beautifully manifested and his genu ine love for the Catholics themselves was undeniably demonstrated. Perhaps Dr. Lehmann’s greatest ministry has been through the pages o f the magazine o f which he was editor, The Converted Catholic. For this task every month he compiled terse, succinct, timely information rel ative to the true character o f the Church o f Rome and evidence o f its utter unscripturalness. These issues comprise a most usable compendium o f invaluable data on this particular subject. In addition, Dr. Lehmann wrote a number o f outstanding books. It would seem to us that Dr. Leh mann’s work had just begun, but God makes no- mistakes and without a doubt from among Dr. Lehmann’s co workers there will be raised up one to whom God will give the opportunity of carrying on the much-needed ministry which our beloved brother has just laid down. Dr. Lehmann is survived by his wife, Margaret, and two sons, Theo dore and Frederick. An impressive memorial service was held at the Baptist Temple in Brooklyn on June 22, at which a great number o f his friends and admirers gathered in trib ute to his fruitful labors in His Lord’s service. Korean Danger As we write these words, the papers are filled with a description o f the current trouble in Korea and what the United Nations, particularly the United States o f America, are doing to forestall the Communist-inspired raid o f the Korean Reds. While the situation is grave indeed, and there is a strong likelihood that this is the fuse that will set off an other great world conflagration, at present it appears that Russia is merely sitting on the sidelines, watch ing to see how the Western powers react to this trial balloon. Christian people should not be un duly alarmed at these war threaten- ings which evidently will continue to appear with increasing frequency. Our Lord Himself is responsible for the statement found in Matthew 24 that one o f the outstanding characteristics o f this age will be “ wars and rumors o f war” and that “ kingdom shall rise against kingdom and nation against nation.” Thus it has been ever since the Lord’s return to glory and thus it will be until the time o f the Second Coming o f Christ. However, many Bible students are o f the opinion that there will be no T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Dr. Leo H. Lehmann Another great servant o f God was called home June 19, 1950, in the passing o f Dr. Leo H. Lehmann, Di rector o f Christ’s Mission, 160 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y., formerly a Catholic priest, and for ten years the editor o f The Converted Catholic. Dr. Lehmann was born in Ireland on December 6, 1895, where he re ceived preliminary training for the priesthood. In 1921, after four years o f study at the international seminary o f Di Propaganda Fide, in Rome, he was ordained in St. John Lateran. His first appointment took him to Cape town, South Africa, and in 1927 he was transferred to the United States. While in Africa, Dr. Lehmann was called to Rome to participate in nego tiations in connection with a case against the Jesuits. Here he acquired an insight into Catholic intrigue • which raised questions and doubts which later experiences were to in crease until he became thoroughly dis illusioned. In 1929 he resigned from the priesthood. Some time subse quently he was genuinely converted, and began to equip himself for the great ministry to which the Lord called him in 1940, when he became identified with Christ’s Mission and The Converted Catholic Magazine. It was a real privilege to have Dr. Lehmann as speaker in two of our Torrey Memorial Bible Conferences which are held in January o f each year in Los Angeles. Many people will never forget the meetings at which Dr. Lehmann spoke. Because o f the special interest in his subject, the great Church o f the Open Door audito rium was filled to capacity. Those who attended were treated to a most log ical, convincing, yet sympathetic ar gument for Protestants remaining Protestant. Dr. Lehmann made very clear the reasons why those in the Catholic Church are in need o f the true gospel. Dr. Lehmann dealt with the entire subject from a strictly Bib lical standpoint without resorting to sensationalism. Throughout his min istry, his kind, gentle spirit was
Meat Offered to Idols One o f the burning questions o f the day in which Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was written concerned the matter o f the Christian’s use of meat which had been offered in sacri fice to idols. Evidently it was a com mon custom, and perhaps a source of revenue for the temple treasury, to promote the sale o f such food to dev otees. More often than not it was superior to food ordinarily obtainable. The question o f the Christian Church was whether, in view o f the fact that the idol was nothing anyway and the meat thus offered was not thereby harmed, it was all right for a Chris tian to buy and eat such meat. The 8th chapter o f First Corinthians gives an account of this difficulty. The Apostle Paul indicated that it was not wrong to exercise the Christian liberty in purchasing and consuming such food. However, at the same time, Paul introduces one o f the greatest principles o f the Christian life. It is simply th is: While we have liberty in Christ, yet we must never use this liberty to mislead those who may be watching our lives. We must not abuse the freedom that we possess as sons of God to cause others to stumble. Paul concludes his treatment o f the matter of meat offered to idols with a most magnificent challenge, declaring that if meat made his brother to offend (even though Paul were a Christian and had all liberty in Christ), he would not eat any while the world stood. Now while today we are not troubled by this problem, the principle is the same. There may be some things we do in our Christian life which we feel are utterly within our liberty as God’s children. Yet if they are a cause of failure on the part o f others whom we influence, then this principle must be practiced in our lives. Because of our love for Christ, and our desire to put Him first in every thing we do,’ we will gladly give up the exercise o f these rights in order that others may not stumble because o f us.
Page Four
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker