Visiting for Jesus' Sake Editorial: Founders Week 1958 Made a Deep Impression on His Audience, "Glorify God
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MARCH 3, 1958 A New Bedford Standard-imieb muii Recipient of the New Bedford (Mass.) lunior Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award, Rev. Edward J. Hales is here displaying the plaque. With him are, left to right, James Sylvia, program chairman; Attorney Paul J. McCawley, JCC president, and Roy Mason, co-chairman. Story on page 10. Considering the Cross Visiting for Jesus' Sake Editorial: Founders Week 1958 made a deep impression on his audience, "Glorify God. mil men." he admonished. Big names and flashy pro- IV7HAT would Edgren have thought about this?" rnotioH are nut nearly as important as we think they * The question was pul to me by a young pastoi dur are. Essential is the presence of God. Be still and ing a '' t inie-out " in the exciting basketball game Thurs know I lim. Poi the note of (rue worship is ton often day afternoon of Pouaders Week at Bethel. missing in today s evangelicaiism: Almost like a shol Eor the baskel fame his own en Another missing hole is that of joy. came the re- _ thusiastic answer: "I think he would have been minder from Dr. Curtis Akenson of Minneapolis' First thrilled." Baptist Church. A feeling of exhaustion has become Why not.' Dr. John Alexis Edgren, with bis sympa an occupational hazard for the minister, he said. But thetic understanding of youth, could very well have Jesus < 'hrist offers that fullness of joy. that inner tran- been thrilled at that friendly eontesl between North quility and calm delight which makes His burden light. western College and Bethel College. Afternoon workshops dealt with practical techniques £ Founder Edgren would have been thrilled as lie re in evangelism. Rev. Arthur Christiansen, director of alized that the buys on Bethel's team represented a church extension in the California Conference, gave (iOO-member studenl body provided an excellent educa some practical hints on personal work and "evangeliz tion in the school be started in 1871 and which through ing new communities." Dr. Richard Curtis of Belhci all its changes and expansions has remained true to the College, in a noun address on "The Evangelist I). L. Fundamentals of Faith he cherished. Moody." gave a vivid portrayal of outstanding evan Edgren would have been thrilled at seeing thai the gelism through a God-used man in another day. Week limed to coincide with his birthday was a grow Another Bethel professor, Dr. Robert Smith, in his ing institution, attracting hundreds of ministers with message on "The Goal of Evangelism," pointed out their wives and scores of church members to the Bethel that this goal is threefold: Christ's work for me. justi campus for a few days of midyear inspiration. The fication; in me. sancl i I'icatinn. and with me. glorifica actual registration of visitors (about 750) topped that tion, eternal fellowship with Him. of last year by mure Ihan 100. At Monday night's his Two guest speakers, Dr. William Fitch of Toronto torical banquet more than 830 persons heard the ad and Dr. Paul Rees of Minneapolis, gave hea.researching dress by Dr. Virgil A. Olson and witnessed the hon presentations on the Holy Spirit, without whom there oring of two retiring Bethel professors—Miss Esther can be no true evangelism. Sabel and Kev. Swan A. Engwall. ,The Wednesday Beautiful, well-chosen special music by Bethel taleul night crowd was estimated at 1.300. Willi standing and others added appreciably to the rich sessions. The «. room only at limes in former years, the college chapel 1958 Bethel Founders Week was not only the largest now proved altogether too small even for the morning bul one of the best. Untold blessings, to the glory of sessions. All the meetings, excepl the workshops and (tod, will overflow into many of our churches from it. the early prayer hour, were in I he spacious Field House. Bethel Founders Week approaches the propor tions of an annual assembly of the Conference. The Founder would have thrilled at the program offered and the satisfying manner in which it was pre sented. Various aspects of "Evangelism for Today" *Sto were discussed by men who gave much fur mind and heart. In many gripping moments those in attendance Official Organ of the BAPTIST GENERAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICA must have felt that just this—"evangelism for today" VOL. XLVllI NO 9 —involves a contest that demands our best, our all. For Published every Monday by the Baptist Conference Press, B76U we wrestle not against f'Jesh and blood when we champ N. Ashland Ave., Chicago 26, Illinois. Tel. LOngbeach 1-3740. Entered as second class, matter Sept. 3, 1940, at the post office ion the cause of Christ. Through fumbling and slow of Chicago under the act of March 3, 1879. Accepted for mail ing under the acts Of October 3, 1917, and February 28, 1926. - ness, precious opportunities are being Just in t he contest • for souls. But there are. ways to win. MARTIN ERIKSON .'