C H I L D E VANG E L I SM NUMB E R
May • 1938
The Bible Family Magazine
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Fifteen cents a copy, $1.50 a year in U. S.
Following, trusting, learning— Will they find the way To a Saviour waiting?. Christian, YOU MUST SAY !
Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts
T h e C h r i s t i a n E d u c a t i o n D o l l a r a t B i o l a 192 PE n
The above graph refers exclusively to our 308 employed students. The 26 others paying their own living expenses are, of course, not included.
Above is a graphic symbolic representation of the Christian Education dollar as applied to the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The circle repre sents the sum of $516 per student as expended for or by our 308 working students. This sum ($516 per student) is the average annual cost of Chris
tian education among the various types of Protes tant denominational colleges of which there are 265 in the United States, as determined by a recent survey made under the direction of the United States Office of Education. In tabular form the figures would appear as follows:
Table Showing Educational Cost of 308 Working Students at Biola
(These figures are derived, from Institute sources and are believed to be reliable, but as the school year is not complete, they must be understood to be composed of careful estimates and averages.) Classroom and Tuition Expenses................................... $ 41,888 Bible Institute Employment (given to 139 students) 17,281 Outside Employment.......................................................... 65,466 From Parents and Guardians or Students’ Resources 34,293 (a) ( b ) $158,928 26 .36% I 10 .87% ) 41 .19% 21 .58% 100 . 00 % Supplied by Institute, 37 .23%
Please note the following facts: The table given above shows the best available estimates of expenses incurred by our student body and educational department during the pres ent school year. The total is estimated at $158,928. The Institute contribution, which constitutes items "a " and "b," totals $59,169 —about 37.23% of the total cost. Divided over the nine months of the school year, the monthly quota is $6,574, the daily cost being something more than $219. As of May 1, 40 days remain—which means that approx-
imately $8,760 must be supplied to close the school year. The central sum on the above diagram is the axle on which Institute life revolves, as it includes such major items as the living expenses of our student body and faculty, as well as most of the classroom building expenses, but not, of course, any of the items outside our educational depart ment. If you have kindly read thus far, will you next consider Dr. Rood's letter on the opposite page, based on an understanding of the above facts?
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The Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, Incorporated
558 S. Hope Street Los Angeles, Calif.
186
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
May, 1938
SPECIAL PREMIUMS WITH THE KING’S BUSINESS Emphasizing Child Evangelism in the Sunday-School
THE KING’S BUSINESS has selected a num| ber of appealing childhood Bible stories to be given as premiums with subscriptions during the next thirty days. Here are five fascinating books that any child would delight to have and read, each attracting the attention, stimulating the imag ination, and leaving a distinct Christian impression upon the growing mind. Any of these books will be given free with a* year’s subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS, at the rates quoted below. The premiums offered below represent a won derful opportunity for Sunday-school teachers to secure free with THE KING’S BUSINESS some valuable books that will prove most acceptable in their class work. Childhood Bible Story Series “ The Loving Care of Jesus” Adapted for children four and five years o f age; 32 pages, colored illustrations, decorated cover. Five copies sent free with a year’s subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS at $1.30. Extra copies 12 cents each. “Daring to Do Right” Adapted for children eight and nine year's o f age; 32 pages, colored illustrations. Bound in paper. Three copies free with a year’s subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS at $1.50. Extra copies 22 cents each. THE KING’S BUSINESS
Bible Hero Story Series By J. H. Shonkw iler “David”
True to the W ord in both narrative and spirit. Awakens in the reader a desire to learn more from the Book o f books from which the story is taken. 32 pages. Four copies free with a year’s subscription to THE KING'S BUSINESS, at $1.50. Extra copies 18 cents each. Standard Bible Story Reader By Lillie A. Faris Bible stories predominating, with nature stories, child hood poems, patriotic lessons, and songs for little voices included; 80 colored illustrations, 128 pages. One copy given with a year’s subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS, at $1.55. Extra copies 80 cents each. “ Bible Treasures" Sixteen pages o f the choicest portions of H oly W rit ex quisitely illustrated in color. Contains the Twenty-Third Psalm, the Beatitudes, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Love Chapter, Christ’s Prayer for Unity, the Bible Psalm, the A biding Chapter, and other precious Scriptures. Junior workers can use “ Bible Treasures’* as a com bination m em ory and reward book. Parents can give it to their children; churches can present it to new converts. Six copies free with a year’s subscription to THE KING’S BUSINESS, at $1.50. Extra copies 12 cents each. (2 5 c additional for each Canadian or foreign sub scription.) Los Angeles, California “ The Primer” (First G rade)
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UP-TO-DATE HELPS FOR YOUTH EVAHGELISM • WHAT TO TEACH AND HOW TO REACH THE YOUNG George Goodman • STORIES FOR THE WOR SHIP HOUR Margaret W. Eggleston • EASY OBJECTS Elmer L. Wilder
