%( KMpSINESS February •1928 Volume 19—Number 2 25 cents a copy $1.25 a year in O. S. $1.50 foreign
BIOLA STUDENTS CIRCLE THE GLOBE J7
j D
m .
«
a
S f l
Showing the Foreign Mission Fields where over 300 Men and Women Trained in the Bible Institute of Los Angeles have gone to help the Church to Obey Her Lord’s Command (Mark 16:15). Courses Offered Intending Missionaries Covered in Two Years, or Three if Medical Work is Desired
History of Missions from Apostolic A g e until now. Text-book supplemented by addresses from visiting furloughed missionaries. Study of Home Missions— W ork amongst the In dians, Negroes, Southern Mountaineers, Mex icans and other foreign residents. Observa tion of various missions in Los Angeles. The English Bible----History, Contents a n d Teachings, T ypology, Fulfilled and Unful filled Prophecy, etc. The Great Doctrines c f the Christian Religion Personal Evangelism Church History Philosophy and Psychology of the Christian Religion Homiletics— the Preparation and Delivery of Addresses and Sermons. Christian Education— Understanding Child Na ture, Story Telling, Selecting and Arranging
Suitable Teaching Material, the Principles of Teaching, Practice Teaching, Organizing the Bible School. Practical Church Music Report Meeting (w eekly) for Discussion of Prac tical Problems met by the students in their assigned Christian work. CHRISTIAN SERVICE MEDICAL COURSE T o follow course outlined above or its equivalent Materia Medica Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Obstetrics Theory and Practice of Nursing Constitutional Diseases Skin Diseases Tropical Diseases Anatomy and Physiology Clinics Practical Life Problems Advanced Philosophy and Psychology The Messages of the Books of the Bible Christ and the Cure of Souls
No Tuition Fees.
Nominal Registration and Nurse and Hospital Fees
For Bulletin containing full information address Extension Dept. Bible Institu te of Los Angeles 5 3 6 - 5 5 8 S o u t h H o p e S t r e e t , L o s A n g e l e s , C a l i f o r n i a
“ J E W E L i ” Earn This Beautiful Booklet By Sending Us Five Thames and Addresses 'T 'H E KING ’S BUSINESS has just published in a most attrac- tive booklet, a compilation o f the choicest spiritual para graphs you have ever read. Those who love Scriptural nuggets will find a rare treat here. The booklet is not to be sold but is to be given to those who will furnish us five names and addresses o f per sons regarded as likely prospects for this magazine. It is only fair to ask that these should be the names o f persons who manifest real interest in spiritual things. We are especially appreciative o f the names o f Sunday School teachers and Bible students. We will send these persons a free copy o f T HE K ing ’ s B usiness and make them a special introductory subscrip tion price.
NameA R&E____________________________ — Address ____ I ______ M M i____ H ____________
N am e _ _ Address.
Name Address _
Name. 4 Address
Name __ Address
Send Booklet “Jewels” to the following address:
“(HOW)” DO YOU MEASURE THE INVESTMENT VALUE OF YOUR SECURITIES?
O BE SURE, you insist...and rightly so...that your principal be adequately safeguarded against possible loss. (JThen, too, you must have an adequate return on your investment at as high an interest rate as is consistent with safety— This also you have a right to expect...But have you given proper consider ation to the character of the enterprise in which you have virtually become a partner? Can you consistently and conscientiously en dorse the project? By investing in Annuity Agreements of the Bible Institute of Los Ange les , you insure safety of principal...satisfactory rate of in terest...and the undoubted satisfaction of knowing that your investment is being used to advance the interests of God’s Kingdom.
Life Annuity Rates A ge R ate 30-34 ....... ...........4 % 35-39 ....... ............4 % % 40-44 ...... .....5 % 45-49 ....... ...........5 % % ' 50-54 ....... ............6 % 55-59 ....... ............6 % % 60-64 ....... ............7 % 65-69 ....... ......._ -7 % % 70-74 ....... ............8 % 75-79 ....... ............ 80-84 .:.... ............9 % 85-89 ....... ............9 % %
Bible Institute of Los Angeles 536-558 Sou th Hope S tree t, Los Angeles, California
Bible Institute of Los Angeles 536-558 So. H ope Street
Los Angeles, Calif.
Ask for Booklet A A
Gentlemen: Please send me, without obligation, you r Booklet A A concerning “ Annuity Income Agreem ents.“
Using the attached coupon for your convenience
Name__
Address.
