even those with whom he did not agree. This side o f Torrey’s nature was known only to those who enjoyed some intimate fellowship with him, but it was a prime factor in his domestic and fraternal relations. H e W as a S oul -W inning M inister Dr. Torrey believed that the unsaved were doomed. He accepted without question John’s.statement: “ H e that be- lieveth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that be- lieveth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath o f God abideth on him” (John 3 :36). His logical mind, his education at Yale, and his post graduate work at Leipzig and Erlangen did not lead to that highbrow thinking that rejects Christ’s word about hell. His theology was not the lavendar-water sort; it was Biblically based instead, and was always backed up with “ Thus saith the Lord.” This conviction created a soul passion. In America, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Franace, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, China, Japan, and India he went in quest o f souls! Few men, if any others, have ever been able to fill Royal Albert Hall for five months with such eager auditors as came to hear Torrey preach. Torrey’s ministry was more acceptable to the staid Englishmen than it was to the flippant Americans. “ A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country . . . , ” and Torrey was never appreciated, at his full value, until the rest o f the world communicated its estimate o f him to his homeland. Then America did as she always does— she got up a hip-hip- hurrah for the homecoming hero. Dr. Torrey was a successful soul-winner. His method was utterly destitute o f that sensationalism in which too many evangelists indulge. Scarecrow and salacious subjects never stained his announcing cards. Mirth-making was not his catch-method, a means of attracting a superficial public. Emotionalism was not his stock in trade. On the contrary, for the great results that he secured, he depended upon two things, namely, the truth o f revelation and the use o f reason. Unlike the modernist minister, he saw no inharmony between these two, but held that the first was
Himself a militant evangelical, Dr. Riley is well qualified to analyse thé greatness of Torrey as a preacher. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn., where he ' is pastor o f the First Baptist Church, Dr. Riley serves as President o f the Northwestern Bible School and as Executive Secretary of the World’s Christian Fun damentals Association. I n the last week in May, 1919, fifteen men gathered in Philadelphia, Pa., at my call, to put over the program o f the first World’s Christian Fundamentals Convention. Since that time, the following have departed to be with the Lord: Joseph Kyle, James M. Gray, W . H. Griffith Thomas, George A. Guille, I. M. Haldeman, L. W . Mun- hall, John Roach Stratton, and Reuben A . Torrey. O f the fifteen, the following survive: J. C. Massee, P. W . Philpott, A . B. Winchester, Lewis Sperry Chafer, William L. Pettingill, George McNealey, and the writer. In other words, eight of the fifteen have been translated into the heavenlieS.. The passing o f each o f these men has been a personal grief to me, and it has been my privilege to pay some, but inadequate, tribute, to each in turn. I now write,of Reuben A . Torrey as a preacher. H e W as a C hrist -C alled M an Dr. Torrey believed in a divine call. It was his custom to tell how, when he was a student at Yale, his faith was shaken, his attitude was skeptical, and his future was in the balance ; but, as he believed, in answer to his mother’s importunate prayer, he emerged from the fogs of doubt, and, with their clearing, heard the call of God to the min istry. Later, as the superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute, and as its most notable teacher, he was accus tomed to emphasize, in the presence o f the students, the necessity of a divine call if thèse students were to enter the ministry. In respect to his divine commission, Dr. Torrey had a kinship with the Apostle Paul, who never wrote an epistle without reminding his readers o f his divine call. T o Reuben A . Torrey also, his call was sufficient apology for his pro fession. When John the apostle wrote o f John the Baptist, “ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John,” he was no more sure o f his ground than was Reuben A. Torrey when, from time to time, he affirmed that he was in the ministry by divine compulsion. H e W as a S cripture -C onvinced M an Dr. Torrey was convinced o f the Bible’s inspiration. When at Yale, he fought with mankind’s great adversary on that subject; Torrey ended the battle in belief. There after, doubts seldom disturbed him. Those who heard him preach, who read his writings, or who studied his textbooks, were all convinced of the depth o f his convictions. His opinions were not built on shifting sands, but rather upon the solid rock o f revealed truth. That foundation accounted for his dogmatism in thought and delivery. It is quite popular in these days to denounce dogma.
