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BUSINESS
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Saved Through an Article When our oldest boy was 2% years old, I wrote to tell you how he had learned to know that “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations” was Dr. Talbot’s song. And now The King’s Business has been the means by which he has come to know Christ as his Saviour! In the last issue Was a story entitled, “What It Means to Be a Christian,” and as usual I read it to my two boys before going on' to read the other good articles and lessons for myself. After finishing the story, Danny (aged 4, and saved several months ago) said, “ Mommy, I think we should pray for Allan to be a Christian.” So after explaining that Allan himself had to want to be saved, we talked about how to be saved, and Allan admitted that he wanted to be a Christian. So on our knees beside the davenport Allan prayed, “ God, I want to be your child’. Thank you for Jesus’ sake. Amen.” And such joy it has been to him and to us. Now we all belong to Christ in our family—thanks to the will and plan of God, and to all His instru ments, one of which is The King’s Busi ness. — M es . E . M . S cott Centralia, Wash. Texas Heard From I want to especially express my appre ciation for an article in the October is sue by Rev. D. M. White, of Bassett, Va. Being a native Texan, the old expression would be that Brother White’s message “packs a powerful wallop.” I am praying ’for your staff there, asking God to make you a great blessing to many. . — S. V . H all Wheaton, 111. Young People's Articles Your articles in The King’s Business >r the young people are very fine. Al- nough I am in the “ sunset of life” I read them all, and wish all young people 'erywhere could read them. I’ve always maintained that when a person is really ^nd truly born again these questions are answered then and there. — M arie S uetterlein Santa Monica, Calif. We wish to thank you for the good news that . . . . one of the friends of The King’s Business has made pos sible our receiving a copy of the Chris tian magazine. We are very thank ful . . . . and appreciate its being sent. — R ev . W . G. G riffith Calcutta, India It is a real joy to me and is filled with inspiring thoughts and daily help. -— E m m a L . C ox Kansas City, Kans. All the articles in The King’s Busi ness are a blessing and an inspiration to me. I have enjoyed the messages on Heaven. — E ffel N isret Berkeley, Calif, (Continued on Page 16) J A N U A R Y , 19 5 0
Official Publication of The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated
Louis T. Talbot, D.D. Editor in Chief
Betty Bruechert Managing Editor
William W . Orr, D.D. Associate Editor
Copyright, 1950, The King’s Business No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. All Rights Reserved. Voi. 41 JANUARY 1950 No. I
CONTENTS Reader Reaction ........................................................................................... S Editorially Speaking ............................................................................••• 4 The Golden Cord, John O xenham .............................................. ............ 5 I Saw India’s Sorrow, Louis T. Talbot ................................................... 6 A Missionary Cry, A. B. Simpson ................................................................ 9 The Peace Time Chaplain, Chaplain Dudley Q. Boyd ......................... 10 Junior King’s Business: The Calendar Talks, Frank E. Lindgren 11 Bible Institute Hour ............................................................................ 12 Young People, God has the Answer! William W. O r r ................... 13 Dr. Talbot’s Question B ox.......................................................................... 15 Are Religious Broadcasters Racketeers? Percy B. Crawford ........... 16 The Bible in the News,William W. O rr ................................................. 17 Sunday School Lessons, Homer A. Kent, Allison Arrowood ............. 18 Biola Family Circle....................................................................................... 24 Young People’s Topics, Walter L. Wilson .............................................. 25 Object Lessons, ElmerL. Wilder ............................. 28 Book Reviews .............................................................................................. 30 Picture Credits: Cover and photo o f Taj Mahal, p. 6, George R. King, Los Angeles, Calif.; picture o f Burning Ghat, p. 6, Holy Man, p. 7, Maharajah’s Palace, p. 9, W. Heffner, Hemphill Travel Agency, Los Angeles, Calif.; p. 8, Carol Terry, Kedgaon, Poona District, India. Cover: Pilgrims bathing in the Ganges River at Benares, the most sacred city o f India. These benighted souls believe that the waters o f this river will wash away their sins and heal their diseases. 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 new 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 13, California. 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 13, California. \ Page Three
ts.
Now how to choose such a verse: Well, let us believe this, first of all, that we know not how to do. so. The year being unknown and its needs as yet not experienced there is no way whereby a Christian may look ahead and choose a verse that would be of such great value. But, thank God, such a verse is not to be chosen in merely human wisdom, but, as in every step of the Christian life, the Spirit of the living God stands ready to supply the verse. So with prayer for divine guid ance there is no doubt but what the proper verse will be suggested to the heart of the seeker. Try this! Have You Ever Read the Bible Through? H ERE are statistics that are both startling and shameful. Those who know, believe that at least half of our Christian people today iiave never con secutively read through the Book which they profess to love and avowedly fol low. It is not that they fail to give the Book its proper place and not that they do not believe in its inspiration. On the other hand, they would be quite willing to do battle on the question of its authority and authenticity, but the stark truth of the matter is that even so, they have never yet started at the beginning and consecutively read every word on its sacred pages. To those who, realizing their lack, would like a simple plan of Bible read ing, may we suggest that the consecu tive reading of three chapters daily and five chapters on the Lord’s Day will,.m i the course of a year, cover the entire Bible. Most readers prefer to divide thej reading with two chapters in the Ok I Testament and one chapter in the New daily, and three chapters in the Old Testament and two chapters in the Newj on the Lord’s Day. There is no questioni whatsoever about the fact that there will be both blessing and profit from such! daily readings. To aid Christians in the accomplish-, ment of this worth-while privilege, the' Bible Institute of Los Angeles offers a Bible reading chart which very easily | fits into your Bible and which acts as a reminder of the quest upon which you have entered. These charts are freely given and may be obtained by writing us. A Good Motto "^DEW YEAR has long been a time of -L v Imaking resolutions. While a great deal of jesting goes on, particularly in regard to the breaking of them, making resolutions is still a good habit and ought to be both preserved and strength ened. It is an excellent plan for every Christian to take a new grip upon God and to offer to his own heart a new challenge at the beginning of each year. Oftentimes a motto or a watchword will do more toward bringing to pass in T HE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana, has accompanied Dr. Talbot as companion and photographer.
Another Torrey Conference J ANUARY 1, through January 8, 1950, will be red-letter days at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and the Church of the Open Door for these are the days of the annual feast of good things from the Word of God. This year will mark the fifteenth annual meeting of the Tor rey Memorial Bible Conference, named in honor of Dr. Reuben A. Torrey who was one of the first deans of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and the first pastor of the Church of the Open Door. Dr. Torrey will long be remembered for his world-wide evangelism and for his authorship of many standard theological works which are in constant use today. The speakers which have been invited for this year’s Torrey Conference in clude: Dr. Harry A. Ironside, formerly of the Moody Church, Chicago; Dr. Herbert Lockyer, Philadelphia, Pa.; Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter, Edinburgh, Scotland; Dr. R. R. Brown, Omaha, Nebraska and Dr. Clarence W. Jones, Radio Sta tion HCJB, Quito, Ecuador. Six sessions will be held daily in the auditorium of the Church of the Open Door in downtown Los Angeles and eve ning sessions will be held in the First Brethren Church of Long Beach, Dr. Charles W. Mayes, Pastor; and in the Lincoln Avenue Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, Dr. J. Renwick McCullough, Pastor. Dr. William W. Orr is Director of the Conference and Dr. Herbert G. Tovey is Director of Music. A folder describing hours of meetings and subjects will be gladly sent upon request. Address the Extension Department of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 13, Calif. T. Talbot, who is President of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, has been on an extended tour throughout Japan, Borneo, India and the Near East in the interests of strengthening the hands and hearts of Biola missionaries, and to secure a pictorial record of the mission ary work which is being carried on by these graduates. Dr. Paul R. Bauman, Vice President of the Grace Theological Page Four Dr. Talbot Expected Home L EAVING Southern California about the middle of September, Dr. Louis
Dr. L. T. Talbot Dr. Talbot is expected to return to Southern California about the middle of January after which he will be available for speaking engagements in Southern California and all along the Pacific Coast, wh.ere he will show the colored motion pictures of the lands whioh he has visited. Pastors desiring Dr. Tal bot to come to their churches should communicate with the Extension Depart ment, Bible Institute of Los Angeles, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 13. Choose a Verse A RATHER old-fashioned, but an ex ceedingly good custom is that which has been practiced by Bible-loving Christians since time immemorial. It is the habit of choosing a verse out of the Word of God as one’s verse for the year. Having chosen the verse under the guidance of the Spirit of God, one seeks, during the year, to extract from its hidden depths the richness of its heav enly meaning. This verse should be quot ed at least once daily and meditated upon constantly. One would think that with constant reference throughout the days of the year that such a verse would grow threadbare and common, but such is not the case with those who know. Para doxical as it may seem, the truth of the matter is that at the end of the year such a well-known verse is more precious to one’s inner heart than when the year began.
the years. May God richly bless him and may God reward him according to His riches in grace by Christ Jesus.
individual lives those great spiritual j achievements which are so earnestly de- tsired. 1 We think, at this moment, of a story from a passage of the New Testament. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Ithe Lord Jesus Christ and in the days of his ministry God was mightily with him. He had tremendous power in speaking and by him a mighty note of challenge was sounded over the land of Judea. Be- cause of the forcefulness.of this Spirit- directed personality, crowds followed him wherever he went. Then there came a time when, through the appearance of the Lord Jesus, the crowds of John the Baptist lessened. Some went to John the Baptist, reminding him of this fact, to which John the Baptist gave reply in the following words of gold: “He must in- crease, but I must decrease.” Here were the words of a truly Spirit- |filled man and they ought to be the words o f every born-again child of God today. This is the goal of true spirituality and this is the part of true success. While it is gloriously true that the Christian Idwells in Christ and Christ in him, still lit is also true that there is room for \Christ to increase in every one’s life. I Great men of God have always been Ithose who were selfiess, and who were filled with the love and wisdom of the Son of God. Holy men of God have al- ways been hidden behind the cross of IChrist. What a wonderful motto for all of us for the year 1950! May God help ps to make it our own: “He must in- I crease, but I must decrease.” One of God’s Best Servants land an Important Work r HE debt which every Christian owes to God’s ancient people, the jjew s, is almost beyond calculation. Just o remember that our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, was, according to the flesh, a Jew, in itself shows how great Is this debt. Then do not forget ¿that the Bible, the Christian’s great [Book of treasures, was written exclusive ly by Jewish servants of God, and that ithe first