SET THE SAILS When Hudson Taylor first went to China, it was in the early 1800’s. He had to travel on one of those old-time sailing vessels. Near calamity befell the ship, however, when it neared the shores of the Cannibal Islands. There was abso lutely no wind and the water current was carrying the boat toward the shore where vicious savages were waiting to kill and to plunder. Desperately, the cap tain came to Mr. Taylor urging him to pray for God’s help. Calmly the new mis sionary smiled and replied confidently, “I will, sir, providing you have your sailors set the sails to catch the breeze God will send.” The captain replied, “In a time like this do you expect me to make myself a laughing stock? I can’t unfurl the sheets in a dead calm.” Mr. Taylor commented, "Then, I can’t pray for the vessel. It would be impossible unless you will prepare the sails." The captain saw he meant what he said, and hurried off to get the sails dozen and properly rigged. A short while later, the missionary was still on his knees. A knock came at his door. Excitedly the captain inquired, ‘Are you still praying for wind? I f so, you’d better stop. God has sent us about all we can manage I” A scarce 100 yards from shore, a strong wind had hit the sails from out of no where. All of the passengers were saved. Similarly, the soul must set its sails for God’s refreshing and reviving winds. We have to believe that the Lord is going to do that which is “exceeding, abun dantly above all that we can ask or think." This is what it means to pray in the Spirit. We must believe that prayer works, because God works through prayer. * * * It all depends on your outlook: you can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses. THE MINISTER'S WI f I "A preacher's wife is a superhuman being who can teach a Sunday school class, play the piano, direct vacation Bible school, use a typewriter, dress well on practically nothing, arrange bouquets, plan showers and picnics, make calls with her husband, direct the Christmas program, be president of the women’s missionary society, entertain evangelists, answer the phone and door bell from sun rise to midnight, be a good housekeeper and raise well - behaved, well - adjusted children.”
CLEAN HANDS Salesmen will generally recognize the value of good grooming. One who special izes in jewelry suggests that he has to be particularly conscious of this since people look at his hands first of all. To show a potential customer a choice pearl or a rare diamond zoith soiled hands is repulsive and unthinkable. We are training these Biola young people so that they, zoith clean hands, may hold forth to the world the pre cious jewel of eternal life. * * * Delayed obedience is the brother of dis obedience. * * * CHURCH BUSINESS It was Henry Ford who was credited with the statement that he was sure the church must be a divine institution “be cause any other organization following similar business procedure would have been bankrupt long before.” He may have .been right in some isolated cases, and if so these problems need correcting. The Lord tells us that all things should be done decently and in order. Interest ingly enough, and contrary to Mr. Ford’s declaration, recent statistics show that there are 2600 business failures for every church forced to close its doors due to mismanagement of funds. We thank God for the dedicated deacons who are minding God’s earthly affairs. Yet mere financial solvency is not the acme of good stewardship. The church is a place where God’s Word is faithfully pro claimed, it is not just a storehouse for fund raising. Unfortunate reproach has been heaped upon the church, sometimes as a result of the actions by its official representatives. Deacons must be care fully chosen. They carry a heavy burden of responsibility and need our continued prayers. The church is not a dormitory but a work shop where those who labor most shall be entitled to the greatest eternal reward. F. B. Anderson has written: You vowed to serve Christ, And men know that you did, They’re watching the things that you do; There isn’t an action of yours that is hid, Men are watching and studying you. * * * The measure of a man is not the number of servants he has, but the number of peo ple whom he serves. 10
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