i \ nd they that he .wise shall shine as the brightness of the fir mament; and they that turn manÿ to righteous ness as the stars, forever and forever. Dan. 12:3
He tkat Winneth Souls
is WISE PrcrP. 11:30
SO U L W IN N E R S ’ N U M B E R
Bible Institute ofLosAngeles (IN CO R PO R A T ED )
LO S A N G E L E S , C A L I F O R N IA , U . S. A .
D I R E C T O R S
R. A. Torrey, vice-president Leon V. Shaw, treasurer William Evans J. O. Smith
Lyman Stewart, president J. M. Irvine, secretary T. C. Horton, superintendent H. A. Getz
Nathan Newby
S T A T E M E N T Church as expressed in the Common Cree(l The Necessity of the New Birth. The Maintenance of Good Works. The Second Coming of Christ. The Immortality of the Spirit. The Resurrection of the Body. The Life Everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Impenitent. The Reality and Personality of Satan.
D O C T R I N A L We hold to the Historic Faith of the of Evangelical Christendom and including: The Trinity of the Godhead. The Deity of the Christ. The Personality of the Holy Ghost. The Supernatural^ and Plenary authority of the Holy Scriptures. The Unity in Diversity of the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ. The Substitutionary Atonement.
S C O P E O F T H E W O R K
P U R P O S E : The Institute trains, free of cost, accredited men and women, in the knowledge and use of the Bible. D E P A R T M E N T S : ( 1 ) The Institute Classes held daily except on Saturdays and Sundays. (2) Extension work. Classes and conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted by our evangelists. (4) Spanish Work. Personal work among Spanish speaking people. (5) Shop Work. Regular services in shops and factories. (6) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work among the Hebrews and mission for Jews. (7) Bible Women. House-to-house visitation and neighborhood classes. (8) Oil Fields. A mission to men on the oil fields. (9) Books and Tracts. Sale and distribution of selected books and tracts. (10) Harbor Work. For seamen at San Francisco harbor. (11) The Biola Hall. Daily noon meetings for men in the down-town district, with free reading-room privileges. Evangelistic service every evening. (12) Print Shop. For printing Testaments, books, tracts, etc. A complete establish ment, profits going to free distribution of religious literature.
T H E K IN G ’S BU S INESS MOTTO: "I, the Lord, do keep it, / w ill water it every moment, lest any hurt it, 1 w ill keep it niaht and day. = Isa. 2 7 :3 ■ . ......................■■= P U B L I S H E D M O N T H L Y B Y T H E B IB LE I N S T I T U T E O F L O S A N G E L E S 4 Entered as Second-Class Matter November 17, 1910, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California . r i under tke A ct of March 3, 1879 Jit*. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917 authorized October 1, 1918. Isir Volume X June, lg ig Number 6 Editorials: League of Churches (491) Going Over the Top (491) The Sacrament 'Wine Bugaboo (492) The Presbyterian Evan gelistic Note (493) Essentials of Success (494) A Two-fold Christian Duty (494) A Problem for Some Schoolboy to Solve (495) Shall we Follow Ella Wheeler Wilcox? (496) Some Signs of the Times (497) The Church’s Greatest Hour of Opportunity, by R. A. Torrey (499) Sentence Sermons (501) The Winning of Souls, by Dr. 0. P. Gifford (502) Notes Concerning the Jews (508) Bible Institute Happenings (510) Divine Conjunctions and Disjunctions, by Dr. F. W. Farr (514) A New Method of Evangelism, by T. C. Horton Homiletical Helps (530) International Lessons (532) Heart to Heart Talks with the Unsaved (573) Books Reviewed, by Dr. Torrey (574) Daily Devotional Readings, by Dr. Farr (563) LEADING ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE f —• * . W hen sending subscriptions, address correspondence to Office I I I . / \ L L I of The K ing’s Business, Bible In stitu te of Los Angeles, 536-558 I f / ! South Hope Street. Checks m ay be m ade payable- to Bible J» JL j m. J l VW / i . 1 # Institute of Los Angeles. Do not make checks or money orders to individuals connected w ith the Bible Institute. Y E A R SU B S C R IP T IO N PR IC E— In the United States and Its Possessions and Mexico, and points in the Central American Postal Union, $1.00 per year. In all other foreign countries, including Canada, $1.24, (5c. 2d.) Single copies 10 cents. See expiration date‘ on the wrapper. B I B L E I N S T I T U T E OF LOS A N G E L E S 536-558 South Hope Street - - - - - Los Angeles, California O N L Y O N E D O L L A R A
Why Is Personal Work So Neglected ? By Charles G . Trumbull F WORDS for Christ to an individual are most effective in th e w inning of souls, why are they no t more commonly spoken by those who love Christ and love souls? Is it because persons do not know th is tru th , or th a t they are incompetent to speak th e needed words; or do they sim ply neglect th e duty which they recognize as a duty, and which they are amply competent to perform ? Probably nQ answer would meet every case. Different answers would be given in different cases. I have spoken w ith thousands upon thousands on th e subject of th e ir sp iritu al welfare. Yet, never to the present day can I speak to a single soul for Christ w ithout being rem inded by Satan th a t I am in danger of harm ing the cause by introducing it ju st now. If th e re is one th ing th a t S atan is sensitive about, it is the danger of a C h ristian ’s harm ing th e cause he loves by speaking of Christ to a needy soul. He h as more th a n once, or twice, or thrice, kep t me from speaking on th e subject by his sensitive pious caution, and he has trie d a thousand tim es to do so. Therefore my experience leads me to suppose th a t he is urging other persons to try any method for souls except th e best one. Men who have a national and an in tern ation al fame as preachers to a m u ltitud e actually say— not only th ink , b u t say— th a t they cannot speak to an individual soul for Christ. In some instances these preachers speak of it as if they counted a sinn er’s personality too sacred to speak a word to, even to save his soul or to honor Christ. In other cases, they speak of th e ir inability as an am iable weakness, instead of as a pitiable moral and sp iritu al defect, which proves them incompetent for th e ir position and profession. My experience in active service in th e Civil W ar ta u g h t me, as I am su re it ta u g h t others on both sides in th a t conflict, th a t the th u n d er of artillery was likely to be most impressive, b u t th a t the