missionaries to the Gentile peo- rple were Jews. Here is an obligation that [jwe can never fully pay. But we can do (this: we can faithfully take back to the '[lost sheep of the house of Israel today ¡the precious words of God’s love for '(them; we can love them and show our {interest in them, seeking all the while to bring them into that new and wonderful »■elationship with God through Christ, {which is the goal for both Jew and Gen- i tile today. I A great work for God, in behalf of the Jewish people, has been going on in the ;[Church of the Open Door and the Bible Institute in Los Angeles for more than t wo-score years. A Jewish Department ias been maintained as a regular part of Ithe work here whose particular aim has ¡been to reach out with arms of love and [kfffectibri towards God’s ancient people. II For the past fifteen years, this im- Il lANUARY, 1950
Don’t Give Cheap Tracts T HE greatest message in all the world is the gospel, which simply states that while all men are sinners and all men are lost, still Christ died for all and every one may be saved by simple faith in Him. Here is a message which ought to be set forth in the very best possible man ner. It is not that God limits Himself to gifted servants only. It is not that God cannot speak from a scrap of paper, but the very excellence of the message de mands that it be presented in a dignified and reverent way. It has always been a source of deep discontent to see gospel tracts printed on newsprint. Without a doubt there is something to be said for the fact of greater distribution, but it is a sad com mentary on the giving habits of Chris tian people to so limit the distribution of the message of God to inferior vehicles. The practice of printing large quantities of tracts on inexpensive paper has sought to be justified in the minds of some through the result of larger audi ence acceptance, but the fact of the mat ter is this, that in our present day and age cheap-looking tracts are not received but discarded. Out of a hundred of these inferior productions about one is read, whereas, if the same money were used to print ten superior tracts, all ten might be read. At any rate, this is something about which to ponder. Can we take the rich and imperishable Word of the great King of kings and not dignify it by using exceptionally good printing? Is it right to attempt to degrade the mes sage by placing it upon paper which is not acceptable? There is a bright note in all of this for several companies dur ing the past decade have seen the need and have prepared very tastefully gotten up multi-colored tracts which are both honoring to the Lord and pleasing to the eye. May God lead us very defi nitely in this important matter.
Mr. Daniel Hose portant work has been in the capable hands of Mr. Daniel Rose, a Hebrew Christian, who came to know the Lord as Saviour some fifty years ago in Cincin nati, Ohio. Mr. Rose was born in Cleve land, Ohio, in 1869. Inheriting a part in his father’s business, Mr. Rose showed unusual business acumen in both increas ing and enlarging the business which he had inherited. But God had plans for Mr. Rose. One day through' the earnest ef forts of a friend, his blindness regarding the Lord Jesus Christ was dispelled, and he came into a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ both as Messiah and Sav iour. From that time to this, Mr. Rose has devoted himself to the privilege of witnessing both to Jew and Gentile con cerning the marvelous miracle that God has wrought in his heart. A man greatly beloved both in the Church of the Open Door and the Bible Institute, Daniel Rose has given not only of his money but of his heart’s affection toward this testimony in Southern Cali fornia. With love such as only a Jew could manifest for his own people, Mr. Rose has been reaching out to other Jewish wanderers with, the only story which can satisfy the restless heart. Lit erally tons of literature have gone out and telephone books from all the larger cities of this country and foreign coun tries have been scanned to secure Jewish names to which kindly letters and sound Christian literature were addressed. Just recently the Jewish Department of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles em barked upon a new venture, sending transcribed radio programs in Yiddish to the large HCJB Radio Station in Quito, Ecuador, from whch they are transmit ted to all sections of the world where Jewish people are living. Mr. Rose’s own testimony in an at tractively-printed brochure has been sent out by the tens of thousands and the results, while they have not been over whelming, have been steady and hearten ing. Surely a work that will outlast eter nity has been going on in this depart ment among the people dear to God’s own heart. Mr. Rose has reached the age of four-score and we, at the beginning of this year, would like to bespeak our words of deepest appreciation for his uftselfish service for Christ and in be half of the Jewish people throughout
THE GOLDEN CORD Through every minute of this day, Be with me, Lord! Through every day of ail this week, Be with me, Lord I Through every week of all this year, Be with me, Lord! Through all the years of all this life, Be with me, Lordl So shall the days and weeks and years Be threaded on a golden cord, And all draw on with sweet accord Unto Thy fulness, Lord, That so, when time is past, By grace, I may at last, Be with Thee, Lord. —John Oxenham
Page Five
"I Sow INDIA'S Sorrow"
A M oving Firsthand Account
By LOUIS T. TALBOT, D. D.
