VOL. VII
OCTOBER, 1916
No. 10
till------------------------ — n i n — illi----------------------- - ...............I l l r r — The King’s Business
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“ Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.**—Rev. 1:5
Published once a month by the BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA, U. S. A.
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MOTTO: *'I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.**—Isa. 27:3. R. A. TORREY, D. D., Editor T.C. HORTON, J.H. HUNTER, WILLIAM EVANS, D. D., Associate Editors A. M. ROW, Managing Editor Published by the BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. Lps Angeles, California, U. S. A. Entered as Second-Class Matter November 17, 1910, at the postoffice at Los Angeles, Cal., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Copyright by R. A. Torrey, D. D., and Bible Institute of Los Angeles, tor the year 1916. DIRECTORS Lyman Stewart, president, R. A . Torrey, vice-president William Thorn, secretary. .......... Leon V. Shaw, treasurer. T. C. Horton, superintendent. William Evans. E. A. K. Hackett. Giles Kellogg. H. A . Getz. J. M. Irvine. Nathan Newby DOCTRINAL STATEMENT We hold to the Historic Faith of the Church as expressed in the Common Creed of Evangelical Christendom and including: The Trinity of the Godhead. The Deity of the Christ.
The Maintenance of Good Works. 1 he Second Coming o f Christ. The Immortality of the Spirit. The Resurrection of the Body. The Life Everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Im penitent. The Reality and Personality of Satan THE WORK (7 ) Bible Women. House-to-house visitation and neighborhood classes. (8 ) Oil Fields. A mission to men n the oil fields. (9 ) Books and Tracts. Sale and dis tribution of selected books and tracts ( 10) Harbor Work. For seamen at Los Angeles harbor. ( 11) Yokefellows* Hall. Thoroughly manned. Our Mission for men with Street Meetings, and Bootblacks and Newsboys Sunday School. ( 12) Print Shop. For printing Testa ments, books, tracts, etc. A complete establishment, profits going to free dis tribution of religious literature.
The Personality of the Holy Ghost. The Supernatural and Plenary au thority of the Holy Scriptures. The Unity in Diversity of the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ. The Substitutionary Atonement. The Necessity of the New Birth. T,he Institute t™in?- free of cost, accredited men and women, in the knowledge and use of the Bible. n „ # , ( I ) The Institut j Departments: classes held daily except on Saturdays and Sundays. (2 ) Extension work. Classes and conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3 ) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted by our evangelists. (4 ) Spanish Mission. Meetings every night. (5 ) Shop Work. Regular services in shops and factories. (6 ) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work among the Hebrews. SCOPE OF Purpose:
ES ES THE KING’S BUSINESS
TABLE OF CONTENTS Editorial: When Will the War End?— After the War, What?— The Immeasurable Sorrows of War— What War M.eans— The Aftermath of War— The Only Way of Salvation ......................................................................... 867 Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing (Poem). William Olney.... 870 Why I Believe That Jesus Christ Is God in Human Form. By Dr. R. A. Torrey..................................... ..................... 871 Asilomar Conference .................................................................. 876 Why Tell Stories and How to Do It. By Besse McAnlis...... 877 Ours in the Field........................................................................... 881 Great Revivals and Evangelists.................................................. 883 Coming For and With the Saints. By Rev. James H. Brookes, D. D............................................ 889 Bible Institute'Activities. By the Superintendents.....,........... 893 Strong Endorsement from Seattle............................................. 899 The Neglected Fields. By George P. Wicker........................ 900 Light on Puzzling Passages and Problems............................... 902 Through the Bible with Dr. Evans............................................. 903 Homiletical Helps. By William Evans, D. D.......................... 908 Three Cents a Day. ................................. 91 2 At Home and Abroad.................................................................. 9 13 A World-Wide Work.................................................................. 916 International Sunday School Lessons. By R. A. Torrey and T. C. Horton............__.r, .................................................. 9 17 Daily Devotional Studies in the New Testament for Indi vidual Meditation and Family Worship. By R. A. Torrey ................................ |..... W ..... ....................... .. 934
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Course 1.— Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity By R. A . TORREY, Dean of the Institute
upon the doctrine under discussion and from them ascertain and formulate the teaching of the Bible. This is the true inductive method of study.
. This is a careful study \ of what the Bible teaches on the Christian faith. The method pursued is to bring together every statement of Scripture bearing
Course 2.— The Life and Teachings of Our Lord By R. A . TORREY, Dean of the Institute
tically every verse in the four Gospels. At the end of each twenty lessons^ a series of questions on the whole section is sent to the student to be answered.
This course presents a thorough study of the life ana teachings of our Lord^ as recorded in the four Gospels, it consists of 140 studies. -These studies cover prac-
Course 3.— Through the Bible by Books and Chapters By JOHN H. HUNTER, Secretary of the Faculty
each chapter in each book analyzed A special blank is furnished on which the student records the result of his own study.
This course carries the student through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, each book being studied its a whole, arid
Course 4.^Personal Evangelism and Practical Work By T. C. HORTON, Superintendent of the Institute
equip for the work of dealing with believ ers and unbelievers; second, to direct the student in the best methods of doing per sonal work; third, to give suggestions concerning the preparation for conduct of religious meetings.
