VOL. IX
JUNE, 1918
No. 6
The King’s Business
Published once a month by the BIBLE INST ITUTE OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA, U. S. A.
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES (INCORPORATED) \ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U. S. A.
Free Training School fo r Christian Workers
D IRECTORS
L ylnan S tew art, president. J. M. Irvine, secretary . T . C. H o rto n , su p erin ten d en t H . A . Getz
R. A . T o rrey , V ice-president. L eon V. Shaw , trea su re r. W illiam Evans.
N ath an Newby
J. O. Sm ith
DOCTR INAL STATEMENT
W e hold to th e H isto ric F aith C reed of E vangelical C hristendom T h e T rin ity of th e G odhead. T he D eity of th e C hrist. T h e P erso n ality of th e H oly Ghost. T h e S u p e rn a tu ra l an d P le n ary a u th o rity of th e H oly S criptures. T h e U nity in D iversity of th e C hurch, th e Body a n d B ride of C hrist. T he S u b stitu tio n ary A tonem ent. T he N ecessity of th e New Birth. Purpose: T,h e Institute free or cost, a ccred ited m en an d wom en, in th e know ledge an d use of th e Bible. Departments :. p|l§j|n ex cept on S atu rd ay s an d Sundays. ( 2 ) E xtension w ork. C lasses and conferences held in n eighboring cities a n d tow ns. (3 ) E vangelistic. M eetings conducted by o u r evangelists. ( 4 ) ' S panish M ission. M eetings every night. (5 ) Shop W ork, R eg u lar »services in shops., a n d ' factories. ( 6 ) Jew ish Evangelism . P ersonal w o rk am ong th e H ebrew s.
pf the C h u rc h as expressed in th e C omm on
including:
T he M aintenance of Good W orks. T he Second C om ing of C hrist. T he Im m ortality of th e S pirit. T he R esu rrectio n of th e Body. T h e Life E verlasting of Believers. T h e Endless P u nishm ent of th e Im p enitent. T h e R eality an d P ersonality of Satan.
SCO PE O F TH E WORK
(7 ) Bible W om en. H ouse-to-house visitation a n d neigh b o rh o o d classes. ( 8 ) O il Fields. A m ission to m en on th e oil fields. (9 ) Books a n d T racts. Sale an d dis trib u tio n of selected books a n d tracts. (1 0 ) H a rb o r W ork. F o r seam en at Los A ngeles h arb o r. ( 1 1 ) T he Biola Cl,ub. Daily noon m eetings fo r m en in th e dow n-tow n district, w ith free reading-room p rivi leges. - ( 1 2 ) P rin t Shop. F o r p rin tin g T esta m ents, books, tracts, etc. A com plete establishm ent, profits going to free dis trib u tio n of religious literatu re.
m m MOTTO: “I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day,"—Isa. 27:3
Published by BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Incorporated Entered as Second-Class Matter November 17, 1910, at the postoffice at Los Angeles, CaL, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Copyright by R. A. Torrey, D. D., and Bible Institute of Los Angeles, for the year 1918 > VOL. IX JUNE, 1918 No. 6 CONTENTS E d ito ria l: G o d ’s W o rd fo r th e P re sen t H o u r— Is T h is th e L a st G re a t W a r?— L asting W o rld P ea c e— T obacco an d th e Soldiers— Shall W e H e lp th e P ro fiteer or th e G o v e rnm e n t?— t —D r. R a lp h A tk in son— W a r's Influence on R e lig io n .......................................................... 455 A n A p p e a l fo r H e lp ................. ........................................................... 463 Puzzling Passages an d P roblem s. By R. A . T o rre y ................ ... 464 T h e A to n em en t. By Dr. R. A . T o rre y .................................... 465 E vangelist N icholson a t S o n o ra ........................................................ 474 F a r H o rizon ....................................... 475 H om iletical H elps. By W illiam E v an s....................................... 479 B ible C on ference in P h ilad e lp h ia ...................................................... 481 T h rough th e B ible w ith D r. E v an s................................................... 483 S e a ttle C o n fe re n c e '..................................................................... 488 Evangelistic D ep a rtm en t. By B ible In stitu te W o rk e rs............ 489 E xpo su re of a Phsychological F ra u d ............................................... 495 In te rn a tio n a l S und ay School Lessons. By In stitu te Specialists 497 D aily D evo tion al S tudies in th e New T e stam en t fo r Ind i v idual M ed itation an d Fam ily W orship. By R. A. T o rre y ' ................................... 527
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Voi. 9
JUNE, 1918
No. 6
E D I T 0 R I A L
/ " 'O D ’S WORD FO R TH E PRESENT HOUR . ^ “Let not your heart be troubled: believe in G od , believe also in me” (John 14:1, A. R. V .),' “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). “They looked unto kirn, and were radiant ” (Psalms 34:5, A. R. V.). “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, A. R. V.). “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. T here fore will not we fear , though the earth be removed, and though the moun tains be carried into the midst'of the sea; though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof” (Psalms 46:1-3). “And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up , and lift up your heads ; because your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:25-28, A. R. V.). We have been told over and over again by leaders iin our political life here and by leaders of other nations, that the present war is the last great war. We have shown a number of times that unless the Lord comes before this world ends, that this is not the last great war. Many are waking up at last to that fact. In an address in Los Angeles before some of the leading men of the city a few weeks ago, a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy said that he wished that this might be the last war, but he gave his hearers to understand that we had no ground for supposing that it would be, and that we must be prepared for future wars. Major-General Leonard Wood, of the United States Army, has recently given voice to the same opinion. He says: “Do not talk of this as the last great war. God will have to change human nature before we can discuss such a thing.” General Wood is doubtless right in this opinion, both about the human heart and about this being “the last great war” (James 4:11). T S TH IS TH E LA ST GREAT W A R ? -*■
