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AUGUST, 1918
Bible Institute ofLosAngeles (IN C O R P O R A T E D ) LOS ANGELES , CAL IFO RN IA , U . S. A . Free T raining School for Christian Workers j D IRECTORS Lyman Stewart, president. J. M. Irvine, secretary. T. C .1Horton, superintendent. H. A . Getz Nathan Newby R. A . Torrey, vice-president. Leon V . Shaw, treasurer. •William Evans. J. O. Smith D O C T R IN A L S T A T EM E N T We hold to the Historic Faith of the Church as expressed in the Common. Creed of Evangelical Christendom and including: The Trinity of the Godhead. The Deity of the Christ. The Maintenance of Good Works. The Second Coming of Christ. The Immortality of the Spirit. The Resurrection of the Body.
The Personality of the Holy Ghost. The Supernatural and Plenary au thority of the Holy Scriptures. The Unity in Diversity of the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ. The Substitutionary Atonement. The Necessity of the New Birth. • The Institute trains; free i U /f/l/o c . 0| cost, accredited men and women, in the knowledge and use of the Bible. ■ (1 ) The Institute Departments: classes held daily except on Saturdays and Sundays. (2 ) Extension work. Classes and conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3 ) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted by our evangelists. (4 ) Spanish Mission. Meetings every night. (5 ) Shop Work. Regular services in shops and factories. (6 ) Jewish Evangelism. ' Personal work among the Hebrews.
The Life Everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Im penitent. The Reality and Personality of Satan.
SCOPE OF TH E W O R K
(7 ) Bible Women. House-to-house visitation and neighborhood classes. (8 ) Oil Fields. A mission to men on the oil fields. (9 ) Books and Tracts. Sale and dis tribution of selected books and tracts. (10) Harbor Work. For seamen at Los Angeles harbor. (1 I) The Biola Club. Daily noon meetings for men in the down-town district, with free reading-room privi- \leges. ( 12) Print Shop. For printing Testa ments, books, tracts, etc. A complete establishment, profits going to free dis tribution of religious literature.
T H E K IN G ’ S B U S IN E S S MOTTO: “ I, the Lord, do keep it, I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." — ------------- 1 -■ ■ 1 ................................: Isa. 27:3 ..........— ..............--------------------------------------------------------------------: PUBLISHED B Y T H E BIBLE I N S T I T U T E O F L O S A N G E L E S , IN C O R PO R A T E D Entered as Second-Glass Matter November 17, 1910, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California under the A c t o f M arch 3, 1879 ' ■ , n&vm mBS} Copyright by R . A . Torrey, D . D ., and Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, for the year 1918 Volume IX August, iqi8 NumberyS? ' BEGIN READING HERE You know that The King’s Business has stood unflinchingly for the Bible and all its fundamental doctrines. We doubt if there is any periodical that has given a clearer note on the great fundamentals of the Christian faith, or .that has been more hold to expose the wild vagaries of the critics and show up thedeceitful handling of the Word by the leaders of heresy. In other words, The King’s Business stands four-square for THE OLD BOOK AND THE OLD FAITH—and that is the kind of a magazine that should be in the hands of Christian people in these days when the atmosphere is blue with heresy and when so many denominational publications are tainted with skepticism. Are we right? Some of our subscribers count it a very definite work for Christ to get The King’s Business into the homes of their friends, either by getting them to subscribe for it,' or by donating a subscription to them. There are few things you could do that would do more to tone up the spiritual lives of your friends or to make them more effective workers in the church, than by get ting them interested in The King’s Business, with its straight message and department helps. Have you done anything along this line? There are thousands who need this monthly message to spur them to greater activity in the Master’s service, but we cannot reach them without YOU. Remember this—there is no profit in it for the Bible Institute—it is the Lord’s work, and therefore ought to have your cooperation. If you would like to become The King’s Business representative we will pay a liberal commission for your efforts. If you would like to invest a little of the Lord’s money, we will be glad to use it in sending free subscriptions to those who cannot afford it. Anyway-||why_ not say a good word for The King’s Business? KEITH L. BROOK S , Managing Editor O N L Y O N E D O L L A R A Y E A R SUBSCR IPT ION PRICE— In tbe United States and Its Possessions and Mexico, and points in tke Central American Postal Union, $i.oo per year. In all other foreign countries, including Canada, $ 1 . 24 , ( 5 c. 2 d.) Single copies 10 cents. Receipts sent on request. See expiration date on tbe ■wrapped. BIBLE I N S T I T U T E OF LOS A N G E L E S 536-558 South Hope Street - - - - - Los Angeles, California
Come Right to the Bible Institute WHEN IN LOS ANGELES The Institute Maintains Two Beautiful Hotels 1 Under the most careful management. I Absolutely fireproof buildings. 1632 nicely furnished rooms with every convenience, and very moderate rates. I Five minutes’ walk to the heart o f the business section and Central Park. ft Excellent Cafeteria in the building—dairy lunch style. ft A Christian atmosphere, with all the privileges o f the Institute classes and special lectures, all o f which are free. ft The Church o f the Open Door o f which Dr. R. A. Torrey is pastor adjoins the hotel buildings. BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES 536-558 South Hope Street Los Angeles California W O M E N ’S HO TE L “C l
MENTION KING 8 BUSINESS WHEN ANSWERING THIS ADVERTISEMENT
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S R. A . TO RREY , D. D . Editor ,T . C . H O R T O N , J. H . HUN TER , W ILLIAM EVAN S, D. D „ Associate Editors KEITH L. BROOKS, Managing Editor ~
EDI TORI AL
