T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S whose hearts are always full of praise and thanks to God. You know even when things all seem to be going wrong, it will help us so much if we HE writer got into a conversation with a fine-looking gentleman who sat across the table from him in a Los Angeles cafeteria. The man proved to be a Methodist minister and as he an nounced himself a firm believer in the Book of books, we immediately found common ground and had a profitable half hour at the table. He told me his story. He had, a few months previous, come to California, leaving a strong church in the middle west, after six years of success as pastor, because he felt the need of brushing up in his Bible knowl edge. He had coveted the privilege of listening to men like Dr. Torrey, Dr. Dixon, Dr. Myers and other well-known Bible defenders connected with the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. He knew that there was a dearth of Metho dist ministers in and about Los Angeles and that with his record in the pastor ate he would have no trouble to get located where he could from time to time take advantage of classes at the Bible Institute. He went to call upon the Bishop. The Bishop immediately assured him that he could have his choice of several good churches. He was then asked as to his plans of work and the pastor told the good Bishop that he hoped to take in some of the classes at the Bible Insti tute. Immediately the Bishop’s atti tude became cold. “ Then, sir,” said the Bishop, “ there will be no church open to you in my district and I can assure you that the same will be true in the San Francisco district. No man who attends classes at a Bible Institute can stand in a Methodist pulpit if ,1 know it.”
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will just remember how many good things have come to us. Are we each doing our part to build the kind of a church that pleases God? Prayer.
TABLE TALK
“ This is very strange,” said the pas tor, “ I have always preached the great Bible doctrines set forth in the state ment of doctrine subscribed to by the Bible Institute faculty—-in fact I took my ordination vows that I would stand by those very truths.” The two sat in silence for a time, un til the Bishop turned and asked, “Well, what are you going to do?” “ Bishop,” said the pastor, “ I feel the Lord led me here to study the Bible.: I intend to do so. I was a printer in my early days. I will get work in some printing’ office, lead souls to Christ where I can, preach on Sundays as the Lord gives me opportunity, and do my best to contend for the old faith and the old Book.” The Bishop showed him the door. Once more the door of the Methodist Church slammed against a successful soul-winning, Bible-loving pastor, sim ply because he refused to be throttled in the preaching of the whole truth. The very next day in a conference held in Los Angeles a Methodist leader plead for candidates for the ministry and pointed to the many pastorless churches. This does not mean that this pastor, however, has left the ministry. He told us that the good Lord had kept him busy preaching the Word, and that he had enjoyed the privilege of leading many to the Lord through personal work. He has plenty of assurance that pastorates will be open to him when he is ready again to take up the work. If no Methodist church is open to him there are other churches calling loudly for men who preaph the Gospel instead of social service.
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