The magnificent Taj Mahal
THE EDITOR VISITS ONE OF THE NEEDIEST MISSION FIELDS ON EARTH
\ S September was devoted principally to Japan* and Oc- f~\ tober to the Dutch East Indies**, so November was taken ^ u p entirely with India. But one month spent in a land of a million and a half square miles in area, and more than four millions in population, is far too brief a period to secure any adequate idea of its vast needs. Without doubt the most religious country in the world with its 350,000,000 gods, cursed with the most rigid caste system on earth, and for centuries the battleground for two of the most fanatical systems ever conceived by man, Islam and Hinduism, India’s spiritual poverty is almost inconceivable. As I traveled from one part of the country to the other in an eifort to contact the grad uates of our school who are among the noble band of mis sionaries of the cross, I could only catch glimpses here and there of that unfathomable darkness. But it was enough to open my eyes and touch my heart, and I have asked the Lord to make use of me as never before to enlist recruits to fill up the wide gaps in the ranks of those who are fighting in the front lines for Him. What I saw and felt of India’s sorrow I will try to convey in these excerpts from my letters. On our way to India, we made another stop at Singapore where we held meetings in Bethsaida Church with the result that a number of Chinese and Malays were led out of dark ness into God’s marvelous light. Then we flew to Bangkok where we contacted some former Biola students among whom was Dr. Welles of the Presbyterian Hospital whose father was a former business manager of our school. We also enjoyed fellowship with Mr. and Mrs. Seigle who have a church and a school for Hindu and Buddhist children. It was my joy to address these young people and to hear them quote scripture. Dr. Welles, the Seigles, and the Chrismans at Korat are doing a wonderful work for God in that Siamese darkness. A Blaze of Light in the Darkness Our first view of India, as our plane came in for a landing at 3 o’clock in the morning, was a blaze of light which was the city of Calcutta. In the moonlight, the great Ganges River cut across the middle of the city like an immense golden ribbon. However, the romantic aspect of our arrival faded slightly after two and a half hours’ gruelling by the customs officers in the dead of night.
Weary to the point of exhaustion, we finally reached our hotel, and it seemed no time at all until Hubert Mitchell was pounding on our door to give us a hearty welcome to India. He bore a great sheaf of letters from home and from mis sionaries all over India, urging us to visit their stations. Since we were to have only two days in Calcutta, we were glad to get an early start. Filling out five yard-long docu ments for the police took a good hour, and then we went out to see the sights of that metropolis of seven million souls. We were intrigued with the sight of sacred cattle walking at liberty in the midst of the traffic, entering shops at will and helping themselves. Imagine that happening on a street in Los Angeles! But it is only a part of the Hindu teaching that all life is sacred. They believe that if one can grasp the tail of a sacred cow as he is leaving this world, his soul will be carried safely into heaven! Consequently, there are homes for aged cattle, but none for old people!
*November issue, “I Talked to General MacArthur.” **December issue, “I Saw the Wild Men of Borneo.” Page Six
Body prepared for the burning ghat.
THE K I N G ' S B U S I NE S S
I We witnessed a Mohammedan parade which was a good ■example of another kind of fanaticism. The young men in a i ' r e n z y stripped to their waists and beat their breasts until he blood flowed down to show their devotion to Mohammed. | It was a great pleasure to visit the oldest Protestant church %n India with which Henry Martyn was associated, and also Ithe church in which William Carey preached and baptized. ■As I stood in the pulpit where the great “father of mod- jern missions” had delivered his gospel messages, I felt that |I was indeed on holy ground. I saw a letter in Carey’s own Biand and his translations of the Word of God into forty {languages and dialects. What a foundation he laid for the ■nissionary enterprise! I It was in this same William Carey Church that about two ■hundred missionaries and Christian workers gathered that ■evening to greet us. The address of welcome was delivered fby Mrs. Griffith who attended Biola during Dr. Torrey’s days; ■she has a fine school in Calcutta. ■ The next night about one thousand young people assembled ■for a Youth for Christ open air meeting. I preached on First ■Timothy 1:15, and at the close of the service about thirty ■young people made decisions for Christ, among whom were some Hindus. The night before a prayer meeting had been ■held until midnight which explained the victory we experi enced. Benares, the Sacred City ■ Next day we flew to Benares, the most sacred of all the ■cities of India. What a sight met our eyes! This city has a Population of 400,000, all Hindus of the most fanatical sect, ¿but since we arrived on a holy day, the city was teeming ■vith many more thousands of pilgrims. A Hindu attempts at least once in his lifetime to make a pilgrimage to a sacred ■river to wash away his own sins and to cast therein the #&shes of his dead. The Hindus worship everything: trees, land rivers, and snakes, and all living things. Buddhism has ■also been incorporated to some extent, since they hold similar ■beliefs. I It happened that while we were there, a celebration was ■taking place on the occasion of the arrival of several of the ■bones of Buddha. So tens of thousands were gathered in the ■temple grounds for this great event. We saw governors, Prime ministers and the maharajah himself in a great pro fession. The sacred relics, encased in a gold container, were ■borne on an elephant’s back. Buddhists even from far-distant ■Tibet were present. I But it was the sight of the multitudes at the sacred Ganges Stiver that I shall never forget. We hired a little boat to get a Pood view of everything. It surpasses description. Imagine thou sands of people bedecked with flowers which had been dedicated ■ o the gods, turning their eyes to the sun in sort of a trance as ■they entered the filthy waters in an attempt to wash away their ■sins and to find peace of heart! We saw the bodies of the Head carried to the burning ghats, clad in white cloth, im- ■mersed in the river, and then placed on the wooden pyres, land burned. Then the ashes, together with charred parts of She bodies, were tossed right into the water where the living »vent on with their futile ablutions. ^ 1 We beheld holy men of all varieties. We noted one in par ticular who was rolling along the road toward the river. He id made his way in this manner for many miles, and when e photographed him, he was in a state of exhaustion. But :ter a little rest, he continued his quest for peace of heart. |How we longed to be able to tell him of One who said, [‘Come unto Me . . . and I will give you rest!” Everywhere we encountered the untouchables, the outcasts, the lowest caste from which no one can rise to a higher plane. These people who do all the menial tasks of India are most pitiable; there’s not much Christian work among them. Altogether, our visit to Benares was a never-to-be-forgotten experience. We who have been born in a Christian land should thank God every day of our lives for the mercy that saved us from being reared in such superstition and spiritual night. J A N U A R Y , 1 9 5 0
A “holy” man of India.
