THE KING’S BUSINES
1941
DECEMBER
Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES# Incorporated
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YO U FACE OLD AGE WITHOUT FEAR WHEN YOU ARE PROTECTED BY ANNU I T Y AGR E EMENT S of the AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY Let us tell you how you may have . . . Security in Old Age . . . Freedom from Worry . . . a Steady Income . . . Permanent Satisfac tion . . . through the annuity plan of the American Bible Society. For over ninety years the Society’s checks have always been sent when due . . . helping to bring security in spite of disturbing and perplexing world conditions. A check every six months! That would mean much to you! In addition there is the fine satisfaction of sharing in the work of making the Bible more widely available throughout the world. Render an Important service—and express your good-will to friends at the same time— by sending beautifully designed Scriptural Christmas Cards pre pared by the American Bible Society. Use convenient coupon below. ANINCOME ASSURED J k J L A MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, Bible House, New York, N. Y. ( ) Send me, without obligation, your booklet KB-16 entitled "A Gift' That Lives.” ( ) Send me ........— boxes of Scriptural Christmas Cards at $1.00 per box of 15 cards. - Name .................. ..................................................................... .: .................... ..............i........... ■ Address .........._____________________ ........... ...Denomination .......... ....................................i......... I City ........ ................................................... State ....................................................................... ■ ................................................................... .....................................................................J
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December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
449
The King s Business The True-to-the-Bihle Family Magazine The Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. LOUIS T., TALBOT • MILDRED M. COOK Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor
"I Changed My Mind on Good '1 We sent some Christmas money to a number of Jewish Christian refugee boys. One of the “thank you” letters was so revealing of the tragic psychology into which some of these suffering Jews are being driven that we think you will want to read at least a few sentences: To make clear my apprecia tion concerning the gift, I want to describe in short, a few words,—my Christmas. Wheif Christmas vacation began, the students of my school apart themselves, many went home, others went to friends, also the poor Russian boys have friends where to go, and to spend their vacation time in happiness; and the Jewish . . . This made me think . . how is about the Jew ish ? Having no family, no friends. So that I have not to expect of somebody any friendly word, because nobody cares about Jews, or maybe Christmas doesn’t belong to me. However I have to spend my time during Christmas vacation in loneli ness. And when I opened your letter . . . And of course I changed my mind on good. “Nobody cares about Jews!” But the dear brother found that he was wrong, and so he says, “I changed my mind on good!” Some body did care. You who read these lines, you care, and thou sands of others of the Lord’s choicest children, they care, and they send us their heart prayers, and their money, and with their money we come to grips with this terrible condition of Jewish star vation, heartache and agony of soul, the world over. So, when you become a partner with us, you are a sharer in that ministry that touches God’s people Israel at the 1 point o f their desperate need. And all of this for the purpose of glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ, and making His name known. If the Lord so leads you, we will wel come your fellowship in such a worldwide and vitally important ministry for these last days. AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS TO THE JEWS 81 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. I do want to help the Jews. Here is $................... Use it as God directs, to make known the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ to Israel. Name ............................. ......... ..... ... Address ________ _______ _________ City-------------------- State..________
Motto: " Unto him that loved us. and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1 :5 )...
Volume XXXII
December, 1941
Number 12
TABLE OF CONTENTS • Cover Photograph by H. Armstrong Roberts Ransom D. Marvin, Staff Artist
Christmas Carol — Song .........; ................... ............................................ 450 Are W e Still in the Age of Grace ?— Louis T. Talbot .....T................... 451 Around the King’s Table —Louis J. Talbot .........../................................ 452 Significance of the News —Dan Gilbert ................................................... 452 When the Chorus Sang: “ Hallelujah !”— John B. Trowbridge as told to Anne Hazelton ........................... ...................................... 454 The Blessedness of Christmas:— D . F. Cawley .......................................... 456 Which “ Gospel” Shall W e Trust ?— William L. Pettingill ................. 457 The Story of the Lost Star — Grace Livingston Hi//............................ 458 Unto US — Archer E. Anderson ............................................... ............ . 460 Junior King’s Business —Martha S. Hooker. ............... ......................... 461 Bible Institute Family Circle.!................. ................... ........... .................... 463 Notes on Christian Endeavor — William W . Orr, Leafadel M . M iller, Carlton C. Buck, and Mabel S. Clark ......................... 464 International Lesson Commentary ............................ ................................. 469 Daily Devotional Readings .......................... .............................................. 481 Our Literature Table .........................•. ........................................ ........ ...... 486 SUBSCRIPTION PRICE) “ The K in g’s Business’’ is published monthly. $1.00— one year: $1.50— two years; 50 cents—six m onths; 10 cents— single copy. Clubs o f three or more > 1 at special rates: w rite fo r details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra! It requires one month fo r a change .Of address to becom e effective. Please send both old and n e w addresses. REMITTANCE — Payable in advance, should be made .by bank draft, express or post office money order payable to “ The K ing’s Business.’’ Date of expiration w ill show plainly each month on outside wrapper or cover of magazine, ADVERTISING — F or inform ation with reference to advertising in “The K ing's Business." address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, Calif., or our eastern representative. R eligious Press Association. 1601 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. MANUSCRIPTS — “The K in g’s Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage, to m anuscripts sent to it fo r consideration. Entered as seeond-class m atter November 7, 1938, at the post office at Los Angeles, California, under the A ct of March 3, 1879. A cceptance for mailing at special rate o f postage provided fo r in the A ct of February 28, 1925, em bodied in paragraph 4. section 538, P. X* and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. THE KING’S BUSINESS 558 South Hope Street ® Los Angeles« California INFORMATION FOR SUBSCRIBERS
December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N B S S
Christmas Carol A CAPPELLA
CHAS. H. MARSH
ALBERT SIMPSON REITZ Six paris
Christ, the Sav - iour o f the Round a - bout them shone a Through the ag - es let It
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let the mes-sage rin g ,__ Christ is (is) * born— e - ter - nal p ;l1 y } =£"•p M IFf ---F ' f " f:'- Copyright 1039 by fieri ert Q. Tovey
King!
