What is a Presbyterian? An answer to Looh magazine see page 11
f 1 BUSINESS
MAY 25c
In the mountains 9 a quiet place of prayer see page 16
t& H ,
JOIN THE
BIBLE STUDY
TO HAWAII A 1 1 V Ik. 15 Days %jf Christian fellowship and Bible SUidyi combined with Rest and Recreatioir'm
Leave Los Angeles Airport via United Airlines Jan. 12, 1955
mrn«the Paradise of the Pacific. « • J i TIMi Your Hosts
in the luxurious Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach
Some of America's outstand ing Bible scholars: • Dr. and Mrs. J. Lester Harhish, Temple Baptist Church, L.A. • Dr. and Mrs. J. Henry Hutchins, Lake Ave. Con gregational, Pasadena. • Dr. and Mrs. J. Vernon Mc Gee, Church of the Open Door, L.A. • Tour Conductors: Dr. and Mrs. James T . Martin.
Dr. J. Lester Harnish
q . by S.S. Lurline Kelurn *° Los Angeles Harbor Jan. 27, 1955
MUSIC LEADERSHIP Under the direction of Rev. & Mrs. Paul R. Acker
Five Guided Tours of the Island — Two Optional Inter-Island A ir Excursions. Conference Sessions each evening — V isits to Mission Stations — Hawai ian " L u a u ." 4Vz Days Aboard Pala tia l S.S. Lurline with finest food and sea travel.
Dr. J. Henry Hutchins
Cost
To avoid cutting this cover you may use coupon on Page 25
$373.25 (p lu s Tax $35) and up based on type of steamer cabin. All first class accommodations (only regular fares charged). All general expenses in clu d ed except for meals in the Islands. Reservation Must be made soon! Option is held for a limited sp a ce until .August 28. To assure the space you prefer, send coupon now.
Dr. James T. Martin, Pastor Chevy Chase Baptist Church 1209 E. Garfield, Glendale 5, Calif. Please send complete details regarding the Hawaiian Bible Study Cruise.
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Name .. Address City ....
Zone
State
You Can Help Send Your Pastor to
For a 2-week Bible Conference Cruise
Or Win One of these 24 Other Valuable Prizes for Your Church 1st prize is a free trip to Hawaii for pastor of winning church. Two full weeks next January when a vaca tion to sunny Hawaii is most appreci ated. Your pastor will not only enjoy a much needed rest but he will be part of a thrilling Bible conference (see ad on opposite page). 2nd prize is the same wonderful two-week Ha waii trip, one-half paid. 3rd to 5th prizes: free tuition for one full year ($225) at .the Bible Institute of Los Angeles for a young person from your church. 6th to 8th prizes: Pen- tron Tape Recorders ($188.50 each). These are the tape recorders so val ued by business-men and ministers. 9th to 11th prizes: Smith-Corona port able typewriters ($103.55 each). 12th and 13th prizes: Viewlex 35 mm. slide projectors ($96.55 each). 14th and 15th prizes: Radiant Champion 70 x 70 glass beaded projection screens ($46.95 each). 16th to 25th prizes: Exotic bouquets of flowers flown in from Hawaii for your church sanc tuary. (If winners are not on direct air route domestic flowers may be substituted).
T his is a magazine subscription contest with a two-fold purpose: 1) For your help and faithfulness you may make it possible for your church to get needed equipment or even send your pastor on a deserved vaca tion in the middle of next winter—or send a deserving young person to Bible school. 2) By furthering the Christian magazine ministry you will be having a definite part in this evangelical work for our Saviour. People are being saved while reading K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s . Others are being helped. Isn’t that the kind of ministry you can whole-heartedly support? We believe we can count on you to help us get the magazine into more homes. For complete details write to: Contest Editor, K i n g ’ s B u s in e s s magazine, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17. Sponsored by
Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. and the King's Business Magazine 558 South Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif.
MAY 1954
3
Revolt flares in East Berlin . . . angry mobs defy Russian machine guns with cobblestones . . . thousands daily flee the Communist terror to West Berlin . . . American food parcels —and Bibles too—are torn from the hungry, oppressed masses. Enmeshed in the tumult o f Berlin, island of freedom behind the Iron Curtain, Communist-minded Erika Reiner finally realizes that Christianity is the only answer! FILMED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE IRON CURTAIN!
EXCLUSIVE East Berlin film of the world-shaking June 17 riots. SMUGGLED PICTURES of Communist war-trained youth groups. GRIPPING DRAMA of today's mightiest conflict— COMMUNISM vs CHRISTIANITY.
¿6 a /tin t eve'ify fj&meticati b /iou /d bee / Churches Schools Civic Organizations Make your bookings now.
PROVIDENCE BIBLE INSTITUTE 100 State Street
Providence8, RhodeIsland
THE KING'S BUSINESS
O fficial publication of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc.
Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home
Vol. 45, No. 5
M A Y , 1954
Established 1910
chancellor LOUIS T. TALBOT editor S. H. SUTHERLAND managing editor LLOYD HAMILL copy editor ROSE HARDIE editorial assistant LUCY R. REDMOND advertising manager MILTON R. SUE circulation manager
ARTICLES WHAT IS A PRESBYTERIAN?— Answer to Look Magazine .............. 11 NOT IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES— Vance Havner .......................... 12 HOW ONE CHURCH BUILT A MISSIONS PROGRAM — Mildred M. Cook ................................................................ 14 > HENRIETTA'S HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS— Photo story .............. 16 DR. TALBOT— His African trip in photos ........................................... 30 VACATION WITH A PURPOSE— Summer conference schedule .... 34 FEATURES READER REACTION .................................................................................... 6 FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK .................................................................... ’ g UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF— Althea S. Miller .......................... 9 PEOPLE— A monthly column of names in the news .......................... 1 0 WORLD NEWSGRAMS— James O. Henry ............................................. 18 WORDS FROM THE WORD— Charles L. Feinberg ............................ 19 OUT OF THE LAB— Donald S. Robertson ........................................... 20 THEOLOGICALLY THINKING— Gerald B. Stanton ...............................21 BOOK REVIEWS— Donald G. Davis ............................................ 22 IN CHRIST IS LIFE— Looking Up ................................................... ” 23 PHILOSOPHY IN LIFE— Paul M. Aijian ............................................ 24 HYMNS YOU LOVE— Phil Kerr ............................................................. 25 JUNIOR KING'S BUSINESS— Martha S. Hooker ................................. 26 TALKING IT OVER— A psychologist answers— Clyde Narramore .... 28 THE SCOPE OF MISSIONS— Oran H. Smith ........................................ 29 BIOLA FAMILY CIRCLE .......................................................... ’ ’’ ’ ’’ 32 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX .............................. 33 ADVERTISERS' INDEX ............................................................................... 50 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION LOOKING AHEAD IN CHRISTIAN ED— Margaret Jacobsen ..... 40 YOUNG PEOPLE'S TOPICS— Chester J. Padgett ................................. 41 SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS— Homer A. Kent, Allison Arrowood .. 45 OBJECT LESSONS— Elmer L. Wilder .................................................... 48 COVER Perhaps the fondest memories of a Bible conference are those centered around some quiet spot of worship. It makes little difference if these quiet places of worship be in our cabin or under a giant tree or in a simple chapel. The beautiful little chapel on this month's cover is located high in the mountains of Southern California at the Forest Home conference center. For more on Bible conferences across the land see pages 16, 17, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. — Photo : Gladys Tippett.
STELLA KINTER business .manager J. RUSSELL ALLDER editorial board Paul M. Aijian • Donald G. Davis Charles L. Feinberg • James O. Henry Martha S. Hooker • Margaret Jacobsen Glenn F. O'Neal • Chester J. Padgett Donald S. Robertson • Oran H. Smith Gerald B. Stanton
SUBSCRIPTION IN FO RM ATION — "Th e King's Business" is published monthly: $2.50, one year; $1.25, six months;1 25 cents, single copy. Clubs o f three or more at special rates. W rite for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REM ITTAN CES — Payable in advance/ should be made by bank d raft, express, or post office money order payable to
"T h e King's Business." Date of expira tion will show plainly on outside of wrapper or cover o f m agazine. A D VERTISIN G—-For inform ation address the Advertising M anager, 558 South Hope Street/ Los Angeles 17, California. M ANUSCRIPTS— "Th e King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to m anuscripts m ailed 'to us for consideration.
Entered as second-class m atter November 7, 1933, at the Post O ffice of Los A n geles, California, under thé A c t of M arch 3, 1879. Acceptance for m ailing a t special rate of postage pro vid ed.for in the A ct o f February 28, 1925, em bodied in paragraph 4, section 538, 'P.L. and R ., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 1,3, 1938. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, C alifornia. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Californio.
HOW TO M AK E YOUR DOLLARS GO TW ICE A S FAR Invest them in American Bible Society Annuity Agreements, where they lead a double life of good:
THE AUTHOR WAS WRONG
Sirs: When I received the April issue I turned to page 45 and to my horror, found that two beautiful Christian poems were there, written as if by me! They certainly are not mine. I have used them, from time to time, in different Bible lessons here in San Francisco, but never once have I claimed them, or attempted to do sc. Yours, in a good deal of embarrass ment over the mistake in the maga zine . . . but with best wishes. San Francisco, Calif. Maria B. MacDonald Sirs: I noticed the poems in the April issue and to my surprise found that one of them was written by me. It is “ Gardens” from my book Wings and Sky. Wilmington, Calif. Martha Snell Nicholson W e’d like to blame it on spring fever or something . . . but we can’t! W e just made a mistake.- — ED. READS 1921 COPY Sirs: A good many years ago a Christian friend gave me several of your books called the K in g ’ s B u s in e s s . I am won dering if it is still published. I am addressing this to the address given in the May 1921 issue. I want to be a subscriber. Williamsport, Pa. Mrs. A. E. Herriman FROM PUERTO RICO Sirs: The K in g ’ s B u s in e s s ranks first in its kind. Each issue is a “ feast of fat things.” Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico Dr. J. F. Rodriguez Defenders Theological Seminary KINSEY AND THE CHRISTIAN Sirs: Please cancel our subscription. The thing that settled forever in my mind that K.B. was not for our family was Dr. Clyde Narramore’s article on the Kinsey report. That was one of the slimiest readings that could be put in a Christian magazine. That title! Santa Barbara, Calif. Christine Brown Maltbie Sirs: I have just read “ Kinsey and the Christian.” Dr. Narramore has done a superb, piece of work in his presen tation of the subject. Would it be possible to have several copies of this article for reference purposes for my students in a class in Family Re
The dollars you put into American / Bible Society Annuity Agreements do double duty. Invested for you in wisely selected, safe securities during your lifetime, they bring you a regular, generous, unchanging, guaranteed in come. You get a higher return and greater safety than you could probably procure for yourself and with none of the inconvenience, expense and worry of managing your own investments. After you are gone, your dollars live on, helping in the great work of translating the Scriptures into all languages, in cooperation with all de nominations. They are also distributed “ without note or comment” by native colporteurs and by missionaries, wher ever the need exists. Thanks to your part in this work, New Testaments are at all times avail able to chaplains for free distribution to spiritually hungry men and women in our country’s armed forces wherever they mhy be.
