King's Business - 1948-01

Home ” O UR hearts were saddened at the news of the recent Home-going of “the beloved physician,” Dr. Arthur I. Brown, who was killed in an automo­ bile accident near Barry, Illinois. Dr. Brown was well known to Southern Cali­ fornia congregations. He addressed the students o f the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles many times and often preached at the Church of the Open Door. Last year he was one of the speakers at the annual Torrey Memorial Conference. His personal testimony of God’s ways with him always moved hearts, and his books, in which he illustrated spiritual truths with scientific facts, were greatly used, particularly with young people. His de­ parture to be with Christ, though great gain to him, is a distinct loss to the church of Christ. As we go to press, word reaches us "that another great Christian leader, Dr. W. B. Riley, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, one of the most brilliant fundamentalists of this generation, has gone to be with the Lord. We hope to have further details of his Home-going in the future. Let us who remain be more diligent than ever in the service of the King. Time Out for Study I T is a well-known fact that the preachers of today are exceedingly busy. There are sermons to prepare, articles to write, meetings to address, young people’s work to direct, the sick to be called upon, the dead to be buried, and, of course, the preacher’s own fam­ ily for which to provide. Some of those who so freely criticize the pastor should attempt to follow him around from Sun­ day morning through Saturday night, and see the multitude of tasks that engage his hands. The result of such activity is often a lack o f time for study and the conse­ quent drying up of one’s abilities. Con­ stant drain without replenishment day after day can mean only one thing: eventually the minister will run out of acceptable material. For those in this condition, it might be a splendid plan to ask for a year’s leave of absence from present duties so that study along theo­ logical or other lines could be resumed. This has a beneficial effect in several wdys: first, the pastor’s mind is stimu­ lated by the introduction of new ideas. Also, in moving out of his accustomed ways, he gets to see how people are living and to understand what they are thinking. Because of the change of scene and the study of new material, he finds himself rejuvenated and capable of as­ suming with more interest and ability the tasks which have been laid down temporarily. On the whole, a year’s leave of absence from a busy pastorate, not for vacation, but for the purpose of a new study, is a means of marvelous renewal of a preacher’s mental faculties. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S ☆

tation, a year of 366 days which may be filled with devotion and service to Christ. It may be that your heart is telling you that 1947 was a bitter failure. Many of us, as we look back, admit that God is gracious, and that in His love and wis­ dom, He allows us to turn over a new page, and forget those things which are behind as we press forward to that which lies ahead. May each of us highly resolve that in God’s strength and by His help we shall utilize the coming year to the full; that we shall live each day, remembering it must be accounted for before the Judgment Seat o f Christ; that w,e shall live in the light of a com­ ing eternity, and that we shall never forget that only the things done for Christ will last throughout eternity. ☆ The Coming Torrey Memorial Conference A GAIN this year, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles presents to the Christian people of Southern. California a wonderful opportunity to feast on the things of the Word of God as they are set forth under the leadership of some of America’s foremost Bible teachers and preachers. For the past thirteen years, the Torrey Memorial Bible Conference has been held the latter part of January. This year the dates are January 18-25 inclu­ sive. The Conference honors the blessed memory of an early Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and world-wide evangelist, Dr. Reuben A. Torrey, as well as the founders of this Christian training school, Mr. Lyman Stewart and Mr. T. C. Horton. Speakers at this Conference will in­ clude: Mr. Roy L. Brown, Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, Dr. Vance Havner, Dr. Leo H. Lehmann, Rev. John Linton, Dr. H. H. Savage and Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Sessions of the Conference are to be conducted in the great auditorium of the Bible Institute and the Church of the Open Door, and in the following ad­ jacent communities: Hollywood, Pasa­ dena, Long Beach, Pomona, Compton, Santa Ana and San Gabriel. Those who are desirous of securing a detailed program listing both speakers and subjects are asked to write to the Extension Department, Bible Institute of Los Angeles, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13.

By the Grace of God, Another Year A S our present year draws to a close, it is a splendid time to look up from the tasks that have' been occupying our time so fully, to take stock of the ac­ complishments of the past year, and to think about the year which lies ahead. Surely 1947 has left much to be de­ sired. Internationally speaking, we have had a twelve months’ demonstration of the most selfish kind of non-co-operation among nations, with the so-called best diplomats of the world sitting together in council for the express purpose of maintaining the peace and increasing friendly relations between the nations of the world. But we have yet to observe one constructive accomplishment. On the national scene, the story has been the same. Much has been con­ cealed from the average citizen, but enough has been revealed to show the bitter selfishness between groups and the behind-the-scenes wire-pulling of in­ terests jealous of each other. The national by-word has been “ Get all you can for yourself” with its resultant train of disappointed lives, broken homes, and neglected children. The ecclesiastical situation is even more disappointing, for ordinarily we expect so much more from those who bear the name of Christ. The world­ wide activities of the great Roman Catholic Church are not a whit differ­ ent in objective than they were during the terrible days of theInquisition. Protestant groups have settled back again into their lethargy, spending their time and energy on non-essentials and the structures to glorify the flesh. The mission fields of the world continue to suffer because of the criminal neglect on the part of the greater per cent of Christian people. As to the retrospect in individual lives, of course only the reader himself can determine whether he has made any real advance in the things of God. To be sure, there will be those for whom 1947 has been an outstanding year of spiritual accomplishments in the name of Christ, but we are sure that the rank and file of professed Christians have taken the precious days and killed them with neglect. But, by the grace of God, we are to have another year given to us, a year full of promise and bright with expec- Page Four

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