December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S Are We Still in the Age of Grace? By LOU IS T. TALBOT
v the grace of God so overrules that souls are con victed and saved even in this day! Grace Exemplified As evidence that the age of grace— the period of God’s salvation of souls— is still continuing today, may I bring the following letter? “ Dear Dr. Talbot: “ It is now ten weeks since I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour . . . “When I was twenty-three years of age, I was graduated from M cG ill University, Montreal, Can ada, as .a pharmacist, came to Los Angeles in 1920, and worked for The ---------- Drug Company. I rose to be store manager, then district manager, and then buyer for the Company. It was then I fell. As I had to associate with different other executives that drank, and as I did not, I was the subject of much kidding. I did not seem to fit in with them; so I got the idea that it would not hurt me to take a drink with them to be sociable. “ This was my undoing, as it was not long before I became a drunkard. I. just could not help myself. I lost position, friends, and everything that meant anything in life. I drifted down until I was just another lost soul that frequents the missions in Los Angeles. I knew that I needed Christ in my life, but like many others, I kept putting it off. How ever, ten weeks ago 1 went to the altar at- one of the missions and yielded my heart and my life to Him who died for me. “ I am sure that in the first place yoqr radio min istry had a lot to do with it. 1 had a small radio in my room, and I used to listen to your broad cast. But lots of times I had to turn it off, as your message would bring me bitter tears when I thought how helpless my situation was. “ 1 have had much help spiritually from a Chris tian man in your, church. He has been tireless in his efforts to .teach me to live the life and to pray. Please pray that God will use me, that 1 may win souls for His kingdom, and that people will see Christ living in me. I have recently joined the Men’s Bible, Class at your church and find it a great help. “ Thanking you for your radio ministry, and praying that God will richly bless you, “ Yours in Christ, Yes, it was all of grace— grace in the Holy Spirit’s convicting power in a radio gospel mes sage; grace in a decision at a mission altar; grace in a layman’s faithful instruction of a new-born soul, and now, grace in a saved man’s longing to witness.
f T ^ H E QUEST ION has been asked, “ Are We still in the age of grace?” The answer to A this query is determined by that of another, “ Is God still saving men?” If so, then grace con tinues, because grace is the only method by which men are saved. Tw o tremendously important words in the Bible are “ sin” , and “ grace.” They lie at the heart of the gospel. If the first is misinterpreted, the second will be misunderstood. The man who accepts God’s definition thanks God for Calvary. Sin, in the Bible sense, implies man’s responsi bility. Sin is a missing of the mark. It is a trans gression of the law, both the moral law and the revealed law of God. “ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” ( Rom. 5 :8 ). This is grace! The grace of God is wholly undeserved by man; it is God’s “ unmerited favor.” From beginning to end, our salvation is all of grace: “ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6 :23 ). The Majesty of Grace While sin and grace are very great words in Scripture, the greater of the two is grace, for “ where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5 :20 ). Grace is greater than sin. Thank God we are still in the age of grace, and to Christians everywhere we can say, “ By grace are ye saved through faith” (Eph. 2 :8 )., Grace not only saves; it also transforms. It is grace for today, for tomorrow, and for evermore. Not until we get into the glory shall we fully understand the meaning of grace, for God says that “ in the ages to come” He is going to show “ the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2 :7 ). But grace saves and transforms now; it is the secret of all Christian growth. T o know that it is God who does the work and that His grace is sufficient— this gives the Chris tian, whether pastor or layman, both boldness and assurance as the days grow darker. Ask of any soul-winner that is seeing souls saved through his person-to-person witness, “ Are we still in the age of grace?” In reply, he simply will point to the soul he has most recently seen born again, and will say, “ It was all of God’s grace.” Perhaps few kinds of Christian testimony make a minister of the gospel more conscious of his utter dependence upon the grace of God than does a radio ministry. In the .first place, a man cannot see his “ congregation” —cannot observe what re sponse his words may be arousing. The radio lis tener has in his hands the power to stop the sound of the gospel instantly if he so desires. And yet
December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
452
Around the King s Table LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-in-chief
Did this spontaneous action mean all that it seemed to mean? Was the Lord Jesus really more to him than a liveli hood, more than his old associates, more even than the comforts of home ? “ Simon, . . . iovest thou me?” We know how, by this thrice-repeated question, Peter’s heart was searched and how he receiyed a new commission and new power to go forth and win gloriously where he had failed miser ably. How this significant question of our Lord to Peter, should ring in our hearts today! It is the deepest of all ques tions, for love to Christ carries every thing with it. If our affections are truly surrendered to Him, there still will be no lack in the house of the ,Lord. Shall we not speak to that individual we see in the looking glass and take stock ? Do we really love Christ ? Let there be no dodging. Let us invent no lies. Now, if ever, we should be ready to demonstrate the real meaning of our relationship to Christ.
