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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