t£fte $iM«
Sitatine
Zi
August •1928
F
Volume 19—Number 8 25 cents a copy
$1.25 a year in U. S. $1.50 foreign
Gathering looses o f Sharon ]
r
(• International News«
lisn b lfl
I Ml ì n m lì
‘TS THE WORLD GETTING WORSE? Or THE NEXT GREAT WAR IN EUROPE AND ITS RESULTS.” By Rev. Andrew Olsen. 45c It shows how 70 verses in the Bible have been fulfilled today. That another great war must come before Arma geddon, and that Mussolini has fulfilled 19 Bible State ments that the Antichrist shall do. “ AN APPEAL TO REASON, OR INDISPUT ABLE BIBLE FACTS, PROOFS AND EVIDENCES.” 35c A great number of Facts that Christians, and unconverted all ought to know. The Different Modes of Baptism, 10c. Send, to Rev. Andréw Olsen, Merna, Nebraska. IndividualICups HpiSS^I ¿iff “ Special” Cushioned Tray I Non-Collecting Tray and and 36 Glasses $9.95 ' 36 Glasses $6.50 Nickel Filler $5.75, Cover $2.50. Bread Plate $1.75, Collec tion Plate $2.00. Catalog free. Pastor's Sick Outfit $11.00. Thomas Communion Service Co. Box 542, Lima, Ohio
A Challenge for 1928 T HE ambition of the Christian and Missionary Alliance is ever to press forward into “the regions beyond” ; to preach Christ where He has never been named. The power of the Holy Spirit in revival fulness; prevailing in tercessory prayer; Spirit-filled men and women—called, prepared and appointed by God to His harvest field labors; and money given to God in tithes and free will offerings by consecrated followers of Jesus Christ, are needed to accomplish this God-given task. Among the areas which should be en tered soon are . Three provinces of. EASTERN SIAM, where over three million souls live in darkness without the Gospel ligh£|! V' BALUCHISTAN for pioneer work in three lan guages: Pushtu, among Afghans who travel in large caravans through Chaman; Brohi, in needy sections of- Baluchistan; Persian, across the border northwest of Quetta; and also to take over from another Mission exist ing work among Urdu-speaking Hindus. PERU,—among the Cashibos,—wild, cannibal istic, jungle Indians living between our pres ent work at Cahaupanas among the Campas and our Quichua work at Huanuco. FRENCH WEST AFRICA—the Taureg tribe numbering over 180,000 near our present large field in French West Africa. EAST INDIES—unoccupied portions of North Dutch Borneo, West Borneo, the Celebes and other islands, where many peoples including various tribes of Dyaks are without the Gospel. The Christian and Missionary Alliance 260 West 44th Street New York, N. Y. I ommunion W are of Q uality V InAluminumorSilverPlate BEST MATERIALS •LOWESTPRICES FINEST WORKMANSHIP S en d fo r Illu stra ted Catalog INDIVIDUAL COMMUNION SERVICE CO. ROOM 3S6 1701-03 CHESTNUT STREET. PHILADE l .PHIA.PA.
r ^ S O a W e with Amazing New
Educational Invention Simply show this new invention to parents and clear $40 to $60 a week'spare time—$80 to $120 a week full time. Nothing else like Playbox-. Every home a prospect. Big profit on every order, plus- Extra Cash Bonus. Playbox is guaranteed to advance any child regardless of age or sex. Develops admirable man ners and habits. Makes par ents proud of children. En dorsed by leading educators; Every child wants one. Parents eager to buy. Not sold in stores. Thus no competition. Easy pleas ant work, and big steady profits every week. $538 Extra Profit in One Month W. L. Proctor earned extra pash bonus of $538 in 1 month, over and above his regular weekly profits. Freitag’s bonus for 1 month was $500. Conelly, Pa., sells 8 out of 10 prospects. McKean reports 5 sales in half a day—net profit $20.
Pipe-Tone Folding Organs 4 Octave Double Reed In order to introduce our OR GANS, either leatherette cov ered, or 3-ply oak case,.we will accept for a limited time orders at $40.00 each (list price $70.00). A. L. W H ITE MFG. CO. 205 Englewood Ave., Chicago, III. LATEST MODEL LIBERTY PIPE-TO NE FOLDING
Now I need men and women in every locality to help me introduce Playbox and share in these profits. No expe rience necessary. I tell you what to do. You risk nothing. Start in spare time. Those who make good get chance to secure State Rights with Profit possibilities up to $10,000 a year. C OM P L E TE O U T F IT SEND NO MONEY FREE! Mail coupon for facts about my liberal Profit Sharing Plan and Extra Cash Bonus Plan. Exclusive territory. Get a Playbox anil Com plete .Selling Outfit without a penny's cost. Don’t miss, this opportunity. It means money. If $80 to $120 a week looks good to you, write me at once for full details. No cost or obliga tion in getting the facts. Rush coupon now—to J. L. RECTOR, Sec’y. The Parents Ass’n, p l e a s a n t *7 h ? l l , o. T E A R O U T - M A I L NO I J. L. Rector, Sec’y., The Parents Ass’n, I I Dept. 1738, Pleasant H ill,0. J Without cost or obligation to me, rush full derails 1 ■ of your $80 to $120 a week proposition. Profit-Shar- | I ing and Extra Cash Bonus Plan, Free Selling Outfit » ' and Free Playbox Offer..................................................... I ( Name........................................................................... . . . . • Address.............................................................................. ! ................................................................ i
P a r i s h P a p e r s Any church, school or class can publish a parish paper by using our co-operative plan. A parish paper fills empty pews, keeps community Informed, speeds up church work. Free Samples and Particulars. Our plan provides a paper for your church without cost to you. The National Religious Press Grand Rapids, Mich.
SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH This is being done in Africa, China, India, by Native Evangelists and Bible Women who are being supported for from 80c to $2.00 a week, $40 to $100 for a year. Write Rev. H. A.. Barton, Secy., Box B,. 473 Green Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.f for free literature.
Just Off the Press! (THE AUTHOR ’S CROWNING W O RK ) Be sure to get I. R. DEAN’S great last boo\ “TheComingKingdom »-theGoalotProphecy" Finished just seven days before the author was called home by his Lord. Twenty-seven amaz ingly interesting chapters and a Prophecy Ques tion Box. D W A N T o w e r C h im e s The one most beautiful form of memorial Standard Sets, $6000 up J. C. DEAGAN, Inc. X75 Deagan Building, Chicago Played D irect 3rom Organ Console B I G P R O F I T S r o r Y ou r C xm rcn O r g a n iz a tio n G O T T S C H A LK 'S M E TA L SPONGE tt REG.U.S.PAT. OFF. TheModern Dish ClotK’ — WRITE FOR FULL INFORMATION— METAL SPONGE SALES CORPORATION DEPT ^ LEHIGH AND MASCHER STREETS PHILA. USE THIS COUPON f t postpaid. Handsome l I Gentlemen: D U cloth binding. Please send me. by I. R. Dean, for which I enclose $ .copies “ The Coming Kingdom” East of Mississippi— order from Approved-Book Store, 1720 Spring Garden St., Phila., Pa. West of Mississippi—order from J. A . Dean, 234 West 88th Street, Los Angeles, California. ICHURCH FURNITURE Everything fo r Church and Sunday School ] use. From Factory to You. F inecatalogfree, DeMouUn Bros* & Co* 1151 South4thSt., Greenville Illinois I Trarne- Address. Mòtto: “I, theLord, do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest anyhurt it, I willkeepit night andday.” Isaiah 27:3 PUBL ISHED M O N T H L Y BY AND R E P R E S E N T IN G THE B IBLE IN S T I T U T E OF LOS ANGELES J ohn M urdoch M ac I nnis , Editor-in-Ghief C harles E. H urlburt , Associate Editor K eith L. B rooks , Managing Editor E rnest E. N ichols , Circulation Manager Volume X IX . August, 1928 Number 8 BOARD OF DIRECTORS BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES FACULTY Table of Contents D r . J ohn M. M ac I nnis , Dean D r . R alph A tkinson , Associate Dean R ev . J ohn H. H unter , .' Secretary of Faculty R ev . W illiam H. P ike , Secretary Evening School R ev . A lan S. P earce , Secretary Cor. School R ev . A lbert E. K elly , Student Secretary D r . G. C ampbell M organ D r ? J ohn M c N eill D r . C harles E. H urlburt R ev . A lva J. M c C lain C hristian M. B ooks R ev . K eith L. B rooks P rof . A lfred A. B utler M iss F lorence C haffee R ev . J ohn A. H ubbard P rof . H. W- K ellogg M iss R uth W alter P rof . H. G. T ovey P rof . J. B., T rowbridge M iss C harlotte L. W oodsridge H. W . B oyd , M.D. M rs . A lma K. M oss , P rof . R aymond C onner B. G. P inkerton , M.D. Advertising : For information with reference to advertising in T he K ing ’ s B usiness ad dress the Religious Press Assn., 325 North 13th St., Philadel phia, Pa.,- or North American Bldg.,- Chicago, 111. Entered as Second Class Mat ter November 17, 1910, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at spe cial rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Aqt of October 3, 1917, authorized October 1, 1918. F. J ean H olt , M.D. Ross A. H arris , M.D. J oseph J acobs , M.D.. M argaret M orris , M.D. Mrss A lta D avis J. M. I rvine , President J. M. R ust , ‘ 1st Vice-President L eon V. S haw , 2nd Vice-President A lexander M ac K eigan , .Secretary M rs . L yman S tewart , Asst. Secretary',' H oward F rost C. E. F uller N athan N ewby W illiam H azlett J. O. S mith ED ITOR IALS The Human Heart o f Deity...;..:..... If True— It’s All True....................... How One Theosophist Thinks.......... Dragon’s Teeth .................................... "And Another Thing The Tercentenary o f John Bunyan. Shall Christians Vote?....................... What i f Houdini Had Told?............ Editorial Flashlights.. .459 .459 .459 .460 .461 .462 .462 .462 .464 D r . J ohn M. M ac I nnis , Dean D r . R alph A tkinson , Associate Dean W m . A. F isher , ‘E x e c u t i v e Secretary and .Treasurer. Terms: $1.25 per year. Single copies 25 cents. •Foreign Coun tries (including Canada) $1.50 per year. Clubs of 5 or more 25 cents reduction on each sub scription sent to one or to sep arate addresses as preferred. Remittance : Should be made by Bank Draft, Express or P. O. Money Order, payable to the :; ‘Bible Institute o f Los Angeles.” Receipts will not be sent for regular subscriptions, but date of expiration will show plainly, each month, on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. Manuscripts: T h e K i n g ’ s B usiness cannot accept re sponsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent to it for consideration. Change of Address: Please send both old and new ad dresses at least one month pre vious to date of desired change. * * * * ARTICLES Baccalaureate Sermon Delivered June 10, 1928 — The Dean o f B. I. O. L. A ..............................466 Debts and Blood Stains—R. A. Jaffray................ 469 What Shall W e Do About the Apostasy? ■ m -W . Cameron Townsend.................... ;......... ....470 Knowing Jesus Christ in History — Alva J. McClain ................. ............................471 Water and Life— Prof. Roland Case Ross.... :......475 God’s All-Sufficient Grace— S. E. Burrow............477 Rapidity o f Transport in the Latter Days............489 * * . * * DEPARTMENTS B. B. B. B. Page......................................................478 Passages That Perplex—Keith L. Brooks............ 480 Heart to Heart With Our Young Readers..........481 Striking Stories of God’s Workings..............:.....483 Biola Band Captives Like Paul and Silas. 1 ......... ..486 Finest of the Wheat.................... ............................ 487 The Junior King’s Business...................................493 International Sunday School Commentary.,......... .495 Notes. On Christian Endeavor—Alan S. Pearce..504 Illustrated Daily Text.............................................. 507 POL ICY AS D E F IN ED B Y TH E BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TH E ANGELES (a ) T o stand fo r the in fa llib le W o rd o f G od and its g rea t fundam ental truths, (b ) T o stren gth en the fa ith o f all believers, (c ) To stir y ou n g m en and w om en to fit them selves fo r and en ga ge in definite Christian w ork , (d ) T o m ake the B ible In stitu te o f L os A n geles know n, (e ) T o m a g n ify God our F ath er and the person, w o rk and com in g o f our L ord Jesus C hrist; and to teach the tra n sform in g p ow er o f the H oly Spirit in our present p ra ctica l life, (f) T o em phasize in stron g, con stru ctiv e m essages the great B IBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS fou n d ation s o f Christian faith . 