is a true ecumenicity which I have seen all these years in Bible confer ences where Christians of all groups gather to hear the Word of God. That is unity of spirit but artificial unifica tion is something else. But it is not enough merely to avoid entangling alliances. What is the positive side of all this? Why are we an holy nation? What is the pur pose of it? “That ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvel ous light.” Communism shews forth the praises of Karl Marx. Communists do not say, “ Other ways are just as good.” Christians are ambassadors for Christ. An American ambassador is not out to make Americans of every body but Communists are out to make Communists of everybody and Chris tians ought to be out to win every body to Christ. Someone has said that Communists are out to win the world but Americans are out to enjoy it. Christians should be out to overcome it and win as many out of it as we can. It is harvest’ time today. It is A PRESENT HARVEST: “ Say not ye, There are four months and then com- eth harvest? behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35). We are told to lift up our heads when the signs of our Lord’s coming begin to come to pass, for our redemption draws nigh. But it is not only redemption time, it is reaping time. Some get excited about the Returning Lord who show little concern for the Reaping Lord of the Harvest. It is also a PLENTEOUS HAR VEST: “The harvest truly is plente ous but the labourers are few” (Matt. 9:37). And it will soon be a PAST HARVEST: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jer. 8:20). “ Soon will the season of rescue be o’er.” Communism has a vision of the harvest and they are out, not merely for territory, but for the souls of men. We Christians are playing at harvest time. It is not enough to sing missionary hymns. The sacrifice of praise must be followed by the sacrifice of possessions (Heb. 13:
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" If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." — II Chron. 7:14
15, 16).. Communism has its mission ary plan and program and there is an urgency about it. We have ours, too, but often it is merely an item in a church budget instead of a passion in the church’s heart. I saw a cartoon of the president of a business firm standing in the sales manager’s office. There was a fine map on the wall with vari-colored pins indicating the salesmen out on the road. Business must have been poor for the president said, “What we need is to take the pins out of the map and stick them into the salesmen!” We have our missionary maps today but we need a motive that gets us moving. We have the plans but we need a
prodding. Paul had more than a map, he vhad a mission. Knowing the ter ror of the Lord, he persuaded men, the love of Christ constraining him. We need a Gideon’s Band of real Christians who will be what they really are, a holy nation, a peculiar people, Christian colonials and heav enly nations, a Master’s minority in a pagan world, a spearhead of expend ables willing to spend and be spent, whose business is solely to proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. May our gracious Saviour and our God assist us to pro claim, to spread to all the earth abroad the honors of His Name!
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