FOR. GREATER POWER AND MORE EFFICIENCY

Vol. 8 AUGUST, 1935 No. 8

THE PROMISED BLESSING OF ASHER

AN EDITORIAL

EFORE Moses died, he called the take ye thought for raiment? Consider the leaders of Israel before him, and gave lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, to each tribe a special blessing, some neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, what after the manner in which That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God Jacob blessed his twelve sons before so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, he died. Asher was one of the tribes and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He of Israel. The son of Jacob who bore not much more clothe you, 0 ye of little faith? this name was by Zilpah, the maid of Lean, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall whom she gave to Jacob for wife. One of the we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where utterances of Moses in this blessing upon the withal shall we be clothed? (for after all tribe of Asher was, "And as thy days, so shall these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your thy strength be." Beut. 33:25. This promise heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom has been a source of comfort to God©s , and His righteousness; and all these in all ages. things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:24-33. Christ gave expression to the very germ of Here we have the Asher blessing applied, il this thought when He said, "Take therefore no lustrated, and emphasized by Christ in a way thought for the morrow: that puts to shame our lack for the morrow shall take of faith. The Christian©s thought for the things of Fruitfulness business is so to teach the itself. Sufficient unto the day BY NATHANIEL KEUM word, and so to live it, that is the evil thereof." Matt. the people will believe the 6:34. This places the Chris QCIET as April©s midnight rain, God©s Holy Spirit pours promises of God. If we can tian under the watchful care Into our upturned, waiting hearts not persuade a Christian to of God, who is to supply From heaven©s open doors, That our else barren lives may bear accept the true meaning of a every need and to make his Much fruit unto His glory ; scripture, we leave him as if strength equal to the task re That ever from our lips may flow The saying story. that promise was never made. quired. It eliminates covet- It is not his scripture when ousness, a sin abhorred by he does not believe it. If we the Lord, and greatly to be shunned by Chris do not believe a promise ourselves, it is useless tians. to try to cause others to believe; for our very Christ taught the same comforting truth in lack of faith denies the teaching. One must greater detail in His : believe that the scripture is true if it is to do "No man can serve two masters: for either him any good. If one does not accept the he will hate the one, and love the other; or promise and make it his own, he remains else he will hold to the one, and despise the unhelped by the word of God. other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The Asher promise, "As thy days, so shall Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for thy strength be," is a golden promise, and pro- your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall vides for the future in a way that eliminates drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall all need of worry. Sometimes we fear that put on. Is not the life more than meat, and we shall not have sufficient strength to meet the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, an issue, and worry ourselves into actual phys nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly ical weakness because we are fearful that de Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better mands will be made on us which are beyond than they? Which of you by taking thought our ability to meet. All these fears and can add one cubit unto his stature? And why (Continued on -page 22) Page The MINISTRY August

in the ministry of appalling strength, and not the least of them is the temptation to professionalism, to formalism. Let Christians in general, and min isters in particular, realize that there are great perils in the very Christian work they are doing. The devil is very shrewd." The Watchman-Examiner, Nov. 15, 1934. IN these days of sensational magazine and radio advertising, and of often wholly fictitious A Medium of Communication Between the claims, it would pay our workers to read "Truth Members of the Ministerial Association of in Advertising," in the Christian Century of Seventh-day Adventists April 24. We should be informed on such mat EDITED BY ters. The magazine named is available in most 1RWIN H. EVANS AND LEROY E. FROOM public libraries. SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS THIS journal has constantly pressed the in THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OFFICERS controvertible need of a well-trained ministry, especially as pertains to those recruited through Single Subscription: $1 a Year the ministerial interneship provision. We may, however, well ponder this caution sounded by Published and Printed monthly for the Association by the the Baptist Watchman-Examiner (April 25). Review and Herald Publishing Association, Takoma Park, Here is the opposite danger against which de Washington, D. C-, U. S. A. Entered as1 second-class matter, December 19, 1927, at the post office at Washing nominationally we must likewise guard: ton, D. C., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. "There seems to be a strange fear abroad that men will find their way into the ministry who have the misfortune to lack certain scholastic attainments. Such fears lead me to feel discouraged as to the WE have not seen the Baptist Church yearly spiritual level of the leading members of our ministry calendar designating definite Sundays to special AVith millions of unsaved persons in our own land, the pastors of important churches are spending pre objects; so without any comparisons or obser cious days in devising means to keep undesirables out vations we simply pass on this editorial note, of the ministry. In other words the Baptist ministry is to be syndicated, like big business, so that all must appearing in the Baptist Watchman-Examiner have like specifications. When an army digs itself in. (May 30) : an observer knows that the generals do not expect to "Though we have advocated the observance ol some advance, but only hope to maintain their position. of them, it is a mistake to multiply Sundays devoted Have we reached the point where it is necessary to to special objects. We are coming to have a church shut up the kingdom?" year after the manner of the liturgical churches, only it is not devoted to a consideration of the great facts AMONG influential Modernist publicists Charles of Christianity, but to the interests of special classes and causes. Eeally a minister ought to have a few Clayton Morrison, editor of Christian Century, Sundays in the course of a year, on which he shall be ranks high. Endowed with a brilliant intellect, free to preach the gospel without reference to special his writings strip inspiration from the Bible, causes, however praiseworthy these causes may be." and emasculate the historic foundations of the THE frenzied pace that occasions many a Christian faith. This devastating, humanizing warning word continues unslackened. It has treatment is without qualm or apology. The become a very real and serious thing to us as Bible of Christianity is no longer supernatural, workers ofttimes disastrous to our devotional divine; instead, it is but natural and very hu life and our study life that lies at the founda man. This treatment is so subtle, and so ap tion of all true and abiding achievement for pealing to human pride, that the secret of its God. W. B. Selbie, in Advance (May 30), says: hold on so many intellectuals is easily under stood. This is again exemplified in editorial "There can be no doubt that one of the chief causes of the decay of religion and of the religious interest is correspondence from Greece, where Doctor Mor the increased pace of living in this modern world. rison is now traveling. Writing from Corinth, ©Life is so full of a number of things© that it is no wonder that men and women have little time to call where Paul emphasized the cross, he says that their souls their own. Every device for saving time "after the failure of his ©philosophic© discourse means that there is less time to save, and the pressure on Mars© Hill which he concluded with a pro of quite ordinary interests and duties is rapidly be coming intolerable. The result is a queer, hand-to- nouncement on the resurrection, . . . his imag mouth, surface kind of existence that can hardly be ination was quickened with a new insight as dignified by the name of life." if by inspiration." There it was that ^"Pffur~ptrt~Chfistianify~TnTo" "iinrnediatT"coinpetffion" IT is fitting that we pause and ponder these with the mystery religions of the time, by proclaiming sobering words from a conservative religious Christianity as itself a mystery religion©! It was he, journal, frequently quoted in these columns. more than any other, who invested , the Lord©s supper, the church, the events of the Master©s Hie, They are from an article entitled, "The Devil and the Christian experience itself with a mystical in Is Very Shrewd:" terpretation not wholly unlike the conceptions which "It is a grave error to suppose that engagement formed the ideology of the mystery cults." in spiritual things exempts one from snares and temp tations. Wie need constantly to remind ourselves And there it was that Paul that It is only as words, forms, and activities are "began to surrender the unfulfilled hope of Christ©s full of the inward life and power they are supposed physical return and to subordinate the resurrection to embody, that .they can be prevented from cor note to the crucifixion note, glorying now not in some rupting those who employ them. Unreality in spir transcendental belief, but in an inward ©mystery of itual words and activities is perilous. . . . The which the cross for the first time became the para obligations of a minister in preaching two sermons doxical symbol." and leading devotional meetings each week is a prodigious strain on sincerity. Unless he is a very That is Modernism in bold and ugly form. remarkable man, there will be occasions when his May God help us to save men and women from service is purely formal. Too frequently he says what he is expected to say, but his words are not its snares. It so panders to human pride that inspired by the thought and sentiment which cor few ever extricate themselves when once en respond to them. . . . There are spiritual temptations tangled in its toils. 1935 The MINISTRY Page S

MISSION PROBLEMS AND METHODS Questions of Interest and Moment

A VETERAN MISSIONARY ANSWERS QUESTIONS No. 1 AST INTEBVIEW WITH W. H. AWDEBSON Suppose a, young man is born in a land where The natives who can scarcely read are abso the Bible is in every home. He grows up under lute strangers to world history. Practically all the shadow of church steeples. When he goes the history they know may be illustrated thus: out to another land where they do not know We ask, "Where does your tribe come from?" about Jesus, or God, or the Bible, how can he make the most favorable contact? What is the They will point out the geographical direction better method of approach, to avoid stumbling from which they came. Usually they bury along the way? What counsel have you for their dead facing the direction from which him? the tribe came into the country. I capitalize When he arrives in his field, he should first this point, and say, "We belong to the tribe of all devote himself to getting the language of of Christ, and as the lightning shineth out of the people, because the probabilities are that the east, so shall the coming of the Son of otherwise he will blunder in whatever he at man be. Now we must live facing, as it were, tempts, or at least will do something wrong. where our Master is coming from." The period of language study gives time for They have another custom which I utilize. adjustment. When we went to the mission It is their regard for the clanships. You will field, there was no one who had preceded us, as find the clan of the hippopotamus, the elephant, we were the first missionaries this denomina the rhinoceros, the monkey, the lion, and so on. tion ever sent to the heathen. We did not have No matter whether men come from South or any one to instruct us. So when we went out North Africa, if two of them belong to the clan to the mission field one of the first things we of the elephant, they are brothers. That clan started to strike at was polygamy, and we put relationship binds them closer to each other tremendous emphasis upon it. Now, I am not than blood relationship, and a man must help condoning polygamy in the least, but we have his clan when in difficulty more than learned by experience that it is better to fol he would help his own blood brother. The low the method of Jesus. We simply must do first word of greeting when one native meets that with the natives. another in the path is, "To what clan do you Christ, you remember, built up something be belong?" In capitalizing this, I tell them that fore He tore down their customs, and it was we belong to the clan of Jesus Christ, and that only at the very last of His ministry that He any man who belongs to Jesus Christ is my said, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, brother. hypocrites!" Before that He had instructed We seek to deal with the native as we would them as to what they should be; and after that with a child, endeavoring to lead him to an was done, He commenced to tear away the hy acceptance of Jesus and the fact that He is pocrisy that was among them. Now, the mis coming again, rather than trying to muster sionary must do just that; he must build up a historical or chronological evidence. system of truth before he condemns the prac Do you make any attempt to explain the tices of heathenism. Otherwise, he erects an prophecies of Daniel and Revelationf insuperable barrier. Then when we come to I tell them about the great kings, but very the problem of polygamy, we approach the little more. No untrained native could possi question something like this: "What was God©s bly grasp all the features of these prophecies. plan for man when He made him? He did not There must be simplicity in our presentations, give Adam a dozen wives; He gave him one. and we must always connect what we are Abraham took another wife into his family, trying to teach them concerning the unknown, and see the trouble he had because he did it. with something they already know. Coming along further, we read about Solomon, To what extent do you seek to Enropeaniee and how Solomon was led astray by his many the native accepting onr message; that is, as wives." I tell them of God©s original plan, and relates to native dress, customs, and relation? how things were before sin entered the world. ships that do not conflict with the spirit of That is how we approach and solve this the gospel? question. We do not try to Buropeanize the native, but to Christianize him, and a Christian is a How fully do you seek to instruct the natives, who can scarcely read and who are strangers Christian whether he is in Africa, China, to history and its meaning, in the more com, America, or any other place. We do not plicated proph.e.cies,t endeavor to separate the native from his, tribe Page 4 The MINISTRY August and innocent tribal customs. That is, he may still be subject to his chief, where being subject KINDLY CORRECTIVES to him does not conflict with the gospel. We do not seek to estrange him from that; but on Better Speech and Conduct the other hand, there are very few of the customs practiced by the natives that do not conflict with the gospel. Treading on Enchanted Ground For example, take the question of clothing. We find tribe after tribe who wear practically BY J. K. JONES no clothes at all. We teach such to clothe T IVING as we do in the mad rush of this age, themselves, and to keep those clothes clean. " with everything geared to high speed, there On the other hand, we combat with all our is danger that in carrying out the mechanical might the idea of putting on clothes for dis play. Also we carefully avoid the idea of details of our appointed work, we shall permit Buropeanizing. The natives have character this whirl of the mechanics to dull our spiritual istic eating habits. In China they use chop vision. Admit it or not, we tread on enchanted sticks, and our missionaries there have no ground. The very press of duties connected burden whatsoever to teach them to eat other with our work as preachers, can easily rob us wise. The African native eats with his fingers. of spiritual power. But I do not bother with this at all, for there What a tragedy it will be if any of us are so are so many bigger things. Some workers busy with meeting our goals, etc., that we neg come out who have a great burden over those lect the contact with the throne of grace, neces things. An older missionary will always dis sary to keep us free from sin and unspotted courage that. from the world personally, and fitted for our holy calling. The devil is entirely willing for Are there certain particular days among the a Seventh-day Adventist minister to be more tribes that are holidays, that are historic, and have a meaning to them? than active in the mechanical side of our work, provided he can keep him from developing the With raw heathen tribes we do not find any spiritual side, so vital to and to the thing in the sense of a holiday. They have church. certain feast days, or festivals. For instance, It seems to me that many times we as preach they have their harvest festivals. No native ers are not as serious-minded as we ought to be. is supposed to eat anything from his garden I believe we greatly weaken ourselves and break until the chief has first eaten. By this they down the confidence of our people when we in recognize that the chief stands first. We do not dulge in light, trifling conversation that is alto seek to interfere with that at all. No native gether unprofitable. We are so near the end must plow his garden until he has plowed his that we should sense the solemnity of it all, and chief©s garden. That is the way they show lead the people into a deep Christian experience. their allegiance to their chief. We capitalize that custom, telling them that This can come only by our placing a victorious God is the Great Chief over their chief, and experience and a holy life above all our activi ties, however important they may be. God that He must have first place in their hearts, even over their local chief, that He must have grant that we as leaders may not only escape the first fruits even above and before their local the traps of the enemy ourselves, but may urge chief gets the first fruits out of the garden. our people to flee from the enchanted ground. When they plow their garden, they must also South Lancaster, Mass. plow it for God. So we teach tithing. Thus we XX XX capitalize these customs that do not in any way S XX XX conflict with the gospel. THE modern Protestant church is "substitut What is your method of approach to heathen ing psychology for sin, and sociology for salva who have no knowledge of God, who do not tion," candidly declares the Presbyterian Ban read, and who engage in heathen practices t ner. Speaking of the church©s drift from its message and mission, it declares: I have never seen a heathen who had no "Christ kept largely aloof from political and socio knowledge of God. In every native tongue that logical affairs that were surging around Him like a I ever heard, there is a word for God, not only boiling sea, and fixed His ©attention and teaching on the inner life of man more than upon his circum for their heathen gods, but for the great God, stances. The sermon on the mount was His platform the One who is over all. So I question whether and plan for His kingdom, and the opening beatitudes embodied its essential elements. Over and over again heathen exist in Africa who have absolutely no He taught that His kingdom was not of this world, knowledge of God. And just as Paul spoke to and was not meat and drink, work and wages, but is within us, a state of mind and chnvch. the people on Mars© Hill in his description of "The church should concentrate upon this spiritual the "Unknown God," I tell them that this is the goal and teaching, and preach Hie gospel of repentance and obedience and righteousness and peace. As we God I have come to teach them about. This I read the topics of the sermons announced in our do just the same as you would teach a child. churches and the volumes of sermons issuing from the press and read the deliverances of many church assem I tell them that God has a law that is to govern blies, we cannot but wonder whether the church is not you and me. The first part of that law says, drifting off from its main message and mission into subordinate fields where it does not speak with author (Continued on page 2%) ity and where its voice is lost In confusion of words." 1935 The MINISTRY Page 5

