f 1 1 VE unto tKe Lord the glorj) due unto His name: bring an offer- ing, and come before Him: worship tKe Lord in the beauty of holiness. (1 Chron. 16:29)
TKe Lord is good,, a stronghold in the day of trouble. (Nahum 1:7);
Bextfare! Bextfare! Any Preacher or Teacher who Denies Inspiration of the Bible, Virgin Birth, Sacrificial Death, Physical Resurrection of Jesus Christ THE WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE? “ For many deceivers are entered into the world, * * * If there come any unto you and bring not thi « doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him Gad speed is partaker of his evil deeds.“ —(2 John 7,10,11.) Your Responsibility You should seek the wisdom of God in the distribution of these sacred funds. You hive a right to know, and are accountable for knowing, where your funds are going, and the character of work and workmen entrusted with them. Your Reward If faithfully administered in His name and for His glory, you will find your re ward in the glory. Your funds wiltwelcome you “in the everlasting habitations.’' Your Regret Money is a sacred trust. We are stewards. We must give an account of our stewardship. We should avoid RECKLESS GIVING. We should seek to make every penny bring the largest possible glory to bur Lord. We will have no re grets if we make investments of this sort. Our Recommendation We will guarantee do invest for you sums in any amount, and advise you where and how they are used, guaranteeing that they, will be used in definite, soul saving work. We do this, knowing that we must give an account unto God. is a . n Enemy of the Truth!
Write for any desired particulars tjp
H O R T O N Superintendent, Bible Institute
T H E K IN G ’S B U S IN E S S MOTTO: “I, the Lord, do keep it, I w iltwater it every moment, test any hurt It, I wH! hoop Unightandday." = = = == = = = = == = = = = == = = = = == = = = = == Isa. 27:3 ~ — ' ' ■ —...............= = = = = ^ a s : PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELBS 536-538 SOUTH HOPE STREET, LOS ANGELES, CAL. Entered as Second-Class Matter November 17, 1910, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879 Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October S. 1917, authorized October 1, 1918 Volume XIII November, 1922 Number 11 Rev. T. C. HORTON, Editor in Chief Rev. KEITH L. BROOKS, Managing Editer ALAN S. PEARCE, Circulation Representative Contributing Editors DR. F. W. FARR . DR, FRENCH E. OLIVER DR A. C. DIXON CONTENTS Editorials: Giving Thanks (1097), Religious Education Association (1098), Premillennial Prohibition (1098), Baptist Infidelity (1099), Tiger from Texas (1100), Child Heart and Critical Heart (1101), Premillennial Loafers (1103), Beatitude of Unfailing Faith (1104), New Series of Sunday School Lessons- . (1105) ■ - Bible Briefs— (1106) Thoughts for Unsaved People— (1135) Notes on the Jews and Prophecy— (1136) Homiletical Helps— (1138) Eternal Destruction—By Prof. H. S. Miller (1143) The Holy Spirit and the Bible— By Dr. H. Tydeman Chilvers (1145) Unitarianism— By A. M. Redwood (1147) Priestly Judgment— By J. R. Caldwell (1149) International Sunday School Lessons— (1153) Editorial Afterthoughts— (1181) Bible Institute Happenings— (1184) Gospel Solo— “ Come and Meet Him at the Fountain”—Mrs. Dorothy B Polsue (1186) Threefold Charge Against Spiritism— By F. E. Marsh (1187) Faith Triumphant—By W. Mallis (1191) Good Books— (1193) PLEASE When sending subscriptions, address correspondence to Office of The King's Business, Bible Institute of Log Angeles, 688- 668 South Hope Street. Cheeks may be made parable to Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Do not make eheeks or money orders to individuals connected with the Bible Institute. Y E A R FOREIGN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING CANADA $1.25— SINGLE COPIES 15 CENTS Special Club Rate for Ten or Mere Subscriptions 75e Each O N L Y O N E ' D O L L A R A Gratitude to God—By Percy G. Heward (1107) Sin in the Believer—By Dr. L. S. Chafer (1109) The Cross of Christ—By Rev.- A. G. Lee (1112) Notes on Modern Heresies— (1116) Fundamental Study—Atonement— By K. L. B. (1122) Bible Institute in China—By Dr. Frank Keller (1126)
DR. J. FRANK NORRIS, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, Texas, who occupied pulpit of the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, California, during the month of August.
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THANKSGIVING NUMBER “ It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High!” (Psa. 92:1). “ I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving” (Psa. 69:30). “ Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Oor. 9:15). “ Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2 :14 ). For all that God in mercy sends; For health and children, home and friends,
For comfort in the time of need, For every kindly word and deed; For happy thoughts and holy talk, For guidance in our daily walk. For everything give thanks!
