November, 1939
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
418
Around the King s Table By ROY L LAURIN
great war it was “Gott mit Uns” (“God with us”). Much was also heard of Al lied claims. But we wonder. Is God on either side? We have a thought that God hates war. We have a thought that God is not partial to the dying and homeless of any side. God may be dis pleased about the causes of war, but surely His ears are open to the cry of all who pray, no matter what their nationality. It would be better if before war came we would strive to get on God’s side. In that case there would be no war. Knocking Knees War apparently has given an impetus to piety in England. Two posters ap peared on a London church recently, one of w h i c h read, “IF YOUR KNEES KNOCK, KNEEL ON THEM.” Kneeling is a good remedy for knocking knees. It is unfortunate that it takes war to make people prayerful. But adversity has always been beneficial to humanity in driving it to its knees. We shall be able to stand more firmly if we k n e e l oftener. Prayer makes strong knees, not, of course, in the phys ical sense, but as the result of a spir itual muscular development. It has been well said, “Your kneeling keeps you in good standing.” “He stands best who kneels most; He stands strongest who kneels weak est; He stands longest who kneels lowest; Bent knees make strong backs.” Information or Interpretation In this day of war news, most pebple have their faces so close to the news column that they do not see the pattern upon which the events of the day are transpiring. The pattern is the pro phetic Scripture. The Scriptures trace beforehand the movements of empires. What we need is not merely informa tion concerning current events. This is easily obtained. But having such in formation, we may still be j woefully ignorant as to its significance. Vfle need interpretation as well as informa tion. The Bible is not expected to be a newspaper. But what the Bible does is to serve as the interpreter of daily affairs. We need it more than ever in these important days. Without it we are but creatures of today. With it we see “the end from the beginning.”
Thanksgiving with Thanks Let us give thanks! We have heard this exhortation be fore. But it means more this year thin it has meant for many years past. Thanksgiving finds u s ' with a tre mendous national and hemispherical ad vantage. We of this nation and hemi sphere are far removed from the bombs and bullets of the conflict in Europe, as well as in Asia. Is this advantage mere ly an accident of geography ? No doubt location has something to do with it, but not everything. Our nation was con ceived in certain religious ideals. Its pioneers were prompted in its founding by definite aims of spiritual freedom and political liberty. The Bible was the bul wark of the nation. The question is constantly coming to the minds of se rious thinking people, “How long can these liberties be retained?”.. Only so long as we keep God in our plans and the Bible in our churches! Thanksgiving needs to. be a time of national penitence. It should be a time for reordering our national life to meet the standards of the Bible. True thanks giving cannot come from a people who ignore God in other seasons of the year. “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Today’s War Is this war a war of property or phil osophy ? Ostensibly Hitler has territorial aims. He has revived Bismarck’s dream that Germany’s destiny lies to the east. He has begun, and so far has succeeded in, his “Drang nach Osten,” his “drive to the East.” But property is not the teal urge of this war, as urgent as its acquisition may seem to be to Germany. Back of this conflict lies a philosophy. It is the Nietzschean doctrine of the will to power. Nietzsche taught that it was not only the right of the powerful to rule the weak, but a historic and patri otic necessity. Germany has been steeped in this philosophy of destiny. Today’s war is more than a war on Hitlerism, as the last war was more than a war on Kaiserism. It is a war of the Nietz schean doctrine. We predict it will never be stamped out by arms nor settled by treaties. It requires regeneration. Which Side? Once more embattled nations are anx iously establishing their claims to God’s blessing upon their arms. In the last
Announcement It is my pleasure to announce that Boy L. Laurin, who has been serving as Associate Editor of THE KING’S B U S I N E S S , Associate Pastor of the Church of the Open Door, and Vice-President of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, has been appointed by the President to be the Executive Vice-Presi dent of the Bible Institute and Edi- tor-in-Chief of TH E KING’S BUSINESS. He is henceforth to devote his entire time to the ad ministration and direction, of both Institute and magazine while still retaining his connection and as sociation with the Church of the Open Door, and he will be in its pulpit as occasion requires. With Mr. Laurin in the work of the magazine will be associated Miss Mildred Cook as Managing Editor and also others who have given to THE KING’S BUSINESS, and who will continue to give, their earnest and prayerful thought. In his position as Executive Vice-President of the Institute, Mr. Laurin will be in close touch with the problems and with the life of the Institute. He has care fully and prayerfully mapped out a plan of action in regard to the management and expansion of the Bible Institute, and through THE KING’S BUSINESS he will be able to make known the progress of this plan. Mr. Laurin, I believe, has been raised up by God especially for this time of need in connection with the Institute. He is partic-. ularly gifted in speaking and writ ing. He has been, and is, a deep student of the precious Book, and I am sure that the articles that w i l l come from his pen w i l l b r e a t h e the benediction of the Holy Spirit. You will occasionally hear from me- It is my earnest hope that this “Message Concern ing the King” will enter many new fields. LOUIS T. TALBOT President, The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated.
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