J. B. Chapman, D. D.Editor

'i» ■ '

THE PREACHER AND THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. , By T h e 1 E d it o r ,

SO M E weeks ago a pas to r over iii Ohio aSked us to find out how pastors go about it (o. m ake a success o f the ir S unday schools. W e have made some a ttem p t a lo n g -th is .lin e 'an d the results are recorded in ,a num ber

of articles in th is issue of the P reacher's M agazine. T hose accustom ed to the air: of professionalism w hich usually m arks the w ritings of Sunday sc liooh experts will find som ething different. These pastors a re Sunday school en­thusiasts , b u t 'th e ir in terest is p rac tica l arid tliey w rite from th a t larger and more general po in t of view which I th ink we can all apprecia te , -

As a m eans of reaching out to those who are not m em bers of the church and who are n o t definitely in terested in sp iritual things (here has as' yet no . m eans arisen which is equal to the Sunday school. Of course the re are those who m ake th e m istake of m aking the Sunday school the end w ithin itself, and the re are those who m ake the Sunday, school such a r ig id .in stitu tio n th a t it p ractically parallels the church. Hut the average p as to r is in terested in the S unday school as a rmvins of helping on th e whole program of the cliurch. I t serves this, purpose first o f all by furnishing contacts. I t is ju s t a little em barrassing for a m odest p reacher to go abou t urging people to come and hear him preach. B u t it is qu ite consistent for him to urge peop/e to com e and join a Sunday, school class. T hen the Sunday school offers the very best' op p o rtun ity for laym en to con tribu te som ething to the program of spreading the gospel, and it th u s becomes a splendid m eans for keeping the church sp ir­itu a l; for you know it is easier for busy people to p ray and read the ir Bibles and enjoy the ir religion than for those who do not have any th ing to do.

But it is not necessary for me to speak, a t length of th e benefits of the Sunday school— we are all a lready fixed on th is point. W e w ant to know how to go abou t m aking the S unday school a fuller success. I th ink the a r ­ticles which we are herew ith presenting will give ideas w hich are capable of application in an y place. I have ju st been no ticing of la te how inclined we are to explain every m a n ’s success by reference to his environm ent. I f he has a large Sunday school, we say, “ O h, yes, he is in a com m unity w here there

T H fc P R E A C H E R 'S ' M A G A Z IN Ei

are m any children, an d th a t is w hy .” I / l i e has revivals, we say, "O h, yps, th e people wfth w hom he w orks have a fine old M ethodist background/'’ If h e 'g e ts along w ith , h is finances, we say, “Oh, yes, his people are salaried people and wage earners and they get the ir pay regu larly .” Hut I have come to look upon this tendency as a re[V rehensible tbi)>g. Jl is ihe b irthp lace of alibi and the source of a|>ology for our own failure, B ette r th a t we should say, “ W hal men have d o n e and are doing; men. may d o .” I f one p reach er(has built up .the-church of God another m ay do it too. If certain m ethods have contributed to the success of one they may also help another.

H ut le t us rem em ber th a t no task is too sm all, and no work is insignificant, if it helps win men to God. T he biggest and best soul w inners in tho-laiki have tim e’for . the S unday school. And even if one’s preaching suffers a little perhaps the increased, congregations will , com pensate. In o the r .words, if it is a choice between preaching; well to a few Jerusalem sain ts o r preaching not qu ite so well to a well filled bouse, perhaps it were better to have the listeners. >

T his S unday school age has affectcd everything in the line ot church w ork. T he big problem with the church building now is not .the; auditorium ,, but; accom m odations for the Sunday school. .B ut it is a wise preacher who can adap t him self and his m ethods to the dem ands of his d ay ; so f am glad that so m any of our p reachers are studying the Sunday school and seeking to build it and to b u ild by m eans of it,

DEVOTIONALNHWfWWIWWII^ IIHIIftil^lWllwiiililjilllwMfcllwm^MmHIHIHiyiHhNlHMItwHlwlMHOIIHIHHHII htlMINhmMnlllMWIIIHI

T H E G R E A T S A V IO R A N D G R E A T S A L V A T IO N

By A. M . H i l i s

BU T he, because he a b id e th fo rever, h a th his p riesth o o d unchangeable,' W herefore also he is able to save to th e u tte rm o s t th em th a t

d ra w n ea r u n to G od th ro u g h h im , seeing he ever live th to m ake in tercession fo r th e n u F o r such a h igh priest becam e us, holy, guiltless, m d c fi le d separa ted fro m sinners, a n d m ade h igher th a n th e heav en s" (H eb , 7 .J4 -2 6 , R , V ,) , ;

"H av in g there fore , b re th ren ,: boldness to en te r in to th e ho ly place by the b lood o f Jesus, by th e w ay w h ic h 'h e d ed ica ted fo r us, .■. . a n d h a y ­ing a g rea t p riest over th e house of G o d ; let us d ra w n ea r w ith a tru e h e a r t in fulness o f fa ith ”

. ( l ie h i 10:19-22, R . V .).

' i t -

A fem ale p reach e r, of rare a b ility jn . E ng land begins a .s e rm o n on (h is tex t in th is ijniquc' w a y :’ “ I t is im p o rta n t to no te th e 'w h t r t fo r n ’ an d 'there fore}’ o f the N e w ; T eslam ien tl H rieily th e arK um ent of th e E pistle is (h is: C hrist is b e tte r (g rea te r) th a n angels by H is lia tu rc -^ H is deity, a n d h u m a n ity ; b e tle r,. (grt-aler) l!ian M oses b y His. so n sh lp ; g re a te r th a n Jo sh u a b y th e perfec­tio n o f H is w o rk ; g rea te r th a n A aron b y H is spotless, e te rn a l, u n ch an g ea b le ,.p rie s th o o d ; w here­fo re t i i s pow er o f sav ing is com plete; Therefore, ch a p te r 10:19-22, w e o ugh t to he b e tte r an d d ra w near an d have boldness to e n te r in to the

. holiest by (he b lood o f Je su s ;" W h ere fo re / T h e re ­f o re / ' - .. .

As un ap p ro p ria te an d effective in tro d u c tio n to a se rm on th a t .h a s seldom been surpassed in th e

PubtJuhed m onthly by the N aiareno PublUhlnK H om e, 1923 T ro o it Ave., Knn»n» Clly, Mo., m aintained by an d .In the in te re s t of the Church of th e N aiarene, Subscrip tion p rice arear. E n te red M iccond d a t a m atte r a t the F o tto ffice a t K sn aa i City, Mo, A cceptance for m ail­ing n t ip ec la l ra te of postage p rovided (or In Section <103, A ct o( O ctober ) , <917, a u th o r iz 'd D ecem ber 3D, 1925/ .

(2)

an n a ls of prcachinB. D o n o t te ll mu, th a t w o m e n ' la n n u t and ounh( n o t to p rcach , "T h e I .o rd g iv e th (he w ord . T he w om en th a t pub lish th e tid ings a rc a -K7e .it '.host” (Psalm 6S .11, R . V .),

f o e p h rase in th e te s t “ to the u tte rm o s t” is jjen jlia r. U se G reek , ' ris ti> fa iih 'U s, .occurs unly ■ tw ice in th e N ew T estam en t a n d now here else, scholars hav e to ld us, in all th e G reek language, unless th e la te p ap y ri d iscoveries p ro v e otherw ise.I t Iths been said th a t S f, P au l; w ith a!) h is e d u - . cation d id n o t J;n<>iv a n y w o rd th a t w ould ad e­qu a te ly express h is conception 'of th e • m ighty pow er of Jesus to 's a v e , so hi; coined th is phrase.

. A nil J his is w h a t scholars say ab o u t it :

T h e blessed co m m en ta to r D r. H enry Cow les w rites, “ Because Je su s lives forever; l i e h as a . p riesthood w h ic h ' never need pas$^-riever s h a l l . pars, in lo o th e r hands. H e is ab le to save to th e u tte rm o s t— alw ay s read y , a lw ay s there , alw ays com p eten t to s-ayc 'all'those w ho accept H is m edi­a tio n .a n d com e to G od th ro u g h H im ,, since H o ; ever liyeth to. m ake ftitercc& ion. • Tlie- best men in A aro n 's lin t' m ust die. T h e office m igh t be tem p o rarily v acan t, an d som etim es very poorly filled ; hu t no sttcb so rt Can ever'im p a ir th e . g lorious perfection o f th is perpetual p rip ith o b d . Such a g rea t H igh Priest, every way befits u s ; is ad ap ted to o u r case a n d to a ll o u t w an ts .” ■

.L an g e says, " ‘.U tte rm o st' m eans, com pletely, u n to perfection* T he. reference is. nu t to H is sa v ­ing tt/ways o r fo rever b u t' to .H is sav ing com - ■

. p le te ly .'- ' ■ . ■

A lbert B arnes says, " ‘T o th e u tte rm o s t’ does n u t m ean siriiply ‘fo rever,’ b u t th a t C hrist has pow er to save us so th a t our sa lv a tio n shall be cim tp lfte . H e does n o t a b a n d o n the w o rk m id ' w a y ; H e does n o t begin a w o rk th a t H e is unab le to finish." ■'

D ean A lford says, "Som e tak e th is to refer t to lim e ; H e is ab le to save fo re v e r! ; B u t th is is

n o t the usage of th e w o rd ; it re fe rs to com ple te- nrss.” ■

B ishop W estco tt, the p rince of English N ew T estam en t' G reek scholars, says, “ T h e sa lv a tio n w ro u g h t by C hrist reaches, to th e last e lem ent o f m an 's n a tu re and m an 's life. I t m eans 'n m p l f i t l y ,

■wholly, to th e U tterm ost."

D eliU sch: " I t m eans . p e rfec tly ; co m p le ld y , to liu: very end , w ith o u t necessarily an y reference to lim e. C hrist is able to save in every w ay , in a ll resjiects, u n to th e u tte rm o s t, so th a t every

' ■ '■■THIS P R E A C H E

w an t a n d need, in all i ts b read th , an d d e p th is u tte r ly done aw ay .” . ' -

M s h a n : "T h is m u st m ean sa lvation in every form an d degree,"

D r. A dam C larke: “ H e is able to save from th e pow er, guilt, n a tu re , an d p u n ishm en t o f .sin to all in ten ts , degrees an d purposes, an d a lw ays, a n d in an d th ro u g h , a ll lim es, places, an d c ircum ­stances. T o be saved 'to the u tte rm o s t’ m eans th a t sin shall n e ith e r have dom in ion o v e r us, n o r existence, in Us.” ; ■ ■ .

G lo ry ! T h a t . i s the voice of G reek scho larsh ip . . H ow m uch b e tte r it so u n d s th a n th e superficial tw ad d le ta u g h t a t K esw ick ab o u t suppression a n d ' the nccessily 0 f. indw elling sin til! the la s t b rea th of iife l BleiS G od fo r th e r a d ic a l teach ing of th e . Bible, an d th e g if t o f th e Son o f G od fo r a S av io r w ho can really, ac tu a lly , saye.

“ H ere , th en , is a! sa lvation so .g re a t, so m ag ­nificen t, so far-reach in^r s o . com plete, th a t i t - r e ­q u ire s th e s trongest exprossions o f language w hich scholars can com m and to describe i t .”

Som eone m igh t e.w laim , “ I t is to o good to be t r u e t ” B ut it is m ore ra tio n a l to e ic la im , " I t is to o good n o t .to'- be tru e I" F o r w e a rc ta lk ing ab o u t a sa lv a tio n p lanned in heaven , th a t is the only m easure of th e in fin ite love o f C o d , an d w as b ough t by th e b lo o d 'o f H is only b e g o tttn

■ Son. .

I , A lesser sa lvation w ou ld be a reflec tion on G u d ’s ch arac te r. T h in k o f a G od , “g lo rious in ' holiness,” before w hom angelic h o sts bow* in rev- crencc w ith veiled faces a n d c r y : “ H o ly ! ho ly t h o ly ! is Je h o v a h uf hosts 1” till the fo u n d a tio n s of heaven tre m b le ; th in k of such a G od pallia ting sin and. dealing With it by an y trifling , su p e r­ficial m easures! In d e e d ! i t is h igh ly im probab le ; a f te r th e fail, th a t H e w ould h av e a llow ed o u r fallen, race to be p ro p a g a te d a t . a il, if H e h a d n o t p ro v id e d 'fo r i t a com plete recovery of holiness. In fin ite w isdom com pelled H im to dcyisc a p lan ' th a t w ould bring a com plete healing fo r th e toathcsom e m alady o f sin.

T here is no th ing th a t ‘has caused G od such tro u b le a n d in fin ite heartach e as sin. I t lias o c ­casioned a v a s t . g u lf ■ stream . o f vtoe w hich will roll on a n d o n acrosd H is un iverse fo rev e r I I t c an n o t be tr illed w ith . A ny effective rem edy m u st be th o ro u g h a n d rad ica l. I f G o d c a n save a n y m oral be ings ' w ith th e ir co -o p era tio n , ‘H e m ust. In fin ite love a n d com passion c a n n o t d o o therw ise. B u t H e m u st save th em fro n t sin an d

( 3 )

■R’S M A G A Z I N E 259

Til

260 - T H E I’R E A C H K R ’S M A G A Z IN E

n ot in sin. Itc m u ;t m ake them ho ly like M in i- . self. . .

2, A n in te rio r sa lv a tio n w ould be o u t o f h a r ­m ony w ith His w ork; “A scribe greatness u n to

'o u r G o d : . . . h is w ork is perfec t " .(D c u t ■!>.. “ A nd G od saw every tiling (h a t lit- h ad nw de, an d , beho ld , i t -w a s -v e ry go o d " (G en. 1 : . i ] S u p e r l a ­tiv e jjrai.-i- fo r superla tiv e w isd o m .to bestow.-

JJvTowj, shall C o d , a m oral a n d ' sp ir itu a l Being, m ak e perfec t insects, and perfect- b i rd s .a d d [X’f- fer.t beasts, an d perfec t fish, just ad ap ted to th e ir several e lem ents, a n d c rea te |>crfcct trees, a n d perfect. ..flowers, :and perfect skies, ' and perfect, p lanets an d s ta rs a n d suns -with orbits, a n d m o ­tio n s ad ju s ted to each o th e r w ith in fin ite e x ac t- ' ness a n d precision, th e w aters m easured , an d th e d u st w eighed in a balance , a n d then shall th is

’in fin ite ly wise, am i good, an d o m n ip o ten t G od c re a te m oral beings in H is ow n m oral im age an d ■ likeness, a n d . launch them on- an’ M enial career of jo y o r suffering, an d no t m ake a perfect p ro ­vision fo r tlie ir e ternal w ell-being? ' I t is u n ­th in k ab le 1 H is perfec tio n in n a tu re w ill be m atch ed b y ’ the- p erfec ting o f H is grace w h ic h wilt m ake possible a com plete sa lvation an d m eet every need of o u r souls.

11. A nd w h a t a re our heeds?

1. W e have all doubtless co m m itted a m u lti­tude of v o lu n ta ry transgressions a g a in M th e know n law s of. Clod. A nd those sins m ust be p u l under th e b lood before w e can he a t peace e ith e r w ith o u r ow n conscience o r w ith o u r L aw giver. T h is is a k now n fact o f un iversa l h u m an n a tu re . W e need no liib le to teach us th a t . E very m issionary in fo rm s u s th a t every h eathen ktvows th a t , even

^ th o u g h he never saw a B ible. E v e ry a d u lt h eathen is ca rry in g the crush ing b u rd e n of conscious gu ilt from w hich he needs deli\>crance b y an a to n in g S avior,

2 , B u t even the fo rg iv en ess . of a c tu a l , sins is' no t enough. O u r m oral n a tu res fu rth e r need d e ­l iv e ra n c e , from the. deranged ten d en cy to sin. G o d 's sad co m p la in t against a n c ien t Israel was, "M y people pre to b ackslid ing !’’ I t ivas th a t d ebasing p ro c liv ity to tu rn aw a y from the serv jee o f G od to degrad ing id o la try th a t in the end destro y ed th e n a tio n , T h u . insane relish fo r

: sin w as b o rn in each o f us— a relic o f the fa ll;a n d from th is evil d isposition we also so re ly .n eed

■ deliverance. , .

. F o r it is th is sin p rincip le , th is appetence for evil, th is in n a te es trangem en t of h e a rt from God

(4)

.th a t k e q ts th e stream of evil deeds fo rever flow ­

ing- 'SL P au l f a y s ,.“ T h is m ind o f th e fle.th [o r d e ­

p rav ity I is en m ity .against G od j, for it is no t s u b ­ject to the law of. G od, n e ith e r indeed can i t be."I t is a child o f th e devil, an d h a te s G od, a n d hates every lh in g Gifdlike in you. Jt canno t be e d u c a t­ed o r refined o r m ade to behave itself: "A rid th ey th a t are in th is ca rn a lity can n o t please G o d ." And th is is precisely w hy G od is Compelled to deal w ith th is tw ofo ld k in d of sin w ith a tw o fo ld rem edy , t i e 'w a n t s H is child ren to be riot only forgiven the ir fin s, b u t cleansed from th e ir m oral rorrup litin , so th a t th ey can be pleasing tu H im , and fit to dw ell w ith H im in H is holy heaven fo rever, ,

J ]J . T h is m a tc h le s s u tterm o st sa lvation is for all, of G od 's child ren M(W. ■

1. U efause o u r g re a t H igh P rie st— th e Son o f G od, ever liveth to in tercede fo r as, l ie w as as nm rh a live w hen o u r tex t w as w ritte n as H e ever was o r ever can be. H e p ra y e d ,th e n , an d p ray s how ,.

2, Because th e Son of G od is om n ip o ten t. Ju s t

before H e ascended, H e said to . H js follow ers, "A ll pow er h a th been given to me in heaven and, on e a r th " (M ail- 28:18, H . V ,).- T h en if H e could not "save to the u tte rm o st W h en th e tex t w as w ritten . . . the re is no t th e sligh test evidence that- H e ever w ill be able to do it. H e h ad all th e pow er there jw ij then . W h k rk v o k e because th is o m nipo ten t Son ' of G od lives an d in tercedes fo r th is u tte rm o s t sa lvation f o r a ll th a t d raw n ear unto. G od th ro u g h H im T u ritK io m let us d raw n ea r w ith a . (ru e h e a rt ift fullness o f fa ith .’’

R em em ber, G od does no t force (his p recious g ift upon a n y b o d y : hut if y o u w an t i t b a d enough to d raw n ea r an d tou ch th e hem of H is garm en t, com e on , an d get an u tte rm o s t healing.

O you th a t have strugg led an d failed an d are a t th e enil of y o u r ow-n resources, y o u d raw n ea r! ■O y o u w h o arc sick ,of sin* a n d h a te it, and Avarit to be rid of it forever, you d ra w to th is “u tte r -

' m ost S av ior.”

O w o rn a n d w eary soul, fa in ting in w eakness, you d raw near an d fain t a t th e feet o f everlasting s tren g th . “ H e is ab le" to 'g iv e you u tte rm o s t v ic­to ry . .

O y o u w ho have hungered fo r righ teousness a n d felt a s if you w ould ra th e r die th a n fail o f

th e blessing, you , t(ir.', d raw “ tfic B read a f your.-clf a t H is feet for C h ris t hi have y o u , an dH eav en " is w a ttin s , fo r you, to yotj till y o u ia e 'y tm , b o d y ,.a n d soul an d sp irit forever.,

w an t no m ore .1’ All o f y o u d ra w near, in fulness, of fa ith , th a tAll y e w tiq .th ir .s l fo r t lw ' sanctifica tion th a t llie blood of -Jesus can “ cleanse you from 'fill sin ,"

fits fo r h e a v e n ,'y o u w illi-a In te /irnrt d ra w Dear, am i th a t H e will ap p ly il ntnv. lo v o u r .w a itin g yk 'td in e yourse lf w ho lly lo G o d , com e c a s tin g ’ h earts .

T i l 1C l ’RKACIIl-’R 'S M A G A Z IN E ■ 261

DOCTRINALJO HN WESLEY’S DOCTRINE OF T H E

WITNESS O F T H E SPIRIT

Ay f{.\ .;i. w . M ii.n .n .C h a p te r F o u r . A n A m ly i i* o f W e i l t / ’i

D o c t r in e

.,1. -1 )isTiNCTioN H i i w i i n J r s ( r i F a i k i .AMI n i l ’. WlTNV.SS 01' T ift,

K lm > 1)een. n n led in th i' h is to ry o f ihe do c trin e of assurance an d in I ho stu ily

Vof Ihe - source o f W esley1.' d o c trin e , lie .m ade a distinction. ■ b e l'veen ju stify in g .faith and (lie w itness, of th e S p irit, o r a s s u ra n c e o f s a l v a ­tion . W hile he a ff irm s- 'th a t - i t is th e cnm iiuin . privilege. o f every believer Ise denies th a t it is of th e essence o f . ju stify in g fa ith . A ssurance is no t a p a rt of w iving fa ith , as T u rre n lin has so clearly po in ted o u t, .b u t i l ' is a 're su lt, o f th a t fa ith , Ju s tify in g .-faith- p u rd r .tk 's s a lv a tio n ; w hile . a s ­surance com e.' a f te r the* p rocess of redi-mjitio;) .is f in ish ed .-:

O n th is subject W esley s iy s , "Is. jtis(if?'ii)(! fa ilh .a sense o f p a rd o n ? A’f f f t tu r . . I , K m y o iie is deep ­ly c u h m n e d (o u n d e rs tan d th is .question w ell; fmt preachers (no:.( o f ;sIf. 2. By ju s tify in g fa iih I m ean, th a t f.iilh w hich w hosoever h a th it n o t is u n d e r -111i*..wrath arid tin ' cu r:e of G od. B y a sens? iff pardon 1 fneaii a d istinct explicit a ssu r­ance th a t, m y sins arc fo rg iven . I allow ( I ) th a t th e re is an explicit a ssu ran ce ; ( 2 ). th a t it is .th e ' com m on privilege ' o f. real Chris, lin n s; f.S) (h a t it is .the p ro p e r C h ris tian fa ith w hich 'p u rifie fh th e h e a r t’ an d ‘ovcrcom eth ih e .w o r ld .’ H ut I canno t allow th a t ju s tify in g fa ilh is such ;tn assurance, o r ju'fi’ij.wrVy connected th erew ith . i , B ecause if. jusiifyinK fa ilh tieies.-.ai-i!v im plies such an ex- ■ p licit assurance o f jw rd iin , th en everyone w h o has il no! a n d everyone so lung-its lie-.has i t n o t is.

