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most difficult to b r i n g to them a vision of the service of God as the Christian presents it. The Indian lives a life of utter selfishness. For Those Who Have Topics 1. SOME INDIANS ARE DOING FOR THEMSELVES. Phil. 2:21. Present gain seems to be much better than future hope in the think ing of the Indian as well as of the American. When our Lord said, “Few there be that find it,” He was re ferring to the world, for all in the world are alike in this respect. The Indian thinks that there is an ulterior motive in the service of the Christian. He feels that this foreigner has come to see what the Indian has and to get what he can from him. Human beings are on the receiving end most of the time. The thought of giving one’s self to the Lord and for the Lord is not attractive to human be ings. The Hindu would like to be rid of his poverty but his manner of living prevents it. ' ’he caste system hinders progress. The lack of educa tion prevents growth. The Indian is in darkness until the Gospel of God’s grace brings light to his soul. 2. SOME INDIANS ARE DOING FOR GOD. Psa. 100:2. The evangelical church groups of our country have been busy for many years seeking to bring the Gospel to the huge population of India. Some progress has been ma d e , but not much. Fortunately, when the Indian does accept Christ Jesus, he frequent ly makes a devoted and earnest mis sionary to his own people. He suffers much for Christ. He is persecuted by his own people. He is rejected by his caste and he becomes, indeed, a pil grim and a stranger in his own land. This path, however, is welcomed by many Indian Christians, so that there is a blessed testimony in sections of India, and this gives encouragement to other workers. The labor of the missionaries has not been in vain. Bible classes have b e e n formed, churches have been organized, local missionary effort has been pursued. Cary’s labors in translation are bear ing fruit. We rejoice that a foothold for God has been secured in India. • 3. SOME INDIANS ARE DOING FOR THE GOVERNMENT. Rom. 13:1-5. Self-government is the great desire and ultimate goal of India in all of its thinking and p l a n n i n g , but idolatry has not fitted the Indian for ruling himself. Idolatry* encourages sin and wicked pleasure. The lack of education prevents the great mass of Indians from understanding politi cal and economical problems. God’s Gospel is the answer to this de ficiency. E d u c a t i o n without the Gospel only produces clever criminals. Culture without C h r i s t results In selfishness and cruelty. The Indians
good works. His heathen temples offer an outlet for his wildest fancy and his sinful desires. He cannot find this in the Christian Church. He is not interested in the life of faith the church offers. He is interested only in the idolatrous worship of his fathers. He is interested in commerical affairs brought from the Western world. He enjoys ritualism and show, but the precious Gospel presented by the Church of God is not very acceptable. Very few will bow the heart or the knee to accept the ministry which the Christian Church presents. Idea 1. Why not make the meeting on September 1 a "Gold en Rule Service” ? Invitations of gold colored paper in the shape of rulers could be given out in advance. The “Golden Rule” mo tif could be carried out through out the evening. Idea 2. For the two topics on India, prepare a program for two weeks on a card or folder in the shape of the map of India. Invi tations and posters could also carry out the map idea. Idea 3. For one of the last two meetings in September, ask the oldest person in the congregation with Christian Endeavor train ing, to give an account of his or her experience, placing particu lar emphasis upon the benefits derived therefrom, and the op portunities for service presented. Idea 4. Have a “Fall Roundup” banquet to initiate the fall pro gram. A Western ranch motif should prevail. y3tVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAWAVAVAVAVga SEPTEMBER IS, 1946 W H A T ARE YOUNG IND IANS DO ING ? J oel 2:28, 29 rpHE Gospel is not altogether a failure in India. Here and there may be found a few groups who love the Lord Jesus Christ and obey the will of God. The proportion, however, is very small. We thank God for the pow er of His Gospel in transforming some lives. Many of those who do accept the Saviour become devoted Chris tians and go out to win their own people. As our d e s i r e s show our thoughts and reveal our natures, so it is in India. The vast multitudes prefer their own gods and their own sins rather than the King of kings. The goal of the native Indian seems to be only the making of a living, and the appeasing of angry gods. It is IT’S AN IDEA Rev. Carlton C. Buck
superior to their gods and this idea they reject. They do not believe in His eternal character, for this would be in conflict with the gods of India as well as with Mohammed whom many worship. They do no+ desire Christ’s influence in their lives for He would remove their sins which they love so dearly and cling to so tenaciously. They do not accept His Word as be ing divinely given for this would set aside their own writings upon which they depend for spiritual enlighten ment. 2. WHAT DO THE INDIANS THINK OF THE BIBLE? Gen. 6:5. The Indians take the same attitude against the Word of God that we find in other countries and in our own country. The Bible reproves every evil deed, therefore it is despised. The Bible claims to be divinely given but men want nothing to do with the living God, therefore they reject it. The Bible diagnoses the human soul and reveals its utter corrupt condi tion, so men turn away from it, A woman refused to go to the doctor for fear he would find a cancer and she did -not want it d i s c o >■e i e d. The heathen in India and in our own country have the s a m e attitude toward the Scripture. The Bible pro motes every good thing and condemns every evil thing; therefore, those who love sinful ways will have none of it. When the Bible is offered to the In dian as his spiritual guide, he pre fers his own traditions. 3. WHAT DO THE INDIANS THINK OF .CHRISTIANS? Isa. 55:7. Christians are Intruders in the sight of the natives of India. They consider that Christians have come to take away their liberty, to destroy their religion, and to gain material wealth. Christians are “foreign devils,” who have no right in India and who are a nuisance in general. The same atti tude prevails there that we find in our own country, where Christians are not wanted. The world in general wants worldly pleasures from which God is shut out. Very few in India, comparatively speaking, ever really turn to Christ Jesus. One missionary labored fifty years without seeing a single convert. Two missionaries re cently ended a six-year term in India without any visible result. Satan has hardened the hearts of the Indians against the Christian and against the Christian’s Book. Only the power of God can bring these two groups to gether and break down the wall that divides them. 4. WHAT DO THE INDIANS THINK OF THE CHURCH? Psa. 10:*. The Hindu would like many of the comforts offered by the Christian faith, but does not want the Christ who is the Head of the Church. The native of India wants to be saved by his own
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