rifles cf th e sharpshooters b rough t down more men. This was pecu liarly th e case in th e siege life before Charleston and before P eters burg. The sh riek and th e crash of th e bu rsting shell told in th e ir impressiveness, especially upon those who were least experienced; but th e quiet “hum ” or th e “whiz” of th e rifle of th e sharpshooter did execution as ten to one, or as a hund red to one, in comparison. Yet th e artillery officer who could tell of how many rounds he had fired in action could boast more of his service, even if he did not know th a t he had ever h it anybody, th a n could th e best sharpshooter on th e whole line. So it is w ith those who address individuals for Christ. Sharp shooters may bring down more individuals w ith th e ir telling single bullets, b u t they cannot make th e impression in th e surrounding atmosphere th a t is made by th e big guns th a t are heard to th u n d er out from th e pulpit casements every tim e they open fire. I t is the man-to-man work th a t tells. Because it is th is work th a t is most effective, th is is th e work th a t it is best to do. Even though it is a less attractiv e work, as we look a.t it, and seems to others less im po rtan t to be done, we m ust adm it th a t th e resu lts are worth considering. As John B. Gough said of th e one loving word of Joel S tra tto n th a t won him : “My friend, it may be a sm all m atter for you to speak th e one word for Christ th a t wins a needy soul— a sm all m a tte r to you, bu t it is everything to him .” It is forgetting th is tru th th a t causes personal work to be neglected.
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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S T . C . H O R TO N , Editor KEITH L. BROOK S, Managing Editor R. A .T O R R E T , D. D. FR ED E R IC W . FA R R , D .D . J. H . H U N T E R W . H . PIKE Contributing Editors
ED I TOR I AL LEAGUE OF N A T IO N S and League of Church«*
The unrest of the world is clearly reflected in the unrest among pro fessedly Protestant churches. A reeent proposition is for the organization of a League of Churches, combining all Roman and Greek Catholic and Protestant churches, in Christian work, as brethren. Two bishops of the Episcopal church have been selected, and another is to be selected, to pre sent the matter to the Pope. We have no doubt but that many churches would be glad to be taken under the wings of this ecclesiastical system, but how about the Bible ? What place would the Word of God have in such a conglomerate gathering? The Roman Catholic church has never given Bibles to Mexico or Central America or South America or Italy. Where are the “ protestants?” Where are the Luthers? Where is the history of the Protestant Church? Where are the men and women of God ? Is not this effort a challenge to every real true follower of Jesus Christ to take a bold, aggressive stand against the tide, no matter from whence it emanates, or whom it may include ? Is there not a call for the preachers and the people to take a bold stand for the Word of God against all its enemies, be they Pope, or priest, or preacher, or teacher, or church, or schoolH-whoever it may be or whatever it may be. A League of Churches would be a league with the devil.—T. C. H. G O IN G Over tke Top John McNeill, the great Scottish evangelist, gave a great deal of time during the war to preaching to the soldiers, and during this campaign a general in the army said to him: “ What you need to preach to these men is that when they go over the top, and a German bullet lays them low, they go straight to Heaven.” To this the good evangelist replied: “ General, pardon me, but I have my orders as to what to preach from another Head quarters, and I am not going to try and obey two Generals. I love our men, but for the man who springs at the signal and goes over the top neither you nor I can make the gate any wider than Christ’s own terms. Besides, General, the sacrifice of a million soldiers for any cause does not come within a million miles of the unique and alone sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for the sins of the world. Let the cross of Christ, that mighty sacrifice, stand where the New Testament puts it. Paul would have said, ‘If salvation can come by patriotism, then Christ has died in vain, and the cross was not needed.’ ”
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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S Good for the Scotchman. These are the kind of words we need in this soft, shilly-shallying age. From letters from the front, however, and from conversation with returned soldiers, “ Y” men and some preachers, we are prepared to say that the soldiers absolutely took no stock in the message that some of these men sought to give them, that death for their country would be rewarded by a place in Heaven. Any man who knows men, knows well enough that they would not believe any such rotten stuff. No man facing death but knows that he has an account to meet before a righteous God. Some of these preachers may be fools enough to be fooled, but they cannot camouflage men in the trenches, or men in the tent, or men at large. Such preachers lack two things: H i They lack a knowledge of the Word of God, and (2) they lack a knowledge of men, and they need to get away from their books and their study and get back to the Bible and a living touch with living men. The average man never has and never will attend the ministry of men that preach this kind of a message, and Paul says concerning the doctrine of salvation through the sacrificial atonement of Christ, (Gal. 1 :8, 9) “ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” We commend these two verses to all of these so-called preachers of the Gospel, and we commend them to all of our readers.