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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Let us not put any dependence upon mere decora tions, but let us get back to the Bible, with its Bread, of lif e ! Back to the cross, with its bleeding sacrifice! Back to the solemn sentences concerning the blazing fires of hell for the impenitent! Back to the pleading Christ whose arms are outstretched to the hungry and weary with the invitation, “ Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.” THREE VIEWS OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin reports that at a meeting of the Methodist Preachers’ Association held in that city, Professor Edwin Lewis of Drew Theological Seminary, a Methodist institution at Mad ison, N. J., had been requested to appear before the meeting and reply to a charge that had been made that he held the same views regarding the Virgin Birth as does Dr. Fosdick. Dr. Lewis replied to this charge, as follows: “I believe absolutely in the reality of a Divine incarna tion. It is evident, however, that there are many people, for whom the belief is insecure because they cannot ascend to the foundations upon which the belief has usually been based. The purpose of my article was to help such people by showing that faith in the Incarnation is susceptible of a clean, rational statement apart from the question of the Virgin birth,—the theory that the Babe Jesus was in lineal continuity with an eternal consciousness.” One of the ministers present made the comment that “ These professors talk very smoothly. Does he af firm his belief in the personal, pre-existent Jesus Christ?” . Another clergyman, Rev. Dr. William May, of Bryn Mawr, said he regarded the agitation as hasty, ill- advised and that the article complained of was an honest attempt to meet the objections of those who find difficulty in accepting Christ as a Divine Saviour. He said the agitation was doing more harm than good to the church. Then Arthur Holmes, professor of psychology in the University of Pennsylvania, voiced his sentiments. Telling how students at the University had not in frequently asked such questions as “Why should we believe in the Divinity of Christ?” he recounted the confessed errors of science, and said: “Once the leading scientists of the age told us that the earth stood still; now they tell us it moves; who can say that someone will not come along at a later day and tell us that it stands still? Science is not pure truth, but is fictional,—that is, it is based on approximation. When scientists are asked to measure a table, there will be a score of measurements, and the approximation is taken as correct. I am not sure, and science is not sure, that there is such a thing as ether. Geometry, a fundamental science, is based on a straight- line. Now they tell us there is no such thing as a straight line in the universe. I can believe that, if God chose to do so, He could make me out of nothing. I would not give up the beliefs I hold dear, for some thing that is bnilt on approximation.” Contrast the “ conjecture vs. certitude” in the at titude of these men. What will be the effect upon the mind of the students who are guided by the Drew and Bryn Mawr professors, in contrast with the sterl ing faith of Professor Holmes?
th e w e a k e st and th e low lie st and give them C h rist fo r th e ir E ld er B rother. , , _ ,, Help, us, O F a th e r, to m ake th y ch u rch a c o n tin u in g sh e lte r fo r every soul th a t is w e ary and heavy laden, so th a t w hen our S aviour comes again, he w ill find th y house filled to overflow ing w ith those who w orship th ee in sp irit and in tru th . To th is end, we p ra y th ee to bless each and every m em ber of th is A ssem bly; m ake us conscious of ou r resp o n sib ilities as th e re p re se n ta tiv e s of th e g re a t P re sb y te ria n C hurch; fill us w ith a sense of th y n e arn e ss; m ake ou r h e a rts recep tiv e to th y suggestions, and so ru le and ov erru le all th a t w e th in k an d say, so th a t w e m ay g lo rify thee. H elp us to h a ste n th e com ing of th y kingdom th a t th y w ill m ay be done on e a rth as it is in heaven. H ear our p e titio n s fo r our loved ones; m ay th e ir lives and h e alth be precious in th y sight- G uard them from harm , lead them by th e still w aters, feed them w ith heav en ly m anna, and save them , every one. Bless, we beseech thee, our beloved c o u n try ; m ay it be a land w here God is th e Lord. Give our people w isdom to solve w isely all dom estic problem s and to prom ote u n iv ersal and p e rp etu al peace. May our flag be everyw here and alw ay s the emblem of ju stice. G ran t th a t th ese U nited S ta te s m ay hold a lo ft th e to rch of th y tr u th and lead th e w orld in its ascending m arch. A ll th is we a sk in th e nam e of Je su s—our F rien d , ou r Guide, and bu r Saviour. Amen. Let every loyal layman unite with these and with hundreds of others, like-minded, in our beloved land, and help to win the war in defence of the GOOD OLD BOOK which the enemy of God and man is seek ing to destroy. DECORATING THE DISHES The following newspaper item suggests a text for a little sermon: “Can I show you some beautiful hand-decorated china?” inquired the salesman. “No,” replied the busy woman. “The only desire I have just now is to decorate the plain family dinner dishes with something effective in the way of a chop and boiled potato.” The Continent also has a little dissertation on the subject of decorations: “Plainly the church is to blame for keeping this decep tive temptation (the degree of D. D.) dangling before the eyes of its ministers. Either it ought to abolish—or at least refuse to recognize—the degree of doctor of divinity altogether, or else it ought to arrange to have it conferred on all its clergy who have taken full theological prepara tion for their work. It might be well for the doctorate to he granted in course by the seminaries to all graduates at the completion of ten years’ seivice in the pastorate. At all events, one way or another, the ministry ought to be rescued from the curse of exaggerated pretensions and trivial jealousies which now darken the whole region included within the range of those pestiferous double D’s.” “ Decorated Dishes” are all right on the side board, hut they are meaningless to a hungry man. What the church table needs is plenty of chops and potatoes and good bread and butter,—good, old-fashioned meals. A “ D. D .” doesn’t mean anything to a man or to the church unless the “ D. D .” can deliver the de sired goods. (These decorations, we are told, are sometimes for sale on the bargain counters of some institutions). The people are hungry and want the old-fashioned sort of spiritual food. A hungry man, doesn’t want poetry. He would rather have pork chops. He doesn’t want pictures. He prefers pumpkin pie. Furthermore, in these Decorated Dishes are often served the dregs from the devil’s cafeteria. They are like the painted women we see on the streets,— they are nauseating. If a man is so unfortunate as to be already decor ated,—then, of course, he is helpless and must put up with it like a man, and forget it.
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