Motto: “ I, theLord, do \eep it; I willwatcr it every moment: lest any hurt it, 1will\eep it night and day." Isaiah 27:3
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY AND REPRESENT ING THE BIBLE INST ITUTE OE LOS ANGELES J ohn M urdoch M ac I nnis , Editor-in-Chief K eith L. B rooks , Managing Editor C harles E. H urlburt , Associate Editor Volume XIX February, 1928 Number 2
Table of Contents
FACULTY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES J. M. I rvine , President ■ H oward F rost , Vice-President J. M. R ust , Treasurer A lexander M ac K eigan Secretary C. A. Lux, Asst. Secretary 1
D r . J ohn M. M ac I nn is , Dtan D r . R alph A tkinson , •.Associate Dean R ev . J ohn H . H unter , Secretary of Faculty R ev . W illiam H . P ike , Secretary Evening,School R ev . A lan S. P earce , Secretary Cor. School R ev . A lbert E. K elly , Student Secretary D r . G. C ampbell M organ D r . J ohn M c N eill D r . C harles E. H urlburt R ev . A lva J. M c C lain C hristian M. B ooks R ev . K eith L. B rooks :!'!;? P rof . A lfred A . B utler M iss F lorence C haffee R ev . J ohn A . H ubbard P rof . H . W . K ellogg M iss R uth W alter P rof . H . G. T ovey P rof . J. B. T rowbridge M iss ' C harlotte L. W oodbridge
ED ITOR IALS The “ I AM ” ...'., ...............,.........................- - ............69 Character Manufactured in the Laboratory..........69 Another Blank Cartridge Fired— .... .......-............. 70 Suffering Speeds Our Flight Above.........................71 The Fatal Itch................— .............. .......•-.....-............ 71 Eager to Believe the Worst..... ............................ .....71 Blood S p o t s ..... . _. cj -j.........................,1.-72 What Is Our Task A n y w a y ? . . , ; . . ! . . . ...,—-73 Editorial Flashlights .................... -......— ......... .,——74 5 |C Sfc H 8 ARTICLES Bringing Back the King — Rev. J. Russell Howden, B .D ............—.......... 76 Some Notes on Abraham Lincoln.........................—.78 Even Savages Have Gray Matter..................... — 79, Was George Washington a Believer?;—K. L. B.....80 Errors of Fundamentalist Science — Dudley Joseph Whitney.....................................82 Rossgrams (from evangelistic sermons of Rev. Britton R oss),........,......;..........................83 Christian Education— Its History , BBgFlorence M. Chaffee....... ........ ....... .............84 Jehovah, the Keeper o f His People — Rev. Alva J. McClain.........................................86 Archeological Summary for the Year 1927...—..... 89 Trifling with the Holy .Ghost— Rev, Bob Shuler....90 A Great Conference at Hunan Institute — Dr. Frank A. Keller.........................................-98 Charles Wesley, Sweet Singer o f Methodism ¡ifeSprof. J. B. Trowbridge..-..................................105 H 8 sfc * H 8 DEPARTMENTS Passages That Perplex—K. L. B ............................ 91 The B.B.B.B. Page..................... ................ -........— 93 Finest of the W h ea t................—-............................. 95 Striking Stories o f God’s Workings...................... 100 Heart to Heart W ith Our Young Readers............102 King’s Business Junior Page............... 103 International Sunday School Lessons.....................106 Biola Table Chat—Albert E. Kelly— .,................115 Notes on C. E. Topics............................................ 119 Book Table ................. .....123 Illustrated Daily Text .............................................. 127
C. E. F uller H . B. E vans A. A ddison M axwell N ath an N ewby W illiam H azlett M rs . L ym a n S tewart ,
D r . J ohn M , M ac I nn is , Dean C harles E. H urlburt , Superintendent J. P. W elles ,
W m . A . F isher , 'Assts. to Su pt.
H . W . B oyd , M . D. M rs . A lma K. M oss P rof , R aymond C onner .. B G. P inkerton , M.D. F. J ean H olt , M.D. Ross A. H arris , M.D. J oseph J acobs , M .D. M argaret M orris , M.D.
Terms: $1.25 per year. Single copies 25 cents. Foreign Coun tries (including Canada) $1.50 per year. Clubs o f 5 or more 25 cents reduction on each sub scription sent to one or to sep arate addresses as preferred. Remittance: Should be made by Bank Draft, Express or P. O. Money Order, payable to the “ Bible Institute of Los Angeles.” Receipts will not be sent for regular subscriptions, but date o f expiration will show plainly, each month, on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. Manuscripts : T h e K i n g ’ s B usiness cannot accept re sponsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent to it for consideration. Change o f Address : Please send both old and new ad dresses at least one month pre vious to date of desired change.
Advertising: For information with reference to advertising in T he K ing ’ s B usiness , ad dress the Religious Press Assn., 325 North 13th St., Philadel phia, Pa., or North American Bldg., Chicago, 111. Entered as Second Class Mat ter November 17, 1910, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. . Acceptance for mailing at spe cial rate o f postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3,>;.: 1917, authorized October 1, 1918.
POLICY AS DEFINED BY THE BOARD -OF DIRECTORS OF THE, BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES (a) To stand for the infallible W ord of God and its great fundamental truths, (b) To strengthen the faith of all believers.
CS a d h u ) J o h n N elson C h r is t a n a n d a HAS A GOOD WORD FOR B.I.O.L.A. ||TJ§) F the remarks o f an Oriental mystic on an Occidental Bible Institute are
welcome, you will have this treatise for perusal. Universities, colleges, SC^°°L) and Bible schools and seminaries, I have visited many, both in my JB own country> in the twenty different European countries, and even in U. S. and unfortunately, my estimation in the Eastern manner o f a Divinity — ^ school has been different, as such I have been many a time disappointed! But speaking o f America particularly, I have never been so much delighted as I was in your Bible Institute,, and only humbly pray that the Lord o f Glory might bless the Institute for His Eternal Glory ever and make it a thorough blessing unto many, in these critical and last days. In the first place I have been there in the atmosphere o f oxygen and not in the suffocating carbondioxide. My contact with some of the professors, and Pillars was wholesome, genuine, and sincere. The absence o f Hypocrisy and the presence of sincerity in the individuals was more than soothing and encouraging to m e : for, one o f the strongest demons I have been fighting in this country is Hypocrisy. I mean even in the ordinary way words, phraseology, and simperings did not actually represent their heart, in many cases. I gathered much of the sentiment o f the Institute in the Report meeting. I rejoice ever that you lay emphasis on the old and yet ever new doctrine o f “ Justifi cation by Faith alone” which has the same Power, same comfort, same function, and same bliss, in all ages. And that you strive to produce faithful, sincere godly and spiritual men and women for the Master’s task, is not out o f appreciation, especially in these days when so many desire to go to extremes, and make big fuss of nothing, and hide their lives as dark and rotten sepulchres. I understand that the standard of the Institute is sober, vigilant, and faithful to the Call o f the Living Lord. I further appreciate that you rather use your own discretion and discrimination in all'things especially in things pertaining to different individuals, than recognizing right away any reports that might often arise out of envy, jealousy and prejudice. Thus, your Institute, I rejoice to say, has imbibed all round qualities that become a right Divinity center. Silent spirituality, love for God and a burning passion for souls, such as I have perceived amongst you, are a great hope o f a bright and luxuriant future. An Institute like that is a great need for a city like that. I am pleased with the type o f students; and I am confident that you will more and more get rid o f any skin-deep, superficial religion that often beclouds spiritual vision, and try to maintain the whole, right in harmony with the Word of God, avoiding— if there be-—things such as, short hair, modern dress, and unnecessary adornments, which, o f course, are so repulsive to an Oriental spectator. I am glad now that I have something to say, edifying and good when I go back, and that is the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles. May the Lord of Power shower His blessings on the Institute, and on the Open Door Church and all the staff and the pupils. May the Divine Peace rest with you all. Amen ! J. NELSON CHR ISTANANDA .
