54
February 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
I With all this abundant and conclusive evidence at hand, one wonders why the destructive critics have not acknowledged their error. Perhaps it is too much to expect. —o— Is The World Going Red? A SERMON by Dr. John F. Fraser appears in the Watchman-Examiner of recent date using the theme, “Faith on the Earth or Is the World Going Red ?” It gives a very fair and comprehensive survey of the situation con fronting the church in the present day. It is not pessimis tic; neither does it conceal alarming facts. It begins with a familiar quotation from Gilbert K. Chesterton who, when asked if he thought Christianity had been benefited by the World War, replied: “Christianity is fighting for its life; it thrives on persecution.” When.asked if Chris tianity should not therefore flourish in Russia, where it is facing fire and sword, he replied: “You can drive re ligion under ground, but you cannot destroy it; Chris tianity was never stronger than in the catacombs.” Dr. Fraser takes exception to Mr. Chesterton’s ob servation, for, he says: “It is not fire and sword that en danger Christianity in Russia. It is, rather, an atheistic system of education.” It is sometimes forgotten that the real danger to the Christian church in the world today is in the world-wide spread of the conditions that prevail in Soviet Russia. True, it has not yet come to pass that other national gov ernments are controlled by atheists and have as their one great aim the destruction of the knowledge of God. But the cunning method being pursued in Russia, that of des troying Christianity by the wide diffusion of rationalistic learning, has spread to all lands. In a survey of the conditions confronting the church in our own land, Dr. Fraser finds little to encourage or to cheer in any circle. Concerning the realm of science,' he quotes Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn, an eminent scien tist but one who is not looked upon generally as an ortho dox Christian teacher, who says: “The contest of theol ogy with science has been fatal to the Christian code of morals . . . The revolution is sweeping with tremendous force among the young, and their moral sense is lost.” A teacher of philosophy in an American university is quoted as saying: “It is unusual to find a group of univer sity students in which the majority believe in a personal God . . . The rising tide of doubt is too evident to be ig nored.” In the field of journalism, matters are no better. Pop ular writers like Professor Harry Elmer Barnes, who “leaves man without a single star of hope beyond his little day,” like Walter Lippmann, the humanist, who renounc es religious standards of morals and finds none better, like Clarence Darrow, notorious infidel, who delights in his public denials of God and his attacks on constitutional law—these and others like them have a wide hearing and a far greater influence than many imagine. The search for religious faith in the realm of public education is no more encouraging. Dr. Fraser says: When we review the theories in educational method and look to the most prominent of our colleges in teach er training, we are inclined to suspect that the tree of knowledge is Red to the roots, and that seeds of an archy are being sown in our American schools. The whole method of education is designed to train the mind of youth in habits of skepticism. . . . Surely it is time to awake when so reliable a writer as Dr. William McDougall, of Duke University, states: “Never before the present century has sheer dogmatic materialism been
propagated by a vast system of public instruction and by universities of the highest standing, counting their stu dents by tens of thousands.” Professor McDougall is speaking of behaviorism, which is atheistic to the core, and he declares that the educational policy of our country is increasingly moulded by this theory. The time was, says Dr. Fraser, when the Christian minister “could defend his doctrine . . . behind the ram parts of revealed religion.” And, further, he could con tend “for the validity of an experience of the divine Spirit in his own life.” That refuge is no longer allowed him. Dr. Fraser says: Now comes into the field a youthful psychology to discredit the reality of the inward experience and re fute the believer’s awareness of God. Psychology does not attack religion with a sword; it approaches religion with a smile, and with the uplifted brow. It does not persecute religion; it examines, analyzes, and tells you how it all happens. These points are well taken by the preacher. We are not in the days of the catacombs. But we seem to be drawing near.to the days of the Antichrist. Every fun damental truth of Christianity is not only denied but is derided by skillful skeptics who have the ear of the pub lic. If human society is to endure, what remedy can be found, other than a real revival? It must be that or the coming of Christ to overthrow Antichrist and his host. Biola in China A FEW months ago, civil strife in China threatened to destroy missionary work or to greatly retard it. By the mercy of God, the valuable plant of Biola in Chang sha, Hunan Province, was spared from destruction at the hands of the communists. Our readers have been advised more recently that the Bible Institute has resumed its sessions, and that all of the evangelistic bands are out in the field. The latest word from Dr. Frank A. Keller, sup erintendent, written under date of December 12, 1930, is most cheering. He says: “God is filling our hearts with joy every day. The work along all lines was never more prosperous. We praise Him constantly for all His mer cies.” This brief word will be sufficient to call forth genuine thanksgiving to God and continued fervent prayer that the witness of Biola in China may be increasingly fruitful. Evangelical Students Convention T HE sixth annual convention of the League of Evan gelical Students will be held in Philadelphia, Febru ary 13 to 15, 1931. The League chapters of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, University of Pennsylvan ia, Reformed Episcopal Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary will be the hosts. Among the prom inent speakers at the convention will be: Dr. James M. Gray, President of Moody Bible Institute; Dr. Samuel G. Craig, Editor of Christianity Today; Dr. Harold Paul Sloan, Editor of Christian Faith and Life; Rev. R. B. Kuiper, President of Calvin College; and Dr. Robert H. Glover, Home Director of the China Inland Mission. Delegates from the thirty organized League groups are expected, some of them coming from points as far dis tant as Texas and Arkansas. —o— Note the special premium offer to new subscribers, on page 64; also to clubs of short term subscriptions, on page 75. Regular club rate, without premiums, 10 subscrip tions (U. S.) for $10.00.
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