The-ag azm e

J. B. Chapman, D. D.' . E d i t o r

V OLU AtE 7 DHCEMUiis, 1932 N umhf.r 12

THE PREACHER AND POLITICS. . . v B y T h e E d ito r

" T T T y IIE N the canker of jealousy has commenced to cat. at a preach- er’s heart it usually shows in his attitudS toward his brethren.

V V There is almost as little hope for a preacher who. has been dis­appointed in his ambitions at of any class there is. For such a one usual­ly bccom cs censorious and claims he has not had a square deal. Others have outstripped him. bccause they had had a “ pull,!’ so he occupies him­self with calling attention to the fact that many of the useful evangelists are “ rich,” and that the popular pastors “ use politics.” He is not really a 1 bad man and does not start falsehoods, but it is quite easy for him to hear things “ through reliable sources." H<? does not peddle damning scan­dals, but ;he seems rather ready to pass along a report that might reflect somewhat upon a brother and subtract from his popularity. \

But I was interested to know what is’ meant in such connections when a pastor or other minister is said to employ politics;- for politics are both good and bad, you know. One definition o f politics is, "the science o f gov­ernment,’ 1 while another is, “ political intrigue or trickery.” T o merely say that a preacher is a politician docs not make clear, whether he is, a wise leader who is able and willing to give co-operation and on that account is the recipient o f co-operation on the part o f others or whether he is a crook who is wise to get more than he gives.

It made: me a little suspicious'to find that those most given to accus­ing others o f using politics were principally those who are themselves known as “ standing out on the edge of things,” so far as connectional, interests are concerned. And upon pressing the question I found they counted it politics when the evangelist gives attention to the Herald of Holiness, to the Sun­day school, and to the .various general, district, and local interests of the church, “ H e does that," it is explained, “ so he will get more calls for. meet­ings and so he will be recommended by the editor and by general officers of

334 Till-’ 1 'RKACllKR’S M,\r„\7,lXK

the church.” Then I found that they count it'politics'w hen a pastor loyally raises his District and Genera! Hudgets and ]juts himself out Jo assist in znne-rallies and dis­trict meetings,of various kinds'. "H e dot's that," it,is explained, “ to ingratiate himself with, the ^District Superintendent and pastors o f the district so that when he gets ready to move he wiil be offered a better place.’ ’ . In Sact, I found that practically this whole charge of politics resolved itself into a judgment of motives, for the things they said were done fyr political reasons were just the things that ought to be done. So 1 'decided that' practically all o f the charges of politics among preach­ers that I have been able to trace are based upon the disappointed ambitions of the complainers.

. Then 1 set in to wondering if it is realty, possible for a preacher to permanent­ly belter; his situation by “ political intrigue or trickery/' and t decided that it is

i, not. It is. not possible to fool the people and the leaders very much or very long and no*one knows this better than the preacher. “ Boosts” that are not based upon, facts do not generally help a prcacher. He must clinib on the. reputation o f work accomplished. Advertising soon runs out if the firm is unable to deliver the goods'.

But in order to be charitable, with the “ croakers” perhaps we should conclude, that after all they do not intend to criticize their brethren who are doing the work succe^sfully. Let us say that by politics they mean ‘ ‘ the science o f government,” and that they mean to say that the brethren in question have the ability and will­ingness to co-operate'w ith others and,as a recompense they.find a .good many who are willing to co-operate with them: that the, brethren of whom they s|)eak have lifted themselves out o f that class which, is willing always to receive, .btit never anx-

v ious to give, and that they have conic to the place where they are blessed and re­warded because they are doing what ought j o be done, and are doing it willingly;

' gladly, and with a free and happy heart. If this is what they mean, then w e pray for more politics in the church and for more preachers who are not too big or too proud to give themselves to the task of building on another’s foundation and ihen leaving their work in shape so that another can build on farther" after they are through; for the present and. future success o f-ou r government depends upon Our ability to find a great many just such preachers.

DEVOTIONAL

WALKING W ORTH Y OF OUR CALLING; By A. M. H il l s

" / therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you tp walk worthy o f the calling wherewith yr were, called” (Eph. 4:1, B . V .) ,

I TH EREFORE." ".Therefore," refers to the previous doctrinal section .o f the epistle.

_ which closed with a prayer and a cJoMlogy o f praise to the omnipotent Christ Jesus. "N o w unto him that is able to do c.tccedirtg abundantly above all that w ca sk or think, accorttins to the ■

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power 'that workcih m "«s, unto him lie .tlie'glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, unto alt gener­ations'forever'and ever. Amen.”

I . ' A'dfiVi’ we. all have u distinct call from inch ini Almighty Savior.-

Universal man is so fallen, so sottish, so dc-' graded, so! blind to self-interest, agd so madly at­tracted hy the world that iie must be loudly callcd to avi’ake fiom sleep and arise from the dead I ; - ' ■ • . ' .

"H o, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the

TlIIC I'RKACIIKli'S M A G A /IN h JSS

waters,- and lit1 1 hat liiitli 'no money ; come ye, buy, and eat; yea comeft buy . wine ailtl milk, without money . ami without price” '(Isa . !(S:I). “ Come unto me, all ye th.il labour, and art1 Jie;ivy'. laden, and 1 will give ydu -rest” (Matt. ir.2si>. "Wln'rvfoii' bo saith, Awake ihou, thal skcprst. and arise from the (kail, awl Christ shall give thee ■linhl’\(l£i>h. S:H 1.-■ When lh£ infinite C.od tails‘to us In - mercy and

love, w e. woufrl better listen as.for eternal..lift.

- II. ,'A'atfir -'/MK' God calls, , ■ ,-• 1. .By./imicfciKj;..' From lime Immemorial ‘ 'it 1 •lias pleased Clod, by (he foolishness of preaching to save..men,'1 Probably more art* called into ; the kingdom by (his means than any other, h •

' is. manifestly God's great ordinance for the salva- tion o f rticn. Jesus left as His parting message “ lhat repentance and remission of sins should be punched in his name among all nations begin­ning at. Jerusalem” (l.u k c 2-1:27), "G o ye (here-.** fore, and tearh all nations, bapiizing them in the ■'name, of Ihe Father, and ot Ihe Son1, and of:

, the lto ly i Spirit. ..-Teaching them to. -observe all things,'whatsoever I have commanded you ; .millo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, . Amen1' (M alt. 23:19, 20). Preach- inc is eminently fitted for salvation work.; The pulpit provides its occupant will) a throne pi in- ■■(Itience,. and an audience trained by centuries of fuetom .to listen for, .and exjiect -1 message -from the God of heaven. The sacrcdtte.'s of the-place,

H ie hallowed associations, the -peace 'and <juicl-- ness of the sanctuary, all rondure to arrest at­tention, start reflection, - quicken etmsdenee. and move the heart. The preacher wlm does not IJirill with the influence of such an occasion is too dead: himself to'preach (he life-giving gospel of the living God. The Holy Spirit makes use o f worshiping assemblies to cniivict sinners and lead multitudes to rcpcntance anil acceptance of Clirist for immediate -'salvation. We shall he sur­prised hereafter to'find-w hat millions have -been thus savet}. ' '

2. God calls- men into His kingdom by the (.■vents o f His providcrtfe— by biking awav the.. - health, and giving them instead sickness and pain.; by wmt' flood, or-Ore, or tempfest-, which '

sweeps away in an hour the hoardings of a life­time that had become an idol to win their love from G od; by calling a friend or companion by death, and leading them, to ask in alt seriousness, "W hat if death.-had taken me! would I have been ready to m eet 'G od ?” It was a flajh nl light­ning Wllirfg Alee, his friend, by (he side o f Mar­tin Luther, Chat aroused the great reformer'to a consciousness of his need of salvation. Il was the. sickness unto death 'of a baby that, helped Hew Clatencc Cornell o f Chicago to turn a fam­ily of .five to Christ one Sabbath afternoon.

\V. G od 'often calls men by the holy conver­sation o f Christian workers w h o . do personal, private w ork . In some states of mind, where the Holy Spirit has filled the workers and also prepared.the heart for the divine message, a few moments’ conversation, or even a single remark will pierce like a sword or stick like it barbed

.-arrow ami bring immediate, and astonishing re- suits! . ■ ■ ■ .

President Finney testifies that when he was. consciously fdled-with (he Spirit He could scarce­ly drop a remark on any subject without its having an. amazing effect, in convicting and con-

■■ verting souls. Adoniram Judson, journeying on horseback ■ in New England,' came, to a bridge- ■less .‘ Iream, and let his- horse drink... Just then .another man rode up from the opposite direction and did the same. While the horses were drink­ing,. Judson dropped a remark on the importance of thirsty men drinking "o f the water of l i fe " It led to the stranger's conversion, as m s learned years afterward. ; ' • . . . \

4, God calls souls, by reading a portion , of Scripture, or a tract, or a".religious book. Kil- l-.onrn and Cowman, immortal missionaries of the Oriental Missionary Society had small portions of Scripture printed in tract form and by the aid of Japanese converts distributed them over the nation; putting a portion of the Bible in every home in the land.' From all-evidence gath­ered they estimated thal 8,000 souls were con ­verted by that single distribution o f the Scrip- hire. God’s promise was verified: "M y word shall not return unto me void" (Isa. 55:11)

Who can tell how many souls have been won b y the prayerful distribution of gospel tracts?

PuhUihet] m onthly by .the N ow rene Publish ing H om e. I9 2 J T iooa t Ave., K am a* City, M u,■ ui'iiitnined by unct In the in te re s t ot tin; Church of the. N hiarene. Subscrip tion p rice $1.00 a vent. E n tered as *ccoml c la* i m n ttc t ill the Pc.«tof{ice n t Knn*i(» CUy. Mo. A ec»pt*nt» to r m»t(- Iiik hI apectal ra te ot p o iU g e provided (or in Section I 10), A ct of O ctober 3, 1917, a u th o f tw l December 30, 1925.

356 THE PREACHER’S M AGAZINE

The number would - doubtless - rcaclt - millions! Who could estimate the number saved by read­ing "Buoyan’s Pilgrim's Progress,” or "ltaxtcr’s Call to the • ’Unconverted" or “ AHeine’s Alarm” or the “ Dairyman's Daughter’1?

5,. Tlie Holy Spirit culls men into the kingdom of Christ by presiding over and directing in some

, unknown'way the reflections of their minds and the trend of their thoughts. Someone who has not thought for months or years o f the value of personal religion can suddenly think- of nothing eke! Someone Who has buried the memory of

.past sins in the grave o f forget fulpes;, suddenly becomes aware o f a resurrection, and the ghosts o f foul deeds and forgotten crimes will come out and stalk forth and point the finger of accusa­tion and reproach at the, guilty wretch and make , him feel that .his hour of retribution and doom has come. The Holy Spirit' has this notorious power over the soul, to convict of sin and the- judgment to come( and make .mortals feel the awful solemnities o f eternity, till they tly to the lon" despised mercy seat for pardon. By such and in sirdi ways art' men called.into the king­dom , of God. ■ . ’

HI. Xntifp io ivhat God calls1. A .message was sent to the people « f Rome

and the wicked city of Corinth, that they.were called "to hr .•Minis," It is <]uile fashionable in many circles to sneer at the idea of holiness and saintliness in this kicked world. Hut God did- not think so. He.had revealed a power of grace . anti salvation'in Christ Jcsus to make saints of the cruel, blood-thirsty Romans, and o f the profligate and notoriously unclean 'Corinthians. There were seven saints in the lustful Nero’s household (Rom , 1:7; 1 Cor. 1 : 2 ; Phil. 4:22).

2. VVe rend in ! TJiess. 4:7 and 2 Thess. 2:14 ;hat God has called us unto "stinclificatioit"

H ere is another word (Greek /uijjiijsmoj) which fashionable worldlings in the swell churches ut­terly abhor, and modernist preachers teach their . fashionable congregations to sneer at. But God put that Greek noun in the Sew Testament ten times.' Jesus prayed that His followers might Jiave it (John 17:17). The Standard Dictionary', defines it as: .“ The gracious work of the Hdly ■ Spirit whereby the believer is freed from .(in,

'and .exulted to holiness of heart and life:” - Nowif a man must be a "believer" So get it, then it must he (i ifcontl work of grace,

3. We are "called into the fellowship o f his- ■ Son jesus Christ ’ our Lord.” The Greek word ■

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translated "fellowship" is also translated "asso- ' elation" and ^partnership.1' What exalted ideas I

Tlie God of infinite holiness, Sovereign of the Universe, calls us miserable sinners to be iuio- riates o f the Crown Prince o f glory I /Vnd not only so; but also to be partners with Hifn.in all His sr hemes ami plans atid undertakings; part­ners with Him in His heroic efforts to save sin­ners, and revolutionize this lost world, and bring it back to holiness. Could a more exalted priv­ilege be conferred upon us?—and morel When Christ-rejecting men again crown Him with ’tjiorns and smite Him with their fists, and spit contempt in His face, and crucify.H im and His cause afresh', and put Him.arid'His pospel to an open shame, we are to go with Him’ in to 'th e judgment hall; anti be witnesses, for Him and His despised gospel of full salvation.- When big university professors and contemptible, traitorous preachers mock at His claims to deity, and sneer ■ at His atoning death and howl tlieir hate we arc to suffer in His suffering and say with the ccn -.’ turion, "Truly this was the Son o f G o d !" And reverently pray with the dying thief, "Lord, re­member me when thou, romest into thy kingdom 1"

4. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life .anti god-’ liness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to alary and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding: great -ami precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers tif the divine. 'nature, having ■ escaped the corruption that is in the Uw/rf through'lust (2 Peter 1:3, 4 ).

■S. Paul wrote to Timothy "Lay hold on eternal lift, whereunio ihou wast called" (1Tim. 6:12). .■

IV. In vieiv o f all these wonderful truths about the calls of God, and the abounding grace that accompanies them, the great apostle throws out this temler exhortation: “ I " therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, bcseech you that ye walk worthy of tlie vocation wherewith ye are. cailcri.". Do not belittle it; or tone it down, io please an ungodly. society around you. Do not say, “ God . asks too much o f us. VVe cannot live in. licen­tious Ephesus,' and .escape the. corruption , that is in the wottd through lust." “ N ot N o !" Say, rather, “ Since God is able to do exceeding abund­antly above all that we ask or think,” we w ill,

■draw on Hint fur omnipotent 'sanctifying grace, and start nut today to imitate Christ, and “ he holy in nil .manner o f ■lit'ing"—in the businefw mart as .well as in the closet; on week-days as well as on Sunday; in private as well as in pub-

THE PHKACHEK'S. M AGAZINE 357

lie. 1 will be a Christian where I am tiftJbnouni reinforced by the voiceless ivoice o f the Holyas where I am well known; as scrupulously care- Ghost, talking to you o f your spiritual .need,

, fu! -about my speech and behavior in the dark- 1 arid of the power of Jesus to supply .that peed,ness of midnight'a* in the' blazing light' o f noon- .This revelation brings Christ into the soul. W cday. By the helping uracc of al all limes, - becomc consciouj o ! His presence. H e becomes-in all places, and umli!r all circumstances I will the absorbing fact in our life." O be not dis-“ walk in his steps who did n o-sin ". <J.' obedient to the -heavenly vision. Say,. . ‘

“ A h !" says someone, "if I was only, called like "M y gracious Lord, I own thy rif-htSaul I” Dr. Bresee- answers, “ You have been , T o every service I can pay.railed in as effective a way. You have been And call it ipy. supreme delightcalled in a w a y to convince your judgment'; To hear Thy dictates anrf obey,you have been called by a historic religion, which ' . What is my being b u t 'fo r Theeis more convincing than a supernatural manifes- .. Its sure support, its noble end?tation. God speaks to you.through a vindicated ’Tis my delight Thy face to see

,'hich men and women And serve the cause, of such a Friend.”j* its power. It comes — D odiiriuck.