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GIVING THANKS We say “ Giving Thanks” instead of “ Thanksgiving” because in our day the term “ Thanksgiving” means, to many, a holiday, a turkey dinner, a good time, in which our Father, the Giver of every good gift, is largely overlooked or forgotten. Giving thanks becometh us in this land of ours—the chosen land among the nations—the land flowing with milk and honey—the richest, most pros perous of all lands—the land founded by our good fathers upon the Word of God—the land that owes all that it has and is, of good, to the Bible. It is becoming in us to give Him thanks. We cannot turn the tide of Thanksgiving Day, but those of us who love our Lord and who recognize His hand of blessing, His wondrous grace to usward, can give thanks from gratified hearts, and from thankful hearts we can say, “God Is the Lord, which hath shewed us light; bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psa. 118:27-29). We can give Him all glory and praise for all of His gifts to us, and we can do another thing—a needful thing—never more needed than now: We can pray as well as praise. We can plead with Him for the land we love ; pray that His Word may be honored by those who have humiliated' it; pray that His Son, our Lord,' may be adored as the promised, Virgin-bom Re deemer by those who have abased Him by casting doubts upon His virgin birth; pray that preachers and teachers throughout the land may -ex-alt Jesus Christ as the Father has exalted Him to be King of kings, and Lord of lords. Thank God, we can do this on Thanksgiving Day, and, thank God, we can make every day a day of giving thanks. When we rise in the morning,
1098 T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S when we take up our God-given tasks, when we bow our heads at the table, when we commit ourselves into His hands for sleep; as believers saved by His grace and kept by His power, as children of God with right and title unquestioned to all that belongs to God, heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ to the inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us who are kept through the power of God, through faith, unto the salvation that is to be revealed in the last time; and despite the ominous clouds which overcast the sky and the in crease of crime and the forsaking of the faith by so many teachers and preachers; we can, by His grace, go on fighting the good fight of faith, with loyal hearts and love for all men, seeking to carry out His commission to give the Gospel to a lost world, and gladly give Him all the glory. —T. C. H. We are calling attention to an evident misapprehension on the part of the framers of a resolution passed by the Fourth Annual Convention of the Christian Fundamentals Association, held in Los Angeles June 25-July 2 of this year, regarding an action taken at the convention of the Inter national Sunday School Association in Kansas City, in regard to the merg ing of the International Sunday School Association with the Sunday School Council of Evangelical Denominations, the new organization to be known as the “ International Sunday School Council of Religious Education.” The similarity of this title to. the “ Religious Education Association” led the Fundamentals Association to the conclusion that the International Sunday School Association had become affiliated with the Religious Edu cation Association (which latter organization is known to be Unitarian and rationalistic), and a resolution which was passed in regard to the adoption of new courses of study for Sunday Schools referred to this affil iation and condemned it in no uncertain terms. As a matter of fact, how ever, the two organizations, “ The International Sunday School Council of Evangelical Denominations” and “ The Religious Education Association,” have no connection whatever. Furthermore, the International Sunday School Convention almost unanimously voted that the word “ Religious” in the name of the new organization should be changèd to “ Christian,” which will tend to remove any possibility of further misunderstanding. We are glad to make this correction and explanation. However, this will in no way interfere with the preparation of the new outline bf lessons for the use of those Sunday Schools in sympathy with the Fundamentalists. —T. C. H. THE PRE-MILLENNIAL PROHIBITION The last move of the enemies of the doctrine of our Lord’s Second Coming is the decision of the ecclesiasts that the doctrine is very dangerous and must be prohibited wherever possible. The bishops of the M. E. ONLY TWELVE SHORT WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. THE FUNDAMENTALS CONFERENCE AND THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 1099 Church, North, have ‘taken a positive and open position that no pre-millen- nif hs1t l s | J5? assigned to any church under their control, and that no teacher who holds this pernicious doctrine shall be allowed to teach in their schools. It is taboo. According to their reasoning, it is a dangèrous, destructive and damnable doctrine and begets a lazy, indifferent, star-gazing constitu- ency who do nothing but sit and gaze at the heavens waiting for some sign oi the Lord s return ; an idle, indolent, insipid and irresponsible people who will not open their churches for moving pictures, card parties or dances, nor take any part in the great “ uplift” program of the church! OI course, they do admit that some men who held these pernicious doctrines and who have gone to their reward were well-meaning men, such as Wes ley, Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, A. J. Gordon, A. T. Pierson, dames H. Brookes, Chapman, D. L. Moody; but men like Mark Matthews, Johp Timothy Stone, Biley, Gray, Torrey, Dixon, Myers* Norris, Massee, Straton, Munhall are all poor, misguided men who have lost all interest in , human affairs and are just sitting around wondering when the Lord will Ci meVn0^mT16 caPa^^e of filling the pulpit of an up-to-date, modem church. These ecclesiasts, of course, will accept a man who is a Modernist and who may deny the authority of the Word of God. In fact, they would consider that merely an evidence of superior scholarship. We challenge a show of hands. Let the Modernists prepare a list of names to put alongside of a list of preachers and teachers who have held the pre-millennial doctrine, which we will gladly publish, and let the church decide which character of preachers and teachers they want. If the doctrine is dangerous and tends to lessen the love of the saints tor sinners, and to dissipate their desire to save them; if the effect of this teaching is to promote sectarianism and to produce self-satisfied, indifferent followers of our Lord; if they can prove that the pre-millennial doctrine mini mizes rather than magnifies the importance of giving the Gospel to the world—we will he glad to publish the facts, for we want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Our appeal is two-fold. First, and always, to the Word of God. Sec- ond, to the work of God. And if there is proof that the Bible does not teach the doctrine of our Lord’s return before the millennium, and if belief m this doctrine does not give increased, desire to devote the life to the spread-of the Gospel and to a life of self-denial and glad sacrifice, these brethren should be able to produce the proof and put to shame the pre- millennialists. ' Corné on, brethren, produce the proof. __T. C. H.
