•M m ®
« KougK Christ t n / M i c a r In Bethlehem be born If He’s not born in the« TK 3 ) heart is still forlorn thousand times
Glory to God in tKe Highest,. and on earth, peace to men of good ■ wifi. ■| Luke 2:14
[esus Christ. Romans 5:1
DECEMBER, 1918
Bible Institutef§LosAngeles (JN CO R PO R A T ED ) LO S A N G E L E S , C A L IF O R N IA , U . S. A . Free Training School for Christian Workers
DIRECTORS
R. A. Torrey, vice-president Leon V. Shaw, treasurer William Evans J. O. Smith
Lyman Stewart, president J. M. Irvine, secretary T. C. Horton, superintendent H. A. Getz
Nathan Newby
STATEMENT Church as 'expressed in the Common Creed The Necessity of the New Birth. The Maintenance of Good Works. The Second Coming of Christ. The Immortality of the Spirit. The' Resurrection oi the Body. The Life Everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Impenitent. The Reality and Personality of Satan.
DOCTRINAL We, hold to the Historic Faith of the of Evangelical Christendom and including: The Trinity of the Godhead. The Deity of the Christ. The Personality of the Holy Ghost. The Supernatural and Plenary authority of the Holy Scriptures. The Unity in Diversity of the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ. The Substitutionary Atonement.
SCOPE OF THE WORK PURPOSE: The Institute trains, free of cost, accredited men and women, in the knowledge and rise of the Bible. DEPARTMENTS: (1) The Institute Classes held daily except on. Saturdays and Sundays. (2) Extension work. Classes and. conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted by our evangelists. (4) Spanish Work. Personal work among Spanish speaking people. (5) Shop Work. Regular services in shops and factories. (t5) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work among the Hebrews and mission for Jews. (7) Bible Women. House-to-house visitation and neighborhood classes. (8) Oil Fields. A mission to men on the oil fields. (9) Books and Tracts. Sale and distribution of selected books and tracts. (10) Harbor Work. For seaman at Los Angeles harbor. (U ^ T h e Biola Hall. Daily noon meetings for tpen in the down-town district, with free reading-room privileges.. Evangelistic service every evening. (12) Print Shop. For printing Testaments, books, tracts, etc. A complete establish ment, profits going to' free. distribution of religious literature.
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S MOTTO: " / , the Lord, do keep it, I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day . ■ ■ ....... — ■ ■ ■■■a&M.—■■■......;—= Isa, 27:3 '¿ t .- h ........i............................................’■■ ■............. — — ■= PU BLISH ED B Y T H E B IB LE I N S T I T U T E O F L O S A N G E L E S , IN C O R PO R A T E D Entered as Second-Class Matter November 17,' 1910, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California under tke A ct o f March 3, 1879 Acceptance for mailing at special rate o f postage provided for in Section 1103, A ct of October 3, 1917 authorized October 1, 1918. Copyright by R . A . Torrey, D . D ., and Bible Institute of Los Angeles, for tke year 1918
Number JX 't’1-
December, iq i 8
Volume IX
LEADING ARTICLES OF THIS ISSUE Editorials by Dr. Torrey: Christmas, (1025) Thanksgiving Day (10^6) The Week of Prayer (1027) The Kind of Religion the Soldiers Want (1028) Shall We Pray or Shall We Concentrate? (1029) Remarks on Christmas (1031) The Virgin Birth of Christ (1032) The Prince of Peace and the War, Dr. J. G. Kennedy (1033) “A-men,” Rev. Henry W. Frost (1039) Light on Puzzling Passages, Dr. Torrey (1041) Bible Institute Happenings (1043) World’s Evangelical Prayer Alliance (1045) The Far Horizon, Missionary Notes, Rev. J. H. Hunter (1049) Evangelistic Department, Stories from Experience (1052) ' Work Among the Navaho Indians, F. G. Mitchell (1058)
International Sunday School Lessons (1063) Daily Devotional Studies, Dr. Torrey (1098) Study in Second Corinthians, Dr. Evans (1113)
O N L Y Y E A R SU B SC R IP T IO N PR IC E— In tke United States and Its Possessions and Mexico, and points in tke Central American Postal Union, $1.00 per year. In all otker foreign countries, including Canada, $1.24, (5c. 2d.) Single copies 10 cents. Receipts sent on request. See expiration date on tke wrapper. BIBLE I N S T I T U T E OF LOS A N G E L E S 536-558 South Hope Street | - - - Los Angeles, California O N E D O L L A R A
(Eljratma* jiiar “ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, say ing where is he that is born king of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east and we come to worship him.” (Mt. 2:1-2) After God had prepared the “ light holders” to rule the day and night, He said “ let them be for signs,” as well as seasons, days and years The word translated signs means'“ to signify something beyond —to bear record.” In other words there is an original divine science connected with the stars, which astronomers know only too well. Historians tell us the ancients were star gazers and that they attributed to the mysterious arrangements of the stars a divine and prophetic virtue. Certainly God did not mark on the face tbe thePShepherd, the serpent, the virgin, the crown, the cross, the lamb, and all these significant pictures without a purpose. >Faith and skep ticism alike arf compelled to accept the designs which were early drawn out, and which remain unchanged, even if some do growl at them considerably. ' „ | And now we see the wise men looking to the stars. They sud- l t d in awe as they see “ his star,” under the guidance of th ilh they*set out to find the long promised Messiah. Would these men have understood this astronomic sign unless some definite evan gelical prophecy had been associated with the stars of heaven. Is it not clear that all the Scripture doctrines were known and recorded from earliest generations and that the face of the sky is as truly inspired as the Bible itself? May not God have given to earliest mCn an Understanding of these peculiar pictures, which were later recorded in His Word? . Tob says “ By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens — and the word “ garnished” we are told has the original meaning of “ summons or warfing.” Heaven is filled with the warnings of Gods great pur- P° SeSA„ listen— Jesus says “ I am the bright and morning star.” To His bride the church, He holds out the promise of the rising of the mornfng stir wSen does the morning star appear? A h -in the dark hour jfs t before day-break. To have the star is to be away with Christ before the day-break. To the Jew, Jesus comes as the sun of righteousness,” but to His bride as “ the morning star.” May each reader be saved from that awful period between the rising of the star and the rising of the sun, short as it will be, for Jesus says except those days be shortened, no flesh should be saved. We are still star-gazers, dear friend, for we belong to the true Church “ which is as the stars of heaven” according to the prophecy. Ie f1us'each shine brightly in our sphere until the Bridegroom comes, and may we not forget that we are called to reflect a light, not our own, but derived from Him. K. L. B.