DOCTRINAL

JOHN WESLEY’S DOCTRINE OF THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT

B y Basil \V. M lU.r.K VIII. The W jtn e o of the .Human Spirit

CiMi'ifcji K;)Uh (Continued) .T T 7 T K TURN now from a discussion of

V V / (lit witness o! the Holy Spirit to■ ’ that of the human'spirit. For AVi'sley

each was as important as'the other, though in origin the precedence must be given lo the form­er. The two verified each other, and neither could exist without the other, except when one was first .'converted, and the testimony of the conscience as to the existence of the fruit o f the Spirit hud hot yet been given. The Spirit wit- 1 nessed to the filial relationship with God, the conscience confirmed it, and the resultant, tcsti-' mony as a joint witness was conclusive,,

1. ’ As we have noted in our previous discus: sion Wesley affirmed that si human witness of this relationship with God .was possible. From various passages in the New Testament .he de­velops his view us io the marks ot a Christian, He reasons,that when ohe has these traits of character lie is a Christian. This reasoning pro­cess, with the conclusion attained, is the testi­mony of the human spirit .that-one’s sins are for­given. It is the voicc of conscience concluding: that one possesses those essential characteristics

of the sons of God. This is an appeal to,human experience, based upon the reiiability o f the reasoning powers o f the mind, or on the rcliabil- -

,.ity o f the testimony o f the consciousness.’John states this doctrine in these words, “ Wc

knyw that wc have passed from death unto life,, because we love the brethren" ft . Jno. 3-: 14), and “ Hereby we know that ive are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him" (1 Jno. 3:1QJ. The text [orW esley ’s sermon on "The

, Witness of Our Own Spirit" bears the words, "the testimony of our conscicncc." Commenting

. upon such evidence a n d . the testimony c f^ ’the consciousness, he says, “ Notwithstanding which, it is evident, both ■ (he apbstle himself and all these pillars in God’s temple, were very far from despising these marks of their being the. chil­dren of G od ; and that they applied them to their own.souls fdr lhe confirniiation of their faith. Yet all this is no other than rational evidence, the witness of our own spirit, our reason or under­standing, It ail resolves into this: those that have these, marks a r c the children1 o f G od ; but we have these marks? therefore we are the Chil­dren of God,” 1,

2, Wesley makes the conscience the source of this human testimony. He constantly appeals to

’Sermons, Vol. I, p. 86, 87. .

I '■i ! - .* 358 ' ■ , ‘ TH lt l’ KRACHKR; . ■ . .i| the consciousness o f possessing the fruits of ’ righteousness, .of knowing lti.it one lives justly ; ;intl serves the Lord. Ofttimre lit: is indistinct* » ’■ us to his treatment o f conscietuc am! conscious- J ness, malting the consciousness o f having I ’lirtetian

■characteristics the voicc of conscience. He af­firms' Hut the'trijie seal of the witness o f the Holy Spirit is this testimony of one's mind thut lie lives as the Bible ind ication child of Cud should. ■ With reference to. this appeal to ex­perience h« states:

'.‘And with regard to (lie. outward marks of the' children of G o d ,. . . . you undoubtedly knyw in your own breast, if, by the grace o f God,! it . be-1

. longs to you. Your conscience informs you from- day to day, if you do not take the name of God

, within yoyr lips,.unless with seriousness and dc- | • .vution, with reverence and godly fear if.you 1 honor your father and mother; if you do to aii

as you. .would they .should do to "you, 'and if, whether you eat or drink, you are temperate therein, and do .all to the glory of God.” 1

Again! he says, “ Neither'is it questioned wheth-' cr there is art indirect witness or testimony that we arc the children o f God, This is "nearly, if not exactly, tiie testimony o f a good conscience

■toward G od; ami is the'result of reason’ or re-■ flection oil w h a t , we feel in our own souls. Strictly speaking, it is a conclusion partly drawn . from the Word of Cud anti partly from our own

- experience. The Word-' o f . God says; everyone who lias the fruit of the Spirit is a child o f 'G o d ; experience, ..or inw'ard consciousncss, tells ' me that I have the fruit o f the Spirit; hence. 1 naturally conclude, ‘Therefore f am a child of God’ .” 2 ' ■■ ■. . ! ' ■ . ' .

A further rjuotatibn on this point will clarify 1 his doctrine, “ And if he be directed thereby, (referring to Ihe Bible as the lantern for the

.Christian's feet), in fact: then hath he ‘ the an­swer of a good conscience toward Gmi.! ‘A good, conscience’ is ivh.it is elsewhere termed by the apostle, ‘a conscience void of offence.’ . This, im­plies four things; First a right understanding ol

■ the fliblc; {2) a. true knowledge of ourselves and (■31 ‘an agreement o f our hearts and lives,’ .of our tempers and conversation, o f our thoughts and wordSj and works with lhaf rule of faith,.with the written Word o f God. Fur'w ithout'this if we have any .conscience at all, if <-an he -only

'Serm ons, Vol. 1, p. .87. ,!Works, Vol. V, p. li!5,

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’S MAGA/.INK

an evil conscience. There is fourthly required■ an inward perception of this agreement with our

rule; and this habitual perception; this inward I'onstUHism'ss itself, is properly a pood conscience; or in the other phrase of the apostle, ‘a c o n -1 scicnre void, of offence,'tow ard. God anij toward .

.njanV". ' •We note here that this human witness is the

ti'Stimony o f Ihe conscience, and also the con ­sciousness, o f having fiie fruits'of the Spirit,. It .•

•fc; also a reasoning-from the- Hilrtc as f« whether :or not otir lives are conformed' to its standards. .

3... He now one-step farther. ; defining his doctrine to affirm that the human consciousness, attested, by Ihe conscience, stands as the arbiter o f our. (ilia! relationship with God, This con­sciousness. o f possessing-the fruits of the Spirit,, from which springs . Ihe testimony o f 'th e con­science, .has the-final seal to place .upon our as­surance; o f salvation. -He says, “ Now- tljis is

-properly the testimony of our 'own spirit; even th e . testininuy o f out own conscience, that God hath given us to be huly o f heart, and holy,in outward conversation,: -It is the consciousness ■ of having received,'. i|,i and by,the Spirit o f adop­tion, the tempers mentioned in the Word o f God,' as belonging to His adopted children . . . a con­sciousness that -we are inwardly conformed b y the Spirit o f God, tii the image of His Soil, and that we wall; in justice, mercy, and truth,'doing the tilings which are pleasing in bis sight.''’1

Wesley places this in his doctrine in order that his appeal. to human experience might be final. Conscience .might lie an indefinable entity, but none can question the fact o f consciousness, When the consciousness testifies that one is conformed tp the image o f Christ it is as-real as the larigi-' billty of the material universe* or jmy other fact o f human experience, But to connect the con­sciousness 'with'the Bible doctrine of conscience, he says that the "consciousness of possessing such

' traits, and being so conform ed,. is conscience's voice. Then when consciousness avow‘s that ofie ,

-is a child of God, its affirmation i*.as valid as when it testifies to other facts of.experience. The Spirit speaks tb the miiid, tlie consciousness, and this same consciousness, in' appraising the life by the standards of' God’s. W ord, says that the life U upright and holy. . Then: one is assured, with a knowledge which is both divine and

'.Sermons, Vol. f, p. 102, 3. ' ' .•Ibid,-Vol. I, p. «?.

1

t i i f , pu t ;.'

human, that lie. is a child of Grid; ; This.is the final test ol assurance , of personal redemption. Ic rn u fi-V in mind that Isis was a doctrine(if "I linoiv,” persona! experience. In appealing. (m consciousness, :! w:is his own consciousness . which 'became- the final verification of that doc-, trine which he found in Hit' Hible.' ■I. l.ce sums’ up the UVsleyat: doctrine o f the

human witne-s lo mif'.- adoption tlitis:■ '‘What is ‘the witness .of our spirit ? This is,

Our consciousness. of tlio furl thal the : Holy Spirit does hear witness tlint wc are. the children iif Clot). ■

“ 2. The. testimony, o f our own spirit is a. Rood' ■conscience toward fjod mid .ill jm'n, Conscience .taken. alone would not be sufficient proof, vet it is ■ an indispensable item in the chaii) iif evidence.

",1. Tht testimony of our own spirits arise.-,- from the peace and joy which reigns in .the hearts of true believers.

The descriptions 'given in the Word of ', o f the rb a n m by which sinners become.

Christians, clearly prove, th.it it is a fact to he' -tuiown by those who experience it. (U It .is represented as a tVansition from darkness lo. light..' (2) as a; release from imprisonment, (3)- as a moral resurrection.

"5. Another and- timd ground upon ’ which our spirits bcar-witncss, that wc are the children . of Clod, is a general, conformity to the require-

' mewls o f the Gospel.'”

.. IX .' T he T estimony uv tiik H di.ySrtRir- ,ixn ' t h e H i'm as - S p ir it ''

1. Tile', testimony' of the Holy Spirit and of the’ huiTian spirit finally unite to form one joint ■witness to adoption. Sufficient has been said !o■ make clear Wesley’s position an the distinctive' ness of these two witnesses, that we cannot’ ac-

■■ cusc him now of losing 'their identity in order to form a united or joint single assurance. , In

'writ inn of these two '-witnesses standing together be fays, “ Not as standing alone; not' as. a- single

•-witness; but as' connected with the other; asgiv.-- mg a jt’ini 1 a lim on y; testifying with our spirit that wc are the -children of G o d T h e s e two together verify each other, speaking separately, yet I hey twite in a single jo in t testimony that sottship lias been achieved! ' .

. It is this final'joint testimony 'which is the

‘Lee; Elements of Theology, pp. 205-7.‘Sermons, Vo!. V ; p. 131.

Cfi’S MAGA21.NK 35Q

' climax' o f Wesleys doctrine. Others have af- firmed-the existence o f the sifigle testimony of the Holy Spirit, c<r of the liiim.'in fpirit, but W es-' icy made , fiis jtrca'fest contribution -.of the doc- ■ ' trine .of assurance hy affirm trie (lie fad of the', joint testimony .of tlie two witnesses , to adop- tion. 1.other's doctrine,■ it is lo be remembered, was-characterized by its subjective .element, which if refined \yould be Wesley's witness- o f tile Holy "

.Spirit, Hut nowhere does he affirm the joint testimony of .these two elements.

2! As to nature of this joint .testimony Wesley Knew that it consisted in ;1 single, uniform, defi­nite assurance o f redemption. How it united he was not so cprtain. Hut he felt.thal the di­vine Spirit ojierated on the human mind, or con­sciousness,'and through,'these* combined forces assurance, resulted, ■ Wesley w o u ld aftirm as Curtis does-that it consists, o f Uiat "experience where the whole vision of sclf-consciousnoss is luminous with the spontaneous assurance that we have been adopted-as sons, and how. belong - in title and privilege and service‘ lo the house­hold of God, the Father Almighty.’.’1

.Wesley, writing ivilh a background of seven- . teen centuries in whirl) some of the greatest theo­logians o f Christendpn had produced their mas­terpieces/was certain of his theology, Hut mod­ern psychology was not yet born; hence he' ivas unable'la decipher the enigmas of mental func­tions .with the precision of- those who think in terms of the most recent psychological discov­eries. ■ . ■ ' ■ ' _ , . . .

While assurance is the result- o f : a. twofold witnessing, as a. state of-Ihe mind it . is unitary and hot double. Notwithstanding the.difference between the two witnesses and their modes of

' operation this single mental state. is resultant..Miley Says, “ There is. not one -form of assurance from ihe . witness of .the Spirit and another, from that o f our own spirit, but a single, simple state

o f confidence springing from the joint, witnessing o f the. two. 'Nothing- is really singular in this. Through many and widely diverse evidences wc may reach the certainty ol some, truth 'which deeply concerns us; the evidences are multiform, but in the eye o f the consciousness the assurance attained is purely unitary. So the assurance of sonlhip received from the joint testimony of the two witnesses is subjectively one. . . The two witnessing coalesce in a purely unitary state of

'Curtis, 0/>, a !., .i/0,

3f>0 TH E .PREACH ER'S1 M AGAZINE

nssurancc, wherein consciousness observes no dis- tinrtion between the tw o."' .

.1.' This final, united testimony becomes con­clusive as to one’s sonship. The testimony of the Holy .Spirit is added to that of the-human spirit-, uniting in " .t .luminousJassHiante of. (he entire consciousness that “ I, even I, am reconciled lo God." This is brought out frohi his definition • of_ (be witness of the Spirit. Speaking of the human spirit through consciousness being certain that one bears the marks o f the saris'of God, he asks, “ Whnt is that testimony of God's Spirit, which is superadded to and conjoint/I with this? . . . an Inward impression on the soul,. . .. that I am a child of G od; that Jesus Christ hath, loved me, and given Himself, far m e; and that' ail my sins arc blotted out, and even I, anj reconciled to God.’ 1' “ Should it still be inquired, H ow docs the Spirit of G od jbear withness with our spirit, that wc arc the children of God,’ so as to excludc all cloiibt, and. cvin.cc the reality .of our sonship,— the answer is clear from what has' been observsd above. , , Then a Christian can in ■ no wise doubt of his being a child of G od.”1

When this joint testimony is experienced one need never dou b t, the reality o f his filial rela­tionship with the Father Almighty. This is the climax o f Weslcy’sappeal, not onfy lo the Bibie, but to consciousness, and conscience, as the evi­dence of regeneration and sanctification.

4. This joint testimony can be, and is to bey verified by . the fruits of the . Spirit,, Wesley would place a check upon liis doctrine o f this joint testimony, , whereby it might be authenti­cated. He makes a. distinction. Which is not al­ways kept in mind: first lie affirms that th e . witness o f the human spirit is the voice o f con­science, or 'th e testimony o f the consciousness of possessing the marks of the sons of God, and. then he reasons that the joint testimony may be verified by the fruits o f the Spirit. 'H e writes, "W e assert, oh the contrary! that

the fruit o f the Spirit immediately springs from this testimony, not always in the same degree, even when the testimony is first given, nnd much less afterward.’11 Herein be affirms that when the testimony comes from the Spirit; therefrom develop fruits, or marks o f having the Spirit,

'Mitey, op. cit., Vol. II* pp. 350, 1. s.SermoMj, Vol. I, p. .87.'Ibid, Vol. I , p. 88.M erits, Vol. V, p. 125.

which corroborate or validate the testimony. Tills is true not only of the' divine witness but o f ihc joint witness also, which after all is the united psychical fact. When one has the unitary witness' o f ' llu-' two (estinioimS and tfieri finds hive, joy , peace, .brotherly love, patience; for-" giveness, mercy, longsuffering; a love for the house-of God,.and fyr the service of the Lord,, then lie believes that this joint witness to sonship is verified unmistakably.

This is another method of affirming that the joint, witness and the fruits of tlie Spirit ,are correlative, One cannot, exist Without the other. They arc mutually -dependent, 'fdr one without the flther is invalid;. Let him speak bn this score; “ Tw o inferences may, lie drawn from the whole:1 the first, let rtone ever presume to rest in any supposed testimony of -ihc.'Spirit, which is separate from the fruit of iL . . . The second in­ference is, let none rest in any supposed fruit o f the Spirit'without the witness.'"

'. Tlie Spirit in the heart, from which the witness o f (he Spirit comes, brings forth the'fruits of the Spirit. That one might never rest in cither without the reality of the other, the joint testi­mony without the fruits of righteousness, he says, ‘ ‘And’ when this has brought forth ite . genuine fruit,, all inward ami outward holiness, if is .un ­doubtedly tlie will of Him that.calleth us to give us always what T ic has once given; so that there is no need that wc should ever more be. deprived o f either .the testimony of G od’s Spirit or. the Testimony of our own, which is the consciousness o f walking in all righteousness and true holi- ncis’'5 or living, with the fruits of-the Spirit daily manifested in our lives. . ' ■

5> When Wesley has reached the finality of his statement, one other question vexes him, which is, as to whether or not one can doubt the, entire fabric o f his argument, the realily o f this consciousness of. a joint Witness. In modern psychological phraseology, is it an invention, delusion of the mind? Or as he would say, is it a delusion o f . the devil? the presumption of a natural m ind? This is his logic;.

"H ow then may the real testimony of the Spirit with our spirit, be distinguished from this damning presumption? >

"I answer, the-H oly . Scriptures abound with marks, whereby one may be distinguished from

'Sermons, V o l.. I, p. 100. ■’ Ibid '■ - ’

TH E 'P R E A C H E R ’S M AGAZINE 361

t|ie other, ' They describe, in the plainest man­ner, the circumstances which go before, which accompany,' the spirit o f a believer. W hoever, carefully weighs nntl attends to these will not need to put darkness for light.

