flLbt.(Jiospttaitnts5 - Jarvis Street Baptist Church

Transcription

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"The Lord Is-Rise:tl ..• and Hath Appea~d!;'-p. ·S.·
God ,Makes ,No l\1istakes.-p. 13.
Sin and the, Saviour.-p ..10.
Gamhlirig Schools in R.C. Churches.-:-p. 14.
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Puf Ollica Dapart.aDf. OHCI\II!'G
130 ~r~~rd St. E.~ TORONT0. lvlARCH 22, 1951
'V.ol. . 29. No.: 48·
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JllIllIon-ad
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Whole Number 1504
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Oh let me know.
. The power of Thy resurrection;
. Oh let me show
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Thy risen life in.calm and' clear reflection; .
Oh let me soar'
Where Thou, my Saviour Christ"art gone befor~;
. In ming. arid .heart .
Let me dwe,n alway,s, o!lly, wher~ Thou art..
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Oh let me give
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Out of the gifts Thou'freely.givest;
.Oh let me give., .'
With life abundantly because Thou livest;
Oh make me shine
In darkest piaces, for Thy -light is mine;
Oh let me be·.
A faithful witness for Thy truth and Thee.
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Oh "let me show
The strong reality of, gospel story ;
.Oh let me go
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From strength to strength, from glo!y unto glory;
Oh let me sing " : .
For very joy,., because Thou art my King';
Oh let me prai~e
Thy love and faithfulness. th~(jugh all my .days.
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-":'F:RANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL.
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THE GOSPEL WITNESS and PROTESTANT ADVOCATE
THE POPE MUST SPEAK WITH "HIS
TONGUE IN HIS 'CHEEK"
RESS dispatches· retsOrt the pope' as saying ·that while
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,the Roman Catholic Church "defends the rig~t of
priv-ate property", "the better distri'bution of wealth is one
of the most important programs of the Church". The
head of the richest corporation on earth so speak!!.
The Pope's remarks are all.·the more ironical in that
they were directed "to workers of Spain assembled in
Madrid, and all provincial capitals to celebrate .the 12th
anniyersary af his coron·ation."
. Here is the dispatch:
P
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Rome, March 11 (AP).-Pope P·ius reiterated to-day thaJt the Roman Catholic Church defends the rig~t of
private prope11y, ·but he said a ,better distribution of
wealth is one of the most important programs of the
church.
.
The Pontiff' broadcast to workers of Spain 8ssembled
in Madrid and all provincial capitals Ij;o celebrate the 12th
anniversary of his coronation, which win ,be marked forma,uy here .tomorrow.
The Pope said it was contrary to nature' that an enormous mass' of impoverished people .should live in front
of a 'small group of rich '~nd privileged.
.
"The jU'stsaliary and 'a better distribution of nartural
wealth consti'tute two of the exigencies most iinpeUing
in the ·social program ol the church," .,he said, adding
that the just salary i's one of the principal means :to a
better di-ffusion of wealth.
. He ·attacked workers' movements-which he did not
identify-which treat of imaginary 'achievements that
sacrifice the truth, human dignity and the real welfare
of a~l the citizens.
"The. class ·9truggle can never be a 'social end," 'he
said, adding that there never had been presented a social
program that ·surpassed the doctrine of the church in
consistency and realism.
The church has never preached ·socia.l revoJution but
always, from .the Epistle' of St. P.au~ to Philemon to ,the
social teachings of the popes in the 191;h and 201bh cen"
turies, i't had ,sought to teach men that all should do
their part so- that all could live a Chriostian and human
life. c
"The church," he 'added, "exhorts 'all who contribute to
relations ibetween employer and workers to be more
human, more Chriostian:'
Ccruld anyone else in the world be guilty of such hypocrisy
-to say rha't "it was contrary to nature that aJl enormous
mass of impoverished people should live in front of ·a small
group of rich 'and privileged"? He could scarcely have
sketched a more accurate pioture of Spai-~, as Roman
Catholicism has made 'it. All history attests that the
. Pa'pacy has ever been ·as 'a huge octopus sucking the' economic Ufe-blood out of indiV'iduals, and nations, !for its own
enrichment. Wherever the Roman Oattholic Church ·holds
sw~y, the great mass of the people are kepf in poverty, in
ignorance, and in squalor. The philosophy of Mein Kampf
was evidenNy learned from the Papacy. The bigger the
deception, the more docile its dupes and victims.
NO'body would C'harge the Pope with a defective mentality, and therefore !be must Imow that any policy involving the more equal distribution of weaUh, to be consistent, would 'have ,to begin with the Vatican, and descend
to every Roman Catholic parish in ,the world. And ~cause
he must know ·that this ineVitably woul~ have to be, we can
on'ly assume that the Pope did speak Uwith !bis tongue in
his cheek".
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THA~K YOU, AGAIN - REGINA
for gift of $25.00 to THE GoSPEL WITNESS. This gift is
greatly appreci'ated. M'ay the Lord continue to bless you
abl,mdantly!
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March 22, 1951
1t~t ·Qins:ptl
lmlitntS5
anil
-Jeoteshlnt
A~tto~ate
Published every Thursday . for the propagation of the
Evangelical. principles of the Protestant Reformation and
, in\ defence of the faith once delivered to the Saints.
,3.00 Per Vear.
Postpaid to any addre,ss.
10c Per Single Copy,
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Editor
T. T. SHIELDS
A.ssociate Editor.f,
W. S. WHITCOMBE, M.A. (Tor.).
OL.VE L. CLARK, Ph.D; (Tor.)
S. S. Lesson ant!- Exchonges
"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chrlst."-Romans 1 :16.
•
, A.ddress CorrestHnulence:
THE GOSPEL WITNESS
130 Gerrard Street East, Toronto 2, Canada
Telephone RAndolph 7415
Registered Cable Address: .Jarwitsem, Canl!da
A REMIN:QER
With the approach of the end. of our financial year,
we venture to 'remind our subscri1bers and readers 'that
we stand in need of their. hel-p. THE GOSPEL WITNESS is
a non-profit enterprise:, it accepts no paid advertisements
and it'S>su'bscriptions do !lO't pay for 'the actual' oost of
printing and- 'pu'blis:bing. If it were no·t for the generous
support of interested friends who are convinced. .that thi!i
paper 'has a mission to fulfill, we should not be able to
carryon. Many religious pU'bJiicationsandi not a few
daily newspapers ,have be~n forced to cease puiblication
by greatly incre'a'sed costs. We are well awa're tha·t there
are many who would be most 'happy to 'heaf tha1t THE
GOSPEL WITNESS had gope to the wall, 'but -they are not
friends hut foes of the gospel of grace. We candlidly
admit that we are no lDver of Rtlme, o'r of modern unhellef. But we rejoice to know that many persons have
heen hless~d through 'the messa'ges of tMs paper, faithful
pastors have found encouragement, miSl&ionaries, inspiration, need~ churches and;.pastors and other causes have
had thei,r cau·ses 'pled.in these 'pages. We therefore dare
to appeal to those who sincerely desire to see such work
as this continued and w.ho' ibelieve that THE GOSPEL
WITNESS wa's raised up "for such a time as' !this". Remember that our financi'al year end'S with March. ' Send
in your contri1bution now, jf you have not already done so.
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-W.S.W.
ROOTS' AND FRUIT
We employ a universe to rear a lilY-of-the-valley. We
need· the powe·r of 'the Holy Spirit to rear a fruit of the
Spirit. We require evangelical gra'ce if we would create
evangelical patience: We require· "the truth as it is in
Jesus" if we would furnish even a truly ·courteous life.
Rus·kin says that if you were to cut -a square inch out
of any of Turner's skies you would find the infinite in it.
And, it ought to be that if .men were to .ta:ke only ·asquare
inch out of 'any of our preaching, they would, find a su·ggestion which wO!Jld lead them to "the throne of God, and
of the Lamb." .
-J. H. JOWETT
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March 22. 1951
·THE POWER OJ! HIS RESURRECTION
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mo'rtaH:ty. Men have ·ardently longed' for the fulnes's of
l'ife, th~y have reasoned that it must he, 'and! ,have iby
H~ resurrect'ion of Ohrist. is nO't only the surpreme
faith risen to heightS of pl'Ophetic confidence that their
mIracle recorded in the Gospels, it is also 'the ful- Redeemer liveth; hut now as, wes·ta·nd at t'he empty tomb
filment of 'the deepest longings of the human ,heart and and' hear 'the vo·ice of 'the Risen Son of 'God, we 'know 'that
the, profoundest l~ason of the rhurman mind. If men of prophecy has become re~lity. Th'at which was vague and'
modern scientific training· call the rpo'Ss'i1bilirty. of the 8!bstract is· now embodIed in a personality. One has
resurrection. in'to que'stion, we reply wi'th the q'uestion g,poken to us who is Himself the resurrection and the life
that the Apostle posed to the sceptics of his day:, "Why and He 'has s'hared· with u·s the glory of His. power.
.s'hould 'it he thoughit 'a thing incred~tble with you, that
The resurrection of 0111' Lord is a literal historical fact;
God should! Taise :the dead?" (Ac'ts .26 :8). Unless we
'but
'it i's 'also a present reaiJi'ty to the believer, 'a spiritual
are readry ,to deny· the exis,tence of 'GOd" we cannot ru'le
out the poss;i'bili'ty of this miracle. He that 'shaped these experience that is d'aily renewed as a pled'ge 'and, a fore'bodies of rOu·rs can He not also call them again ·a second taste of that great day when the trumip shall sound and
time from rt'he dust and' form t'hem anew? .Who shall "·t'he dead· s:hall rbe raised incorruopti'ble, and we shall 'be·
dare ,to limit the Almighty and draw the houndrs His changed:" (I. Cor. 15 :5,2). Many who profess and call
'themselves Christian~ d·o so becaus·e they accept a cerpower ·and, wisdom ·shall no't surpas·s? 'tain 'creed, or b~caU'se rthey are members of BlOme church.
T!he pyramid to,mbs of the Egyptian Pharaohs still They strive to fulfiU what ·they conceive to :be the duties
standr 'in the desel"t Stand'S after ,~us~ds' rOf years have of a Ghris-tian and hope that their ,best efforts will 'be
passed! over 'them a's silent witnesses 'to the hope that accepted, bu't of fellowship wit'h the living Christ, of per- ..
ancient peoples had o.fa life 'beyond-this life. Testimony sonal ·acquaintanceg,hip wi,th their Saviour, they have no
to rtJhe existence of similar longing·s in the minds of experience whatever. Their condition i's· like to that of
primitive aborigines- is found in the rbows and arrows t'he twod'isciples who walked along the roaa. to Emmaus
that were buried, in the graves of the Indian warriors of hemoaning a dead, Master who had 'be~n taken from them,
this Continen't ,to ·serve them in the 'happy hunting and left them 'to face a hostile world alone, hereft of His
groundls. "Poets of all nations Ihave sung of the immortal 'presence 'to cheer 'them and of Hi'S power to en'able them
mind 'Of man, 'and:"'the thinkers of all ages ,have reasoned to gain the victory. What sorrow can be ilikenedi to theirs?
as tOo :the necessity of t'he world to come. Man'g; ·sense of Greater than the loss of money, greater even than the
'human drignirty forbid:s Min to imagine that he .will lie 'bereavemen't of a lovedr one, for to these saddened disdown in the dust to rise no more. There are some ciples Jesus 'had 'become more ·than a mere Friend or
thoughts· Whose very sweetness lendeth proof of 'irmmor- Teacher; 't'hey had learned '00 lean upon him in the hour
t~it~
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of trial as. 'in the hour of joy; all life had 'become irradioMan thinks he was not made to die: .
ated and transfrOrmed- '~y His presence, they ·had rbeen
And- Thou hast made him; Thou art just. ,
taken out of 'thems.elves to live a new, richer, deeper life
Conscience pronounces that e·arth's rbooks are not hal- in /Him. And now, this ·new, ric'her experience had
ancedr he're andth·at the Judge of all rtJhe earth s1hall do ttirnibled: 'down Into ruins. They had lost 'the1r reason for
right in another sphere of existence. So far 'as fai,th 'has living for they could not go 'back to the o'ld empty life
laid, ,hold upon God 1Jhe Eternal One in the 'here ·and now, of mere existence on an animal plane. It was true that
it refu&es to 'believe that dreath can interrupt 'the goodr- His precepts 'and his teaching remained. bu,t What were
ness and mercy of the 'Good Shepherd ,that have followed they without Him 'but vain hopes, high aims that c.on.tJhe believer all ithe ,days, of hIs life.
demned !them by t'he very impossi'bility> of fulfilling
Our Saviour came 'to aboUs'h death and' 'bring "life and them. ThJn as they walked, with -leaden feet, Another
immortality to light throug:h ;the 'Gospcl" (2 Tim. 2: 10). drew near them and joined in ot:heir conversation. The'ir
That -is .tosay, His· death extracts the s.ting of death, hearts 'burned within them as He expoundea unto them
which is sin, and robs ,it of its terrors by making it -<. in all the Scriptures the things concerning 'himself,. and
the portal through which the.s'aint passes into the pres- as 'they constrai:ned Him to tarry with them, their eyes
ence of .His Lord and Saviour. The Old' Testament be- were opened in 'the rbre8!king of bread and they ·knew Him. "
Hevers caught glirmpses of t'he truth that death does not That -is whrut it is to be a Christian in the New Tes.tamen't
end aU andlt'hey longed! ardently for, the 'revelation of the sense of the word:. Christ promised, 'to the w6ildering
fulneBlS of joy in the presence of God, Our Risen SavirOur disciples to whom He had just foretold' his death, that
not only confirmed! by His. doctri~e the aspirations, of ,their He would not ;leave them comfortless, 'that \ is· Uterally
souls, He himself pass-ed throug'h the' portals of deat'h "orphans", burt that He would' come ·andr drwell with them.
