Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org
Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org
Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org
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Missionary Number<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 23, 1955<br />
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VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1955 NUMBER 1<br />
A Testimony I'll Always Remember<br />
Shadow on the Wall<br />
By<br />
John Thompson<br />
A journalist friend of mine was in the habit of<br />
visiting an indoor swimming pool each Thursday<br />
night. There was a certain man he met at the pool<br />
who always amused and intrigued him. This man<br />
would come out of his cubicle with his bathing suit<br />
on, go straight to the edge of the water and dip his<br />
big toe into the pool, and then smartly climb right up<br />
to the highest diving board, make a wonderful dive,<br />
and down the pool with splendid form.<br />
and swim up<br />
It was difficult for my friend to understand why<br />
such an expert swimmer and diver should resort to<br />
a novice habit of sticking his toe into the water be<br />
fore entering. He plucked up<br />
courage one night and<br />
asked him why he did it.<br />
He smiled and answered, "I suppose it is just<br />
force of habit ; however, there is a reason and I shall<br />
tell<br />
He used to be an instructor in a large college for<br />
men. His job was to teach them to swim and dive. He<br />
was in the swimming pool nearly every day and knew<br />
every inch of the place. One night he could not sleep<br />
and decided to slip into the swimming pool and have<br />
a swim, thinking the exercise would induce sleep.<br />
pool,"<br />
"I did not put on the lights in the he con<br />
tinued, "for I knew every inch of the place and the<br />
other<br />
roof was made of glass. The moon shown through,<br />
throwing the shadow of my body on the wall at the<br />
end. My body and arms made a perfect sign of<br />
the cross. I cannot explain to you why I did not dive<br />
at that moment; I had no premonition of danger of<br />
any kind.<br />
"As I stood looking at the shadow of the cross,<br />
I began to think of the cross of Christ and its mean<br />
ing. I was not a Christian. I found myself repeating<br />
the words of a hymn I had learned as a boy, 'He died<br />
that we might be f<strong>org</strong>iven, He died to make us good,<br />
that we might go at last to heaven, saved by His pre<br />
cious blood."<br />
"I cannot tell you how long I stood poised on the<br />
diving board or why I did not dive. I came down from<br />
the board and walked along the pool to the steps that<br />
I knew led to the bottom of the pool and began to de<br />
scend. I reached the bottom and my feet touched the<br />
cold smooth bottom of the pool. The night before the<br />
caretaker had drained the pool dry and I knew<br />
nothing about it. I realized then, that had I dived I<br />
would have dived to my death.<br />
'The cross on the he added, "saved me<br />
that night. I was so thankful to God for His mercy in<br />
sparing my life that I knelt on the cold bricks and<br />
asked the Christ of the cross to save my soul. I ex<br />
perienced a two-fold deliverance that night. That, sir,<br />
is why I always put my toe into the water before<br />
diving."<br />
Moody Monthly
get!"<br />
you"<br />
. . It<br />
world.'<br />
men,'<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Drinkers Compared<br />
The Methodist Board of Temperance reports that in<br />
crease in drinking liquor is rapid among<br />
with 1949, the number of male alcoholics (in 1950) has in<br />
women. "Compared<br />
creased<br />
by 4,000, and the number of female alcoholics by 20,-<br />
000."<br />
They<br />
point out that since 1948 the rate of alcoholics per<br />
100,000 adults has been practically unchanged (3,952 per 100,-<br />
000). However, more women, comparatively, are becoming al<br />
coholics than men. What of the future of our homes when the<br />
mothers yield to the custom of our time and become steady<br />
drinkers Another sad fact is that the heaviest drinkers are<br />
found in the District of Columbia where the per capita drink<br />
ing of distilled spirits is 4.87 gallons. In Wisconsin we find<br />
the largest drinkers of beer<br />
son<br />
during the past year.<br />
the average 26.9 gallons per per<br />
Advice to a Girl<br />
The New York columnist for teen-agers Patricia Evers,<br />
as quoted by Christian Herald, councils an 18-year-old girl<br />
caught in a crowd of drinkers thus: "There is only one way<br />
to solve the problem and keep it solved once and for all.<br />
That's to order what you want. The lad who tries to embarrass<br />
you is a bully and bullies ought to be squashed firmly. Or<br />
dering a drink along with the crowd and not drinking it<br />
isn't the answer. It's better to be open about it. You'll get<br />
along better with the crowd if they know where you stand on<br />
the issue. Explaining that you aren't going to drink till you<br />
are 25, or that your father is giving you a hundred dollars<br />
if you'll be a teetotaler is also a waste of time. You don't<br />
have to explain anything. Your actions are up to you<br />
to the gang. They<br />
not<br />
aren't entitled to an explanation. Lots of<br />
adults let people like this make things unpleasant, let them<br />
bully them into things they don't want to do<br />
and regret<br />
later. Pretty silly, isn't it Who are these jokers who think<br />
they<br />
can intimidate<br />
The editor adds: "Worth cutting out and passing<br />
a teen-ager,<br />
he (or she) can<br />
on to<br />
who these days needs all the backbone stiffener<br />
Baptists in Russia Accused<br />
The leading Communists in Russia have acted with in<br />
difference toward Russian Baptists for years, but now they<br />
have changed their attitude toward them and are accusing<br />
them as secret agents of the American spy system. One of<br />
their statements runs like this: "The American imperialists<br />
are only<br />
too pleased to use the sect for the purpose of re<br />
cruiting spies to send to the U.S.S.R. and the countries of the<br />
people's democraties." Writers on Russia find it difficult to<br />
explain this blast at the Baptists just after the Communists<br />
party's central committee has ordered a toning down of antireligious<br />
propaganda.<br />
A Judson Broadcast<br />
The experiences of Ann and Adoniram Judson, first Bap<br />
tist missionaries to Burma, are dramatized on Cavalcade of<br />
America, an American Broadcasting Company network pro<br />
gram sponsored by DuPont. It is apparently possible for var<br />
ious TV stations to obtain this program for their constituency.<br />
Unique Gospel Messages<br />
Some Christian Endeavor Union members of Northern<br />
Ireland have sent out gospel messages in floating bottles<br />
during the year that is past. They have received many re<br />
plies among which was one from behind the Iron Curtain and<br />
another from Mexico.<br />
Good Friday Holiday<br />
Many Christians in South Carolina have stated their<br />
views as against any<br />
clare Good Friday<br />
effort on the part of Congress to de<br />
a legal holiday. Such resolutions on the<br />
part of Christians in different places might prevent the pre<br />
sentation of a bill asking for such a holiday, but if not they<br />
would bear much weight against its adoption.<br />
"Martin Luther"<br />
The film "Martin Luther" is still attracting large au<br />
diences not only in the U. S. but in other countries as Austral<br />
ia, Holland and Norway. Thus the lesson of the Reformation<br />
is being carried to various parts of the world with telling ef<br />
fect.<br />
Evangelism Around the World<br />
Invitations have been received by Billy Graham to con<br />
duct evangelistic meetings in Singapore, Hong Kong, Formosa,<br />
the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa,<br />
and as a result he is planning a preaching tour around the<br />
world in 1956.<br />
Help for Korea<br />
The bishops of the Methodist church made an appeal to<br />
their churches for aid to Korea on November 14. The giving<br />
has amounted to $1,486,941. It is expected that during the next<br />
three years 765 churches will be built or repaired with these<br />
gifts.<br />
Christ in Christmas<br />
The Watchman-Examiner (Baptist) presents an article on<br />
Christmas from which we quote: "There are many who make<br />
of Christmas a mere holiday, without acknowledging the<br />
Kingship of Jesus Christ. They decorate their homes and<br />
places of business; they give tokens of love to their family<br />
and friends; they join in public festivities and sing Christ<br />
mas carols. But there is no love in their hearts for the Sav<br />
iour, no faith in him as 'the Lamb of God that taketh away<br />
the sin of the Christmas to them has no more meaning<br />
than the Fourth of July<br />
...<br />
"A Christless Christmas is about to be celebrated all<br />
about us. The streets and stores are crowded. Little presents,<br />
tokens of love and friendship, are being purchased. Eyes aregleaming<br />
and hearts are beating in anticipation of Christmas<br />
mc ning .<br />
is a grave mistake, however, to subordinate<br />
the religiour significance of Christmas to matters even as im<br />
portant as the expression of family affection, new emphasis on<br />
friendship and national and international goodwill.<br />
"During Christian history, Christmas had degenerated<br />
from joy to gaiety and often from gaiety to riotous dissipa<br />
tion. It is a pity we have allowed Thanksgiving to become<br />
associated with sports. It is a greater pity still that in cele<br />
brating our Lord's birthday the world has adopted the old<br />
Epicurean motto, "Let us eat, drink, and be merry! . . . .<br />
In<br />
all the festivity and tumult of the present observance of<br />
Christmar, we plead with God's people to realize more pro<br />
foundly its spiritual significance .... In emphasizing 'good<br />
will among let us give 'glory to God in highest."'<br />
the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS,
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
BIPARTISANSHIP BEGINS<br />
President Eisenhower is working to disprove his own<br />
campaign prediction that a Democratic Congress and Republi<br />
can administration could not cooperate. In December he<br />
called in twenty-one Congressional leaders for a policy con<br />
ference, and apparently won Democratic support for the most<br />
important parts of his program. In some areas, such as for<br />
eign aid and a more liberal tariff policy, his main problem<br />
will be to win Republican votes. The President promised to<br />
consult Democratic leaders on the details of legislation in re<br />
turn for their help in putting it through Congress. Key Demo<br />
crats in Congressional committees will also have close con<br />
tact with department and bureau heads, even though they are<br />
of oppo-ite parties. If this approach succeeds, the next Con<br />
gress may enact quite a bit of constructive legislation. By the<br />
time you read this, Presidential messages will be<br />
specific proposals before the lawmakers.<br />
McCARRAN ACT PASSES TEST<br />
laying<br />
The U. S. Court of Appeals has upheld the constitutional<br />
ity of the Internal Security Act of 1950, requiring the Com<br />
munist Party to register as a Russian-controlled movement.<br />
This law, commonly known as the McCarran Act, is our most<br />
important piece of anti-Communist legislation next to the<br />
Smith Act of 1940. It requires the Communist party and Com<br />
munist-action and front groups to register with the Justice<br />
Department, list their officers and members, report thpir<br />
finances, and label their mail. The court brought in a 2-1<br />
decision, with one judge ruling that the act violated the Fifth<br />
Amendment by requiring the Reds to give evidence against<br />
themselves. The other two judges decided, however, that the<br />
Fifth Amendment was not involved because the law did not<br />
make party membership a crime. The Communist Party is<br />
still a legal <strong>org</strong>anization in this country<br />
despite all the re<br />
strictions on it, and will appeal the case to the Supreme Court.<br />
PANAMA CANAL TREATY<br />
After more than a year's negotiations, Panama and the<br />
U.S. have agreed on a new treaty<br />
which should remove some<br />
major sources of friction over the administration of the Canal<br />
Zone. This area, 48 miles long<br />
and 10 miles wide, is still<br />
legally part of Panama but is almost completely controlled by<br />
the U. S. Our annual rental payments to Panama will be<br />
increased from $430,000 to $1,930,000 a year if the new treaty<br />
is ratified. Commissaries operated by the American govern<br />
ment will be restricted to U. S. servicemen and Ameri<br />
can civilian employees, to avoid unfair<br />
competition with<br />
Panamanian merchants. Steps will also be taken to eliminate<br />
discrimination against local workers, the most irritating fea<br />
ture of U. S. administration. The State Department will ask<br />
Congress to draw up a uniform wage scale for North Ameri<br />
can and Panamanian workers, and to extend retirement bene<br />
fits to all. The new agreement should do much to promote<br />
good feeling<br />
SPANISH ROYALTY<br />
in this vital spot of Latin America.<br />
Generalissimo Franco may be looking<br />
ual restoration of the Bourbon dynasty<br />
has been empty for over twenty years, since the<br />
toward the event<br />
in Spain. The throne<br />
abdication of<br />
Alfonso XIII. Don Juan, the Bourbon heir, has been living in<br />
exile with his family in Portugal. But dictator Franco has now<br />
reached an understanding<br />
with Don Juan regarding the edu<br />
cation of his 16-year-old son, Juan Carlos. The prince will<br />
finish his schooling in Spanish military academies and uni<br />
versities. This will please the powerful monarchist faction who<br />
have given Franco considerable trouble recently. Franco has<br />
not been favorable to the return of Don Juan to Spain, but<br />
may be grooming the prince as his own successor. In any case<br />
there is little hope for social progress, for a Bourbon king<br />
would be supported by the Church and the landed nobility,<br />
who are mainly<br />
MORE MANGANESE<br />
responsible for Spain's backward condition.<br />
A new American source has been discovered for man<br />
ganese, one of the indispensable metals of modern industry.<br />
Manganese makes steel stronger and harder. The U. S. uses<br />
about 800,000 tons annually, or about fourteen pounds for<br />
every ton of steel. But 90 per cent of our supply has had to'<br />
be imported, from such distant places as India and Africa-<br />
Now a Canadian mining company has found a deposit of at<br />
least 150 million tons of ore, 10 per cent pure, in New Bruns<br />
wick, close to the Maine border. This will be enough to sup<br />
ply the U. S. for twenty years, and more may yet be found.<br />
In northern New Brunswick, less than 200 miles away, there is<br />
also a large deposit of iron pyrites, which will yield sulphur<br />
for refining the manganese ore. Rail and water transporta<br />
tion is already available, and a mill should be operating with<br />
in a year.<br />
BETTER HEALTH<br />
America's health last year was "the best on<br />
record,"<br />
ac<br />
cording to a report issued by the Metropolitan Life Insurance<br />
Company. The national death rate for 19<strong>54</strong> reached an alltime<br />
low of 9.2 per 1,000 population, 5 per cent under 1953.<br />
There was no major flu epidemic in 19<strong>54</strong>, and the death rate<br />
for nearly every disease fell. The tuberculosis death rate fell<br />
by 10 per cent, and influenza and pneumonia by 25 per cent.<br />
The death rate for cancer remained about the same, but heart<br />
(Continued on page 5)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue. Topeka. Kansar.<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo T. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: J2.50 per year; Overseas. $3.00: SinK* Cbpre*<br />
10 cents.<br />
The Rev. R. B. Lyons, B.A., Limavady, N. Ireland, Agent for i)m-<br />
British Isles.<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton Kan^a:<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
January 5, 1955
selves."<br />
only,"<br />
you"<br />
An Appeal for Short Termers<br />
Dear friends in Christ,<br />
By T. M. Edgar<br />
This last Sabbath<br />
^<br />
morning, in our Boarders Sab<br />
bath meeting, at 11:00 o'clock, one of our teachers,<br />
Mr. Angelos Chattalas, gave us a very inspiring mes<br />
sage concerning the mission of Christ's Church, and<br />
our own particular responsibility as individuals in<br />
spreading the Gospel message. His text was James<br />
1:21-27, with special emphasis on the 22nd verse,<br />
"But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only,<br />
deceiving your own His remarks were a chal<br />
lenge to both students and teachers.<br />
This young^ man was graduated from our Acad<br />
emy in 1948, and, after six years of study in Ameri<br />
ca, and a short period spent in the United States<br />
Army, he has returned to us for one year, full of zeal<br />
and enthusiasm to put into practice our school motto,<br />
"TO GROW AND TO SERVE." We shall be very sor<br />
ry to see him leave at the close of this school year,<br />
which has been passing much more quickly than one<br />
should wish for it to do. I am sure that there may<br />
be some of the young people of Bloomington who will<br />
remember Angelos, for he served as President of the<br />
Young People's Society for one year while he was at<br />
tending Indiana University.<br />
So often we express the wish that we might have<br />
more of our young people graduates of the school<br />
who have gone abroad for higher studies, return to<br />
our midst to help us here build up the type of Cove<br />
nanter Mission School which I am certain all of you<br />
at home really desire, and the type which we here<br />
feel is so necessary. Yes, it would be fine if we could<br />
add to our Staff each year two or three of these<br />
Academy graduates who have migrated to other<br />
lands, have found the Lord, and desire to serve Him,<br />
but, unfortunately for us have decided to remain in<br />
another part of His vineyard rather than to return<br />
to help us. There is often the temptation for us to<br />
ask the Lord, why Why must it be so difficult to<br />
draw young people to work in the Academies in Cy<br />
prus Not only those who have had the benefit of a<br />
Christian education here at the Academy, but also<br />
those of our own <strong>Covenanter</strong> Young People living at<br />
home in America Is it because there is a lack of<br />
vision Remember what the Scriptures teach,<br />
perish."<br />
"Where there is no vision, the people<br />
It has now been some years since we have had a<br />
short-termer here at Larnaca Acadamy. In fact, the<br />
last to come was Clark Copeland in 1938. Let me em<br />
phasize that the work of a short-termer is of great<br />
value, for he lives in the Boarding Dept. where he<br />
has a wonderful opportunity to be a "doer of the<br />
Word and not a hearer for twenty-four hours<br />
of the dav, and for a period of three years. This year<br />
we have a rather large number of boarders, in fact,<br />
of whom are at the school for the first<br />
136, many<br />
time this year; and certainly there is present this<br />
year a fine opportunity for any young man who<br />
wishes to both teach, and do personal evangelistic<br />
and,<br />
work. Just think of all that is involved : 136 boys and<br />
young men, many of whom have not accepted Jesus<br />
Christ as their Saviour, students at the Academy<br />
who may be led to Christ because some young man<br />
in America, a <strong>Covenanter</strong>, has decided to dedicate his<br />
life to personal evangelism, and Christian education,<br />
is one who wishes to come out to live in our<br />
Academy Boarding Department for three years with<br />
the boys of our school.<br />
This year I am the Acting Director of the school,<br />
and will carry on in that capacity until Mr. Weir re<br />
turns. It has taken just a very short time to open my<br />
eyes to the present need for at least one or two Cove<br />
nanter short-termers in our Boarding Department.<br />
You friends at home will hardly realize what I am<br />
stressing, unless you have actually been on the For<br />
eign Mission Field here in Cyprus or in Syria, China<br />
or Japan. If not, you might ask someone who has<br />
been a missionary what it means to have Boarding<br />
teachers who are entirely dedicated to <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
principles. Let me emphasize just once more, that if<br />
this is to be a <strong>Covenanter</strong> Mission School, then we<br />
need young men who are fully trained and consecrat<br />
ed for Christian education young men willing to<br />
leave their homeland with its fine jobs and good sal<br />
aries.<br />
I have at different occasions, this year and last,<br />
had the assurance that there are many of you at<br />
home who have been remembering me in your pray<br />
ers. So often, problems which at first seemed diffi<br />
cult to solve, were worked out easily. Let me express<br />
my appreciation for your prayers and interest.<br />
Dear Friends:<br />
Home Again in Latakia<br />
By Mrs. Ada M. Hutcheson<br />
Tomorrow it will be six weeks since I got back to<br />
Latakia and I am thinking I should get a letter to<br />
you telling something about my trip and getting back<br />
to work again. As I looked forward a few months ago<br />
it seemed to me there were so many decisions to<br />
make and so many things to do I wondered how it<br />
would all get straightened out but we remembered<br />
the promise, "He careth for<br />
and we prayed<br />
many times that He would lead us in the right way.<br />
We all feel that our prayers were answered and in<br />
nearly every question the way was made plain to us.<br />
It was a great satisfaction that our son Harold whom<br />
I had not seen for two years was able to get to Olathe<br />
and have a short visit with the family there and then<br />
travel with me to New York and help me get started<br />
to Syria.<br />
Sailing on the Excalibur September 10 besides<br />
Mr. Awad and myself there were many whose des<br />
tination was Beirut. Four of these were persons I<br />
had known before but most were new members of<br />
Beirut University<br />
staff or diplomatic personnel or oil<br />
people or special services of the army or navy. One<br />
of my roommates was Miss Beatrice McClellan of the<br />
U. P. Mission in Egypt and the other was Miss Rich<br />
ards who is teaching in the American Community<br />
School in Beirut. This last mentioned young lady was<br />
one of the best dressed and most popular on the ship<br />
and she did not drink or smoke. I imagine that our<br />
state room was perhaps the only one where there<br />
was no smell of smoke.<br />
There is one reason why this will be a memor<br />
able trip. We left N. Y. near 4 P. M. and soon it was<br />
supper time and afterwards we unpacked for the<br />
trip. We had so many suitcases we emptied what we<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
needed and thought we would get several stored in<br />
the baggage room next morning. As it turned out<br />
they were still there the third day for that night<br />
Hurricane Edna struck. For 30 hours we were rolled,<br />
jerked, tipped one way, then the other. We could hear<br />
the big waves slam the sides of the ship and go right<br />
over the decks. We stayed in our room all the second<br />
day and did not even want food. It was dangerous to<br />
try to walk and the chairs and suitcases were shift<br />
ing<br />
around so we decided the best place was in bed.<br />
However the thing I like to remember most is that<br />
though seasick and rather frightened of the storm<br />
I kept feeling that the Lord was able to make a path<br />
right through the stormy sea if it was His will and<br />
I felt near to Him and peaceful. May it be to His<br />
glory that we came through the storm safely!<br />
Getting into the familiar Beirut harbor was a<br />
thrill. Before we got tied up we could see Mr. Hutche<br />
son and Mr. Tewfik Awad, brother of the pastor, and<br />
others. That afternoon two carloads of us left Beirut<br />
when we reached Latakia we were a procession of<br />
6 or 7 cars. According to eastern custom most of<br />
Mr. Awad's family and relatives had come to escort<br />
him home. It was after dark by that time and we<br />
were hungry and quite ready to enjoy a delicious sup<br />
per in the Hays home with Miss McClurkin and the<br />
Hays family. Across the street the Awads had a<br />
family gathering. Since then it has been a busy time<br />
for all. Both schools are under way with good enroll<br />
ment even though tuitions have been raised. Loyal<br />
Christian teachers are at work in the two schools<br />
but several more were needed and it has been hard to<br />
find them. Substitutes or inexperienced ones have<br />
had to be used. The weather has been fine and Mr.<br />
Hays has been making frequent trips to the villages.<br />
Rev. Awad is trying to have family worship with<br />
each family of the congregation before the fall com<br />
munion which is to be November 28. We are rejoicing<br />
with Bassam and Shirley Madany over the birth of<br />
their son. The women's society is making plans to<br />
sponsor a junior society. Mrs. McKelvy's book,<br />
"Taught of the Lord" is going to be used as program<br />
material. I've promised to help with this project. I<br />
am teaching three classes a day in the high school<br />
and am looking forward to having this contact with<br />
the younger children. Miss McClurkin is taking a<br />
group of high school students to Tripoli on Saturday<br />
for a one day rally of Christian Students Fellowship.<br />
The boarding students plan to have a game night in<br />
the lower hall of the girls school Friday night. This<br />
hall is equipped for shuffle board. The boys will also<br />
be using table games which friends from U.S.A. sent<br />
out some time ago. Two junior high age Yugoslav<br />
boys whose father is here in connection with building<br />
the new port are in school this year. They do not<br />
know English, Arabic or French but hope to learn<br />
English and we hope to be able to talk to them some<br />
day. We understand that they have been raised with<br />
out religion. We miss Miss McElroy, the Sandersons<br />
and our four children. We are always remembering<br />
them in our prayers and enjoy the good letters that<br />
come from them.<br />
In closing I should like to thank the many who<br />
entertained us in their homes as we traveled around,<br />
and especially the Olathe congregation which did so<br />
much to make our comings and goings pleasant<br />
their love and their gifts of many kinds will not be<br />
f<strong>org</strong>otten. I want to mention the nice stainless steel<br />
table ware for the boarding school, a gift of the Kan<br />
sas Presbyterial. There was a nice quilt from the<br />
College Hill congregation, a gift of money from the<br />
Stafford congregation and several other gifts of<br />
money from individuals truly the Lord has been<br />
Then at sailing Mrs. Beatty and Miss Weir,<br />
representing the Synodical, saw that we had fruit for<br />
the trip and an orchid for decoration. The good<br />
wishes expressed in these ways are very precious.<br />
And I almost f<strong>org</strong>ot to mention the steamer letters !<br />
It would have been terrible to have to sail without<br />
steamer letters. May God's richest blessings rest<br />
upon you all.<br />
In His service.<br />
Foreign Missions Board Treasurer's<br />
Report<br />
(Condensed)<br />
Sept. 1 Dec. 1, 19<strong>54</strong><br />
RECEIPTS<br />
Living Donors $ 968.71<br />
Bequests 900.00<br />
Invested Funds 158.00<br />
Miscellaneous 1,229.21<br />
Total Receipts $ 3,255.92<br />
EXPENDITURES<br />
Travel Expense<br />
___$ 1,810.92<br />
Cyprus 2,030.15<br />
Syria 4,501.80<br />
Japan 2,687.60<br />
Home Base 1,017.45<br />
Total Expenditures $12,047.92<br />
Excess of Exp. over receipts $ 8,792.00<br />
Overdraft Sept. 1 3,<strong>54</strong>8.58<br />
Overdraft Dec. 1 __$12,340.58<br />
RECEIPTS<br />
April 1, 19<strong>54</strong> Dec. 1, 19<strong>54</strong> _._$14,993.08<br />
EXPENDITURES<br />
April 1, 19<strong>54</strong> Dec. 1, 19<strong>54</strong> ___$26,070.94<br />
Overdraft April 1, 19<strong>54</strong> 1,264.72<br />
Overdraft Dec. 1. __$12,340.58<br />
CURRENT EVENTS Cont'd from page 3<br />
and kidney ailments and diabetes declined. There were more<br />
cases of measles and whooping-cough last year than in 1953,<br />
but few fatalities.<br />
VOLCANIC POWER<br />
Scientists are beginning to exploit the tremendous re<br />
serves of heat in the depths of the earth. <strong>Vol</strong>canic steam will<br />
be used to generate electric energy in a new power develop<br />
ment in New Zealand. The chief engineer of the Ministry of<br />
Works predicts that in three years the South Pacific islands<br />
will have 40,000 additional kilowatts of capacity from this<br />
source. Three test drillings show steam pressures up to 200<br />
pounds per square inch at a depth of 2,000 feet. The power<br />
capacity will merely depend on the size of the shaft that is<br />
sunk. Natural steam has been used to produce power for many<br />
years near Florence, Italy, and has also been harnessed for<br />
heating purposes. It may yet prove to be a major source of<br />
energy for some parts of the world.<br />
January 5, 1955
Evangelicals Are Persecuted in Greece<br />
Glenwood Blackmore<br />
Evarfgelicals throughout the world need to know<br />
the facts about the persecution of their brethren in<br />
Greece. We read column after column these days<br />
about persecutions in Colombia, Spain and Italy. We<br />
have learned to expect the Roman Catholic hierarchy<br />
to oppose evangelical missions. But we know very<br />
little about the persecutions for which the Greek<br />
Orthodox Catholic Church is responsible.<br />
It is very difficult to get the facts about the per<br />
plexities faced by the Evangelical Church in Greece.<br />
Its leaders are reticent about giving out information<br />
because both the State church and the Evangelical<br />
church are members of the World Council of Church<br />
es. Evangelicals are striving to be good members of<br />
the WCC and good citizens of<br />
Greece, but the WCC<br />
and the Greek government are so tied up with the<br />
Greek Church that they can do little to help the poor<br />
evangelicals.<br />
The facts we present in this article are well<br />
substantiated and we take full responsibility for pre<br />
senting them. It is time somebody had the courage to<br />
tell the truth about a situation which is a disgrace to<br />
the WCC, the Greek Church and the government of<br />
Greece.<br />
The Constitution of Greece guarantees religious<br />
freedom, though it recognizes the Orthodox Church<br />
as the State or Established Church and it definitely<br />
forbids "proselytism." There are, however, laws<br />
which were put in force in 1938 during the Metaxes<br />
dictatorship putting such restrictions on the activi<br />
ties of non-Orthodox Christian groups, that religious<br />
liberty is not accorded to the non-Orthodox Chris<br />
tian communities in the full meaning of the word.<br />
Even that meagre degree of religious freedom, how<br />
ever, is now being threatened.<br />
Denied Church Building<br />
In a little town in Macedonia, Neos Mylotopos,<br />
there is an Evangelical community of seventy fami<br />
lies, all of whom are refugees from Asia Minor.<br />
These families have lived peacefully in that little<br />
town for over thirty years and the measure of re<br />
spect they enjoy on the part of their fellow-citizens<br />
can be realized by the fact that the mayor of the<br />
town has for a long time been an elder of the Church.<br />
For a good many years these people have been hold<br />
ing their religious services in the house of one of<br />
their number. This, however, has been altogether in<br />
adequate and in 1950 a petition was filed with the<br />
Ministry of Cults in order to get a permit to build<br />
a proper church building for this community.<br />
In order that such a permit should be given to a<br />
non-Greek Orthodox community, the consent of the<br />
Greek Orthodox Bishop of the district is required.<br />
Bishop of the district was at that time Mgr. Panteleimon<br />
who is at present Bishop of Thessalonica and<br />
who at that time was a member of the Central Com<br />
mittee of the World Council of Churches. The Mod<br />
erator of the Evangelical General Assembly visited<br />
6<br />
Mgr. Panteleimon and asked him to give his consent.<br />
The bishop promised to do so and a few weeks later<br />
gave the assurance that in a letter of his to the Min<br />
istry of Cults he gave that consent. This, however,<br />
was not true. And the Ministry replying on the re<br />
fusal of the bishop to give his consent turned the<br />
petition down. You can imagine the dismay of those<br />
seventy families who saw that in a Christian country<br />
they were not permitted to worship according to the<br />
dictates of their conscience.<br />
This happened at the time when the Greek Or<br />
thodox Church was raising money in the USA among<br />
the Protestant churches for the erection of one thou<br />
sand Greek Orthodox churches in Greece. An editor<br />
ial appeared at that time in the Christian Century<br />
which deplored the fact that a Church which had re<br />
ceived the generous help of Protestant churches<br />
abroad to erect its own places of worship refused to<br />
give its consent to a small Protestant community to<br />
erect its own place of worship. The appearance of<br />
this editorial disturbed the Greek Orthodox circles<br />
and the Moderator of the Evangelical General Assem<br />
bly received a message from the Archbishop of Ath<br />
ens asking him to file a new petition with the defi<br />
nite promise that this time the permit would be<br />
forthcoming. The new petition was filed more than<br />
two years ago, but in spite of the repeated oral prom<br />
ises which the Archbishop gave, the permit was defi<br />
nitely refused. An appeal against this decision was<br />
made to the Supreme State Court, which turned it<br />
down on the ground that according to information<br />
supplied to the Court by the Greek Orthodox Bishop<br />
of Edessa and the police authorities, evangelicals<br />
practice proselytism. The Bishop said the Evangeli<br />
cal Church gave each one of its proselytes the equiva<br />
lent of $3 in Greek money and promised them further<br />
financial help, declaring that no one is in danger of<br />
being persecuted by the Communists if he joins the<br />
Protestant Church, etc. On the basis of this false in<br />
formation given<br />
by the Bishop and the police au<br />
thorities the Protestant community in Neos Myloto<br />
pos was definitely refused the right to have its own<br />
place of worship.<br />
Evangelical School Banned<br />
Members of the largest Evangelical community<br />
in Greece, the town of Katerini in Macedonia (some<br />
500 families), filed a petition with the Ministry of<br />
Education for a permit to found a private primary<br />
school. The need for such schools was imperative on<br />
account of indignities suffered by children at the<br />
hands of Greek Orthodox schoolmasters, because of<br />
their religious principles. The Greek Constitution<br />
recognizes the right to establish such schools and the<br />
law which ratified the Treaty of Sevres expressly<br />
recognizes that religious minorities have the right of<br />
establishing their own educational institutions. In<br />
spite of that the Ministry of Education turned down<br />
the petition. The Supreme Court in April, 1953, an<br />
nulled the decision of the Ministry of Education and<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ecognized the Constitutional right for evangelicals<br />
to have such a school. In spite of this judgment, how<br />
ever, the Ministry of Education still persists in its<br />
refusal to issue the permit on the ground that the<br />
Archbishop of Athens has not given his consent. It<br />
should be noted that the Archbishop has no legal<br />
right whatever to interfere in an educational matter<br />
of a religious minority. The Moderator of the Evan<br />
gelical General Assembly visited him and tried to<br />
persuade him to withdraw his objections. The arch<br />
bishop, however, was adamant in his refusal to do<br />
so and asked the Moderator never again to mention<br />
this matter to him.<br />
Equally unsuccessful was a visit by the Mod<br />
erator and other members of the Executive Com<br />
mittee of the General Assembly to Prof. H. Alivizatos<br />
who is the liaison between the Greek Orthodox<br />
Church and the World Council of Churches and its<br />
relief branch, the Church World Service. Alivizatos<br />
is famed as a great believer in "ecumenical" ideals.<br />
Unfortunately he proved even more definite than the<br />
Archbishop in his refusal to recognize the right for<br />
a small Protestant community to have a day school<br />
of its own. When it was pointed out to him that both<br />
the law of the country and the judgment of the Su<br />
preme Court recognize this right, he answered in<br />
anger that he did not care what the law and the Su<br />
preme Court is in this matter and that, if he were the<br />
Minister of Cults, he would never consent to give a<br />
permit to the Evangelical Church to have its own<br />
schools.<br />
Seizure of Property<br />
Again in Katerini Evangelicals received their<br />
most severe blow. Between the beautiful church<br />
building there and the orphanage, where fifty Greek<br />
Evangelical orphan boys and girls are being given a<br />
home, evangelicals have a piece of land which they<br />
have planted by their church with trees, flowers and<br />
shrubs and for the last thirty years has served as a<br />
little park as well as a place where the Sabbath School<br />
children meet for exercises, etc. The town munici<br />
pality, incited by fanatical Greek Orthodox church<br />
men, issued a decree by which they seized this piece<br />
of land, for the purpose of building a Greek Orthodox<br />
school. This decree of the town municipality was<br />
recently ratified by the King and was published in<br />
the State Gazette in spite of the fact that the local<br />
court decided in favor of the evangelicals.<br />
This serious blow against religious freedom<br />
opens the door for fanatical elements in the Greek<br />
Orthodox Church to lay hand on all Evangelical<br />
Church property without any indemnity being paid.<br />
Under such conditions the very existence of Evan<br />
gelical Christianity in Greece is imperiled. At the mo<br />
ment all evangelicals can be expelled from their plac<br />
es of worship.<br />
The Katerini brethren then went to the Supreme<br />
State Court,<br />
although bitter experience had taught<br />
them how futile this is if the Archbishop<br />
chooses to<br />
tear its judgments to pieces. On the day of the hear<br />
ing there was brought to the notice of the Court a<br />
Panteleimon<br />
addressed to the Holy Synod of the Church of<br />
letter of the Bishop of Thessalonica Mgr.<br />
Greece which the Synod promptly sent to the Court,<br />
in order to influence its judgment on the case. This<br />
letter is full of false statements which the bishop did<br />
January 5, 1955<br />
not hesitate to make at the expense of a small Pro<br />
testant Church which never did anything to incur<br />
his wrath. It should be noted that both the bishop<br />
and the Holy Synod intervened in this case, which<br />
was strictly between the Evangelical Church in Ka<br />
terini and the Municipality, wholly uninvited by ei<br />
ther party and of their own free will, in order to<br />
throw their weight in the scales against the evan<br />
gelicals. This proves once again beyond any doubt<br />
that the source of it is not so much the Greek gov<br />
ernment authorities, but the Orthodox Church of<br />
Greece that is responsible for these tragic persecu<br />
tions.<br />
Worship Services Forbidden<br />
Evangelicals living in villages and small towns<br />
in the provinces have asked for the necessary per<br />
mits so that they may have the right to gather for<br />
worship. These petitions have been turned down at<br />
the instigation of Greek Orthodox officials. Over and<br />
over again people have been thus refused the right to<br />
meet and worship God as Evangelical believers in<br />
Greece.<br />
The Moderator of the Evangelical General As<br />
sembly, Dr. G. A. Hadjiantoniou, gave a lecture re<br />
cently in a public auditorium of Athens on "The True<br />
Nature of the Church," in which he tried to show<br />
that the spirit of religious intolerance is unchristian<br />
and pleaded for a more generous spirit in the rela<br />
tions of the churches one with another. A second<br />
lecture had been planned in the same auditorium by<br />
the same speaker to be given a month later. The so<br />
ciety, however, to which the auditorium belongs,<br />
withdrew its permission for the lecture, having made<br />
it quite plain that this was done because the Office<br />
of the Archbishop of Athens did not give its consent.<br />
Greek Orthodox authorities have repeatedly re<br />
fused to permit Evangelicals even to bury dead in the<br />
public municipal cemeteries. In many<br />
other respects<br />
a decided effort is being made to uproot this little<br />
Church by robbing it of the small measure of relig<br />
ious freedom which it now enjoys.<br />
Protest and Prayer<br />
Although this Evangelical Church in Greece is<br />
not a member of our World Evangelical Fellowship<br />
and chooses to hold membership in the World Council<br />
of Churches, these humble people are our brethren.<br />
If we might be permitted to aid them American<br />
evangelicals would be most happy to do so.<br />
We protest against this unchristian treatment<br />
of a small Protestant minority by a nation that<br />
boasts of its religious freedom and by a church that<br />
boasts it is the one and only true Christian church.<br />
We protest against the utter neglect and disregard<br />
accorded these patient and long-suffering evangeli<br />
cals at the hands of the World Council of Churches.<br />
We ask every reader of these lines to pray for<br />
Dr. Hadjiantoniou and the members of the Executive<br />
Committee of the General Assembly and for those<br />
humble brethren in Katerini, Neos Mylotopos and all<br />
other communities who are experiencing the darkest<br />
hour in the 100-year history of evangelical Christian<br />
ity in Greece. This is not the first time in the history<br />
of the Church that persecution has been faced for<br />
loyalty of the Faith. May God give the evangelicals<br />
of Greece ultimate victory in His Name !
18<strong>54</strong> One Hundred Years in Egypt 19<strong>54</strong><br />
"Assuit College Its Past, Present, and Future" By Dr. Walter J. Skellie, President<br />
In UNITED PRESBYTERIAN<br />
(Condensed)<br />
As the Mission in Egypt celebrates its centen<br />
nial year we would recall the large and important<br />
place occupied by Assiut college, which for 91 of<br />
those 100 years has witnessed in the name and spirit<br />
of the Master Teacher to the people of Upper Egypt.<br />
After two attempts by the Mission to open edu<br />
cational work in Assiut in 1860 and 1863 had failed,<br />
the school which has developed into Assiut college<br />
was opened March 13, 1865, by Dr. John Hogg. His<br />
purpose was to train Christian leaders for the evan<br />
gelization of Egypt. Church and school were very<br />
closely associated in the mind of this gifted and de<br />
voted missionary who was used by God in the estab<br />
lishing of numerous congregations and schools as he<br />
worked out from the Assiut center. The service of<br />
the college to the church has always been foremost<br />
in all its endeavors, and the Protestant church in<br />
Egypt is what it is today largely because of the in<br />
fluence of the college, both on individuals and on the<br />
Christian culture of the country.<br />
Assiut college was born, as was the Master it<br />
serves, in a stable. A room on the first floor of a<br />
native house which had long been used for animals<br />
was rented and cleaned up for the beginning of a<br />
small day school. This school soon secured more ade<br />
quate quarters and passed through the stages of a<br />
small boarding school,<br />
an academy, and a college<br />
with a theological seminary as a part of its work un<br />
til the seminary was later moved to Cairo. The<br />
strong character of Dr. Hogg, the founder, was built<br />
into the very life of the school.<br />
Capable Egyptians Cooperate<br />
Loyal and capable Egyptian teachers have al<br />
ways played an important role in the work of the<br />
college, and their devoted service means much to it.<br />
Since 1936 three Egyptians have been members of<br />
the administrative faculty, and some of these men<br />
now serve on every faculty committee, sharing in all<br />
our planning. We are glad to have our Egyptian<br />
brethren assume these increased responsibilities, and<br />
we feel that the college is the richer because they<br />
are doing so. We are particularly grateful for the<br />
services of Egyptians who have had the opportunity<br />
of advanced study in America. Rev. Tawfik Salih was<br />
a tower of strength on our staff for many years .un<br />
til he was called to full-time work as resident pro<br />
fessor in the Seminary in Cairo. Rev. Badie Ibrahim,<br />
Rev. Fayez Fares, and Mr. Latif Tawfik Ghobrial<br />
have all recently secured Masters' degrees in Ameri<br />
ca and returned to Egypt to serve with us. Their<br />
knowledge of and acquaintance in the church in<br />
America are a great asset in this service.<br />
Plans are nearly<br />
completed for the establish<br />
ment of a board of trustees for the college which will<br />
include representatives of the Synod of the Nile, the<br />
Alumni association, and the Assiut Christian com<br />
munity. We welcome this step forward, and believe<br />
that it will enable the church in Egypt to feel more<br />
definitely that the college is theirs, and not a foreign<br />
institution in their midst. We do not anticipate that<br />
this new <strong>org</strong>anization will contribute largely to the<br />
8<br />
support of the college for a few years at least. Eco<br />
nomic conditions in Egypt today and new economic<br />
legislation make it difficult for many to give much to<br />
such causes, but we have hope and faith to believe<br />
that Egyptians will assume increasing responsibility<br />
for every phase of the school's life and work.<br />
The Institution Described<br />
Now just what is Assiut college It is a mission<br />
school of 850 students and a staff of 50. It has pri<br />
mary, preparatory, and secondary departments and<br />
prepares students for Egyptian Government exam<br />
preministerial<br />
students. We have excellent grounds and<br />
inations, as well as giving a special course for<br />
buildings and equipment. Our classroom teaching as<br />
well as our promotional examinations are subject<br />
to inspection by men from the Ministry of Education,<br />
and these inspectors are unanimous in their high<br />
praise for the school and its work. Our boarding de<br />
partment cares for about 300 of our students. It is<br />
a place where parents from areas where adequate<br />
schools are not available can send their sons with the<br />
assurance that they will be well looked after, and<br />
where they will be trained in a cultured Christian<br />
atmosphere.<br />
The religious life of the college is of primary im<br />
portance. Regular religion classes and chapel exer<br />
cises are a part of the program for all Christian stu<br />
dents. Muslim students, who number about 15 per<br />
cent of the total, are not allowed by law to share in<br />
these exercises but they spend the class time in the<br />
library. The college has an active YMCA <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tion, a CE for the boys in the preparatory depart<br />
ment, Sabbath school for all the boarding students,<br />
and regular Sabbath preaching services in which the<br />
staff and girls from the Pressly Memorial institute<br />
join with us. It is a thrill to speak to that fine au<br />
dience of young Egyptian Christians. The <strong>Vol</strong>unteer<br />
band carries on services in quite a group of villages<br />
which would not otherwise be reached with preach<br />
ing<br />
services. Each year Religious Emphasis week is<br />
observed, personal work is done with students, com<br />
municants classes are held, and a fine group of stu<br />
dents unite with the church on profession of their<br />
faith. In short we can sum up the religious influence<br />
of the college by saying that it is a stronghold of<br />
Protestant Christianity, a leavening influence in a<br />
non-Christian land, a center of evangelism, and a<br />
training school for Christian workers.<br />
Future Faced In Faith<br />
The future of Assiut college, from the human<br />
standpoint, depends upon a number of factors.<br />
Among these is the attitude which the Egyptian gov<br />
ernment will take toward private schools in general<br />
and mission and church schools in particular. We<br />
have many reasons to believe that this attitude will<br />
be favorable on the whole. Another factor is that of<br />
Egyptian support. We cannot expect a great deal of<br />
material support from the Egyptian church for some<br />
time, but we believe that it will increase. The moral<br />
support of the church and of the community is as-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
committee"<br />
offerings"<br />
sured, for they believe that we have something spe<br />
cial to give their sons in character training which<br />
other schools do not give them. The measure of spe<br />
cial support which can be obtained from American<br />
sources is also a factor which may have a vital influ<br />
ence on the future of the college. Can we hope that<br />
another "Pittsburgh<br />
will be formed, not<br />
to secure more property and buildings, but to build<br />
up<br />
an assured income which will be adequate to meet<br />
the financial needs of the day in which we live and<br />
serve Are there not many consecrated individuals<br />
who are willing to make provision in their wills for<br />
the continuation of their interest in this type of<br />
Christian witness We have the equipment ; we have<br />
loyal and able Christian teachers ; we have abundant<br />
opportunity to serve. We thank God that his re<br />
sources are abundant and unfailing, and we believe<br />
that he still has a great place in his plans to use<br />
Assiut college in building up the Kingdom of God in<br />
the valley of the Nile. We face the future in faith<br />
that He will provide for our needs beyond all that<br />
can ask or think.<br />
Thailand Welcomes Missionaries<br />
From China<br />
By Isobel S. Kuhn and Ivan Allbutt<br />
Thailand is a new field, entered during the past<br />
three years by a task force of more than eighty<br />
China Inland Mission missionaries forced out of<br />
Communist China. In spite of the difficulties of<br />
learning new languages and customs, contacts have<br />
been made among the Yao, Lahu, Miao, Shan and<br />
Kachin, as well as the Lisu tribes.<br />
some of these languages to<br />
The work of reducing<br />
writing is well in hand, gospel primers and cate<br />
chisms have been produced, literacy classes are the<br />
order of the day, small church groups have been<br />
formed in several places and chapels have been built<br />
by the believers.<br />
One woman worker has been widely used in help<br />
ing opium addicts break their habit of taking that<br />
awful drug, introducing them to the God of deliver<br />
ance. A Lisu magazine, mimeographed and mailed<br />
over the border into Burma, may also be reaching<br />
under the Iron Curtain. The marvel of all this is that<br />
it has been done in the short span of three years. God<br />
is doing a new thing in Thailand.<br />
To the south, in the plains of the central prov<br />
inces among the Thai (pronounced tie) race, seven<br />
key cities now have resident missionaries, and an<br />
eighth city will probably be occupied before this item<br />
appears in print. These are carrying the Word of Life<br />
to the world-conscious, gracious and genteel Thai<br />
who are Buddhist in social life and politics as well<br />
as in religion.<br />
A barrage of gospel literature is being released<br />
to meet the challenge of 20,000 monasteries and<br />
170,000 yellow-robed Buddhist priests and novices.<br />
The gospel launch, Maranatha, plies the canals and<br />
streams that make a network of waterways, the only<br />
routes of communication to many towns,<br />
villages and<br />
farmsteads. Evangelistic and medical workers climb<br />
ing the banks of the rivers find an immediate in<br />
terest in their message. The gospel is new to these<br />
people.<br />
It is a new thing, too, for the Moslems of south<br />
Thailand to have Christian witnesses living in their<br />
January 5, 1955<br />
towns. Proud of their tradition and boastful of their<br />
Koran, they will nevertheless listen to the missionary<br />
who shows them the authenticity of the Gospel rec<br />
ord.<br />
Becoming all things to all men, sitting<br />
people sit, diligently proclaiming the gospel in season<br />
and out of season<br />
where the<br />
there is nothing startlingly new<br />
about that for the CIM, but doing it in new ways in<br />
new fields is putting new life into an old mission.<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
By J. Merrill Robb<br />
We believe in and practice the tithe for the fol<br />
lowing reason :<br />
1. It belongs to God anyway.<br />
"And all the tithe of the land,<br />
whether of the<br />
seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the<br />
Lord's : it is holy unto the Lord" (Leviticus 27 :30)<br />
.<br />
"Will a man rob God Yet ye have robbed me.<br />
But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee In tithes<br />
and<br />
(Malachi 3:8).<br />
2. God Blesses the tither.<br />
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that<br />
there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now<br />
herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open<br />
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a bless<br />
ing, that there shall not be room enough to receive<br />
it"<br />
(Malachi 3:10).<br />
Surely God has "leaned over backward" when<br />
He blesses us for merely giving Him the tithe which<br />
belongs to Him anyway.<br />
3. It solves the tither's financial problems.<br />
We fare better on nine-tenths of our income<br />
with God's blessing than on ten-tenths of it without<br />
God's blessing. Can any<br />
one of us say how many<br />
times God has spared us a costly accident, sickness<br />
or other unfortunate happening !<br />
4. It WOULD solve the church's financial problems.<br />
We have no way to know how many earners of<br />
income there are in our church. And likewise we have<br />
no way to know how much they earn in total. How<br />
ever, let us suppose that the number of earners and<br />
what they earn might be as shown in the figures be<br />
low. Then the total earnings of the church would be<br />
what the example shows.<br />
E'ach of<br />
Suppose whom earns That would<br />
there are annually total<br />
25 $20,000 $ 500,000<br />
75 10,000 750,000<br />
150 7,000 1,050,000<br />
200 5,000 1,000,000<br />
300 4,000 1,200,000<br />
400 3,000 1,200,000<br />
200 2,000 400,000<br />
1350 TOTAL $6,100,000<br />
Then the total earnings of the church would be<br />
$6,100,000 and the tithe on that amount would be<br />
$610,000 a year. And last year we contributed only<br />
$430,243 (19<strong>54</strong> Minutes of Synod). So, wouldn't the<br />
tithe solve the church's financial problems, too<br />
Geneva
. . The<br />
personally."<br />
sick"<br />
girls'<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of January 23, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
January 23, 1955<br />
"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF JOHN"<br />
Romans 12:1, 2; Ephesians 5:15-21<br />
(Used by permission of International<br />
Christian Endeavor)<br />
Psalms<br />
78:1-4, page 187<br />
71:12, 13, 18, 19, page 171<br />
108:1-4, page 270<br />
145:9-13, page 351<br />
73:9-11, page 179<br />
References: Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 63:<br />
7; Luke 12:11, 12; 21:14, 15; 21:34; John<br />
7:17; Col. 3:16; 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:7, 8;<br />
4:17.<br />
Comments by Remo I. Robb, D.D.<br />
Our topic comes from a famous old<br />
poetic drama "The Courtship of Miles<br />
Standish"<br />
by Longfellow. You will re<br />
member that General Standish (or was he<br />
merely a captain), a good soldier but of<br />
crude speech, wanted to woo Priscilla, so<br />
he got John Alden,<br />
of nice words and soft<br />
voice, to go and do the courting. But<br />
Priscilla didn't quite fancy a wooer who<br />
would not woo for himself, so she asked<br />
coyly "Why don't you speak for yourself<br />
John"<br />
I like to read and reread J. B. Phillips'<br />
Preface"<br />
"Translator's to "Letters to<br />
Young Churches," a free translation of<br />
the New Testament epistles. Although he<br />
declares that he does not hold "funda<br />
mentalist view of inspiration," he speaks<br />
in no uncertain admiration of the power<br />
and belief of the writers of the New<br />
Testament. Four statements will sum up<br />
his views:<br />
1. "They had a tremendous sense of<br />
the overwhelming Moral Perfection of<br />
God .<br />
only safe approach to, and<br />
in spiritual<br />
the only means of living<br />
union with such Power lies in Christ<br />
God become Man."<br />
2. Any other view of Christ was out of<br />
the question to these men who "were<br />
sure of the truth, and had in many cases<br />
known Christ<br />
3. We are apt to reduce the Christian<br />
religion to a set of rules of heart and life.<br />
To those men it was the invasion of a<br />
new quality of life altogether.<br />
4. If we believe what they believed, we<br />
might achieve what they achieved.<br />
It strikes me that if we are really com<br />
pletely given to the Lord Jesus Christ as<br />
the Gospel presents Him, we should be<br />
showing more openly that we are invaded<br />
by His Eternal Life principle, and that<br />
we do believe what His apostles believed.<br />
Are young people today only<br />
echoes of<br />
others Do we talk about the love of<br />
God, the working of Christ, missionary<br />
sayachievements,<br />
church hopes, sort of<br />
10<br />
ing<br />
what we think ought to be said<br />
"Speak for yourself,<br />
John."<br />
We should speak out more concerning<br />
our own Christian experience. If Christ<br />
has "invaded" our lives and crushed the<br />
enemy, if "He is our<br />
peace"<br />
as the Bible<br />
declares, then by all means we have<br />
something to speak. We need not fall<br />
back on what happened to others, or<br />
hundreds of years ago, "Speak for your<br />
John!"<br />
self,<br />
I do not mean that we should be up<br />
"testifying"<br />
every whip-stitch, or becom<br />
ing nuisances that people dislike seeing<br />
appear. That sort of thing is not to the<br />
glory of God. It is not even good speak<br />
ing for yourself. I mean that every<br />
Christian ought to have an experience<br />
of the reality of Christ, so he can speak<br />
out of his own heart and not have to<br />
rely solely<br />
long time ago or way<br />
on what Christ has done a<br />
off somewhere else.<br />
And when you have this experience,<br />
there will be times when you have to<br />
speak up for it.<br />
You're bowling, or golfing, with your<br />
friends, and they propose "a little side<br />
bet."<br />
Speak for yourself, John.<br />
Your<br />
club is picking the hide off<br />
some absent member in a good gossip<br />
session. Speak for yourself, Joanna.<br />
The talk is of politics, and how did you<br />
vote Spee
ear)."<br />
sixty times as much; and in other places,<br />
even a hundred times as much.<br />
After hearing this story the people went<br />
home and Jesus was left alone with the<br />
twelve disciples. When they<br />
were alone<br />
the disciples asked Jesus what He meant<br />
by the story He had told the people. So<br />
Jesus told them what the story meant.<br />
Instead of my telling<br />
you what Jesus<br />
said was the meaning of this parable of<br />
the sower, let's open our Bibles to Mark<br />
4 and find out the answers to some ques<br />
tions :<br />
1. What is the seed Mark 4:14<br />
2. To what shall we liken the ground<br />
whether by the wayside, or stony ground,<br />
or thorny ground, or good ground See<br />
Mark 4:15<br />
3. What was true in each kind of heart<br />
where the Word was sown Mark 4:15,<br />
16, 18, 20<br />
4. In the case of the seed sown<br />
by the<br />
wayside, whom do the "birds" represent<br />
that ate up the seed Mark 4:15<br />
5. In the case of the seed sown on<br />
stony ground, what does the sun repre<br />
sent Mark 4:17. What is the result<br />
6. In the case of the seed sown among<br />
the thorns, what do the thorns represent<br />
Mark 4:19. What is the result<br />
7. In the case of the seed sown on good<br />
ground what else happens besides hearing<br />
the Word Mark 4:20. What is the re<br />
sult<br />
And now, Juniors, Jesus didn't tell<br />
stories to entertain the people. He was<br />
teaching them. Some of them began to<br />
examine their own hearts, and that's<br />
what He wants you and me to do. When<br />
you go to Junior meeting do you listen<br />
to what your leader tells you about God<br />
and about His Son Jesus Christ You<br />
cannot help but hear the Word. But each<br />
one of these four groups of people heard<br />
the Word. So hearing isn't enough. Does<br />
it go in one ear and out the other Well,<br />
that is all right if you mean what the<br />
heathen man in Africa meant by it after<br />
he was converted. A visiting missionary<br />
was talking to him about the Gospel.<br />
"Yes,"<br />
beamed the African, "it goes in<br />
one ear and out the<br />
other."<br />
You see, he<br />
had learned an American expression and<br />
he thought it fit in his case exactly. The<br />
missionary expressed surprise and<br />
groaned.<br />
"Oh,"<br />
the African went on to<br />
explain, "the Gospel goes in here (point<br />
ing to one ear) and it goes all through<br />
me and out here (pointing to the other<br />
He was trying to explain that he<br />
received the Word into his heart and<br />
when he got so full of it, it just had to<br />
come out. And so, when we are full of the<br />
love of God in our hearts we just have to<br />
let our playmates and parents and every<br />
one else know of the joy which is in our<br />
hearts.<br />
For your Notebook:<br />
Draw four hearts. Color the first a<br />
January 5, 1955<br />
sandy brown.<br />
"WAYSIDE."<br />
Under it put the word<br />
Color the second, brown<br />
with some gray stones. Label it<br />
"STONY"<br />
Color the third, brown and<br />
have some prickly plants here and there.<br />
Label it "THORNY." Color the fourth<br />
one green to represent growing.<br />
Label<br />
this one "FRUITFUL." Look at these<br />
hearts and decide which kind of heart<br />
you would like your heart to .be.<br />
I'm<br />
sure you will all want the "FRUITFUL"<br />
heart. Ask God to make your heart to<br />
have good ground in it and to be fruit<br />
ful. Only He, can give you this kind of<br />
heart.<br />
SABATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
January 23, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching-, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
John 14:25, 26; 16:1-15; Acts 2:1-4; 3:<br />
1-4:31; Rom. 8:26, 27; 1 Cor. 2:9-16;<br />
Galatians 5:22, 23<br />
Printed, John 14:25, 26; 16:7-11; Acts<br />
2:1-4; 4:7-13, 18, 19<br />
The disciples had been in school three<br />
years, (36 months), with Christ as their<br />
teacher. That was equal in time to a<br />
four year college course. They were<br />
taught by lectures, example, demonstra<br />
tions, experience, and greatest of all, per<br />
sonal contact with the best teacher of<br />
all time.<br />
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person in<br />
the Godhead. There are many spirits<br />
that are not persons. We should have no<br />
difficulty in knowing the Author of the<br />
Spirit of joy, the Spirit of goodwill, the<br />
Spirit of the season we carelessly call<br />
Christmas. These spirits should not be<br />
personalized,<br />
or in anyway treated to<br />
supplant their Author. To caricature any<br />
one of these can find no defence. Pro<br />
fanity and reverence, when mixed, are as<br />
dangerous as arsenic and milk.<br />
Christ called the Holy Spirit "the Com<br />
forter."<br />
The word in Greek is Paiacletos.<br />
It is sometimes translated advocate,<br />
sometimes helper. We should think of the<br />
Holy Spirit as Comforter, Advocate, and<br />
Helper. Christ went away to the controle<br />
room, that through the Holy Spirit, He<br />
might be with us always.<br />
The Holy<br />
Spirit is sent to convict the<br />
world. To convict, there must be author<br />
ity, proof, wisdom to judge, and power<br />
to punish.<br />
To convict the world of sin, because it<br />
had denied God, and believed a lie. That<br />
was the first sin, and is still the fun<br />
damental and greatest sin.<br />
To convict the world of righteousness.<br />
What righteousness In this case, convic<br />
tion is akin to revelation. From His<br />
vantage point on the throne, Christ sends<br />
His Holy<br />
Spirit into the world, to set<br />
the<br />
righteousness of God in sharp con<br />
trast with the unrighteousness<br />
of un<br />
regenerate men, and so teach them to ab<br />
hor and forsake sin.<br />
Of judgment; because sin and Satan<br />
have been condemned, and all who hold<br />
with them suffer the same condemnation.<br />
But the righteousness of Jesus Christ is<br />
offered to all who will seek it from Him<br />
who has paid the penalty, has risen from<br />
the dead, and is waiting with the Father<br />
to grant f<strong>org</strong>iveness,<br />
Acts 2:1<br />
and salvation.<br />
Pentecost was the fiftieth day after<br />
the Passover. It was the day after the<br />
last Sabhath of the week of weeks. Some<br />
think it was the beginning of a new or<br />
der of weeks each year. It is not likely<br />
that the new world calendar will ever<br />
be adopted. But if it is, here is our solu<br />
tion; Observe the extra day, which would<br />
follow our Sabbath, as a Sabbath. An<br />
extra Sabbath would be a blessing to us,<br />
it we observed it. Christ told His dis<br />
ciples to tarry until the Holy Spirit came<br />
upon them, and He came on Pentecost,<br />
making that a sacred day. The disciples<br />
were together, waiting when the Holy<br />
Spirit came upon them. There was the<br />
sound of a rushing mighty<br />
wind. That<br />
was the mystery of power. Then a puri<br />
fying fire, which touched their tongues.<br />
Isaiah could not speak until a coal of<br />
fire from the altar had touched his lips.<br />
Most of the disciples could speak in two<br />
languages. But when the Holy Spirit<br />
came upon them, they were able to speak<br />
the language of anyone who needed the<br />
message. There is no virtue in speaking<br />
in a language that the hearers do not<br />
understand. This marvelous power was<br />
given by the Holy Spirit. Is it less mar<br />
velous, that today,<br />
under the guidance of<br />
the Holy Spirit, God's Word is spoken<br />
by His disciples in every language of the<br />
world, and His Word is printed in the<br />
language of over 90% of the world's<br />
population The Holy Spirit in the lives<br />
of men gives life to their work for Christ.<br />
That power is as essential to us today<br />
as it was to the disciples.<br />
play<br />
Acts 4:7-13<br />
It is hard to imagine a more gross dis<br />
of cowardice than Peter displayed<br />
at the trial of Christ. That was before<br />
Pentecost. Now we see him after Pente<br />
cost. He is on trial for his life,<br />
and<br />
knows it. He stands so strong in the con<br />
fidence of Christ's righteousness that the<br />
threat of death cannot move him. In<br />
stead of standing at the bar of men, Peter<br />
brings his judges to the bar of God. He<br />
accuses them of<br />
a crime they cannot<br />
deny, shows them how God has over<br />
ruled their wickedness, and points them<br />
to the Saviour who is ready to save them.<br />
Christ set an example that many have<br />
11
sin."<br />
way"<br />
you,"<br />
you."<br />
verily,"<br />
selves."<br />
followed, when He prayed for the salva<br />
tion of His murderers. To those who<br />
would<br />
destroy Peter's temporal life, he<br />
proclaims the way of eternal life.<br />
Acts 4:18, 19<br />
When Peter and John were accounted<br />
to be ignorant and unlearned men, their<br />
courage was thought to be from their as<br />
sociation with Jesus. These judges (with<br />
out portfolio), had seen the courage of<br />
Jesus, and saw it reflected in Peter and<br />
John. These men had been with Jesus<br />
too long to be either ignorant or un<br />
learned. The leaders of the Jews were<br />
right in one thing; they attributed the<br />
courage and learning of Peter and John<br />
to their association with Christ. Through<br />
this association, they had received the<br />
Holy Spirit, and by Him had been taught<br />
the way of life and courage.<br />
Christ, in His human form, was not<br />
able to be with His people everywhere at<br />
the same time. By going away He was<br />
able to be with them always, even to the<br />
end of the world, by His Holy Spirit.<br />
Christ's name for the Holy Spirit is<br />
"paracletos."<br />
Literally, that means, "One<br />
who walks beside." I read a story of a<br />
girl who was being followed in a crowded<br />
street by a very<br />
persistent wolf. Not<br />
wanting to create a scene, she put her<br />
hand on the arm of a passing officer, and<br />
said quietly, "Will you please walk with<br />
me a little<br />
When the wolf saw a<br />
policeman walking at her side, he van<br />
ished.<br />
With the knowledge of Christ at his<br />
side, Peter could answer the Jews kindly<br />
and firmly. He was not afraid.<br />
GOOD ADVICE<br />
Beware of sins of omission ; lose no op<br />
portunity of doing good of any kind.<br />
Be zealous of good works; willingly<br />
omit no work, either of piety or mercy.<br />
Do all the good you possibly can to<br />
the bodies and souls of men. Particularly,<br />
"thou shalt in no wise [reprove] thy<br />
him."<br />
neighbour, and not suffer sin upon<br />
Be active. Give no place to indolence<br />
or sloth ; give no occasion to say, "Ye are<br />
idle."<br />
idle, ye are<br />
Many will say so still; but let your<br />
whole spirit and behaviour refute the<br />
slander.<br />
Be always employed; lose no shred of<br />
time ; gather up the fragments, that noth<br />
ing be lost, and "whatsoever thy hand<br />
might."<br />
findeth to do, do it with thy<br />
Be slow to speak and wary in speaking.<br />
"In a multitude of words there wanteth<br />
not<br />
Do not talk much; neither long at a<br />
time. Few can converse profitably above<br />
an hour.<br />
Keep at the utmost distance from pious<br />
chitchat, from religious gossip. Plain<br />
Account of Christian Perfection.<br />
12<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
LIFE: THE BELIEVER'S PRESENT<br />
Psalms<br />
POSSESSION<br />
John 5:24<br />
Psalm 5:1-3, page 8<br />
Psalm 63:1-5, page 153<br />
Psalm 36:5-9, page 90<br />
Psalm 30:1, 4, 5 page 69<br />
Scripture References: John 3:16; 6:40,<br />
47; 8:51; 20:31; I John 3:14; Col. 2:13;<br />
Eph. 2:15; 5:14.<br />
This is the first of a series of twelve<br />
prayer meeting topics on the "Verilies"<br />
of Jesus. The word "verily" has often<br />
been passed over as having little signifi<br />
cance, but it is in truth one of the rich<br />
est words to be found in Scripture. It oc<br />
curs fifty times in the Synoptic Gospels,<br />
and it appears twenty- five times in its<br />
reduplicated form "verily, in the<br />
Gospel of John.<br />
"Amen"<br />
Greek,<br />
is the form of this word in the<br />
and it is often written in its<br />
original form. It corresponds to the He<br />
brew "amen," which means firm or trust<br />
worthy, and was the pledge-sign of God's<br />
covenant with His people. Williams<br />
translates the word, "I solemnly say unto<br />
and where the word is doubled,<br />
renders it, "I most solemnly say unto<br />
Wherever this word appears it has the<br />
value of "Thus saith the Lord." It is<br />
noteworthy that this word occurs only<br />
in connection with the sayings of Christ.<br />
The sacred writers never employ it in<br />
any other capacity. It therefore appears<br />
that this is a divinely copyrighted word,<br />
and carries a divine seal of authority. In<br />
our studies we will find that there is a<br />
reason for this word whenever it is used,<br />
and that it conveys a significance that<br />
is not to be found in any other word.<br />
In the subject which is before us we<br />
find Jesus is making<br />
emphatic the<br />
thought that "Life is the believer's pres<br />
ent<br />
possession."<br />
He is telling<br />
us with<br />
great assurance that the blessings of the<br />
spiritual life do not wait until we are<br />
raised up in glory but begin immediately<br />
upon our believing in Him.<br />
This discourse of our Lord followed<br />
the miracle of healing the impotent man<br />
at the pool of Bethesda. The Jews were<br />
finding fault with Jesus because He had<br />
performed the miracle on the Sabbath<br />
day, and also because He had declared<br />
that He was equal with God. Jesus then<br />
spoke to them, identifying Himself with<br />
the Father and explaining that He had no<br />
power of Himself, but only as the Father<br />
was pleased to work through Him. In the<br />
21st verse He says, "For as the Father<br />
raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth<br />
them; even so the Son quickeneth whom<br />
he will. For the Father judgeth no man,<br />
but hath committed all judgment unto<br />
the Son."<br />
THE WORD THAT RESULTS IN<br />
BELIEVING<br />
Believing is the action which follows<br />
hearing. The Jews had heard the word but<br />
did not believe. The mere hearing of the<br />
word will not save; it is only when the<br />
action of believing takes place that the<br />
word becomes effective. When Jesus<br />
said to the lame man "Rise, take up thy<br />
bed and<br />
walk,"<br />
the man believed and<br />
was immediately<br />
made whole. A sick<br />
man may have in his hand the doctor's<br />
prescription for a remedy that will cure<br />
his illness, but unless he goes to the<br />
pharmacy and has the prescription filled,<br />
and begins to take the medicine it will<br />
not help him. There are many who hear<br />
the word of Christ but it does not take<br />
possession of their hearts to the point<br />
that they believe and accept him. James<br />
writes, "But be ye doers of the word, and<br />
not hearers only, deceiving<br />
your own<br />
It is the hearing and believing the<br />
word which has changed millions of lives.<br />
The files of the rescue missions are re<br />
plete with the stories of men and women<br />
who have been in the gutter both figur<br />
atively and literally, but when they heard<br />
the word, believed, and it was the begin<br />
ning of a radically different life. It was<br />
not a life which they would experience<br />
only in heaven, but a life which had its<br />
beginning in the present.<br />
THE ONE IN WHOM WE MUST<br />
BELIEVE<br />
Jesus says that we must not only be<br />
lieve His word, but must also believe in<br />
"Him that sent<br />
me."<br />
The Father and the<br />
Son are identified together as the object<br />
of belief. We must first of all believe the<br />
historic record of the life of Christ, how<br />
He lived on this earth, taught, preached,<br />
performed miracles, sought out His fol<br />
lowers, how He suffered on the cross,<br />
was buried and rose again. But believing<br />
in Christ means more than that. We must<br />
believe that He is all that He claimed to<br />
be. He declared that He was co-equal<br />
with God, and was the Only Begotten of<br />
the Father. We must be ready to accept<br />
that claim, for by our rejection of it we<br />
make Christ the greatest imposter that<br />
ever lived.<br />
This is the doctrine the Jews refused to<br />
believe. They could not deny the fact<br />
of Jesus Christ, for He was with them<br />
in person. But they would not accept His<br />
claims; they ridiculed Him, persecuted<br />
Him, and even tried to<br />
identify Him<br />
with Satan. No man can<br />
truly be said<br />
to believe in Christ and the One who sent<br />
Him who is not prepared to affirm with<br />
out question that Jesus is all that He<br />
claimed to be.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
abundantly"<br />
storm."<br />
already."<br />
verily,"<br />
you."<br />
THE RESULT OF BELIEVING IN<br />
CHRIST<br />
Here is the high point of our lesson:<br />
"He (the) believer hath eternal life and<br />
is not come into judgment. Scripture<br />
has not been given to us merely that we<br />
might know Christ as a historical person,<br />
but that believing in Him we might have<br />
life in its fullness, both here upon earth<br />
and in heaven. "I am come that they<br />
might have life and that they<br />
might have<br />
it more<br />
(John 10:10).<br />
Eternal life is more than the expecta<br />
tion of heaven. The life that is eternal be<br />
gins as soon as one believes on Christ,<br />
consummation in heaven.<br />
and reaches its<br />
This thought is amplified by Jesus when<br />
He says that the believer "is not come<br />
into judgment." Williams translates it,<br />
"He will never come under condemna<br />
tion."<br />
The judgment of the believer takes<br />
place at the moment he accepts Christ,<br />
and the final judgment has no fears for<br />
him. Godet expresses it in these words,<br />
"The judgment is thus for him an accom<br />
plished thing. If therefore the word re<br />
ceived with faith frees the believer from<br />
the judgment, it is because it anticipates<br />
it."<br />
A gentleman while crossing the Bay<br />
of Biscay, became exceedingly alarmed<br />
and anxious as he beheld what he<br />
thought was an approaching hurricane or<br />
tornado. He trembled and addressed him<br />
self to one of the sailors: "Do you think<br />
she will be able to live through it"<br />
'Through<br />
what"<br />
inquired the sailor.<br />
"Through that fast approaching<br />
The old sailor smiled and said, "Sir, you<br />
need not be alarmed; that storm will<br />
never touch us, it has passed<br />
So, in regard to the believer; judgment,<br />
so far as siri is concerned, is past already.<br />
Christ has been tried,<br />
condemned and ex<br />
ecuted in his stead for his sins.<br />
THE SURE WORD OF CHRIST<br />
Jesus has given us His sure word that<br />
these things are true. "Verily,<br />
"I most solemnly say unto<br />
No<br />
stronger word could be used to express<br />
that assurance. Christ's word can always<br />
be trusted, but when we find His words<br />
prefaced with "AMEN" it is an indica<br />
tion it is a truth that He wants us to be<br />
lieve absolutely and without a doubt.<br />
FOR DISCUSSION<br />
1. When does eternal life begin for<br />
the believer in Christ<br />
2. Why do believers need have no fear<br />
of the judgment<br />
3. Discuss the meaning of the word<br />
"verily" and how it is used in Scripture.<br />
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS<br />
1. For individuals in your community<br />
who are in need of life as a present pos<br />
session.<br />
2. For our president and members of<br />
congress,<br />
that they may<br />
spiritual needs of our nation.<br />
January 5, 1955<br />
recognize the<br />
OAKDALE: Dr. J. Ren Patterson<br />
preached for us on November 14.<br />
We<br />
were glad to hear more of the work of<br />
the National Reform Association and to<br />
have Mr. Patterson in our midst again.<br />
NEW YORK CITY: Mrs. Robert Hen<br />
ning is in Cecil, Pa., with her mother<br />
regaining her strength. Miss Anna Haw<br />
thorne has returned to Roosevelt Hos<br />
pital with an attack of Yellow Jaundice.<br />
Mrs. Richard Weir is improving slowly.<br />
OAKDALE: Mrs. May Hood, who<br />
has been ill for several months, passed<br />
away at her daughter's home on Novem<br />
ber 22. The funeral was held at the<br />
R. P. Church on Thanksgiving Day,<br />
where Mrs. Hood had long been a faith<br />
ful, dependable member. Three children<br />
mourn her passing: Mrs. Norman Frie<br />
man, and Lawrence Hood of Oakdale,<br />
and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Kerr of Pennsylvania.<br />
Sabbath, October 24, is long to be re<br />
membered. It was Communion. Our Pas<br />
tor, Rev. Donald Robb, conducted the<br />
services, guided by the Holy<br />
might sum up<br />
tence<br />
Spirit. We<br />
the occasion in one sen<br />
it made one feel he never again<br />
wanted to offend his Lord. The signing<br />
of the Covenant followed the service of<br />
the previous Friday evening.<br />
Since the last Communion Miss Janet<br />
Davis united with the church by profes<br />
sion of faith, and Mr. Leonard McKeown<br />
by<br />
letter. (Cambridge).<br />
REHOBOTH: Fifteen years since the<br />
writer was sent home from the hospital,<br />
after two X-rays, as a hopeless case. I<br />
am still shooting<br />
arrows wherever I can<br />
for more Bible in the public schools<br />
with emphasis on Memory Work.<br />
LISBON CONGREGATION lost one<br />
of its lifelong members in the passing of<br />
Anna L. Smith, a retired teacher, who<br />
after a lingering illness was called to her<br />
heavenly home on December 5, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
THE PHOEBES OF BLOOMING<br />
TON, Indiana, wish to pay tribute to<br />
the memory of Mrs. Jack Baird who,<br />
early one morning, was called quite sud<br />
denly to her eternal home. Although Eu<br />
genia, because of her work and heart con<br />
dition, could not often attend our meet<br />
ings, she retained a keen interest in<br />
what we were doing. Always she enjoyed<br />
her work even though it did tax her<br />
strength. Her friendliness radiated every<br />
where among those with whom she came<br />
in contact. Any<br />
occasion was brightened<br />
by her genial personality. "Thou shalt<br />
be missed because thy seat will be emp<br />
ty."<br />
We extend our sympathy to her hus<br />
band, her three daughters, the grand<br />
children, and other members of her fam<br />
ily.<br />
The Phoebes<br />
LOS ANGELES: Mrs. Caroline Sloan<br />
was called to her reward on September<br />
29, 19<strong>54</strong>. In other days she was well<br />
known amongst the active young wom<br />
en of the Old Eighth Street Church and<br />
was ever alert to the needs of missions at<br />
home and abroad. Mrs. Sloan moved to<br />
California with her daughter Mrs. Don<br />
McEwen, with whom she made her home.<br />
For years she had been almost a shutin,<br />
seldom having the joy of attending<br />
church, yet her interest in the work of<br />
the church held a warm place in her<br />
heart. The Los Angeles and Santa Ana<br />
pastors kept in close contact with the<br />
home and she delighted in the visits.<br />
To visit her was to be impressed with her<br />
enthusiasm and vigor of mind even when<br />
the physical powers were<br />
not able to<br />
keep up. Her home going leaves a big<br />
vacancy in the McEwen family life but<br />
precious memories will be treasured until<br />
the glorious reuniting<br />
House.<br />
in the Father's<br />
FIRST BEAVER FALLS: Dr. S.<br />
Bruce Willson was the assistant at our<br />
Communion October 10. The general<br />
theme was<br />
Covenanting"<br />
"Covenanting."<br />
"Repentant<br />
and "Committed Cove<br />
nanting"<br />
were the subjects presented<br />
Wednesday and Thursday evenings. An<br />
impressive Covenant Signing Service was<br />
held on October 8 with an address "The<br />
Spirit in Which We Should Covenant"<br />
by<br />
our pastor Rev. D. Howard Elliott<br />
and an address "Covenant Keeping" by<br />
Dr. Willson. The congregation (by fami<br />
lies) then signed the Brief Covenant. The<br />
Communion Service on Sabbath with the<br />
subjects "Covenant Grace" and "Cove<br />
nant Fullfillment" brought this never to<br />
be f<strong>org</strong>otten Communion week to a close.<br />
The following<br />
were received into the<br />
membership of our congregation. Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Willard Harsh by letter from the<br />
Sharon Congregation; Mrs. Betty Laszacs<br />
upon the profession of her faith in<br />
Christ.<br />
MORNING SUN: Mrs. H. G. Pattson<br />
passed away in a hospital in Orlando,<br />
Fla,. on Sabbath evening, December 19,<br />
and the funeral was held in Morning Sun,<br />
Friday<br />
at 2:30 p.m.<br />
PHOENIX: We are glad to welcome<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Graham and son,<br />
13
people"<br />
Billy; who are now residing at 1124 E.<br />
Portland St. Mr. Graham is working for<br />
the AiResearch Mfg. Co.<br />
FIRST BEAVER FALLS: A new<br />
young people's <strong>org</strong>anization to be known<br />
as "Junior Hi" was formed in September.<br />
This group meets at 6:45 each Sabbath<br />
evening under the leadership of Miss<br />
Nancy Mandeville. The age group is from<br />
seventh grades through ninth grades.<br />
PHOENIX: The congregation elected<br />
Robert Cox<br />
and Fred Mackenroth as<br />
deacons. Following the morning service<br />
December 19th they<br />
installed to this office.<br />
were ordained and<br />
MORNING SUN: The Sabbath School<br />
teachers and officers met at the home of<br />
Milford Todd's to hold a committee<br />
meeting. At the conclusion Sue<br />
Cum<br />
mings carried in a lovely birthday cake<br />
to celebrate the birthday<br />
of our pastor.<br />
Games planned by the hostess and her<br />
daughters were carried out in honor of<br />
the birthday.<br />
NEW YORK CITY: The Women's<br />
Missionary Society<br />
are happy to announce they<br />
and Junior Guild<br />
$1000.00 goal set for thankoffering.<br />
reached the<br />
COLDENHAM: In connection with the<br />
observance of the Sacrament, October 31,<br />
was the swearing and signing<br />
of the<br />
Brief Covenant. On Sabbath evening the<br />
Newburgh brethren worshiped with us<br />
when their pastor Rev. Charles S. Sterrett<br />
delivered an impressive message on<br />
Broken Vows.<br />
WHITE LAKE: Our Sabbath School<br />
Christmas Party<br />
was held in the base<br />
ment of our church on the evening of<br />
December 23. Following the program<br />
gifts of candy and Christian story books<br />
were presented to the children. Atten<br />
dance awards were then passed out with<br />
special prizes going to Robert and Harolyn<br />
Bergendahl for perfect attendance in<br />
19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
FIRST BEAVER FALLS: Recent ar<br />
rivals at First Beaver Falls are; a daugh<br />
ter Rhoda Eileen born to Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Ralph Rohm. A daughter Janice Louise,<br />
born to Mr. and Mrs. Glen Harper (Lena<br />
Philips). A daughter Denise born to Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Leonard Javens. A son Orrin<br />
Russell born to Mr. and Mrs. Willard<br />
Harsh.<br />
Sabbath morning, November 21,<br />
our annual Thank Offering Service<br />
was<br />
which time Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth San<br />
derson told of their work in Syria.<br />
Rev. D. Howard Elliott administered<br />
the sacrament of baptism on December<br />
5 to Rhoda Eileen Rhome and to Orrin<br />
Russell Harsh.<br />
Dr. G. M. Robb is accepting the call<br />
to KANSAS CITY and expects to take<br />
14<br />
at<br />
up the work there about the middle of<br />
January.<br />
HOT SPRINGS, N. M.<br />
Greetings to the Editor and Staff of the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>, and also to the<br />
many Church friends who are encourag<br />
ing the work of the Hot Springs Congre<br />
gation by prayers and good wishes.<br />
Miss Elda Patton,<br />
and her brother,<br />
Renwick, and her nephew made a brief<br />
passing-through-town visit at the Dr.<br />
Edna White Clinic and the Hot Springs<br />
R. P. Chapel on their return trip to San<br />
Diego. Even brief visits are much ap<br />
preciated by the Hot Springs Covenant<br />
ers.<br />
The Rev. and Mrs. Paul D. White,<br />
and the Wendell White family,, of Den<br />
ver,<br />
visited the Hot Springs Whites over<br />
Thanksgiving, and were present for the<br />
Thanksgiving Dinner and Testimonial<br />
service in the Chapel. They called on<br />
Elder and Mrs. John Dale Russell, in<br />
Santa Fe, on their way home.<br />
The Rev.<br />
Philip Martin family has<br />
cast its lot in Hot Springs. Their help in<br />
this small congregation, where "laborers"<br />
have been so few, is greatly appreciated.<br />
Already Mrs. Martin is proving her skill<br />
in helping to care for some of Dr. Edna<br />
White's patients.<br />
The Dr. Edna W. White Clinic plays<br />
an important part in the life of the Hot<br />
Springs Congregation, not only in provid<br />
ing employment for several of its mem<br />
bers, but in interesting patients in the<br />
work of the Church.<br />
The aim of the<br />
Clinic is to reach from the physical to the<br />
Spiritual. Recently, an inval'd patient<br />
told of the funeral director's wife (a<br />
Roman Catholic) reporting to her the<br />
funeral service of her husband. The de<br />
ceased husband had requested that<br />
"Boyd"<br />
(White)<br />
should conduct his fu<br />
neral rervice. With tears streaming down<br />
her cheeks, this Roman Catholic woman<br />
told the bereaved widow that "the singing<br />
of the 23rd Psalm, by Mrs. Cunningham,<br />
Dr. Edna and Boyd White, was the<br />
song"<br />
most beautiful sacred she had ever<br />
heard. Then the White's and Mrs. Martin<br />
sang the Psalm for the patient, following<br />
with the Lord's Prayer at her request.<br />
A Testimony for the Psalms.<br />
For several month",<br />
one of the special<br />
courses of Bible Study in the Hot Springs<br />
Sabbath evening services has been in the<br />
Acts of the Apostles. This Book of the<br />
Beginnings of the Christian Church, with<br />
its mi-sionary reach from Jerusa^m and<br />
Judea to other lands, has been inspiring<br />
to the young Hot Springs Congregation.<br />
The zeal and courage of the Apostle Paul<br />
and his co-laborers should inspire church<br />
workers today to press forward in King<br />
dom labors in every community, regard<br />
less of discouragements and opposition.<br />
Had the Apostle Paul been carrying on<br />
his missionary work in modern times,<br />
no doubt, the "Jews" who<br />
opposed him<br />
would have made use of air-mail, long<br />
distance telephones, and radio to "stir<br />
up the<br />
in cities before Paul ar<br />
rived, and they might even have dropped<br />
bombs on Paul instead of stoning him.<br />
Old Satan hasn't changed, and he is cer<br />
tain to use modern methods to oppose<br />
faithful missionary efforts to proclaim<br />
the Blessed Gospel of our Lord and Re<br />
deemer. Shall we be less zealous and<br />
courageous than was Paul<br />
BLOOMINGTON, IND.<br />
Two of our members are now able to<br />
worship with us again after being con<br />
fined to the hospital for a time. They are<br />
Mrs. Ellsworth Moore and Mrs. Robert<br />
Curry, Jr.<br />
The annual Sabbath School Christmas<br />
Party will be held at the church Decem<br />
ber 23. The congregation and parents of<br />
the children are invited. Carols will be<br />
sung<br />
and the children will be presented<br />
gifts by Santa Claus.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Sanderson<br />
spoke to us recently at a Sabbath evening<br />
service on their work in Syria. Mrs. San<br />
derson also gave a short talk to the Sab<br />
bath School children concerning their<br />
work there.<br />
GERARD IRVING BACHE<br />
entered into Rest September 20, 19<strong>54</strong>, at<br />
the age of 42. He endured his final years<br />
of physical weakness and suffering with<br />
triumphant faith in Christ. His funeral in<br />
the Coldenham Church was largely at<br />
tended, and his body committed in the<br />
Cemetery nearby, as he had requested, in<br />
testimony of his faith. Following his<br />
faith, in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, are his<br />
widow, and daughters Carolyn, 9, and<br />
Bonnie Sue, 7. Among the many pleasant<br />
memories of their devoted husband and<br />
father, are his commendation of them in<br />
prayer to the Lord their shepherd, his<br />
teaching them to "Sing Psalms unto<br />
Him,"<br />
along with the example of his<br />
faith in often singing with them a favor<br />
ite :<br />
a<br />
"In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust."<br />
DOROTHY ARNOTT RAU,<br />
member of Coldenham congregation,<br />
departed this life October 19, 19<strong>54</strong>. In<br />
addition to other trials of her faith was<br />
an incurable bodily affliction, which she<br />
endured<br />
uncomplainingly and cheerfully,<br />
always having a smile for everyone. With<br />
scant support in it from the members of<br />
her own family, husband, two daughter,<br />
two sons, two brothers, she held fast the<br />
profession of her faith in Him who alone<br />
can give and reward such<br />
faith, saying,<br />
"Blessed is the man that endureth<br />
temp<br />
tation, for when he is tried, he shall re<br />
ceive the crown of life, which the Lord<br />
has promised to them that love Him."<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
MEETING OF THE FOREIGN<br />
MISSION BOARD<br />
The Board of Foreign Missions met<br />
in the 23rd Street Y.W.C.A., December<br />
14, from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., except for a<br />
brief period for lunch. The meeting was<br />
opened with prayer by the President, W.<br />
K. Metcalfe. Fourteen members were<br />
present. Devotions, based on Phil. 2:19-<br />
24, were conducted by Rev. R. A. Hen<br />
ning.<br />
The Recording Secretary, having an<br />
nounced his intention to accept a call<br />
to Kansas City, tendered his resignation.<br />
His resignation was accepted with re<br />
grets, and a rising vote of thanks was<br />
given him for his efficient service, and<br />
a resolution of thanks for the minutes<br />
was ordered to be prepared by Rev. J. P.<br />
Wilson.<br />
The balloting for a new Recording<br />
Secretary<br />
resulted in the election of T. J.<br />
Wilson. Since he was not present, Rev.<br />
R. A. Henning was chosen, and acted, as<br />
Recording Secretary<br />
pro tern.<br />
The Treasurer, Mr. C. R. Fox, re<br />
ported an overdraft of $12,340, and $5,000<br />
in bonds that had been called in was<br />
referred to the Finance Committee for<br />
recommendations as to investment. Dr.<br />
G. M. Robb led in a prayer of thanks<br />
giving<br />
for God's continued blessing in<br />
providing funds for mission work.<br />
In the correspondence reported by the<br />
Corresponding Secretary, Rev. C. S. Ster<br />
rett, was an interesting letter which<br />
promised $1,000 to help in sending an<br />
other new missionary to Japan, providing<br />
the missionary would be sent out by Sep<br />
tember, 1955. This and some other mat<br />
ters in the correspondence got attention<br />
in the general discussions and special<br />
intercessions following recess, but no<br />
definite action at this meeting.<br />
The advertising of our mission work<br />
got some action, as was recommended<br />
by the Finance Committee, Mrs. Olive<br />
Beatty, Chairman. A new brochure has<br />
been prepared, ordered printed, and cop<br />
ies are to be sent to the congregations<br />
of the Church. A special page in the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> is to be requested,<br />
and an advertisement inserted in Evan<br />
gelical Action, to run for six months.<br />
The Constitution for a newly proposed<br />
Governing Body for Larnaca Acad<br />
emy, Cyprus, consumed about three<br />
hours of the Board's time in discus<br />
sion. Dr. W. W. Weir, by request,<br />
was present to present his views<br />
on the subject. Elder Niklaus Hagmann<br />
ably championed our denominational<br />
ideal for a mission school. Others par<br />
ticipated in the discussion pro and con.<br />
The question was involved with our<br />
former "Re-study<br />
of our Mission Pro<br />
gram in the Near East," and resulted in<br />
no action about it,<br />
except the passing of<br />
a motion to consider the matter further<br />
January 5, 1955<br />
at a special meeting of the Board, set<br />
for January 18, 1955.<br />
Reported by Rev. W. C. McClurkin.<br />
A COVENANTER COMMUNION IN<br />
SAN DD3GO<br />
By Walter McCarroll<br />
It was my privilege to assist 'Dr. Ed<br />
gar in that congregation's second com<br />
munion. The high day<br />
of the feast was<br />
Sabbath November 28 with a prepara<br />
tory service Friday night, which had been<br />
preceded by a Thanksgiving service on<br />
the Thursday at which time was inaug<br />
urated a new<br />
building fund for a much<br />
needed addition to the church to meet<br />
the requirements of a growing Sabbath<br />
School. Saturday was a strenuous day<br />
for the Pastor in visiting and in pro<br />
longed conferences with prospective mem<br />
bers. At the Session meetings Friday<br />
night and Sabbath morning seven new<br />
members were received into the fellow<br />
ship of the Church: Mrs. Roberta Kem<br />
per and son Van; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin<br />
McKensie; Mrs. Norma Runkle; Wayne<br />
Adams; and Ronnie Foss. There were<br />
six baptisms: Norma Runkle and daugh<br />
ter Lynn, Wayne Adams, Ronnie Foss,<br />
Van Kemper, and Debise McKenzie. This<br />
brought the total membership to 46. The<br />
congregation was <strong>org</strong>anized with 39 mem<br />
bers.<br />
A table was spread across the front of<br />
the church which accommodated most<br />
of the communicants which<br />
42. Some members were away<br />
numbered<br />
from the<br />
city at the time. The action sermon was<br />
preached by the guest minister from the<br />
familiar text, "He brought me into the<br />
banqueting house, and His banner over<br />
me was love." (Song of Solomon 2:4).<br />
After the usual reading and explaining of<br />
the words of Institution the communicant<br />
members came to the table singing a<br />
part of the 45th Psalm. It was a time of<br />
refreshing from the presence of the Lord.<br />
The congregation pays $700 toward the<br />
pastor's salary, and are making pay<br />
ments on a parsonage as well as retiring<br />
$1,000.00 borrowed from the Board of<br />
Church Erection for the completion of the<br />
church building. The prospects are good<br />
for the congregation to become self-sus<br />
taining within a few years.<br />
Under the efficient leadership of Dr.<br />
and Mrs. Edgar the congregation has just<br />
completed participation in the Christian<br />
Life Magazine's annual Sabbath School<br />
attendance contest which lasted from<br />
October 10 to November 14. This in<br />
volved an almost unbelievable amount of<br />
publicity<br />
and promotion before t^e con<br />
test began. Then continued publicity and<br />
promotion each week of the contest. Then<br />
after the contest is over, the preparation<br />
of a Contest Scrapbook, consisting of<br />
samples of publicity<br />
and pictures of the<br />
contest in its various aspects. Then an<br />
8-page entry blank to fill out giving ad<br />
ditional information. All of which has to<br />
be sent in to the Magazine to be laid<br />
before the judges. There are six different<br />
Classes set<br />
up by the Magazine, depend<br />
ing on the size of the school. Our School<br />
was in Class E in competition with other<br />
schools all over the world, having an at<br />
tendance last year between 75-125.<br />
50%<br />
of the score is based on the in<br />
crease in attendance for the six weeks<br />
period over against the average atten<br />
dance for the preceding twelve months;<br />
30% on the promotion before and during<br />
the contest, and 20% upon the visitation<br />
preceding and during the contest. The at<br />
tendance increased during the contest<br />
from an average of around 100 last year<br />
to about 230 for the six weeks of the con<br />
test. The high point was reached on the<br />
last day<br />
of the contest when 265 were<br />
present. 385 different persons were pres<br />
ent at one time or another during that<br />
six<br />
weeks'<br />
period. It is the aim of the<br />
school to keep attendance up<br />
around the<br />
200 mark during the coming year, which<br />
is more than they have space to accom<br />
modate in the church. They used garages,<br />
a living room and a tent, with one class<br />
outside during the contest. The building<br />
fund, inaugurated on Thanksgiving Day,<br />
at last report had grown to $400. The ad<br />
ditional class rooms have become a<br />
necessity, and work will be begun as soon<br />
as the necessary funds are available.<br />
I was entertained in the beautiful new<br />
home of Dr. and Mrs. Edgar, located on<br />
a mountain side, about ten minutes drive<br />
from the church, and commanding a view<br />
of a land of far distances. The success of<br />
the work has been due in large part to the<br />
untiring and devoted labors of Dr. and<br />
Mrs. Edgar, assisted by a fine corps of<br />
workers in school and church. The Cove<br />
nanter work in San Diego should com<br />
mand the prayer support of the entire<br />
church.<br />
A NEW YEARS GREETING<br />
We pray that you may all survive<br />
Twelve happy months in '55.<br />
And many years thereafter.<br />
May all the tears and all the fears<br />
Have compensating laughter!<br />
If brilliant rays filled all your days<br />
And none of them deficient<br />
There'd be no place for heav'nly grace<br />
Which God says is sufficient.<br />
The thorns in flesh are sent to mesh<br />
With our own soul's resistance;<br />
They build up strength that will at length<br />
Increase our faith's persistence.<br />
INTERCESSION<br />
D. R. T.<br />
In traveling among the nations, John<br />
R. Mott made it a practice to study the<br />
sources of the spiritual movements which<br />
transform whole communities. Invari-<br />
15
myself."<br />
stars."<br />
ably, when he could reach the source, he<br />
found it to be intercessory prayer.<br />
"I heard of a<br />
man,"<br />
he says, "who<br />
intercession."<br />
spent three hours a day in<br />
When someone asked him, "How can<br />
we multiply intercessions" he replied,<br />
"I used to lay down a great many points<br />
on how to get people to pray, but I have<br />
made up my mind that the only way to<br />
get them to do it is to do it<br />
OPEN LETTER<br />
War Cry.<br />
To the COVENANTER WITNESS:<br />
The sermon, CHRISTMAS OR SAT<br />
URNALIA, (WITNESS January 8), is<br />
timely at any time of the year. If every<br />
Christian could read that sermon, it<br />
would have a revolutionary<br />
some modern practices.<br />
effect on<br />
It is a pity, however, that the analy<br />
sis of the name Xmas by Rev. Edersveld<br />
is not correct. If X was the sign of the<br />
unknown quantity that would be well.<br />
The tragedy of it is that the X in Xmas<br />
is the initial of the Greek Xristos, Christ.<br />
We need to question the meaning of<br />
the mass,<br />
which is little known to most<br />
of us. If we considered the meaning of<br />
the mass, we would not associate Christ's<br />
name with it. It would be well to con<br />
sider the mass as an unknown, or ques<br />
tionable quantity.<br />
We should not associate Christ's Name<br />
or initial, with a profane institution. If<br />
we consider the birth of Christ reverent<br />
ly, we will not associate with it any<br />
pagan or idolatrous practices, or the<br />
hip hip hurrah of fun making, that are<br />
so common in our thought and practice<br />
in connection with the profane name<br />
Christmas or Xmas. If we wish to refer<br />
to the Roman institution, let's call it<br />
mas.<br />
We hold in reverent thought the birth<br />
of Christ. We should never name it ir<br />
reverently, or treat it profanely.<br />
OPEN LETTER<br />
W. J. McBurney<br />
To the Editor of The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Wit<br />
ness:<br />
The open letter by the Rev. Alvin W.<br />
Smith in the issue of December 8, 19<strong>54</strong>,<br />
opposing my<br />
statements on the subject<br />
of temperance (S. S. lesson for November<br />
7, 19<strong>54</strong>), fails to grasp the real point of<br />
my<br />
remarks. Perhaps a few additional<br />
remarks will help to prevent any further<br />
misunderstanding of my views.<br />
My<br />
statements in the Sabbath School<br />
Lesson do not imply a denial of the duty<br />
of total- abstinence; I believe in and ad<br />
vocate total-abstinence from alcohoilc<br />
beverages.<br />
Any sober person will readily acknowl<br />
edge that beverage alcohol creates a<br />
serious problem. But my<br />
contention is<br />
that as Christians we ought to have a<br />
16<br />
sound biblical view of what the problem<br />
"Bd 8 qarnqsq^Ta:<br />
really is. The temperance probem, ac<br />
hearts of men; for its poison; for its bit- Changing Times.<br />
cording to the Bible, is not simply a re 9AV. tIU9(J eit^<br />
sult of alcohol, but rather the result of<br />
A
again"<br />
new"<br />
saved"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 30, 1955<br />
THE FIELD tS THE WORLD,<br />
TW 5rrO (S THE WORD OP GOD<br />
"<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1955 NUMBER 2<br />
Happy Sew<br />
Year<br />
or is it a HAPPY new year That will depend upon<br />
the way in which you will face this coming year.<br />
Some face it with a hangover. They have hur<br />
ried the old year out with a hoot and noised the new<br />
one via the pathways of this world's fancied plea<br />
sures.<br />
Some face it with a horror. They know that the<br />
of one year for another will not of itself<br />
dropping<br />
make any welcome change, for there will be a carry<br />
over of problems and perplexities.<br />
Some face it with a hush. Perhaps stark tragedy<br />
has struck during this dying year. Or maybe now at<br />
the time-threshold, some loved one is "lingering in<br />
shadows,"<br />
the land of the long and they walk softly<br />
wishing that this were not a new year.<br />
Here and there will be found those who face it<br />
hallelujah."<br />
with a "heavenly These are they who<br />
have been to Calvary, having come to know the bles<br />
sed marvel of, "Therefore if any man be in Christ,<br />
he is a new creature : old things are become (2<br />
Corinthians 5:17). Being "born (John 3),<br />
there has truly been a brand new beginning. These<br />
have given heed to the requirement of, "repentance<br />
Christ"<br />
toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus<br />
(Acts 20:21). These are safely anchored in the<br />
"Haven of Rest," and are more than able to declare,<br />
"I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded<br />
that he is able to keep that which I have committed<br />
unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). Yes,<br />
For them it is truly HAPPY NEW YEAR!<br />
There is no true NEW year, and there is certain<br />
ly no HAPPY new year, if it be commenced without<br />
Christ and without Calvary. That is a final fact !<br />
I have nothing but pity and sorrow for, you if<br />
you face this new year with mere resolutions. What<br />
is vitally needed is not resolution, but revolution!<br />
There needs to be a radical change in the entire life<br />
makeup. What is desperately necessary is not "turn<br />
ing over a new leaf" (for the whole book is stained<br />
with sin !) but the transformation of a new life. Hear<br />
the Word of the Lord: "He that heareth my word,<br />
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting<br />
life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is<br />
passed from death unto life" (John 5 :24)<br />
.<br />
It will not be wise nor well for you to say, as you<br />
have been saying for all these past new years, "Well,<br />
I will try to do better," for such a "better" without<br />
the Blessed One, is bitter indeed. Why not say in<br />
stead : "I will not try to do better but will do the very<br />
best, the only right and proper thing. I will turn my<br />
Christ."<br />
self completely over to the Lord Jesus<br />
It is not petty promises made to yourself that<br />
count. Rather, what is vitally important are God's<br />
and defi<br />
powerful promises, so marvelously, clearly<br />
nitely underwritten in the blood of the cross.<br />
When Christ is claimed and crowned, then ev<br />
erything becomes blessedly NEW! And certainly<br />
these years which are now past should have more<br />
than sufficed for rejection and refusal. Who can dare<br />
tell if you shall reach the end of this present year<br />
and welcome another new one<br />
"Come now, and let us reason together,<br />
Lord"<br />
(Isaiah 1:18). "Believe on the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ, and thou shalt be (Acts 16:31).<br />