• “ It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict men of sin, and we must depend upon Him to do it.” • — Torrey
7
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1936
made effective and utilized by the second. If there was a? deficiency in Torrey’s ministry, it existed in nonemotion alism. At that point, he was a strange contrast to his great brother in labor, Dwight L. Moody. Moody’s stories and illustrations moved the souls of men to action. Torrey’s forceful reasoning persuaded men’s intellects. It is our judgment that the greatest preaching involves and com bines both. In the many votes, taken by modernist magazines, as to America’s greatest preachers, I do not remember having seen Torrey’s name appear. The reason is that modernism has only skeptical voters,' and they have no standard by which to measure the true minister. But in the judgment o f the orthodox Christians and preachers, R. A. Torrey stood near, if not at, the top ! DR. TORREY As I Knew Hinu, B y W ILLIAM EVANS Scholarly preacher, prolific writer, always a fearless con tender for the faith — Dr. Evans owes much to Reuben A.' Torrey, o f whom he writes with affection and gratitude. Dr. Evans’ home is in Los Angeles, but in the exercise o f his ministry, he travels’ widely in America and abroad. M y knowledge of this great man of God and my inti mate acquaintance with him covered a period of about forty years. For two years I sat at his feet for class room instruction; for close to ten years I was a colleague with him in the teaching of men and women for Christian service at home and abroad; for many years we were to gether in the conduct of Bible conferences throughout the United States; and during all the many years we were the closest of friends. I knew him, therefore, quite intimately. May I briefly state, for the space allotted to me is limited, just what it was about this great servant of God that most deeply impressed me ? First, and to me the most important, Dr: Torrey was sincerely religious and, deeply spiritual. I never knew a man who wanted God’s best more than he did. And for it he would spend whole nights in prayer. In this he was like the Master. Dr. Torrey knew as much about the so- called “ rest o f faith,” and believed in it, too, as others, but he knew the dangers that come from “ the laziness of faith.” The Chicago Avenue (now the Moody) Church and many of its members can bear abundant witness to the power that fell during those “ Saturday Night Prayer Meetings,” led by Dr. Torrey. Torrey knew what it was to “ agonize” in prayer. Not many Christian leaders are willing to pay such a price for God’s best. It is recorded of James and John that they desired places o f power— to Sit, “ one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left.” Jesus did not rebuke them; but He did ask them: “ Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” In other words: “ Are you willing to pay the price of power ?” Torrey was, and he received the power. Secondly, Dr. Torrey was a scholar o f the first water. True, he never made a display of it; but few men I have known in Christian work could measure up to him in aca demic and Christian scholarship. He read his Bible daily in four languages. His knowledge of Hebrew and Greek [Continued on page IS]
REUBEN A R C H E R TORREY
Born in Hoboken, N. J., January 28, 1856, the son of Reuben Slayton and Elizabeth A. (Swift) Torrey. A. B. Yale, 1875, D.D. Yale, 1878. Student in Leipzig and Erlangen, 1882-83. Married Clara B. Smith of Garrettsville, Ohio, October 22, 1879. Children— Edith Clare, Mrs. Blanche Wiggs, Reuben Archer, Elizabeth (deceased), Mrs. Margaret Parker (deceased). Ordained to the Congregational ministry in 1878. W as for some years superintendent of city missions in Minneapolis; then became associate with the work of the late Dwight L. Moody. Was superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute 1889-1908. Preached continually during the tour of 1902-03. Visited and preached in Great Britain, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, China, Japan, and India. In 1903 returned to Great Britain to hold two years of meetings in principal English and Scotch cities. After he had returned to America in December, 1905, he held evangelistic campaigns in many cities of the United States, and in several in Canada. In 1911 he returned to Great Britain to hold meetings for several months. In 1919, visited Japan and China, and in 1921 China and Korea. W a s Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles from 1912-24, and pastor of the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles from 1915-24. Held evangelistic meetings in many states from 1924-28. W as special lecturer at Moody Bible Institute in 1927. W as the author of over forty-three books. The "G ist of the Lesson" was published annually for over thirty years, and continues to be printed from the material used during Dr. Torrey's lifetime. His works have been translated into num erous languages. Dr. Torrey died October 26, 1928, in Asheville, N. C. He was buried on Conference Hill in Montrose, Pa. — Facts furnished by Mrs. R. A . Torrey.
