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^ j in everything give l j thanks; for this is the -vC?ill of- God in Christ Jesus concerning $ou. I THES. 5:18
In every jo;? that crowns nr? days, In e'Jer? cross I bear, M y heart shall find delight in praise, O r seek relief in prayer.
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T H A N K S G IV IN G N U M B E R , N rfsm ber
Bible Institute ofLosAngeles ( 4 N C O R P O R A T E D ) LO S A N G E L E S , C A L IF O R N IA , U . S. A .
Free Training School for Christian Workers
DIRECTORS
Lyman Stewart, president J. M. Irvine, secretary T. C. Horton, superintendent H. A. Getz
R. A. Torrey, vice-president Leon V. Shaw, treasurer William Evans J. O. Smith
Nathan Newby
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT . ¿¡SKI kojd 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 Personality of the Holy Ghost. The Supernatural and Plenary authority 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 Maintenance of Good Works. The Second Coming of Christ. The Everlasting Existence of the Spirit. The Resurrection of the Body. The Life Everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Impenitent The Reality and Personality of Satan. The Institute trains, free of cost, accredited men and women, in tin knowledge and use of the Bible. DEPARTMENTS: O) The Institute Classes held daily except on Saturdays and (2) I S . Sundays. ?-lasses a" d Conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. Evangelistic. Meetings conducted by our evangelists. Spanish Work. Personal work among Spanish speaking people. Shop wnrk. Regular services in shops and factories. Jewish Evangelism. Personal work among the Hebrews and mission for Jews. 25?1* Women. House-to-house visitation and neighborhood classes, uu melds. A mission to men on the oil fields. Books and Tracts. Sale and distribution of selected books and tracts ISlr Work. For seamen at San Francisco harbor, i i j * ThC Blola .H.all. Daily noon meetings for men in the down-town district with fr< reading-room privileges. Evangelistic service every evening. (12) Print Shop. For printing Testaments, books, tracts, etc. A complete establisl ment, profits going to free distribution of religious literature. SCOPE OF TH E WORK PUR PO SE : (3) (4) ( 5 ) (6) (7) m m ( 10 )
THE KING’S BUSINESS MOTTO: “ I, the Lord, do keep it, I w ill water it every moment, lest any hurt it, I w ill keep it night and day . '■? ....................' ■ Isa, 27:3 - - ' ----- = PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE Rev. T . C . H O R T O N , Editor in Chief BIBLE IN ST ITUTE OF LOS ANGELES Rev. K EITH L. B R O O K S, Managing Editor Entered as Second-Class Matter November 17, 1910, at the Post Office at LosAngeles, California under the Act of March 3, 1879 Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917 authorized October 1, 1918. Editorials : Thanksgiving (987) Striking Oil (988) Shall Wé Assert Our Rights? (988) Moving Picture Churches, (989) The Chris tian Herald (990) Flirting With Error (991) The Wesleys and Prçmillenarianism (991) What Is Prayer? (992) Seek ing to Make Monkeys of Us (993) Sentence Sermons (995) In Everything Give Thanks—Hannah Whitall Smith (997) Volume X November, igig Number 11
The Great Combines—Rev, W. P. Hicks (1003) Evangelistic Stories from Real Experience (1011) A Coming Moment from “ Morning Star ” (1018) ,< Homiletical Helps (1021) Thoughts for Unsaved People (1023) International Sunday School Lessons (1025) Daily Devotional Readings—Dr. F. W. Farr (1061) Pernicious Peyote—R. H. Harper (1068) Help Us Put This Magazine Into the Homes. Subscribe FOr a Friend. Get Others to Subscribe. Send Us Money to Supply Foreign Missionaries.
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F R E E D O M
AND WHAT REAL FREEDOM IS
From Sermon by Dr. Jowett
Jesus therefore said to those Jews which had believed Him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31, 32 (R. V.). We are all talking about freedom nowadays. It constitutes the burden of our political progress. It forms the pervading air of our national songs. At the very entrance to our harbor there stands the Statue of Liberty, as though to announce to every pilgrim from the Old World that freedom is the very prelude to our national ambitions, raw material from which we would weave the substance of all our racial relationships, the alphabetical premises from which we would deduce all.the vital enactments of our national life. Thus we have much to say and to sing of the glories of freedom, but have we the real thing? Or is the freedom of which we boast no more essentially freedom than fine crockery constitutes a fine feast? I am asking concerning the quality of the freedom which makes the strains of our national songs. Is it the real thing, the very vital thing? According to the teaching of Jesus, there is a royal road to a royal freedom, and there is but one road which leads to it; it begins in belief in Jesus Christ our Saviour; it continues in an abiding in His Word; it climbs to a vital knowledge of His truth; and it culminates in the sacred freedom of the spirit, which is the franchise of the heavenly country, the freedom of the elect, “the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Such is the teaching given to us by One Who knew all there is to know about it, and we are inexpressibly foolish if we presume to have found another and a better way. What is that freedom which is to be the very crown of our life7 Sovereign freedom is an unshackled spirit. We have experimental knowledge of Jesus, and our spirits are gloriously free. We have experimental knowledge of God’s forgiveness,— the chains of guilt are broken. We have experimental knowledge of God’s sleepless provi dences, and we are delivered from the bondage of harassing care We have experimental knowledge of God’s holy and genial love, and we are set free from the tyranny of enslaving fears. • When we know the truth as it is in Jesus, our souls are uplifted in the exhilarating prospect of eternal hope. Such is our liberty in j esus. “He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free.” This road, I said, begins in belief, and it ends in freedom. It begins in trusting Jesus— it ends in sharing the wonderful love of God. It begins in surrender,— it ends in the conscious enjoyment of the boundless inheritance of grace. It begins on earth—it ends in heaven- —Dr. J. H. JOWETT. “My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty!”