THE KING ’ S BUSINESS R. A . TO R R E Y , D. D. Editor T . C . H O R TO N , J. H . H U N T E R , W ILLIAM E V A N S , D. D., Associate Editors KEITH L. BROOKS, Managing Editor
EDI TORI AL T H E W O RD O F G O D For tEe Present Hour
“ For unto us a child is horn, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isa. 9:6. “ Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David; and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with jus tice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever.” Isa. 9:7. “ Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He Will judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with justice. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the hills, in righteousness. He Will judge the poor of the people, He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee while the sun endureth, and so long as the moon, throughout all generations. He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, till the moon be no more. He shall haye dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. And his enemies shall lick the dust.” Ps. 72:1-9. “ Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him.” Ps. 72:11. “ And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people. And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” Dan. 8:23-25. “When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.” 1 Thess. 6:3. C h r i s t m a s This is the month that practically all Christendom has set apart for the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. - Of course, we have no manner of knowing that Jesus Christ was born on the 25th day of December; indeed it is very doubtful that He was. God for His own wise purpose ha.s kept us from knowing the exact day of our Lord’s birth. While the exact date of His death and resurrection is known, exactly the day of the week, the day of the month and the year, no one knows the date of His birth. But this is the time of year that we keep in memory of His birth, and if we are to keep Christmas we should keep it in a Christian way. In many communities, and even among many Christians, the distinctively Christian character of Christmas has been lost sight of. Not a few children of pro fessedly Christian people associate Christmas far more with a mythical
1026 THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, than they do with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This season of the year is more given up hy the great hulk of peo ple in professedly Christian lands to over-indulgence of the flesh, and to the squandering of money for self-indulgence and giving useless gifts to people that do not need them, than it is to the worship and praise of our Lord Jesus and the doing of the things that the Lord Jesus would have us dpi Christmas should stand for the wonderful truth of the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, historically manifested in the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea. In the Babe of Bethlehem, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Ghost, “ the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father) full"of grace and truth.” The Christmas season should be a season o f great gladness, but it should also be a season of love and sacrifice, not love^merely for those who are bound to us by ties of kindred or of friend ship, but love for the unworthy, for the outcast, for the poor, and for our enemies. When fhe Lord Jesus was born God was manifesting His love to a hostile world, He so loved this world that had rebelled against Him that He gavé His own Son to become a man that He might die for those who had rebelled against Him and thus save them. Christmas time is not a time for bitterness and hate, it is a time for love and forgiveness, and for the sacrifice of self for the sake of others. It is not a time when we should be thinking what we can get from others, but what we can give to others, and sacrifice for others, and for our enemies as well as our loved ones. What we should long for and aim to bring about is not a “ Merry Christmas” but a blessed Christmas, by following in the footsteps of Him whose birth we celebrate on this day. While ,the day of His birth, of His first Coming should^ be a glad day, the day of His Coming Again will be a far gladder day. T h a n k s g i v i n g d a y Though this is the December number of The King’s Business it will get into the hands o f most of our readers early in November. Though the Presi dent has not yet made his proclamation, nor the Governors of the States, we take it for granted that Thanksgiving Day will be, as usual, the last Thurs day in November, that is to say, November 28th. Never did this country have greater reason for holding a Thanksgiving Day than this year. God has done wonderful things for us as a nation. He has given to us a marvelous illustration of His readiness to answer prayer. In the darkest days of the Civil War President Lincoln appointed a day of fasting and prayer, and from that very day the tide of war turned, and so this year President Wilson, in cordial response to the resolutions passed by both the United States Senate and the United States Congress, appointed a day of fasting and prayer for Decoration Day, May 30th. This day was yery widely observed, far more widely and earnestly we must admit than we thought it would be, and God heard the prayers that went up on that day, heard them in a way that has made the whole world wonder. The tide of ba,ttle completely turned, and the Germans and their allies* instead of being constantly victorious, from that time on have been constantly and now overwhelmingly defeated. Many are already forgetting our extremity and
