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GUARDIAN
Contents
Magazine ViewerBy EDWARDS E. ELLIOTT
TithingBy RAYMOND O. ZORN
Korean Challenge TodayBy BRUCE F. HUNT
Fasting and LentBy G. I. WILLIAMSON
Where We Haven't BeenBy HARVIE M. CONN
Events at WestminsterBy J. A. MciNTOSH
Teen-Agers - News -, Features
MARCH 25, 1960 VOLUME 29, NUMBER 4
The Magazine Viewer
Changing Minds
Twenty-one years ago, the onwashof Barthianism to America caused
a series of articles to appear in theModernist periodical, the ChristianCentury, "How My Mind HasChanged in the Past Ten Years."There was a second round of sucharticles ten years later, and now thethird round is appearing. Karl Barthhas written for all three. Billy Grahamalso appears in the current series.
The first article is by John C. Bennett, Professor of Applied Christianity at Union Theological Seminary,New York. The inadequacy of theold optimism of liberalism, as itviewed man and history, was pointedup to Bennett not only by ReinholdNiebuhr, but by the catastrophicevents of the period. But Bennett hasnot turned for relief to the Bible asthe Word of God. "I still make roomfor preparations for, and confirmations of, revelation, which have abroader basis than the Christian faith,and I give emphasis to these in attempting the apologetic task." A littlelater he says, "I have always been onguard against a kind of theologicalbrainwashing which quietly substitutesthe question: is it biblical? for thequestion: is it true?" So the trumpetBennett would put to his lips is "aNew Testament kerygma (a wordmeaning heralding or proclaiming)as the center of the gospel." But thiskerygma is one from which such"myths" as Christians regard as factshave been stripped away. So Bennettadds, "I reject all attempts to surround the gospel with authoritarianguarantees." Bennett says he learnedfrom Barth "that man, even as weknow him, is to be understood in thelight of Christ rather than in the lightof fallen Adam." How Bennett canescape universalism is hard to see.Naturally, Bennett's emphasis is onsocial ethics rather than on proclaiming a message of deliverance for lostsinners.
Karl Barth writes the second article.A report on his personal development, he says, "cannot be more thana trifle." But he does voice his hope
By E. E. ELLIOTT
to complete his life's work, the multivolume Church Dogmatics. "It doesnot allow my head to hang or myhands to rest."
While Barth and his followerswould probably angrily dismiss thecharge that dialectic thought builds abridge between the church and Marxism, this idea seems even more plausible as we read these words: "I regard anti-communism as a matter ofprinciple an evil even greater thancommunism itself." He sees communism as the "natural result of Westerndevelopments." He cannot think interms of the "absolute enemy." "...only the Hitler in us can be an anticommunist on principle." "Peoplehave charged me a hundred timeswith the seemingly flagrant contradiction of refusing to reiterate againstcommunism what I once brought forward against National Socialism."And Barth naively dreams of the possibility that "from the Vatican or fromGeneva instead of meaningless generalities a prophetic-apostolic word ofrepentance and peace were to be heardone morning."Barth on Barth
He expresses his pleasure at thespread of his views throughout theworld. As he looks at other theologians, he sees Bultmann's "demythologization" of the New Testament asthe thing that has "occupied me mostof all." But yet he sees Bultmannbeing led into "captivity to a particularphilosophy." (As though Barth's position were actually something else.)He also expresses his amazement thatrecent New Testament scholars "havearmed themselves with swords andstaves and once again undertaken thesearch for the 'historical Jesus'-asearch in which I as now prefer notto participate." (The reason Barthdoes not need the "historical Jesus"is pointed out in Dr. Van Til's pamphlet, "Has Karl Barth Become Orthodox?" But this quest for the historical Jesus is something that goes onand on, as Geerhardus Vos points outin his book The Self-Disclosure ofJesus, because nobody who calls himself a Christian really wants to part
c~mpany altogether with the Jesus ofhistory, But the "Jesus" of modernreconstruction will not satisfy the believer in the Jesus of the Gospel.)
Barth expresses his pleasure at thecommon ground which has beenachieved between his position and theposition of certain Roman Catholictheologians. Whether the Romanchurch as such will acknowledge thisis another story. For he may reallybe dealing with a "Barthian wing"of the Roman church, which that opportunistic body would allow toflourish for the time being.
Article number three on this multifaced totem pole of theological mentalities, is by Albert C. Outler ofSouthern Methodist's Perkins Schoolof Theology. He calls himself a happydilettante, which he explains is like adog walking on his hind legs"Rather pleased with himself that hecan manage it at all." And so, whilehe would like to take the "leap offaith directly from the present moment to the New Testament - seeking to hear God's Word, so to say,from out of time ... The fact is thatwe hear what we hear with the apperception produced by our own histories, and these affect what we hearand what we do in response."
Personally, I don't see what Outlerhas to be happy about in this kind ofearth-bound, unregenerate perception.Speaking of the doctrine of Christ, hesays,"I would like to see a modernrestatement of the two-natures doctrine which would move from ourknowledge of the agent to an understanding of the act of our salvation,to that faith-acting-in-Iovc which isthe Christian life." But this shift ofattention from Christ to us, from theagent to the act would result inreligion becoming a matter of psychology - as it has in many a theological school.
Dollar Sign"Down With Altruism," Time Feb.
29, p. 94, tells of how novelist AynRand (Atlas Shrugged) considers herself the 'most creative' philosopheralive today. She says, "If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality ofaltruism that men have to reject." Shewears a dollar sign on her clothing."The cross is the symbol of torture;I prefer the dollar sign, the symbol
(See Magazine - p. 54)
)
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50 The Presbyterian Guardian
Tithing:God's Precept for God's Program
Tithing seems to have been practised from time immemorial. The
records of almost all ancient nationsgive an account of some method oftithing. For example, the ancientPhoenicians consecrated a tithe to theTyrian god Melkarth, sometimes identified with the Greek Hercules.
Tithing by reason of its antiquitywould appear to have originated asa Divine commandment given to thefirst parents of the human race for,along with such other ordinances asthe sabbath and animal sacrifice, itexisted almost universally among thenations of antiquity. At any rate, itis certain that the custom of tithingwas in practice long before the timeof the patriarch Abraham of whomthe first Biblical account is given concerning the gift of tithes.
Tithing may be defined as a devoting of one tenth of one's incometo the service of God. The term titheitself means one tenth. In ancienttimes under commonly practised systems of barter it consisted of onetenth of a man's gain in materialpossessions such as property, produce,livestock, etc. Today, under ourmodern systems of financial exchange,it is usually most easily representedby monetary income. For example, ifa farmer grows and harvests a cropat an expense of $1000.00 and sellsit for $2000.00, the $1000.00 gainshould be subject to a tithe of$100.00. On the other hand, if aman's weekly income is $100.00 insalary or wages, his tithe should be$10.00.
Let us therefore trace from theScriptures the history and validity oftithing, noting first how it was practised prior to the Law; secondly, howit was applicable by commandment ofthe Law; and finally, how it is relevantfor today.
I. TITHING PRIOR TO THE LAWTithing's first mention in the Bible
is in connection with Abraham's victory over the four kings of the East.In Genesis 14 we learn of their battle with the five Canaanite kings including the king of Sodom. Havingdefeated the Canaanite kings, Chederlaomer and his confederates consequently sacked the cities of Sodomand Gomorrah and departed towardDan to the north. Since, however,Abraham's nephew Lot had beentaken captive with the spoils ofSodom, Abraham and his servantspursued after the kings of the East
March 25, 1960
and by means of a clever stratagemwas by God given the victory inbattle so that he recovered Lot andall the plunder.
It was then we are told that, afterAbraham had returned with the spoilsof war, Melchizedek, king of Salemand priest of the most high God, methim and bestowed upon him the blessing of the Lord. In recognition ofMelchizedek as the representative ofthe true God who had previouslyestablished His redemptive Messianiccovenant with Abraham, he thereforegave unto Melchizedek and consequently to God tithes of all that hepossessed (Gen. 14:20). Thereby herecognized God as sovereign over hislife, the giver of his victory, and thesource of all his temporal and spiritualgood. Abraham was a servant of themost high God and a steward of Hismanifold grace. And the tithe hebestowed bore eloquent testimony tothe truth of this fact. Since the NewTestament calls Abraham the fatherof believers, whether Jew or Gentile(Rom. 4:11-12), it should thereforebe noted that Abraham, under theCovenant of Grace and prior to theLaw, recognized the validity of thetithe as that which belonged to Godand, moreover, that he was a voluntary not a commanded tither.
Of Isaac we see that, though hemade offerings to God, no explicitmention is made of his tithing. However, since his father Abraham was atither as was also his son Jacob,the plain inference is that Isaac,too, tithed, for it was doubtless fromhis father that Jacob in turn learnedit.
Patriarchal PracticeMention of the tithe with Jacob is
made in connection with his first spiritual experience at Bethel. Fleeingfrom the wrath of his brother Esauwho had threatened to kill him assoon as their father Isaac was dead,in fear and loneliness with troubledconscience over his recent acts ofduplicity in connection with procuring
By RAYMOND O. ZORN
the coveted birthright, he must havefelt all but abandoned even by God.But that night, as he slept with astone for a pillow under his head nearthe city of Luz, God gave him bymeans of the ladder-dream the assurance of His continuing presence andblessing. Jacob therefore called theplace "the house of God" (Bethel)and vowed a vow, saying, "If Godwill be with me, and will keep mein this way that I go, and will giveme bread to eat, and raiment to puton, so that I come again to my father'shouse in peace; then shall the Lordbe my God: and this stone, which Ihave set for a pillar, shall be God'shouse; and of all that Thou shalt giveme, I will surely give the tenth untoThee" (Gen. 28:20-22). God beingtrue to His unfailing promises wasindeed with Jacob so that by the timeof his return to the land some twentyyears later he had become a man ofextensive wealth. And since Jacob wasone of God's great ones (Gen. 32:28), we may safely conclude thatJacob also kept his end of the bargainand paid up all of his back tithe.