You can live in comfort with a clear conscience when your money is so worthily invested! In addition, you also receive certain income-tax exemptions. So don’t delay. Send for “ A Gift That Lives” which tells how you may both give and receive generously.
American Bible Society, 450 Park Avenue, New York 22, N. Y. Please send me, without obligation, your booklet KB-5 entitled “A Gift That Lives.”
Mail This Coupon Today Without Fail!
Name ...........................................................................................................
lations? Bryan Hill Dayton, Tenn.
Joseph T. Raffa
Dean of Men William Jennings Bryan University
Address .......................................................................................................
For Dr. Narramore’s monthly ques tion & answer column see page 28. —ED.
City ................................................. Zone ........... State. ...........................
6
THE KING'S BUSINESS
1 ci~iptni~e & y~ass A N I N T E R D E N O M I N A T I O N A L N O N - P R O F I T F O U N D A T I O N • 4 3 4 S O U T H W A B A S H , C H I C A G O 5, I L L . REVIVAL HITS ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES
NEW FLANNELGRAPH TEACHES MISSIONS
STUDY MATERIAL PAVES WAY TO NEW INTEREST
Answering a long felt need, the editorial division of Scripture Press this month an nounces the development of a new series of "Mission-graphs” — flannelboard stories to teach missions in the Sunday School. First title to be released is "Santo — Boy o f Argentina,” which tells in 10 exciting epi sodes how this Indian boy found Christ as his personal Saviour. Your local dealer will have "Santo” after May 15. This series of dramatic flannelboard sto ries is being developed from actual stories of missionaries and mission activities. It has been worked out in collaboration with missionaries and mission board execu tives, according to Mrs. Bernice T. Cory, head of the editorial division of Scripture Press. Other titles will be announced as they are developed. South Dakota — "I have been a teacher in public schools and I have found nothing that presents material to the child in a more interesting way than the Scripture Press ma terial, especially the Primary Teacher.” Pennsylvania— "I am now using the "Bible Knowledge” in my Adult class and like it very much. I have never found any thing that is such an aid to a teacher.” Indiana — "We like your lessons for Jun iors very much. My attendance and discipline have improved greatly since adopting them. We use the Gospel-graph and Table-top vis ual aids.” Revised Version Is your Sunday School material up- to-date with 1954 illustrations, pertinent for each age-level, new art, and challeng ing visual aids? Scripture Press lessons tell ' the old, old story” with an ever- new slant. Re-edited, newly typeset each quarter, they keep pace with the modern tempo, both in content and appearance. THE PEOPLE SPEAK
A virtual revival has been experienced in many adult Sunday School classes across the country in recent months. This deepened interest in spiritual growth has been noted in classes using the new course for Addlts developed by Scripture Press. Once-small attendances have boomed. Discouraged teachers have received new inspiration. Classes — both men’s and women’s— in churches of many different denominations have been stimulated to a deepened interest in the Bible and a growing desire to live more spiritual lives. A Methodist church .in Oklahoma had watched its Adult class dwindle in attend ance and interest. Someone introduced the "B ible Knowledge” Course of Scripture Press. Then things began to happen: Today the Adult class in this Church is one of the most active and;growing groups in the com munity. An Independent Bible church in Illinois had 'been unable to maintain interest in its Adult class. "Bible Knowledge” was intro duced and attendance increased by 50 per cent. o
Spark VBS With New Type Contest Something altogether new with which to build Vacation Bible School attend ance has been developed this year by Scripture Press— an attendance contest to last throughout the Vacation Bible School period. Available May 15th, the contest is entitled "G o d ’s Wonders.” The four-color chart (35 x 45 inches) displays a family camping scene, and progress in contest is shown by coloring sections o f the rainbow. Helpful publi city tips are included free with complete instructions on how to organize and conduct the contest.
A Baptist church had been unable to secure a teacher for its Adult class. When "Bible Knowledge” was introduced, a ca pable teacher was selected from a number of volunteers. Today the Adult class in this church is booming in interest and attention. THIS COUPON WILL BRING YOU THE COMPLETE STORY CLIP AND SEND TODAY!
I'm particularly interested in thefollowing: CRADLE ROLL__NURSERY_______, BEGINNER____, PRIMARY_____ JUNIOR_____ INTERMEDIATE (JR. HIGH)_____ SENIOR____ _ ADULT- ATTENDANCE CONTEST (GO D ’S WONDERS)— .
NAME____ ADDRESS- CITY______ CHURCH-
_( ) STATE.
Orderfrom your local dealer or
S C R I P T U R E P R E S S 434 South Vfaboth, Chicago 5, Illinois
OEPT. KBA-54
7
M A Y 1 9 5 4
fromthe editor’s desk
The Devil Tempts Me To Suicide “My dear unknown Friends: “ Good morning. It may seem strange to you that you are re ceiving this letter from me from a new address. Although I was not completely well, I was discharged from the sanitarium, as I had com pleted the allotted time of my stay. There are so many tubercular people waiting to get in that they only keep us for a certain time. The medicine you sent me at the sanitarium was forwarded to me, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for it. May God bless you for your work of mercy to me. “ Now may I ask you to complete it by sending me the new anti-biotic drug, Rimifon, so that I may have a combination treatment with strepto mycin and Rimifon. The doctor tells me I stand a very good chance of recovery with the help of these drugs. He also tells me to eat well, but how can I do that? I have no one to care for me, and must even go barefoot despite my condition. I wish I were strong enough to work, but my tuber cular condition will not permit. I do not know where to turn. Many times the devil tempts me to take my life and be done with it, but so far I have been given strength to resist him. You cannot imagine my despair. Only God knows what I am going through. When I get up in the morning hun gry, there is nothing to eat. I lack even my daily bread, and that of my dear little children. I just cannot continue to watch them suffer. I will have to close with love and leave it up to you to do whatever God leads you to do to relieve my agony. — Yiannoula (loan ) Tziaka.” “ Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psa. 41:1). At the offices of our Mission we re ceive hundreds of letters such as this. If we send this dear mother $5 she can buy 40 pounds of food. .The medi cine she so badly needs will cost $15. Above all, we should provide her with a Bible in modern Greek which is only $2. That which you would wish others to do to you, if you were in such" a plight, do to this dear suffer ing mother. Write to: American Mission to Greeks, Inc., 156 5th Ave., New York 10, N.Y., Rev. Spiros Zodhiates, Gen eral Secretary. (In Canada: 90 Duplex Ave., Toronto 12, Ont.)
