KINGSBUSINESS
I THE BIBLE FAMILY MAGAZINES T or E ver ,0 L ord , T hy W ord is S e t t l e d in H e a v e n - P sa lm II9:89
VOL. 16
NO. 8
AUG. 1925
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T \ C. HORTON , E ditor-in-C hief
WM. A. FISHER, M anaging E d ito r
R. H. RICHARDS, B usiness M anager
CONTRIBUTORS
DR. LEANDER S. KEYSER DR. C. E. MACARTNEY
DR. JOHN M. MacINNIS
DR. MARK A. MATTHEWS
DR. I. M. HALDEMAN DR. J. FRANK NORRIS
WM. JENNINGS BRYAN DR. CHARLES ROADS
DR. F. E. MARSH
DR. W . B. HINSON
DR. W . B. RILEY
T £ I I s t a n d s fo r th e Infallible W ord of God, an d fo r its g re a t fundam ental doctrines. ITS PUR PO SE is to stren g th en the faith of all believers, in all th e w orld; to s tir th e ir h e arts to engage in definite C h ristian w ork; to a cq u a in t them w ith th e v aried w ork of th e Bible In stitu te of Los A ngeles; an d to w ork in harm ony an d fellow ship w ith them in m agnifying th e p erso n an d w ork of ou r L ord Jesu s C hrist, an d th u s h asten H is com ing. ® Volume XVI August, 1925 Number 8
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES
Table of Contents
Editorials Page Thé O ld-Fashioned Christian Family A lta r.......................................... ...339 Service, the Saints’ Obligation...............................................,........ .................339 S atan’s S tronghold .............................................. ............................. ................. 340 The Mouse in the Meal................................................... Cheating the Church of its Christ......._................................. .........................341 A Pathetic Picture ............................. ,..................................... .......................... 341 Yoking the Youth of America...................................................... Contributed Articles Shall We Modernize the F aith?— Rev. G. W. Ridout, D. D ............... 343 A Divided House..... ............................................................................................ 345 Satan ’s Triangle— Prof. S. J. Bole................................................................348 The Scriptures are Peculiar in Their Adap tation— Dr. F. E. M arsh....350 Installation of Dean, B. I. O. L. A ............................................................................352 Fine Gold (A Serial S to ry )— Josephine H ope W estervelt.......................... 353 Straws and Symptoms....................... 355 Our Bible Institute in Hunan Province (C h in a )..................................................356 Christ or M ohamm ed?................................................................................................. 35 7 Evangelistic Departm ent (Interesting Soul Winning Stories from Real Experience)............................................................................. 358 Pointers fo r Preachers and Teachers (Hom iletical H e lp s ).................... ...........360 The Fam ily Circle (F o r Fellowship and Intercession).....................................361 Practical Methods of Personal W ork (F o r Defenders of the F a ith ).............. 362 Outline Studies in the Book of Jude— T. C. H o rton .......................................... 363 Christian Endeavor Topics......................................................................................... 364 The Children’s G arden (The King’s Business Ju n io r)................... ............ ....... 365
J. M. IRVINE, P resident GEO. F. GUY,
V ice-President A. ADDISON MAXWELL, T reasu rer DR. A. T. COVERT H. B. EVANS HOWARD FROST C. A. LUX NATHAN NEWBY J. M. RUST MRS. LYMAN STEWART
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J. P. W ELLES, Sec. to th e B oard of D irectors
FACULTY DR. JOHN M. MAC INNIS, Dean DR. RA LPH ATKINSON, A ssociate Dean REV. JOHN H. HUNTER, Sec. of F acu lty REV. W ILLIAM H. PIKE. Sec. E vening School REV. K EITH L. BROOKS, Sec. Cor. School DR. ERNEST G. RAITT, Supt. Ext. Dept. CHRISTIAN M. BOOKS PROF. ARTHUR A. BUTLER MISS MARIE CARTER DR. JOHN MARVIN DEAN REV. JOHN A. HUBBARD PROF. H. W . KELLOGG MISS W ILMA KRAG MRS. BESSE D .’ McANLlS PRO F. H. G. TOVEY PRO F. J. B. TROWBRIDGE W. R. HALE. A ss’t S uperintendent
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BIBLE INSTITUTE O F LOS ANGELES
53 6 -5 5 6 S. H o p e S treet,
Los A ngeles, C alifornia
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THE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
August 1925
B ridge a t N an Y oh K isi
THE BRIDGE AT NAN YOH KISI
and this period is regarded as of spe cial importance. Breakfast is followed by morning prayers, conducted usually by some one of the visiting delegates. The remainder of the morning is divided into three lecture periods, con ducted by well known Chinese and for eign teachers. The afternoon is devoted to personal work amongst the thousands of pil grims who at this time of year make special pilgrimages to the sacred moun tain. Sunday is a "high day,” being specially planned for worship, ending with a testimony meeting at which there are always some heart-stirring and praise-invoking testimonies.