—T. C. H. T h e “Sacrament W ine” Bugaboo Cardinal Gibbons recently issued a statement “ only made public after careful thought,” condemning Prohibition as against personal liberty, causing loss of the Government revenues, and striking “ at the fundamentals of the Christian religion.” This last refers to the use of wine in the Mass! He added one new paragraph, quoted in these words by the Outlook: “ In the carrying out of the law I see also an invasion of the home which up to now all men have agreed is a sacred, holy place. These agents may enter our homes with the violence of burglars and the immunity of officers of the law.” W. H. Anderson, New York State superintendent of the Anti-Saloon league, made this reply: “The tru th is th a t th e prohibition am endm ent touches nothing except the beverage use of alcoholic liquor, and th ere has no t been anywhere any attem p t on th e p a rt of th e Anti-Saloon league to in terfere w ith th e securing of w ine for the sacram ental use. “This reiteration of u n tru th fu l statem en ts calculated to raise a sectarian issue seems to requ ire th a t we now say th a t the same dishonest and u n tru th fu l statem en ts were widely circulated in New York du ring the recent campaign as a so rt of religious smoke-screen behind which to mask a Catholic drive for th e elec tion of a Catholic Governor of New York State. “ If C ardinal Gibbons desires to oppose prohibition because many of the larg est and w ealthiest distillers of Maryland are members of and liberal con trib u to rs of his Church, and because most of the saloon-keepers who belong to any church are Catholics in good standing, or if he w ishes to oppose prohibition for any other reason, he has a perfect rig h t to do so as an American citizen. But he has no rig h t to do it in words w h'ch have no basis in fact, b u t which are
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 493 calculated to arouse religious h atred and class prejudice. When a high d ignitary of a conservative Church reso rts to incendiary utterances which impliedly invite lawlessness and suggest th a t it can be blamed upon prohibition, ju s t so far he becomes an obstacle to law and order and an enemy of th e American Republic.” “ Father ” ,Belford of Brooklyn, N. Y., issued the following statement through the “ Catholic Mentor” : “ This iniquitous law is h ere and it looks as if it was h ere to stay for a long tim e. It is th e w orst invasion of personal liberty th e world has ever seen. It is no t the w ill of th e American people. It is th e will of a small m inority of narrow m inded bigots who have availed them selves of a weak spot in th e Constitution and forced upon th e m ajo rity a law which is as iniquitous as it is odious. I t is an u n ju st law . No one is bound to obey it. No one should have th e le a st scruple abou t evading it, b reak ing it, o r defying it. “How, you will ask, could such a law be enacted? I t owes its existence to a band of fan atical th u g s and blackm ailers. They have h eld up leg islato rs as tru ly as ever a highw aym an h eld up h is victim . They have browbeaten, bulldozed, th rea ten e d an d frigh ten ed men in to supporting a m easure which every decent m an loathes and every hon est m an despises. “L et us hope th a t these m odem Manichees who have procured th is infamous legislation will now proceed to make it as odious as possible. Give them all th e spies they can use; let them choose th e ir inspectors, detectives and agents; give them th e rig h t to en ter any house, a t any hour, and search for hidden liquor; allow them a t sigh t to destroy anything th a t looks like liquor. Then, let us see how long th e American people will stand them . Sm aller th ing s th a n th is have b rough t on revolutions. T alk abou t America being The Land of th e F ree and th e Home of th e Brave! This brood of vipers has made it The Land of th e F re ak and th e Home of the K nave!” — T. C. H. T H E PRESBYTER IAN Evangelistic Note The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, through its Com mittee on Evangelism and the New Era Movement, suggests, in connection with a long message to the churches, that “The P resby terian Church, as a whole, is strongly evangelistic, b u t when it comes to methods of work th e churches fall into two distinct groups. Both types presuppose personal work. We all agree on the grow th value of personal work to th e individual and to th e church. To th is end, th e Committee on Evangelism and th e New E ra Movement can co-operate w ith both, and herew ith suggest the two outlines: “One group does no t believe in evangelistic meetings in which th e call is made for public confession of sin and the acceptance of Christ. I t is not essential th a t- th is method be followed by a church which will organize for personal ser vice; intensify her sp iritu al appeal in th e stated services of th e church; hold fre quent meetings of th e session to examine and receive candidates for adm ission; preach w ith an earn est evangelistic appeal p rio r to communion seasons; call the children of th e church to Christ in th e class-room of th e Sunday School and in th e p asto r’s Communicant Class; hold fast to th e fundam ental Gospel message, and in general fu rn ish an example to th e world of a Christ-loving, hum anity serving church. Such a church will always he evangelistic. “ Since th e days of Whitfield and th e Tennants, th e re has been a second group which believe most thoroughly in special evangelistic services, held a t suitable seasons, as th e crown and climax of all th a t has been done in th e preceding months of effort. These services are sometimes held because th e church has fallen into th e habit, and in such instances accomplish b u t very little .” I Concerning the preaching essential during an evangelistic campaign, the Committee suggests the following:
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“The preaching should,
. Emphasize th e element of teaching. The younger generation is aston ishingly igno ran t of th e g reat tru th s of God’s Word pertain ing to salvation. We need to re tu rn to the old type of Bible exposition in evangelistic preaching. (2 ) Our preaching should have in it th e elem ent of testimony, and in all the services the members of th e church who have themselves drawn near to God should be encouraged to supplement th e message of the preacher by th e ir own personal testim ony of th e love of God, of His forgiveness and sustaining grace. ( 3 ) . The preaching should have in it th e elem ent of yearning appeal. In the p reparation of our sermon we will no t forget those fam iliar passages in the Word of God which describe Christ in His yearning search for men.” We are glad to note the emphasis which is put so strongly on the old type of Bible exposition in evangelistic preaching, and the earnest entreaty to the whole church, pastor and people, to emphasize by lip and life the yearning which is in the heart of the Son of God for the lost. We all need to take to'heart this exhortation. Is it too much to say that this is one of the gravest and greatest needs of all believers today? We know that His heart yearned over the lost, and He is always seeing them as sheep without a shepherd.