69
February 1928
B u s i n e s s
T h e
K i n g ' s
The “ I AM” COMPARING Christianity with all other systems o f religion, the most peculiar thing about it is that it is the only religion founded upon the personality of its Founder. Other religions require devotion to
point o f time, but “ I EX IST .” It means not simply that He came into existence before Abraham did, but that His existence was without date. He existed before creation,, and eternally. Jesus Christ is none other than the “ I AM ” of ancient Israel manifest in the flesh for the redemption of the world. He speaks as One on whom time has no effect and for Whom it has no meaning. He says: “ I AM the Bread o f life” (Jno. 6 :4 8 ); “ I AM the Door o f the Sheep” (1 0 :7 ); “ I AM the Light o f the world” ( 8 :1 2 ); “ I AM the .Good Shepherd” (10 :1 1 ); “ I AM the resurrection” ( 1 1 :2 5 ); “ I AM the Way, the Truth and the L ife” (14 : 6 ) ; “ I AM the True Vine” (1 5 :5). There is no escaping the conclusion that there was' real identity in the essential nature of Jehovah and Jesus. Whatever Jehovah meant in the words “ I AM that I am,”
their systems and acceptance of their sacred writings. Their founders claim to be philosophers and teachers of divine truth. Christ comes claiming to BE the Truth, the “ Word made flesh,” and declares: “ I f ye believe not that I AM HE ye shall die in your sins.” ' It has been said that Christianity is not a system of
the same was meant by Jesus in the saying: “ Before Abraham was I AM .” Thus the Jews un1 derstood it, for immediately they took up stones to cast at Him as being guilty o f the highest blas phemy-appropriating to Him self the incommunicable name of God. ' Those who would deny this claim of Jesus Christ must either prove •that He did not claim it or believe that He was guilty of a colossal fraud and an almost inconceivable intoxication of van ity and arrogance. But His meek and lowly life, His marvelous words, His unselfish service to men, His influence upon His times and all subsequent history, forbid such conclusions. There is but one alternative. He must be the Eternal Word in Whom the Godhead took to itself o u r perishable humanity, thus indissolubly uniting it with deity and making of Christ the incar nate “ I AM .” So let us under stand it, and take up the song: “ All hail the power of Jesus’ Name; Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem A n d .crown Him Lord of all.”
morals but the worship o f a Per son. That does not minimize the morals, for one cannot have Christ without a most rigid sys tem of morals, but no man can hope to live His teachings with out Christ H IMSELF . The Grecian philosophy was “ Know thyself.” The essence of Christianity is to know Jesus Christ, “ WHOM to know is life eternal.” , The uniqueness o f His per sonality is summed up in our Lord’s own words: “ Before Abraham was, I AM ” (Jno. 8 : 58). This carries us hack to God’s answer to Moses, when Moses asked what he should tell the Israelites should they ask him the true name of Jehovah. The reply was: “ I am that I am. Thus shalt thou say unto the chil dren o f Israel: I AM sent me unto you” (Ex. 3 :14). The word “ I AM ” in Hebrew is equivalent in meaning to “ Je hovah.” It differs very slightly in form. The name which Moses was commissioned to use was, therefore, both new and old. It must have dawned upon him that it was an assertion o f the self- existence, the eternity and immu
F aul ts... and, . ..Foibles F ROM the pen of Mrs. Jessie Sage Robert son, who from an invalid’s chamber sends out freely a beautiful little paper called “My Watch,” comes a paragraph which is worth meditating upon in these trying days: “ Let us not focus all of our attention upon the faults and foibles o f certain of God’s ser vants, but rather seek out the evidences of the work of the Holy Spirit through them in spite of their mistakes, because o f their sincerity of heart as God sees them. Supposing ydu and I spent most of our time mulling over David’s great sins as an adulterer and potential' murderer in the case o f Bathsheba and Uriah, or over his many other faults and failings, do you think that we could get the blessing out of his precious Psalms that we do? O f course we couldn’t. And so it is today, if we see only the faults and failings of God’s servants, we need hot wonder that we receive no bless ing through them. Let us search, and search diligently for what God is doing through even the most faulty o f His servants. And if, for any reason whatsoever, “Ichabod” must in the end be written over their ministry, God grant that it should be a cause for real grief and not an occasion for rejoicing.”'
