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LEADING ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE The Bible Contrasted with Other Religious Books .......... -...........................Dr. George F. Pentecost Why I Believe in the Virgin Birth and in the Resurrection..............Dr. Robert E. Speer The Seal of Jesus Christ to the Old Testament Scriptures —........................... -.............Edward E. Bickersteth Signing His Name...... ......................... James H. Brookes A Testimony to the Real Foundation of Faith...... - - - - - ........- I - - - - ....... . Rev. W. H. Pike Friendly Advice to the Foreign Board.................... - -......................... .......... ..Prof. Robert Dick Wilson COMING IN FEBRUARY Absalom Stealing the Hearts of Israel..............Rev. J. Frank Norris No Compromise.............................Dr. Arthur H. Carter (England) The Birth From Above..............................................Dr. A. C. Dixon The Bible and Experience............................ ................................ ..........Prof. H. E. Dana (Southwestern Theological Seminary) The Conflict of the Ages................................... Dr. Fredrick W. Farr

The Written Mford i f Inseparable (Q The Living Word THY WORD IS TRUTH j o h n 17-17 I AM THE TRUTH j o h n - ia - 6

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T. C. HORTON, E ditor-in-C hief R. H . RICHARDS, B usiness M anager CONTRIBUTORS

DR R. A. TORREY DR. A. C. DIXON

DR. LEANDER S. KEYSER DR. CORTLAND MYERS

DR. J. FRANK NORRIS DR. L. W . MUNHALL

DR. JOHN MacINNlS REV. KEITH L. BROOKS

WM. JENNINGS BRYAN DR. CHARLES R. ROADS

TH IS MAGAZINE stan d s fo r th e Infallible W ord of God, an d for its g reat, fundam ental doctrines. ITS PUR PO SE is to stren g th en th e faith of all believers, in all th e w orld; to s tir th e ir h e a rts to engage in definite C h ristian w ork; to acq u ain t them w ith the* v aried w ork of th e B ible In stitu te of Los A ngeles; an d to .w o rk in harm ony an d fellow ship w ith them in m agnifying th e perso n an d w ork of o u r L ord Jesu s C hrist, an d th u s h asten H is com ing. Volume XV January, 1924 Number 1 Table of Contents Editorials „ Page

Lyman Stewart ......... ........................................... ...................... g ....................... 3 Christ’s Call to the Church.................................................................................. 5 The Alleluia Chorus of the Church................................................................... 5 Begging Believers to Open the Bag................................................................... 6 A Black Outlook.............. .................................................................................... 6 A Call to Repentance, Restitution and Resolution...............................•........ 7 A G reat Scientist——A G reat Campaign........................................................... 7 Contributed Articles The Bible Contrasted with O ther Religious Books — The late Dr. George F. Pentecost..... ................................................ 8 The Seal of Jesus Christ to the O ld Testam ent Scriptures — Edward Bickersteth ............. .................................................................1 9 Why I Believe In the Virgin Birth and in the Resurrection —^Robert E. Speer .... ........................ .......V.s........................ ....... 10 Some Logical Conclusions and Confusions— Dr. Charles Roads............12 Friendly Advice to the Foreign Board — Prof. R obert Dick Wilson, D. D .,..................................... .................13 Signing His Name— Jam es H. Brookes............................................................14 A Common Doctrinal Deception—-Joseph T. Larsen................... ............15 A Testimony to the Real Foundation of Faith— Rev. William H. Pike-.l 6 Onward, Christian Soldiers........................................................................ ......... 17 A n Estranged Age— F. W. Krummacher........................................................ 18 Thirty-Two Reasons Why the Destructive Criticism of the O. T. Must be Rejected— R. B. Jones.......... ..................................... ........ ................ 19 Current Comment ............................1............................. ...............................................20 Our Young P eople.............................. .......... ............................ ....................................23 The Children’s G a rd en .................................................................................................... 24 Pointers for Preachers and Teachers (Hom iletical H e lp s ).................................. 25 Bible Institute in Hunan Province, China.................................................................27 Evangelistic W ork and Experiences.......................... 29 Bible Institute Happenings.................................................................................. 31 International Sunday School Lessons................................. 39 Best Books ............................................................................................... 49 The Chosen People, th e Land and the Book (Jew ish N o te s)...........................59 O u r Letter Box............................................................................ 63

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sired change.

MANUSCRIPTS

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scrip ts sen t to i t fo r consideration.

E ntered a s Second C lass M atter N ovem ber 17, 1910, a t th e P o st Office a t Los A ngeles, C alifornia, u n d er th e A ct of M arch 3, 1879.

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tended for The K ing’s B usiness.