A b ook o f 52 ob ject talks that have been used by the author with great success. The objects used are articles that can be found around your own home, such as hammer, milk bottle, clock, flashlight, etc. These lessons appeared several years ago in “ The K ing’s Busi ness’* ............. ................................$ 1.00 • EVANGELISTIC CHALK TALKS Frank A. Miller This well-known children's evan gelist here gives some of his chalk talks drawn from his vast wealth of knowledge of how effectively to reach children ...............................2 5 c • FIRESIDE STORIES FOR GIRLS IN THEIR TEENS Margaret W. Eggleston W ho can measure the influence of a purposeful story when told at the right time and in the right way? Remember it was the story of a deep-sea fisherman that sent W il fred Grenfell to the Labrador! 26 stories in this b o o k . . . ............. $1.25
The author here presents some t-hings of prime importance in the work of Child Evangelism that he has learned b y experience. . . . Il lustrations and stories. . . . Sug gestions that will “ kindle thought, stir desire, and set the heart on fire. An excellent collection of methods, stories, etc...................$ 1.00 • AROUND THE CAMP FIRE WITH THE OLDER BOYS Margaret W . Eggleston This book is designed to meet the need of the many busy teachers of boys who know perhaps just what ideal they wish to present but can not find quite the story that will help present it ..............................$1.25 • THE GOSPEL OBJECT BOOK C, ff. Woolston A handbook on object teaching for ministers and for teachers of chil dren and adults. Simple, surpris ing, and something to wonder a b o u t .......................................................
These are stories of people both young and old who have proved that the Christian virtues of love, faith, hope, self-sacrifice, obedience, self-control, and service make life bigger and stronger and more use ful. Each o f them can be effec tively correlated with the Bible by song, prayer, and music to illu minate the teaching of Bible truth . . $1.50 • OBJECTS THAT TALK AND TEACH Louis To Talbot Dr. Talbot’s success in giving ob ject talks to the boys and girls of his Los Angeles congregation on Sunday mornings has been one of the outstanding features of his pas torate of the Church of the Open D oor. In this book he has com piled some of those which have proved most worth w hile............. 50c
(Postage is extra on books here advertised; customers in California will add 3% sales tax.)
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Literature
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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
May, 1938
“ Œ f )on is>ftcmlbegt jgtot % ab e Hoofeeb” The tide of Jew hate is rising. A propaganda such as America has never known before is being waged, to stir up base passions against God’s covenant people. The child of God needs to be warned o f these heart-breaking conditions, and needs also to take an active share in op posing them. Solemn is the warning of God to those who stand quies cently by while the attacks go on: “ But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress” (Obadiah 12). If ever in their history the Jews needed your help they need it now. A Hitler in Germany with such brutality as the Jews have not known since the days of Titus; a sudden explosion of Jew hate in Poland with the Government itself determined to drive all 3,000,000 Jews out of the land; a Russia drunk with blasphemy and rooting out all traces of religion, so that the Jew is being robbed of his most priceless possession, his pristine faith in God; a Roumania urged on by Greek Catholic priests to exter minate Jews—what despair faces the Jew! The age-old cry of the wandering Jew must pierce the heart of every true child of God— WOHIN SOL ICH GEHEN? For such a time as this, the Lord has called the American Board of Missions to the Jews to be the chan nel through whom you as a child of God may bring a bit of that comfort and cheer which only can come from a true proclamation of the Gospel message. Mr. Cohn is leaving shortly for a visit of mercy to these harrassed Jews of Central Europe. Your fellowship in prayer and in gift will truly be the cup of cold water given in His name, which shall not lose its reward. Will you pray? Will you help, if and as He gives you the means? AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS TO THE JEWS, INC., 31 Throop Ave., Brook lyn, N. Y. Dear Friends in the Lord: I pray for Israel in her hour of agony, and gladly enclose $ ............... as fellow ship with you in your world-wide Gospel work. Name............. ..................................................... Street...................................................................... C ity............................................ . State..............
® h e 3 l b l e ^ a m i ï # Mdlto: "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood .” — R ev . 1 :5.
Volume XX IX
May, 1938
Number 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS ♦ Somebody’s Child— Helen Frazee-Bower .................................................... 188 Around the King’s Table— Paul W . Rood . ..............................189 Does It Pay to Win Children for Christ? . . . . . . 191 “ Except a Child Be Born Again” !-? ? . A. Torrey . . . . 192 Beach and Back-Yard Bible Clubs— Elmer L. Wilder . . . 194 T o Evangelize the Present Generation— Ralph Blakeman . . 196 Christian Parents’ Fellowship— Esther Wilson Turner . . . 197 What Is Our Attitude Toward Modernists?— Keith L. Brooks . 198 Song at Twilight— Paul Hutchens ........................................................... 199 World’s Christian Fundamentals Association............................................ 200 Junior King’s Business— Martha S. H o o k e r ..................................... 201 International Lesson Commentary . . . . . . . . 203 Notes on Christian Endeavor— Mary G.Goodner . , . . . 216 Daily Devotional Readings.................................................... ....... . 220 The Bible Institute Family C ir c le .................................................... 228 Evangelistic Notices . . . . . . . . . . . 229
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May, 1938
Photo by Warren Boyer from Gendreau. N. Y.