tability of Deity. Only God can say “ I AM ” His creatures are not except as they receive life from Him. His years are not spent as are ours, like a tale that is told. There, is neither beginning nor end in His existence. “ I AM ” is the sole definition that God vouchsafes of Himself, yet Jesus Christ appropriates these very words to Himself. “ Before Abraham was, I AM .” He plainly means that Abraham had come into existence at a given
Character Manufactured in the Laboratory ACCORD ING to reports in the public press, Dr. Edwin J l V S. Slosson startled a group of scientists at a conven tion at Springfield, Ohio, a few weeks ago by prédicting that character would some day be manufactured in the chemical laboratory. The basis for this prediction is that
70
February 1928
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
seen this done time and again. It is not a theory but a fact that has been demonstrated in the laboratory :of human life in tens of thousands of cases. It is really a wonderful and sensational thing, but the tragedy o f it is that even we Christians fail to appreciate the wonder of it. Éè Éè Another Blank Cartridge Fired O UR readers have no doubt seen the newspaper reports o f recent weeks',announcing that thé Biblical story of the manna had been exploded, as the result of an expe dition o f entomologists connected with the Hebrew Uni versity o f Jerusalem. A London despatch announced that the expedition went to Sinai Peninsula to investigate the problem of the so-called manna, hitherto assumed to be the exudation o f a species o f Tamarisk tree. The Arabs have long collected this manna and sold it to pilgrims. This Jewish expedition reports that this1substance is not a natural vegetable secretion from portions of the Tamarisk tree, pierced by sucking insects, but an excre tion from the bodies o f various coccids which live on this tree. Clear, syrup-like drops exude from the abdomens of these insects. If the excretion is abundant, the drops fall to the ground forming hard, whitish, sugar-like grains ranging in size from a pinhead to a pea, the amount vary ing according to the abundance of the winter rains. Dur ing a good season, the Bedouins assert, it is possible for a man to collect nearly three and one-half pounds in a day. •Many newspaper and magazine editors seem to have jumped to the conclusion that this discovery explodes another Bible story. One writer, for instance, says : “ The story o f the heaven-sent manna (so-called by Israel be cause they wist not what it was), is one of the most charm ing of Scriptural legends, the circumstantial detail being admirably vivid and direct without falling into crude real ism. It is., a question whether Israel would have been quite so delighted had they wist the physical machinery by whose means the manna was delivered to them.” But, gentlemen! Don’t be in such a hurry! Has this expedition shown that the manna described in the Bible came from the abdomens o f insects ? It is true that Arabs and monks have been passing off this stuff to pil grims as the manna of Biblical times. Those fellows will pass off anything for a few shining coins. It is true they have claimed that it was a vegetable product. These investigators find that this product comes from an insect instead. W e are ready to accept that. But who has ever proven that this stuff is, the manna described in the Bible ? The fact is that the substance is not a food at all and could not sustain life. It is a powerful purgative, and to take it regularly would be fatal. In no particular does it satisfy the requirements of the Scripture account. If some pilgrims are so easily taken in as to let the Arabs palm off this fake on them as manna, that is their own lookout. Urquhart in “ The New Biblical Guide” (a set o f vol umes which has been on the market for over a quarter of a century) says: “ An attempt to explain the miracle of the manna has been made by the monks of Sinai. Many have imagined that it takes away a huge difficulty. It is that the bread rained down from heaven was the gum shed by a plant that has always had its home in the wilderness o f Sinai. The Tamarisk, of Tarfa is very frequently met with in the peninsula of Sinai. An insect pierces the leaves, and from the puncture a sweet, honey-like gum pours out during two months of the year. This the monks of St. Catherine gather, put into jars, and sell as the
“ All things are yours,” the Father said, And so it must be true. Then why ant I so poor in Faith, And poor in Patience too? Again Fie says in His holy Book, “ All that I have is thine And yet from out God’s treasure house How little have I made mine. Of, love there is a boundless store; Then there’s no room for hate. O f joy He speaks to me o’er and o’e r ;
And sorrow is such a weight. “ My peace I give unto you,” The dear Lord Jesus said— And yet I am often troubled As the. path of life I tread. . Help me, dear Lord, by faith ,:
T o make Thy: priceless gifts my own That I be an inheritance rich for Thee When Thou: comest to claim thine own. ‘ —G. .C. A.
persons may be personally changed by the use of chemical compounds. There is nothing new or startling about this simple fact. W e have all known for many years that alcohol in the blood will change a kind and silent man into an active and talkative one. It will also turn a gentleman into a brute. ,Opium will lift the clouds and dispel the darkness from gloomy minds and bring visions of day into the midnight, but it will also make sneaks and thieves o f honest and true men. These commonplaces of expe rience are full o f interest but are a problem rather than a hope. No chemist has yet coficocted a pellet that changes a thief into an honest man or an unclean woman into a clean one. The 'fact is that every one of these com pounds that change men, as far as we know, are physically and morally deteriorating. In order to make men good we must get to the source o f life—the springs of desires and motives from which thought and activities flow. This is why Jesus, who knows men as no one else has ever known them, said, “ Ye must be born again.” It is in this miracle o f re-creation that the springs of the motives and desires are cleansed and the will is energized so that men are able to realize the higher standards, o f life. Dr. Slosson is talking of what he hopes to d'o, but he presents no proof to show that he can do it.: Our problem, as the poet reminded us a long time ago, is not to imagine what were fair provided it could be, but first find what may be and then make it fair up to our means. W e know that God can touch life and make men good. We have
February 1928
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
71
manna on which Israel subsisted for forty years ! It is almost as grotesque an imposition as that o f the bits of the true cross scattered over Europe at the present day, or the garments1worn by our Lord, or of the napkin which wiped the sweat from His brow, and which carried away with it the picture of the Redeemer’s face.” The expedition is alleged to have discovered that this fake manna is not the product of the Tamarisk tree, but comes from the belly o f a bug. And that’s all ! ate gfe Suffering Speeds Our Flight Above O NE of our appreciative readers, a young Christian mother who has for many months been a great suf ferer, writes us o f the attempt o f a Christian Science practitioner to get her to take up Mrs. Eddy’s teachings. She being a devoted Bible student, this man’s line of talk was extremely depressing to her, and although she was very weak, she informed the gentleman that if she could not get well in direct answer to prayer, she would not attempt to seek health through a teaching that. would involve the denial o f the Savior who bought her by His precious blood. 1 “ That night,” says this sufferer, “ I had a dream and saw gold and red rays from the center o f the heavens, and just below there was an open Bible, and across the pages in golden letters, it said ‘ God’s Word.’ I think God wanted to show me that His message for me was in thè, Bible, not in something else.” Who could doubt that this dream came to confirm this mother’s faith and warn her against an error that takes advantage of the physical sufferings of people, to slyly creep in? Suppose that the prayers of this mother for recovery, and those of her little boy, fvho, she says, kneels by her bedside every night with the same ' petition, should not be answered in the way they desire! Has she any reason to fear, òr to doubt God? She says riot, and she is right, for she is a child o f the King o f kings. I f her life is spared for a time, she knows that her spirit is being prepared to sympathize with others who suffer. Frosts kill off the vermin which the summer o f pros perity produces, and by our sufferings as children o f Godi we discover how. much we are weaned in our affections from the world, and what sweetness there is in His grace. What comfort there is for a saved person in some o f the Scriptural expressions concerning affliction. They are “ but fo r a season” (Acts 13:11; 1 Pet. 1 :6 ). It is but “ a day o f adversity” (Prov. 24:10) ; “ a night o f weep ing” (Psa. 30:5) ; “ an hour o f testing” (Rev. 3 :10) ; and “ our light affliction is but fo r a moment” (2 Cor. 4 :17 ). “ Each care, each ill o f mortal birth, Is sent in pitying love, To lift the lingering heart from earth, And speed its flight above. And every pang that wrings the breast,. “ The good are better made by ill. As odors crushed, are sweeter still.”
