which cometh out o f the m defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples unto himJGiaKest thou Phai e wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, O f a truth thou art the Son o f God. 34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land o f Gen- nes-%-ret. 35 And when the men o f that place had knowledge o f him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem o f his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were o f Jeru salem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition o f the elders ? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment o f God by your tra dition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be pro fited by me; 6 And honour not his fathe' or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment o f God o f none effect by your tradition. C H A P T E R 15 T h e n Mk.7.17.15 36 ch. 9. 20. ear s best In a light- weighl hand-size Bible with to-read print. 1 to ver. 28, Mk. 7. 1-30. Jas. 3.6.18 vitr Mk. 7. 20 2,5. 4 Ex. 20.12. Ex. 21. 17. Mk. 3. 8 21 & 7. 31; Lk. 6. 17. 20 A ctual-size specim en o f prin t King James Version with com plete helps: Black, easy-to-read Concord print * References C o t o r i | | e ^apelf-pronouncing *' Glossary Other ^styles o f binding: 26XD2 Morocco 26X1)3 Hand-grained Morocco, .,, I .leather lined 26XE4 Pin-seal- leather lined Red-Lfetter Editions: 26XRL Mdrboeo 36XR1. Pirt^rain Morocco, leaSbehlined $ 15.50 19.50 30.00 $ 16.50 . 24,00 8 Beautiful colored maps * -Gazetteer Presentation page | Family record LuXury hand-bidding o f remarkably flexible French Morocco leather 1 Thin, strong India paper vtpR23-karat gold edging * Light in weight, easy to handl<||* ^¡eighs only 24 ounces [Name hgpf|itec w& BBR BIOL.A B O O K R O O M , 560 South Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif. Â O R D E R N O W Cambridge PI ease seno # - Enclosed $__ Concord Bible. Name Add City n Luxury binding State (Send cash, check or money order. California customers please add 4r/c for State Sales Tax.) The Editor’s strong stand for fundamen talism is refreshing in these days of apos tasy. Rev. E. B. Jones, Minneapolis, Minn. LIKES OBJECT LESSONS I like THE KING’S BUSINESS very much, but I do miss the object lessons. W e used them with our young folks on Sunday evening. Could we have more? Mrs. Elmer Strode, Sitkum, Oregon E d it o r ’ s N o t e : We will endeavor to have Object Lessons from time to time in the future. CULTS MATERIAL APPRECIATED I have been enjoying all of your articles, however, I have been especially interested in the ones on Cults. The material on the Christadelphians was especially helpful. Mrs. A. P. Hammond, Roanoke, Virginia LIKES OTHER COVERS Please tell the people who publish THE KING’S BUSINESS to put pictures of churches on the cover of the magazine, not children. Beautiful churches with steeples look nicer. Edna Anderson, McFarland, Calif. FREE FUND MINISTERS ABROAD Thank you for sending me THE KING’S BUSINESS. Every part of it is full of soul-searching messages that help me greatly in my ministry. Your material is truly evangelical in spirit and Biblical ly sound. Rev. Lamberto Vano, Tanjay, Philippines Through gifts of readers to our “Free Fund” we are able to send gift subscriptions of the magazine to native workers and others who are not able to subscribe. All gifts for this purpose are of course tax deductible. We count it a great privilege to have your magazine come regularly to our church library. The staff members of our library as well as our patrons greatly ap preciate your fine publication for its spir itual blessings. Lois Cornwell, Central Baptist Church, Sacramento, Calif. GENERAL COMMENTS The new issue of THE KING’S BUSI NESS has just arrived and once again I must thank you for a thoroughly useful and challenging publication. It seems that every page carries pertinent information and courageous articles which defend the faith. I make mention of some of your material on a weekly radio program which our church sponsors. May God encourage and help you to carry on the good and vitally-needed ministry of the printed page. Your staunch stand for the funda mentals of the faith is a “ shot-in-the-arm” to others like myself who often feel like voices crying in the wilderness. Rev. Alton F. Olsen, Grace Reformed Episcopal Church, Scranton, Pennsylvania NOVEMBER, 1961 E d it o r ’ s N o t e : MAGAZINES BECOME PART OF CHURCH LIBRARY OpenYourHearttoOneofThese SPONSOR Á KOREAN ORPHAN IN THANKSGIVING FOR YOUR BLESSINGS PENNIES A DAY DOES IT! Act NOW Before Korea's Winter Starts Bring Christian loving care to a boy or girl of your choice in our Orphanages. Only $8 a month—just 26 pennies a day— provides every necessity including school tuition, not free in Korea. Interest a co-sponsor, $4 each, or your Sunday School or other group. You will get Orphanage picture and history, also life story, picture and address of the orphan you select. You can write or send parcels as you wish. Replies are prompt, in English. Sponsors are THRILLED with this personal contact. Many new sponsors are desperately needed to take in desolate children wandering the streets. Victims of Tragedy and Grief No. T -l above in An Kwang Hi. His father, a peddler, was killed in a traffic accident. His mother was so shocked she died in childbirth, the baby also. He was cared for by a pastor, who brought him to our Seaside Orphanage, where he has two brothers and a sister. No. T-2 is Kim Duk Soon. Her father, a Buddhist Monk, died when she was two years old in 1939. Her mother, having no means of support for her five children, wandered and begged until September, 1960 when Rev. Hwang of our Canaan Widows Home took her in with her family. No. T-3 is Bak Hui Choong. His father was crushed to death in a mine disaster. His mother, unable to care for him, later abandoned the boy and disappeared. He begged his bread and slept in doorways until he was brought to our Eternal Light Orphanage. Each day our children are taught the Bible, sing Christian songs and earnestly pray. They attend church and Sunday School and are led to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Grasp this great opportunity to help train a child for Chris tian leadership in Korea. THE EVERETT SW A N S O N EVANGELISTIC A S S 'N . INC. 4 8 4 8 N orth Leonard Drive Dept. K -l 1 C h ica g o 3 1 , III. r -------- —------------- CLIP AND MAIL TODA Y---------------- ;— ----- , □ YES I want to sponsor an orphan for one year. My choice is Number ....