July-August, 1934
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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
o f wisdom more enduring than the glittering crowns o f earthly kings. In this verse there is the suggestion o f a crown o f glory—as resplendent as the brightness o f the firmament above. The glory is not a blaze as o f a Fourth o f July rocket that flares up into the sky for a moment,, then comes back to earth, a charred stick. But it is a bright ness as o f God’s own light in the firmament o f heaven. What a halo o f glory awaits the faithful though humble and unseen soul-winner who is laying up for himself that crown o f righteousness which the Lord will give him “ at that day” ! The 1933 Homicide Record P icture a complete massacre o f an American town of between 11,000and 12,000 souls! Such an event, should it occur, would be world news. And yet it is not generally known that that was the number o f homicides in the United States in 1933. “ In the opinion o f the Attorney-General o f the United States, the army o f criminals in this country at the pres ent time is equal to the established military forces of the country” is the startling statement made by Frederick L. Hoffman, consulting statistician, in an article in the Spectator o f April 12, 1934. And the tables which he pre sents would be in themselves an impressive warning. In thirty-one American cities, the consolidated returns concerning deaths from homicide show that for the year 1900, the rate per 100,000 population was 5.1. For these same cities, the rate in 1933 was 10.7. And in the national capital, the homicide rate increased from 22.1 per 100,000 in 1932 to 24.3 in 1933! Primarily, Dr. Hoffman blames “ public apathy toward the root o f the question involving the control o f dangerous weapons on the part o f the authorities.” But the underlying cause o f this appalling condition, as Dr. Hoffman may or may not be willing to admit, is that men “ have cast away the law o f the Lord o f hosts, and despised the wbrd o f the Holy One o f Israel.” Youth Tomorrow I N an incisive comment based upon his observation of youth in America and Europe, Dr. Will H. Houghton, pastor o f Calvary Baptist Church of New York City, while spending a little time in Europe, writes: What is ahead for the young people o f Europe and America: War or peace in Europe? Communism ?Fascism? I am writing from Vienna, the capital of Austria, which has been called by many writers recently, “the . tinder box of Europe.” A match dropped here—and what? Who knows ? The questions in our minds about" Europe are not asked in a detached manner, with the attitude of a spectator. America cannot long be a mere observer, if war comes. God pity this mad w orld! No doubt patriotism is a good emotion when held in proper relationship to other emotions, but after you have mobilized youth and started them marching, where are they going? Will national boundaries hold them? The Red movement in Russia is largely youthful. Hundreds o f thousand^—no one knows how many—are in line and marching, marching. Where? I have just come from Germany, where youth is brown-shirted and on the march. Companies of Boy Scouts, they seem to be. Each is wearing a brown shirt and the Nazi swastika on his sleeve. Here are young busi ness men greeting each other on the streets. They are not in uniform, but as they meet, the arm is raised straight out from the shoulder—the Nazi salute—young men organized and regimented and going somewhere. O f course, no one would believe that all young people everywhere are anxious to attempt something. The in different majority surround us in most countries. Par ticularly is this true in America. We have an increasing number identifying themselves with socialism and communism. Youth is beginning to uncover the falsity o f some ideas which have been current recently. Youth has wit nessed what some one has called “the death o f Pollyanna.”
That is to say, our fathers had given us a theory of autb- matic progress. A few years ago, nearly any one would have said: “The world is getting better and better.” Youth knows better now—Pollyanna is dead! There is something wrong with the world, and it seems hard to find a remedy. Dr. League of Nations says, “ Sit up and take this,” and Dr. Pacifist says, “Try this,” but file patient seems only to grow worse. Youth has been disappointed. He was told that an education was the thing. He sacrificed and toiled to get his college and university degrees, to find that the pro fessions were already overcrowded. He stands disillu sioned and disappointed. Who will make him an offer? Who will tell him of reality—the communist, or the Christian? The issue is far more clearly drawn than is realized by many Christians not intimately associated with young peo ple. What is the “ message o f reality” ? Dr. Houghton offers the old yet continually new and living challenge: There is a new door open for us in America today to reach the youth of this generation with a live, reality giving gospel—a gospel which says, “Accept Christ as your Saviour,” and which goes on to say, “ Invest your life with Christ.” Spurgeon: The Man o f God T hroughout the Christian world, the Lord’s people are this year being reminded o f the centenary o f the birth o f Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great and humble preacher whose ministry deeply stirred all London for nearly forty years, and has continued in marked influence to the present day. Born June 19, 1834, Spurgeon, like Paul, was a “ chosen vessel.” His life, while not unusually long, extending over a period o f only fifty-eight years, was outstanding in its manifestation o f the presence and power o f the Holy Spirit. Spurgeon died January 31,1892. In a recent address to the Assembly o f the Baptist Union (England), William Olney, for forty-three years a deacon in the tabernacle in which Spurgeon preached, brought this tribute to “ the man o f God” :
I wish I had words to adequately describe the scene in Spurgeon’s first Tabernacle on a Sunday morning. By eleven o’clock, the vast building would be crowded with some four thousand persons. There would be a hum o f conversation and an air of expectancy over the place. Then the vestry door would open, and Spurgeon would be seen slowly descending the steps to the platform. A great [Continued on page 261]
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