c n zn p p g zn p p zn O g
2
a E - i
Russian Molokans see page 40
The editors of The King’s Business Magazine announce that starting January 1, 1957 a new increased price schedule will go into effect. The current subscription price of $2.50 per year will be increased to $3.00 per year in the United States and its posses sions and in the Dominion of Canada. Other foreign subscriptions will be $3.50 per year. This announcement is being made well in advance in order that our present subscribers may protect themselves against this necessary price increase. No matter when your present subscrip tion expires you may extend it now for two and one-half years for the low price of just $5 (this means a saving of $2.50 over the new yearly price). If you wish to take advantage of this special announcement simply mail in $5 and ask that your present sub scription be extended for two and one-half years.
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r ^ e a d e r / R e a c t i o n Truth About Bridey Murphy Sirs: Thanks for the article in the Au gust issue warning us (in fact prov ing) that hypnotism did not prove there is any reincarnation. Toronto, Ontario, Morion Flewwelling Canada Pray The Lord Of The Harvest Sirs: The article “Pray the Lord of the Harvest” arrested me. I have long known I should pray this prayer more often every day — every hour would not be too much. Riverside, Calif. ' Mrs. George B. Pettit Dawson Trotman Sirs: We on the Navigator staff were deeply grateful for the excellent article published in the August issue on the life, work and homegoing of our beloved Dawson Trotman. Colorado Springs, Colo. Laura Smith Sirs: Congratulations on the superb job you and your staff did for the August issue of The King’s Business. On be half of the entire Navigator staff we want to thank you for your splendid write-up on Dawson and the work. The large picture of Dawson was ex cellent, and we have received many, many comments on the entire issue. Colorado Springs, Colo. Lome C. Sanny President, The Navigators No Time To Read Sirs: Have read mournfully your letter about renewing my subscription. I say truthfully I have not missed it at all. I still have all my copies for a year un-read. Not that there is a thing in the world the matter with it. I just don’t seem to find the time. I sometimes wonder if every Christian who is spending so much time writ ing magazines and books and read ing them would instead spend his time out among the children and peo ple if there would be so much prog ress among anti-Christian forces in the world. Kingman, Aril. John J. Johnston Tapping The Infinite Reservoirs Sirs: It was good to read “Tapping The Infinite Reservoirs” by Dr. Charles A. Blanphard, the second president of Wheaton College [Sept. K.B.]. The Sword of the Lord Publishers has produced an attractive edition of Getting Things From God in which the article is included. Wheaton, III. David. L. Roberts Director of Public Relations Wheaton College
A Tubercular Father Writes . “I am an unfortunate father of four children and I am writing to you from the Sanitarium here in Athens, Greece. I have been suffering from tubercu losis since 1947. When I first became ill I was a good family man and never imagined that this illness could plunge me into such a plight. I have spent everything I had. Unfortunately, however, not only have I not become well, but do not even have the money to mail a letter to my children. Many a time have I asked death to visit me, because I have felt that only through death I would find rest. For three and a half years now I have been in this sanitarium and since the day I left home I have not seen my wife and children. I have forgotten what it means to show fatherly love and what it is to have a family. Now being total ly forsaken I am in the grip of despair. So please help me to experience a little joy. I do not know how much longer I shall live. Because I know that you people who will read this letter have a feeling for human suffering and pain, I am writing this letter to you to ask you to help me in any way you can. Anthony Vlaseros.” NOTE: How would you feel if you were this tubercular father, comfort less, forgotten, with death hovering over you and not having enough money to even write to your fam ily ? What would Christ have done had He re ceived this letter? Just do what He would have done in His Name. Besides the material and financial assistance that should be sent to this dear man and his family, we should provide a Greek Bible for him and one for his family. Both of these would cost $3.00. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Here is your opportun ity to do good and experience the bless ing of God. If you wish to help this tubercular father and many others like him, send your contribution to the American Mission to Greeks, Inc., Rev. Spiros Zodhiates, General Secretary, Dept. K, P.O. Box 423, New York 36, N.Y. (If you live in Canada, please write to 90 Duplex Ave., Toronto 7, Ont.) If you wish to see the wonderful work done by this Mission, you may write for a booking of the 30-minute, 16mm., color-sound film, “Man of Macedonia.”
