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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
February 1926
taking its place! Are lectures and entertainments more effective in attracting the people than that good, old-fashioned Word of God! Would our Lord gladly accept an invitation to attend the services in some of the churches today and expound the Scriptures to hungry people! If He were asked, “ Lord, why are the results so meagre!” would He reply, “ I cannot do many mighty works here because of unbelief” ! THE MODERNIST MISSIONARY Take a good look at him! He is typical of many missionaries of both sexes. Notice that he is well equipped, having been to the university and seminary and has acquired a new con
friend, “ Come and see my church” we are usually thinking and talking of the edifice, whereas that is only the meeting place for the real church which is the Body and Bride of Christ. Look at some of these noble structures, rearing their heads high in the sky. How attractive they are 1 What a credit to the denomination and to the community! Every known comfort is provided; every facility afforded for young and o ld ! For what purpose 1 Why, to provide a place in which the saints may gather to worship Jehovah! What else! As a rallying place for the study of the Word. What is the commission and command o f our Lord in that Word? The saving and sanctifying of souls. Are the poor and wretched expected, to attend the services! No, they are expected to attend some little
ception of the world’s need. He has a new Gospel. He is not deSd sure about some o f his theories, but feels that his intellectual attain ments and ability will enable him to “ put it over” with the poor, u n e n l i g h t e n e d heathen. He has the books commended by t h e facile faculties of the institutions of learn ing which he has at tended and so feels facetiously happy. He thinks he has a “ mod ern mind” and will be able to evoke the ad miration o f the poor, old-fashioned mission ary who felt a call from God to carry a Bible and impart a God-given message to t h e hungry-hearted heathen. , We have seen some o f t h e s e M o d e r n preachers and mis sionaries and Mr. Daniels has given us a dandy good picture of one. The smug, self-
church in their own neighborhood or go to one o f the missions. What are the mem bers expected to dot Just come to the Sun day morning service and, if they can do so without too much in convenience, — attend the evening service also. Perhaps a few will be old fashioned enough to come to the (so-called) mid-week “ prayer meeting.” Are members ex pected to be personal worker^ for Christ ! No, not in this age. They employ a pastor and sometimes one or more assistants to at tend to that. This is an attractive
age. We have func tions of all kinds; so cieties of all kinds for m en and w o m e n , young and old. The old fashioned methods are not supposed to be practicable in t h i s new, strenuous era of the world’s history. There are so many things to do, so many engagements to keep, that there is no time left for these minor (1) things. But—do you believe the Bible! “ Yes, some parts.” Do you believe you will be held responsible for the saving of souls, and that if you neglect to do your part, you will be the poorer throughout all eternity! “ Why, no! We never heard of such a thing.” Has your pastor never laid that upon your heart! “ No! No! That would never do. That would spoil the harmony of our delightful fellowship together.” Is there not a definite demonstration in church life today of the need of faith—faith that “ cometh by hear ing, and hearing byjthe Word of God” ! Is the Lord doing many mighty works today! And if not, is it because of our unbelief! Has the Word lost its power or is something else
complacent, “ know-it-all” expression reveals the nature of his expectations. He has faith in his books and in his backing,—the Board is back of him. Funds for food and raiment are guaranteed. His instructions were ‘ ‘ Keep your head high. Look down upon the ignor ant, unenlightened, old fogy folks who still believe in an infallible Bible. If any one questions you, tell them that you have a Bible; you believe some things in it are true, but that it also contains many false statements: that the ‘ new-era-developed’ mind has discovered theories which destroy the old-fashioned faith and enable the Twentieth Century Christian to rise to higher heights and gain a more lofty and luminous vision of the purpose o f the Almighty concerning His creation and creatures; that there is no question, of course, that there is a Heaven, but no possibility at all
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