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October, 1934
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
NOTES on
B y M a r y G. G o o d n e r
Lord of the nations, thus to Thee Our country we commend; Be Thou her refuge and her trust, Her everlasting Friend. >■—J. R. W reford . III. A merica ’ s H ope To deny that lawlessness is increasing in America is to be blind to the most obvious facts. A large state university has figured prominently in newspaper reports of the communistic activity of student leaders. Editors of campus publications have used their positions for purposes of destructive propaganda, and their influence has been widely felt. But the onslaught is not without resist ance. In this same university, a group of Christian students is witnessing, by word and life, to the unchanging truth that “ex cept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A member of the group has expressed the scope of the pro gram as follows: “Our vision is not lim ited to a few hundred who have been reached so far this year, but rather focused upon the seven thousand still unregener ated souls', of whom the Lord said He ‘is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ’ ” In spite of the blackness of the picture presented by many aspects of American life, there is encouragement in every movement which acknowledges Jesus Christ in His rightful authority as Saviour and Lord.— S elected . NOVEMBER 11, 1934 What Progress Are We Making Toward World Peace? M atthew 5:9 Suggestions for the M eeting Hymn—“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!” Hymn—“All Hail, Immanuel!” Prayer. Hymn—“I love to Tell the Story.” Scripture. Duet—“Have Thine Own Way, Lord.” Leader’s Message.' Testimonies. Hymn—“Sweet Peace, the Gift of God’s Love.” Benediction. Meditation on th e Lesson The beatitude which has been chosen for our study today is preeminently New Tes tament in its import. All the beatitudes have in them a measure of reflected Old Testament truth, but this one is peculiarly invested with New Testament signifi cance. The teaching concerning “the poor in spirit” reminds one of Psalm 40:17: “I am poor and needy.” The reference to those “that mourn” recalls Isaiah’s pro phecy concerning those “that mourn in Zion” (Isa. 61:3). Likewise, we could find in the Old Testament similar references for all the other characterizations—allu sions to “the meek,” to those “which do
NOVEMBER 4, 1934 What Is Right and What Is Wrong With America? J eremiah 6 :8 Suggestions for th e M eeting Hymn—“America the Beautiful.” Hymn—“My Country, ’tis of Thee.” Hymn—“O Worship the King.” Prayer. Scripture—Jeremiah 6:8. Quartet—“God of Our Fathers.” 1. What are America’s worst enemies? 2. What is America’s greatest need? 3. What happens to any nation when it forgets God ? Give instances and dis cuss specific defects which have led to the downfall of other nations. 4. What are the restraining influences against evil forces in America? How may the Christian’s daily life affect his community? Quiet Hour—Praying definitely for our country (1 Tim. 2:1, 2). Hymn—“Faith of Our Fathers.” Benediction—Psalm 19:14. Meditation on th e Lesson This solemn warning is found in the sec ond message given by “the weeping pro phet” to backslidden Judah. God in His mercy never punishes until after He has warned. Jerusalem had forgotten God. Earlier in the message, the prophet, speak ing for Jehovah, says: “They are waxen fat, they shine: *yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this ? A won derful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have’it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” Following this solemn question, Jehovah warns His people: “Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not in habited.” In this verse, the Hebrew for “depart” means “to be torn away,” indicating the pain it would cause Jehovah to be sundered from His people, whom He deeply loves. His love for Jerusalem was so great that it would be a grief to Him to tear Himself away, even though the city and the nation had forgotten Him. Oh, how great is His faithfulness! And His lovingkindness who can measure? In verse 7, Jerusalem was said to have cast out wickedness as a fountain casts out waters. Do we not see history repeating itself today as we behold America engaging in the same evil practices ? We, too, have fountains of wickedness; we have false prophets and lying teachers; many false religions and cults originate and flourish; and the accusation, “My people love to have it so,” can be brought against America Leader’s Message. Discussion Period.
as it was against Jerusalem. We may well ask the same searching question Jehovah asked in Jeremiah’s day, “What will ye do in the end thereof?” God has blessed our country abundantly, and has in His mercy provided religious freedom, that all who choose to seek Him may have all the light of His Word. But racketeering, lawlessness, liquor, and other enemies of righteousness have so flour ished that even national leaders are baffled and are saying, “What is to be the end?” Politics and politicians are corrupt; justice is defeated in unnumbered instances; pris oners escape or are paroled; life is consid ered cheap. When such conditions prevail, we may well bow our heads in shame as we pray: “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget! “Judge of the nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget!” Leader's H elps 1. A merica ’ s N eed 1. We do not need new laws, but a new spirit. We have laws enough. We are mildewed with laws. We need a new heart. —B arclay . 2 . The great aim of the state is neither riches nor power, but virtue. —A ristotle . 3. The administration of justice in the courts is a disgrace to the country. Clever lawyers defeat the ends of justice they are sworn to support. Prisoners are let go, or get away on parole, to steal and murder almost at Will.— W illiam H oward T aft . 4. America’s need today is for men and women who will plead with God with such a burden as was felt for vacillating Israel by her devout patriots, Moses, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and others.—M. G. G. II. V O ur N ative L and Lord, while for all mankind we pray, Of every clime and coast, O hear us for our native land, The land we love the most. Unite us in the sacred love Of knowledge, truth, and Thee; And let our hills and valleys shout The songs of liberty. Sixty-F ive New Readers A friend in St. Paul, Minn., writes to the K ing ’ s B usiness : “I believe this makes sixty-five names I have sent you. I consider it has been a wonderful opportunity to bring such a vital and true-to-the- Word magazine into homes, monthly for a year, to help build up the saints or to bring a testimony to the unsaved.”
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