January 1928
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
exponents of Christianity. Thank God, this is not a com mon thing. It makes one appreciate all the more the thou sands of ministers who stand against the tide of modern unbelief, and loyally contend for the Faith.
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Reflectors of Christ “Nmy are ye light in the Lord', zvalk asf children of light” Eph. 5 : 8 ). D IAMONDS held for a time in the sunlight become luminous. Certainly Christians who walk in the light, who are reflectors of Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, will become luminous for Him. Susie Parker went to China in 1888. She did not know the language. She was riding one day in the same carriage with a prominent Confucianist, and as she rode, she prayed for his salvation. Two years afterward, in a gathering of Confucianists, this very man boldly arose and testified to his conversion to Christianity, It was the face of Susie Parker that had led him to Jesus, although she had not spoken a word. Thus some lives seem ever to be luminous, revealing Christ to those who are in darkness. Why is it that so many of us try to be satisfied with a twilight experience, when we might have the fulness of the Spirit ? The next verse adds: “For the fruit o f the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” Who is there who could not bear this fruit if he would only abandon himself to the Spirit’s guidance ? It is well that we should be reminded that goodness, righteousness and truth do not grow upon any other root. We have come upon a time when many argue that if one is good, it matters little what opinions of truth he holds. Here God’s Word tells us plainly that truth is the fruit of the Spirit and connected vitally with goodness and righteousness. The Savior said, “Thy Word is truth.” There can be no separation of truth from goodness and righteousness. Acts of beneficence there may be, which temporarily alleviate suffering and trial; but so far as eternity is concerned, it is but wood, hay and stubble, and cannot abide the rewarding day into which all true be lievers shall come. Hence it is only the “children o f light” who bear the fruit. Years ago Professor Findlay said: “If men have their way and renounce the truth of God, that tree of God’s planting, the vast growth of Christian virtue and benefi cence, will wither to its topmost bough, and the next storm will bring it to the ground, with all its stately strength. Unbelief lays the axe at the root of human society.” So it is proving today. It becomes more and more apparent that liberalism leads to barren living. There must be the life of God within before there can be divine fruitage. Why will men be so deceived and refuse to walk in the light ? S UBSCR IPT IONS fo r m issionaries are ex piring each m o n th an d new nam es a re con stan tly being a d d e d to our list of tho se who are n o t in a financial position to hav e The King’s Business. W e h av e ju st a p p e a led to our Insti tu te em ployees to replenish our m issionary fund an d they h av e re sp o n d ed nobly. W ou ld YOU like a p a rt in service of this ch a ra c ter?
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The Wealth o f the Years “We spend our years,” as indeed we must: We cannot put them away or hoard. This then is part of our Heavenly T ru sts That we spend them, not for ourselves, but the Lord. “We spend our years,” and what have we bought; Self advancement—and selfish ease: Or more knowledge of Truth, in Scripture taught||i| And new opportunities God to please? “We spend our yearjjp: what have we obtained, At the priceless cost of this precious time; Have we a truer, Christ-life gained; Have purpose and life been made sublime? "We spend our years” : here are minutes new Put into our hands with which to deal: Shall we bargain for shadows, of trade for true And lasting treasures of good and real? How soon will the business' of life be o’er; How soon we shall gage life’s profit and loss! Make us earnest, Lord, as never before; -To spend time for the blessings, Christ won at the Cross. —William Olney. May God give us spiritual hearing to catch the Sav ior’s sigh, that we may realize something of how deeply sin grieves Him, of how He sympathizes with those who must suffer its effects, and of His desire that the day may be hastened when there shall be no more sin, sickness and death, and when all tears shall be wiped away! a&s Re-Crucifying Christ A CCORDING to the statement of Heb. 6 : 6 , it is pos- ^ ¿ \.s ib le to “crucify Christ afresh.” Does that mean that some men have it in their power to reenact the scene of Jesus’ torture—to be in league with the religionists who hated Jesus, and with the scoffing soldiers? We read in this chapter of the apostasy from the faith. Recruci fying Christ is .a thing that is being done in opr days. Remember that the real crucifiers were recognized religious leaders of the day. Those who “crucify Him afresh” are not His open enemies, but often men who have donned the ministerial garb. In a double sense they “put Him to an open shame” ,(v. 6 ), for they practically say to the world: “We have-fully tested the claims of Jesus, and in-our judgment He does not make good. He is not the Son of God; He did not make atonement for sin; He did not rise.” This is the same Judas-like selling of the Master. It is the same preferring of some Barabbas to Christ. It is joining in the blasphemy of those who said Christ was not what He claimed to be, and nailing Him anew to the cross. One shudders to think of the enormity of * such a sin and that it is one committed more often by men who pose as God-man, and therefore able to do for us what mere man would be helpless to do.
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