T hanksgiving “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (2 Cor. 9 :1 5 ) “En ter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” (Psa. 1 0 0 :4 ) “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Col. 2 :7 ) “Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” (Col. 4 :2 ) “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Col. 3 :1 5 ) “Now thanks be unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” (2 Cor. 2 :1 4 ) T hanksgiving —D u $, Delight, Dynamic There is one great peril that is threatening the prosperity of the churches and the country and that is the utter indifference to the mercies of God. How much has God been in the thoughts of all the world in con nection with the triumphs of the war? How many people have really given Him the praise for His great mercies to us ? Man has gobbled up for himself all the glory of every successive victory. There never was a time when it was so much the general habit of men to take all the blessings of God for granted. This spirit of independence cannot he persisted in long without provoking God to withdraw His mercies for the purpose of showing man what a helpless thing he is in himself. As the world has passed through more grievous times than ever before, the Thanksgiving season this year ought to be kept in a more grateful spirit than ever before. Christian people ought to make up for lost time by crowding His sanctuaries and according whole-hearted praise to Him from whom all blessings flow. Thanksgiving, according to the Scriptures, is the DUTY of the Chris tian. “ Give thanks * * * this is the will of God” (1 Thes. 5:18). When it comes to thanksgiving, the Christian has an ocean to swim in, yet how many of us cry “ God be merciful” a hundred times where we say “ God be praised,” once. Thanksgiving, to the devout Christian, is a DELIGHT. He can say, “ In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul” (Psa. 94:19). We heard of a man whose continual delight was to praise God. Some of his friends said, “ John, if you don’t quit saying ‘praise the Lord’ so much, we’ll put you in a barrel and nail you in.” And John replied, “ Thank God, I ’d praise Him through the bung-hole.” Thanksgiving, is more—it is a great DYNAMIC. (Psa. 34:1-3). The most powerful Christians are those who have the deepest sense of gratitude
988 T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S to God and praise Him openly and continually. The fellow who never has anything to praise the Lord for helps to multiply the power of the devil. The devil fears a praising Christian.—K. L. B.
S triking oil in the Bible Millions of people have read the Bible. Thousands of scholars have pored over its pages, and have brought forth from it precious truths. The Theologians, the Historians, the Lawyers, the Doctors, the Scientists, the Poets and Painters—have delved into its treasures and found mines of wealth; but all of them passed over a practical suggestion which a young man with an inquiring mind found,—a place to sink an oil well! We cut the following from the financial columns of a secular paper: “ Exodus 2 :3 : “An interesting story is told apropos of the recent discovery by the Standard Oil Company of oil in far off Egypt, and is intended to illustrate, it may be some what whimsically, the lengths to which the great oil-producing organizations will go in their search for the fluid which has come to be such an important part of our daily life and business. According to this story it is asserted that the attention of some one connected with the Standard Oil Company was attracted by the state ment in Exodus 2:3, that the ark of bulrushes that the mother of Moses made for her child was daubed with slime and with pitch. Reasoning that where there was pitch there was oil, and if there ever was oil in Egypt it was probable there is oil there now, the company sent out Charles Whitshott, its geologist and oil expert, to make investigations, With the result that oil was discovered. Three wells are now in operation, and others are to be opened.” This young man has beat us all to the oil well, but there are things of greater value than oil wells in the good old Book. Most people are satisfied to have someone else do the searching of the Scripture for them, but they make a great mistake. There is an intense pleasure in finding gems for one’s self. We all need the lesson. Let us go to the Word of God with a new zest. Never mind the poor preachers and teachers who have outgrown it. “ Pitch” and “ slime” are just common words, but they meant just what they said,—and the oil well is the proof, and we will find that all its words mean just what they say, and they say such wonderful things! Keep on digging and you may strike oil yourself—the oil of gladness.— T. C. H. SHALL We Assert Our Rights? Every parent with children in schools or colleges should know what is being taught therm They should know whether the Bible is being taught, and if so, what kind of a Bible, and the character of instruction given. Here are some suggested questions: (1) Do you believe in the Bible as God’s inspired ord,—fully inspired? (2) Do you believe that the Book of Genesis is a historic account of true events? (3) Do you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ,—that He was God manifest in the flesh?