• “Until we have an adequate conception of our Saviour’s holiness, we can have no adequate concep- • tion of His love.”— Torrey.
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1936
a TEACHER
Dr. Torrey as
B y JOHN H. HUNTER
Having met Torrey and learned from him the necessity for and method of personal soul-winning, John H. Hunter went forth to spend his life especially among young people, winning many fo r the Lord Jesus Christ. Mr. Hunter is now the minister of the Mayflower Congregational Church, Pacific Grove, California. For several years, he was associated with the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles as teacher and registrar, and whenever his name is men tioned at Biola, it calls forth praise to God. I n asking me for an article on Dr. Torrey, the Editor of the K ing ’ s B usiness suggested that if I wished to make it rather personal and reminiscent, such a message would suit the purpose in view. With this explanation, I trust the-reader will understand the viewpoint o f the writer. As I think o f Dr. Torrey, my heart is deeply stirred with holy and happy memories o f a delightful friendship that lasted for nearly thirty years. A M an W ho K new My first sight o f Dr. Torrey was when, in 1893 or 1894, he came to New York to take part, with A . C. Dixon and others, in organizing the Open Air Workers Associa tion o f America. The meeting was held in the Twenty- third Street Young Men’s Christian Association. Being then in Association work, and my heart being burdened over my own failure to do personal work, and knowing that Dr. Torrey was at the head o f the Chicago Bible Institute (as it was then termed), I made it a point to attend the gathering, Dr. Torrey’s enthusiasm, earnest ness, and knowledge o f the Bible and of how to use it in winning men to Christ captured me. I felt that here was a man who knew what he was talking about, and who was doing what I was longing to be able to .do. Soon after wards, I got a dozen copies o f the “ Christian Life Card”-§ f Dr. Torrey’s simple summary o f the teaching of the Word as to the requirements for the new birth and for victory in Christian living— and the next Sunday afternoon I had the joy of leading two young men to Christ in our Y.M.C.A. meeting. I purchased a copy o f Torrey’s book, H ow to Bring Men to Christ, and began to study it, the result being that I decided to go to Chicago to take a year’s work under Dr. Torrey. ■ M eeting the S uperintendent None o f us, who went through it, will ever forget that first meeting with Dr. Torrey. We sat in the reception room wondering what was coming, for our letter o f ac ceptance had plainly stated that if for any reason we were found unfitted for Christian work, we would be told of that fact and would not be allowed to enter as students. In
came Dr. Torrey with a bunch o f papers in his hand. As our name was called, we arose and went forward. He glanced through the synopsis of our papers, held out his hand and spoke a word of kindly greeting, and looked us through and through with those steel-grey eyes of his. W e felt that he saw clear through to the soles o f our shoes, but we felt that he was our friend, because we were his brothers in Christ who had come to learn from him how to serve our Lord better. . 4-" R ecalling S tudents ’ N ames s How it used to startle a student who had no close con tact with Dr. Torrey, and who had been in the Institute only a few days or a week or two, to find himself stopped and addressed by name, and asked in a kindly tone as to how he was getting on ! The student little dreamed that his name was familiar because it was being spoken at the Throne in the prayers o f the faithful servant.4 What a "thrill it brought to that tired former student, just home on furlough from the heart o f Africa, or China, to hear his name called by Dr. Torrey as he met him in the hall on his way into the classroom, and especially when Dr. Torrey recalled some experience o f the old days, or re ferred to some bit o f news the student had written in his Jast mimeographed letter from the field! A P ersonal W orker Dr. Torrey practiced what he preached and taught re garding personal work. I saw him coming down the steps from the Institute one day and being stopped by a poor “ down and out.” Dr. Torrey was on his way home after dictating his next Sunday’s sermon, or perhaps answering letters, but he put down his satchel (did you ever see him without it?), talked earnestly with the man for a little time, and then both men knelt down on the sidewalk beside the steps. When they rot up, Dr. Torrey put his hand in his pocket, and then reached it to the man. True to the teach ing o f our Lord, he gave to him that asked o f him. 4 H is P unctuality Dr. Torrey had no time to waste. To him the classroom schedule meant what it said. “ Eleven o ’clock, Bible Doc trine,” did not mean 11:01. He must be on the platform, and the students must be in their seats, on the minute. At one o f our first Bible conferences, a missionary, founder of an independent mission, happened to come in. He had no place on the well-filled program, but Dr. Torrey gra ciously promised to give him ten minutes to speak o f his work. When the time came, the missionary was introduced
“One night of prayer will save us from many nights of insomnia.”— Torrey.
