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THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S
A PERSONAL WORD To Our Critics Prom time to time we receive more or less kindly criticisms of our edi torials. Some of our critics, while agreeing with our position, think that we should be less severe; and others, of course, do not agree with us at all and condemn us for what they call our “ Unchristian way of speaking of those who differ with us. ” . To one of the “ kindly critics” we wrote a personal letter, as follows: Nov. 8, 1920. My Dear Brother: . ,. . . . I want to thank you fpr your kindly criticism concerning some ox the edi torials in The King’s Business which appear to some of our dear friends unneces sarily severe and lacking in Christian love. .. ' ' , , Of course, you recognize th a t when one is writing on any given subject, he la seeking to express his thought in the clearest and most forceful manner, and the tone of his message is determined by its character. When he writes about the conditions of the lost he must needs be moved with compassion; when he writes about Pharaoh’s persecution of the children of Israel, he is borne along on an- othsr strain I confess to you th a t I have nothing but love in my heart for all men. I have given full forty years of my life for my fellow men and had I a hundred lives to live, would gladly spend them all in ministering to their souls need. I am not a prophet, but can see—as perhaps others may not—the tremendous sweep of the tide which, with irresistible force, is carrying tens of thousands of my fellows to a hopeless grave. I can see tens of thousands of the youth of our land poisoned by unscrupulous teachers and preachers, for I have heard the confession of so many of them who testify th a t their faith in God s Wdrd is gone. Now, if I were to see a man setting fire to an orphan asylum I m ight go and put my hand on his shoulder and say to him, “My dear man, I know you mean all right; you mean all right; but don’t you think it unwise to sta rt a Are here? I know you love the children, but let me come over to your house and discuss this matter with you!” Meanwhile, the man goes right on with his fire-making. But I am not thinking of the man, but of the children, and I cannot stop to say sweet, soft things, for the fire has started and I must seek to save the children! I have been thinking of what the men of God have said about f^lse teachers. I cannot quote all that Jude says, but you can read it. Look a t verses 11, 12 and 13. See what dear old Peter says in his editorial (2 Pet. 2:2, 12, 14, 17,
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