T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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June, 1941
Around the King's Table LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-In-Chief
zel F. Tunstead begins an article on “The Menace of the Comic Magazine” in The Church School Promoter*: “ ‘Daddy, is it better to kill a man with a gun, a dagger, a blackjack, or a big dose of poison?’ "Upon inquiring as to where the child had b e c o m e familiar with these modern terms of the under world, the father found the child had been reading comic magazines. His childish mind was confused as to the best method of getting rid of his friend—for some magazines seemed to use one method more than the others, yet all were suc cessful!” ¡The author goes, on to prove that the rise of the comic magazine has been amazing. In only a few years, one or two magazines of this type have been multiplied into 108' publications; the circulation is 12,000,000 copies a month. The average parent—even the Christian parent—is often unaware of the danger that lurks behind these seemingly harm less pages. Sterling North, literary editor of the Chicago Daily News, puts the matter plainly: . v"Virtually every child in America is reading color comic magazines—• a poisonous mushroom growth of the last two years . . . A careful examination of the 108 periodicals now on the stands shocked us into activity. At least 70 per cent of the total were of a nature no respect able newspaper would think of ac cepting. . . . We found that the bulk of these lurid publications depend for their appeal upon mayhem, murder, torture, and abduction— often with a child as the victim . . . The shame lies largely with the par ents who don’t know and don’t care what their children are reading. .... . The antidote to the comic mag azine poison pan be found in any library or good book store. The parent who does not acquire that antidote for his child is guilty of criminal negligence.” And the worst negligence of all is the withholding of the Word of God; with all its purifying and challenging and satisfying elements, from the boys and girls who would respond to its teaching if they were but given a chance. , m *Reprints of the article may be obtained at the office of the publication, 800 North Clark Si.,.. Chicago, 111., at five cents each.
When God Takes a Census America has just recovered from the. gigantic task of numbering her mil lions. The official figures indicate that there are over 132,000,000 people in the United States. Facts emerging are: That the total represents a seven per cent gain over ten years ago; that this is the smallest percentage of increase since 1790, and that California has reg istered the greatest growth in "absolute amount” of, any state. A noted sociologist, Constantine Pa- nunzio, has asserted that America’s population will continue to increase for some decades to come, even though it is slowing up. He makes this computa tion: “It will be about 141,000,000- in 1950, 150,000,000 in 1960, 155,000,- 000 or 160,000,000 in 1970, and in . all likelihood it will become sta tionary at perhaps 175,000,000 or so in the latter part of the present century.” All of this is very interesting. But has it ever occurred to the sociologists that God has His census? Here it is: “The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there” (Psa. 87:6). The American census includes only those beneath the Stars and Stripes, but the divine census covers souls the world over. God takes an exact account of all men and makes a strict registry. But His census differs from that of any na tion, for those whom He counts many a nation disowns, and He leaves out others whom a country is only too willing to include on its books.. It was deemed a great honor to-have one’s name inscribed in the Golden Book of the Republic of Venice. Kings and, princes paid dearly for the honor. A rarer dignity, however, a w a i t s those whose names are written upon the im perishable scroll of the Book of Life. Is it your happy lot to be numbered among God’s royalty? Have you the spiritual birthright qualifying you for inclusion ? A mere enrollment in God’s world wide family is not sufficient. One must be begotten into the ranks of those counted up by the Lord. Not only so, but names are entered one by one just as the signing up of a census paper is an individual experience. "This man was born there.” This is how the late Alexander Smel- lie expressed the thought:
“One by one, the vast muster roll is written and completed. One by one, men are forgiven, enlightened, purified, made perfect. Ah, those separate entries in God’s long list of His sons and citizens—is mine among them? Have I crossed His threshold? I cannot enter with the crowd. I must go in alone. •" ‘There are two good men,’ the uncompromising Chinese proverb says. ‘One of them is dead, and the other is not yet born.’ Nay, there is 1a third. It is he who is bom again. And God grant that this third may be I.” Are you sure that your name is writ ten down? Whether you have merit or misery makes little difference to the mivine Census-taker. All that you are asked to do in order to be included among the aristocracy of heaven is to repent and believe the gospel. Parents Guilty of Criminal Negligence In the month of June, Children’s Day is observed in many churches.. Any spe cial effort that will emphasize the re sponsibility of Christian adults for the spiritual care of boys and girls is to be commended. And yet, in reality, in terest and vigilance must be shown, riot on one day merely, but throughout the entire year. Certain types of danger are being faced by the youth of today, of which earlier generations k n e w very little. For example, there is the subtle im planting ur their minds of ideas so vio lent- in their outworking as to alarm any Christian parent. The following is an illustration in point with which Ha
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