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«■ mum - - . n— .. - — . -------------------- ----- w # '~ Z Z j-%? p**#> 'W K I S H y S f l a s *p^TT%< ¡sfe p i a f e ter- ten "ol- ach fcson Investigate NOW Choose STANDARD’S True-to-the-Bible Literature for ALL your Classes iH B ids \He w ‘ E . e r y H « ^ J o e U s s s ^ - s £ S Americff J ' j j Ç i j trican Bible Society !ty A g r e eme n t s Mo , u i MORE INCOME for You! MORE BIBLES for All! MORE PEACE for the World! Many parts of the universe are seething with turmoil as revolu tion and communism spread from land to land. Fortunately for the peace of the world, some areas where religions have been upset, such as Japan, are turning to Christianity, and asking for Bibles. You can grasp this golden op portunity—and help yourself at the same time—by purchasing an American Bible Society Annuity Agreement. Under this great Christian Plan you receive finan- cial security, at the same time help spread the Word of God. Whether you are a shrewd businessman or are dependent on others for financial advice— you can make no better invest ment. You receive a generous, regular income which never varies even when times are bad— and which can be passed on to your survivor if you so arrange. Learn how this remarkable Christian Plan, which is doing so much for the world, ca » be come a very advantageous Life Plan for you! D o n ’ t w a i t ! L o o k o v e r t h i s Standard literature NOW , note its m an y advantages, its scrip tural, practical approach, how T r u e -to -th e -B ib le . Standard’s literature em braces the whole Sunday sch ool, from Nursery to Adult—w ith helps for every age group. Choice o f Closely Graded and Uniform . Also an ou tstan d ing three-year course o f VBS Lessons. Th e line includes week ly story papers for Juniors and for Teen-agers; a Superintend e n t’s quarterly (Free); and a Christian fam ily magazine. All Standard’s literature is tailor- m ade to each group. Rem em ber, it’s all T ru e-to-th e-B ible! Th e Standard line is truly com p lete! T ell us D epartm ents in w hich interested, n am e and size o f Sunday sch ool; we will send samples and in form ation . j 1 Mail This Coupon Today Without Fail! American Bible Society, 450 Park Avenue, New York 22, N. Y. Please send me, without obligation, your booklet 2A-KB en- titled “ A Gift That Lives.” Name. Address............................................................................. City..........................................................................State. L The Standard Publishing Co. 20 East Central Parkway Cincinnati 10, Ohio t Page Two T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S The Press and The Christian W o r ld Rose Bowl Easter Service This coming Easter Sunday morning another great sunrise service will be held in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for wor shipers within a 30-mile radius. The pro gram will be an hour long, with the first half featuring a choir and a quartet and the last half a message from Dr. Charles E. Fuller. The service is interdenomina tional in character with no admission charge and no offering. The Pasadena Christian Business Men’s Committee are sponsoring this service. Star Lodge, Too The Young Life Campaign, a move ment among high school youth headed by Jim Rayburn, announces a new ranch in Colorado for its expanding summer pro gram. Last year Star Ranch, the first camp, was crowded beyond capacity which made necessary the acquisition of Star Lodge. A splendid program of pros pective vacation conferences is scheduled for this summer. Best Seller Anniversary The 12th Anniversary of the Best Sell er Publicity was recently celebrated in the head office at Chicago. Scores of tes timonies to the effectiveness of Best Sell er Posters, which are seen in street cars and buses all over the land, were re ceived. The ministry of these posters reaches millions of people daily in our own land, Canada and 27 countries of the world, and in nine languages. The most recent ones opened are those in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Ambassador Dedication A crowd estimated at 15,000 braved the near-freezing weather in Springfield, Mo., to look at the Assembly of God new missionary air liner, “Ambassador.” The purpose of the air liner is to deliver mis sionaries of all denominations to their posts. The former airplane used flew a total of 1,729,000 passenger miles. This program of missionary aviation is made possible through a young people’s fund raising endeavor known as “ Speed the Light.” The Assembly’s youth have raised $638,000.00 in the past five years. Gospel Missions Union An International Union of Gospel (res cue) Missions is composed of more than 180 in the United States and Canada, including such well-known missions as the Jerry McAuley Mission in New York, the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, the Union Mission of Minneapolis, and the Bowery Mission of New York City. The organization comprises twelve dis tricts and has a national convention each May. The present yearly meeting will be held in Grand Rapids, May 13 to 18. (Continued on Page H ) M A R C H , I 9 5 0 BUSINESS THE M h / j Official Publication of The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated Louis T. Talbot, D.D. Betty Bruechert Managing Editor William W. Orr, D.D. Editor in Chief Associate Editor Copyright, 1950, The King’s Business No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. All Rights Reserved. Vol. 41 M ARCH 1950 No. 3 CONTENTS The Press and the Christian World......................................................... 3 Editorially Speaking.................................................................................... 4 The Bible in the News, William W. O rr ................................................... 5 The Mystery o f Suffering, Louis T. Talbot ............................................ 6 “ These Men,” Claude E. Copperwheat ..................................................... 8 Contentment, Charles Elmo Robinson .............. H World-Wide Missionary, Dorothy C. Haskin .......................................... 11 Light in a Navajo Hogan, Katherine R. Beard ...................................... 12 Reader R eaction ............................................................................................. 13 First Congressional Prayer........................................................................ 14 Bible Quiz, Vernon Howard ..................................... 14 Dr. Talbot’s Question Box............................................................................ 15 Smart Money, J. Vernon McGee .................................................................. 16 Junior King’s Business:For God So Loved, Marian Bishop B ow er.. 17 Biola Family Circle........................................ i- . ......................................... 