261
August, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
ofiL OXFORD GROUP Q
i f t G r illed cJiudy
B y HELEN HOPKINS Los Angeles,‘California
to the physical part of human make-up. The influence of Christian Science over men is in large part attributable to a unified system of teaching, which furnishes one with a sense o f completeness and positive assurance. Such expres sions as “ surrender,” “ sharing,” “ being used,” “ witness ing.” “ guided,” “ changed,” “ quiet times,” and “ restitution” characterized the speech o f the members o f the Oxford Group. They themselves were designated as “ life changers,” In the meeting that I attended, the spiritual experience of the individual was clothed outwardly in language which eliminated the necessity for mentioning the names o f God, our Saviour Jesus Christ,'or the Holy Spirit, and all of the members fell into this pitfall. The silencing o f lips to these holy names is a victory for Satan. I t serves to blight our worship and close communion with God. It became evident that this new medium for exchange o f words made for a much freer and easier speech, and was
h ile in attendance at the California State Medical Meetings at Del Monte recently, the writer had the priv ilege of spending some time at Asilomar, where the O x ford Group was terminating what was considered to be a very successful “ house party.” The afternoon meeting was conducted by one o f the official itinerate “ team” and was given over to a discussion o f the working principles of the group for preparation o f members who expected to return to their respective communities to carry on the work. Emphasis was given to the fact that the movement had no creed, no organiza tion, and no church affiliation. Nothing that was said could have been construed with offense toward any o f the exist ing religious groups o f the present day. The Oxford Group principles were broad enough to unite Catholicism, Protes tantism, and Christian Science into one living body, The whole plan centered in the individual, his mode o f living,
convenient for those who had not g o n e deeply into Christian experience and who retained a c e r t a i n timidity for mention ing the name o f Jesus Christ. This timidity has always been a suc cessful tool in Satan’s hands, effectively in hibiting the spread o f the gospel and pre venting fruitful ex pression among be lievers. T he S in Q uestion The quality of the testimonies was unex pected, the main pur pose being to make restitution by confes sion o f sin publicly. Many o f the testimon ies proved to be very
and his reactions to a few persons in his im mediate environment. Pride resulted f r o m the fact that this new movement had appar ently stirred up inter est a n d enthusiasm among educated and affluent g r ou p s par ticularly. P rinciples at V ariance A moment o f re flection will bring the realization that these principles are at va riance with those laid down by our L o r d Jesus Christ. The way to salvation is narrow, according to G o d ’s Word. Entrance into the believer’s glorious inheritance may be ac
THE W OR LD ’S RELIGIONS B y P aul H utchens The world’s religions are man’s unavailing search To find the way to life, to peace, and sins forgiven; _ But Christianity is God in Christ made known And giving unto us eternal life and heaven. The world’s religions are the best that man can do To grasp and to explain the mysteries o f God; But Christianity, far diff’rent from them all, Is God revealed within the pages o f His Word. The world’s religions do not satisfy the soul; Their temporary anodynes fo r acts o f sin But leave the heart still hungry and in dark despair, But oh, when Christ is known! What wondrous peace within! The world’s religions bid us work and run life’s race, That in the end salvation’s bliss we may obtain; But those who know the Christ, e’en now are saved by grace And show good works while waiting till H e comes again.
amusing to the other members o f the group. The point was brought out by the leader that unless one confesses sin in the open and makes things right with the offended one, forgiveness is not available. No cognizance was given of the fact that we as human creatures are unable to realize or evaluate the far-reaching seriousness o f our sins, and are completely unable to establish restitution through any act o f our own. No mention was made of the redeeming power o f the blood of Jesus Christ, no mention o f the cross on Calvary. The'scriptural fact was lost to sight that man’s sinful state is o f such a degree as to require the sacrifice o f God Himself for its atonement. P sychological F oundation The appeal o f the Oxford Group is based upon well- established psychological principles and possesses surpas sing'human quality. In the first place, the individual o f the
complished only through the saving power o f the shed blood o f Jesus Christ. This door may not be extended to include systems o f teaching which do not give first place to the vicarious atonement of the Saviour. Furthermore, the appeal o f the group to individuals o f the higher walks of life does not have commendatory value, but is decidedly against the movement considered in the light of the Bible. S ign ificant U se and O mission of T erms The popularization of the Oxford Group movement has been furthered through the device o f a new and more or less rigid terminology with a collegiate flavor. Self- confidence and reassuring strength are to be derived from concerted effort o f this sort to establish a uniform code o f speech and action. The old adage that “ there is strength in numbers” is even more applicable to the mental than
*Written by a Christian Doctor o f Medicine.
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