“ Tlie Scriptures lay'dow n those clear,, obvious- marks, as preceding, accompanying, and follow­

ing that gift, which a little reflection would con­vince him, beyond all doubt, were never found in his souk For instance, the Scriptures describe repentance, or conviction ■ o f sin, as constantly, going before the witness of .pardon. ;

“ The Scriptures describe the being born of God, w’Jiich must precede the witness that we are His thildren, a s 'a 'v a st and mighty change. . : (the sinner) knows no time when he had need

, o f. such a ,change. By this also. . . . may he know1 that he is not. bom of the Spirit; that he. had never yet known G od; hut has mistaken the

'voice of nature for'the voice of G od.'"Along the same line lie goes o n .(a show that

the present evidences are as strong as these that, one is or is not born of the Spirit, irrespective o f I his witness, ■ He says tlie sinner knows he is vile, while ■ the Christian is holy. The sinner hates God, while Ihc Christian loves Him, The sinner, who says he has this witness must know in the depth of his heart that he is sclf-deceiverl: ■ As one knows the [lay from the night, So Wesley believes one may clearly be ccrtain of the differ­ence between 1 be witness and a delusion; “ There is an inherent, essential difference, between spirit­ual light and spiritual darkness; and be!ween the

Tight wherewith the sun of righteousness shines upon our heart, and that glimmering light which arises only Jrorn ‘sparks o f our own kindling:' and this difference also is immediately ;and d i­rectly perceived if our spiritual senses are rightly disposed.

“ T o require a more minute and philosophical account o f the manner whereby wc distinguish these and of The criteria or intrinsic marks, whereby wc know the voice of God, is to make a demand, which c'an never be. answered,’” ‘

He has reached the identical place from which he began his argument, the great “ I” know" of experience. There is no other criterion to him, than that o f the reality o f the conclusions o f the consciousness based , on experience, by which this doctrine can be verified,

6. Tlie last item of this doctrine which he

’ ibid, Vol. z, pp. as, 89;'ll'iil, Vol I, p. 90.

wishes lo eslablish is this: this joint witness may fluctuate in the so n 'o f God, but it is ever-abid- ing. Two .quotations .here will-suffice.. He writes, "Neither joy nor pcace is always at one stay; no, nor love; as neither is the testi­mony itself always equally strong and clear,’ ’ ' Here he would have us not doubt that there will be a changing in the degree, o f this witness. It is not ahvays at the same strong tide .of assur­ance. Many reasons for this variation exist. Prior habits are different in each one. Tempera­ments widely vary, some arc gentle; others.arc intense. Wide di/ferenccs exist in the intensity of conviction, and in the nature of the conver­sion crisis! All these facts have an influence on the strength o f the assurance (if the new birth.

. Likewise there are differences in the actual Christian life. Some are.stronger than others, and walk closer with the Lord in daily fellow­ship.” The prayer life, and the meditation upon the things of God vary among different Chris- . tians. Hence for .these reasons the .tide o f as­surance may vary in different individuals, and even fluctuate in the same person.

Miley expresses Wesley’s sentiment very well in the following words, “ The! witness of our own spirit cannot be ,1s strongly assuring where the ' experience and consecration are but slight a s ’ where they are deep and full. 'Further,.'the wit­ness o f the Holy. Spirit must usually correspond in the degree of its strength with that of our own spirit. A full assurance from His .witness­ing .where the actual Christian.life-is in a low state would not only be false to the truth, but would also be a . very serious peril to the soul. Yet, with all these reasons of variation; the com ­fortable assurance o f a gracious sonship is a common Christian privilege.” ' .

(J) While this experience may vary.in degrees o f clarity still Wesley believed that it is never

■ absent from the son o f God. It is ever-abid­ing, so long as one maintains his status before God as his son. Note the words of a previous quotation, “ S o 'th at tiicre is 'n o need that wc should ever more be deprived-of either the testi­mony of G od’s Spirit or the testimony of our own,’ '1 With these words he. closes his 'final krm on on “ The Witness of the Spirit’ ! wbicli is dated,. April 4, 1767. He hereby states the final tenet o f his doctrine.

'W orks, Vol. V, p. US.. :Miley, op. ch., Vol. II, p. 352.

'Su/mi, p. 97.

( « ) ■ ■ - ;

302 TH E PREACHER’S M AG AZIN E.

X . T in : S u m of W esle y 's - D o c tk w e ok tjik W itness or m t Spirit

'The doctrine in essence -is,this; Every 'child of God possesses the wilness of (hi* Holy Spirit anil of his own spirit (.hat, he is adopted into tlie family of God. The conscience forms the true,

.witness of the hnnjan spirit; whose testimony arises ‘ from the consciousness of exhibiting the.

..fruit of tlie Spirit .in one’s, life, 'Iliese two, the . divine iiiul the human.1 form, a joint .witness, whose unitary, assurance. I’aul describes as "The.■ Sjiiril itself beareth witness with our .spirit'-that in ' are thu children <ti G od.” While tllis joint

-testimony may vary in intensity anil .clarity, slill it is ever-abidini;, so' lonir a s : one .maintains his sonship relation with God,"

.This, was the heart of Wesley's theology, ami the keynote o f his doctrinal position. He tested every’ system 'by this dogma. If there was a place for the personal witness o f the Holy Spirit then lie acceptcd the doctrine,.' otherwise it was rejected.

■ X I. Tut; llr.ANM’, or T ins Doer r i n k roii. , VVr.sir.YAx T heology- ■ ■

. In . scholastic circles the Wesleyan movement is referred, lo us “ th e ■ evangelical revival,"- -anil such .in truth- it -was.- Wesley V activjly. gave birth

■ not. to .a doctrinal organization, nor to a. creed; but the vita l. interest o f Wesleyan workers was in evangelism. t Peter. Cartwright later expressed the essence of VYesleyanism- when h e• said, "A . ;

M ethodist preacher in ..those days,w hen he fe lt .: that God had called him to preachy instead of hunting up a college or a biblical institute, hunt­ed up a hardy-pony of a horse and some travel­ins apparatus, and with, his - library- always at hand, namely, Bible, Hymn Hook and Discipline,’ . lie started out, and with a text (hat npVer wore' out or grew .stale, he cried, ‘Behold’ the. Lamb of •God, that taketh away the sin of the world!'In this way he went through storms of w ind ,. ‘ hail, snow and rain, . . held his- horse .by the ■ bridle. , '.-slept with his saddle liaes--for.a .’pil­low, and his olii coat for a’ blanket.” ,

Hut it was this doctrine of the witness of the Spirit -which made evangelism possible. ■ These fiery preachers exhorted their penitents lo jeck the Lord until the Spirit witnessed. They knew . they were "saved and sanctified” - only when'they possessed this witness of God's and the human -spirit; The zeal of Methodism was tnhanccd by this doctrine. All those movements which are ; Wesleyan in o r ig in / such, as .Methodism, Ihe

;' (10)

Evangelical t IuiitIi orirani/cd by >Alhright; and the United Brethren church, as founded by Otler- bein, and ihe mure reirnl holiness bodies such as Ihe Free Methodists' and the Church of the Xazarene, owe thei,r• existence- and their peculiar emphasis upon "experimental religion" to this one’ doctrine of Wesley. This is their- shaping and molding dogma. .

When this tenet was removed from (heir doc- ■Irinal sla’leinenls Ihea they !os! thi'ir experimental emphasis upon religion. The heart of a “ know- , so salvation," as lln- modern' holiness movements, call it, is nothing other than redemption which lias been sealed by a direct, positive witness of God.’s -Spirit with m irspirits that .we. are’: the children o f God. Wesleyunism ceases to he such when this dottriiii'is .not made prominent.SAN ASllKIll, u.\ \s

B I B L I O G R A P H Y . ;I. l’ KlMAliY Sol’ KCt.S'' t. Wesley’s.Works!:- - '■

Wesley,' John, Journals, JO.. Parts, London,- - .1740-80,.

Journals, 2 -Vols,, New: York, '..1909-11.'. Xoh-f, ,on )hi' 'New , Testament, llristcil, 1775. ' . . v. ■' '

. , /'Aim Account of Chrhtian. I'crfrcllnn, Hristol, ! 7o;>, . "

'.Sermons, Edilimr' o f ' Waugh and Mason,- - ■ New .York, iS,H, '

l l ’orti',- 3- -Vols., Collected by himself*Bristol, 1771-/4. '!tl’orA'-vj 8 Vols., New Yfl/ki. 189«i. .

' ‘ .■Wesley, John and Charles, I ’o C t i c a l ^ W o r k f . , U Vols., Edited by-George Osborn, Lon-

’diin,\.188tn7:. ’ ■ ■ .! Wesley, John, /.iww*. Thoughts of. John

. HYi/ry, Edited l»v Janies H; JVtts, New York, Ifi*?!,. ’ ,

G . ' G r e e n , T h e I t /D -t1.' o f J o h n t i n i f C h a r l r \ [ '.IIW r y , A, . B i b l i o g r a p h y c o n t a i n i n g . an

■ e x a c t a c c o u n t o f all t h e - p u b l i c a t i o n s i s - ., '; Sited b y th e W e s l e y B r o t h e r s , L o n d o n ,

1S96. i \ v\ i . W o r k s b y M e J h o d i s t - T h e o l o g i a n s :

Banks, John S . , ' ,1 'Manual of- Christian , Theology; London ISO,?. . '

C u rt i s , O . A . , T h e C h r i s t u m F a i t h , N e w York, 1005.

Lee, l-Uther, E l e m e n t ! , o f T h e o l o g v , Syra­cuse, 1888. ’ ■ : ' ‘

Lewis' Edwin, .1 M a n u a l o f C h r i s t i a n l i c - t i e f s , New York, 1927-. .

Miley, John, S y s t e m a t i c . T h e o l o g y , New York,. W l ;

t i i i : p r e A c j i k r ’s m a g a z / n e

Pope, VV. II.,- A Compendium oj Christian- ' /Theology; London, >1K81.

H aym ow ), Miner, Systematic. T heology , 'X riv 'S'itrk, J87K. -

Sheldon, H enry Clay, Essentials of Chris-■ Jimiity, Xi*\v'York, 1922* * ."

,'AYk> Testament Theology, New York. ■ System of Christum Theology, New

.■(York, 190.5.

. T e r r y , ' M i l t o n , D o c t r i n e s o f A r m i n m n '■ M e t h o d i s t s , ( P a m p h l e t ) X c w ' Y o r k , N o . date. • . ’

T i l te t t , W i l b u r , ^ ; ! S t a t e m e n t o f ‘ t h e F a i t h . ■ o j W o r l d - W i d e M e t h o d i s t s , N a s h v i l l e , . 1Q03. "Personal Salvation, Nashville, 1003.

\V;ikcfit;lci, Samuel, Christian Theology, New York, I860.

Watson, Richard, Theological ■ Institutes,., New York, J850,

-Primary Sources Excluding AIj.uvc Works: - Aquinas,’ Thomas, Sunwiti -Tolitts Theo- .

b gin r, In Migne, Patrologiw ctir'su.s rum-'■ ' p l e t u s . . ■■■ ■■ .

David, I’ .; .1 Concise History o j the Pres­ent Constitution o f the ’ ’ Praltstant. Church o j the United Brethren Adhcr- ‘

. ing to the .Augsburg Confession, (Trans, from, the German), Manchester, 1315-

Hardav, .Robert, Theses Tht'ologictr, H>75. Hellarmin, Robert, 'Justification. ■-

■ Calvin; John, Commentary ok.the Epistles .. ‘ .to Romans, Tr. by Francis Sibon, Lon­

don, J S-l.3.fheologicid Institutes,-London, . 181,,V

Vlasen, G „ Die ' Christliche Heilsgewissheit,' Iteclin, ■ IOqi - : -

Ciinoites et Decrcta Dognuiticn C on a lii 7'rt- ' dentine, In Schatf , Creeds i!j Christcn-

. ' ‘ doiiiiHoripr. A. A., Outline oj Theology, New• York, 1880, ' . -Jones, Rufus, it ,, Social' I.aw in the Spir-

itval World, New York, 1009.Nichols, James, Works oj'James Artninius, .

London, 1828. '!. Strong, T. B., Manna! of Theology, Lon-",

don ,.-1899.■ Schaff, Philip, Creeds o f Christendom, Se\y

. York, 1878. (All creeds cited in the ' thesis appear herein).

Sperier, Philip Jacob, Das Geistliche Priesterthum, Frankfort, 1670,

T u rrc n i in j F rancis , Instuiio Theologiae Etcncticac,: .

. Zinzendorf, P. J „ Rleiite Schrifften’, Frahk- fort, 1740.

■ Theologischrr uttd dahin einschlagender Bcdccken, Frankfort, 1741.Scibrn Letzie Rcdcn, Dudingcn,' 174.1. /

II. Skconhakv Souhcx.s .- . . .1. Histories ot Christian lloclrinc:

Crippcn, T : G„,.-l popular Introduction lo. the History of Christian Doctrjne, Edin­burgh, ^883. ' ; ■. ,-

■ Dorner, J. A,, History of Christian Doc- '-trine, Edinburgh, 1X71.

Fisher; George I1,, History o f Christian Doctrine, New York, 1806.

H.-iri'ttlwrb, K; R,, .Compendium oj' His­tory o j ’Doctrines, (Tr. Carl Uuch), Ed-

■ inburgh, 18B3.Harnaci^ Adolf, History o j Dogma, (Tr.

Neil.Buchanan) New York, 1896-1902.Klotsclle, E. H., An Outline o f the History

o j Doctrines, .Hurlingion, 1927, .Xcamfcr, Augustus, History of Christian'

Dogmas, (Tr. j . E. Ryl,m d), London, 1882, ' . ' . . ' ,

- Seeberg, Reinhold, Textbook, of the History, 'of.D octrines, (Tr. Chas. H ay), Phila-

• . <k'lphia, 190:5.Sliedd, William, ,1 History o f Christian

Doctrines, S ew York, 1863. ’ .Sheldon, William, A History oj Christian

Doctrine, New York,M886,2. TIieoIoKicn] Encyclopedias:'.

Cave, Alfred, An Introduction to Theol- .0gy, Edinburgh, 1896.

Hastings, Jas., Editor, Encyclopedia of- Religion and Ethics, New York, 1926.

Ilerzog - Hauck, Protestant -Realcncyclo- ' ’ _ padic.

.McClintock and Strong, Cyclopedia o j Biblical,.'Theological, find■ Ecclcsiastkal

■ Jjteraltirr, 'N ew York, 1894; .X k c - Schdjf-IIerzog Encyclopedia oj R e­

ligious Knowledge, .New York, 1911,Crooks and Hurst, TheologicaT Encyclo­

pedia and lilethodology, New., York, 1884.

Scbaff, Philip, Theological Propmleutic, New York, 1902. '

3. General Secondary'Sources: ■Cranz, Cliarlc-R, Ancirnl and Modern His­

tory o f the Brethren, London1, 1890.Fritchctt, W .'H ., H'cjfry and His Century,

London, 1906. - ; "Jacob, E .. E .i-Iissai stir' Zititcndorf et - sttr

I'eglise et j(errnhut{ Paris, tSOO..Hutton, J. E., History pj the. Moravian 1

C/ji(re?i, London, 1909.. -Moclcr, J : A'., Symbolik, MayencQ, 1832.

The Preacher's Magazine has been a pea t bicss- in^ to me, and 1 look forward each month to its comifif!- Sometimes 1 impart the timely mes- sajscs of the Magazine to my refugee congrega­tion.— Nerses.S. Sarian, Aleppo, Syria.

C11)

\

Stevenson, G. B., Memorials of the H 'ri/rv I* lit I, II., Z tn zf tutor j's ■Thenlogie, Gotha',.Family',,London, 1876, . • 1860-74;

SfwApcnfjcrc, .4, G., I.ije nj Count Zin- Worltmnn, II. B.j ct <il. Ac;;- History oj zendorf, London, 1836. ■ , . ' \ Methodism, I.omjon, 101

^Tyerman, vL., IJJr of .Jolfti HVjJry, L on -• •. Winchester,'(.V J .. 77«r Life oj John H'rs- : don, 1S"0. ■ : ley, New York, tooo.

‘ O n l y t h o s e i v n i Utf n u i i t e i l o r . ' d i r e e t l y u s r i l Sii i o n n f t i n : t I n - s i s : i i v i m ' l i h l r t l isi i h c 1 l ! i i i ! i i > n n t f ) h y .