saith the<br />
Let Christ come into your heart, then this will<br />
indeed be a HAPPY NEW YEAR!<br />
Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
American Tract Society a non-profit <strong>org</strong>anization<br />
Publishers of Christian literature since 1825<br />
21 West 1,6th Street, New York 36, N. Y.
generation.'<br />
open."<br />
virtue"<br />
'<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Where <strong>Covenanter</strong>s Were Hanged<br />
The place in Edinburgh, called Grassmarket Square,<br />
where approximately one hundred <strong>Covenanter</strong>s were hanged<br />
because of their faith, is now considered a place of honor.<br />
The place where the gallows stood is now marked by a cir<br />
cular raised section of the pavement, and this is surrounded<br />
by a stone wall. This was done by the Edinburgh Corpora<br />
tion, and we are told in the Reformed Presbyterian <strong>Witness</strong><br />
that the suggestion was first made by some American visitors,<br />
and promoted by one of the councilors. We are pleased that<br />
this has been done as it was difficult for a stranger to learn<br />
exactly where the spot was when so many Covenantsrs were<br />
executed.<br />
Dedication<br />
The ceremony of dedication took place on October 24 at<br />
which there were a number of prominent officials and the<br />
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) as a guard of honor. "The<br />
Duke of Hamilton in his speech referred to the National Cove<br />
nant of 1638, as embodying principles which shaped the pat<br />
tern of Scottish religious life. It was a document which stood<br />
for liberty without the sacrifice of loyalty, and for tolerance<br />
wherever such was compatible with truth, said the Duke. He<br />
closed: 'May this simple ceremony and fitting<br />
memorial to<br />
Scots who died for the Kirk inspire us. to renew our cove<br />
nant with Him who is the Light and Truth for men of every<br />
garden and declared it<br />
Thereafter he unlocked the gate of the memorial<br />
How often true Christian patriots have been imprisoned<br />
or martyred for their unyielding<br />
ored in later years!<br />
Lessons for Today<br />
faith and their names hon<br />
We think of the Communist leaders of Rursia and China<br />
as being most atrocious in their methods of persecuting and<br />
"liquidating"<br />
men and women today. But let us remember<br />
that the Romanist and Prelatic leaders in Scotland some three<br />
hundred years ago were just &<br />
bloodth'rsty and fearfully<br />
cruel in their day in the manner in which they hunted down<br />
the faithful, imprisoned, mutilated, shot, starved, burned and<br />
hung them. The boot, the rack, the thumbscrew, the dungeon,<br />
the fire, the gallows were used to torture and to kill not once<br />
but hundreds and thousands of times. Think of men, under<br />
the guise of patriotism and religion,<br />
as in the case of Hackston,<br />
cutting out his heart with a knife while he was yet alive!<br />
Why<br />
Reform Communists<br />
do we refer to these terrible p~sccut:on:; Not to<br />
condemn the Scottish people in general then, and certainly<br />
not today, but to lead us to realize that Russia is not hope<br />
less. God may, and we believe will, in His own good t;ne, put<br />
down the forces of evil and persecution in Russia and bring<br />
about a reformation and revival there as he has done in<br />
Scotland. His hand is not shortened that it cannot save. The<br />
great nations of the world are in His hand as the dust of the<br />
balance. He can change the hearts of rulers as rivers of water.<br />
Universal Training<br />
By the time this appears in print the issue of Universal<br />
Military Training will probably be before our Congress and<br />
18<br />
therefore before the people of the nation, for it is repeatedly<br />
affirmed that the administration intends to have a bill intro<br />
duced which, though not called by this name, amounts to<br />
universal military training. Just this morning, as we write, one<br />
senator was reported by a radio announcer as saying that he<br />
would push for higher pay for common soldiers and that<br />
would result in a sufficient number of volunteers so that we<br />
would not need a law enforcing universal training.<br />
Why Oppose It<br />
We oppose universal military training on various grounds,<br />
but mainly because of the moral debauchery which so com<br />
monly results. It ir now reported that evil mcral conditions<br />
and Japan<br />
surrounding our occupation forces in Germany<br />
have improved. We hope that is true. But the editor in The<br />
Christic
process"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
FRANCE WAVERS<br />
The French National Assembly has ratified the key<br />
treaty for rearming West Germany within a seven-nation<br />
Western European Union. But the decision was by the<br />
narrow margin of 287 to 260, after the Assembly had once<br />
rejected the treaty. The pact restores sovereignty to the<br />
German Federal Republic, admits it to NATO,<br />
and author<br />
izes a force of half a million German soldiers. Because of<br />
France's traditional fear of German military might, Premier<br />
Mendes-France had to stake the life of his government on<br />
the issue. Failure would have meant political chaos both<br />
in France and among the Western allies. All political<br />
parties except the Communists were sharply divided, and<br />
the French situation is still precarious as Mendes-France no<br />
longer commands the big majorities he had last summer.<br />
The French upper house still must ratify the treaty.<br />
The British House of Commons and Italian Chamber of<br />
Deputies have already done so, while the lower house in<br />
West Germany has given preliminary approval. The U. S.<br />
Senate also must act on the restoration of sovereignty for<br />
West Germany and her admission into NATO. Complete<br />
approval is likely within two or three months. French<br />
hostility toward Germany has dimmed the alliance's pros<br />
pects, however, for <strong>org</strong>anizational machinery is dead without<br />
a spirit of cooperation.<br />
END OF THE G. I. BILL<br />
President Eisenhower is terminating the<br />
fits commonly known as the "Korean G. I.<br />
veterans*<br />
bene<br />
Bill."<br />
Persons<br />
now in service will still get these benefits, but they will<br />
not apply to anyone entering<br />
and those already serving<br />
eligibility<br />
service after January 31,<br />
cannot accumulate additional<br />
after that date. The rights thus ended include<br />
education and training allowances up to three years at a<br />
maximum rate of $160 a month; loan guarantees for farms<br />
and businesses;<br />
unemployment compensation up to $26 a<br />
week for twenty-six weeks;<br />
and mustering-out pay of $100<br />
to $300. Also terminated, for Korean veterans, is govern<br />
ment hospital care for disabilities not connected with ser<br />
vice. The Korean G. I. benefits were costing about $45 mil<br />
lion a month and would have gone higher if continued.<br />
Their conclusion is<br />
in line with President Eisenhower's<br />
belief that peacetime service is a universal obligation which<br />
does not deserve any special rewards. His action does not<br />
end the state of national emergency proclaimed by Presi<br />
dent Truman at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950.<br />
Various defense agencies still derive their power from this<br />
"emergency."<br />
SECURITY CHECKUP<br />
The Senate Civil Service Committee will soon begin in<br />
vestigating the security program for government employees.<br />
Strong<br />
protests have been made over the case of Wolf<br />
agricultural attache at our<br />
Ladejinsky, embassy in Tokyo.<br />
The State Department gave him several security clearances,<br />
one as recently as last April. A few weeks ago his job was<br />
transferred to the Agriculture Department,<br />
which removed<br />
him on security grounds. Ladejinsky is a Russian Jew who<br />
came to the U. S. in 1922 and was naturalized. Agriculture<br />
officials<br />
objected that he still has relatives in Russia and<br />
that he worked as an interpreter for Amt<strong>org</strong>, Soviet trad<br />
ing agency, in 1931. This ouster has raised a storm of protest<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
from Congressmen, the State Department, and anti-Com<br />
munists in Japan.<br />
During the recent election campaign many Democrats<br />
charged that the personnel security system, set up by<br />
President Eisenhower in April, 1953, was being used for<br />
partisan purposes. They also claim that employees are<br />
harrassed by interminable security checks, with different<br />
agencies making different findings on the same facts.<br />
There is no doubt that the program has hurt the morale<br />
of government workers and is a source of difficulty in re<br />
cruiting<br />
new personnel at the upper levels. The present<br />
system makes the head of each executive department re<br />
sponsible for security in his jurisdiction. The Democrats<br />
now advocate a single central security board, with one<br />
set of standards for the whole program.<br />
ASIAN-AFRICAN MEETING<br />
Five Asian premiers have met in Indonesia and issued a<br />
call for an Asian-African conference late in April. India,<br />
Pakistan, Ceylon, Burma, and Indonesia are the sponsoring<br />
powers, with Indonesia as the host. Thirty countries will<br />
be invited, ranging from Japan to Liberia. If all accept,<br />
the conference will represent over half the world's popula<br />
tion. Communist China is invited, but not the Nationalists.<br />
The Union of South Africa is also excluded because of its<br />
racial policies. Race questions and colonialism will be among<br />
the topics discussed. Our government is afraid the confer<br />
ence may be taken over by the Communists, but will prob<br />
ably encourage those countries friendly to us to attend,<br />
as a counterbalance.<br />
LOYALTY TEST<br />
The whole loyalty program is also being tested in a<br />
case now before the Supreme Court. Dr. John Peters, pro<br />
fessor of medicine at Yale University, was twice cleared,<br />
and then dismissed on security grounds. He claims that<br />
his constitutional rights were violated because loyalty<br />
hearings do not follow "due process of law." The accused<br />
cannot confront or cross-examine his accusers, and often<br />
is never even told the charges against him. The Engineers<br />
and Scientists of America, an <strong>org</strong>anization of 40,000 defenseplant<br />
workers, has filed a brief supporting Dr.<br />
tion.<br />
Peters'<br />
posi<br />
Government attornies claim that a government job is a<br />
privilege, not a right; that dismissal does not imply con<br />
viction of any crime; and that constitutional guarantees of<br />
"due<br />
therefore do not apply. Certainly the FBI<br />
would be badly crippled if all security proceedings had to<br />
be conducted as public trials. Unfortunately, the actual ef<br />
fect of the security dismissal is to taint a person's character<br />
and make it difficult for him to find employment anywhere.<br />
The Supreme Court has a delicate decision before it.<br />
SAFETY BY AIR<br />
U. S. civil avaition established an all-time safety record<br />
in 19<strong>54</strong>, with less than one fatality<br />
per billion passenger<br />
miles on scheduled flights. The airlines carried about 35<br />
million passengers for a total of 21 billion passenger-miles.<br />
There were a number of serious crashes, but they involved<br />
foreign or military aircraft. Airplane flight continued,<br />
as it<br />
has for many years, to be much safer than travel by auto<br />
mobile. The New Year's weekend ran up a shocking total<br />
of 259 traffic deaths in <strong>54</strong> hours.<br />
19
along"<br />
name."<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
Why<br />
Stand Ye Here Idle<br />
'Not oWy is he idle who is doing nothing, he also is idle who is not doing his best.:<br />
An Inspirational TV Program<br />
While many TV programs bring undesirable sug<br />
gestions into our homes (if we will let them), in<br />
fairness it must be said that there are others that<br />
leave a lasting impression for good. "This Is Your<br />
Life,"<br />
for example. Each week it presents the life<br />
story of some relatively obscure person who is doing<br />
a magnificent humanitarian or Christian work. The<br />
person is enticed on various pretexts to go to Cali<br />
fornia where the programs originate, and suddenly<br />
finds himself or herself in the focus of the several.<br />
TV cameras, and facing a large audience of specta<br />
tors. One one a number of persons who<br />
by<br />
have been<br />
the beneficiaries of this life are brought on the scene<br />
in chronological order from all parts of the world and<br />
after mutually affectionate embraces and kisses, the<br />
incident of previous contact sometimes fifty years<br />
or more ago is related ; that person retires and the<br />
next one comes. The show ends with all these rela<br />
tives, students, patients or what have you appear<br />
ing together, with presentation of gifts such as<br />
movie camera, projector, film record of the program,<br />
a Mercury sedan, expense trip and maybe a million<br />
dollars to continue the good work begun, and a ban<br />
quet promised in a nearby ritzy hotel for all these<br />
friends.<br />
On a recent evening the announcer walked up<br />
the aisle of the well-filled auditorium saying that the<br />
subject for the program would be chosen from the<br />
audience ; he handed the book of biography to a gray<br />
ing negro on the end chair of the front row and asked<br />
open the book and<br />
him if he would untie the string,<br />
lead the name inside. He read "Lawrence Jones, why<br />
that's my name! There must be another man with<br />
that He had been brought to California to<br />
address the Rotarians and brought to the program as<br />
the guest of the Rotarian president. On being as<br />
sured that he was the intended victim of the plot he<br />
was escorted to the settee on the stage. The early<br />
years of his life were related by the MC. Born in St.<br />
Joseph, Mo.,<br />
crooned to sleep by mother and grand<br />
"Inchin' inchin'<br />
mother with the spiritual, along,<br />
he began the long upward climb.<br />
The Jones family moved to a small community<br />
in Iowa where he received his elementary and second<br />
ary education. A lady high school classmate was<br />
present to tell us that her class had chosen Lawrence<br />
to write their class song but as the weeks went by<br />
were afraid<br />
they confided to the principal that they<br />
Lawrence was going to let them down, but he assured<br />
them that if Jones were given the responsible duty<br />
he would produce the goods, and he did. Being the<br />
first negro to graduate from the school and such a<br />
worthy boy,<br />
the town gave him an ovation on com<br />
mencement day,<br />
and made him feel that the world<br />
would recognize true worth regardless of the color<br />
of the skin. The next tribute was paid by a high<br />
executive from an insurance company flown in from<br />
20<br />
Des Moines to tell of Mr. Jones' service to their col<br />
lege fraternity where he waited on tables, blacked<br />
boots, etc. while working his way through college. On<br />
graduation he had the offer of several jobs but de<br />
clined them all because he wanted to help his own<br />
people.<br />
Next he was presented as the young graduate,<br />
sitting on a log in Piney Woods, Miss., meditating on<br />
James A. Garfield's famous remark that Mark Hop<br />
kins on one end of a log and a boy on the other con<br />
stituted a university. With $1.65 in his pocket, he of<br />
fered to open a free school for all the children who<br />
would come, and a single boy showed up for regis<br />
tration on the first day. But the school grew rapidly<br />
and before cold weather began they were given an<br />
abandoned sheepshed and forty acres of worn-out<br />
"inchin' along."<br />
land. The theme song was still The<br />
school continued to grow, adding<br />
equipment and<br />
appeal had<br />
buildings as means permitted, but finally<br />
to be made for community support, and trustees<br />
were chosen, and one lumber man offered 10,000<br />
feet of lumber. Students from far and near now fill<br />
'<br />
the large dormitories.<br />
A white lady with a Ph.D. came from Columbia<br />
to the school for a commencement address, and re<br />
mained to serve and is still there. Several of the<br />
alumni et alumnae came to add their tributes of love<br />
among them a tall fine-looking Baptist minister,<br />
housewives, teachers, carpenters, and a lady county<br />
superintendent who attributed her life success to a<br />
saying of Lawrence Jones quoted above "Not<br />
only<br />
is he idle who is doing nothing, he also is idle who is<br />
not doing his best." Another said "He taught us how<br />
to be Christians as well as students."<br />
After giving<br />
the usual gifts to Mr. Jones, the climax was an ap<br />
peal to the listeners to contribute to the continuation<br />
of this institution after its founder passes on, a dol<br />
lar from each donor, with the ultimate goal a million<br />
dollars. The report two weeks later was that more<br />
than half the sum had already come in. And it is<br />
still<br />
"inchin' along."<br />
PUT THIS QUESTION SERIOUSLY TO<br />
YOURSELF, "AM I IDLE"<br />
After viewing the lives of such men and women<br />
who in their own generation set on fire the lives of<br />
thousands and in following generations, tens of thou<br />
sands for Christ, I confess to a<br />
feeling akin to envy<br />
and shame. But some of us were not created to be<br />
apostles, or even teachers, but every person's best is<br />
equal in the sight of God, whether we gained one<br />
pound or ten. But BEST is a big word. And big op<br />
portunities are all about us.<br />
Our Church's Budget is a tremendous opportun<br />
ity, practical and within the reach of every person<br />
that has a dime. Recent articles of Rev. Sam Boyle<br />
seemed to have touched many hearts regarding the<br />
need for more workers in Japan, and here is hoping<br />
that others may be encouraged to believe this is<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
possible."<br />
ministers'<br />
within the range of possibility. In the Tither's Cor<br />
ner of two weeks ago we read of a pastor's family<br />
who out of a salary of less than $3,000 and parsonage<br />
are giving two tithes to make this possible. Subtract<br />
two tithes and the income tax on the balance, then<br />
subtract the result from your income after your giv<br />
ing to benevolence and taxes, and how much have<br />
you left A layman tells us in last week's Tither's<br />
Corner that he estimates there are 25 families with<br />
incomes of $20,000 in the church. That seems like a<br />
wild guess to the writer who deals in smaller figures,<br />
and I almost hope for their sakes and ours that it<br />
is not so because Jesus said such incomes are dan<br />
gerous. ' How hardly shall they that have riches en<br />
ter into the Kingdom of God!" but "With God all<br />
things are The safety valve in such in<br />
comes is not the tithe but multi-tithes. An analyst<br />
interviewed several hundred alcoholics, and found<br />
a large percentage of them were college graduates, a<br />
larger number high school graduates, a small per<br />
centage in the lower educational brackets, but of<br />
these the great majority were the descendents of<br />
rich parents. Dare you take that risk Those Israel<br />
ites who thought to store up manna for a rainy day<br />
discovered that it bred worms and stank, and it still<br />
does. But God has established a bank for surpluses<br />
in Heaven where neither moth or rust can corrupt<br />
and confidence men have never held it up, or swin<br />
dled a depositor. "He is idle who is not doing his<br />
best."<br />
Idle money comes under the same condemna<br />
tion.<br />
SHALL WE MAINTAIN OUR INTEGRITY<br />
An integer is a whole number as opposed to a<br />
fractional or mixed number. To disintegrate is to<br />
break up the completeness or integrity of a sub<br />
stance. The Budget system was adopted in order to<br />
integrate the whole giving of the church. Some folks<br />
sincerely believe that if the budget system were<br />
given up, more money would be given. They want to<br />
pick and choose the objects they will support. Maybe<br />
they do not like to give to the Widows and Orphans<br />
Fund. A young minister dies in early life, having<br />
spent his life and all his funds serving the church for<br />
a mere subsistance (or less) wage. His widow out<br />
lives him by forty or fifty years struggling to sup<br />
port and educate small children, and ends up in her<br />
old age scrubbing floors in an office building (an<br />
actual case). Does the contributor who refuses to<br />
have any<br />
of his contribution used in her support or<br />
for the pension fund $600.00 per annum,<br />
think God will think more of him and reward him<br />
because he gave all his contributions to missions<br />
Every fund on the budget is a necessary one neces<br />
sary to the complete work of the church, whether<br />
Seminary, College, Aged People's Home, or even the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>. I suppose when Moses was col<br />
lecting materials for the tabernacle, there were some<br />
who insisted that their contribution would all be used<br />
to gold-plate the wings of the cherubim. Let the poor<br />
folks supply the badger skins dyed red. They did not<br />
realize that those red badger skins were a necessary<br />
prerequisite to the Mercy Seat. I have seen a guest<br />
scrape all the cherries out of the jam and leave the<br />
juice for the home folks. I have known folks to ask<br />
for white meat only though the fowl was small. Let<br />
the others eat the dark meat. Jesus saw guests edg<br />
ing quietly toward the best seats at the feast. Why<br />
did they do it To feast their ego Or to appear more<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
worthy in the eyes of the other guests One guest<br />
or deceived.<br />
they did not fool, for God is not mocked,<br />
They seem to have reminded Him of animals He had<br />
once seen rushing violently down a steep place four<br />
feet in the trough. He had far more admiration for<br />
that little fellow at the foot of the table who chose<br />
that place. Jesus Christ has sovereign control of all<br />
contributions directing where they shall be used.<br />
What disposal do you suppose He made of that poor<br />
widow's two mites Were they used for the Chief<br />
Ruler of the Synagogue's salary, or to pay the door<br />
keeper, or were they used to buy a new mop-stick<br />
for another poor widow with a sore back who<br />
scrubbed the Synagogue's floors Inasmuch as ye<br />
have done it unto one of the least of these my breth<br />
ren, or sisters, ye have done it unto Me. She cast in<br />
all her living with no strings attached.<br />
MACEDONIA IS READY, WHAT ABOUT<br />
CORINTH<br />
We believe that the Church is able, and is will<br />
ing to raise the whole Budget, and the additional<br />
$5,000 for the extra missionary to Japan, if they<br />
were convinced that all would cooperate. Topeka con<br />
gregation is now without a church building of their<br />
own, but are planning to build in the immediate fu<br />
ture. They are also without a pastor to spur them on,<br />
but they are not without laymen leaders. On Decem<br />
ber 12 they contributed $139.04 to the American<br />
Bible Society. Then it was proposed that a special<br />
collection and pledges should be made on December<br />
26 to help raise the Budget plus the $5,000.00. This<br />
was to be in addition to the regular collection which<br />
also covers the annual contribution to the budget.<br />
The giving that day was as follows :<br />
National Reform Association $106.04<br />
Building Fund 515.00<br />
Synod's Budget (special) 608.00<br />
General Fund 183.95<br />
1412.99<br />
Unpaid pledges to Budget (additional) 428.00<br />
1840.99<br />
This was a laymen's movement. If we have any of<br />
those $20,000-per-year-income people, they have been<br />
quite silent about it, but we have several widows.<br />
If it were just a matter of $5,000.00 for Japan<br />
it would be over subscribed within a week, but this is<br />
in addition to the full budget, and it is no use to buy<br />
chimes until we have built the main structure clear<br />
to the belfry. So let's GO.<br />
GLIMPSES . . .<br />
Cont'd, from page 18<br />
Lsubach's Program for 1955<br />
Frank C. Laubach and his literary team, who teach the<br />
illiterate to read, started their 19<strong>54</strong>-55 program December 5 in<br />
Pakistan. After eight weeks they are to go to the southern<br />
Sudan, then across south Asia to Netherlands New Guinea,<br />
ending with a month's work in Korea. There are on the team<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Laubach, Phil Gray (artist), Richard Cortright<br />
(linguist), Mrs. Richard Cortright (secretary), and Mrs.<br />
Baity, a writer associated with the World Health Organiza<br />
tion. Their object has been, as they have gone from country to<br />
country, to teach a simplified method of reading and arrang<br />
ing for this to spread from one to another, so that people of<br />
(Continued on page 23)<br />
21
societies."<br />
A Bible Study and Bible Memory Program for<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church<br />
K<br />
by Remo I. Robb, D.D.<br />
Ever since 1947, when the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Crusade<br />
was adopted by Synod and presented to the Church,<br />
I have felt that our evangelistic efforts would be<br />
more effective if we knew our Bibles better. After<br />
various evangelistic meetings through the years,<br />
people have come to me and said "I'd like to do per<br />
sonal work. How do I go about it" These people<br />
really were speaking for a host of others who are<br />
conscious of the need for effective soul-winning en<br />
deavor but lack the know-how. Even on the floor of<br />
Synod, ministers, long in the pastorate, have asked<br />
for some general and effective method to win souls<br />
to Christ.<br />
When the apostles went out to "make disciples"<br />
they used their "Bibles," and it will always be one of<br />
the marvels of mankind that for the greater part of<br />
the first century they won men to Christ by the<br />
thousands through the Old Testament alone. They<br />
knew it well, and they knew how the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ matched its promises and its precepts at every<br />
point.<br />
In our day, we have God's full and complete<br />
revelation. We heard its stories as small children, we<br />
learned its precious passages, we know what it<br />
teaches, we know a great deal about it, but some<br />
where along the line we have missed getting it in<br />
such a form that we can give it to others. The diffi<br />
culty does not appear to be in a shortage of methods,<br />
but rather in finding the people to really go to work<br />
and use them. At the same time, there is a place for<br />
some simple, easy-to-work program by which the<br />
average person may himself first be benefitted and<br />
then equipped to carry the message to his friends<br />
and neighbors.<br />
The task of preparing an adequate study of this<br />
sort is enormous. Over the years, I have preferred<br />
rather to seek out studies and systems already pre<br />
pared. Among those I have favored is the Naviga<br />
tor's Topical Memory System, which I suggested as<br />
early as 1948. Moody's Bible School also had a Bible<br />
Memory Course, and there were others. After the<br />
Billy Graham campaign in Pittsburgh two years ago,<br />
his follow-up campaign made use of the Navigators,<br />
and a good number of our young people have been<br />
helped not only in their Bible knowledge, but also in<br />
knowledge of how to study the Bible and how to pre<br />
sent it to others. But like nearly all the prepared<br />
courses available,<br />
objections are raised, sometimes<br />
quite valid, sometimes hypercritical, but objections,<br />
nevertheless, which indicate some degree of inade<br />
quacy for use by the whole Church.<br />
Still, the wide consciousness of the need for<br />
more and better knowledge of the Bible has contin<br />
ued to show itself. From the Grinnell convention of<br />
19<strong>54</strong>, three incidents (or items) impressed me as<br />
calling for some immediate action on this matter.<br />
First, a very discouraging report was brought<br />
to Synod. After it was read, a young man, a member<br />
of the committee, took the floor and urged a positive<br />
program of Bible instruction. The spirit of his mes-<br />
22<br />
sage was so different from the report that Synod<br />
broke into handclapping, and then returned the re<br />
port to the committee for further study.<br />
Second, there was the Brief Covenant, in which<br />
we all attested with our signatures our oath to God<br />
that the Bible would be our rule of life. We said "We<br />
do"<br />
to this statement<br />
"We do promise to avail ourselves of oppor<br />
tunities public and private for growth in grace<br />
and for Christian service,<br />
. . .<br />
including study of<br />
the Scriptures."<br />
Does it not follow that the Church is in some mea<br />
sure obligated to provide Scripture studies for its<br />
people <br />
Third, the young people, without any suggestion<br />
from the national secretary, adopted a Plan of Work<br />
in which this item was set first :<br />
"1. Bible Study Memory.<br />
We suggest the introduction of a systematic indi<br />
vidual Bible study and memorization with a regu<br />
larly planned group discussion. Methods are to be<br />
decided by the local<br />
Clearly the young people have a genuine desire<br />
to know the Bible and to use it better.<br />
Acting on these and other indications, I invited<br />
a group of ministers from the Pittsburgh and Beaver<br />
Falls areas to meet with me early in September to<br />
discuss :<br />
1. The advisability of undertaking a Bible Study and<br />
Memory Program for the Church.<br />
2. How it should be developed.<br />
3. How it should be presented to the Church.<br />
4. Other matters involved in the project.<br />
Those invited were Dr. J. B. Willson, professor<br />
of Bible language in the seminary; Dr. J. G. Vos,<br />
Bible professor at Geneva College; the Rev. D.<br />
Howard Elliott, clerk of Synod; Dr. F. H. Lathom,<br />
chairman of Synod's Board of Christian Education;<br />
the Rev. Kenneth G. Smith, pastor of Central<br />
Pittsburg congregation, and the Rev. Willard G. Mc<br />
Millan, pastor of the Parnassus congregation. We<br />
met for two and a half hours. We talked over many<br />
phases of the question. It became clear that although<br />
there were differing opinions, all these men were in<br />
terested in such a project, and at length they voted<br />
in favor of a <strong>Covenanter</strong> Bible Study Program and all<br />
agreed to work together in its preparation.<br />
At subsequent meetings other ministers have<br />
attended or been invited to attend the Rev. J. Paul<br />
McCracken, the Rev. Robert B. Tweed, the Rev. John<br />
H. Tweed, and Dr. S. Bruce Willson.<br />
The following statement of purpose has been<br />
formulated :<br />
1. What is Intended.<br />
A Life-time Plan of Study and<br />
Memorizing of the<br />
Word of God.<br />
2. Why a Bible Study and Bible Memory Program.<br />
a. Because the Word of God (the Bible) is di<br />
vinely ordained to direct man how to glorify<br />
and enjoy Him.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
animals."<br />
b. Because it is commended and commanded in<br />
the Scriptures.<br />
Bible study Acts 17 :11 ; 2 Timothy 2 :15.<br />
Bible memory Deuteronomy 6:6; 11:18;<br />
Proverbs 7:13; Psalm 119:11.<br />
c. Because God assures that meditation on His<br />
Word will bring prosperity and success.<br />
Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2, 3; 1 Timothy 4:15.<br />
d. Because of growing interest in Bible study<br />
and Bible memory work.<br />
e. Because of our solemn vows to God in the<br />
Brief Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong>. (See statement<br />
above)<br />
f. Because of widespread need for more knowl<br />
edge of the Scriptures.<br />
Hosea 4:6; 2 Corinthians 3:15, 16.<br />
g. Because spiritual leadership<br />
of God's people<br />
requires showing them how in addition to tell<br />
ing them they should.<br />
Exodus 18:20; 1 Cor. 11:1; Philippians 3:17;<br />
4:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 4:1.<br />
h. Because few available systems are entirely<br />
satisfactory.<br />
3. Aims of the Bible Study and Bible Memory Pro<br />
gram.<br />
a. To develop and implant the basic BIBLE CUL<br />
TURE as the background for the correct so<br />
lution to the problems of our age.<br />
Deut. 4:1-8; Prov. 30:5; Romans 15:4; 1 Cor.<br />
10:11.<br />
b. To instruct all age groups in the knowledge<br />
and use of the Bible.<br />
Deut. 6 :6, 7 ; Josh. 1 :8 ; 1 Tim. 3 :2, 9 ; Titus 2 :<br />
1-3.<br />
c. To furnish suitable Scripture material for con<br />
tacting the unsaved.<br />
Isaiah 55:11; John 5:39; Hebrews 4:12.<br />
d. To provide Scripture foundation for our sys<br />
tem of theology and for its applied principles.<br />
Philippians 1:27b; 3:16; Jude 3.<br />
e. To provide an opportunity, personal and social,<br />
"for growth in grace and for Christian serv<br />
ice."<br />
(The Brief Covenant).<br />
Psalm 119:97; 2 Peter 3:18.<br />
f . To provide a workable plan for lifetime Bible<br />
study<br />
and Bible memory.<br />
4. Suggested Development of the Bible Memory Pro<br />
gram.<br />
a. A Syllabus of Bible and Catechetical Memory<br />
Work. For use in Sabbath Schools and/or<br />
Junior Societies.<br />
b. A Bible Memory System for young people and<br />
young adults.<br />
(Nothing definite has been done yet on these parts<br />
of the project.)<br />
5. Suggested Development of the Bible Study.<br />
a. Some Guiding Principles.<br />
(1) The first step is to "know Him."<br />
Those of us who have had Christian train<br />
ing from before we can remember will un<br />
derstand that the purpose of living is to<br />
glorify God. But to people who have had no<br />
such training or who have not accepted<br />
Christ, the first step must be to "know<br />
Him."<br />
Before a child can know the rules of<br />
life, he must be born. So also before a per<br />
son can truly understand the purposes of<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
spiritual living, he must first be born again.<br />
Therefore, the opening studies are designed<br />
to bring the Gospel of Christ our Saviour<br />
to the human soul.<br />
(2) Strengthened in Faith.<br />
Those who already know Him should be<br />
strengthened in their faith by reviewing<br />
the matter. Furthermore, in going over the<br />
early lessons, Christians may prepare them<br />
selves for presenting Christ to unchristian<br />
acquaintances.<br />
(3) Limited use of the Bible.<br />
It was further judged that the early studies<br />
should not cover too wide a portion of the<br />
Bible. The whole Bible is the Word of God,<br />
but the average unbeliever does not know<br />
how to use it at all. To ask a beginner to<br />
turn to widely scattered references might<br />
lead to confusion. The better way is to<br />
bring the Bible message from a small or<br />
limited portion,<br />
and then, as the Holy Spirit<br />
increases faith, reach out into other por<br />
tions with possibly more direct references.<br />
b. The Bible Study Program will therefore cover<br />
the following steps :<br />
(1) An Introductory Study, presenting the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ as our Saviour. This will be<br />
from the Gospel of John.<br />
(2) A Series of three studies on Salvation.<br />
These will be on Belief, Repentance and<br />
Surrender, and will make use of the entire<br />
New Testament.<br />
(3) A Series of six studies on Christian Char<br />
acter Development.<br />
(4) A Series of four studies on Introduction to<br />
the Bible.<br />
(5) A Series of studies following the develop<br />
ment of thought through the Shorter Cate<br />
chism.<br />
(6) A Series of studies on the Church, leading<br />
to Church membership.<br />
(7) A Series of studies for Fruitful Living.<br />
(a) On Your Own in Memory Work.<br />
(b) Plans for personal systematic Bible<br />
Study.<br />
(c) How to present it to others.<br />
(d) Fields of service in all the world.<br />
Surely the Holy Spirit leads the Church, its lead<br />
ers and members, in a movement to know His Word.<br />
Surely, too, He will make such a move an empower<br />
ing force toward a growing Church. Pray with us<br />
that this may be so.<br />
In another article, possibly next week, I shall of<br />
fer suggestions on how to use the studies, and will<br />
present the first one.<br />
GLIMPSES . . . Cont'd, from page 21<br />
backward countries can read the Bible and other literature,<br />
with the hope that they may learn to know the Lord and<br />
reach a respectable standard of living.<br />
Organization Opposes Evolution<br />
The Rev. Gladden James, a retired missionary of Boulder,<br />
Colo., has <strong>org</strong>anized a group which stands for the Authentic<br />
ity of the Bible and Religious Liberty to fight the theory of<br />
evolution, "especially the part that teaches that man is de<br />
scended from fish or They have appealed to re<br />
gents of the University of Colorado to stop the teaching of<br />
evolution on the penalty<br />
of court action against them. Mr.<br />
(Continued on page 25)<br />
23
well."<br />
me'<br />
meditation."<br />
wine."<br />
'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^("((WWWW*<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
WHY I BELIEVE AND PRACTICE THE<br />
PRINCIPLE OF THE TITHE<br />
By Wilbur A. McElroy<br />
Topeka, Kansas<br />
In the first place I was taught the principle of<br />
the tithe in my youth, learning that the tithe was<br />
the only accurate and safe way to return to God what<br />
was rightfully His. Thai it is a command and if our<br />
hearts are full of love for God and gratitude to Him<br />
for His great love toward us we must show it by giv<br />
ing to His kingdom work, and how better do it than<br />
in the business like way He has shown. As I grew<br />
older there was nothing I could find in the Scripture<br />
that proposed a better system than giving the tithe.<br />
We have many examples in the Scripture where men<br />
were blessed that practiced giving the tithe. When I<br />
use the term 'blessed' I do not necessarily mean in<br />
material things, there is a spiritual blessing that is<br />
far greater. Although tithing and thrift do seem to<br />
be brothers, I cannot give any sensational personal<br />
testimony as to why I practice the principle of the<br />
tithe other than the training I received, the indoc<br />
trination by ministers of the Gospel, the study of the<br />
Bible, and the blessed feeling of obedience in obeying<br />
one of God's Commands.<br />
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
"SPEAKING FOR THE MASTER" By Batsell<br />
Barrett Baxter. The Macmillan Company, 19<strong>54</strong>, New<br />
York. 134 pages, price $2.50.<br />
"Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing<br />
Whatever is done ought to be done the best<br />
in the best possible way. What is done for our Sav<br />
iour and Lord ought to be the heighth of excellency<br />
so far as we can make it so. The writer of this book<br />
is a professor of speech in David Lipscomb's College,<br />
Nashville, Tennessee, and also a pastor of a Church.<br />
He is likewise a son of a minister. As the title sug<br />
gests it is a book on public speaking and concentrates<br />
on the idea of learning to speak well so that we may<br />
speak in public effectively. A sub title is "A Study<br />
of Public Speaking for Christian Men" but every<br />
thing in it would apply just as well for women.<br />
The book has been written first of all for the in<br />
dividual who wants to be a better speaker himself<br />
and it is also written so that it can be used for class<br />
work and before the book is finished it recommends<br />
that every church should have a class in public<br />
speaking and certainly this book is a model text book<br />
for such a class.<br />
It is very practical from the first to the last.<br />
Beginning with such subjects as "Stage Fright,<br />
What To Do About It, Making Announcements,<br />
Reading the Bible, Praying in Public, Delivery, Im<br />
proving the Voice, Earning the Right to Speak, Or<br />
ganization, Arrangement, Beginning and Ending<br />
Speech, Persuasion, Words and then the climax is<br />
Learning to Preach."<br />
Looking at the book superficially you may think<br />
'the book has no interest for but don't start to<br />
read it unless you have time to finish or can find a<br />
24<br />
time, for you will want to finish. I am delighted with<br />
the many applications of Scripture and also with the<br />
fact that the man is no modernist but believes in<br />
the inspiration of the Bible and quotes it frequently<br />
and effectively. I heartily recommend this book to<br />
anyone who has even so much as an announcement to<br />
make for his church and most ministers could profit<br />
from every chapter of which there are 16.<br />
D. R. T.<br />
Another McMillan Book "Acquaintance with<br />
God"<br />
by J. P. Phillips, 51 pages, price $1.75. This<br />
book is fully devoted to the profitable observance of<br />
communion and would be a very excellent book to<br />
have when your pastor asks you to "spend the inter<br />
vening time between preparation services and the<br />
observation of the Lord's Supper in<br />
The<br />
writer recognizes that to many<br />
people the observance<br />
of Communion is apt to be just a duty to be per<br />
formed and often with dread. The book is long<br />
enough to be worth its price again and again. And<br />
short enough that everyone could read it through<br />
with profit at every Communion season and find in<br />
the sacrament new meanings, a realization of its im<br />
portance and it will certainly help us to keep from<br />
eating and drinking to our own damnation. The writ<br />
er calls attention forcibly to the difference between<br />
Romanists'<br />
observance of the Sacrament and the<br />
Protestants', and reminds us that this sacrament is<br />
one of the strong evidences of the truth in Christian<br />
ity, that it is a "holy pipeline running unbroken<br />
through all the church's visisitudes back to the<br />
source of Christ Himself," and "even on the bare<br />
memorial view of the sacrament we have behind us a<br />
continuous tradition of meeting in fellowship around<br />
the unbroken bread and poured out<br />
The book ends with a plea for open communion<br />
with persons of other denominations permitted to<br />
take of this sacrament and while we do not agree<br />
with this conclusion it presents a case for it that is<br />
rather hard to meet. One way we can meet the ob<br />
jection to closed communion is to remember that it<br />
was found necessary at the World Ecumenical Coun<br />
cil at Evanston, Illinois, where every delegate was<br />
supposed to come with a mind concentrated and<br />
aimed toward ecumenicity and world wide fellowship<br />
with all barriers down, to have five different groups<br />
to have communion according to the satisfaction of<br />
each person there, and even then there was a mis<br />
cellaneous group that did not enter into the Sacra<br />
ment at all because they felt that the ordinance was<br />
too sacred to share with those who had such various<br />
and erroneous views on the Bible and Jesus Christ,<br />
of the atonement and all other fundamental princi<br />
ples of Christianity. This is something to think about.<br />
D.R.T.<br />
ECUMENICISM AND THE BD3LE<br />
David Hedegard<br />
The book is a translation from the Swedish orig<br />
inal and is both interesting and valuable in view of<br />
the recent Evanston meeting and of modern trends<br />
toward church union. It is written from the Euro<br />
pean viewpoint and gives more of the life and beliefs<br />
of European and Asiatic leaders than an American<br />
book might. It traces the beginnings of the Ecumeni<br />
cal movement, the Faith and Order movement, the<br />
Life and Work movement, Foreign Missions and<br />
movements for unity, and the World Council of<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
movement."<br />
'<br />
Churches. It also gives a good summary of the doc<br />
trines of "Peter" (the Roman Catholic Church) who<br />
tarries," "John"<br />
"still and (the Greek Orthodox<br />
Church) as<br />
they bear on the question a world church.<br />
Modernism has tended to create divisions within<br />
the denominations, but its leaders have found kind<br />
red spirits among the denominations,<br />
and thus the<br />
"new theology" has been an important unifying fac<br />
tor. Its view of the Bible minimizes the importance<br />
of doctrinal differences. "Theological modernism is<br />
the most important prerequisite of the ecumenical<br />
The closing chapter on "Evangelical Ecumenical<br />
Movements"<br />
has a strong bias toward the Interna<br />
tional Council of Christian Churches but seems fair<br />
in its appraisal of other movements.<br />
C. E. C.<br />
Stanley's African Letter<br />
By Harry J. Albus<br />
Many people know about Henry M. Stanley, the<br />
famous explorer who found David Livingstone. In<br />
fact, some even know that Stanley discovered the<br />
second largest lake in the world, hidden away in the<br />
jungles of Africa. Stanley named the lake "Nyasa"<br />
in honor of England's great Queen Victoria. But few<br />
people know the amazing story of a special letter<br />
Stanley once wrote.<br />
He wrote this letter one day in an African vil<br />
lage during one of his travels. On this particular<br />
journey he visited Uganda. When he first landed<br />
in Uganda, he was met by<br />
a great crowd. Bright<br />
flags waved, tomtoms sounded, and trumpets blew.<br />
Through the rows of welcoming people, Stanley<br />
was led to the king. The king's name was Mutesa.<br />
The old king was half heathen and half Moham<br />
medan.<br />
For many days Stanley told the king about the<br />
great world outside and about the true God. It was<br />
about the true God that Mutesa was most interested,<br />
and he would sit for hours listening while Stanley<br />
told about God, the Heavenly Father, and about<br />
Jesus.<br />
Tears streamed down the old dark-skinned war<br />
rior's face as Stanley told him how God had sent His<br />
Son to the earth to live and die among men, and how<br />
Jesus had been spit upon, pierced and nailed to the<br />
cross.<br />
Mutesa,"<br />
"And best of all, Stanley told him in<br />
the native tongue, "is the fact that Jesus died for<br />
you. He died for you, King Mutesa, that your sins<br />
might be f<strong>org</strong>iven."<br />
The old chieftain was so moved by the story<br />
that he begged his white friend, who was not a mis<br />
sionary, to send them a teacher to tell them more<br />
about God.<br />
That night Stanley paced the floor of his tent<br />
as he prayed to God for wisdom.<br />
"Lord, how can I get a missionary to tell this<br />
tribe more about Jesus" Stanley prayed. "I'll not<br />
get back to England for many months, and I must<br />
soon leave this tribe to go further into the jungles.<br />
0 God! What will I do"<br />
After much prayer over the matter, Stanley<br />
suddenly came upon an idea. Why not write a letter<br />
asking for missionaries <br />
In a matter of a couple of<br />
hours, the letter was<br />
written. But there was no post office, no train, no<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
stagecoach, no letter carrier, and he was a thousand<br />
miles from any ship.<br />
His next problem was how to get the letter back<br />
to England.<br />
After further thought and prayer, he decided<br />
to send a young Frenchman, who was anxious to<br />
return home, back to England with the letter.<br />
Early the next morning the young Frenchman<br />
set out with the letter on the dangerous journey<br />
down the Nile through the wild country toward<br />
Egypt.<br />
Making his way through the jungles, he was<br />
soon discovered by a wild tribe of savages. Soon<br />
the tribe began to pursue the Frenchman, determined<br />
to take his life.<br />
When the young Frenchman saw the tribesmen<br />
following him, he increased his speed in a desperate<br />
attempt to escape. Running through the jungles, he<br />
prayed, "0 God, somehow, some way,<br />
through."<br />
get the letter<br />
But the tribesmen vastly outnumbered him, and<br />
on the banks of the Nile he was killed by the band<br />
of savages and robbed. His dead body was unburied<br />
on the dry, hot sand.<br />
left<br />
Months passed the letter seemed destined not<br />
to reach England.<br />
Then one day some English soldiers found the<br />
bones of His body. His boots were found lying near<br />
by. They found, to their amazement, a letter hidden<br />
inside the letter written<br />
by Stanley.<br />
They sent the letter to the governor in Egypt,<br />
who sent it to England. After seven months it finally<br />
reached. London and was printed in the Daily Tele<br />
gram.<br />
Here is part of that letter :<br />
"King Mutesa of Uganda has been asking me<br />
about the one true God. Although I had not expected<br />
to turn missionary, for days I have been telling this<br />
black king all the Bible stories I know. He has furth<br />
er caused the Ten Commandments, as well as the<br />
Lord's Prayer and the golden commandment of our<br />
Saviour, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,' to<br />
be written on boards for his daily reading.<br />
"Oh, that some pious, practical missionary would<br />
come here!"<br />
Do you know what happened as a result of that<br />
letter Seven Christian young men who read it in<br />
the Daily Telegram went to Uganda as missionaries,<br />
preaching Christ.<br />
One of these young men was Alexander McKay,<br />
the famous missionary who won thousands of Afri<br />
cans to the Lord Jesus. Christian Digest.<br />
GLIMPSES Continued from page 23<br />
James bases his objection on the First Amendment to the<br />
Constitution which calls for separation of Church and State.<br />
Romanists in Quebec<br />
It has been charged by the Canadian Prime Minister that<br />
the Premier of Quebec is attempting to convert that province<br />
into an independent French Roman Catholic state. Both of<br />
these men are Catholics, but they have been sharply divided<br />
on this question. The province of Quebec has been a source<br />
of trouble for the Dominion for many years. It has been not<br />
only a religious but a moral and educational problem. It was<br />
strongly opposed to prohibition before and during the period<br />
of national prohibition in Canada.<br />
25
ple,"<br />
shine."<br />
communism"<br />
places."<br />
against"<br />
saved."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of January 30, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
For January 30, 1955<br />
NEEDED: STEADFAST CHRISTIANS<br />
Psalms<br />
I Corinthians 9:14-27<br />
1:1-3, page 2<br />
18:12, 14-16, page 37<br />
66:8, 9, 12-14, page 158<br />
118:13, 18-20, page 285<br />
146:1-4, 6, 7, page 353<br />
References: Luke 17:5; John 20:20-23;<br />
Acts 20:34; Colossians 3:12-17; Hebrews<br />
11:33-40; 12:1, 2; Revelation 7:9-17.<br />
(Used .permission<br />
by of International<br />
Christian Endeavor)<br />
Comments by Remo I. Robb, D.D.<br />
Communism is the most evil national<br />
philosophy in the world today. It begins<br />
with a denial that God even exists, and it<br />
develops through using appealing terms,<br />
like "freedom," "democracy," "the peo<br />
but inserting its own meaning into<br />
them. It appeals to downtrodden people<br />
and promises a better life. Its seed is ly<br />
ing propaganda, planted in ignorant<br />
minds, and its fruit is slavery, tyranny<br />
and utter disappointment. Again and<br />
again we<br />
brains go for<br />
ask "How can anyone with<br />
Yet its devotees are the most zealous,<br />
earnest and loyal workers on earth. They<br />
filter into high positions in all countries.<br />
At risk of their own lives they<br />
steal state<br />
secrets from every important national<br />
capital. They may be imprisoned, fined<br />
heavily, deported, degraded, but they<br />
keep on being faithful communists, loyal<br />
to the world's most terrible lie.<br />
Christianity is opposite in every way.<br />
It is anchored in God, yes, in "God be<br />
come<br />
man,"<br />
its seed is the good news of<br />
salvation, it grows in "grace and knowl<br />
edge,"<br />
and it issues in kindness, peace,<br />
equality, and all that men want to be and<br />
to have. Through 2000 years it has<br />
changed men from bad to good, from<br />
slaves to freemen, from being hateful to<br />
loving, from being selfish to considerate,<br />
and "from the power of Satan unto God."<br />
Christianity is true, it is victorious.<br />
Christ is the Hope of the World.<br />
But few present Christians show any<br />
thing like the zeal, earnestness and loy<br />
alty that the Communists show. For the<br />
most part, professing Christians still need<br />
Christ's early command, "Let your light<br />
The early Church had such zeal. They<br />
were on fire for Christ. Take Peter and<br />
John. After the timid fear of the "last<br />
night"<br />
of Christ's suffering, after the<br />
shaking sorrow of His crucifixion, they<br />
26<br />
changed so radically that you wonder if<br />
they are the same men. They went be<br />
fore that most powerful Jewish Court<br />
which had condemned Jesus Christ to<br />
death, and charged it openly<br />
with the<br />
murder of the Prince of Life. They told<br />
those men concerning Christ, "there is<br />
none other name under heaven, given<br />
among men, whereby ye must be<br />
It was as though a man brought before<br />
the U. S. Supreme Court were to shout<br />
"Long live Communism!" except that he<br />
would be upholding a lie, but the disci<br />
ples were right.<br />
There was Stephen, a young man, not<br />
of the disciples at first, but such a stout<br />
defender of Christ that he was stoned;<br />
and Paul, a highly educated and zealous<br />
Jew, who was converted to Christ, and<br />
dotted all Asia Minor with Christian<br />
churches. Why,<br />
at Thessalonica he start<br />
ed a congregation in but three weeks of<br />
time.<br />
Such steadfastness characterized the<br />
Church in its beginnings. And the Chris<br />
tian Church "went<br />
At first it<br />
seemed to be a harmless sect, then<br />
"everywhere it was spoken<br />
(Acts<br />
28:22), then its messengers were turning<br />
"the world upside down" (Acts 17:9),<br />
then Rome feared and fell.<br />
Christianity<br />
still is the world's great<br />
est power for good, the only means of<br />
salvation. A Christian has something to<br />
get excited about. Jesus Christ lived and<br />
died and rose from the dead, He ascended<br />
into heaven, and He is coming again.<br />
More than that, through His Spirit He is<br />
with us always "even to the end of the<br />
world"<br />
(Matt. 28:20).<br />
Christian young people are called to<br />
the same steadfastness, earnestness and<br />
zeal that characterized the young man<br />
Stephen and the young<br />
apostle John.<br />
Shall Communist youth, fed on the noth<br />
ingness of a lie, be loyal even to death,<br />
while Christians with the fulness of Truth<br />
quiver into silence<br />
Let steadfast Paul speak for you "I<br />
am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,<br />
for it is the power of God unto salvation<br />
to every one that believeth" (Romans 1 :<br />
16).<br />
A FEW MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION<br />
1. Some folks say "If I had known<br />
Christ personally like Peter and John, I<br />
could be more<br />
steadfast."<br />
Paul did not<br />
know Him personally in the flesh. What<br />
kept him steadfast<br />
2. If a mob burned your church, and<br />
broke all the windows in your house,<br />
would that affect your faith How<br />
3. Would twice a week for two years<br />
be too often to invite a friend to Sab<br />
bath School and Church<br />
4. Since the Christian Amendment was<br />
not passed at the last Congress,<br />
and the<br />
new Senate will have non-Christian<br />
a<br />
as<br />
chairman of the committee that consid<br />
ers it, is there any use to try again<br />
5. Have a Question and Answer night.<br />
Invite your pastor to answer questions<br />
about your spiritual problems.<br />
by Mrs.<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
January 30, 1955<br />
Philip<br />
W. Martin<br />
A MAN IN A GRAVEYARD<br />
Scripture: Mark 5:1-20<br />
Memory Verse: "Go home to thy friends,<br />
and tell them how great things the Lord<br />
hath done for thee, and hath had com<br />
passion on thee." (Mark 5:19).<br />
Psalms<br />
Sing from memory Psalm 18:12, 13,<br />
16, page 37<br />
Psalm 32:1, 2, 13, page 74<br />
Psalm 103:1-4, page 246<br />
Psalm 86:1, 7, 8, page 210<br />
The title to today's story<br />
sounds sort<br />
of spooky reminding us somewhat of<br />
Halloween. But Halloween stories aren't<br />
true and they usually are supposed to<br />
happen at night. But our story today is<br />
true and happened in the daytime.<br />
Jesus and His disciples had been in a<br />
ship crossing the Sea of Galilee. It had<br />
been an exciting trip for there had been a<br />
storm at sea. But Jesus rebuked the<br />
storm and the ship came safely to the<br />
southeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.<br />
As soon as Jesus got out of the ship a<br />
man met Him.<br />
Now there should be<br />
nothing strange about a man's meeting<br />
people who get off a ship. But this place<br />
where the boat landed was not a regular<br />
place to unload for it was very close to a<br />
graveyard. And this man was not like<br />
most men that we know. This man was<br />
naked; his hair was standing on end; he<br />
had a wild look in his eye; he lived in<br />
the mountains and night and<br />
day he went<br />
all through the graveyard crying, and<br />
cutting himself with The stones."<br />
devil<br />
had possession of him so that he had<br />
unusual strength. It took many men to<br />
bind him with iron chains to try to calm<br />
him down. But his yelling kept up and he<br />
broke those iron chains every time. He<br />
just couldn't be tamed by men. It was<br />
this man that met Jesus as He stepped<br />
out of the boat! Wouldn't you be scared<br />
to meet such a man even in daylight I<br />
think I would run away just as fast as I<br />
ever ran in my life.<br />
But Jesus didn't run. No, the scribes<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
pigs."<br />
and Pharisees church leaders in<br />
Jesus'<br />
time wouldn't believe that Jesus is God.<br />
But this wild man came and fell down at<br />
Jesus'<br />
feet. (You see, Satan and all his<br />
devils are afraid of<br />
Jesus.) Then Jesus<br />
commanded the devil to come out of the<br />
man. But the man yelled out, "What<br />
have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son<br />
of the most high God I adjure thee by<br />
God, that thou torment me There<br />
not."<br />
were lots of Satan's devils in the man and<br />
they begged Jesus not to send them far<br />
away. Not too far away there was a herd<br />
of pigs rooting around for food and the<br />
devils said, "Let us go into those<br />
And the devils went into those pigs so<br />
that the pigs became wild and ran here<br />
and there squealing loudly. They ran<br />
just pell mell down a steep place and<br />
right into the sea where<br />
they were<br />
drowned. The men who kept the pigs ran<br />
into the city and country and, almost out<br />
of breath, they told people what had hap<br />
pened. The people came running out to<br />
the place and what do you think they<br />
saw There was that man who had been<br />
wild, sitting down quietly and he had<br />
clothes on and he wasn't wild any more<br />
but was in his right mind. Well, it was<br />
such a change that the people were afraid.<br />
But they saw that it was true and they<br />
began to tell every one else about it.<br />
The man who was changed wanted to<br />
stay right with Jesus as He went through<br />
the land. But Jesus told him, "No, your<br />
duty is to 'go home to thy friends, and<br />
tell them how great things the Lord<br />
hath done for thee, and hath had com<br />
passion on thee.' "<br />
If Jesus could change the heart of such<br />
a wild man as this, He can change any<br />
body's heart. Are you ever angry Do<br />
you think naughty thoughts Do you<br />
say unkind words Jesus is able to<br />
change your heart so that you will not<br />
get angry or say unkind words. He is able<br />
to make you an obedient child, one who<br />
loves to do what is right. Confess your<br />
sins to Him and He will take away your<br />
sin. Then tell your home folks and friends<br />
what the Lord Jesus has done for you<br />
not just that He has f<strong>org</strong>iven you, but<br />
tell them about His great love for you in<br />
leaving His Home in glory to come to<br />
this earth to suffer and to die on the<br />
cross for you. Tell them that Jesus is<br />
risen and is at the right hand of His Fa<br />
ther praying for you, praying that His<br />
Father will wash away your sins in the<br />
blood of Jesus Christ.<br />
Ask each Junior to tell a lesson which<br />
we can learn from this story. There are<br />
several lessons if you'll look for them.<br />
For Your Notebook.<br />
Draw three hearts. Color one black<br />
for sin, one red for the blood of Christ,<br />
and one white for a heart cleansed by<br />
the blood of Christ.<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
January 30, 1955<br />
MAN'S NATURE AND NEED<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons: the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
Gen. 1:26:31; 6:5, 6; Matt. 6:9, 10<br />
Mark 7:21-23; Luke 6:35, 36.<br />
Printed text, Genesis 1:26-30; Rom. 3:23;<br />
Heb. 2:6-9<br />
Memory verse, Ps. 8:4, 5 "What is man,<br />
that thou art mindful of him and the<br />
son of man, that thou visitest him For<br />
thou hast made him a little lower than<br />
the angels, and hast crowned him with<br />
glory and honor."<br />
Gen. 1:26-30<br />
Man's history for 2,000 years is told<br />
in the first ten chapters of Genesis.<br />
It is fair to assume that many things<br />
are not narrated. We are not told in<br />
what stage of physical development man<br />
was created. Our interest is in the nature,<br />
opportunity<br />
and conduct of the mature<br />
man. In the conversation of God with<br />
Adam and Eve, after the fall, only one<br />
sentence is recorded concerning the re<br />
demptive work of Christ. Yet the sacri<br />
fices offered by Cain and Able imply as<br />
full knowledge of the way<br />
of salvation<br />
from sin through the atoning blood of<br />
Jesus Christ as was revealed to Moses<br />
and the Prophets. Among the animals<br />
that were created before man, there was<br />
not one that had the capacity to live<br />
virtuously, or to sin.<br />
In the story of the creation, the crea<br />
tion of animals is reported by groups.<br />
Man's creation is described separately.<br />
Under special counsel of God, he was<br />
created in God's image. This likeness was<br />
not physical. God's messengers and Jesus<br />
Christ appeared in the likeness of men,<br />
that they might be seen. God never au<br />
thorized man to impersonate Himself or<br />
any of His messengers. Man was<br />
equipped by creation to fee God's mes<br />
senger. Man had qualities in his own<br />
person whereby, under God's direction,<br />
he could perform works for God. He had<br />
the Truth, Righteousness, and Holiness.<br />
This we call Original Righteousness.<br />
LIBERTY AND LAW<br />
Man's first necessity and pleasure is in<br />
food. A wide variety of nourishing and<br />
delicious food was provided for man's<br />
use. One was forbidden. The first sin<br />
had to do with eating. Any disobedience<br />
is the denial of God's truth,<br />
ity. Truth and authority<br />
and author<br />
are both in<br />
volved in the command to eat and drink<br />
to the glory of God.<br />
We often discuss the second part of<br />
this command. I have heard only one<br />
sermon that dealt consistently with the<br />
first part of the command. The preacher<br />
was just recovering from a serious ill<br />
ness. As we left the church, I overheard<br />
a man say that the pastor did not com<br />
mend his sermon by his physical ap<br />
pearance. I thought the Pastor's weakness<br />
was a striking emphasis to his message.<br />
He died the next Saturday.<br />
When we do not try to eat for the<br />
glory of God, but eat rather to please<br />
our appetites, we are denying both the<br />
truth and the authority of God. Adam<br />
and Eve were the first that lost their<br />
lives by eating, but not the last.<br />
Even with the loss of Original Right<br />
eousness, man still had intelligence and<br />
moral freedom. Man still retains that<br />
much of the image of God. That may be<br />
his blessing,<br />
or his curse. As none of the<br />
animals can do, he may choose blessing<br />
through Jesus Christ, or remain in sin<br />
to his eternal death.<br />
Verse 28<br />
"And God blessed them." First,<br />
they<br />
were to replenish, (populate), the earth.<br />
In Eden, the family<br />
was <strong>org</strong>anized with<br />
one man and one woman. That was the<br />
regular order "from the<br />
beginning."<br />
Christ endorsed it as the proper family<br />
order for His people who believed. We<br />
need not expect more from those of "un<br />
belief"<br />
than Christ did. The family is<br />
based on the need of man and society,<br />
and where families are Christian, there<br />
is no juvenile delinquency.<br />
Second, Man is to subdue the earth.<br />
The earth does not produce our food<br />
without our labor. It does not yield our<br />
houses, clothing and machinery without<br />
work. Yet God left it largely to man to<br />
produce the curse of briars and thistles<br />
with which he has to contend. Pioneer<br />
farmers know that virgin soil seldom con<br />
tains noxious weeds. Man imports them.<br />
The pronouncement of the curse was<br />
more a statement of what man would<br />
do to his own hurt, by sin, than a state<br />
ment of what God would do. For every<br />
acre that man has subdued in this coun<br />
try, he has ruined an acre by careless and<br />
greedy<br />
methods of farming.<br />
Third, man is to have dominion over<br />
all animals. Except in unusual circum<br />
stances, man has no fear of any animals<br />
that can be seen with the natural eye.<br />
The hardest task with our invisible en<br />
emies is to discover them. With optical<br />
and chemical aids, we are hopeful soon<br />
to discover the causes for most diseases<br />
and conquer them. Many immoral in<br />
fluences are invisable until the Holy<br />
Spirit reveals them. He is able.<br />
Man is also responsible for the moral<br />
evils<br />
that plague the earth. Men are<br />
either the agents of God for righteousness<br />
under God,<br />
or of sin for the devil. Choose<br />
ye! We don't need to choose the devil,<br />
27
.References:<br />
ple."<br />
sinned."<br />
.... Matt.<br />
above"<br />
willingness"<br />
earth."<br />
receive"<br />
you"<br />
me"<br />
sin"<br />
for if we do not choose Christ, we go, au<br />
tomatically to the devil. Next week we<br />
will learn what is the future of the man<br />
whose chief end is to have a "Good<br />
time."<br />
Rom.. 3:23. "For all have<br />
Ask a Democrat, and a Republican and<br />
between them they will convict all men.<br />
One who can find no fault in himself<br />
should borrow his neighbor's glasses.<br />
Japan listens to our missionaries with<br />
one ear, and watches us with both eyes.<br />
And the "us" that they see are mostly<br />
tourists, merchants, soldiers, movies, and<br />
our tariff rates. What they think of us<br />
is of more vital importance than what<br />
we think of them. All have sinned. The<br />
wages of sin is death.<br />
Heb. 2:6<br />
This introduces the 8th Psalm, a poetic<br />
statement of man's origen, fall and op<br />
portunity, as exemplified in the humili<br />
ation and exaltation of Christ. O, the<br />
depth of the riches of Love, in Christ<br />
Jesus! The Loving Father received the<br />
Prodigal when he came back, not because<br />
he came back. The Father was waiting<br />
for him. Man does not choose to be lost.<br />
He is lost.<br />
Psalms<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
PRAYER<br />
James 1:5-8; 5:13-18.<br />
M. K. Carson, D.D.<br />
143:1-3, page 346<br />
5:1-2, page 8<br />
86:1-5, page 208<br />
102:1-3, page 240.<br />
these verses<br />
Prayer Promises. Compare<br />
from the Sermon on the<br />
Mount and the corresponding verses in<br />
James. Matt. 5:3 and James 1:9; 2:5;<br />
Matt. 5:4; James 4:9. Matt. 5:7-9; James<br />
2:13; 3:17; Matt. 5:8; James 4:8; Matt.<br />
5:9; James 3:18; Matt. 5:11, 12; James<br />
1:2; 5:10, 11; Matt. 5:19; James 1:19-25;<br />
2:10, 11; Matt. 5:22; James 1:20.<br />
In these and other references we have<br />
an "echo of the oral teaching<br />
of our Lord.<br />
There is scarcely a thought in it" says<br />
Dr. Scott, "which cannot be traced to<br />
Christ's personal teaching. If John has<br />
lain on the Saviour's bosom, James has<br />
sat at His feet." Following the teaching<br />
and example of his Brother and Lord,<br />
James became a man of prayer. "He is<br />
said to have kneeled until his knees were<br />
as hard as the knees of camels, and to<br />
have been constant in prayer in the tem<br />
If any of you lack wisdom about<br />
how we can count it all joy when we fall<br />
into divers temptations, ask God. This<br />
is the one never-failing recourse we have<br />
in any experience or emergency in life. As<br />
28<br />
he began to sink, Peter cried, "Lord, save<br />
me"<br />
(Matt. 14:30). Peter availed himself<br />
of his great privilege as a believer, a priv<br />
ilege which we all have. "Prayer is not<br />
conquering God's reluctance, but taking<br />
hold of God's<br />
Philips<br />
Brooks. As soon as Peter prayed, Jesus<br />
stretched forth His hand and caught<br />
him."<br />
Is it not from God that we get the<br />
strength, the power and the wisdom to<br />
meet the experiences of life with joy<br />
even its trials In times of sickness and<br />
affliction, we are commanded to pray. If<br />
in need of f<strong>org</strong>iveness,<br />
pray. Prayer<br />
availeth much. "Ask and ye shall<br />
who<br />
7:7-11. God is our Father<br />
delights to "give good things to<br />
them that ask Him." Do I really believe<br />
that God is answering my prayers Does<br />
thanksgiving have its proper place in our<br />
prayers "Every good gift ... is<br />
ing<br />
from<br />
(James 1:17). The prayer meet<br />
should be given to prayer practice<br />
rather than prayer discussion.<br />
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him<br />
ask of God. .<br />
Is there any one who<br />
does not lack wisdom How greatly we<br />
feel our need! How grateful we are for<br />
the privilege of prayer! Certainly He<br />
giveth wisdom to the ignorant and power<br />
to the faint. But we must ask in faith.<br />
It is the prayer of faith that shall save<br />
the sick (James 5:15). "If ye had faith<br />
as a grain of mustard seed . . (Luke<br />
17:6). We might feel our need and help<br />
lessness but this cry for help must be a<br />
prayer of faith, otherwise it is a vain cry.<br />
"All things whatsoever ye ask in prayer<br />
BELIEVING. .<br />
(Matt. 22:21). How<br />
many doubt before they ask, while they<br />
are asking and even after they have<br />
asked! They have no faith that their<br />
prayers will be answered. In "THE<br />
BACK TO GOD FAMILY ALTAR" is<br />
the story of a woman who dreamed that<br />
she died and werrt to heaven where an<br />
angel escorted her through the heavenly<br />
palace. In one large room she saw many<br />
bundles piled in a corner. Finding her<br />
name on several of them, she requested<br />
an explanation, saying<br />
as she did<br />
so,<br />
"I remember praying for those very<br />
things when I was down on This<br />
was the reply: "Yes, when any of God's<br />
children make requests of Him, prepara<br />
tions are made to give the answer, but<br />
the angels are told that if they do not<br />
find the petitioner waiting expectantly<br />
for the answer, they are to return with it,<br />
room"<br />
(Psalm 5:3).<br />
and store it in this<br />
Are we double minded and unstable<br />
Are we ever startled in receiving an an<br />
swer to our prayers We had not expected<br />
an answer and had almost f<strong>org</strong>otten that<br />
we had prayed for that particular bless<br />
ing. We must believe that God is and<br />
that He is a rewarder of them that dili<br />
gently<br />
seek Him (Heb. 11:6). We often<br />
see the motto, "Prayer changes things."<br />
But it is God who changes things through<br />
believing prayer.<br />
Another condition is<br />
righteousness.<br />
"The effectual fervent prayer of a right<br />
eous man availeth<br />
much."<br />
The Psalmist<br />
said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart,<br />
the Lord will not hear (Psalm 66:<br />
19). Isaiah speaks of our sins and our<br />
iniquities as making it impossible for God<br />
to hear us. (Isaiah 59:1-2). We are not<br />
heard for our much speaking (Matt. 6:7).<br />
It does not necessarily follow that if<br />
prayer is good that twice as much prayer<br />
will be twice as effective. We are heard<br />
because we have fulfilled the conditions<br />
of true prayer. We are righteous because<br />
we are in Christ (II Cor. 5:21).<br />
Why do we pray James says that it is<br />
amiss."<br />
possible to "ask How much self<br />
ishness is there in our prayers Are our<br />
prayers concerned chiefly<br />
with those<br />
things which pamper our physical na<br />
tures Of course we<br />
food, clothing,<br />
ought to ask for<br />
shelter and the necessities<br />
of life. Christ has promised to give us<br />
these blessings (Matt. 6:33). Are we ful<br />
filling the conditions by seeking first the<br />
kingdom of God As we examine our own<br />
hearts and our own prayers, what do we<br />
find Doubtless we are too selfish in<br />
our prayers. "The Lord turned the cap<br />
tivity of Job, when he prayed for his<br />
friends (Job 42:10). Were these friends,<br />
the "miserable comforters of former<br />
days (Job 16:2). So James is urging us<br />
to "confess our faults one to another, and<br />
pray one for another. . (5:16).<br />
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do<br />
good, and doeth it not, to him it is<br />
(James 4:17). We know that prayer is<br />
commanded of God. It must be a good<br />
thing. Are we praying If we are not, it<br />
is sin. Samuel said, "God forbid that I<br />
should sin against the Lord in ceasing to<br />
pray for<br />
Questions<br />
(I Samuel 12:23).<br />
1. What is prayer S. C. Question 98^<br />
2. For whom and for what things are<br />
we to pray L. C. Questions 183, 184.<br />
3. How can we achieve more effective<br />
ness in prayer<br />
Prayer<br />
1. For cleansing and sympathy that we<br />
may not only have power in prayer, but<br />
that we may have a<br />
longing to help oth<br />
ers through prayer.<br />
2. For the Home Mission fields.<br />
3. For the College and Seminary.<br />
4. For the spirit of<br />
generosity that the<br />
budget may be raised.<br />
ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE<br />
AMERICAN BLBLE SOCLETY MEETS<br />
IN NEW YORK<br />
An estimated budget of $3,<strong>54</strong>4,000 for<br />
the work of the American Bible Society<br />
for 1955 was<br />
unanimously approved at<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
the 36th annual meeting of the Advisory<br />
Council of the Society, meeting<br />
on No<br />
vember 30 and December 1 at the society's<br />
headquarters in New York City. Seven<br />
ty-four members and guests, representing<br />
<strong>54</strong> different communions were present.<br />
This is the largest group that has attend<br />
ed these annual sessions, representing,<br />
as they do, those churches that place the<br />
Bible Society in their yearly budgets as<br />
their recognized agency for Scripture<br />
translation,<br />
publication and distribution.<br />
The session was opened with a mem<br />
orial service for the late Dr. Frank H.<br />
Mann, general secretary of the Bible So<br />
ciety, who died on October 11. The serv<br />
ice was conducted by Dr. J. A. Aasgaard<br />
of Minneapolis,<br />
official representative of<br />
the Evangelical Lutheran Church and<br />
Dr. Francis C. Stifler of the Bible So<br />
ciety. Dr. Mann inaugurated and was re<br />
sponsible for the program of the Advis<br />
ory<br />
Council. Before his death he had<br />
chosen as the theme for these meetings,<br />
"These Are the Lively Oracles of God."<br />
Dr. Robert T. Taylor, who had worked<br />
closely<br />
with Dr. Mann on the program,<br />
presided at the meetings.<br />
The Rev. Richard H. Ellingson re<br />
ported<br />
that Bible distribution in this<br />
country last year rose to almost ten<br />
million volumes in 81 different lan<br />
guages. In every state, and often county<br />
by county, trained people are at work<br />
distributing Scriptures as representatives<br />
of the Bible Society. Twice during the<br />
Society's history<br />
been made to supply whole Bibles for<br />
a nation-wide effort has<br />
every Bibleless home. Of recent years,<br />
Mr. Ellingson said, such efforts have<br />
been state-wide or city-wide on a rotating<br />
basis so that every section of the country<br />
will be covered periodically.<br />
Mr. Ellingson, a former Navy chap<br />
lain, stated that last year 1,301,145 vol<br />
umes of the Scriptures were supplied to<br />
chaplains by the Bible Society for free<br />
distribution. Ever since its first grant of<br />
Bibles to the Navy in 1820, the American<br />
Bible Society has freely supplied military<br />
chaplains with all the Scriptures needed<br />
for their men, totalling over the years<br />
more than 39,000,000 volumes.<br />
Miss S. Ruth Barrett, secretary of the<br />
Society's work for the blind, said that<br />
for the past 120 years the Society's rec<br />
ords show that it has offered the Bible to<br />
every blind person in America. Today the<br />
Bible in Braille, the embossed system<br />
most widely used by the sightless, re<br />
quires 20 large volumes and costs $60.<br />
<strong>Vol</strong>umes are furnished to the blind at 25<br />
cents a volume. The Bible Society not<br />
only<br />
supplies the Scriptures to the blind<br />
in 38 different systems and dialects, but<br />
also provides the entire Bible in 170<br />
Talking<br />
Book Records.<br />
Russia and some Soviet-controlled<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
areas are still closed to Bible Society<br />
work, reported Rev. Laton E. Holmgren,<br />
one of the Cociety's secretaries engaged in<br />
foreign distribution. For Russia, the So<br />
ciety has Scriptures on hand for ship<br />
ment to that country as soon as doors<br />
for which the Society is seeking are<br />
opened.<br />
China is closed but measures have been<br />
taken to provide Scriptures there when<br />
opportunity comes. Nearly 20 million<br />
Chinese are<br />
living outside the China<br />
mainland in the countries of East and<br />
Southeast Asia. To minister<br />
directly to<br />
these people, the Bible Society has sent<br />
Dr. Ralph Mortensen, its former secre<br />
tary in China, to begin a new ministry to<br />
these people. Dr. Mortensen, who with<br />
Mrs. Mortensen, is living temporarily in<br />
Japan, is visiting among these displaced<br />
people, to discover their Scripture needs<br />
and to set up a program by which the<br />
serve them.<br />
Society may<br />
Suoolies of oaper are again being sent<br />
to Hungary for the manufacture of a<br />
second edition of 30,000 Bibles, declared<br />
Mr. Holmgren. Other Scriptures are be<br />
ing sent to Hungary, Czechoslovakia and<br />
Yugoslavia. One hundred and fiftv tons<br />
of paper and funds for distribution work<br />
have also been sent to East Germany.<br />
What the Bible Society has been able to<br />
do in Communist areas in 19<strong>54</strong>, conclud<br />
ed Mr. Holmgren, the Society<br />
ably repeat in 1955.<br />
can prob<br />
Work in Latin America and particular<br />
ly Brazil has rapidly expanded and if<br />
more Scriptures were available the So<br />
ciety's distribution could be greatly in<br />
creased in these countries where there are<br />
many thousands of new literates<br />
and<br />
where others are becoming aware of the<br />
power of the Scriptures.<br />
Dr. Samuel Nelson wis introduced to<br />
the Advisorv Council as a new member<br />
of the Society's staff. Dr. Nelson, a Bap<br />
tist minister recently<br />
president of the<br />
Spanish-American Baptist Seminary in<br />
Los Angeles,<br />
California, has been ap<br />
pointed to head up a colporteur's train<br />
ing<br />
school to be located at some strategic<br />
point in Latin America. This is the first<br />
time such a project has been undertaken<br />
by the Society. The first year Dr. Nelson<br />
hopes to have six or eight students, who<br />
will be graduates of college or seminary,<br />
as his pupils. Training courses will cover<br />
class work and laboratory and field train<br />
ing. Dr. Nelson will leave shortly after<br />
the first of the year to establish this<br />
school.<br />
The Bible Society is seeking to provide<br />
the illiterates of Pakistan with recordings<br />
of Scripture passages and inexpensive<br />
phonographs on which to play<br />
them. If<br />
this experiment is successful it will be ex<br />
tended to other areas<br />
world.<br />
throughout the<br />
YOUNG NAK PRESBYTERIAN<br />
Dear Friend,<br />
CHURCH<br />
69 Juhdong, 2nd Ka<br />
Seoul, Korea<br />
December 1, 19<strong>54</strong><br />
Greetings in Christ. This year has been<br />
a very busy and strenuous year, but we<br />
are grateful that it has been also one of<br />
the fruitful years. It was our prayer at<br />
the beginning of this year that our<br />
church might become truly missionaryminded.<br />
And we prayed that we might be<br />
able to send and support at least ten<br />
evangelists (home missionaries) to var<br />
ious parts of South Korea. We are grate<br />
ful that we have sent 17 workers so far<br />
and we plan to start mission churches in<br />
four more places next month. We have<br />
also decided to support one foreign mis<br />
sionary to Thailand which will go under<br />
the auspices of the Presbyterian Church<br />
of Korea. There are many things we need<br />
in Korea today, but I am sure we need<br />
Gospel more than anything else. So<br />
please pray for the mission work in Korea<br />
and that our people may all come to the<br />
knowledge of saving grace in our Lord.<br />
We are also very grateful that we dedi<br />
cated a<br />
building for<br />
widows'<br />
home yes<br />
terday. The American Army helped us<br />
with most materials and our Church sup<br />
plied labor and some other expenses. This<br />
building<br />
can accomodate 36 war widows<br />
and their children and there is also a<br />
large room for work project. The work<br />
will be mostly making clothes. So we<br />
need about a dozen sewing machines.<br />
This home is not large enough but we<br />
are glad we can help<br />
some anyway. We<br />
had a fine dedication service yesterday<br />
afternoon with many Army officials and<br />
missionaries present, not to speak of our<br />
people.<br />
We are also grateful that the children<br />
who had been sent away on Christmas<br />
Day in that tragic year of 1950 to Cheju<br />
Island, came back safely to Seoul once<br />
again last month. We provided a new<br />
place for them, for the old home is occu<br />
pied by other orphans. All of us are very<br />
happy that we are able to get together<br />
once more in Seoul. We certainly hope we<br />
will have peace from now on and our<br />
country may be unified through peaceful<br />
means.<br />
We are also grateful to our Lord that<br />
a new building is being built now and we<br />
will have a service of laying corner stone<br />
next Sabbath. When this building will be<br />
finished, it will accommodate about 50<br />
children. This is also through AFAK<br />
plan, our church paying labor costs and<br />
other expenses. We thank God for all<br />
these blessings this year and we also want<br />
to express our thanks for your prayer<br />
and help.<br />
The Union Christian College which was<br />
29
charges.)"<br />
opened last April, is struggling hard<br />
for its existence. For we lack fund, per<br />
sonnel, building<br />
and what not. We have<br />
only a splendid group of students. They<br />
are our only asset. We have only 250 stu<br />
dents now, but from next April we will<br />
have another 250. That means we must<br />
build our school next year, but so far<br />
we have no budget. Please pray for our<br />
College. This certainly is a venture of<br />
faith and we<br />
only trust God who is<br />
able. Our Old People's Home, Bible Club<br />
and Night School are all getting along<br />
fine.<br />
It is my hope and prayer that you are<br />
all well and your work blessed. A Merry<br />
Christmas and Happy New Year to you<br />
all.<br />
Very sincerely yours,<br />
Kyung Chik Han,<br />
Pastor of Young Nak Church<br />
"I HAVE FOUND THAT"<br />
By Freda B. Elliott<br />
Many young parents are intent on liv<br />
ing their own lives, and they are paying<br />
for it with the souls of their children.<br />
We see it all around us young fathers<br />
busy making a living young mothers<br />
busy with the never-ending duties of<br />
keeping the home. Or perhaps mother,<br />
feeling more money is needed to main<br />
tain a standard of living equal to that of<br />
her friends, takes outside work.<br />
Evenings and days off are spent in a<br />
variety of ways, depending<br />
on the social<br />
inclinations of the individual. Some piefer<br />
a quiet evening<br />
choose a movie;<br />
at home; others<br />
and there are those who<br />
like a party in the company of friends<br />
But one<br />
thing all have in common all<br />
are too tired or too busy to find time to<br />
spend in the house of God.<br />
Most of these young parents believe ir.<br />
God. Most of them intend to turn to<br />
God some day and give Him some of<br />
their time when . Each<br />
has a dream for<br />
the future and, when that is realized, he<br />
intends to devote the balance of his life<br />
to God.<br />
Many times that is just what happens<br />
provided the Spirit has not long since<br />
departed. The once young parents, now<br />
middle-aged, turn wholeheartedly to God<br />
but with what heartbreak! Those pre<br />
cious little children of theirs have now<br />
grown to young manhood and young<br />
womanhood with no spiritual background<br />
in their lives. No Bible understanding, no<br />
love for God, no desire for spiritual<br />
things<br />
only<br />
ignorance and indifference.<br />
Nowhere in the Bible does God give<br />
the assurance that He will answer the<br />
prayers of such parents, as parents, for<br />
the souls of their children.<br />
They have<br />
waited too long! They have trained their<br />
children a different way.<br />
"Train up a child in the way he should<br />
go: and when he is old, he will not depart<br />
from it" (Prov. 22:6).<br />
30<br />
TOPEKA<br />
Lie. Paul Robb supplied our pulpit on<br />
December 19 and on January 2. The in<br />
tervening Sabbath the pulpit was sup<br />
plied by Rev. J. Ren Patterson, D.D. who<br />
gave us an account of the National Re<br />
form Association work. On January 9<br />
and 16 the pulpit is to be supplied by<br />
Rev. Philip Coon.<br />
Our Christmas program was held De<br />
cember 23 with Mrs. Ned Nusbaum in<br />
charge of the program. Those in attend<br />
ance had an enjoyable evening. Treats<br />
for the children were furnished by the<br />
Alden Hall family.<br />
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. How<br />
ard McMahon, who were married Decem<br />
ber 8 at University City, Missouri. She<br />
is the former Myrtle Skoucart. Howard<br />
is now at Camp Chaffe, Arkansas.<br />
NEW YORK CITY<br />
On Sabbath January 2,<br />
seven Cross<br />
and Crown Awards were presented to<br />
members of the Sabbath School for per<br />
fect attendance for the preceding 13<br />
weeks.<br />
HEBRON<br />
Our Thanksgiving service was held<br />
Thursday, November 25 with Joe Cope<br />
land as leader. With all<br />
taking part it<br />
was truly a time of Thanksgiving.<br />
Friends who worshiped with us at the<br />
Thanksgiving service were Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Raymond Bennett and family of Sterling,<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Copeland and family<br />
of Denison, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Cope<br />
land and family, Mr. and Mrs. Walkin<br />
shaw of Superior and Mr. Harold Mc<br />
Crory of Denison.<br />
Rev. A. J. McFarland and Armour Mc<br />
Farland have brought us inspiring mes<br />
sages on several different Sabbaths dur<br />
ing the past months.<br />
We are thankful for the restoration of<br />
three of our number who have recently<br />
undergone operations: Mrs. Harold Mil<br />
ligan, Mrs. Wilson McMahan and Mr.<br />
Howard Mann.<br />
We were happy<br />
to have Keith Cope<br />
land home from Geneva during the holi<br />
days.<br />
meeting<br />
On December 8 our Thank Offering<br />
was held with Miss Annie Cowell,<br />
a local person who has been a mis<br />
sionary in the African Inland Mission<br />
for the past twenty-six years, as our<br />
speaker. She showed pictures and gave an<br />
inspiring message. A social hour was en<br />
joyed after the meeting.<br />
gram<br />
On New Year's Day a dinner and pro<br />
was enjoyed by<br />
congregation at the Church.<br />
members of the<br />
Mrs. Dale McMahan is in the hospi<br />
tal at Concordia following an operation.<br />
We are happy that she is improving.<br />
Those of our young people who attend<br />
ed the Forest Park Booster at Topeka on<br />
December 28 were Ronald and Evelyn<br />
Dunn, Charlene Hatfield, Ralph Craig,<br />
David Dunn, Marvin Ping and Keith<br />
Copeland.<br />
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO<br />
CONGREGATION<br />
A church supper November 17, was fol<br />
lowed by a Silent Auction. Every one en<br />
joyed the fun, and the Missionary So<br />
ciety was slightly<br />
the evening.<br />
richer at the end of<br />
We were privileged to hear Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Kenneth Sanderson speak at our<br />
evening esrvice November 21. We are<br />
always happy to hear about the work<br />
in the mission fields, and to meet the<br />
people who so ably carry on that work.<br />
The annual Christmas party was held<br />
in the church basement. Games, a grabbag,<br />
refreshments, and Santa Claus all<br />
contributed to make the evening a suc<br />
cess for young and old alike.<br />
The Glen Ge<strong>org</strong>es<br />
held open house<br />
New Year's Eve for friends and members<br />
of the congregation.<br />
The Youngstown Congregation wishes,<br />
belatedly, to recognize Mrs. Carrie Mit<br />
chell as the donor of the nice sign on<br />
the church lawn, which she gave in<br />
memory of her late husband, Frank<br />
Mitchell.<br />
Attendance pins and bars were given<br />
to the following Sabbath School pupils<br />
for .perfect records: 1 yr. Terri Sue<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e. Tom Clark, Ralph and Raymond<br />
Van Kirk, 2 yrs., Barbara Clark, 3 yrs.,<br />
Randy Ge<strong>org</strong>e, Richie Marshall, and<br />
Ronnoe Whitehouse, 5 yrs., Dickie Lath<br />
om, 6 yrs., Linda Ge<strong>org</strong>e, 7<br />
yrs., Ken<br />
neth<br />
Whitehouse, 8 yrs., Harold Thomas,<br />
and 14 yrs., David Lathom.<br />
"Don Crawford of the PHOENIX<br />
CONGREGATION is very eager to bor<br />
row two tape recordings for a couple of<br />
weeks.<br />
These tapes are Dawson Trotman's<br />
addresses at Grinnell and the pre<br />
sentation of Christ in<br />
the Psalms at<br />
Grinnell in 19<strong>54</strong>. Anyone willing to oblige<br />
should contact him at 1032 E. San Mi<br />
guel, Phoenix, Arizona. (He will pay all<br />
mailing<br />
ORLANDO, FLA.<br />
The annual Sabbath School program<br />
and entertainment was on<br />
Wednesday<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
night before Christmas. Teachers and<br />
children are to be commended for the<br />
splendid<br />
showing in memory work. After<br />
the various awards were bestowed Mr.<br />
John Bayless, president of the Deacon<br />
Board, presented to Mr. L. L. Dudley our<br />
treasurer and to Mrs. Dudley his assis<br />
tant, a Bible in token of the appreciation<br />
of the congregation of the faithful carry<br />
ing<br />
out of the treasurer's office for the<br />
past twenty-two years.<br />
Our sympathies are extended to Dr.<br />
H. G. Patterson and family connection<br />
in the death on December 19 of Mrs. Pat<br />
terson. We will treasure the memory of<br />
their stay in our midst.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Patterson have<br />
been enjoying a visit from his Aunt Mary<br />
Patterson of Huston, 111., his sister Wil<br />
la Patterson of Kirkwood, Mo., and<br />
their daughter Miss Lou Patterson of<br />
Beaver Falls, Pa.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Harsh had as visitors<br />
over the week-end Mrs. Harsh's cousin<br />
Mr. R. H. Reed and wife of Bellefountain,<br />
also Mr. and Mrs. Roy Templeton<br />
of Belle Center, Ohio.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Willard Finley<br />
and son<br />
Chester, also Miss Eleanor Wilson, Mrs.<br />
Finley's sister, of Sparta, 111., were visi<br />
tors at church on Sabbath December 26.<br />
Other visitors were Mr. and Mrs. A. G.<br />
Alexander's daughter Mrs. Harold Wil<br />
kins<br />
and husband and their daughter<br />
Cynthia; Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Young of<br />
Oklahoma City; Paul Matthews! of Pitts<br />
burgh and Milton Harrington of Hether<br />
ton, Mich, and Arthur Chestnut of Al<br />
bany, Ga.<br />
The Fellowship Class held their an<br />
nual Christmas party at the church. Dur<br />
ing the evening they also honored Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Reed Terry's tenth wedding<br />
anniversary.<br />
The Junior society held their Decem<br />
ber party at the home of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Robert Simon. Gifts were exchanged,<br />
games played and refreshments served.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Windham were<br />
pleasantly surprised when returning from<br />
a dinner out, given by their two sons<br />
Don and Alan, to f'nd their home oc<br />
cupied by members of their S. S. class<br />
and friends with packages containing<br />
something<br />
of silver to rhow that their<br />
25th wedding had not been f<strong>org</strong>otten;<br />
though the self inviting guests brought<br />
the:r own refreshments<br />
they were<br />
sur<br />
prised to find on the table a beautifully<br />
decorated cake.<br />
FRESNO, CALIF.<br />
On December 9 Kirk gdwa-d was born<br />
to Don and Donna Richardson. Congrat<br />
ulations !<br />
Rev. and Mrs. R. W. McMillan, Mar<br />
garet, Rosalie, Bobbie, and David trav<br />
eled to Keene on Saturday the 18th of<br />
January 12, 1955<br />
December and had dinner at the home of<br />
Dr. and Mrs. R. E. Smith.<br />
On the 27th of<br />
December, the McMil<br />
lan family went down South to<br />
Monterey<br />
Park, Fullerton, Whittier, and Arcadia<br />
to visit with the Van Rynn, J. K. Gault,<br />
T. R. Gault, and Wilson Dougherty<br />
households. The seven of them reported a<br />
very enjoyable time, and they were home<br />
in time to have the Congregational So<br />
cial and Watchnight Service from 9-12<br />
Midnight in their home.<br />
Mr. Loren Towner passed away at the<br />
beginning of the New Year. The funeral<br />
is to be in the Santa Ana church with<br />
Dr. Samuel Edgar in charge. Burial will<br />
be in the family plot there. Our sympathy<br />
goes out to Mrs. Nora Dodds in the loss<br />
of her father. He is the first member of<br />
the congregation to pass away during Mr.<br />
McMillan's pastorate.<br />
The Fresno Bee of<br />
January 1, 1955<br />
carried the testimony and the photog aph<br />
of Mr. Willard Buck, our S. S. Superin<br />
tendent and an elder too. This was in the<br />
Church Section and under the Title,<br />
"What My Religion Means to Me."<br />
Ten people gathered at the church on<br />
Saturday, January 1, 1955 to plan for<br />
the Pacific Coast Summer Conference.<br />
Mrs. Matt Chestnut, the President of the<br />
W.M.S. Presbyterial, was in charge. Miss<br />
Matilda Buck, the President of the<br />
Young People's Presbyterial reported<br />
that we would be meeting at the Long<br />
Meadow Camp near Hume Lake some<br />
time in July. Our theme this year is to<br />
be "God Can" and the Verse is found in<br />
Luke 1:37. The Theme Psalm is 55: vers<br />
es 12, 13, 14 and 17. Many<br />
other items<br />
were discussed. Our next meeting on<br />
Saturday, April 9 with a lunch at noon<br />
in the Fresno church should find more<br />
people gathered to make the final plans.<br />
LIMAVADY<br />
Prof. Ramsey died at Portstewart,<br />
Co. Derry in retirement on No<br />
vember 26, 19<strong>54</strong>, just a week short of<br />
his 94th birthday. He was born in De<br />
cember 1860 and had a brilliant career<br />
at School and at Trinity College, Dublin.<br />
He was ordained in Bally Money Con<br />
gregation on December 7, 1886 and con<br />
tinued in the pastorate until June 1940.<br />
For many years he taught Science and<br />
Mathematics in Bally Intermediate<br />
School and was for a time joint-principal<br />
and then chairman of the Governors. A<br />
new wing<br />
of the school was named the<br />
John Ramsey wing in his honor. From<br />
1922 to 1945 he was Prof, of Hebrew<br />
and Greek in the Theological Hall and<br />
for 45 years he was co-editor of the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong>. He was a member of mort of<br />
the important Synodical Committees and<br />
was often spokesman of the Synod. He<br />
was moderator of Synod and his mod<br />
erator's sermon in 1915<br />
doubing<br />
.<br />
"Where is the<br />
. was a memorable deliver<br />
ance.<br />
Two daughters in the homeland<br />
survive him and, one sister in England<br />
and Mrs. Nimock, Messrs. Robert and<br />
Wm. Ramsey in U.S.A.<br />
THANK YOU<br />
We would like to express our appre<br />
ciation to a thoughtful and generous con<br />
gregation through the<br />
columns of the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>. All through the year<br />
we have been well remembered. A new<br />
garage for our car has been built on the<br />
back of the lot. A Christmas gift of half<br />
a hundred dollars came in handy<br />
holiday season. For these and all the oth<br />
at the<br />
er tokens of love and appreciation we<br />
give thanks to God.<br />
Rev. Frank H. Lathom and<br />
family of<br />
the College Hill Congregation.<br />
TORONTO, CANADA<br />
The W.M.S. met with Mrs. James<br />
Craig, with ten members present. After<br />
the devotions, Mrs. Rivers read from<br />
the <strong>Witness</strong> "Prayer a Nation's Great<br />
est Weapon." Mrs. Parke who is leaving<br />
Toronto for Locheil resigned as President.<br />
After the meeting closed a number of<br />
friends and former members gathered to<br />
show their appreciation of over<br />
twenty<br />
years<br />
friendship with Mrs. Parke, and<br />
the W.M.S. presented Mrs. Parke with<br />
a Dresden Plate Quilt, and Mr. Parke<br />
with an illustrated Bible. Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Parke also received a hamper filled with<br />
gifts from friends.<br />
A tea was then served by Mrs. Craig,<br />
the hostess. Entertainment was by sing<br />
ing Irish songs and recitations. Tributes<br />
to the Christian life and associations with<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Parke were made and re<br />
grets expressed at their departure. After<br />
singing the 121st Psalm, Mr. Black closed<br />
the meeting with prayer.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Parke are changing their<br />
residence to Glengary County,<br />
the bounds of the Lochiel church.<br />
and within<br />
SYRACUSE, N. Y.<br />
At our<br />
Thanksgiving service, Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Edward Murphy presented their<br />
infant con<br />
D'Arcy Philip for baptism.<br />
Mrs. William Wright and Bernard<br />
Egeleston joined our church recently by<br />
profession of faith.<br />
Our congregational dinner preceded our<br />
Christmas entertainment. The moving<br />
Story"<br />
picture "The Christmas was<br />
shown. The "White Gift" for our Ken<br />
tucky Mission was $145.30.<br />
Some of our members went carol sing<br />
ing to the homes of our shut-ins, and<br />
then to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles<br />
Murphy where they were served refresh<br />
ments.<br />
Mr. Edward Dougall and Mrs. Eugene<br />
Ernst have been sick for some time. Mrs.<br />
James Park fell and broke her leg. Mr.<br />
Wm. Patterson fell from a roof when the<br />
ladder slipped and broke both his arm<br />
and leg and bones in his foot.<br />
SI
shepherds"<br />
saints."<br />
The Martins from Denver visited their<br />
son Hugh and<br />
family during the holi<br />
days.<br />
NEW CASTLE CONGREGATION<br />
The Adult Bible Class of the New<br />
Castle Congregation held their Christmas<br />
dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Kenneth Kennedy with 26 present.<br />
The Sabbath School and Junior Club<br />
held a combined Christmas party in the<br />
Church at which time the film "Holy<br />
Night"<br />
was shown.<br />
A new adult class has been formed in<br />
the Sabbath School which will provide a<br />
place for the younger adults. The class is<br />
under the leadership<br />
of Rev. Harold Har<br />
rington and John S. Riley, Jr.<br />
A communicants class has been started<br />
by the pastor, Rev. Harold Harrington,<br />
looking forward to church membership<br />
in the spring.<br />
HOPKINTON<br />
Mr. and Mrs. W. Kenneth Sanderson,<br />
after a short visit during the holidays<br />
with Dr. and Mrs. Allen and friends at<br />
Hopkinton, have gone to Urbana, 111., to<br />
attend and take part in the Inter- Varsity<br />
Missionary Convention which meets from<br />
the 27th through the 31st of December.<br />
There are over 1,600 students and many<br />
missionaries enrolled for this convention<br />
and Mr. and Mrs. Sanderson, among<br />
other missionaries, are to speak to groups<br />
of students.<br />
Mr. R. J. McNeill who spent several<br />
weeks in the hospital is now recovering<br />
at his home.<br />
The family and friends of Mr. Walter<br />
Johnson are hoping that his visit and<br />
stay in Florida may benefit him as he<br />
has been ill for a long time. Mr. Hugh<br />
McGlade,<br />
ied him.<br />
his father-in-law, accompan<br />
PARNASSUS<br />
The W.M.S. and the Y.W.M.S. united<br />
in their Thank Offering Meeting which<br />
was held in the home of Mrs. Edward<br />
Wachter. Mr. and Mrs. Sanderson gave<br />
us the story of their work in Latakia.<br />
The Revival among the students of the<br />
School is inspiring. A social hour fol<br />
lowed.<br />
On Sabbath October 31, we observed<br />
the Lord's Supper. Rev. Paul McCracken<br />
of Eastvale was our assistant and<br />
brought us helpful messages. Mr. and<br />
Mrs. H. A.<br />
Biondi were received into<br />
membership Mr. Biondi through bap<br />
tism and confession of faith and Mrs.<br />
Biondi by letter. We welcome them and<br />
their little daughter, Kim, who was bap<br />
tized at that time.<br />
Preparation Sabbath our pastor<br />
brought to us the message which was fol<br />
lowed by the signing of the Covenant. It<br />
was a solemn and memorable service.<br />
Three of our members, Mrs. Edgar<br />
Earney, Mrs. Hershel Cypher and Miss<br />
32<br />
Edith Miller, have recently<br />
undergone<br />
surgery. All three have made a good re<br />
covery and we rejoice with them that<br />
God was "a very present help in time<br />
of trouble.<br />
We welcome into our midst the infant<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wenk<br />
hous whom they have named Rebecca<br />
Lynn.<br />
Under the supervision of the Y.W.M.S.<br />
a very attractive nursery has been fixed<br />
in the basement of the Church. Furni<br />
ture was donated by<br />
bers of the Church.<br />
GENEVA<br />
two generous mem<br />
The Juniors held their annual Christ<br />
mas party on December 20. After David<br />
Willson had led the group in a round<br />
of parties, a gift exchange was enjoyed.<br />
Refreshments in keeping<br />
with the sea<br />
son concluded a most enjoyable evening.<br />
A daughter, Jacqueline, arrived just<br />
two days before Christmas to gladden the<br />
hearts of her parents, Bill and Jackie<br />
Dodds. Proud grandfather is our elder<br />
W. G. Dodds.<br />
Elder Russell Lathom was elected<br />
clerk of our Session at the meeting held<br />
December 20. Merrill Robb will serve as<br />
Assistant Clerk. This election came, fol<br />
lowing the resignation of S. R. Davis who<br />
has served faithfully in this capacity for<br />
23 years. We take this opportunity to<br />
express to him our appreciation for this<br />
service.<br />
On Sabbath, December 26, our pastor,<br />
Rev. Tweed conducted the devotional<br />
service over our local station. This pro<br />
gram is conducted each Sabbath morning<br />
from 9-9:30, conducted by one of the<br />
churches in the valley, each in turn. We<br />
welcome this opportunity<br />
Community<br />
to tell our<br />
about our Saviour and to<br />
sing for them the Psalms, direct from<br />
God's own Word. Our choir, directed by<br />
Miss Adella Lawson, sang several se<br />
lections. Our local station is also broad<br />
casting "The Way Out" each Sabbath<br />
morning at 8:15.<br />
"And there were in the same country<br />
is the beginning of one of<br />
the most beautiful stories in the Bible.<br />
Those of us who gathered in the church<br />
basement the evening of December 22,<br />
could not help but feel His presence as<br />
we listened to the children tell in song<br />
and story the things that Christ's birth<br />
day<br />
meant to them. The occasion was our<br />
annual Christmas entertainment with<br />
Willard Hemphill, our Superintendent,<br />
as Master of Ceremonies. Each<br />
acting<br />
child was presented a gift from the Sab<br />
bath School for his faithful attendance.<br />
Santa made his appearance, but in a<br />
hurry for he had many places to stop.<br />
He stayed long enough to give the tiny<br />
tots a nice treat and then he waved goodby.<br />
The church was beautifully decorat<br />
ed thanks to Mrs. Donald Smith and her<br />
corps of helpers. Special mention should<br />
go to Jimmy Dunlap, one of our<br />
tiny<br />
tots, who recited a poem almost as big<br />
as himself. Jeanne Garrett played a med<br />
ley<br />
of Christmas songs and Elaine Bell<br />
gave a reading. Carol singing was en<br />
joyed, led by Mrs. Stewart McCready<br />
with Yvonne Lathom at the piano. We<br />
were all sent home, our arms full of can<br />
dy and our hearts full of joy from fel<br />
lowship with Christian friends.<br />
Overlength Editor<br />
MEMOIR OF MRS. AGNES C.<br />
WILSON<br />
by T. C. McKnight, D.D.<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, as well as the<br />
New Concord congregation, sustained an<br />
unmeasured loss in the recent passing of<br />
Mrs. Agnes C. Wilson. She was the wid<br />
ow of the Rev. William Walter Wilson<br />
who died August 11,<br />
1907, after a brief<br />
pastorate in the Topeka, Kansas congre<br />
gation. After his death Mrs. Wilson re<br />
turned to New Concord, Ohio, where they<br />
had both resided,<br />
home.<br />
and established her<br />
For many years she served the con<br />
gregation as the efficient leader of the<br />
singing. She loved to sing the Psalms<br />
and her leadership in singing them was<br />
an inspiration. She was a woman of fine<br />
Christian spirit and was always loyal to<br />
her church. "The law of kindness was in<br />
her tongue" because it was in her heart.<br />
Mrs. Wilson was well known and<br />
highly respected in the town of New Con<br />
cord; also in the faculty and student<br />
body of Muskingum College. For many<br />
years she operated a "fort" in her home<br />
near the college campus, where many<br />
students took their meals; and she was<br />
much more than a cook to those young<br />
people. She was really so truly a mother<br />
to them that she alwaysi spoke of them as<br />
her boys and girls, and they thought of<br />
her as Mother Wilson. Therefore there<br />
are many people scattered all over the<br />
country who, as well as her own surviv<br />
ing loved ones, rise up and call her bles<br />
sed.<br />
She is survived by one son Walter C.<br />
Wilson of<br />
Columbus, Ohio, and three<br />
grandchildren. She passed away in Wal<br />
ter's home November 14, 19<strong>54</strong> after a<br />
brief illness. Funeral services were held<br />
November 16, 19<strong>54</strong> in the Mock Mem<br />
orial Home, New Concord in which I, as<br />
a former Pastor and close<br />
friend, re<br />
quested to officiate. "Precious in the<br />
sight of the Lord is the death of His<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 6, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD, TWE SCfrD S THE WORD<br />
OE GOD<br />
'<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JAUNARY 19, 1955 NUMBER 3<br />
When Joshua Stopped the Sun<br />
By M. A. Arthur<br />
All through the ancient writings of the different peoples of the world<br />
there is this story of a day that lasted twice as long as it should. The ancient<br />
Egyptian priests showed the Greek historian Herodotus records which<br />
spoke of this long, long day. In the ancient writings of the Persians, it is<br />
found. Even among the Polynesian peoples of the islands in the South Seas<br />
there is a legend of a time long, long ago, when the sun seemed to stay and<br />
did not go down until a day later. The Chinese have preserved it, claiming<br />
it was in the reign of Yeo, a ruler of China who was a contemporary of<br />
Joshua. The Bible has the solution and gives the original account.<br />
If you read the tenth chapter of the Book of Joshua, you will find that<br />
as the battle progressed between the Israelites and their foes and the day<br />
began to wear on to the afternoon, Joshua commanded the sun to stand still<br />
until he had finished the battle and won.<br />
The late Professor Charles A. L. Totten, of Yale University, made a<br />
study once of "Joshua's long day."<br />
Joshua's long day, when he won the battle, it will be recalled, was not<br />
a complete day. It lacked forty minutes of being twenty-four hours. In the<br />
20th chapter of the second Book of Kings, you will find another stepping<br />
back of the calendar which rounds out the time to a full day.<br />
Hezekiah, king of Israel at the time, became very ill. He wanted to live<br />
a little longer and prayed to the Lord, whereupon God promised him fifteen<br />
years more of life. As a token that this would happen, Hezekiah was told<br />
that the shadow of the sun would
medicine."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen. D. D.<br />
Crisis in Argentina<br />
The Peron government of Argentina is having its prob<br />
lems with the Roman Catholic Church. It is apparently en<br />
deavoring<br />
to strengthen its control over religious schools. A<br />
new decree has abolished the National Department of Re<br />
ligious Teaching, the Inspectorate General of Religious Edu<br />
cation,<br />
and the National Committee of Culture. The services<br />
of these will be taken over by the Ministry of Education. The<br />
object of the government seems to be to weaken the control<br />
of the Roman Catholic church over the appointment of re<br />
ligious teachers in public schools and to revise the educa<br />
tional program.<br />
Theological Students in India<br />
There are 36 Protestant theological schools in India with<br />
a total enrollment of 1400 students. In addition to these theo<br />
logical institutions there are many Bible schools of which it<br />
is said no attempt has been made to secure statistics. There<br />
are 271 regular teachers in the seminaries and theological col<br />
leges.<br />
Unitarians and NCCC<br />
The president of the American Unitarian Association of<br />
Boston, Dr. F. M. Eliot, has urged that the National Council<br />
of Christian Churches should admit the Unitarian Church<br />
into its membership. He calls the Unitarians "undogmatic" as<br />
over against the "dogmatic" Protestant groups. When and<br />
if the so-called "dogmatic" groups come to the place that<br />
they leave out Christ, as the Unitarians do, the National<br />
Council should not call itself Christian. A few years ago the<br />
Federal Council, now the National Council, refused to admit<br />
the Unitarians, and despite the liberal attitude of the Na<br />
tional Council it seems unlikely that they will accept the<br />
Unitarians or the Universalists into their Council. A writer in<br />
the Watchman- Examiner (Baptist) affirms that the National<br />
Council, since its re<strong>org</strong>anization, is less liberal than formerly.<br />
However, we await proof of this assertion. As far as we can<br />
observe, the tendency of the National Council seems to be<br />
more liberal rather than less liberal.<br />
troubled by the police of Italy for a considerable time, but this<br />
ruling should give them a large measure of relief.<br />
Church Stewardship<br />
Recently on this page we referred to Alvin Dark, captain<br />
of the New York Giants baseball team,<br />
as a tither of his in<br />
come, and of the fact that he has urged others to be-ome<br />
tithers at an early age. We did not at that time make any<br />
reference to his playing on Sabbath. We thought it probable<br />
that he thus broke the Sabbath, but were not sure that he did,<br />
therefore did not mention it. There is an item in The Banner<br />
which reads: "It is to be hoped that Southern Baptist chil<br />
dren do not get the idea, from Captain Dark's advice, that<br />
tithing is the whole of Christian stewardship. It seems a bit<br />
strange to get a lesson of stewardship of money from one who<br />
has not learned the more important aspects of stewardship.<br />
To devote one's life to professional sports, involving con<br />
tinual misuse of the Sabbath,<br />
would not seem to indicate a<br />
clear sense of one's duty to God. It is easy to tithe, especially<br />
if one's income is large much easier than to consecrate the<br />
life and talent to God."<br />
A Doctor Talks to Doctors<br />
In an address before the American Medical Association<br />
Dr. J. P. Price declared that America is afflicted with a<br />
"spiritual disease." This disease is evident in the social evils,<br />
juvenile crime, corruption in athletics, and in the too gen<br />
.<br />
eral dishonesty in such matters as the reporting<br />
of income<br />
tax. The "mad search for pleasure which causes our people to<br />
spend four times as much for alcoholic beverages as they do<br />
for religious and welfare<br />
activities,"<br />
and the "inroads which<br />
the doctrine of communism is making on the thinking of<br />
some of our citizens. It is my sincere belief that the greatest<br />
need of our country today<br />
and of our profession is a spirit<br />
ual rebirth, a return to God and his eternal principles. And the<br />
rebirth must come in the heart of the average citizen<br />
the average doctor of<br />
(Continued on page 38)<br />
and in<br />
The Po,pes on Panama Stamps<br />
The Republic of Panama plans to portray<br />
all the popes<br />
of the Roman Catholic Church on postage stamps during the<br />
next 8 years. They declare there have been 259 popes during<br />
the history<br />
of the Catholic church. The stamps are to be is<br />
sued in groups of popes of the same name. The most of the<br />
philatelists will probably seek to secure a collection of these<br />
stamps. It will serve as an advertisement for Romanism and<br />
possibly a source of income for Panama. The Bible tells us<br />
that the priests were not suffered to continue by<br />
reason of<br />
death, that Jesus continues ever and has an unchangeable<br />
priesthood. It is distressing to see people deluded into thinking<br />
that there are men today, called popes, who are considered by<br />
vast numbers as vicars of Christ.<br />
Protestants in Italy<br />
The Council of State of Italy, which is their Supreme<br />
Court, has ruled that the Assemblies of God will have the<br />
same status accorded to them as other recognized Protestant<br />
groups in Italy. The Ministry of the Interior has been ordered<br />
action."<br />
to "put the present decision into This group has been<br />
34<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
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Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
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Departmental Editor-<br />
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COVENANTER WITNESS
security,"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
STATE OF THE UNION<br />
President Eisenhower's opening message to Congress<br />
went straight down the middle of the road on most nation<br />
al problems. In foreign affairs his most specific request<br />
was for a more liberal trade policy. He stated his faith<br />
in continued expansion of the domestic economy under free<br />
enterprise. But the budget cannot be balanced this year,<br />
and the President wants no tax cuts. The last part of the<br />
speech, covering welfare proposals, was almost New Dealish<br />
in tone. The President supports an extensive highwaybuilding<br />
program, aid for private health insurance plans,<br />
more public housing, and some form of aid for schools. He<br />
also favors revision of the Taft-Hartley law and an increase<br />
in the federal minimum wage from 75 to 90 cents an hour.<br />
In addition, Eisenhower advocated higher salaries for Con<br />
gressmen and other federal employees, lowering the voting<br />
age to eighteen, and statehood for Hawaii. Some of these<br />
are measures which he requested, but did not obtain, from<br />
the last Congress.<br />
POLITICAL LINEUP<br />
The President's message creates an interesting political<br />
situation. His personal followers are delighted, and are<br />
confident they can re-elect Eisenhower on such a platform<br />
in 1956. The conservative Republicans are not very happy and<br />
will vote against some of the measures, but are in no posi<br />
tion to lead a major revolt. The Democrats are in a dilemma<br />
because the President's program is so liberal that they will<br />
have trouble attacking it. They will thus be hard-pressed to<br />
find issues for 1956. A "me too" campaign has little popular<br />
appeal, as the Republicans learned when running against<br />
F. D. Roosevelt. The Democratic party may move farther<br />
"left"<br />
to find a distinctive program, but any such trend is<br />
likely to widen the split between Northern and Southern<br />
Democrats. Most of the Democrats in Congress are speak<br />
ing cautiously because of Eisenhower's personal popularity,<br />
and may not move against him until next year.<br />
LOWERING THE BOOM<br />
The Federal Reserve Board acted to curb speculation<br />
on the booming stock market by raising<br />
margin requirements<br />
from 50 to 60 per cent. Margin is the down payment on a<br />
stock purchase. Stock prices rose about 50 per cent last<br />
year, with an especially sharp increase since the election.<br />
The change in margin requirement was not drastic and<br />
was intended mainly for psychological effect,<br />
as a warning<br />
against speculation. Stock prices promptly took their worst<br />
dip since June, 1950. The market recovered in a few days,<br />
however, and experts considered the drop a healthy one.<br />
Insurance companies and pension funds now hold tremendous<br />
amounts of stock as permanent investments. Most individ<br />
uals are also keeping stocks for long-term investment,<br />
rather than selling<br />
for a speculative profit. The<br />
capitalgains<br />
tax encourages this. The Senate Banking Committee,<br />
however, has promised to study the rising<br />
if there is any chance of a 1929-style crash.<br />
TRAVEL LIMITS<br />
market to see<br />
Our State Department has prohibited Soviet citizens<br />
from traveling in nearly a thousand counties and hundreds<br />
of cities, totalling 27 per cent of the land area of the U. S.<br />
Americans are barred from about 30 per cent of the Soviet<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
Union, and this is a retaliatory<br />
sians are affected, mainly embassy<br />
measure. About 400 Rus<br />
employees and a few<br />
press representatives. Russians living in this country already<br />
are required to secure advance permission for any trip<br />
beyond a 25-mile radius from New York or Washington.<br />
The prohibited areas are supposed to be based on "re<br />
ciprocity and but there is little logic in many of<br />
them. The purpose is mainly to show the absurdity of such<br />
restrictions and to induce the Russians to relax theirs. The<br />
Russians can still acquire as much information as any or<br />
dinary traveler by reading<br />
BILLIONS FOR HIGHWAYS<br />
our newspapers and magazines.<br />
President Eisenhower's Highway Commission has agreed<br />
on a ten-year program involving the spending of $101 billion<br />
for highway modernization. About half of this is new plan<br />
ning. The federal government would pay nearly the whole<br />
cost of a $24 billion improvement in major cross-country<br />
highways. States now pay about 40 per cent of the cost<br />
on "U.S." routes. But the new program still calls for in<br />
creased expenditures by the states, and there is no sug<br />
gestion as to how they will raise the necessary funds. This<br />
report will probably be the basis of President Eisenhower's<br />
recommendations to Congress. The highway program may be<br />
strongly opposed by those who believe the money should<br />
go into schools instead. In both cases, our country has<br />
been unwilling to tax itself heavily<br />
enough to meet the<br />
growing needs, so that the problems are getting steadily<br />
worse.<br />
OFF FOR THE ANTARCTIC<br />
The U. S. Navy has begun a three-year Antarctic ex<br />
ploration program with the departure of an icebreaker<br />
from New Zealand for the South Polar continent. It will<br />
establish a base at Little America, Admiral Byrd's former<br />
headquarters. Meanwhile an Australian expedition is already<br />
under way on the opposite side of the continent, from a<br />
base set up last February. They are traveling inland by<br />
"Weasel," a tracked vehicle developed by the U. S. for<br />
work in the far North, and have found a new range of<br />
mountains. Great Britain also has plans for Antarctic ex<br />
ploration. A British group may try to cross the continent<br />
by surface vehicle, touching at the South Pole on the way.<br />
The trip would cover 1750 miles of virtually unknown ter<br />
rain, including<br />
some rugged mountains. The British and<br />
Australians are coordinating their work with our own. The<br />
U. S. expedition will be the most elaborate, including the<br />
operation of an observatory at the South Pole during the<br />
"summer"<br />
of 1956-57.<br />
POLITICAL CASUALTY<br />
Panama lost a good president, and the U. S. a close<br />
friend, by the assassination of Jose Remon. Among the sus<br />
pects arrested was former president Arnulfo Arias, but there<br />
were no real clues to the plot. If the purpose was to over<br />
throw the government, it failed, for the vice president took<br />
over and kept good order. Remon was police chief under<br />
Arias and then became president in 1952. He was popular for<br />
his honest, effecient government and welfare program. This<br />
is the first presidential assassination in Panama's fifty<br />
years of independence.<br />
35
seed."<br />
obedient."<br />
words."<br />
covenant"<br />
years"<br />
Our Covenant Obligations<br />
Saturday Morning Devotional Address of Grinnell Conference<br />
by Rev. Paul Wilson<br />
After considering on previous mornings our<br />
"Declaration of Faith" and "Our Confession of Sin,"<br />
we move on this morning to "Our Covenant Obliga<br />
tions."<br />
No better passage could be found in scripture<br />
as a basis for our subject than the one selected from<br />
Exodus 24:7 with its context which depicts how Mo<br />
ses, after receiving the law in the Ten Command<br />
ments from Sinai, built an altar at the foot of Sinai<br />
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.<br />
Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offer<br />
ings of oxen unto the Lord. Taking half of the blood,<br />
he sprinkled it upon the altar. After reading the<br />
book of the Covenant before the people, they respon<br />
ded, in the words of our text, "All that the Lord hath<br />
said will we do, and be Thereupon Moses<br />
took the remainder of the blood in basins and sprin<br />
kled it upon the people saying, "Behold the blood of<br />
the Covenant, which the Lord hath made with you<br />
concerning all these<br />
One thing we should get firmly in mind concern<br />
ing covenanting as this is revealed to us throughout<br />
the scriptures is that from the ' standpoint of God,<br />
the Covenant is one, and it is eternal in its origin<br />
and sweep. From the standpoint of God's people, the<br />
historical covenants that appear from time to time<br />
are a firm standing to that eternal Covenant on<br />
their Dart in crisis periods and a renewing of their<br />
vows with the words, "All that the Lord hath said<br />
obedient."<br />
will we do, and be<br />
God's eternal covenant, therefore, comprehends<br />
His whole purpose and the means thereunto, all of<br />
which is ordained to bring glory unto Himself. In the<br />
early Bible scenes we view the Covenant relationship<br />
depicted, and observe the gradual disclosure of God's<br />
purpose, and His method of dealing with His chosen<br />
people. To Adam He first gave the simple test of<br />
obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of the<br />
knowledge of good and evil with death, spiritual and<br />
physical, as a penalty. This covenant of works was<br />
broken as a means to eternal life by the disobedience<br />
of Adam through which the human race fell. Where<br />
upon, God extended to Adam the hand of mercy in<br />
the promise that the seed of woman would bruise the<br />
head of Satan (Gen. 3:15). Thus while Adam had<br />
failed through disobedience, the hope was kindled in<br />
his heart that through the obedience of the Seed of<br />
woman (who was Christ) salvation, and life, might<br />
be offered to mankind.<br />
At the time of the flood, God said to Noah, "But<br />
(Gen. 6:18).<br />
with thee will I establish my<br />
That is, it was the eternal covenant, re-established<br />
with God's chosen people in Noah. After the flood,<br />
God enlarges the scope of this covenant saying, "Be<br />
hold, I establish my covenant with you and with your<br />
He gave the rainbow as the token of this<br />
covenant as He says, "That I may<br />
remember the<br />
everlasting Covenant" (Gen. 9:16).<br />
Next we find God's Covenant established with<br />
Abraham, with whom He reaffirmed the Covenant<br />
36<br />
promise again and again. On one instance Abraham<br />
is told, "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a<br />
stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve<br />
them; and they shall afflict them four hundred<br />
(Gen. 15:13). This was fulfilled in the bond<br />
age of Israel in Egypt.<br />
From this slavery Moses was called to lead the<br />
people out. After nine plagues were visited upon<br />
Egypt the tenth and last plague was visited upon<br />
Egypt in the death of the first-born among their<br />
families while the Passover was instituted among<br />
Israel. At this time they are commanded to leave the<br />
land of Egypt in haste. Three months later they<br />
camped before Mount Sinai where they received the<br />
law. At this point we come to the scene of the ratify<br />
ing of this Covenant which is described in the im<br />
mediate context of our passage. It was then that the<br />
whole assembly acknowledged their solemn duty as<br />
they pronounced the words, "All that the Lord hath<br />
obedient."<br />
said will we do, and be<br />
There are four points to consider in the develop<br />
ment of our theme:<br />
I. The grounds from which our Covenant<br />
obligations arise.<br />
These are two in particular. The first of these is<br />
the relationship which prevails between God and man<br />
as the Creator and the creature. Since God has creat<br />
ed man, man is dependent iroon and therefore subject<br />
to God. The Confession of Faith in Chapter VII, par.<br />
1 states: "The distance between God and creature<br />
is so great, that although reasonable creatures do<br />
owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet thev<br />
could never have any fruition of Him as their blessed<br />
ness and reward, but by some voluntary condescen<br />
sion on God's part, which He hath been pleased to<br />
express by way of Covenant." In the Shorter Cate<br />
chism we find the answer to question 12. "When God<br />
had created man he entered into a Covenant of life<br />
with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; for<br />
bidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of 'good<br />
death."<br />
and evil, upon pain of<br />
The second basis of our Covenant obligations is<br />
found in the Redeemer-redeemed relationship pre<br />
vailing between God and His covenant people This is<br />
brought out so well in the preface to the Ten Com<br />
mandments, as God says, "I am the Lord thy God<br />
which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt<br />
out of the house of bondage." Then follow the Com<br />
mandments. This clearly shows that the obligation<br />
of obedience to the Covenant of God's moral law<br />
flows from the Redeemer-redeemed relationship<br />
This is further seen in our immediate context When<br />
they offered burnt offering and peace offerings of<br />
oxen, Moses sprinkled the blood the symbol of re<br />
demption upon the altar and on the people as thev<br />
voluntarily assumed the obligations of the Covenant<br />
In the New Testament, too, the Covenant seals a re<br />
lationship between the Redeemer and the redeemed<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
nant."<br />
mind,"<br />
covenant"<br />
posterity."<br />
secured."<br />
as it is seen at the coming of Jesus Christ, the Re<br />
deemer. In the words of Zacharias, the father of<br />
John the Baptist, speaking of the birth of Christ, "To<br />
perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to<br />
remember his holy (Luke 1:72).<br />
II. To whom the covenant obligations extend.<br />
On the occasion from which our text comes it is<br />
apparent that all classes of the congregation of Israel<br />
are included as being bound by the Covenant. There<br />
were Moses, Aaron, the Levites, and the elders of the<br />
people who were the representatives of the tribes of<br />
Israel. There were men, women and children, in<br />
tribes and in families. This fact is recognized<br />
in other passages. In Deut. 29:14, 15 Israel<br />
stands in Moab before crossing the Jordan<br />
into the promised land and Moses declares,<br />
"Neither with you only do I make this cove<br />
nant and this oath, but with him that standeth here<br />
with us this day before the Lord our God, and also<br />
with him that is not here with us this day." All were<br />
to be included. In the taking of the Covenant under<br />
King Josiah this is seen again. We read in II Kings<br />
23:2, 3 "and the king went up into the house of the<br />
Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabi<br />
tants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and<br />
the prophets, and all the people, both small and<br />
great ; and he read in their ears all the words of the<br />
book of the covenant which was found in the house<br />
of the Lord . . . And all the people stood to the cove<br />
Accordingly we find this principle of cove<br />
nanting is recognized in our own covenant of 1871 in<br />
the opening words, "We ministers, elders, deacons<br />
and members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church<br />
in North America, with our hands lifted up, do joint<br />
ly and severally swear by the Great and Dreadful<br />
name of the Lord our God."<br />
III. The third observation in development of our<br />
theme is the permanent nature of Covenant<br />
obligations<br />
This principle has been an historic position of<br />
our church through the centuries, and it is clearly<br />
drawn from the Bible. The principle rests upon a<br />
two-fold foundation. The first is the permanent ap<br />
plication of the moral law of God, which always<br />
forms a part of the Covenant relationship. The Bible<br />
commands pronounced in the Old Testament and re<br />
inforced by our Lord in the New Testament were,<br />
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart<br />
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength and<br />
with all thy and "Thou shalt love thy neigh<br />
bor as thyself." These never have and never shall be<br />
rescinded. The Ten Commandments shall always be<br />
the rule of obedience for God's people as well as the<br />
finger of God to point out sin to the unrepentant.<br />
The law of God is of permanent and perpetual appli<br />
cation.<br />
The second of the two-fold foundation to the<br />
principle of the permanent or descending obligations<br />
of the Covenants is the <strong>org</strong>anic<br />
unity of succeeding<br />
generations with their forebears. Here again let us<br />
appeal to scripture. In Deuteronomy 5:2, 3 we find<br />
the Israelites almost forty years after the ratifying<br />
of the Covenant at Sinai, with a new generation<br />
standing in God's presence before entering Canaan.<br />
We hear Moses saying to them, "The Lord our God<br />
made a Covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord<br />
made not this Covenant with our fathers, but with<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
us, even us who are all of us here alive this day."<br />
Further, we find Israel warned of punishment by the<br />
prophets because the covenant people in their days<br />
were breaking the Covenant of their fathers. To cite<br />
but one, we turn to Isaiah 24:5, 6, "The earth also<br />
is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because<br />
they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordin<br />
ance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore<br />
hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that<br />
dwell therein are desolate."<br />
Accordingly our Covenanting forefathers have<br />
recognized the descending obligations of the Cove<br />
nants. In the National Covenant of Scotland in 1638<br />
we quote, "Finally, being convinced in our minds and<br />
confessing with our mouths, that the present and<br />
succeeding generations in this land are bound to<br />
keep the foresaid national oath ... we hereby pro<br />
fess . .<br />
In the Solemn League and Covenant (1643) the<br />
oath was taken in these words, "That we, and- our<br />
posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith<br />
and love . .<br />
In our Covenant in America in 1871 we find at<br />
least three such expressions : Section K. "We receive<br />
for ourselves and for our children the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ as He is offered in the Gospel to be our Sav<br />
iour."<br />
Then in Section II we promise "to transmit the<br />
knowledge of (our faith) to In Section III<br />
we declare that we will "pray and labor for the Chris<br />
tian Amendment and we will continue to refuse to<br />
incorporate with the political body, until this blessed<br />
reformation has been These are clear indi<br />
cations that we bind, with us, our sons and daugh<br />
ters from generation to generation under the bonds<br />
of the covenants that which is clearly the teaching<br />
of the Word of God until the objectives sought are<br />
attained.<br />
IV. Finally we must conclude by observing the<br />
elements of our Covenant obligations.<br />
As the people standing before God and Moses<br />
at Sinai recognized their obligations with the words<br />
"All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obe<br />
dient,"<br />
so we, today, must confess that our personal<br />
and combined obligation can be summarized in one<br />
word<br />
obedience. And let us recognize that it is a<br />
perfect obedience that is required. Yet we must con<br />
fess that we are prone to failure and given to sin, for<br />
"no mere man, since the .is<br />
fall, able in this life, per<br />
fectly to keep the commandments of God ; but doth<br />
daily break them, in thought, word, and deed." Thus<br />
we must enlist the aid indeed rely wholly upon<br />
the perfect obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ as the<br />
Mediator and surety of the New Covenant.<br />
As we turn to our Covenant we see that it is<br />
called "A Brief Covenant." This should not be under<br />
stood to suggest that we consider that God has re<br />
duced His terms of obligation laid upon us in con<br />
trast with earlier generations. No! In fact the irre<br />
ducible obligations of God's people are set forth in<br />
the whole scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.<br />
Our prepared Covenant is professedly a summary<br />
in brief compass of the obligations laid upon God's<br />
Covenant people.<br />
Turning to the Covenant itself, let us point out<br />
briefly the following:<br />
1. We begin our statement of obligation by a<br />
(Continued on page 41)<br />
37
good."<br />
A Bible Study and Bible Memory Program for<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church<br />
by Remo I. Robb, D.D.<br />
A previous article presented the background and<br />
explained the purposes and guiding principles of a<br />
Church-wide Bible Study and Memory Program.<br />
It will begin with the presentation of the Gospel mes<br />
sage, then follow through the principles of Christian<br />
character<br />
development, and enlarge into an under<br />
standing<br />
of the great Bible truths as presented in<br />
the Shorter Catechism, and then lead to Church<br />
membership and Christian service.<br />
At first, for the sake of those being introduced<br />
to the Bible, only a limited part of it will be used, la<br />
ter the entire New Testament will be explored, and<br />
as the studies progress both Old and New Testa<br />
ments will be studied.<br />
The First Study<br />
"Committee"<br />
At the most recent meeting of the<br />
on December 20, the opening study was agreed to.<br />
It is taken from the Gospel of John. There is no in<br />
tention of trying to present every doctrine contained<br />
in the Gospel, but rather to present only the message<br />
of salvation as it is found there.<br />
Here are the questions with their references :<br />
1. How did the world begin 1:3; 1:10.<br />
2. What was the world like <br />
From Genesis, the first book of the Bible, chap<br />
ter 1 :31, we read :<br />
"And God saw everything that he had made,<br />
and behold it was very<br />
3. What is the world like now 1:5.<br />
4. How did it come to be in darkness 3:19.<br />
5. Into what groups does the Bible classify men<br />
15:19.<br />
6. What is the natural condition of all mankind<br />
8:23.<br />
7. What is the natural and just end of a sinful life<br />
3:36b.<br />
8. Will all sinners reach this end 8:24.<br />
9. How did God enable men to escape this "just"<br />
end 3:16. Why did He do this<br />
10. What was the supreme step in God's plan for<br />
bringing sinful men into eternal life 19:17, 18.<br />
11. How complete is this provision 5:24.<br />
12. Why is Christ the perfect provision for man's<br />
need 6:35.<br />
13. What is His promise to those who believe 8:12.<br />
14. Is there any other hope for salvation besides the<br />
Lord Jesus Christ 6:68, 69; 14:6.<br />
How to Use the Bible Study.<br />
This Bible Study Program may be used widely.<br />
It may be used as Sabbath School lessons, young<br />
people's studies, young adult studies,<br />
and otherwise.<br />
With about fifteen questions in each study, they may<br />
be completed in a week's time each 'by looking up<br />
two questions a day. Then at the general class meet<br />
ing on the Sabbath (or whenever it is held) there<br />
may be discussion and a clearing up<br />
of uncertain<br />
points, and a "nailing down" of the truths of the les<br />
son.<br />
38<br />
But the best use of the studies will come<br />
through those who have themselves studied the<br />
lessons and then as workers present them to others,<br />
guiding them also into the knowledge and acceptance<br />
of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
The aim will not be that the worker can do the<br />
talking, but that the Bible may be presented so it can<br />
do its own searching of the heart. Most folks will<br />
casually agree that the Bible is a good book. It is only<br />
a step from that point to the question "Wouldn't you<br />
like to know more about it " When that is agreed to,<br />
the studies may be presented.<br />
Each week the worker should contact the pros<br />
pects, and go over the studies with them. Conversa<br />
tion should be limited to the points developed by the<br />
studies, so that arguments and discussion of unre<br />
lated matters will be avoided. No worker should en<br />
list more prospects than can be contacted every<br />
week.<br />
The Form<br />
The initial study will be presented, at first, in a<br />
four-page mimeographed form with an attractive<br />
design. In addition to the study it will have some in<br />
troductory information for persons who do not know<br />
how to use the Bible, such as the meaning of the<br />
numbers at the end of the questions. There will be al<br />
so blank lines under each question with the sugges<br />
tion that the answers be written there.<br />
Some may wonder why these studies are being<br />
issued thus in mimeographed form. For one thing,<br />
no funds have been provided for their printing. But<br />
more important, we wish to have suggestions for im<br />
provement of the studies before they are set up in<br />
print. If the Church is ready to use these studies in<br />
quantities, they will be so prepared, but it is not wise<br />
to publish beyond the demand.<br />
The Demand<br />
Are the pastors, Sabbath Schools, Young Peo<br />
ple's Societies ready for a Church-wide Bible Study<br />
and Memory Program <br />
The cost for the first study will be 2c per copy.<br />
Write to the Home Mission Secretary, 1102 Ninth<br />
Ave., Beaver Falls, Penna., and tell him how many<br />
copies you would like to have.<br />
GLIMPSES Continued from page 34<br />
Lowell to Skeptics<br />
James Russell Lowell, says the Free Methodist, once an<br />
ambassador to England, just before leaving the latter country<br />
for the United States attended a meeting in London to do<br />
honor to the poet Browning. Some of those present made ad<br />
dresses in which they aired their skepticism and said that they<br />
could get along without any religion. They did this, though<br />
they knew that by so doing they would give offense to many<br />
who were there. Mr. Lowell, having the courage of his con<br />
victions, said, among other things:<br />
(Continued on page 41)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
name."<br />
escape"<br />
you!"<br />
you."<br />
This<br />
prayers."<br />
you."<br />
all."<br />
you."<br />
prayers."<br />
you."<br />
This article is written at the request of Rev.<br />
Paul Faris for the Evangelistic Committee. I under<br />
stand it is to be the layman's follow-up to an article<br />
being written by a minister, Rev. K. G. Smith.<br />
BUCKET OR PIPE<br />
"That which we have seen and heard declare we<br />
unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us :<br />
and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with<br />
his Son Jesus Christ." 1 Jn. 1:3.<br />
Some months ago, I was given this verse to learn<br />
with the suggestion that it should apply to my life<br />
as a Christian. And I began to see a new and sobering<br />
thought expressed here. Turning the first phrase<br />
around, I saw, "We (I) declare unto you that which<br />
we (I) have seen and heard." Why that meant that<br />
my complaining, worrying, envying, backbiting,<br />
frowning, talking about what the rain had done for<br />
my garden but not about what God had done for my<br />
soul, in fact, my whole appearance before others is<br />
a declaration of what my fellowship "with the Father<br />
and with his Son" means to me. I might orate long<br />
and loudly on the blessings and joys of the Christian,<br />
but my neighbor would judge their true meaning<br />
to me by the living epistle of my life.<br />
I am glad to testify that a planned and systema<br />
tic consideration of God and His Word and of what<br />
salvation and the Christian life mean can certainly<br />
give increased vitality and life-changing meaning to<br />
our fellowship with our God and Saviour.<br />
First, I realized the need to gain more familiarity<br />
with God's Word.<br />
John 20:31 says "these are written, that ye<br />
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of<br />
God; and that believing ye might have life through<br />
his (See Jn. 21:25 and 20:30 for further em<br />
phasis on this purpose). Most of us have learned<br />
some Bible verses such as Jn. 3:16, Matt. 6:9(b)-13,<br />
Ex. 20:3-17, Num. 6:24-26; too often without even<br />
knowing where to locate them or finding them of<br />
much meaning. Learning verses under definite sub<br />
jects started me to see the meaning and purpose they<br />
should have for myself and others. There were prom<br />
ises, steps to be followed to reach a desired goal (the<br />
first being salvation), commands, warnings, an<br />
swers ; all waiting to be appropriated.<br />
But then I saw that verse learning was not an<br />
end. I was encouraged to read the verse in its context<br />
And that which I saw and heard again broadened<br />
and deepened. Psalm 19 : 7, 8 was recently suggested<br />
to me for memorizing. Read these verses and then<br />
read the entire Psalm and note the richer and more<br />
accurate meaning these verses gain. So one does<br />
chapter studies; rewriting them in his own words,<br />
choosing the central thought, outlining, etc.<br />
Furthermore, these studies have challenged me<br />
to try also to see chapters in their context. I learned<br />
to read 1 Corinthians 12 with Chapter 13. Bible Mas<br />
tery Month with its month-long study of a book fits<br />
in admirably with this program and I know many<br />
have found a deepened fellowship from following this<br />
project.<br />
Now I found a danger. It was so comforting, so<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
satisfying, being a bucket; just feasting on the<br />
Word, listening to the minister or other speaker pro<br />
pounding on the joys and blessings of the Christian<br />
life, reveling in the congenial fellowship of those of<br />
like heart and desire. I was soon made aware that I<br />
should declare Christ to those who knew Him not. I<br />
was to be a pipe not a bucket.<br />
So it seemed I must compel the unsaved, the<br />
cold, the indifferent to come in. I would give them<br />
the Word of God and how could they help seeing in it<br />
what I was now seeing But I found that this atti<br />
tude was often antagonizing my neighbor rather<br />
than winning him and I became aware that there was<br />
still a missing element. That was love and a sincere<br />
desire to see my neighbor know Christ even as I<br />
knew Him. Studying Paul's ministry from his epis<br />
tles gave helpful suggestions.<br />
1. Paul yearned for souls.<br />
"How greatly I long after you "I have you<br />
heart."<br />
in my "Being affectionately desirous of<br />
People can tell by our attitude if we are really inter<br />
ested in helping them. This attitude can be developed<br />
by God's grace. Reading such chapters as Isa. 53<br />
and 55, Jn. 14 and Rev. 22 will be a big help. I read<br />
of a soldier with an amputated arm who had become<br />
a Christian. He was walking in a busy city jostled by<br />
the hurrying throng. He was tempted to curse at the<br />
bumps and pain. Then God showed him "a way of<br />
and at each bump he whispered, "God bless<br />
Visit the fatherless and widow, never betray a<br />
confidence, rejoice with them that rejoice and weep<br />
with them that weep.<br />
2. Paul prayed for souls.<br />
"Without ceasing I make mention of you always<br />
in my "Always in my "Always in<br />
every prayer of mine for "Praying always for<br />
suggested to me that I should have a list<br />
of the church members and pray for each one ; that I<br />
should learn the names of the other members of a<br />
family where only one or two had professed their<br />
faith in Christ and pray for each one. This praying<br />
should be continued. Fellowship denotes continuing,<br />
not passing interest.<br />
3. Paul revisited his contacts.<br />
"Let us go again and visit our brethren." "I<br />
was minded to come again unto We have a<br />
price"<br />
treasure to share, "the pearl of great ; a won<br />
der to behold, if the angels in heaven rejoice over<br />
the repentant sinner, can we do less We share our<br />
Bible studies, our experiences, our problems, our de<br />
sires, our hopes, our suggestions. And so the fellow<br />
ship grows and becomes more contagious.<br />
I would be only hypocritical if I suggested that I<br />
have more than begun to develop this fellowship with<br />
God and my fellowmen. But I will be thankful if God<br />
sees fit to use any of these remarks to suggest to<br />
some readers the means to a vision of the wonder and<br />
boundlessness of the fellowship with our God and<br />
Saviour available to us for ourselves and for sharing<br />
with another.<br />
R. McConaughy<br />
Central Pittsburgh<br />
39
neck."<br />
INTERRUPTIONS<br />
By Rev. Wm. Young, B.A.<br />
One of the things that many of us were checked<br />
for as children was interrupting a conversation. We<br />
were told that we must not do it. No matter how<br />
imporant what we had to say might seem to us, we<br />
had to wait till there was a lull in the conversation.<br />
I think we can see now that our parents were right.<br />
Generally speaking, it is wrong and unmannerly to<br />
interrupt when someone else is talking. None of us<br />
likes to be interrupted ourselves.<br />
Yet there are times when we are glad of an<br />
interruption. When we are listening to, or taking<br />
part in, a conversation that is boring or perhaps<br />
we are glad of an interruption<br />
even embarrassing,<br />
of any kind. There are many conversations that<br />
might be interrupted with profit to all concerned.<br />
None of us who profess to love the Lord should en<br />
courage in any way conversations that are God-dis<br />
honouring and detrimental to the highest welfare of<br />
those who take part in them.<br />
There is a very pleasing interruption in the<br />
parable of the prodigal son. You remember how the<br />
returning prodigal had his speech all ready. He had<br />
thought out carefully what he was going to say to<br />
his father. But he didn't get saying half of it. His<br />
father interrupted him, saying to the servants:<br />
"Bring forth the best robe and put it on him; and<br />
put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet . .<br />
What a wonderful revelation we have there of the<br />
father's love and f<strong>org</strong>iveness! That is what God<br />
is like with you and me. When in penitence, we come<br />
with our confession of sin and shame, before we<br />
have told the half, He is speaking to us words of<br />
pardon and peace, How true He is to His promise:<br />
"Before they call I will answer, and while they are<br />
still speaking I will hear."<br />
Other things can be interrupted as well as con<br />
versations. How often the work and routine of our<br />
daily lives is interrupted and how much annoyance<br />
these interruptions sometimes cause us !<br />
An interruption that is very annoying to many<br />
young men nowadays is the two-year period of Na<br />
tional Service. It must be very exasperating when<br />
one has perhaps just finished one's apprenticeship<br />
and has begun to earn a decent wage to have to rise<br />
up and leave it all and go away to the Forces.<br />
There are even less welcome interruptions. How<br />
often our daily work and the daily routine of our<br />
lives is interrupted by such things as illness and<br />
accident ! How often, too, these things seem to come<br />
at the most awkward time at a time when we can<br />
least afford to be laid aside ! Yes, many a one is laid<br />
aside by illness or accident sore against his will.<br />
There are many things that can happen day by<br />
day to interrupt us at our work. How often, for<br />
example, are we interrupted at our work by the ar<br />
rival of a visitor. We have planned a busy day in the<br />
house or office or field as the case may be and then<br />
we get an unexpected visitor and our plans are all up<br />
set and much of our work remains undone.<br />
It is very annoying to have our work and the<br />
routine of our lives interrupted in these ways. And<br />
yet if we believe, as we profess to do, that our lov<br />
ing heavenly Father controls each detail of our<br />
lives and causes all things to work together for our<br />
good, then it follows that He must have a wise and<br />
40<br />
loving<br />
purpose even in the interruptions that come<br />
to us. There can be nothing arbitrary or haphazard<br />
about them. They are His appointment for us and<br />
are intended to serve some useful purpose in our<br />
lives.<br />
Sometimes when our plans are thwarted and<br />
interrupted, it may be that God is seeking to turn<br />
us from something that is not for our good or His<br />
glory. Balaam was doubtless annoyed when his<br />
journey to Balak was interrupted by the seeming<br />
stubbornness of the beast on which he rode. But<br />
there was more to it than Balaam at first realized.<br />
It was the angel of the Lord who stood in the way to<br />
prevent him from blindly continuing in his wayward<br />
self-sought course. God often graciously interrupts<br />
the schemes and plans of men, that He may turn<br />
them from some unworthy<br />
and dangerous course.<br />
I remember once hearing a sermon on the provi<br />
dence of God in the course of which the preacher<br />
said that "sometimes God breaks a man's leg to<br />
keep him from breaking his It was an arrest<br />
ing way of stating this aspect of God's providence.<br />
Many a man, as he looks back over life's way, thanks<br />
God for the illness or accident which interrupted the<br />
routine of his life and kept him from rushing blind<br />
on his way. He realizes that that spell on his back<br />
ly<br />
was a blessing in disguise. It gave him time to think<br />
and to remember life's values. It enables him to con<br />
sider afresh the interests of his immortal soul and<br />
the claims of God upon him.<br />
But what about those interruptions which come<br />
when we are earnestly seeking to do God's will<br />
These, too, have a gracious purpose. That visitor<br />
who upset your plans so badly was perhaps sent by<br />
God that you might minister guidance and comfort<br />
and help. Or perhaps the visitor was God's messenger<br />
and ministering angel to you.<br />
It may be that God interrupts us at what we<br />
are doing because He has got something<br />
more im<br />
portant for us to do. In the eighth chapter of the<br />
Acts, we read how, while Philip was busy preaching<br />
the Gospel in the villages of the Samaritans, the<br />
angel of the Lord told him to go "unto Gaza, which<br />
is desert." It must have seemed strange to him to<br />
be commanded to leave a scene of spiritual activity,<br />
and go to an uninhabited, desolate region.<br />
But, on<br />
obeying the command, Philip had the privilege of<br />
pointing the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, and so<br />
a whole continent was touched for Christ that day.<br />
The next time, then, that we are inclined to<br />
be annoyed because of some interruption to our work<br />
or our plans, let us try to realize and remember that<br />
God has a wise and loving purpose even in the in<br />
terruptions that come to us. It may help, too, to re<br />
mind ourselves that the Saviour, who was tried in<br />
knew what it was to experience<br />
all points as we are,<br />
interruptions. When He and His disciples had with<br />
drawn for rest, how annoying it must have been for<br />
them to find that the crowds had followed them.<br />
Yet Jesus didn't get annoyed. Instead He ministered<br />
to their needs and as a consequence of that inter<br />
ruption we have the beautiful account of the feeding<br />
of the multitude. Our Divine Master, who thus turn<br />
ed the interruption into blessing, can<br />
help us to do<br />
the same. He can give us grace to overcome our an<br />
noyance and to make the interruption a<br />
blessing to<br />
ourselves and to others.<br />
Death is sometime spoken of as an interruption<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
obligations"<br />
ourselves"<br />
works."<br />
views."<br />
and in a very real sense it is. It is a very long and<br />
far-reaching interruption. How many plans are up<br />
set by death ! How much seemingly good and neces<br />
sary work is interrupted by the angel of death ! The<br />
interruption caused by death is one that we will all<br />
experience some day. When the angel of death calls<br />
we must obey the summons. Everything must be<br />
laid aside at once. We can't bribe the angel of death<br />
or keep him away.<br />
And yet, looked at aright, death is not really<br />
an interruption. If we trust and love the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ, if we are living daily in union and fellowship<br />
with Him and in obedience to His will, then death is<br />
not really an interruption but a promotion to higher<br />
service. One of the things we are told about heaven<br />
is that there "His servants shall serve Him." That<br />
heavenly service will be the continuation and consum<br />
mation of the service begun here on earth.<br />
Let us then make sure that we are Christ's<br />
that we have chosen Him as Saviour and are con<br />
secrated to His service. Then the so-called interrup<br />
tions of life we shall be able to regard as His ap<br />
pointment, and when the last interruption of all<br />
comes and death calls, it will seem to us the voice<br />
of Christ inviting us to higher service.<br />
The Reformed Presbyterian <strong>Witness</strong><br />
OUR OBLIGATIONS . . . Cont'd from page 37<br />
recognition of need, in "accepting the Covenant of<br />
Grace."<br />
We acknowledge that we sin and fall short<br />
of the glory of God. That we are frail creatures and<br />
that any hope of acceptance rests in the provisions<br />
of God's grace offered to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br />
2. We "undertake<br />
promising to seek<br />
to conform our lives to the teaching and example of<br />
Our Lord Jesus Christ in the testimony of a consist<br />
ant, godly life. In this we promise to "endeavor to<br />
forsake all that is sinful and that would compromise<br />
our witness."<br />
3. To this end "we promise to avail<br />
of the means of grace and the opportunities of stew<br />
ardship of the whole life, in service as well as in<br />
monetary giving.<br />
4. We do solemnly purpose to "seek first the<br />
righteousness"<br />
Kingdom of God and His<br />
with all of<br />
its implications in opposing evil in high places and<br />
furthering that which is right and good in Church<br />
and State.<br />
should be given that<br />
Now a concluding warning<br />
our chief purpose in renewing our Covenant should<br />
not be the blessing which we may anticipate, but,<br />
instead, that God's name may be glorified in the act<br />
of renewal and in the continuing life of obedience<br />
which should flow from the Covenant renewal. Then<br />
the grand purpose should one day be attained that,<br />
"All ends of earth, remembering Him,<br />
Shall turn repenting, to the Lord ;<br />
The kindreds of the nations then<br />
To Him their homage shall accord;<br />
Because the Lord the kingdom owns<br />
And rules above all earthly thrones."<br />
GLIMPSES- Continued from page 38<br />
"The worst kind of religion is no religion at all, and those<br />
men who live in ease and luxury, indulging themselves in the<br />
amusement of going without religion, may be thankful that<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
KANSAS SPEAKS AGAIN<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle's article of December first on a<br />
new minister for Japan stated that if the 2000 adult<br />
members, supposed to be furnishing the bulk of the<br />
church's giving, would increase their gifts by $58.00<br />
each, the over-all asked for budget woud be sub<br />
scribed.<br />
Mr. Boyle's home congregation decided to do<br />
something about it. So a pledge-card was distributed<br />
on Sabbath, December 26, which reads as follows :<br />
"I PLEDGE IN EXCESS OF REGULAR<br />
GIVING SO THAT SYNOD'S BUDGET WILL<br />
BE RAISED AND A MISSIONARY SENT TO<br />
JAPAN. SOME OF PLEDGE TO BE PAID DE<br />
CEMBER 26 AND THE BALANCE BY<br />
1955."<br />
MARCH 1,<br />
This would seem an inopportune time to present<br />
a card like that. First, because an offering was to be<br />
taken for the building fund for their new church.<br />
Then there was the regular fund that comes Sabbath<br />
by Sabbath. Besides all that, it was the day set for<br />
the offering for National Reform. A pledge-card on<br />
top of all that on the same day<br />
So What I copy from their church bulletin of<br />
January 2, 1955.<br />
Treasurer's Report on Collections<br />
for December 26:<br />
National Reform Association $106.04<br />
Building Fund 515.00<br />
Synod's Budget 608.00<br />
General Fund 183.95<br />
Total $1412.99<br />
