63
February 1932
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
BACK TO EVANGELISM . . . By PAUL HUTCHENS, San Jose, Calif.
of many pastors are of such a nature as to divide churches and to erect a vyall of rebellion against the cause of Christ in the community. Yet do we ever read any articles on “ The Revolt against Pastoral Work” ? And has any one ventured to write an editorial in scathing denunciation of pastoral work as a whole, or to raise the cry, “ The pas torate is a relic of bygone generations” ? The pessimistic, yet favorite expression of the modern opposer of evangelistic campaigns asserts that “ converts do not hold out.” This is not true, for all genuine converts do hold out; they are kept by the power of Christ. There always have been and always will be many who make a profession of Christianity but who do not actually possess Christ as Saviour and Lord. The wheat and the tares will be present in professing Christendom until the return of Christ. But the true convert is given eternal life, and he shall never perish. One of the most encouraging signs of the times is that many pastors and denominational leaders have begun to raise the cry, “ Back to evangelism!” They have been com pelled to do s o ; for the churches were losing ground, and church-joining, as a result of vapid preaching of generali ties, did not bring about regeneration. Loyalty to the ex tent of service and sacrifice was not found among those who joined. After all, the only way to make Christians is by the old-fashioned Bible method of. conviction and con version. May the day come speedily when the church awakens to see the need for strong, aggressive, scriptural, Holy Spirit- endued, soul-stirring evangelism!
umerous articles are being written on evangelism of the present day. Such titles as “ The Revolt against Evangelism,” “ What is the Matter with Evangelism?” “ The Passing of the Professional Evangelist,” etc., have been used. The subject has been treated from nearly every possible angle. The evangelist has come in for much criticism. Many of the criticisms have been just and should be helpful to any among the evangelists who need a little or a lot of pruning. Some writers have laid the blame for the revolt against evangelism at the door o f modernism; some at the door of the age in which we live; some have blamed unwise meth ods; and others have even dared to speak o f the jealousy of pastors and of the biased training of pastors in the mod ern seminary. But after reading These articles carefully, one cannot help but notice that, whenever there has been unjust criti cism, in nearly every case, the writer was a pastor or an evangelist who had failed to make a “ success,” or else he was a seminary professor, or a preacher who had appar ently lost all spiritual power and passion for souls. The cry of many today is, “ Evangelism is dead—the day of revivals is past.” But thanks be- unto God, there are still a great number who weekly, if not daily, see souls brought to the foot of the cross, and great crowds eagerly listening to the gospel. While it is true that the methods and actions of some evangelists have brought disrepute to the cause of evan gelism, and that they are largely responsible for the pres ent revolt, it can also be said that the methods and actions rich man died . Some one said, “ How much did he leave ?” The answer was, “ He left it all.” We brought no material substance into this world, neither shall we carry any away when we leave. The dying leave all. One day, when a little lad, I saw my mother standing before an old dresser. The drawer was pulled out, and she held something in her hand. A tear traced her blessed cheek. I asked, “ Mother, what have you?” She said, “ Little boy, that is all your mother has left of her little girl, Elisabeth.” Would you be interested in the story? That pioneer mother lived in a pioneer home. While on her way to the spring for water, the little girl ran too near the fireplace. The cruel flames siezed upon the little homemade dress, and the mother saw her child all aflame, running to meet her. The fire was extinguished, but the little burned body, writhing in pain, tarried only a few hours and then left the mother’s breast to be
CHRIST’S GREAT CONTRIBUTION
. . . By JOHN BUNYAN SMITH,* San Diego, Calif.
Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast.
Some day, when my aged mother has gone to that para dise home of the pure and the blest, I shall go to that old dresser and pull out the drawer, and find tucked away in the corner that little shoe, which was all her little girl left. Is that all she left? Nay, sweet memories still cluster about that aged mother’s heart, and the pure love of a little girl whom she loved and lost awhile casts its fragrance across the pathway of life. Boys in the battle trenches, facing the conflict which might be their last, gave to their comrades for safe keeping a picture of a loved one, precious heirlooms, and letters to the dear ones back home. In case they never come back, such entrusted treasures were to be their last token of love ^ and esteem to the beloved across the seas. They went forth to make their last contribution to home and native land. Let us consider what contribution our Lord Jesus Christ made by His earthly life, His cruel death, and His glorious resurrection. Christ created the heavens and earth. . He came into His own creation and lived a life of self- denial and self-sacrifice. Never did He say, “ My property,”
*Pastor, First Baptist Church, San Diego, Calif.
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