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October, 1940
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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The King's Business The True-to-the-Bible Family Magazine The Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. LOUIS X. TALBOT, Editor-in-chief w. F. EEMfF, Advertising and MILDRED M. COOK, Managing Editor ® Circulation Manager
The Scroll of the Law «
Motto : "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Rev. 1:5).
Volume XXXI
October, 1940
Number 10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ransom D. Marvin, Staff Artist
Around the King’s Table— Editorial...., ......................................................362 Significance of the News — Dan Gilbert... ................. ...................... V __ 363 Crucified with Christ — William L. Pettingill .............................................364 365 “ Legitimate Business” __________________________ .................... .................366 Perils of the Preacher —Herbert Lockyer ......................... ....................____367 A Burden of Prayer for Dr. Chow —James R. Graham, Jr. ........... .......368 Junior King’s Business —Martha S. Hooker ...................................... ........371 International Lesson Commentary...................................................................374 Notes on Christian Endeavor —Mildred M . Cook .......................................383 Daily Devotional Readings_________ ____ _____ __________________ _____..388 Bible Institute Family Circle.....__ ______ ___ _____ _______ ___________....393 Our Literature Table__ __________________________________ 398 The Three Stepping-Stones of the Antichrist to Power— Louis S. Bauman __________________________________ SUBSCRIPTION PRICE ■ “The King’s Business" is published monthly. $1.00—one year; $1.50—two years; 50 cents—six months; 10 cents—single copy. Clubs of five or more at special rates; write for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCE—Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express or post office money order payable to “The King’s Business.” Date of ex piration will show plainly each month on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. ADVERTISING— For information 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, Religious Press Asso ciation, 1108-10 Colonial Bldg., 13th and Market Streets. Philadelphia, Pa. MANUSCRIPTS—“The King’s Business” cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent to it for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the post office at Los An geles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, embodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P. L. and R.f authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. THE KING’S BUSINESS 558 South Hope Street • Los Angeles, California INFORMATION FOR SUBSCRIBERS
The Scroll It the most Sacred thing in the Jewish Synagogue. Christ read His introductory message from the scroll in the Synagogue. Every Bible Student ought to have one of these miniature scrolls. Our Offer We want you to read The Chosen People, edited by Joseph Hoffman Cohn, son of the late ExRabbi Leo pold Cohn, and considered by many Bible students the most helpful paper on prophecy and the Jew published in America. It gives you inspiring reports of the world-wide activities of the American Board of Missions to the Jews, Inc. Also, we want you to read the life story of ExRabbi Leopold Cohn, written by himself In a six- ty-page booklet—one of the most thrilling stories you have ever read. Jews are really accepting the Lord Jesus Christ. The price of the Scroll is 50 cents, and The Chosen People is 50 cents a year. Mr. Cohn’s autobiog raphy is 30 cents. Send us $1 and we will mail you ALL and enter your name for a year’s subscrip tion for The Chosen People; if not satisfied we’ll return your money without a question. And may we remind you also of the continuous need of our Mis sionary undertakings. Our work merits your e v e r y confidence. It is a program of world-wide Gos pel testimony to the Jews. Your fellowship in prayer and gift is always welcomed and appreciated. The Chosen People is of course
sent to all contributors. American Board of
Missions to the Jews, Inc. 31 Throop Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
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October* 1940
Around the Kings Table . E D I T O R I A L
Not only throughout his lifetime did Joseph Flacks give a continual testi mony for his Saviour, but in his death he also exalted his Lord. This beloved Hebrew Christian, through whose sac rifice and initiative many scores of young people were given a vision of Christian work and were helped in their training at such institutions as the Moody Bible Institute and the Bible Institute ■of Los Angeles, caused the following message to be written on post al cards, in readiness for the time it would be needed. On August 14, 1940, the day the Lord took Mr. Flacks to be with Himself, the cards required only the addition of the date line before they were posted. The message read: August 14, 1940 TRIUMPHANT THROUGH GRACE This Is to announce: I moved out of the old mud house (2 Cor. 5:1). Arrived In Glory-land Instantly, In charge of the angelic escort (Lk. 16:22). Absent from the body, AT HOME with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6). . ■ I find as foretold (Psa. 16:11), in His presence FULLNESS of JOY . . . PLEASURES forever more! Will look for YOU on THE WAY UP at the redemption of the body (Rom. 8:23). Till then, LOOK UP! J. S. FLACKS It was the privilege of this writer to be closely associated in Christian work for several years with “Daddy” Flacks, as he was affectionately called, and to see that in him was fulfilled, in very gracious measure, the truth of Gala tians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ llveth in me.” To all who knew him it will not seem unusual that this dear man of God should have been concerned that the sermon delivered at his funeral should be not a eulogy of himself, but a testimony to the grace of God and an invitation to others to share by faith in His atoning work. To make sure that such a message as this would be given, Mr. Flacks wrote it himself ! May God grant that more of us, His children, may be faithful in life and in death to exalt our glorious Lord. —Louis T. Talbot.