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m m THE KING'S BUSINESS ! ! = • • — ■ | Vol 7 OCTOBER, 1916. No. 10 | [ ! ■ - .. - .................d E D I T O R I A L The opinion seems to be very widely held that we are When Will fast approaching the end of the present frightful and the War End ? disastrous war. That may be so. The end of the war may come with startling suddenness. We wish that it might come very soon. But those who are most familiar with the resources— military, naval, financial and economic—at the disposal of both parties to this collosal struggle, are not optimistic as to a near, ending of this awful and murderous strife. We were speaking a few days ago with one who has been very recently in England, Belgium'and France, who has himself been in the front line of trenches; and has had rare opportunities of conversation with those high in authority, and he had not the slightest expectation of the war’s close in less than a year. We have seen unspeakably-terrible things—we shall see worse. The only hope is in God. He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him (Is. 26:3). He and He only is a refuge and strength and a very present help in such a time of trouble as'this (Ps. 46:1). We will not fear, “ though the earth be removed, and though the mountains 'be carried into the midst of the sea” (Ps. 46 :2). day social and political conditions, and who a little over two years ago were telling us that man had so advanced in education and civilization that a bar barous war was no longer possible, are now recovering from the-dazed condi tion into which the present war knocked them and are revamping their theories. They are saying that the present war will ultimately result in good by so demon strating the utter folly of war that this war will be the last. But, alas! it will not. The sure Word, of God tells us that “ even unto the end (o f the present dispensation) shall be war; desolations are determined” (Dan. 9:26 R. V .). Wars breed wars. The first Balkan war of Servia, Bulgaria, Greece and Rou- mania against the unspeakable Turk led to war between these allied nations and also led to the present wide-spread and almost universal war. If England and Russia succeed in defeating Germany, it is inevitable that the gravest dif ficulties shall arise between England and Russia. While there may be a period of wide-spread peace there can be no permanent peace among nations until He qomes, whose right it is to reign. But He will come. “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” “ Come quickly.” Those shallow optimists who cherish radiant hopes of an immediate millennium without the personal return of our Lord Jesus, by shutting their eyes to the clear teachings of Scripture and the plain facts of present- After the War— What?
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THE KING’S BUSINESS We have recently received a letter from a friend who has taken his vacation by going to preach among the peoples of Prince Edward Island, where he was born, and of Nova Scotia, where he was once a minister, that
The Immeasurable Sorrows' of War.
brings home very vividly the immeasurable sorrows of war. He writes: “ I am just now on Prince Edward Island, among the country scenes of my early boyhood. Usually it is a very pleasant place to spend the summer, hut this year to' be here is literally, to move in the shadow of death. It is awful to, think of the number of fair young fellows who are blown to pieces on the field of battle, but we are apt to forget the thousands of poor mothers, in these quiet country places, who are simply crushed and literally dying by inches. Women who were nice and fresh-looking four years ago, when I was last here, are today broken old women. This is especially true of those whose lads have been killed in the war. Among them are sons of my own people, who seem to be hopelessly broken. When this is true of this place, what must it be in Ger many, England, Scotland and France, not to say anything about countries that have been literally turned into a graveyard.” The guilt of all the Neros, Caligulas and all the most infamous monsters of the past, pales into nothingness before that of the devil or devils incarnate who are responsible for the present war. And yet there are those in our own land who for the sake of paltry financial interests in Mexico or political inter ests at home or for the sake of gaining a high military title, are doing their utmost to foment war between this country and poor, unfortunate Mexico. If you are really men and not monsters, pause and think what war means! had three fine sons. They were all pronounced Christians. At the very begin ning of the war they all enlisted and were given commissions—the oldest as captain, the other two as lieutenants in the same regiment. They had all joined the “ territorials” several years before the war began. At the time of the out break of the war the youngest, Paton, an under-graduate at Cambridge, presi dent of the Cambridge Inter-collegiate Christian Union, was only 19 and the military authorities hesitated to accept him because of his youth, but at last, to his great joy, decided to give him a. commission. For nearly two years we received^ frequent cheery letters from the father and mother, telling how the sons, though in the front trenches, had escaped unscathed. Some weeks ago such a letter arrived from the mother, but even while she was writing an explod ing shell had done its awful work. The life of the youngest son was taken, and by the same mail came a letter bringing the sad intelligence. Now comes this letter, from the oldest son, telling the sequel: “ I am sure you will be very sorry to hear that for the past ten days father has been very seriously ill and that it is now only a question of time. The doc tors have for a week held out no ray of hope, and since he suffers terribly a large part of the time, one can but hope and pray that Cod in His mercy will take him soon. You can imagine how brave my mother is,,for you know her, but I fear this long-drawn-out agony will seriously affect her and Dorothy (an A letter recently received from England gives a glimpse of what war means not only in the trenches but in the home. One of the noblest Christian men and most indefatigable soul-winners we met in England What War Means.