536-558 S. H ope Street,

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T he B ible I nstitute of L os A ngeles A Monument to the Memory of Its Founder and President L y m a n S t e w a r t A Layman Who Believed in the Infallible Word of God

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fronting the church by reason of the attacks being made by disloyal professors and preachers upon the Book he loved, he planned a project to help stem the tide, and—together with his brother, Mr. Milton Ste­ wart—formed a committee of Christian men who were authorized to secure the very best possible articles in defence of the faith from noted writers the w'orld over. Twelve' volumes of these fundamental articles were

LYMAN STEWART When this good man said “ Good night” to this world, he awakened in the presence of One whom he loved better than his own life—his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, leaving behind him the fragrance of a devoted Christian character rarely known in these lat­ ter days. Lyman Stewart was a wonderful example of a Christ

tian layman.' Endued by birth with a modest, quiet nature, re­ inforced with an indomitable will; through years of struggle against opposing circumstances of a character well adapted for defeat; with unalterable purpose and unyielding faith, he over­ came obstacles and accomplish­ ed seemingly impossible tasks. He served his country in the Civil W a r h e served it in the development of an i n d u s t r y which has made millions of dol­ lars for many men, and has helped to make possible the de­ velopment of other industries of the largest possible value. He served his Lord, to whom he daily acknowledged his grat­ itude for the ability to do all these things. For years he .suf­ fered in body, and was more than once at the door of death but—by faith in God’s promises, #the prayers of his f r i e n d s , and sometimes the s k i l l of the physician—he was spared to e n j o y the p r i v i l e g e of seeing the de­

published and sent free to every minister, missionary, evangelist and student in religious schools, in the English-speaking world. The outlay necessary for this work was enormous,, but was gladly made. Hundreds of thou­ sands of letters poured into the. office of the committee express­ ing the deep gratitude of thank­ ful hearts for saving them from the shipwreck of their faith. The great Fundamental Move­ ment which today is sweeping over this and other lands owes very much to. the initial step ta­ ken by these, two men whose names never appeared in the volumes—simply the statement that they were issued by “ Two Christian Laymen. ’’ If he needed a visible monu­ ment, it is hete in the center of a great city Of a million people —-a building where hundreds of students aré being trained for Christian wo r k ; where thou­ sands of people are being reach­ ed through the printed page and through its various evangelistic

MR. STEWART IN TH E GARDEN ON HIS EIGHTY-THIREP BIRTHDAY. JULY 22, 1923.

sires of his heart, in a large measure, accomplished. He was a man of one Book. Not that he did not read other books, but ONE BOOK and that the BOOK OF BOOKS was the object of his heart’s devotion, and his life purpose was centered in the promulgation of that BOOK and it's teachings. The movements of God have always been marked by His choice of men. God chose Mr. Stewart to fill a unique place in the church, and he filled it well and faithfully. He recognized the call, but was uncon­ scious of its far-reaching influence as he was borne along by the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the purpose of God. He had the vision of a prophet. Believing in the warnings and admonitions of the Bible and its pro­ phecies concerning the last days, he earnestly, desired to help other believers to be on their guard, also, and —some fourteen years ago—sensing the danger con­

enterprises; where the influence, of the great, pulsing heart of this man of God will be felt until this age shall close. But his immortal monument has been erected in the hearts and lives of men and women. Could we call from Heaven and from the ends of the earth those who have been blessed through his minis­ try, the shout of thanksgiving would reverberate wherever man is found. He used his wealth while he lived, instead of leaving it to be used after his death. Were we to put emphasis upon any one great Scrip­ ture truth which influenced his life, it wOuld be .that one so dear to all saints who, in loving faith, put their haiids upon the Bible and give expression to their faith in its verity: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them, also which sleep in Jesns w ill God bring w ith Him. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not precede them which are asleep.

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A FEW LOVING TESTIMONIES From Delavan L. Pierson, Editor of “The Missionary Re­ view” New York City. “I was surprised to hear of the death of our friend, that man of God, Lyman Stewart. His going is a great loss, as his living, loving, doing and giving, has been a great gain. You will miss his fellowship in the flesh, but nothing can take away your fellowship in the Spirit.” From Dr. R. A. Torrey, Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles (who was in the East engaged in an evangelistic campaign) : “Deepest sympathy. 1 Thess. 4:13-18. Mr. Stewart, was one of the greatest Christians I ever knew— a rare combination of strength and achievement, on the one hand, and gentleness and humility on the other.” (Telegram) Dr. A. C. Dixon, Pastor University Baptist Church, Bal­ timore, Md. “I have just heard of the homegoing of Mr. Stewart— one of the best men I have ever known, whose friendship I prized more highly than I can express. I think I know how you feel in this time of your loneliness, and pray that the God of all comfort may be very consciously with you. Jesus alone can take the place of all He may see fit to take out of our lives.” Dr. W. B. Riley, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minneapo­ lis, Minn. “I wànt to express my deep sympathy and at the same time voice my heartiest congratulations.**** I have de­ voted five years to the Christian Fundamentals Associa­ tion, but I know full well that it was the generous gift of himself and his brother, publishing some years ago the great series on Christian Fundamentals, that laid the basis for our fight on behalf of the faith. And I do feel that that great institution at Los Angeles is one of thé noblest monuments ever built to mortal man. How much better, more enduring, and more acceptable to God than an obelisk of marble! He was one of the truest of men, and most intelligent and loyal of Christians.” From a Union Oil Company Employee, s “There are saddened hearts in the office this morning upon receipt of the word that the company’s beloved head has been called home. To have known him was but .to have loved the gentle, kindly saint with whom loyalty to his Master outweighed every other interest. While rejoicing at his promotion, our loss i s deeply felt and our hearts go out in sympathy for you.” From the Presbyterian Ministers Association of Los Angeles. “Yesterday at our meeting attention was called to the death of Mr. Stewart and sincere sympathy was extended to you and your family. Due recognition was given to the splendid work done by him for his Master and for the church, and we prayed that God would comfort and di­ rect you and the other members of the family in your loss.” From Editorial in Los Angeles Express. “His work done, he passes on. He had ‘finished the course.’ When death comes at such a time, and in such circumstances, it comes rather as a benediction than as a tragip visitation. Life’s labors over and honorably performed; a period of earned rest in the twilight of the -long day; then the sleep that night brings.”