and, came back to say·to the ·sons· Of men, "Be not afraid." Withourt Him we can do nothing, t'he world'" is torO much
Here as in every other department of itruth, it is not for us' alone; the enemy of our souls 'is stronger .than we
merely what 'Chris't says that manifests the trot'h, it is are;: through the weaknes,s of the flesh, our poor {!nwhat He is as well rus what He does. 'Where, for instance, aided! 'human will cannot do the things that it would:. But,
can we find, a rmore glorious statement of the love of God we can drO all thinrgs through Christ that strengtheneth
t'h'an .in t'he prophet of the rOld disPensation who said 'in us",
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the Lordr's name: "Yea, I have -lovedr thee with an everChrist is not a new Lawgiver who multiplies demands
loa!'Jting love: therefore with 10vingkindlIlesBo have I dJrawn upon u's by giv'ing a deeper and' morespiritua;l interopretathee" (Jer. 31 :3). Yet t'hose wo·rds remained 'but a tion to the old commandments. He is not merely a
promise· untllth~ Wordr pecame flesh an!}: demonstrated· Teacher, or a Great Exemplar in whose steps we mus.t
the love of God to men by drying the Just for the unjus.t strive to put ou'r feet. He is a;bove aUl>the Redeemer, who
to 'bring us to 'God. I't was not only His 'teae'hing but ·has put away the guilt of our 'sin 'by His Cross and' who
His living and His dying that brought s·alvaltion wit'h'in lives to u:break rthe power of cancelled sin ·and 'set the
-the reach of ,mankind. And so iit wa's with rlife ,and im- prisoner free", as the old hymn 'has It. "What the law
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THE
GOSPEL WITNESS and .PROTESTANT ADVOCATE
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March 22. 1951
could noiao, in that· it was wea:k through the; flesh, God in economy--'Which will mean Jending his money to gov:
sending His own So~· in the li-k~ness of ·sinful f'lesii, and . ernments. Whe.n. goy-ern.ments themselves are prepared
ror. sin, condemned sin ~n the flesh :tha·t the righteousness to waste money 1'n thIS .reckless w,ay' is it any wonder that
of the la~. might 'be fulfilled in us, who walk not after politicians appear to." the private citizen to 'be --we will
the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Ro.m. 8: 3 ) . In Christ Mt say either fools or knaves'- but of something less
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there is not only new doctrine 'but new poWer; not only than complete sincerity?
a new example bilt a new dynamic. 0 that the glorious
springtid:e of IHis resurrectJt;ion power nl'ight flood us aU
with the joy of :a new lif~ before which old dead things
TH~ TRUMPETER HAS HIS PLACE
, will 'sloug:h off to ,give place to the fruits o·f the Spir'it!
IN THE CHURCH'
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-W.S.W.
The trumpeter' 'has his place in the 'Chu;ch. The
trumpete~ is the minister of God, the teacher sent 'by
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DON'T BE FLIPPANT TOWARD'
9hrist to 'state tl).e terms of emancipation and! sanctificaHALF A MILLION
tion.~ We "ffillst therefore have a warriing ministry. We'
Reprinted from The PeterbOt"ough Bxaminer. February 14th, 1951 are, getting more 'lind- more' afraid of such "an instrumen- '
tality. We prefer the lute to the trumpet;' we like to ..
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E ARE annoyed by the attitude of some pf our On_hear the' harp rather than the ringing blast that calls
tario politicians toward the Hope Report on Educa- men to arms or wakens them in the night to tell them '
tion. Premier Frost announces 'blithely that the Govern- that there is: ~danger in the wind. Let us pray that our' "
ment is in no way obligated' to put any of its recommenda- rising ministers may be men who are riot ·afraid. to be
tions into effect. 'The Uberal leader in the Ontario up all r,iight, wa"!tch'ingin the darkness, ready to give the .
House, Mr. Farquhar. Oliver, has jocosely .compared .the signal on the occasion of an approa'ching enemy. But if
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RePOrt with "The Thing", and says that the Conserva- the tru'mpeter:"givean uncertain sound, how can anyone
tivesare not. going to implement it 'and that the Li'berals prepare for 'battl{l? If we are uncertain ·that there is an
will not; Mi'. Oliver is -'also reported as saying that the enemy, what .can we dp? If the trumpeter should- muse
'Report does not commend -itself to the People of Ontario, with hi~self, saying, Is the enemy a person, or is the
- and that it might as well be. put in the waste paper enemy an influenceJ the enemy will say, Go on; keep
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asking the question-for 'he ~s -making' his preparations
. 'basket.
It seems time that these f!omplacent gentlemen, so . to ov~rturn ~~ 'Church .. But I do not want any little
happily at ease in Zion, woke up to the fact that the Hope ~ledglmg trumpet to s~nd up before ~me ~nd begin to
Report has. o·ccupied· the time of .twenty of the ablest men' reason, whether ~here IS 'an enemy, wh~ther there is 'Ii
and women in Ontario for five years,' and that it has cost· . devil, or whether ?y some prosopopreia-ah, that devil
the people of this 'Province nearly $600,000. T.he flippant will. ruin you through your Greek-there. is a personal
suggestion that the-report is of 'sHght'value,and may be enemy, or a sort of cloudy general feeling of mia'sma'in
ignored·, does not .reduce the value 'of the Report in any the air. If ili.e tru,~peter is in th'a't condition of. mind',
'way, 'but it gives us a new, and markedly low.~r quotation he 'has 110 'busl~es.s 'in the bat~le; let hiin,go and talk the
vallie.of the Premier and the Liberal Leader. If these ma:tter over WIth some of hIS most venera'ble relations
politicians are Mt prepared to 'give heed ,to this expert he is not a divinely commissioned: trumpeter. Let those
and extremely costly advice on 'education, perh~ps ,it is men preac~ who can "preach - who have something to
time to take education out of the hands, of the provincial preach a'bout. I" ","ould rather 'have some of the ·grand
governments and put it in the hands of the Federal Goy- ol.d preache~s that ha~" s,een .the de,,!l and wrestled with
.ernment, where men of keener intelligence and a more hIm and ·thrown an 'inkhorn at hIm,-I would, rather
highly developed sense ofresponsiibility mig.ht possibly they shou~d' 'b:e n~ar me in perilou.s ·~imes,. than that I
be found,.
should be found In unhappy asso'Clation WIth meli 'who
For Mr. ,Oliver'to 'say that the Report ,does not com- have not yet settled the question 'whether there is 'a permend itself to 'the people of Ontario is windy nonsense.. 80nal enemy. or whether th~re is simply a malignant and
How many of them have had, a chance to rea'd it? We ddffused influence .
-JOSEPH PARKER
have the ,Report on the' table before us as .we write; it is
typed on fOkllscap pages, and it is six inches thick; to
read it and (,iigest it would be a month'·g. solid work. We
STRONG FAITH
have only·had ti~e to read parts of it, but it impresses
us as worth careful study; apparently the Legislature is
Skilful. swimmers 'lire not afraid to .go above their
prepared: to d:itch th~ whole thin'g, because a'few sugge,s- . depbh, whel'eag. you~g learnersfe.el for the 'ground-; and
tions in it would lose' votes 'for whatever ·party put them are 'lo·tihbogo. fur from the bank. . side. Strong fa'ith fears'
n9t when' Go'd carries the 'creature .beyondllfJhe dep'1Jhs of
into effect.
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Education was a very uneven affair before it became !his. reason~ "Wf!; know not wiha't to dl()," said Jehosihaphait,
government concern, 'but it had some pinnacles of "'bU't our eyes are upo~ thee" (II Chron. 20). .A:s if he
achievement; in government hands it appears to be at· had said, "We' are in a sea of trouble beyond ou·r own
the mercy of politicians. who care nothing for education· help, or' any thought ihow we ·can. windt. out 'of vhese
'and -who 'are prepared! to throw a half million dollars straJi.t)s, ,but aU'r ·eyes are .uPon Thee. We d'are no't give
worth of advice, mu~h of it excellent, 'Into the waste up 'our case for dleSlPera!f;e ·so long as ~ere is strengtJh
paper basket rather', than exercise their head'S. The in 'DhIne arm, tenderness 'in Thy. bowels, and trulth 'iIi
'Dhy promise." . Wihereas weak ~aith, thaJt is! groPing for
angels must weep""ror edU'cation in Ontarikl.
.. If the spring 'brings an intensification of the war in some footing fo·t reas~n 'to. stand on, is ta'ken up with
the E~st every. ·government ·in 'Canada will be wagging 'how to. reconcHe 1Jhe !promi'se to 1Jhe crea!fJure'·s understand:ill'g.-WlLLIAM ·GURNALL.
.8; finger at the private citizen, urging Mm to the utmost
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March 22. 1951
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"The Lo·rd
lluru'is 61rttt
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. and· Hath Appeared!"
. A Sermon by the Pastor, Dr. T. T. Shields
. Preached in Jarvis .Street "Chureh, ~oronto, on a Sunqay
(StenographicaUy Reported)
Morn~ng
"And they rose up othesame hour,and return~d to Jerusalem, and found the eleven
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gathered together, and them that were with them.
"Saying,. The Lord is risen indeed, and·hath 'appeared to Simon."-Luke 24:33, 34.
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'''WHAT if our dead couid come 'baek to us 'again?- else, for never was there ·another half so lovely; or lovenot with diseased, errracia-ted, decr~pi't ibodies., ibut able. No .mother ever loved.her -cllild: as they had learned
with bodies aglow with health, with all the v1igor of youth to love Jesus, although they did not know it. They were
and invested with all the attractiveness whicll once they li'ke some children who do not know how muC'h they love
possessed in the days of their s>trength. .I -thi'nIC a sancti- their 'mother until they have la:id! her _~n ·the grave: But
fied imaglination is sometimes very useful. :{lave. you when 'He was gone, -when He had! 'bowed His head' and
ever tried to enter into the experience of ·the mother of . given up the gho,&t, they followed Him weeping 'as He was
the young man of Nain?- He was, pro'ba'bly the only man laid away; in the rocky sepulchre; they saw the stone
who ever walked home from hilS own funeral. What a rolled ·against· th:atsepulchre and sealed with the Roman
wonderful experience -that must have been when· Jesus 'seal, and Roman soldiers 'set on ·guard 'at :the grave; and
took the young man by the hand and lifted him u·p and they turned their weary way home again; 'the moo.n and
delivered him again to his mother! I can :imagine that every star were gone out of the heavens, and the world
it was imposs,ible for her to find language with which to was dark indeed:. "We trusted: that i,t had ;been he which
express the joy into Which she had entered; to 'the mourn- should have. r~deemed Israel," they said, but they 'knew
ers, who;' In 'sYIJlpathy, ",ere accompanying her to the not the 'scripture tha't He s·hould rise from the dead. And
bury.ing place where she might 'bury her de·ad. I have the hope that had 'been rising wi-th'in them during these
'tried: sometimes.tQP'icture mySelf as one among the com- years> 'Of co-mpanionsh.ip with Him, ·the eXpeCtation to
pany at tha·t Isupper at Bethany, where Jesus came to sit weich, His gracious teaching had led! them, :- aIoI these
with those He loved, where Martha served, and where ' th'mgs were destroyed-; Jesus was gone, and! -In the darkLazarus was· one of them who s'at at the table with Him. ness they were utterly dis>mayed.
Yo.u remember -Tennyson's picture of the scene?But what :if our dead were to come back? It would be
a solitary rejoicing. I w:onder when ·the news was spread
When Lazarus left his charne} cave,
abroa,d ·in Nain that that widow had- received her son
And home ,to Mary"s house return'd,
l'estore$l 'to life again, if there waISt another widow mother
Was this demanded-if he yearned
who said in 'her 'heart, "I wis>h .the Man of Nazareth could
To hear her weeping by 'his grave?
have met me when I was going to the ·grave; but He did
"W'here wert- thou, brother, othose four days?"not. I lef·t my ·boy; there, and he is there still." 'Perhaps
There'Uves no record of reply,
,there were some dn Bethany who almost enVi·ed Mary and
Which -tellting what i·t is to die
Martha their JOY when >the news spread- abroad that
Had surely 'added praise to pratise,
Lazarus was· alive again,that
'had! come 'back from
From ~very .house the n,eighbo~rs met,
·the grave, that he was sitting there at home with his
The streets were filled with joyful ·sound;
sisters. There 'were other bereaved homes in Bethany.
A ·solemn gladness even crown'd
So·mbeody said, "kh y;es, i,t is all very well; Mary and
The purple. brows of Olivet.
Martha are to be congratulated, but "alas, alas, mine hilS
Behold' a man raIsed up by Ohrist!
not come back. Our family circle is smll incomplete; 'our
THe rest 'remaineth unreveal'd;
lovedi ones will not return." I was in London on ArmiHe told it not; or something seal'd
,stice day. The 'armi'stiee was to become effective at
'J.1he lips o~,_othe Evangelist.
eleven o'clock; 'but there was no official announcement
Her eyes are homes of silent prayer,
. 'that it had ,been signed. Gre·at Lond~n 'went on about.
Nor other thought her mind admits
'. iots work as though nothing were h-appendng, There was
But, he was dead, and there he sits,
.
a very tense feel'ing; you could feel it in .the very air;And He tliat brought him back i'S there.
we could feel a tenseness a'biOut everytbody's spirit; 'and
What a 'marvellous experience that must have been! just at eleven o'clock the streets suddenly became alive,
And I suppose we who hav.e 'los>t loved ones have some- and ;poys rushed- everywhere crying their papers. There
times dreamed· of the joy; we should feel if in health and was no premature announcement in London.' They did
-strength and- 'beauty they coula.·suddenly come 'back to us. not do as they d·id dn America, 'annou'nce 'it two or three
Nothing else would 'be of interest to us 'but ·;the presence day& in advance.· Not until the armistice became effecof those whom we hav-e~lovedl and lost a-wh~le: Can we . tive, and: the last sho't had been fired, was the official
enter into the experience of the disciples who had learned announcement released! that the war was over, so far as
to love J !:lsiiS Christ? It seems to ·me that_ they must . actu'al fighting was concerned·. But now suddenly, as I
have loved. Hinj more than -they had ever loved anyone 'have 'sa:id, the streets of London became Uke a rusning,
he
6 (774)
•
..J
/
.