—T. C. H. E s s e n t i a l s of Success . The General Manager of a great business was once asked “ What are the essentials of a successful salesman?” and his reply is well worth careful consideration: - “A thorough knowledge of th e merchandise he handles. Absolute honesty in statem en ts concerning th e goods he sells. Patience and w illingness to show goods to customers, even under the most trying conditions. Courtesy is an invaluable asset in th e reta il trade. - Accuracy in clerical work incidental to handling the sales, is im portant. P ersonal appearance counts for a g reat deal in pleasing customers, which is one of th e salesm an’s chief objects.” If this advice could be adopted by every minister and personal worker, and applied to our Christian service, it would bring untold blessing to the church. We have goods to offer and we ought to know the character of the goods we are offering; and there should be patience and willingness to show the people (our customers) the goods. And, also, courtesy is an invaluable asset to the personal worker. The wisdom of the Spirit is essential, and while we need in our contact with the “ customer” a pleasing address, we also need the aggressiveness of the salesman who must make good if he holds his job.—T. C. H. ^'4 ^» 4 . ate a s afe •A. TWO -FOLD Ckristian Duty “ Continue steadfastly,” Acts 2:42. “ Contend earnestly,” Jude 3. These parallel commands are like a railway over which the Christian life should run. The former is implied. The latter is expressed. The adverb in each case indicates the manner in which the duty should be discharged. The first passage describes the post-Pentecostal experience of the early church. The disciples had been filled with the Holy Spirit. Multitudes had been converted and baptized. It is said that they continued steadfastly in the Apostles ’ doctrine and fellowship, in the 'breaking of bread and prayers. This shows a genuine work of grace. Continuation is the test V
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 495 of reality. “ Do you believe in the perseverance of the saints?” a certain teacher was asked. “ I believe in the saints persevering,” was the reply. Staying qualities are indispensable to success in every department of life. God is able not only to save but to keep also. He can make a rock like Peter out of the vacillating Simon. Steadfast continuance finds its coln- plement in earnest contention. Controversy is sometimes a duty. Much of the preaching of Christ and Paul was controversial. When an assault is made upon the church of God, we must repel the attack. The best way to strengthen the things that remain, is to attack the things that resist. These duties react upon each oher. By earnest contention for the faith, we are most likely to continue grounded and settled in it. 1 These exhortations suggest the unchanging character of the Christian faith. It is the Apostles’ doctrine that we continue in and the faith deliv ered “ once for all” for which we contend. There are no improvements or additions to, the old-fashioned Gospel. The canon of Scripture is closed. Every professed new revelation is Apocryphal and comes from beneath. There is a “ progressive theology” ' in the sense that our apprehension of Scripture deepens and increases, but in no other. “ Whosoever progresseth and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God.” 2 John 9 (R.V.). Jude defends his plea for contention on the ground of pressing necessity, vs. 4. Similar conditions warrant a similar plea today. Perilous times are upon us. 2 Tim. 3 :1. Insidious errors are poisoning the minds of men and damnable heresies are seducing their hearts from God. Many are departing from the faith. There never was greater need for the people of God to undertake a propaganda for the faith of our fathers, by tongue and pen, offensive and defensive, without compromise or cessation, contending, earnestly, prayerfully and victoriously for the truth in Jesus.—F , W. F. A PROBLEM for Some School Boy to Solve Two dispatches from Germany appearing in the daily papers about the same date and, in many of them, in adjoining columns, are of peculiar interest when taken together. The Kaiser’s former theological advisor informs the world that he often warned Wilhelm that his orthodox interpretations of Scripture were obsolete and dangerous and would get him in trouble, and he affirms that it was nothing short of the Kaiser’s orthodoxy that got the world in all this mess and sent the Kaiser to Amerongen. The Herr Professor has been very delinquent in giving this information as the dean of Chicago University long since informed the American people that the Kaiser’s orthodoxy was at the root of the world’s troubles and that orthodoxy as a result must go to the scrap heap. But the second dispatch is even more interesting. A German phil osopher writes that the intellectuals of Germany (from whom many of our College professors derive their knowledge) are sitting in their lairs utterly bewildered. Yesterday they were the world’s infallible theorists, but today as they behold the outcome of their theories in Germany, they are engaged in eating their words of yesterday. He says that Marx, Nietzche and all the other text books of higher thought lie buried somewhere in the debacle. The German highbrows admit themselves adrift and are call-
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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S mg out for some “ great thinkers” to step into the breach and give the world a new doctrine” before bolshevism runs everybody off the earth. _. ^ , question is, was it the Kaiser’s orthodoxy or his hypocrisy— his Christ or his kultur that sent Germany to the devil? Let some schoolboy tresh irom the history class answer the question. The critics indeed are in a pitiful plight that they must resort to so ridiculous an idea as that ad vanced by the Kaiser’s theological advisor and the dean of Chicago Uni- versity, but it is good to know that many of the Herr professors in Ger- many are frank enough to admit the failure of their doctrines and are look ing for a ‘new doctrine.” Something tells us that the “ new doctrine” Germany needs is the “ doctrine of Jesus Christ” (2 John 9) and the “ faith of their fathers,” (“ He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” )—K. L. B. SHALL W e Follow Ella Wheeler Wilcox and Sir Oliver Lodge? Many look upon the demonstrations of Spiritualism as wholly founded on fraud. That much of it is, there is no doubt. “ Spirit” apparatus may be purchased from any magical supply house. On the other hand there