The Fatal Itch T HERE is a word used in the New Testament and translated “ itching” which was, the expression applied to swine suffering from scurvy. '¡These pigs would seek relief for their itching ears by rubbing their heads against heaps o f stones. Paul used this word in speaking o f those in latter days who would turn away‘from sound doctrine, seeking teachers who would scratch their ears and please the senses (2 Tim. 4 :3 ). The natural man wants to hear those who will reflect his own opinions and prejudices and be easy on his sins. He ridicules the pure GospeT which finds him fight where he lives (Jn. 3 :19 ). Jeremiah says, “ The prophets proph esy falsely and the people love to have it so” (Jer. 5 :31). When we see a man digging himself* we know he is af flicted. But there is an itch more fatal. It is the ears that want to be soothed with some easy philosophy—ears that turn from the truth to fables (2 Tim. 4 :4 ). In all eternity they will find no relief. ate ate Eager to Believe the Worst W E heard recently of a very conscientious farmer who long hesitated about having a man arrested who had been shooting his pjgeons. He did not wish to proceed against the man until he had evidence in which there was no possibility of finding a flaw. Finally the offender was .brought to court and the attorney dor the defense turned to the 'farmer with the - — e> (T Thy is Word j • ¡j Truth
B y R ev . W illiam H. P ike Thy Word is Truth. Again we sing This wondrous fact. Loud may it ring. And may each page be clear and bright, Illumined by the Spirit’s light. Thy Word is Truth. Oh, grant us grace On every page Thy love to trace, Help us anew the theme begin O f how that love redeems from sin. Thy Word is truth. Its quickening light Dispels the gloom of sin’s- dark night, It cheers the faint upon the road, And safely guides to Thine abode. Thy Word is truth.. It standeth fast While sun; and moon and stars shall last. When heaven and earth have passed away, Thy Word shall still maintain its sway. Thy W ordJs Truth. W e’ll hold it so^ Through all our days, in weal or woe. ' Thy Word is Truth. It sets us free. W e ’ll chant it through eternity.
* And every joy that dies, Tells us to seek a purer rest, And trust to holier ties.”
(Note: Since the above was written, the writer o f the letter referred to, Mrs: Clara Nelson, o f Jamestown, N. J., has gone to be with the Lord.)
February 1928
72
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
(3 ) He has never strained himself in gesticulating. (4 ) He has never been taken to a hospital nor operated upon. (5 ) He has never brought suit against the church for any cause whatever. (6 ) A Bible teacher named Matthews was taken ill while giving a Bible lecture, but has never contemplated holding the church responsible in any way. (7 ) A member of the church had casually suggested that possibly compensation could be procured from the State Industrial Accident Commission, under which reg ular employees of the church are protected, and had writ ten to the commission inquiring if the terms would cover the case in question. ' Now, gentlemen,' isn’t it about time this pastor—-and some others who have been just as much abused—were given a breathing spell? When the exposure of an indi vidual seems necessary, shouldn’t we at least have some first-hand information about the case? Blood Spots T O the Ephesian elders, the Apostle Paul, giving his final testimony, declared : “ I am pure from thé blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel o f God” (Acts 20:26-27). There are many who are pure through, the blood o f the Son of man who cannot say that they are pure from the blood of the sons of men. It is evident that Paul, the apostle of grace, took to himself the word o f Ezekiel: “ If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezek. 33 :8). How then can any Christian today escape the application of these words ? May there be preachers, church officers, teachers,— with blood spots upon their souls ? Without a doubt the angels o f God see such stains upon Us—the witness that we have not done our duty toward our fellow man. We know what we would say of a man who stood and saw another man or a woman unconsciously walking to ward .a cliff, without so much as sounding a warning. “ That man has a life to answer for. He has blood on his hands.” Yet what is this in comparison to keeping the Gospel to ourselves when many all about us are headed for a hopeless eternity, never having apprehended? Shall a little bashfulness keep us from speaking to such people, when if they were in mere physical danger we would rush unceremoniously to their aid? “ Am I my brother’s keeper ?” Then I would ask you to note Paul’s further word— “ all the counsel of God.” The message must be a com plete one. Sometimes we excuse ourselves by touching
question: “ Are you prepared to swear that this man shot your pigeons?” “ I don’t want to say outright that he shot the pigeons,” answered the farmer, “ but I know I caught him on my land with a gun. Secondly, I heard the gun go off and saw the pigeons fall. Thirdly, I found four pigeons in his sack and I hardly think them birds flew there and com mitted suicide.” It strikes us that many Christian people might well take some lessons from the conscientious farmer.' Some o f us have gotten a long way from the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians. W e are getting too eager to find opportuni ties to expose. It almost seems that some are glad when a man is reported to have gone wrong, and rejoice in the chance to uncover his: alleged faults. 1 Cor. 13 cer tainly teaches that a Christian should never dream of wronging anyone; that he does not keep account of his neighbor’s faults with a view to uncovering them to the world; that his own shortcomings are so multitudinous that he cannot afford to attack others unnecessarily. In reading the many religious periodicals that come to our exchange table, we have been deeply impressed that a spirit of eagerness to believe the worst about men, is in the air. Not only are attacks made unnecessarily, but they are often copied from one paper to another, with no investigation as to whether or not the charges are well founded. If some editor lets loose upon a man in scathing terms, there seem to be other editors who grab the item as good reading, and reproduce it as a choice morsel for their subscribers. An interesting case o f this kind is before us. A San Francisco reporter, having a dull day for news, wrote up a little story to the effect that Dr. Matthews, pastor of the Glendale, California, Presbyterian Church, had brought suit against the church for compensation, as the result of an injury sustained in preaching. It was said that the pastor strained himself in making a violent gesture, and had to be removed to a hospital for an operation. We were not surprised that newspapers copied t'- item widely, but it has been amusing to us to note some of the comments made by religious editors, who appar ently accepted the story without question. One editor pleads for more moderate gestures in the pulpit. He inti mates that, this pastor was evidently trying to make up in violent gesticulations what the subject matter lacked of force. “ More power in speech,” says he, “ accompanied by the demonstration of the Spirit, would have served the purpose better.” The facts in the case, we learn, are these: (1 ) The name of the pastor of said church is'not Matthews. (2 ) The pastor is not given to making violent gestures. He is a man of God, who preaches in demonstration of Jthe Spirit and of power.