Biola at Bit. Hermon T his year the family conference which is held annually at beautiful Mt. Hermon will begin the evening of Sunday, August 15 and close the morning of Sunday, August 22. Included in the week’s activity will be not only ample opportunity for physical refreshment and enjoy ment in this lovely setting, but also a program of spiritual nurture de signed to result in lasting soul-enrichment for all of the conferees. The staff will include Dr. Clyde Narramore, a Christian psychologist of na tional repute who has an unusual message in showing the power of the gospel to conquer besetting problems; and the following persons from the faculty and administration of the Bible Institute: Dr. Louis T. Talbot, chancellor; Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, president; and professors Chester Padgett, Earle Hulin, and Dean Nauman. Mr. A1 Sanders, radio director, will also be present to direct the network broadcasts which will originate from the grounds. There will be morning and afternoon classes and discussion periods featuring various staff members, and the evening series will include not only special music and the spoken word, but Dr. Talbot in person to pre sent the latest pictures taken during his world travels. This all adds up to one of the finest of the long series of B i o l a Mt. Hermon Conferences and the. school is looking forward to another happy week of association with its Christian friends from far and near. For reservations and infor mation write directly to Mt. Hermon Association, Mt. Hermon, Calif. Biola at Hume Lake O ne of the features of B i o l a ’ s summer conference schedule is the B i o l a Hume Lake Conference for Junior and Senior High young people. It will be held this year the week of June 26 to July 3. The theme of the conference is, “ A View of Life in 3-D.” The Reverend Dudley Girod, former president of the B i o l a Alumni Association, will serve as dean of the conference. A most capable staff of speakers and counsellors has been obtained. It is fully expected that this year the conference will be one of the best yet. Along with the spiritual emphasis, a well-rounded program of recreation will be provided* so that the week will be long remembered in the lives of all who attend. Hume Lake is located in the heart of the high Sierras. For information concerning this outstanding conference for young people, write to: Hume Lake Conference, 155 Van Ness, Fresno, Calif. Campus Caravan T he B i o l a Campus Caravan, composed of selected faculty and student members, will be touring Oregon and Washington during the first two weeks of the month of August and conducting half-week Bible conferences in 12 coast and inland cities. Features will include morning and afternoon classes, evening inspirational meetings, newly released Bible Institute films, and special music. In fanning out through the Northwest rather than confining its conference program to one or two localities it is the purpose of the Bible Institute to meet and minister to many of its friends who have previously been unable to participate due to distance or other difficulties. The three teams which make up the Caravan will be committed to the task of bringing the finest possible con ference schedule directly from the campus to these Christian people in scattered areas who have long known and appreciated the valuable work of the Bible Institute in its training of youth for Christian leadership. Watch for dates and locations which are soon to be announced.
8
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Scapegoat Kent had cut up some valued paper dolls of Dorotheann’s. His sister’s heart was broken when she saw the devastation. With Mother as judge the court convened. “ Kent, you know you were naughty to get Dorotheann’s paper dolls, don’t you?” “Yes ma’am, Mother.” “Why did you do it when you knew she would be very unhappy and the Lord Jesus would be grieved by your act of unkind ness?” ‘Well, — I, — I just was looking at them and Althea told me to cut them. She did, too,” the lad concluded in the half triumph of what he hoped would be a plaus ible excuse for his act. “ . . . the woman thou gavest me. . . ,” Mother thought with a sigh. (Genesis 3:12) “ But Althea is only 4 and you are 6. If she did tell you to cut them, which I seriously doubt, you knew better than to listen to her. She doesn’t realize what the dolls meant to Big Sister. You sinned when you listened to Satan’s voice, for he was the one who urged you to do this wrong. He is the source of all sin and wrong doing. “Don’t you think you owe Dorotheann an apology? Then we must confess the wrong to the Lord Jesus and ask His forgiveness.” A trembling voice said: “ I’m sorry, Dorotheann. I’ll ask Jesus to forgive me, too.” How precious the knowledge that Christ does forgive their .sins, whether great or small in our sight, as His children look to Him in confession. Yet Mother felt over whelmed with the realization that mankind is ever quick to blame another person or something for its sins. A defeated Christian who blames all else for his lack of vic tory over sin is God’s despair. “ Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). Whose delight are you?