' - (S )

'u n d e r llif w ra th and the curse o f G od. Hut th is supposition is c u lin a ry lo S crip tu re a s .w e ll ..is lo experience. C o n tra ry lo- Isa . 50:10 a n d A cts

.vs. A gain, the, assertion 'ju s t ify in g fa ith is a <ei»sc o f p a rd o n ,’ is ' c o n tra ry to reason : i t is,

’ f la tly absu rd . F o r how can a sense .of p a rd o n be, Ihe nw iJ iliiin o f o u r receiving il ?"• „

1. Ik 'tc l « o - d is tin c t eleinen ls are se t before u s : ju s tify in g fa ilh , and th e sense o O p a rd o n , o r .insurance. ju s t ify in g fa ilh , in W esley 's A rm inian

' theo logy , is the app ro ach to G od. A fter th e ste |is of repen tance, an d fo rsak ing of sin, w hich lead up lo conversion , h av e lie in tak en , ju stify in g failh believes th a t th e W o rk is accom plished, and llia t G od freely fo rg iv e s 'th ro u g h Ihe a to n em en t of C h ris t. I t is the m eans o f o b ta in in g ju s t if i­ca tion in tile s ig h t 'o f .C od, o r ad o p tio n in to llie fam ily o f 'G o d . If is the firs t elem ent, an d w hen its w ork is accom plished- it is no lunger re la ted in th e process. F a ith , W esley describes as: “ T he only in s tru m en t of sa lv a tio n is fa ith , th a t is, a sure tru s t an d c o n f id e n c e 'th a t G o d 'b o th . h a th , an d w ill forg ive o u r sins, th a t he h a th acceplcd us again in to his fav o r, Tor th e m erits of C h ris t’s d ea th an d p assio n ,"- '“.f a i th ' is th e necessary co n ­d itio n o f ju s tifica tio n . Yes, an d ihfr on ly neces­sa ry cond itio n th e reo f. ’’3

I . T h e sense o f p ard o n , as (he second elem ent, comes a f te r ju stify in g fa ith h as p u rchased rcdem p'- tio n . 'T h is assu ran ce fo llow s Ihe ac t o f ju s tif ic a ­tio n . If m ay v a ry in s tr rn g lh , a n d constancy in d ifferen t in d iv iduals, still it ex ists w hen one is a believer; W esley w ould say th a t it does n o t a l ­w ays com c im m ed ia te ly a f te r one is pard o n ed ,

1 H’orfcs, .V /f, 100, 110. ' •-S rrm iH is, V o l..I , p, SO. - ;i I hid, V ol.-1 , p. S t.

2 6 2 ' T I U i P R E A C H E R 'S M A G A Z IN E

b u l soon a f te r i t w ill be experienced. W liilc it m ay follow im m ediately , a f te r, fa ith accep ts ,fo r-

"ffivchcss,- arid .so soon a f te r th a t one can n o t d is ­tingu ish the' one ac t from the o th e r , Mill it w ould be c o n tra ry la W esley’s theo logy io say th a t they .

a rc iden tica l. O n th is scare he is m ost po sitive .,

A s-w c have seen elsew here (n m aking. th is d is ­tin c tio n he is: fo l lo w in g the staU 'W iU of th e W estm inster C onfession an d T u rre n tin .

I I . C .i( .v iN isnc- D o c ih in i; O i’Vusejj to Tin:

• W i tn e s s -'o r r u e -S rrw rIW esley’s in tense ArniiiiianiVin m ade h im feel

th e necessity of w arn in '; C a lv in ists of thirir 'due-' . tr in e o f final assurance a s being opposed to th e w i tn c s /u f th e S p irit, a n d hence t o ' t h e Pauline d o g m a a s expressed in R o m an s 8 :1 5 , 10. l i e felt . ,t))at th e 'th e o ry ,-o f C alvin ism lim ited th e a to n e ­m e n t to th e elect, a n d in so 'doing it o b stru c ted th e d o c tr in e -o f th e w itness o f the S p irit. I t m u st be rem em bered th a t d u rin g th e tim e o f W esley

the d em ark a tio n betw een A rm m ianisin am i C al- - vinism w as defin ite . I t w as a, choice betw een oric o r th e o th e r p o s itio n .' M en a rra n g ed Jhem selves o n . sides as opposing arm ies. T o us w ho live in an ag e w hen theo log ical d is t in c tio n s a re rap id ly d isappearing , it is difficult to u n d erstan d W esley's an tag o n ism to C alv in ism .

"A nd a s to y o u ," w rites W esley, "w h o believe .y o u rse lv es (he elect of G od, w h a t" is y o u r tiappU

ness? I ho/*.' no t a >notion, a sp ecu la tive belief; a b a re op in ion o f a n y k in d : b u t ’ ii feeling p o s ­sessing o f '-G o d 's S p irit, w rought in y o u by tin* H oly G host, o r th e w itness o f G od 's S p irit w ith •your' sp ir it th a t y o u 'a r e a .child o f G od. T h is ; u thcrw ise te rm ed ‘the full assurance o f fa ith , ' is the tru e g round o f C h ris tian happiness. A n d i t ;. does indeed im p ly a fuli assurance th a t all y o u r pas t sins are fo rg iven , and th a t y o u fare m o w 'd ' . ch ild of G od. B u t i t does n o t necessarily im ply a full assurance o f y o u r fu tu re perseverance . . , N o w th is w itness of th e S p irit, experience show s ti> b e m y ch o b stru c ted by th is doctrine, . . . A nd I appeal , to a n y 'o f y o u w ho hold th is, doctrine, to sa y betw een G od a n d yo u r ow n h earts , w h e th e r : y o u have n o t o ften a re tu rn of d o u b ts an d fears concerning y o u r election o r perseverance? I f you ask , W ho has n o t? I -a n s w e r , ve ry few of th o se • w h a t hold th is do c trin e— bul m any . . m any of those w h o ho ld it n o t . .. . have enjoyed th e .'Un­in te rru p te d w itness of I lls S p irit, th e con tinual lig h t o f H is coun tenance , from th e m o m en t, they

' ( 6 ) .

firs t believed, for m an y m o n th s o r years to th is d a y ,” 1 '

'T h i s is a n o th e r w ay W esley hud o f wiying th a t the w itness o f the S p ir i t ' testified to o n e ’s p resen t sa lvation ,, h u t no t to his final pcrsevcrance . I lis theology con ta ined no place for a b tlie f in elec­tion nr perseverance. H e held th a t one could be genuinely converted , p o sse s th e defin ite w itness o f the S p irit, backslide, and finally lose h is soul. . Such view s are c o n tra ry to the do c trin e of C a l­vinism . F o r W esley the a to n em en t w as un lim ited , ju s tify in g - fa ith , w hen th e cond itions w ere m et, purchased redem ption fo r all m en. W hite the theo ry of C idvim sm lim ited th e a to n em en t to ih c rJcrl, which, 'election assured , one o f final sa lv a­tion . T o h im sa lv a tio n w as p resen t, a n d n o t final, ,•)!!(! th e Witness o f the S p irit a ssu red one o f his im im 'd ialt' s ta tu s before G od, b u t n o t o f h is final (W .'cverance, — . . , ■

I I I . W k su iv 's I J r .i is in o .s ' o r rm : W itn ess o r t in : S rjitiT ,

W esley defines the testim ony of G o d ’s S p irit as "an in w a rd ‘ im pression oh th e soul, w hereby th e S p irit of G od d irectly w itnesses to m y sp irit, th a t I am a child of G o d ; th a t Jesu s C h ris t h a th loved me, an d given H im n-lf for m e ; an d th a t - a l l m y sins, arv ‘M oUed ou t , am i I , frvert 1, am rctvm nlcd to G o d ;" - Let us no te the d is tin c tiv e elem ents . en tering in to th is w itness.

1. I t is an in'.v;UU im pression commtz. to th e son), .As L u th e r w ould say it is a sub jec tiv e ex­perience com ing to th e soul.. In clarify ing th is do c trin e Po|>e says th a t - th is a fsu rance is .the "g ift of th e H oly G host, whose office is to . bear w itness to the conscience, , . T h is im pression is infused d y nam ically up o n th e h u m an .conscious­ness. It com es d irec tly fro m th e S p irit, a n d is n o t produced th ro u g h hiim an .’in s tru m en ta litlc s , W es­le y w ould !)F..vir th a t i t is th e resu lt o f p sycho log­ical forces, w hich th ro u g h a s tro n g desire , o r w ish, end in a supposed ■ te s tim o n y from th e S p ir i t ,. I t is su p e rn a tu ra l in n a tu re an d orig in . . .

2> • I t /o p e ra te s upon the h u m a n spirit,, speaks to th e conscience. I t Comes n o t a s a vision, nor does it speak in aud ib le tones. I t effects n ev e r­theless a n .unm istak ab le im p re ss io n 'o n the soul: th a t G o d 's S p irit is te stify ing . .

,1, I t w itnesses to a defin ite th in g , o f o n e ’s ad o p tio n a s a ch ild o f G od, T h is w itness affirm s,.

1 S frn w n s , Vol. I , p. -IKS,- S iru u m s , .Vol. I', p. 87.-- ‘

Pope, C vw peitd iititt o f Tht'o tugy, Vol. i l l , p. IIS .

' ft■ . .t

i f i

T H E P R E A C H E R 'S M A G A Z IN E 26.V.

■ accord ing to .W e-iley, th a t one is loved1 of Jesus,■ th a t one 's sins arc b lo tted o u t, a n d ' Hint recon­ciliation' has been effected betw een the sinner mid God. Some \v riters , w ho accept \Vftdev\s view s' on th is ]>oint, w ould d isagree w ith ,h im a s In tin ’ n a tu re o f the Sp iritV w itn e ss ;im! w ould lim it

■it i« ad o p tio n as a child o f J iO d i F o r th is i,s th e lim ita tio n set by tin.' levt j t i R om ans, on v,hii:h tlic theo ry is buifdetl. , .

IV. Assi'HANrK o r Sai.V/Uiox J o i n t W itn e s s ( *. W esley in te rp re ted (he w itness nf th e S p irit, o r

the assurance of sa lv a tio n , o r 'U r* -'assurance of fa ith , aa o ften h e -ca lled it, a s consisting o t th e , jo in t testim ony of b o th th e H o ly S p irit and the w itness o f the h u m an sp irit. H is se rm o n s arc so J

' full o f th is th a t o n e o r tw o q u o ta tio n s will su f ­fice. H e says: } '

"A fecund sc rip tu ra l m ark of. those w h o ' a rc horn of G od is hope. . . .T h i s , hope, ( te rm ed in the epistle of the H ebrew s, C h ap . 10:22, an d C h ap te r ( i:H . , , ‘th e full assurance o f faith an d

, (he full assurance <>( expressions the bestw hich o u r k n g u a g e can afford, though far w eak ­er th a n those in the 'o r ig in a l), as described; in S crip tu re , im plied , firs t, th e '-testim ony . o f our.

'. o w n sp ir it ‘o r conscknCc, th a t w c w alk 'in sivn- ' p lic ity an d god ly s in c e rity ;’, b u t secondly, and chiefly , the festin iony c f ( lit Spirit of G od ’h e a r­ing w itness w ith ,' o r ‘to o u r ow n sp irit, th a t we tire the c h i ld r e n 'o f G od ,’ ‘an d i( ch ild ren , th en heirs, heir., o f G od, a n d jo in th e irs w ith C hrist t1’1

1. F irs t w e 'n o t e the d iv ine clem ent in th is w ithess, T h ro u g h o u t ' f i t s w ritings, S rr iu o m ,

■Journal, an d N o trs, we find reference to tliis elem ent. It! is th e H o ly S p irit-h im se lf. -He refers to G al, 4 :6 , w here P au l w rites, “ Y e hav e received, th e spirit, o f ad o p tio n , w h ereb y wc cry , A bba F a th e r ." H is ;firs t discussion in serm on X on

,• .“T h e W itness o t th e S p i r i t " 'is to define th is tli=- ' v ine S p irit a s th e S p irit o f G o d , th e H o ly S p irit. T h is is 'n o t th e conscience speaking, h u t th e con­science being spoken to b y a su p e rn a tu ra l p o t te r o r person,' the; H o ly G h o s t,.-T h is tes tim o n y of th e H oly S p irit precedes fill love o f G od a n d all holiness, ‘‘of c o n ^ u e n c e i t m u st precede o u r in ­

w a r d consciousness thereo f, o r th e tes tim o n y o f o u r sp irit concerning th em ," 2 .

W esley w o u ld .m a k e it very clear th a t it is G od w ho speaks in h is te s tim o n y , and. n o t th e f ru it

1 Serm ons, V ol. I , p. 15?. •’- Ibh l, p. 8 8 . . '

o( an y riglrteousness o r holiness. H e w ould af~f irm ,th a t if the re he no d iv ine te s tim o n y , (hen itn iav be a “ delusion of-.the dev il," n r ■ the . results \ ■ - ' '

■ o t an ab n o rm al m ind , o r m ode of th in k in g andhence one w ould be deceived. He is 'd e f in i te on th e ,s ta n d .th a t w hen the S p i r i t . w itn esses ,'th e re is po p oss ib ility ; of deception-. It is at- th is po in t th a t th e m ore rei e n tM e th o d is t theologians' d is­agree w ith W esley. Sheldon says, ‘‘It is also th e . m ethod o fp ro d u c in g 'e o n v ic tio r j a? to th e p e rso n a l' s ta n d in g , of a believer -before' t iu d , All th a t is needl’d fu r assurance o rd in arily is the existence- of. v i ta l 's p ir i tu a l affections." 1

C u rtis - says th u l th e re arc th ree m ethods by w hich u n e .m a y a t ta in C h ris tian ,-issuraticc, which, a re: ( l i Inference from th e fac t t h a t w e possess C hristian t r a i ts ; ( 2 ) C onscience -may. affirm th is w hen We have peace o f conscience. ( ,lj T h e H oly S p irit can au g m en t th is assu rance o f conscience to w h a t is-rea lty an in tu i t io n 'th a t C o d h as fo r- g iven th e sinner. (4) F in a lly there is th e .witness , of th e S p irit, B u t th is last te s tim o n y is n o t a s defin ite as th a t o f Wesley.'

2, T here is also the co n co m itan t h u m a n te s ti­m ony , or llic w itness o f th e hum an sp irit. I t is th is second clem ent w h ich -most recent w riters

, em phasize, w hile W esley m akes it su b o rd in a te to u jin e ss of the H o ly ' S p irit. T h is is usually

the testim ony of th e conscience, “ even the tcs ti- m 'litj' of o u r ow n conscience, th a t G od h a th given u s .to ht' h o ly .o f h e a r t an d holy" i n .o u tw a rd ' con* ver,s.i(ion.” :l J t i s the unm istak ab le evidence or consciousness o f having , received th e .sp irit of a d o p ­tio n , and o f h av ing a loving h e a r t to w a rd all the child ren o f G o d , ' 11 i s ;<i consciousness, o f being inw ard ly- conform ed by th e S p irit of G od to the im age o f th e Son, an d th a t we “ w alk before him in ju stice , m ercy , a n d t ru th , do ing , those th ings which, a re p le a s in g /n h is sight.

L et u s . no te how Sheldon w ould in te rp re t th is h u m a n ' testim ony , H e s3ys, “ A ssurance m ay not he so of the essence of ju stify in g fa ith th a t th e absence of the o n e is th e p roof o i th e lack, o f the

.o th e r , . . U ut to deny th a t tlic n o rm al C hristian consciousness con ta ins th e elem ent o f assurance, as. defined above, is to go in th e face o f th e m ost . explicit teachings o f the N ew T estam en t. . . . Some

1 Sheldon,- S ys tem o j C hristian D octrine, p . 471.~ C u rtis , T h e C hristian luu'tfi, pp. .167-9.

■'''■Strmonsi Volv I , p . 87.' /h id . V , ■'- ; '

T H E P R E A C H E R 'S M A G A Z IN E

nf these w ord- lilt 'd im ply Hint ;il 1 lie basis of assurance there is a w itnessing b o th of lh r Divine

' Spirit- an d m an ’s sp ir it.1'* Sheldon lacks the defi-

.niteness o f W esley as to a jcnuw iw lcc o i th is -con -, sdousnes.s com in fi •’>> a crjsi.< E lsew here In- w r i te s .

■ th a t the re ’m ay be no con-ciousne.is ol' a decisive sp iritua l crisis, “a ; (h ere m ay be in In ti no siifli crisis."-

Hul to W esley there w as alw ays a crisis, as. was In n ’ in his M |x :r ie n c e f^ |i w hich th e conscience bore w itness. W ith th is ' w rite r, • as .. w ith 'W esley, • th is assurance is th e te s tim o n y ' nf a Wood co n ­science, Skeleton leets th a t W esley nave too little space to this h um an testim ony , th in k in g in rea lity th a t the spontaneous conviction w hich issues from livinn sp iritu a l affections is as strong a. p ro o f n t being a child o f G od. as is the direct w itness of tile S p irit, H e w ould hav e us believe (h a t this conv iction m ijrht exist w ith o u t Hie o ther. Blit w ith , Wesley' th is w ould never be triie. T he tw o are alw ays i:o-e.\islen(. ' , '

H e a[so believed th a t W esley’s ty p e o f w itness, lieiiitf ,'tlie ..p ro d u c t o f th e defin ite -tes tim o n y ''o f .

r the H oly S p irit, w as sufficient, to declare to one th a t lie h ad passed th ro u g h '(h e -s p ir i tu a l crisis o f conversion , b u t th a t th e h u m an conviction w as far b e tte r fo r th e no rm al religious life. “ W esley 's de­sc rip tio n ," he says, “ of-.the H o ly S p irit 's agency,, as con.-istihc in th e im m ed ia te , p rodu c tio n o f a •specific conviction; app lies far .be tter to a p o s­sible crisis Or excep tional exfeenfcy in C h ris tian ex ­perience tljan to assurance a s -a .'land ing fact in a nnrm at C hristian life.’’3 '

.1. W esley is no t very clear a s 1 to how the■ H oly S p irit w itnesses to th e soul,- b u t lie is defi­

n ite as to th e mode, in w hich" th e h u m an sp irit■ testifies. “ As to tile w itness o f o u r sp irit:. T h e

soul as in tim ate ly an d ev iden tly perceives "when it loves, delights, 'a n d re jo ic e s 'in G od, as. w hen it loves and 'deligh ts in .a n y th in g on e a r th . A nd

■ i t can- n o m ore d o u b t, - w h e th er il loves, delim its an d rejoices o r no, th an w h e th e r it exists or no ." I f therefore th is be ju st reasoning, “ H e Hint nenv loves Gorl, th a t delights' a n d rejoices in h im w ith a n hum ble jo y , lind ho ly deligh t, a n d an obedient love, is a child nf G o d .” '1 H e rests upon th e very fun d am en ta l s tru c tu re of th e hum an 'consciousness,

1 Sheldon, Ofi. c it., 471.- I l 'k l , p . 26<J, 7 0 . '

■ :l Ifritl, -473. • '1 Srrm m is; V o l . 'I , p . as ,

7 ' (83

its infallib ility am i iim 'ailinn pow er to in te rp re t experience.

Som ethins; n f the. sam e a rg u m en t, th o u g h less ' tahi:il)U-,'is Used w ith reference to the w o rk of the

JIoly S p irit. ‘T h e m an n er how the d ivine te s ti­m ony is m anifested to the .hearL, I. d o n o t take

upon ine (o explain. Such kno«!edL’e is too, w»;i- 1 d r t lu l and excellent fo r m e; I c a n n o t'A tta in u n to

it. . . . As no one know eth th e Shiites o f-a m an, save the spirit o i the m an th a t U in h im so the m anner of the th ings o f God kno w eth no mie, save the Sp irit ‘o f G od, Hut the fact \ve k n o w ; nam ely, that, the Sp irit of G od does j:ive n- be­liever stlcli a tes tim o n y u) hi* ad o p tio n , th a t while it is present to the sou l,1 he can no m ore d o u b t (he rea lity of his sotiship, th a n ’ he can tlm iln of the shininK of the- sun, while he s ta n d s in the full, blaze of. h is ' beam s."! T h is is the argum ent from exjierience, and while le-ss ce rta in o f his g ro u n d s ' psychologically , he “ falls back on the rea lity of th e testim ony m 'x lhe consciousness, as to th e -v a lid ity of his sp iritua l experience, as-lie d id for the conclusions o f th e hum an spirit.

’ 4. As lo fhe defin ite union of th e s e 'tw o w it­nesses possibly tlie'cJearc.-t conception of the-W es-- Wynn .'jw rflU m ' .has W en js iw n by C w vtis,. tak es p lace," he w rites, " is essentially, th is: The m om ent the l lo ly S p irit licnin- I he-reo rgan iza tion of a m an Ite begins to help the per'-on to recover th e filial sense w hich m an bail- lost ip dep rav ity , T he ’person now loyal to C h ri-t strim tdes to w ard th e rea lisa tion , buL cannot fully acbieve .i l , no,

. no t even in bis' loftiest, m ood. T hen , there com es , st crisis (n o t nece.~sari!y an ex te rn a l crisis; w hen

w ith , a deeper sense o f need, or w ith a mi(re'. tho ro u g h consecra tion , o r w i t h a R ivater purpose to serve m en, the m an opens him self en tirely to the w ish of the llo ly S p irit. In to th is new o p ­po rtu n ity . the S p irit ■ rushes eaiit rly a n d completes, the b roken in tu itio n ; am i n ine th e se]frconscioiia person h as th e g lorious filial, sense, and his hom e

. life in th e fam ily of G od is us real to h im as bis pence in conscience,"- D oubtless W esley w o u ld accept th is iis the final w itn e s s .

These tw o , th e h um an and th e div ine, fo rm .th e jo in t w itness w hereby one possesses ;in undeniable assurance o f personal sa lv a tio n , or of a filial reve­lation w ith G od.■ As to the u n ity o f these w itnesses, W esley says,

* Ihn l, Vol. I, p. 80-. •2.C u rtis , op; cit., p. ,W>.

T il l ' . j ’R K A C H K R ’S. M A G A Z IN E 26S

" I t is m a n ik f t, here are tw o wilite.-se.- niciitinni'*!, w ho (ouirlhor testify (lit; sam e tt»inn-"1 A nother w rites, “ Thi.' w tiril in tlie original eviden tly im ­plies I In- sense w hich o u t tra n s la to rs follow , . , .S'frmrimrf h iti'h -igniiies .to lie. a fellow-w.itness, or

1 S rrn io iix , Vol. I, p. 05.

to w itness Du1 -same tiling th a t a n o th e r docs; an d >o tin- w o rd co n slan tly d ign ities in S crip tu re , an d i- m-yer itsed b in iV brn' th e re i.*'a concu rren t evi- d fiiic . of tw o.•w itm ’sisos.” 1

1 S h e r l o c k , i l ' r irAvi, V o l . I , pp. 1 5 4 , 5 5 .

^ To i'll" co n tin u e d ) '

M ICAH— TH E REVIVAL PREACHER’ ‘ / ( V O t.lV I‘. M . W lN<-!l);S !l.R

T h e D a y s in W h ic h H e L iv e d

lin t us fo r uw , I w ill lout: m iln JrhiH uth; 1 w i l l fi’dil /fir t h f C o d o f m y salvation', m y ( io il icil! h ttir in i* ( Mic.di ( .7 , -R. \ r.),

I ''T l--N T lM iiS there a feeling o f ho p e­lessness in ihe furlht-riintL- of tile gospel because of Ihe ' i lire toiif 111 ion - ex isten t,.

' hut w lnrt w<* stu d y th e cond itio n s um h-r w hich, o th ers have labored and have tu rn e d dark n e-s in to light, w e ' begin (o iVW th a t indeed <tur fa ith i s . ' small, an d th a t o u r confidence in th e pow er o f ■ G o d ' is lim ited , T he day s o f M icah m igh t be num hi'red am ong th e darkest in the .-history .of Ihe 'k ingdom of Ju d a h . In th e rei;;n o f Ahaz id o la try reached one o f 'i t s cu lm inating points, th e first tim e th a t th e k ingdom had. plunged to s iu li d ep th s of.w ickedness.. . ' ..