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4
THE KING'S BUSINESS
THEKING'S BUSINESS
A publication of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles/ Inc. Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor
H ow to get a free book by Dr. Narramore T h e K in g ’ s B u sin e ss has just published Christian Psychol- \ ogy, How It Can Help You, by Dr. Clyde M. Narramore (for Dr. Narramore’s month ly page see p. 39). This 18,000-word booklet contains the most popular questions and answers that have ap peared in “ Talking It Over” during the past three years. This important work is in dexed under 20 topics includ ing: Adolescence problems, Christian ethics, Counseling, Dating, Divorce, Family re lations, M arriage, Mental health, Prayer, Sex education, Spiritual problems, Sunday school teaching problems, etc. Copies are available only as a premium when you give one or more gift orders to T h e K in g ’ s B u sin e ss . Each sub scrip tion must be for 15 months at the low price of just $3. Be sure to state on each order that you want the free bonus book by Dr. Nar ramore. Also state if gift card is to be sent and how it is to be signed. The King's Busi ness magazine, 55 8 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif.
S. H. Sutherland, President
•
Ray A. Myers, Chairman of the Board OCTOBER
In the year of our Saviour Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-Six
Vol. 47, No. 10
/
Established 1910
Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home
ARTICLES HOW CHRISTIANITY WORKS — Nobu Yamamoto ........................... 9 IN CHRIST IS LIFE — Frustration ......................................... -.................. 10 THREE DEGREES OF LOVE — A. W. Toner ............................................ 11 GROWTH IN GRACE — Maurice Baldwin ................... -.......................... 12 POEMS BY MARTHA SNELL NICHOLSON .................. . 1 3 ,2 5 ,2 7 ,3 1 STOREHOUSE TITHING — Charles L. Feinberg .................................... 14 TRICK OR TREAT EVANGELISM — Margaret W. Donaldson ............ 15 BEING QUIET BEFORE GOD — Richard C. Halverson .......... ............. 16 TODAY'S PROPHETS AND A MANIFESTO ............................................ 16 MOLOKANS FROM THE FLATS — Norman Rohrer ............................. 40 FEATURES READER REACTION ............- .......................................................................... 4 PEOPLE — A monthly column of names in the news ........................... 6 UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF — Althea S. Miller ........................ 7 FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK .......... ........... ............................................... 8 THEOLOGICALLY THINKING — Gerald B. Stanton ........................... 18 JUNIOR KING'S BUSINESS — Tina Talks Again — Frances N. Phair 20 SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES: Acts — Chester J. Padgett ............ 22 BOOK REVIEWS— Donald G. Davis ...................................................... 28 TALKING IT OVER — A psychologist answers — Clyde Narramore 39 ADVERTISERS' INDEX ................................................................................... 42 CHR ISTIAN EDUCATION TEACHING MISSIONS TO THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD — Mary Le Bar ..33 OBJECT LESSONS— Elmer L. Wilder ...................................................... 35 COVER The old Russian Molokan on this month's cover belongs to the gen eration of American Russians who want life to go on as it did for their ancestors. But there's a social-religious revolution going on among the younger set. For the story see pages 40 ,41 .
S. H. SUTHERLAND: editor
“LLOYD HAMILL: managing editor LUCY BARAJIKIAN: editorial assistant STELLA KINTER: circulation manager
ROSE HARDIE: copy editor MILTON R. SUE: advertising manager J. RUSSELL ALLDER: business manager
editorial board: Donald G. Davis, Charles L. Feinberg, James O. Henry, Martha S. Hooker, Margaret Jacobsen, Chester J. Padgett, Donald S. Robertson, Oran H. Smith, Gerald B. Stanton
MANUSCRIPTS — "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office of Los An geles. California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, em bodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P.L. and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, California.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION — "The King's Business" is published monthly: $2.50, one year; $1.25, six months; 25 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rotes. Write for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES — Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to "The King's Business." Date of expira tion will show plainly on outside of wrapper or cover of magazine. ADVERTISING — For information address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California.
OCTOBER 1956
She Struck a Blow for World Peace
A monthly column of names in the news Wycliffe Bible Translators’ Cameron Townsend has probably done more than any other person to cement friendly relations between U.S. mis sionaries and the governments south of our border. And a fortnight ago in Santa Ana, Calif. Christian Am bassador Townsend was on hand at a ceremony that demonstrates well the tireless efforts of his mission. The oc casion: the presentation of a $23,000, four-place Helio-Courier airplane to the Peruvian government. Vice-Presi dent Richard Nixon made the presenta tion in a ceremony sponsored by the Orange County Chamber of Com merce. The day before Peruvian Am bassador Fernando B erkem eyer had flown in from Washington, D.C. to receive the plane after it was chris tened (with a mixture of Amazon river water and California orange juice) by Mrs. Theresa de la Puente, wife of the Los Angeles Consul- General of Peru. The ceremony marked phase three of Townsend’s In te r -A m e r ic a n Friendship Fleet. Earlier the governments of Ecuador and Bolivia had received similar planes in cooperation with Dr. Lynn L. Bollinger, president of the Pitts burgh, Kan. company that manufac tures the Helio-Courier. In each case the governments have turned the planes back to Wycliffe to operate in their country. Wycliffe representa tives explained the friendly exchange has done much to inspire genuine understanding and confidence be tween the governments concerned and U.S. missions. As school opened across the nation hot spots of racial intolerance flamed up in smaller cities attempting to in tegrate their public schools in accord ance with established law. One such outbreak was in Mansfield, Tex. where Episcopal minister C. W. Clark, 35, told a street crowd, “ I’m surprised there has not been more Christian ac tion demonstrated. It comes as a shock that churches are not more will ing to help this situation.” Someone from the unreasoning mob shouted, “There’d be a lot less people in hell if preachers kept out of this.” But evangelicals knew the time was past when any true believer could ignore the solid fact that whites and Negroes are not only equal in God’s sight but also equal by the law of America.