"I March 22. 1951
raging, torrent; people came down from their offices, out
of the'irstores, men lin their shi'rt-sleeves, women from
the f!lctories;. they climbed on taxicabs, lorn·es, and
everything on wheels, and in fifteen minutes i,t seemed
as tho.ugh 'all London 'had' a.udd'el?ly gone mad wi,th ·joy.
Just at that 'hour I got down from a ~bus to get a paper,'
as the people hegan ·to give every possi'ble e~press:ion of
joy,. A's I got· 'to the 'sidewalk 'and was ge·tJting a paper,
I observed a little woman in blaCk, -in mourning robes1 shall never flOrget her. She did nOlt ,buy a paper; she
knew wh-at 'had happened. But as the significance of
i,t all 'seemed! to come upon her, 'she Covered, ·her face with
her hands~ and; ,broke into a paroxYSqI: of' grief. I did
not ask her why she wept; I knew! I knew 'that she was
saying in her heart about ·g.ome'bodly, "0 th'at he Wel'e
,here to lShare ,the joy of the victory! he 'h~}.ped to win."
It was 'by the' 'blood. that someone she loved 'had shedl that
that day of vief,ory -had'dawned at las,t. ,
But, my hrethren and, si'sters, the resurrection of Jesus
may he everybody's'viaoory; 'it may 'bE! everybody's· joy;
for 'He -was ,the represenrtative' man, our. federal Head,
. t'he second Adam. the Lor,li, from heaven, Wbo came to
'be a quickening 'Spirit:, "For 'as in' Ad'am all die, even
so in Christ shall all -be madle 'al'ive."
.
"
Two people have just ·heard· the news, and la'te as the
hour i's 'they retrace the'ir ·steps and hasten 'back to .
Jerusalem to those whom tbeyfJhinK would, he· 'interested
in the story. On arrival they find 'the eleVen and; 'those
that were wi-th them aSJSembled!ibeh-ind shut doors for fear
of the Jews. As ·tJhey quietly come 'into that company they
find that they are 'alI talking, they are· all flilled ·with joy,
they have one theme, they are sayting, "The Lord is, 'risen
indeed." That was the tl,eme of the Apostolic Church.
No sooner 'had they learned the truth th1m it monopolized
their attention; and, in that :flint gathering of the dis'ciples after the 'resurrection they thad nothing else ,to talk
Il'bout 'but the resurrection': "'The Lo·rd 'is r-iISen.'" And
they said" He "hath 'appeared, to Simon." That was the
proof of it.
.
rection: and we ought to preach 'it, not mere'ly on Eas'ter
Sunday; but whenever the gospel is prea'C'hed, hecause
there is no gospel without. it.
Now why dM they lay special emphasis upon the
resurrection of Chris,t? In. the first place, it invested
His teaching with divine authority; it establli-shed' the
-truth of His testimo!IY; it clothed every prophecy which
He, had' uttered with new importance; i-t ·gave to every
word 'that had! fallen from His lips, 'the authority of
divine 'approval. Every word ,tliat Jesus, had uttered
c'ame 'back to ,these d1iseiples; 'by :the ministry of the
Sp'irit in their hearts 'they. were reminded of What Jesus
had 'said,and: they believed: 'the Scripture andi the word
which Jesus had. spo'ken. I venture, therefore, to remind
you of'the importance of tJold'ing fast :to ,the great tru·th
of the '~ddly resurrection of Ohrist. I am not at all
surprised that lj,t ·a.hould he the object of attack as every
other doctnne of the gospel is, a,ttacked" for "if 'Chria.t be
not raised, your faith. is vain;' ye are y,et in your 'sinlS."
. That is tJhe great message, wMC'h we all must dteliver' if
we are 'to gi've due authority to the teach'ingof our Lord
Jesus / Christ. You will. remember how in one of His
. parrubles He described' a man 'in. 'the other world! who
asked: ,fJh'at somEl'body .~ sent to hi'S five 'brethren "lest
they also come 'into this place of tormen:t. Abraham said
unto him, They 'have Moses 'and· 'the prophets; let them
,hear -them." But Dives answered, "Nay;, father Abraham;
but 'if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." Th~y.O\ight to believe if one -had actually passed
through 'the experience of' death and returned from ,the
'other world! -with a message as to condi-tions ohta'ining
the're, na.ing from the dead, reappearing in 'his own body,
unmista!kahly"ldentified as ·the one who had- died, 'and. had
been 'rajsed' again,-such an one would. 'be heard, one
m:ightsuppose, as n~ one else would 'be heard. And. ,if it
could 'be announce'd! that a man who had! dlied 'and had
heen buried- 'arid vhe thiird- day had. tia.en from the dead,
otJhat such an one 'WIOuld'stand' in any; pJ.ace in ihi's 'City
at 'any hour of the day or night, ,such a multitude of
I. I say vhat THE RESURREC'l:ION OF OUR LORD JESUS ,people would. flock to, hear what he had. to say that there
WAS THE THEME OF THE :CHURCH, that was the great would'.lbe no other attraction even ~n ·these .mlOdern days
a.torY! they had:to proclaim. On the day of Pentecost;. tha't could! for,oa 'moment succesSJfully compete with the
tha't was the burd'E!ll of Peter's sermon, that 'the One Who supreme attraction of a vo'ice out from among the' d.ead,
'had. been cruei.f'ied was .risen again, and had ascended And yet that lis -the veiy testimony of 'the Gospel. Our
to 'Godl'S right hand'; and' that the gift of the Holy Ghost Lord has answered the demand of Qives; He hros come
wa's the evidence, the ,proof of His resurrection: "There- from the dead to tell us of the 'things of God.
fore 'being hy the righ't hand: of God' 'exalted, and, 'having
The resu1'1'ection was the complement of a supernatuml
received, of the Father the prom:ise of the Holy Ghost. birth. The supernaturalism of the Bi;ble is nowadays very
'he !hath shed forth this, which ye now see ando hear." generally rejected; 'but ,this 'is all focused" at last, not
Then 'if you follow the a.ucceed!ing chapters, of the Acts of u'pon the inspiration of Scripture-th'at is only incidental,
the Apostles, you/ will find! that it is said that tlie apos,t1es that 'is only part of -the road! that lead's up to the main
"preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead." citadel of truth : the supreme thing is the Person of our ..
"With great power gave the apostles wi'tnes's of -the resur- Lord! Jesus Christ,-whither He ihas gone, and whether
rectJion of 'the Lord Jesus,." They, d'id not speak &0 much He will come again; ·and. ~t is therefore not at all surabout the crudfixion,they spoke oftilie resurrection as prisIng that ·the fundamental- truth thta't Jesus came into
interpreting the significance of 'Christ's d'eath. The this world, not by, 'a proceSIS of natural generation, but
crucirixiion of Christ wasa. fact ,known -to everybody, hut t'hat He Iwas born of a virgin, begotten of the Holy
the resurrection IOf 'Christ was a d'ivine r~:velation given Ghost,--that that should· be the truth wMch the devil
only 'to those to whom He had appeared. And. the New everywhere denies. I read· recently of a professor who
Testament Church ,conceived, it to 'be its misslion ,by the said, "Yes, I hel'ieve that the ,doQtrine of th.e Virgin Birth
·power of the Holy Ghos-t to bear witness to 'this great is what ·the scriptures teach, and' ·when I teaoh the scripcentral. card-inal. truth, that Jesus 'is risen from -the t\lres that is wh.a't I teach; -but I do not understand! it.
dead. And. from then until now 'tJhat has 'been the theme and t prefer to say that I bel'ieve in . the incarnation."
of the Christi'an Church. Men 'have turnedt aSiide from it But the scriptures teaC'h tha,t Jesus was an entirely
sometimes to talk a;bout other matters; 'but ;the one mes- uriique character, tha't He 'came into this world a~ no
sag'e of the Christian Ohurch is the m~ssage of resur- other man didl ever com~ into this world.: "Th~ Holy
,
-- ,
March 22. 1951
I
(775) 7
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the High- in huilding, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?"
est shall 'OversJhadow thee: "therefore also that h'Oly ,thing Even His disciples ddd not undierstand. what He meant;
which shall he 'born of thee !shall be called- the Son 'Of " 'but it is said 'that when Jesus "w~s risen from 1:be dead,
God." He- was' superna'turally born, He' lived su'per- his d'isci'ples remembered that 'he had said this unto them;
riaturally, He wrought supernaturally, He man:ifested. at and they hel'ieved the scripture, and' the word which Jesus
every step of the way the powers 01' Peity" and, at last had. said." But only in the Iight of tbe resurrection did
He said', "I lay Qown my life, that I might 'take it again. tpey understand' the 'significance of ,that prophecy,. If
_, No man taketh it .from me, 'but I lay it d'Own of myself. He 'had told them 'in advance vhat He was going to die
I have power to lay, i.t down, 'and I have power to take .for sinners, they would not have understood how 'sinners
it 'again. This commandment have I received 'Of . my , could. be savedl by a human d'ea·th; for remem!her, while
Father." And when 'He said that, nobody understoods'Ome strange things were sa,id\ about His 'Origin, ·the
Him, nobody could comprehend the tremendous truth He tru,th 'Of the virgin birth was n'Ot known; it remained for
uttered'. He went to the croSlS, and down 'in'to the grave; men of 'inspiration to dlraw the veil and write that great
and when at last it was ann'Ounced, "He is not here, hlit and: glori'Ous 'truth. Mary knew tha:t her Son was not
'is ris,en," with 'what tremendou~ sign1ificance i't dothed li'ke any 'Other son; 'Mary was never surprised when
His whole life, supernaturally begun, supe'rnaturally DeltYl began to shine out ,through Him: "This heginnin$!"
ended! We n'Ow see that' the days of His flesh were but of miracles ddd Jesus in 'Cana of Gal'ilee, and manifested
a parenthes'is, 'a manifestation in human fleslh of 'Him, forth His glory." You' will remember it was Mary who
Wh'O lis without "beginning of d'aylS, or end of life; but s'aid on that 'Occasion, "What'soever he 'Saith' unto you, do
- ... abideth a priest continually."
i't,-after the flesh He 'is a son 'Of mine, but He 'is more
These two truths are complemen:tary ,to each other,- ·than a son," although even she scarcely understood: "but
the virgin !hirth, and the p'hysical resurrection- of our Mary kept all these th:ings, and po'ndered them in 'her
Lord; for 'if it 'be 'true that 'He was hegotten of the H'Oly hea,rt." But that great truth was not generally known;
Ghost, and that He was hegotten again from the dead and if He were a man, how 'could man be saved 'by the
by dhnine power, then "His is th,e one· authoritJa,tive voice ~crifice 'Of 'a man? But when He 'had laid down His
in all the uhiverse which ,should command' the attention life, and. hadl taken 'i,t aga'in, and wa's "declared to 'be the
of all men everywhere. But if y'OU d'O away with those Son of God with power, accord'ing to the spirit of hoH_two cardinal doctrines, then' you have reduced Jesus t'O ness, by the resurrection from the dead," they looked
the ievel of a man; you have rob-bed His testimony of all 'back over His ministry and remembered' His teaching;
authority; ·you 'have classed Him among the sages who they remembered His prophetic utterances, about th8!t
have uttered words which 'are wise, and which men, may cross, and, how John 'by inspiration had s'aid, "Behold! 'the
follow; 'but 'He is not a voice from God. No wonder that Lamb 'Of God, whie=h ta'keth. away the sin of the world."
the A'poswlic Church gave witne8'S of ,the resurrection: ThU's ·in the liS'ht of the resurrection morning, ,the death
for if that can be proved, then every mouth must be of Christ, the cross of Ghrist, Contained a new s'ignin~
stopped, and. all the world 'beco~e guilty before God.
cance, and' the glory of it never faded from their minds.
The early Ghurch bore testimony of the resurreotion The~r'saw that He was ,the eternal Sacrifice, "the meddabecause that truth gave significance to the death oj ,tor of the new 'COvenant," that 'it was His blood that would
Christ. What does the death of Ohrist mean? ·A young spea'k ",better things 'than that 'Of .Nbel."
.
lady said 'to me last n'ight, "Some y,ears ago I professed
My ;brethren; we cannot T'ightly ,interpret the death of
to be a Christian. I 'knew that Jesus 'had d:ied~ .for it was Christ apart from His resurrection. You must in a sense
writ'llen 'in ,the Word; 'but I had n'O conception at all 'Of the read the New Testament backwards to understand it; you
meaning of His death; I did not know that He had' died must go hack from the· resurrection to the cro'ss, and
for me; ,I d'id not kn'Ow that HilS death had7 any special from the cross back to His ministry, hack to the cradle.
value to me." No;' there are a lot of ,people who do not 'back to the prophetic scriptu.re, Iba~k to Genesis, andl beknow that; nor can any 'One know it except in the light "h'ind G,enesis to the 'COunsels of the Eternal, and rememof His ~esurrection. Have you o'bserv~d'lin your reading ber that the Lamb was "sla'in from the f'Oundation of ,the
or the gospels the relatively small place which the deat'h world." That is the way 'to read Scripture. The Iight of
of Christ occupies in the teachings of our Lord Himself? the re$ourrection certifies the value 'Of Hi,s characte'r, and
It is true it was ·mentioned. John IintrodlUced Him as d!iscloses.the identity of His Person; in the light of the
"the Lam1b of God, which :taketh away, the sin' of the resurrection we 'know that "God was manifest in the
world." For a time Jesus said. nothing of His death; flesh,' justified in the· Spirit, Iseen of angels, preached
but from a certain period He :began to slhow to ·His dis- unto the Gentiles, 'believed 'On' in the w'Orld!; received up
eiples that He must g'O up to Jerusalem, 'and' He told them intO gl'Ory,"-just GQd stooping d'Own, 'coming 'into this
8!t last in the passage I have quoted' ,that He would: lay human Hfe of ours, as a mere parenthesis in His etern~l
'down His life. He said, "The Son of man came not to existenCe.