(J3 io lu S u m m e r S c h o o l
Su 1 our acó • CULTS • EVANGELISM IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION • WORKSHOP IN
ONE W E EK 'S T R A IN IN G COURSE Especially for Vacation Bible School Eeaders! June 7-11 — features Scripture Press literature June 14-18 — features Gospel Light literature TW O COURSES OFFERED EACH W E E K : 8 :55 - 9 :4 5— DVBS Techniques Lecture and discussion presentation of such topics as Publicity, Daily Pro gram , M issionary Project, D iscipline, and Adm inistration. A course de signed especially for superintendents. 1 0 :1 5 - 12:00— DVBS Workshop Actual demonstration on departmen tal level with opportunity to practice storytelling, songs, construction and use of visual aids, handcraft, and cames. A program designed to give the individual teacher the help she needs for effective service. Charge: $1 .00 per course per week. 50c for care of child each day in the Nursery. Those interested in Christian Camp Counseling the week of July 5-9 are invited to write to the Summer School Registrar for further information. Applications must be in between May 1 and June 1 as attendance may be limited.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
• DOCTRINE • ENGLISH GRAMMAR • FRESHMAN COMPOSITION • ENGLISH LITERATURE • GENERAL BIBLICAL INTRODUCTION • ANALYSIS I: THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES • ANALYSIS II: THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS • EXPOSITION OF HEBREWS • LIBRARY SCIENCE • INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC • SONG LEADING • READINGS IN HELLENISTIC GREEK • INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY • HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY • PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION • GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY • MENTAL HYGIENE • ANTHROPOLOGY • SURVEY OF AMERICAN HISTORY • THE HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION • CONDUCTING • PIANO CLASS • READINGS IN NEW TESTAMENT GREEK
Veterans note: Veterans who were separated from service on or before August 20, 1952 must have started their schooling on or before August 20, 1954.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION WRITE: Director of Admissions 55.8 South Hope Street Los Angeles 17, California
• ELEMENTARY SPANISH
MAY 1954
9
BIBLE FACTS PLAINLY EXPLAINED on T H E R A D IO B IB LE CLASS PROGRAM ^
The Longest Aisle " I# it W o r t h the P r i c e ? " It was a long aisle. It led not only from my seat to the front of the church, but it led from Judaism to Christianity, over the campus of a university, by way of the American Messianic Fellowship. At the university my questions as to what life is had not been answered. I had not found satisfaction in the world, and I longed for peace and joy. Attending a lecture on Palestine at the Jewish People’s Institute, I met a young man, who I learned later had been saved only a week before. He asked me, just as an experiment, to meet him the next Sunday afternoon at 816 Independence Blvd.; but he did not tell me it was a mission. I was there. Sunday after Sunday I was present, and I argued with every one who would listen before and after the “ Home Hour Fellowship,” but there was one thing I could not under stand, and that was the peace and joy that was evident in the testimonies of Christians, both Jewish and Gentile. They were happy, and I became envious of them. My heart began to respond, but my intellect was rebelling. One Sunday afternoon, Mr. Constable of the Moody Bible Institute was the , speaker at the Fellowship. Through him the Lord not only spoke to my heart but showed me that faith could also satisfy the intellect. And so I went to church, prepared to accept Jesus as my Messiah and Sav iour, not publicly, but as a silent be liever, as many of us Jewish people do. We remain silent because the cost of salvation is very high if one is a Jew. He -sometimes loses all his friends, his family, and his business; and the ques tion is always: "Is what you are buying worth the price?” I rejoice that I came to Jesus, and no longer do I want to keep silent, for I have found in Him joy and peace. I no longer fear death, and not fearing death, I do not fear life. And so I now acknowledge that I am a true believer. Condensed from a testimony stenographically reported at the 66th Anniversary Meeting of the American Messianic Fellowship, October 29th, 1953 at the Cicero Bible Church. Send for 96-page handbook, chock full of aids for "Witnessing to Jews," cloth- bound at $ 1 . For free sample of A.M.F. Monthly magazine, and samples of specially pre pared tracts write today to Milton B. Lindberg, Gen. Director Dept. KB m eA ica/E - fMESSIANIC FELLOWSHIP Formerly Chicago Hebrew Mission 818 Independence Blvd., Chicago 24, III.
« à
A monthly column of names in the news.
Dr. Bob Pierce, globe-trotting mis sionary ambassador (World Vision, This Gathering Storm), a fortnight ago underwent a major liver opera tion as a result of amoebic infection picked up on his latest trip to Korea. Pierce, who has offices in Portland, Ore., Brantford, Ontario and Holly wood, was forced to cancel his ap pearance at a mass meeting in Los Angeles a few days before the opera tion. At the meeting was Chaplain Harold Voelkel and Dr. You Chan Yang, Korean Ambassador to America who flew in from Washington, D.C. Dr. Yang expressed th e ' thanks of his Korean people for the money Ameri cans had given through the Pierce organization for Korean orphan work. Pierce is reported to be turning over $10,000 to Chaplain Voelkel for his prisoner of war seminary work in Korea. Another globe-trotting missionary ambassador this month was winding up an around-the-world tour of mis sion stations. He is Dr. Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. For a first-hand pic torial report see pages 30, 31. Billy Graham's London crusade was still feeling the blessing of God this month. At the close of the fourth week, representing 24 days of meetings, the total attendance at Harringay was 386,900. This figure did not take into account the additional thousands who have been reached in special meet ings during each day, conducted by team members in centers throughout the greater London area. During the four weeks at Harringay, 8,880 per sons have recorded their decisions for Christ and have been enrolled in the follow-up plan of the crusade. Writing in Look magazine recently Dr. John Sutherland Bonnell noted that Presbyterians did not believe in the bodily resurrection, they did not be lieve in a material heaven or hell, they did not believe in the verbal in spiration of the Scripture and they did not take the account of the virgin birth as always having a physical meaning. For more on Bonnell’s out spoken assertions see page 11.
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10
THE KING'S BUSINESS
---------- An Answer to Look M agazine ---------- and Dr. «föhn Sutherland Donnell on What Is a Presbyterian?