EVANGELISTIC COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS St. Louis, Dec. 17-23; Philadelphia, Dec. 31 to Jan. 7

THE SUPREME TASK OF THE CHURCH No. 2

BY C. H, WATSON

E have been less than a century at our In the heart of Africa during recent months, W task. Like the early church, we faced, at I have been seeing mighty miracles of God©s the beginning, a whole world of need unreached grace in turning men and women by the by the message that we were to bear to all. thousands from densest darkness to the light. Silver and gold we had none. Organization we It is an amazing thing that is occurring there. also had none. Wholly without material means At each of the jungle camp meetings from two for the prosecution of our work, we yet went to six thousand people attend, and literally forward. Now we speak for God in all places hundreds of penitent people who have been in of the wide earth, and mighty power is at the Bible class for two years follow their Lord tending the work in its onward march among in baptism at each of those places. On two the peoples. It would seem just "now that this successive days in two places not more than hour is ours for the winning of souls to God fifty miles apart over six hundred people were in every land. It surely must be the time baptized while I was there. To some of these when God is pouring out His Spirit upon all gatherings believers travel on foot or by oxcart flesh, and we must move rapidly onward or we eighty or ninety miles, while in other localities shall but follow our Lord afar off. the believers are so numerous that many camp As we now view the foreign mission situa meetings are held at comparatively short tion in its world-wide setting, it presents to us distances apart, and each of these is attended some most encouraging facts. Never since the by thousands. church was given its great task hag the world In one mission field that I visited, four camp been so ready to hear the gospel preached, meetings were in progress simultaneously, and this, too, while darkness covers "the earth, all within a radius of fifty miles. At one of and gross darkness the people." these two thousand were present, and at each From every place the cry is reaching us, of the other three upward of five thousand "Come over and help us," and as rapidly were in attendance. I wish with all my heart as we are able to move forward in response that I could bring to you the inspiration that to these calls, we find thousands of the people reached me while in those jungle gatherings, ready to receive the gospel, and to turn from but nothing that I can say can really represent the power of Satan unto God. It matters little the experience of being there, or can convey in which part of the earth effort is put forth; to others what one there feels of the goodness unusual results are being reached in all places. and marvelous power of God in the gospel of From the South Seas we hear of thousands the Lord Jesus. turning from their savagery to the peace and The Word Is With Power power of the gospel. From far western China we learn of many attending our Sabbath Of a truth the preaching of the gospel just schools, and of ways now being opened to us now is with mighty power among the people. where previously there was no way. Only the other week I received a letter from From the region of the great Amazon come our Brother W. H. Anderson. It was written tidings of a vast work among the hitherto in the heart of Central Africa. He had been unreached tribes that there inhabit the jungles. attending meetings in the Congo Union. Just From the many lands and islands of Inter- hear his story: America we are receiving the greetings of "I have now been in the Congo Union for nearly four months, and have almost completed thousands of new believers. From the midst the round of the camp meetings. We have had of European turmoil many, very many, trou large gatherings, and the Lord has richly bled hearts are turning to the joy of the truth. blessed us in all of the meetings. There have And from the villages of Central Africa thou been nearly a thousand . The Gitwe sands are being led from the shadows of a dark and Rwankeri meetings were attended by more past to the light and blessing and hope of the than seven thousand each. glorious gospel of the coming Christ. From "Gitwe Mission now records 5,106 Sabbath Alaska to the Horn, and from Siberia to the school members, 4,205 day-school pupils, 3,420 Sabbathkeepors. This really is one pupil for southernmost tip of New Zealand, the gospel every twenty-three in Seventh-day Adventist of the kingdom is being preached, and our schools in the entire world. spirits are refreshed as we observe its power "In this Gitwe Mission there are more stu in the souls of the people. dents in Sabbath schools and day schools, and Page b" The MINISTRY August nearly as many Sabbathkeepers as there were Griggs brought us from the Far East regarding in. the entire Southern African Division when the message taking hold of the people in Anam. it was organized in 1921, and the Rwankeri It is a grief to us that we have been compelled Mission is almost as large as the Gitwe to send him back to his field without the means Mission. "The Ngoma Mission is only two years old, for which he so earnestly appealed to support yet there are 578 Sabbathkeepers there, 1,076 a missionary in that great new population. By in the day schools, and 1,286 Sabbath school every rule for good planning we should send a members. That indicates the wonderful way family to that place, but we cannot as yet the message is going. provide their support. "At the Gitwe camp meeting, there were The word that reached us from Inter- several delegations asking for help. The mis America was one of the most cheering of all. sionaries said there was no use to listen to Literally thousands of souls are turning to God them as they have no funds for more native workers. I asked the privilege of listening to in obedience to the message in that field. Not one of the delegations. Elder Bozarth said, withstanding great difficulties in the way, the ©Go ahead.© I took my interpreter and the message there has swept onward, and there natives told their story. That cost me person seems to be no limit to its power among those ally just seventy-five dollars. I asked Brother people. Jones if he had a man to send and he said, From Australasia, too, has come the tidings ©Yes.© I inquired as to the cost, and was in of great things being done in those southern formed that it would be about twenty-five lands of savagery. Right in the time of deepest dollars a year. I asked as to the probable results for three years, and he said, ©A church depression the brethren there were moved to of from 150 to 200 members with many more enter island groups away in the northwestern preparing for baptism.© I handed over seventy- section of their division. They sent one mis five dollars, and the man went to work two sionary family. Now, in less than four years, months ago. At the end of August, that is they have thousands of converts from terribly eleven days ago, he had a Sabbath congrega degraded savagery, and a work of such magni tion of over one hundred, seventy-three pupils tude begun that they are unable to keep pace in the school, and twenty-three keeping the with its expansion. Brother Gilbert McLaren Sabbath. "Last week there came to the mission here a is the superintendent of that field, and he has native man who asked for help. He had heard written of the work in one of the islands as one of our Missionary Volunteers give a series being nothing short of miraculous: of sermons on the message. When the Volun "When I first landed here the people were teer returned to the Gitwe school, this man all untamed savages. They were filthy beyond went home and told his neighbors what he description. Now all that is changed. You had learned. He has a congregation of more may walk fifty miles around this island today than one hundred meeting every Sabbath. He and every person you meet is a sincere says he has taught them all that he knows. Seventh-day Adventist." Now he pleads for help for both himself and (To be continued) his people. To answer such calls as this we are asking for $1,500. I plead with you, yt K ;; Brother "Watson, to give this matter your atten THERE are in the United States about 22,000,- tion when you distribute the budget." 000 young people between the ages of 16 and 25. It was wonderful to me that the presidents Here is a gigantic challenge to our evangelists. of our world divisions were able at the last Forget not youth in public effort and appeal. Fall Council to report such marvelous advance ss ;; :: ment in our work abroad. With everything combining to obstruct their way, and without Advance! any plan on the part of the General Conference By LOUISE C. KLEUSER to advance, without sufficient money to support STAGNANT pools of vice and sin, Breeding grief in heedless way ; properly the work already established, and with JFustice crippled, cannot__winI____.... . __ every- effort-concentrating -uponrarroittairce©of a ""Lingers o©er the law in play: Men of skill, by work denied, serious retreat, they yet reported advance into Find their souls dissatisfied ! new places in all parts of the earth. Wheels that hummed prosperity, Not very long ago I was reading a statement Silenced in deserted haunt; of millions as yet unreached by the gospel. I Efforts vain, as industry Sounds appeal, and threat doth flaunt; observed that some of these were in such lands Leaders daily seek new plan, as Mongolia, Tibet, Russian Central Asia, For relief to desperate man ! Turkestan, and Afghanistan. It was wonder I©rophets, sages, fail to bring fully refreshing to hear Dr. Miller report the Courage to a world depressed ; E©en the servants of the King, work having already entered Mongolia and Retrograded, dispossessed ! being promoted among the Tibetan people. It Vision blurred, the law denied, would appear that those countries in the north Limiting the Crucified ! west and southwest of China are aflame with Workers of the harvest grain, Rouse your powers, and stand your interest, and in spite of all the drawbacks and ground ; lack of plans to advance we have been urged Wield the sickle with new aim, Courage must with you abound ; on to new limits in our work. Wonderfully Soar o©er want and circumstance, encouraging, too, was the word that Professor Press the challenge to advance ! 1935 The MINISTRY Page 7

STUDIES IN CHURCH HISTORY The Correlation of Prophecy and Fulfillment

XV. FINAL ANALYSIS OF "LITTLE HORN" No. 2

BY N. J. WALDOKF

Third Bra (527-800 A. D.) to 554, and during that time the changed his mind three times in regard to the "Three 26. IN the year 533, Justinian issued a decree Chapters." The African church excommuni in. which he united all the priests "in the cated in 550. He died on his Orient" to the Apostolic See of . way home, 554. 27. "The emperor©s letter must have been sent before the 25th of March, 533. For in his 31. Pelagius, his successor, could not find letter of that date to Epiphanius he speaks of three in all Italy to ordain him as a its having been already dispatched, and repeats pope, the entire West being against him be his decision, that all affairs touching the cause of his having been such a strong sup church shall be referred to the Pope, ©Head of porter of Pope Vigilius. He appealed to Ju=>- all bishops, and the true and effective corrector tinian, and finally was ordained by two bishops of heretics.© [©Vel eo maxime, quod quoties in his locis haeretici pullularunt, et sententia et and one presbyter, supported by the imperial recto judicio illius venerabilis sedis correct! arms of , commander of the imperial sunt.©]" * army. Pelagius was a pliant creature under 28. In the year 535, Epiphanius, who was Justinian throughout his whole reign in the of , died; but before chair of Peter, 555-560. he died Justinian bestowed the same honor 32. Pelagius©s successor, Pope John III, 560- upon him that he had given to the of 574, was also subservient to the emperor Jus Rome, and made him the head of the Eastern tinian and his successor. Justinian died 565, churches. This is the title Justinian gave to after a reign of thirty-eight years, which reign the of Constantinople, "The Em marked the imperial restoration of church and peror Justinian to Epiphanius, Most Reverend state in Italy. and Blessed Archbishop of this Imperial City, and Universal Patriarch." 2 This title is re 33. The prophetic demand of Daniel 7:24, 25, is that it the "little horn" shall root up three peated in the Novella, 1, 16, 42, and applied to the successors of Epiphanius as well. of the ten horns which had divided the Western 29. The emperor Justinian assumed the same Roman Empire. There were two reasons for position that all his predecessors had done; the rooting up of these horns; one was political namely, he claimed that he was ruling by and the other was religious. The aim of the divine appointment, and that all his laws were Eastern emperors was to restore Italy to the of divine origin and must be obeyed. Each imperial scepter and to liberate the imj ortant code, law, or constitution had this Church in the West, which was under Arian preface, "The Code of our Lord the Most Holy control, and unite it with the Eastern church Emperor Justinian." We here give an example and with the empire. of his legislation for the church as found in 34. The Ostrogothic king, Theodoric, pro the "Third New Constitution, Title III:" posed to the emperor Zeno to direct him against the Heruli, who governed Italy, and if success "We have ascertained that on this account the principal church of this Imperial City, the ful he would govern, in the emperor©s name Mother of Our Empire, is oppressed with in and to his glory, the and the debtedness, and cannot pay the clergy without part of the republic delivered from slavery by borrowing large sums of money, to obtain his arms. The Eastern emperor accepted the which the best of its real property both in the terms, and in 493 the Heruli were defeated by country and in the suburbs must be hypothe Theodoric©s arms. Whether the pope had any cated and pledged. . . . Wherefore We order thing to do with this arrangement between that not more than sixty priests, a hundred , forty deaconesses, ninety subdeacons, Zeno and Theodoric is immaterial, because the a hundred and ten readers, or twenty-five emperors often acted on their own initiative choristers, shall be attached to the Most Holy for the supposed good of the church. Principal Church, so that the entire number of 35. The Vandals in Africa were defeated 534- most reverend ecclesiastics belonging thereto 535 by Belisarius, Justinian©s general. The shall not exceed four hundred and twenty in Ostrogoths were defeated, and surrendered their all, without including the hundred other mem supremacy over the , 538 A. D.; bers of the clergy who are called porters." 3 and this is the only logical and authentic date 30. He kept the obstinate Pope Vigilius al for the beginning of the supremacy of the "lit most a prisoner in Constantinople from 542 tle horn" of Daniel 7, for that year marked the The MINISTRY August