T h e p ro p h e t M icah cam e from th e ru ra l d is­tric t n( M ivrsheth-H atlt anti ,»»•».« , r y o u n e e r co n - ■ te m p o ra ry o f Isaiah . Being a little younger th an ll ie ureal p ro p h e t, 'h is worls didVmil begin in (lie reign of U // ia h , hul du ring the days of Jo th a n i. W hile Jo th a n i him telf w as otic o f the- m ost p ious ' of the kings,, yet the people w ere becom ing more, an d tnore co rru p t. T h e c o u r t p a r ty th a t favored id o la try w.a> gaining in its -pow er and con tro l o f ■ th e people. ■'

Ri:«;x o r Jon iA M , T wo Ci/hiu.nis VVorki.nt, F rom , th e st;*ndjMjiiH of foreign re la tions (he

reign of Jo th a m h ad its successes an d reverses.' f t ; > u « css€ s am trritied th e d ay s o f p ro sp erity of ihe p rev ious reign a n d its reverses presaged fu r­th e r defea ts th a t were to follow in the 'succeed­ing reign. W ar .was renew ed w ith the A m m onites

■ ■ ; (p )

w ho were com pelled to pay Jo th a m tr ib u te . He f(irti/;ed cities in tin- m o u n ta in s o f Ju d a h and castles and -to w ers in ', th e forests. T he reverses cam e a t th e close o f his reign. At this tim e Rezin, k ing-of D am ascus; form ed an alliance w i th I’ekah , king o f Israel, an d then began those a tta c k s on J u d a h w hich becam e so d isastrous und er A haz (2 K ings 15 :.47 ‘

R i jn x "oi Atr.ur, ,t S a t i o s V lv s c .u ) I.v to I d o i-.m k v - -.

W hile id o la try w ;ti p rev a len t in th e reign of Jo th a m an d th e people sacrificed on' th e high p laces, yet t h i s ‘fo rm of w orsh ip d id ’ nol receive., official sanction a t least from llie king. In the reign of Ahaz, how ever, w e find, a d ec id ed d iffer­ence in th is respect., T ile k in s jo ined with' the court p a r ty w ho favored th e in tro d u c tio n an d p rom ulga tion o f .foreign w u rth ip in th c ’lam ), an d th e reu p o n all so r ts o t excesses w ere in au g u ra ted . N o t being satisfied w i t h one o r . tw o form s of id o la tro u s w orsh ip , Ahaz ad o p ted all the various niodes o r. id o la tro u s expression as found in th e su rro tm dinn nations. l ie con tin u ed the custom w hich , had a lw ay s rem ained in tac t in the nation , ■hi’inj? h idden m o re o r less in seclusion a t tim es and then again b reak ing fo rth in the open w ith decided m o m en tu m , th a t is; H it custom o f “ o f­fering sacrifices on I he high places, on every hill am i. un tier every green, tre e .” - M o reo v er also like the k ings o f Israel he “ m ade m olten , im ages fo r th e B aalim .” T h is form of w orsh ip had it? origin from th e n o r th , th e lan d of I’htEnicia. F u r th e r ­m ore he m ultip lied his id o la tro u s p rac tices in th a t he sacrificed h is children to M oloch. T h is hideous p rac tice h ad .been observed by the .in h ab itan ts o f th e lan d w hom Ihe child ren o f Israel had d riven o u t, an d now w as tak en tip by the king

266.. , T I l K l ’ K E A C I I K K ’S - ' M A G A Z I S K

of Ju d a h .' T h e custom was. to o ffe r th e children . m onarch*. A ssyria h a d been, th ro u g h a periodIti th is mid liy f i r e 'a n d w hile they w ere being of eclipse b u t h e ’ had ra ise d . th e k ingdom to a

'consum ed in stru m en ts w ere played to d ro w n t h e i r ' licfcht ‘not. k n«w n before; he wJjs th e real foundercries. . of- th e g rea t A ssyrian m onarch y . - 'E v e r eager .-for

Because of these m any t rating tessions, the. L o rd i conquest and desirous th a t a ll o f- th e n ationsdelivered A W in to the h an d of tire Syrians,, th e a ro u n d _ ab o u t should com e u n d e r 'h is su zera in ty ,nation th a t b ad -b eg u n aggressions jn th e p revious he responded In A h a /.'s . 'c a ll, b u t instead o f .reign', T hey defeated tin- fo rtes of I he sou thern strenp then ifii' hiin h r 'd is tressed him .' T o .'ob ta in ,k ingdom an d carried aw ay a g rea t m u ltitu d e of . help-.faw n th is .g r« il rider A lia?,.took possessions cap tives to D am ascus.''T he king of Israel w as.also. from th e hoiw_ of ih r -Lord an d from h is 'o w n ,

' successful in an a tta c k 'a g a in s t Ah.rz s la y in g ' ;i ■ hnuMy also from the p rim es, yet th is , w as of no h u n d red .a n d tw en ty th o u san d iti one d ay . All- av a il; the king of A s-yria d id nut' give an y as-itiis cam e lo pass 'because .the k in s w ith h is jieo- 'sistance. . . .

. pie had forsaken the L ord: In th is encounter m a d e . llccum inp fu rth e r enraped by hi.- various dis-'. by the n o rth ern k ingdom the k ind’s son. w as sla in , ire 's^ rs;. Ahaz 'O .uphr an o th e r m eans of relief;'th e govern o r o f th'e luiuse an d afco E lkrtnah w ho blinded h i l ltr lac! th a t his transgressions apainstranked next to th e k in s . M oreo v er th e children th e L o rd h ad ''b een th’e' m ain- cause of -all of b isof Israel carried aw ay cap tive " tw o h undred tho u - troub le , he p lunged in to o th e r trespus.-'es. R eason* ..san d , w om en, sons, an d d au g h te rs , an d to o k also jtlJi tlm t die. Sy rians had- been ab le t o 't r iu m p haw ay m uch spoil from th em , an d b rought the over him th rough the help of th e ir pods, hc-offcrsspoil to Sam aria.*' T hese w ou ld have been tak en sacrifice u n to (hem an d ad d s them i f h is p an th eo nIn th e n o rth e rn k in g d o m 'a s b o n d se rv an ts had it • (1f foreign , gods. T h en borne on in m adness lien o t b e e n th a t a p ro p h e t of the L ord rem onstra ted „ " n ijh e re d to g e th er the vessels ' o f • th e house of

: w ith them , say ing , “ B ehold, because the L o rd ■ (;«(], and cut in pieces tlic.' vessels of th e housetio d o f your, fa th ers w as W roth w ith. Ju d a h , he (,f H od, and shut up th e doors p f the house ofh a th delivered them in to -v o u r-h an d , an d ye have th e L ord , an d he m ade h im a lta rs in every corner

■ sfaJii tlw m in a rage, th a t reaciieti.ufii u n to heaven , u f fe rv sa lcn t. A n t i la -every- w e r a ) . c i ty o f' J u d a hand now ve purpose to keep u n d e r the child ren lie m ade .-high. places to b u rn incense u n to o th e ro f J u d a h and Je ru sa lem fo r bondm en a n d ‘ b o n d - pods; ‘anti- pro.voked to anger th e L ord G od of-w om en u n to yo u , even w i th you , sins apainst th e - his fa th e rs .” T h u s w e hav e the sad spcctacic ofL ord .y u u r G o d ?. N u w hear m e, there fo re , and the w o r s h ip o f .Jehcn 'ali Swing en tirely suspendedd e liv e r ' the. cap tives again,- w hich y e have ta k e n a n d the. land filled w ith id o la try H ad th is beencap tive of y o u r b re th re n : fo r th e fierce w ra th in the n o rth ern k ihpdom . it w ould have been sadof the L ord is upon y o u ," T h ereu p o n there arose indeed , bu t in the so u th e rn k ingdom com ing fromcerta in ones of th e child ren of Israe l an d fo rbade th e th ro n e w here D avid b ad reigned an d w hereth e ir b ring ing them in to th p city , an d o th ers w ho o th e r devout -kings h a d ’ ru led , it passes beyond-

.w ere d epu tized fo r the ta sk c lo thed tho se w ho. 'u n d e rs ta n d in g , y e t it p ictu res to us the wildw ere needy from the spoil " a n d gave th em to tu rm oil of a soul w hen it tu rn s aw ay from G od.eat an d to d rin k , an d an o in ted th em , a n d carried : As said the g rea t p ro p h e t, Isa iah , “A deceivedall th e feeble o f them u p o n ’ asses, an d b ro u g h t heart h a th tu rn ed him aside so th a t h e -c a n n o t(hem to Je rich o , the c ity of pa lm trees,- to th e ir say , Is .th e re n o t a lie in m y ri^h t h a n d ? "

b re th re n ." liefore con tinu ing th e --n a rra tiv e of even ts inHcsides these a tta c k s from the n o rth , th e E d o m - t h e . kingdom o f Ju d a h , it m ight be well to note-

‘ iles o n th e sou theast m ad e-an a t ta c k 'u p o n Ju d a h a few '.in c id en ts w hich to o k place in the n o r tha n d carried aw ay cap tives’. T h e Ph ilistines ulso a t th is tim e. A haz h ad crouched before theto th e sou thw est invaded som e of th e cities in S y rian an d Israelitish pow er, ye t before his reignthe Jow c o u n try an d seized .them . T h u s i t w as • cam e t o ' a cty-e, T ig la lli-jiileser defea ted R ezin,th a t the L p rd b ro u g h t th e k ingdom very low Ijc-- king of S y ria ; D am ascus, th e .c a p ita l o f h is kliig-cnuse of the ir sins an d transgressions in d e p a r t- dotji w as IjesirRed a iid cap tu red . In Israe l T ig la th -from th e w o rsh ip of Je h o v ah . p i l f e r 't o o k a series of tow ns includ ing the w hole

M a d e fran tic by these, nuriierous a ttack s , A haz 1 land of N 'aphtali an d I’ekaii, the. king, -was com -Fought help, from T ig l.tth : p ilcfer, king of A ssyria, -./polled ' t o |>-iy considerable lr ib u te B T h u s these

.T iiis king w as-one of the g rea test of th e A ssyrian . n a tio n s th a t w ere such -a.-m enace, to A haz a n d

. ' ' . . (1°) '.

T H E 'P R E A C H E R ’S M A G A Z I N E .' . • 267

th ro u g h who?c a tta c k s lit' w as d riven to . fu rlh e r tran sg ress io n s ' against -llie L ord wore, overcom e, H ad h f .listened to the w ard s’o f adnm nilirm from th e p rophet Isaiah , “ H e th a l ln’lii-vi-lli shall m il m ake h as te ," had he tru sted in th e prophecy given Dial tin- tim e w as not far aw ay w hen these 11a- .

■lions w ould .fait a p rey to the enem y, he whulil have been saved the dire evil in to w hich he fell, l i e ’ w as to ld , “ T h e L o rd t-hall h iss for th e fly th a t is in the .utterm ost.- p a r t of the rivers of K gypt, an d for ih t bee th a t is in th e 'land of A ssyria,” b u t he believed n o t.

T im s it Was (h a t w hen the w orsh ip o f th e L ord h ad been suspended in Ju d a h and Je rusa lem , w hen id o la try filled every corner of th e lan d , w hen kinf.; an d J-injit p a r ly h ad rushed on in iftadness to do obeisance to pods of o th er lands, th a t th e b u rden cam e upon M icah to jo in w ith th a t g reat s ta tesm an p ro p h e t .w ho long had stood w ith Unflinching "courage am id the d issolu te nobles a w l.b e fo re th e 'w e a k a n d servile k in s . In the re ig n - ()f H ezekiah w eisce th e refo rm s th a t w ere b rough t a b o u t because tw o m en d a re d , to p reach and p roclaim th e t r u th a n d d ared to support th e ir ru lers in ( lit r ig h t. I f a revival could be b rough t to pass w ith stich a d a rk background , w e m igh t well ask a re th e re any co nd itions w hich a rc -t<5p. fo rb idd ing for a rev iv a l? S hould , w e . ev er Jose fa ith ? ■ . . . ’

R w p s OF IInzt.KlAlt', DaVS Ot' R i:h iH.M

\V hen H ezekiah t a i n t to the th ro n e h is first m ovem ent w as to, d es tro y (he ido la iro u s in iages in th e land . A ccordingly we read , “ H e rem oved the ltii'h places, an d b rak e the im ages, an d cu t- do w n th e g ro v e ? , a n d b rak e’ in pieces the brazen se rp?h t th a t M oses h ad m a d e :, for u n to those days th e child ren o f Israe l d id bu rn incense to i t ."

Because H ezekiah 'tru s te d in th e L o rd he w as ab le to tr iu m p h over his enem ies a ro u n d a b o u t; he th rew off the. y o k e o f A ssyria an d .smote th e P h ilistines. W hen th e A ssyrians re tu rn ed lo b e ­siege Ju d a h a f te r tak in g the n o rth e rn k ingdum in to cap tiv ity , H ezekiah d id n iv e .'tr ib u te to tu rn the m igh ty conq u ero r aw ay , b u t w hen th e king o f A ssyria sen t a' g tc a t host against th e k ingdom , then d id th e k ing in his d istress send to Isaiah . W ith these w o rd s of assurance d id th e p ro p h e t . encourage th e m essengers, “ T h u s shall ye say u n to y o u r m aste r, T hu s sa ith th e L ord ; Be n o t a fra id o f the w ords th a t Ihuti h as t heard , w herew ith th e se rv an ts of tlic k ing of A ssyria h a v e b lasphem ed m e, beho ld I will semi a b la s t upo n h i m ; 'a n d

he shall h ea r a ru m o r, and re tu rn to his ow n la n d ; and I w ill cause him lo fall lit- (he sw o rd , o fI . ’h is ow n la m l,” T h u s it cam e to pass. O ne h u n ­d red and 'eighty-five th o u sa n d w ere sm itten in a rtigbl 'a n d in d ism ay k ing Sennacherib re tu rn e d to bis ow n lan d w here he was sm itten by his sons.

N ot on ly d id k ing H ezekiah d es tro y th e im ages of id o la try , '-b u rh e also sough t to re-estab lish the w orsh ip of Je h o v ah . In Uhe very first year of his feign d id he open "the" d o o rs o f . the house of th e L ord an d repaired th em ." H e (.'i've com riiand to the p riests a n d L evites to sanctify the house of th e L o r d 'a n d to ca rry fo rth a ll th a t h ad d e ­filed its precincts. A fte r e ig h t d ay s th ey re tu rn ed to the king an d announced th a t th ey b a d cleansed th e tem ple from the inner sa n c tu a ry th ro u g h th e co u rt, a n d llien d id th ey ho ld a g rea t redcd ica lo ry se rv ile , a n d >worshi]x>d the L o rd , offering' b u rn t

■ offerings' an d singing songs of praise . M oreover a h o they held a g rea t passover feast. T h e y sent le tte rs no t only th ro u g h o u t all th e b o rd ers of

■ Ju d a h b u t also in the te rr ito ry o f Israel e x h o r tin g ’ one an d a ll J o re tu rn un to the L ord . W hile som e in t h e n o rth e rn sections laughed th em lo scorn a s the m essengers b ro u g h t th e in v ita tio n s y e t o th e rs h ijm bted them se lves an d cam e an d in com ­p a n y w ith Ju d a h w ith one heart, obeyed the co m ­m an d m en t o f th e king, W hile Lhey 'w ere" assem ­bled in Je ru s a le m 'th e y 'ra l l ie d , agains t the im ages o f id o la try , ca rry in g a n y th a t rem ained over, th e b rook K id ro n . " T h en Lhey kept th e feast , w ith gladrie-s for the seven (lays of the regu lar speci­fied lim e, and th e reu p o n v o lj'd lo keep a n o th e r , seven days. T h u s .it qiiiK'- to p a ss .th a t “ there w a s g reat jo y in Je ru sa lem : for. since th e tim e of Solom on th e son o f D av id king of Israel th e re

: was^ no t the like in Je ru sa lem . T h en th e p riests, tlie L evites arose a n d blessed th e people; an d .

th e ir voice w as h eard , a n d the ir p ra y e r cam e u p to his ho ly dwclling-pl.-lcc, even u n to heav en ."

A fter tlit1 feast w as over those w ho W e re p re s­ent: w en t th ro u g h o u t th e land of Ju d a h th ro w ­ing d o w n all im ages o i id o la try , an d th ey e x te n d ­ed the ir effo rts in to E p h ra im an d M anasseh. M o re ­over in connection w i th the w o rsh ip o f J e h o v a h . H ezekiah .ap p o in ted th e p riests an d L evites in th e ir courses, a n d co n tr ib u te d th e king 's p o rtio n fu r the,, tem ple an d com m anded ail th e people to b ring th e ir offerings. O beying the co m m an d th e people b ro u g h t th e ir offerings un til th e re w ere heaps w ith in the tem ple co u rt an d th e k ing com m anded to , p rei^ire cham bers in w hich to sto re th e o f f e r ­ings. •

. T h u s it . vvrift Hint ft n ival religious m ovem ent hovah in I hi1 land w ho fearlessly proclaim ed judg-w as m i on foo t, a m ii;lily tu rn in ': from id o la try merit «ri fin am i stead fas t J y ' I in s t i l l in llie L n h l.to th e w orsh ip of th e L o rd , a n d 'a l | th is caroe t o , If we' likewise preach anil tru s t, m ay w e ’m il. sit

pass n o t a lone th ro u g h th e k ing but princi]xilly sim itar rosti11s aceordirij; to-(lit* m easure o f n u rbecause the re w ere tw o fa ith fu l p ro p h e ts o f - J e - o p p o rtu n ity ? ' '

L<lllllilllllH»IHthl>MHHHHtl‘tl,llll«l>llHllj|luilMlrll-ll|iluiliiluM»'Jlll|IIJII^<Hn<l|Jlr>'l>>l|||>^.|MH|'JHl'l-’l> <' >' ^iiiii n ‘ii> trtHuil’l' ii i if l>< in ■■! hi ml it

HOMILETIC A Lmiaanwiiii»iH«initni»iiriiiiiiniini>iiiinih<iiLitiHit‘iii|Miiiiiilini'nii|»ll,*l‘’l'L»i<'* »n|H'1 ■■■•ii<iMiM'iiiiniiii’iiiiiiJi»iiiiimHinim|i"»n"i|iHMini|miiMHiH'miiliiiitMiiiiwii i<.imlinl>ninim»*

A D O R N IN G T H E D O C T R IN E

/}y R o y L .' T I ih .i x M u c k

“Attorning the tloelriur of God mitt .our Stn<i<>nr

ill nil th ings". ■ . , '■

/ , . I17;u/- i.\ " tin ' d m trine " . w hich vc. tire h r i f■ catted tn ttd o riii . ■

T h e great a ll- im p o rta n t doc trin e , ih e uni' a ro u n d whii'b all o thers revo lve, is holiness. It is the essence of jG o d , tile m oral q u a lity ol heaven , th e tliem'c of th e liible,1. H oliness is n o t sim ply u - doctrine a ro u n d

w hich o u r chiirch h as designed lo build i t ­self because we needed som e p a rticu la r tea-

, I lire to id en tify u s 'll'ortv. o th e r p eo p le s , No, sir! .W e w ould preach holiness w hether

il n a s a fj,oi:!rine o i tti£ church or n o t,' 2 . H oliness, i s - th e " K e y to the Scrip tu res"-

/Hit A irs. Krlily's "Science a n d H ea lth .", T o ado rn holiness is to so' live th a t w e pive

. it b e a u ty . iiiui, a ttrac tiv en ess , J t i s , ' t h e p ro p e r s o r t ' o M iie answ ering to- o u r p ro ­fession, th a t m akes jJeople say , ."W h y holi­ness is no l an utsly -skeleton— it is a beau ii-

. fu l life. 1 th in k I w ould like lo .s e c k i t .” 1 H oliness has m oral pow el\- and ■ will con­

q u e r an y w h ere if it is . a d o rn e d ; h u t th e• - tro u b le is th a t o ften i t - i s given a . black

eye. l i is “ w ounded in the- house of its f r ie n tb .”

/ / . In w lm t itrr. n r to ld to ado rn it? " In (til, th in g s." A ceorfling lo our' ro u te s i , we a re -p a r- licu iarly (o ad o rn it in :

t . D oing good w o rk s ( v . '7 J .2 . S in cerity of- w o rd s (v. 7— last ■ c lau se ) , Sin*

eerily m eans “ sun-juU|?otl."-J>. l lo tu s ty of beh av io r (v . 0 ) . '■ P u rlo in ing"

m eans Lo steal. P erhaps a carefu l check-up m ight reveal th a t the' doctrine o f holiness has som etim es been repudia ted , because th e re has n o t been th e p ro p e r exercise o f

. scrup le in o u r business dealings. .4. "S how ing good fidelity” — fa ith fu lness to

Htnl in ri'stil.-i'r*’.a11em l.im v -aI ,(jin!*s bouse w ould g rea tly luMp 10 ado rn tile doctrine.

-l'iiithluln<-*> id our S u n d ay .-choo) clashes, to llie prayenneetinK s, to ' fam ily p ray er, lo t h e ! fijvin.L' of o u r !ill)c,s-.-aJl-of these help in adveriT e h o lin e ss .- 'Ami un fa ith fu lness in an y of the)))' gives jt the. black eye.

C O N C L U S IO N S F R O M T H E P A S T

- t iy l.r.'wiH T . ('oiii.v.iT

' / ' T i:\ i : Phi!. 1 : .’ ! " ■

I. I n■iKont'i’U os;A. P a u l , m akes a ' review o f his life. ■

-. Ii. In looking al .the. h a rd sh ip s heart aches, b u r- . ileiis and cares, he speakr- the first p a rt of Ihe -II'M. ' .

■ - On"*i’m rth e r m edila tioh . be recognizes .(be-■ clear call of d u ly "N evertheless to - . . , "

1. A w ait (,’rtidV tim e for liis d ep a rtu re .'2. T o fulfill ( io d 's expectations.

T o help m an y m ore peopje.before he dies,a. He lived tour o r five years, m ore .'

II . T a t : C’oNi-i.i-siuNs - ‘A. A ttitu d e to w ard ihe past (1‘hil, 2: I ; 4: 8 ),. r. 1’roper a lli tu d e . of, m ind to 'w ard all o f

'th e pasi.H.. l ia s is -o f1 hope and assurance in G od (Phil.

.': 7-IQ.'. . - - ,1. N o t ancestra l religion,' nol m e re creed,

-Dirt jn'sl sincerjly , -. ■i . Personal know ledge nf a personal C hrist.

■-C.' P resent : Personal S lren u th (P h il, -t: l . l i ,I. I'.’ist experiences o f deliverance an d suc­

cor encourage h im fo r" th e presen t..'2 , X o prob lem in t h e ■ present o r , fu tu re too

cre:it o r difficult .fo t Ciod.1). U elatiunship to' M a te ria l ( ioods - (Ph il.-. 4:

VI. N ot in bondage to eillicr- b o u n ty iir w an t.

K ..'F u lu re ac tiv ity (Ph il, 14, 15). ..F .'-F u tu re H ope am i K sp i'clatiiin ( I ’iiil, 20 ,

.M i. . ■ ;i . ffope , cotivfoir, inspiration '; anchor.

(12)

T H E P R E A C IIK K 'S M A G A Z IN E

_ I I I .- TU fc’PAST I s H k\kfii'j.m . .Til ' Eveky O.VE A. If lu* lakes .1 sim ilar a l ti tu d e lo th a t o f

r .n ii. *IS. II it inspires a c tiv ity in the p resen t am i

..hope for tlie fu tu re .,

P L E A S IN G G O D

B y P a u l A, S o u th a r d

iN iuoiii'CTn.N . W e all desire lo 'please G od if ' w arc tru e Cliri.-lians. W e please H im first by being .‘•Lived anti sanctified, th is leads us to say th a t (here is Hiving fa ith , sanctifyihx- ja i th , k eep ­ing fa ith . T h is o p e n s 'u p a v ista of th e place of

■ im portance of fa illi. Lei, us see w hy fa ith pleases G od, and th e sc rip tu re sa j’s in H ebrew 11: 6 th a t . '‘W ith o u t; faith it is im possible to please h im .”I. I Ml'OHTANCE OF FAITH iN TIIE'NEW TESTAMENT

1, M entioned (if -"fa ith" 12(> tim es d irectly . 1. M entioned o f - “fa ith " 50 tim es in d irec lty .