A “Word of . . . Testimony** ■In Revelation 12:11 we read, "And they: overcome him [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the WORD of their testimony.” Finding that great blessing has come to the hearts of God’s people through the testimony of Chris tian business and professional men, I present the testimony of one of my ' friends, an honored elder in the Oliver Presbyterian Church of Minneapolis, Minn. The writer, Rudolph G. Logefeil, M. D., is one of the outstanding physi cians and surgeons in the city of Min neapolis. His scholarship is unques tioned, for he is a graduate of the Uni versity of Minnesota, and has _taken post-graduate work in Johns Hopkins University, Harvard, Cornell, the Uni versity of Edinburgh, and the Univer sity of Vienna. Dr. Logefeil is not only a specialist in the professional world, but he is also a Winner of souls for Christ; and the Holy Spirit is using his Christian testi mony among members of the medical profession in a marked way. A state ment by this Christian physician fol lows: “Almost every day I have patients come to me for help, who, I find, have no organic disease, but merely a func tional .ailment caused by worry, anxiety, fear, and the like. What they need is not medicine but a ‘spiritual experience.’ Then God’s peace, which passeth all un derstanding, will fill their hearts and lives, and they will learn the only way of living without worry. Such an expe rience is the only real cure that has ever been found for chronic alcoholic and drug addicts. “Yes, my friend, with the power of Christ in your life, you can meet any problem with which life may confront you. The turmoil in this world of to day need not worry you, for God will take care of His own, as He has prom ised in His Word. I can assure you that Christ not only saves, but He keeps. He is at your side each moment of the day, ready to comfort and help you, and in addition to all this, He assures eternal as well as present security to all those who put their trust in Him. “Would you like to have a Christian experience of your own? Then let me tell you how you can get it. “FIRST—Go to Jesus. There can be no peace in the soul until it has been consciously pardoned; and there is par don only through the merit and atone ment of Christ. Jesus said: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were let sinners, Christ died for us. Cometh unto the Father, but by me’ (John 14:6). - “THEN—Go to the Bible—the Word of God. The Holy»Spirit will take of the things of God and make them lu minous and blessed. These truths are spiritual truths; thus they are spir itually discerned. Read the Word with an open, unprejudiced mind. Remember that it contains the only revelation which God has given to man. As you open its pages, breath this prayer: ‘Open thou min« eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.’ “FINALLY—Go to the place of pray er. Humble yourself before God. Con fess your sins and ask for pardon. He alone can cure the disease of sin in your life, for He has told us that, ‘if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ “In a personal way knowing Jesus has meant much to me; He has helped me through many a difficult problem, professional and otherwise; He has an swered my prayers; He has comforted me in sorrow and sickness and given me renewed strength to go on. All that I am and have, I owe to Him. I would fear to start a day without Him.” —Louis T. Talbot Like a Message from Heaven It is not an unusual occurrence for one of the Lord’s dear children to be called from earth to heaven, but it is extraordinary for one to write, before his death, the announcement of his own Home-going and also to prepare the message to be read at his funeral serv ice.
October, 1940
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Significance of the News By DAN GILBERT Washington, D. C., and San Diego, California
population who are young is decreasing from, year to year; thus the percentage of the people Who are old becomes dis proportionate. Surveys have shown that, in most cases, the declining birth rate has been due to selfishness. Couples would prefer a new automobile or other luxuries to an addition to the family. Ease and luxury have produced the downfall of the great civilizations of the past. The spirit of true patriotism must be the spirit of sacrifice. The real strength ening of our national life and defenses requires the building of character in our people. Defense of a nation is, usually, not a military problem. It is a moral problem. We need to grow strong in our ideals, strong in our principles, strong in our loyalties. Sacrifice instead of selfishness must be the driving and dic tating force in the ordering of individ ual livgs. A militaristic nation is seldom a strong nation. Sparta was the classic example. Her collapse was almost as sensational as that of modern France. Militarism means a trust in the instru ments of force as the way to preserve and prosper a country. The spirit of militarism is always the spirit of pagan ism and of materialism. Militarism is national suicide. No one will question that America is in danger, and needs to reconstruct her defenses. But all sound observers will agree that the real defense of a nation lies in the integrity of her homes. Until the Chris tian home is strongly re-established in this land, our nation will be weak, no matter how many men we may have under arms.