union of the Western Catholic Church, with the spiritually supreme when the last of the three pope at its head, to the imperial Eastern Cath horns, the Ostrogoths, surrendered their power olic Church, thus making the "little horn" or over the pope and the Western Catholic Church ganically complete, never again to be separated through their defeat, 538 A. D., although the for 1260 years. "little horn" as a government had existed since 36. The Visigoths were not one of the three the days of Constantine. horns plucked up by the "little horn," for this 39. Prophecy declares (Daniel 7:24, 25) that reason: After they had been defeated by Clovis the "little horn" should speak words against in the year 508, they passed the Pyrenees into the Most High, which finds its fulfillment in the Spain and founded a kingdom there. In the historic fact that the officers of the state, as years 589-595 they renounced and^be- well as of the church, conferred the most ex came Catholic. In the year 711, they fought a travagant titles on the pope, in addition to his six-day battle with the Moors, and were van own declarations of power. quished. Roderic, their last king, was killed 40. Prophecy demands that the "little horn" in the battle. This ended the Gothic monarchy should think to change times and the law. in Spain. History again speaks, proving that the "little 37. The were part pagan and part horn" changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Arian in religious belief. Justinian gave them Sunday between the years 321 and 500 A. D., the provinces of Pannonia and Noricum, 528 particularly in the East, to the propheti A. D. In the year 568 they invaded and settled cally allotted period of its domination, begin around Milan in northern Italy. They were ning 538 A. D. converted to Roman Catholicism in the years 41. Prophecy indicates that the "little horn" 592-595, under Gregory the Great. They tried should wear out the of the Most High. to conquer Italy and take the exarchate of ©History once more confirms the fact. This be from the Eastern emperor. They be gan to take place long before the period of sieged Rome and threatened to take the city domination, even beginning with the founder and the duchy of Rome. But this whole cam of the "little horn," the emperor Constantine, paign was political and not religious, since the and reaching a climax in the days of Justinian, entire nation was Catholic, and had been so for whose decree of persecution drove the "woman" over 150 years. This in no way involved the (the true church) into the "wilderness" in 538 domination of the Catholic Church by the A. D. All are familiar with the frightful perse Lombards. cutions of the Middle Ages, which fulfilled the defeated them and became their prophesied wearing out of the saints during king, 776-784. In the year 1176, the Lombardic the 1260 years. League defeated Frederic of Barbarossa and 42. Prophecy says that the "little horn" gained their independence from the empire. In should come after the ten horns. This likewise the years 1236-37 the emperor Frederic II con finds its fulfillment in history. Nearly half of quered them for the last time. They lost their the ten horns were established within the independence, and like the other barbarian Roman Empire upwards of a century before the tribes, amalgamated with the native population "little horn," as such, came into being. And and in time lost their national identity. The the "little horn" continued in existence for 1260 province of Lombardy was established by the years, whereas the ten horns of barbarian tribes Lombards and bears that name today. Hence lost their identity, amalgamating with the na the Lombards cannot be one of the horns tions which they had invaded, which are per plucked up by the "little horn." petuated in certain of the present nations of 38. Prophecy explicitly points out that this Europe. power or supremacy was given, not to the pope 43. During the supremacy of the "little horn," and_thechurch^ alone, nor to the emperor and for 1260 years, there was a ceaseless struggle the state alone, "but to the "little horn," which for power between the and the emperors. is the church and state united in one govern- In the days of Charlemagne, the historian says: ment. To illustrate: Babylon was overthrown "An Imperial Diet, indeed, boldly affirmed by Media and Persia, 538 B. c., which marks the that the emperor©s power over the church was date of her political supremacy, but she existed to that of the pope himself." ["Im- as a nation (or, more accurately, nations) long perialem majestatem plus posse in adminis- tranda ecclesia quam pontificiam. Goldast. I. before that date. Medo-Persia was overthrown 188."]* by Greece, 331 B. c., which marks the date of Grecian political supremacy over Persia, but 44. Irrespective of whether the emperor acted she was a kingdom before that date. Greece as the legislator and executor in the church and was conquered by Rome at the battle of Pydna state, like Justinian in the Eastern Empire (Macedonia), 168 B. c., which date marks her and Charlemagne in the Holy Roman Empire, political supremacy over the Macedonian king or whether popes, such as Innocent III, as dom; but Rome was a nation centuries before sumed to legislate in church and state, the that date. system, the government of the "little horn," By the same logic and parity of reasoning, functioned to perfection for 1260 years in sup- on a spiritual basis, the "little horn" became (Continued on page 22) 1935 The MINISTRY Page 9

BIBLE-TEACHING PRINCIPLES

PRINCIPLES IN PROPHETIC INTERPRE TATION No. 2

BY B. P. HOFFMAN

III is a certain questionable vogue among some ITH history "as commonly studied" ex of our denominational writers, manifesting W tolling "man©s achievements, his victories itself in adopting the popular style of secular in battle, his success in attaining power and magazine feature writing, discussing political greatness" (see "Counsels to Teachers," p. affairs between the nations, and then clothing 380), the student of prophecy is little con it with a religious air by quoting a text or two cerned. That "study of history that is not to at the close. The liberty taken in interpreting, be condemned" (id., p. 379), which has as its in the columns of denominational journals, the end the "true philosophy of history," draws motives and intentions of certain leading na aside the curtain and sees "behind, above, and tions, in these days of intense national feeling, through all the play and counterplay of human could easily lead to the closing of our work in interests and power and passions, the agencies such lands, with attendant embarrassment, de of the All-merciful One, silently, patiently nominational loss, and even personal danger working out the counsels of His own will." to our missionaries. In fact, instances of this "Education," p. 173. kind have already been reported. Literary "We are to see in history the fulfillment of ventures that cannot but cause injury to the prophecy, to study the workings of Providence pride and patriotic feelings of other nationals in the great reformatory movements, and to seem utterly uncalled for, and are foreign to understand the progress of events in the the spirit of the gospel commission. And it is marshaling of the nations for the final con hard to see wherein they contain anything flict of the great controversy." "Ministry o/ calculated to save souls or to stimulate interest Healing," p. 44%. in our foreign missionary program. This and much more that is written (see Both the teachings of Christ and the Spirit "Counsels to Teachers," pp. 379, 380; "Educa of prophecy are markedly free from anything tion," pp. 176-180) would indicate that the of this nature. Indeed, the very words of the understanding and interpretation of the Saviour regarding predictions of things in the prophecies is to be found rather in the large future would seem to discourage the attempt movements and transitions in the general to outline positively just the manner in which course of the history of the nations, than in the fulfillment would come. "Now I have told the minutia of obscure records of compara you before it come to pass, that, when it is tively insignificant events or persons. Nor come to pass, ye might believe." John 14:29. does this imply indolence or superficiality in The passing of time, with its unfolding events study. On the contrary, diligent study that will and developments, is still the great dissolver put all the powers of the mind to the stretch will of the problems of prophetic interpretation. be required to grasp the great principles under This study must not close without ac lying the outworkings of God©s providences, knowledgment of deep gratitude for the un leaving little time or inclination to engage in tiring efforts of devout students of prophecy fruitless, hairsplitting debate over unimportant who have sunk deep their shafts into the mines details or theories. of prophetic truth. By them trails have been One tendency that surely needs to be guarded blazed that beckon us on to further adventure against and positively curbed, is that of at in the search for truth. They have given us tempting to lay out the precise course that principles of study whose soundness and re particular powers will take in the developments liability have been tested. that are yet future. Certain nations and their A volume in the writer©s possession, entitled course of action seem to be indicated quite "Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chro clearly, and the final outcome of the conflict is nology, Selected From Manuscripts of William depicted with a certainty that is most reas Miller," put out by Joshua V. Himes as early suring. But there is much that is not revealed as 1841, contains several pages of "Rules of concerning the details of the intervening time Interpretation" and "Explanations of Pro and the precise part that certain countries, phetic Figures" that helped at that time. The combinations, or persons will play, regarding Revieiv and Herald in 1888 and 1889 ran a long which fanciful speculation and prognostica series of studies by D. T. Bourdeau on "Princi- tion would better be left unattempted. There (Continued on page 21) Page 10 The MINISTRY August

EDITORIAL KEYNOTES

PRESBYTERIAN CRISIS OVER THE MACHEN CASE No. 3 He will call upon that great body to hold up the URVEYING the future in the light of hands of our consecrated leaders. The hearts of all the immediate past, Dr. Burleigh will be deeply stirred. The commissioners will wipe the tears from their eyes, proclaim a vote of confi Cruikshank, the intrepid Presbyterian dence in everybody, and a motion for adjournment pastor before quoted in this series, will be found in order. "The storm, however, has gathered too much mo bares his heart with amazing candor mentum to be so easily dissipated. The matters in as to the deeper meaning of the im volved are too significant. The numbers vitally inter ested are too great. Some of us, who by the grace of mediate crisis, and its probable effect God have been trying to keep our feet on the ground upon the future course of his church. This and our congregations loyal to the boards of the church, will be driven by conscience and circumstance appears in the Presbyterian of April 18: to take our stand. We tremble to think of the di "The time may come when the cleavage in the vided families, sessions, and churches that will of church will be so sharply drawn that all of us, irre necessity follow in the face of such action. A new spective of cost, will have to choose between the two. will ensue. There are many Christians That time appears to be drawing nigh. We pray that who would welcome such a breach if thereby they it will not come. We hate divorce of any nature. thought the cause of Christ might be enhanced. We But this may be God©s way of opening something up. humbly pray that such a storm need not break, and Salt that has lost its savor, according to Scripture, that the loving Father of us all will, even at this late has lost its value. Is it possible that the Presbyterian hour, open something up." Church, U. S. A., has spread its doctrine so thin that Since the first two of these surveys of the it has lost its vitality and strength? If so. a new organization that does not play with words or equivo Machen case were written, the 147th General cate with divine truths, is inevitable. There is no Assembly of the Presbyterians convened at Cin human power that can stop it. You can dam a river up in one place, but that will not stop it on its jour cinnati, and the issues there came to test. The ney. You may cause it to change its course, but continue, somewhere, it will." right to their seats in the Assembly of three commissioners, supporters of Doctor Machen, After reviewing disapprovingly the course of and members of the Independent Board, was the leadership in handling this crisis, he adds: challenged. The committee decided against "Every one knows that underneath there is them, and was sustained by the Assembly. An fundamentally a question of theology." And overture was submitted by Fundamentalists, then come these weighty paragraphs, which proposing instruction of the Board of Foreign culminate in allusion to probable division, and Missions to see that all literature issued in its possibly to "a new Reformation" that may name be thoroughly evangelical as to the five ensue: great points of Fundamentalism. But this was "Had the Presbyterian Church leaders hearkened unto the insistent demands that we stop compromising "not sustained." The Presbyterian of June 6 with Modernism, and corrected even some of the evils makes this terse but significant statement: which exist, the contending forces might have con tinued to exist in the same house. Since our leaders "The overture from the presbytery of Northumber have ignored the men who believe in the creed of the land, asking the rescinding of the action of the Gen church without any mental reservations, and since eral Assembly of 1934 in regard to the ©Independent they have persistently played into the hands of those Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions.© was an who put a question mark after many of the articles swered, ©No action.© Many overtures to this same of our faith, we fear that the hour is too late for any effect were answered in the same way. refusing to reconciliation. . . . Only a drastic turn to the con rescind the action of 1934, or to recognize the ©Inde servative jppsition__by _the_next_G.e_n_eEaL_AssenibXy^ can^- pendent JBoard.© "______Tjy any Stretch "of the imagination, satisfy a large por And the jubilant Modernist Christian Cen tion of the church that is weary of words that mean nothing and a policy that it thinks is untrue to our tury (June 5) chortles editorially: Presbyterian standards. If a conservative moderator is elected, if the General Council reverses its position, "There was enough dynamite in the issues that if men in whom churches have confidence are elected came before the one hundred and forty-seventh Gen to the Board of Foreign Missions, if the General As eral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the sembly will rescind the action it took last year against United Sta_tes of America, still in session at Cincin the members of the Independent Board, and if some nati as this is written, to shatter half a dozen less assurance is given that the day of vacillation and stable denominations. But there was no explosion. compromise is over, then God will have worked a There was not even danger of an explosion. What miracle, and a split in the Presbyterian Church will ever answer the assembly gives to the delicate and be avoided. somewhat embarrassing questions that have been put "That is expecting too much ! We do not look for up to it by various presbvteries and forced upon it by any such reversal. The leaders of the church are too a few recalcitrant individuals, the resulting detona deeply entrenched. When the General Assembly con tion will be no more than a muffled pop, certainly not venes, hot debate will fill the air for hours. Then, a resoxmfling roar. A few fragments may be detached when the Assembly is weary and tired, one of the in consequence, but there will be no shattering and venerable and honored will rise. A no serious cleavage of the structure." great stillness will pervade the air. He will plead Thus we see the official stand of Presbyterian- with the brethren to be Christian. He will proclaim that the church is sound and true. He will point ism in this episode in the Fundamentalist-Mod with pride and piety to the noble band who hold the lines against a wicked world. He will lament the mis ernist issue. understanding which disturbs the peace of the church. (Continued, on page 21) 1935 The MINISTRY Page 11