...and gained her own "One of the best ways to bring about peace,” this good lady rea soned, “ is to offset the darkness of atheistic thinking by bringing the light of the Gospel into far comers of the world. How can I best help do this with my limited means?”
would be used to further the work of translating and distributing the Bible all over the world. You, too, can help spread the Gospel of the Prince of Peace— and bring peace of mind to your self—through the purchase of an American Bible Society Annuity Agreement. Why not investigate?
The American Bible Society suggested she put her money into Annuity Agreements, which gave her a high rate of return, freedom from anxiety, and a safe, regular, partially tax exempt income such as she had never before enjoyed. She knew any remaining principal
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6
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Under the Parsonage Roof by Althea S. Miller TEARS
What every Christian should knowabout Moody Annuities H E R E AR E T H E ANSWERS TO QU E S T I ONS MOST F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D . . . Perhaps, like many other Christians, you’ve heard a lot about annuities, but you’ve never read a simple, brief explanation o f what they are, and how they work. Then, this message is for you.
W hat was that we went to tonight?” Ardyth asked Mother as she skipped by her side. “You know, Sweetie. Bob and Bet ty were married in the church.” “I mean what was that called at the annex where we ate?” “That was the reception for the wedding guests. Did you like it?” “Uh huh. I had a good time. But I saw Betty’s Mama cry. You did, too, a little. Why did you?” “Oh, I guess it was because we were happy.” “ I only cry when I’m not happy,” the little miss mused as she tried to ponder the imponderable emotions of the grown-up world. Nor could Moth er have explained for the life of her how or why she weeps when happy. All she can say with certainty is that tears, both bitter and sweet, have dimmed her eyes of late. Mother did not lose a son in this recent marriage; rather, she gained a daughter. Yet she wept because the family ties of childhood have been broken with a positive finality. Bob will be off to school trying to prepare for whatever God has for him to do. Yesterday Mother bid fond farewell to Bill, her tall, fair-haired second son. Such a short time ago he was a mischievous, chunky boy. Now he stands on the threshhold of manhood with seriousness of purpose etched on his face as it is set toward college. In a new sense Mother again dedi cated him to the Lord. Tears fell like rain, for the parting cut deeply into the recesses of her heart. But whose hands can better take over and guide the boy than the Lord’s? In answer to the call of God to an other field of labor, this family has parted with friends whose fellowship in the gospel has been precious. The storm caused by these separations has made Mother’s heart reach out for heaven with increased desire. And there, around the throne, the “desire of all nations” will wipe away all tears.
What is an annuity? In simple dictionary terms, an annuity is a specific amount of money paid to an in dividual at regular periodic intervals. How much money you receive and how often you receive it depends on which of several kinds of annuity agreements you enter into. Basically, a Moody Annuity Agreement i$ a legal contract by which m o o d y bible in s t it u t e , in appreciation of a gift of money for its work, promises to pay the donor a fixed sum of money at regular in tervals as long as he lives. Why do people buy Moody Annuities? Suppose you want to make a contribution to help support the work of Moody. At the same time you need a certain sum of money coming in regularly for living expenses. So, let us say, you make a gift of $1,000. Part of this sum will immediately be used to support the daily needs of the Moody min istry, and the rest will be set aside in a fund to guarantee you a regular income for as long as you live. Some o f the soul-winning activities of Moody that your money will help under write are the tuition-free Day and Evening Schools, Radio Station WMBI. the gospel literature work, and the gospel-science films. You can enter into a Moody Annuity Agreement for as little as $300, and there is no “ceiling” on how big an annuity you can purchase. Hoiv much income do you receive? It’s possible to receive a return of up to 8’A % , but you must keep in mind that j annuity rates are figured like insurance rates, in that the size o f the payments you receive are based on your age at the time you take out your annuity. They are also based on the size of your gift. . . the larger the sum, the bigger your income. For ex ample, if you purchase a $1,000 annuity when you are 65 (female 70) years of age, your annual income for life would be $59.22. If you are 70 (female 75) when you make your annuity contract, you would receive a life income of $64.66 per year. Annuity payments may be made to you on a semiannual or annual basis, whichever you prefer. That portion o f the'annuity sum which is considered the gift to the Institute is an allowable deduction from income taxes as
a contribution. A certain portion of the an nual annuity income is tax free. Only the taxable portion should be reported as in come. A statement for income tax purposes accompanies the agreement. How safe is your Annuity Agree ment under the Moody plan? The Moody Annuity Plan was instituted more than forty-five years ago and not once during this period have we missed making a payment. Unlike stocks, bonds, mortgages and other securities, no time is required to supervise your Moody Annuities, since there are no market fluctuations-to worry about. Your return is steady, regular and on time. ........ What different types of Moody Annuity Agreements are available? ( 1) Single Life Agreement is issued to one person, who will receive a specified bi corne for life. (2 ) Joint Agreement provides for payments to two annuitants jointly. On the death of one, his payment is made to the survivor. (3 ) Survivorship Agreement provides for payment to one individual until his death, after which the payment is made to a second person, the survivor, named in the agreement. How you can get started in the Moody Annuity Plan Just send for fr e e booklet, “ D o u ble D ividen ds .” Fill in coupon and mail today.