18 Young People’s Topics, Walter L. Wilson .............................................. 20 Miscellanea ................................................................................................... 25 Book Reviews................................................................................................. 26 Sunday School Lessons, Homer A. Kent, Allison Arrowood ............... 27 Object Lessons, Elmer L. Wilder ................... 33 Picture Credit: Cover and Page 10, Eva Luoma, Cove Station, Weir- ton, W. Va. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION—"The King’s Business" is published monthy; $2.00, one year; $1.00, six month; 20 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and naw^_______ tJ addresses. REMITTANCES—Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to "The King’s Business." Date of expiration will show plainly on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. ADVERTISING— For information, address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California. f • MANUSCRIPTS—"The King’s Business” cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, Cali fornia, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, embodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P. L. and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. ADDRESS: The King’s Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, California. Page Three are only two of perhaps many cases that could be cited. The morals of entertàin- ment people have been on a known low level for a long time. But the reprehensible thing about this whole matter is the apathy and the blasé reaction of the people of our land. A news account reports that one of the women guilty of this sin of immorality received thousands of congratulatory tele grams. People do not rise up in horror against these things as they should. A board of censors in a neighborhood city absolutely refused to ban the moving pic ture that was involved. The man of the street smiles smugly and shrugs his shoulders concerning the whole matter, instead of being incensed enough against this advertised sin to do something about it. It should be called to the attention of thinking people that sin first is against God before it is against one’s fellowman; also that God is never unaware of such unrighteous happenings, and though God’s judgment waits—while His long-suffering is being exercised—there is no doubt that inexorable judgment will come, as wit ness the case of the flood and the de struction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Would that America might be startled out of its lethargy, would rise up and roundly censor these things in a land that in scribes upon its money, “ In God We Trust.” With our citizens lulled into an attitude of accepting these heinous sins, there is only one thing for God to do and that is to bring judgment upon a morally corrupt America. God give us an old-fashioned conviction of sin so strong that we will cry out unto Him and truly repent. Strong Words Indeed Recently a letter reached our desk in which the writer, while professing to love the Lord Jesus intensely, spoke in real disparagement of the Apostle Paul’s contribution to the'New Testament, call ing him a “ long-haired fanatic.” There has arisen in the minds of some Chris tian people a sort of subconscious feeling that what Christ has said is of more value than what the Apostle Paul has said. To this, of course, we would add that “ all scripture is given by inspira tion of God, and is profitable.” The words of Christ are preserved for us because the Holy Spirit has preserved them, the words of the Apostle Paul are in the New Testament because the Holy Spirit placed them there, and to speak against the writings of the Apostle Paul is to speak against the true authority of the Word of God, even the Holy Spirit Himself. It would be a good thing for any one who is a little hazy on this matter to read the first chapter of Galatians at least ten times, paying particular atten tion to verses eight and nine. Here are some of the strongest words to be found (Continued on Page H ) T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S But what does this mean to Christian people? Are we to have the spirit of jitters when this news hits us? Are we to exhibit the same nervous reactions that our unsaved neighbors show? The answer is, those who are God’s children are protected by the hand of our Heaven ly Father and nothing can touch us with out His approval. Futhermore, the Scrip tures, rightly interpreted, predict this very thing. Conditions are to worsen. Mankind is to demonstrate the innate sinfulness and depravity of the human heart. Perilous times are to come, and the true character of a civilization with out God will be revealed. All of this will point the way for the outpouring of God’s wrath which is vividly described in the last book of the Bible. Not that man will be allowed to destroy himself; rather that God will judge the world according to His own unassailable standards of righteousness. But there is a brighter side to all of this for we look forward to a time of millennial joy. A time when the Son of God Himself will sit upon the throne of David and will rule in righteousness and justice from one end of the earth to the other. Moreover, those who have named the name of Christ in this age, and those who have been God’s children in other ages, will reign with Christ and will en joy to the fullest the outpouring of uni versal blessing and genuine prosperity. So let God’s children lift up their heads, knowing that all these things bring near er the time when sin and unrighteousness shall be no more. And let those also whose hearts have not been cleansed by the precious blood of God’s Lamb flee to the Saviour and find in Him the answer to every need. Examples o f Moral Wickedness We have been shown through our news papers the last several months two glar ing examples of moral corruption among well-known people. The public press, ever eager to cater to the depraved taste of the public, has played up in banner head lines the sickening details of immorality and its consequences. Not that this was anything new! It has long been known that some people of the stage and screen were guilty of flagrant immorality. These two instances which have be§n headlined A Spiritual Giant Passes T HE entire Christian world was sad dened at the news of the death of Dr. Walter A. Maier, veteran preacher of the Lutheran Hour, a world-wide broadcast of the gospel. There could be no doubt in the minds of the listeners to the Lutheran Hour that Dr. Maier hated sin with all the intensity of his being, and that with just as strong a passion he loved the Lord Jesus Christ. Here was a man whom God raised up to be a radio preacher. He was also particu larly gifted to reach the ears of the un