536-558 S. H o p e S tree t B IBLE IN ST ITUTE O F LO S ANGELES L o s Ange les, C a lifo rn ia The King’s W o rd and the King’s Business Mary A . Bishop, missionary in Central America, writes : “ This is to tell you how greatly my father and I appreciate T he K ing ' s B usiness . It is always such a source of blessing and inspiration to us. Father finds your Sunday- school helps superior to all others.” Rev. L. P. Sanford, rural missionary in Montana, writes: “ I must express our appreciation for the regular visits o f your most valuable maga zine. We eagerly look forward to receiving its timely and well-written articles.” G. H . Nelson of Warren, Pa., writes:' “ The May issue just arrived and in our morning devotions we prayed God’s blessings upon Biola and thanked Him for the men He has' raised Up to lead your great work. Through your correspondence courses and T he K ing ’ s B usiness we have been led to see God’s hand as it moves in the carrying out of the plan of the ages. It has given us the true perspective. The pages o f T he K ing ’ s B usiness bring us showers o f blessing,” L. H. Whitehouse of Edmonton, Canada, writes: “ T he K ing ’ s B usiness gets better and better as time goes on. I keep it alongside my Bible, to which it is so loyal. It is worth far more than is charged for it.” Rev. E. R. Kelley, Cardiff-By-the-Sea, Calif,, writes: “ Have just read your last issue. You are to be congratulated. It is a beauty, filled with good things. It seems to me that you are steadily improving the magazine.” , ’ R. R. Gree, Master Printer of Flushing, L. I.,writes; “ I must say that the typography, lay-out and general text-matter and arrangement of T he K ing ’ s B usiness places it now without a peer in the field o f Christian publica tions. I am a master printer, having charge o f some of the finer plants in New York. I know that a word of appreciation will encourage you at this time.” C. W , Gore of Silver Point, Tenn., writes: “ I cannot refrain from telling you your latest issues are magnificent. They have all been fine, but I am just reveling in these attractiye issues and the truth so faithfully pre sented. Thank God for their boldness in testifying to the W ord ”’ August 1928 459 T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s What a pity it is that so many preachers have so much to talk about that they never get-around to the study of and the proclamation of thèse vital truths of the New Testament ! I f T ru e— I t ’ s A ll T ru e “ Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing o f whom thou hast learned them." 2 Tim. 3:14. T HE articles of the Christian faith are not like the com modities in a bazaar from which one can pick and choose at pleasure and of which one can take three or four without in any way affecting one’s relation to the re mainder, or reject three or four without in any way affect ing the security of one’s hold upon those which one de cides to take. Our right to pick and choose has very strict limits. There is a right and a wrong use of reason in matters of faith. When the system as a whole has presented its creden tials to the reason and conscience and they have decided that the bearer of such credentials must be the representa tion of a divine Being, then the attempt to pick and choose among the details o f the system becomes perilous work. T o reject this or that item as being fringe and setting rather than a constituent element, may be to endanger the whole structure. Either we accept the Word o f God or we do not. It is not rational to trim, clip, pare away and twist, garble, gloss and color— in order to bring the Bible into conformity with some idea to which we have ,sub jected it. ‘.¿Ife H ow O n e T h e o s o p h is t T h in k s A COPY o f this magazine having been sent to a prom- - inent Theosophist by a relative,, the following com ment was received; “ Today the religious magazine came. I glanced through it, but I could not give it much time, I have grown away from these old ideas. This is dry stuff. It is •a decidedly, limited viewpoint. Who are these folks who presume to know what is the Word of God? That is a question which no. one can answer. The Bible, for a book of God, gives a very poor idea of the facts of life and death as contrasted with the scientific precision o f The osophy. I never got a sensible notion’ o f existence until I took up Theosophy. W e do not depend upon what a few apostles said some hundreds o f years ago. Mrs. Besant gives us actual clairvoyant studies of these things. Theoso- phists have watched dying people and described the pro cess o f withdrawing from the body. The clairvoyant fac ulty enables us to inspect the conditions o f the spiritual world, a thing which ministers cannot do. We know that angels exist, and your church people do not believe in angels. Hardly a week goes by that I do not have some instructive psychic experience which is more than the apostles ever experienced. Occultism is so rich and varied that the awakened student can find nothing in your dry husks of theology. It is kindergarten stuff. I cannot waste my time upon such things. I have grown beyond T h e H um a n H ea rt o f D e ity NE of the great truths given in the New Testament especially for a time of apos tasy is that of the High Priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Hebrew Christians were drifting and a special message was directed to them to save them from the rising tide o f apostasy. They were reminded that they had a “ better sacrifice” than their unbelieving brethren, and they were directed to look to heaven where they might in faith behold a glorious High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. In the light o f these facts,-they were exhorted to “ hold fast their profession” (Heb. ,4 :14 ). Is there any better mes sage for an apostate church today? How little instruction is given the church today re garding these things! Is it any marvel that Christians are pulled this way and that way-in the midst o