Champa and the Lepers As if the sight of the wretched pilgrims at Benares were not enough, we flew to Champa to see hundreds of lepers begging to be taken into the leprosarium. But alas! only a small percentage of those who come can be admitted. One morning I stood with Mr. Jantzen as these needy souls came for treatment—some with terrible sores, others with toes, legs, hands, and even eyes eaten away by this horrible disease. A number prostrated themselves on the ground as they pleaded to be taken in. My heart ached for I knew that the hospital was already overflowing with over 500 patients. This missionary said to me, “ This is our heartbreak. Morning after morning we have to shake our heads and say, ‘Sorry, no more room.’ ” “ But,” I protested, “ Can’t anything be done to relieve their pain?” “ Oh, yes,” he explained, “ they will all be treated, but daily care, food and continuous treat ment are necessary to really effect a cure, or arrest the disease.” If this one sight of such misery so tugged at my heartstrings that I felt I could bear no more, what must be the strain on the missionaries like the Jantzens, the Claassens, the Duerksens, the Majors, and others, who spend years min istering to them? These noble workers are all former students of Biola. All of these lepers have the gospel preached to them, and some are very bright Christians. I believe the most touching sight I saw was that of lepers putting their stumps of hands together and singing, “ Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.” We have so many blessings for which we never thank God, or scarcely ever give a thought, but these saved lepers are grateful to Him. In addition to the work among the lepers, there is a church and a school at Champa where it was my joy to preach. How I enjoyed fellowship with all the missionaries there and every other place! I wish that time permitted me Rage Seven
to go into a full description of all their magnificent labors for the Lord. Our Biolans on the mission fields are men and women of whom we are truly proud, and for whom we give God thanks. May their numbers increase in all parts of the world! I am dedicating myself anew to the task of trying to enlist more and more young men and women for the regions beyond. The needs there are a thousand-fold greater than any in this land. From Champa we took a “ Pullman” for Poona. This is merely a rack along the side of the train on which you can sleep if you have spent a lifetime accustoming yourself to it! Even with the blankets the missionaries furnished us, the two nights and a day it took to cross the country seemed endless. What a great pleasure it was to be met by Don Hillis! But immediately he announced, “ I hope you fellows have a little strength left, for we have planned a great Youth for Christ meeting tonight in the heart of the city.” We agreed to put ourselves in his hands. “ But first,” I de manded, “ lead me to a bathtub where I can remove the first layer of this real estate!” I had about concluded that the grime had become a permanent part of my frame. We were first taken to the home of a converted Hindu, Mr. Singh, and then to the Youth meeting attended by 600 young people, among them many Hindus. After Dr. Bauman gave his testimony, I preached a gospel message, at the close of which twenty-five young people made decisions for the Lord. These youth meetings in India appeal to me greatly for they combine a happy informality with real dignity and reverence. Leaving Dr. Bauman in Poona for Lord’s Day services, I went to Kedgaon to visit the Mission there, about thirty miles beyond the city limits of Poona. Ramabai Mukti Mission I was deeply impressed with the work of the Ramabai Mukti Mission, which was founded sixty years ago by one of the first women scholars of India, Pandita Ramabai, now listed among the world’s ten greatest women of all time. Led to Christ through reading the Word of God given her by a missionary, she was responsible not only for revolutionary changes in the national attitude toward women, but under God she built a unique rescue mission for child widows, illegitimate, abandoned and blind girls. Since her death in 1922, the Lord has raised up other leaders who have faith fully carried out her policies. The family now numbers 700, in addition to a staff of 16 women, among them three of our Biola graduates, Carol Terry, Virginia Nickerson and Eliza beth Stone. Another Biola graduate, Lillian Duerksen, is under appointment and will join the staff next year. I was introduced to the family as they were gathered on the grass of the compound for a Bible lesson from their teachers. It was hard to believe that each of those charming, clean, well-cared-for, happy little Indian girls had a tragic story.