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 989 (4) Do you believe in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the God-provided and sufficient atonement for sin? (5) Do you believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, and in the physical resurrection of those who believe in Him as Saviour and Lord? If the answer to any of these questions is “ no,”—then you know that the seed of unbelief and denial of the Word of God is being taught, and you know what the probable consequences will be in the present and future life of your children. You have a right and should assert it concerning the teaching of your children also in the Sunday School, and if you are faithless in this you are recreant to the great responsibility imposed on you in becoming parents. You have a right and should assert it with your minister, and if he is a true man and a believer in the whole Word of God, he will highly honor you for asking him. But if he is not a true believer, he will probably evade the question, or equivocate, or get angry,—but hold him to an answer* and if he denies the infallible Word of God show him what Webster says of such a man in his definition of an infidel. If you are faithful in this momentous matter, your children may rise up and call you blessed, but if you shirk your responsibility they may rise up to curse you. Of what avail will be your prayers if you do not use the definite, prac tical means afforded you. Help God save your children by asserting your rights.—T. C. H. T H E Moving Picture Ckurckes I t ’s a craze, sure enough. Everybody seems to be either in it, or for it. The churches are engaged now in elevating it. Well—it needs it badly enough. It surely is somewhat low down in many instances. It is now the “ great educator” and needs a lift to spiritual heights; so they are open ing the Sunday School service with a movie stunt in order to gather the children. This enables them po save a nickel and go to two shows in the afternoon! Of course, after the churches elevate the business, the young people will not want to see any of the low-down pictures; they will be educated so high that they will view with scorn even the advertisements, and will turn their heads when passing the doors of these inferior places! Human nature loves to be elevated. It only needs to be shown some thing more refined, and immediately it takes a shoot upward. The Bible ought to be suppressed for maligning human nature. It cannot be bad at heart! It has only needed the movies and preachers who have been ele vated themselves from the low degree to the 32nd degree, and all will be well. All of which reminds us of the battle we had in the Y. M. C. A. years ago when it was decided that the billiard table in the Association would elevate the young men and remove them entirely from the degrading asso ciations in the ordinary pool rooms. Some secretaries had sense enough to know that all you have to do is to create an appetite in young men and boys and they will soon seek the atmosphere which accompanies the pool room. A pool room under nice regulations and in a refined atmosphere soon becomes a fool room, and the Y. M. C. A. pool room soon became a school
THE K I NG ' S B U S I N E S S
990
HOW;SOME PEOPLE ARE USING THE CHURCH
in which young men learned to play and then deserted it for an atmosphere more congenial. So it will he in the church movie school,—but then the devil is smarter than the divines, and the tide is on, and millions of our children are seeing sights that would have shamed our fathers and mothers. When a movie comes into your church, move out into more congenial surroundings, and by your life testify against the encroachments of the devil.—T. C. H. ^ 14 . Ml # I k # THE Christian Herald In the August 23rd number of The Christian Herald is a full page advertisement of The National Paramount Art-Craft, with a picture of the crowds entering one of their theaters. • Of course this advertisement in The Christian Herald must be taken as an endorsement of the moving picture business. There was a time in the history of The Christian Herald when a moving picture advertisement would have been refused; when that paper would have been a stout, aggres sive opponent of this new theater business; but now, alas, it takes courage to resist the tide and the temptation of a full page advertisement. We like the Herald. For years it has been a stalwart defender of the faith, but now—well, it is hard to go against the movie business. Everybody seems to be in it, and it bids fair to eliminate any need of the churches for Sunday services. With this Paramount Artcraft with its new, clean plays, producing— as it prophesies—“ more theaters and more frequent attendance, by more people, and the making of that better theater in every community the magnet that draws the "people as surely as the moon draws the tides,—
T HE K I NG ' S B U S I N E S S 991 why spend time and money in the Church business? Why not save the money and all have a good time on Sunday?—T. C. H.