saved. His preaching was such that de manded attention, and one could not lis ten without being stirred to the depths of his soul. It is sure that many people of the world did not agree with the strong affirmations and denunciations of Dr. Maier, but there is no question that they admired him from the bottom of their hearts. Dr. Maier’s reward will be a full one, and we trust that guidance and wisdom will be given to the directors of the Lu theran Hour broadcast as they begin the difficult task of choosing a worthy suc cessor to this spiritual giant. The H-Bomb Now comes the news that a bomb far more devastatingly powerful than the horrible Atom Bomb is both a possibility and a probability. Our President has given his directive that the manufac turing machinery of our vast United States shall be turned toward produc tion of this unbelievably lethal weapon. It was interesting to watch the reac tion of the press and radio to this an nouncement. Once more the population shivered in frightened contemplation of the possibilities of this hydrogen Frank- -gngtfiin. Once more thinkers of the world pondered with utmost sincerity the direction in which civilization is headed, and again the scientists of our land probed their own consciences as to whether or not their talents were being prostituted to an end too horrible for imagination. There is no doubt but that the world, from top to bottom, has done some thinking since the atomic age be gan. Page Four Aroused Interest in Missions Very gratifying is the tremendous in terest being shown by Christians every where, in the report of his survey of the mission fields which Dr. Louis T. Talbot is making on Sunday afternoons in the Church of the Open Door in Los An geles, and on week nights in large audi toriums in adjacent cities. The 4,300 seats in the Church of the Open Door have been filled each Sunday and hun dreds have been turned away. Dr. Talbot visited Japan, Malaya, Borneo, Java, India, Trans-Jordania, Palestine, Egypt, and many islands of the Pacific. He found that God was working in a mighty way in the hearts of the natives, especially in Indonesia and Japan. In a personal interview, General MacArthur told Dr. Talbot that he was asking for 3,000 missionaries and 10,000,000 Bibles for Japan this year. As a result of their defeat in the war, the Japanese are disillusioned and confused. For hundreds of years they believed their emperor to be a god and their ancestors their guardian angels. They were taught that their destiny as a nation was world dominion. They are now realizing that their philosophy, both religious and political, was false. The emperor announced publicly that he was not a god. Consequently, they are turn ing from Shintoism and Buddhism, which leaves only a vacuum in their hearts. Will this be filled with Christ or Communism? If the church of Christ does not arise to this, its greatest op portunity, the results will be tragic. Through the addresses Dr. Talbot has been giving, many young men in the Bible Institute and elsewhere are catch ing the vision of devoting their lives to preaching the gospel to those who have never heard. Beginning in April or May, Dr. Talbot will deliver these messages in the larger cities along the Pacific Coast. Television and Morals The Southern California Association for Better Radio and Television has lodged a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against six Los Angeles television stations giving the breakdown of the observation of one week’s video programs. The following component parts -were noted: “Ninety- one murders, seven holdups, three kid- napings, ten thefts, four burglaries, two cases of arson, two jail breaks, one mur der by explosion, two suicides and one case of blackmail. Many cases of assault and battery, also cases of attempted mur der. Much of the action takes place in saloons; brawls too numerous to men tion, also drunkenness, crooked judges, crooked sheriffs, crooked juries.” There is no doubt that television is here to stay, and Christian people will have to ponder deeply their participation in it. school programs and today’s churches provide for broader recreational and so cial activities. A feature of this building program is that floor plans must provide many more rooms for various activities other than the rooms for worship. Lost Dog According to the Los Angeles Herald- Express, a couple have mortgaged their home, spent their .savings, borrowed on their salary and traveled 8,000 miles through five states, all to find a ter rier dog lost four months previously. The couple protest that they can’t give up looking no matter what it costs, because it is like losing one’s own child. As well as searching themselves, they have spent many nights making posters advertising the lost dog, written to newspapers, radio stations, dog societies and humane so cieties, but so far without a single lead. If sources of information are correct, it is our understanding that there are almost countless children needing homes in this land and in many other lands —j children with lives before them and eter nal souls at stake as well. Switching O.E. Mr. Norman E. Holden, commissioner of the Los Angeles Juvenile Court, who describes himself as a practical psy chologist, says among other things that he believes “ a good stinging switching aimed for corrective purposes and with out malice can do wonders. Hemmed in by laws unknown 50 years ago, parents have forgotten that they have a right to help curb delinquency. Dozens of fathers and mothers have told me they thought, physical punishment illegal and so haven’t used it. But this is illegal only when brutality is practiced on a youngster.” All of which is quite in line with what Scripture has to say about rearing chil dren, namely: that those who hate their child withhold the rod, and obedience is to be strictly demanded in love by the parents of the child. The book of Prov erbs is an excellent commentary on this question. One Out of Ten According to Lee W. Simmons, Asso ciate Professor of Sociology at Yale University, one out of every ten per sons in the United States is afflicted with mental illness. Professor Simmons cites figures indicating that one out of twenty persons at some time during his life will enter a psychiatric hospital, while another one out of twenty will be too ill to work for a time because of mental illness. The pace in today’s world bringing these astounding figures is ter rific. Christian people are not unaffected and need to remember the spiritual ad vice given in Isaiah 26:3, “ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed' on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Bumper Crop The 1949 crop of babies in the United States was close to 3,700,000, a figure unprecedented in the nation’s history. Already the impact of these growing children is being felt on the school sys