THE BIBLE
THE HEWS
M azateco
Nest Egg A A recent report from one of our research organizations states that the average American has $2,140 "salted away” in savings for a rainy day. This amounts to over three hundred billion dollars, or twice the national income, and more than the national debt. While inquiry was not made as to the amount of money the Christian people had at their command, we are sure that far too many of them in our country are interested in increasing their bank accounts rather than using their wealth to forward the cause of Christ. If the Word of God is true, then it is certain that now is the time for Christians to invest in world-wide evangelism before that day when the preaching of the gos pel will be entirely forbidden. Progress jkJ All over our land there are in dications of progress in the cause of temperance and liquor control. In a recent poll conducted by the Amer ican Research Service in the city of Los Angeles, only one-eighth of the voters in California went on record as being entirely satisfied with the liquor situation in California. More than four-fifths of the people were plainly dissatisfied, s o m e to a greater and some to a lesser degree. While this does not mean that pro hibition is just around the corner, it does show that thinking people in our land are connecting the alarm ing spread of crime and the disas trous toll of accidents with drink. Denver Jit The Gideons, an organization of Christian traveling men, have set as their goal the placing of a New Testament in the hand of every teen-age child in this land. Recently in the city of Denver, an attorney challenged the constitutionality of this action. He declared that Bible reading does not result in “bringing about a more moral and wholesome youth” and he described as utterly fallible the idea that those who read the Bible are better morally. The attorney further charged: “The Old Testament, which is sought to be distributed among, our school chil dren, is as bad as the New Testa ment, and the Bible as a whole reeks
Another of the many languages in the world spoken, but not before reduced to writing, has found its way into print. It is the Gospel of Mark in Mazateco, a dialect spoken by 60,000 persons in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. This translation is the work of Mrs. George Cowan and Eunice Pike, from the Wycliffe School of Bible Translators in Oklahoma. These books have a real appeal for the color-loving Mexicans, as they are bound in clear,. bright green, yellow, orange and red. The Gospel of Mark in Spanish appears in a parallel column. The number of languages in which a portion of the Word of God has been printed is nearing eleven hundred. Seals This year one million people will receive in the mail a sheet •of Bible seals from the American Bible House, advertising their ninth an nual Bible Seal Campaign. There is a particular need for funds this year because of the many calls for the Scriptures from all parts of the world. The slogan for the 1947 seals is, “Read the Bible.” In the back ground are four different designs, showing the reading of the Bible in the home, in the factory, in the office and on the farm. A sheet of 100 seals is supplied for $1.00. Surely this w ill bring a double blessing; not only will it help in the printing of additional Bibles, but the United States mail will thus indirectly pub licize this worthy slogan. Coaches Sign Protest A large number of leading uni versity and college directors of ath letics have signed a joint statement calling for total abstinence from the use of alcoholic beverages. Here is a part of the statement: “There is no competition between drinkers and non-drinkers for a place on any team that rates well in athletics. The drinker cannot stand the pace of competitive sports. The drinker does not have the confidence of his team mates. Alcohol-free living is the only choice a boy or man can make, if he wants to go places athleti cally!" This group message was signed by twenty-five head football coaches. T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
with lust, murder, rape, incest, sodomy, and a multitude of other crimes. It also debases womanhood, and if we were to adhere to its teachings, we would have to repeal the laws granting women suffrage in America.” We must admit that this blasphemy nearly overwhelms us, for if there is one thing that has been believed by thinking men from George Washington down to the present day, it is that the Word of God is the foundation on which American morality has been built. This attorney will not lack oppo nents, armed with facts and figures to refute his untruthful claims. Bottles A recent news item tells of the work of Jewel Pierce, a 39-year-old cjerk of Birmingham, Alabama. His avocation is simply selecting a passage from the Bible, writing it op a slip of paper, placing it in a bottle and tossing it into a river. He claims that the Lord guides it to the needy person. Since begin ning this ministry, he has so dis posed of 2,500 bottles, and has re ceived over 450 answers from per sons in nine states and two foreign countries. While this method of pro claiming the Gospel has its limita tions, we do admire the spirit of this brother who stands on God’s promise not to allow His Word to return void, but to accomplish the purpose to which it is sent. Flying Parson ,£t Again the sports columns are filled with references to Gil Dodds, theological student and runner ex traordinary. Gil was prominent in the sports world for a number of years and recently retired to devote himself entirely to the Lord’s work. However, upon the insistence of his long-time trainer, and with the ap proval of his wife, he returned to sports competition this year, winning almost everything in sight. Gil Dodds is a very earnest and sincere Christian and leaves not the slight est doubt in the minds of those he meets of his faith in God. The credit for his victories is consistently given to the Lord and his influence with young people today is tremendous.
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