BAPTIST INFIDELITY I
John Boach Straton, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, of New York City, has an article in “ The Beligious Searchlight” on “ The New Infidelity m Baptist Theological Seminaries,” and asks, “ Should f r- Are You Ready? (See Page 1180) 1100 THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S Dr Straton has made a remarkable analysis of the subtle and seduc tive methods of the radicals in the Baptist ranks who are seeking to de stroy the faith of the faithful and throws light upon the methods employed in the Indianapolis Convention to deceive the delegates. The article is well worth reading and we commend it to our brethren who are members of other denominations but who are being subjected to the same ecclesiastical sleight-of-hand performance through which they are persuaded that the maneuvers of the machine are all for the glory o± Cod, when—as a matter of fact—they are being run m the interest ot the little “ popes” who are lording it over God’s people. Thank God for such men as Dr. Straton. Every honest Baptist should send for copies of this paper and broad cast them among his people. Address E. C. Miller, President Magnolia Metals Co., 115 Bank Street, New York City. —T. C. H. ' . Kj &V-C. . tBBSS THE TIGER FROM TEXAS t , I H * . n ^ We cannot help admiring a bold, fearless defender of the Word ot God, and certainly Gold has a stalwart in Dr. J. Frank Norris, of Ft. Wor , Texas a genial, warm-hearted Christian gentleman, with a vein oi humor that is enjoyable and a personality that is charming. He is what is desig nated among men as a real man. BHi m W M Dr. Norris spent the month of August in the Church of the Open Door. August is the “ warm month” in California, but the'attendance has been from three to four thousand at -every service. Dr. Norris is known as the pastor of the church and Sunday School with the largest membership of any in the country. He has had years of fighting experience m his home city m connection with his church work, and celebrated his fourteenth anniversary the second Sunday in September. „ .. „ Dr Norris has enemies—good enemies. They have no use tor him. tie is a nuisance to them. We do not know all about these enemies, hut we do know that some of them are of the kind that every true Christian man, and especially a Christian preacher, ought to have; such enemies as the apostles had; such enemies as our Lord had. . . The ecclesiasts cannot hind him. He has God-given convictions and he gives utterance to them. He is a fearless leader of the kind God has always had to have, and God never needed such leaders more than He does today. But Dr. Norris is a Bible man also, and it is in this one thing he sur prised us most. He stood one Sunday morning before nearly four thousand people, with Bible in hand and simply said, “ I am not going to preach. I am going to teach.” He said the enemies of the doctrine of the premilien- nial coming of our Lord insist that there are no predictions of that event in the Old Testament. 11But, ’ ’ said he, “ I will read from the Book of Isaiah, and quietly he read, turning from chapter to chapter for thirty-five minutes, reading the prophecies foretelling the coming days. No one showed any signs of restlessness. No one went out. On another Sunday he did the same thing concerning the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Dr. Norris is giving a wonderful illustration in his own church of the value of the Bible by insisting that every teacher and scholar in the school carry a Bible on Sunday and use it in the service. —T. C. H. THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S 1101 REVISING THE REVIVAL METHOD Praise God for every boy ajid girl, man and woman, that has been brought to Christ no matter what the method used has been; and praise God for every method that may be inaugurated that will accomplish such results. We have been impressed with the fact that there is a need for a simpli fied form of revival work, and have been testing it out with great satisfac tion. No organization is needed. No heavy expense is involved. Everybody that so desires may engage in it. God cannot but honor it. It is as old as the early church and but one addition has been made to the equipment which the early church had and that is God-given—the printed page of the sure Word of God. It works-easily, naturally and can give no offense. Boys and girls have used it in such a satisfactory manner that our hearts have overflowed with joy at the results. This plan works any day or every day. It works anywhere. It works without worry. It works because God works it. After being engaged in soul-saving work for fifty years we have no hesitation in recommending this plan. Evangelists can use it. Preachers can use it. Teachers can use it. Individuals can use it. It works so easily that it is not work at all; it is a spiritual recreation. Suggestions concern ing it will be found in the “ inset” of this magazine. —T. C. H. THE CHILD HEART AND THE CRITICAL HEART “ If organized Christianity is to retain its hold upon EDUCATED people, one necessary condition will be that it shall have at the back of all its teaching a theology which, whenever challenged, is demonstrably advancing with the ad vance of HUMAN KNOWLEDGE and with the development of the MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS. To abide by the fundamentals of Westminster theology is putting fetters on our feet, manacles on our wrists and a millstone about our neck.”