THE KING’ S BUSINESS 869 invalid sister). I managed to get leave from the front but they would not give Cameron leave. I think Pat’s death was a serious blow to father though in the face of the world he ,steeled his heart and ‘carried on.’ That was a sad blow to me. *1 was so proud of him and I should have liked to bring him home safe to his mother. He won earthly glory though he never lived to know it, for he was ‘mentioned in despatches’ the other day. But proud as, we are of that, we glory more in the fact that his men saw in him a true follower of Jesus Christ. Father sends his love, he is too weak to write.” Fifteen days later came the letter announcing the death of the father. He had had trouble with-his heart for years and the sudden killing of his beloved youngest son proved too much to bear and killed him. Thus war brings death not only to the brave lads in the trenches but to the fathers and mothers and sisters at home. Is war of God? No! O f “ him that hath the power of death that is the d'evil” (Heb. 2:14). And the proud#rulers who instigate war, and the great generals on the side that is responsible for the war, are ambassadors of the devil. When a war is ended it is only just begun. Its wounds The Aftermath and scare last for years or even centuries. Many of of War. the wounds of the Civil War in the United States are still bleeding. But who can measure the lasting evils of the present war that will blight and curse almost every nation in Europe for many years to come. The very flower of the young manhood of England, Scot land, France and Germany, and other lands- withered and buried. Millions of women doomed to the sorrow of being perpetually childless; many thousands of women doomed to the most awful infamy and agony that can overtake women—prostitution. That followed the Franco-Prussian War and will fol low this. Countless thousands of men are blinded, crippled, hideously maimed for life, and many thousands more insane. A staggering burden of debt and taxation that will spell practical pauperism for the mass of the people in Eng land, Scotland, France, Austria and Germany for half a century. Universal mutual suspicion and hate among nations during the life-time of the present generation, if the Lord tarries. The paralysis of educational and philanthropic and missionary enterprises for years. Surely war is the devil’s masterpiece, next to unbelief in God’s Word, which lies at the foundation of all war.
The doctrine is being widely taught in England, even in circles supposed to be evangelical, that the man who lays down his life for his country will be saved by so doing, and not only gain earthly glory but eternal
The Only Way of Salvation.
glory. No soul-destroying lie was ever taught that was more clearly and cer tainly a lie than that. Men are not saved by laying down their lives for their country, nor by anything else that they can do (Romans 3:20; Gal. 3.T1-13). Men are saved on only one ground, the atoning death of Christ (Romans 3:20-- 26), and on only one condition, viz., that they believe on Him who shed His blood for them (Romans 3 :26), and prove their faith by confessing Him before the world (Romans 10:9, 10), A man can die the bravest death on the battle field and go straight to eternal perdition (2 Thess. 1 :7-10). Let us save men by telling them truth, no matter how unpopular, not deceive them and damn them by telling them lies no matter how popular.
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“WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING” (Prof. Drummond's Life Motto) Ji By WILLIAM OLNEY “Without Me”— Forbid it should be s o ! Let me not know about Thee and yet miss Thee as my soul’s Companion, lest, in Bliss I find small fruit did grow Upotk my tree. But draw me Closer to Thee, my Lord, With cords of grace, Thy Spirit doth entwine Around my heart, and, since that heart is Thine, Speak to me through Thy Word And in Thy company each day would walk, That I, with Thee, along Life’s way may talk, , And taste their joys above While here below. By Thy side May I increase in strength, In faith and hope and love and ev’ry grace; My weakness then Thy power shall replace; So fruit, I bear at length, Will aye abide. Thus in Thee Dwelling, as branch in V ine; And with Thy Word, as sap, dwelling in me; My service will be wrought successfully Because the Life is Thine Most lovingly. I would know More of Thy wondrous Love,
Within my tree. “Without Me”— Nay, Jesus, the sad thought
Drives me anew to that most earnest prayer— ■ “ Abide in me,” that I Thy strength may share, And my life-work be wrought Right gloriously.
& 1 Why I Believe that JesusChrist isGod in Human Form By Dr. R. A. Torrey Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles
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twelfth chapter o f Mark He speaks o f all the prophets that had gone before Him, even the greatest o f them, as servants of God, and o f Himself as the only Son o f God (v. 6, R. V .). In the third chapter of John the sixteenth verse He speaks o f Him self as “ the only begotten Son o f God.” In John 5 :23 He claims all men should honor Him “even as they honor the Father.” In John 8 :24» He says, “I f ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” During His last hours before His cruci fixion the Jewish high priest said to Him, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son o f God,” and Jesus replied, “Thou hast said.” This was the strongest form o f affirmation, and He went on to empha size what He had said by adding, “ I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son o f Man sitting at the right hand o f power, and coming on the clouds o f heaven.” Now throughout the Old Testament the only one who made the clouds His chariot was Jeho vah, and Jesus here affirms in the most striking way under oath that He is a Divine person. In John 14:9 He went so far as to say, “H e that hath seen me hath seen the Father." From these and from many other utterances o f our Lord, it is perfectly plain that the Lord Jesus claimed to be the Son o f God in a sense that no other was the Son o f God, in a sense that in attri butes and authority and worthiness o f wor ship He was on an equality with God the Father. H e claimed to be D ivine . But a claim to be Divine does not prove one to be Divine. Men rightly demand that such a claim be substantiated, and I do not believe that Jesus Christ is Divine