If . I.mtorta.vcf: o f . 'F a it h i .v t jii; Ou> T e s ia -MENT.1. Spoken <if i» Old T estam en t m ore p n i f i - •

.m aticiilly, b u t m ore th e less d irec tly . .2. .M entioned o f failb. in th e Old T estam en t

SJ times! ■

I I I . Im p o r ta n c e , o f F a i t h ' S h o w n b y I t s —1. N um erous usages, fa ittt1 in G od, ju stifica tion ,

sanctifica tion , F a th e r , - Sot!, H o ly S p irit,. . u n ity , lea tls 'to sa lvation , w orks o f love, tlie

pleasure o f G od, th e key to fru itfu l w orks,-, p roduces peace, joy an d ho p e .in believing,

c.v eludes boasting , all blessings' received th ro u g h fa ith ; m iracles p erfo rm ed th ro u g h

• fa ith , said four, tim es d irectly to have pow er, Clirist p u t it as the crux of experience and pow er! im p o rtan ce sh o w n by C h ris t’s d e ­sire lo try o u r fa ith , it .o v e rc o m e s th e w orld ,

. ii is " th e v ic to ry " it is a sh ield to C h ris­tians, we are exhorted to con tend for it in fa ilh .(nothin}! d o u b tin g ) th e ,a p o s tle s rec­ognized it and m an y tim es in various places exhorted to its con tinuance, th e S p irit w rites in sc rip tu re o f num ero u s examples- of faith to s tir us lo fa ith , am ong th em a rc -Enoch,

. A braham , N o ah , Jo sep h , M oses, C aleb and . Jo sh u a , D av id , th e th ree H ebrew children ,

D aniel, th e h a r lo t o f Je richo , P e te r, N a­thanael, "M arth a , S tephen , P au l, T im o th y , th e E th iop ian eunuch , B arnabas, an d .f in a lly of>G od himself,, these all illu stra te a direct m ention of " fa i th " as of “ fa ith ’.’ itself.

2 , O ther th a n th is of living “ fa ith fu l,” an d of of ‘.‘faith fu lness” we' have m ention in bolit th e Old and N ew T estam en ts ten tim es. T o ta l of all m en tio n ed — 345 times..

iV . ' W h y G od So R i r i .v i s H im sei.k 1. T he carnal h e a r t. ;

, 2. O ur p rone ness to fo rget.

■ lO iir. proncjic.--.- to po I he w av of "s ig h t,”•1. O u r pronenesf to lie al ease in Z ion.5. G od kiio'H? th e devil doesn 't w aul real faith

exerrising C h ristians. . .

V. F a it h in '- G ob 's R e d e m p tiv e P ia n 11. It is th e crux oi' th is ' p lan , it all hinges on

G od 's ; faith- an d ours. ' '2. C o n tem pla te1 the u tte r d isaster i[ th is p lan

faileil..V Hi? p lan wilt Succeed hu t w e can fail, if i f f

•fail uther.s m ust tak e o u r p laces. 1 ( C o S iu 's io n : "W ith o u t faith .il is im possible to■ please h im .” . . • , ■ . .

’•'See th a t .y e ' fail n o t ." ' ' \ •

' IL L U S T R A T IV E M A T E R IA L

C om piled b y J . G l e s k G oni.n

A n A c id T e « t 1. .T here are m an y m en w ho are loud an d boastfu l

o f th e ir unbelief w hen circum stances are in th e ir favo r, b u t w lio b e rim e , cringing cow ards w hen the m om ent comes to -p ro v e th e sincerity o f th e ir p rofession. T he s to ry is (old of such a m an w ho asserted ro u n d ly th a t G od w as too pood to . p e r­m it th e e ternal loss o f any m an 's soul. F o r him th e re w as no bell of p u n ishm en t, n o , sense of- Built for sin , and no fa ith in Ihe n o tio n - th a t th e soul th a t sinneth it. shall die. O ne d a y ,- in p u r ­su it of his task s on th e . fa rm ,"h e w as d riv ing a h a rro w , w hen h is horses to o k frigh t a t som e­th in g and ran a w av , th ro w in g h im u n d e r th e h a rro w .1 In s ta n tly , he began lo p ra y a t t h e ‘ to p of h is voice for m ercy an d forgiveness, an d w as alm ost m iracu lously saved from d ea th ; “ B u t I th o u g h t y o u w ere a U niversalist,” said a -n e ig h ­bo r, “ an d co u ld n 't be lo st.” ' ‘M y frien d ,” said l if t erstw hile unbeliever, ’ “ there is no th in g like being u n d e r .a h a r ro w to tak e the U niversalism o u t o f a fellow.*’

■ W e W re « tle N o t A g a in * ! F le* h a n d B lo o dD o n ’t fo rget S a tan w h e n -p ra y in g ; b u t, second,

rem em ber the- L ord Je su s , G od’s M an , T h o se tw o had a ru n n in g fight from H c th leh em .to C a l­v a ry . T hrough those N aza re th years, in th e w il­derness, th ro u g h the th ree and a‘ ha lf y ea rs of H is m in istry , .th ro u g h G ethscm ane, th ro u g h C al­v a ry , th ey h ad a fight, an d o u r . L o rd Je su s w as

■ V icto r a t every tu rn .

T h e w hole p u rp o se of p ray e r is th is— it is in ­sisting th a t th e L o rd Jesu s’ v ic to ry shall com e W'hero you p ray erfu lly claim i t . H e has ta k e n th is w o rld , W c arc to take; possession in H is

( 1 3 )

270 T H E P R E A C H E R 'S M A G A Z I N E

n am e. P ra y e r is insisting t l ia t H is will shall be do n e In -a n y life w here you .arc rinn r rn n l . “ T liy . kingdom com e," m eans th e o th e r k ingdom go; “T h y ' w ill l>e do n e ," m eans tlnv o th e r "w ill '' be u n d o n e! V icto ry in th is m an ’s life m e a n s 1 take

.th is m an here fo r llie L o rd 'J e su s . C hrist an d a w a y from the p o w er of th e E v il O u t ; T h y w ill Tn th is m an , and in th is c h u rc h , 'in th is problem , in th is class in S u n d ay school, an d in th is mission fie ld ., T h a t is th e real b a n n e r of Je su s C h ris t a n d s ta n d in g <m the en em y’s te rr ito ry an d , sa y ­ing, “ I . ta k e th is in m y V ic to r 's nam e."— S .D .

, Gordon. ■ ■■ ' ■ > .

T h e F a U lifu ln t i i t o f Q o d '

A sa ilor Who h ad been long absen t from his ria tivc c o u n try , re tu rn e d h o m e (lush w ith m oney . ' C om ing to L ondon , w here he had n ev e r been be­fore, he resolved to g ra tify h im self w ith the sight

•of w h a te v e r w as re m a rk a b le / A m ong o th er places lie v isited : S i, P a u l’s. ’ I t h appened to be a t the tim e of d ivine service. W hen carelessly p ass in g

[ lie b ea rd th e w ords, “ P ra y w ith o u t ceasing," u t ­te red b y th e m in ister, w ith o u t h av in g an y im pres­sion m ade on his m in d by th em . H av ing satisfied his cu rio sity in L ondon , he re tu rn ed to his m a ­rine p u rsu its , an d con tin u ed a t sea to r seven y ea rs w ith o u t an y rem arkab le occurrence in his h isto ry . O ne fine, evening w hen th e a ir w a s 's o f t , the tireerc pen t If, th e heavens serene, a n d th e ocean calm , l)c w as w alk ing th e deck, w ilb his feelings soo thed by the p leasing aspect of n a ­tu re , w h e n all on a sudden d a r te d on h is m in d , the. w ord*, " P ra y w ith o u t ceas in g !'' ‘.'Pray f r ith -

.n u t ceasing I W h a t w o rd s can -th ese b e ? ” he ex­claim ed, “ I th in k I- have heard th em before :

■ w here could, it b e ? " A fter a pause, "O h , i t w as a t S t, P a u l’s in L ondon ,' (he m in iste r read them from ih e Bible. W h a t I an d d o th e S c rip tu rc j say , ‘P ra y w ith o u t ceasing’? O h, w h a t a w rctch m ust I he, to have lived s i r long w ith o u t p ray in g a t n il)" - G od, “w ho a t firs t caused h im to hear

■ th is passage in his t a r , ’ nojv .caused i t to spring u p , in a w ay , a t a tim e, a n d w ith a pow er pe-..

■ cu liariy h is ow n.' T he p o o r fellow n o w found I he ligh tn ing of conviction flash on his conscicnce, th e th u n d e rs o f the law shake h is h e a r t, a n d th e g rea t deep of d e s tru c tio n - th re a te n to sw allow

. h im . up. N ow he began fo r th e firs t lim e to p r a y ; b u t p ray in g w as n o t a ll! “O h ," sa id he ,

“ if I h ad a H ible or som e good b o o k l" H e ru m ­m aged his chest, w hen in a co rn er he espied- a Bible w hich h is anxious m o th e r h a d , tw e n ty

year? before, placed in • h is chest, bu t w hich till n o w . he bad never opened. H e sna tched it up, p u t il to his hi cast; then read , w ep t, p ra y e d ; lie, believed, an d beram e a new m-AU. -Srlrcti'il.

O ne R e a so n f o r D elayed A n sw e r* to P r a y e rSpurgeon said, “ ft 'm ay be y our p ray e r is like

a sh ip w hich, w hen it goes on a Very long v o y ­age, does no t ciime ho m e- .laden • so soon ; bu t w hen it dues Come h o m c .i t has a richer freight. M e l t coasters w ill b ring y o u coals Or such o r­d in a ry th in g s; b u t they th a t Ro fa r .to T arsh ish re tu rn w ith gold and ivory . C oasting p rayers, such as w e p ra y every d ay , b rin g us m an y neccs- . sa ries; h u t (here are" g reat p ray ers w hich, like th e ' old Spanish galleons, cross th e .m a in ocean

■and are longer o u t of s igh t, b u t com e hom e deep­laden w ith a gulden fre igh t," So keep on p ra y ­ing.— S d e c tc d . .. -

Buy a Sword‘ H ere is a notable ''.exam ple of the im passioned i

e lo q u en ce .w h ic h w as so d istinc tive a fea tu re of the p reaching uf th e la te P residen t F loyd \V ; Ncaso, Speaking on th e tex t, “ H e th a t h a th no sw ord iet him sd ! h is g a rm e n t, . an d b u y one" (I.-uke 2 2 ;'.J<i), he sa y s ;. ..

A strange com m and th i s 'o f .our L o rd ’s. F o r ­m erly the disciples w ere sent out w ith o u t purse,

.sc r ip o r shoes,- y e t (hey lacked .n o th in g ; Oiid p ro v id ed all for them . W hat w arlike tim es mvist be these, w hen one m ust, if need be, s tr ip his b o d y of clo th ing to b u y a sw ord . Such tim es as . w hen th e trqmcQ. -of C ari huge cu t off th e ir h a ir an d w o v e i t to fashion bow strings fo r the

W a rr io rs . T h is is a W aterlo o period in th e h is­to ry o f th e C hristian church.. One by one its es­sentia! artic les o f : fa ith h a v e been assailed an d laid low . I s the re today, one fu n d am en ta l doc­tr in e o f C h ris tian ity left Us b y th e enem y? “.There is n o single th in g 'w h ic h one m u st he-

. l i t r e , - n o single th in g w hich one m u st, do , to b e ­com e a C h ris tian ,” eays D r. Scott. l i k e a m ighty advancing inv ad in g a rm y th e enem y ■ closes in ujion. the chu rch . One post a f te r a rio ih er 1 tak en . ■

Is th e do c trin e of th e T riu n e G o d 'e s se n tia l? N o— a n d th e c ity o f W ash ing ton is in th e ir tiands.Is th e d e ily o f C h ris t essen tia l? N o —an d R alfi- n io re is tak en 1 I s th e crea tion of m an essen tia l? N o longer— an d P h iladelph ia falls) . T h e fall of m a n ? A m y th — N ew Y o rk is the irs 1 Is th e . a to n em en t a v ita l d o c trin e to C hristian fa ith ? N o — t he enem y h as reached N ew H av en I R c-

T H K P R E A C H E R ’S M A G A Z I N E 271

T* ' ' ' ' ' ' 4 'p n e m l jn n ? B y n n m eans — N ew L o n d o n isfallen! S anctifica tion? N ot a t a ll— am i P rov i- cfentr is re a c h e d ! . H e u a rd s an d p un ishm en t?? Q uite a n tiq u a te d — the enem y has • reached <wr very c a te s ! it is tim e to Bet a w o r d !— “ S y m ­phonies o f P ra ise ," p. IZOff, . «

W h e r e M o d c rm im F a iU

. D r. C harles A. K erry , th e no ted English m in ­ister. at)d H r. Jo w e tt w ere trav e lin g to g e th er on 'aH tra in , w hen" th e fo rm er' re lated ih iv follow ing ' experience’ in bis ow n m in istry : h a te ; one ' n ight his doorbell rang. E veryone else in th e house being ab ed , I V . 'l l c r r y h im se lf ' an«w ered th e bell;

. A| (lje ifrior sto o d a typ ical L ancash ire Kir] w ith a shaw l over her head , “ Are you D r. B e rry ? "

• «thc asked . “ I w a n t h im to conic an d net m v■ m o th e r in .” T h in k in g her m o th e r w a s .- in 'so m e

d runken stupor,- I d irected her to th e police. "N o ,” she - sa id , “ she is dy ing , an d I w a n t you to g e t.,h e f in to heaven ." T h e , d o c to r d id ' not w ant to po. H e w as enjoyin'-: (lie com fort o t Iris study . “ A re there n o t m in isters n ea re r?" , lie

’-asked ,; “ Y es/ b u t I m ust h av e yo u ,” th e Kir! re ­plied, and by her im p o rtu n ity , forced h im to go w ith her, W hen th ey came (o the house, lie fo u n d it s hmist’ o f sham e. D rink ing an d caro u s­ing w a s -g o in g 'o n dow nsta irs . Upstair#, he found tlic ilyinj!. w om an; -It' whs in thfc- early , d ay s of h is m in istry , a n d he w as p rac tica lly U n ita r ia n ' m Ids hi'lit'! am i preaching; H.c to ld th e w om an of--the beau tifu l life, th e loving m in istries , and th e noble exam ple of Jesxis, H e u rged her to follow H im ; b u t she shook h e r head , say ing , “ T i m ’s Dot for th e like of m e t I 'm a sinful w om an, and I ’m ily in c ." “ I t flashed upo n m e,” s iid D r. Berry,-, " th a t I b a d no m essage o f help o r hope' for th a t dy in g wo m an , aw ! like , l ig h t­ning. J leaped in m y m ind an d h e a r t back to the uospel m y m o th er ta u g h t m e. I to ld h e r •(> Jesus C hrist, th e Son" of G od , dy ing on th e cross th a t ju st such as fIic m ight b e - s a v e d ; of Hi:- b lood p oured out fo r th e rem ission of sins, an d all the blessed tru th s o t th e -o ld , o ld S tory ,” “ A nd,” Tie ad d ed , “ Jo w e tt,. I g o t her in, an d

• « o t m yself in , to o ." I t is I he. dy ing love of Je su s C h ris t -that saves. T h e cross U th e d y n am ite of C h ris tian ity .— G h>sy S m i t h .

R edeem ing the T im eIn th e fo rew ord to the late D r. R o b e rt D ick

W ilson’s boo k , " I s (he H igher C riticism Schol­a r ly ? ” 'P h ilip E , H o w ard w rites o f h im , “T o

him language w as th e g atew ay in to a llu rin g fields th a t drcsv him strong ly , H e p rep a red him self for college in F rench , G erm an , an d G reek, learned H eb rew b y him self, an d to o k a h u n d red do llar pru.c in H ebrew w hen he en te red th e sem i­nary . ‘H ow did you ever do i t ? ' I asked. ‘W ell, yoil see,' he replied, ‘I used my spare, tim e. W hen I w ent o u t for a w alk 1 w ould ' tak e a g ram m ar w ith me, a n d w hen I sa t dow n to rest, I w ould tak e on! th e book , s tu d y it a little , an d learn w h a t 1 could , 1 m ade up m y m ind th a t I w an ted to read th e g reat classics in th e o rig inals, so I ju st learned .the languages itt o rd e r to d o th a ! .’ " — Selected . .

T h e Ni ne ty and Nine

Oft !heir first visit to S co tland , w hen trav e lin g from !-G lasgow to E d in b u rg h w ith M r, M o o d y , M r, Sankey chanced to read in an A m erican new spaper a poem by M iss E lizabeth C lephanc, Ho cut o u t th e poem am ] p u t i t ' am ong . h is hym ns. ■ T h e next d a y th e evangelists W ere ho ld- inn a m eeting in th e g reat F ree A ssem bly H all , in E d inb u rg h , M r. M oody spijkc o k th e “G ood S h ep h erd ," ;ind lit th e close o f h is add ress asked M r. Sankey to sing a solo, O n th e sp u r o f th e m om ent th e ’ wordtf he h a d read, on th e tra in eam c to m ind. H e p laced them b e fo re 'h im , feq tcd h im ­self, a t th e li ttle cab inet o rg a n /s o u n d e d a few chords, an d th en sang th e w ords to th e tu n c which 'ca m e to h im sp on taneously n o te a f te r no te . T here w as a solem n hush -as h is voice floated o u t over the g rea t aud ience;

" T k e f f w r e n iitftv -a n d ~ n in r th a t sa jr ly la y In th e shelter (if th e fo ld .

B u t one xvas out ou the hills o teay ,■ Fitr off . fr o m th e gates o f go ld ;

. Itrt/.e on I he m o tm h u n s m i d a n d bore,

.-IWily from the tender Shepherd's care.”T h e n w h en he reached th e g re a t c lim av . '“ There a rb se .a Rind cry to I h r p a te s ' o f .h ra v 'n ,

‘R rjo irr , 1 have .: fo u n d m y sheep,’ ’’

a th rill sw ept the vast assem bly, a T h rill w hich■ len s of thou san d s o f h ea rts h av e felt sincc w hen .th o se w ords have been sung a n d heard . — D r. C . R , E riim a n .

E v iden tly bo th to th e m in ister an d to th e lay ­m an th e BiMc co n ta in s o n ly / th e . raw m a teria ls fo r th o u g h t. ' I t m ust be supp lem ented w ith o u t lim it, if one is to com prehend it and to be n o u r­ished b y it properly '.— M cM l-hbv ,

*272 THIS' P K K A C H U R ’S M A 0 A Z 1 N K

....................................................... ..................................... .

PRACTICAL................................iit|Hi,i»tiiini>.iniiiiitiiniiuiiin'i*iiin‘'i«i">Hii.mmv,ifiiiiii

n

u

T H E P A S T O R A N D T H E S U N D A Y S C H O O L

■■flv K. I’. E i-lvso .v.

PO SSIB LY the m ost u n fo rtu n a te th in g in connection w ith the h is to ry of the Sunday school is the fact th a t it o rig ina ted ou tside

» f the' church , and w as a t On- beginning o p p o s ’d ■ by the- C hurch . T he 'S unday school is h u t th e

. ad o p ted child, of the C hurch . A nd it ha? had considerable difficulty in ' getting fully in to the C hurch fam ily , especially the C hurch o rg an iza ­tio n a n d th ink ing . liv en yet we insist on speak ­ing o f (he church arid the S unday school in .1 w ay th a t im plies an ui>wliole.«ojnc separation .. \Vc -will refer to m issing the S unday school and going to church as though th e church h a d h u t th e one m orn ing service. T o p ) to S u n d ay school is n o t thought" o f a s goiirg .to church.' H ut w hore docs one go if he does n o t ’go to chu rch? I t is held in the church bu ild ing- Is it' w>l a p a rt of the m orn ing church se rv ice? .

W c have 'm a d e , a m istake in dism issing the S unday school. T h e te should be no dism issal or closing, b u t an inlenpissiori- in . p re pa fat ion for ■Ihe w orship an d preaching scrvice. As th e S u n - • rlay -sch o o l is how organized (see the M a n u a l) tvc. have no m ore rig h t to m ake th is 'difference • th an to m ake a sim ilar d if fe re n c e betw een the church a n d (he p rayerm eeting . A ccording to the M anual of ■ the C hurch of . the . N azarenc the S u n d ay sc h o o l 'is b u t one of the church schools an d is u n der the care of a b o ard c irc led by the church and ■ u n d er the responsible d irec tion of the pasto r. T he S u n d ay school is the church (caching a n d a t stu d y just as th e p rayerm eeting is the church p ray ing a n d testify ing . W e m ust

'c la r ify b o th n q r th in k in g and p ractice a l th is ’ po in t. , '

T he p as to r is som etim es m uch to b lam e for th is, cond ition ., •• H e takes the a tt i tu d e th a t the S u n d ay school wifi tak e care o f itself, H e a s­sum es th a t the S unday school su p e rin tenden t has th is responsib ility and th a t he is free to give him self fully to o th e r church activ ities. H e will take b u t little , if an y , active in terest in th e S u n ­day. school. O ccasionally w e find , a p a s to r w ho

(10)

doe!- n o t a tte n d th e Sunday school session. Olher.-,

w ho do a tte n d , sit a ro u n ii show ing bu t little in* terest. T hey will p rofess in terest b u t th e ir ac tions do not support ^ h c ir profession. Such a one c a n ­not be recom m ended as a good aggressive pasto r, T lie :p a s to r is the. firs t officer, the general su p e r­in ten d en t o f .th e local c h u rc h ; h o t o f the w o r­sh ip and (ire,id ling serv ice on ly , not. of th e p ray er service, n o r of th e ev am u 'lis lk service an d pasto ra l ac tiv ities, bu t o f th e en tire local church p ro ­gram , H e is ju st as responsible fo r th e work, oi

'relig ious education as fo r Ihe w ork o f evangelism o r m issions. T he p .W or is th e first officer o f an d has th e first responsib ility fo r (he S u n d ay school.If he fails h e re 'h e is ju st as chargeab le w ith u n ­fa ith fu ln ess1 to d u ty as to fail a t- a n y o th e r po in t. T h is is a resjxinsibility he cannot' shift to an y

, o th e r officer a n d be clear. H is w ork will suffer from his every nculect o r lack o f in terest. He cannot be U full ro u n d ed ch u rch m an w ith o u t b e ­ing a S unday school .m an an d a S u n d ay school leader. • :

F o r th e p a s to r ,lo ' tak e his p ro p er place, an d succeed he m u st he well in fo rm ed re la tive to S u n d ay school p rincip les an d m ethods. F o r the p as to r to fjjl th is place and be. a n tiq u a te d in his Views a n d m eth o d s is m ost u n fo rtu n a te an d will g rea tly re iart) th e w ork , A p a r t o f p as to ra l p rep- a ra tio n sh ou ld be fitness fo r-S u n d ay school w ork . T h e re has been a tendency to n o t tak e th e Sun-

'lifcv s rh A u l; seriously, to be U nprogressivc, and «l.V--sutn|r th a t wc. a lready , k n o w ho w . P resum p-, tioiv^htfre will he fa ta l. U nless y o u have been reading S u n d ay school lite ra tu re , unless y o u have Repl up w ith th e im p ro v e m e n ts fron t tim e to tim e, i t ' i s p robab le th a t, y o u d o no t know . T he. sue,- cessful p as lo r m u st be a s tu d e n t 6 f S u n d ay school co nd itions a n d m ethods, a read er o f S u n d ay school lite ra tu re . H e sh o u ld tie a g ra d u a te o f th e L eadersh ip T ra in in g course an d be ab le to teach th is to -o th e rs .

