Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Incorporated
SEPTEMBER 1940
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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
September, 1940
The King s Business The True-to-the-Bible Family Magazine The Official Organ of THE BIBLE! INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-in-chief W. F. KEMPF, Advertising and MILDRED M. COOK, Managing Editor • Circulation Manager
fl-Millennial? Pre-Millennial? Post-Millennial?
4 Motto: ••Unto him that loped us. and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5).
If you are a pre-millenarian, I have a message of supreme value for these dark days. I advertised this same message some time ago. The re sponses from those who had sent for it were filled with gratitude to God for a new revelation that had come to them; almost every one said in effect: “This should be read by every Christian in America.” S o I am m a k i n g t h e s a m e announcement once again:,I want to reach every true Christian who is longing for the coining of the King, and I am doing my part to accom plish it. Whether I reach you depends on yourself. Just enclose 10c (stamps will do) in a letter and say, “I am a pre- millenarian; send me your message.” If you are not a pre-millenarian, please do not answer this advertise ment. And may I remind you also of the continuous needs of our missionary undertakings? In the spirit of Isaiah 40:1-2, we stand astride the world and seek to bridge the gulf between a misrepresented Christianity and a misled Judaism. In this ministry of -reconciliation (H Cor. 5:18) your faithful, prayerful undergirding is needed far more than you will ever know this side of eternity. Our work merits your every confi dence. It is a program of world-wide Gospel testimony to the Jews. Four fellowship in prayer and in gift is always welcome and appreciated. Our monthly publication, THE CHOSEN PEOPLE, is of course sent to all contributors.
Volume X X X I
September, 1940
Number 9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ransom D. Maryin, Staff Artist Cover photograph by H . Armstrong Roberts
Around the King’s Table— Editorial ................................, - -........ '.‘..:...322 Significance of the News— Dan Gilbert. ....................... ................................323 Christ the Stone of Scripture— Kenneth ,M . Monroe .................................324 When a Preacher Sins— A Former Minister .......................... ..................... 326 Faith of Our Faddists— A . W . Tozer. ...................................... 1 ......................... 328 Prayer and the Preacher— Herbert Lockyer ................ ..................... .............331 Constrained by the Love of Christ— George W . Gibb... ..............................332 Junior King’s Business— Martha S. Hooker ................................................ 333, International Lesson Commentary..................................... .............................. 335 Notes on Christian Endeavor— Mildred M . Cook ........................................345 Daily Devotional Readings.......... „.................. ..............................................350 Bible Institute Family Circle.............................................................................355 Our Literature Table .................................................................... ..................358 S U B S C R IP T IO N P R IC E ! “The K ing's Business” is published monthly. $1.00—one year; $1.50— tw o years; 50 cents— six m onths; 10 cents— single copy. Clubs o f five or more at special rates; w rite fo r details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to becom e effective. Please send both old and new addresses. R E M IT T A N C E — Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express or post o ffice money order payable to “ The K in g’s Business.” Date o f ex piration w ill show plainly each month on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. A D V E R T IS IN G — F or inform ation w ith reference to advertising in “ The K in g ’s Business,” address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, Calif., or our eastern representative, R eligious Press Asso ciation, 1108-10 Colonial Bldg., 13th and Market Streets. Philadelphia, Pa* M A N U S C R IP T S — “ The K in g’s Business” J. Hoffman Cohn, American Board of Missions to the Jews, Inc., 31 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, Dear Brother; l am a pre-millenarían; herein I enclose 10c; send me your message. 1 also Joyfully enclose $ ....... «...... as my fellowship with you in your world-wide Gospel m inistry to Israel. Address .r—irtT .......-------- — . — ... THE K ING ’S BUSINESS 558 South Hope Street O Los Angeles, California City— -.„.^.....■Stato.______ ______ September, 1940 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 322 Around the King s Table E D I T O R I A L tional News Service from Rome, June 18, observes: “The Italian press promi nently displayed significant articles to day contending that the Italian House of Savoy has the right to rule Cyprus and Jerusalem.” This move should be no surprise to students of Daniel. Wall Street recently hs^s been agi tated by the possibility of European totalitarian states’ reverting to interna tional large scale barter of goods which would render practically useless the eighteen billions of gjld now in the United States, an amount .which is about three-quarters of the known gold of the world. Nazi agents are busy negotiating gigantic barter deals in the rich South A m e r i c a n n a t i o n s to strengthen Germany and divorce these southern nations from economic coop eration with the United States. Our nation would do well to heed the Lord’s admonition in Matthew 6:19-21: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where'thieves b r e a k through and steal: But lay up for your selves treasures in'heaven, where neith er moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” —Kenneth M. Monroe. world brings peace in war—peace where we most need it—peace of soul. “It is that same Christian message which makes its Giver, who is God, the best Friend with whom a man can share life or death. . . •There