------- If this child has already been “ adopted,” I agree to support another whom you will select. W ith God’s | ■ help I will send $8 a month to your office. Please let me have , my child’s name, picture, address and story. I understand I I * may continue as long as I wish. Enclosed is support for □ first month, □ one year. SEND FULL PARTICULARS. | I □ I cannot “ adopt” a child but want to help by giving $....... ...... I I □ Please mail folder, “ Information About Sponsoring Korean i Orphans.” I Name _________________ __________;______ .__ ____..................... ............ | Address ___________ _____ ____ ____________...____.........____________ • City ...— ------- — -------------------- Zone ____ State .......... I Gifts of any amount are welcome. A ll gifts and sponsorings are . income tax deductible. The Everett Swanson Evangelistic Ass'n. Inc. An Interdenominational Non-Profit Corporation | Dept. K - ll, 4848 N. Leonard Dr., Chicago 31, III., GL. 6-6181 | 7 The ESEA is caring for over 10,000 orphans, children of lep ers and war widows. Its work is known widely because its messages have gone out month after month in various ways including publicity in this and numerous religious and secu lar magazines. It serves more than 12 million meals each year. Help us expand our 108 Homes. Each one is a Chris tian institution with Bible-be- lieving Staff and Board mem bers. Sponsors are needed to take many more ragged, for saken children into our Homes ahead of Korea’s winter. Write or phone NOW! GUEST EDITORIAL — “Stèle *)aút¿tccte “TH-eataCify CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS DIRECTORY r FOR THE PERSON WHO WANTS TO SERVE GOD ■ \ NYACK MISSIONARY COLLEGE OFFERS EDUCATION FOR PURPOSEFUL SERVICE • Degree courses in theology, missions, CHARLES J. WOODBRIDGE, Ph.D. Dr. Charles J. Woodbridge received his B.A. degree from Princeton University, his Th.B. degree from Princeton Seminary and his M.A. from Princeton Graduate School, connected with the University. He holds the Ph.D. degree from Duke University. Dr. Woodbridge was speaker at Biola's Spiritual Emphasis Week, launching the new school year. His guest editorial follows: “ 1 hope that you are not descending to the level of Bible Institute M en tality.” Words such as these were written by one of Am ericas leading neo-evangelicals to a beloved minister friend of mine. I was permitted to read the letter. “ Bible Institute M entality ” — the words are sad but arresting. In context they imply three things: ( 1 ) that people associated with Bible In stitutes are characterized by a unique form o f mentality, — they either associate themselves with Bible Institutes because of their type of mental ity, or develop the mentality as the result of their association with the In stitutes; (2 ) to attain to this level of mentality one must intellectually d e s c e n d ; and (3 ) by implication there is a higher, more sophisticated level of mentality, and from this higher level the neo-evangelical author of the phrase condescended to write. I am writing these words while on the campus of BIOLA ministering the W ord of God daily to students and faculty. I am delighted with what I have observed here. The lovely, spacious campus is alive with activity. About 1,000 stu dents are enrolled in the various schools known as BIOLA. The entering College Freshman class has approximately 400 students. So far as the future is concerned, the sky of achievement to the glory o f God seems to be the limit. But what is o f paramount importance on the campus is that the Bible occupies the place of pre-eminence. Faculty and students seem to be com mitted to a one-hundred percent allegiance to the Word of God. They give the impression that they adhere rigidly to the infallible, plenary, THE KING'S BUSINESS Extrem ely interesting, is it not? Christian education, and sacred music • New five-year music education major • Advanced studies in missions • Distinguished evangelical faculty • Interdenominational student body of 330 • Work opportunities on and off campus • Campus overlooking historic Hudson River Write for information N Y A C K M I S S I O N A R Y C O L L E G N yack , N ew Y ork Accredited by Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges. Chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of N ew York. STONY BROOK SCHOOL “ Character Before Career” Accredited college preparation for boys. Distinctive Christian train ing. Grades eight to college en trance. Boys from sixteen states and sixteen foreign countries. Full athletic program. 70-acre campus, accessible by car or train. Fortieth year. For a catalogue, write the headmaster , Dr. Frank E. Gaebelein Box 80, Stony Brook, Long Island, N.Y. t L.A. BAPTIST COLLEGE THE Baptist College For Southern Calif. & West Coast • Majors in Six Fields • Complete College Program • Evangelistic and Fundamental • New Suburban Campus W r ite Registrar— IVewhall, California verbal, inerrant inspiration of the Word, without equivocation or com promise. 1 wish that this could be said o f every school known as “ evangelical,” but I am afraid that in at least some instances it cannot. Years ago, BIOLA was widely known as a Bible Institute. It still has its Institute. But BIOLA College, Talbot Seminary and the BIOLA School o f Missionary Medicine are now all intrinsic parts o f what is known generally as BIOLA. A ll departments o f BIOLA are doing an excellent job. But the earnest convictions of the original Bible Institute seem to be carried over without mitigation or diminution into the spiritual life of the other departments BIOLA is not ashamed of having the Bible as its very heart and center. Call this “ Bible Institute M entality” if you will. It is actually “ Bible cen trality.” In January, 1961, I was on a teaching mission in East Africa. One clay in Kenya, I asked about 200 missionaries, “How many o f you are graduates of theological seminaries?” No hands were raised. The next question: “How many o f you are graduates of Bible Institutes?” A forest o f raised hands appeared. This is not necessarily a reflection on theological seminaries, save to the extent to which they may here and there minimize the missionary challenge. But it is an exhibition of the effects of what neo-evangelicals may haughtily call “ Bible Institute M entality.” The mentality which is humble enough to believe the Bible, to keep the Bible at the core o f an academic curriculum, to obey the dictates of the Bible at any cost, to refuse to make common cause with those who repudiate the Bible — this “ Bible Institute M entality” is what in this in stance thrust 200 missionaries out into a