. T h e S u n d ay school is the p a s to r 's best avenue of lutilding th e church- In the S u n d ay school U h is largest o p p o rtu n ity .'of keejiing in closest a n d co n stan t to u ch w ith alt ages an d superv ising , ;

helpfu l e ffo tt in behalf a f nil clashes. By m aking life o f ilii' S u nday school, o rgan iza tion , tlie^ d c - (t,irl m erits ;m d classes W ith (heir leadersh ip , he has a w onderfu l a r ra n g e m e n t 'b y w hich to secure th e . co-operation '.'-of a large n u m b er o f helpers th ro u g h w hom in ' ca rry on all phases of' church a c tiv ity . T o use the S u n d ay school 'n rran ifem r.n ts w hich , by the way,■•should be considered b u t the arran g em en t o f (he ch u rch lo w o rk th rough these g roups in ca rry in g on certa in w ork of th e church,- will save ce rta in m u ltip lica tio n of o rgan iza tion

.and m achinery.- W hen Wc b eep m r thoroughly- aw akened ( o 't h i s 'o p p o r tu n ity ive will f ind th a t it sim plifies an d ad d s efficiency to th e w o rk of th e church , i t provide* a d d itio n a l leadersh ip an d . w o rk m en an d m eans m uch in fa v o r o f larger hicccss. T h e old idea o f education confined its field to th e im p arta tio n o f in fo rm ation .. - W e h a v e discovered th a t th is is. Insufficient. A tru e education m u s t p rov ide expression as well a s im ­pression. It m ust teach ho w to do th in g s th ro u g h practice as well a s .in s tru c tio n . - A boy. m u st p ra c ­tice sw im m ing as well a s be to ld how to sw im if he is to 'le a rn how to sw im , j In s tru c tio n is not enough , there m u st be p ractice. The': Sundjtv school m ust tra in fo r C h ris tian scryicc an d life a s ' well as ch a rac te r . T o do th is succesfulty the pupils' m ust be g iven p rac tice a s well a s ’ p re ­cep t. T h e e n tir e '; S u n d ay ' school o rgan iza tionshould be used In th e w o rk 'o f the church .

. ■ V .H ie p a s to r should not be *the su p e rin ten d en t,

he shou ld no t be-a regu lar le a th e r , he should not bo a m em b er of a n y .p a r tic u la r class. H e should be ahie to fill an y o f these * places' accep tab ly w hen 'ca lled upon to d o so, But lie belongs to th e w hole school, ra th e r th an a n y jx j-itiim o r ’ class, Fie shou ld be in a position to g ive a s s is t­ance in any place w hen needed .^ H e m ust be a goud m ixer a n d be in (ouch w ith ,7!) d ep artm en ts; w ith a ll p a r ts an d phases o f th e S u n d ay school w ork . T o be in th e chu rch build ing , b u t Ridden- aw ay in. h is s tu d y w ill n o t d o . He m ust c ircu la te am ong th e d asscs a n d be fam ilia r^ w ith th e p u ­pils; th e cond itions, the m e th o d s ,b e in g used , th e success or. fa ilu re of each, a n d be able to give helpfu l suggestions. H e m u st f req u e n tly m eet w ith th e cab inet and councils an d ren d er th em such assistance as possible. H e m u st be th e co n s tan t counselor of th e su p e rin ten d en t, T h e cond itio n s a rc becom ing such that, th e p a s to r c a n n o t succeed ap a rt fro m .th e . S u n d ay school.

T h e D e p a rtm e n t of C hurch Schools h a s p re ­pared a booklet Dn th e sub jec t o f tin s article

J’ • . T H E P R E A C H Ji

: : ' (17)

w hich is gi,ven free to I he p;isLor. T hese w e re liiven 'o u t to . th e ,.pasto rs i n . a tte n d a n c e a t * th e G eneral A ssem bly. To th o ~ c w h o d id -n o t receive

a copy one .will be sent upon, request. A po.-ttal ca rd w i l l b ring it (.o .you . ‘ ■

TH E PA ST O R ’S CH URCH SC H O O L FIELD

H y W. W . C ia y .

I. T he W idening F ield

U T H E present; - generation , th e 'S u n d a y >chfiol is not a new -institu tion . ■ Those- whose heads are w hite, have been fam iliar

wills It from childhood. It i s ' h a rd to realize th a t l i t t l e ’m ore th a n a cen tu ry ago the, Sunday School 'w a s in- nvftiy p laces regarded as an in ­nov a tio n , and th a t it h ad to fight fo r, recognition as a legilifiiate fo rm of C hristian, ac tiv ity , i t is aston ish ing to be ilold th a t opposition to S unday schools w as so in tense th a t som e churches w ere built wiili th e p rov iso in th e deed th a t if e v e r a S u n d ay school shou ld be held in th em , th e p ro p ­e r ty w as to revert to tht^ o rig ina l ow ner.

: [tut little h y tittle ' th e ' S u n d ay . sc h o o l; forged ahead ' un til fo r m » r< v th a n fifty y ea rs i t" lias been a conspicuous p a n of chu rch service and enterprise . T h o u g h its p rov ision fo r th e in ­s tru c tio n of. th e child ren o f the chu rch w as in ­efficient s. o r at least m u c h ' less th an we th in k necessary, n o w ,'n ev e rth e le ss in view of th e ch ar­ac te r of thlise. linies it m ade a d istin c t c o n tr i­b u tio n b o th to the life o f (he child an d to th e w o rk of th e church .

H ut th ro u g h o u t m ost o f-its h isto ry th e Sunday school h as been, to a large ex ten t ■ regarded as outside- tin t leg itim ate , sphere o f th e p a s to r ’s w ork . I t is tru e th a t m ost p a s to rs have w an ted th e S u n d ay School to succeed, have "ciicouraped th e S u n d ay school w orkers , an d o flcn hav e triedlo en large its ,,usefulness. Hilt it Was regarded as , 3 w o rk th a t b ro u g h t little re tu rn in com parison w ith (he o ilier tasks o f th e m inister.. T h e pas- lo r ’s m ain field w as the a d u lt p o rtio n of h is c o n g reg a tio n ,'-an d am ong sp iritua l p as to rs , th e one m ethod of Work w hich dom in a ted his w hole m in is try w as preaching, b o th in th e regu lar p u lp it services and in special rev ival efforts. T he ; con­version of children- w as o ften earnestly sough t, bu t since (he S u n d a y ' school gave no o p p o r­tu n ity for- p reach ing , it w as in th e b ack ground of the p a s to r ’s -th o u g h t, of co m p ara tiv e ly little value jn . the build ing u p o f a s tro n g w o rk .'

K ’S M A G .U IN I- ; i l i

"IS

2?-) T H E P U K A C H K U ’S 'M A G A Z I N E

P erhaps. one reason for (liis low.’ vaJim tibn o f ■Sunday school .'work u .’n a lack of vision as to llie possibilities il held. T h en , ■ pattern im ; a f te r

- .-i-cuktr L‘i]uc;!iiim, a n i l >hrtriiu; # th e iinju-rS'i-r*

m ethods of lhe. tcad iitij: ;srt Used in Ilium , it w ould natu ra lly . fail o f it*- hiehesf. usefulness. Hut p e r h a p s th e ureatC 'l reasnn for th is low es tim a­tion cam e because of th e co m p ara tiv e ly ' larjie f ib re iti.'ii rcliiriiiu ' o fen p ird in the m ental nml >u<ia'I life o'i .o ther days. Then* m ost C hristian

.hom es lnul fam ily a lta rs ; , m ost p u lp its wore tru e to the Bible anil o rth o d o x teach in g ; am i nearly all w ent to .c h u rc h . T h e itroaL hu lk o f the p o p u - f.iffrrrt ■ uvis r u n ! a n d m eetings of all k in d s w ere Miunlit for the ir Hicial as Well as the ir religious values. C oii-erienlty b o th child ren am i a d u lts IkhI for a reliuious b ack ground ;c know ledge o[

..Bible [ a its , 's o m e conception of reliRiyus t ru th , a eqvi’rMKt* fu r the B ible a s ; th<- W ord o f G od, ansi a fair ap p recia tion of the eth ical s ta n d ard s of C h ris tian ity . T h e (treat c o n tr ib u tio n o f th e S un-rday school in those ea rlie r ' day s w as n o t th e fo rm a tio n ' of a re lis io u s• background , b u t ail a t .

. te m p t ( ii (J'i‘ .swell ; r b a rk fjround in th e develop­m ent of C hri.-tian life. T h is '.i t ,ili«l by the m em oriza tion o f sc rip tu re , th e .o p p o r tu n ity fu r the espres.'iun of religious th o u g h t, an d a ffo rd :

: in s an o p p o rtu n ity t o r service to - la y m e n in a d a y w hen few su c h -o p p o r tu n itie s 'o f fe re d them -. >clvw. So while p as to rs generally ' ap p recia ted and e n c o u ra g e d .th e S unday schiiuf, ye t to mn-'t ol th em il • .was a w ork of in ferio r im portance to. th e ir w ork , a m i independen t from i t ; , an d th e le a d e r s 'o f th e S u n d ay school w o rk 'b o th local and .'general wore laym en.

B u t to d a y relicidus leaders are aw aking to ■the.* f . i c t 't b a i w r a re livinjj in a. changing and d iam ted w orld , and th a t th e m inister, w ho does

-n u lh in g m ore th a n p re a d i serm ons, be th ey ever so g rea t, to th e .tw n p lc w ho .hapjien to com e in to■ liis ch u rch , finds h is field of“ usefulness lim ited indeed. A p ro p e r ap p rec ia tio n o f the religious and social ■ tendencies to d ay will do m uch to c larify the position th a t the S u n d ay school, should susta in to tile w ork o f the p as to r. .

'O n e o u tstan d in g th in « to be. tak en in to con­sideration is the tack of appeal of th e church to o u r boys and- ^irls-. In o th e r days th ey a t ­tended because there w as no o th e r place to go, because there w ere few in te re s ts in the ir lives so tha t- the re was a welcome for th e new th o u g h t

'a n d interest th a t (he church atTvnlcd th em , an d becatj.-c ou tside of school the re w ere few o p p o r­

tu n it ie s , fo r social co n tac t w ith o th er chiM ren, T cd ay s in li'te sts are rrnw diiij; upon th e children

m odern education w ith its appeal to the m en ­ta l ; scciiil and esthetic n a tu re o f the ch ild ; lite ra ­tu re of all k inds from Ihe funnies in the, new s- ■

.papers, tii, (lie choicest juven ile b o o k s; 1 th e radio 'w i th i t ' d in id sto ry an d hum or, and. ja z z ; the

■ mrsvie vvith its appeal to e v e ,a n d ear. In Com- pariM-fi « i th al! this, w ealth’ -o f excitem ent th e church s e rv ic e 'a n d even th e Sunday .school i s '

'P iinc an d w ith o u t appeal. N o t only do th i' hoys am ) L'irls but side of (lie church fail to com v, b u t even the children- o f ihe m em bers d o n o t feel, the . in te r i- t th a t w as felt w hen th e re w ere rio

, com peting intere.-ts. T he p as to r in his regular ■eryire.-' can accom pli-h little in reaching th e ih it 'lrc n o f an y co m m u n ity . •

T hen a ^ i n people as a w hole h a v e . .largely ceased to a lte iid '-d u irch , In m ost cities, if the cx- h f liiirc h u rc h e s w ere t o .b e packed to the doors, ‘

■ .th ey w ould accom m odate b u t ^ sm all p a r t o f the. ,-H'n‘ ire populace. an d yet m ost iii these cbU rdics.

a re a tten d ed by com parative ly lew people. S unday am usem ents, the a u to 's n>:iitic th a t in. a few m in- uU’f e i c h a r w s the heat of- the c ity for th e cool,l.-reivt's an d la ir landscape o r the c o u n try , tin: Sunday new spaper and the. r a d io ,. a r c a few of • (he rom [n 'titive -.-attractions th a t keep ' people (tom chu rch .' It u?cd to be ' lh a i the a n n o m u e- nn'tit <>i a trn t m eeting w ould. b rina crowds.;, now people are not even - hostile—-they, a rc uh-

■ concerned an d indifferent.

il is needless to call a tte n tio n t d " I lit: b roken d ow n religious life of ihe hom e. Except in a lew c irdcs,' th e re is n« , fam ily p ray e r, no hour, of H ury telling arourid th e fireside, no reverent perusal o f th e d iv ine’ W ord, N or can w e ctwefl on th e fa c t th a t in so m any churches the -Bible

. i.= set aside, th e cross is unm entioricd an d th e tim e of th e prcacfiiijc h o u r Given -o v e r to the discussion of ev ery th ing b u t the gospel.

T w o -re su lts are bvcom ih^ m ore anti m o re -a p ­parent.-' F irs t, th e m oral s ta n d a rd s of tru e rights ecu sm ss are beinn broken d ow n , an d no t only

- sue a d u lts flinginK .to th e w in d s 'th e e th ica l p ra e -- tie rs fUr w hich th e Bible, s ta n d s ,-b u t young peo ­ple and even the lniys a n d 'g i r l s a re inured to

" sin a n d sin fu l practices. T h e p a s to r has no chance to stem th is aw fu l tide. T he .other is, tlia t in ihe m en ta l consciousness o f th e presen t

. fit-neratiun o f y o u n g adults', an d especially in th e . Kcncrafiost' th a t w P fow ing up , the re is n o rc-

<18) .' ■ , ; •■■■

I ■ ' ,

1 . . . ' T H E P R E A C H E R ’S M A G A Z IN E 275

fe io u s background . T h e tru th s th a t w ere co m * : m onplnre In an o th e r p en rra tio n arc u nderstood d im ly if :i! all, l i ' it w ere possible tit pel th e

.unchurched masses' lo hear the 'gospel,- th e ' p reacher w ould he m isunderstood or n io re .J ik d y

not understood ill nil i f ‘lie spoke of the a to n e ­m ent; or- regencrationf,-. o r holiness, o r of .m y of th e o th e r im portan t'(.'fom en ts o f.'(lie (,'o.spe! mes-." sage. T here is little th a t lies back in th e ir sub-- conscious m ind I o w hich t h e ' p reacher can a p ­peal. , ; '

I t i-=, because o f these conditions th a t pasto rs are realizing that- th e ir w ork “is m o re th an pu lp it ex h o rta tio n , th a t jn -'order to .successful evangel­ism there m u st be teach ing . Som e of th is can

, be done in the p a s to r’s p u lp it m in istra lions. T he p a s to r whose" addresses a rc largely exposito ry will

. r tren g th en and huild u p his flock. V et . th is leaching field is lim ited . I’n rt of. his w ork m ust be- p e rsu as io n ,' w arn ing ; encouragem ent, an d in ­sp ira tio n . M o reover pulp it..'teach ing even b y the

p a s to rs ap peals alm ost exclusively to the adu lt m ind, an d even, to these d ie s riot seek to form a religious background b u t bases i ts a p ­peal upon , the existence o i such a .'b a c k g ro u n d , ^vhifli often is nonex isten t. E ven w here once ina ., w hile addresses are m ade d i r c c t ly ' to the yo u n g er m em bers of the flock, it is. lim ite d 'in i ts ' results, for leaching; is -m o re th an telling. One im p o rta n t c lem ent in th e teach ing of children e an n o t be utilized in pu lp it in s tru c tio n — the im ­pression of leach ing by expression. Y o u eannot m ake a lab o ra to ry nut of. th e pu lp it. '

T o cope w ith , th e new situ a tio n an d m ake possible the g rea test resu lts p as lo rs a re beginning So tu rn th e ir eyes to th e S unday school an d re- 1

' la ted church schools as being h o t m erely a n a d ­ju n c t to .their church w o rk , b u t . an im p o r ta n t ' '

, p a r t o f th e ir field. M o re an d m ore the la ten t possib ilities o f th is field a re being realized. P a s­to rs are seeking to find o u t how . to en te r a n d

.m ost efficiently w ork (his field. C hurches arc b e ­ginning to m ake th e ab ility to b u ild u p a suc-< cesifu l S u n d a y schoo l-one o f: th c necessary qu a li­fications of th e m en they call a s p asto rs . S low ly b u t su re ly o u r colleges- a r t beg inn ing to realize th e daw n in g r ise -o f th e chu rch school d ay , an d a rc p u ttin g in to th e ir curricu lum s w h a t will som e

d a y d e v e lo p in to a course th a t w ill guide in to the successful use of th is .g r e a t ‘field,..

F or there is no field t h a t has th e la te n t pos­sibilities o f th e church school. I t w ilt g ive to o u r

, ’. ■ (19)

ow n child ren the Bible in fo rm atio n .th a t in (his d a y o f hustle .'liid business' an d radio- t h e y - will no! get in the ir ow n hom es. I t .w i ll nive to new ly converted a d u lts the special liib le li-ach- m n they ( ,'innui quickly j je t ' from .th e .pu lp it; I t will reach people in e.hildhood w ho never could be reached as ad u lts . T h ro u g h th e chihln-n at unsaved hom es co n tac ts w ith p a ren ts W ill be m ade th a t will d ra w them in to th e circle o f the p as to r's influence.

' A farm er whose crops wxre grow ing less every y ea r in sp ite of careful fertiliza tion , so u g h t th e adv ice , o f an. .'ag ricu ltu ra l itxpcrt, 7T>fe m a n looked over th e fa rm , m ade soil tests , and looked in to th e subsoil, f in a lly he tu rned to the farm er an d said, "W h y d o n 't y o u 1 farm y o u r o th er e ig h ty ? ” T h e fa rm er in aston ishm en t said, ' ‘W h at do you m ean ? T h is ipighty ac re ; here is a ll (h a t ' I possess." H ut. the expert answ ered , “ D ow n beneath th e ‘urface of y o u r farm lies ten inches o i (he r irh ts l .soil', t h a t . y o u 'r p low h as nev er touched , . Brins: th a t to th e su rface w ith deep plow ijiu, o r p lan t a lfa lfa o r o th e r deep roo ted p lan ts th a t will seek th e ir n ou rishm en t in th a t low er lay er of soil, o r by! som e o th e r m eans; fa rm y o u r o ilie r e igh ty ." E ven so ' in - th e d e ­v elopm en t o f ■ the S u n d ay school and th e - o th e r schools o f th e church" the re lies a field as, y e t u n ­developed th a t holds th e possibilities of th e richest fru itage in .evangelism an d the build ing u p of th e cause of holiness.

.. T h e • great task of the church is to evangelize • the com ing generation . T h is m eans n u t on ly a c ­cep tance , o f C hrist, b u t th e ; d evelopm en t of C hristian , ch aracter, an d service. W e dare . not lessen -the ■■ im portance o f th is w ork ju st because tee expect the speedy re tu rn of C h ris t, T en years ago wc w ere looking fo r th e L o rd ’s im ­m inen t re tu rn ; b u t because w e tr ie d n o t only to srlVc th a t generation b u t p rep ared som e of o u r y o u th to ta k e up th e task o f-ev an g e liza tio n , t o - . d ay the cause of holiness is m oving on, -If C hrist Should com e to m orrow , an d find us try in g to develop th |s field fo r H im , w e h av e H is ow n w o rd th a t H is ap p ro v a l will be on i t ; - ‘‘Blessed is (h a t se rv an t w hom fits Lori] w hen h e co m cth ' fliftll find so do ing ." A nd if H e ta r ry a few m ore days, w c shall have fresh sheaves to lay a t H is feet w hen H e comes.

S tudy is sy stem atic w ork , an d n u t p lay .— M iM v /in y .

m

T I 1K .-P R E A C H E R ’S M AGAZI X E

S O M E T H IN G S O F C U R R E N T IN T E R E S T

l iy W . r ,. S c iU ’KMAN '

T JJt! C hurch o f ihe N'aiarcm.' has changed, in it? ih tnkitiji 'to w a rd Ihe 'S unday school, and I th in k fo r t l ir Iji’tfe r, I do no t know

lh a t th e younger p reachers w ilt u n d erstan d this'" perh ap s '-so well 'a s th e p as to rs w ho . have b e a r in ih e m ovem ent fo r a g rea te r num ber of years. T here seemed to be a feeling am ong. som e o f the o lder m em bers o f th e church th a t llse S unday school w a s a k ind of a w orld ly o rgan iza tion th a t w ould have a tendency ;lo pull th e children aw ay from the s ta n d a rd of holiness. .T h an k ' G od I all ' o f the. o ld folks w ere no t o f th a t op in ion , bu t some w ere sure th a t unless th e Sunday, school

w a s tak en in han d , we w ould be a ru in ed p eo ­ple. I rem em ber one church th a t I served, tw o m em bers of the church board d isp o se d -o f th e san d tables, t h e . sm all chairs fo r th e P rim ary d e p a rtm e n t, an d all o f th e p arap h e rn a lia th a t could h av e been used to such pood; advantage, by th e y ounger d ep a rtm en ts o f th e S unday school. I confess t h a t ; th e re w ere m any .th ings in th e S u n d ay schools; of th e old line churches of w hich we d id n o t approve: as a holiness m o v e­m en t, b u t there is no d o u b t in m y m ind ton igh t : th a t w e w ent from one ex trem e to th e o ther.1 w as n o t long in learn ing th a t 't h e S unday school w as '.a . real fet?fler to th e chu rch .

In a fo rm er artic le in the P reacher's M agazine I to ld ab o u t a class th a t I h a d ' w h ic h ' WUs n ick­n am ed , “T h e D irty D ozen,’’ a n d --how th o se -b o y s loved me. I also to ld how a f te r I -had .jnoyed to ' C hicago I j?ot som e correspondence from them th a t m ade m y .h e a r t rejoice. O ne m an in business : fo r him self, a n o th e r cash ie r of the In d ian H ead H ank of N ashua, N . H ., w ho w ere, m em bers of th a t "g an g ." All: the . influence . fo r good th ey ever received, to m y know ledge, w as from the S unday school, ■'

H ere is - a n . .illustration of w h a t occurred in '.m y boys’ class.in Chicago, recently , T \v o or th ree

of those y o u n g fellow s w ere som ew hat add ic ted tti d rin k in g , an d th e m orn ing w e ta u g h t th e les-. son ab o u t E sau selling h is b ir th r ig h t, w c tried to show how l h a t fo r the sake o f a stom ach

Tuff o f beans (Jen files) E sau m ortgaged b is fu ­tu re . T h en I m ade m y app lica tion . Som e of the y o ung fellows in m y class, in stead of going to nifilit school to t r y to get a n educa tio n a n d m ake som ething of them selves, w ere ju s t.b e in g led b y . th e ir passions an d appe tites , Y ou can im agine how h appy I w as w hen one of the fellow s cam e :

lo me a t th e close .of th e S unday school and to ld me h o w m uch gobd m y (.ilk b a d .d o n e him, an d lie w as determ ined to m ake som eth ing of him self. And la te r on an o th e r ' fellow surprised me by telling me th a t he w as going to n ig h t schtfol to tak e up l^w. O f course w c hope to sec (he.-o boys converted la te r on in. life, and be- • -come m em bers of th e ch u rch ; b u t w h eth er th ey do or n o t, we< hlivc a t least succeeded in .m aking b e lte r , citizens of them , a n d 's o m e o n e else m ay get them lo an a ita r . o f p ray e r an d lead them to Jesus C h rist. -.

