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faded.” When Jesus declared that “marrying and giving in marriage” (Matt. 24:38) would be a sign indicating His return to an earth once again “ as it was in the days of Noah,” He could have referred only to a day when once again men and women will marry but to be divorced. Com ment upon present-day conditions is unnecessary. Lawlessness Within the Church p a c e does n o t permit us to write of the lawlessness of the political world, of juries and judges and ruling potentates. The idol of countless millions in the political realm is none other than Mahatma Gandhi! In religion, modernism is the acme of spiritual lawlessness. The law lessness of the upper, as well as the lower planes, of the social world calls for no comment. All is well known. But we do feel that we must speak here of the ominous law lessness within the church itself. Perhaps this is the chiefest of all the sins of a lawless age—lawlessness within the house of God. What man of God, serving within the temple, cannot recall the rebellion he has witnessed by those who snap their fingers and scoff at,the authority of the church? It can scarcely be denied that Christ gave authority to His church (Matt. 18:15-17). It can scarcely be denied that the apostles recognized the authority of the organized body of Christ (1 Cor. 5 :4, 5, 12, 13; 6:1-3). How common it is these days to hear indi vidual members o f the church pass quick and thoughtless criticism upon the action of the body of Christ as a whole, and to hold it to be a mark of super-piety to walk inde pendently of the church itself! The Roman Catholic Church may still hold some authority over the individual, but in Protestantism, the church seems fast losing every vestage of authority, trembling before the individual wealth and in fluence. “ Rebuke not an elder” (1 Tim. 5:1) seems to be numbered among the forgotten commandments. Strivihg against heresy within the house of God is one thing. Quite another thing is deliberate rebellion against the divinely constituted authorities o f the church for the sake of hav ing one’s, own way. That is lawlessness. Within a body o f true saints, the united opinion of the main body is most certainly more to be trusted than any individual opinion whatever.. Law is the affirmation of the majority. The church will never prevail to help a lawless world return to law and order, unless she herself recognizes the authorities she ordains, and abides by the laws she creates. Less than this is lawlessness. in the Jewish nation cried out, “ Away with him, away with him, crucify him.” And they killed Christ. The Span ish Inquisition was a majority movement born in hell. The church has ever been in the minority, but in the realm of morals and spirituality it has been right. A minority on the side of right is more powerful than an overwhelming majority which is wrong. Christianity is weaker than pa ganism numerically, but true Christianity is the greatest force in the world. We do not go to the majority for knowledge. Knowl edge's not in the possession of the many, but in the pos session of the few. Eminent scientists are in the very small minority. Scientific authorities in America are so few that they are sought by many corporations, which vie one with another in securing the services o f these men who have delved deep into the secrets o f systematized knowledge. Eminent professors are few. Professors who have paid the price, those who have developed personality and character THE WELL-KNOWN HUMAN RACE [Continued from page 212]
as well as intellect, stand out. Universities and school sys tems compete the one with the other to secure the services of distinguished pedagogues. Bible teachers and exposi tory preachers are scarce. A friend o f mine in the East received eight calls last year. Another friend of mine in another town in the East received four calls last year. Why? These men are Bible teachers and expository preachers. Personality with intellectual understanding and spiritual power is rarely found. Neither do we go to the majority for the truth. Pre vious to the flood, one searching for the truth would not have found it with the majority. The truth was found in the heart of only one man, Noah. At a later date, one searching for truth would not go to the millions then living upon the earth. The one searching for truth in his day would have gone to the one man who had it, namely, Abra ham. In Elijah’s day, the truth was found only in Israel. The Gentile nations had not the truth, but did all have the truth in Israel? No! Only seven thousand had the truth in Israel in Elijah’s day. Truth finds a home in the hearts of the few. But any one of the few shall put a thou sand to flight. H u m a n M o v e m e n t s T h e r e is moral force in geographical directions and in topographical references in the Bible. We notice that the whole race journeyed eastward (Gen. 11:2, R .V .). Do you see the ethical implication? W e have read the words “ down to Egypt” in the Old Testament. Egypt was a type of the world, and those who went down to Egypt went down from a high morality to a low ethical level. Abraham went down into Egypt. In Egypt, he lost his testimony. Lot was there defiled, and that contamination never left him. “Jonah went down to Joppa.” This was symbolic of what had taken place in the spiritual life of the prophet. Disobedience to God is a going down. Sin is a fall. Christ told about one “ going down to Jericho.” He fell among thieves. The descent was also moral. Consider the words, “ Up to Jerusalem.” See the people ascending spiritually! Hear them sing as they go up from glory to glory. Therefore, when it is written that the whole race journeyed eastward, the Holy Spirit is picturing unani mous disobedience. God commanded motion in every di rection. The place— “ they found a plain in Shinar.” Low places appeal to the earthly minded. Set your mind on the things which are above. Abraham stayed in the mountains close to God. Lot dwelt in a city of the plain. Sodom still has an evil smell. The altars in the Old Testament were built on the high places. These signified nearness to God. The whole human race dwelt in Shinar. Homes were built on the plain. These people built as though they would live on the earth forever. What a contrast with the life o f Abraham, who was a stranger, and therefore, a pil grim! “ The friend o f God” lived in a tent. He moved hither and there. See a picture o f the life o f a Christian— Abraham was one who looked for “ a city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Our fa therland is not here: the motherland is somewhere else. We look to the place which Christ hath prepared for us, and to which He will take us in His own time. “ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go-to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
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