tems throughout our land, with crowded conditions and the necessity for a great ly enlarged building program. Pastors, Christian Education leaders and Sunday school teachers need to con sider these statistics as well if the church is to live up to the opportunity of reach ing the children for Christ. Plans for auditoriums should be scrutinized care fully to allow funds to be used for ade quate educational facilities. Billions for Churches Protestant churches throughout the United States are now engaged in their greatest building program of history. New churches or improvements under way or on architects’ drawing boards are figured at $1,000,000. Part of the reason for this is to be seen in the greater daily usefulness that is made of church build ings today. Many Protestant churches have entered into week-day parochial Page Five M A R C H , I 9 5 0 By Louis T. Talbot, D.D. A woman of Bethlehem. At Shepherds’ Fields outside of Bethlehem Dr. Talbot preached in English to the crowd gathered there on Christ mas Eve 1949. T HE question we are asking today is not a new one; it has been the cry of the human heart throughout the centuries: Why does God permit His children to suffer? Why the tears and heartaches? Why the sorrow and pain? Since He is able to do all things, why does He not spare His children these trials? We can understand why the wicked reap what they sow, for sin leaves its impress, and brings forth a harvest of grief and sorrow. But we are not consid ering here the suffering of the unconvert ed. We are not even dealing with the sor rows of the Christian who is living out of the will of God. We are thinking only of the godly man or woman who is seek ing to do His will and to bring glory to Him. Why does He permit so faithful a follower to suffer? It may be that many people reading this article have long been on beds of He said: “ He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake (Acts 9:15, 16). Read the book of Acts to see what Paul suffered. Read his own summary of trials endured for Christ’s sake, as re corded in II Cor. 11:23-33. Read of the sufferings of the heroes and heroines of faith as found in Heb. 11:32-38. Read the history of the early church, and you will find that the Chris tians of the first three centuries suffered- unspeakable torture at the hand of pagan emperors. They were thrown into the arena to be devoured by wild beasts. They were dragged naked through the streets. They were subjected to gross in dignities and horrible physical torture. Why? Why did God permit these early Christians to become martyrs of the Cross? It is said of Charles Haddon Spur geon, the great winner of souls, that to ward the close of his ministry he never knew a day without physical pain. On the vestry of his church in London there was a couch, where he lay during the preliminary services, praying for strength and power from on high to preach the Gospel. Then having given out the message, back to the couch he went. Why did God permit His useful servant to suffer physical pain? This is the question we want to answer from the pages of Holy Writ. And in the answer lies a veritable gold mine of spiritual knowledge and comfort for the people of God. Two False Arguments Before we consider why God allows His children to suffer, let us look briefly at two false arguments often presented in answer to this question. Some say, as pain. It may be that some are going through deep shadows. You do not ques tion God’s power to remove the trial. You do not question His love in permitting it. But why? Why does He not remove it? Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was “ a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 6:5). There was no ques tion as to His relationship to God. He “did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). And when he was falsely accused because of his wit ness to the Lord Jesus, “ all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). Yet the angry mob hurled stones at him, and he be came the first martyr of Jesus. Why did God permit it? Surely the world needed the ministry of such a man as Stephen. When the Lord told Ananias to go to Saul of Tarsus and minister unto him, Kockefeller Museum, Jerusalem, Palestine. This photograph and others of the Holy Land on these two pages are used by courtesy of the Biblical Research Society. Page Six T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S enough for salvation, if indeed, he lacks the faith necessary to physical healing. In other words, if God has provided for physical healing in the atonement, as many claim, then if a person prays for physical healing and his prayer is not answered by restoration to health, he be gins to doubt whether or not his prayer for salvation from sin has been heard. Do you not see where this line of reason ing leads? Not long since I received a letter from a groping soul, whose loved one had gone through such a bitter experience. And the result had been a nervous, miserable state of mind and body, doubt filling the whole being concerning the welfare of the soul. I aln glad the Word of God is not as cruel as is the shallow student of the eternal Word who says that suffering is the result of lack of faith. The fallacy of these two arguments is seen in the very fact that hundreds and thousands of God’s dear saints have died —because of disease. Moreover, His own signal blessing upon the service of Chris tian doctors and nurses who have gone into the world with the Gospel speaks for itself. The medical missionary tells us that over and over again the successful treatment of physical pain has given him entrance into the heart of the pagan, and has opened the way for the soul-saving message of the Great Physician. No, my dear Christian sufferers, God is giving you an opportunity to bear testimony to Him, for His glory, as we shall see in our further examination of the Scriptures. He has committed unto you a special trust. Let us see this from His own infallible Word. (Continued next month) mercy, Epaphroditus “was sick nigh unto death” (Phil. 2:26-30). Why? Because of lack of faith on his part? The Word of God says plainly: “For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life” (Phil. 2:30). And at the hand of this man of faith Paul sent his priceless letter to the Philippian Church. “ For the work of Christ” Epaphroditus was sick; “but God had mercy on him” and raised him up in answer to prayer. To say that he was sick because of lack of faith, is to contradict the Word of God. 2. Trophimus. Again the Apostle Paul wrote of another -of his fellow-laborers saying, “ Trophimus have I left at Mile- turn sick” (II Tim. 4:20). Here was a faithful servant whom God did not see fit to heal. 3. Timothy. To his “son in the faith” Paul wrote, saying, “ Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infir mities” (1 Tim. 5:23). The great