Carl J. Friztn.
K-56-22-2
Dept, o f Steu jrdship M OOD Y B IB LE IN S T IT U T E
820 N. La Satie Street * Chicago 10, Illinois □ Please send me "DOUBLE DIVIDENDS, story o f Moody Annuity Plan. 0 Please send folder, " You Can Take It With You,” relating to stewardship and wills.
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Send to Prayer Time, The King’s Business maga zine, 558 So. Hope, Los Angeles 17, California.
OCTOBER 1956
7
fromthe editor’s desk
Six Months —or Loss—to Live R ecently on a radio program three eminent men of letters discussed the old yet ever-intriguing question, “How would you spend your time if you had but six months to live?” It was a strange experience to listen to men who evidently had no personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour giving their views on this solemn theme. They treated the subject with lightness, but not with scorn. They agreed they would do the things they most enjoyed. They would find it a time of relaxation, with all the tensions which grow out of rivalry and conflict with their fellows removed. They would doubtless he better men, easier to get along with. But what struck me most as a Christian was the total lack of recognition of any life beyond this one or acknowledgment of any accountability to God for the way this life had been spent. By contrast, an actual case recently occurred of one who did receive just such a sentence of death. This was no hypothetical incident. A co laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, a Christian woman of middle age, very bright and active, was informed by her physician that she was suffering from an incurable and inoperable cancer and, therefore, had only two or three months to live at most. The medical man was right, for this friend is now with the Lord. What does a Christian do when he knows his time on this earth is lim ited to a span of a few months? Well, this is what this Christian woman did: She had always witnessed to her unsaved loved ones; now she redou bled her efforts to win them for Christ. She had always been a woman of prayer; now she went out of her way to gather requests for missionaries and needy souls and spent hours more in prayer. Always quiet and gentle, she was more compassionate than ever and spent a great deal of time with the little children to whom she was related, realizing that they had the “mileage” now denied to her. She bore her burden with fortitude and grace and faith in God. She knew where she was going and ap proximately when, and her greatest desire was to have others follow her. When the time came, she went quickly, with dignity and with a smile of ineffable peace upon her face so that she literally glorified God in her death as well as in her life. We are all aware of the fact that if we knew how limited were our days, we should do more witnessing, more praying, more giving of our selves to the things that please God. The trivia of our lives would drop away if we had but a few months to live. And in God’s Word we are told: “ . . . For what is your life? It is even a vapour, [or a breath] that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). Only a breath divides us from eternity. How then dare we live as if we had even six months, or six years, or 60 years? And of the Lord’s coming we read in Mark 13:35,36: “ . . . ye know not when . . . Lest suddenly coming he find you sleeping.” However, it is not the imminency of our departure from this life that is most important; it is the quality of life that we live every day. Paul admonished us to “ Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.” Let us fill the days, the hours and the minutes, with the joy of the Lord and unremitting labor for Him that we be not ashamed before Him at His coming. Above all, let us not put off the good deeds that we intend to do—while we have strength and health and mind to perform them. The scriptural word is “Now—today” not “ Tomorrow.”
