Mr. Cooke
attended for four years. I shall never cease thanking the Lord for His leading in this way. I was saved at the age of nine or ten while going to the C. I. M. school in
China. There, too, I dedicated my life to the Lord, that He might use my life to His glory. Since coming to Biola, the need of China has been laid upon my heart in a very definite manner,
and I believe that God would have me to serve Him there. I long for the day when I shall be able to go out there to preach to the lost the unsearchable riches of Christ. or to do that, and appealed to me for my opinion, but I gave them no answer. They went on criticizing and appealed again, and insisted that I should express an opinion. Silently I lifted my heart and asked the Lord what I should do. So when they asked me again, “Now is it right, Mr. Hamilton, for them to do this, that and the other?” I replied, “ I read in John that it is the work of Satan to ac cuse the brethren, and I am not going to take sides with him.” The effect may be better imagined than described. Nothing hinders the work of God in the church so much as when Christians begin to find fault with and judge one another. When the spirit of criticism comes in, the Holy Spirit goes out, and then we wonder there is so little blessing and result from our labor. Oh, that God may save us from this sinful judging! Thank God, He can. Even though we have indulged in it for years, even though we have the critical faculty high ly developed, there is salvation for us from it at the place called Calvary. Soon will they rest in their earthly bed. "Jesus is risen," then God does care; Hush! They are not here, but there. "Absent from the body, at home with the Lord,". Joining in singing the heavenly chord, Bathed in glory, receiving their share, Hush! They are not here, but there. Follow the light from the empty tomb, See them up there in their heavenly home Clothed in white robes, forever to wear; Hush! They are not here, but there. Beloved ones, gird up your mind, Rejoice with them in that blissful clime. You will clasp again those forms so dear. Hush! W e are not there, but here. Page Thirteen
Zshe ^Spirit oj? (Criticism
By E. L Hamilton
“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matt. 7:1). “Judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). Criticism is so easy! Nothing is easier. Often it is so unkind, so cruel, that it behooves us who bear the name of Christ to be careful that we are not culprits in this inconsiderate indulgence. Is not this one of the great sins of the church of Christ today? Do we not all verily plead guilty? How often we criticize our broth ers when we are not called upon by God to do so. Some of us have the critical tendency so highly developed that I am Not Here, But There This poem was written by Rev. Harold E. Barton, a graduate of the Bible Ire stitute, in memory of Hudson and Beryl Mead and Charles and Lexina Peterson, members of the First Baptist Church, San Jose, California, who were all in stantly killed in a recent plane crash. There in their caskets, earthly life ends. Covered by flowers sent in by friends. Organ and harp music fill the air, Hush! They are not here, but there. With the suddenness of the lightning flash Their plane came down with an awful crash; M A Y , 1 9 4 9
afraid we often pride ourselves on being able to “ sum up” our brethren very quickly ! This- is a sin into which we are so easily led by others. They talk to us about somebody, and try to get us to ex press our opinion and to judge them. Sometimes, although very desirous of carrying out the law of love to others, we find ourselves in very difficult posi tions. I remember, sometime ago, being introduced to a lady and her two daugh ters, who were great Christian workers. They were criticizing some missionaries whom I happened to know. They said that the missionaries ought not to do this The shock was more than mortal could bear. Hush! They are not here, but there. Family and friends were stunned by the blow. .How can we consent to let them go ? With one accord we cry out in prayer, Hush! They are not here, but there. The preacher reads from the Holy Word, "They that sleep in Him," will yet be heard. "Together with them," caught up in the air. Hush! They are not here, but there. W e stand by their plot, among the- dead;
Made with FlippingBook HTML5