For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven With a shont, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together w ith them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the' Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:14-18) Lÿman Stevtfart Passes After a long life, filled with good works and crowned with success, Lyman Stewart, pioneer, fighter, oil magnate, philanthropist, has passed on. Perhaps only some such simple statement can express th a t. something, transcending all words, that passes into immortality with the earthly clos­ ing of so useful and so noble a career. The record of his life is one of brave struggle, often against overwhelming odds; of patient en­ deavor, often under disheartening circumstances; from a poor boy working in a Pennsylvania tan­ nery to the chairmanship of one of the world’s largest oil corporations. But the grander part of that record is told in a far better story— the story of a man who fought his way to commercial leadership not at the ex­ pense' but always in the service of humanity; who wrested the wealth Ihat gave him power to fill his life with good works, only from the hard and hid­ den treasure house of mother, earth. Those who gather in sympathy today, to pay the last honors to Lyman Stewart, will not be thinking of him as the head of a great corporation, who from a single well drilled at Newhall twenty years ago built up the powerful Union Oil Company —all worthy of praise and honor though he be for so splendid an enterprise. Nor will they be thinking of the faith and fore­ sight he displayed when after the first discovery of oil in Pennsylvania sixty-four years ago he invested all the slowly collected savings from his hard- earned wages in buying a fraction of a lease in the new fields— though the example is one with a les­ son for all the toilers and spinners of today. I They will not be thinking of the pluck and en­ durance that in the early California days saw him win. victory from defeat, staking his all on the small loan offered at the eleventh hour by a true -friend who knew his worth and believed in his success. Rather they will turn their eyes to the building of the Bible Institute that his faith in God and his desire to serve gave as a monument to his memory -—such as before all else he desired to leave behind him. And they will recall how continuously and without one thought of self he gave, freely as he had received, to every good object for the ad­ vancement of a better and brighter world. Not because of his indomitable spirit, not to glorify his earthly successes would our old friend, we feel sure, wish those who knew him and will miss him to pay their last tribute of sympathy and respect to his mortal remains. But looking down his spirit would say to them simply: “Write me as one who loved his fellow man.” — Editorial in Los Angeles Times.

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in a sin-stricken world, pervaded by dense darkness, in which we are the light-hearers, empowered with a commission and command from the King of kings and Lord of lords to communicate to a world of sinners the welcome words of a sin-bearing Saviour. In such a service there should be the intensest joy for all who gladly obey the order from headquarters. THE ALLELUIA CHORUS OF THE CHURCH There are four “ Alleluias” in the first six verses of the nineteenth chapter of Revelation, and the last one of the four is full of suggestive help for the New Year, “Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reign­ eth!” World conditions are more threatening than they were before or during the last great war. Conditions in the professing church are more crucial

CHRIST’S CALL TO THE CHURCH FOR 1924

Christ loves us. He wants our fellowship. He wants our help. His voice should reach our hearts, by His Spirit. He calls us— To Solace. He wants to comfort us. j He wants us close to Himself. His arms are outstretched and He says always to us, * ‘ Come unto mé and I will give you rest.” We used always to apply this text to the sin­ ner, and it is true ; He says to every sinner, 11Come un­ to me, and I will .give yoii rest” and there is no other place of rest for the wicked. But we can never forget the day that new light broke in and we found that this exhortation was for believers also, and pillowed our head upon His bosom and found rest, and hundreds of times since have we found delight in that haven of rest.

than ever before in our day. The attacks upon the in­ fallible Word of God are more definite and more num­ erous. The rejecters of the Vir­ gin born Son of God are more numerous and more vehement. The drift from the' spirit­ ual to the worldly is more rapid and more rank.

To Surrender. He wants our wills surrendered to His holy will. He wants us to be in His right will. He has the plans. He wants us to cooperate with Him in the working out of those plans, according to His purpose. The greatest difficulty God has is to secure the surrend­ er of His own people. How blessedly satisfied are we when we are consciously do­ ing His good pleasure! The joy hells are always ringing then. Every day is a glad day then, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. To Separation. “ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world,” He says. We are a separate people. Do not be deceived by the clatter of the call to ‘‘social service. ’’ That may provide you with better sur­ roundings, but it does not eliminate the bitterness of the spirit that is in man.

ANOTHER YEAR IS DAWNING Another year is dawning! Dear Master, let it be In working or in waiting, Another year with Thee.

Another year of mercies, Of faithfulness and grace; Another year of gladness In the shining of Thy face. Another year of service, Of witness for Thy love; Another year of training For holier work above. Another year is dawning, Dear Master, let it be, On earth, or else in heaven, Another year for Thee!