January, 1936
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God. Over and over again, I have left his class with my heart solemnized and hushed because Dr. Torrey had led us into the very presence of God. I think the reason can largely be traced to the fact that, regardless o f the number of times he may have taught some particular lesson, Dr. Torrey never faced a class without having made special preparation once more, by further prayer and study. Our teacher was an outstanding example o f mental and spiritual balance. He always maintained that em phasis should be placed on the doctrines of Scripture just in the proportion that God had emphasized them in His Word. Furthermore, Dr. Torrey was a man of power. His very presence proclaimed the fact. Mr. Stewart often re ferred to Dr. Torrey as “ a tower of strength” to the Insti tute, and such indeed he was. No listener to Dr. Torrey was ever fed on crumbs o f triviality. Always the “ meat which endureth” was spread before him. In the classroom, Dr. Torrey demanded o f the students the best they had, and was satisfied with nothing less. He was very firm, but also very just. If a student, when called upon, answered “ not prepared,” he knew he would be questioned before the class as to his unpreparedness. This requirement was quite embarrassing, unless one had a valid reason, in which case Dr. Torrey was always kind and considerate. Otherwise, he could be pretty severe—with the logical result that the words “ not prepared” were heard in Dr. Torrey’s classes much less frequently than in the others! II. B y CUTLER B. WH ITWELL Torrey left a mighty impress upon the life o f the one-time star tackle on the Columbia University football team, and Cutler B. Whitwell has ever since been a loyal friend o f Biola. With his wife, he is a graduate o f the Institute, and is serving now as director of. the employment department. As I think back nearly fifteen years to my student days _/~\_at Biola, my impressions o f Dr. Torrey as a teacher are as clear as though I had listened to him but yesterday. When Dr. Torrey entered the classroom, the very at mosphere seemed to change. It was not the mere cessation o f talking that made the difference. The cause lay far deeper than that. The fact that Dr. Torrey was a Spirit- filled man, and that he was our Dean seemed to cast a warm glow of anticipation over the whole group. One liked to look at him and watch him teach. He never asked for attention, yet his striking countenance and com manding personality forbade inattention. Perhaps one of the chief features o f his teaching was the effective use o f a vast store o f illustrations drawn from personal experi ence. One was impressed with his wide field o f learning gained at home and abroad. And yet he used language which was simple and direct. Often Dr. Torrey, by his apparent sternness, caused students, especially new ones, to forget all they knew. Then it was that one saw another side of his nature as he sym pathetically helped the trembling neophyte to recall the vanished knowledge. Having succeeded, he would then lend encouragement by saying, “ There! You see, you knew it all the time.” He taught with great positiveness and directness and without emotion. His teaching carried conviction because it was based on something more abiding than what he or some one else thought. With him, the prevailing question was: “ What does God say ?”
