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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
October. 1939
CHRISTIAN GREETING CARDS For Sale or for Personal Use
Desolations a t t e n d i n g war (Mk. 13:7-13). “War is hell!” (1 Sam. 3l:l-10). The promise of peace (Isa. 2:i-5). Admonition to pursue peace (Rom. 14:16-19).—From A Year of Meetings, International Society of Christian En deavor. NOVEMBER 12, 1939 MUST WE HAVE POVERTY? A m o s 8:4-7; J am e s 2:15-17 Meditation on the Lesson The passage in James 2 should prop erly begin with verse 14, for the apostle is discussing the test of faith by good works. The main theme is the differ ence between mere profession and ac tual possession of faith—“What doth it profit . . . if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?” (R.V.). This passage is also a splendid homily on the Chris tian’s attitude and action toward the poor. If our sympathy for unfortunate, naked and hungry folks only goes as far as words, it is useless. Sympathy, to be worth while, must result in ac tion. As Dr. Maclaren says: “What >s the good of getting up fire in the fur nace, and making a mighty roaring of steam, if it all escapes at the waste- pipe and drives no wheels?” What is the good of faith or sym pathy which only rushes out at the escape pipe of talk? Poverty chal lenges the Christian with the priceless opportunity for service for Christ. Helps for the Leader L B lessed n ess o f t h e B e n e fa c t o r (Psa. 41:1-3) When we consider the sixfold pro mise embodied in this short passage, we realize how greatly God Himself must love the poor to be so gracious in rewarding the one who is considerate of them. Stop and think! “The Lord will de liver him,” “Will preserve him,” “he shall be blessed,” “thou wilt not de liver him unto the will of his enemies,” “will strengthen him” “wilt make all his bed in sickness.” Marvelous! De- liverance, preservation, blessing, safety, strength, and comfort in illness! It is no wonder that the writer of the Pro verbs said: “He that hath mercy on the poor, happy, is he” (14:21). Yea, six times, “Blessed is he that consid ered the poor.” n. I m p a r t ia l it y A dvised (Jas. 2:1-5) James, the apostle of practical Chris tianity, startles us with his keen in sight into the natural inclination of the human heart. How modern the Eook is! We almost feel as if James is speaking to one of our present-day city churches with its fashionable con gregation and paid pews.
How prone we all are to judge, by outward appearance! “Goodly apparel” and “a gold ring” are very apt to make us eager in our welcome to the wearer, while the shabbily dressed man is told to “stand , . . there, or sit here under my footstool.” We are reminded again of God’s ten der care of the “poor.” “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” In the conscious presence of Christ the Lord of Glory, we will not make partial distinctions. HI. C o n t in u a l E v id e n c e o f P overty (Mk. 14:3-7) Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a sweeter story of human love than in this little gem. In a few brief verses, we read of such a supreme sacrificial love gift that the Lord Jesus declares it an immortal story. “Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached through out the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” In the very center of this love-gift story we read this striking statement of Jesus: “For ye have the poor with you always.” Hun dreds of years before, Moses had writ ten in Deuteronomy 15:11, “For the poor shall never cease out of the land.” Today, we know it all too well. A Year of Meetings reports that re liable surveys have stated: “In 1929 [and conditions now, since the depres sion, are much worse], seventy per cent of the people living in the cities of the United States had less to eat than what the Department of Agriculture regards as an adequate diet. As to housing, in 1929, one-fourth of the people of our country were living in slums or in shacks which should have been torn down.” Truly, “the poor” are with us. Yet the Christian should not let this fact make him indifferent or callous, but, on the other hand, it should tend to make him considerate, kind, and gen erous. In the verse from Deuteronomy quoted above, the Lord says, “There fore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.” “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14). NOVEMBER 19, 1939 USING OUR PRIVILEGES .(Thanksgiving) 2 C o r in t h ia n s 9:6-15 Meditation on the Lesson This glorious passage abounds in gems of truth. Rich is the soul of the gaggio
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