Pledged to Synod's Budget (Pledge Card) 1036.00<br />
(of which $608.00 was paid that day)<br />
Well, there it is folks and from a congregation<br />
which now has no church building and is without a<br />
pastor to lead them! Knowing Topeka as we do we<br />
are not too greatly surprised.<br />
Be it known that Topeka congregation has not<br />
asked or authorized us to publish these facts but<br />
we take it that church bulletins are public property.<br />
Besides we deem it a good way to "consider one an<br />
other to provoke unto love, and to good<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
they live in lands where the gospel they neglect has tamed the<br />
beastliness and ferocity of the men who, but for Christianity,<br />
might long ago have eaten their bodies like the South Sea<br />
Islanders, or cut off their heads and tanned their hides like<br />
the monsters of the French Revolution.<br />
"When the microscopic search of skepticism,<br />
which has<br />
hunted the heavens and sounded the seas to disprove the ex<br />
istence of a Creator, had turned its attention to human society,<br />
and has found a place on this planet ten miles square where<br />
a decent man can live in decency, comfort and security, sup<br />
porting and educating his children unspoiled and unpolluted;<br />
a place where age is reverenced, infancy respected, manhood<br />
esteemed, womanhood honored, and human life held in due<br />
regard<br />
when skeptics can find a place ten miles square on<br />
this globe where the gospel of Christ has not gone and cleared<br />
the way and laid the foundations, and made decency and se<br />
curity possible, it will then be in order for the skeptical liter<br />
ati to move thither, and there ventilate their<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
41
people."<br />
eat."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of February 6, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
February 6, 1955<br />
Charles R. McBurney<br />
WHAT'S IN MY PSALM BOOK<br />
Psalm 100<br />
In my Psalm Book are God's own<br />
songs for me to sing. There is much to<br />
say about them, too, but comments are<br />
intended merely to prepare for singing.<br />
Any group can enjoy at least ten songs in<br />
an hour's meeting, with time out for<br />
prayer and reading and precentor's sug<br />
gestions.<br />
There's praise in my Psalm Book.<br />
Gladness, thanks, service, noise are some<br />
ingredients of the praise I sing in Psalm<br />
100. Praise for deliverance, for a goodly<br />
theme,<br />
for victory, for justice I sing<br />
about in Psalms 30, 45, 66, 96, 98, and<br />
a host of others. Psalm 145 on page 350<br />
is one of my favorites, but I'll be just<br />
as happy to sing yours.<br />
There's anguish in my Psalm Book.<br />
Disaster, defeat, discouragement, remorse,<br />
indecision, helplessness are expressed in<br />
Palms like the 6th, the 38th, the 42nd, the<br />
55th, the 88th, the 102nd, to mention only<br />
a few. But when I make my anguish a<br />
theme for song, the depths are full of<br />
hope. In the compass of one short Psalm,<br />
which I hope you will sing with me, I<br />
travel in song the entire distance from<br />
despair to exultation. I am<br />
thinking of<br />
Psalm 13 on page 23. Or would you pre<br />
fer Psalm 130<br />
There's vision in my Psalm Book. I see<br />
the godly man in Psalm -15, the godly<br />
home in Psalm 128, the world won to<br />
Christ in Psalm 67, enduring peace and<br />
prosperity in Psalm 85, our loving heav<br />
enly Father in Psalm 103.<br />
upon the Lord continually are<br />
"Mine eyes<br />
set"<br />
for<br />
the sight of goals worth attaining. In the<br />
first four stanzas of Psalm 97 on page<br />
233 we can sing together of Christ on His<br />
throne, a vision of eternal power and<br />
glory.<br />
There's prayer in my Psalm Book.<br />
There are the prayers Christ taught His<br />
disciples: prayer for the keeping holy of<br />
God's name in the final stanzas of Psalm<br />
72; prayer for the coming of His King<br />
dom in the refrain of Psalm 57; prayer<br />
for obedience to His will in part 5<br />
Psalm 119; prayer for daily food in part<br />
3 of Psalm 119; prayer for f<strong>org</strong>iveness in<br />
Psalm 51; prayer for deliverance from<br />
evil in Psalm 141; ascribing kingdom,<br />
power, and glory to Him in Psalm 96.<br />
Many of these prayers I offer when I<br />
sing from that favorite prayer Psalm on<br />
page 347, the 143rd.<br />
There's music in my Psalm Book. God<br />
W<br />
42<br />
of<br />
provided the words, not the tunes, but He<br />
asked me to sing, and I find in my Psalm<br />
Book, leafing rapidly through,<br />
some<br />
tunes so well known and so respected all<br />
over my country that Psalms may be<br />
sung by any group if words only are pro<br />
vided. Such tunes, with favorite passages<br />
already attached to them, occur on pages<br />
8, 43, 118, 132, 156, 246, and 347. There<br />
are simple tunes, easily sung<br />
over and<br />
over, like those on pages 52, 91, 102, and<br />
137 ; tunes with power and movement like<br />
those on pages 110, 119, 171, and 175;<br />
tunes with lingering beauty and depth<br />
like those on pages 57, 140, 223, 327, and<br />
341; tunes that challenge the best of<br />
choirs, yet can be sung by all, like those<br />
on pages 49, 106, 225, and 336. On pages<br />
13, 51, 86, 87, 165, 213, 219, 224, 283, and<br />
288 I find tunes from medieval and<br />
classical masters; on pages 7, 12, 46, 197,<br />
and 237 I find melodies from Psalters<br />
of Psalm-singers across the seas and the<br />
centuries; on pages 6 and 281, tunes re<br />
corded from childhood memories of God's<br />
praise; and on pages 131, 195, 210, 227,<br />
283, 314, 325, and 327, tunes from the<br />
hearts of Psalm-lovers whose voices we<br />
remember or hear still in our midst.<br />
Before I ask you to use up the rest of<br />
our meeting time in singing<br />
with me<br />
some samples from this list, would you<br />
like to concentrate for a moment on the<br />
poetry in my Psalm Book The prose<br />
version will serve, for Psalter poetry con<br />
sists in a rhyming of thought, a rhythm<br />
of ideas. Have you ever tried reading<br />
Psalm 19:7-11 by dividing into two<br />
groups and having<br />
one group read the<br />
first part of each verse and the other<br />
group the last, Beautiful that way, isn't<br />
it Or turn to Psalm 73:23-28 and have<br />
the groups read alternate verses. Or use<br />
our text, Psalm 100, that way, reading to<br />
gether the last verse.<br />
I have mentioned a few of the things<br />
in MY Psalm Book. What's in yours<br />
Do you find faith, repentance, challenge,<br />
and resolutions Where And what else<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
February 6, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
JESUS AND A BOY'S LUNCH<br />
Scripture: Mark 6:31-46<br />
Memory Verse: "And they say<br />
We have here but five loaves, and two<br />
unto him,<br />
fishes. He said, Bring them hither to<br />
me."<br />
Matthew 14:17, 18<br />
Psalms<br />
February Memory Psalm 25: 3-6, page<br />
57<br />
Psalm 86: 9-11, page 209<br />
Psalm 31:1-4, page 71<br />
Psalm 116:8, 9, 11, 12, page 282<br />
I think that every boy and girl likes a<br />
picnic and I know that some grown-up<br />
boys and girls like picnics, too. Today<br />
our story is about a picnic, but I know<br />
that you and I have never been to a<br />
picnic like the one in our story.<br />
John the Baptist had dared to tell<br />
King Herod that he was a sinner because<br />
he had taken someone else's wife to be<br />
his wife. Herod put John in prison but<br />
was afraid to kill him. But on Herod's<br />
birthday the daughter of this woman had<br />
danced for the king and his men friends,<br />
so<br />
Herod promised her whatever she<br />
wanted. She asked for the head of John<br />
the Baptist! So Herod had John be<br />
headed in the prison. The disciples told<br />
this sad news to Jesus. This made Jesus<br />
sad, too. There were so many<br />
people who<br />
wanted to see Jesus that He didn't even<br />
have time to get a bite to eat. So Jesus<br />
suggested to His disciples that they go<br />
some place where they<br />
could be alone for<br />
a little while. The only way to get away<br />
from the people was to go by boat across<br />
the sea of Galilee to a desert place.<br />
But the people saw them leave and<br />
they were so anxious to see Jesus that<br />
they ran around by the shore. They ran<br />
so fast that they were waiting<br />
on the<br />
shore when Jesus and His disciples ar<br />
rived by boat. Jesus saw the need that<br />
the people had of Him so, tired and sad<br />
as He was, He got out of the boat and<br />
taught the people many<br />
things. The sun<br />
had come to its height and it was now<br />
going down, down, down. Soon the day<br />
would be done and the people had been<br />
so anxious to see Jesus that they hadn't<br />
taken food with them.<br />
The disciples interrupted Jesus and<br />
said, "Master, it's getting late. You are<br />
tired and the people are hungry. Tell<br />
them to go home now.<br />
Pretty<br />
soon the<br />
stores will be closed and it will be too<br />
late for them to get anything to<br />
Jesus turned to His disciples and said,<br />
"Give ye them to<br />
eat."<br />
This surprised<br />
and shocked the disciples. They began to<br />
figure how much money they had. "We<br />
haven't enough money to buy enough<br />
bread to even begin to feed the great<br />
crowd of<br />
Now while the rest of the disciples were<br />
trying to figure things out, Andrew had<br />
been going through the crowd to see if<br />
they had food they could share. But all<br />
he found was some food which a little<br />
boy had thought to bring along. So An<br />
drew told Jesus about this little boy and<br />
said, "But he has only five barley loaves,<br />
and two small fish: and they won't
me."<br />
me."<br />
me."<br />
glory."<br />
son."<br />
very far." Jesus said, "Bring them hither<br />
to Then Jesus commanded His dis<br />
ciples and said, "Make everyone sit down.<br />
So they all sat down. Then Jesus asked<br />
the blessing, thanking His Father for<br />
just five loaves of bread and two small<br />
fish! Perhaps some people even laughed<br />
out loud at such thankfulness, but their<br />
laughs were soon turned to amazement<br />
as Jesus broke the bread and gave some<br />
bread and fish to His disciples. They dis<br />
tributed what Jesus gave them and went<br />
back to Jesus for more and more and<br />
more and more! Some people wanted<br />
"seconds" and Jesus supplied bread and<br />
fish until everyone was full! Then Jesus<br />
said, "We mustn't waste good food.<br />
over."<br />
Gather up everything that is left<br />
So the disciples gathered up twelve bas<br />
kets full of food that was left over! And<br />
when they counted how many were<br />
served at that picnic there were at least<br />
five thousand men<br />
besides women and<br />
children! perhaps about fifteen thou<br />
sand people! Did you ever hear of such a<br />
picnic! This was another proof that Je<br />
sus is God.<br />
That little boy's lunch was enough for<br />
only one boy. But Jesus said, "Bring it<br />
And He multiplied it fifteen<br />
to<br />
thousand times and more! Also, let us<br />
notice that it was all that the lad had.<br />
What do you suppose might have hap<br />
pened if the lad had said, "I must keep<br />
one loaf and one fish for myself, but<br />
Jesus can have the rest" Jesus is saying<br />
to you and to me today "Bring them<br />
(your whole life, your abilities, your<br />
various kinds of activities, your money,<br />
everything that you possess) hither to<br />
For your notebook<br />
To the side of your paper draw five<br />
round loaves of bread and two little fish.<br />
Then put a big "X 15,000," meaning that<br />
these five loaves and two fish were mul<br />
tiplied 15,000 times. Below this put "My<br />
Life in the Hand of Jesus Christ equals<br />
(use the equals<br />
sign)"<br />
In the meeting<br />
perhaps you could name some people<br />
such as David Livingstone whose lives, in<br />
the Hand of Jesus Christ,<br />
have been<br />
used to bring the Bread of Life to many<br />
thousands of starving souls.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
February 6, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching:, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Relieious Education.)<br />
THE GRACE OF GOD<br />
Luke 15:11-24; Eph. 2:1-10; Titus 2:11-<br />
14; John 4:10<br />
Printed text, Same as above.<br />
Memory verse, 1 John 4:10. Herein is<br />
love, not that we loved God, but that He<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
loved us, and sent his Son to be the pro was the honest worker in his work clothes.<br />
pitiation for our sins.<br />
Of course he should have felt as his<br />
Luke 15:11. A certain man had two father did. But who are we to condemn<br />
sons; the younger son was a pleasure<br />
him Would you have gone in Some<br />
loving, lazy fellow. He didn't mind exer<br />
have inferred that he never did go in.<br />
tion in a game or sport. If it was some<br />
Eight times in this parable, 'sori is from<br />
useful work for the good of the home, it uios, the common word. When the Father<br />
peeved him and added no pleasure to addressed his elder son he used a differ<br />
'teknon,'<br />
himself or others. When he was of<br />
ent<br />
age, he word, that is seldom used<br />
asked for his portion. Perhaps he and<br />
had has a special sense of endearment.<br />
some scheme for planting his money, and Mary used it in addressing Christ. Paul<br />
gathering the fruit without work.<br />
used<br />
That it in addressing Timothy and Titus.<br />
is the meaning of one of the six Hebrew Weymouth makes it "My dear<br />
words that are translated usury. That What higher appreciation could the fa<br />
has always been a favorite method of the ther have expressed "Son, thou art<br />
Jews, though I understand that the Jews<br />
always with me, and all that I have is<br />
thine."<br />
exact no interest from Jews, but Not one word of praise for the<br />
only<br />
from Gentiles (Deut. 23:20). If this younger brother. He has come back. That<br />
young man had a plan for business, it is all. It was cause for rejoicing. Do you<br />
failed. Of course he was surrounded by<br />
think the elder brother did not go in<br />
butterflies and gold diggers who helped then I have been wearied by the hero<br />
him spend his money until he had none, worship sometimes heaped on the prodi<br />
then of course, they left him and looked gal son. And equally wearied by the<br />
abuse for some other fool who would part<br />
of the elder brother.<br />
from his money. Poor fellow! He had not The purpose of this parable is to show<br />
made friends, he had fed vultures. the loving grace of the Father. We might<br />
Unskilled in useful labor, his hunger think that Paul had just been reviewing<br />
drove him to a job that was cheap, and this parable, when he wrote to the Ephe<br />
despised by his people. Feeding hogs! sians:; 2:4. "But God, being rich in mercy,<br />
It fed him so ill, that he tried to for His great love suppliment<br />
his breakfast by eating hog feed.<br />
us."<br />
wherewith He loved<br />
His love far exceeds that of an<br />
Did you ever taste carob beans If not, earthly father. When we were dead, He<br />
made<br />
get a nickle's worth from some Greek or<br />
us alive through Christ. Robe<br />
Jewish store. They taste like dates Ring Feast "Made us to sir with Him<br />
mixed<br />
with corn-cobs. At last, his fine<br />
in clothes heavenly places, in Christ Jesus." Both<br />
bartered, haggared by sin and<br />
sons had the same cause to rejoice. After<br />
hunger,<br />
ragged and dirty; no where else that he all, they were brothers. "For by grace<br />
could go, he decided to go home. have ye been saved through faith; and<br />
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."<br />
The elder brother had been his father's<br />
If<br />
comfort, steady, dependable. He did the any man had a right to boast, it was<br />
the elder brother. Paul said, "Not of<br />
work that his brother left undone; he<br />
works, that no man should<br />
had done the extra work caused by his<br />
brother's neglect and mischief. His Titus 2:11. Salvation implies a serious<br />
brother's leaving, instead of adding need, that the needy one can not meet<br />
work, actually left the work lighter. He alone. Salvation from death! Only One<br />
was out at work when the prodigal came could meet death for us, and He owed<br />
home.<br />
us nothing. So it is by His grace alone<br />
The Father was waiting. He saw the that He can save us. Grace is an un<br />
boy<br />
when he first came in sight, and went deserved favor.<br />
to meet him. He did not wait for the What did the prodigal deserve Had<br />
boy's confession, but told a servant to he not thrown away in sinful pleasure<br />
put the best robe on him, after a bath,<br />
every right to favor Sam Hadley, telling<br />
of course. These robes were kept for us of the work in the Water Street Mis<br />
travelers, as a mark of hospitality. Put<br />
sion, said that they had little hope for<br />
a ring on his finger, thus giving him a the men of the street until they sunk to<br />
place in the home,<br />
even a place of some<br />
the very bottom, and knew that they<br />
authority. In some certain field he could<br />
were down and out. Then, when there was<br />
seal contracts with the ring. Then a feast<br />
nothing they could do, and they realized<br />
was prepared, friends called in and they it, they might be led to Christ. The most<br />
were having a merry time.<br />
helpless people are the self satisfied<br />
That was what the elder brother found Christians.<br />
when he came in from his work. Put The purpose of salvation goes beyond<br />
yourself in his place. He was not angry the felicity of the one who is saved.<br />
because the Prodigal had come back. Christ wants a redeemed, purified .peo<br />
It was because this waster was received ple for His possession. A people zealous<br />
on equal terms with himself. Yea more; of good works. We love God because He<br />
a special feast was spread for him. And first loved us. We serve Him, because we<br />
here, in this dressed up merry making, love Him.<br />
43
woman."<br />
glory."<br />
Psalms<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
"REVERENCE IN PRAYER"<br />
Gen. 18:22-23<br />
Rev. P. D. McCracken, D.D.<br />
8:1, 3, 4. page 12<br />
19:1, 2, page 41<br />
139:7-10, 13, page 342<br />
109:17, 20, 23, page 274<br />
References: II Sam. 9:6; I Kings 1:31;<br />
Ps. 111:9; Heb. 12:6-9; Heb. 12:28. See<br />
also Psalms 86; 61:1; 25:1-6; 17:1-7;<br />
8:1-4 in the Psalter.<br />
COMMENTS<br />
One of the vivid recollections of my<br />
high school days was of a fellow-student,<br />
who, whenever he referred to his father<br />
or mother, always called them "my old<br />
"my old<br />
man"<br />
and<br />
He, of<br />
course, thought that was smart, but it<br />
revealed not only<br />
an ignorance of the<br />
Fifth Commandment, but a gross irreverance<br />
toward those for whom he should<br />
have had respect. This same irreverance<br />
was seen in other lines, for he was fre<br />
quently profane toward God, and most<br />
objectionable in regard to things he<br />
should have held sacred.<br />
But this chap was by no means an<br />
isolated case. Irreverance is one of the<br />
prevailing sins of mankind, and is every<br />
where in evidence today. And one of the<br />
places where it is frequently demonstrat<br />
ed is in PRAYER. This subject calls for<br />
careful consideration on the part of God's<br />
people for very likely<br />
less guilty.<br />
we are all more or<br />
Prayer, as we have it summarized in<br />
our catechism, is an offering up of our<br />
desires unto God for things agreeable to<br />
his will, in the name of Christ, with con<br />
fession of sin, and thankful acknowledg<br />
mercies."<br />
ment of his AND WHO IS<br />
GOD<br />
"God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and<br />
unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, pow<br />
er, holiness, justice, goodness,<br />
God is an infinitely exalted being. He<br />
and<br />
truth."<br />
is the great I AM. His greatness is re<br />
vealed everywhere. We can see much of<br />
this greatness and majesty and power<br />
with our eyes, but infinitely more when<br />
we use the microscope and the telescope.<br />
"The heavens declare the glory of God<br />
and the firmament showeth his handi<br />
work"<br />
(Ps. 19:1). All Scripture is filled<br />
with references to His holy<br />
perfections.<br />
and infinite<br />
In the Sabbath School lesson material<br />
for January 9,<br />
one of the quarterlies car<br />
ries this significant paragraph:<br />
"As the<br />
LORD, He is the self-existent One and<br />
the covenant making God. As the HOLY<br />
ONE, He is the God who acts in agree<br />
ment with His own character, whether in<br />
salvation or in judgment. As the EVER<br />
LASTING GOD, He is capable of main-<br />
44<br />
taining<br />
a steadfast purpose for all time<br />
and of bringing it to consummation. He<br />
is unchanging from age to age. As the<br />
CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE<br />
EARTH, He is a God of power, unchal<br />
lenged by any deity of man's devising.<br />
All things are under His sovereign sway.<br />
As SPIRIT, He assures us that He is not<br />
a part of the world process in a pantheis<br />
tic sense, but stands above and apart<br />
from His own creation as the designer<br />
and fabricator of it. As FATHER, He<br />
exemplifies all the truths which we can<br />
possibly associate with an earthly father,<br />
only in a far more wonderful degree. As<br />
ONE WITH THE SON, God the Father<br />
shows Himself to us in a way which we<br />
can understand and appropriate. We can<br />
know God through Jesus Christ His Son."<br />
This is the One to whom we pray. How<br />
infinitely great and high He is how<br />
small are we! When one looks down from<br />
the top of the Empire State Building in<br />
New York to the streets far below, the<br />
cars appear like ants crawling along,<br />
and the people are mere specks. How<br />
small must we look in the eyes of God<br />
who is so infinitely above us! See Psalm<br />
8. So, in His presence, and especially<br />
when we are praying, it behooves us to<br />
be most reverent and humble, in our atti<br />
tudes, in our words, and in our actions.<br />
In the passage suggested for our study,<br />
we watch Abraham while he pleads with<br />
God for Sodom. He is most persistent,<br />
but his attitude of reverence is sugges<br />
tively marked by his statement, "Behold<br />
now I have taken upon me to speak<br />
unto the Lord, which am but dust and<br />
ashes."<br />
And six times God met Abra<br />
ham on his own terms. Humility and<br />
reverence have a big place in answered<br />
prayer.<br />
Toward the end of the Book of Job,<br />
after God had revealed Himself in that<br />
remarkable series of questions in chap<br />
ters 38 through 41, Job humbly bowed<br />
his head and with reverence said, "I<br />
have heard of thee by the hearing<br />
of the<br />
ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; where<br />
fore I abhor myself, and repent in dust<br />
and<br />
ashes"<br />
(Job 42:1-6).<br />
In Isaiah's vision (Isa. 6), he knew<br />
the reason for reverence, and reacted fa<br />
vorably, when he saw and heard the<br />
seraphim in the presence of the Lord<br />
cry one to another, "Holy, Holy, Holy is<br />
the Lord of Hosts ; the whole earth is full<br />
of His<br />
Consider Moses,<br />
with his shoes off and<br />
his face hidden, before God at the burn<br />
ing bush (Ex. 2:1-6). Also Solomon,<br />
standing before the altar, with hands out<br />
stretched toward God, at the dedication<br />
of the temple (II Chron. 6:12); and<br />
Daniel, kneeling in his house in prayer as<br />
was his custom. These are all examples of<br />
reverence, and reverence helps to spell ef<br />
fectiveness in prayer.<br />
In our communion with God in prayer<br />
we need to guard our words. There seems<br />
to be a growing tendency in these days<br />
"familiar"<br />
to .become<br />
with very God,<br />
and address Him and talk<br />
in terms of "you" and "your"<br />
with Him<br />
instead of<br />
the more reserved and reverential King<br />
James Version language of<br />
"thou" and<br />
"thine."<br />
"thee"<br />
and<br />
Certain recent trans<br />
lations of the Bible have increased this<br />
tendency. Some would say, "I feel that<br />
I can get closer to God in this way. He<br />
seems more<br />
real."<br />
Others react just the<br />
opposite way and feel that this tends to<br />
bring God down to a merely human level.<br />
Perhaps we need to be on our guard con<br />
tinually<br />
tempt."<br />
lest "familiarity breed con<br />
Again, we need to consider carefully<br />
our actions in prayer. Our Directory for<br />
Public Worship states, "The posture in<br />
prayer is not a matter of indifference.<br />
Kneeling or standing<br />
are Scriptural and<br />
are expressive of the spirit of reverence<br />
and devotion" (p 309). These are the<br />
positions, physically speaking, that we<br />
take when we desire to honor some dig<br />
nitary or person of fame, and certainly it<br />
is no less appropriate to thus honor the<br />
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit<br />
when we pray. But it is no secret that<br />
many people can be most irreverent and<br />
slovenly when assuming these positions<br />
in prayer, especially standing. Some get<br />
tired and figity, especially if the prayer is<br />
long,<br />
and at other times the whole land<br />
scape seems to be in focus. Thus, to<br />
many, the position of sitting seems more<br />
reverent and worshipful, at least for cer<br />
tain times and circumstances. But what<br />
ever the physical posture is, it should<br />
certainly be with bowed heads and hearts,<br />
to give reverence to the One who, when<br />
properly approached, both hears and<br />
answers prayer.<br />
For Discussion:<br />
The Greatness of God<br />
Attitudes in Prayer<br />
Language used in Prayer<br />
Posture in Prayer.<br />
To live in the presence of great truths<br />
and eternal laws, to be led by perma<br />
nent ideals<br />
that is what keeps a man<br />
patient when the world ignores him, and<br />
calm and unspoiled when the world<br />
praises him. Balzac.<br />
The flower of youth never appears<br />
more beautiful than when it bends to<br />
ward the Sun of Righteousness. Mat<br />
thew Henry.<br />
Summer: What you wait for all year,<br />
complain about when it arrives, and<br />
wonder where it ever went after it is<br />
gone. Changing Times.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
edemption"<br />
shame."<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor,<br />
Prayer Hour, 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
W. M. S. TOPIC<br />
For February<br />
SEEKING AND FINDING<br />
Prov. 2:4, 5<br />
Irene Piper<br />
/. Asking for Wisdom, James 1:5<br />
Wisdom is available to all who seek<br />
it. It has its source in God. James said,<br />
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him<br />
ask of God, that giveth to all men liber<br />
ally, and upbraideth not;<br />
and it shall be<br />
given him." When the Lord appeared to<br />
Solomon in a dream in Gibeon, he asked<br />
for wisdom, and the Lord gave him a<br />
wise and understanding heart (I Kings<br />
3:5-15). Solomon exhorts us to seek wis<br />
dom above everything and tells us it is<br />
the principal thing (Prov. 4:5-7). We<br />
need to pray daily for this gift which<br />
God has graciously promised to give us<br />
if we ask for it.<br />
II. The Place of Wisdom, Job 12:13<br />
Wisdom has a necessary place in the<br />
lives of righteous persons. Solomon de<br />
clared that wisdom and uprightness are<br />
as one (Prov. 4:11). Christians are com<br />
manded to walk in wisdom (Col. 4:5).<br />
Wisdom teaches the principles by<br />
which we may obtain God's guidance and<br />
avoid the society<br />
and influence of the<br />
wicked. The two ways of life are con<br />
trasted in the third and fourth chapters<br />
of Proverbs. One is the evil way of dark<br />
ness which brings insecurity and violence.<br />
The other is the way of wisdom, which is<br />
the way of light, bringing physical, in<br />
tellectual, and spiritual blessings. It is<br />
the way of peace bringing right rela<br />
tionships between men and God and be<br />
tween men and their fellowmen. The<br />
Bible values wisdom above all earthly<br />
riches, strength, and weapons of war.<br />
It is of measureless value because it is an<br />
attribute of Jehovah.<br />
III. Finding Wisdom, Prov. 8:13<br />
Where shall wisdom be found Job<br />
asked the question and answered it (Job<br />
28:12-28). The fear or reverence of the<br />
Lord is wisdom. It is also written that<br />
the fear of the Lord is the beginning of<br />
wisdom (Prov. 9:10). The New Testa<br />
ment reveals Christ as the wisdom of<br />
God. The Apostle Paul said, "Of him<br />
are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is<br />
made unto us wisdom, and righteousness,<br />
and sanctification, and<br />
(I Cor. 1:30). True wisdom may be<br />
found through repentance and faith in<br />
the Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
Life Magazine's Liquor Advertisements<br />
There was a drop of $1,000,000 in Life<br />
Magazine's Liquor Advertising revenues<br />
in 19<strong>54</strong> over the year 1953. On the basis<br />
of single insertion cost, Life's Liquor Ad<br />
vertising revenue for 1953 was $11,024,-<br />
024; for 19<strong>54</strong>, $9,945,320, a decrease of<br />
$1,078,704,<br />
For several years past there has been<br />
an increase from year to year in Life's<br />
Liquor Advertisements. How account for<br />
this decrease in the past year Over this<br />
same period the National Temperance<br />
and Prohibition Council has been carry<br />
ing forward a crusade against Liquor<br />
Advertising. It has given special atten<br />
tion to Life Magazine due to the magni<br />
tude and highly<br />
artistic character of its<br />
liquor ads. It has been bombarded with<br />
protests against its liquor advertisements<br />
by those participating in this crusade<br />
from all over the United States.<br />
In addition,<br />
at the hearings against<br />
Liquor Advertising, before the Inter<br />
state and Foreign Commerce Committees<br />
of the House of Representatives and the<br />
Senate at Washington this past Summer,<br />
special mention was made of the magni<br />
tude of Life's Liquor Ads, of its circula<br />
tion of over 5,000,000, of its claimed<br />
readership of over 25,000,000, many of<br />
whom are children or youth in their<br />
teens.<br />
Whether this is the explanation of the<br />
decrease, we cannot say with certainty.<br />
In any case, this decrease of more than<br />
a million dollars is significant. Mr. Luce,<br />
the Editor-in-Chief, and his cohorts have<br />
at last come to realize that there is a vast<br />
and increasing<br />
public sentiment against<br />
the magnitude and alluring character of<br />
this Liquor Advertising, and that it is<br />
good business, if not good morals as well,<br />
to recognize and defer to it.<br />
Life has been notorious for the stepping-up<br />
of its Liquor Advertising before<br />
Christmas. In 1953 the revenue from its<br />
Liquor Ads for the month of November<br />
and of December up to Christmas, totaled<br />
$2,879,441. The peak was reached in the<br />
December 14 issue which contained 25<br />
pages of Liquor Ads and which brought<br />
Life a revenue of over $700,000. In 19<strong>54</strong><br />
its November and December Liquor Ads<br />
dropped to $2,444,802, a decrease of<br />
$434,639, with the peak in the December<br />
13 issue of 19 pages of liquor ads with a<br />
revenue of $576,080<br />
$125,000 less than<br />
the corresponding issue in 1953.<br />
Again, we ask, why this decrease The<br />
Committee Against Liquor Advertising<br />
of the National Temperance and Prohi<br />
bition Council has given wide publicity<br />
to the liquor industry's profanation of<br />
the Day<br />
on which the Saviour of man<br />
kind was born, by spending multiplied<br />
millions to increase the sale and con<br />
sumption of its poisonous beverages at<br />
the Christmas season, thus turning this<br />
Holy Day into a Bacchanalia, charac<br />
terized by drunkenness and debauchery.<br />
In this publicity special emphasis was<br />
placed on the part Life Magazine had in<br />
it. The same was true in the Hearing be<br />
fore the Committees of Congress referred<br />
to above, where this pre-Christmas ad<br />
vertising of liquor was characterized, in<br />
the language of<br />
Scripture, as "Crucifying<br />
the Son of God afresh and putting Him<br />
to an open<br />
Perhaps this testimony against Life's<br />
liquor ads has reached the ears of the<br />
Editor-in-Chief of this magazine and his<br />
associates, and has had its effect. In any<br />
case, Life's liquor ads in 1953<br />
pre-<br />
Christmas ads and ads for the entire year<br />
were markedly below those of 1953.<br />
This is encouraging. It raises the ques<br />
tion as to our method of procedure. Here<br />
tofore, in our crusade against liquor ad<br />
vertising, instead of concentrating our<br />
protests against a single magazine or oth<br />
er media advertising alcoholic liquors,<br />
thus bringing the full weight of public<br />
opinion and of the Committee Against<br />
Liquor Advertising to bear upon it, we<br />
have been scattering our fire far and<br />
wide. Why not try the method of con<br />
centrating<br />
our protest upon one wet<br />
magazine or one other wet media, thus<br />
bringing<br />
the full impact of the public<br />
sentiment against liquor advertising to<br />
bear, upon it Then follow this by an<br />
other, and this still by another, and so<br />
on.<br />
The Temperance and Prohibition<br />
Council has decided to put this policy to<br />
the test. It is now inaugurating a cam<br />
paign to be focused chiefly upon Life<br />
Magazine. For the month of May this<br />
year the endeavor will be to bring the<br />
full weight of public sentiment against<br />
liquor advertising throughout the entire<br />
country to bear upon this magazine to<br />
discontinue its liquor advertisements.<br />
It is known as the "Sticker Campaign."<br />
A gummed sticker with the words "I<br />
don't like this or any of the liquor ads<br />
in your Publication" is to be attached to<br />
a liquor ad taken from Life Magazine,<br />
enclosed in an envelope and mailed to the<br />
magazine. The slogan is:<br />
"A Sticker a Day<br />
For The Month of<br />
May."<br />
This campaign will be publicized in<br />
further releases.<br />
cerning it address:<br />
For information con<br />
Committee Against Liquor Advertising<br />
R. H. Martin, Chairman<br />
209 Ninth Street<br />
Pittsburgh 22,<br />
Penna.<br />
45
ministry."<br />
Center, Kansas, spent a recent week-end<br />
in the John Cabeen home and worshiped<br />
with us.<br />
This is our Centennial year and we<br />
are praying that it may be a year of<br />
spiritual growth and advancement.<br />
NEW YORK PRESBYTERY<br />
Introducing REV. WALTER J. MA<br />
GEE, received from the Orthodox Pres<br />
byterians by New York Presbytery,<br />
through its Ad Interim Commission, Jan<br />
uary 7, in Coldenham, and commended<br />
to our covenanted brethren throughout<br />
the Church, as being "profitable . . . for<br />
the<br />
"HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEAS<br />
ANT"<br />
the get-together<br />
at Coldenham<br />
January 7, when New York Presbytery's<br />
Commission received into the fellowship<br />
of our Church, Rev. Walter J. Magee of<br />
the Orthodox Presbyterians. About forty<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong>s from Montclair, Newburgh,<br />
White Lake and Coldenham were present<br />
to extend a welcome to Rev. and Mrs.<br />
Walter J. Magee.<br />
NOW AVAILABLE and recommended<br />
by New York Presbytery for preaching in<br />
vacant pulpits of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church:<br />
Rev. Walter J. Magee, Goshen, New<br />
York.<br />
GENEVA<br />
"I was glad when they<br />
said unto me<br />
let us go into the house of the Lord." In<br />
observance of the week of prayer, we<br />
united with the COLLEGE HILL Con<br />
gregation in a week of special services.<br />
On Sabbath evening, the 3rd of January<br />
Rev. Tweed brought the message to the<br />
combined group. Tuesday<br />
and Wednes<br />
day evenings, prayer meetings were held<br />
in our church with Edwin Clarke, College<br />
Hill and Russell Lathom, Geneva, lead<br />
ing the meetings. Thursday evening, six<br />
cottage meetings were held. On College<br />
Hill we met in the Walker Wilson home<br />
with Adella Lawson as leader; in the<br />
C. B. Metheny home with Mrs. A. A.<br />
Wylie as leader; in the C. M. Lee home<br />
with Mrs. J. B. Willson as leader. In<br />
lower Beaver Falls the meeting was held<br />
in the Ida Aiken home with Larry Coon<br />
as leader. Two were held in outlying dis<br />
tricts, the Dodds Balph home with Mrs.<br />
R. G. Young as leader and the Robert<br />
Hemphill home with John Mclsaac as<br />
leader. We concluded the week with<br />
preaching service on Friday evening with<br />
Dr. Lathom bringing us the message.<br />
To promote interest in the CAM paper,<br />
the CHRISTIAN PATRIOT, our C.Y.<br />
P.U. as part of their missonary project,<br />
has contacted every family<br />
of the congre<br />
gation reminding them of the paper and<br />
suggesting that they<br />
subscribe to it.<br />
those things which are be<br />
"F<strong>org</strong>etting<br />
hind, I press on<br />
every<br />
46<br />
"<br />
should be the goal for<br />
one of us as we begin the New<br />
Year. Devotions led by Lauren Walcott,<br />
President of the C.Y.P.U. at our New<br />
Year's watch party were based on this<br />
chapter in Philippians. After an hour or<br />
so of games led by Mary Mitchell, Kay<br />
McCready and Sylvia Montini, we had<br />
our quiet time during which we also<br />
sang Psalms and our Pastor led in<br />
prayer. After ushering in the new year, a<br />
delicious lunch was served by the group.<br />
Special mention goes to Marilyn Hemp<br />
hill who entertained the four juniors who<br />
were brave enough to come. They were<br />
Virginia Montini, Ruth McCready, Ra<br />
chael and Libbie Fallon.<br />
A new address for one of our SERV<br />
ICE MEN. He welcomes any letters. So<br />
take a minute to write to him.<br />
Pvt. Ronald G. List<br />
U. S. 52319426, Co. D<br />
1st Bn., MTC BAMC,<br />
Fort Sam Houston, Texas<br />
Mrs. Marguerite McCreary is recover<br />
ing from her contacts with the flu bug at<br />
a rest home in New Wilmington, Pa. We<br />
pray for her continued recovery and hope<br />
she will soon be back in our midst again.<br />
CLARINDA<br />
It was a joy<br />
have some of our out-of-bounds mem<br />
to our congregation to<br />
bers home for the holiday season, Fran<br />
ces Dunn from Sheffield, Iowa, Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Walter Stokes (Charlene Dunn)<br />
from Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Melville Kennedy (Luella Mc<br />
Calla) from Wellesley, Mass.<br />
Our congregational dinner was held<br />
as usual during the holiday<br />
week. New<br />
officers elected were: Chairman of the<br />
congregation, Donald Whitehill; Secre<br />
tary, Gertrude Lee; S. S. Superintendent<br />
Mrs. Howard Caskey; Assistant Sup<br />
erintendent, Jamet Whitehill Greenwood;<br />
Secretary Treasurer, Deloris Blair.<br />
According to custom the young people<br />
visited the homes of the shut-ins and the<br />
older people before Christmas. At each<br />
home a short worship<br />
service was held<br />
after the singing of some Christmas<br />
Carols. This custom is a mutual delight<br />
to the visitors and the visited.<br />
The annual Christmas entertainment<br />
was held December 21. The program<br />
given by the children is always much en<br />
joyed, and this year was no exception.<br />
Welcome visitors in the Manse during<br />
the Christmas vacation were Miss Grace<br />
W. Finley of Greeley, Colo., and Rev.<br />
and Mrs. Norman M. Carson and Mark<br />
of Chicago, 111.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Copeland of Clay<br />
PHOENIX<br />
A very happy surprise came to the<br />
Phoenix congregation during the Christ<br />
mas holidays when fifty new Blue Psal<br />
ters were delivered by "Uncle Sam." No<br />
bill has been received so<br />
"Our most sin<br />
cere thanks to the generous donors."<br />
Our visitors during the Christmas sea<br />
son were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hannah<br />
from Bloomington visiting the Searle<br />
home; Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Strahl and<br />
children from Pocatello, Idaho, with the<br />
Mackenroth's ; and Mr. and Mrs. Russell<br />
Williams and children, Boulder, Colo.,<br />
with the Wolfe's.<br />
The Adult S. S. Class elected Mrs. J.<br />
G. McElhinney<br />
as their teacher for the<br />
coming year and Elmer Graham the as<br />
sistant teacher.<br />
December 19 at the close of the S. S.<br />
hour we had a short program in observ<br />
ance of Bible Sabbath conducted by<br />
Miss Lillian McCracken.<br />
KENTUCKY MISSION<br />
We in Kentucky wish to publicly ex<br />
press our sincere thanks to those through<br />
out the Church who have so graciously<br />
remembered us at this season of the year.<br />
Even though Christmas day<br />
was spent<br />
quietly here at home, we were able to re<br />
joice in the glorious blessings we re<br />
ceive through our wonderful Lord and<br />
Saviour Jesus Christ. Among these<br />
blessings are the friendships throughout<br />
the Church which were manifest in so<br />
many ways<br />
oranges from Florida, gifts<br />
from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,<br />
Michigan, New York, and Kansas and<br />
greeting cards from everywhere. Besides<br />
these personal gifts, there were gener<br />
ous gifts of money for the Mission ex<br />
pense.<br />
Our Fall Evangelistic Services were<br />
ably conducted by the Rev. Howard El<br />
liott. It was a<br />
joy to have him in our<br />
homes and the messages he brought were<br />
a blessing and a challenge to all who<br />
heard them. The attendance and response<br />
were both better than usual and brought<br />
some encouragement.<br />
Recent visitors to<br />
Sandy Hook and<br />
Wrigley have included Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Kenneth Sanderson, Miss Marjorie San<br />
derson of<br />
Dayton, Ohio, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Howard Hervey of Belle Center, Ohio,<br />
Robert More Jr. from Geneva College,<br />
Rev. Kermit Edgar and Rev. Howard<br />
Elliott who<br />
Home Mission Board.<br />
are both members of the<br />
The average attendance in the Wrigley<br />
Sabbath School during the past year was<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
about 35. The attendance was about the<br />
same at Blaze also. The missionary of<br />
ferings in these two Sabbath Schools<br />
amounted to over $155 and most of this<br />
was sent to our own Foreign Missions.<br />
The figures are not at hand at present<br />
for the two Elliott County Sabbath<br />
Schools.<br />
FROM MACEDONIA<br />
"Katerini, 18/XII/19<strong>54</strong><br />
dear Dr. Taggart:<br />
My<br />
This is just a word of Christmas greet<br />
ing to you, and through you and the<br />
dear <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>, to our church<br />
in the U. S. I want you to thank those<br />
faithful among<br />
our people who continue<br />
to uphold me before the Throne of Grace,<br />
and to ask them to still follow me up<br />
with their prayers. For reasons I am un<br />
able to disclose I have had to cut down<br />
personal correspondence to the mini<br />
my<br />
mum and people who do not hear from<br />
me would have been perfectly justified in<br />
losing interest in the cause in which my<br />
people and<br />
wife, my<br />
I are engaged. That<br />
is why we appreciate all the more the<br />
interest and the prayers of our good<br />
friends the American fellow-<strong>Covenanter</strong>s.<br />
Thanks too for the '<strong>Witness</strong>' which, week<br />
by week, brings cheer and comfort just<br />
when needed.<br />
Ever yours,<br />
MERCER<br />
Argos Zodhiates."<br />
Mercer celebrated the Lord's Supper<br />
the first week in October. Rev. Harold<br />
Harrington was our assistant. The Cove<br />
nant signing<br />
evening<br />
service was held in the<br />
when all members present at<br />
tached their signatures.<br />
Ruth Marie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Joseph Rodgers and Roberta Lynn,<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond C.<br />
Rhodes were recent baptisms in our con<br />
gregation.<br />
Mr. James McKnight is improving<br />
nicely<br />
from a recent appendectomy<br />
P"<br />
eration in the Grove City Hospital.<br />
Mr. Alfred Taylor and daughter Elean<br />
or spent Christmas with Dr.<br />
Taylor's<br />
family in Crosstree, Tenn.<br />
Our New Year's dinner was held at<br />
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Zigmunt Gursky,<br />
Grove City, at which time the ses<br />
sion met, and Mr. Gursky, formerly a<br />
Catholic, joined the Church.<br />
Rev.<br />
ALMONTE, CANADA<br />
F. F. Reade has resumed the<br />
classes. singing The first one was held at<br />
the manse on Wednesday evening, De<br />
cember 8.<br />
A congregational dinner at the home of<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Bowes was enjoyed<br />
by a good number of the folks. It was<br />
held on Monday evening<br />
December 27.<br />
The monthly meeting<br />
January 19, 1955<br />
of the W.M.S.<br />
was held December 30 with Mrs. Alex<br />
Burns as hostess.<br />
Rev. F. F. and Mrs. Reade invited<br />
everyone to the manse on New Year's<br />
Eve. During the evening Isaac McKee<br />
showed a film. Later Mr. Reade lead in<br />
a devotional period, then the 121st Psalm<br />
was sung<br />
to welcome the New Year.<br />
Happy New Year, Everyone!<br />
SEATTLE<br />
On December 12, at the evening service<br />
the ordination and installation of two<br />
new elders and two new deacons was<br />
held. Those newly elected to the office of<br />
elder were Mr. Verd Dunn and Mr. Jo<br />
seph Lamont, Jr. Our newly elected dea<br />
cons are Miss Jean Dill and Miss Ro<br />
berta Dodds.<br />
During<br />
the week of Prayer meetings<br />
were held at the parsonage on Monday<br />
night, the S. M. Dodds home on Wednes<br />
day night and the Joseph Lamont, Jr.<br />
home Friday night.<br />
The epidemics of winter are now going<br />
strong it seems, but outside of colds the<br />
only ones are the Verd Dunn's with the<br />
chickenpox.<br />
THE COVENANTER HOME<br />
Thursday evening, December 2, the<br />
Women's Missionary Society of the Central-Pittsburg<br />
congregation entertained<br />
the members of the Home family at the<br />
Home. Mrs. H. G. McKelvy conducted<br />
devotions. These were followed by col<br />
ored slides of Alaska taken by Mrs. Edith<br />
McKinney Brown on her tr;p of last<br />
summer to the Far North. The pictures<br />
were breath-taking in their beauty, and<br />
Mrs. Brown gave us a running commen<br />
tary<br />
as she showed the pictures. The<br />
pictures were thoroughly enjoyed by the<br />
Home folks. Thank you, Mrs. Brown,<br />
for the joy and information you brought<br />
into the Home, and the Society for their<br />
thoughtfulness and refreshments.<br />
On Sabbath, December 12, Mr. Robert<br />
McCracken conducted worship<br />
services<br />
at the Home. As usual Mr. McCracken<br />
was very good!<br />
On Wednesday evening December 15<br />
Mr. Paul Robb, a Senior in the Semin<br />
ary, conducted the prayer meeting at the<br />
Home. It, too, was excellent!<br />
ALFRED KILPATRICK<br />
Alfred Kilpatrick, a life long member<br />
of the Sharon congregation passed away<br />
on December 26, at the age of 77, follow<br />
ing surgery in a Burlington hospital. A<br />
daughter and four sons mourn his pass<br />
ing. His wife preceded him in death in<br />
1938. One of the sons is Rev. Lester Kil<br />
patrick, pastor of the Sterling congrega<br />
tion Mr. Kilpatrick was always faithful<br />
at the House of God. He served as a<br />
teacher in the Sabbath School and had<br />
been chairman of the Board of Deacons<br />
since 1911. In the absence of the Sharon<br />
pastor, funeral services were conducted<br />
by Rev. J. E. McElroy, assisted by Rev.<br />
S. Bruce Willson who is a nephew of Mr.<br />
Kilpatrick.<br />
UNITED PHILADELPHIA<br />
We are glad to welcome Mrs. John<br />
Coleman into our Congregational circle<br />
who comes to us by certificate from the<br />
Geneva Congregation. Dr. John Coleman<br />
will also be a welcome member of our<br />
Presbytery.<br />
Today<br />
we bid a reluctant farewell to<br />
Marshall and Jean Smith who will be<br />
leaving this week for San Diego, Calif.<br />
Marshall will be serving in our congre<br />
gation there as Assistant Pastor to Dr.<br />
J. D. Edgar. We deeply<br />
splendid loyalty<br />
congregation while they<br />
appreciate their<br />
and service in this<br />
have been with<br />
us, and pray God's richest blessing upon<br />
them as they answer the call to serve<br />
Him in another field.<br />
The WEEK OF PRAYER is over, but<br />
we trust results will be long-lasting, as<br />
we have become better acquainted with<br />
the Holy Spirit, and as He works in and<br />
through us to bring glory to Christ and<br />
progress to His Cause. We give thanks<br />
for all homes open for our meetings, for<br />
those who have led, and for all attenders<br />
and supporters.<br />
WINCHESTER<br />
Capt. and Mrs. Ray H. Curry have<br />
visited her sister, Mrs. Beth O'Neill.<br />
Mrs. O'Neill accompanied the Currys<br />
to Wisconsin to visit relatives and<br />
friends. Capt. Curry has been stationed in<br />
Kobe, Japan.<br />
Mirs Joan Millson and Mr. Dale Curry<br />
were married November 13, in Toronto,<br />
Canada, the bride's home. They have<br />
come to Winchester to make their home.<br />
Two of our members have attained<br />
their 97th birthdays recently. Mrs. Nan<br />
nie French, October 29 and Mr. Alec<br />
Andrews, December 29.<br />
We welcome three little new comers<br />
to our midst this fall. Mr. and Mrs. Gene<br />
O'Neill, a son Jay Kenneth, November<br />
12; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hensleigh, a<br />
son Robert Glenn, November 17; and<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Dill, a daughter<br />
Martha Anna, December 23.<br />
The Young People sponsored a Psalm<br />
Festival for this area November 26. Mr.<br />
NEW PSALM RECORDS<br />
This year, the Genevans, under the<br />
direction of Alfred H. Johnson, have<br />
recorded two sacred numbers. These<br />
are; O Send Thy Light Forth (a part<br />
of the 43rd Psalm) by Balakireff and<br />
the Twenty-Third Psalm set to the<br />
tune of<br />
Crimond by David Grant.<br />
This is an unbreakable record selling<br />
for $1.25.<br />
Bob Gross<br />
Geneva College<br />
47
Charles McBurney conducted the psalm<br />
sing and Rev. Frank Stewart led the de<br />
votional .period.<br />
Miss Mary Jane Curry received her<br />
cap in her practical nursing course at St.<br />
Anthony Hospital, Denver December 17.<br />
Mrs. Etta Mae O'Neill and Mr. Neil<br />
Curry were married in the John Madory<br />
home at Lakewood, Colorado, December<br />
18. Bruce and Mary Jane Curry came<br />
home with Mr. and Mrs. Neil Curry for<br />
the holidays. Bruce is taking<br />
ate work at Fort Collins, Colorado.<br />
post gradu<br />
Mr. Clark Milligan arrived home De<br />
cember 23 after two years work in For<br />
mosa. En route he visited points in India,<br />
Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France.<br />
Mrs. Denise Hillyard from Wichita,<br />
Kansas, and Lt. Gene Stuart from De<br />
troit were at home with their parents<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Stuart for the holidays.<br />
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA<br />
The annual New Year's dinner was<br />
held in the basement of the church Janu<br />
ary 1. A delicious dinner was served. In<br />
the afternoon, a congregational meeting<br />
was held.<br />
During the holidays, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Hugh Hunter and daughter Nancy and<br />
son Tommy visited with Mr. Hunter's<br />
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elfrey Hunter. Mr.<br />
Hunter is connected with the Naval Or<br />
dinance Testing Station at China Lake,<br />
California.<br />
We were happy to have "Bill" Russell,<br />
of the Geneva faculty, visit us during the<br />
holidays.<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Roy Ble.ckwood and con<br />
Billy<br />
spent a few days in New Concord<br />
and Pittsburgh during the holidays,<br />
where they<br />
visited relatives and friends.<br />
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. The Zonder<br />
van Publishing<br />
From this date<br />
House has announced<br />
NOTICE<br />
Please order Flannel<br />
graphs from our new Synodical Flannel<br />
graph Librarian:<br />
Mrs. M. K. Carson<br />
Belle Center,<br />
Ohio.<br />
Notice<br />
Will those who have accepted assign<br />
ments to write lesson comments please,<br />
PLEASE prayerfully consider that this<br />
is a<br />
duty of prime importance, not to be<br />
postponed on account of any other duty.<br />
Negligence on your part encourages oth<br />
ers to be "sloppy Joes" and our calendar<br />
is going all awry, and lessons out of<br />
place inconvenience all concerned.<br />
Editor<br />
its sponsorship of six new contests for<br />
creative writers:<br />
1. Church Social Programs<br />
2. Primary Worship Programs<br />
3. Young People's Programs and Ac<br />
tivities<br />
4. Religious Readings for All Ages<br />
(3 minute to 15 minute limit)<br />
5. Poetry for Boys and Girls (2-5)<br />
6. Junior Church Programs<br />
All of these contests will close October<br />
31, 1955. Manuscripts submitted to the<br />
contests will be judged promptly and all<br />
SKg^5L&<br />
those not accepted will be returned short<br />
ly after the closing of the contests. For<br />
further details, write:<br />
Zondervan Publishing House<br />
Contest Editors<br />
Grand Rapids 6, Michigan<br />
NOW WE HAYE THE DATE<br />
July 12-17, 1955<br />
From the East to the West we welcome you<br />
to the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Young People's<br />
Conference of Colorado<br />
Plan to spend your vacation enjoying<br />
the beauties of Nature<br />
and the glories of God's Word<br />
COVENANT HEIGHTS CAMP<br />
EXTRA! EXTRA!<br />
REE!<br />
Here is a beautiful little record book of 16 pages called Heaven's<br />
Blessing Book that costs you nothing. It resembles a bank deposit<br />
book with a place to record all of your contributions with the<br />
date, the amount and the cause for every Sabbath of 1955.<br />
You must see it to appreciate it.<br />
Send for enough to supply your congregation and do it today<br />
so as to have them to begin the New Year.<br />
Just fill in the following<br />
The Bible Meditation League, Inc.<br />
Box 477, Columbus 16, Ohio<br />
I would like to have (<br />
)<br />
copies of the beautiful Heaven's<br />
Blessing Book on Christian Stewardship for 1955. I understand<br />
they are free of charge. My home Church is<br />
Name<br />
Address<br />
While these are free, a contribution to this Worthy League<br />
would be a gesture of appreciation.<br />
D.H.E.<br />
48 COVENANTER WITNESS
once!"<br />
salvation"<br />
pebbles."<br />
sad"<br />
season"<br />
ECHOES NUMBER<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 13, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, iM* \H$ NUMBER 4<br />
44<br />
Midnight Pebbles"<br />
by<br />
Three horsemen were crossing the Eastern des<br />
ert in the dead and black of night. In the course of<br />
their journey they came to the edge of a dried-up<br />
river bank over which they were about to cross.<br />
Suddenly a commanding cry cut through the<br />
stillness of the night, "Halt! halt at Not<br />
knowing what to expect, they did as commanded.<br />
"Good !" whipped the word of the unseen one. "Now,<br />
dismount and step into the river bed . . The voice<br />
waited until the action had been taken. "Now then,<br />
bend low and brush your hands against the bed.<br />
You will feel the touch of pebbles. Gather up as many<br />
as you can. .<br />
Surprised, the three horsemen did as command<br />
ed. At last with pebbles in hand, they stood in the<br />
dried ground, waiting, wondering. . .<br />
"You are wise men indeed," the voice testified.<br />
"You have obeyed as commanded. Take your pebbles,<br />
put them into your pockets. Then mount your steeds<br />
and continue your journey, without pause nor ques<br />
tion. At the first light of dawn, draw to a halt, pick<br />
the pebbles from your pockets and examine them<br />
closely The voice dropped to a whisper. "Exam<br />
ine them closely. When you do, you will be very hap<br />
py and very sad. .. . . .<br />
The three horsemen waited long after the voice<br />
had spoken, then remounted and continued their<br />
course, scarcely speaking a word, each filled with his<br />
own questions. Whatever could it mean who was the<br />
strange midnight commander what was the purpose<br />
of it all. . . <br />
Then the first streak of the new day's dawn.<br />
Remembering the command they came to a quick<br />
halt, plunged their hands into their pockets, drawing<br />
forth their pebbles. As the morning light played<br />
of startled surprise passed all<br />
upon them, a gasp<br />
their lips together. The pebbles were . . . brilliant<br />
diamonds !<br />
They stared at their treasure with long fascina<br />
tion. . . and then understood the strange final words<br />
of the midnight visitor. "You will be very happy<br />
Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
. . . and very sad "Happy"<br />
. .<br />
. . . indeed! for the<br />
"pebbles"<br />
in their possession . . .<br />
; "Very for not<br />
having picked all the more when opportunity for<br />
such wealth had thus dramatically presented itself!<br />
This is just an ancient Arabian legend. But like<br />
so many legends, it carries "long<br />
lines"<br />
of spiritual<br />
significance, particularly to Christians. Those "peb<br />
bles"<br />
speak of the "diamonds" of opportunity for<br />
service, for testimony, for activity, for witness on<br />
behalf of Him who has called us out of darkness and<br />
death (John 5 :24) to show forth His praises (1 Pet.<br />
2:9). Far greater than earthly treasure is the value,<br />
the preciousness of speaking "a word in<br />
(Isa. 50 :4) on the blessed behalf of Him who is "the<br />
Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6). Who can<br />
ever adequately weigh the worth of a word, given in<br />
love, under the power of the Spirit, in warm witness<br />
for this Wonderful One<br />
These "pebbles" come in differing forms, each<br />
suited to our talents and capabilities and we are<br />
called upon to engage in "Operation Opportunity,"<br />
with every<br />
spiritual ounce of complete consecration<br />
and supreme surrender (Rom. 12:1, 2). The ancient<br />
Greeks pictured Opportunity as a swift runner, en<br />
tirely bald except for a forelock which could be<br />
grasped if one were alert and waiting for him, but<br />
once he had passed there was no way of laying hold<br />
of him. How swiftly do the opportunities pre<br />
sent themselves . . . and pass on forever beyond<br />
recall . . . have we heard and heeded while it<br />
had been here "NOW is the accepted time, NOW is<br />
the day of<br />
(2 Cor. 6:2), applies to Ohris-<br />
-tians as well.<br />
In a soon coming day, we shall be very happy<br />
for the "plucking of the<br />
. . . and perhaps we<br />
shall also be very, very sad. . . What day the day<br />
when morning shall come and we shall appear before<br />
the Judgment Seat of Christ for accounting which<br />
might prove quite agonizing. Perhaps our record may<br />
occasion great regret and our sparse service bring<br />
(Continued on page 55)
pace,"<br />
murder."<br />
Pray<br />
school."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Cigarettes Shorten Life<br />
Results of the study by the American Cancer Society<br />
show that one who smokes cigarettes at the rate of a pack<br />
a day shortens his life by six hours a pack if he keeps this<br />
up for ten years or more. This astounding fact was revealed<br />
to the American Association for the Advancement of Science<br />
by Dr. Hardin B. Jones, University of California medical<br />
physicist, as he spoke recently at Berkeley, California. "This<br />
smoking<br />
of the average life<br />
said Dr. Jones, "means a total of ten years<br />
span."<br />
His graphs showed that the<br />
average smoker is physically ten years older than he would<br />
be if he did not smoke and were otherwise healthy.<br />
Let everyone, especially the youth, take careful note of<br />
this discovery, and let them realize with all seriousness<br />
that such smoking results in a slow .process of suicide, short<br />
ening the life by ten years or more. Long<br />
ago cigarettes<br />
nails"<br />
were called "coffin and the above study shows how<br />
this is really true. With this before you, boys, girls and men,<br />
if you are addicted to smoking, resolve with an unyielding<br />
firmness, that, by God's grace and with His help you will<br />
put it away now and forever.<br />
Other tests by the Cancer Society<br />
have shown that other<br />
forms of .<br />
smoking are almost as injurious as that of<br />
cigarettes.<br />
90 Per Cent of Crime<br />
The Polk County grand jury (where Des Moines is<br />
located) has declared, "We believe that 90 per cent of the<br />
cases (criminal) we have had to deal with are more or less<br />
attributed to alcoholic beverages." The report continues, "We<br />
are alarmed by the number of drunken driving cases we<br />
have had and such cases seem to be on the increase. Some<br />
of the taverns are veritable 'hell holes,' having no regard for<br />
the law or rights of others. In these places, we have had<br />
cases originating all the way from drunken driving<br />
and kid<br />
naping to rape and<br />
This report appeared with large headlines on the front<br />
page of the Des Moines Register, the leading newspaper of<br />
Iowa, so men generally are not ignorant of the facts. Why<br />
then do the people and the officers of the law permit this<br />
terrible source of vice, crime and death to continue to operate<br />
The majority of the citizens who permit this source of greed,<br />
selfishness and crime to continue are guilty along<br />
with the<br />
manufacturers and venders of the various grades of alcoholic<br />
beverages.<br />
A Message from Jacob DeShazer<br />
We received a recent "Christmas Letter from the<br />
De-<br />
Shazers"<br />
which contains items of interest for our readers.<br />
You will remember that Mr. Jacob DeShazer was one of the<br />
Dolirtle fliers of the war forced down in Japanese held ter<br />
ritory, made a prisoner of the Japanese and persecuted at<br />
their hands for over three years; but while held by them,<br />
read a Bible, gave his heart to God in consecration and re:<br />
solved to be a missionary to Japan.<br />
Their letter says: "It is with mingled feelings that we<br />
approach the end of our first missionary term in Japan.<br />
Gladness that the Lord has counted us worthy to be His<br />
ambassadors in this needy land; sorrow that we have fallen<br />
so short in accomplishing the great task of evangelizing in<br />
Japan. Praise to God for the miracles that He has wrought in<br />
50<br />
our lives and work during these six years ;<br />
sorrow that our lack<br />
of faith has hindered His working in even greater ways. Heart<br />
felt thanks to those of you at home who have supported us<br />
with gifts, prayers and letters; disappointment in those who<br />
should have given, prayed or sent a letter and did not. A<br />
pang of lonesomeness as we think of leaving our home and<br />
loved ones in Japan; joy to think that we shall soon be re<br />
united with parents and loved ones in America. The Lord<br />
willing, we plan to return to the States for furlough some<br />
time in April. . . .<br />
"Rev. DeShazer keeps very busy with Bible Classes and<br />
Evangelistic services nearly every night of the week and with<br />
language study and mission responsibilities during the<br />
morning hours<br />
Quite a number of people have been con<br />
tacted through the tent meetings held this fall and also<br />
through the weekly radio program ....<br />
School Work<br />
for<br />
these."<br />
The DeShazers continue, concerning their work: "We are<br />
approaching the end of another semester at the college. Satan<br />
has done much to destroy the work of the revival which we<br />
had two years ago but we are praying that He will give us<br />
another gracious outpouring<br />
of His Spirit in our midst. . .<br />
This afternoon we attended the funeral of one of the girls<br />
in the educational department of the college. She was struck<br />
by an automobile on Thursday<br />
and died the next day. She<br />
had only been saved one year but left a glowing testimony.<br />
We thank the Lord that the students and faculty of Osaka<br />
Christian College were helpful in leading this girl to the<br />
Lord Jesus. Pray<br />
for our<br />
International Missionary Convention<br />
The Fourth International Students Missionary Con<br />
vention met on December 27-31 at the University<br />
nois, Urbana, 111.<br />
of Illi<br />
The Convention was under the auspices<br />
of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship<br />
tions.<br />
and other <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
Word has just come from the Sandersons who attended<br />
and were among the regional speakers at the Convention,<br />
a part of which is of interest to the whole church. "This is<br />
a wonderful conference. We wish you could all be enjoying<br />
it with us ... .<br />
missionaries and<br />
There are around 2,000 here, about ISO<br />
speakers."<br />
There were 1650 registered from<br />
the U. S., 250 from Canada (80 of those from Winnipeg), 88<br />
staff members, and some not registered who attended . . . There<br />
are quite a number of international students too, some of<br />
whom are not Christians<br />
yet."<br />
There were about 50 mission<br />
boards represented. The writer spoke of meeting a young man<br />
from Egypt and another from Bethlehem, both are attend<br />
ing schools in the U. S. There were some who were interested<br />
in work in the Near East,<br />
and some in our mission.<br />
Student <strong>Vol</strong>unteers<br />
The above writer states: "Last night<br />
they asked all to<br />
stand who were going<br />
to a mission field and one fourth to<br />
one third of the audience stood. Then they asked for all those<br />
who were going to consider the mission field and definitely<br />
pray<br />
for God's guidance in their lives and 90 per cent or<br />
more of the audience stood.<br />
(Continued on page<br />
55)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
self-interest,"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
FOR FREER TRADE<br />
Foreign trade policies have top priority with the new<br />
Congress. Before the session was a week old, President<br />
Eisenhower delivered a special message on this subject. He<br />
asked for about the same things as last year, but will<br />
push the program harder and with more chance of success.<br />
A bill embodying the Administration proposals was intro<br />
duced in the House the first day, under Democratic spon<br />
sorship, and designated H. R. 1. It would extend the Re<br />
ciprocal Trade Agreements Act, due to expire in June, for<br />
three more years. The President would be authorized to re<br />
duce tariffs by as much as 5 per cent in each of the next<br />
three years on a reciprocal basis with other countries.<br />
He already has the power to cut 1945 rates by 50 per cent.<br />
The President said that a liberal trade policy was a mat<br />
ter of "enlightened<br />
and his cabinet will back<br />
the program strongly. Most Democrats agree with the<br />
Administration that it will do more for the economic<br />
strength of our allies, and bring more good will, than a<br />
give-away program. Tariff revision is sure to be opposed,<br />
however, by certain protected industries, such as textiles,<br />
chinaware, chemicals, and various finished products. In<br />
some cases there is a legitimate argument for protecting<br />
certain industries for defense purposes. Other industries,<br />
such as automobiles, want lower tariffs so that they can<br />
gain a larger export market. Many Congressmen will vote<br />
according to which interests are strongest in their districts.<br />
PAY AND POSTAGE<br />
President Eisenhower also asked Congress for an aver<br />
age 5 per cent pay raise for Federal higher-<br />
workers, and for<br />
meet the cost. The million and a half<br />
postal rates to help<br />
national employees under civil service have had no raise<br />
for about four years. Last year Congress voted them an<br />
increase, but Eisenhower vetoed it because there was no<br />
corresponding boost in postal rates. The postal increase is<br />
overdue, for we have paid three cents for first-class mail<br />
for over twenty years, while most prices have doubled or<br />
tripled. Politicians are afraid of the public reaction, how<br />
ever, and the increase may not pass.<br />
CAMPAIGN PLANS<br />
Next year's Presidential campaign is already drawing<br />
much attention. The big question is whether Eisenhower<br />
will run again, but nearly everyone now believes that he<br />
will. Of course he will not say<br />
so until the last possible<br />
minute, to avoid Democratic attacks. The Democrats have<br />
decided to hold their nominating convention late in Aug<br />
ust, six weeks after their usual time, and the Republicans<br />
apparently will follow in September. Not since 1864 have<br />
the conventions been held so late. A short campaign will<br />
reduce the expense, which has become especially serious<br />
since the advent of television. It will also lessen the physical<br />
and emotional strain, both for candidates and for the listen<br />
ing public. Two months will give ample time for presenting<br />
the campaign issues Great Britain and other democracies<br />
have even shorter campaigns. The short campaign makes<br />
it much more likely that Eisenhower will run again, since<br />
the Republicans would need longer to build up a new candi<br />
date. For the same reason, it means that the Democrats<br />
are likely to renominate Adlai Stevenson.<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
STILL IN PRISON<br />
Russia has released two Americans after holding them<br />
prisoner for several years; but prospects are still dim for<br />
the release of the eleven U. S. airmen imprisoned by Red<br />
China. Dag Hammarskjold, U. N. Secretary General, spent<br />
several days talking with Premier Chou En-lai. He reported<br />
that the discussions included all areas of East- West tension<br />
and had proved "useful," but there seems to be no im<br />
mediate hope for the return of the fliers. Chou probably<br />
wants to use this issue as an opening for general negotia<br />
tions. Our government is still maintaining a policy<br />
straint. If this fails, there is no easy<br />
or re<br />
alternative between<br />
risking a war and backing down from some of our com<br />
mitments in Asia.<br />
WHEN OLD FRIENDS MEET<br />
Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia has made a new trade agree<br />
ment with the Soviet Union, the first arrangement of this<br />
kind since he broke with the Cominform in 1948. Over a<br />
year ago Tito began "normalizing" his relations with the<br />
Soviet satellites, and the process is now about complete.<br />
Yugoslavia has also established diplomatic relations with<br />
Communist China, after a series of conferences in Moscow.<br />
Tito offered recognition to the Peiping government over<br />
five years ago, but the bid was ignored, supposedly due to<br />
Soviet pressure. Tito now has one foot planted in each of<br />
the world's great camps, which is a nice trick if he can<br />
keep his balance. Meanwhile some high officials in the<br />
Yugoslav government have lost their positions because of<br />
dissensions within the Communist party. The trials are<br />
more open than in Russia and the penalties less severe, but<br />
we are reminded that Yugoslavia is still a police state.<br />
NEW DEFENSE LINK<br />
A favorite project of Secretary of State Dulles has been<br />
the building of a "northern tier" of defense against Com<br />
munism across the Middle East, from Turkey to Pakistan,<br />
to join NATO to the forthcoming Southeast Asia <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tion. This has come a long way toward reality by an agree<br />
ment between Turkey and Iraq for a mutual defense al<br />
liance, which they will ask other Middle Eastern countries<br />
to join. Turkey already has an alliance with Pakistan, and<br />
will now approach Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt. Iran may also<br />
join the new group,<br />
and Afghanistan is another possibility.<br />
The link between Iraq and Turkey is the first break in the<br />
"neutrality"<br />
of the Arab states. Iraq, which lies between<br />
Syria and Iran, has had considerable experiences in combat<br />
ting Communist subversion, and recently broke diplomatic<br />
relations with Russia. She has a prosperous economy based<br />
on oil exports.<br />
TURMOIL IN CENTRAL AMERICA<br />
Costa Rica is Latin America's latest trouble spot, with<br />
a rebellion going<br />
on in the northern districts<br />
or is it an<br />
invasion from Nicaragua Costa Rica has a fairly liberal,<br />
democratic government and almost no armed forces, while<br />
Nicaragua has long been under a military dictatorship.<br />
President Figueres of Costa Rica and General Somoza of<br />
Nicaragua have been hostile ever since 1948, each charging<br />
the other with harboring political opponents. The actual<br />
fighting thus far has been on a small scale. Nicaragua<br />
(Continued on page 58)<br />
51
en"<br />
earth."<br />
will."<br />
earth."<br />
name."<br />
one."<br />
commandments."<br />
am."<br />
end."<br />
men,"<br />
Th r 1 n c e o f P e a c e<br />
A sermon by Rev. Robert B. Tweed delivered over Sta<br />
tion WBUP Beaver Fails, Pa., on December 26, 19<strong>54</strong>,<br />
quested for publication by<br />
(Geneva).<br />
and re<br />
members of his congregation<br />
During the past few weeks, and especially the<br />
past few days, the attention of people throughout<br />
most of the world has been drawn to a Person who,<br />
although born more than 1900 years ago in the ob<br />
scurity of a little Judean village, now commands a<br />
universal appeal that is without parallel in all his<br />
tory. In recent days, on the printed page and in word,<br />
the name of Christ has appeared more often than<br />
any other. From every quarter we have listened to<br />
His name in song over the channels of the radio,<br />
along the avenue, in private and in public gatherings.<br />
We have been confronted with Him on every hand,<br />
at every turn, and the slogan that has appealed most<br />
to the national mind is that which urges that Christ<br />
be put back into Christmas. Who of us has not heard<br />
the call to manifest the true spirit of Christ so that<br />
peace and happiness will flow into and fill every life,<br />
and unite the nations in a lasting bond of love and<br />
good-will <br />
A proposal such as this was well-expressed last<br />
Friday by one of the area's well-known newspaper<br />
cartoonists. The caption read: "A Prayer for Three<br />
Wise Men," and it pictured three men on camels<br />
following the leading of the Star in the East. Over<br />
the star was written: "Peace on The leader<br />
of the procession was President Eisenhower, followed<br />
by Mao Tse-Tung of Red China, and Malenkov of<br />
Russia. That cartoon was simply a graphic way of<br />
saying that a rediscovery of Christ as the Prince of<br />
Peace and Governor among the nations is the only<br />
answer to a world that is torn by human strife and<br />
hatred and misunderstanding. But HOW FAR are we<br />
willing to go in seeking out and recognizing this One<br />
whose name has been written large before us in re<br />
cent days Is it possible for the nations of the world<br />
to be educated into having the "spirit of Christ" be<br />
fore they have been led to apprehend Him as a per<br />
son The question is intensely practical.<br />
In much of our celebration at this season of the<br />
year we seem to be content to think of Christ as a<br />
babe lying in the Bethlehem manger. We read over<br />
and over again the record of His wondrous birth of<br />
the visit of the shepherds and the wise men. Through<br />
out the country-side we erect scenes of Christ's na<br />
tivity to present the story more vividly to the public<br />
eye. And all the while, is it not possible that, in our<br />
adoration of Christ the babe, we have given too little<br />
attention to the work that He came to accomplish<br />
and to His sovereign position as our Saviour from sin<br />
and as the King of kings and Lord of lords We have<br />
given due emphasis to the opening words of that<br />
prophecy concerning Christ in the 9th Chapter of<br />
Isaiah : "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is giv<br />
but we have not given an equal emphasis to<br />
those important words that follow : "and the govern<br />
and his name shall<br />
ment shall be upon HIS shoulder :<br />
be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God,<br />
The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the<br />
increase of his government and peace there shall be<br />
52<br />
no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his king<br />
dom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment<br />
ever."<br />
and with justice from henceforth even for<br />
In the course of the past few weeks we have<br />
heard a number of prayers for a world which will be<br />
at peace with itself. But where are we to find the<br />
key to the attainment of a just and lasting peace<br />
among men and nations We find it in one short<br />
phrase of the passage just read : "Of the increase of<br />
his government and peace there shall be no An<br />
peace is to be found in one thing, and one<br />
enduring<br />
thing alone the government of the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ. That is true because it is a government which<br />
has been founded on a force that has eclipsed all<br />
other forces it is the force of unselfish love which<br />
binds man to God and man to man. It was heralded<br />
the angelic host at Christ's birth in those words<br />
by<br />
that are familiar to us all: "Glory to God in the<br />
highest, and on earth peace, good will toward<br />
or, more literally, "on earth, peace among men of<br />
good At the very dawn of His earthly ministry,<br />
our Lord was proclaimed as the very center and cir<br />
cumference of a peaceful world. When men every<br />
where come to realize that the supreme authority in<br />
all the affairs of men belongs to Christ and none<br />
other then, and then only, will they<br />
achieve the<br />
kind of peace for which they have been praying.<br />
Look for just a moment at a few of the many<br />
unparalleled claims that Christ makes concerning<br />
HIMSELF:<br />
on<br />
"I and my Father are<br />
"I am the way, the life."<br />
truth, and the<br />
"Ask in MY<br />
"Keep MY<br />
"I came down from heaven."<br />
"Before Abraham was, I<br />
"All authority is given unto ME, in heaven and<br />
"I am greater than the temple."<br />
"I am the Lord of the Sabbath."<br />
"He that hath seen me hath seen the Father."<br />
And the truth of all these claims was verified by the<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
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COVENANTER WITNESS
pleased."<br />
man,"<br />
star."<br />
abundantly."<br />
many."<br />
man,"<br />
come,"<br />
us."<br />
A Travelog<br />
by Orlena Lynn<br />
Japan address : P.O. Box 822, Kobe, Japan<br />
Dear Friends,<br />
It barely<br />
January 1955<br />
seems possible that it has been one<br />
year since I left Japan and the furlough time is<br />
nearly over. The trip home the long way shortened<br />
the time at home some, but was certainly interesting<br />
and well worth while. When Helen and Anne first<br />
planned to come that way I thought that I could nev<br />
er consider such a trip because I would never be able<br />
to afford it. When I found it to cost no more than<br />
living in Japan the extra 2y> months and then com<br />
ing directly across the Pacific, I was certainly glad<br />
that I had come the Europe way.<br />
Our trip included many stops but only short<br />
stays in each place. In Singapore we found tempera<br />
tures of 80 in January. Monkeys were running wild<br />
on Elephant Island just outside of Bombay. Our legs<br />
verdicts of His contemporaries<br />
friends and enemies<br />
alike :<br />
"I find no fault in this said Pilate.<br />
"Truly this was the Son of God," exclaimed the<br />
centurion at the foot of the cross.<br />
John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of<br />
God."<br />
John on the Isle of Patmos refers to Him as<br />
"Tlie bright and morning<br />
"Never man spake like this said the offi<br />
cers.<br />
"I have sinned in that I have betrayed the inno<br />
cent blood," confessed Judas.<br />
Thomas exclaimed: "My Lord and my God."<br />
The angels in heaven addressed the world : "Un<br />
to you is born, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."<br />
And last of all, the Father in heaven said of<br />
Christ : "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well<br />
Think again, then, this morning on Him on<br />
whom the eyes of the world so recently focused.<br />
Think of His purpose in coming. "The Son of man<br />
came not to be ministered unto, but to and<br />
to give his life a ransom for "I am He<br />
said, "that they might have life, and that they might<br />
have it more<br />
And further we read, that<br />
He "hath abolished death, and hath brought life and<br />
gospel."<br />
immortality to light through the<br />
Where do YOU stand this morning before Him<br />
whose birth the world has so recently remembered <br />
Have you made your peace with Him, who, through<br />
the f<strong>org</strong>iveness of<br />
sin,<br />
will fill your life with "the<br />
peace of God, which passeth all understanding" If<br />
you have not yet committed your life to Christ, listen<br />
this morning to Him as He says : "Come unto me all<br />
ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give<br />
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ;<br />
for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find<br />
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my<br />
burden is light." And with the words of the writer to<br />
the Hebrews, I close: "See that ye refuse not him<br />
speaketh."<br />
that<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
were a bit stiff after we rode the camels out to see<br />
the Sphinx and pyramids in Egypt. It was only after<br />
I had walked down the street at 2 a.m., alone and<br />
carrying my suitcase, and ended up in a dump of a<br />
place that 1 learned that Port Said is not considered<br />
the safest city in the world. Having learned one<br />
Arabic word in Egypt, and having occasion to use it<br />
just as I arrived at our school in Latakia, the gate<br />
keeper insisted on rattling off a great string of Ara<br />
bic, feeling sure that I must understand every word<br />
of it. The ladies in the Syrian mountain village knew<br />
better, though, and thought I must be -very dumb<br />
because I didn't even know how to speak Arabic.<br />
The stop on the island of Cyprus provided the oppor<br />
tunity of visiting our schools in both Larnaca and<br />
Nicosia.<br />
A third class passage on a small Italian ship on<br />
the Mediterranean can prove most interesting, es<br />
pecially when there are 100 members of an Italian<br />
circus troupe aboard and only two others in third<br />
class can speak English. My friends were waiting for<br />
me in Venice, and from there we went on into Swit<br />
zerland. There we saw the beauty of the snow-cov<br />
ered mountains for which that country is so famous.<br />
I took colored slides as our chair was lifted by cable<br />
up to the top of Mt. Niederhorn. After an enjoy<br />
able visit with Anne Beguin Horton in Paris, Helen's<br />
Swedish background gave us good reason for heading<br />
northward. Swedish missionary friends from Hong<br />
Kong gave us a hearty welcome and made us reluc<br />
tant to leave their country.<br />
London has no end of interesting places to visit.<br />
The changing of the guard was a colorful event.<br />
When the queen mother went from Clarence House<br />
to Buckingham Palace there was a large crowd at<br />
each place, but we alone were standing by Victoria<br />
Monument as she rode by and graciously waved to us.<br />
We also had the privilege of attending the Billy Gra<br />
ham meetings in London. The effect was tremendous<br />
there. Bagpipes sound the best as one stands outside<br />
Edinburgh Castle at night looking over Princes<br />
Street. The 2y2-day visit with Alison and Hugh Blair<br />
in Ballymoney, Ireland, was too short, but delight<br />
ful.<br />
A great part of the time at home has been spent<br />
in traveling about to many of our churches. In fact,<br />
the time in the U.S. includes traveling about 17,000<br />
miles and speaking for 120 meetings. There has been<br />
time with the family and friends, too,<br />
and this we<br />
have enjoyed.<br />
Mother and Dad expect to drive me as far as<br />
Phoenix this month. I am to sail from San Francisco<br />
on February 4th on the "Pacific Bear," and return to<br />
Kobe, Japan. It has been good to be home on this<br />
furlough year and to be with the family once again,<br />
yet I also find myself looking forward to getting back<br />
to the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Book Room in Kobe. The spiritual<br />
darkness in the land of Japan is great and we have<br />
the responsiblity and privilege of sharing with them<br />
the Good News that "while we were yet sinners<br />
Christ died for We are not ashamed of the Gos<br />
pel for it is "the power of God unto salvation to<br />
everyone that believeth."
ever."<br />
scene"<br />
word."<br />
clean."<br />
spirit."<br />
am."<br />
Why Covenant Now<br />
S. Bruce Willson, D.D.<br />
The first of three Saturday evening addresses at the Grinnell Conference, July 17, 195U.<br />
The word "Covenant" is a treasured word in our<br />
vocabulary. We have heard of the covenants of the<br />
past and Mr. Blackwood will be speaking of that<br />
particular phase of our subject a little later. We will<br />
be concerned with the application of the Covenant as<br />
it concerns each individual, and Mr. McMillan will de<br />
velop that theme. But the subject that may be con<br />
cerning some of us this<br />
Now"<br />
evening is, "Why Covenant<br />
If we wanted to be formal we might speak<br />
of "The Contemporary Problem of Covenanting."<br />
What is there in the "contemporary which<br />
calls for covenanting now Why should the church<br />
covenant at this time To focus our attention upon<br />
this question I wish to call attention to a common<br />
word used in the Scripture, "henceforth." We find it<br />
in the record of the covenant of promises in Isaiah<br />
59:20, 21: "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion,<br />
and unto them that turn from transgression in Ja<br />
cob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant<br />
with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon<br />
thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth,<br />
shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the<br />
mouth of<br />
thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy<br />
seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for<br />
We are indebted to the Anglo-Saxons for many<br />
words in our modern speech. The early Britons had a<br />
word "hens" from which has been derived our word<br />
hence. "Hens," had nothing to do with poultry, but<br />
meant "the place where you are now standing, from<br />
which you must proceed in any<br />
direction."<br />
It as<br />
sumes that somehow you have gotten to that place<br />
where you now stand.<br />
All who attend this conference have come to this<br />
place by traveling from our homes by train or bus<br />
or plane or car. In another sense, however, we have<br />
come to this place for the purpose of renewing our<br />
Covenant with God. Throughout the history of the<br />
Church, God has prepared the way whereby each<br />
generation may come to dedicate the life which he<br />
has given through a pledge of loyalty. Tonight we<br />
have come to this place by God's grace. For us, at<br />
this moment, this is hence.<br />
Someone may be considering another question.<br />
"Why should we renew our human covenants, when<br />
there is but one Covenant of Grace " The plan of sal<br />
vation has been made possible because God the Fa<br />
ther and God the Son entered into the Covenant of<br />
Grace. This is the Scriptural teaching which under<br />
lies all Christian faith. Our human covenants, be<br />
tween individuals, in group associations, in nations<br />
and between nations are dependent upon the mutual<br />
trust. Even more, the covenants which bind men to<br />
one another in God's kingdom's work, is grounded<br />
upon the eternal Covenant of God. But God's hence<br />
is not our hence. The Covenant of Grace was made in<br />
the councils of eternity. There is neither time nor<br />
place for the Covenant of God, it is eternal. It is<br />
from eternity to eternity the same. But as far as our<br />
life is concerned the hence of the Covenant of God<br />
does enter into human history. We can point to a<br />
period when God's Son came and took His stand at<br />
a designated place. And for Him that place became<br />
<strong>54</strong><br />
His hence. There He was nailed to the cross. There<br />
He was lifted up by men who did not believe in Him.<br />
They said to Him, "If you are the Son of God, come<br />
down (from that place) and we will believe." There<br />
He completed His covenant promise. This was<br />
Christ's hence. It was at this point God came into<br />
our life in this unique manner.<br />
Calvary is the starting point, so far as you and<br />
I are concerned, in our relationship with God. It is<br />
our starting point, because Christ willingly took His<br />
stand there, having come into the world to accom<br />
plish the purpose of the Covenant of redemption. It<br />
was there He could say, "It is finished." "Into thy<br />
hands I commend my<br />
Jesus spoke, not for<br />
Himself alone, but for you and for me. We too may<br />
stand in the presence of God because He has taken<br />
upon Himself the burden of our sin. He is our Re<br />
deemer as had been foretold, "The Redeemer shall<br />
come to Zion." And Zion became the meeting place<br />
with the Son of God. And there come with Him those<br />
"who turn from transgression in Jacob," Jacob, the<br />
usurper who unlawfully takes the place of another;<br />
who by the grace of God became Israel, the man who<br />
stands with God.<br />
God said this is My covenant with you who<br />
stand in this place. Having accepted Jesus Christ you<br />
have accepted that Covenant of Grace which was en<br />
tered into in the place where you could not stand, and<br />
because you are mortal, where only the God-man<br />
could come and stand. You are called upon that you<br />
may now have the privilege of talking with God and<br />
having fellowship with Him. That you might receive<br />
from Him His blessing, and that you might return<br />
to Him your love.<br />
Hence! No one can enter into Covenant with God<br />
until he has taken his stand there upon the Covenant<br />
of Grace. We must say with the Apostle, "By the<br />
grace of God, I am what I Only by the love of<br />
Christ am I called from the sin of which too often I<br />
am not conscious. Only by His Holy Spirit convicting<br />
me am I shown wherein I have lived for selfish ends<br />
and purposes. God by His Holy Spirit brings me to<br />
stand at the foot of the Cross. But when He has<br />
brought me to that place, He says, "My grace is<br />
sufficient for thee." "My spirit is upon thee, and my<br />
words which I have put in thy mouth shall not de<br />
part out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy<br />
seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed from<br />
henceforth, saith the Lord." What a wonderful bless<br />
ing it is to hear God say, "All the words that I com<br />
mand thee to speak unto them; diminish not a<br />
We cannot speak for God until we have<br />
me."<br />
obeyed His invitation to "Follow It is a wonder<br />
ful experience to have the fellowship with Christ. To<br />
have that peace of heart and conscience He<br />
alone can give. What a glad privilege that is ! And yet<br />
I hear Christ speak to the man who said, "I want to<br />
follow you. I too want that wonderful<br />
fellowship with<br />
one who can feed five thousand people with no visible<br />
effort. With one who can look at the blind man and<br />
say, "See." Who can touch the leper and say to such a<br />
a man, "Be thou This Christ I love His fel<br />
lowship. I want to be with Him. But let me first<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
age."<br />
you"<br />
. Continued<br />
. . Let<br />
night."<br />
bid farewell to those who are at home." But let me<br />
first . . .<br />
Like this man there are those who are brought<br />
to the place of the Covenant, but who hesitate, turn<br />
back, postpone, delay. This was his hence. It was<br />
only from this point that he could go forward. "But<br />
let me first." Let me first. I care not what we might<br />
add to that statement we all, at one time or other,<br />
have the tendency to say what that man said to Je<br />
sus. But let me first. . . But what was Jesus' reply<br />
"No man having put his hand to the plow,and looking<br />
back, is fit for the Kingdom of God." Not that the<br />
man cannot be saved, but that he is not fit for the<br />
kingdom of God. For that kingdom involves service.<br />
It involves commitment to a program of action. It<br />
involves, believing and speaking, and serving as God<br />
lays burdens upon your heart and mine.<br />
We cannot be obedient to Him, until we have<br />
taken our stand at the point where we commit our<br />
way to follow Him. Where is your "hence" It is that<br />
point where you say, "From this point on, I will serve<br />
and be obedient to the God who saved me. How will I<br />
say that Will I serve Him simply on my own power<br />
and in my own wisdom Can I serve Him while going<br />
my own independent way Or am I to identify my<br />
self with the body of Jesus Christ which He institu<br />
ted in this world, and which He commissioned as His<br />
church. "Go ye into all the world and teach all people<br />
all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo,<br />
I am with henceforth! It is from this hence<br />
forth that the people of God have the assurance of<br />
the presence of Christ, "forever, even unto the end of<br />
the<br />
There need be this word of caution. The indi<br />
vidual believer who takes his stand at the foot of the<br />
cross or who advances beyond through commitment<br />
to covenant obligations must be very careful not to<br />
look in disdain upon another who may<br />
not stand at<br />
the same place, at the same moment. Those men of<br />
olden times, such as Abraham, who entered into<br />
Covenant with God made their promise to God in the<br />
place where they<br />
were standing. You and I could not<br />
have stood in Abraham's place, for we have never<br />
stood in precisely the same conditions in which Abra<br />
ham stood. We may study carefully what was in<br />
volved when the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s of Scotland entered<br />
into their covenants. But we have not stood in their<br />
place, and we cannot therefore enter into their cove<br />
nant. But we are living here and now. God, in His<br />
providence, has drawn us from all over this land, and<br />
from other lands, and brought us together with a<br />
common desire. And we have committed ourselves,<br />
that upon the morrow, the Lord willing, and in hum<br />
ble reliance upon His Grace, we will take our stand,<br />
at this place to which God has brought us not only<br />
in the physical surroundings of this campus, but in<br />
the deeper sense. For He has brought us to commit<br />
to our trust an heritage of truth. He has brought us<br />
to the consciousness of the work that is to be car<br />
ried on in His Kingdom. Having brought us to this<br />
place, He says, "This is my covenant with you . . .<br />
from HENCEFORTH."<br />
"MIDNIGHT PEBBLES"<br />
(Continued from front page)<br />
burning shame. Christian ! to the work while it is yet<br />
day ! There is always so much more that could be car<br />
ried out, were we more awake, alert, alive, active<br />
(Rom. 13:11). May we allow the Holy Spirit to make<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
us more lntemgein, mme beniwi v mun, j.uujjuihjjli v<br />
great,"<br />
place,"<br />
not."<br />
which'<br />
subscribed."<br />
would."<br />
REMO I. ROBB, D.D.<br />
ECH<br />
For Covenant!<br />
ECHOES<br />
January, 1955<br />
TO ILLUSTRATE THE Y. P. TOPICS<br />
February 6<br />
February, 1955<br />
What's in My Psalm Book<br />
Did you know that the praise by which<br />
the Pilgrims greeted the new world was<br />
the 100th Psalm<br />
Their journal states: "Being now<br />
passed the vast ocean and sea of troubles,<br />
before their preparation unto further pro<br />
ceedings as to seek out a place for habi<br />
tation, they fell on their knees and<br />
blessed the Lord, the God of heaven, who<br />
had brought them over the vast and fur<br />
ious ocean, and delivered them from all<br />
perils and miseries thereof."<br />
Each family had brought, as the most<br />
precious earthly possessions, a thick vol<br />
ume containing, first, the Book of Com<br />
mon Prayer, with the Psalter appointed<br />
to be read in churches; second, the Bible<br />
in the Geneva translation, which was the<br />
basis of our English translation; and<br />
third, the Psalms in meter with the music<br />
notes adapted to singing. So it was that<br />
the Mayflower Pilgrims lifted their voices<br />
in song, and the noble tones of Old<br />
Hundred for the first time floated over<br />
silent Plymouth bay<br />
and mingled with<br />
the sound of wind and waters, consecrat<br />
ing the American shores.<br />
February 13 Psalms in the Lives of the<br />
Early Martyrs.<br />
"My sins and faults of youth<br />
Do Thou, O Lord, f<strong>org</strong>et;<br />
After Thy mercy think on me<br />
And for Thy goodness<br />
was the beginning of the song of Margar<br />
et Wilson as the sea was rising round<br />
her at the mouth of the water of Blednoch<br />
by Wigtown. She was twenty years<br />
of age, and along with an elderly woman,<br />
Margaret McLachlan, was condemned to<br />
be drowned for attending field and house<br />
conventicles and for refusing "the test."<br />
They<br />
were tied to stakes within tidemark<br />
where the waters of the Solway<br />
come up<br />
swift and strong. The older<br />
woman was put farther out that the sight<br />
of her struggles might terrify the young<br />
er and lead her to "conform," but she was<br />
faithful to the death.<br />
56<br />
"O do thou keep my soul;<br />
Do Thou deliver me;<br />
And let me never be ashamed<br />
Because I trust in Thee."<br />
The two women are buried in Wigtown<br />
churchyard and descendants of the fami<br />
ly to which Margaret Wilson belonged<br />
are to be found in the neighborhood of<br />
Glenvernock where she lived.<br />
February 20 Christ in the Psalms<br />
The value and beauty of family wor<br />
ship in time of bereavement are sublime<br />
ly illustrated by an incident in the life of<br />
Rev. J. A. James. It was his custom to<br />
read at family prayer on Saturday eve<br />
ning the one hundred third Psalm. On<br />
the Saturday of the week in Mrs.<br />
James died, he hesitated, with the open<br />
Bible in his hand, before he began to<br />
read; but after a moment's silence, he<br />
looked up and said, "Notwithstanding<br />
what has happened this week, I see no<br />
reason from departing from our usual<br />
custom of reading the one hundred and<br />
third Psalm "Bless the Lord, O my<br />
soul: and all that is within me, bless His<br />
Holy Name.'"<br />
Jesus Christ thus spoke to that entire<br />
family through the Psalm, enabling the<br />
deepest sufferer in the depth of his sor<br />
row to bless the Name of the Lord.<br />
February 27<br />
to Me.<br />
What the Psalms Mean<br />
One morning a teacher went to her<br />
school and found many vacant seats.<br />
Diphtheria had entered the village. Two<br />
little scholars already had died,<br />
and sev<br />
eral others were sick. The few who went<br />
to school gathered around the teacher,<br />
asking "What shall we do Will we be<br />
sick Do you suppose we may die"<br />
The teacher quieted them and said<br />
"Children, you are all afraid of this ter<br />
rible disease, and I do not wonder. Your<br />
little friends are gone,<br />
and you are afraid<br />
you may take sick and die, too. I know<br />
only one way to escape, and that is to<br />
hide.<br />
The children gasped in wonder, but the<br />
teacher went on: "I'll read you about<br />
this hiding and read "He that<br />
dwelleth in the secret place of the Most<br />
High shall abide under the shadow of<br />
the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1).<br />
Later a little girl came to the teacher<br />
and asked "Teacher, aren't you afraid<br />
of the diphtheria"<br />
"No, my child, I'm<br />
"Well, wouldn't you be, if you would<br />
be sick and die"<br />
"No,<br />
I don't think I<br />
Looking for a moment at the teacher,<br />
the little girl's face lighted, as she said<br />
"Oh, I know! you are hidden under God's<br />
wings. What a nice place to hide!"<br />
THE C.Y.P.U. YEARBOOK<br />
for 1955<br />
Have you sent your society order yet<br />
This book of twenty pages is prepared<br />
to help every member of the C.Y.P.U. It<br />
contains the C.Y.P.U. pledge, a directory<br />
of the Presbyterial secretaries, the Con<br />
ference officers and the Topic committee.<br />
It contains the topics, suggestions for<br />
special meetings, and society projects for<br />
each month, listed on separate pages.<br />
There are also lines for the names of<br />
the leaders, and a page for the names of<br />
your society<br />
members.<br />
officers and committee<br />
The Plan of Work adopted at the last<br />
national convention and now<br />
being pro<br />
moted by the C.Y.P.U. Staff is also<br />
found in the Yearbook.<br />
The cost is only 15c per copy, and<br />
every member should have one. Order to<br />
day, if you have not already done so,<br />
from Remo I. Robb, D.D. 1102 9th Ave.,<br />
Beaver Falls, Penna.<br />
THE GOAL POST<br />
This 8-page monthly magazine is the<br />
Young People's own. It was started at<br />
their suggestion and is carried on with<br />
their support.<br />
It contains news of what others are do<br />
ing<br />
editorials on popular subjects<br />
reviews of important books<br />
sermonettes by the secretaries<br />
testimonies by young people<br />
articles of interest and importance<br />
further helps for young .people's<br />
meetings.<br />
An item in the national plan of work<br />
reads :<br />
"We recommend the continuation of the<br />
Goal Post, and that each society be<br />
W0%<br />
Here is a year of good young people's<br />
reading for $1.50. Send or renew your<br />
subscription today. Write The Goal Post,<br />
1102 Ninth Ave., Beaver Falls, Penna.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
3<br />
YOUNG PEOPLE'S<br />
SECRETARY<br />
Hing People<br />
THE SOUL-WINNER'S PROJECT KIT<br />
Another item of the national plan of<br />
work states :<br />
"We recommend the formation of evan<br />
gelistic groups, both speaking and. sing<br />
ing, for the purpose of sharing with oth<br />
ers our experiences in the Lord."<br />
The<br />
Soul-Winner's Project Kit was<br />
prepared by the young people several<br />
years ago to help in precisely such a<br />
project. A limited supply is still avail<br />
able, and will be sent prepaid and free of<br />
charge to those who first write and ask<br />
for it. Write Remo I. Robb, 1102 Ninth<br />
Ave., Beaver Falls, Penna.<br />
IN 1955<br />
Another year stretches out before the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Young People. A back<br />
ward look recalls mainly the Na<br />
tional Convention of 19<strong>54</strong> and the<br />
plan and decisions that were made there.<br />
The new year calls for all societies to be<br />
gin<br />
in earnest to make the decisions<br />
count and to put the plans to work.<br />
The winter months are a good time to<br />
go to work on a Bible Memory program.<br />
Possibly your pastor has a system which<br />
he can recommend, or your Sabbath<br />
School may be at work on one. Or you<br />
may wish to use one of several good sys<br />
tems which can be secured from religious<br />
houses. The Topical Memory System of<br />
the Navigators is an unusually good one.<br />
All of these systems should be followed<br />
with the guidance of your pastor or so<br />
ciety sponsor.<br />
A Bible Study Program for the Cove<br />
nanter Church is being prepared. You<br />
may have read about it already in the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>, and you should<br />
watch its columns for more information.<br />
It will be in a series of studies cover<br />
ing several months, designed to prepare<br />
you to present the Gospel to those who<br />
are unsaved, and also to enable them to<br />
grow in Christian Character and Bible<br />
knowledge. The first of these studies is<br />
ready for publication and distribution,<br />
and will be sent on request. You should<br />
first make the study yourself and then<br />
be able to give it to some unsaved friend.<br />
Early summer will bring the Crusader's<br />
Corps, a one week school for training in<br />
Christian service, specifically in training<br />
for Vacation Bible School work. Then<br />
two teams will go out to minister in con-<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
gregations where otherwise a Vacation<br />
Bible School might be impossible. The<br />
entire project will continue for six weeks<br />
from the first of June to mid- July. Do<br />
you plan to help in your congregational<br />
school this summer Would you like to<br />
join the Crusaders Teams It is not too<br />
early to begin planning.<br />
And before you know it, it'll be "con<br />
ference time in August." Some conferenc<br />
es already have their programs pretty<br />
well planned. Midwest had a Booster af<br />
fair during Christmas holidays. Confer<br />
ence texts and themes have been chosen,<br />
conference Psalms are being practiced.<br />
Speakers are being asked to appear. It<br />
won't be long until the time comes on us<br />
with a rush.<br />
In 1955 we may grow in the knowledge<br />
of God's Word, in witnessing to others<br />
of His Precious Salvation and of our<br />
Precious Saviour, in preparation for His<br />
service, and in the glorifying<br />
our chief end.<br />
of God as<br />
May the C.Y.P.U. grow yes, "grow in<br />
grace and in the knowledge of our Lord<br />
and Saviour Jesus Christ."<br />
FOURTH INTERNATIONAL STU<br />
DENT MISSIONARY<br />
CONVENTION<br />
"Changing World, Changeless Christ"<br />
was the thought emphasized again and<br />
again by<br />
speakers and missionaries at<br />
the Fourth International Student Mis<br />
sionary Convention at the University of<br />
Illinois campus in Urbana last Christmas<br />
week. The gathering was sponsored by<br />
Inter-<br />
Varsity Christian Fellowship and<br />
its affiliated groups, Foreign Missions<br />
Fellowship<br />
lowship.<br />
and Nurses Christian Fel<br />
That the shift in world population and<br />
political power and the rise of literacy<br />
and 'nationalism are creating<br />
new situa<br />
tions for the missionary was the concern<br />
in the main sessions and many discus<br />
sion groups. "Failure to be alert to the<br />
times in which we live is inexcusable,"<br />
said the Rev. Arthur Glasser, former<br />
missionary to China, now on the faculty<br />
of Columbia Bible College. "Unfavorable<br />
conditions are no excuse for inactivity,"<br />
he warned.<br />
A consideration of .<br />
the "Changeless<br />
Christ" provided the solution to prob<br />
lems, both missionary and personal.<br />
China Inland Mission director Mr. J.<br />
Oswald Sanders, in outlining the history<br />
of missions from Pentecost to the present<br />
day, declared that God's purposes have<br />
always been the same, only the world<br />
and opportunities have changed.<br />
The<br />
Christian's personal relation to the<br />
"Changeless Christ" .became the issue<br />
of prime importance in messages by the<br />
evening speakers and by Dr. A. W.<br />
Tozer in his morning series "The Man<br />
God Uses."<br />
"You must be undone before you can<br />
be used of God to any<br />
degree,"<br />
Tozer<br />
told the students. Dr. Paul White, the<br />
"Jungle Doctor," medical specialist and<br />
missionary enthusiast from Australia ob<br />
served, "Sidestepping the great commis<br />
sion by living our own lives as we<br />
please is utterly<br />
futile."<br />
Attendance ran 350 over expectations,<br />
450 over the last convention in 1951.<br />
There were 2141 registrations, 1950 of<br />
which were students, 88 staff members,<br />
and 149 missionaries representing 77 dif<br />
ferent boards. Christian colleges and<br />
seminaries were represented by 352 stud<br />
ents and graduates, nurses groups by<br />
291. The rest were from secular uni<br />
versities. Forty-five states and the Dis<br />
trict of Columbia sent delegates, the<br />
leaders being Illinois with 270, New York<br />
with 218, California with 140. Of the<br />
total, 120 were from 40 foreign countries.<br />
Registrants came from 263 universities<br />
and colleges, and from 60 Bible schools<br />
and seminaries in the United States and<br />
Canada.<br />
Mission leaders who attended were<br />
generally of the opinion that these col<br />
legians are taking a sound and realistic<br />
view, that they are better informed than<br />
students of a few years ago. The serious<br />
ness of their purpose was revealed in the<br />
difficulties they endured to get there.<br />
Foregoing their holidays, they pinched<br />
pennies, baigained for rides, prayed and<br />
trusted until<br />
they finally acquired the<br />
$30 needed for fee, meals and room.<br />
Probably there never was such a con<br />
centration of missionaries and eligible<br />
young people at one convention, nor as<br />
much information about the world and<br />
the types of mission work .being done.<br />
Adding<br />
to the platform reports and<br />
private interviews, 16 booth displays de-<br />
(Continuel on page 61)<br />
57
martyrs'<br />
song!"<br />
etc."<br />
waters."<br />
etc."<br />
etc."<br />
etc."<br />
soul."<br />
over."<br />
etc."<br />
etc."<br />
etc."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of February 13, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
February 13, 1955<br />
Charles McBurney<br />
PSALMS IN THE LIVES OF<br />
EARLY MARTYRS<br />
Psalms 23 and 121<br />
A martyr is one who, in face of perse<br />
cution and even death, insists upon the<br />
reality of his experience and holds fast<br />
the faith inspired ,by it. "<strong>Witness</strong>" is the<br />
literal meaning of the word. A Christian<br />
martyr is one who knows the Lord Jesus<br />
and professes faith in Him unto death.<br />
General references in history to Psalmsinging<br />
by persecuted<br />
Christians, even in<br />
the moments preceding cruel execution,<br />
abound, and such mention of specific<br />
Psalms as there is makes us realize that<br />
the<br />
favorites are our<br />
favorites,<br />
that not merely one Psalm, but many<br />
Psalms were loved and sung by each of<br />
the many martyrs who knew them.<br />
Let me suggest a circumstance in which<br />
we know some Psalm brought courage or<br />
comfort for the hour and a Psalm that<br />
might have been used. If you think of<br />
another equally fitting, we can sing it in<br />
stead, or both of them.<br />
Two young missionaries, recently ar<br />
rived in Europe, had been worshiping<br />
with a group<br />
on the banks of a river<br />
near Philippi and, after several encount<br />
ers with a young slave girl who said<br />
weird and surprising things (worth<br />
money in those days), had healed her.<br />
The slave masters were not at all pleased<br />
and had the young missionaries arrested,<br />
beaten, and thrown into prison, with<br />
their feet made fast in the stocks. In the<br />
middle of the night these men (you<br />
know, of course, they were Paul and Si<br />
las) prayed and sang praises. Now they<br />
might have sung, "Out of the depths have<br />
I cried, Lord, unto<br />
Thee,"<br />
or, "Save me,<br />
my God; defend from foes." But in view<br />
of the fact that prisoners stayed awake to<br />
listen, I think likely they sang, "It is a<br />
good<br />
thing to give thanks unto the Lord."<br />
Take your pick: Psalm 130, 59, or 92.<br />
Any one of them could cause an earth<br />
quake under the circumstances.<br />
In 363 A. D. Christians were suffering<br />
severe persecution under the Roman Em<br />
peror called Julian the Apostate. Since<br />
they had enjoyed several years of relig<br />
ious freedom and since Julian himself<br />
once was a professing Christian, this turn<br />
of affairs should have been most dis<br />
heartening. Only an apostate,<br />
some have<br />
said, can be really thorough in persecu<br />
tion, and Julian gives convincing evi<br />
dence to support the statement. Do you<br />
know one of the favorites of the perse<br />
cuted Christians of this period We are<br />
58<br />
told it was Psalm 96, "O sing unto the<br />
Lord a new<br />
I don't know what<br />
tune they used, but none could have<br />
scared Julian more than the one we have<br />
on page 232<br />
words do. Sing stanzas 1,<br />
packing the wallop those<br />
2, and 5 and<br />
see for yourself. Disheartened The mar<br />
tyrs knew whose side to be on!<br />
In the beautiful valleys below the Alps<br />
between Italy and France lived for cen<br />
turies a little band of Apostolic Chris<br />
tians called Vaudois. They<br />
never needed<br />
a<br />
Reformation, for they believed and<br />
worshiped and lived with the sincerity<br />
and devotion of the early disciples at<br />
Jerusalem and sent their missionaries all<br />
over Italy. Crushed between the great<br />
Papal powers of Italy, France, Spain, and<br />
Austria, these valiant Vaudois were<br />
cruelly massacred and finally driven into<br />
exile in 1686, and not until after a dec<br />
ade of heroism and hardship, sustained<br />
by<br />
an unquenchable love of their Lord<br />
and their native valleys, were they finally<br />
able to return. Would you select as the<br />
song<br />
of triumph for these Psalm-lovers<br />
the 85th or the 126th<br />
In 1682 the Ottoman Turks laid seige<br />
to Vienna in one of their last bids for<br />
control of eastern central Europe. Sobieski,<br />
King of Poland, had a band of<br />
Christian soldiers in the fight to save<br />
Vienna from the religion of the sword,<br />
and on the eve of victory they sang as<br />
their battle song, "Lord, not to us, not<br />
unto us, but do Thou glory take to Thine<br />
own name."<br />
In any language Psalm 115<br />
is a mounment to martyrs.<br />
Luther referred to a trio of Reforma<br />
tion songs as the Psalms of Paul, be<br />
cause they gave musical expression to<br />
Paul's great doctrine of salvation<br />
through faith<br />
confession and remission<br />
of sins through the blood of Christ. They<br />
are Psalms 32, 51, and 130. If you wish<br />
to sing some of the early<br />
verses of the<br />
first of these now, I will suggest next a<br />
settingfor<br />
some of the later verses.<br />
The immediate historical forebears of<br />
our faith, dear to us because they sang<br />
Psalms in our own tongue, endured much<br />
for their devotion to Christ. The Cove<br />
nanter believed in the Shepherd of Psalm<br />
23 and the Keeper in the hills of Psalm<br />
121. I wonder if young Richard Cameron<br />
ever sang stanzas 9 and 10 of Psalm 32<br />
after a hair-breadth escape from the<br />
dragoons, knowing that, even when cap<br />
tured and condemned, he would still be<br />
encompassed with songs of deliverance.<br />
For those at Grinnell last summer I<br />
need only mention the reference Dr. Cole<br />
man made in his Sabbath morning ad<br />
dress just before the Covenant-signing.<br />
The aged Donald Cargill, when he tried<br />
to speak to the throngs about his scaf<br />
fold, was driven to silence by a<br />
volley<br />
of drums, but he broke into the song as<br />
sociated with many baptisms and com<br />
munions in his long ministry, "Bless thou<br />
soul."<br />
Jehovah, O my If you haven't time<br />
for the whole Psalm, do a bit of choral<br />
reading and sing<br />
at least the triumphal<br />
conclusion found on page 248. No won<br />
der drums weren't loud enough to drown<br />
that song!<br />
You will, of course, want to sing our<br />
text Psalms in your favorite versions.<br />
Perhaps you would libe to read Psalm<br />
23 from your Bibles in this manner:<br />
All read verse 1.<br />
Leader: I shall not want for rest.<br />
Group: "He maketh me to lie down,<br />
Leader: I shall not want for peace.<br />
Group: "He leadeth me beside the still<br />
Leader: I shall not want for strength.<br />
Group: "He restoreth my<br />
Leader: I shall not want for guidance.<br />
Group: "He leadeth me in the paths,<br />
Leader: I shall not want for courage.<br />
Group: "Yea, though I walk,<br />
Leader: I shall not want for compan<br />
ionship.<br />
Group: "For thou are with me,<br />
tion.<br />
Leader: I shall not want for recogni<br />
Group: "Thou preparest my table,<br />
Leader: I shall not want for healing.<br />
Group: "Thou anointest my head,<br />
etc."<br />
Leader: I shall not want for refresh<br />
ment.<br />
Group: "My cup runneth<br />
Leader: I shall not want for reward.<br />
Group: "Surely goodness and mercy,<br />
Leader: I shall never be in want for<br />
anything.<br />
Group: "And I will dwell in,<br />
Have you prayed yet this meeting<br />
Martyrs always do. Sometimes they<br />
might conclude with the prayer at the end<br />
of Psalm 80, "O let Thy hand be still<br />
upon the man of<br />
Thy right hand."<br />
CURRENT EVENTS<br />
(Continued from Page 51)<br />
denies responsibility for the attacks<br />
and protests against any move to arm<br />
Costa Rica. The Organization of Ameri<br />
can<br />
States, which includes all<br />
twentyone<br />
American republics, has demonstrat<br />
ed its value in this dispute. It's council<br />
met<br />
immediately in Washington and<br />
sent an<br />
investigating committee to the<br />
scene.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
am"<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
February 13, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION<br />
Scripture: Mark 9:27-38<br />
Memory Verse: "And he saith unto<br />
them, But WHOM SAY YE THAT I<br />
AM And Peter answereth and saith<br />
unto him, "Thou art the Christ." Mark<br />
8:29.<br />
Psalms<br />
February Memory Psalm 25:3-6,<br />
page 57.<br />
Psalm 16:1, 7, 8, page 27.<br />
Psalm 38:10, 11, 13, page 98.<br />
Psalm 13:3, page 23.<br />
The Lord Jesus Christ performed many<br />
miracles when He was here on earth.<br />
He healed the sick and miraculously<br />
fed five thousand men besides women<br />
and children. At another time He fed<br />
about four thousand people. All these<br />
miracles show that Jesus is God for no<br />
mere man could do these things which<br />
Jesus did. These miracles led Jesus to<br />
have some talks with His disciples. To<br />
day we are studying about one of these<br />
talks with His disciples.<br />
Jesus and His disciples were going into<br />
the towns of Caesarea Phillipi. The time<br />
was drawing nearer when Jesus would<br />
die on the Cross for our sins and we<br />
have several very searching talks of<br />
Jesus with His disciples. As they were<br />
walking on the road between two villages<br />
of Caesarea Phillipi, Jesus asked His<br />
disciples a question. "Whom do men<br />
say that I am Now Jesus knew the<br />
answer to this question but He wished<br />
to make His disciples think about Who<br />
He was. The disciples thought back over<br />
what they had heard people say about<br />
Jesus. Herod and some others thought<br />
He was John the Baptist come to life<br />
again. Some people thought Jesus was<br />
that great prophet Elijah of the Old<br />
Testament times who had come to life.<br />
And if He was not so great as Elijah,<br />
then He was one of the prophets. We<br />
who know Jesus Christ as our personal<br />
Saviour and Redeemer think that these<br />
are such silly<br />
answers. John the Baptist<br />
and Elijah and Isaiah and Jeremiah<br />
were great men, but they were still<br />
MEN. They could not do the miracles<br />
that Jesus was constantly doing. But<br />
I'm sad to say that lots of people today<br />
think that Jesus is simply a great teach<br />
er. They think that, perhaps, He is the<br />
best of the prophets, just a very good<br />
man. They just don't want to believe<br />
that they<br />
are sinners and have to have<br />
a Saviour if they are to be saved from<br />
God's wrath.<br />
Then Jesus asked His disciples an<br />
other question. "But whom say YE that<br />
I<br />
am"<br />
Jesus is asking you and me this<br />
question today. We<br />
are sad to think<br />
there are some people who think Jesus<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
is only a man. But what somebody else<br />
says doesn't have to be our answer. You<br />
and I must answer the question for our<br />
selves. Notice that little three-letter word<br />
BUT. It isn't a whole lot of good for us<br />
to know what Aunt Susan or Uncle<br />
Josiah or even Mother and Daddy think<br />
of Jesus. However, we must admit that<br />
it ought to have a good effect on us<br />
to know that our parents know the<br />
Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.<br />
A doctor was on his deathbed. The<br />
minister who had known his father and<br />
mother, came to visit this doctor. The<br />
minister was much concerned about the<br />
doctor's soul. And he asked him, "Do<br />
you know Jesus as your<br />
Saviour" "Oh,"<br />
said the doctor with a sneer, "my mother<br />
and father used to believe that stufif<br />
but I don't." And the doctor died. He<br />
should have known better. He had a<br />
good opportunity to know Jesus, but he<br />
refused to accept Him as Christ, his<br />
Saviour. What answer do you have for<br />
this question, "Whom do YE say that<br />
am"<br />
I (Take a little time out in your<br />
Junior meeting to have several Juniors<br />
tell whom<br />
they say Jesus is."<br />
Peter, who is known as the "spokes<br />
man"of the<br />
disciples answered Jesus'<br />
second question. "Thou art the Christ."<br />
What did Peter's answer mean It<br />
meant that Jesus is the Saviour who was<br />
promised way back in the Garden of<br />
Eden after Adam had sinned. He is the<br />
One of whom Isaiah wrote, "He was<br />
wounded for our<br />
"Christ"<br />
transgressions."<br />
in the New Testament is the<br />
same as "Messiah" in the Old Testa<br />
ment. See John 5:24.<br />
"Christ"<br />
means<br />
"The Anointed One." There were kings<br />
and priests who were anointed, such as<br />
Aaron, Saul, and David. But "THE<br />
Anointed One" is "King of kings." He is<br />
not just a high priest but our GREAT<br />
High Priest. The work of the high priest<br />
was to stand between the people and<br />
God. But the high priest was himself<br />
a sinner. Our GREAT High Priest has<br />
no sin; He will never die; He did not<br />
have to offer animals but gave Him<br />
self to die for our sins; He is praying<br />
for you and for me. This Christ is the<br />
Christ, the Saviour of all who will re<br />
ceive Him into their hearts. Is He<br />
YOUR Christ<br />
For Your Notebook:<br />
Write a short paragraph giving your<br />
personal answer to the question which<br />
Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom say<br />
YE that I<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
February 13, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching:, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST<br />
John 3:1-21; 10:7-16; Acts 16:19-34<br />
2 Cor. 5:17<br />
Printed Text, John 3:5-7; Acts 16:25-34;<br />
2 Cor. 5:17<br />
Memory verse: Rejoice in the Lord al<br />
ways: and again I say, Rejoice. Phil.<br />
4:4<br />
Three and a half score years ago, a<br />
young preacher, supplying our pulpit, en<br />
tertained us youngsters of all ages, with<br />
a song, "Put the cookies on the lower<br />
shelf."<br />
The song was an appeal to<br />
preachers to phrase the truth in lan<br />
guage that we could reach. Jesus was the<br />
perfect example in presenting the truth<br />
in a way that could be understood. He<br />
brought the truth right down where we<br />
could reach it.<br />
Nicodemus was a very tall man, in<br />
tellectually. He realized that Jesus was<br />
dealing<br />
with truths much deeper than the<br />
common people could understand, and so<br />
was presenting them down where they<br />
could be reached. Nicodemus wanted to<br />
go into the very heights of the mystery,<br />
and know how a man became a "New<br />
Creature."<br />
Christ handed him the mystery<br />
on a shelf so high that he could not reach<br />
it. "Ye must be born<br />
again."<br />
Nicodemus<br />
called out to have it put down a little<br />
lower. Christ immediately brought it<br />
down a shelf; "Must be born of water<br />
and of the Holy Spirit."<br />
Nicodemus had misunderstood,<br />
thought the change was something physi<br />
cal. The New Birth is not of the flesh.<br />
It is by water and the Spirit. By water,<br />
the old is washed away. Then the Holy<br />
Spirit gives New Life, creating the New<br />
Man.<br />
Jesus spoke in the language we know.<br />
He spoke of the fields, the seed, the<br />
cattle, floweres, houses, foundations; He<br />
illustrated Heaven by the home, and<br />
family relations. He gave us a sugges<br />
tion of God's love in the prodigal's Fa<br />
ther,<br />
of the way<br />
of salvation in the<br />
prodigal, and of the need of brotherly<br />
love in the elder brother.<br />
Our physical birth was without our<br />
knowledge or understanding. The most<br />
learned physician does not understand.<br />
How can we expect to understand the<br />
invisible Spiritual birth And so Christ<br />
and His disciples talked much of God<br />
the Father; Jesus our Brother, the Holy<br />
Spirit the Comforter, sons, brothers,<br />
heirs. They spoke of things that are eter<br />
nal in terms of our present experience.<br />
Thus they<br />
would lead us to realize in<br />
some measure the relationship between<br />
God and his children.<br />
Acts 16:25. Paul and Silas were in<br />
prison in Philippi. They were in the in<br />
ner prison, bound, and their feet in the<br />
stocks. Their backs bruised from beat<br />
ing, and unwashed. Why Because they<br />
had freed a slave girl from an evil spirit<br />
59
prisoners'<br />
new."<br />
can"<br />
of divination. Her masters lost their gain<br />
and complained. So Paul and Silas were<br />
arrested. Folks were just as<br />
sensative<br />
about their pet idolatries then as they are<br />
now.<br />
The nature of devil-possession in the<br />
days of Christ, has been much dis<br />
puted. Some would find it even now in<br />
some forms of insanity. Others consid<br />
er it a special attempt by Satan to imi<br />
tate the incarnation of Christ. If so, the<br />
attempt was a dismal failure, and no<br />
wonder. Christ, Himself pure, took to<br />
Himself a true body and a reasonable<br />
soul. Satan, himself evil, could get only<br />
evil .bodies. Satan may have thought to<br />
discredit the apostles by having them<br />
proclaim by a soothsaying slave. They<br />
rebuked the devil, and were imprisoned.<br />
Paul and Silas were in no condition to<br />
sleep, with their wounded backs un<br />
washed and their feet in the stocks. In<br />
stead of grumbling and groaning, they<br />
began to pray and sing. Notice Wey<br />
mouth's translation of verse 25. "About<br />
midnight, Paul and Silas were praying<br />
and singing hymns, and the prisoners<br />
were listening." This quite literal trans<br />
lation, would suggest a prayer meeting.<br />
Some of the hearts may have<br />
been like the good soil of the parable.<br />
Perhaps that is why they did not try to<br />
escape in the earthquake. We do not<br />
know if the Jailer was listening. We do<br />
not know how much Paul may have said<br />
to him before he asked his great question.<br />
He must have known about sin and sal<br />
vation, before he could ask the question,<br />
or understand the answer. It is interesting<br />
to notice that the answer given to the<br />
jailer was the same that Christ gave to<br />
Nicodemus. A learned teacher of the<br />
Jews, and a jailer, probably Roman,<br />
one claiming the covenant of Abraham,<br />
the other an idolater: the answer was the<br />
same, because their need and opportun<br />
ity were the same.<br />
The Jailer was so glad and had ex<br />
perienced so great a blessing that he<br />
treated the apostles with the kindest<br />
hospitality, and had them teach his<br />
household so they were all baptized to<br />
gether. So that prayer meeting bore<br />
fruit.<br />
Baptism is the sign of cleansing from<br />
sin. If it is sincere, there is the regenera<br />
tion by the Holy Spirit, giving the New<br />
Life, the New Birth. Jesus did not come<br />
into the world to make men better. He<br />
came to make them good. Christ came<br />
not to improve men, but to change them.<br />
Not to make them better, but to make<br />
them .perfect.<br />
Salvation is a new experience, and<br />
gives a new outlook on life. If our heart<br />
is centered on this world,<br />
we know that<br />
there is nothing that cannot be taken<br />
from us, and so we become peeved if we<br />
think someone has wronged us. In the<br />
50<br />
new life, we know that nothing can be<br />
taken from us, that no-one can injure us.<br />
So we can smile and return good to those<br />
who would do us evil. If in this life only,<br />
we have hope, then it is quite natural<br />
to hoard the things that will buy this<br />
world's goods. If we have experience of a<br />
place and work in Christ's Kingdom, then<br />
naturally, we will find a motive in<br />
acquiring and using earth's values for the<br />
service of Christ's Kingdom. For our own<br />
personal health and comfort, just so<br />
much as is for the glory of God,<br />
and<br />
no more. And if we have not paid to<br />
the Lord the tithe from the wheat that<br />
we owe, we will likely take the Lord a<br />
bucket of turnips as a present.<br />
We cannot become perfect except by<br />
being born again by water and the Holy<br />
Spirit. "Therefore, if any man be in<br />
Christ, he is a new creature: Old things<br />
are passed away; behold, all things are<br />
become<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
For February 16, 1955<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood<br />
THE DANGER OF SPURNING GOD'S<br />
Psalms<br />
LOVE AND WORSHIP<br />
(Malachi 1:6-14 & 2:1-9)<br />
Psalm 122: page 316<br />
Psalm 5: page 8<br />
Psalm 50: page 129<br />
Psalm 116: page 282<br />
This man whom God has called "My<br />
(Malachi), began the mes<br />
Messenger"<br />
sage (1:1-6) by stating and proving<br />
God's love. Against that rich background<br />
of God's gratuitous love, he now pro<br />
ceeds to describe these people to them<br />
selves; and their actions and inward<br />
thoughts betray a lack of love that<br />
stands out in naked and ugly con<br />
trast. God charges that they didn't give<br />
Him the honour a child would give his<br />
parent, nor the fear a servant would give<br />
his master. He was their Father (Hos.<br />
11:1; Is. 63:6; 64:8) because He had<br />
made them and all that they were, and<br />
He was also their Master or Lord (Is.<br />
43:8). In other words, "He had made<br />
them and He had bought them" from<br />
bondage safely through the wilderness.<br />
He could have commanded their obedi<br />
ence on either count, but He wanted a<br />
"service"<br />
of love. Bernard said, "God requireth<br />
to be feared as a Lord, honored<br />
as a Father, loved as a husband. Love is<br />
the chiefest of these . . . Honor<br />
and glory<br />
belong to God alone ; but neither of them<br />
will God accept, unless seasoned with<br />
the honey of love." Love keeps fear from<br />
being servile torment, honor from being<br />
adulation. It makes of honor a thing of<br />
grace.<br />
PROOF NO. 1<br />
OF THE SPURNED<br />
LOVE<br />
The people denied God's charges with<br />
another sullen "prove it if you<br />
question (1:6 last sentence),<br />
and God<br />
answered by describing<br />
their services<br />
to Him around the temple. Their lack<br />
of love showed up first in their WOR<br />
SHIP services. God considered that evi<br />
dence the most direct and important and<br />
He gives three indications of it: (1) their<br />
wouldn't<br />
sacrifices, they dare to offer to<br />
a human governor the things they were<br />
God for sacrifice (1:8,7); (2)<br />
offering<br />
Their prayers, weren't being answered<br />
for this very reason (2 :3) ; (3) Their at<br />
titude, the temple itself wasn't cared for<br />
as it should have been (1:10). This was<br />
their response to all God's love at the<br />
"touchpoint"<br />
of WORSHIP service<br />
where He longed for it most and where<br />
it should have been most in evidence.<br />
Some, today,<br />
to church because they<br />
work for God and come<br />
FEAR Him<br />
as a servant; fear what will happen to<br />
them if they don't. They're afraid not to.<br />
Some, today,<br />
work for God and come<br />
to church because they honor God as a<br />
child does<br />
get out of it. They<br />
and creation<br />
But God looks<br />
a parent, because he can't<br />
respect God's power<br />
He's bigger than they are.<br />
.beyond these for a<br />
service born of love and without it, these<br />
others will begin to f<strong>org</strong>et their tithes,<br />
they'll sleep through the worship (1:13),<br />
f<strong>org</strong>et to sing and pray, and become easi<br />
ly distracted. They will, in effect, show<br />
God less courtesy and reverence than<br />
they<br />
would give a human governor in<br />
an interview. Their prayers will be un<br />
answered, their church will fail to grow<br />
in usefulness, they will be spurning God's<br />
love.<br />
On the other hand, with that Love,<br />
anyone can grow beyond a service of<br />
servile fear and limited honor to that<br />
point from which he can see that his<br />
actions and attitudes in God's services.<br />
are caused by the fact that "He first<br />
loved them."<br />
Young people may begin<br />
their "service" to God because of fear<br />
or a desire to honor God's power but<br />
everyone should grow through these to<br />
a motive of love.<br />
Not selfish fear, not<br />
just a filial sense of responsibility, but<br />
love should be the motive that connects<br />
us and all our services to God. Dionysius<br />
said; "As we are said to sanctify God,<br />
when we minister to Him in holiness and<br />
righteousness, and so, as far as in us lies,<br />
show that He is holy; so we are said to<br />
pollute Hirn, when we conduct ourselves<br />
irreverently and viciously before Him,<br />
especially in His worship, and thereby,<br />
as far as in us lies, shew that He is not<br />
dishonored."<br />
holy and is to be<br />
REASON NO. 1<br />
God not only<br />
FOR THE SPURNED<br />
LOVE<br />
put His finger on what<br />
was to him the most hateful indication of<br />
their lack of responding love, He went to<br />
the source of the problem when He said<br />
who was most at fault. He was also hold-<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
. . When<br />
meat"<br />
continent,"<br />
ing out every hope of remedy when He<br />
charged the preachers with being first of<br />
fenders. He does not excuse the people<br />
(1:14) but He openly criticizes the<br />
priests (1:6, 7 & 2:1). He holds them<br />
responsible for the purity<br />
of the table<br />
whereat they had communion with God.<br />
Those priests didn't set out to "des<br />
pise"<br />
God's name or to "offer polluted<br />
bread"<br />
Lord is<br />
and<br />
or to say<br />
"The table of the<br />
contemptible,"<br />
or to "profane<br />
pollute"<br />
it (1:12); in fact, they even<br />
denied these charges because they had<br />
never spoken those exact words<br />
but God<br />
is saying, it's your actions that speak so<br />
loudly I cannot hear what you say.<br />
Times were hard in that period of re<br />
construction and when people brought<br />
a faulty sacrifice, and were criticized or<br />
turned away, they stopped coming, the<br />
congregation dwindled, the priests were<br />
criticized and didn't eat well. So, they<br />
lowered the bars and winked at a lame<br />
or blind sheep (Lev. 22:22). They ate<br />
'better for a while and became popular<br />
with a certain class of people because<br />
they allowed them to bring whatever<br />
they happened to have on hand, but "fi<br />
nally it got so bad that they complained<br />
about the "contemptible (1:12)<br />
and the long hours of visitation, sermon<br />
preparation, and terms of communion<br />
that brought no results. They allowed<br />
their own opinions and desires to lead<br />
them to pretend to be more merciful and<br />
wise than God and God speaks directly<br />
to the people for they<br />
should never have<br />
accepted such unauthorized leniency at<br />
the hands of the priests (1:14). But again<br />
in Chapter 2 God condemns the ministers<br />
bitterly and warns that if they refuse re<br />
form, they'll .be swept from the temple<br />
along with other filth (2:3). The minis<br />
ters, by their actions, had brought down<br />
shame<br />
and contempt upon themselves.<br />
There was no longer any absolute author<br />
ity, they themselves had forsaken God's<br />
authority and therefore had none of their<br />
own. They had forsaken their reason for<br />
forsook the<br />
being respected when they<br />
authority of the law that had ordained<br />
them. "Blind is the sacrifice of the soul,<br />
which is not illumined by the light of<br />
Christ. Lame is his sacrifice of prayer,<br />
who comes with a double mind to en<br />
treat the Lord ... we pollute the bread,<br />
that is, the Body of Christ, when we ap<br />
proach the Altar unworthily, and, being<br />
defiled, drink that pure blood . . . the<br />
deeds of sinners pour contempt on the<br />
Table of God .<br />
the sacraments<br />
are violated, Himself, whose sacraments<br />
they are, is<br />
violated."<br />
Jerome.<br />
God spoke to these ministers with<br />
brutal frankness, it was the only hope of<br />
the church He was preparing for the<br />
coming of His Son! They had altered the<br />
terms of their covenant because of per<br />
sonal desires and opinions without<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
proper authority (I Cor. 14:40) from<br />
Him, and doing so, had proven better<br />
than anything else God could think of,<br />
their lack of love for Him, and their own<br />
unworthiness of the respect of their fel<br />
low men. Because of that, they could ful<br />
fill neither their duty to God nor their<br />
duty to their fellow man and, refusing<br />
reform, would produce the fruit of 2:8<br />
and retire to 2:9.<br />
It was God's great love that prompted<br />
Him to hold out every hope of reform<br />
by sending Malachi to give us a "stan<br />
dard"<br />
whereby every pastor might mea<br />
sure himself (2:5-7). He reminded them<br />
again of their "first love" and life pur<br />
pose<br />
when they had kept their cove<br />
nant with a spirit of reverence (2:5), in<br />
truth of doctrine, in righteousness of<br />
judgment, in godliness of life, and as a<br />
direct result, "did turn many from in<br />
iquity."<br />
(2:6) Malachi applies his own<br />
name to such a pastor, identifying him as<br />
"the messenger of the Lord of Hosts."'<br />
(2:7)<br />
Discussion:<br />
1. Discuss the relationship<br />
of<br />
"worship"<br />
service to "Daily Christian" service and<br />
the influence of love. Distinguish between<br />
love of Peter and that of John in John<br />
21.<br />
2. What difference do you see between<br />
a servant of God and a son of God<br />
(John 8:35; 15:15; Matt. 25:21, 23)<br />
3. The problem involved in having<br />
everyone make up his own terms of com<br />
munion. Review briefly the only terms<br />
whereby pastors of our church are au<br />
thorized to administer communion. (Test<br />
pp. 190, 4; 316, 10; 333-336). See I Cor.<br />
5 for Paul's advice about how to avoid<br />
polluting the Lord's Table.<br />
ice.<br />
For Prayer<br />
The Sabbath Morning Worship Serv<br />
The Seminary where our "priests" are<br />
trained.<br />
Every<br />
pastor of the church<br />
those most<br />
responsible to God for administering an<br />
impartial Word (2:9).<br />
For a purified and revived church<br />
with a service born of love.<br />
MISSIONARY CONVENTION ....<br />
(Continued from page 57)<br />
picted different areas of the world and<br />
various branches of service. These ex<br />
hibits were prepared by students of<br />
selected chapters of IVCF, FMF and<br />
NCF in all parts of the country. During<br />
the week 12 films on foreign work were<br />
shown. Free literature from 77<br />
boards<br />
was on display. The bookroom did a<br />
smashing business of 120 sales an hour<br />
between sessions.<br />
Who can f<strong>org</strong>et the Rev. Mr. Redpath's<br />
clear presentation of the claims<br />
of the Lord in Matthew 28:18-20<br />
"There is enough key personnel here to<br />
change evangelical life on this<br />
he said.<br />
Speaking again on Thursday<br />
night, Redpath outlined the fullness of<br />
the Spirit, not as an optional experience<br />
but essential.<br />
The international and interracial char<br />
acter of the conference was revealed in<br />
a number of ways. Mr. William Nagenda<br />
widely known African church leader<br />
from Uganda, British East Africa, ad<br />
dressed the Wednesday night audience,<br />
as well as several daily discussion<br />
groups. With disarming simplicity he<br />
spoke on the conditions of discipleship<br />
from Matthew 6:33. Foreign students<br />
and Christian leaders appeared on the<br />
platform throughout the week and assist<br />
ed in the services. A highlight of the<br />
five days was a<br />
foreign students tea<br />
on<br />
Wednesday afternoon attended by<br />
140 from 40 different countries, some<br />
from every continent. Besides members<br />
of many different Protestant groups and<br />
a Coptic priest, there were Hindus, Mos<br />
lems and Buddhists. Purpose of the<br />
tea was<br />
to get acquainted and share<br />
impressions. Following a brief presenta<br />
tion of Christianity by Mr. David H.<br />
Adeney and Mr. William Nagenda, mem<br />
bers of the group participated in a time<br />
of testimonies and discussion.<br />
Typical comments from delegates<br />
were, "The Lord is really working here";<br />
"I think I had all the wind knocked out<br />
of me"; "I came here hardly knowing<br />
what missions were all about. Now I am<br />
willing<br />
to go as a<br />
missionary."<br />
One co<br />
ed, saved only two months before con<br />
vention, had hesitated coming because<br />
she feared she would be lonely without<br />
the usual parties and social times of<br />
Christmas vacation.<br />
After the second<br />
day she said, "Somehow I don't seem<br />
to miss them." Even during the con<br />
vention some<br />
students entered into a<br />
real experience of Christ as Lord and<br />
Saviour. One missionary was asked for<br />
advice regarding what book he should<br />
buy,<br />
"As," said the students, "I have<br />
only been a Christian for two days."<br />
The five-day meet closed on a tri<br />
umphant note as hundreds stood indi<br />
cating that they were purposing to go as<br />
missionaries as the Lord leads. The final<br />
hours of the old year were spent in a<br />
united service. The session was address<br />
ed by IVCF general secretary, Mr. C.<br />
Stacey Woods, who warned<br />
that the<br />
world is a spiritually dark place and we<br />
must not let our lights go out. The<br />
sight of 2,000 persons from many dif<br />
ferent states and countries, all one in<br />
Christ, partaking of Communion togeth<br />
er was a fitting<br />
climax to the theme.<br />
Paul H. Sheetz<br />
61
observant"<br />
Dr. Ida M. Scott, former missionary in<br />
China, passed to her reward on Monday,<br />
January 17, from the Aged People's<br />
Home.<br />
COLLEGE HILL<br />
The Christmas entertainment, under<br />
the leadership of Mrs. Stewart Lee,<br />
Superintendent and her assistants was<br />
a pleasant and profitable affair. The<br />
younger classes repeated Bible verses<br />
and gave recitations and the Intermediate<br />
Class, Miss Aphrodite Thrombattas, the<br />
teacher, gave a playlet entitled "While<br />
the Shepherds Watched." The Primary<br />
Class, Mrs. Alice Sterrett, teacher, pre<br />
sented an interesting exercise, "The<br />
Best Gift." All sang carols. Six members<br />
of the School had a perfect attendance<br />
during the year.<br />
Two interesting features on the pro<br />
gram were the presentation of a lamp<br />
to Mrs. Stewart Lee for her very efficient<br />
leadership as Superintendent of the<br />
Sabbath School and Leader of our choir,<br />
and a portrait of Ulysses S. Grant on<br />
a $50.00 bill from the congregation to our<br />
Pastor, Dr. F. H. Lathom.<br />
The White Gift which is taken at this<br />
time amounted to $137.62 and was ap<br />
portioned to The Salvation Army, Am<br />
erican Bible Society, American Sabbath<br />
School Union, Church World Service,<br />
the W.C.T.U., Christian Amendment<br />
Movement and the Welfare Fund.<br />
Miss Rose Munell addressed our<br />
Thank Offering meeting in November on<br />
the work in Cyprus, showing interesting<br />
pictures.<br />
W.M.S. $134.20,<br />
The Thank Offering was<br />
W. R. Redpath Mis<br />
sionary Society $96.00 and the Highland<br />
ers $45.50, total $275.70.<br />
AN APPRECIATION<br />
We wish to bear testimony to the<br />
sterling Christian character of Dr. Paul<br />
Coleman and to his leadership as a<br />
pastor. When we were considering mak<br />
ing out a call for him, no objections<br />
were raised other than one member<br />
remarking, "Do you think his physical<br />
strength will be equal to it" We are<br />
very grateful that God not only gave<br />
him the strength to stand it for over<br />
30 years, but also to give us a leader<br />
ship that no one but a consecrated fol<br />
lower of Jesus Christ could give, and<br />
one that will continue to bear fruit<br />
in the years to come.<br />
Dr. Coleman is a man of strong faith,<br />
a true and zealous interpreter of God's<br />
Word and a firm believer in the effi-<br />
62<br />
cacy of prayer. His interest in the chil<br />
dren and young people was manifested in<br />
the vitality and zest he put forth in<br />
their mental, physical and social as well<br />
as their spiritual lives. He was always<br />
willing to lend a helping hand.<br />
Dr. Coleman was a welcome visitor in<br />
our homes and a friend in need or<br />
joy.<br />
His quarterly letters to our out of town<br />
members, showing<br />
an interest in them<br />
and informing them of our congregation<br />
al work, brought many responses, sev<br />
eral stating that they would have been<br />
lost to our denomination had it not<br />
been for them.<br />
Our prayer is that God will give him<br />
physical relief and enable him to still<br />
take a part in our Denominational work<br />
for which he is so eminently fitted.<br />
Kansas City Session.<br />
MORNING SUN, IA.<br />
After the January W.M.S. meeting with<br />
Mrs. Robert Dickson, Mrs. J. E. McElroy<br />
was pleasantly surprised with a New<br />
Year's Gift pound party.<br />
James Dunn and family<br />
and presented the Morning<br />
have made<br />
Sun church<br />
with an outdoor bulletin board in mem<br />
ory of his mother Mrs. Knox (Tillie<br />
Dodds) Dunn. She will be remembered<br />
as the hostess to all the visiting minis<br />
ters as long as services were held at<br />
Wyman,<br />
and when Wyman congregation<br />
was dis<strong>org</strong>anized she brought her family<br />
to the Morning Sun congregation where<br />
she was a<br />
faithful member of church<br />
services and the Women's Missionary<br />
society, serving as hostess to misionary<br />
meetings and contributing generously to<br />
all missions. When her death occured a<br />
few years ago, she had a large sum<br />
waiting to be used in her W.M.S. Thank<br />
Offering envelope.<br />
To carry on the Dodds and Dunn<br />
reputation for leadership<br />
in religious<br />
work, at the Older Boys and Girls con<br />
ference held in Morning Sun two of<br />
Knox Dunn's grandchildren were elected<br />
to offices. Virginia Dunn, son of William<br />
Dunn as Vice-President, and Jimmy<br />
Dunn, son of James Dunn, elected as<br />
Secretary-Treasurer. Rev. McElroy con<br />
ducted one of the discussion groups at<br />
this conference. There was a good atten<br />
dance in spite of the blizzard which also<br />
came that day.<br />
Members of the CYPU each asked a<br />
guest to supper social held at the Clyde<br />
MeElhinney country home. About 20 at<br />
tended with Rev. and Mrs. McElroy as<br />
sponsors.<br />
Our sympathy goes to Mrs. Patter<br />
son's brother Robert Dickson,<br />
who is our<br />
faithful janitor, and to her husband<br />
Rev. H. G. Patterson who was our pastor<br />
for thirty-five years.<br />
For many years<br />
before her marriage she was loved just<br />
because she was lovely as her name indi<br />
cates, and then as pastor's wife she filled<br />
it graciously, as WMS President, and<br />
Presbyterial President and taught our<br />
children in the Sabbath School, as well<br />
as serving as Junior S. S. Sup't. many<br />
years. She also was leader of the Junior<br />
Society several years, and was especial<br />
ly proficient in the use of the flannel<br />
graph. She continued in this service<br />
even after her husband retired as pastor.<br />
Word has come that Rev. Patterson's<br />
of southern Illinois died<br />
sister Mary<br />
after a brief illness, she had been visit<br />
ing at Cameron Patterson's in Florida at<br />
the same time her brother was there.<br />
Morning<br />
Sun annual church dinner<br />
was held at the library, with the usual<br />
delicious meal, followed by a program,<br />
One game which everyone enjoyed was<br />
"Are you<br />
prepared by Mrs.<br />
Robert Dickson. Questions were asked<br />
like these<br />
the picture on the church<br />
bulletin of last Sabbath, the number of<br />
pews, the number of lights in the church.<br />
Make up your own list, and try it at<br />
your socials.<br />
Music was furnished by<br />
Winnifred Wilson on the accordion<br />
Gwen Wilson on the piano, and Jimmy<br />
McElroy on the tonette accompanied by<br />
Gwen Wilson. Latha McElhinney gave<br />
a<br />
humorous reading.<br />
New S. S. officers for the year are<br />
Supt. Hoyt Cummings, Asst. Supt. Mrs.<br />
Fred Johnson; Secretary, Mrs. Ella Mc<br />
Murtry; Treasurer, Walter Hutcheson;<br />
Temperance Superintendent, Mrs. Emma<br />
Schofield, Junior Superintendent, Mrs.<br />
Walter Hutcheson, Cradle Superintendent<br />
Mrs. Frances Pogemiller.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Cummings have<br />
gone to Orlando Florida for the winter.<br />
She will be missed as one of the S. S.<br />
teachers.<br />
Mrs. Mary Hetherington who suffered<br />
a broken leg is in the Burlington hospi<br />
tal. While there she found what good<br />
nurses were her granddaughters Martha<br />
Stodgell, and Elizabeth Brenner who are<br />
daughters of the late Mrs. Lee (Ellen<br />
Hetherington) Stodgell.<br />
Mrs. Anna Wilson is ill at her son<br />
Ralph's home.<br />
Mrs. Cora Kimble has been in the<br />
Davenport, Iowa hospital under the care<br />
of her nephew Dale Wilson. Her present<br />
address is Morning Star Convalescent<br />
Home R. 3, Harrison Street Road,<br />
Davenport, Iowa. Before going to the<br />
hospital she was cared for by her sis<br />
ter Nellie Kilpatrick.<br />
Mrs. Lois Honeyman entertained at a<br />
dinner party for her son John who is<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
captain of Arnold V. Walker towboat on<br />
the Mississippi River.<br />
Week of Prayer services were observed<br />
the first week of January.<br />
Mrs. Edith Ifft of Butler, Penna., Dr.<br />
and Mrs. Robert Patterson and family<br />
of Ault, Colo., and Dr. and Mrs. Milton<br />
Patterson and family of Mediapolis,<br />
Iowa, were here to attend Mrs. Patter<br />
son's funeral. Mrs. Edith Ifft remained<br />
with her father for a few days.<br />
The<br />
Overlength<br />
FRESNO NEWS<br />
Editor<br />
Pacific Coast Summer Confer<br />
ence will be held at Long Meadow, Hume<br />
Lake, California August 6-13. Plan your<br />
vacations to be present and receive<br />
spiritual blessings.<br />
Good attendance has been reported<br />
at the Week of Prayer meetings. Mr.<br />
J. R. McCloy was in charge of the<br />
Monday meeting, and Rev. R. W. Mc<br />
Millan led the Wednesday meeting. Mr.<br />
Phillips had several men from the Rescue<br />
Mission gave their testimonies.<br />
Mr. John Walkinshaw led the Friday<br />
meeting.<br />
UNITING OF BLANCHARD<br />
AND CLARINDA<br />
On January 2, 1955 a special Commis<br />
sion of the Midwest Presbytery<br />
Clarinda, Iowa and united the Blanch<br />
met in<br />
ard and Clarinda congregations. An As<br />
semblies of God group has bought the<br />
Blanchard church building. An offer has<br />
been received for the parsonage. The<br />
united congregation will still be called<br />
the Clarinda congregation.<br />
SOUTHFIELD, BIRMINGHAM, MICH.<br />
Southfield's Fall Communion was a<br />
fine season with Dr. M. K. Carson bring<br />
ing<br />
us messages at this time. We sign<br />
ed the Covenant in connection with the<br />
Communion service. It was noted that<br />
the names of four generations were<br />
signed to our covenant. Mrs. Elizabeth<br />
McDonald, W. Malcolm McDonald, Wil<br />
bur McDonald, Shirley McDonald. Mrs.<br />
Elizabeth McDonald who will be 100<br />
years old on Valentines day also signed<br />
the Covenant of 1871. "But the mercy<br />
of the Lord is from everlasting to ever<br />
lasting upon them that fear him, and<br />
his righteousness unto children's child<br />
ren; to such as keep his covenant, and<br />
to those that remember his command<br />
ments to do them."<br />
At the present time all the Services<br />
in Southfield are being held in the base<br />
ment recreation room of the parsonage<br />
while our church is being moved back<br />
on the lot and a new basement being<br />
constructed. Southfield has needed more<br />
Sabbath School room and a new heat<br />
ing system for a long<br />
time. We are glad<br />
that it is possible to add these improve-<br />
ments. It will mean a much more attract<br />
ive and useful "House of God."<br />
We are always glad for visitors in<br />
Southfield. Some of the recent ones have<br />
been Glenn McFarland from the Semi<br />
nary; Jessie McFarland from Geneva<br />
College, Leslie Abbott from Michigan<br />
State College; Dr. and Mrs. Ira Smith<br />
of Ann Arbor and daughter of London,<br />
England; Mr. and Mrs. Mel Rutherford<br />
of Belle Center Ohio. Miss Mildred El<br />
sey of Cincinatti, and Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Hugh Martin of Denver, Colorado.<br />
Our annual Thank Offering Service<br />
was held on Sabbath Morning, November<br />
21. Miss Orlena Lynn told of her work<br />
in Japan. Then in the evening she<br />
showed slides and told more of the life<br />
and work there. We surely appreciated<br />
her visit and stay among us.<br />
Miss Ameera Hanna united with the<br />
Southfield Congregation this fall. She<br />
came from Latakia, Syria in the early<br />
summer. We enjoy her company and are<br />
glad she is at home with Miss Edna<br />
Elsey. Ameera<br />
plans to enter Geneva<br />
College to continue her education as<br />
soon as possible.<br />
TOPEKA<br />
A Forest Park Booster Banquet was<br />
held Wednesday evening December 29<br />
here in Topeka with approximately 120<br />
in attendance.<br />
The<br />
annual New Year's dinner was<br />
held January 1. The following S. S. of<br />
ficers were elected at the business meet<br />
ing: Superintendent, Paul G;.beson; As<br />
sistant Superintendent, Bob Maine; Sec<br />
retary, Carl Blackwood; Assistant Sec<br />
retary, Jimmie Oelke; Treasurer, Mar<br />
tin Chestnut ; Precentor, Elizabeth Maine ;<br />
Assistant Precentor, Virginia Davies;<br />
Junior Superintendent, Betty Martin; As<br />
sistant Superintendent, Mary Ella Stark.<br />
The first week of January was observed<br />
as the week of prayer with Rev. Sam<br />
Boyle preaching Monday evening;<br />
prayrmeetings Tuesday, Wednesday and<br />
Friday<br />
day evening.<br />
evenings and W.M.S. Thurs<br />
WALTON<br />
The girls of the Young People's Group<br />
have redecorated a basement room in our<br />
church as a game room. Two small gas<br />
heaters have been installed. The room is<br />
very attractive and will fill a real need.<br />
The girls are to be commended for their<br />
work.<br />
John Russell, Wayne Spear and Wen<br />
dell Spear, students at Geneva College,<br />
were home for the holidays. Scott Boyle,<br />
high school student in Sterling, Kansas,<br />
was also in Walton visiting the Boyle<br />
family.<br />
The Women's Missionary Society and<br />
the Missionary Guild were entertained at<br />
the home of Mrs. Howard Gilchrist for<br />
their December meeting. Mrs. Grace<br />
Boyle was the honor guest. Gifts were<br />
presented to her by the group.<br />
On December 26, at our morning wor<br />
ship service, the sacrament of baptism<br />
was administered to William Samuel<br />
Boyle, infant son of the Rev. and Mrs.<br />
Samuel Boyle.<br />
The Sabbath School held its Holiday<br />
program on<br />
Wednesday evening, Decem<br />
ber 29. A short prayer meeting was held<br />
and the program followed. Each class<br />
contributed a part of the program.<br />
Both the audience and the entertainers<br />
enjoyed themselves. The room was beau<br />
tifully decorated for the occasion. A tree<br />
and treats added to the enjoyment of the<br />
evening.<br />
The churches of Walton united in the<br />
week of Prayer services. Seven services<br />
were held on different evenings in the<br />
various churches.<br />
Every speaker had a<br />
very helpful message. The last Sabbath<br />
evening<br />
service was held in our church.<br />
Since we recently studied the book of<br />
Ephesians in our prayer meeting hour,<br />
our pastor is preaching a series of ser<br />
mons during Bible Mastery Month on the<br />
First Epistle of John.<br />
STUDENT-PREACHING<br />
SCHEDULES<br />
Inquiry has been made as to whether<br />
there is a clearing-house for information<br />
about scheduling Seminary students for<br />
preaching engagements, either<br />
during the<br />
school year or<br />
during the summer<br />
months.<br />
Congregational correspondents or Clerks<br />
of Sessions may send requests to Dr. S.<br />
Bruce Willson 7418 Penn Avenue, Pitts<br />
burgh 8, Pa. It would be helpful if spe<br />
cific dates are requested, and if there is<br />
request for a<br />
specific student. This is<br />
not intended to supercede direct corres<br />
pondence, if that is desired. Any suggest<br />
ed arrangements will be submitted to<br />
Presbytery's Committee on Supplies for<br />
approval.<br />
Preaching schedules<br />
months are<br />
being<br />
time.<br />
for the summer<br />
made at the present<br />
Sincerely,<br />
S. Bruce Willson<br />
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA<br />
Rev. R. S. McElhinney has been con<br />
fined to his home because of illness. We<br />
pray that his recovery will be rapid and<br />
that he will soon be able to worship with<br />
us again.<br />
On January 10, the young people en<br />
joyed a wiener roast at the "Red-bud"<br />
Shelter House at McCormick's Creek<br />
State Park. A roaring fire was built in<br />
one of the buildings while the young<br />
people played various active games in<br />
the other. At the close of the evening, a<br />
short devotional period was held using<br />
as references Psalm 119: verses 9 and 11.<br />
January 26, 1955<br />
6a
other"<br />
erf 8 qSjcnqsima<br />
THE RISING TIDE&W^<br />
A Layman Writes<br />
"I want to voice my approval and commendation to the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church for having at<br />
long last hit upon one of the most important things in giving weight to its testimony for<br />
Christ. I refer to the tithing resolution signed by eighty-eight prominent members of the<br />
church at large."<br />
Another One Says<br />
"What a great step has been taken in our <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church! Would it not be fitting to<br />
. . 'God's Kingdom will come. Do you accept the offered privilege of a part in the<br />
say<br />
.<br />
work by giving as He directed' Why not insist on preaching a whole Gospel, all graces<br />
supplementing each<br />
One Minister's Facts to His Congregation<br />
. 12,000<br />
BUDGET RAISED LAST YEAR $103,000<br />
ASKED FOR THIS YEAR 110,000<br />
ADDITIONAL FOR JAPAN 5,000<br />
INCREASE ASKED OVER LAST YEAR<br />
TOTAL GIVEN LAST YEAR 408,000<br />
THREE PER CENT INCREASE<br />
OVER THAT WILL<br />
DOIT<br />
Straws in the Wind<br />
A MINISTER DOUBLES HIS LAST YEAR'S TITHE<br />
A PASTOR ASKS HIS PEOPLE TO MEET THEIR SHARE OF THE INCREASE<br />
ONE CONGREGATION HAS PLEDGED $1000 ABOVE REGULAR GIVING<br />
We Are on the Way<br />
IF EVERY COVENATER WILL ADD HIS WEIGHT<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS.