apostle did not prescribe more faith, but a medic inal treatment for Timothy’s “ often in firmities.” Bear in mind, my friend, that I am not saying God does not hear the prayer of faith on behalf of the sick. I believe He does often raise up the sick in an swer to prayer, but according to His own, perfect will, and often by the means of medical science. Sometimes, however, it is not His all-wise plan to relieve the suffering saint; and to say that those who are not healed lack faith to be healed is both contrary to the teaching of the Scriptures and unfair to the suf ferer. It makes the one being tested and tried wonder if, after all, he has faith did Job’s “miserable comforters,” that suffering is the result of sin in the life, or that it is the result of lack of faith. Let us consider these two arguments separately. Of course, we know that all tears and sorrows came into the world as the result of sin. In Adam the human race in herited “ the wages of sin”—death, with all that this involves. But those who say that the child of God who seeks to do His will suffers because of definite acts of sin and disobedience—those who argue along this line pervert the Scriptures and bring grief to the stricken heart. Stephen and Paul and the Christian martyrs were heroes and heroines of faith. Their lives were above reproach because they were redeemed by the blood of Christ and were utterly consecrated to His service and will. Their sufferings were for a testimony before a godless, Christ-rejecting world. And who would dare say that unconfessed sin in these godly lives brought them physical suf fering and death? The Lord Jesus answered this false argument finally and completely in con nection with the healing of the man born blind. His disciples had asked Him, say ing, “ Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” Then “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made mani fest in him” (John 9:2, 3). In order that the Lord from heaven might perform a great miracle, this man had spent years in blindness. His suffering was for the glory of God! No, my Christian friend, do not let any man trouble you with this false, unjust, unkind argu ment. Many dear saints have endured long‘ years of pain and sorrow—for the glory of God, that the miracle of His grace might be made manifest before an unbelieving world. The second of these is like unto the first. Those who hold it say that if only the suffering saint had more faiths he could be cured of his illness—that sor-; row comes from lack of faith' Again, we call to witness such stalwart heroes of the faith as Stephen and Paul. Could any human being have more faith than they had? But there are at least three other New Testament Christians whom we would con sider as examples of faith, yet who were sick and in physical need. 1. Epaphroditus. Paul was a prisoner in Rome, and the Church at Philippi had sent him a gift by one of their members, Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25; 4:18). While in Rome-on this errand of M A R C H , I 9 5 0 The Church of the Nativity in Jerusalem which Dr. Talbot visited Christmas Day 1949 in his missionary journey around the world from which he recently returned. Page Seven “THESE MEN” briefly and pray that our lives may be marked by the same elements so essen tial for effective service. “ These men”— their office “ Servants o f . . .God.” It was thus that Paul was pleased to refer to himself as he placed his name at the head of an epistle (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Tit. 1:1). So also with James (Jas. 1:1), and Peter (2 Pet. 1:1), and Jude. They had been redeemed by God from the law, from sin, and death and hell. They had been bought at a great price, the pre cious blood of the Son of God, so that they were no longer their own. Their in debtedness to God was such that they could never repay, and so they were pleased to be His bondservants, to carry out the good pleasure of His will and to obey His commands. They belonged to God—were His property for His use. So testified Paul before the tempest- tossed passengers apparently doomed on the ship at the mercy of the maddened storm, as he assured them of salvation from the word of “ God . . . whose I am, and whom I serve.” As the servants of God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, they became also the servants of men. “ Though I be free from all men,” wrote Paul to the Corinthians, “ yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more” (1 Cor. 9:19). “ We preach . . . Christ Jesus the Lord; and our selves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5) It was not with a sense of religious superiority, nor price of citi zenship as a Roman that Paul went among the people. His Lord had emptied Himself and taken upon Himself the form of a servant (Phil. 2 :7), and thus it must be with him. An attitude which savors of pride and superiority among the people to whom he goes will sooner or later produce resentment and spoil the witness of the missionary. “ Our selves your servants fo r - Jesus’ sake” must be the principle. “ These men”— their God “ Servants of the most high God.” What a vision of God and faith in Him these men had! “ That ye may know . . . the exceeding greatness of his power,” Paul prayed for the Ephesians (1:19). Then he. goes on to refer to that place given by God to His Son, “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (1:21). “ God that made the world and all things therein . . . Lord of heaven and earth,” he proclaimed to the Athenians (Acts 17:24). He is terrible in His wrath, holy in His ways, exceeding rich in mercy, and His love passeth knowledge. He “ is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, accord- By Rev. Claude E. Copperwheat* IC f I ^HESE MEN” were mission aries. They left their mark upon the communities they touched. Their presence was soon felt and people began to talk. This is very evident as we follow the course of Paul and his companions on their missionary journeys, and note what people were stirred to say about them. Comments concerning these men came from different places and various kinds of people. As we place them together, we secure a picture of the characteristics which we believe should mark the mis sionary and his work for all time. In Philippi it was a woman, spirit- possessed, who made herself a burden and a nuisance as she followed Paul and Silas around from day to day with her cries, “ These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17). In Jerusalem, it was James from the chair of the church council who caused to be written this tribute to Paul and Barnabas, “Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:26). In Thessa- lonica the incited mob was stirred to cry out concerning Paul and Silas, “ These that have turned the world up side down are come hither also” (Acts 17:6). And finally, the