A TEST For Those Flirting with Error “ The Living Church” (Episcopal) has a story of a rector who, when solicited by a woman member of his church for a letter to a Christian Science Church, sent her a renunciation of her church to be signed, which she never did. This story suggests a practical test for pastors and people to make with those who are tinctured with the virus, and are flirting with the devil: * RENUNCIATION OF MY CHURCH VOWS: Having been baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and having been admitted into the fellowship of the............................. __________ _____ ......Church, and having taken the vows of allegiance to Jesus Christ, and faithfulness to my church, and having accepted the teaching of Mrs. Mary Baker Patterson Eddy as set forth in her book, “Science and Health with Key to'the Scriptures,” I do hereby certify: That I renounce my baptism; That I do deny that Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh; That I do repudiate the doctrine of sin; • That I do reject the doctrine of the forgiveness of sin through the shed blood of that same Jesus Christ; That I do renounce the doctrine of the Trinity, and will no longer worship the same; That I refuse to participate in the observance of the Lord’s Supper; That I hereby abandon the faith of the................................................ ........ ........ .... Church and authorize you to erase my name from your membership records, and make my choice to be a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Bate................. ...... ................. ........... ...... ............. Signature.............J,<:__ ...___ ......__ ____ _________ ______ ..... Witness.-...,....................... ________ .....___ .....__ ;.....__..... This will settle the_ matter with most of the flirts and bring them to their senses. If they refuse to sign this, it evidences their insincerity. If they do sign it, it proves that they never were true believers in the shed blood of Christ, but purely church members. “My sheep hear my voice; a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.” Try this method with some of your Christian Science friends and let us know the results.—T. C. H. THE WESLEYS apd Premillenarianism The views of John Wesley on Advent truth may be found in his pub lished works, Yol. 5, pages 726, 727 and Yol. 6, page 743, New York edi tion, where he indorses a book “ Paradise Restored (Hartley). A Testi mony to the Doctrine of the Blessed Millennium.” This book is distinc tively millenarian, written to defend the doctrine. He was in the fullest ffellowship with Fletcher and Bengel who were leading millenarians. Charles Wesley’s hymns show familiarity with the doctrine and the frequent references to it, amount to a warm personal testimony. The following are samples:
992
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
“When the house of Jacob’s sons Their Canaan repossessj Shall not all thy chosen ones Abide in perfect peace? Trusting in the literal word, Come, our everlasting Lord, With all thy saints to reign.” “Lord, as taught by thee, we pray That sin and death may end, In the great millennial day, With all thy saints descend. Happy with those that first arise Might I my lot obtain When Christ descending from the skies, Begins his glorious reign.” “Mightier joys ordained to know When thou com’st to reign below, We shall at thy side sit down, Partners of thy great white throne, Kings a thousand years with thee, Kings through all eternity.” We look for Christ on earth again,
Again,
Once more,
Will our modern Methodist brethren please tell us what they think of the attitude of their fathers upon this matter? Are they prepared to take issue with them and denounce them as altogether in error? Have they learned the Scriptures so much better than those who taught them the way to heaven? Will they pardon us for suggesting the admonition of Jeremiah for their consideration? “ Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls.” 6:16. —F. W. F. HAT Is Prayer An^waj)? The general ignorance of the laws of prayer comes out clearly from another newspaper editorial (See editorial on prayer, last issue) pub lished in Los Angeles. It follows i One of the most interesting and comforting thoughts in life is that the prayers of sincere believers are inevitably answered- This is not theory, it is a psychological and scientific fact. Regardless of the form of one’s faith—and every intelligent being has some sort of faith— the demonstration in the material and mental worlds of answered prayers can no longer be denied. Whatever be the inspiration of prayer, and regardless of the source from, or the manner by, which it is answered, the truth remains that earnest desire is certain, sooner or later, to be realized. It is probable that the forces within man that cause him to worship and pray are the same forces that build for him a path to any point, object or condition in the universe with which he wishes to get in touch. While one editor thinks there never was such a thing as an answer to prayer, another thanks God that prayer is inevitably answered, whatever be its inspiration and regardless of thei means by which it is answered- | Doubtless there are many uncovenanted mercies of God that are be stowed upon people in spite of their prayers, but the one teaching of the Bible is that prayer is a power, that so far as God’s covenants are con-
THE K I NG ’ S B U S I N E S S 993 cerned, operates only in accordance with certain well-defined spiritual laws. Prayer was never designed to roam at large in this otherwise law- governed universe. The unregenerate person has no ground of approach to God, except he come with the prayer of Lk. 18:13. See Jno. 9:31. No one can get audience except they come on the ground of Christ’s acceptability with the Father and their acceptability “ in Him.” To come to God “ in His name” implies relationship and surrender to His interests. (T Jno. 5H3-18). For any man to assume to pray, expecting an answer while ignoring the blood of Christ shed for his redemption, (Heb. 10:19-22) is an insult to a Holy God, who can only pronounce such a prayer an abomination (Prov. 15:8). Neither can a saved person come rashly into the presence of God (Eccl. 5:2). He cannot really pray at all without a faith firmly fixed on the promises (Rom. 4 :20-21) or without looking to the Holy Spirit to form and lead out his desires. (Eph. 6:18). True prayer is not