T,his Easter truth 'j's not something to 'be pondered' once
be min'istered unto, but to minister, and. to give his life
a ran'som for many." Jesus uttered these word's, but you a year; bu't must be 'beli~ved as the surest and most cerremember what He sa'id 'to His disciples: "I have yet tainly 'attested fact of ~history; and it is a message to be
many ·things to say unto Y'OU, hut ye cannot bear them proclaimed to'all the wdde, wid!e world!; 'because the fact
now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, ,is come, of the resurrecUon 8!ttests ·ina word, the Saviourhood, of
he will guide YDU 'into all truth,-there is an Interpreter Jesus. I do not want' any better Saviour t'han that; He
of My words to come; there is to be a furtbier revelation is enough for me. When I reflect that He came out of
of the 'significance of My ministry here among you; but the glory down to Bethlehem, and! Nazaret~.at;ld Caperif I were to tell you to-diay the full pUl'lpos'e of MY.coming . naum, and up at last to the h'Oly city and to the cross, and
you ,vould' not understand it." Hesa'id to the Jews, d'Own into thE! grave, and up again to Mc:>unt Olivet, where
"Destroy. ,thistemp}e, and- in three days I will raise it up. He spread, His hands in blessing, and" as'cending, a cloud
Then. said the Jews, Forty and s'jx year~ was this temple received Him out of the disCiples' sight; and that the
"
...
8 (776)
THE GQSPEL WITNESS and PROTESTANT ADVOCATE
,
MarCh 22, 1951
.
angels said, '''This 'same Je&us, which is taken up from Mary knew Jesus on ,the resur.rection side of the grave,
you into 'heaven,. shall so come in li!ce manner as ye have we 'shall know. our loved ones when they 'dse again.
seen ·him go into heaven," I want tQ shout "Hallelujli'h!"
You h-ave heard of 'the oldi ~inister, a quaint olji mall
. And- if ,the Cl'itics come to ·talk to 'me 8ibout that, I say, he was. He' and. his wife, were getting to the end
"T'alk to somebody -who does not know anything. Do not -of their journey;. 'and she wa~ -troutbled as to which would
bother me. I have the only Saviour I need."
go ·first, and whlilt would, happen. after the' 'one had gone,
He is. the. only Saviour we need, bee'ause He has pro- and Whether they would, ever meet' again. And she said,
vide~ an adequate s-alvat.ion. Some of U's 1!ave. 'bee'n
"D.ear, do you think we shall know each other beyond' the
blessed, and helped, and' fltrengthened over a number of- grave?" "Well," he ·said~ "do you know me now?" ·'.'Yes,"
years, ,and we ought to be very gra:teful for it;· but·we . she.s'aidl,."I rather think 'so:" "Well, do you suppOse we
have had li1ltle twinges of pain, 'and we know what it is shall 'be .'any bigger fool& over there tnan. we are here?"
to be weary; and'we know a l'ittle of what Jesus me'ant That was a very common-senSre' and straightforward'"rewhen He said, "The 'spirit indeed is willing, 'but the flesh. mark; :,Dut. its logic is irresistible. ,T-hlilt, then, was the
is we~k." We can understand!, -too, a H~tle, why th!! dis- theme of the eariy-church.
II. And here i& THE PROOF OF IT:· "The Lord is risen
ciples went to sleep in Gethsemane, so that.when He CliJrne
He found them 'Sileeping with sorrow; -fo'r· we .have pas'sed indreed:"--=-"Thank you' for the mes'sage, sir, but who says
through some of these experiences ourselves. Sometimes so? . wllo .is qualified to .!bear witness to that?" Simon,
we feel, not only that we want to 'be rid of· our 'sins, but Sitand up! He "hath a'ppeared to Simon"; l~t 'Simon speak.
we want to be rid of ·this body, th'at sin ha& so terri!bly It is 'as ,though they had! said, "There is one in this company who knows that Je'sus ,is risen becaU'se he
Him'
impaired; we feel Ii:ke b'irds in a cage, confinedl, himself."
The
re&urrection
was
not
abtes,ted
!by
angels,
. "Our' souls can neither fly nor go,
nor by the testimony of c"i:rcumstances. Re'adl this story
. To reach i~moMaI joys,'"
as found in the·twenty-fOUl'th chapter of Luke: 1.'wo of and we wish: 'that we had a Saviour that would· not only . the dri'sciples, 'Cleo pas· and hi& wlife, were on their way to
satisfy our minds, 'but that would carry: us 'righ,.t bac~ Emmaus, ani:l::as. they conimun~ together 'a stranger dJre'w
to the beginning of things, and before the 'beginning: near. "And 'he said unto· them, What manner of C()llDba<;k.to Go dr, explajning everything that has come into muni~tions are these that ye have one to ·another, as
. our lives, and!.then put our 'sins aw.ay, and restore· us to ye.walk, and~:r:e sad?" And one.9i them said unto him,
'fellowship with. God,-and take the Siting out of ·death. "Art thou only' a ,stranger 'in -Jerus'alem, and hast not
arid the curse out of our bodies, 'and" remove all the limita- . known the things which 'are come to paSrS there ·in -tllese -:tions that sin has imposed ·upon them, and give us each days? And he· saiid unt.<> ,them, What things ?, And' they
a body .that would never give us pain, nor confine the. said unto 'him, 'Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which wa's
spirit in 'any way, but a 'body that ·would ,be in absolute a prophet m:ighty in deed and word before ,God and all
the people. And how the chief pr'iests and our rulers
harmony with God and His laws:
Now .if there is·a Saviour anywhere th~t can save me delivered him to 'be condemned to death, and have cruciafter that fashion, I, for one, .want Him. And: wlien I '. -fred hlim. But we . trus,ted that it had been he which
read the story of Jesus I discover that 'that is just the should have redeemed Israel, and! beside all ,this, to-day
very thing that He came to· do, to enlighten my under- is the ..third day ,Sin'ce the&e things were done. Yea, and
standing, 1;0 redeem my spirit, and 'at l'ast to qu'icken this certain women al'so of our company made us astonished,
mOl'tal body 'by His Spirit that dwelleth iIi me. Paul . which were early at the sepulchre; 'andl when they found
saidi, "Our citizensihip is 'in heaven-we do not 'belong not his body, they .ca~e, .saying, tJhlilt they' brad' also seen
here anyway; we belong to another kind of kljngdom- a v:ision of angels," which said tha:t he was alive." Well,
from whence al'so we look for the Saviour, the Lord that is' fine, isn',t it?· ~ the testimony of angels, who
Jesus Christ: who shall :change our vile 'body; that it said He wa's alive. 'But they were not 'convinced! by
may 'be faSihioned like unto his 'glorious body, according the -.testimony of. angels.. "And certain: of .,them which
to the working whereby he is- ~ble even to subdue all were with us went to the sepulchre, and. found, it even
things unto himself."· Well, thlilt is the kind ot" salva- so as the women had said; ibut hini ifuey saw not."
tion I want, and that is the 'kind! of salvation I have in They he:arcl what r-the, angels had to say ; they obChrist Jesus. We all have lost loved ones,' 'and we .Of.teil served the circumstances which seemed to prove :that
wish 'they were back again' As a minister, I find myself, what the angels said :was true; but, notice, it i'ssaid,
although It is many' years since !he went home, I find my- "Him they saw not.'" And, beeause t~ey had not seen
, self ofrten' -wa:kinj( in the morning with Ii: desire to telI Him- for themselves, theY' dlidl not 'believe. And' you remy father something, and then it d'B.Wll'Supon me that . ·member l'a:ter: "as 'he sat at meat· with -them, he took
he 'is not here, 'and I cannot do it, But I have no doubt· bread, and bless-ed! -it, and tbraJke, .. and. gave,to them. And
that 'some d'ay I shall be with him .. Mary said, "They their eye's were opened, and they kn'ew him;. 'and he vanhave ,ta!ken away my Lo'rd, and· I know·no,t vyhere they 'ished, out of itheir slight," Then. 'they .said, "No sleep
have' laid h'im;" She turned around- 'apd saw somebody for us t9-night," and the same hour they' returned' to
standing, to her he sa-i~ "Woman, why weepest thou? . J-erusalem to tell the story. And as, theY'"Came into. that
whom see·ke.th thou ?" She; supposing him to "be ,the gar- company where 'the eleven and others wel'e g~thered, they
dener, saith unto him, "Sir, if thou have borne him heard the sa:me story: '!The Lord is risen indeed, 'and
hence, tell me where thou hast ,laid liim, 'and' I will take ,hath appeared'"to Simon."
. . .
him away." And" the voice spo'ke again,. "Mary." She - . Aridl that is the proof of the resurrection, my fri~ndr,
turn~d and said unto Him, "R'a!bboni. The Saviour. I ,am'. not tbra~ .angel~s:a:id, 'it, pot thlilt the grave is _empty; but
seeking -is liere! The loved'-'One I had lost is found·." _that·somebody. has seen Hi'm, 'ana somebody know·s from'
"Chr'ist the first fruits; af,terward they that are 'Christ's his oWn personal experience that Jesu's is alive. That is .
lilt 'his earning," There is, going. to 'be a d:ay when .all our ,how' the truth of the l'esurrection has "been perpetu'liIted
loved ones will come '~ack to us; and! just as surely as ,. from that" d:ay. Qntil' this: Jesus "shewed' h~msel~ alive
saw
.....
\
.
.,
"
.,
,
March '22. 1951
THE GC?SPEL WITNESS and PROTESTANT ADVQCATE
(777) 9
after hijs 'passion by many 'infallible proofs. I riever feel . Him disCU'sS'ing what some 'Greek philosopher had sa'id.
any great desire to explore the holy places of Palestine. or talking aboqt the pro'spects of the Roman Empire.
I think perbaps. if I badi;.the oppor.tuil'ity I would go; but talking about mere things'; and' -if on your giving your
it has not,'been a paSls,ion with me at all. For I thin!k 'tllere testimony S'imon had said', "Oh, yes; by the way, I saw
is a more -ConvIncing proof than the possesslion: of the Him too." . Oan you conceive of .i,t? What 'are we to
"holy sepul~hre. The IOrusaders shed mu'Ch bloodi, and understand when we see great churches engaged in talkwent b'ack again and again to take pOssessio.n of the holy ing about SOIIDet'hing else than thi's great and' 'tremendous
sepulchre. Wha,t· do we want the holy 'sepulchre for?· "faCt that Jesus 'is alive?' There is nothlngel'se 'in the
They 'saw the sepulchre; they s'aw the grave-cloth;es; '~but world· worth talking abou,t; there is nothing else in the
him. they saw not;" and no one was convinced by the world th'at can ,thrill men as this old story of the resur~
.. empty 'sepulchre, 'nor by the grave-clothes, nor by the rection; nor -is there anyth'ing that 'a heart-'broken, sin:
testimony of· 'angels; no one was convinced of the resu'r- cursed, 'bereaved, di'sappointed world, needs to know so
'rection 'of J'esus until they saw Jesus for ,themselves. much as this, ,th'at l'ife cim '~e lived over again" the past
. '1'hat was the proof of ijt; and that is the proof of It still. -,blotted out, the years that the locusts, ·have 'eaten reHence, it is said that ''he shewed himself alive after his Sttored, and heaven :brought down -to us. again; all 'bepassion 'by many .infalJilble proofs, being seEm of them cau.se Jesus .lives.
. forty' d'ays, 'and 'Speak'ing of ·the things pertalining ito the . Will you try from th'is. E'aster morn'ing to make ev~l'Y
kingdom of' God." Jesus tarried, on this earlh for forty morning of' your life an E'asoter morning, 'and- every
days, just to exhibit Hi:mself. He said', "Ulok 'at my evening of your life an Ea'M.er evening?, 'Will you·live
hand'S and my feet and my side. I want you' to-know in the consciousne's's of His presence, and walk 'and talk
that I am alive. Tba,t is What I am ·s.tayling for. Lt is all with Him every day, SQ. that you will have a testimony
ordered of the Lordi;' and when you have 'all ·seen. me, and ,from your own burning, joyous, 'experience that you know
you 'are
sU're, then I am go'ing '}}a!ck to my-Faither, and Jesu'sis alive? If you 'do, nothing can stand against your
you will see me no more. And I will pray the Father, and testimony. It will be again as .it was in apostolic days.'
'he 'Sh'all &1ve you another Comforter, Who will know the If ,people w'ill go back to. tbe 'simplici'ty of the gospel, and'
great truth you know, and will help you 'bel'ieve the truth will be .content
deliver the ·simple gospel in .the power
that I am .a.live." T·herefore He tarried forty days, and of the Holy Ghost, it will 'Prove s·till to be "the power 01
returned to His Father. And I rejOice 'in this, 'that the 'God unto salvation ·to everyone that .Ibel'ieveth."
mightiest ex,ponent of the dootrine of the resurrection
was one who· did not see Jesus in the d1ays of His flesh.