HERE is no subject more important than that o f the Deity o f Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ is not God man ifest in the flesh, then Chris
tians are idolaters, for Christians worship Jesus Christ. I f Jesus Christ is God, then all who do not acknowledge Him as such and accept Him as their Divine Saviour and Surrender absolutely to Him as their Divine Lord and worship Him as God, are guilty o f the awful sin o f rejecting a Divine, per son and robbing Him o f the honor due t o . His name. It is then o f the highest import ance that each o f us know whether Jesus Christ is God or not. I am to give you tonight some o f the reasons why I believe that He is the Son o f God in an entirely unique sense, the Son o f God in a sense in which no other person was the Son o f God, the Son o f God in such a sense that all the attributes and perfections and glory o f God dwelt in Him. There was a time when I doubted it; very seriously and very earnestly and very honestly doubted it. ' I doubt it no longer and will tell you why not. I. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in an altogether unique sense, the only begotten Son of God, the Son of God in such a sense that God the Father dwelt in Him in all the fullness of His attributes and glory, because of His own claim to be the Son1of Godsend the way in which He substantiated that claim. There can be no honest doubt in the mind o f any man who will study the subject can didly and carefully that Jesus Ch'rist claimed to be the Son o f God in a sense in which no other was the Son o f God. In the -
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acles, but these efforts have all failed. It was first attempted to prove that these recorded miracles were simply natural \ events, but this attempt failed. It was then attempted to prove that the reports were fabrications, pious frauds, o f Christ’s disciples, but this attempt likewise failed. It was then attempted to prove that the gospels did not belong to the time o f Christ’s disciples, but were written at a later period and palnjed off as the produc tions o f men who "did not really write them. This last attempt was made in a most skill ful, laborious and scholarly way. For a time ft almost seemed as if the attempt might succeed, but at the last it broke down utterly. The argument for the early date and historical accuracy o f the gospel stories in the ultimate outcome was only brought out the more clearly by the attacks made upon them, and the argument is abso lutely unanswerable. It is an interesting fact that the final and decisive blow in 1 favor - o f the authenticity o f the most important o f the four gospels, the gospel of John, was struck by a Unitarian, Dr. Ezra Abbott. Dr. Ezra Abbott’s demonstration o f the Johannean authorship of the fourth gospel was written many years ago, but all attempts to answer it have failed utterly. The miracles then attributed to Jesus Christ He actually performed. But these substan tiate His claim to be Divine. Not that the mere performance proves one to be Divine, but when one claims to be Divine and then performs miracles o f the character that Christ performed, not merely healing the sick, but stilling the wind, calming the waves o f the sea, raising the dead, casting out demons, by His mere word, these works taken in connection with His character and His teaching and His claims prove Him to be Divine. 3. Christ’s¿■claim to be Divine is sub stantiated in the third•place by H is influ ence on the history of. the world. It needs no argument to prove that Christ’s influence upon the history o f the world has been beneficial immeasurably beyond that o f any other who has ever
simply because H e claimed to be', but because o f the Way in which H e substan tiated the claim. Christ’s claim to be Divine is substanti ated : 1. First o f all by His character. The beauty and strength and nobility of the character o f Jesus Christ is well nigh universally admitted. The Jew admits it, both Rousseau and Renan, the great French skeptics insisted upon it, even Colonel Ingersol spoke most beautifully o f'it. On one o f his last visits to the city o f Chicago he repeated what he had often said before, “I wish to say once for all that to that great and serene man I pay, I gladly pay, the homage o f my admiration and my tears.” But here, is, this man whom all admit to have been a good man, a man o f honor, humility, truth, and nobility* claiming to be Divine. I f H e was not D ivine , H e WAS THE BOLDEST BLASPHEMER AND MOST ARRANT IMPOSTOR THIS WORLD HAS EVER seen. Can any honest man who has ever read the story , o f Jesus Christ with any attention and candor believe He was a blasphemer and impostor? That is the only alternative, you must either admit the lofty claims He made about His Deity, or hold Him to have been a blasphemer and an impostor. Every one who denies the Deity o f Christ practically lays at His door the charge of blasphemy and imposture. Men sometimes say to me, “I do not believe that Jesus was Divine, but I believe that He was a good man.” I reply, “ No, if He was not Divine He was not a good man.” I f Jesus' was not Divine He was right fully put to death according to Jewish law. The manner o f His trial was illegal, the mode o f death by which He was executed was not that prescribed, but the death pen alty was the right penalty according to Jewish law. The one who denies the Deity o f Christ justifies His killing. 2. Jesus Christ’s claim to be Divine is substantiated by the miracles which H e per formed. Herculean efforts have been put forth to discredit the gospel stories o f His mir