born on earth, but in heaven. It is the Holy Spirit who moves to real prayer (Jude 20; Rom. 8:26-27) and all other prayer is of the flesh and without avail (Phil. 3:3). Those who pray “ in the Spirit” echo the will of God. True prayer is not an effort to change the will of God (1 Jno. 5:14). When a Spirit-wrought prayer comes into the presence of God through a perfect Intercessor, it cannot fail to bring an answer. What is implied by “ praying in the Spirit” ? It means a willingness to put away any revealed sin (Psa. 66:18). It means an obedient heart (1 Jno. 3:22) an abiding heart (Jno. 15:7) a humble heart (Psa. 10:17) a forgiving heart (Eph. 4:32; Mk. 11:25) a thankful heart (Phil. 4 :6-7). Prayer is something far different than “ the soul’s sincere desire” as the poets call it. Wishes help to prepare the heart for prayer, but there is no true prayer until those wishes become the petitions of a yielded child to his Father. Someone has said: “ The power of prayer does not lie in arithmetic, how many—nor in its rhetoric, how eloquent—nor in its geometry, how long—nor in its music, how sweets—nor in its logic, how argumentative— nor in its method, how orderly, but in right relationship to God through Jesus Christ.”—K. L. B. STILL Seeking toMake Monkeys ofUs It is not strange that many young Christians are from time to time disturbed because of such items as the following : An expedition which since December, 1916, has been in the French African Congo, the same region explored by the Roosevelt scientific expedition, has lately returned, bringing four tons of specimens which will be placed in the Smith sonian institution at Washington. Among the most interesting specimens in the collection is an ape, about the size of a man, which is regarded as nearest the “missing link” between the apes and the human family that has ever been found. The animal was lured within rifle range by imitating the cry of the female ape, something like “Hoohoo!” Prof. R. L. Garner, head of the expedition, made a special study of the so-called language of apes in the jungle but, according to statements of R. Aschemeir, a member of the expedition, no one, not even the natives who are hut slightly more intelligent than the apes, has ever actually conversed with them.
994 T HE K I N G ’ S BUS I NES J S And so men continue to talk of evolution as though it were an exact science and a positive truth. But it is nothing of the kind. It is a mass of theories as numerous as the prominent leaders of this so-called science. It is a jargon of contradictory speculations and why should anyone be ridiculed into accepting it in place of the statements of the Bible? Only a few months ago newspapers reported a discussion at a great gathering of scientists. A new teaching was strongly emphasized. Instead of the ape being related to man by ascent, it was said that it was probably related by descent. A noted German scientist was quoted as saying: “ The apes are to be regarded as degenerate branches of the human family.” However, if the Bible is true, neither theory is correct, although the latter sounds more reasonable than the former. Many ministers have made the mistake of espousing the cause of evolution in order to be in the popu lar swim, and by twisting and turning Scripture passages to make them fall in with scientific speculations, they have made a sickening mess. It is foolish to try to adjust the Bible to the changing theories of science, and the man who goes ahead, teaching what God has said, will eventually find himself in the better company, for all true science comes toward the Bible. We do not seek to ignore the evidence brought forth by evolutionists. It is interesting as showing the wonderfully close connection between the species. We can see the similarities, but we can see. nothing to contradict the greater fact of God’s creation of each of the species, according to the Bible. God’s challenge, “ brought forth after his kind,” has never been discredited by any human observation. I f there has been an actual de parture from this law, no scientist has even witnessed it. If man came from an ape, nothing would be easier than for an ape to become a man again, but evolutionists are compelled to admit that the process has for some reason been interrupted, and for all they know, it may never go on again. It would be honest of them to admit, while they are about it, that it never did go on, even though there are marked likenesses between certain «.ninnqln and man.—K. L. B.
he carried the lantern. ‘I carry the lantern,’ said the blind man, ‘that peo ple may not stumble over me.’ Let us take a lesson from that blind man and keep our light burning clearly for Christ, that men may not stumble over us.”
TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON D. L. Moody used to tell the follow ing story: “A friend of mine was walk ing along the street on a dark night and he noticed a man carrying a lan tern, and he knew the man was blind. He turned and asked the blind man why
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To be in Christ is the secret of oui; life; to be for Christ is the meaning of our activity; to be with Christ is the hope of our glory. Where deeds pull down, words can repair no faith. A stone fit for the wall will not long be left in the road. The devil is surpassingly cunning, and if he can he will mix an opiate even with the sacramental wine. We can measure our likness to Christ by the range of our sensitiveness to the world’s sorrow and pain. Humility is a virtue some preach, some practice, and everybody is con tent to hear praised. The streams that flow • from God are neither summer-dried or winter-frozen. If the way to heaven be narrow it is not long, and if the gate be straight it opens into endless life. Some Christians are like hot-house plants; they are all right when steam is on with a special series of meetings. There are some troubles which you cannot cure by Bible and hymn book, but which you can cure by good per spiration and a breath of fresh air. The tasks are not too many and the hours are not too short for the doing of God’s will. Tarry at a promise till God meets you there. He always returns by way of His promises. If it were possible to merit our own salvation Christ would never have died for us'. Our great matters are little to His power; our little matters are great to His love. Mark the fact, the Lord uses instru ments remarkable for their weakness.