364 . T H E PREACHER’S' M A G A Z IN E ;

M IC A H —T H E R E V IV A L PR E A C H E RB y O l iv e M , W in c h e s t e r

, Sin and M erc ; (Ch«. .6, 7)"Arm of the Lord, awake, awake 1 ,Put o n ‘thy strength, the nations shake,And let. the world, adoring see

■Triumphs o f mercy. wrought by thee." .' ■ — SlIRUSSOLE

S M ICAH comes before, the people for ,,his last message, he challenges- their, at- : tention anti then utters an aj>osfrophc to

the mountains and the'liills. M oreover He sum­mons the “ enduring foundations ot the earth.". These arc to listen to the controversy that Jehovah >has with His people. The Lord God will contend with them. ... r

, In opening the controversy, ^the appeal is made; "O my people, what have I 'd o n e 'u n to thee? arid wh'crein ha’Ve I wearied thee? testify against me." /What cause had they that they had revolted? Had Jehovah vexed them and harassed them? If so, let them produce the evidence. On the other hand had they not been the recipients of many mercies? They had been delivered from the bondage of:’ Egypt by mirac­ulous wonders; lhey had been given divinely ap­pointed leaders. All along through the wilderness’ these mercies had followed them. When Balak, the king o f Moab, would have cursed the peo­ple o f Israel and sought out Balaam for this purpose, the curse was turned into blessing. Then from this land which lay on the east; of Jordan until they, tcached Gilgal, the place of their encampment to the west o f Jordan, the mcrcy o f the Lord continued to overshadow tl^cm. They had not remembered these mercies. Quickly had such loving care been forgotten.

Pausing in the arraignment of the people the■ prophet stops to ask1 ,the question, “ What arc

the essentials' of true religion?'1 Again we find• in his conceptions thoughts akin to the greater

prophet. Isaiah.in his “ Great Arraignment” had- denounced the sacrificial worship o f (he nation. Their abundant sacrifices, the keeping. of new moons, the - observing of the solemn assemblies did not propitiate the divine wrath when sin and evil were in their midst. So now the prophet asks the question; “ Wherewith shall. I qo'me before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high G od? shall I come before* him with hurnt-offer- ings, with calves a year, old? will. Jehovah be. pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands rivers o f oil? shall I give m y-first­born for my'transgression, the fruit o f my body for the sin of my sou l?" Then comes the an­sw er 'o f the-prophet: . . ' ' V

"H e hath.shown thee, O man, what is good ; And what, is the Lord seeking from thee,But to do justice and loye mercy,'And humbly to walk with thy God.”

It has been remarked by one writer that these few . verses in which Micah set forth, the true essence of religion, r in a y raise a well-founded title to be counted as the most important in the’ prophetic literature. Like almost no others, they afford1 us an insight into the ■ innermost nature o f the. religion of Israel, as delivered by the prophets. Then another writer in summing up the essentials in this definition of religion ob­serves, “ He sees that beneficence is the only ac­ceptable ritual, and moral integrity, the one di­vine requirement," then he continues, "It is the high spiritual lesson which'apostatizing churches find it so hard to learn, because it runs counter, to the idolatry of externa! forms and function.

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:TH E . PREACH ER’S '-MAGAZINE .165

It.is (he lesson sd firmly stated in the book of Deuteronomy, and bv so many o[ the prophet ■ to a people. which ultimately developed into the most perilous extremes 'o f upspiritual formalism.. It is t'hc lessoji taught by St. Paul, anti St, James, and bt. John, and St. Peter, in every epistle; and by. Christ himself to Nicodemus. and to all 'Whom' He taught:" ■ . v

Arftcr the intermission hroughi by this state­ment of- the dements o f religion, the prophet turns again to admonish the people.

“ Hark! Jehovah crieth to the -city.(Surely it'ts wisdom, to fear thy name!)Hear ye: the rod. and who hath appointed it."

■ With such a summons Micah recounts the' com ­mercial .transgressions in the land such as. scant1 measure, false balances, violence and deceit. For

. 'such sihs as these the Lord had smitten (hem, and had madf them' desolate. . These disasters had already come upon them but others awaited

■ in the future. The time would come when they ' would find that the food which, they ate would bring t{icm no satisfaction; they should' be bowed down with humiliation; they would seek to store up wealth bul.it Would disappear. They would sow their harvests but there would be no time of'-reaping. Though they'tread out the olives, yet the oil that accrues therefrom would not be • given unto then), yea, moreover, they, would not have the benefit of the wine, frefm the. vintage. The reason for all this is the vile Baal worship in theif midst, walking in the ways of the. house, of Ahab. instead of following the

. ' mandates of righteous kings. The nation should '.'become 'a desolation and a hissing.'

Viewing again the conditions'-within the land, the prophet exclaims, “ Woe is me,” He stands alone as’ grape gleanings in. the vineyard after

■ the harvest is over. No longer are there godly men in the nation; all the upright have perished. They arc murderers; they lay snares for their brother. They seek to do evil with all their , might; their leaders are. corrupt, both the 'prince'

■ and the judge seek rewards. There is no love,' tender mercy or compassion; for the (jest o fth em is as a thorny brier ready to' snag every pasgr er-by. Jn consequencc thereof the day of Visi-

■ tation must be close at hand. They could not place any confidence in a neighbor or a friend, even their own wives they could not offer con­fidences, so great was the trfcachery in the land. There was discord in. every family, “ For the son

dishonoreth the father,, the daughter riseth up against' her mother, the daughter-in-law against her motlicr-in-.luw.” It was in a mans own household that lii> enemies wrrc to be found.

Looking away from this picture of human tyil ,ind corruption, the prophet turns his eyes up­ward. There was no hope in conditions around about him. As he looks lie l&ses himself in his nation once again and fie sees the time coming when the people shall seek unto the Lord who rc-

. deemed them. Seeking thus unto the Lord the enemy shall not triumph over them: Even if they <lo fall, they shall rise. In darkness they shall see .light, because Jehovah "will be a light

■ unto them:” ; Because of their sin and trans­gression, they must needs bear the .wrath of Jehovah for the present, until He in mcrcy arises

’ to plead their cause. ■ Then will the Lord bring' them, forth to light and .righteousness. Even their enemies shall see it! and shall he .confound­ed; they will be ashamed of their, taunt-cryj “ Where is'Jehovah thy God?* when they with ribaldry and mockery rcjoiccd cxclaiming, “ Mine eyes-shall see my desire upon her; now shall she-- be trodden down as mire o f the streets.’ ’

Passing on from his-upward, gaze and look­ing out into the ' future, the ■ prophet sees still greater hope for his people. The time is coming when once again shall the walls, be built, when , their border shall extend anti they as a . nation shall bcrnme a refuge for many, from Assyria, also tht cities of Egypt and from the expanse between Egypt and the land by the great river,

.yea.even from the. border o f one sea to another and from one mountain range to another shall they flock and gather lo the liihd of the< He­brew j>eoplc. All this shall come to pass, even though the land shall have in the time inter­vening a period o f desolation because o f their sin and iniquity. These were ulafk days yet:

"looking out on the. future we find:“ On the glimmering summit' far-withdrawn, God made Himself an awful rose of dawn." Still borne on by the hope that lay out before

the people Micah calls upon Jehovah; he pleads that as a shepherd protects his flock' with his rod and staff and provides for them food that Jehovah will feed the “ flock, of his heritage,” N ow they are gathered alone by themselves in a jungle and the prayer is that .they may be taken to the rich lands o f Bashan and Gilead os the people were in .the days of old, that they may again behold the -wondrous works of the

TH E PREACHER'S M AGAZINE

Lord as they did in. the days that they fame . forth out of the land of Egypt.

As the picture of the future glory of the pen-- pie..passes; in review before him, (lift prophet secs in his mind’s eye om e more. the consternation, o f the. nations'. They will be struck-dumb in

■ confusion; they w ill' prostrate themselves on the ground in terror, "like crawling things on the earth they shall conic trembling out <if (heir . close places." The fear o f the Lord will .seize hold of them, . .

Closing his -prophetic messages (<> the .-people Micah concludes with a- doVoIojrv o f praise and thanksgiving ■ unto Jehovah. He h a s ' been rc-

' counting the might}' arl.s of Ihe Lord which shall be in behalf of ihe people, and that leads bin* .'■ lo revert to. the thought that these alone can come from One W ho is God'alone. According­ly he asks the question, "W ho is a God like unto thee." He then continues with tlie special'thought.

. that had been before his . mind, the particular ■ respect in which Jehovah God .excels a ll, other ■ Rods, and it was this, th a t '“ He p.irvlonetti in ­iquity and paSseth by the transgression - of Ihe remnant .o f his herilage." Other- pods as viewed , in the. minds of their followers. wreaked ven­geance without 'mercy, but, the Lord of the heav­ens while pouring out His wrath upon sin and evil, yet in the midM o f H 's wrath did remember mercy, ;The anger of tbfc Lord was not-m ain- tained' forever; He rejoiced in mercy and toving* - kindness. His compassion would be stirred .'ij.Mii) in their behalf and then woukl He “ cast ,ill lheir sins into the ciepths of the sea." The promises made to their father would be fulfilled, promises made in days of old, “ Thou wilt perform the truth to ' Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathefs from the

■ days of old.". "The. God o j Ahrah’m praise, ,

\Vh<> reigns enthroned .above,Ancient oj everlasting days,

And. G od o j love :Jehovah, great I AM , .

liy earth and heaven confessed;''1 bow an d 'b leu '-the sacred name,

Forever blest.”

H om ileticai, Suggestions One of .the mpsl ’ outstanding texts o f these

chapters is verse S, in chapter 8. " H e , hath showed thee,. 0 wan what is fiood; and w im doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly,

0 4 )

and lo love kindness, and to walk lutmhly with■ IhV'lit'd.?” -Here we. have depicted Dip .great es-

st-nf i.ilr- o f religion, iirsl'' ariumg these • is right VnndiK't, diii;!^ justly, (hrVet'ond, loving kindness or inert\y. . With this second 'division we may as-

. socialr the beatitude,' “ Hlessed a^f the merciful,I 'for they shall obtain nfercv." Filially in- this triad -of religious virtues we,,have humility joined .with holy'converse with Ihe D.ivine Being. An­other text ' fraught. with meaning is found in verse 7 of the last chapter, “ iiut as for me, I wilt, look -unfo. Jehovah; I tyil) wait for the God ■<)£ lily salvation: my God Will hear me,”A theme for this might be, "Looking unto God

: in 'hours of darkness." Divisions might lie made as follows:'first, we arc to look, second, fo wait, and-third, rest assured in the lart God will hear.

!V.o in » T jio ir .in s -\/I ti utility nn<! irlifimi, ’ y ■

“ It is out <(/ ih.it sense of tiller humility be­fore (.;>»!," s;iy> Hastings, “ that .real - worship, arises. ''To walk humbly with thy G od'—»to keep / ihy head bowed before Him, to be'-still in His presence. ‘To walk humbly with thy God*— the sense Iliat God is so greal, and His require­ments so immense, and His'holiness sa pure that we ourselves are as nothing in His fight We need (cr enlarge . considerably our view, of God,

-our sense o f ■ His holiness, oijr sense of H is -fe - " qujrements upon us, our sense Of utter indebted* n!-ss, our "belief in prate, that we may take up the only true ■ attitude and walk humbly in His

i presence.” '.

The triumph o j rig/dcoifetjfis.Amid all the sin and iniquity which abounded

in the land Micah could look' away and see the day coming when out o f the dregs, o f corrup* . tion there should come forfh a people who would serve Jehovah their God, This takes'the courage of faith, so Hastings observes, “ II is remarkable that amid so much darkness and corruption Micah himself should havfc caught such a- vision of the ultimate victory of. the love o f-G o d .is these words'describe. All around him the con~ test seems td be unequal, and evil seems to be triumphant. But his own heart is passionately, set upon righteousness, and hence be alone o f'a ll men in 1 his day could discern the unchangeable God. U is always the case that ‘He that willcth to do his will shall know the doctrine’ .” ■

Pardoning grace the supreme attribute o f D eity . 'While there are nlany attributes that call forth '

wonder and-reverence from the children of men

TH E PREACHER'S MAGAZINK

its they -view Ihc divine personality, yet nothing Arr worthy o f Thyself D ivinr; 1the more .completely bows down the heart thati Hn! I hr bright'glories of Thy gratethat of forgiving grace. it is ihc marvel of. the ■. lieypnd fh ine other ■x’onders shine. ages. ' . ;• ; H 7 w ’pardoning God like Thee,"t!rca( . C ot)-of. w oniltn ’f A ll-Thy vu yt ' . '■ And who has- grace,: so rich and frte./’

HOMILETICAL

> A NEW YEAR’S SERMONHy H . B r o w s

T e x t : 'Speak, uvtft the children nf Israel, that they go Jont’ard .(Exodus ' 14:15) .- ■

A _Ncvv Year has' dawned. This year'ha# come primarily for God's ■people. The Now Year, brings with1 it opportunities am i■ possibilities, and the Rreaicst\Trc the spiritual possibilities anil op-

'jiortuniticfv The .world-.cspccts great thing? ma- t irinll.V' in 10.V1 lint how much mare should we

'expect spiritually, in 19.V1,(Ind. in "allowing us to live to , see this

year d'twn. lias given us marvelous, spiritual-;K>s- slbilitii's. There are' great expanses 'of divine graft' !<> explore where, we have never jione and

. murh. where no !nan' has. ;pone. The material world has been fairly well explored from pole (o pole but not so spiritually/’ There are great

.spiritual experiences to'discover mil in the realm o f the sttjH-rnatural where few venture and where there are many giants and adversaries/ There are towering, unsealed, heights lo climb, beset of course with many dangers and hardships which are hard on the tlesfi. ■ There are. vast oceans of divine love that could besailed by some hardy and daring mariner who is not afraid to launch out and lose sight of- land. Most of us have anchored our souls in a haven of ■ rest ,anil the greaf ocean, remains unexplored. ' Arc we afraid

-o f Vea-^i.'knes's? Can we not trust the Pilot of Galilee? There are marvelous* riches, nf grace, to obtain. Men are amassing fortunes in the ma­terial world; why not some of us endeavor to

•qualify../or living. in Millionaire's Row in the N'ew Jerusalem? We sing, "a lent or a cottage,

. why should 1 care, they are building a mansion for me over there," but I fear some o f us will be sadly disappointed in oijr mansion, we are so easily satisfied dowrt here in the spiritual realm lhal it will not take a very large mansion to house our liltle -souls.; r Think of .the unlimited possibilities ot sainthood development. ‘ Many want to .be great preachers, others great educat­ors, others great ■ leaders, but how many are

striving to become great saints? SaintJiootl is undoubtedly the highest possibility of man, for ive Will never lie more than saints.

With thew spiritual possibilities come alsogreaj spiritual opportunities." Wc arc living in a great, age. The year Io.lJ has advantages that no year has ever had. The marvelous, inventions o f re­cent -years have given, jus., many advantages over

■the people of former years. There is no use to 'bewail-the fact that the' devil- is-usurping them, ■fair'if1 w c do not use these for advancing God’s

-.kingdom, who can blame the devil for using them for the advancement of his? Instead of using the modern conveniences for ease and luxury, how much belter to use them to- advance the work

. o f llie Lord. We have a great heritage. • The . fmimvrs o f the- holiness movement have hewn

mil a kingdom, and opened a great and effectual Vloor Until us.. This' year brings to the Church of the Nazarene as great an opportunity for c f - ■ feclual evangelizing and constructive spiritual

-building as any peopte ever had on the facc of this old earth. 'We have a great'gospel to.preach;

'a -gospel'for-all people that will save them from all.sin, and make them ail perfect in Christ. Wc have a mighty God to stand ,bv us, encourage us, iwck us, and see us through. We have a world

' to. take for Christ. -Men who fought with carnal weapons, have- conquered and sighed that there were no more to conquer, but this world has never been taken for Christ, yet the opportunity is before us. ,W c have a kingdom to develop; the greatest kingdom that ever existed, a kingdom that ‘shall have' mr end. We ' have also an om ­nipotent ' power house within reach "of all, that can endue us with power to seize upon these golden opportunities and take them for Jesus.

Will we go-forw ard? If so ,,w e wi|l have to meet some requirements. Things worth while are not obtained easily nor for a small price.

first wc must have an intense desire to make progress. Jesus , said, “ Whatsoever things ye

. . desire; when ye pray, believe that ye receivc them and ye shall have them,” People go after the things they desire and unless wc have a greAt-

(15)

368-. TH E (i»REACHER’S"'M AGAZlNK

or desire for spiritual things than wc do for any-, thing else, then IhC possibilities and opportuni­ties of 1Q33 will be lost to us. Many want spirit­ual attainment and blessings but they want ease, comfort, luxury, material things, and pleasure also and the desire (or the spiritual is drowned by other desires. We. need an all consuming de­sire for the' things of God, that will so eclipse .ill other desires o f l i f e 'tli.it they will fade put

•, as tin- the stars when the sun arises.■ Hut a desire alone will not bring spiritual vic­tories. With that desire must also" be an untir­ing determination to see the fulfillment of that desire. Multitudes have caught the vision of a great spiritual life hut how-. few have followed the-vision. When the sea becomes stormy it will.