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L a s t i n g w o r l d p e a c e . The press is still being flooded with uninspired prophecies as to the outcome of the war. Among these prophets is John Masefield, the British poet. A daily paper reports him in á recent address as follows : “Relating many personal experiences on the battle fields in France and Gallipoli, and declaring that a lasting peace would ultimately result from the present conflict, John Masefield, British poet and historian, lecturing before a large gathering in Trinity Auditorium (in Los Angeles), said: ‘I positively believe this will be the last war for all time, and it is up to us to see that there is a conclusive result of the great' struggle now being waged. Every resource must be behind to combat against this evil, to forever eliminate war, for the instinct is, very deeply planted.’ ” We wonder what was Mr. Masefield’s basis for his prophecy. There is certainly nothing in our knowledge of human nature as revealed in history of any kind whatever, and certainly nothing in the Word of God to warrant any such prediction. Evidently Mr. Masefield makes his prediction, basing it merely on what he wants to believe. This war will not be^he last war for all time, unless before this war is concluded our Lord comes, and even then it will not be the last war for all times, for there is to be a war at the end of the millennium. It is the part of wisdom not to take counsel with our desires, but with facts, and history, and human nature as we know it, and above all the revealed course of the future as God has made it known in His own inspired Word. T o b a c c o a n d t h e s o l d i e r s . A great deal has been said in the press about the men who are profiteer ing out of the present war, but one of the most outrageous manifestations of that kind is in the operations of the American Tobacco Trust. It is said that this Trust “is making millions out of the movement.” The United States Gov ernment seems to be co-operating with the tobacco trust. In The Wesleyan Methodist of March 27, 1918, the following “Official Bulletin” issued by the United States Government is published: “ALL AMERICAN SOLDIERS ,ENTERING TRENCHES CARRY RED CROSS COMFORT KITS. The Red Cross issues the following: “Every American woman whQ has helped to pack a Red Cross comfort kit for our boys ‘over there’will be interested in a cablegram received at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross, from Major James H. Perkins, Amer ican Red Cross Commissioner to Europe. It is as follows: ‘Every American soldier now entering the trenches carries an American Red Cross comfort kit containing towel, shirt, writing paper, pencil, soap, handkerchief, socks, mirror, and tobacco. The number of kits cannot be stated, but the fact that every soldier has,one means that the work done by American women is a big comfort to the soldiers now on the firing line. This fact should be a solace to the Amer ican women who have made them, as well as to the soldiers. More kits wanted with socks and tobacco.’ ” The Editor of The Wesleyan Methodist says that “the same paragraph, in identically the same words, came to this office in the official publication of the Red Cross, so there call be no doubt as to the reliability of the statement that ‘Every American soldier now entering the trenches carries an American Red Cross/comfort kit containing . . . tobacco.’ ”
THE KING’S BUSINESS 457 In the Associated Press report of the newspapers of April 10, 1918, was contained the statement that the United States Government had bought up the entire production of Bull Durham tobacco. W. H. Watson, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, says in the Evangelical Messenger: “But a new angle was brought to our attention a few days ago when a prominent educator, a superintendent of schools in one of the leading cities of this state, stated in the presence of the writer that he had received a letter from professedly patriotic sources telling of the soldiers’ great need for tobacco, and requesting him to have every child in the schools of that city prepare a tobacco ‘kit.’ They were instructed to put into each ‘kit,’ one pipe, one package of a certaiii kind of tobacco, one package of another brand, and one package each of several brands of cigarettes. Thè professor said that upon investigation he found that every article of the sug gested ‘kit’ was manufactured by the American Tobacco Trust. He said he had good reason to believe that practically every superintendent of schools had received a like appeal. ‘The American Tobacco Trust,’ he said, ‘is making millions out of this movement.’ Most of the paper talk is inspired by the tobacco companies. Surely this is a shameless imposition upon American pat riotism. The cry for tobacco in the trenches is coming not from the soldiers so much as-from the Tobacco Trust. Those who are not already users of the weed are encouraged to enter this snare of the devil.” This is a shameful outrage, especially in face of the fact that in an article appearing in The Literary Digest of April 13, 1918, is contained the statement that of those who were refused for service because of heart difficulties 90 per cent was due to the. use of alcohol or tobacco. The Western Christian Advocate writes as follows of this outrage that is being perpetrated by the Tobacco Trust and the Government upon our Amer ican nation: “We are scientificallv correct and ethically right in opposing the use of tobacco. It seems a small thing to spend time on when men everywhere favor ‘Lady Nicotine.’ We have spoken out, not because'of moral conviction, but because of scientific knowledge. Recently we quoted Dr. Quackenbos, the great psychologist, whose language was of positive character. We have set our standard against giving cigarettes to the soldiers. .Not from a moral point of view, but because they are absolutely hurtful to the human constitution.” Dr. J. H. Kellogg, the well .known head of Battle Creek Sanitarium, writes in Association Men: “The American stock is depreciating, physically, men tally and morally. The causes are many. Among the most potent and direct are: The saloon, the brothel, and the cigarette. These three evils are the greatest causes of our growing national inefficiency and unpreparedness. The saloon is passing. John Barleycorn is dying. But we have not begun to fight the brothel, and we are encouraging the deadly cigarette. The cigarette is known to be an enemy of scholarship, of culture, of morals, of health and vigor, and yet it ds tolerated, even encouraged. The millions of cigarettes now being fired at our soldier? will many a one hit its mark and will do its mischief. More American soldiers will be damaged by the cigarette than by German bullets.” Thè Western Christian Advocate in commenting on these' words of Dr. Kellogg, says : “Think of it, these are not the words of a reformer, a preacher, a faddist, but of a physician, a scientist, a physiologist, a biologist, a psycholo gist, a man of the widest experience in dealing with sick folks as a specialist.” The American Government has been given the authority and exercises the authority, to forbid our using wheat at the present time as a food, because of the need of the wheat we had on hand for our soldiers and for other purposes.