From this study of the tithe aspractised by the Patriarchs prior to theLaw, we see: (1 ) that they had aknowledge of the tithe as that whichbelonged unto God; and (2) thatthey were voluntary tithers in recognition of the fact that they were Hisservants and stewards.
II. TITHING UNDER THE LAWSome 430 years after God estab
lished His covenant with Abrahamand his seed, God delivered Abraham's descendants from Egypt, theland into which they had gone inorder to multiply into a numerouspeople to become the nation of Israel.Bearing them on the outstretchedarms of His power unto Mount Sinai,He gave them His commandments inthe Mosaic Law.
We should remember, however,that the Law did not alter God's previously established Covenant of Grace,as though a new and different dis-
51
pensation had been inaugurated whereby God's people might now be savedthrough the works of the Law ratherthan by the grace of God alone. For,as the Apostle Paul reminds us, "Thecovenant that was confirmed beforeof God in Christ (the MessianicCovenant of Grace), the Law whichwas 430 years after cannot disannulthat it should make the promise ofnone effect" (Gal. 3: 17). "Wherefore then serveth the Law? It wasadded (to the Covenant of Grace)because of transgressions till the seedshould come to whom the promisewas made" (Gal. 3:19). The Lawwas therefore given to show how inadequately man lived up to the righteousness demanded of him by God.In this respect it was to be a schoolmaster (tutor) to lead men untoChrist (Gal. 3 :24), a purpose it yetserves today. But in another resepectit was also a revelation of the righteousness of God and the rule ofpractice unto which His people's liveswere and are to be conformed by theobedience of faith. For the Law, afterall, was given to a redeemed peopleand was and is yet presently to be applied by them unto holy living.
Under the Law, consequently, tithing became mandatory. This is asmight be expected since the tithe hadlong since been recognized by God'speople as a responsibility of stewardship to Him. Accordingly, therefore,we read, "All the tithe of the land,whether of the seed of the land, orof the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's:it is holy unto the Lord. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or ofthe flock, even of whatsoever passethunder the rod, the tenth shall be holyunto the Lord" (Lev. 27:30, 32). Itshould be noted from this that thetithe comprehended all of the Israelite's increase, whether the products ofthe soil, or cattle, or gain derivedtherefrom. For what, after all, did theIsraelite possess that he had not inthe first place received from the Lord?Therefore the return of the tithe tothe Lord as His required due was buta patent recognition of this fact byevery obedient Israelite as he madepayment of the tithe in worship.
Moreover, since it was the covenantcommunity's duty to be perfect as theLord is perfect (Deut. 18:13) bykeeping His statutes (Lev. 18:5),obedience to the Law became the condition of Divine blessing. And whenthe Law was not kept, blessing was
52
accordingly forfeited. This is seen inits broadest aspect in the dispersionand captivity which Israel suffered asa consequence of disobedience and unfaithfulness to God by which wasdemonstrated like sinfulness with theiniquitous nations round about. So,forfeiting the blessings of habitationin the land of promise, Israel wasdriven from it to suffer the judgmentof the captivity until a purged remnant should again be restored untothe land. (Is. 6:13).
Robbing GodWhat the captivity illustrates in the
forfeiture of blessing in the broadestaspect may also be seen more specifically in Israel's lapse after the captivityin the payment of the tithe. The reprimand of Israel was given by God'sprophet Malachi. "Will a man robGod? Yet ye have robbed me. But yesay, Wherein have we robbed thee?In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursedwith a curse: for ye have robbed me,even this whole nation. Bring ye allthe tithes into the storehouse, thatthere may be meat in mine house, andprove me now herewith, saith theLord of hosts, if I will not open youthe windows of heaven, and pour youout a blessing, that there shall not beroom enough to receive it. And Iwill rebuke the devourer for yoursakes, and he shall not destroy thefruits of your ground; neither shallyour vine cast her fruit before thetime in the field, saith the Lord ofhosts" (Mal. 3:8-11 ) .
It should be noticed that God callsthe withholding of tithes and offerings a robbery of Him (Vs. 8). Moreover, He makes it clear that, as a result, Israel was experiencing thecurse of His judgment (Vs. 9), indirectly described in Vs. 11 as theravaging of crops by disease andpestilence and the loss of harvest byuntimely storm and tempest. Thechallenge is therefore held forth tobring all of the tithe once again intoGod's house. Then, not only will theneeds of the Lord's work be adequately supplied, but God will fill thelives of His people with superabundant blessing. For God, after all, cannot be outgiven, as would be testifiedto by the disproportionately largernine tenths of the gain with whichHe had blessed His people in thefirst place and which would be theirsto keep after they had given Him theappropriate tithe of it. But over andabove this, He promises here to give
in greater measure than is His people'sability to receive (Vs. 10), for Heis the God of all grace as well as ofprovidence (Vs. 11).
III. TITHING TODAYWhy the realization of the above
promise is not more patently demonstrated in the lives of God's childrentoday may well be due to the fact thateven now too few are unconditionallywilling to take God at His Word,though tithing is still as valid a precept as ever. The tithe belongs to Godas the Patriarchs affirmed by their ownpractice of it under the aegis of theCovenant of Grace which was longin effect before the giving of the Law.Moreover, the Law itself affirms thatthe tithe belongs to God for to failin this responsibility is to be guilty ofbreaking the eighth commandment bytheft in that one is thereby robbingGod.
Our Lord Jesus was severe in Hiscondemnation of the Pharisees whohad reduced righteousness to thecasuistry of mere external ordinances,so passing over the more basic heartattitudes of loving God and practisingjustice and mercy with regard to one'sfellow man. But He neverthelesscommended the Pharisees for theirmeticulous practice of tithing for,"These ought ye to have done, andnot to leave the other undone" (Lu.11 :42). Tithing or, as a matter offact, any other outward practice of aprecept cannot take the place of aright relationship with God, butneither may it be neglected as thoughit did not matter. The one must bethe complement of the other. "Theseyou ought to have done, and not toleave the other undone."
In the Apostle Paul's instruction tothe New Testament church, it is safeto assume that he presupposes thetithe as the most basic unit of givingfor the believer. For of the weeklyoffering which is to be taken in thechurch he writes, "Upon the first dayof the week let every one of you layby him in store, as God hath prospered him" (I Cor. 16:2). Now, howmay the believer properly lay by himin store save as subscribed by the ratioof the tithe? If, on the one hand, Godhas prospered him with more income,he will lay more by him in store according to the larger ratio of the tithe.But, on the other hand, if God hasseen fit to bless him with less, thoughhe will consequently lay less by himin store, the ratio of the tithe will
The Presbyterian Guardian
Adorning The Gospel
Bill was impatiently waiting in .the h~ll. He. and. his wife .were head.edfor the concert. But while Bill waited, his Wife was still busy With
the things that busy womankind - powder, hairpins, perfume - w~ilehusbands wait. Finally Bill gave up, sat down, and took up the eveningpaper. At least, he need not waste good time.
Though he looked at the pages, his eye did not read what waswritten thereon. Instead, his thoughts wandered . . . After all, hethought, perhaps it is not so bad. Joan is sensible; she does not puton anything that is gaudy or in poor taste. When you look at her youwould scarcely know that she is made up at all. What she does justseems to bring out what is best in her, making her look natural. Besides,I would not be content with her if she did not look her best . . .
Bill sank farther into his chair and relaxed a bit, letting the papersink to his lap. How much, he thought, this is like the gospel. God hasgiven us the gospel, His Word. Weare entrusted with it as His ambassadors. Yet, God has not let it go at that; He has said that we shouldadorn his gospel. That does not mean that we shculd make it into something else by hiding it under fancy frills or making it into a gaudyshow; our adornment of the gospel should bring it out in all its naturalness, letting it be what it really is. Our lives should he such that theywill be fitting channels for that which God has given to us. Instead ofcovering up and obscuring the gospel, our live'S should let its gloryshine through brightly.
Just as a woman - or a man, for all that - adorns her body;just as a congregation adorns its place of worship; so the Christianshould adorn the gospel with his life . . .
In his reverie BIll had altogether forgotten his paper. He was nolonger aware that some time had elapsed. He was brought back abruptlyto the present by the sound of his wife coming downstairs.
"Well, here I am, Bill," she said. "We still have ten minutes to getto the concert."
Somehow, even though he knew it was a fifteen minute drive, thethought did not seem to bother Bill. As he opened the door for hiswife to pass through, he said, "We'll be a little late; but they probablywon't start on time anyway." With that the door closed behind themas they went out into the night.
nevertheless preserve in his giving anequality with his more prosperousbrother. And thereby none will eitherbe unduly burdened or improperlyeased.
A Good BeginningActually, Paul makes no mention
of the tithe because it should onlyform the basic beginning and not thesum total of a believer's giving to theLord. "But this I say, he which sowethsparingly shall reap also sparingly;and he which soweth bountifully shallreap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart,so let him give; not grudgingly, or ofnecessity: for God loveth a cheerfulgiver. And God is able to make allgrace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in allthings, may abound to every goodwork" (2 Cor. 9:6-8).