f the raging controversies when they are left without the holding power of the exalted truth o f the Priesthood o f Christ? Who could lose courage and draw back in cowardice, if he real ized that he had instant access at the throne in heaven, who is not only omnipotent in power but has a human heart? The Priesthood of Jesus Christ, be it observed,/is based upon the perfection of His humanity. He is a per fect Mediator because He was in all points tested as we are, yet without sin, and therefore can he touched .with the feeling o f our infirmities (Heb. 4 :15 ). : Has the fact gripped your soul that Jesus not only W A S but IS man? Some imagine that He took human form only temporarily and then became a ghost being. Let the resurrection life of our Lord answer that error. He was a glorified MAN . He ascended as “ the Son o f man.” We have a Mediator, “ the man Christ Jesus." He is com ing again as “ the Son o f man.” Here is the truth o f the human heart o f deity. The Bible truth o f the present manhood of Christ should be given more emphasis. Few realize that the divine Heart is human in its sympathies. When Jesus ascended He changed His place but not His nature. Little can we estimate what it has meant to the sum o f human happiness that we have a High Priest above who is able to have fellow feeling. The earthly experience of the incarnate God has left certain effects durable in His nature—has endued the Godhead with qualifications which,, but for the incarnation, could not have existed. It is in view of this truth that the writer of Hebrews exhorts: “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.” The word “ boldly” means “ with freedom of speech.” The throne of Majesty becomes to us a throne of grace when we realize that God has been in our place and even now knows how we feel. . As John Buriyan put it : “ When a God of grace is upon a throne of grace and a poor sinner seeks gra^e in the name of a gracious Christ in and by the help of the Spirit of Grace, can it be other wise but such a sinner' must obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need ?” • August 1928 T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s 460 to look as though his latest strategy has been to sow dragon’s teeth from one end of Christendom to the other. “ I f y e bite and devour one another,” writes the' Apostle Paul, "take heed that ye be not consumed one o f another.” A striking thing is to be noticed in the last exhorta tion of James (5 :8-9), when he bids them be patient and stablished in heart, "fo r the coming o f the Lord draweth nigh.” There is a .special word for those living in the days just before His coming. It is o f all times the most inopportune time to start "speaking evil one-of another” ( 4 : 1 1 ), for it will retard soul-winning work, and cause that state. It may have some value for the less evolved. Most of those I meet daily are lower than I in the scale of evolution. I have progressed beyond them and this progress brings a certain isolation. The aims these church people are pursuing in life are childish to me, with the fuller knowledge which has come to me. I find I have to make an effort to come down to their level. There are very few with whom I can enjoy satisfying communion. If I talked naturally at my level, they would not under stand me. My normal line of thought is altogether above the masses. I f this is my case, what must be that of the great leaders of Theosophy? They are as far above me as I am above the rabble. “ But why write all this, h a v e d o n e it to be ashamed at His appear ing. Is this not a mes sage for our day? “ Be hold, the Judge standeth before the door!” It is sad indeed to see so many gifted Chris tian l e a d e r s devoting themselves to t e a r i n g d o w n the 1 a b o r s’ of others. . This is no less true in Great Britain than it is in our own, land. A great con troversy now divides the Fun damentalist forces of that na tion because of charges of modernism hurled at the hon ored leaders of the Keswick Convention. As the result of articles published by . a well- known . Christian, j o u r n a l (London), suspicion has. been aroused throughout the . land. No. one seems to know just what it. is all about. Insinua tion and innuendo injected in to the minds of the' people have been left to fester in the dark until it has been made to appear that Dr. Stuart Holden and his associates at Keswick have become Modernists. The Convention directors' h a v e been obliged repeatedly to af firm their absolute fidelity tb the Word of God and to in sist that no modernism ever has or ever will be tolerated. Still the attacks continue and soul-winning work all o v e r England must suffer tremen dous set-backs as a result. A recent issue, o f The Christian (London ), brings us the full, account of how the re ports concerning K e s w i c k were Started. It- seems to be those w h o again? You refuse to become interested and I shall on ly■ bore you. “ Your affectionate son.” Comment upon the above seems unnecessary. It is hard to conceive o f such colossal egotism or such utter blind ness ! ■How can one fail to be lieve in a personal devil after reading such an effusion? Is this not the “ strong delusion” which in the latter days is predicted to come upon men "with all deceivableness o f un righteousness in them that per ish, because they receive not the love o f the truth that they might be saved” ? (2 Thess. 2 : 10-1-1.) Could the unaided human mind conceive the idea of arguing down the Christian experience o f the centuries and setting the views o f Mrs. Besant above the teachings and experiences o f our divine Lord and Hi? Spirit-taught Apostles? Yet, is such a case .beyond the reach of prayer? May’ God burden our hearts more and more that we may carry such deluded people on the stretcher o f our faith, to the feet of Jesus! D r a g o n ’ s T e e th AV E you ever heard the old fable of the brave Cadmus who s l e w a fierce dragon with his javelin and was directed to take its teeth and Sow them in the ground? As the story runs, he had you■ Commandments of Church Decorum I. Thou shalt not come to service late, , Nor for the Amen refuse to wait. II. Thy noisy tongue thou shalt- restrain When speaks the organ its refrain. III. But when the hymns are sounded out, Thou shalt lift up thy voice and shout. IV. The endmost seat thou shalt leave free, For more to share the pew with thee. -' V. . The offering-plate thou shalt not fear, But give thine uttermost with cheer. VI. Thou shalt this calendar peruse,, And look here for,'the church’s news. VII. Thou shalt the minister give heed, Nor blam.e him when thou’rt disagreed. VIII. Unto thy neighbor thou shalt bend, And, if a stranger, make a friend. IX. Thou shalt in every way be kind, ’Compassionate, of tender mind. X. And so by all thy spirit’s grace, Thou shalt show God within this place.