For instance, there was one small fifteen-year-old who had run away from her husband again and again because he beat and burned her. When she took refuge with her parents, they also beat her and sent her back to her-brutal mate who had taken another wife. She finally found her way to the Mission and begged them to take her in, which they did when they saw her lacerated body. She cannot remember when she was married—she was so young. She prays she may remain at Mukti. Another tiny girl was found in a dreadful thorn bush by some of the Mission children who heard her crying and thought she was a kitten. Apparently she had been thrown from a train and her body was pierced from head to foot with thorns. We had the joy of seeing what a gay normal little girl, with a real love of the Lord, she had become. It was most touching to see the little blind girls. But in spite of their sightless eyes, they had radiant smiles on their faces as they gave me the Eastern greeting, "Salaam,” or “ Peace.” I preached in the church auditorium, a spacious building, constructed in the form of a cross under the direction of Pandita Ramabai herself, and ideal for evangelistic services. The villagers came to the services, and with the Mission family, comprise a congregation of about 1500. The singing was wonderful, the hearty voices and glad faces reminding me of the converted head-hunters in Borneo. I couldn’t under stand the words, but I knew the meaning and joined with ail my heart as they sang, “ Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!” During the prayer, you could have heard a pin drop. Even the littlest tot bowed reverently with clasped hands, and when the native pastor concluded his prayer, all joined in a hearty “ Amen!” In all, I had four services there, and was shown all over the 150-acre Mission compound, equivalent to a tour of a small city. As I was conducted to Pandita Ramabai’s grave, I could not but reflect upon the mighty work, that God had done through one lone woman who had surrendered her life wholly to Him. An impressive baptismal service took place before we left. This is the step that really costs the Hindu, Thousands of the educated people in India call themselves Christians who are only nominal believers and know nothing of being born again, but when one is baptized, he is really ostracized from his family and native religion. South India I want to make reference to the work of Mr. and Mrs. Fricke among the villagers of India. This is the real India; there are a hundred million of these simple village people, and they are a fertile field for the preaching of the gospel. We drove one ( hundred and fifty miles southeast of Mysore in a 1930 Ford to reach their station. Our way lay through dense jungles where monkeys, tigers and deer abounded. We came close to running into a herd of wild elephants, and saw many beautifully-colored birds. Beyond the jungle we came to the Gobi district, a great plain dotted with thousands of villages where the Frickes labor. The missionary called them to services; they have no timepieces at all. The meetings were held in the little churches built of mud, with straw roofs, seating about 100. After the services, the people plied us with questions such as, “ Have you a wife? What does she look like? Has she as much hair as you have? Can she cook curry? What do you eat in America? Are your -churches as large as ours?” We answered through our interpreter until midnight. As the people cannot read or write, the missionaries are the only ones who have any books. But they have committed to memory hundreds of our hymns, and while we were there, they must have sung more than an hour, with very deep feeling. You could not but love these people. They were so appreciative of our visit, and as we went from village to village, they welcomed us by placing garlands about our necks. We really felt a little like the apostles must have felt! T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Baptismal scene at the Ramabai Mukti Mission, Kedgaon, Poona District.
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The Passing Glory What a contrast to the poverty of the villagers was the palace of the maharajah at Mysore which we went through on our return to Bangalore! In some ways, this edifice rivals the temples of Siam for beauty and magnificence. The doors and throne are of solid silver, the knives and forks of solid gold. The howdah, or canopied chair in which the maharajah rides on his elephant on state occasions, is also of gold; and there are Oriental rugs 400 feet long, all woven in one piece. The jewels on display were gorgeous but they only represented a small portion of those in vaults. The entire palace is illuminated at night so that it can be seen - for miles around. What- an illustration of the transient glory of this world! “ Only what’s done for Christ will last.” The souls brought to Christ out of the darkness of heathenism are the real trophies and the glory that will shine throughout the ages of eternity. I could not resist a ride on one of the maharajah’s ele phants, but when he rose after I mounted him, I ignominious- ly tumbled off, to the amusement of the missionaries. I be lieve other means of transportation are more suitable for me! I’m sure the elephant thought so too! The Top of the World A t Darjeeling, where we visited Mr. and Mrs. Paul Miller, we saw the most magnificent scenery we have ever beheld. Just seventy miles away from their place, snow-capped Mt. Everest rises to 29,000 ft., and alongside of it are four other great peaks nearly as high, with a lower range of peaks averaging 12,000 feet. Our Mt. Whitney, Baldy and Shasta would be but foothills there. The sunrise and sunset turns those mountains into a breath-taking panorama of colors im possible to descr'be. But here, as elsewhere, the natural beauty only shows up more vividly the vileness and corrup tion of men without God. The Seeking Sikh Back in Calcutta, Dr. Bauman and I again preached for Youth for Christ, but there were not as many decisions as before due to the fact that many of the unsaved were fright ened away by the threats of the communists, who were hold ing a rally across the street. We were told to be prepared for tear bombs, or anything, but the Lord gave us a peaceful time, although there was cons derabls tension. After the meeting we had a very interesting interview with a young Sikh, a disciple of Sikhism, wh:ch is a Hindu sect founded by Guru Nanak about 1500 A.D. in the Punjab. Thoy bel'eve in one god, prohibit idolatry, refuse caste, and deny the Brahmanical supremacy. This young fellow was of impressive appearance with his magnificent phy ique, typical of his class; he wore a spotless light blue turban with just a bit of scarlet showing in the center of his forehead, and his beard was neatly trimmed. Because they are such fine physical specimens, the Sikhs are chosen for soldiers, police, guards, etc. This young Sikh reminded me of the rich young ruler or Nicodemus. He seemed very earnest in his inquiries. He of course believed that Guru Nanak was sinless, but Dr. Bauman pointed out to him that Nanak himself had confessed his im perfections. Then he was told that Jesus not only claimed to be holy, but proved His claims by His life. The Sikh stated that he saw no reason why there should not be many saviours, and could not understand why we insisted that there should be but One. Dr. Bauman quoted from John 7:17: “ If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God,” and he asked the young seeker if he were willing to accept Christ as ^he way, the truth, and the l:fe, if Christ were to reveal Himself to him as such. He said, “ Yes,” and so Dr. Bauman, Mr. Mitchell, the Sikh and I knelt in prayer. I was moved with his evi dent sincerity. Pray for his salvation. There are thousands of intellectuals like him in India, ever seeking, but seldom coming to the knowledge of the truth. J A N U A R Y , 1 9 5 0
Palace of Maharajah at Mysore.
