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T H E k l N G ' S B U S I N E S S
July, 1935
drew together this Christian group consisting of a business woman from Asia (Lyd ia), a converted Grecian girl, and a Roman jailer. The Jewish-born preacher who was also a Roman citizen became their spiritual adviser. U nder the T ouch of C hrist Christ came to Ephesus, and in the very heart o f pagan ism a glorious church was born. Many magnified the name o f Jesus, the magicians abandoned their magic, and the whole city fell under the spell o f the gospel. Christless craftsmen who commercialized religion found the power o f the free gospel greater than that o f Diana. Christ came to Thessalonica, the second city in Greece, a city that was free, wealthy, immoral, a seat o f pagan idolatry. Many not only accepted the truth o f Christ’s first advent for their redemption, but they loved Him ¡and longed for the day o f His second coming as well. Christ came to Rome, the great metropolis, the cross roads of the world, thronged with freemen and slaves. The populace lived for the races o f the hippodrome and the combats in the colosseum. T o this city came a lone prisoner who gathered about himself in his own hired house a small group of Christians. Christ so indwelt this group that all the fires of persecution and the wild beasts o f the arena could not stamp out their loyal love to their Lord. The colosseum and the catacombs stand today as monuments to
Modern cities have become the world’s problem. That time is here o f which Wendell Phillips spoke when he said, “ The time will come when our cities will strain our Constitution as slavery never did.” The loving heart o f Christ has always gone out to our cities. He forgot the clamor of His triumphal march into Jerusalem, and, while the people poured out their hearts in great acclaim, He poured out His tears in bitter sorrow. He saw. the city, He sorrowed over it, and He suffered for the city. Drummond said, “ Christ did three things for His city ; He looked upon it, He wept over it, and He went out and died for it.” History began in a garden; it will end in the heavenly Holy City. If Christianity fails in the city, it will fail everywhere. God is calling the city to Himself. The evan gelization o f the city is one o f the boldest challenges Christ has ever given to His church. Shall our cities be pagan, or shall they be evangelized ? C hristian T estimony in A ncient C ities Christ came to Jerusalem, the capital o f the Jewish world. From Jerusalem went the gospel to the ends o f the earth. In the lives o f His followers,'Christ came to An tioch, Pompey’s Gentile capital o f Syria. Rich in history, rotten in religion, Antioch discovered that the preaching of the gospel resulted in a revival. Contempt for Christ coined
the nickname “ Christian.” That wicked city was com pelled to take notice. Licen tiousness was rebuked, ex travagance checked, luxury abandoned by many, a n d true worship set up. There was organized a glorious, church, and the Son o f God was highly honored in that city. Christ came to Corinth, the city o f commerce and sin. Corinth worshiped gold, drank deep o f worldly pleas ure, wallowed in the mire o f vice, theaters, temples, palaces— a thousand priest esses of V e n u s filled to overflow the cesspool of pol lution. Brutal athletics, lux ury, pleasure, crime, sensu ality' made Corinth a second Sodom. To this corrupt, city Christ came in a lone man, Paul the preacher. Athens had broken Paul’s heart. Paul determined to know nothing in Corinth “ save Jesus Christ, and him cruci fied.” In two years, a flour ishing church sprang u p ; re deemed men p ra y e d and worshiped the true God. The cross was victorious, and the conduct o f many of the citizens was corrected. Christ came to Philippi. The Macedonian beckoned Paul over to that shore, and the first convert there was a business woman from the city. Paul, the first preacher o f the gospel in E u r o p e ,
those who died in the open and those who worshiped underground/ And f r o m Rome the gospel o f Christ was carried to the cities of the known world. C ities a F ield of O ppor tun ity T oday If Christ and the early Christians thus challenged and conquered in these old world cities, is not that same gospel as powerful to win its way in the cities o f today ? Let none disparage the noble workers who t o i l faithfully for Christ in the rural fields. Were it not for them and their converts who move into our cities,1 the churches would as surely disappear as the seven city churches o f Asia M i n o r vanished. But how much more glorious a n d e a s y would be the task o f these splendid w o r k e r s in the great open places were our cities teeming with earnest Christians who love Christ supremely and seek the lost millions in our cities! T he T ask of S an D iego ’ s C hristians T o this end, when San Diego was planning her great playday known as the California Pacific Interna tional Exposition, a few of God’s people also b e g a n planning to attack the city for Christ with the gospel. Hundreds o f thousands o f [Continued on page 280]
!tYBy Save Sornas” The Exposition Evangelistic Campaign— an intensive effort to win souls in San Diego during the period of the California Pacific Interna tional Exposition (May 29 to November 11)— has its headquarters in the First Baptist Church, of which John Bunyan Smith is the pastor. Only two other similar attempts have been made to reach World's Fair visitors with the gospel— and both of these efforts were in Chicago: one about forty years ago, and the other during the recent Century of Progress in 1933 and 1934. In San Diego, meetings will be held for 167 consecutive nights— the entire period of the Exposition. The First Baptist Church is admirably located in the heart of the downtown area, yet it is only six blocks from the Fair Grounds. In addition to the many tourists who are visiting South ern California this summer, 60,000 naval service men will be stationed in San Diego at the time that the Pacific Fleet lies at anchor in the harbor. Groups of sailors may be seen in the audience night after night. Dr. Smith, the pastor of the church and the leader of this effort, is an army chaplain with the rank of Captain. He has held six pastorates, and recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of his call to the .First Baptist Church of San Diego. He preaches "Christ crucified"— the One the sinner needs. In the last ten-year period, there have been 2,200 additions to the church and $460,000 given for all purposes, of which $140,000 went to missions. His aim is that his church may be, in the truest sense, a rescue mission. Associated with Dr. Smith are Mr. and Mrs. Harold Alexander, Mr. Alexander serving as song leader and publicity director, and his wife assisting with the music. The Alexander publication, NEW SINGABLE SONGS, is the official Exposition Campaign chorus book. A selection from this book appears on page 257. The Exposition Evangelistic Campaign will be in session for twenty- five weeks and will bring that number and more of outstanding ministers and evangelists from all over the country. In addition to these men, Gipsy Smith, Sr., will come from England for meetings August 4 to 18. By their prayers, all the Lord's people may have a share in the harvest which it may please God to give.
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