* — Dr. J. H. Holmes. hardly done so when the clods began to move, and the points o f spears appeared above the surface. Next came up helmets with their nodding plumes, and then a har vest o f armed warriors. They commenced a war among themselves and' fought until nearly all were slain. The Scriptures tell us that in the last days Satan will know that he has but a short time (Rev. 12 :12). We may count upon it that his emissaries will leave no stone unturned to hold back the completion of the Body o f Christ and to create confusion in Christendom. It begins the old story o f the thirst of a few militant leaders for power. As the story is given in The Christian, it appears that for some years the paper which has hurled the charges, has published the Keswick addresses and later combined them in book form. The publication was never made the official organ of the convention. Out.of some thirteen col- ums o f bewildering verbiage in the accusing journal, one finally unearths the real complaint, which is that "without consulting the proprietors and the editor, the convention August 1928 T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s 461 council decided to disassociate the movement from this journal, a course o f action which makes it perfectly plain that someone is desiring to open up the way fo r a publi cation ON MORE ADVANCED LINES .” It appears that the council decided to get competitive bids on the printing o f the convention book and other work heretofore handled by the paper referred to, and another .concern got the work. There seems to be no reason why they should have to consult their printers before deciding a matter o f this kind which looks toward placing things on a better business basis. But why should it be assumed that this indicated an intention of starting a paper “ on more advanced linest” The council has no intention of starting another paper to compete with the complaining journal, nor any thought of broadening out in theology. Should not the council be congratulated upon adopting .business methods that will secure for ..its constituency lit erature at better prices? “ It is deeply to be regretted,” says the editor of The Christian, that in some quarters the charges and insinua tions made with reference to the convention have been ac cepted without investigation, and with results that threaten, not only the Keswick Convention but the entire movement o f which Keswick is the emblem in the Chris tian world. Reports from Scotland and Ireland point to sad misunderstanding, calculated to cause serious difficulty in the near future. In places where,; in the past, the sug gestion o f a convention for the deepening of the spiritual life has stirred joyous emotions, there may be met today observations that reflect upon the motives of leaders; and a cautious fear lest the object of the movement is to pro mote Modernist views .1 Needless to say, a spirit of. sus picion and distrust renders impossible anything in the nature o f cooperation in work for Christ.” “ A n d A n o th e r T h i n g !” W E have recited the baseless scandal that has been spread concerning the Keswick Convention—now our attention is called to another line of misrepresentation which is destined to greatly hinder missionary work in China. It has been reported in the religious press on both sides o f the water, that the / ‘General Assembly o f the Church o f Christ in China,” a union o f evangelical churches which consists o f fully one-third o f the Protes tant Christians in China and a fifth o f the missionary body, has become, modernistic. A London religious paper said recently: “ The General Assembly o f the Church of Christ in China— consisting of missionaries and leading Christians — rejects such articles o f faith as the virgin birth and the atonement and resurrection of our Lord. I f it refers to a Redeemer it is on the understanding that that does not include the idea of atonement.” That paper has now been compelled to publish a state ment from A. R. Kepler, general secretary of the General Assembly of the Church o f Christ in China, in which he says in part: “ I was greatly amazed and grieved to see this gross misstatement. It is without any basis on fact whatsoever. “ This grave injustice to the Church of Christ in China, was evidently born when letters from an unknown writer (whom we would fain believe to have written out of igno rance) were given publicity, along with other equally spur ious assertions, by the editor of (mentioning a popular weekly Sunday-school journal published in America). Your publication has now proceeded to broadcast this fab rication throughout Great Britain. Moreoyer, ydur anony mous contributor was able to pervert even that misstate ment which appeared in (mentioning the paper). The correspondent in the (paper heretofore named) remarked on the ‘omission of such articles of faith as the virgin birth, etc.’ Your contributor proceeds to remark that the Church of Christ in China ‘rejects such articles of faith as the virgin birth, etc.’ “ Anyone who knows the personnel o f the committee who prepared the doctrinal basis o f union for the United Church o f Christ in China would realize how utterly im possible it would be for them to draw up a creedal state ment which rejected such articles of faith as enumerated in the paragraph which forms the basis for this protest. The men who composed the committee on Union and the sub committee on creedal statement are the veterans in our Christian enterprise in China. They are among the most beloved and respected, and, as to doctrine, amongst the most conservative o f the Christian leaders in the Chi nese church.’byj The bond o f union between these churches in China consists of the following simple statement: “ (1) In our faith in Jesus Christ as our Redeemer and Lord on whom the Christian Church is founded; and in an earnest desire for the establishment o f His kingdom throughout the whole earth. “ (2). In our acceptance o f the Holy Scriptures o f the Old and New Testaments as the divinely inspired Word of God, and the supreme authority in matters of faith and duty. “ (3 ) In our acknowledgment of the Apostles’ Creed as expressing the fundamental doctrines of our common evangelical faith.” To be sure there is not a word in the above statement regarding the virgin birth, the atonement and the resur rection, but are not all of the essential doctrines o f the Faith implied within these three articles? Have we come to an hour when every church and every Christian must display a detailed statement o f belief on every doctrine in the Bible or be branded as modernistic ? The tragedy of such false publications as are abroad today rests in the fact that it is utterly impossible ever to catch up with them and undo the harm that has been done. Satan seems to have set many Christian leaders at work burning powder in the faces o f each other while the world rushes madly on toward the Great Tribulation. The writer o f the article which appeared in the London periodical prints the following apology, which, however, can never undo the injury wrought to the cause o f Christ in China in these days so critical for our missionaries there: “ May I express my deepest regret that in one o f my articles inaccurate statements were unwittingly made about the General Assembly- o f the Church of Christ in China. My source o f information was one I regarded as trustworthy. Mr. Kepler’s letter proves that I was mis taken, and I hasten to apologize.most humbly to all con cerned. “ Perhaps there is a lesson here for many o f us to learn. I trust we all have come to see that criticism of individuals is not pleasing to our Saviour. Yet how many o f us are as careful in the judgments we pass— often on hearing false reports — on societies or bodies o f peoplef” The editor o f the paper appends the following: “ To our contributor’s withdrawal and apology we would add our own regret that through our columns pub licity was given to a statement which had no foundation in fact.” August 1928 T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s 462 15he ci{gse Still Grows Near a shady wall a rose once grew, Budded and blossomed in God's ; free light; Watered and fed by morning dew, Shedding its sweetness day and night. As it grezv and blossomed fair and tall, Slowly rising to loftier heights, It came to a crevice in the wall, Through which there shone a beam of light. Onward it crept with added strength. With never a thought of fear or pride, It followed the light through the crevice's length, And unfolded itself on the other side. Ssp The light, the dew, the broadening view, Were found the same as they were before, And it lost itself in beauties new, Breathing the fragrance more and more. Shall claim o f death cause us to grieve, And make our courage faint or fall? Nay; let us faith'and hope receive; The rose Still grows beyond the wall. Scattering fragrance far and wide, Just as it did in days of yore. Just as it did on the other side, J.ust as it. zoili forevermore. :—A. L. F rinke . B i i M It is to be hoped that the American paper which orig inally broadcasted these damaging reports will even yet make some effort to cover the territory with a clear-cut retraction. T WO great events happened during the year 1628, the one leaving its permanent mark upon political insti tutions of England, by which Charles I reluctantly put his royal hand to the Petition of Right; and the other, being the birth of John Bunyan, gave us those books which have exercised an effect upon the Christian thought o f the Eng lish-speaking peoples, second only to the Word of God. Men o f all shades of opinion have united to do honor to his memory. Bunyan was possessed, in an amazing degree, of physi cal and moral courage, and also endowed with a super sensitive conscience which shrank from the very appear ance o f anything approaching duplicity, diplomacy, sub terfuge, or evasion. Doubtless he-could have escaped much of his suffering had he been disposed to any dealings other than the most rigid, scrupulous, and transparent honesty. He might have walked abroad and not languished in prison, by giving a tacit promise not to call together his congregation for worship, for the authorities would have closed their eyes to his private or incidental ministry. Bunyan, however, had absolutely nothing in his makeup that would have produced an artful dodger, a trimmer, a Jesuit, or a casuist. When kindly disposed men in authority, like the town-clerk o f Bedford, urged him to save himself the evils of prison life, advancing the argument that a nominal and formal promise of obedience to the requirements of the Conventicle Act, would not deprive him of a quiet ministry of unobtrusive labor, he steadfastly declined to burden his conscience by giving an understanding which was capable of bearing any Jesuitical purport. Although all churches now honor Bunyan, what in common is there between the valiant, dauntless, grim and resolute Puritan, and the insipid, weak, watery, jellyfish temporizers of today? To Modernists he was a fanatic and obscurantist, who made trouble about trifles. He would today be denounced, like those who follow him, as a bigot. It is certain were Bunyan living today that he would find more than one Mr. Facing-both-ways. S h a ll C h ris tia n s V o te ? T HE annual tax imposed by the Romans upon the Jews of our Lord’s time was very distasteful. Several times Jewish leaders had arisen to oppose the idea of the Jews having any obligations toward the Roman govern ment. Such advocates were promptly imprisoned and we read in Acts 5 :37 of one Judas of Galilee who perished in consequence of his efforts to instruct the Jews against par ticipation in the Roman government. Perhaps the Scribes and Pharisees, in putting the delicate matter up to Jesus, hoped that the same fate would befall Him. We read in Mt. 2 2 :15-22 how the question had been formed by the supreme intellects for the purpose o f trapping Jesus. But He answered like lightning and His answer*cannot be improved upon:— “ Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.” The state has its sphere. W e have our duties toward it. God has His throne. W e are to be loyal to Him, and no unholy allegiance to an earth kingdom should make us traitors to God. Surely the sense of accountability to God will lay upon us some civic duties; Our