T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S R I A L L Y
Summer Camps O NE of the encouraging move o f our country young people are gath ering in the mountains and by the seashore, for a time of physical relax ation and spiritual refreshment. As a general rule, this summer camp movement has been one with empha sis upon spiritual things, and statis tics testify to the high percentage of young people who find Christ in these camps and either immediately or subsequently make a dedication of life. The reason behind the rather amazing (spiritually speaking) suc cess of these gatherings is simple enough. Young people are taken from the home environment and from associa tion with a preponderance of non- Christians, into a situation where the greater number of delegates have found Christ as Saviour. Also, in ad dition to constant study of the Word of God, there' is the influence of God’s wonders in nature. Young people are encouraged to think how great must be the God who has brought into being the world and all that is therein. Generally speaking, young folks need little or no encouragement to enroll in a summer camp. The only hindrance seems to be lack of financial assistance in some cases, and organizers to handle the details of transportation and discipline. The re sults of these camps are very good and extremely gratifying. They are being used of God, not only in the life of the individual, but in the life of the church, and are helpful to the cause of Christ at large. ★ ★ Second Syllable The meaning of the word “ Protest antism” is, as everyone knows, an attitude expressing opposition to the doctrines promulgated by the Roman Catholic Church. Reformation history is replete with stirring details of men who dared to oppose what they knew to be wrong. Strong voices were raised against the abuses, both moral and theological, of that day, even though such opposition led to im prisonment, deprivation, torture and death. The results of such protesting are seen today in the blessings and benefits of religious liberty. However, we stand in need of a new birth of Protestantism—a new
birth with the emphasis on the second syllable. Too many of us have lost sight of the principles upon which our nation was built. Too many are forgetting that liberty can only be maintained at the price of constant vigilance and continuous protestation. This is a day of softening of convic tions—more backbone Is needed. We need again the spirit of inquiry—the examination of doctrines. Let us not think for one minute that the atti tude of either the world, or of re ligious oppressors, has changed. God gave us a new birth of Protestantism with emphasis on the second syllable! i t ★ The President’s Appeal Practically the first request of President Truman upon assumption of his high office was a prayer for wisdom. According to the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Grand view, Missouri, where Mr. Truman is a member, he is in very good stand ing in his church. When the Presi dent was a Senator, he was regular in attendance with the group that met for prayer in he Senate. Certainly his appeal for prayer should not be forgotten very soon; it should chal lenge Christians faithfully to mention his name before the Throne of Grace. ★ ★ Blood Donors An interesting story concerns a res ident of Alhambra; California, who gave a pint of blood to the Red Cross blood bank late last year The young soldier, whose life had been saved through her blood, telephoned her re cently. He was given the opportunity to meet this blood donor and to ex press to her his deep appreciation for the gift which saved his life. A ll of which reminds u~ that some day it w ill be the priceless privilege of every child of God to look upon the face of the greatest blood donor of all time, the Lofd Jesus and to express thanksgiving to Him for the gift of all gifts which washed away sin and gave life everlasting. ★ ★ Generous Advertising Some fine publicity has been given to the Los Angeles Saturday Night Youth Jubilee by one of the local papers, The Examiner. When ques tioned about it, the City Editor de clared that for the past three years
The Examiner has been seeking for the best answer to the problem of juvenile delinquency, and that after careful examination, he is thoroughly satisfied that this movement is it. He agrees with us that the Bible, the missionary challenge, and especially the Lord Jesus Christ, are the com plete solution, to this problem. ★ At Encouraging Trend One of the late Gallup Polls shows a definite shifting of sentiment to ward the Dry Cause. The percentage today, according to the Chicago Daily News, is 37% in favor of prohibition as compared with 34% a year ago, and 30% ten years ago. A surpris ingly large number of communities in the United States have gone dry by local option vote. The poll also in dicates by their votes that women are more in favor of prohibition than are the men. ★ ★ Travel Regulations An odd quirk in the regulations of O.D.T. is that you may travel to your heart’s content if your objective is pleasure, but you are banned from traveling if you have religious work in mind. In spite of many petitions, there has been no lifting of the ban on religious gatherings. The discrim ination is made more apparent when one, leaving his office in downtown Los Angeles in the late evening, meets the tremendous stream of traf fic returning from the horse races at Santa Anita Park. ★ ★ Church History in the Making L ife magazine of July 2 relates the election and crowning of Alexei, the thirteenth patriarch of the czars’ own Holy Orthodox Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Church. Since the patriarch was blessed by a Communist official, this is a significant step toward rec ognition of organized religion on the part of the Soviets. Two things men tioned in this article w ill interest all Christians: that Alexei reads the Eng lish Bible, and that the Moscow patri archate has offered to restore to its fold the American Russian Orthodox Church with which it severed relations in ,1934, on the condition that it “ abstain from political activities in the USSR.” Let us keep on praying for complete religious freedom in Russia.
ments in today’s youth picture is that of the wide-spread sum mer camp movement. In all sections
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