. Editor During my two days at Founders Week 1 heard ESTHER LARSON Assistant Editor CAROLYN DAHLQUIST Assistant to the Editor emphasized several essentials for effective evangelism. GUSTAV E. LUNDBERG Business Manager "We must exalt Hod." stressed Dr. A. W. Tozer in his morning homilies on Worship. Incisive and direct, SUBSCRIPTION PRICE this Christian Missionary Alliance pastor and editor One year in U.S.A. as well as foreign countries WAMQ V 2 (184) THE STAN0ARD WHAT IS ITS BIBLICAL MEANING? CONSIDERING THE CROSS By CECIL M. LINDBLOM Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Mora, Minn. Christ hath redeemed us from ly upon parchments of vellum or of the curse of the law, being made papyrus, messages born out of this a curse for us: for it is written, venture of God to the scene of hu Cursed is everyone that hangeth man activity. on a tree. The psychologist has sought to de Galatians 3:13 termine human behavior in the light of the cross; the sociologist has HE cross of Jesus Christ is an sought to explain social movements T integral part of the message of in the light of its truth; the phil Christianity. It is impossible to osopher has sought to plumb its consider Christianity without giving depths and climb its heights; the serious consideration to the cross. theologian has sought to understand Although the death of Christ is both its mystery and its simplicity, much more than an exhibit of love, and the musician has tried to put there is no denying that on the the essence of its message to words Judean hillside some nearly two and music. thousand years ago we have an ex pression of divine love, which calls It has attracted and held the at for the whole response of every be tention of the best minds and also liever in Jesus Christ. There at a that of some of the smallest and given point of time in human his meanest. Because of the eternal qual tory the Son of God gave evidence ity of its message this shall continue to be true throughout all of time. through His sacrificial substitution which brought a heavy shadow over ary death, of a spiritual love which There is an enchantment about the its light. Today it burns more bright cross. we have not yet fully fathomed as a ly than ever. Men of erudition and Christian church at this vantage learning, as well as the lowly un The Intent of the Cross point of time in the twentieth cen trained man, revels in its truth and To properly consider the cross we tury. penetrating message. must view it from a Biblical per It is in what He has done even There has grown around the cross spective. As we do this we see that more than in what we see Him doing a sort of false halo and many people ledemption is the underlying tone every day that we have positive evi think of the cross as some garnished, of the message of the cross. It was dence of His love. From one point glittering piece of metal to be fas sc in the mind of Christ, "Even as of view, reconciliation is something tened to a lapel or worn on a chain the Son of man came not to be which has been wrought, not some around the neck or arm. It is much ministered unto, but to minister and thing which is to be accomplished. more than this! It is a profoundly to give his life a ransom for many." The very core of reconciliation is theological expression in the econ Matthew 20:28. Peter, the fisherman depicted for us in the cross venture omy of God's redemption program. transformed into a theologian puts of Jesus Christ. It is in its theological setting that it this way in I Peter 2:24, "Who his we see its brightness shining. own self bare our sins in his own The Irridescence of the Cross body on the tree, that, we, being The cross has sent its brilliant hue The Intrigue of the Cross dead to sins, should live unto right down through the corridors of time. Scholars have been attracted to eousness: by whose stripes ye were It has left its own peculiar trail of the cross for generation upon gen healed." light. It has been the reason for eration. Book upon book has been This is the true intent of the cross. hope to rise in human hearts the written. There has been much con Jesus Christ experienced it in our world over. The glory of its love-light demning material.