S will be seen by reference to page 356; an important feat ure of the work of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in
Hunan Province, China, is the Autumn Bible School and Conference which is held in September of each year at the foot of the sacred NanYoh (or '";South- ern Mountain” ).. Last year there were over three hundred and fifty delegates in attendance, including the men stu dents of the Hunan Bible Institute and the Biola Evangelistic Band Workers., The program, in general, is as fol lows: In the morning, at the sound of a bugle, the "quiet time” commences,
August 1925
TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
339
E ; D I T O
I A 1
THE OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTIAN FAMILY ALTAR
If one stops to think about it, they are at once con fronted by a fatal fact—all men born into the world are born lost souls! There can be no refutation of the fact that children have an evil nature, one of its earliest manifestations being a rigid rebellion against rules. A child’s conduct is marked by steadfast stubbornness. When the parents say “ You must,” on the lips, if not spoken, can be seen the “ I won’t.” ’ “ Don’t touch i t !” is usually followed by the touch of the child, and this - should rightfully be followed by another touch—for memory’s sake—from the mother. What is the matter with the, child? Why, it has inherited the nature of Adam and Eve through its parents. Is punishment lawful?. Yes, it is commanded
The cover page uncovers a picture which is painted, we are sure, upon the pages of enduring memory in the hearts of many of our readers,—an old-fashioned gathering of an old-fashioned Christian family at the breakfast table, around the Word of God. This picture, of course, is only suggestive of those sacred scenes which are hidden in our hearts and which hold faces so dear and memories so precious that no artist couid ever adequately portray them; but it is significant in its meaning for the family of today.
What is the great need in our ■ land today? What do fathers and mothers and children need more than anything else? Is' it not a vital touch with God’s Word and united prayer? What wonders .would be wrought in the weaving of hearts into a family tie, strengthened by faith in the Bible, softened by the touch of the Holy Spirit, and cemented by an enduring and holy fellowship which would carry each member through the temptations and trials and priv ileges of the day in triumphant victory! What would it mean to the church if, from every Christian home represented in its member ship, the aroma of such a prayer life should ascend, and thus a bond of unbroken fellowship be formed? What would it mean
by God and exercised by Him through all His laws. “ The soul that sinneth it shall die. ” ' Men are lost,-‘-“ All have sin ned.” God has pronounced judgment and given the sen tence ; Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. * * * * There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” But men can be saved. God has a simple, practical but costly method of salvation. He s a v e s them through sacrifice. He paid the penalty of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He bore the sins of men in His own body. on the pross. He purchased them with His own blood.
Feár not, O little flock, the foe Who madly seeks your Overthrow ; Dread not his rage and power: What tho’ yóur courage sometimes faints His seeming triumph o’er God’s saints Lasts but a little hour. As true as God’s own Word is true, Not earth nor hell with all their crew Against us shall prevail. A jest and by-word are they grown: God is *with u s; we are His own; Our victory cannot fail. Amén, Lord Jesus,,grant our prayer! Great Captain, now Thine arm make bare; Fight! tpr. us once again! So shall Thy saints and martyrs raise A mighty chorus to Thy praise, World without end, Amen. Writtenl631 J acob F abricius
Therefore,^;1Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price.” What price? “ The pre cious blood of Christ.” Saved men belong to God, then, and every blood-bought one is under orders. He is God’s “ business agent.” , What are the orders? “ Occupy (do business) till I come.” What is the business? Saving the lostB-the men and women and children who are without the fold, in the cursed world and doomed to eternal woe unless some one shall save them. Does acceptance of Christ as Sayiour involve an obligation to do what God commands? Yes, for— remember— you are not your own. You belong to God’s family and are bound by the most sacred ties. Write it in large letters and put it upon the wall of your room: “ I WAS A LOST SOUL. GOD LOVED ME. CHRIST DIED FOR ME. I AM HIS BY PURCHASE. I AM UNDER ORDERS. HE HAS ORDERED ME TO DO BUSINESS, AND HIS BUSINESS IS SOUL SAVING. HIS BUSINESS • IS MY BUSINESS. THEREFORE I MUST BE ABOUT MY BUSINESS WHICH IS SOUL-SAVING.” If we do not recognize these facts we will be under condemnation and will suffer loss throughout eternity.
to the pastor who had a heart for his flock and weighed down with the burdens he niust carry if he knew that in every family in his church he was carried daily to the Throne of Grace? What would it mean to the prayerless, Christless world into which the family must daily enter, if the members went from bended knees to manifest their faith in the unchanging love of God to restless, help less, hopeless humanity? And—most of all—what would it mean to Him who gave Himself for us and who daily longs for our fellowship? Would it not give Him great joy? Look at the cover again and—remembering all these things—pray that many new “ old-fashioned”, family altars may be established where many “ old-fashioned” Christians shall be developed among old and young who may be able to set an example, by lip and life, that' will incite admiration and emulation. SERVICE, THE SAINTS' OBLIGATION Any one who reads and studies the Bible cannot fail to be impressed with the definiteness of God’s dealing with the sons of men.