expressions"<br />
Missionary Number<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1955 NUMBER 5<br />
The<br />
"Why"<br />
of Evangelical Missions<br />
JAMES DeFOREST MURCH, D.D.<br />
In United Evangelical Action, used by Permission.<br />
EVANGELICALS are by nature missionary. The<br />
largest per capita giving in Protestantism for<br />
foreign missions is in strictly evangelical denomin<br />
ations. For some years now the largest number of<br />
new foreign missionaries have been sent by evan<br />
gelical boards. In fact, if it were not for the new<br />
ly-developing strength of these boards there would<br />
be a tragic loss of zeal and accomplishment in the<br />
total picture of Protestant Christian missions.<br />
It is unfortunate that the once-universal Prot<br />
estant fellowship in the task of evangelization has<br />
been broken. There was a time when the missionary<br />
of the world was united in its belief that<br />
leadership<br />
Jesus Christ, God and Saviour, is the only hope of<br />
a world lost in sin and shame. Today humanistic<br />
activism and an intellectual and religious syncretism<br />
have been projected into world missions to the de<br />
struction of its unity and evangelicals have been<br />
forced to build again the foundations.<br />
The only authentic Christianity that ever was or<br />
ever will be is the Christianity that is both Jesus,<br />
the historic Son of Man and Son of God, and the<br />
Eternal Christ, the risen and everlasting Master<br />
and Lord. This Christianity is not a search of man<br />
for God. It is God's offer of Himself to men in<br />
Christ, who was not a "fellow seeker with us after<br />
bodily."<br />
God,"<br />
but "the fullness of the Godhead<br />
This Christianity does not admit that mankind is<br />
capable in itself of constant progress and improve<br />
ment and of advancing toward perfection, but holds<br />
that motive and power are in Christ to those who<br />
are born again through the Gospel.<br />
Evangelicals are, therefore,<br />
convinced that the<br />
preaching<br />
of the Gospel is the essential task of<br />
missions and must always remain so. We do not<br />
object to programs for the solution of agricultural,<br />
social, political and industrial problems but we be<br />
lieve that each country, race and generation must<br />
solve its own problems in the light of God's Word<br />
through the native churches. Our chief aim is the<br />
personal conversion of men to a new life in<br />
Christ, to complete surrender to God's will as re<br />
vealed in His Word and to new relations of love<br />
to their fellowman.<br />
Evangelicals refuse to identify Christianity with<br />
non-Chrstian religions. Christianity is not a re<br />
ligion in the sense that it is a search for God. We<br />
refuse to compromise with heathenism. We believe<br />
Christianity should perceive and hold fast the truth<br />
of its own uniqueness. It should be proclaimed in a<br />
simple message by words and deeds transfused with<br />
love. It should anticipate the absolute triumph of<br />
Christ as acknowledged Lord and Saviour. To this<br />
end evangelicals shall not be satisfied until all men<br />
everywhere have heard the Gospel and have had an<br />
opportunity to accept it.<br />
So much for the basic principles of evangelical<br />
missions. We shall seek always to build construc<br />
tively<br />
upon these foundations.<br />
But we are also realistically face to face with<br />
"liberalism"<br />
in foreign missions. Liberalism came<br />
into the missionary picture as a parasite, living on<br />
the boards, institutions, and missions built up by<br />
evangelicals, and undermining the fundamental be<br />
liefs and practices that have made Christian mis<br />
sions a vital force in the world. Liberals deny that<br />
men are lost without Christ, in the full New Testa<br />
ment sense. They look upon the authentic historical<br />
facts of the New Testament as "symbolic imagina<br />
nontive<br />
of Christianity. They consider<br />
Christians as brothers in the common quest for<br />
(Continued on page 73)
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Bingo in the Churches<br />
In the current issue of Christian Herald there is an ar<br />
ticle entitled, "Bingo<br />
Shame of the Churches," in which<br />
the writer affirms that though the Protestant churches<br />
have pronounced bingo a vicious form of gambling, yet the<br />
authorities of the Roman Catholic Church have given the<br />
game their official blessing and also their enthusiastic spon<br />
sorship. The manufacturers of gambling paraphernalia have<br />
repeatedly shown that Catholic churches are among the<br />
country's biggest buyers 'of bingo equipment. And crime<br />
commissions investigating the enormous profits derived by<br />
gambling syndicates, have long recognized church bingo<br />
as the financial bulwark of the Catholic church's parochial<br />
school system. Bingo is said to have more devotes than all<br />
other games of chance. The "nickles and dimes," which the<br />
Catholic clergy dismiss as inconsequential, annually roll up<br />
into hundreds of millions of dollars to produce one of the<br />
nation's largest gambling enterprises<br />
either in or out of<br />
the church. Even when church games are run as the Catho<br />
lics say,<br />
"honestly,"<br />
the gambling<br />
odds are as high as 70<br />
to 30 against a player being given a fair chance for his<br />
money. The "bingo<br />
addict"<br />
is a type of player in whom greed<br />
and avarice are stimulated to a similar kind of enslavement<br />
as that of the hopeless alcoholic.<br />
Cleanup of Comics<br />
In the city of Des Moines, Iowa, forty-five druggists<br />
have pledged to clear their drugstore racks of all objection<br />
able comic books. They are asking<br />
drive.<br />
No Lynchings<br />
others to join in the<br />
No lynchings have been reported in 19<strong>54</strong>. There were<br />
none reported in 1952 and 1953, and so this year there was<br />
no report along this line by<br />
Tuskegee Institute which has<br />
reported the lynchings for many years in the past. It is<br />
to be hoped that lynchings are a thing of the past. In the<br />
years past such countries as India and some in Africa have<br />
made unfavorable propaganda of the lynchings in the U.S.A.<br />
The Quakers, at a cost of $4,000, in order to counteract such<br />
propaganda, sent a white housewife accompanied by a Negro<br />
young woman who works in a Philadelphia settlement house<br />
on a "journey of friendship" around the world. They spent<br />
periods as guests in eleven different countries as a part of<br />
such a mission. How many instances of friction due to race<br />
prejudice might be eliminated if men would remember that<br />
God has created all nations of one blood to dwell on all the<br />
face of the earth.<br />
Selling Pork in Israel<br />
A case against the selling<br />
of Pork in Israeli was car<br />
ried to the Supreme Court which ruled that municipal au<br />
thorities may not ban the sale of pork by ordinance so long<br />
as there is no national law against its sale. It is expected<br />
that the question of the sale of pork will be raised in the<br />
Israeli Parliament.<br />
The Fourth Health Problem<br />
Alcoholism has been authoritatively declared to be the<br />
No. 4 heaith problem in the United States. This comes from<br />
66<br />
the Keeley Institute, of Dwight, II]., which has made an ef<br />
fort to cure alcoholics for the last 75 years. Reports given<br />
out by United States Health inform us that alcohol addiction<br />
is 10 per cent more prevalent than tuberculosis, 50 per cent<br />
more prevalent than cancer, and 225 per cent more prevalent<br />
than poliomyelitis.<br />
Released Time Education<br />
The Board of Education of New York City reported that<br />
2,285 more public school pupils attended released-time re<br />
ligious education classes in December than in the same<br />
month last year.<br />
Mission Airplane<br />
Some Baptist churches in the Carolinas, and one in<br />
Texas, have presented a light airplane to the Southern Bap<br />
tist Foreign Mission Board. The plane which cost approxi<br />
mately $5,000 will be placed at the disposal of Mr. John S.<br />
Oliver, missionary to the State of Piaui, Brazil. This will<br />
make five planes which the Board now has to cover long<br />
and difficult distances of travel in the interior of Brazil.<br />
U. S. Men in Spain<br />
There were many of us who protested against the U. S.<br />
granting large sums to aid Spain in the form of establishing<br />
military bases there so long as Spain is under a dictator and<br />
radical Catholic control. Before long, if plans are carried out,<br />
there will be a large number of U. S. citizens employed by<br />
the U. S. military authorities in Spain and there will be mil<br />
itary<br />
and air units assigned to that country. But listen! A<br />
report from Madrid states that United States and Spanish<br />
military leaders have granted the Roman Catholic Church<br />
the right to sanction or forbid marriages between United<br />
States citizens of mixed religions in Spain. It means that<br />
if a Protestant from the U. S. desires to marry<br />
a girl in<br />
Spain he will have to become a Catholic or submit to the<br />
Catholic rules of marriage with a Protestant, namely, that<br />
all the children must be brought up in the Catholic faith. It<br />
is feared that many young men will live in concubinage ra<br />
ther than accept the Catholic rules. This violates the<br />
American view of the separation of church and state and<br />
interferes with the liberty<br />
of service personnel who are<br />
helping in Spain. Very recently a friend was telling this<br />
writer that a chaplain of his denomination had helped to<br />
enlighten 75 young women in Italy in the Protestant faith<br />
after servicemen had married girls of Italy. This would<br />
be prohibited in Spain. Christians should write to their con<br />
gressmen protesting against the Spanish ruling.<br />
N. A. E. Headquarters<br />
The headquarters office of the National Association of<br />
Evangelicals has been moved from Chicago to Wheaton, Illi<br />
nois. The Midwest Regional office of the NAE will remain in<br />
Chicago in order to serve the greater Chicago area.<br />
Revision of Scofield Bible<br />
A committee of scholars has begun work on a revised<br />
edition of the Scofield reference Bible. The chairman of th s<br />
committee is Dr. E. Schuyler English who said after the<br />
(Contonued on page 74)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
welfare"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
TAKING A STAND<br />
Crucial decisions are now being made on our involve<br />
ment in the defense of the Nationalist government of China.<br />
The Communist campaign against the Nationalist-held is<br />
lands off the coast has been stepped up sharply, and the<br />
northernmost island has already been captured. The Tachen<br />
group is under immediate threat of invasion. These islands<br />
have been heavily bombarded and U. S. observers have been<br />
withdrawn, but the Nationalists refuse to surrender. Presi<br />
dent Eisenhower has replied to the Communist campaign by<br />
asking Congress for authority to defend Formosa and its<br />
nearby islands. He has also bolstered the Seventh Fleet<br />
which patrols the waters between Formosa and the main<br />
land. U. S. warships may be used to evacuate civilians from<br />
the Tachen islands. If our ships should also undertake the<br />
transportation of Nationalist troops, the Communists would<br />
be likely to open fire, and another war might be started. We<br />
hope the outlook will be more encouraging later.<br />
CEASE FIRE<br />
President Eisenhower and Secretary of State Dulles<br />
have stated that they will not make any concessions to Red<br />
China, but they would be willing for the U. N. Security<br />
Council to arrange a settlement. Anthony Eden of Great<br />
Britain has also been trying for a cease-fire, perhaps based<br />
on the idea that the Nationalists would give up the Tachen<br />
islands in return for recognition of their right to Formosa<br />
and the Pescadores. However, Peiping<br />
claims that all this<br />
territory is rightfully hers, and objects to any U. N. action<br />
as interference with her "domestic" affairs. The Tachens<br />
are hardly essential to the defense of Formosa, as the Reds<br />
already have mainland bases closer to the Nationalist head<br />
quarters. The Communist conquest must be stopped some<br />
where, though, and the question is whether we can keep<br />
them out of the Tachen islands without a major war. Red<br />
China's policy seems just like a man trying to see how far he<br />
can lean over a cliff without falling.<br />
BILLIONS TO SPEND<br />
The budget President Eisenhower has submitted to Con<br />
gress calls for an outlay of $62.4 billion in the next fiscal<br />
year. With revenues expected to reach $60 billion, there will<br />
be a deficit of $2.4 billion. This will be the smallest deficit<br />
in several years, but the Administration will again have to<br />
ask Congress to raise the debt ceiling from its present level<br />
of $275 billion. Our progress toward a balanced budget is<br />
certainly slow. One hopeful sign is that in recent years the<br />
national debt has not increased as fast as the population or<br />
the national wealth. For example, in 1945 the national debt<br />
was over one and a quarter times the gross national product,<br />
but in 19<strong>54</strong> it was only about three-quarters as great as our<br />
total production.<br />
$34 billion, or over half of the new budget, is earmarked<br />
for defense. The Air Force leads with $15.6 billion, represent<br />
ing an increase, while the Navy and Army<br />
Foreign aid is scheduled for $4.7 billion if Congress ap<br />
are cut somewhat.<br />
proves, and atomic energy for $2 billion. The total for na<br />
tional security will thus reach about 65 per cent of the bud<br />
get. Other fixed charges such as benefits veterans'<br />
and in<br />
terest on the debt amount to another 24 per cent. This leaves<br />
a rather small margin for the "general<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
services<br />
which have been the usual target of those who advocate<br />
retrenchment.<br />
BUSINESS BACKS THE COLLEGES<br />
About half the private colleges and universities of this<br />
country run at a deficit, and nearly all are falling behind<br />
in plant construction. But their acute financial problems<br />
have led to an impressive movement of support from big<br />
business. President Harlow H. Curtice of General Motors<br />
recently announced a very broad and generous program..<br />
His company already spends about $2.5 million a year on<br />
various forms of educational aid, but is now adding $2<br />
million more. Much of this will consist of four-year scholar<br />
ships. Each scholarship will carry an additional grant of<br />
$500 to $800 to the institution, in recognition of the fact that<br />
tuition does not meet the full costs of education. There will<br />
also be gifts to regional foundations representing small<br />
colleges. A total of 306 campuses will benefit from the Gen<br />
eral Motors plan.<br />
President Curtice called the program a practical ven<br />
ture, since industry benefits by the improved training of its<br />
workers. Several other large companies, such as Ford, Du<br />
Pont, General Electric, U. S. Steel, and Standard Oil, also<br />
give very large amounts to educational institutions every<br />
year. They prefer to support higher education themselves<br />
rather than see it fall entirely into the hands of the govern<br />
ment<br />
in which case they would still support it, by taxation.<br />
The business grants tend to favor scientific studies, but<br />
they free institutional resources for other fields, so that<br />
with wise direction a balanced program can still be main<br />
tained.<br />
POLIO FUND<br />
The annual March of Dimes again calls attention to<br />
the cost of care and research in infantile paralysis. The<br />
National Foundation is spending $7.5 million on an ex<br />
haustive evaluation of the Salk polio vaccine given last year.<br />
Twenty-seven laboratories are now performing delicate tests<br />
on blood samples from 40,000 children to determine the<br />
vaccine's effects. The health records of a million and a half<br />
children must also be compared to determine whether those<br />
receiving the vaccine had a significantly lower polio rate.<br />
The evaluation will not be complete until late spring, but the<br />
National Foundation has taken the chance of ordering $9,<br />
million worth of the vaccine for use next season.<br />
PRISON BREAK<br />
Most Americans prefer not to worry about the treat<br />
ment given the men in our prisons; but the issue is raised<br />
again by four desperate convicts who withstood a<br />
three-day<br />
siege before surrendering at the Massachusetts State Prison<br />
at Charlestown. A seven-man committee chosen by the<br />
prisoners finally persuaded them to surrender. They thus<br />
faced the certainty of heavy additional sentences in order to<br />
call attention to their plight. The prison is 150 years old and<br />
fantastically over-crowded. The long sentences given in<br />
Massachusetts also made their situation more hopeless.<br />
Americans need to do some serious<br />
thinking about the pur<br />
pose of our penal institutions. Prison terms should not be<br />
based on a desire for vengeance, and the prisoners should<br />
be guaranteed some human rights. Most states do not<br />
(Continued on page 68)<br />
67
Japan<br />
contribute."<br />
'<br />
Editorial Notes<br />
By Walter McCarroll<br />
Embracing a Lie. A young Chinese, 21, reared<br />
and educated in a Christian Mission, wrote to a<br />
former teacher as follows:<br />
"Now I am no longer the former man you knew.<br />
Apart from my body which is the same, my whole<br />
mind and thought have changed. I have become a<br />
new man in the classless revolution pioneer corps,<br />
a loyal believer of Marx-Leninism. I shall never<br />
live for myself alone but for the masses. What satis<br />
fies my aspirations now is the progress of a happy<br />
socialism to a communist state. In this teaching I<br />
have found unimagined blessing and happiness. I am<br />
very sorry that I must inform you that I do no<br />
longer believe in God nor worship Him. I can no<br />
longer address you as a religious brother, but I<br />
send you my revolutionary love."<br />
Commenting on the above a pastor said: "Con<br />
fronted as we are by a fanatical communist faith in<br />
which ardent young<br />
men embrace a lie as though<br />
it were truth, we cannot long stand embracing<br />
Truth as though it were a pleasant fiction."<br />
Reformation Translation Fellowship. This <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
zation seems to be a growing and expanding one.<br />
In addition to a Board of Directors in this country<br />
it now has a British Committee with its members<br />
Down-<br />
located in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Portrush,<br />
caster, and London, England. It has five members<br />
on its Chinese Staff located in Kobe, Hong Kong,<br />
New York City, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and<br />
Monterey, California. The Fellowship issues a<br />
Chinese journal called The Reformed Faith and<br />
Life, as well as books, booklets and short tracts.<br />
The following books have been translated into<br />
Chinese and published by the Fellowship:<br />
Christianity and Liberalism, by J. Gresham<br />
Machen ; The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination,<br />
by Loraine Boettner; The Inspiration of the Scrip<br />
tures, by Loraine Boettner; Vicarious Atonement<br />
Through Christ, by Louis Berkhof.<br />
Dr. Vos writes: "Miss Viola Cameron's book,<br />
God's Plan and Man's Destiny, has come from the<br />
press in Chinese translation, and has been circulat<br />
ed among our Chinese readers in many countries.<br />
Other translation and publication projects are going<br />
forward. The Chinese magazine, Reformed Faith<br />
and Life, has been regularly<br />
issued."<br />
Board Meetings. As already reported the Board<br />
at its meeting December 14 received a conditional<br />
offer of $1,000 for the sending out of another<br />
minister-missionary to in September. We<br />
.<br />
have reason to believe that the full amount of the<br />
$5,000 necessary to send out this missionary will<br />
be pledged as soon as people know that they still<br />
have the right to designate their contributions, and<br />
that such contributions must be used for the desig<br />
nated projects. The meeting called for January 18<br />
apparently was to discuss the policy of the Board<br />
with regard to our schools in Syria and Cyprus.<br />
From what we can learn this is a revival of the issue<br />
that was bitterly debated in the Synods of 1932 and<br />
1933, and which ended with an almost unanimous<br />
vote in favor of the schools.<br />
Sailings. The Weirs were scheduled to sail for<br />
Cyprus January 10. They had remained some four<br />
months beyond the end of their furlough period,<br />
68<br />
without salary, that Mr. Weir might continue his<br />
campaign to raise funds for the school building.<br />
He writes:<br />
'The total cost of the basement and ground<br />
floor, of the proposed new building, now completed<br />
and being used is $70,000.00. A total of $60,000<br />
has been raised, including $21,000 raised in the pres<br />
ent campaign, and the remaining $10,000 has been<br />
borrowed and remains unpaid. The next step of<br />
course is to pay this debt, then get on the auditorium<br />
which is to cost about $28,000.<br />
"A number of charitable Foundations and busi<br />
ness concerns have been asked to contribute. The<br />
response has not been entirely negative, one Foun<br />
dation having responded generously, and there is<br />
hope that others will<br />
The raising of $21,000 during their furlough<br />
period, the larger part of this amount outside of<br />
our church, represented a vast amount of hard<br />
work, perseverence in making new contacts, and<br />
seeking of the Lord's blessing upon each step tak<br />
en. They deserve and will have the prayer support<br />
of the Church.<br />
Miss Lynn was scheduled to sail for Japan from<br />
San Francisco February 5. Her return to her field<br />
of labor is eagerly awaited. Her visit home has<br />
done much to create new interest in the band of<br />
faithful believers that have been added to the<br />
Church since our missionaries first arrived in Kobe.<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Book Room, now so generally<br />
known and widely used, is in large measure due to<br />
her determination and persistence in response to<br />
the Spirit's prompting guidance. But that will still<br />
leave only one single woman missionary as Miss<br />
Huston is scheduled to return home in the spring<br />
which will not be long after Miss Lynn's arrival in<br />
Kobe. Mr. Hansen indicates how great is the need<br />
for women missionaries as Bible class teachers. We<br />
are commanded, not to pray the Lord of the harvest<br />
to raise up tithers, but to send forth laborers into<br />
His harvest.<br />
CURRENT EVENTS .<br />
. continued from page 67.<br />
spend nearly enough money to provide proper buildings and<br />
staff. Yet this may be shortsighted economy, for it eliminates<br />
any possibility of reformation.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
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OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street. Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
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Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
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COVENANTER WITNESS
ones."<br />
commentaries."<br />
Excerpts From A Circular Letter<br />
By David Hansen<br />
We have just finished another communion sea<br />
son and two young ladies, having confessed their<br />
faith in Christ, were baptized, and entered the<br />
church. Another young lady has transferred her<br />
membership by letter from a Kyodan church. The<br />
Kyodan is the group of Christian churches which<br />
submitted to the pressure of the government dur<br />
ing the war and found themselves united without<br />
regard for denominations or beliefs. Now they have<br />
no distinctive principles and virtually no Chris<br />
tianity in the Bible sense of the word. This young<br />
woman, by her own testimony has "found" her<br />
Christian life again in this congregation where<br />
Christ is Lord indeed. The membership of the<br />
Ichinotani congregation now stands at 33 commu<br />
nicant members and 20 baptized members, with a<br />
dozen to 15 non-members attending Sabbath serv<br />
ices. Of course we reach a hundred or so others in<br />
smaller Bible study groups during the week but<br />
these groups are always varying with people coming<br />
and going. As long as the congregation is growing<br />
steadily we know that our witness is bearing fruit.<br />
The U. N. service men in Korea are allowed to<br />
come to Japan on R.&R. leave (that's Rest and<br />
Recuperation) and many show up here in Kobe.<br />
The Chaplain out at the base together with some<br />
of the missionaries in Kobe have a program for<br />
them a couple of times a week. It gives them some<br />
thing to do and helps to keep them out of reach<br />
of those leeches who drag them into bars and<br />
nouses of prostitution. At the meetings there's<br />
singing, a gospel message, and then the rest of the<br />
evening is given over to refreshments and games.<br />
The other night there was a special treat when<br />
two men spoke to the soldiers. One was DeShazer,<br />
the man who came here first as a member of Doolittle's<br />
bombing raid at the beginning of the war.<br />
He was taken prisoner when the plane ran out of<br />
gas and while in the Japanese prison he became a<br />
Christian. Six years or so ago he came back here<br />
as a missionary. He works near here and we have<br />
the opportunity to meet and talk with him now<br />
and then. The other man who spoke has the name<br />
Fuchida. He was the pilot who commanded the flight<br />
of Japanese airplanes which bombed Pearl Harbor<br />
and destroyed so much of our Pacific fleet at the<br />
start of the war. He related his experiences and<br />
told how he had come to know Christ as his Sav<br />
iour. His English is rather difficult to understand<br />
but he has a real testimony to give about God's<br />
saving grace. It was a pleasure to hear those two<br />
speak and somehow or other it gave me an added<br />
pleasure of confidence in the ultimate victory of<br />
the cause of Christ when I saw both DeShazer and<br />
Fuchida who had been members of opposing forces<br />
just a few years ago and now united in their work<br />
for the glory of God.<br />
But we see that same thing taking place in the<br />
lives of the people around us and we thank God<br />
for an opportunity to have a part in it. Please con<br />
tinue to remember the work here in your prayers,<br />
for it is only in God's strength and by His grace<br />
that anything at all is accomplished.<br />
Also please continue to bear in mind that we<br />
need more help<br />
out here. When Miss Adams went<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
home the work that she did had to be dropped for<br />
lack of a person who could take it over. A single<br />
lady missionary is very badly needed one who<br />
can spend practically all her time conducting Bible<br />
classes. And when Miss Huston goes home we will<br />
need to replace her also, which makes two that are<br />
needed. These Bible classes are essential for the<br />
work here because practically<br />
all the Christians<br />
in the congregation made their first contact through<br />
a Bible class. When you see the joy<br />
of Christ shin<br />
ing in the eyes of the one who has found Him as<br />
Saviour you will know that it is worth all that it<br />
costs. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send<br />
forth more laborers into this part of His Harvest<br />
field.<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Book Room News Letter<br />
By Rose A. Huston<br />
Like the Preacher of old, we have "sought to<br />
find out acceptable words, and that which was writ<br />
ten uprightly, even words of truth;" and we are<br />
thankful for the saints of God who have searched<br />
the riches of His word and explained them for the<br />
edification of the Church. Here are a few samples<br />
of words of appreciation we often hear,<br />
"It is wonderful to come in here and choose a<br />
good book without having to search through piles<br />
of worthless<br />
"This Book Room is becoming known<br />
known and is much appreciated by Japanese pas<br />
tors."<br />
and well<br />
"We cannot afford to buy many books, and we<br />
know we can get the best books here."<br />
"In our Seminary we had no such good books as<br />
these; now I cannot preach without Calvin, and I<br />
hope some day to be able to buy a complete set of<br />
his<br />
"We students are so thankful for the Cove<br />
nanter Book Room."<br />
These and similar words encourage and inspire<br />
us, every book goes out with a prayer that it may<br />
become a foundation stone in a strong Christian<br />
Church in Japan.<br />
We are now able to stock a greater variety of<br />
good books in Japanese. A translation of Machen's<br />
"Christian Faith in a Modern World" recently came<br />
off the press. "What is Faith" by Machen, "What<br />
is Roman Catholic Teaching" by Hodge, "Intro<br />
duction to the New Testament" by Thiessen, and<br />
many others have been published during the past<br />
"Christianity"<br />
six months.<br />
by Rev. Mr. Okada of<br />
the Reformed Church Seminary, and others by the<br />
Reformed Church Seminary Staff are being pub<br />
lished from time to time. Other publishers have<br />
put out many new books which we are glad to keep<br />
in stock.<br />
The Rev. Mr. Ogawa and Mrs. Ogawa have<br />
made a good beginning on the translation of "The<br />
Child's Bible Story" by Mrs. C. Vos, and we have<br />
secured permission from the publishers, to print<br />
it in his monthly magazine of Bible studies. If it<br />
proves acceptable, it may be published in book form<br />
later. For some months, Mr. Ogawa has been buy<br />
ing Commentaries on the Psalms, and current is<br />
sues carry comments on the Psalms for daily read-<br />
69
ings. Just now we are looking for a second hand<br />
set of Spurgeon's Commentary on Psalms. If any<br />
one can spare a set, please consult Miss Lynn be<br />
fore mailing.<br />
Mr. Mita is already looking forward to the be<br />
ginning of another Seminary year in April, and is<br />
making out lists of books that will be needed. We<br />
sometimes have to delay orders until funds come in,<br />
because some books are sold only in sets,<br />
while our<br />
customers are able to buy only in installments, thus<br />
tying up some funds temporarily.<br />
During the past eight months the number of<br />
our sales slips is almost equal to the number for<br />
the entire year just preceding, so we praise God for<br />
the enlargement of His work, and the widening in<br />
fluence of the books we sell.<br />
Mr. Mita and Miss Edamatsu have proved to be<br />
efficient and earnest workers, serving the Lord<br />
with gladness. Mr. Mita is a true Bookman as well<br />
as a good business man; he has done remarkably<br />
well in learning the names, authors,<br />
publishers and<br />
general contents of the scores of different books<br />
that pass through our hands. In addition to the<br />
afternoon's work in the Book Room, Miss Edamatsu<br />
went to High School in the mornings and helped<br />
in her father's restaurant in the evenings. However<br />
she felt she was needed at home, so Miss Kizumi<br />
came to take her place. Miss Kizumi is one of those<br />
whom Miss Adams taught while a patient in a Hos<br />
pital, and is now a baptized member of the church.<br />
She has had some experience in clerical work, and<br />
a knowledge of English which will be a great help.<br />
Two Bible classes for adults are held at the Book<br />
Room each week, one in Japanese and one in English,<br />
besides the S.S. for Japanese children which Mr.<br />
Maeda teaches.<br />
Thanks to Mrs. Hansen's help<br />
with the ac<br />
counts, playing Grandma Moses taking up a new<br />
work in old age, has been a valuable and<br />
happy ex<br />
perience, and we praise God for His grace in giving<br />
strength and guidance day by day to the whole<br />
staff. Soon we shall welcome Miss Lynn as she re<br />
turns from furlough to take over the work again.<br />
We earnestly plead your continued interest and<br />
prayers that the Word of God may have free course<br />
and 'be glorified through the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Book Room.<br />
Japan: Population<br />
Religions<br />
Church Challenge<br />
Tractate<br />
The four main islands of Japan are Kyushi,<br />
Shikoku, Honshu and Hokkaido. Aside from these,<br />
however, there are many other smaller islands which<br />
are inhabited. Japan's total land area is a little less<br />
than 150 thousand square miles, but only about 20<br />
thousand square miles of her land is suitable for<br />
farming. More than half the arable land is used for<br />
growing rice which is the chief food of the country.<br />
Population 87 Million<br />
If the Japanese people were spread out evenly<br />
over their nation, there would be approximately 590<br />
persons per square mile. Unfortunately, however,<br />
most of the people are crowded into the coastal cities<br />
70<br />
about ten<br />
and a few congested areas. There are only<br />
Christian missionaries to every 700 thousand Japan<br />
ese.<br />
Religion<br />
Shintoism ("The Way of the gods") was the<br />
State Religion of Japan until the end of World War<br />
II. At that time it was abolished as the state religion<br />
so that the people are no longer required to believe in<br />
or to practice it. But, now that Japan has received<br />
her full freedom, Shintoism is working to regain its<br />
former power.<br />
Buddhism is also strong in Japan. It came to the<br />
islands at about 522 A.D. by way of China and Korea.<br />
Buddhism too is pressing hard for the soul of Japan<br />
at this time.<br />
Communism is making its bid for supremacy in<br />
every part of the Free World today and Japan is no<br />
exception. The Disciples of Communism are especial<br />
ly active in the over crowded rural and the industrial<br />
areas.<br />
Literacy<br />
Japan has the highest percentage of literates of<br />
even higher than the<br />
any country in the world<br />
United States. One of the greatest needs in Japan<br />
today is good Christian literature in the modern lan<br />
guage. In Japan the time is right for the spreading<br />
of the full Gospel Message through the printed page.<br />
The Church in Japan<br />
The number of Christians in Japan has been es<br />
timated at about 200 thousand. Many<br />
of these pro<br />
fessed Christians, however, still hold to their old re<br />
ligions they are Buddhists, Shintoists, and Chris<br />
tians all at the same time. This condition stems from<br />
the fact that much of the pre-war theological teach<br />
ing was liberal. Then during the war a number of<br />
Japanese pastors, plus many other leaders, compro<br />
mised their testimony when they were called upon to<br />
pay homage at the state Shinto shrines. Japan needs<br />
the preaching of the "Reformed Faith"<br />
a Chris<br />
tianity of no compromise with the world.<br />
Our Challenge<br />
When the Communists overran China our mis<br />
sionaries along with all other foreigners were forced<br />
to leave. Although reluctant to leave the people<br />
whom they had grown to love in Christ, they felt the<br />
call of the Holy Spirit to go over into Japan. It<br />
seemed to be the field in the Far East which was ripe<br />
unto the harvest. Immediately they saw the needs:<br />
The Good news of Salvation was preached to the<br />
heathen. The "Reformed Faith" as it was preached<br />
by the Apostle Paul, by Augustine by John Calvin,<br />
and by John Knox was presented to those who knew<br />
a Compromise-Christianity. The need for Christian<br />
literature is being met by a Christian book store in<br />
Robe. From this store thousands of good books go<br />
out every year Halley's Bible Handbook, Pilgrim's<br />
Progress, and In His Steps, plus many theological<br />
books by Calvin, Kuyper, Hodge, and others of the<br />
Reformed Faith. Many of these books are bought by<br />
students from modernistic schools. The need for<br />
Christian literature in the Japanese is also being<br />
by translation met<br />
work. The Japanese people will read<br />
the Truth if we give it to them to read!<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
evangelists."<br />
Who Are We<br />
We are the Reformed Presbyterians of North<br />
America, spiritual descendants of the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s of<br />
Scotland; and of John Knox whose prayers shook<br />
the throne of papacy in Medieval Europe and brought<br />
to Scotland public education rooted in the Bible.<br />
What Do We Believe<br />
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New<br />
Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, the only<br />
infallible rule of faith and life.<br />
We believe in the one living and true God<br />
Father, Son and Holy Spirit as revealed in the<br />
Scriptures.<br />
We believe in the Reformed Faith which empha<br />
sizes the Sovereignty of Christ, the Presbyterian<br />
form of church government, and the exclusive use of<br />
the Psalms in worship, sung a cappella, as set forth<br />
in the New Testament.<br />
Spiritual Renewal Amid Changes<br />
By<br />
Mrs. T. M. Hutcheson<br />
New Year's greetings to you all from your rep<br />
resentatives in the Mediterranean! May you each<br />
one individually, as congregations, and as a church<br />
enjoy the fullness of our Lord's blessing the coming<br />
year ! We would like to take the opportunity to send<br />
the thanks from all of us here for your kind re<br />
membrances throughout the past year and especial<br />
ly for your Christmas greetings and messages at<br />
this season, so many of which assured us of your<br />
continued interest and prayers on our behalf. We<br />
assure you that without these our efforts here would<br />
fall far short and although we do know you are<br />
praying for us, it strengthens us anew when we<br />
receive renewed assurance to that end.<br />
Our Christmas vacation is drawing to a close.<br />
And as usual it has been full of various activities<br />
and at church. But it has been<br />
at home, at school,<br />
very enjoyable as well as spiritually profitable,<br />
as I hope to be able to point out to you.<br />
On December 19, which was Rev. Sagherian's<br />
last Sabbath with us before he and his family left<br />
us for Lebanon where he will take up his duties<br />
as Youth Secretary for the Armenian Evangelical<br />
Churches in Lebanon and Syria, we observed Com<br />
munion. The congregation had requested that we<br />
have it at this time before the Sagherians left. There<br />
was one accession to the church, Rupen Berberian.<br />
On the following Sabbath one of our new babies<br />
Victoria Ann Chopourian.<br />
was baptised,<br />
Both the Larnaca and Nicosia congregation had<br />
evenings of fellowship honoring the Sagherians and<br />
bidding them farewell. Mr. Sagherian said in his<br />
remarks that he wanted us to understand that he<br />
was not leaving the Lord's work, he was simply<br />
moving to another part of His vineyard where he<br />
felt the Lord wished him to be. It would not be<br />
easy, he said, as it would require him to be away<br />
from home and family about half of the time. I am<br />
sure that the young people whom he will be serv<br />
ing will be greatly blessed for he excels in this<br />
type of service. We will miss them very much<br />
but we wish them God's speed. We hope that it<br />
will not be long<br />
until the Lord's choice of someone<br />
to replace him will be found though as yet no one<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
is definitely chosen. We have invited one candi<br />
date from Egypt to hold Evangelistic services here<br />
in February.<br />
Our annual Sabbath School Christmas program<br />
was held on the night of December 31. There were<br />
about 120 who fellowshipped together that even<br />
ing. After devotionals there was a program put<br />
on by the various classes of the Sabbath School.<br />
This was followed by games for the children, re<br />
freshment and a visit from Santa with a treat for<br />
each of the children. The Armenians observe Christ<br />
mas by the old calendar on January 6, so in the<br />
next few days there will be calls to make, which is<br />
a very enjoyable part of their Christmas.<br />
Noon today, January 4, brought the end of our<br />
winter Youth Conference. The winter conferences<br />
were revived last year after some years lapse and<br />
have proved to be a truly spiritual feast time for<br />
those who could attend. I'm sure everyone has left<br />
the conference with renewed spirit and the reso<br />
lution to be sanctified for the Lord's work. The<br />
conference theme was "Sanctified Meet for the<br />
Master's Use." The three evening meetings were<br />
divided into two parts. The first hour was a mes<br />
sage. These were given by Rev. Hutcheson, Rev.<br />
Moissides, who is one of our teachers and Mr. Cross<br />
who is a Christian business man in the Island.<br />
The first two speakers dealt with the subject of<br />
our theme while Mr. Cross challenged us with a<br />
talk on "The Christian in Businesss." The second<br />
hour was an informal period of praise and prayer<br />
and of sharing testimonies as we sat around the<br />
fireplace in the teacher's lounge of the new build<br />
ing. All the meetings were held here and the en<br />
vironment added greatly to the enjoyment. Each<br />
evening we also had a short time of social fellow<br />
ship before breaking up and enjoying a cup of cocoa<br />
and a cookie together.<br />
Three periods of Bible study were led by Rev.<br />
Copeland on First Thessalonians and were very<br />
helpful. Other periods were discussion groups for<br />
both younger and older people, a Psalm sing, and<br />
a panel discussion which had before it some vital<br />
questions which were handed in by those in at<br />
tendance. Some of these question were: 1 "What<br />
is God's purpose for the whole world Is His plan<br />
to save as many as possible or those that He has<br />
elected Are those excluded responsible for their<br />
fate 2 "I believe in Jesus as the Son of God. I<br />
have accepted Him as my Saviour but I cannot<br />
witness all the time as so many here (at the con<br />
ference) say I must do. How can I learn to witnes<br />
Must everyone witness in words Or am I<br />
mistaken about my Salvation The Bible says only<br />
some are<br />
3 "Are there contradictions<br />
in the Bible If there are and they are brought up,<br />
how should a Christian tackle them" Those and<br />
other questions proved so thought-provoking that<br />
it was difficult to confine the answering to the<br />
panel the audience wanted a share in it, too ! The<br />
panel had as members a school teacher, a social<br />
worker, a minister, a Christian business man, and<br />
a student. Mr. Copeland had charge of the closing<br />
consecration service and his text was Isaiah 50:<br />
4,5.<br />
Christmas for the missionaries was here in Lar<br />
naca this year. At noon the Larnaca Academy facul<br />
ty and their families, together with the missionaries<br />
71
much."<br />
pass."<br />
from Nicosia,<br />
enjoyed dinner at the school. Then in<br />
the evening we met as a Mission group here in our<br />
home for a buffet tea and Christmas tree. The day<br />
was rainy but our spirits were not dampened.<br />
Speaking of rain, in the last three months we<br />
have had almost thirteen inches in the Larnaca<br />
district while for the same period last year we had<br />
only a little more than five inches. We have really<br />
not had any very cold weather yet, while last year<br />
we had a longer cold season than is usual.<br />
The high light of this month will be the re<br />
turn of the Weirs to which we are all looking for<br />
ward. Their coming will give us and the work here<br />
a big boost. We are thankful to them for the way<br />
they have labored during their furlough year in<br />
raising money for the Building Fund and we hope<br />
they feel rewarded. Through their efforts quite a<br />
sum has been raised though we are not yet in the<br />
clear.<br />
The new building for the Nicosia school is<br />
steadily going up and it seems quite possible that<br />
they will be using it by next September.<br />
There are probably questions in your minds re<br />
garding the recent disturbances here. Things were<br />
a bit unsettled for a few days and in Nicosia and<br />
Limassol they got slightly out of hand. As a mis<br />
sion we were not molested with the exception that<br />
Mr. Copeland got caught in a mob quite uninten<br />
tionally. He and Rev. Christou, our evangelist, and<br />
Mr. Barnabas, the Bible colporter, had gone to<br />
Limassol for the funeral of one of our members there<br />
and on getting back to Nicosia he was taking Mr.<br />
Christou to his home. In a square on the way he had<br />
to stop the car because the one in front of him<br />
stopped and it happened near a mob of fifty or so<br />
boys gathered there. Recognizing him as an Am<br />
erican they let the stones fly breaking 'both the<br />
windshield and the rear window and some of the<br />
side windows. No one was hurt inside the car ex<br />
cept for a few scratches from flying glass. For this<br />
we give thanks. The body of the car had many<br />
dents all over it. Things have quieted down now<br />
but the issue is still alive. We are hoping, however,<br />
that there will be no further demonstrations. We are<br />
also thankful that our students were calm and not<br />
involved in any way. All the Greek secondary schools<br />
have been warned that they are liable to have their<br />
schools closed if they permit their students to<br />
demonstrate.<br />
We are feeling keenly the loss of Mr. Scott from<br />
our boarding department. We have no consecrated<br />
Christian living in the boarding house to do personal<br />
work with the students. All our boarding masters<br />
are fine teachers and dependable in carrying out<br />
their duties but they are not able to do personal<br />
work with the boys. We ask you to join your pray<br />
ers with ours that God will send us a consecrated<br />
young <strong>Covenanter</strong> to work with these boys before<br />
the beginning of another school year. "The effect<br />
ual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth<br />
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and<br />
He shall bring it to<br />
National godliness is the true balance between<br />
liberty and law; national godlessness is anarchy.<br />
72<br />
United Brethren<br />
Life In and Out of School<br />
By Eunice L. McClurkin<br />
After a day of making and receiving New Year's<br />
calls and attending the first prayer meeting of this<br />
week of prayer, on the eve of school's re-opening<br />
after the Christmas holidays, we pause to let you<br />
know some of the events in Latakia during the last<br />
month of 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
Attendance at Intermediates' meetings Sabbath<br />
mornings has been around 45 to 50. As many of you<br />
know, these meetings are conducted in English at<br />
eleven o'clock, following the worship service in<br />
Arabic in the church. For the second year the In<br />
termediates are meeting in the first floor central<br />
hall of the Girls' School. Muallim Fuad Tomeh<br />
(Boys'<br />
School Boarding Dept. teacher), Rev. Bas<br />
sam Madany, Rev. Herbert Hays, and I were leaders<br />
during December. The group's second party of the<br />
schoolyear was Friday evening, the 17th. After<br />
games and refreshments, we sang some Christmas<br />
carols, before closing with the last verse of the<br />
fourth psalm. You might be interested to know<br />
that each one coming to the party pays about seven<br />
cents for refreshments. For that amount this time<br />
the refreshment committee provided a frosted<br />
gateau from a local bakery, a small banana, and a<br />
tangerine. The Word of life the young people receive<br />
at their Sabbath meetings is without money and<br />
without price. Pray that the Holy Spirit may make it<br />
effectual in their lives.<br />
Early<br />
in the month we had an unwanted vaca<br />
tion week for the schools due to the country-wide<br />
strikes fomented by a small but vocal and violent<br />
minority. We were in no danger, but there might<br />
have been damage to buildings and danger to per<br />
sonnel if we hadn't dismissed as the other schools<br />
in town did. The first quarter of our schoolyear<br />
had ended just before the week of strikes, so we<br />
used the time to good advantage on school records<br />
and report cards. The following two weeks of school<br />
before Christmas vacation were quiet and uninter<br />
rupted except for one period. We were unable to<br />
have our usual chapel service one Friday morning<br />
because of demonsrations in town. This was a local<br />
protest because the Member of Parliament from<br />
this district, elected the day I arrived back here<br />
in September has had his election disputed on<br />
grounds of bribery.<br />
Had you climbed to the third floor over the<br />
Girls'<br />
School on the Wednesday afternoon before<br />
Christmas, you would have seen the two kinder<br />
garten and two first-grade teachers and Helen<br />
Fattal and me "filling the bags" for the traditional<br />
treat to the schoolchildren. Each paper bag contained<br />
a large handful of roasted peanuts-in-the-shell (a<br />
local crop), a cupful of chick peas, half of them<br />
sugar-coated, and a nice big orange. At the Girls'<br />
School the bags were distributed after Christmas<br />
parties held for groups of classes. For the parties,<br />
the kindergarten room was decorated with hand<br />
work and with a Christmas scene in the sandbox;<br />
the first floor hall and our third floor hall each<br />
had a potted living Christmas tree, trimmed with<br />
lights and ornaments. That day we had rain at<br />
recess-time, and as the youngsters milled around<br />
in the big central hall, they seemed not to tire of<br />
looking at the lighted tree, puny and poorly trim-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
nant"<br />
war"<br />
earth"<br />
quest."<br />
med as it was to our American eyes. Some of the<br />
new students among the older girls, from non-<br />
Christian homes, expressed their appreciation and<br />
said they'd never seen a Christmas tree before.<br />
Many of them had never heard the story of Christ's<br />
coming into the world, as it was well told by Muallimy<br />
Labeebeh Khashoo at their party.<br />
Though Christmas Eve was rainy, a group of<br />
young people, including Philip and Norma Hays<br />
went caroling, visiting several homes in our quarter<br />
of the city. On Christmas Day we of the mission<br />
group were together in the Hays home for bounti<br />
ful meals, opening of presents from under the tree,<br />
and playing of games. When it poured outside, we<br />
said it was our "white" Christmas. On that very day<br />
a stack of Christmas cards, with many heart-warm<br />
ing notes enclosed, arrived from the States. Many<br />
had come earlier, and have come since, and we<br />
thank you folks at home for your remembrance of<br />
us and your prayers for Christ's work here.<br />
Following a week with many hard rainstorms,<br />
sometimes with hail, December 30 dawned clear.<br />
But the rains had their effect, and during the night<br />
a part of the newly rebuilt wall west of the former<br />
hospital building collapsed, this time with no dam<br />
age to life. The new wall had been founded on rock<br />
and reinforced with iron and concrete, and the job<br />
engineered by a competent architect. The founda<br />
tion stands, but some of the reinforcement broke<br />
like wood. Have you any idea what responsibilities<br />
for the care of property rest on your men on the<br />
mission field We're glad that the Fareeda Ibra<br />
heem Fund has been designated by the Board for<br />
the rebuilding of the Sabbath School Building, but<br />
short-staffed as we are there has not yet been<br />
opportunity to go ahead with the project. We're<br />
behind with necessary repairs to buildings in use.<br />
Those of you who heard of the need for a new<br />
edition of the metrical psalter in Arabic will be<br />
interested to know that a complete psalter as pub<br />
lished by the evangelical church of Eigypt (with<br />
out the additional section of hymns used by that<br />
church) had been ordered during my furlough year<br />
for the church and mission here. We have just re<br />
ceived word that the shipment of psalters arrived<br />
in Latakia during December. Pray that we may be<br />
directed in training the friends here in the use of<br />
all of the psalms of the Bible in worship of God.<br />
A correction is due: Bassam and Shirley<br />
Madany's<br />
son has been named Roland after the Cana<br />
dian grandfather, not Michael, as I mistakenly re<br />
ported.<br />
Two young men of our congregation have placed<br />
high in competitive examinations given by the<br />
Latakia port company and will be sent to England<br />
for two years of study for future work with the<br />
company. They are Labeeb Kashoo, who joined the<br />
church at the last Communion, and Elias Mishtaway.<br />
Remember these and other Latakia students<br />
far from home, that they may always recall what<br />
they have learned in home and school and church<br />
of the Way of life, and pray that they may walk<br />
worthy<br />
of their vocation.<br />
Just arrived in Latakia are materials for a<br />
Blue Banner donated and prepared as far as pos<br />
sible without the Arabic lettering by the A. D.<br />
Robbs of Topeka. 'Tor Christ's Crown and Cove<br />
in Arabic will sound something like "Leajl<br />
Taj al Maseeh wa Aahdehe." Some of the girls<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
skilled in needlework will be busy now getting the<br />
banner ready to hang in the church. Pray that the<br />
hearts of the members of the congregation may be<br />
prepared to renew their covenant vows.<br />
Yours in the King's service.<br />
THE WHY OF EVANGELICAL MISSIONS<br />
(Continued from front page)<br />
ultimate truth. They link the name of Jesus with<br />
Buddha and Mohammed as one of the great found<br />
ers and teachers of religion. Rejecting the deity of<br />
Christ, the doctrine of redemption through His shed<br />
blood, the justification of the sinner by faith, the<br />
work of the Holy Spirit in conversion, and the<br />
eternal punishment of the wicked, liberal mission<br />
aries are not interested in converting the world to<br />
Christ. They preach a social gospel and seek rather<br />
to build a "Kingdom of God on with their<br />
non-Christian "brothers in the common<br />
This liberal doctrine infiltrated many education<br />
al institutions and missionary boards and eventual<br />
ly found expression on the mission fields. In 1930-<br />
32 it made a well-calculated assault on the denomi<br />
national missionary programs through the Lay<br />
men's Foreign Missionary Inquiry. It was financed<br />
by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and headed by Dr. W.<br />
E. Hocking of Harvard. Its theological findings orig<br />
inated in the minds of highly-placed liberals in<br />
mission boards who, daring not to make known their<br />
revolutionary views to their own denominations,<br />
took advantage of lay anonymity to spread their<br />
poison. But the Protestant world was not ready for<br />
this atomic explosion. Such great missionary lead<br />
ers as Dr. Robert E. Speer of the Presbyterian<br />
Board of Foreign Missions took the field against<br />
the Inquiry's report. Dr. Speer stumped the nation<br />
for the preservation of evangelical Christian mis<br />
sions, appearing in practically every city where Dr.<br />
Hocking went. The liberals "lost the battle," but<br />
they are now "winning the through the Di<br />
vision of Foreign Missions of the National Council<br />
of Churches.<br />
It may be well to look for a moment at the<br />
wreckage of the American Christian missionary<br />
enterprise, caused by the infiltration of liberalism.<br />
The Northern Baptists (American Baptist Con<br />
vention) were rent by the issue as far back as 1923.<br />
After a succession of cases in which liberal mis<br />
sionaries were upheld by the Foreign Mission So<br />
ciety, the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission<br />
Society was established in 1943. The ABFMS has<br />
steadily lost in number of missionaries on the field<br />
and in percentage of missionary income. The CB<br />
FMS has grown until it now has over 200 mission<br />
aries and an annual income of around one million<br />
dollars.<br />
The Disciples of Christ have experienced the<br />
same debacle. The United Christian Missionary<br />
Society has lost the support of thousands of church<br />
es. Conservatives began sending out "direct-sup<br />
missionaries"<br />
and today have 300 missionaries<br />
port<br />
on the field with an annual income exceeding a<br />
million dollars.<br />
The Northern Presbyterian Church saw the<br />
rise of the Independent Presbyterian Foreign Mis<br />
sion Board. Because of the ecclesiastical authority<br />
conservatives found them<br />
of the General Assembly,<br />
selves under disciplinary action. The Independent<br />
73
sermon."<br />
mayor's."<br />
if<br />
out"<br />
also."<br />
easy"<br />
storehouse."<br />
more."<br />
Board was ordered dissolved, its officials and mis<br />
sionaries were unfrocked and churches which sup<br />
ported the Board were ordered to cease and desist.<br />
Many churches were split. Thousands of members<br />
left the churches. Other thousands continue to sup<br />
port non-denominational evangelical missions by<br />
their personal gifts.<br />
There has been a veritable tidal wave of new<br />
missionary <strong>org</strong>anizations,<br />
"faith,"<br />
"independent"<br />
and "direct-support" missions, created to take the<br />
place of older societies. Many, such as The Evan<br />
gelical Alliance Mission and The China Inland Mis<br />
sion, have annual incomes in excess of a million.<br />
Numerous denominational boards representing the<br />
Holiness and Pentecostal movements have exten<br />
sive foreign mission operations in mission fields<br />
around the world. These denominational groups rep<br />
resent a constituency pretty largely drawn from<br />
Methodism on account of its swing to liberal theo<br />
logical leadership.<br />
We evangelicals cannot and will not compromise<br />
our missionary convictions in order to preserve a<br />
semblence of unity on the foreign field. To com<br />
promise would be to weaken and eventually de<br />
stroy the distinct Gospel testimony which alone can<br />
win souls to Christ. Therefore we settle ourselves<br />
anew on the Rock, Jesus Christ, the one and only<br />
basis and foundation, never to be altered, the true<br />
missionary motive and message and aim, and to<br />
gether we advance with great faith into a future<br />
as rich as the promises of God.<br />
Man's Desire to Be Wanted<br />
By Rev. H. H. Smith, Sr.<br />
One of the well-known religious columnists has<br />
said that, above everything else, man yearns to be<br />
wanted to feel that he has a place in the world;<br />
that, however humble his employment, someone needs<br />
his services. Perhaps that thought was uppermost<br />
in my mind one day when I chanced to see the gar<br />
bage-collectors in the back yard making their cus<br />
tomary weekly rounds. One was white, the other<br />
a Negro. Acting upon the impulse of the moment, I<br />
said to them, "You know, I'm a preacher. Now let<br />
me preach a little At once their faces light<br />
ed up with an expression of appreciation that I had<br />
taken notice of them. They stood, buckets in hand,<br />
listening intently while I said, "I want you to realize<br />
that you have an important job; that in collecting<br />
garbage you are helping to keep our town clean and<br />
tidy, thus preventing the spread of disease. Your<br />
work contributes to the well-being of the citizens<br />
of this city. In fact, your job may be as important,<br />
in its own way, as that of the<br />
They both showed that they were greatly pleas<br />
ed; and the colored man took off his hat, smiled<br />
broadly, showing his pearly teeth, bowed, and thank<br />
ed me.<br />
Perhaps this incident should teach us to be alert<br />
to say a word of encouragement to those who may<br />
need it in their daily tasks or in tests or trials<br />
through which they may be passing.<br />
A suggestion : See that those in your church who<br />
have only meager gifts or talents are not overlooked<br />
but are given due recognition and encouraged in<br />
their Christian lives by being given such work as<br />
they may be able to perform in the Master's cause.<br />
The Free Methodist<br />
74<br />
>V"^"*vlvyy^*i'w'W^'-''^vi^^v>'oi ' '<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
A COMMAND WITH A PROMISE<br />
By Rev. Waldo Mitchel<br />
I believe the tithe principle and endeavor to<br />
practice it because (1) God claims the tithe as His,<br />
and therefore what is His I am obligated to pay.<br />
"Bring ye all the tithes into the<br />
If I<br />
owe my neighbor ten dollars, it is my obligation to<br />
pay him that amount at the time it is due. That<br />
'<br />
neighbor until<br />
amount in my<br />
pocket belongs to my<br />
the debt is paid. So the Lord's portion, the tithe, be<br />
longs to Him, and we fall below the standard of com<br />
mon honesty if we do not pay the Lord what is His.<br />
I also believe that (2) God gives special bless<br />
ings to those who pay His tithe. He not only com<br />
mands: "Bring ye all the tithes," but He indicates<br />
that He will bless those who do. "Prove me now here<br />
with ... I will not open you the windows of heav<br />
en, and pour you out a blessing : . In this way, as<br />
in others, the Lord shows Himself a good Master<br />
whose "yoke is and whose "burden is light."<br />
Once a representative of the American S. S.<br />
Union was presenting the great need of <strong>org</strong>anizing<br />
Bible schools among people in neglected areas. He<br />
appealed for financial support. Afterward a lady<br />
offered a contribution, but asked, "If I give this part<br />
of my tithe to your work, will you pray with me that<br />
I will be able to raise enough to pay a certain debt<br />
that I owe " The man agreed, and the lady gave her<br />
contribution. The next time the representative came<br />
through that town he called the lady on the telephone<br />
to ask if the Lord had answered their prayer. "Oh,"<br />
she exclaimed, "the Lord is wonderful ! He has sup<br />
plied enough to pay the debt and<br />
Another lady, a widow, recently testified that it<br />
has been her experience that when a person goes<br />
"all for the Lord in giving, He always does His<br />
part, and far more, by bestowing blessings in return.<br />
GLIMPSES Cont'd from page 66<br />
first meeting<br />
of the committee in October: "We shall re<br />
tain the King James Version, of course, with its familiar<br />
phraseology, beauty, and cadence. There are in it, however,<br />
words that are archaic and expressions that are not wholly<br />
transparent in modern speech. These need clarification. Fur<br />
thermore, certain notes in the present edition of the Sco<br />
field Bible are capable of simplification, and there are some<br />
statements that require revision. New helps for the reader<br />
will be added<br />
The basic theological position will be re<br />
tained. The committee expects to hold periodic meetings<br />
during the next few years. Other names on this committee<br />
which are familiar to our readers are Dr. Wilbur M. Smith<br />
and Dr. Frank E. Gaebelein.<br />
Some people live in almost constant dread of<br />
death. That is abnormal for a Christian and silly for<br />
a non-Christian. Both would be better to direct their<br />
thoughts to life the non-Christian to identification<br />
with Him who lives forever and makes of death for<br />
all His own naught but a shadow, and the Christian<br />
to letting Christ pilot his ship into the haven of rest<br />
and cease trying to do it himself.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
misery"<br />
us."<br />
able"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of February 20, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
for February 20, 1955<br />
Charles McBurney<br />
CHRIST IN THE PSALMS<br />
Psalms 8, 30,<br />
and 103<br />
So much has been said and done on<br />
this topic that I am bold indeed to say<br />
here that no one has made more than<br />
a start. But I am right as well as bold.<br />
Jehovah (usually "Lord" in the King<br />
James version)<br />
was doubtless under<br />
stood by Old Testament Psalm-singers<br />
as a name for the promised Messiah, and<br />
we know that apostolic and early Chris<br />
tians sang Psalms in praise and descrip<br />
tion of the Lord Jesus. As we sing them<br />
today our hearts still rejoice in the<br />
Saviour King.<br />
THE LIFE OF CHRIST IN THE<br />
PSALMS by Dr. and Mrs. John Cole<br />
man, twice presented at Grinnell, would<br />
make an excellent outline for singing<br />
the Psalms of Christ, but you leaders<br />
might be embarrassed at the chore of<br />
cutting this arrangement down to the<br />
size of a normal young people's meeting.<br />
I would be.<br />
A look under "Christ" in the topical<br />
index of the Psalter, prepared largely<br />
by our singing Psalm-lover J. K. Robb<br />
for the 1929 edition, opens up several<br />
other splendid outlines for an evening's<br />
praise. A historical sequence could be<br />
followed by selecting appropriate verses<br />
on the pages suggested under "Birth<br />
and Manhood", "Sorrow of", "Betrayal<br />
of", "Resurrection of", "Coronation of",<br />
and "Second Coming."<br />
Or a descriptive sequence of Psalms<br />
for singing might be drawn from the<br />
topics, "Beauty of", "Fullness of",<br />
"Grace of", "Power of", "Preciousness<br />
of", and 'Righteousness of".<br />
For those who like the Shorter Cate<br />
chism as well as I do, or better, here is<br />
another program I want to suggest.<br />
With a little forethought you leaders<br />
might assign to each member of your<br />
group the answer to one of the ques<br />
tions beginning with, "Did God leave all<br />
mankind to perish in the estate of sin<br />
and<br />
through "Wherein doth<br />
Christ's exaltation consist"<br />
I will sug<br />
gest a Psalm selection or two that we<br />
might sing after each question and an<br />
swer. I will always, of course, be just<br />
as happy to sing your selection, which<br />
I am sure is just as appropriate.<br />
78.<br />
Question 20<br />
Psalm 33:7, 9, 10: page<br />
Q. 21 Psalm 146:1-7: page 353.<br />
Q. 22 Psalm 68:18, 19: page 164.<br />
Q. 23Psalm 18:1, 2, 4: Page 36.<br />
Q. 24Psalm 40:8-12: page 103.<br />
Q. 25Psalm 116:1-6: page 282.<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
Q. 26 Psalm 45:1, 5, 6: page 116.<br />
Q. 27 Psalm 69 : 7-9 : page 166.<br />
Q. 28 Psalm 50:3-6: page 127 or 98:<br />
1-3, 7: page 235.<br />
While you rest your voices,<br />
some one<br />
who has a chance to prepare a bit might<br />
read the incidents or teachings of Christ<br />
suggested by various verses of Psalm 8.<br />
Or can anyone besides me hear different<br />
people speaking in the prose version<br />
of Psalm 30 A soldier perhaps One<br />
in good health after long sickness A<br />
wealthy<br />
merchant And<br />
all seem to<br />
speak together the words of verses<br />
4, 8, 10, and last part of 12.<br />
As a part of a Psalm festival at Win<br />
chester a few weeks ago we introduced<br />
each part of Psalm 103 (pages 246-248)<br />
by a scripture passage. I think we used<br />
Luke 5:18-25; Deuteronomy 7:6-9; Isa<br />
iah 40:6-11; and Isaiah 44:21-23. Many<br />
others are equally appropriate and per<br />
haps even more to the point of the<br />
topic.<br />
If you had a voice which entitled you<br />
to a special invitation to sing Christ's<br />
praises in the Psalms before a receptive<br />
and appreciative audience, wouldn't you<br />
pray about it Wouldn't you ask God to<br />
help you make your voice as full and<br />
true as the heart behind it Every<br />
Psalm announced in worship service is<br />
such an invitation to any voice,<br />
needs such a prayer.<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
February 20, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
LORD, I BELIEVE<br />
Scripture: Mark 9:14-29<br />
and<br />
Memory Verse: "And straightway the<br />
father of the child cried out, and said<br />
with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou<br />
mine<br />
Psalms<br />
unbelief."<br />
Mark 9:24<br />
February Memory Psalm 25: 3-6,<br />
page 57<br />
Psalm 30:1, 4, 5, page 69<br />
Psalm 61:1, 2, page 151<br />
Psalm 131:1-3, page 327<br />
The time was coming when the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ was to die on the Cross.<br />
He had chosen twelve disciples to train<br />
as leaders of the Christian church.<br />
Three of these disciples<br />
and John<br />
Peter, James<br />
were closer to Jesus than the<br />
rest of the disciples. One day Jesus took<br />
these three up into a high mountain. As<br />
they were there together a very strange<br />
thing happened. Jesus'<br />
appearance was<br />
changed. His clothes became pure<br />
white and shining. Two men suddenly<br />
appeared, Moses and Elijah. They had<br />
been in heaven for a long time. Moses<br />
was a representative of the Law and<br />
Elijah represented the Old Testament<br />
Prophets. These men talked with Jesus<br />
about His death on the Cross.<br />
Peter was like some boys. He always<br />
had something to say and here he had<br />
a bright idea. Why not make tents for<br />
these three<br />
Jesus, Moses and Elias or<br />
Elijah He didn't think what he was<br />
saying. Then a cloud covered the dis<br />
ciples and Jesus, Moses and Elias. How<br />
frightened the disciples were! Then<br />
there came a voice which said, "This is<br />
my beloved Son: hear him." They looked<br />
around to see who had spoken. All of a<br />
sudden the cloud was gone and so were<br />
Moses and Elijah.<br />
Then Jesus and His three close dis<br />
ciples went down the mountainside. As<br />
they came to the foot of the mountain<br />
they saw a crowd of people. A man had<br />
brought his sick son to Jesus' disciples<br />
hoping that they could heal him, but<br />
they could not. So the father asked Je<br />
sus to help him. His son had an evil<br />
spirit in him which made the son wild<br />
and hurt him many times. Just as he<br />
was talking with Jesus the evil spirit<br />
made the boy fall on the ground and he<br />
foamed at the mouth. The father begged<br />
Jesus to help him. "If thou canst do<br />
any thing, have compassion on us, and<br />
help<br />
Jesus was able to heal the boy in<br />
stantly but first the father had a lesson<br />
to learn which you and I need to learn.<br />
Jesus told the father, "The question is<br />
not whether I am able. The question is,<br />
Do you believe that I am The<br />
father was very anxious to have his son<br />
healed, but he saw the mistake and<br />
cried out with tears, "Lord, I believe;<br />
help thou mine<br />
unbelief."<br />
Then Je<br />
sus commanded the evil spirit to<br />
come out of the boy. The evil spirit<br />
made the boy thrash around this way<br />
and that until it seemed like the boy<br />
would be torn apart. Then all was quiet.<br />
The boy lay very still<br />
so still that it<br />
was just as if he were dead. Jesus took<br />
him by the hand and lifted him up. He<br />
was well!<br />
Jesus is able to do<br />
all things but<br />
many times we do not receive the an<br />
swers to our prayers which we would<br />
like because we do not believe that He<br />
is able.<br />
Questions :<br />
1. What section of the Old Testament<br />
did Moses write<br />
2. Where was Moses buried<br />
3. What happened to Elijah at the<br />
end of his life<br />
4. Whom did Elijah represent<br />
5. What did Jesus, Moses and Elijah<br />
talk about<br />
75
in<br />
cup."<br />
6. What was the commotion at the<br />
foot of the mountain where Jesus was<br />
transfigured<br />
7. What mistakes did the boy's father<br />
make in his request to Jesus<br />
8. What lesson in prayer should we<br />
learn from this story<br />
For Your Notebook:<br />
The following illustration represents<br />
our story. The heart of man is like the<br />
electric light bulb. Faith is like the con<br />
nection between man's heart and God's<br />
power. The bulb will not light until<br />
there is a connection with the dynamo.<br />
On your page draw an electric light<br />
bulb labeled "MAN'S HEART." From<br />
the bulb draw an electric wire (labeled<br />
"FAITH")<br />
across the page to a box<br />
representing the dynamo labeled<br />
"GOD'S POWER."<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
February 20, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter.<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
THE CHURCH AND ITS<br />
SACRAMENTS<br />
Matt. 3:13-17; 26:26-28; 28:19, 20; Acts<br />
2:38-41; 10:34-48; I Cor. 11:23-29<br />
Printed Text, Matt. 3:13-17; Acts 2:38-<br />
41; I Cor. 11:23-27<br />
Memory verse, Matt. 28:19, 20<br />
The best commentary on the nature<br />
and methods of the Sacraments is found<br />
in the Westminster Catechism, ques<br />
tions 91 to 97. Or for a fuller explana<br />
tion, the Larger Catechism questions<br />
161 to 177. To quote these in full, would<br />
require more space than is alloted to<br />
this study. It is not necessary to quote<br />
them, since copies are in all of our<br />
homes, if not in our memories.<br />
If the controversies concerning the<br />
administration of the sacraments have<br />
not brought perfect agreement as to<br />
methods,<br />
study<br />
they have secured a broad<br />
of the Old and New Testaments<br />
and of the customs of Christ's day, that<br />
throws light on the whole matter.<br />
In Baptism, it is certain that several<br />
methods of applying the water were<br />
used. We have accepted sprinkling as<br />
the manner most suitable for general<br />
use, yet we accept the other methods<br />
as valid when received in faith. If a<br />
person insists that only one of these<br />
methods is valid, it is plain that he<br />
does not understand the meaning of<br />
the sacrament, and is therefore not pre<br />
pared to receive it. The use of water in<br />
baptism is not to cleanse, but is a sign<br />
of cleansing.<br />
The Lord's Supper was instituted at<br />
the close of a meal, and since there is<br />
no word to the contrary, it is to be in<br />
ferred that the elements and vessels<br />
76<br />
used at the Passover Supper were used<br />
in instituting the Lord's Supper. The<br />
Bread and Wine were sensible signs<br />
with no emphasis placed on their physi<br />
cal quality. There is no mention of the<br />
vessels that were used. The Broken<br />
Bread may have been passed from hand<br />
to hand, or passed in a basket. The way<br />
that would seem most natural at a meal,<br />
would be preferred. There is no mention<br />
of a "common<br />
Indeed there is no<br />
mention of any vessel in connection with<br />
the wine. The cup that is mentioned, is<br />
one that we are to drink. We do not<br />
drink a vessel. We cannot be certain<br />
of the number of vessels that were used<br />
in serving the wine. It should be handled<br />
decently and in order. Not the vessel,<br />
but the wine is the sign and seal.<br />
Jesus was baptized in the Jordan,<br />
probably near Bethabara or Jericho. The<br />
place is neither known nor significant.<br />
The Pentecost Baptisms in Jerusalem<br />
were just as well. Pilgrims have trav<br />
eled far to be baptized in the same wa<br />
ters in which Christ was baptized. Jor<br />
dan water has been carried all over the<br />
world for baptismal purposes. Yet the<br />
water that is in the Jordan today may<br />
have been in the Mississippi or the Gan<br />
ges two thousand years ago. That makes<br />
no difference. The matter of great im<br />
portance is to receive the approval of<br />
God.<br />
Christ's baptism was unique. He was<br />
the only<br />
man ever baptized who was<br />
without sin. John did not doubt Jesus<br />
when he hestitated about baptizing Him.<br />
It was his own worthiness that he<br />
doubted. John knew that he was not<br />
worthy even to loose the sandals from<br />
Jesus'<br />
feet. The signs that followed dem<br />
onstrated the truth, that the sacraments<br />
do not become effectual ...<br />
by any vir<br />
tue ... him that doth administer<br />
them, and in this case there was full<br />
evidence of the blessing.<br />
In the Great Commission, Christ said<br />
to baptize in the Name of the Father,<br />
Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet the story of<br />
Pentecost and other incidents record<br />
baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.<br />
This may be an abbreviation in the rec<br />
ord, or an abbreviation in the Name.<br />
There is a business firm whose name in<br />
cludes three persons, but you may ad<br />
dress your letter and make your check<br />
payable to "Sears," and it will deliver<br />
your goods promptly. Much business is<br />
done in the name of "Sears."<br />
Christ is the Executive member of the<br />
Godhead. When we deal with Him, we<br />
are dealing<br />
with God. And we cannot<br />
come to God except through Him. When<br />
we honor and obey Christ, we honor<br />
and obey God.<br />
When John acted on<br />
Christ's request, he was sure of Divine<br />
approval.<br />
The believer must profess his faith<br />
both to God, and before the<br />
world. The<br />
sacraments provide one way of profess<br />
ing before the world. The sacrament is<br />
received in public, and is a matter of<br />
public record.<br />
1 Cor. 11:23<br />
Christ instituted the Lord's Supper<br />
at the close of the Passover Supper,<br />
using such things as were on the table.<br />
The Corinthians, and some other early<br />
Christian Churches, tried to combine<br />
the Passover and the Lord's Supper.<br />
This practice in Corinth, led to excess<br />
es. It is even possible that some joined<br />
the company because of this feast. It<br />
was not the combining of the Old and<br />
the New that led to the abuse. But it<br />
did give opportunity to indulge in ban<br />
queting, which in all ages has led to<br />
excesses in eating and drinking. Some<br />
think that the separation of the Lord's<br />
supper from the Passover in the early<br />
Christian Churches came gradually, and<br />
that the combination was not always<br />
abused. The Dunkards still observe the<br />
Passover before the Lord's Supper. I<br />
once witnessed their Love Feast. It was<br />
very reverently conducted throughout.<br />
There was a full bountiful meal, the<br />
washing of feet, the kiss, and then the<br />
bread and wine were served in much<br />
the same manner,<br />
and with almost the<br />
same words that we use. It was al<br />
together a very<br />
impressive service. It<br />
does not appear to have been the com<br />
bining of the Passover and the Lord's<br />
Supper for which Paul rebuked the<br />
Corinthian Church. It was rather the<br />
gluttonous abuses that they had prac<br />
ticed and tolerated in connection with<br />
the observance.<br />
Christ's institution of the Lord's Sup<br />
per was surrounded by other things<br />
that did not belong to this new Sacra<br />
ment. It is not strange that confusion<br />
arose. Paul received of the Lord the<br />
true pattern by which the Lord's Sup<br />
per was to be administered. So instead<br />
of trying to follow what is recorded in<br />
the Gospels, we follow the instructions<br />
given by Paul.<br />
The Bread and the Wine are com<br />
mon articles. But when set apart for a<br />
Sacramental use, they become the sign<br />
and seal of our receiving Christ. That<br />
is a very impressive thought.<br />
Since<br />
there is no virtue in these elements,<br />
we should attach no superstitious<br />
thought to them. Yet because of their<br />
sacred meaning, we should handle them<br />
with reverence. The cloth and colors of<br />
our flag<br />
are common. But when they<br />
are blended into the emblem of patriot<br />
ic loyalty, no loyal citizen will<br />
dis<br />
honor it, and there are civil penalties<br />
prescribed for those who do. Christ pro<br />
nounced a very severe penalty on those<br />
,vho go through the form of observing<br />
the Lord's Supper without Spiritual<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
. This<br />
cometh,"<br />
roof."<br />
preparation. But there is a rich bless<br />
ing<br />
for those who receive the Sacra<br />
ment in a worthy manner, in Christ<br />
Jesus.<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
THE RECOGNITION OF GREAT<br />
Psalms :<br />
FAITH<br />
Matthew 8:10.<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
125:1-5, page 320<br />
118:1-6,<br />
119:1-4, page 293<br />
<strong>54</strong>:1-5, page 137<br />
References:<br />
page 284<br />
Matt. 17:20; Heb. 11:1-3,5; Luke 18:<br />
41-43; James 2:17-18; Matt. 9:22; 21:21;<br />
Mark 11:22.<br />
Faith is a term which is used rather<br />
loosely by many people. Even those who<br />
have a secular philosophy of life de<br />
clare that a person must have faith.<br />
We<br />
commonly hear it said that one<br />
must have faith in himself, and it is<br />
indeed a necessary virtue. All great and<br />
famous men have had at least a meas<br />
ure of faith in self. With some it may<br />
even have been to the point of bragga<br />
docio. Babe Ruth would step into the<br />
batter's box, point his bat at the stands<br />
behind second base and proceed to<br />
knock the baseball into those stands.<br />
He couldn't have done it if he had not<br />
had faith in his ability as a baseball<br />
player.<br />
Another application of the term faith,<br />
is the faith which we must have in<br />
others. When we board a railway train<br />
we have faith that the engineer is a<br />
competent man,<br />
and is capable of hand<br />
ling the train. When we are sick we<br />
employ a doctor and we need to have<br />
faith that he is a skilled physician, and<br />
we must also have faith in the medi<br />
cine which he prescribes. It is also<br />
necessary to have faith in democracy,<br />
in our country and in our banks.<br />
The faith of which Jesus spoke is an<br />
entirely different kind of faith than<br />
that given in the examples above. He<br />
spoke of<br />
that faith which applies to<br />
the realm of the spirit which bears<br />
upon our relationship to God. Faith is<br />
the conviction that there is a spirit<br />
ual power which operates in our lives;<br />
it is a looking unto God for help; it<br />
is the hand which reaches out and takes<br />
God's gifts and provisions. Faith re<br />
cognizes the providence of God and<br />
trusts that whatever may transpire in<br />
our lives is for our perfecting and for<br />
God's glory. It is the spirit which Job<br />
had in the midst of his suffering and<br />
loss that he could say, "Though he<br />
slay me, yet will I trust Him."<br />
In the passage before us we find<br />
an example of great faith on the part<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
of the centurion who came to Jesus,<br />
seeking help for his afflicted servant.<br />
It was so remarkable a faith that Je<br />
sus in commenting on it, prefaces it<br />
with "verily"<br />
(amen).<br />
AN UNEXPECTED FAITH<br />
centurion was not a Jew, but a<br />
Roman. He was an officer and a man<br />
with authority. Usually<br />
we think of<br />
army men as being rather rough char<br />
acters, and lacking in spiritual discern<br />
ment. (Happily, there are many excep<br />
tions, and this Roman was one of them).<br />
In spite of all the temptations which<br />
were about him, this man had main<br />
tained a fine perception of<br />
spiritual<br />
things. It is all the more noteworthy<br />
that he had probably been an idolater,<br />
but in his dealings with the Jews had<br />
learned that there was a true revelation<br />
from God. He must have been a novice<br />
in spiritual things, but that did not<br />
detract from his measure of faith. Per<br />
haps it was a case of those things which<br />
have been "hidden from the wise and<br />
prudent and revealed unto babes."<br />
There was in this man a human kind<br />
ness and humility which the military<br />
life had not been able to sour or de<br />
stroy. He was tenderly anxions about<br />
his servant, who,<br />
according to Luke,<br />
was dear to him. His humility is seen<br />
in his attitude toward Christ for he<br />
said, "I am not worthy that Thou<br />
shouldest come under my<br />
Thus,<br />
he lays his case before Christ with<br />
faith that the Master will not turn a<br />
deaf ear to,<br />
his humble petition.<br />
A CHRIST CENTERED FAITH<br />
The centurion knew that he him<br />
self could do nothing for the servant.<br />
Although he could say to one " go and<br />
he goeth, and to another come and he<br />
he could not command the<br />
power of healing in his own strength.<br />
But having heard of the miracles which<br />
Jesus had performed, he came to Jesus,<br />
doubting nothing, expecting the com<br />
plete restoration of his beloved serv<br />
ant.<br />
Moreover, he perceived that no mater<br />
ial means was necessary for Christ<br />
to perform the miracle. He said to<br />
Jesus, "Speak the word only, and my<br />
servant shall be healed. Sometimes<br />
Jesus did use material means,<br />
as in<br />
the case of the blind man whose eyes<br />
He anointed with clay.<br />
But the cen<br />
turion had progressed in faith to the<br />
point that he knew that if only a word<br />
was spoken the miracle would<br />
take<br />
place. He was trusting in the unseen<br />
power of the Spirit.<br />
Last summer while on a fishing trip<br />
in Quebec, I saw a huge log boom (about<br />
30,000 logs) which was being<br />
moved down a river to a paper mill. The<br />
boom was being drawn by<br />
a boat which<br />
seemed<br />
but little larger than a goodsized<br />
row boat. How could so tiny a<br />
boat move so many logs The answer<br />
was given us by a native with whom we<br />
talked. About a mile down the river<br />
there was a rock. A long cable was<br />
attached to the rock<br />
and the other<br />
end was fastened to a winch on the<br />
boat. As the winch wound in the cable,<br />
the boat had the power to move the<br />
logs. The cable was under water where<br />
we could not see it, but it was the con<br />
necting link which gave the boat its<br />
power. In like manner faith is the<br />
invisable line which links us with God,<br />
and enables us to perform the apparent<br />
ly impossible. When we are bound to<br />
omnipotence we become co-laborers<br />
with God. Here is the explanation of the<br />
power exercised by the heroes of the<br />
faith. F. B. Meyer said, "We never<br />
test the resources of God until we at<br />
tempt the impossible."<br />
A<br />
FAITH THAT WAS PRAISED<br />
BY CHRIST<br />
What rejoicing came to the heart of<br />
Christ as he saw the centurion's dyna<br />
mic faith. We are told that He marvel<br />
ed at it. This is not the only time<br />
Jesus praised people for their faith,<br />
for we read also of the woman who was<br />
a sinner who came and anointed His<br />
feet. Moved by her act of faith and de<br />
votion, Jesus said, "Thy faith hath sav<br />
ed thee." (Luke 7:50). On another oc<br />
casion He used the same words in ad<br />
dressing one of the blind men whom<br />
He had healed. (Luke 18:42).<br />
Jesus praised the centurion's faith<br />
because he had not had the opportuni<br />
ties that had been given to the Jews.<br />
"I have not seen so great faith in<br />
Israel."<br />
The Jews should have believed,<br />
but because of the hardness of their<br />
hearts they rejected Christ, declaring<br />
that He was an imposter. Perhaps that<br />
same condition may exist in some hearts<br />
today. There are people who have been<br />
born in the church and who have been<br />
faithful attenders, but they have failed<br />
to exercise the measure of faith which<br />
should be theirs in view of their oppor<br />
tunities. So often the demonstrations of<br />
great faith are on the part of those<br />
who have recently been converted and<br />
have taken God at His word. God has<br />
honored their faith and given to them<br />
the victory the victory which every<br />
true believer should be able to claim.<br />
As Jesus rejoiced in the demonstra<br />
tion of faith by the centurion, so He<br />
also rejoices today when people exer<br />
cise their faith. "Fear not little flock,<br />
for it is your Father's good pleasure to<br />
give you the kingdom." The kingdom<br />
comes by faith and the Lord is waiting<br />
to give it to His people. We honor Him<br />
when we come to Him in faith.<br />
(Continued on page 80)<br />
77
COVENANTER NURSES: Teaching<br />
positions open in orthopedic or surgical<br />
nursing to any<br />
qualified registered<br />
nurse. If interested, write at once to<br />
Rev. Norman Carson, 6613 S. Normal<br />
Blvd., Chicago 21, Illinois.<br />
CHICAGO<br />
Chicago congregation observed the<br />
Week of Prayer with a series of cottage<br />
prayer meetings held throughout the<br />
week. The attendance grew as the week<br />
progressed. We are praying that this<br />
will be the beginning<br />
life in each of us.<br />
of a deeper prayer<br />
A small group from the congregation<br />
gathered at the Union Station on Satur<br />
day, January 15, to send off Miss Orlena<br />
Lynn. She sails from California for Ja<br />
pan February 4.<br />
her on her long journey.<br />
Our prayers go with<br />
Miss Esther Latimer has undergone<br />
surgery this past month and is making<br />
a speedy<br />
recovery. We miss her good<br />
work in our Sabbath School, but thank<br />
the Lord that she will be with us again<br />
soon.<br />
WHITE LAKE<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Renwick F. Tacey are<br />
the proud parents of a daughter, Pa<br />
tricia Ann, born December 12, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
Jimmy and David are very glad to have<br />
a little sister.<br />
NEW YORK CITY<br />
Dr. and Mrs. W. W. Weir sailed for<br />
Cyprus, January 10. It has been a real<br />
pleasure having them worship with us<br />
while on furlough. Sabbath, January 9,<br />
both spoke at the closing exercises of<br />
the Bible School and gave the school<br />
up-to-date information on Kresos Mickaletis,<br />
the boy in the American Acad<br />
emy whose scholarship the school spon<br />
sors.<br />
The new address of Miss Lola Weir,<br />
City Missionary of New York City Con<br />
gregation is 2112 Walton Ave., New<br />
York 53, N. Y.<br />
CINCINNATI<br />
The Thank Offering program was held<br />
during Thanksgiving<br />
season. Miss Grace<br />
Wagner gave a good program with the<br />
audience participating. A number of toys<br />
were collected for Selma, Alabama. Re<br />
freshments were served by the social<br />
committee headed by Mrs. Howard Miles.<br />
On Thursday, December 23, the Christ<br />
mas program was held at the church. The<br />
birth of Christ was illustrated through<br />
puppets with the boys and girls of<br />
78<br />
the Intermediate Classes working the<br />
puppets. Also, they did "The Night Be<br />
fore Christmas." The younger boys and<br />
girls contributed to the program with Bi<br />
ble Verses. A visit from Santa Claus was<br />
enjoyed by the children,<br />
Carols were sung.<br />
after Christmas<br />
We are glad to have Mr. John Jackson<br />
from Bloomington, Indiana, worship with<br />
us whenever his work allows.<br />
Bible School teachers and officers held<br />
a waffle supper before their regular meet<br />
ing on Thursday, January 13.<br />
LOS ANGELES<br />
We enjoyed the preaching of Licentiate<br />
Raymond Joseph during the last two<br />
Sabbaths of December. His sermons were<br />
an inspiration to all of us. Also visiting<br />
us at this time was his brother, Tom<br />
Joseph, from Hopkinton, Iowa.<br />
Our annual Sabbath School Christmas<br />
program was held on Friday, December<br />
17. A fine program, enjoyed by many,<br />
was put on under the supervision of Mrs.<br />
Donald Walker and the Sabath School<br />
teachers.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gault became<br />
the proud parents of a fine baby boy,<br />
Jeffrey Elliott, on November 27.<br />
Couples Club held a New Year's Eve<br />
party, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur<br />
Russell at their home. After a ham din<br />
ner, games were played. At 11:30 Dr.<br />
Russell conducted a devotional program<br />
to welcome in the New Year.<br />
Recent visitors have been Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Lloyd Ewing of Quinter, Kansas;<br />
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Marshall Qf<br />
Waterman, Illinois; Mrs. Henry Black<br />
wood of Topeka, Kansas; Dick and<br />
Donald Dill of Erick, Oklahoma; Ken<br />
neth McBurney of Quinter, Kansas and<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Killough of Engle<br />
wood, Colorado.<br />
GREELEY<br />
Each of the <strong>org</strong>anizations of the con<br />
gregation held Christmas parties during<br />
the holiday season. The party for the<br />
Couple's Club was the first meeting of<br />
this <strong>org</strong>anization; the second meeting<br />
was in January at the home of the Nee<br />
land Siebrings.<br />
Mr. Ralph Willcox, our Sabbath<br />
School Superintendent, and Miss Barbara<br />
Prazma were united in marriage at the<br />
Church on<br />
Friday, December 24, at 4:30<br />
P.M. in the presence of their immediate<br />
families. The Rev. Bruce C. Stewart per<br />
formed the ceremony. The new couple<br />
will be at home in Longview, Texas,<br />
where Ralph will attend the Letourneau<br />
Technical Institute. A bridal shower was<br />
given at the church in their honor on<br />
January 17.<br />
Miss Renee Willcox was born on De<br />
cember 26. She is the daughter of Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Ray Willcox. Congratulations<br />
to these proud parents. Ray is still in the<br />
Service at Fort Eustice, Va., but expects<br />
to be discharged within two months.<br />
Our offering for Synod's Budget the<br />
last week of 19<strong>54</strong> was about $650.00. In<br />
addition, the CYPU has set a goal of<br />
$50.00 for the Budget to be raised<br />
by<br />
March 31st.<br />
The Rev. and Mrs. John Edgar and<br />
Louise were welcome visitors in Greeley<br />
during the holidays. Rev. Edgar preached<br />
for us the morning of December 26.<br />
Week of Prayer Meetings were held<br />
Monday through Friday, each <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tion of the Church sponsoring one meet<br />
ing.<br />
Miss Elizabeth McElroy was the<br />
speaker at our Thank Offering Meeting,<br />
January 12; she also spoke on Sabbath<br />
morning, January 9. The Thank Offering<br />
amounted to over $300.00.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dunn are<br />
happy<br />
to announce the birth of Ronnie Lee,<br />
born January 14. Congratulations! Bob<br />
and June are living at present in Sedro<br />
Woolley, Washington.<br />
SYRACUSE<br />
A farewell reception was held at the<br />
church for Dr. and Mrs. G. M. Robb, on<br />
Thursday evening, January 13. The<br />
chapel was prettily decorated with pink<br />
candles and the tables had the candles<br />
and pink carnations. We played a game,<br />
each one to name the different ways<br />
by which Dr. and Mrs. Robb might go<br />
to Kansas City, their new home. Elmer<br />
Shaw won. A clever skit was put on by<br />
Mrs. Raymond Park and Mrs. Edwin<br />
Carson, Jr., so they took the parts of<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Robb, piling boxes and<br />
suitcases into their car, and starting<br />
off on their trip, with clever take-offs<br />
on some of the members of the congre<br />
gation. After refreshments were served,<br />
Mr. David C. Park expressed the regrets<br />
of the congregation that Dr. and Mrs.<br />
Robb were leaving, that they would be<br />
greatly missed in all the work of the<br />
congregation but what is our loss is<br />
Kansas City's gain. Mr. Park handed<br />
Mrs. Robb an envelope with money from<br />
the congregation wishing them God's<br />
blessing in their new field of labor.<br />
The congregation sent a letter of<br />
commendation to President Eisenhower,<br />
commending him for his interest in re<br />
ligious matters, his attendence at<br />
church, his trying to interest those in<br />
government positions in religious mat<br />
ters. It was signed by members of the<br />
Congregation.<br />
Rev. Remo Robb is expected to preach<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
again."<br />
on Sabbath, January 23, to declare the<br />
pulpit vacant.<br />
A LINCOLN DAY GIFT FOR YOU<br />
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY IS COM<br />
ING. Believing that every church, high<br />
school, college, and public library ought<br />
to have one or more books on President<br />
Lincoln and his faith in God, the author<br />
of "THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM LIN<br />
COLN"<br />
is hereby offering free copies to<br />
your church, school and public library<br />
as long as the supply lasts. This book<br />
was recommended as a MUST by The<br />
Sunday School Times, and by many oth<br />
er Religious and secular periodicals. The<br />
introduction is by Dr. Charles M. Shel<br />
don of "In His Steps" fame.<br />
"I shall pass this way but once. Any<br />
good that I can do, let me do it now.<br />
Let me not withhold or defer it, for I<br />
shall not pass this way<br />
D. Raymond Taggart<br />
BARNETT<br />
On December 5 the Sacrament of the<br />
Lord's Supper was observed together<br />
with the signing<br />
of the Covenant. We<br />
were highly privileged on this occasion<br />
in having with us the Rev. Samuel E.<br />
Boyle whose messages were most timely<br />
and challenging. On Monday evening<br />
Mr.<br />
Boyle showed motion pictures of<br />
his work in Japan.<br />
The Sabbath School recently sent<br />
$30.00 to the Cyprus Building Fund.<br />
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. El<br />
mer Faris on the arrival of a fine baby<br />
boy, Douglas Charles on November 18.<br />
At the October meeting members of<br />
the Women's Missionary Society packed<br />
a large box of clothing for the Southern<br />
Mission.<br />
In December Christmas cor<br />
sages were made for the ladies in the<br />
Aged People's Home and gifts for the<br />
children at the Indian Mission.<br />
Through voluntary contributions a<br />
goodly sum of money was sent to the<br />
Kentucky Mission for the purchase of<br />
Bibles. The fund was sponsored by the<br />
Women's Missionary Society.<br />
KANSAS CITY<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle was with us, January<br />
16, just for the day; it was indeed a very<br />
busy one for him, we think. He preached<br />
stirring sermons morning and evening.<br />
The evening sermon on Communism was<br />
very informative, coming from one so<br />
closely in touch with it in China and<br />
Japan. He gave a chalk-talk to the<br />
Juniors in the evening; immediately af<br />
ter, he came into the Discussion Group<br />
meeting, showed beautiful and instruc<br />
tive slides of Japan; then the evening<br />
sermon. In the afternoon a pastoral call<br />
was made into the home of a mission<br />
scholar, a little girl who was seriously<br />
ill. From the pulpit, he asked that we<br />
pray, not only for the child but also for<br />
February 2, 1955<br />
the mother and grandmother for an im<br />
proved spiritual life, in them. God took<br />
the little girl late that evening. Rev.<br />
Boyle was called back Tuesday from<br />
Topeka to conduct the funeral service.<br />
A touching part of our Christmas pro<br />
gram was when a Junior, Jackis Burke,<br />
appeared on the platform, calling for<br />
Mrs. Coleman. He gave her, with an<br />
endearing little speech, a very fine pock<br />
etbook. Mrs. Coleman has been Junior<br />
Superintendent twenty-nine years :<br />
Mrs. Robt. More, Sr., assistant for six<br />
teen years, Herbert Hunter presented a<br />
gift. These were from the Juniors and<br />
Intermediates to their retiring superin<br />
tendents. Mrs. Coleman, can see the<br />
fruit of some of her work in youngsters<br />
who have now grown up<br />
to<br />
and are now<br />
serving the church as she did, so faith<br />
fully. Mrs. Wylie Hunter and Miss Mar<br />
garet Hall have taken over the Junior<br />
work.<br />
Mrs. Betty Coleman Weimer sponsors<br />
the new Intermediate class. They had a<br />
contest from<br />
studies in the Gos<br />
pel of John. Wilbur More and Jim<br />
Wright tied for first place and Nancy<br />
Wright captured second place. This<br />
group is now completing a study in the<br />
NAVIGATORS Introductory Bible Stu<br />
dy Book.<br />
The Discussion Group take special<br />
studies from Dr. Vos' BLUE BANNER<br />
FAITH AND LIFE. We are proud of<br />
the various groups led by<br />
younger mem<br />
bers, especially in their selections for<br />
study.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Ward and their<br />
three fine boys are worshiping with us.<br />
Mrs. Ward helps in the Bible School, as<br />
substitute teacher. She is the daughter<br />
of Rev. M. S. McMillan. We are happy to<br />
have them.<br />
Robt. More Jr. spent the holidays at<br />
home. We miss him but glad to have<br />
him in Geneva.<br />
Our Parsonage Committee rendered<br />
good service. We now have a nice new<br />
parsonage for Dr. and Mrs. Robb and<br />
are looking forward to their coming.<br />
Dr. G. M. Robb preached his first ser<br />
mon as our pastor, January 23, a cold<br />
bright sunshiny morning<br />
without and<br />
much warmth within; his text, Romans<br />
15:16.<br />
The new address of Rev. G. M. Robb<br />
4418 West 55th Street<br />
Kansas City, Kansas<br />
Two baby<br />
STERLING NEWS<br />
boys have arrived to<br />
gladden hearts in Sterling: William<br />
Joseph, born to Joe and Roberta (Dill)<br />
McFarland of Turon on December 7;<br />
and Stuart Victor, son of<br />
Barbara (McNeil)<br />
tina on January 16.<br />
Pablo and<br />
Navahas of Argen<br />
The W.M.S. has extended several<br />
courtesies lately. Among them: a<br />
luncheon for Miss Blanche McCrea of<br />
Cyprus; a reception for their members<br />
over eighty<br />
years: Mrs. Jennie Ander<br />
son, Mrs. Lucy MacClement, and Miss<br />
Alice Humphreys; a shower for Mrs.<br />
Nancy (Young) Marshall; and flowers<br />
and an occasional chair were sent to the<br />
Jack Foleys December 24 for their<br />
35th wedding anniversary.<br />
Dr. and Mrs. A. J. McFarland, Ar<br />
mour and Robert, were the Sterling<br />
representatives at the Forest Park<br />
Booster banquet in Topeka during the<br />
holiday season. About 110 were in at<br />
tendance.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ross Latimer of Em<br />
poria, who were called to Sterling by<br />
the funeral of her Aunt, Mrs. Calvin<br />
L. Young, on January 8, worshipped<br />
with us on January 9.<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Clarence E. Wilson and<br />
Virginia of Stafford worshiped with us<br />
January 16.<br />
The Rev. S. E. Boyle, whose son is<br />
living in<br />
Sterling and attending high<br />
school as a senior, occupied the Ster<br />
ling pulpit January 9 in the absence of<br />
the pastor, who preached at Oakdale,<br />
111.<br />
Mrs. Flora Cunningham, widow of<br />
the late E. P. Cunningham, passed away<br />
December 28, at the home of her<br />
daughter, Mrs. Wayne Milligan, in<br />
Belleville.<br />
The New Year's dinner was highlight<br />
ed by a program consisting<br />
of songs<br />
by the juniors, a pantomine by the<br />
intermediates, a pep band by the young<br />
people, songs by the McFarland Male<br />
Quartett, and a skit, "Ladies of the<br />
Mopping Line" by four of the young<br />
married ladies. Mr. Lou Wilkey des<br />
cribed the production of "Unshackled"<br />
as he had seen it enacted at WGN in<br />
Chicago. Mrs. Gail Wilkey<br />
man of the evening.<br />
was chair<br />
The Rev. L. E. Kilpatrick was called<br />
to Morning Sun, December 19, upon the<br />
death of his father. John Kilpatrick<br />
attended the funeral returning with his<br />
father.<br />
The names of Sam Wilkey and Diane<br />
Oline appear on the last six weeks high<br />
school honor roll. (Long)<br />
YOUNG<br />
MARSHALL<br />
New Year's Eve found the ^erling<br />
Church beautifully decorated for the<br />
wedding of Miss Nancy Carolyn Young,<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Young<br />
to Allen Marshall, son of Mrs. Ger<br />
trude Marshall of Sylvia, at 4:30 p.m.<br />
Dr. A. J. McFarland, uncle of the bride,<br />
assisted by Mr. Otis Webb of Sylvia,<br />
and the Rev. L. E. Kilpatrick, officiated<br />
at the double ring ceremony. The bride<br />
was given in marriage by her father.<br />
79
Joe, Armour and Robert MacFarland,<br />
cousins of the bride, sang "I Love you<br />
Truly,"<br />
90th Psalm.<br />
"Bless This Hou.se,"<br />
and the<br />
Members of the bridal party were<br />
Mrs. Howard Mann of Wichita, sister<br />
of the bride, Matron of Honor; Miss<br />
Maralee Towse, Hutchinson, brides<br />
maid; and Miss Melody McFarland,<br />
junior bridesmaid. Messers Dick Miller,<br />
Robert Brook and Gene Saxton attend<br />
ed the groom. Ervin Young, and John<br />
McFarland and Robert McFarland,<br />
served as ushers. Taper lighters were<br />
Masters David Young, and Marlin Mc<br />
Farland.<br />
At the reception in the church base<br />
ment Mrs. A. J. McFarland, Mrs. Er<br />
vin Young<br />
and Miss Ruth McFarland<br />
of Wichita presided at the serving table.<br />
Following a wedding trip to New<br />
Orleans, the Marshalls are now at home<br />
in Sylvia, where Allen is a mechanic.<br />
Nancy, who is a graduate nurse, com<br />
mutes thirty miles each day to Hutch<br />
inson Grace Hospital where she works<br />
in surgery.<br />
FRESNO<br />
The Pacific Conference Dates<br />
are changed now to July 16 to<br />
23. We hope and pray that many of<br />
our people will plan their vacation to<br />
coincide with these dates.<br />
Our pastor went to a good bit of work<br />
in preparing the 1955 calendar for every<br />
home of the congregation. All import<br />
ant meetings for the year are to be<br />
found on the page of each month's cal<br />
endar.<br />
We are enjoying the Book of Ephes<br />
ians this month, reading it every day,<br />
and hearing it expounded from the pul<br />
pit on the Lord's Day morning.<br />
Mrs. Martha Margaret McNeil<br />
The Los Angeles Congregation has suf<br />
fered the loss of one of its members in<br />
the passing of Mrs. Martha Margaret<br />
Chambers McNeil, who died on Novem<br />
ber 26, 19<strong>54</strong>, in the Hamilton Sanatarium,<br />
Los Angeles. Her husband,<br />
James Renwick McNeil, preceded her in<br />
death in February, 1936. Mrs. McNeil<br />
was born at<br />
Morning Sun, Iowa, and at<br />
an early age united with the Reformed<br />
Presbyterian church and remained a<br />
faithful and devoted member until her<br />
death. After her marriage Mrs. McNeil<br />
husband lived near Morning<br />
Sun, later moved to Hopkinton, Iowa,<br />
then to Regina, Canada, and in 1924<br />
and her<br />
moved to Los Angeles, California. Left<br />
to morn her loss are three sisters, Mrs.<br />
S. F. McElhinney, Burlington, Iowa;<br />
Mrs. F. B. Tibbitts, Hopkinton; Mrs.<br />
C. T Death, Vancouver, Canada; two<br />
br^.itre, Jonn S. Chambers, of Van<br />
couver, Washington, and T. Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Chambers, Glendale, California, and<br />
80<br />
many nieces, nephews and friends. Mrs.<br />
McNeil was always faithful and devoted<br />
to her Lord, her church, her family and<br />
friends; she loved her Bible and was<br />
faithful in her attendance at the church<br />
services whenever health permitted.<br />
Dr. E. G. Russell was in charge of<br />
the services and interment was in Val<br />
Hall cemetery,<br />
Burbank.<br />
MISS MARY JANE PATTERSON, a<br />
member of the OLD BETHEL congrega<br />
tion for 78 years, answered the heavenly<br />
call on Sabbath evening, January 9,<br />
1955, at the age of 92. Miss Patterson<br />
was active in all work of the church and<br />
was a faithful Sabbath school teacher<br />
until her death. She was greatly inter<br />
ested in temperance work and served<br />
as local and county president of the<br />
W.C.T.U. for a long period of time. For<br />
six years she worked in the Jewish<br />
Mission in Cincinnati, Ohio. She will be<br />
missed by her relatives and a host of<br />
friends. Two brothers survive,<br />
Edwin<br />
Patterson of the Old Bethel congrega<br />
tion and Dr. Harvey G.<br />
Morning Sun, Iowa.<br />
Patterson of<br />
FOR YOUR ROMAN CATHOLIC<br />
FRIEND<br />
To aid Christians who wish to win-their<br />
Roman Catholic friends to a saving<br />
faith in Christ, The American Council<br />
of Christian Churches offers five book<br />
lets, entitled, "FUNDAMENTAL PROT<br />
ESTANT DOCTRINES." The author is<br />
Dr. R. Laird Harris of Faith Theological<br />
Seminary, Philadelphia. Unlike some un<br />
necessarily offensive tracts, these book<br />
lets, without any compromise with Bible<br />
truth, will not blast your friendship but<br />
should strengthen it with any Roman<br />
Catholic neighbor or friend to whom you<br />
lend one or more of these booklets. Evan<br />
gelical Christians will be strengthened in<br />
their faith through the reading<br />
booklet. The following<br />
of each<br />
are the titles:<br />
No. 1 "Our Bible and How We Got It"<br />
No. 2 "First Century Christianity"<br />
Church"<br />
No. 3 "The Holy Catholic<br />
Life"<br />
No. 4 "Liberty and<br />
No. 5 "Heaven for the Asking"<br />
Single copies, ten cents each; fifty cents<br />
for the complete set. Be a good witness<br />
for Christ to those about you in Roman<br />
ist superstition and spiritual darkness.<br />
Send your order<br />
today to:<br />
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF<br />
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES<br />
15 Park Row, New York 38, New York<br />
Should we feel at times disheartened<br />
and discouraged, a confiding thought,<br />
a simple movement of heart towards<br />
God will renew our powers. Whatever<br />
He may demand of us, He will give us<br />
at the<br />
moment the strength and the<br />
courage that we need.<br />
Fenelon.<br />
Discussion:<br />
(Continued from page 77)<br />
1. How may we increase our faith<br />
2. What causes men to lose the faith<br />
which they<br />
once had<br />
3. Is faith an exercise on man's part,<br />
or is it a gift from God<br />
For Prayer:<br />
That we may<br />
faith.<br />
all grow in the life of<br />
That as a church we may have faith<br />
to believe in the success of the Christ<br />
ian Amendment; in the temperance<br />
cause;<br />
and in missions.<br />
'course<br />
that /has<br />
ive/wrum, I<br />
SOLID BIBLE CONTENT Based squarely on<br />
the Bible, these lessons give the teacher<br />
many opportunities to present the claims of<br />
the Gospel. You may not only expect<br />
but<br />
also anticipate the Holy Spirit to turn your<br />
pupils to Christ.<br />
COLORFUL WORKBOOKS<br />
Beautifully colored<br />
and illustrated workbooks give this course<br />
popular pupil-appeal.<br />
PLENTY OF VISUAL AIDS You don't have<br />
to look for visual aids. Some are built di<br />
rectly into the lessons; others are recom<br />
mended as supplements. All have practical,<br />
personal appeal.<br />
MEANINGFUL HANDWORK Each handwork<br />
project is carefully worked out to tie in with<br />
the lessons. Materials of plaster, felt, etc.,<br />
give projects lasting appeal to pupils.<br />
COMPLETE TEACHING HELPS Teachers' books<br />
give comprehensive treatment of each lesson.<br />
All the helps you need are there. No hunt<br />
ing around or looking up extras to fill in.<br />
SCRIPTURE PRESS<br />
434 S. Wabash, Dept. 000-00<br />
Chicago 5, III.<br />
-<br />
FREE "Marching On" booklet on how<br />
to run a VBS. This helpful book crammed<br />
with suggestions on how to make your<br />
teaching more effective and your VBS<br />
a success.<br />
Illustrations, closing demon<br />
stration program, etc.<br />
NAME.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
clearly."<br />
apart"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 27, 1955<br />
THE FIELD S THE WORLD,<br />
TH 5/r&0 (S THE WORD OP GOD<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1955 NUMBER 6<br />
The Biggest Hindrance to Spiritual Vision<br />
In Matthew 7:5 we read, "Then thou shalt see<br />
The church today, as in every age,<br />
needs<br />
men and women of spiritual vision men and women<br />
who see God's will, work, and way, and then go into<br />
action. A clear vision is needed to help others.<br />
The biggest hindrance to spiritual vision is<br />
found in Matthew 7:1-5, and it is censoriousness.<br />
We criticize others when there are imperfections in<br />
our own lives, and the imperfection mentioned here<br />
is the spirit of judging others. Fault finding and<br />
"picking others is not a Christian way to act.<br />
No man will ever be perfect in the eyes of his fellow<br />
men, but God looks on the heart. God is the judge,<br />
not we.<br />
Just what is involved in this censorious atti<br />
tude Those who have this attitude go around con<br />
stantly condemning others. No one is just quite as<br />
good as they are ; no one can please them.<br />
The defeating blow that is often wielded is that<br />
of criticism when a person has done his best. Our<br />
task on earth is to serve God and help people to<br />
heaven. If we do this our task is difficult enough<br />
without trying to run the lives of others. We are to<br />
look for the merits in everyone. This does not mean<br />
that we do not recognize the difference between the<br />
Christian and the non-Christian ; it does mean, how<br />
ever, that we treat the unsaved as Jesus would.<br />
There are some good traits in the unsaved, even<br />
though they will not save them. When dealing with<br />
such a person start with these good traits and<br />
commend him for these, but show him also that<br />
the greatest sin is the rejection of the Saviour,<br />
Jesus Christ. A censorious attitude is a dangerous<br />
thing. It will cause your spiritual vision to be dim<br />
med and will never help a soul to God.<br />
There is a grave personal danger in having a<br />
censorious attitude. If we judge others, others will<br />
judge us. Others will be harder on us than we are on<br />
them because they know that censoriousness is a<br />
part of our very disposition. This unwholesome spirit<br />
will rob us of soul joy. It displeases God, makes<br />
enemies, and keeps us from seeing God clearly.<br />
Some people are always seeing the faults in<br />
others but never in themselves. Others need help.<br />
The unsaved need to be saved, the discouraged en<br />
couraged, and the sorrowing comforted ; but we shall<br />
never be able to help if the "beam" of censoriousness<br />
is in our own eyes. When the personal "beam" is cast<br />
out of the eye "then shalt thou see clearly to cast<br />
eye."<br />
out the mote out of thy brother's<br />
The reason then that some of us are not able to<br />
help others is because we lack spiritual vision. A<br />
lack of spiritual vision is caused by having a censori<br />
ous spirit. Therefore the thing to do is to let God<br />
completely cleanse our souls of all that is unlike Him<br />
by the purging presence of the Holy Spirit. H.E.S.<br />
in United Brethren
.<br />
o"l"<br />
services."<br />
enemies.'<br />
o'<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Anniversary of Salvation Army<br />
The Salvation Army is nearly 75 years old in the United<br />
States and is to celebrate its 75th anniversary before long.<br />
It is much older than this in England where Wm. Booth<br />
founded the Christian Mission in 1865. Thirteen years later<br />
he began to call it the Salvation Army. It has now spread<br />
until it reaches 85 countries and distributes a total of 126<br />
periodicals regularly. The large brims of the early bonnet<br />
designed by Catherine Booth, William's wife, in 1880 were<br />
to provide protection against objects hurled by hostile<br />
crowds. In place of being despised today, the uniform of the<br />
Salvation Army is respected even in the slums of London.<br />
An officer of the Salvation Army<br />
who showed me through<br />
some of the slums of London pointed out a modest house<br />
where two of the "lassies" lived right in the midst of the<br />
slum district and informed me that these ladies were never<br />
insulted when in uniform even by men who were drunk.<br />
They often went out at night to aid people who had been<br />
injured in a brawl and they were not afraid. This is a<br />
remarkable testimony to the Gospel in action.<br />
Politics in the Gutter<br />
The current issue of Church and State, the <strong>org</strong>an of the<br />
POAU, declares :<br />
"The late President Franklin D. Roose<br />
velt in 1939 toyed with the idea of exerting 'indirect' pres<br />
sure on the Vatican to secure the appointment of a new<br />
archbishop for the Chicago archdiocese who would be friend<br />
ly to the New Deal, an excerpt from the diary of the late<br />
Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes has revealed .<br />
The President told me that he is considering seriously send<br />
ing a representative to the Vatican, although not with full<br />
diplomatic standing. He also said that he would not do th'-<br />
if Sheil were not appointed Archbishop<br />
.<br />
of Chicago<br />
. He<br />
said that he could not make a direct suggestion to the<br />
Vatican but he intended to do so indirectly."<br />
"Brainwashed"<br />
Children<br />
The above papor tells of the Catholic pressure and<br />
underhanded methods used in favor of Senator McCarthy.<br />
"Lectures 'on the virtues of Senator McCarthy' had been<br />
given to parochial school children during the controversy<br />
which preceded Senate censure of McCarthy on December<br />
2, an irate Romrn Catholic parent charged in a letter to<br />
Fnncis Cardinal Spellman, archbishop of New York. Robert<br />
L. McCaffery of Tuckahoe, three of whose children attend<br />
Roman Catholic schools, said that teaching nuns at th"<br />
Immaculate Conception School in Tuckahoe had not<br />
'lectured'<br />
in favor of McCarthy but also had circu1"+ed th"<br />
pro-McCarthy petitions of the Ten Million for Senator Mc<br />
Carthy <strong>org</strong>anization. This brain-washing being given my<br />
children is a disgrace, and I cannot understand how Church<br />
authorities can condone it. My daughter in St. Gabriel's<br />
High School<br />
(New Rochelle) is also subjected to almost<br />
daily praise of the Senator. Yesterday, (Nov. 25), a new low<br />
level was reached. Each of my children was requested by<br />
the Nun to sign one of the petitions being circulated to<br />
obtain the ten million signatures. In other words the pro<br />
ponents of Senator McCarthy are using Catholic schools to<br />
obtain what amounts to f<strong>org</strong>ery, if we consider that these<br />
petitions should be signed only by people capable of judging<br />
82<br />
the merits of the<br />
matter."<br />
Mr. McCaffery added that many<br />
Catholic friends had boasted that they had signed their<br />
names and other names several times to the petition.<br />
Prof. John Ramsey, B.A., LL.B.<br />
The Rev. A. Loughridge, B.A., has written an obituary<br />
of the Rev. Professor John Ramsey, B.A., L.L.B., which ap<br />
pears in the January issue of the Reformed Presbyterian<br />
<strong>Witness</strong> of Scotland. Prof. Ramsey was 94 years old at the<br />
time of his death, Nov. 26, 19<strong>54</strong>. He was pastor of the<br />
Ballymoney congregation in Ireland for over 53 years, and<br />
a teacher of Hebrew, Greek and Biblical Criticism in the<br />
R. P. Seminary in Belfast for 23 years. He was also co-editor<br />
of The <strong>Covenanter</strong> for 45 years. He exerted a large influence<br />
on the <strong>Covenanter</strong> church of Ireland, on his congrega*ion in<br />
Ballymoney<br />
and in a much wider circle for over h->]f a<br />
century. He was a very modest man, but a "scholar, pastor,<br />
gentleman,"<br />
teacher, and Christian<br />
as his biographer states<br />
We have shared the genial and kindly hospitality hi<br />
home. He was physically as well as scholt stically ani<br />
spiritually strong. "A visit to Canada in 1892 brought him<br />
fame that was unexpected and unsought. At the risk of<br />
this own life he rescued a woman who had fallen from the<br />
suspension bridge at Niagra Falls. For this feat of dariiT<br />
and courage he was made the recipient of the Royal Can~dian<br />
Humane Society's Gold Medal." Many in this coun+rwill<br />
wish to join with this writer in extending sympptiv fn<br />
his two sons and five daughters in Ireland, England -n 1<br />
the U.S.A.<br />
Fellowship in Christ<br />
The following is a striking example of how the true<br />
Christian spirit causes men to love their enemies. W~ q-'ofc<br />
from The Banner: "Recently, servicemen at th^ Kobe Rest<br />
3nd Recuperation Center in<br />
example of Christ's teaching, 'Love your<br />
Jappn saw a 20th century<br />
Jacob<br />
DeShazer, former Doolittle bombardier, now Free Methodist<br />
missionary in Japan, and Rev. Mitsuo Fuchida, the Japanese<br />
who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, and now actively en<br />
gaged in Christian work, spoke from the sme platform in<br />
Kobe. Seven servicemen are reported to have been con<br />
verted as a result of these impressive<br />
Protestant Advertising<br />
A program is being prepared by the National Associa<br />
tion of Evangelicals to counteract the Roman Catholic dvertising<br />
under the Knights of Columbus. There are to be<br />
a series of 30 advertisements which set forth the hifto'ic<br />
beliefs of orthodox Protestants. In these advertisements<br />
th"<br />
readers ere asked to send for a pamphlet which explains<br />
the truth about the Gospel and about the Church ps the<br />
Body of Christ. These advertisements are available in mat<br />
form to groups who will take the responsibility of piac'nT<br />
them in local papers. Inquiries end contributions may be<br />
sent the National Association of Evangelicals 1405 G Street.<br />
N. W., Washington 5, D. C.<br />
Tobacco Companies Warned<br />
The Federal Trade Commission has warned tobacco com<br />
panies concerning their false advertising of cigarets that<br />
(Continued on page 87)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
PRESIDENT ON XV<br />
Dwight Eisenhower has become the first American<br />
President to put a press conference on television. The<br />
first experiment was so successful that it will probably<br />
become a regular practice. It does not seem likely to end<br />
the spontaneity of the press conference. The public will not<br />
see a direct broadcast, but a film version edited by the<br />
Presidential press secretary before release. The idea in<br />
volves some risk for the President, because the conference<br />
is unrehearsed and the questions are sometimes embarrass<br />
ing. The Democrats will be quick to point out any partisan<br />
motive for deletions in the film. But the television press<br />
conference will certainly bring government closer to the<br />
people, and will probably prove a political advantage for<br />
President Eisenhower. In his two years in the White House<br />
he has attained considerable skill in handling the press,<br />
and nearly always makes a good impression on television.<br />
ATOMIC PROGRESS<br />
The Atomic Energy Commission's semiannual report<br />
states that the weapons which were proved in last Spring's<br />
Pacific tests are now being stockpiled, and hints at the de<br />
velopment of even more powerful bombs. Val Peterson,<br />
Civil Defense Administrator, has indicated that we may<br />
soon have bombs three times as powerful as the biggest yet<br />
tested. No hydrogen bomb tests are scheduled for this<br />
year. In Nevada this month some small-scale atomic weap<br />
ons are being tested, along with various defense measures.<br />
There have been many new discoveries of uranium in<br />
recent months, and the ore is coming out faster than it<br />
can be processed. Besides the weapons program, the Com<br />
mission is proceeding with peaceful uses of atomic energy.<br />
Next year will see the beginning<br />
of the commercial produc<br />
tion of electrical power from atomic reactors. The atomic<br />
submarine Nautilus has passed its first sea tests and will<br />
soon enter regular service. Experiments are going on for<br />
the use of atomic power in an airplane. On the international<br />
scene, the first world conference on peacetime uses of<br />
atomic energy is now scheduled to meet on August 8 at<br />
Geneva, Switzerland.<br />
INVITATION DECLINED<br />
Our State Department has announced that it will not<br />
issue passports allowing Americans to visit their relatives<br />
who are prisoners of Communist China. Peiping's invitation<br />
next two decades the U.S. should continue to widen its<br />
lead over the Soviet Union. From 1938 to 1953, our gross<br />
national product increased almost twice as fast as that<br />
of the Russians. However, our rate of gain has slowed down<br />
since 1948.<br />
The Soviet satellites have made very slow<br />
progress, as many of their resources have been drained off<br />
for the benefit of Russia. Per capita personal consumption<br />
in the U.S. has risen 40 per cent since 1938. In the Soviet<br />
Union and Poland it is only slightly above prewar levels,<br />
and in other satellite states it is still lower than prewar.<br />
The report notes, however, that the Soviet bloc is better<br />
mobilized economically for immediate war. Russia's econom<br />
ic directors seem to be shifting their emphasis from con<br />
sumer goods back to heavy industry.<br />
BRITAIN PROSPERS<br />
Last year was the best Britain has ever had in foreign<br />
trade, says the country's Board of Trade. British exports<br />
reached an all-time high of $7.5 billion in 19<strong>54</strong>. With the<br />
help of shipping, insurance, and foreign tourists, Britain<br />
now has a favorable cash balance. Textiles and coal, which<br />
used to be the leading exports, have been replaced by<br />
metal goods, chemicals, and other manufactured products.<br />
Last year the British produced more than a million motor<br />
vehicles for the first time in their history, and a large per<br />
centage of these were sold abroad. Britain exports twice<br />
as many cars as the U. S., and more than all the rest of<br />
Europe combined. She is also the world's largest supplier<br />
of radioactive isotopes, and leads in many other technical<br />
specialties.<br />
MIXED SCHOOLS<br />
In spite of local setbacks, school desegregation is mak<br />
ing quiet progress in the South. The Atomic Energy Com<br />
mission is abolishing racial distinctions in the high schools<br />
at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This will be the first completely<br />
nonsegregated system in that state. The high schools of<br />
St. Louis have also just abandoned segregation. Little dif<br />
ficulty is expected, thanks to a supporting campaign con<br />
ducted over the past few months. This was directed mainly<br />
at securing the cooperation of parents, who are usually the<br />
troublemakers rather than children. The St. Louis teach<br />
er's colleges were combined into one desegregated school<br />
last September, with no trouble. The elementary schools<br />
will not be intergrated until next fall.<br />
for the relatives to visit the prisoners was obviously not<br />
based entirely on humanitarian motives, but on propaganda<br />
considerations as well. Acceptance would have amounted<br />
almost to an admission that the imprisonment was legal;<br />
yet the natural inclination of the relatives would be to go<br />
if possible. The State Department solved their difficult<br />
problem by refusing its permission. Parents of the eleven<br />
imprisoned airmen have met in Jacksonville, Florida, and<br />
expressed their approval of the ban.<br />
ECONOMIC MIGHT<br />
The Western nations still have considerably greater<br />
economic capacity than the Communist states, according to<br />
the report of a joint Congressional committee. For the<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
FOR THE BLIND<br />
Helen Keller, blind and deaf since early childhood, has<br />
long been an inspiring example of triumph over handicaps<br />
which seemed hopeless. Now, at the age of 74, she is be<br />
ginning a world tour which will cover 400,000 miles in<br />
four months. She will visit Europe and the Near East, but<br />
her main concern is with South Asia, the Philippines, and<br />
Japan. There are ten million blind persons in these coun<br />
tries. Helen Keller will try to increase the interest of their<br />
people and governments in the prevention of blindness, and<br />
in the training and education of the blind. Her trip is<br />
being sponsored by the American Foundation for the Over<br />
seas Blind.<br />
83
ed"<br />
price."<br />
not,"<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
Heritages At Bargain Prices<br />
We are frequently reminded by the press that<br />
the whole of Manhattan Island comprising much of<br />
the land on which Greater New York is situated<br />
(about 22 square miles, more or less as the sur<br />
veyors say) was sold to Peter Minuit, Dutch Gover<br />
nor<br />
General, for $24.00 in goods reckoned at retail<br />
prices, of course. But that was back in 1626 before in<br />
flation began, and the same real estate, exclusive of<br />
the improvements, is now worth $10,000,000,000.00,<br />
more or less. That is what inflation has done to us.<br />
However, it is probable that both the seller and the<br />
purchaser was quite satisfied at the time that they<br />
each and serverally had gotten the best of the bar<br />
gain. But it is also reasonable to suppose that the<br />
descendents of the party of the first part, namely,<br />
the Indians, if any survive, feel that their progenitors<br />
did them a great injustice in disposing of their right<br />
ful heritage at such a ridiculous price, approximately<br />
$1.00 per square mile.<br />
We mention the above deal because it is usually<br />
cited as the I-deal, the greatest bargain ever put<br />
over by shall we say a proverbial New Yorker<br />
on an unsophisticated fellow human being. Maybe<br />
so, maybe so not. The land of Palestine and its ad<br />
jacent surroundings, the Cross Roads of the World,<br />
has had a number of changes of<br />
ownership, usually<br />
at great cost of blood but not always. At one time<br />
this land flowing with milk and honey, of gold and<br />
brass and iron, of cities walled to heaven, of grapes<br />
and oranges, olives and pomegranates, extending<br />
from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends<br />
of the earth, changed hands in a single day, and the<br />
price would you believe it One large bowl of pot<br />
tage "that<br />
.<br />
(stuff) The price of a bowl of chili<br />
at any hamburger stand. "Thus Esau despised his<br />
birthright."<br />
And it was not just a vast section of<br />
fertile land that he esteemed so lightly, but it was<br />
all those precious promises made to Abraham and<br />
to his father Isaac. Esau said, "Behold I am at the<br />
point to die: and what profit shall this birthright<br />
do to me '' Was Satan thinking of him when he said<br />
to God, "All that a man hath will he give for his<br />
life"<br />
The counterbalance of this story occurred some<br />
centuries later, and concerned a mere fraction of<br />
that land so lightly esteemed by Esau, perhaps forty<br />
acres, or possibly eighty, or a quarter section, but<br />
not likely a whole section of land. As a family herit<br />
age it had passed from father to son since the time<br />
of Joshua. It is possible that Joshua's own signa<br />
ture was on the abstract. But it had increased in<br />
value with every generation. This family specialized<br />
in grape culture. I suppose they sent to Eschol for<br />
some of those mammoth varieties so famous in the<br />
days of Caleb. By selection and cross fertilization<br />
both the size and the quality had been improved.<br />
They had built up the soil with fertilizers and<br />
mulches, and by pruning and cultivation and spray<br />
ing they had made those vines to bring forth more<br />
fruit until that vineyard was the envy of all the<br />
neighbors. But unhappily King Ahab was the nearest<br />
84<br />
neighbor and he coveted it. That weedless plot of<br />
ground would raise vegetables fit for a king. And the<br />
king must have it.<br />
The king condescends to make a proposition. "I<br />
will give you a better vineyard for it, or I will pay<br />
you cash on the barrelhead. Name your<br />
"It is not for sale at any price. It does not<br />
really belong to me; it belongs to the coming gen<br />
erations. In fact, it belongs to God, and we are only<br />
the tenants in trust. God has forbidden us to sell.<br />
That is the tradition in our family." The man was<br />
adamant, the argument was sound. He would even<br />
defy the King to take it by force. Ahab was used to<br />
getting whatever he asked for. He was King, but that<br />
didn't seem to make any difference with Naboth;<br />
this was a matter of principle. You know the rest of<br />
the story, but read it again in I Kings 21. Naboth<br />
died a martyr to principle, but his death was precious<br />
in the sight of the Lord, and was avenged in full.<br />
These two men are an allegory. The Lord has<br />
given to all mankind an heritage of truth. To those<br />
that maintain the truth there is made plain the<br />
Way, the Truth and the Life. But to those who sell<br />
their heritage of<br />
truth, turning it into a lie, the<br />
wrath of God is eventually revealed against all their<br />
unrighteousness. "Buy the truth and sell it<br />
is God's counsel to us. To some the mess of pottage<br />
makes a tremendous appeal. Others are willing to<br />
go to their death rather than surrender this most<br />
precious possession. The Naboths of our day are<br />
still the insignificant minority numerically. The<br />
great majority have sold their birthrights, or are<br />
in the process of doing so. The pressure, as in the<br />
days of Esau, is tremendous, sometimes a question<br />
of life or death ; at least so it seems.<br />
Pressure Groups Are the Schools, The Press, Etc.<br />
The following clipping from TIME magazine of<br />
Jan. 24 is an example of what I mean :<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Contributing Editor<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Subscription<br />
10 cents.<br />
The Rev. R.<br />
British Isles.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
rates<br />
Departmental Editors.<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
$2.50 per year; Overseas, $3.00; Single Copies<br />
Lyons. B.A., Limavady. N. Ireland, Agent for the<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newtnn Kbnam<br />
"ewton, Kansas<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
. .<br />
parents"<br />
centuries,"<br />
performance"<br />
. .<br />
Is<br />
. . We<br />
preaching."<br />
church,"<br />
once.'<br />
Not for years have Britons boiled and bubbled in a<br />
religious<br />
controversy as they did last week over the affair<br />
of Mrs. Knight.<br />
Margaret Knight, fortyish, wife of a psychology pro<br />
fessor at Aberdeen University and herself a part-time lec<br />
turer on the subject, had asked the BBC if she might broad<br />
cast her views on what she called "scientific humanism."<br />
The BBC duly scheduled her for three talks on its Home<br />
Religion."<br />
Service. Her subject: "Morals Without<br />
Mrs.<br />
Knight's first broadcast drew some criticism. Her second<br />
lifted the roof of Broadcasting House.<br />
Margaret Knight, who has no children of her own,<br />
undertook to advise "humanist what to tell their<br />
offspring about God. "We can tell them, that everyone be<br />
lieved at one time, and some people believe now, that there<br />
are two great powers in the world: a good power called<br />
God, who made the world and who loves human beings .<br />
and a bad power called the Devil, who is opposed to God and<br />
who wants people to be unhappy and bad. We can tell them<br />
that some people still believe this, but that most people now<br />
think there's not really a Devil .<br />
"And we can tell them that some people now don't<br />
think there's really a God any more than there's really a<br />
Santa Claus, though we often like to talk as though there<br />
was.<br />
"What about Christ I don't think that it would be de<br />
sirable for children to grow up in ignorance of the New<br />
Testament. We don't want a generation who don't know<br />
what Christmas and Easter mean, who have never heard<br />
of the star of Bethlehem or the angel at the door of the<br />
tomb ... All I urge is that [the child] should hear them<br />
treated frankly as legends . . . There<br />
was a real Trojan War<br />
and Hector and Achilles may well have been real people,<br />
but we don't now believe Achilles was the son of sea nymphs.<br />
Similarly, there was a real Jesus Christ who . . . was cruci<br />
fied. But we don't now believe that he was the son of God<br />
and a virgin or that he rose from the dead."<br />
Although some of Britain's most eminent newspaper<br />
editorialists started swinging at Mrs. Knight, philosophers,<br />
including Bertrand Russell, have been saying the same<br />
things for years. Clergymen and letter-to-the-editor writers<br />
soon joined in. The issue: Should the government-owned<br />
BBC have given Humanist Knight the air<br />
The conservative Daily Telegraph snorted at the idea<br />
that a question of free speech was involved. Atheistic views,<br />
it held, are no more entitled to broadcast time than a de<br />
fense of polygamy, homosexuality, or Communism. The con<br />
servative Daily Mail did not agree. "Christianity is not so<br />
weak a faith that its adherents should run screaming from<br />
those who attack it," proclaimed the Mail on its front page.<br />
"Mrs. Knight has perhaps shocked a number of people into<br />
thinking for themselves." The liberal Star came out against<br />
the BBC; the conservative Standard and News both defended<br />
public airing of Mrs. Knight's views. The "panic" over Mrs.<br />
Knight, said the Laborite Daily Herald, is "an insult to<br />
public intelligence."<br />
The Church of England's Archbishop of York dismissed<br />
Mrs. Knight's views as "the stock in trade of atheists and<br />
agnostics for at least two<br />
and the Bishop of<br />
Coventry rounded on both BBC ("irresponsible") and Mrs.<br />
Knight (a "pernicious<br />
by a "brusque, socompetent,<br />
bossy female"). The Rev. Dr. Donald Soper, fireeating<br />
Methodist leader, went to her defense. "The alterna<br />
tive to such discussion is to mollycoddle religion ... As<br />
Christians we should welcome the opportunity for examina<br />
tion of the fundamentals of our faith .<br />
When the Trumpet Gives an Uncertain Sound<br />
A very casual reading<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
.<br />
of the above shows how<br />
weak is the call to the battle of the Lord's official<br />
trumpeter, the Church, blowing hot and cold, driven<br />
and tossed by every wind of doctrine (if you will<br />
pardon mixed metaphors). In confirmation of this,<br />
permit another quotation from TIME.<br />
Is Adultery F<strong>org</strong>ivable<br />
Should one infidelity disrupt a marriage No, says the<br />
Archbishop of Canterbury, and last week British newspapers<br />
were making shocker headlines out of it.<br />
The papers first picked up the Archbishop's answer in<br />
an Anglican pamphlet called The Church and Marriage.<br />
"It is the law which has made a single act of adultery a<br />
ground for divorce, not the<br />
he said. "The church<br />
would wholly approve if the law was no longer content to<br />
accept a single act of adultery as a sufficient<br />
ground."<br />
Other<br />
British prelates have gone on record in the same vein<br />
lately. Unfaithfulness, said the Archbishop of York, "should<br />
never be treated as the one unf<strong>org</strong>ivable<br />
sin,"<br />
and Bishop<br />
J.W.C. Wand of London said in a sermon : "It is a pernicious<br />
idea that if one partner has been unfaithful, then the home<br />
must be destroyed."<br />
Methodist leaders chimed in agreement, but the British<br />
press seemed to think otherwise. The idea was "startling"<br />
to the Daily Mail, which editorialized on its front page: "As<br />
Dr. Wand reminds us, f<strong>org</strong>iveness is a Christian virtue.<br />
But so is chastity<br />
.<br />
are told, in the Seventh Com<br />
mandment, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'<br />
It does not<br />
say, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery more than Or<br />
more than twice ... a single act of infidelity to be ap<br />
plied only to one sudden fall from grace, or also to an in<br />
fatuation that may<br />
ever . .<br />
go on for weeks and then end for<br />
The sensational Daily Mirror polled some of its 4,432,700<br />
readers and found that three out of four husbands and<br />
three out of five wives thought a husband's single act of<br />
adultery was ground for divorce. When the adultery was<br />
committed by a wife, three-fourths of the husbands again<br />
voted thumbs down on the marriage, though only a little<br />
more than half the wives agreed.<br />
Certainly every sin is f<strong>org</strong>ivable where there is<br />
repentance unto life. But the Church must hold to<br />
the standard, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." "Thou hast<br />
given a banner to them that fear thee that it may be<br />
displayed (unsmirched and at full mast) because<br />
of the truth." Ps. 60 :4 paranthesis mine.<br />
I write these things because so many people are<br />
saying, "We are leaving the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church for<br />
a larger group. It doesn't make much difference<br />
where you belong. All churches are good, and they<br />
have good<br />
I have a letter on my desk<br />
from a family that moved out to the suburbs of one<br />
of our large cities, and the distance and the traffic<br />
were so inconvenient, that they selected one of the<br />
most conservative Presbyterian churches for their<br />
church home. But it wasn't home, and now they are<br />
back home in a <strong>Covenanter</strong> church and they say it's<br />
worth going twice the distance to be back.<br />
Yes it does make a difference to you and to your<br />
children, and your children's children when you sell<br />
the heritage of your fathers. We are printing on a<br />
later page an article "A Wonderful and Horrible<br />
Thing,"<br />
for though nothing is more distasteful to<br />
us than throwing stones at other churches, there are<br />
times when most unpleasant duties must be done.<br />
Would you entrust a blind child of yours to be led<br />
by a blind guide 85
ministers'<br />
more."<br />
Covenant Keeping<br />
Dr. Paul Coleman<br />
Sabbath Morning Address before the Covenant Signing at Grinnell July 18, 195 U<br />
It was Sabbath morning of communion for the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong>s in southeast Scotland, and the people<br />
from a distance who had found lodging in the neigh<br />
boring towns over night were up and out early to<br />
meet at an appointed spot, and then march together<br />
about a mile to the place of preaching for the day.<br />
It was a long, long procession and behind them rode<br />
the horsemen as a rearguard. For though it was in<br />
1668 during an interlude of persecution which men<br />
afterwards called "The Blink," none knew when it<br />
might end. Along the stream they traveled to a place<br />
where they saw the tent, and the long<br />
communion tables had been arranged by the side of<br />
the stream ; while the hills circling round were a<br />
natural grassy amphitheater where thousands might<br />
sit down. Ministers Dickson and John Blackader were<br />
the speakers for the service, and all through the<br />
morning, the people listened. Then after intermis<br />
sion came the sacrament, and though two hundred<br />
at one time might be served at the tables, there were<br />
sixteen tables that day. Again and again<br />
they heard<br />
the words, "This cup is the new testament in my<br />
blood ;<br />
. . drink ye all of it." At some time during the<br />
service there was the singing of the 103rd Psalm,<br />
and none who heard it that day would ever f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
the glory of it. For generations that was the Psalm of<br />
communion service among the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s in Scot<br />
land and northern Ireland.<br />
Along with other <strong>Covenanter</strong>s from Scotland, Ire<br />
land and America, I shared in Greyfriars Church in<br />
the closing service of the 1938 convention commem<br />
orating the 300th anniversary of the signing of the<br />
National Covenant of Scotland. I might try to de<br />
scribe the place and the history in the hope that they<br />
might bring an inspiration to covenant keeping now.<br />
Instead, I believe the Lord has led me in planning<br />
to build an association today between this covenant<br />
of 19<strong>54</strong> and the 103rd Psalm, the communion Psalm<br />
of covenant renewal, already known and loved by you<br />
all. Will you help me to do that<br />
According to this covenant of 19<strong>54</strong>, we say, "We<br />
accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour from sin and own<br />
Him as our Lord." Under Covenant Obligations, we<br />
say, "Accepting the Covenant of Grace we do under<br />
take the following obligations of this our Covenant.<br />
We do covenant with God that we will seek to con<br />
form our lives to the teaching and example of our<br />
Lord Jesus Christ." That is the foundation of it all.<br />
Like the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s of old, we would dwell deep in<br />
the fellowship of God. This was the unfailing source<br />
of their strength ; the chief subject of their preach<br />
ing. It brought to their meetings some like Marion<br />
Harvey who on the scaffold just before her execu<br />
tion for holding to the covenants gave her testi<br />
mony; "I am about twenty years of age; at fourteen<br />
or fifteen, I was a hearer of the curates and the<br />
indulged (ministers) and while I was a hearer of<br />
these, I was a blasphemer and Sabbath breaker, and<br />
a chapter of the Bible was a burden to me ; but since<br />
I heard the persecuted gospel, I durst not blaspheme<br />
nor break the Sabbath and the Bible has become my<br />
86<br />
delight."<br />
May we not hope that this portion of our<br />
covenant of 19<strong>54</strong> may become to many here today an<br />
expression of assured fact ; that from this time they<br />
may have a fresh hope in Christ. And FOR ALL OF<br />
US, there must foe a new earnestness in keeping those<br />
regulations of the covenant which make us belong to<br />
Christ, children of God, now and forever, with all the<br />
unfolding riches of Christian blessing and experience.<br />
"0 my soul bless thou Jehovah; all within me bless<br />
His name; bless Jehovah, and f<strong>org</strong>et not all His<br />
proclaim."<br />
mercies to<br />
Every reason for making this covenant with God,<br />
is a reason for keeping this covenant with God. For<br />
since it is a Biblical covenant in its profession of<br />
faith and obligations to Christian duties, it is GOD'S<br />
PROPOSAL TO US as a church and as individuals;<br />
and as always with God's covenants with men, its<br />
advantages far outweigh its obligations.<br />
By 1668 and the communion at the Nesbit con<br />
venticle, the National Covenant was thirty years<br />
past, and the Solemn League and Covenant between<br />
the Protestants of England and the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s of<br />
Scotland was 25 years past, but their loyalty to them<br />
was still a test question. When Charles I. tried to<br />
bring an army from England to subdue the Scotch<br />
to his absolute will, he was met by a Scotch army<br />
under command of General Leslie and flying the Blue<br />
Banner "For Christ's Crown and Covenant." He dar<br />
ed not fight then. He lost his throne and his life.<br />
But in 1660 his son Charles II. promised to support<br />
the covenants if he could come home from exile and<br />
be king. The <strong>Covenanter</strong>s trusted him ; he swore the<br />
covenants; then denounced them; and loyalty to<br />
them became a legal crime. Scotch ministers who<br />
would not yield to him had to leave their churches<br />
and parsonages; and hundreds of them did. Little<br />
by little, he won most of them back by apparent com<br />
promises. He forced bishops whom he could control<br />
on the Presbyterians of Scotland whom otherwise he<br />
could not control. Men were required to attend<br />
churches approved by the government; conventicles<br />
were forbidden, and attendance on them punished by<br />
fine, or death, or prison or banishment.<br />
The Reformed faith was in peril in Scotland, as on<br />
the continent. Would all Scotchmen surrender The<br />
stricter <strong>Covenanter</strong>s included loyalty to the cove<br />
nants as part of their terms of communion. And<br />
when they sang in Psalm 103, "He made known<br />
race,"<br />
His ways to Moses, and His acts to Israel's<br />
they believed also that God had made His ways<br />
known through the leaders to the Reformation to<br />
Scotchmen truth in trust, God's truth in trust,<br />
God's precious truth founded in the Scriptures ; and<br />
their love of the Lord had to take precedence of any<br />
command of the king, whatever the cost.<br />
As the Killing Times came on, it seemed to some<br />
that the price of loyalty to the covenants was too<br />
heavy for some. An old acquaintance of Donald Cargill's<br />
once said of him, "What needs all this ado<br />
We will get heaven and they will get<br />
When no<br />
the protest was repeated to Cargill, he replied,<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
will,"<br />
covenants."<br />
you"<br />
you"<br />
in his noble way, "Yes, we will get more ; we will get<br />
God glorified on heaven."<br />
earth, which is more than<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> ministers were excellent evangel<br />
ists and men of rich Christian experience. Had they<br />
given up the struggle against the king's invasion of<br />
the rights of Jesus Christ, they<br />
could have retired<br />
to the common rank of ministers, have enjoyed<br />
peace, security<br />
after a fashion and large congre<br />
gations, instead of wandering, hunger, weariness<br />
and death.<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong>s of today, I do not need to tell you<br />
that you will pay the price for loyalty to high stand<br />
ards, if you are faithful. Living in small, and often<br />
scattered congregations, meeting discouragement in<br />
choosing difficult goals like a Scriptural worship, a<br />
Christian amendment, truly Christian patriotism,<br />
you will meet much misunderstanding. It would be<br />
easy for you, perhaps, if your conscience would al<br />
low it for you to slip back into common standards<br />
of Christian practice and give up the Psalms. But<br />
the 103rd Psalm protests against any such capitu<br />
lation, and reminds us that truth is given to be<br />
honored, to be expressed, to be obeyed.<br />
It is an inspiration to those of us who are older<br />
to join them and you in taking a covenant written<br />
largely by comparatively young leaders in the church.<br />
The father of Dr. Bruce Willson, chairman of the<br />
committee, was in the seminary when I was there.<br />
It is a rich hope for the future that coming leaders<br />
of the church have been so prominent in arranging<br />
for this service. Dr. Boyd Tweed, like many others<br />
who looked forward to this day, and in whose place<br />
I speak, have gone to be with the Lord. "But as<br />
the 103rd Psalm reminds us, Jehovah's lovingkind<br />
ness unto them that fear His name, from eternity<br />
abideth to eternity the same ;<br />
and his righteousness<br />
remaineth to His people and their seed who His cove<br />
nant remember and His precepts hear and heed."<br />
The leader of the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s came to feel that<br />
endurance was not enough; that persecution must<br />
have a penalty for the persecutors; that tyranny<br />
must be challenged. Richard Cameron at Sanquhar<br />
in June 1, 1680 posted a proclamation that the king<br />
had by his tyranny forfeited his right to the throne,<br />
and declared revolution against him. In a few months<br />
Cameron had died in battle, as he expected. But the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong>s had seized the initiative. Donald Car<br />
gill at Torwood, excommunicated the king and six of<br />
his councilors. Shortly he was captured and executed.<br />
Before I go further, let me say that besides de<br />
veloping our own Christian experience, and seek<br />
ing to win others to Christ ; besides holding our testi<br />
mony to the truth God has given us, and doing our<br />
utmost to see that our children shall also keep this<br />
covenant with God, we must aim to hold the initia<br />
tive in some portion of our work everywhere as far<br />
as we may. It is a builder of morale, it is a witness<br />
to our faith that victory lies ahead.<br />
At the execution of Cargill, one of the spectators<br />
was an earnest Christian young man named James<br />
Renwick. As he watched and listened he felt God's<br />
call to be Cargill's successor. The <strong>Covenanter</strong>s sent<br />
Renwick to Holland for his theological training.<br />
When the time of his ordination came, he was ask<br />
ed, "James Renwick, will you be a faithful minister of<br />
the gospel of Christ, a faithful witness to His truth<br />
as God has given it to you " "I he promised.<br />
They ordained him and he eagerly<br />
returned to Scot-<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
land to keep his promise. For nearly five years he<br />
was the leading minister, often the only minister<br />
of the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s. Sometimes, like his predeces<br />
sors he preached the message of salvation through<br />
the Saviour he loved, in sermons that are still part<br />
ly on record. Often he took a text as, "He must<br />
reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet."<br />
Sometimes he preached courage to the persecuted.<br />
The authorities heard of him and tried to lay hands<br />
on him. When he went to Sanquhar, five years after<br />
Cameron's proclamation of revolution, and repeated<br />
the proclamation, the government was furious. The<br />
price on his head was increased. Anyone was for<br />
bidden to feed or fail to inform against him. But for<br />
nearly three more years he traveled from place to<br />
place, preaching, baptizing 600 babies in one year<br />
writing, resting a little, preaching, preaching, pro<br />
claiming revolution in the name of Christ the King.<br />
After three years he was captured, and condemned<br />
to die.<br />
Often through the years there had come to his<br />
memory the question, "James Renwick, will you be<br />
a faithful witness to His truth as God has given it<br />
you"<br />
to<br />
That day he took his place on the scaffold, and fac<br />
ed that vast throng that had come to see, to hear,<br />
this young man who had so alarmed a kingdom. He<br />
began to speak. But the commander ordered the<br />
drummers to drown out his words ; they feared what<br />
he might say, and revolution was in the air. So Ren<br />
wick lifted up his voice to sing, that magnificent<br />
voice trained by months of speaking in the open air.<br />
The drums were quiet now, and the people caught<br />
the words of the communion Psalm, the Psalm of<br />
covenant renewal. The very singing of it was like the<br />
lifting of the Blue Banner of the Covenant before<br />
that throng. He sang of the riches of God's mercy,<br />
and eyes filled with tears. He sang of God's faith<br />
fulness through the generations to those who kept<br />
covenant. Was he thinking of the six hundred young<br />
couples whose children he had baptized "Whose<br />
would be the<br />
Would this cause ever die<br />
When the Psalm was finished he turned quickly to<br />
the 19th chapter of Revelation and read of the<br />
rider on the white horse . . . "and the armies which<br />
were in heaven followed him upon white horses . . .<br />
and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name<br />
written, King of kings and Lord of Lords." He was<br />
ready to go now. "James Renwick were you a faith<br />
ful minister of the truth God gave to Cove<br />
nanters of America, the Lord says today, "Will<br />
What shall we answer when He says, "Did you "<br />
GLIMPSES Cont'd from page 82<br />
they,<br />
1) should not claim directly or by implication that<br />
cigaret smoking is beneficial to health in any respect; 2)<br />
should not claim directly or indirectly that cigaret smokng<br />
in general or the use of any particular brand is "not harm<br />
3) should not claim that any brand<br />
ful"<br />
or<br />
"non-irritating"<br />
;<br />
of cigaret contains less nicotine, tar, resins, or other harm<br />
ful substances unless it can be proved conclusively; 4) should<br />
not refer to throat, larnyx, lungs, nose, or any<br />
other part of<br />
the body or to digestion, energy, nerves, or doctors; 5) should<br />
not in any way imply medical approval; 6) should be limited<br />
to subjects of quality, taste, flavor, enjoyment, and other<br />
similar matters of opinion; 7) should only contain genuine<br />
testimonials.<br />
87
people."<br />
worship"<br />
works.'<br />
slavery"<br />
story,"<br />
seen"<br />
ground"<br />
events"<br />
"A Wonderful and Horrible Thing<br />
By Rev. A. Franklin Faucette<br />
From Christian Beacon, used by Permission<br />
Even a cursory survey of the teaching materials<br />
of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., in the New Cur<br />
riculum for the Sunday school reveals a tragic story<br />
of apostasy and shameless unbelief. One example<br />
among many concerns a text written by Hulda Nie<br />
buhr, The One Story, intended for teenagers, and<br />
purporting to cover the whole Bible in rapid review ;<br />
only the tale is shot through with the most subtle<br />
and destructive criticism of the Bible, and with<br />
propaganda slanted to promote the socialistic aims<br />
of the National and World Councils of Churches.<br />
The Prologue advises that "through the many<br />
pages of the Bible runs one great a story<br />
made up of many stories, "history, biography, para<br />
ble, legend, even a fable or two." On page 47, the<br />
legends are ascribed to the stories about Elijah : "In<br />
the later years many legends were told about Elijah,<br />
and the people always expected that he would come<br />
again to hold them to their course as the Lord's own<br />
Since the Lord Jesus Christ Himself de<br />
clared that Elijah would indeed return (Matt. 17 :11),<br />
He, too, bears the stigma of the perpetrator of fic<br />
ticious tales.<br />
Reading a little further we come upon the ac<br />
count of Abraham, here represented as following the<br />
pagan customs of the heathen in the offering of<br />
Isaac: "In the land where Abraham lived it was<br />
the custom of the people to offer their first-born<br />
child as a sacrifice to their gods. When he thought<br />
of this custom, Abraham was deeply troubled. Was<br />
not the Lord God he worshiped as worthy of great<br />
gifts as the gods of his Canaanite neighbors All<br />
that he had was given to him by God ; could he hold<br />
back even the greatly loved and long-promised son <br />
So it came about that Abraham believed that God's<br />
voice said to him, 'Take your son, your only son,<br />
and offer him at the sacred place in the land of<br />
Moriah'<br />
...<br />