town clerk of Ephesus, in his endeavor to bring peace and quiet to the city thrown into tumult and confusion by the opponents of Paul and his companions, cried out, “ These m en... are neither robbers of churches [temples], nor yet blasphemers of your goddess” (Acts 19:37). These remarks, coming from friend and foe, and prompted by differing motives, are nevertheless all true, and reveal the quality of the missionaries whom God was pleased to use so mightily by His Spirit in those glorious days of the early campaigns. As we read through the words care fully, we notice six things concerning these pioneers which made an impres sion on the people with whom they came into contact. Let us examine them *Missionary of The European Christian Mission in France. The Colosseum in Rome, once a scene of gladiatorial combat and Christian martyrdom. Page Eight T H E K I N G 'S B U S I N E S S nor yet have we, to employ iconoclasm and ridicule. The truth will combat error. The Light will dispel darkness, and the Spirit of God will stir up the entrenched forces of evil. “ These men”— their impact “ These that have turned the world up side down.” Thus were they branded by the envious Jews of Thessalonica as dis turbers of the peace and dangerous revo lutionaries. “ These men . . . do exceed ingly trouble our city,” was a similar accusation brought by certain Romans of Philippi as their sinful business was brought to nought by the power of Christ. Wherever these men went, things hap pened. They were not out to create a disturbance, but as they were filled with the Spirit, and in His power preached Christ, there was bound to be reaction. Revolution was not their purpose, but their ministry brought about revolution (radical change) in its impact upon in dividuals, or religious tradition and on the heathen world. Sorcerers were turned from their witch craft. Devil-possessed people were set free. The jailer who cast them into pri son was loosed from the chains of sin. Many priests, devout Greeks, society women and the chief ruler of a syna gogue had their lives revolutionized as they opened their hearts to the message and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. The religious world was aroused, di vided and disturbed as the gospel with its dynamic proclamation won its way among the people. The rioters were not the missionaries, but the envious unbe lievers who stirred up the mob to tumult and disorder. In the heathen world there was the public burning of books of magic (Acts 19:19), dilemma among those whose busi ness depended upon idolatry (19:23-32). The idol makers created a riot as they feared for their business when people were turning to the living God. The gospel preached in the power of the Spirit should disturb people. It calls for a verdict. It arouses the enemy in his stronghold, and the forces of evil will set themselves in array against it. The world takes little notice of a cold, formal and lifeless church. When the Holy Spirit is given His way however, to quicken and revive, then the impact is felt among the forces of superstition, deception, idolatry, and upon the ranks of those who deal in the corrupting business of drink and dope, gambling and vice. One has well said that the world is up side down already and through the min istry of the gospel men are set upon their feet. “ That we may present every' man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28), “ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). As “these men” have set such a high standard for us, let us go forth with the gospel in their spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost, upsetting and setting aright our needy world! Page Nine important is the missionary’s approach to the people to whom he is called to preach the gospel. A thoughtless and tactless approach can create resentment and prejudice which may prove well nigh insurmountable barriers later. Paul’s method in Athens should be carefully considered. Notice his respect for the sincerity of the people in their beliefs, and their reverence for their gods. So he does not plow into them with ridicule, harsh criticism and derogatory remarks re specting their gods and beliefs, which could be interpreted by them as blas phemy and arouse indignation. He is careful in his language, and courteous in his approach. He places himself alongside them and seeks to point to the truth. “We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s de vice” (Acts 17:29). ing to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20). “ If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). It is the men that know their God who are strong and do exploits (Dan. 11:32). The men God uses are not great in their own eyes, hut their eyes are filled with the greatness of the God they serve. “ These men”— their purpose “Which shew unto us the way of sal vation.” Here is the chief business of the missionary. Other activities may be called in to be the handmaid, but he who fails here, fails everywhere. “ I am the way . . . no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” said the Lord (John 14:6). “ Neither is there salva tion in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” echo His servants (Acts 4:12). “ What must I do to be saved?” was the jailer’s ques tion, but he was expressing the heart cry of a lost humanity which rings down the centuries and resounds around the world. “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” This is God’s answer ’and the sum of the mis sionary’s message. Mouths need to be fed, bodies need to be clothed and healed, minds need to be instructed and living conditions improved, in all of which tasks the missionary may be called upon to engage. Others can do this just as effectively, however. But to the funda mental cry of the heart, “ What cap' wash away my sin?” it is the unique ministry of the missionary to declare, “ Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” “ These men”— their spirit “ That have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” which was not surprising, for they had ceased to lay claim upon their lives. They were not their own (1 Cor. 6:19). “ Neither count I my life dear unto my self,” declared Paul to those who were fearful for his safety, and to the Corinthians he wrote, “ I die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31). It is this spirit of holy abandon to the Lord and His purposes that has enabled His servants to carry the standard of the gospel into the enemies’ territory and win victories. Is it not our lack here that causes a lag in world evangelization? Are we not too mindful of ourselves, our security, position, well-being and comfort in this world? We may be prepared to take some risks in our own interests, but how far are we prepared to hazard our lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? In our enthusiastic