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lived. His influence upon domestic life, His influence upon social life, His influence upon industrial life, His influence upon political life. It would be foolish to com pare that o f any other man, or that o f all other men together; with His. Other men have had as many or more followers than He, but vtiiat is the quality -of the influ ence o f these men? Go to Turkey and note the influence o f Mohammed; go to India and Ceylon and Japan and note the boasted influence o f Buddha; go to China and note the influence o f Confucius. No, Christ has had an incomparably Divine influence upon men o f all succeeding generations. Now, as already 'seen, if Jesus Christ was not Divine He was a blasphemer and an impos tor. Is it conceivable that an arch impos tor should have such an incomparable influ ence over men in all the relations o f life. The question needs no answer, it answers itself. * 4. Christ’s claim to be Divine is sub stantiated in the fourth place by His res urrection from the dead. W e have not time tonight to go at length into the argument for the truthfulness of the gospel stories o f Christ’s resurrection from the dead, but the argument is clear and conclusive. In my book, The Bible and Its Christ, I have taken up the argu ment for Christ’s resurrection and shown how it is impossible for any honest man to study the argument for Christ’s resur rection and come to any other conclusion than that Jesus really rose from the dead as is recorded in the four gospels. Now the mere fact that one rose from the dead would not necessarily prove him to be Divine, but when one claims to be Divine and is put to death for making the claim, and before dying asserts that God will raise Him from the dead and thus endorse His claim, if then God actually does raise Him from the dead at the appointed time, certainly God does by that act in a most unmistakable way set His seal to the claim, and in this way God has in fact set His seal to Jesus’ claim to be Divine. As Paul puts it in the Epistle to the Romans, Jesus
Christ was “ declared to be the Son o f God with power by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1 :4). All these things taken together are my first reason for believing Jesus Christ to be Divine, because o f His own claim to be, and the way in which He substantiated this claim, by His character, His miracles, His influence, and His resur rection. The argument is a compound one, composed o f seyeral strong strands, and when these strands are woven together there results an argument that it is abso lutely impossible to break. II. I believe Jesus Christ to be Divine because of the teachings of the Bible beside His own. The Bible is the W ord o f God. I have given on many occasions my reasons for believing the Bible to be the W ord o f God. (See book The Bible and Its Christ). The argument for the Divine origin o f the Bible is unanswerable. The Bible is the Word o f God and therefore true. Whatever the Bihle says about Jesus Christ is the truth about Jesus Christ. But the Bible in the most unmistakable terms declares Him to be Divine. The Bible ascribes Divine attri butes to Jesus Christ, it attributes Divine works to Him, in the New Testament }t applies passages to Jesus which in the Old Testament are spoken o f Jehovah, it couples the name o f the Lord Jesus with the name o f God the Father in a way which it would be impossible to couple it with any finite being with that o f the Deity, and it demands for Him Divine homage and worship. John tells us that his whole purpose in writing his Gospel was that men might “ believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son o f God; and that believing” they might “have life in His name. Paul tells us “that in the name o f Jesus every knee” shall bow, “o f tilings in heaven and things on earth, and things /wider the earth, and that every tongue” shall “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory o f God the Father.” He is quot ing here a statement made in the Old Tes tament o f Jehovah (Isa. 45:21-23). In Rom. 9:5 Paul unhesitatingly declares that
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Christ “ is over all, God blessed forever,” and the author o f the epistle to the Hebrews says, “When he bringeth in the first begot ten (that o f course is the Lord Jesus, as the context clearly shows) into the world, he saith, And let all the angels o f God worship Him,.’’ The Bible then, in the clearest, most definite and most decisive terms teaches the true Deity o f Christ, and therefore I believe Him to be God in human form." III. I believe that Jesus Christ is Divine, God manifest in human form, because of the Divine power He possesses today. It is not necessary to go back to the miracles o f Christ when upon earth to prove that He has Divine power. He exer cises that power today and anyone can test it. 1. He has power to forgive sins. He claimed this power when here on earth and the scribes accused Him o f blasphemy for making the claim, and if He had not been Divine they would have been right in accus ing Him o f blasphemy, but He silenced them by demonstrating the claim (Mark 2 :5-12). He has the same power today. Thousands can testify that ^they came to Christ burdened with an awful sense o f guilt and that Christ has actually given their guilty consciences peace, absolute peace. 2. H e has power today to set Satan’s Victims free. He sets the one chained by drink free from the power o f drink; the one chained by opium or other drugs, free from the power o f drugs. He sets the slave o f lust free from the power o f lust. You may say that Keeley sets the one chained by drink or the power o f drugs free, but the cases are not at all iparallel. Keeley uses' drugs, Christ merely spoke a word. Thousands and thousands have been set free from the power o f drink and transformed into noble men and women o f God by the simple word o f Jesus Christ. Christ sets free not merely from drunkenness and other vices, but from sin. He makes the impure man
and woman pure. He makes the selfish man unselfish. He makes the devilish man and woman Christlike. I believe Jesus Christ is, Divine because o f the Divine power I -see Him exercising in the lives o f many men and women. I know Jesus is Divine’ because o f the Divine work that He and He alone has wrought in my own life. IV. I believe that Jesus Christ is Divine, God manifest in Human form, because of the character of those who accept Him as divine. Those who accept Jesus Christ as the Son o f God are those who live nearest God. in most intimate communion with God, and who know 'God best. Those who know God best and live nearest to God have no doubt whatever that Jesus Christ is His Son. The cry, “I do not believe Jesus to be the Son o f God” never comes from those who are living nearest God and know God best. It comes most often from those who are liv ing farthest from God and know God least. Those who once believed Jesus Christ to be the Son o f God as they drift away from God into worldliness, selfishness and sin, often find themselves questioning the Deity o f Christ. On the other hand, those who once questioned the Deity o f Christ when they ,come nearer to God, when they turn their backs upon sin and selfishness and give themselves up more wholly to find and do His will find their doubts about the Deity o f Christ rapidly vanishing. V. I believe Jesus .Christ to be Divine because of the results of accepting His Deity. The religion that accepts God the Father but rejects Jesus Christ as His Son has no such deep and lasting moral power as the religion that accepts Jesus Christ as Divine. Unitarianism has always proved to be impo tent. Unitarianism does not save the fallen. Wherever you find a rescue mission that is doing a real and permanent work in lifting up the fallen, you will always find it manned and womaned by persons who believe in Christ as the Son o f God. Uni tarianism can do philanthropic work, it can build hospitals and operate soup kitch-