T H E WORD OF GOD For tke Present Hour “ W^y do the nations rage, and the peoples imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against thè LORD, and against His anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” Ps. 2:1-4. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the'strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, come upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will be confident.” Ps. 27:1-3. , “ Call upon ME in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” Ps. 50:15. “ Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me: my glory, and the lifter up of my head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. 1 laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.” Ps. 3:3-5. L E T ’S Have Done Witk tke Movies Miss Laurence Alma Tadema is reported as saying at Toledo, Ohio: “ In the fourth year o^ a war so fiercely destructive that, even should it cease tomorrow, the whole world must remain scarred throughout the period of reno vation, one supreme task seems to lie before all who are free to lend a hand to the work of reconstruction. * * * * We have learned already that our own gener ation will not know the old forms of happiness again. Music, pictures, plays, poetry, artistic creation of enjoyment, gardens, birds and animals, hours of musing and of leisure— all these sweets of life seem to have been cut away from us forever and to have floated back into the past like a broken dream. The children of the future must be stronger than we were—more sober, better disciplined, better armored. It is not merely for our own children that we must work. We must be careful and troubled about our neighbors’ children also. Governments and indi viduals have understood this and have to go to work already.” There is doubtless a great deal of truth in what Miss Tadema is reported as saying. Certainly life has taken on a seriousness that it has not had for many a year. Certainly the movies with their superficiality, with their appeal to excite ment, and their appeal (in a large share of those that are presented at present) to
642 THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS that which is vilest in man and woman, are utterly out of keeping with such a serious age as that in which we are living. The movies ought to go. The men and women engaged in this enormous business are needed in more important depart ments of life. While they amuse they also corrupt. They are beyond a question one of the most corrupting influences at work in human society today. They are making more wounds and deeper wounds in human morals than the saloon as fearful an agent of evil' as it is. The minds and the morals of more men and women and boys and girls, are corrupted and putrified by “ the movies” than by any other agency in the present day. They are wrecking homes and manufactur ing thieves, thugs, libertines and prostitutes. And they resent all attempts at control or censorship. They demand the right to let their painted and almost nude women roam at will in public places, on streets, in parks, to be seen by inno cent boys and girls whose parents have sense and decency enough to keep them from attending these vile shows. They have spoiled more than one place as a residence for a decent family by making that place their habitat. B enefits of the war War is a devilish thing, and the present war is the most devilish war in all history. The wrong and loss and misery that this war has wrought are beyond any possibility of computation; but by the grace of God good has come from the war in many ways. The war, for example, has caused a simplicity in the way of living on the part of the great mass of men and women that preachers and reformers have been urging for years without much success. God has compelled men by the stern hand of war to do what He has been pleading with them to do through His written Word and His faithful servants, but pleading in vain. Men would not heed the Word, so they have had to heed the rod. Many are complaining because they are compelled to use less sugar, but it is beyond a question good for them that thy cannot get the sugar. Almost every American boy and girl and woman and man consumes too much sugar for their own physical welfare. Sukar is an invaluable food, it is the great force food; but we need only a small amount of it and too much is exceedingly harmful. Too much sugar is the principal cause of Bright’s disease, diabetes, rheumatism and many other physical ills. Wheat is another food of great value. It is the most valuable of all cereal foods, but too much wheat taken in addition to other starch foods does much mischief in many ways. It is doubtful if any one ought to eat wheat bread, and potatoes and meat, all at the same meal. It is well for most of us that our wheat consumption has been curtailed. But these are minor benefits of the war. The war has transformed a multitude of loafers, rich loafers, and idle and worthless .sons of the millionaire class, and poor loafers, who rather beg than work, into industrious citizens, and it is likely very soon to accomplish far more along this line. It has taught thou sands of worthless females, mere “ society women,” that there is something more worth while for a woman to do than to parade their wealth by putting on costly apparel and priceless gowns and attend silly social functions. It has made women real women, loving ministers to the needs and sorrows and sufferings of others out of a host of creatures that before were mere human dolls. It has awakened the most dauntless courage and thorough going sacrifice of self in a multitude of men and women too, who we would never dream were capable of it. And it has
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS 643 brought a seriousness, a deep thoughtfulness concerning God and eternity into the lives of many who a year or two ago had as their ruling motto “ let us eat, drink and be merry.’ 1 As much as we detest war, as much as we abhor the moral monster who is responsible for this war, nevertheless, when we see with our own eyes some of the things this war has wrought we feel like thanking God that He ever permitted this war to come and for the way in which He has brought good out of it.