meetings we oft- times sing, “ I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, I’ll be what you want me to be.” If we mean it we shall be prepared to hazard our lives, for this may be involved in the pledge of our words. “ These men”— their tact “ Are neither robbers of ohurches (temples), nor yet blasphemers of your goddess”—very revealing testimony on the part of the clerk of Ephesus. How M A R C H , 1 9 5 0 The wall in Damascus described in Acts 9:25 by which the Apostle Paul escaped with his life. Then Paul reasons with them, seeking to point out the shortcomings, errors, defects and vanity of their systems and beliefs. “ We . . . preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein” (Acts 14:15). “ God . . . dwelleth not in temples made with hands; . . . as though he needed any thing, see ing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24, 25). Our message is the truth, and there fore most reasonable. Paul reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures (Acts 18:4), he disputed (reasoned) in the market daily with the Athenians (17:17), “he reasoned of righteousness, temper ance, and judgment to come” before Felix (24:25). Peter writes that to those who ask, we should be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness (1 Pet. 3:15). Then the message of “these men” was most positive. “ This Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ” said Paul to the Jews (Acts 17:3). And to the Stoics, Epicureans, and citizens of Athens it is reported that “he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18). God was to be found in Christ. He is the substance of truth, and the heaven-sent Saviour of the world. This was their positive approach, and they had no need, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. Jj:ll). T HE words, “whatsoever state,” in such a setting include every condition of being, ranging all the way from that of the man supplied with all the comforts of life, ample and certain income, beloved by a wide circle of friends, and with an assured happy future, to that of the moneyless, home less man, without friends, blind, deaf, and helpless. With this understanding of the words, “ whatsoever state,” one reading the text in any other book but the Bible would be excused for being skeptical as to its truth. Paul makes the statement about himself, so naturally one goes over in his mind Paul’s experiences. Are the words to be taken at their full meaning, as the words of one speaking from varied life experiences, or as the theoretical vaporings of the novice? At Philippi, Paul had been publicly stripped, beaten and cast into the inner prison and there so bound that he could not lie down except upon a lacerated back. He lay in the dark, breathing the fetid air, surrounded by criminals. His consciousness of innocence made it humanly much harder for him to be content. He had not violated any law of either God or man. It would be difficult to picture a “ state” more distressing. Although he had endured hours of physical weariness and pain and had suffered the ultimate of disgrace and shame, at midnight Paul prayed and sang praises to God. Was he content then? I should say his singing praises to God in that “ state” certainly indicated an affirmative answer. His instant, loving caution to the jailer, “ Do thyself no harm; for we are all here,” testified the same thing. His words in Philippians should be taken as the sober, considered words of a man of experience. By Charles Elmo Robinson If Paul had been incarcerated for disturbing the peace or for snatching a purse, and still felt contented, what would that signify? We would conclude that instead of his being a high class Christian, he was but an habitual criminal who philosophically took the discomforts of life in prison as a thing to be expected as part of the game, and so borne with equanimity. “ Fools because of their transgressions, and be cause of their iniquities, are afflicted.” An essential factor in Christian contentment is that our situation must be something not brought on us by our own evil deeds. Christian content ment results from a deep-rooted conviction that what is happening to us is God-allowed, and designed for our good (Rom. 8:28). We are further confirmed in our belief of a statement almost beyond credence, when we read what this strange man, Paul, wrote to the Corinthians: “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned [a line was then fastened to his ankle and he was dragged ignominiously through the streets out to the refuse heap, and there left for dead], thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In jour- neyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, [this clause is given emphasis by what he wrote to the Romans: ‘I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh’] in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” The man who, conscious of being wholly without fault, and looking over his life of faithfulness, could set down such a list of horrors as that, and yet say “ I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” is no novice in the Christian life. After this, Paul was cast into a Roman prison, where eventually he was executed. Before being sent to Rome he had been held two years in “ durance vile,” kept from carry ing on his beloved ministry, on trumped-up charges. At Rome he spent his days and nights chained to a Roman sol dier. But there he lived such a victorious life that many of the members of Caesar’s household were saved. His must have been one of visible contentment, to have had the influ ence on those contacting him in his imprisonment that his successes indicate. That Paul was content in that prison is further proved by the fact that while there he wrote his remarkable letter to the Philippians, in which he wrote at length of Christ as the believer’s pattern, specifying particularly His (1) Rejoicing in suffering; (2) Rejoicing in lowly service; (3) Rejoicing de spite imperfections; (4) Rejoicing over anxiety. While Paul was in the Roman jail, some of his brethren in the Lord (as he confided to his friends in Philippi) preached the gospel, “ supposing to add affliction to my bonds.” Yet he testifies, “ I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” (Phil. 1:16-18). In chapter two he urged the Philippians to lowliness of mind, speaking of the way Jesus humbled Himself; but notwithstanding the solemnity of his message and his own trying situation, the entire chapter is a paean of praise. The words, joy and rejoice occur seven times in this one chapter. Chapter three warns against evil workers, but to rejoice as they do so. Chapter four is a continuation of Paul’s exhorta tion to “ Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice,” and it is in this chapter too that he says, “ I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” All of this warns us against tolerating in our mind the wicked thought, “It is too hard to rejoice, situated as I am.” Those directions to the Philippians are for us. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S Page Ten When we realize that we are in a very dangerous situation, subjected to distressing circumstances, one of the chief dan gers, and one likely to be entirely overlooked, is that of our failing to rejoice. The chief thing for a Christian to do in time of trouble is to be cheerful. That is not easy to do, but it is not only pleasing to God, but is an effective way to let one’s light shine. It cannot but arouse those around us to the realization that we have something they do not have. If we show our satisfaction in every circumstance God allows, we may do more good unconsciously than we could accom plish by predetermined endeavor. Thousands have been helped by reading of the Cornish miner, Billy Bray, who rejoiced in the death chamber of his beloved wife. When the doctor said, “ Billy, she is gone,” Billy began shouting, “ Joey is with the angels! Joey is with the angels!” There was no word of his own loneliness. Joey was no longer in pain, but was with the Lord. This occupied his mind. Cars are now built so that passengers are protected from all kinds of bad weather. Just so the gospel has made pro vision so that when tribulations overtake us, our joy will not be disturbed. For tribulations will surely come; Jesus told us plainly, “ In the world ye shall have tribulation.” It’s pleasant to have an all-weather car; it is glorious to have an all-situations gospel. It is easy to be happy when one has many good friends, enjoys good health, and abounds in the good things of this life. But to paraphrase the old poem: The Christian “worth while is -the man who will smile, when everything goes dead wrong.” Without the Lord we could not experience this kind of contentment with our lot. When Moses was enjoying powers and privileges second only to Pharaoh’s, and sure that he was in line to sit on the throne, he was enabled by faith to refuse “to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” and to spend forty years in isolation in the desert. That Joseph was able to be content when tested by adversity is shown by the fact that as slave to Potiphar, his master saw “ that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper.” His master made “him overseer over all his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.” When Joseph was wrongfully cast into prison, “ The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison . . . The keeper of the prison looked not on any thing that was under his hand.” In the midst of adversity, perhaps equal to Paul’s, it is evident that Joseph was content. Not a single complaint of his is recorded. When his wicked brothers came, he was gracious to them. The Christ who enabled unjustly-punished Joseph, throne-renouncing Moses, Saul-hunted David, and chained and beaten Paul to have victory, will also enable each one of us to “ Rejoice in the Lord alwayi and again I say, Rejoice.” WORLD -W IDE M ISS IONARY By Dorothy C. Haskin A T 89, Bessie Lee Cowie is still an active world-wide mis sionary. “ Carrie Nation without a hatchet,” was the ' name the magazine Life gave Mrs. Cowie when they published pictures of her famous drive against liquor in Pasa dena, California. “ The W.C.T.U. Prayer Crusade Against Drink,” was organ ized by Mrs. Cowie. Each Wednesday afternoon a group of between 20 and 50 women met in a different church for prayer and then, with signs proclaiming their purpose, “ Wine Is a Mocker,” “ Save Our Girls,” “ Seeking to Save,” and such, they made their way all along Colorado Boulevard, going from bar Inside liquor establishments they conducted themselves as Christian gentlewomen. Mrs. Cowie led the way, shook hands with the bartender, and pleaded, “ Do get into a better business than this.” Then they sang hymns, prayed and preached the gospel, pleading with the customers to accept Christ as Saviour. They were treated with the utmost respect and many of the women customers wept as they listened. Mrs. Cowie at left with W. C. T. U. Prayer Crusade. This is but one of Mrs. Cowie’s activities. She has been a member of the W.C.T.U. since 1885, and a world missionary since 1903. She has been around the world four times and held missions on every continent, and many of the islands of the sea. She has written fourteen books, countless tracts and in numerable poems. Her book, “Marriage, Heredity and the So cial Evil,” went through so many editions that she lost track of the number. When anyone mentions Mrs. Cowie’s being a temperance speaker, she always adds, “Along gospel lines.” And it is be cause of her great interest in Christ that she is still an active world-wide missionary. Through her help churches have been built in Korea. She has personally supported a native Chris tian minister in India for 30 years. She sells the natives’ hand work to her friends, and sends the money to build churches. Over 40 years ago Mrs. Cowie gave a house in Victoria, Aus tralia to the China Inland Mission. They sold the house and used the income to maintain a training school for Chinese Christians. Recently the school was destroyed and now the Mis sion is going to use the capital to rebuild the school. She also donated a house to the Sudan Interior Mission. The money obtained from its sale went into that work. When she lived in New Zealand and Honolulu, she held the prayer meeting for the Oriental Missionary Society in her home, and sold sub scriptions to their publications. Nowadays Mrs. Cowie devotes a large portion of her time to mailing packages to India, England and Europe. She sends old clothes, food, bacon grease, candles, everything, even making quilts of old stockings. She does this primarily with her own money, though sometimes when she speaks she is given a love offering and that too is used for such packages. One church gave her an offering of $14.00. One of the mem bers felt it should have been an even $15.00 but sne was voted down. The following Sunday, on her way to church, this mem ber found a dollar which she mailed to Mrs. Cowie, who told her that she had needed just an extra dollar for postage. As Mrs. Cowie says, “ The Lord is always doing nice things like that.” Much more suitable than the name Life gave her, is on some of the letters that she receives. On the customs tag, as those of you who have sent packages know, there is a place to write what-the post office should do with a package if it is unable to find the addressee. Mrs. Cowie always writes, “ GIVE TO ANY NEEDY CHRISTIAN.” So a woman, who cannot read Eng lish, but who writes to Mrs. Cowie in German, addresses the letters to “ FRAU ANY NEEDY.” Paae Eleven to cocktail parlor. M A R C H , 1 9 5 0
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