Now for an answer. It can be categor ically stated that most Presbyterians do not believe as Bonnell states they do on these four major points. The best answer to Look and Bonnell is the copyrighted state ment of the "Reformed Faith,” published by authority of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. These are the exact words of this statement. On the verbal inspiration of Scripture: "W e gratefully receive the Holy Scriptures, given by in spiration, to be the faithful record of God’s gracious revelations and the sure witness to Christ, as the Word of God, the only in fallible rule of faith and life (article I I ) .” On the bodily resurrection: "W e believe that in the life to come, the spirits of the just, at death made free from sin, enjoy immediate communion with God and the vision of His glory; and we confidently look for the general resurrection in the last day, when the bodies of those who sleep in Christ shall be fashioned in the likeness of the glorious body of their Lord, with whom they shall live and reign forever (article X I I ) .” On the virgin birth: "W e believe in and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, who, being the Eternal Son of God, for us men and for our salvation became truly man, being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. . . (article V I I I ) .” On a material heaven and hell: The idea of a physical resurrection demands a physical abiding place (see above). It would seem to us these official state ments of the Presbyterian Church speak with a far greater authority than does the
A n March 15 Look magazine published a I I four-page article entitled, “What is a Presbyterian?” The article was produced by Leo Rosten and written by Dr. John Sutherland Bonnell, minister of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York, and a visiting lecturer at Princeton Theo logical Seminary for 16 years. In answering this article, we are not mak ing any special defense of one denomina tion. W e are answering the article simply because it seems to us the facts are so gross ly misrepresented that the cause of evan gelical Christianity has been dealt a blow. While Bonnell is in no way the spokesman for the Presbyterian Church, the article would lead one to believe that he were. There are four points that are particularly damaging. They are: 1) The denial of the verbal inspiration of the Bible. 2) The denial of the bodily resurrection. 3) Hedg ing on the virgin birth. 4) Denial of a material heaven and hell. Here are Bonnell’s own words. On the verbal inspiration of Scripture: “ They [Presbyterians], therefore, emphasize in spired men, not inspired words.” On the bodily resurrection: "W ith few exceptions, Presbyterians do not interpret the phrase in the Apostles’ Creed, 'the resurrection of the body,’ as meaning the physical body.” On the virgin birth: "Some find a sym bolic, rather than a physical meaning in the account of the birth of Jesus.” On a material heaven and hell: "Most Presby terians do not believe in a material heaven or hell.” O f course, these quotes are taken out of context but we do not believe that any violence has been done to Bonnell’s thesis.
•
— Lloyd Hamill.
Rev. Mr. Bonnell.
M A Y 1 9 5 4
No believer is free from the temptations of Satan. Here is a down-to-earth warning that every child of God w ill find profitable for his da ily wa lk
By Vance Havner no reason why two cannot walk to gether though they be not agreed. Much has been made of the sins of fighting Bible-believers. We readily agree that many blunders and errors and often grievous sins have marred our testimony. Many contenders have become contentious and sins of the spirit have spoiled more than one defense of the truth. But just here Satan sneaks in with one of his art ful devices. He raises such a howl over the failures of individual saints here and there that we lose sight of the issue for which they stood. These occasional mistakes in the heat of bat tle should not make us forget the cause for which they fought. Every great issue in history has been at times poorly represented by its most ardent champions and Satan would stir up such a dust over one molehill that we cannot see a whole mountain of truth. Sound doctrine is as important as it ever was and it will be a sad day when Satan, by magnifying the faults of a few, or by any other device, lures us into a pleasant amiability that mistakes stretching its conscience for broadening its mind. “ Tolerance” is the devil’s pet word in this field today but the man who tolerates error soon endorses it. “ The fear of the Lord is to hate evil” — not tolerate it, and that means evil doctrine as well as evil in any other form. We are to ab hor that which is evil and even the loving John forbade hospitality to peddlers of strange doctrine lest we be partakers of their evil deeds. Nothing would please the devil more than to lure us into a false truce with error. It has begun to sound al most unchristian in many ears to take a stand against false teachers and there is reason to fear that not a few Christians who still believe the truth themselves are strangely ignorant of Satan’s devices. Another of Satan’s devices of which we seem to be ignorant these days lies in the fact that we' are em phasizing the head above the heart.