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by that much the power of Satan. The fulfilling of the last command of our Lord gives joy to the hosts of heaven (Luke 15:10); it reacts upon our own lives and helps to stem the tide of evil in the,world. It is impossible to eradicate war from the world. It is in the being of man. Even the Christian expe riences it, for “ the fiesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these two are con trary.” Having bowed to the will of God, accepted His Son as Saviour, we.are transferred to a new king dom, and have the peace of God which passeth all understanding. Gur duty now is to take the poor peo ple who have been blinded by Satan up the mountain side to the peak, and with the sharp instrument of the Word of God remove the cataract of unbelief from their eyes, revealing to them the Prince of peace who alone can enable them to live a life of joy and peace. THE MOUSE IN THE MEAL The cartoon this month was sent to us by one of “ Our Family” in England, who writes as follows: ■ “I have ju s t been read ing The K ing’s Business an d find it very helpful and shall certainly recommend it to o ther B ritish Gospel w orkers and S. .S. teachers. I am a B ritish cartoonist, an d have illu strate d your article T h e Mouse in th e Meal’ (copy enclosed) fo r your use. I expect The K ing’s Business to be very helpful in my Sunday School work. Yours in H is service, W. D. F o rd .” The picture carries its own •message, but we are . bound to analyze it and ask some serious questions. Where do6s the mouse come from ? Where does all evil come from? What school produced this creature? What is its purpose? The principle represented by the mouse is not new; it is as old as the Garden of Eden where it first revealed itself. Down through the centuries it has wormed its way in and found a nesting place even in the “ Sacred Sack,”—the Word of God. No night or day has found the emissaries of Satan sleeping at their post. God’s representatives sleep, sometimes so soundly the enemy carries away the priceless possession of God’s Word. No student of the Bible but is conscious that it is faith in the Word of God which the enemy seeks to destroy in order to spoil the lives of men. “ Yea, hath God said?” The Virgin Birth of our Lord is the foun dation of our faith, and when belief in that well authen ticated fact is destroyed, hell and its emissaries rejoice. God has sown good seed through the Word (Matt. 13:25, 26): “While men slept, his enemy came and sowed ta re s among th e wheat, and w ent h is way. “B u t when th e blade was sprung up, and b rough t fo rth fru it, th en appeared th e tares also.” Is there anything more touchingly humiliating than the rebuke of our Lord to the three disciples (Mark 14:33, 37): “And he ta k eth w ith him P e te r and Jam es and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; “And he cometh and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto P eter, Simon, sleepest th o u ? couldest th o u n o t watch one h o u r?” How often has the church been found sleeping instead of watching. Hear the call of the Holy Spirit: “W herefore h e saith, Awake thou th a t sleepest, and arise from th e dead, and Christ shall give th ee lig h t” (Eph. 5 :1 4 ). Shall we not, by God’s grace and power, decide to follow the injunction of 1 Thess. 5 :6: “Therefore le t u s n o t sleep as do o thers; b u t le t us watch and be sober.”
Our salvation is assured, but our rewards for service await the opening of the books, and the greatest • rewards will be given for soul-saving, for that is the business for which Christ came into the world. The cross has but one message (John 3:16): “F o r God so loved th e world th a t He gave His only begotten Son th a t whosoever believeth on H im should no t perish, b u t have everlasting life.” The resurrection of Christ has but one message to believers (John 14:19): “Yet a little while, and th e world seeth me no more; b u t ye see me; because I live, ye shall live also.” All other matters are of minor importance. Reader! Are you doing business for God? Do not evade the question. Are you? If not, why not? SATAN’S STRONGHOLD The world is full of unrest and has been for six thousand years. The hearts of men have been occupied always with this problem,—the “ why” of this condi tion, and the “ how” of its solution,—and they are so occupied today. Statesmen, scientists, scholars and thinking men and women everywhere are making plans and schemes of all kinds to bring about the long- desired but never yet devised remedy. Nations have risen, developed and fallen. Others have followed them. All have been reaching for the highest rounds of the ladder, but eventually have lost their hold. We are passing through the same expe rience. Some good people have sincere desires to promote peace. They talk of peace pacts and adopt slogans Such as “ No more war!” All of this is highly commendable no matter if the effort is based upon a selfish desire to be rich and com fortable,—but—there is less peace today in the home, less in business,, less in society, less in politics, less in the churches, than ever before in the history of the world. There is none at all in the unregenerate heart and never can be (Isa. 48:22). Is there any peace today in the churches? Nay,— there is confusion and uncertainty. Listen to the mes sage of our Lord: “I am come to send fire upon th e earth . * * * * Suppose ye th a t I am come to give peace on e a rth ? I tell you, Nay; b u t ra th e r division” (Luke 12:40, 51 ). There is peace for the Lord’s own people, if they will have it,' but there is no peace for this poor, old, sin- stricken world, staggering like a drunken man to its doom. ' This is Satan’s world. God created it and consigned it to Adam and Eve, but Satan captured it through subtilty. He is the ruler of this world. He showed the kingdoms of the world to Jesus and offered them to Him for His worship. He is the prince of the power of the air. For six thousand years it has been demon strated that the master mind of the devil has been- exercised in controlling the minds and hearts of men. There is but one way of escape—through yielding to God’s spiritual law of a new life (Rom. 8:2). These facts should constrain us to devote our lives to the great business committed to us,—not vain attempts to make a devil-possessed'world better but to save what we can out of the wreck. Our commission is concrete. It is definite. It comes from Heaven’s court. We must save others. Every soul that is snatched as a brand from the burning injects a factor of salt into the world and decreases
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We need the watchmen upon the walls, the words of warning. Modernism may be painted with glowing colors; it may be voiced in sweet and peaceful strains, but every note is a stab at the heart of our beloved Lord. Blow the trumpet! Sound the alarm! Reprove, rebuke, with all long-suffering, for the dark day Of the world’s gloom approaches. It must be that offences come, but WOE unto those through whom they come. CHEATING THE CHURCH OF ITS CHRIST Most Christians are so busy with the daily duties that they have but little.time or opportunity to study or even know church conditions. For the most part,
We need . to tell you so?