By chastening the Lord separates the sin that He hates from the sinner that He loves. In all thy prayers let thy heart be without the words rather than the words Without the heart. Sorrow is only one of the lower notes in the oratorio of our blessings. Men who will not read the Bible will read “Living Epistles.” Half a truth is often the father of a whole lie. It is sad that our troubles try us more than our transgressions. God’s business cannot be trusted to a man who neglects his own. Periodical godliness is perpetual hypocrisy. Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good. He that buildeth his nest upon Divine promises shall find it abide and remain until he shall fly away, to the land where promises are lost in fulfillment. That which is truly slain when we are truly on our knees will not reassert it self when we return to common ways of working and living. Sense shines with double lustre when it is set in humility. An able, yet hum ble man is a jewel worth a kingdom. Our missionary enthusiasm is the measure of our spiritual life. A man may pray on his knees to the end of time, but as long as he preys on the neighbors he will not reach the eai; of God. The nearer we get to God by grace the more we feel our distance by na ture. The flowers of Christian graces grow only under the shade of the cross, and the root of them all is humility.
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The Bible Institute Building Company, holding in trust the great plant erected for the work of the Bible institute of Los Angeles, is incorporated under the laws of the State of California, to carry on the business of training men and women for Christian work, the publish ing of religious books and literature, the teaching and preaching of the Gospel in this and other lands, and the handling of funds for definite Christian work; and the deed to its property is based upon a statement of doctrine which includes the following: The verbal inspiration of the Word of God. One God existing and manifesting Himself in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The virgin birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The pre-existence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The atoning work of Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind. The personality of the Holy Spirit. The impartation of the divine life of God unto those who accept Jesus Christ as Saviour, and confess Him as Lord. The eternal punishment of those who reject Jesus Christ. This statement of doctrine, of which the above is a synopsis, is signed by every member of the faculty and the heads of all departments of Institute work, the first of every year. No one can preach or teach in the Institute who does not hold these truths. A violation of this trust would invalidate the deed to the property. ■ The property is worth more than a million dollars, and is used entirely for the definite work of the Institute. There is no commercialism in connection with the work, and never can be. The Institute will receive a gift of funds and contract to pay a fair rate of interest on same during the life-time of the giver. The Institute will agree to administer any sums committed to it for the benefit of any missionary organization designated, without charge. The Institute was designed and has been and is being used for one single purpose—the saving of souls and the sanctifying of the saints throughout the world. It has demonstrated its business ability, and offers its services to any of God’s people who are seeking in these perilous times to have their funds carefully and wisely administered for the furthering of the interests of the Gospel and glory of His Son. We invite inquiries. We are here to serve.
In E^er^thing Gr?e TKanks Reprinted from A n O ld Magazine. A Message Christians Everywhere A re Needing • BY HANNAH WHITALL SMITH, London Foundation Text: 1 Thess. 5:18.
who would not for the world omit an immediate note of thanks upon the re ception of any gift however trifling from a human friend, hut who have never given God real thanks for any one of the innumerable benefits He has been showering upon them all their lives long. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is ex cess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.—Eph. 5:18-20. “Giving thanks always for all things;” not for a certain class of things only, not for instance for so called religious things only, but for all things, spiritual and temporal, things that look good and things that look bad, pleasant things and unpleasant things, for everything in short that God sends, or, what is the same thing, permits to come. “AH things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Therefore, however it may look on the surface, those who have eyes that can see below surfaces know that God is in everything, and behind everything, and that nothing can hap pen outside of His love and His care. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.—II Tim. 4:4, 5. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.—II Cor. 4:15. The reason we do not give thanks in everything is partly because we do not really believe that every creature o i God is good and because instead of believing that “ all things are for our sakes,” we believe a great many things are entirely against us. God’s gifts look often so much like curses instead
Jn everything give thanks j for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
TERB are three things to emphasize in this passage. First, that we are to give thanks, second that we are to give thanks in every thing, and third, that this is God’s will concerning you.