T he Apostle Paul has been dealing with an erring but now repentant brother in the church at Corinth. He recommends that the church for give thé man and joins them in this action offering as one reason our text, “ Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” We may profitably expand the ap plication of these words to many is sues among Christians today. It would be well if we could say that we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices but, alas, for all 'our vaunted wisdom we are easily taken in by the arts of the adversary because we are unaware of his designs. It will pay us to get wise to the trickery of the tempter for he is more cunning than ever and his subtilties these days would deceive even the very elect. I venture to suggest several areas where he prospers with his devices be cause of our ignorance. For years there has been a conflict over the issue of fundamentalism and modernism or conservatism and liberalism or what ever you may choose to call it. There has been undeniably a departure from the faith in churches, schools, and re ligious bodies. Institutions founded to propagate the gospel have turned to another gospel which is not another. Paul’s verdict concerning the preach er of such false doctrine was, “ Let him be accursed” and he meant it so strongly that he said it twice. A pop ular modern preacher tells us that Paul, when he wrote this, was neither inspired nor inspiring but some of us still agree with Paul. It is no new issue of course for unbelief has pla gued the church from the beginning. Lately, however, there is evident in some circles a tendency to grow weary of contending for the faith and sink into a twilight zone where conditions of low visibility prevail and where black and white are merged into a smudge of indefinite gray. The issue that almost broke the heart of Spur geon, for instance, is not regarded now as so dreadful after all and some see
Education is a good thing and it is desirable that a minister should take a course of study before he begins to preach. The value of such schooling will of course depend on where he went to school and what he learned while there. But we have already come to where certain religious bodies allow no man to preach unless he has completed a prescribed training. Such procedure in the past would have ruled out some of the greatest pulpit giants. Of course there will al ways be such preachers for God will continue to produce prophets after His own mold, church councils to the contrary notwithstanding. But it will be a dark day for us when we are more impressed by how much of the alphabet follows a minister’s name than by how much of God’s anointing oil is on his head and how much of heaven’s fire is in his heart. We are carried away these days with the notion that we must be abreast of all the topics of the Athen ians in order that we may hold our own on Mars’ Hill. But the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Our wisdom is from above, our gospel is foolishness to this world and our en tire ministry, the man, the message, the motive, the manner, the method, does not follow the pattern of this age. There is grave danger that we end up merely matching wits with men. Sanctified intelligence is of high importance but as Pascal said, “The heart has its reasons of which the rea son knows nothing.” When our heads outrun our hearts we are in a bad wdy. The deepest need of many a min ister today is not one more post graduate course and an extra degree. More than one Apollos for all his Alexandrian background, though he be eloquent, mighty in the Scriptures, instructed in the way of the Lord, fervent'in spirit and a diligent teach er, still needs to sit at the feet of Aquila and Priscilla and learn God’s way more perfectly. Young Pauls do well to sit at the feet of Gamaliel
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
but they still cannot preach unless they have somewhere a session in Arabia with'God. Satan has another device of which we seem to be woefully ignorant, he emphasizes size above sort. We Amer icans worship bigness and the church falls easily into the same idolatry. God is not primarily interested in quantity production but we are and at the expense of quality again and again. More than one church roll is padded with the names of mem bers who could not be found with a search warrant and all in a mad en deavor to keep up with the statistical race. Progress is measured by an add ing machine and in order to make the grade we aim at size with little regard to sort. Gideon’s army was useless until it was reduced to what looked like piti ful proportions. God had too many on His hands. Lenin is said to have declared that he would rather have a hundred fanatics than a thousand indifferent followers. The children of this world are wiser on this point than the children of light. The army of the Lord is cluttered with so many slackers that even the loyal soldiers are seriously hampered. A spiritual purge is in order. It would be well if we could trim off the fat to a hard core of effectives who really mean business. Our Lord was after disciples, not joiners and He lost a good many prospects we would readily take in today with no questions asked. The rich young ruler was a good catch but Jesus did not catch him. Unless we match our extensive program today with something more intensive we are going to extend the stakes of our tent until we bring down the centerpole. We are intent on expanding our borders and taking in more territory. That is good if along with it we strengthen what we have. Otherwise we gain width at the expense of depth and become shal low. Vast ingatherings bring peril if we do not properly teach, indoctrin ate, build up in the faith. The aver age church, to use A. J. Gordon’s il lustration, is often like a congested lung with only a few cells doing the breathing.” There is usually a faith ful nucleus surrounded by a mass of nominal Christians. We must fix the point of our com pass properly before we describe our circles. “ Lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes” is the Biblical injunction and if we do not strength en our stakes the length of our cords will be our undoing. We go farther only as we go deeper. Our size can be our ruin if we gain it at the ex pense of sort. These conditions we have been de scribing are due in part to the fact
that we have had much evangelism with but little revival. To be sure we use the word revival every day but real revival is not often in mind. The term is generally employed to designate a series of special meetings with a view to winning converts. That is a worthy goal but it is not re vival. Real revival—a powerful work of the Spirit among Christians, bring ing a deep sense of God, conviction, confession, cleansing from sin, is still rare. There is a wave of successful evangelism for which we thank God but a mighty moving of His Spirit within the church has not yet come on a large scale. What follows is that we have a host of believers, old and nevv, who are poor disciples. And just here emerges another wile of Satan. Following Christ used to mean a clean and com plete break with the world, the flesh and the devil. It still does in the sight of God but not in the sight of men, even of some Christians. No doubt there has been much extrem ism on the subject of separation until there has grown up in some churches cliques of “more spiritual people” .whose separation means little more than that they no longer play cards, dance, smoke or go to the movies. The reaction to that has produced a new brand of Christianity that claims to be able to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness and testify to Christ at the same time. There seems to have been achieved a symphony of Christ and Belial of which the New Testament knows nothing. This approach would have the rich young ruler come along without for saking his besetting sin, on the argu ment that those things will clear up as you go.” If the present state of affairs continues we may yet behold the strange sight of a professed Chris tian pickpocket who declares he can pick a pocket with one hand while with the other he deposits a gospel
tract in the other pocket. Nowhere is the New Testament clearer than in its challenge to a clean break with this world. Such a call today is very distasteful to most churchmembers so we have doctored it up until being a Christian means no radical difference in the way one lives. The outsider says he sees no difference between the average churchmember and himself. He is quite right. He doesn’t because there isn’t! Satan has had no greater success than in robbing the saints of their white garments and robing them in ambiguous gray. The early Christians were different . . . not queer but different. Their Lord had said they were in the world but not of it and they lived that way. Not being of the world they shook the world. But a lot of water has run under the bridge in the past few years. One has only to read, for instance, Marcus Rainsford’s classic, “ Our Lord Prays for His Own” to see what a change of mind has come over even Very con servative Christians in the brief span since this majestic treatment of John seventeen was written. All this suggests a final considera tion. The early Christians expected nothing of earth but much of heaven. They looked for their Lord to return. They were citizens of an invisible commonwealth and were strangers on the earth. So long as they kept their pilgrim character they were invinci ble. But Constantine professed to be come a Christian and Augustine en visioned his City of God . . . right here on earth. Instead of bringing back the King later they began to build the kingdom now. Thus there came that view of Christ’s plan and program of which A. J. Gordon said, “Though the doctrine of the Lord’s return is not ignored in this system, it is placed in such a setting as to render it quite impractical as a theme for preaching and quite inoperative as a motive for Christian living.” With such a twisted perspective it is not surprising that so much else is out of line. On the other hand, a correct understanding of the times will enable the “ children of Issachar” in any generation to “ know what Is rael ought to do.” A boy can see a whole ball game through one hole in a fence and a right view of this one doctrine will bring all others into clear view. In this hazy age the humblest Christian if he yields to the Spirit and if he knows how to pray can take his New Testament and find his way, if Bible explainers will let him alone long enough. Nor will Satan beguile him unawares for such a Christian will not be ignorant of the devil’s devices. END.