Somebody’s Child B y Helen Frazee-Bower
Somebody’s child is looking for the Saviour, Face lifted to your face, in trust complete; Somebody’s child, in need of faith and guidance, Is asking who will guard her little feet. Somebody’s child, just starting on a journey— That great adventure that the world calls life; Only the Lord can give the grace sufficient For every obstacle, for all the strife. (Copyright, 1938,
Somebody’s child—it may be yours, your neigh bor’s— That matters not, but one thing matters much: The Lord has said, “Oh, suffer little children To come to Me. The kingdom is of such.” Somebody’s child, so tender, hushed, expectant, Lifting a face by sin yet undefiled. Can you who have received “ so great salvation” Neglect to give it to somebody’s child? The King’s Business)
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May, 1938
Table
Around the Kings
By PA U L W . R O O D
some one had spoken to me and had won me for the Lord when I was a child.” There was a deep hush on the audience as the speaker sat down, and many of us renewed our determination,to seek the salva tion of little children. Many Christians testify of real experi ence of Christ’s saving power at an early age. Jonathan Edwards was born again at the age of seven. Charles Haddon Spurgeon clearly revealed his belief in the conversion of children in the words he put into John Ploughman’s mouth: “ Ere a child has reached to seven, Teach him all the way to heaven. For Jesus’ sake, for the nation’s sake, for the church’s sake, for the child’s sake, re member: There is a child here! How a Father Won His Little Girl for Christ He was a pastor in a city church. One day a girl came to him and told him that his daughter had made a certain statement on the playground of the school. The father was very much concerned and called his nine-year-old daughter into his study and told what he had heard. She came and threw herself across his knees and said with tears streaming down her cheeks: “ Give me a spanking. I deserve it, and it will do me lots of good.” The father answered that he was unable to do so. She noticed his grief and concern and said: “ Daddy, the trouble with me is that I’ve never been born again. If I were saved, I wouldn’t say these things. If you will pray for me, Jesus will forgive me and save me.” . ; The father, joined by the mother, knelt with the daughter, and each one prayed earnestly. Between her sobs, the little girl prayed: “ Lord Jesus, forgive my sins. Save my soul. Wash me in the blood of Jesus. Don’t let me break my father’s heart.” The Lord heard that prayer, and this precious girl was born into the family of God. A few days later, the father called in his daughter again to talk to her about her spiritual condition. He said to her earnestly: “ There comes a time in the life of a child when that child reaches the age of responsibility. Without question you have reached that state. It is now necessary to make your decision whether you will accept Christ as your personal Saviour or reject Him. I’ve called you in here to ask whether you will now accept the Lord Jesus.” “Why, Daddy, I have already accepted H im !” “When did it happen?” Better still the work will thrive If he learn before he’s five.”
ested in the children? Do we introduce them to Jesus? Do we recognize their possibilities? Do we realize that hungry multitudes will be fed if boys are brought to Jesus? Parents! There is a lad here! It is a great responsibility to be a father or a mother: W e should give our children the best possible physical, mental, 'and spiritual heritage. W e owe them a Christian example and training. Is there a family!': altar in your home? Do you gather the children together at least once a day for prayer and the reading of the W ord? Is there a spiritual atmosphere in your home ? Are you con cerned for the spiritual welfare of your children? Do you pray earnestly for them? If we parents do not have all of our chil dren with us on the way to heaven, we have failed somewhere along the way. But do not give up. When Ambrose saw Monica weeping over Augustine her son, the man of God said, “ G o in peace; it is impossible for the child of such tears to be lost.” God will answer the prayer of faith. Pastors, missionaries, and evangelists! There is a lad here! Do you make the chil dren welcome to your services? Do you consider them in preparing your sermon and program? Are you giving spiritual leadership to the Sunday-school ? Do you have week-day classes for children? Are you specializing in child evangelism? If this preacher had his life to live over again, he would major in the winning of boys and girls for Christ. Nothing could be more important. The welfare, yea, the very preservation, of the nation— and more im portant still, of the church— is involved. Where will the church be tomorrow if the children are not won to the Lord Jesus Christ? Where will the nation be tomorrow if we neglect the children? Sunday-school teachers and all Christians! There is a lad here! What are you doing for the children? The Lord Jesus Christ was and is concerned about them. “ And He took them in the crook of His arm and showered blessings upon them.” Are you following Jesus? If so, you love the chil dren and will do your utmost to win them for Christ. In a symposium on child evangelism led by the writer, a gentleman rose to his feet and, weeping, made this statement: “When I was six years of age, I was in a revival meeting. I was under deep conviction. I wanted to accept Christ. No one spoke to me. I could have been saved that night, but the attitude of the Christians made me feel that I was too young. I lived many years without God, and only after becom ing a mature man did I accept Christ. I could have escaped much misery, and I could have been a blessing to others if