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8
THE KING'S BUSINESS
greatly feared how my beloved par ents would react. I waited until they were on a journey and then wrote them a letter. They an swered, “Do not receive baptism.” This answer set me into a state of perplexity for a time, but my great love for God and my desire to be obedient to Him caused me to take fresh heart and step out boldly and accept Christian bap tism. They were grieved and angry with me but day and night I prayed that the Lord would open their hearts to the gospel. I also have two elder sisters and two younger broth ers who at that time were all un believers. The merciful Father answered my prayers. After two years my brother, Koichi, repented and be came a very earnest Christian. I shall never forget that bright hap py morning when he was baptized. It was War time and before my youngest brother, Haruo, went to the Navy he said to me, “ Sister, I want you to pray for me.” Then we prayed together. He was melted and cried. How glad I was that he gave his heart to the Lord before he went to war. Today both broth ers are in the Christian ministry in Japan. After the war David Morken was director of Youth for Christ in Japan and I was a soloist. One day my parents came to hear me sing and my mother accepted Christ. . . and my father even helped her fill out her decision card! When I told her about the love of Jesus she wept, for the story of Jesus deeply touched her. My father kept attend ing these meetings and soon he too opened his heart to the gospel. My happiest moment came on the second day of January 1952 when my parents willingly burned the idols in our home. In 1954 my eldest sister became a believer as a result of my telling her of the way of salvation in Jesus Christ. My other sister had become a Christian earlier so now our entire family are believers in Christ. Many times I prayed . . . and fasted . . . and the Lord has brought to pass His prom ise, “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” Miss Yamamoto is now studying music in America at the Biola Bible College, Los Angeles. — Ed. END.
Nobu Yamamoto (third from rt.) & family. For their idols, a bonfire.
Nobu Yamamoto
My heart was full of longing
M y name is Nobu Yamamoto. I was bom in an idolatrous family in Yokohama City, Japan. My father was a Buddhist and my mother was a Shintoist and they had both a Buddhist altar and Shinto altar at my home. As a young child I was taught to wor ship before the altars. My mother used to clean the altars, offer rice and water and flowers and give prayers unto the idols. I have often helped her prepare the offerings, and I also have gone to the temples and shrines with my relatives. After I finished primary school I was enrolled in Seika Girls’ High School in Tokyo. In this high school there was a Christian teacher and when I became a second-year stu dent she became my home-room teacher and also taught me English and moral conduct. At one time during the teaching of the latter she opened her Bible and read to our class. Thereafter, often she opened the Bible which lay on her desk and read from the Christian Scriptures, though this school was not a Christian school at all. This was my first introduction to the Bible. With this I became in
terested and began to seek God earnestly. As I pursued my various studies, my heart was full of long ing for Him. My teacher, Miss Hirase, noticed my longing heart and began to lead me personally. She invited me to accompany her to a meeting where Christians gath ered together for worship. Now at this meeting which I attended with Miss Hirase I met an American missionary who was very lovely in heart and spirit. I was still very small of faith, but the attitude of this lovely missionary impressed me greatly. And I became more in terested in the Christian faith. It happened that back of my high school was a small Christian church and I began to attend the church with my friend who also was read ing the Bible. My parents greatly disliked the Christian faith and op posed my attending. Even though I loved my parents deeply the tender call of God was so wondrously sweet I could no longer resist it. I became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and ac cepted Him as my personal Saviour and He graciously loosed me from my sins. As a sign of my new faith I desired Christian baptism but I
9
OCTOBER 1956
thing seems to crumble around us and we’re helplessly blocked in all our attempts. Life apart from Jesus Christ can be that way. We try our best. We honor our fellow man. We work hard. And then health fails, a loved one dies, a business deal falls through. And we become bitter. A deep-rooted frustration sets in until all of life is blurred. The happy years are wrung pitilessly dry and deep within our soul we are alone . . . without a thing to cling to. But God is still God. And He knows and He cares . . . about you. And suddenly we know we must get right with this one who loves us with such an infinite love. We hear Him say, “ The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life.” We hear Him say, “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.” We hear Him say, “ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the L ord , and he will have mercy upon him; . . . for he will abundantly pardon.” Wonderful words. They are the only words that can help the deep frustrations that come upon each of us at some time in life. Only God can forgive and heal and cleanse and mend your broken spirit. But He will never force Himself upon you. He has pro vided a way to Himself through Jesus Christ. Hear God say of Jesus Christ, “ But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” This is God’s way. Let us not quarrel with it. Let’s try it. And when we do we will find that in Christ is life. A life that surmounts the petty frustrations that plague us . . . a life that is solidly complete. Why? Because God is the author of it. Man’s best often falls short. God will not, cannot fail anyone who comes to Him on His terms. This is the final answer to frus tration. ---- L.H.