is one thing we can all do, . . . men, women, and children all together, which may be much more powerful than we know. And this is to pray. “I heard the other day of a York shire village where, after all the talk about a fifth column, the people had agreed to form a sixth column, in which they pledged themselves to give a few minutes each day in God’s house to prayer. . . . “But prayer is not only asking God for .what we want, but rather the way to learn to trust Him, to ask that we may know His will, and do it with all our strength. . . . We can safely leave the issue in His hands.” Twenty-Five Years of Glorious Testimdny September 15, 1940, marks the Silver Anniversary of the founding of the Church of the Open Door of Los Ange les, California. As this organization has always been, and continues to be, very closely entwined with the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, it is with more than a passing interest that we pause to praise God with thankful hearts for these twenty-five years of faithful ministry. It is also fitting that we recall memo ries of the humble beginnings of the Church of the Open Door and the Insti tute, the activity of the latter being started almost ten years prior to the founding of the church, though both grew up together—under the same roof and under the same leadership. Reuben A. Torrey entered his minis try as Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in 1912, and on September 15, 1915, he organized the Church of the Open Door with eighty-six charter members. Dr. Torrey was elected as its first pastor, with T. C. Horton as assis tant pastor. Dr. Torrey ministered in the church until 1924. John M. Maclnnis then took the lead ership of the church and was followed by John McNeill, who was pastor of the church during 1927 and 1928. Called to the church in 1929, P. W. Philpott served as its pastor and spiritual adviser until its present leader came to the helm. Louis T. Talbot was called as pastor to the church on October 28, 193Ì and entered his present ministry on January 1, 1932. Dr. Talbot not .only has en deared himself to the members and friends of the Church of the Open Door by serving most acceptably as its pas tor and leader, but also, when he was persuaded to accept the Presidency of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, he further cemented the warm friendship already existing between these two great institutions. To commemorate the founding of the Church of the Open Door, a special “ Sil ver Anniversary Edition” of the Scofield Reference Bible is now being printed and will be ready for all members and friends of the church during its Silver Jubilee Week beginning September 15, when outstanding Christian leaders and speakers will help celebrate this events Without compromise, the Church of the Open Door has remained true to the foundation-stone pledge — “ Dedicated unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Pray for this glorious testimony. —William G. Nyman. The Future of Gold Daniel, as recorded ip chapter 11, sees the day when the Ahtichrist “shall have power ovef the treasures of gold and of silver” (v. 43). There are two ways by which he may exercise this control: either by having these treasures in his possession or by rendering the gold and the silver in the possession of others valueless. The former has been tried many times but only recently has the latter become a serious threat. Many believe we will shortly face the totalitarian world portrayed in Scrip ture as existing “at the time of the end” (v. 40). Four great powers will focus their attention on “ the glorious land” (v. 41), which is the land of Pal estine. These powers will be from the four points of the compass. From the north, Russia, Germany, and their allies (Ezek. 38:1-6), and from the south, the British Empire ruler of Egypt (Dan. 11:40). From the east (v. 44), vast Asiatic hordes, “the kings that Come from the sunrising” (Rev. 16:12 R.V.), and from the west, rising out of the re vived Roman Empire (Dan. 7.24), the ruler that “shall prosper till the indig nation be accomplished” (11:36). The papers report the “Italians launch claims to Jerusalem” and the Interna S UBVERSIVE influence t h r o u g h fifth-column activities has been counted on to accomplish for the world’s dictators what armed force could not do. But there is forming a sixth column, the strongest “secret weapon” known to man. Christian hearts have been thrilled to hear that In this age of lawless men and god less nations there are still left on the face of the earth statesmen who dare publicly to turn to God in the hour of their country’s trial. We quote from Foreign Secretary Lord Hali fax’s radio speech made from London on July 22: “Where will God lead us? Not, we may be sure, through easy or pleas ant paths. That is not His way. He will not help us to avoid our difficul ties. What He will do is to give to those, who humbly ask, the spirit that no dangers can disturb. “The Christian message to the A SIXTH COLUMN! 323 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S September, 1940 Significance of the News By DAN GILBERT Washington, D. C., and San Diego, California In the Sieve In a recent book, Charles J. Forcey says: “Peter was handed over to Sa tan to be sifted as wheat. That is a picture of the church as a whole in these days. She is being made ready for her coming Lord.” Certain it is that a sifting is going on. It has been truly said that “when the phurch can no longer produce the mir acle of conversion, it will lose its right to exist.” William Carey, faced with the dark millions of India, exclaimed: “What is there on earth worth living for, but the glory of God and the,salvation of souls?” The line is daily being drawn between those churches which cling to a New Testament program of soul-winning and the edifying of the saints, and those which cater to the world with classes on psychology and personality development. God has not changed His methods. The work of soul-winning stood aside until those men whom Jesus had trained were endued with power from on high. “Wait for the promise of the Father,” said our Lord, and though we do not now have to wait for the Spirit’s out pouring, it is certain that we have no power to do effective service for God apart from the infilling of the Spirit. Throughout the history of the church, inadequate men have always been do ing impossible things because this divine power came into their, lives. ' Modern leaders will have to learn all over again that there is no conquest of the world for God but by the Holy Ghost. Lectures on modern psychology bear no relation to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. It is disgusting to read of preachers who are teaching church members how to smile and rehearsing them in church services. Smiles never can take the place of the inner renovation of the Holy Spirit, the one means of discovering the joy of the Lord. Yes, the church is being sifted. Are YOU, dear reader, one of those who are drifting with the modern trend? Is your church one of those which is gradually giving in to the program for “the new age” ? May God give us courage to con tend earnestly for the faith once de livered! —Keith L. Brooks. need to remember that the real issues of life are not determined at the ballot box. Political changes in administration cannot save us. America needs to get back to the Bible. Christians can exert more influence on their knees in prayer than all the politicians can exert even with the instruments of dictatorship at their disposal. The future of our nation rests with born-again believers. We have the key to the situation. By praying and by witnessing we can change the life of men and nations. We should take a reasonable interest in the affairs of citizenship, but let us remember that the only really effective Way to serve our country is to serve Christ. By winning men to Him, we help to build Christian character in the life of our people; we help to reinforce the real foundations of democracy. 1 “GANG-UP” OR GANG WAR: • For several years, there has been available in Washington, D. C., docu mentary evidence of the fact that Italy, Germany, Russia, and Japan have a definite plan for the dismemberment of the British and French empires, and for the division of the spoils among . themselves. Week by week, we see more evidences of the working of this system of "gang- up” on the rest of the world. But, also, there are some accumulating evidences of a break-up of the gang-uppers. There are well-tested axioms regarding “when thieves fall out—’’ In America, we know how gangsters turn on one another. Often a “gang- up” by gangsters against law and order is followed by a gang war among the gangsters themselves. The question is, will the dictators— especially Stalin and Hitler—fall to fighting among themselves before they complete the devastation of civilization? The event seems inevitable; only the time is in doubt. After Britain is con quered—if she is—Hitler and Stalin will . doubtless come to blows. But the rest lessness of the Russian despot and his [Co ntinued on Page 357] AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS: • An unprecedented volume of mail has recently descended upon this writer’s desk. These communications reveal a universal consciousness that a great crisis is confronting our country. The feeling is expressed that, truly, Amer ica is at the crossroads, and that, basi cally, these issues are moral and spirit ual. THE ISSUES DEFINED: • At the outset, I must say that I share this general feeling. There comes an hour of decision for every people. I believe that ours is approaching. Elec tions are symptomatic, rather than de terminative. In other words, the course of political events is the result of deeper movements. Extreme radicalism is sim ilar to a high temperature being run by an ill person. It indicates that some thing is wrong inside. All history shows that a people gets the kind of government that it de serves. A moral and spiritual decline is always the forerunner and cause of an economic or political collapse. Cor ruption comes to prevail in government in direct proportion to the degree that immorality prevails in the lives of the people. Lowered personal standards pro duce lowered public standards. What has come to be known as our system of “democracy”—justice, liberty, opportunity for all—rests upon the foundation of Christian character built into the lives of the people. The govern ment is as good—or as bad—as the people are. It is an expression of them. An election really determines very little—It simply records what already has been determined. It is something like a census, The census does not cause people to be born. It simply re cords how many have been bom', as against how many have died, since the last one was taken. An election, of it self, does not produce an administration of righteousness or unrighteousness; it shows how the people, individually, have declared themselves. THE FUTURE: • Regardless of the outcome of the coming Presidential election, Christians CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR CELEBRATES SILVER ANNIVERSARY September 15 to 22 ers at the strong program planned for this week of meetings. Sessions are to be held in the auditoriums o f the church, at Sixth and Hope Streets, Los Angeles. Detailed plans may be secured from the church. The committee on arrangements for the Silver Anniversary of the Church of the Open Door invites all friends o f the church and o f the Bible Institute of Los Angeles to hear internationally known speak September, 1940 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 324 Christ the Stone of Scripture By KENNETH M. MONROE* Los Angeles, California The Chief Corner Stone “The Inscription upon this cor ner stone, ‘Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,’ will ever tell to the cas ual passer-by the sweet, life-giving message of the blood, and remind the believer in Christ of God’s great salvation which His infinite wisdom and love devised and provided, . . . ‘in that, while we wère yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ This is the foundation on which we are build ing, for ‘other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' Therefore our watch word is and ever will be, ‘Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, . . . to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.’ ’’ Scripture views the body of believers bom again in Jesus Christ as a unit, with Pentecost marking its birthday and the rapture its translation from the earth. Sometimes, the church is rep resented under the figure of “the body of Christ’1 (1 Cor. 12:27); other times, as “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15); and still'other times, as “a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5). The comer stone of this spiritual house is the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom Peter refers in these picturesque words, “a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious” (1 Pet. 2:4). 1. The chief comer stone. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fel low citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief comer stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy tem ple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for a habita tion of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22). A simple test and one easy to apply to the multitudinous religious vagaries o f the day is contained in this portion of Scripture. Merely ascertain, “Is The Stumbling Stone The Destroying Stone I N DAMASCUS, Syria, in the sum mer of 1939, I purchased a small table of inlaid wood and pearl. It now stands in my secretary’s office and is a work o f art appreciated by stu dents and friends. More than a thou sand small pieces are “fitly framed to gether” forming a single table. The mosaic of the .octagonal top and sides is in artistic design, and it is very clear that the artisan had a plan. Holy Scripture, in the mosaic of in numerable word pictures, presents Him who said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.” It portrays in ever- varied hue the One who is the visible “image of the invisible Gojd,” the One in whom “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The soul consumed by Pauline passion “that I may know him” never wearies of searching God- breathed mosaics for new lights and shadows on the multiform life and work of the Lord of glory, from the creation story to the time when “he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father.” Two years ago, while teaching the doctrine of Christ to a Bible Institute class of some two hundred fifty stu dents, I offered a prize to the student who found the greatest number of Scrip- tural designations of the Second Person of the Trinity. A week, was given for the search. The assignment was to be written, with Scripture référence for every designation. The class research was a revelation to me. On the morn ing of the report, I asked all who had found more than one hundred Scrip tural designations of the Second Person of the Trinity to stand. Practically the entire class stood. Then I moved on by fifties, asking those to remain stand ing who had found designations above the number we were for the moment considering. More than a score still were standing when the four hundred mark was reached. To one who had found more than five hundred names was given the prize aluminum plaque, which read, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” It is our privilege, now, to trace the mosaic of “Christ the Stone of Scrip ture.” I. Christ the Foundation Stone. From time immemorial, the ceremony o f laying a comer stone has been in volved in the construction of walls, gates, temples, and public buildings. On May 31, 1913, the corner stone of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles was laid. At that time, Lyman Stewart, as the first President of the Institute, said, * Dean , Bible Institute of toe Angeles. 325 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S September, 1940 has rejected revelation reaching beyond the “ Shema” (“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord”—Deut. 6:4), and continues to disallow the precious Son of God, the “chief comer stone” ! “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born’ (Zech. 12:10). These words of the prophet Zecha- riah are prophetic of the day when Is rael no longer will stumble over her Messiah; when the “spirit of grace” is poured out upon her, her eyes will be opened and she will see that Messiah came as prophesied, “a lamb to the slaughter,” before He comes as a King to reign. The heart of a nation will be sorrowful because of its long rejection of the One who came but was not re ceived. III. Christ the Destroying Stone. 1. The dream image of Nebuchadnez zar. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream image of Daniel 2 outlines history from his day to the end of the times of the Gen tiles. Five empires or kingdoms come into view, one after another, as fol lows: (1) The Neo-Babylonian Kingdom— 606-538 B.C. “Thou art this head of gold” (Dan..2:38). (2) The Medo-Persian Kingdom—538- 330 B.C. “Another kingdom inferior to thee” (Dan. 2:39). (3) The Grecian Kingdom—330-63 B.C. “Another third kingdom . . . which shall bear rule over all the earth” (Dan. 2:39). (4) The Roman Kingdom—63 B.C.- A.D. 565. “The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron” -(Dan. 2:40). (5) The Millennial Kingdom—Date is future. The centuries have witnessed the rise and fall of the first four of these em pires. Today we are living in a paren thetical period not seen by Daniel, which will be discussed later in this article. We have been led to the conclusion that Scripture teaches the revival of the old Roman Empire, at least to some ex tent, and we base conclusions largely on parallelism. The prophecies of Dan- T Cnntinued on Page 330] “And in the days of these kings shail the God of heaven set up a kingdom” (Dan. 2:44). words of Jehovah, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure founda tion: he that believeth shall not make haste” (v. 16). The stone is certainly not Zion, be cause it is laid in Zion. It is not Jeho vah, because He lays the stone. It is not yet the person of the Messiah be cause He would be no present aid to the people. The stone is the typical Mes sianic deliverance based on the promises of God. The word of Jehovah, that the Assyr ians would be no threat to Judah, is likened to a stone with two particular qualities: It is a tried stone, one that has been tested many times in the past and has proved dependable. It is a pre cious stone, precious to Him, and it should be so counted by men. Chapter 31:1-3 indicates that the peo ple preferred the soldiers, horses, and chariots of Egypt, which later proved of no avail. 