Evangelical Visitor-February 20, 1950 Supplement on Missions

Messiah University Mosaic Evangelical Visitor (1887-1999) Brethren in Christ Church Archives 2-20-1950 Evangelical Visitor - February 20, 1950 Supplement on Missions J.N. Hostetter Follow this and additional works at: https://mosaic.messiah.edu/evanvisitor Part of the History of Religion Commons, and the Religion Commons Permanent URL: https://mosaic.messiah.edu/evanvisitor/1542 Recommended Citation Hostetter, J.N., "Evangelical Visitor - February 20, 1950 Supplement on Missions" (1950). Evangelical Visitor (1887-1999). 1542. https://mosaic.messiah.edu/evanvisitor/1542 Sharpening Intellect | Deepening Christian Faith | Inspiring Action Messiah University is a Christian university of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in church and society. www.Messiah.edu One University Ave. | Mechanicsburg PA 17055 to the Evangelical Visitor Fourth Quarter Reports Nappanee, Indiana February 20, 1950 including the slaves. This was true e.ven in cosmopolitan Corinth (I Cor. 1:26-28). Evangelicals and Consequently the apostles had to urge up on their converts the Christian duty of sub mission to secular authority (Rom. 13:1; The Social Gospel I Peter 2:18). In Luther's day the realiza George A. Turner tion of the worth of the individual, that resulted from the evangelical doctrines of VANGELICALS, as a whole, have always took advantage of them (Ezek. 34). Evan the Reformation, may well have been one E been interested' in the social implica gelicals have noticed also that Jesus' par of the contributing factors of the Peasants' tions of the Gospel. That is they have been able of the Good Samaritan defines "neigh Revolt. No one was more concerned with quick to recognize that the first command bor" as anyone in need regardless of his the matter of the individual's relation to ment, to love God, is followed closely by race or creed; that the rich man went to God than was George Fox; no one was the second, to love one's neighbor; they hell, not so much for his action as inaction more sensitive to the cries of the oppressed, have agreed with John that he who loves —he lacked compassion for Lazarus. The or more critical of the religionists who God should love his brother also. reflective reader of Acts may even have ignored them, than this same lonely man. noticed that Peter and John, after Pente In coming to this position they have been Modern critics of Wesley and the Evan cost, while regular attendants at the temple influenced by their Spirit-enlightened con gelical Revival of the eighteenth century services, did not content themselves with a sciences and by the Spirit-inspired Word complain unjustly that the early Metho dole to a beggar, but fastened their eyes of God. They have found this two-fold dists spent so much time "plucking brands upon him, and, in the name of Jesus, emphasis, for example, in the peasant- from the burning" that they had no time "raised him up." While evangelicals, for to put out the fire. But, the Holy Club at prophet Amos in the eighth century before the most part, have followed the three Oxford not only fasted, prayed, and read Christ. No one was more emphatic in fold pattern of Jesus' ministry—healing, their Bibles in Greek and Hebrew, they stressing man's relationship to Jehovah— casting out demons, and preaching, too also visited the prisons. Wesley's last let "prepare to meet thy God, 0 Israel" (Amos often they have contented themselves with ter (to Wilberforce) was in support of the 4:12) and no one was more incisive in preaching only. pointing out God's intolerance of "devo abolition of slavery. The Evangelicals did tion" -devoid of justice. Bible readers have The Gospel has never been without its far more for the unchurched masses than been impressed by the great prophet of the implications for the sins of society as well did "liberal" elements in the Anglican exile as he described Jehovah's determi as its application to the sins of the indi Church. nation to champion the cause of the under vidual. In Paul's day Christianity made its Students of American church history privileged against the strong "sheep" who greatest numerical gains among the poor, point out that in the second "Great 58 (II) EVANGELICAL VISITOR SUPPLEMENT February 20, 1950 Awakening," the revival of 1800 had sev During the same nineteenth century, the and hence outside of our concern? Is it eral far-reaching effects; it augmented the "greatest century" in Christian history, an because we are determined not to sanction numerical strength of the churches, it fos other movement ran parallel to those just any cause, however good, which the Fed tered the formation of missionary societies, described. Biblical criticism, especially in eral Council has sanctioned? Is it because it inaugurated the ecumenical movement by Germany, and the dogma of evolution, we are