SOVIET “APPEASEMENT” : • Stalin has got away with it again! His “bloodless” blitzkrieg against the Baltic states brought scarcely a ripple of resentment. Latvia, Lithuania, and Esthonia were greedily swallowed up by the Russian bear; but this did not halt the “heart-to-heart” conversations being carried on by Under-Secretary Welles and the Soviet ambassador, Con stantine Oumansky. On August 7, both of them, on behalf of their respective governments, expressed “deep gratifi cation” over the renewal of the Soviet- American trade agreement. . Official and unofficial Washington reports center around the possibility of a “Russian and United States alliance.” There are even those who talk of the United States and Russia as “natural allies.” With the British fleet incapable of acting with mueh force in the Orient, it is' maintained that the United States and Russia are “inevitable allies” in a “stop Japan” movement. Military strat egists stress the advantages of “coopera tion” with Russia in curbing Japanese aggression. From the economic standpoint, it i3 contended that, aside from South Amer ica, Russia remains our only potentially great customer. Continental Europe seems to be sealed within the confines of the “corporate system,” regardless of how long Britain may hold out against Nazi invasion. Thus, Russia—with her outlet through Siberia on the Pacific—• appears to be our only commercial con tact with the European continent. The pressure for a political alliance with Russia, therefore, seems to be de veloping on both the military and eco nomic fronts. It is, of course, held back by the knowledge that Stalin cannot be trusted. In fact, every argument against “appeasing” Hitler would hold with equal force against-the proposal for put ting reliance in Russia. GOD AND GOOD GOVERNMENT: • • It is encouraging to note the number of devout Christian believers who have come to the headship of some of our greatest- -states. Governor Luren D. Dickinson of Michigan is well known as a fundamentalist and was one of the 1principal speakers at the Chicago con vention of the World’s Christian Funda mentals Association. The new governor of Louisiana, who is charged with the task of cleansing that state of corrupt conditions built up over a period of years, is a man of prayer and Christian conviction. Gov ernor Sam Houston Jones is in no sense
“modernistic,” and he frankly says so. Political officeholders often will pay high tribute to “religious ideals,” but will carefully fail to reveal where they stand on the real fundamentals of the faith. Governor Jones, however, believes in the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints. His is no changing or evolving creed. He believes in the eter nal validity of Bible principles. Declared Governor Jones: “The Bible and its laws are just as true today as ever. The Ten Commandments are just as true' to day as they ever were. Man-made laws and rules of conduct have nev er superseded the laws handed down on graven stone to Moses on the mountain-top by the Creator of us all.” . . Governor Jones echoes the sentiment of the Founding Fathers: “God gov erns in the affairs of men.” He has said: “Nothing great was ever achieved in the history of the world without the help of God. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitu tion of the United States have been preserved because God and the thought of God dominated those who penned these two Immortal docu ments. The Treaty of Versailles, without thought or mention of God, has scrambled the nations of Eu rope and pitted man against his brother in a bitter war.” Governor Jones thinks there is need for a revival of the traditional American conception of citizenship. He said: “You can’t be Christian and not a good citizen. That great statesman, Daniel Webster, said, ‘What makes good citizens makes good Chris tians.’ And I say to you that just as truly, ‘What makes good Chris tians makes good citizens.’ “As Christian leaders you must also be defenders of the principles upon which the government is built. Godless doctrines must not be al lowed to creep into our schools or seats of governments. The hatreds of Communism, Fascism, and Naz ism are not for peace-loving, God fearing Americans.” REAL NATIONAL DEFENSE: • As the nation mobilizes for defense, the first discovery is that our “racial resources” have run down. There are 2,000,000 fewer young Americans in their teens than there were a genera tion ago. The percentage of the total
cometh from the L ord , which made heaven and earth.”,
Cartoon by E. J. Pace Courtesy, The Sunday School Tlmfs
THE UNITED STATES AT PRAYER A great national humbling before God! That is the need that prompted a call to a “Day of Prayer for Revival in America” on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 17. The call is issued by the Great Commission Prayer League, 808 N. La Salle St., Chicago, 111., which is offering posters and literature helpful to pastors.
October, 1940
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Crucified with Christ By W ILLIAM L. PETTINGILL Wilmington, Delaware
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the black cap was pulled down over his head and face, and the trap beneath him was sprang. The body was con vulsed for a time and then came to rest. The official county physician pronounced the man dead, and by previous arrange ment the body was given to friends who planned to give it private burial immediately. On the way to the ceme tery, a noise was heard issuing from the box containing the casket; and when the lid was removed, the supposedly dead man sat up and hurriedly got out of the box, and the journey toward the place of burial was stopped. When the prosecuting attorney heard of this event, he went into court and moved that the prisoner be re-arrested and re-executed. This motion was op posed by the defense on two grounds: first, that, according to a well-settled principle of jurisprudence recognized ev erywhere, no man could be brought into jeopardy twice on the same change; and second, that according to another equal ly well-settled and recognized principle, no court could repudiate its own record in a» closed case. According to the rec