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THE KING’S BUSINESS Have they not an equal right to forbid the waste of land in raising tobacco that might be used for raising corn ? But instead of this they are apparently work-, ing hand in hand with the American Tobacco Trust to perpetuate, not merely this appalling waste, but unquestionable injury to our man power.
O H A L L W E HELP TH E PRO FITEERS OR TH E GOVERNMENT? Much is being said in these days about the “Profiteering” in different lines of business, and unfortunately, much that is being said is justified by the facts. But apparently two of the worst manifestations of profiteering in the name of patriotism are those of the Tobacco Trust and of the flag manufac turers. We have had something to say about the Tobacco Trust in another editorial. But the manufacturers of flags are coining money out of false appeals to patriotism. When the first anniversary of America’s entering into the war came, people were instigated and urged and almost dragonaded into purchasing new flags, even though they had purchased flags,during the year. It was urged that what was needed was a new flag, if they were really patriots. When they came to purchase new flags, they found that there had been an enor mous rise in the price of flags. Now every one ought to be loyal to the flag, but loyalty to the flag does not demand that we over-decorate our houses with them or that we purchase a new flag every time the flag manufacturers stir the people up to do it. The money for the flag does not go to the Government or to the Nation. It goes to those who are coining money out of the patriotism of Americans. Better far put the money into Liberty Bonds, where the money does go to the Support of our Government, in this great time of crisis. He was born forty-six years ago in the City of Liverpool, England. Soon after coming to this country he became a student at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He proved his unusual energy and equipment there, not only by the splendid record he made in his classes and in the outside work that he did, both singing and preaching the gospel, but also by the fact that though he entered the Institute without anything, he paid his own way through, and left with $300.00 in his pocket that he had saved up for further training. After graduating from the Institute he went to McCormick Seminary, where he grad uated with honor. While in McCormick Seminary, having become a member of the United Presbyterian Church, he organized a United Presbyterian Church in Ravenswood. This church was gathered together almost entirely through his own preaching, and in a few years under his ministry it became the largest United Presbyterian' Church in Chicago, with a Sunday School of one thousand scholars, and with a stone church building and a parsonage. Afterwards he was made pastor of the largest United Presbyterian Church west of Pittsburgh, at Sparta, 111. He remained there five years and built a new church. Having T A R . RA L PH ATK INSON . As Dr. Ralph Atkinson is to become a member of the faculty of the Bible Institute September 25, 1918, and also one of the editors of T he K ing ’ s B usiness , our readers will be interested in the following brief account of his history:
THE KING’S BUSINESS 459 unusual, gifts for evangelistic work, and having been used very largely as an evangelist even while a pastor, he became a member of the Chapman evangelistic party and was with Dr. Chapman in many of his largest campaigns, including Brooklyn,^ Philadelphia, and other of the larger cities of the country. The meetings in the section of the city assigned to him were always among those that were largest in permanent results in accessions to the churches of the various denominations. A great deal of his time has been given to meetings in Pittsburgh and other United Presbyterian centers with the United Presby terian Churches. After some years in evangelistic work he was called to the pastorate of the First United Presbyterian Church of Seattle, Wash. In taking the church he expected to remain but a comparatively short time, but his work was so greatly blessed that the church there persuaded him to remain with them seven years, and under his pastorate United Presbyterianism became known as aggressive evangelistic force in Seattle as never before. The church took its place as one of the leading Christian bodies of that city, winning the love, respect and good will of the sister churches. The growth of the church was steady and sure, and when he closed his work with that church and took up evangelistic work again the church was stronger financially than at any other period of its existence. There were no mortgages and no debts to drag it down. There had been a net increase in the membership of the church of nearly one hundred per cent. There had been no divisions, strifes'or petty quarrels in the church. During his pastorate of that church he had been urged time and again to give his whole time to the work of an evangelist, but he had repeat edly refused, finding opportunities for the exercise of his evangelistic gifts by devoting what time he could to the Ministers’ Federation of the city, being at the head of their evangelistic enterprises. For over five years he was chairman of the department of evangelism of the Seattle Ministers’ Federation, of which he is at the present time first vice president. Under his administration Gypsy Smith and other large evangelistic campaigns were brought to the city. Every year during the Lenten season, under the auspices of the