But—we can sing, no mat­ ter how low the clouds hang, “Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!” God knew it all from the béginning. He knows it all now, and has seen fit to ad­ vise us of the days of de­ parture from the faith. We sorrow over it all. -We can weep over the souls that are being led astray—and we should weep. We must do all within our power to dis­ charge our duty and to stem the tide, but we must not despair. There must be no note of despondency in our song. “Alleluia: the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!” Heaven is in fellowship with us. The departed saints have trod thé path before us. His purpose will be worked out, and, if it be His will that the trials shall be greater and the path more rugged as the year passes, we know that He knows, and we are sure that His. love changeth not. The darker the night for the world, the brighter the Light of the world shineth for us. and the deeper should be our hearts’ desire for the lost who walk in darkness. Wherever we go and whatever awaits us, we can and must sing, “ Alleluia : Praise His name ! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!”- I take my pilgrim staff anew

—Frances Ridley Havergal

You may raise the standard of amusements, but that will not rally people to the standard of Christ, but rather the contrary. If believers do not have a better time than worldly people, or worldly Christians, then it is a sure sign that they are not living in the sunshine of the Son of God. To Service. The service is two-fold. First, it is “ Feed my lambs—feed my sheep.” We are to minis­ ter to His own dear people—our brethren in the faith —His household. We are to comfort them with the Word, but not coddle them. We have a two-fold duty to our fellow saints,—loyalty to God’s Word in our re­ lation to them, and a living expression of God’s love in us in our regard for them. We must seek to be true and faithful in each relation. The second thing in our service is “ Go and give.” The Gospel is a world gift and we are commanded to give it. We have no choice in this connection. “ Duty” is spelled with large letters, but it should be an in­ tensely loving service. It is an incomparable privilege which is accorded us, that of being- His representatives

Life’s path, untrodden, to pursue, Thy guiding eye, my Lord, I view; My times are in thy hand.

—Selected.

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There have been Timothys before this Timothy of Pe­ king, and to one of them the Apostle Paul wrote twice. Here is what he said: ‘H old f a s t th e fo rm o f so und w o rd s w h ich th ou h a s t h ear d o f m e. **** T h a t g o o d th in g w h ic h th ou h a s t 'com m itted u n to th e e k eep b y th e H o ly G host . T h e th in g s w h ic h th o u h a st h eard o f m e com m it th o u to fa ith fu l m en w h o s h a ll be ab le to te a ch o th e r s a lso . **** Co n tin ue th o u in th e th in g s w h ich th ou h a st- h eard an d h a s b een As sured of , fo r th e tim e w ill com e w h en th e y w ill n o t endu re so und d o ctrin e, bu t s h a ll tu rn aw a y th e ir e a r s from th e tr u th . T ak e h eed u n to th y s e lf an d un to th e d o ctrin e. C on tin u e in th em , fo r in d o in g th is th ou s h a lt b o th sq v e th y s e lf an d th em th a t h ea r th e e .’ ” ( E x tr a c t fro m le tte r w r itte n to th e N o rth C h in a D a ily N ew s, O ct. 1, 1923, b y “A F rie n d o f C h in a.” ) , It would be far better for any believer, if be could not find a satisfactory place to bestow God’s money,' to put it in the furnace and burn it up, or east it into the sea; for.every penny paid to a preacher or pro­ fessor or worker, who does not stand four-square for the whole Bible, and

BEGGING BELIEVERS TO OPEN THE BAG Most of the Denominational Boards are beginning to feel the pinch which is being put upon their purse strings by some Christian people.. The Boards want the church to deliver the cash to meet the deficit, but many believers cannot believe that they will glorify God by promiscuous giving. They have a question mark about some schools and missionaries on the for­ eign field, and rightly so. They do not feel called upon to furnish funds to finance those who have one hand-out for their money, while with the other they are injecting the poison of Modernism into the veins of the people to whom they are supposed to minister. These believers know

for all the great funda­ mental facts Of the Bible, is a blow upon the heart of the. Lord. If necessary, demand a statement of belief from every such per­ son, and from eyery Board through whom your funds are admin­ istered, and then—if satisfactory—f o l l o w your gifts with your prayers and look for­ ward to seeing the re­ sults when you face the open book at the judg­ ment. A BLACK OUT­ LOOK “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that opprpsseth. you, then ye shall blow

they must answer to God for the use made of the money with which He has entrusted them, and are assert­ ing their rightful claim to know where their funds., are going, and to whom. Much of this money is very sacred. It has been set apart from their t i t h e s , which belong to God, and God’s condemna­ tion would follow its misuse. Other funds have been accumulated through self-sacrifice, gladly made for the Lord and His work, and why should they not demand a certifica­ tion of its proper use? But Why not trust

Qne good way to -tighten,upthe purse-strings

an alarm w i th the trumpets and ye shall he remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” Num. 10:9. Rev. Arthur H. Carter, Editor of “The Bible Witness,” England, who was one of the speakers at the World’s Fun­ damental Conference held in Ft. Worth, Texas, last spring, sends us an appeal for fellowship in prayer with the effort being made by himself and colleagues in England to stem the tide of Modernism there. He says* The Incoming of Modernism Means the Outgoing of Morals Since our return from the United States and Canada, we have been deeply impressed with the urgent necessity for increased activity against the inroads of Modernism. Amer­ ica today, it is said, faces the fact that twenty millions of her young people are without any religious instruction at all. The peril in England is just as great, and unless the Lord in His mercy is pleased to visit the great English-speaking peoples with revival we shall soon have entered (if we have not already done so) the blackest era in human history. The judgments of the Lord will fall, and His triumphant return is the alone hope and comfort of His people. But while He is pleased to tarry surely we may well utter the heart cry of the Psalmist, “Wilt thou revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in thee?” (Psa. 85:6)