good story always bears repeating . . . even after it’s a little on the threadbare side. Here’s one that falls into this category. It seems there was a convict who was doing 20 years for forgery. Life can get a little dull in a prison so he decided he needed something to occupy his time. This convict was a pretty smart character and wasn’t satisfied with any ordinary hobby. After giving it a lot of thought he decided he should have a hobby that would pay off when he got back out in the world. He recalled having once seen a flea circus. Why not train an ant? Out in the prison yard he found an unusually large black ant. For the next five years he painstakingly trained the ant to arrange toothpicks into intricate patterns. Fellow convicts were amazed at the feat. The next five years were spent in the torturous task of teaching the ant to walk about erect. Then came the third five years of daily instruction until the ant became a graceful dancer. By now even the warden was an open admirer. The convict had five years left and he determined to do the impossible with his bril liant arit: he would teach him to talk. When the 20 years were up the educated ant could talk fluently. Then came his release. The convict put on his new suit and carefully cradling his phenomenal ant he headed for the city. The world was now his. TV and personal appearances would mean millions of dollars. The 20 long years of painstaking instruction were more than worthwhile. It was a warm day and as he walked into town he saw a bar and decided to rest a few minutes. As the bartender approached, the ex convict decided this would be a good time to show off his prize ant. He had difficulty controlling his expres sion as he anticipated the bartender’s amazement. Carefully he placed the ant in front of him. “What’ll it be?” asked the bartender. The ex-con waved his arm in a downward arc in front of him. “ Look at that,” he said. “Huh? Oh, yeah. An ant. Pesky aren’t they?” And with an unconcerned grunt the bartend er’s fat thumb squashed the talking ant into pulp. That’s frustration. None of us can escape the blocking tactics of frus tration. We plan and work and wait. And then every
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T he phrase “ the love of God,” when used by Christians, al most always refers to God’s love for us. We must remember that it can also mean our love for God. The first and greatest command ment is that we should love God with all the power of our total personality. Though all love origi nates in God and is for that reason God’s own love, yet we are permit ted to catch and reflect back that love in such manner that it becomes our love indeed, in much the same way that sunlight reflected from the moon becomes moonlight. The Christian’s love for God has by some religious thinkers been di vided into two kinds, the love of gratitude and the love of excellence. The love that springs out of grati tude is found in such passages as Psalm 116:1, “ I love the L ord , be cause he hath heard my voice and my supplications,” and 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.” This is an entirely proper and legitimate kind of love and is quite acceptable to God even though it is among the most ele mentary and immature of the re ligious emotions. Love that is the result of gratitude for favors re ceived cannot but have a certain element of selfishness in it. At least it is on the borderline of selfishness and is difficult to distinguish from it, the blunt fact being that it is roused only by benefits received and does not exist apart from them. A higher kind of love is the love of excellence. This love is awak ened by consideration of God’s glor ious Being, and has in it a strong element of admiration. “My be loved is white and ruddy, the chief- est among ten thousand. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely” (Song of Solomon 5:10,16). This love of the divine excellen cies differs from the love that springs from gratitude in that its reasons are more elevated and the element of selfishness is reduced al most to the vanishing point. We should note, however, that the two have one thing in common: they can both give a reason for their ex istence. Love that can offer rea sons is a rational thing and has not attained to a state of complete pur ity. It is not perfect love. We must carry our love to God
3 Degrees of Love
by A. W . T ozer
a suprarational element that cannot and does not attempt to give reasons for its existence. It says not “ I love because” ; it only whispers “ I love.” Perfect love knows no because. There is a place in the religious experience where we love God for Himself alone, with never a thought of His benefits. And there is a place where the heart does not reason from admiration to affection. True, it all may begin lower dotvn, but it quickly rises to the height of blind adoration where reason is sus pended and the heart worships in unreasoning blessedness. It can only exclaim, “Holy, holy, holy,” while scarcely knowing what it means. If this should all seem too mys tical, too unreal, we offer no proof and make no effort to defend our position. This can be understood only by those who have experienced it. By the rank and file or present- day Christians it will be rejected or shrugged off as preposterous. So be it. Some will read and will rec ognize an accurate description of the sunlit peaks where they have been for at least brief periods and to which they long often to return. And such will need no proof. (In cluded in “ The Root of the Right eous,” Christian Publications, Inc., Harrisburg, Pa.) END.