THE KI NG' S BUS I NESS 1027 how in our extremity we cried to God, and are attributing our successes to the masterly generalship of Foch and those associated with him, and to the splendid army that the United States of America was able to assemble and send to the help of the Entente Allies in the days when they were on the verge of utter defeat. We have no desire to detract at all from the admira tion of the generalship of General Foch, and even less to detract from the splendid record made by our own troops, but it will be gross ingratitude not to give to the One to whom the real credit is due that honor which belongs to Him. It is not General Foch, and it is not the American soldiers, and it is not the splendid generals and subordinate officers and soldiers of any of the armies to whom the credit is due for our victories, the credit is due to the One to whom we went in our extremity, the Lord God Almighty, the God of Hosts, the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. T h e w e e k o f p r a t e r . We are giving below the program of the World’s Evangelical Alliance for the Annual Universal Week of Prayer, beginning Sunday, January 5th, and closing Saturday, January 11th. We give it thus early, for we feel that it was never more'important than this year. Let the Week of Prayer be observed by all Christians everywhere. The World’s Evangelical Alliance in sending out the program of prayer topics prefaces it by saying in part: “ It was surely never before so natural to pray and never before so difficult. Prayer in these days is instinctive. The forces that have beén released are too vast for any man or nation to compass. We are driven to appeal to God. Yet prayer was never so difficult. Deep is our ignorance. Less than ever can we read the scroll of the future. In much obscurity of outlook and deep confusion of mind, we cast ourselves upon the Father of spirits. With part of this we are in hearty agreement. It certainly was never more natural to pray than at present. It is true that “ we are driven to appeal to God,” but it is not our experience that prayer is peculiarly diffi cult at this present time. With an open Bible we can “ read the scroll of the future ’ ’ as well as ever, and we do not feel that there is any ‘ ‘ obscurity of outlook,” and certainly we feel no “ deep confusion of mind” at the pres ent time. The present awful catastrophies that are overtaking the earth are just what the Word of God has told us to expect. We can see nothing at all inexplicable in God’s dealings with,men at the present time, and it was never more certain that God answers prayer than in these days. The Presi dent of the United States, upon the earnest suggestion of the United States Senate and United States Congress, set apart the 30th day of May as a day of fasting and prayer for victory for our arms. When the day of prayer came we were at the darkest period of. the war; things did look black indeed, but from that very day things have changed, and victory after victory has come, and each, day is brighter with hope than the day that preceded. We have had a marvellous world-wide illustration that God still lives and that God answers prayer. It was never easier to pray than today. The program for the week of prayer appears on another page.
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T H E K IN D O F REL IG ION the Soldiers Want The Literary Digest for October 5th had a very interesting and suggestive article on “ The Kind of Religion the Soldiers Want.” They have attempted to show from various sources that the soldiers wanted real religion and not mere entertainment. Some of the letters printed ought to set some of the chaplains and Y. m ! C. A. workers in the camps on this side of the water and across the water to thinking. They quote from the Minneapolis Journal an Army Chaplain as saying: “ One of the religious services they had been accustomed to open with fifteen minutes of ‘movies,’ on the assumption that the boys would not attend if they were not entertained. Noticing an uneasiness during the ‘movie’ time, a preacher decided one day to try an experiment. He put the question to the men themselves: ‘Boys, I am here to tell you something about religion. Would you like to have me begin right away* or will you have a “ movie” film first?’ A tall, raw-boned soldier boy stood up in the audience. ‘To hell with, the “ movies,” he said. ‘Let’s hear about religion.’ ” . The article quoted from the Journal goes on to say: “ Another less discriminating preacher was scheduled for a twenty-minute address. A splendid ‘atmosphere’ had been created for him. Half a dozen rousing hymns had been sung, a lad from the service had made a manly prayer for divine guidance and assistance, and the ‘set-up’ was perfect. Five hundred boys waited eagerly to hear something live and genuine, something that would brace and strengthen them in their home sickness and in their sacrifice. Then the preacher arose and spent the first ten minutes of his twenty in telling the boys funny stor ies! Funny stories for hearts that were yearning for reality! He was annoyed, too, because so many of the boys ‘Walked out on him.’ They had not gone there to be entertained. They longed to hear the simple, sincere and elemental truth of religion from a real man who had suffered, thought, and won his way to sincere conviction. This American chaplain finally came to the conclusion that his boys did not need to hear warnings about drink, gambling, or women. Those warnings came with better grace from other instructors. They did not go to service to be entertained or flattered and told how fine they were, or to listen to stories. These things they had heard till they were tired of them. Strange to say, what they did want was religion, the real things of the soul, without camouflage of any kind. Considering it in the pauses of his work, this chaplain has come to the conclusion that the reason so many persons do not go to church is because of the attempts to enter tain them, to camouflage religion with stories, with professional singing, with ‘social activities.’ Personally he says that his preaching after the war will not be the same. He will tell the pure story of undefiled religion so far as in him is.” From many sources we are hearing similar accounts of the men, both Y. M. C. A. workers and ministers who come with a real message from God are the ones who are welcome and the ones who draw the crowd. Of course, they are the ones who accomplish satisfactory results. At one camp which the writer visited the secretary in charge told him that every Sunday night they began with a “ movie” exhibition to draw the crowd .and then worked in a short sermon. WO suppose that this was a common practice. That secretary seemed surprised when we suggested we c*d not need a “ movie” and had a big and attentive crowd, preach ing a straight gospel sermon. The question is often asked, “ Is a real work of a clearly Christian character being done by the Y. M. C. A .?” Beyond a question there is, but it is not safe to draw general conclusions from single examples. What is be ng accomplished depends upon the workers. In the same district radically different results are accomplished in different huts, according to the disposition, wisdom, and attitude of those in charge. Generalizations are always dangerous, but they are peculiarly dangerous in judging so large a work as the Y. M. C. A. are doing on both sides of the water. From different workers we get very differ ent accounts of the attitude of the men in the trenches. Some tell us that the war is making men more religious; others tell us just the contrary, that it is hardening men and making them more careless in their conduct. Which is the truth? Both are true. One is true in some places, the other is true in other places. We read last night a letter from a young man with whom we have a slight acquaintance, written to his mother from the battlefield. In this letter he des:ribes his experiences lying flat on the ground at night when the enemy airr planes were flying over, looking for a target. He says: “ Another most exquisite sensation is to be creeping stealthily along in the blackness and suddenly see the night directly in one’s vicinity become illumined as
THE KI NG' S BUS I NESS 1029 by a big arc light. Of course, this is Fritz dropping an illuminant from his air plane. It falls to within about 100 feet of the ground and there hangs, suspended in the air while it burns away. This burning may last two minutes. This guess is, I think, about correct. But if, perchance, you are directly under the light, prone upon your face, not a muscle moving, in constant anticipation of the falling bomb, why then you will swear upon faith that the miserable things burned through eternity. Then is when the cold dew of perspiration stands in beads upon the forehead and the nervous system undergoes supreme test. Above, not high, you hear the hum of the Hun motor. Like a giant bee he is looking with strained eyes into the circle of light— looking for a target for his bombs. Will he see us? Every tense nerve answers yes. But he doesn’t! Blessed be the Saviour of men! Heinie, too, is mortal and we, blending with the earth, escape his gaze. “ I have had this experience twice, so the description is original. The lieu tenant who was with me the second time whispered, ‘Pray.’ I did pray for the lights to go out. Frankly, I think the lieutenant was the most scared of the two.” Further on in the letter he says: “ This war will— no doubt about this—make better men of us all. How often I have heard such expressions as: ‘If I ever get cut of this, I will seek some quiet home and work in gratitude and virtue, in the fear of God, the remainder of my days.” Of course this is not verbatim, but it is what they mean. And they do mean it. Never was sincerity more sincere.” But on the other hand one hears from other sources just the opposite account of the hardening effect of war, how men become desperate and care not for God or Christ or heaven or hell. Doubtless many who were not profane before have become profane through the war. The physically injurious, mentally weakening and morally debasing cigarette has been almost forced by the unprincipled tobacco trust working through foolish Y. M. C, A. secretaries, weak kneed preachers and silly women on young men who never used them before. But take it all in all, on vast numbers of men the war has had a sobering effect; it has shown them the folly of frivolity; it has set men to thinking about God and eternity who never thought much on these subjects before, and thousands upon thousands of men through the work of the Y. M. C, A., the Chaplains, the Salvation Army, and individual Christians, have been led to an intelligent, definite acceptance of Jesus Christ, and many others who were professed Christians but who did not much work at it have become active soul winners. But the war has certainly exposed the folly of that type of preachers who seek to play to the galleries and are simply seeking to amuse men and win applause. In such days as these what men. want is reality. They want the real thing. S H A L L W E P R A T or SKall We Concentrate? Red Cross chapters throughout the United States decided that on October 23rd they would observe “ the silent moment” at the noon hour, when for “ one minute” according to the resolution adopted by the War Council of the organiza tion, they would pray for all workers and soldiers and sailoYs. Orie daily paper puts it, and possibly it is the way the resolution was passed, though we thin?* not, “ All workers will concentrate their minds on the soldiers and sailors over seas, with hope of victory, and good wishes for their welfare.” As the paper M which we read this is notably of Christian Science tendency, the proprietor o|4he paper being a very enthusiastic Christian Scientist, it may be that this way of putting it is peculiar to this paper, though the item was headed, “ By Associated Press.” But there is a widespread tendency today, even in circles where one w#uld not expect it, to think that the value of prayer lies in the subjective influence of the prayer and in the power of concentrating the human thought o f many on thj object desired. One hears the word “ concentrate” used by Christian Scientists and New Thought people and all that ilk until one is thoroughly nauseated. Oft course, there is power in one’s individual study in concentrating one’s thought» upon the subject that one is studying, shutting out everything else, but the attempting to bring things to pass by a large number of people concentrating thei^ thoughts upon that thing, and the disposition to substitute this for prayer to GoijyAlmig'hty,