Child Evangelism In issuing this Child Evangelism number of T he K ing ’ s B usiness , we are seeking by the Lord’s grace to stimulate workers everywhere to recognize the importance of evangelizing the children. The Lord has given this vision to Biola, and we long that He may cause others to share in this bur den for the souls of lost children. May we call attention to the article, “ Except a Child Be Born Again,” by the late R. A. Torrey. This is an important statement by one of the greatest Christian leaders in the twen tieth century. It should be read ¡>y every Christian. “ There Is a Lad Here” A boy in the midst of the crowd! He was probably on his way to the lake. Boys are interested in fishing, and men are, too, be cause “ Men are only boys grown tall, For hearts don’t change much after all.” The “ lad” of our story had “ five barley loaves, and two small fishes” (John 6:9) which 'probably would suffice until he re turned home, although a boy usually has a voracious appetite. On the way to the lake, the lad noticed a great crowd climbing the mountain side, and he joined the climbers. At last a crowd of five thousand men had gathered. Possibly there were just as many women and children. W e follow the lad, and at last we find him in front of the crowd near the disciples. Nobody seemed to pay any attention to the lad. As a matter of fact, children were not given much -consideration before the Lord Jesus came. Christ has changed the status of childhood. W e have orphan asylums and Sunday-schools because Jesus came. There was one man, however, among the disciples who noticed the boy. It was Andrew, the “manly” man, who is known to us as the brother of Simon Peter. He was not a famous man, and he never be came renowned. He lived in the shadow of his aggressive brother. Yet it was Andrew who led Peter to Jesus. Andrew was interested in individuals, and he was a soul-winner. He was interested in boys. There are very few, comparatively speaking, who are interested in children. None of the other disciples noticed the lad. Andrew saw him and recognized his poten tialities and told Jesus about him. Andrew subconsciously realized that if the lad could be introduced to Jesus, and would surrender himself and his resources to the Lord, the hungry multitudes would be fed. As we read the rest of the story, we realize that Andrew was right in his surmise. Do we notice the “ lad” ? Are we inter
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“ That day that you and Mother prayed for me.” “ How do you know that you are saved?” “Jesus died for me on the cross, and I came to Him as a sinner and believed on Him, and He received me.” “Praise the Lord. I thought so, but I wanted to be sure.” Father, mother, have you dealt with your child faithfully? Have you talked to your girl about her personal relationship to Christ? Have you shown her from the Bible how to be saved and how to know that she is saved? Have you told your boy how he may be born again? If you have not, do not let sleep come to your eyes before you have won your own boy or girl for the Lord Jesus. Initiative in the Service of Christ There are many ways of presenting the gospel. One of the methods that is proving useful at Biola is the simple object lesson known as “ The Gbspel in a Nutshell.” A walnut is cracked and the contents are removed. Wound on a bent hairpin attach ment, a tightly rolled - ribbon of specific colors is placed inside, and the two halves of the shell are glued together. In presenting the message, the Christian worker first pulls out a black ribbon which illustrates the heart of the unregenerated. He quotes a text like Romans 3 :23: “ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” and then emphasizes the lost condi tion of man apart from Christ. As he pulls, the black is followed by a red ribbon, and he quotes Hebrews 9 :22: “Without shedding of blood is no remission” and 1 Corinthians 15:3: “ Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” Here the speaker has an opportunity to present the heart of the gospel and to show that there is salvation only in Christ and in His finished work of redemption. The next ribbon is green, and the condi tions of spiritual growth are emphasized in connection with 1 Peter 2:2||‘As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” After the green ribbon comes the blue which speaks of that which is above and reminds the Christian Philippians 3 :20, R. V .: “ Our citizenship is in heaven.” The final ribbon is golden, and speaks of our heavenly home: “ The city was pure gold” (Rev. 21:18). Thus at the climax of the lesson the speaker finds an occasion to speak of the eternal abiding place of those who are saved. The hairpin attachment, bent to form a handle for wind ing the ribbon, makes it possible to fold up the ribbon in the shell and have it ready immediately for another demonstration. This object lesson can be carried in the pocket or purse, and can be used in presenting the plan of salvation to an individual, group, or congregation. One of our Biola students invented the winding attachment. He is now producing this simple and practical object lesson for students and others who are using it effec tively among both children and adults. In preparing this equipment this young man has revealed initiative and ingenuity and has directed these qualities toward a spiritual end. One day he went into a store and asked the price of a bushel of walnuts. Upon re