the Boards ? Because they evade the issue and will not insure the investment of these funds. They ask, “ Are we not to be trusted?” and the reply comes, “ No, you cannot be trusted in view of the accumulated facts.” We have many times published facts concerning the schools in China, but here is a fresh one, just from the field, and from an authentic source: “Peking University, a Union Mission enterprise, is ap­ pealing for funds to the tune of a million dollars. Dr. Timothy Lew, dean of the Theological School (and, I may add in passing, representative in China of the Religious Education Association) in announcing the theological po­ sition which his department is to take, speaks of ‘the par- rot-like repetition of Set doctrine’; ‘the blind championship of the faith of other people’; ‘slavish acceptance and obedi­ ence to the deliberations of those who have lived before them’; ‘Our school is to become an efficient laboratory of the investigators and experimenters of truth. They are to build new standards, re-evaluate and reinterpret and accomplish that 'which is urgently needed today, re-state­ ment. Future generations should find in Peking School o f Theology a place where revelations are not the stories of by-gone days,’ and so on. 4

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as older people. We have a specially prepared copy which makes it easy for any one to use. We wish we could tell you of the joy there is in using it, and the fact that thousands of people are waiting for the good news,—weary, tired-hearted people who have never known the story so dear and sweet to us. Any pastor who wants his people to be busy this year can find a solution to his problem by using the Gospel of John. Any teacher who wants their class to do the business for which God saved them, will find an easy way to promote some soul-saving work with their, scholars. Fathers and mothers can start a revival in their own home by using the Gospel for the family prayer hour, and then praying that their children may be saved and may go out to do the greatest, work in all the world. A nickel, will buy the Gospel and you can prove the plan for yourself. If you have any doubt about it, drop us a line and we will send you a Gospel without charge provided you will use it by giving it to some one else, We could obtain hundreds of testimonies from happy souls who have been won in the simple manner designed and prepared by by our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 20:31) If you have any other or better way, God bless you in using it. Only do not let us fail to make the blessed year before us—should He tarry—a great soul Winning year. Have you had the joy of winning a soul? We would not sell our right hand, which has been clasped by hundreds of men who had said in doing so, “ I will take Christ as my Saviour,” for all the wealth of Ford or Rockefeller. Now come back for a moment to our topic,— Repent­ ance, Restitution and Resolution! Confess your sin! Compensate for your failure! Courageously take up your God-given privilege and duty, and resolve by God’s grace to be soul-winners during 1924. A GREAT SCIENTIST-PREACHER—A GREAT CAMPAIGN Prof. I. R. Dean of Toronto, Canada, was for years Professor of Science in one of our leading schools. During those years though a church member, he was an infidel, deeply read in the infidel, materialistic liter­ ature of the day. Three years after he became a Chris­ tian and resigned his professorship to enter the min­ istry, the Scientist-preacher lectured two hours and a half before the leading infidel club of the South on “ Science and the Bible.” The one lecture killed that infidel club. That lecture in book form has gone around'the world. Prof. Dean joins Evangelist T. T. Martin in his na­ tion-wide campaign against evolution in our tax sup­ ported schools. He goes on right ahead of Mr. Martin 'and gives this wonderful address on “ Science and the Bible,” and Mr. Martin follows the next night on “ Hell and the High Schools.” The work of these two men, both of them having been college professors of science, will make an unus­ ual combination, and it will be worth going hundreds of miles to hear them. There will hardly be another such combination in this generation, and wherever they go, people will be powerfully moved and blessed. Schools, churches, pastors or communities desiring the work of these men, address, T, C. Horton, Bible Institute of Los Angeles, 536-558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif.

A CALL TO REPENTANCE, RESTITUTION AND RESOLUTION The call is definite, distinct and determined from God to the evangelical churches of America and to every individual believer. We have sinned and are sinning against Him. We are haughty and proud, We have been blessed above all the nations and we are prone to look with self com­ placency upon less fortunate people. We can see the faults of other nations and other individuals, but not our own. We need to bend our knees and bow our heads and breathe from the depths of our hearts our confession of our sins and our sorrow. We have sinned against greater light, and have flat­ tered ourselves with self-approved conimendation. We have lifted our heads high in the air and pitied others who measured not up to our standard of holy living. We need to be broken down before God. We need an old-fashioned season of confession. We need to get right with God. We need to make restitution to God. If we have not robbed our fellow men, we have cer­ tainly robbed God. We have not only robbed Him of the tithes and offerings which are His, but have sought to claim the glory due to His holy name and appropri­ ate it to ourselves. The Gospel has lost much of its power because the channels through which it passes,— when It does pass,—are defiled with unconfessed sin, —the sin of robbery. If We would pay what we owe to Him, or some part of the debt, remembering that we are a blood-bought people, and that every grace He has given us in in­ tended for use for Him ; if we would open the doors 0‘f hearts cleansed by the Holy Spirit to the infilling of His radiant life, and then summon our wills to a sur­ render of all to Him, resolved to do His bidding,—what a blessed year w;e would have before us ! What is the resolution we need to make? What is the greatest need of the world? It is the old and ever present need,—^devoted members of the body of Christ, who will carry out the instructions given by our Lord and by His apostles,—“ Go into all the world. Go give the good news to weary, sinJsick souls. ’’ -Why is it that so; few people are drawn to our churches? Is it not that the world fails to see in our lives the fruit of the new birth? No beauty that they desire. No manifest interest. No love for the lost. But where they do see it, are they drawn to the Sav­ iour? Yes, always some are drawn to Him who is lifted up. It is the solemn duty of every Christian to be a soul winner and we want to help every one we can to have a joyful year in His service. Ye have tested out a plan which God has blesséd in a wonderful way, and want to commend it as one of the best by which any pastor, teacher or individual believer, young or old, can do soul-saving work. Many are using it and having a rich fruitage. God has prepared a book for that purpose. We have all had it, but we have1not all sensed it. In the Book it is written; “ But these are, written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” We tried to do personal work for years without be­ ing impressed that the Gospel of John was intended to be used by personal workers, but we) have found that boys and girls have been able to use it as successfully