with a word o f explanation as to the brevity o f his talk, but to our surprise, instead o f plunging right into his sub ject, the man began to complain of his having been given only ten minutes, and kept up his complaint until he heard a voice behind him saying, “ Your ten minutes are up. Let us sing number---------- , after which D r .---------- will de liver the closing address.” A t the dinner table afterwards, the unfortunate man wished to talk further about his treat ment, but was silenced with Dr. Torrey’s crisp remark: “ You were given ten minutes to tell o f the work. If you chose, rather, to talk about yourself, and the treatment you had received, you are to blame, not I. Ask the Lord to for give you for wasting time.” W ith H is F ellow W orkers Dr. Torrey was God’s servant, not man’s. He sought, to do the will of God and to have His “ well done.” He expected those whom he had called to work with him to be actuated by the same high motive. W e were not Dr. Torrey’s servants, but Christ’s. W e appreciated his con fidence, and tried to be worthy o f it.wA word o f commen dation from him meant much. He did not interfere with us in our work unless some really serious matter arose, and then he did act. But pettiness was beneath him. His P rayer L ife An outstanding characteristic was his prayer life. Dr. Torrey’s confidence was not in his prayers, but in the faith fulness o f Him to whom he prayed. His favorite psalm was the sixty-second. As he read it at the beginning o f the monthly hour o f prayer, a holy awe seemed to be upon him, especially when he came to the eleventh verse: “ Power be- longeth unto God.” Whatever blessing attended his evan gelistic work he ascribed to God. And how he valued the cooperation o f those thousands of faithful Christians who followed him with their prayers all around the world ! Many a time he testified publicly that when the meetings were not going well, a day of prayer and fasting turned threatened defeat into glorious victory. But it was in the little group that used to meet in his room in the Institute, or in his home, after the great Sat urday night classes were over, that we got to know him best as a man o f prayer. Like the prophet Jeremiah, he never quailed before men, but poured out his heart to God in adoration, thanksgiving, confession, and humble petition. Was it any wonder that after a Saturday night spent thus, the word from the pulpit the next day was “ with power” ? <_As H is Students Saw H irru i. B y MRS. LYMAN STEWART In the classroom, Dr. Torrey deeply influenced his students, among whom was Lulu Crowell, who later became Mrs. Lyman Stewart. In her work as Director o f Bible Women o f the Insti tute, and as a member o f the Board o f Directors, Mrs. Stewart continues to manifest a faithfulness like that o f her great teacher. I wish to record my thanks to God for permitting me to enjoy the high privilege o f being a student in the Bible nstitute o f Los Angeles during the years o f Dr. Torrey’s ministry as Dean. As I think back over my student days, the thing that most deeply impressed me concerning Dr. Torrey was his profound knowledge of, and utter faith in, the Word of
“Many miss God’s guidance by doing things too soon.”— Torrey.
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K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1936
asHe was Known
R. A. TORREY
in GREAT BRITAIN By MRS. A. C. DIXON
Upon her arrival in Baltimore, Md., from England, several weeks ago, Mrs. Dixon readily agreed to write o f Dr. Torrey in relation to his work in Great Britain. A s the wife o f Charles M. Alexander, TorreVs song leader and colaborer during the strenu ous campaigns abroad, Mrs. Dixon had opportunity to know Torrey well'.* §he is not only the able author of books and articles, but is also the founder and international president of. the Pocket Testament League. T he opening of the Twentieth Century was a period of high-water mark in the spiritual life o f the British Empire. No personality played a more important part in producing the movements which led through the grace of God to the salvation of th'ousanads o f souls and the train ing o f an army of Christian workers than R. A. Torrey. With his colleague, Charles M. Alexander, Dr. Torrey was the leader o f the memorable Torrey-Alexander evangelistic campaigns that stirred Australia and New Zealand in 1902, touched India and Ceylon in passing, and furrowed deep into the religious life of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland during three years. Later visits o f Dr. Torrey to the British Isles for short periods, and the influence of his books and various writings, strengthened the impres sions and deepened the blessings of the great years of service. M oody ’ s S uccessor Dr. Torrey’s work in Great Britain followed, with the intervening break o f a few years, the undying labors of D. L. Moody, who had been called Home in 1899. Torrey’s work was, in fact, an outcome of Moody’s ministry, for shortly before his death, Moody had been urgently invited to visit Australia with Mr. Sankey. It was upon R. A .