Take Stock This year of 1941 drawls to a close. What a blighted, miserable world! Un precedented sufferings and sacrifices are the lot of God’s servants in many lands. Mission fields, white to harvest, are neglected because of the war, and some are wholly closed. The cause of Christ on every hand is hard pressed for means to carry on when golden op portunities lie thick everywhere. Hearing the m o s t heart-rending calls for material and spiritual help— and facing these appeals with less in our purses because of ever-mounting taxes and living costs—every true Christian must search his own heart as to whether or not the honor of Christ and the progress of His work are still to be first considerations. What now is the depth of our love to Him ? It is stock-taking month in the busi ness world. It is high time to take stock of our devotion, to Jesus Christ and to pray in the spirit, of the Psalm ist: “Lord, enlarge my heart!” (Psa. 119:32). Let Thy love dilate my soul! We think of Peter and that post resurrection catch of fishes. He who so recently had denied his Lord, catch ing sight of Him on the hazy shore, plunged into the sea to be the first to have a word with Him. Then after breakfast with Jesus and thè apostles, Peter was given the opportunity to put into words what he had demon strated in action.
ristmas Bells By ANNABEL LEE CRUMLY
Christmas bells,
O Christmas bells, Swinging to and fro; Christmas bells, O Christmas bells, Binging high and low: Fill with melody the skies— Rise above the sad earth’s cries; Change to shouts of joy its sighs, With the gospel story t Tell again the news so sweet— In your rhythmic tones repeat How our need God’s love did meet In His Gift from Glory! Christmas bells, O Christmas bells! Till we see God’s Son— Christmas bells, O Christmas bells^- Evermore ring on! Torrey Memorial Conference In the week of January 25 to Febru ary 1, 1942, the seventh annual Torrey Memorial Bible Conference is scheduled to be held at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Commemorating t h e far- reaching spiritual influence of the first Dean, Reuben Archer Torrey, and re calling also the wise and consecrated ministry of other early leaders, this conference is always' an outstanding event in the school’s activity. It occurs in the week of Torrey’s birthday an niversary (January 28) and imme diately precedes the Institute’s second semester. Thus the more than 450 stu dents of the Institute have the oppor tunity of a whole week of intensive Bible teaching in which some of the most widely used ministers of the nation are heard. This year, among others, H. A. Iron side, Pastor of the Moody Memorial Church, Chicago, 111., will speak daily.
The absence or presence of love to Christ in our hearts must be the index of our spiritual state—a prophecy of what we shall accomplish in these fleeting days of opportunity to hasten the completion of the Body of Christ. Can We honestly' say: “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee” ? ' —Keith L. Brooks. Significance of the News By DAN GILBERT Washington, D. C., and San Diego, California
vance of atheism since the beginning of the war in Europe. On January 1, 1941, the enrolled membership of the League of Militant Godless in Russia was listed, as 3,450,182 as., against 2,292,036 in 1939. Yaroslavsky’s report was first pub lished. in the magazine Antireligiosnik; It shows the acceleration of atheist ac tivity “on every front.” The following statistics are proudly cited: ■ “Antireligious discussion groups: ' 9,698 with 71,982 |participants in
ATHEISM ON THE MARCH IN RUSSIA:
• Out of the welter of controversy recently developed ■ regarding religious conditions in Russia, the facts have finally been brought to light. The Religious News Service has produced the evidence to show that atheism has made enormous strides in Russia in re cent years. The godless propaganda, moreover, has been directly promoted by the Communist Party itself. Yaroslavsky, leader of the League of Militant Godless, reports a great ad
December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
453
1940 as against 5,086 with 42,536 participants in 1939. “Antireligious seminars: 5,060 with 77,011 participants in 1940 as against 4,824 with 47,231 partici pants in 1939. . "Antireligious lectures: 239,000 with 10,765,000 auditors in 1940 as against 200,000 with 6,323,000 audi tors in 1939. • “Publications: 1,832 books with a total of 400,000,000 printed pages, published between 1928 and 1940.’’ Yaroslavsky attributes the growth of atheism to the fact, that the Soviet government itself “exercises a direct control over the work o f the League of Militant Godless.” He points out, how ever, that “the influence of the church has been weakened less than is often thought.”. His report concludes with “a call for increased efforts by the God less League.” EQUAL EVILS ALLOW NO CHOICE: • Much confusion has been engendered in the world by the attempt of nations to follow the system of “choosing the lesser of two evils.” Specifically, untold damage has .been done to the cause of democracy by the effort of well-mean ing theorists to decide which is the “les ser evil—Communism or Nazism.” When Mussolini established Fascism in Italy, there were many observers in America and England who welcomed his move ment as “ a lesser evil than Commun ism.” When the Nazi movement began to develop strength in Germany, there were important financiers and politicians in England and France, as well as Ger many, who actually encouraged the rise of Hitlerism as a “bulwark against the greater menace of Sovietism.” This commentator has long maintain ed, again and again in this department, that Communism and Nazism are equal evils. There is nothing to choose be tween them. They should be opposed equally and impartially. It may be true that one will loom as the greater peril at some specific time. But at another time, the relationship may be reversed. No democratic nation can afford to re lax her protective vigilance against either of the evils. There is a fundamental flaw in the whole reasoning process whereby men and nations seek to choose the "lesser of two evils.” The Word of God does not distinguish between “greater and lesser evils.” Sin is always infinite— because it is an affront to an infinite God. Men may talk about “little white lies” and "little sins.” But, according to the Word of God, all lies are as black as the pit of hell out of which the first lie emerged; all sins are infinite in scope, immeasurable in their evil. No distinction is made between “small sin ners” and “great sinners.” He who of fends in the smallest particular is to tally guilty—totally lost unless he ac-
cepts the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no such thing as being “par tially lost” or “lost to some degree.” One is reminded of the compromising modernist who is reported to have stood before his people and warned, “Unless we Tepent more or less, and believe something or other, and are saved to some degree, we may be lost to some extent.” It is an unhealthy state of mind to waste one’s attention on the apprais ing and analyzing of “comparative evils.” Young people will spend hours debating the subject, “Which is worse— the movies or the dance?” Apologists for worldly amusements will argue, “It is worse to tell a lie or fail to pay your
bills than it is to desecrate the Lord’s Day or smoke cigarettes.” Even if this could be demonstrated, this whole line of thought is wrong.- Our political leaders will spend hours in debating, “Which is worse—Com munism or Nazism?” Meanwhile, the conger of both of them is intensified. Debate has its place. But there are some things which are inherently un- debatable. Evil should be shunned— not discussed or conciliated, A famous bishop once said, “The laws of God are to be obeyed, not debated.” Less debate over the relative menace -of Fascism-Nazism and Communism, and more resistance to these scourges would be a good policy for Uncle Sam to pursue.
TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Laramie Avenue at Fulton Street
Rey. Bartlett L. Hess, Ph. D.. Pastor
Chicago, Illinois
Residence* 5207 Ferdinand St*
Dear Dr. Talbot: 558 South Hope Street Los Angeles, California
Dear Dr. Talbot During this past summer, a member of our Board of Deaeons suggested that we have a “ Christian Magazine Sunday,” when periodicals would be given to members of the congregation with the recommendation that they sub scribe for at least one of them. Members of the Board gave reviews of each paper. At the meeting where the papers were examined and discussed, it was the opinion of the group that the “Kins’s Business’’ was the best for the money. The articles are timely and spiritual. They are Scriptural and encouraging to the reader to become a student of the Word of God. Furthermore, the Bible school lessons, young people’s topics, the editorials and current-event fea tures are interesting, meaty, and helpful. The comment was that it is amazing that you can give so much for so little. I personally feel that you have an unusually good paper which is making a distinctive contribution in price and quality in the field of Christian journalism, and I wish you God’s continued blessing. Cordially yours,
December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
4M
When the Chorus Sang: "Halleluiah!"
By JOHN B. TROWBRIDGE As Told to Anne Hazelton
George II entered the hall and made his way to his box. Almost immediately the few chords that make-up the or chestral prelude of the oratorio, at once majestic and abrupt as if to command the attention, were sounded. Into the solemn anticipation that followed, there stole the tenor recitative aria, “Com fort ye,- my people.” Then the chorus took up the hymn of praise, “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,” and on until the opening qotes of the “Hallelujah Chorus” were reached. As the exultant shouts of “Hallelujah, Hal lelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reign- eth,” rang out, there, was another stir in the audience and King George rose tó his feet and stood with bowed head. Immediately the people followed his lead and all stood reverently until the chorus had been sung through. King George did a greater thing than he knew that night. Through the years, men have followed him in recognizing this chorus as akin to “heaven’s na tional anthem” and have given it honor even as the citizen honors the national anthem of his country. Moved by the majestic portrayal of this heavenly t h e m e , congregations spontaneously rise; indeed, no one who truly loves his omnipotent Lord could do otherwise! When the chorus sang—even Royalty was moved to reverence. * * * Great as was this first success of The Messiah, who, unless it were thè inspired composer himself, could have foreseen the wonderful power for good which it was to become! Its influence has steadily widened and increased throughout the years. What is it in this oratorio with its music that defies description, that moves people as it does? Let a simple illustration give answer.
arias, and recitatives as the Japanese conductor presented the annual rendi tion of The Messiah. There were those there who never before had heard the sacred words nor the majestic music contained in this oratorio. There were singers in the choir to whom the words and music came with new meaning and power- on this night. Ás the last full voiced chord faded away, a reverent stillness filled the auditorium. Even those to whom the words of the gospel were a new strange doctrine sat quietly for a moment before rising and leaving. But the final jóy of that evening was given to the conductor who himself had been instructed at the Bible In stitute of Los Angeles and who had spent much time and strength in train ing his choir in this oratorio that lay so near his -heart. Members of the choir, men and women who had made no profession of faith but desired to have a part in the annual concert, sought him out and inquired to know more about the way of salvation. Some who had been attracted by the an nouncement of the concert had come to hear The Messiah When they would not have gone to a church service. They had stayed to enjoy the matchless music—and had been touched by the power of the Scripture words. This out come, in various settings, could be re peated innumerable times. When the chorus sang—souls ware saved. * * * Unwind the clock of time and turn back almost two hundred years to a windy March night in London in 1743. Handel’s Messiah was less than two years old and this was but its third presentation. A few minutes before the conoert began, a ripple of excitement passed through the audience as King
T y - r IGHT had fallen on the hetero- I geneous medley of life that is Tokyo. The tall thickly leaved bamboos rattled noisily in the December wind, and pedestrians drew their ki monos closer about them as the pungent ocean air added its chill. There was a sense of rush about the busy streets—the incessant traffic of motors, their horns blaring for right- of-way, darting bicycles, hand carts, lumbering'busses, and hurrying pedes trians poured back and forth through the wide streets. It was the Christmas season, and the blaze of lights, color ful banners, and fascinating Japanese shops invited purchasers. But there were some in the busy city who had other thoughts. Near a large auditorium a billboard that had already attracted many passers-by bore the. announcement of a great concert. “Tonight! The Messiah! Large Chorus and Orchestra.” Some who saw the an nouncement stopped and wondered; a few turned and went in, attracted by the strains ' of music that could be heard; others went on their way, pon dering the meaning of those words, “The Messiah.” Inside the building, a large audience listened breathlessly as the two hun dred singers, accompanied by a sym phony orchestra of forty instruments, moved through the final choruses, [J. B. Trowbridge, who furnished' the material for this article, is himself a musi cian of distinction, and get so humble a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ that one thinks of h is . consecration to Christ more than o f his musical achievements. Having received his training in music at the Ameri can Conservatory of Music in Chicago, III., and with a Master of Arts degree from Cornell College. Iowa, Dr.- "Trowbridge has taught music privately and in various in stitutions— the last twenty-five years in the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, He has con ducted The Messiah • many times—almost forty—-always with finesse and with spiritual power .— E ditor .]
December, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Two directors of rnusie were discuss ing their plans for Christmas music one year. “John,” asked one of them, "why do you give that old Handel oratorio year after year when there are so many new and ‘up-to-date’ works?” “Because the people are hungry for it,” the other replied simply. “With its setting of pure Scripture lyrics, set to infectious music, it carries the mes sage home to the heart. Then, too, it is comparable to' the Bible as a ‘best seller.’ You must admit it draws the crowds!” Perhaps this last statement may seem a mercenary criterion to some, but people crave that which touches the vital phases of life and particularly that which reaches on into the vistas of eternity. When the chorus sings—people are moved to listen. If Handel could hear The Messiah sung today—if he could direct it from the choir gallery of a large church— would he be surprised that it has lived down through the years? In imagina tion we can see him raise his hands for the orchestra to come to atten tion. His massive white head is bent to catch the first arresting notes. His blind eyes could not see the difference in dress and customs on this two-hun dredth anniversary of his creation, but perhaps he could sense some other change. It may be that he could feel something of the appreciation of this modern audience, and perhaps he would remember the days when it had not been thus, It is doubtful whether he would re member those earliest days when as a lad of five, he had had to play secretly in the attic of his home, for fear of his father who opposed his music—nor of the time when the Duke had per suaded Handel’s father to let him study —nor of the years following when, at sixteen, he had started out on his own, nor of his great love of the opera and his attempts and failure in it. He had had youth and ambition to carry him through then. It is more likely he would remember the days just prior to his writing The Messiah, days that were filled with physical and fnental illness when he was in the depths of despair. His rivals had finally succeeded in ruining his last opera, and with ‘its failure all his fortune had gone. Physically ill, and sunk into a mental inertia, he found it impossible to write anything and was terrified lest his music was ended forever.
He would recall, no doubt', that the greatest crisis of his life occurred when he was fifty-seven; when, a failure in opera, he one day gave his atten-y tion to a manuscript which his poet- friend, Charles Jennens, had left for him. The selection proved to be the Scripture words «for The Messiah. He began to read and, suddenly, the music was coming. For the next twenty- four days he scarcely ate or rested but wrote at a feverish tension. In that amazingly short time, the work was done. Handel had given to the world an oratorio, with inspired words and with music unsurpassed. To Handel, the writing of The Mes siah meant the turning point in his life. It meant the release from the fear that was hampering and warping him. From this time on, he turned almost entirely to the writing of sacred ora torios, and the happiest period of his life began. He wrote many other oratorios and conducted The Messiah thirty-four times in all, even after he was entirely blind. But though his success in sacred music was phenomenal, his jealous con temporaries continued to fight against him, and even the Bishop of London at, one time forbade the performance of The Messiah, labeling its composer a heretic for “dragging the Bible onto the stage.” Perhaps, remembering all this, Handel would be surprised to find in 1941 that The Messiah and particularly the “Hallelujah Chorus? have become the traditional Christmas music, and that on the occasions when this oratorio is presented, many who otherwise seldom attend a church are found in the audi ence hearing the words of life through this glorious medium. Many oratorios with Biblical themes have been written,' musical settings of the highest order, but Handel’s great masterpiece surpasses them all in its direct, personal, and perennial appeal. Bach’s B Minor Mass, his St. Mat thew’s Passion may outrank this ora torio in the dizzy heights he reaches in his great and matchless contrapuntal structures; Haydn has given us in Creation a masterpiece in direct, crys tal-clear and reverent handling of a great theme; Mendelssohn’s Elijah is more thrilling in striking episode and dramatic appeal; Gounod’s Redemption touches the great central theme of the Bible in present-day, understandable idiom; but from year to year, The Mes siah is one that people turn to, and it comes to be a necessity in the life of every Christian who has come un- [ Continued on Page 464]
What Will Be Your Response?
The two-hundredth anniversary of the writing of Handel’s masterpiece, THE MESSIAH, will be celebrated this Christmas throughout the world wherever Christianity has maintained a foothold. Never before in human history has there been so pertinent an appeal from the Biblical texts set to music by the great composer, as today when prophecy is being un folded rapidly in this war-weary world, If the Lord tarries, the Christian populace will again hear these stir ring numbers, and the eternal verities that are brought out in this match less selection will be a solemn warn ing to those who reject Christ. What will be YOUR response? When the matchless strains of the “Hallelujah Chorus” are heard this year, will you, in humble adoration of the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour, rise to your feet to give reverent homage to the Son of God? He is “worthy.”
