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SEPTEMBER, 1946
the fervent promise rang out: “We will go! We will go!” This was the response of Swedish Christians to the challenge of Germany’s need for the Gospel which they had just heard. The occasion was a meeting in Stockholm on April 11, 1946, conducted by members of a team of four Youth for Christ leaders from the United States and Canadá. These young men, answering urgent r e q u e s t s from pastors and youth leaders abroad, visited strategic Euro pean centers and other communities in the interests of youth evangelism. In less than two months, they traveled 20,000 miles and held over one hundred meetings. On this night, the speaker was Torrey M. Johnson, President of Youth for Christ International. He preached the Gospel in its purity and compactness as found in Romans 1:14-16: “I am debtor . . . I am ready . . . I a m not ashamed.” Himself of Scandinavian ancestry, he spoke man to man of Sweden’s debt of gratitude, not only for individual salvation through Christ, but also for the prosperity of this land (greater even than that of the United States). He mentioned its freedom from war for more than one hundred years, and its acknowledged piety, evidenced by reverence for the Word of God on the part of its king and people. Dr. Johnson forcefully reminded the Swedes that they—and apparently they only—are “ready” to take the Gospel into Germany today: that is, ready in the sense of being at once willing and acceptable. Repeated attempts of Americans and the British have failed to gain them entrance to the land of the swastika, and even if the requests had been honored, undoubtedly repre- sentatives of these nations would not have been wel comed. The challenge was to Swedish youth. Unashamed, they rose in God’s strength to accept it. What About the Other Countries? The Youth for Christ team visited ten European capitals: London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm, and also carried on an extensive itinerary in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Everywhere they helped to estab lish regular week-by-week youth programs or, where these were already in progress, they stimulated them to greater usefulness. London now welcomes some 3,000 each week. In Liverpool, Central Hall accommodates 2,500 and during the visit of the team, when the Liver pool stadium boxing arena was rented, 3,500 were present. It is little wonder, then, that as young people in the Hollywood Bowl listened to the intrepid Torrey Johnson report on spiritual victories that had been witnessed abroad, they too were stirred to yield their lives to Christ for service. Hundreds of them came forward, in* dicating this dedication to Him. I talked with Torrey, Johnson while he was in Los Angeles about this question: “Are Modem Youth Rallies Worth-while?” To him, there can be only one answer. “Big meetings,” he declared, “bring into prominence be fore the community our evangelical faith and the cause of evangelism, and anything that does that has accom plished something." He spoke of the contribution which Youth for Christ has made in coping with the problem of juvenile de linquency. “ I congratulate you,” J. Edgar Hoover, direc tor of the Federal Bureau of Investigation wrote, “for your worth-while efforts.” And the mayor of Toronto affirmed, “This is the greatest power for good in Toronto.” The mayor of Seattle, Dr. Johnson pointed out, called attention publicly to a period of nine months in 1945 when Youth for Christ had been active in that city, and gave credit to this organization, among others, for a decline of thirty-three per cent in juvenile delinquency.
WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE? “The difference between the sinner and the saint is that the saint hates his sin and pleads the blood of Christ, whereas the sinner loves his sin and goes Lack into it. The saint is like a sheep. It may fall into a mud hole, but it is not comfortable there and will bleat until the shepherd lifts it out. and thereafter will avoid that mud hole by ten rods. 'The sinner is like a pig. It goes about looking for slime pits, and when it finds one, it slides in with a grunt of glee and will squeal vehement objections if you try to pull it out, and no sooner is it out than it will re turn to the slime pit again." —M. R. DeHaan, M.D.
CHRIST AND PETER THE LOOK The Saviour looked on Peter. Ay, no word, No gesture of reproach: the heavens serene, Though heavy with armed justice, did not lean Their thunders that way: the forsaken Lord Looked only on the traitor. None record What that look was, none guess; for those who have seen Wronged lovers loving through -a death-pang keen, Or pale-cheeked martyrs smiling to a sword, Have missed Jehovah at the judgment-call. And Peter, from the height of blasphemy,— “ I never knew this man”—did quail and fall As knowing straight THAT GOD, and turned free And went out speechless from the face of all, And filled the silence, weeping bitterly. THE MEANING OF THE LOOK I think that look of Christ might seem to say, “Thou Peter! art thou, then, a common stone Which I at last must break my heart upon, For all God’s charge to His high angels may Guard my foot better? Did I yesterday Wash thy feet, my beloved, that they should run Quick to deny me ’neath the morning sun?
And do thy kisses, like the rest, betray? The cock crows coldly.—Go, and manifest A late contrition, but no bootless fear; For, when thy final need is dreariest, Thou shalt not be denied, as I am here: My voice to God and angels shall attest, Because I know this man, let him be clear.”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
It was evident that the President of Youth for Christ International was not only grateful for these nation-wide achievements which God had wrought, but that he also bore a tremendous burden for what he calls “ the con servation of results.” He declares that more and more effort must be made to see to it that every young person who accepts Christ as Saviour, or volunteers for Christ tian service, shall immediately and continuously “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” To this end, increasing emphasis is being placed on Bible study and memorization. “ Always ‘there remains very much land to be pos sessed’,” Torrey Johnson declared, “But what a Gospel we have! What a conquering Lord! What a challenge!”
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