. \
. 'SHUN' SPECULATION
I wonderW'hy the Lordi did not select Peter ito write the
To leav~ the consideration of well-known anq soul- ....
fifteenth of' I. ,-COTintMans; I wonder why He did not
seiect John? The mig·htiest argumen,t was written by saving truths to fight over unimportant subtleties, is to
the pen of ·Paul.· You will remember how he begins that turn our 'COrn fields in~o poppy gardens. To imagine .that
chapter, "How that Christ d1ed for our sins accord·ing to the writers of unintelIigentmysticism are men of great '
the scriptures; 'and 'that he ~as buried, 'and .t!bat he rose .depth, is to find wi-sdom in the 'hootings of owls.
True spiritualit.y'·shuns th_e obscure and d'ilettanti, and
again the third, day according ·to the scriptures;" and that
He was seen of this one and thait one, and of 'above five delights in .the plain and practical; but there is· much to
hundired brethren a't once,
and then, "Last of
all he was - fascinate in the superfine shams of the hour. Some are
I '
.
seen of 'me 'also, as of QI).e born out of dl\le time. I was zealots for a certain theory of- 666, and,the two witnesses,
qualified for my 'apostlesh'ip by a special revelailion from'. and the little horn, who would be far better employed
in training up their cllHdren ip. the fear of God or lis·tenJesus."
heaven. and I s'aw
.ing ·tor their instruction to a sober pre~her of the Word
And' it is .posSible 'to see Him still. It i's just as. pos- of ,God,. It. is a most fiiting thing to 'be looking for the
siible for you" ,to see J-esus as it was for John to see Him. Coming of the 'Lord, ,but a most miserable waste of time
No man has ever prea~l)ed' the 'gospel. wi·th power and to 'be spi~ning theories about it, and 'allowing tlhe millions
effectiveness until he has seen Jesus. I canno't tell -YOll . around us to perish in their sins.
'how; lbut I 'have seen Him, though not with ·these eyes.
Ragged-schools, .orphanages,street-preaching, tract
I am 'abs~lllJtely ·sure; I bave no doubt about it at all. I distributing, almsgiving, these 'are th~'present and press· 'know t'b'at J-esus is a]'ive. lot would not ddstu1"b ,me for ing questions' for tha Christian Church;' whether the I
a fraction of a' sectnd. if I were 'informed that aliI the stream of the Euphrates is' li'kely to diminish, or the
presses of the world were busy tuming out a Iboo·k that Dead, Sea to flow into the Mediterranean,' may be settled
-'C. H. SPURGEON
would prove that the body of Jesus was still in the .in less need,y times.
sepulchre. I sh9Uld no,t be ~istul'bed because I know bet· otero My Saviour is not' there: . "H~ is not 'here: for 'he
is risen." I know that ,because I have seen'Him. We are.
... GOSPEL WITNESS PUBLICATIONS
,.ourselves living witnesses of the great truth ,that the
.
(Reprints)
S'aviour lives: There are young men here who are going
."The Antichrist-His Porfra'it and History".
· to pre·ach. I'wonder what you wouldl·have ,thc;>ught i-f on
By Baron Porcelli _.._. __.__..____.._~..__.._........_......._................. .50 ..
·-that. evenIng you cOUld have come into that oompany; if
"tyh.e Greatest.Fight in the World", by C. H. Spurgeon. .
64 pagel _ _ _ _' _ _ _ _. __. _._. _______.. _ .25
you had been the two, for instan'ce, who had 'seen Him on
the Emmaus Road', a·nd you could have 'COme into that
.'~The Prodigal and His Brot~er, or The Adventures of a
Modern 'Young Man" _____._____________.._:... 1.00
little meeting w'ith the eleven and the others, with your
"Blakeney's Popery In Its Social Aspect", .312 pages _..___..... _. 1.00
'burning message that you had- just seen ;Jesus' on the
road, tha't He had been, wi·th you in_your ho'rne, - how
Tlte Gospel WItness
· would· you have felt, 'Coming wi,th such tJidingsi h·ad· you'
130
._Ge!,!a~St~.t
~st. Toronto 2
..Canada
found that company of people' who professed to love - =' '.
all
to
I
t
~.
\,
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.-
/
. 10 (778)
SIN AND
THE· SAVIOUR
By Dr. Robert G. Lee, President, Southern Baptist'Convention. Message delivered over'''The Baptist.Hour" Network.
Text: "This is a faithful s'aying, and worthy of all acceptation,. that ChrilJt Jesus came into 'the world to s'ave
sinners.-I Tim. 1 :15.
.
THE First Constitutional Convention four men-·
IMr.NRog>er
S'herman, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris,
Madison-spoke of a to,tal of 637 times. Were I, with
all wisdom and, eloquence, to speak ten times 637 times
on "Sin andtJhe ~inner's Saviour", I could; not describe
the ruinous ravages oifsin and the greatness of the sinner:s si'nless Saviour.
What am I to believe about GOtI-?, Man 7' Sin 7· Salva. tion 7 Life 7 Death 7 Hell'!! Heaven 7 The future life 7
The Bible answers.
\.
The Bible teaches that-"':
. I.-Sin Is a Reality
Listen! "Jews and 'G,entiles .. " are all under sin"
(Romans 3:9). "All have s'inned" (Romans 3:23). "By
one -man sin entered into the world, and death by' sin"
(Romans 5: 12).- "Let oot sin reign in your mortal hody"
(RomanS. 6:12). "'God sending his own Son ... (as an'
offering for sin), condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans
8:3): "Sin hath'reigned unto dea-th" (Romans 5:21).
"Sin, when it is finished" bringe'th forth death" (J·ames
1 :15). .
.
.
These Bible staltements show that sin was and is in -the
life of all men-except Jesus Christ,- in whom was no
sin. Every _man must say, "I have sinned.". And unpardoned sin, ever 'a terror, disturbs hardened. souls.
'Lady MacbetJh dreams -that she sees "the damned spot"
of 'S'in upon 'her hand and tha't she cannot get it washed
ofof. King Macbeth, in his guilty "imagination, thinks he
sees the airy phantom of a dagger. Bot'h 'confirm
Shakespeare's 'belief 'and yourbelief that conscience hath
one thousand different tongues; that every tongue 'brings
in 'a separate 'tale, 'and that every tale condemns you for
yo'ur sin. And sin is in you as surely as in Adam, Who
ruined a whole race; or David, who 'said, "My ·sin is ever
before me";' or Manasseh, ,who made th~ streets of J erusalem run red. with the blood of God's saints; or Mary
Magdalene, who had· seven devils; or Peter, who denied
Jesus; or Jud'as, who betrayed Jesus; or the rich young
ruler, who would not give up earthly weal·th for -heavenly
~ riches; or the -swine herdsmen of Gadara, who as,ked
Jesus to "depart out of their coas'ts"; or Saul of T'arsus,
Who '~destroyed them which called on Jesus' name in
Jerusalem" (Acts 9 :121) .
.
Ghastly great' among life's factors is the fact of sinplague and tragedlY of the 'World, dJeath hea,d set amidst
- life's feast, quin'tessence of all horrors, causative element
of all ·world suffering.
And we know that-·
March 22, 1951
in the making and ·that modern "prodigal sons" are only
expressing themselves into a hi'gher experience, s'till "the
wages of sin is death."
Thou'gh some tell us that sin is just a disa'greeable
hind,rance to Ithe smooth ongoing of the social machinery,
still sin is no l'ight discord, 'but'a thunderbolt that crashes
• life's organ into splinters.
.
Though. some psychologists s'ay sin is . egotistic abnormality, still s.iri is madness in the brain, poison in the
heart, frenzy 'in the imagination, leprous pollution in
the blood, 'blindness of eyes, deafness of ears, prostitJution of tongues, palsy of feet, withering of hands~the .
blaek darlmess that :invests man's, whole being.
ThoU'gh some theologians lighten man's sense of the
eoormity 00£ sin, still sin is the curse of 'all curses.
The only thing true a'bout 'the te~ching thd mwkes sin
"-the 'back,ward, pun of outworn good" is that it is a liebecaus:e sin a-buses the authority of God, interposed in
his law; .~,buses God's justice as though he would not
punish; abuses God's power as though the sinner's breath
. was· not in God's hand; abuses 'God's wisdom ·as 'if God,'s
laws were not right ~nd reasona!ble; a'buses God,'s omniscience as if he did not' see all our ways; abuses God.'s
threatenings a-s if they were not tJo be feared; ~buses
God's promises as if they were lies; abuses Christ as '
though 'he were a deceiver 'and a devil; 'abuses Christ's
death, ·blood', ri·g"hteousness, salvation.
~hether we say sin is 'transgression, overstepping the
divine 'boundary 'between good and evil-or INIQUITY,
an act inherently 'wrong whether expressly forbidden or
not-or ERROR, departure from the right-or MISSING
THE MARK, failure to meet the divine 3tandard~or
TRE.SP ASS, 'the intrusion of self-will into the ··sphere
of d:ivine authori'ty-or LAWLESSNEl;lS, ·which is.
spiritual anarchy-or UNBELIE,F, insult to divine verdcity, still we 'know that Rin, which originated wi,th Satan
(Isa. 14 :12-14) and· entered, the world throu'gh Adam
(Romans 5:12), was, and is, 'universal, Christ alone
excepted (Romans-3 :23 and I Peter 2 :22).
When sin reigns, deadly your sou!',s state. Sin. insidious like dis'ease, ruins like 'rot. Sin darkens your
understand,iug, defiles your conscience, ossifies your will,
hardens. your he'arts, ·disorders all the affection God
wis'hes you to mai.nta·in. Sin puts your sOUl under the
sentence of God to eternal ·wrath.
B}lt from sin's ruin you can get-
Ill.-Relief
r
Sin incurs the penalties of spiri'tual and physical dea'th.
Where is relief to be found 7' In God:'s forgiveness.
Sin is· debt; 'God's forgiveness arid God.'s acceptance of
the crimson coin of Ghrist's blood the payment for that
debt.
Sin is a' cloud; 'God's fOI'giveness the sun which doe;
away wi1th the cloud.
'
Sin is stai·n; God.'s oforgiveness the fire which burns
H.-Sin.Is Ruin
the d'ross ou't.
Though many relish their sins with impenitent ~ard
Sin is darkness; God,'.s forgiveness the light which
ness of heart,/stiJ.lsin is the nightmare of tl1e 'human dispels it.
.
nce.
/
Sin is ~ burden; God's forgiveness the removal "f it.
Though certain scientists 'tell us sin is an upward'
S'in is a corpse~t'he "bod'y of death" (Romans 7 :24) ;
stumble in .man's· progress, still sin is the evil that subvel'lted ,the constitutional order of man's nature and de- God's forgiveness the burial of that corpse in the sea'·s
depths.
stroyed the harmony of his powers.
SIn is poison ; God!s forgiveness the antidote.
Though some philosophers teach lh'a't sin is -goodness
March 22, 1951
.~
T~. GOSPEL WITNESS and PROTESTANT ADVOCATE
(779) 11
Sin is captivity; 'God's forgivene's'S, freedom from cap· sins upon himself that you migh't stand before God with
tivity.
.
none of your sins upon yourself.
Sin is a 'blotted l'J,nd blurred record; God.'s forgiveness
When the Squalus crew realized :they had taken their
the erasure of the record. ' .•
last dive and; that ,they were lying 'helpless at ',the bottom
Sin is death; God's forgiveness Christ's meritorious of the Atlantic Ocean, two hundred and forty feet below
life sllbstituted for your forfeited life.
the surfa'ce, they 'sent up smoke flares 'and a. buoy.
What relief to. experience tJhe truth that "where sin Would one of 'the sister ships find them, and if so could
ab'lunded 'grace doth much more abound; that as sin they 'be res'Cuedi? 'T'heir help must come from above.
hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign In a'gunizing sHence they waitea.
througih righteousness unto eternal life 'by .Jesus Christ
Soon after th'at fatal d,ive 'the submarine Sculpin set
our Lord" (Romans 5 :20-21), "set fol"th to 'be·a propitia- out in search. The ted smudge was found, ,then the buoy.
tion through faith in his hlood, to, decIare his righteous- But twenty-four 'hours passed 'before actual res'cue work
ness fo'r the remission of sins ... that he (God) might - could 'be started. A giant ten-ton divin'g 'bell 'dipped and
be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in rose again andl again, each' time takin'g several men alive
Jesus" (Romans 3:25-26).
from those awful deptJhs, until all thirty-three men who
Think of thewere 'alive in 'the suhmarine had, been rescued. \
When thii:t..:huge div.ing bell came dlown for ,the Squalus
IV.-Sinner's Saviour
You have no remedy for your sin except in the sacri- aew, not one sailor refused ~o 'be rescued, but all gladly
•
ficial dieath of Christ who "appeared 'to put away sin a'Ccepted. ·tJhe way to safe,ty. 'I.
When ,the Sculpin's,ent down the ,ten-ton driving bell, no't
by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9 :26) and to
whom is given the only name "under heaven g-iven ~mong one of 'the thirty~three men said, "I ,will think it over,"
men whereby we must 'be saved" (Acts 4:12). And. this or "There are 'hypo'crites on the Sculpin and I want nothremedy in Christ is a~iIa'ble· by faith, 'because through ing to do with them" or "I will wait for a more conChrist "is preached unto· ,yoU' 'the forgiveness of sins; v-enient season." Not one sai'd, "I am in. guod condi~
and by him all that ,believe are justified from all things, tion as I am" or, "I will wait until I ·get married" or,
from which you could 'not be justified 'by the law of "There is too much to 'give up." Not one said', "I am
waiting for a loved one or friend" or, "I do not underMoses" (Acts 13:38-39).
...