December, 1941
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The Blessedness of Christmas By D. F. CAWLEY London, England
of the love of God for sinful man. “Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, love divine.” Can we not see that when this wel come blessedness of life sets in, then there comes happiness, and where there is happiness, who misses pleasure ? Why, the simplest things of life yield the maximum of pleasure. There is an old French proverb which says that the man who seeks pleasure will never find it; but the man who does his duty will find pleasure hunting him down. What would have happened had not this glory of God’s Jove broken over the face of the earth? Here is the glory that binds the earth together. Let us, then, look at this very simple but beau tiful and great text: "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Paul always lived at Christmas time. Every morning Christmas broke for him, for the Lord of Christmas came down every street that he trod. What a love ly word that word “commendeth” is! God commends His love to us in Christ Jesus, who came on Christmas morning to bear man’s burden of sin, to die ugon the cross “that Hg might become man’s Redeemer,
And thus there comes the sense of good will. How many old people have been blessed! How many children have been made happy! How many Christmas cards have gone through the post, car rying with them messages of cheer and blessing! Many will say that these things are what Christmas represents, and, in a measure, they would not be wrong. The True Glory of Christmas But where is the blessedness of Christmas ? Where is the sublimity, where is the glory that really consti tutes Christmas? It is certainly not in pleasure, though it does not exclude the thought of pleasure. You cannot watch a little kitten playing without knowing that God meant the world to be a happy world. If the glory that constitutes Christmas is not to be found merely in happiness and in general well-being, where, then, is it to be found? It is to be found in the words, of my text: “God commendeth his love toward us.” It is love that makes Christmas; it is the love of God that constitutes the glory of Christmas. Miss this, and you miss the best. You and I, then, would do well to "go back seeking the glory which really constitutes Christinas, the glory
“ God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8.) T h o m a s c a r l y l e teiis us that there are three degrees of life: < One is that of pleasure; the other is that of happiness; but greater than either of these is the third, and that is blessedness. Now there is the Christmas that brings with it mere pleasure; and there is the Christmas which brings with it rare happiness; but there is also the Christmas that brings with it glory and blessedness. Quite a number of people will find one or other of the first two, but will they find the third? For many people, mer riment constitutes the very heart of Christmas. For others there is the hap piness of reunion, the meeting again of old friends, and the making of gifts; and it may be also, the happiness of ending wrongs. [The sermon which composes this article was preached in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in the heart of London, known to multitudes of Christians as “ Spurgeon’s Tabernacle .” Word has come from England describing the heavy bombings of this building. Dr. Caw ley is a prominent Baptist preacher and author, served as a missionary in India , and has been a lecturer at Spurgeon’s Col lege .— E ditor .]
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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S 457 Which "Gosper' Shall We Trust? By WILLIAM L. PETTINGILL Wilmington, Delaware 1
Divine Lové Demonstrated And hot only does God commend His love, but He convinces us of its reality as well. Paul is .really saying, “God puts His love together,” that He might convince the believing mind and heart. Or, if you like, God demonstrates His love; He vindicates His love. Try to think of God as putting His love to gether in such a way that once you have seen it you cannot deny it. In Christ— in His birth, His life, His love, ?His cross, His throner—there you have the final demonstration and vindication of the love of God. In all that Jesus is, in all that He has done, is doing, and yet purposes to do, you have a demon stration, of the love of God’s heart. There is no need to prove love; it shines by its' own light. In the life of Jesus Christ, God’s love shines' out in radiancy—love for the lonely and the lost, for the wandering and despairing, for the man who has missed the best, and for the woman who has lost all that life should mean. Jesus constitutes in His life the very glory of the heart, of God. Is it hard for any one to believe in that divine love? Stand in the presence of Christ. Watch Him live; hear Him speak; see' Him die; mark the rending of the tomb; see Him coming down the way of life to men. You, need no other demonstration of the love of God. Don’t miss it; for missing that, you miss everything; and finding it, you lack nothing. Love in Christian Character Finally; take this thought, that God converts this love which is the glory of Christmas into Christian character and purpose. The love that wins the heart, the glory that comes to men on Christmas Day, becomes, içëarnate glory for our own lives; we become so con vinced of this love of God that our hearts lie open to it. • It does not matter what kind of house" we live in, nor how humble may be our status; if we have admitted Christ into our lives, then the. love that constitutes the glory of Christmas is re vealed in our characters. And then is not life made blithe, is there not a lilt in the voice, and a rise in the step, once that glorÿ cornés into the life? Is life not made a lovelier thing? There is nothing so beautiful as the glory of Christ in a human face. Yes, life has become a blessed thing since Jesus came, Christmas brings to us afresh a hint of the glory that broke l in upon the earth when He was born, abd when He came to stand in our lot, to bear our burden of sin upon the cross, that for us there might be a glory that would neither dim nor pass away. Let ,this be the question that We shall ask ourselves: Has any one missed this glory? If so, is there.any need that you should miss it? And if there be no need, then why not take Him, and go out into the world with the glory of His levs in your life?