. take a set mind arid sou! (0 sail on. When many others turn back or anchor fast, (earing to' ven­ture farther, i! wilt require a strong soul to sail oh. But Columbu.^ in spite of every handicap and obstacle .sailed, on, and why may not some daring soul, despite the hindrances, go a little farther and' discover a :great spiritual continent full of vast spiritual wealth to be enjoyed by the saint; to come?

I sty it will take an untiring determination....- ^lountain climbing is hard work and if we .climb

higher in the realms o f .grace than others arc climbing then -ive must be willing to make great­er sacrifices and toil harder. -Wh?n others be^.1 come sleepy and decide to put up for the night We.must climb on, when others become exhausted : and build a camp by the wayside still we must climb on, w'hen others become weary and’ would . discourage us. of continuing farther we must .toil on, and. when even we ourselves become faint and short o f breath, if w c are to achieve and scale the-unsealed heights we must climb bn by •sheer force o f -will power, knowing that we can, for Christ is ready lo aid us and through. Him we can do. all things.

But even beyond a desire and a determination, there is still a greater requirement for the soul that will , make the best . o f. ihe possibilities and

. opportunities that lie out before-us. There must he an unlimited and whole-hearted consecration. to God with such tin utter and reckless aband­onment to the whole will .of God that all else ; is counted loss [or the sake o f'th e cross and thi self life ' is so crucified ,lhat there can be no shrinking or drawing back, regardless' o f the cost. Spiritual achievement means the. loss o( man)' things hut the paining of far more val­uable and eternal possessions, He thal will climb highest must be unhampered.- Many connections will need to be severed. Many misunderstandings must he endured.. The pa th ’will be rough and stony, the day may be dark and stormy. At times the ila s l may.pierce to (he heart o f the.

• ' I -soul: He that has been vour friend and in whom you have had utmost confidence may fail you and turn against you, and if the self-crucifixion is not complete, beware.’ God finds few jnen that he can take up where he took. Job for he finds

'few men that will go over ihe way Job" went, over. God takes few men to the mountains of transfiguration bid He docs not find many Moseses and Elijahs that ran be prepared for tak­ing there. As far as*I know Cind has never taken hut nne". man to the Isle o f Patmos am i from there over into the Lord’s day but there were several heights ahead of I’ atmos that the■ mo.H of us arc very slow, in climbing, Ilut still God speaks to us, the spiritual children of Israel, that we go forward, • '

NOTES, SUGGESTIONS AND SERMON OUTLINES

.By W. 0. Snin'HMAN-Editor’s N ote— It was but a few months' b e -.

fore his death that Brother W. G, Schurman, be­loved pastor of First Church o f the Nazarene/ Chicago, 111., commenced to contribute lo the-. Preacher's Magazine. - The work appealed to him very much and he became immediately one o f the favorite writers fo f this publication. But God called him up higher. A few weeks ago, at my request, Sister Schurman sent me a consid- : crablc amount of material w hich Brother Schur-' man left in his library. This material consists

.o f an accumulation of notes, suggestions and outlines, such as th e . preacher ordinarily pro­duces in Ihr process of. time, ff the author cou ldi have done the selecting and editing himself, the value to our readers would have been much great­er.' But -iv© have d on e , the best « c could, and from month to month during, the cominp year these selections from Brother Schurman’* accumu­lations o f material will appear. Wc were hap­pily surprised to find lie'left so much in written form*. No. particular order is . attempted—just read* down the column and get whatever seems fitted to your'purpose.

The Pentecoital ChurchTtsT; Acts 2:4.I n tr o d u c to r y : Filling brings; unity, and unity

is essential to the success o f the Church. They were nil fjiicri—~ome may have had greater capacity than others, but they were all filled with the Holy Ghost: Imagine the disciples, picture them in your mind, Peter, Thomas, James, John, when God showed them their hearts.

They were filled with the Holy Ghost. Some charicteristics of a Spirit-filled church.

1. It is a live church.it is a joyful church. • .

THE PREACHER’S M AGAZIN E . ' 369

3. It is a witnessing church. Advantage of 'definite testimony,

•1. It is a punctual-church'(Acts 2 :1 ) ; gets to meeting nn time;

5. It is a plainly dressed church (Acts 2:44;I Tim. 2:Q; Peter 3 :3 ). ’

6. It is a united church.7. It is a moncv giving church (Acts 4:34,

35). .S. It is n'praying church (Acts 2:42). ■ ■0. It is a soul-saving church (Acts 2:41),10, It gets its converts sanctified (Acts 8:14-

17).

The JudgmentT e x t : Romans '14:10; Rev. 20:12.Introduction-; A final judgment is demanded

by the fart that there is not full justice now— the innocent suffer and the guilty go free. The text says alt will be ,-U the judgment: let us con­sider for whom this will have special significance:. 1. Cruel Herod, craven Pilate, umbilicus Alex­

ander ivho drove his chariot through human gore reaching up to the hubs of the wheels, Cicsar who destroyed 80Q cities, Xerxes who look three bushels o f rings from the cars o f his slaughtered, and Napoleon Avho deluged Europe with tears.

2. Black slavers. .'.1. White slavers. ■ <4. Liquor dealers. , ^5. Sabbath breakers.ti. Infidels.V. Backsliders, : .

, :S. Hypocrites and pretenders.<), I will be there—you will- be there; what

:*hall our pica hr?Finally, Jet us consider that Jesus will be the

judge and that there can be no bribing o f the- tour.t. There, will be separations w hich will never end. “ Prepare to 'm eet thy Gorl.”

Theme; The Groat Day ( o f Judgment)l: A great Judge.

. 2. A great multitude assembled.J, Great revelations will be wade.4. Great and complicated issues will tie settled.5. Great dooms and great rewards' will be

meted out.

Them e: Great Day o f God’s Wrath. 1. Otjier great days have been: Creation,. Ih-.

carnation,. Crucifixion, Kcsurrcction, Pentecost.2. There have even bd:n other days o f wrath,

as the day o f Adam’s expulsion- from Eden, the day of the flood of waters in the time of Noah, the day o f Sodom ’s destruction, and the d:ty o f Jerusalem's final fall.

3. But there is no day when G od’s wr^th was

unmingled with mercy as it will be in the day of judgment. t

There are Three Ph*»ci to Our Live*:.1. Our lives before the public.2. Our home life.3. Our secret (thought) Hfc.

Theme: Spiritual Slecpine**■ T j.xt: Ephesians ,‘f: 14.

1. If you allow for yourself in the practice’ of known wickedness, you Jirc asleep. "

2. If you have never been in any degree a(- ■fccted with a sense of guilt and felt your de­pend en re upon Goti, you arc asleep,

.3. Inactivity, and stupidity' under the warnings of God is an indication that you are asleep.

4.- A man may be asleep and not know it. In fact if he knew it w e ll, he would hot he asleep.

5. Men usually bolt the tfoor as a precaution against being awakened. ' \

6. A man may do some things—as- walking, talking, ctc,— when he Ls asleep that appear as though he w ere awake.

7. Evils of being' spiritually asleep:'-. (a) The enemy is awake and will.take ad-

. .vantage .o f your 'being asleep, Latimersaid, "The devil is the busiest bishop in

'■■■ the kingdom."' •' .(b) Souls are-being damned while you.sleep.

'8. What puts people to sleep?,f, ,fa ) The chloroform of bad doctrine.

(b ) The enchantment of worldliness,9. Christ commands us to awaken,'and urges

us to "Cry aloud”, in the1 endeavor to awaken,10. When you awake, Christ commands you

to "arise' from this dead”—as one would rush from death as in a . burning building,

11. But if you awake and'flee from sin, Christ promises to give.you light. (Illustration of Lot getting out o f the city).

A Choice Bit from Philemon W orry and Fret

- Sermon Subject* from P in t J<»hnDivine and Human Fellowship ( 1 :3).Fullness of Jov (1 :4 ). "Walking in the Light (1 :7 ).The Fact of Sin and Sins (1 :8 ).A.Complete Remedy for All Sin (1 :9 ). Experimental Religion (2 :3 ),A Blind Man (.2:11). 'Salvation and-Worldliness (2 :,I5, 16).An Indestructible Life (2 :1 7 '.Who is, a Liar? . (2 :22). .Who Has Eternal L ife? What is it? ' (2:25). Doing Righteousness (2 :29 ).

TH E PREACHER'S MAGAZINE* i

• THE LAST DAYS. ' .B y R oy L. HaLLExnACK

' That wc are in the last days, there can be lit- l li doubt wbcii ivc consider present u-orltl con- (Htions. in the light of the things which are pre* dieted in the Bible lo characterize (he l.ist day,VJ2., ' ' ' ' . '

I. i t predicts that this ng'e. wilt close juitlt a “ lime v f -trouble." (Dan,, 12 :1) Called-also ►‘great'' tribulation" (M ali. 24:21, 2 2 ).'" In the reference, lo , this great tribulation -,in. Rev. 7:14, ;i more corri't! iV'nderiiJK is “ Trib­ulation— the creat one." This distinguishes it from oilier and leaser; times o f 'trouble.

. ( I /T h e s e <laj’ s-are ■ saj<l to be so terrible that except they were shortened, "there should No flesh be .saved,” “ ^iot for the ' elect’ s sake those days shall lie shortened.” -. •

(2) It will he.the climax o f the world's sin,' as il works’'.itself out to ultimate and

' ' final) destruction. ■ l i . Il ^predicts tluit a firrat factor o f this, irili-

’liitimi will be tlie person oj on “ anti-christ"' ( i Thess. 2:.)-10).

(1) He is calle.d here:— “ Man -o f or ' “ lawless man.V-His rise will be the culmination of a general breakdown o f law ami order. \ —•“Sod o) >er</flf(>«'V-possibly . ns • lit

• eral an incarnation of- the devil as Christ, is o f. God (See y : 9)V — “ M ystery <yj iniquity '1—probably up-

, ' positc to "niyftety of godliness" in 1 . . Tim: ,?:16, Christ is the m ystery of

. godliness being God ntamfrs't in the ' flesh; and this.man is petliaps as literal

a manifestation of Satan;— "That Wicked.”

(2) He is said to now be hindered in his working by the presence of the Holy Spirit; but when. He is taken away {in ' the removal of the sainls), the "man.

'o f sin” will 'be 'revealed .( i ) T hew orld , with its lawlessness, anti lack

o f sm-cansciouHiou is non- ready to ■' swallow this man whole.

JI1. li predicts religious conditions which "w ill ' deceive,--if possible, the w v i / c i / " (Matt. 24:24).(1) A “ falling away,1' or -great apostasy ..(2) "The love o i many shall wax cold,”(3 ) , ‘* L ov ers-o f pleasures more than Iovit,-

of God.’.’ ■(4 ) “ Some shall depart from the faith' —

and this departure is said to lead to an embracing o f .“ seducing spirits and dot1- trines of devils.’ ’

(•S') “ Many false .prophets shall arise’ ’ (See I Tim. 4 :1 ; 2 Pel. .5:.}). /

(/>1 -"W ill nnt endure .tound doctrine."Every one of these rondilions is' more conspic­

uously present today than. a t . any lime in. the past. 'I V, It calls upon all Christians’ to. hail th e - 'yum -

inn <>}.the King, and the dawning of a'new dity. v-(1) We are enjoined .to “ look up and .lift

up,our heads.” ■'v ;(2) It promises that Christ shall co[pe for

.those'who "look for him."■ • (.1). The fact we. ;ire in the “ Iasi days" ought

In make us redouble our dilio'ncej. ought ; to make us “ purify ourselves even as he.is pure." ’ ,

1 TREASU RE IN EARTH EN VESSELS. v J!y \V. W. C.tAss .

*' 1 ■ Li:ssun: 2 Cur. 4. -.: T k\t : 2 Cor. 4:7.

Cold'delights in using the weak things" o f1 this world ’through' which to demonstrate His power. ■Paul tells us thal-“ G<)d hath chosen.the foolish things o f the world to confound !b'e wise; -and God hath chosen the. weak lhings of the. wortd lo

- 'ri lit found the l-hinus \vhirh are niighly; and. base tlijttg.' » i I he w o r ld , and Ihings which are de­spised, hath Clod chosen, yea, and things which.

- are mil, tu bring to nought, things (hai'are. Thai -Jib flesh should' glory in his presence." In the text Paul inform,s us that God has chosen us— weak -earthen , vesesls—!hrough which to. demon­strate Hi?-power, bv entrusting us- with, a treus.- lire, . _ ■ • . '.■ - .f. W hat is Tuts Tite-isi'w;-?'

1. It is “ Christ in you, thp hope of glory”, (v. (i, also Col. 1:26, -27):.' (Peter tells us*angels de-'

. sire to look into .this marvelous salvation or .mystery— 1 Pel. .1:10.-12.1.'.

2. It is the .-gospel, o f Christ, (v. 5 ; also Roni. I : lo : I Cor. 1:23, 24; Heb. 4.12.) .Felix and king lielshjz^ar felt its porter.i l , T m . Way in W hich, T in s Power (if Goo. is

.\LtNm.sTi;u T jikih ’g ii E a r t h e n V e sse ls .1. ' ’We are troubled on every side, yet not dis­

tressed" (v, .81, Why not distressed? <Psa, 46 :!,2, J ; P s a .3 i :0 ; Psa. W w .■ 2. “ Perplexed, but not in despair” (v. 81.

Problems o f life loo gre.11 for us; know not- which ■ way- to. turn why nnt in despair?

. < Isa. .JO:21 ; John I4:2(r, James- t ; f ) . ■,I. "Persecuted, bid not forsaken" (v. 0 ; Malt.

28:2.0, last clause; also Rom, 15:.?; Heb, 2:18.)4. "C;ist down, but not destroyed” (v. 9 ; Psa.

-12.11). We have an immutable hope (Heb. 6:- 17-10)’.. O 'or illustration on this point might use

TH E 'PREACH ER’S M AGAZINE 371

Job ’s rase and afe'o Paul whcrt stonwl and left for dead.)

S. “ Always dying, yet living" (v, 10, 11).Th;t( the*. life. of-Ji'Mts might In- manifested,

llrings greatest glory to God lo irianifest His power in lifting broken humanity'In a [liltin’ o f . Jmlinrcs.. (JIluMration: Mary Magdalene).

DISCOURAGEMENTHy [)i:u..\ M . Sm ith

J osh, 7:6-11I. ISTHODMCtlOS . '

. -1, A true picture of dejection,,2. ]o>hua, as man,'

— --a -, t ’arctf Cycars in limelight.of history),' I).-Character, (devout, loyal, clean, spot­

less). ;II . D isc u ssio n ■

, 1. Cause uf discouragement.a. Compare occasion (defeat of Israel)\ <V:,1-S).. . ' ,

,b, Real cause. ’ \(.1) Greatness of task assigned him.(2) Visible signs'of failure,

e. Compare those who care.,' . 2. Character o f 'disenuragcinchl.

a. Com plete-thorough <v. i>). b;-. Threefold. ’ '.

(1) Personal; (v. 7)■ “ w h y ?" .(2 ) Official _(v. 8> responsible. :(.1) 'Representative (v . 0 ). one with

God. .l‘, "Never .-felt that w ay".'{'“ How much, ■

; eare?")..■ 3. Cure, ' ' ’ - ■■■

' ■. a. Lies in finding cause (v. !0 ).(1) Israel had sinned (looked to

■ ^ Joshua,. (7:2,, 3 ; o:27)-(2) Covenant broken (v, 11). '..

. b. So in every situation.III.- Coxclvsids

Final—complete. victory.

DRIFTING ^.'B y R o y L. H ollf.niiack

, --

T e x t : .Clouds that are carried with-it'tempest' (2 Pet. 2:17). ,

In this test waning spirituality is .compared to ■the . drifting clouds. N o doubt (very day we meet persons on the streets u-hv were oncc anchored in God but arc today adrift on a.track­less sea. Notice: .

I. S o m e Tni.vcs Concehni.vb Onk W lin Is A iw ik t ..1. One. Who drifts dues not go at. one bound, '

. : but gradually.• The ■ backslider does not drop '• suddenly

.from virtue into decjK-st vice at one m o­

ment, nor -in one day. There are possibly unseen heart.losses first, ancf many weeks or months may elapse before these condi­tions arc apparent, to others,Like an apple, the surface may be un­changed tor days or weeks after the worm

■ of pain begins its deadly work at the hcarti ' 2. t i i drill does not ncrcsvirily, nor usually,

mean to go at will, '•The one who drifts is not always aware of il. He may, like a man on the train, think , thal the other train is the one in motion and that he is standing still.

