E LSIE JONES settled comfort ably in her seat on the bus. She had spent a*very pleasant Angeles, and now she was on the way to her home in Pomona. Aunt Jane was a true saint, one who radiated the joy of the .Lord. Her kindliness, humility, and enthusiasm in the Christian life always made a deep impression upon Elsie, and on this visit she was especially im pressed by her aunt’s happy testi mony for Christ. All her life Elsie had enjoyed the blessing of a Christian home. At the age of five, as she sat on her father’s knee, she put her trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as her Saviour. Ever since she could remember, she had been a pupil in Sunday school and had attended church regularly with her family. As she grew older, she assumed a more active part in the church, until now, as a young lady of eighteen, she sang in the choir, taught a Sunday school class, led in the young people’s society, and took part in almost every activity of the church. There was, however, a lack in . Elsie’s life. She had never followed a systematic plan of Bible study. Consequently, her knowledge of God’s Word was somewhat discon nected and superficial. Her Aunt Jane realized this, and for a Christ mas gift she had presented Elsie with a beautiful, new Scofield Bible, with the condition that Elsie should read it through in 1947. Elsie had promised, and as soon as she was settled on the bus, she began to fulfill her promise. She had purposely kept out her new Bible when she packed her bag, for she concluded that a good way to spend the hour’s ride home would be to acquaint herself with her new gift. Now, as she opened it, she felt proud to own such a beautiful and expen sive book, and she felt very grateful to her aunt for giving her such a valuable present. Surely, she would read it through, if for no other rea son than to please Aunt Jane. “Do you mind if I sit here?” Elsie looked up at a tall, neatly- dressed young man of evident re finement. He had just boarded the bus at the last stop. His friendly smile brought a responsive smile from her, and she replied, “No, I don’t mind.” The young man sat down in the seat next to Elsie, and Elsie returned to her Bible reading. Presently, she was conscious that her fellow-passenger was staring at her. She looked up, and her eyes met his. “Do you believe that book?” he queried. His question was not belligerent. His smile was still friendly, and PAGE TWENTY
er could she suppress the agitation within her heart at not being able to answer his question. She was grieved to think that the Bible was being discredited and that she was unable to defend it. In an instant, he turned to First Corinthians 14:34,35. (Elsie admired his ability to locate passages quickly, but she thought that his skill could be devoted to a better purpose.) Again, she was following as he read, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are com manded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” “Now,” said he, “will you please tell me of any church that prohibits its women from talking in the church?” Elsie thought of Miss Snyder, the missionary from Africa, who had spoken in her own church on the Sunday before Christmas, and she remained silent. How she wished that her pastor were present! She felt sure that he could answer the embarrassing questions being put to her by this forward, but gracious, in terrogator. “You see,” he went on. “There are , many things in the Bible that no one expects to live up to. Therefore, it is an impractical book, is it not? No doubt the reason so many profes sing Christians fall by the wayside is that they find that it is impos sible to live up to the Bible. Since it is impossible to live up to it, do you believe that a good God would condemn to eternal hell all those who fail to do the impossible? Moreover, if we admit that there is a place of punishment for violent wrong-doers, surely they will not be compelled to remain there indefi nitely. Eventually, they will have suffered enough to compensate for their misdeeds, and then they will have the privilege of entering into heavenly bliss. Is that not a reason able conclusion?” Elsie felt that she would like to answer that last question with the retort that God’s Word stood above human reasoning, but she was thor oughly disheartened. She closed her eyes; her head whirled, and her heart ached. How she longed to es cape the tormenting questions of her inquisitor! In her de'spair, however, she did feel thankful that he had been so courteous and pleasant throughout the discussion. She could scarcely hold resentment toward him. “Pomona!” called the bus driver, as the bus entered the station. Elsie’s face brightened. She turned to her companion and exclaimed, “I T H É K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
ZkeCessoH Elsie¿earned CLYDE C. FLICK Biola ’48 about his eyes there was a kindly, humorous expression that made Elsie wonder if he was pitying her or teas ing her. Nevertheless, the question startled her, and she stammered, “Wh-why, yes, of course, I believe it.” “Don’t you know that that book is full of contradictions and errors?” Elsie’s heart sank. With what had she become involved! Before she could recover herself enough to dis pute him, he said, “Here, let me show you,” and, as he spoke, he reached over and took the Bible from her hands. Holding it before her, he turned to Proverbs 31:6,7. “Read that,” he demanded. He began reading aloud while her eyes fol lowed the text: “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his mis ery no more.” “Now, what do you say to that?” he challenged. “The Bible seems to teach that drunkenness is a legiti mate escape from sorrow and pov erty: yet we know that drunkenness is a terrible evil.” Elsie looked at him defiantly, but his pleasant smile and gentle man ner disarmed her and set defiance to flight. She knew that he was wrong in his insinuation, but she could not answer him with a single Bible verse or reasonable argument. “And now, look at this,” he con tinued, as he turned to Proverbs 18:22. Again, he read aloud, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.” Then, turning deftly to First Corin thians 7:8, he read on, “I say there fore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.” Then, facing Elsie, the young critic said in mock earnestness, “What am I to do in the light of these contradictory statements? As you know, Paul was unmarried; and he upholds the unmarried state as the ideal. How can I follow both the teaching of Proverbs and the teach ing of Paul?” Elsie could not suppress a little smile at his pretended concern over his supposed predicament, but neith
vacation with her Aunt Jane in Los
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