9 HERE ARE TWO so-called gos pels abroad in the world, one of them false and the other true. than the true gospel. The Apostle Paul writes of these two so-called gospels frequently in his Epistles. In the first chapter of his letter to the Galatians, verses 6 to 8, he says: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. “ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let i him be accursed.” Of course, the false gospel so called cannot be really a gospel at all. The wor'd "gospel” means good hews, and that which contradicts good news can not itself be good news; it is bad news, and therefore it is not a gospel. In Romans 10, these two so-called gospels, first the false and then the true, are stated thus: “Moses describeth the righteous ness whiqh is of the law,* That -the man which doeth those things shall live, by them. “But the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wise . , . “The word is nigh thee, . . . that is, the word of faith, which we preach; “ That if thou shalt confess with , thy mouth the Lord Jesus for, Jesus as Lord], and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man be- lieveth unto righteousness; and with the,mouth confession is made unto salvation” . (Rom. 10:5-10). The False' Gospel as Related to Good Works The false 1gospel teaches that salva tion is by works, but the true gospel teaches that salvation is by faith with
out works. This is not to say that good works have no relation to salva tion. Far from it. Good works cannot save' us, nor help to save us, nor help to keep us saved. But good works should follow salvation as a result. As the apostle says, to quote again, in Ephe sians 2:8-10: “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it’ is the gift of God: . “Not of works, lest any man should boast. “Fdr we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before or dained that we should walk in them.” You see? Salvation is not derived, from good works, but it is unto them. Good works are not the cause of sal vation, but they are the effect of salva tion. Christ’s Righteousness Applied to Man But some one may say, How can it be that “with the heart- man be- lieveth unto righteousness”’? and how can it be that “with the mouth con fession is made unto salvation” ? •Tell us about that. The answer is that by His death on the cross of Calvary our Lord Jesus Christ wrought out righteousness for us. By bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, He freed us from them, and in God’s reckoning : the righteousness of Christ became ours. As it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:2i, “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” This is the marvel, the miracle, and the mystery of the gospel. In His Son, God found a ransom, and thus found a way to save us, and save us righteous ly: “That he might be just; and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26), [ Continued on Page 468]
The false gospel is preached far more
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The Story of the Lost Star
By GRACE LIVINGSTON H ILL
no, it was paid for. He punched away at his machine and the lines appeared in the type, but his thoughts were busy, 'ten thousand dol lars! . With that he could, with self-re spect, marry Mary! George K. Hamil ton. That was the rich guy who lived in the big h o u s e , with one blind wall s t u c k on its side that everybody said was a picture gal lery. He was rolling in wealth so it must be real. But what was this thing he had lost that was w o r t h everlasting favor and ten thou sand d o l l a r s ? A jewel ? A silver tab let ? Something of
His fingers flew over the keys of his machine as he laid his plans, and his heart throbbed with excitement. Ten thousand dollars! Early dawn saw him dressed in his best and hurrying on his way to Beth lehem amid a trainload of laborers going out for the day’s work. But he saw . not pick nor shovel nor dinner pail, nor noted greasy overalls and sleepy- eyed companions. Before his shining eyes was a star, sometimes silver, sumptuously engraved, sometimes gold and set in sparkling jewels, leading him on into the day of adventure. Arrived in the City of Steel, he went straight to the news agent: “Have you been here some time?” “Bom here.” “Then tell me, have you a Star of Bethlehem ?” The agent shook his head. “Don’t smoke that kind. Don’t keep that kind. Try the little cigar store down the street.’’ And he swung him self under the shelf and, shouldering a pile of morning papers, rushed off down the platform. Out in the street John stopped a man whose foot was just mpunting the running board of his car: “Do you know anything about the • Star of Bethlehem?” “Never heard of it, man. A Ford’s good enough for me!” and he swung into his car and shot away from the curb hurriedly. He asked a little girl who was hurry ing away from the bakery with a basket of bread. “Why, Star - of - Bethlehem is a flower,” she said, “a little green and white starry flower with pointed petals. But you can’t find Stars-of-Bethlehem this time of year!” And she stared after him. And about this time the Bishop back at home was opening the morning paper at the breakfast table as he toyed with his grapefruit and coffee:
intrinsic historic value perhaps ? Some thing that must be well known, or the writer would not have spoken of it in that off-hand, indefinite way as the Star of Bethlehem, as if there were but one. Bethlehem—Bethlehem—that was the place where they made steel! Steel! Why—steel, of course. George K. Hamilton. Hamilton the steel king! Ah! Why hadn’t he thought of it at once? And why couldn’t he go to Bethle hem and find out all about it? He was the first one, excepting the editor of the Lost and Found column, to see this ad. Why wouldn’t, he stand first chance of the reward if he worked it right? If he caught the first train in the morning, -he would have a good start before any one read the morning papers. He would be through .with his work by three a. m. at the latest, and there was a train at five. He would have time to get back to his boarding place' . and clean up a bit, perhaps scribble a note to Mary telling her to be ready for the wedding >
ABOUT A WEEK before Christ- / \ mas in a small city of the East / \ there appeared in the Lost and Found column this advertisement: “Lost. Sometime between the World War and the present morning, The Star of Bethlehem. The finder will confer everlasting favor and receive a reward of ten thousand dollars if it is returned to the owner between the hours of sundown and midnight on Christmas Eve. “ (Signed) George K. Hamilton, “Eleven, Harvard Place.” The typesetter blinked and paused in his busy work, read it again and wondered. Ten thousand dollars! Was it a joke? It must be a mistake! But ! [ Copyright, 1932, by J. B. Lippin cott Company. The story as it appears on these pages is a condensation of a longer narrative which is available in booklet form .— EDITOR.]