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Tke Bible Contrasted W itk Otker Religious Books BY THE BATE DR. GEORGE F . PENTECOST For many years pastor .of Bethany Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia

most casual reader of the Bible, if he have ’ serious thoughtfulness of mind, must re- rk its unique and extraordinary character, dif- ing as it does in its structure and matter, its

Since then I have found a great many persons who while they are in no sense students or scholars, have read some book or magazine article by which they have been inocu­ lated with the thought that the Bible is only one of many equally ancient and equally trustworthy religious books. And so it may’ be well just here to have our attention called to the difference between the Bible and these two of the more famous books. The Vedas are a very ancient collection of sacred hymns addressed to the fancied gods of nature, and make no pre­ tension to be in any sense a revelation.. They are outpour­ ings of the natural religious sentiment. The Zend-Avesta is an ancient speculation into the- origin of things. It does not pretend to be revelation of-the truth, but only a human effort to account for and explain things that are seen. But the Bible is the revelation of God, and the history of crea­ tion: it declares the origin of things and of man, showing God to be the creator and author of all, and states our re­ lation, not to nature, but to Him. Speculation vs. Revelation Now the difference between a speculation and a revela­ tion is this: One is an effort of the human mind to account for things seen, and so make discovery of the things that are not seen; an effort to leap from the earth outward and upward into the presence and mystery of the unseen and eternal. The other is a positive statement of the truth out and downward from God to man. We notice that the Bible, when speaking of God, never gives an opinion, never specu­ lates. It always, in: simple and majestic measure, declares — as in the opening sentence of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” That is so utterly different, both in matter and manner, from any sentence ever framed by philosopher or religious speculator, that it almost goes without saying that these could not have been the words of man; that they are the words of God spoken by man as he was moved of God to speak, in order that man might have the truth, and have it at once and simply, in a single breath. The majestic sweep of the -first chapter of Genesis is so great, packing away in a compass hardly greater than one page of a small book the entire account of the creation of the world and all things therein, that on its face it bears the stamp of God rather than man. Think, if you can, of any human philosopher dashing off with a few bold strokes of his pen such an account of the creation. If you want to read the finest specimen of human specula­ tion and argumentation on record, turn to the divinely pre­ served debate between Job and his three friends recorded in the Book of Job (2 :3 1 ). How the battle between Job and his three friends rages through those thirty chapters, until, weary with the conflict, they give over their arguments, drawn from observation, tradition, and law. Nothing was (Continued on Page 52)

spirit and style, from all other books. Side by side with th e best and most celebrated of them, its incomparable superiority is almost instantly recognized. Here and there there have been found passages from other books that have been thought to compare favorably with some of the sublime teachings of the Bible. But it has been remarked that even when precepts and moral teachings similar to or identical with those of either earlier or later ancients are found in the Bible, especially in the teachings of Jesus, they “receive a different setting, and a more heavenly light is in them. A diamond in a dark or dimly lighted room is not the same thing as a diamond in the track of a sun­ beam.” The Simplicity andl Naturalness The simplicity and naturalness of the Bible are most striking. Where else can be found such graphic pictures of paternal and domestic life? The straightforward de­ lineation of its most conspicuous characters; its record of the sins of God’s people with the same impartial pen as is used for the setting forth of their virtues; its lofty moral tone; -its sublimity of thought; as well as its superhuman authority— all bespeak its unique character. For like the Master, of whom it is the constant and consistent witness, its words are with authority. It never speculates or halts in its teaching, but drives straight to the mark in its ever recurring “Thus saith the Lord,” in the Old Testament, and in the “Verily, verily, I say unto you” of the Master, in the New Testament. The Uniqueness of the Bible I met a young man in the inquiry room in Hartford, and said to him, as to others whom I met there nightly, “Well, my young friend, are you a Christian?” He replied, “I am not; but I am an inquirer after truth.” “What is your trouble?” I asked. “Why,” said he, “I do not know which Bible to believe, or whether they are all alike to be be­ lieved, each one for what it is worth.” What do you mean?” I replied, “I do not understand you. There is but one Bible.” “Oh yes, there are many Bibles. There are the Vedas and the Zend-Avesta and the Koran, but I do not count much upon the Koran; the others, however, are very ancient books, and contain the. religion of the larger part of the inhabitants of the earth.” I found he had been^reading Mr. Max Muller’s studies in comparative religions, and was much taken up with the idea that the Bible, especially the Old Testament, was .only a Jewish version of the “more ancient” religions of Aryan races. I was at first disposed to ignore his difficulties and pass him by, but on second thought I felt it to be my duty to try and meet them.