Ministers’ Federation, he has organized and conducted noon day theatre meetings. The series, held ,in April, 1917, was the greatest religious noon-day gatherings ever held in Seattle. Over 2,000 gathered daily, and on certain days standing room was at a premium. In 1912 at Dr. Atkinson’s earnest invitation, which he went to Washington, D. C., to carry, the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church met in Seattle. This was the second time in the history of that denomination that the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church was held on the Pacific Coast. Several times every year also, three or four months in each year, he helped pastors in other communities. Upon his urgent request for a sev ering of his relations as pastor of that church, on Thursday evening, September 30, 1915, the church unanimously passed very commendatory resolutions upon his seven years service, with the church, saying among other things, “The said Dr. Ralph Atkinson did accept the invitation, and Presbytery did in the month of March, 1909, regularly install him as pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church of Seattle, Washington; and the relation of pastor and people has con tinued from that date, during which period there has existed the most harmoni ous spirit and hearty co-operation on the part of all; and throughout the period of the pastorate our Church has taken an active part in the larger religious activities of the city and has experienced a, steady and gradual internal growth toward the best conditions in its history—best from standpoints of numbers, finance and general efficiency.” His relations with the Seattle church were sev-
THE KING’S BUSINESS ered for the purpose of his re-engaging in the work of an evangelist, and from 1915 to the present time he has been engaged in that work. Of one of the meet ings that he has held since, the meeting held in Wilkinsburg, Pa., in 1916, the Honorable D. B. Douthett writes in “The United Presbyterian,” “Dr. Ralph Atkinson, until recently pastor of our First church, Seattle, Wash., has brought such a wonderful blessing to the First United Presbyterian church of Wilkins- burg, Pa./ that it would be disobedience to thq call of our Master if we refused to tell others. Dr. Atkinson came to us unusually well recommended by many of the leading ministers of the denomination. But so far did he exceed our most sanguine expectations that we felt when he left like the Queen of Sheba after her 1500 mile journey to see the glories of Solomon, that the half had not been told. He was with us from February 6th to 20th, for twenty-three enthusiastic, inspiring and helpful meetings. For three reasons we consider him the greatest modern evangelist: First, As a leader of song; second, As a Bible teacher, and, third, As a preacher of great spiritual power. There is nothing new or modern in his methods, just the plain, practical presentation of the gospel in 'such power as to convert sinners and renew the faith of the believers. . . . The Bible studies might be called the cream of the serv ices. They were a great stimulus to the believer, to strengthen his faith and create a desire to bring others to Christ.” It will be noticed that Hon. D. B. Douthett refers to Dr. Atkinson’s musical ability. It ought to be said that he has very rare gifts in this direction. When the General Assembly of the Pres byterian Church, U. S. A„ and the General Assembly of the United Presby terian Church, and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church South, met in Atlanta, Ga., a few years ago, Dr. Atkinson was chosen to lead the sing ing of all three Presbyteries in their united meetings. The united meetings were held in the Atlanta auditorium seating over 8,000 people.' The present Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church, Rev. W. E. McCulloch, D.D., in another number of “The United Presbyterian, ' writes of Dr. Atkinson’s evangelistic work as follows: “A very successful evangelistic campaign was conducted recently in the Homewood church, Pitts burgh, under the leadership of Dr. Ralph Atkinson. _ At the communion service, February 6th, seventy-five persons were received into the membership of the church, fifty-eight of these on profession of faith in Christ. This is the largest accession in the history of the congregation. . . . Dr. Atkinson made the singing a very enjoyable and profitable feature of the meetings. He is a master in the service of song, full of enthusiasm, magnetic, and possessing the rare power of compelling people to sing eyen to the full measure of their skill and capacity. . . . As.a combination of musical director and evangelist, Dr. Atkinson seems to be in a class by himself. His afternoon Bible studies were excellent. They were mainly expositions of familiar passages of Scripture, dealing with the great fundamentals of the Christian faith. As a preacher Dr. Atkinson exhibits simplicity, directness and power. He is exceptionally inter esting and is not lacking in ‘terminal facilities.’ At times he rises to heights of impassioned eloquence. He strikes hard blows at sin, but never fails to let the sinner know that he is proclaiming the gospel of a great salvation. He is strong in presenting the gospel appeal and in emphasizing the wisdom of immediate decision. We desire to say freely that Dr. Atkinson was used by the Lord in the bringing of a great blessing to our congregation. This is written in the earnest hope that he and other good men now engaged in the work of evangel ism may have large opportunity in the great field of the United Presbyterian