ord of the court, the sentence had been duly carried out, and the prisoner had, at the appointed time and place, been hanged by the neck until he was dead. “But,” said the prosecutor, “ this man is alive now.” “That makes no difference,” replied the defense attorney. “There was noth ing said in the sentence about his re maining dead. We stand upon the rec ord.” The court decided in favor of the de fense. And thus the prisoner went free. He was alive, but according to the rec ord he had one day died. So the Chris tian, according to the record of the court of heaven, was one day crucified. He may say, and say truly, “I have been crucified.” “And it is no lodger I that live.” I came to my end at Calvary, or, speaking practically and experientially, I came to my end on the day I was born again and baptized* into Jesus Christ and into His death. Therefore “it is no longer I that live.” Two sisters, prominent society women, were saved on a particular Thursday night, and when on the following Mon day they were Invited to a certain func tion such as they had been accustomed [Continued on Page 395]
“ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me” (Gal. 3:30, K.V.). I N THE reckoning of God, the Chris tian is a person who has died on a cross, thus paying the extrejne and righteous penalty for sin—“the wages of sin is death.” The Revised Version of the passage which appears at the beginning of this article should be stud- , ied carefully, for it brings great enlight enment as to our position before God in Christ. *Just what is the position of the Chris tian, this one who has been “ crucified with Christ” ? If you are a Christian, a truly born-again person, then at the moment of your new birth you were “ in one spirit . . . baptized into one body,” and thus you be came a member of Christ, a member “of his body, o f his flesh, and of his bones” (1 Cor. 12:13, R.V.; cf. v. 12; Eph. 5:30); and by this baptism into Jesus Christ you were baptized into His death. “We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein ? Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptizfed into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:1-3, R.V.). Just as a, bud graft ed into the branch of a tree becomes joined to the whole tree and receives life from the taproot, so does the Chris tian become joined to Christ and de lv e s life from His death on the cross. God reckons that the believer was in Christ and was put to death with Him at Calvary. “ O the love that drew salvation’s plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span A t Calvary!” In a southern state, a man was con noted of murder in the first degree, and was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until he was dead. When the appointed day arrived, the prisoner was taken from his cell to the scaffold in the jail yard, his feet were tied together, *0/ course, it will be understood that we are not discussing water baptism here, which has its place, but that is another matter. We hère are considering the bap tism in, the Holy Spirit which is the com mon experience of all believers and . which tahes pJmtt • ! the moment of regeneration.
T H E V IC TO R
I hear th’ accuser roar Of ills that I have done; 1 know them well, and thou* sands more; Jehovah findeth none. Sin, Satan, Death press near To harass and appall; Let but my risen Lord appear. Backward they go and fall. Before, behind, around, They set their fierce array,' To fight and force me from my ground, Along Immanuel’s way. I meet them face to face. Through Jesus’ conquest blest; March in the triumph of His grace. Right onward to my rest. There, in His Book, I bear A more than conq’ror’s name; A soldier, son, and fellow heir. Who fought and overcame. His be the victor’s fame Who fought the fight alone. Triumphant saints no honor claim; Their conquest was His own. By weakness and defeat He won the meed and crown, Trod all our foes beneath His feet. By being trodden down. He hell in hell laid low; Made sin. He sin o’erthrew; Bow’d to the grave, destroyed And De^th, by dying, slew. Bless, bless the Conq’ror slain— Slain in His victory; Who lived, who died, who lives again. For thee, O man, for thee. — Author Unknown. V .................. ' ---------
October, 1940
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The Three Stepping-Stones of the Antichrist to Power
By LOUIS S. BAUMAN* Long Beach, California ”*
W HEN the Antichrist shall arise to the zenith of his ca reer, he will have achieved ab forces of the world; for “no man” will be able to “buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev. 13: 17). Likewise, he will have absolute power over the political forces of the world, for “power” shall be “given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Rev. 13:7). And, finally, he will have absolute power over all the spiritual forces of the world, for “all that dwell upon the earth shall wor ship him” ; and he will “cause that as many as .would not worship the image . of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:8,15). In.the attainment of this high emi nence, this “man of sin” will have used three stepping-stor/js: the “great har lot,” some great political power, and the Jew. Ecclesiastical Power The first stepping-stone is to be “ the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters” (Rev. 17:1, R. V.). Can we identify this “harlot that sitteth upon many waters” ? We are not left to speculate as to the meaning of “ the waters.” The Word itself tells us, "The waters which thou sawest, Where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15, R. V.). The "har lot” therefore is some power that exer cises ruling influence over the nations. “The beast” in the vision is the beast o t Revelation 13. And the beast of Revelation 13 is the Antichrist, final head of the revived Roman Empire. Of “the beast” it is said that “power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Rev. 13:7). If . the "harlot” and the “beast” are not identical, then how can they both have the power over the nations? Let it be noted in the apocalyptic vision that the “harlot” appears riding “ the beast.” Therefore, she “sitteth” * Pastor, First Brethren Church.