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The Seal of Jesus Christ to the Old Testament Scriptures Edward Bickersteth A Clergyman of the Church of England 1786-1850

Nor is there any distinction drawn betwixt one part and another, as if one were more or less inspired than another; but, as Zacharias, when himself filled with the Holy Ghost, says, “The Lord God of Israel . . . spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began.” And so the apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, says, “From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” “All Scripture (or “«very Scripture,” i. e., every portion) is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thor­ oughly furnished unto all good works.” And to this agree the words of St. Peter: No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation” or rather “becomes a matter of self-interpretation.” The words are often mysterious. The events foretold are often couched in symbol. Even the prophets themselves searched diligently into the meaning of their own predictions. No prophecy of the Scripture, therefore, is a thing of its own solution. Scripture must be compared with Scripture, signs and symbols with cor­ responding events, and prophecy with unfolding Providence under the teaching of the same Spirit. “For prophecy was never borne ( “wafted,” i. e., into the soul of the prophet) by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were borne along by the Holy Ghost.” Men spake, and thus the words retain all the individual characteris­ tics of those who uttered them; but the inspiring breath was that of the Holy Ghost, and thus their utterances are nothing less than the oracles of the living God. Manner of Inspiration This inspiration was “in sundry portions and divers man­ ners;” but it was so full and entire that the result was “GOD SPAKE in time past unto the fathers by the proph­ ets.” Sometimes, as in the historical books, the sacred historian may have been moved by God's Spirit to make diligent inquiry into human chronicles, and even to embody certain portions of them, as the genealogies, in his holy writing. Sometimes the inspired author may have earn­ estly desired to select the most appropriate language. Sometimes the inspiration came by dreams, when the out­ ward senses' were steeped in sleep. Sometimes it was by a waking vision, when the prophet was conscious to him­ self that his eyes were open on other material objects. Very often it was by an audible voice, as we read, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying.” Perhaps most frequently it was the secret prompting of the Spirit of God in or upon the spirit of man. But in every case that which the sacred writer was moved to record, whether the chronicle of facts, or the narration of a dream from memory, or the description of a vision at the time of its occurrence, or the taking down of words as spoken by a heavenly messenger, seen or unseen, or the expression in writing of that which the Holy Spirit impressed on the hearts—in every case the original Scripture was under the direct superintendence and governance of the Holy Spirit. God was responsible— if I may .use the phrase with deep reverence— God was responsible for every word. So that the Bible, in the language of the great Locke, “has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.“ (Continued on Page 55)

UR risen Lord Himself bears the most conclusive testimony to the integrity of the canon of the Old Testament as received by the Jews. H e•said to His apostles, after His resurrection, “These are the words which X spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me.” This threefold division was the ordinary Jewish classification of their sacred writings, the scribes reckoning under—• (1) The law, the five books of Moses. (2) The prophets, the historical books, and the proph­ ets, except Daniel. (3) The Psalms (the Hagiographa), the book of Psalms, Daniel, and all the other cannonical books, just as we receive them. Here, then, our Lord appeals to the books of the Old Testament under those names which embraced the whole canon. And the inspired evangelist immediately adds, “Then opened he their understanding that they might un­ derstand THE SCRIPTURES”— thus designating the three divisions just named by the one holy name,— the Scriptures. We are thus for ever assured that in receiving the Jewish Scriptures we are receiving the lively oracles of God. Here is the Divine seal set upon them. And further, our Lord immediately proceeds to confirm His own word by adding, “THUS IT IS WRITTEN.” It is difficult to over-estimate the value of this short argument for those who are unable to search more fully into the vast mass of historical evi­ dence which confirms the canon. Here is the Imprimatur of Christ. Now this collection of writings, thus defined, our Lord and His apostles distinctly affirm to be the Word of God, and to have been given by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Thus, when quoting Ex. 3:6, Christ says, “Have ye never read that which was spoken unto you by God?” Hereby affirming that Moses truly recorded the very words of God at the bush, which form the introduction to his great mis­ sion to Israel. Again, in the 43d verse of that same chap­ ter we read, “He saith unto them, How then doth David IN SPIRIT call him Lord?” Or, as related by St. Mark, “David himself said BY THE HOLY GHOST;” or by St. Luke, “David himself saith in the book of Psalms.” Thus words, which in the last reference are spoken of as the words of David, are said to be “by the Holy Ghost,” or “in Spirit.” So likewise the way in which other psalms are quoted in the New Testament, without attempting to ex­ plain the method of inspiration, assert the fact in the most emphatic language. Let me instance, “This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled WHICH THE HOLY GHOST BY THE MOUTH OF DAVID SPAKE before concerning Judas.” And again, “Lord, thou art God. . . WHO BY THE MOUTH OF THY SERVANT DAVID HAST SAID.” And again, “Wherefore, AS THE HOLY GHOST SAITH, Today, if ye will hear his voice.” What is this but the echo of the last words of David, “The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and his word was in my tongue, the God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me?” The words of the sweet Psalmist of Israel were the words of the Spirit of Jehovah. So, comparing Is. 6:9 with Acts 28:25, we learn that that which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet was spoken by the Holy Ghost.

