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T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
June 1924
blinded. Our hearts are hard. We need to confess our sin. We need to abandon ourselves to the Holy Spirit —surrender our wills. We need to place ourselves upon His altar. We need to visualize the awfulness of sin, the burdens and sorrows of the sinners. We need to look straight at the Scriptures which describe the horrors of eternal punishment, and abandon ourselves to the work so graciously committed to us, that which brings the greatest possible satisfaction,—the bring ing of men, women and children to Christ. THE STATISTICAL STATEMENT The inside front cover of this issue conveys a brief survey of the practical work done in 1923 through the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Look for a moment at some of the aggregate results: Personal interviews with people concerning their soul’s salvation .......... ............ J — .................. 60,361 Visits made......................................................... 43,845 Bibles, Testaments and Gospels given away...... 40,051 Other Christian literature (including tracts) distributed ..........„............ ..................... 399,280 Backsliders restored ...,....................................... 294 Professed conversions ............,......................... . 6,926 Then think of the multiplied service accomplished in other lines,—for instance the hundreds of students who were being trained for Christian work in an atmos phere of devotion to Christ in service. If there is joy in heaven, over one soul saved, then the joy bells must be ringing every hour of every day and night, for our workers and students are in almost every field in the world. If you have contributed by prayer or gifts to make this possible, then you have a share in the results and in the rewards. If you have not had a share, we plead for your fellowship. You must invest some of your funds for God somewhere. Can you find a better place? We seek to make every gift bring good returns. Please re'member us. WHOSE EXAMPLE FOLLOW! Dr. T. C. Horton, Supt. Bible Inst., of Los Angeles, 536-558 South Hope St., Los Angeles, Cal. Dear Sir: Realizing the great help afforded by the comments in The King’s Business on the les sons of The Whole Bible Sunday School Lesson Course, we are desirous that every teacher in our Sunday School get the benefit of them. We are particularly anxious that each indi vidual teacher may know how much this ex position of the lesson will mean to him and to his class. Therefore, we are enclosing list of all our teachers who are not already subscribers to The King’s Business and ask that you send it to them for three months in order that they may see just what it is and how much they need it, and would benefit by it. Kindly send the bill to “ The First Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas.” Thanking you for your kindness, I am Yours in Christ, G. B. VICK.
You and I and his other friends stand expectantly as if we hoped him to smile in recognition. But he is not looking at us. His eyes are fixed on space. He is thinking, no doubt, of th e g reat in stitu tion which is his own unaided Creation. His mind is filled w ith memories and his soul w ith faith. “Let us respect his privacy and go our several ways, leaving him standing where th e sculptor has placed him, secure of his position, in the center of th e city and in the h earts of his fellow-citizens. As we go homeward, let us remember th a t this is Thanksgiving Day, and th a t among the many things for which we have to be th ank fu l are these th ree: T h at th is man lived, th a t we knew him, and th a t th is enduring monument will perpetuate hiS memory for the upbuilding and enrichm ent of Philadelphia.” SOUL SAVING BY SOUL SACRIFICING The saving of souls is the crux of the commission to the church. It was the command of the Lord Jesus. It has never changed. The center of every message of the preacher should be the unchanging obligation of every believer to be a soul-winner. If it is said that sermons are for the purpose of “ building up the saints in the faith,”—then the ques tion is pertinent, “ Why build them up in the faith if they are not to use their faith in being faithful to the command of the Commander?” If the purpose of the sermon is to enlighten the saints concerning the great truths of the Word of God, of what use is the enlightenment if it is not passed on? Every Christian becomes more responsible after hearing a Bible message. “ Use o r’lose” is the un changing law of God. Church statistics are startling when honestly analyzed. How many church members, think you, does it take to win a soul, according to the records ? There can be no soul-saving without soul-sacrificing. Soul saving is not a holiday affair. It is rather a “ holy-day sacrifice.” , We are wanting to win men without working for men. We are glad to see them saved, but are not coveting the privilege of being the channel through which their salvation shall come. There must be soul sorrow for the lost. The Saviour prayer with strong crying and tears. Dr. Jowett once said, ‘‘The Gospel of a bleeding heart demands the ministry of bleeding hearts. As soon as we cease to bleed we cease to bless.” Paul’s heart-cry has been coming down the centuries, “ I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart, for I could wish that I were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” We pity the people that are poor. We are glad to minister to them. A great disaster, accompanied by severe loss of life, gives us sorrow. We seek to sympa thize with those who are suffering and may make some contribution to supply their need. But the souls of those around us,—thousands of them—do not seem to have any appeal to our hearts. We profess to be Chris tians; followers of the meek and lowly Christ. We may be true to the Fundamentals,—and thank God for that, but we are not true to Christ, we are not true to the Word of God, if we are not burdened for lost souls. What is the remedy ? What do we need ? What will help us? Acknowledge our sin. We are violators of the principals of our faith. We hurt the heart of Christ. We lack love. We are selfish. Our eyes are
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