*0 ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSIONS Blended Report From St. Louis and Philadelphia

TOPIC No. 6 GETTING DECISIONS INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATION BY J. L. SHULER

T is not difficult to get a crowd out to hear of the ax. The minister may make an appeal, I this message, nor to convince the majority but if he does not go through with the appeal of that crowd that they ought to keep the sev to get people to do something, why make the enth day of the week as the Sabbath. But It is appeal? The man who thinks he can preach another problem to get as large a number of for weeks, then make an earnest appeal and get that audience as possible to surrender fully to a large number of people over the line, is mak God to obey this message in all its features. ing a serious mistake. When I open a series We find that many times workers have large with a sermon on Daniel 2, I ask people to raise audiences, but in the end get very little fruit their hands that very first night for prayer to age. That indicates that there is something get ready to meet their coming King, whose wrong in the method of getting decisions. coming that prophecy points out. That turns There is a lack just here, and I recognize that the tide right in the beginning. I think we there has been a weakness at this point in my should direct matters toward the ultimate de own work. cision the very first night. At the close of this I believe that the fruitage of many workers first lecture I also ask how many really en could he doubled and even trebled by the use joyed the presentation, and how many are will of right methods in getting people to decide. ing to bring a friend that he may enjoy the From this school no man ever graduates. It is next night©s lecture with them. something concerning which we must study Third, I believe we can help the people to get and pray and earnestly seek to improve; for, into the habit of expressing or declaring them as I see it, that is the real test of one©s ability, selves throughout the meetings. When I preach to get the largest possible number of his on the second coming of Christ, after I have audience to decide for the truth. I hold that the proved it, I ask how many of the people believe man who, out of an audience of only two or it. That is our plan throughout the series to three hundred, can win one hundred souls, is a get them in the habit of expressing themselves. better evangelist than the one who has an au When the time comes for the great, testing dience of 1,500 all the while and gets only a truths to be presented for their decision, they hundred in the end. have been raising their hands from night to I have seven suggestions to offer: night on points that evangelical Christians hold First, I would place prayer. The Holy Spirit in common. Then when we come to the Sab has promised that He will convict men of sin, bath and other great issues, it is easy and nat of righteousness, and of judgment, and I be ural to get them to express themselves. lieve I have a perfect right to go to the Lord in Fourth, do not forget the altar call. When prayer with a list of names before me. There you can get individuals to come forward to the on bended knee I am to ask the Lord to help prayer room, it is self-evident that those people those people to decide for His truth. I like are on their way to the kingdom. The altar the plan of having two lists of names toward calls help to secure the final decision that is the close of our meetings: first, a list of inter the goal of all our meetings. ested people; then as soon as people decide to Fifth, one must preach with compelling keep the Sabbath, we start a second list of power. The Spirit of prophecy has spoken to those who have made such a decision. I like us very definitely on this point: the idea of laying these two lists before the "A listless, unfeeling manner of presenting Lord, as Hezekiah of old spread that letter be the truth will never arouse men and women fore Him. I believe in earnest, intercessory from their deathlike slumber." "By tamely prayer over these lists of names, never treating presenting the truth, merely repeating the the them lightly, for we should value souls too ory without being stirred by it themselves, they highly for that. can never convert men. If they should live as Second, to get people to decide, we should long as did Noah, their efforts would be without start from the very first night. That man is effect." "Gospel Workers," pp. 122, 121. first edition. 1892. mistaken who thinks he can lecture for six or eight weeks with no appeals, and yet secure We will never get any large number of people large results I mean no direct appeals. The to decide if we preach tame messages. We have great oak is never felled with the single stroke life-and-death messages for the people. These Page 1©z The MINISTRY August

ought so to stir our own hearts that we cannot repeat that prayer, clause by clause, after me. but give a. gripping message. When you kneel at the foot of the cross, some Sixth, the evangelist must be burdened with thing happens. A soul is born again. As a his message. In Isaiah 66:8 we read: "As soon, rule, you never have to pray but one prayer in as Zion travailed, she brought forth her chil that way. The next time you go, they know dren." There are birth pangs in inseparable how to pray. We must always put this per- connection with bringing souls into God©s king dom. Why do we not get more people to de cide? One reason is the lack of earnestness with which many of us preach the message. And along with that we have not carried the PRESENT STATE OF RI heavy burden for souls that we should. BY L. H. © Seventh and last, is personal work in the homes. A personal visit at the right time will HE public press of Europe is today lead many to decide. One point has been men dank and dark. It is poisoned and tioned in this council which I think has a vital prejudiced with reports of ambition, bearing on the matter of decisions. We should hatred, war, and revenge and all in so plan our effort that our time is spent to the the setting of false news and twisted best advantage. I follow Elder Richards© plan truths. The mob mind, as usual, of having a general workers© meeting several stirred to frenzy by plotting poli times a week. In that meeting we take up ticians, canonizes the evil and crucifies the every name that we have secured. These are good. We do not think that another world war arranged in groups. Each worker receives a is just at hand, but things are in the worst jam list, and later reports on each person on his of all history and cannot go on in this way list. These workers will have been to the indefinitely. It really seems as if the hosts of various homes several times by the latter part evil are concentrating everything in the su of the series; so after we have given, the Sab preme effort to win in the final controversy of bath truth and are endeavoring to get people to earth. decide to obey, we make out special lists of Mankind feels uprooted. Society is breaking. such names. Goodness, morality, holiness, and even decency In these council meetings the personal work seem dead, or at least dormant. The national ers tell the evangelist of any on their lists who and international channels of industry and are on the verge of deciding, but perhaps need trade the means of making a living are like his personal help, especially people of the better the river Euphrates, drying up. Governments class. It is not difficult to get poor people to of© every kind stand helpless. One country decide to obey this message. They do not have after another, though deifying the supremacy so much to lose financially. But with a man and autocracy of the totalitarian state, mak who has a large store or a good salary, it is a ing man a god, declares itself bankrupt, un different proposition. We all know this group able or unwilling to pay. The power of law is slow in deciding, and the evangelist should is despised. have his workers put him in touch with these But the state of religion is even more de people, that he may go to their homes and thus plorable. The gigantic priesthoods and cults use his influence in helping them to make a of superstitious heathendom have lost their right decision. former strong grip on the multitudes a fact of When it comes to getting people to decide to great promise and of great peril. Islam stands obey this message, and to be baptized and join divided between frenzied fanaticism and skepti the church, we ought to do it on a very spiritual cal stupidity or indifference. The Papacy, proud _basiSL.. _We_shpuld__ go _ to _th.elr_h.omesj._sjt down and boasting of progress, though, defeated -in, with them, and plead with them to surrender some lands, is near its triumph of glory and their will and life to God. We should not then of final doom. simply ask them to be baptized and join the Weakened by Modernism and internal dissen church, but emphasize the surrendering of the sion the Protestant bodies are not only in will, heart, and life to God. And I like to know before I leave the home that this surrender has been made. It is true that we may sometimes be diverted and disappointed, but we should go sonal work on a definite spiritual basis, on a just the same. And I like to turn everything basis of surrender to God. Then joining the I do in that home toward the one point. I try church and baptism takes care of itself. The to get them -to pray with me right there, at that right kind of personal work brings people to very time surrendering the heart to God for full surrender. obedience. "He who does faithful work outside of the Many times people have said, "I do not know pulpit, will accomplish tenfold more than he how to pray." And some of the greatest an who confines his labors to the desk." "Testi swers I have ever received have come while monies," Vol. IX, p. 124. teaching people to pray. I pray and have them (To ©be continued in September) 1935 The MINISTRY Page IS Discussion From the Floor Move by Progressive Decisions them step by step, keep them accepting it not A. C. GRIFFIN (Wichita, Kansas) : As I look only believing it, but accepting it. It is a mis into the faces of congregations who are in dark take to think that when you speak about to ness and need the light of this truth, and real- bacco you do not expect the people to quit chew ing or smoking until they come into the church. 83&&3%3&338&J333&33:l31^^ I think the Spirit of God is prepared to move upon the audience the very night we present that subject, causing the honest in heart to liLIGION AND MISSIONS leave it alone. This summer I was speaking to a congrega ^HKISTIAN tion in a small town. There was a man who hostile confusion, they are alarmed, retreating had come night after night, listening to and and financially embarrassed. What graphic drinking in every word. He was elderly, and evidence of this was seen in the recent session I noticed that he was chewing tobacco every of the "Life and Work" congress, where many night. I was persuaded that the Spirit was noble, godly men tried earnestly, but in vain, speaking to him, and I wondered what he would to stem the tide. Even the great cause of do when he came to the big question of tobacco, foreign missions, that supreme, acid test of as I was sure it would be in his case. When I any church, is waning. Because of decreasing came to the subject, I spoke on body cleanli incomes, scores of missionaries from different ness. I looked down at this man. He shut his societies are being called home. teeth tightly, and squared his shoulders. I However, in the midst of the present world went on speaking, and that evening I said, downfall, three vital facts of courage and hope "If any of you are using tobacco, and you feel stand forth: (1)Weary and troubled by the that the Spirit of God is speaking to your soul, prevailing unrest, thousands are turning with and are persuaded tonight that tobacco using earnest longing to the Bible and divine things. is defiling your body, I ask you in the name of (2) In. this day of darkness and despair, God your God and mine to lay that thing down this has sent His message and messengers. The very night and never touch it again." advent hope and movement is the beacon light While I was shaking hands with the people of this age. (3) To many of our leaders and as they went out, I noticed this man as he members is coming a new spiritual life and came by with others who had the same habit. power, and a new missionary zeal. The angel He responded to my greeting by saying, "That of Revelation 18:1 is doing his appointed was good, brother. God is working." Three work. days later I was talking with him personally, This is indeed the day of God for the advent and he said to me without any inquiry, "You cause. If we fail at this time, we fail forever. remember the other night you spoke about We must now appeal for larger things in the chewing and smoking tobacco. I have been Lord©s work. We as workers must lead our doing that since I was nine years old, and I people in a great advance. That advance must am now seventy-seven. When you said to go be on our knees, for we shall win only through home and throw that tobacco away and never humble, prevailing prayer. We need to evalu touch it again, and pray God for deliverance, ate anew the worth of a soul. Money and all I did that very thing. And I am here to tell things earthly lose in value every day. The you that I do not have one bit of appetite for only things worth while are the things of God tobacco now." I believe that we need more of to exalt Christ, to defend the faith, to over- that deliverance in connection with our min - --come sin, to save tie lost; The appalling re istry. ligious apostasy of our day should, yes, must Let me also emphasize the need of presenting lead us into a new love, a new loyalty, and a the truth to the people in a simple way. We new zeal. should ourselves understand the deep things, Mi&cilesex, England. but we must feed them "milk." When we pre sent the truth, let us explain it in simplicity. •%%3$%8%$8$$®^^ When we ask them to raise the hand, stand, or come forward, let us make the proposition so ize that I am bringing to them a message of simple and easy that they will realize they can life or death, it brings me to my knees. We do it. Many want to respond, but feel they do cannot lead them to a decision without God. not know how. We must help them when we ask them to surrender the tobacco habit. They Our greatest need is to work with the Holy should understand clearly that we are inviting Spirit, who brings conviction to these souls, them to surrender to God, not just giving up ; enabling them to take hold of the truth that something wrong. I think ofttimes the people !; we are giving them. do not understand this. There are certain things that will bring peo We should get men and women to realize that ple to a decision. As we present the truth to they are surrendering step by step to God, as Page 14 The MINISTRY August