What then is a man to purposein his heart to give? less than a tithe?Of course not, for how could this bepossible in the light of previous OldTestament practice by saints who livedat a time when grace's experience wasyet shadowy and not in full expression as with the New Testament believer in the present age, but whowere yet tithers? Furthermore, howcould the giving of less than a tithebe possible in the light of God's ownunspeakable gift of Christ for Hispeople's redemption? "For ye knowthe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,that, though He was rich, yet for yoursakes He become poor, that ye throughHis poverty might be rich" (2 Cor.8:9).
Well, then, will just the giving ofthe tithe be enough? Is this what aman should purpose in his heart togive? At least this much! But if thetithe has ever been recognized as belonging to God, then can it justifiablybe said that the mere giving of it issowing bountifully? Paul indeed musthave in mind even larger gifts thanthe tithe when he affirms that hewould have the believer sow bountifully that he may also reap bountifully (Vs. 6). And echoing what wasalready stated by the prophet Malachiearlier, he reassures us that God cannot be outgiven. Rather, He is ablein turn to make all grace abound sothat the giver, having all sufficiency,may abound to every good work (Vs.8). What another stupendous promise! In the; light of its vastness, thetithe fades away to a place of signifi-
March 25, 1960
cance as the mere starting point of thebeliever's giving unto the Lord.
Voluntary and CheerfulMoreover, the fact should not be
overlooked that the giving of thetithe may not even fulfill one's minimum duty. If, for instance, one givesit from a mere sense of duty, i.e.,grudgingly or of necessity in deferenceto a recognition of what one owesthe Lord (Vs. 7), then one wouldprobably be better off not even to giveit. For God did not give us His bestthat way. Nor does He with such anattitude daily load us with benefitsunnumbered. God gave, and gives,and GIVES. He therefore loves ahilarious (Gr.) giver in return.
Is there yet someone with thetemerity to say, "1 wish I could tithe,but I can't afford to"? In the light of
ROBERT D. KNUDSEN
God's Word, how can that personafford not to? It was John D. Rockefeller, Sr., who said, "I would neverhave been able to tithe the first million dollars I made if I had not tithedmy first salary which was $1.50 aweek." God may not make us JohnD. Rockefellers, nor perhaps wouldwe want to be entrusted with theresponsibility of such wealth as washis, but if we are not faithful in thatwhich is least, neither will we befaithful in that which is much. For,if a man cannot give to the Lord15c, the tithe of $1.50, neither willhe find it possible to give $10,000.00unto the Lord, which is the tithe ofa million dollars. As the voice of inspired wisdom puts it, "There is thatwithholdeth more than is meet, butit tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul
53
shall be made prosperous" (Prov.11:24-25).
The tithe belongs to God. It is Hisprecept for His program. In its consecration to God along with the offerings they make, His people recognize that every good and perfect giftthey have received has come to themfrom the unfailingly faithful Fatherof lights. Giving to Him is thereforeno coerced duty, but a joyous privilegeand an act of worship. And as thetithe is brought into His storehouse,so also sufficient means are providedfor the accomplishment of His work.For where the people of God faithfully tithe, there the church will nottrifle with bazaars, rummage sales, suppers, and other fund-raising schemeswhose result is to make the house ofprayer a place of merchandise in orderto augment the poor work of the Lord.(Or, is it the work of the poor Lord?)
No one, however, would make youtithe against your will. Nor is thisGod's way. God so loved that Hegave ... and He wants the free response of your love in return. MayGod who has enriched His peoplewith all temporal and spiritual blessings in Christ also give them sufficient grace to hear and heed Hiswords, "Give, and it shall be givenunto you; good measure, presseddown, and shaken together, and running over, shall they give into yourbosom. For with the same measurethat ye mete withal it shall be rneasuredto you again" (Lu. 6:38).
Korean Presbyterians Unite
A t a mid-February meeting in Seoulthe Presbyterian Church CYe
chang") reconstituted its 44th General Asembly which had divided lastfall at Taejon. The action had theeffect of ignoring the fact that thetwo groups had met separately andeach had regarded itself last fall asthe "official" Assembly.
The reunion also appeared to nullify the stand that the co-called NAEgroup had taken in opposition to themodernist World Council of Churches.As late as January 14 a circularpublished by the ecumenical sidequoted the NAE position as "Nevercan it be changed, added to, or subtracted from," and on the 15th "Negotiations were entirely broken." Thereare reliable reports, however, that agreat deal of pressure was brought tobear in the intervening month. Teams
54
of missionaries ( representing theUnited, Southern, and Australian Presbyterians) visited the various presbyteries. When the reuniting Assembly convened from February 17 to 19,nearly 200 of the original 286 Taejoncommissioners were present, with another 50 delegates also attending, and31 out of 34 presbyteries were represented.
The plan of reunion was essentiallythat proposed by the Southern Presbyterian missionaries. Dr. L. Nelson Bellof that church, and executive editorof Christianity Today, led three daysof special meetings for the commissioners just prior to the Asembly.While the meeting, after some debate,honored the agreement to withdrawfrom the WCC "because of the sharpdifferences of opinion about it," indeference to the ecumenical side (whoreportedly had three-fifths of the delegates) it also explicitly declared thatthe WCC was neither pro-Communistnor a promoter of theological liberalism or a super-church.
In further confirmation that itwanted to be completely in the"middle-of-the-road," the Assemblychose as moderator the man who hadmoderated the now-ignored ecumenical assembly; as vice-moderator themoderator of one of the largest presbyteries on the anti-ecumenical side;as stated clerk a Seoul pastor regardedas a neutral; and as assistant clerk theman designated as "manipulator" inDr. Barnhouse's pamphlet "Scandal inKorea" !
There are some who could not ingood conscience participate in so confusing and compromising a situation,and among them are some able andconsecrated scholars and leaders, some70 or more seminary students, and anunknown number of congregations.Christianity Today, in its March 14news columns, calls them "a smallgroup of anti-ecumenical extremists"who "prevented a complete healingof the schism." We have seen no newsin the Beacon since the reuniting Assembly as to any present activities ofthe ICCC in Korea, which opened anoffice in Seoul. Observers report, however, that the widely publicized $100,000 fund for Korea was by insinuation made to appear as a bribe byecumenical protagonists in attackingthe ICCC and its sympathizers inKorea. What course of action thisminority will take, or even whether
they will all pursue the same course,is not yet clear.
For a fuller understanding of theKorean church we again commend theseries of articles by Bruce F. Hunt,veteran missionary of the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church, the third andfinal of which appears in this issue.It is in the "Koryu Pab" movementwith which he and other faithful missionaries are working that one findsgreater stability, a commitment to theReformed heritage, and uncompromising loyalty to Christ and the Scriptures. - ED.
Magazine - (from p. 50)
of free trade, therefore of the freemind." "Money is the root of allgood." She thinks of the best man as"a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of hislife, with productive achievement ashis noblest activity, and reason as hisonly absolute."
This will ring an often-rung bell inmany a sinner's mind, and cause himto pass by on the other side of humanneed. A struggle between such heroicself-centered "best men" is the sort ofthing that only a "Mr. K" could win.It would fain crucify the Son of Godafresh.
Request for Minutes - TheStated Clerk requests anyone havingan extra copy or copies of the Minutesof the 15th General Assembly of theOrthodox Presbyterian Church to sendthem to the office of the Committeeon Home Missions and Church Extension, 624 Schaff Building, 1505Race St., Philadelphia 2, Pa. An effortwill be make to bind the Minutes ofthe 15th through the 26th Assembliesin one volume, but this cannot bedone unless additional copies of theMinutes of the 15th Assembly areavailable.
Position Wanted - Churchsecretary and/or educational director;or English teacher for Christian highschool. Member Maitland, Florida,Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Canassume duties July 1, 1960. Pleasecontact Miss Nancy Bibb, Taylor University, Box 25, Upland, Indiana.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. - Proverbs
The Presbyterian Guardian
\J
Iiuraan[hall~ng~
TodayKorean Story Concluded
By BRUCE F. HUNT
I n the present situation in Koreathe "Koryu" Presbyterian Church
now faces competition from otherevangelical groups. Previously, division of territory was practiced between the larger missions but, as hasbeen mentioned, that has been doneaway with. Under that plan peoplewere exposed, for the most part, tothe teaching of only one denomination - either Methodist or Presbyterian, depending on where theirhome happened to be. This had aseeming advantage in that, when accepting Christ, people did not haveto choose between denominational beliefs. It did not always make for doctrinal awareness, however.
Some of the disadvantage is seentoday, moreover, when the non-Christian and even the Christian is confronted with the simultaneous preaching of many groups. A number ofthese groups are new to Korea, suchas the Southern Baptists, MissouriSynod Lutherans, TEAM, Soul Clinic,World Vision, Nazarenes, Navigatorsand others. Some are quite evangelical; others, though evangelical, areso anxious to be non-denominationalor inter-denominational that they willinsist on working liberals and conservatives together.
Some of the groups, more recentlycome to Korea, are not too careful inguarding against making "rice Christians" - using funds and rewardsquite freely to draw people to them.In this way not only are non-Christians drawn in from wrong motives,but nominal Christians are luredaway from the churches of whichthey had been members by these material enticements. These nominalChristians, familiar with only onepresentation of the message, oftenare not able to distinguish error from
March 25, 1960
truth, especially when it is liberallycoated with material advantages.