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THE KING’S BUSINESS 461 Church. Our denomination is becoming well known for the fervor of its evangelistic spirit. May its reputation in that particular respect increase greatly to the glory of our Lord.” Dr. Atkinson was invited to a place on the faculty of the Bible Institute several years ago, before Dr. Evans was, invited to that place, but he did not feel at that time able to come. Upon Dr. Evans deciding to give the major part of his time to conference work in different parts of the country, attention naturally turned to Dr. Atkinson and he was invited again. At the time of receiving the invitation he was considering three other calls that had come to him to positions of great promise of usefulness, but after much prayer he decided to accept the invitation to the Bible Institute. It is of interest to know that Dr. Atkinson has a wife and seven children, a son of 21, another 17, and another 4, and four daughters. Mrs. Atkinson is said to be a woman of great force, and beauty of character, and has been a great help to Dr. Atkinson in Iris various pastorates. 1 » TAR’S INFLUENCE ON RELIG ION. ” A religious editorial in a secular paper published in Los' Angeles, Thursday, March 28, shows a singular mixture of truth and error. The title of the editorial was, “War’s Influence on Religion,” and it says: “It is said there are men who boast that they never pray. It is,probable that no such man ever lived. There are doubtless men who have never assumed a bodily attitude deemed by some as essential to what they call prayer. But if prayer is an attitude of mind rather than of body, then prayer is perhaps about as universal an experience as may be named. “In a time like this, even men who deny or question the existence of God discover themselves hoping against their belief, or unconsciously turning, men tally, 40 a power whose existence they would believe in, if they could. “It is a well known fact that in an hour of extreme danger men who call themselves godless have been known to call reverently for divine help.” Thus far, little exception is to be taken to the editorial, and it states (from an interesting source) an undoubted fact that the- atheism and agnosticism of the average man is very superficial, and that underneath it all men do realize in their hours of emergency their dependence upon God, and though they are not willing to serve Him, and therefore love’to doubt His existence, still, when they get into difficulty they instinctly turn to Him. But now comes the sort of utterance that is to be expected from such a source. The editor goes on to say: “It is the crudities of human interpretation rather than the vital things of religion from which the human mind has turned away.” This is not true. It is the most vital things of religion from which the human mind is turned away. Its demand for the renunciation of sin, and its sacrifice of self, and the submission of its pride and self-confidence to God, are the things against which the wicked heart which is at enmity against God (Rom. 8 :7) revolts. Men are willing to flock in droves after any system of religion, no matter how absurd, that will eliminate the call for self-sacrifice, and the giving up of sin, and the humbling of self under the mighty hand of God. The paper from which this editorial is taken is notoriously “Christian Science” in its sympathies, and Christian Science is not a revolt against “the crudities of human interpretation.” It is a revolt against our Lord’s demand
462 THE KING’S BUSINESS for sacrifice of self, and the surrender of self to God. One great reason why Christian Science has so many votaries is because it enables a man (or woman), to think he is very religious, in fact, religious above the ordinary run of men and women, and yet without making any sacrifice whatever, but leading the most intensely self-centered and utterly selfish life. Christian Science is the most selfish and heartless and cruel system that man ever devised. It concentrates one’s thought entirely upon self. It knows no sympathy. All it dreads is suf fering. It has no horror for sin, and so people flock to it. Of course, many flock to it because of its promise of healing for the body, and people are willing to do anything, pay any price, if they can be delivered from physical infirmity. They are willing to sacrifice their souls for a possible healing for their bodies. But while this craving for physical healing makes men and women willing to follow any system, no matter how monstrous or absurd, that promises it, prob ably the fact that “Christian Science” is a religion without sacrifice is what gives it its peculiar hold upon men and women today. It certainly is not “the crudities of human interpretation” that the Christian Scientists have revolted from, for of all the crude and ludicrous interpretations that have ever been put upon the Bible, Mrs. Mary Baker Grover Eddy’s interpretations are the crudest and most utterly absurd. The writer goes on to say: “The more men are impressed with the deeper truths of religion the less credulity have they for its superficial expressions.” This sounds well, but it is not true. The man who has the deepest realiza tion of the deeper truths of religion puts a high estimation upon those symbols that God Himself has appointed for the expression of these deeper truths. The writer goes on still further to say : “Man-made forms are less and less impressive.” That is true in what it says, but it is false in what it implies. Baptism, the. Lord’s supper, the gathering together of God’s people, kneeling in prayer, are not “man-made forms,” they are of Divine appointment. The writer goes on to say still further: v “The vital things that have to do with right thinking and right living were never more generally believed in.” This is absolutely untrue. Thè vital things are the very things men and women are letting go of. The atonement of Jesus Christ by His vicarious- death upon the Cross of Calvary, has proven in experience and in history one of the most vital things in the religion of Jesus Christ. A religion without atoning blood has always proved to be a dead and decaying thing, and yet far and wide people are giving up God’s doctrine Of ;the atonement plainly taught in the Bible, that “without shedding of blood there is no remission,” for the “Chris tian Science” and Unitarian doctrine of atonement that entirely leaves out the blood. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ has everything to do with right living and right thinking. The men who really have an intelligent faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ are the ones who really live right, according to the pattern which our Lord Jesus Himself set. The most fundamental things in Christian faith are the very things which are being more and more widely rejected today. The writer, further on in the editorial, indulges in the usual find sounding twaddle about “the fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man- that is of universal interest at a time like this.” The writer says still further : “If the founder of the Christian religion be accepted as authority, love o f God and love of man includes all.”