If the Bible is true, then these false teachers and preachers are facing an awful fate (2 Peter 2:3). *A PATHETIC PICTURE It was five o’clock in the evening. The doors of the great auditorium were to be open at seven o’clock, but a crowd of people waited and increased until at the appointed time a surging mass of humanity pressed through the entrances to the three different floors and in ten minutes every seat was taken and every avail able bit of standing room occupied. Nearly five thou sand people waited for the opening of the service. it was to be a debate on the subject: “Resolved, that the earth and all life thereon is the result of
the sheep depend on t h e under-shepherd for instructions a n d s p i r i t u a l advice. Many a r e therefore unconscious that they are being robbed of their Christ. The m e a n i n g of C h r i s t i s “ t h e Anointed. ’■’ It is the official appellation of the promised Saviour, denoting His kingly authority a n d H is mediatorial position as the Servant of the Lord. The common name by w h i c h He was known was Jesus (Saviour), b u t He was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3: 16 ). r-v In these apostate days many pulpits are being dishonored by m en w ho use the name, J e s u s , b u t avoid an honest con fession to their people that they ' do not be lieve in His virgin birth. By. the use of smooth, soft religious messages t h e y a r e
evolution.’’) P r o f . Maynard S h i p l e y , President of the Sci ence League of Amer ica, was to speak for the' affirmaitive, and Dr. W. B. Riley, of Minneapolis, Execu tive Secretary of the Christian Fundamen tals Association, for the negative. The meeting h a d been well advertised, for the “ scientists ’’ had sent messages to the teachers in the schools and universi ties, a n d t h o s e churches in sympathy with them, to be pres ent. A number of Bol shevists were On hand, also, evidently with the intention of creat ing a disturbance, but the presence of a num ber of policemen as sured order. The Science League was born for this oc casion. Dr. Riley had repeatedly endeavor ed to secure some one who would d e b a t e
Cor>cinjt MS . s ' W B m I 5 W fflÊ iïm th t ' t r£'nimor> of s/n% r i Ì ^ / àiS(ef ^ M H H ¿1/ '"W à/so go/cftn '*6- able to deceive the people. Others, in process of time succeed in convincing their flocks that it is not essen tial to believe' that Jesus is virgin born. The Scripture has warned us concerning false teach ers of this kind (2 Peter 2 :1, 2) : “ * * * th e re shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in dam nable heresies, even denying th e Lord th a t bought them , and b ring upon themselves sw ift destruction. “And many shall follow th e ir pernicious ways; by reason of whom th e way of tru th shall be evil spoken of.” And we want to help our readers and warn them : Do not allow any preacher or teacher—man or woman to deceive you. Either Jesus Christ was God, or else the Bible is untrue. If the Bible is untrue, why waste your time in going to ¿ “ meeting house” and waste your funds in paying the salary 6f a preacher with him on this question, but somehow the professors seemed to be a little backward in coming forward. One of their number did, indeed, accept a challenge from Dr. Riley some months ago, but cancelled the engagement at the last moment. We do not blame them. It is quite easy to handle a group of students and make them believe that the- Bible is a back number, but Dr. Riley is quite another matter. Professor Shipley had been . “ under the weather ’’-—so he said—and had been advised by his physician to refrain from straining his voice, so that the opening address which had been written by Pro fessor Shipley was read by Mr. Edward Cantrell. The arrangement was that affirmative and negative should each have forty-five minutes, then fifteen min utes for the affirmative, twenty minutes for the nega tive, closing with the last five minutes for the affirma- August 1925 TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S 342 tive, Mr. Cantrell did his very best in reading from the notes prepared by Professor Shipley, though they contained many strange names of beetles and birds, crawfish and creeping things,, and birds of- the air. Dr. Riley used hut few notes. He knew his ground and in his usual magnificent and gracious manner car ried the thinking people with him. He laid a solid foundation and erected a superstructure thereon which can never he moved. In his closing five minutes Professor Shipley brought what he termed “ indisputable proof” of the theory of evolution—a five-toed prehistoric horse (one, “ eohip- pus ’’.) which, according to this assertion, evolved into the one-toed horse whieh now romps in the pasture. Of course, this called forth a “ horse-laugh” from the audience, who demanded Something more in the, way of proof than the professor’s mere statement that it was so. The matter of decision was left to the audience, who were to vote on the merits of the arguments presented and not in accordance with any preconceived ideas they might have had. The vote was to he by risr ing, and it was estimated that about four hundred people voted for the affirmative (Professor Shipley), while the balance of the audience rose en masse for the negative (Dr. Riley). - The plan was to follow the debate in Los Angeles with one in Oakland, (Prof. Shipley’s home town) then Portland and Seattle, and the Oakland meeting was held at which time 200 voted for Dr. Shipley and 2000 for Dr. Riley, after which Dr. Shipley refused to com plete the program by going to Portland and Seattle. We felt a little sorry for the evolution professor, hut rejoiced in the sweeping victory for the Word of God. Pray for Dr. Riley. If possible, he should go through this country, meet the scientists (so-called) and put to silence their pretentious claims, which so far have never had any real foundation, YOKING THE YOUTH OF AMERICA The “ Better America Federation” -deserve the coop eration of all loyal citizens of our