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TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
May 1925
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T h e G round of Thanksg iv ing Dr. W. B. Riley Address Delivered on Eighteenth Anniversary of Bible Institute of Dos Angeles, February 15th, 1925, Los Angeles, California
It is a great joy to every lover of the truth to know that that valiant defender of the faith, Dr. W. B. Riley, has been restored to com plete health, and that he spoke from his own pulpit on the occasion of the Twenty Eighth Anniversary of his pastorate with the First Baptist Church of Minneapolis. We quote from the church calendar: .“It is with great rejoicing and thankful ness to God, that we welcome hack our beloved Pastor today. From the moment he was stricken last July to the present hour the hearts of all his people here, and of his host of friends the country over, have been greatly moved, first with sorrow and anxiety as the word of his serious illness came from his bed side, and later with joy and praise as the news came of his return gradually but surely to his old time health and vigor. None of us doubts that he is here this morning as a>
made good that promise to me, until in every pulpit appearance I have depended upon it, and not being disappointed, it has grown in sweetness and support. When I have sinned, I have remembered the word, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us’ from all unrighteousness,” and through that promise I have enjoyed the sense of pardon' and its consequent peace; and so at many other points of living, the Word has come to strengthen and confirm my faith. I have a great and good friend, a brother minister, • admired and beloved, who has
recently published a book on “The Ten Great Chapters of the Bible”— Genesis 1; Exodus 20; Leviticus 16; Isaia,h 53; Luke 15; John 14; Acts 2; Hebrews 11; 1 Corinthians 15, and Revelation 21. To a great extent I Concur in his selection, but if I were producing a book upon the same subject now, I would be compelled to give prominent place to another chapter, which was held in esteem in the days of health, but which became my support, my life-buoy, in the days of my serious illness, and the far more difficult days of convalescence; a chapter that I shall recommend hereafter to people whose nerves have collapsed and whose spirits are in consequent despair, the 103rd Psalm. My wife, the nurse at my bedside and the friends who came to call, at my request read this chapter over and over again during those dark days, and it was to me light and life and hope. It is hatural, therefore, that on this great day I should speak to you concerning that which then meant so much to me! Now let me present this Psalm under these heads: “The Ground of Thanksgiving,” “The Grace of Our God,” and “The Great Oratorio.” THE GROUND OF THANKSGIVING We have in the opening verses of this chapter the Psalm ist’s burst of praise upon the memory of benefits, which increases as he takes account of the budget of mercies. 1. The Burst of Praise! “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name.” . It is commonly supposed that the world was sadly lacking in joy and rejoicing back of the time of our Lord’s advent, but not so with those who by faith beheld Him afar; and certainly David was among them, probably chief among them. That may account for the fact that he became Israel’s sweetest singer, for, after all, the most pleasing music is generally jubilant. .(Continued on page 228)
direct and certain answer to the prayers of the hundreds who love him, and for this reason we can only give our Lord the glory that He has spared to us our great leader.” During Dr. Riley’s connection with the First Baptist Church the Sunday School has grown from a few hundred to nearly 2,000, and there have been 5450 accessions to the church. The Northwestern Bible School, founded by Dr. Riley, has grown to a school of 200 students and a faculty of twenty-five. Dr. Riley’s leadership in Bible Conference work has fostered a nation-wide movement—-The Christian Fundamentals Association— of which he is Executive Secre tary, and through his printed sermons, magazines and books, his ministry is greatly multiplied. Dr. Riley came to California to convalesce, and recovered so rapidly that he was able to respond to many .calls for service, one of which was to deliver the address at the Eighteenth Anniversary of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, February 15, 1925. It was peculiarly fitting that this should be so, inasmuch as Dr. Riley was the speaker, also, on the occasion of the formal opening of the Institute Auditorium on Easter Sunday afternoon, 1915. The leading features of his message are given herewith. OR long I have listened to people talk of their favorite chapters or texts, but have not, until now, fully sympathized with them. Certain Scriptures have become dear to me because of my need, and I have leaned upon them. For instance, the word of the Lord Jesus, “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” When I was ready to preach, it was an inspiration and a joy to recall the gracious promise found in Isaiah, “As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and return- eth not thither, but watereth the qarth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God has again and again
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