2. The rejerted corner stone. When Peter stood before the Sanhe drin, as recorded in Acts 4, he could look back on the changing Messianic concept of the stone which now had been per sonalized in one Jesus of Nazareth who, indeed, was God’s “precious comer stone,” the “corner stone” of the theo cratic kingdom on earth, in trtrth, “the King of the Jews” (John 19:19). He pre sented Himself to the rulers and elders of Israel as such a stone, and Peter now refers to Him as the One “whom ye crucified” (Acts 4:10) and adds, “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is beoome the ■head of the corner” (Acts 4:11). 3. The stone of stumbling. Peter must have had in mind the Isaian passage and this address, when, twenty-five years later, he penned in his first epistle these words of sorrowful import for two millennia: “Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief comer stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you there fore which. believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disal lowed, the same is made the head of the comer, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed” (1 Pet. 2:6-8). For some months, it has been my joy to stand each week before a group of Jewish believers, and, at times of tes timony, they have witnessed to their own past inability, in some instances extending over a period of many years, to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. To them, not God the Father but God the Son had been the stumbling stone Oh. how Ion«: Israel Jesus Christ the chief corner stone?” Or, “Is the chief corner stone a man or woman, living or dead?” 2. The God-laid foundation. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). 'How clear the Word is! The foundation of a God- planned life has already been laid.- Woe to the man who builds his house on the sand rather than on the provided Rock. 3. The superstructure. Man is exceedingly foolish to build a sb-ick upon a million-dollar foundation, even as he is foolish to build a palace on shifting sands. Having as a founda tion the Rock of Ages, one is similarly foolish to build a life that is worthless. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul points out that every^ believer has the true foundation of liie but may build foolishly or wisely thereon. Under the caption of “wood, hay, stubble” (1 Cor. 3:12), reference is made to those parts of a believer’s life which will not stand the test of the “bema” seat judgment (2 Cor. 5:10). The passage also considers “gold, silver, precious stones” to represent the ac ceptable works which will receive the approbation of God at the believer’s judgment. It is very clear that salva tion is based upon the foundation, and it is also very clear that reward is based upon the quality and quantity of the superstructure. “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). II. Christ the Stumbling Stone. 1. The tried and precious corner stone. Isaiah 28 contains a frequently used evangelistic text, “For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it’jr (v. 20). One who expends the time and energy to apply the grammatico-historical prin ciple of interpretation will be richly re- •paid. Grammatically, the verse is used in a metaphorical sense. Historically, we are in the eighth century before Christ, in the days of the Assyrian ex pansion threat against Israel. Hezekiah, king of Judah, is understandably anx- iofls and has been making overtures to Egypt for military •support in case of invasion. The pro-Egyptian party is ac tive in Jerusalem politics; so is the pro- Assyrian, for the "fifth column” has been active in propaganda. Isaiah, that man of God of the Jeru salem court, is the leader of the' pro- Jehovah party and is clarion of two messages: First, any alliance with Egypt would prove to be a bed which would be “shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in itr’ (v. 20). Second, Jerusalem must listen to the September, 194U T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 326 $ 0 p i s p i % m b * a 0 ' » ^ * P A t ^ P v i * « 3 » ^ o f « S » 0 * • \ * sS* H 18 \ 0 When a Preacher Sins By A FORMER MINISTER S AVED by His grace, called to the ' ministry, trained in three excellent schools, blessed of God in evan gelistic and teaching work—:I have been spared, after years of wandering from God, to shout from the housetops that sin, permitted to dwell in the heart of a believer, will become a devouring mon ster, creating an inner torment that no unregenerate person can know. Active zeal in Christian work is no guarantee of a holy life. A lot of preach ers are up in theory but down in prac tice. They may call themselves “funda mentalists” ; but their trafficking in un experienced truth will put them on the toboggan that will catapult them into an abyss tof ruin. I have learned by bit ter experience that trying to preach to others about sin, when one is not thor ough in dealing with his own, simply won’t work. For thirty years I have known the reality of the conscious presence of the Spirit of God. During my years of wandering from Him, I have felt His presence again and again and have seen the sad eyes of Christ looking straight at me. Responding to Christ’ s Call Christ took me in at an evangelistic meeting in a small eastern city. I had been a sailor in the United States Navy. I made a bet with one of my wild bud dies that I could attend the service and give the preacher plenty of trouble. But this God-enthused preacher wielded the Sword of the Spirit so effectively that he cut me to pieces the first night. I believe I was bom again. I heard the call to preach. With fifteen dollars to my name, I went to a Bible school, then took the boss over p e o p l e who lived more like animals than hu man beings. I grew mean, hostile, and antisocial, b u t a t heart I was sin- sick, wretched be yond expression. In eighteen years of such wanderings • Just a tract—given by a student of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. B u t G od u s