Confusion of CultsTo these who by their varying
emphases are confusing the youngChristians may be added the false religions and cults: Bahai, Mormons,Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Seventh Day Adventists, Unitarians, plus several local false leaders who claim supernatural powers ofhealing and miracles - one for example who called himself the OliveTree of Zechariah. With the exception of the Seventh Day Adventists,all of these are new to Korea sinceher liberation from Japan. KoreanChristians, used to one presentationof the Bible's message, accepted itsimply and joyfully. It was indeedgood news, and even the general public has recognized that the fruits ofthe gospel are good. But now peoplewho come calling themselves representatives of Christ and claiming toteach the Bible are likely to find thesesimple, often naive Christians readyto give them a hearing, even thoughthe newcomers may be Mormons,Unitarians, or Christian Scientists.
On top of this Roman Catholicismis today becoming much more aggressive in Korea. There is a Catholicdaily paper. The Vice-President ofthe country is Catholic. Large institutions built by the Catholic Churchhave recently been constructed schools, churches, hospitals. Theyhave a big relief program using agreat deal of surplus American agricultural products. Poor people aredrawn into their church from theProtestant fold as well as from thepagan society by the offer of something to fill empty stomachs. Othersare being attracted to them through
their medical and educational work,and still others by their politicalpower and 'unity.' At a tim- when theaid of the 'Christian' countries of theWest has meant so much to the people of Korea, even some non-Christians are ready to look into the claimsof Christianity with an open or friendly mind. Often, however, they cannotdistinguish one sect from another, norProtestants from Catholics, and thesize and material display of the latter is impressive. Who is to showthe Koreans that entrance into theKingdom of God is through faith inJesus Christ alone?
Can a liberalism that has only itsreason to appeal to as the ultimateauthority stand up against such anarray of sects and powers (I have noteven mentioned Communism, anotherlooming power) and help Christiansto stand?
Can an ecumenical movement,afraid to offend anybody lest it notbe able to draw them into the one bigwhole, point out the errors that makefor our real differences? And pointclearly to Jesus Christ, the MightyGod and Everlasting Father, as theonly way, truth, and life?
Missionaries Chose SidesTremendously important, then, in
present-day Korea is the "Koryu"Presbyterian group. In tracing thehistory of this movement as itemerged from the foundations laidby the early missionaries, though admittedly it has many weaknesses, wehave seen it is still a militant Reformed church. Furthermore, it iswise to remember that missionariesand churches of the West have notbeen disinterested bystanders, watching from the sidelines.
It has already been noted that the
55
creation of the United Church ofCanada had its repercussions in Korea; that the home boards did nottake so serious a view of liberal tendencies in missionaries as did themajority of the missionaries on thefield and as did the Korean church,for example in the case of the missionary who was later a signer of th eAuburn Affirmation; and that in matters of union education, union medical work, and union publicationprojects the home board was alwaysanxious to go further than were missionaries on the field. There were several occasions of sharp conflict between board and mission on suchmatters. Finally, we have also seenthat the board at home did not takeas grave a view of the compromiseof testimony involved in missionschools' and later churches' participation in shrine ceremonies as themajority of the mission did. Missionaries took their sides on these issues,and it cannot be denied that missionaries are at least partly responsible forthe emergence of a strong protestmovement.
As mentioned earlier, the happenings in America connected with theupheaval in Princeton Seminary, theformation of Westminster Seminary,the creation of the Independent Boardfor Presbyterian Foreign Missions andthe subsequent disciplining of Dr.Machen and others had drastic repercussions in the Korea Mission of thePresbyterian Church U. S. A. Eventhe constitution of the Korean Presbyterian Church was changed to accommodate and make room for thosewho no longer felt they could remainin their former denomination.
Dr. H. C. Whiting was one of thefirst to withdraw from the KoreaMission of the U. S. A. Church overthese issues. In 1936, when Dr.Machen and other members of theIndependent Board were disciplinedand forced out of the church, Dr.and Mrs. Roy Byram and the writerand his wife withdrew from the U.S. A. Presbyterian Church and itsKorean Mission. Later, for the sameor similar reasons, Dr. and Mrs.Floyd Hamilton, Dr. and Mrs. J.Gordon Holdcroft (then chairmanfor several years of that large Mission) , the Rev. and Mrs. WilliamBaird, Dr. and Mrs. WilliamChisholm, Miss Marjorie Hanson, theRev. and Mrs. Dwight Malsbary,Elder and Mrs. Edwin Campbell, Dr.
56
and Mrs. T. Stanley Soltau - a totalof over 20 missionaries - withdrewfrom the Korea Mission, over theyears, because of this issue of modernism and apostasy. The history ofthe Orthodox Presbyterians (andBible Presbyterians) in the UnitedStates is thus closely bound with thestruggle in the Korean Church.The Shrine Issue
During the days of the conflict overshrine worship the missionaries of theOrthodox Presbyterian Church andthe Independent Board, though fewin number (only nine), were nothampered in working with the KoreanChurch by any compromising stand ofunsympathetic boards at home. Theywere able more freely to throw intheir lot with the Korean brethrenwho were striving unto blood againstthe entrance of emperor worship intothe church. They actually withdrewwith many Koreans from the KoreanPresbyterian Church when it officiallyapproved shrine worship and government control of the church.
This was the first open and officialbreak in the Korean Church's unity.In the division the liberal element,which until then had been ratherquiet, was found to be on the shrineside of the controversy, while the conservatives were on the other. Duringthe controversy the liberals becamemore vocal, and at the end of thewar, when the withdrawal of theJapanese removed the shrine issue asa present threat and it was largely amatter of what to do with past offenders, liberalism had come so muchto the fore in the pro-shrine groupthat those trying to return to thechurch which they had left over theshrine issue or to reform the churchwhich had forsaken Presbyterianismto become part of a government-controlled union church, found liberalism and Barthianism more and moredominant. It was a constant internalbattle as to whether they could conscientiously work together in onechurch with such infidelity.Influence of OrthodoxPresbyterians and Others
The writer has sometimes beenblamed for splitting the KoreanChurch. When one considers thenumber of influential missionaries andpastors on the other side, the weightof numbers and material strength, thelarge denominations in the West whowere (and are) giving moral as wellas physical support to the main body
of Korean Presbyterianism, to makesuch a charge, if true, is to credit thewriter with a great deal more influence than he fears he deserves.
It is true that after the liberationof Korea, for two years ChaplainJohn Betzold of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the writer, amissionary of that same denomination, were the only Westerners whoworked with the "Koryu" Seminarygroup and during these first criticalyears showed an interest in its stiuggles. How conscious the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church, as a denomination, was of its involvement in thisstruggle at the beginning, the writercannot say. Through the encouragement given by Chaplain Betzold tothe embryonic seminary, and thewriter's acceptance of an invitation tobecome associated with it, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church definitely didbecome involved, and thus since 1946has not been a mere bystander. Withthe appointment of the late MissFlorence Handyside and subsequentlyof the Theodore Hards and the Arthur Spooners the Orthodox Presbyterian Church became definitely committed.
In 1948 with the arrival of Dr.Chisholm, Mr. Malsbary, and Dr.Hamilton, and later with the comingof their families, along with MissTate and Miss Hanson, the Independent Board and the Bible Presbyterian Church also became involved.Dr. Chisholm's and Mr. Malsbary'sradio program and Dr. Holdcroft'svisit to Korea in 1950 sharpened thecleavage between the "Koryu" Seminary group and the other bodies inrelation to the ecumenical movementand membership in the World Council of Churches. More recently, in1959, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Millerhave joined the Independent Boardstaff.
In 1951 the Christian ReformedChurch began to give gmerously toward physical and spiritual relief inconnection with this movement. Thishas been responsible especially for agood deal of the physical expansionin seminary and church buildings, inmore generous teachers' salaries, forthe literature program, and a healthymedical work.
In 1958 World Presbyterian Missions (Bible Presbyterians, ColumbusSynod) sent the Rev. and Mrs. JohnHunt to work with this same "Koryu"
(See Korean Challenge - p. 61)
The Presbyterian Guardian
% t:~laiaIL-GUARDIAN
1505 Race Street, Philadelphia 2, Pa,
EDITORRobert E. Nicholas
EDITORIAL COUNCILNed B. StonehouseRobert S. MarsdenEdmund P. Clowney
CIRCULATION MANAGERAlbert G. Edwards, III
All correspondence should be addressed to The Presbyterian Guardian,1505 Race Street, Philadelphia 2, Pa.
Fasting and LentBy G. I. WILLIAMSON
Surrounded as we are by those whomake much of the observance of
Lent, it will not be wasted time ifwe consider what the Word of Godhas to say about such matters.
In Father Connell's edition of theBaltimore Catechism of the RomanCatholic Church we find these words:"The Catholic Church has the rightto make laws . . ." and "We arebound under pain of sin to obey thelaws of the Church," and finally,"The Church observes Lent as a timeof fasting to commemorate Our Lord'sfast of forty days in the desert." Lentbegins with the ceremony of the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday.This is supposed to be a token ofmourning and penitence.
To all this the Reformers said this:"The supreme Judge, by which . . .all decrees . . . opinions . . . doctrines. . . are to be examined, and in whosesentence we are to rest, can be noother but the Holy Spirit speaking inthe Scripture."
Biblical ReferencesFasting is first mentioned in Judges
20: 26f. It was due to great sorrowfor great sin in the congregation, andthe seeking of divine guidance indealing with the offenders. Samuelled in a day of prayer and fastingwhen idols were being forsaken (ISam. 7: 6f.). Seven days of fastingoccurred when Saul was buried (ISam. 31: 13 etc.). And David fastedwh -n his child by Bathsheba was neardeath (II Sam. 12:21 £.). Again,
March 25, 1960
King Ahab fasted when he realizedthe enormity of his crimes (I Ki.21:27 f.). And Jehoshaphat fastedin a time of national peril (II Chron.20:3£.).