light is brought to them, until they finally sur Confidence, Clarity, Concentration render all, just as much in reality as when they F. P. SCHWINDT (Lincoln, Nebraska): There take the final step across a bridge. God had are a few principles pertaining to decisions that been leading the eunuch long before Philip ever I have found helpful in my work. I always re- saw him. The Spirit of God has ofttimes been check by them at the end of an effort, and have leading men long before the minister finds found that the Lord has helped me as I have them. We should have confidence to believe used and followed them. that God is leading, and have faith that He First and always I seek to have implicit con will "work upon the hearts of men. fidence that many who attend my meetings are I believe in the use of decision cards and all honest and willing to see and accept light. these devices, but we must move the people step Once I was holding an effort in a certain place. by step until they are ready to surrender fully. As the people came into the building, a worker I think we ought to have certain times to make present said concerning a certain person, "That definite calls, and that we ought to pray that man is a hypocrite. He will never accept the God will that night bring the people there who message." He went on directing attention to ought to come. Have your Bible workers there different ones that he thought would never ac and ask them to pray that the Spirit of cept the truth. When he was through, I said, God will be there, and that there may be a "Brother, to whom shall I preach tonight?" I great revival that night. We ought to an think it absolutely necessary to have confidence nounce our baptism weeks ahead of the time we in our fellows. are going to have it. We ought to expect to Then I believe that a decision often fails, not have it, and then plan for it. We ought to have because the people do not want to follow the it even if not everybody is ready. It will help truth, but because the truth has not been pre some one else to get ready. Let us keep this sented plainly enough. People are usually will thought before us, and look forward to the time ing to follow the light if they see it. I have when they will surrender. found that it is necessary for me to restudy the I believe the Spirit of God will impel men to truth constantly in order to present it so plainly come, so I believe in praying for the Spirit of that the people must understand. God to move upon the hearts of the people. I Again, I find that we win individuals one by also believe in a personal burden for these one. In holding a meeting, I always concen souls. I believe we ought ourselves to be in trate upon the interested persons. I have a formed about them, and to get together and list, and I bring these names before the Lord pray for these individuals. Some of us ought every time I am alone. When they are con to have personal contact with them. We should vinced as to our message, I approach them teach our church members to pray for definite alone and tell them that I am praying for them, souls, and to pray with these individuals, too. and I find that helps. These people are disappointed if we go away Another point that I find helpful is to cause and do not pray with them. They say, "Yes," the interested persons to feel the responsibility when we ask them if we may pray. When we of the truth, to bring them to the place where finish our prayer, there are tears in their eyes. they say, "I cannot sleep any more; I see it is It is often at such a moment that they make the truth, and I feel that I shall be lost if I do that final decision, "I will stand for God©s not accept it." truth." "Altar Calls" an Advance Move Keep the people moving along with you. Ask L. H. KING (Baltimore, Maryland): This dis on the first night how many believe in the sub cussion concerning helping people to make a ject as presented. At least 90 per cent of the decision is most enlightening. Everything I hands go up, don©t they? Do not wait six weeks, learned in my earlier ministry had to be carved and then try to get all the hands up. But if right out of the solid rock by experimentation. you have asked every week, when it comes to Occasionally some minister would tell me some the final decision the natural thing to do will thing of his methods, but I had to learn most be to respond in accordance with their convic of it all alone. It seemed very difficult to get tions. This summer I had a small congregation information that would enable a young man to of about one hundred people. I made a strong progress and develop in the ministry, and I appeal at the close of the meeting, "How many have often wondered why we did not have gath will pledge yourselves to these things?" Eighty erings of this character that would place at the stood. disposal of a young minister the material that I would add one "don©t" here. Don©t think he needs to make him proficient in his calling. people are not interested because they question I believe this is a new order of things, intro certain truths. I find that some people are duced by the very necessity of the hour, and ready to set aside a name just because a person that God must have men and women who can is unable to see a certain truth. We ought not go out without long years of experience and be to give up so easily. If a colporteur should give able to present this message. up when objections were raised, how far would There is one question I would like to raise. he get? It seems that we are developing a new glossary 1935 The MINISTRY Page 15

of evangelistic terms. I have always been a their twenties were preaching to thousands. I little fearful about using the term, "altar call." believe God can come into the hearts of us I always thought these words belonged to the young men and use us to preach with power. "Holy Rollers," the Pentecostal people, and the Brethren, if it is right in God©s sight, I want Methodists. Here I find out that my brethren to use altar calls and everything else that will have been practicing these principles and that make for a successful ministry; and I pray that they are heaven-attested principles. I went out you will not hold us back, but will help us to do in my first tent effort with an experienced min everything that will aid us to greater success in ister. He made no altar calls, and naturally I our ministry. followed in his steps. We asked people to de "Altar Calls" Essential cide, to raise their hands, and sometimes to CHAIEMAN BKAKSON: In the first effort I ever stand; but never in a public effort have I asked held I asked the elder brother associated with people to come forward and accept Christ until me about an altar call, and he said, "I have I had presented the Sabbath question, and then never seen it done in a Seventh-day Adventist I asked them forward largely to get their con effort." But I tried it, and from that time on sent to keeping the Sabbath. I have never been in any part of the world There is one thing that rather puzzles me. where that could not be done, even in South I am a little curious about the regular periods Africa. Our brethren are doing it everywhere. for altar calls and all that. I think we ought to It is in these special appeals that we really get advise our young men to go slowly. I believe people to come out from the crowd and take there must be a preparation for those calls. their stand. If you can lead them along step I fear that young men will be making altar by step, it is easy to get them to take their calls without the special heart preparation that stand for the great testing truths of the mes must back up an altar call. I believe that in sage later on. Personally, I am a strong be this special work we must be definitely led. liever in the altar call in our public meetings. We should not rush into it, and make it me I believe it will enhance the success and effec chanical and routine. I wish I could partici tiveness of many of our preachers il they will pate in an effort with one of these men and follow that plan. enter into that special experience. I have come We ask our people at camp meeting to come to the conclusion that it is only the man who forward to seek the Lord. If they need it, has the unction of the Spirit who can bring surely sinners who come to our evangelistic people forward and have it be a complete work. meetings need it a hundredfold. Many are I believe we are on the right track here. As hungering for an opportunity to give themselves I read about the great soul winners of the past, to God. In the years that I have been preach I find that they were men who did have such a ing I have never made an altar call but once definite experience in the baptism of the Spirit. when there was no response. That one time Many things I fear are still in our hearts here. was in a Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting. I wish we could draw closer together as these Never in a public effort have I made an appeal days go by. I feel that Elder Watson has given for people to give themselves to Christ that us most valuable instruction, and I am praying somebody did not come, and usually a large that every day there will be a great urge to number. Scores of the people who do not re gether, and that every one, high and low, will spond go away with the conviction that they be led into heaven-born unity and will go for ought to have done so, and that they will later. ward in the most mighty wave of evangelism I believe that the principles the brethren are that this denomination has ever seen. presenting to us about making more earnest Applicable to Young Ministers calls for people to come to Christ, are funda FRANCIS BUSH (Groton, Connecticut): _It_has_.. mental. We ought to be revivalists as well as been suggested that younger men wait a while - evangelistsr ~We~ oughirtb ^be"meh^who"know"" before entering into some of these plans that how to lead our hearers to Christ and to an have been presented, such as altar calls. I do acceptance of the great gospel provisions. It believe that altar calls ought not to be given should be done in our churches and in our without the Holy Spirit in our lives, but I public services more than it is. wonder if we are going to have the needed Have Faith in Slow Movers preparation just from being in the ministry a G. A. COON (Trenton, New Jersey): When a number of years. I wonder if we cannot have person or group has come forward, there are it now, if we cannot put these principles into sometimes many who remain in their seats. practice from the start. Is there no danger And in the public prayer that is offered we can that we shall follow those who may not have well ask the Lord to bless those who have not been so successful, and thereby get into a rut? come forward. I sometimes say, "There are Whereas, if from the beginning we put into many honest in heart who have heard the mes practice these principles that have been sug sage of tonight for the first time, and we pray gested, we shall start in the right way. Charles their hearts may be made receptive." And in Spurgeon preached successfully when he was a the homes of the people I find that the same young man. Whitefield and the Wesleys in attitude must be taken toward them. Many of Page 16 The MINISTRY August us lose much in our work because we think the people are hard toward this message. As we THE QUERY CORNER speak to persons we have to tell them many times that they love the Lord, that we realize Sundry Ministerial Problems they love the Lord. And then we must keep leading them farther, telling them they will never he satisfied until they take their stand Punctuation in Luke 23:43 for this message. We must keep the people©s minds on this message. We must help them to What is the proper punctuation of the Greek decide for this message. We need to have faith text in Luke 2S:4Sf Should, it lie punctuated as we approach the people, and surely there in such a way as to connect sameron ("today") with the vert) lego ("I say"), or with the verl) will be a great response. esa ("thou shalt lie") f JOHN FORD (Boston, Massachusetts): I have found that when a public call is made for peo This is not a new question. It has been dis ple to come forward, especially in New Eng cussed by different authorities for quite a long land, those who do not come forward probably period. In attempting to answer this question make an adverse decision. This I try to avoid, it should be borne in mind that no punctuation endeavoring to make the appeal without caus is found in the Greek text as first written. ing people to decide against the truth. In There were even no divisions either between every appeal I try to get some to take a definite letters or words in those texts until the ninth stand for it and others not to decide against it. century. Neither were there any modern marks This appeal should be made constantly. I do of punctuation until the same period, and then not permit one single night to go by without an only in the version and some cursives. appeal to walk in the light of truth; but I The question raised cannot be answered by any endeavor to present it in such a way that no appeal to the original text, so far as the proper adverse decision will be made. place of the comma in this text is concerned. " ©Go out into the highways and hedges, and The matter of the proper interpretation of compel them to come in,© Christ bids us, ©that Luke 23:43 is dealt with under Appendix 173 My house may be filled.© . . . With all our of "The Companion Bible," Part V. The editor power we must urge them to look unto Jesus, of this edition of the Bible is the well-known and to accept His life of self-denial and sacri scholar, E. W. Bullinger, and it was published fice." "Gospel Workers," p. 506. at the Oxford University Press. The following We should bear this message home every quotation deals with this question: night, and get decisions for the Lord Jesus "The interpretation of this verge depends en Christ. Sometimes in the home, when I see the tirely on punctuation, which rests wholly on people are bordering on a decision against the human authority, the Greek manuscripts hav truth, I have to work as hard against it as I ing no punctuation of any kind till the ninth century, and then it is only a dot (in the mid can. We must never allow anybody to make dle of the line) separating each word. an adverse decision if we can help it. "The verb ©to say,© when followed by hoti. "I have been shown that the most signal vic introduces the ipsissima ver'ba, of what is said; tories and the most fearful defeats have been and answers to our quotation marks. So here on the turn of minutes. God requires prompt (in Luke 23:43), in the absence of hoti ©that,© ness of action. Delays, doubtings, hesitation, there may be a doubt as to the actual words in and indecision frequently give the enemy every cluded in the dependent clause. But the doubt advantage. . . . The greatest promptness is is resolved (I) by the common Hebrew idiom, positively necessary in the hour of peril and ©I say unto thee this day,© which is constantly danger. Every plan may be well laid to accom used for very solemn emphasis ... as well as plish certain results, and yet a delay of a very (2) by the usage observable in other passages short time may leave things to assume an en where the verb is connected with the Greek tirely different shape, and the great objects sameron—©today.©" which might have been gained are lost through Inasmuch as hoti is not found in Luke 23:43, lack of quick foresight and prompt dispatch." —Id., p. 134. we must determine by other considerations than a late interpretative punctuation or the mere We must make the appeal. It must come on order of the Greek words whether sameron the positive side. We do not want them to make ("today") should be connected with "I say" that decision next week or some time when or with "thou shalt be." they feel like it, but "now is the accepted time." Prof. A. T. Robertson, whose recent death is In every public meeting it is well to have the greatly regretted by all students of the Greek people give some indication, even though it be , makes this explanation of the but the raising of the hand. use of the Greek conjunction hoti: "Direct dis J. L. SHXJLEK (Charlotte, North Carolina): course is far more frequent than indirect in the Just this on the matter of guarding against an New Testament. This is true also of the Old adverse decision: When I make definite calls, Testament and of most popular writers. Pro I always preface them by saying, "I know there longed indirect discourse as in Thucydides and (Continued on page 21) Livy is labored and artificial. The Greeks had 1935 The MINISTRY Page 17

