November 1925
504
T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
PRACTICAL METHODS OF PERSONAL WORK (C o n tin u ed from p ag e 48 3 )
A SERVICE FOR CHRISTMAS TheCelestial Song A C hristm as service
the way to carry out the solemn service of the great day of atonement. How we must turn to the Talmud, and rest on its instructions, and trust in the mercy of God and the merits of the fathers. ‘‘I tried to be satisfied, but could not. Something seemed to say that the law was unaltered, even though our temple was destroyed. Nothing else but blood could atone for the soul. We dare not shed blood for. atonement elsewhere than in the place the Lord had chosen. Then we were left with out an atonement at all. The thought filled me with horror. In my distress I consulted many other rabbis. I had but one great question, ‘Where can I find thé blood of atonement?’ “I was over thirty years of age when I left Palestine and came to Con stantinople, with my still unanswered question aver before my mind, and my soul exceedingly troubled about my sins. “’»"‘One night I was walking down one of the narrow* streets of that city, when I saw a sign telling of a meeting for Jews. Curiosity led me to open the door and go in. Just as I took a seat I heard a man say; ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ It was my first introduction to Christianity, but I listened breath lessly as the speaker told how God had declared that ‘without shedding of blood is no, remission,’ but that He had given His only begotten Son, the Lamb of God, to die, and all who trusted in His blood were forgiven all their iniquities. This was the Messiah of the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah; this was the Sufferer of Psalm 22. Ah, my brethren, I had found the blood of atonement at last. I trusted if, and now I love to read the New Testament and see how all the shadows of the law are fulfilled in Jesus. His blood has been shed for sinners. It has satisfied God, and it is the only means of salva tion for either Jew or Gentile.” Two rabbis are said to have visited Jerusalem, and as they stood gazing at the ruins, one of them began to weep. The other said to him, “My brother, why are you weeping?” “To see the desolation, and how God has fulfilled His threats to the letter.” “Ah,” said the other, “but therefore do I rejoice; because if He has fulfilled His threats, He will also fulfill His promises.” A missionary at Jerusalem, while out walking, saw a Jew who had just come into possession of a piece of property in the vicinity, bringing out the bones and dust from the numer ous tombs around, putting them on the ground around the trees for fertilizer. The missionary ran back to his home and brought out his Bible and read to the Jew Jer. 8:1, 2. The Jew trembled from head to foot as he saw how lit erally he was fulfilling the words of the prophet written 2500 years before: “At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones
“Mission to Israel.” One evening the meeting was thrown open for discus sion with any Hebrew who desired to ask questions or for any who had been brought to Christ to relate their expe rience. One, old gentleman said: “This is Passover week among you, my Jewish brethren, and as I sat here I was thinking how you will be observing it. You will have to put away all leaven from your houses; you will eat the Matzoth— unleavened wafers)— a n d the roasted Lamb. You will attend the synagogue and carry out the ritual and direction of the Talmud; but you forget, my brethren, that you have everything but that which Jehovah re quired first of all. He did not say, ‘When I see the leaven put away, or when I see you eat the Matzoth or the Lamb or go to the synagogue,’ but His word was, ‘When I see the Blood i will pass over you.’ Ah, my brethren, you cannot substitute anything for this. You must have blood, Blood, BLOOD!” As he reiterated this word with ever-increasing emphasis, his black eyes flashed warningly, and his Jewish hearers quailed before him. “Blood!” It is an awful word for ■one who re veres the ancient oracles, and yet has no sacrifice. Turn where he will in the Book, the blood meets him; but let him seek where he may, he cannot find it in the Judaism of the present. After a moment’s pause, the old man went on somewhat as follows: “I was born in Palestine, nearly seventy years ago. As a child I was taught to read the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. I attended the synagogue and learned Hebrew from rabbis. At first I believed what I was told, that ours was the true and only religion, but as I grew older and studied the law more intently, I was struck by the place the blood had in all the cere monies outlined there, and equally struck by its utter absence in the ritual to' which I was brought up. Again and again I read Exodus 12 and Leviticus 16 and 17, and the latter chapters, especially made me tremble, as I thought of the great day of atone ment and the place the blood had there. Day and night onp verse would ring in my ears: ‘It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.’ I knew I had broken the law. I needed atonement. Year after year, on that day, I beat my breast as I confessed my need of it; but it was to be made by blood, and there was no Blood! “In my distress I at last opened my heart to a learned and . venerable rabbi. He told me that God was angry with His people. Jerusalem was in the hands of the Gentiles, the temple was destroyed, and a Mohammedan mosque was reared up in its place. The only spot on this earth where we dare shed the blood of sacrifice, in ac cordance with Deuteronomy 12 and Leviticus 17, was desecrated and our nation scattered. That was why there was no blood. God had Himself closed
of unusual a ttra c tiv e n ess fo r S unday Schools. T he songs a re v aried in style, an d m ay be used a s solos, d'uets, and ch orus singing by th e en tire school. The m u s i c is charm ing, w ith o u t being difficult. The responsive read ings, recitatio n s an d ex ercises' offer m aterial fo r delightful p latfo rm presen tatio n .
$6.00 a hundred 80 cen ts a dozen Sam ple copy, 7 cents W e have a com plete stock of th e la te st holiday supplies for th e church a n d Sunday School G reeting C ards Services D ialogues C andy Boxes C alendars N ovelties H oliday B ooklets T estam en ts Bibles Send for O ur Christmas Circular pnd Holiday Bulletin $3.25 fo r fifty 1701-1703 C hestnut S treet, Philadelphia 16 A shburton Place, B oston 125 N. W abash Ave., Chicago 313 W . 3 rd St.,L os A ngeles 11C7 McGee S t.,K ansas City 439 B urke B uilding, Seattle 223 C hurch S treet, Toronto O rder From O ur N earest H ouse A re You L ooking F o r CHRISTMAS CANTATAS Chock full of the Christmas spirit in word and song? If you are, we have a splendid assortment to choose from. Among them are: SANTA’S ADVANCE MAN: Sunny Jim, Santa's right-hand-man, finds happiness by making others happy. Through his influence a group of children provide a Merry Christmas for some of the unfor- SANTA’S SECRET SOCIETY: The children learn the passwords to the society: Giving, Serving, Enjoying...............................35c copy, $4.00 dozen. SANTA ON A STRIKE (Very easy): Santa vows not to visit the children, but Memories of other Days and Mrs. Santa influence him to change his m ind.....................................30c copy, $2.00 dozen. THROUGH THE GATES OF LIFE: The coming of Christ portrayed as a dream while Christmas Carols are sung outside....... 20c copy, $2.00 dozen. OUR OFFER: For 12c mailing costs we will send a bundle of cantatas on approval, the ones not purchased to be returned within two weeks. State whether you wish Santa, Sacred, or Mixed. ARTHUR RADCLIFFE PUB. CO . Box 253, Millville, N. J. Publishers of the Famous MINISTER’S WIFE’S NEW BONNET Series MAKE YOUR SPARE TIME PAYI ■ ^ — as A p r » W e need intelligent men 1 w an d women. W ork all or I A / A M T F R p a rt tim e. Sell B i b l e s— “ B o o k s—-C alendars—-Make big m oney. N o experience necessary. L ib eral discounts.- N ational E ducational Society 433 S. D earborn St., C hicago, 111.
Mention The King’s Business when writing, to advertisers.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker