April, 1945
133
IN THE NEWS
THE BIBLE
In a recent issue of TIME MAGA ZINE, w,e find that Baptist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., speaks feelingly on the subject of church unity. While we cannot, endorse Mr. Rockefeller’s con clusions, we do commend his stand against the many petty non-essentials which divide the Church of Christ to day. However, we note in Mr. Rocke feller’s discussions that he is not look ing for that unity for which we long, which Is to come by the personal ap pearance of the Son of God. Rather, his thought is that by means of the breakdown of barriers which separate denominations, the Church of Christ will receive new strength which will enable it to bring in the Kingdom of God on earth. In all this there seems to be an apparent disregard of that vital experience called the "New Birth,” which we feel is the one and only basis of genuine unity. We recognize another unity, how ever, referred to in the New Testament, a world unity under the personal do minion of the “one who is coming in his own name.” Do not be deceived by the grandiose talk which has for its aim a single world church. Let your unity be that of the body of Christ. To gether we look forward to that time when the trumpet of God shall sound, and all those who have put their faith and trust, in a crucified and risen Saviour will then be gloriously and eternally united. ♦ The controversy between Catholi cism and Protestantism seems to be in creasing with the passing of the days. A goodly number of men high up in Protestant circles seem to be genu inely alarmed at the plans of the Roman Catholic Church concerning this country and the entire Western Hemisphere. A work in which we are interested is that of the Orinoco River Mission
operating In eastern Venezuela. There the methods used in opposition to Protestantism are more clearly seen than in our own country. If one would understand the actual heart of Catholic opposition, he should ob serve the practices which are used against this Mission and others of like character in Latin and South Ameri ca. It seems, in regard to the work of the above mentioned Mission, that the officials of Catholicism in Caracas have definite plans laid to finish off the Work of this Mission. The people were influenced by a booklet entitled "Protestant Sabotage in the Good Neighbor Policy.” We thank God that many sleeping Protestants are apparently awakening to the need for earnest prayer and for united action in order to press the battle against the entrenched forces' in these darkened lands. ♦ Increasingly, we are hearing from the lips of the people of the world this question, “Why doesn’t God do some thing to bring an end to this struggle which is taking its immense toll of lives and property?” If one is to be of help to these who ask, he should be informed as to the answer. About a year ago there appeared a very excellent tract called, “Why Doesn’t God Intervene?” by Montague Goodman. In this tract Mr. Goodman fully answers the question before us, showing first of all that if God were to intervene in world affairs today, as well as deal with the sins of our ene mies; He would also be forced to deal with unrighteousness in America, in cluding the unrighteousness in the lives of individuals. Then Mr. Good man goes on to point out that God never makes men righteous against their will, for a free will is the distin guishing feature of mankind. Mr. Goodman concludes his excellent tract
with the overpowering argument that God has intervened, and intervened in the only way possible by offering an entirely new nature to sinners, German sinners, Japanese sinners, English sinners, and American sin ners. This intervention was com pleted at Calvary’s cross, and from that time to this those who have re ceived the sacrifice offered by God have known the peace which “ passeth all understanding.” We might also add that God will again intervene some day, when the heavens will part and He will come, whose right it is to rule and reign! ♦ Without a doubt one of the most important and far-reaching confer ences which has ever been held, has come to pass recently in the Crimean castle near Yalta. There the “Big Three,” representing the powerfiil United Nations, conferred for the pur pose of deciding on the vast questions relative to the partitioning of Europe, and more particularly the perpetua tion of peace. We are sorry to report that so far as we are able to determine, in the ses sions of this conference there was no mention of God, no reference to His Son, and no recognition of His Word. The reason, it may be, is that one of • the members of the “Big Three” osten sibly does not believe in God. In fact, the whole political set up of this coun try has been, until very recently, one of absolute prohibition of religion. In the conference at Yalta, the other members of course did not want to offend, even though it is remotely possible that they may have desired, in their realization of the enormity of their task, to call upon God. But let us be logical. There is a God, and He is vitally interested in the affairs of men. This has been demonstrated
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