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Wh$ I Believe in the Virgin Birth and in the Resurrection Robert E. Speer Editor of The Missionary Review of the World, New York City

of statement of the popular view which John quotes, and in Luke 3:23, where Luke calls Jesus “the son (as was sup­ posed) of Joseph,” and again in Luke 4:22, where he quotes the popular word “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Obviously the quotation of 'such a popular notion of Luke does not mean that he knew nothing of the Virgin Birth. Equally it does not mean so in the case of John, who when he speaks for himself, constantly reports words of Jesus as to His unique origin. “Ye know not whence I come,” John says He told the Jews. And the reason the Jews sought to kill Him, John adds, was that He “called God His own Father.” And no language could be plainer than that used by Paul in asserting God’s unique Fatherhood of Jesus. He quotes at Antioch the Second Psalm; “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee,” and immediately connects His unique origin with His unique end in the Resurrec­ tion. (Acts .13:33, 34) And both John and Paul,— the former in the Prologue of his Gospel and the latter in the first chapter of , Colossians.^deal with the pre-existence of Jesus in a way that makes it utterly impossible to think of Him as originating and entering the world as an or­ dinary human child. In one word, the New Testament in certain books asserts unequivocally the Virgin Birth of Our Lord and in its other books either assumes it or im­ plies it or says nothing inconsistent with it. If the New Testament representations of Jesus, accordingly, are trust­ worthy, the Virgin Birth must be accepted as a fact as reliable as any other fact of the life or character of the Saviour. Faith of the Church from the Outset In the second place I believe in the Virgin Birth because it has been the Faith of the Church from the Outset. Ig­ natius, Bishop of Antioch early in the second century, in his epistles speaks emphatically of the Virgin Birth. In his epistle to the Ephesians he writes: “Hidden from the prince of this world were the Virginity of Mary and her child-bearing, and likewise also the death of our Lord— three mysteries of open proclamation, the which were wrought in the silence of God.” In his epistle to the Sy- mareans, he says: “I give glory to Jesus Christ, the God who bestowed such wisdom upon you; for I have perceived that ye are established in faith immovable.............. firmly persuaded as touching our Lord, that He is truly of the race of David according to the flesh, but Son of God by the Divine will and power, truly born of a Virgin, and baptized by John . . . . truly nailed up for our sakes in the flesh, under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch.” Aristides of Athens in his Apology, written about the year 130, writes: “The Christians trace their descent from the Lord Jesus Christ; now He is confessed by the Holy Ghost to be the Son of the Most High God, having come down from heaven for the •salvation of men, and having been born of a holy Virgin..............He took flesh and ap­ peared to men.” Justin Martyr in his First Apology, writ­ ten between 140 and 150, says: “We find it foretold in the Books of the Prophets that Jesus our Christ should come born of a Virgin. . . . be crucified and should die and rise again, and go up to Heaven, and should both be and be called the ‘Son of God.’ ” And so we might quote Irenaeus, (190 ), Tertullian, (200) Clement, (190 ), Origen, (230 ).

the dead. BELIEVE in the Virgin Birth and in the Resur­ rection because I believe that the Gospels are true and that they teach unmistakably that our Lord was born of a virgin and that He rose from It is sometimes said that the story of the. Virgin Birth is in only two of the Gospels. But I do not see that that makes any difference. It is in both the Gospels which deal at all with Jesus’ earthly life. The Gospels of Mark and John, after the Prologue, only begin with Jesus’ public ministry as an adult man. Instead of saying, “The story is found in only two Gospels,” it would be more fitting to say that “All the Gospels which deal with Jesus’ childhood tell of the Virgin Birth.” Furthermore, no one raises questions about teachings of Jesus because they are not found in all the Gospels. The full Sermon on the Mount is in only one Gospel. The stories of the Prodigal Son and of the Good Samaritan are in only one. And as to,the Gospel of Mark something more is to be said. It does not contain the story of the Virgin Birth. But note how it begins: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” followed by the voice from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son.” There is nowhere in the Gos­ pel any mention of Joseph. It is the only Gospel which en­ tirely omits him. And its omission is made very significant. Mark never refers to any popular notion of Jesus as Jo­ seph’s son. He speaks of Him only as Mary’s son; “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?” He quotes the peo­ ple’s question about his brothers and sisters but not about His father. (Mark 6 :3 ). The Silence of John and Paul “But,” it is said, “neither John nor Paul refer to the Virgin Birth. It cannot, therefore, be fundamental.” But the present question is not how fundamental a truth it is but whether it is a truth. The fact that John and Paul did not refer to it, if this were the fact, would not prove that it was not true. Neither one of them refers to the Sermon on the Mount nor to most of the events or sayings of Jesus’ life. Their silence would not disprove the declara­ tions of Matthew and Luke. But are we sure that they dre silent? John’s Gospel begins with the loftiest asser­ tion of the preexistence of Jesus as the Eternal Word. He never mentions the name of Mary, but his frequent refer­ ences to her are characterized by a deep and peculiar rev­ erence. On the other hand, he never mentions Joseph save twice in quoting references to him by others such as would have been the common usage. But in each of these cases John at once supplies a complete corrective of the natural popu­ lar supposition. In the first case, Philip says to Nathanael: “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.” But notice what follows, when Nathanael comes to Jesus. “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God.” In the second case, the Jews said: “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” Again, note what follows. John proceeds to quote some of Jesus’ plainest words about the Divine Sonship, begin­ ning at once with the reference to “the Father that sent me.” (John 6:42-65) Furthermore, in the Gospel of Luke where there i s the full story of Jesus’ Virgin Birth, occurs just the same kind

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