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sionary effort is to usher in, civilization. Were this true, it would be a mercy to w ithhold education from them since it is a well-known fact th a t in civilized countries thousands of men are lost in sin. Education does not save. It often leads men into more subtle sin. The fact is th a t the Gospel alone saves men, and the only impetus given us in th e Bible for m issionary endeavor is the solemn fact th a t w ithout Christ th e heathen will remain in darkness, even as we ourselves were prior to our ac ceptance of Christ.) .$%. conscious he becomes of his sho rt comings. The b ro ther does no t hesitate to state th a t he has attained “perfection of the moral n atu re in love”— and argues th a t since th e Bible says, “w ith the mouth confession is made unto salvation,” it is comely for one having attained this perfection to w itness to it— for “what has a child of God to tell th a t is more convincing th an personal experience?” A reader of his article who had not seen th e trac t to which he refers, would n atu rally judge th a t he had underm ined our position completely and th a t he had dem onstrated th e “ perfection of his own moral n atu re in love” since he speaks of us frequently as “my dear b ro th er” and signs himself, “W ith tend erest regards.” A fter reading our friend’s article, we are afraid he has not yet quite attain ed th a t “ perfection in love” of which he witnesses. We fear th a t he “deceiveth him self.” In the first place, had he w ritten his le tte r to us in private, we could have pointed out th a t he seriously m isrepresented our article in several points, and th is would have saved him ate
in i q u ity ; b u t h is b lo o d w ill I r e q u i r e a t th i n e h a n d .” If those to whom we go will not hear th e Gospel message, will the missionary have to count himself a failure? (Ezek. 33:9.) “N e v e r th e le s s , i f th o u w a r n th e .w i c k e d o f h is w a y to t u r n f r o m i t ; i f h e d o n o t t u r n f r o m h is w a y , h e s h a ll d ie in h is in i q u ity ; b u t th o u h a s t d e liv e r e d t h y s o u l.” W hat is the Lord waiting for? (2 Pet. 3:15.) “A n d a c c o u n t t h a t t h e lo ng: s u f f e r in g o f o u r L o r d is s a lv a tio n .” (Note: Some argue th a t all heathen are saved and th a t th e purpose in m is
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Apostle Jokn and Christian Perfection —A Discussion of Misunderstood Passages by K. L. B.
WO of th e very large pages of “The Christian W itness and Advocate of Bible Holiness” are devoted, in th e issue of
November 30 th, to “ an open le tte r to the managing editor of The K ing’s Business.” The w riter of .the article addresses us in th is public way for the purpose of refuting a tra c t which we had w ritten on th e subject of “Christian P erfection.” The contention of our tract, in brief, is th a t believers may not lay claim to sinless perfection, bu t th a t they have before them a perfect Examplè, which they are to strive continually by the help of the Spirit of God to emulate; th a t they are being perfected through th e agencies of the Word' of God, the Holy Spirit and divine providences, and th a t only when Christ comes we shall be given perfection absolute. We show th e use of th e word “ perfect” in Scrip tu re and conclude th a t the person who claims he has already, in th is life, a t tained absolute perfection, shows a de ficiency of sp iritual discernment since the nearer one gets to Christ, the more
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