ceiving the answer, he called attention to the possibilities of a display in the window that would be attractive and productive. When he was asked his price for preparing the display, he named the price of the basket of walnuts. He was given the job and carried away the nuts. He was able to secure ribbons at wholesale prices, and now he is in the business of preparing “ The Gospel in a Nutshell” object lessons. It is clearly improbable that this young man will ever be without work in the Lord’s vineyard, for he has developed alert ness to the opportunities that surround him. Why are there on every hand many unem ployed Christian workers ? Some of them, of course, never were called to full-time serv ice. A human inclination or the influence of others led them to think of entering full time Christian work. Others may be out of work because of physical handicaps or limitations. However, there are some who are without work because they are always waiting for some one else to help them. If a man has a call from God to full-time Christian work, he need never be without a place of service — and when God calls, the responsibility for support is His. There are fields without a Sunday-school or a church where a young man who knows his Bible and is filled with the Holy Spirit could do real pioneer work. He would be following the example of Paul. There are abandoned churches which could be opened up, churches where children and adults would assemble gladly if a spiritually minded worker would exercise initiative. There is no neces sity for thousands of workers to congregate in some favored center and there wait for something to turn up. Why not be like the boy who saw a sign, Boy W anted,” and picked up the sign and walked into the store! “What are you doing with that sign ?” asked the storekeeper. “ I am the boy,” was the confident answer. W e are not talking about wire pulling or the ousting of some one else from his position. W e are talking of just the opposite, of pioneer work in needy fields. “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35). “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” (Matt. 20:6). “ Son, go work today in my vineyard” (Matt. 21:28). The Aldersgate Experience On May 24, 1938, Methodists throughout the world will celebrate the 200th anni versary of John Wesley’s conversion. All Christians would do well to join in this commemoration and emphasize “ the Alders gate experience”— the wondrous experience of salvation that flooded the soul of John Wesley with joy as he whole-heartedly be lieved the gospel in a little gathering on Aldersgate Street in London. Would to God that this anniversary may be so celebrated that a revival may break out in Methodism and the church in gen eral that will bring preachers and others back to old-fashioned preaching, convic tion, repentance, and conversion so that al tars will be filled with souls that are weep ing their way to Calvary. Unless this be the result, we will merely “build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres
of the righteous”4jas did men long ago. It is tragic that persons in many denom inations today seek an Aldersgate experi ence without being willing to accept the Aldersgate theology that made peace with God possible for John Wesley. And that theology was the Scriptural, Pauline teach ing that salvation is not the result of any thing that we can do, but solely the result of our accepting by faith the death of the Lord Jesus Christ as sufficient for all our sin. Let us refresh our memories by listening to John Wesley’s own story of his conver sion as it is recorded in his journal: “ In the evening I went very unwill ingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was de scribing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an asssurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” It is obvious — as Wesley shortly de clared in his own testimony-—that he was actually saved in the Aldersgate meeting. He was evidently under deep, pungent con viction of sin and saw himself as a lost, hell-bound and hell-deserving sinner. The words of David, “ For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me” (Psa. 51:3), expressed his heart atti tude. Not only was he convicted of his sin, but he had also a vivid realization "of the fact that only Christ could save him. He came to Jesús and accepted Him as his per sonal Saviour on the basis of Christ’s prom ise: “ Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). He then re ceived the assurance of salvation and could say with the blind man who had been healed: “ One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). He knew that his sins were forgiven, and he could cry out with the Psalmist: “ Thou for- [Continued on Page 231] Dr. Rood’ s Schedule Paul W . Rood will preside and speak at the annual meeting of the W orld’s Christian Fundamentals Association in Waterloo, Iowa, May 8 to 15. His later schedule in cludes the following appointments: May 17—Opening of Union Campaign, Muske gon, M ich.; June 28 to July 2—Free Church Young People’s Sunday-School Conference, Buffalo, M inn.; July 3—Bible Conference, Hibbing, Minn.; July 5 to 8— Central Bible Hall, Kansas City, M o.; July 10— Calvary Church, Grand Rapids, M ich.; .July 11 to 17—Young People’s Conference, Lake Har bor, M ich.; July 24, 31, and August 7— Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, Calif.; July 24 to 29—Biola Summer Bible Conference, Los Angeles, Calif.; August 2 to 5—Southwest Bible Conference, Flagstaff, A riz.; August 15 to 21— Covenant Young People’s Conference, Crete, Neb., and Aug ust 23 to 26—Bible Conference, First Bap tist Church, Asbury Park, N. J.