nia, and New Zealand. Tidings of the powerful spiritual awakening in the Antipodes reached England and led to an urgent invitation from London, which opened up a pro longed evangelistic effort stirring every part of the British Isles from January, 1903, to November, 1905. Punctuated by short visits to the summer Bible con ferences of the United States, the great movement swept through England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. In October o f 1904, a memorable campaign in Cardiff led to a spiritual upheaval in South Wales, a revival movement widely ex tended through a great gathering o f ministers drawn from the surrounding counties, individuals upon whom the Spirit o f God fell as Dr. Torrey probed and pleaded for utter surrender to Christ. Without doubt, the Cardiff campaign was an instrument used o f God to bring about the great Welsh Revival which spread through Wales almost im mediately afterwards, attracting the attention o f the world. The second mission in Liverpool ran into three months of concentrated effort, leaving its marks for generations upon the northern territory. W ork in L ondon ' •The most far-reaching work o f the three arduous years in the British Isles was accomplished through the great London Mission o f 1905. The London Evangelistic Coun cil, presided over by Lord Kinnaird, was inspired by the evident moving of the Holy Spirit in other parts o f the country, to make bold plans for a campaign commensurate with the size o f the great metropolis. Preceded by weeks of prayer and eager preparation, the campaign opened on February 4 in the Royal Albert Hall, which had been en gaged for the whole o f February and March. More than forty thousand applications were received for the opening service, and the streets surrounding the Albert Hall were thronged with thousands o f people unable to gain admission after the huge concert hall had been packed to overflowing. Membership in the choir, under Charles M. Alexander’s leadership, was closed when the number o f applicants reached four thousand, insuring an attendance o f about two thousand night after night through the two months. Probably at no other time in the record o f this historic place has the building ever been used consecutively by any organi zation for so long a period. Families and individuals came. from distant parts of the British Isles, from the Continent, and from the United States, to share in all or part o f the campaign. The greatest desire o f the leaders was that all the honor should be given, not to them, but to their Lord. And at the closing meeting o f the campaign, with charac teristic self-effacement, Dr. Torrey slipped away from the platform, according to custom, while the roof still rang with praise in song from thousands of happy worshipers.*' E arned A pproval Throughout his work in Great Britain, Dr. Torrey earned the respect and approval o f all of his fellow workers and committees by his straightforward honesty and unsel-
Torrey, then pas tor o f the Chicago Av e n u e Church (now the Moody C h u r c h ) a n d D e a n o f t h e Moody Bible In stitute, that the choice fell to take Moody’s place in leading the great meetings in Aus tralia. Dr. Torrey was then a man of forty-six, at the full tide o f men tal vigor and phys ical energy, when he set out upon his world - wide mission. For five months o f 1902, he and Alexander c on d u cte d cam paigns in cities of Australia, Tasma
Torrey's Text
“ God is calling all Christians to rouse up and go to work, witnessing for Christ.” — Torrey.