further than love of gratitude and love of excellence. There is an ad vanced stage of love which goes far beyond either. Down on the level of the merely human it is altogether common to find love that rises above both grati tude and admiration. The mother of a subnormal child, for instance, may love her unfortunate child with an emotional attachment al together impossible to understand. The child excites no gratitude in her breast, for all the benefits have flowed the other way; the helpless infant has been nothing but a bur den from the time it was born. Neither can the mother find in such a child any excellence to ad mire, for there is none. Yet her love is something wonderful and terrible to see. Her tender feelings have swallowed the child and as similated it to her own inward be ing to such a degree that she feels herself one with it. And indeed she is one with it emotionally. Her life and that of the child are more certainly united than they were during that sacred period before she gave it birth. For always the union achieved by hearts is more beautiful than anything that can be experienced by flesh and blood. The sum of what we say is that there is in the higher type of love
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OCTOBER 1956
Practical thoughts on prayer and our
Growth in Grace
by Maurice Baldwin
K fter conversion, all true believers through faith in Christ’s finished work have first and immediately the sanctification spoken of in God’s Word, and secondly, by the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart; thereafter, a believer is daily brought more fully into line with the will of God and into likeness, to Jesus Christ. Hence, how earnest ly should we, after our salvation, endeavor to show by our daily walk and conversation the reality of this sanctification as we are “ called” and “ separated” for His service! There is a sanctification effected for us through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ — “ once for all.” So also there is a progressive sanctification wrought in us by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Re considering these two blessings of justification and sanctification, it is all important to realize that they are both the gift of God. We are only the receivers. The first of these blessings, through Christ’s death as the sinners’ substitute (which every true believer at once realizes), and the second, through the operation of the Holy Spirit—both are the gift of God alone. With many, the popular idea of sanctification is just renunciation; in other words, only the giving up of anything that ministers to the flesh rather than to godly edifying. In this lies a great mistake, for renunciation is the result, not the
principle of sanctification; practical sanctification is growth in grace as we go on appropriating Christ by faith. The renunciation is the re sult of this reception of Him into our hearts. The first great principle of justification is believe and live. The second, believe and grow; in justification the sinner receives Christ as his substitute Saviour; in sanctification the believer receives the same Saviour as a mighty con queror who is able to subdue all things to Himself. The risen Christ is a portion of His people, and it is the exalted office of the Holy Spirit to make these two glorious truths clear and convincing to every be liever. To illustrate this: We see how nature acts. When winter reigns with all its icy power, how can we escape its rigor? Shall we break off the icicles and cart away the Your Prayer Requests Each morning at eight the editorial staff of T h e K in g ’ s B usiness magazine gathers for prayer. Over the years God has answered the heartcry of thousands. Should you have a request we would count it a privilege to take it to the throne of grace. Your request will be held in the strictest confidence. Address: The Editors, T h e K in g ’ s B usiness , 55 8 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif.
snow and call it summer? No, for it would be winter still. The sun, nothing but the sun, will make the summer, and so it is with the soul. If the Christian has grown cold and sp iritua l winter reigns within, checking the development of grace, the only way by which a change can be effected is by Christ afresh coming in as the Sun of Righteous ness and making summer in the soul. But remember, He only says to the saved sinner: “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” You may pray that you may be delivered from self but self cannot cast out self. No, we must arise and open the door and let Christ in. How earnestly we should heed His command: “ Be filled with the Spir it,” and in obedience to Him then will our lives be wholly surrendered and Christ be magnified in our lives. The Spirit does not speak of Himself, but of Christ. Jesus told His disciples that when He left He would send the Comforter, and He (the Holy Spirit) “ shall testify of me” ; therefore, remember that the more we have of the Spirit’s power the more we shall realize that Christ dwells in our hearts-—by faith. Three facts we should especially notice. First: As God did not leave Israel after He had overthrown
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
Pharaoh in the Red Sea but bade them to press on and occupy the land of promise— so now with us. He does not rest content with mere ly saving us from wrath, but urges us to go at once and possess all the riches of that inheritance for us in Jesus Christ. There are no poor in heaven and God would have none in grace below. St. Paul says: “ . . . I bow my knees unto the Fa ther of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . That he would grant you, according to the riches of his g lory . . . That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, [whilst still here below] being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge . . . .” Poverty, therefore, in grace is in excusable, not only spiritual sloth on our part, but almost contempt for the still glorious inheritance awaiting us in Christ. All the riches
of grace are summed up in Christ, as “wisdom” and “ righteousness” and “ sanctification” and “ redemp tion.” So we do begin each day by giv ing thanks to God for the past, and also for the future victory. Re member that though Jacob feared his brother Esau, his real “wrestle” was with the angel of the, covenant —his Master above; thus the battle was fought and the victory gained before Jacob even saw his brother, and so with you, faith should gain the victory before the battle of the day is fought. Remember before us is the world, the devil (as a “ roaring lion” or “ an angel of light” ), and our hearts (deceitful above all things). These three we have to meet each day. But also remember—greater is He who is for us than all who are against us. Yes, the victory may be fully de cided before we meet our enemy each morning face to face. Our greatest trouble is always
with our own evil heart, for when we go to God in prayer we too often stagger through unbelief and fail to grasp the victory by faith. The real contest or “wrestle” is with un belief, for when in prayer we have gained strength (by simply trusting Christ) then we are more than con querors. But what is this trusting? It is believing that our prayer is heard and that Christ will dwell in our hearts, and that His strength will be made perfect in weakness: and indeed, that He Himself will subdue our enemies on every side. The child of God who has learned wholly to trust Christ will not only grow, but rest in perfect peace. If any should ask how we are to ob tain this faith, it is first, by a rev erent and prayerful study of God’s holy Word; and secondly, by ear nest continuance in prayer. The daily study of the Bible is absolute ly necessary for our, ;spiritual growth. It is the witness of the Holy Spirit to the truth as it is in Jesus. In a word, the following are three conditions of successful prayer: 1. Abiding i n . Christ and His Word abiding in us. 2. The work of the two interces sors (the Holy Spirit here on earth, interceding in us, and Christ our advocate on high, interceding for us). 3. Then faith in that . . What things soever ye desire, whert ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and. ye shall have them.” . Finally, remember that,spiritual progress is the great law in God’s kingdom of grace. Nicodemus when he came to Christ had no strength in him, but the day came when this same man openly avowed his love ’ for Christ, confessed Him whom Israel had crucified and His own disciples had deserted. Peter had trembled at the voice of a maid but later was willing to die a mar tyr. Because we also desire to grow in grace we must keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ as the author and finisher of our faith, and who is ever present to help us in time of need. END. The above article is included in "Life in a Look,” by the late Bishop of Huron. Picker ing & Inglis Ltd., London & Glasgow.