on the “peoples, and multitudes, and nations” simply by sitting, rein in hand, on “ the beast” that reigns over the ations. She reigns by the rein. The only power that has ever pre vailed successfully against political power in this world is religious power. The only power that could possibly ride “ the beast” that rules the nations must be some religious power. But note that this religious power that shall dominate “ the beast” in the time of the end, is, in the eyes of God, a “harlot,” for thus the inspired writer designates her. And why a "harlot” ? She is a “harlot” because “the kings of the earth have committed fornica tion” (Rev. 17:2) with her. She must be some “woman” that did not belong to the kings of this earth, else there could not be the accusation of adul tery. Verily, she must have belonged to the King from above! Again, “ the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 17:18). That city, when John had his vision, was Rome. This passage of Scripture localizes the woman. Now there is only one body that fits into all this picture — ecclesiastical Rome—the p a p a c y . Originally, the church in Rome was the church of Christ—long before the days of the Reformation. At the close of the fourth century, with the conversion of Constantine, the church, even “ the bride of Christ,” formed alliances with the political powers of the earth, Which are of Satan’s dominion (cf. Lk. 4:5, 6). When the church joined herself unto the state, ■she became a harlot before God. The Lord Jesus Himself hurled at her the charge: “I know . . . where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name” (Rev. 2:13) which she should have relinquished long ago. In view of this divine portrayal, it is of intensest interest in these last days to watch developments in the Vatican. When the first head of the revived Roman Empire (Mussolini)
came upon the scene, he paid humble acknowledgment to papal Rome in more ways than one, even restoring to the “Mother of Harlots” the greatest desire of her estranged heart—a tem poral state. And ever since, the be- jeweled “harlot” has been blessing the banners of political Rome as those ban ners floated over the legions who marched forth to the plunder in Ethio pia, in Spain, and in Albania. And now those banners float along with the martial banners of the aggressors who would glut themselves with the blood of innocent men, women, and ten der babes—Nazi Germany. Just a few days ago, the prelates of papal Rome in Germany pledged loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Can any one, in the wildest stretch of his imagina tion, think of priests of Christ pledging loyalty to this would-be superman who, in his practices, shows no likeness to Christ? But it is not so much the alliances, past or present, of the “harlot” with “ the kings of the earth” that most inter ests us now. It is her special relation to the beast of the Roman den that con cerns us. Let none be deceived by the tears of papal Rome and her “horror1’ ex pressed from time to time because of the rivers of blood now flowing in Eu rope, into thinking thht there is no secret understanding between papal Rome and political Rome today. It is unthinkable that papal Rome would be blessing the banners of Mussolini’s highbinders, when they are joining hands directly with the Pope-despising goose steppers of Hitler and indirectly with the priest-hating assassins under Stalin, if there were no understanding. The crafty old Jesuits—masters of in trigue through centuries of time—un derstand ! The deep-plotting Fascist understands! You can be sure of that; Revelation reveals it. Political Power The second stepping-stone will be some great political power, duped into [ Continued on Page 370]
solute power over all the economic
What Do the Events in Europe JMLEAN? a Dr. Bauman’ s article on this page offers Bible light on this question that is stirring the hearts of both Christians and unbelievers in these momentous days.
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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
October, 1940
'Legitimate Business” A Glimpse into Biola’s Personal W ork laboratory HE THAT WINNETH SOULS IS WISE ■ AT IX) YOU vaiu it fo r?” asked the wary pawnbroker, his black Jewish eyes appraising the pro
collection baskets placed at the audi torium doors—and into the baskets went $27.00 that morning, contributions of loving hearts from slim pocketbooks. Mid-term examinations did not deter many from volunteering to roll up their sleeves and get to business that very week. Some would paint and some would clean. The spirit of willingness was reflected in'one young man’s offer: “I can only scrub floors, but I’ll sure be glad to go down and do that!” So he went. Brooms and buckets, hammers and saws, scrub rags and paint brushes found their way into East Fifth Street to aid in putting a new dress on the erstwhile liquor store. Dilapidated chairs were acquired, and strength was wired -into their wobbly legs. The Institute basement yielded books, stored and for gotten for years, that contained the old familiar hymns. A portable organ came from the practical work, department. And lo, Biola Hall became a concrete reality, ready for use by the first night of Easter vacation. Testing in the Laboratory Volunteers held meetings during the holidays. But with the re-opening of school the men students were organized to ea>rry on meetings every afternoon and week-end evenings. Six to twelve- are on a team, and each team takes charge at the same time once a week. Forty-five minutes before each meet ing, the young men may be found on their knees in Biola Hall seeking the blessing of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit for the task ahead. Then all go out on the street to attract men with tracts and invite them into the hall. AU forces are on hand to bolster up the song service, but most of the team retires outside again to continue giving out tracts while one of their number is left to give a twenty-minute message to the audience — which on a [ Continued on Page 370]
it would not do to send these to practice at the big city missions where they might be responsible for the souls of one or two hundred men in their first attempts. They must have a little place, just for themselves, in which to test with their own hands the power, of God’s Word on the down-and-outs—and this was the place. When he stepped on the. starter, Mr. Sutherland’s mind was made up. Two days later he returned with the student body president, and whom should they find sitting in the liquor shop doorway but the landlord himself, all agog to catch a renter! He invjted them in. True, the place needed some renovating, but there it was: the only available place in the section, just the right size, with two small compartments at the back that could be used for inquiry rooms—and the price was right, too! Installing the Laboratory In God’s own way, the rent was pro vided. The time had come to take the entire student boay into confidence. Al ways eager to enter doors of service, the young people were enthusiastic in their approval of this new move to reach sin-sick souls for their Lord. The only hindrance to beginning work imme diately Was the need for alterations in the shop, and alterations would take cash. Their leader was loath to ask the stu dents again for an offering. Had they not emptied out their purses the previous week, that a city-wide tract distri bution campaign might be gotten under way?* But the suggestion came from the yotfng people them selves. They insisted on having