— Dr. John Edwards, Presby terian Moderator, New Zealand. “ Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”—Apostle Paul. |It is pitiful, and sometimes amusing, to see so many men in our day taking the position that the truth of God is a scholarship prize, attainable only by those who have swallowed the rationalistic teachings of the day. The ordinary Christian is not supposed to know what Jesus meant by His teachings, and only those are fit to interpret the New Testament to him, who have taken a course in a liberal seminary. Yet when we open the New Testament, we read in the plainest of words that the things of God are not a scholarship prize at all—not addressed to the great intellects (which would confine them to the few) but to the lowly in heart (which puts them within the reach of all). Jesus said: “ I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 1102 "THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND POWERFUL.” thou hast hid these things frorh the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes” (Mt. 11:25). The great things have always been given to the babes—those who have been great believers. _‘ ‘ Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies” (Ps. 8:2). The greatest movements have started with those having the child heart. “ The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant” (Ps. 25:14). Said Jesus: “ Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest BELIEVE thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (Jn. 11:40). For those who would exalt human knowledge and “ the moral con sciousness” (whatever that is) above the Word of God, there is but one pronouncement in the Bible: “ Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their, own sight” (Isa. 5:21). Jesus made Himself known most clearly to people of humble walks. He was first seen by humble shepherds. The New Testament goes into great detail in giving us the conversations Jesus had with plain and humble people. His discourses with the learned theologians are lightly touched if at all. The greatest lessons that Jesus taught were given to those despised by the ecclesiastical leaders. When Jesus used ecclesiasts in teaching a great truth, He used them chiefly to differ from. It was a profligate Samar itan woman who heard His first clear confession of His Messiahship. To this woman He gave that matchless lesson of the water of eternal life recorded in John 4. It was the hated Samaritan again that was used to teach the great parable of true humanity, wherein priests and religious autocrats are seen passing by the helpless man. The things of Christ are for the child heart, not the boasting intellect. There are many smart, clever, talented and ingenious men,' but we are not dependent upon their abilities for the things of God. The Spirit of God A REAL BIBLE REVIVAL! T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 1103 teaches the babes, because they are humble and trustful (Mt. 18:3-4) ■be- cause they desire to be filled (1 Pet. 2:2) ■because they are responsive (Mt. z l.-lb ); because they are teachable (Mt. 11:25). —K. L. B. THE PREMILLENNIAL LOAFERS We are quite frequently confronted with the charge that those who believe m the Lord s coming will not participate in any kind of social ser- world311^ no^ n^ but '•'l16 Lord’s coming can do any good to the Such aspersions are not made by men who have made any actual inves tigation of the work being done by those who believe in the Lord’s coming, i hrnr only basis for making them is that they think this would be the logical effect of holding the hope. Dr. Philpott, of Canada, said recently: “ If they want to make comparison of actual work done for the alleviating of sorrow and suffering, the real effect of our ministry and church life upon the community m which we are placed, we challenge an investigation and a comparison on the part of these Social Service enthusiasts! The differ ence between the two is that the one believes that regenerating men is the best way to clean up the world, while the others have the idea that cleaning up the world will regenerate men.” Rev. Henry Kenda.ll Booth, D.D., Congregational pastor at Long Beach, is a good specimen of those who think they have a “ patent right on the term bociaJ Service. The foolish extremes to which these broad-gauged breth- ren- allow themselves to go, is well shown in a recent sermon of his in which he says that we “ rejoice in the calamities of the world today’ be cause(they are signs of the coming of the Christ.” “ They are glad,” he says, that the world is in sorrow and despair because it means that Jesus is coming back Now, those who accept that doctrine, naturally feel that since the world s ruins can never be rebuilt except by the divine hand of Cod alone, the best thing they can do is to just set themselves in order and prepare themselves for that great coming of Christ and for that reconstruc tion that he will set up. That is the purpose of the so-called Fundamentalist today. That is his outlook for the world. He does not see that it is any particular use to send money across the sea for the relief of the needy or to try m any way to set the world right. ” It seems at times that no uglier spirit of intolerance is to be found than that manifested by those whose main plea is for religious freedom It matters little whether their statements are true to fact—it must be made to appear that they alone have the uplift of humanity at heart—they alone are responsible for every humanitarian effort. Dr. Booth sits in his study apparently unaware of the thousands of missionaries in every field who love the. Lord’s appearing, and who are pouring out their life’s blood for the saving of the bodies and souls of the heathen. He does not see the hun dreds of sacrificing pastors, and social workers throughout our land whose great inspiration to better service to man is the promise of reward at the -Lord s coming The slum workers and mission leaders who are giving their lives to the saving of men because they know the Lord’s coming Read About It in the Inset Pages 1104 THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S awaits the completion of His elect number, are entirely forgotten. Thou sands of contributors to every worthy cause, who give the more and labor the harder because they want to be found faithful stewards “ at His ap pearing” are waved aside. To Dr. Booth, one who believes in the Lord’s coming is as a bump on a pickle—permanently fixed to one spot until at last it is bitten offv The premillennialists are just rusting out while the liberalists burn out. The Apostle seemed to think there was some real incentive in this hope, for he wrote: “ Ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should over take you as a thief. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch’and be sober.. Let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:4-8). THE BEATITUDE OF UNFAILING FAITH “ Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended (scandalized) in me” (Matt. 11:6). In a Congregational divinity school in New England, a young man arose from his'seat in the classroom, went forward to the professor’s desk, laid down his Bible and said, “ If what you are teaching is true, I have no further use for that book or Jesus Christ. It is full of lies and Jesus Christ is not what He claimed to be.” He went out an unbeliever—scandalized in Christ. There are many such today who are being offended in Christ. They are listening to “ blind leaders of the blind.” The situation was exactly the same in the day when Jesus uttered the beatitude of unfailing faith: “ Bless ed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” He knew that His plans were out of harmony with the “ best opinion of the time.” He knew that “ advanced scholarship” was scandalized in Him. He is still a rock of offense and stone of stumbling to the cultivated natural man. , But it is still just as true that there is blessedness—true happiness of heart—for those who trust in Him.. The Holy Spirit is still sealing the message of His Gospel in the hearts of those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior—regardless of the changing opinions of unregenerate scholars. The Gospel is still “ the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” —K. L. B. § / give and bequeath to Bible Institute of Los Angeles, incorporated under the laws o f the State of California ........................... ........... Dollars, and I direct that the release of the President of the Board of Directors of said Bible Institute of Los Angeles shall be sufficient discharge to my . | executors in the premises. | FORM O F BEQU EST TO THE BIB LE INSTITUTE giHiiiiiiiiiiniiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiuiiiiiiiHiHiiiiiiuiiiiiiiKiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiuuiiiHiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiuuiiiiiiiiiiii^ 1 ^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiH iiii!iiiiiin iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiu iiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin iiiiiin iiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiT n iH iiiiiiiiiiii!iiH iiiiiiiiiiiim im m iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim iiiiiiiiii,iiiiii,ii^ A NEW SERIES OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS At the World’s Conference on Christian Fundamen tals, held in Los Angeles June 25-July 2, a resolution was adopted declaring the purpose of the Convention to create a new Sunday School Bible1Course by January 1, 1923, and advising the adoption of the same by every church that remains loyal to the Lord and to His Word. A Committee was appointed for this purpose which will meet in Minneapolis the latter part of October. In order that the necessary time for the preparation of a three years’ course might be given, the Committee has decided to recommend that the first six months of 1923 be'devoted to a series of lessons from the Gospel of John, commencing January 1st. This will enable, those churches and schools which desire to use this new course to prepare for the same, and will also give the Committee ample time to prepare a systematic course of study cov ering the whole Bible. Nothing could be more appropriate for the believers in the Fundamentals than this Gospel series from the Book most attacked by the enemies of the truth, which contains every fundamental doctrine in simplified form. As The King’s Business has a large constituency of Sunday School readers we propose to continue the Inter national Course for the year 1923, at the same time in augurating the new course, beginning with the January number, which is issued about December 1st. The International Course for this year has been far from satisfactory. The evident purpose in omitting pas sages of Scripture which contained definite fundamental teaching and which were germane to the lessons, has caused much unfavorable comment, and is but the climax of a definite purpose to pander to the desires o f our friends, the enemy, who are determined to do all within their power to destroy the foundations of the evangelical faith among the youth of our land. Praise God, the battle is on and we know that He will honor those who honor Him. “ Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” —T. C. H. BIBLE BRIEFS MARGINAL NOTES FOR YOUR STUDY BIBLE “ From the foundation of the world” j—an expression used seven times; an interesting study. See Mt. 13:35; 25: 34; Lk. 11:50; Heb. 4:3; 9:26; Rev. 13:8; 17:8. The first open recognition of Christ as the Son of the living God: Mt. 16:16. Scars for Christ mean stars with Christ. See Mt. 19:29. “ If ye have faith”—a saying repeat ed on three occasions. See Mt. 21:21; Mk. 11:23; Lk. 17:6. Three great questions: Are there few that be saved? (Lk. 13:23). Who then can be saved? (Lk. 18:26). What must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30). Threefold invitation: To the guilty (Isa. 1 :18 ); to the weary (Mt. 11:28); to the thirsty (Jn. 7:37). The word “ easy” occurs only once in the New Testament and then in con nection with the “ yoke” . Three perfect things: God’s work; (Deut. 32 :4 ); God’s way (Ps. 18:30); God’s will (Rom. 12:2). In the 53rd chapter of Isaiah there are no fewer than eleven expressions that clearly describe the vicarious character of our Lord’s sufferings. (1) “ He bore our griefs.” (2) “ He carried our sorrows.” (3) “ He was wounded for our transgressions.” (4) “ He was bruised for our iniquities.’’ (5) “ The chastisement of our peace was upon Him.” (6) “ By His stripes we are healed.” (7) “ The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (8) “ For the transgression of my people was He stricken.” (9) “When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin.” (10.) “ He shall bear their iniquities.” (11) “ He bore the sins of many.” Mt. 8:4— the first of 79 references to Moses in the New Testament. Two things Jesus marveled at: Be lief (Mt. 8:10) and unbelief (Mk. 6 :6). , “ Weeping and gnashing of teeth”— expression used by Jesus seven times. Title “ Son of man” applied to Jesus for the first time in New Testament in Mt. 8:20. Christ thus designates Him self 80 times. “ Lord, save us: we perish”— the first prayer in the New Testament. Mt. 8:25. The “ Three cheers” of Jesus: Mt. 9:2; 14:27; Jn. 16:33. Christ’s needs on earth: No home to be horn in (Lk. 2:7-12); no place to lay His head (Mt. 8:19-20); no money to pay His tax (Mt. 17: 24-27); no comforter in Gethsemane (Mt. 26:36- 40); no friend to plead for Him (Mk. 14:49-50); no grave to be buried in (Mt. 27:57-60). Christ’s beatitude upon unfaltering faith: Mt. 11:6. “ He that hath ears to hear, let him hear”— used 14 times by Christ and never by others. Its use always marks a crisis (Mt. 11:15 first). Four charges made against Christ: Friend of sinnners (Mt. 11:19); Guest of sinners (Lk. 19 :7 ); Received sinners (Lk. 15 :2 ); Ate with sinners (Lk 15: 2 ) . The description Christ gave of His own character: Mt. 11:29. “ Have .ye not read?”— a question asked six different times referring to seven books of the Old Testament (Mt. 12:3). Mt. 12:10— the first of seven miracles wrought by Jesus on the Sabbath. (Mk. 1:21-31; Lk. 13:11-13; 14:2; Jn. 5:8- 9; 9:14). THE K. B. IS AN IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT for Gratitude to God The Spirit o f Unthankfulness, One of the Characteristics o f the Last Days o f the Age By PERCY G. HEWARD EnglaricT NGRATITUDE is one of the characteristics of these last days, as 2 Timothy 3 plainly sets forth. Not only will given. Then beyond all these many mercies, we are, if in Christ Jesus, “ blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1 :3). What gratitude this should call forth, and what lives of loving devotion ours should be! There will be more thank fulness if we realize how much we have been forgiven. If those who are con scious they are forgiven much love much (Luke 7:47), surely they will be overflowing with gratitude to God. We do need, in these perilous times, over flowing lives to God’s glory. Oh that our hearts may be awakened from in difference, that w.e may say with all our heart, “ Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift;” the. Gift of His be loved Son Who bare our sins in His own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24), that we might live unto Him, Who died and rose again, and Whose Coming draweth nigh. There is so much to make us praiseful. Ybt how often we fail, "and even murmur when trials (which are for our good) are permitted. Let us remember the words of loving exhorta tion, “ In every thing give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18). I know we feel that as saved |ones we fall very short of this. But God can enable, and He will if we have faith, and seek in all to praise Him, If we are to be thankful, we need to be ever mindful that we are what we are by God’s grace. He, in wondrous love, chose us in His beloved Son before the foundation of the world. This is cause for deep heart gratitude, because there was nothing in us lovable. God’s creatures be “ unthankful,” but also “ unholy,” and “ lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” If God is being forgotten, and likewise the mul titude of His tender mercies which are Over all His works, can we be surprised that even children are growing up un thankful? We seldom hear the “ Thank you” which ought to characterize child ren as well as those who are older. There is so much, even apart from eternal salvation, that should call forth gratitude. God makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good. (Matt. 5. 45). He causes food to grow out of the earth, and He openeth His hand and satisfleth the desire of every living thing. Oh, how much there is for which to thank God. But, alas, even we who love Him, because He first loved us, fail to thank Him as we should. We, like to others, take the daily mercies almost as a “ matter of course.” For example, we do not thank God for phy sical life, and all that is given to sustain it. Have we not oftentimes failed to render again for the benefits which God has in wondrous lové bestowed upon us? We are so apt to forget that “ every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). We had nothing except our sins, so that all we have is from God. How thankful we should be for even a measure of health, and for the mental powers which God has ANY CHRISTIAN. (See Page 1180) THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S THE NEED OF THE HOUR “ Yes, we’re praying for a revival, but we don’t expect it,” said a godly woman recently to a companion in a small town. “ And others are praying for it, but I don’t know of anyone that expects It.” Do YOU expect it? Ah, perchance that explains iL—the Church’s unbelief! How far does a “ godly” man’s prayer, or any prayer, of unbelief get with God? Is not an unbelieving prayer a mock ery to Him? Does it not make Him a liar? “And He could do there no mighty work” (although He was as ready there as elsewhere). “ AND HE MARVELLED BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF” (Mark 6:5, 6). The healing of the souls of men is a mightier work than the healing of their bodies. And millions of souls are wait ing today for His healing touch. When will it be given? When the Church—when YOU AND I (Matt. 18:19)— pray in agreeing, God-given faith,'and continue thus until the answer comes, pleading before the Father the sacrifice of Calvary. “ The power of the Cross is alone irresistible.” Will you not spread this appeal be fore God? It may be His command to you to PRAY FOR REVIVAL IN THE CHURCH. BesSi aia ay? A CORRECTION Bishop Adna W. Leonard, of the Methodist Church, has called our at tention to an error in an article on page 735 of the July King’s Business, under the head “ Table Talk” . He says that the conversation referred to was not held with him, and on further in quiry we find that instead of the word “ Bishop” the word “ District Superin tendent” should have been used. We are very glad to make this correc tion in justice to Bishop Leonard. hob He loved us because He .would." How can we fail to praise Him, not only with our lips but by our lives? God has re deemed us with the precious- blood, has called us with a holy calling, and has made us nigh to Himself. Christ is ever near, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, Who will guide into all truth (John 16:13). Well may we exclaim, “ What hath God wrought!” (Num. 23: 23.) And there is the glorious future when we shall see our beloved Lord, and be like Him j l John 3:2). Surely in view of God’s wonderful love, and His con stant care, our hearts feel ashamed that we have ever been otherwise than grate ful for all God’s goodness to those whom He plucked as brands out of the fire. Oh that for His glory we may be prais ing ones, shewing forth, in our dailv life, gratitude to Him, that those about us may see that we are a marked con trast to those who know not our pre cious Saviour. Oh that we may be kept from every form of murmuring, ever knowing that GOD IS, and that He in wondrous love and mercy undertakes for His own. May we not only say, “ I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1), but, by grace, may this be our blessed experience, not only one day a week but seven! May it be our earnest desire to render, in the power of the Holy Spirit, unto the Lord, more of the, praise due unto His Holy Name. May we be able to say, “ Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with bene fits” (Psalm 68:19; Psalm 103:2). How we should render again for all His benefits to us, and praise and thank Him continually. If the peace of God rules In our hearts, by grace, we shall indeed be THANKFUL, and thereby bring glory to His Holy Name, in these dark days of ingratitude and self-pleas ing. Sin in tke Believer God’s Provisions Whereby Christians Are Enabled to Stand in Grace. Our Advocate Above R., LEWIS S. CHAFER The ¡su blet o f the ; relation saved by confessing, and the saved are never restored by believing. That there is no greater demand im posed upon the unsaved than that he believe, and no greater demand imposed upon the saved than that he ,confess, is due to that which Christ accomplish ed on the cross. He wrought in behalf of sinner and saint in bearing the sin of the world, and every requirement of infinite justice is met for all in the fin ished work of Christ. In the one case, there is nothing left to be done but to believe; while in the other case, there is nothing left to be done but to confess. The revealed attitude of God toward all men is that of grace alone. There fore He does not need to be. coaxed or persuaded. With His hand outstretched to bestow all that His grace can offer, it is highly inconsistent to plead with Him to be gracious, or to coax Him to be good. By the unvarying teaching of God’s Word, and by the inexorable logic of the accomplished value of the cross, the forgiveness and blessing of God to the unsaved is conditioned upon believ ing, and to the saved it is conditioned upon confessing. 1 John 1:1 to SI 2 is the central passage in the Bible wherein the divine method of dealing with the sins of Christians is stated. A portion of this most important passage is as follows; “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . . My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not (be not sin ning). And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ liever to s-in was dealt with exhaustively by Dr. Chafer at the Institute Summer Conference. The following- from his book “ Grace” summarizes the teachings which he gave. jll'K divine dealings with the sins of the saved are similar to the divine dealings with the sins of the unsaved in one par ticular, namely, what God does in either case is done on the ground of the cross of Christ. By that cross all sin, whether it be that of saint or sinner, has been righteously judged, and the ransom price, which satisfies every demand of infinite holiness, has been paid. By His death, Christ provided the sufficient ground for both the salvation of the un saved, and the restoration of the saved. It is because of what has already been accomplished in the cross concerning the sin of the world, that the unregen erate are freely forgiven and justified. This is a part of God’s saving grace, and is wrought on the sole condition that they believe; while the regenerate are forgiven and cleansed on the sole con dition that they confess. These two requirements indicated by these two words, it will be noted, are wholly dif ferent. The human obligation as repre sented by each word is exactly adapted in each case to the precise relationships which, on the one hand, exist between God'and the unsaved, and, on the other hand, exist between God and the saved. The salvation of the sinner is unto union with God; the restoration of the saint is unto communion with God. Be lieving and confessing are two widely differing human conditions, or obliga tions, and should never be confused or interchanged. The lost are never T HÈ K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S m o a son, is forever past. Nor does the sinning Christian draw on the mercy and favor of God when he is restored t(3 fellowship in the household of God. How easily mercy and favor might be exhausted and overdrawn! On the con trary, the Christian, sheltered under the blood of propitiation, and standing in the merit of his Advocate, is on a basis where no past offenses have accu mulated against him; for he is cleansed and forgiven under the legal justice of the Father. The justice of God is made possible and is righteously demanded in view of the shed-blood of His own Son. Let it not be supposed that this divine plan of restoration of the child of God to the Father’s fellowship will react in an attitude of carelessness on the part of the Christian. The sufficient answer to this challenge is three-fold: (1) True confession is the expression of a very real repentance, or change of mind, which turns from the sin. This is the exact opposite of becoming accustomed to the sin, or becoming careless ,with re gard to it. (2) This very revelation is given, we are told, not to encourage, or license us to sin; but rather .that “ ye sin not” (be not sinning). According to the Scriptures and according to hu man experience, the believer’s safety in the faithfulness and justice of the Father and the advocacy and propitia tion of the Son, is the greatest incentive for a holy life. It is clearly revealed that God has, by other and sufficient