needy section of East Africa! If this is the result of “ Bible Institute M entality”— the e ffo r t to evan gelize a lost and dying world — then let us pray for more men and women with this mentality. W e need education. Our young people must be equipped when called to serve the Lord in academic fields. But let them never become so ambi tious to attain academically that they lose their vision o f a Christ-less world, that they perm it the intellectual pride o f life to grip them and that thus they too look with disdain upon humble believers who may not be universiy and seminary graduates but who are doing a job for the Sav iour with the Bible in their hands and their hearts. But still, I find the words “ Bible Institute M entality” intriguing. This will interest YOU . . . Our field representatives meet Christian men and women quite frequently who are looking for places to invest their money. Most of them need a return on their savings. Some are considering investments in stocks. But, because of .their limited knowledge of stocks and bonds, they are reluctant to buy. Others hesitate because of market fluctuations, uncertainty of dividends, etc. And some tell us of disappointing ex periences on their investments. * * * Without exception, all are looking for- security . . . a guarantee that they will be assured of a generous income. Some thing they can count on as long as they, live . . . in good times or bad . . . regard less of whether the stock market is up or down. But they’re interested in something else, too. * * # You should see their faces light up . . . when we tell them about the d o u b l e d iv id e n d s provided by Moody Annui ties. When we tell them that Moody Annuities assure them of a generous, guaranteed income as long as they live (up to 8 M% depending on their age) . . . plus a share in the Lord’s work . . . they’re overjoyed! And when we tell them that every annuity is backed by all the resources of Moody Bible Institute, and that MBI has never missed a single payment in almost 50 years . . . they are convinced that it’s the plan for them! WOULD YOU L IK E TO RECEIVE DOUBLE DIVIDENDS ON YOUR MONEY? We’ll be happy to send you the free book let, double dividends , which explains the Moody Annuity Plan in detail. Contains a chart showing income rates for all ages, explains tax bene fits and tells you all about the many ministries of Moody Bible |jj Institute in which you’ll have a share. CLIP AND M AIL COUPON TO D A Y I Write: Annuity Department K-l-37-6 MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE 820 N. LaSalle Street * Chicago 10r Illinois Please send me, without obligation, information relating to: □ M oody Annuity Plan: □ Wills. NOVEMBER, 1961 9 by Dr. Louis T. Talbot A s w e a p p r o a c h Thanksgiving, it is well that Christians should recognize the distinction between blessings and mercies in order that they may give thanks to God intelligently. Many of God’s people are like an old woman who had been singing, “ Count your many blessings,” and then proceeded to count them. She wrote on a sheet of paper what she considered blessings. Among those enumerated were the following: a cottage free of debt, a good pair of eyes, good health, a paid-up insurance policy, and the like. That afternoon her pastor called, and she told him that she had been counting her blessings and had listed them on a sheet of paper. The pastor asked for the privilege of seeing the list, and after he read it through, he said, “ Auntie, you have not recorded one blessing.” “ Then, what are these?” the perplexed woman asked. “Why,” said the preacher, “ these are mercies, and God bestows them upon the unjust as well as upon the just, even as He causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine upon all classes. Mercies we shall leave behind when we pass out of this world, but blessings shall endure throughout all the eternal ages. “ Let us now,” he suggested, “ turn to our Bibles and count our blessings.” How many of God’s people are like the old wom an of the story! How many measure God’s goodness to them according to the amount of material things the Lord in His providence has bestowed upon them! I have come in contact with some of God’s people who feel that the Lord has been anything but good to them because they do not possess labor-saving devices and other conveniences of modem life. Paul says, in Ephesians 1:3, “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Spiritual blessings are blessings for the spirit, and the declaration of the verse is that God “ hath” bestowed upon each child of God all spiritual bless ings. Let me give you a few. First is the forgiveness of sins. “And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake C O U N T Y O U R B L E S S IN G S hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). This is blessing number one, and please note as you read that verse that we are not to maintain this attitude in order that God might forgive us. Rather, we are exhorted to be kind because He has al ready forgiven our sins. Blessing number two is God’s choice of you. “ But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). You may have thought that you chose God, but no, He chose you, and He did it when He knew all about you. He knew how sinful you were. He and He alone knew the depth of the deceitfulness of your heart; and yet, knowing it all, He hath chosen you to salvation. Colossians 1:12 and 13 give to us a cluster of “ haths.” “ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” What a glorious grouping of God s doings we have here! First, He “hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” That means that we are ready right now for glory, for even the light that emanates from God’s holy person could not reveal one spot on the soul of a believer now that the blood of Christ has been applied. Still another rich blessing is found in Galatians 4:6: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” This verse tells me that I have been given the spirit of sonship, and therefore I do not feel strange when I enter God’s presence now, nor will I feel strange when I find myself in the glory, either at death or when He comes. At this Thanksgiving season let every Christian understand that he has been blessed with all spiritual blessings and that these enumerated are only a few of those included in that word “ all.” What comfort it would bring to our hearts if we meditated more frequently upon the wealth of our riches in Christ! For our own souls’ sake, let us engage in this blessed exercise, for it will fill our hearts with joy. THE