'IOhrist died for our sins" (I Corinthians 15 :'3). "The stand the workings of the d;iving 'bell" or, "Sometime I
Lord' 'hath laid. on him the iniquity of us all". (Isaiah will" or, "I don't feel like being rescued" or. "Tomorrow
53 :6). God "hath made 'him 'to be sin for us, who knew I will aslk res'cue." Not one ofbhem found'fault with the
no s-in: that ,we might 'be made the righteousness of .. Sculpin crew-ag, 'some find fault with the preacher,
Not one of them s'aid, "I can't hold out" or,: "Next year _
God in him" (II Corinthians 5:21).
From sin's death, how is the s'inner, "dead ih tres- will be soon enough." All glad!lY' accepted the way to
passes and sins," m'ade al'ive? From bondage so galling safety.
Ghrist is ready to forgive-to save. H~ghest willing·
and, servitude so severe, how is the, 'captive made free?
Jesus, 'said, "He that heareth my word and' believeth ',' ' nes's has 'he. Will you be, wise today 'to get rid of your
is passed< from death unto life" (Jo'hn 5 :24). That's how. sfn? Would you continue as an impenitent sinner and
Joh:t:l said, "'God hath 'given to us eternal life, 'and this "nourish your heart 'as in the day 'Of slaughter" '/l Will
life is in his Son" (I John 5:11). That's how. Paul you treasure up ,wrath "against the d1ay of wra'th and
sai,d.; "Tlhe law of the Spirit of life in Ghrist Jesus ,hath' revelation of the righteous jud'g.ment of -God"? (Romans...
made me free from the law of sin an:d death" (Romans 2 : 5). The day of wrath is not yet come. This day o'f
grace is yours. 'God acquits-through Christ Jesus.
8:2) .. That's how.
.
Jesus Christ, the everlasting source of human salva- God declares you free from guilt through your trust in
tion, i'S you'r Saviour, throU'gh faith, in him. He only, Jesus "whom they hanged on a tree" (Acts 10,: 39), '~who
by 'a work 'Consistent with the character of God, can break 1 'bare our sins in his own body ... th~t we, -bein'g dead
the power which 'holds you in chains, avey·t the punish- to sins. should live unto righteousness (1 Peter 2 :24).
ment whi'ch threatens you, 'fortify wi,th fre/lh sanctions Who, then, 'Can condemn you? You are e'ternally safethe' law which you have broken and, 'reconciling justice aga'inst the day of calamity coming, the d1ay of judgment
the day of death coming, the day of Christ's
with mercy, open to you the fountains of grace. Through coming,
I.
comm'g.
,
Christ the. law is vindicated, the holiness 'of God 'is
O'young sinner, come 'to Jesus. God says, "They that
doubly honoured, and mercy is offered to you because
seek me early shall find me" (Proverbs 8 :117). Quicker
"Christ rece'iveth sinful men."
The sinner's Saviour received the wages of sin which thim a speed.ing. wheel turns on its axle, quicker than
, he never earned that you mi'ght have eternal life whi'ch swiftest wing ever moved in flight, ~ome to Jesus. He
you "never deserved: Ohrist went to the pit that you says, "Him bhat cO'met'h to me I ,will 'in no wise 'Cast out"
might sit on his throne; went into 'awful gloom that you (John 6':37). And you who are older, who 'have long
. -- might enter into glory; was sold that you might ran- been dead in sin, come quickly out of your grave. The.
. somed be; was unjus-tly jud1ged that you might escape Lord J'esus calls you. Come! Come now! Come more
"tlie severity of God's judigments; was scourged that by . quickly than ever wounded man cried for a doctor. 'Coml'
his stripes you mig-ht 'be healed; became for YOU, on the mo're quickly than ever dl10wning man, re'ached for a life· .
cross, 'all that 'God must jud'ge, that you. through faith bOR't. Come !today, even wMle I spea'k. And Jesus wit!
glorify His name in your salvati'On.
in Ohrist, mlight become all that God cannot judge. .
The sinner's Saviour, the pE)rfectly righteous One, was
,
...,.
jud,ged, as 'unri'ghteous that you, the unrighteous one,
HAVE
YOU
ANSWERED
'THE
EDITOR"S
through faith in him, mig.ht 'be jud,ged. as righteous.
ANNUAL LETTER?
The sinner's SavIour stood before 'God with all your
. March 22, 1951
THE GOSPEL WITNESS arid PROTESTANT ADVOCATE.
12 '(780)
,because of the Wicked~ess of the J,>eople 'of' :the city .(2 Pet.
2:7, ~). Would qod's wrath be vIsited upon the righteous
atS weH as·the wtcked (Numb. 16:22; :2. Sam: 24:~7)?
In.
considering the problem Abraham knew for a certaInty that
I,
Lesson
Vol. 16
Second Quarter
April I, 1951 the Judge of all the earth would do right (Deut. 32:4;
--------......- - - - - - - : - - - - - - - " " " ' : ' - - - 2 Cbron. 19 :7; Job 8:3; Rom:·3:5):. 'Confidence in·the justice,
wisdo.m and love of God must be the fo~dation of. aU our
. OLIVE L. pr.,ARK, Ph.D. (Tor.)
dealings with Him: .
.
. Abraham 'asked God to save the city for the ':sake of the
A~RAHAM PLEADS FOR SOJ)OM
',righteous ones who dwelt ,therein, That is God's plan someLesson Text: Genesis 18:16-33.
times, and God could hav~ done so (Jonah 3:~, 10). A~ oth~r.
Golden Text: "Love your en~mies, bless .them that curse times 'God destroys ··the CIty, ,but saves the nghteous Inha~I- .
'you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them tants a's He did at this time. God in His holiness· hates sm,
that despitefully u~e you, and persecute you. . but i~ His mercy lIe provides a way of escape for !he sinner.
Abraham eJehlbited humility before ,the Lord, and also a
.
. -Matt. 5 :44.
holy perseverance (Gen. 32:26). The Lord was not angry
I. The Lord's Intervention: verses 16-22.;with him, but rather was pleased 'because of nis importunity
'(Lk. 11:5'-10; 18:1-8). Such importunate prayer should alAbraliam was' preemin-ently a man of faith, arid as such,· ways ibe in the spirit of ·submission to the Lord: Som~ people
he pleased God (Heb. 11:6). As a result of his fai,thful would continue to beseech the Lord for something which ma}'l
hean and obedient walk, he was spiritually prepared to re- not be in accordanc.e with Hi,s wHI. .T·here is a' great deal of
ceive special manifestations from. the Lord (John 14:21; difference"between stubbornness and pe:rseveral'!-ce.
Acts,5:32). We read that the Lord .lI;ppeared unto him (Ge!l'
A,braham do~btles.s thought that there would .be more .th~n
12:7; 17:1; 18:1; 26:'2). On:this'occaslOn the Lord appearedm ten righteous people in Sodom,'and that he would ,be.safe m
human form as one of ·the three angelic vtsitors who came to . stopping at ten. Mentio~ is nni.de of at least eight In Lot's
'the door of Ms tellt (v. 1).
' . family-Lot, his wife, two' daughters,. SOD'S (at -least two),
A!braham recognized the Lord. All. t~ree. visito!'s 'Yere .two sims-in-Iaw (Gen. 19:12-=14 ). Had his faith ,been greater,
welcomed, and all were offered. ·the hOSPItahty which IS a " the city might h~ve been. saved, although the wor~s of God
necessary courtesy'rf;o travellers m the East, but before One are beyond the unilerstandmg of men.
of them Abraham -bow:ed, and One of them he addressed as .
Just as Abraham engaged in the holy. ministry o.f inter- ' .
,"My Lord" (v. 3).
cession 'on 'behalf of Lot and 'his family, so may we have
How condescendi!lg and how 81-'a<:i0~s fo-, the Lord to the privilege of drawing near to God' to request blessing
accept refreshment at the hand of HIS servants (v. 8)! for others (Phil. 1:3-11; COol. 1:9). Lot was· ungrateful an.d
Favoured -beyond measure were those wh? welcomed the Sa- . caused his uncle much trouble, yet A!braham overlooked these
viour into their 'homes in the da~s. o.f .HIS flei!h (Lk. 24:~9; faults, ,thinking only of~Lot'·s danger (Matt. 7~44).
J·o.hn :12:?). We have no~ that pnvIlege; ,rbut ~e may rec~Iv~.
,God heark~ned 'to the praY!lr of ~brah~m for ,Lot's ~e~
HIm Into our hearts 'and Inrf;o our ~ome~, by faIth (J~hn 1.1; liverancebut .answered the prayer 'lD HI'S own sovereIgn
Rev. '3:20). We may commune WIth HIm day ·by day;
-manner.' Lot was saved, 'not for his own sake, but for the
As the men rose up to leave Abraham',s tent,-they.looked sake of Abraham, the friend of God (Gen. 19:f6, 29; Numb.
toward So'dom, ,th~ ~oal ~f .'their)ourney~ but the. Lord, had 16:48). Believers ~re saved for Ch!ist's ·sake (Eph. 1:6;
not yet. completed HIS m~sslopn WIth wbraham. HIS serva~t, 1 'Pet. 1:21),:Who mtercedes on theIr behalf .(1 TIm. 2:5;.
With whom HE}' had comniuned, was to. be honoured ~til1 Heb. 7:,25).
'.
fuzther. The Lord had already rev~aled His plans conce~ng
.
Abraham's personal Hfe, the prormsed son and the blessmg
.DAILY BIBLE READINGS
. which should' come to his family and the nations through Mar. '25-M'oses ·Pleads for the Israelites _._.• Exod. 32':7-14.
him (verses ·9-.15~, ·but now contemp!ated a disclosure of
Mar. 26-Aaron Pleads for the Israelites .•.• Numb. 16:41-500: I
His plans concernmg Sodom. Happy IS the man whom the, Mar.
27-Ezra Pleads for the Israelites ..;._...__._ Ezra. 9.:5-1:5.
Lord ean ;thus trust, (John 2:24). q-<ld knew Abra.!Iam; ~e . Mar.
2g.....:.Nehemiah If.leads for the Israelites .•._ NehemIah 1.
knew 'that His' ·servant wo.uld obey HIm, and teach his famIly Mar. '29.:.....Daniel.Pleads
for His People .._._..~_.__..._ Dan. 9:3-19.
and 'household :to honour Him (Gen. 17:27; Deut 4:9, 10; 6:7; Mar. 3O>-Christ Plea,ds for
Believers •__......,._..•. John 17:11-26.
Josh. 24:1'5; Eph. 6:4) .. What a splendid reputation to enjoy
before the Lord (2 Tim. 1:4,.5)1 Abraham is knoWn 'as the Mar. 31-Christ ~leads for His 'Enemies ....._ .... Luke 23 :34-49.
friend of Cod, for God did not 'hide from him the secret
SUGGES'rED HYMNS
.'
counsels of His will (Psa. 25:14; Isa. 41:8; Amos 3:7; Eph.
Hushed was the evening hymn. What a Friend we have in
1:19; Jas. 2:23).. Friendship is pos&ible only where there is Jesus.. God make my life .a mtle light. 'Sweet hour ot
mutual confidence.
.'
prayer. I need Thee every hour. There is a green hiH far
The sin of Sodom and"Gomorraih called out, as it we~, awa
to God for vengeance (Gen. 4:10; 19:13; Jas. 5:4). God is' .
y.
righteous, and in His own time and way, all sin must be
·atoned for and put away. Just as th~ Lord came dow~ that
THIS PASTOR MUST HAVE
He 'might Himself visit judgment'~pon Sodom, ~o In the
I HEAD-TROUBLE-OR,
IS' IT
person' of His Son did He come to this earth to bnng salvao .
tion (Exod. 2:23.125; 3:7, 8f Lk. 19:1(); 1 Tim. 1:1'51). ,~? will
HEART-TROUBLE?·
He also come' again to execute vengeance upon the WIcked
Pastor Would Sooner ,Ban Cars Than Sale of Liquor
and upon those· who refuse to turn from their sins to the
Norwich, March 7-"I cannot go along with 'tho'se who
Saviour (2 Thess. 3:1-9). '.
'
'would tban the manufacture of.'beverage alcohol," Rev. R. D.
, McDonald of St.' AnliI:ew"s Presby.tel'ian Church, TiUsonburg,
II. The Friend's Intercession: verSes 23-33.
told 'a meeting. of men· in Knox Pr~sbyterian Church here.
After the ~o ·angels had departed for Sodom, A·brah8m
"I would sooner support a movement to ,ban the manufacstood yet before the LOrd, and drew near unto Him. We, ture and -sale. of cars, because' the liquor business was here
too have access into the Father's presence through the Lord f1rst ·and because there is infoini-tely inore 'hann .caused 1;Iy
JeS~s Christ (Rom. 5':1, '2; Eph. 3:~2i' Heb: 10':19-22)...
. cars'thim 'by beverage alcohol," Mr. McDonald said.
It was possible for Abraham to exercise the holy pnV'11ege
Mr. McDonald, who was sent by the Liquo! Control Board
of prayer and intercession because God had first spoken rf;o' of -ohtario .to the Y'ale school of alcohol 'studIes .last summer,
him. 'God's word is brought home to our hea~{ and we' saidalcoliol did' nat harm the tissues .of the 'body 'in a perrepeat -that word to Him' with the request; "Do as Thou hast manent way.. It might be a cpntributing cause to disease,
said" (2 Sam. 7:25). The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts, because 'it co.ntributed.to loss of appetite and body upset, but,
-inspiring us to 'prayer, and throug~ =the same Holy Spirit that of itselrf, it did not W9~k pennanent i!ljury.· . '
,
, prayer ascends to ,the Father (Rom. 8:26" 2~). ' .
.
Advoclllbing blood ana ,breath tests ~n ear aCCIdent ca!!~, he
'Abraham thought of his nephew Lot, who dwelt in Sodom, said: "It. might work inj~stice fo,r ,the few, but it would mean
and whose righteous BOul was troubled from day to day a longer and happier life for tlie m~n.y.'" .
.
Bihl~
School .Lesson Outline .
.
."
-.