no quotation marks, but Hoti often served this volved in the interpretation of Luke 23:43, purpose." "A Short Grammar of the Oreek the condition of man in death. At the close of New Testament," p. 181. Inasmuch as hoti is life do the righteous go at once to their reward not used in Luke 23:43, the word "sameron" and the wicked to their punishment? Those ("today") is not necessarily a part of the state who have investigated this most important sub ment following the verb "lego" ("I say"). ject are fully aware that writers well known in In his translation of the New Testament, the theological field can be cited both in the J. B. Rotherham renders this text as follows: affirmative and in the negative. Those who an "Verily, to thee I say, this day, with Me shalt swer in the affirmative can accept the punctua thou be in the Paradise." From a footnote tion of this verse which connects "today" with dealing with the meaning of this verse the "thou shalt be;" but those who answer in the following quotation is taken: negative must connect "today" with "I say." In view of what has here been presented, it "It is left for the reader to determine whether the words ©this day© should be joined (A) with seems clear that "today" in Luke 23:43 should the former part of the sentence, or (B) with, the be connected with "I say," so that the passage, latter. In favor of (A) may be urged (1) the if punctuated at all, should read thus: "Verily fact that sameron, ©this day,© does not always I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with Me stand first in the clause to which it belongs in Paradise." W. "W. PBESCOTT. (see Luke 2:11; 5:26; 22:34; Acts 20:26; 22:3; 24:21; 26:29); (2) that being essentially a demonstrative word, it will bear any reasonable stress which may be laid upon it, whether it be EFFECTIVE ILLUSTRATIONS placed before or after the words which it quali For Song or Sermon fies; (3) that it is far from meaningless if re garded as belonging to the opening words of asseveration (©Thou dost ask to be remembered TIBETAN LAMA. It is a mysterious and fascinat then; verily thou art assured now. As on this ing world, this Tibet, this land called the Hoof of the World. All spiritual and material values are turned the day of my weakness and shame, thou hast upside down. There, one lives in an atmosphere un faith to ask, I this day have authority to an real and magic, against a fantastic background of the swer©) ; (4) that the latter part of the verse is strangest mountains the human eye ever beheld. There, one is surrounded by silence impenetrable and thus left free to refer to the very matter of the solitude almost appalling. Over such mystics and supplicant©s request (©Thou dost ask to be re such a land the Dalai Lama ruled for forty years as membered when I come in My kingdom: thou the reincarnated spirit of the Lord Buddha. The Western world first had news of him twenty-five yeavs shalt be remembered then, and with distin ago, when Col. Sir George Younghusband broke through guished favor: thou shalt be in My kingdom; the Himalayan passes with a British column and shalt be with Me in the very Paradise of My occupied the Forbidden City, His table was served with golden plates and golden cups. His bed was all kingdom, in the garden of the Lord©)." white satin. When he left his monastery palace, he traveled in a twenty-thousand dollar Rolls-Royce. He It is interesting and instructive to note the possessed a treasure of jewels said to be worth half a use of the words "this day" in connection with billion dollars. And when the motor car came to roads that not even a goat could travel, the car was lifted the words "I say" in the Old Testament. In the on the shoulders of his followers and carried forward. book of Deuteronomy this expression is at His passion was flowers, and his pet was a savage Bengal tiger which purred against his pinpointed tached forty-two times to the verb "to say." mustaches and his saffron cheek, begging for caresses. So he passes, this unique figure of the earth, this (Read Deut. 4:26 and 8:19 for illustrations.) guardian of ancient forces, this Mongolian king-god It would seem quite natural that this Hebrew who played with forces and mysteries that the West ern eye and mind has never penetrated. J3dwin C idiom, with which our Lord was of course fully Hill, over Columbia network, Dec. 20, 1933. acquainted, should be found in His own state ment. UNFINISHED SYMPHONY. A symphony is a musical composition for a full orchestra, in which There is another consideration which must a theme is developed and a charming harmony of sound prevails. The ending up of a symphony in the not be jjverlooked. Jesus Himself was not in Finale is a glorious climax in which the tone theme Paradise "on the" day of the "crucifixion," and comes to" Tts~funesl expression. ~ ~ " ~~" ~ Franz Schubert was a great composer; he died therefore He could not have intended to assure young. When death overtook him, he was at work the penitent thief that they would be together on a great symphony. He had written a wonderful Allegro followed by a sweet Andante, but he could in Paradise on that same day. The tree of life never write the finale. The two movements gave was in the Paradise of God. (See Rev. 2:7.) promise of a sweeping, majestic finale. His great masterpiece is an unfinished symphony. But the tree of life was in immediate connec God©s story of love and redemption is a great and tion with the throne of God (Rev. 22:1, 2), marvelous symphony. Everything in it is harmonious, sweet, precious, and inspiring. But His masterpiece, where God dwelt. Therefore when Jesus, the His symphony of redemption, is unfinished. The great Finale of praise and glory is not yet written, nor will third day after the cross, declared to Mary, it be executed till the great Song Leader (Heb. 2 :12) "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended unto appears and starts the great Hallelujahs. What a Finale it will be when He calls His redeemed hosts to the Father," he testified that he had not been in meet Him in the sky, to bring them, transformed into Paradise. For this reason it is clear that any His own image, to the Father©s house with its many mansions! What a Finale it will be when the thun punctuation or interpretation of Luke 23:43 ders of judgment roll, as in a musical symphony the which makes Jesus say that He and the thief trumpets are all heard in their thundering sounds. Wihat a Finale of redemption©s symphony, when the would be in Paradise on the day of the cruci last strains end in an all-harmonious peace with, fixion, must be emphatically incorrect. "Glory to God in the highest." All is now getting ready in the world for the Finale of the symphony of There is another large subject which is in God©s love and power. Our Hope. Page 18 The MINISTRY August

acter has lost its charm and power for them and they want to do something that will pull down the strong holds of Satan, which with them usually means capi VALUABLE QUOTATIONS talism, and bring in a new order in which social in equalities and wrongs will be adjusted. They are Extracts From Current Literature turning their churches and assemblies into political platforms on which they proclaim their economic the ories and propose their remedies. They believe that the social order is something that men have con DRIFTING WARWARD. The danger of war in the sciously invented and created, and not a slow evolu Orient, therefore, lies in a capitalism which refuses to tion out of long experience, and that they can remold distribute wealth to the people who produce it, and it and set it right, if not overnight, then speedily. which therefore must constantly seek out new fields They are setting up new standards of orthodoxy of a for dumping surplus goods and the investment of capi political nature, and often brand those who hold alpof tal. When two nations afflicted with the same disease from their propaganda as lacking in Christian vision face each other across an ocean which modern trans and spirit and hopelessly outdated and belated. Dr. portation has narrowed to the dimensions of a lake, James H. Snotcden, editor of the Presbyterian Banner, when both nations are being: importunately driven by quoted in the Watchman-Examiner, May 23, 1935. rising economic discontent, when the ruling parties of each face loss of power unless they can divert this PROTOCOLS FORGERY. After a trial which had growing unrest by foreign war, it takes no farseeing attracted world attention, Judge Walter Meyer handed prophet to predict what is likely to happen unless the down a decision in the court of Berne on May 14, American people realize in time where we are drifting branding the "Protocols of the Learned Elders of and radically change our economic ways. Harold E. Zion" as plagiarism and immoral literature, and fining Fey, in the Christian Century, May 22, 1935. two nazis who had distributed them in Switzerland. . . . Despite vehement Nazi arguments, the judge "REVEREND LIEUTENANTS !" This notice [ap reached the conclusion . . . that the so-called pro pearing in the church press J gives the educational and tocols are a collection of clumsy plagiarisms from ecclesiastical requirements for appointments to posi Maurice Joly©s "Dialogues in Hell Between Machiavelli tions as regular army chaplains, noting that the new and Montesquieu," a satirical attack on Napoleon III, appointees will be limited to ordained clergymen from the present forgery having been made about 1905 by the Southern Baptist, Methodist, Southern Methodist, czarist agents who were trying to stir up one of the Lutheran, Missouri Synod Lutheran, Southern Presby periodical outbursts against Jews in Russia. The terian, and United Brethren churches. It is specified Christian Century, May 29, 1935. that "proper ecclesiastical endorsements" are neces sary, and the notice closes with this sentence : "Suc CATHOLICS INCREASE. The Catholic population essful candidates will be appointed chaplains in the of the United States, including Alaska and the Ha ?ade? of first lieutenant in the regular army." The waiian Islands, now totals 20.523,053, an increase of feverend First Lieutenant Smithkins ! That beats 200,459 over the figures of 1934, according to the West Point. If Smithkins had gone to the United Official Catholic Directory for 1935, published by P. ,T. States military academy and finished the exacting Kenedy & Sons of New York. course there, he could have hoped for nothing better, The directory shows that the Catholic population of on gaining his commission, than a second lieutenant©s the United States increased 1,869,025 in the past ten rank. But by going to the Mizpah theological semi years and 4,213,723 since 1915. Our Sunday Visitor nary, and by coming armed with the proper ecclesi (R. C.), May 19, 1935. astical endorsements, Smithkins rates a salute from all the shavetails from the moment he enters the PACIFISTS DEMONSTRATE. The feverish acceler army. This is the church in the business of recruit ation of war preparations these days is being matched ing commissioned officers for the war system, and it by the increasing determination of men and women is time that it was stopped. The Christian Century, who feel impelled to take the pacifist position. Ten May 22, 1935. thousand such pacifists, in their fourth annual antiwar demonstration last week marched down Fifth Avenue, LIQUOR ADVERTISING. The large daily news New York City, and with chants, songs, and banners papers are selling enormous space to the liquor and publicly pledged themselves against participation in beer interests. The Liquor Dealers Association re future wars. At the head of this parade were such cently stated that they will spend $16,000,000 for ad men as John Haynes Holmes, Stephen S. Wise, John vertising in the United States this year ; $10,000.000 H. Lathrop, John Nevin Sayre, Harry Laidler, Jacob of this amount will go into the daily newspapers. Panken, Charles Solomon, and Frank Armstead. Con When we realize how easily hundreds of thousands of servative, liberal, and radical churches together with women were educated to the cigarette habit by high the War Registers League and various left-wing eco pressure advertising directed at them, we wonder at nomic and political organizations were officially repre and fear for the effect of this similar "wet" adver sented. ... At the end of the march as many of the tising on mothers and sisters as well as men and boys. participants and onlookers as could, crowded into the The Watchman-Examiner, May 23, 1935. Judson Memorial Baptist church in the shadow of the great Washington arch and repeated after Dr. ALCOHOL INCREASES. One of the great life in Holmes, phrase after phrase, the following litany : surance companies, which is privileged to inquire into If war comes, I will not fight; the personal habits of its applicants, reports that the If war comes, I will not enlist; number of rejections due to alcoholic excesses has in If war comes, I will not be conscripted : creased by 25 per cent since the prerepeal era. Even If war comes, I will do nothing to support it: among the accepted applicants there has been an in If war comes. I will do everything to oppose it, crease of 74 per cent in the proportion of those using So help me God ! alcoholic beverages in moderation. The largest in crease is in men and women under thirty. In three Needless to say, this solemn pledge was the high light years this g©roup has increased 138 per cent. The of the demonstration. Coming close upon the heels of Christian Advocate, May 23, 1935. the protest against the naval maneuvers, it was an other dramatic and awe-inspiring forerunner of what PROTESTANTISM DRIFTING. It is the spirit of may some day become an insuperable mass resistance secularism that is now sweeping over our Protestant against war. The Christian Century, May 29, 1935. churches, the "social gospel" that we all formerly sup ported and still support in its true sense, but that now BLASPHEMOUS WITNESS. The Pope of Rome is being submerged in the swamp and sea of economics has just made very plain the unscriptural and anti- and politics, of socialism and pacifism, even drifting christian position of his church. He "delivered an toward Russian communism. All our Protestant impassioned prayer for peace," using the radio from churches are now more or less consciously and often . In rejection of the Scriptures, his unconsciously being carried out upon this sea. They prayer was addressed to the Mary. It included are gradually, in various ways and degrees, substitut these words : "Immaculate Queen of Peace, have mercy ing psychology for sin, sociology for salvation, a cru on us, Immaculate Queen of Peace, pray for us. ... sade for the cross, the world for the church, and the 0 Mother of charity and mercy, who assisted your social order for the kingdom of God. The kingdom of sweetest Son while on the cross He achieved the re God is too slow in its coming and they want to reach demption of the human race, being yourself a partaker it by a short cut. They see a vision from a mountain- and participator in His agony, ... we beg and pray top that is not unlike that which was spread out be of you the precious fruits of redemption and of your fore our Lord as a temptation to hurry Him up and passion." It would be difficult to utter more unchris get the world at a word. These men have been and tian statements in so few words. The Word of God mostly are still evangelical, but their passion for spir plainly shows that Mary was not "immaculate." that itual means has cooled and they want "direct action." is. born sinless; that she cannot "have mercy on us." Preaching little "harmless sermons," as they call them, which only God can have : that she is not a heavenly about sin and penitence and faith and Christian char intercessor for humanity today, which only the Son 1935 The MINISTRY Page 19