is no denying the fact that some of these manifestations are real. Science has fully demonstrated the existence of spirits; pictures have been taken- bodies have actually been weighed; writings have been produced; conversa tions have been held; spirits^ have talked in foreign languages entirely unknown to the medium calling them up—and there are plenty of com- these things. Chief among these just at present are Ella .Wheeler Wilcox, Sir Oliver Lodge and Sir Conan Doyle. Magazines and newspapers are stuffing their columns with their testimonies to Spirit- ualism, and hundreds of people are going daffy over spiritism as a result. The Bible plainly warns, (for there is nothing new about these demon strations) that the spirits with whom some are communicating are not the spirits of departed human beings, (for these are not roaming at large in space) but impersonators and agents of the devil to allure souls away from the vital saving truths of the Gospel. Such investigations are strictly forbidden because of the impossibility of discerning the character of the spirits; because of the danger of being lured away by half-truths which the spirits utter; because of the supernatural powers which they have and because the results of such practices, as history has proven, are almost inevitably immorality and insanity) They lead to no beneficial goal. They add absolutely nothing to the revelation about the hereafter which God has revealed in His Word. They only serve to promote visionary notions, help stock asylums and send a multitude to hell. The Satanic counterfeit is demonstrated to perfection in an incident recently related in an exchange. A friend of the writer disappeared. For months search was made for him. After two years, it was decided he had suffered foul play. His wife was induced to consult a spiritist medium. A seance was held, and in full view of several competent witnesses, the head and shoulders of the missing man appeared, and when asked if he was happy, he smiled and the ghost vanished. Several months afterward, a relative in another city met the man who was Certainly alive and well. And
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yet a spirit perfectly resembling him had been brought forth from the unseen world. The other class of Spiritualistic work is that done by mediums who are themselves fakes. An instance of this is related by a man prominent in London. He consulted a medium. She said, ‘‘There is an aged lady behind your chair. She is very like you. She lifts her hands to bless you. Her hands are now resting over your head.” “ Pray, tell me,” said the man, “ who is this mysterious visitant?” “ It is your mother,” was the reply. “ Dear soul,” said he, with a tremor in his voice. “ She says,” continued the medium, “ that you will join her soon and be happy with her.” “ Thats quite likely,” said the man, “ for she is going to take tea with me at five o’clock.”—K. L. B. SOM E S IGN S of the Times A recent New York Journal has a word to say about divorces and their cause which is significant: The tango is to blame. Business depression, lack of children', social climbing — these may be contributive causes to th e 50 per cent increase in divorces in th is city w ithin th e p ast six months, b u t th e tendency to h esitate and dip is th e real reason, according to lawyers and judges who make a specialty of doffing th e m arital yokes of disillusioned couples. In these days when a phonograph and a can of
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floor wax constitute th e furnishing of a b rid al nest, they say in effect it is no wonder th a t love soon flies out of th e window. The' old world is going on in its lively way to its predicted catastrophe. Every possible facility is sought by some well-meaning people to provide opportunities for the boys and girls and young people to mingle in the dizzy whirl that has brought more souls to ruin than any other agency of the devil. Whiskey has slain its thousands, but lust its tens of thousands.— T. 0. H.
th a t old w itch E ngland.” The Civilta Cattolica, “ the hyena of th e V atican,” ceased not to gird a t England a t every opportunity. In short, th e Vatican was, as usual, a spider clot of intrigue, — th is tim e as ever directed against the cause of freedom and ju stice.” BURIED IN THE BOOK It is said of th e g ran d fath er of Charles Spurgeon, th a t on one occasion he was so absorbed in Scripture study th a t when a neighbor came to visit him, he arose from his study long enough to show the gentlem an a ch air; hut, going straig h t hack to his open Bible, he soon forgot th e m an’s presence, and devouring sentence afte r sentence as a hungry child m ight devour food, he was h eard occasionally to m u tte r to himself, “W onderful!” "W ond erfu l!” while th e inner ligh t rad iated from every featu re of his old face. Our fo refathers in America were a Bible- loving, Bible-reading company; almost every day began w ith w hat is known as “ the fam ily devotions,” and they were not even hu rried .— Selected.
WILSON’S $40,000 HANDOUT FROM POPE P residen t Wilson is reported to have accepted a $40,000 present from the pope on th e occasion of his visit. The Record of C hristian Work says: The visit of P residen t W ilson to th e Vatican gives rise to various reflections. It has been perilously like a visit to an enemy country, for th e Vatican has been anything h u t n eu tra l in the gigantic struggle of th e past four years. In Vatican walls were hatched by Mgr. Gerlach a strin g of conspiracies, one of which ended in th e blowing up of two Italian battleships, th e Benedetto Brin and th e Leonardo da Vinci. F rom the same sources crawled th e peace propa ganda which culm inated in th e Capor- etto debacle. Men who had fought bravely in th e Italian arm y before the Pope’s Note was published stopped fighting because they though t he had so ordered. According to th e R. C. T ablet th e igno ran t peasan try were on th e ir knees before th e Madonna in thanksgiving for th e peace th a t the Pope had brought,— a peace which they believed would long before have been consummated “ if it h ad no t been for
FORM OF BEQUEST To Bible Institute of Las Angeles
I give and bequeath to the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, incorporated under the laws of the State of California....: .......... . dollars, and I direct that the release of the President of the Board of Directors of said Bible Institute of Los Angeles shall be sufficient discharge to my executors in. the premises.
y / 9 / ?