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THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS the God of the Bible, the God who does things in answer to prayer, is most con summate folly. Certainly a prayer season at the noon hour is a good thing. The church of which the writer is the pastor has rung its chimes (the only chimes in the city) at the noon hour to summon people to. prayer for many months, and we have reason to believe that much has been accomplished by these noontime prayers, but why will men and women, having gone to God in their extremity, and God having heard their cries, seek to rob God of the glory which is His’ due’ and attribute to the concentration of human minds what is only due to the grace” of God acting in answer to the prayers of His people. This old world will if it can cheat God every time of the glory that belongs to Him. "With the January 1919 number of The King’s Business there will be several changes in the paper. Dr. Torrey will retire from his position as Editor in Chief. The pressure of his work has become so great in various directions that.he has not the time that he thinks the Editor in Chief ought to give to a careful consideration of the details of the paper. He will still continue as a contributing editor and sermons, lectures and articles will appear from time to time. He will not, how ever, contribute the Daily Devotional Studies, but these will continue through the month of January in order to complete the Epistles to the Thessalonians. There will also be some minor changes in other departments. The general policy of the magazine however, will continue as heretofore, and, of course, the magazine will stand as heretofore for the great fundamentals of the faith, and will “ con tend” as “ earnestly” as ever “ for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
THE KAISER AND LINCOLN A letter written by the Kaiser to a German woman who has lost nine sons in the war is now going the rounds of the European press. It is particularly interesting to Americans because of its sharp contrast to the famous letter of President Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby dur ing the American Civil War. The Kaiser’s Letter Majesty the Kaiser hears that y f i have sacrificed nine sons in defense M m the Fatherland in the present war. His Majesty '& immensely gratified at thft fact, and |n recognition is pleased toBsenci you his photograph, with frame and autograph signature.” (Frau Mffl8g, who received the letter has now .ioiujjd the street beggars in Dejmeri^ors-Oldenburg, to get a living.) \ Lincoln’s Letter “Dear Madam: I have been shown in the files ’e fth eW a r Department a state- men( offthe Adjutant General of Mass achusetts’' that you are the mother of five son£ who have died gloriously on the field' of battle. I feel how weak and be any words of mine which p.hould [ attempt to beguile you from* the grief of a loss so overwhelm
ing. But I cannot refrain from tender ing to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement and leave you only the cherishing memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of free dom.” WILSON AND MISSIONARIES President Wilson, in expressing his opinion concerning God’s work abroad during the present war times, has spoken the following words: “ It would be a misfortune of lasting consequence if the missionary program of the world should be interrupted. That the work should be continued seems to me a cap ital necessity. I hope there may be no recession or slackening of any kind.” This is true statesmanship on the Pres ident’s part and his word should go far to constrain us to new endeavor in carrying the message of peace to the uttermost parts of the earth.
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R e a l lv Remarkable Remarks 1 SE LE C T ED S E N T E N C E S FROM M A N Y
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After all, Christmas living is better than Christmas giving. The best Christmas gift to have is the glory of the incarnation, the peace of His Kingship and the grace of His salvation. Christmas commemorates not only the birth of Jesus but the incarnation of the Eternal Word of God. Let us rejoice that Christ was born into the world, but let us not forget that He came to die and not to live. It was not the death of Christ that brought God’s love into the world. It was God’s love that sent Christ into the world to die. The works of some professing Chris tians are like the decorations of the Christmas tree— only tied on. Christ was born amid the music of heaven. It must never be forgotten ,■that when Christianity has entered into the heart, a new song has been put into the mouth of the believer. Jesus Christ is the only man known in history who was born with specific refer ence to the sins of the human family. “ He shall save His people from their sins.” Christmas comes enthroning Him who is mighty, not to destroy, but to save. The old world crowds about the. cradle of Christ, but curses at His Cross—make merry at the manger, but mock at the cross. Christmas is embarrassing, because while it is always pleasant to be gener ous, it is vexatious to have to pay debts. It is worth while to remember that Christmas is the birthday of a man who never gave the world a dollar. Christmas is the day when everybody seems to be better than they really are.
Though Christ were born a thousand times in Bethlehem, and not in thee, thou remainest nevertheless, eternally lost. The incarnation of Christ is more than a speaking of God to man, for He had done that before. There was a longing for a clearer and more tangible voice, and in Christ, God is speaking not only TO but IN humanity. Jesus touches man as creature at the ■ cradle. He reaches man as sinner at the cross. The communion table is more to God than the Christmas table. Many will take God’s gifts, but will have none of His grace. They will join in the joy of the cradle, but deny the judgment of the cross. It is fitting to Celebrate the birth of Christ because it seems that all He did and was, was gathered up into that criti-# cal moment when His life first was present as a true, real fact among the lives of men. Jesus was born to do what others could not do, namely to take away sin, hence His name was Jesus. The birth of Christ not only brings God down to man, but raises man up to God. The world looks upon the birth of Christ as a step in “ evolution’’, and upon Christ as the product of human progress. The believer looks at Him • as the One who came, not to pay a compliment to humanity, but to give His life a ransom and save His people from their sins. Not the birth of Christ, but His death as a ransom and His resurrection for the believer’s justification, are the events the Bible commands us to com memorate “ until He comes.”