and the Holy Spirit are ; and it is blasphemy to de losophy : "Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for to clare that she snared in any way in the unique agony morrow we die." Do we not again see the significance of the Son on the cross, as He, and He alone, redeemed of Jesus© words : "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall lost sinners by bearing their sins in His own body be required of thee"? "Man shall not live by bread while He, who knew no sin, was made to be sin for us. alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the The darkness and despair of men and women in Cath mouth of God." olic countries who haye been blinded and enslaved by The foundation upon which we have been building the falsehoods of the Roman Catholic system are well as individuals and as nations during the last decade known to evangelists who minister the true gospel in can be characterized by the word "godlessness." We those countries. The Sunday School Times, June 1, have ignored Jesus, and have built our superstructure 1935. upon sand, only to discover that when the storms and winds of life have beat upon it, it has no en AIR TRANSPORTATION. Twentv-five years ago during value. Charles T. Damp, in the Presbyterian, the narrow English Channel was a hazardous flight. Oct. 11, 1934. Hawaii, 2,000 miles from San Francisco, is even now only eighteen hours away by air. Twenty-five years ATHEISM©S RAVAGES. There are more than. ago a week was required to make the trip. New York is a night©s distance from the Pacific Coast, and stead 17,000,000 agents of atheism in the world today. ily this time of travel grows less. Every capital of They are at work in practically every country, and Europe is but a few hours© flight from other capitals, their numbers daily increase. Stand them side by friendly or hostile, and we know that we are at the side, and you would have a continuous line stretching beginning, not the end. of aviation development. across the United States from New York to San Nobody at this moment of feverish nationalism can Francisco. envisage all of the consequences of the rapidly coming Like unclean spirits belched forth from the pit, maturity of air transport. That its effect upon our these agents of Satan have come in swarms from civilization will be tremendous, only the blind and the Russia to inoculate the world with their deadly halt deny. The airplane is more important for peace poison. In the universities of the Old World and and war than the ideas and policies of war lords, the New they have found a soil already prepared dictators, and all other rulers. Collier's, June 8, 1935. for them. The destructive teachings of higher criti cism, undermining faith in the Bible, and the op MACHINE DISPLACEMENT. The unemployment position of "science falsely so called" to the super situation in the United States is not due entirely natural revelation of God to man, paved the way to the depression. Improved technical methods and for the reception of the doctrines of communism labor-saving machinery account in no small measure that are not only destructive of all belief in God, for the ten millions without work. In 1922 one of but are surely and certainly destroying the very the large factories of Detroit, employing 6,500 work foundations of all morality, the home, true patriot ers, established a record output of 10,000 automobile ism, and everything that is best in national life. tires in a single working day. Ten years later, in The Sunday School Times, Dec. 1, 1934. 1932, the same factory, employing 3,500 workers, reached a daily output of 30,000 tires. With 3,000 AUCHEOLOGICAL CONFIRMATION. About a fewer laborers the factory output was multiplied dozen ostraca [pottery with inscriptions] were found three times. In reality 3,500 workers in 1932 pro [by J. L. S©tarkey, at Tel ed-Duweir, or ancient La- duced what would have required 19.500 workers in chish], inscribed in ink on potsherds. The text of 1922. Sixteen thousand men were displaced by each ostracon is substantially complete, so that com machines in the output of one factory in a single plete translations may be given. The script is that decade. of the eighth-seventh centuries B. c., and presumably belongs to the age of Jeremiah, about 600 B. c.. In the ten years, 1919 to 1929, the industrial out shortly before Lachish finally fell into the hands of put of the United States increased 48 per cent, and the Chaldeans, in 588-587 B. c. The texts are, in the number of industrial workers decreased 6 per cent. part at least, copies of official letters, a fact which In 1929, the peak year of our prosperity, 2,000,000 naturally enhances their importance. They are said workers were displaced by machines. Bishop Blalce to be written in good Biblical Hebrew (the dialect of in Zion's Herald, Aug. 29, 1934. Jerusalem and Judah, since the ostraca of Samaria prove that a different dialect was spoken in the CHURCH©S NEED. The chief need of the church Northern Kingdom). Professor Torczyner of the is not more money, or more organization, or new Hebrew University, a most competent Hebraist and kinds of organization, or more drives and campaigns. Assyriologist, will report on their contents soon. The great need of the church today is more real The value of this discovery for Biblical philology conversion to Christ. Bisftop William T. Manning, is hard for the serious student to exaggerate. Hith quoted in the Presbyterian, Oct. 11, 1934. erto we have not possessed any documents of Israelite origin which exhibited a continuous text, except the DISGUSTING JOURNALS. We read a score of Siloam inscription, itself too short to be of very great monthly magazines and secular weeklies. Practically value. Now we have documents of much greater ex every issue increases our disgust with their discus tent, and presumably of more general content, so that we can at last tell exactly what the Hebrew language sion of religious issues. God help the people of our and orthography of Judah in the seventh century B. c. country if these monthlies and weeklies are the was like. This alone will be of very considerable source of their religious information and their in importance for the history of the Hebrew language tellectual pabulum. The Watchman-Examiner, Oct. and the chronology of Hebrew literature. 4, 1934. A more recent dispatch from the same news agency reports the discovery by Mr. Starkey of a stamped ANTI-CHRISTIAN REVOLT. Needless to say jar handle bearing the seal of a high royal official there is today in the world a widespread repudiation _ _namedL _Gedallah.t wJLQ_m_as_he_iclfinticaL with the -Ge4a- -of _the Christian stan4a-]?as- of -life; -both - in--theory- liah appointed by the Chaldeans as prince of Judah and in practice. There is a repetition of the noble after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587-586 B. c. man©s experience, who, when he sent his servant, the W. F. Albright, In Bulletin of the American Schools people shouted, "We will not have this man rule of Oriental Research, April, 1935. over us." There is a revolt today against the Jesus way of life, and there are multitudes who are say DISQUIETING PORTENT. This refusal by the ing in practice and conduct, "We will not have this United States to enter the court, coupled with the Man rule over us." Again Jesus is before the bar of Pilate, and the multitudes are again calling for nation©s apparent determination to embark on a Barabbas. They count the statement of Jesus as gigantic increase in armaments, is the most disquiet- nothing: "Ye would not come unto Me that ye Ing portent to appear in many months. The Chris might have life." t-urn Century, Feb. 6, 1935. This repudiation and revolt is evident all around us in the world, even with national manifestation ANTFWAR AGITATION. Probably there never Hitlerism in Germany, Bolshevism in Russia, narrow was a time when there was more antiwar agitation, antireligious nationalism in Mexico, and materialistic yet it seems as if there are more uniforms in sight. agnosticism in America. And there has come in Its Take Princeton: since the war there has been mili wake an abnormal selfishness and dishonesty, mani tary training there. Boys in uniform (rather swanky, fested in the repudiation of that old Bible teaching, some of the uniforms, too) are to be seen on the "I am my brother©s keeper." campus. Riding halls, and a lot of paraphernalia are Many of our young men and women leave our in sight which would have caused uproarious merri institutions of higher learning today with no knowl ment for the generation that actually did go to war. edge of the meaning and purpose of life, with a Our judgment is that that generation was far more repudiation of the accepted standards of life, with no pacific in its heart than the present generation with love for the church of Christ, with faith shattered all its embattled rationalizations on the subject of in the old Book, and with an Epicurean pagan phi war. The Presbyterian, Feb. 7, 1935. Page The MINISTRY August

THE MINISTER©S BOOKS NOTES AND NOTICES Reading Course and Reviews Items of Interest to Workers

"THE VATICAN: YESTERDAY TODAY TOMOR RELIGIOUS press dispatches tell of Methodism©s ROW," ~by George Selves. Harper and Bros., recent retrenchments from ambitious postwar New York, N. T. 439 pa&es. Price, $3.75; sub expansion plans which involved occupation of ject to a liberal discount if ordered through our sixteen "episcopal areas" outside the United Boole and Bible houses. States, all directed by "general superintend F any group of ministers should be conversant ents" elected by and responsible to the gen I with, the workings of the Roman Catholic eral conference, which meets quadrennially in Church, it is the Seventh-day Adventist minis North America, with delegates from all areas try. Championing the books of Daniel and the empowered to legislate and to elect the denomi national officers. With the falling off of mis Revelation as we do and setting ourselves up as sion receipts, this has been heavily trimmed. their chief expositors in the modern world, we Administration overseas has been placed in the must acquaint ourselves intimately with the hands of "missionary bishops," with direction workings of the great apostate power with that "denominational funds are no longer to which those two books are chiefly concerned. pay the traveling expenses of delegates to the George Seldes is one of America©s veteran general conference." newspaper correspondents in Europe. For FIFTEEN professors on the faculty of the He many years he was stationed in Rome, and brew University at Jerusalem are renowned knows Italy and the Vatican most thoroughly German scholar exiles. The Jewish population at first hand. -He is not a Catholic. of Palestine is now 25 per cent of the total "The Vatican: Yesterday Today Tomorrow" population, having increased 139,390 in the past is not a rabid anti-Catholic book. In fact it is three years. It is now said to be 310,000. not a propaganda book either for or against the WE should be careful where we get our infor church. It is written dispassionately as a con mation, and distinguish between information temporary historian would write, and for the and exploitation propaganda. Lawrence Mar sole purpose of giving accurate and detailed in tin, under the title, "Merchant of Emotions," formation. It gives a view of the setup and in Reader's Digest (April), bares the sensa world-wide operations of the Catholic Church tional journalism that "speaks to the lower which is not to be found in any other volume. instincts" and through its powerful newspaper chains "sets the mental pattern" for a large For a survey of the political activities of proportion of Americans. The underlying prin Catholicism, particularly the new and very ciple of this yellow journalism has been "the powerful "" movement, Seldes©s emotional appeal, which meant chiefly sex, but book is invaluable. No Adventist minister who also crime, wealth, the unusual, and conflict in wants to keep abreast of the times can afford all its forms." It is "a literature made up not to read this noteworthy book. largely of distortion, . . . new depths of sob The table of contents is as follows: stuff, claptrap, and jazzed-up triviality." This all complicates and intensifies our problem of Part I—The Ancient Vatican calling out a people from not only spiritual I. The Oldest and Newest Institution in the death or apostasy, but from the spirit and World II. History and Topography, From the Egyptian degeneracy of a world that is bent on godless- Obelisk to the Eadio ness. III. Church vs. State: From Csesar to the Duce IV. The Occupant of the Vatican "A SERIES of decisions by the United States Part II—The Pope Supreme Court has at last made it definitely V. Death, Election, Coronation of a Pope clear that there is no fundamental provision VI. Secrets of the Conclave in the American system for such religious VII. Daily Life of the Modern Popes VIII. Audiences With the Pope liberty or freedom of conscience" as we had IX. The Sacred College supposed was provided under the American Part III—Courts and Administration Constitution. So declares the Christian Cen tury (Jan. 2, 1935). Expanding and explaining X. How the Catholic Church Is Governed XI. The Modernization of the Index this statement in an editorial, "The Delusion XII. The Dissolution of Marriages of Liberty," we read: XIII. The Secretary of State and Others "The First Amendment to the Constitution provides XIV. The Pontifical Court that ©Congress shall make no law respecting an estab XV. The Palatine Administration lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise XVI. The Finances of the Vatican thereof,' but it failed to provide that Congress could Part IV—The Modern World make no law compelling the citizen to act contrary to his religion! Congress cannot prohibit ©the free XVII. The Vatican and the Nations at War exercise of religion,© but it can compel the perform XVIII. Modern Trials of a Vatican Diplomacy ance of specific acts which nullify the free exercise XIX. Catholicism and "Americanism" of religion ! This is the discovery which the Supreme XX. The Vatican and Catholic Political Parties Court has now made. It is set forth in a unanimous XXI. Catholic Church and Protestant Churches decision in the case of the two student conscientious XXII. The Pope and Modern Society objectors to military training in the University of XXIII. Mussolini vs. Pope California at Los Angeles. Religious liberty and the XXIV. The Lateran Pacts and After freedom of conscience are thereby emptied of any XXV. The Vatican, the Nations, the Modern State positive substance or reality. They are delusions Index which, though long cherished by our statesmen and ALOMZO L. BAKES. people, must now be abandoned. 1935 The MINISTRY Page 21

"The feature of the Supreme Court©s decision which and the invitation to march forward with God©s makes it conclusive is the fact that it was unanimous. . . . The essential question ... is whether there is remnant witnesses that keep the command in the Constitution an effective guaranty of freedom ments of God as well as cling to the faith of of conscience and religious liberty. ... In its [the Supreme Court©s] opinion, read by Mr. Justice Jesus. This is as yet unperceived and must be Butler, there is no such guaranty. Referring to the brought before them. ©privileges and immunities© guaranteed to the citizen under the Fourteenth Amendment, the Court said: We confess to profound admiration for cer ©And yet he may be compelled, by force, if need tain of these men who stand for the verities of be, against his will and without regard to his per sonal wishes or his pecuniary interests, or even his the gospel, as they understand them. On trial religious or political convictions, to take his place for loyalty to the basic principles and provi in the ranks of the army of his country.© "The Court©s decision changes nothing in the realm sions of Christianity, and cast out because of of conscience, except that it reduces to a delusion fidelity to those principles in the midst of in the general belief that conscience is protected by the American Constitution. That delusion must now creasing apostasy, they will find themselves be abandoned. But even if the free spirit of the more and more isolated and estranged from American people in general is cowed by this evidence that American democracy has become a totalitarian apostatizing Protestantism. Where will they state, there is one section of the American people go? to whom will they turn? They should that will not be cowed by it: that is the member ship of the Christian church. The legal conception be drawn instinctively toward this movement anfl the whole philosophy underlying the Court©s de cision is thoroughly and irreconcilably repugnant to as the issue becomes sharp and decisive. the Christian religion. If the American government This question is then inescapable: Are we is determined to be that kind of government, it can and take the consequences. But there exists in the on the alert to take proper advantage of their American commonwealth a body of men and women inevitable disillusionment and withdrawal? upon whose banner is inscribed this supreme law: ©We ought to obey God rather than men!© They Are we sympathetic and understanding enough propose to obey this law of God and take the to make favorable contacts and to create favor consequences." able impressions? Are we elastic enough to recognize and to utilize their conspicuous tal ents? or would there be an unconcealable re Getting Decisions pression that would make such men disas (Continued from page 16) trously restive? Here is scope for profitable thought. We should have, and should therefore are some here tonight for the first time; and expect and plan for, conspicuous accessions to perhaps you have not understood all I have the ranks of this movement. Shall we be will said, not knowing what preceded this. My ing and able to use them? direct appeal is to those who have heard me all Let us address ourselves to making favorable the way through." I think that guards against contacts and friendships now. Let us form key an adverse decision. When it comes to the last acquaintances and friendships. Let us use call, the final call that we make for the people favorable approaches, and let us cultivate a to come out of "Babylon" and join the Seventh- sympathetic understanding and attitude toward day Adventist Church, is there any stronger all sincere defenders of Christian faith. To way we can make that call than to make it the fail here is to be recreant to manifest duty. way God puts it, "Come out of her, My people"? They will be satisfied with nothing less than I am at a loss to know why more of our men the genuine gospel. L. E. r. do not make use of this. XX XX XX XX XX XX Principles in Prophetic Inter Presbyterian Crisis pretation (Continued from page 10) (Continued from page 9) We confess to deepest interest and concern over such developments in Protestantism. Long pies by Which to Interpret Prophecy." Others foreknown to us, and therefore long expected, to -whom tribute is due are Uriah "Smith and the events now pass in tragic procession before S. N. Haskell. All later works on the proph our eyes. Though not a part of the groups in ecies produced by this denomination owe much volved, we nevertheless have an inescapable re to the former©s "Thoughts on Daniel and the sponsibility toward them. To this end was this Revelation," which must still rank as peer in movement born, and to this end were we given its field. By this we do not, of course, mean the most important and far-reaching commis that it is final or faultless. While in minor sion ever committed to churchmen. points there may be positions taken that have We have the bounden responsibility of throw not been borne out by subsequent develop ing across their pathway the beams of the ments, the marvel is that so much of what threefold message, as the divinely ordained ex these pioneers wrote has stood the test of the pansion and consummation of the "everlasting most critical examination, and that the great gospel" commission. Some things these men pillars of the structure of doctrinal and pro see very clearly, hut the deeper issues of the phetic teaching begun by them remain unmoved conflict they have not yet discovered the call after the passing of decades crowded with the to complete the arrested Reformation, the sum greatest changes and transitions of social and mons to separate from ecclesiastical "Babylon," political history. The MINISTRY August