KING'S BUSINESS 10 hanksgiving Meditation 11 NOVEMBER, 1961 “Be Ye Thankful” These three potent words are found in Colossians 3:15. They speak to us of—- The Individual T h e s e w o r d s c a m e from the Apostle Paul, who stormed the capitals of proud empires in the name of Jesus, who compassed the earth with the truths of redemption, who left a trail of glory across the Gentile world. When this intense individual greatly believed, he was greatly saved. Greatly saved, he greatly served. He was in peril of his life in Damascus, coldly suspected by his fellow- believers in Jerusalem, persecuted in Antioch, stoned in Lystra, assaulted in Iconium, beaten with many stripes and imprisoned in Philippi, attacked by a lewd and en vious crowd in Thessalonica, pursued by callous enmity in Berea, despised in Athens, blasphemed in Corinth, ex posed to the fierce wrath of the Ephesians, bound with chains and sent as a prisoner to Rome. Yet at all times, in prayer with thanksgiving, being “ careful for nothing . . . but with thanksgiving” making his requests known unto God — abounding in gratitude. Perpetual, not spasmodic, was his thanksgiving. Though he was “ in perils of wa ters, in perils of robbers, in perils of his own country men, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness, painfulness, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness,” he was always abounding in thanksgiving. Though he was in prison without his free dom, in winter without an overcoat, in court and before magistrates without a friend, in poverty without help, a wanderer without a home, he was ever singing his hymn In A ll Things . of thanksgiving. What an inspiring individual he! But now consider— The Imperative “ Be ye thankful!” That is imperative. Mohammed claimed that he was transported to heaven once where he saw a gigantic angel. This angel had 70,000 heads; each head had 70,000 faces; each face had 70,000 mouths; each mouth had 70,000 tongues; each tongue spoke 70,000 languages—and all were employed in singing praises un to God. I think the prophet of Islam did not intend this story to be taken literally, but that he meant thereby to symbolize the spirit of praise which possessed innumer able inhabitants of heaven. It brings to mind Wesley’s hymn: But the imperative appeal is for us to be thankful as Christians in all things. Thankfulness—a duty and a de light—is given much attention in the Bible. How sad it is that so many lives are unscriptural at this point. Thankfulness—a consummating grace, the crown of grac es, is a completion of character. Without gratitude we miss life’s central melody, and we become grave diggers of spiritual optimism. To have spiritual joy without mur muring, we must give obedience to this command and be instant and constant in giving thanks to God. To be disobedient to this imperative is to be unscriptural, and THE KING'S BUSINESS O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise — The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace. fail more often in gratitude than in any other of the Christian graces. Is not this an iniquity? Consider, then, The Inclusiveness By inclusiveness we mean giving thanks in all things and under all circumstances. Paul expresses it: “ In every thing give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18), “ Giving thanks always for all things” (Eph. 5:20). Of course we are to give thanks. “ Continue in prayer . . . with thanksgiving” (Col. 4 : 2 ). “ I appointed two great companies that gave thanks” (Neh. 12:31). “ Daniel gave thanks before his God” (Dan. 6:10). “ Offer unto God thanks” (Psa. 50:14). Jonah said: “ I will sacrifice to thee with the voice of thanksgiving ’ (Jonah 2:9). “ The angels . . . worshipped God, saying . . . thanksgiving . . . be uhto our God for ever and ever (Rev. 7:11, 12). Paul said: “ I thank God.” Jesus “ gave thanks.” Jeremy Taylor said: “ Every furrow in the Psalms is sown with the seeds of thanksgiving.” Thankfulness as a duty and as a delight is prominent in the Bible. It should have a big place in our lives, for thankfulness is the declarative mood of gratitude, a bright fire in the world’s frigid zone, a great incentive to faith, a glorifier of God, a subduer of the lower nature. “ It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord” (Psa. 92:1). But what about giv ing thanks in everything? When the road is rough, when circumstances are trying, when the night is dark, when situations are disagreeable, when the cup of woe is bitter, when the black wings of disease flutter over the cradle, when the wolf of want howls at the door, when from our neighbors we receive unkind treatment, when friends despise and forsake—well, we are to give thanks. Yes, that is the inspired imperative— to give thanks in all things that enter into the experiences of all believers. Does “in everything” include the occasions on which hap py faces bend above the cradle, and when the crepe is on the front porch and the coffin in the parlor? Does it include the gall with the honey, the martyr’s fire with its suffering as well as the hearthstone fire with its com fort, the hailstorm that ruins the fruitful field as well as the rain that drives away the drouth, tribulations sev ere as well as triumphs sweet, good-byes that break our hearts as well as greetings that cheer our hearts, voyages when tempests chum the sea as well as voyages when the seas are still? Does it include the desert place as well as the garden, the sun-blistered desert road along with th grass-carpeted riverside? Yes! when we are bereaved of loved ones, when we find traitors among friends, when uncongenial circumstances crowd and conquer us, when sickness brings prostration, when dream houses collapse, when hopes wither, when orchards are barren, when we have only summer clothes for winter time, when only scraps are on our plates—yea, in everything we are to give thanks! We are to thank God in tribulation, distresses, persecutions, famines, nakedness, perils; we are to give thanks for all things. John Ruskin said: “ Among my chief calamities I had nothing to endure.” Remembering that, let us be found “ giving thanks always for all things,” sharing the confi dence of Paul that “ all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called accord ing to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Then shall we find that, even as ingratitude is evil, so, with Gray in his “ Ode for Music,” we shall joyously agree: to be unscriptural is an offense to God. But think of-—- The Iniquity By iniquity I mean the evil of ingratitude—manifest