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who was a deceiver. John 7:12. Those who deny it therefore take their stand with those who crucified Him for they did it because of His claim to equality with the Father. 5. If He was not miraculously born, then must He not have had a sinful nature in Him, and would He not Him self need a Savior? John 3:6 Rom. 3: 23. If He Himself needed a Savior, then He could not become a Savior to the whole world. If He was not sinless (Heb. 4:15; 7:26) His sacrifice on the cross as our Substitute counts for nothing. 6. If He was not miraculously born, then was He ever supernaturally raised from the dead? If He was a mere man, out goes the resurrection, our faith is vain, we are yet in our sins, there is no evidence of life beyond the grave. But the resurrection is amply proven by the facts. The world stands still one day in seven. Some thing stupendous must have happened that a Jewish Sabbath, observed for hundreds of years, should have1been ♦set aside in honor of the day the Lord of Glory came forth from the tomb, thus declaring Himself the “ Son of God with power.” Rom. 1:3-4. Could one so live and work and teach and die and rise again and move the world for two thousand years if he was not of divine ORIGIN? 7. If He was not miraculously con ceived, then is it not the worst of idolatry, of which the world’s greatest and most Godly men have been guilty, to worship and to pray “ in His name” 'and even to pray to Him? See 1 Tim. 3:16. But if He was “ God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, received up into glory,” then all is dif ferent. Does it matter whether or not one believe in the -virgin birth? To what port are we led if we do not believe it? —K. L. B.
QTkeVirginBirtk of Christ A physician said to us “ It is not at all essential whether Christ was born of a virgin or not.” There are many these days who apparently do not see the necessity of emphasizing this point of Scripture teaching. But let us see! 1. If Jesus was not born of a vir gin, conceived of the Spirit, what about the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament which announced the Saviour’s coming into the world in this manner? (Isa. 7:14. Cf. Matt. 1: 18- 25; Lk. 1:26-35) Then, either prophecy failed in fulfillment or Jesus was not the promised Savior. 2. If He was not miraculously con ceived, then what about the character of His mother, Mary, and what of His own reputation and influence? Matt. 1: 19- 20. Was Mary a fallen woman? Was Jesus an illegitimate child ^ If He was not conceived of the Spirit, then His life is thrown under the shadow of a suspicion and we are led to wonder how He could have been considered the head of a religion so stupendous as Christianity. 3. If He was not miraculously horn, then what of the value of His sacrifice oh Calvary and how dare a single per son look to Him for the forgiveness of their sins? Matt. 1:21; Heb. 9:14-15. If He was mere man, horn like all other men, then to teach the forgiveness of sins by believing on Him is blasphemy and those who have trusted Him throughout the centuries were deluded fools. 4. If He was not miraculously born, then did he not rob God of glory which is exclusively His? John 5:23-27. He demanded worship on the ground of His identification with the Father. If one deny His virgin birth, he should then be put in the same class with the devil,
A T IM E L Y M E SS A G E G IV EN A T T H E FA LL BIBLE C O N F E R E N C E OF TH E BIBLE IN S T IT U T E OF LO S A N G E L E S
Bÿ Rev. J. G . K E N N E D Y , D . D. of Santa Ana, California
I HATE war. I love peace. I have preached peace as the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. I have denounced war as the outcroppings of the horrors of hell. Yet I find myself in sympathy with war, supporting war, praying for success in war, rejoicing in victories that leave the fields covered with count less thousands of dead men. Yea, I almost forget to pray for millions of my fellow sinners because they are arrayed against us in war. Many other Chris tians aré in the same uncomfortable situation. Men are killing their fel low men who could scarce bear to take the life of a chicken. Godly women are distressed over the calling of their loved ones to the business of shedding human blood. Have we lost our Christianity? Have .we gotten out of harmony with the meek and lowly Jesus who lived a life of non-resistance and taught the gospel of forgiveness and love, even toward enemies? Can we be followers of Jesus and deliberately go to war in order that we may kill those for whom Christ died? Many good people think not, and refuse to go to war. What should be our attitude, as servants of God, toward this war? Some Things to Remember 1. God, who gives life and sustains it according to His good pleasure, has a right to terminate it when and how He will, whether by sickness, accidents, calamities, through the forces of nature, or at the hands of constituted govern ment. Job’s losses came some of them by the sword of enemies; some by fire
from heaven; some by a great wind from the wilderness; all of them thru the agency of Satan; yet he said, “ Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away, blessed be the name of Jehovah.” Job. 1:1-21. 2. God is unchangeable in His char acter. “ The same yesterday, today, and forever.” “ He is infinite and unchange able in His being wisdom, power, holi ness, justice, goodness, love and truth.” The same God that smote Sodom with fire, Egypt in the Red Sea, the Canaanites with the sword, and Israel at the hands of her enemies, “ Gave His only begotten. Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” He loved men just as much when He executed judgments upon them because of sin as He did when He provided them a Savior from sin. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, “ equal in power and glory,” were as fully in accord in meting out penalties to evil doers as in ministering mercy to penitents. 3. Christ Jesus should be known by all that is written of Him in the Word of God; not merely by what is found in the Gospels. Men are urged to “ Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish froni the way when His wrath is kindled but a little.”— Ps. 2:12. Men are pictured crying to the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them “ From the wrath of the Lamb.”—Rev. 6:16. Think of the doom which Jesus pro-
1034 nounced upon Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum (Matt. 11:20-28). Jesus declared, “ It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.” Yea, He included Sodom herself as less guilty than the cities that rejected Him and His messages. In the synagogue, on the Sabbath day, He “ Looked round about on them with anger” (Mark 3 :5). His hand wielded the scourge of cords upon the temple desecrators (John 2:15). His lips framed the sentence, “ Depart from Me, ye-cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). The Jesus of the'Bible is the righteous King and just Judge as well as the loving Savior of those who believe on Him. 4. The Christ of the New Testament was the Jehovah of the' Old Testament. To satisfy yourself on this read Psalms 20 to 24 inclusive. Now read your Old Testaments with the word Jehovah restored to its proper place, “ Jehovah will swallow them up in His wrath” (Ps. 20:9), “ Jehovah mighty in battle” (Ps. 24:8). God has always dealt with man thru the second person of the Trinity. 5. God’s will for men is equally authoritative whether revealed by His providences, His prophets, His Son, or His disciples. It is not the messenger but the message that is to be received as authoritative. 6. Our attitude toward war should be that of God, the Father, Son and Spirit, as revealed in His whole Word and not merely His attitude as shown in a small part of His written Word. God’s Attitude Toward War 1. God hates war. “ Him that loveth violence. His soul hateth.” (Ps. 11:5). “ Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty.” (Ps. 5 :6). When “ The earth was filled with violence” God destroyed it with a flood. God’s anger burned in unquench able fury against Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon and Moab because of their heartless cruelty in war. Read the