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"King's Business" Questionnaire
Does It Pay To Win Children to Christ? Christian workers, Miss Mildred M. Cook of T he K ing ’ s B usiness staff recently sent copies of a questionnaire like the one reproduced at the left. The recipients were chosen at random from among those whose ministry is known to be successful because of its emphasis upon the Word of God. Response was hearty, and the answers received were surprisingly revealing. Only a few of the comments can be published in this issue; a wealth of similar material remains, awaiting publication. T he K ing ’ s B usiness would be happy to receive other testimonials, or any opinions of its readers on this vital subject. To over one hundred pastors and other
1. A t what age were you born again? Un der what circumstances? When you were a new convert, what in fluences helped you most? Whether or not you were born again during your childhood (or youth), what opportunity have you had to lead to Christ your own children, or other chil- dren? What is your conviction about the im portance of winning children and young people for Christ? What suggestions can you make for ef fective work along this line? Please give any testimony or illustration that will stimulate readers to practical personal evangelism. 7. How long have you been engaged in Christian work? 8. What kind? Name .............................................................................. 4. 5. 6. God's Word to a Boy In my fifteenth year, I was saved in my room as I read Romans 3 and John 3. As a young believer, I was helped by my godly mother and by the encouragement found in the Salvation Army. I never knew a time that. I was not God-conscious and anxious to be saved, because of my early training. H. A. I ronside 47 years preaching, teaching, and writing Chicago, 111. Only Five Years Old I am happy to add my testimony as one of those who was converted in early child hood. I was only five years of age at the time o f my conversion, which took place in the little town of Fairdealing, Mo., under the preaching of an old-time Meth odist circuit rider. I well recall that mem orable Sunday, which was a regular preach ing day on the circuit. It was quite a com mon custom in those days for the sermon to be followed with hand-shaking about the altar of the church. During the singing of a hymn, the preacher invited those who were Christians and loved the Lord, to come forward to shake hands with the preacher, and with one another. As the in vitation was made, my heart was touched, and I felt that I should yield my life to Christ. I pressed my way forward to the front of the church where only adults were engaged in shaking hands about the altar. I was such a small child that little atten tion was paid to me. As I recall, only one or two people shook hands with me. On reaching home that day, I approached my father, and asked him whether he saw me go up and shake hands with the Christians. 2. 3. Address ........................................................................
M y father answered: “ No, son, I didn’t see you.” I replied: “Yes, I went up as a Chris tian, for I have given my heart to Jesus.’’ I shall never cease to praise the Lord for that great hour of decision for Christ in my childhood days. J. C. M c P heeters Pastor San Francisco, Calif. Tragedy in the Pew I attended the same church school from the time I was able to walk until I was seventeen years of age. It was an orthodox church and supposedly evangelical. In ad dition, I regularly attended the church services, sitting in the family pew. I was asked as a young man to promise to read the Bible, and for years I kept that promise. I was asked to sign the temperance and non-smokers’ pledge. But to the best of my knowledge, during all of that period I was never asked to receive Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. When I left home to make my way in life, I was as ignorant of God’s plan of salvation as a Hottentot in the heart of Africa who had never seen or heard of the Bible. My heart hungered for the assurance of sins forgiven, but never to my knowledge had I heard that it was pos sible to know God in Christ and to be saved from sin. It was not until I was twenty-seven years of age that the gospel of Christ was presented to me and I ac cepted Him as my Saviour and Lord. Oh, those earlier wasted years! H arry M ac A rthur
Becoming Leaders in the Church Through the faithful teaching of a godly mother and the preaching of a Spirit-filled pastor, I was born again at the age of thirteen. It has been my happy privilege to lead all five of my children to th e, Lord Jesus and to see hundreds of others publicly acknowledge Him. Among the prominent leaders of my church are those who came to the Lord Jesus as children when I first came to this pastorate twenty years ago. Children will respond to a clear, definite setting forth of the way of salvation. I have never seen it to fail. Last Sunday I conducted a decision service in the Junior department of our Bible school. Without pressure, fifty young people responded to the invitation to accept Christ. Many were in tears. Children are hungry for the gospel. R. S. B eal 30 years a pastor, evangelist, and Bible teacher Tucson, Ariz. The Word That "Held" Them ' You ask under what circumstances I was born again? Mine was just a normal recognition of the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ and an acceptance of His gracious offer of salvation, brought about, humanly speaking, through the teachings of my mother. I was twelve years of age when the Lord saved me. When my w ife and I were married, beginning with our wedding night, we had the family altar. As our four children came along, they were in structed in the W ord, and all gave their hearts early to the Lord. As they got out to school and to college and into the world, there was some slipping which caused dis- \Continued on Page 231]
20 years in evangelistic and pas toral work, with particular em phasis upon boys’ Bible clubs. Hollywood, Calif.