THE KING’S BUSINESS 463 This statement is utterly untrue, if the founder of the Christian religion our Lord Jesus Himself, be accepted as authority. It is true that love of God and love to man properly defined “includes all” of the law (Matt. 22:37-40), but law is not all there is. Love to God and love to man are not part of the Gospel. God’s love to us, manifested in the atoning sacrifice of His Son includes all, the Gospel (John 3:16) in germ. Love to God and love to man! while it includes all the law, does not include all of man’s duty, nor even man’s first duty under the present dispensation. “If the founder of the Christian religion be accepted as authority,” then the one thing that God demands of men today is not love to Himself, nor love to his fellowman, it is belief on Him whom He Himself sent, i. e., on Jesus Christ. “The founder of the Christian religion” says in John 6 :23, 29, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. If we do not thus believe on Him no amount of effort to attain unto love to God or love to!our fellowman will ever succeed. We do not begin by loving God, we begin by believing in God’s love to us manifested in the atoning death of His Son, and by believing in this wonderful love of God to us we come to love God (1 John 4:19). The confusion of thought exhibited in this editorial is not found merely among “Christian Scientists,” where it might be expected, for their system is one of confusion from start to finish, but it is found also among Unitarians, among new theologians of all types, and even among people who are supposedly orthodox. — --------O------------ AN APPEAL FOR HELP
'T 'H E demands upon the pocketbooks of God’s people are numerous and great at thp present time. The majority have responded magnificently to the various war drives, and should continue to respond to the limit of ability until the awful business is over. However, we must not forget in such an hour that one o f the most vital necessities is to keep up the spiritual inter ests of the land, and especially should God’s people be alert to the urgent necessity of enabling the institutions that stand unmis takably for the “Old Book and the Old Faith” to prosecute their work on a bigger scale, according to the call of the times. When a convention of ministers in Eng land recently wired a British general, ask ing what they could do to help, the answer came back : “Make England spiritual.” That should be the Christian’s concern now. The Bible Institute of Los Angeles is equipping and sending out into the camps, the mission fields, the home fields, the busi ness world and into the homes, hundreds of men and women who know the Scrip tures and are trained to use them in defi
nite soul-winning work. The printed page from the Institution presses is bearing the Gospel message to millions, both at home and in heathen lands. Where could an investment of money count more for the glory of God? Many could say they have already given to various causes more than they ever gave before in all their lives, but in an hour when there is so urgent a call for propa gating the Gospel, it should be remembered that God takes more notice of what we have left than of what we have given. Last month we presented the urgent need of $50,000 for operating expenses, which are always kept at the lowest possible figure. We are thankful for the excellent response, but there is yet a large amount to’ be raised at once. We always appreciate the bequeathing of money to the Institute work, but the kind of generosity that is most appreciated just now is that which God’s people c^n give while they are alive— RIGHT NOW. He gives twice who gives NOW. The work is big, the opportuni ties glorious—will you enable us to push the work?
The word translated "devils” in Luke 8:2 and Mark 3:15 should be translated “demons” The word translated “Devil” in Rev. 12:9 is an entirely different word, with no relation whatever to the word translated “demons” in the passages given above. There is but one Devil, Satan! There are many demons. The “evil spirits” of Luke 8 :2 were “demons.” This is evident from what is said later in the same verse where these evil spirits are called “demons,” (in , our Authorized Version, “devils”)-. The “unclean spirits” in Mark. 3:11 were demons; just the same kind of beings as those called “evil spirits” and “demons” elsewhere. The beings, spoken of in Rev. 12:7, 9 as “his angels,” i. e., the Dragon’s angels, or the Devil’s angels, are not a t all the same as “demons,” they are the angelic persons who fell into sin and who are now headed up under Satan. How do you explain Rom., 5 : 19 ? The first “the many” it is said means all : then what does the second “the many" mean? The. second “the many” also means all, all those referred to in the connection (see verse 17), all “who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness in Jesus Christ.” Further than this, all men, every child of Adam, is potentially justified in Jesus Christ. In the death of Jesus Christ a ''ground is provided upon which God passes over the sins of men and deals with them in mercy (cf. 1 John 2:1). All men receive resurrection from the dead in Christ (1 Cor. 15 :22). Whether that resur rection from the dead shall be a resurrec tion of blessedness unto life, or a resurrec tion unto judgment depends upon what they do with Christ, from whom they receive it.