When the Israelites returned fromCaptivity (Ezra 8:21f.) Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek God's guidanceand blessing. And when news cameof Israel's distress in Canaan, Nehemiah fasted and prayed (Neh, 1 :4f.).Later all Israel fasted in a time ofgeneral confession of sin and rededication (Neh 9:1£.). And the Jewsfasted at Esther's call by Mordecai(Esther 4: 16£.).
Christ fasted during the time ofSatan's appearance to tempt Him (Mt.4:2). Cornelius fasted as he soughtthe blessing of God (Acts 10: 30) .The Church at Antioch engaged inprayer and fasting preparatory toselection of two missionaries to besent forth (Acts 13: 2£.). And ordination of elders was accompanied byprayer and fasting in every church(Acts 14:23).
Not Merit But MercyIt appears from this, then, that
fasting is a part of earnest, soul-consuming prayer. When the passion ofthe soul becomes all-important, theordinary demands of the body aretemporarily set aside and the soul hasthe right of way. Notice again thetimes of fasting: 1) mourning forpast apostasy, 2) s~eking restorationto God's favor, 3) imminent peril ordisaster, when divine help is imperative, and 4) personal crises whenGod's help is urgently needed.
Notice the length of the time offasting: it varies with the particularsituation. Peter and Cornelius apparently fasted a part of one day(Acts 10:9-10). Israel fasted sevendays at Saul's death. Christ fastedforty days. Notice the manner offasting: a temporary neglect of thebody because of the activity of theheart. Notice the purpose of it: notto obtain merit, but rather mercy.
Christ discusses fasting in twoimportant passages: Mk. 2:18-20,and Mt. 6:16-18. Here we learn thatfasting 1) is impossible under somecircumstances, 2) is absolutely unavoidable under some circumstances,and 3) that true fasting is an outward act dictated by an inward concern of the soul. False fasting, suchas that performed by the Pharisees,1) is possible at any time, 2) is imposed by tradition, not by the condi-
tion of the soul, and 3) has as itspurpose the earning of merit andimpressing men. Ordinarily it wasnot Christ's will for men to fast (Mt.15 :32) unless it became necessary byconditions imposed by divine providence (II Cor. 11: 27) or spiritualcircumstances (I Cor. 7: 5) .
Let us beware, then, the idea thatfasting can in any way please Godwhen it is merely a humanly devisedcustom. Let us likewise banish thethought that it can merit anything,or produce any work of grace. Ratherlet us so yearn for the true and livingGod, that we shall, when occasionarises, give ourselves to true prayerand fasting.
Letter to the EditorDear Sir:
I have enjoyed very much thevarious articles on Westminster Seminary but there is one thing puzzlingme. According to a report some timeago, of nine Orthodox Presbyterianstudents graduating last spring onlythree were planning to enter thepastorate, to shepherd the flocks, tocare for the lambs of Christ as youngmen were bidden to do by our Lord.These three, I've noticed, have in theprovidence of God achieved their desire; each one overseeing the flock ofGod in one of our Orthodox Presbyterian churches.
What of the other two-thirds? Sixyoung men, trained to preach theWord in fullness and in truth. Whereare our young men? Have they littlecompassion for souls? Have they nozeal and love for the lost and dyingwithout Christ? Or have they decidedthey have not the gifts necessary forthe work of the pastorate? Do theythink they have not the call of Godupon them for this task?
Remember how it used to be, longago. Surely, we've all read of how(even not so long ago) in every godlyfamily one male was set aside frombirth as belonging to God. He knewhe was to serve the Lord. All of hislife he was taught so and he did so.We Orthodox Presbyterians havemany sons among us. Are we training
The burden of the writer of thisletter is one that we think m1Y wellbe shared. She is known to us, butthe name is withheld at her request.
57
them in the way that they should go?Today in our denomination we
have several vacant churches, sheepwandering alone withont a shepherdto guide them, to help and comfortthem. From Maine to Oregon they arecrying out for some shepherd to comeand care for them. Our foreign mission fields and other faithful Christians at home are longing for a missionary to aid them. Where are ouryoung men? Here is a great need; atremendous challenge; work of theLord going undone, and, I ventureto say, unnecessarily undone!
Not only among last year's graduates, but each year it seems, of ourOrthodox Presbyterian graduates,young men trained wonderfully wellfor the highest possible calling, manyare not doing it. They not only havethe training, they also have beforethem the godly example of their professors, whose zeal and compassion forsouls, whose love for their fellowmanshines through in every work they do,and who are always, on every occasion making known the name ofChrist - whether in the classroom,the church, the hospital, or the trainor plane in which they ride from onepreaching engagement to another.Then where are our young men?
Many go on for more graduatework, quite a few go into teaching,and some after tries at these two alternatives do enter the pastorate afterawhile. Why is this hesitation? Dothey hold this high calling of God sohigh in their own minds that theythink they cannot attain unto it? Dothey lack confidence in their owngifts and abilities?
If this is so, and, dear fellowChristians, I think it often is, we need[0 pray earnestly, fervently for ouryoung men. Perhaps as we have neverbefore prayed for them. These graduates of Westminster TheologicalSeminary - men who may see visionsand dream dreams, men who know ofthe coming Christ and the kingdomof God - these same young menneed our prayers to undergird andstrengthen them for the race that isset before them, for that work whichis their special high calling in ChristJesus.
Let us continually pray for themthat the gospel may be preached, andHis kingdom advanced.
Sincerely yours,A MOTHER
58
ForTeen-Agers
Only!By LAWRENCE R. EYRES
Kings and Queens UnderGod (V)
Conquering Others
With the Gospel
Scripture: Romans 10:1-15
IntroductionSince sin entered the world, and
with it the curse, the kingship of Godover His creatures is not automatic.It must be won through conquest. Itwas so with us in our salvation Christ conquered Satan on the cross.He conquered our hearts by grace andis conquering our own natures by HisWord and Spirit.
But this is net a limited war. Itmust extend from us outward untilHe is victorious, in one way or another, over all men and things. Weas His children and co-workers arerequired to extend this conquest withall our might. And the first step is toconquer those about us for Christ,not with the sword, but with thegospel.
Body of the Lesson1. Winning the lost to Christ is
not just a job, it's a holy passion!The Apostle Paul not only said, "Woeis unto me, if I preach not the gospel" (I Corinthians 9:16), but also,"For I could wish that myself wereaccursed from Christ for my brethren,my kinsmen according to the flesh"(Romans 9: 3). This passion for thelost is necessary to our royal callingas kings and queens under God.
2. No successful conquest can behaphazard. Therefore our conquest ofthe lost must be under the banner ofthe church. Even Paul was sent outby a church (Acts 13: 1-3). WheneverPaul made converts he established thechurch. "Evangelism by the church for
the church" is a good motto. No matter what our earthly calling, we mustgive our hearts and hands to fulfillthe great commission (Matthew28:19, 20) for the building up ofthe church. Generally speaking, "freelance" evangelism is unscriptural.
3. In the body of Christ there isdivision of labor. Hence, ministers,elders, Sunday school teachers eachhave their function. But that does notrelieve mere church members of theirplace in evangelism. 'They that werescattered abroad went everywherepreaching the Word" (Acts 8:4). Thehearts, the hands, the tongues of everyredeemed person are the hearts,hands, tongues of Jesus Christ. Unlesswe speak for Him, He is dumb!
4. Every Christian ought to askhimself, "Does God want me to bea full time minister, missionary orevangelist?" The answer may be no.But, in view of the pitiful conditionof the lost, he ought to ask this question.
Discussion Questions1. John was a conscientious young
man. He wanted to do God's will. Infact he felt he ought to become amissionary. One thing was lacking a passion for winning the lost. Hedidn't have it, but wanted it. Howshould he go about to get it?
2. Suppose you had just led someone to Christ, but no help is given toget him into a good church. What islikely to happen to your new convert?
3. If the person in the previousquestion were truly saved, what difference could it possibly makewhether he finds any church? Hecan't be lost once he is truly saved.
4. In an average good church, isn'tit better to hire people (assistant ministers and trained workers) to do allthe calling than to have the membersdo it? Professionals are better trainedthan laymen.
5. It has been the practice in manyevangelistic crusades to ask youngpeople to stand up and pledge themselves to the foreign mission field. Doyou approve of this? Why?
ConclusionToo often, in their eagerness to ac
quire a good education, Christianyoung people cut themselves loosefrom the church. The churches theydo attend are often Christ-denyingchurches - really no churches at all.The result is the tragic loss of assur-
The Presbyterian Guardian
<\
ance. Very often their failure in thespiri~al leads to failure in the academic,
Our highest calling is to be Christians - good Christians. And thatmeans good witnesses. How can weexpect to be successful at our secondary callings if we neglect thehighest calling of all?
Kings and Queens UnderGod (VI)
Our Cultural Task
Scripture: Colossians 3:5-17
IntroductionIn our first lesson we learned that
the good world God created stillneeded the labor of man to make outof it what God wanted it to become.Subsequently we saw that sin and thecurse did not change the nature ofman's assignment to subdue the earth.It only made it harder.
In modern times amazing progresshas been made in subduing the earth.Ambitious young people may betempted to cry with Alexander because there are no more worlds toconquer. Don't! With all the progressof recent years, our cultural task isfar from complete. We still havefrontiers to subdue. The work is harder, but the rewards are great. We shallconsider the whole task in this lessonand then break it into its parts in theremaining lessons of this series.