73
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
February 1928
simply to assist the weak and needy through charity and education. The Bible goes to the root o f all social prob lems in pointing out that “all have SINNED and come short o f the glory o f God.” The Christian message is that “ other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” God says that no man can be what he should or do what he should until he is “ born from above.” In all o f the programs concerning which Mr. Stetzle writes, no gospel, no Bible and no Christ is needed. Soci ology can live just as well in the atmosphere of Atheistic evolution. The feeding and clothing and comforting o f the needy is work that should be done by Christians in the name o f Christ, but to relieve physical needs and leave men in the bondage of sin, ignorant o f the only power by which they may rise, is anything but Christianity. What has the Church to do with social service that does not go hand in hand with evangelical efforts? Per haps the Church has too often failed in practical service, yet those most actively engaged in relieving distress in this world have usually been connected with evangelical organ izations. Mr. Stetzle says 1,000 prominent social workers have been interviewed and 90 per cent o f them have turned down the Church because leaders are indifferent to their programs. But is that anything to worry about ? Does that indicate the failure o f the Church? How many of these sociologists begin by discounting the Bible, the blood of Christ and the plan of salvation? W e may admire their sympathy for the suffering, but can we join forces with those who reject God’s plan and His one remedy for sin ? The ■Church must get its per spective from the Bible and Christ. The work o f the Church is Christian work, not social service.- We know that the world’s philosophers cannot point to a single ex ample where their methods have resulted in the permanent solution of the social problem. We know that the Gospel is still “ the power o f God unto salvation,” and that our commission is to preach it to all men and follow in the steps of Him “ who went about doing good.” If the Church is not growing, the explanation is to be found in its loss of grip upon the Bible and passion for souls, rather than indifference to the world’s schemes of social betterment. W e are not expecting any “ social re generation” except as individuals are born again through the power o f a crucified and risen Redeemer.
upon some of the fringes o f truth. One may tell his neighbor nothing but what is true and yet come short o f giving him the saving truth. W e hear lawyers say of witnesses in court : “ I could not get the truth out o f him.” They do not mean that the witness has lied, but that he would not go far enough. Men must be told that they are sinners and lost. Have we gone that far? They must be told that “ without the shedding o f blood there is no remission.” Have we ven tured to say that ? And “ no man cometh to the Father but by Jesus Christ.” Have we delivered our souls of that truth? W e cannot be faithful to souls without being clean-cut on the essential things. Nothing is more dangerous than half truth. W e must not camouflage. W e must not declare simply stich portions o f truth as will bring no o f fense to the natural man. The preacher who slips easily along by this method will find that he is not pure from the blood of men. Let every Christian witness remember the exhortation given Jeremiah: “ Speak all the words that I command thee to speak unto them ; diminish not a word.” What Is Our Task Anyway? T HE Literary Digest, a few weeks ago, gave consider able space to an article purporting to show that Protestantism is weakening. Rev. Charles Stetzle, a Presbyterian minister and sociologist, was quoted at some length, the sum and substance of his explanation for the slowing up in church growth in America being that it had failed to .take the right attitude toward outstanding social, economic and religious questions. “ It is at this point,” says Mr. Stetzle, “ that the Church is weakest in its relationship to human society, whereas, as a matter of fact, it should be strongest and most influ ential. In other words, its authority as an interpreter of religion is being questioned by outside organizations which claim to be working upon a religious basis, as well as by individuals who, having accepted the principals which it teaches, fail to identify themselves with the institution which is supposed to be the chief promoter of religion.” He declares that millions o f men and women not con nected with the Church, having “ the spirit o f religion” in their hearts, are working through other organizations, which are outdoing the Church in their activities toward improving living conditions. The social service movements are taken up entirely with symptoms. They do not go after the disease. They do the best they can, and many of their efforts are worthy, even if built upon an entirely wrong foundation. It is natural that these social service workers should condemn the Church for not accepting their viewpoint. They forget that the Church has a social program of its own, laid down by Jesus Christ Himself. It is not concerned primarily with symptoms, but its commission is to deal with causes, and the Gospel is the only remedy recommended. Why do men go wrong, and what is the disease that expresses itself in so many distressing symptoms? God Himself has answered the question and warned us that He alone dispenses the remedy. Man’s answer to the ques tion is o f little value because based upon self-justification and human sufficiency. The social reformer likes to think that “ the lift of every man’s heart is upward.” He thinks that his task is.
