May, 1942
165
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
New Opportunity to Preach Christ
HYMAN APPELMAN is a Jew who has found Christ, his Mes siah, and speaks of Him with passionate fervor. During evan gelistic meetings at which he was the speaker in the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, the pas tor of the church, Louis T. Tal bot,* asked for and received per mission to have charge of a half- hour period in Pershing Square, the tiny park in the heart of the city’s business district, which has been transformed into a National Defense center since the Pearl Harbor incident. Sensing that here was an un usual opportunity for the preach ing of the gospel, Dr. Talbot ar ranged for his Russian Jewish *Also President o f the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and Editor-in-Chief of this magasins* Dr. Appelman’s warm love for America, rooted in the God-hon oring principles on which this nation was founded, naturally stimulated patriotic zeal among the listeners, and the sale of Gov ernment bonds and stamps that day reached a record peak. But the desire to exalt Christ was prominent, as the following ex cerpts from the speaker’s burning message will indicate. Why I Love America By Hyman Appelman friend to speak to the several thousand people who assembled in the park that day. At this popular civic center, widely dif fering programs are presented almost continuously in the day time hours—but this was the first one that had for its primary purpose the honoring of the Lord Jesus Christ.
B ORN in Russia, I came to the United States when I was twelve years old. I cannot tell you in crimson drop of blood in my body carries that affection. ■ I love America because of its great ness. It is great in territory, great in resources, great in man strength, great in woman beauty, great in child sweetness. It is great in achievements, in accomplishments, in activities that have led the world in every line and sphere of human venture and adven ture. It is great in its history. Wash ington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Wilson, giants who stand out above the run of even the m i g h t y ! America has never lost a war, never dipped its flag in any sort of defeat. From Bunker Hill to the Argonne, Old Glory has been covered with honor and praise. I love America because of its gra ciousness. America has shared its wealth, its scientific discoveries, its medical accomplishments, with all mankind. Pleas for help for many quarters of the world have been heed ed. Belgian children lived because American food ships landed on their shores. German babies have grown in to manhood (God forgive them for their ingratitude) because with the signing of the Armistice in 1918 American relief lifted the hunger bans of that luckless land. Starving Rus sians and emaciated Chinese knew
hallowing Valley Forge is my answer. The laconic report of Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, “We have met the enemy and they are ours . . .” is my answer. The Texans’ cry, “Rememher the Alamo,” is my answer. Abe Lin coln’s “with malice towards none, with charity for all, with justice fn the right as God gives us to see the right . . .” is my answer. The bloody Meuse, Chateau Thierry, the Argonne, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier is my answer. The handful of Marines on Wake Island holding back the yellow horde is my answer. Douglas MacArthur and his sweat-stained, blood-soaked heroes in the fox holes of the Philippines is my answer. You ask me why I love America? My grammar school, my high school, my university is my answer. You ask me why I love America? My home, my wife, my two babies, living unashamed, unafraid (I weep as I cry this) is my answer. You ask me why I love America? My Bible, my church, my Christ is my answer. You ask me why I love America? I am à Jew! I am a Christian! Let the deep, fathomless depths of grati tude out of the very innermost being of my life, on my knees, on my face, thanking God for Christ, for the Con stitution, for the Declaration of In dependence, answer you, shout to you, rejoice with you—I love America.
hope when American soup kitchens lined them up for .charity. Japanese cities were rebuilt; Japanese homes were reestablished; Japanese men, women, and children were given a new lease on life when the American Red Cross crossed the wide Pacific to bring help and hope. I love America because, at terrific sacrifice, it has been the world’s big brother. I love America because of its gifts to me and to countless* others. It gave me an education that I should never have had in Russia. It gave me a chance at freedom denied me as a Jew almost everywhere else in the world. I love America most of all because it gave me Christ and salvation. Here the gospel was preached to me. Here the cross of the Lord Jesus was lifted up before me. Here salvation was proffered me as the gift of God’s grace backed up by yearning, loving anx iety of Christian hearts. Here waters of baptism laved me. Here the church welcomed me. Here the theological seminary opened its doors to me. Here I was and am, praise God for ever, given the right to preach the burning conviction of my soul that Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the world to save sinners. You ask me why I love America? The blood-marked sentry of George Washington’s r a,g g e d Continentals
detail why I love America, but every
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