Body of the Lesson1. Our cultural aim - to write the
name of Jesus over every legitimatehuman activity. "Whatsoever ye do inword or deed, do all in the name ofthe Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17).Whether it be in education, medicine,government and law, the arts or thesciences: there is a Christian reasonand a Christian way to labor. AnyChristian who does not seek to useChristian means to gain a Christianend is delinquent in his duty.
2. The driving force - love forGod and man. The ten commandments are not just to practice inchurch. "Six days shall thou labor anddo all thy work." "Love worketh noill to his neighbor: therefore love isthe fulfilling of the law" (Romans13 :10). For this reason we should
March 25, 1960
beware of setting our hearts on material gain. Earlier we spoke of thedivorce between work and pleasure.This need not be: for if we work forthe love of God and man, we willfind our pleasure in our work. "Theworkman is worthy of his hire," butGod and right-thinking men despisethe "hireling" (John 10:12,13).3. The challenge - invest your talents where they will bring the largestreturn to your Lord and Master. Theparable of the Talents (Matthew25: 14-30) has an application to yourlife work as Christians. In almostevery field of honest labor there is ascarcity of Christians higher up. Thisis true in politics, in the arts, and inthe sciences (to mention only a few).Christians, on the average, are ascapable as non-Christians. Add to thatthe fact that they have a bigger andbetter reason for working hard andexcelling, that they have higher values - know what they are about andwhere they are going. Why, then, areChristians doing so few big things inthe world?
Discussion Questions1. There has been immense scien
tific advance in our generation. Butthe "progress" is in the wrong direction. Illustrate this in the field ofatomic physics.
2. In certain businesses it is accepted practice to "pass money underthe table." "It's not wrong. Everybodydoes it," they say. How is a Christianbusiness man to write the name ofChrist over such a business?
3. A Christian young woman belongs to a union which is on strike.The placard says, "This company isunfair to organized labor." Is sheright in taking her turn at picketing?Why?
4. If we are not working formoney, but for the joy of servingGod, is it ever right to quit a job fora higher paying one?
5. In what way does the parable ofthe Talents apply to your choice of alife work?
ConclusionThe choice of a life calling is both
important and difficult - difficult because there is so much to choose from,important because you have Christ tothink of. He's counting on you. Areyou going to let Him down? Whileit is becoming increasingly hard tofollow certain occupations as consistent Christians, we must ask our-
selves whether it is right to leave allthe important and critical areas to thefollowers of the god of this world.Are we the salt of the church or thesalt of the earth?
Lynne Wade IIIRequests Prayer
A blood tumor removed from theright shoulder of the Rev. E. L.
Wade on March 3 proved to bemalignant (an internal tumor removed in major surgery last springwas also malignant) and the prognosis is not at all encouraging. W riting from Guam in mid-March, hesaid, "I certainly stand in need of thespecial prayers of my brethren . . .How long I live depends on howwidespread it is and how I respondto treatment, the doctor says. I'd liketo stay here as long as possible.
"Anyway, we'd greatly appreciatethe prayers of the church for the obvious personal need of healing, andgrace to bear up under whatever God'sprovidence is for us, to His greaterglory ... and certainly that our workhere will not suffer, but may continueand prosper to God's glory and Hisbeloved sheep be cared for . . . OurGod is able. I really feel wonderful,better than I've felt for years, although I'm going harder than ever.On the other hand, I already haveanother small tumor and there areother signs that aren't so good ..."
Orthodox Presbyterian missionaryWade, supported by Protestant Reformed churches, has two radio programs on Guam. In addition to a fullschedule of services on the Lord'sDay he has a teaching ministry atCamp Busanda that includes a"School of the Prophets" and besidespastoral calling an unceasing labor ofpersonal evangelism that has beensignally blessed of the Holy Spirit.
It is probable that Mr. Wade maybe required to return to the Los Angeles area for treatment. With him onGuam are his wife and two youngestchildren. A married daughter and ason are in the States, and his parents.
(Ordinarily we wouldn't mentionit, but in the letter which brought theaboue news was a check from Mr.Wade bringing his monthly "giftpledge" for the GUARDIAN up to date.This time we'd like to say "thank you,Lynne," right out loud.)
59
Wh~r~ We Haven't BeenBy HARVIE M. CONN
If Mr. Conn, home mIssIOnary inStratford, N. f., and candidate forKorea, seems to be needling us in thisarticle, he will doubtless agree thatso he is. We think he makes his point.
"All the prayer you can utter must be accompanied by allthe work you can do."
Great worthies of the church havelong been troubled about where
the church is going. There have beendissents about the future of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in these samepages. I have great sympathy withsuch dissenters. Being a heresy hunterfrom the word go, I am as concernedabout doctrinal problems in the churchas the next man. But there is something that disturbs me even more.It's not so much where we are goingthat gives me the trouble as wherewe haven't been.
For one thing, we haven't been inthe United States. From 1950 to 1956the Roman Catholic Church hasshown a percentage gain of membership of 20.7. The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod has grown, duringthat same period, by 23.9%, theSeventh Day Adventist 19.3%, theSouthern Presbyterians 22.3%. Iheard a vague rumor the other daythat the Southern Baptist Church hasbeen adding one new congregation aweek. And the Orthodox PresbyterianChurch? In last year's "Minutes ofthe General Assembly" there was onenew mission work listed, that ofStockton, California. The Presbyteriesof New Jersey and Philadelphia hadhad no new recognized mission worksin the past four years. Other Presbyteries could show perhaps a littlebetter record. New congregations havecome into being in our church duringthe past decade but they have come,for the most part, from other denominations, seeking entrance intoour fellowship. The only Presbyterythat shows real patterns of growthand expansion from the point of viewof new works and preaching stationsis the Presbytery of California.
That is what disturbs me. Andapparently it disturbs others as well.How can the Presbyterian Church inKorea ("Koryu" Group) with whichour missionaries labor, grow from astruggling group of less than a hundred churches after W orId War IIto a denomination of 600 churchesand 16,000 communicant membersin a little over 15 years, and th :Orthodox Presbyterians stand still,comparatively speaking? Why do wehave to issue appeal after appeal for
mission funds to support our work?How long are those poor souls whoappeared as missionary candidates inth~ Febru~ry issue of the Messengergomg to SIt around on their verandasbefore we scrape together enoughmoney to get them to Eritrea, Korea,and Formosa? The Urbans go becauseof money outside of our church. TheGeneral Secretary makes a trip to enlist outside support for the Conns.Why? What happened to the insidesupport?
Questions that DisturbIt is a disturbing pattern. Maybe I
had better take off my dark glasses,but the picture I get is of a churchthat talks big and prays little, ofpastors who are kept so busy withlocal works they seem to lack abilityto get beyond them. We seem to besuffering from tunnel vision. We can'tlook off to the sides, only to thefront. In the eyes of the church, missions is often thought of as the concern, the private, vested interest of aCommittee in Philadelphia, that meetsmmy times during the year to askthemselves, Why? A good question,I admit. They have also given gooddirections recently as to How. Theonly question that remains is When?
My attention was drawn recentlyby a layman in one of our churchesto a very sad thing, if true. He hadgone to his pastor to ask about doingcalling work in the community andhad been discouraged. The pastordidn't think he was ready. Anotherlayman told me he would like tostart a branch work in his neighborhood, but was almost positive hisSession would discourage it becauseit would reduce the attendance of themother church. So he didn't botherto ask. Why try?
What is the reason for all this? Isit that there are not enough opportunities and places to reach out? OurCommittee does not share that opinion. Their cry is that there are toomany, and not enough money. Inwhat has been thought by many to be
the physical center of our work-thePhiladelphia area, we find mushrooming suburbs and new cities rising upovernight. Mushrooming churches?Plenty of Mormons, Seventh DayAdventists and others, and one lonelyOrthodox Presbyterian mission work(Hatboro) in the reputed center ofthe greatness of the church.
Is it that there is not enoughmoney? To be sure, we can't hiresummer workers as we should becausewe are troubled by the shortage. OurCommittee drafts good and worthwhile plans to expand our movementwith the least amount of funds. Wehave to go outside the denominationto get the Urbans and the Conns tothe foreign field, and who knowswhere we'll have to go to get thenew recruits out.
Prayer and VVorkWhat is the answer? Pardon a very
pious phrase, but there isn't enoughprayer, and there isn't enough work.Our pastors do not pray enough aboutmissions (the writer of this articlecertainly doesn't). Our churches donot pray about missions (except Sunday morning when the preacher mentions "those who labor in foreignlands") . Our people do not havemissions as one of the greatest burdens of their heart. We play at prayer.We generalize and steam and createan atmosphere of low visibility, butwe don't sweat at prayer. We maycreate the most exegetically soundposition for praying without ceasing,but we still haven't done it.
Every spiritual program, if it isgoing to work, must be supported anddefended by definite, particular, earnest, believing prayer. Dwight L.Moody once said that "every Godcalled man and every God-plannedenterprise must have praying folk topray out the problems." We lack thefirmness of step needed in prayer. Welack the particularity of prayer. Whydoes Billy Graham attract thousandsto his meetings, and to the preachingof the Word? Certainly much of it is
60 The Presbyterian Guardian
method. But method is never successful unless it is accompanied by prayer.Have you ever heard a fundamentalist brother speak of saturating asermon or a church with prayer? Iused to chuckle at that language. Idon't any more.
There must also be work as well.All the prayer you can utter must beaccompanied by all the work you cando. Do we work at missions? Iseriously question it. Our students atSeminary worry about whether therewill be a church for them when theyget out of school. They don't feelthey will get a call. A call comes froma vision, and one of the best ways toget a vision is to go look for one,down a street, ringing doorbells, challenging men for Christ. Talk aboutmissions is as cheap as talk about anything. One thing will produce resultsin the missions lag of the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church: a prayer-backed,prayer-saturated campaign of hard,honest work.
