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January, l$37
f H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
The Set Face By RICHARD ELLSWORTH DAY * San Francisco, California
“ For the Lord God will help me; there fore shall I not be confounded: therefore have 1 set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed” (Isa. 50:7). “ I made up my mind to declare the whole counsel of G od ” — Reuben Archer Torrey. second that always occurs to me in connection with another esteemed Knight of the Faith— “ an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.” But if last evening God gave to one of His angels a section designed to set forth the excellence of Reuben Archer Torrey, my own soul stands convinced that this section would be Ezekiel 3:1-18. Read it, my friend, and you will see R. A . Torrey rising up squarely in the midst thereof. I cannot repress a smile of delight as I muse over those Spirit-given sentences. I can hear the Holy One of Israel saying to our beloved one: “ Son of man, . . . eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.” And I can see our good friend described by the Word, “ So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.” And once again the voice of the Holy One says unto him: “ Son of man, . . . eat, and fill thyself with this roll that I give thee.” And I do no violence to this man whom we love, in sug gesting that these are his own words: “ Then did I eat it ; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” That commission which the Holy One gave to the ancient prophet is identically the one which came to Torrey. “ And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.” • • • The unusual Light which bathed the world in the days of Moody was commencing to die away as Torrey ap proached his full maturity— precisely those days that Moody himself foresaw. German Plague in the shape of Higher Criticism was beginning, even before Moody died, to extend its loathsomeness into every area of the church’s conscious life; into its Bible school literature, its young people’s helps, its theological seminaries, yea boldly speak ing out in the pulpit. By the grace of God, Moody’s un-
Reuben Archer Torrey
F o r one who is accustomed to capture men in a phrase, there is always a long period of waiting and watching while the memorabilia is being analyzed and eval uated—waiting and watching for the inevitable expression that vividly will set forth the one with whom he is deal ing. Sometimes this encysting clause will come down into consciousness without trying; and sometimes it is attained only after weeks of meditation. “ The Shadow of the Broad Brim” did not suggest itself until after months of analysis; but “ Bush Aglow” came without trying, even while the pages of The Broad Brim were under preparation. I would fear to attach to the sainted memory of Dr. Torrey a phrase that might be apt to abide through the years. I know how dangerous phrase-making is; but some how, as in the case of “ Bush Aglow” a title came without trying. I have for months sensed a phrase which seems most faithfully to portray Dr. Torrey. It is the one used several times in Scripture— “ The Set Face.” It might be that after the complete memorabilia of this beloved brother could lie before me for months, the appropriateness of an other title would seize upon me. But I very much doubt it. From first to last, after this man had thoroughly “ found himself in Christ,” in the language of Ezekiel 3 :8, 9, the eternal God made his face strong against the countenance of an unbelieving w orld ; and as an adamant harder than flint did the Holy One make his forehead . Over against the unbeliefs and infidelities of his age, the Spirit gave him a spirit of fearlessness. He was never dismayed at their looks though the people among whom he lived was as a rebellious house. For many years I have secretly fitted a passage of Scrip ture that would describe my dear friends. I have one for Paul W . Rood, and some day I may tell it. There is a *PastOr, Hamilton Square Baptist Church.
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