4
January 1925
TH E K I N G ’ S
B U S I N E S S
which overcometh the world. “ The helmet of salva tion ’ife^the hope of our salvation. “ And the sword of the Spirit”—God’s Word. Here is the picture of the child of God as a warrior and the armor( fully described. Clothed from head to feet,—a ll the powers of the mind covered by the helmet of salvation; the loins girt with truth; the heart pro tected with the righteousness of Christ; standing and walking with Gospel shod feet; holding the shield of faith to break the fiery darts of the wicked one; in his hand the Word of God—a mighty sword; with lips breathing out a holy prayer and eyes open to the needs of a sin-sick world and to the demons of hell alive and alert to hinder,—God’s warrior, fully protected within and without, strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, seeking to save the lost, fighting the good fight of faith, loving and praying for all of God’s children everywhere! What is more inspiring? What is more needed? THE PREACHER AND THE PEOPLE For some years we have been seeking reliable infor mation concerning the scholastic status of our Sunday School teachers, believing from long experience that the greater proportion of them had not had anything beyond a High School education. We now have gov ernment statistics which will throw light upon the gen eral educational status of church members in the United States and will help to answer the question of whether or not we have had a wrong conception of the training required by prospective preachers in order to prepare them to minister to the needs of the average church membership. “T hat only one out of every 100 hoys entering the graded schools goes th rough college Is th e ra th e r sta rtlin g state m ent made by the U. S. Bureau of Education. The Bureau states the situation in a nutshell, as follows: 100 boys in th e F ifth Grade dwindle to 82 in th e Sixth. They sh rink to 71 in th e Seventh. This leaves bu t 63 to complete the G rammar School, or E ighth Grade. Economic conditions'are such th a t only 34 sta rt th e first year in High School; 24 finish the year as Sophomores; Note that ONLY ONE out of every ONE HUNDRED boys entering the graded schools goes through college. What proportion, think you, of our ordinary congrega tion have ever been even college students? Over sixty per cent of children of school age never enter the High School; eighty-seven per cent of those who enter High School never graduate; only seven out of the hundred enter college. Is our church membership, then, largely composed of the—so-called—common people? If so, what is the great essential for those who are to minister to them the Gospel? Is it not a knowledge of God’s Word? What is the purpose of the church gathering? Is it to listen to an essayist deliver a message which belongs to the lecture platform? Has there ever heen any change in the constituency of the true church assem bly? Has it n 6 t always been composed of those whom the Bible speaks of in Mark 12:37: “ And the common people heard Him gladly” ? 18 qualify as Jun io rs; 13 secure a diploma; 7 of these en ter College; 5 re tu rn and finish the second year; 3 are able to qualify for th e senior year, and 1 out. of th e original 100 is g raduated from College.”
Is it “ hat off—head up—heart pulsing” when He gives the marching orders and says, “ Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men?” Is there a spring in your .steps, a smile on your face, a glad response in your heart as you sing, “ Where He leads me I will fol low ; what He commands I will do ?” He gave His life for you. Have you a holy willing ness to give your life to Him? What is included in loyalty to Christ?. Is it the supreme surrender to the privilege of being with Him, like Him, for Him always and everywhere? Loving Him, living for Him, laying down our lives—if need be—in His behalf? Are we His loyal disciples? Then let us enter into the year before us,—strong, sturdy, separate soldiers. Let us wait on Him, listen to Him, work for Him, and welcome Him—if He comes. 1 ARMOURED AND ARMED In Paul’s wonderful epistle to the Ephesians, in the sixth chapter, we have three suggestive pictures! First—a family scene, with a message to children and parents, designed to insure a healthy, happy home, Children, be loyal to your parents; obey the law of the home. Parents, teach your children the Word of God: compel obedience, but also cultivate a loving fel lowship in the Lord. The home is the foundation:of good citizenship. The second-scene is that of a busy business life—of the employer and employee. Servants, recognize the authority of your employers; cut out the ‘‘eye service ’’ so prevalent and substitute for it the “ single-eye ser vice”, working in harmony with those who are in authority over you to bring about the best possible results. Employers, do the same with your employees. If you consider their interests you will promote your own and command the blessing of God. Parents and children, employer and employee, are on a common plane in God’s sight and all must give account for their life service, whatever and wherever it may be. Finallylpgrouping all together, the admonition for all, as a household of faith, is “ Arm yourselves for life ’s battle”,—for life must be recognized as-a con flict. The devil was alive in Adam?s day, and the beauty and splendor of Eden was the:; battle ground. The evil one worked his wicked devices to spoil God’s new creation, as he had done with the original creation. He was alive in Noah?s day and God was compelled to wash out the evil of the world with a flood and purge it for another trial with Noah and his family. But God did not destroy Satan and Noah and his fam ily were subject to his alluring, enticing, insidious operations which have never ceased. The devil succeeded in hanging the Son of God upon the cross, and all of the powers of his Satanic mind, together with all the efforts of his host of followers, are now directed to the business of spoiling the lives of those who follow Jesus Christ. That is why Paul gives the command to the soldiers of the cross, “ Put on the prepared (whole) armour of God for the con flict of life.” These are evil days. We know it. Therefore, gird your loins with truth. Christ says, “ I am the Truth.” Put on the breastplate of righteousness. You have none of your own, for “ there is none righteous; no, not one.” Christ is our righteousness. “ Feet shod with the gospel of peace”—the peace message to a lost world. “ The shield of faith.” Faith is the victory
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