e d it mightily. prescribed course at a second s i m i l a r school, and part of t h e c o u r s e a t a third. I started in Chris tian work in a ru ral church at six hundred dollars a year. Larger tasks were given to me. in the far country, I have been through fire and flood. Hurricanes thrice swept away my every belonging. I have seen bloody fights and an occasional killing. I have been in train wrecks, have seen men tom and killed by circus lions, timers, and other beasts. I have wit nessed drunicten brawls ending in blood, race riots, and tragedies of all kinds. Re peatedly I was left utterly limp and sick at heart, longing for the peace I once had known. But remorse is not re pentance. Through all the years of groveling in the dark haunts of sin, I never have been without an inner witness that I was a prodigal under the rod of chas tisement, constantly under the watchful eye of a yearning heavenly Father. Again and again He snatched me from the very jaws of death, and each time I knew He was giving me one more chance to say “yes” to Him. Sin, a Hateful Guest Let me tell you, Mr. Christian Worker, that when sin gets into the heart of a believer, it is a hateful guest. There is nothing more expensive in this world than SIN, especially when it is in one yriio has the light of God’s Word, and who tries to keep his hold upon it. Sin may promise everything, but it takes all in the end. Soon I was in evangelistic fields and on the Chautauqua platform in the sum mers. My young wife and son had the benefits of a town home and a country estate which had been the former sum mer home of the president of a large corporation. To try me, God permitted us to have all the accessories of a com fortable life. Yielding to Sin Then I gave a corner to SIN. Within a few short years, home, friends, money, character, comforts, and even self-re spect were gone. My wife divorced me and had my son’s n a m e c h a n g e d . Broken, ragged, dirty, I hit the road as a common tramp, begging at Mexican section shacks along the railroads. I was beaten up by railroad “bulls.” Many a time I sent up a prayer from my lonely heart that God would help me. Pressure would be released. I would find a small job and would make a feeble start toward decency, when along would come my besetting sin. Back to the “jungles” I would go, living on stuff rescued from city dumps. Finally I got work herding mobs for mob scenes in the movies and placed hundreds of shiftless men fdfc such ap pearances. Then I went to the circus world as a 327 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S September, 1940 faithfulness and partial consecration on the part of those who profess to be guardians of the true faith. Don’t think the devil is so busy in Europe that he is not watching to slip something over on the American preacher who talks about defending the “fundamental doctrines.” The nearer one gets to the cross, the hotter the battle becomes. Take heed lest you fall (1 Cor. 10:12). The desires of the flesh are the angleworms on the devil’s hook, and many a half-consecrated preacher has had a tough time trying to get loose from that hook. I KNOW! all the wounds I have inflicted on others. I cannot repair the wreckage strewn all along life’s way. But henceforth I am His and He is mine. The Plea of One Who Suffered Oh, friend in Christ’s' service today, be warned that Satan is concentrating his efforts in these last days upon de stroying the work of Christ from within. The chief danger to the church today is not from outside assailants of the faith, or even from modernists who steal/ the livery of heaven to hold pulpit jobs. The greatest danger is from inward un- I finally returned to Los Angeles and took a job in a hash house, living with my aged mother. My faithful mother had followed me to many places, con stantly pouring out her prayers for me and continuing her ministries of love to me whenever she found it possible to establish something resembling a home. Many times by my abuse and ridicule, I tried to rob her of her last hope, for her faith in the old Book was a thorn in my conscience. One night I went down to Main Street to attend a dime movie. I got into a wild bunch. I awoke the next morning a wretched liquor-benumbed mess, leam- . ing that I was in the Lincoln Heights jail. Three months I was to spend sur rounded by moral driftwood, walking about in the cage like the circus lions I had so often watched. Who could help me now? I resolved to utilize some of the promises made to me by wealthy showmen, that if ever I found myself in a tight place a mere notification would bring them running to my help. I wrote letters to:men of in fluence and means. In many cases there was moral obligation, for I had served them well in their difficulties. Not an answer came. Help That Was Not Spurned One Sunday afternoon a student from the Bible Institute of Los Angeles vis ited the tank and passed in to me a lit tle tract entitled, “Here’s Your Answer.” As I began to read the Bible passages attractively arranged in this tiny tract, I knew I had my only answer. Further more, I knew that God would not be speaking to me again. Imagine my surprise when I discov ered that this tract was compiled by Keith L. Brooks, whom I had known as a teacher. I wrote to him at the address given, telling him of my plight and asking his prayers. I fully ex pected my letter would be disregarded as all my letters to others had been. But back came a heart-searching reply, with other literature, that went to the bottom of my needs. I was told that the writer had gathered the workers of his Christian institution to pray for me. Tears began to flow down my cheeks for the first time in years. I knew the Holy Spirit had triumphed. I felt Christ’s presence and said "yes” to Him. The joy of my salvation returned. A few days later I was called before the judge to be told that my sentence had been modified. There was but one explanation. I knew prayer had been answered, and that God was giving me a new chance. I went home to do what I could to heal the wounds I had brought to my praying mother. Now again “for me to live is Christ.” I went back to the old tank to confess Christ before the men. I cannot recall these manv