. "
March 22, 1951
When my spirit, clothed, immorta!l,
Wings·.its flight to realms of day,
This my song -through endless ·ages-...
Jesus le,d 'Il}e all the way!.
, GOD MAKES NO MISTAKES"
By Rev. JOM B. Cunningham, Calgary
ALL the scriptures none 'is so widely read 'by -the
OFsaints
of God i'Ii tl.imes of trouble as the· Book of
\
. .....
.
. At the'sa'me time Job showed great restraint of spirit, anq, great su'bmissiveness to the·will of 'God as messenger
af4!r messenger came ,to 'him with the word of calamity,
Hi·s enemies 'had come and taken 'his oxen from the field;
his flocks 'had been killed with fi're from heaven; his
,sons and; daughters had! died in the overthrow of ,their
house; then Job 'hiins·elf was afflicted physically. And
his wifesa!id to. him, "Do'st tho.u 'still retain thine integritY?1 curse God, and: .ode.". So might we have dione;
'but .twice it is recorded of this man, "In all ,tJhis fob
si;nned not, nor cilarged God· foolishly."
might exercise the same
Would to 'God that we,
restraint !in the face of the adversities of life. With
most of us the first thought that enters our mind'S in
times·of dlistreS!s i·s that of rebellion against God. How
of.ten we 'have ·heard: the cry ofa rebeil'ious sp'irit, "Why
hflS this happened, ,to me?" That is not easily answered,
. except bhus-God makes no mistakes. Beyond that we
cannot go, Ibut may the .faith of 'Ou'r souls in the over. ruling Providence of God 'seal' our lips, that we ml'ght
refrain our 'tongues from 'charging God: foolishly.
J oh. The experiences of that patl'ent. and humble servant
of the Lord never fail to comfort our 'hearts in the midst
of our own troubles in life-al).d most of us have plenty
of them too! What a blessed' thing i,t is to know that
Jo'h's God lis ours, that ,He is ,the' same God'i that the
~n'tervening centuries have not wrough!t the slightest
change upon Him. Our lives, 'and all tha't concerns, the~,
are ·in His care, 'as.surely as Jab1s was.
·Divine Providence :itJ not merely a theological doctrine;
nor is it an idle myth: it lis a ·glorious truth. There is
an eternal God who' is a:bove all and in all, One who so
: orders our lives and all that concerD'S! ,them, that they
minister in the end. to His own glory. He ·brings to pass
that w'h'ich is 'always the best for us. Were our f'M.th
strong enough to grasp ·that. truth as welought, we would
enter upon a life of sweetest peace and! houndles'S joy,
a life such as we have nOt known hefore. Could we believe 'i,t, 'nothing in life would worry us or dJistur'b us, 'but
we would experience that calmness of spirit and res't of
soul that God has promised us.
Then too 'such faith would! lead us to ackn9-wledge that
God'ma'),<es no mistakes. We do, even 'in our interpreting
of Divine Providence. We are much' Hke J acab,. who hung
,bis head in his hands and c·r.ied, "All these' things are
against-me," when all tthe while 'he stood! upon the ,threshold of the happiest. day d! his life. "Oh," you say, "'but
Jacob didn't know lit." No, 'he djdn',t, ,but >that is just the
place ·that faith s'hould occupy in our lives. FaUh confesses that nothing is against us in life when we are
Christians, :but that everything .is fo·r us through the
overrulin.g· hand~ of Ithe Almighty' God'. .
"
Surely if 'anyone had cause to doubt God, it was Jab.'
Calami.ty after .calamity came to him~ 'but the 'book that
'bears- hlis name takes us behind the scenes of Hfe, and
we 'see tJhat 'God WaJS' in it all, tempering the trial, and
fitting it to the good of Jo'b's own soul. So life for us
all would 'have a deeper meaning if we would" let our fai·th
pierce the heavy clouds that hide God's. f~ce from us,·
so ;that we .could see that He still s~ts upon the throne.
There 'is nothing comes to' us by chance. Behind it all
is God'·s hand., and, He makes no mi'stakes. He only sends
what is 'best .for us. Though: His dJscipline a'ttimes
seems harsh, yet it's always for our own good, and
througlJ. lit :ije 'brings us' to the place where He would
have us to be.
The Book of Jo'b teaches· us also that God works 'in our
lives today with the end 'in view. So Jo'b's biblical 'history end's with ,these words, "So ,the Lord blessed the
latter end of Job more than his ,beginning." And if it
also ·be. true ~n our lives, then we ought not to,complain
about the ti)als along the'way. ' God! sees .the end from
the 'beginning, and He plans to-d:ay with. to-morrow in
view; He orders our lives on this earthly scene with
eternity in view. ~ And when the record. of our lives is
complete, when we .look 'ba~k upon all the way. that He
has 'brought us, we shall confess that. Hlis way was 'best,
thou'gh at -times· the path was rough and the way was
hard. Surely 'it was not mere fancy on the poetes's'
part-
~781) . ~~
THE. GOSPEL WITNESS and PROTESTANT ADVOCATE
all
THE THRONE 'OF GRACE,
Is it not a great Ibliis's to have 'the entree of Jehovah's
palace day and. nigh't? .Is it no!t heaven below to have
acces's without. ceasing to Fwther, Son, and Holy Ghost?
How' blessed to enter the gold"en gate unchallenged, and
remain unrelbukedl in the pavilion of the K'ing of kings!
o believer, you may come when you -will to the throne'
of grace 'and never fear a repulse: You may, come not
only into the K;ing's palace, but what is infinitely more,
into the King-himself; for he is your ha:bitation whereun;to you may continually resort, The Persian kings for- bade any; one to come near them; and: if any ventu'red
into the king's court, 'and the· monarch '.dido· not stretch ~
out the slilver'scepter, theguardts cat ,them down at on.ce.
Yet tJher~ were certain favored courtier!! who, 'by s'pecia,l
. privilege, had the right to approach the king at 'all times.
guard or no guard. These were th~ noblest in the king's
d~minions. Such honoi have all the saints .. No cherub
with flamdngsword guards the way of approach to God
. against any child of'the grea.t F'ather. You have a privi~
lege that is much greater than any dJignoity belonging t<;>
the mightjes't monarchs of earth.,...-the privilege of perpetUtal intercourse with God, at whatsoever hour you will. It,ought to make your heart leap for joy to think of it.
Come in the dewy. morning, come at dusky night, come
in the mid-night'e dreari~st hour, the Lord, is ever ready
to receive you, and you may. 'speak freely wi·th him.
.
-SPuRGEON
EASTER ECHOES
"Shall rise again!"
His word shall be
Enough for thee,
o mourning heart, so full of pain!
Yet see I.
The promise sealed
.
By loveliest miracles. E'ach wakening flower
Of fell or field
Is fair new proof of resurrection power,
.
.
-F. R.
HAVERGAL •
14 (782)
SCHOOLS. OF GAMBLING
IN R.C. CHURCHES
loaded wi;t!h all·the pa'l"aph~rll'alia of large-scale gambling.
We do not expect :tJhat thios present prohi'bition will be
effective, though it will- serve to label the nefarious trade
and i,ts huge profits with Ithe i'gnominy it well d'eserves.
I
HEN ·our wrd and Saviour found the money chang'ers in the temple He d!rove tJhem out saying, "It is
written, My house shall he -called the .house· of prayer;
but ye 'have mad'e'it a den of thi~veS" ("Matt. 21:113).
Pro~estants often 'apply tllis sentence to the thriving
industry of bill/go a'nd other game's .of ch·ance that ~e
operated on a who'lesale scale. in Roman Catholic
Ohurthes. Not a few members of thao't communion also
Slhare the· feeling of ,shame that their church, which
lays claim to such prodiigiou·s vil'ltues and rights, 'should
thus d·efHe herself in ,the m~ck and mire of gambling.
The recently ·appointed. ArchblMop of Montre'al 'has used
some very plain speech regardlin1g. the evils of games of
chan~ under church auspices.. In a pa'sto'ral letter'last
month ne wrote, among other things.:
The grow.ing populildty of bazaars makes a serious
problem for the Christian conscience. The Ohurch is
not 'a financial organization, still less a school of
gambling . . . The crowds which g,~ther in the basements (of churches), often at the hour of prayer, do
not go there to iprais~ God. 'In addition, gambling
methods destroy the very spirit of charity, for money
is given in the feverish attempt to wiil and not for the
purpose ()If supporting worship or of helping the poor.
March 22. 1951
W
~
R.C. Churches Show the Way to the Underworld
A judicial iriquiry .js. now being cOnducted in Mont·
r~al into 'the ramifications of vice in the underWbrld:--The
series of/newspaper articles Which uncovered the a!buses,
assertted that 'gambling is the prolific mother of ·all other
vices: drinking, prostitution, and org'anizedi roibbery are
linked with it because it sets the 'Stage for all these other
evils 'bY' providing 'the money 'by which police protec:tilOn
is ·purchased 'by the gang-sters. Thi·s 'Same .connection
between the gambling houses and schoo!l.SI of crime and
.vice has \been esita!blished again and, a:gain in many large
American cities. The only difference is that Montreal
is a strongly· Roman Catholic city, 'surmounted 'by a
cros·s, 'acknowledging the rule of the !ChurCh. And !this
very Church 'has, aCCOTding to .its leading prelate, provided schools for gambling', and it has also led the way,
'both by the sjze and 'by the number of .j'ts games of
chance, 'and al'l this in ~the name of "Christian" chaTi~y.
The Power of Evil Example
It was not so long ago that our newspapers carried
It ·is humiliating to hear the comments which go
articles reportiing the papal condemnation of "service
the rounds on these practices, arid still more humili~
clubs";' such as' the Kiwan'is o·rganization. The IOther day
ating to le·am of the metlhods that 'are employed in
a publicaJtion of such 'a club fell into our· hands, ,atp we
these organi1!ations.
'
were delighted to discover an article condiemning ,the use·
A BurJlensome .Prohibition
of games· of chance as a means ·of rai'sing money for
In .p'lacing a 'ban on bingos and, other such· games of charity. ··That clu1ba't least, was morally 'super-ior to the
chance, the Arch'bis'hop admi,tted that "th'is probi'bition priests of Rome that exploit the weakness of th·eir fellowwould 'be burdensome for some;" In sosayin1g, he was men for the profit of their chU'rch. and themselve·s. Pernot guilty of overstalting the truth, for gambling is well haps tfuat is why the pope put tlle 'servJce cJubs out of
estafbl'i'shed as ·a means of rai'sing revenues, -in almost ,boundsl,to Rom'an Catholics. "If it is beneath the dign"ity
every R.C. church in Quebec and in manY' others outside of great universitie's to suppo'rt I1:;hemselves by such
that province. A news weekly 'reports that some "more means wh,at snaIl we RaY of churches and chari,ties that
ambitious ·(It.'C.) pastors raffled off automobiles and re· stoop to do so? As a writer in The Christian Century.
frigerators ot held monster 'bingo games at which crowds remarkedl: "I find it imposs.i'ble even 'in my weakest moof 10,000 or more could gam'ble for $1,000 bills under ments, when othe financial needs of .the church are most
pressing, to imag-ine St. John, St. Paul or St. Peter iunthe 'auSlpi'ces of church char'it"y."
The ban on gambling, of course, applies· oilly to ning a 'bingo party 101' our Lord sending out His disciples
churches in the archdiocese of Montreal, 'but the rever- to sell chances. Knd! I s'hudld'er at :the ,t'hought th'at some
end prelate's sentence of ·condemnation on games of young person might say, 'It's all right ,to gamlble. We
chance can scarcely be limited to the same 'bounds. do it at our church.' How ·shameful a ,thing,it is; furtJher,
Priestly entrepIf"eneurs of :bingo esta'blishments and when gambling interests· are able 'to argue, 'What we dlo
schools of 'gambling hereby are 'invited to take not'ice to is done ·by the churche's,· and therefore Ithere ·should be
1Jhe Archbishop's words. 'Men who have any sense of no objection to- -it.' "
decency or shame would not engage in such. practices
We Agree With the R.C. Prelate
unihlr the name of religion, even without the con·
We gladly confes's thaot for once we find· ourselves in
demnation of their eccle·sia'sticalsuperior.
heal'lty '8!greement with a distinguis'hed! Rom'an Catholic
\ '
prelate. If his ban on games of c'h-ance does not prove
Gambling Is Endemic in Quebec Churches I
effective, it certainly expres&es our moral, revulsion
It is interesting to note thalt ·similar 'bans have been
whenever we see bingos and :'such 'games advertised under
placed, upon Uke practices in 'Montreal 'by th~ present the ·auspices of Roman Catho'lic Church'es or Orange
incumbent'·s predecessors in 1922 and in 1898. Apparent- Lodges, for there are a few of :the latter who 'are Romish
'ly what archlbishops Slay is not forever! It is only a few, enough in the'ir finances to follow th~ priests' evil
years since the late Cardinal-arcblbi'shop of Quebec laid a
e3c!ample.
similaT res:ttiction 'on the churches in his jurisdiction,
Gambling Wrong in Montreal R.C. Churches, but his successor has only a few weeks ago faintly echoed
Right in Toronto R.C. Churches
. the SJtrong words of his fellow-prelate with a feeble interIt is one of the amazing contrast'S found in Romanism .
diction of all 'bingo's, lotteries or draws "fortbiddlen 'by civil 'law". The joker ~s that civ-illaw in Oanada does not that what is fo·rbidden in one diocese is allowed in an·
absolutely proliihit lotteries conducted for chari,ta'ble pur- other! What i's' wrong in Montreal is right in Windisor
poses. ·Through. ·that breaCh in the ,SJtatutes the Quebec or in Toronto! What id ithe otficial teaching of ,Ute
priests have found a way to d'l"ive the'j·r coaches and!,fouTs Roman Catholic 'Church on gambling? Just·a yeaT ago"
./
.