The CKurcK’s Greatest
Hour of Opportunity
A Very Timely Message Bj> DR . R. A . T O R R E Y
In answer to th e question, “W hat should th e Churches of P ro te sta n t America do to meet th e present situ atio n ?” Dr. Torrey w rote to th e Christian Herald, as follows: 1. The churches should put all narrow personal interests aside, and resolve at any cost they will do what lies in their power to present the simple and pure Gospel as it is found in the Word of God to every man, woman and child at home, and to every man, woman and child, as rapidly as pos sible, in heathen lands. 2. ' They should avoid all wastes of men, money and effort. There is no question that the present division of real Christians into separate, and sometimes warring, sects oftentimes results in an appalling waste of men, money and effort. Many a community has from! three to ten churches and three to ten ministers, where one church and one minister would meet all the needs of the community better than they are met with this division of forces. Very frequently these churches and these ministers stand for the same essential truths, and the points of difference among them are concern ing questions of entirely secondary, or less than secondary, importance. For example, many a Methodist minister preaches exactly the same Crucified, Risen, and Ascended Lord Jesus Christ as is preached by many a Preshy-, terian minister and many a Baptist minister. The questions that divide them are simply questions of church government, or questions of modes 6f administration of church ordinances. In such a case there should not be three ministers, but one; and very frequently it would be possible to get a better minister than any one of the three who can be had under existing conditions. There cannot possibly be a union of all Protestants, for many Protes tants differ from one another on questions that are really vital; hut there should he a new alignment, for many a Presbyterian minister agrees with many Methodist ministers on questions that are vital, and differs from other Presbyterian ministers on questions that are vital. There cannot' be co operation among professed Christians who disagree upon really funda mental questions, and the new alignment should be along these fundamental lines. It matters not to me whether a man is a Methodist, or a Baptist, or a Congregationalist, or a Lutheran, or what he is, if he believes in the absolute authority and inerrancy of the Scriptures, in the real deity of Jesus Christ and the real human nature of Jesus Christ, in the atonement of Jesus Christ by His shed blood, redeeming us from the curse of the broken law, in regeneration by the power of the Holy Spirit, in salvation on the simple and single ground of the atoning blood and on the simple and single condition of faith in Him who shed the blood, in the future conscious endless punish-
500 THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S ment of those who persistently reject Jesus Christ in the life that now is. On the other hand, if a man is a Presbyterian and yet rejects any of the truths just mentioned, I cannot co-operate heartily with him even though he he a Presbyterian. Denominational distinctions have never meant any thing to me. The Protestant church ought to be realigned along these vital lines. I am sorry to say I have grave doubts whether it can be, but you have asked, “ What should the churches of Protestant America do to meet the situation?” not what will the churches of Protestant America do. 3. The Churches of Protestant America, in order to meet the present situation, the grave crisis that is upon us, should be real Christians in the daily conduct of the membership of these' churches. They should give up the love of money, the love of display, the love of pleasure, and many other things that characterize a large share of the professing church today, and which are absolutely hostile to the manner of life demanded by the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. The churches of Protestant America should give up the attempt which has been so characteristic of church activity the past ten or twenty years of reorganizing society without the regeneration of the individual. The program set forth in the New Testament is not the reorganizing of society from without by mere ethical teaching and social reform; The program of Christianity is to reach society by leading the individual to a definite, personal acceptance of Jesus Christ and to a transformation of his own character, and thus to make society what it ought to be. The Protestant ministers and churches should give themselves up to intelligent, definite soul-winning as they never have before since the days of the apostles. They should work for real revival, not for great mass movements along thoroughly worldly lines and by thoroughly worldly methods, methods that oftentimes jar upon the spiritual instincts of intelligent Christians, and that aim at drawing vast crowds, making a great outward stir and bringing inordinate financial returns to the leaders in the movement, but a revival sent down from above in answer to prayer and manifestly carried on in the power of the Holy Ghost, and that results in the radical, thorough and permanent transformation of the lives of those who come under its power into the likeness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Protestant churches should pray as they never have before, absolutely surrender them selves to the lordship of Jesus Christ as they never have before, sacrifice as they have never sacrificed before, give as they have never given before, and wear themselves out in untiring work for the salvation of the lost as they never have before. While the present hour is one of crisis and peril, it is the greatest hour of opportunity that the Church of Jesus Christ has ever known. If the churches are faithful to the opportunity we shall see such gladdening results as we have never seen before in all the history of the Church on earth. God has been speaking to us in tones of thunder through the great cataclysm of the present war. He is calling us to devotion, sacrifice and effort. Will the churches hear the call? I do not know, but I know that many of us will. I would rather live and work in the present hour than in any hour of this old world’s history. Do Y ou Have Dailj) Family Demotions in Tour Home? See the Devotional Readings in this Magazine
1 R e a l l y R e m a r k a b l e R e m a r k s S E N T E N C E SE RM O N S FO R B U S Y R E A D E R S
11 Ü
ü
There never has been a tim e when it was rig h t to give th e Lord less th an one-tenth of all one’s income. God keeps a costly school; many of its best lessons are spelled out through tears. Welcome th e cross of Christ and bear it trium ph an tly ; h u t see th a t it be in deed Christ’s cross, and no t th in e own. He is no t tru ly p atien t who is w illing to suffer only so much as he th ink s good, and from whom he pleases. “ Be much w ith God if you would be much lik e God.” There are people who would do g reat acts; bu t, because they w ait for g reat opportunities, life passes, and th e acts of love are no t done a t all. The glory is no t in th e task, b u t in th e doing of it for Him. As flowers never p u t on th e ir best clothes for Sunday, b u t w ear th e ir spot less raim en t and exhale th e ir odor every day, so le t your C hristian life, free from stain, ever give fo rth th e fragrance of th e love of God. No one can ask honestly or hopefully to be delivered from tem ptation unless he h as him self honestly and firmly determ ined to do th e best he can to keep ou t of it. He who cannot find tim e to consult his Bible . . . m ust some day find tim e to die; he who can find no tim e to reflect is m o st likely to find tim e to sin ; he who cannot find tim e for rep en t ance will find an etern ity in which repentance will be of no avail. They slumber sweetly whom faith rocks to sleep. No pillow so soft as a prom ise; no coverlet so warm as an assured in te rest in Christ. R est assured, Christ will no t live in th e parlo r of our h earts if we en tertain th e devil in th e cellar of our thoughts.