They came to the sacred place on the<br />
mountain, and there Abraham and Isaac built an<br />
altar. When all was prepared for the sacrifice, and<br />
Abraham was ready to offer his son, the true word<br />
of the Lord came to him. It came to him so clearly<br />
and surely that he believed God had sent a messenger<br />
to stay his hand, saying, 'Lay not your hand upon<br />
the lad !' . . . Now he knew that God had taught him<br />
a better way to (pp. 14,15). One has only<br />
to read the Bible account in Genesis 22 :1 to see what<br />
despite has been done to the plain sense of the Word<br />
of God.<br />
The Mosaic account of the Exodus fares no<br />
better; "This is a story full of 'signs and wonders<br />
and mighty Exactly what happened is not<br />
always entirely clear from the ancient records, but<br />
the fact is clear that God used His power to deliver<br />
His chosen people from (p. 23). The records<br />
are cloudy but the facts are clear what kind of<br />
reasoning is this According to this reasoning the<br />
miracles become merely phenomena of nature; the<br />
Passover, the great redemptive act of God, worthy<br />
of no notice at all ; and the pillar of cloud and of fire<br />
88<br />
omitted, completely ignored. On the crossing of the<br />
Red Sea, we read: "A strong wind drove back the<br />
waters and the Israelites found a marshy place where<br />
they could cross on foot" (p. 23).<br />
Moses'<br />
rod becomes an object of superstition:<br />
"The people had seen that staff in Moses' hand as<br />
he led them through the hardships of their journey<br />
and he used it to open springs of water in the rocks.<br />
Therefore they had come to believe that God worked<br />
through it in a special way. Perhaps Moses thought<br />
so too, for he held it high as he stood on the hill<br />
overlooking the battle (p. 26).<br />
Even Moses' death furnishes a basis for folk<br />
lore: "When the people had watched for him for<br />
a long time in vain, they knew he had died there (on<br />
Mount Nebo). They taught their children that the<br />
Lord Himself showed Moses the Promised Land,<br />
from the north to the south and from the eastern<br />
desert to the sea, and that when Moses died, the<br />
Lord himself laid his body to rest in a grave no man<br />
had ever (p. 30).<br />
Of the Book of Joshua we are told : "The story<br />
of the conquest of the Promised Land, as we have it<br />
in the Bible, has been woven together by the Bible<br />
writers out of two stories from different sets of in<br />
herited memories. One story says that Joshua and<br />
his troops conquered the country quickly, after the<br />
miraculous fall of the walls of Jericho. The other<br />
story tells how the country was conquered 'by little<br />
and little," and how in the process the people learned<br />
to distinguish their God from the gods of the<br />
heathen. The first expresses above all the wonder<br />
of the people at God's guidance and help ; the second<br />
gives a clearer picture of the historical (p.<br />
31). In other words, fact and fiction combine to give<br />
us the Book of Joshua. Both combine to produce the<br />
story<br />
of the fall of Jericho: "When the ruins of<br />
ancient Jericho were dug out in our<br />
time, the walls<br />
were found toppled over as if an earthquake had<br />
occurred. The wonder was that by God's providence<br />
it happened when Israel was entering the Promised<br />
Land. The ancient story says, 'They shouted with a<br />
great<br />
fell"<br />
the city<br />
shout,'<br />
and as the people shouted, the walls of<br />
(.32).<br />
Socialistic propaganda is put in the mouth of<br />
Joshua where he is represented as answering a<br />
hypothetical question posed by the people, "How is<br />
it that so many Canaanite cities are not as strong<br />
as their walls made you think" Joshua could an<br />
swer : "It is as I told you long ago when I spied out<br />
the country for Moses ; there is no spirit in the peo<br />
ple. No man trusts any other; they are not united.<br />
Many of them, you can see, are slaves of the few<br />
wealthy ones who own chariots and big houses.<br />
Slaves do not care who owns the land. And they all<br />
power!"<br />
worship gods who have no (p. 33.)<br />
The same theme is repeated in describing condi<br />
tions in the time of Christ: "It was not only the<br />
double tax and unjust increases often demanded by<br />
dishonest collectors of the Roman tax that caused<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
us'"<br />
plenty"<br />
gods.'<br />
sign,"<br />
called"<br />
men"<br />
awaiting!'"<br />
animals"<br />
poverty; there was also the unfair competition of<br />
slave labor. Small landowners and businessmen were<br />
unable to purchase slaves to assist in vineyard or<br />
farm or garden or shop, so they were driven out of<br />
business because they could not sell products at the<br />
same prices as the rich owners of slaves. Then those<br />
whom they had employed lost their jobs and had<br />
to stand all day long in the market place hoping,<br />
often in vain, that someone might hire them. They<br />
had no reserves for times of drought or sickness or<br />
unemployment; for many of these people salvation<br />
meant a time of prosperity and (pp. 107,<br />
108).<br />
When the author gets around to Isaiah, the<br />
sign of the virgin's Son, Isaiah 7:14, is passed over,<br />
though the challenge of Isaiah, "Ask a is<br />
quoted. The omission of the sign itself is unexcusable.<br />
But when one observes that all references (which<br />
are printed in a special section in the back of the<br />
book) are from the translation of Moffatt and from<br />
the Revised Standard Version, it is understandable.<br />
Perhaps the most serious indictment of The<br />
One Story lies in the radical late dating of the books<br />
of the Bible. The purpose behind this attempt of the<br />
higher critics is to obliterate the element of pre<br />
dictive prophecy, and to obscure the evidences of<br />
the supernatural in the Bible. <strong>Witness</strong> the ascription<br />
of the books of Moses to unknown and spurious<br />
writers, who f<strong>org</strong>ed documents and palmed them off<br />
as the authentic works of Moses : "Some of the faith<br />
ful sat down to write another<br />
book, about something<br />
they believed to be a matter of life and death for<br />
their countrymen to know. Through the history of<br />
their people and the word of the prophets they had<br />
learned that a nation disobeys God's commands<br />
destroys itself. So they wrote a book in which they<br />
told the secret of life and death which they had dis<br />
covered: 'Obey God and live; disobey and the result<br />
is destruction.' It was a book of laws interpeting the<br />
law of God, and when it was finished they hid it in<br />
the Temple for safekeeping. There it stayed through<br />
the wicked reign of Manasseh and the reign of his<br />
son. More than eighty years later, when good king<br />
Josiah ruled the land of Judah and had the Temple<br />
cleaned and repaired, the book was found. When it<br />
was read to the king, he tore his robe in sorrow and<br />
called his counselors to hear the reading. 'Listen to<br />
this from the book," he said. 'The book of the laws<br />
says, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God,"<br />
but our people are ...<br />
worshiping many To Hil<br />
kiah the priest and to Shaphan the scribe the king<br />
gave the command, 'Go, inquire if this book is truly<br />
the word of the Lord,' and they asked the prophetess<br />
Huldah. She answered, 'It is truly the word of the<br />
Lord, and the anger of the Lord is great against<br />
(pp. 66, 67).<br />
When these things were pointed out to a teacher<br />
who uses this Curriculum in a Presbyterian Sabbath<br />
school, and also in the public school of which she<br />
is religious director, she stated that she did not<br />
care whether the Bible is true or not, for she is only<br />
concerned with ethics. This is apparently the attitude<br />
of the Board of Christian Education of the Presby<br />
terian Church, U.S.A., under whose auspices the<br />
New Curriculum is produced. One need not stop to<br />
ponder the ethics of using the product of deceit<br />
and fraud to inculcate morality in the mind of youth !<br />
Suffice it to say that even Jeremiah is made a party<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
to the fraud : "The first task that came to Jeremiah<br />
was to proclaim in the towns of Judah and in the<br />
streets of Jerusalem the laws the people had agreed<br />
to accept in the reform instituted by King Josiah.<br />
'Listen to the terms of the law and obey them," he<br />
(p. 69).<br />
The Book of Leviticus is reserved for separate<br />
treatment by another ghost writer and f<strong>org</strong>er:<br />
"Then one of their leaders, who had been taught<br />
by Ezekiel, compiled and edited a book of laws. Over<br />
and over again it says to the reader, 'You shall be<br />
holy : for I the Lord your God am holy.' These laws<br />
gave many directions about keeping the Sabbath and<br />
the feasts. They told about food that might be eaten<br />
and about the slaughtering of<br />
(p. 80).<br />
Again: "Some of them began to rewrite the<br />
story in the light of their new understanding of<br />
God's ways with them" (p. 81)<br />
.<br />
Again :<br />
"There arose at this time a new prophet,<br />
one whose name we do not know, a man who had<br />
great compassion for his people. We do not know<br />
whether he lived in Babylon or Palestine. . . . Years<br />
later his writings were put in the same book with<br />
those of the prophet Isaiah." Why cannot the critics<br />
period."<br />
simply say, "We do not know<br />
In the four hundred years between the Old and<br />
New Testaments other unknowns are introduced.<br />
One of "the thoughtful wrote a propaganda<br />
piece to promote the idea, "We are meant to share<br />
our knowledge of God" (p. .<br />
96) So he wrote the story<br />
of Jonah. "Some of those who read the book became<br />
very thoughtful. They said, 'We are as bad and sel<br />
fish as Jonah! Perhaps our laws are not all the<br />
Lord's will ! Perhaps at one time it was his will that<br />
we should bar non-Jews from companionship with<br />
us, but not any more! He wants us to love mercy<br />
and have compassion and to share our knowledge<br />
of God."<br />
In reaction to this sentiment some one else<br />
wrote another piece of propaganda about Ruth,<br />
a Moabitess. To authenticate his story, he tells from<br />
his viewpoint an outright lie: "The writer knew<br />
that many would say, 'But that was long ago, before<br />
we had our law!' So he told them in the story, "She<br />
was the ancestress of our greatest king, David, whose<br />
successor we are always<br />
(pp. 97, 98).<br />
The Book of Job, too, is named as a product<br />
of this period, written as a book of comfort and<br />
circulated on the sly in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes.<br />
It told of Daniel, "a hero persecuted for his<br />
faith during the days of the nation's captivity. Daniel<br />
had not been hurt even in a den of lions, and his<br />
friends came unharmed out of a fiery furnace of<br />
tribulation, heated seven times hotter than ever be<br />
fore. 'God is with us in all our trials,' it meant to<br />
care' "<br />
say, 'We are never out of his (p. 100). The<br />
story leaves the realm of fact and becomes an alle<br />
gory, and the furnace a figure of speech.<br />
Such expedients employed as a means of de<br />
stroying the supernatural reduce the Old Testament<br />
to a class of literature dishonest, derelict, and dis<br />
credited. In answer, we cite the findings of one of<br />
the world's greatest Hebrew scholars, Dr. Robert<br />
Dick Wilson, who maintained that the foreign words<br />
and phrases imbedded in the text of the Hebrew are<br />
fully consistent with the early date of the Bible<br />
books, as well as the endorsement of Jesus Christ<br />
89
you!'<br />
sight."<br />
you!"<br />
want"<br />
aries."<br />
me."<br />
monkey."<br />
sins"<br />
Himself to the utter confusion and refutation of the<br />
critics.<br />
The New Testament also suffers at the hands of<br />
the Barthian revamper. The temptation of Jesus<br />
Christ comes out as a subjective experience: "When<br />
thoughts came to him in the desert of bringing sal<br />
vation to his people by any of the ways they were<br />
expecting, he knew it was Satan and not God who<br />
was putting the ideas before him" (p. 111). Jesus<br />
is set against Moses and the Old Testament:<br />
"Against what was written in our sacred books in<br />
olden times Jesus sets his own word: 'But I say<br />
unto "They found no fault with this attitude<br />
of Jesus. They felt in him a deep self-assurance that<br />
had no hint of arrogance. They knew he was helping<br />
them to understand better what God's will had really<br />
been from the beginning" (p. 115).<br />
For the rest, by insinuation, intimidation and<br />
innuendo the Bible record is distorted, dishonored,<br />
and destroyed. John is represented as disillusioning<br />
the people waiting for Christ's return: "To the<br />
people waiting for Jesus' return, John's gospel said :<br />
'He does not need to return to be with us. He has<br />
come to us through the Spirit of God whom he has<br />
us.'"<br />
sent to dwell in The Book of Revelation becomes<br />
an allegory symbolic of the conflict of good and evil<br />
in the world (pp. 184, 185)<br />
.<br />
The One Story is "a wonderful and horrible<br />
thing."<br />
It is the calculated blueprint for wrecking<br />
the faith of unsuspecting boys and girls in the Scrip<br />
practice."<br />
tures, "the only infallible rule of faith and<br />
^^^^^^^^^ *^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*&'^^^^^^^^^<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
MAKING $9 GO FARTHER THAN $10<br />
The late Henry Clay Trumbull, founder of The<br />
Sunday School Times, once said: "If a Christian<br />
man has an income large enough to supply all his<br />
needs without difficulty, there is neither shadow of<br />
excuse nor show of decency in his failure to pay<br />
one-tenth of it to the Lord. But when one feels the<br />
pinch of poverty every day of his life, then it is im<br />
portant that he should bear in mind that 9 cents<br />
will go farther than 10 cents would go, and that<br />
$9.00 will go farther than $10.00 would go, in pro<br />
viding for himself and his loved ones, when that<br />
other cent or that other dollar has been paid to the<br />
Lord, who claims it as His own.<br />
"There is no mistake about this to him who has<br />
faith. Every child of God who has rested on this<br />
truth has found it to be a source of unfailing de<br />
pendence. Only those disbelieve it who have never<br />
trusted God enough to try it even as an experiment.<br />
It is with individuals as it is with churches in this<br />
matter. Neither their troubles nor their doubts ever<br />
come from their giving too freely of their substance<br />
to the Lord."<br />
Quoted in "God's Principle of Giving," a tract<br />
published by Stewardship Department, Moody Bible<br />
Institute.<br />
Lake Reno<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of February 27, 1955<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
February 27, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
A LESSON IN PRAYER<br />
Scripture: Mark 10:46-52<br />
Memory Verse: "And Jesus answered<br />
and said unto him, What wilt thou that<br />
I should do unto thee The blind man<br />
said unto him, Lord, that I might re<br />
ceive my<br />
Psalms:<br />
Mark 10:51<br />
February Memory Psalm 25 :3-6, page<br />
57<br />
Psalm 143 :4, 5, page 347<br />
Psalm 119:1, 2, 6, part 22, page 312<br />
Psalm 5:1, 2, page 7<br />
Not long before His last week before<br />
He was crucified, Jesus and His disciples<br />
were at Jericho. One day Jesus was<br />
walking along the road with His disci<br />
ples and a great crowd followed Him. A<br />
blind man named Bartimaeus sat by the<br />
side of the road. He held a little cup or<br />
container and people would drop in a<br />
few pennies as they passed by. With this<br />
money he would get a little food to eat.<br />
It was a lonely time that he had but he<br />
would listen to people talking as they<br />
went by. One day he heard about Some-<br />
90<br />
one who was able to open the eyes of a<br />
blind man. Bartimaeus perked up his<br />
ears and listened for any more news of<br />
this Healer. How excited he was when<br />
he heard that the reason for such a<br />
crowd was that this Healer was passing<br />
by. So Bartimaeus called out, "Jesus,<br />
thou Son of David, have mercy on<br />
People tried to quiet him and to tell him<br />
that Jesus didn't want anything to do<br />
with such a poor man as he. But he<br />
would not be comforted. What joy was<br />
his when someone said, "Jesus has sent<br />
for Quickly he dropped his beg<br />
gar's garment and came to Jesus. Jesus<br />
said, "How do you want me to have<br />
mercy<br />
on you What is it that you<br />
The blind man said, "Lord, that<br />
I might receive my<br />
stored his sight.<br />
sight."<br />
And Jesus re<br />
We have called this story "A Lesson<br />
in Prayer." Jesus was teaching Barti<br />
maeus and us to be definite in our<br />
prayers. Jesus knows what we have need<br />
of before we ask Him, but He wants us<br />
to recognize our needs. Let us stop to<br />
think a little about our prayers. We<br />
pray for our missionaries. We say,<br />
"Bless all the foreign and home mission<br />
How can we make this prayer<br />
mean more to us We can find out from<br />
our missionaries about some boy or girl<br />
who needs something particular. Per<br />
haps this child loves the Lord but his<br />
father doesn't. We need to pray for<br />
this child (by name) and ask God to<br />
make his father accept Christ. Ask your<br />
missionary to let you know when your<br />
prayer is answered. I am reminded of a<br />
little boy's prayer a grandnephew, I<br />
think, of Dr. Ida Scudder. "Aunt Ida"<br />
wanted one million dollars to build a<br />
hospital in India. The little fellow heard<br />
about this and that evening in his<br />
prayers he prayed, "O God, please give<br />
Aunt Ida one million dollars for her<br />
hospital and bless my sick<br />
He knew what he wanted and was defi<br />
nite in his requests.<br />
Do we pray, "Bless Daddy and Mother<br />
and sister and brother and But<br />
me"<br />
how do we want God to bless them<br />
Think of definite ways in which you<br />
want the Lord to bless them.<br />
Do we pray, "F<strong>org</strong>ive us all our<br />
It's good to use that word "all" so that<br />
none of our sins is left out, but it's also<br />
good for us to examine our hearts<br />
through the day and ask God to f<strong>org</strong>ive<br />
us for the time we talked back to Dad<br />
dy, or to f<strong>org</strong>ive us for f<strong>org</strong>etting to<br />
make our bed that Mother asked us to<br />
make in the morning. Let us be more<br />
definite in our prayers. If possible keep<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
awhile."<br />
you."<br />
about,"<br />
a "prayerbook." Have a place for the<br />
date you began to pray for something<br />
definite, a column to write what you are<br />
praying for, and a place to put the date<br />
your prayer is answered. Remember that<br />
God does not always answer,<br />
Sometimes He says,<br />
times "Wait<br />
"Yes."<br />
"No,"<br />
and some<br />
Don't f<strong>org</strong>et to<br />
thank our Father in heaven for an<br />
swered prayers.<br />
For Your Notebook: Start a page as<br />
.suggested<br />
above.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
February 27, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by International<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
THE CHURCH PROCLAIMS THE<br />
GOSPEL<br />
15; I Cor. 1:18-25; Col. 1:24-29<br />
PRINTED TEXT, Acts 2:14, 22-24,<br />
41; Rom. 10:8-15; I Cor. 2:1-5<br />
Mark 16:15; Acts 2:14-41; Rom. 10:8-<br />
37-<br />
Memory, Rom. 1:16 "For I am not<br />
ashamed of the gospel: for it is the pow<br />
er of God unto salvation to every one<br />
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also<br />
to the Greek."<br />
Acts 2 :14 "Be this known to<br />
Seven weeks had passed since Peter had<br />
denied his own knowledge of Christ be<br />
fore the Jews. His denial was the truth.<br />
Peter did not at that time know Christ.<br />
He had formed his own picture of Christ,<br />
but it was not the picture of the Man<br />
who stood before Pilate. Christ's sub<br />
mission to the soldiers and to Pilate, be<br />
wildered him. This was not the Christ<br />
he had seen on the mountain side and<br />
in the mountain top, and in the storm<br />
at sea. Peter has seen a Christ to whom<br />
great crowds gathered and were fed.<br />
"Walk;"<br />
Who said to the lame, to the<br />
clean;"<br />
leper, "Be to the dead, "Come<br />
forth."<br />
What a disappointment to all Peter's<br />
hopes, when he saw Christ walk meekly<br />
with the soldiers, and stand dumb before<br />
blasphemous judges in a mock trial.<br />
Peter did not know that Christ. Why do<br />
we condemn him so bitterly for his de<br />
nial when he was telling the truth<br />
Did the other disciples denounce him<br />
Did Christ rebuke Peter, even in that<br />
look turned on him as he went out to<br />
weep bitterly<br />
"That look of Christ's might seem to<br />
say,<br />
'Thou, Peter, art thou but a common<br />
stone<br />
Which I at last, must break My heart<br />
upon<br />
For all God's charge to his high angels<br />
To guard me better<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
Do thy kisses like the rest betray<br />
Go, manifest a right contrition, but no<br />
beetless fear;<br />
For when thy last needs dreariest, thou<br />
shalt not be bereft,<br />
As I am here,<br />
My<br />
voice to God and angels shall de<br />
clare,<br />
Because I know this man, let him be<br />
clear.' "<br />
Peter had never known The Christ that<br />
he saw standing before Pilate. Did not<br />
all the others forsake Him and flee<br />
Seven wonderful weeks of preparation<br />
and waiting, and again Peter stands at<br />
the trial of Jesus before men. Peter<br />
was not now a weeping<br />
spectator. He<br />
was the chief advocate, and instead of<br />
pleading with men for Christ, he boldly<br />
puts the Children of Promise on trial be<br />
fore the throne of Christ, and convicted<br />
them of cruel murder,<br />
even the murder<br />
of their own King and Saviour. The one<br />
thing that the Jews feared after they<br />
had crucified Jesus was that He would<br />
rise from the dead. They tried to pre<br />
vent it. They bribed the soldiers to deny<br />
it. And they murdered those who told<br />
the truth about it.<br />
Peter reconstructed the story of their<br />
crime, showing that rebellion against<br />
Christ had been over-ruled in advance<br />
by the determinate counsel and fore<br />
knowledge of God. Call the effect of<br />
Peter's address on the listeners, mass<br />
psychology or what you like, 3,000 souls<br />
were moved. The phrase, "In that day,"<br />
may refer to a series of days in which<br />
Peter and the others continued to speak<br />
to the multitudes that kept coming as<br />
the fame of the gospel spread abroad.<br />
Those convicted of sin asked the great<br />
question, and received the great answer.<br />
Rom. 10:8-15<br />
In this passage Paul shows some of<br />
the difficulties,<br />
and some of the methods<br />
of Mission work, as he found it in Rome.<br />
Among the obstacles, he mentions,<br />
Ignorance (Rom. 10:3). "Being ignor<br />
ant of God's<br />
righteousness."<br />
Sin does<br />
not appear in its true color, until it is<br />
seen in the light of God's Righteousness.<br />
Legalism. "Going<br />
their own<br />
about to establish<br />
righteousness." "Establish,"<br />
find some place on which it would stand.<br />
"Going<br />
suggests a continual, be<br />
wildered and unsuccessful search.<br />
Stubbornness.<br />
"Have not submitted<br />
themselves."<br />
Nearly all traffic accidents<br />
are caused by violation of traffic laws.<br />
This is typical of man's sin. Violation of<br />
traffic laws is sin, and like all other sins,<br />
the result is serious, even if there were<br />
no judgment. Civil judgment is becom<br />
ing<br />
more and more severe. Judges are<br />
saying, "These things must<br />
says,<br />
"Woe."<br />
Every<br />
stop."<br />
God<br />
animal with horse<br />
sense knows what that means, and stops.<br />
This is really one of Paul's missionary<br />
addresses. But his theme is the building<br />
of the missionary spirit at home, rather<br />
than rebuking sin abroad. "Those awful<br />
communists!"<br />
certainly. But if we blind<br />
ourselves to all abuses at home, the<br />
'commies'<br />
will get us, sure.<br />
Paul's most prominent word in this<br />
letter is,<br />
"believe."<br />
Without Faith, we<br />
can do nothing. We cannot even confess,<br />
if we do not believe. We confess our<br />
sins, after we profess our faith. Or can<br />
we always separate the two They are<br />
closely related. Confession of sin would<br />
have no value, if there was not faith.<br />
And faith would be in vain, if it did not<br />
lead us to acknowledge our sins. Paul<br />
preaches the Gospel of the Equal Chance<br />
for all. I do not know if any other<br />
country has as crucial a test as we have<br />
here, in the North, as well as in the<br />
South. The test is much deeper than the<br />
Supreme Court's decision.<br />
There are three Greek words trans<br />
lated "To<br />
preach."<br />
Literally, they are,<br />
to pronounce, to announce, and to evan<br />
gelize, that is, to tell good tidings. The<br />
world must have preachers, and preach<br />
ers must be sent. Sent by whom Christ<br />
said, "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest,<br />
that He will send forth laborers." This<br />
prayer is a pledge that we will do our<br />
part in supporting the work for which<br />
we pray.<br />
1 Cor. 2:1<br />
Paul had earned as many scholastic<br />
titles as any man of modern times,<br />
but he did not use his great learning to<br />
impress, dazzle, or bewilder folks. He<br />
had but one message, "Jesus Christ, and<br />
Him<br />
crucified."<br />
He wanted us to stand,<br />
not in the wisdom of men, but in the<br />
power of God.<br />
A Methodist pastor told me that he<br />
had been sent to a congregation where<br />
the former pastor had by his eloquence<br />
and pleasing manner won many to pro<br />
fess their faith and unite with the<br />
church. Then this pastor had proven<br />
morally false, and many of his converts<br />
had been offended and left the church,<br />
perhaps left their faith. My<br />
friend was<br />
calling on one of his most faithful mem<br />
bers, a woman well advanced in years.<br />
She told him of her late conversion, and<br />
it was under the preaching of the false<br />
pastor. My friend said, "And how does it<br />
come that you remained when his other<br />
converts<br />
left"<br />
She replied, "I did not<br />
join the pastor, I joined Jesus Christ."<br />
Paul did not want converts to join<br />
Paul, or Apollos. They might be for<br />
gotten if they led to a vision of Jesus<br />
Christ.<br />
We were hanging to the straps in a<br />
crowded street car, returning from a<br />
entertainment<br />
Rogers-Grilley in the Old<br />
91
ever"<br />
non-member."<br />
riches"<br />
pray"<br />
so"<br />
Opera House. The feature of the en<br />
tertainment was Griiley's portrayal of<br />
"The Rivals." In the crowded car, 1<br />
overheard John Taggart say to Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Walker, both elders in Geneva, that he<br />
thought Grilley did not move during that<br />
whole story. The other said that he<br />
thought that Grilley must have been all<br />
over the stage. I tried to remember. I<br />
could recall no vision of Grilley<br />
after he<br />
had introduced the story. I could recall<br />
then as I do now, only the action-packed<br />
drama, not on the stage, but out<br />
among the hills,<br />
of two armies and two<br />
soldiers. Grilley could show us the<br />
drama, because he saw it and f<strong>org</strong>ot all<br />
else. John the Baptist was willing to de<br />
crease that Christ might increase. Moses<br />
was ready to die for his people. Paul was<br />
ready to be f<strong>org</strong>otten,<br />
win some to Christ.<br />
Psalms:<br />
that he might<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
DOERS of the WORD<br />
James 1:26-27<br />
M. K. Carson, D.D.<br />
1:1-3, page 2<br />
15:1-3, page 26<br />
112:1, 5, page 277<br />
119:1-3, (part 1) page 287.<br />
References: Colossians 3:16; II Tim.<br />
3:16, 17; Matt. 7:24-27; Acts 17:11; I<br />
Peter 1:22, 23; II Peter 1:19-21; II<br />
Tim. 2:15; Hebrews 4:12; Eph. 4:30-<br />
32; Romans 2:13.<br />
"We believe the Scriptures of the Old<br />
and New Testaments to be the inspired<br />
Word of God, the only infallible rule of<br />
faith and life." This means that we must<br />
be doers of the Word. Some make a loud<br />
profession of believing the Bible from<br />
cover to cover, yet in a practical way,<br />
they deny the Inspiration of the Scrip<br />
tures, because they are not doers of the<br />
Word. Do we not all fail in a measure<br />
at least<br />
These two aspects of Christ's life were<br />
in perfect agreement. Jesus never had<br />
to say, "Do as I say, not as I do." No<br />
one could point the finger of scorn at<br />
Him for His hypocrisy. He practiced<br />
what He preached and taught. Without<br />
any fear He could say, "Which of you<br />
convinceth me of sin"<br />
John 8:46.<br />
Doer of the Word is saved.<br />
The engrafted or the implanted Word,<br />
that is the Divinely given Word in Con<br />
trast with something acquired by study,<br />
is able to save our souls. But we must<br />
be doers of the Word. In the parable of<br />
Jesus, Matthew 7:21-27, the wise build<br />
er makes the foundation of his house a<br />
matter of serious consideration. And in<br />
the day of storm, his house fell not for it<br />
92<br />
was founded upon a rock. But the fool<br />
ish builder acted as if a foundation were<br />
of no consequence and in the day of<br />
storm, his house fell and great was the<br />
fall of it. Jesus said whosoever heareth<br />
these sayings of mine and doeth them<br />
is a wise builder and in the day of<br />
storm the wise builder was safe. Peter<br />
speaks of being born again, not of cor<br />
ruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by<br />
the Word of God, which liveth and abid<br />
eth for<br />
(I Peter 1:23).<br />
Doer of the Word looketh and<br />
continueth therein.<br />
The f<strong>org</strong>etful hearer might seem to be<br />
religious, but his religion is vain. He de<br />
ceives himself. One writer expresed this<br />
regret. "When we consider how little<br />
it costs to be counted among the church<br />
members in our country, we are trou<br />
bled. The average church member is not<br />
conspicuously different from the average<br />
.Evidently<br />
this writer<br />
feels that too many church members are<br />
f<strong>org</strong>etful hearers.<br />
We need to continue in our looking.<br />
The Bereans were more noble than those<br />
in Thessalonica, in that they received<br />
the Word with all readiness of mind, and<br />
searched the Scriptures daily whether<br />
those things were<br />
(Acts 17:11).<br />
Suppose you were assured that a certain<br />
rich man had left a will and in that will<br />
you were named as one of his heirs. But<br />
no one knew where the man had put the<br />
will. It seemed very likely that the will<br />
had been put in some book in his large<br />
library. How long would you continue to<br />
look for that will And after finding<br />
that will would you take merely a pass<br />
ing glance at it and straightway f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
all about it You would not f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
about it if you were an heir. How much<br />
interest will I have in the Word of God<br />
which speaks about His "unsearchable<br />
if I am an heir<br />
Doer of the Word is blessed.<br />
How can we believe in the supreme<br />
value of the Word<br />
the Gospel of Christ,<br />
if we do not practice it, spread it, and<br />
sacrifice time and money to make this<br />
Word known One may listen with great<br />
respect to the Word as it is being<br />
even recite it from<br />
preached and may<br />
memory and yet not manifest any of the<br />
fruits of it.<br />
Jesus not only<br />
commanded His dis<br />
ciples to pray, but He set before them<br />
the perfect example of prayer. "He con<br />
tinued all night in prayer to God" (Luke<br />
6:12). This prayer life of Jesus made a<br />
deep impression upon, the disciples, so<br />
much so that they said, "Lord teach us<br />
to<br />
(Luke 11:1). We have heard<br />
much about prayer. Are we receiving the<br />
blessing which comes to those who pray<br />
Do we pray<br />
Jesus emphasized the need of for<br />
giveness. It is one of the petitions in the<br />
Lord's prayer. Jesus, the perfect Doer,<br />
knew the blessedness of f<strong>org</strong>iveness for<br />
he prayed, "Father f<strong>org</strong>ive them for<br />
they know not what they do." Do we<br />
practice f<strong>org</strong>iveness too<br />
Jesus had much to say<br />
about love. It<br />
is the new commandment. "A new com<br />
mandment I give unto you that ye love<br />
one another as I have loved<br />
you"<br />
(John<br />
13:34-35). Are we doers of the Word in<br />
this respect<br />
What is revealed in Psalms 1, 32, 119,<br />
(first part) and others about blessed<br />
ness Who is the blessed man<br />
The doer of<br />
the Word is helpful<br />
Evidently the doer of the Word is the<br />
man who has a pure religion and undefiled<br />
before God and the Father. And<br />
this kind of religion is<br />
defined as a<br />
helpful service to those in need the<br />
fatherless and widows. It is being a good<br />
neighbor (Luke 10:25). "All Scripture<br />
is given by inspiration of God, and is<br />
profitable .... that the man of God may<br />
be perfect (artist) throughly furnished<br />
unto all good<br />
works"<br />
(II Tim. 3:16-17).<br />
In showing forth this salvation of Christ<br />
are we artists Jesus went about doing<br />
good (Acts 10:38). After the Holy Spirit<br />
came upon the believers at Pentecost<br />
they prayed, suffered, f<strong>org</strong>ave, loved<br />
and served. They learned to do what<br />
Jesus had commanded them to do. What<br />
a contrast there was between Jesus and<br />
His<br />
disciples and the Pharisees. The<br />
Pharisees made a loud profession of their<br />
religion, sounding the trumpet when<br />
they gave alms; standing in the public<br />
place to pray and even disfiguring their<br />
faces as if they were fasting (Matt. 6:1-<br />
18). But the Pharisees fell short in the<br />
practice of real religion. They were elab<br />
orate in ceremonial and ritual but lax in<br />
ethics. Be ye doers of the Word and not<br />
hearers only. Do we have this mark of<br />
true wisdom Hearing is useless unless<br />
it leads to a practical outcome in holy<br />
living.<br />
We are not saved by good works but<br />
saved unto good works (Eph. 2:8-10).<br />
According to this Epistle, our good<br />
works are the evidences of a living faith.<br />
Questions<br />
1. What are good works Confession<br />
of Faith, Chap. 16.<br />
2. How are we enabled to do good<br />
works<br />
3. What is the purpose of good works<br />
Prayer<br />
1. For the raising of our Church bud<br />
get.<br />
2. For the College and Seminary.<br />
3. For growth in our home congre<br />
gations.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
Church News<br />
staff of two lady teachers. At the mo<br />
ment, the probabilities are that they<br />
would live in the house owned by the<br />
Church in Wrigley, and carry on the<br />
Sabbath Schools on Sabbath day with<br />
THE HOME MISSION BOARD<br />
January, 1955<br />
The Home Mission Board met first in<br />
1955 on Monday, January 10, at the<br />
Community<br />
House in Pittsburg. There<br />
was a good attendance with less than a<br />
handful of absentees. A great many<br />
problems of importance concerning the<br />
fields and the congregations were<br />
brought before the Board, many of them<br />
of particular interest to the Church.<br />
The Southern Mission<br />
At Selma, Alabama, the School Board,<br />
which bought the Knox Academy prop<br />
erty a number of years ago has now de<br />
cided to sell it again. The money re<br />
ceived by the Board from that original<br />
sale has been held through the years in<br />
Synod's Fund Functioning<br />
as Endow<br />
ment, for it has always been the hope<br />
of the Board that when the Knox prop<br />
erty was offered for sale, our Board<br />
would have first opportunity to repur<br />
chase it, although nothing in writing re<br />
quires that such be the case. The tract<br />
is now needed as a play ground for the<br />
mission and its extensive youth program.<br />
After hearing the matter explained, the<br />
Board instructed its Pittsburg officers<br />
to proceed in securing the property for<br />
our church use. A recent letter from Dr.<br />
Brown indicates that the prospects are<br />
quite hopeful.<br />
The Indian Mission<br />
At the Indian Mission, Rev. and Mrs.<br />
Ward carry on their usually constant<br />
program. They long for a return to the<br />
School Bible program of a few years<br />
ago, when besides Sabbath day services<br />
they went every week to the Ft. Sill<br />
School and taught Bible lessons to their<br />
own group. In recent years, these classes<br />
have been reduced to Sabbath evening<br />
classes only and with no opportunity to<br />
speak to the entire school on stated oc<br />
casions as before.<br />
The Board heard happily of new con<br />
gregational responsibilities recently ac<br />
cepted by our Apache members.<br />
The Kentucky Mission<br />
A great deal of time was given to con<br />
sideration of the Kentucky Mission.<br />
In the beginning<br />
of the work more<br />
than twelve years ago, the emphasis was<br />
on Bible teaching in the public schools.<br />
This was most whole-heartedly wel<br />
comed by the school authorities in El<br />
liott county, Kentucky. Late in 1945 the<br />
opportunity came to buy a church and<br />
parsonage at Wrigley, M<strong>org</strong>an Co., Ken-<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
tucky. At the time this seemed to be a<br />
further opening and a chance to work<br />
toward the building of a congregation.<br />
The 1946 Minutes of Synod (pg. 56)<br />
states concerning Kentucky, "The not<br />
able event of the year is the appoint<br />
ment of a minister to the field."<br />
Over the years a number of matters<br />
have been brought to light, which could<br />
not have been well known at the time,<br />
such as the intense feelings of the moun<br />
tain folk for immediate baptism by im<br />
mersion after conversion, the political<br />
fervor, the wide-spread tobacco raising<br />
industry, and the constantly changing<br />
population with little understanding of<br />
church loyalty to any denomination. The<br />
Bible teaching<br />
work has continued with<br />
a good measure of success. Most teach<br />
ers are enthusiastic for it, and all the<br />
school authorities praise the work and<br />
hold high praise for our workers.<br />
But Wrigley is a small town of 75 peo<br />
ple. A group up to about 35 are regular<br />
attendants at our church and Sabbath<br />
School, but the community is not such<br />
that a strong or independent congrega<br />
tion would be likely to grow. Again and<br />
again, entire families that appeared to<br />
be probabilities for church membership<br />
have moved suddenly and completely<br />
out of the neighborhood. Mr. Hemphill<br />
has worked faithfully, loyally, and with<br />
out sparing himself in any way. But<br />
there has been little response from the<br />
people, and of those who have professed<br />
Christ in the nine years since he went to<br />
the field only one has united with the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, and that one in a<br />
Beaver Falls congregation.<br />
Right after Thanksgiving, 19<strong>54</strong>, a<br />
committee of Rev. D.<br />
Howard Elliott<br />
and Rev. Kermit S. Edgar went to<br />
Wrigley<br />
and conferred with the workers.<br />
After canvassing the entire situation<br />
with them, and considering a number of<br />
different proposals, the committee made<br />
its recommendations to the Board. The<br />
Board held a special meeting to hear the<br />
reports and recommendations. The mat<br />
ter was discussed carefully<br />
over earnestly.<br />
and prayed<br />
It was then decided not to attempt<br />
further (at least at present) to form a<br />
congregation at Wrigley, Kentucky. And<br />
that if Mr. Hemphill is called to another<br />
field or to a congregation and decided to<br />
accept the call, the Board will not ap<br />
point another minister to Kentucky.<br />
At the same time, it was decided to<br />
continue the work of Bible teaching in<br />
the public schools, and to maintain a<br />
Bible classes in the public schools<br />
through the week.<br />
There is no intention to abandon the<br />
Kentucky field, but only to aim more<br />
directly at laying a strong ground work<br />
in the community, of Bible knowledge<br />
and Bible understanding. This, quite ob<br />
viously, is more hopeful than that of de<br />
veloping a self-supporting congregation.<br />
Miss Ruth Calderwood, most unfor<br />
tunately, has been ill for some weeks,<br />
and her work has been carried forward<br />
by others of the mission staff. The<br />
Board joined in prayer for her speedy<br />
recovery and return to the teaching<br />
work.<br />
The New Fields<br />
Of the work in the congregations, the<br />
reports from the youngest San Diego<br />
congregation still continue to show the<br />
way for other groups. The new church,<br />
built a short time ago, has been out<br />
grown, and additions must be made if<br />
the large attendance is to be stabilized.<br />
A high point in S. S. attendance was<br />
reached on November 21 with 239 pres<br />
ent. The congregation has secured the<br />
additional services of Lie. Marshall<br />
Smith and his wife.<br />
New York presbytery is completing<br />
plans to purchase property and open its<br />
new field at East Bend Park near<br />
Poughkeepsie in the near future. A fulltime<br />
worker is still needed and<br />
being<br />
sought. In the meantime, the Newburgh<br />
congregation has most graciously agreed<br />
to continue for two years the salary of<br />
its pastor, the Rev. Charles Sterrett, as<br />
he plans to live in the new community<br />
and open work, while ministering also in<br />
the regular services to the Newburgh<br />
people. The congregation is to be com<br />
mended for its generous offer, and Mr.<br />
Sterrett is to be encouraged and prayed<br />
for in the larger effort he is undertak<br />
ing. The presbytery still seeks the serv<br />
ices of a full-time minister and his fam<br />
ily.<br />
A Welcome<br />
The Board rejoiced to hear of the re<br />
ception by New York presbytery of the<br />
Rev. Walter J. Magee as a new minis<br />
ter in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church. He comes<br />
to us from the Orthodox Presbyterians.<br />
We welcome him as a brother minister,<br />
and will welcome his family into our<br />
fellowship. His daughter is a student at<br />
Geneva College. He may be reached at<br />
Box 328, Goshen, N. Y.<br />
Other matters, too, were before the<br />
Board for decision<br />
some additional fi<br />
nancial help there, the call for a work<br />
er here, church and property improve-<br />
93
us."<br />
ments elsewhere. Your Board seeks<br />
earnestly to minister in its field to the<br />
best advantage with the means the<br />
Church provides. It prays that the de<br />
cisions reached may<br />
contribute to a<br />
more effective Home Mission Field. It<br />
can be most effective in its "labor" only<br />
when the Church seeks effectiveness in<br />
its "prayer to God for<br />
YOU HAVE PRAYED, NOW YOU<br />
CAN HELP<br />
By A. J. McFarland, D.D.<br />
Several weeks ago a letter was sent<br />
to the superintendents of the Sabbath<br />
Schools of our church urging coopera<br />
tion in publicizing the financial needs of<br />
the Christian Amendment Movement.<br />
The inspiration for that letter came<br />
from a young<br />
woman in one of our<br />
smaller congregations who urged her<br />
Sabbath School to give the Movement<br />
support so that she would have a good<br />
example to set before other Sabbath<br />
Schools in her city when she went to<br />
ask them to help out. We felt her in<br />
terest and enthusiasm were worth imi<br />
tating, thus we told the story and sug<br />
gested to other Sabbath Schools that<br />
they "go and do thou likewise." This<br />
small congregation of 25 members prom<br />
ised $10.00 per month. We said in our<br />
letter that if 200 Sabbath Schools could<br />
be found who would promise $5.00 per<br />
month the C.A.M. could get along nice<br />
ly.<br />
It was not our intention that these<br />
should be all <strong>Covenanter</strong> Sabbath<br />
Schools, nor even a fourth of them Cove<br />
nanter Sabbath Schools, but we did hope<br />
for a real drive in<br />
every community<br />
where we have a church, to get other<br />
churches in their community behind the<br />
Movement. A similar letter was sent to<br />
nearly 400 out-of-bound <strong>Covenanter</strong>s<br />
urging them to approach the churches in<br />
their local communities. Preceding that,<br />
some 23,000 letters were sent to minis<br />
ters of all denominations all over the<br />
United States, enclosing a poster which<br />
listed 185 stations that are carrying<br />
"The Way Out," and asking for finan<br />
cial support.<br />
It is not our thought that any of this<br />
money that comes from the Sabbath<br />
Schools is to take money away from the<br />
budget. If any Sabbath School has sent<br />
money to the C.A.M. due to this appeal<br />
which was sent out, that you feel would<br />
have gone to the budget, please let me<br />
know the amount and I will send to the<br />
budget, out of my own funds, the<br />
amount you have sent in.<br />
I happen to know that this question<br />
was up in the Sabbath School that is<br />
sending in the $10.00 per month, and<br />
the reply<br />
was that this was not to in<br />
terfere with the budget. I have seen<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Sabbath Schools give money<br />
94<br />
to the Gideons, the Greeks, the Anti-<br />
Saloon League and many other good<br />
causes. Why should not our Sabbath<br />
Schools give to another national <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
zation such as the C.A.M., if it will serve<br />
as an example and inspiration to other<br />
Sabbath Schools in the community to do<br />
likewise.<br />
The need of the C.A.M. is critical. One<br />
person can do only so much. I have been<br />
asked by the Committee to try to keep<br />
the radio stations booked, up to near<br />
180; to try to take care of all matters<br />
in connection with the stations receiv<br />
ing tapes; to go to Washington to lobby<br />
for the Bill; to keep plugging away at<br />
trying to raise the money. It reminds me<br />
of an elderly<br />
man who used to work<br />
across the fence from us in Oklahoma.<br />
There were four or five of us boys and<br />
our father working on one side of the<br />
fence and this lone man on the other.<br />
He was quite a joker and as we met at<br />
the end of the field one day he said,<br />
"One time there was a lone negro hoeing<br />
cotton in a field, and right across the<br />
fence were ten negroes hoeing. He<br />
looked at the ten negroes and said, "Ten<br />
negroes ten rows, one negro one row.<br />
HOW I HATE ONE NEGRO." I am<br />
getting to the place where I feel almost<br />
like the lone negro. I simply cannot do<br />
everything in this work and do any of<br />
the tasks well. It looked as though we<br />
would be on 300 stations by the end of<br />
the year, April 1, but lack of money has<br />
prohibited that.<br />
To get this money is a job. Sending<br />
letters to complete strangers, or one<br />
man going into new communities and<br />
interviewing complete strangers will not<br />
do this job alone. Where are we going<br />
to get these 200 Sabbath Schools who<br />
will promise $5.00 per month to this<br />
work Most of you laymen know mem<br />
bers of other churches in your commun<br />
ity quite intimately. Why not tell them<br />
of our need, show them the poster list<br />
ing the stations carrying "The Way<br />
Out," give them literature, and urge<br />
them to take this up<br />
with their own<br />
Sabbath School. We will furnish you<br />
with the ammunition if you will fire the<br />
gun. You pastors know neighboring min<br />
isters. Why not ask for an opportunity<br />
to speak in their church We have plac<br />
ards, flannelgraph sets, all kinds of<br />
literature to put in your hands. You<br />
could surely<br />
use the poster and tell of<br />
the 185 stations now carrying<br />
the pro<br />
gram, and urge financial support from<br />
these sister congregations.<br />
We have invested too much money in<br />
the C.A.M.<br />
to see it slow up<br />
at this<br />
point, when a little push by all of us<br />
would give it a new release and send it<br />
on to still greater heights than it has<br />
ever reached before.<br />
One church with only<br />
fifteen active<br />
members,<br />
and without a pastor, has sent<br />
$60.00 ($5.00 per mo. for a year) to this<br />
Movement within recent days,<br />
and I<br />
know this will not interfere with their<br />
giving to the budget. One of their lay<br />
men has a date to present this cause in<br />
one of the largest churches in their city,<br />
using the placards. A few congregations<br />
showing interest like that and we would<br />
be on the way again.<br />
I do not know what plans are made<br />
farther than this, but one of our mis<br />
sions has sent in its first $5.00, and my<br />
guess is the pastor is planning a definite<br />
campaign in his local community to<br />
get other churches to follow his exam<br />
ple. What is your church doing<br />
About eight or ten sets of placards<br />
are on hand, together with the lecture<br />
that goes with them. We will gladly<br />
send these to anyone who feels called<br />
to use them. There are some fifteen or<br />
twenty flannelgraph sets in<br />
pastor's homes, or here,<br />
different<br />
or in the Pitts<br />
burgh office. These can be made avail<br />
able. But everyone, layman as well as<br />
pastor, may have a worker's packet, a<br />
letter together with the poster and other<br />
enclosures which you can use in inter<br />
viewing laymen or ministers of other<br />
denominations and seeking their help<br />
for this worthy cause.<br />
This simply consists in taking an<br />
envelope, with a letter already written,<br />
and with other enclosures, to a neigh<br />
boring<br />
minister or Sabbath School Su<br />
perintendent, telling him that you come<br />
with an earnest plea for the help of<br />
his church for this interdenominational<br />
movement. The letter will explain what<br />
is wanted. Remind him of the great need<br />
for a spiritual awakening in America.<br />
Tell him of "The Way Out" and of the<br />
185 stations that are carrying the pro<br />
gram. Remind him that since he is an<br />
American, and this is a Movement to<br />
save America from destruction he and<br />
his church should get in behind it. Let<br />
him read the letter and ask him if he<br />
will take this up with his Sabbath<br />
School. Your pastor or S.S. Supt. should<br />
have one of these letters at his home<br />
right now. Ask him about it, so you will<br />
know what it is.<br />
This must be the united effort of<br />
everyone who reads this article. How<br />
many of these letters can you use They<br />
are ready and will be sent to you im<br />
mediately upon request. Send to me<br />
here at Sterling, Ks. We know that you<br />
are continuing to pray, for we see con<br />
tinual results. Letters were sent recent<br />
ly to 75 stations carrying "Unshackled,"<br />
urging them to carry "The Way<br />
Out."<br />
From the replies received thus far, two<br />
new states have been added to our list<br />
of those carrying "The Way Out" pro<br />
gram, making forty in all. There have<br />
been some cancellations in recent<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
months, but the total number of stations<br />
carrying the program remains near 180.<br />
A great number of encouraging letters<br />
continue to come in, but we do need<br />
help financially. We are counting on you<br />
doing<br />
your part in your local commun<br />
ity.<br />
KANSAS CITY<br />
Rev. G. M. Robb has taken up the<br />
work in Kansas City. His address will<br />
be: 4418 West 55th Street, Kansas City<br />
3, Kansas. His phone will be : SKyline<br />
0349.<br />
ESKRIDGE<br />
The Eskridge Sabbath School, at their<br />
New Year's annual meeting, voted to<br />
give $100 to the special fund for Japan.<br />
SEATTLE NEWS<br />
Our church basement has recently had<br />
its face lifting completed, thanks to<br />
nearly everyone who could hold one end<br />
of a paint brush. New curtains arc<br />
being supplied by<br />
the W.M.S. The Jr.<br />
High Class also renovated their own<br />
rooms with new draperies being sup<br />
plied for it by two of the<br />
girls'<br />
mothers.<br />
A recent and welcome visitor to our<br />
congregation was Kenneth McBurney<br />
from Quinter, Kansas. Ken is stationed<br />
near Seattle at Uncle<br />
Sam's request<br />
and is awaiting his orders to Japan.<br />
A surprise visit was paid to the home<br />
of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Hill, in the form<br />
of housewarming for their lovely new<br />
house.<br />
Games and refreshments occu<br />
pied the evening, as well as presenting<br />
them with a<br />
rockery<br />
rhododendron bush and<br />
plant for their yard.<br />
NEWBURGH, N. Y.<br />
During the month of November we<br />
were privileged to hear ve'-y informat'vo<br />
and inspirational news from our work<br />
ers in Japan, Miss Orlena Lynn and Rev.<br />
Sam Boyle. We wore happy to have the<br />
Coldenham members and friends join<br />
with us to hoar these messages.<br />
A Union Thanksgiving Service was<br />
held at the Coldenham church on<br />
Thanksgiving morning. Our pastor, Rev.<br />
Sterrett brought the message of the<br />
morning.<br />
The W.M.S.<br />
has held their regular<br />
monthly meetings on the first Tuesday<br />
of the month. In December, after the<br />
Devotional and Bus'ness meetings, a<br />
social time was held, which was our<br />
Christmas Party. Miss Elizabeth Hen<br />
derson and Mrs. Jchn White served as<br />
co-hostesses.<br />
The Newburgh Congregation are<br />
again thankful to Mrs. Jennie Neil and<br />
Mrs. Margaret Hayes for the gifts of<br />
money received at this time in memory<br />
of their mother, Mrs. Margaret Smith.<br />
The Sabbath School Christmas party<br />
and supper was held on Tuesday, De<br />
cember 28 with about 65 members and<br />
February 9, 1955<br />
friends attending. A delicious baked<br />
ham supper was served, under the super<br />
vision of Mrs. John White and her com<br />
mittee. After this, a program was given<br />
with recitations by the little ones and<br />
messages from our Superintendent and<br />
Pastor. Awards were given for atten<br />
dance and memory work.<br />
put in his appearance.<br />
Santa also<br />
We were happy to see Mr. Jo. L.<br />
Klomp out to a couple of services recent<br />
ly after having been in the hospital be<br />
cause of an auto accident. Although Mr.<br />
Klomp is able to be out, he is suffering<br />
great pain and needs our prayers for a<br />
full recovery. Also on the sick list is<br />
Mrs. Adolph Singleman, one of our<br />
out-of-bounds members, living in Eliza<br />
beth, N. J. We were sorry to hear of her<br />
illness and pray that she will soon be up<br />
and out.<br />
On Sabbath morning, January 2,<br />
members of the congregation were giv<br />
en an opportun'ty to s'gn the Covenant.<br />
V/e were g'ad to have Mr. Jack White<br />
home worshiping with us during the<br />
Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.<br />
Jack is attending Geneva College.<br />
Among the recent visitors to our serv<br />
ices were: Mr. Walter Price of Walton,<br />
N. Y., Isabella Henderson of New York<br />
City, Miss Alice Millen of White Lake,<br />
N. Y., Mrs. Margaret Smyth of Cam<br />
bridge, Mass., Lt. Col. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Simmons<br />
of Fort Monmouth, N. J., and 1st Lt.<br />
Kim Myong Kwan and Capt. You Young<br />
Rog of Seoul, Korea. Mr. Kwan and Mr.<br />
Rog are officers in the Republic of Ko<br />
rea who are assigned to Ft. Lee, Va., for<br />
courses in<br />
the Quartermaster School.<br />
They will return to Korea in March<br />
1955. Lt. Col. Ge<strong>org</strong>e M. Simmons (hus<br />
band of Elizabeth Hill Simmons) was<br />
graduated on December 22, 19<strong>54</strong> from<br />
the Advanced Industrial Management<br />
Course at Fort Lee, Va. He has been as<br />
signed to Ft. Monmouth, N. J., as an<br />
instructor in logistics. The officers from<br />
Korea were guests in the home of Lt.<br />
Col. Simmons and his family<br />
holidays.<br />
PHOENIX<br />
over the<br />
We are happy to have Mr. and Mrs.<br />
J. C. Plumb, formerly<br />
of Waukesha.<br />
V/iseons'n, worsh.p with us.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Killough of Den<br />
ver visited with their daughter and fam<br />
ily, Mr. and Mrs. Kwiatkowski and at<br />
tended church services January 9.<br />
On January 16 we had the pr vilege of<br />
hearing Miss Blanche McCrea teil of the<br />
work in the American Academy in Nic<br />
osia, Cyprus. During the morn'ng serv<br />
ice we heard the testimonies of the stu<br />
dents by recording; and in the even<br />
saw pictures of the Is'and cf Cyprus and<br />
the work there.<br />
Srturdav evening Jan. 22, Miss Orlena<br />
Lynn was guest of honor at a covered<br />
dish dinner. Later in the evening she<br />
took us on a wonderful trip to the Is<br />
lands of Japan by<br />
colored slides. Sab<br />
bath morning and evening she gave us<br />
an interesting<br />
work in Japan.<br />
report of the mission<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Tweed from Den<br />
ver, Colo., visited with Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Elmer Graham, Billy and other friends.<br />
Mrs. Donald Crawford flew home for<br />
the funeral of her mother Mrs. Laura<br />
Steele.<br />
DR. IDA SCOTT<br />
One of our saints, Dr. Ida Scott,<br />
passed to her reward about six o'clock<br />
on Monday evening, January 17, after an<br />
illness of some duration. She has been<br />
practically confined to her bed since her<br />
exploratory operation of last summer.<br />
Dr. Scott, before her illness, was such a<br />
joy to have in the Home, and was such<br />
an appreciative, patient (although she<br />
endured much<br />
discomforture, and re<br />
cently pain) soul, that she endeared<br />
herself more to all those with whom<br />
she came in contact. We shall miss her<br />
quiet, sweet kindliness.<br />
The funeral services were held at the<br />
Home on Thursday afternoon, January<br />
20. The Reverend Mr. Kermit Edgar had<br />
charge cf the services. Dr. Remo I.<br />
Robb, a relative, read several passages<br />
of scripture after prayer by Reverend<br />
Edgar. Dr. J. B. Willson reviewed "Dr.<br />
Scott's Life in the Work of the Covenan<br />
ter Church." The closing prayer and<br />
benediction were made by the Reverend<br />
Dr. R. A. Blair, who went over with her<br />
to China on the same boat on their first<br />
trip. Very fine congregational singing<br />
was led by Mrs. John Allen, a member<br />
of the Board, using<br />
a portion of the<br />
73rd psalm, and the 23rd psalm.<br />
The body with her family and friends<br />
then were taken to the Stephen Hill<br />
Cemetery at Beaver Falls where her<br />
body was laid to rest. Reverend Edgar<br />
read a portion of<br />
scripture, and the<br />
benediction was offered by Dr. Robert<br />
Clark, a classmate from Geneva College.<br />
Everyone at the service had a feeling ol<br />
triumph, of joy for Dr. Scott for her<br />
prayer was answered in that her beloved<br />
Saviour had come for her, and she had<br />
now "entered into the joys of her Lord!"<br />
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the<br />
death of His saints. Psalm 116:15<br />
HOW WILL THEY KNOW WHAT<br />
Dear Friend:<br />
JESUS SAID!<br />
January 21, 1953<br />
"The increasing t'de of Communism<br />
and juvenile delinquency<br />
which each<br />
lay becomes a more serious threat tr><br />
youth of the nations of the world is vi<br />
tal testimony to the necessity for a re-
need."<br />
ciety."<br />
..<br />
**<br />
sight."<br />
out."<br />
-;>:-<br />
PRA<br />
turn to religion in the home.<br />
Today, more than ever before, we<br />
need to bring young<br />
the Bible<br />
teaches.<br />
people closer to<br />
and the eternal lessons it<br />
The worship of God, as the Divine<br />
Creator and Helper, is an integral part<br />
of our history. The picture of the fam<br />
ily circle the father, mother and chil<br />
dren, sitting together reading the Bible<br />
is a scene of inspiring beauty. There<br />
the Word of God is at work molding<br />
character, lighting the path of good, in<br />
spiring deeds of service. Religion has a<br />
vital meaning, touching every<br />
life.<br />
Unfortunately, too many<br />
aspect of<br />
of the peo<br />
ples of the world have lost touch with<br />
religion. They<br />
have found numerous<br />
substitutes for the ageless truths of the<br />
Divine Word. The revival of a firm be<br />
lief in the magnificence of the Supreme<br />
Creator is a vital need. The Bible must<br />
be brought back into the family<br />
order to properly<br />
circle in<br />
encourage individuals<br />
to perpetuate the high moral and spirit<br />
ual foundation upon which a more har<br />
monious world can be based.'<br />
J. Edgar Hoover, Director<br />
Federal Bureau of Investigation<br />
Families everywhere must be called<br />
and recalled to the Bible. They must<br />
have Bibles in the languages they can<br />
read. This is the great program of the<br />
American Bible Society. It<br />
distributes over 15,000,000 Scriptures<br />
a year<br />
works in 48 nations and in 200 lan<br />
guages<br />
promotes Worldwide Bible Reading<br />
furnishes Bibles and New Testaments<br />
for the Armed Forces<br />
dren in Korea<br />
school chil<br />
new literates in many<br />
lands the blind refugees and many<br />
others.<br />
to new literates. It's the world's top in<br />
vestment in God's<br />
GENERAL JAMES A. VAN FLEET<br />
"I saw at first hand the wonderful<br />
work the American Bible Society did in<br />
supplying Scriptures in Korea. This im<br />
portant ministry to the minds and<br />
hearts of the Korean people must con<br />
tinue. I urge every American to give<br />
generously to the American Bible So<br />
DR. NORMAN VINCENT PEALE<br />
"The Bible teaches people to trust in<br />
God and not be afraid. In it a man finds<br />
personal peace and power.<br />
Many people have found courage<br />
through daily Bible reading. Some living<br />
in distant parts of the world have been<br />
freed from fear and evil spirits and<br />
other imaginary enemies when the Bible<br />
has come to them in their own language.<br />
The American Bible Society is doing a<br />
marvelous job in making it possible for<br />
everyone to have a Bible he can read.<br />
I know intimately through Mrs. Peale,<br />
who is a member of the Board of Man<br />
agers,<br />
of the great work this <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tion is doing and I recommend it to you<br />
heartily."<br />
Since 1816 the American Bible Society<br />
has been the official agency of American<br />
churches in translating, publishing and<br />
distributing the Holy Scriptures. Repre<br />
sentatives of more than 50 denomina<br />
tions, reviewing the Society's budget last<br />
year, said : "We commend the Society<br />
for the efficiency and vision with which<br />
its work is carried<br />
i"*" riTiu^:.iyfc
more."<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 6. 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1955 NUMBER 7<br />
The Power of the Living Christ<br />
By<br />
Dr. B. L. Olmstead<br />
On the evening before this is being- written we<br />
heard two programs presented by the International<br />
Union of Gospel Missions, one on the hillside and the<br />
other in the Billy Sunday Tabernacle, Winona Lake.<br />
The speakers were men connected with rescue mis<br />
sions who knew something first-hand about the<br />
power of Christ. Emphasis upon His power to trans<br />
form men through a new birth was clear and plain.<br />
These men knew through their own experiences and<br />
through their dealings with others who were "down<br />
and out"<br />
that mere attempts at reformation will<br />
never do. A skid-row character may be given a hair<br />
cut and bath and dressed with new clothes through<br />
out, but, unless there is a radical inner change, noth<br />
ing of permanence will be achieved.<br />
To listen to the stories of some of those men<br />
concerning what the living Christ had done for them<br />
was interesting indeed. More than one man told how<br />
at a critical hour he had heard a voice telling him<br />
perceived that<br />
what to do, and, upon looking around,<br />
it did not come from any human source. The chief<br />
and closing address by Clifford S. Hartzell, the newlyelected<br />
president of these mission men, was a most<br />
thrilling account of his own transformation at the<br />
age of twenty-two from a half -frozen, dirty, penni<br />
less "bum" into a child of God. He got out of a box<br />
car in the winter in a city in Iowa and walked the<br />
streets looking for a place where he could crawl in<br />
for shelter, for he was afraid of freezing to death.<br />
Finally he noticed a light in a window and a sign of<br />
beds available for five or ten cents each. He went<br />
inside and sat down, and went to sleep. Later he fol<br />
lowed other men into a room which proved to be a<br />
rescue mission.<br />
He stayed around for a good many days and<br />
attended the mission services because they would<br />
let him sleep somewhere in the basement. He always<br />
pretended to be looking for work, but he saw to it<br />
that he did not find any. For a time he shrugged off<br />
the messages, but later they began to get hold of<br />
him. Finally he became really in earnest, and one<br />
night he went to the altar and sought and found the<br />
Lord. He slept in the basement again that night.<br />
The next morning, being hungry, he began to<br />
think about going out as usual to "bum" his way for<br />
food. But as he was about to start he felt a firm<br />
hand on one shoulder, and a voice spoke (which he<br />
said he heard as clearly as we could hear his voice in<br />
the tabernacle), saying, "You are not to bum your<br />
way any He looked all around. There was no<br />
human being from whom that voice and that grip<br />
on his shoulder could have come. Three times he<br />
heard that voice, and three times he felt a grip<br />
on one or the other of his shoulders. He went up to<br />
the office. The telephone rang. The man at the desk<br />
was arranging for someone to shovel snow. Quickly<br />
he asked if he might have the next chance to work.<br />
The man was astonished but said that if he meant<br />
business he could.<br />
Soon young Mr. Hartzell was in a fine section<br />
of the city shoveling away. When through, to his<br />
amazement he was given a dollar. Then he went out<br />
and bought a breakfast for fifteen cents. (That was<br />
thirty years ago.) That day he earned three more<br />
dollars. At night he went to the mission, put down<br />
a dime, and with the air of a conqueror said, "Give<br />
me a ten-cent bed." He declared that from that day<br />
to this he never had to ask anyone for a dollar. At<br />
the present time, in addition to being superintendent<br />
of a rescue mission in Philadelphia, he has charge of<br />
the erection of a very large Sears Roebuck store.<br />
Free Methodist
made."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Dancing in Schools<br />
The Board of Education of Jefferson County, Colo., has<br />
forbidden social dancing as a compulsory course in high<br />
schools. Some parents had protested the requirement, evi<br />
dently from religious scruples against dancing. The Board<br />
ordered some other form of recreation instruction substitut<br />
ed for dancing. This school system of Jefferson County is the<br />
second largest in Colorado covering nearly half of the Den<br />
ver suburban area.<br />
Similar Objections in California<br />
Two fathers of the Church of God recently objected to<br />
their daughters taking physical education classes in city<br />
schools because they had to wear "scanty" gym suits and<br />
attend dancing<br />
classes. The state law requires students to<br />
participate in physical education classes, so this protest<br />
came before the district attorney's office and arrangement<br />
was made that the daughters would continue in the classes<br />
if they remain properly clothed and do not have to take part<br />
in the dancing activities. These are examples of the ef<br />
fectiveness of honest, earnest protests.<br />
Religious Instruction in Oregon<br />
A ruling has been made by the Attorney<br />
General of<br />
Oregon that public schools in the state must excuse chil<br />
dren to attend outside religious instruction classes if they<br />
present a written request from a parent. He stated that<br />
this instruction must not be for more than two hours a week<br />
and must not interfere with general school activities.<br />
Religious Radio in Seattle<br />
The first full-time Christian Radio Station went on<br />
the air recently on the campus of King's Garden, an inter<br />
denominational center of evangelism. This is KDGN a<br />
100-watt station operating<br />
station.<br />
at 630 kc. and is a daytime<br />
A New Campus for Biola<br />
The Bible Institute of Los Angeles expects to move<br />
to a new fifty-acre campus near La Mirada, Calif. This<br />
Institute has outgrown its facilities at the Church of<br />
the Open Door, but its new buildings will accommodate<br />
1,000 students and these will be enlarged to provide for<br />
1,500 to 2,000 young people. The cost of the new campus<br />
is $2,500,000. This institution is composed of four schools:<br />
the Bible Institute, Bible College, Talbot Theological<br />
Seminary and the School of Missionary Medicine. The<br />
School of Medicine will remain in the down-town area<br />
because its students receive training in metropolitan hos<br />
pitals.<br />
Graham Crusade in New York<br />
Protestant leaders of New York City affirm that an<br />
evangelistic campaign conducted by Billy Graham in the<br />
fall of 1957 seems to be "virtually<br />
assured."<br />
The director<br />
of the Protestant Council, the Rev. D. M. Potter, said<br />
that two years of preparation will be needed for the<br />
crusade.<br />
New Restrictions in India<br />
A new policy went into effect in India during the<br />
last week of December 19<strong>54</strong> which will be a greater hind<br />
rance to missions there. The government of<br />
38<br />
India has<br />
announced that visas will be required of British Common<br />
wealth nations who wish to enter that land. During the<br />
years since India has been<br />
granted independence from<br />
Britain, it has been possible for Canadian and British<br />
citizens to enter India freely on their passports, but now<br />
they will have to apply for visas to enter that country.<br />
Due to former restrictions some mission boards had em<br />
phasized the use of Canadian and British personnel in<br />
India. The Evil One is making a desperate effort to close<br />
the door to the enlargement of the Gospel in India.<br />
Presbyterian Merger Loses<br />
Southern Presbyterians have defeated the plan to<br />
unite with the Northern and U. P. denominations. Thirtyfour<br />
Presbyteries have voted against the merger, which<br />
is more than one fourth of the total number of presby<br />
teries (88) required to defeat the plan of union. The<br />
Northern Presbyteries have been generally voting in favor<br />
of the union. Many in the Southern church have felt that<br />
the Northern church was too "liberal" in its theology.<br />
Often such a union, which is supposed to make for greater<br />
harmony,<br />
causes more friction within the denomination<br />
or denominations than there was before the union was<br />
consummated. There were many in Canada who favored a<br />
United Church, who were disappointed after the union<br />
was formed.<br />
Sermon on Temperance<br />
During "The Hour of Decision" broadcast Billy Gra<br />
ham preached a very strong sermon showing the sin of<br />
drinking and the disastrous effects of beverage alcohol.<br />
It may be had by writing to Billy Graham, Minneapolis,<br />
Minn.<br />
Baptists Persecuted in Russia<br />
Gabriel Courier, in his news items, says that accord<br />
ing to a story in the London Observer, the Baptists, chief<br />
Protestant group in Russia, are for the first time in years<br />
feeling the heavy Kremlin hand. Baptists are few in num<br />
bers, compared with members of the Orthodox Church, and<br />
well scattered. But apparently Soviet leaders are deciding<br />
they are not as harmless as they look. Opined the story, "The<br />
Kremlin may now have found that scattered and stub<br />
born believers can offer a more dangerous opposition than<br />
all the panoply of the Orthodox hierarchy, centralized<br />
and highly <strong>org</strong>anized, with whom a deal can more easily<br />
be<br />
Cigarettes Aiming<br />
at the Heart<br />
The Christian Herald (February) presents a striking<br />
up-to-date article entitled, "Cigarettes are Aiming at<br />
Your Heart." Reprints of the article may be had at 25c<br />
for 4 copies, or 4c each in lots of 100 or more. Address<br />
Roy Norr, 11 W. 42nd St., New York, N. Y.<br />
The article begins, "When press headlines shrilled<br />
last summer, "Cigarettes Speed Heart<br />
Deaths,"<br />
Cigarette<br />
Smokers Die Sooner," "Smoking Tied to Heart Ills." the<br />
worst-kept<br />
"secret"<br />
in recent medical annals exp'oded<br />
to the public. Cigarettes at last were statistically, as well<br />
as clinically, linked to the racing death rates from heart<br />
disease, America's top death-dealer. It meant that this<br />
(Continued on page 103)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
PREMIER NEEDED<br />
France is again without a leader. Pierre Mendes-France,<br />
the most dynamic premier France has had since World War<br />
II, fell after seven months in power. He thus went slightly<br />
beyond the average for postwar governments. The issue on<br />
which Parliament ousted Mendes-France was his policy in<br />
North Africa, where he made important concessions to<br />
native nationalism. But he had already lost some of his orig<br />
inal support because of his refusal to back EDC, his aban<br />
donment of northern Indochina, and his vigorous economic<br />
program. With the French National Assembly divided be<br />
tween six parties of nearly equal strength, it will be diffi<br />
cult to find a new premier who can command a majority.<br />
The political maneuvering may take weeks, and ratification<br />
of the Paris treaties in the upper house is likely to be de<br />
layed. If a new government proves powerless there will<br />
doubtless be strong pressure for the return of Mendes-<br />
France.<br />
DANGEROUS DAYS<br />
Tension in the Far East has not slackened as U. S. forc<br />
es begin the evacuation of the Tachen Islands. The U. N. Se<br />
curity Council met at the request of New Zealand to con<br />
sider the threat to world peace from the Formosa issue. Rus<br />
sia offered a resolution condemning U. S.<br />
"aggression" and<br />
calling for the withdrawal of all non-Communist forces from<br />
the Formosa area. The Council adopted instead, by a 9-1<br />
vote, a New Zealand resolution inviting Communist China<br />
to take part in U. N. discussions regarding<br />
Formosa. Two<br />
days later, Premier Chow En-lai sent a harsh refusal which<br />
seemed to end all hope of settlement through U. N. diplo<br />
matic action. The explosive character of the situation was<br />
emphasized when U. S. planes shot down two Communist<br />
Mig fighters, the most serious clash since the Korean War.<br />
U. S. policy still is not clear regarding the surrender of any<br />
more off-shore islands to the Reds. Peiping apparently will<br />
be satisfied with nothing less than the total destruction of<br />
the Nationalist government and a full place in the U. N.<br />
SOUTHEAST ASIA TREATY<br />
The U. S. Senate ratified the Southeast Asia collective<br />
defense treaty by the overwhelming vote of 82 to 1. There<br />
was little debate and the only dissenter was William Lang<br />
er, North Dakota Republican, a confirmed isolationist. The<br />
treaty was signed at Manila last September by the U. S.,<br />
Philippines, Australia, France, Great Britain, New Zealand,<br />
Pakistan, and Thailand. It joins these nations together in<br />
mutual defense against any Communist attack. The treaty<br />
provides for consultation in case of internal Communist sub<br />
version in any country. The eight foreign ministers will meet<br />
in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 23 to consider this prob<br />
lem.<br />
GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH<br />
President Eisenhower has renewed the request he made<br />
to Congress last year for government reinsurance of private<br />
health programs, to help them offer broader benefits. He<br />
asked for an initial fund of $25 million to help private in<br />
surance plans, such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield, give<br />
greater protection against severe or prolonged illnesses. They<br />
Februarv 16, 1955<br />
would eventually reimburse the government by reinsurance<br />
premiums. Eisenhower also requested a separate fund of<br />
$20 million to match state and local medical expenditures for<br />
those on relief rolls. There is also a proposal of government<br />
insurance for mortgage loans on the construction of new<br />
hospitals and other health facilities. In addition the Presi<br />
dent asked for federal aid in various fields of medical re<br />
search, including the "smog" problem. Last year the Ad<br />
ministration-backed health bill did not pass, and the new<br />
one is already being attacked by Democrats as inadequate.<br />
Their basic criticism is that the reinsurance plan does noth<br />
ing for the neediest group the 40 per cent of the popula<br />
tion who have no private health insurance but are not poor<br />
enough to receive public aid.<br />
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE<br />
Professional boxing and the legitimate theater are sub<br />
ject to federal antitrust laws, according to two new Supreme<br />
Court decisions. The Court seems to have gone against an<br />
earlier ruling on professional baseball. In the baseball case,<br />
going back to 1922 and reaffirmed in 1953, the Court held<br />
that professional baseball was primarily a local exhibition,<br />
and that its interstate features were incidental. The Court<br />
now rules, however, that prize fighting and the theater are<br />
interstate commerce and therefore subject to federal antimonopoly<br />
controls. Two justices dissented in the boxing case,<br />
and it is certainly difficult to see the distinction between<br />
boxing and baseball. The decisions open the way for federal<br />
prosecution of the International Boxing Club,<br />
which controls<br />
all championship bouts, and of the Shubert theatrical com<br />
bine. It seems that new Congressional legislation is probably<br />
needed to clarify the status of professional sports.<br />
STEEL FOR INDIA<br />
Russia will build a steel plant of one million tons ca<br />
pacity for India under an agreement recently signed. The<br />
plant will be located in central India, about halfway between<br />
Bombay and Calcutta. The cost of the material and technical<br />
aid which Russia will supply is estimated at $91 million. The<br />
Indian government can still cancel the contract, however, if<br />
technical specifications are not satisfactory<br />
or if cost esti<br />
mates go too high. India's present steel production is one and<br />
a half million tons a year, but she wants to increase this to<br />
six million tons by 1961. A West German firm is already<br />
building one new steel plant, and the British are negotiating<br />
for the construction of another.<br />
HERO'S DEATH<br />
raising<br />
One of the six men in the famous picture of the flag<br />
on Iwo Jima was Marine Pfc. Ira Hayes. He and<br />
the two others in the picture who survived the battle were<br />
treated as heroes and saw the scene become immortal. But<br />
Hayes did not fare so well. An uneducated Pima Indian<br />
from southern Arizona, he became an alcoholic soon after the<br />
war. He was arrested fifty-one times for drunkenness, in<br />
spite of the best efforts of friends and welfare groups to<br />
help him. Last month, at the age of 32, he died of drunken<br />
ness and exposure. A sad ending for a national hero, but no<br />
worse than the fate of many<br />
path.<br />
others who follow the same<br />
99
strength."<br />
In Reliance Upon God's Grace<br />
Rev. H. A. Helming<br />
The Monday Morning<br />
Devotional Address of the Grinnell Conference, July 19, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
Isaiah 40:31 "They that wait upon the Lord<br />
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up<br />
with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be<br />
faint."<br />
weary; and they shall walk and not<br />
When we signed the covenant, we did so stating<br />
that we were relying upon the grace of God to enable<br />
us to keep it. What did we mean by that statement <br />
How much have we relied upon God <br />
If we are to think about our reliance in the right<br />
way, we must remember the word "humble." Humil<br />
ity is an attitude that is easy to talk about but is<br />
hard to practice. False humility crowds in so easily<br />
that true humility is crowded out.<br />
Humility is not a long face with pious talk. It<br />
may be, but humility can as easily be a glowing face<br />
filled with a trust in the power of God. We must feel<br />
our responsibility, but at the same time if we are go<br />
ing to think of it as a cross that we must carry, we<br />
are not going to receive the help and renewed vigor<br />
that we should look forward to receiving. It is not a<br />
cross to bear. It is not an extra burden upon our<br />
Christian lives. It is a renewal of our profession of<br />
faith in Christ. Humility should then shine from our<br />
lives with the glow of joy because we have realized<br />
anew our relationship with Jesus Christ, our Saviour.<br />
Our faces ought to shine with the glow of a bride's<br />
face. She is not proud but joyful over the relation<br />
ship with her husband.<br />
Humility is not a continuous talking about our<br />
own weaknesses. This is one of the faults of many<br />
Christians. They talk so much about their weakness<br />
es and failures that they fail to have time to talk<br />
about the power which they have through the Holy<br />
Spirit who dwells with them. We must be conscious<br />
of His presence with us to the extent that our weak<br />
ness is bound up in His strength. We might think of<br />
an engine or motor. Whether it is one which runs a<br />
small fan or one which pulls the largest loads on our<br />
railroads, each is useless without fuel or energy that<br />
makes it run. The motor on the fan needs electricity.<br />
The diesel engine on the railroad needs fuel to make<br />
it run. Shut off either and their usefulness is lost. So<br />
in our Christian lives, we are powerful in Christ<br />
when we humbly rely upon the energy that He gives<br />
to us through the Holy Spirit. Thus, we must talk<br />
about our strength in Christ if we are to trust more<br />
and more in the power of the Spirit.<br />
Humility is not rejecting responsibility but in<br />
carrying responsibility for Christ. Many times we<br />
find Christians who continually refuse to carry re<br />
sponsibility because they can think of others who<br />
could do the job better. They think that they are<br />
serving Christ better by refusing. They<br />
never seem<br />
to realize that they would not have been asked to<br />
perform the task if they had not been considered<br />
able to perform it. Such humility hinders the work of<br />
Christ more than it helps it. If any<br />
of us continue to<br />
do this, we are not keeping the covenant that we have<br />
made, nor are we relying upon God as we have stated<br />
that we would.<br />
100<br />
By this time we should be asking ourselves,<br />
"What is humility" It is an act of submission. It is<br />
for this reason that I am using the statement as it is<br />
found in the covenant. Reliance upon God without<br />
humility is not necessarily submission. A child may<br />
rely upon his parents for food, clothing, a home and<br />
many other things and still not be submissive. In fact<br />
he might be very proud and feel that he is the only<br />
important thing in the home. Still before others, he<br />
may talk about his parents with a long face, or admit<br />
that he depends upon them to supply his needs, or<br />
even state that he realizes that they can do a better<br />
job of caring for him than he can for himself. Is he<br />
humble In the same way we must be submissive to<br />
the will of God. Too many<br />
of us are "spoiled brats"<br />
as children of God. It is not because God has made us<br />
such but rather because we have come to think that<br />
He owes us everything since we have become His<br />
children. We sulk if our prayers are not answered.<br />
We complain if He permits trials and temptations to<br />
come into our lives. We gripe if He makes us do<br />
without some things that we think we cannot get<br />
along without. We may be tempted at this time to<br />
feel that since we have taken this covenant that He<br />
owes us more than He did before in physical help.<br />
We may feel that all of our problems should be solved<br />
as individuals and as a denomination. From the ex<br />
periences of covenanting in the past, we may feel<br />
that a great surge of power should come into out<br />
lives. I am not stating for one moment that it will<br />
not come but I am stating that it cannot come with<br />
out complete submission to the will of God, with joy<br />
flowing out of our hearts with a willingness to go for<br />
ward in service to Him.<br />
In order to do this we must have a vision of<br />
God's power. The writer of our scripture said, "They<br />
that wait upon the Lord shall renew their<br />
What did he mean He had a vision of the power of<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
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COVENANTER WITNESS
me."<br />
God. He saw what would happen to their nation when<br />
the hand of God began to work for them. He saw a<br />
glorious future for his nation when they returned to<br />
God. He saw their strength renewed.<br />
He might have been thinking of history. Think<br />
of the low condition of the Israelites as they were in<br />
bondage down in the land of Egypt. Their task mas<br />
ters were hard on them. The king was killing their<br />
children. They cried to God for help. None seemed to<br />
come but it was coming. Out in the wilderness on a<br />
lonely mountain side was a flock of sheep. Their<br />
shepherd had f<strong>org</strong>otten about them for the time. He<br />
was watching the burning bush and listening to the<br />
voice of God. He was arguing with God about his<br />
weaknesses. God was showing to him His power and<br />
giving Moses a vision concerning his people. When he<br />
returned to his sheep, it was to take them home safe<br />
ly to his father-in-law and start with his family<br />
towards the land of Eigypt. You know the story of<br />
how this man, 80 years old, began a task that seemd<br />
impossible and emerges from the pages of history as<br />
not only the greatest leader of Israel, but as well, one<br />
of the meekest men that ever lived. How were these<br />
two qualities put together They were united<br />
through the vision Moses had of the power of God.<br />
During this journey we find a man by the name<br />
of Caleb who went with eleven others to spy out the<br />
land. He came back with the others. Ten of them said<br />
that they could not conquer the land. He and Joshua<br />
said they could. At forty years of age he said, "We<br />
us."<br />
can possess the land because God will fight for<br />
Forty years later this man led a small army into the<br />
mountains and hills that they had searched out and<br />
defeated the giants who had made the whole na<br />
tion of Israel faint. Why was he able to do this He<br />
had a vision of the power of God. He relied upon God<br />
and not man. .<br />
This same vision was stored in the life of a young<br />
man who unexpectedly brought victory to his nation<br />
while still too young for the army The story of David<br />
children but adults<br />
and Goliath has thrilled not only<br />
as well. It has thrilled us because we see the power of<br />
God working in this young man. Put yourself in his<br />
position. The trained army was scared to death of<br />
this giant. They fled from him. An untrained youth<br />
with his youthful zeal and handy slingshot walks out<br />
to meet the giant. Everyone holds his breath as he<br />
nears the giant. They see the motion of his arm. The<br />
giant falls. The young man springs forward. The<br />
camp is silent. The glitter of the sword flashes in the<br />
sunlight. The head of the giant is<br />
early morning<br />
raised in the hand of David. The earth is filled with<br />
shouts of joy from the Israelites and with shouts of<br />
fright from the Philistines. What was the difference<br />
between this young man and the rest of the army<br />
He had a vision of the power of God. He humbly re<br />
lied upon the power of God and saved his nation.<br />
The vision of the prophet was the same, as he<br />
wrote these words of prophecy. He saw that a re<br />
newed vision of the power of God would bring peace<br />
and prosperity to their nation. He had received his<br />
vision as he saw his unworthiness and sinfulness as<br />
he stood in the presence of God. God had cleansed<br />
him with the coal from off the altar and he had re<br />
sponded to the call of God.<br />
In the same way we claim that we have received<br />
a new vision of the power of God. We claim that we<br />
have seen our sinfulness and unworthiness. We claim<br />
February 16, 1955<br />
that we responded to the call of God to go forward<br />
in His cause with renewed zeal. With such claims<br />
we ought to have a new vision of the power of God.<br />
Do we Do we feel the power of God surging through<br />
our veins Are we like the powerful engine sitting on<br />
the tracks and awaiting the touch of the engineer to<br />
go forward to the task that He has given to us We<br />
are relying upon the fuel that He has filled our tanks<br />
with, to go forward in the work of Christ at least<br />
we said we were. What vision do you have of the<br />
work that can be accomplished We must rely on<br />
God for our vision.<br />
There is a determination that should fill our<br />
thoughts. We are going to wait on the Lord for the<br />
strength we need. We know that it is not a foolish<br />
act because we have the promises of God. Still this<br />
wait must not be such that will cause us to be inac<br />
tive. It should be a determination that will cause us<br />
to do the tasks that God brings to us to do day by<br />
day trusting Him for the power to perform them. We<br />
must not permit the world to bring doubt to our<br />
minds but with the blind faith which is enlightened<br />
by the vision of God's Word we can go forward.<br />
In the picture of the verses, we have the deter<br />
mination of a runner or traveler. He has a goal<br />
toward which he is running or an aim toward which<br />
he is traveling. His thoughts are on one thing<br />
completing the task that lies before him. Added to<br />
this picture is the trust which such runners or trav<br />
elers have in the power of God to help them. Like<br />
Paul who said, "I can do all things through Christ<br />
which strengthened He relied upon the power<br />
of God. He had determination because he had a vision<br />
of what could be accomplished.<br />
We must remember that determination and hu<br />
mility go together. Determination is not pride but<br />
rather the zeal which sends us forward to do a task<br />
that needs to be done. It is like a swimmer who hears<br />
the cry for help. He swims out to save the drowning<br />
swimmer. He fights his way back to shore with the<br />
added load of the one being saved. His arms and legs<br />
become tired. It seems that shore is a long ways off.<br />
Will he make it His arms and legs seem to be mov<br />
ing mechanically. As he drops his burden on shore, he<br />
drops exhausted. Determination had kept him going.<br />
So it should send us forward in the work of Christ<br />
with zeal for His cause not only because we have<br />
covenanted together but rather 'because of the vision<br />
which we have of the cause of Christ.<br />
The act is past but the work is ahead. Tempta<br />
tions will be found coming into our path. We must<br />
not become weary of well doing. We must go forward<br />
with renewed zeal. We must fight as courageous sol<br />
diers of the cross of Christ. Christ's kingdom does<br />
not depend upon anyone of us individually or collec<br />
tively. We can fail and know that His kingdom will<br />
go forward but in humble reliance upon God's grace<br />
we will have the vision of the part He has given us<br />
to play in the work of His kingdom. With this vision<br />
we will have the determination to succeed no matter<br />
how rough the path might be. We will walk or run.<br />
We will speak or act. We do not know the future but<br />
we are determined to go forward. We will carry<br />
proudly the banner of our Lord and Saviour. We can<br />
speak with assurance because we are willing to put<br />
our hand in the hand of God and know that He will<br />
not fail us. Don't jerk your hand out of His and you<br />
need not worry about keeping your covenant with<br />
God. You are humbly relying on Him !<br />
101
more."<br />
name."<br />
Ample<br />
Evidence<br />
John 5:36, 10:25, 14:10, 11<br />
Alvin W. Smith, D.D.<br />
It is still a very important question: Who Is<br />
Jesus Christ Billy Sunday preached a sermon on<br />
that question, toward the end of his ministry, in im<br />
agination calling upon the individuals whom Jesus<br />
healed, cleansed or raised from the dead to give<br />
answer, "Who is Jesus Christ" The same question<br />
was addressed to the enemies of Jesus, the Phari<br />
sees, Sadduccees and the high priest. Pilate and the<br />
soldiers were also included.<br />
Without exception the answer was "Jesus Christ<br />
is God." It was given gladly by His friends and reluc<br />
tantly by His enemies, but given, nevertheless.<br />
It is just as important today for people to have<br />
the right answer to Jesus' question, "Whom say ye<br />
that I am " as it was on that day when Jesus first<br />
asked the disciples in Caesarea Philippi. Is Jesus<br />
God, as He claimed to be, or just a good man<br />
Recently a bold advertisement appeared on the<br />
church page of our newspaper, an advertisement in<br />
serted by a local church in the community featuring<br />
the question, IS GOD SUPERNATURAL The ques<br />
tion was answered with an unqualified "NO." The<br />
advertisement went on to assert, "We believe that Je<br />
sus was a man, no It is sad to realize that<br />
many others evidently believe that, who are less bold<br />
and frank about it.<br />
It was also of more than passing interest to<br />
me, to read the review of a new book, in which the<br />
author makes the plea that all magic be taken out of<br />
Christianity<br />
and the church. One could agree with<br />
the author if he used the word MAGIC in the same<br />
sense in which the Bible uses it, as sorcery, necro<br />
mancy,<br />
conjuration or enchantment.<br />
Webster's Unabridged defines magic, as "the art<br />
or body of arts which pretends or is believed to pro<br />
duce effects by the assistance of supernatural beings<br />
or departed spirits, or by the mastery of secret forces<br />
nature."<br />
in<br />
We know that God in His Word forbade Israel<br />
from having anything to do with sorcery and witch<br />
craft. We are familiar with the account of the<br />
magicians of Egypt who undertook to duplicate the<br />
miracles performed by Moses at God's direction,<br />
with their enchantments. They soon confessed that<br />
any further pretence was beyond them, "This is<br />
the finger of God."<br />
Jesus was accused by His enemies of casting<br />
with Beelze<br />
out demons by collusion (as they said),<br />
bub, the prince of devils. Jesus promptly disclaimed<br />
any and all such collusion and declared that He was<br />
casting out demons by the Spirit of God.<br />
The author of this book to which I refer ap<br />
peared to be using the word magic in a loose sense,<br />
to mean everything SUPERNATURAL, including<br />
the miracles, as though that were a weakness and a<br />
stumbling block to faith.<br />
Brethren, this is no idle speculation. There is<br />
102<br />
today, in our country and throughout the world the<br />
age-old conflict between the natural and the super<br />
natural in application to religion. The battle lines are<br />
sharply drawn ; and the battle rages around the ques<br />
tion of the Deity, the Godhead of Jesus Christ. Is<br />
He only a man, or is He in fact and reality very God<br />
of very God <br />
In the scriptures we have before us we can see<br />
the use which the Lord Jesus Christ made of the<br />
evidence that pointed then and still points to His<br />
being just what He claimed to be, the Messiah, the<br />
One prophesied, one with the Father, sent by the<br />
Father and approved by Him. In chapter 5 of John's<br />
gospel is an array of four kinds of witness supporting<br />
Jesus'<br />
claim:<br />
1. The witness of John the Baptist, 5:32,33.<br />
2. That of the Heavenly Father, v. 37.<br />
3. That of the O.T. Scriptures, Moses .<br />
45, 46.<br />
.<br />
vs.39,<br />
4. The works which Jesus, Himself did. v. 36.<br />
Jesus carried the issue to its logical conclusion. On<br />
more than one occasion He spoke of it. See chap.<br />
10:25, 14:10-11.<br />
Any calling into question of the miracles of<br />
Jesus as an asset to faith in Him, runs directly<br />
against Jesus' own words. He laid great weight upon<br />
these works as evidence of His being genuine. Shall<br />
we fail to acquiesce <br />
pel,<br />
All of these things are found in the Fourth Gos<br />
which deals in particular with this kind of rea<br />
soning. Of the four gospels, that of John employs<br />
the miracles of Jesus, particularly, as evidence to<br />
faith. The very purpose of writing this gospel is<br />
stated in terms of the SIGNS, ch. 20 :30, 31,<br />
"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the<br />
presence of his disciples, which are not written in<br />
this book: but these are written, that ye might<br />
believe that Jesus is the Christ; and that believ<br />
ing, ye might have life through his<br />
In chapter 2:11, the author specifies the turning<br />
of the water into wine as the beginning of the signs :<br />
'This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of<br />
Galilee and manifested forth his glory; and his<br />
disciples believed on Him."<br />
Then follows the third miracle, the healing of the son<br />
of the nobleman. Then, in series, the healing of the<br />
impotent man, the feeding of the five thousand, the<br />
giving of sight to the man born blind and the raising<br />
of Lazarus. Later, there is the account of His own<br />
resurrection, predicted and<br />
fulfilled; finally, the<br />
draft of fishes in Galilee.<br />
It is your responsibility and mine, the responsi<br />
bility of all who read or hear this record, to decide<br />
in the heart, whether or not it is true. Jesus, knowing<br />
that He had come from God and had come down<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
striving."<br />
church."<br />
necessary."<br />
revealed."<br />
from heaven, proceeded to demonstrate the truth of<br />
His claims by the display of His supernatural power.<br />
He did not hesitate to employ His works as evidence<br />
of the truth of His claims, then, nor does He hesitate<br />
to do it today, by His Holy Spirit, in a world which<br />
thinks itself to be wise and sophisticated.<br />
WE MUST DECIDE<br />
It is up to us, living as we are in an atmosphere<br />
of conflicting voices, to decide for or against Jesus<br />
Christ ; to cast in our lot with those who believe and<br />
accept Him, or with those who disbelieve and re<br />
ject, with all the consequences involved.<br />
This writer chooses to be a believer, to take<br />
the testimony of the Bible as it stands, a unity both<br />
in the Old Testament and in the New, teaching and<br />
proclaiming God the Supernatural, the One Living<br />
and True God, manifest in the Trinity, The Father,<br />
The Son and the Holy Ghost; who in pity and com<br />
passion made provision for us lost sinners, in the<br />
sending of Jesus Christ down from heaven to rescue<br />
and save, to make alive and to raise up unto ever<br />
lasting life.<br />
Jesus Christ is true, the same, yesterday and<br />
today and forever. His claims are valid. His works<br />
and wonders were in keeping with His person and<br />
power as the Son of God.<br />
HE IS THE ALL SUFFICIENT SAVIOUR FOR<br />
THIS DAY.<br />
Our church at large is studying Ephesians. Paul<br />
there writes that Christ is "the head over all things<br />
church."<br />
to the In I Cor. 12, different parts of the<br />
body are mentioned the foot, the hand, the ear the<br />
eye "But now are they many members, yet but one<br />
body." "<br />
these members of the body, which seem<br />
to be more feeble are<br />
"God hath temper<br />
ed the body together, having given more abundant<br />
honor to that part which lacked."<br />
A budget system of<br />
feeding has its merits. God<br />
provides the food for the body and we do the feed<br />
ing. The manner of distribution as God has arranged<br />
it insures that the little finger will be nourished as<br />
well as the strong right arm. We do not designate<br />
where each morsel of food shall go.<br />
Of course the human body is God's own creation.<br />
The visable church is not perfect and Christians<br />
may err in arranging and assemblying its parts. It<br />
must through prayer and study seek the wisdom<br />
that cometh down from above.<br />
We of course believe in the freedom of the in<br />
dividual in making his contributions. Each Christian<br />
should pray for guidance as to where his tithes and<br />
offerings should go.<br />
Is it not equally true that the Church through<br />
its collective study and intercession, in connection<br />
have its prayers<br />
with its constituted courts, may<br />
answered also<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
THAT "MAN-MADE BUDGET"<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
An unsigned article on the tithe came to us<br />
which has many statements of merit. As it is the<br />
policy of editors not to publish articles without know<br />
ing the authorship, it has not been forwarded for<br />
publication. The writer is enthusiastic for the tithe<br />
and says:<br />
"What a great forward step has been taken in<br />
our <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church when Synod makes a formal<br />
announcement of the truth of the statement even<br />
down to the small details of setting up our financial<br />
program."<br />
Then this statement follows :<br />
"How long have we been led by the delusion<br />
that a budget set up by man was the goal for which<br />
we were He is right if we have been pur<br />
suing a goal divorced from our tithes and offerings.<br />
The design of a budget is to indicate the relative<br />
needs of the various departments of the church in the<br />
hope that each may receive its due support from<br />
the offerings of the people.<br />
In an open letter in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>,<br />
"An Interested Member" says that "one individual<br />
designating $100 to missions means absolutely<br />
nothing."<br />
Also, "Their only recourse is to give out<br />
side the The first statement is true if the<br />
$100 is given through the regular channel of the bud<br />
get. But if the giver would say: "$100 to foreign<br />
missions over and above the budget," according to<br />
our treasurer Mr. Fox, it will be added to the amount<br />
set apart by the budget to that cause. This would<br />
still be given inside the church.<br />
February 16, 1955<br />
GLIMPSES from page 98<br />
lethal by-product of cigarette smoking<br />
lung<br />
surpassed tobacco's<br />
cancer indications in sheer volume hundreds of<br />
thousands more persons were affected.<br />
"According to actual predictions, of the 25 million<br />
persons in this country over 50 years of age, 15 million<br />
or 60 per cent<br />
will die of some involvement of the heart,<br />
kidneys, brain or arterial system. As against non-smokers,<br />
heavy smokers are almost twice as likely to be numbered<br />
among the dead.<br />
"The same vast statistical study that tied smoking to<br />
lung cancer confirmed the life-and-death heart story. The<br />
lung cancer link had become apparent. But only now is<br />
the sobering heart link ...<br />
being fully<br />
A report<br />
by Dr. Paul D. White, noted heart specialist, showed that<br />
the chances of dying from a coronary attack were increas<br />
ed 95 per cent by heavy cigarette smoking.<br />
Our readers should secure a quantity<br />
of these leaflets<br />
and distribute them among your friends, especially among<br />
young people.<br />
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gos<br />
pel .. . BY WHICH YE ARE SAVED ... For I de<br />
livered unto you first of all that which I received,<br />
how that Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS according to<br />
the scriptures ; And that he was buried, and that he<br />
arose again the third day according to the scriptures.<br />
1st Cor. 15:1-4.<br />
That if thou shalt confess with<br />
thy<br />
mouth the<br />
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that<br />
God hath raised Him from the dead, Thou SHALT<br />
BE SAVED.<br />
For with the heart man believeth unto Right<br />
eousness; and with the mouth confession is made<br />
unto salvation. Rom. 10 :9-10.<br />
103
me"<br />
abode."<br />
means"<br />
speech."<br />
plea."<br />
stands."<br />
melody."<br />
many."<br />
prepare that thou mayest eat the passover"<br />
over"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of March 6, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
February 27, 1955<br />
WHAT THE PSALMS MEAN TO ME<br />
Psalms 25, 91, 139<br />
Charles McBurney<br />
I guess I should be concerned about<br />
whether others understand the Psalms.<br />
I am. I ask one of the youngsters what<br />
Psalm we should sing, and he says, "The<br />
Lord builds up<br />
Jerusalem."<br />
We sing,<br />
and I wonder if he knows what it means.<br />
An elder is leading<br />
prayer meeting.<br />
He announces Psalm 91 and reads aloud<br />
the first line: "The man who once has<br />
found<br />
know what that<br />
A stranger comes<br />
I ask myself, "Does he<br />
into church. He<br />
doesn't reach for a book when the first<br />
Psalm is announced, so I note with satis<br />
faction, out of the corner of my eye,<br />
that some one near him finds the place<br />
and hands him a Psalter. We stand to<br />
sing, "Praise waits for Thee in Zion."<br />
I am a little anxious. Does he under<br />
stand<br />
Important questions these, perhaps.<br />
Yet none so important as that of to<br />
night's topic, "What do the Psalms mean<br />
to<br />
Singing is communicating. My voice is<br />
a musical instrument. Beauty and feel<br />
ing I can communicate through the<br />
movement, the harmony, the intensity of<br />
music. But singing is more than music.<br />
Singing is saying something: something<br />
worth the time, the practice, the concen<br />
tration necessary to put music and<br />
words together. Something important.<br />
If I do not understand the words of my<br />
song, I am not singing.<br />
Tonight I intend to become a better<br />
Psalm-singer by becoming a better com<br />
municator, by understanding more clear<br />
ly what God has for me to sing about.<br />
Three things I want to do. First, I<br />
want to explain what some of the pre<br />
cious Psalter verses mean to me. Second,<br />
I want to listen to each of you while<br />
you explain some of the verses. Third,<br />
While these meanings are fresh in my<br />
mind, I want to sing them into the words<br />
so I can never f<strong>org</strong>et them.<br />
Here are some lines I want to know<br />
better. Each one means something im<br />
portant to me. Won't you explain how<br />
some of them have impresed you Are<br />
there others that have special meaning<br />
for you Many of my ideas have come<br />
from times when the lines were sung,<br />
from sermons or Psalm explanations,<br />
from reading about the experiences of<br />
the Psalmist, from a study<br />
of settings or<br />
similar lines. Yours may come from<br />
these or other sources. We will all be<br />
richer for sharing and singing together.<br />
104<br />
Psalm 16: "The lines are fallen unto<br />
me in pleasant places."<br />
God's limitations.<br />
I am happy with<br />
Psalm 18: "My High Tower." There<br />
is real safety in the perspective God<br />
gives.<br />
Psalm 19: "Day unto day uttereth<br />
God is ready to talk to me<br />
whenever I look up.<br />
Psalm 23: "He makes me down to. lie<br />
in pastures green."<br />
there is plenty left.<br />
Psalm 40:<br />
hast."<br />
I am satisfied, and<br />
"Mine ear Thou opened<br />
I am ear-marked for God.<br />
Psalm 51: "On Thy grace I rest my<br />
God is willing to give me what I<br />
do not deserve.<br />
Psalm 85: "Righteousness and peace<br />
have kissed each other."<br />
They<br />
are so<br />
affectionate we will never find one with<br />
out the other.<br />
Psalm 98: "Sing a new song to Je<br />
hovah."<br />
Every moment brings another<br />
experience worth singing about.<br />
Psalm 114:<br />
"Like rams the moun<br />
tains and like lambs the hills skipped to<br />
and fro." When God gets ready for His<br />
people to go places, things get out of the<br />
way in a hurry.<br />
Psalm 119, part 13: "More than my<br />
teachers or the old Thy servant under<br />
However godly they are, they<br />
know God through their own experien<br />
ces, not through mine.<br />
Psalm 144: "And on a ten-stringed<br />
instrument to Thee make Joy<br />
ful obedience to all the Ten Command<br />
ments makes the only perfect praise.<br />
What can help me see the meaning in<br />
the Psalms What can help others get<br />
from my singing the meaning which the<br />
Psalms hold for me What makes my<br />
praise acceptable to God<br />
When you have answered these ques<br />
tions, pray for these things. They are<br />
important.<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
March 6, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
LAST FEAST AND FIRST SUPPER<br />
Scripture: Mark 14:10-25<br />
Memory Verse: "And he said unto<br />
them, This is my blood of the new testa<br />
ment, which is shed for<br />
14:24<br />
Psalms<br />
Mark<br />
Memory Psalm for March, Psalm 130 :<br />
1-5, page 325<br />
Psalm 116:8, 9, 11, 12, page 282<br />
Psalm 98:1-4,<br />
Psalm 3:1, 2, 5, page 5<br />
page 235<br />
As the time drew near when Jesus<br />
was to die on the cross for our sins, the<br />
religious leaders of the Jews were get<br />
ting more and more angry because when<br />
Jesus spoke to the people it seemed as if<br />
He always hit at their sins. None of us<br />
like to be told we are sinners. These<br />
leaders got together to discuss how they<br />
might quietly get Jesus out of the way.<br />
They were afraid to kill Him openly be<br />
cause many of the Jews were beginning<br />
to believe in Him. Jesus had twelve dis<br />
ciples but Satan had possession of the<br />
heart of one of these twelve<br />
Judas Is<br />
cariot. Just because Judas went around<br />
with Jesus did not make him a Chris<br />
tian. And it does not make you or me a<br />
Christian just to have our names on the<br />
church roll or on the list of the Juniors.<br />
Judas agreed that if the rulers of the<br />
Jews would give him thirty pieces of<br />
silver, he would show them where Je<br />
sus could be found<br />
lead them to Him!<br />
in fact, he would<br />
Jesus knew that the time was drawing<br />
near when He would be put on the cross.<br />
It was almost the time at which the<br />
Jews celebrated their deliverance from<br />
Egypt back in Moses' time when the an<br />
gel of death "passed<br />
those homes<br />
where blood was put on the top and<br />
two sides of the door. Those who were<br />
behind that blood were saved, but into<br />
those homes which did not have the<br />
blood on the door, the angel of death<br />
entered and killed all the firstborn. This<br />
was a picture of the blood of Jesus<br />
Christ which would save us from our<br />
sins. Every year the Jews were to cele<br />
brate the Passover as they looked for<br />
ward to the coming of Christ.<br />
Jesus, in fulfilling the law, prepared<br />
to eat the passover. His disciples asked<br />
Him, "Where wilt thou that we go and<br />
Jesus had no home of His own<br />
so He sent two of His disciples into the<br />
city and told them they would meet a<br />
man carrying<br />
a pitcher of water. (The<br />
women were the ones who carried wa<br />
ter so it would be easy to pick out the<br />
man whom Jesus meant.) He told them<br />
to follow him and wherever he went in,<br />
there the disciples were to ask the goodman<br />
of the house, "The Master saith,<br />
'Where is the guestchamber where I<br />
shall eat the passover with my disci<br />
ples' "<br />
Jesus said that this man would<br />
show them a large upper room all furn<br />
ished and prepared. There is where the<br />
disciples were to prepare the passover<br />
meal which was to be eaten at mid<br />
night. The disciples did as Jesus told<br />
them and found everything just as He<br />
had said.<br />
They prepared the passover<br />
supper. When everything was ready, Je<br />
sus and His twelve disciples went into<br />
the feast. The table was in the shape of<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
quickly."<br />
other."<br />
profitable."<br />
miseries."<br />
a "U". Instead of chairs, people in<br />
those days almost lay down to eat. They<br />
used couches which were placed with<br />
the head at the table and the foot away<br />
from the table. John sat close to Jesus<br />
because Jesus leaned His head on John's<br />
breast. Judas did not sit far away be<br />
cause Jesus was able to give him a good<br />
bite to eat. Peter was sitting perhaps at<br />
the foot of the table where he could mo<br />
tion to John.<br />
Jesus'<br />
heart was heavy as He sat<br />
down to the meal. He said, "Verily I<br />
say unto you, One of you which eateth<br />
me."<br />
with me shall betray This shocked<br />
the disciples. Judas was shocked to think<br />
that Jesus<br />
knew anything about his<br />
agreement with the Jews. The other<br />
disciples were shocked because they<br />
knew nothing about what Jesus was<br />
talking about. And they began to say,<br />
"Is it I", "Is it I" Peter motioned to<br />
John to ask who it was. Jesus said, "It<br />
is one of the twelve, that dippeth with<br />
me in the dish." Judas was the one.<br />
Jesus said to Judas, "That thou doest,<br />
do Judas then went out. "And<br />
it was night."<br />
It was midnight outside<br />
but it was darker still in Judas' heart.<br />
This was the last passover supper be<br />
cause now Jesus' blood was to be shed.<br />
The Jews did not need the picture of the<br />
passover any more to represent Christ<br />
because now Christ was come and now<br />
we commemorate or remember Jesus'<br />
death in the sacred meal<br />
Supper.<br />
the Lord's<br />
The same night in which Jesus ate the<br />
last passover supper, He started or in<br />
stituted the first Lord's Supper. There<br />
are six acts in this memorial meal<br />
four on the part of Jesus and two on the<br />
part of the disciples.<br />
1) Jesus took the bread and the cup<br />
of wine which represent the fact that<br />
He came down from heaven and took<br />
the form of human flesh and blood so He<br />
could suffer for you and me.<br />
2) He blessed the bread and wine. At<br />
Jesus'<br />
baptism He was publicly set<br />
apart as our Saviour by His Father.<br />
3) He broke the bread. This was to<br />
represent His death on the Cross when<br />
His body was broken and His blood was<br />
shed for us.<br />
4) He gave the bread and wine to His<br />
disciples and urged them all to eat and<br />
drink. This represents Jesus' offer of<br />
His Salvation to you and to me.<br />
To the disciples Jesus said,<br />
5) Take,<br />
6) Eat.<br />
Jesus is offering His salvation to you<br />
and to me. Juniors, have you received<br />
Jesus into your hearts Do you feed<br />
upon Him every day This celebration<br />
of Jesus' death on the cross is the high<br />
est privilege of a child of God. Whenever<br />
you see the members of the congrega<br />
tion remembering Jesus' death on the<br />
cross in the Communion Service, is it<br />
your desire to be one of them someday<br />
This is something for you to think about<br />
very seriously.<br />
For your Notebook: Write down the six<br />
acts in the Lord's Supper.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
March 6, 1955<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN<br />
LOVE<br />
Acts 2:42-47; Cor. 13:1-7; Eph. 2:11-22;<br />
3:14-19; Col. 3:12-17; 1 Thes. 3:11-13;<br />
1 Jno. 4:7-11. Printed text, Acts 2:42-<br />
47; 1 Cor. 13:1-7; Col. 3:12-17; John<br />
4:7-11.<br />
Memory Verse, John 4:11. "Beloved, if<br />
God so loved us, we also ought to love<br />
one another."<br />
Acts 2:42-47. The experiences of Pen<br />
tecost added great numbers to the com<br />
pany of disciples. They had been dis<br />
couraged and disappointed at Calvary.<br />
Then a new understanding came with<br />
the resurrection, and the Power of the<br />
Holy Spirit came with Pentecost. The<br />
disciples were lifted up with a new spirit<br />
of power as they saw mighty works<br />
performed at their hands.<br />
We are not told of any command or<br />
authority by which the Christians<br />
launched their experiment in commun<br />
al life. The story in Acts tells of only<br />
the beginning. It seems to have been<br />
highly successful (Acts 4:34). The re<br />
port of Joses' joining the project, and<br />
Peter's words to Ananias (4:36 and<br />
5:4), imply that joining was voluntary.<br />
Though begun in the true spirit of<br />
brotherhood, it was doomed to failure,<br />
because it was not safeguarded against<br />
abuses. None of the other churches<br />
tried it. Evidently, the failure was not<br />
because of the principle involved, but<br />
because some took unfair advantage of<br />
the plan. The communal experiment<br />
was idealistic, and could succeed only<br />
in an idealistic community. Modern socalled<br />
communism is in no sense com<br />
munal.<br />
I Cor. 13:1-7<br />
In three centuries, we have changed<br />
the meaning of the word charity. It has<br />
lost its motive power, and has become<br />
the object. We give to charity. We raise<br />
money for charity. The Love of which<br />
Paul speaks is the power that moves to<br />
do things. Dr. James Orr begins a long<br />
description of love thus; "Love, general<br />
ly,<br />
is that principle which leads one<br />
moral being to desire and delight in an<br />
That principle as followed out<br />
in his long definition, permits of many<br />
gradations, and many objects, but does<br />
not admit such unmoral objects as pussy<br />
cats, and bon bons. And between moral<br />
beings, love is being so commonly used<br />
to describe infatuation that we are in<br />
danger of f<strong>org</strong>etting that there is a wide<br />
gulf between the two. The mistaking of<br />
infatuation for love is the cause of many<br />
divorces.<br />
"Paul has learned the true meaning of<br />
love, and tells us how it gives value to<br />
talents and conduct. Great intellectual<br />
gifts and the zeal to use them are of no<br />
value without love. An all-out charity<br />
and sacrifice that is not prompted by<br />
love, is not<br />
Then he tells us of some things that<br />
love will and will NOT do. Paul is using<br />
the word in its true sense. He has found<br />
love as the motive power that move men<br />
to a high plane of life. Paul's conception<br />
of love fits every relationship in life. It<br />
applies to Jesus' love for us, and our<br />
love for Him. It describes the love be<br />
tween father and son, between brother<br />
and sister, between husband and wife,<br />
yes, in a world sense, between man and<br />
man. A careful study<br />
of these verses<br />
would show the way for the healing of<br />
many sore spots in human relations.<br />
Pride and selfishness will keep sores<br />
open that love would heal almost in<br />
stantly. Sometimes we seem to prefer to<br />
let the sore fester. I met a man once<br />
who seemed to find great pleasure in<br />
telling how mean the boys in his neigh<br />
borhood were, and how he hated them.<br />
There were others in that neighborhood<br />
who found those same boys quite like<br />
able, and enjoyed their friendship. Our<br />
editor, who knows his town, greeted me<br />
one morning with, "Are you enjoying<br />
good health" I replied that I couldn't<br />
enjoy any other kind. He laughed heart<br />
ily. He said, "Do you know, there is a<br />
woman in this town who really enjoys<br />
poor health. She would be miserable if it<br />
was not for her miseries. The doctor<br />
says she could get well, if she didn't<br />
get so much pleasure out of telling folks<br />
about her<br />
The editor did not<br />
tell me who she was, but I knew, when<br />
I met her.<br />
We are to love all of God's people,<br />
and that of course includes ourselves.<br />
And we are not likely to fall below the<br />
full measure of love for ourselves. In<br />
fact,<br />
our love for self is used as a mea<br />
sure of the love we should bear to our<br />
neighbors. If we love our neighbors as<br />
we love ourselves, that is pretty cer<br />
tain to secure a proper balance. Love for<br />
God is of a different measure. Love for<br />
our fellowmen may illustrate, but can<br />
not measure a true love for God. The<br />
degree of our joy in life is determined<br />
largely by the objects that we choose<br />
for our love. If one considers a dog as his<br />
February 16, 1955 105
other."<br />
expected."<br />
grace"<br />
not"<br />
uprightly"<br />
still"<br />
best friend, he puts his friendship on a<br />
very low level.<br />
The pleasures of childhood have much<br />
to do with after life. I read a story<br />
about a boy named Benedict Arnold who<br />
got his biggest laughs by such amuse<br />
ments as pushing little girls down in the<br />
mud and nailing live frogs to a tree, and<br />
watching how long they would kick. And<br />
I read another story of a boy named<br />
Abraham Lincoln who seemed always<br />
to be near when anyone, especially a<br />
child, needed help, and even the dogs<br />
did not bark at him. These are two atti<br />
tudes of life. One caring only for his<br />
own amusement found no real satisfac<br />
tion in life. The other accepted God as<br />
his Father, his fellowmen as brothers,<br />
and doubled his own profits in life by<br />
sharing them with others. Our most<br />
valuable possessions are increased by<br />
sharing, and there is a selfishness that<br />
tendeth to poverty. Paul was not a Joy<br />
Killer. He had received the Spirit of<br />
love, and had found close together<br />
among the Fruits of the Spirit, Love,<br />
Joy, Peace.<br />
Paul is<br />
Col. 3:12<br />
speaking here of the same<br />
qualities of Love described in his letter<br />
to the Corinthians. He asks the Colos<br />
sians to put them on. Let them serve as<br />
a harness by which we can lift and car<br />
ry the burdens of life. If we accept this<br />
harness as belonging to Christ, wear it<br />
in His service, He will fit it to us, and<br />
choose the burdens we are able to carry.<br />
For His yoke is easy,<br />
(fitted to our<br />
shoulders) and His burden is light.<br />
WThat greater joy can we have in this<br />
life than to let the Peace of Christ rule<br />
in our hearts, and be thankful (verse<br />
15). To this end, Paul commends the<br />
Praise Service of the congregation,<br />
where we admonish one another in<br />
Songs of Praise, songs that are the<br />
Word of Christ, that have found a place<br />
in our hearts.<br />
I John 4:7<br />
John urges us to enjoy life. What<br />
gives us joy is what we like, the pos<br />
session of that which appeals to our af<br />
fection. Affection gives joy in the mea<br />
sure of its depth and the worthiness of<br />
its object. The joy is greater when the<br />
affection rises to the quality of love, and<br />
to its greatest height when it rises to the<br />
love of God. An affection dissipated on<br />
lower levels makes it impossible to ex<br />
press itself on the higher levels. If a<br />
man chews or smokes tobacco, his deli<br />
cate sense of taste is destroyed,<br />
so that<br />
he cannot enjoy the fine flavors of an<br />
apple or orange. One who indulges his<br />
evil nature by hating some of his neigh<br />
bors, destroys his ability to enjoy fully<br />
his love for anyone, even God. John<br />
106<br />
wanted his "beloved" to be happy. To<br />
this end he said, "Let us love one an<br />
If we do, we know that we are<br />
begotten of God. "He that loveth not<br />
knoweth not God; for God is Love."<br />
Psalms<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
"CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER"<br />
Heb. 4:14-16<br />
Paul D. McCracken, D.D.<br />
143:4-6, page 347<br />
140:1-3, page 343<br />
126:3-4, page 321<br />
119 :3-4, page 309<br />
116:3-6,<br />
page 282<br />
References: Ps. 37:4; John 15:7; Matt.<br />
7:7-10; James 5:14-16; 1:5-6; John 14:<br />
14; Mark 11:24; John 16:24; I John 3:<br />
22; James 5:17-18; Matt. 21:22.<br />
COMMENTS<br />
A story about prayer,<br />
which I heard<br />
more than once during my boyhood, was<br />
about the. old lady who had a hill just in<br />
front of her cottage, which not only ob<br />
structed her view but caused her much<br />
inconvenience. Having read in her Bible<br />
the striking statement of Matt. 17:20.<br />
one night she prayed very earnestly that<br />
the hill be removed. The next morning<br />
when she got up the hill was still there,<br />
and her only comment was, "Just as I<br />
Too much of our praying is like that.<br />
We lack confidence, our faith is weak or<br />
non-existent, and therefore our prayers<br />
are fruitless. James properly says of<br />
such praying (James 1:7) "For let not<br />
that man think that he shall receive<br />
Lord."<br />
anything of the<br />
But we have every reason to "come<br />
boldly to the throne of as our<br />
text suggests (Heb. 4:16). That doesn't<br />
mean carelessly or irreverently, but it<br />
does mean freely and with perfect con<br />
fidence.<br />
I. CONFIDENCE IN THE ONE TO<br />
WHOM WE PRAY GOD<br />
Think who He is. Recall the Shorter<br />
Catechism statement Q. 4.<br />
He is the only living and true God, the<br />
great I AM.<br />
He is the creator. He made the worlds.<br />
He spake, and it was done.<br />
He is the preserver and upholder of<br />
the universe, and all things therein.<br />
The gold and the silver are His; the<br />
cattle on a thousand hills.<br />
He is omniscient. "His understanding<br />
is infinite" (Ps. 147:5).<br />
He is Omnipotent. Nothing is too hard<br />
for Him (Jer. 32:17).<br />
"He is able to do exceeding abundant<br />
ly above all that we ask or think" (Eph.<br />
3:20).<br />
He is Omnipresent. Read Psalm 139.<br />
He is Our Father in Heaven,<br />
sus said in Matt. 6:8,<br />
and Je<br />
"Your Father<br />
knoweth what things ye have need of<br />
Think what He says. Some of these<br />
promises are found in the references<br />
given, and there are many<br />
more scat<br />
tered through the Bible. "Call unto me,<br />
and I will answer thee, and show thee<br />
great and mighty<br />
knowest<br />
things which thou<br />
(Jer. 33:3). "I am the<br />
Lord thy God which brought thee out of<br />
the Land of Egypt. Open thy mouth<br />
wide, and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10).<br />
"For the Lord God is a sun and shield:<br />
the Lord will give grace and glory: no<br />
good thing will he withhold from them<br />
that walk<br />
(Ps. 84:11). "Ask,<br />
and ye shall receive: seek,<br />
and ye shall<br />
find: knock, and it shall be opened unto<br />
you"<br />
(Matt. 7:7). "But my God shall<br />
supply all your need according to His<br />
riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil.<br />
4:19). "If my people, which are called<br />
by my name, shall humble themselves,<br />
and pray, and seek my face, and turn<br />
from their wicked ways ; then will I hear<br />
from heaven, and will f<strong>org</strong>ive their sin,<br />
and will heal their land" (II Chron. 7:<br />
14). If we believe God, as Paul did<br />
(Acts 27:25), then it would seem that<br />
we could pray<br />
dence.<br />
with the utmost confi<br />
Think what He has done. He supplied<br />
the nation of Israel with manna in the<br />
wilderness six days a week for forty<br />
years (Ex. 16:35). He sent fire from<br />
heaven down on Mt. Carmel to defeat<br />
the prophets of Baal. He withheld the<br />
rain for three and a half years, and then<br />
gave it in abundance, in response to the<br />
prayers of Elijah. The sun "stood<br />
in the heavens :<br />
hostile armies were de<br />
feated again and again, and victories<br />
won: a son was given to Hannah: blind<br />
eyes were opened: sick folk were made<br />
well : the dead (physically<br />
and spiritual<br />
ly) were raised to life. And He is still<br />
abundantly able, for He is "the same<br />
yesterday, today, and forever."<br />
So, "this is the confidence that we<br />
have in Him, that if we ask anything<br />
according to His will He heareth us; and<br />
if we know that He hear us, whatso<br />
ever we ask, we know that we have the<br />
petitions that we desired of Him" (I<br />
John 5:14-15).<br />
II. CONFIDENCE IN THE ONE<br />
THROUGH WHOM WE PR AY-<br />
JESUS CHRIST<br />
The Bible makes it very plain that<br />
the only bridge between a<br />
Holy God and<br />
sinful man is the Lord Jesus Christ. He<br />
is the one by whom we are reconciled to<br />
God (Col. 1:20-22) (II. Cor. 5:18-19).<br />
He is the one "in whom we have bold<br />
ness and access with confidence<br />
(Eph. 3:12). Paul reminds<br />
Timothy that<br />
"there is one Mediator between God and<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
"
me."<br />
country."<br />
you."<br />
prosper,"<br />
covered."<br />
mercy."<br />
silence"<br />
promises."<br />
sin."<br />
gentleman."<br />
men, the man Christ<br />
Jesus"<br />
(I Tim.<br />
2:5). Jesus said in John 14:6, "No man<br />
cometh unto the Father but by<br />
me."<br />
But when we offer our prayer through<br />
Him, we can have confidence of "getting<br />
through."<br />
Dr. Eugene Myers Harrison,<br />
in one of his recent books tells again an<br />
interesting and illustrative story as<br />
follows: "A lad of twelve one day ap<br />
proached one of the uniformed guards<br />
at the gates of Buckingham Palace and<br />
said, "I want to see my king. People<br />
told me I wouldn't be able to get<br />
through the gates and into the palace,<br />
but I came anyway. I walked ten miles<br />
to get here. Please let me get through."<br />
But the guard roughly answered, "Do<br />
you think this is a museum The king is<br />
busy. Get away before I arrest<br />
Several times the boy<br />
pled to be per<br />
mitted to enter and each time he was<br />
rudely<br />
repulsed. As the lad stood near<br />
the gate crying, the Prince of Wales,<br />
also about twelve years old, came out of<br />
the palace, crossed the garden and began<br />
to converse with the guard. Noticeing the<br />
boy standing outside weeping, he said,<br />
"What is the matter with that boy out<br />
there"<br />
When the guard told him, the<br />
Prince ran to the sobbing boy and said,<br />
"I understand you want to see the king.<br />
He is my father. I am the prince. I'll<br />
get you through the gates. Come with<br />
The guard saluted and let the two<br />
boys enter. A few minutes later the<br />
king laid aside the important documents<br />
he was reading, talked kindly to the<br />
lad who had walked ten miles to see him,<br />
gave him a picture as a souvenir of his<br />
visit, and told him to go home and be a<br />
Christian citizen, serving God and his<br />
Jesus Christ is the Prince. He'll get us<br />
through to God.<br />
III. CONFIDENCE IN THE ONE BY<br />
WHOM WE PRAY THE HOLY<br />
SPIRIT<br />
Our space is limited so we'll just sug<br />
gest two passages for your study on this<br />
idea. In Rom. 8:26-27 we read, "Like<br />
wise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmi<br />
ties: for we know not what we should<br />
pray for as we ought: but the Spirit it<br />
self maketh intercession for us with<br />
groanings which cannot be uttered. And<br />
he that searcheth the hearts knoweth<br />
what is the mind of the Spirit, because<br />
he maketh intercession for the saints ac<br />
God."<br />
cording to the will of And in<br />
Ephesians 6 :18 Paul urges as a part of<br />
the warfare against Satan to be "pray<br />
ing always with all prayer and supplica<br />
tion in the Spirit.<br />
Again let me say we have every rea<br />
son to be confident and trustful as we<br />
pray.<br />
Suggestions:<br />
1. Discuss other bases for confidence<br />
February 16, 1955<br />
in prayer such as<br />
(a) Your own past experiences.<br />
(b) The experiences of others.<br />
2. Tell of confidence in prayer by<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Muller, Praying Hyde, and oth<br />
ers.<br />
3. Spend some time at home in careful<br />
re-reading<br />
all the great answers to<br />
prayer which you can find in the Bible.<br />
4. Take plenty of time to pray about<br />
and for specific things, named by your<br />
self, and those in your group.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
WMS MEETING FOR MARCH<br />
"Choice of Paths" Proverbs 28:13<br />
Louise Murphy<br />
Doubtless, as we think of this topic,<br />
we will see before us a fork in the road,<br />
where there may or may not be sign<br />
posts.<br />
Since we are concerned about<br />
reaching our destination in the shortest<br />
possible time, we are anxious that we<br />
make no mistake in our choice. In this<br />
text Proverbs 28:13 we find signposts<br />
to direct us. One points to the way<br />
of attempting to cover our sins with the<br />
warning that who goes that way "shall<br />
not<br />
while the other points to<br />
confession and forsaking of sin with the<br />
promise, "He shall have<br />
1. A Contrast pictured, Psalm 32:1-5<br />
This is one of the seven penitential<br />
psalms and may refer to David's sin in<br />
regard to Bathsheba and Uriah. The<br />
psalmist shows his condition in the 3rd<br />
and 4th verses, when he "kept<br />
and tried to excuse himself to his con<br />
science, but this method only served to<br />
increase his misery. God's hand was<br />
heavy<br />
upon him so that his secret re<br />
morse not only preyed on his spirit, but<br />
impaired his health as though from old<br />
age.<br />
But when David admitted his guilt<br />
and confessed his iniquity to the Lord,<br />
what a change came into his heart and<br />
life! The relief, the joy which f<strong>org</strong>ive<br />
ness gave him, were so great that he<br />
could sing, "Blessed is the man whose<br />
transgression is f<strong>org</strong>iven, whose sin is<br />
J. M. F. Brown, writing on the S. S.<br />
lesson for December 1953 gives this il<br />
lustration: "A certain man sought the<br />
help of a doctor, but treatments brought<br />
no results. Finally the M.D. said, 'We do<br />
not seem to be getting anywhere. Are<br />
you sure there is<br />
your<br />
not something on<br />
conscience'<br />
The man flew into a<br />
rage and said, T am coming to you for<br />
medical advice, not to have you probe<br />
into my<br />
life.'<br />
He went away angry, but<br />
returned later to say, T do have some<br />
thing on my mind. I was the executor of<br />
an estate and I cheated my brother out<br />
of part of his inheritance.' The doctor<br />
advised the man to tell his brother about<br />
this sin and to make restitution to him.<br />
The man did so and then said, 'Thank<br />
God, the burden is lifted. For the first<br />
time in years I can eat and sleep with<br />
out nervous disturbances.' The pangs of<br />
guilt can impell us to do things that will<br />
insure spiritual health. And physical<br />
health too!"<br />
2. The blessedness of sins confessed.<br />
Romans 4:7<br />
Words fail to express this blessedness<br />
except to those who have experienced<br />
f<strong>org</strong>iveness, who know what it means<br />
to have their sins covered by the blood<br />
of the Saviour who became sin for us.<br />
3. God's promise to those who confess<br />
their sins. 1 John 1:9<br />
John says in this verse, "Try Him out,<br />
confess your sins. He, who has promised<br />
to f<strong>org</strong>ive, is faithful and just,<br />
so we can<br />
believe that He has 'blotted out, as a<br />
thick cloud, thy transgressions' and that<br />
'He has buried them in the depths of the<br />
sea.' "<br />
"Far as east from west is distant<br />
He hath put away our<br />
As some one has said, "We can trust<br />
Him, for it is the word of a<br />
"There hath not failed one word of His<br />
good<br />
A THOUGHT FOR YOU<br />
Keep that sense of humor!<br />
A friend said that years ago to me.<br />
Many times I have failed and too often<br />
because I f<strong>org</strong>ot my sense of humor.<br />
The woman too serious to smile the<br />
home too strict for a hearty laugh<br />
the<br />
Christian too zealous to sparkle JOY,<br />
each lacks one essential for success!<br />
THANK YOU, MABEL LATIMER<br />
Aboard Cristoforo Columbo<br />
January 15<br />
My dear Mrs. Beatty:<br />
Please thank the ladies of the Synodi<br />
cal in our behalf for this lovely box of<br />
fruit they<br />
sent us through you.<br />
We had a nice little party on board be<br />
fore sailing fifteen I believe. It is fine<br />
to feel that Christian friends are behind<br />
us. The Bible reading and prayer gave<br />
us a feeling of oneness. We do want the<br />
women of the Synodical to know that we<br />
appreciate their gifts of<br />
prayer and<br />
fruit. We shall remember all of you<br />
before the Throne of Grace.<br />
Sincerely yours in His glad service,<br />
Wilbur and Elizabeth Weir<br />
107
end"<br />
children."<br />
stealing"<br />
room."<br />
. . You<br />
THE SECRET<br />
In the Christian Medical Society<br />
Journal, Dr. Vaughn Rees tells of his<br />
experiences in a Chinese Christian com<br />
munity during the early days of Com<br />
munism. The Communists had a public<br />
day nursery for sick children, and dur<br />
ing an epidemic of measles four-fifths<br />
of them died. In the Christian nursery<br />
only two out of sixty-seven died.<br />
This excited the curiosity of the Com<br />
munists, and they called a meeting to<br />
consider the reason for so great a dis<br />
crepancy.<br />
Several hundreds were ga<br />
thered. The Communist doctor, after<br />
asking some routine medical questions,<br />
turned to Pastor Ching (who was later<br />
martyred, Stephenlike, by stoning), and<br />
asked :<br />
"Our great trouble is that we cannot<br />
get nurses to love the children, really<br />
love them. What methods do you use<br />
to this<br />
Imagine the scene! All these young<br />
Communists with pencils poised. I could<br />
almost see the headings of their note<br />
books, "Rules for making nurses love<br />
their Pastor Ching arose and<br />
said, "If they have the Lord Jesus in<br />
their hearts, they must love, for He is<br />
love."<br />
The chairman was visibly vexed, but<br />
he went on, "Do your children swear<br />
Do they fight" and then, "Do your<br />
nurses steal the drugs"<br />
Mr. Ching gave a negative reply, and<br />
the chairman continued, "How then do<br />
you prevent this<br />
To which Mr. Ching answered, "Steal<br />
ing, lying, and fighting<br />
place until Jesus changes<br />
Gospel Herald<br />
will always take<br />
hearts."<br />
"THE WHITE CARNATIONS"<br />
I have read of a young Christian nurse<br />
in the city<br />
of St. Louis who became<br />
much concerned about her patient's lit<br />
tle daughter, Margaret. The child was<br />
winsome in her ways, but unwilling to<br />
submit to God's claim upon her life. She<br />
thought herself too young to be a Chris<br />
tian, and wanted "a good time" first.<br />
One day, when the invalid mother was<br />
better, a friend sent a bunch of beauti<br />
ful white carnations. "I think," said the<br />
nurse to Margaret, "we will not take<br />
these flowers to your mother just now<br />
they are so fresh and sweet let us keep<br />
them here for a few days, and then take<br />
them to her<br />
So saying, she<br />
fetched a vase and water. At first, Mar<br />
garet looked in silent wonder, then, be<br />
coming angry, "You shall do no such<br />
thing!"<br />
she exclaimed. "The beautiful<br />
flowers must be taken to my darling<br />
immediately!"<br />
mother<br />
Tenderly the<br />
nurse put her arm around the child.<br />
"Yes,"<br />
she said, "I think, too, that<br />
Mother ought to have the flowers when<br />
108<br />
Church News<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Bergen Birdsall were<br />
struck by an automobile while crossing<br />
a street in Los Angeles, January 26.<br />
Both were seriously injured, and are in<br />
the French Hospital, Los Angeles.<br />
From Free Methodist<br />
LAKE RENO<br />
Gary Warren Blair, third son of Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Dale Blair,<br />
ber 23, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
was born Novem<br />
A prayer and preaching service was<br />
held at the church on Thursday of the<br />
Week of Prayer.<br />
The children of the Sabbath School<br />
presented a fine holiday program fol<br />
lowed by treats, gifts and social hour.<br />
The Mitchels especially want to thank<br />
the congregation for the fine pop-up<br />
toaster. When we think of the good<br />
things that came our way during the<br />
year: apples, eggs, chickens, fish, tur<br />
key, money to purchase paint for two<br />
parsonage rooms, and other tokens of<br />
thoughtfulness, we truly<br />
want to ex<br />
press our appreciation to the Lake Reno-<br />
Congregation. May the Lord give us<br />
grace to work and worship together ac<br />
ceptably in His sight during 1955.<br />
Miss Edna Elsey, Detroit, Michigan,<br />
and Mr. and Mrs. Paul McCrory, Deni<br />
son, Kansas, have been welcome guests<br />
at services recently. On other Sabbaths<br />
the following were present: the Ernest<br />
Ewing family, and Mr. Jack Ewing and<br />
daughter, all of Minneapolis. Jean Mit<br />
chel of Geneva College spent the holi<br />
days at home, and on her return trip<br />
stopped for a few hours in Chicago to<br />
visit Marjorie Mitchell.<br />
The young people had another enjoy<br />
able party together, December 30, under<br />
the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Charles<br />
Peterman. They went bowling, then re<br />
turned to the parsonage for games,<br />
stunts, and plenty to eat.<br />
ESKRIDGE<br />
Our S. S. elected Mrs. James Mc<br />
Knight, superintendent, Eugene Steven<br />
son, assistant superintendent, Duane<br />
they<br />
are sweetest and freshest. But<br />
ought not God also to have your life at<br />
its best Yet, you are keeping it from<br />
Him, and waiting until you are older;<br />
then you think you will be willing to<br />
give Him some of the days when you<br />
are not your very best." Margaret saw<br />
what the nurse meant, and that very<br />
day she gave her life to the Lord Jesus.<br />
Prairie Overcomer<br />
Stevenson as secretary-treasurer. Con<br />
gregational officers are Chairman, Ross<br />
Latimer and Secretary, Doris Stevenson.<br />
Mrs. Jesse Weidner has been ill for<br />
some weeks. We hope and pray for her<br />
speedy recovery.<br />
It was decided by our W.M.S. to make<br />
Mrs. Sylvia Dill a life member. She has<br />
been our treasurer for many years.<br />
It is a joy to hear the voice of our<br />
baby Alice Mabel Caskey in church<br />
now.<br />
March 6 has been set for special of<br />
fering for Synod's budget at Eskridge.<br />
CAMBRIDGE, MASS.<br />
The Blue Banner Society enjoyed a<br />
very pleasant evening on Dec. 12 at the<br />
home of Mr. and Mrs. Watson Stewart<br />
in Natick.<br />
Mrs. Loretta Ervin has undergone<br />
several operations recently, and is now<br />
recovering at the home of her daughter.<br />
Mr. John Kipp, student at M.I.T. gave<br />
a very inspiring testimony Sabbath<br />
morning, December 12.<br />
"Prayer Meeting is the shot in the<br />
arm, the stimulant, the mid-week boost<br />
that gives us the needed strength to go<br />
through the week without slipping spir<br />
itually. It has blessed those who attend,<br />
prayers are answered, burdens are re<br />
moved, help has been granted. Come and<br />
share this rich experience."<br />
(from the church calendar).<br />
D. I. Robb<br />
"Dear friends in Christ, Last Wednes<br />
day evening December 22 there was an<br />
other "First" for us here at Cambridge.<br />
We were at the S. S. supper and enter<br />
tainment, and it was a rare treat along<br />
the entertainment line . have<br />
made this city, and your homes, and<br />
this church, a real home for us ... .<br />
As<br />
you have given in such a real way, both<br />
to our hearts and to our needs, we ask<br />
that you will give us one more thing.<br />
We desire your<br />
daily and fervent<br />
prayers for us, that the Lord may work<br />
well and to the glory of Christ here<br />
where our hearts are taking deeper root<br />
each day. Thank you. In His Bonds, Don<br />
and Betty Robb."<br />
calendar.)<br />
(From the church<br />
ORLANDO, FLA.<br />
Milton Harrington and Paul Mathews<br />
spent the 28th-31st of December in Flor<br />
ida visiting friends in the Orlando Con<br />
gregation. On Wednesday evening, De<br />
cember 29, following the mid-week<br />
prayer meeting, these guests were hon<br />
ored with an informal reception.<br />
Miss Barbara Smith entertained the<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
alone."<br />
Young People of the Orlando Church<br />
and their friends on New Year's Eve.<br />
The evening consisted of various party<br />
games which were graciously followed<br />
by a delicious spaghetti dinner. It is well<br />
to be said that at the midnight hour a<br />
period of time was taken from the<br />
games for everyone to participate in a<br />
devotional time of quiet and meditation.<br />
The Fellowship Class of the Orlando<br />
Congregation held their monthly social<br />
at the home of Prof. W. R. and Dr. I.<br />
White. Dr. White is the teacher of this<br />
class. Their meeting of January 21 con<br />
sisted of a business meeting. Before the<br />
evening was brought to a close, the<br />
group was served with refreshments by<br />
the hostess.<br />
The Orlando Congregation was glad<br />
to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Larry Geisen<br />
and their son Robbie home from New<br />
Castle, Wyoming. Mrs. Geisen is the<br />
former Catherine Price.<br />
The Builders for Christ Class met at<br />
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dona<br />
hue on January 31 for a turkey dinner<br />
with all the trimmings. After all had had<br />
their fill, the officers for '55 conducted<br />
their first business meeting of the year.<br />
These officers are : President, Edward<br />
Forest; Vice President, Barbara Smith;<br />
Secretary-Treasurer, Alan Windham.<br />
The Business Women's Missionary So<br />
ciety held their January meeting at the<br />
home of Miss Nana Terry. Mrs. Mabel<br />
Dill led the devotions.<br />
The Women's Missionary Society held<br />
their January meeting at the home of<br />
Mrs. C. M. Patterson.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Everett Miller from<br />
Burlington Junction, Missouri, are en<br />
joying Florida while visiting Mrs. Ever<br />
ett's uncle, Mr. J. C. McKnight.<br />
AGED PEOPLE'S HOME<br />
The Perrysville Avenue Women's<br />
Christian Temperance Union met at our<br />
Home on Saturday, January 29. At the<br />
meeting<br />
our Reverend Kermit Edgar<br />
gave a resume of the meeting of the Na<br />
tional Prohibition Council which met in<br />
Washington, and which Reverend Ed<br />
gar attended. All those who attend pro<br />
nounced it an outstanding meeting, and<br />
all went home with an awakened sense<br />
of how desperately<br />
our nation needs<br />
prayers. When other nations request our<br />
country to cease using their ports be<br />
cause of the depredations caused by our<br />
drunken sailors, it is surely time for the<br />
United States to get on her knees. Let<br />
us pray more earnestly for our country.<br />
Mr. Robert Fullerton preached on<br />
Sabbath, January 16, most acceptably<br />
at the Home. The members were so de<br />
lighted with the service.<br />
We are working on the plans for the<br />
addition to our Home a much needed<br />
addition. The Board of Managers, and<br />
the Building Committee<br />
February 16, 1955<br />
request that<br />
you be much in prayer for this project.<br />
It is a tremendous undertaking and a<br />
necessary one, but we cannot "do it<br />
We request that each member<br />
pray at least once a day, and we hope<br />
many times a day, that the Board and<br />
the Committee will be given guidance,<br />
that our Lord will direct us all the way.<br />
What a blessed home we have for our<br />
ageing members and our returned mis<br />
sionaries!<br />
COLLEGE HILL<br />
Press Committee.<br />
Miss Martha Herr, Mr. David Pasarilla<br />
and Mr. Kenneth Engle, members<br />
of our congregation, have all been sur<br />
gery patients in the hospitals during the<br />
past month. All are released now and<br />
doing well, thanks to the Heavenly Fa<br />
ther's loving care.<br />
Dr. and Mrs.<br />
Lee recently spent a<br />
week in Washington, D. C, attending<br />
a meeting of College Executives. Presi<br />
dent Eisenhower was a speaker at one of<br />
the sessions and Mrs. Lee had the plea<br />
sure and honor of meeting the Presi<br />
dent's wife at one of the women's<br />
meetings.<br />
The passing of Dr. Ida M. Scott leaves<br />
many fond memories in the hearts of<br />
the College Hill congregation. For many<br />
years she was a member of this congre<br />
gation<br />
and whenever opssible helped<br />
with the work here. A number of our<br />
members attended the funeral at<br />
the Aged People's Home, others paid<br />
their last loving<br />
respects at the service<br />
at the grave. The burial was at Beaver<br />
Falls.<br />
Dr. Remo I. Robb gave us a most in<br />
teresting and instructive lecture on the<br />
book of Ephesians after the monthly<br />
Family Night dinner on the 19th of<br />
January.<br />
Our Pastor, Dr. F. H. Lathom has<br />
completed a most helpful series of ser<br />
mons on "Faith."<br />
Contributions to the Budget of<br />
Throughout the month of February<br />
our morning services will be broadcast<br />
over the local radio station.<br />
The Reformed Presbyterian Church<br />
of North America<br />
April 1, 19<strong>54</strong> January 1, 1955<br />
LOOKING BACK<br />
It is almost a year now since we came<br />
to Philadelphia, and it surely is time,<br />
therefore, for some resume of what has<br />
happened. Frankly, we came here with<br />
Amount of Budget set by Synod $110, 015.00<br />
Amount raised to January 1, 1955 70, 377.46<br />
Amount raised to January 1, 19<strong>54</strong> 69. ,735.56<br />
Departments to Receive<br />
Foreign Missions $27,000.00<br />
Home Missions 9,000.00<br />
Southern Mission<br />
None<br />
Indian Mission 1,800.00<br />
Kentucky Mission 6,300.00<br />
Home Mission Sect. 3,625.00<br />
Young Peoples Sect. 225.00<br />
Women's Association 4,500.00<br />
Theological Seminary 9,000.00<br />
Students Aid 1,800.00<br />
Ministerial Relief 9,900.00<br />
Widows & Orphans 2,700.00<br />
Geneva College 14,400.00<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> Pfc. CI 8,000.00<br />
<strong>Witness</strong> Committee 10,800.00<br />
Christian Education 450.00<br />
Miscellenanous Fund 425.00<br />
Nat. Association Of Evang. 90.00<br />
Received to<br />
Jan. 1, 1955<br />
$16,200.00<br />
5,400.00<br />
2,008.20<br />
1,080.00<br />
3,940.26<br />
2,175.00<br />
135.00<br />
2,700.00<br />
5,400.00<br />
1,080.00<br />
5,940.00<br />
1,620.00<br />
8,640.00<br />
7,000.00<br />
6,480.00<br />
270.00<br />
255.00<br />
<strong>54</strong>.00<br />
$110,015.00 $70,377.46<br />
$39,637.<strong>54</strong> needed to raise the amount of Budget set by Synod, Plus<br />
$5,000.00 to send another missionary to Japan, or total needed by March 31,<br />
1955, $44,637.<strong>54</strong>.<br />
PRAY AND GIVE that the Lord's work might go forward.<br />
Chester R. Fox, Treas.<br />
109
fear and trembling. But we came be<br />
cause, so far as we could determine, it<br />
was God's call. The problems have been<br />
many, and still are, but under the Spir<br />
it's guidance it seems that they are be<br />
ing solved one by one.<br />
We arrived late in the evening in this<br />
big<br />
strange place, and after considerable<br />
manuevering finally found our way to<br />
36 W. Hillcrest, in Havertown, a west<br />
ern suburb of the city. Here was the<br />
splendid new home (our home) recently<br />
purchased as a parsonage by the con<br />
gregation. It looked all bright and<br />
cheery,<br />
and one of the faithfuls greeted<br />
us in the doorway. It was soon alive<br />
with people. Our furniture had already<br />
arrived and was being distributed<br />
through the house. Beds were set up.<br />
Shelves were well stocked with food.<br />
The welcome was most gracious and<br />
genuine. Our Installation and Reception<br />
which came later, was most heart-warm<br />
ing, and long to be remembered.<br />
The problems of getting acquainted,<br />
and trying to serve two congregations,<br />
recently united but widely scattered<br />
across the city and worshiping in two<br />
churches, have not been easy to solve.<br />
But, in general, the patient and coop<br />
erative spirit on the part of the people<br />
has been very evident, and is deeply ap<br />
preciated.<br />
In answer to prayer and under God's<br />
guidance, according<br />
to the agreement<br />
on uniting, both churches have now been<br />
sold, and at favorable figures. The First<br />
Church went to a colored Baptist con<br />
gregation who had lost their property in<br />
a new bridge development. The Second<br />
Church is being taken over the first of<br />
February by an Apostolic Church group,<br />
and will be quite centrally located for<br />
them.<br />
At a recent congregational meeting, a<br />
temporary place of worship was decided<br />
on. Our church home for the next six<br />
months or more will be a little church<br />
located at 7-9 Beverly in East Lans<br />
downe, just off Baltimore Pike.<br />
We are continually in prayer and ef<br />
fort to find God's choice for us for a<br />
permanent location. Already two votes<br />
have been taken on possible locations,<br />
but have resulted negatively. The big<br />
decision is yet to be made, and then<br />
there is much beyond that to challenge<br />
us.<br />
But, although there have been disap<br />
pointments, and some losses and revers<br />
es, yet, in general, we have found here a<br />
group of loyal, devoted, and generous<br />
people who love the Lord, and the<br />
Church to which He has entrusted such<br />
high standards of truth and conduct.<br />
The average attendance at morning<br />
services is around 65, and at the evening<br />
services around 30. We have three group<br />
meetings every Sabbath evening, and a<br />
110<br />
regular Wednesday evening Prayer<br />
Service. We are happy<br />
come in from time to time.<br />
when visitors<br />
The generosity of our people has been<br />
referred to. It is much in evidence. Our<br />
local budget is in good condition, and<br />
Synod's budget is receiving a much<br />
needed portion. Special offerings have<br />
met a ready response. To us, on various<br />
occasions such as Open House, Christ<br />
mas, etc., have come many generous and<br />
gracious gifts. At the aforementioned<br />
recent congregational meeting, a gener<br />
ous check for car-operating expenses<br />
was voted.<br />
For all these things for the loyalty<br />
and faithfulness to Christ and the<br />
Church on the part of so many; for their<br />
long-suffering and much patience in our<br />
short-comings; and especially for what<br />
we believe to be some evidence of a de<br />
veloping love for the Lord, and growth<br />
in spiritual things, we give in this public<br />
way<br />
our sincere note of gratitude.<br />
The McCrackens.<br />
Too long in storage, Editor.<br />
THANK YOIT, SYRACUSE<br />
As we leave the work in Syracuse we<br />
want to express our appreciation to a<br />
generous and willing<br />
people for their<br />
many kindnesses and for their spirit of<br />
co-operation during the nearly seven<br />
and a half years we were among them.<br />
We also want to say "Thank You" for<br />
the gift of money<br />
at the farewell gath<br />
ering; and for the many acts of thought<br />
fulness during those last days when we<br />
were in process of packing and depart<br />
ing.<br />
Our earnest prayer is that the Syra<br />
cuse congregation may continue to flour<br />
ish and increase as it holds forth the<br />
Word of Life in the community it has<br />
served so well for more than a century.<br />
G. M. and Ruth R. Robb<br />
A new typewriter has been added to<br />
the study in the SEATTLE parsonage;<br />
another and the latest in a succession of<br />
kindnesses to pastor and family by the<br />
congregation. In our three years here,<br />
we can point to numerous conveniences<br />
and improvements that have made us<br />
aware of,<br />
and truly<br />
grateful for the<br />
thoughtfulness of these friends. Not only<br />
are we thankful to them but also for<br />
them, because they are shedding abroad<br />
the love of God.<br />
Thank you Seattle.<br />
Melville and Marian Martin,<br />
BARR-McWHINNEY<br />
& daughters<br />
Miss Jean Barr and Mr. Wilbur Mc<br />
Whinney<br />
took place at the parsonage of the Alle<br />
gheny<br />
announce their marriage which<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church<br />
on Thursday evening, February 3, at<br />
8:30 o'clock. The Reverend Mr. Kermit<br />
Edgar, pastor of the church where both<br />
attend, performed the ceremony.<br />
The bride is a graduate of Carnegie<br />
Institute of Technology, and of the Syra<br />
cuse School of nursing. She was a mis<br />
sionary to China under the Reformed<br />
Presbyterian Board for some years, and<br />
for the past three years has been Ma<br />
tron of the Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Home on Perrysville Avenue. Mr. Mc<br />
Whinney is an engineer.<br />
The bride looked very lovely in a navy<br />
blue suit with pink accessories and had<br />
a very beautiful corsage of orchids. Af<br />
ter the wedding the Reverend and Mrs.<br />
Edgar had a very beautifully decorated<br />
cake for the bride and groom to cut,<br />
and served ice cream, candies and coffee<br />
with it. The groom's daughter and her<br />
family were present, and Mr. and Mrs.<br />
R. Howard Ge<strong>org</strong>e and Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Wyman S. Robb. Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e and Mrs.<br />
Robb are the two past presidents of the<br />