means, guarded against all careless sin ning on the part of those whom He has eternally saved through the merit of His Son. And (3) God can righteously deal' with sin in no other way than through the absolute value of the blood of His Son; but when sin has been laid on the Substitute, it can never be laid back on the sinner, or on any other. In the cross of Christ, the question of a ' possible condemnation because of sin is adjusted forever. Mercy and grace can never be commingled with divine justice. Boundless grace is disclosed in the pro- DON’T WASTE A PENNY OF YOUR MONEY the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” According to this Scripture, four vital elements enter-into that divine forgiving and cleansing which constitutes the res toration of a sinning saint,: (1) Confes sion is the one and only condition on the human side; (2) Absolute forgive ness and cleansing is promised on the divine side; (3) The Christian, while sinning, has been safe as to divine con demnation, because of his Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right eous; and (4) Divine forgiveness and cleansing is exercised toward the be liever in unchallenged faithfulness and justice because-Christ is “ the propitia tion for our sins.” In this transaction, as it is thus dis closed, the believer makes no disposi tion of his own sin; that has been made for him. So also the Advocate makes no excuses for the sinning Christian, nor does He plead for the clemency of the Father in behalf of the believer who has. sinned. The Advocate presents the sufficiency of His own blood to meet the condemnation of every sin. The Father does not act in gracious kindness when forgiving and cleansing the believer: He acts in strict faithfulness to His cov enant and promise of eternal keeping, and in strict justice because of the shed- blood. Such is the unchanging value of the propitiation which Christ made in His blood. It should also be noted that, accord ing to this revelation, the sinning saint is never before any tribunal other than that of his own Father. The eternal relationship between the Father and His child can never be set aside. The Father may correct and chasten His erring child (1 Cor. 11:31, 32; Heb. 12:13- 15),' and through confession the child may be restored to the place of fellow ship; but all of this is wholly within the inner circle of the family and house hold of God. Condemnation, which would expel the child from the place of T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 1111 vision, of a perfect propitiation for the sins of the believer; but the application of the propitiation is never gracious; it is none other than the faithfulness and justice of the Father. Therefore grace does not appear in the forgiving and cleansing of the Christian’s sins. The Scripture gives four names to Christians, taken from the four cardinal graces so essential to man’s salvation: saints for their holiness, believers for their faith, brethren foy their love, dis ciples for their knowledge.—A. Fuller. I D O N ’T BELIEVE The following: poem was prompted by the fulm inations of a Congregational preacher at Eagle R ock, Cal.: I don’t believe the Bible was inspired. I can’t conceive that God would have de sired To lead His Israel, whom He loved so well. Up to H is Canaan from* Egyptian hell. I don’t believe the story o f the fall; I won’t concede that Adam lived at all. I w ill accept no theory o f sin That counts the Serpent or the Devil in. I don’t believe in miracles. You see My reason tells me that they couldn’t be; And so, the m iracle of God Himself, W ith all the rest, I lay upon the shelf. I imist believe that Jesus really died. (A ‘‘Cloud o f W itnesses” has testified); But that He rose again I w on’t adm it; ’Twould be a miracle. I can’t stand fo r it. I don’t believe that Jesus went to stay In a ‘‘far country” , ’gainst H is Coming Day; That statement bold I must also bewail, And count it simply as a fairy tale. I don’t believe that Christ w ill come again; He is here now, within the hearts of men; Since Pentecost He’s been here all the while; Perhaps that’s why men are so free from guile. I don’t believe that Jesus died fo r me; He is divine, and so, indeed, are we. W hy need atonement thro’ a Savior’s blood, Since all mankind is pure, and just, and good ? I won’t believe the world is grow in g w orse; Who holds to that must be him self per verse. Mankind is better; look around and see How all we Modernists uplift Society. WM. D. PAGE, Eagle Rock, Calif. THE READ MYSTERY . A gentleman, who thought Christian ity was merely a heap of puzzling prob lems, said to an old minister, “ That is a very strange verse in the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.’ ” “Very strange,” replied the minister; “but what is it, sir, that you see most strange about it?” “Oh, that part of course,” said the gentleman, patronizingly, and with an air of surprise, “ ‘Esau have I hated,’ Is cer tainly very strange.” “Well, sir,” said the minister, “how wonderfully are we made, ahd how dif ferently constituted. The strangest part of all to me is that He could ever have loved Jacob.” ; There is no mystery so glorious as the mystery of Ood’s love.' I ate ate RAVEN OR DOVE? When the flood began to recede, Noah sent out a raven from the ark which re turned not to him again because she found food and freedom on the carcasses which floated on the surface of the water. He later sent out a dove which came back with a twig in her mouth, hut which, after being sent forth a second time, came not back to him because she had found food and liberty in the boughs of the trees. How many people there are who feed their imaginations on) the rot tenness there is in the world; they look for that which is corrupt; its existence they “roll as a sweet morsel under their tongues.” They seem to be moral scav engers. Others look for that which is clean and beautiful and dwell in an at mosphere that is fragrant with their own purity of thought and nature. Both find what they look for, and enough of it to satisfy their demands. It may be that we cannot all be doves, but let us not all be ravens!—Baptist and Reflector.
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