country. This organ ization is composed of practical business and profes sional men who have the best interests of our country at heart. It is void of any political prejudice and is serving in an unselfish and patriotic manner. In a recent “Weekly News Letter” the Federation called attention to the danger confronting the youth of our land in an item entitled “ Appeal to Youth,” as follows: “A subject worth note by every tru e American is the growth of the Youth Movement 'b ack ed and supported by radical groups. Today th ere are th e Young W orkers League, Young Communist League, League for Indu strial Democracy, the Fellowship of Youth for Peace, Young Peo ples Socialist League, P ioneer Youth of America, National Students Forum , Young Fabean Society, and various others •unsuspectingly influenced by surface idealism. “Under the surface we find purposes which aim a t the very destruction of our Government and, in fact, of the fo u n d a tio n s of civilization. Such organizations and foreign alliances as the Communist P arty, th e Indu strial W orkers of- th e World, the American Civil L iberties Union, the F el lowship of Reconciliation, th e Intercollegiate Socialist So ciety, the W orkers P arty of America, etc., are giving aid and direction. “This year, a self-styled ‘Conference of Youth Organiza tions’ was held in F a r Rockaway, Long Island. Among the -‘youth’ and tak ing the leading p art, were men identified w ith these radical organizations and well known for years as w riters and speakers for movements of obstruction and destruction of governm ental m easures and policies. We wish to impress th e above facts upon your mind. We shall have more to say later. “The ‘Searchlight,’ (New York Commercial) in p art says: ‘I feel it is w ith Young America th a t the question tru ly lies. They alone can preserve clean and untarnished, those ideals and institutions handed down to us. They alone can prove to these malcontents th a t th e life blood of our F ath e rs was not shed in vain. They alone can preserve Americanism, the only “ism” in America.’ “ Young America, once again America has need of you. You must organize. Many groups, already organized, are spreading the proper teachings of tru e patriotism , b u t none are dealing directly w ith our question. Help organize a group, call it w hat you will, do w hat you will in it,, bu t organize.” One of the most effective ways to 'meet this propa ganda is through an agressive, Bible-founded organiza tion of young men, and such an organization can be found in the Fishermen’s Club which is now being extended throughout this and other lands. The object of this club is the saving and training of young men for definite soul saving service. Read the announcement below. THE BOOK! The Book! W hat book? There is bu t o n e , The Book th a t tells of God’s own holy Son; ’Tis heaven’s revelation, A message of salvation, The Book! The Book th a t all should read, both young and old; The Book about the Shepherd and th e fold. Its tru th s are worth much more th a n purest gold; Its tru th s the lives of men for heav’n will mould; Its tru th s are new though o’er and o’er they’re told; The Book of books I hail, Its tru th s shall e’er prevail, The Book! David F. Nygren. “FISHERS OF MEN” Those who have read the new plans for the F isherm en’s Club of Los Angeles as out lined in th e May and Ju ly issues of The King’s Business, will rejoice to hear th a t sev eral applications have already been deceived from different p arts of th e country for per mission to organize such a Club. The charters which will be issued to these new clubs by the T rustees of the In tern ation al F isherm en’s Club are now ready, and a sample charter will be sent to any one interested, together w ith suggested form of Constitution, “ Story of the Fisherm en Club,” and full Information regarding the steps necessary to organize. The need for th is extension work is urgent, especially in view of th e alarm ing conditions now prevalent among th e youth of our land, as outlined in th e editorial on th is page entitled, “Yoking th e Youth of America.” Address T. C. Horton, 536 S. Hope Street, Los Angeles, California. August 1925 TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S 343 I (NB! m fa C o n t r i b u t e d A r t i c l e s ^ 5252S25252525ffi2525ffi252H5H5H5ffiH5H5E5H5H5H5S5H525H5E5H5H5H5Z5H5H5E5H5H5H5H5H5E5H525H5E5E5H5H52525H5H5SS SKali We Mode rn i ze the Faith? Rev. G. W. jjid o u t, D. D., P . R. G. S., P rofessor P ractical Theology a fid Apologetics, Asbury College, W ilmore, Ky. A u tho r of “The Cross an d th e F lag ” ; “The P re sen t Crisis in Methodism” ; “W h at is th e M atter w ith P ro testan tism ” ; and Amazing Grace.” Dr. R idout has given us a practical and logical article, well calculated to stim u la te th e fa ith of every believer are a t least th ree attitu d e s we may assume regard to th e F a ith ; We may seek to modernize it. We may seek to hold a comprom ising a tti tude tow ard it. 3. We may embrace it, contend for it, and defend it. We May Seek to Modernize I t 4. We m u st no t modernize so as to invite an invasion of doubt. This is an age of doubt. Some conceive th a t it is th e Special prerogative of th e schools to te a r from the stu dents th e ir beliefs and th eir certainties and th ru st them into doubt and then make them fight th e ir way back to faith. Not so! Our business is not to scatter doubt bu t proclaim divine certainties when it comes to faith. A certain writer, says, “One cause of th e present decline from old beliefs is a sp iritual debility, a lack of th e power to tak e energetic hold on belief even when reason finds no fau lt w ith them. 5. We m u st n o t modernize so as to obscure th e supreme object of th e Church. The Church is called to be a com munion of saints as well as a working body. I t has a higher mission th an of socialities. It was created for sp iritual m inistries. John Wesley said to his preachers: “You have but one th ing to do, th a t is, to saye souls.” When the Church becomes so modern th a t it fails a t soul-saving it grows dead to the sacred purpose of God for which it was called into existence. 