misspent vears, cannot heal MY P I LOT By E. MARGARET CLARKSON But sometimes I grow fearful, And gaze upon the deep, While storm-clouds ’round me gather, And dark’ning shadows creep; Through all that waste of waters, Of trackless sea and foam. Can I be sure my Pilot Will guide me safely home? I turn, and look behind me, Through all the tossing sea; As far as eye can follow. One long, straight track I see. Thus far across life’s ocean His love has led aright— And I can trust His wisdom Till faith be lost in sight! Ev’n as an ocean vessel Ploughs through the pathless deep. Through days of glowing sunshine Or nights of starry sleep. So I my way am wending Toward Eternity, To far, desired haven. Across life’s trackless sea. I cannot guide my vessel— The way I do not knovy; But I can trust my Pilot— He knows which way to go. For all the long, strange pathway, He’s traveled o’er before; So I can trust Him fully, To guide me to the shore. September, 1940 323 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S of O u r F a dd i s t s Fa i t h By A. W . TOZER* Chicago, Illinois A HOBBY may benefit its pos sessor; a fad never does. A hobby sometimes helps as a tonic to one’s general health, because it allows the mind to play; but the fad dist must slave at his job, for it is the nature of fads to demand full-time at tention from their victims. It is in religion that faddism works its deadliest ruin. Descended of an evil line of ignorance, bigotry, and intoler ance, it does not hesitate to put on bor rowed priestly robes and stamp straight into the sanctuary itself to offer strange fire upon the altars of fundamental Christianity. We must distinguish, how ever, between the evil teacher of reli gious fads and the honest believer who may, for a time, be led astray. Many sincere Christians are captivated at first by these teachers, but later they see their mistake and renounce them. Yet the true religious faddist seldom returns to sanity. He i3 inspired by seducing spirits to teach doctrines of demons, and a seared conscience prevents him from seeing his fatal error. If we should seem too severe in iden tifying the religious faddist with the evil teachers of whom Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1 to 6, let it be noted that the passage expressly names celibacy and vegetarianism as two of the fads taught by seducing spirits. Neither celi bacy nor vegetarianism, when practiced for private reasons, is an evil in itself,' but they become evils when they are riveted onto the consciences of God’s people as a necessary part of the Chris tian faith. The Physical Immortality Theory A few years ago, a man came to the grounds of one of our summer Bible conferences and distributed t r a c t s among the people. The tracts contained a new revelation: No Christian need ever die, but might live on until the Lord’s return, no matter how remote that event should prove to be! Two lines of argu ment were advanced to support this idea, one from Scripture, the other from science. The Scripture used was John 11:26: “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” That the historic church had not seen in this text any hint of the immortality of the believer’s body mattered not at all. The church had simply been in unbelief, and as a consequence, she had seen her members die. The second line of argument had to do with certain experiments which had been performed on flatworms. By proper diet and controlled fasting, the lives of these worms had been extended to thirty times their normal length. By analogy it was reasoned that, with prop er dietary manipulation, human life could be extended to thirty times its usual length. Seventy years is the Biblical span of life; thirty times seventy are 2,100; thus the life of the individual would be 2,100 years. If this fad seems to be a matter of lirije consequence, a mere eccentricity, let me point out that its practical im plications are serious. An elderly gen tleman who believed his body to be im mortal lay in the throes o f approaching death. His family stood around refusing The Great Pyramid Theory A fad which has gained considerable favor and has succeeded in gaining some fairly respectable patronage is the Great Pyramid theory. I first read of it many years ago in the writings of Pastor Russell, of the Millennial Dawn move ment. This theory was adopted by a number of otherwise reputable Bible teachers who proceeded to popularize it in certain circles until many Christians deserted the clear Word of God to go wriggling through the dark and dusty passages of the Great Pyramid, looking to believe that he could die. His agony became so great that he broke down and begged for something to relieve his pain. To minister to his dying needs would have been to deny their faith, so they would do nothing for him. After hours of physical torment the man died —> death itself was more merciful to him than were the poor, misguided Christians who had refused him the simplest min istrations o f comfort. A creed which provokes such conduct can be only a grotesque parody on the true faith. * Pastor , Christian and Missionary Alliance Tabernacle. September, 1940 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 329 of the midnight sky. That wonderful, far procession of fire-bright stars and planets forever moving on in solemn stillness does preach a message to man kind. It is the message of the Lord’s “eternal power and Godhead” (Rom. l:20h It tells to men of the ages the story of boundless creative power,.but never once since the beginning of the world' has it whispered of redeeming love. That message had to come by divine revelation. It had to be proved in the blood and pain of Calvary before a wondering race could ever dream of its possibility. The ones who carry that message are not the mute dead bodies in the heavens above, but living men and women who have tasted of the grace of God and found it good. The stars afford a wealth of imagery and illustration, and they are referred to freely throughout the Bible, but he who would seek in their far depths for the gospel of Jesus Christ must be very foolish indeed, when the full, blazing light of the Word of God is within reach of his hand. The foregoing fads