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April 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
To get, then, the mind of Christ, and to declare it, is the primary end of the teaching offices of the church. The living body of sympathetic men, saturated with the truth and feeling of the Book, must bring it into contact with other men, through that marvelous organ, the human voice, and with such aid as comes from the subtle sympathy that pervades assem blies of human beings.— John Hall. Gospel ministers should not only be like dials on watches, or milestones upon the road, but like clocks and larums, to sound the alarm to sinners. Aaron wore bells as well as pomegranates, and the prophets were commanded to lift up their voice like a trumpet. A sleeping sentinel may be the loss of the city .—Bishop Hall. What other book besides the Bible could be heard in public assemblies from year to year, with an attention that never tires, and an interest that never cloys ?— Robert Hall. Beautifully bosomed in the Cumberland hills of England lies Thirlmere Lake; around it are the hills and towns; be yond these, hillsides. From hills and mountains, high up in the summits, the little rivulets and streamlets pour their waters down into the lake. Ninety miles away lies the great city of Manchester, busy and black and big. Through con duits and pipes, in valleys and along the hills for ninety miles, the clear, life-giv ing water of Thirlmere Lake is carried, and then by another system of pipe and conduit it is distributed to all the thirsty people of that great city. So does God furnish from afar and from unexpected, unseen source, drafts that refresh our souls. Trust God, O man, to find a way from fountain to thy thirsty soul in any time of need. “The preacher must catch the spirit of the age.”: God forgive him if he does. Your business is never to catch, but by eternal truth to correct, the spirit of the age. This is not narrow. Nothing can happen in New York today to which the truth of God has not something to say. Your preaching will touch life at every point. You do not go to discuss a situa tion, but to deliver a message. The preacher must forevermore stand in the presence of men and conditions, thinking in his own soul, if the formula is not often upon his lips, “Thus saith the Lord.” Here is the truth, the truth that men never have been able to discover by all the exercise, honest and sincere, and persistent, of their intellectual activity, but the truth that God has spoken, re vealed, made known.— Rev. G. Campbell Morgan, D.D. The modern minimizer of the Gospel takes a few tablets of doctrine, dissolves them in a gallon or two of the rosewater of sentimentality, puts a little in an ato mizer, and sprays the congregation to an accompaniment of the sweetness of Christianity and the fragrance of a be nevolent life. The New Testament tells but one story,—that man is a sinner, that he has been redeemed, that the only way of salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Don’t talk to me about “value judgments.” You can’t believe with all your heart what you have already re jected with all your head.— Dr. Francis L. Patton. I would that every student of the Bi ble would take the motto which Bengel took for his guidance in study: “Apply thyself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to thyself.” Some
are applying themselves wholly to the Scriptures with microscopic intensity of search and research, but they neglect the other half. A young man in England, just starting out in life, went to an old and expe rienced minister for advice. The old man bade him notice that every smallest vil lage all over England had in it some where a road which led directly to Lon don. “Just so,” he continued, “every Bible text has in it a road leading to Jesus. Be sure you find that road, and follow it; be careful not to miss it once.” April 21, 1929 The Wonder of the Bible Isa. 55:8-13; Matt. 5:17-19; 2 Pet. 1:19-21 Daily Readings Apr. 15. A Psalmist’s Wonder. Ps. 19 :7- 14. Apr. 16. Wonderful Food. Matt. 4:4. Apr. 17. An Inspired Book. 2 Tim. 3 :16. Apr. 18. A Book of Light. 2 Pet. 1 :19. Apr. 19. A Book of Power. Heb. 4:12. Apr. 20. A Purposeful Book. John 20:31. “We search the world for truth; we cull The good, the pure, the beautiful, From graven stone and written scroll, From all old flower-fields of the soul; And, weary seekers of the best, We come back laden from our quest, To find that all the sages said Is in the Book our mothers read.” T he B ible This Book contains—the mind of God, the state of Man, the way of Salvation, the doom of Sinners, and the happiness of Believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and prac tice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and com fort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s com pass, the soldier’s sword, and the Chris tian’s c h a r t e r . Here paradise'‘Is 're stored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the Judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.— Selected. The Gospel has been actually printed in nearly 700 different forms of human speech-. As its share in this vast and beneficent work the Bible Society has helped to spread God’s message in 566 languages and dialects. These include the complete Bible in 137 languages, and fije complete New Testament in 138 more; while in 291 other languages some book or books of Scripture have gone out. The most popular modern English author is Charles Dickens, and it has been com puted that since “Pickwick” appeared, 25,000,000 copies of his books have gone out into the world. But during the past five years the Bible Society alone has cir- — o —
April 14, 1929 Bible Messages Needed Today Matt. 16:24; John 3:16; Isa. 55:1-3, 6-7 Daily Readings Apr. 8. Come to Christ. Matt. 11:28-30. Apr. 9. Self-denial. Rom. 15 :l-3. Apr. 10. Humility. John 13:1-11. A S ermon to P reachers I am greatly disappointed with some preachers of today, With their logic and their ethics; their aristocratic way; With their science arid their theories and their new Theology Full of everything but Jesus and His love for you and me. There is plenty in the Bible for the preachers of today, If they will but search its pages and for help divine would pray; For God’s Word is everlasting and it never will grow old— ’Tis indeed a priceless treasure—far more precious e’en than gold. What we want is consecration in a good true man of God, With a Bible education, and a love for God’s dear Word; Who 'can lead us and direct us to the truth, the life, the way, Which brings peace to soul and body through the burdens of the day. If the preachers in our churches would preach Jesus crucified, How through love for us He suffered, and through love for us, He died, Then our pews would not be empty, as so many are today, But be filled to overflowing, in a Pente costal way. What we need is just plain Gospel, in the good old-fashioned way, Place of Emerson or Shakespeare, or some topic of the day. What care we for all their sayings, or their teachings true and tried? We want just the dear old story of the Saviour crucified, That alone can make men better, that alone can make men free— Just the precious, dear old story, of God’s love for you and me; That is what the people’s wanting, there is where the crowd will be; Where they hear the same old story which they heard at mother’s knee. —Luetta Cummins. Apr. 11. Faith. Matt. 6:25-34. Apr. 12. Love. Matt. 5 :43-48. Apr. 13. Power. Acts 1:8. —o—
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