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ens and various kinds o f clubs for helping the needy, but it does not save. I do not mean merely that it does not save from hell hereafter, it does not save from ' sin here and now. It is the gospel o f the Son o f God that does-this. Unitarianism never begets a missionary spirit. With all its members and wealth by a mighty effort it induced one man to go as a foreign mis sionary for a little while, but even that poor lone missionary soon returned. Faith in Jesus as Divine makes missionaries and martyrs and produces men o f prayer and faith, it produces consecrated living. The denial o f the Deity o f Christ , tends to prayerlessness, religious carelessness, unbe lief, worldliness, selfishness, and easy-going living. There is a power in the prayers o f those who approach God in the name o f Christ that there is not in the prayers o f those who reject His Deity. While Mr. Moody was still in business, before he had taken up Christian work as his exclusive occupation, he often went out holding meetings. One time he was holding meet ings in one o f the smaller towns in Illinois. The wife o f the district judge came to Mr. Moody and asked him to speak to her hus band. He replied, “I cannot speak to your husband. Your husband is a book infidel and I am nothing but an uneducated boot clerk from Chicago.” But the wife was so insistent that Mr. Moody finally called upon the judge. As he'passed through the outer office the law clerks tittered to them selves as they thought o f how the learned judge would make mince meat o f the uned ucated boot clerk from Chicago. Mr. Moody said to the judge in the inner office, “Judge, I cannot talk with you, you are an educated man; I am nothing but an uned ucated boot clerk, but I just want to ask you one thing. When you are converted, will you let me know?” “ Yes,” the Judge replied banteringly, “ when I am converted, I will let you know.” And then he raised his voice louder and said, “Yes, young man, when I am converted I will let you know. Good morning.” As Mr. Moody passed into the outer office the judge raised his voice
still louder so all the law clerks could hear, “ Yes, young man, when I am converted I will let you know.” And the law clerks; tittered louder than ever. But the judge was converted within a year. Mr. Moody revisited the town and .called upon the judge. He said, “Judge, will you tell me how you were converted?” “Yes,” the judge replied, “one night my wife went to prayer meeting as usual, but I as usual staid at home reading the evening paper. ,1 began to get very uneasy and miserable, and before my wife returned from the prayer meeting I was so miserable I was afraid to face her and retired for the night. 'On her return, finding me in bed she came to the door and asked if I were sick. 'No, I replied, I am not sick, only I was not feeling very well. Good night.’ I had a miserable night and was so miserable, in the morning that I dared not face my wife at the breakfast table, and I simply looked in the door and said, ‘Wife, I am not feeling very well this morning, I will not eat any breakfast.’ I went to my office and told' the clerks that they could take a holiday. I locked the out side door and1then went into my inner office and locked the door to that. I sat down, getting more and more miserable all the time. At last, in my misery and in my overwhelming sense o f sin, I knelt down and cried, ‘O, God, forgive my sins.’ But there was no answer. Again I cried, ‘Oh, God, forgive my sins.’ But still there was no answer. I would not say, ‘Oh, God, fo r Christ?s sake forgive my sins,’ because I was a Unitarian and did not believe in the Divinity o f Christ. Again I cried, ‘Oh, God, forgive my sins,’ but still there was no answer. At last, in desperation I cried, ‘Oh God, fo r Jesus Chrisfs sake forgive my sins / and instantly I found peace." By their fruits ye shall know them. There is a Divine power in a faith that accepts Jesus Christ as the Son o f God that there is not in a faith that denies His Deity. Jesus Christ is the Son o f God. He is Divine, He is God in human form. His own claims substantiated by His character, by His miracles, by His influence upon the
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history o f the world, by His resurrection from thè dead, prove it. The teachings of the W ord o f God prove it. The character o f those who accept Him as Divine proves it. The results o f accepting Him as Divine prove it. The Divine power He possesses and exercises today proves it. Jesus Christ is Divine, He is God in human form. And now some one may say, well what o f it? Everything o f it. Jesus Christ is the Son o f God and if you reject Him you are rejecting the Son o f God. That is the awful sin that lies at the door o f every man O N THE beautiful conference grounds o f the Young Women’s Christian Association, at Asilomar, the Missionary Education Movement held its third Pacific Coast Conference, from June 30 to July 9. Between 100 and 125 registered delegates were present. From 8:30 in the morning until noon, or shortly after, classes were in session, covering such phases o f mission ary work as Missions in the Sunday School (classes for the teachers o f the different grades being h eld); Missions in Latin America; Normal Training Classes, in which future teachers o f mission-study classes in the home churches were trained to present the text book for the year— “ South American Neighbors”—and a class in Church Efficiency. Open parliaments were held from time to time, to consider topics o f general inter est. Dr. Morris W . Ehnes, o f New York, and several o f the strongest men on the coast, were on the Faculty. The Bible-study period each morning, with one exception, was in charge o'f Rev. James A. Francis, D. D., pastor o f the First Baptist Church of Los Angeles. The morning before Dr. Francis arrived, Rev. John H. Hunter, of the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, gave the message. Rev. Earnest F. Hall, of the Presbyterian Board, was in charge of