~
.'
March 22. 1951
THE GOSPEL WiTNESS and PROTESTANT. ADVOCATE
R.C. Bishop Cowderoy and other priests pre'sented 'a brief .
on behalf of the Roman Catholics of England to a Royal
Commission on Betting.
.
According 'to The Universe, the .Roman Cruthoilic news·
paper of .London, England, this august body of R.C.
ecclesiastics asserted that "Gambling, compared with,
other evils such as artificial birth control, infidelity and
excessive drinking, is far less likely to lead to the 'breakup of home life."
Rome Condones Gambling
The statement re'ads:
"We hold that betting is not wrong in itself. Neither
is it wrong :to play for stakes, even Ifor large stakes,
provided the players can easily afford it and the game
is not villi'a'ted by circumst'ances that would mal{e it
wrong. . . .
.
"In the opinion of the· Oa,tholic mOl'alist there is
nothing esse.ntiaHy wrong in a man earnIng his livelihood as a gamester or as a bookmaker.
"It is, 'howeveT, recognized -that gambling 'though not
in itself wrong, may be the cause or occasion of
wrongdoing.
.
"It seems to bave been the experience of parish
priests that gambling, compared with other evils', is
far less likely -to lead to the breaking up of 'home life."
On the various types' of 'betting the memo'randum
comments:
"Little evil seems to flow directly from betting at
race course's, although many dishonest people find oppol'tuni'ties fur practising their met'hods at such
places .. .'!. .
Priests Say Lotteries and Pools Beneficiall
"Lotteries as allowed by the loaws of this country
and !IO long as they are honestly conduCted, do not
appear to constitu,te any evil.
_.
"Pools have hecome a national pastime, a:nd we consider that in soIlie ways they 'are quite benefic'ial, since
in many homes '~'appy evenings are spent by the f.amily
'remaining together and filling up 'their coupons."
, Among the suggestions, made by the R.C. clerics was
this:·
'
"We believe that ·any contemplated legislation
should apply to aU dtizens. By 'this we' mean that
. betting or gambling should not be legislated ifor in
suCh 'a manner that "those who 'are able to obtain
credit shou'ldJbe permitted to :bet, while the working
man should be deprived of the pleasure of 'a casual bet
and a little harmless excitement."
.
Anglica.ns Ape Rome?
Only 'aMort time after the Rom:an Catholic authorities
of England had lent their approval to gambling, an
Anglican Church Commission added Jlts feeble amen with
a· 'sip1Uar propositJion' 'to the effect that "Gambling is
permiss,i'ble as .an amusement ... " Is the Established
Church attempting if;o ape Rome in bhi's m'atter ahllO?, We
note that a rider was added to the report 'by, the Ohurch
.Assembly "lahelling it .as a "valua!ble con'tr'ibution to discussion . . . not fully representative of the mind and
conscience of the Ohurch of England! 'as a whole." For
small mercies we are 'thankful, though this one is exceedingly smBlll. Angolieani's<IDought -to know, through
sad experience, that it cannot compete with Romani'sm;
its. real strength lies in fidelity to the Bible.
-
Js bound to be exceedingly popular with certain classes
of men who 'have no sense of morals. And such a church,
moreover, stands at least a:s good- 'a chance of winning
huge' profits as the religioU's gambling scnOO'ls of Montreal, which 'are so severely caSttigated 'by the Archbishop
of'tha't place. We venture to suggest a motto for all such
religiolls gam!blers to write in large letters over their
gaming establishments. "Come to Bethel, and 'transgress;
at GHgal mu[tiply transgre's's,ion; and bring your sacdfices every mprning, and your tithes after three years"
•(Amos 4: 3). Only paganism, 'ancient .or modern, can
show such a callous indHference to ri:ghteou'sness,in order
to appeal, in the name of religion, to the lowest instincts
of human d'epravity.
.
We have.consultedl 'several Roman 'Catholic 'books on
"Moral" Theology (-so-caned) and we d:iscover -that the
Eng-lish priests have summed up the -teaching of Rome
o.n this 'su,bject in' a concise manner.' One of these R.C.
boo'ks states Ithe Roman Catholic view:
"GenerBllly speaking, gaming and wagering contracts'
are not flOrbidden by the Dlorallaw ..." No wondler that
so -many 'gang-s,ters and gamblers, so many under-world
"'bosses'" are Roman Ca.'tholics!
How long will the new Archbishop of Montreal be a!ble
to 'hold out in the face of fiIj'ancial preStsure from his
clergy and despite the teaching of the "Mora,l" Theologians of his 'Church? We wish him well in 'his attempt
and hope that he will not too soon develop a politic
'blind-neSts in one eye. .
,;
~W.S.W.
LIQUOR CAUSES CHILDREN TO BE
NEGLECTED
The Report ~f the Toronto Family Court for the Year
1949 contains the following significant paragraph from
the judge who preside's over the court d.ealing w'ith
neglectedl child,ren :
Ag,ain !. would draw 'attention to ·the causes of
neglect. There 'are many, and I mention two in particula.r at the· present time (a) Intemperate use of
liquor. I sta'ted in my 1948 report that liquor ,was a
major problem in a:t least 75 percent of the cases, 'an!!
I -have no reason to change this statement .for 1949.
(b) Inadequate housing.
Statements of ,this 'SOrt should' be placed 'side by sade
with the reports of fa:bulous ,sums of revenue derived
from this a'ccursed' traffic. In order to produce gpvernment income and d!istillers and brewers' enormoU's prof·its,
we mortgage the 'bodies and the souls of little children
and their hapless fathers 'and mothers.
THE BIBLE IN NORTHERN FRANCE
F'rom Pastor M'aurice Mafille of La Bonne Nouvelle
Church, 'sitU'a'ted:-in .the great industrial centre of Lille,
Northern France, comes word gf faithful sowing· of the
good seed. Mr. Mafille writes in a personal letter of
recen t drute:
We too 'are eng'aged in the same hattIe, happy to give
ou't~tracts on the market places, and to sell Bibles and
New Testaments.. Our loud-spea'ker sounds' out ·the
message of 'the Gospel, anr;l ai,though we expect opposition, while we have i1he privilege we must not lose the
opportunity, .for ",the night cometh when no man can
work." The number of our 'hearers increases in num. bers and in interest, for which we praise God. Pray
for our work in the North of France, as we pray for
yours in Canada.
.
The Appeal of a Carnal Religion
·Any· religious, organIzation that da'res thus bold.ly to
proclaim 'the invioIable ri!ght of ,the working man :to ruin
himself an~ 'hi,s family by engaging in games of chance
I
(783) 15
'
• .1
16 (784)
'-
March 22. ~9S1
GOD SEEKING SINNERS
wholly dependent upo~ th~ grace of .God in Christ Jesus.
'ON EVERY page or: the Bible, not only in 'the New. And jU&t becau'se this is tilie .underly.ing princiiple of every
other gospel, whiCh. is not a· gospel, they al1'm~ke void
TestamenJt 'bu,t also in ,the Old~ it is wri,tten that th
f IC
.
. God is a seeking God, Who 'has "no pleasure in the death
e cro'SiS o. {lrIst, "for U rightteousness 'COme by. ·the
'of _the wicked; 'but that the wicked turn. from his evil .J'aw, Ulen 'Chri~tis dead 'in. vain." ('Gal. 2 :21).·
.
way and l'ive '~ (Ezek. 33: 11). TMs. great 'master-truth
When the pro!!'jgalSiOn 'came 'to hi~self, 'he dete~mi~ed
is found even in the Book of Genesis, which r~rdts.not to- go to the father's house 'and there make 'a plea that
only the cre8ltion of the heavens and, .the· earth and ithe he should 'be allowed to earn his way as a hired servant.
beginning of human sin and sorrow 'but also the first But the faother' saw him when he was yet a long way off
promise' of coming redemption. There too·, 'we hear the· and ran and fell on 'his neck and'ikissed him.. How daring
holy voice of offended Deity as it echoes ,through the wa's the strQ'ke of genius, of divine geniu's, 'th)l.t venGardlen see:king for man who, 'stung tby 'his 'accusing con- tured to say that of the .father who in .this para'ble repre-'
science, flees from the just wraith of obhe One w,hom he sents none other thari ·God... Such a grand conception of
bas disobeyed and! wro'nged. "The Lord 'God called unto the divi~e compassions i's infiIiit~ly distant from the
Adatm, .and s&,d u'nto him, Where al't thou?" Here iil~ .. philosoP~·ic~1 'idea' 9 f deity :as an unmoved mover ·who· is
this ancient story from 'the most primitive times of .utterly mdlfferent to t'he affairs of men. It is alsO far
human history is' wri'tten the principle tthat God is love. re.~v~d fro~ the t~aching t~'a't men must coome with a
If i,t were~recorded that the Ma1ker and Creator of our pnce. ill theIr Ihand to barga'in and, haggle w'ith divine race had sought out our first parents 'to bestow u.Iion justice for their ~ternal tsalvation. -·:Human.-inventions. '
them' notb:ing b.ut the just reward of their disObedience, t'hat 'are offered as substitutes of -the gosve1 of' grace so
we 'should! not. :Itave !been surprised, f~;r
common ex- . as 'to minister to men's. ~r'ide are iilcapa1ble ~f rising to
perience as well as the law.of 'God has ,taught us that the assurance of for~'lVeD'ess; ·they know !;lo·thing, of
the wages of sin is death. But we read not only of a" the obes't-rdbe for :tfue repentant 'sinner or of shoes for his
curse pronounced: UipOn sinful mail. 'hut of ·unmerited fe~t 'and the ring for hi'S hanilJ together with all the
blessing, the promise of One who should. ·spring from ~ bounties of the Fa't~er's table and the joys of the F-ather's
the sin-curse,d; race and: who 'should win the victory over presence.. SuCh. s~gnal '!blessings 'as these 'are nOtt for
s'in and all its dire consequences. The -early fathers sale, if they Come to us at 'all, they must come "without·
ca!1led tfuis promise the ProteV'angelium or First Gospel, rn~n~y 'and without p~ice". This,. andt nothing else but'
and.the res.t of the dtivine' revelation is 'the unfolding of thl's 1'8 the ~burden of 'the Good News.
the increasing purpose of grace that runs throughout the A
.
.
whole -Bible. .
Now; ye needy, come and welcome;
. ~ ."
. ~d's tfTee bounty glorify:
._
No merely !human hook would dare' to 'j'magine that ithe
True belief and true repentance- •
offended.' 'Lawmaker would seek after His erring creaEvery grace ,that brings you nigh.
Without money, .
tures to res'tore them and bless them with more blessings
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.
than Ad!am -lost. :One of the proofs of th~ inspiration
I ..
I
of 'the Bible is its daring.' It ru'ns counter to the voice.
View Him prostrate in :jjhe garden,
of gu'Bty conseience which hopes f~ nothing but oonOn the ground your Maker lies!
d
. 0 f the T
" ' ' ''Ullat
'
the bloody
tree
behold
emnati on; 1it . con t rad"t'"
lic s tue voIce
empter
.' On
- Hear
Him cry
before
HeHim,
dies,
insidiously suggests that Gonis not 'good: Religions that
' . "[tis finishedl"
•
spring from the~rvel'ted imag'inations of men'·s mindoS:
Sinner, will not this suffice? '
all' portray the Supreme Being as wrathful if not cruel,
..
as one Wlhose favour must !be purchased at the price of
Our Lord announced to the. s'elf-Tigbtteou~, PlIarisees
'human 'toiIand' suffering. Only the Word of 'God 'assures that He .'}fad 'come to seek and to save that which was
us 'that ".Qod commendeth his love toward· u's, in that, . los't. He taught that He came not 'to caU the righteous '
While we were yet sinners, Ohrist dlied for _us" (Rs. 5 :8). but 'sinn~s to repentance. Tpre~ .tim!lS He reyeated that
The good news
so good,;1:lhat men refu'Sle to 'believe n. tihere 'is joy in ·the presence 'of the angels of God· over one'
Tl;ley .misunderstand: it, thin'kjng-.jt means that God loves. .sinner tha't 'repentet'h. A-nd ~n or: .these' glorious proclama- those who love Him. Little children 'are 'SOmetimes tions He sealed: wi,th His own precious tbloo~ on the cross' .
taught 'that God loVes good boys and girls, and ;fJbis is as ,the divine guarantee that everyone, no matter how
the only go'spel that many grown-up& know. rt
so dark !his sin or how great his need~ may come with' con.
• .'
contrary to a sense of their just deserts ot'hat_ tiiey can- fidence w the throne of grace.
-w.S.W.
not tbelieve wh8lt the Bi'ble plainly declares: "Herein i'S
love, no,t 'that' vie loved Go'd tbu'tthathe loved, us, and
gave h·is Son to ,be the ,propiti8lWm' for our sins" (1
John 4:10). _.: .
I
FOR TORONTO .READERS
The Love of God- is so stupendous that the pride'hardenedt hearts of men find! ti-t ,incredJi1ble. If, like tJhe
N.XT SUNDAY IN
man in the iparable, the Judge of all the -earth 'had hidden
men to take their a~unts and cut _them in two, leav'ing
JARVIS .$TREET
them only 'half to pay, doubtless many would have been
willing to close with stich an offer. Indeed, that is the
REV•. H. C. SLADE' WILL PREACH
very geniu's of all man-made reIigions. They flatter. tPe
_pride of sinful 'man ,by telling }lim tbollt h.e is good enoug·h
SEI ANNOUNCEMENr IN
-to clio sOmething to. win 'God's favour, that he need not
SArU/lPAY PAPERS
a~nowledge that he is utterltY,· iban'krupt 'ando therefore
o·ur
,
is
is
1

flLbt.(Jiospttaitnts5 - Jarvis Street Baptist Church

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