November, 1943
413
One Zhingfor WhichJ Most A number of persons, representing various departments of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, were asked to put into words their gratitude to God for one particular blessing of the past year. This was not an easy task when they considered God’s manifold benefits. We know that our readers will, add their own pei'sonal notes of praise, and thus we together will raise a chorus of real thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father.
but there is need for our beloved coun try to consider also the Psalmist’s warning, and America may well pray in the words of Kipling, “Lord God of hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget.” Real gratitude to God should send us Christians to our knees, and cause us to pray constantly for our beloved country if these blessings are to re main. They should challenge us to do everything Within our power to acquaint those all about us with God’s plan of salvation—the only hope for the guilty sinner, the only way of peace for a sin-cursed, war- weary world. • DR. WILLIAM W. ORR, Associate Editor of The King’s Business: Surely, at this Thanksgiving season, with the events of the past few months still fresh in our minds, every loyal American and every true Chris tian, bows before his God, to give thanks for the return of peace. In addition to this great blessing to our nation, we at the Bible Institute are thankful for our own victory over indebtedness on our buildings. There are a thousand and one blessings be side, all undeserved and all hall marked with God’s love, which reach us daily from the Heavenly shipping office. When it comes to the matter of dis tinguishing one particular personal blessing from all others, I think it is this: I have had demonstrated un mistakably to my heart this year that the Word of God can convey to me the love, comfort and wisdom from on high. I am profoundly grate ful that God does not view me as just one among many of His creatures, but that He looks upon me as a dear child, in whose life and service He is interested. Daily this fact is impress ed upon me by the gracious admin istration of the Heavenly Guest who dwells within. So from my heart I say with the Psalmist: “Praise the name of the Lord: for His name above is excellent;
his glory is a b o v e the earth jind Heaven.”
DR. LOUIS T. TALBOT, President of the Institute, and Editor-in-Chief of The King’s Business: The past year is one which has brought great and far-reaching victo ries to the Bible Institute and the Church of the Open Door. God has allowed us to wipe out completely the burden of debt which has hindered our progress for many years. My heart has been sounding notes of praise day by day for the evidence of God’s love and care for these two institu tions. For all the love and sacrifice of God’s children involved in the abolishment of the debts, I sincerely and humbly give than'-s J■ God, and take courage for the future. And now-, I want to single out one personal blessing. As I look back over the year, I believe I am most thank ful for the deep assurance of God’s personal interest in me as His child. Above all benefits is the blessed fact that I, unworthy and undeserving, should be the object of His affection, the recipient of His overwhelming love; and that I am honored by Him to be put in trust with His Gospel to proclaim to unsaved men and women. • DR. PAUL BAUMAN, Vice-President: As I think of the bloody struggle through which our war-torn world has passed, two passages of Scripture come to my mind. In Psalm 9:17, we read, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” In contrast, Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Two mighty nations who through their official spokesmen had expressed their bitter hatred toward the Lord Jesus Christ, have gone down to an awful destruction in a few months. Our nation has survived. I believe we have been spared largely because the Gospel has gone forth more freely and clearly here than in any nation on the face of the earth. We have been blessed tremendously, and such blessings are great cause for thanksgiving to God at this time;
DR. SAMU E L H. SUTHERLAND, Dean: Apart from the saving and keeping work of Jesus Christ in my own life, the one thing for which I am most thankful is the privilege of being alive and being able to work for the Lord at such a time as this. Of course, I cannot imagine a more challenging place in which to work for the Lord than in the Bible Institute. The real ization that seven hundred young people are eagerly setting their faces toward a future of Christian service, and the consciousness that it is our responsibility to have a small part in their training and preparation, fill my heart with joy. It is great to be alive and working for Him in the most crucial d a y s of the world’s history. • DR. JOHN A. HUBBARD, Head ef the Department of English Bible: There are many things of a personal nature for which I am thankful; but instead of mentioning one of these, let me express thanksgiving for one great result of the close of the war, namely, the re-opening of doors which have been closed to the spread of the glorious Gospel of Christ. For instance, there is China, from which country m a n y missionaries have had to withdraw, because of the war; others were interned by the Japanese. All of these will, we hope, soon be able to resume their work, for which we thank God. We are particularly grateful for the prospect of the re-opening of Biola-in-China, and the resumption of the work of training Chinese workers to tell the glad tidings to their countrymen. Re cently, reports have come that Shin toism as the national religion of Japan is to be abolished, thus removing one of the greatest barriers to the Gospel in Japan and Korea. For this w'e are truly thankful to God.
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