K A ISER BILL and Kaiser Beer President Wilson is not at all daunted by the power and by the threatenings and the bravado of Kaiser Wilhelm II. He has answered his threatenings in a fearless and masterly way. But he does not seem to present the same bold front to another Imperator, Beer. He and his chosen and honored representative, Mr. Hoover, have been making almost frantic appeals to rich and poor to conserve food and especially cereals. The country has been plastered over at great expense by the government with placards declaring that “ food will win the war,” but when President Wilson and Mr. Hoover are confronted with the fact that they are themselves responsible for by far the greater and gravest waste of cereals, espec ially barley (one of the most valuable substitutes for wheat), they reply by argu ments that are pitiful in their inconsistency and puerility. They say if the people want prohibition of the manufacture of beer they must themselves vote it. But when it comes to the conservation of sugar by the limitation of the manufacture of candy they never hint if the people want sugar conserved by the prohibition or limitation of the manufacture of candy they must themselves vote the prohibition or limitation of the manufacture of candy. Why is the manufacture of beer so sacred in the eyes of President Wilson that it stands alone in these days of pro hibiting various forms of waste. President Wilson and Mr. Hoover say again that they are “ unwilling to be responsible for the orgy of drunkenness” that would inevitably result in this country if the manufacture of beer was prohibited in this country while there is so much whiskey and other spirituous liquors remaining in it. Of course, that is forciful; but even if it were true and if Mr. Wilson really believes it, why does he not use the power he has to conscript all the whiskey for the government’s need of alcohol in the manufacture of munitions or prohibit its sale. Furthermore, why does he not tell England that we will ship them no more wheat or other cereals until they stop squandering their own wheat and other cereals in the manufacture of whiskey and other strong drink? Why should Americans be asked to stint themselves seriously in cereal foods to supply the lack of cereals in England caused by their own permiscous waste of their own cereals fn the manufacture of booze? Why should we go without food that England may have booze? This tomfoolery should have been stopped years ago and there would have been no such serious shortage of cereals as there is among the Allies today. The manufacture of booze is at the bottom of it. The manufacture of beer causes not only an enormous waste of cereals, but of coal (of which there is a very serious shortage) and of man power which is the most serious shortage of all. Release the many thousands of men engaged in the manufacture of beer to work our farms where there are so many needed. We are making men give up running elevators, clerking in stores and other positions where they are not absolutely needed to engage in more productive and more necessary industry. Why not
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THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS order that-all, men, and women too, cease the manufacture of beer to enter upon lines of productive activity when they are so sorely needed. What is there so sacred about beer in the eyes of Mr. Wilson that this industry should be so coddled, when every one knows that at the very best, beer is useless? Why was it last winter that while important industries were curtailed in their use of coal and cars, and thus so seriously crippled and sometimes nearly ruined, that breweries had all the coal and cars they needed? What is there so sacred about beer that it has a protection by various branches of the administration that other industries do not enjoy? Why is our President who is not afraid of Kaiser Wilhelm so afraid of Kaiser Beer? Mr. Wilson is also reported to have said that if the shortage of grains should become so serious as to necessitate the cessation of their use in the manufacture of beer he would prohibit it. Can it be then that there really is not that shortage of cereals that Mr. Hoover has so solemnly and so con stantly urged us that there was? There is that shortage and Mr. Wilson knows that there is and Mr. Hoover knows that there is. Why then waste and worse than waste barley in the manufacture of beer? Barley is a very valuable food, and even if it is not why not order farmers to use the land now used to raise barley to raise wheat? Good barley land is good wheat land. The worst part of this whole business is that it awakens in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of good people distrust of the entire sincerity of Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hoover. Thé President and the Food Administration greatly need at this time, and ought to have, the whole hearted confidence and support of all good people. But they haven’t and more because of their wobbling, and senseless defense of their wobbling, on the liquor question than anything else. The writer of this editorial heartily and very actively supported Mr. Wilson in both his presidential cam paigns and is still very glad he did. He believes that Mr. Wilson is one of the wisest and best, if not the very wisest and best, presidents we ever had. But his irrational course on the liquor question, his subserviency to the Beer Kaiser is a very big fly in the ointment that makes the ointment stink badly. We have found in urging men and women to go all the way in supporting Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hoover in their food conservation requests, that many good people object by saying “When Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hoover show that they really believe there is a perilous food shortage by stopping the worst of all waste of foodstuffs by permitting their manu facture into poisons and injurious drinks, then we will more heartily go without the wholesome things they ask us to give up, but we do not enjoy going without wholesome foods in order that Englishmen, and Americans too, may have booze.” We ought to support Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hoover anyhow but many good pepole will not heartily ’til they set their own houses in order.
SEV EN Beerless Days a Week—-Why Not? The papers announce this morning (June 20th) that Mr. Hoover urges us to have many beefless days a week. All right let us have them. Beef is a val uable food, but the army needs it: let the brave boys have it, we can get along without it. But why doesn’t Mr. Hoover urge us to have many beerless days, indeed to have all beerless days? There is a shortage, a very grave shortage, of grains. They are needed for food by our soldiers, our allies and ourselves. No
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS 645 real patriot will participate in their waste by drinking one drop of beer and a thoroughly wise and consistent food administration would make it impossible for any one to have beer even if they wanted it.