Board of Managers of the Home under<br />
whom Mrs. McWhinney has served. The<br />
bride and groom left for a short trip to<br />
Washington, D. C. They<br />
will be "at<br />
home"<br />
at 2344 Perrysville Avenue after<br />
February 15.<br />
Press Committee.<br />
ALMONTE, CANADA<br />
Traverse Coates passed to his Eternal<br />
Home on January 12, 1955, after having<br />
suffered for some time with a heart<br />
condition. He became a member of the<br />
Almonte Congregation eleven years ago<br />
and took an active part in the activities<br />
of the church. The sympathy and<br />
prayers of the congregation are for his<br />
wife Eva, and the family, Geraldine,<br />
Donald, Sandra, Margaret and Linda.<br />
Mr. Norman Bowes underwent an<br />
emergency operation on<br />
January 28. We<br />
are thankful that he is now recovering<br />
satisfactorily.<br />
The monthly meeting of the W.M.S.<br />
was held January 27 with Mrs. Jane<br />
Waddell as hostess.<br />
QUINTER<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle spent a week in<br />
Quinter. He preached at four services.<br />
On Wednesday evening, January 26, he<br />
showed slides of Japan. Friday evening<br />
we had a covered dish dinner, after<br />
which he showed motion pictures. He<br />
also preached at both services Sabbath<br />
day. This should awaken our interest in<br />
the Lord's work in Japan.<br />
Miss Ruth McBurney left Saturday,<br />
January 29, to resume her nurses train<br />
ing at K. U. Medical center in Kansas<br />
City, Kansas.<br />
I moderated a call for the Hetherton<br />
congregation on<br />
Wednesday, February<br />
2, 1955, which resulted in the unani<br />
mous choice of Rev. E. Raymond Hemp<br />
hill to become pastor. Remo I. Robb<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
GENEVA COLLEGE<br />
The Geneva College Alumni<br />
Lettermen's<br />
club will hold its second annual<br />
Alumni Lettermen's Day celebration,<br />
Saturday, February 19.<br />
Activities will include a coffee hour,<br />
and supper in the Brodhead hotel, Beav<br />
er Falls, an alumni basketball game, and<br />
the Geneva- Youngstown College varsity<br />
basketball game in the Beaver Falls<br />
High gymnasium at 8:30 p.m.<br />
The coffee hour will be from 4 until<br />
5 p.m., when the supper will begin. The<br />
alumni basketball game will include<br />
players from the 1945-19<strong>54</strong> teams.<br />
JENNIE WALKINSHAW McKNIGHT<br />
ORLANDO, FLORIDA<br />
The Women's Missionary Society of<br />
the Orlando Congregation wishes to pay<br />
loving tribute to the memory of Mrs.<br />
Jennie McKnight who passed to her<br />
heavenly home August 26, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
She was faithful in her home duties,<br />
loyal to her church, missionary society<br />
and the W.C.T.U.<br />
To her family<br />
we extend our love and<br />
sympathy. Her memory will remain in<br />
our hearts for a long time to come.<br />
She was thoughtful of others day after<br />
day,<br />
Unselfish, helpful but that was her<br />
way,<br />
Her cheery smile and wholesome good<br />
humor,<br />
Are character traits we shall always<br />
remember.<br />
Committee.<br />
SANTA ANA<br />
Mrs. A. P. Donahue<br />
Mrs. Milford White<br />
January 5 a baby daughter Beverly<br />
Jean arrived to gladden the hearts of<br />
her parents Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Keys.<br />
We are thankful for the restoration<br />
of little David Vogt who recently spent<br />
some time in the hospital.<br />
Mrs. Mary<br />
Johnson received a mes<br />
sage of the sudden passing of her moth<br />
er, Mrs. McClure of Sharon. Mrs. John<br />
son has returned from her trip east.<br />
We sent 125 pounds of clothing to<br />
Selma, Alabama, in January.<br />
Friday evening, January 28 we had a<br />
church supper honoring Miss<br />
Blanche<br />
McCrea and Miss Orlena Lynn. Follow<br />
ing the supper Miss Lynn showed slides<br />
of Japan and Sabbath morning gave an<br />
interesting talk on the work there. Our<br />
S. S. collection that morning was $40.00<br />
for the Book Room in Kobe. Miss Mc<br />
Crea plans to be with us for some time,<br />
and we will hear of her work in Nicosia,<br />
Cyprus, later. These visits with our mis<br />
sionaries are a great blessing<br />
spiration for us.<br />
and in<br />
IN MEMORIAM<br />
MRS. BLANCHE M. CARMICHAEL<br />
There must have been joy in Heaven<br />
on November 15,<br />
as one of the bestloved<br />
members of the New York congre<br />
gation was welcomed into the Heavenly<br />
Home. In 1924 Mrs. Blanche McAllister<br />
Carmichael came from the Syracuse<br />
congregation to Second New York as<br />
the bride of Mr. Edward Carmichael.<br />
A joyous Christian, with a genius for<br />
friendship, she soon endeared herself to<br />
the latter congregation.<br />
When the Second and Third New York<br />
congregations united, in 1944, members<br />
of the former Third Church were quick<br />
ly added to Mrs. Carmichael's large cir<br />
cle of friends. The home in Rockville<br />
Centre, a suburb, shared by Mr. Car<br />
michael's two sisters, Miss Lavinia Car<br />
michael and Mrs. Anna C. Wray, was<br />
noted for its hosnitalitv from the begin<br />
ning. Members of the Women's M'ssionary<br />
Soo'ety have rrpny happy memories<br />
of the Rockville Centre meetings.<br />
Mr. Carmichael passed away in 1939.<br />
Though Mrs.<br />
Carmichael felt his loss<br />
keenly, she continued to be active in<br />
the congregation and particularly in the<br />
Women's Missionary Society. She was<br />
the efficient and faithful treasurer for<br />
a number of years, and still held that<br />
office at the time of her death. Frail in<br />
health in the last few years, she was<br />
tenderly cared for by Mrs. Wray during<br />
several serious illnesses. The past<br />
months were very hard, but she was<br />
brave and bright, grateful for loving<br />
care, and interested in all her friends,<br />
until, she lapsed into a coma, several<br />
days before she passed away. We shall<br />
miss this dear friend very much, but wo<br />
rejoice that for her sorrow and pain are<br />
no more, and she is safe in our Father's<br />
House.<br />
DR. ROBERT W. ROBB<br />
The Church has suffered another loss<br />
in the death of Dr. Robert W. Robb, who<br />
was born near Morning Sun, Iowa, Jan<br />
uary 10, 1878, the son of the late Dr.<br />
T. P. Robb, pastor of the Sharon Cove<br />
nanter Congregation near Morning Sun.<br />
Dr. Robb attended Geneva College in<br />
class of 1899 and graduated from the<br />
Iowa State University Medical School in<br />
1904.<br />
For eighteen years he praet;~ed med'-<br />
cine in B'anchard, Iowa: having taken<br />
special work in psychiatry he became<br />
the superintendent of the State Hospital<br />
in Osawatom'e, Kansas,<br />
for 18<br />
where he served<br />
years as head of the Nurses<br />
Training School and director of the<br />
Hospital and as assistant superinten<br />
dent. For 9 years he served the State<br />
Hospital at Independence, Iowa, as as<br />
sistant superintendent and later as su<br />
perintendent. From Independence, Iowa,<br />
he went to Philomath, Oregon, to prac<br />
tice with his son, Dr. Thomas Robb but<br />
after three weeks the son suddenly died<br />
and Dr. and Mrs. Robb returned to<br />
Lamed, Kansas, where he had a previous<br />
offer in the State Hospital and where<br />
he worked until January 19<strong>54</strong>. After an<br />
attack of virus pneumonia he received<br />
a leave of absence and spent four<br />
months in Orlando, Florida, then to<br />
Frederick, Maryland to be with their<br />
daughter, Mrs. Mary Wheeler. He passed<br />
away on January 30, 1955. His body was<br />
brought to Clarinda where the funeral<br />
was conducted by Rev. C. T. Carson,<br />
burial was at Blanchard, February 2,<br />
1955.<br />
August 29, 1927 he was married to<br />
Miss Monta Porter, of Albia, Iowa, to<br />
which union four children were born;<br />
Robert William, Thomas Plantz, Mrs.<br />
Mary Katherine Wheeler and Mrs. Nan<br />
cy Harrison Scott of Kansas City. Two<br />
sisters survive, Mrs. E. L. Dodds of Van<br />
Nuys, California and Mrs. W. O. Mor<br />
row, of Hemet, California.<br />
course<br />
has<br />
everything; I<br />
SOLID BIBLE CONTENT Based squarely on<br />
the Bible, these lessons give the teacher<br />
many opportunities to present the claims of<br />
the Gospel. You may not only expect but<br />
also anticipate the Holy Spirit to turn your<br />
pupils to Christ.<br />
COLORFUL WORKBOOKS<br />
Beautifully colored<br />
and illustrated workbooks give this course<br />
popular pupil-appeal.<br />
PLENTY OF VISUAL AIDS You don't have<br />
to look for visual aids. Some are built di<br />
rectly into the lessons; others are recom<br />
mended as supplements. All have practical,<br />
personal appeal.<br />
MEANINGFUL HANDWORK Each handwork<br />
project is carefully worked out to tie in with<br />
the lessons. Materials of plaster, felt, etc.,<br />
give projects lasting appeal to pupils.<br />
COMPLETE TEACHING HELPS Teachers' books<br />
give comprehensive treatment of each lesson.<br />
All the helps you need are there. No hunt<br />
ing around or looking up extras to fill in.<br />
FREE<br />
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February 16,<br />
1955 111
LET US<br />
MARCH together during MARCH<br />
SABBATH, MARCH 6<br />
Information Sabbath<br />
A new publication on stewardship and the tithe is being prepared by synod's stewardship com<br />
mittee. Sufficient copies are to be forwarded for every member of every congregation. Congre<br />
gational representatives are asked to see that these are distributed on this Information Sabbath.<br />
SABBATH, MARCH 13<br />
Tither's Sabbath<br />
A tither's enrollment card is being<br />
printed and will be supplied to all communicant members<br />
and adherents in each congregation. This is to follow a sermon by the pastor on some phase of<br />
stewardship and the tithe. All members will be given an opportunity to enroll as tithers at that time.<br />
This is not for new tithers only but also for all who have been tithers in the past. The cards are to<br />
be collected at the same service, the results duly tabulated and reported to the clerk of session<br />
who shall report to the clerk of Presbytery for his report to synod. Non-resident members and<br />
members not present on tither's Sabbath should be reached during the week.<br />
SABBATH, MARCH 20<br />
Budget Sabbath<br />
This should be a day of thanksgiving to God for His help and to all who cooperated in this<br />
venture of faith. It will be a time when pastors may wish to explain the synodical budget and its<br />
needs and to inform the people,<br />
on how their budget dollar is divided.<br />
THE COVENANTER CHURCH<br />
UNANIMOUS ON THE TITHE<br />
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of<br />
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.<br />
Ephesians 4:13<br />
Stewardship Committee<br />
112 COVENANTER WITNESS
all,"<br />
off"<br />
crop,"<br />
ECHOES NUMBER<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 13, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4G, 1955<br />
ts<br />
"Tourist<br />
Tragedy<br />
By Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
V)<br />
NUMBER 8<br />
Two men traveled side by side one Spring morn<br />
ing to that low mound of earth a short distance with<br />
out the Jerusalem gates, which is known as "Gor<br />
don's Calvary," and reputed to be . . THE<br />
.<br />
. place.<br />
They stood upon that bleak bit of lifted ground,<br />
each occupied with his own thoughts. If this were<br />
actually the place where the dear Lord was crucified,<br />
"who died to save us it would be difficult to<br />
frame the thoughts into words. Several moments<br />
passed . . . then the first of the two reached into a<br />
pocket, drew forth note-book and pencil and scrawled<br />
the line, "Visited Calvary today," snapped both back<br />
into pocket and went back to the city.<br />
The other watched him go down and away. Then<br />
his eyes slowly turned back to that bleak spot. Sud<br />
denly tears spurted from his eyes, his frame began<br />
to tremble, and overcome with holy emotion, he fell<br />
upon his knees, lifted those misted eyes to the skies<br />
and hoarsely whispered, "My Lord and my God!"<br />
Two men . . .<br />
striking pictures of the many who<br />
profess to honor the Name which is above every<br />
Name and who pretend to enter somewhat into the<br />
wonder and the glory of Calvary ! The one is a tourist<br />
with a collection of facts on file. The other is a<br />
warming"<br />
worshiper with a "strange of heart which<br />
has lifted those filed facts, under the kindling of<br />
the Holy Spirit, into acts-on-fire, expressed in fer<br />
vent doxology. And as in such cases, the question is<br />
naturally formed out of the picture, "which man is<br />
representative of yourself, dear reader, in cold, actual<br />
truth"<br />
Are you a doctrinal tourist Are you a de<br />
voted worshiper There is "a great gulf fixed" be<br />
tween the two, measuring the actual state of the<br />
heart and life before the Lord who died for both on<br />
the bloody gibbet.<br />
A spiritual writer of another generation has<br />
marked the danger of, "trafficking in unfelt truth,"<br />
and in this generation one must admit with deepest<br />
grief that the traffic is unbearably heavy. Somehow<br />
we find it all too easy to complain about the liberals<br />
in our midst who traffic in unknown truth, dealing<br />
with things they know nothing of where spiritual<br />
reality is concerned. But to whom much is given<br />
much shall be required, and where truth which is<br />
known in the head is tragically "unknown" in the<br />
heart and life, the disaster is all the greater, and<br />
severe. The woes which the Lord<br />
judgment intensely<br />
pronounced in the days of ministry in flesh upon<br />
earth, were directed to those who were custodians of<br />
the divine revelation, and who had betrayed their<br />
charge with that brand of spiritual sophistication<br />
which had drained all the practical life out of the<br />
vessels. A hum-drum holiness is far worse than a<br />
base heathenism in the sight of the Holy One who<br />
ever desires truth in the inward parts, not the up<br />
ward regions.<br />
We are fast becoming<br />
a people of "religious<br />
tourists,"<br />
who know all the chapters-and-verses, who<br />
can "reel favorite verses at the drop of an invi<br />
tation, who attend all the "top-flight" meetings and<br />
hear the "cream of the who are found regu<br />
larly in the front seats of the outstanding rallies<br />
and conferences, and dwell in densest spiritual dark<br />
ness for all of that. Where are they to be found in<br />
the time of holy quietness where is the hunger of<br />
innermost heart after the deeper wellsprings of<br />
holiness where is the measure of their outreach<br />
after pure worship "in spirit and in truth" "Thou<br />
empty,"<br />
shalt be missed for thy seat shall be will<br />
alas(!) be the verdict written against the many<br />
who pride themselves upon their doctrinal correct<br />
ness and splendid orthodoxy.<br />
Somehow I sense that far too many of us know<br />
too much, even where the Word is concerned. "If<br />
them"<br />
ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do<br />
saith the Lord, and all true doing begins with the<br />
doxology of praise and worship. What unhappy<br />
Christians we are, if knowledge has not deepened<br />
(Continued on Page 119)
gospel."<br />
us."<br />
night.'"<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Cowboy Game Fatal to Boy<br />
The above is a headline in a daily<br />
paper before me<br />
as I write. The boy had been playing cowboy in a barn at<br />
his home and the rope became tangled around his neck and<br />
he was strangled. Nearly all boys want to play cowboy<br />
these days, and much of the fun may be quite innocent.<br />
However, it is common for boys to play cowboy or bandit<br />
with toy revolvers and often they point it at some friend<br />
and pull the trigger. This is not a wholesome type of<br />
fun, but the danger is that one day the boy<br />
of a real revolver and pretend to play<br />
will get hold<br />
with it when he<br />
points it at some one and it may be loaded. Many acci<br />
dents occur in this way and some of them are fatal. Parents<br />
should guard very carefully the play of their children, the<br />
shows which they<br />
see and the television displays as well<br />
as the comic books. Comic books are to blame for many<br />
bad ideas in the minds of children, but let us not fool our<br />
selves into thinking that they only<br />
The Piney Woods School<br />
are to blame.<br />
The Piney Woods School was started in a small way<br />
by Laurence C. Jones, a modest Negro educator, who want<br />
ed to help his own people in a country<br />
section of Missis<br />
sippi, about 50 miles from Jackson. Dr. Jones has kept<br />
the school going by securing small gifts from people of<br />
modest means. Recently a popular television program,<br />
"This Is Your Life," without previous announcement,<br />
brought L. C. Jones to appear on its screen. At the close<br />
of the program Dr. Jones and his friends told the story<br />
of Piney Woods, and the master of ceremonies, Ralph<br />
Edwards, suggested that those who wanted to help this<br />
deserving cause could each send a dollar to the school.<br />
At the last report the gifts have already amounted to<br />
5625,000! The Piney Woods post office has had to hire<br />
extra help, and the Trust Company of Jackson where the<br />
dollar bills are accumulating to form an endowment for<br />
the school, hired 50 extra employees to work after bank<br />
ing hours just to count the money. What a powerful in<br />
fluence TV can be for good also what for evil!<br />
Gift for Cyprus<br />
We are pleased to read in a letter from Rev. Clark<br />
Copeland that Mr. Weir had received a check for $10,000<br />
from the Crowell Foundation for the Larnaca building.<br />
He also reports that the building in Nicosia is progress<br />
ing so that it looks like a building and is expected to be<br />
ready for the opening<br />
of school next September. Perhaps<br />
some day our missions or our CAM movement may have<br />
an opportunity over the air like that of the Piney Woods<br />
School.<br />
Mr. Copeland also states that in their work of evan<br />
gelism some children who came running to receive tracts<br />
tore them up, but there are others who receive them<br />
gratfully. Paul had preached in Cyprus before he wrote<br />
to the church at Philippi: "Some indeed preach Christ<br />
even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the<br />
one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing<br />
to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, know<br />
ing that I am set for the defense of the<br />
114<br />
Encouragement in Syria<br />
One of the teachers, Michelene Aeesa, of our schools<br />
in Syria has written recently that The Fellowship among<br />
the students chose for this year's motto, Rom. 5:8, "But<br />
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we<br />
were yet sinners, Christ died for<br />
The girls were di<br />
vided into two groups and so many have been attending<br />
that they hold their meetings in a room where there are<br />
the most benches. The writer says:<br />
"Last week there<br />
were 48 girls and 8 stood all the time for there was no<br />
room to sit. Today Miss Helen was the speaker and there<br />
were 53 girls beside the two student leaders; the Moslem<br />
girl<br />
brought 38 and the Christian 25." This is providing<br />
a wonderful opportunity to witness to all, Christian, nomi<br />
nal Christians and Moslems. We at home should uphold<br />
this work, as well as elsewhere with our prayers.<br />
Woman Judge and the Bible<br />
The Moody Monthly gives us the following item:<br />
"Honoring both her promise and her Bible, Judge Fannie<br />
E. Burch was sworn into office in Livingston, La., as the<br />
first woman to hold a major judgeship in Louisiana. Ful<br />
filling a pledge, Judge Burch opened court in Division<br />
A of the 21st Judicial District by reading a Scripture<br />
verse (Ps. 1:1,2).<br />
"The entire court was silent as she read: 'Blessed<br />
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the un<br />
godly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in<br />
the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of<br />
the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and<br />
Keep the Old Church<br />
Dr. Oswald J. Smith explains why his church in<br />
Toronto, which is 100 years old and overcrowded will not<br />
be enlarged for at least another year, as he says: "We<br />
see to it that we give more to missions than we spend on<br />
ourselves at home." During 1953 his congregation, known<br />
as "The People's Church," spent $43,000 at home and about<br />
five times that amount $225,000, on 350 missionaries.<br />
Testimony of an Ex-Mason<br />
The Rev. M. L. Haney has been a minister in the<br />
M. E. church for over 50 years and an evangelist for 30<br />
years. He tells of his experience both in joining and leav<br />
ing the Masonic Lodge in the current issue of the Chris<br />
tian Cynosure. Two men urged him to join, one a preacher<br />
and the other a class leader. They stated that he could<br />
do a great deal of good to young men in their lodge. He<br />
joined. After he had a deep conviction of his sin and his<br />
duty to God, he wrote: "Next lodge night came around<br />
and I as new convert, was on hand; I put on my little<br />
apron and sat down to take in the excellencies of my new<br />
brotherhood. I had not been seated long when the Holy<br />
Spirit suggested that I look around and see my brethren.<br />
I slowly and thoughfully scanned the whole circle and to<br />
my surprise there were the most profane men in the city,<br />
drunkards and vile characters mixed up with a few good<br />
men. Having made the survey and considered the heart<br />
relations I was brought into with these characters, the<br />
Holy Spirit as by a pen of fire, wrote these words on my<br />
heart, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate.<br />
saith the Lord.' I tarried not to confer with flesh and<br />
blood, but obeyed the heavenly vision, and at the opening<br />
(Continued on page 119)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
KREMLIN SHAKEUP<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>i M.<br />
Malenkov's resignation as Premier of the<br />
Soviet Union was an unprecedented move for a Communist<br />
dictatorship. In an extraordinary<br />
message to the Supreme<br />
Soviet, he took responsibility for the failure of the farm pro<br />
gram and admitted other errors due to "inexperience."<br />
Malenkov had been premier since Stalin's death two years<br />
ago, but the Communist hierarchy seems never to have been<br />
securely re<strong>org</strong>anized. The first sign of dissension was the<br />
fall of Beria, security chief. Malenkov then developed a soft<br />
er line both on internal and foreign policy. But his influence<br />
began declining late last year, and by December there were<br />
definite signs of a shift in policy if not in leadership.<br />
Marshall Nikolai Bulganin, formerly Defense Minister,<br />
now succeeds Malenkov as premier. He is basically a politi<br />
cian rather than a soldier. However, his successor in the De<br />
fense Ministry is Marshal Zhukov, one of Russia's most popu<br />
lar professional soldiers. Zhukov was a hero of World War<br />
II but was in obscurity from 1945 until Stalin's death. His<br />
rise may indicate new power for the Soviet army. Most ob<br />
servers believe the real power behind the government now<br />
is Nikita S. Khrushchev, first secretary of the Communist<br />
party. There are no immediate signs of a sweeping purge, as<br />
Malenkov still holds a cabinet position.<br />
SOVIET POLICY<br />
The changes in Russia seem to point toward greater em<br />
phasis on heavy industry and agriculture,<br />
at the expense of<br />
household goods. Agriculture is one of the crucial failures of<br />
the Soviet system. The peasants have never given full coop<br />
eration and productivity has remained low. Half the people<br />
of Russia are engaged in farming to feed the other half, com<br />
pared with one-eighth living on farms in the U. S.<br />
In foreign affairs, the shift in power was accompanied by<br />
a very aggressive speech by Molotov. This may mean the end<br />
coexistence"<br />
of "peaceful<br />
talk, and stronger tactics to block<br />
German rearmament. However, Russia's admitted internal<br />
weaknesses seem to make it unlikely that she would risk<br />
a war. The recent change will lower Soviet prestige abroad,<br />
and perhaps lessen her influence with Red China. It should<br />
also end, for some time, the talk of a Big<br />
ONE BIG UNION<br />
Four conference.<br />
The long-planned merger of the AFL and CIO seem<br />
likely to be completed by the end of this year. A unity<br />
agreement settling all major problems has been signed by<br />
at Miami Beach.<br />
twenty leaders of the two groups, meeting<br />
The AFL has 111 unions with over 10 million members, and<br />
the CIO, which split off twenty years ago, has 34 unions<br />
holding nearly 5 million workers. Walter Reuther of the<br />
CIO stepped aside to allow Ge<strong>org</strong>e Meany, AFL president<br />
to head the new combined group, which is not yet named.<br />
Because of its larger membership the AFL will also domi<br />
nate the executive council, with 17 of the 27 vice-presidents.<br />
The constitution of the new <strong>org</strong>anization will protect the<br />
identity of existing unions and set up machinery for settling<br />
jurisdictional disputes. The merger will become final when<br />
the national conventions of the AFL and CIO ratify the<br />
project this fall.<br />
CONTRACT TIME<br />
The new unity in <strong>org</strong>anized labor may be part of an<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
effort to increase its political power for 1956, in order to<br />
get a more favorable national administration. Labor also<br />
wants to strengthen its bargaining<br />
position in preparation<br />
for important new contract settlements this year and next.<br />
The first big struggle will be with the automakers. Union<br />
contracts with General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all expire<br />
this spring or summer, but negotiations will begin in April.<br />
CIO President Walter Reuther is pushing for a guaranteed<br />
annual wage, but the auto companies insist that this is<br />
impossible because of the seasonal nature of the business.<br />
Both sides are preparing for a sharp battle. The car makers<br />
are producing at a record pace to accumulate a backlog,<br />
while the auto workers are building up a large strike fund.<br />
CLASSROOMS NEEDED<br />
President Eisenhower's Congressional message on the<br />
school problem emphasized the need for new construction.<br />
He estimated the present shortage at 300,000 classrooms,<br />
with 50,000 more new rooms needed each year to keep up<br />
with rising enrollments. He asked Congress to appropriate<br />
$750 million over the next three years, with which the fed<br />
eral government would buy<br />
school bonds of local districts<br />
which cannot otherwise sell them at a reasonable interest<br />
rate. This money would eventually<br />
come back when the<br />
bonds were redeemed. The President also requested $150 mil<br />
lion in federal aid, to be repaid later, to help<br />
state agencies<br />
finance $6 billion worth of schools for districts which are un<br />
der restrictive debt limits. The local districts would rent the<br />
buildings from the states until they had paid the full pur<br />
chase price. For districts which are too poor either to issue<br />
bonds or rent buildings, Eisenhower asked $200 million in<br />
outright grants, which the states would have to match.<br />
Democratic leaders called this program totally inadequate,<br />
and it certainly faces amendment in Congress.<br />
DEATH PENALTY<br />
The British House of Commons has rejected, by a vote<br />
of 245 to 214, a motion to suspend capital punishment for<br />
five years. The idea had support in both political parties, but<br />
the Churchill government opposed it. Britain's Home Secre<br />
tary supported the traditional view that the death penalty is<br />
a deterrent for criminals. A Royal Commission on Capital<br />
Punishment has been studying the problem for some time.<br />
Parliament almost passed a resolution against the death<br />
penalty in 1948, and the issue will be kept alive. About half<br />
the nations of the U. N. have abolished capital punishment.<br />
In this country it is left up to the states, with all but six<br />
using the death penalty.<br />
DISSENTING VOICES<br />
Lincoln's Birthday dinners brought many words of<br />
praise for President Eisenhower, but also sharp<br />
attacks from<br />
a rally of Old Guard Republicans in Chicago. This group<br />
claimed that the 1952 Republican platform had not been<br />
followed. They also denounced the President's highway<br />
and school programs, and his failure to balance the budget.<br />
Their real anger, however, was directed at liberal Republi<br />
cans and their influence with the Administration. The Chi<br />
cago meeting included prominent supporters of McCarthy,<br />
the Bricker Amendment, and high tariffs. This group may<br />
become more solidly <strong>org</strong>anized, but we do not see what it<br />
can accomplish beyond a hopeless third-party movement.<br />
115
understand,"<br />
private."<br />
Persecution in Colombia<br />
But It Still Goes On<br />
Man's inhumanity to man is a very old story,<br />
and there is no sign yet that it is coming to an end.<br />
It is a strange thing, this urge to hurt others, and it<br />
is strangest of all when it is done in the name of<br />
religion. There is a poem of Yeats, each verse of<br />
with the line "The world's more<br />
which ends up<br />
full of weeping than you can<br />
and in<br />
deed a thing of the sort takes some understanding.<br />
"Just the art of being kind, is all this sad world<br />
needs,"<br />
says a minor poetess, but what she says is of<br />
first importance all the same. It is to be noted that<br />
at the recent canonisation of Pius X there was pres<br />
ent a special mission from Colombia, and it is to be<br />
hoped that at some auspicious moment, someone<br />
from one of the other missions, or someone even<br />
higher up who can speak for the Roman Catholic<br />
Church, has been able to convey to the Colombians<br />
that it is about time the persecution of Protestants<br />
still going<br />
on in their countrv were stopped. A word,<br />
an honest word, would do it; and it must be plain<br />
to many that this kind of thing is bound to do their<br />
Church a great deal of harm.<br />
Silence<br />
So far as I know, and I have been watching for<br />
it, there has been no answer to that appeal. Yet what<br />
a difference it would make if there were one ! If the<br />
Pope said that there must be no persecution of the<br />
Church in Poland, in Russia, or anywhere else, and<br />
therefore persecution must cease in Colombia, that<br />
change would redound to the glory of his Church,<br />
and would bring hope to a world where hope is not<br />
too plentiful. It would indicate a change of heart in<br />
a Church which has made persecution all too often<br />
a main instrument in its policy, and which has cer<br />
not repudiated that instrument. And even if<br />
tainly<br />
nothing came of the appeal, it would be a great thing<br />
that it should have been made. But something surely<br />
was bound to happen, for though it is the secular<br />
government which is doing this thing, the impelling<br />
power behind it all is that of certain elements in<br />
the Roman Catholic clergy. But if Rome spoke, the<br />
whole bad business would be finished. For surely<br />
even men who have grown hardened in persecution<br />
would pay heed to their master's voice <br />
This is How<br />
The Protestant Church has been at work in<br />
Colombia for nearly a century. It had its difficulties,<br />
but till some years ago no <strong>org</strong>anized opposition. Then<br />
it started, and within six years fifty-three Prot<br />
estants have been martyred, forty-three churches<br />
and chapels destroyed, and one hundred and sixteen<br />
primary schools closed. All this has happened in spite<br />
of the fact that in 1948, at the ninth Conference of<br />
American States, which met in Bogota, Colombia,<br />
there was approved by the Conference an American<br />
Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. This<br />
Declaration Colombia approved and signed,<br />
and this<br />
is what the third article affirms: "Every person has<br />
the right freely to profess a religious faith, and to<br />
manifest and practice it both in public and<br />
About the meaning of that there can be no doubt<br />
whatever. There can be no excuse, then, for starting<br />
a particularly cruel persecution in the very year<br />
when it is signed. Twice last year the new President<br />
has been urged to restore religious liberty, and a<br />
masterly silence has been all the answer. But there<br />
has been issued a new series of orders which have<br />
as their object to suppress Protestantism and to re<br />
strict religious liberty still further.<br />
Another Appeal<br />
Early in April of last year another appeal was<br />
issued, this time to the man whose word can be final<br />
and decisive for the Church. In other words, it was<br />
made to the Pope himself. Now Pope Pius XII is a<br />
great talker, and he has made many very moving<br />
speeches pointing<br />
out that there are lands where<br />
the Church of Rome is under oppression, and that<br />
this should not be. He asks for freedom for the<br />
Roman Church, and claims or asks that all sorts and<br />
conditions of men should co-operate in seeing that<br />
it gets it. That is his claim ; and the appeal asks him<br />
to use his influence to secure the same freedom for<br />
the persecuted Protestants of Colombia.<br />
Items<br />
When you read of a persecution, and are given<br />
a list of figures to show you the extent of it, it is<br />
sometimes difficult to take in what is happening.<br />
But when a concrete example is given, one begins<br />
to realize the pity and horror of it. Here is one from<br />
a missionary in Colombia. It concerns a "shoeshine<br />
boy"<br />
called Carlos Julio Tovar, of Cucuta in Colombia.<br />
"He was an orphan and a street urchin . . .<br />
cross-eyed,<br />
buck-toothed and filthy." He began to come to<br />
church, and sat in the front pew. The minister was<br />
embarrassed and apprehensive, for he did not know<br />
what it meant. But in a little the boy was giving<br />
tracts to those whose shoes he polished, and for<br />
that he was put in prison. The minister bailed him<br />
out, and on the 17th August 1950 he was baptized<br />
along with another shoeshine boy, who was his first<br />
convert. Both had taken baths and donned clean<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street. Newton. Kansas or<br />
throu&rh its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of<br />
Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.I>.<br />
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Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
116<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
iver."<br />
clothes for the occasion. Then the minister left<br />
Cucuta, and lost track of the boy, who also moved<br />
away.<br />
The Outcome<br />
When next he heard of him it was in a bulletin<br />
of the Evangelical Confederation of Colombia. There<br />
he read how, on or about 12th February 1953, a<br />
young man, a Protestant, called Carlos Julio Tovar,<br />
"bought two Bibles and twelve New Testaments in<br />
the Protestant Church of Barrancabermeja. He plan<br />
ned to sell them on a trip down the river to Puerto<br />
Wilches. On the boat going down the river a govern<br />
ment detective heard him talking to a woman about<br />
the Gospel. The detective would have killed him on<br />
the spot, but the captain of the launch restrained him<br />
... On arriving at Puerto Wilches the detective took<br />
Sr. Tovar to the police station, where they confis<br />
cated the Bibles and New Testaments. They put him<br />
to work carrying wood to the local slaughter house,<br />
work which was too heavy for him. The night of<br />
17th February the police took the boy to the slaught<br />
er house, stabbed him twice with their bayonets, and<br />
threw him into the Magdalena. Somehow, by five<br />
o'clock the next morning he was able to get out of<br />
the river and appeared at the house of one of the<br />
believers at Puerto Wilches Somebody informed<br />
the police of Carlos' hideout. Officers came, sought<br />
him out, clubbed him to death, then disposed of the<br />
body in the<br />
The Bulwark<br />
Churches Can't Live on Air<br />
Yet People Spend Three Times as Much on Liquor as They Do on Religion<br />
Did you skip church one Sabbath recently be<br />
cause you'd been forewarned that there would be<br />
another of those "money sermons" Or, if you re<br />
frained from skipping, did you drowse through the<br />
part that would have told you how your church is<br />
run financially<br />
If you went on that particular Sabbath, you<br />
probably heard a restrained sermon to the effect<br />
that now, when fear grips mankind, Americans need<br />
spiritual guidance as never before and that, more<br />
over, the whole world needs the leadership of demo<br />
cratic churches.<br />
The preacher didn't say anything very directly<br />
about finances, though his text may have given<br />
the general idea that even things of the spirit cost<br />
money.<br />
But after the sermon the chairman of the<br />
board of deacons got up, and you began to think<br />
of the roast and an afternoon nap, as he mumbled<br />
through a reading of the church budget.<br />
It was bigger than last year, he said, but the<br />
money wasn't going to buy as much on account of<br />
the price of everything. He said something about the<br />
building debt and how, if it could only be paid off,<br />
the new Bible school annex could be built before<br />
materials got scarce. Only he guessed it wouldn't<br />
get paid again this year.<br />
(You wondered why in tarnation not. The build<br />
ing was 13 years old and it couldn't have cost so<br />
much to build back in 1938).<br />
The deacon's voice droned on about how the<br />
board was sorry that it couldn't raise the minister's<br />
pay this year.<br />
(With mild shock you considered the minister's<br />
salary and wondered how in the world he got by<br />
on it.)<br />
Meanwhile, the deacon was saying that the<br />
board was sorry, too, that it couldn't repaint the<br />
preacher's house. Or reroof the chapel. Or give more<br />
money to foreign missions, because those people<br />
were surely doing a wonderful job in places where<br />
a democratic church in action could set a valuable<br />
example.<br />
As a matter of fact, he said, instead of doing<br />
any of those things the board had decided to cut<br />
down on some benevolences and expenses.<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
It's too bad, he said lamely toward the end of<br />
his speech, but that's how things were. Just not<br />
enough money to go around.<br />
Actually, you didn't listen very carefully to the<br />
deacon's speech, and some of his dire predictions<br />
you wrote off to his well-known pessimism. Any<br />
way, the total amount looked to you like plenty of<br />
money to run one small church.<br />
So you pondered only briefly about increasing<br />
your pledge this year and discarded the idea as you<br />
thought about taxes and the high cost of groceries.<br />
And that was that, as far as you were concerned,<br />
for another year. You could settle down to churchgoing<br />
without worrying that money sermons would<br />
disrupt your spiritual (or possibly just sleepy) medi<br />
tations.<br />
It's rather a shame that you didn't listen more<br />
carefully to what the deacon said. As a member of<br />
a church, you really<br />
are up against.<br />
ought to know what churches<br />
Take a Church<br />
There are churches and churches. City cathe<br />
drals that spend a couple of hundred thousand dol<br />
lars a year. Tiny country chapels that get by on five<br />
or six hundred dollars. But take a look at one that's<br />
fairly typical as churches go, and see how it runs.<br />
Back in 1924 a group of 43 residents of a suburb<br />
near a large southern city got together and <strong>org</strong>an<br />
ized this particular church. They bought a small<br />
frame building for $3,500 and hired a preacher at a<br />
salary of $900 a year. Most of the financing was done<br />
by the national <strong>org</strong>anization of their denomination.<br />
Gradually the suburb grew, and people packed<br />
the pews of the little wooden chapel. A building fund<br />
was started, and by 1947 there was enough accumu<br />
lated to risk going into debt for a new church. It<br />
cost $85,000, of which $15,000 was a grant from the<br />
denomination's national fund. The rest was obtained<br />
through a bank loan at 3 J/2% interest.<br />
Now the debt stands at $30,000, and the princi<br />
pal is being paid off at a rate of $4,000 or $5,000<br />
a year.<br />
The church has a congregation of 513, and they<br />
have pledged enough to sustain an operating budget,<br />
exclusive of paying off the building debt, of $14,740<br />
this year. Of that, some $11,000 is needed for actual<br />
117
unning expenses, and the rest goes for local and<br />
national charities and home and foreign missions.<br />
Where the money goes<br />
Now take a look at the budget of the typical<br />
church that has been selected.<br />
Salaries The minister, who has been with the<br />
church more than 20 years, makes $4,450 a year (he<br />
got a $450 raise last year)<br />
. He is also given a home,<br />
for which the church finances major repairs. He<br />
has a $240 annual car expense allowance, and the<br />
church puts $356 a year into his retirement fund.<br />
The choir director and <strong>org</strong>anist, both house<br />
wives and amateur musicians, are paid $500 a year<br />
each. Another housewife gets $600 as church sec<br />
retary and assistant treasurer.<br />
Other salary expenses are $100 for a relief<br />
preacher when the minister goes on vacation and<br />
$720 for a janitor. Total salaries : $7,466.<br />
Operating costs. The church is heated at a<br />
cost of $800 a year.<br />
Electricity costs $150, water $48,<br />
and the telephone $100. Repairs to the church and<br />
the minister's home and replacement of physical<br />
equipment and the like eat up $250 a year. Total<br />
upkeep: $1,348.<br />
Insurance and interest.<br />
Premiums on insurance<br />
policies on church property cost $200 a year, and<br />
interest on the building loan will run this year to<br />
$1,000. Church property, incidentally, is exempt from<br />
taxation. Total here: $1,200.<br />
Incidentals. Stationery and postage run $50<br />
annually, and $200 is paid out every year for a small<br />
weekly advertisement in the local paper. Church<br />
bulletins cost only $312 a year because they are<br />
run off on duplicating machines.<br />
Music for the choir and <strong>org</strong>anist runs $100, and<br />
$250 is set aside for miscellaneous expenses, which<br />
might be new hymnals, Sabbath school pamphlets,<br />
Communion supplies or any of a hundred other neces<br />
sary items. Total incidentals : $912.<br />
Good Works. The $3,814 in the budget not<br />
earmarked for current expenses is divided up like<br />
this:<br />
A total of $267 (at 52 cents per member) for<br />
support of the national <strong>org</strong>anization, $100 for a<br />
local religious education project, $2,800 for the na<br />
tional <strong>org</strong>anization's benevolence budget, $225 for<br />
an home, $357 for the orphans'<br />
national building<br />
fund, and $65 for the local federation of churches.<br />
Gospel on a shoestring<br />
That's how one church operates. Reads like<br />
a pretty small business, doesn't it Actually, that<br />
church is above the norm. On a nation-wide scale,<br />
the average church spends only $9,181 a year to run<br />
itself and gives $2,492 to benevolences.<br />
And the average member gives only $30.58 a<br />
year to his church. For America's S2y2 million church<br />
members that's a total contribution of only 21/<br />
billion dollars a third as much as we spend to sup<br />
port the liquor industry, half as much as we pay<br />
for cigarets.<br />
And with that relatively small amount, what<br />
does this business accomplish <br />
It manufactures articles like peace in your soul,<br />
homes for the aged and orphaned, sustenance for<br />
the poor, medicine for the sick, clothing for the<br />
naked and faith.<br />
118<br />
How is it that so little money can do so much <br />
Those who work with churches will tell you that<br />
every dollar given is trebled by donations of time<br />
and talents by willing hands. The Lord's business<br />
will get done,<br />
somehow or other.<br />
on you.<br />
How much of it gets done and how well depends<br />
Reprinted<br />
by request from CHANGING TIMES<br />
The Kiplinger Magazine, June 1951.<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
ANOTHER COUNTRY HEARD FROM<br />
Our tithe reporters from across the U.S. boundry<br />
line have come up with an interesting bit of<br />
news on Christian giving. <strong>Covenanter</strong> ministers are<br />
not noted for their swollen bank accounts. Many of<br />
them, and we hope God."<br />
all, are "rich toward<br />
Among our people are many indeed who faith<br />
fully contribute their tithes and offerings. We cited<br />
an example of those who paid two tithes of their<br />
last year's salary. We are hearing of congregations<br />
which are making commendable efforts to do their<br />
share and more. We hadn't heard of anyone who<br />
has contracted the two tithe habit. Not that there<br />
may not be many such but we do not know, and it<br />
is not necessary that we know who they are. "The<br />
Lord knoweth them that are His" and what they<br />
are doing.<br />
But we do know of one pastor and his wife who<br />
are normally operating on the two tithe basis. Dur<br />
ing 1952, '53 and '<strong>54</strong> their average giving was 20<br />
per cent of their income, and in 1955 so far, they are<br />
on their way toward the double tithe for the fourth<br />
consecutive year.<br />
This report comes from the Dominion of Canada.<br />
We are not stating who these "two tithers" are. But<br />
if there is anyone whose curiosity bump is giving<br />
him (or her) trouble, he (or she) may drop a line to<br />
the Rev. and Mrs. F. F. Reade, Almonte, Canada, who<br />
keep accounts for the folks we have in mind.<br />
D.H.E.<br />
BIBLE SONGS THE PSALMS IN METER<br />
By Rev. David T. Lauderdale<br />
The following incident concerning the old sweet<br />
song of the Bible, the one hundred and third Psalm,<br />
was told by that great servant of God, Dwight L.<br />
Moody.<br />
The Father's Pity. Like as a father pitieth his<br />
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him<br />
(Psalm 103:3). A chaplain to seamen, at an Amer<br />
ican port, visited a sailor who appeared to be near<br />
death. He spoke kindly to the man upon the state<br />
of his soul, and directed him to cast himself on Jesus<br />
Christ. With an oath, the sick man bade him be<br />
gone. The chaplain then told him that he must be<br />
faithful to him, for if he died impenitent he would<br />
be lost forever. The man was sullen and silent and<br />
pretended to fall asleep. The visit was repeated<br />
more than once with similar ill success. At length<br />
the chaplain, suspecting that the sailor was a Scotsman,<br />
repeated a verse of the old version of the<br />
Psalms :<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
generation."<br />
existed."<br />
since."<br />
I<br />
Such pity as a father hath<br />
Unto his children dear,<br />
Like pity shows the Lord to such<br />
As worship Him in fear.<br />
Tears started into the sailor's eyes as he lis<br />
tened to these words. The chaplain asked him if he<br />
had not had a pious mother. The man broke into<br />
tears. Yes, his mother had, in years gone by, taught<br />
him these words, and had also prayed to God for<br />
him. Since then he had been a wanderer by sea and<br />
land, but the memory of her faith and love moved<br />
his heart. The appeals made to him were blessed by<br />
the Spirit of God. His life was spared and proved<br />
the reality of his conversion.<br />
Associate Reformed Presbyterian<br />
COVENANTER MEMORIAL DEDICATED<br />
In the Grassmarket Square, Edinburgh, a circu<br />
lar raised pavement marks the place where stood the<br />
gallows whereon three hundred years ago, about one<br />
hundred people were hanged for their covenanted<br />
faith, and then interred in a common tomb in the<br />
Greyfriars churchyard.<br />
A handsome stone wall now surrounds the afore<br />
time comparatively obscure memorial pavement, so<br />
that it has become the centre-piece of a memorial<br />
garden. This quite costly operation was carried out<br />
by the Edinburgh Corporation at the suggestion of<br />
one of the councillors, who, in turn, was motivated<br />
by some American visitors. The latter desired to<br />
photograph the humble memorial pavement, but be<br />
fore doing so, had to secure a brush so as to make it<br />
presentable at least, so it has been reported.<br />
At a ceremony of dedication on October 24, at<br />
which the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and the mem<br />
bers of the Corporation, together with the High<br />
Constables and a guard of honour by the Cameroni<br />
ans (Scottish Rifles) were present, the Duke of<br />
Hamilton in his speech referred to the National<br />
Covenant of 1638, as embodying principles which<br />
shaped the pattern of Scottish religious life. It was<br />
a document which stood for liberty without the sacri<br />
fice of loyalty, and for tolerance wherever such was<br />
compatible with truth, said the Duke. He closed:<br />
"May this simple ceremony and fitting memorial to<br />
Scots who died for the Kirk, inspire us to renew our<br />
covenant with Him who is the Light and Truth for<br />
men of every<br />
Thereafter he unlocked<br />
the gate of the memorial garden and declared it open.<br />
No doubt this will be a focal point for Reformed<br />
Presbyterians when they visit Edinburgh in the<br />
future. We are all greatly indebted to the Edinburgh<br />
Corporation for this fine service to our cause, and<br />
may it stimulate us all to increasing devotion to the<br />
Saviourhood and Headship of Christ personally, and<br />
in Church and State.<br />
Tourist Tragedy<br />
continued from front page<br />
into spiritual wisdom! and with an unhappiness<br />
which echoes before the Throne to the grief of a<br />
wounded Lord.<br />
The tourist . . the worshiper . . which shall it be<br />
from this moment as the Spirit applies these truths<br />
to these hearts of ours Of course, we know what<br />
the answer ought to be . . but the actual answer be<br />
fore HIM is the crucial concern. But oh! to fully<br />
realize it!<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
Book Review<br />
THE WORLD TO COME<br />
Isaac Watts<br />
This is the latest volume in the Wycliffe Series<br />
of Christian Classics which the Moody Press is re<br />
printing.<br />
Isaac Watts was 'born in the year 1674 in England,<br />
while the Killing Times were going on in Scotland.<br />
Religion was at a low ebb in England, and Isaac's<br />
father was several times imprisoned for his faith.<br />
While the greater part of the book is a series of<br />
sermons by Isaac Watts, the biography of Watts<br />
by S. Maxwell Coder contains some interesting ma<br />
terial for us as a denomination. This deals with his<br />
interesting work as a writer of hymns. Coder tells us<br />
that "A Baptist minister of London named Benjamin<br />
Keach was one of a number of men who sought to<br />
introduce an occasional hymn. He began by using one<br />
at the communion service, was able to add a hymn on<br />
thanksgiving day six years later. Fourteen more<br />
years had to elapse before he was allowed to use a<br />
hymn at the regular church service. It was neces<br />
sary to place this hymn at the close of the meet<br />
ing so that members who opposed the innovation<br />
might be able to leave the building before it began.<br />
Even so, a disgruntled minority withdrew from the<br />
congregation and began a new church where hymn<br />
singing was banned." People gave up the Psalms<br />
with reluctance.<br />
However, the great part of this book consists of<br />
a series of sermons on the life to come, with its re<br />
wards and punishments. Isaac Watts was a great<br />
preacher, judging him by his volume of sermons.<br />
They are a sample of preaching at its best by a man<br />
who knew the truth and preached it. It is no wonder<br />
that he had a great influence in England.<br />
These sermons are helpful reading because they<br />
are well written and true to the Bible. This volume<br />
is well worth reading. It is a book of 448 pages and<br />
sells for $4.00. The address of the Moody Press is<br />
820 N. La Salle St., Chicago 10, 111.<br />
R. C. F.<br />
GLIMPSES Continued on page 114<br />
let those dear souls know that I could not stay with them<br />
and go with God. I took off my little apron and have<br />
never seen it<br />
Mr. Haney adds: "I have known many good men who<br />
have gone with them (secret societies), but not one spirit<br />
ual man who has not sustained serious loss by remaining<br />
with them. I have known many ministers whose path was<br />
a shining light before they entered, but in no case have<br />
I failed to see that light grow dim in proportion as their<br />
interests in the lodge increased ....<br />
have demonstrated<br />
in thirty years of evangelism, that it is well nigh im<br />
possible to have a wide, deep, thorough revival in any com<br />
munity, town or city which has been honey-combed with<br />
the influences of the lodge. In my 79th year, and before<br />
I go back to God, I have felt that I must leave the above<br />
testimony. There are a few temperance <strong>org</strong>anizations<br />
which have their signs and passwords. I have been in them<br />
but had to come out of them and question seriously<br />
whether the cause would not be further advanced, if they<br />
had not<br />
119
side,"<br />
glory."<br />
sir!"<br />
seventy,"<br />
scribed."<br />
REMO I. ROBB, D.D.<br />
ECU<br />
For Covenatf<br />
ECHOES<br />
February, 1955<br />
TO ILLUSTRATE THE C.Y.P.U.<br />
March 6<br />
-<br />
Verse Analysis<br />
TOPICS<br />
Methods of Bible Study;<br />
"All Scripture is given by inspiration<br />
of God"<br />
(2 Tim. 3:16). These closing<br />
verses from 2 Timothy 3 are positive<br />
refutation of the view that the Old<br />
Testament is not a part of the Christ<br />
ian Guidebook. Whenever the Scrip<br />
tures are referred to in the New Testa<br />
ment the reference is to the Old Testa<br />
ment. The New Testament had not yet<br />
been recognized as scripture. That did<br />
not take place until after the apostolic<br />
age, although the New Testament in<br />
struction was in effect from the very<br />
times of the apostles. The Bible, there<br />
fore, which Lois and Eunice taught to<br />
Timothy was the same as our Old Tes<br />
tament.<br />
Timothy's Bible, under Paul's in<br />
struction, was of course of greater sig<br />
nificance than it could have been until<br />
Paul conducted his evangelistic tour in<br />
Asia Minor and showed him that Jesus<br />
Christ is the focal point of the Old<br />
Testament. We are not, in using the<br />
Old Testament, to return to a less ad<br />
vanced stage of God's progressive reve<br />
lation. Rather we are now to view<br />
the whole scope of the revealed word.<br />
The Old Testament, Paul said, is made<br />
not obsolete, but more sure by the ap<br />
pearance of Christ.<br />
March 13<br />
Chapter Analysis<br />
Methods of Bible Study;<br />
Paul was diligent to admonish Timo<br />
thy to adhere to the scriptures. He<br />
was to bear in mind who taught him<br />
the Scriptures, and in contrast, the de<br />
ceptive seductive character of teachers<br />
that would arise. He was exhorted re<br />
garding the value of the Scriptures in<br />
accomplishing God's purpose in the man<br />
of God. Paul passes on a charge, for<br />
which Timothy will be responsible to<br />
God, to preach the Word and to exercise<br />
vigilant pastoral care over his flock.<br />
He is to keep this charge, the listless<br />
tendencies of his hearers notwithstand<br />
ing.<br />
March 20 Methods of Bible Study :<br />
Character Study.<br />
120<br />
There are individuals whose person<br />
alities ripen into pessimism and de<br />
spondency as the shadows of life leng<br />
then. There are others whose lives grow<br />
ripe like a golden harvest.<br />
"I am on the bright side of<br />
said a certain man of God. "The bright<br />
he said, "because nearer to ever<br />
lasting<br />
"Nature fails," said another, but I am<br />
happy."<br />
"My work is done," said the countess<br />
of Huntingdon at eighty-four. "I have<br />
nothing to do but go to my Father."<br />
"I fear you are going home," some<br />
one remarked to a humble Christian.<br />
"Fear it,<br />
he replied, "I know I<br />
am; but blessed be the Lord! I do not<br />
fear it, I hope it."<br />
In his latter years the Methodist<br />
evangelist, Joseph H. Smith, when at<br />
a certain public gathering, was called<br />
upon to speak, took a firm grip on his<br />
chair arms, literally pulling himself to<br />
a standing position, and declared with<br />
the dignity of a general, "I am stronger<br />
than I have ever been before."<br />
Youth may fail to understand these<br />
exuberating expressions of people whose<br />
physical powers seem so nearly extin<br />
guished. They grow wiser, however, as<br />
they<br />
learn that all strength has its<br />
source in God.<br />
March 27<br />
Topical Study<br />
Methods of Bible Study;<br />
The Bible came into being by a pro<br />
gressive process reaching over approxi<br />
mately fifteen hundred years of time.<br />
Patrick Fairbairn aptly describes this<br />
process by saying,<br />
"It appears some<br />
what like a river, small in its begin<br />
nings, and though still proceeding, yet<br />
often losing itself for ages underground,<br />
then bursting forth anew with increas<br />
ed volume, and at last rising into a<br />
swollen stream<br />
greatest by far when<br />
it has come within prospects of termina<br />
tion.<br />
John Locke, speaking<br />
of divine reve<br />
lation, said, "Whatsoever is divine rev<br />
elation ought to overrule all our opin<br />
ions, prejudices and interests, and<br />
hath a right to be received with full<br />
assent. Such a submission as this of our<br />
reason to faith takes not away the<br />
landmarks of knowledge;<br />
this shakes<br />
not the foundations of reason, but leaves<br />
us that use of our faculties for which<br />
they<br />
were given us.<br />
A CATALOGUE OF HELPS FOR YOU<br />
You<br />
may<br />
order these items at the<br />
prices indicated from Remo I. Robb,<br />
D.D., 1102 Ninth Ave., Beaver Falls,<br />
Penna.<br />
1. Books<br />
a. "Reformed Presbyterian Manual of<br />
Doctrine"<br />
A series of 22 studies<br />
on the Church and its beliefs,<br />
with Bible references. Suitable for<br />
Discussion Groups.<br />
b. "Reformed Presbyterian Catech<br />
ism"<br />
140 questions and answers<br />
about our Church. Best used along<br />
with the Manual.<br />
c. "What We Believe" 16 discussions<br />
by Dr. Walter McCarroll.<br />
d. "Bible Truths for Young Christ<br />
ians"<br />
7 lessons of questions and<br />
answers by Dr. J. G. Vos.<br />
All these books cost 20c each, or 3<br />
for 50c.<br />
2. 1955 C.Y.P.U. Yearbook<br />
It contains<br />
All the C.Y.P.U. Topics for 1955<br />
The name and address of<br />
your<br />
Conference Secretary in a Direct<br />
ory of Presbyterial Secretaries.<br />
The Plan of Work and related<br />
reports adopted at Grinnell.<br />
A copy of the C.Y.P.U. pledge.<br />
Other items of interest and help.<br />
If your society has not yet ordered<br />
a supply, order now, at 15c per copy.<br />
Or send for a personal copy.<br />
3. A Subscription to the Goal Post.<br />
An 8-page monthly magazine pro<br />
posed by the national convention and<br />
published by the C.Y.P.U. Staff.<br />
Contains meeting helps; news; pic<br />
tures; articles of interest; testimonies;<br />
devotional helps; book reviews.<br />
The national convention recommend<br />
ed "that each society be 100% sub<br />
Subscription price<br />
4. Soul Winner's Project Kit.,<br />
Prepared by young people.<br />
$1.50 per year.<br />
Helps on<br />
Tracts, Gospel Teams,<br />
Prayer Groups, Special Speakers,<br />
Census Taking, Personal Contacts.<br />
Copies FREE.<br />
5. Bible Study and Soul Winning<br />
Course<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
28<br />
29<br />
expected."<br />
press."<br />
DES<br />
YOUNG PEOPLE'S<br />
SECRETARY<br />
^oung People<br />
Lessons 1 and 2 are ready. Others are<br />
coming<br />
already.<br />
soon. Over 200 copies sent out<br />
Cost 2c per copy. 3 copies for 5c.<br />
6. A Blue Banner Pin. Blue and gold<br />
enamel. Dainty. Just the thing for<br />
your dress or coat lapel. One lady<br />
had a set of ear rings made from two<br />
of them. Cost $1.10<br />
each.<br />
ALL ITEMS ARE PREPAID.<br />
SUMMER Y. P. CONFERENCE<br />
CALENDAR<br />
July 12-17 Colorado<br />
At Covenant Heights, Estes Park,<br />
Colo.<br />
President Miss Gwendolyn Elliott,<br />
1215 Tenth Ave., Greeley, Colo.<br />
Y. P. Secretary Dr. Jesse C. Mitchel,<br />
330 S. Corona St., Denver 9, Colo.<br />
July 16-23 Pacific Coast<br />
At Long Meadow Camp, Hume<br />
Lake, Calif.<br />
President Miss Tillie Buck,<br />
4145 Illinois, Fresno 2, Calif.<br />
Y. P. Secretary Rev. Robt. Mc<br />
Millan, 775 N. Barton, Fresno 2,<br />
Calif.<br />
August 15 22 Covamikoi<br />
At Lake Wawasee, Oakwood Park,<br />
Syracuse, Ind.<br />
President Miss Alice Templeton,<br />
McKee Hall, Geneva College, Beav<br />
er Falls, Penna.<br />
Y. P. Secretary Rev. Roy A. Black<br />
wood, 321 E. First St., Blooming<br />
ton, Ind.<br />
August 22<br />
-<br />
Forest Park<br />
At Topeka, Kansas<br />
President Robert McFarland, Me<br />
morial Dorm, Geneva College, Beav<br />
er Falls, Penna.<br />
Y. P. Secretary Rev. Paul Faris,<br />
Quinter, Kansas<br />
August 22<br />
-<br />
Pittsburgh<br />
At Camp Stambaugh, Youngs<br />
town, Ohio<br />
President David Patterson, 109<br />
Monitor Ave., Pittsburgh 2, Penna.<br />
Y. P. Secretary Rev. D. Howard<br />
Elliott, 207 Darlington Rd., Beaver<br />
Falls, Penna.<br />
August 12-22<br />
President<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
White Lake<br />
Miss Margaret Weir<br />
105 Brevort Place, Bellmore, Long<br />
Island, N. Y.<br />
Y. P. Secretary Rev. Chas. S. Ster<br />
rett, Route 1, North Plank Rd.<br />
Newburgh, N. Y.<br />
JUNIOR CAMPS<br />
June<br />
Camp Fernwood<br />
Directed by the Central Pittsburgh<br />
congregation. For Information as to<br />
exact dates, rates, program, etc.,<br />
write Rev. Kenneth G. Smith, 308<br />
Dunlap St., Pittsburgh 14, Penna.<br />
August Camp White Lake Junior<br />
Conference<br />
For information as to dates, rates,<br />
program, etc., write to Rev. Chas. S.<br />
Sterrett, North Plank Rd., Newburgh,<br />
N.Y.<br />
A LAMB IN THE LAKE<br />
The writer has a grandniece who when<br />
she was just three years of age lived<br />
near a lake about a mile above the Cove<br />
nanter Church in Montclair, New Jersey.<br />
One day in December 1942 she and a<br />
half dozen other children started off<br />
for a walk around the shore of the froz<br />
en lake. She noticed some ducks on the<br />
other side of the lake, left the other chil<br />
dren and started off alone across the ice<br />
to see the ducks. The other children<br />
went on without her.<br />
Some time later on two little girls<br />
from a Catholic School came down to<br />
play near the lake. Looking out over the<br />
lake they saw two little red mittens<br />
sticking up from the water. They went<br />
up to the school and told the Sisters in<br />
charge about the two red mittens and<br />
she sent two boys down to the lake to<br />
investigate.<br />
They took a row boat out and found<br />
the little girl floating unconscious. She<br />
wore a rubber snowsuit with a rubber<br />
hood tied tightly around the throat,<br />
wrists and ankles. This caused her body<br />
to float.<br />
The boys took her unconscious body<br />
ashore and she was taken to the hospital<br />
in Montclair where after an hour in an<br />
oxygen tent she revived. It is estimated<br />
that she was in the water 20 minutes.<br />
No doubt God caused the little girls to<br />
go down to the lake and see the red mit<br />
tens.<br />
That happened 13 years ago. The little<br />
girl graduated last year from Junior<br />
High School in Illinois with a mark of<br />
"High Scholastic Attainment."<br />
God's angels watch over children who<br />
are prayed for.<br />
John Huss<br />
EVANGELICALS PROTEST ACTION<br />
IN GREECE<br />
In a letter to the Greek Ambassador<br />
in Washington, Mr. Ge<strong>org</strong>e V. Melas,<br />
the National Association of Evangelicals<br />
today protested the sentencing of a<br />
Greek Evangelical to two months im<br />
prisonment for having written a letter to<br />
a Greek newspaper condemning the in<br />
tolerance of the Greek Orthodox Church.<br />
Dr. Clyde W. Taylor, speaking for the<br />
National Association of Evangelicals<br />
said that Mr. Charamambus Agapides<br />
had "written a letter to The Macedonia,<br />
a newspaper in Thessalonica, in which<br />
he had protested the intolerance of, and<br />
persecution by the Greek Orthodox<br />
Church and some of the political author<br />
ities against the Evangelical Church in<br />
Katerina, of which church Mr. Agapides<br />
is a deacon."<br />
Dr. Taylor said that the National As<br />
,<br />
sociation of Evangelicals, which repre<br />
sents over 20,000 churches in the United<br />
States is <strong>org</strong>anizationally related to the<br />
Evangelical Church of Greece through<br />
their mutual membership in the World<br />
Evangelical Fellowship.<br />
Enlarging upon the situation which<br />
has been caused by this incident, Dr.<br />
Taylor said that "matters of this nature<br />
have been very disturbing to Protestants<br />
in the United States because they have<br />
felt that unnecessary hindrances to the<br />
free practice of religion in a free coun<br />
try like Greece are not to be<br />
"This particular case Dr. Taylor said,<br />
"involved not only the free practice of<br />
religion, but also the freedom of ex<br />
pression and freedom of the<br />
Mr. Agapides, a native Greek, ad<br />
dressed his letter to The Macedonia<br />
about eleven months ago. No official<br />
reaction was made for a number of<br />
months. He was ordered to go on trial<br />
on January 12, 1955. The trial lasted for<br />
only three and one-half hours, after<br />
which time Mr. Agapides was sentenc<br />
ed to two months imprisonment and was<br />
given a three years suspended sentence.<br />
(Continued on page 123)<br />
121
sis."<br />
verses"<br />
words"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of March 13, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
March 6, 1955<br />
Paul Robb<br />
METHODS OF BIBLE STUDY<br />
VERSE ANALYSIS<br />
There is one great object in our lives<br />
and that is to bring honor to our God<br />
by doing His will. However, to DO what<br />
God requires, we must first determine<br />
what it is He wants of us, and how He<br />
would have us do it. This is the reason<br />
that you and I as children of God, anx<br />
ious to please Him, should be active<br />
and consistent in studying our Bibles.<br />
It is for this purpose that this series<br />
of topics are being written and we are<br />
confident that if you will incorporate<br />
some of the suggestions into your Bible<br />
study, that this purpose will be ful<br />
filled in you.<br />
God has not promised an easy path<br />
to walk in order to find Him in His<br />
Word. That is, knowing the truth about<br />
God and obeying that truth requires<br />
some effort on our part. This knowledge<br />
does not brush off onto our souls as<br />
easily as the dust from our Bibles clings<br />
to our fingers. In Proverbs the second<br />
chapter we find . . . "If thou seekest<br />
her as silver, and searchest for her as<br />
for hid treasures; then shalt thou un<br />
derstand the fear of the Lord, and find<br />
the knowledge of<br />
God."<br />
This series of topics on Bible study<br />
will present some suggestions for dif<br />
ferent methods of study and how to do<br />
them. The one we shall take-up first is<br />
called "Verse Study," or "Verse Analy<br />
There are several good reasons for<br />
this kind of study and there are also<br />
many rich rewards. Let's take a brief<br />
look at three.<br />
L<br />
Because certain passages in the Bible<br />
are familiar to many of us we often as<br />
sume the meaning of particular verses,<br />
or perhaps miss much of the significant<br />
truth in them. When we stop and ana<br />
lyze some of those key verses we dis<br />
cover amazing things that we have been<br />
passing by for years.<br />
n.<br />
Knowing certain "key and<br />
their meanings will bring to mind the<br />
entire passage in which the verse is<br />
set. For instance; if we were to analyze<br />
or study ACTS 27:25, we would likely<br />
remember the whole record of Paul's<br />
shipwreck on the way to Rome and the<br />
marvellous things God did through him<br />
on that voyage.<br />
122<br />
III.<br />
You will also be surprised how study<br />
ing and analyzing certain verses will<br />
facilitate your use of God's Word in<br />
answering the problems and questions<br />
of unbelievers, not to mention our own.<br />
In the type of verse study<br />
we are<br />
going to consider, there are seven steps,<br />
none of which are very difficult but<br />
which will help<br />
from different perspectives.<br />
us to see the verse<br />
1. Select the verse for study. Perhaps<br />
it will be one which has always seemed<br />
hard to you; or one of your favorites,<br />
or perhaps one which throws a lot of<br />
light on some great truth of the Bible.<br />
Write down this verse on a piece of<br />
paper you will use for the study.<br />
2. Study<br />
the context. Search for and<br />
write down the thoughts in the preced<br />
ing verses, and the verses immediately<br />
following. Try and discover what this<br />
particular verse adds to the thought<br />
of the whole passage.<br />
3. Pick out the important words.<br />
Which ones are "key<br />
Be sure<br />
to write down any words you do not<br />
understand and look up their meanings.<br />
4. Write the verse in your own words.<br />
Now that you have a good idea of the<br />
thought of the verse, try and express<br />
it in your OWN words without losing<br />
any of the thought of the verse.<br />
5. Write an application to yourself.<br />
See how this verse applies to you either<br />
in what you should believe or do as a<br />
Christian. Write down ways that you<br />
can make this verse part of your life.<br />
6. Write an application to others.<br />
What does the verse say about your<br />
family<br />
.<br />
. . your schoolmates . . . your<br />
church . . . the nation What can you<br />
do to help others see the message of<br />
this verse<br />
7. Memorise the verse. Write it on<br />
the tables of your heart! Lay it up<br />
in your memory where the Holy Spirit<br />
can bring it to your "re-memberance."<br />
It won't be hard to do if you have<br />
done the rest of the study faithfully.<br />
Don't f<strong>org</strong>et to memorize the reference<br />
with it!<br />
If you put a verse through these dif<br />
ferent processes of study, it is probable<br />
that you will never lose the meaning<br />
of this verse for the rest of your life<br />
and it's impression upon your life will<br />
continue to grow and bring forth fruit.<br />
Remember that the real fruit of Bible<br />
study may not appear as we are do<br />
ing it, but when we have completed<br />
the mechanics of the study and look<br />
back on what we have done, then we<br />
often see the great value of having<br />
applied ourselves to seeking God's Word.<br />
The lasting joy is seeing the Word at<br />
work in our lives through the years,<br />
changing us into the likeness of Jesus<br />
Christ.<br />
(Suggestion for the leader:)<br />
1. Determine if all present have had<br />
opportunity to read the comments on<br />
this study. If they have not, give a<br />
brief summary of some of the reasons<br />
for this study, and what you think<br />
will be gained from it.<br />
2. See that all are provided with<br />
paper, pencil, and Bible. Choose a verse,<br />
let each one put it through these seven<br />
steps, then spend the rest of the time<br />
in discussion of what they have dis<br />
covered in the verse.<br />
3. Some possible verses which may be<br />
used to profit are listed below . . . how<br />
ever, feel free to choose others.<br />
1 Peter 5:10; Acts 4:12; John 15:16;<br />
Psalm 37:7.<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
March 13, 1955<br />
Robert McCracken<br />
METHODS OF BIBLE STUDY<br />
CHAPTER ANALYSIS<br />
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you<br />
. .<br />
richly Col. 3:16.<br />
Psalms 119 vs. 1,5,6, Page 300<br />
Psalms 19 vs. 5,6, Page 42<br />
Psalms 139 vs. 1-3, Page 341<br />
Tonight we are going to discuss and<br />
do another type of Bible Study. This<br />
week we expand from the Verse Analy<br />
sis to a Chapter Analysis, and although<br />
this method is a little tougher, it is<br />
again an effective means of partaking<br />
of the riches of the Word of Christ.<br />
There are many, many ways of doing<br />
a Chapter Analysis, but rather than<br />
trying to give a hint as to the nature<br />
of a number of different ways, I thought<br />
it would be more profitable for us to<br />
night to take one simple method and<br />
work it out right in the meeting. So,<br />
if everyone is equipped with pencil and<br />
paper, we're ready to start.<br />
The method we're going to try to<br />
night is called the A.B.C.D. Method,<br />
and the passage we will be studying is<br />
II Timothy I.<br />
A. A-Title<br />
The first step in our study of II Tim<br />
othy I will be to select a title which<br />
summarizes the contents of this first<br />
chapter. This can only be done after<br />
you read carefully and<br />
thoughfully what<br />
Paul says. A suggestion which has prov<br />
ed helpful to me in this step of the<br />
study is,<br />
as you read, jot down the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
me."<br />
weak."<br />
watch."<br />
cup"<br />
wilt."<br />
ideas which the author seems to be<br />
stressing.<br />
They may<br />
come from one<br />
verse or a group of verses. But as you<br />
get the ideas written before you, it<br />
will be easier to narrow down to the<br />
main point. If the same idea is' ex<br />
pressed two or three times, it's a pretty<br />
good hint as to what the title should<br />
be. This is the hardest part of the<br />
study and probably<br />
will require the<br />
most time and thought. However, if this<br />
step is done carefully<br />
on each chapter<br />
of the Book, you'll be surprised to see<br />
the purposes and contents of the whole<br />
Book lying right there in front of you.<br />
B. Best Verse<br />
The second step of our study is to<br />
choose out of the verses of the chapter,<br />
one verse which you consider to be the<br />
best verse. You may select one verse,<br />
and the next person may have an en<br />
tirely different verse. In such a case it<br />
is wise to have some good reasons for<br />
choosing the verse you did. Often times<br />
you'll find two or three verses that<br />
seem to be best verses, but for the<br />
sake of this study, eliminate all but.<br />
one. Then write that verse and list be<br />
low it two reasons why<br />
C. Covenant<br />
you chose it.<br />
The third step of this study is both<br />
practical and personal. Of the four, I<br />
believe this step can be of the greatest<br />
benefit in your Christian life, if it is<br />
carried out. In this C step, we are<br />
to find a verse which affects our lives,<br />
and then apply it to our own situation.<br />
You may want to use the Best Verse<br />
which you chose. The distinction how<br />
ever between B and C is that in C<br />
you answer the question, "What am I<br />
going to DO about it" Select a verse<br />
which deals with a sin in your life,<br />
something in you which you know isn't<br />
coming up to God's standard, then<br />
write your covenant. A suggested way<br />
to start your application would be in<br />
these words, "By the grace of God, dur<br />
ing this week I will . . . Let me give<br />
just one word of caution don't promise<br />
more than you plan to DO.<br />
D. Difficulties<br />
This last step needs very little ex<br />
planation, and probably will be the<br />
easiest of these to do. Under "difficul<br />
ties"<br />
you simply list the things in the<br />
chapter that you don't understand. The<br />
value of this is that at some later time<br />
you can bring up<br />
your problems in a<br />
discussion group and find your answers<br />
there; or, another possibility is to take<br />
your list of difficulties to your pastor<br />
who can probably dissolve them for you.<br />
A good way to> discover difficulties is<br />
to ask yourself the question, "Could<br />
I explain this to someone else"<br />
That's the end of this A.B.C.D. meth<br />
od of Bible Study. I hope you find it<br />
profitable and that you will not only<br />
keep this study that you've done for<br />
reference, but also go on through the<br />
other three chapters of II Timothy and<br />
finish the good work you have begun.<br />
Suggestions for the Leader:<br />
1. Be sure to have pencils and paper<br />
ready.<br />
2. Do the study yourself, before you<br />
come.<br />
3. Allow time during the meeting for<br />
each member to do the study and<br />
give assistance to those who need it.<br />
4. Pray the prayer of the Psalmist:<br />
"Open Thou mine eyes<br />
to behold<br />
wonderous things out of Thy law."<br />
(Psalms 199:18).<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
IN THE GARDEN<br />
March 13, 1955<br />
Scripture Text: Mark 14:32-42<br />
Memory Verse: "Watch ye and pray,<br />
lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit<br />
truly is ready, but the flesh is<br />
Mark 14:38<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm for March, Psalm 130 :<br />
1-5, page 325<br />
Psalm 41:5-8, page 105<br />
Psalm 69:1-4, page 166<br />
Psalm 18:12, 13, 16, page 37<br />
In our study last week we learned<br />
about how the sacrament of the Lord's<br />
Supper was started or instituted by<br />
Jesus Christ. Jesus told His disciples<br />
that this was the night when He would<br />
be taken from them to be crucified. He<br />
told them that all of them would for<br />
sake Him this night. Peter, the one who<br />
was always speaking, said that even<br />
if everyone else left Jesus, yet he<br />
(Peter) would not. Jesus said to Peter,<br />
"This day, even in this night, before the<br />
cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me<br />
thrice."<br />
But Peter insisted that he would<br />
even go so far as to die with Jesus.<br />
Peter was trusting in his own strength<br />
to keep from giving in to the tempta<br />
tion that would come to him that night.<br />
You and I can overcome temptation<br />
only by God's strength. Paul said, "I<br />
can do all things through Christ which<br />
strengtheneth<br />
Jesus took His eleven disciples with<br />
Him out to the Garden of Gethsemane.<br />
They were all sad because Jesus had<br />
told them that this night He was going<br />
to be taken from them. He told eight<br />
of His disciples to stay in a certain<br />
place and He took three disciples closest<br />
to Him Peter, James and John with<br />
Him farther into the Garden. Jesus was<br />
a man as well as God. And, being a man,<br />
He desired companionship, but at the<br />
same time He knew that no sinful hu<br />
man being could go through this awful<br />
trial with Him. So He told His three<br />
close disciples, "My soul is exceeding<br />
sorrowful unto death; tarry ye here, and<br />
He went a distance from the<br />
disciples and poured out His soul to His<br />
Father in prayer. "Abba,<br />
Father, all<br />
things are possible unto thee; take away<br />
this cup from me: nevertheless not<br />
what I will, but what thou<br />
"this<br />
By<br />
Jesus meant the awful suf<br />
ferings of His trial and crucifixion.<br />
Jesus returned to the three and found<br />
them asleep. They just couldn't stay<br />
awake. Wasn't Peter the one who had<br />
boasted that he would never leave Je<br />
sus Jesus said to Peter, "Simon, sleepest<br />
thou Couldn't you stay<br />
awake and<br />
pray with me just one hour" I'm sure<br />
Peter must have felt rebuked and re<br />
solved this time to stay<br />
awake. Jesus<br />
went away again and prayed just about<br />
as He had prayed before. He was sweat<br />
ing<br />
not just little beads of sweat, but<br />
great drops of blood. His heart was be<br />
ing broken for you and for me.<br />
He came back and found His disciples<br />
asleep again. A third time He prayed,<br />
"Father, if this cup may not pass from<br />
done."<br />
me except I drink it, Thy will be<br />
He came back to His disciples again and<br />
said, "Sleep on now and take your rest.<br />
Judas is here in the garden bringing a<br />
lot of soldiers to take me The<br />
prisoner."<br />
disciples wakened with a start, and,<br />
sure enough, there was Judas coming to<br />
give Jesus a kiss<br />
not a kiss of love, but<br />
a sign to these wicked men that this was<br />
Jesus!<br />
This is a very sad story. But, my<br />
young friends, why did Jesus go all<br />
through this awful suffering He had<br />
never done any sin. He was not born a<br />
sinner as you and I are. Why then, did<br />
He do it The answer is found in that<br />
old, yet ever new, verse, John 3 :16. "For<br />
God so loved the world, that He gave<br />
His only begotten Son, that whosoever<br />
believeth in him should not perish, but<br />
have everlasting<br />
life."<br />
This is not the<br />
end of the story of His suffering for sin.<br />
We shall continue in the next lesson.<br />
But let us begin to see how much we<br />
owe to our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We<br />
could never begin to pay Jesus for His<br />
suffering for us. But we can only start<br />
to show Him how thankful we are that<br />
He took the punishment for the sin of<br />
all who will receive Him into their<br />
hearts. Have you received Him into your<br />
heart<br />
ECHOES . . . Continued from page 121<br />
Dr. Taylor closed his letter by saying<br />
that the Evangelicals in America "hope<br />
that the Greek government will hence<br />
forth take a more active roll in gaining<br />
an atmosphere of friendliness toward<br />
Evangelicals in Greece."<br />
February 23, 1955 123
us."<br />
up"<br />
quest."<br />
aright."<br />
SABBATH<br />
SCHOOL LESSON<br />
March 13, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by International<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE<br />
Matt. 6:5-15; 7:7-11; Mark 9:14-29;<br />
Luke 18:9-14; John 14:13-17; James<br />
5:13-18; I John 5:14, 15.<br />
PRINTED TEXT: Matt. 6:5-8; 7:7-11<br />
Luke 18:9-14; James 5:13-16<br />
MEMORY: I John 5 :14 "And this is the<br />
confidence we have in Him, that, if we<br />
ask anything according to His will, He<br />
heareth<br />
This lesson introduces many phases of<br />
a large subject. <strong>Vol</strong>umes without num<br />
ber have been written about prayer.<br />
That is well, and it is well to read much<br />
on the subject. But prayer is like skat<br />
ing, in one way, it is learned by prac<br />
tice.- One of the most pleasing pianists<br />
I have known, who played the music<br />
of the masters fluently, never had a les<br />
son. Skill was developed by attentive<br />
listening and practice. With practice,<br />
one may learn how to pray, and what<br />
prayer will do.<br />
After an address on prayer, a woman<br />
asked me for my outline. She was the<br />
leader of a large Bible class of young<br />
women. They were making a special<br />
study<br />
of prayer. She said she had read<br />
every book on prayer that she could find,<br />
but had found nothing as fine as my out<br />
line. (With humility I confess that she<br />
did not mention my address. It was my<br />
outline that impressed her.) Knowing<br />
that she was a Presbyterian, I was sur<br />
prised, and said, "Why my outline was<br />
the answer from the Westminster<br />
Shorter Catechism." She explained that<br />
she had been raised a Methodist, and so<br />
did not know the Catechism.<br />
The first of the five points in the<br />
Question on Prayer is,<br />
"Prayer is an<br />
God."<br />
offering up of our desires unto<br />
Not asking, begging, demanding certain<br />
things, but "Offering our desires to<br />
God, handing them over, putting them<br />
in God's hand, that He may do with<br />
them what is best for us.<br />
Matt. 6:5<br />
Christ warned against making a pub<br />
lic show of prayer. Prayer is not to dis<br />
play<br />
our virtues before men. Our per<br />
sonal prayers are between us and God.<br />
We are not to boast when we face God<br />
alone. We are warned against vain<br />
(empty), repetitions. The people of In<br />
dia who turn their prayer wheels with a<br />
crank or the Roman Catholics who count<br />
the number of their repetitions on a<br />
string of beads are not the only offend<br />
ers. A small child remarked after a<br />
prayer meeting that God would know a<br />
lot about Himself and the world after<br />
what He was told that night. When we<br />
124<br />
pray we should keep in mind that God<br />
knows more, even about our own hearts,<br />
than we do.<br />
A desire is a prayer. If it reaches out<br />
to God through Jesus Christ, it is Chris<br />
tian Prayer. If a Christian plants a<br />
field of wheat, he desires favorable<br />
weather for its growth, and that desire<br />
is a prayer to God. The desire is con<br />
tinuous through harvest. In that, do we<br />
not pray<br />
without ceasing A continual<br />
desire offered up to God, a continual<br />
consciousness that we are in His hands<br />
A pagan plants wheat, his desire for<br />
good weather goes to one of his gods,<br />
probably the god of chance. Therefore<br />
his sowing is sin. When one draws or<br />
receives cards from a shuffled deck, he<br />
desires favorable cards. Does any Chris<br />
tian dare to tempt the Lord God, by<br />
directing that desire to Him If the<br />
prayer is not to God through Jesus<br />
Christ, it is to the pagan god, Chance.<br />
It is for the pagan to submit the issues<br />
of any work or game to the shuffled<br />
deck, or rolling bones, or spinning<br />
arrow. A Christian should have no<br />
trouble in occupying his time in work<br />
and games where he can desire God to<br />
give him skill. "To pray is to desire; but<br />
it is to desire what God would have us<br />
desire."<br />
(Fenelon)<br />
Matt. 7:7-11<br />
Christ is speaking of prayer, so the<br />
asking must be for things agreeable to<br />
God's will. Or when the desire is offered<br />
up to God, He will answer it according<br />
to His will. The hungry child sees a<br />
stone, and thinks it is bread. Some<br />
trickster might give him the stone and<br />
laugh at his attempt to bite it. But the<br />
child is asking his father, and of course,<br />
he is given bread. He sees a serpent, and<br />
thinks it is a fish, a scorpion and thinks<br />
it is an egg. It is well for the child that<br />
he asks his father for the things he<br />
wants.<br />
"O sad state<br />
Of human wretchedness, so weak is man,<br />
So ignorant and blind, that did not God<br />
Sometimes withhold in mercy, what we<br />
ask,<br />
We should be ruined at our own re<br />
Hannah Moore<br />
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND. "They<br />
never sought in vain, that sought the<br />
Lord BURNS, Cotter's Saturday<br />
Night. The richest find is God. Job's<br />
problem in the book that bears his name<br />
is to find God. His Miserable Comforters<br />
were not seeking. They thought they<br />
could tell Job all about it. Step by step<br />
Job found God. His would-be instructors<br />
were sent to learn at the feet of him<br />
whom they had presumed to teach. How<br />
much the world would have lost if Job<br />
had given up his search, and accepted<br />
the false comfort of his friends!<br />
"Knock and it shall be<br />
opened."<br />
First,<br />
we find the door seeking.<br />
by Then we<br />
knock because we wish to be admitted.<br />
The door Perhaps we would enter into<br />
the fellowship<br />
Perhaps we desire to enter into the mys<br />
of Christ and His people.<br />
teries of the Kingdom. When Nico<br />
demus knocked, the door was opened,<br />
but he did not find what he expected. He<br />
expected to find some deep mystery that<br />
only<br />
one of great intellectual power<br />
could understand. He learned the deep<br />
mystery in words that a child could<br />
understand. He opened his heart to<br />
Christ, and Christ opened His heart to<br />
him.<br />
Queen Victoria, in a little jog through<br />
the hills incognita,<br />
was caught in a<br />
storm and received hospitality from a<br />
humble woman<br />
in a humble cottage.<br />
later, that woman dined with the queen<br />
in Buckingham. Christ stands at the<br />
door and knocks. The latch is on the in<br />
side. If we open the door to Christ, we<br />
will never knock in vain at His door.<br />
Luke 19:9-14<br />
In this parable, the Pharisee felt no<br />
personal need, so he asked for nothing,<br />
and received it. The Publican felt a<br />
great need, and asked for a great gift<br />
and it was given to him. There would<br />
have been no use in offering this price<br />
less gift to the Pharisee; he had no place<br />
to put it.<br />
James 5:13<br />
James tells us how to meet our sever<br />
al needs and moods. In suffering do not<br />
grumble, but pray. When merry, do not<br />
get drunk, or be otherwise a fool, but<br />
sing<br />
praise. I have noticed at conven<br />
tion bon-fires, more interest was taken<br />
in singing the Psalms than in the funny<br />
songs. Why not address our merry mo<br />
ments to God<br />
In our troubles,<br />
James tells us to pray. Pray<br />
physical and spiritual,<br />
with and<br />
for our fellows. If we have offended<br />
them, confess it. It is the prayer of a<br />
righteous man that availeth. In sickness,<br />
James would have us use the ordinary<br />
physical means that we use as servants<br />
of the Lord, and to pray for His blessing.<br />
A healing sect has arisen based on a<br />
superstitious interpretation of the word<br />
anointing. The answer is very simple.<br />
James did not use the usual word for<br />
anointing. What he said does not refer<br />
to anointing at all. His word is the verb<br />
al form of the noun oil. Literally, oiling<br />
with oil. That's what the Good Samari<br />
tan did. Christ used water, clay, physi<br />
cal exercise, manual help, in His mira<br />
cles. Why Not that He needed them.<br />
But as a sign that we should not aban<br />
don the ordinary physical means.<br />
James emphasizes the great truth<br />
that whatever we do,' we should recog<br />
nize that we are Christ's servants, and<br />
do all things in His name, and submit<br />
the issue to Him in prayer.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
sees,"<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
THE RESULTS OF SPURNING<br />
GOD'S LOVE<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
Mai. 2:10-16<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood<br />
God's Messenger (Mai.) spoke first<br />
(1:1-5) of God's love, and he gave un<br />
deniable proof of that love when he<br />
pointed to the fact that God had chosen<br />
an undeserving Abraham, the father of<br />
these Israelites, and made a covenant<br />
with him.<br />
He spoke second (1:6-2:9) of the most<br />
serious RESULT, the most obvious and<br />
hateful example which proved that Is<br />
rael was spurning this great love<br />
in the<br />
insincere, thoughtless, and disobedient<br />
Service of the Temple. They were not<br />
fulfilling their Duty to God at its most<br />
sensitive, love-showing point<br />
the wor<br />
ship Service. They were insulting God's<br />
love.<br />
To prove that all Israel was spurning<br />
God's love, he points (2:10-16)<br />
to the<br />
fact that they were "dealing treacher<br />
ously"<br />
with each other. The principle he<br />
established is this; WHEN A MAN<br />
FAILS OR REFUSES TO FULFIL HIS<br />
DUTY TO GOD, AS A DIRECT RE<br />
SULT, HE WILL FAIL TO FULFILL<br />
HIS DUTY TO HIS FELLOW MAN.<br />
Their double-dealing<br />
with one another<br />
was making them miserable and God<br />
said, the reason for that misery (in case<br />
you're interested in avoiding it) is your<br />
lack of love and service to me. He illus<br />
trates the principle by pointing to their<br />
"treachery" with their wives. When you<br />
don't love me, you can't love your wife.<br />
and that will make any man miserable.<br />
If you spurn my love, you'll spurn your<br />
wife's love, and that will make everyone<br />
miserable.<br />
In v. 10, God suggests that if He could<br />
love them enough to choose them and<br />
covenant with them through Abraham;<br />
then they had no right to hate or dis<br />
card one another.<br />
There are three RESULTS of spurn<br />
ing God's love in v. 11: (1) By "marry<br />
ing the daughter of<br />
treacherously"<br />
they "dealt<br />
with<br />
a strange God,"<br />
each<br />
other; (2) they threw God's love back<br />
into His face, as though to say, 'God's<br />
command<br />
(Deut. 7:3) can't hold me!,<br />
and a woman of His choice isn't good<br />
enough for<br />
me'<br />
(Is. 43:1, 7, 21; 44:2, 21,<br />
24). The Jews had a saying; "He that<br />
marrieth a heathen woman is as if he<br />
made himself son-in-law to an idol." (3)<br />
God separated them from the world in<br />
order to bring the Messiah through<br />
them (Ex. 19:6; Num. 25:1-4) and when<br />
they were disobeying His commands,<br />
they were hindering the coming of God's<br />
Love Made Flesh. Calvin said; "God<br />
proposed to keep them together as one<br />
people, lest the wife, by her flatteries,<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
should draw the husband away from the<br />
pure and legitimate worship of God."<br />
God warns of (v. 12) two direct<br />
RESULTS of spurning His love: (1) He<br />
will punish both priests and people; and<br />
(2) He will refuse their insincere<br />
prayers (v. 13). If He had accepted their<br />
sacrifices, knowing their sins, it would<br />
have been like taking a bribe and for<br />
the same reason, God could not accept<br />
their prayers. When we spurn God's love<br />
and commands, and hate a fellow man,<br />
we cannot expect answers to our prayers<br />
and again the RESULT is a growing pile<br />
of misery, for ourselves and an inability<br />
to help our fellow man. To be unable to<br />
speak to God might be one definition<br />
of hell, and it would surely kill any zeal<br />
for religion.<br />
But again (v. 14) they reply to Mala<br />
chi with a sullen "Wherefore" "Prove<br />
it! Prove that we're miserable and un<br />
just as a result of spurning<br />
your<br />
love!"<br />
And Malachi patiently replies by point<br />
ing to the most obvious and hateful ex<br />
ample or RESULT of all their un<br />
faithfulness to their closest fellow-man,<br />
the wives of their youth. They were<br />
linked to their wives by two covenants :<br />
(1) the covenant of God with Abraham:<br />
and (2) the covenant of marriage to<br />
which God was the first witness. Spurn<br />
ing God's love resulted in breaking the<br />
first of these and the second was then<br />
easy to break. "Covenant breaking" be<br />
came a habit and they placed their own<br />
ability to choose on a par with God's.<br />
In fact, they rejected the women God<br />
had chosen and chose ones He had re<br />
jected. Apparently they had gone on to<br />
take many<br />
minds them (v. 15)<br />
strange wives for God re<br />
that He had "the<br />
residue of the Spirit" and could have<br />
made Adam half a dozen wives if He<br />
had wanted<br />
but He had set the exam<br />
ple by giving him ONE wife, "that he<br />
seed;"<br />
might seed a Godly a thing they<br />
apparently cared little about. God hates<br />
divorce (v. 16) but, if possible, He hates<br />
polygamy worse because it, as a sin, in<br />
volves more people. It was an easy step<br />
from divorce to polygamy and in the<br />
history of Israel, they were progressive<br />
steps RESULTS of spurning God's<br />
love.<br />
SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:<br />
(Verse by verse)<br />
with God:<br />
v. 10, Principle of Duty<br />
What should be our attitude toward:<br />
(1) the prodigal son representing "pub<br />
sinners;"<br />
licans and and (2) the elder<br />
brother representing "scribes and Phari<br />
in Christ's parable of The Loving<br />
Father (Luke 15), Prove that attitude<br />
by citing a recent, specific example of<br />
it in your own life (Jn. 13:34, 35).<br />
v. 11, Principle of duty to man : Con<br />
trast instances of brutality of men with<br />
out love of God, with actions of men<br />
CAUSED by love of God. (ref. Christ's<br />
example of love Phil. 2:5-8; I John 4:21 ;<br />
5:2)<br />
(2) Principle of revolt against God. Con<br />
nection between love and obedience (Jn.<br />
14:21 and others). Apply this principle<br />
to "worship" service. What principles<br />
has God laid down for choice of a help<br />
meet How and where would you advise<br />
a young person to look for a mate<br />
(3) Principle of helping or hindering<br />
God's purposes. How does your marriage<br />
help the work of Christ How can it<br />
hinder the work of the church<br />
v. 12 Principle : If religion be "rea<br />
sonable intercourse between two ration<br />
al beings," could there be any greater<br />
punishment than unanswered prayers<br />
What are God's requirements for an<br />
swering prayer Ps. 66:15; Mk. 11:1-15;<br />
cf. Jas. 5:10.<br />
v. 14, Principle, love and loyalty :<br />
(I Jn. 2:3-6; 4:15-21; 5:3). Is there<br />
any lasting basis for loyalty<br />
love for Christ<br />
aside from<br />
in marriage, church<br />
membership, school business Would<br />
it be safe to marry a non-Christian<br />
What reasons would he have for being<br />
trustworthy<br />
v. 15,16, Principle, "seeding a godly<br />
seed.'<br />
A particular responsibility with<br />
our own children in the home and<br />
church. Every Christian, as one "mar<br />
ried to Christ" Rom. 7:14; 1 Cor. 3:9)<br />
has the definite responsibility of pro<br />
ducing spiritual seed from that union.<br />
(Jn. 15:5). Remember a recent example<br />
of this in your own life.<br />
Psalms :<br />
78:1-7,9 page 187 (Introduction)<br />
128: page 323 (Ideal home life)<br />
145 page 351 (Results of a love for<br />
God)<br />
26: page 61 (Searching our own<br />
hearts)<br />
Comparisons<br />
It is only when we come to mark<br />
significant anniversaries that we sense<br />
the comparative youth of our nation.<br />
Just 162 years ago (July 27, 1879) the<br />
oldest of our executive departments,<br />
the State Department, was established<br />
by Congress. The entire staff of Thomas<br />
Jefferson, first Secretary of State, con<br />
sisted of five clerks. His first estimate<br />
of the "probable expenses of the De<br />
partment"<br />
for one year totaled $7,961.<br />
This sum included not only all salaries,<br />
but such items as $110.00 for station<br />
ery, $60.00 for newspapers, and $50.00<br />
for firewood. Today, the Department of<br />
State has a personnel exceeding 4,000<br />
and an unusual budget of $16,000,000.<br />
In these turbulent times, it is diffi<br />
cult to suppress a nostalgic sigh for<br />
the quiet days when the Secretary of<br />
State could write to President Wash<br />
ington (then on a tour of the South) :<br />
"I write today indeed merely as the<br />
watchman cries, to prove himself<br />
a-<br />
wake, and that all is well, for the last<br />
week has scarcely furnished anything<br />
foreign or domestic worthy<br />
notice."<br />
Quote<br />
of your<br />
125
Church News<br />
The Uniform Programs for the<br />
Women's Missionary Society for 1955-56<br />
are off the press. Please send<br />
your<br />
order to Mrs. Harold Hanna, Blooming<br />
ton, Indiana, R.R. 10. The price of twelve<br />
cents will cover cost of printing and<br />
postage.<br />
The Congregational Chairman has ap<br />
pointed the following members to be the<br />
Construction Committee for drawing up<br />
plans and ideas for our new church. Dr.<br />
W. O. Martin, Ch., Herbert Davies, W.<br />
A. McElroy, Mildred Hall and Kathryn<br />
Piper.<br />
C. McKnight. For a time of fun it is<br />
hard to find better planners than Dr.<br />
and Mrs. McKnight!<br />
NEW YORK CITY<br />
Mrs. Robert Henning has returned<br />
from several weeks visit with her moth<br />
er in Pittsburgh.<br />
Mrs. Richard Weir is steadily improv<br />
ing and is able to go to Florida to<br />
visit Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Geddes<br />
in St. Petersburg. Mr. Geddes is an<br />
elder in New York City Congregation.<br />
Rev. David Carson was a welcome<br />
visitor on Sabbath, February 6.<br />
SHARON NEWS<br />
Mrs. Etta Jane McClure, 83, a member<br />
of the Sharon congregation, died at her<br />
home very suddenly, on January 10. She<br />
had been at church as usual the day be<br />
fore. In her youth she united with the<br />
Linn Grove congregation, and at the<br />
time of its dissolution placed her mem<br />
bership in Sharon. She was the mother<br />
of a large family. Her husband passed<br />
away in 1938. "Her children rise up and<br />
call her blessed."<br />
The annual congregational dinner of<br />
the Sharon congregation was held on<br />
December 31. Following the dinner the<br />
children presented a program of Christ<br />
mas songs and recitations,<br />
given a treat.<br />
and were<br />
Rev. and Mrs. John Edgar, and Louise,<br />
spent a week in Greeley at Christmas<br />
time, visiting Mr. Edgar's parents. In<br />
the absence of the pastor on December<br />
26, the services were conducted by Li<br />
centiate Donald McClurkin.<br />
Mrs. Mary Emma Johnston, a member<br />
of the Santa Ana congregation, came to<br />
Sharon to attend the funeral of her<br />
mother, Mrs. Jennie McClure, and<br />
visited in the community for about ten<br />
days. Also in attendance at the funeral<br />
were three other daughters, Miss Hyma<br />
McClure and Mrs. Margaret Dwyer of<br />
Omaha, and Mrs. Mildred Mahaffey of<br />
Des Moines.<br />
TOPEKA<br />
Miss Eleanor Woodburn has been able<br />
to return to her home after having spent<br />
some time in the hospital recovering<br />
from a heart attack.<br />
Mrs. Oelke fell and broke her kneecap<br />
but is able to be about despite the cast.<br />
Bruce Oelke has recovered sufficiently<br />
to be released from the hospital ship<br />
and return to his duties in Korea.<br />
On January 23 Rev. Roy Holloman,<br />
leader of the Kansas United Dry Forces,<br />
supplied our pulpit; on January 30 Rev.<br />
William M. Blair, a retired Presbyterian<br />
missionary having spent forty years in<br />
Korea, conducted our services; on Feb<br />
ruary 6 Rev. Sam Boyle brought us<br />
helpful messages. Rev. A. J. McFarland<br />
will be coming to us February 13.<br />
126<br />
WILKINSBURG<br />
Recently, the Juniors have had two<br />
treats. The first was a visit to Buhl<br />
Planetarium. Here, the attention of the<br />
Juniors and their parents was captured<br />
by modern scientific demonstrations and<br />
by the breath-taking "Sky Show," the<br />
latter woven skilfully into the story of<br />
the Star of Bethlehem. The Juniors had<br />
their second treat when they were enter<br />
tained at dinner and a party in the home<br />
of Mr. and Mrs. Merl Hodgkiss.<br />
The annual Sabbath School entertain<br />
ment was in charge of Mrs. Robert Mc<br />
Knight. A clever program of songs,<br />
readings, and skits, followed by a social<br />
hour, provided a pleasant evening for all<br />
who could attend.<br />
We are enjoying the fellowship of the<br />
Sandersons of Latakia. They are in<br />
Pittsburgh for several months, taking<br />
courses in both Pittsburgh-Xenia and<br />
our Seminary.<br />
Kenneth and Marjorie<br />
are at home among us, whether partici<br />
pating in the work, the social life, or the<br />
worship of the congregation.<br />
On January 28 our young people<br />
joined CYPU groups from neighboring<br />
congregations in Pittsburgh and Beaver<br />
Falls, the Geneva College CYPO, and<br />
the Seminary students in an ice-skating<br />
party at "The Gardens" arena in Pitts<br />
burgh. Later in the evening all came to<br />
the Seminary, where they<br />
enjoyed re<br />
freshments served by the students.<br />
Several members and friends of the<br />
congregation, along with students from<br />
the Seminary, responded to an S.O.S.<br />
call for help to prepare Christian<br />
Amendment literature for mailing. Be<br />
fore these items are published, another<br />
"work bee" will have been held for the<br />
addressing<br />
of CAM envelopes.<br />
The Blue Banner Club ushered in the<br />
month of February by enjoying a boun<br />
tiful dinner in the church dining-room.<br />
After dinner, Dr. McKnight led us in a<br />
devotional period. At the business meet<br />
ing which followed, Miss Rhoda Beatty<br />
was chosen president of the group to<br />
succeed Mr. Ray Stohner. During con<br />
secutive terms, Mr. and Mrs. Stohner<br />
have given faithful service in that capac<br />
ity. The games were in charge of Mrs. T.<br />
MORNING SUN, IA.<br />
Mrs. Howard Hensleigh was hostess<br />
to Women's Missionary Society in<br />
place of Mrs. Armstrong who is caring<br />
for her grandchildren while their moth<br />
er Mrs. Mary Ann Johnson is in Monti<br />
cello hospital. Mrs. Johnson is spending<br />
a few days at her mother's, recuperat<br />
ing.<br />
Mrs. Emma (Milligan) Schofield has<br />
been confined to her home for a few<br />
weeks, but is gaining strength.<br />
Noise and confusion reigns at the par<br />
sonage, as new floors are laid, a door<br />
in here and a wall removed there, and a<br />
bathroom installed upstairs.<br />
E. Raymond Wilson, Washington, D.<br />
C, visited his mother and worshiped<br />
with us in January when he responded<br />
to Rev. McElroy's invitation to bring<br />
the message of the morning. Raymond is<br />
a lobbyist for the Friends Committee<br />
on National Legislation. His messages<br />
are always interesting as He deals with<br />
issues that have not yet appeared in the<br />
newspapers. On Feb. 2, he testified be<br />
fore the House Armed Services Com<br />
mittee in opposition to the enactment of<br />
HR3005 providing for a four year ex<br />
tension of the peacetime draft. The bill<br />
together with HR2967 would provide for<br />
military control over the life of every<br />
young man for a period of from 8 to 10<br />
years if the military wish to exercise<br />
that option<br />
a system of military com<br />
pulsion alien to the American tradition<br />
and contrary to the American dream.<br />
Mrs.<br />
Cora Kimble has returned to<br />
Morning Sun and is at the home of her<br />
brother John Kilpatrick.<br />
Rev. H. G. Patterson, D.D. is spending<br />
several weeks at his son's Dr. H. M.<br />
Patterson, D.O., Mediapolis,<br />
recuperat<br />
ing from a cold. Mrs. Milford Todd is a<br />
surgical patient at<br />
Burlington, Iowa.<br />
CAMBRIDGE NEWS AND NOTES<br />
A daughter arrived to gladden Tom<br />
and Doris Smyth on<br />
January 10. Her<br />
name is Wendy, in honor of herself.<br />
She has been regular at church attend<br />
ance already since<br />
January 30. We<br />
thank the Lord of Grace for His care<br />
and love in bringing another little one<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
We were glad to have Miss Belle<br />
.<br />
into the world, and especially into a<br />
February 23, 1955<br />
Christian home.<br />
On January 30 the congregation held<br />
a "Family Day." The parents of the<br />
many "unchurched" children were invit<br />
ed to a service prepared especially to<br />
include the help of the students . . .<br />
Carson back in our midst for two Sab<br />
baths in January. She was home on<br />
vacation from her work in LaGrange.<br />
It is nice to see Miss Nannie Piper<br />
back in her usual place teaching her<br />
Sabbath school class. She suffered a<br />
and also with a children's sermon, which broken ankle some time ago and is<br />
the adults seemed to enjoy thoroughly.<br />
We were delighted that so many of the<br />
parents came and took part in wor<br />
shiping with their children.<br />
sufficiently recovered to attend church<br />
again.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Auld have been<br />
visiting with Paul's parents, Mr. and<br />
On January 28 the ladies of the Mrs. Ward Auld. While they were here,<br />
church held a surprise shower at the<br />
home of Miss Ann Carlin for Mrs. Betty<br />
Robb. The many necessities for an ad<br />
dition to the Robb family were taken<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Auld honored the young<br />
couple with a reception held in the<br />
church basement. They received many<br />
wedding gifts. Paul and Jean will<br />
care of in a great measure by the soon be leaving for Alaska.<br />
generosity of the friends in the con Betty Ruth Hood was hostess to the<br />
gregation.<br />
other Junior members at a Christ<br />
Sickness has taken a toll in our attendence<br />
at church. Several have missed<br />
mas party held at her home.<br />
Dr. Ferguson has been supplying the<br />
a Sabbath or two. because of virus pulpit, but was unable to do so for two<br />
and grippe. However, the Watson Stew Sabbaths because of ill health. We are<br />
art family has had a real siege of mea thankful he is better again and was<br />
turn about through all of the able to preach for us again last Sabbath.<br />
sles . .<br />
five children.<br />
Mrs. Abertha Torrens passed away<br />
Mrs. Esther Lerett has been hospit<br />
alized with an injury after being struck<br />
lightly by a car. A bone was cracked in<br />
her leg and she is now in the Symmes<br />
Hospital in Arlington. We thank the<br />
Lord that no greater damage was done.<br />
January 31. She suffered a stroke about<br />
18 months ago and had been bedfast<br />
since, spending most of that time here<br />
in the K. D. Luney home. Dr. Fergu<br />
son conducted the funeral service and<br />
Rev. John McMillan led in prayer. In<br />
The pastor, Rev. Robb, has spoken terment will be made in Glenwood,<br />
to the student body of Cambridge Chris<br />
tian High School about the Christian<br />
Minnesota.<br />
Amendment. They showed interest in<br />
BELLE CENTER<br />
this news which was entirely unheard of<br />
before. Both the students and the fac<br />
ulty were most appreciative and were<br />
in full support of such an effort for<br />
the Lord Jesus Christ. Rev. Robb was<br />
invited back again to speak to the stu<br />
dent body on some phase of living a<br />
fuller life for Christ.<br />
The annual Church dinner was held<br />
New Year's Eve. The bountiful basket<br />
dinner, election of Bible School officers<br />
and a film, "A Boy and His Bible," were<br />
features of the evening.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. J. Roy Templeton and<br />
Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Reed enjoyed a trip<br />
to the South during the holiday season.<br />
They visited friends in Texas, Oklahoma<br />
OAKDALE<br />
and Florida and also made a brief stop<br />
On December 19, we were priv in Selma, where they were much im<br />
ileged to have Licentiate Donald pressed by the work done in the congre<br />
McClurkin preach for us. Then on gation and the hospital by Rev. Claude<br />
January 2, Licentiate Glen McFarland<br />
ministered to us on his return trip to the<br />
Brown and Mr. William Anderson and<br />
their helpers.<br />
Seminary. We also had preaching in Mrs. Viola McLean passed away in her<br />
January by the Rev. Lester Kilpatrick<br />
of Sterling, Kansas.<br />
The annual church dinner was held<br />
in the church basement December 30.<br />
In the afternoon a film showing the<br />
sleep in the early morning of December<br />
20, at the age of 77 years. Though she<br />
had been in poor health for some time,<br />
her death was very unexpected. She and<br />
her husband, Mr. Daniel McLean, made<br />
work of the Pacific Garden Mission their home for years in Northwood<br />
was shown and the children recited their<br />
memory work for the year. Prizes were<br />
given the Sabbath School children and<br />
the treats distributed.<br />
The following evening, December 31,<br />
a watch night party was held in the<br />
Kenneth Frieman home for the young<br />
where they were members of the United<br />
Miami congregation. In later years, af<br />
ter the death of her husband, Mrs. Mc<br />
Lean made her home in Bellefontaine,<br />
and attended the Belle Center Church<br />
where she was a member, as often as<br />
possible.<br />
people and not-quite-so-young married James Templeton graduated from<br />
couples. Many games were enjoyed and<br />
after the refreshments, Dr. W. O. Fer<br />
guson led the devotional period.<br />
Ohio State University on December 17<br />
with the degree of B. S. in Agriculture.<br />
He has returned to the University for<br />
further study until such time as he will<br />
be called to military service.<br />
Mrs. J. M. Coleman and Mrs. M. K.<br />
Carson spent a few days in Beaver Falls,<br />
where Mrs. Coleman was honored on<br />
January 28 with an "Open House" in the<br />
Geneva Church in recognition of her<br />
ninetieth birthday. Severe cold and<br />
treacherous roads limited the atten<br />
dance, but the loving interest of friends<br />
was shown in many ways, and was much<br />
appreciated by the family.<br />
SOCIAL SECURITY FOR MINISTERS<br />
(The following article appeared in the<br />
"United Presbyterian" November 29,<br />
19<strong>54</strong> and is reproduced with permission<br />
of the United Presbyterian Board of<br />
Publication. The article was written by<br />
Dr. C. L. Hussey, secretary of the U. P.<br />
Board of Pensions and Relief.)<br />
In the new Social Security law, which<br />
becomes effective January 1, 1955, there<br />
are some facts and figures with which<br />
all ministers ought to be acquainted.<br />
Here are some of them that should be<br />
filed for reference.<br />
SOME THINGS TO KNOW<br />
Ministers will have only two years<br />
after 19<strong>54</strong>, or after becoming a minister,<br />
to decide whether they wish coverage.<br />
If the decision is not to participate, the<br />
minister is thereafter excluded. If elec<br />
tion of coverage is once made, it cannot<br />
be withdrawn.<br />
Social Security does not provide any<br />
benefits during disability. It only freezes<br />
earnings at the time of<br />
disability so the<br />
average monthly salary will not be<br />
"watered down"<br />
in the final calcula<br />
tions of benefits.<br />
Social Security pays the widow noth<br />
ing until she reaches 65 years of age, un<br />
less there are minor children.<br />
The congregation or the church in<br />
stitution, itself does not in any way be<br />
come involved or obligated if the minis<br />
ter participates in Social Security.<br />
Ministers who are 65 years of age, or<br />
older, can receive benefits after they<br />
have been covered by Social Security<br />
from January 1, 1955, until June 30,<br />
1956, and during that time have paid the<br />
3% tax on a net income of at least $400<br />
a year.<br />
Ministers between 40 and 65 years of<br />
age will find benefits returning to them<br />
at a very high rate of income for money<br />
invested. Example: A man 40 years of<br />
age, with average salary of $3,000, will<br />
pay into the Social security fund ap<br />
proximately $3,400, by the time he<br />
reaches 65, calculated on the present tax<br />
rate increase. He will receive in benefits<br />
$88.50 a month, or $1,062 a year. Within<br />
three years he will receive back as<br />
much as he paid. If his wife is 65, they<br />
will receive much more each year.<br />
127
Ministers starting their ministry will<br />
find Social Security offering a very sat<br />
isfactory protection for the family. In<br />
the event of a minister's death, his<br />
widow and children have large benefits<br />
until the children are 18 years of age. It<br />
would require an unusually large sum of<br />
invested capital to assure such benefits.<br />
The minister, upon retirement at 65,<br />
will with the normal life expectancy, re<br />
ceive in benefits as much as he has paid<br />
into Social Security. In some cases, the<br />
return will be much more.<br />
SOME THINGS TO DO<br />
Every minister who desires to par<br />
ticipate in Social Security<br />
once secure from the local Social Se<br />
should at<br />
curity board an application blank (form<br />
SS5) for an account number. If you have<br />
had a Social Security number there is no<br />
need to secure another. If your Social<br />
Security<br />
number card has been lost<br />
make a request and your old number<br />
will be given you again. No one should<br />
have two numbers.<br />
Sometime near the end of this year,<br />
or soon after the first of January, there<br />
will be available certificates for all min<br />
isters to fill out and sign if they wish<br />
coverage. These certificates will have a<br />
number and will probably be called<br />
"certificates of intent or desire." Evi<br />
dently they<br />
will not be called certifi<br />
cates of waiver, as at first indicated.<br />
These certificates should be sent to the<br />
local Social Security board during 1955,<br />
or not after April 15, 1956, if coverage<br />
for the year is desired.<br />
The first payment of the 3r/r tax for<br />
Social Security purposes is due when in<br />
come tax return is filed on April 15,<br />
1956. The amount to be paid in one sum,<br />
unless during the quarterly payments in<br />
1955, overpayment has been made of<br />
regular income tax then the refund due<br />
can be used to help pay the Social Se<br />
curity tax.<br />
SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER<br />
All ministers who are 65 years of age,<br />
or older, should remember that if they<br />
desire to retire and receive benefits af<br />
ter six quarters of coverage (l1 years)<br />
and their income has been more than<br />
S400 a year, it would be better for them<br />
to work two years. The average month<br />
ly wage, upon which benefits are based.<br />
is calculated by dividing the gross in<br />
come for (I1 years) by 24 months in<br />
stead of 18 months. If, however, the min<br />
ister is only earning $400 a year for 112<br />
years or six quarters, he will receive the<br />
minimum benefit regardless of the 24<br />
months division factor. Example :<br />
if Mr.<br />
A is earning as a self employed minister<br />
(from salary or supply preaching) $1,000<br />
a year, and is 65 years of age or over,<br />
and wishes to retire within lx2 years<br />
128<br />
(six quarters), his gross income for six<br />
quarters would be $1,500. This would be<br />
divided by 24 months, instead of 18<br />
months, giving an average monthly wage<br />
for benefits, of $62.50. If he works two<br />
years, his gross salary would be $2,000<br />
divided by 24, giving a monthly wage of<br />
$83.33, thus assuring Mr. A and his wife<br />
of larger benefits. If Mr. A is only earn<br />
ing $400 a year, it is not necessary to<br />
participate beyond the 18 months period<br />
for minimum benefits.<br />
All ministers should remember that<br />
Social Security participation does not<br />
take the place of the Church's pension<br />
plan. There are benefits offered by the<br />
Church's plan which are not offered by<br />
Social Security. There is to be no change<br />
in the pension premiums, and of course<br />
no reduction of benefits. Ministers need<br />
both Social Security<br />
and the church<br />
pension for adequate income in retire<br />
ment<br />
Glen Sandfield, Ontario,<br />
January 18, 1955.<br />
To The <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>:<br />
The paper, "Commemoration of the<br />
Birth of<br />
Christ,"<br />
which was adopted<br />
by the Pittsburgh Presbytery and print<br />
ed in the December 15 issue of the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> is one that we all<br />
should ponder. It deals with<br />
a practice<br />
which is very common among Chris<br />
tian people, a practice which tends to<br />
lead us away from Christ rather than<br />
to confirm us in the faith. Study the<br />
paper and your own experiences in the<br />
light of the Bible and see if this state<br />
ment is not true. Do we glorify God<br />
when we glorify Santa Claus Care<br />
ful and prayerful meditation on<br />
this<br />
should make a difference next Decem<br />
ber.<br />
R. H. McKelvy<br />
EDWIN L. DODDS<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church lost one of<br />
its strong laymen in the passing of Ed<br />
win L. Dodds of the Los Angeles Congre<br />
gation, who was called to his reward<br />
January 8, 1955. His was a rich heritage<br />
reaching back to the Dodds family of<br />
the Old Brookland Congregation in<br />
Pittsburgh Presbytery. Edwin was the<br />
son of Archie and Melissa Dodds who<br />
with the family were pioneers in setting<br />
up the La Junta congregation in Colo<br />
rado. Here Edwin and three brothers be<br />
came faithful members. Edwin's life was<br />
marked in this, that he took his Chris<br />
tianity with him wherever he went. His<br />
activities in the early days of the Chica<br />
go church were an inspiration to both<br />
Pastor and members.<br />
After his marriage to Ora Robb of the<br />
Sharon Manse they cast in their lot with<br />
the growing congregation of Los Ange<br />
les, California. Here another<br />
Family<br />
Altar was set up and around it the Chil<br />
dren grew into the riches of the Chris<br />
tian life. He lived to see his son Donald<br />
ordained as a member of Session and in<br />
humility and joy, welcomed him into<br />
the high office. The other children like<br />
wise are a real asset in the Master's<br />
service. As a member of session Mr.<br />
Dodds ever took a deep interest in all<br />
the work of the congregation. The Sab<br />
bath School and Midweek meeting were<br />
ever on his heart and the growth and<br />
spiritual development of every depart<br />
ment.<br />
As many readers will recall he was the<br />
able and enthusiastic precentor of the<br />
congregation for many years. He loved<br />
the Praise Service of the church and as<br />
a leader was an inspiration in this<br />
spiritual service. He kept a keen inter<br />
est in the missions and missionaries and<br />
was ready with a warm welcome as they<br />
returned to declare the doings of the<br />
Lord in their fields.<br />
At the farewell service different pas<br />
tors with whom he had worked paid<br />
glowing tribute to his Christian life in<br />
the home and the community; his loy<br />
alty as a presbyter and devotion to the<br />
work of the congregation. He loved to<br />
see the activities of the youth and most<br />
happy as they came forward to make<br />
their profession of faith before the ses<br />
sion. His departure takes away the last<br />
of this Godly family and again the Mas<br />
ter's welcome to the Eternal Home say<br />
ing, "Well done good and faithful ser<br />
vant, enter thou into the joy of thy<br />
Lord."<br />
The warm sympathy and<br />
Christian<br />
love of the whole congregation and a<br />
wide circle of friends, both within and<br />
without the church are given to Mrs.<br />
Dodds and the family, not sorrowing,<br />
February 24, 7:30 p.m. is the time set<br />
for the installation of Dr. G. M. Robb as<br />
pastor of the Kansas City congregation.<br />
The Commission will meet at 7:00 p.m.<br />
WMS Column<br />
A Thought for you :<br />
How Crown Up Are You <br />
Some months ago we had this chal<br />
lenge in our column from our<br />
rather rejoicing in the triumphant homegoing<br />
of a devoted husband and father.<br />
vicepres.,<br />
Mrs. A. D. Robb. It is a helpful<br />
thought and in summing it up, she says,<br />
"Measuring not in years but in obedi<br />
ence to God's revealed will HOW<br />
GROWN UP ARE YOU"<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Missionary Number<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 20, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS TH WORLD,<br />
THE 5/rtD IS THE WORD OP GOD<br />
"<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1955 NUMBER 9<br />
World Strategy<br />
DR. CLYDE W. TAYLOR<br />
for Christian Missions<br />
Executive Secretary, Evangelical Foreign Missions Association<br />
In United Evangelical Action, used by Permission.<br />
When something is genuine, there are without<br />
doubt various substitutes or imitations. True religion<br />
is no exception. People without the revelation of God<br />
through Jesus Christ have their pagan substitutes.<br />
King David wrote of them in the second Psalm,<br />
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine<br />
a vain thing" Satan fills the spiritual vacuum<br />
in the hearts of men with satanic inspired religions,<br />
each with its own satanic strategy. Whereas there<br />
seemed to be a steady decline in the influence of<br />
many of the "great" religions of the world twentyfive<br />
years ago, we were deceived. These same reli<br />
gions today are continuing to hold and dominate<br />
the overwhelming majority of the world. It should<br />
interest us and cause us to investigate their strategy<br />
in conquering the minds and souls of hundreds of<br />
millions. Let us look at some of these "man-invented"<br />
religions, the ragings and imaginations of men, ac<br />
cording to God.<br />
Hinduism<br />
About the time of Moses there began to appear<br />
in the East, in India, the Vedas. Written in Sanskirt,<br />
these mystical writings provided part of the teach<br />
ings of what we know today as Hinduism. This<br />
strange combination of pantheism (god in every<br />
thing), many varieties of idolatry, social customs,<br />
superstitions and demon worship today compose the<br />
religion that holds in its grasp two thirds of the peo<br />
ple of India. It is said there are over 200 million gods<br />
in India not counting the millions of monkeys, cows,<br />
snakes,<br />
peacocks and other animals that are wor<br />
Their belief in re-incarnation means that<br />
every living thing, insect, animal, bird and reptile<br />
was probably a man or woman in a previous exist<br />
ence. Their gods are generally hideous or vile. Some<br />
of the vilest, immoral objects are those most revered.<br />
Some temples are adorned with such vile sculptures<br />
that they almost exceed the wildest immoral imag<br />
ination. To see them is to have one's soul and mind<br />
contaminated. The temples are dirty, and women,<br />
ministering in the temples by day, are prostitutes by<br />
night. The caste system once completely dominated<br />
social and economic life, and still does to a large de<br />
gree. How can such a system dominate an intelligent<br />
race such as the Indian What is its strategy It<br />
dominates society and did long before Christianity<br />
arrived. The people are intensely religious. Society,<br />
their economic strata, and custom make a change of<br />
religion exceedingly difficult. 85% of the Indians live<br />
one knows everyone. Who<br />
in small villages. Every<br />
has the courage to leave the faith of his fathers It<br />
might mean complete ostracism, economic disaster,<br />
or death. The satanic<br />
strategy is fear, superstition<br />
and oppression.<br />
Independent India has religious liberty but the<br />
huge Hindu majority dominates the political life of<br />
the country and small but intensely zealous Hindu<br />
parties are fighting bitterly to stop the expansion of<br />
Christianity. Its worst enemy, however, is supersti<br />
tion, fear and ignorance of the masses. While visit<br />
ing one of the most famous temples in Calcutta in<br />
1950 we first entered the outer court and saw where<br />
the blood of goats used in sacrifice to a horrible god<br />
dess had mixed with the filth and water used in the<br />
temple. What a contrast to the spotless Buddhist<br />
temples! Leaving the temple I saw many mothers<br />
(Continued on page 137)
ut<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Boy of 12 Can Choose<br />
The highest court of New York State has upheld a de<br />
cision to the effect that a boy of 12 has a right to choose<br />
his own religion. The mother, who is a Christian Scientist,<br />
had made a premarital agreement to rear him in the Roman<br />
Catholic religion.<br />
India's Enforcement Problem<br />
India is troubled with the enforcement of the prohibition<br />
law just as the U. S. has been in the past. There is said to be<br />
much bootlegging and illicit distillation of liquor. The min<br />
istry in one state was forced to resign as a result of a<br />
no-confidence vote over the drink problem.<br />
A Student Revolt<br />
David lamented, "How are the mighty fallen!" and if<br />
he were here today he might weep over the fall of many<br />
colleges which were founded for the purpose of giving Chris<br />
tian instruction. William and Mary College has had a re<br />
cent "student<br />
revolt"<br />
which originated because of restrictions<br />
on fraternities which are housed in college-owned buildings<br />
on the campus. One of the chief complaints of the students<br />
was the prohibition of serving liquor to minors, even though<br />
this is in violation of the law of Virginia. The students<br />
burned the dean of the college in effigy.<br />
Bible in Schools<br />
A bill has been introduced in the State Legislature of<br />
California to permit moral instruction in the public schools<br />
including Bible reading. The measure would authorize the<br />
State Board of Education to prepare a syllabus of Bible and<br />
other moral books for classroom instruction.<br />
A Retreat in Belgium<br />
The Roman Catholic hierarchy has brought such strong<br />
pressure in favor of subsidies in mission schools in the Bel<br />
gian Congo that the government has retreated from its stand<br />
against them. The government now agrees to pay these sub<br />
sidies although they had decided that there should be less<br />
tax money spent on sectarian projects.<br />
To Curb Obscene Publications<br />
Bills have been introduced in both the Senate and the<br />
House to give the Postmaster General more power in sup<br />
pressing or impounding mail which contains obscene material<br />
which violates existing statutes. Last year such a bill passed<br />
the House but failed in the Senate<br />
Must Observe Holy Days<br />
There is a bylaw in Montreal, Canada, which provides<br />
fines for all stores which are not shuttered on 7 Roman<br />
Catholic holy days of obligation. This year police of that city<br />
issued more than 300 summonses to firms staying<br />
open on<br />
the Roman Catholic feast of the Epiphany in violation of the<br />
bylaw. Seven of the large city stores are contesting this or<br />
der. The Quebec Court of Appeals has upheld the bylaws, but<br />
it has been appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Those<br />
who are wilfully blind to the oppressive methods of the Ro<br />
man Catholic Church, where it has a strong majority, should<br />
take note of such actions and consider.<br />
130<br />
Southern Baptists<br />
The Southern Baptist Convention now has an all-time<br />
high in a membership of more than 8,000,000, and its giving<br />
to all causes was more than $300,000,000 during the past<br />
year.<br />
Convention of the NAE<br />
The 13th Annual Convention of the National Association<br />
of Evangelicals is to be held in the Sherman Hotel, Chicago,<br />
111., April 18-22, 1955. The main part of the Convention will<br />
begin on Tuesday evening, April 19, with Dr. Harold J. Ockenga<br />
as the main speaker. On the same evening a part of<br />
the service will be under the direction of Dr. Carl F. H. Hen<br />
ry and the Social Action Commission with Lt. Gen. Harrison<br />
as the speaker. On Wednesday morning in the Social Action<br />
group the subject will be on "Spiritual and Moral Values in<br />
Public Education." The main speakers on that subject are<br />
Dr. Glenn L. Archer, Dr. Mark Fakkema, Dr. Frank E.<br />
Gaebelein, and Dr. R. H. Martin.<br />
A Revival in Argentine<br />
Mr. Olav Eikland, writing in UEA says: "The religious<br />
atmosphere (of Argentine) had been preserved in calmness.<br />
For centuries Roman Catholicism had kept its people in<br />
circumspect formalism while the voice of Protestantism was<br />
hardly audible in the broad stream of the<br />
masses."<br />
When the<br />
evangelist T. Hicks arrived in Buenos Aires he secured an<br />
interview with President Peron who received him cordially<br />
and granted permission for- him to hold mass meetings with<br />
access to the press and the radio. The evangelical leaders of<br />
the city<br />
co-operated and meetings were crowded out from<br />
one meeting place to another with 100,000 people to hear the<br />
Gospel. Bibles were sold until the supply was exhausted.<br />
Forty thousand Bibles and Testaments were sold. Eighty<br />
thousand people signed cards and the established churches<br />
in Buenos Aires saw their congregations doubled, tripled or<br />
quadrupled at once. People began to testify in the stadium,<br />
on the streets, in the trains and busses. Some testified before<br />
priests when the priests denounced the meetings during<br />
mass. Mr. Hicks said: "There was a great deal of opposition<br />
from the main church of the land (Catholic) ....<br />
the<br />
greatest opposition was from the Communist elements. Their<br />
propaganda was terrific and fierce!"<br />
French Movement Against Alcohol<br />
There is an article by Ernest Gordon in United Evangeli<br />
cal Action (Feb. 15) entitled, "The French Movement against<br />
Alcohol."<br />
He writes: "France is showing us the way! Its<br />
experience of near-prohibition in wartime opened the eyes of<br />
the medical profession to the profound relations between<br />
drink and disease. They started scientific investigation in the<br />
fields of pathology, economics, demography. These confirmed<br />
their<br />
observations."<br />
There followed a National Committee<br />
for Defense Against Alcoholism which published and circu<br />
lated a great deal of literature and hundreds of thousands<br />
of tracts and posters were distributed. Careful investigations<br />
were made and the injurious effects of alcohol were shown<br />
in schools and to the people and officials of France.<br />
The writer closes his article thus: "Now Premier Men<br />
des-France is dramatizing the anti-alcohol movement by<br />
(Continued on page 136)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ans'<br />
service"<br />
coal."<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
CALIFORNIA BOUND<br />
The 1965 Republican national convention will meet Au<br />
gust 20 in San Francisco. A "streamlined" four-day conven<br />
tion is planned, with one session a day from 2 to 7 P. M.,<br />
Pacific time. This will put the proceedings into the evening<br />
hours for Eastern television audiences. The Democrats had<br />
already chosen Chicago for their convention, either in July<br />
or mid-August. This should help the renomination of Adlai<br />
Stevenson. Radio and television sponsors wanted the Repub<br />
licans to choose Chicago "also, to save the cost of two in<br />
stallations. But Republican leaders turned down Chicago's<br />
bid, probably because it is the center of too many anti-<br />
Eisenhower Republicans. ,<br />
National chairman Leonard Hall<br />
admitted that his plans are based on the assumption that<br />
President Eisenhower will be renominated and that there<br />
will be no serious fight over the platform. San Francisco has<br />
good summer weather and a fine auditorium. Its only other<br />
national political convention was the Democratic meeting of<br />
1920.<br />
STEADY PRICES<br />
One of President Eisenhower's most important acts<br />
when he took office two years ago was to end price and<br />
wage controls. The last of these regulations, which had been<br />
held over from World War II, were removed on March 17,<br />
1953. Since then prices have been more stable than at any<br />
time since the 1920's. In January 1953 the wholesale price<br />
index was 109.9, and in January 1955 it stood at 110.2. The<br />
consumer price index or "cost of living" also rose just fourtenths<br />
of a point in the two-year period. The Treasury De<br />
partment, Bureau of the Budget, and Federal Reserve Board<br />
have all worked together to achieve this stability. If con<br />
tinued, the Republicans will doubtless boast of it in the 1956<br />
campaign. Democrats may point out, however, that some<br />
economic groups have actually lost ground while others<br />
have gained.<br />
POLITICS AND CAREER MEN<br />
The new Hoover Commission, reestablished by Congress<br />
in 1953, has made the civil service the subject of its first<br />
recommendations. It advocates a clearer distinction between<br />
policy-forming officials and the upper bracket of non-politi<br />
cal administrators. The need for this distinction has long<br />
been recognized, but it is very difficult to achieve. The Com<br />
mission recommended more political appointments for policy<br />
making positions. But it also suggested the creation of a<br />
"senior civil category for top administrators, with<br />
higher salaries than at present. There might be up to 3,000<br />
career men in this bracket.<br />
At lower levels, the Commission recommended the re<br />
moval of political influences in the hiring<br />
of rural mail car<br />
riers, U. S. marshals, and some other types of field em<br />
ployees. The group was rather timid in dealing<br />
with veter<br />
preference, which affects over half the federal employ<br />
ees and is probably the greatest single obstacle to efficiency<br />
in the civil service. The Commission also said nothing about<br />
the highly controversial security<br />
ployees.<br />
DEATH RIDES THE WIND<br />
program for federal em<br />
The Atomic Energy Commission<br />
ofhas<br />
given its first<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
ficial figures on the radioactive fallout from last year's<br />
hydrogen-bomb tests. The fallout consists of particles of<br />
earth or water which are made radioactive and blown high<br />
into the air by the explosion, then carried long distances by<br />
wind. In the Bikini test, the fallout reached a point 160<br />
miles down-wind from the explosion,<br />
hours. About 7,000 square miles<br />
the state of New Jersey<br />
and lasted for several<br />
an area almost equal to<br />
were so contaminated that sur<br />
vival would have been impossible without protective mea<br />
sures. Thus a great city could be showered with deadly dust<br />
from an explosion 150 miles away. Now people will have to<br />
be told whether to flee from the actual blast or to take shel<br />
ter from the radioactive fallout. Most Americans seemingly<br />
prefer not to think about it. The AEC maintains that there<br />
has been no danger to Americans from the tests carried out<br />
thus far.<br />
GAINING GROUND<br />
Viet Nam, the non-Communist southern half of Indo<br />
china, shows better prospects of survival than was predicted<br />
when the country<br />
was split at the Geneva conference last<br />
summer. The 800,000 refugees from the North create eco<br />
nomic problems, but they make up<br />
a bulwark of anti-Com<br />
munism. Premier Ngo Dinh Diem has made several tours of<br />
the country and is quite popular. He has called for the elec<br />
tion of a provisional popular assembly, which will lead even<br />
of a democratic constitution. The U. S.<br />
tually to the framing<br />
has undertaken the training of a Viet Namese army. Our of<br />
ficers will use the same methods which proved effective with<br />
the Republic of Korea, including anti-Communist political<br />
training. Meanwhile, to the north in Viet Minh, President Ho<br />
Chi Minh has made few public appearances and there are<br />
widespread reports of popular unrest due to Communist bru<br />
tality.<br />
BROWN COAL<br />
The states of South Dakota, North Dakota, and Mon<br />
tana are hoping for a new industrial development based on<br />
the use of lignite or "brown Lignite is very plentiful,<br />
with usable deposits of ten billion tons estimated for North<br />
Dakota alone. Due to its low heat value it cannot profitably<br />
be shipped long distances. But it is very cheap at the mines,<br />
and could be used as a fuel for large electric generating<br />
plants. Aluminum refining, which uses tremendous amounts<br />
of electric power, might be located near the lignite mines.<br />
Many other possible uses are being explored by business men<br />
of the upper Midwest. The region has good rail transporta<br />
tion and an ample labor supply, but has been too dependent<br />
on agriculture and is not holding its population.<br />
SYNTHETIC DIAMONDS<br />
Man has finally succeeded in making<br />
an artificial dia<br />
mond. All diamonds consist of carbon, a very common ele<br />
ment, but their unequalled hardness and unique crystalline<br />
structure make them a natural rarity. A General Electric<br />
laboratory has now made synthetic diamonds by subjecting<br />
graphite to a pressure of one and a half million pounds per<br />
square inch, at a temperature above 5000 F. The artificial<br />
stones are tiny, however, and too expensive to compete with<br />
natural diamonds either as gems or for industrial purposes.<br />
131
self"<br />
The Daily Rounds<br />
By Dr. Wilbur Weir<br />
Four days in Italy on our way<br />
home gives us<br />
a bit of time to reflect, after all the baggage prob<br />
lems invloved in crossing from Naples to Brindisi<br />
are solved. This was our fifth furlough, one and a<br />
half instead of one year, crowded full of interesting<br />
experiences. Time and space do not permit even the<br />
listing of them all; I shall confine myself to the<br />
people we met individuals and groups.<br />
1. College friends. After being out of the<br />
country for seven years it is always a rare treat to<br />
get back to Geneva College. At the Home Coming in<br />
October and at the Commencement in June there<br />
were class-mates and others to see; and just to sit<br />
down and chat with Dr. and Mrs. Robert Clarke<br />
was worth the trip.<br />
2. Families in <strong>Covenanter</strong> Homes. When I was<br />
a child and we had visiting preachers and mission<br />
aries in our home I enjoyed their presence, and es<br />
pecially the better food made available for the oc<br />
casion, but I never realized until later the spiritual<br />
values of such fellowship. Let me mention but one<br />
name, that of Samuel Edgar. What an influence<br />
for good he was on a growing lad! But my point<br />
here is a bit different : the lift it gives to the visitor<br />
to have that fellowship. You who entertain mission<br />
aries in your homes give us encouragement which<br />
you are not aware of. and often a spiritual fellow<br />
ship which bears fruit in a foreign land. You and<br />
we become co-workers.<br />
3. Student Groups. Five groups stand out:<br />
Geneva College chapel; two prayer groups of 500<br />
and 100 respectively and a class group at Bob Jones<br />
University; chapel at the Christian High School at<br />
Phoenix, Arizona; a class at the High School at<br />
Grossmont, California; two classes at New York<br />
University. These all were a challenge and a stimu<br />
lus.<br />
4. Rotary Clubs. Our club was formed in Larn<br />
aca in the spring of 1953. When I visited the head<br />
quarters in Chicago I suggested that our club must<br />
be the youngest. My guide replied that since July,<br />
1953, 293 clubs had been <strong>org</strong>anized. That was in<br />
April, 19<strong>54</strong>. The Rotary motto "Service before<br />
plays right into the hand of Christian missions. A<br />
Rotarian at the luncheon in Orlando, Florida, told<br />
me he knew the Rotary leader in Cyprus; had met<br />
him at Rotary in Paris, France. A Rotarian at Tar<br />
pon Springs, Florida, had met the Cyprus leader<br />
in Mexico City. A small world; and it is becom<br />
ings smaller faster than we can adjust our attitudes.<br />
5. Other Churches. When I preached in the<br />
community church at Crystal Lake, Chicago, one of<br />
the announcements the pastor read impressed me:<br />
"The men will meet as usual for prayer at 6:00 a.m.<br />
next Lord's Day." At the Calvary Baptist Church,<br />
New York City, they listened attentively to the nar<br />
rative of the Christian movement in Cyprus since<br />
the time of St. Paul. At Forty Fort, Pa. I was warn<br />
ed that the congregation was not missionary minded ;<br />
but thev drank in all I could give them and asked<br />
for Sabbath School.<br />
for more. They got it by staying<br />
I believe that what one reads in Christian maga<br />
zines about there being a spiritual revival in Ameri<br />
ca is not exaggerated.<br />
132<br />
6. Conferences, and Grinnell. At the young<br />
people's camps we were privileged to attend, one<br />
came to feel hopeful. New spiritual life is express<br />
ing itself among our young people. Even the notices<br />
appearing in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> calling the<br />
conferences are an improvement over those used not<br />
so long ago which seemed to be based on the assump<br />
tion that unless you appealed primarily to the ath<br />
letic instinct of youth you could not hope to collect<br />
them. At Grinnell the young people were at their<br />
best. Synod at Grinnell made me wonder whether<br />
it would foe possible to set aside at least two days<br />
of Synod week when pastors, missionaries, and other<br />
Christian workers could sit down together in a re<br />
laxed atmosphere for just two things : 1. Share with<br />
the audience some success the Lord has given you in<br />
Christian service. As one travels over the church<br />
one finds here and there a note of victory. A pas<br />
tor, a Sabbath School teacher, or some other worker,<br />
has moved forward. The secret was a change in his<br />
own heart, or it was due to a change in some method<br />
or technique. Others should hear him tell about<br />
it. 2. Share with the audience some failure you have<br />
had in Christian service, when Satan gained the<br />
victory. As one travels over the church one finds<br />
here and there a note of defeat. It should be help<br />
ful to hear from others how they found victory in<br />
similar circumstances. Prayer for one another<br />
through the year following such a meeting would<br />
be of infinite value.<br />
7. Foundations. Eighty Foundations were con<br />
tacted in an effort to add to our building fund. One<br />
responded with a gift of 10,000 dollars ; another res<br />
ponded in the form of aid for our Christian students<br />
to start Daily Vacation Bible Schools in Cyprus. 200<br />
dollars would be made available the first year to<br />
start the work.<br />
8. Business Men and Corporations. This was a<br />
most interesting and most difficult experience.<br />
Christian business men have long been awake to<br />
their responsibility to support Christian education<br />
in America. Secular-minded business men are as<br />
suming greater responsibility today, and corpora<br />
tions are moving in that direction, aided by the in<br />
come tax laws. But to listen to a person trying to<br />
"sell"<br />
a Christian school away yonder in the eastern<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
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OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
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to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer*<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen,- D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editor<br />
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Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
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Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton<br />
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Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
Kansas<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Mediterranean was a new experience for most of the<br />
men I interviewed. No help has come from a corpora<br />
tion yet. I should not fail to mention the fine spirit<br />
ual fellowship' it was possible to have the few times<br />
I attended the Friday luncheon of the Christian<br />
Business Men's Association in New York City. Each<br />
luncheon was followed by a period of Bible study.<br />
At a dinner one evening at their headquarters we<br />
had a challenging report from the Billy Graham<br />
Greater London Crusade.<br />
9. Homes of former students. Visits to these<br />
homes gave Mrs. Weir and me immense pleasure, as<br />
any teacher can testify who has given long years<br />
to one school, making a large crop of students a-<br />
vailable for growing friendships as the years pass.<br />
Some of these homes are worldly; ideals taught in<br />
the Academy have been exchanged for others no<br />
apologies offered. In other homes the ideals have<br />
been kept in mind, but practice has fallen far be<br />
low. Apologies were offered, and an effort was made<br />
to conform in our presence. In still other homes<br />
ideals planted in the Academy have borne fruit:<br />
grace at meals, family worship, sound child train<br />
ing. What a pleasure to see it, and what a challenge<br />
to us to carry on. We attended two weddings of<br />
Academy graduates. At one we substituted for the<br />
bride's parents. Her husband has employment which<br />
keeps him quite busy, but he takes time out week<br />
ends to give his testimony and a Gospel message on<br />
the street at Times Square, that bee-hive area of<br />
New York City. At the other wedding the groom<br />
was an Academy graduate. He is a student in Bib<br />
lical Seminary, New York. His bride is a fine Chris<br />
tian nurse, and they look forward to service in the<br />
Near East.<br />
10. Groups responsible for mission policies. It<br />
was our privilege to attend parts of two meetings of<br />
our Foreign Board, two meetings of the Internation<br />
al Missionary Council at 156 Fifth Ave., New York,<br />
and the Chain of Missions meeting at Orlando, Fla.<br />
in February, 19<strong>54</strong>. Our Board is wrestling with the<br />
problems of finance and of basic policies of mission<br />
work. These other <strong>org</strong>anizations stressed the prac<br />
tical value of missions, the need of and the problems<br />
concerning the social application of the Gospel in<br />
foreign lands; there was little attention given to<br />
the redeeming power of Christ for the individual.<br />
Our Board should have stronger prayer support from<br />
the church as .<br />
they try faithfully to plan for work<br />
which they have never seen, details of which they<br />
have only from the meagre reports which the mis<br />
sionaries reluctantly take time to supply.<br />
11. Congregations and Sabbath Schools of the<br />
R. P. Church. This is a more familiar area, and<br />
would require much space for adequate treatment.<br />
As indicated above, the missionary receives a lift<br />
as he tries to share with the churches some of the<br />
facts concerning the work, and his own enthusiasm<br />
for it. He receives vocal assurance of prayer support<br />
which makes for more faithful work ahead. I shall<br />
claim space to mention only three congregations:<br />
Hot Springs, Phoenix, San Diego. Being more along<br />
mission lines, they attracted my sympathy, admira<br />
tion, and continued interest. Pray for them; go on<br />
vacation and give them a hand; go and live in the<br />
bounds of one of these stations when you want to<br />
make a change. Besides telling of the work in Cyp<br />
rus I assisted at Communion in several places. This<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
is a joy for the missionary licensed to preach, for it<br />
gives more time to get acquainted, and gives an op<br />
portunity to share Scripture truth as well as know<br />
ledge of missions.<br />
12. The home folks. Could one close such a list<br />
without mentioning the dear ones left behind on<br />
going to the field and the first to see and embrace<br />
on returning for furlough Sensing their spiritual<br />
and mental growth which has taken place during<br />
one's absence multiplies the joy of the new fellow<br />
ship. Then there is the old home site ; parents have<br />
passed on; but just to go and look about the place<br />
a bit memories, memories come flooding in. They<br />
start you all over again from childhood, and you<br />
set out with fresh vigor, this time to avoid some<br />
of the mistakes of the past, this time better ac<br />
quainted with the Source of Power.<br />
Dear Friends :<br />
Returning Home To Cyprus<br />
By Elizabeth E. Weir<br />
Brindisi, Italy<br />
January 21, 1955<br />
Each time as we start back again to Cyprus<br />
we think of how dependent we are upon the good<br />
friends God has given us. The Statue of Liberty<br />
quickly fades from view but the glow of warmth in<br />
our hearts stays as we look back on America and<br />
remember the blessings of our furlough. God has<br />
been very good to us. North, south, and west from<br />
New York we have traveled, and wherever we have<br />
gone the Christian fellowship has been a joy and<br />
an inspiration. We want to take this opportunity to<br />
thank the missionary societies for the Christmas<br />
cards they sent, though we usually<br />
letter from the field.<br />
answer with a<br />
The last days before sailing were indeed busy<br />
but filled with expressions of hope and encourage<br />
ment and the help that only dear friends and loved<br />
ones can give. We sailed January 10 on a new Italian<br />
ship, the Christoforo Colombo. Tourist class was<br />
quite good. There we found a group waiting outside<br />
our cabin when we came on board. We all managed<br />
to squeeze into the tiny cabin where the 121st Psalm<br />
was read by Mr. Leo Serian, and prayer by the Rev.<br />
Luther McFarland commended us to the care of<br />
Him who loves and cares for us all. Sweets and<br />
other gifts made our leave-taking jolly. We want<br />
especially to thank all the members of the Wo<br />
men's Synodical for the fine box of fruit that came<br />
with us. We saved some of it until we reached Italy<br />
and used it on the train which had no diner.<br />
Winter seas are in general rougher than summer<br />
seas, so we cannot complain about the "Long At<br />
lantic Swell." We missed two meals, but the little<br />
pills helped to keep one member of our twosome go<br />
ing. On Sabbath we had a very small Protestant<br />
service in the tourist part of the ship. First and<br />
second class passengers were notified but no one<br />
came. Our first speaker was the zealous Italian<br />
preacher, the Rev. Russo from Puteoli, the place in<br />
Italy where Paul stopped after his shipwreck at<br />
Malta (Acts 28:13). Mr. Russo has suffered for<br />
his beliefs, for he was in prison for six years (1936-<br />
1943). His church (Baptist) suffered much as the<br />
133
Waldensians did in Italy. After his short sermon<br />
Mr. Weir spoke on Romans 1:16, which the Rev.<br />
Russo interpreted.<br />
Our only stop was a short one at Gibraltar. On<br />
Tuesday, January 18, we arrived at Naples, a dif<br />
ferent place from the carefree city of before the<br />
war. People on the streets and in the shops seldom<br />
smile; wages are low, food very high, and many<br />
buildings need to be rebuilt. After two days there,<br />
we crossed by train to Brindisi on the east coast.<br />
From here we expected to sail for Cyprus tomorrow.<br />
Telegraphic news tells us that our ship will be a<br />
clay late in arriving. We have lost radio and tele<br />
visual contact with the outside world, but it seems<br />
that there have been heavy rains at Trieste and at<br />
Venice hindering the loading of the ship.<br />
As we near Cyprus we get anxious really to get<br />
there, and especially to land all our baggage safely,<br />
which should mean some pleasure to several of your<br />
friends there. Some folks may think we are Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Santa Claus.<br />
We look forward to seeing our friends again<br />
and to getting started into the work. Examinations<br />
will likely be in progress when we arrive, with the<br />
new semester just around the corner.<br />
Covenant Blessings Recognized<br />
By Rev. E. Clark Copeland.<br />
Dear <strong>Covenanter</strong> Friends,<br />
After a few cloudy days and rain, we have a<br />
beautiful sunny Monday morning. The children are<br />
sleeping in as they have mid-semester vacation.<br />
Mrs. Copeland is finishing up the marking of her<br />
examination papers. I shall take the opportunity to<br />
get off to you a belated letter.<br />
First let me express our appreciation for the<br />
many cards and letters received at Christmas time.<br />
We especially enjoy the personal notes which give<br />
first-hand information of your activities, hopes, la<br />
bors in this great Covenant task God has commit<br />
ted to us. Paul was greatly<br />
encouraged in his minis<br />
try at Corinth by the news that the church at Thes<br />
salonica was growing up in Christ (Acts 18:5).<br />
So we are encouraged by you. We are grateful to<br />
God for His goodness to you all in this past Cove<br />
nant Year, and we join in prayer that together we<br />
shall faithfully carry out our obligations received<br />
from Him and enjoy our privileges in Him, our<br />
Covenant God. Will you accept this letter as ac<br />
knowledgement of your greetings<br />
We are grateful of the assurance given of your<br />
continual prayer for the Lord's work here. We know,<br />
of course, that you are praying, but to hear you say<br />
it is fresh encouragement. Labor at times seems so<br />
fruitless; the soil is hard, impervious. Then sud<br />
denly God gives some fruit, and we know that it has<br />
been wrought in prayer, the united prayer of the<br />
church, more than in our weak efforts. Let us not<br />
slack in our labor of prayer for there is where our<br />
vision of the will of God is enlarged. Paul told<br />
the Ephesian churches, "God is able to do exceed<br />
ingly abundantly above all we ask or think." Let<br />
not our prayers be limited by our finite conception<br />
of the plan and purpose of God. It is our Father's<br />
134<br />
good pleasure to give us the whole Kingdom. We<br />
need our eyes opened to that scope, so that we may<br />
be laborers together with Him to the fullest ex<br />
tent.<br />
As my work this year in the Larnaca Academy<br />
has been less administrative, I have had more op<br />
portunity to do personal work among students. In<br />
the Boys' Fellowship Group at the beginning of<br />
the year we spent some time studying and discuss<br />
ing the way of salvation. Out of this I got the op<br />
portunity to talk personally with two of the boys,<br />
and they both accepted Christ as their Saviour. It<br />
has been a special joy to see them growing up in the<br />
Lord; reading, studying, memorizing the Scriptures<br />
with delight and increasing understanding. We have<br />
a similar group for girls in Larnaca, and also in<br />
Nicosia. We are praying that these groups will be<br />
come lively cells, reproducing, bringing new life in<br />
to the school and communities from which they<br />
come. Will you join us in prayer for this.<br />
At the end of December, Rev. Hagop Sagherian,<br />
the Armenian pastor, left our churches to become<br />
the general secretary of Young People's work for the<br />
Armenian Evangelical Union of Syria and Lebanon.<br />
The elders are alert and active in leading the con<br />
gregations, keeping the prayer meetings going, visit<br />
ing, and taking their place in leading the Sabbath<br />
services. Yesterday I preached for both congrega<br />
tions and remained in Larnaca for the English serv<br />
ice in the evening. In the afternoon I spoke to the<br />
