King's Business - 1921-08

774

THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S

2 Tim. 3:1-13. There will be gross im­ morality and godlessness. The forms of religion will be stressed to th e neglect of godliness. Children will rule their par­ ents. Men will he pleasure lovers. 2 Tim. 4:3-4. •There will be violent op­ position to “sound teaching” in the churches. Churches will have itching ears, and teachers to tickle them. 2 Pet. 3:3-4. Church members will scoff at the second coming of Christ. Rev. 3:15-19. Churches will be rich and increased in goods (in their own sight), but wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (in Jesus’ sight). EVERYTHING INSIDE BUT CHRIST (He is on the out­ side knocking), m NO HELL—WHO BEUEVES IT ? A Christian physician who had been associated in office w ith several who did not believe in a hell was asked how a man of such am iable ch aracter as him­ self could believe in fu tu re punishm ent, and advised to adopt th e ir faith. The doctor asked them , “Do you believe in a fu tu re sta te ? ” They replied, “We do.” You believe th a t death will introduce all men to a stg.te of perfect happiness?” “Of this we have no doubt.” “Are you now happy?” “We are no t: we are far from it.” “How do men act when they are unhappy, and know th a t happiness is w ithin th e ir reach ?” “They endeavour to a tta in th a t happiness.” “ In this box,” said the doctor, tak ing a tin box in his hand, “ are pills, which, if you swallow each of you, one, will, w ithout pain, carry you w ithin one hour ou t of this world of trouble, and, if your doc­ trin e be true, place you in a world of perfect felicity. W ill you accept one of th em ?” “No, sir.” When they all re­ fused, the doctor said, “ You m ust ex­ cuse, me gentlemen, from embracing your doctrine un til I have b etter evi­ dence th a t you believe it yourselves.”

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Methodism

and Modernism

The following le tte r recently, re­ ceived from a Methodist m inister, shows the trend of th a t denom ination and em­ phasizes th e possibility of a g reat exodus of m inisters who intend to be tru e to th e faith, from th e Methodist machine. He says, “There are some conditions ex­ isting in th e Church of my choice th a t cause me some anxiety. I am sure th a t the conditions I find will increase. 1 am a Methodist Episcopal preacher and have toiled in th e Methodist itineracy nearly tw enty years. 1. The doctrine of th e Blessed Hope is denied by the leaders, and the hos­ tility tow ard it is ever increasing. Un­ less it abates soon, men who hold it and believe it and teach it will be perse­ cuted. 2 Pet. 3:3, 4 describes no t a few of the so-called leading men in the Church named afte r the saintly Wesley. 2 Since the General Conference as­ signed Bishops to an area, th ere is de­ veloping ecclesiastical ty ranny (1 Pet. 5 :1 -3 ). I t is 'le a d in g to a tendency, unconsciously perhaps, b u t leading nevertheless, to consider efficiency the main objective. Rome was and is effi­ cient bu t damnably so. Efficiency is to be desired by all th ink ing men, b u t se­ cured a t th e expense of essentials it is a sin. P u tting on a ‘drive’ to-day is con­ sidered efficiency, b u t preaching th e Word no longer counts in rating a man by th e cabinet. 3. Since th e close of th e la te war, everything in th e Church is stamped w ith th e dollar sign. One ‘drive’■fol­ lows another. Salaries are increased to such an extent th a t it is burdensome to the smaller churches. And th e man who elects to serve them for less th an w hat th e conference voted to be th e min-

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