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THE) K I NG ’ S BUS I NES S
November, 1843
For thispurpose the present chaplain has organized three groups. The first and largest group is the Sunday morn ing Bible class, meeting directly after the morning service. During an eight-' week period it is his aim to kelp the men to rightly divide the word of truth so that such subjects as Law and Grace, F a i t h and Works, and Flesh and Spirit are more thoroughly understood. Once men grasp t h e s e great truths, Bible study becomes a far more meaningful and rich experi ence. Another class, held on Wednes day evenings, resembles the.mid-week service in local churches. On Friday nights there is a more advanced class in Bible doctrines attended by a few men who wish to discuss thoroughly the cardinal beliefs of historic Chris tianity. In addition to these avenues for evahgelistic instruction, c h a p l a i n s [Continued oh Page 438]
Is not limited to outward evidence of the number of men who are interested. In the evening of this same day, the chaplain was talking with two fine Christian young men on the steps of the chapel when a third man joined the group. This man had been an ac tive c h u r c h member, but admitted that he had long been in a backslid den state. After a thoroughly frank conversation with him as to his need, he said that he was ready to take the necessary steps back to God. The four men went into the chapel and knelt at the altar. After all had of fered prayer, they rose from their knees knowing that to another soul had been restored the joy of his salva tion. Giving Forth the Word Christian instruction must also play an important r o l e if the chaplain strives to develop men who can give a reason for the hope that is in them.
not embrace a large percentage of the men actually in each unit, it must be remembered that the percentage of young men who attAid services in civilian life is usually not large. Most men therefore come to camp with no established habits of attending serv ices. It is also true that a substantial minority attend .services of their own denomination in near-by towns and cities. In addition, others are often detained from services by special du- ‘ ties. These morning services are planned to afford a satisfying order of worship to men of different denominations. By using a simple ritual and the great hymns of the church it has been found that the men accustomed to liturgy as well as those. brought up in non- liturgical communions derive inspira tion and value from the services. Since even men who attend regularly will be present at only s e v e n or eight services, a chaplain with an evangelis tic background tries to present very simply and clearly the cardinal facts of the gospel. Because few men have come to know the deeper truths of our faith, he reserves advanced instruction for these for another hour. Some of the men whom he reaches on Sunday mornings as in civilian life, may never again hear a clear gospel message, so every effort is made to help them see their own need of the grace of God in Christ. The present writer has found it helpful to mimeograph his sermon outlines on the reverse side of the morning calendar so that men may take these away for further study or enclose them in letters home. Another service w i t h emphasis in g r o u p singing is held on Sunday evenings. While this is usually not well attended, it does provide an op portunity for men unable to attend the morning service. It has been en couraging to the present writer, that several men have b.een won to Christ at such services, showing that the concern we often have for large at- I tendance may sometimes be mis placed. For example, at an everting meeting r e c e n t l y which was at tended by only nineteen men, two of them expressed a desire to have the way of life made plain to them. After the service, the chaplain had the privi lege of leading them to an intelligent understanding of God’s plan of salva tion. Unexpected Opportunities Instances c o u l d be multiplied to show how God carries forward His work through many unexpected ways. On a recent Sunday when the attend ance fell far below normal, due to the I fact that a large group of men were being sent to another station, the chaplain had reason to feel very much discouraged. But the Lord’s working
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