ignorant of, or unconcerned with, the formation of interdenominational agen especially in England, worked slowly, si or afraid of, the whole matter? Is it for cies for the propagation of the Gospel, and lently, and devastatingly in the American reasons of expediency that we are inarticu resulted in the formation of interdenomi churches. Many in traditionally evangeli late—for fear of alienating some of our national organizations for reforms by so cal denominations welcomed the new "lib constituency? Neutrality on a moral issue cial action. The evangelical elements in eralism" and compensated for their loss of is a high price to pay for peace and unity! the churches became to an increasing de orthodox theology by retaining and em Do we, like the Roman Catholics, prefer gree the conscience of the nation. Among phasizing this social application of the unity to truth? These are questions which the national evils directly attacked by the Gospel. In proportion as they abandoned the evangelicals of America dare no longer evangelicals was lynching. As the leaven the grand central themes of their Protes ignore or evade. Our general position as of Christianity led to the outlawing of tant heritage they came to emphasize the defenders of "the faith once delivered to gladiatorial combats in the Roman Empire secondary aspects of Christianity, borne the saints" is most vulnerable at this point. so now an enlightened Christian conscience, along doubtless by the tide of public opin We are too often regarded as merely con spearheaded by Lyman Beecher's sermon ion which increasingly endorsed "the social servative, rather than primarily evangeli against duelling led to abolition of this conscience." The carry-over from an evan cal, as for example: practice. Alcoholism was condemned of gelical heritage, together with a human A rigid doctrine of inspiration and Bi ficially by the Presbyterians and Congre- istic ideology often results in the "social blical authority is employed to buttress a gationalists in 1811. In 1826 the organiza gospel" being promulgated with evangelis severe traditionalism, based primarily on tion of the American Society for the Pro tic fervor. Both history and philosophy the position of the dominant Reformed motion of Temperance marked the first time (see Hicking, What Man Can Make of groups during the eighteenth and nine in history that Christians organized spe Man) agree, however, that humanism alone teenth centuries. In social and political cifically to improve the beverage habits of lacks adequate motivation for a sustained questions it is characteristically reaction a nation. Later the Temperance Movement effort. ary, though its extreme Biblical literalism became the Prohibition Movement and Meanwhile, the "fundamentalists" in cor in theory might lead one to expect other sought, by directly influencing legislative rectly insisting on the basic importance of wise. (G. E. Wright, "The World Council action, to have written into law the Chris the individual's relation to God grew sus of Churches and Biblical Interpretation, tian attitude toward intoxicants. Among picious of the "modernists' " emphasis on Interpretation, III, 56). the later crusaders for social action none the relationship of the Christian to his Why should we not be alert and courage was more influential than an evangelist, neighbor. To agree with the liberals on ous enough to relate the eternal Gospel to Wm. A. Sunday. While a century ago such this point seemed to some a potentially every situation in cotemporary society and activity was a new thing, few evangelists dangerous concession, hence a prejudice define the evangelical position? will now .maintain that it was or is ill against "the social gospel." The history of advised. Many will point out that the Acts and every heresy shows that it has left some Epistles make clear that the Christian com The injustice of slave-holding also was scars on orthodoxy. Neither Augustine nor munity need only concern itself with evan voiced with increasing conviction after Luther would have gone as far as they did gelization. It is true that Paul did not 1800. Some opposed this movement simply in insisting on the "bondage of the will" organize a society for the abolition of because they were conservative, others op had it not been for Pelagius and Erasmus slavery, nor go to Rome for the purpose posed for reasons of expediency, some were respectively. It is difficult to keep a proper of urging the Senate to forbid gladiatorial silenced through fear and a desire for perspective in a controversy, especially as combats. The question is whether Paul, "peace at any price." At any rate, it was serious a battle as that between naturalism had he lived in the fourth century, would during the period 1800 to 1858 that Ameri and supernaturalism in this century.

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