Legal Form of Bequest I give and bequeath to Bible Institute of Los Angeles, incorporated under the laws of the State of California____________________ -----------------------------------------------------Dollars, and I direct the release of the President of the Board of Directors of said Bible Institute of Los Angeles shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors in the premises. [Seal]______________________ _____________
M
I l f P
74
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
February 1928
Over 16 times as much for sweets as for books in the past year. $18.15 per per son for candy, ice cream and soda in America, over against$1.10 for books. * * * When the Atheists start raving about the amount o f money Billy Sunday re ceives, remind them that people paid $3,000,000 to see two ruffians pound each other at Chicago recently. * * * We note that at a British-Israelite Mass meeting recently, it was stated that the measurements o f the Great Pyramid prove that the Tribulation begins May 28, 19^8j and ends September 15, 1936. As the age draws to a close, some people seem to have less.and less regard for Acts 1 :7. * * * Rev. A. P. Goutby claims to have taken the pains to inquire into the results o£ evolutionary teaching in five leading col leges. He says that at the close of the first' yëa'r 40 per cent .were agnostics ; sec ond year, 60 per cent infidels ; third year, 80 per cent Atheists. * * * It is inspiring to read of Dr. F. B. Meyer, at 80 years o f age, just back home in London, after another 15,000-mile tour o f Canada and America. This'1was his 14th preaching tour o f America and he appeared in 300 meetings. * * * It is a fearful indictment of our people today to read in Century Magazine the statement o f a judge that criminal jus tice is enmeshed in a web of perjury. False swearing is the daily and almost un remarked episode. Lycurgus said to the Athenians,. “An oath. :is the bond that keeps the. state together.” Bearing false witness under sanction o f the name of God is the only offense separately con demned in two o f the. Ten Command ments!. * * * Things look more and more desperate for the Modernist, according to the pessi mistic. Dr. Dieffenbach, editor of The Christian Century, chief organ of Liberal ism. “At present,” he says, “the Modern ists, are with their backs to the wallr Not a notable figure remains- on the field. The movement to give us a liberal church ,ha's halted and collapsed. Dogmatism is in Control o f more than 90 per cent of the people in the denominations.” He de clares that the only hope is for the Mod ernists to “organize and’ put on a relig ious program.” . But isn’t the world “re- ligioned to death’’ ?' Men want the Gospel and the Modernists have graduated from that. Dean Inge recently made the statement that “if the lower animals could devise a religion, they would certainly represent the. devil as à great white man.” All of
which reminds us that man is a creature who either rises upward toward the angels or sinks downward toward thé demon. When he degenerates, he does not Stop at the beast. He goes lower. * * * . It remains to be seen what kind of a generation will be raised up from ciga rette-smoking mothers.. Dr. Charles ,L- Barber o f Lansing, Michigan, has got himself roundly Criticized by members of the medical profession, because of a state ment before the American Association for Medico-physical Research. Neverthe less, we believe time will verify his words. He says : i“A baby born of a cigarette smoking mother is sick. It is poisoned and màÿ die within two weeks of birth. The postmortem shows degeneration of the liver, heart and other organs. Sixty per cent o f all babies born of cigarette smoking mothers will die before they are two years old.” * * * The statement has recently been made by a leading sociologist that since the World War, “girls and young women have become the aggressors in matters of illicit relationship.” W e doubt if such a statement could be generally applied, yet those acquainted with conditions in our modern cities know that the modern girl has become an aggressive temptation to young men rather than an object and prey of the vices that are supposed to dominate the male sex. . This authority actually says that the hour has come when the thoughtful and careful mother is earnestly engaged in protecting* her boy from the ' lure o f the girls he associates with. If, as this writer claims;1the hope o f idealism in the English-speaking na tions depends upon our young men, we must see to it that they, get their ideals from the Word of God, or all is lost. * * * Professor Muskaytoff, director of the Russian Geological Survey o f Moscow, voices the belief, based on the researches of nearly 500 geological map-making ex peditions, that a definite northward move ment of the earth’s crust is developing, bringing Africa and India nearer to Europe and Asia. Sir Oliver Lodge sup ports Professor Muskaytoff’s theory. “There is no doubt,” be‘ says, “that the earth’s crust is settling down. Nor is there anything abnormal in the operation except the improved means of communi cation which broadcast news o f earth quakes and typhoons all over the world in, a few seconds.” Meanwhile Sir Rich ard Gregory admits that he and fellow scientists are anticipating a disastrous earthquake within a year somewhere near the fault line which runs 'from San Fran cisco south of New York and through the Azores, Spain, Messina, Crimea, Lemi- nakan, Samarkand, and Nagasaki. ■Greg ory says it “has been proved consistently, following the series of minor and medium
THEY SAY — A ltoona (P a .) M irror :
The straight and narrow path is more than wide enough for the traffic it has to carry.
D r . W . J. M ayo , ' ” of M ayo C lint 6 í | í ' í
A specialist is a man who knows more and more about less and less. Los A ngeles T imes ! .;. Don’t waste all your sympathy on the fellow who is down. The whale deserved as much sympathy as Jonah. G eorge P. P u tnam , P ublisher : Science is man’s gradual inter pretation o f the phenomena pf nature. In other •Utords, God - created what science is doing its best, in a slow faltering way, to understand. I ndianapolis S tar : Close to the head o f the list o f things the world does not need are moré' modern ver sions o f the Bible. W illiam L yon P helps , Y a l e : Every empire\ that has per- ished has perished-because the " so-called tipper class, ’ instead . of setting a good example, set a bad example. There no responsibility greater than that which falls 1 upon the rich, the Socially aristocratibSthe edu cated. ■ C harles S tetzi . e in -W orld ’ s W ork : The ai>qrage working man is orthodox . . extremelytpon- * servative in his religious ^con victions. The so-called liberal churches, very rarelyl attract the artisan. B oston T ranscript : A girl has hardly passed the spanking age these, days before she reaches the sparking age. . J ames J. D avis ; S ecretary of L abor : ' W e. shall never have a moral ity that respects the rights and integrity o f others unless our morality has a religious sanc tion. T o . put morality on any other basis is to build on sand. S ir P hilip G ibbs , in I nternational C osmopolitan ; I dare to believe that before the day after tomorrow faith w ill.be reborn. New prophets will arise. There will be a call back to a more spiritual con ception o f life.
February 192§
75
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
earth disturbances such as we have expe rienced recently, that a big earthquake is likely to occur.” * * * One o f the prominent Fundamentalists o f the Baptist ranks, writes us that he re cently contributed an article to the col umns o f The Moody Monthly, and al though its language was precise enough to satisfy the rather exacting editor of that paper, its publication has brought down upon him a storm o f protest from Fundamentalist brethren who seem to dis cover Modernism in some of his state ments. “And that, in spite o f the fact,” says the writer, “that I believe in the ver bal inspiration of the Scriptures, deity of Christ”—and he lists the various points of his creed. That man who has broken into print in recent months and has been able to make himself sufficiently clear .to avoid being showered with such letters of suspicion, is to be congratulated. W e’ll admit it’s rath er disheartening, but shall we cease our testimony because so many are cultivating the gift of reading between the lines?'1 * * * The “ Sir Arthurs” o f England are sure-8 ly drawing down more publicity than they are entitled to. First, Sir Arthur Keith informs us that Darwin is right and we all came from the brute, then Sir Arthur Conan Doyle claims to have received the information that a new era is about to be ushered in, preceded by a great catas trophe unknown in previous history. He has declared that the immediate future is very dark, but an approaching storm, the exact nature o f which is unknown to him, will precede a great spiritual awakening and a golden age. He may have it right, but we don’t put much stock in his source o f information. * * * Here is a beautiful solution of the story o f Balaam and his ass,, fresh from the pen of a Modernist in Great Britain: “ You have perhaps read with delight those stories written by the Greek slave,
For the first time since the Reforma tion, one o f the largest secular French publishing houses has undertaken to dis tribute a New Testament to the public, The publisher, Bernard Grasset, Paris, ex pects to have copies ready-, for the Christ mas trade. According to the Bible Society of France, it is felt that an edition o f the New Testament presented in the form of the secular French books and handled by the book concerns not specializing in re ligious works, will attract many new read ers and give new .impetus to the propaga tion o f the Gospel in France. It is almost impossible to find the Bible on'Sale in France, except in special bookstores, , : ' 3)e There is one class-of our readers'- who never fails to express their gratitude» and give the editors their words of encourage ment, and that is the company out on the firing lines in the foreign mission fields. ' When we are bombarded with com plaining letters from Atheists, Evolutionr ists, followers ,of various false cults, and occasionally some suspicious Fundamen talist, it is refreshing indeed to receive such words as the following from way down in1 South A frica: “ I would like on behalf of myself and many other. readers o f your delightful K ing ’ s ' B usiness to express our gratitude to you and your staff for providing us in South Africa with-such an unrivalled and helpful magazine. It has proved almost indispensable to our workers. “May God continue to abundantly bless your e f f o r t s - 1 They Are Blind McCheyne has said that when a blind man runs against you in the street, you are not angry with him. You say, “He is blind, poor man, or he would not have hurt you.” So we say o f the Atheists when they speak evil of Christ, “They are blind.”
Good Night! 1 When a plumber makes a mis take, he charges twice for it,: When a lawyer makes a mistake, it is just what he wanted, be cause he has a chance to try the case all over again. When a car penter makes a mistake, it is just what he expected. When a doc tor makes a mistake, he buries it. When- a judge makes a mis take, it becomes the' law o f the land. When a preacher makes a mistake, nobody knows the dif ference. But when the editor makes a mistake—good night! — (Exchange)
Aesop, in which all the animals talk. Well, if. you look in the book o f Numbers you will see these words: ‘And the Lord opened the mouth o f the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?’ . . . O f course, the story does not tell us in what language the ass- spoke, but I suppose it could hardly.have been human language, though indeed some' peo ple think it was.: As a rule, however, we find that all creatures have a language of their own, and this ass spoke, I think, in asseS’ language.” We are sure we will:be pardoned for the suggestion that the “ language o f the ass” seems to be the dialect o f some very highly educated human beings. We are told in Num. 22:23-30 that the - L o r d “ opened the mouth o f the ass,; and she said . . and in 2 Pet. 2:16 we read that “ the dumb - ass spake with man’s v o ice" . Does-the Lord have to exert special power to induce,.an ass to speak in the “asses’ language” ?;-
Musical Instruments of Bible Times An interesting collection made by an authority on the. Subject, Charles N . Lam- pher o f Potsdam, New York. He- .finds that there were some 35 instruments used in Bible times—all o f which w e r e developments and improvements of. three primitive ' musical instru ments; 1— -Two : sticks beaten to1- gether to produce ryth mic pulsation. 2— The Hollow Reed — an cestor o f wind , instru ments. 3— The hunter’s bow—an cestor o f stringed instru ment S,i,.;
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online