3. Drifting is often the result of environment: A gentle’ gale may cause . the abandoned craft lo drift. .

4, Drifting is never possible until, there has .been broken anchorage. Watch out for the event where .you break from your

scruples:. Evidences o f DKrm.vc :

1. Growing dimness of vision.If you are not as’ scrupulous as you .once were; if you cannot see the outlines o f , evil as.clearly as you once did; if the bless­ings o f God- took , smaller to y ou ; if the outlines of duty look more vague and in­definite; if there is decreasing thankfulness

\ to God— friend, you are adrift.2. Weakening, attachment to the holy people.

Feci. ill-at: ease with them, and .comfort-, able with the unspiritual. If yoir find yourself at outs with holiness pcaptfc, and

: disposed to be critical o f their methods and standards, remember it is yourself and

■ not them at fault, '-Sin. makes id own sep- . arations. , . • ;

3. Inability to locale yourself...’. When your life becomes tracklcss and chadless; when you cannot place yourself, in relation to. God’s w ill; when you are lost, and do not know which, way to start for Ihe shore— you arc drifting.

CoKci.vsiox—Three advices:’ , ( l j Be awake to the perils o f drifting—hell is its finality! (2) Keep moored in your faith and in your, con­science. (3) Keep a living hope in the sec­ond coming o f Christ, “ which hope we have as an anchor of the. soul."I f you have drifted, repent your way back to God. He alone cart steer you back to shore.

■Have just finished reading the September, issue o f the'Preacher's Magazine, and . I really think it one o f the best we. have had. The part dc-. vgted to Sunday school work was especially help­ful. I am also getting a lot o f help from John Wesley’s doctrine, of the Witness of the Spirit by Basil Miller,— Miss Lillian Vincent.

372 TH E P^ICACHKR'S -AlAGAJilNE

THE PRAYER TH AT GETS AN , A N SW E R

JJy. Dki.i.a M . Sm ith Matt. 15:21-28

I. Im portance o f P'kaykk '(Isa. 45:22, 2J >1. Prayer is to Soul what brealhinfr'is to

body. ■ ■> .2. Some prayers cannot be answered.

a. Prayer o f sinful heart -{Psa. (ifi.l.S;■ . . Prov. J :24, 28).

b. Prayer of selfish heart (Jus. 4 :3 ).C: Prayer praved Ion tale (I.uko 1G:2.5-

' ' 3 { > - . ’ - , :

II . Cjia ju ctk bistics of H kal P iu v eh ■1. Faith (entire pr.iyer shot through) Heb.

11:6.a. Led woman out to scclc help (v. 21,

22) ; .■ ' _ .b. Held her steady ih shock of battle.

Deep inwrought desire (Mark 11:24).a. Hccame burden on soul;b. Led her to acknowledge triic situation

. {v. 22b). •3. Importunity— Persistency: .

. ' a. Though ignored <v, 23a).b. Though opposed (v. 23b).c. Though denied (v. 24i.

4 .-Supplication (v, 2SJ.5. Abandonment of sell' (compare .Luke

22:42). ■III.' R eward -

1. Commendation of,. Master (compare Jer.'. 33:3b, v. 28).2. The desire of her heart (v. 28).3. First, last and only opportunity (31, 29),

THE ACID TEST vBy D ella M. S m i t h

Acts 9:6 I. T h e Q u e stio n .

I. Indicates an instantaneous change.a. Saul's previous estimate of. himself

(Phil. 3 :4-6) 'b. The proud Pharisee in dust.

. 2. This question soul's “ acid" test (compare jj

in metals), ■3. Its significance.

- a. Saul was awakened (light had. come)-.Ii. He ivas alarmed (saw as Jesus saw).c. He surrendered ("Lord . . . me . . .

d o ? " ) ■II. T h e A n s w e r

1. Jesus .told Saul what to do. -2. He will tell you.

a. I f you are unconverted (what undo?)(1) Repent '(all it comprehends)..(2 ) Believe (Rom . 10:10, easy then). ‘ ,

. <20)

h. .If you arc unsanctified ("w h a t d o ? " ) ( I ) The secret o f "kcepinc "wm ship’ ’

. ( 1 Jrm. 3:2.V>.’ (2 ) : H ow maintained? (H eb. 6 :1 ) :

(a) l!y consecration-(Rom. 12:11, (t>) Uy Wrath to sin, (Rom . 6:11;

Eph. 4:22, 24). .'. (c) I!v .faith (Heb. 11:6; I Thess.

■ ■ c. If sanctified '(“ "hat have we to d o ? ” ).

(1) Grow ih Rrace. (2 .Pet. 1:4-10).(2 ) Keei1) busy in His service (E ph.

2:10).

DIVINE BENEFITSX

: By Rov L. H ollf.nback , (Exposition of Psalm .103)

After, the. psalmist rein?, up iiis soul to praise God, calling upon, “ai! that is within" to sharpy in that lofty purpose (v. 1) , He enumerates the divjne benefits in verses 2-5. Let us notice:

I. His D e c la h a t io n o f t h e D iv in e B e n e f i t s : These are o f two classes, viz., spiritual and tem poral1. Spiritual: ■ ■

a .'justification: “ W ho [orRiveth all thine iniquities.” •

b. Entire sanctifidation: "W ho healeth all ihy diseases.” Sin is a disease of the'

. soul, and needs to be healed,c. Redemption: "Rcdcemeth thy life” —

from both the first'and second deaths, in consequence of being saved and sanctified. .

/i. Glorification: "C rovnrth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies."

■2. Temporal:a. Abundance of life's necessities: "W ho

■satisfieth-thy mouth with Rood things.’'. b. Health and lonjj;. life:' “ So that thy

youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” c: At this point the psalmist illustrates

God’s KRicious providence from the his- lory o f His dealings 'w ith Moses and tlie "children o f Israel" (v. 7 ) . 11

His' Deci.akano.v o f Gob's C haracter I. Jkcausi He is merciful: “ He will not nl- :

ways chide,” etc. (v. 9 ).I. Because He is gracious: "H e docs not deal

with'us after our sins," etc, (v, 10) .3. Because He is phnteouz in mtrcy: He

can cover our sins though they are moun­tain high (v . 11)'.; *. - ’

4. Because He is like a Father: “ The Lord ■ piticth them that fear him" (v. 13),5. Because He is infinite: He can remove

our sins from us "as far as the east is from the west" (v. 12).

T H E P U E A C H K R 'S M A O .m X i ; 37.1

6. Because He is a "jaiihjul Creator:'’ “ He knoweth our frame anti remembcrest that we are dust” ’ (v. 14).

111. W h o I s I t T h a t M ay L a v C l a im to TftrsF.f i K N K H IS ? ' ■ V . '

J. Those who fear Him (v. 17). , ■> ,2. Those who keep His covenant (v . 18).

3. Those who remember His t’omniandmrnls to do them (v. IS). This is synonymous with “ du his pleasure” in v. 21.

TEN C H A R A C TE R ISTIC S O F GOD'S M AN

By F hed B o u s e , _■ .!Psalm 1:1, 2, 3.

1, A blessed man; Verse 1. Blessed is the man.2. A delighted man. Verse 2. His delight.

" .1. A' law abiding man. -Verse 2. Law i>( IbcLord.■1, A devotional man. Verse 2. He meditates.5. A planted man. Vqrsc 3, A tree planted.6. A-gro wing man. Verse 3. Planted by rivers.7. A fruitful man. Verse 3. H is fruit.8. An. unwithcrcd man. Verse 3. Leaf not

■ withered. • '9. A busy man, Verje 3. He, doeth.10. A prospetous man. Vcrse’ 3. Shalt prosper.

Tm.m'.—Three Christian Certainties..'Text-—I. “ W'e know that whosoever is born ot

God siiineth not; but he that is begotten o f 'G o d krepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth' him not” (1 John S :lS i.

11. “ W e know that w c are o f G od , and thtf whole w orld iieth in wickedness’ ’ (1 John 5:19).

I I I . ..“ And we know that.-the Son oj God is', conic,- and hath given us an understanding, that- >vc m a y know him that is true, and wc arc in' him that is true, even in : his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

T h e m e — Manifested Love.Text—''“Herein is love, not that wc. loved God,

but that', he loved us, and seiit his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4 :10).

Subjectc.anil Text*A PerpetUal Provision (Gen. 8 :22). 'The Goodness of God (Psa. 145:9),Clothed with Humility (1 Pet. S:S),A Safe Retreat (Psa. 32:7).The Wondrous Achievements of God. (Psalm

98:1).

Faithful W ork Rewarded (2 Cliron. 15:7). Grace in Time of Need (Hell. 4:Ki) Sowing Ihe: Word (Mark 4:14(1 The Value o f C/can Spcech. (I’ rov. iS:2t>), Givl1 Ifoed to-Actions (2 Chron. I'S:6 )..

W H AT DOES AMERICA NEED?B y M z u m H . B row .v .

T e i t : I am rich and increased ivith goods, and ■/hiv) nerd oj-nothing (Rev: 3 :1 7 ).,

I UELIEVE wc are living-in one of the n ea t­est periods ot. the w o r ld ’s history. .The present generation, has seen the greatest ad­

vancements in the arts o f civilization that any generation has ever hern privileged to witness..

. >1M) have been enabled to not only navigate the sea. but the depths of Ihe sea with ease and com ­fort, to. travel the earth at a speed o f over two hundred mites an hour, to navigate the air not Cvith. mere kites but gigantic well controlled ma­chines carrying great loads of freight as well as passengers. ■ ‘ . "s ' .■

It is marvclousl The radio has brought the voices from the ends of the earth to the fireside of every home. The telephone makes the nation

. as a neighborhood until one may sit in his o f­fice or home and converse with friends or asso­ciates for miles, yea, hundreds o f miles in every direction. The electrical inventions make the night shine a!most as the <lay. What an improve-' mcnt electric lights are. The modern household has electrical ‘heating, refrigeration, washing, ironing, sewing, cooking and I suppose soon will have mastication and digestion.

Poverty is seldom. People are comfortable in the main. The most of the, people of America have a house to protect them from the elements, clothing -'sufficient • for their health's sake and many o f them some besides for vanity's sake, food sufficient for the - maintenance of life and then some. Illiteracy is decreasing rapidly. Men are learned. Schools arc far superior to those ot even a generation ago.

Means o f transportation are. available lo all. Few walk. The railway trains ore crowded, the steamers busy, the highways congested, many are running to and fro .'

W c have a great commcrcial organization untif you can buy in your own town anything pro­duced anywhere in the world. A great banking system enabling you to carry on a large businc&s with the handling nf hut little money, a postal

1

374 THK P,REAGH'ffR;S ifA G A ZIN K

system that rushes mail around the world in a Jew days delivering-it to your door for a few cents, and all kinds o f small, modern inventions for.our ease .and comfort. ■

Well what lack'*we yet? What do we need? ■ ■Tl\e modern world, doesn't realize' it has a 'need. Livins in the Laodiceaif age it says wq have riches and arc increased with goods,. and have ' need of ndthing, but how untrue. The fearful calamity w c have fallen into is satisfaction with materialism, 'Wc need .God. We need a-mighty revival o f old-time conviction for'sin . A heav­en-sent revival. N ot.just a local, affair but a mighty outpouring o f Mount Sinai, avVc-striking conviction that will^ take the strut from the proud, tHe self-satisfaction from the rich, and the stiffneckedncss from the unbeliever. A sin- ' slaying, devil-driving, awe-producing, hell-rob­bing revival. Oil, if God would rend the heav­ens anti come down until the mountain?; would flow don’M at. his prespnee:V

No human power can copc with the power, of sin. Sin'sent Adam and Eve skulking'from Kden like whipped culprits:. Sin .stained the 'ground with blodd for the first, time. Sin-sent the mur­derer fleeing as a fugitive marked with tlie. curse o f God. §irt drowned a)! the-rare but eight -fouls.. Sin corrupted the new race until God had to separate a family and make of them 'a .peculiar, marked, separate people. Sin landed this family in bondagC.' Sin sent their first king to a suicide's, ■ grave. Siti scattered them over the earth , as a suffering, despised, people. Sin crucified .(he Lamb . o f God, and still sin sweeps on mightier than ever, engulfing the millions in its> destruction. Xo one but Gocf can cope with-sin. We are in tlie clutches o f tiib monster from the pit.

Autos rush lo our bank doors carrying masked men who shuo^. down innoccnt employees and escape with the earnings o f • the" people. • Rack-'

, cteers in gangs are waylaying our citizens. Policc forces seem helpless or paralyzed. Men who as­sist in law enforcement are slugged on their own doorsteps in broad daylight. Women are mur­dered in cokl blood, for a little money. Children- are kidnapped fpr ransom and cruelly killed, their mangled bodies returned with compliments. Mere bovs startle the public with heart-sickening crimes. The multitude.follows dame fashion who leads them where lust pastures. They become drunk on pleasure arid mounted on four wheels tike the brakes off ami let her drive. The pres­sure gets" heavy naturally'and men and women break. The trusted become thieves and the sup-

(22)

p'osedly 'righteous fall into gloss iniquity. Wli.it is.the mailer with us? Has the human.-race gone, m ad?• Wc Jjavv forgotten Clod and the nation that forgets God shall 'be"turned into hell.' Un- le>s we have a revival’ that will brinii h iick 'a . re- memhr.uu'e of Gtiri this nation, (he greater! na­tion thai/ever- graced this planet) will lie turned inlo a hell. What do we need? We need-a re­vival, a 'v isitation-of. the Almighty. No human ryrloflf, blizzard; ;or tornado, or grraip of sons

.o f thunder will stay the .awful avalanche that is crowding the millions into Ihe jaws of 'death and hell. It will take the triune God.

Hut God still"-lives, lie has not'yet turned the. 'world .over to the tender mercies of the devil. As long as the saints are left on earth to inter­cede there is hope, A revival is possible as'long as there are here those to pray: Moses prayed and God stepped in, Klijah prayed and God came down. A revival. is still possible but the'

days-arc getting fewer, for the last times are on us. The tig tree is budding, the signs are mul­tiplying, heaven's armies nmst be marshaling, the triimpeL w il l soon sound and what we do « .must do quickly. We nulst soon go hieher but wisat can we do now.?.

Pjt.H' J PjUy I, Pbav ! Tray for-a hell defeating revival of. heaven's power,, a devil defeating 're-1 vival of God's power, a sin killing revival o f fiofi- ne.-s, an atheist converting revival o f ; failh in .the God of our father.', m-'.sviiit,. enro. ’ •

ILLUSTRATIVE M ATERIALCo in filed by J. G lim s Goni.i)The Death pf the Righteous

The record of(W hitefield 's) last hours.jtt.Ncw- btiryport is thrilling beyond words to tell. He is preaching , his .last sermon, llis subject is "Faith

'and Works.” With far carrying-tones lie-cries, “ Works, works, a man g e t 'lo heaven by liw ksi I' woutd as {.non Ihink of :climbing to the moon on a rope .of sand!" .Uu't - his voice begins to fail, " f go ," he said, "to my everlasting rest. My su» has risen, shone, and is setting. Nay, it is about to rise and shine forever. 1 have not lived in vain1, and though 1 could live to preach Christ a thousand years, J die to be with Him, which to me is far. better;1' He was to preach that night; but he felt he could not. He took his can­dle to go up to bed, .but midway bn the outside stairs he paused w ith his candle in his hand. An­swering the importunity of the people, he spoke

with the passion of bis blessed l.ord until tlie• candle .burned down lo its socket and. went out. Would that a. picture of that scene al N'ewbury- piirf might Jiang in every preacher's study in America! lie went u p .to his room and to an iinoiii/itm nii;\il, ' tlicn

' “ Just'as Ihv Min in .nil his ,\ht(r ' , , illitmhu'tl t l ir ru )lrrn sk in

I l f fu m td ■ through filory's morninu gulr ' . s Am i ti'iilkril in /’urtiiliif." ' 1 ,v

Whitefield was no. oruanizer like. Wesley.- 1 Ic was , rh<- voice i>[ one-crying is* the wilderness, '•l’ re-

li;iri- ye.the way of. the Lord," and America owes ■him a debt which it does 'n ot fully appreciate and which it "can never repay."— I)b. C; L. Goon-,i.i.t.. - ' • ' . -

. 1 . 1 S te w a r d s h ip .