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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
May, 1933
:ce pt a C h ild Be Born Ag a i n . . Z 7
The Necessity fo r the Conversion o f Children
By R. A. TORREY
Photo by Harold M. Lambert
O NE of the greatest mistakes that our churches and Sunday - schools are making today is in their failure to see the importance of the definite conversion of children, and in their lack of determined and energetic attempts to bring the children to a clear acceptance of Jesus Christ. We are teaching our children Bible geography, Bible history, and Bible ethics, but we are not untiring in our efforts to lead them to an acceptance of Jesus Christ. There are five points that need to be emphasized upon this subject. I. Children Need to be Converted and Born Again. There are many in our day who do not believe that. They talk about the children’s “growing up into the kingdom” ; but unless the children accept Jesus Christ and actually are converted and born again, they are nbt in the kingdom and cannot grow up into it. Jesus said: “ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be' born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The word translated “ man” literally means “ any one,” and the passage should [As evangelist, Bible teacher, and author, as ’well as in his capacity as Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles from 1912 to 1924-, the late Dr. Torrey was used great ly in advancing the cause of child evan gelism. The message appearing on these pages was delivered in Chicago, III., several years ago and was published in the Moody Church Herald.— E ditor .]
read: “ Except any one [that is, man, woman, or child] be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” W e read again in verses 5 and 6: “ Except a man [here again it should be “ any one” ; that is, man, woman, or child] be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh [it does not matter how cultured, refined, or religious the flesh may be] is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Many children are naturally religious; they love to read the Bible and listen to Bible stories; they love to sing hymns and pray and talk about Jesus. They are natu rally religious, and many are deceived by that fact. Natural religion is not enough. Every child needs to be led to see unmis takably that he is a sinner, and that he needs an atoning Saviour, and that the Lord Jesus is just the Saviour that he needs. He needs to be led to definitely accept Jesus Christ as his own Saviour, to surrender to Him as Lord and to confess Him as Lord before the world. I f he does this, he will be born again and be saved and safe. But natural religion will not stand the stress to which every one’s religion is to be sub ject sooner or later. There are thousands of men and women today utterly godless, and oftentimes utter infidels, who were very religious in their childhood, but they had only natural religion and not the super natural religion that comes from being born again, and thus when the stress came (as it always does come sooner or later),
they fell away from interest in religion. My oldest brother, I am told, was a very religious little boy. He would go to church and Sunday-school when no one else in the family went, and he would walk a long distance through a storm to go to church or Sunday-school, but he had only natural religion. He was not led to an acceptance of Jesus Christ and a surrender to H im ; so even before he reached manhood, he fell through worldly surroundings into utter un godliness. He led a life of dissipation until he was forty-two years or more old. Then I had the privilege of leading him to a definite acceptance of Christ, and he became a preacher of the gospel. But he lived to be only forty-nine, and thus he had only a few years of service for the Master. If he had been led to Christ as a boy, he would have had many years of service. His abili ties were unusual and remarkable, but they were lost to the church because his boy hood friends rested in the fact that he was naturally religious and because they did not see the necessity that he be born again and get supernatural religion. Thus the best years of his life were lost to Christ and the church, though God in Hi? great mercy saved him at last. There are many boys and girls in our churches today who are very religious, and we take great comfort in that fact, but there is no ground for comfort in it. Unless they are truly con verted and born again in the days o f their youth, in their mature manhood or woman hood they will wander entirely away from Christ and the church.
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THE K I NG ' S BUS I NES S
May, 1938
most utter foolishness. Any one who knows anything about the life of children knows that no child grows up unbiased until he is twenty years of age; for if we do not bias our children strongly for Christ, then they will be biased against Him long be fore they are twenty years old. Every child breathes an atmosphere at play, at school, everywhere; and the atmosphere they breathe is oftentimes an atmosphere o f sin and unbelief. And unless we bias our children very strongly for Christ in earliest childhood, they will soon be very strongly biased against Christ. I would not dare send a son or daughter of mine to any modern high school or any modern college unless that one were a very strong and intelligent Christian before he entered. III. It Is Highly Important that the Child Be Converted— for Six Reasons. 1. Because it is so easy to convert the children. It is almost the easiest thing in the world to lead a child from five to ten years of age to a definite acceptance of Christ. It is much harder to lead a child between ten and fifteen years to Christ, but it is easier to lead a child between ten and fifteen years to Christ than it is one between fifteen and twenty years, and it is easier to lead a child between fifteen and twenty to Christ than a young person between the ages of twenty and twenty-five. The young er you can begin with the children to lead theml to make an actual acceptance of Christ, the easier the work will be, and the more satisfactory. 