Review and Herald for 1973
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AY 3, 1973 ReviewADVENT REVIEW AND SABBATH HERALD ♦ GENERAL CHURCH PAPER OF THE SEVENTH-DAY mADVENTISTS IT IS THROUGH- GOD'S IMMEDIATE AGCNCY THAT EVERY BUD BURSTS INTO BLOSSOM. TESTIMONIES, VOL. 6, P.186. Editor's Viewpoint Sir Launfal, the Judgment, and Us In one of his poems James Russell Lowell tells of a knight not, is not arbitrary. God is love. The principle on which His named Sir Launfal who was determined to go in search of universe is founded is love. The two great principals in the the Holy Grail. He would cover land and sea to find the great controversy that has torn the universe espouse op- chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper! posite principles—Satan, selfishness; Christ, unselfishness. The day before he was to embark on his ambitious scheme, Thus true religion is revealed in love, unselfishness, sym- he fell asleep and dreamed. In his dream he saw himself pathy, and concern for others; false religion, or absence of starting out from his castle on a beautiful day. As he passed true religion, manifests itself in hate, selfishness, hard- through the gate he saw a leper crouching in the shadows heartedness, and unconcern for others. "Those whom Christ begging. The knight felt no sympathy for the wretch but commends in the judgment may have known little of theol- scornfully tossed him a gold coin. The beggar left the piece ogy, but they have cherished His principles."—The Desire of of money in the dust where it fell, commenting, "He gives Ages, p. 638. only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty." "In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the Years later, when Sir Launfal had spent his life in a vain nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in sys- search for the Grail, he returned to his castle gate. The tems, creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving leper was still there. But this time Sir Launfal stooped and deeds, in bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine shared his crust of bread; he broke the ice on the stream goodness." "Many who profess His name have lost sight of and gave the leper a drink. And as he did so, he suddenly the fact that Christians are to represent Christ. Unless there is practical self-sacrifice for the good of others, . thought he saw Christ in place of the leper. The Master then whatever our profession, we are not Christians."—Ibid., spoke, and said: pp. 497, 504. "The Holy Supper is kept, indeed, "True sympathy between man and his fellow man is to be In whatso we share with another's need; the sign distinguishing those \who love and fear God from Not what we give, but what we share, those who are unmindful of His law.... This is the test that For the gift without the giver is bare; the great Author of truth used to distinguish between true Who gives himself with his alms feeds three, religion and false."—Welfare Ministry, pp. 36, 37. Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me." The concept set forth by Lowell in this poem is well sup- Our Neighbor Is . ported in the New Testament. In Matthew 25 a picture is Today the opportunities for Christians to reveal true reli- presented of the last day. As Jesus sits on His throne, before gion are greater than at any other time in history. Because Him are gathered all nations. Then He divides the vast mul- no longer is our neighbor merely the person who lives next titude—the "sheep" on His right, the "goats" on His left. door or in our community. Today the world is a global vil- Who are the "sheep"? Those who shared their food with lage. Our neighbor is the little girl orphaned by the terrible Jesus when He was hungry. Those who gave Him drink earthquake that struck Managua, Nicaragua. Our neighbor when He was thirsty. Those who clothed Him when He was is the family made homeless by the war in Vietnam. Our naked. Those who visited Him when He was sick or in neighbor is the child with sickle-cell anemia in America's prison. Those who gave Him shelter when He was homeless. inner cities. Our neighbor is a comatose baby in New Very few of the "sheep," of course, lived in Palestine dur- Guinea. Our neighbor is a town destroyed by a tornado ing Christ's earthly ministry. Very few had the opportunity across the continent. Our neighbor is a community deso- to minister personally to the Son of man. Millions lived be- lated by a flood on the opposite side of the world. fore He came to this world, and millions lived afterward. Physical proximity no longer determines who is our