ODDITIES Mr. Spurgeon puts into the mouth of “John Ploughman” the following: “I never knew a good horse that had not some odd habit or other, and I never saw a minister worth his salt who had not some crochet or oddity. Now these are bits of cheese that cavilers smell out and nibble at; the first is too flowery and the second is too dull. Dear me, if all God’s creatures were judged in this way we should wring the dove’s neck for being too tame, shoot the robins for eating spiders, kill the cows for swinging their tails, and the hen for not giving us milk. When a man wants to beat a dog he can soon find a stick, and at this rate any fool may have something to say against the best minister.” GROWLING Is the voice of greed. That is why a dog growls at you when he is busy with a bone. And that is way a man growls at you for interrupting him when he is busy. The shabbiest thing about our modern Christianity is that it excuses a man for being a brute when he is busy. One of the most unapproachable men I know is an eminent Christian worker who claims the right to be impolite on the ground that his work is more important than shaking hands with folks. If God was unsociable as some of His children, we would never have the courage to pray to Him more than once in a lifetime.”— Sel. THE LIFE The officers of Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, once said to Dr. Pierson—-“The deacons of the Metropol itan Tabernacle feel that they have had two sermons—one from you, or rather from God through you—and one in you.”
VACATION CHURCHES I will come into thy house in the mul titude of thy mercy—except in August. The Lord is in his holy temple—except in August. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life—except in August. God is known in her palaces for a refuge—except in August. How amiable are thy tabernacles— except in August. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord—except in August. Preach the Gospel to every creature— except in August. Preach the Word. Be instant in season and out of season—except in August. Not forsaking the assembling of your selves together—except in August. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers—except in August.— H. M. W., in The Preacher’s Assistant. WORRYING A worrying woman once made a list of the possible unfortunate events and happenings which she felt sure would come to pass and be disastrous to her happiness and welfare. The list was lost, we are told, and to her amazement she recovered it a long time afterward; she found that not a single unfortunate prediction in the whole catalogue of dis asters had been realized. Is not this a good suggestion for wor riers? Write down everything which you think is going to turn out badly, and then put the list aside. You will be sur prised to see what a small percentage of the doleful things ever come to pass.— Selected.
Cold prayers, like cold suitors, never make much headway. The more you pray, the more the Holy Ghost will push you out into service. A child of God can see more on his knees than a philosopher on h-is tip-toes. Prayer is not conquering God’s reluct ance but laying hold of His willingness. Prayer in Jesus’ name is repeating the Victor’s name in the devil’s ears. Trouble and perplexity drive us to prayer and prayer drives away trouble and perplexity. Praying without watching is like sow ing a field with precious seed, then leav ing the gate open for the swine to come in and root it up. God will always have to do in secret with the soul which He intends to serve Him in public. Satan trembles when he sees the weak est saint upon his knees. To pray and expect no answer is to shoot and not look where the bullet falls. Our ability to stay with God in the prayer closet is the measure of our ability to stay with God out of it. Our short prayers in public owe their point and efficiency to the long ones in private that have preceded them. If God is not first in our thoughts in the morning He will be last in our thoughts all day. To be little with God is to be little for God. The prayer closet is the best school for the Christian worker. One can see God in everything, but we can see Him best with our eyes closed in' prayer.
He who does not pray when the sun shines knows not how to pray when the clouds arise. God’s acquaintance is not made by pop- calls. He cannot bestow rich gifts on haSty comers and goers. Talking to men for God is a great thing but talking to God for men is a greater thing. Prayer is a promoter of activitiy for it puts one at the disposal of God for their part in bringing about the thing he desires. When the outlook is bad, try the uplook. Some go to prayer, not to ascertain the will of God, but to ask Him to do that on which they have fully set their minds. He that saveth his time from prayer shall lose it. He who loseth his time in communion with God shall find it again in blessing. Prayer means warfare; therefore every time we pray we possess more of the enemy’s ground. If there was more'private prayer, there would be shorter prayers in public. Soldiers of the Lord are doing real fighting when they are on their knees. Count it a blessing when God delays the answer to your prayer in order to enlarge your capacity to receive. God honors no drafts where there are no deposits. Prayer will make us leave off sinning or sinning will make us leave off praying. Anchor yourself to the throne of God, then shorten the rope. Prayer brings all heaven before our eyes and within our reach. Don’t pray for tasks equal to your pow ers but powers equal to your tasks.
