BE EVER ON GUARD The Very Remarkable Testimony of a Would-Be Bible Teacher Concerning the Cross of 'Christ
“ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doc trines of devils.” :—1 Tim. 4:1. T N THE Bible Institute work we know that these be the “latter times,” for we are confronted daily with the proof. Our Bible women, as they go from house to house, teaching the women’s classes and dealing with individuals in the different sections o f the city, are compelled to rec ognize the pernicious .teaching which is now so prevalent throughout the land. W e recently heard a pastor in his public prayer pray for the young people who were leav ing for colleges and universities, that God would keep them from the subtle teachings o f professors who are undermining the faith o f students in the W ord o f God— and we united heartily with him. We need also to pray that the Lord will keep false teachers from the Sunday schools o f our professedly orthodox church. In some schools Christian Scient ists, advocates o f “ New Thought” and other false systems, are teaching, and parents (ignorant or unconcerned) are permitting the devil’s seed to be sown in the hearts o f their children. A recent event in our own Sunday school o f the Church o f the Open Door fully illustrates the danger confronting us. A few JSundays ago a cultured, refined young woman visiting the school, offered her services as a teacher. The superin tendent, who is a-wise servant o f the Lord, told her that there was no vacancy, but invited her to visit his class. At the close o f the school he and his wife engaged the young woman in conversation and spent an hour and a-half with her. They found she had some decidedly queer ideas, and were compelled to tell her that she would not be permitted to teach in our School. A few days later the superintendent received a voluminous six-page-foolscap, typewritten communication from her. Four pages were taken up with testimonials and commendations relating to her character and attainments. These extracts were from
newspapers, superintendents o f railways, librarians, schools o f elocution, U. S, Army officers, university professors, ministers, and one from the physical culture class o f one o f the leading Presbyterian churches o f this country. The young woman sup plemented this array o f favorable comment with the following w ords: “And this is the woman whom Mr. W. has deemed unworthy to teach for a day a class o f twelve-year-olds! For myself I care nothing, as I have to answer to but One who is really capable o f judging, but I do grieve that in the twentieth century anyone should be so narrow as to think themselves ahle to judge another, and to think that their way is the only way, and in this case, to the detriment o f the Lord o f all things true and gentle. “ The world has reeked with blood through the preaching and teachings o f the cross. It was the cross and not the Christ that led the bloody Crusaders on their mur derous pilgrimages; it was the cross that martyred Savonarola, and burned Joan d’A r c ! It was the cross and not the Christ that actuated Calvin and John Knox to have innocent folk murdered, simply because they did not believe as they did; it is the cross and. not the Christ that is torturing the Jews in Russia today; it is the cross that is bathing Europe in blood at the present time. This war would never have occurred had the Christ been taught instead o f the cross. No one who follows the Christ has murderous' feelings towards the children o f God. Nowhere in all the teachings of Christ does he say ter preach and teach the cross. I prefer to take His words “ Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel,” rather than the words o f the murderer Paul, who says, “And him cruci fied.” Had it not been for such as St. Paul, Christ would never have had to be crucified.” Further comment is not necessary. Think o f a teacher with this view o f the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!
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