To a graceless neck th e yoke of Christ is intolerable, bu t to th e saved sinner it is easy and light. We may judge ourselves by this, do we love th a t yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us ?— Spurgeon. Answers to p rayers ai-e sweet cordials for th e soul. We need no t fear a frown ing world while we rejoice in a prayer hearing God.— Spurgeon. T h at which a man spits against heaven, shall fall back on his own face. — Thomas Adams. God loveth a cheerful giver, w hether it be th e gold of his purse or th e gold of his mouth which he presents upon his altar. In heaven’s court su ito rs are not worn ou t w ith long delays. T e r m - tim e lasts all the year round in the court of K ing’s Bench above. Ignorance is worst when it am ounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon th e n am e of God. Rest upon His prom ises though He seem to kill thee; cleave unto His s ta t utes though th e flesh lust, th e world allure, the devil tem pt by flatteries or th reaten ing s to th e contrary. The lower th e h e a rt descends, the higher th e prayer ascends.— Thomas Watson. W hat folly is it to exalt th is vain world in our affections, whose joy, like th e child’s laugh ter on th e m other’s knee, is sure to end in a cry a t last! Never m ind who was your g rand fa th e r; who are you? The man who h as nothing to boast of b u t his good ancestors is like a potato; all th a t is good of him is under ground.” Reaching one person a t a tim e is the best way of reaching all th e world in time.
A n Address Given at tke Bible Institute of Los Angeles A Word of Vital Importance to tbe Ckurck of Today
Bÿ DR . O. P. G IFFO RD o f Boston. M ass.
o th er people’s thinking. She knew it was tru e, for th e label said so. When she g radu ated she read an essay on a social question th a t had vexed men for a hund red years. When she stepped from th e platform she disappeared. Why? Because th e re was nothing in her m ind th a t was no t in books. I t is cheaper to buy a book th an to support a woman. The binding costs less and you can sh u t it up when you are tired w ithout making anyone mad. H er g randm other sa t in th e corner kn itting . She was* a dear old lady w ith silver h air. She could no t dance; it was w rong to dance when she was a girl. She could not play th e piano. She was a past-m aster a t the wash- tub,. She could no t paint;» she had white-washed th e cellar walls. She knew nothing of F rench, or German, and her English was uncertain. She Mormonized h er speech, giving p lu ral verbs to singular nouns, b u t she was a wise, old woman— and wisdom wins. When th e young wife found h er hus band was losing in te rest and th e m a tri monial bond did no t pay, she sought g randm o th er’s advice how to renew the investment. Young mothers ask g rand mother how to take th e baby safely th rough teething, measles and mumps. They never sought th e advice of the girl who knew , b u t of th e woman who was wise— for wisdom wins. “W ith all th y gettings get wisdom.” You will no t have much competition. You can ask your own price for it. The man who knows gets $50.00 for a
PROVERB is th e wisdom of many and th e w it of one. A bee plunders a hundred flowers to fill one cell w ith honey. A pro verb-m aker searches a cen tu ry to pack a phrase, but th e “ phrase g litters like a words long upon the
jew el” five
stretched forefinger of all time. Words are th e best preservative of though t we have found. Palaces and temples crum ble to du st; pictures fade; words out la st the centuries. Solomon bu ilt temples and palaces; not one stone re mains upon another. He w rote pro verbs th a t ou tlast th e centuries. One proverb runs, “He th a t is wise w inneth souls.” Wisdom wins. Knowledge comes, b u t wisdom lingers. Knowledge furnishes th e raw m aterial for wisdom. Knowledge spins threads. Wisdom weaves webs. The woven web covers th e naked form . Knowledge makes bricks; wisdom erects buildings, and buildings are civilization. Knowledge is the apple tree in the Spring, adorned like a bride for h er husband. Wisdom is th e tree in th e Autumn bending beneath th e burden of fru it th a t makes glad th e h e a rt of man. She was a “ sweet girl gradu ate w ith golden h a ir.” She could dance divinely; play beautifully; pain t passably; read, w rite and ta lk in English, F rench and German, b u t she could no t th in k in any language. She had never been ta u g h t to th ink . The shelves of her memory were filled w ith th e “ canned goods” of
503
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S re ta in e r; th e man who is wise gets $5000.00. The doctor who knows gets $5.00 a visit; the doctor who is wise gets $500.00 for a consultation. W is dom wins. You may p u t a wise man where you will— th e world will find him. If on an island, men seek him on ra fts; if in th e h e a rt of a forest, they cut th e ir way to him w ith axes. He does no t need to advertise. Many years ago th e Philistines had the Hebrews under foot. There was no t a sm ith in all Israel. A woman sat under a palm tree and prophesied. Men listened to her speech. She ■organized an army,;—broke th e hack of Ph ilistia > ^ b u t Deborah was a wise woman— and wisdom wins. Wisdom wins souls, for wisdom knows values and th e soul is th e most valuable created force in th e universe. It is th e companion of God, th e Son of th e E ternal. L ast year we had a fire in Brookline. Thousands of dollars in rugs, hooks, pictures, jewels and