are only samples of the strange vagaries which have fol lowed the true Word of God. The re ligious faddist, like the poor, we have ‘always with us. The need for sound doc trine was never greater, “for there are many unruly and vgin talkers and de ceivers . . . Whose mouths must be stopped” (Tit. 1:10, 11). There ¿s one sure defense against these “vain talk ers.” That is to open one’s Bible,' smile, and say, “ Chapter and verse, please.” Then, if a passage of Scripture is quot ed, it must be compared with the rest of the Bible. Pads depend upon iso lated texts. They can never face the whole truth. In a recent letter to members of Biola’s World-Wide Prayer Circle, the Secretary, Christina ' J. Braskamp, re minded the group of their opportunity to pray for the spiritual ministry of Institute students during the vacation .months, as well as for supply of the school’s needs as the fall term ap proaches. For some of the students liv ing in Los Angeles, the project of reach ing the homes of the city by distribution of cellophane-wrapped tracts continues through the summer months. Many other students have been serving on gospel teams or in Daily Vacation Bible School or summer Bible conference work. Persons desiring to join the Prayer Circle may choose a definite weekly hour to pray for the Bible Insti- * * e of Los Angeles and may enroll by writing to Miss Braskamp at 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif. Prayer Circle members are invited to send in also their own personal requests to be shared with others before the Throne of Grace. BIOLA’S WORLD-WIDE PRAYER CIRCLE for light. The whole business is as fan* ciful as a fairy tale, and its arguments wholly untenable. Many former adher ents of the notion have since deserted it and aré pow painfully silent on the sub ject. The teaching is losing ground in strictly orthodox circles, but it is still doing yeoman service in the cause of another fad, Anglo-Israelism. The Anglo-Israelism Theory Anglo-Israelism also has received the apostolic approval of a few recognized teachers and has confused not a few of the children of God. This theory is just curious enough to be fascinating, and it contains enough truth to sound convincing^—if one does not read too far. The contention is that the ten lost tribes of Israel, some time after their deporta tion to Assyria, spread over the British Isles and parts of continental Europe under the names of Normans, Angles, Jutes, and Saxons. Thus the Anglo- Saxon nations of today aré said to be the Israel of Bible prophecy. Some im plications of the theory are: 1. That the Scriptural kingdom of God is Great Britain. 2. That the "stone . . . cut out of the mountain without hands” is Great Britain. 3. That the reign of Christ on earth will come through the conquest of the world by Great Britain. 4. That the important work of the church in this hour is to preach this "kingdom truth” and thus a c q u a i n t Great Britain (who for some reason seems very careless about the whole thing) with her noble origin and nobler destiny. I have noticed that non-Anglo-Saxons do not take to the theory .so avidly, which is not surprising; for if The theory were true, then a large portion of the white race would be in a class with the Hittites and the Amorites of antiquity. They would be just scrub stock without a pedigree. Real burnt-in-the-wood An glo-Saxons, however, receive a psycho logical lift from the idea. The Only flaw in it is that it*will not stand examina tion. Neither the Bible nor history sup ports it. Astrological Theories Another fad which props up here and there is the practice of attempting to deduct gospel _ truth from astrology. This writer is among those who will not agree to identify the Bible with astrol ogy—a thoroughly discredited pseudo science long abandoned by mature intel lects. The astrologers and stargazers of Isaiah’s time could not save Israel. God said of them, "They shall be as stubble; the fire shall bum them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame” (Isa. 47:13-15). Dare we, in these days, turn back to such vanities? The soul must be dead indeed which is not profoundly moved by the glory Why Wait for The Draft? N "Neither will I offer burnt offer- * ings unto the Lord, mg God of that which doth cost me nothing" (2 Sam. 24:24). # The soldiers of God’s army are all volunteers. God never drafts any one. But many a man who thought to rob God of the thank offering due to Him has found that God is not mocked—all the silver and gold are HIS (Hag. 2:8), and He levies where He will. But what a wealth of heart sat isfaction belongs to the man or woman who .VOLUNTEERS under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ, to go into active service or to give that others may go! The following Is a true story: Bob F., a Biola graduate, and his wife, volunteered for foreign service as missionaries in the land of China where Bob was born. They could not pass the physical examination and were rejected by the mission board. They determined, then, that they would do all they could to spread the gospel by their gifts and prayers. Bob got a position as a chauffeur. He received the sum of twenty-five dollars weekly from which to support his wife, baby, and himself. What could they be expected to do from so meager an income? With a. valor and fortitude unsurpassed by those in the battle front, these good sol diers of Christ managed to live on the sum of $12.50 weekly. When the- challenge came for funds to open a new field in the heart of Africa, they gave the first ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. Are you waiting to be DRAFT ED, Christian friend? ENLIST your every resource of time, strength, and money in the cause of getting the gospel out to the ends of the earth. The Bible In stitute of Los Angeles is expect ing in September a student body of over four hundred young men and women to whom we want to GIVE the preparation for active Christian ministry. Does God want YOU to help make this possible? Write: The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated, Elmer J. Peterson, Business Manager, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif.
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