May we as their spiritual posterity continue ment, and that the empire was the legitimate to be guided by the living Spirit of eternal successor to the Eastern Grecian Empire. truth, and press on -with courageous, fearless, During the disputed election of Frederick II, of yet humble and honest endeavor toward the Philip of Suabia, and of Otto of Brunswick, in day when we shall no longer "know in part" 1201 A. D., Pope Innocent III decided who should and "prophesy in part," when "that which is be emperor. Here is an extract from his man perfect is come," and when "that which is in date: part shall be done away." "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Angwin, Calif. Spirit:"

NK XX "It is the business of the pope to look after « *X XK the interests of the Roman Empire, since the empire derives its origin and its final authority Missionary Answers Questions from the Papacy; its origin, because it was (Continued from page 4) originally transferred from Greece by and for the sake of the Papacy, the popes making the "I am the great God, and the One who made all transfer in order that the church might be things, and you shall hare no other gods before better protected; its final authority, because Me. I am the great One." It is easy for them the emperor is raised to his position by the to understand this. So I teach them God©s law pope who blesses him, crowns him, and invests step by step, setting forth all the command him with the empire, . . . therefore we decree ments. that he [Otto] ought to be accepted and sup ported as king, and ought to be given the crown And we have no difficulty with the Sabbath of the empire, after the rights of the Roman commandment, or any other, unless they have Church have been secured." 5 come into contact with the Roman Catholic (To be continued) Church. Then I say to them, "The law says, ©Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 1 Croly, "The Apocalypse of St. John," p. 170, sec image." Have you ever seen a church that had ond edition ; London, 1828. (Quoted in "Source Book for Bible Students," revised edition, p. 383 ; Review them? And did you ever see anybody bowing and Herald.) 2 "Code" of Justinian, in "The Civil Law," a trans down to them? God says in His law that we lation by S. P. Scott, Vol. 16, pp. 16-18. are not to do that." And that settles it for the * Idem. 4 Lea. "Studies in Church History." p. 66. native. In dealing with the fourth command 5 Thatcher & McNeal, "A Source Book for Medieval ment it is the same. If they have not had History," pp. 220-226. contact with Sunday-keeping people, there is no difficulty whatever. I point out that the Bible says to keep the seventh day of the week. The Promised Blessing of Asher They all have calendars. I do not try to explain about the change of the Sabbath, but (Continued from page 1) prove from the Bible that Saturday is the worries unfit us to meet the requirements of seventh day of the week. In the last chapter the hour as we could have met them had we of Mark there is a verse that reads: "Very relied on God and sought Him in prayer and early in the morning the first day of the simple faith. God requires no effort on our week, they came . . ." The Zulu Version says: part for which He is not ready to impart "Very early in the morning on the first day of strength. He does not tell His messengers to the week, on Sunday, came . . ." This I use to "go," and then leave them to provide them advantage. selves with the power to do the work to which (To be continued) He has sent them. Claremont, South Africa. Many times we do not see how it will be possible to do a required duty. It is beyond X » » our strength, or wisdom, or means. Now when it is known that God commands this to be done, Final Analysis of "Little Horn" it may assuredly be believed that God will (Continued from page 8) enable the man commanded, to do that work acceptably in His sight. When God com pressing heresies and enforcing religious laws. manded His servants in ancient times to do a 45. When the Eastern emperor ceased to pro work, He never failed one of His men if they tect the church, the kings of the Franks, Pepin obeyed His commands. Noah was enabled to and Charlemagne, laid the foundation of the build the ark; Abraham was enabled to leave Holy Roman Empire, which became the suc his father©s country and people, and to fulfill cessor of the Eastern Empire. The emperors the command of the Lord; Moses was able to of the Holy Roman Empire took the title, meet Pharaoh, working mighty miracles before "Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus" the eyes of Egypt that commanded their re Emperor of Rome (or the Romans), always spect and fear, and to lead Israel across the Augustus. Red Sea, impossible as it seemed when the 46. It was fully understood by the popes that command was given; Paul was enabled to the Holy Catholic Church and the Holy Roman escape his enemies and their bitter persecu Empire were united in one indissoluble govern tion till the end. All things are possible to. 1935 The MINISTRY Page 23 those who believe; and if we fail to have faith, that God has said would be done. Through the we must live in fear and dread all our days ages the Godhead has met every promise, ful of unbelief. "As thy days, so shall thy strength filled the word of His servants, and He is be," belongs to this ministry and to this advent abundantly able to bring about whatever God movement. has said shall be. There never was such a superhuman task The great question is, Am I being used of required of any people in any age. All other God in this great advent movement? Am I requirements are not to be compared to giving doing my work faithfully as unto the Lord? the advent message to all the world in this Am I an office seeker, and a selfish, worldly generation. Judging from the human view man, though in the church, seeking my own ad point, we would say at once that it cannot be vancement and not the glory of God? To done. History furnishes us with no parallel each worker it is all-important that he be able to this great movement. There is no compari to know that he is being used of God to pro son with any work that God ever gave to man, mote His work on earth. The question is not, to see how a similar work has ever been ac Am I engaged in the work of God? but, Is the complished by man. Already this message has Lord using me to His glory? Each worker gone away beyond the early church in the must answer that question himself. Any world-wide extent to which it has been person who is in God©s work with unselfish preached. It has men and workers speaking motives, with the one desire to win the lost to or writing in all the leading languages of the Christ and to help prepare a people who will world; it has more literature scattered abroad be ready and waiting when the Lord shall than was ever printed and used in promoting come, may know that the blessing of Asher is any other message that God ever sent to man sure, and will be fulfilled in his daily ex kind, save the Scriptures. perience. Yet some tell us that we cannot do the work Faith in the promises of God eliminates fear. because of its herculean size and the obstacles Tomorrow is in God©s keeping. Today is as involved. But the only question we need to far as I am called upon to live and to work. settle is, Is this work from God? When we The promise, "As thy days, so shall thy settle that fact in the affirmative, all else is strength be," provides the child of faith with made easy. We need not say that it cannot the assurance that as he is cared for and en be done; we need not fear tomorrow, nor worry abled to do the work of God today, so will he about finances; we need not fear apostasies. be tomorrow. One step at a time, one second God will take care of all these things. He will of time, is all that we ever have; we live now, see that His people have the strength to do the and God cares for us. Each passing moment work assigned to them. What we need is faith we see and feel the same presence and power to see the providences of God using the re of God. So we trust all to His loving care to quired agencies to bring about what He says keep all His promises to us. shall be. Faith in God makes us strong. When we This work is of God. It is clearly set forth in trust Him, we are buoyant, optimistic, expect the prophecies of Revelation and Daniel. Then, ant. God can do more with an ordinary man as far as God is concerned, He will see that who believes and knows that God is his helper men do this work. True, it is beyond the than with a doubting Thomas who is weakened wisdom and strength of man; but we have yet by his unbelief. The promise stands out to reckon with the power of the Holy Spirit. strongly, "As thy days, so shall thy strength He is infinite in strength, and can do the work be." i. H. E.

CONTENTS THIS ISSUE

THE PROMISED BLESSING OF ASHEB (Editorial) ...... 1 POEMS: Fruitfulness Advance! ...... 1, 6 NOTES AND NOTICES ...... 2, 20 MISSION PROBLEMS AND METHODS: A Veteran Missionary Answers Questions No. 1 ...... 3 KINDLY COHRECTIVES: Treading on Enchanted Ground ...... 4 EVANGELISTIC COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS: The Supreme Task of the Church No. 2 ...... 5 STUDIES IN CHUECH HISTORY: XV. Final Analysis of "Little Horn" No. 2 ...... 7 BIBLE-TEACHING PRINCIPLES: Principles in Prophetic Interpretation No. 2 ...... 9 EDITORIAL KEYNOTES: Presbyterian Crisis Over Machen Case No. 3 ...... 10 ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS: Topic No. 6 Getting Decisions ...... 11 PANEL: Present State of Religion and Missions ...... 12 THE QUERY CORNER: Punctuation in Luke 23:43 ...... 16 EFFECTIVE ILLUSTRATIONS: Tibetan Lama Unfinished Symphony ...... 17 VALUABLE QUOTATIONS ...... 18 THE MINISTER©S BOOKS: "The Vatican: Yesterday Today Tomorrow" ...... 20 EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPTS ...... 24 EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPTS

SACRIFICIAL! Love is the motivating force such seeming unity is frequently but a sign of of all really sacrificial giving ardent, intelli indifference toward matters concerning which gent love for God and perishing humanity. there should be candid study. Historically, Expedients such as shame, pride, rivalry, the periods of earnest religious discussion have duty, and sheer pressure, may bring the pit been epochs of intense spiritual virility. Apathy, tances, but they will never bring about the not investigation, is to be feared. Any position selling of houses and lands that the proceeds that cannot be defended and that cannot main may be used by the appointed leaders, as in tain itself against all comers surely needs apostolic times and in the midnight cry of the reconstruction. Truth has nothing to fear. ©44 movement. Tet nothing less and nothing The more it is butted, the brighter its heavenly else will finish our committed task. 0 for luster. Experience proves that dignified, courte that flaming love that consumes pride, lethargy, ous, Christian discussion does not strengthen and rivalry, and burns itself out in joyous eccentric opinion nor unsound position, but sacrificing for the object of its devotion. constitutes a powerful force in establishing truth and fostering harmony. Sensitiveness, LOYALTY! Beware the man, or group of bitterness, stubbornness, or personalities are men, in institution or in conference, who say ruled out under the amenities of Christian in word or effect, "I, even I only, remain in courtesy. Let us not throttle proper discussion. loyalty to the full, true orthodoxy of this move ment, and behold others seek to take away my CUSTODIANS! The orthodoxy of the denomi influence and my public life, and to silence my nation has not been committed to any one col witness to trampled truth." If such would but lege, publishing house, conference, or coterie of listen, they might hear God©s rebuke, "I have re men. It may be presumptuously assumed by served to Myself seven thousand who have not some group, but it has never been placed there. bowed the knee in apostasy, nor failed through The custody of the faith has a vastly broader disloyalty to the key principles of the present sweep. There are loyal, conscientious, in truth." This fancied custodianship of the de formed men in every division of the world nomination©s orthodoxy is not loyalty, but ego field who would yield position, or even life tism. It is not reality, but supposition, and it itself, rather than knowingly repudiate truth, would be amusing if it were not serious. This or consciously receive or propagate error. "truer than thou" spirit is modern Pharisaism These men are intelligent, informed, alert. often a meticulous concern over unimportant This world group of adherents to the faith con details while misapprehending, neglecting, or stitutes the real custodianship of the faith. forgetting the weightier matters. TRADITIONALISM! There is, alas, on the part of some, far greater interest in preserving some TESTS! The silences of the Spirit of proph detail of a traditional position in the field of ecy are as significant as its amazingly wide prophetic interpretation than in finding and and penetrative utterances. When nought ap following further light thereon. This is one pears in all the writings bearing upon some of the saddening and disturbing attitudes of one©s pet interest or hobby some detail over some who, on the one hand, often inveigh which speculation may be harmless if held against the static creeds of nominal Protestant as a tentative and personal conclusion there ism, and on the other, stress Catholicism©s and should be very clear evidence that such a pet Judaism©s emphasis on the traditions of men. position is vital before making its acceptance These good souls are usually unaware of the the test of another©s spiritual perception, loyalty, or fellowship. And infinitely more actual historic processes by which certain of true is this when the Lord©s servant has gone these minor prophetic conclusions were reached on record declaring that the true meaning of the surrounding background, the influencing a certain detail has not been revealed, that it is factors, and the limited information available not a vital point, and should not be agitated. at the time. But along with these factors must There is abundance of room in the broad, deep be placed the readiness with which those noble channels of essential truth. Hunt not out pioneers revised other details when corrective the rocks, shoals, and eddies of unprofitable data were brought to their attention. Such speculation. were the first to "go on to perfection," as they saw it. The passion for truth, the conquest of DISCUSSION! Unfortunately some regard dis all determining factors, surrender to the obli cussion in the church as fraught with peril. gations of the laws of interpretation, and Such usually consider absence of discussion to simple honesty in drawing conclusions, these be the token of harmony; and the converse as are the criteria of sound prophetic interpreta evidence of disharmony. But on the contrary, tion. L. E. F.