neigh- They could not minister to Christ in person. But when they bor. Wherever people need help, there is our neighbor. saw a fellow human being in need, their hearts were Bangladesh, for example. Recently a missionary wrote: "The touched, and they did what they could to help. So in the heartache of Bangladesh exceeds anything I've ever seen. great judgment day Jesus says, "Inasmuch as ye have done . Three million people were killed during the fighting it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done while 10 million were forced to flee for their lives. I saw it unto me" (Matt. 25:40). "Every merciful act to the needy, thousands of helpless people huddled together, sleeping in the suffering, is regarded as though done to Jesus."—Testi- sewer pipes . dying of malnutrition and cholera. Bloated monies, vol. 2, p. 25. bodies lay unburied in the mud. Their homes are rubbish What a magnificent, inspiring concept this is! What Chris- heaps. Slow death and sorrow face them." tian would not count it a privilege to welcome Christ into his Ours is indeed a troubled, suffering world. But fortu- home, to give Him clothing, to give Him food, to give Him nately Seventh-day Adventists in many countries have more money, to give Him a blanket, to give Him medicines. of this world's goods than they need. They have material and We cannot minister to Christ personally, but we can min- money they can share. And they belong to an organization ister to Him in the person of the needy. that is worldwide, able to administer relief. And we will. If the Holy Spirit has touched our hearts, if On May 12, the biennial Disaster and Famine Relief Of- we are connected to Christ, if we are possessed of God's fering will be received in all our churches. At present the love, the sorrows of the world will touch our hearts. We will treasury is empty. Funds contributed two years ago have look for opportunities to share our blessings. "It will be as been used up. So let us raise at least one million dollars for natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering as it food, clothing, blankets, tents, and other supplies, to meet was for Christ to go about doing good."—Christ's Object Les- emergencies as they arise. Let us deny ourselves some- sons, p. 385. thing if necessary to give $10, $100, or $1,000. What greater God's decision to welcome into the kingdom those who privilege can be ours than to minister to Christ in the per- have ministered to the needy and exclude those who have son of "one of the least of these . ."! K. H. W. 2 R&H, MAY 3, 1973 time at all looking through the Ingathering tone and seems to end the discussion with a magazine These Times this year will recog- jolting, distracting noise. nize the name Jeanine Purdey Wearner, Often the instrument is played too loudly, Review author of "Come Quickly!" (p. 15). Mrs. and likewise detracts at the very moment Wearner was pictured on the cover of that the teachers should be giving the appeal to missionary brochure, examining a child's the class members. A pleasant sounding ear, aboard the floating Amazon clinic, the chime or bell, or music played softly, will Luzeiro IV (see picture below). have a better effect on the ears of many of us in the classes. Advent Review & Sabbath Herald R. H. BLESSING 123d Year of Continuous Publication Arpin, Wisconsin Editor: Correction Please KENNETH H. WOOD Associate Editors: Re "Preaching on Top of the World" DON F. NEUFELD, HERBERT E. DOUGLASS, [Feb. 22]: Don Beans, our son, was the THOMAS A. DAVIS, RAY D. VINE one who donated the mobile clinic to the Secretary to the Editor: CORINNE WILKINSON Bolivian Mission. Thanks for the pleasant reminder of our happy days in that great Editorial Secretaries: ROSEMARY BRADLEY, land. IDAMAE MELENDY ELDER AND MRS. L. G. BEANS Art: Director, HAROLD W. MUNSON; Canon City, Colorado Layout, G. W. BUSCH Consulting Editors: A Hearty Amen! ROBERT H. PIERSON, R. R. BIETZ, F. L. BLAND, THEODORE CARCICH, W. J. HACKETT, M. S. NIGRI, NEAL C. WILSON Re "The Second Advent Is Near" [Feb. Special Contributors: 22): A hearty Amen! C. 0. FRANZ, K. H. EMMERSON, R. R. FIGUHR, We have the responsibility, individ- W. R. BEACH, FREDERICK LEE, M. E. LIND, R. R. FRAME, P. H. ELDRIDGE, B. L. ARCHBOLD, ually, to spread the message, but as you W. DUNCAN EVA, R. A. WILCOX, R. S. LOWRY, We pay tribute to Jeanine and her hus- say, "The pulpit" must ring. But is this M. L. MILLS, C. L. POWERS band—and dozens of other young families the whole answer? It seems to me that Corresponding Editors, World Divisions: you have touched on an important aspect Afro-Mideast, R.