and every woman in this audience, out of Christ, R ejecting the S on of G od . I f your hearts were not hardened and blinded by sin you would tremble at that indictment (Acts 2:36, 37). In the light o f the clear proof o f the Deity o f Christ I call upon you tonight to accept Him as your Divine Saviour. I call upon you to surrender to Him as your Divine Lord. I call upon you to submit your life to Him as your rightful sovereign, an'd to manfully con fess Him before the world as your Divine Lord. the conference in general, assisted by Rev. Frank P. Worley, a returned missionary from Japan. Prof. C. C.. McCown, form erly o f India; Rev. Vernon M. McCombs, formerly o f South America; Mrs. A. Ros- enberger, formerly o f Palestine; Rev. H. H. Kelsey, secretary o f the A. B. C. F. M .; Miss Rose Scott and Miss Meme Brock way, rendered valuable help. Among the returned missionaries, per haps none were more greatly enjoyed than Dr. and Mrs. Tracy, whoi have spent nearly half a century in the work in Turkey, and who have had to see their life’s work almost wiped out within the last year. The delegates represented all the leading evangelical denominations. The First Presbyterian Church o f Pasadena had the largest delegation o f any one church. Many lives were surrendered to Christ for service in the foreign field, as one o f the results o f the conference. It is hoped that next year the attendance will reach at least 200, though no “boosting” was done at the conference—nor is there any such thing in contemplation during the year. The management prefers instead to go about the work quietly and prayerfully, desiring a small company o f students, impelled by the Holy Spirit, ratlier than a larger com pany worked up by other methods.
-------------- O --------------- ASILOMAR CONFERENCE Earnest Missionary Workers Gather for the Third Time on the Pacific Coast
By Besse D. McAnlis Member of the Graduating Class of the Bible Institute, June, 1916
Note.—The following paper on “Why Tell Bible Stories and How,” is a.part of the work required in the Sunday School Training Course of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.
idea o f its narrative contents. They have years o f “lessons” but gain no idea of even the life o f Christ as a whole, Bible stories will also create a taste for Bible study and form a foundation for later inter est. Just as the child who has been brought up to appreciate the best literature will naturally in mature years, refrain from worthless reading and desire the best, so the child that has been interested in the stories o f the Bible will already be inter ested sufficiently in the Book o f Books to be encouraged in Bible study. Another important reason for emphasiz ing Bible story-telling is that the story telling method o f teaching is said to be the most effective o f all methods. Educa tional experts have realized its value more and more in recent years. A prominent educator has said that “o f all the things that a teacher should know how to do, the most important, without exception, is to be able to tell a story.” Christ used the story method o f teaching. After the peo ple refused to receive. His teaching of abstract truths we find Him using the para bles—truths given in story form. W e hear much these days o f story-telling
1ELL me a story” is one o f the n earliest yearnings o f a child’s heart. Memory readily ver- ifies this fact for most o f us, for we remember well the
day when the story held for us such charm, such unusual fascination. The mind o f the child is a sort of well-tilled field in which the seed o f the Bible story will easily take root if properly planted. But the stories must be told in an interesting, impressive way. Does this .not, then, set a duty before every Christian whose field o f service may be among children? Is not story-telling an art which should be cultivated especially for the telling o f Bible stories? Let us consider some o f the reasons why Bible stories should be told effectively to children. The child’s natural thirst for stories is o f special significance; and when we realize that truths impressed on a child’s mind by a story will leave a deeper imprint than the most eloquent sermon heard in later years, the importance of Bible story-telling can hardly be bver-esti- mated. In most Sunday Schools there is no consecutive course through the Bible and the children get a very disconnected
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in the way o f folk-lore tales, myths and nature stories, but the Bible story is not holding the prominent place it should. Pub lic school children have a better knowledge o f the god o f Greek mythology than of the God o f Abraham. The Story o f Stories is not being told as often and effectively as it might be. Why? Because Christians have failed to realize the importance of story-telling and to sufficiently master the art. HOW TO TELL A STORY “I just haven’t the ‘knack’ o f telling stories,” is the excuse the majority will give. Yet story-telling is not so much an inborn talent as it is an art to be culti vated. It has its technique, and perfection necessitates practice just as in any other production o f art. “How do you tell a story?” is a short question that necessitates a long answer. The method itself is simple but it includes numerous directions. First, much o f the story-teller’s, success depends on the ^election o f the story. The age o f the children must be considered. Then the truth to ibe conveyed is o f fundamental importance. Determine the truth you need to emphasize before you select your story. Never attempt any Bible story without deciding what leading truth is to be set forth. Consider also the children’s former instruction—what they have heard before. Even though a story well told always bears repetition, their knowledge o f the Bible should be broadened. Beginners in the art o f story-telling may need to consider the type o f story best suited to their per sonality, but training ‘will eliminate this. As to resources for obtaining the story, one may adapt and formulate it from the original Bible account or use a reliable book o f Bible stories for children. The story teller’s own preparation should consist in learning the story, feeling it and practicing it. “Know your story,” is an admonition that would seem so obvious as to need no mention, yet many failures begin here. The average story-teller is not sure enough o f the story itself. Read, it over and over again before attempting to tell
