August 1928
T h è
K I N g ’ s
B u s i n é s s
467
This marks the supreme responsibility resting upon us as Christians and involves not only correct theology, but correct living. Men will not long listen to us if our life is constantly contradicting what we say. This is the reason why we stress in our work here the .fact that in order to get a diploma you must not only learn certain facts, doc trines and methods of work, but you must be something. Our diploma is supposed to represent not merely knowl- edge, but life. It says to the world that we believe you are true interpreters of Jesus Christ. It is quite possible for you to have a perfectly correct theology, absolutely, sound, according to the Fundamentalist tests and stan dards, and yet tragically misrepresent our diploma. The fact is, however, that no man is sound in his thinking who is unsound in his life. I do not mean by that that we are saved by our works. We are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, but saved to a very definite kind o f life. If we say we are saved and do not live the saved life, there must be a fatal kink in our teachings.' James shows this in a very striking sentence or two in his epistle: “ What doth it profit, my brethren, i f a man say he hath faith, but have not works? Can that faith save him? . . . Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe and shudder. But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith apart from works is b a r r e n In other words, the faith that saves a man is a faith that will lead him to yield his life to Jesus Christ that He may demonstrate in him and through him His power to make men and women after His own'though,t and image. In order to be true interpreters and witnesses o f Jesus Christ we must spend much time in secret with Jesus alone. “Take time to be holy,,speak oft with thy Lord; Abide'in Him always, and feed oh 'His W ord." Make friends of God’s children; help those who are Weak; Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek. “ Take time to be holy, the world rushekion; Spend much time inigecret with Jesus alone4i,y;;£ By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; '■ Thy friends in thy 'conduct His blessing shall see.” *
T rue I nterpretation of H im I wish to call your attention to two things in particular that will characterize a true interpretation of Christ. First, a genuine interest in suffering humanity. No man represents Christ who does not hear the cry o f his fellow men and who has not a passion to minister to them. There never was a time when the cry of humanity was more articulate and heart-searching than it is in our day. As you go out into the world you will be true interpreters o f Jesus Christ in the measure in which you enter into the fellowship o f His suffering. The_ other day Dr. Robert E. Speer again told the story o f the little waif that Dr. Janvier of India found one even ing and had removed to the hospital. For days they watched over him and did their utmost to restore him to health, but with little avail.. One evening Dr. Janvier was down to see him and, as he stooped down to hear what he had to say, the little fellow put his wasted arms around his neck and said in the language he could speak and that thé missionary could understand : “ Take me home,” The doc- tpr carefully raised him up and^carried him-home in his own arms, only to see him pass away to be with his Master in a few short hours. Then Dr. Speer said that as he heard this story the picture of Dr. Janvier and the little boy laded away and he saw Jesus Christ in the suffering o f his fellow men putting His arms around his neck and saying to him in a new way : “ Take me home,” . "For inasmuch as y e do it unto the least o f these ye do it unto me.” : In the second place, a true interpreter o f Jesus Christ is characterized by a true love and fellowship among our brethren. Jesus Himself has declared this is the mark by which we are to be known among our brethren. A very significant and touching thing happened at the missionary conference at Jerusalem a ' f e w weeks ago. Here were gathered representatives o f about fifty differ ent denominations and creeds representing practically the fdur '¿bribers of the earth. A fter days o f discussion re garding the things that they had in common and the task they had, one of the bishops, suggested they stand together
A s we look upon this Doctor-Mis sionary— Wilfred Grenfell, o f La brador— are we not led to wonder why 'more o f us are :not busy in errands o f mercy in Christ’s name, instead o f using so much energy in just talking ?0 Here Dr. Grenfell is seen conversing with a mother and son aboard his hospital, ship .with which he cruises the Labrador coast.
Herbert Photos, Inc.
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