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
December, 1941
sand dollars and his fruitless trip to Bethlehem. “ Oh, but laddie, ye’re on the ir.ua track entirely,” said the. old lady. ‘"Hie Star o’ Bethlehem’s in the auld Buik. I ken it’s no the fashion to read it these days, but the 'worruld lost sight of a lot besides the things it wanted to forget when it set out to put its Bibles awa! Hunt up yer Mither’s Bible, lad, and study it out. The star arose in the East, ye ken, and the folks who saw it first was those that was lookin’ fer its arisin’. “The star’s na lost. It led to the little King, ye ken, an’ it’ll always lead to the King if a body seeks with all the heirt, fer that is the promise: ‘An’ ye shall find. Me, when ye shall seek fer Me with all yer heirts.’ May like the puir buddy who wrote the bit lines in the paper was longin’ fer the King his- self an’ wanted the star to guide him, but ye ken ye can’t purchase the gifts of God wi’ silver ner gold. The mon may lay his ten thousand baubles at the fut of the throne, but he’ll find he must go his own self across the desert, before he’ll ever see the shinin’ of the Star. “But you’ll not turn back yerself now you’ve started, laddie! Go find the King; fer yerself. Look in the Gospels an’ read the story. It’s passin’ wonder ful an’ lovely. This is my station now, and I’ll b e . leavin’ ye, but it’ll be a glad Christmas time fer you ef you find the little King, an’ ye’ll find Him sure, if ye seek on with all yer heirt.” i The doorway to the fine old Hamilton mansion on Harvard Place was be sieged from morning, to night all that week by aspirants wishing to speak with the Master, but to all of them the grave and dignified servitor who an swered the door replied: “My master is away. He cannot speak with you. until the time appointed. If any then have found the lost treasure, they may come and claim the reward. But they must come bringing it with them. None others need present them selves.” Even the Bishop had not been able to gain admittance. He was much an noyed about it. He was afraid others would get ahead of him. He was very certain that if he could have audience first all would be well. He was sure he could explain the philosophy of life and the mystery of the star quite satisfactorily and soothingly. [ Continued on Page 468]
by means of a pocket flashlight. More than one young student worked into the small hours of the night w ith.ref erence books scattered about him, writing a many-paged treatise on the Star of Stars, some to prove that the star was a myth, and others that it was still in existence and would one day appear again as bright as of old. Even the police, coming suddenly upon lurking stargazers far toward morning, began to question what had taken hold of the town. Coming home on the late train from a fruitless search for an unknown quantity which was not there, John Powers sat wearily back in his dusty seat. The lost Star of Bethlehem! What could it be ? He had searched the steel city from end to end without finding so much as a trace of tradition or story about a star in connection with that town, and he was dog-weary and utterly discouraged. If only he had not written that hopeful letter to Mary in the morning! Now perhaps she would already be planning to have the wedding soon, and where was the money coming from to provide the little home? 1 Of course it just might happen that, after all, the star had been lost up in the city, else why should the adver tisement have been put in the city paper and not in the Bethlehem local? But, even so, he had hoped great things from this trip to Bethlehem, and now he had only wasted a day and the car fare, and had gotten nowhere at all. Yet before long, John found himself asking his seat mate ;the old question again: "You say you are from Bethlehem? Did you ever hear of a star in connec tion with that town?' Was there any memorial tablet or monument or em blem or anything in the shape of a star, that had been stolen away? Star of Bethlehem it was called; do you know anything about it? ” The stranger stared blankly and shook his head: “ Sounds to me as if it might be a song, or a book mebbe. Ever been a Mason? Might be some kind o f•a Ma sonic badge, mightn’t it?” The man got out at the next station, and Powers leaned back wearily and thought of how he had failed. An old lady in a queer bonnet leaned over suddenly and touched him on the shoulder: “Laddie, hae ye tried the auld Buik?” she asked timidly. “I’m thinkin’ ye’ll find it all there.” “I beg your pardon!” said Powers, lifting his hat courteously and thinking how the blue of her eyes had a light like that in Mary’s eyes.
“Ha, ha!’’ he said as his eye traveled down the column idly and paused at the Lost and Found, "Listen to this, Bella. Poor old George has got ’em again. He probably thinks he is going to die this time. I’ll just step in and have a little talk on theology with him this morning and set his mind at rest. No need for that ten thousand ‘dollars to go out of the church. We might as well have it as some home for the feeble minded.” Bella left her coffee and came around to read the advertisement, her face lighting intelligently: “ Oh, Basil! Do you think you can work it?” she cried delightedly. “Why, sure, he's just a little daffy on religion now because he’s been sick. The last time I saw him he asked me how we could know any of the creeds, were true when they were all so dif ferent. I’ll smooth it all out for him, and make him give another ten thou sand or so to the social service work of our church, and he’ll come across handsomely, you’ll see. I’d better go at once. It won’t do to wait; there are too many kinds of crooks on the lookout for just such a soft ten thousand as, this.” And he took his hat and coat and hurried out. The Professor at his meager :break fast table, worrying about his sick wife and how he could afford to keep his eldest son in college, happened on the item. He set down his coffee cup untasted and stepped to his book shelves, taking down several wise treatises on Astron omy. À sweet-faced saint in an invalid chair read and1pondered and murmured thoughtfully: “Poor soul! What’s hap pened to the man’s Bible?” Before night the one little shop in the city that made a specialty of as tronomical instruments had been drain ed of everything, in the shape o f a searcher of- the heavens, and a rush , order had gone on to New York by telegraph for more telescopes of va rious sizes and prices, while a boy in the back office was busy making a copy of the advertisement to fasten up in the plate glass window, with a note below: . "Come in and order your telescope now before they are all gone, and get into line for the great sky prize! We have ’em! All prices!” Far into ' the evening the crowd con tinued around that window, and many who had glasses at home hurried away to search for them. Even before the day was half over, the office of the University was be sieged by eager visitors come to ques tion wise ones, a folded newspaper fur tively held under each applicant’s arm. As evening drew on, shadowy figures stole fQrth to high places and might have been seen scanning the heavens, and now and then consulting a book
He arose from his seat and went back to sit beside her. Then somehow the blue of her eyes made him unafraid, and he told her all about .the ten thou¿SB
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