Some years |igo the following item 'appeared in ;i New England daily paper:

!'HiddIef.or<|, Me.— A unique will, bequeathing n .h r p e fortunr lq Jt'sus Christ for the.founding Hf a rest home for Pilgrims, w a s unearthed-, among o ld , doctiments tins, afternoon1 3t the Oc­tober session-, pfthe- York County Probate Court.

■ The.'will, .filed in 1846 , Ity '.‘Samuel -junkins, a wealthy resident of York, is its follows: ' . .

‘ I freely leave my entire estate lo the Lord Je.-us Christ, although it Was all His before, with a ’wish, that it might he kent for a place tt> en­tertain and rest .Pilgrims o f all denominations w-ho are traveling lo Mount Zion,-having made ' llleir escape from Kjjyfit • land • w ith 'a kingdom within them ',". ■ .-

A T w ice -B orn , M in iiter ; liurchani. remarks on the transformation which

tc-ok place in the life o f Thomas Chalmers. He 'was the brilliant pastor o f a little- church in Kil- many, a marvelous prcacher whin he was only tw entjM hw .-'. He- .ivas .'a Rood pastor and, won their unstinted admiration- and love. -But they .could not understand why when they came, to the'I;irk on the Sabbath day he fulminated at that

. little .company against the heinous wickedness of theft, of. murder,'and of adultery. After they had spe.nr.a hard’ week's work in field un/1 stable, w hy should, they tie berated by their minister' as', if [hey had spent the week in open shame? .“ This," says Chalftiers" biographer, “ cvMiiiiied from 1803 lij- l.sl 1, but. then something happened; Chalmers leased to thunder against the grosser crimes and against the iniquities (if Napoleon, but .every day he had .-onii'thing-fresh to say about the love of'

.THE'- PREACH'

God, about the cross of. Christ, and about the way o f salvation." “ He would -bend over the.; piftpit and press us to take the (lift," says one of his hearers, "as if he had it that moment in his hand1 and would tnot be satisfied until cycry. one o f us had trot possession o f it. And then when the sermon was over and. he rose to'pronounce the benediction, he would break'out afresh with

''somu tiew' entreaty, unwilling to let us go until he had made one more effort it) persuade us to ■accept it." . ; .

He says that in 1811 he was converted. When he was railed.-away to a great city, parish this was what he sa id -to his humble parishioners: "Pur the first eight years of niy twelve with you,I thundered away against crimes of every sort, but the interest inn fact is that during the whole of that period 1 never once heard of any refor­mation being wrought among you. It w;ls not until the free offer of forgiveness through the b’ood of Christ w a s urged„,iipon you that I ever heard o f those subordinate reformations which I made the ultimate.object of m y earlier ministry. You have taught me that to preach Jesus Christ in tht only effective way o f preaching morality, and tlie lesson 1 have learned in your humble cot*.,

' luges,. I sliall carry into a, w ide . field.” —U r . GOOIUXL, 1 ' ■, '

Under Father1* Wing* .Some years ago a. missionary conference was in ' /

progress in the Panama Canal Zone, presided over by Dr. John R,. M ott,' On one day of the conference Miss Annie Coope, kriow as the "Sky ■ Pilot o f the San .Bias. Indians,” was allowed half an hour in which to present her w ork . - She did it in her own inimitable way. At tiic dose o f her' remarks Dr. M oll asked, the privilege of ' questioning her regarding her work'. He inquired, “ Do I, understand that you have carried on your

'w ork through faith in God alone, without any •regular support from any mission board ih the home Saiid?” . Miss Coope replied ,t|tal such was the case, ' Then Dr, Mott questioned further; “ If- you bad it to do over again, w ould, you not pre­fer to he under some board?” Miss Coope replied, “ Mercy, no, Dr. Mott, a hoard w ou ld be qtuch ioo , heavy. I prefer to' be. under Father's wings!”

A L egacy ‘o f HatredOne can scarcely believe the uttermost depths

to W hich sin in its varied forms can sink the hu­m an heart. An example is to be.found in a will

''drawn in 1866 'while the bitter feeling begotten by the. Civil War was still at its height, “and prc-

ICR’S M AGAZINE 375

i •" ’ I

376 Till*: 1’ REACHER'S M AGAZINE

served in the old Hahovct' Court House in Vir­ginia. Here it is:

“ I have made several wills before, when 1 had considerable pro|>erty to . give my wife and chil­dren, .but since the Yankees'have stolen all my negroes anil robbed me of a great dclil of my other personal property,-' pillaging ' my iiouse, breaking open all the doors, and stealing all the clothing they wanted, I have very little left to will. They stole a gold watch from me worth about three hundred dollars, which was a bridal present from me to my wife, when wc were mar­ried half a icntury ago. T h ey . threatened to

■ shoot me if 1 did not deliver the watch to them, and burn down my dwelling house,'presenting their pistols at me frequently, and I, an old man

- of seventy-six that was too old and feeble to .de­fend myself. - '

“ I now therefore make this my last will and testament, in the. manner and form folio w ing;-. ■viz.:

"First; 1 give and bequeath to.m y children and grandchildren, arid their, descendants throughout all generations, the bitter hatred and everlasting 'malignity 'of my 'heart and soul against the Yankces/ including all the people north- of Mason's and Dixon's line: and I do hereby ex­hort and entreat my children 'and grandchildren, it they have' any love or veneration for. me, to instill, in the hearts of. their children and grand­children, and all their future descendants, from their childhood, this bitter haired and those malignant feelings, against the aforesaid -people ami their descendants throughout all future time and generations.” ■ ;

Flvyticidns A lio DieI was: impressed once again, upon a recent visit

to an old graveyard in West Lynn, Massachusetts, with the truth that "It is appointed unto men once to die.” There on an old slate marker oyer the grave o f a physician who liad ministered to the colony in the early days of the eighteenth- century was this epitaph:"Here lyes Buried ye Bodyof Doqtr.'John Henryliurchated, a '.Silesian,who Deed, Septbr. X X , Anno'Christ!M D C C X X L /Etatis. Suae L X IIH .Silesia to New England sent this Man .To do their all that any Healer Can,Hut he who Conquered all Diseases must ■Find 0n£ which'throws him down into the Dust; A .Chymist near to an Adeptist Come;

Leaves, here thrown by his Caput Mortuum. Reader, 'PHYSICIANS dy as others do';Prepare, for thou to this art hasting, too.".-

There 1* a Spot to Me M ore Dear“ On my last visit to the church in New Hav­

en," writes Dr. C. L. Goodell,- " f took some of (he denominational Secretaries of Evangelism with me, and wc went,to lite Registrar's office at Yale after office hours and asked permission to enter that little, low-studded room in Connecti­cut Hall. To me it is a holy place, and J wanted my brethren to share the inspiration of it. Op­posite the dhor as you enter, there is a little, low' fireplace;, a small frame hangs over it, with­in Which'-this message is printed—‘Horace Iiush-

1 neli of the dasA oi 1827 occupied this room in ' That would' seem to lie a matter oflittle historical interest and l.have no doubt that hundreds of students and , scores o f professors have passed it by with a careless glance, but I knew what Horace Bushnell himself had said concerning that very room. These are his words: ‘There is a little room in .one o f the dormitories Of Yale and what happened there I hope the Recording Angel may never allow to be blotted au.U’ It wa> there that the divine chrism- rested

■ upon the great man's soul. It was there in his youth at that, low fireplace that he made the great surrender, ft was from under the lintel AT that low door that he went out into the world to carry a 'gospel, the blessedness of which has not faded and never V jll fade from the*hearts of men." . ■ '

' Before prohibition was voted the Salvation Army would often collect as many as 1,200 druhken men and women in one night on the Bowery in New York who were too drunk to care for themselves. Now, according to testimony of Commander Evangeline Booth as reported in 1 he Cljristian Herald, the average is not more than seven'a night-

• I am writing a 'few lines to express my apprer ciation o f the Preacher's Magazine, I have every copy that has been published, and am very gladI have had them bound because in this way they

.arc preserved;—! think a I good index in. the. De­cember-number each' year Would improve the v o l­ume and .enable the preacher to find .certain ma­terial rj ajrc readily.— Lura Horton Inglcr.

T i l l ' l'.RICA CHICK'S MAGAZINE 377

THE NEW PASTORflv W . I(. WAI.KKH ' ' ;

THIi REV. PAKSONS was nearing the peal; of his ministry in I-rax Halloa'. Multi/illi'fl hundreds of people had sought the Lord

at his altar.and scores of people had united with ihe church; The Sunday services hail passed

-into history with their responsibilities. The old pastor had preached in the morning on the sub­ject of ‘ 'Heavenly Power," using for a text, Acts 1:B, "Hut ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come ujion you .'1 In the evening he preached on the subject, "H ow May I Know that I am a Christian?" using for his text, John 0:25, “ One thin;; I know, that, whereas ! was blind, now I, sec." The Spirit o f (he Lord graciously rested upon the speaker, and tiie.saints were greatly built, up .in the faith.

On Monday morning Kcv. Parsons was review­ing the results o f the-past *Sabbath. A Western Union delivery boy delivers , a message at the parsonage in Frog Hollow. It is a call to an­other 'church in a distant city. The members of ■

.the'parsonage in Frog Hollow Sire all astir. The- matter is talten to the Lord in prayer. Anil af­ter hours of. waiting before the Lord the invi­tation is accepted as the will ot God. On the next Sunday morning the pastor presents , his rcS? igttatlon to. his flock, Amid tears the congrega­tion accepts the. document as the voice of the Lord. . '

The second Sunday from .this date Rev. Par-, sons prcaehes lits last mcss&ne on Paul’s remark­able passage to flic Corinthian church, “ Finally, ' brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good com ­fort, be of one mind, live in pcacc; artd the God of love and peace shall be with you.” The serv­ice was more like a funeral than anything else: For thirty minutes the people streamed down the aisles o f the church' shaking hands with the retiring pastor and his family; On. Monday morning they, were to start on their trip to the Jacksonville church. Several members o f (he church .were at. the parsonage early the next morning. They desired to look into the faces of those who had been such a blessing to .them.

.After ■ telling, this devoted,, group .good-by oncc more the pastor and his family arc on their way.The trip was long and tiresome, but it was a wonderful trip because of the new scenery. At- the close Of two days' travel the.minister and his family arrived in Jacksonville. The parsonage was all in readiness. It had been decorated with i new priper and the floors and woodwork had been treated to a new coat of varnish and paint. The, furniture and rugs were also nicely arranged, ^ and everything was in readiness,'for the new preacher. This had been made possible by the sacrifice- o f tire good women of. the church. 1

On Sunday morning the new pastor and his family arrived ■ at the church late— on purpose,1: irt-ybotly in Jacksonville was interested in. the ■ coming of Key.'.Parsons'. • His picture had already appeared in the Jacksonville Daily. There was a large congregation for the first scrvicc. The min­ister preached a brief sermon on the subject o f “Achieving Faith," However, the people were more interested in his mannerisms and personal ■ appearance'than his message. In the period of one hour the’ service was over and the minister, and his family were back in the parsonage.-

As the weeks glide by the problems of the church rise up like a mountain. After the first servicc .o f the Missionary Society Mrs. Parsons informed the sisters that the society had not been run right. She told them-that such plans would not make for success. However, such plans had made it possible to furnish the parsonage-with ' new furniture, and to occasionally bring up the . deficit in the pastor's salary; and to pay quite a sum each month on the'General Budget. In-

’ stead of accepting the new plans with enthusiasm the members of the society felt that their old leader had been snubbed and unappreciated. The special singers of the church were no longer used, ■ as ’the' new pastor’s wife did most o f the singing,.The new pastor and his wife took full charge o f ’ the choir and the special singing. Mrs. Parsons' was very free to express herself in matters per­taining to the church. Of coursc shc'was young ■ and inexperienced in the parsonage, but did an

.excellent work in Froft Hollow—-their first charge.- (25)

■17S , 'IIIK J'.REACHER1 .1

H er es|5criencc .|w(! nol been unniixh !<> Iwcli her thal her biggest jdb was lo create an atmosphere in the parsonage'.'that was conducive' |o success. Stic had not Icarnpd by years o f ripenem 'c that Jut ureal task was to lie "a leader th a l; seldom . leads. _ r ..

llev. I’ arsons is well educated and is in [tilt possession o f a wonderful, work o f urate,' fit- was' a young man.and lull of promise. The l.ord had

'signally blest his labors in the Frog Hollow church .' Hut in the Jacksonville conurbation he had discovered a difficult siiualion. He easily

,. detected'-that the people were tremendously at­tached to their former pastor. He often heard expressions from his people that disgusted him and made him feci uncomfortable. It was not Ions until the small group of people who dis­liked Rev. Noble gathered about the new pastor

' for comfort and cncotrragemant. The neiv pas­tor was' informed that the old pastor did' not treat them rifiht. Unconsciously 'Rev. Parsons sides in with this group who had not been to church for weeks before the former pnslor left. The new . pastor' couW hardly prepare his S u n -, <lay messages' because these people gathered'so frequently at ’tlie parsufiage. More and more • ibis crowd was'given-recognition in llie services of the church. The members of the church board very kindly informed the new pastor relative to. receiving (iris crow d .with open arms. For this group had given Rev. Noble no' little 'trouble while in the church. •_ • > .

The new pastor begins to change things, in general. Perhaps many o f the oh) plans did need ' changing. Uut he was slow to receive money that was contributed by unconverted people of

■ THE SINGING HEARTThe dinging heart is never bound,W here'er its habitat is found;Be midnight dork,- or morning gray, •It cheerfully pursues its way; .And those it meets upon the rond Go forward with a lighter load. ■

The singing heart is full of peace;From worry it has knoivn release;Though faithful to its honest cores.Not one. in foolishness it hears;It sh edsan atmosphere abroad Of strength, and calm, and faith in

God.— Eva Garland in Young People.

‘S MAG.W INK

the community, lie-changed the'method of run­ning the Young People's 'Society. For a lime he.

' ceased’ to use the Ymmi; People's- Journal, and1 prepared all Ihe program,' himself; lie also re­

fused lo let some young-people, sinM in the serv­ices because they did not M onu to ihe church. He refused to have anv smitl gatherings for the young people. - Stilue of Ihe leading■ members of the 'Jacksonville .conitri'xnlion ,lia«l discovered ’

.that their, pastor,had almosV destroyed the in­dividuality of (he church. The-members were no longer feeling that sense .iif ^responsibility.- They were in bondiiee lo ihe pastor—they feared his criticism and rebukes. lie appeared told-hear! ed and unapproachable, lie seemed lo be without sympathy for people. The ■ members ' unwisely compared him lo.Itev, Noble, their 'former pastor. The new nimbler seemed lo know nothing about nial>ing friends with the public. 'The •crowds be- ■ gan to drift away, and the, finances ran lower, than ever- befure. .

The members began, to wonder if the doors would be kept open. The Jacksonville pastor refused to boost the Sunday .school attendance for fear o f .becoming: a. “ nose counter," or . be­coming worldly. The Sunday school' officers lost interest and as a natural -sequence the, attendance', dropped below par. The pastor jtfst-let things take their own course. He stood "firmly against having any contests to build up the attendance on: special-occasions!' '■ The Jacksonville congregation had become bad­ly, “discouraged-' over the conditions o f the church; ' Different members began to 'w rite llteir former paslor—Rev. Noble, the warmhearted. However, lie was a man o f judgment and sense a n d 're ­fused to keep lip a prolonged correspondence with his former friends. He was wise enough to stay out o f the Jacksonville difficulties.. This congre­gation began lo feel that'. Ihe foundation of years was being‘ t.un away by the new pastor. .'His idfas and plans were so .different from uiiat. had been. uSed for years,- Rev. Parsons did not seem" to realize-th.lt his,people were in Jacksonville before he arrived, and doubtless 'would remain many years, after lie was gone. Nearly one .year had passed since he took chargc of this church, And the discouragements have increased rather ’than diminished, The recall meeting had been- anttmmced for Monday evening two weeks hence. And on that appointed evening a full representa­tion of the membership was present.- The nevv pastor was recalled for his second year: with only six votes to the good. Had he received seven more voles against bins he would have been fie -

(26)

TillO RRICACHER'S M AGAZINE 379'

feaied, The Sunday school’ superintendent ilnd (lit: president of tbe Young People’s Society be­came disuiurnged over_ the progress of . the church that llu'y were rcaily Lo resign. ’ The young pcopleV w ork had about raised, to func-linn. ’ . ,

But in >pitc of tlie many discouragement;.- of. (lit pasi year, Rev, Parsons faced tlie new year with a determination to 'have a revival at any tust. - lint" bnc. revival, effort'after another was . LondiJiled w ilhouf’ results. In abuul six months

.o f the new year it began .to dawn upun the pas­tor' thaj! lie was not succeeding. He seemed to leel (hat ite-was a njislif. lie had worked hard.