It was a real pull to leave India. I wish I could spend months at each mission station. We hope to be in Bethlehem for Christmas Eve; then a little while in Egypt, Italy, Greece and Spa n, and God willing, in a month we shall be home. We return with an enlarged vision of the mission fields and a deeper understanding of the missionary’s problems. May God give each one of you a fruitful New Year for Christ! This may be the year when the Bridegroom will return. “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Meantime let us be about our Father’s business, praying, sacrificing, and telling the story, that we may not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
A MISSIONARY CRY A hundred thousand souls a day, Are passing one by one away, In Christless guilt .and gloom, Without one ray of hope or light, With future dark as endless night, They're passing to their doom. They're passing to their doom. O Holy Ghost, Thy people move, Baptize their hearts with faith and love, And consecrate their gold. At Jesus' feet their millions pour, And all their ranks unite once more,
As in the days of old. As in the days of old.
The Master's coming draweth near, The Son of Man will soon appear, His Kingdom is at hand. But ere that glorious day can be, This Gospel of the Kingdom, we
Must preach in ev'ry land. Must preach in ev'ry land.
— A. B. Simpson
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^Jhef-^eace ^Jlme C^liapic a p i c u n
J l i J Z
ibifih i e ô c u t e ô p o n ô i
d Jibuti l e ô
By Chaplain (Captain) Dudley Q . Boyd*
P ERHAPS there is a vague idea in the minds of most people concern ing the duties of the military Chap lain during these days of so-called peace. In my personal experience, it seems that most civilians have almost forgotten about the Chaplain and his ministry with the members of the armed forces, at least in regard to all the various activities involved. However it is possible that many readers are inter ested in just what keeps the Chaplain busy from dawn to dusk, or should I say twenty-four hours a day. There is an old saying in the Army, “When in trouble, go see the Chaplain.” A great many men have taken that ad vice to heart, regardless of the nature of the problem, whether physical, ma terial, or spiritual. Very seldom does a man come expressing a desire for spiritual help, but the wise Chaplain can usually discern a spiritual need beneath the more apparent problem on the sur face. It is through these external needs that we are given the opportunity to help the individual spiritually. A Chap lain lives more with his men and comes to know them better than the average minister knows his constituents. On duty a Chaplain dresses in the same garb or uniform as h's men, he mingles with them on the job, in the field, at the gymnasium and in the mess hall. The only distinguishing emblem is the little silver cross worn on the lapel or shirt collar. Where men live, eat, sleep, and work together month in and month out, they are certain to know each other much better than where they only meet once or twice a week and that usually at church. In the Army, the camouflage of piety is soon shed and the man re veals himself to the Chaplain as he really is. Then when the opportunity arrives, they have a better understand ing of each other and can talk in plain terms and without deceit. A soldier needs a soldier to unburden his heart to, and the Chaplain is the man because they understand each other. Yes, the Chap lain lives and works with his men almost as much in peace time as in war. He may not see them all out to church on Sunday, but if he does his job, he does see them on the job and around their quarters all week long. Page Ten
The duty most apparent to the casual observer is that of conducting the regular worship services each Sunday and perhaps a mid-week Bible study. Not only does the Chaplain provide services for his own faith, but he ar ranges services for all faiths. By that I mean the three great groups recog nized by the Army for whom Chaplains are provided: Catholic, Protestant, and Hebrew. This may seem incongruous with the average minister’s concept of duties, nevertheless, the Chaplain has not only the responsibility for the men of his own faith, but he must see that the spiritual needs of all men are met. During the war, most Chaplains were responsible for the spiritual and moral welfare of approximately one thousand men, but at present the number is con siderably less. As in a civilian pastorate, the Chap lain can do as little or as much as he cares to do. He is more or less his own business manager. The regulations re quire the Chaplain to conduct one gen eral religious service each Sunday. If he desires to build a Sunday school, promote a week-day Bible study class, have special meetings for young people, or develop a choir, he may do so, de pending upon his zeal and ambition for the work of the Lord. The average Chaplain has his share of marriages, funerals, baptisms, and all rites usually associated with a civilian pastorate. The Chaplain is constantly called upon to act as a liaison between the soldier overseas and his family here in the States, or between the family and the military establishment. Hardly a day goes by that some parent does not write or call the Chaplain to know why their boy has not written or why he has not taken out any insurance, or, even more serious, ask: “ Where is my boy?” Many a young soldier and even some older ones, forget that if they do not keep their loved ones informed as to their whereabouts, there is no other indi vidual or organization to do it for»them. However, when we get these calls for help, we obtain the answers either through military channels or the Ameri can Red Cross. The Red Cross also works with us in obtaining information concerning problems at the soldier’s
Chaplain Dudley Q . Boyd
*Chaplain Dudley Q. Boyd is Post Chaplain at Fort MacArthur, the big Organized Reserve Corps Training Center at San Pedro, California. He has a wealth of ex perience as an Army Chaplain and is eminently qualified to write, as he does here, of the responsibilities and duties of the peace time Chap lain. A native Californian, Chap lain Boyd was born at Dinuba in the San Joaquin Valley, attended school there and was graduated from the Southern California Bible College at Pasadena, which he at tended between preaching assign ments in half a dozen Northern California churches. He enlisted in the Army following graduation and completed Chaplain’s training at Fort Devens, Mass. Then fol lowed short tours of duty at Fort Knox, Kentucky and Fort Lawton, Washington, after which he was assigned to duty aboard Army Transports on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This work took him to the four comers of the world, and among the countries he visited and studied were Japan and most of the Islands in the Pa cific, South America, England, France, Germany, North Africa and Egypt. He was assigned as a Chaplain with the 25th Infantry Division at Osaka, Japan in 19A7. Here he ivas joined by his wife and two children, a welcome change after the many separa tions from his family while aboard ship. He was assigned to Fort Mac- Arthur in May 19A9 where he ministers to the needs of the sol diers of the Reserve Training Center commanded by Brigadier General Leroy H. Watson. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
THE CALENDAR TALKS By Frank E. Lindgren, D.D.