Wartka, Sometimes I grow weary of humble tasks That fall to a housewife’s share — The bread to be baked, and the linen washed, And the house kept sweet and fair; Over and over the selfsame chores, The selfsame needs to be met. Lord, have I chosen the better part, Are there Marys and Marthas yet? Then I think of a beacon fire that glowed For the nshers of Galilee, ' And a meal prepared by hands that were scarred, (Fresh scarred on a cruel tree). The fire shone warm on the weary men, There was rest for their tired feet, There were bread and fish from the Master’s hands, And the honeycomb was sweet. O humbled and chastened and rapturous heart, Will you ever despise again The tasks that the hands of the Son of God Scorned not to perform for men?
-—Martha Snell Nicholson
OCTOBER 1956
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Storehouse Tithing
by CHARLES L. FEINBERG
I n recent years we have been hearing much of what is called “ storehouse tith ing.” Is it scriptural and applicable to be lievers today? In the first place, the phrase “ storehouse tithing” is of recent origin. The theory holds that the child of God owes a tithe of his income to the Lord, but this tithe must be paid to the local church where he belongs. The local church, according to this view, is to be the sole distributor of all the funds of its members. What is wrong with this view? First of all, to acquiesce in this practice is for the believer to surrender his right and duty to determine under God for himself where . his stewardship of money is to be used in the Lord’s work. Secondly, if the Scripture is searched, it will be found that the entire theory is built on Mai. 3:10: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the win dows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” The storehouse of the Old Testament was certainly not the Church of Christ, for the Church was not yet in existence. The Church was bom at Pentecost. The Church is never : designated a storehouse of any kind. In Israel thèse storehouses were the repositories for the tithes which went to the support of the Levites and priests. They had no land of their own; they lived off the tithes of the rest of the na tion. There had to be distributing points throughout the land for this process. Now, the New Testament principle is found in 1 Cor. 16:2: “Upon the first day of the week [which had no special significance for the Old Testament saint, but is full of meaning for the
believer now] let every one of you lay. by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Note the word ing is “ lay by him [not in a storehouse] in store.” Each is responsible for his own money. Thirdly, if the Old Testament practice is in sisted on, then, are the advocates of this erron eous theory prepared to go all the way with Deut. 14:22-26 which indicates that the tithe could be used for wine, strong drink or what ever the offerer wished? Or is this too much to swallow? Fourthly, let us speak plainly and truthfully. Actually this theory proposes what is a form of totalitarianism in the Church. Men and women are being asked to give up their liberty and right to give as the Lord leads them. No one can hand over this right, delegating it lock, stock and barrel to others. Fifthly, the very reason for the proposal of this practice — the building up of individual institutions — is not scriptural in basis nor in ultimate intent. Finally, if the storehouse tithers had their way, there would be no independent testimo nies, no Salvation Army, no Gideons, no Chris tian Business Men’s Committee, no American Council of Christian Churches, no National Association of Evangelicals, no interdenomina tional Bible institutes, colleges, or seminaries, no faith missionary societies, no Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, no Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, no Water Street Mission in New York, no International Child Evangelism, no Youth for Christ, no Billy Graham cam paigns, nor many other worthy works and causes for Christ. Some advocates of this new theory were themselves trained originally in institutions supported by the freewill offerings of God’s people from all branches of the Church. “ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” END.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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