I am afraid we do not always read this as it is written. We change the words “give thanks” into “be resigned,” and the words “everything,” into a “few things,” and leave out altogether the words “this is the will of God concern ing you.” Have we ever come face to face with the fact that it is absolutely God’s will that we should give thanks in everything? Have we ever even imagined that we could do it? I am afraid the greatest height to which many Christians have risen is to strive after being resigned to most things and patiently to endure them; but actually to give thanks, that seems like an im possibility, and they entirely overlook the fact that God has commanded it, and that therefore it must be possible. The result is that thanksgiving is al most an unknown exercise among Chris tians, and that, instead of giving thanks in everything, many of God’s children hardly give thanks in anything. I very much fear indeed that Christians as a body are a thankless set. It is consid ered in the world a very uncourteous thing for one man to receive benefits from another man and fail to thank him; and I cannot see why it is not just as uncourteous a thing not to thank God, And yet we find people
T HE K I NG ' S B U S I N E S S stand about giving thanks for pleasant things, but what about unpleasant things? Do we not thank a skillful physician for his treatment of our dis ease, even though that treatment may have been very severe? Why then can we not thank the Divine Physician when He is obliged, as He often is, to give us bitter medicine or to perform a painful operation? I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.—Ps. 69:30, 31. A great many people who are ready and willing to offer up an ox or a bul lock seem never to have thought that a little genuine praise and thanksgiving offered to Him now and then would “please the Lord better” than all their great sacrifices made in His cause. As I said before, the Bible is full of this thought from beginning to end. Over and over it is called a “sacrifice of thanksgiving,” showing that it is as really an act of religious worship as is any other religious act. In fact, the “sacrifice of thanksgiving” was one of the regular sacrifices ordained by God in the book of Leviticus. And when ye will offer sacrifice of thanks giving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. —Lev. 22:29. * Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his ¡wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.—Ps. 107:21, 22. By^ him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise^ to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.—Heb. 13:15. Forty-four of the Psalms begin with notes of praise, and the words^ expressing thé ideas of praise and thanksgiving are used in the Bible "at least hundreds of times. O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salva tion. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.—Ps. 95:1, 2. Continue in^ prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.—Col. 4:2. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.—Col. 2:6, 7. These are only a few samples, out of many, just to give us a little glimpse into God’s mind on the subject. It is
998 of blessings, that we, in our short sightedness, judge by the seemings only, and altogether miss the reality beneath. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.—Jas. 1:16, 17. How many “good and perfect gifts” we must have had during our lives wliich we have looked upon only as curses, and for which we have never returned one thought of thanks! And for how many gifts also which we have even acknowledged to he good have we thanked ourselves, or our friends, or our circumstances, without once look ing behind the earthly givers to thank the Heavenly Giver from whom in real ity they all come! It is as if we should thank the mes sengers who bring us our friends* gifts, and should never send any word of thanks to our friends themselves. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting: and his truth endureth to all generations.—Ps. 100:4, 5. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely vfor the upright. Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.—Ps. 33:1-4. I believe if we should count up we would find that there are in the Bible more commands given and more exam ples set for thè giving of thanks “al ways for all things” than for the doing or the leaving undone of anything else. It is very evident from the whole teach ing of Scripture that the Lord loves to be thanked just as much as we like it; and that our failure-to thank Him for His “good and perfect gifts” wounds His loving heart just as our hearts are wounded when our loved ones fail to appreciate the benefits we have so en joyed bestowing upon them. What a purè joy it is to us to receive from our friends an acknowledgement of their thanksgiving for our gifts, and is it not likely that it is a joy to the Lord also? But you may say, Ah, yes, I under-
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such an easy thing to offer the "sacri fice of thanksgiving," that one would suppose everybody would be keen to do it. But somehow the contrary seems to be the case; and if the prayers of Chris tians were all to he noted down for any one single day, I fear it would be found that nine out of every ten offered no genuine thanks at all. We need to cultivate the habit of thanksgiving. As it is, I fear we are far more apt to cultivate the habit of complaining. We pass over our bless ings without notice, and fix our eyes on our trials and our losses instead. And we think and talk about these until our whole horizon is filled with them, and we come to forget that we have any blessings at all. In a capital little tract called “Mrs. Pickett’s Missionary Box,” a poor woman who had never done any thing but complain all her life long, and who, consequently, had got to thinking that she had no benefits for which tq give thanks, received a missionary box with the words written on it, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?” and was asked by her niece to put a penny into the box for every blessing she could discover in her life. I will let her tell her own story: “ ‘Great benefits I have!’ says I stand ing with my arms akimbo an’ lookin’ that box all over. ‘Guess the heathen won’t get much out of me at that rate.’ An’ I jest made up my mind I would keep count jest to show myself how little I did have. ‘Them few pennies won’t break me,’ I thought, and I really seemed to kinder enjoy thinkin’ over the hard times 1 had. “Well, the box sot there all that week, an’ I used to say, it must be kinder lonesome with nothin’ in it, for not a penny went into it until next mis sionary meetin’ day. I was sittin’ on the back steps gettin’ a breath of fresh air when Mary come home an' set down