or secret. The world’s greatest poet, Shakespeare, describes ingratitude as “ a marble-hearted fiend.” He thus express es himself: I hate ingratitude more in man Than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness, or any taint of vice, whose strong corruption Inhabits our frail blood. Milton brands ingratitude as besotted and base. And we will not think crookedly if we agree with him who wrote: He thafs ungrateful has no guilt but one; All other crimes may pass for virtues in him. Swift declares that he who calls a man ungrateful sums up all the evil of which one can be guilty. Thomason states that ingratitude is treason to mankind. Fuller writes: And Colton declares that brutes leave ingratitude to man. Again we hear another declare the iniquity of in gratitude in this question: Is it not as if this mouth should tear this hand for lifting food to it? Ingratitude will steal money from a blind man’s cup, GIVE THANKS by Robert G. Lee trample love underfoot, sneak into the graveyard under cover of darkness and rob the graves of patriots. It fits one for the infamous company of “ Knights of the Kloudy Kountenance.” It makes one talk and think as if all good men were dead, youth were hopelessly corrupt, and God a merciless tyrant. It rewards its benefactor with wounds. It is the serpent one takes to his bosom warming it back to life, which rewards its benefactor by lifting a heinous and hissing head and by striking its poisonous fangs into the heart. The indictment of the ungrateful soul was expressed by a wise man in words that blister: Trust the ungrateful soul with money—and he will steal it; with honor—and he will be tray it; with virtue—and he will violate it; with love — and, with hellish alchemy, he will transmute it into lust; with your good name—and he will besmirch it. It is a shame that thanksgiving is a rare virtue! Many Ingratitude is the abridgement of all baseness—a fault never found unattended with other viciousness. Sweet is the breath of vernal shower, The bees’ collected treasures sweet, Sweet music’s melting fall; but sweeter yet The still, small voice of gratitude. 13 NOVEMBER, 1961 W U n d e r l y i n g the whole Christian religion is a broad foundation of fact upon which it rests and up from which it rises. This is the rational element in Christianity. Back of everything in the Christian faith there are adequate reasons; not all those rea sons, however, can be known to, or understood by, the human intellect. Not everything God would say to us can be said in words. Some things by-pass reason altogether and, if known at all, are known to the heart only by the revelation of the Spirit. Since the faith of Christ has in it these twin elements, two things will always be true of every bona fide Christian: He will possess a philosophy of truth and he will be possessed by a spirit of truth. The one he can grasp with his reason and cast into words; it will con stitute his total creed, the body of his Christian witness. This rather formidable introduction is placed here as a backdrop against which might be set the truth I wish to emphasize. It is simply that Christian thankfulness is both rea sonable and spiritual. The facts require us to be thankful. The circumstances being what they are, thanksgiving is a rational act; yet, unless the heart is possessed by a spirit of gratitude, no real thanksgiving will be possible. As for the philosophy of thanksgiving, there is nothing very profound about it. Just get a few facts straight and immediately the mind will be convinced. For instance, the best man that ever lived, whoever he might be, deserves from God exactly nothing at all. One sin is enough to forfeit forever all claim upon God’s providential care. Once that sin has been committed (and what man sinneth not?) every gift of God from that moment is a gift of pure grace. Every natural benefit, every common blessing, flows as surely out of grace as salva tion does. In strict justice we rate nothing, not a moment of life, not a day of health or happiness upon this earth. All this notwithstanding there are still millions of people who in spite of a long record ° f aggravated sin are sourly convinced that God owes them everything, and are ready to strike back at Him savagely if they do not get it. Such as these cannot be made thankful. The true Christian, however, knows himself too well to believe that he deserves the benefits which are daily showered upon him. He has been smitten with a deep sense of his own unworthiness and reverently accepts his daily bread and every temporal and spiritual blessing as the unmerited gifts of a kind and forgiving Father. Now, the other element in true thanksgiving is the spirit of thankfulness. This is an inward thing. It is more than a conclusion drawn from facts. It affects the heart as a radiant sense of gratitude, felt rather than understood. Without this all our reasoning will fall short of producing real thanksgiving in the soul. All our dutiful efforts to celebrate Thanksgiving will fail without a true spirit of grati tude; and such a spirit is impossible apart from the Holy Ghost. So dark and low is the human spirit that it can never of itself rise to those sunlit heights where praise is normal and spontaneous. In the spirit of thankfulness Job praised God on the ash heap, David worshipped in the wilderness and Christ sang on His way to Gethsemane. Like every other gift of God the spirit of thankfulness, if it is not to die of suffocation, must be given external expression. The psalmist sensed this need for vocal overflow when he exclaimed, “ Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.” Dr. Tozer is Editor of “ The Alliance Witness” THE KING'S BUSINESS A . W. Tozer T n o u r l a s t issue we discussed two weaknesses of Moral Re-Armament (Oxford Group): its neglect of the Scrip tures, and its reversal of works and faith. As we proceed with a brief history of this sect, and a study of its teach ings and techniques, these and other grave errors will become more apparent, and I trust we shall comprehend what actually is wrong with Moral Re-armament (Ox ford Group). The name “Moral Re-Armament,” adopted by the Group in 1938, not long before Pearl Harbor, was so ap propriate for our times that it caught the popular imagin ation. No Christian denies that the unspeakable moral decay of our world (now compared to the days preceding the fall of Rome by politicians) certainly calls for a change of armour. But the clear teachings of the Word of God and the history of the church and the world bear witness to the fact that there