2. Because ■persons converted as children make the best Christians. One may be con verted in middle life and become a beauti ful Christian, but he would have been a , better Christian if he had been led to Christ as a child. Every year that he remains away from Christ, he learns habits and modes of thought and conduct that he has to unlearn after he is converted. If we wish symmetrical, full-grown, well- rounded Christian lives, we must begin with the child. If one wishes to train a tree into a thing of usefulness, he begins with the sapling, and similarly we must begin with the young life. I rejoice in the work done by rescue mis sions, where we see the wrecks o f man hood and womanhood changed into noble men and women. M y heart is in the work, but this is not the field that produces the most satisfactory Christians. The younger :we can get a child to truly accept Christ, and then can begin the Christian training, the more beautiful will be the product of our work. 3. Because the children make the best workers. I have seen this to be a fact around the world. Wihen a child is con verted, I take it for granted that that child is going to go to work at once. When a man or a woman is converted, I don’t know whether he or she will go to work or not. A little girl of eleven was converted in bur first mission in Liverpool. If I remem ber correctly, she was the daughter of a saloon keeper. When we went to Liverpool the next year for our second mission, the vicar of one of the churches wrote me saying, “W e have in our parish a little girl [Continued on Page 227]
dreds of children were converted at that time, and the children who were converted then are the pillars in the church today.” That comment, o f course, changed my opin ion of these children’s meetings. Among the best workers in England today are men and women who were converted thirty-five years or so ago as children when D. L. Moody was holding meetings in England. If the men and women who were converted as children under D. L. Moody were taken out of the churches of England today, the back bone of the Christian work in England would be broken. I knew of a little child of four years of age whose father and mother were infidels. Her grandfather and grandmother were infidels, and all ,her uncles and aunts were infidels, but that child accepted Christ at four years of age, and all the infidel in fluence of her family could not shake her faith. She lived four beautiful, earnest Christian years, and then God took her home to Himself. There are many who say that children ought to be left to grow up “ unbiased” until twenty years old, when they are old enough to decide for themselves whether they wish to be Christians or not. This idea may be considered wise, but it is the
II. Children Can Be Genuinely Con verted and Born Again. There are many who do not believe this. When they see children come to the front of the church to confess Christ in evangel istic meetings, they say these children do not know what they are doing. Doubtless in some instances they do not, but in many instances they do, in far more instances than most of us believe. In 1883 I went into Newman Hall’s church in London. In the after meeting a gentleman came up to me and asked me whether I was a stranger. I replied that I was, and that I was from America. Then he asked me whether I knew E. P. Ham mond. I replied that I did, and I felt like adding that I did not think very much of him ; for between my middle and. senior year in the seminary I had gone into two of Hammond’s children’s meetings, and when I saw his antics I was disgusted with the whole business, and thought the chil dren did not know what they were doing. In a minute or two I was glad I had not expressed my opinion to this English gen tleman, for he said, “When E. P. Hammond was in Christ Church fifteen years ago and had meetings for the children, hun-
LETTER TO DADDY Unconsciously demonstrating that a child who is “ born again” will grow in love for the Lord Jesus Christ and will seek to win others for Him, Arline, who is eleven years old, sends letters to her father that are sparkling with childlike affection. Because Arline’s father is required for business reasons to be away from his Chicago home for many months at a time, Arline writes long letters “ to cheer him up,” as she explains. In the letter which follows, Arline did not mention the “Daily Vacation Bible School” which she herself conducted last summer in the family’s back yard after the weeks of children’s work in the church had concluded. Every day, from six to ten children came at her urgent invitation, rehearsed, under her direction, the songs and Scripture portions that had been taught them, and had a “ Bible story.” This news, like the lines which follow, was rich in “ cheer” for the heart of a Christian father: Dearest Daddy: I am so sorry about your business out there, and sure feel sorry that no money is coming in. In that predicament we have only one way out, and| that is to pray to Jesus. He will guide you, Daddy dear, and He will also bring money in for you. Don’t get worried about any single thing for all you have to do is TO KEEP LOOKING UP. Isn’t that right? Yes, IT IS, for I know that it is. Dearest Daddy, you know I joined Mrs. Peterson’ s Bible class. Well, it is every Monday. Last Monday I took little Herbie G——■— with me. Betty couldn’t come so I took little Herbie with me. We sang many nice songs like “ Jesus Loves Me,” “ The B-I-B-L-E,” and “ Trust and Obey.” Then Mrs. Peterson asked us for our testimonies. I raised my hand and said that I would give my testimony. I said that I was once a little sinner, but Daddy and Mother told me about Jesus and He came into my heart and I was so happy He was in my heart. Jesus is so wonderful! And I said that I be lieved that He died on the cross to save me from sin. Well, Daddy dearest, Herbie did not understand the story, so I told him a little story. Would you like me to tell you it? OK, I will. The name is “ Stories of Jesus.” I made it up. Well, I told him how Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin, and that He arose Easter morning. I told him he should be saved. I told him how Jesus will come through the air and take all the people that are saved up to heaven. 1 told him that they had gold streets up in heaven, and Daddy dear, best of all, he kept on asking me to tell him more, and I TOLD HIM HOW TO BE SAVED and I know he loves Jesus now. I will have to close, but God bless you. Keep looking up. I will pray for you. Lovingly, ARLINE.
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