' and. bud prayed by the hours. He was quite dis­cou nted with himself, lie wondered; who was to blame. - He befall to criticize ill’s predecessor and his. plans. He blamed Jitm for having wedded the people lo himself.’ He did not take tlie at­titude iif one great pastor who said, “ I do not illume people for loving their former paslor. 1 like to pastor a people w h o were devoted to my. predecessor.', I’o r ,if I am not able to win'a place in their 'hearts like he -did I itave.no right for a

.place'." The Jacksonville pastor ■ received great I'omfort in reviewing the successful years that were spent in the Frog Hollow' pastorate. Sim­ply because a young preacher puts oyer •» good ■pr«jrram bi his tir.-! pastorate is no sure evidence that lie V 4 ) ■succeed, in'Ihc next. place".

No person would cull'this Jacksonville pastor a failure,in the ministry because lie did not put across a successful pros ram in his new -field.'1,'nubile** -liis •|jcopie’ were* partly to blame for his failure. He was very likely the.wrong man itl disposition and. temperament lo follow Jtcv, Noble, The .Jacksonville congregation were- very devoted to their former pastor. Hut .Rev. Par­sons was loo.much like tlie Xortli Pole— cold and heartless. He did nut understand how .to weep with .those I hat weep, and rejoice .with" those that rejuice: l|e was-too much-like an unapproach­able mountain. He. was’ too slow to take advice, from his leading people. He was a bit too anx­ious and careless in overriding the actions ami de­cisions of the former pastor and the District Superintendent. His preaching was too mechan­ical ami m ctallic-w ithout feeling. \ i» , he was too free in changing'old plans of tin; Jacksonville congregation. He tried (o. change the old plans before he sold himself lo his people., lie failed to See that if a man who was elected to a new position iff some great company should begin im- ttscdiately (o cliangc" old standing plans that he

would be considered .very foolish. Rev. Parsons was too quick lo show a critical spirit toward his predecessor, Rev. Noble. - He-should have been* a 'K’olile -booster, to the Jacksonville crowd.. '

- Hilt it is now close to the end of the year. Our friend has been in .this city for two years. He knows very - well it will_ never do to have Ids name voted on for the third year. Brother Par­sons loved the cause of Christ too well to stay and divide the Hock. He decided that he had rather suffer-himself tli.in divide bis congregation. He was sure that it was'better to move on than to hang around anil tiYvide his crowd, so that the. next pastor could do nothing. Even (hough this good man had severely criticized his, predecessor in his own heart and blamed the ]>taple for. his seemingly unsuccessful St. y among them, yet he was ready to move on to another field. He bad

‘ learned his lessons at a tremendous cost— but lie learned them. His diploma was of black and hint. Hut in the face o f these facts he preached well on the last Sunday night of his stay in Jacksonville, His message was filled with unction and tenderness. The people were blessed. Rev. Parsons, moved on (o another field o f equal .im­portance wit!) Jacksonville. And. by so,leaving (his city he left a condition behind that was conducive for his successor to carry on the good w-ork. Ules.sed is the preacher who can so. leave a congregation of people.ASl!CAXU,:>kF.XTt<C>KY. . ”

S'

N A ZA REN E L E A D E R SH IPBy M e l z a H. B n o w .v

OMRONE has said that a leader is some­one who is going som e. wh it her and knows the whither. In this sense a leader-Would

he a guide. >.’0 doubt in this day of doubt, spir­itual fog, arid religious bewilderment we ■ need some leaders who can guide the people through the wilderness o f error into (he.promise land of Irttth.:

A leader however must be more than a guide., He must be-a seer. He must.be able to see w hat

others do not see— see things before others see them, and sec the future needs of thi people. Hut be must also plan for the m eetingof those needs when they arrive. Joseph was such a lead­er, He could see famine coming seven years ahead, and he could also see means and ways of providing for that famine, so that when It ar­rived the granaries and torn-bins uere full.- Then a leader must'also be a teacher who can

.direct Ihc thinking and guide the thought life of"

( 2?)

'380 TH E l ‘,REACHEIi . - . -

the people. Such were I he prophets o f old who taiight law, judgment, ‘ righteousness and truth.

But above all these characteristics a religious leader must be a general. He must be an organ­izer who cap work with men and pet men to work with him; who knows how t o ;;work out plans for men and then get .men to work out his plans. . ' 11

Perhaps someone might wonder where wc would And. anyone with all these characteristics of lead­ership. We have ■ a wonderful example in the Old Testament of just such a leader anti if God could make, such a leader then, surely He can make such in this dispensation.

Mnses was just such a/leader. ■ Moses was a guide. H e had been sent to the school Qf wilder-, ness life for forty years that he might know the wilderness and be prepared for guiding the peo­ple of God to the land .of Canaan. Moses was also a seer. He could see what others did not see. Israel could see the Red Sea, the mountains on either side, and I’ haraoh’s sarmy; but Moses could see a 'w ay through the sea. Israel could see a barren desert with starvation and death;’ but Moses could see a nevcr-ehding supply of bread from heaven.’ Israel could see a dry and thirsty- land with nothing but a place to be buried but Moses could sec a Rock in a weary land from which came a gushing, sparkling river of life. Then Moses was',a. teacher. He taught' the law of God from W hich tlie laws o f all civilized na­tions have been taken. He taught righteousness, judgment and truth. Bi)t above all Moses was an orgariizcr'and a general. He tool; a mob of people anti made a nation of it, lie took slaves and made statesmen and generals. Moses so or­ganized that crowd of Israelites that they were able to carry on without him. And after lie had gone.on to his reward, they entered Canaan and, after conquering the land, set up a kingdofa that has never been surpassed on earth in organization. They becamc so bound together that they main­tain their identity as. a people even until today.-

Where will the . church get this leadership? There was a time when we used the leaders who came to us from other churches or who were forced out of other churches because of their stand for the doctrinc of holiness. Hut that day has passed, and the Church of the Nazarent hav­ing become fairly well organized and possessed of a denominational spiiit, it has become more and more difficult - for leaders whu come to us from other denominations to find their place in our army and catch step,, and succeed as leaders.

.’S 'M AQ AZIN li'

THen th e1 church has become large- enough and is growing rapidly enough that wc can expect but a , comparatively small percentage o f the needed leadership to even, desire to come to us, . if they did find it possible to make .the adaptation necessary for success among, our people. Where, then will wc secure our leaders? There is but . one answer. We must train them from our own ranks.' This was Jesus’ method. Jesus did not take tPie leaders ot the Jewish church and bring them over into His kingdom to lead the Church of the Holy Spirit dispensation. He took men. from the common walks of life and then spent three years of His time training them for leader­ship that when He was gone the work m ight' continue. As a church we have, realized this es­sential, and have .established our Nazarenc col- : leges .wjhere'wc train our. ministry for the pas­torate, evangelistic work and’ .foreign missionary field. 'Our schools, arc an absolutely necessity to ■ our. dtfnomjnatiohiildifc, We must have Nazarenc preachers who are Nazarenc in heart, life and thought. Men who believe, the doctrines ot the church and- who arc in complete harmony with the church both in faith and practice. , - ■>

Hut while this is true of us as a denomination , wc have often failed to see the necessity of a ■■ trained local leadership. v We ' must, if we suc-

" ceed in pur local churches, have a -Nazarenc lead­ership, who arc Nazarcnes in faith 'and doctrine, just as much so as in the case of our general leaders. I do not mean by this local leadership,' the pastor of the church, for if a church amounts to very much it must have a. much larger leader­ship .that)', just' 'the pastor. We .must have a " trained leadership for our Sunday school, Young People’s Society,' Woman’s Missionary ' Society and entire church program. Where will wq se­cure these? .We cannot send our people all to the colleges for this training,' so w c must do what we can to bring the sch oo lto them, in or­der that they may be trained for the work fall­ing upon them while at the task. The Leader-' ship Training School in Religious Leadership' is for this very purpose and should he brought into every church. The community sch ool' will, hot meet our needs. We must have our own schools :

With our own teachers and our own text books where our leaders arc .prepared for leading our . people to victory and success. The church has a well outlined course of study for this training. And while perhaps not ni complete as we will need in the days to comc, it will benefit every local leader who takes it and makes use of ihe possibilities bi this training.

THE PREACHER’S M AGAZINE 381

THE MINISTER AND HIS VOCATIONBy H .‘ B. M acrory

The minister o f the gospel, in his vocation, en­joys the greatest calling o f life. H ow ever im ­portant other occupations may be, there is nonelo com pare with that o f tile Christian ministry.

It is said that when W illiam Carey w as labor­ing in India, and his son Felix had accepted the office o f ambassador, to the king o f I iu rm a h ,D r. C arey 'sa id , "F e lix lia s driveled into an ambassa­dor.'1 T he son in forsaking his vocation as a :

■ minister o f the gospel fo r an carthly^ambassador- fhip h!id broken the heart qf-his illustrious father,

One o f the tragedies o f the ministry, today is the m ultiplicity o f its in terests 'an d activities. Our modern m ethods o f conducting the work o f the church many tim es,burden the minister with responsibilities that rob him o f his greatest possi­bilities as the f / God.

A similar condition obtained for a time in the days o f the early church. Finally, however, the twelve called the multitude o f the disciples unto them, and s a id ,'"I t is not reason (hat we should leave the w ork o f C?od arid serve tables. W here­fore, brethren, look ye out am ong you seven : men o f honest report, full o f the H oly Ghost and w isdom , w h om we may appoint over this business. But w e will give ourselves, continually, to prayer, and to the. ministry of. the w ord.” What w'as the result o f the plan o f the apostles? "A n d the 'word o f G od increased; and the num ­ber o f the disciples m ulliplicd .in Jerusalem great­ly ; and a great com pany o f the priests were obedient to the fa ith ." .

T he successful minister is a fitan with a mes­sage delivered t o 'h im in answer to prayer. A message freighted with the unction and pow er o f .the H o ly 'G h o s t . Yes— n message that will in: spire both the messenger and the people to whom he is sent. Such was the message that gripped the heart o f tho apostle Paul when in his letter to the church ,at Corinth he said,’ "W o e is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.”

W hat a challenge the minister has in his v oca ­tion I A challenge to preach the gospel with a passionate earnestness."' M any duties may crow d in upon him . H e m ay be needed as an adm in­istrator, an organizer, a financier, a leader in the social-activities o f (lie church, and as a pastor to be ready at all times to minister to the sick and call upon the people, yet the one tiiing ou t­standing fo r him, as the. prophet o f G od , is 't o

appear before the people with a . heart aflame w ith.(A c mrsjflKe oj Jesus Christ.

W e have com e to the close, o f another year.. M erchants and business men arc taking an in - ventory to determine their profit a n d .lo s s for the past twelve m onths. W olild it not be a p ro f­itable exercise for the minister o f the gospel lo fo llow ? W hat has been the measure o f our suc­cess or failure the past year? Have we made a careful study o f the record? I f _so then let us make the failures w c may have had. in Ihe past bu t slopping stones to success for the future.

TH E LAN D OF PA L E STIN EHy M o s e s lU c p r u x

Thousands o f J e w s 'a r e waiting to emigrate to Palestine as soon as the necessary. capital is forthcom ing. But so far, in spite o f lavish generosity o f thousands o f Zionists, the develop ­ment o f the country is being 'hampered, by lack o f money.

J/ one examines Jewish expenditure in Palestine, he will find l t,at nl° st *s spent oh agriculture, which is the only way o f making a Country, really belong to the people who, occupy it. The sccond largest sum goes to education. The third largest sum has been spent on healtln T his also is essential in a country where sanitation and hygiene have never before been thought o f ; and to which are now com ing large numbers o f im ­migrants from the poorest parts o f Europe.

It is an accepted fact that if a Jew is know n to be having dealings with a Christian mission, he not only loses any chance he .might have had o f em ploym ent.by his ow n people, but he almost -invariably has to leave his hom e. . 1

There arc thousands o f Jews in Palestine t o ­day w ho have no homes here, and have com e 'from other countries to find a hom e in Palestine,

I l is not too m uch to say that Jews generally arc on the m ove, not on ly . physically and nationally, but intellectually and spirit­ually, to find the satisfaction o f a ' need lhat they feel. This is a fact, not only amongst the p oor and unem ployed, the hungry and th e uneducated, but also amongst the edu­cated and the refined, the workers and leaders o f society, w ho have no lack o f m oney. T h e fact is 'apparent, that th e y feel a need o f soul which Judaism .is not able to i it is fy .

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Cbriet's JUfe and Ministryv B y D r . O U v c ]M . G K n c h c s t c r

It is with particular pleasure that w t announce the com p le tion o f D r. W in ­ch ester^ b o o k on the L ife and M inistry o f Christ. N ot in yea'ra have w e co m e across a vo lu m e that sg adrhirably. fu l­fills the requirem ents o f a text b o o k and at the sam e tim e is so w ell adapted fo r d ev otion a l readipg.

T h e arrangem ent o f m aterial m akes the b o o k ideal as a'.text fo r class ro o m uge or fo r a B ib le study grou p . Each chapter is d iv id e d into several parts with a stib-head fo r each d iv ision .' F o l­

low in g eyery chapter is a list o f questions and another o f top ics fo r research. A ls o there is a fou r and on e-h a lf page subject index add in g greatly to the value o f the b o o k as a re ference volu m e. ’ ^

W h ile this b o o k is sch olarly1 and m anifestly the fruit o f painstaking preparation and indefatigab le research it is not technical or p on d erou s in style but on the con trary is very readab le and interesting.'

W e especia lly com m en d it to the attention o f p reach ­ers, Sunday sch o o l teachers and all B ib le students.

Read this commendation from General Superintendent, -Dr. R. T . W illiam.: J

It was my pleasure to rend the manuacript of Dr. Winchester'* Life o f Christ before it went to press. I am delighted with this book arid believe it wi!) be on e of: ih t moat .valuable addition* to our' church publications. Dr. Winchester has a wonderful understanding not only of the life o f Christ, but a keen insight into the meaning of. Christ's coming, His life! His atonement, and in feet all that Christ means to humanity, 1 wish it were possible for every member of the Church of the Nazorene to buy this book and read it.

R. T. WILLIAMS.3.52 p a g es ;'b ea u tifu lly b ou n d in c lo th b o a rd s ; contains

frontisp iece in co lo rs show ing H ead o f Christ b y .H offm an.

When final- details for the printing of this hook were com­pleted with Dr. Winchester, we suggested a retail price of $1.S0 which was agreed upon. After the first announcement of the book had appeared, with the price at $1 .50 , Dr. Winchester wire* us to reduce the price to $1.25* Think of it I A new book of. 35 2 pagefc, cloth bound, with colored frontispiece sell. . ing at $1 .25 , delivered.

N A Z A R E N E PU B LISH IN G H OU SE 2923 Troost Ave., Kansas City, M o.

M Christmas Gift Suggestion!, ’ > t

■ In o rd er to utilize our stock o f a strikingly beautifu l p icture show ing the W ise M en fo llow in g the Star o f ..

' B ethlehem w e have used these p ic ­tures in m aking up a -ca le n d a r fo r1 9 3 3 . ■... ;

T h e picture, printed in soft, p leasing co lo rs ia tipped on to a sheet o f c o l ­ored c o v e r stock . A sm all ca lendar pad is fastened at the b ottom o f the

. picture. .-T h e com p le ted ca len d ar is 7x1 I Yz

‘ inches in size . It is a gift that w ill b e " apprecia ted b y the m qst fastidious.

It is suitable fo r presentation to b o th o ld and you n g .T h e illustration gives a suggestion o f the design o f the c o lo r e d picture

■ w hich can not b e fu lly apprecia ted : until seen.T liis beautifu l ca len dar fo r 1933 w ou ld easily b e w orth I 5 c a co p y . In ord er to d ispose o f this stock w e - are offerin g the ca lendars at the fo l- Ipwihg astounding p rices :

One copy 10c A d o » n cop io 7 Sc

2 6 or tnbrd c<Jplo» at Be each(W^U p »r po»tag»)

. NAZARENE PUBLISHING HOUSE ' 2 0 2 3 Troo»t Ave., K«ni«« City, Mo,