Y ears ago 1 a tte n d e d , a Sunday school _ con ­ven tion , an d one of th e conven tion w o rkers ( I th in k she w as a B a p tis t) gave an illu stra tio n I h a v e -n e v e r fo rg o tten . .- -She 'to ld ,o f fo u r boys w ho w ere very .c la n n is h a n d ' chum m y. O ne of th em had an uncle w ho w as a confirm ed skep tic , and had m uch to do w ith shap ing th e m inds of th is q u a r te t. T hey w ould f req u e n tly in te r ­ru p t th e tcaclier long enough to ask som e ques­tion w hich' show ed th a t th e ir m inds w ere inclined to skepticism , a n d they , look .p ecu lia r delight in em barra ss ing the teacher,-. Sl}c felt th a t fo r the rest of the class she m ust th in k ou t som e schem e for inspiring fa ith in .the" h fa r ts of h er pupils, an d she th o u g h t o f .'th e .follow ing p la n , 'a n d car­ried it out:- she lo ld th e b ay s 6ne S unday m o rn ­

ing- th a t she w an ted th em to go ou t d o o rs in fro n t o f ihe church and sta n d th ere fo r five m in ­u tes an d th en come in ,an d one b y one relate w h at they had seen w hile s tand ing ou tside. She So arran g ed it th a t the rest o f th e class listened

.w h ile each boy related w h a t he saw w ith o u t th e Other boys w ho had been-ou tside w ith them h e a r ­ing h im tell his sto ry . T h e first boy said he saw' a ’ s tre e t c a r going u p the hill in fro n t o f the church , m ark ed K en o za 'A v e ., a n d t h a t ■ th e ; tro lley cam e off as it w ent up the hill, necessitating th e stopp ing of th e c a r and replacing .of th e tro lley . H e closed by saving th a t the tow;ri w as so rt of dead an d there , w asn ’t m uch to see an y w ay . H e

, Was sen t (>ut of th e classroom , and th e next boy b ro u g h t in, an d he to ld how he saw , a car going u p th e hill w ith fo u r persons in it, th ree w om en am i im e m an . A sked if th a t w as all he saw he sa id he rem em bered th a t one o f th e passengers opened one of the car w indow s because it w as so w arm . H e w as sen t' o u t of th e room an d th e th ird boy b ro u g h t in. H e said a ca r w en t up the hill p a in ted y e llo w ,' th a t th e m o lo rro an was q '-v c ry sho rt m ap and . th a t the co n d u c to r w as qu ite ta il. T h e a i r sto p p e d a t th e to p o f the

(20)

T H E ' P R E A C H E R 'S M A f iA Z IX E ‘ 277

hill In l i t out' 11np.-fnhi-r off w hile (wo o thers f-'nl on. Tliiit \v:i' all lu- saw th a t lie could to - ' call. Ho w as sent nut an d llie fou rlh boy brought til. He said Ih.it llie e le d r ic r;ir w ent up tin: .hill'-.is they stood w a n h in n it, and llu* c o n d u c to r ' lakini: fart*< from a n u m b er of' people an 'the

. c a r ; tint very m any pas.-enuer.s. but a f te r tak ing

■ I lit’ tares w alked . mu'- nn d ie rear p la tfo rm , tc - h iovri! bis hat and wiped, his brow w ith a

■ h a n d k e r c h i e f . - ' V

T h e -te a c h e r" th e n h ad ' th e fo u r buys com e in', arid b e fo re .Ih e w hole class m a d e .th e follow ing rem ark s: “ Hoy.', I am so d isappo in ted iti you Ibis iiiorn in^.; I sent y o u out !o ta k e ' n b re rv a - ' (inn fo r live m im ilr?! an d each one of y o u cam e

1 in lellinK n different sto ry , J h ad Imped thaL. w ha tev er else I had succeeded in doing w ith m y S unday '■chord .cja^s, I had tauKlil th em the value tif tru th , b u t th e discrepancies in yo u r

■ s to r ie s 'm a k e m e feci th a t I have failed ." T h e hoys earnestly p ro te s ted th a t th ey hail to ld her

■ the exact t ru th . hu t th a t, th ey hud ju st to ld ' Iter 'leb.-it hail been im pressed on, th e ir m inds as lo w hat ■ th ey m w , an d w hile, there w ere a p ­p aren t discrepancies, il w a s .s im p ly because-those incidents fastened 'th em se lv es upon th e ir 'm in d s , 'th e le a th e r then m a d e " th e ■ ap p lic a tio n -a n d said. "H oys, y o u have, been te llin g 'm e th a t th e S un-

;,day school lessons fo r tile fast few m o n th s, as . related by M a tth e w ; M a rk ; L u k e 'a n d Jo h n co n ­

cerning one Jesu s C hrist could not be au th en tic■ or insp ired because of th e seem ing w ide difference in th e ir ’stories. Can vnu n o t see now th a t w hile A la llh ew was im pressed \y i th one th ing , M a rk atwl L uke and Jo h n b ro u g h t oiit other, incidents in th e lift1 a t C hri-l, ;tr>/l t iu ' h e l ' ib a i they, did not r e la te - Ih e sam e incident v e rb a tim w as tin p ro o f th a t the sc rip tu re w as no t defin ite ly in - :|iired o r a u th e n tic ? " T h e teacher w en t on to

■ tell th a t th e b o y , w hen he w ent .hom e anti w as■ asked bv the skep tical u n c le . w h a t “ b u n k ” t h e

teacher .h ad to ld .them th a t day , m ade th e re- )ily, “ O u r teach er explained so sa tis fac to rily to. us to d ay I lit ' ap p a re n t discrepancies in S crip tu res,

, (h a t we see .w here w e a re m istaken ,” an d lo th e jo y of th a t conven tion to ltl of how those fo u r hoys were, scttniltgly. cured fo rever o f th e ir in­fidelity . 1 say I have never fo rg o tten th a t il­lu stra tio n . r

I th in k wc should stu d y o u r class a n d tr y to becom e acq u a in ted w ith th e ir p rob lem s a n d , a n - ' sw er th em . J u s t recen tly w c had a c o n tc s t.w ith

H S unday , schoo! ?tf a n o th e r deno m in a tio n , and p i t an o p p o rtu n ity to exchange-leachcrs . 1 wettt to m y co n te s ta n t’s class an d lie (au g h t m y class. T o m y know ledge, som e of th e tjoys in m y con­test',m t's class h ad s tro n g convic tions ab o u t the tru th o f th e n v iir r rc t ion 3s revealed in the S crip tu re . 1 .to o k m y o p p o rtu n ity to give them a tw en ty -fiv e m inu tes’ ta lk on the resurrection ,' aiVl w hen 1 was th ro u g h they ■ me. a vo te of thanks , 1. do not believe th ey w ill ev er be ihe sam e. W h eth er 1 successfully p ro v ed the resurrec tion [tom th e dead as ta u g h t b y H o ly W rit, G od h e lp e d 'm e lo .f iu l som e tru th s in their' m in d s ' from w hich I am sure th ey will never recover. . . ' ,

; I f is a fac t k n o w n -h u t by few th a t o rd inarily ■llie great increase in o u r chu rch m em bership

com es from ihe S ab b a th school, and th is I am Min; you - can see is se lf-ev iden t, fo r th e boys Lind ■ (sirls- w ho com e to o u r ..Sunday school a n d stu d y th e -W o rd o f ( ip d have im bibed th a t w hich helps us a-- w e preach tile W ofcl-to Convince them of d ie 'n e c e ss ity of being converted . H o w m uch easier il is to convince1 th a t boy o r girl w ho has sonic b ackground (if Hible know ledge th an i( is to w ork on raw m a teria l who- hard ly know s w h eth er Jo n a h sw allow ed the w h a le .o r the w hale sw allojved Jo n a h . -

T he B udget

T h e preachers of the C hicago C en tra l D istric t, as well as .some o th ers in th e M idd le W est will be p rep a rin g to go to . th e D istric t A ssem bly when th is cop y of the P reach er’s 'M a g a z in e arrives: .1 have had considerable' o p p o rtu n ity to s tu d y the cause of rn iijions in connection w ith the p as to r. I t is m v conviction , and 1 say it a f te r due co n ­sidera tion , th a t ■ o u r b u dget is n o t ab norm ally large! Of course, you have all seen it figured ou t

■how th a t if ha lf o f the N a 2.-irem\; w ou ld nive 1 5 c 'a w eek, the prici\ of a m eal, it will give us oyer $575,000 in a year, an d it w ould seem th a t half of llie N’azarenes Could be induced to do th a t m uch: I hiive no sy m p a th y w h a tev e r w ith th e s ta te m e n t- th a t as a church tve are1 overtaxed . I th in k som e of the churches a re asked to give m ore th a n th e ir share, lm i, th ey a rc so few and fa r betw een it ill behooves th em to m ak e a n y stren u o u s ob jec tio n . I sa t fo r one ; and th ree- q u a r te rs h o u r s . an d looked itt Ihe p ic tu res p re ­sented b y D r. an d M rs. H y n d in reference to th e ir w o rk in Africa,- an d w hen I th in k of the

278 T H E P R E A C H E R 'S M A G A Z IN E

days o f slavery am i even the prepent co n d itio n s.■ 1 lint p revail, I am not su rprised th a t A frica has b if ti called tlic open festering sore of tlic w orld . As I sa t an d looked at those p ic tu res I 'th o u g h t of (iic m ultip lied inilliotSs ii! C hina a n d In d ia w ho are little , it an y , b e tte r off th a n th e A fricans, an d I said, f,0 G o d , ftow long,- how long, before . w e can tret th e 'C hurch , o f the N azarene aroused to h er G od-given .p riv ileg e an ti d u ly ." I r c m e m - ' Itert'd .w h a t Je su s sa id in the book of M a tth e w w hen . H e looked up o n th e people a n d h a d com -

, passion -on tlicm • because t h e y 'w e r e ‘like sheep w ith o u t a shepherd , a n d . H e cried b u t, “T h e h arv est tru ly is p len teous, b u t the labourers are few ; p ra y yc th e re fo re the L o rd of th e h arv est th a t he w ill send fo rth lab o u rers in to his h a r ­v e s t.” I g o t to th in k in g -rc o u ld h o t G od w ho p u t m oney in th e fisli's m o u th su pp ly th e m issionary

needs o f th e C hurch o f th e N azarenc iti an sw er to p ra y e r? W h y does Jesus, w h o : h a s " a l l pow er a n d o f w h o m i t is sa id th a t a ll th ings w ere m ade by H im , h av e to nsk us to p ra y th a t H e m igh t send fo rth lab o rers? I t w ould look as though w c h ad a p a r t in th is" g rea t w o rk th a t' w ill n ev e r be accom plished unless w c p ra y as p e r direct ions. ■

ft. seem s as th o u g h supplica tion a n d in te rces­sion release .som ething ’from heaven th a t o th e r- ■ wise w ould neVer be given except th ro u g h p ray er.I th e n th o u g h t o f E lijah in his association w ith . th e w idow of Z a re p h a th . S h t an il her so n w ere a b o u t to e a t ! an d die w hen E lija h , th e m an o f " G od, said. “M a k e m e .a little cakc firs t.” T here never w ould have b c e n : an y m iracu lous m u ltip li­ca tion o f Ihc m eal in the b arre l h a d th e w idow n o t first given o f ficr p e n u r y , ; T h e re is no th ing th a t w ould h u r t m e m ore th a n lo see th e C hurch of th e N aza rene m ake re tren ch m en t in her m is­s iona ry w o rk . ,1 m a y b e . w rong in tlic s ta te ­m en t th a t I am a b o u t to m ake, b u t I am sincere w'hen I say th a t I believe if o u r people w ere blessed as th ey shou ld be blessed, an d go t o u t of the religion o f Je su s -C h ris t th a t W h ich the S c rip ­tu re s declare is o u r p riv ilege , th e re w ou ld n o t be m uch difficulty in raising th e . a m o u n t, neces-

■ ja ry to c a rry on . 'o u r in is io n a ry . w o rk .

I rem em ber read ing in W esley’s w orks th a t he m ade th is s ta te m e n t, “ I am n o t a fra id th a t- th e re will n ever be a peop le called M e th o d is ts ,. b u t w h a t I fea r is th a t w c will becom e a dead ec- clesiasticism like o th e r d en o m in a tio n s ro u n d ab o u t u s,” T h is m ay n o t be th e exact w ord ing

b u t th a t is th e sum and substance o^ his s ta te ­m en t. f confess I .im fe.irfiil t lu l we lose th e rom ance of religion an d -thj> joy o l the L ord , an d becom e m oney-ra ising m achines in stead ' of an evangelistic o rgan iza tion . G od fiirliid th a t I should ever live to sec th a t day . ,

I th in k o u r ,p i 'o p le need in stru c tio n . I. listened to M iss Agnes G ard n er give a m issionary address («te d ay ■ in w hich jJic sa id th a t som eone in A m erica, a m em ber of th e C hurch of th e ;N az- arene, w ho r e fu s e d ‘to give th ro u g h th e p ro p e r channels of th e church b u t 's e n t her m oney d irect lo In d ia ' to tw o so-called holiness evangelists, up o n in vestiga tion found th a t these tw o to w hom she sent th e m oney belonged to (he so-called “ T ongues M o v e m en t." T h e reason th is w om an gave fo r n o t s e n d in g 'h e r m oney th ro u g h th e p ro p e r channels w as bccausc of the ru m o r th a t so little of it reached In d ia . I t seem s toS m e th a t th e dcvi) m u st #it u p n igh ts to fram e p ro p a ­gan d a to re ta rd th e w o rk of G od on th e mission field, an d against th e cfficiciicy of o u r peop le a t H ead q u a rte rs in K an sas C ity ,

T hese a rc try in g d a y s . I rccall now one or tw o p as to rs te lling m e th a t th ey could get m oney w hen th e ir people had th e m oney b u t now w hen th e people do n o t have the coin they can n o t g e t ■ it . I do n o t believe th is is tru e to facts.- I d o ’, n o t' m ean th a t 1 do n o t th in k th e b ro th e r is sincere—~I believe he is, b u t - i t i s - t h e p a s to r’j ja ii to a rra n g e p lttn j to raise th e b udget. I r e ­m em ber one y ea r w e h ad . one o f o u r a r tis ts j n .1 th e church m ake a p ic tu re .0 / the to m b 'o f C hrist

.w ith the s to n e rolled aw ay , and on th a t E aste r S u n d ay m orn ing w e preached a serm on on the resurrection! W c led u p to th is sub jec t by a se r­m on. the p rev io u s S unday m orn ing , s la ting th a t

. i n - t h e to m b of every, religious leader of th e w orld w as th e d u st o f its founder. C h ristian ity ,-ilone b a d th e e m p ty to m b in p ro o f that our L ead er is alive. H e arose from th e dead . In h ap p y th an k sg iv in g because o f th is fac t, w c asked the people to com e and p u t th e ir offering in the. em p ty to m b , a n d th a t m o rn in g w c received one th o u sa n d d o llars in cash.

A no ther E aste r S unday We h a d a la rg e p ic tu re p as ted on a ca rd b o a rd of Jesus a n d five children — w hite , b lack , yellow , red an d b ro w n . I t is a

'b e a u tifu l th in g in th e first place, b u t as w e to ld th e folks ho w Je su s C h ris t loved th e yellow child ren ,i s well as th e w hile; a n d d id h o t d is­

c r im in a te ag a in s t the b lack , red , a n d b ro w n , we asked th em to‘ b ring th e ir offering to evangelize

T H U I 'R l i A C H E R ’S' M A G A Z I N E i'1 279

these iittlc ones. W c ;;oi n e a r ly . one tho u san d ' do llars th a t m o rn in g

■ A n o th er tim e wc asked o u r folks to lake ‘the m o n ey ' th ey w ere in the Kabit o f spending fur flow ers to p u t on th e g raves of th e ir loved ones M em orial <i:<y ,w ! lay it a t - i h e .f e e t ; of .Je su s ■

fo r nn offering for m issions. W e said if their loved ones w ere in- heaven an d could he consulted, they w ould ap p ro v e of it. I t th ey w ere in .tliu t, w orld of woe they w ou ld "U rg e it. T h a t p lan hroughl considerable m oney;- in fac t, w e find as ■ w e p resen t Ihe schem e and p lan and ihe folks

re<pnnd (o it, i t , b rings resu/ls. : S o m etim es .w e net th is m e n ia l-p ic tu re .in 'th e m iddle, o f 'th e n ig h t ;. som etim es w hile V e ' arc. p ra y in g ; - som etim es- white we arc d rjv ing an iu lid m ak in g o u r p as to ra l .yH ls, and we confess th a t in variab ly w h e r e we net the"

. idea- ..w h ile '' w c are p ray in g if seem s .lo be of the- L o rd - a t least it b rings results, i d o not know w h at th e G eneral A sesm lily will d irec t Us

- to do fo r M issions next y ear,, h u t ''p e rso n a lly -we hope th a t w ha tev er else th ey m a y - d o , 't h e y . will n o t cu t do w n on th e ir G eneral B udget. ■

- • ■ '■ .tiR i :i>(ih t s . i n . t i i k . H k i u u i t ip -I'Io i .in k s s

I was in te rested som e lim e ajso.' in 'read ing re ­p o r ts in (lit* l ic ra id o i IIo liiiess w h e r i t h e 'p a s ­to r and . evangelist spoke o f-a n . exceptionally fine young m a n .'o r an in telligent y im ng w om an- or ;i law yer or - d o c to r o r school :ieacher . kneeling a t the a l ta r o f prayer-. I . w ondered „tha( no otic ever go t inspired o r ’ rejoiced over ih e (act th a t a “ w o p ," '“greaser," "C h ink ." ; 'o r “ d a g o " sought God at an a lta r of p ray er. I do n o t m e a n ’th a t they should rep o rt th em b y 'su c h te rm s, b u t m igh t not som e of those folks th a t: I hav e "m entioned b y the nam es w hich th e y .a rc . freq u en tly called be ju s t .is great- a blessing to a church as a so- called intelligent, y oung w ottian nr th e fine school teacher o r - th e .'excellent y o ung m an ? A re we, f w onder, ge lling :to :-w here-w e .d iscrim inate as to she k ind of fish tye w an t a t th e end o f o u r line, and w ould there he a ten d en cy to th ro w hack

• again the fish th a t b ites because "it is n u t to o u r lik ing? Jesu s said, “ Follow m e a n d . I w ill m ake you fishers o f n.njn;" T here is n o d o u b t in Ihe w orld lh a t sonic folks a re of m ore value to th e L ord th a n o th ers , but is it n o t a [net th a t often th e b ig lish fro m w hom we expect so m uch tu r n s - n u t to be n o t s o . valuab le a f te r a ll, an d

.th e lesser fry w as a n a c w iu n a n d . m eans’ o f blessing lo the. w hole ch u rch ? .

. - ■ . 1 ' 1

THE (-.OOII 01.11 DAYS (OAZK)

I h a v e : b e e n ' considerab ly am used by hearing

people ta lk ab o u t (he g o o d o ld days, • a n d I have com e lo th is conclusion th a t the reason the old days looked so good is because, w hen we w ere conv erted o r new in o u r experience o f full sa lvation w e w ere all afire fo r G o d .' ! believe the. d a ^ will com e when the y o u n g er elem ent will took back t o ’ o u r .d a y s as the days ' o f . great- ■

;:irh icvrnu 'hU .I rend som e lim e ago in P e te r G i r t - 1 w rig b lV a u to b io g ra p h y ' a s ta te m e n t som ething

A like th is , “ Oh, fo r th e o ld day s w hen th e pow er of G od rested upon tis an d m en sought G od in saving p o w er! W e have fallen in evil days, aiid o u r h ea rts cry o u t fo r Ihe o ld -tim e relig ion .” T h a t w as in terestin g , ..coming from the pen nf P e te r C a rtw iig h t, fo r w e in i f>J 1 look back t» h is - d a y as .'a , so rt of m illennium ,, y e t lie. de­p lo red th e facl th a t th in g sW e re so d ifferen t from w hat th ey were, in.-bis boyhood , .

1 am no t try in g lo say th a t w e .a r c n o t l iv in g • in evil days; In som e- respects th e w o rld never saw w.orse days th a n the ,p re se n t, y e t m cth inks w hen th e apostle P au l w ent lo th e g re a t em pire

.c ity he. saw little to encourage him ,, b u t in spite of d ia l succeeded in g e ttin g people converted to Je su s C hrist in C icsar's. household . I th in k ' I can ■

- u n d e rstan d w hy the S crip tu res read , " H a y ' not the fo rm er days are b e tte r th a n these." As a m a tte r o f facl, th e y 'a r e ; p re t ty nearly W h a t we m ak e th em . 1 h av e fre q u e n tly sa id th a t it never w a s easy in m y m in istry to w in souls!I find it no h a rd e r to d ay , P reachers, u 'ho have been g rea t suul w inners w ill n o t agree w ith me, hu t I do k n o w - th a t G od still blesses th e p reach ­ing of saving t ru lh . I f la tte r m yself th a t I am a keen observer o f (he tren d o f , the- p reach ing . o f the presen t d ay , arid natio n a lly know n men -who .were o u ts tan d in g in' the ir evangelistic g ifts fifteen o r tw e n ty years ago a re , niiw a lm ost . en tirely given up to such sub jec ts as "T h e L ast l J a y s ," '" lf C hrist C a m e .to C hicago,” “T he G olden A ge," “ the A n ti-C h ris t," “ G og arid M agog ," p u l- lin ? th e ir ow n construction to these nam es and telling w h a t shall be in th e la tte r days. T hey m ay be righ t, h u t I still believe th a t th e w o rk of the. C hurch of the N azarene is to p reach e n tire sanctifica tion as a second- w ork , o f grace the priv ilege of the, C hristian , as p ardon is th e privilege of th e sinner. \

I rem em ber hearing I>r. Hresee, years ago, say lh a t the re w e r e p len ty of w o m e n - to ca rry on

( 2 3 ) , •

T H E PK iCA C H K It’S .M A G A Z IN E

the VV, C. T . U. w ork , there w ere p len ty of m en tu carry on the w o rk o[ b e lte r g o v e rn - '' nient., .there w ere p len ty o f m en Iti d o tills an d th a t an d th e : o th e r , 'b u t G ud had called us tu sp read sc rip tu ra l holiness over the e a r th , and he tru s ted w c -w o u ld be tru e to o u r callinn. In connection w ith th is , I w as som ew hat in terested in hearing a m ail w ho posed as a second blessing preacheiv a sh o rt tim e a ^ o ' w hile p reach ing to a m ixed aud ience \va£ r a lb e ra m b ig u n u s in his term s . w hen p resen ting th is g rea t t ru th , am i w hen tak en to task b y a good holiness b ro th e r said th a t the people had to be )ed up to th is experience g ra d u ­ally.. T hen I th o u g h t 'o f C aleb an d 'J o s h u a , w ho to o k I he op p o site co u rse ,’ an d d id n o t tr y to, lead the, people u p g radually to th e land of C an aan , b u t said,' “ l-eL us go u p a t once am i. p o s­sess th e land :” N o t seek i t , b u t tak e it, because of the- (ac t th a t it w as G od 's prom ise. B ro th er,/ th a t is o u r calling, I , b e lie v e . th a t w hen our head is pressing a dying pillow , and lim it's once ■ c le a r 't o o u r vision becom e hazy a n d ind istinct, an d we realize .th a t o u r w o rk on e a r th 'i s 'd o n e , w e will rejoice w ith jo y unsp'eakablc if we fa n look back ov er o u r record a n d then look

, Up in to the face o f .G od' an d say. th a t w c have done w h a t w e colild to fit men for the: tim e w iien the w orld is on fire.

G od help us to be tru e to o u r m in isteria l tru st.

H O W TH E SU N D A Y SC H O O L H ELPED US A T NO RTH STREET CHURCH,

LANSING, M ICHIGAN■ l i y P a s t o h J . C. L a m Iiiu t

r» E cam e to th e N o rth S tree t C hurch of the N azarenc, L ansing , M ichigan,

. ..in F e b ru a ry ; l ')29 , . . .

In th e la tte r part- of D ecem ber, 1QZH, the S p irit spoke lo me, w hile p ray ing in th e hills (it T en ­nessee, tfo' tak e m y w ife an d no to . M ichigan, H ecognm ng ilis voice, we. m ade p lans fo r ihe change, m il .k n o w in g .ju s t w h a t G od.-had in sto re fo r us. ■ . .