fu rn i tu re were destroyed. Not a te a r was shed. The g randm other of th e fam ily crept ou t of th e second-story chamber window, dragged h er broken body under a bush, was tak en to th e hospital, and died on th e th ird day. The family wept. Things may be replaced; a life blotted out cannot he restored. The soul is of more value th a n all things. The soul is valuable, first, because of its essential being. When I was living in Buffalo a physician and surgeon w ent w ith th e F ederal Regiment to the Phil ippines. A fter th e brown b ro th ers were convinced th a t th e white men were th e ir friends th e doctor was dismissed from service and retu rn ed by way of Japan. In Tokio he bought a temple m irro r, a b it of m etal th e size of a tea- plate. The back side looks like a relief map of New England. The face is pol ished u n til it equals a p late glass m ir ro r. I looked into it and saw w hat is to me th e most in teresting fact in N ature— my own face. If you had looked you would have seen w hat inter-
ests you most— your own face. I handed th e m irro r back to th e doctor and congratulated him on having so fine a piece of m etal workm anship. He replied, “You haven’t seen the m irror. The man who made th a t was no t th in k ing of th e hum an face. Tomorrow morning hold it up in th e ligh t of the sun and look a t th e ceiling.” I did, and th e re traced in lines of ligh t was th e face and form of Gaudhama Buddha, th e g reat king of th e E ast. Today four hundred m illion men and women wor ship him. Where would you not go— w h at would you not do, to see th e face of th e God you worship— and yet these worshippers in th e E ast see the sun kiss th e m irro r and th e God is born. God h ath w rought H imself into th e soul of man. It is th e business of the church to lift th e soul into th e ligh t of th e Uplifted Countenance th a t th ere may be joy in the presence of the angels when a new soul flashes back th e divine likeness. Second— the soul is of value because of its output. He who heals th e spring heals th e outflow. On th e edge of the Jo rd an plain in P alestine is a g reat spring. Every drop of w ater flowing over its edge makes the d esert blossom like th e rose. Centuries ago it was a foun tain of death. Every drop of w ater blasted vegetable life. A prophet cast sa lt into th e spring and healed th e out put, and th e flow th rough th e centuries w itnesses to his power. So th e man who wins a soul for God wins the out put. Darw in says th a t all th e earth food furnished to th e vegetable world is prepared by the ea rth worm. P lan ts live on pre-digested food. Raw soil would kill the p lan t w ith indigestion. W hat we call civilization is th e expres sion of hum an thought. Today a though t— tomorrow a building; today a though t— tomorrow a machine; today a though t— tomorrow a p ictu re; today a thought— tomorrow a city. And he who wins the th in k er wins the thought. When th e daugh ter of Pharaoh lifted
504
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Moses from th e Nile she unhinged the gates of slavery. She made th e law of Sinai possible, organizing Israel, and th e foundation of Christianity. If she had known, she could have strangled th e life in a moment and spared the land she loved— saving Moses, she made Israel and Christianity possible. When Hannah devoted Samuel to God she gave the life th a t organized Israel into a kingdom , anointed David as king, founded th e School of th e P rophets, and made th e Hebrews a power in th e E ast ern world. By th e banks of a V irginia R iver a woman shaped th e life th a t formed th e Republic. On th e edge of th e W estern w ilderness a woman moulded th e life th a t freed th e negro from th e bondage of slavery. Men m ake governments. Women make men. Seek th e ballot if you wish, b u t do not neglect th e cradle. The first mortgage controls th e property and she who wins th e soul w ins th e output. Where shall we get wisdom? P rom lite ra tu re and from life. A good book is th e life-blood of a m aster sp irit saved up fo r a life beyond life. Books are th e reservoirs th a t s ta rt th e th ink ing of th e centuries. A young man goes to his pastor and says, “ P asto r, I w ant to
be a doctor.” A sensible choice—for so long as men are born of th e flesh they are born to fleshly ills and w ith inh erited ills we m ust needs have doc to rs for th e flesh. The young man takes four years in th e academy, four years in th e college, and then his m ind is so tempered and edged th a t it will not tu rn when he cuts green cheese. Three years a t th e medical school and a year in th e ho sp ital; then the state tu rn s th e body of citizens to th e care of th e doctor— bu t when th e wind blows across th e young m an’s m ind you smell drugs. He th ink s symptoms— dreams of diseases and plans cures. When he shakes a young lady by th e hand he run s his finger up her w rist to feel h er pulse. When he looks into her eye he searches for symptoms of h ealth and disease. When she is talk ing he seeks to catch a glimpse of her tongue to see if it is coated. He cannot help it. The lite ra tu re th a t he has studied has moulded and shaped his inner life. H is b ro th er prepares for th e bench. Academy and college are followed by th e legal school. When he proposes he argues as though before a jury. When he prays he pleads w ith the Judge. The lite ra tu re has shaped his
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