Intermediate group. Mr. Weir preached at the Greek<br />
service in Larnaca in the morning and at the English<br />
service in Nicosia in the evening. Rev. C. Christou<br />
was in Limassol and a layman led the Greek service<br />
in Nicosia. Miss Reade has a group of girls studying<br />
the catechism Sabbath afternoons. Of course there<br />
are the Sabbath schools in each congregation. That<br />
is a picture of our Sabbaths.<br />
Rev. T. M. Hutcheson is recovering from the<br />
jaundice. He expects to be out by the middle of the<br />
week.<br />
Rev. C. C. Christou has completed the metrical<br />
versification of the Psalms in Greek to provide one<br />
version of each Psalm complete to fit the tunes of the<br />
new edition of the Psalter in English. A committee is<br />
now checking the work and it is being mimeographed.<br />
After using it for a time and possibly revising it<br />
where it may prove necessary, we hope to have a<br />
good Greek Psalter. He has completed the first draft<br />
of the translation of the Westminster Confession of<br />
Faith, and is now revising his work. It will be ready<br />
for publication soon. This is a very important work,<br />
considerably belated, and we rejoice to see it done.<br />
We are grateful for your money gifts that have come<br />
in for this translation work. More is yet needed. A<br />
paper bound edition of the Confession of Faith simi<br />
lar to the English edition of "A Summary of Doc<br />
trine would cost about $200.00.<br />
A number of people have expressed a desire to<br />
see an evangelical book store in Cyprus. There is<br />
some demand for evangelical<br />
books, and some have<br />
secured them through individual orders for sale.<br />
There is a general feeling that such a store would<br />
meet a need, similar to the service rendered by the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Book Room in Kobe. It would, of course,<br />
require some support in the beginning as it did there'.<br />
The new school<br />
building in Nicosia is going up<br />
apace. It looks like the contractor is up to schedule<br />
and we should have the building ready for school in<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
me'."<br />
September as planned. The other day the chief inspec<br />
tor of schools for the Department of Education said<br />
to me, "I am very glad to see you are getting your<br />
new building; for your teachers have had to cope<br />
with almost impossible physical conditions in that<br />
old building." "Except the Lord build the house,<br />
they labor in vain that build it." We have commit<br />
ted it to Him, and we pray for wisdom to use it for<br />
His glory and the realization of His Kingdom.<br />
"Union with Greece" campaigning goes on. The<br />
underworld is getting into activity as well as the<br />
Ethnarchy (central committee of the Greek Ortho<br />
dox Church presided over by the Archbishop). You<br />
may have heard in the news that an attempt to<br />
smuggle dynamite into the island was discovered<br />
not be<br />
by the police last week. This, however, may<br />
as serious as it may have sounded on the radio. We<br />
do not believe the leadership in the movement is in<br />
volved in such tactics. The sad thing about it all<br />
is that those who claim to be the representatives of<br />
Christ in this island are more concerned about this<br />
kind of activity than with the unity of their people<br />
with Christ.<br />
We are glad to welcome the Weirs back to Cyp<br />
rus on January 26. We thank God for what Mr. Weir<br />
was able to raise for the Larnaca Building Fund, a<br />
total of $25,000.00. We believe that God has a place<br />
for the schools in the mission work, and we seek<br />
His guidance in making them accomplish His pur<br />
pose.<br />
"Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel,<br />
and his Maker, 'Ask me of things to come concern<br />
ing my sons, and concerning the work of<br />
my hands<br />
command ye Isaiah 45:11.<br />
Report of Progress<br />
By Chester T. Hutcheson<br />
Dear <strong>Covenanter</strong> Readers in the U.S.A.<br />
By November our schools were pretty well<br />
started, although still short a couple of teachers.<br />
By the end of the month these were arranged for,<br />
in some instances satisfactorily, and in others not.<br />
But the worst difficulty was lack of textbooks. Even<br />
yet we do not have all textbooks ; neither our school<br />
nor the public schools. The Educational Department<br />
handles the books and gives them to us, at reason<br />
able prices, from their store, when available, on<br />
requisition. The top class, and that is what would<br />
be called about the top class of a Junior college,<br />
had an odd strike a few days ago about it. About<br />
80 students loafed in the halls of the local govern<br />
ment educational building during the daytime and<br />
slept there during the night. The result was only<br />
partially successful for the students. We do not<br />
have this class, so had no students participating.<br />
We are very glad to have Miss McClurkin and<br />
Mrs. Hutcheson back in the mission circle, and with<br />
their shoulders at the wheels in school work. We<br />
miss the Sandersons in this part; and the women's<br />
work is practically at a standstill, with Mrs. Mc<br />
Elroy in the U.S.A. Mrs. Hays has classes in the<br />
Girls school.<br />
We had two social events during the month;<br />
one an evening for the teachers, and the other a<br />
social evening for the High School age students who<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
know English. Both were well worth the effort, al<br />
though heavy rains kept some of the teachers at<br />
home.<br />
Our village evangelism seems to foe going along<br />
undisturbed. Mr. Hays had all his village workers<br />
in for a full day conference on personal evangelism<br />
during November. Pray especially for them, as<br />
people who are working in villages, mostly sur<br />
rounded with non-Christian people.<br />
Political conditions are unsettled as yet, and<br />
especially just now when I am writing the first<br />
week of December. We have had to close our schools<br />
for more than five days already this year. The same<br />
for all schools of the town. They seem to be used<br />
as a political football.<br />
Of our High School graduates last year; four<br />
have gone on to the American Junior college in<br />
Aleppo; one to the American University of Beirut;<br />
one to higher Arabic studies here in Syria; and<br />
one is a teacher in his home village, and intends<br />
to go to college next year, then to the seminary.<br />
The seminary requires one year of successful teach<br />
ing as a prerequisite to entrance.<br />
Perhaps you realize that two of our alumni are<br />
now students in Geneva college, U.S.A. Two more<br />
are expecting to be there the second semester. I<br />
think you will find these four very fine upright<br />
young people, and I hope you will be able to meet<br />
them. One, John Manoyan, who graduated from<br />
Geneva a few years ago, then did graduate study<br />
in Oklahoma University, is now working in the oil<br />
refining department of the Venezuelan govern<br />
ment. He made us a visit here last year,<br />
was on an assignment in Europe, visiting various<br />
while he<br />
oilfields and refineries of Europe; both in eastern<br />
and western Europe.<br />
We rejoice with Larnaca, Cyprus, in their be<br />
ing able to raise so much money for their new<br />
building projects. I was favorably impressed with<br />
their new buildings this summer. Also in Nicosia.<br />
From reports I get from U.S.A. some or maybe<br />
many think that our mission schools are costing too<br />
much. Well, as you know a school cannot stand still ;<br />
it must go forward or backwards. Are not all schools<br />
in your neighborhood increasing their budget from<br />
year to year So we must do also, or drop back<br />
wards. Even so, we have never been able to have<br />
music, athletics, drawing or manual training<br />
teachers in our schools. Perhaps you in U.S.A.<br />
would not send your child to a school that did not<br />
have these<br />
Here is a suggestion for your Christmas greet<br />
ing cards: box them up and send them to us to use<br />
as prizes for the smaller children. We are just about<br />
out of them. Some of our mission stations do not<br />
want them, I believe, but we can use hundreds of<br />
them to good advantage. Here is a human interest<br />
story about one child that shows its appreciation<br />
of a Christmas card given as a present for paying<br />
tuition on time. The next day the child brought the<br />
amount of her tuition, a second time, and said she<br />
brought it for another card.<br />
The mission staff have all been blessed with good<br />
health this year, and are busy<br />
with their respective<br />
duties. We were all able to enjoy a fine Thanks<br />
giving dinner at our house, at the time of this<br />
American festival.<br />
135
students'<br />
college."<br />
girls."<br />
world."<br />
ground."<br />
The following Sabbath day we had communion<br />
with around 200 communing. Eleven joined the<br />
church at this time, and three babies were bap<br />
tized on the previous Sabbath. It was a fine com<br />
munion season.<br />
Let us continue to pray for each other.<br />
Spiritual Fruits in the Lives of Students<br />
By Marjorie and Kenneth Sanderson<br />
As we have been going around over the church<br />
telling of the work in Syria we have been mention<br />
ing a number of the young people who were in our<br />
schools last year who came out quite definitely for<br />
Christ and asking prayer that they may be kept<br />
"strong in the faith." We thought perhaps some<br />
people might be interested in the following excerpts<br />
from letters we have received recently that tell in<br />
the<br />
tian life.<br />
own words of their continued Chris<br />
"I passed my summer vacation partly staying<br />
home helping father and of course studying some<br />
and doing my service to my Lord. Our lessons are<br />
quite complicated here much harder than last<br />
year's, but we know how to study hard, so we are<br />
doing so, which is the only means of success, of<br />
course not neglecting the help of God." (He is a<br />
freshman in Jr. College in Aleppo now.) "Here also<br />
I am giving a part of my time to God. Besides<br />
my daily devotions, I am a member of the Armenian<br />
Christian Endeavor. By the way, I have to confess<br />
that, as I believe is natural with many new born<br />
people, I had my own falls. I many times yielded to<br />
Satan, but in every case I asked the pardon of my<br />
Saviour and His help, so soon I regained my<br />
strength. Jesus is wonderful. I can feel that, and<br />
I have proved it in my<br />
own experience. Your humble<br />
student and brother because of Christ, Solomon<br />
Apellian."<br />
"We had a good time in the summer. We were<br />
having a Christian meeting every Thursday after<br />
noon. We were about fifteen boys and (This<br />
was in their village as this boy was a boarder last<br />
year.) "One of the members used to choose the sub<br />
ject of the week. Once when it was my turn I chose<br />
the subject, "What Must A Christian Do" I am<br />
very sorry to say that Christian life has almost<br />
no value by many in the (He was a senior<br />
in our school last year.) "Some of the boys even<br />
deny the existence of God. Some of them are very<br />
indifferent toward religion, and not concerned with<br />
it at all. But don't ever think that I have become one<br />
like them. No! Thank God for His grace, by which<br />
He kept me and is keeping me strong in my faith.<br />
Every day I read my Bible and pray. I attend<br />
Sabbath."<br />
Church every Misak Abdulian."<br />
This is from one of our teachers in the Boys'<br />
School :<br />
"Now we are in another school year. So far<br />
things are promising. I hope that many of our stu<br />
dents at both schools will take sides with the Lord's<br />
way. I pray that many of them will be cultivated and<br />
ready to grow the Lord's seeds. Kneel and pray for<br />
our work. Pray that we may be given the Lord's<br />
guidance.<br />
136<br />
"We had meetings this past summer with Bas<br />
sam Madany each Sabbath. I feel that life is going<br />
O.K. with me as a Christian. I found that there is<br />
nothing in the world more beautiful than to be a<br />
true follower of Christ. Christ first and then the<br />
Sadeek Yusuf, was in our high school<br />
until two years ago and now is in another in Lata<br />
kia studying for a higher degree.<br />
The following is a quotation from one of the<br />
teachers in our Girls' School. "My aunt Jaleeleh<br />
sick ten days ago and had a dangerous<br />
was very<br />
operation in Dar-EI-Zor and the doctors thought she<br />
would die. They sent us a telegram saying she was<br />
very sick and that there was poor hope of her heal<br />
ing. My grandmother and Aunt Wedad went to see<br />
her and to pray to God with all our hearts to heal<br />
her and God answered our prayers and today she<br />
left the hospital but she has to stay in bed for<br />
three months and have complete rest. She was given<br />
seven pints of blood during and after the operation.<br />
Really she was healed by a miracle from God."<br />
"I'll be glad to have new ideas from you for Sab<br />
bath School and the Girls' Fellowship Group."<br />
This boy was a non-C!hristian who came to know<br />
Christ while in our school and boarding department<br />
and is now a freshman in college. "Sir, we are do<br />
ing well and adjusting ourselves to the environment<br />
around here. I have received a letter from a girl<br />
in Orlando, Florida and I will be very happy to tell<br />
her how I was born again. I hope that God will<br />
work on those people and bring to Him as many<br />
of those as will believe in Him. I do read the Bible<br />
and pray constantly, but we are not having meet<br />
ings by ourselves and that, I am sure, is a great<br />
mistake of ours, but we will fix a time for a daily<br />
meeting. Best wishes for you. Pray for us and we<br />
will always pray for you. Sincerely yours, a warrior<br />
for Christ, A. R."<br />
These letters encouraged us very much and we<br />
hope that it will encourage the "<strong>Witness</strong>" readers<br />
too. Our hearts rejoiced last year to see so many<br />
of the boys and girls accepting Christ as their<br />
Saviour and going on to win others for Him, and<br />
again we are gladdened to see these young people<br />
continuing to live for Him. We are enjoying seeing<br />
so many old and new <strong>Covenanter</strong> friends and being<br />
in quite a few of our churches. May these young<br />
people foe as Samuel was described; "And Samuel<br />
grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none<br />
of his words fall to the (I Sam. 3:19.)<br />
GLIMPSES Continued from page 130<br />
drinking milk wherever he goes. He shamed Americans by<br />
his abstinence when he visited Washington recently. Possibly<br />
America may yet learn a lesson in temperance from France."<br />
All are now aware that Premier Mendes-France was<br />
given a no-confidence vote in the House of Deputies in<br />
France and has resigned. For consumption of the public it<br />
was stated that the Deputies were opposed to him because<br />
of his policy in North Africa, but it is this writer's guess<br />
and there were hints given to this effect<br />
that he was op<br />
posed and deposed because of his strong stand on behalf of<br />
temperance. Any one who has had a slight look on France,<br />
and especially on Paris, cannot but see that it is steeped in<br />
liquor and degraded by it, and it would require a most<br />
mighty upheval and reform to root it out.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
quickly."<br />
eat."<br />
water"<br />
sin,"<br />
water"<br />
contaminated."<br />
"SALT"<br />
By Rose A. Huston<br />
Mr. Joshua Tamada, a young man whose father is<br />
Interpreter for an Army Chaplain, interpreted for<br />
me a few times, as I taught Matthew in the adult<br />
Bible Class on Sabbath. He asked to keep the manu<br />
script, hoping sometime to use it in teaching some<br />
Bible in the school where he teaches English. At<br />
their first teachers' meeting before school started, he<br />
announced that he is a Christian, and learned that<br />
he is the only one in a large school. He passes these<br />
manuscripts to the other teachers who know English,<br />
and they are interested in reading them. One of them<br />
is interested enough to come to S. S. and church<br />
when he is free to come.<br />
Mr. Nozawa says that "with all his heart" he<br />
wants to come to church, but he must work seven<br />
days a week in order to keep his job.<br />
A patient in the Suma hospital recovered from<br />
T.B. and went home, interested in the Gospel, but<br />
when she found that two of her children were run<br />
ning fever, she said God must first heal them, then<br />
she would believe in Jesus. Mrs. Takihara told her<br />
that her husband first believed, then God healed<br />
him.<br />
The latest report from Mr. Takihara, January 10,<br />
proves the wonder working power of God. After the<br />
October operation, the doctor said he could probably<br />
operate on the other lung about March. To his sur<br />
prise, while the first lung is healing, the spot on<br />
the second one has almost disappeared also. The<br />
surgeon was incredulous. "It can't be true," he<br />
said, "Not one in a thousand heals like that and so<br />
He was astonished when he saw the Xray<br />
picture and said it was very remarkable. The oper<br />
ated lung is about ready for the second operation,<br />
and if he continues to improve as he has been doing,<br />
he may be able to leave the hospital in August.<br />
Mr. Masunaga is almost fully recovered, and hopes<br />
to do some work in the Seminary beginning in<br />
April.<br />
Miss Edamatsu gave up her work in the Book<br />
Room, as her mother needed her help in their res<br />
taurant. Her Christian life there is not without its<br />
difficulties; she is the only Christian, all the others<br />
being ardent Buddhists or very worldly. Her sister<br />
thinks only of her 'own beauty and pleasure and<br />
continually finds fault with her hard-working sis<br />
ter. "When I bow my head to pray before eating,<br />
she calls the attention of all in the restaurant with<br />
sneering remarks. The land on which our restaurant<br />
is built belongs to a Buddhist temple, so every<br />
month several Buddhist priests come to collect<br />
money, and to eat a feast. My parents command me<br />
to attend their worship service which lasts for an<br />
hour. But in this, I must disobey them. The only<br />
service I do for them is to pour hot water for them<br />
while they Mieko soon graduated from the St.<br />
Michael's School, and would like to take a course in<br />
a Bible School, but her mother says, "If you go to<br />
us."<br />
a Christian school you will not belong to<br />
Miss Kizumi is now helping in the Book Room.<br />
She too has burdens. Her father had reverses in<br />
business and had to sell his home, and begin a new<br />
smaller business. Her grandparents are eighty years<br />
old, one of them bedfast; her aunt who lives near<br />
here, is about seventy and almost blind, a widow<br />
with no children. Miss Kizumi is the only Christian,<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
but she is trying to help the family to know the<br />
way of life.<br />
Mr. Maeda, in whose home we have had a Bible<br />
Class for children, formerly claimed to be an agnos<br />
tic, and in earlier life was opposed to Christianity,<br />
has been doing some special work for me for a few<br />
weeks, now says he would like to join the Book<br />
Room Bible Class.<br />
Mr. Mita, when chided for working long after<br />
closing time in the Book Room, said: "Never mind.<br />
This work I like."<br />
A recent letter from Mr. David Leung, son of<br />
Rev. Leung Mau Hing, our first pastor in Tak Hing<br />
many years ago, says he has just graduated from<br />
the Canton Medical School, formely Ling Naam. He<br />
has a year of internship there, and hopes he may<br />
be allowed to work in Canton Hospital after that.<br />
His younger brother graduated possibly in engi<br />
neering a year earlier and is now with a National<br />
Construction Company in Honan province. He says,<br />
"I think it will give you great consolation that my<br />
sister has been baptized, and is now more close to<br />
the Lord than ever before. She is now in Peking<br />
as my brother-in-law was transferred there. I always<br />
have opportunity to see Sister Jeanette Li when I<br />
am in Canton. She is still living in the southern<br />
capital safely. Her physical condition has been quite<br />
good, and she is also serving the Lord with all her<br />
heart."<br />
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. And<br />
pray that His Word faithfully sown may bring forth<br />
abundant harvest.<br />
STRATEGY FOR CHRISTIAN MISSIONS .<br />
Continued from Front Page<br />
. .<br />
with babies going around behind the temple. I fol<br />
lowed them and to my horror saw those mothers,<br />
one by one, take their babies and hold their little<br />
faces under the flow of sewage that was draining out<br />
of the temple through a small pipe in the rear. It ran<br />
into mouth, eyes and nose. As I watched, a Hindu<br />
gentleman stepped up to me and explained in Oxford<br />
English that this was "holy and the mothers<br />
did this thinking it would bless their babies. He re<br />
luctantly admitted, however, that it was probable<br />
that many of the babies would die of infection be<br />
cause the "holy was "much<br />
However, he remarked that his poor people "were<br />
ignorant."<br />
How can Satan bind people in this way<br />
But he does.<br />
Christians are respected in India. There is an esti<br />
mated five million constituency of them. These all<br />
really won to Christ, filled by His Spirit and given a<br />
vision of the lost masses about them would make<br />
the best missionaries to 600,000 villages where<br />
Christ is not known. The India Church needs revival.<br />
Buddhism<br />
Five hundred years before Christ a Hindu<br />
prince, Siddhartha Gotama, was born in India near<br />
the city of Benares. Early in life he became more<br />
sorrow and death than the plea<br />
sures of an immoral high caste Hindu society. He<br />
turned to meditation, poverty, and doing penance to<br />
atone for his sins. To become "enlightened" or free<br />
he concluded that re-incarnation<br />
concerned over sin,<br />
from "worldly<br />
or the transmigration of one's soul might be neces<br />
sary through a series of lives on earth until one could<br />
finally live a sinless life and be permitted to enter the<br />
137
one"<br />
me."<br />
will"<br />
work"<br />
you."<br />
preach."<br />
alone."<br />
conquer."<br />
state of "nirvana" or non-existence. He taught that<br />
the three great sins are "self indulgence," "ill<br />
and "ignorance." He taught that there was no Crea<br />
tor, no God, no Heaven, only nirvana. Man must<br />
save himself. He opposed idolatry. Buddha, the "en<br />
lightened died. His teachings were received un<br />
til today over 200 million lost souls look to Buddha<br />
for salvation. Oddly enough Buddha is an idol and<br />
there are all kinds of Buddhas jade, copper, golden<br />
in beautiful, spotlessly clean temples, but Buddha<br />
is dead. The temples are filled with images of dead<br />
Buddhas Buddha meditating, Buddha teaching,<br />
Buddha fasting. In the beautiful Golden Temple in<br />
Bangkok I was looking down a long corridor lined<br />
with Buddhas. After passing a Buddha of skin and<br />
bones Buddha fasting I saw a Thai lady of consid<br />
erable avoirdupois stop and worship the skinny<br />
Buddha. Apparently, it was her favorite Buddha. It<br />
seemed very appropriate.<br />
Twenty-five years ago, some thought Buddhism<br />
was losing its hold on the masses. Today it is a<br />
strange mixture of mysticism and idolatry, both so<br />
acceptable to the oriental mind. This religion of kind<br />
ness, penance, high ethical teachings isn't too bad,<br />
we might say, but what does it do for the masses<br />
Yes, they know Buddha's teachings, yet they lie,<br />
steal, worship demons with their little demon houses<br />
on posts outside their houses. It hasn't been able to<br />
overcome the sin problem. Man cannot save himself.<br />
It has its satanic strategy. It attracts thousands of<br />
priests who train for life ministry. Many men enter<br />
as lay priests for short or long periods abandoning<br />
their families as they seek solace from a wicked<br />
world and end in disillusionment. Today in Japan,<br />
Buddhists are starting Sunday Schools, and singing<br />
Buddhists songs, such as "Buddha loves They<br />
are filling the religious vacuum we didn't fill with<br />
the Gospel. Buddhism still has the masses and public<br />
opinion. It is keyed to the oriental mind, and is a<br />
religion of works. There are approximately 17,000<br />
seminary students of Buddhism in Thailand right<br />
now. But everywhere Buddhists are seemingly more<br />
open to the Gospel. A revived Christianity with a<br />
living Christ is finding a new response in Buddhist<br />
lands.<br />
(Continued in Next Missionary Issue)<br />
A Plea to Raise Synod's Budget<br />
in Full Plus $5,000<br />
Do you know that shortage of funds makes it<br />
almost impossible for our Board of Foreign Missions<br />
to send out new recruits to each of our fields, of<br />
Syria, Cyprus, and Japan<br />
Do you know that a strong appeal from our<br />
Japan Mission, asking for a second new minister<br />
in Japan in 1955, was considered by last meeting of<br />
Synod at Grinnell<br />
Do you know that Synod voted to approve this<br />
appointment of a new minister for Japan IF the<br />
entire budget for the current year, $110,815, PLUS<br />
another $5,000, is raised by the end of March 1955<br />
Do you know that a total of $115,815 must be in<br />
Mr. Chester Fox's office by March 31st if the Board<br />
of Foreign Missions is to send another ordained<br />
minister to Japan<br />
Do you know that a young <strong>Covenanter</strong> minister<br />
has applied to be appointed to go to Japan with<br />
138<br />
his family Do you know that his appointment waits<br />
on the fulfilment of this obligation to raise Synod's<br />
budget in full, PLUS $5,000<br />
Charles S. Sterrett, Corresponding Secretary<br />
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
Dad Hall, Bishop of Wall Street.<br />
Sara C. Palmer<br />
This is the biography of one of our outstanding<br />
Christian leaders and workers. He took as his person<br />
al charge the command of Christ to the apostles,<br />
"And as ye go, He obeyed it to the letter<br />
and preached in many different places to all sorts<br />
of people. He was a minister in the Episcopalian<br />
church, but he did his greatest work in outdoor<br />
preaching, in prisons and in short messages over<br />
the telephone. He began his work in prisons by be<br />
ing invited to a service in a prison and then, without<br />
any warning, being called upon to speak. He began<br />
his telephone ministry by being called by mistake.<br />
He told the caller of his need of God and salvation.<br />
This man told some of his friends to call the same<br />
number. They did and so this telephone ministry<br />
began. Since then millions of people in different<br />
cities have called this group, for one man could not<br />
long continue to answer all the calls. It has been<br />
written up in several national magazines, including<br />
the American, Readers' Digest and Colliers. He be<br />
gan preaching out of doors in Wall Street, when<br />
the man who started it died. He carried it on for<br />
nine years until compelled to stop because of Com<br />
munists who came in and began to speak. In order<br />
to stop these Communists, all of this work was<br />
stopped.<br />
He was a man who encouraged many to do Christ<br />
ian work along with other work, and who led many to<br />
enter the ministry and mission work.<br />
It is an interesting book that is hard to put down.<br />
It is an encouraging book. This man did the Lord's<br />
work and saw many converts. It is a humbling book,<br />
and should make every reader ask, "Why am I not<br />
taking advantage of more opportunities to do the<br />
Lord's<br />
It is published by Moody Press and sells for $2.50.<br />
R. C. F.<br />
Not in Unbelief.<br />
pronounced type. He wrote:<br />
born."<br />
Not in Pleasure.<br />
WHERE IS HAPPINESS<br />
:<br />
<strong>Vol</strong>taire was an infidel of the most<br />
"I wish I had never been<br />
Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure<br />
if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and the<br />
grief are mine<br />
Not in Money.<br />
Jay Gould, the American millionaire,<br />
had plenty of that. When dying he said: "I suppose I am<br />
the most miserable man on earth."<br />
Not in Position and Fame.<br />
Lord Beaconsfield en<br />
joyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is<br />
a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a secret."<br />
Not in Military Glory. Alexander the Great con<br />
quered the known world in his day. Having done so, he<br />
wept in his tent because, he said, "There are no more<br />
worlds to<br />
Where, Then, is Happiness Found The answer is<br />
simple: In Christ alone. He said, "I will see you again<br />
and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh<br />
from Selected.<br />
COVENANTEE WITNESS
Lesson Helps for the Week of March 20, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
March 20, 1955<br />
METHODS OF BIBLE STUDY<br />
"Character Study"<br />
Rev. Kenneth Smith<br />
Here is a suggested plan for your<br />
Young People's Meeting this week.<br />
1. Pick three people from your group<br />
to select their favorite psalm. If you ask<br />
them just before the meeting, it will<br />
give them time to select the one they<br />
love the most. Begin the meeting then<br />
with a praise service, asking each one of<br />
these folks to tell why they like the<br />
psalm they have chosen.<br />
2. Following the praise service, take<br />
some time for prayer. Ask the group if<br />
there are any specific matters for which<br />
they<br />
would like prayer; and then call on<br />
about four or five to pray, remembering<br />
these requests.<br />
3. Since the meeting<br />
centers on the<br />
subject of Bible study, have one of the<br />
:97-<br />
group prepared to read Psalm 119<br />
104 giving special note to the benefits<br />
which God promises to those who study<br />
the Bible.<br />
4. Now tonight you are going to try a<br />
different type of Bible study. It is called<br />
a "Character Study." A character study<br />
is no more than just what the subject<br />
describes: it is an analysis of a person<br />
in scripture with the purpose of learning<br />
from his life. I Corinthians 10:11 says:<br />
"Now all these things happened unto<br />
them for ensamples; and they are writ<br />
ten for our admonition, upon whom the<br />
come."<br />
ends of the world are So it is evi<br />
dent that God intends us to do "charac<br />
ter" studies that we might learn from<br />
them how we can be more effective in<br />
living for the glory<br />
of Christ.<br />
In actually doing a character study,<br />
one should write down what he can find<br />
on the following items:<br />
a. His conversion.<br />
b. His call to service.<br />
c. His strong points, (faith, prayer,<br />
etc.)<br />
d. His weak points, (sins, failures,<br />
etc.)<br />
e. His accomplishments.<br />
f. His influence.<br />
g. What to follow in his life.<br />
h. What to avoid in his life.<br />
i. What God said about him.<br />
5. The person whose life we are going<br />
to analize is Cornelius as described in<br />
Acts 10. By following the above outline,<br />
we will try to discover the elements in<br />
Cornelius that made him the man he<br />
was; and by so doing, we will be able to<br />
tell if we measure up to his character.<br />
If we see something<br />
wonderful in his<br />
life, it will give us something to try to<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
develop in ourselves with God's help.<br />
a. See that each one of the group has<br />
a copy of this list of items for which to<br />
look. Perhaps a blackboard could have<br />
the list so that everyone could see them.<br />
b. Have each person go into another<br />
part of the room and actually work out<br />
the answers from his Bible. The leader<br />
should see that paper and pencils are<br />
supplied, and he should also remind each<br />
one to note also the verse or verses from<br />
which he took his answers.<br />
c. Set a time limit. After explaining<br />
what is to be done, the leader should al<br />
low about 20 or 25 minutes for work on<br />
the study. Some will probably not finish;<br />
but it will be enough time to let them<br />
discover "how" to do a character study.<br />
The leader should do the study prior to<br />
the time of the meeting in order to be<br />
able to help any who may have some<br />
questions.<br />
d. Give a two-minute warning before<br />
saying:<br />
"Time's up!"; and then have<br />
the group gather together again to dis<br />
cuss what they found. The leader may<br />
call upon different ones to answer the<br />
different items, and this will promote<br />
everyone's having a part in the meeting.<br />
There may be certain items which are<br />
not found described in Cornelius' life;<br />
but in studying other characters they<br />
may be found. No doubt there will be<br />
plenty of discussion; and though the<br />
group wants to keep on sharing their<br />
discoveries, the leader should by all<br />
means close the meeting on time.<br />
6. In closing the meeting, the leader<br />
might suggest that each one keep this<br />
list of items for doing a Character Study<br />
and occasionally give variety to his de<br />
votional life by choosing<br />
a person in<br />
scripture and analyzing him. (It would<br />
be well to note the directions for all<br />
the study-plans described during the<br />
meetings in March. These plans are in<br />
valuable in keeping your devotional time<br />
keen and refreshing.) In most cases, it<br />
will be impossible to find in one passage<br />
all that one would like to know about<br />
characters in scripture, like David, Ab<br />
raham, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and<br />
Peter. Thus, you will need a concordance<br />
to look up all the passages in which<br />
these persons are mentioned, record<br />
them, and then consider each passage<br />
systematically. Keeping your findings in<br />
a notebook would be of great help to<br />
you in the future when you wish to re<br />
call what you found. If these suggestions<br />
are stressed by the leader, then this<br />
meeting will have lasting<br />
results as<br />
another approach has been given to<br />
JUNIOR<br />
help unfold the riches of God's Word.<br />
TOPIC<br />
March 20, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST<br />
Scripture Text: Mark 15:12-25<br />
Memory Verse: "All we like sheep have<br />
gone astray; we have turned eveiy<br />
one to his own way; and the Lord hath<br />
all."<br />
laid on him the iniquity of us<br />
Isaiah 53:6<br />
Psalms:<br />
Memory Psalm for March, Psalm 130 :<br />
1-5, page 325<br />
Psalm 69:1-4, page 166<br />
Psalm 22, pages 46, 47 (use several<br />
verses from Psalm 22 for it is the<br />
psalm from which Jesus quoted<br />
while on the cross.)<br />
We are continuing our sad story from<br />
last week about the trials and death of<br />
Jesus Christ. We learned that in the<br />
middle of the night Judas pretended to<br />
be a friend of Jesus by giving Him a<br />
kiss, but this kiss was only a sign to a<br />
lot of soldiers that this was Jesus whom<br />
they were seeking to kill. Judas be<br />
trayed Jesus with a kiss. We cannot, in<br />
our short time, tell all that happened<br />
from the time Judas betrayed Jesus un<br />
til Jesus was nailed to the cross.<br />
The Jewish rulers were wanting Jesus<br />
put to death because He claimed to be<br />
God. So Jesus was taken to the high<br />
priest<br />
the highest ruler of the Jewish<br />
synagogue who should have rejoiced to<br />
see the Saviour. Peter followed the<br />
crowd and went in by the fire to keep<br />
warm. Before a man could be con<br />
demned to die there had to be the same<br />
charge brought against him by at least<br />
two witnesses. The people<br />
'<br />
inside could<br />
not agree about the reason why they<br />
had taken Jesus prisoner. Several people<br />
charged Him with things that were not<br />
so. Some people remembered things Je<br />
sus had said and twisted His words<br />
around to mean something entirely dif<br />
ferent from what Jesus meant. Through<br />
all this Jesus did not talk back. The<br />
high priest stood up<br />
He had nothing to say<br />
and asked Him if<br />
about the false<br />
charges. Still Jesus answered nothing.<br />
But when the high priest asked Jesus,<br />
"Art thou the Christ, the Son of the<br />
Blessed"<br />
then Jesus Spoke. In all His<br />
trials Jesus spoke only when there came<br />
up a question as to whether He is God<br />
or not. The Jews did not want to believe<br />
that Jesus is God so the high priest rent<br />
his clothes and said that because Jesus<br />
said He is the Saviour, therefore He<br />
must die. Then they began to hit Jesus<br />
139
eceive."<br />
prayer."<br />
us."<br />
sober."<br />
and spit in His face and make fun of<br />
Him. But Jesus was bound and couldn't<br />
defend Himself if He had wanted to.<br />
While these things were happening to<br />
Jesus, Peter was watching. Three times<br />
someone accused him of being a dis<br />
ciple of Jesus and each time Peter said<br />
he didn't even know- Him. The third<br />
time the rooster crowed and Jesus<br />
turned and looked on Peter. Peter saw<br />
that look. It was such a look as made<br />
Peter go out and weep bitterly. He was<br />
so sorry about how he had denied Jesus.<br />
The Jews couldn't kill anyone. The<br />
Romans were rulers over the Jews and<br />
had taken this authority away from<br />
them. So Jesus had to be taken before<br />
Pilate, the Roman ruler. Again the Jews<br />
accused Jesus of saying that He is God<br />
and Pilate marveled that Jesus an<br />
swered nothing. Pilate was not a Jew<br />
and didn't care anything<br />
about this re<br />
ligious trial. He thought he could get<br />
out of it by sending Him to another<br />
ruler, Herod. But Herod found no reason<br />
why Jesus should die and he sent Him<br />
back to Pilate. Pilate made several weak<br />
attempts to free Jesus. Finally he<br />
thought of a plan. Surely it would work.<br />
It was the custom for Pilate to release<br />
a Jewish prisoner at the time of the<br />
Passover. Pilate reminded the Jews of<br />
this and offered to release either Jesus<br />
or a very, very wicked man, Barabbas.<br />
Surely they would ask for Jesus to be<br />
freed because if Barabbas were released<br />
he would go about robbing and stealing<br />
and killing. But, No! The Jews asked for<br />
Barabbas to be released and wanted Je<br />
sus to be crucified. So Pilate command<br />
ed that Jesus be crucified. But first they<br />
beat Jesus on His bare back. Then they<br />
made fun of Him and dressed Him up to<br />
represent a king, but for a crown they<br />
used long, sharp thorns and pushed it<br />
down on His head until the blood ran<br />
down His face. Then,<br />
after such a hard<br />
night, and with His back and head<br />
bleeding, they compelled Jesus to carry<br />
a heavy cross. After nailing His hands<br />
and feet to the cross, they set the cross<br />
upright, dropping it into the hole they<br />
had dug.<br />
Seven times are recorded when Jesus<br />
spoke while on the cross. Read Luke<br />
23:34, 43; John 19:26 and 27, 28; Mark<br />
15:34; John 19:30 and Luke 23:46. One<br />
of these sayings was "It is finished."<br />
What was finished Jesus paid for the<br />
sins of all who will accept Jesus' death<br />
on the cross. Jesus worked out our sal<br />
vation by His life and by His death.<br />
"The wages of sin is death; but the gift<br />
of God is<br />
eternal life through Jesus<br />
Christ our Lord." He is offering this gift<br />
of salvation to us today. Have you re<br />
ceived this gift of<br />
for your sins<br />
Jesus'<br />
punishment<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
March 20, 1955<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday Schooi<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by International<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
CHRISTIAN LIVING<br />
TEMPERANCE<br />
Acts 20:17-35; Rom. 6:12-14; Eph. 5:1-<br />
21; Col. 3:1-11; Thess. 4:1-8; Peter 1:13-<br />
16; I John 2:1-17.<br />
PRINTEDActs 20:17, 18, 24, 35-38;<br />
Col. 2:5-11; I Thess. 4:1-8; I John 2:1-6<br />
Memory: I Peter 1:15, 16 "But as He<br />
which hath called you is holy, so be ye<br />
holy in all manner of conversation; be<br />
cause it is written, Be ye holy; for I am<br />
holy."<br />
It is unusual to see the subject,<br />
Temperance, where there is no reference<br />
to alcohol. We talk so much about the<br />
wickedness of alcoholic<br />
intemperance<br />
(the sin of other folks,) that we over<br />
look the meaning of the word, which is<br />
self<br />
control. How about a temperance<br />
pledge requiring total abstinence from<br />
wrath, strife, and the other vices that<br />
rival alcohol as a disturber of peace,<br />
happiness and prosperity<br />
Acts 20:17<br />
Paul called the elders of Ephesus to<br />
come to Miletus for a conference. This<br />
was in some points like a meeting of<br />
Presbytery. He reminded them of what<br />
they had been taught, and urged them<br />
to be faithful. It was his last meeting<br />
with them, and his last recorded words<br />
of his address were words of<br />
Jesus,<br />
pointing them to a happier manner of<br />
life than was common among them.<br />
"It is more blessed to give<br />
than to<br />
After Paul had prayed with<br />
them, they bade him a sad farewell and<br />
helped him on his way.<br />
Col. 3:5<br />
Mortify, put to death, kill. What<br />
Your members that fulfill evil desires<br />
which belong to the earth, in opposition<br />
to the affections that are set on things<br />
that are above referred to in v. 2. The<br />
influences that drag down to a low<br />
plane, away from the high plane that<br />
is set for Christian living, should be<br />
destroyed. As the subject Temperance<br />
suggests, we must not let ourselves run<br />
wild, but should keep ourselves under<br />
control. An auto on the highway is a<br />
terrible thing if it is not under control.<br />
Most of our vices are perverted virtues.<br />
It makes every difference whether our<br />
talents are used for good or evil. Most<br />
sins are habit forming, keep leading<br />
to sin. Paul warns us to kill those<br />
members, motives, habits in us which<br />
drag our talents down to the low level<br />
of earthliness.<br />
Paul is speaking to those who have<br />
lived in the influence of Greek idolatry<br />
and sin. In verses 5,8,9, he gives a list<br />
of sins that were commonplace among<br />
the Greeks, and too common among<br />
Christians, and that bring "the wrath<br />
of God." We are to live as new creatures<br />
in Christ,<br />
and there is no respect of race<br />
or condition of birth.<br />
"<br />
please<br />
. . . . how<br />
God."<br />
I Thess. 4:1<br />
ye ought to walk to<br />
Eastern philosophy cen<br />
tered in pleasing self. The human body<br />
was not valued for any other purpose,<br />
but was looked on rather as an evil<br />
thing<br />
except as it ministered to one's<br />
pleasure. Paul emphasises the Christian<br />
motive, to please God. Paul pointed out<br />
the high dignity of Christian personality.<br />
The Lord told Ananias that Paul was a<br />
chosen vessel to bear His name before<br />
the gentiles and kings and the child<br />
ren of Israel (Acts 9:15). And Paul<br />
writing to the Corinthians (II Cor. 4:7),<br />
speaks of the priceless treasure God has<br />
entrusted to him to carry to them, even<br />
"the light of the knowledge of the Glory<br />
of God." He writes, "But we have this<br />
treasure in earthen vessels,<br />
that the<br />
excellency of the power may be of God,<br />
and not of Even fallen humanity<br />
can be cleansed to serve as a vessel to<br />
carry priceless treasures. A vessel<br />
though earthen, may be clean. Paul<br />
sees the Gospel as reaching far beyond<br />
the felicity of the Christian. The Chris<br />
tian's highest honor is to be trusted<br />
as a vessel to carry the precious treas<br />
ure, message, to others. So Paul urges<br />
personal cleanliness, "That each one of<br />
you may<br />
know how to possess himself<br />
of his own vessel in sanctification and<br />
honor."<br />
Though we<br />
are but earthen<br />
vessels we are to carry a treasure that<br />
is beyond price, (v. 8).<br />
I Peter 1:18<br />
This is assigned for reading, but is<br />
not printed. It has a companion word<br />
for temperance that is worthy of our<br />
notice. "Therefore, gird up the loins<br />
of your mind, be<br />
On this word<br />
sober, I quote from Donald MacKenzie;<br />
"On its positive side, it is the watchful,<br />
alert state of the soul which knows that<br />
the day of Christ has already dawned,<br />
the earnest expectation of the coming<br />
of the Master. The prayerful, hopeful,<br />
longing spirit of love for the coming<br />
of the full day of Christ. It is opposed<br />
on the one hand to the slumber of the<br />
drunkard, and on the other to the list<br />
less stupor that is characteristic of the<br />
half awakened .... The<br />
Christian<br />
soldier is armed against that by a life<br />
of sobriety, of righteousness, of long<br />
ing<br />
I John 2:1-16<br />
John tells us of the love and mercy<br />
of God, not that we may feel that it is<br />
possible to continue in sin and be for<br />
given, but that we sin not. Jesus Christ,<br />
our advocate with the Father, is right-<br />
140<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
walked."<br />
me"<br />
rod."<br />
eous and secures our f<strong>org</strong>iveness in or<br />
der that we may<br />
righteousness.<br />
go forward in His<br />
There might be an interesting dis<br />
cussion as to whether Christ is an ad<br />
vocate for all men, or only for<br />
the<br />
saved. Did He die and pay the penalty<br />
for the sins of those who deny Him, or<br />
only for the sins of those who through<br />
faith receive Him Some have found<br />
much interest in this discussion but, I<br />
fear, little profit. The important ques<br />
tion is, "Did He die for<br />
We know<br />
how we can be certain. Christ by His<br />
death, paid the penalty for the sins of<br />
all who believe on Him. Here is a prac<br />
tical verse; v. 3 "And hereby we know<br />
that we know Him, if we keep His com<br />
mandments."<br />
This does not mean an in<br />
tellectual,<br />
speculative knowledge of the<br />
existence or prerogatives of God, as they<br />
have been told to us by others, and as<br />
they appeal to our reason. A saving<br />
knowledge of God is spiritual, and comes<br />
to us through an experience of Christ<br />
in us, that enables us to say, "Our God,<br />
"Our<br />
Father,"<br />
with consciousness<br />
personally possessing Him. Then we will<br />
obey Him, not because of the penalty of<br />
disobedience, nor from a sense of duty,<br />
but because of our love for Christ, we<br />
accept every work gladly that He com<br />
mands us to do and rejoice to do His<br />
will.<br />
of<br />
The commandments are all summed<br />
up in one word, love. A perfect love is<br />
the fulfillment of the law and the com<br />
mandments. There is one word that<br />
covers your duty to your auto; Take<br />
care of it. But unless you trust that<br />
to someone else, you will need to read<br />
a large book of instructions. But our<br />
life,<br />
we cannot hire it done for us. So<br />
we need a compendium of specific rules<br />
to tell us just how we can carry out our<br />
duties to God and Man. So we are given<br />
ten brief rules. Then for further study,<br />
we have a large Book giving precepts,<br />
examples and exercises that we should<br />
follow daily. In addition to these, we<br />
have a Comforter to walk beside us, and<br />
lead us into a true understanding of<br />
our duty as shown in our Guide Book.<br />
Though there are many rules given us.<br />
they all center in the Righteousness of<br />
Jesus Christ, imputed to us and re<br />
ceived by Faith.<br />
"He that saith he abideth in Him,<br />
ought himself also to walk even as He<br />
When one sells principle for populari<br />
ty, he is bankrupt.<br />
He who walks with God will never<br />
be late to his spiritual meals.<br />
A day of worry is more exhausting<br />
than a week of work.<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
Please Note: This Prayer Meeting Topic<br />
is a week ahead of time, substituting for<br />
the tardy one.<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
March 30, 1955<br />
By Rev. C. E. Caskey<br />
GREAT QUESTIONS GOD ASKS:<br />
"What is that in thine hand"<br />
Psalms:<br />
Exodus 4:2<br />
89:8-11, Page 217<br />
105 :17, 18, 22, 23, Page 259<br />
78:1, 2, 9-12, Page 187<br />
40:9-12, Page 103<br />
References: Matthew 16:24-27; Exodus<br />
4:29-31; 7:9-13; 7:19, 20; 8:5, 6; 8:16-<br />
19; 10:13, 14; 14:15, 16; 17:5, 6; Num<br />
bers 20:8-11; Matthew 6:33; Isaiah<br />
6:8.<br />
This is the first of four topics on the<br />
subject: "Great Questions God Asks."<br />
They will be taken up on the fifth Wed<br />
nesdays of the year.<br />
We are familiar with the setting for<br />
the question, "What is that in thine<br />
hand"<br />
Moses, leading the flock of Jethro<br />
his father-in-law to the backside of<br />
the desert, had come to the mountain of<br />
God, Mount Horeb. There he saw the<br />
burning bush and came near so that<br />
God spoke to Him out of the bush and<br />
told him He was sending him to Pha<br />
raoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.<br />
Moses was hesitating,<br />
and felt that the<br />
people would not believe that the Lord<br />
had appeared to him. Then came the<br />
question, "What is that in thine hand"<br />
Moses said, "A Just the equipment<br />
of any shepherd which he used every day<br />
in his work. Perhaps it was a little bet<br />
ter than ordinary; as befitted a prince<br />
and the son-in-law of Jethro, but not<br />
much different. At God's command he<br />
threw it down and it became a serpent,<br />
a perfect, strong, active, terrifying,<br />
dangerous serpent. Moses suddenly<br />
made tracks to get out of its way! But<br />
the Lord said to reach out and take it<br />
by the tail. Would you have done this<br />
Slippery, slimy, slithering, repulsive<br />
reptile! But its repulsiveness was no<br />
thing compared to the danger of tak<br />
ing it by the tail. Serpents just aren't<br />
caught that way. The death-dealing<br />
fangs would surely sink into his flesh.<br />
But God said, "Put forth thine hand,<br />
and take it by the tail." Moses did, and<br />
it became a rod in his hand. Nothing<br />
slimy about it (they tell us snakes really<br />
aren't, they may be cold, but not<br />
slimy, and nothing dangerous about a<br />
rod.<br />
God's calls to obedience are often like<br />
that. We think the thing<br />
to do is disagreeable, but the only dan<br />
we are asked<br />
ger lies in disobedience or in partial o-<br />
bedience. Running loose the snake was<br />
a menace. Taken to the hand of Moses<br />
it became a harmless rod.<br />
We can't<br />
touch those people! But in obedience<br />
to God we do and find that our preju<br />
dices were all wrong and they<br />
are not<br />
what we thought they were. We think we<br />
can't do something for it would en<br />
danger our social standing, our job, our<br />
ease, or even our life and health. The<br />
truth is that the only danger is in dis<br />
obedience and not in the thing we fear.<br />
The Lord told Moses that the people<br />
would see this sign and the other signs<br />
and would believe. How will people be<br />
lieve our message When we take what<br />
we have in our hand,<br />
cast it from<br />
us in obedience to the Lord's command,<br />
follow up with complete obedience in<br />
spite of our dislike and fear, then the<br />
Lord blesses what we do. If we hold<br />
on to what we have it remains just what<br />
it is and never works any wonders. It<br />
never overcomes<br />
the rod of bondage<br />
which makes people crawl like despised<br />
serpents in the dust, dangerous to others<br />
and debasing themselves, but who can<br />
be set free by the rod in your hand<br />
through the power of God.<br />
Your rod<br />
will swallow up the rod of oppression<br />
from which you may flee as Moses did<br />
from the government of Egypt. It will<br />
become the rod that moves mountains,<br />
divides the sea, and brings water of<br />
life from the Living Rock.<br />
What is that in thine hand, O Cove<br />
nanter church A wonderful group of<br />
young people, not very different from<br />
the young people of other churches, en<br />
thusiastic, energetic, restless. Often<br />
they have more enthusiasm and even<br />
more loyalty than older folks, and they<br />
want to see things move. Yet in some<br />
ways our young people may be a little<br />
different. We strees education,<br />
some<br />
times to the detriment of churches lo<br />
cated where there isn't enough oppor<br />
tunity for their young people to use<br />
their education. Our young people are<br />
consecrated, as attendance at any of our<br />
camps or conferences will show. Many<br />
are talented as singers, and "players<br />
upon instruments" and readers and art<br />
ists. Furthermore they are dependable,<br />
and not all young people are these days,<br />
so that many of them have secured po<br />
sitions of responsibility.<br />
Parents, are you willing to cast these<br />
young people from you (for so it may<br />
seem to you) and let them lose them<br />
selves in the Lord's service Hold them<br />
and they are just what they<br />
were. Let<br />
the Lord have them and miracles are<br />
wrought.<br />
What is that in thine hand, O young<br />
man What is that in thine hand, O<br />
young woman A wonderful heritage of<br />
Christian homes where the Bible is loved<br />
and read and believed. The heritage of<br />
a history<br />
of martyrs, and of men and<br />
women who dared to stand for the right<br />
141
collection."<br />
cents.'<br />
Will<br />
Church News<br />
That Budget Project<br />
Amount of Budget raised to February<br />
18, 1955, $89,<strong>54</strong>1.22. Still needed to raise<br />
Budget and send Missionary to Japan<br />
$25,473.78. We have eight weeks to<br />
raise it. Dead line April 15, 1955.<br />
Chester R. Fox, Treas.<br />
ENCOURAGEMENT: During the seven<br />
weeks intervening between January 1<br />
and February 18, more than $19,000.00<br />
have been added to Mr. Fox's total re<br />
ceipts for the Budget. With eight weeks<br />
to go, and this the Home Stretch, we<br />
ought to raise that $25,000.00 and more<br />
also. But let no one coast in. "Not only<br />
is he idle who is doing<br />
is idle who is not<br />
doing<br />
nothing: he also<br />
THE IDES OF MARCH<br />
his<br />
best.''<br />
Editor.<br />
Judging from the last page of the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> of February 16, the<br />
Stewardship Committee is evidently<br />
counting on us every one to do some<br />
thing "concerning the<br />
And<br />
that reminds us of a story that Mr.<br />
Aesop used to tell:<br />
A hen and a hog<br />
each started out for<br />
their morning stroll from opposite ends<br />
of the village Main Street. When they<br />
met, Mrs. Hen was looking intently into<br />
the window of the restaurant.<br />
Mrs. Hen :<br />
"Good morning, Mr. Hog.<br />
Did you know about this sign in the<br />
window 'Ham and eggs, 95<br />
seems they are counting<br />
tributions."<br />
It<br />
on us for con<br />
Mr. Hog: "Ah, I see. But it isn't fair.<br />
It isn't fair. All they are asking from<br />
you is the equivalent of two days' work.<br />
But I will have to dip into my life's sav<br />
ings. That's going to mean sacrifice. I'll<br />
have to give until it hurts<br />
to the very<br />
bone. The quota assignments are not<br />
fair."<br />
(Loud cackling.)<br />
regardless of the cost. The heritage<br />
of Christian habits, together with the<br />
special abilities and talents which the<br />
Lord has given, not too different from<br />
those of others until they are conse<br />
crated to Him. Then, like the five loaves<br />
and two fishes when they were given<br />
to the Lord, they bring blessing to<br />
thousands. Are you willing to cast what<br />
you have to the ground before the Lord<br />
that He may take it and make it fulfil<br />
His holy purpose<br />
PRAYER SUGGESTION: Pray that the<br />
Lord will send out workers where He<br />
wants them to go. Pray that we may<br />
be<br />
142<br />
obedient.<br />
All: "But we'll never let them down,<br />
will we They are counting on our con<br />
tributions."<br />
(More loud cackling and<br />
grunts of satisfaction.)<br />
ous giver."<br />
MORAL :<br />
"The Lord loveth the hilari<br />
you qualify<br />
Thank you, Mr. Aesop.<br />
NEW YORK PRESBYTERY NEWS<br />
Plans for the Presbytery Conference<br />
are almost complete. The conference<br />
will be held at White Lake from July<br />
25-30. Dr. Young, of the Westminster<br />
Seminary, will be one of the morning<br />
speakers. Plan your summer vacation<br />
now . . and<br />
White Lake.<br />
plan for a few days at<br />
ALLEGHENY CONGREGATION<br />
The Women's Missionary Society met<br />
at the home of Mrs. Walter Dodds for<br />
the January meeting. Mrs. E. C. Mitch<br />
ell had charge of devotions. Her topic<br />
was "Today or Tomorrow." The Misses<br />
Edith and Elizabeth McWilliams were<br />
co-hostesses and with Mrs. Dodds served<br />
delicious refreshments.<br />
Many<br />
members of the congregation<br />
attended the annual meeting of the<br />
Christian Laymen's Association in Janu<br />
ary. Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Rector<br />
of Calvary Episcopal Church, spoke on<br />
"A New Life for a New Year" how<br />
God can get into the lives of other peo<br />
ple through us.<br />
The Week of Prayer was observed by<br />
prayer meetings held on Tuesday, Wed<br />
nesday and Thursday evenings and<br />
preaching on Friday evening by the pas<br />
tor.<br />
The Rev. Kermit S. Edgar was a dele<br />
gate to the National Temperance and<br />
Prohibition Council which met in Wash<br />
ington, D. C. the week of January 23.<br />
The Rev. J. Ren Patterson preached<br />
for the congregation on January 30 and<br />
an offering was taken for the National<br />
Reform Association.<br />
The World's Day of Prayer will be ob<br />
served in the Central-Pittsburgh Church,<br />
Wednesday, February 23, from 1:30 to<br />
2:30 P.M. We shall unite with them in<br />
this service.<br />
Friday evening at 8:00 P. M. the Blue<br />
Banner Club will hold a meeting at the<br />
church, to which all the congregation<br />
are invited. The Rev. Robert B. Tweed<br />
will be guest speaker, and will show pic<br />
tures of his experiences in Europe and<br />
the Near East. Everyone is invited.<br />
Friday evening, February 25, the Per<br />
rysville Ave. W.C.T.U. will hold its an<br />
nual Willard Tea in the 8th U.P. Church.<br />
Miss Helen Ewing will preside. Mrs. W.<br />
J. Harper McKnight will be guest speak<br />
er.<br />
At a lovely double ring ceremony Sa<br />
turday evening, February 12 at the<br />
home of the bride's parents, Miss Eliza<br />
beth Joan Heck was united in marriage<br />
to Mr. Wilson N. Ackerman of<br />
Boonton,<br />
N. J. Following his discharge from the<br />
Armed Service in the next few days,<br />
they will make their home at Boonton,<br />
N. J. We extend to them our congratu<br />
lations and Best Wishes.<br />
HOT SPRINGS NEWS<br />
The Holiday Greetings from the many<br />
W.M.S. and other <strong>org</strong>anizations through<br />
out the church were very much appre<br />
ciated by the New Mexico "little flock"<br />
of <strong>Covenanter</strong>s. We take this method of<br />
expressing our appreciation to the entire<br />
Church for every expression of interest<br />
in the work here.<br />
We sorrow over the loss of our<br />
dear,<br />
faithful friend, Dr. Ida M. Scott, who<br />
dictated a letter of interest and encour<br />
agement to us a few days before her de<br />
parture to the Heavenly Home.<br />
"Dr.<br />
Ida" was with us at the time of the<br />
dedication of our Chapel in October of<br />
1951. Her interest in the missionary<br />
labors of the Church never ceased.<br />
During January we were doubly<br />
blessed by the visits of representatives<br />
of two of our Foreign Mission fields:<br />
Miss Blanche McCrea of Nicosia, Cyp<br />
rus, and Miss Orlena Lynn of Kobe, Ja<br />
pan. Each brought stirring messages,<br />
and colored slide pictures of their fields<br />
of labor. By arrangement made at Synod<br />
time, Miss Lynn was our W.M.S. Thank<br />
Offering speaker. Full Chapel audiences<br />
greeted both missionaries.<br />
Another January program which was<br />
greatly appreciated was given by our<br />
former Chief of Police, Mr. Charles E.<br />
Thomison, who is now<br />
devoting full<br />
time to presenting "The Bible on the<br />
Table,"<br />
and "That Boy<br />
Joe" sound film<br />
pictures, in the interests of Home Re<br />
ligion and Temperance. Mr. Thomison<br />
speaks from first hand information on<br />
the subject of Parent and Juvenile De<br />
linquency. He and his wife will be trav<br />
eling over many States during the year,<br />
and some of our congregations may have<br />
the opportunity of meeting them and of<br />
hearing their messages.<br />
With the help of more "laborers" the<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Philip Martin and their<br />
children<br />
we now have five S. S. classes<br />
where<br />
formerly we had but three; and<br />
there is growing interest also in the<br />
Sabbath evening Y.P. and Jr. Bible<br />
study meetings. Plans are under way<br />
for an addition to our little Chapel,<br />
which we hope may be ready for the<br />
summer D.V.B.S. <strong>Covenanter</strong> friends,<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
cookin'<br />
preacher"<br />
continue to pray for the work at Hot<br />
Springs.<br />
FRESNO<br />
On January 19 there was a covered<br />
dish supper in the parsonage for the old<br />
was on the menu.<br />
er folk. Roast Turkey<br />
Our pastor's brother, Rev. John McMil<br />
lan, and cousin, Jim Gault, were visiting<br />
in the parsonage all week. So on Fri<br />
day night, the Intermediates and C.Y.P.<br />
U. were in for a pot-luck supper and<br />
games.<br />
The C.Y.P.U. elected officers for the<br />
new year: President Bill Walkinshaw;<br />
Vice-President, Don Chestnut; Secre<br />
tary, Phyllis Hunter; Treasurer, Bill<br />
Copeland; Prayer Meeting Committee,<br />
Alice Smith and Maxine Buck; Sun<br />
shine Committee Virginia Copeland and<br />
Marilda Buck;<br />
Chestnut.<br />
Social Committee Don<br />
It was voted at the congregational<br />
meeting on January 19 to authorize the<br />
Board of Deacons to make an offer of<br />
$2000 for the two lots back of the<br />
church, and to see if $500 or more in<br />
contributions and pledges can be raised<br />
within the congregation; and to ask the<br />
Board of Church Erection for a loan of<br />
$2000; and to buy a new rug<br />
parsonage.<br />
for the<br />
Our pastor is conducting a Communi<br />
cant Class for 10 weeks, and anyone over<br />
12 years old can enroll.<br />
Rev. J. D. Carson has accepted the in<br />
vitation from our session to come April<br />
10-17 for a week of revival-evangelistic<br />
meetings, climaxing in the observance of<br />
the Lord's Supper. Our pastor has di<br />
vided the members into 9 Committees :<br />
Personal work, Attendance, Rally,<br />
Prayer Committee, Music, Advertising,<br />
Entertainment, Special Features, Com<br />
munity Canvass, and Family Visitation.<br />
He is to serve as ex officio member of<br />
each Committee, so he will be a very<br />
busy man.<br />
Miss Orlena Lynn delighted everyone<br />
with her fine messages on February 6,<br />
both in the morning<br />
and evening. She<br />
spoke at the Y. P hour, and showed<br />
some of her slides. We all were struck<br />
when she told us that every single mem<br />
ber of their church in Kobe is actively<br />
witnessing. They read and study the<br />
Blue Banner Faith and Life too.<br />
COLLEGE HILL<br />
On February 8 Mr. and Mrs. J. Walk<br />
er Wilson of the College Hill congrega<br />
tion quietly passed their fifty-fifth wed<br />
ding anniversary. Congratulations from<br />
a host of friends, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.<br />
A family dinner celebrated the event.<br />
A group of Geneva College students,<br />
under the leadership of Miss Ge<strong>org</strong>ia<br />
Wilson and Mr. Marion McFar<br />
land presented a fine rendition of<br />
"Christ in the Psalms" in the College<br />
Hill church to a large and appreciative<br />
audience on Sabbath evening, February<br />
13. This program was written by Dr.<br />
and Mrs. John Coleman and arranged by<br />
Charles McBurney.<br />
MORNING SUN<br />
Ted Robert Johnson, two month old<br />
grandson, spent an extra week visiting<br />
his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Arm<br />
strong, and has returned to his parents<br />
at Monticello, Iowa.<br />
Lloyd Baird, Iowa University student,<br />
recently visited his parents Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Ralph Baird between semesters. Mari<br />
lyn Todd, student at Cedar Falls, was<br />
home for the week end recently.<br />
Dr. H. G. Patterson has returned<br />
from a visit with his son Dr. Milton Pat<br />
terson, Mediapolis, Iowa. Mrs. Ella Mc<br />
Murtry is keeping house at his home.<br />
The Clyde McElhinney<br />
and Fred<br />
Johnson families attended the funeral of<br />
Finn McElhinney, their father and<br />
grandfather. It was at Sharon church,<br />
and burial at Burlington where he lived.<br />
E. Raymond Wilson visited two days<br />
in February with his mother at the<br />
home of Ralph Wilson, en route from<br />
Minneapolis, Minn., to Chicago on a<br />
speaking tour. He also spoke at Oska<br />
loosa and Des Moines, Iowa. March 6-12<br />
will take him to Florida for a lecture<br />
tour including Orlando.<br />
Communion services will be April 3<br />
with Rev. John Coleman, D.D. as assis<br />
tant. The Genevans will appear for a<br />
program on April 4.<br />
LOS ANGELES<br />
They did it again. They wondered if<br />
they could surprise us. They did. Not<br />
one of the children even let the secret<br />
out. It occurred at a congregational din<br />
ner on January 28,<br />
1955. The Thankoffering<br />
meeting was to follow with Miss<br />
Elizabeth McElroy to be the missionary<br />
speaker. It was the occasion of our 40th<br />
wedding anniversary but we were not<br />
suspicious that anything particular was<br />
on our behalf. However the<br />
"bride"<br />
wore a lovely<br />
orchid corsage<br />
home, and the "groom" was handed a<br />
generous purse of money, and about one<br />
hundred and twenty<br />
persons present<br />
shared in eating a huge delicious wed<br />
ding cake, beautifully decorated with<br />
wedding bells, love birds, etc, etc. Later<br />
the Thank-offering address was well re<br />
ceived, the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Daughters and<br />
the Covenettes added considerable sums<br />
of money to their treasuries and all<br />
went home happy. Thank you, folks, for<br />
the gifts and for all the various evidenc<br />
es of your affection towards us.<br />
You<br />
gave us a bright start into the oncoming<br />
years.<br />
Elmer G. and Blanche M. Russell<br />
A few day's visit with Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Herold Hanna of<br />
Bloomington, Indiana<br />
was greatly enjoyed by the Russells at<br />
Holiday time. They were guests New<br />
Year's Eve at Couple's Club dinner and<br />
attended the Tournament of Roses pa<br />
rade on New Year's Day<br />
at Pasadena.<br />
Those who know Rev. Bergin Birdsall,<br />
the brother of Don Birdsall of the Los<br />
Angeles congregation, will be interested<br />
to know that he and his wife are recov<br />
ering from a most serious accident. They<br />
were struck down by an automobile<br />
while crossing a street intersection in<br />
the city. Both received contusions, many<br />
broken bones, and multiple bruises.<br />
Many prayers have been offered for<br />
their recovery and God has graciously<br />
heard and is granting them a recovery<br />
that seems like a miracle. Rev. Birdsall<br />
has been working in the California Tem<br />
perance work and has published a book<br />
on the temperance cause to be used in<br />
the instruction of youth.<br />
THANK YOU<br />
Ever since the time, some months<br />
ago, when we came to the EASTVALE<br />
CONGREGATION, there has been no<br />
end to the nice things that have been<br />
done for us by<br />
our people. It is such<br />
a privilege and luxury to be the first<br />
occupants of the new Admiral parson<br />
age, built largely through the efforts<br />
of Eastvale members and friends. All<br />
along, there have been gifts to help<br />
us beautify the interior of the home,<br />
or to supplement the menu at meal<br />
time. At both the Annual Anniversary<br />
Dinner, and the Christmas Program,<br />
there were generous financial gifts.<br />
And now the latest event to leave a<br />
"green"<br />
preacher and his wife speech<br />
less was a "pounding<br />
of the<br />
held after Prayer Meeting the other<br />
evening. The food presented to us that<br />
evening prompted one little boy to sug<br />
gest that we put out a sign, and start<br />
a grocery store. All of these kindnesses<br />
are most surely appreciated,<br />
and we<br />
thank our Heavenly Father for such a<br />
thoughtful congregation, and for such<br />
generous gifts. Most of all, we appre<br />
ciate those Christians who have been<br />
faithful in<br />
their intercessory prayers<br />
for the minister and all the work of<br />
the congregation.<br />
Paul and Frances McCracken.<br />
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Anderson of<br />
Youngstown who are going as Missionar<br />
ies to Brazil under the direction of the<br />
Oriental Missionary Society, spoke at<br />
our church on February 9.<br />
Valentine Day was celebrated by a<br />
box supper in the church basement. The<br />
proceeds went to the Women's Mission<br />
March 2, 1955<br />
ary Society. 143
eceive"<br />
cash."<br />
The congregation extends their thanks<br />
to Clyde Marshall, John Tweed,<br />
and<br />
Glen Ge<strong>org</strong>e, for their efforts in making,<br />
painting, and putting up the book racks<br />
for the Psalters.<br />
A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF<br />
MRS. CAROLINE SLOAN<br />
The Women's Missionary Society of<br />
the Central-Pittsburgh Reformed Pres<br />
byterian Church desire to pay a tribute<br />
of esteem to the memory of Mrs. Caro<br />
line A. Sloan who passed away on Sep<br />
tember 29, 19<strong>54</strong> at the home of her<br />
daughter in California.<br />
At the age of 14 Mrs. Sloan united<br />
with the Pittsburgh congregation, and<br />
was later married there by her pastor,<br />
Dr. David McAllister. Mrs. Sloan was a<br />
member of the choir for a number of<br />
years and was faithful and regular in<br />
her attendance at Sabbath School and<br />
church services.<br />
The Women's Missionary Society ex<br />
tends to her family their deepest sym<br />
pathy and recommend to them Proverbs<br />
4:18, "The path of the just is as the<br />
shining light, which shineth more and<br />
more unto the perfect day," and Psalm<br />
16:11 "Thou wilt show me the path of<br />
life; in thy presence is fulness of joy;<br />
at thy right hand there are pleasures<br />
for ever more."<br />
(Signed) Mary S. M. Thompson<br />
SPECIAL NOTICE<br />
The promised tithe-packet has been<br />
mailed to every<br />
congregation of the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Church. If for any reason<br />
your congregation has not received<br />
theirs please notify me at once that an<br />
other supply may be sent.<br />
One package has been returned with<br />
the mailing address torn off. We have<br />
no way of knowing to whom it belongs.<br />
There may<br />
astray.<br />
be others that have gone<br />
Thank you.<br />
Dear Subscribers to the <strong>Witness</strong> :<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
Mars, Pa.<br />
Your Editor has been looking over his<br />
expenses and liability for the year 19<strong>54</strong>-<br />
55 and our present assets and our bank<br />
statement, and the several weeks we<br />
have yet to run the paper in the present<br />
fiscal year. The encouraging feature<br />
about it is that there are some $1300<br />
still due us from many of you subscrib<br />
ers, and we trust that part of this money<br />
is now on the way or will have been re<br />
ceived before this is read by you, but<br />
we will need it every bit for the finish<br />
ing of the year in order to keep from<br />
swimming in red ink. I beseech you to<br />
owe no man anything (especially us)<br />
but to love one another and we mean<br />
US.<br />
144<br />
The Editor<br />
NEW ALEXANDRIA, FA.<br />
We report with regret the death of<br />
Mrs. Jas. W. (Laura McClure) Steel on<br />
January 20, 1955. In the West Penn Hos<br />
pital, Pittsburgh, Pa. Funeral services<br />
were conducted at her late home by Dr.<br />
R. C. Fullerton. Interment in the Steel<br />
private cemetery.<br />
Mrs: Steel is survived by one daugh<br />
ter, Mrs. Donald Crawford, Phoenix,<br />
Arizona, and four sons; Joseph W., Jr.,<br />
Shreveport, La., John and William at<br />
home and James at Penn State Univer<br />
sity. Two grandchildren, five brothers<br />
and one sister also survive. Mrs. Steel<br />
was active in Church work, in the Sab<br />
bath School and Women's Missionary<br />
Society and will be greatly missed in our<br />
church.<br />
CHICAGO<br />
The Chicago C.Y.P.U. held its quarter<br />
ly business meeting at the home of the<br />
Carsons. At this meeting plans were<br />
formulated for raising money to go to<br />
Campi Covamikoi. Following the meet<br />
ing a party was held. Humorous prizes<br />
were awarded to the winner of each<br />
game.<br />
Mr. Peter MacRitchie, Sr. has recent<br />
ly undergone surgery at the Billings<br />
Hospital. He is presently at home and<br />
recovering nicely.<br />
Our last congregational dinner, Janu<br />
ary 22, was certainly a festive one. The<br />
young people were in charge of the af<br />
fair under the able chairmanship of Miss<br />
Ruby Sinclair. The basement was gaily<br />
decorated and a delicious ham dinner<br />
was served. Following the dinner, Miss<br />
Shirleyann Hoy supervised the enter<br />
tainment which consisted of a miniature<br />
track meet. Ending the evening Miss<br />
Hoy conducted devotions concerning the<br />
race the Christian must run.<br />
Recent visitors at our services have<br />
been Mr. and Mrs. Paul Faris and fam<br />
ily. Mr. Faris, formerly of Barnet, Vt.,<br />
is a student at Moody Bible Institute.<br />
Accompanying them were Miss Shields<br />
of Barnet, now in nurses training at<br />
Lutheran Deaconess Hospital, Chicago,<br />
and Mr. James Faris, an elder in our<br />
Barnet congregation who was visiting<br />
his nephew.<br />
At a congregational supper Wednes<br />
day evening, February 17, the Sterling<br />
Congregation surprised the Pastor and<br />
family with what we thought a most ap<br />
propriate and generous gift of<br />
literally<br />
bushels of canned goods and kitchen<br />
supplies. But apparently the congrega<br />
tion was not satisfied with that, for<br />
when we reached home, Paul discovered<br />
a beautiful new Westinghouse refrig<br />
erator in the dining room, and many<br />
members of the congregation at hand<br />
just outside, to help us enjoy<br />
our first<br />
view of it. In the deep freeze compart<br />
ment there was even "cold<br />
We find it difficult to express ade<br />
quately our thanks and joy, for the con<br />
gregation had already responded to the<br />
need of the Church with a concerted and<br />
planned effort to make an additional<br />
contribution to Synod's Budget. May<br />
God give grace to be worthy of such a<br />
field of ministry.<br />
Lester, Betty, David, John and Paul<br />
Kilpatrick<br />
KANSAS W.M.S. CONVENTION<br />
The Kansas Presbyterial will meet<br />
May 3 and 4 in the Denison Church.<br />
Convention Theme: "Ask, and Ye shall<br />
John 16 :24.<br />
Convention Psalm: Psalm 5: page 8,<br />
1, 5.<br />
course<br />
Ve*VTHM6; I<br />
SOLID BIBLE CONTENT Based squarely on<br />
the Bible, these lessons give the teacher<br />
many opportunities to present the claims of<br />
the Gospel. You may not only expect<br />
but<br />
also anticipate the Holy Spirit to turn your<br />
pupils to Christ.<br />
COLORFUL WORKBOOKS<br />
Beautifully colored<br />
and illustrated workbooks give this course<br />
popular pupil-appeal.<br />
PLENTY OF VISUAL AIDS You don't have<br />
to look for visual aids. Some are built di<br />
rectly into the lessons; others are recom<br />
mended as supplements. All have practical,<br />
personal appeal.<br />
MEANINGFUL HANDWORK Each handwork<br />
project is carefully worked out to tie in with<br />
the lessons. Materials of plaster, felt, etc.,<br />
give projects lasting appeal to pupils.<br />
COMPLETE TEACHING HELPS Teachers' books<br />
give comprehensive treatment of each lesson.<br />
AH the helps you need are there. No hunt<br />
ing around or looking up extras to fill in.<br />
SCRIPTURE PRESS<br />
434 S. Wabash,<br />
Dept.'CWS-35<br />
Chicago 5, III.<br />
FREE "Marching On" booklet on how<br />
to run a VBS. This helpful book crammed<br />
with suggestions on how to make your<br />
teaching more effective and your VBS<br />
a success.<br />
Illustrations, closing demon<br />
stration program, etc.<br />
NAME<br />
.<br />
ADDRESS<br />
CITY<br />
CHURCH<br />
ADDRESS<br />
( ) STATE<br />
POS: Pastor_ S.S. Supt..<br />
Chr. Ed Sec<br />
, Othe<br />
Dir.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
elders."<br />
charge."<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 27, 1955<br />
"THE FIELD fS THE WORLD,<br />
TW S/rErD
sure"<br />
. Co-Redemptrix<br />
. Dr.<br />
alone.'<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Policeman Lectures on Temperance<br />
Mr. C. E. Thomison, formerly chief of police in Truth<br />
or<br />
Consequences, New Mexico, is now<br />
devoting<br />
all of his<br />
time to religious and temperance work. He and his wife<br />
travel under the sponsorship of The National Voice. He<br />
speaks and shows sound motion pictures where he has the<br />
opportunity, especially in churches and schools.<br />
Weak Beer for Children<br />
One would think it would make the devil blush to be<br />
faced with the fact that a cereal beverage with an alcoholic<br />
content of V2<br />
dren."<br />
of 1 per cent is being sold as a "beer for chil<br />
It can be used as a television drink for children while<br />
older people drink real beer. The law cannot prohibit the<br />
beverage because it is not considered an intoxicating drink.<br />
Another sad fact is that many parents teach their children<br />
to drink beer in their own homes. A little boy with whom<br />
this writer is acqainted said recently that his father drinks<br />
beer and he gives him some at times.<br />
Drive Against Bootleg Liquor<br />
Law enforcement officers are making a vigorous drive<br />
in Virginia against moonshiners, bootleggers and the syn<br />
dicates with which they are affiliated. Bootlegging has in<br />
creased<br />
tremendously since the Federal tax rose to $10.50<br />
per gallon. Some time ago one of the prominent magazines<br />
showed that " more than 100,000 outlaw stills in the United<br />
States are pouring out illicit spirits at the rate of 60,000,-<br />
000 to 160,000,000 gallons per yearand cheating the United<br />
States government out of as much as $1,500,000 each year<br />
in taxes. We can well remember when men who promoted<br />
repeal declared that it would end all bootlegging. Now some<br />
legislators in the State of Iowa are promoting a bill to allow<br />
liquor by the drink and affirming that it would be a great<br />
blow to the sale of illegal liquor. They must think that<br />
the rest of the citizens of the state are morons to be taken<br />
in with that brazen misrepresentation.<br />
More of Mariolitry<br />
The president of St. John's University, John A. Flynn,<br />
at recent Roman Catholic Marian celebration predicted<br />
that the following three Marian dogmas will be announced<br />
before another century passes. He affirmed that it is likely<br />
that Mary may be "proclaimed . of the<br />
human race; that next, the dogma of Mediatrix of all graces<br />
may be promulgated; and that finally the definition of her<br />
Queenship as participating with her Son in the power of<br />
ruling the world proclaimed." "Father"<br />
may be<br />
Flynn may<br />
be right if God permits this system that is already drenched<br />
with the blood of the saints to last for another century.<br />
We rely on a "more<br />
prophecy to declare that in God's<br />
own time He will bring the Pope and his iniquitous hier<br />
archy to an end.<br />
Appeal of Churches in Noi'way<br />
The Free Churches of Norway have asked their Par<br />
liament to repeal the "Dissenter Law" and pass legislation<br />
granting "general religious freedom." The "Dissenter Law"<br />
regulates the activities of those who confess the Christian<br />
Church. The "Dissenters" object especially to the pro-<br />
146<br />
religion without being members of the State (Lutheran)<br />
vision of the law which prohibits them from teaching re<br />
ligion in the primary schools.<br />
The Martin Luther Film<br />
Those who have viewed the "Martin Luther" film have<br />
paid more than $2,000,000.00 to see it since its pemiere in<br />
May, 1953, so the National Lutheran Council reports.<br />
They<br />
estimate that ten million persons have seen the movie at<br />
some 3,000 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The Lutheran<br />
Church Productions have cleared $700,000 from showing<br />
this film.<br />
Increase of Private Schools<br />
The enrollment in the private and parochial schools of<br />
our nation is increasing twice as rapidly<br />
as in the public<br />
schools, so the United States Census Bureau reports.<br />
To Train Ministers<br />
The chairman of the department of Christian Education<br />
at Princeton, Dr. E. G. Homrighausen, is to spend three<br />
months this spring in Formosa, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and<br />
Malaya, consulting with faculty<br />
theological seminaries to help them develop the most effec<br />
tive courses for training<br />
and board members of<br />
prospective ministers.<br />
Welcome Asian Students<br />
Protestant leaders in Australia have appealed to fami<br />
lies in their churches to open their homes to Asian students<br />
who are taking courses in universities there. So general has<br />
been the response that there are not enough Asian students<br />
to go around.<br />
Is This Our Congress<br />
The Washington Bureau of the Des Moines Registrar<br />
reports the following shameful condition among our senat<br />
ors and representatives "Girl reporters on Capitol Hill have<br />
their own protective association, chief features of which is,<br />
keeping up to date the list of senators and representatives<br />
with whom a young lady has to be on guard against while<br />
interviewing them in their offices. The classification of the<br />
dangerous ones range from 'All right if you keep a desk<br />
between<br />
you:'<br />
'Have somebody else come in five minutes<br />
after you get there' and<br />
finally 'Never interview him<br />
Names on the list cover a wide range of ages."<br />
Men talk<br />
of evolution, but how many degrees down the ladder are<br />
these congressmen from Joseph in Egypt<br />
Dr. Laubach in Pakistan<br />
A missionary of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Church, Mrs. B. D. White of<br />
Pakistan, gives a report of the<br />
Laubach Conference in Montgomery December 28-January<br />
4. She says: "I think I have never seen a group<br />
of one<br />
hundred and fifty delegates go home from anything so en<br />
thusiastic. .<br />
Laubach gave, in every talk, the ex<br />
ample of Jesus as our motivation for teaching illiterates to<br />
read. As He went about doing good, healing the blind eyes<br />
and showing compassion to unfortunate people, so we should<br />
ask to have His mind towards them too.<br />
"Time was given each morning in training<br />
(Continued on page 151)<br />
us in the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
countries'<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. RusseU, Ph.D.<br />
BANKOK AGREEMENT<br />
The eight countries of the Manila pact have met at<br />
Bangkok, Thailand, to work out the details of their <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
zation. No major disagreements appeared. Bangkok was<br />
chosen as permanent headquarters, perhaps to show that<br />
the <strong>org</strong>anization would not be dominated by non-Asiatic<br />
"colonial"<br />
seven other<br />
powers. A secretariat was set up, consisting of the<br />
ambassadors to Thailand. Three com<br />
mittees were also <strong>org</strong>anized, for military planning, economic<br />
planning,<br />
and anti-subversive measures.<br />
The U. S. did not make any specific military commit<br />
ments or favor the establishment of a unified command such<br />
as we have in NATO. All the members are pledged, however,<br />
to defend each other against aggression. The Bangkok agree<br />
ment is a major step forward in cooperation between large<br />
and small powers in Southeast Asia. In the long<br />
run its most<br />
controversial, and most important, work may be in the<br />
economic and social field. It is in this area that we may be<br />
able to win the cooperation of the Colombo powers, such as<br />
India, Burma, Ceylon, and Indonesia, who will not join any<br />
military agreement. Economic aid may also play a vital part<br />
in saving the free states of Indochina.<br />
FRENCH PREMIER<br />
France's nineteen-day cabinet crisis was ended with the<br />
approval of Edgar Faure as the new premier. Faure is a<br />
46-year-old lawyer who did not enter politics until 1946.<br />
Since 1949 he has served in several French cabinets, usually<br />
as finance minister, and once acted as premier for a few<br />
weeks. He is a Radical Socialist, like his predecessor Mendes-<br />
France, but the new cabinet is considered more conserva<br />
tive than the last one. It includes every major party except<br />
the Socialists and Communists. Though Faure won the en<br />
dorsement of the National Assembly by a vote of 369 to 210,<br />
he will have a constant struggle to maintain cabinet unity<br />
and parliamentary support. His policies do not seem to be<br />
greatly different from those of Mendes-France.<br />
IRAQ JOINS THE WEST<br />
The parliaments of Turkey and Iraq have now ratified<br />
their mutual security pact. Since Turkey is a member of<br />
NATO, this links Iraq to the western security<br />
system. The<br />
agreement represents the first important break in the neu<br />
trality of the Arab states, and a sharp defeat for Egypt,<br />
leader of the Arab League. Formed in 1945, the Arab League<br />
includes Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,<br />
Yemen, and Libya, but its ties are weak. Egypt called sev<br />
eral meetings of the League to try to block the pact be<br />
tween Turkey and Iraq, but without success. She may, how<br />
ever, have kept Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan from joining the<br />
new alliance. Egypt not only believes the Arab nations should<br />
remain neutral in the cold war, but wants to be their leader.<br />
She does not have enough military or economic strength to<br />
provide strong leadership, however, and her basic interests<br />
seem to lie with the Western democracies.<br />
HIGHWAY BUILDING<br />
The highway<br />
sented to Congress follows closely<br />
program President Eisenhower has pre<br />
the recommendations of<br />
his advisory<br />
committee. It calls for federal expenditures of<br />
March 9. 1955<br />
$3.1 billion annually for the next ten years, over three times<br />
the current rate. Most of this would go for improvement of<br />
the 40,000-mile interstate network which makes up only oneeightieth<br />
of our road mileage, but carries one-seventh of all<br />
traffic. In addition to $31 billion by the fodcr-1 govern<br />
bystate<br />
and local governments over the ten-year period.<br />
ment, the program anticipates the outlay of $70 billion<br />
This<br />
is to be financed through special bond issues, with interest<br />
paid from fuel taxes, or in some cases by road tolls. Demo<br />
crats generally agree on the need for the highway program'<br />
but differ on the method of financing it, tending to favor<br />
more direct subsidies from Washington.<br />
STATEHOOD PROSPECTS<br />
Senate hearings on a bill to admit Alaska and Hawaii to<br />
statehood have disclosed differences of viewpoint<br />
within'<br />
the administration. The State Department favors the admis<br />
sion of the two territories, to support the principle of selfgovernment<br />
and thus strengthen our position abroad. The<br />
Defense Department is agreeable to statehood for Hawaii,<br />
but wants Alaska kept as a territory because of its large<br />
size, sparce population, and special defense problems. One<br />
possibility is that the northern and western parts of Alaska<br />
may be set aside as a military reservation. President Eisen<br />
hower has endorsed immediate statehood for Hawaii but not<br />
for Alaska. The House Interior Committee has approved a<br />
bill to admit both territories. Party leaders, however, are not<br />
interested in bringing it to an early vote. Hawaii would<br />
have the best chance for admission if it were not that it is<br />
predominately Republican and the House leadership is Demo<br />
cratic.<br />
WINDY CITY POLITICS<br />
A vigorous campaign is beginning for the mayorship of<br />
Chicago, as Republicans try to break the long-standing grip<br />
of the Democratic machine. Cook County Clerk Richard J.<br />
Daley won the Democratic nomination over Martin H. Kennelly,<br />
who has been mayor for the past eight years. Daley.<br />
(Continued on page 152)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kansac<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers ;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. 0. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: $2.50 per year: Oversea. $3.00: Sinr'V Cbpfe><br />
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The Rev. R. B. Lyons, B.A.. Limavady. N. Ireland, Agent for the<br />
British Isles.<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newto-. Kansas<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
147
speaketh."<br />
ground,"<br />
of."<br />
nor"<br />
satisfied."<br />
and"<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
Brotherhood Week<br />
"Brotherhood Week Oh that's ancient history.<br />
Let's f<strong>org</strong>et it."<br />
"Do you mean I lost my opportunity That the<br />
color lines that were obliterated last week are all be<br />
ing repainted That we cannot worship with Jews<br />
and Roman Catholics all in one service again for<br />
another year And if we really believe in the Father<br />
hood of God and the Brotherhood of man, why didn't<br />
we include the Mohammedans, the Hindus, the Bud<br />
dhists, the Nudists, the Mormons, the Atheists, the<br />
Communists and everybody Aren't we all brothers<br />
and sisters, and can't we meet on the basis or human<br />
ity Why can't we slap everybody on the back and<br />
f<strong>org</strong>et our differences "<br />
Who invented this idea of Brotherhood, and<br />
when It must have been thought of before God<br />
asked Cain, "Where is Abel thy brother " And Cain<br />
answered non-chalantly, "I know not ; am I my broth<br />
er's keeper" "The voice of thy brother's blood is<br />
crying to me from the "He being dead yet<br />
But there were division lines even then<br />
and to overlook them was tragic. The sons of God<br />
(seed of Seth) looked upon the daughters of men<br />
(Cain's descendants) and saw that they were fair,<br />
and took them whatever wives they chose. There<br />
were divisions after the flood, Shem, Ham. and Japh<br />
eth. There were more divisions after Babel, and<br />
though God hath made of one (material) all races of<br />
men, he hath set the bounds of their habitation that<br />
they cannot pass. Brotherhood within limitations. I<br />
suppose that is why we have Brotherhood Week an<br />
nually.<br />
We have the story of Jesus' life for three or<br />
more years in considerable detail but no special men<br />
tion is made of Brotherhood Week. He observed it<br />
fifty-two weeks and an extra day every year from<br />
the manger to the cross, and the same number of<br />
Sisterhood Weeks. Were there any weeks of His<br />
life that stand out from the others, when He was<br />
especially kind or cosmopolitan Perhaps you will say<br />
that week when He went from Judea to Galilee and<br />
must needs go through Samaria stands out. The<br />
traveled road detoured around Samaria, crossing the<br />
Jordan river twice when they didn't need to cross it<br />
at all, for the Jews had no dealings with Samaritans.<br />
But Jesus "must needs go through," notwithstanding<br />
protests, silent or spoken, from some of the disciples,<br />
we suppose. Why "go through " Because a straight<br />
line is the shortest distance between two noints, and<br />
Jesus traveled in straight lines toward His object<br />
ives. The two points "From here to Eternity." No<br />
yielding to Pharisaic nonsense. He was obliterating<br />
the barriers to Brotherhood.<br />
When the disciples returned from the grocery<br />
store in Sycar they marveled to find their Master<br />
talking with "the" woman; strange (1) because she<br />
was merely a woman; (2) she was a Samaritan;<br />
(3) she was evidently a bad Samaritan woman. But,<br />
of course, it was Brotherhood Week. ,<br />
She and Jesus were discussing fundamental<br />
questions such as worship, questions on which they<br />
must either agree or differ; where Jerusalem or<br />
148<br />
Gerizim She was saying "whether, or"; He was<br />
saying "neither, or "both, if you worship<br />
in spirit and in truth. What an opportunity for Jesus<br />
to propose that He and His disciples would go to Mt.<br />
Gerizim and join in a combined worship service with<br />
the Samaritans. They would observe Brotherhood<br />
Week together. But no, Jesus said, "You worship<br />
you know not what ; we know what we worship. Sal<br />
vation is of the Jews." There would be no compro<br />
mise. Worship would be strictly on God's terms. And<br />
they finally did worship together. Many of the Sa<br />
maritans believed, not for the testimony of the<br />
woman, but because they had seen Him for them<br />
selves.<br />
Yet for all this uncompromising attitude, He<br />
could not avoid being considered a philo-Samaritan.<br />
"Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast<br />
a devil" (Jn. 8:48). Had He not violated their es<br />
tablished custom by setting foot on Samaritan soil<br />
He had even talked with a Samaritan woman and<br />
offered her a well of living water which she accepted<br />
and became a fountain of<br />
Living Water for her fel<br />
low-citizens to drink Then He had remained in their<br />
city two days. On another occasion he had told a<br />
story that high-lighted a Samaritan against a dark<br />
background of a certain priest and a Levite. Ten<br />
lepers had come to Him for healing and only one re<br />
turned to thank Him and He had turned the spot<br />
light on him in front of a crowd a Samaritan. And<br />
in the last days of His life when His face was set<br />
to go to Jerusalem He asked for lodging in a Samari<br />
tan village and was refused, and the disciples wanted<br />
Him to call down fire on the village like Elijah did,<br />
and He rebuked them, "Ye know not what manner of<br />
spirit ye are He was just too fair to the Samari<br />
tans too brotherly.<br />
The Syro-Phoenician woman He harshly brushed<br />
off, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of Israel."<br />
But she persisted ; it was a desperate emergency. "It<br />
is not right to take the children's bread and cast it<br />
to the dogs." "That's true, Lord, but the dogs eat the<br />
children's crumbs under the table. Spare me a crumb<br />
and I will be I think Jesus laughed out<br />
loud when He said, "For this saying, go thy way. Thv<br />
whole."<br />
daughter is made That was another Brother<br />
hood Week.<br />
The time would fail to tell of the publicans and<br />
harlots, Zacheaus, Matthew, Mary Magdalene and all<br />
those who experienced full f<strong>org</strong>iveness and whose<br />
stripes were healed, because He was not ashamed to<br />
call them brethren and sisters, though the reproach<br />
es fell on Him, "This man receiveth sinners and eat<br />
eth with them."<br />
He came unto His own and His own received<br />
him not, but to as many as received Him, to them<br />
gave He power to become the children of God and<br />
joint heirs with Jesus Christ, even to them that be<br />
lieve on His Name.<br />
Every week, every day, every hour, every min<br />
ute, He was conscious of His brotherly relationship<br />
to all men, even when He was saying, "Woe unto you,<br />
scribes and pharisees, hypocrites," and while He upraided<br />
those cities that repented not. The door was<br />
(Continued on next page)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
grounds,"<br />
pontifical."<br />
on."<br />
glory."<br />
Retrospect of Covenanting<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood<br />
Saturday Evening Address before the Grinnell Conference<br />
History would say to us that covenanting is not<br />
a new idea; it's as old as Adam. Nor is it specula<br />
tion or theory. The privileges of coming "together<br />
with God in a written contract, of signing on the<br />
dotted line for the glory of Jesus Christ, have helped<br />
men in almost every generation and nation where<br />
God's Word was known, and men knew, or grew<br />
to know, the Lord.<br />
The Early Covenants<br />
The FIRST COVENANTS in history are per<br />
haps best known ; in the Garden of Eden, with Noah<br />
and Abraham, at Sinai, in the Promised Land one<br />
covenant after another for God's chosen peoples.<br />
They are specimens of the way God likes to deal with<br />
that form of life which was made in His own image.<br />
But these were merely a preparation for the<br />
ratification of that covenant which God had made<br />
with His Son. And with the birth, life, death, resur<br />
rection and reign of Jesus Christ, the world sees<br />
the greatest example of the principle of covenant<br />
ing. The New Testament Example.<br />
In the early church, in apostolic times, care<br />
ful provision was made for "covenant breakers" and<br />
the Macedonians insisted on "yielding themselves un<br />
to the Lord." before giving the help Paul wanted.<br />
Following the days of the apostles, we find re<br />
cords of covenanting in the writings of Irenaeus,<br />
of Justin Martyr, of Tertullian, and others of the<br />
early Christian Fathers.<br />
It was a moral privilege that was not f<strong>org</strong>otten<br />
or ignored by the Waldensian and Bohemian breth<br />
ren during the dark ages in Europe. But it is with<br />
the dawn of the Reformation on the continent that<br />
we find covenants and covenanters springing up all<br />
and Switz<br />
over France, Germany, the Netherlands,<br />
erland. Christianity seemed to flourish in a culture<br />
of covenants.<br />
Again and again it happened, that with the re<br />
discovery of the scriptures, the acknowledged start<br />
ing point of reformation, came the practice of Cove<br />
nanting. When men were given God's Word, and<br />
studied it when they came to know Him and sought<br />
to find other means of coming together with Him,<br />
then they began to sign covenants.<br />
Since the Reformation we have seen a little of<br />
the continuing use of Covenants in our own country.<br />
The Mayflower Compact was a covenant, the charters<br />
of many of the colonies more nearly resembled cove<br />
nants than anything else; covenants have been<br />
signed in Octorara and in Philadelphia by our own<br />
church, and now still going west we renew one<br />
here at Grinnell in 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
still open while He hung upon the cross, dying for<br />
our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins<br />
of the whole world.<br />
But He must eventually close the door. "Depart<br />
from me, ye cursed, unto the everlasting punishment<br />
prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hun<br />
gry and ye gave me no meat, thirsty and ye gave me<br />
"<br />
no drink . . . .<br />
Brotherhood has its limitations, and<br />
true brotherhood must always be on God's terms.<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
Scotland<br />
the Land of Covenants<br />
But above all these, Scotland was the "proving<br />
chosen by God for the development and<br />
demonstration of the effective use of covenants. She<br />
has been called, "The land of the Covenants," and<br />
never since the time of Israel, was the privilege of<br />
making<br />
a covenant with God so appropriately and<br />
one of Scot<br />
successfully used. Professor Hugh Watt,<br />
land's greatest church historians, said, "No period<br />
of Scottish history has proved more pregnant with<br />
far reaching results than the age of the covenants.<br />
The English speaking world still bears the impress<br />
The setting in Scotland was nearly complete.<br />
Not one ray of light crept into that darkness born<br />
of Bible ignorance to argue compromise. Neither<br />
clergy nor crowd were interested in reform and the<br />
people lay in the iron grasp of a profligate and de<br />
signing priesthood. The records in Edinburgh yet<br />
today show scores,<br />
even hundreds, of bastard sons<br />
and daughters of priests, bishops and archbishops<br />
being legitimated. Nunneries were cesspools of cor<br />
ruption. "I thank God," said the Bishop of Dunkeld,<br />
"that I never knew what the Old and New Testament<br />
portuise<br />
was ! Therefore ... I will know nothing but my<br />
and<br />
The danger was magnified by the fact that<br />
Scotland was the "key" to the success of the Refor<br />
mation in Europe. If the French Catholics could con<br />
trol Scotland they could take England for the Pope<br />
and there would then be little hope for the continen<br />
tal countries between. There was every reason to<br />
believe that Scotland would "go to the Catholics." But<br />
then copies of Wycliff's and Tyndale's and Luther's<br />
Bibles began to filter through the Pope's iron cur<br />
tain. Hamilton and Wishart were burned alive. The<br />
people began to contrast the character of these men<br />
with that of the priests who did the burning and<br />
there were murmerings all over Scotland ; "the reek<br />
of their ashes infected all it fell<br />
John Knox was banished for preaching to the<br />
priests and spent his time studying in Calvin's school<br />
at Geneva. He called it "the most perfect school of<br />
Christ that ever was on the earth since the days of<br />
the Apostles," and one of those courses would prob<br />
ably have been, "How and when to Covenant."<br />
Knox slipped home to Scotland for a visit in<br />
1556 and after some straight from the shoulder<br />
preaching, wrote that some gentlemen in Mearns,<br />
"refuised all societie with idolitrie, and band<br />
themselfis<br />
to the uttermost of their poweris, to manteane<br />
the trew preaching of the Evangell of Jesus Christ<br />
. . . To "band themselfis" probably was not a public<br />
social covenant, only a private vow, but it was a be<br />
ginning and it promised great things for Christ's<br />
glory.<br />
The next year, Knox wrote home to Scotland<br />
from Geneva urging the leaders to "advise diligently,<br />
(and may) the mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus rule,<br />
and guide your counsels to His eternal They<br />
responded by writing the first "common bond,"<br />
promising to apply "our whole lives to maintain, set<br />
149
world,"<br />
religion."<br />
out."<br />
energy."<br />
Those "Out-of-bounders"<br />
We <strong>Covenanter</strong>s have an expression which the un<br />
initiated"<br />
may misunderstand. It is that of our "outof-bounds"<br />
men."<br />
cause,"<br />
forward, and establish the most blessed word of<br />
God."<br />
Five covenants were written and signed by<br />
growing numbers always in the name and for the<br />
whole glory of Christ. They stirred up the Pope's<br />
men and he sought to "break<br />
asunder"<br />
these "bands"<br />
which bound man to God. But the people met his ef<br />
forts by coming together in a special national con<br />
tract soliciting God's help and promising them<br />
selves ! They banded together not just to save their<br />
own lives, but to overcome this threat to their souls,<br />
to save their Bibles for they had found Christ at<br />
the center of that Word and desired to live to know<br />
and to glorify Him more.<br />
That first nationwide covenant was signed in<br />
1581. McCrie, Scotland's greatest Reformation his<br />
torian said, "This solemn transaction had a powerful<br />
influence in rivetting the attachment of the nation<br />
to the Protestant<br />
The Roman Catholics were beaten soundly and<br />
the whole reformation was saved, by a nation united<br />
as she never had been before, miraculously united by<br />
means of a Covenant. It was a glorious victory for<br />
King Jesus, and strike one for Satan.<br />
But Satan would not rest in defeat. He came<br />
back next in the form of their trusted leader, the<br />
"king. It wasn't a question of which liturgy was better<br />
{the one the king ordered, or the one the church had<br />
made), but it was a question of who had the author<br />
ity to give it; "God and conscience of the Kirk," or<br />
"King by divine right" Who was right Jenny Ged<br />
des answered for them. When the Bishop rose to<br />
read the King a liturgy, she threw her three-legged<br />
stool at him, and like "the shot heard round the<br />
all Scotland rallied to write a new covenant.<br />
The NATIONAL COVENANT of 1638 included<br />
everything that was in the first covenant, denounc<br />
ing the pope and Catholicism, and it added a new sec<br />
tion, denouncing the king and proclaiming to the<br />
world, Christ's Headship over the Church ; that what<br />
He commanded they would do, what He did not com<br />
mand they would not do, in order to glorify Him.<br />
Neither Papal sceptre nor regal crown would rule the<br />
church, but Jesus Christ alone. When Archbishop<br />
Spittiswoodie, the king's henchman, first heard of<br />
the covenant, he exclaimed in dismay,<br />
"We have been<br />
making tub these fourty years, and now the bottom<br />
thereof is fallen The King's plans for the con<br />
trol of the country through the church had failed.<br />
An eye witness said, the spirit of that covenant<br />
"spread far and wide over the land ... it summoned<br />
un-exam-<br />
the sons of hill and dale . . .<br />
subduing with<br />
pled power, the hereditary feuds of hostile clans, and<br />
combining the nation into one mighty<br />
calculable<br />
phalanx of in<br />
Again the victory was complete. The King's<br />
armies retreated without a battle, he himself signed<br />
the covenant and presbyterianism was firmly es<br />
tablished in what has been called Scotland's "purest"<br />
times 1638 to 1642. It was a second remarkable<br />
victory for KING JESUS, and again Satan was<br />
routed by a Covenant. It was strike two for Satan.<br />
But Satan came again! The English and Irish<br />
were having trouble with the same high-handed,<br />
dictatorial king, and they asked the happy Scotsmen<br />
for help. Thev agreed, on one condition; help would<br />
be on the basis of a covenant. The SOLEMN<br />
LEAGUE AND COVENANT was signed in 1642.<br />
The honorable Robert Baillie described the scene;<br />
150<br />
"It was received with the greatest applause that ever<br />
I saw anything, with so hearty affections, expressed<br />
in tears of pity and joy by very many grave, wise,<br />
and old<br />
Hay Flemming, a very cautious 20th century<br />
historian said, ". . . it produced marvelous unanimity<br />
. . Another said, "The fervour and unanimity of<br />
those days of signing astonished even the most op<br />
timistic. Scotland was swept by a movement unparal<br />
leled in its force."<br />
The aid was given England and Ireland, a mili<br />
tary victory was won, but then, unfortunately, little<br />
if any interest was shown in Reform. Satan's third<br />
attempt had been to discredit the principle of cove<br />
nanting and while to the Scottish poet, Robert Burns,<br />
it "sealed freedom's noble John Milton, the<br />
English poet complained that it was used "to force<br />
our consciences that Christ set free." And to this day<br />
covenants are condemned because they "failed" in<br />
England and Ireland. Professor Watt solves the enig<br />
ma with a terse comment, "Even the BEST devised<br />
handled."<br />
instruments can be wrongly And it is true<br />
that the conscience not already owned by Christ will<br />
find itself unbearably pressed by a covenant.<br />
If those three major covenants marked the writ<br />
ing times, commemorating major victories by cove<br />
nant for Jesus Christ and strikes against Satan, then<br />
the years from 1643 to 1690 mark the proving times.<br />
(To be Continued)<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
members. We occasionally do hear of<br />
folks who have gotten out of bounds. But no sinister<br />
meaning is attached to the phrase as we use it. What<br />
we mean is, members who are non-resident or too far<br />
away geographically to attend their own church.<br />
Wouldn't the term "non-resident" serve our purpose<br />
better<br />
The number of such members probably reaches<br />
into the hundreds. We hope that all of you non-residenters<br />
will join us in our tithing venture. We are<br />
counting on your home congregation to see that the<br />
tithing booklet and enrollment card reaches you<br />
without delay. Then we trust that you will respond<br />
by joining the roll of tithers in your home church.<br />
Here Is One Eloquent Example<br />
A recent bulletin of our Belle Center, Ohio, con<br />
gregation, which arrived by way of Kansas, con<br />
tained the following extract from a letter of a non<br />
resident member:<br />
"I hope we make it possible to send another<br />
worker to Japan. I sent $200 to Mr. Fox in Decem<br />
ber. That was above my tithe. I'll send more before<br />
the church year ends. If folks would just try giving<br />
generously they would find no lack. That has been<br />
my experience. In fact my salary seems to go farther<br />
than that of my fellow-workers who feel they cannot<br />
afford to pay to the church."<br />
P. S. Have you tithe-boosters sent "Ten Times<br />
Tew"and the enrollment card to all of your members<br />
away from home They will be looking for them.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ow."<br />
series."<br />
row."<br />
Good News<br />
By William James Robinson, A.M., D.D.<br />
Every one counts happenings favorable to his<br />
pet ideas good news. I am sure I shall give some news<br />
that will rejoice many hearts. "Washington, D. G,<br />
December 21, 1953 "The Internal revenue service<br />
today released new figures on cigarette sales, reveal<br />
ing that the drop in sales which started last April<br />
continued through October.<br />
"Spokesmen for tobacco manufacturing report<br />
that more people are stopping smoking every day."<br />
Every right thinking person will rejoice at what<br />
each of these paragraphs say. This giving up smok<br />
ing is very likely due to the fact Dr. Alton Oschener<br />
and some other eminent physicians have announced<br />
that it is their conviction heavy cigarette smoking is<br />
very likely a potent cause of the rapid increase of<br />
lung cancer. Dr. Oschener is reputed to have said<br />
that a heavy smoker of cigarettes has 500 more<br />
chances of nonsmoker.<br />
This should be alarming to every<br />
contracting lung cancer than a<br />
cigarette<br />
smoker. Recent autopsies made in various parts of<br />
the country confirm their declaration. It has been<br />
noticed for a long time many heavy smokers had<br />
lung cancer. So it is not surprising that physicians<br />
have arrived at the conclusion that smoking cigar<br />
ettes is the major cause of the rapid increase of this<br />
malady.<br />
I have a letter in my hand in reply to one I<br />
wrote the Journal of the American Medical Associa<br />
tion asking if it was true that they had discontinued<br />
publishing advertisements of tobacco and alcoholic<br />
beverages. The editor replied: "It is correct, alcohol<br />
and tobacco advertising will no longer be carried in<br />
publications of The American Medical Association."<br />
This is an announcement that every opponent of<br />
these evils will read with delight. Perhaps a larger<br />
per cent of doctors smoke than of any other group<br />
of professional men. The statement that I have<br />
quoted clearly implies, regardless of whether they<br />
smoke or not, a majority of them disapprove of it.<br />
I have repeatedly asked in my articles for the name<br />
and address of any member of The American Medical<br />
Association or College of Surgeons who smoke, who<br />
will publicly advise others, especially young people,<br />
to smoke. I have not heard of one. Now I am sure 1<br />
will never be given the name and address of any one<br />
of these groups who will advise others to smoke. I<br />
have made the same challenge to educators who<br />
smoke. I have not heard of one who will do it.<br />
I am wondering what cigarette manufacturers<br />
who have been boasting about the number of dis<br />
tinguished doctors who prefer their brand of cigar<br />
ettes to all others will say now. I have noticed they<br />
never give the name of even one of their smoking<br />
doctors who commend their goods. Did they ever<br />
have them<br />
The thinking of leaders makes public sentiment<br />
and that is a tremendous factor in determining the<br />
conduct of people. Every person consciously or un<br />
consciously delights in having a leader that he or she<br />
can enjoy following. Thus a few men determine the<br />
character of large communities for weal or woe.<br />
Years ago the renowned neurologist, Dr. Charles<br />
B. Towns said: "Tobacco is an unfavorable factor<br />
which predisposes men to worse habits. A boy<br />
always starts smoking before he starts drinking.<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
If he is disposed to drink that disposition will be<br />
increased by smoking, because the action of tobacco<br />
makes it normal for him to feel the need of<br />
stimulation. He is likely to go to alcohol to soothe<br />
muscular unrest, to blunt the irritation he has<br />
received from tobacco. From alcohol he goes to<br />
morphine for the same reason. The nervous condition<br />
due to excessive drinking is allayed by morphine, just<br />
as the nervous condition due to excessive smoking is<br />
allayed by alcohol. Morphine is the legitimate conse<br />
quence of alcohol and alcohol is the legitimate con<br />
sequence of tobacco. Cigarettes, drink, opium is the<br />
logical and regular<br />
He also said, "I consider cigarette smoking is<br />
the greatest vice devastating humanity today be<br />
cause it is doing more than any other vice to de<br />
teriorate the race.<br />
Dr. Daniel H. Kress, a distinguished neurolo<br />
gist, said: "The two habits (drinking and smoking)<br />
are very intimately associated. The one leads to the<br />
other. They are Siamese twins inseparably joined<br />
together."<br />
When a youth is saved from cigarettes he is<br />
very likely saved from alcohol and other worse drugs,<br />
including opium and heroin and the possibility of<br />
being an alcoholic and acquiring residence on "skid<br />
It would be beyond belief if we did not know<br />
that many so called "finest families" and multitudes<br />
of their imitators encourage their children to smoke<br />
and drink, thus conditioning them for alcoholism and<br />
residence on "skid There seems to be no more<br />
deplorable end to which one could come. And yet<br />
many seemingly superior families encourage smok<br />
and drinking.<br />
ing<br />
Wise parents will abstain from narcotics and<br />
do all in their power to keep their children from be<br />
coming users of any narcotic of any kind. No parent<br />
can be sure his or her child is free from these evils<br />
until he has reached maturity free from the first<br />
taste of them. Total abstinence from all potent drinks<br />
and smoking is the only safe course to pursue. To<br />
accomplish this, keep children supplied with attrac<br />
tive literature that tells of the dangers in drinking<br />
and smoking.<br />
GLIMPSES Continued from page 146<br />
Laubach teaching method. This was done from charts and<br />
each one of us in turn had to go forward and 'teach' all<br />
the others who for the moment became illiterates. What<br />
we learned we had a chance to put into practice in the after<br />
noon work. Six teams went out in the mission cars each<br />
afternoon to near or far villages actually to teach. In none<br />
of them was there any dearth of illiterates to practice on.<br />
One village that had been visited each day for three days,<br />
said, 'You have set our village on fire.' Even the Muslims<br />
there are interested and have sent in to buy Laubach prim<br />
ers and the Christians are teaching them. Dr. and Mrs.<br />
Laubach themselves went with the groups that visited<br />
Ransonabad and Village 190, our largest Christian colonies.<br />
"We are spending our mornings in the school giving<br />
the children some special Bible training." They are also<br />
teaching them the Laubach method. "The Head Master<br />
today ordered a thousand Laubach primers which will be<br />
put in the hands of the students as soon as they have finish<br />
ed the training, with the hope they will go to their homes<br />
and teach their own illiterate parents and neighbors."<br />
151
gone."<br />
west."<br />
Intercession For Lost Souls<br />
J. A. Kenoyer<br />
There have been many intercessors. Those best<br />
known are those recorded in the Bible.<br />
Abraham stood yet before the Lord and said,<br />
"Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the<br />
wicked " Moses cried, "If thy presence go not with<br />
me, carry us not up hence." However, God speaks<br />
through the prophet, "I sought for a man among<br />
them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in<br />
the gap before me for the land, that I should not<br />
destroy it: but I found none. Therefore I have poured<br />
out mine indignation upon them."<br />
Paul names the gifts of the spirit, but I fear he<br />
missed the most important. He mentions prophecy<br />
as the greatest. He does not name intercessory pray<br />
er as one of them. Prophecy is important. Paul writes<br />
to the Corinthians, "It pleased God by the foolish<br />
ness of preaching to save them that believe." How<br />
ever, I would ask the question, Of what use is all<br />
this if Jesus had not prayed, "Neither pray I for<br />
these alone, but for them also which shall believe<br />
on me through their word (John 17 :20)<br />
.<br />
What use is it for me to try to preach of God<br />
and righteousness to some soul if some saintly moth<br />
er has not first cried to the Eternal, Oh, my son,<br />
my son. Or a Jeremiah, "Oh that my head were<br />
waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I<br />
might weep day and night for the slain of my<br />
people !"<br />
I believe there is a way of life in the salvation<br />
of a soul that does not appear on the surface of<br />
things (John 17) . Jesus interceded for those afar off.<br />
The Spirit itself makes intercession for us, and<br />
Paul exhorts to intercession in his letter to Timothy.<br />
If we obey, an angel mixes the prayer with incense<br />
and offers it before the throne (Rev. 8). Then God<br />
incites the word of the preacher, driving it into the<br />
sinful heart and a new life begins.<br />
The late J. T. Hoskins told me when I started<br />
into the ministry that he always asked God for a<br />
soul before he went into the pulpit and that God<br />
always supplied a repentant sinner. How wonderful !<br />
Why cannot it happen to me <br />
God is not bound by time or circumstance. He<br />
is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He an<br />
swers prayer. He chooses the times and places. May<br />
be we meet Him in an alfalfa field, in a church, or<br />
behind a rock somewhere in the wilderness. The most<br />
important thing for us to do is to seek Him till we<br />
find Him and intercede there for that lost soul.<br />
This may mean a prayer like Jacob prayed. We<br />
may be a cripple afterward, but we can wait and then<br />
shout the victory and dance for joy with the multi<br />
tudes we have introduced to the eternal God and<br />
His dear Son Jesus.<br />
The late Bishop A. M. Johnson once told a dear<br />
friend about a great meeting where he was preach<br />
ing. Yes, a wonderful meeting, the Spirit was present,<br />
but the dear friend was out in the woods praying for<br />
the preacher.<br />
Oh, how we wish and pray for such contacts<br />
with God that souls would be saved. Only a broken<br />
and contrite heart interceding mightily at a throne<br />
of grace will ever bring the results we so earnestly<br />
desire.<br />
United Brethren<br />
152<br />
The Psalms of the Bible<br />
By Rev. D. T. Lauderdale<br />
In the Bible Songs a part of the lovely<br />
dred and third Psalm runs thus :<br />
As heaven is high above the earth,<br />
So great His mercy proves;<br />
As far from us as east from west<br />
He all our sin removes.<br />
The unspeakable sweetness and preciousness of<br />
these words to every child of God is illustrated in a<br />
recent edition of the Sunday School Times, an inci<br />
dent told by the great Presbyterian evangelist, Wil<br />
bur Chapman.<br />
Immeasurable<br />
one hun<br />
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath<br />
he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103 :<br />
12). Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman tells of a university<br />
professor of mathematics who had been ruined by<br />
sin but had found a new life by faith in Christ. This<br />
man was in a Bible class where Dr. Chapman was<br />
telling how God removes sins from us "as far as the<br />
east is from the Turning to the man, he said,<br />
"Professor, this is a mathematical statement. Can<br />
you tell us how far that is" Instinctively the man<br />
reached for his pencil and notebook as if about to<br />
make a calculation. Then suddenly he grasped the<br />
sweep of the statement, and putting away his pencil<br />
and book he said : "Men, you cannot measure it ; the<br />
distance is immeasurable. And, thank God," he added<br />
with great emotion, "that is where my sins have<br />
Said Mr. Chapman, speaking about it later, "I<br />
shall never f<strong>org</strong>et how a kind of electric thrill went<br />
over that crowd of men as he sat down, sobbing as<br />
though his heart would break." That man had caught<br />
the truth that God had dealt with him in measure<br />
less f<strong>org</strong>iveness. From the Moody Monthly.<br />
Current Events .... Continued from page 147<br />
a veteran of city and state politics, proved that the backing<br />
of the local Democratic <strong>org</strong>anization was more valuable<br />
than the support of newspapers and reformers. Daley's Re<br />
publican opponent will be Robert E. Merriam, a 36-year-old<br />
war veteran and son of a distinguished political scientist.<br />
Merriam has served eight years in the city council, leading<br />
a Democratic reform bloc, but broke with that party last<br />
year. Chicago has seldom had a clearer choice between ma<br />
chine politics and reform, but Daley is conceded the best<br />
chance to win the April 5 election.<br />
GROWING PAINS<br />
Last year there were four million babies born in the<br />
U. S., setting a new record. Our natural increase the excess<br />
of births over deaths<br />
reached the rate of two and a half<br />
million per year, or seven thousand per day. Our population<br />
has passed 164 million, and the Census Bureau predicts<br />
that by 1975 it may be 220 million, far beyond the figure<br />
which used to be considered our absolute maximum. This<br />
trend is a heartening<br />
sign of optimism in face of the un<br />
certainties of our time, and indicates great possibilities for<br />
the future of America. But it also involves great problems.<br />
In spite of a record rate of construction, our houses and<br />
school buildings are not able to keep up with the growth in<br />
population, much less make up for past deficiencies. Each<br />
year 750,000 more Americans are added to our total labor<br />
force,<br />
with the strange result that employment and unem<br />
ployment are both rising. Our growth also represents a ma<br />
jor challenge to the churches, especially in the areas where<br />
the increase has been most rapid.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
end"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of March 27, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
For March 27, 1955<br />
4th of series on Bible Study Methods<br />
Rev. Donald I. Robb<br />
Topical Study<br />
This fourth method of Bible Study I<br />
feel to be one of the most important to<br />
Christian growth. The reason for saying<br />
that is the fact that it is an excellent<br />
way to answer the questions that come<br />
up<br />
about particular problems. The an<br />
swers might not come up in our daily de<br />
votions and so this provides a good way<br />
to reach them quickly. For example you<br />
might be wondering, "How much sin can<br />
there be in my life without hurting me<br />
spiritually."<br />
Instead of waiting to come<br />
across the answer to this question in<br />
your regular study, you can go at it di<br />
rectly via the "Topical Study," calling it<br />
perhaps "Sin in the Christian."<br />
There are four steps in a Topical<br />
Study. And just for the sake of using a<br />
well known subject let's ask again,<br />
"What is man's chief<br />
The answer<br />
of course is that it is "to glorify God and<br />
to enjoy Him forever." If glorifying God<br />
then is the most important thing we are<br />
to do while we are living on earth . . .<br />
how does the Bible, God's Word, say<br />
that we can do it<br />
it<br />
The four steps in finding<br />
1. State your subject.<br />
out are :<br />
2. What do you want to find out about<br />
3. Check Bible passages on it.<br />
4. State your own answers, based on<br />
the passages which you have found.<br />
So let's follow these steps through as<br />
an example of how to do a Topical<br />
Study.<br />
Step one: (State subject) "Glorifying<br />
God"<br />
Step two: (What do I want to know<br />
about it) "Why should I glorify God<br />
Am I doing it now How can I do it bet<br />
ter Have I ever failed to do it fully"<br />
(You will think of your own questions<br />
about your own particular question.)<br />
Step three: (Check Bible passages on<br />
it.) For this step a good concordance is<br />
a great help. Many of you have one in<br />
the back of your Bible or even at home<br />
on the book shelf. If you want to go into<br />
this in a very thorough way you might<br />
Knowledge,"<br />
find "Treasury of Scripture<br />
Revell Publishing Co., to be a wonderful<br />
ly fine help. One other one you might<br />
like for a very complete study would be<br />
"Nave's Topical<br />
Bible."<br />
But these are<br />
extras, the concordance will be a good<br />
basic help for study.<br />
Since we are to look up passages on<br />
the subject, we might look for the key<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
words of "glorify" or "glory." Some of<br />
the verses that you will find will be I<br />
Chron. 16:28; Psalm 50:15; I Cor. 10:<br />
31; Romans 4:20; Phil. 1:11; I Peter 4:<br />
14; Psalm 50:23; John 15:8.<br />
Now these are not all the places<br />
where God tells us about glorifying<br />
Him, but they are a good beginning.<br />
There are many more in your concor<br />
dance so don't be afraid to use it. All of<br />
these passages contain light you need for<br />
the answers to the question "How can I<br />
glorify God"<br />
Step four: (State your answers, based<br />
on the passages.) As you look up each<br />
verse you might write down the basic<br />
thought of it. This fourth step is to put<br />
all of your material together. Make a<br />
list of the things you have found about<br />
glorifying God. Some of them may be<br />
like this: "I can glorify God by praise,<br />
. .<br />
by fruit-bearing and others that<br />
you will find.<br />
So these are the four basic steps in a<br />
Topical Study. If you wish, you may<br />
add a fifth. That would be "How can I<br />
accomplish these things (stated in step<br />
four.)"<br />
This would give you a complete<br />
study then, from first question, to the<br />
Bible, to the answers, to the "How" of it.<br />
But this will all be just as mechanical<br />
as a school exam unless there is a real<br />
leaning on the Holy<br />
Spirit and much<br />
prayer about it all. It takes the leading<br />
of God to understand and live by the<br />
Word of God.<br />
The topic of "Glorifying God" is just<br />
an example. You may want to use some<br />
other topic that is important to your<br />
Y. P. group<br />
right now. Here are some<br />
other possible suggestions with a few<br />
references on each. But these are only a<br />
few, so remember that the more you<br />
find from God's Word, the more com<br />
plete a picture and the better under<br />
standing you will have of the Lord's de<br />
sires for you.<br />
Other suggested topics:<br />
"Sin in the Christian" Ps. 66:18; Isaiah<br />
59:2; Ps. 69:5; Romans 6:12, 13; I John<br />
2:1, 2<br />
"Accomplishing Things in<br />
Prayer"<br />
James 5:16; Prov. 15:29; Jer. 33:3;<br />
James 1:6; John 14:13, 14; Mark 11:24;<br />
Mark 1:35<br />
"Fighting Temptation" Luke 21:36; Ps.<br />
94:18; Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; Ephesians<br />
6:16-18<br />
To the Leader<br />
Provide everyone with paper and pen<br />
cils so you can do this study during the<br />
meeting. The best way to learn is by do<br />
ing.<br />
You<br />
might start the meeting with<br />
prayer and a psalm, and then look over<br />
the method of Bible<br />
study described<br />
here and decide what topic you will<br />
want to use for your group.<br />
Before you actually try it, have an<br />
other psalm and then ask the Lord to<br />
guide the study, and ask that it will<br />
really be a blessing to you all.<br />
When you have done the first two<br />
steps together, you might see how many<br />
different references you can get with<br />
everyone using his memory, concordance<br />
. . .<br />
any source at all. That way everyone<br />
will have the same sources for answers.<br />
You may<br />
precede a final discussion<br />
of your answers by singing again if you<br />
like. Then when you have found what<br />
God has to say about your topic, discuss<br />
it together. See how you personally can<br />
be changed to obey<br />
because of this type of study.<br />
Psalm 119 : page 299, v. 1, 2<br />
God's Word better<br />
Psalm 148: page 357, v. 1, 4, 5<br />
Psalm 55: page 140, v. 12, 13, 17<br />
Psalm 12 : page 21, v. 5, 6<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
March 27, 1955<br />
By Mrs. Philip W. Martin<br />
RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST<br />
Scripture Text: Mark 16:1-8<br />
Memory Verse: "And he saith unto<br />
them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus<br />
of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is<br />
risen; he is not here: behold the place<br />
where they laid him." Mark 16 :6<br />
Psalms: Memory Psalm for March,<br />
Psalm 130: 1-5, page 325<br />
Psalm 16 : 7-10,<br />
Psalm 30: 1, 2, 5, page 69<br />
page 27<br />
Psalm 36 : 5-8,<br />
Psalm 118, page 285<br />
Psalms of praise: 145-150<br />
page 90<br />
For our lesson today we have the hap<br />
of all the Bible. The disciples<br />
piest story<br />
were very sad because their Leader was<br />
Jesus'<br />
dead. Two of followers were<br />
walking home from Jerusalem and they<br />
said, "We trusted that it had been he<br />
which should have redeemed Israel."<br />
They<br />
thought their Saviour was dead<br />
and what good does a dead person do<br />
us<br />
The seventh day of the week was the<br />
Jewish Sabbath. The next (the first day<br />
of the week) was the third day after<br />
Jesus was crucified. Jesus had told His<br />
disciples that three days after He would<br />
be killed, He would rise again. But in<br />
their sorrow the disciples had f<strong>org</strong>otten<br />
this.<br />
Some women who had been at the foot<br />
of Jesus' cross went early in the morn-<br />
153
me"<br />
creature."<br />
would."<br />
good."<br />
it<br />
yourselves."<br />
nothing."<br />
men."<br />
nothing."<br />
wife."<br />
pillar."<br />
ing of the first day of the week to put<br />
sweet-smelling spices on the body of<br />
Jesus to preserve it. On their way to the<br />
grave they<br />
wondered who would roll<br />
away the stone from the mouth of the<br />
tomb or sepulchre. Instead of digging<br />
down and lowering the casket into a<br />
grave as we do, they<br />
had a cave-like<br />
place on the side of a hill where they<br />
laid Jesus' body<br />
and a huge stone cov<br />
ered the entrance. Who would roll away<br />
the stone But as they came near the<br />
place, they saw that the stone was rolled<br />
away already! And when they looked in<br />
they saw a young man who had on a<br />
long white garment. The women were so<br />
frightened that they could not speak.<br />
So the young<br />
man (an angel) said,<br />
"Don't be afraid. I know you have come<br />
to see the body of Jesus. Here is where<br />
He was laid, but He is not here. He is<br />
risen! Go to the disciples and tell them<br />
(and especially Peter) that I will meet<br />
them in Galilee just as I said I<br />
I wonder why Peter was named.<br />
Wasn't he one of the disciples Yes,<br />
Peter was one of the disciples. Peter<br />
was one who liked to brag about him<br />
self. I'm sure you have seen some boys<br />
and girls like that. Peter tried to brush<br />
it off when Jesus warned him that he<br />
would be tempted to deny Him. Surely<br />
he would never deny Jesus. Why, he<br />
was ready to die with Him. But Peter<br />
did deny Jesus and Jesus turned and<br />
looked on Peter. Peter went out and<br />
wept bitterly. He was broken-hearted.<br />
How could Jesus have anything more<br />
to do with one who had so denied Him!<br />
But this message especially to Peter was<br />
a message full of love and f<strong>org</strong>iveness.<br />
Then when Jesus did meet with His dis<br />
ciples He asked Peter three times,<br />
"Lovest thou<br />
as Peter had denied Jesus.<br />
just as many times<br />
Jesus appeared to several people and<br />
groups of people and then forty days<br />
after He had risen from the dead He<br />
was speaking to His disciples and said,<br />
"Go ye into all the world and preach<br />
the gospel to every<br />
Then Je<br />
sus was taken up, up, up. And a cloud<br />
received Him out of their sight. Jesus<br />
is alive and He is in heaven, sitting at<br />
the right hand of God the Father plead<br />
ing for you and for me.<br />
Jesus has paid the price for the sins of<br />
all who will receive His gift of salvation.<br />
As soon as we receive this precious gift<br />
we must do just what those women were<br />
told to do. "GO QUICKLY AND TELL''<br />
(Matthew 28:7).<br />
Suppose you had borrowed $1,000<br />
from the bank. You intended to pay it<br />
back in a certain time. But you got hurt<br />
and couldn't earn your money so you<br />
could pay back the $1,000. As the time<br />
came when you should have paid the<br />
1<strong>54</strong><br />
bank, you went to the banker and told<br />
him your troubles. The banker tells you<br />
that you need not worry for some friend<br />
knew your condition and he paid the<br />
$1,000 for you. Well, you could hardly<br />
believe it but pretty soon your eyes fill<br />
with tears even though you have a smile.<br />
The lines of worry soon leave your face<br />
and before you know it you are telling<br />
your friends and neighbors about your<br />
friend. Jesus has paid the penalty for<br />
your sins. He has also obeyed God for<br />
you. Do you believe this Wouldn't you<br />
think the man in our story would have<br />
been silly if he had said to the banker,<br />
"No, I don't believe any of my friends<br />
put in $1,000 for me. I just must try to<br />
pay the $1,000<br />
somehow"<br />
But he is not<br />
as silly as the one who just won't be<br />
lieve that Jesus died on the cross for our<br />
sins. How thankful we should be and<br />
how anxious we should be to tell the<br />
good news of salvation to our friends!<br />
"For God so loved the world, that he<br />
gave his only begotten Son, that whoso<br />
ever believeth on him should not perish,<br />
but have everlasting<br />
life."<br />
SABBATH<br />
SCHOOL LESSON<br />
March 27, 1955<br />
THE CHRISTIAN AND THE SOCIAL<br />
ORDER<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching:,<br />
copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
Matt. 5:13-16; Luke 10:29-37; Rom. 13;<br />
Eph. 4:17-32; I Peter 4:12-19<br />
PRINTED: Matt. 5:13-16; Luke 10:30-<br />
37; Rom. 13:8-10; I Peter 4:12-16<br />
MEMORY: Rom. 12:21: "Be not over<br />
come of evil, but overcome evil with<br />
Christ speaks several times of salt.<br />
Only once can His words be understood<br />
literally. That is when He said, "Salt is<br />
good."<br />
It makes food pleasant, and the<br />
Galilean Fishermen could not have<br />
marketed their fish in Jerusalem with<br />
out salt.<br />
Christ said, "Ye are the salt of the<br />
earth."<br />
As His redeemed people, we are<br />
to make the world more pleasant, and<br />
ward off social decay. James had much<br />
to say about the damage speech could<br />
do, flowing from an unbridled tongue.<br />
Paul said "Let your speech be seasoned<br />
with salt,<br />
and be at peace one with an<br />
other."<br />
We are not to carry<br />
around in a salt-cellar,<br />
our salt<br />
we might not<br />
have it with us at a needed moment.<br />
Christ said, "Have salt in It<br />
should be a quality in our personality.<br />
In connection with salt, Christ utters<br />
two terrible warnings; the first is<br />
against the loss of this saving quality in<br />
our personality. "But if the salt have<br />
lost its savor, ...<br />
is henceforth good<br />
for<br />
We never saw savorless<br />
salt. At least, I never did. There is no<br />
way in nature which salt looses its<br />
by<br />
savor. Salt cliffs<br />
centuries<br />
standing in<br />
the sun, are as salt as ever. Salt has<br />
been in solution in the ocean for thou<br />
sands of years,<br />
and is still salty. On the<br />
shore of Salt Lake, it has been desolved<br />
and dried countless times, and is still<br />
salt for our tables.<br />
Christ's listeners knew all about salt<br />
without savor. To this day, the Jews and<br />
Arabs that live near the Dead Sea or the<br />
Valley<br />
of Salt floor their bake-ovens<br />
with salt, because it absorbs much heat<br />
and gives it off slowly. After many fir<br />
ings, the salt looses its character, be<br />
comes insoluable in water, therefore<br />
has no taste: for salt is tasteless until<br />
dissolved. Then this savorless salt is cast<br />
out to be walked on in front of the oven,<br />
and new salt is put in the oven. Christ<br />
called this burnt out salt, "Good for<br />
nothing, but to be cast out and trodden<br />
under foot of<br />
And He was talking<br />
about folks who should be "the salt of<br />
the<br />
for<br />
earth."<br />
A terrible doom, to be "Good<br />
The other warning<br />
was against sins<br />
that Christ enumerates that preceded<br />
the flood and the destruction of Sodom.<br />
He did not mention gross sins, but<br />
rather the common pleasures and occu<br />
pations that were good in themselves,<br />
but were made the chief end of life,<br />
giving God a secondary place, if not<br />
crowding<br />
Him out entirely. Read this<br />
description of life (Luke 17:26-32) and<br />
compare it with what we see today.<br />
How easily these things can be put first<br />
and be made the chief end of our lives!<br />
Then passing<br />
the general disaster of<br />
the flood and fire, Christ gives the per<br />
sonal, individual warning, "Remember<br />
Lot's<br />
This has often been trans<br />
lated literally, without examining the<br />
text. Is the story<br />
of Gen. 19:26 to be<br />
understood materially, or figuratively as<br />
Christ spoke of salt Christ spoke of<br />
two kinds of salt; "good" and "good for<br />
nothing."<br />
Notice that we are not told of<br />
anything that was done to, or happened<br />
to Lot's wife. She did two things; she<br />
looked back, and she became. The second<br />
appears to have been the logical result<br />
of the first. Did she become good salt, or<br />
the burnt out, good for nothing kind<br />
Then she became "a<br />
The word<br />
pillar, appears a hundred times in the<br />
Old Testament. In every time save one,<br />
it refers to a person or object regarded<br />
for beauty<br />
or support. Now that one<br />
time it is from a different Hebrew word<br />
that is used eleven times, but only once<br />
translated "pillar." Nine times it is<br />
translated "garrison" and once "gover<br />
nor."<br />
These should support and be a<br />
strength in their community. All these<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
world."<br />
nothing."<br />
city."<br />
. It<br />
required."<br />
garrisons and the governor failed in<br />
their task. They were defeated, broken,<br />
disgraced. And this is the word that<br />
Moses used to tell what Lot's wife be<br />
came when she looked back from fol<br />
lowing. She became burnt out salt, a<br />
broken down pillar, "good for<br />
Surely that was a worse doom than to<br />
be "metamorphosed into a metalic sub<br />
stance"<br />
(M. Henry). Are we following,<br />
or looking back<br />
"Ye are the light of the<br />
From<br />
the mount where Christ was speaking,<br />
they could look across the valley to the<br />
northwest to a city high up on the hill<br />
side, whose white buildings could be seen<br />
far off, and the lights at night were a<br />
guide to belated homecomers. Did you<br />
ever hear anyone say, "Its nobody's<br />
business what I do" We should not do<br />
what we need to conceal. What we do<br />
should be an inspiration to others, and<br />
lead them to glorify our Father who is<br />
in Heaven. We don't need to tell about<br />
a light. We may throw out a lifeline,<br />
but all we have to do with a light is to<br />
let it shine.<br />
Luke 10:30<br />
A lawyer, wishing to find fault with<br />
Christ in what he supposed was a for<br />
saking of Old Testament Law concern<br />
ing salvation, asked Him a leading ques<br />
tion; Christ replied by asking him what<br />
the Old Testament said about it. When<br />
the lawyer gave a fine statement of<br />
the law, Christ surprised him by saying<br />
that was sufficient. The lawyer had<br />
trapped himself, for he had said "Love<br />
your neighbor as yourself."<br />
I think the<br />
crowd laughed. But the lawyer was<br />
ready to argue the matter as to who was<br />
his neighbor that he was to love. Christ<br />
told the story<br />
of the Good Samaritan,<br />
who did not avoid a man because he was<br />
in need as the priest did, or because he<br />
did not know him, as some think the<br />
Pharisee did;<br />
but because he was in<br />
need, he took care of him. On his<br />
wounds he poured oil for healing, wine<br />
for cleansing. The alcohol which made<br />
this wine effective was a product of<br />
God's nature and where it was used, it<br />
was good. If it had been put inside the<br />
man, it would have done the devil's<br />
work. Then this good man took the help<br />
less man to an inn and became sponsor<br />
for his expenses. I wonder if it was the<br />
inn in Bethlehem where Christ was born,<br />
the House of Chimham, which was built<br />
centuries before by David's friend, on<br />
the inheritance of Ruth and Boaz for the<br />
entertainment of travelers.<br />
The lawyer seems to have been com<br />
pletely won over by<br />
the logic of the<br />
parable. Old Testament Law was vin<br />
dicated by Christ.<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
Rom. 13:8<br />
There is one task that we keep per<br />
forming but never complete as long as<br />
we live; that is breathing. There is one<br />
debt that we should pay immediately,<br />
yet it will always remain a debt; that<br />
is to love God and our fellow men. Paul<br />
would have us pay all our debts prompt<br />
ly, and keep our accounts squared, ex<br />
cept the debt of love, that can never be<br />
crossed off the book. It is as continual<br />
as breathing, and for a true Christian,<br />
is just as natural and necessary.<br />
I Peter 4:12-16<br />
I remember the two excellent flails<br />
that hung in our barn. I have seen them<br />
used skillfully in beating out rye on the<br />
barn floor. Their skillful swinging is<br />
very graceful. I have tried it with<br />
neither skill nor grace. When I learned<br />
that "tribulation" was literally flailing,<br />
as of the grain, it made me shudder.<br />
Peter says there is joy even in tribula<br />
tion, if it comes to us because of our<br />
loyalty to Christ. He said, "But inas<br />
much, (in the proportion in which), ye<br />
are partakers of Christ's suffering, re<br />
joice."<br />
The world fails in its effort to<br />
make the followers of Christ unhappy.<br />
Instead, it gives them cause for rejoic<br />
ing. It makes them blessed.<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
OPPORTUNITY BRINGS RESPON<br />
Psalms<br />
SIBILITY<br />
Matt. 10:15<br />
106:1-4, page 260<br />
51:7-12, page 131<br />
143:4-6, page 347<br />
103 : 12-15, page 244<br />
References: Matt. 13:17; 11:20-24; 21:<br />
28-32; 25:11-12; 25:40-45; Luke 12:<br />
48; Acts 18:6; Rom. 2:12<br />
While our Lord was upon earth He<br />
gave many warnings concerning the<br />
judgment. Matthew lists perhaps more<br />
of these warnings than any of the other<br />
writers. The particular group to whom<br />
Matthew was writing was his own peo<br />
ple, the Jews. They had received train<br />
ing in the Scriptures and God had spok<br />
en to them through the last of the<br />
prophets, John the Baptist. With great<br />
boldness he had called for repentance<br />
and had pointed to the Messiah who was<br />
soon to appear. Of all the people who<br />
heard the teachings of Jesus, none had<br />
greater opportunity than the Jews.<br />
Our theme centers around Matthew<br />
10:15. These words were spoken by Je<br />
sus at the time the twelve apostles were<br />
sent out to minister. He told them they<br />
were not to go to the Gentiles, but to<br />
the lost sheep<br />
of the house of Israel.<br />
After<br />
giving detailed instructions about<br />
the manner of their going Jesus told<br />
them that they would not always be re<br />
ceived in a hospitable manner. In those<br />
cases, they were to shake off the dust of<br />
their feet and leave the place. Then<br />
follows the most solemn warning: "Ver<br />
ily, (Amen)<br />
.<br />
shall be more toler<br />
able for Sodom and Gomorrha than for<br />
that<br />
The people of Sodom were responsible<br />
for their conduct. They had a law writ<br />
ten in their hearts and knew when they<br />
were doing wrong. Moreover, their op<br />
portunity to know the right was in<br />
creased when Lot took up his residence<br />
among them. Lot wasn't all that he<br />
should have been, but nevertheless he<br />
must have given some testimony against<br />
evil. Peter refers to him as 'just Lot.'<br />
Nevertheless, Sodom and Gomorrha<br />
were destroyed. How much greater the<br />
responsibility that fell upon the cities of<br />
Judea in the time of Christ for they had<br />
far greater opportunities to know the<br />
truth.<br />
Jesus stated an axiom of profound<br />
truth in Luke 12:48 when he said, "For<br />
unto whomsoever much is given, of him<br />
shall be much<br />
It applies pri<br />
marily in respect to individuals. Many<br />
young people have been raised in Chris<br />
tian homes, and within the church, but<br />
they have deliberately turned their back<br />
upon these privileges and have turned to<br />
sinful lives. Surely, they have a greater<br />
responsibility than the person who has<br />
never heard the gospel.<br />
The Word of God which men hear to<br />
day is the Word which shall judge them<br />
in the last day. If men hear the offer of<br />
salvation and reject it they<br />
will be pun<br />
ished eternally. Furthermore, there are<br />
those who have accepted Christ, but who<br />
do not live in accordance with all His<br />
laws. Surely, any slighting of opportun<br />
ity and privilege will detract from one's<br />
degree of glory.<br />
The Jews of the present day are still<br />
largely concerned with the Old Testa<br />
ment and with the Rabbinical traditions;<br />
still waiting for the Messiah. But on<br />
every hand they have the opportunity to<br />
hear the gospel. Their opportunity to<br />
know the truth is perhaps greater than<br />
it was in the days while Jesus was in<br />
the flesh. The Jew today has the full<br />
testimony of the Word of God. Not a<br />
day passes but what he might hear the<br />
gospel preached by the mere turning of<br />
the dial on the radio. But like the<br />
Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus' day, they<br />
pass by their opportunity.<br />
An important factor in the ultimate<br />
decisions of the judgment day will be the<br />
measure of light which men have re<br />
ceived. Many say, "What of the heathen<br />
who never had an opportunity to hear<br />
Are they to be cast into hell for not ac-<br />
155
old,'<br />
smoking."<br />
still"<br />
off,'<br />
serm<br />
cepting a gospel of which they have nev<br />
er heard" We can only<br />
answer that<br />
God will deal with every man according<br />
to the measure of light and opportunity<br />
which was given him.<br />
The first concern of Jesus in these<br />
words is for those who have had the op<br />
portunity but who have neglected it. I<br />
suppose there has never been a period<br />
of greater opportunity in the world's<br />
history, than there is today. Never be<br />
fore has there been such a wide circu<br />
lation of the printed Word. Never before<br />
could so many<br />
be reached through the<br />
medium of radio and television. But in<br />
the day of judgment there will be vast<br />
numbers who will say, "We listened to<br />
Billy Graham on the radio. We lived be<br />
side the church all our lives, we never<br />
missed communion and we attended all<br />
the church suppers. We were honest<br />
with our neighbors and didn't indulge in<br />
bad habits." But while those things may<br />
all be commendable, men will still be<br />
held responsible if they failed to make<br />
full use of the privileges and responsi<br />
bilities which were given.<br />
These words apply to nations as well<br />
as to individuals. Sodom was responsible<br />
as a corporate city. Sodom was de<br />
stroyed because the city was wicked.<br />
Abraham pled for the city, that if there<br />
were fifty<br />
righteous the Lord would<br />
not destroy it. Then he began setting<br />
the figure lower. Finally he asked if the<br />
city would be saved for ten righteous.<br />
But there were not even that many and<br />
so God's judgment was executed. Na<br />
tions are responsible before God. Surely<br />
the nations which have been so greatly<br />
blessed with material abundance and<br />
with the knowledge of Christ should<br />
give recognition to Christ the King, and<br />
endeavor to promote his kingdom.<br />
There will be many surprises on the<br />
judgment day. Many who enjoyed great<br />
prosperity<br />
and spiritual advantages on<br />
earth may be numbered with those ont he<br />
earth may be numbered with those on the<br />
many of other races and colors who did<br />
not have so great advantages, but who<br />
used the opportunities which were giv<br />
en, numbered with those on the right<br />
hand.<br />
For Discussion<br />
1. What blessing<br />
or advantages do we<br />
enjoy, which will place a greater respon<br />
sibility<br />
upon us<br />
2. Show how these words of Jesus<br />
have applied to nations and cities of the<br />
past.<br />
3. What are some of the responsibili<br />
ties which rest upon us as members of<br />
the church<br />
For Prayer<br />
156<br />
1. For the Vacation Bible Schools<br />
which will be held next summer.<br />
2. That as a church we may accept<br />
our responsibility to evangelize.<br />
3. For the young men graduating from<br />
the seminary on May 2.<br />
4. For the congregations that are<br />
without pastors.<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
March 30, 1955<br />
By Rev. C. E. Caskey<br />
GREAT QUESTIONS GOD ASKS:<br />
"What is that in thine hand"<br />
Exodus 4:2<br />
For Comments see last week's<br />
<strong>Witness</strong><br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer.<br />
.Editor,<br />
Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
The Uniform Programs for the Wom<br />
en's Missionary Society<br />
are off the press<br />
and may be ordered from Mrs. Herald<br />
Hanna, Bloomington, Indiana, R.R. 10.<br />
The price is twelve cents each.<br />
Dear Mrs. McFarland:<br />
Kenneth and I would like to express<br />
our thanks to the Synodical for the<br />
money which we receive each month<br />
helping on our rent. It was a very<br />
pleasant surprise when we learned of the<br />
action taken by<br />
the Synodical in this<br />
respect. We are both growing in sales<br />
resistance, but we find opportunity for<br />
spending money<br />
so much greater here<br />
than in Syria. We are continually<br />
amazed how money seems to slip<br />
through our fingers. Not foolish spend<br />
ing, but there are clothes, household<br />
needs, etc., that must be replenished<br />
during the year, so we can usually find<br />
where the money went. Perhaps it would<br />
be nice if we were like the Israelites in<br />
the wilderness 'their clothes did not wax<br />
but then the same dress every day<br />
would be mighty monotonous.<br />
I should have written sooner to thank<br />
the synodical for the lovely orchid I<br />
received when we landed. It was a<br />
REAL THRILL to me for it was the<br />
first orchid I had ever had.<br />
again.<br />
A Thought for you :<br />
"Do the best we can<br />
With what we have,<br />
Wherever we are<br />
Thanks<br />
Sincerely yours,<br />
Marjorie Sanderson<br />
NOW!"<br />
Our president, Mrs. A. J. McFarland<br />
gave us those lines last summer at Grin<br />
nell. Quoting her again, "This is TRUE<br />
WISDOM."<br />
CIGARETTE FIRMS HATE THIS GUY<br />
SHERIDAN,<br />
Ind.,Ken Biddle's cam<br />
paigns to get his factory<br />
employes to<br />
quit smoking have worked so well that<br />
Monday he posted his offer for a third<br />
year $100 to anyone who swears off<br />
smoking<br />
through all of 1955.<br />
Out of nine who signed the pledge<br />
Jan. 1, Biddle paid off to eight at the<br />
Christmas party<br />
of Biddle Screw Prod<br />
ucts Co., employes. A year ago, only six<br />
stuck it out among<br />
ever<br />
19 who signed up.<br />
"It's the best business investment I<br />
made,"<br />
said Biddle,<br />
who is 47 and<br />
quit smoking 20 years ago. "Their gen<br />
eral health is better, and they don't<br />
waste time<br />
There weren't many<br />
of the 103 em<br />
ployes who smoked at the Christmas<br />
party<br />
in the $40,000 community center<br />
which Biddle donated to this town. He<br />
still lets men smoke in the plant, but he<br />
won't hire women smokers nor men who<br />
chew tobacco.<br />
The $100 prize offer started when<br />
Biddle decided to help his brother, Van,<br />
one of the factory workers, swear off.<br />
When he paid Van his $100 at the 1952<br />
Christmas party, he made a new offer to<br />
all employes.<br />
WHEN MODERN METHODS FAIL<br />
Both the photographer and the mother<br />
had failed to make the restless little<br />
four-year-old sit still long enough to<br />
have her picture taken. Finally the<br />
photographer suggested that "the little<br />
darling"<br />
might be quiet if her mother<br />
would leave the room for a few minutes.<br />
During her absence the picture was suc<br />
cessfully taken. On the way home the<br />
mother asked:<br />
"What did the nice man say to make<br />
mother's little darling sit<br />
"He thed, 'You thit thtill, you little<br />
newthunth, or I'll knock your block<br />
tho I that thtill," she explained.<br />
A CLEAR INFERENCE<br />
A preacher was once asked what was<br />
the most painful moment of his career.<br />
He replied: "Once when I was preach<br />
ing, a woman in one of the front pews<br />
scrambled in her handbag and brought<br />
out a hearing aid. She put it in her ear.<br />
After ten minutes she took it out again,<br />
put it back in her handbag and sat per<br />
fectly still for the rest of the<br />
We must tramp upon<br />
when principle is at stake.<br />
our feelings<br />
S. J. Wilson.<br />
Don't worry; it may not happen.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
Church News<br />
IMPORTANT CORRECTION<br />
It seems that the Budget figures pub<br />
lished last week were in error. The cor<br />
rected figures reached us too late for<br />
publication. The date on the corrected<br />
figure is one week later and the amount<br />
still to be raised is considerably larger.<br />
So if the ax be dull and the wood thick<br />
er and tougher than we thought, we will<br />
have to lay to more strength to meet<br />
the greater challenge. Postpone that<br />
new car purchase and lay<br />
the treasure<br />
up where there is no depreciation, and<br />
we can still reach the goal.<br />
Amount of Budget raised to February<br />
25, 1955, $80,311.21;<br />
still needed to raise<br />
Budget in full, $29,703.79, plus $5,000.00<br />
to send Missionary to Japan, Total $34,-<br />
703.79. Seven weeks to raise it. Dead<br />
Line April 15, 1955.<br />
Chester R. Fox, Treas.<br />
GREELEY<br />
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper<br />
was observed January 23 with the Rev.<br />
Samuel E. Boyle of Japan assisting. Rev.<br />
Boyle challenged us with four messages<br />
from the Prophecy of Haggai during<br />
the Communion Season. He also showed<br />
slides of Japan the following Tuesday<br />
evening, and gave us an insight into the<br />
political picture in the Far East as well<br />
as the work of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Mission.<br />
We were happy to welcome some of the<br />
folks from Denver both Sabbath and<br />
Tuesday evenings.<br />
New members joining the church at<br />
this time were Miss Agnes Mae Bailey<br />
and Mr. Curtis Laverne "Billy" Shupe,<br />
Jr., both by profession of faith. Billy<br />
was baptized on Sabbath morning.<br />
The Church Night Supper on Febru<br />
ary 9 featured a temperance film en<br />
titled "With His Help." This film stres<br />
ses the need, for the alcoholic to surren<br />
der his heart to Christ.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bodie and Doug<br />
las have returned to Greeley from Eng<br />
land. Having been discharged from the<br />
Army, Robert is taking up study at<br />
Colorado State here in Greeley. Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Bodie presented their son, Douglas<br />
Moffitt, for Baptism on Sabbath, Febru<br />
ary 13.<br />
Pvt. Ray Willcox has returned home<br />
and is awaiting his discharge from the<br />
Army. He plans to go back to work with<br />
Frontier Airlines in Pueblo, Colo.<br />
The Sabbath School has purchased a<br />
new RCA push-button tape-recorder<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