Your Prayer Requests If you would develop a living faith, you must quit working at your faith and rest in the Faithful One. We believe that there is no request too small nor too great for God if we but come to Him in child-like faith. He is able. Each morning at 9 o'clock the editorial staff of King's Business gathers for prayer. Each request that comes in is prayed for individually. We shall count it a privilege to take your request to the throne of grace. Address: The Editors, King's Busi ness, 558 So. Hope, Los Angeles 17.
MAY 1954
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O ne unfailingly effective shot in the arm for spiritually anemic congregations is a potent mis sionary program. Proof of this fact has been piling up at the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, for a quarter of a century. Backbone of this year-round mis sionary program is a week of meet ings each spring, featuring 50 or more display booths, representatives in cos tume, dramatic decorations, and panel discussions, addresses and film showings on missions, that draw a daily attendance of over 1,000. This year, the church is observing the silver anniversary of its Annual Missionary Conference, April 25 to May 2. Speakers and demonstration booths will represent 48 areas—prac tically every world-field—where its 114 supported members labor. And opportunity will be afforded for a long look back to the beginnings of this missionary emphasis which in reality marked a turning point in the life of the church. In the bleak spring of 1930, every one suffered the bite of hard times. Sale of the beautiful church building was much more than a threat. It was a tragic probability. “ In the face of all this,” recalls William G. Nyman, missionary com mittee chairman of those early days, “we determined to double the num ber of supported missionaries (we had 20 then), and we set about it, with vision, sacrifice, and faith in God. I honestly believe it was that deter mination and action that helped us financially as a church, through those desperate depression years, and en abled us to save for the Lord’s glory this downtown Christian testimony in the heart of Los Angeles.” Doubled missionary activity not only spared this fortress of evangeli calism, but it also marked the be ginning of innumerable benefits. For example, the church’s annual missionary budget has soared from $15,000 in 1930 to $135,000 at pres ent, and it will probably go higher this year. Where 20 missionary mem bers formerly were supported, now the church missionary family num bers 155, of which 114 are supported. Another result of increased mis sionary giving was the purchase in 1947 of a location for workers on fur lough. A court in suburban Glendale, consisting of seven cottage units, is providing a home, rent free, to sup ported missionary families. The church pays for major furnishings, decorating and repairs, while seven organizations sponsor one cottage each, providing other needed items and extending welcome to the occu pants. 14
how one church buill
By M ildred M . Cook
to the present day, the Church of the Open Door has been blessed with under-shepherds who have been both far-seeing and faithful. Three ministers have served in the past twenty-five years. P. W. Phil- pott, at the helm when the first Annual Missionary Conference was held, was followed in 1932 by Louis T. Talbot, and five years ago by J. Vernon McGee. “ I believe,” declares Dr. McGee, the present pastor, “ that the growth in all departments of the church that we have experienced through accel erated missionary activities is trace able to the fact that we are proceed ing along the lines of a thoroughly scriptural principle. We have seen that strength flows into the church that obeys Christ’s command to be ‘witnesses . . . unto the uttermost part of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).” The strength of which Dr. McGee speaks is observable in an inter-relation be tween the church’s missionary pro gram and its sustained interest in Bible study, some 1,500 to 2,000 peo ple coming regularly each Wednesday evening for that purpose. Significantly, comment from Dr. Talbot, the second in the trio of lead ers mentioned, is unobtainable at present. As Chancellor of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, he is on tour of the continent of Africa, in a ministry to and on behalf of mis sionaries. On treks to the Orient, India, Latin America, Australia and elsewhere— often to isolated regions where no white man ever before has gone—his business is to encourage the Lord’s servants on the field and at the same time obtain first-hand in- THE KING'S BUSINESS
Many of the benefits are in tangible—like the influence upon the youth of the church and Bible In stitute. As a constant feature, mis sionaries in costume, exhibits, pro jects, and showers for home-coming and outgoing workers fascinate the young people. Two regular attractions of the annual conference— the sym posium, in which many topics are discussed in down-to-earth panel par ticipation, and the life investment service which always culminates the week’s meetings — have crystallized the thinking of scores of challenged young people. Declares the Secretary of the Mis sionary Committee: “Many of our missionaries are individuals who either grew up in this church or took training at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Almost without excep tion they testify to the direct in fluence of the Missionary Conference upon their decision to devote their lives to service in the lands in which they now labor. They tell us it was here that they heard the call to their life work.” Among them are Rev. and Mrs. Harold Amstutz, Africa; Mrs. Charles A. Roberts, China; Miss Carol Terry, India, and Mr. and Mrs. W ill iam G. Nyman, Jr., M exico, to name just a few. The question arises: How does one go about developing a program of this kind? A missionary-hearted leader is a must. When that individual is the pastor, progress is all the more rapid. From the days of its founding in 1915, with the internationally famous evangelist, the late Reuben Archer Torrey as its first pastor, right down
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