alongside o’ me an’ begun to tell me about the meetin’; an’ it was all about Injy an’ the wldders there, poor cre- turs, an’ they bein’ abused an’ starved an’ not let to think for themselves—£ you know all about it better’n I do!— an’ before I thought, I up an’ said: “ ‘Well, if I be a widder, I’m thank ful I’m where I kin earn my own livin’, an’ no thanks to nobody an’ no one to interfere!’ “Then Mary she laughed an’ said there was my fust benefit.. Well, that sorter tickled me, for I thought a woman must be pretty hard up for benefits when she had to go clear off to Injy to find them, an’ I .dropped in onq penny, an’ it rattled round a few days without any company. I used to shake it every time I passed the shelf, an’ the thought of them poor things in Injy kep’ a cornin’ up before me, an’ I really was glad when I got a new boarder for me best room, an’ felt as if I’d oughter put in another. An’ next meetin’, Mary she told me about Japan, an’ I thought about that till I put in another be cause I warn’t a Jap. An’ all the while I felt kinder proud of how little there was in that box. Then one day, when I got a chance to turn a little penny sellin’ eggs, which I warn’t in the habit of, Mary brought the box in where I was countin’ of my money, an’ says: “ ‘A penny for your benefit, Aunt Mirandy.’ “An’ I says, ‘This ain’t the Lord’s benefit.’ “An’ she answered, ‘If’t ain’t His, whose is it?’ An’ she begun to hum over somethin’ out of one of the poetry books that she was always a readin’ of: “God’s grace is the only grace, “And all grace is the grace of God. “Well, I dropped in my penny, an’ them words kep’ ringin’ in my ears, till I couldn’t help puttin’ more to it, on account of some other things I never thought of callin’ the Lord’s benefits
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singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; * * * that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.” I am con vinced that the reason our hearts are not oftener filled with the “glory of the Lord,” is, because we do not often enough made our voices to be “heard in praising and thanking the Lord.” Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.—Ps. 100:4, 5. We can enter into the gates of the Lord more quickly and surely with the key of thanksgiving than with any other key. Try it, dear reader. The next time you feel dead and cold and low-spirited, begin to praise and thank the Lord. Enumerate to yourself the benefits He has bestowed upon you, and thank Him heartily for each one, and see if your spirits do not begin to rise, and your heart get warmed up. Some times you feel/ it may be, too dis heartened to pray; try giving thanks in stead; and, before you know it, you will find yourself “glad” in the multi tude of His loving kindnesses and His tender mercies.—Ps. 92:1-4; Jonah 2:1-10. Even when his soul “fainted within him,” while in the prison of the fish’s belly, Jonah remembered the Lord and gave Him thanks. No depth of misery is too great for thanksgiving. We can not, it is true, give thanks for the mis ery, but we can give thanks to the Lord in the misery, just as Jonah did. No matter what our trouble, the Lord is in it somewhere; and, of course, being there, He is there to help and bless us. Therefore, when our “souls faint within us” because of our troubles, we have only to remember Him and thank Him for His presence and His love. “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,”
before. An’ by that time, what with Mary’s tellin’ me about them meetin’s, an’ me most always flndin’ somethin’ to put in a penny for, to be thankful that I warn’t it, an’ what with gettin’ inter ested about it all, and sorter searchin’ round a little now and then to think of somethin’ or other to put a penny in for, there really come to be quite a few pennies in the box, an’ it didn’t rattle near so much when I shook it.” How many pennies would some of us have collected during the past year if we had kept count of those benefits for which we have really given thanks? Let the w.ord of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another iin _ psalms .and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesusj giving thanks to God and the Father by him.—Col. 3:16, 17. He that regardeth the day, regardeth .it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth,. eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.—Rom. 14:6. In “whatsoever we do,” we are to give thanks, even when we eat or when we do not eat. Nothing in our lives lies out of the region of thanksgiving, for everything comes to us from God, no matter who or what may be the channel used to convey it. The chil dren of Israel recognized this fact very fully and were always ready to give thanks in “whatsoever they did.” In fact, they often appointed companies of “them that gave thanks.” Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them t that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand Upon the wall toward the dung gate.—-Nell. 12:31. j Wkien they had collected treasures for building the Temple, they gave thanks, and when the Temple was finished, they gave thanks, ( and again when they were laying the foundations of the second Temple, they gave thanks.—I Chrofi. 29:10-13; Ezra 3:10, 11; II Chron. 5:13, 14. I wonder how many of our works are begun and carried on and com pleted after this fashion! I want us to notice the result of their thanksgiving in the last extract. “It came to pass as the trumpeters and
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