form of govern ment certainly places its citizens in such a position, that certain responsibilities in the support and direction of it devolve upon them. W e have met some who frequently quote Col. 1 :20 as a reason why they should not cast their vote in elections. Mr. Moody once asked an evangelist his .opinion concern ing a very grave political situation and the reply was—■ “ My citizenship is in heaven.” Said Mr. Moody— “ Bro ther, you’d better get it down here for the next sixty days.” He did not believe in shirking responsibility down here because he was going up there. W e are not advising Christians to jump into politics, but we do feel that we are called upon by the New Testa ment to do our duty toward the government whose protec tion we enjoy, and which we can in a measure protect from designing office-seekers. W h a t I f H o u d in i H ad T o l d ? T HE American Magazine in its, March number carried a remarkable article concerning Houdini, the famous magician. This man amazed great audiences everywhere with his dare-devil feats and unsurpassed dexterity. So mystifying were his escapes from manacles, strait-jackets, prison cells, sealed chambers, chests and casks of every August 1928 T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s 463 kind that many people attributed his feats to peculiar psychic powers. The magician, however, repeatedly af-' firmed that he accomplished his tricks purely by physical, not psychical means. His methods, he declared, rested on natural laws of physics and could be understood by anyone. This man carried the details of his feats to the grave with him. His wife, the only person to whom he confided any o f his methods, was pledged to secrecy forever. On many occasions Houdini stated his purpose to let these secrets die with him, for, as he said, “ they are of no mate rial benefit to mankind, and if used dishonestly might become a serious menace.” As an illustration o f what it might mean in human society had he revealed his methods, take the following instance: “ In the office o f a friend once he was asked if it was really true that he could open any safe. He replied ves— that if everyone knew what he knew, safes wouldn’t be worth much. “ ‘Can you open our ^office safe?’ asked the friend. “ ‘I f you give me three minutes alone with it, I ’ll try,’ said Houdini. "The friend went out. Soon Houdini summoned him, and without hesitation walked to the safe, turned to the proper combination, and swung the door open. Then, on an impulse he took from his pocket a case that resembled a watch, with a single sensitive dial. ‘I made this myself,’ he said. ‘It is the only one in the world. If you had it, and knew how to use it, it would give you the combination of any safe anywhere.’ ” The existence, o f the race is being more and more menaced by reason o f the scientific discoveries passed on from one generation to another and used for evil purposes. Here was a man who saw what havoc might be wrought.^ should he make, known the secrets by which he had fur nished thousands o f people wholesome amusement. W e have often wondered how far the race would have progressed had God permitted men the longevity granted to the earliest human beings. Adam lived 930 years (Gen. 5 :5 ). Archeologists tell us that the earliest known human remains denote a much longer span of life than is now permitted to man. Out o f nine whose ages are recorded in Gen. 5, the average age was 912. It was logical that the first men should live long. It took time for the ground to develop .the effects o f the curse, and man’s per fect physical condition in Paradise would not have been exhausted. It was necessary to the worship o f God in the earth, for there was no written revelation and Adam lived long to tell the story o f Eden and repeat the promise he had heard from God. On the other hand, long life with a fallen nature, lent itself to evil purposes. The rare occurrence o f death would encourage men in evil. Long association o f evil men would foster the progress o f corruption. It is no wonder that we read of the whole earth being so soon corrupted and brought under judgment. Sin has continued to shorten the span o f human life. What a blessing it is that men who are just in the midst of new discoveries are again and again summoned to leave their work unfinished, carrying their secrets with them! Here is a splendid opportunity for Spiritualists to demonstrate the worth o f their claim that the dead com municate with the living. No information o f any value to' men has ever been sent across the border. W e cannot pick up the work where another has been compelled to leave it unless he has chosen to divulge his discoveries step by step. The printed page is in our day overcoming to a large extent the loss due to the fact that men are not permitted to live long enough to realize their ambitions. In this way a man may leave on record for others, if he chooses, that which he believes will be of benefit to his successors. This accounts in large measure for the great progress of scientific invention in the last few generations. However, we are faced with the fact that all o f these inventions are being turned to purposes which may mean the extermina tion o f mankind. What will check these conditions? Nothing but the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us take time to breathe a word o f thanksgiving that Houdini did not put intej print, for the benefit of modern youth, his secrets for the opening o f vaults and prisons. The Village Church C harles L. H. W agner In The Congregationalist To the old village church I wended my way, The church that in childhood I knew, And the pages o f time turned back fo r the day ' I A s I sat in the hard oaken pew. The pulpit seemed bathed in a spiritual mist; It was peopled by ghosts o f the past, While the Spirit o f Youth my weary eyes kissed, TfAnd memories came thick and fast. The minister preached, but I did not hear; I was listening to sermons o f yore From the lips o f a saint I used to revere, Who had preached in that pulpit before. The young choir sang, but my ears heard no sound; I was hearing sweet music instead That was sung long ago, and the shrouds were ■unbound On the years that I thought gone and dead. Oh, that dear village church, with its mystical charms, ' Thrills the soul o f me yet with delight, For it holds yesteryears in its enfolding arms And the