can be no true “moral re armament” until individuals receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and commit themselves to live according to the Word of God. The Gospel of Christ is the only “ power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” (Rom. 1:16); and the only method of winning men to God was given by our Lord in the Great Commission: “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Whatever of this message and method the Oxford Group may have had in the beginning it has minimized and obscured with double talk, and it has opened its doors to all kinds of “ religions” which ac knowledge the necessity of any kind of morals. It is ex pending the time, money, and lives of thousands of self- sacrificing (and doubtless sincere) people in the hopeless cause of “ Remaking the World” after its pattern. It is imposing upon saved and unregenerated alike a code of morals which neither the leaders nor the followers can live without the power of the Holy Ghost. It is now a “ Do-it-Yourself” system of religion and politics, with delusions of grandeur graphically expressed in the oft- repeated statement of its propagandists: “ There are only three ideologies in the world: Fascism, Communism, and Moral Re-Armament.” Some are confused about Moral Re-Armament (Oxford Group), thinking that it is British in origin and somehow connected with historic Oxford University. Such are not the facts. Its founder, who died August 8 , 1961, at the age of 83, was an American, and there was never any official connection between this group and the Univer sity- For about eight years it was known as First Century Christian Fellowship; then in 1928 it began to be called Oxford Group; and since 1938 it has operated under the title of Moral Re-Annament, although in Britain and some other places it is also known as Oxford Group. It should be distinguished completely from what was known as “ the Oxford movement” in the University. 16 As explained by Walter Huston Clark: “The Oxford movement was a really indigenous Oxford development of well over a century ago which involved John Henry Newman and others in their efforts to Catholicize the Angelican church. The effects of the movement are now represented in that communion by the High Church wing, often referred to as Anglo-Catholic, with its em phasis on liturgical tradition and dogma. The Oxford Group movement, on the contrary, is basically evangeli cal, with the emphasis on the conversion of the individ ual and the training of the will.” * As in most movements, Moral Re-Annament (Oxford Group) was the product of the imagination, effort and determination of one man, Frank Nathan Daniel Buch- man, whose greatest gifts seemed to be the ability to in fluence young men to follow in his train, and to enlist persons of means to invest in his cause. As one studies his personal life, one is struck with the similarity of the pattern of his history and that of the Group. Bom in Pennsburg, Pa. in 1878, of Swiss-German parents (often called “ Pennsylvania Dutch” ), Frank Buchman was educated at the Lutheran Schools of Muhlenberg College and Mt. Airy Seminary, from which he received both earned and honorary degrees. He was ordained to the Lutheran ministry and served three years in a poor section of Philadelphia. He founded a hospice for boys, thus early showing an interest in young men. After a minor dispute with his trustees, he resigned and went abroad. Travel became a characteristic of his life and ministry and this tendency Oxford Group inherited as well. It was on this journey which included England that Frank Buchman had an experience which greatly in fluenced his life and actually led to the founding of the Oxford Group. George A. West, Bishop of Rangoon, relates this incident: “ One day in the summer of 1908 in Keswick, England, Frank Buchman went into a small chapel. A woman was speaking and 17 people were listening. That day the speaker, in Buchman’s words, ‘unraveled the Cross for me.’ Six men stood out like tombstones in his heart, and across as it were a chasm, he saw the Crucified, and he was the seventh wrong man. He wrote six letters, asking forgiveness from each of the six men, and headed each with the words: My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride’ “ That same day as he walked with a young man in *From The Oxford Group, Its History and Significance, by Walter Huston Clark, p. 18. Used by permission of Twayne Publishers, Inc., Union Square West, New York 3, N. Y. THE KING'S BUSINESS “ ‘When I survey the wondrous Cross, On which the Prince of glory died, MORAL RE ARMAMENT deep trouble, he was able to bring the young man the cure he needed.” ** The six men to whom Frank Buchman wrote the letters of apology were the officials in the hospice that he had established. The literature of Moral Re-Armament has made this story the basis for some of the best writing of many of their able journalists. No doubt it did mean a spiritual upheaval for Frank Buchman but its im portance appears to be exaggerated out of all reason. An apology to those whom one has wronged, or believes he has wronged, is common enough in the lives of most Christians. To forgive and be forgiven is accepted as part of the Christian way of life. One is forced to the conclusion that he must have been a man of a terrific pride to have been affected so deeply by this act. Here again is established a pattern for the Group for the “ con fessing” and “ sharing” which became their regular techniques grew out of this Keswick incident. Garth Lean compares this experience of Buchman’s with that of Wesley in the upper room at Aldersgate, but there are vast differences in the kind of “ evangelism” to which the two men were led. Not long after this, Frank Buchman returned to the United States. Through the influence of John R. Mott and other friends, in 1909 he was appointed as YMCA secretary at Penn State University where he introduced some of his ideas into his Bible classes. These ideas were not wholly original. Frank Buchman was greatly in fluenced by such men as Wright, Drummond, Emil Brunner (later on), and the like, men who would in these times be termed “neo-orthodox” or “ liberal.” There is no evidence in any of the writings of Buchman or his followers that he or they had any extensive knowledge of the Word of God. From the outset, he placed no em phasis on doctrine. His views were wholly pragmatical. Truth was to be tested by action. Here is the fatal fault of Moral Re-armament. While it is completely true that sound living must follow sound teaching, the reverse is also true that sound living must have a basis in sound teaching. They cannot be separated. One is useless, power less, hypocritical without the other. Had Buchman, even in those earliest days, been a man of the Book, who laid a foundation in the fundamental doctrines of the Word of God upon which his “ young men” and his “ teams” could have built the superstructure of their Christian lives, the history of this organization would have been quite different, and they would not have wandered into the vagaries that characterize them after fifty years. We have nothing spiritual that has not come out of the Word of God and all our experiences as Chris tians must be checked by the Book. Frank Buchman de clared that Christianity was only of the w ill; that one **Used by permission of Christian Herald, 27 E. 39th, St., New York, 16, N.Y. From July 1961 issue. 17 THE OXFORD GROUP BY DR. LOUIS T. TALBOT CHANCELLOR BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES could will the kind of life he would live. But the will of man, like the total personality, must be regenerated uy the Spirit of God, and instructed and regulated by the written Word of God. Penn State offered Frank Buchman the opportunity to gather about him a group of young men to whom he introduced public “ sharing” and confession of sins “ one to another” which brought both blame and praise. In 1915 he resigned and went abroad with Sherwood Eddy, one of the very early liberals, visiting India, Korea and Japan. It is thought that on that trip plans for his work were formulated. Afterwards he visited Oxford and Cam bridge where he gained some notable converts, among whom were some excellent writers whose books and articles and later plays, along with those of other journal ists and playwrights, likely had more to do with getting the Oxford Group “ off the ground” than any other one influence. Arthur J. Russell’s book “ For Sinners Only” practically became a textbook for the Group; Harold Begbie’s “ Life Changers” , “Twice-Born Men” and other volumes glorified the Group. From Oxford to the Group came one of Lord Beaverbrook’s “bright young men” Peter Howard, who wrote innumerable propaganda vol umes and remains as a leader of the Group to this day. Alan Thornhill, Garth Lean, and other gifted playwrights and authors have followed. Frank Buchman definitely had a penchant for attracting intellectuals. The first “ houseparty” was formulated in Ruling, China, in 1921, held in the home of a well-to-do person, and such gatherings were repeated in many countries. The meetings seemed to develop into a kind of exchange of testimonies in regard to “ life-changing.” Certainly one can find no records of any emphasis upon Bible study, or any doctrinal teaching. The house party became part and parcel of the movement until it was super seded by the mass meeting. There are conflicting dates in Group literature, but as far as can be learned, the years from 1916 to 1922 were spent by Frank Buchman at Hartford Seminary as a lecturer where considerable con troversy arose over his methods, particularly the confession angle. Efforts were made to reach students at Smith, Yale, Williams and Harvard, but the results were neg ligible. We have referred to the difficulty at Princeton to which Frank Buchman was invited by a football star who professed to be “ changed” by the group. The student body divided sharply over Buchman, some ac cusing him of “unwarranted inquisition” into their person al lives, others claiming spiritual benefits. The picture is not too clear for although President Hibben ordered Buchman off the campus, a special committee later dis agreed with findings of an earlier investigation. However, as a result of this trouble, the Group toned down the sex confessions in their meetings and did not again attempt meetings on the campuses. Houseparties continued and the Buchmanites were in and out of Oxford with con siderable regularity. They were not without opposition there as well. Geoffrey Williamson, in his excellent objective sur vey of the Oxford Group, sums up the situation to the year 1921: “ One thing, however, can be clearly established. In the first forty-three years of his life, Frank Buchman achieved nothing of any consequence. He had dabbled in slumming; dabbled in YMCA work; held a brief post as theological lecturer; and had dabbled in missionary work and experimental evangelism. How was it, then, that this very ordinary man, with such an unpromising background, came to make such a powerful impact upon Oxford? “ In those early Oxford days, of course, there was not the slightest inkling that Buchmanism would ever develop into a world movement. Buchman himself was chiefly absorbed in personal evangelism, the saving of individual souls by his own mixture of psycho-analysis and religion. ‘Soul-surgery’ is how the late Harold Beg- bie described it in his book Life-Changers. “ There is no doubt that Buchman worked with terrific application. Sometimes he would be closeted with one man, delving into case history, exploring inner recesses of the mind, acting as father confessor. Most of his sub jects, it would seem from Begbie’s account, were troubled by what Benjamin Franklin termed ‘that hard-to-be- governed passion of youth.’ ” “ As a practiced YMCA secretary, and with the exper ience of missionary work behind him, it cannot have been very difficult for Buchman to size up the individual needs of the adolescents who sought his advice. “ Somehow, I don’t think the quiet phase of evangel ism at Oxford lasted very long. Later commentators among the Buchmanites say that Buchman’s real purpose in concentrating upon the university students was to create leadership for plans he already entertained for giving his ideas world scope. This sounds reasonable, and it ties up with my theory that he drew some of his inspiration from Confucius. “ Confucius held that moral order must precede political order. So does Buchman. Confucius loved good food. So does Buchman. Confucius trained 3,000 young followers. Buchman has trained ‘a lot of little Wesleys.’ Confucius taught: ‘If we could all be courteous for even a single day, the hatreds of humanity would turn to love.’ “ Buchman taught his followers to sing: ‘Sorry is Magic Little Word.’ ” * This latter is a reference to a song made popular in Moral Re-Armament plays and movies. Space does not permit us to go into details of Buch man’s activities from 1921 to 1938 except to say that it covered many of the countries of Europe with repeated visits to Britain and the United States. It was in South Africa that the name “ Oxford Group” took the place of “ First Century Christian Fellowship.” It came about through the inadvertent designation of Buchman and team as “the Oxford Group” on a railroad train ticket, and it stuck. Frank Buchman then concentrated upon building up the prestige of his “ teams” . Distinguished individuals, political leaders, even members of royalty, took them up. The League of Nations issued them an invitation; heads of states in France, Persia, Finland, India, the Scandinavian countries, and other lands fol lowed suit. The Group seemed to be riding the crest of the wave until they had a reversal in 1936. Frank Buch man committed a near fatal error so far as his work was concerned when he gave Hitler a pat on the back. It took some time for the Group to live it down. “ I thank Heaven for a man like Adolph Hitler,” said he, “who built a front line of defense against the Anti christ of Communism. Think of what it would mean to the world if Hitler surrendered to the control of God. Or Mussolini. Or any dictator. Through such a man God could control nations over night and solve every last bewildering problem.” Added to this were rumors that Buchman had visited Heinrich Himmler and that the Group was sympathetic to the cause of “peace at any price” with Germany. There was never any evidence of collaboration with the Nazis on the part of the Group but these things did them no good, and after a few meetings ’ Excerpts from pp. 119-201 of Inside Buchmanism, by Geoffrey Williamson, used by permission of C. A. Watts & Co., Ltd., 39 Parker St., London W . C. 2, England 18 THE KING'S BUSINESS in Interlaken and elsewhere, they headed for the United States in 1939. Just before this, however, the Group was re-named. Frank Buchman tells about it: “ In 1938 the guidance came to me— ‘Moral Re-Axmament,’ a movement where the moral and spiritual would have the emphasis. The need of the age is the moral and spiritual. Our task was to bring back those realities to the nations that needed them. We initiated this thinking in London’s East Ham Town Hall. We took it to the nations. MRA was bom that year.” * This marked a definite change of method, if not of purpose. The Group aimed for huge crowds, and had them. There was a brief setback when in 1941 Moral Re- Armament asked for deferment of some of their actors, but they quickly recovered. W ith the political insight that has marked the Group from the beginning, they jumped on the bandwagon, and patriotism and hero- worship became the order of the day, with the usual fanfare and press notices. So with a sincere war effort they outrode that storm. World assemblies gathered in capitals of the world; books, plays, pictorials, magazines poured from their presses; MRA motion pictures and plays were shown in all the large cities to great audi ences. Some Hollywood personalities were said to have been “ changed” by the group, among them Mae West, who had her picture taken with Dr. Buchman. No prob lem is too great for Moral Re-Armament to tackle: labor and management differences, communism infiltration in any country; racial disputes; the difficulties arising from the establishment of new, independent nations. Assuredly these projects cost huge sums of money. Inquiries in regard to finances are met with the claim: “We do not ask for money” and Frank Buchman’s oft-repeated slogan: “Where God calls, God provides.” Walter Huston Clark’s comment is enlightening: “ Not without significance is that fact that by this time (1941) the Group had become so huge that the machinery of an organization was forced on it, whether it wished for it or not. Following this incorporation in England (as the Oxford Group), it has also been incorporated in Canada and the United States (as Moral Re-Armament). Scat tered in various parts of the world, at Caux, Switzerland, London, Los Angeles, and Mackinac Island, Michigan, are various pieces of real estate with housing facilities for administrative activities and staff as well as for its guests. Though it still holds to its principles of never literally asking for funds, hints have been getting broader; nevertheless it has supplemented the spontaneous, free donations of the olden days with provisions for regular gifts promised over a period of seven years or longer. A solid foundation of vested interests is being laid in a good income. It must be remembered that workers receive no salaries but only subsistence if that is necessary, yet the faithful can see the movement, which has long boasted that it is not an organization, growing daily more institutionalized before their very eyes.” ** The tragic aspect of Moral Re-armament’s “mass movement” is that it can no longer be considered truly Christian, for the reason that non-Christians of many peoples and tongues are convinced and loyal followers. As we examine the techniques and teachings of the Group next month, we will be able to see more clearly “what’s wrong with Moral Re-Armament,” and how all “ faiths” are welcomed into this fold. {To be continued) *Remaking the World, speeches of Frank Buchman, p. 141. **The Oxford Group, Its History and Significance, by Walter Huston Clark, p. 80. Used by permission of Twayne Publishers, Inc., New York. A U T U M N Soft, golden sunshine halos hill and dale, Sun-splashed the grass beneath the scarlet trees; Red-ripe the apples in the mist-wrapped vale, Where dances goldenrod in scented breeze. Summer has fled; and nature with deft brush Tints gaily waving branch and feathered fern. Scarlet the maples, where the song of thrush; Is broken by the blue-jay's scolding stern. High up on crimson-tinted vines that run Their (woody dingers 'round the sturdy oak, Wild grapes, deep purple, hide from noonday's sun Their tempting clusters in some leafy nook. Gold-hued the pumpkin lies on barren field, Where once the cornstalk hid its sly retreat, And with its rustling green was wont to shield The growing pumpkin from the summer's heat. Now gather feathered songsters into flocks Prepared to wing their way to warmer clime, Now waves the withered corn in tousled shocks;... Now fades the glory of the summertime. Oh, changing year? What beauties greet our eye, f Yetfall too soon your glories fade away. Your gay, pigmented canvas winter shreds, And earth's each glory crumbles in decay. But Thou, O Christ, art still the Changeless One: No passing season dims Thy precious face. No winter chill, no blighting summer sun Thy warm, sweet tenderness can e'er efface. —William Ward Ayer 19 NOVEMBER, 1961
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