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS first and second chapters of Amos, “ For three trangressions, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof.” David, the man of war, could not bb allowed to build a temple for the wor ship of Jehovah (1 Chr. 22:8). War has absolutely no place in any of the pictures given of the coming millennium under the .rule of the Prince of Peace. If then we hate war we are in accord with God who hates it as one of the violent fruits of sin. 2. God has commanded war. Moses was commanded to wage war on Midian, “ To execute Jehovah’s vengeance on Midian.” (Num. 31:1-3). Joshua was sent on a war of extermination against all the nations in Canaan and Jehovah gave directions as to the plan of cam paign. Jehovah sent Deborah and Gideon, and Jephtha, and Samuel into wars by explicit command. David was commissioned to wage war upon the Philistines and was given the sign of the moving of the mulberry trees by which to time his attack. Read any of the historical books of the Bible and you will soon find that Jehovah often made use of war in His dealings with nations. Deuteronomy is full of promises of help for God’s people when they are thrust into war. Could God have commanded the United States more imperatively to get into the present war than He has done? Did He nob literally thrust us into it against our- will with no material gain to be reaped and with appalling sac rifices in money and in precious blood in full view? Has He not in a marvel ous way brot the whole nation into a unity of purpose and clearness of vision regarding His will and our duty in this world crisis? 3. God expects His people to fight when He orders war. Read Judges 5:23: “ Curse ye Meroz, saith the angel of Jehovah, “ Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof;
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“ Because they came not to the help of Jehovah, “ To the help of Jehovah against the mighty.” Try this statement from Psalm 78: (9) “ The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows. “ Turned back in the day of battle. (60) “ So He forsook the tabernacle of Shilo, (61) “ And delivered his strength into captivity. “And his glory into the adversary’s hand. (67) “ Moreover He refused the tent of Joseph, “ And chose not the tribe of Ephr aim.” Saul lost his kingdom for failure to exterminate the Amalekites when God had commanded him to do so. His excuse of saving goods for sacrifice availed him nothing. When God com mands judgment executed He will not be appeased by partial performance (1 Sam. 15:3-23). Israel failed to carry out God’s program of destruction upon the Canaanite nations, whose cup of iniquity was full, and she suffered for it throughout all her after history (Judges 1:27-34). Since God must needs'send the fire of war to devour utterly Damascus because of her. cruel instruments of war; Gaza for carrying away whole peoples into captivity; Tyre for breaking brotherly covenants; Edom for casting off all pity; and Ammon for ripping up women with child, (Amos 1:3-14), woe be to us if we fail Him in visiting His wrath upon nations that have surpassed in all these barbaric cruelties those ancient nations. Not until the crime against God and humanity shall have been expiated and restoration made for wanton destruction and the atheistic philosophy which lies back of it all be discredited can the sword of God’s vengeance be safely sheathed. Not until the God of justice shall say, “ It is
enough,” shall the allied armies be brot home. 4. God punished national sins by wars. His instruments of judgment have usually been the forces, of nature, pestilence, famine and war. The sins of individuals may be punished in the next life. The sins of nations must be pun ished, if at all, while they are on the earth. If God is just He must punish the guilt of nations as surely as He does the guilt of individuals. In all those wars of the past,, of which we have an inspired record, the history is written from God’s viewpoint and the guilt which caused God to send the war is emphasized. In the case of many of these nations they had filled up the full measure of their guilt and God sent other nations against them to remove them from the face of the earth by wa’r. In the case of the Israelites, war was sent to chasten them, bring them to repentance and reform, that they might be forgiven and be restored to God’s favor. “When He slew them, then they inquired after EÇim; “ And they returned and sought God earnestly” (Ps. 78:34). This chastening of the better nations, by those that are worse, for their recov ery from national sin helps to the understanding of the bitter experience they are often called upon to endure. England’s drunkenness, Prance’s athe ism, Russia’s persecution of the Jews, Belgium’s guilt on the Congo, and thé spreading of materialism and disregard of God and His Word in the United States furnish sufficient grounds for national punishment, even when being used to punish greater transgressors. Lowell had some such viewpoint when he wrote in The Present Crisis: “ Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne; Yet that scaffold sways the future And behind the dim unknown
THE KI NG' S BUS I NESS He has so clearly and persistently taught in His Word and emphasized by the life, teachings and death of His Son? German philosophy is as danger ous for the world now as was Canaan- itish idolatry in the days of Joshua and woe be to us and our allies if we stop short of its complete annihilation. As Israel suffered for her failure to act as God’s avengers to the full measure of His desires so will we and the world suffer thru the centuries if we stop in the conflict until God’s appointed task is done. And now you are ready to ask about the non-resistant life and teachings of Jesus. God’s Prince of Peace 1. God sent His Son preaching the gospel of peace and good will. The king dom of God was at hand. John the Baptist proclaimed it. Jesus proclaimed it. He sent His disciples to proclaim it. He announced its laws in the Ser mon on the Mount. He lived in accordance with the laws of that kingdom. But men would not have it so. They refused the kingdom; they crucified the King. They would have none of His laws and despised His life of lowliness and meekness, of gen tleness and forgiveness. From that time the kingdom waits for its establish ment, and we are taught to pray, “ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” As followers of Jesus we have in the Gospels our instructions, pattern and guide for individual life in the sinful world. With the most non-resistant thing Jesus said or did Paul was in full accord, in Rom. 12:24-21, as bidding upon the individual Christian in his private life. But as citizens we become a part of God’s instrument for the min istration of righteous judgment against, evil doers whether they act singly, or in mobs, or in organized governments, and must not fail Him when He wishes to use us.