Ministers must start looking for afield in their backyard that may bewhite to the harvest. Sunday schoolsmust think in terms of branch Sunday schools. Sessions must think interms of new fields to conquer forChrist. No one ever accomplishes anything, just sitting. Making progressrequires movement on somebody'spart. As I said, it's not where weare going that gives me most of mysleepless nights. It's where we haven'tbeen. People and churches who sit inrockers are making some sort ofmovement but it's not very forwardlooking.
Let's pray that God will give ourchurches the forward look for the1960's!
Korean l:hallenge (from p. 56)
movement, and in 1959 they addedthe Rev. and Mrs. Alvin Sneller.
Four denominations or agencies arenow committed and cannot be calleddisinterested bystanders. Only Godcan judge as to the extent of the responsibility each has had in the creation of the present situation. Certainlyit behooves those committed to knowboth the nature of their commitmentand the nature of the cause withwhich they are involved. Is it something from which they are not quiteready to retreat, but to which theyas yet are not ready to give wholehearted support? Or is it something
March 25, 1960
in which they have been actors, however minor the role, from the beginning, and to which they have a responsibility, along with their Koreanbrethren, a responsibility from whichthey may not turn back, once havingput hand to the plough?
There are those who feel that sucha Korean church as the "Koryu"group needs no further outside helpand that in the program of worldevangelization efforts could now better be spent elsewhere. They fear lest,with limited funds and personnel,they may be binding themselves to atoo local and circumscribed programfor some years to come. The questionthus becomes: should the four missions involved retreat? or adopt aholding action? or advance vigorously?No Turning Back
To the writer there can be but oneanswer: we dare not surrender thisbeachhead in Korea. Our impetusneeds to grow rather than to fall off.If those who have such historicalstakes in Korea fail to send reinforcements I fear this most commendablemovement will have to go very muchalone, while others are being builtup with funds and personnel fromthe West. We know that the Lordwill not forsake it, but it is the Lordwho has put the solitary in families.I pray that the work may not sufferby the default of us who more thanany others may be considered theirbrothers among the families of denominations.
The Independent Board's first"new" missionaries arrived lastAugust, but five of those they onglnally sent are now off the field andanother may retire soon. The Christian Reformed Church has consideredsending missionaries to Korea buthas not yet done so. W orId Presbyterian Missions have two couples inKorea, and the Orthodox Presbyterians, three. Now the latter body isdoing work in four different countriesand we cannot expect many replacements for this field alone, but darethe Orthodox Presbyterian Churchsay "No more"?
In summary, we have in Korea anindigenous Oriental church which has
Main Building
of
Koryu Seminary
in Pusan
consciously chosen the gospel "according to the Scriptures" as its sword.This "Koryu" Church is self-supporting and self-propagating. Already ithas sent one couple to Formosa towork among the Hakka people andthere was actually talk on the floorof the General Assembly last fall ofopening work in Japan, where it hasKorean connections, speaking Japanese, with whom it can work. It hasother contacts in North Korea nowunder Communist domination, stillothers in China and Russia, speakingthose languages.Our Koryu Brethren
While it has the desire to throw offbeing a receiving church and to become a sending church, its membersare conscious of their weaknesses. Korea has long been cut off from therest of the world and there is a natural timidity as the church seeks toprobe the "regions beyond." We ofthe West, with our longer experiencein missions, can work with them, encouraging and strengthening them inthis holy purpose. Its members areconstantly saying, "But we have notthe training to go as missionaries,"and when we consider the woefullyinadequate staff of teachers and equipment in our Christian High School,Bible Institutes, College, and Seminary, we must sympathize with thisfeeling of insufficiency in preparation.
Are we going to stop with sympathy, or are we going to send menwho can help train them and who canwork with them in the great task ofmissions? A recent visitor from Afghanistan, after seeing the work here,said perhaps the key to the problemin that country might be Oriental missionaries such as the Korean Christians he had seen. In the "Koryu"Presbyterian Church we now see amovement of some stability whichcontinues to demonstrate its loyaltyto Reformed standards and its obedience to Christ above all else. To thewriter Korea, and especially the workhere with which we are associated,could easily be the key to the evangelization of neighboring lands, andeven of the Orient and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Such isChrist's commission.
Recent Events at Westminster
EDWARD J. YOUNG
A Student ReportsWestminster Seminary students
were recently privileged to hearDr. Kenneth L. Pike of the WycliffeBible Translators and Professor ofLinguistics at the University of Michigan. Dr. Pike delivered four memorable addresses to students and faculty,combining a fascinating and expertaccount of problems connected withthe translation of the Bible intovarious languages with a rather directchallenge to his hearers to considerseriously this work as a possibleavenue of service.
In his first lecture, "Culture Structure and Bible Translation," Dr. Pikemade very clear the importance of understanding the cultural backgroundof the language in which translationwas being attempted. He consideredthat one reason why missionaries hadaccomplished apparently so little inMoslem countries, for example, wastheir failure to penetrate Moslemcustoms and ideas and so to communicate the gospel accurately and clearly.His second address, held in CalvaryChurch, was of more popular natureand outlined the history of the Wycliffe Translators. He emphasized thatChrist's commission included even thesmallest language groups, each ofwhich occupies a unique place in thetotal display of God's diversified creation to His glory. It is these of tenneglected groups which are the specialobjectives of the Wycliffe personnel.
A third lecture dealt with the"Nature of Meaning and Bible Translation." Dr. Pike explained how, inlanguages which had no words toexpress Biblical concepts, new meanings had to be deliberately importedby translators into already existingwords, even as the writers of Scripturehad done in their situation. In hisfinal lecture Dr. Pike demonstratedsome of the problems of pitch inlanguages, showing that the Englishlanguage itself has a highly complexsystem of pitch. With pointed illustrations he warned his hearers that voiceinflexions convey a speaker's attitudeand meaning often without his knowledge and even in spite of his words.Hence on the mission field or in theministry as well as in everyday lifethe pitch or tone of voice inevitably
62
betrays character and therefore greatlyhinders or assists in Christian work.
Although some may have felt thatthe lecturer's appreciation of the importance of academic theological studywas inadequate, no one listening tohim could fail to appreciate his veryable penetration of linguistics as wellas his own missionary zeal for Christ,or to see his point that seminarygraduates with a knowledge of theoriginal languages of Scriptures couldmake a more significant contributionin Bible translation.
Day of PrayerWestminster's annual Day of Prayer
was held the first week in March.Beginning with residence groupsmeeting for prayer before breakfast,class and faculty groups gatheredduring the morning to pray for theSeminary. Later various matters concerning prayer were discussed withthe speaker of the occasion. Facultyled prayer groups assembled at 30'clock to pray for the church at large.
Guest speaker for the day was theRev. Morton H. Smith, former vicepresident of Belhaven College. Withthe theme of "A Minister's Self-Examination," in the morning Mr. Smith
IS IT true that the Old Testament isirrelevant for contemporary preaching?Edward ]. Young, Professor 0/ Old Testament at Westminster replies: Christianity isrooted in history. The Old Testament ispreparatory to the New and both areessential parts 0/ God's revelation. Hewho does not know Moses and theProphets cannot preach Christ.Professor Young is one of a company ofdistinguished scholars who compose thefaculty of Westminster. Qualified students of many denominations receive aunified course of study designed to prepare rhem for a ministry relevant to ourday and faithful to the infallible Wordof God.Courses leading to the B.D., Th.M., andTh.D. degrees are offered.
discussed motives for the rrnmstry.Pointing out that false motives couldinvolve money, popularity, fame orthe wish of someone else, he indicatedthe right motives to be a love forChrist (John 21: 15), a love for sinners, and a desire for the glory ofGod. Qualifications for a minister arebasically that he be a believer, that hemanifest true Christian love andhumility, and that he have a love forthe truth. Seminary life, he emphasized, should be the time of greatestspiritual growth and knowledge.
His evening message was an inspiring address on "The Kingship ofChrist." After presenting the witnessof the Bible that He is King - Hisdivine sovereignty and mediatorialkingship as Messiah - and as to thecharacter of His kingship - its power,grace, and glory - Mr. Smith pointedout that the implications for servantsof Christ are obedience to His laws,dependence upon His power, trust inHis goodness, and the advancementof His kingdom.
Kik on EcurnenicityAnother speaker early in March,
guest of the Student Association, wasthe Rev. Dr. J. Marcellus Kik, recently resigned as associate editor ofChristianity Today, who addressed thestudent body on "The Biblical Mandate for Ecumenicity."
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In carefully chosen words, and witha manifest attempt to be fair to allsides, Dr. Kik spoke first of theecumenical aims of the NationalCouncil of Churches. He consideredthat, despite denials to the contrary,the real goal of this ecumenical movement is to organize one "state church"which would exercise a powerful influence on the state itself and whichin turn, through the World Councilof Churches, would become a "worldchurch" with worldwide influence.
Contrary to common ecumenicalism,Dr. Kik insisted that the answer tothe problem of unity is not a diversityof worship, but one kind of worship.The New Temple of Ephesians 2:1922 is as unified in this respect as wasSolomon's. Refusing to admit that denominationalism is of itself necessarilya sin, he nevertheless firmly statedthat the unity which Christ prayed forin John 17 is a visible unity, "thatthe world may believe." Evangelicals(including Reformed groups) havenot put sufficient value on the burdenof this prayer, but the fulfillment asseen by the modern ecumenicals a world organization without unity indoctrine - is not in accord with theunity between Christ and the Fatherwhich it is the church's task to reflect.Where there is adherence to sounddoctrine, there is unity, he stressed,and only there. The official pronouncements of the ecumenical movementindicate only a "social gospel," - aprogram quite similar to that of Socialism or Communism, whereas thechurch's. task is to preach redemptionto the world and to teach the wholecounsel of God.