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Propnet, Priest and King FROM ADDRESSES G IVEN A T C H IN A IN L A N D M ISSION CONFERENCE , N IA G R A O N THE LAKE, 1917 B$ ReV. John McMicol, B. D. Toronto, Ontario In every age and department Christ’s work h’as been taught under three aspects— prophet, priest, king. They are not only theological divisions, but Biblical teaching. But they are not three offices, but three aspects of one office. The whole work of our Lord can he summed up under these three heads. The Old Testament tells us this, for the various dispensations of which we read there were started by long lines of priests, prophets, and kings, and all these three lines converge in the Lord Jesus Christ. Moses spoke o f „ the Prophet that would arise. Also our Lord was fore told as Priest, and the Old Testament is full of predictions of Him as King. In the New Testament all the apostles tell of Him in His threefold office, Prophet, Priest, King. In the first chapter of Revelation that we have had our thoughts turned to we see Him, “ the faithful Witness,” which is the office of the Prophet, “ the First-begotten from the dead,” the High Priest, as we shall see, the One Who offers the sacrifice unto God, “ The Prince of the kings of the earth” is His princely glory. In 1 Corinthians 1:30 we read that Christ Jesus is made unto us wisdom— that is as Prophet, and righteousness and sanctification, as Priest, and redemption, as King. His three appearings in Hebrews 9: 24-28 are the three aspects of His office. 1. Christ appears now in the pres ence of God for us, as the One who as Son of Man stands for man before God, and who as Son of God stands to us for God. That is the function of the Prophet. 2. He hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. That is the High Priestly aspect. : 3. He will appear without sin unto salvation, as King. Christ as Prophet Let us turn to the first aspect, the Prophet. The essential function of a prophet is to be God’s spokesman,— not simply speaking about the future, though that is included. A prophet is above all simply God’s spokesman. In Exodus Aaron was a prophet to Moses. That is, Aaron stood to Moses as Moses stood to God. And so God raised up a long line of prophets to represent Him, and they carried God’s Will on through Old Testament days till the Great Prophet came. In Hebrews 1:1, 2 we read that “ God', who at sundry times and in divers man ners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.” That long line heads up to Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ took the place of Prophet in His first sermon, recorded in Luke 4:18. And in His last journey up to Jerusalem people1 recognized this. It was assumed that He was the Pro phet, when He raised the son of the widow of Nain. (Luke 7:16). Both He and the people recognized this. THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS stilled the tempests, holding the secrets of Nature. Hosts of evil fled from His word, for He understood the unseen world. In human life disease and even death fled from His touch. No other prophet ever did miracles as Jesus did. They are His works, the expression of His own nature, His own proper function. So He worked miracles with the ease and naturalness that we have in doing our own work. He moved with freedom among the secrets that are utterly beyond our ken.— All others have had to strain after a power that was not theirs. But He had perfect mastery over all, for He was GOD walk ing among men. He is God’s Prophet also in what He says. Nearly all that we know about God comes from the lips of Christ. With swift intuition of our heart’s desire He went to the heart of God’s character. He spoke of God with that intimacy and sureness of One who had come straight from Him. The incense of the Father’s house still hung about Him. “ All Thy garments smell of myrrh and cassia out of the ivory palaces.” When He came it was not only God’s Presence on earth, it was God’s PER SONALITY. And that was a new impression for the world. It is true that He is the ideal human being. But He is more than that. There are two essentials in every human char acter, which were utterly absent from the character of our Lord. One was the sense of sin and of forgiveness. Every high and holy human character is more or less based on the sense of its failures and sins, and the sense of for giveness. But there was no such thing in Him,-—never a thought of sin or for giveness. He has not in Him that which makes other characters noble. And the second essential absent from Him and found in all others was the sense of aspiration. He is not aspiring, for He moves freely among the highest ideals. He had no sense of anything beyond to attain to, for while He was a Man 648 In getting to the beginning of His prophetic career we must go hack to Creation; and there find that when the universe came into being and this great world was spread into space, the Lord Jesus Christ was God’s Spokesman, God’s Prophet. This great creation is the expression of God’s Mind as reveal ed by His Prophet, Jesus Christ. In Proverbs 8 we have the scene of Creation, wheji the Lord Jesus w'as as “ a Master-Workman,” working out God’s plans. (See Prov. 8:30, R. V.). So creation, the expression of God’s mind, is the first expression of the function of Jesus Christ as the Prophet of God. All through the Old Testament we see that strange, mystic Figure, who appeared as Man, yet with something of the arpma of another world clinging to His garments,— He who talked with Abraham on the plains of Mamre, and who appeared to Joshua as the Cap tain of the Lord’s hosts, and who spoke to Gideon. So looking back over the history of Israel, the prophet Isaiah rec ognizes Him, and calls Him the “ Angel of His Presence.” And He was none other than Jesus Christ, in His Divine garments, not having yet put bn His human garments. Thus He leads us through the Old Testament to the gates of the New. But not only thus directly, but often He used human beings, as we read in 1 Peter 1:11, that the Spirit of Christ spoke through the prophets. And all these bring us to the time when He stepped out, and became a Man among men. The Lord Jesus is God’s Prophet not only in what He does and says, but in what He IS,— God’s Prophet before cre ation. And He is Himself the final and last Revelation, when the Word laid aside His Divine glory and came and tabernacled among us. (John 1:1-3, 14). In that Man God revealed God by His miracles and His works. The miracles of the Lord Jesus are different to those of any other prophets. They are in all the realms of life. He THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS among men, yet He was at the same time, GOD. So as the disciples watched Him, this knowledge grew upon them, and one of them says: “ We beheld His glory, the glory as the Only-Begotten of the Father.” “No man hath seen God at any time. The Only Begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath revealed Him.” (John 1:18).' This means that God has spoken His last word to man, and by Jesus of Naz areth. Not man reaching up, but God reaching down. The test of Christianity is God manifest in the flesh,— the last aid perfect revelation. Put this test to all so-called “ fresh revelations.” There is the Man standing in the/ midst of the crowds, crying: ; “ Come unto Me,” all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Again He says:— “ If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.” “ I am the Bread of Life,”— “ the Light of the world,” “ the Life.” Yes, God has come to the world, He has been among men, and we have heard His Voice. John wrote his epistle towards the end of his life, but he never got over the awe of having seen Jesus . . . (read 1 John 1:1-3). So we gather round the one Prophet, and know there is no other Voice than His. Christ as Priest The priesthood of Jesus was the nec essary correlative to His office as Pro phet. The Prophet represented God to man, and the Priest stood for man to God. His twofold work is outlined in Hebrews 3:1. It was His function to go from God to man and from man to God. His priestly qualifications are two fold, (1)' chosen from among men, and (2) representative of men. He is God, but He also is most truly Man, and the most representative of all men. He comes home to men’s hearts as the Man that represents the whole 649 wide world. He gathers into Himself all nations, all humanity, before God! In Hebrews that thought is dwelt upon. See Heb. 4:14, 15 and 5:1-10. He not only learnt what it was to be a man by being a Man, but also by suffer ing as a man. (Heb. 5 :7). His priesthood is unchangeable. Aarpn and his sons and all the old priests died. But now came Jesus, not after the order of Aaron only, but after the order of Melchizedek. (5 :6 ). He is not different, but the one and the other set forth His priesthood—Aaron sets forth His func tions, and Melchizedek His timeless ness.— Melchizedek comes (out of etern ity and goes into eternity; so Christ comes into our human experience, and gqes out into eternity, where He repre sents humanity forever and ever.. His is perfect humanity, and endless life,— our Great perfect Representative! And as His qualifications are twofold, so His work was twofold. It was all gathered up and consummated on the Day of Atonement. (1) Making'expiation. (2) Making intercession. (1) Remember that the tdtoernacle' was planned to keep in mind the separ ation of man from God. Stage after stage the priest had to go from the peo ple to God— to the Holy place, and then to the Holy of Holies. There had to be two goats to repre sent one offering. One was slain and the blood was taken to the Holy of Holies, showing that atonement had been made, and death had been given ■ in the stead of the man. Then the priest lays his hand on the head of the other goat, and confesses the sins. Then it is taken out into the wilderness, the land of forgetfulness and loss. This is a type of the complete removal of sin. The High Priest alone did this. With that picture in mind let us turn to our great High Priest. When after the Last Supper they went out to Geth- semane, He and the disciples. He seemed THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS .Christ as King The Lord Jesus Christ as King is a great Theme that one approaches with diffidence and hesitation, as it goes so far beyond the reach of the richest imag ination of which we are capable. He was most fully foretold as the Coming King to reign over all the earth. And when Jesus was- born He was announced as the King,—rby the angel. And shortly before His death He spoke of His own glory. One significant incident was when He appeared before Pilate— (who was the representative of the greatest empire the world has ever known)— Jesus was taken captive, and Pilate asks if he is king of the Jews. He presses the question home to our Lord, and we can see the sneer on the face of the haughty Roman. And Jesus, standing there -so quietly, bound as a common malefactor, answers with the most positive assurance “ Thou sayest that I am” means “ I most certainly am.” It is the strong est affirmative. That little picture of over. 1800 years ago is repeated with the same situation today, for Jesus still claims to be the King. 1. He has inherent right, .as the Second Person of the Trinity. But He laid that aside when He came into the world. 2. He referred to His mediatorial kingship, which the Father gave Him as a reward. It began at the Ascension. In Acts 2 we read that Jesus a Man two months before was then at the Right Hand of God.-—He is there today, and reigns till He' has put all His enemies under His feet. Then He hands back the sovereignity of God who gave it. What does His kingship include? For one thing, it includes sovereignty over nature. The first man lost this, and the Second Man won it back, so the Lordship over creation is given to the Sedond. This inherent sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ over nature will be by 650 to feel differently from ever in His life before,-—He wanted fellowship. But there was none for Him, and His disciples slept. Then was the agony which we can never fathom, when He was struggling with something He could hardly overthrow, in that lonely, unique, solitary conflict. But when the soldiers come and lead Him away, He comes out of that conflict the quietest Man in all that noisy scene. Prom Gethsemane He came, not only as High Priest, but to give Himself as the Vic tim, and the Lord laid on Him the ini quity of us all. Now look at the Cross— and the awful but sublime experience when Jesus died on Calvary.— See all about are the peo ple, and He is dying, all alone— . If we compare all the Gospels we will find that He did not die as a man. Death had ho claim on Him. He did not have to die, and He laid down His life, for death had no claim on Him. He was not liable to the thing that brought death on men. It says: “ He dismissed His Spirit,” or yielded it up, as the Priest giving the sacrifice. It was no ordinary human death, for He knew its dread and awful reality; and Jesus as Priest gave Himself, yielded Himself in expiation for the sins of us all. Then blackness came over the face of the sky, and a singular awe crept over the crowds. And out of the depths came an awful cry, that the world has never heard before or since. The world had forsaken Him, and He turned His face, as He hung there dying, to heaven, and missed the face that never before had failed to smile upon Him,—His Father’s face was turned away. And so He went forth, dying, to the land of for getfulness, bearing our sins to some place behind God’s back,—tout into a place where God was not. So He fulfilled the giving up of life and the taking away of sin, to some place, we know not ho_w or where. / THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS intuition, not by struggle, for He holds all secrets of nature. All honour to those scientists who by laborious study are struggling to recover the power over nature that mankind has lost— that he forfeited through sin.