anguish o f time doth requite. August 1928 464 T h e K i n g ’ s ' " B u s i n e s s crease o f nearly 400 per cent. It is said that woman has added huge volumes to tobacco consumption by her favor for cigarettes; HÇ * * The present number of Jews in New York City is estimated at 1,750,000, the largest Jewish community the world has ever known, and in itself a great mission field. In 1925 they comprised 30 per cent o f the population. Rabbi Landman has in troduced the suidy of the New Testament in his school on Long Island. Landman not only has a large synagogue but is edi tor of The American Hebrewi. We quote from his paper : “The time has come when the' ' New Testament should no longer be a closed book to the Jews. Not so long ago'the name of Jesus and the Christian holy' book were anathema among our people. The Jews will never be able to understand their Christian fel lows until they know what there is in the New Testament which creates a wall of misunderstanding between them.” * * * “Faith without love makes the greatest . roar and din ; , The cask sounds loudest when there is naught within.” * * * Perhaps it is just as well that most o f the writers of our great hymns have gone on to glory, and not much is known about them. You will hear many a Fundament alist singing the grand old hymns o f Toplady, yet he would be refused fel lowship in many a church were he on earth. Some o f our best hymns were written by Unitarians and Roman Catho lics. Imagine how some of these brethren and sisters would feel if they should re turn from heaven and find they couldn’t get into many o f the churches where their hymns are sung so lustily ! * * * An English scientist has triumphantly proved that the Bible story about Jonah and the whale was literally true. He has found the case of an old whaleman who romped around in the stomach of a whale for a day. “I am Unable to rejoice whole heartedly over this discovery,” says Harry Carr, the news writer. “My sympathy is too great for the whale. Ï should imagine that if there is anything in the world that would be thoroughly annoying—not to say depressing—it would be having a sailor kicking around-in one’s stomach.” All o f which suggests that few ' commentators have paused to remark upon the fact that the sea monster that swallowed Jonah probably came, to realize that a grave error had been committed and had any thing but a pleasant time for three days and nights. Seventy-four Buddhist temples in the United States. * * * Charles G. Finney records o f one of his revival meetings that he might have seen much greater victory, but he could not find one pleading man in the place. Isn’t that the great trouble today ? * * * “The liar’s punishment,” says The Loi- Angeles Times, “is that he thinks;?gvery. other fellow is lying and never feels se cure about anything.” . '1,; * * * An Alabama paper hits the nail on the head in saying: “It must be admitted that modern youth is rather wild, in both first and second childhood.” * * * An authority in England estimates that not over half o f the 30,000,000 total membership o f Protestant churches ■in the world could be considered. born- again believers. Taking the world popu lation as 1,600,000,000, he finds that 99 out of every 100 persons in the world are still unsaved. He does not seem to grant that there are any true -believers in the Roman church, or elsewhere, out side the recognized Protestant denomi nations, and we cannot doubt that there are thousands of true believers not on the church rolls. He also ( seems to over look the fact that there are millions o f infants and children who have not reached the age of accountability. Never theless it is .¡Si »terrible significance that some 6,000 persons pass from time into eternity every hour, many of whom knew not Christ. 4s * * - Drummond once said, “What is needed is not more of us, but a better brand.” Perhaps if there were more Christians who could get along with one another.in these days, there would be more hope of the Gospel making progress. * * * Rev. S. I. Emery writes that it would be well if more preachers could learn not to “spend all their time skunk-hunting for a twenty-five-cent skunk hide, while a flock o f sheep stand around and starve.” * * * Revenue receipts of the treasury for the first nine months o f the current fiscal year indicated the receipt'of $223,527,000 from cigarette taxes, a gain o f $20,000,000 oyer the same period a year before. Tobacco’ revenues would have shown a decrease for the period except for the increase in cigarette , revenues. Since 1915, the per capitatobacco tax hasleaped from 79 cents tomore than $3.00. One needs no statistician to help establish the patent fact that cigarettes account for the in T h e y S a y . Los Angeles Times : “Many a man thinks-he’s tol erant when he is just too shal low to develop a conviction.” ♦ * * Raymond B. Fosdick : “ For knowledge, for truth, for a valid line between right and wrong, one does not consult the g r e a t e s t number. The • coarse thumb and finger of mass opinion cannot shape the conscience o f a man.” * H« * Lloyd George, asked by Paul Hutchinson for his estimate of Christian missions : “My friend, if the Church fails in its ministry to the world, then the rest- of us might as well close up. shop.” * * * W\ T, Ellis, news writer : : “Lacking apsense of hupaor and of proportion, some of these experts in ‘religious education’ are trying to make a first-day high school out o f the Sunday school, with ah elaborate cur- - riculum wherein the B i b l e plays only an incidental part. Whereas everybody with com mon sense knows that the best the Sunday school can hope to do in its one-hour session a week is to familiarize the pu pil with a portion o f the Scripture, and its application to life.” * * * Bishop Candler : “ The crying need o f today is •not more cultural and scien tific knowledge, but more spir itual knowledge. Our pros perity will cpllapse o f its own weight unless our spiritual growth catches up with our material growth. The old- fashioned qualities of rever ence, obedience, willingness to do hard and unpleasant tasks, respect for law, integrity and loyalty must be taught. My own impression of public edu- > cation’s profit and loss report . is that there is room for much improvement. T h e public, who are the stockholders, have a right to demand it.”
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker