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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November, 1940
The King s Business The True-to-the-Bible Family Magasine The Official Organ of THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. LOUIS T. TALBOT, Editor-in-chief W . F. HEMFF, Advertising and MILDRED M. COOK, Managing Editor ® Circulation Manager
COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE!
Israel approaches rapidly her zero hour. Upon your Jewish Mis sion have fallen the burdens of a thousand new calls, Macedonian cries, the heart-breaking walla of many Rachels weeping for their children, the heartaches of shat tered homes, separated families, empty stomachs, diseased bodies. Your Jewish Mission now min isters in such a world-wide service as we have never before been called upon to shoulder. And this we can only continue to do as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in America, awakened and aroused to a new realization of stark realism, will enable us.
Motto-. "U nto him that lotted us. and washed us from our sins in his own blood " (Rev. 1 :5 ).
Volume XXX I
November, 1940
Number 11
TABLE OF CONTENTS • Ransom D. Marvin, Staff Artist Cover Photograph by H. Armstrong Roberts
Around the King’s Table — Editorial ........... .......... ..........- ...........................404 Significance of the News — Dan Gilbert .......... .......................................... 405 An American Gives Thanks — Wallace Emerson ......................................406 Defining Blessings and Mercies — Louis T. Talbot......... .......... ............. 407 The Forgotten Beatitude — Yanee Havner ....................... ...............;........... 408 Moods That Affect Preachers — Herbert Lockyer ...................................... 410 When Is a Lie Not a Lie?— Bartlett L. Hess ............. i..............................411 Girls’ Query Corner —Myrtle E. Scott ............. .......................................... 412 For Love of Those Who Wander.............. .— ........................ -'413 Is There Thanksgiving in China?. ........ .......................— ,— .......... 414 Bible Institute Family Circle.......i....................................... .......................... 416 Junior King’s Business —Martha S. Hooker .................................................417 International Lesson Commentary................................. ................... ..............421 Notes on Christian Endeavor —Mildred M . Cook ..............i............. .....436 Daily- Devotional Readings.......................................................... .!.— ........... 441 Our Literature Table ......... ............... ................................. ...................... ....446 SU B SCR IP T ION P R IC E : ‘,‘Th e K in g 's B usiness” is published m onthly. $1.00-*-one year; $1.50— tw o yea rs; 60 cen ts— six m on th s; 10 cen ts— sin gle copy. C lubs of «.five or more at special rates; write* for details. Canadian am i foreign subscriptions 25 cen ts extra. It requires one m onth for a ch ange of address to becom e effective. P lease send both old and new addresses. R E M IT T A N C E — P ayable In advance, should be m ade by bank draft, express or post office m oney order payable to “Th e K in g ’s B usiness.” D ate o f ex piration w ill show plainly - each m onth oh outside w rapper or cover of m agazine. A D V E R T IS IN G — F or inform ation w ith referen ce to ad vertisin g in “The K in g ’s B usiness,” address the A d vertisin g M anager 558 South Hope Street, L os A n geles, C alif., or our eastern representative, R eligiou s Press A sso ciation, 1108-10 Colonial Bldg., 13th ana Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. M A N U SC R IP T S— “The K in g ’s B usiness” can not accept resp onsibility for loss or dam age to m anu scripts sent to it for consideration. Entered as second-class ’ matter November 7, 1938, at the post office at Los An geles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate o f postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925. embodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P. L. and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938, THE KING’ S BUSINESS S58 South Hope Street • Los Angeles, California INFORMATION FOR SUBSCRIBERS
Starvation In Kishineff. These children look to us for food. To such a fellowship . in this crisis hour of Israel’s history, we Invite you. It Is a good fellowship, and can only bring blessing to you and to your home, for our invitation is backed by the sure promise of God as given through Moses, “ Come thou with us and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good c o n c e r n i n g Israel.” Num. 10:39. AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS TO THE JEWS, 31 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn, N, Y. Dear Friends: I want to fellowship wkh you in your world-wide and heroic labors among Israel of the world dispersion. H e r e I s $................r use as the Lord directs, for His glory among His people.
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1. Will America, Like Germany, Suffer Defeat? . ...................... .. . By Kenneth M. Monroe 2. The Startling Sign of the Returning Jews.......................... ............ ....... By Louis S. Bauman 3. The Coming World Dictator— Who Is H e ? ..................... ............. ........ (and) 4. The Invasion of Palestine by the Northern Confederacy............................. By Louis T. Talbot
I T SEEMS to me the world is heading for a very great catastrophe . . . I am alarmed. I will go so far as to say I am frightened at what will happen.” These were words uttered by former Premier David Lloyd-George at a time when they seemed to many of his contemporaries to be the musings of an old man. But now the echo of that fear is heard around the world. Numbers of other statesmen are not ashamed to voice their anxiety re garding the impending “ catastrophe.” More than that, there áre multitudes of men and women— humble souls who have loved peace and the simple life— who have been brought face to face rudely with the terror and uncertainty of these present days. In all hearts is the question, sometimes voiced but al ways deeply felt: “W H A T M A Y W E E X P E C T ? ” The best thinkers of our time can provide no proper answer to the, question, apart from that contained in the
403 November, 1940 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, is sued only for the glory of the King. It is the kind of periodical that will de light believers because of its consistent allegiance to the Word of God, and it will be read also by those who have not yet come to know Christ’s saving power. Significance of the News One of the most popular features in T H E K IN G ’S,BUSINESS is the de partment prepared by the well-known news correspondent and militant Chris tian, Dan Gilbert. Having contacts throughout the nation through speaking appointments, and with headquarters both in Washington, D. C., and San Diego, Calif., he is able to evaluate na tional events \yi h u-usual accuracy. Especially for Leaders “ 1 had to lead Christian Endeavor the other night,” a young girl wrote. “ 1 didn’t know what to do. But 1 went to vour magazine, and it helped me!” In different language, this would h~ testimony of many eager young Chris tians, wno use tne is cites on v.nnstian Endeavor.” “ 1 want my Sundav-school teachers to teach T H E W O R D OF GOD , so I am arranging to supply them with cop.es of T H E K IN G ’S BUSINESS to use as quarterlies.” It would be im possible to estimate the number of Sun day-school and church leaders who have made this decision. T o make it easy to order the maga zine in quantity, die “ Bundle Plan” has been adopted. Why .not order a bundle for YOU R church today? (Special rates furnished upon request.) Remem ber: the International Lesson Commen tary and the Christian Endeavor Notes are printed in the magazine one month in advance. Leaders of young people as well as Christian parents will find throughout the magazine unlimited ma terial for their groups. For the Family Circle Daily Devotional Readings— a Scrip ture portion and a brief comment foi every day of the month— are provided for personal use. or for family worship. As an experiment, not long ago, this section of TH E K ING ’S BUSINESS was omitted, and the storm of protest was so loud and continuous that the de partment had to be promptly resumed. Junior-age boys and ¿iris, as well as their parents and teachers, enjoy the sec tion that is prepared particularly for them. Here are stories, puzzles, drills, etc., to satisfy inquiring minds and in still love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Evangelistic in Spirit By the grace of God, TH E K IN G ’S BUSINESS for 1941 w i l l be as soul-satisfying as in any previous year. A glance at the list of expected articles, at the Tight, will easily establish this point. For nearly three decades, this magazine has been the official organ of W ill you not pray For this con stantly expanding ministry oF the printed p a g e ? W ill you not do all that you can, by securing new sub scriptions N O W , to extend the bounds of the magazine's influence, For Christ’s sake ? IN "THE K ING 'S BUSINESS" IN COM ING MONTHS (M o st of these articles will appear in 1941) THE FAITH OF THE BETHLEHEM SHEPHERDS Have Y O U that faith?.... ________ _____ By Charles G. Trumbull PENNY AND THE CHRISTMAS BABY A delightful story for children... -----------By Helen Frazee-Bower GETTING THE BEST OF JEALOUSY Can it be done?.... __________ .......By Clarence Edward Macartney GLEANINGS FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN First in a group of messages ............................... By H. A . Ironside WONDERFUL! A fresh approach to a fascinating theme....'. .......By A . W . Tozer THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER A series of rich meditations _________—— ..............By Ruth Paxson THE GOSPELS AND ARCHAEOLOGY Proofs that cannot be denied..... __ _________—By James L. Kelso THE STRANGE GOD A serial story __...__........._____ ________By Grace Livingston Hill SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES ON CITY STREETS An anonymous article about a thrilling experiment. ‘tm — _ _ _ _ _ _ mmm _ _ _ _ _ _ mmm mmm M MM — mm —— — _ mm mm mm m Subscribe NOW Single annual subscription (in U. -----------------------------------1.00 Two-year subscription (in U. S .).....................— ........................... $1.50 (Ad d 25 cents each (or Canadian or foreign postage) Trial subscription (six months).................. - .......- ...................... . «50 Specidl rates in groups of 5 or more. Write for details. THE KING’S BUSINESS 558 South Hope Street Los Angeles, California November, 1940 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 404 Around the King s Table E D I T O R I A L out regard to circumstances. Incarcer ated in Philippi, he “prayed, and sang praises unto God” (Acts 16:25). Ordi narily men do not so behave under like circumstances. Unjustly behind bars, his pain-racked body enduring the add ed discomfort of stocks, Paul sang. His thanksgiving rose not from earthly cir cumstances, for they were dark and forboding. He sang out of an appro priation of things “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard”—things that never en ter the heart of the ordinary man—"the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Blessed with “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” any man anywhere can praise God at all times. What a sorrowful season this would be for the believers of Europe today, were these things not true! "In everything give thanks.” Evidence that God was glorified in the praise of the imprisoned apostle is seen in the unspeakable work of grace wrought in the hearts of the jailer and his family. We read (Acts 16:33, 34) that he “was baptized, he and all his, straightway .. . . . and he rejoiced, be lieving in God with all his house.” Such were the results .of his falling at the feet of the singing prisoner with the question, “What must I do to be saved?” “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”—Ransom D. Marvin. [Th e writer of this brief study is. a Baptist pastor in Los Angeles, a grad uate of Biola in 1935, and the artist whose drawings beautify THE KING 'S B USINESS.— E d it o r .] Increased Responsibility On September 9, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles opened its doors for the thirty-third year as a place of training for Christian leadership. Knowing that many readers of THE KING’S BUSI NESS will desire to join with us in thanksgiving, we submit the following statistics: Day School Enrollment—440 Evening School Enrollment—140 Correspondence School Enrollment— 1 , 000 . More than 25 denominations, some 10 different countries, and 30 states of the Union "are represented in our stu dent body. About 350 of the Day School students live at the Institute. As we face these serious-minded younj; people of college age in our class? rooms, listen to their whole-souled tes- gets more hearty and generous re sponses to any appeal for service. A teacher who praises his class can get more work and better work from them than can another who is never satisfied with anything they do. If we would have the flowers of Paradise blossom in our homes, we must frequently and plentifully water them with appreciative words, encour aging them with the sunbeams of sym pathy. “Post ' mortem praise,” our old friend Dr. Farr used to say, “has no effect and awakens no response.” We probably will cut a lot of kind words on the gravestones of friends and loved ones who received few expressions of praise from us while they lived. They might have been better servants of Christ while they lived, had we given them the flowers when they were due. In some cases, the date on the tomb stone might have been postponed con siderably, had the kind words been given. Brethren, let us all take it to heart. In the home, in the ‘ church, in the world, if the richest treasures of genius and love are to be brought out, there must be sympathetic and appreciative faith. Turn it around: “Brethren, I praise you NOW.”—Keith L. Brooks. “ Whoso Offereth Praise . . . ” The Christian is exhorted to “do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). To glorify God is to fulfill perfectly the purpose for which man was created. Thanksgiving, along with holy living, has a very significant place in glorify ing God, as may be seen in His declara tion, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me” (Psa. 50:23). Unthankfulness is a fearful sim It is linked forever in the Word with the darkest of iniquities (2 Tim. 3:2). The importance of thanks giving is further seen in that it is to be the eternal occupation of the glori fied saints (Rev. 19:6). LET US BE THANKFUL. Thanksgiving that is acceptable to God is exclusively a privilege of the re deemed, for “God heareth not sinners” (John 9:31). How vain will be the na tion-wide Thanksgiving festivities of men who come annually with an unholy offering, as did Cain, ignoring the Son of God! The Spirit-filled Christian baffles the world. He gives thanks “in every thing." The behavior of the Apostle Paul is exemplary in .that he was able continually to offer thanks to God with Serious Indifference . Without comment, we pass on the statements of “a non-partisan organ ization to get church members to vote,” known as the Citizen’s Respon sibility to Vote, with headquarters in New York City: “Between 14 and 18 million non voting church members in the U. S. AU If religious liberty should be restricted or lost in the United States, could the church mem bers escape the responsibility for that loss? - . . . In the national election of 1936, over 27,000,000 eligible American citizens failed to perform .their duty to vote. How can we know how many of those 27,000,000 non-voters were church members ? At least we do know by the federal census that there were 72,943,624 eligible voters «in 1936. Only 45,812,155 voted. . . .. It is not merely man’s privilege to vote" if he cares to do so; it .is his solemn duty, bought with the lives of millions throughout the ages.”—Louis T. Talbot. “ I Praise You” - In 1 Corinthians 11:2 is a little statement that lets in a flood of light on one of the reasons for the success of the Apostle Paul in putting people to work for Christ: “Now I praise you, brethren.” Who does not appreciate apprecia tion? Is there anything more discourag ing to Christian workers today than the lack of it? Even God claims it. The Bible abounds with exhortations to praise the Lord. Our prayers should all be perfumed with it. Yes, we may say that God is limited and hindered in His work for us by our lack of appreciation. Appreciation is a ' necessary ingre dient in the finest and most successful work for God. It has a real creative value which many of us overlook. Paul under stood the philosophy of this when he addressed the Corinthian church in this eulogistic strain. None can say Paul was blind to their faults. He reproved and rebuked them faithfully, sometimes severely. But where a bit of praise was possible, he bestowed it and thus stirred them up to higher endeavor and greater fruitful ness. A church member who encourages his pastor puts heart in him to do better work. A minister who praises his people 405 T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S November, 1940 POISON PEDDLERS: • More destructive than the damage done by bombing planes, more corrupt ing than an epidemic of smallpox, is the evil being done to youth by indecent books and magazines. Our health de partments are vigilant to dean up the sources of contagious diseases of the body. But the poisoners of the mind and the heart seem to carry on their traffic with slight interference. 4 Literally thousands of news stands throughout our country are aiding in the distribution of magazines that con tribute directly to juvenile delinquency. A drive against such literature was launched recently in New York by Mayor La Guardia, whose stand on this subject is certainly sound and courage ous, even though he may be wrong on many other issues. The Mayor made a careful study of the situation in collaboration with Jus tice Stephen S. Jackson of the Chil dren’s Court. In ordering the ban on forty-two objectionable periodicals, the Mayor said: “Not until after minute and de tailed study showing the effects of this reading upon youth did I take action. I wish some of you would spend some time in our children’s courts and see the sorrow inflicted upon parents—hard-working, de cent folk—by their children getting into the most unfortunate kind of trouble. If you know anything about children, if you have families, I can’t understand how you can conceive of anything so repulsive as the circulation of these publications. . . . The constitutional provisions for a free press are not applicable to plain filth . . . ” , Six of the forty-two objectionable magazines had a circulation of 4,000,- 000! American youth is being corrupt ed on a wholesale scale. Fortunately^ the remedy is not difficult to apply. Christian parents, in their own commu nity, can usually secure action on the part of the authorities, if they will take the trouble to protest. , Many news dealers will clean up their own shelves if they are made to understand that such a course is necessary to maintain the patronage of the decent elements of the community. In most communi ties, where Christian parents have be come concerned about the situation, a remedy has been secured. TROTSKY’S END: • His lips denied, but the life ana death of Leon Trotsky proved the truth of God’s Word. As he sowed, so he reaped. With the measure he meted out to others, it was measured to him again. Trotsky met the identical fate Which he had dealt out to many others. [ Continued on Page 445] timonies in periods of devotion, and pray and counsel with them over the problems of their lives, we feel a deep ened sense of our privilege and solemn responsibility, not only to the young people themselves, but to those also who Wait to hear the "good news” from their lips. Last June, a class of ninety was grad uated from this Institute. Of this num ber, about fifty per cent signified their purpose to engage in either home Or foreign missionary work. The first of this company to start for the foreign field was a young man who sailed for China on October 5 under the China Inland Mission. * At a farewell service in Los Angeles, Ford L. Canfield, Dis trict Secretary- of the Mission, intro duced this graduate and another young man thus: “ As far as we know, there are only two young men—-in contrast to thirty young women—who sail for China under our Mission this year, un less there be some, of whom we have not heard, from England or Australian” This sad proportion, though much more THE BATTLE OF YOUTH: • The most important battle in the world today does not center around the saving of democracy from dictatorship. \ An even more vital struggle must be carried on to save youth from the forces of corrupting paganism. Press reports tell of the *action of British refugee children as they found themselves on ships being sunk by Nazi submarines. Many of the children oc cupied themselves by singing the "Beer , Barrel Polka,” a disgusting drinking song of German origin. Apparently, the spirit of ruthless paganism has al ready taken possession even in lands which, so far, have resisted the imposi tion of the physical forms of totalitar ianism. If American children were in a simi lar situation, we might expect the over whelming majority to react in the same way. They would sing and dance to „ the tunes of a ribald paganism. Even in the face of death, they would not call upon the name of their-Creator, for 85 per cent of our young people have never heard the real story of the Lord Jesus and His love. They are growing up in total ignorance of the true mean ing of the Word of God. The spirit of totalitarianism produces dictatorship in the domain of govern ment. But it aims to destroy more than governments; it strives, above all extreme this ye*r than for many years as far as the China Inland Mission is1 concerned, is not unusual in other mis sions as well. It is not known how long mission aries may continue in Africa, China, India, and other fields.. The contem plated world changes of totalitarian leaders threaten the very life of foreign missionary enterprise. With seventy-five per cent of the world’s population affected by war at the present time, it is incumbent upon Christians of America to redouble their efforts to send missionaries to needy fields and to keep them there in so far as may be possible. More and more, as those in darkness look to us, does our responsibility increase. Biola students are trained and willing to go; there is a crying need for the gospel, before it is too late. Let us pray earnestly that the channels of missionary endeavor, opened- by un stinted sacrifice of life blood, may be kept open till the Lord Jesus comes. —Kenneth M. Monroe, Dean. Significance of the News By D A N GILBERT Washington, D. C., and San Diego, California else, t o ' corrupt the minds and hearts of youth. The intellectual and spiritual leprosy of paganism cannot be stopped by military defenses. This cultural dis ease knows no boundary lines and sub mits to no liihitations. It already is raging ift our midst, imperiling our whole future as a nation. Novémber, 1940 TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 406 If Americans would seek to apply spiritually t o 0 themselves the promises given to Israel o f old, they must remember likewise the divine require ments for blessing. If the things “ written afore time” are “ for our learning,” the commandments and warnings as tfell as the promises must be ac cepted when— An American Gives Thanks By W A L L A C E E M E R S O N * Los Angeles, California I F WE as Christians were inclined to look upon the dark side, it would be easy to prove that day by day in every way things are getting worse and worse. We could look across the water to the east and find a Europe gradually falling under the domination of three individuals, none, of whom has any use for or understanding of Chris tian civilization as we know it. We read of the slaughter of thousands al most without a shudder, so frequently have we read and so inevitable has this phenomenon become. We could look to the west of us, and find that the most westernized of the orienfal races have made a shambles of city after city of the oldest civilization on earth, and have spread hopeless mis ery in a large part of Eastern Asia. They too have no use for Christian civi lization. We could recall that we live in a world where force and trickery, treach ery and violence have come to be the accepted mode. We live in an age whose gospel is not that enunciated by the four evangelists, but which draws its inspiration from the unmorality of Machiavelli’s Prince. We could say that we live in an age which will go down in history as one in which many of our spiritual leaders were apostate, our wise men our greatest fools, our young men without vision, our business ethics unethical, our governmental ar rangements short-sighted and oppres sive. All of these things would be true, and certainly no cause for thanksgiving. But there is, on the other hand, that which should make the heart of every Ameri can Christian rejoice. First of all, I thank the Lord that I live in a land into which all of the nations of the earth have p o u r e d their children, have contributed their cul ture, and have brought their separate talents and racial contribu tions. And Americans should be in a position above all peoples to under stand all peoples, to enjoy all peoples, and to have a tolerance for and love of all that is best in every race and in every culture. It is true that we have been so friendly to other peoples that our enemies have used it against us-— have even used this tolerance of ours to set one group against another. But I thank the Lord that it is the genius of America to be the meeting place of all nations, analogous in this limited sense to that great city of God in which all of the nations go in and out, walk ing in the light of the city, which is God and the Lamb. “The Lord . . . gathered them out of the lands, from the east, fnd from the west, from the north, and from the south" (Psa. 107:2, 3). • I am thankful that we have been brought into a land that is indeed a goodly heritage, one which is diverse in its climate and in its products, one that is self-sufficient as to its basic needs; a land in which wheat fields wave over layers of coal; in which orange groves bear fruit over the oil of hidden sands; in which thé forests [Continued on Page 414] Let This Nation Beware! “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping -his commandments. . . . Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multi plied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God. . . And thou say in thine heart, Aijty power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: .for it is HE that giveth thee power to get wealth. . . . And it shall be, If thou'do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them . . . that ye shall surely perish . . . because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut, 8:11-14, 17-20). 'President: W estm ont College. T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S November, 1940 407 Blessings and Mercies Thanksgiving Meditation A By L O U IS T. T A L B O T * the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” What a glorious group ing of God’s doings we have here! First, He “hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” That means that we are ready right now for glory, for even the light that- emanates from God’s holy person could not reveal one spot on the soul of a believer now that the blood oi Christ has been applied. We oftentimes refer to people as “ripening.for glory.” That expression may be poetic, but it cer tainly is not Scriptural? We ripen for glory the day we put our trust in the Lord Jesus. This text says so. Then, we are also informed that the Father has taken us out of the king dom of darkness and “hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” That is not something, brother, that God is going to do five minutes before you die. It is something that He “hath” al ready accomplished for you if you are a believer in! Christ. The Spirit of Sonship Still another rich blessing is found in Galatians 4:6: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." This verse tells me that I have been given the' spirit of sonship, and therefore I do hot feel strange when I enter God’s presence now, nor will I feel strange when I find’ myself in the glory, either at death or at the coming of Christ. I used to think when I was a young believer that it would take me a thousand years to get used to heaven, but I do not think so ajiy longer because Galatians 4:6 tells me that our Father hath given to us the Spirit of sonship. At this Thanksgiving season let every Christian understand that he has been blessed with all spiritual' blessings and that these enumerated are only a few of those included in that word “all;” What comfort it would bring to our hearts if we meditated more frequently upon the wealth of our riches in Christ! For our own souls’ sake, let us engage in this blessed exercise, for it will fill our hearts with joy. If we understand God’s Word aright, we shall be able to sing intelligently, “ Count your many blessings, Name them one by one;' And it will Surprise you What the Lord hath done.” cordance and note the word “hath” to see what God has already accomplished for ' every one who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me give you a few. First is the forgiveness of sins. “And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). This is blessing number one, and please note as you read that verse that we are not to maintain this attitude in order that God might forgive us. Rather, we are exhorted to be kind because He has alreadyforgiven pur sins. Brother, is not this something better than anything that is temporal and transitory ? This is something that you will enjoy throughout all :the eternal ages. Blessing., number two is God’s choice of you. “But we are bound "to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salva tion through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). You may have thought that you chose God, but no, He chose you, and He did it when He knew all about you. He knew how sinful you were. He and He alone knew the depth of. the deceitful ness of your heart; and yet, knowing it all, He hath chosen you to salvation. What a wonderful truth that is to recall when we make discoveries about our selves in regard to our sin and selfish ness! However, God does not make dis coveries. He knew all about us from the beginning, and, knowing all, He chose us. What a wonderful God of, grace ours is! Colosfiians 1:12 and 13 give to us a cluster of “haths.” “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the’ inheritance of A S WE approach Thanksgiving, / \ it is well that Christians should 1 V recognize the distinction between blessings and mercies in order that they may give thanks to God intelligently. Many of God’s people are like an old woman who had been singing, “Count your many blessings,” and then pro ceeded to count them. She wrote on a sheet of paper what she considered blessings. Among those enumerated' were the following: a cottage free of debt, a good pair of eyes, good health, a paid- up insurance policy, and the like. That afternoon her pastor called, and she told him that she had been counting her blessings and had listed them on a sheet of paper. The pastor asked for the privilege of seeing the list, and after he read It through, he said, “ Auntie, you have not recorded, one blessing.” “Then, what are these?” the per plexed woman asked. “Why,” said the preacher,- “these are mercies, and God bestows them upon the unjust as well as upon the just, even as He causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine upon all classes. Mer cies we shall leave behind when we pass out of this world, but blessings shall endure throughout all the eternal ages. “Let us now,” he suggested, “turn to our Bibles and count our blessings.” How many of God’s people are like the old woman of the story! How many measure God’s goodness to them accord ing to the amount of material things the Lord in His providence has bestowed upon them! I have come in contact with some of God’s people who feel that the -Lord has been anything but good to them because they do not possess labor- saving devices and other conveniences of modern life. “ Blessings” Already Accomplished Paul says, in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Spiritual blessings are bless ings for the spirit, and the declaration of the verse is that God “hath” bestowed upon each child of God all spiritual blessings. Note the word “hath,” for it refers to something that has already taken place. I would suggest that believers at this Thanksgiving time take a con- * President , Bible Institute of Los Ángeles, anil Pastor of tbs Church of the Ooen Door. 408 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S November, 1940 The " Forgotten Beatitude By VANCE HAVNER ©reat peace liav>ethey \salncltloviethu laMi:and nothing shall offendthem “And blessed Is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Matt. 11T6). M OST Christians are fairly fa miliar with the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the i>oor in spirit, . . . they that mourn, . . . the meek, . . . they which do hunger and thirst after right eousness, .. . . the merciful, . . . thè pure in heart, . . . the peacemakers, . . . they which are persecuted.” But there is a little beatitude in Matthew 11, so short that we often miss its message. It ' might well be called “the forgotten beatitude,” but its truth surely needs to be called to 'our remembrance in a time like this. Offended in the Dungeon John the Baptist was in prison. Rugged, ascetic, this Elijah of the New Testament, this prophet of the outdoors certainly was out, of place in a dark, damp dungeon. One day his feelings hit a record low so that he sent a delega tion to Jesus to inquire, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” A serious doubt, that was. The very, thing John had preached like a living exclamation point had become a ques tion mark to the preacher himself. Let it be observed that our Lord did not send John a sharp reprimand. Nor did He dispatch a nice talk on “How to Be Happy in Jail.” He reminded, the multitudes that' John was no reed s h a k e n with the wind, not a man clothed in soft raiment. Among those bom of women, no greater than John had risen. But John was down in the dumps, and our Lord understood. John had preached a victorious Messiah, with fan in hand, purging His floor, gathering His wheat into the garner and burning the chaff with unquenchable fire. But h'ere was Jesus, and He was not manifesting Him self at all in such a fashion. He was meek and lowly, going about’ doing good. So the, devil got in his doubt of God’s Word, as long before in Eden, and the prophet began wondering and, as always follows, worrying. Our Lord’s answer was simple enough. John’s delegation was to return and re port what it had heard and seen: the blind were seeing, the lame walking, lepers were being cleansed, the deaf were hearing, the dead were b e i n g raised, and the poor /were having the gospel preached to them. It was as if He had said, “I am running on sched ule, John; I am doing what I came to do. Things may not be going the way you expected, but do not let it upset you; do not stumble over it. AND BLESSED IS HE, W H O S O E V E R SHALL NOT BE OFFENDED IN ME." Prisoners Today It is a day of dungeons, and many saints h,ave fallen into the clutches even of Giant Despair. If a husky lion-heart like John the Baptist could faint, then, “beloved, think it not strange concern ing the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing hap pened unto you." > 7 John the Baptist’s trouble, like most trouble, did not come singly; it was two fold. There- was depression and there was doubt. The depression was within himself; the doubt was about Jesus. He was in jail, and with the dungeon goes depression. Do these lines fall under the eye of some reader imprisoned? Perhaps that one is not behind visible lock and key, but none the less behind bars. While it is gloriously true that “stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage,” the Either side is- also true that other things than stone walls can prisons make and other than iron bars can form a cage. Perhaps adversity has hedged you, your bank account has gone down, and your blood pressure has gone up. May be you are bound to a monotonous rou tine until your birth stone might well be a grindstone. Or, has a loved one gone and left you lonely? Is it sick- t ness, or' invalidism that troubles you, or what is sometimes worse, some ill- November, 1940 T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S 409 ness that lets you keep going while everybody else thinks that because you are walking you are well? Does gloom settle upon you like a merciless fog ? If Melancholy marked for a while even John the Baptist for her own, weaker souls may have many a dismal hour until they learn the forgotten beatitude of the unoffended. It is easy in times of perplexity to be offended in the Lord. It is never right, but it is some times easy. , Offended Unbelievers Let it be remembered that our Lord has been an offense to more people than has any one else in all history. He is either a Sanctuary or a Stumbling- stone (Isa. 8:14), and to His own nation He has been a Rock of Offense (Rom. 9:33). The Jews were offended when He came, and they still are offended; they do not believe He is the One who should come, so they look for another. The Pharisees were 'offended in. Him (Matt. 15:12), and Pharisees of ail the ages have stumbled over Him. Like wise, the unbelieving Nazarenes of His home town were offended in Jesus (Matt. 13:54-58). He is always an of fense to those who regard Him only as “the carpenter’s son.” They may speak well of Him, but to them He is only Man and not Emmanuel. When He is preached as Son of God, Saviour, Judge, and King, they are offended. So He cannot do many m i g h t y works with them because of their unbelief. Superficial disciples are easily of fended in Him. When He gave that mighty discourse on the Bread of Life, many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him (John 6:60- 66). Such 'disciples are everywhere; they have had no experience of grace; they have followed from temporary en thusiasm. When they face the deeper issues of the gospel, what it means to feed on the Bread of Life, they are of fended. These are they who complain of the sermon as being too hard, who moan, “Nobody could live like that!” For there is a preaching that drives some people away and, as on this oc casion, leaves an irreducible minimum saying with Peter when asked if they too would go away, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we. believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68, 69). One reason that some preachers ’proph esy smooth things instead of preaching the Bread of Life is that they are ca tering to offended disciples who cannot endure sound doctrine. Of course, the preaching of the cross is an offense; Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumblingblock and to the Greeks foolishness (1 Cor. 1:23). The cross never was more offensive than today when the crucifixion has become merely an event and not the event; when blood songs are being eliminated from hymn books and men ridicule a “bloody gospel” and —“slaughterhouse theology.” Paul knew the offense of the cross and spoke of those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ,” who try to dodge the offense with a blood less gospel, without offense and with out effect, for a crossless Christ is as powerless as a Christless cross. Offended Christians But, alas, our Lord-is an offense not only to all these who stumble over Him; He is often an offense to true disciples. Jesus told His most faithful followers on one occasion, “All ye shall be of fended because of me this night,” and so they were (Matt. 26:31-35). They affirmed with Peter, “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee,” but a few verses down in the same chapter we read, “Then all the dis ciples forsook him, and fled.” Yes, even the soundest believers are in danger of being offended, and even John the Baptist needed to learn the forgotten beatitude. Whatever our dun geon may be, the real peril is that we shall grow disappointed with Jesus and pout with our Lord. There is no bet ter word than childish “pout,” for that is exactly the mood that envelops us in such an hour. Our hot, feverish grumbling means that we have never learned the forgotten beatitude. Air most any one can believe during fair weather. There is a deeper privilege and a higher experience that not many ever reach. It is the blessed state of the unoffended. It consists in reaching that point in our dealings with God that no matter what happens, we never pout. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”—that is the spirit of the unof fended. In such a state, whatever God does to us is all right. Trust Without Sight So, when the things we see seem to contradict what we believe, we must not be offended. We expect God to run to our rescue with every SOS we' send up. He is more likely to answer little requests of young Christians, but grown-up Christians should be mature enough so that the promises of God are sufficient for them without their demanding signs and wonders. It .is the mark of a deep Christian that he has learned to trust God no matter how circumstances and feelings misbehave. Nothing that the Lord does can upsetV that kind of believer. There is a heav enly carelessness about it all that ^-brings the peace of God (Phil. 4:6, 7). And let it not be forgotten that there \yill be plenty that is unexplainable, sometimes ironical,, feelings and cir cumstances and events that laugh in our faces. There will be much that we simply cannot fit into any pattern, but God can fit it and He does (Rom. 8:28). There is no use blinking the facts; there is much that is plain ugly and irreconcilable and that just will not make sense to our poor little minds. I do not understand it. Neither do you. Then, DON’T TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT! If we cannot understand it, we can see to it that we are not offended. And that is greater than understanding it! How to Avoid Being Offended God did not explain to Job the prob lem of suffering. But He revealed Him self, and when Job saw God, he needed no explanation. God did not explain to Habakkuk why the wicked prosper and the righteous have so mucji trouble. But He manifested Himself, and Habak kuk bothered no_ more about his ques tions. These men thought they needed explanation when they really needed revelation. God did not answer their questions; He removed them. To see the Lord is worth more than to get our questions answered, for He is really the Answer to every question. When the Giver means more than the gift and the Blesser more than the blessing, we shall not be offended. In this dark hour of world distress, not a few believers are in the dumps over the plight of this poor earth. Like John the Baptist, they would send a delegation to Jesus, for He does not seem to be carrying on His work as they expected. The world is not being converted. It is growing worse. Has Christ failed? He is not transforming the social order nor bringing in world peace. They ask, “Is He that One who should come or look we for another?” If you are in a dungeon of this kind, be not offended in Him. Perhaps you have been mistaught. Many have mis understood His mission, message, and method. He is not Christianizing the world. He did not say He would. But blind eyes are still opening to the Light. Deaf ears are hearing His voice. Lame souls are taking up their beds and walking. Spiritual Naamans are dipping in Jordan and coming forth with flesh as a little child’s. The dead in trespasses and sins are awaking to, Christ their life and light. Around the world the lowly hear the Good News. Christ has not failed. He is carrying on exactly on schedule as He intended from the beginning. He has never missed an appointment and is never late. We need not be offended that He is not converting the world. He did not promise to do that, but to return in clouds and great glory to reign until all enemies are put under His feet. That blessed hour draws ever nearer, and the darker the days the surer His soon return. CHRIST Has Not Failed! T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S November, 1940 410 Moods That Affect Preachers By HERBERT LOCKYER Chicago, Illinois [A ll rights reserved] divine afflatus is suicidal. Anthony Trollope was once told that.“the surest aid to the writing of a book is a piece of cobbler’s wax on the chair.” The same is true of sermonic preparation — Stick close to it! Of Sir George Grey it is written that “he disciplined the hours and bent them to his purpose.” Bishop Wilberforce, in one of his ordination addresses, de clares: “We must hot blink the fact that for many reasons idleness is quite sure to prove one of our besetting sins.” We, too, must discipline our hours, for, as Jeremy Taylor has said, “The first instrument of a holy life is the control of time.” The Mood of Discouragement Another mood afflicting the preacher is that of discouragement. And the best of preachers have followed Elijah, some time, or other, to the juniper tree. We preach our best, but nothing happens. Our efforts appear to be fruitless and unappreciated, and we are discouraged. In spite of our earnest efforts, carnal- minded people thwart us, and we are depressed. In addressing ministerial students, Dr. Clifford urged good tem per as a great requisite of the ministry. If, like Jeremiah in his petulant grief, we, too, propose not to “speak any more in his name,” let us remember that such a mood is unbecoming in a disciple of the Prince of Peace. To throw up the sponge, as we say, when things go against us, is a sign Of cowardice. Any fool can resign. And further, the resignation of a weary, dis couraged preacher is never valid. Dis couragements are dangers when they empty us of courage. They should be made the stepping-stones to nobler things. David knew what it was to get down in the dumps. His soul was cast down within him. He knew, however, how to settle such a mood: “Hope thou in God” ! If, then, your soul is discouraged because of the greatness of the way, let a new vision of the magnitude of your sacred task conquer this feeling. If you are saddened by a conscious lack of progress, by scarcity of results, by offense at your preaching, by lack of words of cheer, by small o r' uninspir ing audiences, take fresh heart, my friend. Bid temporary depression de part. “MEN heed thee, love thee, praise thee not; THE MASTER PRAISES! What are men?” Three miry pits in which the preacher is prone to lose himself, says David Christie, are “the temptation to re cline, the temptation to shine, the temptation to whine.” Three pitfalls of the preacher: “The temptation to recline, the temptation to shine, and the temptation to whine.” R HATEVER else the preacher strives after, complete con trol of moods must be his. J. H. Jowett tells of a memorable walk he had with Hugh Price Hughes through the city of London. In the course of their conversation Hugh Price Hughes gripped his friend’s arm in his impul sive way and said, “Jowett, the evan gelical preacher is always on the brink of the abyss.” And it is true that, be cause preaching sways a man’s emo tions and makes great demands upon his nerves, he faces a grave peril of yielding to moods robbing him of the smile of God’s countenance. The Mood of Laziness Some, there are, who wait for the mood to work. Precious hours are frit tered away and preparation is driven into a comer simply because a man is not in the mood to study. But is it not fojly to have such a mood? Method in study will help to cure this frame of mind. And even when one’s hours of preparation come round, the mind, if it would slack, must be driven to work. Do not dream the hours away in your study Waiting for some inspirational mood to capture you. Lingering for The Danger of Self-Glorificajion Truly the preacher, like the Apostle, is “in perils oft.” And of all perils, none is so subtle as that of self-glorification. Having to exercise his ministry in [Continued on Page 434] Eighth in a Series on wTfte Art ami Craft of Preachina"
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