— But He has all that dominion. Psalm 8 shows us what is man’s right ful place, over all other creation. And Hebrews 2 shows us Christ in that place,” but we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus.” Let us behold Him ever more! He has won back for man what man lost. He has the right to rule over nature, and He showed this in some of His miracles. And when He comes again to reign this great world,) now ruined and in pain, will find its true King.— The whole world is in a'gony.— It’s very songs of beauty and its loveli ness have the minor key. But all that will be removed when the New Man comes to reign! Creation at last will be at rest', under the Second Man, the KING! But more wondrous still is His Head ship of the Church, and the fact that we are His body, and that He has linked us with Him in eternal union. Read Ephesians 1:19-23. . . . What He wrought in Christ, when He set Him above all rule that is exerted anywhere, . . . and gave this King to the church! We as His body are linked up to this mighty King, that He might express Himself through us. Just as the head needs the body to express itself through, so Christ is gathering out this body to express Himself through. And as He waits till all things are put under His feet, He is gathering out His people.— The Bible never calls Him the King over Christians, never the King of the church, for He is our Head, the sovereign Head of the church. 3. His kingship, when ruling on the throne of David over Israel. To the prophets all the future was radiant with 651 the dawning of a glorious day: . . “ For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon Bis shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to estab lish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’’ (Isaiah 9:6.7). That day is coming, whdn all lines of His kingship will converge. 4. His sovereignty over the whole world, with Israel as His stewards. See Isa. 3:1-3. The only key for the deliverance of this world from its agony is the coming of. the King. The history of the world is-the story of experiments of human governments, and all have been a failure. And behind it all rises the Figure of the King of kings and Lord of lords, waiting to rule. Then, when He comes, will come the day for which creation waits,— for which the church waits,— for which Israel waits,-t^for which the world waits. We ask, how did He reach this sove reignty?— How has He tne right?' — Because He went by the way of the valley of Humiliation, not by the way of pride and ambition. See in Phil. 2:5-8, (R. V.) the steps of humiliation that He went down. He was the equal of God, but did not con sider it a thing to be grasped at— in contrast to Satan, who was given a high large place of rule, but grasped at a higher, and lost all. The Lord Jesus won all this by self-abnegation. He won it by walking through the valley of Humiliation, and by the way of the Cross. ^ “ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name that is above every name; that THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS 6 5 2 at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth . . . ” all heaven and earth, and under the earth will recog nize the supreme Lordship of Jesus.— Even all His foes, wherever they are, will some time recognize that Jesus is the KING. See from the throne how He went step by step down to the cross, and then see the God-Man rise up again to the Kingship over all! , Christ reaches the highest point of power because He went down to the lowest humiliation, by the seven steps in Phil. 2:5-8, and so there is the seven fold (heavenly number) aspiration of praise, in Rev. 5:12. And as the heav enly praise dies away its echoes come back to the Throne, and everything in heaven joins in the great chorus of praise. As Prophet Christ was alone. As Priest. He stands alone, and treads the winepress alone. But as King He takes His people to sit with Him in His throne. The King of England was not alone When he was crowned in West minster Abbey,— the queen was crowned with him. And so when our KING of kings is crowned, we who are cleansed by His blood and sanctified by His Spirit, will be seated with Him, forever. From Judas to Jesus Many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and anti-Christ. 2 John 1:7. Owing to no particular religious teaching, I was left free to make my own decision regarding all phases of my life. At an early age, I sought God and His ways and joined the Congregational church at the age of ten years. I was not instructed regarding the duty of prayer and the study of God’s Word. Now I wish there had been someone to lay upon my heart the burden of Bible study. How hungry my young heart was and how disappointed I was that there was not a deeper experience! The church services were mechanical; there was no spirit in their devotions. Christian workers— teach those under your guidance how to pray. Make them see how fascinating the study of God’s Word is. Make them see that it will explain itself, through the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). Tell them they need no other'key, nor need they depend upon any text book to understand the plain statements of the Bible. It will be indicted by ,the third Person of the Trin ity Himself. (2 Pet. 1:21) Had I only been taught these things I would Have been spared the grievous offense of denying my Savior. I would have recog nized Satan in the kiss of Judas and when he explained away all the Gospel truths of the blessed old Book, I would have seen he was betraying me. A brother passed into the unknown beyond. I began studying all sorts of teachings and philosophies. Finally I felt I had found the key I wanted. “ Science and Health, with key to the Scriptures” by Mrs. Eddy, was put into my hands. Like a drowning person, I grasped this so-called key and united with the so-called “ Christian” scientists, getting my letter of fellowsihp from the TODAY He liveth long who liveth well, All else is life but flung away; He liveth longest who can tell Of true things truly done each day. Then fill each hour with what will last, Buy up the moments as they go; The life above, when this is past, Is the ripe fruit of life below. —Horatius Bonar. THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS largest Congregational church in Chi cago. How could my dear husband and myself know that it was denying our Savior and. His atonement, and every fundamental truth connected with the Gospel? How could we know we were blaspheming His name, praying through another mediator and another revela- tor? How could we know that in place of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, we yere taking “ Science and Health” as our comforter? Dare one say, “ Jesus sent ‘Science and Health’ through Mrs. Eddy, to ‘guide you into all truth?’ ” (Jno. 16:13) If one spiritualize the Gospel truths, repudiating the Bible doctrine of sin and its curse, and denying the sacrificial atonement of Christ, where may they expect to spend eternity? Where will they look for eternal life? (Jno. 3:36) To say the Bible “ contains the Word of God” is leaving the door open wide for Judas to enter. He will betray you into controversy and all the differences of human opinion. Who shall appoint himself an oracle to choose those pass ages of Scripture bearing the seal of God? Shall anything bear the name Chris tian that denies prayer to God through Jesus, the only Mediator? (1 Tim. 2:5) Is salvation to be obtained through imitating Jesus’ works? After fifteen years of unrest and struggle to know the truth, we at last came honestly and sincerely to God’s Word, without any helps. We found at once that we had been cheated, tricked, betrayed by a Judas. The Truth through the Holy Spirit set us FREE. (Jno. 8:32) Perfect peace came. Dear friends, ask yourself— “ DOES IT MATTER WHAT I BELIEVE?” Read 1 John 5:9-15. Does it matter whether you have life or death? Have you the witness in yourself that you have this life? Have you the confidence that someone hears when you pray? 653 For fifteen years we practiced so- called “ Christian” science faithfully and sincerely. We went through all the requirements of the organization under one who is called their highest teacher, and one whom I believe was honest. After it all, we did not know Jesus, the ONLY WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. (Jno. 14:6) In a strange way, I was led to attend a Gospel meeting where one testified to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. The. Savior of the WHOLE man was revealed. When the invitation was given to confess HIM (Matt. 10:32-33) I accepted. I knelt. He took me in. Instantly I KNEW JESUS. What a joy! Peace was at hand. I needed not seek further for the Truth. “Now in Christ Jesus, ye who were once afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for His is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of parti tion between us.” (Eph. 2:13-15)— From Bessie Ogden, Chicago, 111. PRAYER A successful minister says: “Work done without prayer is work done without God. Spiritual work that is not steeped in prayer has no business to be done. Indeed, it is falsehood to call it spiritual; the power of God does not beat at the heart of it, only the impotence of man. It it as we pray that power from on high is poured into our lives wherewith to do the work of God upon the lives of men.” If thou hast yesterday thy duty done, And thereby cleared firm footing for to-day , Whatever clouds make dark to-morrow’s sun, Thou shalt not miss thy solitary way. '-J~-William Goethe. UP BIBLE IN S T IT U T E H A P P E N IN G S Particularly o f Interest to Friends and Students i f 1 of the people of California to the fact that there was absolutely nothing in common between Russellism and the Bible Institute. Mr. Palmer says, “ My attention has been called to the fact that some persons have been confusing the Bible Institute of Los Angeles with the International Bible Students’ Asso ciation, some of the members of which latter are now being prosecuted for vio lation of the federal statutes. It has been my special duty as Assistant to the United States Attorney for this dis trict to prosecute this inquiry, and so far as I know, and so far as the evi dence shows, there is no connection whatever between that institution and the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. I have not, either as an individual or as an officer of the Government been informed of any suspicion of disloyalty upon the part of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. I know many of the men constituting the board of directors and executive officers and am pleased to make this statement for the purpose of removing any wrong impression that may have resulted from the prosecution of those individuals connected with the International Bible Students’ Associa tion.” The Bible Institute of Los Ange les is patriotic and unselfish in its work and stands as a bulwark in defense of the old doctrines of the Bible which have made this country possible. The age limit for those desiring to enter the Bible Institute has recently been lowered to eighteen years. This is done in view of the fact that young men and women are now being graduated from the high schools at a lower age than a number of years ago, and the new ruling will make it possible for such to enter the Bible Institute immediately. NOTICE: It will be appreciated ■if former students of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles will from time to time keep the managing editor ‘in touch with their work. Among the special speakers the Insti tute students have been privileged to hear recently are Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas, Dr. Charles A. Blanchard, Rev. Alex R. Saunders, Canon F. E. Howitt, Robert C. McQuilkin, Rev. Harry Whit tington. The eleventh annual Montrose Bible Conference, an Eastern branch of the work of the Bible Institute opens July 26 and closes August 4, 1918. Among the speakers are Dr. R. A. Torrey and Dr. William Evans of Los Angeles; Dr. Griffith Thomas of Toronto; Dr. John Maclnnis of Syracuse, N, Y. The second annual Ministerial Institute under the auspices of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles is held on the same grounds at Montrose, Pa., from July 8th to 25th. Dr. Torrey, Dr. Evans and Dr. M. G. Kyle teach regularly throughout the institute and other speakers of renown are to have part. During the past few years followers of so-called “ Pastor” Russell of whom there are no small number in Los Ange les, have sought to make it appear that the “ International Bible Students Asso ciation” which is the latest title given that cult, was identical with the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. When recently Russellism got into bad graces with the^j government, there were some who con ceived the idea immediately that the Bible Institute had been circulating seditious literature. The following let ter received by the Bible Institute from W. F. Palmer, special assistant United States District Attorney, was used to good advantage in calling the attention
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