spective renter. Far be it from him to divulge the rental price of his landlord’s vacant liquor store to a customer who might be an unwelcome intruder if he should open shop next door! “Vat do you vant it fo r?” he re peated. The stranger hesitated. ' “Just for a little legitimate business,” he finally answered. A shower of Yiddish came from be hind, where the pawnbroker’s wife was listening in. The conversation proceeded in Yiddish. All the stranger was able to catch was something about “fifty dollars”—that was all he wanted to know just now anyway. He handed the shopkeeper a Jewish tract and went back to his car. Seeking a Laboratory The incident took place in March, 1940; the liquor store was located in a disreputable section of East Fifth Street; the stranger was Samuel H. Sutherland, Director of Practical Work at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. He sat in his car and counted the men who passed—shiftless loafers they were for the most part. There were not nearly so many on Fourth Street, nor on Sixth, for he had spent parts of several days makiifg reconnaissance tours into the neighborhood. "That’s the place we want,” he told the Lord, as he realized that right here, within convenient walking distance of the Institute, was a district which of fered tremendous opportunities to the students for laboratory practice to sup plement their classroom studies. They needed more varied personal work ex periences than Sunday-school classes and general deputation meetings af forded. Many willing, consecrated young peo ple had come from sheltered homes. They had never rubbed elbows with those who live on the seamy side of life. But now they were in training for Chris tian work. A majority of the newcom ers had never in their lives stood before an audience to give a real message— •St* THE KINO’S BUSINESS, July, l»i0, page m .
October, 1940
T H E K I N O ' S B U S I N E S S
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the Preacher [A ll Rights Reserved J
Perils of
By HERBERT LOCKYER Chicago, Illinois
P RIVILEGES carry perils. And as the ministry is the most privi leged vocation any one could be engaged in, it necessarily carries with it the greatest perils. “The pulpit," says J. H. Jowett, “is commonly regarded as a charmed circle where ‘the destruction that wasteth at noonday’ never arrives. . . . It is sup posed that there is many a bewitching temptation that never displays its wares at our window! . . . Privilege never con fers security; it rather provides the con ditions for the fiercest fight.” Let us therefore examine “some of these perils which falter upon privilege, these enemies which will haunt us to the very end of our ministerial life.” Modernistic Sympathies While a great deal of new light has been brought to bear upon the Word of God as the result of the modem critical treatment of it, we cannot be blind to the fact that what is known as “higher criticism” has damned the spiritual in fluence of many a preacher. The ration alistic approach to the Bible has emptied churches and has given us an impotent ministry. Modernism, more than any other influence, is responsible for the wane of evangelism in the church. If the pulpit is to be saved from ex tinction, and once again be graced with Pentecostal power, it must return to positiveness. Too many preachers are drifting when they ought to steer. At the same time that infallibility is denied to the Bible* human fallibility is winked ou t When men scorn the miraculous Within the Scriptures, conversion—which is ever a miraculous experience—never happens. 4 What really is the gospel of t h i mod ernist? It is as General Booth once described it: “Religion without the Holy Spirit; Christianity without Christ; for giveness without repentance; salvation without regeneration; politics without God; heaven without hell.” If a man does not accept the Inerrancy of the Scriptures, the miraculous con
preacher Era got the echoed t? En au thentic voice; they are artificial struc tures produced for Sunday! What a re vival the pulpit would experience if all preachers would never preach anything thing but what they are! If they all realized that preaching can only be ef fective as the preacher himself is a man of God, living by faith in Christ Jesus, filled with His Spirit, and telling nat urally and eagerly what he has experi enced, what, a Pentecost the church would have! James Gossip tells us of James Stalker’s honesty: “He never, in prayer or sermon, said more than he actually meant and felt. I remember a man’s tell- ' ing me how he followed Dr. Stalker down to the church on a most wretched day, with inches of slush melting upon the street, and a per sistent drizzle falling through a touch of fog, and how he asked him self, ‘What will the Doctor do when he reaches the prayer of thanks giving? He does not look thankful, creeping along there ahead of me. ' Will he leave it out, or will he do the formal thing and for once utter what he does not mean?’ But, as he proudly confessed, he need not have feared. For, when the time came, the prayer opened: ‘O Lord, wo thank Thee that it is not always as bad as this!’ And starting from that damp wretchedness they were all feeling, he pictured life as it might have, been.” The tragedy of some preachers is that of living on their reputation as preachers or teachers, and not upon the spiritual forces responsible for the position they hold. They are correct, but cold; popular, but powerless; doc trinal, but dead. Unworthy Plagiarism
tent of the Bible, the deity of Christ, the efficacy of His shed blood, the ne cessity of regeneration, the physical res urrection of Christ, the second advent, the reality of heaven and hell, how can he have a magical preaching? It is related that a friend one day met David Hume, the historian and phi losopher, hurrying along the streets of London, and asked him where he was going. Hume replied that he was going to hear George Whitefield preach. The friend, remembering that Hume was none too friendly to Christianity, said, “Surely you do not believe what White- field is preaching, do you?” “No,” replied Hume, “but he does.” Brother, has your preaching the ring of certainty in it? Or can it be that, enamored by the so-called findings of modernists, you’have allowed your trum pet to have an uncertain sound? If you have surrendered a position once held, and have suffered thereby, will you not repent and get back to the old paths ? Baneful Professionalism Professionalism or ministerialism is a secret, dangerous snare besetting the pathway of every preacher. We read our Bibles as ministers, pray as minis ters, go the whole round of religion as if we had only to hand it out to others. Professionalism, carrying with it "dead ening familiarity with the sublime,” as Dr. Jowett states it, is ever a fatal peril confronting the preacher. The one who becomes a prey to it remains orthodox, but his is a dry, dead orthodoxy. Another sad feature of the peril before us is that very often it leads a man to preach something altogether beyond his own experience. The people discover that the sermons of a mere professional
The word “plagiarism,” meaning steal ing from the writing's or ideas of an other, is from a Latin word signifying [ Continued en Rage 396] Seventh in a Series on "The Art and Craft of Preaching 99
October, 1940
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A Burden of Prayer for Dr. Chow By JAMES R. GRAHAM, Jr. .