Actually, Dr. Kik stated, there is areal unity among all true Christians,but we must. work to give expressionto this oneness, to give more visibilityto the invisible church. As the earlychurch wrestled with the question ofthe person and natures of Christ fora century, so evangelical Christianstoday should be willing to strive toresolve doctrinal differences by suchmeans as conferences, round table discussions, correspondence and otherliterature. Since evangelicals have acommonly accepted norm or standard,the infallible Scriptures, where theBible is so received as authoritativethere exists the opportunity for working at true ecumenicism.
J. A. McINTOSH
March 25, 1960
Portland, Ore - Mrs. RomerEnfield, wife of one of the deaconsof First Church, Portland, Oregon,recited from memory this originalverse at a farewell gathering shortlybefore the Rev. Carl Ahlfeldt left forhis new labors in Oklahoma City,where his family will be joining himat the close of the school year.
We present it not only as a deserved tribute to one faithful pastor andhis family, but also as a heartfeltexpression of the feeling that comesto every congregation from time totime when a beloved undershepherdmoves to another place of God'sappointment.
TO THE AHLFELDTSIt just couldn't be trueThat it really was you,The folks who were going away;But how could this be?We just couldn't seeHow you could go and leave us this way!
But then we knew you'd no choice,You must heed to the voiceOf the One who gives the commands;If it means leaving all,We must answer the callOf Him who holds all in His hands.
So we'll just say "good-bye" And not question "why?"But trust Him who is wiser than we;And we know that some dayWe'll see all things His way,When our dear Savior's face we shall see.
As we bid you adieuFolks are praying for you,That the good Lord will watch over you;May He stay close beside you,And tenderly guide youAnd keep you in all that you do.
What a joy it must bringIn the work of our King,To serve Him in all that you do;To give every dayTo show others the way,And teach them of Him who is true.
There are those you have shown,Who might never have knownThe way of salvation from sin;We give thanks to our LordYou have taught them His word,And the Savior has taken them in.
You have taught us to loveHim who all else aboveIs the sweetest friend we've ever known;You have showed us just whyHe was sent here to die,How He loved us and called us His own.
We give thanks, truly meant,For the hours you've spent,For instruction you've given us all,For the visits you've paid,And the calls you have madeWhen it wasn't too easy to call.
So with hearts filled with love,And with memories ofThe fellowship sweet of each year,We've a feeling insideThat we just can not hide,As the time of your parting draws near.
In our hearts you've a placeEven time can't erase;The thought of your leaving brings pain;But since you must go,It's a comfort to knowThat our loss is the other folk's gain.
There are tears in our eyesAs we say our good-byes,For we'll miss you in so many ways;No words can impartWhat is deep in the heart,So, good-bye, may God bless you always!
HELEN ENFIELD
Chula Vista, Calif. - DavidMark was born to the Rev. and Mrs.Jack J. Peterson on January 21. Hewas welcomed also by two sisters.
West Collingswood, N. J. After 45 years of devoted service tothe church Mrs. Alice Martin resignedas organist and was honored at a surprise testimonial dinner. Mrs. DeanNold has been appointed organist,with Mrs. Ethel Moule assistant.
March 13 marked the farewell services for the Rev. Carl J. Reitsma,who left with his family on the 15thfor a few days with relatives inMichigan before taking up his newduties in Cedar Grove, Wisconsin. OnMarch 5 the annual congregationaldinner was held at the Collmont, atwhich time the Reitsmas were presented with a check and a Seth Thomas Chime Banjo clock. Members received during the past year wereguests of the church.
Silver Spring, Md. - KnoxChurch was saddened by the suddendeath of Mrs. Mary A. Andrae inJanuary. Her late husband was one ofthe first elders of the church. Recentmissionary guests have been the Rev.Harvie Conn at the fourth annualyouth missionary rally in March attended by more than one hundred,Mrs. Francis Mahaffy, and the Rev.
63
or
PFLLA PUBLISHING INC. PFLL~, 10\\ A
WM B, EERDMAN'S PUBLISHING CO,255 Jefferson Ave.. S. E. Grand Rapids, Mich.
In Canada send $1.50 with your name and address tOISPEELMAN BOOKHOUSE
., Lippincott St E. Weston, Ontario, Canada
History
INTRINSIC RElATION?
God that we in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church expect him to be, hemust have available the books andperiodicals that are currently issuingfrom the presses. He must know whatother evangelical scholars are saying,and what the non-evangelicals areputting forth also.
Unfortunately, most of our ministers need to expend their paycheckfor the necessities of physical existence. It is difficult to find that sparetwo dollars for the annual subscription to the Westminster T heolo gicalJournal, to say nothing of an impossible $4.95 for the latest worthwhilebook by a Reformed scholar. Here isa suggestion for church budget makersthat they may still have time to use:an item of a few dollars per monthto be expended by the pastor on theological literature. This item shouldnot be a part of his salary and shouldonly be available to pay for booksand periodicals. Many churches provide an item to cover travel expensesof the pastor. Is not a fund for necessary literature equally worthy?
L. E. KNOWLES in the"California Presbyterian"
"Christian Perspectives 1960" Dr. Runner says, tllfhad clearly seen what the Word of God really is, and
SIC RELATION TO THE WORLD OF LEARNING.. ,"
On page 141 ofthose early fathersthus seen its INTRINand on page 145:
.. 'REASON' DOES NOT EXIST: THERE IS NO SUCH THING."
Three lect~lres by this scho.lar, Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College; three byProf. F.arrls, Professor of Hlst~ry at Knox College, Toronto, Canada; and three by Dr.Van Rtesaen, Professor of Pb ilosophy at the Technical University of Delft in TheNetherlands, were given at Unionville. Canada to Canadian students prior to this schooly.ear which for many of them was to be in attendance at public, non ... Christian univeraitres, These lec!ures were sponsored by the Association for Reformed Scientific Studies,The authors g-ive a scholarly account of the relation of the Bible to Learning (Run.ner), History (Farris}, and Science (Van Riessen).Although these lectures are on a high plane of scholarship challenging the false idolsof learning with the dynamic of God's Word, they will be helpful to all Christianlaymen, students and scholars, and we have therefore published them in attractiveform in our "Pella Paperback" for the reasonable price of $1.50.We hope you will agree with some who have read it that this book, "Christian Per'spectives 1960", will prove to be the BEST BUY OF THE YEAR. .
In the U.S.A. send $1.50 with your name and address tOI I
from committees which visited Immanuel Church, West Collingswood;Community Church, Garfield; andGrace Church, White Horse. Presbytery also devoted over an hour to discussion of the Peniel question, andscheduled further discussion for theApril meeting. In other actions, twoovertures to the Twenty-seventh General Assembly were adopted. Onedeals with ministers not actively engaged in the ministerial calling. Theother deals with an action of a sisterdenomination, De Gereformeerde Kerken of the Netherlands, relative to theInternational Missionary Council.
RICI-IARD A. BARKER,
Stated Clerk
For the Budget
Working with a pair of pliers andsome baling wire may be fine
for the backyard mechanic of ModelT days, but the repairman for today'sautomobiles needs a set of toolsadequate for his needs if he is to beefficient. Your minister needs certaintools also. If he is to be the scholarlystudent and teacher of the Word of
John Johnston, soon to return to Formosa. At a family night programdeacon Max Beard showed color slidestaken during a recent European trip.
Men of the church are hoping tohave finished laying the tile on thebasement floor of the new buildingby the time of the all-age-groupMachen League area-wide ralliesplanned for April 9.
Presbytery of New Jersey
The February stated meeting of thePresbytery of New Jersey was held
at Faith Church, Pittsgrove, on February 27. The meeting began with adevotional service in which the Rev.Dr. Meredith G. Kline discussed thesimilarities between the covenantgiven by God to the Israelites at Sinai,and ancient treaties between suzerainsand their vassals.
Eighteen ministerial members,twelve elder commissioners, and ninealternates were present, making a record attendance. The Rev. Robert E.Nicholas, of the Presbytery of California, and the Rev. Harold Hight,of the Bible Presbyterian Church, wereseated as corresponding members.Moderator Albert G. Edwards, III,presided.
The call of Calvary Church, CedarGrove, Wisconsin, to the Rev. Carl J.Reitsma was approved by Presbyteryand accepted by Mr. Reitsma. Thepastoral relationship between Mr.Reitsma, and Immanuel Church, WestCollingswood, was dissolved as ofMarch 15. The Rev. Calvin A. Buschwas elected to Presbytery's YoungPeople's Committee to replace Mr.Reitsma.
The call of Calvary Church, Ringoes, to the Rev. W. Lee Benson, whohas been serving as stated supply, wasapproved by Presbytery and acceptedby Mr. Benson. He will be installedas Pastor by a committee of Presbyteryon March 27.
Presbytery instructed its ForeignMissions Committee to seek to promote four missionary objectives related to Korea: (1) translation of Reformed literature into Korean by students in this country, (2) publicityfor the Korea Theological Seminary,(3) books for the college and seminary libraries in Pusan, Korea, and (4)more funds for publishing Reformedliterature in the Korean language.
As part of Presbytery's program ofchurch visitation, reports were heard
64 The Presbyterian Guardian