it. Do not try to memorize it. Memorizing takes away the freedom in telling, cramps and hinders, while one’ s own words will add to the story spontaneity and give libj erty to the teller. The story must be told without hesitation. A definite knowledge o f “what happens” is a fundamental neces sity. In order to gain this one may form ulate a brief outline o f the action o f" the story. Notice the verbs o f action. Analyze your story. Every well-formed story should have one theme around which all the action centers. Form an action framework, then start the filling-in process. To know your story is of primary importance. IT MUST BE FELT To feel your story is absolutely essential in successful story-telling, particularly in telling Bible stories. W e have been con sidering how to get the story, now let the story “get” you. The story must be made a personal narrative. Children soon detect if it is not real to the teller. Never tell a story that you do not feel. You must have seen, acted and felt before your hear ers can be made to see, act, feel. Before the Lord allowed Ezekiel to prophesy to Israel, Ezekiel had to lie on his right side three hundred and ninety days for' the iniquity o f the house o f Israel and forty days more for the house o f Judah. Ezekiel had abundant opportunity for realizing, feeling the import o f his message as he lay without turning from one side to the other all those days. God knew the value o f a prophet who really “ felt” his message. Let the story become a part o f your life. See it, live in it. Forgetfulness o f self in feel ing the story is just as essential as a thor ough knowledge o f the story itself. The old adage “practice makes perfect” unquestionably holds true with reference to story-telling. Rehearsing the story aloud again and again develops skill. One prom inent story-teller is said to have had a doll audience, and her stories were repeated over and over to these "make-believe” children. Practice familiarizes with the story, adds impressiveness and overcomes
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self-consciousness as, nothing else will, Practice is the chief secret o f success. Preparing the children for the story deserves considerable attention, for much depends upon the way they are arranged and managed. They must be seated so as to be within direct range o f the story teller’ s eye. A semi-circle is the - best arrangement for a small group o f children. But the story-teller must be seated at a sufficient distance in front o f the circle to give'personal attention to every child. A little boy was seated at the rear o f the room while a story was being told, and although he could hear every word, he called out as the story was finished, “ Now tell it to me." He had not been within range o f the story teller’s eye. Never allow interruptions to break into the, spell. No matter how Mary or John nie may be squirming, never call attention to the fact. I f you are telling a good story well, children cannot help listening. No child is “ a conscientious l i s t e n e r h e lis tens for love o f the story and will do some thing Hse if he isn’t interested. In getting the story before the children much also depends on the approach. The minds o f the children must be prepared, made ready to understand the story. Inter est must be awakened. Especially in Bible stories will one need to connect the story with something already within the child’s interests. For instance, in telling the story o f Joseph, most children would not under stand why a boy would like a “coat o f many Colors,’’ yet their interest would be easily obtained were they told in a few words about the coats boys wore in those days- long ago. THE REQUISITES Knowing your story, being enthusiastic ally in the right mood, having your hearers well arranged, begin to tell it. Some of the requisites for its successful telling may be considered now. Simplicity is essential. There must be simplicity o f “manner as well as matter.” The language must be easily understood by the youngest child.
Amusing consequences have followed the use o f large words. A little girl, crying for more jam, finally sobbed out, “I don’t care, I just wish I’d die.” “Why, my dear,” said her mother, “ why do you wish that?” “ Cause,” answered the child, “ I’ d get all the sweet things I want in heaven.” , “Who told you that?” inquired the mother. “ You taught it to me out o f a little blue book, mother,” was the answer. The little girl insisted and finally in the little' book, “ The Catechism,” the mother read “Why do men love God?” and the answer, “ Because fie makes, preserves and keeps them.” So special care needs to be taken in telling the story simply. Then there must be directness—direct discourse should be used whenever possible. This is one o f the tricks o f the art. Instead o f telling about what the characters say, have them say it. “Let what he did tell what he was.” Brevity must take the place o f “long-winded” details, and descriptions and explanations must be avoided. Memory can remind us o f the days when in reading a book, we “skipped over” the portions dealing with descriptions and explanations, in order that we might get into the direct action o f the story. A very bad tendency, especially among amateur Bible story-tell ers, is moralizing. This must be guarded against. Let the story be direct enough to . convey its own truths. There must also be directness in the logical sequence o f the action. One thing must follow another in order, naturally. Some one has said that the teller o f a story does not need to use as many words as a writer, because the one who tells a story has the face, voice and body to help picture it. T o give a vivid picture, the story must be told with feeling, dramatic ally. To tell it dramatically does not mean to act it out, but to-arouse the imagination o f your, hearers sufficiently to cause them to picture the scenes for themselves. This depends, on one’s own ability or imagina tion, to see what you say. Some conscientious story-tellers will need
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