In John 9 : 1-3 was the man born blind as a pari of God’s plan,' or did Jesus ignore the Question? Jesus,certainly did not ignore the ques tion. We are told in verse 2, “Jesus. answered” the question. Jesus did not say that the man had not sinned, nor that ,his parents had not sinned, as our Authorized Version makes Him say. Hé said, as is correctly translated in the Revised Version, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents : but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” That is to say, Jesus said that hiß sinning was not the cause of his! blindness, neither was the sinning of his parents; but that the purpose of his blindness was in order that the works of God through the healing power of Jesus should be made manifest in him. As far as that is concerned, everything is a part ,o'f God’s plan, for God takes up the wicked schemes of wicked men, and even the work of the Devil, into His comprehensive plan. There were people in that day, just as there are in this day, who taught that all sick ness was a direct punishment of sin, either of the one that was sick or their parents. Jesus says that this is not so. This is not to say that a great deal of sickness does not come from our own sin ; indeed a very large share of our sickness does come from our own sin, and a large share of what does not come from our own sins does come from the .sins of our ancestors, but sickness often has another origin and pur pose that God mav' be glorified in our healing. Are thé words, “evil spirits,” “demons,” “devils,” “his angels,” etc., the same in meaning as found in Rev. ,12:7, 9! Luke 8 : 2 f Mark 3 : 15 ; Mark 3 : 11 ?
The Atonement ©®fi8s Doctrine ©2 tb e AS©a®m@mt v s. U n itarian amfi CBarlstfiaia Sc ien ce ©octE'Ines ©2 the Atonement.
By E$r. E. A. Torrey Dean ©f Siitol© Institaate ©2 la©s A ngele s
“Apart from the shedding of blood there is no remission”
—Hebrews 9:22
UR subject tHis morning is “God’s Doctrine of the Atone ment vs. the Unitarian and Christian Science Doctrines of the Atonement.” One of the most fundamental, central
sooner or later get right on every other ques tion;hut if he holds a wrong view regarding the atonement made by our Lord and Sav iour Jesus Christ, he is pretty sure to go wrong on everything else sooner or later. There is a great need in this day of teaching on this subject that is definite, clear, accu- rate, exact, complete, because not only in Unitarian and Christian Science circles, but also in circles that are nominally orthodox, in professedly Christian colleges, semina ries, pulpits, Sunday School classes, and re ligious papers, magazines, pamphlets, books, there is much teaching today that is vague, inaccurate, misleading, unscriptural, and oftentimes utterly false and devilish, teach ing that is essentially Unitarian or Eddy- istic. Men and women use the old words with a new meaning; so as to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. Even- the Christian Scientist will tell you he believes in the Atonement and that Mrs. Eddy taught the Atonement, but when you begin to. ask direct and pointed questions regard ing his belief and teaching you will find that by atonement he means, and that Mrs. Eddy meant, something utterly different from what you mean and what the Bible
and vital doctrines of the Christian faith is the Christian doctrine of the Atonement. Without the Bible Doctrine of the Atone ment-* you have no. Christianity; but the Devil’s substitute for Christianity. With out the Bible Doctrine of the Atonement you have no real gospel, but an utterly false and soul-destroying philosophy. In speak ing on the doctrine of the Deity of Christ I said: “If a man really holds to right " views concerning the person of Jesus Christ He will sooner or later get right views on every other question, but, if'h e holds a wrong view concerning the person ' of the Lord Jesus Christ he is pretty sure to go wrong on everything else sooner or later.” The same is true regarding the doc trine of the Atonement: If a man really holds to right views concerning the atone ment made by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, he will
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an illustration of the truth of the very thing I said. You do not believe in the Atonement through the shed blood of Jesus Christ." The Christian Scientist uses the word atonement, but he means some thing entirely different from what the Bible teaches regarding the atoning death of Jesus Christ. So does the Unitarian. So do many of the ministers supposedly of orthodox denominations. The pastor of a Congregational church in this city said two weeks ago today: “I have my own kind of religion; it answers for me, but I hope I have sense enough to see that it would not answer for everybody. I imagine the Salvation Army captain preaching my kind of religious doctrine, without a devil, without a hell, without an atonement of blood and recompense, with out an infallible Bible—and I see his audience melting away like snow in the rain. Is his doctrine truer than mine, or is mine truer than his? Why, neither, his is true for him and mine for me—that is all—each after his own kind.” Now this may sound tolerant and lovely, but it is utter nonsense. Any doctrine which is not true for everybody is not true for any body, and any doctrine which is true is true for everybody. If a doctrine that leaves out "an atonement of blood” is not true for the Salvation Army,- and it certainly is not, it is not true for anybody else. Truth is not relative, it is absolute. What is true is true, and what is false is false. So we come face to face with the question, what does the Bible teach on this great fundamental doctrine? I. T h e N ecessity a n d Im p o rta n ce of H is D eath. The first thing that the Bible plainly teaches on this question is the absolute necessity and fundamental importance of the death of Jesus Christ, the absolute necessity and fundamental importcmce of the shedding of His blood. The tendency of our, day in Unitarian circles, and in orthodox circles that have been leavened by the corrupting leaven of Unitarianism, is to minimize the importance of the death