I WAS preaching at some special services in the city of Wuchang, one of the twin cities of central China. I noticed a well-dressed man sit ting in the rear of the church. He looked rather bored. Seated in a pew all by himself, he put his foot up on the bench, braced his back in the comer of the pew, and tried to settle down for a comfortable nap. Presently I began to read from the Mandarin Bible. The passage was Matthew 24. The man in the rear of the hall began to prick up his ears just a wee bit and to evince some interest that a foreigner could read the Man darin with a rather unusual degree of facility. Having read a portion of the great Olivet discourse recording the signs of the age as given by the Saviour Himself, I proceeded to give a message on the signs of thé second advent of Christ," citing recent world conditions and international relationships, the gen eral breakdown of morals, the depar ture from revealed truth as fulfillments of the. sign. Arrested by Facts The man on the back seat was unable to go through with his nap. In spite of himself, he became deeply interested, straightened up his back, put both feet [Delivered at the conclusion of a day of prayer held in the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, this message was used of God to stimulate the faith of 3,000 or more believers who heard it at that time. The author is a mission ary, evangelist, and Bible teacher whose ministry in China and in America has been very extensive. Having spent much of his youth in a missionary home in ■China, he early secured a grasp of the Chinese language that in the Lord’s hands has been a powerful aid in en abling him to contact Chinese of the educated classes. The story published on these pages is taken from Not by Bread Alone, a collection of Wheaton College chapel talks edited by Carl F. H . Henry and published by the Zon- dervan Publishing House. I t is used by permission; copyright 194-0. — E ditor .]
River from Wuchang], but as I started out the door, it seemed as if some un seen force literally thrust me down upon the floor in a passion of prayer for the salvation of Dr. Chow [the mathematics professor of whom he had spoken the day before], I had hardly been able to sleep all of Saturday nignt, thinking of my friend’s near approach to eternity without Christ. So when this overpower ing burden of prayer came upon me, I knelt there on the floor of my room and cried aloud to God, literally weeping a puddle of tears on the floor. The paroxysm of agony continued for about an horn:. Then as suddenly as it came, it departed, and I rose from my knees with absolute peace of heart and mind. Looking at the clock, I saw that it was 11:30 and realized that it was too late for me now to arrive at the morning service. So I decided simply to stay at home until time to leave for the after noon service. “Now, Brother Graham, what I want to see you 'fibout is to exact a promise from you that as soon as you are able to return down the river, you will go to Shanghai and will call on this friend of mine whose life hangs in the balance and minister Christ-' to him before he goes hence.” I promised him that I would do this at my earliest convenience, and that if I were delayed, I would communicate with some other Christian in Shanghai to go to perform this ministry. That night at the conclusion of the meetings, I took a boat down the river to my home near Nanking, and after a few days of Bible conference in my own town of Chinkiang, I boarded a train and went to Shanghai. Dr. Cheng had told me the name of the hospital in which his friend was lyinjfl I knew a wonderful Christian missionary doctor who worked there, the beloved Dr. Thornton Stearns. Upon my arrival in Shanghai, I telephoned to Dr. Steams and made an appointment with him to go to the bedside of the mathematics professor the next morn ing. Promptly at nine o’clock the follow ing morning, my friend met me on the steps of the hospital. We went into the office of the hospital registrar to seek information as to the room.in which Dr.