Soon a f te r o u r a rriv a l we learned , th a t there w as a g ro u p of people in th e . N o rth iiide of L ansing w ho ■ had. been p ra y in g fu r th e ir first p as to r. W e cam e in touch, w ith th em an d soon 1

: U nderstood w hy we w ere d irected to L ansing, fo r we felt th a t w e w ere to shepherd th is - flock tif. G od 's jieople. W e s ta rte d w ith tw e n ty -fo u r c h a r ie r m em bers am ! w ith ab o u t f ifty in Sunday- school th e firs t S u n d ay . G od 's blessing seem ed ■ •

(24)

to lie upon H is w o rk in th is place from the be­g inning, for th e a tten d an ce in the church services an d Sunday school bee in a t once to have n s ieady jirovvtli. Kev. T . M . A nderson helped us much ;it th is lim e jj) ii rev ival m eeting.

O u r people w ere en thusia stic an d had a 1 inirnl to w ork to build tip th e congregation and S u n : ' day school, A co m m ittee w as appo in ted to draw u p a p lan w hereby every hom e in the com m unity w ould In: visited' m id those w ho had m i church hom e or S unday school inv ited to a tten d . C ards of in v ita tio n w ere- given Imt upon w hich the prospective Sunday school pupil signed a pledge lo a tte n d S unday school and e>pecially th e rally' to -be held the n ex t’ S unday , unless p rov iden tia lly h indered .

A t -that tim e w e 'hud never reached the three h u n d red m ark in o u r Sunday school s if we s-rt ■ im r goal at ,\0 i. W e offered, prizes to the p e r­son w h o . h ad the. g rea test num ber presen t by personal in v ita tio n ; to th e 'perso ii w ho b ro u g h t th e hirgtei n u m b er in' Ids au to m o b ile ; an d to ihe person, w ho had the largest .fam ily presen t.

I h iring th is tim e H ev. M ack A nderson■ w ai in an evangelistic cam p aig n 'w ith us. Due to his e n r thusia>tie support and th e h e a r ty co -opera tion o f every m em ber, the t«ta! w as reached. T ills w e considered a fcreat 'victory.-

O ur S u n d ay school secre tary kept all. th e sinned cards an d th u s we .were furnished w ith: a m ailing list for the S u n d a y school. -This list is used d u r ­um each rally th a t is held an d n a tu ra lly is con- -lim ially being. increased. As soon as one on th is list becom es a m em ber o f o u r S u nday-schoo l we ■remove his nam e from th e list and place it upon tlie m em bersh ip record -of the , class to w hich he belongs. C a rd s a re sent ou t cacti w e e k 'o r p e r ­sonal calls .a rc m ade t y each class to those w ho a rc m issed in S iw rfay school, th u s crea ting (h a t ., jsood feeling of personal in terest w hich .invariably brings results.

■ 'Ihe efforts w hich w ere p u t fo rth a t th is tim e' w e re felt in every d e p a r tm e n t .of the church for file in c re a m l a t te n d a n c e . in. o u r c h u rc h J services aiid Y oung People 's Society -soon b ro u g h t us face to face w ith .th e necessity of en larg ing o u r church ' bu ild ing w hich w as only L10.\50 at th a t tim e. T he d iv i n e of th e 'b a se m e n t arid th e add ed room, th is had afforded a, few . m o n th s .b e fo re w as a great ,help b u t m ore room w as.n o w needed. S o -w e en ­larged o u r b o rders again* -th is"tim e add ing th ir ty feel tu bulb basem ent an d a u d ito riu m . W e have

T H E l ’R l ’.A C H K R 'S M AOAZINT. 281

a lready learned during o u r _ni:iy w ith (he X orth Street church th a t the la rg e r the place the larger the- conercKatfon..

• W e believe th a t revivals p lay ' a Im uc p a r t in the bu ild ing ;ip .< if a S unday . school. T hey give ks an .oxi'cllem o p p o rtu n ity . lo get .o u r 'S u n d a y

' school before the public. In th e sum m er of IO.U we had ;sim(in*r ra lly in connection w ith a large len t m eeting held n ear o u r church , wit It1 Rev.J . H. M c H rid e a n d Ihe V alighan R ad io .Q u arte tte ..' A t - th is tinu> - ca rs again w e re fu rn ished fo r ' those- vvlio could n o t, get there- o therw ise. T h e usual prize.' were offered, TJlc a tte n d a n c e was 502. .

Y ou ask, “ D o yo u r records show an y m ateria l K roiv tti- 'lx 'fu i'cj! ihese ra llie s?" -We answ er em ­phatica lly , ' ‘Y es!” O u r S undny .school has steadily c ro w n un til now- we ’a re in th e th ree hu n d red

.class, .often hav ing over 3 SO. T h e effo rts I ha I ■ are pu t flirt's) for th e enlargem ent p i th e Sunday school will m ore lb a n repay every 'l im e ,

T lii’ rally w hich W a s held w h ile -D r. C hapm an w as w itlt its w as 'so m ew h a t h indered by a n ep i­dem ic of. measles an d ..mumps. T h e a tten d an ce of ih is rally w as ■!(<). D r. C h ap m an gave a very profitab le- discussion' o f th e S u n d ay .school les- - son for th a t day . T h is w as en joyed by. all.

UY had w t largest rally while Rev'. R aym ond H row ning of C olum bus, .O hio, w as w ith , us last I 'Y brtia ry .. T h is , by th e -w a y , was' o u r th ird art-

• n iv e rsa ry ^ -w e h ad g row n ■from a S u n d ay school .o f f i f ty ' the f irs t-S u n d a y to an a tten d an ce o f

1 fin Ibis th ird an n iv e rsa ry S u n d ay , T ru ly O od has liccn-.-cood to us arid h a s ' helped us. P ra ise His n am e! T h is rally tax ed o u r bu ild ing ' lo its capac ity . W e w ere a g a in 'v e ry -forcibly, re­m inded of the need of a la rger bu ild ing . W e have no w reached a p lace of a lm o st a forced s ta n d ­still in o u r Sunday school w o rk u n le s s 'w e caiv soon afranpi* fo r an -e n la rg e m e n t of o u r 'p re s e n t

■ Imildinir.

T h is need is n o t only felt in th e S unday , school ' b u t in th e Church services as well. T h e a u d i­to rium is a lm o s t ' in v ariab ly filled b o th '. m orn ing a n d -e v e n in g an d a few lim es e x tra , chairs have had . to be b ro u g h t in fo r just th e regiilar. services'.

T o a c h a r te r m em bersh ip o f 24 th ree years ago 1 tile -L o rd has added to us co n tinually un til to d ay

w e h a v e 218 on o u r roll.

We believe .that the effo rts p u t fo r th an d the w arm in terest s h o w n 'to e a c h 1 ind iv id u a l in t he S u n d ay school h as p layed a g rea t p a r t in add ing to o u r num bers, fo r w hich .we praise G od.

W H A T T H E S U N D A Y S C H O O L H A S M E A N T T O M E

■Hy F r a n k M c C o n n e l l

D i :a h D r . C i i a v m a n :

Y our .question com ing to nle a t th is tim e,. "W h a t th e S unday School h as iqcan t to m e," has

caused m e to review -my life and lo try . to see w hal it hits really m ean t, ■

T h e parsing ' years have lau g lit m e th a t i w as m ost fo rtu n a te in h av in g p a re n ts th a t to o k me tuSunday scl..... I ra th e r th a n ju s t sending m e. T hey ■took me w hen I w as th ree week,s u ld an d as best ;js I i‘.-in c o u n t ,I have n o t m issed to exceed tw en ty tim es since th en . T h e tra in in g W hich 1 received , in the S tu id ay schuo) h;is s ta y ed w ith me. T h e verses th a t 1 learned there I q u o te q u ite o ften in my .m in istry . T h a t teaching has held m e steady th rough th e year--. '

W e ju m p now to th e d ay s w hen 1 lived in K ansas C ity , T he X azarejies h ad a sm all church in K ansas C ity . .There., w ere few w h o a tten d ed . T h e re w as littTfc a ttra c tio n fo r young people in the K ansas C ity C hurch of the N azarene. I t u t ' our godly p as to r, now sa in ted , R ev. A. S, C och- ' ran , to ld M crvcl t.un ti an d me th a t w c could have a y oung m en’s class if w e w ould w o rk it up . W e secured a -teacher a n d s ta rte d to build the class! C harles ' 1 Jc rn ig a n , now gone to . . h is rew ard , and W hew ell L ehm an w ere W ith us, C od . w as w ith Us tm d blessed o u r efforts. A lerv tl and

. I w ould w o rk all day at o u r ,d a ily (asks an d a t ' n ig h t, w ould s ta rt h u n tin g y o ung m en. W e did h o t have m oney fo r ca rfa re so we w alked u p to ten miles som e n igh ts. W hen w e w ould h e a r of a hoy wc m igh t in te rest in S unday school we .were a f te r h im un til he becam e one of us or tu rned us dow n .

D uring th a t lim e th e r e 'c a m e in to m y life a g re a t tes ting . T h is w as a te m p ta tio n to d o u b t t h a t '1 there is a S iiv in r .u n d to d o u b t the pow er of (!o d . T h e tem p ta tio n w as h a rd an d las ted a part o f tw o years. B u t th e en thusiasm of h im ting young men for S unday school and th e friendship of .o n e of th e grea test young riien t h a t ’ ever lived saved m y life from in fide lity . M ervel L unn w as th a t friend , -Of course ol hers w hom I h ad know n en tered in. H ut g ive a y o ung m an a good friend an d get h im en thused over Sunday school an d he will no t go fa r w rong.

T h e sky 'h a d cleared an d G od a^ain reigned suprem e in m y life. T h e d o u b ts h a d gone and o ne d ay th e su |ie rin fendpnt asked if I w ould tak e

Till- ; P R E A C H E R 'S .M A G A Z IN E

the- 'Mind bo y s class.’' Jusl- le t me say,' the re is ' »io .such tiling a s a h a d boy o r g irl un til sonic o lder person lias m ade h im b ad . T h ey m ay be filled w ith w iggles and w ith giggles a n d m ay set; all -kinds nf m irch ief lint th ey a rc n p l b ad . Tl«* class was' ou'rs. F o u r boys I Jtliink it w:rv, th a t first S u n d a j— -sis fi.ne .b ay s its- e \x r ■ l iv e d ,. . T h e . class 'grew Until th e re w ere th ir ty - th re e , AH b lit one w ere, converted . M ine \vas-a new Itfc. I liad nil tim e to th in k o f d o u b ts .. T he boys w ere m y life. I. m ust save those boys. M an y w as th e 1 tim e w c p layed m arb les on T rp o s t A venue from 20ih lo 25th S tre e t. M a n y w ere the evenings they an d I , in n iy car, d ro v e to llic c o u n tr y o r to p a rk s tak ing o u r lunch an d p lay ing u n til .boys and teach er w ere e x h a u s te d ." L it t le m a tte re d to n i t e scep t Ihe sa lv a tio n o f these boys. T h an k God- th is passion fo r souls h a s in c re a se d 'a s th e y e a r s 'h a v e passed. T h e boys found G od, and , w ith few excep tio n ^ th ey are g r e a t a n d g o o d , m m today ! Space is to o Jinjited (6 te ll-o f .theso boys b u t “ th ey are m y boys.” Som e are. p re a c h ­ing an d som e a re in business, b u t as I see them ,

. I th a n k G od th a t H e a llow ed me to have a p a rt in th e ir tra in in g . In lo la , K ansas, i t w as m y privilege, to toach a ho y s’ class. T h en in -Strong C ity , K ansas, in ' a M e lh o d is t ch u rch . B ul one day G od spoke an d sa id , “ T each ing a S unday school class isn 't enough, you m u st p reach ." T he folks a t C o v e rt, K ansas, called as p as to r. ■ H ie idea of. S u n d ay school w as all . ' I kn ew . T h e , chu rch th ere had been, closed for, fo u r m o n t h s no p reach ing , no Sunday school. T h e people w ere b lue a n d d iscouraged. T h e y p ro m ised n o sa lary ; th ey d id n ’t, even prom ise to com e to church . B u t again w e found th a t , people could be en thused over S un d ay ' school. W ife an d I v isited in a l­m ost every hom e, in th a t p a r t o f th e county,, always, asking th em to com e to S u n d a y school. W e h ad there one o f th e g rea test S u n d ay school, su ix iriritendcn ts in K ansas, C. D , C ornw ell. E n o u g h to say , th e people canic a n d th e place th a t w as said to be “ a b u rtit ov er d is tr ic t" w as changed, because people found a co m m o n g ro u n d on w hich all could w o rk . T h e reco rd , has ' been m ade. I t is a w ell know n s to ry in K ansas. B u t G od pave th e v ic to ry u n til o u r l i ttle church tw elve m iles from a ra ilro ad h ad th e largest S u nday n ight crow d in the co u n ty a n d one o f th e largest S unday schools., I t . cam c a b o u t b y people w o rk in g for the S u n d ay sch o o l.'

O u r next ap p o in tm en t w as S ap u lp a , O klahom a.

(26)

' O u r • firs t • message w as a S unday school lecture. A. H. B racken w as th e 'S u n d a y jchool su p e rin ­ten d en t. H e and. J iiS .pood w ife h ad the v isio n . I t w as no w o n d er th a t G od heljicd th a t church to grow u n til to d a y , u nder th e lead ersh ip o f R ev. E. D. S im plon , a n o th e r S unday school en thusiast, it has one n f th e largest S u nday schools in the m ovem ent.

L ast y ea r our averag e 'in crease in Sunilay sehuol w a s seven ty -n ine , T h is b rings *us u p to “T he U n i­fied S crvicc.” In m y firs t |*>sloratc I. saw w hat to m e w as a g rea t m istake ;• 'th a t - is, ■ g e ttin g -a great crow d of people, in to S u n d ay school an d ju st w hen they w ere ready to listen , telling th em to go hom e. . I lim speak ing of “ Dism issing S u n d ay school." W hy should w c d ism iss? F o r w h a t reason shou ld w e send th e children h o m e? W hy n o t keep them an d Tut th em h ea r w h a t th e p reacher h a s to sa y ? T h e B ible says, “ By th e foolishness o f preach ing som e w ill .be sav ed ," so w hy dism iss an d send th em h o m e? Som e have

• asked, w>ill th ey stay ? T hey are s ta y in g * M a n y hav e asked, l>o you have to preach a n y d ifferen t for th e ch ild ren ? O nly th a t a p reach er shou ld use sim ple language an d h o t use big w ords. Also, he should h av e som e te rm in a l facilities. T h a t is, tlo 1 n o t be long -w inded . .T hese are good fo r an y preacher, W hen w c used it in a sm all church th e re , we re those w ho sa id , “ W ell, th a t is .a ll r igh t fo r a sm all ch u rch , b u t i t ’ will n o t w o rk in a" large one.” W ell, it .h as w o rk ed w ith th ir ty and it has w o rk ed equally w ell w ith 500. I w a n t to preach to people an d n o t to em p ty benches, and o b se rvation ta u g h t m e lh a t as a ru le people wrould n o t com e to f i e a r j u s t preach ing . So le t 's get th e crow ds.

T h e question is o ften asked, “ W ill th .it k in d of scrv icc w o rk fo r m y p re a c h e r?’1 I do n o t k now . B u t th e follow ing p reachers hav e preached successfully in m y p u lp it w hile I h av e been using , th is m eth o d . D r. K. T . W illiam s, D r. J . W , G oodw in , J a rrc t te - A ycoek, B ona F lem ing , E d ­w ards L ad ies’ 'Q u a r te t , H o llan d L o n d o n , L . W , C ollar a n d R : J . P lu m b a s u tJJ m yourself, D r. C hap m an . These seem ed to g e t,a lo n g fine. W h a t o th e rs cou ld do I can n o t say . - O n l y : I know m an y Who are using th e m ethod . Several churches of Othtfr d en o m in a tio n s are follow ing o u r p ro g ram in Spokane.-

T h e m eth o d w e are . using to g e t people to Sunday school includes th re e classes o f calls; F irs t personal in v ita tio n s— in v itin g people w hcr-

; ■ / T IIK PK K A O H E

j e v e r , w e m e e t them . Second, Iiviisc n ills—going j lo 't l ib hom es of people and in v iting th em . T h ird ,I the .te lephone. O f course a ll o th e r k in d s of legiti-i m a te ad v ertis in g is good,- b u t th e re i s n o t h i n g

like th e p e r s o n a l to u c h y B ro th er S. W , T ru e , our . S unday school su p e rin ten d en t, 'has th e best sy.s-.

tem , o f .re c o rd s I have ever-seen . H e is a S u n d ay ■ .school en thu sia st, an d by the ..use o f th e records

am i the th ree m ethods fof calling w e try lo keep , up w ith o u r absentees. O u r S u nday school m ade

i 2l,S35 calls last year.O ur m o tto is, “ K eep .b lessed , keep m ellow , love

people, an d go a f te r th em .” T hey can he en thused o ver Sunday, school, an d w ill find G od if w e 'Je t them know we are in terested in th em . W e can

i build the church th ro u g h th e S u n d ay school, 'I f .. ive get th e children w e get m any of th e p aren ts

w hom w c w ould ho tj o therw ise get. ■S P O K A N E , W ASH IN G T O N

! SU N D A Y SCHOOL PLANS T H A T HAVE HELPED US

B y Pastor* O. L. RE.veutrAf -

H K E ast L iv e rp o o l-S u n d ay school has e n ­jo y ed a ' s te ad y g ro w th fo r eleven years. T he fo llow ing '.is th e average a tten d an ce .as

rep o rted to th e D is tr ic t A ssem blies:. ;1922— 192; 1923— 235;' 1924— 2H9; 1925— 313

l« 2 6 ^ ,i9 3 ; 192J— 4 0 9 ; 1928— 4.50; 1020—445; 10,10— 531; 10.11— S ?0 ; 1932— 604. T h e re a re of ciitifse a n u m b e r o f rea so n s-'w h y o u r S unday school lias been successful. Let us suggest a few of them ,' r? ' , ' .

I. ’We UKLitvi: in , as'u S t r o n g ly Eniwksk T in s 'D k i’a h t m k j t o r t h e Chubch ■'

W hen th is s ta te m e n t is m ade, i t is n o t m erely a d ec la ra tio n o f the Ups, h u t - ih e b u rn ing co n ­v ic tion o f th e heart.- This conviction is so strong , th a t to neglect o r fail in th e fa ith fu l p ro p ag a tio n of th is sp lend id departm ent^ w ou ld resu lt in o u r co n d em n atio n . T h is being the* case, w e a re n o t o n ly .actively engaged a s a m em ber o f th is d e ­p a r tm e n t,, b u t believe i ts -p a s to r th a t G od and the general c h u rc h -e \p e c t us., to fill th e capac ity o f general d irec to r ‘ o r overseer of th e S u n d ay school. I do n o t m ean b y th is s ta te m e n t th a t w o . sh ou ld ;ict as a boss, a n d w e a re n o t. W e are a leader an d shou ld never e m b a rra s s 'e i th e r su p e rin ten d en t, officers o r teachers, bv m ak ing th em feel w e are n o t in full a cco rd w ith th e ir plans. I f w c feel th e re is a b e tte r p lan , th en only a suggestion g iven in th e p ro p e r sp ir it is neces-

! -' i ■ *

R 'S M A G A Z IN E . ' 2X3I . . ‘sa ry . In- fact w c a rc so strong ly convictcd th a t G o d ’s h a n d is on th e w ork of th e S u n d ay school

’th a t to fail in a tte n d a n c e o r to be in o u r place a t least tw e n ty m in u tes before tim e" fo r service, acrep tin g every o p p o rtu n ity to greet , an d cn- i courage the su p e rin ten d en t, officers; teachers an d scholars, w ould resu lt in a w e a k e n in g .o f th is d e ­p a r tm e n t o f - th e chu rch , W e ‘ w h o le -h earled ly : believe in the S u n d ay school p ro g ram , a n d « w ork a t th e jo b . T h e . resu lt is o u r church , be-

J ieves y]<o, an d w o rk s w ith us— hence success.

I I . S e lec t io n o f O m c c n s a su T eal'h eh s ,

" J u s t a n y b o d y " positively W il l n o t d o . Suchan a t ti tu d e an d p lan of se lec tion -o f su p e rin te n d ­en t, tc rkhcrs , class p residen ts an d q th e r officers, will only d e f e a t . o u r purpose , T h ose w ho are best fitted an d qualified fo r tho w o rk should and m ust he selected, if w e w ould have success in th is • ho ly business.. W e have endeavored t o 'b e wise in o u r selection of officers i n 'o u r school, an d in som e degree a t least Ijave been successful. O ur su p e rin ten d en t,, E m m a D u rb in , h as led us on in o u r S u n d ay school w ork fo r severa l y ears, an il has p roven to be a wise selection. She is of course saved an d sa n c tified ; n o t on ly so; b u t she keeps sp iritua l. She is wise in h er ad m in is tra tio n , a n d is filled w ith a passion fo r th e sa lv a tio n of th e ' you th ,. A vision , o f th e ' w ork is m a in ta in ed by her at" all lim es, feeling keenly th e responsib ility lh a t has been placed up o n h e r b y G od an d the

'c h u rc h ; She k n o w s a n d lbyes h e r school. She . gives special a tte n tio n to v isito rs, in tro d u c in g them to th e school, an d in tu rn th e school m akes th e visitor* w elcom e; A recep tion co m m ittee is a t the do o r to w tk o m c w ith a w arm handshake every person in a tten d an ce , A ca rd ackhow ledg-

. ing th e presence of v isito rs in o u r school, w ith ' "w ords o f app rec ia tio n a n d a n in v ita tio n to re tu rn , is m ailed to th em on M o n d a y b y o u r su p e rin ­

ten d en t. T h u s v isito rs becom e o u r friends im m c-. .. d ia tc ly an d o f te n " re tu rn , som e jo in ing o u r school.

She d em o n s tra te s h e r en th u sia stic in te rest an d sceki to ta c tfu lly lead on to success. T h e teach-; crs ca tch th e v ision an d . seem, ea g e r to follow h er leadership . T h u s th e school as a w hole is w ork ing , pushing , ■ p ray in g an d believing. T h u s

■ w e g row .

I I I . O m i A N 'U K u C l a s s e s

W e h av e severa l organ ized classes w hich hold regu lar m eetings once a m o n th . T hese classes h av e done excellent w o rk , g rea tly assisting in the w o rk of bu ild ing o u r school. T h e y hav e , Svilh the

(27)

V • .

T l IK 1* It I; AC H li K'S !m A ( ;A / I X K

assistance th e su p e rin ten d en t, m ade d u rin g the last year. I c a lls .' W hile 6,07.1 cards .w ere m ailed to now folks o r absentees, touch ing 11,768 persons. T h itt is, sonic of the cards w en t lo hom es w here th ere w ere th ree o r f o u r .( a r s o n s inv ited by one card . T h ey n a i le d 307 cards to the sick, and I,IQS b ir th d a y cards. School also m ade l,V ls

■ telephone calls. T h e follow ing is a s ta te m e n t of the com bined \york o f ch a rily done by the school: 1 F ifty -f iv e baskets of fo o d ; fifty bushels po tatoes, to m ato es an d (m il,; seven h u n d r e d ' th irty -n in e p o u n d s of g roceries; tw o h u n d red e ig h ty -tw o c an s of v egetab les; tw o h undred n inety -o n e q u a r ts o f f r u i t ; fo u r hu n d red seven ty -one g la re s o f je lly ; tw o h u n d re d eighteen loaves of b read ; U V enty-four dozens of c r r s ; - th ree large cakes; nine dozen, cookies' a n d d o u g h n u ts ; tw e n ty - th re e jiies; th ir ty - th re e cans, o f m ilk ; tw en ty gallons- carbon o i l ; one d in n e r set (.'52 pieces) ;- one h u n ­d red fifteen jxiirs o f shoe ,'; fo rty -sev en p a irs of hose ; eight h u n d red s ix ty -fo u r artic les of c lo th ­ing ; th ir ly - fo u r .household - a r tic le s; fifty -seven pieces o f bed d in g ; n ineteen b o u q u e ts ; five bas­k e ts of c lo th in g ; one h u n d re d eig lily-ftve h'itir c u ts ; an d ono th o u sa n d y a rd s o f .b an d ag e for Hresee M em orial H o sp ita l in C h ina . One can readily see th a t the w ork <if o u r classes is indeed a p o ten t fat to r in o u r success iis a society,.