home, especially in cases where an emergency leave is involved and finances are needed. At many camps, the Chap lain is the Army Emergency Relief Officer and where an emergency exists and the Red Cross is not able to give assistance to the soldier or his family, then the Chaplain can make a substan tial loan or grant depending upon the individual’s ability to repay. Another important phase of the peace time Chaplain’s duties is a defi nite constructive work with prisoners. Some are men charged with being absent without official leave (AWOL) from their post of duty for many months, others have broken regulations or com mitted some major or petty crime, for which they must pay. Men restrained under such circumstances are always looking for help—naturally they call for the Chaplain. If a man is married, we usually have an opportunity to deal with his family also. Many a man has been led to turn to Christ through his contact with the Chaplain under these circumstances, and in some cases, we have had the privilege of leading his family to a knowledge of Christ as Lord and Saviour. I will never forget one Sunday afternoon service conducted in the stockade chapel (a converted class room) art Fort Knox, Kentucky. At the close of our message based on John 3:16, we gave a call for decisions for Christ. Fifteen men came forward and knelt before the altar and in sight of their prison guards and officers, repentant of their sins, accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. The following week, the prison officer informed the Post Chaplain that there was a remark able change in the attitude of the prisoners immediately following the service. With religious services, hospital and guardhouse services, personal counsel ing, welfare activities, character guid ance lectures, general office duties, and post activities, the Chaplain is always busy. In the midst of all these func tions, he must continually remind him self that his one supreme purpose for being in the Army is- a spiritual one. As stated so emphatically by our former Chief of Chaplains, Major Gen eral Luther D. Miller, “ The Chaplain is first and last a MAN OF GOD. If he cannot be that, then he has no busi ness being in the Chaplain Corps.” God grant that the young men in our Armed Forces shall always have the spiritual help and example of Godly Chaplains! Serving as a Chaplain in the Armed Forces is a challenge to any minister and a marvelous opportunity to witness for Christ and help men live respectable lives, even when away from the influence of home and community. We have ac cepted that challenge and shall execute its demands without fear, by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master. J A N U A R Y , 1 9 5 0
preacher, I would plead with them all to be saved while they are with me. The Bible says: ‘Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salva tion.’ ” “ Don’t send them back to me!” cried Yesterday. “ It is now too late, too late. Oh, why will folks put off making such a great decision?” “ Oh, why not?” repeated Today. “ It is getting darker and darker here where I am. Soon I will be joining you, my brother. Maybe some will be saved To morrow. I will call Tomorrow. We are not so far apart now.” So Today called out, “ Tomorrow! To morrow!” There was only silence. Then said Today, “ You call too and we will see whether both of us cannot awaken him.” “ Tomorrow! Tomorrow!” they shouted together. “ Ah, I know what is the matter,” said Today. “ Tomorrow has not been born yet. Of course he cannot hear.” “ That is right,” said Yesterday. “ I wonder what Tomorrow will be like? I wonder what he will bring.” “ I do not know,” said Today, “but I have some people with me that do not seem to worry much about Tomorrow. I heard one of them say: ‘Be careful for nothing.’ ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.’ They say that these Bible verses will take care of all the Tomorrows.” “Yes,” said Yesterday, “but they are Christians. What about those who are not? Please warn them not to enter To morrow unsaved. Tell them what God’s Word says: ‘To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,’ Tell them also, my brother, that they may never enter Tomorrow.” Today answered hopefully, “ I will do the best I can. I will give them the sav ing gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ while it is yet Tdday. I will tell them to believe that Jesus died for them, that God raised Him from the dead, and that they should confess Jesus Christ before men. Maybe in the last moments *of my life I may see many receive eternal life.” “ I hope so,” said Yesterday, “ or else it may be for many forever too late.”
O NE day I looked at the calendar on my desk and noticed that the sepa rate squares divided Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow from each other. Sud denly, I seemed to hear voices. Yesterday and Today were talking things over: “Hello, Today,” greeted Yesterday. “ I am Yesterday. Do you hear me? Yester day’s voice was still quite strong for it was not far away from Today. “ Yes, I hear you,” replied Today. “What do you want?” “ Some folks living with you,” said Yesterday, “want to return to me. They would like to change some things they said and did, and to do some good deeds they neglected to do. If you will only let them come back to me, Today, I will let them have their records of Yesterday and make any changes which they want to make.” “ But I cannot,” said Today. “ The time allotted to you, Yesterday, is passed for ever. The records of Yesterday must stand as written. Don’t you see the marks on the calendar separating us? You are in your square, and I am in mine. I cannot reach back to you, and you' cannot come to me. All these boys and girls and older people, too, are a part of me. All must stay in this square with me until—” Suddenly Y e ste rd ay interrupted: “ What is that ticking, clicking noise I hear?” “ That,” said Today, “ is my heart beat. We call it a clock. It ticks, and do you know, it began to tick for me only at midnight. I was born then and already I am middle-aged. I have everybody with me here, young and old. If I were a
1 JUN IO R HINOS BUSINESS Martha S. Hooker
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