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fishness, his absolute devotion to the task with which he ; was instrusted by God and his Christian brethren, and by ; his clear dealing in everything pertaining to the financial ; side of his work. ■ His loyalty to the Bible as the Word o f God, his up lifting o f Christ as the only Saviour from sin, and his emphasis on the power and ministry of thé, Holy Spirit, bulwarked the faith o f thousands of ministers of the gospel, and led many thousands of souls across the line of decision for Christ. His almost merciless appeal to conscience led some to think of his preaching as stern or even harsh, but it was often said that if Dr. Torrey was at no pains to attract people to himself, he certainly knew how to attract them to Christ. His masterly conduct o f the after-meetings, almost mechanical to some in the constant repetition of methods that he found to be spiritually effective, made them an unforgettable training school to thé personal workers who served under him, and no one ever took a stand in response to his appeal with any uncertainty as to what it involved, namely, an intelligent acceptance of the Son o f " God as Saviour, surrender to Him as Lord and Master,- and the open confession of Him as such before the world. - ' His dislike o f adulation, and the necessity of saving^ his strength and his voice under the constant demand of his j Arduous task, kept Dr. Torrey back from much of the j ’ personal contact with the people which devolved upon h iy colleague, Charles M. Alexander. Those who knew him intimately in his inner circle of family and friends foundN a man overflowing with an affection and kindliness fre quently hidden from public view by the seriousness o f his_ calling as a prophet of the Most High. The results of his work are deep and permanent. As the leading workers in the Torrey-Alexander Campaigns were largely made up of those who had accepted Christ under D. L. Moody’s preaching, so were the converts to Christ through Dr. Torrey’s preaching ready to take their places as leaders and workers in the churches and missions o f each country that he visited and in subsequent evangel istic campaigns,' , The Christian people of the British Empire owe much to R. A. Torrey, and are under a debt o f gratitude to God for sending him as an ambassador into their midst. Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Roberts (Grace Pike) are associated with the Hunan Bible Institute, the China Department o f the Bible Institute of Lo,s Angeles, of which Mr. Roberts is the treasurer. At home on furlough at the present time, the Roberts family is stopping in'Glendale, California. M V first trip across the Pacific Ocean to the continent of Asia was in company with Dr. Torrey. A t that time I had one particular interest in the visit to China—a desire to meet my two sisters who were engaged in missionary work, and to enjoy myself. But the impressions I received from that trip, and also the influences of the years that followed as I studied at Biola under Dr. Torrey, were used of the Lord to bring me to the point o f willingness to serve Christ in China. It was Dr. Torrey who first pro posed, upon my graduation, that I join the staff of the Hunan Bible Institute. China, together with “ the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in. China,” as he so often spoke of the Hunan Bible Insti tute, was a great love o f his. '''His last visit to China was DR. TORREY, China, and the HUNAN BIBLE INSTITUTE B y GRACE PIKE ROBERTS
in a temple in Nanyoh, China, Dr. Torrey (left) is seen with Prince Feng, of the Yao Tribe, and F. C. H. Dreyer, a missionary of the China Inland Mission. Mr. Dreyer acted as interpreter for Dr. Torrey during the visit of the evangelist to China in 1922. in 1921. That year he made a special trip to Changsha and Nanyoh, Hunan, to take part in the autumn conference being held at Nanyoh, one of the sacred mountains of China. The trip was a hazardous one, for civil war was being waged in the province, and the small river steamer on which Dr,: Torrey was traveling from Hankow to Changsha was fired upon several times. But although he knew o f the dangers of travel at that period, not for one moment would he be deterred from his object of visiting Dr. Keller and of participating in the scheduled conference. ’ Of the conditions .in China and o f China’s need, Dr. Torrey had a keen insight.; Upon his return to Los Angeles from this tour, Dr. Torrey addressed a gathering of three thousand people on the subject o f “ China, the Land »of Promise and Peril.” Rereading the full report of this message—published in the K ing ’ s B usiness for Feb ruary, 1922,1 was startled and stirred as I read his analysis o f the state o f affairs as it existed then, and I became keenly conscious that that which he wrote many years ago is factually true o f the present situation. Today, could any one write anything more accurate than the following lines ? “ China today is a land o f marvelous promise, but also a land of mystifying problems,” Torrey declared. “ There are tremendous possibilities . . . , but there are also terrifying ob stacles. . . . When I was in China two years ago, the ques tion was asked in a gathering o f educated and progressive [Continued on page 16]
• “ The death of Christ is sufficient for the whole world; it is efficient only for believers.”— Torrey. •
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