May, 1934
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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year I have treated twelve boys under six teen for heart disease brought on by the use of cigarettes.”—B oltwood , in Pelou- bet’s Notes. IY. A T rust Many of us treat our bodies as we would not treat our automobiles. We “race the engine,” give it the wrong fuel, overwork it, abuse it, and yet expect that it will run smoothly without a murmur. We are stewards of our bodies and minds. They are to be used for God. If we pamper them, or waste their powers, we must give an account.— A n d e r s o n . V. T erse T ruths 1. Every day a man goes to. work with his body in a disordered condition, his value falls as stocks fall in a panic.—S elected . 2 . We must make our body obey us. Some have tried to ignore it; others have put it on a throne. Both are wrong. The spirit must be supreme and make the body obey. —H ough . 3. The body is a means to an end, an instru ment for the soul. But.no musician can play well on a broken instrument. —A nderson . 4. You can get along with a wooden leg, but you can’t get along with a wooden head. It is the brain that counts. But in order that the brain may be kept clear, you must keep your body fit and well. That cannot be done if one drinks liquor. —C harles M ayo . JUNE 17, 1934 What Do We Mean by Having the Mind of Christ? P hilippians 2 :5-8 Suggestions for th e M eeting Hymn—“My Jesus, I Love-Thee.” Prayer. Hymn—“Jesus Calls Us, O’er the Tumult.” Scripture, in concert. Hymn—“Where He Leads Me.” Leader’s Message. Testimonies. Quiet Hour. Hymn—“Take Time to Be Holy.” Benediction—Psalm 19:14. M editation on th e Lesson This wonderful passage, which portrays, in a most vivid way, the sevenfold humilia tion of our adorable Lord, comes as a challenge to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Christ, who is now exalted and has a name which is above every name, is blessedly before? us in these verses. We see Him as He took step after step, each one going deeper and deeper till they reached the cross—the depth of depths. Let us reverently walk down these steps with Him. At the beginning, we see Him in His perfect deity—“being in the form of God.” We know that He was very .God of very God. He so declared Himself in that matchless statement: “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). We read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). What glory was His! He voluntarily gave up this glory, however, and we read that He “made himself of no reputation” ; that is, He “emptied him self” (R.V.). John 17:5 shows what is meant by this statement. The Lord Jesus
by bringing Daniel “into favor and tender love” with this officer of the court. Daniel approached Melzar, “whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,” and asked that for a period of ten days he and his friends might be served only pulse and water. The word translated “pulse” comes from the Hebrew word meaning “some thing sown.” At the end of this period of testing, Melzar was to judge whether these four young men, or those who ate “of the king’s dainties,” appeared to be in better health. The result was a triumph. When Melzar examined the four at the end of the ten days, “their countenances appeared fairer, and fatter in flesh, than all the youths that did eat of the king’s dainties” (Dan. 1:15, R.V.). There are scientific reasons why this simple fare should be more favorable to health and beauty than the rich food from which the young men abstained. We cannot fail to see, however, that the Lord bestowed His blessing upon their sincere and faithful purpose. Moreover, He did “exceeding abundantly” by giving them greater spiritual gifts. “As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom” (Dan. 1:17, R.V.). There is a curious little spider in South America that has a home under the water. It forms a bubble about itself, in which, like a diving bell, it sinks to the bottom, and will remain there for hours, living below, yet breathing the air of the world above. When it returns to the surface, it is found to be perfectly dry, not the slight est moisture having penetrated the atmos phere in which it lived. Even so we may live in the world, breathing the air of heaven (Col. 3:1, 2) and keeping our gar ments undefiled (Rev. 3 :4 ), keeping our selves unspotted from the world (Jas. 1 :27).—P ickering . II. L ife ’ s T raining R ules The athlete must not break training rules. . . . The sprinter who takes a convivial glass of wine breaks no record. His record breaks him. Some day we shall realize that the game of life is more stren uous than the game of football, more in tricate than pitching curves. We shall keep in trim for it. We must remember training rules. The rules that win the foot ball game are good also for. success in business. Half the strength of young America is wasted in the dissipation oi drinking or smoking. If we keep the train ing rules of life in literal honesty, we shall win a host of prizes that otherwise we would lose. Final success goes to the few who through life keep mind and soul and body clean.—D. S. J ordan . III. T he S ubtle E nemy Tobacco is an enemy of the body. Of all forms of the use of tobacco, the cigar ette seems best adapted to lead up to the formation of an uncontrollable appetite. A boy who has become thoroughly nauseated over his first pipe or chew of tobacco often refuses to go further. But the cheap little cigarette gives him so little discomfort that he is encouraged to try again; and often, before he realizes it, the appetite is formed and the habit is beyond his control. “I firmly believe,” said a prominent physician, “that the cigarette is an invention of the devil to kill off young America. This Leader’s Helps I. S eparation
JUNE 10, 1934 A Christian’s Duty Toward His Body D aniel 1 :15, 16 Suggestions for th e M eeting Hymn—“Give of Your Best to the Mas ter.” Hymn—“I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go.” Prayer. Scripture. Duet—“Dare to Be a Daniel.” Leader’s Message. Discussion led by three previously ap pointed speakers, using the following questions: 1. From principles taught in Scripture, what abuse of the body would be regarded as sin? 2. What valuation does the Scripture place upon the body (1 Cor. 6:19, 20)? 3. What should be the Christian’s motive for keeping his body at its best (1 Cor. 9: 24-27)? Quiet Hour. M editation on th e Lesson This fascinating account of. the way in which four Hebrew young men remained true to God and conscience is one of the most compelling of all the Bible stories. It remains still a classic on complete separa tion from the world and on absolute obe dience and loyalty to God. Daniel and his three companions were not the only Hebrew young men in Babylon at this time, but they were the only ones with such tender consciences that they could not obey the command to eat food connect ed with evil or doubtful practices. What a temptation it must have been to these Jew ish boys to partake of the sumptuous food offered them from the king’s kitchen! But there were several reasons why they must not, if they were to remain true to Je hovah. In the first place, the meals served might include such food as swine or hares, which the law forbade, calling them unclean. But even if only lawful kinds of meat should be served, the law required that the animals be properly bled. It was accounted unlaw ful for a Hebrew to eat of any animal that he did not know to have been slaughtered in the prescribed way. Still further, there was the difficulty that arose because of the fact that most heathen peoples had the custom of making an obla tion to their gods, as an act of gratitude to them for the good gifts which were en joyed. This sacrifice was really a thank offering to those that were no gods, ascrib ing to them the honor due only to the one Lord of heaven and earth. Others in hea then nations went even further; they ac tually used for food animals that had been offered in sacrifice to their gods. No con scientious Hebrew could ally himself with these practices. What a difficult situation the four young men faced! To disobey flatly would not be wise; to compromise would be weak ness—such disloyalty to God as would per manently injure their testimony before others. But to Daniel, who took the lead, God had given both courage and wisdom. Dan iel knew that he and his companions must act and act quickly. First, he "purposed in his heart that he would not defile him self.” And what unusual wisdom he used in obtaining his desires 1 He went at once to headquarters—to the prince of the eunuchs. God had already paved the way Hymn—“Higher Ground.” Benediction—Jude 24, 25.
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