6. W e m u st n o t modernize so as to obscure th e sense of God o r lose th e God-consciousness in our soul. They say th a t both th e sense of sin and th e sense of God is sadly declining in th is age. We believe it is so. To m aintain a steady faith and a good experience we m ust tak e care to preserve the God-consciousness in our souls. This was th a t which made so many of the saints so conspicuous for holy ardor. It is said of St. F rancis th a t he would so often be filled w ith God th a t his constant saying was “My God! My God!” A Compromising A ttitude Touching now th e second point th a t our a ttitu d e towards the F aith m ight be one of compromise, let mfe say th a t the sp irit of compromise is to be m et w ith on every hand. Sufficient, however, on this point to say th a t we gain nothing by compromise. A New England w riter shows us the foolishness of this when he speaks of “ pouring the w aters of concession into the bottom less buckets of expediency.” We need again to heed th a t call of ano ther w riter who says: “We m ust be baptized again into the sp irit of nonconform ity, of intellec tu al and moral honesty— the sp irit which does no t suffer men to go w ith the crowd when reason and conscience and a living God bid them go alone.” Embrace— Contend—Defend Coming now to the th ird point, let us say th a t our Chris tia n a ttitu d e should be th a t of defenders of, and contend ers for, the faith . Most of the men of th e New Testament not only gave us those sacred w ritings, bu t they contended for and defended them w ith th eir lives. They held tru e to th e F aith and sealed th eir testimony w ith th eir blood. The cry and clamor today is to modernize religion, .the church and th e Christian faith. They say th e modern m ind i s .calling for restatem ents, new settings, etc. The fact is these clamorous calls come more from the carnal m ind than from any other kind of mind. But let us remember th a t if we go into this modernizing business we sh all come up against, certain positive dangers an d we need to heed certain w arnings: Let us a t th is point emphasize certain cautions. 1. We m u st n o t modernize to th e degree of losing sight o f certain g reat distinctions. Remember the Christian F aith has certain g reat headlands of HistoricifeApostolic and Revealed T ru th which, like the Alps of Switzerland, abide th rough the ages and have never removed though empires have fallen, dynasties have changed, and th e map of Europe and the world have altered a hundred times and more. The Church has stood for these g reat distinctions th roughou t the ages. Methodism has held them. Abel Stevens, w riting of Methodist Theology and th e Methodist P u lp it of other days, w rote: “Acknowledging th e import ance of sound doctrine they dealt mostly in th e theology which relates to the sp iritual life— F aith , Justification, Regeneration, Sanctification and th e W itness of th e Spirit. These were the great ideas, and never since the Apostolic days were they brought out more clearly.” 2. We m u st no t modernize so as to lose ou r essential message. The message of the Church is redemptional, not m erely reform atory or. cultured. The preacher is not a prophet of social righteousness, bu t an apostle of th e Gos pel, and he is to declare the whole counsel of God and not th e resu lts of scholarship, th e guesses of philosophy or the illusions of modernism. 3. We m u st n o t modernize so as to lower th e In sp ira tio n and th e A uthority of th e Scriptures on things essential to salvationi. The modern tendency is to strik e a t In sp ira tion, lower its tone and thus deprive the Bible of its God- given authority. Wycliffe, th a t g reat man of Oxford, who fought such a royal b attle to give the common people of England the Bible in th e English tongue, said: “The New T estam ent is full of au tho rity and open to the understand ing of simple men as to the points th a t be most needful to salvation. . . . The Holy Ghost teaches us the meaning o f Scriptures as Christ opened its sense to His disciples.” August 1925 THE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S 344 exacting deference to everything th a t the scholars say about th e faith. One of the signs of the times is th e lack of intellectual lowliness; from the pedestal of th eir intellect ual conceit present day scholars arrogate to themselves all power in earth or heaven. “There are men who imagine th a t it is a sign of high intelligence to go to Darwin, swal low his views as a child m ight swallow a dose of medicine and th en exude it in a sort of rh eto rical perspiration on platform and in pulpit.” This type of men would constitute themselves arb iters of the Christian faith and its in terp reters. P rofessor Bowne, in one of th e most objectionable books in th e Methodist Course of Study (which book is to continue in th e course for four years m o re), says: “ It is to modern scholarship th a t the lot has fallen of grappling w ith the problem of the inteliigibility of the (Bible) in a seemingly final way. . . They (the scholars) will have th e function of form ulating the sp iritu al life so as best to express it and keep it from losing its way in swamps of ignorance and sup erstition !” The Christian F aith is best kept by th e saints, and they are its in terp reters. We are to contend for the faith (once for all) delivered to the saints— not to th e scholars. 