1036 Standeth God, within the shadow, Keeping watch above His own.” • 5. God has ordained governments to execute His vengeance on evil doers, (Rom. 13:1-7). In the twelfth chapter the individual Christian is exhorted to bless those that persecute them, to avenge not themselves, to give food and water to their enemies. “ Vengeance helongeth unto Me. I will recompense, saith the Lord.” Then follows. “ The powers that be are ordained of God.” “ If thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is a minister of God, an avenger of wrath to him that doeth evil.” Since vengeance helongeth to God He may minister it thru whatsoever agent He may deem wise. Civil Government is here expressly charged with this mis sion of avenging wrath on evil doers. We all recognize the fact that a nation that does not avenge speedily and adequately wrongs of every sort within its own borders has failed of its God-given mission and has no longer any excuse for existence. If a nation be God’s instrument for the ministra tion of justice within its own borders, who will argue that the God of all the nations of the earth may not use one nation to execute His judgments upon another? As citizens of the govern ment we become an integral part of God’s instrument of vengeance on evil doers. We are bound to come to the help of our government in the arresting of individual wrong doers, in the dis persing of mobs or in the upholding of justice and the ministering of judgment as our government may be called upon by the God of, all nations to act on His behalf. Now, has not God called upon our nation to avenge, on His behalf, the deluging of His world with innocent blood; the attempt to fill the world with the philosophy of the survival of the fit test measured by the brutal standard of might; the nullifying of all those prin ciples of justice, mercy and love which
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS 2. God has promised a time when there shall be no more war. “ In His days shall the righteous 'flourish, And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more.”— Ps. 72:7. “ They shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”—Micah. 4:3. “ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.” — Isa. 6:9. When will this glad day come? Not when this war is won and the wise men of the world agree on terms which they think will insure peace for centuries. Lasting peace can never be secured by the covenants of sinful men and covetous nations. When will this world peace be enjoyed? When the King of Peace cometh. He will come just as He said, “ This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24:14). He was not talking of the end of the world but He was giving an answer to the disciples’ question as to “ The sign of Thy coming and of the consummation of the age.” (Matt. 24: 3). Would you save the world another such war? Then hasten the coming of the King, who will rule in righteous ness and peace, by sending the gospel to the last man and woman in the earth. Multiplied contributions of workers and money and prayers to missions now and after the war will prevent our posterity from drinking another just such a bloody mixture from the cup of God’s wrath against apostate nations. GOD GRANT IT! “ God grant our brave troops may win the reward they deserve!” says the kaiser. Nobody could wish them any worse luck.
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GREATEST SPIRITUAL MOVEMENT What is the greatest spiritual move ment of the century? I speak from the deepest conviction. The Modern Bible Conference, and the Bible and Missionary Training School. The first is a short course in Scrip ture; the second, a more complete training in the same. In them God has flung His lines of defense from sea to sea; the destructive criticism— the enemy that has come in like a flood— is finding the Bible Conference and the Bible School capable of both stubborn and successful resistance. The Conferences and Schools are not the exponents of science, not the special advocates of philosophy, not the instruc tors in history. It is an age of spec ializing, and they have deliberately chosen to specialize in the knowledge of God’s Word. Ours is a great gospel! The people that best proclaim it are marked for progress; and those who most deny it are destined to perish.—Dr. W. B. Riley. ¡ 1 BIGGEST TOBACCO BUYER The following astounding statement appeared in a daily paper several days ago, and thousands of “ war workers” will ask, “ Can it be true?” We quote: “ The Y. M. C. A. has become the larg est customer of tobacco dealers. A sin gle order was recently made for 1,337 tons of tobacco of various sorts. At one time, for instance, the ‘Y’ buys 600 tons of cigarettes, 300 tons of chewing tobacco and 312 tons of smoking tobacco.” & TRUE AND TOLERANT- Let us be faithful but not factious, at once true and tolerant— true to first principles and tolerant towards per sonal opinions on secondary questions. —-U. M. McGuire.
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