on the floor, and then leaned over on the seat in front, with arms folded and chin on the back of his hands. His eyes burned into me as I set forth the truth of the near return in judgment of the Son of God. After the service was over, he came down to the front to speak to me. I have rarely seen such agitation. Sputtering in alternate English and Chinese, he began to shout, “It’s true. It’s true. Every word that you say is true. I never knew that these things were revealed in the Bible. May I go with you to your house to talk with you further concerning these matters?” I readily agreed and as we walked along to the house, I made the discovery that he was the dean of the science de partment of a great university there in Wuchang, a Doctor of Philosophy from one of our American universities. We had a long and earnest conversation, and my friend, Dr. Cheng, really met the Lord Jesus. A fire was kindled with in him the like o f which I had never encountered before in a spiritual babe. At the next few meetings he was present, each time with his Bible open, listening with avid interest. On Satur day evening, he told me about a certain friend whom he had brought in as a pro fessor of mathematics in his depart ment. He told me that his friend was in Shanghai in a hospital and probably would die shortly ■from a serious malady. As he told me about it, he showed the greatest agitation, and shouted, “He is going to hell!” Detained to Pray The next day I looked ioi Dr. Cheng in the morning service. I scanned the audience in vain for his shining coun tenance. He did not appear that fore noon, but attended the afternoon serv ice, seemingly more eager than ever. Following the afternoon service, ne again came to have a conversation with me. “You may have noticed,” he said, “that I was absent from the morning service.” I assured him that I had taken note of it. He said, “I had my Bible in hand and was going out the door of my house in Hankow [Hankow is across the Yangtze
October, 1940
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Chow would be located (the Red Cross Hospital of Shanghai has about four hundred beds). As the registrar began to thumb through his records for the name, another young clerk came in and courteously asked me whom I sought. I told him we wished to see Dr. Chow Chia-Su. He replied with a very solemn face and a shake of the head: "Dr. Chow Chia-Su has left the earth.” A Token from the Lord About that time the registrar came across the record and nodded agreement with what his colleague had told me, producing a yellow hospital record sheet, at which I directed an amateur and Dr. Steams a professional glance. There was a signed statement by the attending physician that Dr. Chow had left this life, but the thing that at tracted my attention was the date and the time. It was on February 9 at 11:30 A.M. When I first heard ' that our mathematics professor had p a s s e d away, I wondered for just a moment why the Lord had brought me there after the death had already occurred. But as soon as I saw the date and the time, I told Dr. Steams, "I know now that you and I have missed seeing him, but we shall meet the mathematics pro fessor one day in the glory.” My friend asked me how I arrived at this, conclusion. I told him that the Lord never lays a burden of prayer such as was described to me by Dr. Cheng of Hankow, without intending to answer such prayer. The fact that the passing of Dr. Chow exactly coincided with the time that Dr. Cheng had arisen from his knees and was relieved of his bur den, gave double assurance that the prayer was in the Holy Spirit. I bade my friend Dr. Stearns good-by and got on the train and returned to my home, content to let the divine prin ciple illustrated in this connection wait for eternity for its vindication. In the counsel of God, I was not required to wait that long. Only a few days after ward, I was asked to speak at a mission high school for girls in my own city. The text of the message that morning was from Psalm 90: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” I completed the message with the 'story of the Chinese educator in Wuchang whose heart had been fired with the love of Christ and who had called upon God with strong crying and tears to save his friend. A t the end of the story, I told them I felt that due to the prayer of this friend, we should all have the pleasure of seeing Dr. Chow Chia-Su in the glory one day. As the name of the mathematics professor slipped from my lips, I noticed that there were signs of recognition in the audience of girls. I thought that was not surprising, since he was a very eminent scholar and well- known in Nanking and all through the Yangtze Valley.
thought I must have been mistaken about her husband’s death. "After we had exchanged greetings, I said, ‘And how is your husband? I heard that he was sick.’ “ ‘Oh, yes,’ she replied, ‘he Is gone to be with Jesus, and I shall meet him in His presence one day.’ “I was very much amazed at this statement,” went on the lady principal,' “because this couple were father noto riously irreligious in our set, and how she could speak so confidently that her husband had gone to be with Jesus and that she would meet him there one day perplexed me beyond words. So I asked her for the basis of her assurance. "She replied, ‘It Is all very wonder ful. I cannot even explain it myself. My husband was at the point of death; we all knew the end was near. He had been unconscious or in a coma all of that Sunday morning. A t about 10:30, as sev-. eral of us stood around the room, he raised his head up off his pillow and [ Continued on Page 395]
The Rest of the Story After the prayer o f dismissal, the Chinese lady principal of the high school asked me to wait for her a moment in her office. She had a word to speak to me. This I agreed to do, and when she came in, she sat down on the other side of the desk from me and said, "Mr. Graham, that is a very interesting story that you told at the last of your mes sage this morning. The most interesting part of it is that I know the other half of it. The gentleman to whom you re ferred, who has now passed away, is a son-in-law of this school. His wife is an alumna and incidentally a former prin cipal, a graduate of Columbia Univer sity of New York. Her name is Ai-loa. Just a few days ago she came into this very office to see me. I had not seen her for some time, and I had heard the report that her husband was dead. I found it difficult, therefore, to explain the fact of her peace and joy of coun tenance when she came in, coupled with the fact that she had on no widows’ weeds nor anything of that nature. I
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