teaches. Paul tells us that the De.vil mas querades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), but never has he done it more successfully and dangerously than in the teaching regarding the Atonement which he has inspired in Mrs. Eddy and in Uni tarian teachers, and also in the teachers in many supposedly, orthodox pulpits, in many Congregational ' pulpits, in some Methodist pulpits, in many Baptist pulpits, and even in some Presbyterian pulpits. 'Some years ago in teaching a Bible class in Minneapolis, attended by people from all the churches, I remarked incidentally that Christian Science denied the doctrine of the Atonement through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. A very intelligent lady, a lady perfect in her manners, came to me at the close of the class and said: “Mr. Torrey, you ought not to have said what you said today about'Christian Science; for you do not understand its teachings. They do teach the atonement.’* I replied: “I said that Christian Science denies the doc trine of the atonement through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Do you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins in His own body on the cross?” She answered: “I think Christian Science is a beautiful system of teaching.” I said: That is not what I asked you. Do you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins in His own body on the cross ?” She replied. “Christian Science, has done me a great deal of good.” “That is not what I asked you. Dio you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins in His own body on the cross?” “I think that Jesus Christ’s life' was the most beautiful life ever lived here , on earth.” “That is not what I asked you. Do you believe Jesus Christ bore your sins in His own body on the cross?” “The Christian Scientists are lovely people.” “That is not what I asked you. Do you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins in His own body on the cross?” “I believe in following the Lord Jesus Christ. “Do you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins in ilis own body on the cross? “Oh,” she said, “that is a doctrinal ques tion.”- “Now,” I said, “you are yourself
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of our Lord Jesus .^Christ. The tendency is to make His life and character, His teaching and leadership, the main thing. Christian Science even goes so far as to deny the fact of His. death. To them His supposed death is “an illusion,” it is “only mortal thought,” but the Bible puts the emphasis upon His atoning death. 1. The death of Jesus Christ is men tioned directly more than 175 times in the New Testament. Besides this there are very many prophetic and typical references to the death of Jesus Christ in the Old T estament. When Mr. Alexander and I were hold ing our meetings in the Royal Albert Hall in London, some one took away one of our hymn books and went through it and cut out every reference to the blood, and then sent it back to me through the mail, saying, “I have gone through your hymn book, and cut out every reference to the blood. These references to the blood are foolish. Now sing your hymns with the blood left out and there will be some sense in them.” If any of you should take your Blible and go through it in that way and cut out of the New Testa ment and the Old Testament every pas sage that referred to the death of Christ, or to His atoning blood, you would have only a sadly torn and tattered Bible left, a Bible without a heart and a Gospel without saving power. If I were a mem ber of a church where the pastor said that he preached a system of “religious doctrine, without a devil, without a hell, without an atonement of blood and recompense, with out an infallible Bible,” to use his own language, he would see his audience “melt ing away like snow in the rain” as far as I was concerned. I would either take my hat and get out of that church, or else the pastor would take his hat and get out of the pulpit, for I should know that he was not preaching God’s pure saving gos pel but the devil’s poisonous substitute for the gospel. 2. Not only are the, references to the death of Christ so numerous in Old Testa
ment and New Testament, but we are taught distinctly in Hebrews 2:14 that Jesus Christ became a man for the spe cific purpose of dying, that He became a partaker of flesh and blood in order that He might die. In this passage we read, For as much as the children are par takers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil” (Heb. 2 J4 ). The meaning of these words is as plain as day. They tell us that the incarnation was for the purpose of the death. They tell us that Jesus Christ’s death was not a mere accident or incident of His human life (as many would have us believe) but that it was the supreme pur pose of it. He became man in order that He might die as man and for man. This is the doctrine of the Bible, and it is true for anybody and for everybody. ' 3. Furthermore, He died for a. specific purpose as a ransom for us. He Himself said so. In Matt. 20:28 He says,“The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 4. One of the most remarkable scenes recorded in the New Testament is that of the transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah came back from the other world to com mune with Jesus, and what did they talk about in that great moment of human his tory? Luke tells us in the 9th chapter of his Gospel, the 30th and 31st verses, “And behold, there talked with Him (i.e., with Jesus) two men which were Moses and Elijah; who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” His atoning death was the one subject that engrossed the attention of these two who came back from the glory world. We are also told in «1 Peter 10-12 that the death of Jesus Christ is a subject of intensest interest and earnest inquiry on the part of the angels. 3. The death of Christ is1 the central theme of heaven’s song. Rev. 5:8-12 gives us a picture of heaven with its wonderful
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