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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
May, 1938
"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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