IV , 'K a i .i v ,\s i i O i h u i ' K i 'k i a L D a y s

It has been o u r custom (o Nave l « o v r th ree ra lly d a y s each .year, l i l o n o t . believe w e .have failed in one of th e m ' in p rocu rih g som e ' regular scho lars from such s]>ccial effort. H ow ever w e'

' a rc 'ca refu l- n o t to have lo o m an y such services, a s w e have d iscovered th a t (o do so fo lks will

Avail, an ti look fo r such occasions an d n o t b e ­com e rey u la r-in a tten d an ce . W e do have how ever w h at w c call .special days, w h ic h gives us th e sam e resu lt,: T o illu s tra te ; the p as to r is a w a y .o n h is vaca tio n an d ' i. r e tu rn in g ,1 the school a rranges for w h a t they call; "S u rp rise ,A tte n d a n c e K ecep- ifo t!" in h is h o n o r. W hen p ro p erly advertised ;md. w orked , th is resu lts ill a large' a tten d an ce . T h e wise p a s to r in tu rn will shihv h is ,a p p re c ia ­tio n w ith , w o rd s a p p ro p ria te , th u s increasing love an d fellow ship betw een p a s to r an d people. T h e - C h ild ren ’s d a y service, C h ristm as, an d E aster sh o u ld , in o lir opin ion, n o t be m ade rally days, b u t ra th e r special d a y s —the result will be the sam e. T he f a d is' w e ta k e ad v an tag e o f every possible o p p o rtu n ity . I f .w e are h av ing o u r I)is- Iric t S u jJerin lenden l, o r som e o th e r special friends , o r v isito rs, w e advertise it, ta lk it, te lephone the

- (28)

ne\vs, get excited ourselves; th u s others' become in terested an d th e crow d conies. R ally an d utlier .“•fk 'dal d.'iy-l a re som ew hat like rev ival services, for th e folks g e t 'b u s y an d in te rested a n d th e •

.piilific re.-pomls.. These special effort occasions have, played a v e r y ' p rom inen t place in our grow th .

V. A F inancial G oal . " .For. a ''n u m b er of years "our schuol raised $1,000

for foreign missions, by the one S unday , a m onth and special occasion offerings. . W e J-iept a large m issionary c h a r t— round like (lie w o rld — having on it one th o u sa n d ' sm all circles, each o f w hich represen ted one do llar. W hen ' a do llar w as given one circle on (he chart iv;is m ark ed o u t by m a k ­ing sam e black w jth a rubber s ta m p , th u s the school becam e en thusiastically ' in te rested . Y es ,.- says one, -But' how does th is help the average . a tte n d a n c e ? W e hav e d iscovered b y - d o s e n b - : servance th a t if a v isito r w il t . m a k e a n offering 6 f .Value lie will re tu rn -u n til he a t least feeU he ■has received his m o n e y 's 'w o r th , T o illu s tra te ; a few years ago we w ere in p ioneer w ork : fo r a b o u t • tw o years, O ften w e -were an n o y ed by young fo lk s ,w h o 'w o u ld com e to t h e ' services seem ingly-, to hav e a' good tim e. T h ey 'jof course w ere liijrd to con tro l. In o rd e r to cope .with th e situa tion , th e n e s t evening w e. w ould p u t > on a ten cent ', g a te fee. T h is .small am oun t w ould w o rk w on­ders, f o r . t h e y now 'h a v e 'ten cents w o rth o f in - , te rest in the service. T he resu lt is th ey g ive a t - , ! ten tion in o rder to get th e ir m oney’s W o rth . T he school should hav e some .financial goal, en tlm si- ■ as tiia lly w ork ing to w a rd its accom plishm ent. I f ih e regu lar scho lars sh o w .-p ro p e r in terest, then m any of oitr v isito rs w ill fall in to 'l in e an d give also , becom ing ac tive ly in terested , determ ined tii see us d o the J o b .:

VI. T j j j ; P l r s o x a l T o i'c w -

We have left th is po in t fo r the la s t-o n e . .N ot because w e believe it belongs here, h u t ra th e r because w e have been, as w e see -it, so neglectful '. in ;th is rich fertile field of o p p o rtu n ity . I t lies : before, o u r very eyes, an d on every side. I t is positively ripe fo r the harvest, aw aitin g th e C hris- -, lia u reapers. N azareiies should- a n d .m u s t arise a n d lak e to h ea rt (he m a tte r o f personal w ork . W e have the m essage, the folks a r e . before iis, t h e 't i n d o f . ih e heavens is iviih us a iid 'wt* dare n o t fail. I f the re is one line o f w ork, we purpose to pu sh w ith renew ed in terest; in th e build/iig of our- S u n d ay school' it.-'is th a t of ' th e i>crsonaI

T H E PREA CIIICR 'S M A G A Z IN E 2H5

(ditch. T !ie facts a rc ivc now .have a large list of prospective*, gathered (lu ting a recen t v isita tio n cam paign held in connection , w ith revival by th e l-ontlon P a r ty .

In ,dosing .m ay w e assure those ' in chargc of o u r generat S u n d ay school w ork . o u r ’ /u l l r r t p o s­sible co -opera tion .

TITHING IN HARD TIMES■HERE is no b e tte r tim e to -begin, to tith e th an ,i tim e of business depression. T hen it takes b o th fa ith an d courage,

f f (id ling w ere a su re th ing , like b u y in g five do llar ■ bills for S4.00,' it* w ould hav e no m ore m oral va lu e th an any o th e r fo rm of b arg a in

'hun ting . E very b o d y w ould t i th e ; th e m an m ost careful to p ay th e te n th m igh t be ih e m ost avaricious m an in to w n . V

T h a t’s n o t the t i th in g -G o d has prom ised to b less."' T ith in g is .-a su re th in g ; an d usually it leads to ' m ateria l b e tte rm e n t. B u t n o t a lw a y s ; a n d .n e v e r , in an y m agical o r non-m o ra! w ay . ;

. .T h e law o f th e . t i th e is n o t a law fo r tim es •and seasons.- I t does n o t r e J t . on circum stances, w hether good o r - b a d , . T h e tru e C h ris tian Will begin to obey it. as soon a s he realizes th a t it is a law , and th a t it is fo r bis guidance an d h is good. ■" .

All tru e en o u g h ; nevertheless, th e re are special reasons an d special values a tta c h e d to tith in g in h a rd tim es, ;

’ ' I t js easy enough to th a n k G od fo r p leasan t ex ­periences, though we know., th a t o ften th ey m ay be sp iritu a lly b arren . I t is no t so easy to be th a n k fu l fo r adversity , th o u g h difficulties a n d d isappo in tm en ts in o u r m ateria l affairs can p ro - .vide the finest of disciplines.

L isten to H a b ak k u k th e p ro p h e t:F o r though th e Tig tree shall n o t Hourish, N e ith e r shall fru it Lie in the v ines ;T h e lab o r of the olive shall fa il;A nd th e fields shall yield no food ;T h e flock shall be cut off from th e fold,A nd there shall be no herd in ,th e sta lls : • V et Will I rejoice, in th e L o rd ,I w ill jo y in th e G od of m y sa lvation .

■ T h e t i th e r w ho can m ake the p ro p h e t's w ords bis ow n W ill n o t be deceived by p ro sp erity , if a n d w hen it com es. 1

P ro sp erity is qu ite likely to cdmc ib the t i th e r ; rem em ber th a t. S om ebody has cpun tcd th e ltir ble's references to giving. T hey to ta l seven ty -' two,. A nd fo rty -e ig h t “show open prom ise of G od 's blessing to th e g iver,”

D uring a spell o f hafd tim es a ban k a u d ito r exam ining' the hooks of i m an y T o ro n to business houses found entries in th e books o f Jo h n M a c­donald & Co., th a t show ed th e 'f i rm was se tting aside a ten th of its p ro fits for .religious an d -

, p h ilan th ro p ic w ork . H e clused his a u d it and recom m ended, ih e ban k th a t the M acdonald house should have' all the- credit ' it desired,- It

. was- the beginning o f a n ew p rosperity .

Jo h n H . C onverse, w hen president of the lia ld - svin L ocom otive W orks, w as a t i th e r w ho be­lieved in doing m ore in hard tiijte*. One year, w hen his business was less p ro fitab le th a n usual, lie gave $400,000 lo religious ap d ch aritab le w ork.

It is know n anil ad m itted th a t no t everybody gets ahead financially h v tith ing . ' W hy should h e ? ' ‘'O ettiria a h ead ” m a y be a g rea t curse, A lith ing business m an p u ts th e fact th u s:

“ T here are o th e r successes th an m oney ones. I 'v e got 'so m eth in g m ore th a m m o n c y out of t i th in g ; - i t’s given use happiness rind contentm ent. Ilia! I- never could have bough t, . Suppose sum e of the New .E ngland fam ilies w ho tith ed d id n o t succeed financially? C ould science m easure , the co n ten tm en t w hich these fam ilies m ight have th rough k n o w in g 'th a t G od w as a p a r tn e r in -hom e a ffa irs?" '■

A .man w ho is alm ost at- the -end of h is re­sources will"fmd*>his tim e .of stress, a good tim e , to m ake new stu d y o f his life;

T h e h ead of a .g rea t business d id th is once, w hen be was. w orse th an b a n k ru p t. One day lie opened his Bible a t Genesis 28: 22, d rew a pencil

. m ark, a ro u n d the verse, an d sa id , “ F fo m th is m om ent on,, as. long as I live, o f all th a t G od gives m e I will give h im o n e - te n th .”

Since th en he has p rospered fa r beyond the o rd in ary . B u t w hat is m ore , he has m ade “ h u n ­d red s of investm en ts fo r h u m an b e tte rm en t and lo advance righteousness on e a r th .” T h e feeling •that o n e , can th u s he a co -lab o re r w ith G od is the greatest incentive to tru e living w hich m an can have. I t can m ake o ne 's sunset d ay s .his best days, 1

A conscientiou.- exam ination of y o u r affa irs now m ay ac tu a lly show how you can save enough to pay th e w hole tithe. "Consider m ore m ethod ical w ays of buy ing . W ait a w eek before buy ing som ething you th in k y o u W ant. B uy fo f , use ra th e r th a n fo r appearance o r lu x u ry value.

Budget y o u r incom e a n d ou tgo . M a n y people w ho begin to spend b y a b udget m ake a su rp ris­ing d iscovery . T h e y find th a t from ten to tw e n ty

t o i l s of th e ir do llar is being spen t w ith o u t p ro ­ducing an y -co rresp o n d in g b e n e f it. '

So y our w hole situ a tio n m ay lie helped as. you see w here y o u r t i th e can be paid w ith o u t > d is ­tress. "

W henever it can be p u t in to p rac tice , th e re ’s a big sav ing h in ted ;)l in life .o ld saying, ‘‘H e who cu ts his ow n firew ood is tw ite w arm ed j” '

H a rd tim es lire h ard tim es fo r G od as welt as

fur us. H is w o rk suffer? because, w hen depres- . sion th rea ten s, so m any, cu t off, firs t o f a ll, 'th e ir g ifts to religion. ..

N ever m ind try ing to exp lain th e ilicijlo^y ofii. You k n o w thal. benevolen t iagencies face less­ened incom es. S tu d en ts w ho .w ou ld gladly w o rk nm s! leave college [or lack of fu n d s; chu rch e n ­terp rises a re forced , to re tren ch th e ir w o rk ; th e poo r, the sick, th e d istressed , a ll m u s t.-k n o w keener (heir sufferings bccause th e church h a s less m oney to spend in th e ir behalf. S o ' th e ti th c r w ho tith es in h a rd tim es is doub ly b lessed— in b i s : ow n life a n d ' i n 'b e i n g 'th e friend indeed w ho come.; as the friend in need.:

T ith in g in h a rd tim es is ,;i sh a rin g of life w ith (hose w hose “ tim es” are h a rd e r th a n ours. N one o f o u r t i th e litt'r.illy n in - s .“ to G o d " ; i f goes to m en and w o m en -lik e ourselves. I t b roadens th e -b ase on w hich th e .w orld’s to ta l of; usefulness m ust rest.

H a rd tim es are good tim es to , begin. tith ing , because it d o esn 't tak e so m uch m oral backbone to tith e a .^ m iill incom e as a big one. M a n y people hav e been tem p ted to q u it tith in g because th e ir incom es becam e " to o hit; to tith e ."

■ A rich m,'tn to ld a m issionary secre ta ry du ring ■the ’tear, *‘l ’m sorry , d o c to r , bill. I c a n 't g ive y o u ■ an y th in g for y o u r w ork -this year. W h y , m y in ­com e tax is a m illion an d a q u a r te r ,1'

T h e tith e , in h a rd tim es' co n trib u te s to our sp iritu a l self-respect,. W hen ' wb a re p rosperous, w e m ay feel— as w e sh o u ld —th a t th e t i th e ought to be supplem ented . by free will offerings and g ifts .far beyond t h e ten th .

In h a rd tim es we; m ay n o t be able to m ake these g ills . H ut w e know th a t in tith in g w c 'a rc ack n o w le d g in g G o d , an d declaring o u r fa ith . W e a re n o t offering to G od th a t w hich has cost us noth ing .

It cosls, to lith e in h a rd - tim es. H ut no t to lith e c o s tsm o re , in values th a t are as real .th en as ever, am i th a t will last beyond id! lim es, w hether

. hard , o r easy.

N ow you can p lan A T ith in g C am paign an d save, m oney b y using th e church bulletins' we furnish, including one1 especially w ritten /o r th is hour: ■ "T ith in g in H ard T im es." T h e L aym an B ulletins, now 32 in num ber, arc p rin te d in the

; regular tw o-page church b u lle tin size, w ith tw o ; pagHs b lan k for. y o u r ow n b u lle tin m aterial. T h is saves one-halt o f y o u r p rin tin g cost, no t counting , ( (^ l of paper;.-

Send fo r ' sam pler, w hich include p am p h le t,1. "T each ing the 'C hurch to T ith e " contain ing full d irec tions f o r . a .ten w eeks’ p ro g ram of 's i le n t , chu rch -w ide educa tio n a t trifling expense. , N o n ­p rofit, nonsectarian , nonlegalistic, : b ill sirnplcj c lear and w orkable.

Please m ention th e I ’m p a c iik h ’s .. M a c a z in k , also give your denom ination .

t i l l : I.A Y M A N C O M PA N Y 730 R ush S treet

ClUCAt-.O .

HERE AN D THERE AM ONG BOOKS

H y P . H , L u n n

S ep tem ber w ith m o d era tin g ' tem pera tu res, .shortening d.'iys> re tu rn in g v aca tio n is ts a n d a genera! resum ption iti ac liv ilies sh ou ld include a -fall an d w in te r schedule o f.-read ing for w h at D r. Jefferson te rm s th e “ grow ing p reach er.”

. G row th depends la rg e ly ' upon ' n ourishm en t an d nourishm en t (m en ta l an d sp ir i tu a l) is derived s o m e w h a t. front books an d reading.

H ere a re a few suggestions fo r th a t list:

Ju s t ,1 m ention o f one bo n k th a t every p reacher, should read — D r / .E . S tan ley Jo n e s ' T iif . C h r i s t of t i i e . M o un t ' (A bingdon S I.50) w hich I have h a d the p leasure o f personally u rg ing on several p reachers, every o n e ' of w hom h as th an k ed

’ nie f o r so doing. T h is book h as in i t som e fu n ­d a m e n ta l principles o f m ysticism w hich , am ong o th e r featu res, place - it, in m y estim atio n , as one of the five best cu rre n t books fo r 'm in is te rs .

A no ther volum e th a t is being g iven m uch notice is Bruce f ia r to n ’s l i t ; t f t 'S t r t i i f . W o r l d , a. l i f e

of Paul. I ad m it , a -d eep -sea ted prejud ice o r a n ­tagonism or p erhaps i t 's just o rd in ary dislike, o t B ruce B a rto n 's w ritings. H e im presses , m e (us being in th e sam e fix - as 'a p rofessor in a lead ­in g .eas te rn w m in a rv w ho w ro te a Imok on “ T he Psychology of a C h ris tian ,.E x p erien ce .” ' In . -his in tro d u c tio n lie ' na ively ad m itted th a t he has n ev er h ad such an experience. H ow ever, B a r­

TI1K P R K A C H I iR 'S M A G A Z IN E ■<

t o n ' s b o o k o f f ’a u l m a k e s i n t e r e s t i n g ’r e a d i n g f o r

' i i p r e a c h e r . I t c a n lit1 f o u n d I n ' m o s t p u b l i c li -

b rarjY .s a n d 1 w o u l d sURgest t h a t - it . lie b o r r o w e d

r a t t i e r t h a n p u r c h a s e d f o r it w o u l d li e o f o n l y

■>lii;ht y a l u e t o o u r r e a d e r s a s an . a d d i t i o n t o

th e ir m inifies.

T in : C'NTMU'Koi.vor E va m .klism by Charles- L. (jiuidcll (Lon;; an d S m ith , JfI.OO) com bines th ree previous volum es in th is rep rin t ed itio n : “ H e r­alds of a P a s s io n " ;" W h a t Are Y ou W o r th ? ” an d "P as to r am i- K vanpelist." ' T h is i s - a ’b ig d o lla r 's ' w o rth , II fo r n au g h t else th a n to revive o r in-

’• crease his evangelistic passion , a m in iste r w ould ilii .well tu j:el th is book.. T h is is a . volum e to buy for y o u r very ow n ra th e r th an bo rrow .

T here a rc libw th ree vo lum es of D r. G eorge H . M orrison 's .se rm ons in th e D o llar L ib ra ry (Long an ^ ' S m ith— $1.00 each) T h e :G atew ’a$ s o i' t h e Stahs, T Iiiii iw .w s Of 't i i e .H eart an d th e la te rc-

l>ri;j!, l i i i. Hvj:r Orj:.v Dijoh. Il, is oi)]y a n oc­casional p reacher w ho does n o t enjoy, a n d p ro fit from D r. M o rriso n ’s serm ons. T h ey are concisc, ruuuvd an d to som e -extent exetie tical; m l as

flow ery a n d v m o o t J i a s ' J o m i t 's ; th ry a r e d i s ­

t i n c t i v e l y M o r r i s o n ' s ;

Flem ing II. -Revcll has published the latest/ volum e of D r. G eorge II. M orrison 's serm ons u n ­der the Ijlle, M o u n is u S i ;i i .m o Vs (?1.75)'. T his ureal Scotch p rcaclier is said to have given Jiiiu-

■ sell w ith e sp ec ia l 'a b a n d o n (o his S u n d ay m o rn ­ing se rm o n s ,' These a rc p articu la rly rich in con-., te n t. • ' - ’

D r, G eorge T ru c t t ’s new book of fifteen se r­m ons, F o u .in y T u o u M r. (L o h r an d S m ith — •S2 .C0 ) continues as o n e of th e best seller^ l o

o u r jw-cachers. I t Is s;iid .to be fu lly a s s t ro n jr a scries as th e fo rm er volum e, “ In Q uest of Souls,”

T he C okesbury Press tiaa b ro u g h t o u t nn in ­teresting item ; T in ; . C o k e s b u ry F u n e r a l M akiV al, com piled b y W m . H . L each ( ifl.0 0 ). In it wc find ju s t ab o u t ev ery th in g fo r th e .'fu n e ra l services: liturgies, hym ns, p o e try , p rose, p rayers, texts; serm on outlines, Ace groups a re p rov ided for, special m a te r ia l for child ren , y o u th , adu lts and the aged. '.2 3 2 jjapcs on', th in p ap er, lim p m oroccolol covers, coal |>ocfcet size.

CLARK E’S COM M ENTARYCopica of the orig inal notes w ithout

revision or abridgm ent. T he act consist* ot six large volum es approxim ating 9 5 0 pages .each; Binding, is of c loth , neat and durable. T he full text o f tlic, B ible . is given along w ith the f o o t n o t e s . Printing is in clear, readable type o n fine finished paper. T h is set o f . C om m entaries w ill p rove of inestim able value to every ear­nest .teacher, P rice, $ 1 5 .0 0 , hot prepaid

M A T T H E W HENRY’S COM M ENTARYA new edition ; six volum es, durably

bound in c loth . E very B ible student w ill app reciate the' unfading freshness, the clear analysis, the sp iritual forcc and the evan gelica l n ch n ess of these com m ents,

P rice, $ 1 5 .0 0 , n o t prepaid

CRUDEN’S COM PLETE CO NC O R DAN CE A n E ntirely N ew Edi­

tion w ith Large Blnck F ace T ype

S in ce the* publication o f this w ork in 1737, it has been recognized*, throughout the English sp eak in g - w orld ns the standard w o r k . of. its class. T he present re­vision is based on the original w ork o f Cru-

. : ■ ' den, but has b e in great- ly im proved. R eferences

* to .the text <of th e Re- .vised V ersion, w hich o f co u rse Cruden could not m ake, have been included, w ith reference to tlie A uthorized or K ing James V ersion. T he prop er’ nam es have been inserted in th e sam e a lphabetical arrange­m ent w ith the m a in . body of the work, m aking reference to them sim pler and easier. T he w h ole w ork has beett ie t up in a new large clear type, so arranged as to m ake it a p leasure to consu lt, even for the m ost .d ifficult or obscure reference. j \b o u t 6 0 0 pages. ' 2 .5 0

CR UDEN 'S BIBLE C O N C O R D A N C E

CRUDEN'SCONCORDANCE

„ w I0MI K a m w l H

'■“ir e

H1U< I1I.M WUIHU OvTJ TU uta tK»V OGU

D w igh t L. M oody said: "N ext to the purchase o f a Bible, 1 w ou ld advise y o u to get C ruden’s C on­cordance," Y ou need this C on cordan ce a l­m ost as m uch as you need a Bible, because its . nearly 1 7 0 ,0 0 0 references e n a b l e y o u to loca te in n few m om ents all the Bible p assages on al-

. m ost an y top ic you can think o f— over .12 ,0 0 0 different Bible subjects ‘listed alphabetically , like a D ic­tionary. Size 7 5 7 pages, inches.

2.00

W ALK ER’S COM PREHENSIVE CO NC O R DAN CE

T he best tcxt-findcr for everyday use by. m inister*, teachers, and Bible s tu ­dents. It conta ins fifty thousand m ore references than C ruden's Concord* ance, It is c lear in print,

BIBLE COM M ENTARY nn^ conta ins n ine hundredJam ieson, F ausset and Brow n. T his and eigh ty pages. N ew

great C om m entary oh th e entire Bible is K E d i t i o n , . co m p lete ly , re- recognized as one of th e b est one-vo lum e printed front n e w plate*,com m entaries in print, O ver 5 0 ,0 0 0 m ore refer*Form er p rice $ 7 .5 0 . N ow $ 3 .5 0 , postpaid encea than in other con cord an ces. 3 .0 0

Nazarene Publishing House, 2923 Troost Ave., Kansas City, Mo.