5. I t is a most holy faith . We hear much today about a practical faith, pragm atic faith , sane faith, progressive faith, etc., bu t let us remember th a t the g reat outstanding purpose of our most Holy F aith is to make us holy. Remem ber you cannot be tru e to th is faith by merely pressing a social ethic or a moral order while repudiating God’s call to holiness and ignoring His holy demand. The most Holy F aith will make you holy and a Bible Christian. Your w ith drawal from th a t demand or requirem ent tu rn s every th ing into a problem for you, and you yourself become a liability, and not an asset, to th e cause of tru e religion. Forsyth in his Yale Lectures said, “ By concentrating religion in a crisis between holiness and sin it gives to it a moral n atu re and a moral core, a moral focus and a moral soul.” Think now of some of the m arks or characteristics of the F a ith w e are exhorted to contend for. 1. I t is an H istoric F aith . Dr. W. P. P aterson, of Edin burgh, in his Baird Lectures, well says: “Religious th ink ing which severs itself from the historical revelation, th a t makes the Bible a superfluity, readily falls a prey to the most fan tastic illusions, or,-finding out its self-deception, seeks some consolation for the hum iliation which has over tak en it in an all-levelling rationalism .” The study of history is very essential in order to appre ciate th e person and religion of Christ. “Human history,” says Dr. Smith, “ has no other center of convergence and divergence than the Cross of Calvary; history has no other prophetic end th an the Kingdom of Immanuel. Both Jew ish and Christian history flow to and from the first Advent and th e Cross of Calvary.” Jonathan Edwards, in his H istory of Redemption, viewed all history as a divine theodicy, a real body of divinity which is from , for, and to God, centering in the person of Christ; and th e work of redemption arid th e whole of his tory seemed to him to illu strate (a) th e antecedents of redemption, (b) th e accomplishment of redemption, (c) the application of redemption. L et us not be ashamed of being known as a Christian of the H istoric F aith . The more sp iritu al and devout we become th e closer we creep back to the F ath e rs and the Apostles and to. the Prim itive Church: Progress, you say! Yes, th e fastest progress we can make in divine things is to get back to historic sources, to historic doctrines, to historic faith and to historic experiences of grace. Well did Bishop W arren say, “We w ill have to climb back one hund red years to g et w here ou r fath e rs were in power.” 2. This F a ith is a final fa ith and unchangeable. The centuries cannot change it, and all th e pretentious claims of philosophy or learning cannot improve it. The Christian faith, like its Divine Lord, is the same yesterday, today and forever. One has said, “ In music we have seven notes. These having been established all musical advance is in new combinations of th e basic tones. In mathem atics the mul tiplication table will never be improved, n eith er will the point or the line or th e circle. The seven colors will never become out of date, bu t th ere will be new combinations of them . These ultim ates in music, mathem atics, painting having once been found are of perm anent, unchanging value.” So w ith religion and the Christian faith ; there are certain g reat ultim ates which never change. They rem ain the same through the centuries. A skeptic said to a m inister, “Who is the au tho r of the Bible?” The m in ister asked him the question, “Who w rote th e multiplication ta b le?” The skeptic replied th a t nobody knew bu t th a t all th e same it worked. The m inister replied, “ So does the Bible— it w o rk s!” 3. I t is a faith , no t a science or Philosophy. In religion we are dealing w ith a faith, not a science or philosophy. The la tte r are always changing and shifting th eir ground. Philosophy settles little or nothing in the realm of religion. It invites problems bu t fails to solve them . Very few find Christ through philosophy and many lose Him through th e same. Ours is a faith, not a problem. I t is fine fo r you when your moral problems are adjusted a t the Cross where faith is born. It is a sad moment when your faith changes into a problem! 4. I t is a faith deposited fo r safe keeping w ith th e saints and no t th e scholars. We are not to forget this g reat fact, th a t th e faith was given in charge of th e saints. Too often are people disposed to th ink th a t we must pay the most “HE KNOWETH THE WAY THAT I TAKE” (Job 23:10) Peace, perfect peace, our fu tu re all unknown. Jesu s we know, and He is on the throne! — E. H. B ickersteth (1875) T. C. HORTON , E ditor-in-C hief T h e K ing's Business 5 36-558 S. H ope S treet Los A ngeles, C alifornia. D ear F riend,— In response to y o u r appeal on inside fro n t cover for m y help in doubling th e circulation of T h e K ing's Busi ness, you m ay ' ‘COUNT ON ME” to do my share. Enclosed, please find $ ...............fo r.................. 3 months* trial subscriptions @ 25c $ ...............fo r............... re g u la r y early subscriptions @ $1.25 N am e.......................................:............................... .............-.........: |g A d d ress............................................................................................ (Sign y o u r own nam e and address here, giving nam es an d addresses of new subscribers on a n o th e r slip ). August 1925 TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S 345 A D i v i d e d H ouse Inasmuch as The K ing’s Business F am ily is vitally in terested in every effort which is being made in defence of God’s priceless Word, so d ear to us all, we ta k e pleasure in tak ing ex tra space th a t we may give in fu ll th is statem en t p u t fo rth by th e World’s Christian Fundam entals Association^!! its Seventh Annual Convention a t Memphis, Tenn., May 3 to 10Ç1925. O d . I The citadel of the false teaching of th is hour, as would be expected, is in our educational in stitu tion s; no t only in institutions of higher learning bu t in th e public grade schools; not only in sta te institutions bu t in denom inational in stitu tion s; not only is it found in the lectures of th e pro fessors but in the textbooks on science and philosophy w ith which our schools are ju st now flooded. While we are for efficiency and economy in adm in istra tion, and while we favor the highest stand ard of scholar ship, yet we look w ith grave apprehension on th e present day movement to force all our educational in stitu tion s, uni versities, colleges and grade schools to conform to certain and inexorable standard s of education, which- stand ard s were first “made in Germany” and la ter approved and enlarged by Chicago University. The so-called “ higher criticism ,” which is b etter desig nated “ destructive criticism ,” received its g reatest momen tum in this country w ith th e establishm ent of th e University of Chicago in 1892. In the words of an able Christian statesm an and editor, “we have b rough t before us th e mean- ace of the Rockefeller Foundation Fund. “ Some months ago one of the most distinguished phy sicians of Baltimore told me th a t the Hopkins— and I th ink he m eant mainly th e Hopkins Hospital— had received '$9,000,000 from the Rockefeller in terests and th a t no man connected w ith th e in stitu tion dared voice any opinion con tra ry to th e instructions from one man in New York who dom inates the situation. “ I have never discussed Mr. Rockefeller’s motives, bu t I have vigorously attack ed th e wisdom of Southern in stitu tio n s putting themselves under such obligations to th e Gen eral Education Board, or to any other g reat financial in te r est which could seek to shape the policy of its teachers and dom inate th e doctrines th a t they would teach. You can • readily understand th a t when an in stitu tion has received a large am ount of money from th e government, or from the General Education Board, th a t almost involuntarily its officials will follow suggestions th a t come from such a gov ernm ental departm ent or from such a financial organization. “ I said once- th a t if all th e evils charged against business combinations or tru sts were as g rea t as had been claimed, yet these evils in th e aggregate would be small in compar ison w ith the evils in education th a t could be brough t about by such gigantic sums of money helping to shape th e educa tional influences of th e country; and I added th a t if all the coal and th e iron and th e oil were held w ithin th e grasp of a few people th e power for evil would not be n ear so g reat as the power for evil if any g reat combination of capital should get its hands upon the educational work of th e country. “ In the m atter of the m aterial development we m ight be able to save ourselves from ruin, bu t in the m a tte r of edu cational work under th e influence of, or direction of a D epartm ent .qf Education in W ashington, or of such g reat combinations of capital as the Carnegie Foundation, the Carnegie Pension System, or the General Education Board, all the educational life of th e country m ight be shaped to S much as lieth in you, live peaceably w ith all men,” and we, the W orld’s Christian Fundam en tals Association, have endeavored to heed this scrip tu ral admonition, bu t th ere comes a tim e in the history of th e church, as well as in th e history of nations, when th e enemy makes an attack and there is no altern ative bu t to .declare a defensive war. God Himself declared w ar on Satan and -his kingdom when He gave to the world His first promise of. a coming Messiah (Gen. 3: 15), and in the language of the Apostle P aul (Eph. 6 :1 2 ), “We w restle not against flesh and blood, but against prin cipalities, against powers, against the ru lers of th e darkness of th is world, against sp iritual wickedness in high places.” Therefore, we find our justification for waging this w arfare in Holy W rit itself: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to w rite unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to w rite unto you and exhort you th a t ye should earn estly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the sain ts” (Jude 3). Christianity has come to the cross-roads. We have come to Mount Carmel and The Issue in This P re sen t Conflict is th e W ord of God! W hat Deism was to its day, German rationalism is to this present hour. I t is the rejuvenation of th e ancient Gnos ticism, which attacked the au tho rity and deity of th e Lord Jesus Christ, against which teaching the Apostle P aul w rote (Col. 1 :15 -18 ): “Who is th e image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creatu re; for by Him were all things created, th a t are in heaven, and th a t are in earth, visible and invisible, w hether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, th e church; who is th e beginning, the firstborn from the dead; th a t in all things He m ight have the preem inence.” E ntrenched in Our Schools Christianity has been th e p atron as well as th e pioneer of higher education. The g reat universities of this country were founded by Christian scholars and endowed by Chris tian men and women. H arvard, Yale, Brown, P rinceton; ' D artmouth, V anderbilt and others owe th e ir origin to the labors and sacrifices of Christian people. All tru e Fundam entalists not only welcome bu t bid God speed to all scientific discoveries and research. The world owes an everlasting debt of g ratitud e to th a t g reat and hon orable body of men, the tru e scientists, who have given th eir lives in research and in labors, having as th e ir chief reward th e satisfaction th a t they have contributed to the world’s progress and alleviated the sufferings of mankind. Not only is there no conflict between th e supern atu rally inspired Scriptures and science, which is “knowledge gained and verified by exact observation,” bu t intelligent Chris tians and tru e scientists agree th a t every discovered fact only confirms and establishes the Word of God. Therefore, th e protests of Fundam entalists are not against higher education or tru e science, bu t against science falsely so-called; not against facts, but against assumed and changing hypotheses which are unsupported by evidence either in the realm of religion or science.
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