which has already proved helpful for<br />
shut-ins.<br />
LAKE RENO<br />
The Lake Reno Congregation has suf<br />
fered the loss of one of its members in<br />
the passing of Mrs. Albertha G. Torrens.<br />
She departed this world peacefully at<br />
the home of her nephew, Kenneth D.<br />
Luney in Oakdale, Illinois, Saturday,<br />
January 29, after a lingering illness of<br />
approximately 17 months brought on by<br />
a cerebral hemmorrhage suffered Sep<br />
tember 6, 1953.<br />
Albertha G. Luny was born in Pilot,<br />
Illinois, December 23, 1877. Her husband<br />
Albert R. Torrens preceded her in death<br />
in 1944. Those left to mourn her depart<br />
ure are two nephews and their wives,<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth D. Luney of Oak<br />
dale, Illinois, and Mr. and Mrs. Everett<br />
Luney and family of Portland, Oregon;<br />
four sisters-in-law, Mrs. Nannie B. Lu<br />
ney of Oakdale, Mrs. Grace Torrens and<br />
family of Glenwood, Minnesota, Mrs.<br />
Jane D. Carson and family of Oakdale,<br />
and Mrs. Bernice Torrens and family of<br />
Seattle, Washington.<br />
Funeral services were held on Wed<br />
nesday, February 2 at 1:00 P.M. at<br />
the Robert N. Smith Funeral Home in<br />
Nashville, prior to departure for Min<br />
nesota, where last rites were held on<br />
Friday at 2:00 P. M. in the Lake Reno<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Glen<br />
wood, her pastor, Rev. Waldo Mitchel of<br />
ficiating.<br />
Mrs. Torrens was a devoted and faith<br />
ful member of her church. Also a mem<br />
ber of W.C.T.U.<br />
SEATTLE<br />
It was the privilege of the Seattle<br />
Congregation to hear Miss Orlena Lynn<br />
on February 11. Due to a delayed sail<br />
ing date she was able to make a trip up<br />
the coast. The evening was begun with<br />
a pot luck dinner and get together, af<br />
ter which Miss Lynn spoke and showed<br />
her colored slides. It was an evening<br />
well spent for all present including the<br />
children who were quite taken with the<br />
pictures.<br />
On February 8, 9, 10, and 11, our pas<br />
tor had a 15 minute message on the<br />
air over station KGDN, our New Chris<br />
tian radio station here in Seattle. On<br />
Sabbath morning, February 13, the radio<br />
station recorded part of the service and<br />
put it on the air at 2:30 p. m. These<br />
were all very good messages and Rev.<br />
Martin did an exceptional job of pre<br />
senting them.<br />
THIRD CHURCH OF THE<br />
COVENANTERS, PHILADELPHIA<br />
The inspiring witness and testimony of<br />
four ministers of the gospel climaxed<br />
the evangelistic services held in<br />
our<br />
Church in January. The services were<br />
well attended and the messages search<br />
ing and challenging, and it is our hope<br />
and prayer that He whom we seek to<br />
worship and serve may be glorified in<br />
the deepening of our spiritual lives, and<br />
the expansion of His Kingdom. We wel<br />
comed the large representation from our<br />
sister congregation in Philadelphia who<br />
joined us in the evening service. We are<br />
grateful for those of the United Church<br />
who also gave public witness to the<br />
power and goodness and mercy<br />
Lord and Saviour.<br />
of our<br />
Mrs. Herman Everett entertained the<br />
Women's Missionary Society<br />
in Febru<br />
ary when Mrs. Thomas Gill continued<br />
the review of "Queen of the Dark<br />
Chamber."<br />
A special congregational meeting was<br />
called for the election of two new dea<br />
cons and resulted in the selection of<br />
Frank Housemann and Miss Margaret<br />
McCandless whose father was an elder<br />
of this congregation for many years be<br />
fore his death. The candidates have sig<br />
nified their willingness to serve and<br />
their ordination and installation is<br />
scheduled for March 6.<br />
Recent visitors at Sabbath morning<br />
worship included Norman Hutcheson,<br />
stationed at Ft. Monmouth, N. J., Mrs.<br />
Thomas McClean with her son and two<br />
daughters; Elizabeth Evans from Mas<br />
sachusetts and her brother and nephew;<br />
Edward Miller, home on furlough; Oreta<br />
Everett, visiting her sister-in-law Mar<br />
garet, and Mrs. Catherine Piper of Cen<br />
tral Pittsburgh who was visiting her<br />
son-in-law and daughter, Rev. and Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e W. Price.<br />
February was Birthday<br />
month for<br />
quite a number of Third Church folks.<br />
Elizabeth, wife of Elder Wm. John<br />
McClay, would have observed a birthday<br />
anniversary if February had 29 days this<br />
year! Jessie, wife of Elder Ge<strong>org</strong>e J.<br />
Fisher, celebrated her birthday anni<br />
versary on the birthday of Abraham<br />
Lincoln. Mr. Arthur Danenham also<br />
added another year to his age and Miss<br />
Matilda Wolfert too, celebrated her<br />
natal day in February, attaining the<br />
grand age of 85 years.<br />
Also reaching her fourscore and eight<br />
years on February 8 was Miss Annie<br />
Forsyth, long-time missionary in our<br />
mission of the Covenant (Jewish). Dur<br />
ing her 38 years of active service there,<br />
her heart was gladdened often when one<br />
of the Jewish faith found the Messiah<br />
and accepted Him as Saviour and Re<br />
deemer. Miss Annie (as she is lovingly<br />
known among her friends) has been ac-<br />
157
tive in many <strong>org</strong>anizations during her<br />
busy life. She has been a director of the<br />
Needlework Guild for 35 years; joined<br />
the W.C.T.U. when she was 10 years old;<br />
served as Home Missionary of Third<br />
Church for many years; a member of<br />
the Gospel Illustrators League; served<br />
as Probation Officer, assisted with the<br />
Placement of Children, and Children's<br />
Aid Society. Although Miss Annie re<br />
tired five years ago she still frequently<br />
visits the Jewish folks to whom she gave<br />
the Gospel message.<br />
Another Third Church member, also<br />
still active in business and in the af-.<br />
fairs of His Lord and Master, celebrated<br />
his 90th birthday on February 5. He is<br />
Mr. Joseph Middleton Steele. His amaz<br />
ing energy and vitality, his radiant smile<br />
and hearty handshake, his genial per<br />
sonality and ever constant witness for<br />
Christ are an inspiration to us all. Or<br />
dained to the eldership of Third Church<br />
on February 23, 1896, he has only missed<br />
two communion services in all those 59<br />
years. His wide and varied activities in<br />
Kingdom work include many faithful<br />
and fruitful years as Treasurer of the<br />
Foreign Mission Board; Director of the<br />
American University of Cairo; Pocket<br />
Testament League; Synodical Treasurer<br />
of Jewish Mission Board; President of<br />
Pennsylvania Sabbath Association, Trus<br />
tee of Geneva College; Administrative<br />
office in Y.M.C.A. and association with<br />
Billy Sunday and Billy Graham in their<br />
great revivals in Philadelphia. Modestly,<br />
this wonderful Christian gentleman re<br />
fuses to let his left hand know what his<br />
right is doing, or we might have added<br />
much more about his activities in the<br />
Service of the King. Mr. Steele is the<br />
oldest of 86 living<br />
members of his moth<br />
er's family. He has 5 children, 18 grand<br />
children and 12 great grandchildren.<br />
The cold and stormy weather of Feb<br />
ruary has not affected the attendance<br />
at mid-week prayer services. Feb<br />
ruary 16 found 29 present and earnest<br />
petitions are being<br />
made for the spirit<br />
ual and numerical growth of our church.<br />
Miss Helen Schaal was sponsor for a<br />
Valentine's Day party for the teengroup<br />
which meets with Mr. Price each<br />
Thursday evening.<br />
The marriage of Mr. Walter McClay<br />
and Miss Margaret I. Carl was quietly<br />
solemnized at noon, February 19, at the<br />
home of Miss Helen Nyce, in Philadel<br />
phia. The double ring ceremony was per<br />
formed by the Rev. Bertram Wurkheiser,<br />
the bride's Pastor, assisted by<br />
the Rev. Ge<strong>org</strong>e W. Price, pastor of the<br />
groom. A reception followed at the<br />
Emlen Arms in Germantown. They will<br />
be at home after April 1 at 5138 Green<br />
Street, Germantown. Walter has served<br />
Third Philadelphia as a deacon for a<br />
158<br />
number of years, and we heartily wel<br />
come his wife into our fellowship.<br />
ESKRIDGE<br />
Services for the community for World<br />
Day of Prayer were held in our church<br />
Friday afternoon February 25.<br />
The past weeks Mrs. Eva Bole of La-<br />
Junta, Colo, has been worshiping with<br />
us. We enjoy her fellowship.<br />
Miss Merl Dill is recovering from a<br />
fall in which she suffered a broken an<br />
kle.<br />
SHARON<br />
Mr. S. F. McElhinney, a life long<br />
member of the Sharon congregation,<br />
passed away on February 9, at the age<br />
of 87. He was a farmer in the Sharon<br />
community until his retirement about<br />
fifteen years ago. Since that time Mr.<br />
and Mrs. McElhinney made their home<br />
in Burlington. Owing to poor health Mr.<br />
McElhinney had not been able to attend<br />
the services of God's house for about<br />
five years. "There remaineth therefore<br />
a rest to the people of God." Heb. 4:9<br />
On February 10 the following were<br />
elected to the office of deacon :<br />
Ernest<br />
McElhinney, James Robertson and<br />
Ralph McDonald. Ordination and in<br />
stallation services were held on Sabbath<br />
evening, February 27.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Rice became the<br />
parents of a son, Daniel Paul, on Decem<br />
ber 7; Mr. and Mrs. Maurice McDonald<br />
became the parents of a girl, Janet, on<br />
January 28;<br />
and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph<br />
Brown became the parents of a girl,<br />
Heidi Marie, on February 18.<br />
DR. ROBERT W. ROBB<br />
The Stafford Reformed Presbyterian<br />
congregation wish to express their sor<br />
row over the passing of Dr. R. W. Robb,<br />
January 28, 1955. While a member here<br />
only since October 1952, we have learned<br />
to appreciate and respect the Christian<br />
grace and kindliness of Dr. Robb. He<br />
and his wife, although living at Larned,<br />
Kansas, a distance of 40 miles, were sel<br />
dom absent from the services of the<br />
church and could be depended on to do<br />
what they were able to do. We commend<br />
the widow and two daughters and the<br />
grandchildren to the kind and loving<br />
Heavenly Father who alone can comfort<br />
and sustain.<br />
I moderated in a Call in the Santa<br />
Ana congregation resulting in the elec<br />
tion of Glen McFarland of the Seminary.<br />
The Call was made unanimous.<br />
S. Edgar. Moderator.<br />
GOLDEN WEDDING-MAURICE AND<br />
AGNES CROCKETT<br />
Recently, in Tustin, Calif., within the<br />
bounds of the Santa Ana Reformed Pres<br />
byterian church, a lovely<br />
event took<br />
place, which would revive happy memor<br />
ies in a host of <strong>Covenanter</strong>s, particularly<br />
among the R. P. Seminary boys of half<br />
a century ago who had the good fortune<br />
to frequent the home of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Samuel Orr of the Allegheny Congre<br />
gation and to be welcomed at their<br />
bountiful board.<br />
In those early days the family in<br />
cluded two sons, and an attractive young<br />
daughter Agnes with whom sunshine<br />
was an ever-present companion and has<br />
continued to be all through the years..<br />
With all those fine budding young<br />
preachers, coming<br />
and going, it must<br />
have been somewhat of a chore for Ag<br />
nes to have kept up with their bantering,<br />
but her perpetual good humor and ready<br />
tongue, both of which are still in good<br />
evidence,<br />
saved the day.<br />
Then there appeared on the scene a<br />
quiet young man with a winning smile<br />
not a preacher at all. He left that for<br />
others to do while he, little by little,<br />
worked his way into the center of the<br />
group. So when Maurice J. Crockett<br />
from Syracuse, N. Y.,<br />
(now an elder in<br />
the Santa Ana Congregation) said,<br />
"Come Agnes," she obeyed. With her<br />
hand in his, she has been following him<br />
for fifty years.<br />
And the Lord blessed their home with<br />
two sons and a daughter.<br />
As their Golden Wedding day arrived,<br />
these children with their families came<br />
back home to celebrate. There were:<br />
Robert S. Crocket with his wife Louise<br />
and four children; Robert O. with wife<br />
Joyce, and young Dennis :<br />
Arthur with<br />
wife Jeanne; Betty C. Gibson and hus<br />
band Jerry; also daughter Marilee; Da<br />
vid M. Crockett and wife Velma, with<br />
their two sons, David M. and wife<br />
Maude and daughter, Donna; James<br />
Donald and wife Gail. Finally the only<br />
daughter of Maurice and Agnes Louise<br />
Crockett Lindsey, with her husband,<br />
Ralph Lindsey and their two children,<br />
Paul and Dorothy. The Lindsay<br />
lives next door to Maurice and Agnes.<br />
What a wonderful time they<br />
all had<br />
together with delicious refreshments<br />
amid a home beautified with floral dec<br />
orations and abundance of gifts suitable<br />
for the occasion, and how happy to be<br />
together once more, and to read the<br />
heartfelt greetings from the absentee<br />
members of the family and from their<br />
many friends near and far!<br />
The day after the family Golden Wed<br />
ding, a few close friends of their youth<br />
who have been traveling the road by<br />
their side dropped in to wish them well<br />
as they start out together once more on<br />
the second fifty-year lap of their journey<br />
to reach the golden sunset of life togeth<br />
er.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
sons'<br />
make."<br />
market'<br />
market,'<br />
come."<br />
come."<br />
market'<br />
markets'<br />
REV. DR. R. M. C. WARD<br />
Dr. Ward died of a heart attack Feb<br />
ruary 17 at his home; Essex Ave.,<br />
Bloomfield, N. J. Born in Pittsburgh 53<br />
years ago, he started his pastorate in<br />
1929 at the Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Church, Newburgh, N. Y. In 1947, he<br />
went to the Bloomfield church.<br />
Dr. Ward was a graduate of Geneva<br />
College, Beaver Falls, Pa., the Reformed<br />
Presbyterian Seminary, Pittsburgh, in<br />
1927 and did graduate study at the Uni<br />
versity of Pittsburgh. He received his<br />
master of theology degree from Prince<br />
ton Seminary in 1929 and his doctorate<br />
from the University of Edinburgh, Scot<br />
land, in 1939.<br />
He is survivedwby his wife, Mrs. Mary<br />
Slater Ward; o sons, Robert Jr., a<br />
junior at the college of Wooster (Ohio)<br />
and Thomas S. Ward, Bloomfield High<br />
School senior; a brother, Thomas J.<br />
Ward of Wilkinsburg, Pa.,<br />
and two sis<br />
ters, Miss Eleanor Ward and Mrs. Edithbelle<br />
Johns of Bellevue, Pa.<br />
STORY TIME<br />
When you get up in the morning and<br />
brush your teeth, have,<br />
you ever brushed<br />
them with Colgate's tooth paste Even<br />
if you haven't you've heard of Colgate's<br />
tooth paste. I wonder if you have ever<br />
heard the story of Mr. William Colgate's<br />
life<br />
Many, many years before you were<br />
born, there was a shoe cobbler who had<br />
a very large family. One of his<br />
name was William. Way<br />
back then a<br />
shoe cobbler did not make very much<br />
money, and as more brothers and sisters<br />
began to come into the family, William's<br />
father found it harder and harder to<br />
make enough money to buy food and<br />
clothes for everyone. So one day he<br />
called William in for a talk. While they<br />
were talking he told William that he<br />
could not support the family and that<br />
William would have to get a job.<br />
So William Colgate packed the few<br />
things he owned, said goodby to those<br />
he loved and began to go down the small<br />
path that would take him to New York<br />
City.<br />
As he trudged along an old mule driv<br />
er asked him where he was going. Wil<br />
liam told him that he was going to New<br />
York to find work. The old man said,<br />
"William, remember two things first,<br />
that one-tenth of all you earn belongs to<br />
God and always give it to Him, and<br />
second, remember the Sabbath Day and<br />
use it as a day of<br />
worship."<br />
They talked<br />
awhile longer and then they knelt down<br />
in the old tow path and prayed.<br />
William went to New York, and he got<br />
work in a soap factory. He worked very<br />
hard and he did his work very well. On<br />
Saturday, when he was paid for the<br />
March 9, 1955<br />
week, he remembered what the old mule<br />
driver had told him, and he took out his<br />
tithe. Then on the Sabbath he would<br />
take his tithe to church, and there he<br />
would worship God and give his tenth to<br />
his Lord.<br />
William was very sincere in the things<br />
he did, and he was honest in every way,<br />
and the Lord blessed him.<br />
In time William was promoted. His<br />
pay check was larger then, and he con<br />
tinued to give the Lord His share.<br />
William was smart. He looked for<br />
new ideas and improvements that could<br />
be made in the soap business. Soon his<br />
work became very valuable to the com<br />
pany. His salary became even larger. He<br />
said to himself, "The Lord has blessed<br />
me. I will give Him two-tenths of all I<br />
Then Colgate became a member of the<br />
firm. He was very wise in the ways of<br />
the business world. The company began<br />
to depend on him more and more be<br />
cause they knew that he was sincere,<br />
and that the advice he gave was good.<br />
God blessed him abundantly, and Col<br />
gate was grateful to God for what he<br />
had done. To show God how much he<br />
appreciated the success He had given,<br />
Colgate promised God<br />
that he would<br />
give three-tenths of all he made.<br />
In time, Colgate was made president<br />
of the firm; the company grew and Col<br />
gate said, "Lord, for all You have done<br />
for me, I will give half of all I make<br />
to Thee."<br />
Soon the company was one of the<br />
largest in the country. Colgate was try<br />
ing to make the best soap possible, and<br />
the Lord continued to bless Him. Col<br />
gate became a very wealthy<br />
man. He<br />
had all the money that he could wish<br />
for and he said, "Lord, I have all I need.<br />
From now on, of what I make I will use<br />
only what I need to live on, and the rest<br />
I will give to Thee."<br />
When we remember God and are<br />
faithful to Him, He will bless us more<br />
than we can believe is possible. It may<br />
not be with money as He blessed Col<br />
gate, but it will certainly be with happi<br />
ness, which is something that quite often<br />
even "money<br />
can't<br />
buy."<br />
Whatever makes men good Christians,<br />
Daniel Web<br />
makes them good citizens.<br />
ster.<br />
AN OPEN DOOR<br />
By Rev. Hugh J. Blair, B.A.<br />
In Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, this<br />
summer, I saw a most interesting kind<br />
of door. It was the door of a large gro<br />
cery store, called a 'super<br />
where all kinds of food stuffs were dis<br />
played for sale. One day I went down<br />
to this 'super<br />
to buy something<br />
and went forward to the door. I<br />
stretched out my hand to open it, and<br />
immediately felt a bit foolish, for before<br />
my hand touched it, it swung open. At<br />
first I thought someone on the inside<br />
had opened it, but when I looked there<br />
was no one there. And then I realized<br />
that this was a kind of door that opened<br />
by itself. Apparently it works by a<br />
kind of invisible 'beam' across the door :<br />
when anyone passes through this 'beam,'<br />
electrical machinery is set in motion to<br />
open the door. Whatever may be the de<br />
tails of the working of this wonderful<br />
door, however, the obvious fact was that<br />
all that had to be done to make the<br />
door open was to enter.<br />
Sometime afterwards I heard about a<br />
dog which had learned about this kind<br />
of door. It was very hot weather at the<br />
time, but most of the 'super<br />
are nice and cool inside, since they are<br />
cooled by air-conditioning. Well, anytime<br />
this dog found that the weather was too<br />
hot outside, he didn't stay outside with<br />
his tongue hanging out and panting with<br />
the heat. He just went down to the won<br />
derful door of the 'super<br />
and<br />
when the door opened for him went in<br />
side and got cool again!<br />
As I stood and watched the door<br />
swinging back and forward as people<br />
went in and out, I remembered that<br />
Jesus said, "I am the<br />
door,"<br />
and that all<br />
we have to do to enter His kingdom is<br />
to come. We find invitations like 'Come,'<br />
'Enter,'<br />
all through the Bible, as if God<br />
were telling us again and again, "All you<br />
have to do is to<br />
We may think<br />
there are barriers to keep us back from<br />
Him, and difficuties that would hinder<br />
us, but when we decide to come to<br />
Christ, Who is the Door, we find that<br />
the way into His Kingdom lies open<br />
before us. "And whosoever will may<br />
When we do trust Him and come to<br />
Him, we find that every other door in<br />
life will open when we come up to it.<br />
The door that opened by itself reminded<br />
me too of the story<br />
of Peter's escape<br />
from prison, told in the Book of the<br />
Acts. Herod had made as sure as he<br />
could that this prisoner would not es<br />
cape, for he remembered that he had<br />
got out of prison once before. Sixteen<br />
soldiers were commanded to guard him<br />
in relays of four, and to make doubly<br />
sure Peter was bound with two chains,<br />
and all the doors out of the prison were<br />
kept tightly locked. But an angel came<br />
by night and struck the chains from<br />
Peter's hands, and led him safely past<br />
all the guards until they<br />
came to the<br />
iron gate that led into the city;<br />
and<br />
as they came up to it, it swung open by<br />
itself and Peter was free! "They came<br />
unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the<br />
159
'<br />
. . hath<br />
courageous"<br />
city; which opened to them of its own<br />
accord."<br />
When you are reading this, you will<br />
be on the threshold of another year<br />
1955. The message that I would send to<br />
you for that year is the message , that<br />
Christ sent to the church of Philadel<br />
phia in Revelation long ago: "Behold, I<br />
have set before thee an open door, and<br />
no man can shut it." The door of 1955<br />
is opening up before you as you come up<br />
to it, and my<br />
wish and prayer for you<br />
all is that it may lead you into great<br />
happiness and willing service for Jesus<br />
Christ. There may be things hard to be<br />
borne in it, there may be things that<br />
look frightening to you as you see them<br />
before you. But if you are trusting Him<br />
you will find as you come up to these<br />
things that the way opens up before<br />
you, and the path is safe. Some of you<br />
will remember how John Bunyan tells<br />
that when Christian was nearing Palace<br />
Beautiful he was dismayed to find that<br />
the entrance was guarded by two lions<br />
whose roaring terrified him so that he<br />
started back and would have fled. But<br />
Watchful, the porter, bade him go bold<br />
ly forward, keeping to the middle of the<br />
path,<br />
and when he did so he found that<br />
the lions were chained and could not<br />
reach him. "I have set before thee an<br />
open door," says Christ, "And no man<br />
can shut it." May that be true for you in<br />
1955!<br />
Have you ever met this man<br />
CALEB: The Man Who "Wholly<br />
followed The Lord"<br />
Condensed from an editorial in<br />
"The Conqueror"<br />
Joshua llf<br />
What an amazing statement! Had you<br />
thought that only Jesus followed whol<br />
ly So many follow so far off that re<br />
mote ones are skeptical of the possibility<br />
of any one's having followed "wholly."<br />
Undoubtedly<br />
we mortals would be less<br />
critical of others if we were more inno<br />
cent ourselves.<br />
Did you ever know a young<br />
man or<br />
woman who had been dedicated before<br />
birth; had been surrounded with love<br />
and the language of the Scriptures; had<br />
confessed Jesus as personal Saviour at<br />
an early<br />
age and had not gone off into<br />
flagrant sins Have you been such a per<br />
son There are such, thank God! But<br />
unfortunately there has been such pub<br />
licity regarding the drunkard or wildlifer<br />
who has turned to Jesus and been<br />
f<strong>org</strong>iven that we fail to think of the<br />
greater miracle of that one who has<br />
been saved from all the needs of refor<br />
mation and needs but regeneration. And<br />
it even makes it hard for the one<br />
brought up in such a sweet atmosphere<br />
to realize that he really has been born-<br />
160<br />
again by accepting Christ Jesus as his<br />
Saviour and counting it true that the<br />
blood of Jesus is the only<br />
means of<br />
atonement. One's own good works never<br />
saved any one . . . even Caleb. Caleb's<br />
faith was in God.<br />
Illustrating what we have just been<br />
talking about, a few years ago in a<br />
great gathering a man stood to tell how<br />
God had reached down to the gutter to<br />
rescue him, and he told of how wonder<br />
ful a God we have and that he could<br />
stoop so low to save. One young man<br />
hearing it thought of how he had never<br />
had any devastating experience and so<br />
decided that he had better go out to<br />
commit some sin so he might appreciate<br />
God's power to save, and that he might<br />
accept Christ in a powerful way and<br />
ever afterward know it as that man<br />
from the gutter knew it.<br />
About that minute another man rose<br />
and said, "I can give a greater evidence<br />
of God's<br />
greatness than this brother<br />
here. I worship so great a God that He<br />
kept me from the gutter. This brother<br />
had no parents to pray for him. I did<br />
have. Mine prayed that I should be kept<br />
and God did a marvelous job. God has<br />
held me close to Him by some secret<br />
experiences which only God and I know,<br />
all."<br />
but we know that He has done it<br />
Speaking<br />
of this statement: Caleb<br />
wholly followed the Lord, a young man<br />
said, "Now really, do you think that Ca<br />
leb was telling the truth I mean did he<br />
think he was telling the truth"<br />
A companion suggested, "Perhaps he<br />
was childish, he was 85 then, and per<br />
haps he had f<strong>org</strong>otten the times he had<br />
not followed the Lord."<br />
We'll<br />
grant that the statement is<br />
amazing but let's see if God verifies it.<br />
Turn to chapter 14 of Numbers, verse<br />
24 and we find the Lord God saying,<br />
"But my servant Caleb . fol<br />
lowed me fully, him will I bring into the<br />
land whereinto he went; and his seed<br />
shall possess it." That's evidence that<br />
Caleb was not fabricating. As for his<br />
being too old to know what he was talk<br />
ing about, we find in Joshua 14:11 Caleb<br />
declares, "I am as strong this day as the<br />
day Moses sent me."<br />
What kind of a report would we be<br />
able to give In Romans 14:12 we are<br />
told, "So then every one of us shall give<br />
account of himself to God." Not an ac<br />
count,"<br />
one changed to suit the occasion,<br />
nor doctored or altered in any way; not<br />
an account for the government or<br />
friends or relatives or the earthly "boss"<br />
to hear, but the accurate and unchanged<br />
account is given to God who knows all!<br />
This increases our amazement that Ca<br />
leb could say at eighty-five years of age<br />
what God had said of him when he was<br />
forty. Perhaps God is speaking of that<br />
special occasion when there were twelve<br />
spies sent forth to look over the land<br />
which God had promised to Israel. Caleb<br />
you remember, brought back the only<br />
good report the report of faith.<br />
Forty-five years after the good re<br />
port Caleb comes to Joshua to ask for<br />
his inheritance and Caleb reminds his<br />
friends that God had promised it. Joshua<br />
does not doubt the statement that Caleb<br />
had followed the Lord^holly, and we<br />
can prove right here ^<br />
at Caleb had<br />
been a wonderful frienct and a humble<br />
and sincere man. How 7<br />
For forty-five<br />
years he had cooperated with Joshua in<br />
every way!<br />
Look at the facts :<br />
Caleb felt young!<br />
Caleb could not have felt young if he<br />
had been nursing a torn and rebellious<br />
heart, jealous of his companion of the<br />
spy days. And look at what Caleb asks<br />
for! He wants Hebron! What does he<br />
want Felloiuship! ,<br />
Bless his dear sweet<br />
heart! But Hebron was still infested<br />
with giants! The man who had wholly<br />
followed the Lord "My God" as he called<br />
Him, was strong in the Lord his God!<br />
Caleb knew that God could give him<br />
that mountain! In forty-five years Ca<br />
leb's faith had not wavered! Exactly as<br />
Caleb had said they were well able to<br />
take the land, and they had said, "If<br />
the Lord delight in us, then he will bring<br />
us into the land . . so now at eightyfive<br />
years of age that brave man was<br />
being "very<br />
God!<br />
and believed<br />
And we may be sure that God can<br />
drive out any giant of fear or discour<br />
agement or anything that raises its un<br />
godly head against God, and grant us<br />
fellowship! We should know it better<br />
than Caleb because Christ Jesus has now<br />
defeated the giant Satan and death, and<br />
so now we are invited to come boldly<br />
unto the throne of Grace!<br />
Used by permission of The Conqueror,<br />
50 Avery Drive N. E., Atlanta, Ga.<br />
A DOUBTFUL COMPLIMENT<br />
The sudden illness of an incumbent<br />
necessitated'<br />
a telegram to the bishop.<br />
In the emergency, the bishop came and<br />
took the service himself.<br />
Afterwards,<br />
two very much overawed rural church<br />
wardens felt that they must express<br />
their thanks to the bishop. This they<br />
did in the following : "My lord, we great<br />
ly appreciate your great kindness in<br />
coming to us; a worse preacher would<br />
have done, but we could not find<br />
one."<br />
World Christian Digest.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 3, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1955 NUMBER 11<br />
ADULT DELINQUENCY<br />
Dwight C. Ritchie<br />
Fathers and mothers, listen to me !<br />
Who is to blame for delinquency<br />
You or your untrained girl or boy<br />
Who turned to crime in search of joy<br />
Do you delight in obeying God<br />
And train your child with reproof and rod<br />
Or does he grow from a babe to youth,<br />
Devoid of the knowledge of Christian truth<br />
Do you take your children to Sabbath School<br />
To learn of God and the Golden Rule <br />
Or are they sent to a picture show<br />
Where most delinquent children go<br />
They learn of crime and of sinful lust,<br />
But not of Christ Whom they ought to trust.<br />
They learn to lie and to steal and kill,<br />
But not to love and to do God's will.<br />
Who is to blame you or the child,<br />
If he turns to crime and becomes defiled<br />
Who should go to the prison cell,<br />
The rope or the chair, and a burning hell<br />
God is your Judge in Heaven above.<br />
He bids you repent and in His grace and love<br />
To turn from your careless, wicked way,<br />
And start to study His word and pray.<br />
Forsake the world and the social whirl,<br />
And go to church with your boy<br />
and girl,<br />
0, parents, pause and listen to me,<br />
For YOU are the cause of delinquency !<br />
THE BIBLE<br />
By O. Woods<br />
Generations follow generations<br />
Nations rise and fall<br />
IT LIVES<br />
yet it lives.<br />
yet it lives.<br />
Kings, dictators, rulers come and go yet it lives.<br />
Torn, condemned, burned yet it lives.<br />
Hated, despised, cursed yet it lives.<br />
Doubted, suspected, criticized yet it lives.<br />
Damned by atheists yet it lives.<br />
Scoffed at by scorners<br />
Exaggerated by fanatics<br />
Misconstrued and misstated<br />
Ranted and raved about<br />
Its inspiration denied<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
Yet it lives<br />
yet it lives.<br />
yet it lives.<br />
yet it lives.<br />
yet it lives.<br />
yet it lives.<br />
as a lamp to our feet.<br />
as a light to our paths.<br />
as a gate to heaven.<br />
as a standard for childhood.<br />
as a guide for youth.<br />
as an inspiration for the mature.<br />
as a comfort for the aged.<br />
as food for the hungry.<br />
as water for the thirsty.<br />
as rest for the weary.<br />
as light for the nations.<br />
as salvation for the sinner.<br />
as grace for the believer.<br />
To know it is to love it.<br />
To love it is to accept it.<br />
To accept it means life eternal.<br />
The Mediator
. .<br />
convictions."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Classic Liberalism<br />
A series of articles are running in The Banner under the<br />
title, "Classic Liberalism," or "major religious movements<br />
in America during our ecclesiastical history."<br />
A subtitle,<br />
among others is "Evolutionism," in which the writer, John<br />
H. Bratt, says: "Our theological students were advised by<br />
Prof. William Heyns to regard evolution as a 'theory of un<br />
belief striking at the heart of the biblical doctrine of crea<br />
tion. That criticism was directed not merely against atheistic<br />
and deistic evolution. Theistic evolution which he termed<br />
'. . . an attempt to harmonize Scripture with the assertions<br />
of the natural sciences in regard to the antiquity<br />
of the<br />
earth'<br />
was likewise open, he thought, to very serious ob<br />
jections. Heyns was quite convinced that the 'day' of Gen<br />
esis 1 was 24 hours in duration and claimed, 'It is not ad<br />
visable to change the old interpretation of that chapter with<br />
out good reasons, and such good reasons have not yet<br />
presented themselves.'<br />
"Prof. Louis Berkhof, whose molding influence rests so<br />
richly upon our present-day clergy, was equally strong in<br />
his repudiation of evolutionism in all forms and phases.<br />
While allowing for development within the various species of<br />
families, he regarded any such thing as unlimited develop<br />
ment through resident forces as untenable for the Chris<br />
tian. He termed theistic evolution 'a very dangerous hybrid'<br />
and concurred with Fairhurst who said that it 'destroys the<br />
Bible as the inspired book of authority as effectively as does<br />
atheistic evolution. Ministers of the denomination and pro<br />
fessors in our college (Calvin) uttered similar warnings from<br />
time to time."<br />
The Formosan Crisis<br />
Rev. E. J. Tannis, writing in the above paper says:<br />
"Some readers may think that Satan has nothing to do with<br />
the Formosan crisis, but a well-informed Christian knows<br />
better. He believes that there are legions of evil spirits di<br />
rected by a Supreme Commander, known in the Bible as<br />
Satan, the devil, Beelzebub, the Dragon, the old serpent (Rev.<br />
20), the Prince of this world (John 12:31), and other names.<br />
Jesus always dealt with him as a personal adversary, his<br />
greatest and most dangerous enemy. We are standing on<br />
biblical ground when we say that Satan has a hand in the<br />
crisis in the Far East. He sows the seed of dissention and<br />
hatred everywhere, also in the hearts of powerful leaders.<br />
Statesmen are no more immune to his attacks and intrigues<br />
than the humblest Christian. .<br />
"We should remember also that Satan not only uses god<br />
less Communistic leaders in Asia for his diabolical purposes,<br />
but he has access also to the hearts of our own leaders, and<br />
the more so if they do not reckon with the possibility of<br />
such an evil and dangerous influence. Satan can blind our<br />
own leadership to the best interest of the nation and of the<br />
world. Our present day Christianity is so extremely super<br />
ficial, even the orthodox type, that there is very little com<br />
prehension of the spiritual character of the world situation,<br />
which in the last analysis is a conflict between the kingdom<br />
of light and the kingdom of darkness."<br />
False Christs<br />
Jesus foretold the appearance of false Christs. One has<br />
>xisen in France by the name of Ge<strong>org</strong>es Roux, who claims<br />
U2<br />
to be the reincarnated Christ. He plans the conquest of the<br />
world. He claims to be able to heal, denies the existence of<br />
evil or Satan and maintains that salvation may be had by<br />
our own unaided effort. It is said that he has quite a follow<br />
ing from French Protestantism. What must be the condition<br />
of that type of protestantism<br />
Youth Protests UMT<br />
The United Christian Youth Movement sent a letter to<br />
all the members of the U. S. Senate and House, stating:<br />
"Universal military training is neither a democratic nor a<br />
Christian answer to the problems confronting our nation, and<br />
this conviction has been repeatedly reaffirmed by our Gen<br />
era] Council. Our young people want you to be aware of<br />
our<br />
Persecution in Greece<br />
Mr. Charamabus Agapides, of Katerini, Greece, was<br />
tried and sentenced to prison for two months in January<br />
because he had written a letter to a Thessalonikan news<br />
paper condemning<br />
the Orthodox Church authorities and<br />
some political officials for persecuting<br />
church in Katerini,<br />
the Evangelical<br />
of which he is a deacon. This is where<br />
the Rev. Argos Zodhiates is pastor. The NAE's secretary of<br />
affairs has protested against this action to the Greek am<br />
bassador to the U.S., as opposed to the free practice of re<br />
ligion and freedom of expression and of the press.<br />
Missionaries Salaries Raised<br />
The Presbyterian Board of National Missions (USA) has<br />
authorized the raising of the lower-level salaries of mission<br />
aries to be retroactive to the beginning of the year. To cover<br />
this the Board has increased its 1955 budget for salary ex<br />
penditures by $298,000.<br />
Moody's New Auditorium<br />
The new Torrey-Gray Auditorium of the Moody Bible<br />
Institute was dedicated at the recent Founder's Week. It was<br />
the 118th anniversary of the birth of Dwight L. Moody and<br />
(Continued on page 170)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue. Topeka. Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers:<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editor<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editor.<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
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Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton. Kansas<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
WESTERN ALLIANCE MOVES AHEAD<br />
The Bundestag, lower house of the West German Parlia<br />
ment, has formally ratified the Paris treaties which will<br />
bring the Bonn government into the Atlantic alliance. The<br />
Germans also ratified the unpopular Saar agreement with<br />
France, a necessary condition for the other pacts. Social<br />
ist leaders claimed that the agreements would end all<br />
hope of the reunification of Germany. The bitter struggle<br />
seems to have weakened Chancellor Adenauer's cabinet and<br />
parliamentary coalition. Another problem is that West Ger<br />
many and France seem to have different interpretations<br />
of the Saar pact, especially as to whether it is temporary<br />
or permanent. It is hoped, however, that final French ap<br />
proval of the Paris pacts will now follow quickly. Debate<br />
in the French upper house is scheduled to begin March<br />
22, and Premier Faure has promised to press for immediate<br />
action. Our Senate has not yet begun to consider the Paris<br />
agreements, but will probably do so by the end of March.<br />
JEWS FIGHT ARABS<br />
Gaza, a Philistine stronghold in the days of the Judges,<br />
is back in the news as the scene of a sharp clash between<br />
troops of Egypt and Israel. Each country charges the other<br />
with starting the attack, but the Israelis took the of<br />
fensive and killed thirty-eight Arabs. There has never been<br />
real peace between Egypt and Israel since their full-scale<br />
war was ended by an armistice in 1949. Egypt has controll<br />
ed the 16-mile "Gaza<br />
west of Israel,<br />
strip"<br />
along the Mediterranean coast,<br />
since 1948. It is packed with a quarter of a<br />
million Arab refugees from Palestine,<br />
and there have been<br />
many truce violations along its border. Tension between<br />
Egypt and Israel has mounted in the last few months. On<br />
January 31, Egypt executed two Jews accused of spying<br />
for Israel. A week before the Gaza clash, David Ben-Gurion<br />
came out of retirement to take the post of Defense Minister<br />
for Israel. He is considered a leading advocate of a "gettough"<br />
policy toward the Arabs. The U. N. Security<br />
Council is investigating the Gaza incident but it is doubtful<br />
if it can accomplish much while both countries are so ag<br />
gressively hostile.<br />
JAPAN KEEPS HATOYAMA<br />
The Democratic party<br />
of Premier Ichiro Hatoyama<br />
won the recent elections for the Japanese Diet, gaining 185<br />
of the 467 seats in the lower house. The Liberals, who<br />
were formerly the largest group, dropped to second place<br />
with 112 seats. They promised, however, to support Hato<br />
yama as premier. Hatoyama's Democrats favor continued<br />
collaboration with the U. S., but also want to establish<br />
economic relations with Russia and Red' China. Japan's<br />
two Socialist parties gained enough places in the Diet to<br />
block constitutional amendments, which requires a twothirds<br />
majority. This will make difficulties in Japan's re<br />
armament. The Communists made a very poor showing,<br />
winning<br />
one more seat for a total of two. The election<br />
was orderly and the new government should be stable. Althought<br />
Hatoyama considers trade with Communist Asia<br />
an ecomonic necessity for his country, as a wealthy busi<br />
ness man he is strongly anti-Communist, and American<br />
officials are not seriously<br />
power.<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
alarmed at his continuance in<br />
COMMUNISTS LOSE IN INDIA<br />
Elections in the large Indian state of Andhra resulted<br />
in a huge majority for a coalition backed by Prime Min<br />
ister Nehru. Andhra is a tropical state in southeastern India.<br />
Most of its 21 million people are poor peasants, easily at<br />
tracted by Communist promises of land reform. Andhra has<br />
been considered one of India's main Communist centers,<br />
but in the recent elections for the state legislature the<br />
Congress party cooperated with other non-Communist<br />
groups and matched the Red campaign in intensity. Nehru<br />
himself toured the state. The result is considered one of<br />
the biggest setbacks for Communism in southeast Asia in<br />
recent years. The Communists are still the second largest<br />
party in the Indian Parliament, but their power is declining.<br />
SALARY BOOST<br />
After much maneuvering, Congress has passed a bill<br />
to raise its own pay. This is the first major legislation of<br />
the new session. The pay of Representatives and Senators:<br />
is increased 50 per cent, from $15,000<br />
(established nine<br />
years ago) to $22,500. Provisions for new expense allowallowances<br />
were dropped, however. There are also raises for<br />
the federal judiciary<br />
and some officers of the Justice De<br />
partment. Associate Justices of the Supreme Court are<br />
boosted from $25,000 to $35,000,<br />
with the Chief Justice<br />
getting $500 more. Lower levels of the federal judiciary are<br />
raised 50 per cent. Of course all these officials pay income<br />
tax on their salaries, so the raises are not clear gain. The<br />
total cost of the increases will be only about $5 million<br />
per year, but they will probably lead to strong demands for<br />
raises for other federal workers.<br />
RED CROSS DRIVE<br />
The annual fund-raising campaign for the Red Cross fs<br />
again under way, with a national goal of $85 million. The<br />
most dramatic work of the Red Cross is in disaster relief.<br />
Last year, for example, it spent over $3 million in helping<br />
hurricane victims. About 40 per cent of its budget, how<br />
ever, goes for aid to American servicemen and veterans,<br />
especially those who are hospitalized. The Red Cr"oss also.<br />
provides blood for civilian and defense use, totalling nearly<br />
three million pints last year. In addition, it gives first-aid.<br />
training and safety education to hundreds of thousands of<br />
Americans every year. All this is done on a very small'<br />
administrative budget, for the Red Cross depends mainly<br />
on its two million volunteer workers.<br />
COMMUNIST PRISONERS<br />
The U. S. has again asked Peiping to release 41 Ameri<br />
can civilians held in Red China. Of these, 26 are in jail,<br />
3 under house arrest, and 12 others are denied permission<br />
to leave the country. The latest move was made through<br />
the U. S. and Red Chinese consuls at Geneva, Switzerland.<br />
by a procedure set up at the Geneva conference last June.<br />
The consuls have held eleven meetings in Geneva on theprisoner<br />
question, paralleling the continued efforts of U. N.<br />
Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold to secure the release<br />
of fifteen U. S. airmen. Since last June the Reds have re<br />
leased eighteen Americans. However, two of those recently<br />
set free seem to have been thoroughly converted to Com<br />
munism.<br />
16a
you'<br />
power."<br />
up."<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
ARE YOU WATCHING YOUR INSTRUMENT<br />
PANEL<br />
A letter to my beloved grandsons and to all other<br />
grand young people who read the <strong>Witness</strong><br />
My calendar tells me that it is time that I<br />
should be saying 'thank for the very much ap<br />
preciated pictures you sent me at Christmastime.<br />
Of course, I would rather look at your real faces than<br />
at your pictures but at this distance I will have to be<br />
satisfied with the pictures. I like them because they<br />
show that you are being neat, keeping yourselves<br />
clean and that you are able to look people straight<br />
in the eye. If you hold to that standard all your lives<br />
you will have clean lives.<br />
Did you ever think that everybody's face is the<br />
instrument panel of that person I suppose you know<br />
what the instrument panel on your Daddy's car is<br />
and why there is such an array of instruments. There<br />
is a thermometer, a speedometer, an ammeter and an<br />
odometer, etc., all of which words end in meter. That<br />
is a word that means measure. The thermometer<br />
measures the heat, the speedometer measures the<br />
speed, and the ammeter measures the electricity. All<br />
of these are connected with different parts of the<br />
car to show the condition of the car and to tell the<br />
driver just how things are going under the hood.<br />
People's faces likewise are connected with dif<br />
ferent parts of their nervous and their emotional sys<br />
tems and whenever things are going wrong it regis<br />
ters in their face or if things are going very good, it<br />
likewise registers there.<br />
Let us look at some of those instruments and<br />
see if we have like instruments in our faces. First,<br />
think of the thermometer. When one starts his car on<br />
a cold morning there is no heat registered on the<br />
thermometer but after the car has run a little while<br />
the finger points about half way up. That means that<br />
the car, has now gotten warm enough that it will<br />
furnish heat to the car and will also soften up the oil<br />
and is at a good temperature for running on the road.<br />
If a fan belt breaks or the radiator runs dry, or the<br />
oil fails to circulate, then the thermometer goes up<br />
and indicates danger.<br />
People's faces likewise have thermometers. If<br />
one has a quarrel at home before starting out for<br />
school or a man for his office then it shows unpleas<br />
antness in his face. Perhaps his face is very red and<br />
that shows that something isn't quite right inside.<br />
As the thermometer warns the driver so our red<br />
faces may warn other people to be very careful how<br />
they handle us and to be very<br />
careful about what<br />
they say ; there may be trouble ahead.<br />
Now let us look at that ammeter. That is the in<br />
strument that tells whether electricity is being<br />
stored in your battery or whether your battery is<br />
giving off more electricity than is being stored ; and<br />
the battery ought always to have the reserve charge<br />
in it so that when electricity is needed for lights or<br />
starting and especially for starting on a cold morn-<br />
164<br />
ing, it will not run out of electricity before things<br />
get to going good. When you go to school and study<br />
your books or listen to your teacher or to other peo<br />
ple who have something worthwhile to say, you are<br />
storing up in your mind some force for future use.<br />
Someone has said "knowledge is<br />
The more<br />
you have in your mind the more you are able to win<br />
friends and influence people. So it's a good thing to<br />
keep reading and listening and observing and finding<br />
out all that you can so that you will have a good mind<br />
well stored with power. On the other hand, when you<br />
talk, especially if you talk without knowing what you<br />
are talking about, you are giving off either that re<br />
serve power or a lot of reserve nonsense. If there is<br />
nothing in your mind there will be nothing in the<br />
things you say. So boys, watch your ammeter ! Keep<br />
it busy storing. After awhile you will have a face<br />
that shows very much intelligence like the faces of<br />
people who are prominent, the men of distinction.<br />
Now for the speedometer. That word means<br />
measuring your speed. You often have heard the<br />
words, "Hurry Up, hurry up, hurry That means<br />
we haven't got enough speed on and sometimes peo<br />
ple tell us to slow down, be calm<br />
that means we are<br />
going too fast. A speedometer is put there to teach us<br />
moderation. Someone has said that there are two<br />
people that are a danger on a highway. There is the<br />
boy who is under twenty and is driving over sixty<br />
and there is the man who is over sixty and is driving<br />
under twenty. It's a good thing neither to be too<br />
slow nor to be too swift. But I am not telling you not<br />
to be fast enough to be efficient. One can get so fast<br />
that he ceases to be efficient and becomes a nuisance.<br />
A boy may hurry through his homework so fast that<br />
he doesn't know anything the next day. Watch your<br />
speedometer and try to keep out of other people's<br />
road and on the other hand, try not to be a danger or<br />
a menace to yourself. The life you save may be your<br />
own. If there are figures on your speedometer that<br />
register up to 120 miles per hour, don't consider that<br />
that was where the manufacturer meant for you to<br />
drive your car. There are some people who can run<br />
a mile in very close to four minutes but while they<br />
are running those four minute miles they may be<br />
cutting years off the end of their life. Your Grandpa<br />
knows. His heart tells him now to go slow ; he never<br />
did run the mile in four minutes, however.<br />
There is more on that speedometer than just the<br />
indicator of speed. There is a dial there which regis<br />
ters the amount of miles a car has run from the time<br />
it was sold until the present time, and perhaps your<br />
car, at least some cars, have a tripometer. That<br />
means the dial that measures the number of miles on<br />
or the number of miles you have gone in a<br />
day. You set it at zero in the morning or at the be<br />
ginning of a trip. This also is like the trip-ometer in<br />
your trip<br />
our face. If you have worked very hard some day you<br />
will be very tired at night and the tiredness will show<br />
in your face, in your eyes and in your muscles. When<br />
you feel that way it's a good time to take a rest.<br />
Don't overdrive your car in a single day nor drive<br />
yourself until you are dead tired.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
oil."<br />
me"<br />
spirit."<br />
spirit."<br />
Now about that odometer that measures all the<br />
miles that the car has run. Is there anything like<br />
that in your face Yes, I think so. You can tell by<br />
looking at people's faces, somewhat about their age.<br />
A person that is 80 or 90 years old usually looks that<br />
old ; when you look at the face it has registered his<br />
life mileage. If a car has been abused all its life, or<br />
a man has been abused all his life it doesn't only<br />
register in the face, it registers everywhere. A car<br />
that has been run through wrecks and the person<br />
who has wrecked his life by reckless living shows<br />
it all over his foody as well as his face. Business has<br />
sometimes taken me to the lower end of Main Street<br />
in Kansas City, and there you see the bums. These<br />
people have almost ceased to look like human beings.<br />
They do not have a sign of manhood or of intelli<br />
gence ; they get that way from self abuse. But on the<br />
car that is well taken care of, sometimes this odo<br />
meter shows as much as 100,000 miles or more, and<br />
he who takes proper care of his life is apt to live to<br />
a good old age and look well all the time.<br />
Now, there is one more guage on the instrument<br />
board that is very important, on the instrument<br />
board of a car, I mean. That is the oil measure. It<br />
tells how the circulation of oil is going, whether oil<br />
is getting to every part of the car. There is some<br />
thing like that in the human life. A life that is happy<br />
is the one that has the proper oil circulation and<br />
when I say happy, I mean really happy. There is a<br />
difference between the circulation of good oil and the<br />
circulation of bad oil. There is a difference between<br />
the circulation of good happiness and happiness that<br />
is not so good. A garage man once said to me, "If you<br />
put one quart of bad oil in four quarts of good oil you<br />
have five quarts of bad What do I mean by the<br />
good oil in a person's life Well, we have a formula<br />
that tells us about good oil. "Now abideth faith, hope,<br />
love. If you do not have faith in God and do not have<br />
faith in other people, then you lack one part neces<br />
sary to good oil.<br />
If you do not have hope, that is if you are not<br />
cheerful, if you are not optimistic, if you do not have<br />
a sense of humor, then you are likely to overheat and<br />
things will go wrong; but the Apostle Paul says the<br />
greatest element necessary to good oil is love.<br />
"Though I have all faith so that I could remove<br />
mountains, if I have all knowledge but have not love,<br />
though I give my body to be burned, if 1 give all<br />
my goods to feed the poor," that is we may do a lot<br />
of good things but do them without loving, then we<br />
have not the good oil in our lives.<br />
Now Boys, I have written this not only<br />
son for you, but I hope it will help you to look at<br />
other people's faces (and it's a good thing to look at<br />
as a les<br />
limits Are they wearing<br />
on in<br />
everybody's face) and see just what's going<br />
side. That's their indicator, that is their instrument<br />
panel. Is the temperature right Are they taking<br />
good care Are they keeping within the proper speed<br />
over-<br />
themselves out by<br />
worry Are they taking on things that will make<br />
them intelligent and giving them the right kind of<br />
storage in their minds Have they good oil in their<br />
lives All this will register in everyone's face and if<br />
you can train yourself to be a good reader of the in<br />
strument board you will never get fooled on a used<br />
car nor, will you get fooled on the people that you<br />
meet and associate with. Read the instrument panel<br />
and don't f<strong>org</strong>et to look after your own.<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
ing<br />
THE PSALMS OF THE BIBLE<br />
By Rev. David T. Lauderdale<br />
"Jesus himself . . . said . . . the<br />
me."<br />
Luke 24:36,44.<br />
Psalms concern<br />
Of our Saviour's seven sayings on the cross<br />
three were not quotations from other parts of Scrip<br />
ture: "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise";<br />
"Behold thy son mother"<br />
behold thy<br />
; and "Fa<br />
. . .<br />
ther f<strong>org</strong>ive them ; for they know not what they do."<br />
The other four things our Lord spoke while dying<br />
for our sins were from other parts of Scripture. He<br />
chose all four from one book of the Bible, all from<br />
the book of the Psalms.<br />
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a<br />
loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani that<br />
is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken<br />
Matthew 27:46.<br />
"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were<br />
now accomplished, that the Scripture would be ful<br />
filled, saith, I thirst." John 19:28. "My throat is<br />
dried."<br />
Psalms 69:3. "My strength is dried like<br />
jaws."<br />
a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my<br />
Psalms 22:15.<br />
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he<br />
said, Father into thy hands I commend my<br />
Luke 23:46. "Into thine hands I commit my<br />
Psalms 31:5.<br />
"When Jesus therefore had received the vine<br />
gar, he said, It is finished." John 19:30. "He hath<br />
done this." Psalms 22:31. "He hath done this, or<br />
'It is finished.' These were the expiring words of<br />
our Lord Jesus, as they are the last words of this<br />
Psalm."<br />
Spurgeon.<br />
Precious to the believer is all the Word of God,<br />
from the opening verse of Genesis through the clos<br />
verse of Revelation. Precious are the Psalms.<br />
ing<br />
They were on our Saviour's mind, in His heart and<br />
on His lips through His last expiring breath. How<br />
we treasure the dying words of our father, our<br />
mother, our child, or other loved one.<br />
Look! On that middle cross One is hanging<br />
there. His hands and feet are all torn and gashed,<br />
His face all twisted with<br />
torture, His tongue swollen,<br />
cracked open, burning with fever. The spittle of<br />
vile men hangs from His face, the sharp thorns<br />
are buried deep in His scalp and forehead, His face,<br />
head, hands, shoulders, back, feet all gory with<br />
blood. The sweat of death stands on His brow and<br />
there is not one human hand to wipe it off; no one<br />
to wash the blood and spittle from His face ; no one<br />
to pour soothing oil on His torn hands and feet ; no<br />
one to give even one drop of cooling water to His<br />
burning tongue as He hangs there dying for you<br />
and me. Look, His lips are moving, our blessed Lord<br />
is speaking His last words, how inexpressibly pre<br />
cious those words the old sweet Psalms of the<br />
Bible.<br />
O thou my soul, bless God the Lord;<br />
And all that in me is,<br />
Be lifted up His holy Name<br />
To magnify and bless.<br />
Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God,<br />
And not f<strong>org</strong>etful be<br />
Of all His gracious benefits<br />
He hath bestowed on thee.<br />
Psalms 103.<br />
165
ed"<br />
pledge."<br />
existed."<br />
cheek"<br />
soul"<br />
Retrospect of Covenanting<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood<br />
Saturday Evening Address before the Grinnell Conference<br />
THE PROVING TIMES<br />
(Continued from last week)<br />
Satan returned in this next inning at the head<br />
of an army of blood-thirsty dragoons. The whole of<br />
Scotland became a hunting ground: 18,000 men,<br />
women and children, by an undenied 20th century<br />
estimate, were killed for 'owning the Covenants."<br />
The king was trying now to force his will over<br />
the consciences of the people and the great ques<br />
tion was; could they stand the sword The thumb<br />
screws were brought from Russia; the Guillotine<br />
from France and mercenaries from everywhere.<br />
The men of those PROVING TIMES are an import<br />
ant phase of the highlights of covenanting.<br />
Dr. Landell described, ".<br />
. .the men who form<br />
ed the torrent. .<br />
.the center and soul of the move<br />
ment . . . who gave it its vitality and strength. . .the<br />
liigh-souled men who loved their Bibles and believed<br />
in God. With them the signing of the covenant was<br />
no idle vaporing, no meaningless ceremony. .<br />
-was done in grim earnest in the sight of God. And<br />
when politicians trimmed and compromised and selfseeking<br />
men betrayed the Covenant. . .and the un<br />
thinking rabble changed sides, these men under all<br />
changes, continued faithful to their<br />
The Marquis of Argyle and James Guthrie died<br />
the same week in Edinburgh in 1611. A host of<br />
others followed: Brown of Priesthill, Paton the<br />
soldier, Cameron the Lion of the Covenant, Peden,<br />
the prophet; Margarets McLaughlin and Willson<br />
drowned in the Solway Tide; Isobel Allison bravest<br />
of women ; Cargill the strong !<br />
Thousands of others, no less worthy James<br />
Renwick last of all. That land is yet today "flower<br />
with the graves of martyrs. Any traveler can<br />
see their tombstones in the open fields where they<br />
fell as he drives along the roads of Scotland. They<br />
"loved not their lives unto the death."<br />
They were not fanatics. Their zeal was in all<br />
things tempered with knowledge scriptural know<br />
ledge! They Believed on Christ and therefore testi<br />
fied, and for that testimony were often called on to<br />
suffer for His sake.<br />
They daily wrestled with God in secret in their<br />
own private closets and poured out their hearts to<br />
Him in prayer. They fed their souls with the meat<br />
of His Word. Family worship was regularly held<br />
with "the great 'ha Bible" read by father. Nothing<br />
could keep them from public worship; storm, miles,<br />
dragoons, business, nor expediency!<br />
The sacraments were always attended<br />
to-^even<br />
when it meant the risk of mingling their own<br />
blood with that of the Saviour's in the communion<br />
cup. The marks by<br />
which the dragoons were to<br />
know them were their having a Bible in their hands,<br />
being found at prayer, or going to a conventicle.<br />
Their principles were condemned, their methods<br />
questioned and public deeds criticized but none have<br />
dared to question their private lives not even their<br />
20th century persecutors.<br />
They did a magnificent work. They delivered<br />
their church from a debasing priesthood, and they<br />
166<br />
.it<br />
emancipated their country from the galling yoke<br />
of popish and episcopal domination even when it<br />
meant taking the sword to defend their souls and<br />
church and nation.<br />
Their sermons burn with a fervent and personal<br />
gospel appeal that almost every historian has ignor<br />
ed! Thousands were turned to Christ at those con<br />
venticles, and in spite of persecution they grew in<br />
numbers because of men "closing with Christ." They<br />
bore an abundant fruit in the midst of adversity.<br />
A recent critic admitted of Cargill that "He preach<br />
ed a fervent gospel to the individual and that<br />
often, "there was scarce a dry in his audi<br />
ence. That same critic said, "On the whole, save<br />
within the bounds of the Covenanting movement,<br />
religion in Scotland was practically dead, and among<br />
the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s, a deep and fervent religious life<br />
They suffered mockery, torture, imprisonment,<br />
false trials, and through it all evinced the Spirit<br />
that comes only from trust in God, in Christ, and<br />
His promises. "God and our Country" was their<br />
motto; and if you'll place Cameron's Apologetical<br />
Declaration beside our Declaration of Independence,<br />
you'll find whole thoughts and words which are<br />
similar. Pro Christo et Patria is not a new motto<br />
in our church!<br />
These men knew that nothing could keep them<br />
"from the love of Christ Jesus their Lord." For<br />
them the scaffold was a step toward heaven, and<br />
the fire a beacon of victory. Hyslop pictured it<br />
rightly :<br />
When the righteous had fallen, and the combat<br />
had ended<br />
A Chariot of fire through the dark cloud descended<br />
And the souls that came forth out of great tribu<br />
lation,<br />
They mounted the chariots and steeds of salvation.<br />
Glide swiftly, bright spirits, the prize is before ye,<br />
A crown never fading, a kingdom of glory.<br />
But it's the cause and not the blood that makes<br />
the martyr. According to their first printed "Tes<br />
timony,"<br />
these men believed:<br />
First : Salvation by the free sovereign grace of God,<br />
through faith in Jesus Christ.<br />
Second: The SOLE authority of the Bible in all mat<br />
ters of religion and right of all men to own Bibles.<br />
Third: Sole headship of Christ over the church.<br />
Fourth: The Headship of Christ over nations.<br />
Fifth: Right to resist civil rulers when their ac<br />
tions jeopardized men's souls.<br />
Sixth: These beliefs were welded together in one<br />
compact unit with the men who held them, the God<br />
who authorized them, the Christ they glorified, and<br />
the Spirit who directed them; by means of a cove<br />
nant.<br />
They saw in covenanting the God-appointed<br />
means of professing, advancing, and maintaining the<br />
cause of the reformation; and of comforting and<br />
fortifying the church in times of trial.<br />
These men of the covenant were not perfect.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ment,"<br />
age."<br />
quiet"<br />
oath."<br />
present."<br />
pleased."<br />
But they do deserve our respect, our commemora<br />
tion, and our imitation. That's the whole reason<br />
for thinking of the "History of Covenanting" now.<br />
They say to us, "Be ye followers of us as we also<br />
are of Christ."<br />
And once again, the covenants had helped win<br />
the battle with<br />
Satan, because no human sword<br />
could "cut" what God had bound together within<br />
that severed sacrifice.<br />
When Satan saw that he could not defeat such<br />
men as these by the sword, he turned to subtile<br />
temptation. First came the indulgences. The king<br />
promised relief for all who would take a modified<br />
oath or just "keep on certain issues. The<br />
ranks were split by indulgences.<br />
Second, the king offered a "Revolution Settle<br />
and the covenants were largely ignored be<br />
cause everyone was tired of fighting and afraid<br />
to mention the subject. The King then granted the<br />
church permission to exist.<br />
The "remnants" which refused to approve of<br />
this settlement were without a pastor for 16 years.<br />
Then the Rev. John McMillan joined the remnant<br />
in 1706 because he believed in the covenants. Our<br />
church was formed in 1743 and McMillan later wrote<br />
of the name, "REFORMED PRESBYTERY," it is<br />
"a title properly expressive of their principles and<br />
ground of constitution, namely, a presbytery, the<br />
first since the revolution, properly erected upon the<br />
footing of an approbation of, and an adherence to<br />
the whole of our covenanting reformation . . .a<br />
presbytery constituted in an immediate dependence<br />
upon the Lord Jesus Christ Our "Reformed<br />
Presbytery"<br />
Church was founded upon the principles<br />
of the Covenanted Reformation, in opposition to all<br />
the trials of these times of temptation. The Cove<br />
nants brought us our first pastor.<br />
THE TIMES OF RENEWAL<br />
For obvious reasons, the times of renewal must<br />
be remembered today. History<br />
points with pride<br />
and advice to her many valuable covenant renewals.<br />
Most of these came after the Revolution set<br />
tlement but one, the National Covenant was renew<br />
ed in 1596. Christianity had not been flourishing,<br />
churches were empty, people had heart trouble,<br />
ministers were lazy. The renewal of the covenant<br />
was requested, and approved, and an eyewitness has<br />
described the scene:<br />
"On this solemn occasion, Davidson preached<br />
so much to the conviction of his hearers, and in their<br />
name offered up a confession of their sins to heaven<br />
with such fervent emotions that the whole assem<br />
bled ministers melted into tears; and rising from<br />
their seats at his desire, and lifting up their right<br />
hands, they renewed their covenants with God. . .<br />
The scene continued three hours, was deeply af<br />
fected beyond anything that the oldest person pre<br />
sent had ever witnessed. The sacred action extended<br />
to congregations and the ordinance was obeyed<br />
with an alacrity and fervor which spread from<br />
parish to parish till all Scotland like Judah of old,<br />
"rejoiced at the Andrew Melville said after<br />
this experience, "(Renewal) is a highly spiritual<br />
symbol, and calculated to prove highly stimulating<br />
to a luke warm witness-bearer or a drooping church<br />
in any<br />
In 1745, the Secession Church renewed the<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
covenants beginning with a confession of sin which<br />
was made up on the spot, with personal and heartsearching<br />
contributions from every man. Again it<br />
was followed by a committment to duty and pass<br />
ed down to presbyteries and congregations. And<br />
again the whole of Scotland felt the impact of the<br />
revival. From that year onward, the Secession<br />
Church required all her seminary students to be<br />
personal covenanters from the first year of their<br />
study.<br />
Prof. Duncan, Scotland's outstanding Hebrew<br />
Scholar, said, "It secured a higher level in the per<br />
formance of ministerial duty than would have been<br />
possible without it." Professor Watt said: "It was<br />
their solemn dedication and the preparation for it,<br />
that seems to have been a land mark in many useful<br />
lives. Without a shadow of doubt this was one of<br />
piety."<br />
the main instruments in promoting Secession<br />
Even in the corrupt State Church of 1766, a<br />
few tried it and of this effort, a present day histor<br />
ian said: "It may therefore be concluded that it did<br />
serve its primary purpose of keeping alive the<br />
evangelical cause within the Church of Scotland."<br />
A professor at the University of Edinburgh<br />
spoke recently of meeting people in Scotland yet<br />
today who "assign a conspicuous place in their own<br />
spiritual development to ... a renewal of the cove<br />
nants. It involved a soul-stirring and life-renovating<br />
upturn in their actual<br />
But it is in the record of the covenant renewal<br />
in our own church, that we find a sharp warning.<br />
All the covenants were renewed by the faith<br />
ful remnant in 1689 just before the Revolution<br />
Settlement. They were renewed again in 1712 near<br />
Auchensaugh, and again in 1745 by the newly form<br />
ed "RE-FORMED PRESBYTERY," our church in<br />
Scotland. Professor Watt has termed this renewal,<br />
"something that can legitimately be called a 're<br />
newal of the Covenants'," to distinguish it from<br />
other bonds of adherence to a covenant.<br />
The Auchensaugh renewal was included in the<br />
terms of membership and communion but around<br />
1800 a few people began to complain. In 1818, ses<br />
sions were left free to read or to omit the clause<br />
concerning renewal, "as they<br />
In 1822<br />
(only 4 years later) the clause was deleted.<br />
From 1822 onward, frequent letters and dele<br />
gations from Ireland and America urged a joint<br />
covenant. The movement failed in Scotland while<br />
succeeding in other countries. Our Church in Scot<br />
land never again renewed the covenants.<br />
In 1872, under heavy pressure from a union<br />
committee, all reference to covenanting was remov<br />
ed from licensure and ordination formulas and in<br />
1873 another church magazine said with some irony:<br />
"It is not altogether unnoticeable here that the Re<br />
formed Presbyterian Synod's Committee on union,<br />
though representatives of those who so long claim<br />
ed to be <strong>Covenanter</strong>s par excellence, has entirely<br />
ignored the Covenants and the doctrine of Cove<br />
nant Obligation, in the statement of principles given<br />
into the Joint Committee" on church union.<br />
It was only about twenty years from the time<br />
they refused to exercise the privilege of covenant<br />
approved its removal as a<br />
renewal till the majority<br />
term of communion.<br />
The Union of a majority of the members of our<br />
Scottish church took place three years later and<br />
167
new."<br />
new."<br />
reviving."<br />
repentance."<br />
since that union, that majority, without the cove<br />
nants, inside the Church of Scotland, have been<br />
faced with situations and problems similar to the<br />
days before the covenants.<br />
From the time they refused the practice of re<br />
newal, they began to lose the principle and the<br />
. . their<br />
cared naught else of God."<br />
Glory! It was their only purpose in life .<br />
privilege, and soon found themselves back in the<br />
very church which had precipitated their formation<br />
at the time of the Settlement. Only a remnant split<br />
assert the obligations and true interests and honor<br />
off to maintain the principle of covenanting in Scot of Jesus Christ, testify against ecclesiastical defec<br />
land today.<br />
tion and national sin, and, from the long suffering of<br />
God . . . call to<br />
With your Covenants<br />
THE IMPORTANCE OF COVENANTING in mind, bend all your energies and talents from<br />
Covenants were introduced by God to man in every corner of the kingdom to work in one finely<br />
Bible times. They have been used by countless concentrated effort for "The Crown Rights and<br />
thousands. In Scotland:<br />
Royal Prerogatives of King Jesus !"<br />
The writing times proved their immediate It was the martyred Guthrie who closed his life<br />
value.<br />
with the words which we would do well to heed:<br />
The proving times proved their ability to in "The Covenants, the Covenants, shall yet be (our)<br />
spire endurance.<br />
The tempting times demonstrated their most<br />
vulnerable points.<br />
The renewal times tell us of the importance of<br />
the practice, lest we too lose the privilege.<br />
To these covenanters of history, their church,<br />
their elders and young people, and even their unborn<br />
members were sworn away to Christ as God's ap<br />
pointed King. Their hearts, minds, bodies, souls be<br />
longed to Him. They for but His Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about<br />
with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside<br />
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily be<br />
set us, and let us run with patience the race that<br />
is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and<br />
finisher of our faith ; "who for the joy that was set<br />
before him endured the cross, despising the shame,<br />
and it is set down at the right hand of the throne<br />
only desire in death!<br />
That oath was to them no ordinary agreement ;<br />
it was a bond of scriptural and moral content not<br />
to be broken without incurring the sin of perjury.<br />
They could say, "with your Bibles in your hands,<br />
declare your ecclesiastical and political position,<br />
vindicate it from misrepresentation and aspersion,<br />
The Issue in The Church<br />
by the late J. Gresham Machen<br />
II Corinthians 5 :17 : "Wherefore if any man is in<br />
Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are<br />
passed away; behold, they are become<br />
The world of today is hoping for something new.<br />
Things that seemed to be new have proved to be old ;<br />
the newness of modern inventions has been found not<br />
to touch the depths of life. New situations, it has<br />
been discovered, do not make new men ; a man is not<br />
made over by ascending in an airplane to the sky.<br />
Novelty has been sought in every sphere, but it is not<br />
so easy to find ; rebellion against accepted forms does<br />
not produce a new style, but sometimes only reveals<br />
a pitiful lack of invention ; sensationalism has proved<br />
to be rather dull.<br />
In the Epistles of Paul one finds that joyous<br />
freshness which modern men are seeking in vain;<br />
the first Christians evidently were in possession of<br />
something really new. The conditions of men, it is<br />
true, were not greatly changed ; social institutions in<br />
the early Church were left very much as they were<br />
before; but beneath outward sameness there was a<br />
mighty inner change. The novelty of the early<br />
Church was very different from the novelty of 1923 ;<br />
today we have changing circumstances and humanity<br />
itself in a rut ; then there was outward sameness, but<br />
underneath it there were new men. "Wherefore if<br />
the old<br />
any man is in Christ, he is a new creature :<br />
things are passed away; behold they are become<br />
Many earnest men to-day are examining the fu<br />
ture with some dread. Is humanity<br />
condemned to a<br />
168<br />
hopeless dullness, or may there be even now a fresh<br />
start A fresh start is certainly not easy to achieve.<br />
It cannot be achieved simply by taking things as they<br />
come ; it cannot be achieved simply by tearing off the<br />
last leaf for 1923 and putting a nice fresh calendar on<br />
the wall. The new year may prove to be old before<br />
his time. How shall 1924 be made really different<br />
from 1923; how shall the new year be made really<br />
new<br />
We have a startling suggestion to make. How<br />
would it be if there should be a revival of the Chris<br />
tian religion At that point no doubt to use a figure<br />
of Mr. Sunday many of our hearers will begin to<br />
snap their watches at us ; if we have no more novel<br />
suggestion than that, we shall probably find our au<br />
diences dwindling away. But the suggestion is not<br />
really so hackneyed as it seems; amid the many<br />
elixirs that are on the market today, it is astonish<br />
ing how little attention is being given to the gospel<br />
of Christ. Many modern men are like a contemporary<br />
British author of whom it has been said that he has<br />
sympathy for every religious institution on earth ex<br />
cept one; he has the warmest sympathy for every<br />
pagan religion no matter how strange, but the Wed<br />
nesday night prayer<br />
meeting he simply cannot stand.<br />
It was once remarked about a great encyclopedia how<br />
strange it was that the principle of that work in ac<br />
cordance with which various types of religious belief<br />
were to be presented by their own adherents, was<br />
not applied to evangelical<br />
Christianity, at least in its<br />
consistent form. Other beliefs are presented in the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
the'<br />
yes,'<br />
eryone,'<br />
ago.'<br />
ago'<br />
question.'<br />
yes'<br />
yes,'<br />
great encyclopedia by their friends, evangelical<br />
Christianity alone (at least in the form of the Re<br />
formed Theology) is presented by its opponents. The<br />
same unfairness prevails in many circles today. Vari<br />
ous religious beliefs are given a hearing, but this<br />
tolerance is not allowed to extend to the Cross of<br />
Christ. The discrimination may perhaps be excused<br />
by incorrigibly insistent character of the gospel<br />
appeal, but it should not be excused on improper<br />
grounds. It should not be excused on the ground of<br />
breadth or tolerance.<br />
The prevailing attitude toward evangelical<br />
Christianity may be necessary in order to avoid trou<br />
ble ; it may be safe and prudent : but tolerant, at any<br />
rate, it certainly is not.<br />
The prejudice against Christianity may ulti<br />
mately become beneficial. It may be that when the<br />
Wednesday night prayer meeting becomes as strange<br />
as dervish dances it will be revived as a great new<br />
discovery to which the attention of men will turn.<br />
Already there is the most abysmal ignorance of the<br />
gospel; the Epistle to the Galatians, even among<br />
scholars, is almost as much a sealed book as it was<br />
just before Luther's day. Yet it is gloriously plain.<br />
When will it be rediscovered <br />
When it is rediscovered, there will be great re<br />
vival of the Christian religion. None can say how<br />
soon that will come, and certainly it will not be pro<br />
duced by human effort. It will come not by might and<br />
not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts.<br />
Yet although a revival of the Christian religion is<br />
not the product of human effort, there are certain<br />
favorable conditions which the Spirit may first pro<br />
duce and then use for the accomplishment of His<br />
beneficient work.<br />
Those favorable conditions fall into two classes.<br />
First, there are those conditions which may be ex<br />
pected to appeal to all men, whether Christians or<br />
not, provided only they are really seeking some spir<br />
itual advance; in the second place, there are those<br />
conditions which will be appreciated by Christians<br />
alone.<br />
The second of the general conditions favorable<br />
to any spiritual advance is honesty just plain oldfashioned<br />
honesty<br />
of speech. That condition in cer<br />
tain religious circles is largely absent today. Tradi<br />
tional terminology is constantly being used in a<br />
double sense. Plain people in the Church, for example,<br />
are being told that this preacher or that believes that<br />
Jesus is God. They go away much impressed: the<br />
preacher, they say, believes in the deity of Christ;<br />
what more could be desired What is not being told<br />
them is that the word 'God' pantheizing<br />
or Ritschlian sense, so that the assertion, 'Jesus<br />
is being use in a<br />
is God,' is not the most Christian, but the least Chris<br />
tian thing that the Modernist preacher says. The<br />
Modernist preacher affirms the deity of Jesus not<br />
because he thinks high of Jesus but because he<br />
thinks desperately low of God.<br />
Formerly when men had brought to their at<br />
tention perfectly plain documents like the Apostles'<br />
Creed or the Westminster Confession or the New<br />
either accepted them or else denied<br />
Testament, they<br />
them. Now they no longer deny, but merely 'inter<br />
pret.'<br />
Every generation, it is said, must interpret the<br />
Bible or the Creed in its own way. But I sometimes<br />
wonder just how far this business of interpretation<br />
will go. I am, let us say, in the company of modern<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
men.<br />
They begin to test my intelligence. And first<br />
they test me on the subject of mathematics. 'What<br />
does six times nine make ' I am asked. I breathe a<br />
sigh of relief; many questions might have placed<br />
me very low in the scale of intelligence, but that<br />
question I think I can answer. I raise my hand hope<br />
fully. I know that one, I say. 'Six nines are fiftyfour.'<br />
But my complacency is short-lived. My mod<br />
ern examiner puts on a grave look. 'Where have you<br />
been living' he says. '"Six nines are fifty-four"<br />
that is the old answer to the In my ignor<br />
ance I am somewhat surprised. 'Why' I say, 'every<br />
body knows that; that stands in the multiplication<br />
table; do you not accept the multiplication table'<br />
'Oh, says my modern friend, 'of course I ac<br />
cept the multiplication table. But then I do not take<br />
a static view of the multiplication table ; every gen<br />
eration must interpret the multiplication table in its<br />
own way. And so of course I accept the proposition<br />
that six nines are fifty-four, but I interpret that to<br />
mean that six nines are a hundred and twenty-eight.'<br />
And then the examination gets into the sphere of<br />
history. The examiner asks me where the Declaration<br />
of Independence was adopted. That one, I think I<br />
know. The Declaration of Independence,' I say, 'was<br />
adopted at Philadelphia.' But again I meet with a<br />
swift rebuke. 'That is the old answer to the question,<br />
I am told. 'But,' I say, 'everyone knows that the De<br />
claration of Independence was adopted at Philadel<br />
phia ; that stands in all the history foooks ; do you not<br />
accept what stands in the history book' 'Oh,<br />
says my modern friend, 'we accept everything that<br />
stands in the history books one hundred per cent<br />
Americans we are. But then, you see, we have to<br />
interpret the history books in our own way. And so<br />
of course we accept the proposition that the Declara<br />
tion of Independence was adopted at Philadelphia,<br />
but we interpret that to mean that it was adopted at<br />
San Francisco.' And then finally the examination<br />
turns (though still in the sphere of history) to the<br />
department of history that concerns the Christian re<br />
ligion. 'What do you think happened,' I am asked, 'af<br />
ter Jesus was laid in the tomb near Jerusalem about<br />
nineteen hundred years To that question also<br />
I have a very definite answer. T will tell you what<br />
I think happened,' I say, 'He was laid in the tomb,<br />
and then the third day He arose again from the dead.'<br />
At this point the surprise of my modern friend<br />
reaches its height. The idea of a professor in a<br />
theological seminary actually believing that the body<br />
of a dead man really emerged from the grave! 'Ev<br />
he tells me, 'has abandoned that answer to<br />
the question long I say, 'My friend, this is very<br />
serious ; that answer stands in the Apotles' Creed as<br />
well as at the heart of the New Testament,' 'Oh,<br />
says my modern friend, 'Of course I accept the Apos<br />
tle's Creed; do we not say it every Sabbath in<br />
Church or, if we do not say it, we sing it of<br />
course, I accept the Apostle's Creed. But then, do<br />
you not see, every generation has a right to interpret<br />
the Creed in its own way. And so now of course we<br />
accept the proposition that 'the third day He arose<br />
again from the dead," but we interpret that to mean,<br />
"The third day He did not rise again from the<br />
dead." '<br />
In view of this modern art of 'interpretation,'<br />
one may almost wonder whether the lofty human gift<br />
of speech has not become entirely useless. If every<br />
thing that I say can be 'interpreted' to mean its<br />
169
exact opposite, what is the use of<br />
saying anything<br />
at all I do not know when the great revival of re<br />
ligion will come. But one thing is perfectly clear.<br />
When it does come, the whole elaborate art of 'in<br />
terpretation'<br />
will be brushed aside, and there will be<br />
a return, as there was at the Reformation of the six<br />
teenth century, to plain common sense and common<br />
honesty.<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
How the Budget Dollar is Divided<br />
"Another Interested Member" writes: "Please<br />
clarify your statement in <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> that<br />
money can be designated in such a way that it will<br />
be applied wholly for missions and not pro rated to<br />
all the other items of the budget."<br />
Without speaking for or against the plan itself,<br />
this is what we understand it to be.<br />
All contributions made through the budget will<br />
be divided according to the proportions named by<br />
Synod. One exception is that of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Wit<br />
ness whose quota must be met in. full.<br />
There is no advantage in designating my gifts to<br />
any particular cause named in the budget. In the end<br />
all departments will receive their proportionate share<br />
of available funds according to their estimated needs.<br />
For example, last Synod appropriated $1,800 to<br />
the Indian Mission. Suppose, because of special in<br />
terest, I gave my check for the full $1,800 (or any<br />
part thereof) and designated it for the Indian Mis<br />
sion. It would be applied accordingly.<br />
Because of<br />
my contribution the needs of the In<br />
dian Mission are provided for. Your undesignated<br />
contributions therefore will foe used to level up the<br />
causes that are behind. Most contributors, it seems,<br />
prefer to have it that way.<br />
But this raises a difficulty in the minds of<br />
some. Every person has the God-given right to con<br />
tribute to any cause he desires. Furthermore, he<br />
must not be denied the right to give without his gift<br />
being neutralized by the giving of others.<br />
To safeguard this right, Synod has provided<br />
that those who wish to give to a favorite cause with<br />
out it being canceled by budget regulations could<br />
designate their contributions as "over and above the<br />
budget."<br />
The treasurers who handle such funds are<br />
obligated to apply them exactly<br />
as the donor re<br />
quests.<br />
The Minutes of Synod for 1921, page 78, contain<br />
the following provisions which remain unchanged :<br />
Section 3 That the following provisions for the bud<br />
get system shall be adopted :<br />
170<br />
1. Contributions shall be applied as follows :<br />
(a) All contributions designated to specific<br />
schemes shall be applied according to the<br />
wish of the donor.<br />
(b) Money designated to the budget shall be dis<br />
tributed among the schemes according to.<br />
Synod's appropriations,<br />
regardless of what<br />
has already been received by any fund, if<br />
such request is made by the donor.<br />
(c) Money designated to the Budget with no<br />
special request shall be used, as last year, to<br />
bring all appropriations to a common per<br />
centage.<br />
2. Special financial drives in the church shall not<br />
be permitted unless authorized by Synod.<br />
Section IV That pastors and sessions strongly urge<br />
their people not to designate their funds in any way.<br />
If you desire to know what causes are included<br />
in the $110,015 budget for the past year, see Min<br />
utes of Synod, 19<strong>54</strong>, page 36.<br />
As to the wording of the action concerning a new<br />
missionary to Japan, see page 80, recommendation 5,<br />
in the report of the Board of Foreign Missions.<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
THEN ONLY SHALL I DARE<br />
TODAY I shall stretch forth my heart,<br />
And it shall feel<br />
The terrors of the unlearned ones<br />
Who live in constant fear of evil things.<br />
And I shall hear the sick<br />
Cry out as the witch of the illiterate<br />
Who long to read.<br />
I shall see children sold as slaves,<br />
and watch starved babies eating grass.<br />
Today I shall stretch forth my hands,<br />
And I shall share<br />
My bounty with the world's less fortunate ;<br />
I shall have a part in the teaching of the world,<br />
The feeding of its poor,<br />
The clothing of its naked, shivering ones.<br />
With my help shall its tortured flesh be healed;<br />
Then only then<br />
Can I endure my warmth and light and food,<br />
Then only shall I dare to kneel and pray.<br />
Margaret Chaplain Anderson.<br />
GLIMPSES . . . Continued from page 162<br />
the centennial of his conversion. It memorializes the late<br />
Drs. Reuben A. Torrey and James M. Gray, the institute's<br />
second and third presidents. The auditorium has 2,200 plush<br />
upholstered seats and was filled to capacity with an over<br />
flow audience of 1000 in the basement.<br />
Graham Meetings in Scotland<br />
It has been announced on the radio, a month before the<br />
evangelistic meetings led by Billy Graham are to begin, that<br />
there has never been such a large united effort in any city<br />
in preparation for the meetings as in Glasgow. There are<br />
already nearly 5,000 personal workers being trained for<br />
work in connection with the meetings, and there have nev<br />
er been more than 1,000 in preparation for any of the Gra<br />
ham-led meetings before. Though there is and has been much<br />
coldness and indifference in Scotland, there is evidence of<br />
the influence of the strong Presbyterian influence and the<br />
teaching<br />
of the Bible and the Catechism in the schools of<br />
that land. The plan is, and the indications are, that this<br />
campaign will reach to all parts of Britain by radio and tele<br />
vision and various forms of transportation such as has never<br />
occurred before. Would that the leaders would heed the re<br />
quest of our <strong>Covenanter</strong> church there that they would sing<br />
the Psalms without instrumental accompaniment. Then they<br />
might get back to the foundation principles of Reformation<br />
days.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
(He<br />
consist"<br />
offers."<br />
sacrifice"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of April 3, 1955<br />
CYPU TOPIC<br />
For AprU 3, 1955<br />
Comments by Rev. Robert W. McMillan<br />
"DOLLARS TO DOUGHNUTS"<br />
(Stewardship Topic)<br />
Col. 1:16, 17; Deut. 10:14; I John 3:16;<br />
Rom. 12:1<br />
PLACE: First Reformed Presbyterian<br />
church, Sleepytown, U.S.A.<br />
TIME: 6:42 o'clock, Sabbath evening<br />
(C.Y.P.U. should have begun at 6:30<br />
sharp. )<br />
CHARACTERS : A STRANGER is seat<br />
ed in the room. The others are the fair<br />
ly-regular ten that come to young peo<br />
ple's meeting<br />
Marybelle, Polly, Martha,<br />
Esther, John, Bill, Bob, Jerry, Paul and<br />
his wife Kate. (All names used are fic<br />
titious; any resemblance to persons liv<br />
ing or dead is entirely coincidental.)<br />
All have come drifting in, one or two<br />
at a time except Jerry, who is supposed<br />
to lead. A few comments are made about<br />
the dent in Bill's fender, the weather<br />
(unusual for this time of year), then<br />
they lapse into silence. They all notice<br />
the stranger, but only to stare at him<br />
and wonder who he is.<br />
Finally, Jerry comes in, a little breath<br />
less as though he had run up the church<br />
steps.<br />
JERRY: Let us open the meeting by<br />
singing Psalm ... pauses to look<br />
in the <strong>Witness</strong> to see what Psalm they<br />
are going to sing.) . . . Psalm nine,<br />
verses one, four and five, on page fif<br />
teen. Let us rise to sing and remain<br />
standing for prayer. (They sing, but<br />
without enthusiasm, each one looking<br />
down into his book, as though he had<br />
never seen the Psalm before. Then Jerry<br />
recites his stock prayer.)<br />
Dear God, we thank thee for those<br />
present tonight. Bless the absent ones<br />
wherever they<br />
are. Bless the mission<br />
aries in foreign lands. Lead us ever on<br />
ward and upward,<br />
Amen.<br />
for Christ's sake.<br />
(Apologetically) Our <strong>Witness</strong> was lost<br />
and I didn't find it until just before I<br />
came. The topic tonight is Stewardship,<br />
and now, please take the references as<br />
I read them. Oh, there aren't any given<br />
in the <strong>Witness</strong>! Well, then, let's have<br />
some discussion. Marybelle, what is<br />
Stewardship<br />
MARYBELLE : Isn't it something about<br />
how much money you give to the<br />
church<br />
JERRY : Yes, I guess it is and we should<br />
all give to support the church, shouldn't<br />
we Is there any further discussion of<br />
the topic (Silence. The unprepared<br />
leader is scanning the comments hoping<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
to find something to promote a discus<br />
sion.)<br />
STRANGER: May I say something<br />
JERRY: (Surprised, but relieved that<br />
someone has broken the silence) Oh yes!<br />
Go right ahead!<br />
STRANGER: I happen to be visiting<br />
relatives in your communifty. Your<br />
church was pointed out to me, and I've<br />
dropped in. A few years ago I would<br />
have been as hard pressed to know what<br />
to say on the subject of Stewardship as<br />
your leader seems to be. (Stranger nods<br />
at Jerry who seems to have lost his<br />
usual poise) It's a long story, but I have<br />
discovered that it pays to "give all that<br />
God asks, and take all that God<br />
My trouble was not a lack of knowledge<br />
so much as a lack of the willingness to<br />
obey. And O! what I was missing in<br />
fellowship with the Lord!<br />
The important thing to remember<br />
about Stewardship is that God wants<br />
us more than anything that we have.<br />
Paul praised the Macedonian Christians,<br />
you remember, because they "first gave<br />
their own selves to the Lord" (2 Cor.<br />
8:5). Also, remember that Stewardship<br />
relates to every area of our lives, not<br />
just to our pocket-books (although that<br />
may be the acid-test). The Bible teaches<br />
that Jesus Christ is the creator and sustainer<br />
of everything! "By Him all things<br />
(Col. 1:17; John 1:3). When you<br />
consider how Jesus showed His love for<br />
us (I John 3:16) can you be contented<br />
with the kind of service you're giving<br />
to Him In the Old Testament the Is<br />
raelites were required to bring a perfect<br />
lamb, one without spot or blemish. The<br />
times have changed but God doesn't<br />
change. He still requires our best. But<br />
are you young men and women giving<br />
your best to God I doubt if your em<br />
ployer would put up<br />
with the kind of<br />
service you offer to God. You get to<br />
work on time, or else. But, if you'll par<br />
don my saying so, I observed that you<br />
come to church late, and think nothing<br />
of it. You are asked to lead a youth<br />
meeting, and you accept the task feeling<br />
that if it is inconvenient to prepare for<br />
the job that you can bluff your way<br />
through. You see You offer to God<br />
what no earthly employer would accept.<br />
If you're going to claim the name of<br />
Christian then you ought to accept the<br />
challenge of Romans 12:1<br />
"I beseech<br />
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies<br />
of God, that ye present your bodies a<br />
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto<br />
God, which is your reasonable service."<br />
I'm sorry if you've been offended by my<br />
remarks, but I feel that it is the truth.<br />
I have to leave now, and since I don't<br />
live here it isn't likely that I'll have the<br />
opportunity to be back. God bless you<br />
all.<br />
(Stranger leaves. His presence, remarks<br />
and departure are such a change from<br />
the usual routine that the fairly-regulars<br />
are astonished<br />
and convicted.)<br />
JERRY: (Dazed) I wonder who he is<br />
There's no use pretending. What the<br />
man said hit me pretty hard. I spent all<br />
afternoon sleeping. I knew that I was<br />
supposed to lead the meeting, but, like<br />
he said, I thought I could bluff my way<br />
through. I'm really sorry. And I must<br />
also confess that my life hasn't been any<br />
"living at all.<br />
(Space has run out, but the writer<br />
thinks that the meeting ended with a<br />
more sincere prayer than the one with<br />
which it began.)<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
AprU 3, 1955<br />
Mrs. Luther McFarland<br />
Montclair, N. J.<br />
A BABY'S TEARS<br />
Scripture: Exodus 3:1-10, 33-25<br />
Memory Verse: "Children, obey your<br />
parents in all things :<br />
for this is well<br />
pleasing unto the Lord." Colossians 3 :20<br />
Psalms<br />
Sing from memory Psalm 103 :6-9,<br />
page 244<br />
Psalm 91:1-5, page 224<br />
Psalm 119:1-4, page 288<br />
Psalm 112:1, 4, page 277<br />
Not much to see, you say<br />
a crying<br />
baby, something one can see anywhere.<br />
But after all is anything so pathetic as<br />
a baby's tears. The birth of a baby in<br />
the home is always a joyous event, but<br />
in the case of Moses, his coming created<br />
a problem.<br />
The question would immediately arise,<br />
in the minds of Moses' father and moth<br />
er, what would happen to him Should<br />
they try to save him in spite of the<br />
edict of the wicked king Their faith in<br />
God was so strong that they<br />
were not<br />
afraid of Pharaoh. These Hebrew par<br />
ents were pious; they sought only to do<br />
right and so they looked to God for His<br />
blessing and protection. Through prayer<br />
they were able to trust the care of their<br />
child to God and to receive the assur<br />
ance that no harm would come to him.<br />
No doubt as the parents bent over their<br />
child, in that peasant's hut, and saw his<br />
exceeding goodliness, the assurance grew<br />
in their hearts that God had a special<br />
work for him to do. The Bible does not<br />
tell us, but some writers say that Moses'<br />
171
world."<br />
proph<br />
father had been told in a dream that<br />
Moses would be the deliverer of his peo<br />
ple. In Exodus 15:13-16, a deliverer had<br />
been promised.<br />
I think there was something very un<br />
usual in this baby's face, something<br />
which told his mother that he would be<br />
come a great man. At any rate their<br />
faith in God was so great that they con<br />
cealed their child in their home for three<br />
months.<br />
Juniors can you imagine how hard it<br />
would be for Moses' older brother and<br />
sister to keep<br />
such a secret Don't you<br />
think they were very obedient Why<br />
(Memory Verse).<br />
No mother can shelter her child in her<br />
home for ever; she can only build an ark<br />
for him, and ask God to take care of<br />
him. God doesn't do things for us that<br />
we can do for ourselves, but when we<br />
can do no more we can ask God and He<br />
will help us. So Moses' mother took<br />
great care in making a little basket of<br />
reeds or stiff grass for her baby. Then<br />
she plastered it with mud from the Nile<br />
and with pitch to keep<br />
out the water.<br />
With many tears, kisses, and prayers<br />
she put the three months old baby<br />
Moses in the basket, and carried it out<br />
to the river's edge and placed it among<br />
the tall grass.<br />
In those days it was a common thing<br />
for people to wash their clothes and<br />
bathe themselves in the river. As sister<br />
Miriam watches the precious basket, and<br />
the mother is at home praying, down<br />
from the palace comes the princess. It<br />
wasn't an accident that Pharaoh's<br />
daughter came down to the river at that<br />
time; she didn't know it but she was<br />
on an errand for God. She didn't know<br />
God, but God wanted the princess to find<br />
the baby Moses and save his life.<br />
Each day we go about our work and<br />
play without thinking about helping<br />
anyone, but if we will let Him, God will<br />
use our feet to run errands for Him.<br />
There is a story of a little lame girl,<br />
who after hearing a missionary tell of<br />
the mountain people who so needed the<br />
gospel of Jesus, wanted to help them.<br />
She had nothing to give but her crutch<br />
es, but she gave them to the usher tak<br />
ing the scanty offering. Others seeing<br />
what the little lame girl had done, gave<br />
more than they had intended to give.<br />
We are not told how long Miriam<br />
kept watch over the basket, but the im<br />
portant thing is that she did not wander<br />
off to play. When she saw that the prin<br />
cess had compassion on the beautiful<br />
baby, when he cried, how swiftly Mir<br />
iam sped on the errand that would bring<br />
the baby's own mother to the princess!<br />
How happy Moses' mother must have<br />
been now that she had her baby back!<br />
172<br />
Now she would not have to hide him<br />
now he was protected by the king who<br />
was the cause of all the persecution.<br />
How wisely God had planned it ! Moses<br />
was given back to his mother for the<br />
years when he would most need the<br />
training of a Godly mother. Later in the<br />
palace he received more education to fit<br />
him to free his people from the bondage<br />
of Egypt; however, in all those years in<br />
the palace he didn't f<strong>org</strong>et that he was a<br />
Hebrew.<br />
I hope the Juniors will never f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
that Jesus is the one who frees each one<br />
from bondage, the bondage of sin, and<br />
that they will always remember to<br />
thank Him.<br />
References :<br />
Exodus 1:22<br />
Acts 7:20<br />
Hebrews 11:23<br />
1 Peter 5:7<br />
Psalm 46:1, 2<br />
Psalm 27:1-3<br />
Questions :<br />
1. Why was the baby Moses hid in a<br />
basket near the river Give three rea<br />
sons.<br />
2. Would it be easy to hide a baby for<br />
three months<br />
3. Do you think Miriam was a good<br />
sister Why<br />
4. Why<br />
not afraid<br />
were the parents of Moses<br />
5. Name some things you should be<br />
afraid of and some you should not be<br />
afraid of.<br />
6. List some errands you could run for<br />
God<br />
For your notebook :<br />
Write the answers to the questions or<br />
list some things you have learned about<br />
Moses.<br />
SABBATH<br />
SCHOOL LESSON<br />
AprU 3, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Interna<br />
tional Council of Religious Education.)<br />
THE CROSS AND CHRISTIAN<br />
DISCDPLESHD<br />
Matt. 21:1-11; Luke 9:23, 24; John 12:<br />
30-36; 3 Cor. 5:14-19; Gal. 2:20, 21;<br />
6:14-17.<br />
PRINTED. Matt. 21:1-11; John 12:20-22,<br />
24-26; 2 Cor. 5:14-19.<br />
MEMORY: Gal. 6:14; "But God forbid<br />
that I should glory,<br />
our Lord Jesus Christ, by<br />
save in the cross of<br />
whom the<br />
world is crucified unto me, and I unto<br />
the<br />
Zechariah described Christ's Triumph<br />
al Entry (9:9) in detail 500 years before<br />
it occured. Matt. 21 :4, "Now this is come<br />
to pass, that it might be fulfilled which<br />
was spoken through the<br />
Christ<br />
carried out the program that had been<br />
ordained for our salvation, as it had<br />
been related in prophecy. Not because of<br />
the prophecy, but because of the pro<br />
gram that had been ordained for our<br />
salvation and spoken through prophecy.<br />
How tender the message! "Tell the<br />
Daughter of Zion, Behold thy King com<br />
eth unto thee." And the multitude<br />
sang,<br />
"Hosana to the Son of David. Blessed is<br />
he that cometh in the name of the<br />
Lord."<br />
In His Triumphal Entry, they<br />
chanted from the Prophets and the<br />
Psalms, mostly from the 118th Psalm,<br />
proclaiming Christ as their promised<br />
Messiah But they had pictured Him ac<br />
cording to their own desires, and that<br />
was a false picture. The Jews are still<br />
looking for their Messiah, the one they<br />
have pictured. They are content to abide<br />
by the present division of the Land in<br />
Palestine, until He shall come. Then<br />
they expect Him to give them all the<br />
land. The Jews as a blood race, are 2,000<br />
years too late.<br />
Those we know today as Jews are the<br />
descendants of those who, by their own<br />
hands, brought about the destruction of<br />
Jerusalem in A.D. 72. Titus beseiged the<br />
city to put down rebellion. It was not Ti<br />
tus or his soldiers that destroyed the city<br />
and slaughtered the people. It was the<br />
Jews themselves within the walls. It is<br />
the descendants of those Jews that are<br />
called Jews today, and that claim the<br />
promise. Is it the rebellious Jews that<br />
are heirs to the promise What about<br />
the descendants of the Christian Jews<br />
that for His sake were scattered abroad<br />
Those who obeyed Christ's command<br />
and fled from Jerusalem before its de<br />
struction There were six million Chris<br />
tians buried in the catacombs in the<br />
first three centuries. Many of them were<br />
Jew's. What of their descendants The<br />
Jews who cried "Crucify Him" lost every<br />
claim they ever had to any special prom<br />
ise to them as Jews. They have now the<br />
same promises that are to those of other<br />
races, and no more.<br />
There are those who would find in the<br />
securing of the ass for the Triumphal<br />
Entry, a miracle of Christ's knowledge<br />
and power. The story as told seems to<br />
imply<br />
a previous arrangement with the<br />
owner of the ass. Of this we are sure;<br />
Christ would not take a<br />
property<br />
without his permission. The disciples<br />
did not really lead the ass away, until<br />
the owner allowed it. But it was at<br />
Christ's command that they were in the<br />
act of so doing when the owner spoke to<br />
them. In the case of an auto, modem<br />
"delinquents"<br />
would call it an attempt to<br />
"borrow."<br />
Christ could not borrow in<br />
that way. His power is unlimited except<br />
in one thing; He cannot sin. God cannot<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
sting"<br />
conciliation."<br />
me."<br />
man,"<br />
lie. Christ, because there is no darkness<br />
in Him, could not use for Himself, a lost<br />
coin. It belonged to the loser. Do not say,<br />
"But if the owner could not be found."<br />
Christ would know about the owner.<br />
Anyhow, a lost coin still belongs to the<br />
loser,<br />
whether known or not. Christ<br />
created all the silver in the world. He<br />
miraculously<br />
multiplied food.<br />
But He<br />
could not counterfeit a "piece of money"<br />
that He himself had described as<br />
"stater"<br />
which was a coin with a super<br />
scription. Neither could Christ take an<br />
ass without the owner's consent. The<br />
arrangement with the owner may have<br />
been made miraculously. We do not need<br />
to manufacture miracles in order to es<br />
tablish Christ's power.<br />
While the multitude sang "Hosana"<br />
and spread garments and palm branches<br />
on the way, Christ knew that He was on<br />
the road to the cross. Truly, "The way<br />
of the cross leads<br />
on."<br />
The cross seems<br />
to be an old symbol. Christ often spoke<br />
of it. It was the instrument of execution,<br />
yet the one to be executed must bear it.<br />
The sinner builds his own cross with his<br />
own sins. If he will take it up and bear<br />
it to Calvary, joining it with Christ's<br />
cross, and take his place on it with<br />
Christ, then with Christ, he will win the<br />
victory over sin and death, and he then<br />
can exclaim with Paul, "O grave, where<br />
is thy victory O death, where is thy<br />
(See next week's lesson.)<br />
John 12:20.<br />
I know not why the key verse<br />
(v. 13) is omitted. Greeks came<br />
to Philip, who had a Greek name, and<br />
was probably Greek, and asked him to<br />
help them see Jesus. Philip and Andrew<br />
tell Jesus. This was the sign of a World<br />
Harvest. Christ answered them,<br />
a<br />
"The<br />
hour is come that the Son of man should<br />
be<br />
glorified."<br />
For that end He must, like<br />
wheat, die, then the harvest, that is the<br />
way with all life. The seed must die and<br />
decay. We must die unto sin if we<br />
would live unto righteousness. Sooner or<br />
later, this body will become a burden.<br />
That we may have a new body, this one<br />
must die and become dust. Many try<br />
hard to prevent, or rather retard, the<br />
decay of the body after death. Many<br />
preserving devices are offered at great<br />
cost, and promoters take advantage of<br />
those who are in sorrow. We may keep<br />
up with the Joneses, but the Egyptians<br />
are away ahead. I have seen an Egyptian<br />
mummy. I would rather think of my<br />
body going quickly to dust or ashes, ac<br />
cording to God's plan.<br />
Life through death. Christ died for all<br />
of us. We should all live for Him who<br />
not only died for us, but rose again.<br />
Paul (v. 16) warns us against becoming<br />
attached to the flesh. When Mary found<br />
Jesus after He had risen from the dead,<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
she would have held Him by the feet,<br />
lest she lose Him. Jesus said, "Be not<br />
clinging to She should f<strong>org</strong>et His<br />
human form, and learn to know Him as<br />
glorified. Even as Christ's followers<br />
could know Him in the flesh no more,<br />
so Paul says that in our knowledge of<br />
one another, we should go deeper than<br />
what appears in this life, for the old has<br />
passed away, and all things have become<br />
New.<br />
To those who are in Christ, all things<br />
are of God. We are reconciled to God<br />
through Christ. Freed from the bondage<br />
of sin, we should rejoice to enter the<br />
glorious life of bondmen to Jesus Christ,<br />
whose meanest service is better than the<br />
greatest riches that sin can offer. Moses<br />
by faith weighed the throne of Egypt<br />
against the affliction of a race of slaves<br />
in Egypt, and did not falter in his choice.<br />
Paul never gets away from the<br />
thought, that being saved, we have a<br />
duty, or rather a privilege, to carry the<br />
ministry to others. (Vs. 18 19) "And<br />
gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;<br />
To wit, that God was in Christ, recon<br />
ciling the world unto himself, not im<br />
puting their tresspasses unto them; and<br />
hath committed unto us the word of re<br />
The Protestant Churches have been<br />
criticised for allowing the Roman Catho<br />
lics to monopolize the symbol of the<br />
cross. The use of the cross among<br />
Protestant Churches is spreading rapid<br />
ly. This we should keep in mind; Chris<br />
tian faith is revealed, not in signs, but<br />
in life.<br />
Psalms<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
18:1-4, page 30<br />
April 6, 1955<br />
THE ROYAL LAW<br />
James 2:1-13<br />
M. K. Carson, D.D.<br />
31:18, 22, 23, page 73<br />
26:1, 2, 6, page 61<br />
116:1, 4, 5, 6, page 282<br />
References; Matt. 22:37-40; John 13:34,<br />
35; Gal. 5:14; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 1:17;<br />
Mark 12:29-31; Romans 13:8-10; I Cor.<br />
13; Matt. 5:44.<br />
This law of the Kingdom is well<br />
named. It is truly a Royal law, the law<br />
of the King Himself and the king of all<br />
laws. It is not only the great command<br />
ment but it is the sum of the Ten Com<br />
mandments. It is both a Royal law in its<br />
origin and in its perfection, for it is the<br />
fulfilling<br />
of the law.<br />
This Royal Lavo is the True Bond of<br />
Brotherhood.<br />
"Don't ever attempt, my brothers, to<br />
combine snobbery with faith in our Lord<br />
Jesus Christ." Philipps. How vividly this<br />
point is illustrated, James 2:2, 3. The<br />
one who was both arrayed in spendid<br />
garments and was a "gold-ringed<br />
having "his hands conspicuously loaded<br />
with rings and jewels"<br />
was given a<br />
choice seat. Men who pay two hundred<br />
dollars a day for hotel accomodations<br />
are given more consideration than those<br />
who do not indulge in such sinful ex<br />
travagance. In this world where money<br />
talks this partiality is understood and<br />
expected, even though it is not in har<br />
mony with the law of the Kingdom. The<br />
poor man, being despised, was left for<br />
the most part to shift for himself. And<br />
this took place in the "synagogue"! The<br />
men in the illustration were judged by<br />
outward appearances. The rich man,<br />
greedy of money, power and position,<br />
was given special favors because he<br />
wore the costly<br />
clothes. And the poor<br />
man was rejected because he came in<br />
vile raiment. According to James, such<br />
invidious distinctions are wrong. The<br />
costliness of a man's dress is no criter<br />
ion for true judgment. If this rich man<br />
and poor man could have been judged on<br />
a "heart-basis," would this distinction<br />
have been made Evidently this poor<br />
man was "rich in faith" and an heir<br />
of the Kingdom, but despised by the as<br />
sembly. The gay clothing and the costly<br />
rings would be seen. They were pur<br />
chased and worn with that in mind. But<br />
the riches of the poor man were not so<br />
evident nor were they prized so highly,<br />
although they were infinitely more valu<br />
able. The poor man was rich in faith.<br />
This is essential. Not all those, however,<br />
who are poor in material things are rich<br />
in faith. And not all those who are rich<br />
in material things are lacking in faith.<br />
We thank God for many Christian men<br />
who are rich both in spiritual and ma<br />
terial things and who administer their<br />
wealth for the glory of God and the ad<br />
vancement of the Kingdom. This Royal<br />
law is the one bond that makes true<br />
brotherhood possible. No true brother<br />
hood can exist where men regulate their<br />
respect for each other by the measure of<br />
their outward and worldly standing.<br />
Based on such a criterion there is bound<br />
to be "respect of<br />
sin.<br />
persons"<br />
which is a<br />
This Royal Law is a Unity.<br />
But suppose they were guilty<br />
of this<br />
sin, the respect of persons. It was only<br />
one sin. Is the breaker of one law as<br />
guilty<br />
as the man who breaks two or<br />
more laws Evidently the Apostle an<br />
ticipated such an objection. His answer<br />
is, "For whosoever shall keep the whole<br />
law, and yet offend in one point, he is<br />
guilty of<br />
all"<br />
(2:10). The law then is a<br />
unity.. It is given by one Divine Author,<br />
the exponent of His Divine and Holy<br />
Will. It might be illustrated in this way.<br />
Your watch might have ten or more<br />
173
ners"<br />
selves"<br />
precepts"<br />
rejoi<br />
wheels in it. If you break every wheel,<br />
it is a broken watch and worthless. But<br />
even if only one wheel is broken, the<br />
watch is useless. It cannot fulfill its<br />
purpose. Or if you were hanging over<br />
a precipice by a chain of ten links, the<br />
results would be the same, whether<br />
every link in the chain were smashed<br />
or only<br />
one link. So the Royal law is<br />
a unity. All of us have sinned. And if<br />
we offend in one point we are guilty of<br />
all. So we are more than "little sin<br />
of one sin! How little do we<br />
realize the enormity<br />
of our sin! "But<br />
where sin abounded, grace did much<br />
more abound."<br />
This Royal Law Is a Law of Liberty<br />
(James 2:12)<br />
James has already spoken of the per<br />
fect law of liberty (1:25). This may<br />
have been one of his favorite expres<br />
sions and how very<br />
pression is<br />
suggestive this ex<br />
the law of liberty. In what<br />
respects is the Royal law a law of lib<br />
erty If we could keep this royal law<br />
perfectly<br />
then we would love the Lord<br />
our God with all our heart, and with<br />
all our soul and with all our mind and<br />
we would love our neighbor as our<br />
(Matt. 22:37-39).<br />
Christ said, "A new commandment I<br />
give unto you, That ye love one another;<br />
as I have loved you, that ye also love<br />
one<br />
another"<br />
(John 13:34-35). How<br />
much bondage is there in this kind of<br />
love So if we really loved we would not<br />
be bound by sin. And yet we are bound<br />
by the sin of selfishness, pride, envy,<br />
malice and every<br />
other sin. John says,<br />
"Whosoever hateth his brother is a mur<br />
derer"<br />
I John 3:15. Even though a mur<br />
derer is not apprehended, how much<br />
freedom does he have How wonder<br />
fully true it is that the law of love is<br />
the law of liberty. "I will walk at liber<br />
ty; for I seek thy<br />
45).<br />
Prayer.<br />
1. For our Spring communions.<br />
2. For growth in Christian love.<br />
3. For our missionaries.<br />
(Psalm 119:<br />
4. For the College and Seminary.<br />
5. For the Christian Amendment<br />
movement.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
A Thought for you<br />
Put on the wnole armor of God.<br />
Eph. 6:11<br />
Trying to face life without this armor<br />
we get burned, blinded, bewildered, de<br />
feated. But what a difference when we<br />
put on the whole armor<br />
174<br />
Church News<br />
DENISON<br />
Our church was hostess to the com<br />
munity on the World Day of Prayer.<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle brought a message<br />
in the afternoon meeting on "Twilight or<br />
Sunrise in Missions in Asia." Mrs. Albert<br />
McCrory presented a Bible study from<br />
John 15. Different elements of prayer<br />
were emphasized by<br />
a large number of<br />
Bible verses. There was wide participa<br />
tion by women from all the churches.<br />
Lunch was served at noon in the new,<br />
nearly completed basement.<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle brought stirring mes<br />
sages on the Great Commission and<br />
Communism, February 27. His mother<br />
accompanied him from Topeka.<br />
City<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Faris of Kansas<br />
and Miss Elva Mann of Hebron<br />
were welcome visitors also on this day.<br />
Miss Mary McCrory is gradually re<br />
covering after undergoing major surgery<br />
in the Stormont-Vail Hospital, Topeka<br />
on February 14.<br />
WINCHESTER, KANS.<br />
The Young People had a chili supper<br />
at the Huston home on January 24. At<br />
a business meeting later the following<br />
officers were elected: President, Dick<br />
Hensleigh; vice-president, Frances Hus<br />
ton; Secretary-Treasurer, Hazel White.<br />
The congregation was saddened by the<br />
death of R. Boyd Cathcart on January<br />
30. Although he had not been well for<br />
sometime, he had been at his duties as<br />
a member of the Kansas State College<br />
animal husbandry<br />
1) loins girt with truth<br />
2) having<br />
eousness<br />
staff until a short<br />
on the breastplate of right<br />
3) your feet shod with the preparation<br />
of Gospel of peace<br />
4) taking the shield of faith that ye<br />
shall be able<br />
5) take the helmet of salvation<br />
6) the sword of the spirit which is the<br />
word of God<br />
7) THAT SECRET WEAPON-praying<br />
always in the Spirit.<br />
Note: For many<br />
years this has been a<br />
much loved gem but only recently was<br />
my attention called to that last weapon<br />
(giving credit to Rev. Joe Caskey) whicn<br />
adds so much to the effectiveness of the<br />
Gospel armor.<br />
M.J.L.<br />
W.M.S. Uniform programs are ready.<br />
They may<br />
be ordered at 12 cents each<br />
address: Mrs. Herald Hanna, Rt. 10,<br />
Bloomington, Indiana.<br />
time before his passing. Funeral services<br />
were held at the First Methodist Church<br />
in Manhattan. Rev. Caskey assisted in<br />
this service and the trio sang. The<br />
church extends its sympathy to his par<br />
ents, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Cathcart of<br />
Winchester, and to his wife, Ermine, and<br />
daughters, Marilyn, Ruth, Carol of<br />
the home.<br />
Rev. Caskey and the trio, Minnie Belle<br />
and Hazel White and Barbara Huston,<br />
conduct a short service at the Barton<br />
Nursing Home in Winchester every<br />
other Sabbath afternoon.<br />
THE COVENANTER HOME<br />
Mr. Paul Robb, a senior in our Sem<br />
inary, preached at the Home on Sab<br />
bath afternoon, February 20. Our Home<br />
folks appreciated the sermon so very<br />
much. It is always a joy to them to<br />
have Paul with them. Thank you, Paul.<br />
Prayer meeting was conducted at the<br />
Home on Wednesday evening, February<br />
23, by Donald McClurkin and Glenn Mc<br />
Farland. How much it means for these<br />
folks to hear our ministers-to-be! The<br />
prayer meeting was splendid.<br />
Once a month we have preaching serv<br />
ice at the Home on Sabbath afternoon,<br />
and prayer meeting on a Wednesday eve<br />
ning. These are for those who are not<br />
able to get to church the shut-ins and<br />
also all those who wish to come in. All<br />
who are able enjoy these services very<br />
much. On other Sabbaths they who are<br />
not able to get out to church must de<br />
pend upon their radios for sermons.<br />
The Troy Hill Girl Scout Troop under<br />
the direction of Mrs.<br />
Walleck enter<br />
tained the members of the Home with<br />
a musical program and readings on Val<br />
entine's Day, February 14.<br />
They had<br />
made red hearts and filled them with<br />
cookies, and candies and a little packet<br />
of sachet for each member. The folks<br />
thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment<br />
put on by these young girls.<br />
Everyone at the Home is in his or her<br />
usual health with the exception of Miss<br />
Janet Barclay who is in the hospital un<br />
der observation.<br />
Again, we ask the church to pray for<br />
the Home, its workers, members, and<br />
the Board. We ask especially for prayers<br />
for the Building Committee that they<br />
will be directed in their work, and that<br />
the church and friends will be moved by<br />
His Spirit "to give till they<br />
toward this necessary and worthy phase<br />
of His work.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
out"<br />
STERLING<br />
The Rev. S. E. Boyle and Scott were<br />
honored February 16<br />
by<br />
the Sterling<br />
W.M.S. at a dinner in the church par<br />
lors to which all of the congregation<br />
were invited. Following the dinner Rev.<br />
Boyle spoke and showed pictures of<br />
Japan. A love offering of $83 was pre<br />
sented to him. Immediately following the<br />
dinner the Kilpatricks were surprised<br />
with a "pound" shower, and upon re<br />
turning home found a new Westing<br />
house refrigerator already installed<br />
ready to receive these pounds of food.<br />
Mrs. Dean Fountain has been a pa<br />
tient in the Sterling Hospital but hopes<br />
soon to return to her school teaching du<br />
ties.<br />
Hugh Hays, who has completed his<br />
army service, is back to take his last<br />
semester as a senior in Sterling College.<br />
Hugh's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Hays<br />
of Hoisington visited Hugh and wor<br />
shiped with us February 19.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. James Humphreys, Mrs,<br />
R. M. Edgar, and Jean, and Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Joe McFarland and Bill visited in<br />
Minneola with the Reed Hindmans re<br />
cently.<br />
CLARINDA, IOWA<br />
For the past five years Miss Gertrude<br />
Lee has been teaching the evening adult<br />
Bible class in a very effective and inter<br />
esting way. To show their appreciation<br />
of her good work the class, at a recent<br />
meeting, presented her with a handsome<br />
reference Bible bearing her name in<br />
gold on the cover.<br />
This is our Centennial year and a<br />
number of interesting events are being<br />
planned. To lead off, the Juniors enter<br />
tained the congregation the evening of<br />
February 25 with a pageant depicting<br />
the contrasts between former days and<br />
the present. The old time costumes, the<br />
"lining<br />
of the Psalms, and the dis<br />
cussions in the congregational meeting<br />
made the past seem very real to us. The<br />
congregation thanks the Juniors and<br />
their sponsors, Mrs. Knox McCalla, Mrs.<br />
Leslie McCalla and Miss Mildred Blair<br />
who assisted them, for a very pleasant<br />
evening.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Cabeen recently<br />
welcomed a new son, James Larry, into<br />
their home.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Dunn have re<br />
turned from a trip to the South and<br />
West going as far as the Grand Can<br />
yon.<br />
Lyle Cabeen has been spending several<br />
weeks with his brother, Richard, in<br />
Washington, Pa. Lyle has received his<br />
call to army service and will be leaving<br />
March 14.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Stoops, of Blockton,<br />
Iowa, celebrated their Golden Wed<br />
ding March 1. Several of their children<br />
March 16, 1955<br />
and grandchildren were home to cele<br />
brate the occasion. The congregation<br />
remembered them with cards and flow<br />
ers.<br />
CAMBRIDGE<br />
"Suffer the little children to come un<br />
to me and forbid them not, for of such is<br />
the kingdom of heaven," was joyously<br />
illustrated to us in the recent baptism<br />
of Mark John, infant son of Warren and<br />
Winnefred Snow, and Wendy, infant<br />
daughter of Thomas and Doris Smyth.<br />
Mrs. Ethel Gibson, our capable Sab<br />
bath School Superintendent,, received the<br />
"surprise of her life" at a recent Fellow<br />
ship Meeting, when it blossomed forth<br />
into a grandiose birthday party. The<br />
many gifts received were but a token of<br />
appreciation for the wonderful work she<br />
has rendered to the church these past<br />
unmentionable number of years.<br />
In the process of attending the party<br />
for Mrs. Gibson, Mrs. S. P. Faris fell<br />
on the church steps and received a se<br />
vere laceration near her eye which re<br />
quired six stitches to close. We are<br />
pleased to report the eye is healing<br />
nicely and apparently no lasting ill ef<br />
fects were sustained. Mrs. Faris has had<br />
several mishaps during the past months<br />
but has weathered them all very nicely<br />
and we do not think it would be "catty"<br />
to say she has the proverbial nine lives.<br />
A special prayer meeting was held at<br />
the home of our pastor in observance<br />
of the World Day of Prayer.<br />
We are very happy that Harold<br />
Hutcheson now stationed in the Army<br />
at Fort Devens, Mass. can occasionally<br />
worship with us.<br />
Mrs. Mary Sterrett Pollock, 73, widow<br />
of Rev. Wm. A. Pollock, United Presby<br />
terian Minister for many years, died at<br />
the home of a daughter at Topeka, Kan<br />
sas, Saturday, February 26.<br />
Until her<br />
marriage she was a member of the Cedarville,<br />
Ohio, Church of the Covenan<br />
ters; also was a daughter of Mr. and<br />
Mrs. W. R. Sterrett of that place. She<br />
leaves two sisters and two brothers and<br />
three daughters, eight grandchildren<br />
and a number of nieces and nephews.<br />
She was buried March 1 at the College<br />
Springs, Iowa, Cemetery.<br />
Dr. J. Herbert Scott, 79, formerly a<br />
member of Millers Run <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Church, passed away at the Deshler Hil<br />
ton Hotel, Columbus, Ohio, January 30.<br />
He was a practicing<br />
cian in that city for many<br />
osteopathic physi<br />
years. He<br />
married Katherine McLeod and she too<br />
practiced the same profession. He leaves<br />
his wife and a daughter, Jeanette, who<br />
lives at Princeton, New Jersey, and a<br />
niece and nephew. Dr. Scott was buried<br />
at Princeton, New Jersej'.<br />
ELDER GEOFGE H. ARNOTT, on<br />
Sabbath evening, January 30, after 89<br />
years in Coldenham, left his "earthly<br />
house"<br />
for "an house not made with<br />
hands eternal in the heavens." His firm<br />
stand and support of Coldenham congre<br />
gation was once, by God's grace, a chief<br />
factor in its continuance and present<br />
witness for Christ's crown and covenant<br />
in this community. The remaining elders<br />
have written in their records their trib<br />
ute to his memory. Having<br />
no descen<br />
dants in the flesh, he had willed the ma<br />
jor portion of his estate to his descen<br />
dants in the spirit. Thus "he, being dead,<br />
yet for speaketh"<br />
the honor of our Lord<br />
and Saviour, Jesus Christ.<br />
HOPKINTON<br />
W. C. M.<br />
Mr. Hugh McGlade and Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Walter Johnson have spent some time<br />
this winter vacationing in Florida. Mr.<br />
Johnson, who has not been well, has re<br />
mained to return later.<br />
Mr. Robert McNeill, who was quite ill<br />
for a time, is almost normal again,<br />
though his rheumatism still causes him<br />
considerable pain.<br />
Our young people, who until recently<br />
were a junior society, have now devel<br />
oped into a young<br />
people's society.<br />
Thomas Joseph was chosen president.<br />
Our released time Bible school is<br />
making<br />
use of the flannelgraph sets<br />
which are loaned by the Women's Synod<br />
ical and we are grateful for them. We<br />
also make use of film strips with a pro<br />
jector to visualize Bible lessons both to<br />
interest and instruct the pupils.<br />
COLLEGE HILL<br />
During the month of February our<br />
morning<br />
services were broadcast over<br />
the local station. The responses from<br />
our own shut-in members and many out<br />
siders were very gratifying indeed. Miss<br />
Aphrodite Thrombettas, a student from<br />
Africa whose help in the Sabbath School<br />
and in the choir is greatly appreciated,<br />
made a recording of one of the services<br />
to be sent to her parents and friends in<br />
Djibouti, French Somaliland.<br />
The Men's Club has a supper meeting<br />
once a month in the church. After a<br />
supper of their own cooking () a pro<br />
gram is given. Recently Dr. Edwin C.<br />
Clark was in charge of the program,<br />
asking each man present who had served<br />
in the last World War to tell what<br />
branch of the service he was in, where<br />
he was located and his religious experi<br />
ences. It was amazing the area of the<br />
earth's surface covered by the men pres<br />
ent, the variety of service rendered and<br />
the experiences they had.<br />
A unique program has recently been<br />
followed in the mid-week prayer-meet<br />
ing. The elders, deacons and three Mis-<br />
175
place"<br />
one."<br />
city."<br />
city."<br />
realize,"<br />
men."<br />
sionary Societies have conducted the<br />
meetings. In a most interesting way the<br />
work of the <strong>org</strong>anizations has been<br />
brought before the members, helping us<br />
to know and understand their work.<br />
Other groups are yet to make their con<br />
tribution to this type of program. The<br />
interest manifested is fine.<br />
Miss Ellen Jean Robb, daughter of<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Remo I. Robb, was one of<br />
forty-seven students in the University of<br />
Pittsburgh school of nursing to be<br />
capped in ceremonies in the Cathedral of<br />
Learning by Dean Ruth Perkins Kuehn,<br />
Friday, March 4.<br />
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. John<br />
Gache on the birth of a little son,<br />
March 4. His name is David Alan.<br />
Rev. C.<br />
OAKDALE<br />
E. Caskey preached for us<br />
morning and evening on February 13.<br />
Mrs. Elwyn Carson and Mr. and Mrs.<br />
William Richards and sons Gary and<br />
Mark have returned from a trip through<br />
the South. They worshiped with the<br />
Orlando congregation February 27.<br />
The Women's Missionary Society met<br />
Wednesday, March 2, at the home of<br />
Mrs. Ward Auld. The following officers<br />
were elected : President, Mrs. Harry Pat<br />
ton; Vice President, Miss Eva Murray;<br />
Recording Secretary, Mrs. Lawrence<br />
Hood; Treasurer, Mrs. W. G. Thompson.<br />
The Willing Hands Missionary So<br />
ciety met Saturday, March 5, at the<br />
home of Mrs. Elza McLean. These were<br />
the officers chosen for the coming year :<br />
President, Mrs. Lloyd Patton; Vice<br />
President, Mrs. W. K. Auld; Recording<br />
Secretary, Mrs. Jane T. Carson; Corres<br />
ponding Secretary, Miss Eleanor Thomp<br />
son; Treasurer, Mrs. Elza McLean.<br />
Sabbath, March 6, for our morning<br />
service two tape recordings made by a<br />
group of Seminary Students were heard.<br />
One was on "The Seminary and the<br />
Ministry" and the other on "Evangel<br />
ism."<br />
We are looking forward to having<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle with us March 16, and<br />
the Genevans are to be here March 30.<br />
DENVER<br />
The February 23, <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>,<br />
page 121 lists J. C. Mitchel as Colorado<br />
Y. P. Secretary. Please note that Rev.<br />
Bruce C. Stewart is the present Cove<br />
nant Heights Y. P. Secretary.<br />
Also please note that it is important<br />
to add the word "South" to my address<br />
at 330 South Corona, Denver 9. In re<br />
cent months a lot of mail has been ar<br />
riving more than 2 months late due to<br />
this error, and some not arriving at all.<br />
Hugh H. Martin of Denver passed<br />
away February 27 after a short illness.<br />
He was a long-time and faithful member<br />
of the Board of Deacons. Until moving to<br />
176<br />
Denver in 1935 Mr. Martin farmed in<br />
the bounds of the Beulah, Nebraska,<br />
congregation. He is survived by his wife<br />
Lena A. Martin, Hugh H. Martin, Jr. of<br />
Syracuse, N. Y., Mrs. Elizabeth Currie of<br />
Atwater, Calif., Mrs. Bonnie Halliday,<br />
Roseville, Mich., Mrs. Alice Marie Iken<br />
berry of Colorado Springs, and James<br />
Martin of Denver. Mr. Martin had many<br />
of those Christian qualities which en<br />
deared him to home, church and friends,<br />
and make him sadly missed by all.<br />
"The path of the just is as the shining<br />
light, that shineth more and more unto<br />
the perfect day."<br />
SIX RULES FOR YOUNG<br />
CHRISTIANS<br />
The following rules will be helpful to<br />
any young Christians who care to be<br />
plainly reminded of their everyday du<br />
ties and ideals:<br />
1. Never neglect daily private prayer,<br />
and when you pray remember that God<br />
is present, and that He hears your<br />
prayers (Heb. 11:6).<br />
2. Never neglect daily<br />
private Bible<br />
reading; and when you read, remember<br />
that God is speaking to you, and that<br />
you are to believe and act upon what<br />
He says. Backsliding usually begins with<br />
the neglect of these two rules (John<br />
5:39).<br />
3. Never let a day pass without trying<br />
to do something for Jesus. Every night<br />
reflect on what Jesus has done for you,<br />
and then ask yourself : What am I doing<br />
for Him (Matt. 5:13-16).<br />
4. If ever you are in doubt as to a<br />
thing being right or wrong, go to your<br />
room and kneel down and ask God's<br />
blessing upon it. If you cannot do this,<br />
it is wrong (Rom. 14:23).<br />
5. Never take your Christianity from<br />
Christians, or argue that, because such<br />
people do so and so, therefore you may<br />
do the same (2 Cor. 10:12). You are<br />
to ask yourself:<br />
"How would Christ.<br />
act in my Then strive to follow<br />
Him (John 10:27).<br />
6. Never believe what you feel, if it<br />
contradicts God's Word.<br />
A THOUGHT<br />
Heart and Life<br />
Murmuring is short-sighted. Murmur<br />
ing and disputing is an indication of unfaith.<br />
It means that at this particular<br />
stage of affairs we cannot possibly see<br />
how God is going to bring anything good<br />
out of this or that specific circumstance<br />
about which we are presently exercised.<br />
True, God has blessed us in the past and<br />
all of His dealings have been good. And<br />
true, there is, as a matter of fact, still<br />
time in which even this circumstance<br />
might take a turn for the better. But at<br />
present we are too preoccupied with the<br />
current phase of matters. We do not<br />
have a compelling<br />
conviction that God<br />
is almighty, and that He has the situ<br />
ation in hand, and that He will accom<br />
plish a worthy purpose through this test.<br />
It is like the little mouse who runs<br />
along<br />
a plank in the studio of a great<br />
artist and looks up at an unfinished<br />
painting which is standing there. See<br />
ing the meaningless jumble of color upon<br />
color, of highlights and shades, the little<br />
mouse pronounces judgment and says,<br />
"Well, he certainly made a mess of that<br />
The insolent little creature is not<br />
fitted by his nature to comprehend ulti<br />
mate good in the realm of art, nor is he<br />
willing to allow the talented artist time<br />
in which to demonstrate his solution,<br />
the denouement of his purpose in this<br />
particular artistic situation. Our mur<br />
muring demonstrates a lack of faith in<br />
a mighty and purposeful God. Stephen<br />
W. Paine, in Toward the Mark.<br />
CHURCH AND SKYSCRAPER<br />
Said the Skyscraper to the Little<br />
Brick Church: "You're looking smaller<br />
every day."<br />
Replied the Little Brick Church: "I've<br />
tried to keep close to the feet of<br />
Continued the Skyscraper: "But think<br />
of the progress you could have made if<br />
you had grown up like me and kept pace<br />
with the immence growth of this teem<br />
ing<br />
Said the Little Brick Church: "I've<br />
hearts."<br />
tried to keep up with its broken<br />
"Yes,"<br />
spoke further the Skyscraper,<br />
"but if you were up here you could see<br />
all over the<br />
"But here I can look into the worried<br />
faces that pass."<br />
"Yet you must<br />
voiced the<br />
Skyscraper, "that I represent the<br />
wealth, power and grandeur of modern<br />
civilization."<br />
The Little Brick Church softly re<br />
plied: "But I have created the faith that<br />
held things together; I've given purpose<br />
to the power, and beauty of spirit to<br />
the grandeur."<br />
Selected.<br />
THE FAMILY ALTAR<br />
Count me as a firm believer in the<br />
family altar. I am<br />
thoroughly convinced<br />
that a wide-spread return to the prac<br />
tice of regular worship in the home<br />
would work miracles in meeting the<br />
many problems of modern life. Let the<br />
family altar become the center around<br />
which life revolves, and we will regain<br />
the spiritual resources so badly needed.<br />
Luther W. Youngdahl<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
man"<br />
righteousness"<br />
nothing,"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OP APRIL 10, 1955<br />
"THE FIELD tS THB WORLD, TH 5D IS THE WORD OF- GOD '<br />
VOLUME LTV WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1955 NUMBER 12<br />
His name was Josef and he owned a fine flock<br />
of the best of the lambs in the land. And there was<br />
one special lamb which, thanks to his loving care,<br />
came to possess the finest of fleece. It became fa<br />
mous throughout the countryside, and many came<br />
to admire Josef's prize possession.<br />
As might be expected, this aroused the envy of<br />
wicked neighbors. Upon the dark of a particular eve<br />
ning, they banded together for the express purpose<br />
of stealing it away from Josef. Stealthily they made<br />
their way to his humble dwelling. Josef saw them<br />
however, and realized their purpose. Quickly he<br />
picked up his prize lamb, hurried within the house,<br />
barred the doors and took down the trusty old rifle,<br />
and began to shoot away at them.<br />
Seeking to confuse them, and throw them off<br />
balance, he would shoot at them from the west win<br />
dow, then hurry over to the east window, then back,<br />
back and forth, again and again. However,<br />
each time<br />
he thus hurried across, he would trip and fall over<br />
the now thoroughly frightened lamb. This could not<br />
go on! and in final disgust he reached down for it,<br />
dragged it across the floor to the front door, threw<br />
it open, kicked the poor beast outside, slammed the<br />
door behind and continued the firing "without fur<br />
ther interruption."<br />
That is just an old Armenian fable, but then per<br />
haps there was a "Josef" at one time, who gave rise<br />
to the account. But at any rate, it is one of that kind<br />
of fable which carries a finish more modern than to<br />
morrow's newspaper. We should not overly laugh at<br />
Josefs lack of proportion, for all too many in this<br />
world and time, follow his foolish footsteps, where<br />
things spiritual, marked of eternal consequence are<br />
concerned. One has only to read the tragic revelation<br />
of "a certain rich in Luke 12, and consider care<br />
fully the divine judgment upon such perilous pro<br />
portion "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be re<br />
quired of thee . . (Luke 12:20).<br />
And the old Armenian fable might make many<br />
of the saints feel rather uncomfortable ! One should<br />
The Sense of Proportion<br />
by Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
welcome that as the exercise of the Spirit in the<br />
heart. Not all the fools in this world are outside of<br />
the kingdom of God; there are tragically far too<br />
many who are sinners saved by grace who have<br />
slipped back into the sin of careless proportion where<br />
the commandments and exhortations of the Lord are<br />
concerned. It will be well for the many of us to re<br />
call that Word of our Lord "But seek ye first the<br />
kingdom of God and His<br />
(Matt. 6:<br />
33). This is not a "once-for-all" seeking to be cen<br />
tered wholly about the business of being born again,<br />
out of darkness into light. All of the impress of the<br />
Holy Spirit of God is directed to this solemn remind<br />
er this is to be the continual seeking for every day,<br />
for all things which enter into the scope and sweep<br />
of that day. "God First," in and through everything,<br />
and that not as a matter of accepted theology, but<br />
far deeper, the burning reality<br />
Where the Lord, through the directives of the<br />
Spirit is not first, in all the depths and ranges of that<br />
of activated doxology.<br />
term, then nothing is in right position, or proper<br />
proportion. He will continually confound and irritate<br />
that which we sinfully seek to give primacy unto, and<br />
we shall be humbled and broken "beneath the holy<br />
harrow."<br />
"Without Me ye can do is His<br />
first word to His disciples, if life is to be lived upon<br />
the highest planes of "for-me-to-live-is-Christ." Be<br />
loved, is it not time indeed (Rom. 13:11) to prove the<br />
power, the preciousness, the practicality<br />
of this for<br />
His praise, and for the blessing of our daily walk<br />
Some of us are living on "God's second best". . .<br />
or perhaps it might be the "third or fourth" best.<br />
We have missed far more than could ever be mea<br />
sured, even as we are humbled by the realization of<br />
the greatness of His grace that would suffer it to be<br />
thus. We have all failed somewhere along the life<br />
line, by the f<strong>org</strong>etting of His "firsts," as He has di<br />
rected attention to them. But need it continue thus <br />
Shall we not take with us words and return unto the<br />
Lord . . . and thus to "first things first" for favor<br />
and fruitfulness
weeks."<br />
.<br />
Jewish<br />
rank."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
"Creeping Prohibition"<br />
The members of the Wholesale Beer Dealers Associa<br />
tion of Ohio were told at a recent convention that there is<br />
prohibition"<br />
a "creeping<br />
brought on by "sleeper" legislation.<br />
One of the speakers declared that a proposed state law to<br />
prohibit the sale of beer within 500 feet of a church or<br />
school was "unfair." He said "No beer dealer in his right<br />
senses would choose a location next to a church full of<br />
prohibitionists as a site for doing business." The national<br />
sales of beer were down 4.5 per cent (about three million<br />
barrels) in 19<strong>54</strong>, it was reported, as compared with 1953.<br />
realistic"<br />
The retailers were told that they must be "more<br />
about prices if they hope to attract more customers.<br />
Restrictions on Catholics in Argentina<br />
The attack of the Peron government on the Roman<br />
Catholic Church in Argentina has been the subject of much<br />
discussion in and out of that country. Some priests seem to<br />
have been deported and others placed in jail. Government<br />
subsidies to Roman Catholic institutions have been stopped,<br />
the Catholic daily El Pueblo has been suppressed, and an<br />
end to the teaching<br />
has been ordered. Such teaching has been required for sev<br />
of the Catholic religion in the schools<br />
eral years. A law has been passed making divorce legal in<br />
Argentina. Divorce has been bitterly opposed by the Roman<br />
church for many years. Another law was passed legalizing<br />
prostitution. Some years ago the government of Peron had<br />
almost wiped out the red-light districts under pressure of<br />
the Roman church. It thus becomes evident that Romanism<br />
is not having its way in all of South America, but it is to be<br />
regretted that along<br />
evils other corruptions are permitted.<br />
with the elimination of some of the<br />
How Tobacco Effects Pupils<br />
The principal of a high school in Highland Park, 111.,<br />
after a careful investigation, has reported his findings which<br />
we glean from The Free Methodist : "Not a single graduate<br />
of the school was an habitual smoker while in school. The<br />
forty-five quitters were all smokers in poor standing in their<br />
classes, their average grades being below the passing mark.<br />
The average of seventy-five non-smokers was eighty-four<br />
per cent, of twenty-four reformed smokers was.seventy-nine<br />
per cent, and of fifty-five smokers was seventy-six per cent.<br />
The grades of those who had recently learned to smoke had<br />
fallen from eighty-five to seventy-six per cent. One pupil<br />
who quit smoking increased his grade ten per cent in six<br />
Militarism and Morals<br />
The Watchman-Examiner (Baptist) under the above<br />
title says: "It is not going to be easy to preserve moral<br />
standards where militarism prevails. There is no place in the<br />
world where moral standards are high in military camps.<br />
Anyone who has traveled and observed armies knows this<br />
to be true. A Woman's Christian Temperance Union official<br />
has asked the House Armed Services Committee to investi<br />
gate a complaint that Air Force officers are forcing enlisted<br />
men to belong to clubs where liquor is served. Miss Elizabeth<br />
Smart, Washington secretary of the WCTU has presented a<br />
letter from a noncommissioned Air Force officer at Lock-<br />
178<br />
bourn Air Force Base, Columbus, Ohio, telling of pressure<br />
allegedly exerted on noncommissioned officers at the Base<br />
to support the local Non-com Club." The airman said that<br />
"noncommissioned officers were expected automatically to<br />
become dues-paying members of the club, the principal fea<br />
ture of which, he said, is a bar and a dance floor. He said<br />
he had tried to resign from the club because of disapproval<br />
of the drinking being done on the premises and had been<br />
threatened with a reduction in<br />
Rabbis Protest Bingo<br />
The board of Rabbis of New York City has asked the<br />
congregations of New York not to use bingo games<br />
to raise money. They affirmed that raising funds through<br />
bingo, even for worth-while purposes, was "not in consonance<br />
with the high standards of morality and dignity which the<br />
synagogue sets for the general community."<br />
Progress in New Guinea<br />
A missionary on leave from Netherlands New Guinea<br />
says that mission work on that island had little success in<br />
the early years. The 50th anniversary of work there was<br />
marked by more graves of slain Dutch missionaries than the<br />
number (50) of baptized Christians. It was the advent of<br />
World War II, bringing with it a vast influx of American<br />
and Australian troops and a tremendous improvement in<br />
communications on the island, that spurred the growth of<br />
Protestantism in New Guinea. Since 1940 the Protestants<br />
have increased there from 80,000 to 140,000, it has been re<br />
ported by the Missions Council of the Netherlands Reformed<br />
Church.<br />
Catholic Judges in Brookyln<br />
As an evidence of Catholic political pressure consider<br />
the percentage of judges of that faith in Brooklyn. Twentynine<br />
per cent of the population is Protestant, but only seven<br />
per cent of the judges are Protestant. Five of the seventycontinued<br />
on page 185)<br />
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Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers ;<br />
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COVENANTER WITNESS
annihilation."<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
VISITORS FROM RUSSIA<br />
The U. S. State Department is relaxing its rules against<br />
allowing Russians to enter this country. Eleven Soviet col<br />
lege students who are editors of school papers will be grant<br />
ed thirty-day visas to visit American campuses. President<br />
Eisenhower has endorsed the suggestion that a delegation<br />
of Russian farmers be allowed to visit Iowa to study the<br />
raising of corn and hogs.<br />
In the last few years there has been too much truth in<br />
the Communist claim that it is easier for an American to<br />
visit Russia than for a Russian to see the U. S. The McCarran<br />
Act bars alien Communists from this country, and few<br />
exceptions have been made. Last year about one hundred<br />
Americans, mostly students and journalists, visited Russia,<br />
while the U. S. admitted forty Russians under special waiv<br />
ers. Our country has nothing to fear from any comparison<br />
with the Soviet Union, and our institutions surely are not<br />
so weak that they can be endangered by a few Communist<br />
visitors.<br />
GOOD-WELL AMBASSADORS<br />
Vice-President Nixon and his wife have completed a<br />
highly<br />
successful tour of Central America and the Carib<br />
bean area. Probably Nixon's greatest accomplishment was<br />
to bring a temporary improvement in relations between<br />
Nicaragua and Costa Rica. He also urged a speedup in com<br />
pletion of the Pan American Highway, which still has large<br />
gaps in Costa Rica and Panama. The Nixons showed the<br />
same popular touch that made friends for them in their ear<br />
lier tour of South Asia.<br />
Princess Margaret of Great Britain has also made an<br />
effective tour of British possessions in the Caribbean. Her<br />
return home was followed by increasing<br />
rumors of her mar<br />
riage to R.A.F. Captain Peter Townsend, a divorced com<br />
moner. The situation is much like that of King Edward VTII.<br />
Opinion in the Church of England and among the upper<br />
classes is against the marriage. However, Margaret will be<br />
25 in August and can then marry without the Queen's con<br />
sent, if she renounces her rights to the throne.<br />
BOMBS AND POLITICS<br />
Winston Churchill recently made one of his greatest<br />
speeches of recent years on the subject of the H-bomb. He<br />
took the optimistic view that the bomb is a deterrent to<br />
warfare. Churchill predicted that the U. S. will have definite<br />
H-bomb superiority for three or four more years. Britain<br />
will build her own bombs, however, to strike at the tar<br />
gets which threaten her most. Eventually, Britain's Prime<br />
Minister believes, the world will reach a peaceful stalemate,<br />
since everyone will realize that global war would mean "mu<br />
tual<br />
Britain is scheduled to have Parliamentary<br />
elections not<br />
later than October, 1956, but there is increasing talk of call<br />
ing them this year. The economy is now good, but showing<br />
some danger signs. The Labor Party seems to be splitting<br />
wide open, which makes a favorable time for the Conserva<br />
tives to call new elections. The Labor Party<br />
regulars under<br />
Clement Atlee favor building the H-bomb, but Aneurin Bev<br />
an has openly challenged this and called for more negotia<br />
tions with Russia. Bevan and his followers, defeated at the<br />
party's last national conference, may now be expelled alto<br />
gether.<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
CHINESE DOPE<br />
Communist China is deliberately flooding the free world<br />
with narcotics, according to testimony of the U. S. Narcotics<br />
Commissioner before the Senate Internal Security Subcom<br />
mittee. The purpose of the Reds in this infamous traffic is<br />
to obtain foreign currency and promote "physical and moral<br />
destruction."<br />
Peiping's Finance Ministry controls the produc<br />
tion and sale of opium as a government monopoly. Chinese<br />
opium production is now estimated at six thousand tons a<br />
year, ten times the world need for medical purposes. Heroin<br />
addiction has become a serious problem among U. S. service<br />
men in some parts of the Far East. The habit also claims<br />
many<br />
victims in the poorer sections of some of our large<br />
northern cities.<br />
TOO MUCH TO EAT<br />
One group of Democrats in Congress has begun an ef<br />
fort to restore farm price supports to a rigid- 90 per cent of<br />
parity. This, like the attempt to cut taxes, may be intended<br />
mainly to win votes for next year. Recent figures show that<br />
at the end of 19<strong>54</strong> the government held title to over $4 bil<br />
lion worth of farm products, and had $3 billion more out<br />
standing in farm loans. Storage costs alone amount to $700,-<br />
000 a day. Congress is likely to decide in favor of giving the<br />
flexible support plan adopted last year a fair trial. Even<br />
under present laws, the total government investment in<br />
farm surpluses is expected to reach $9 billion before it<br />
levels off. Despite strenuous efforts, the Administration has<br />
not been able to dispose of much of the surplus. Butter, can<br />
be made into "ghee" for sale in South Asia, but it has to be<br />
sold at a lower price than the American housewife pays. We<br />
cannot dump<br />
our surpluses on the world market without<br />
ruining some of our allies who also depend on farm exports.<br />
THE WHOLE TRUTH<br />
Harvey Matusow is making a name for himself as a<br />
professional liar. In 1950 he appeared as an ex-Communist<br />
informer and told a Congressional committee about the<br />
Communist connections of some 280 persons. Now he has<br />
repudiated this testimony and is also trying to discredit<br />
other informers. The Senate Internal Security Subcommittee<br />
is finding it difficult to decide which story is true. In order<br />
to convict Matusow of perjury under present laws, it will be<br />
necessary not only to show that he has contradicted himself<br />
which is obvious but to prove which statements are<br />
true and which are false.<br />
FASTER AND HIGHER<br />
An Air Force jet fighter plane has made a new cross<br />
country record of flying from Los Angeles to New York in<br />
3 hours 46 minutes, for an average speed of nearly 650 miles<br />
an hour. Two others almost equalled this time, all three be<br />
ing refueled in flight. If the same speed could be matched in<br />
an east-to-west flight, the pilot would arrive at nearly the<br />
same time, by the clock, as he left. Airlines now allow<br />
seven hours and a quarter for the transcontinental flight..<br />
The Defense Department now has a small, lightweight<br />
rocket which can reach altitudes of 75 miles at one-tenth the<br />
cost of earlier models. All the space which is not taken up by<br />
fuel and driving mechanism is packed with electronic equip<br />
ment to radio back information. The low cost of the new<br />
model will mean a rapid expansion in research on the upper<br />
stratosphere.<br />
179
so,"<br />
now"<br />
us."<br />
awhile."<br />
awhile."<br />
possibilities'<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
GOD'S FOURTH ANSWER TO PRAYER<br />
We so often read that God has three answers<br />
to prayer: "Yes," "No" and "Wait One might<br />
almost think He has forms to send out for these vari<br />
ous answers. His variety is not so limited, but time<br />
cannot wither nor custom stale His infinite variety.<br />
I am thinking of another answer which may be<br />
substituted for the answer "No" or might rather be<br />
considered as an adjunct of each of the three men<br />
tioned above.<br />
You have all heard this story of the older sister<br />
who was watching the baby in an adjoining room<br />
when the baby set up a great howl. The mother in the<br />
kitchen said, "What's the matter with Johnny" Sis<br />
ter says, "He wants a bug." To which the mother<br />
says "Let him have it." Unfortunately, the bug<br />
which proved to be a bumble bee seems to have taken<br />
the mother literally and did let him have it with all<br />
his heart and soul and then the baby set up another<br />
howl larger than the first. Mother called in again<br />
"What's the matter The sister replies "He's<br />
got it." This may be a good illustration of the times<br />
when God answers No.<br />
I remember attending a church picnic Twenti<br />
eth-Century style in which potluck supplies were put<br />
on the table and the group invited to pass around and<br />
help themselves. Among the many dishes of maca<br />
roni, spaghetti, baked beans, meat loaf, meat balls,<br />
etc., two large plates of deviled eggs were prominent.<br />
One small boy concentrated on these and departed<br />
with a well filled plate. About that time his mother<br />
discovered what had happened and ran in pursuit and<br />
a large part of the spoils were restored to their orig<br />
inal places and a much wider menu selection was sub<br />
stituted. Now to the boy deviled eggs were eggs and<br />
they were nothing more, and eggs were good food,<br />
but that boy was asthmatic and deviled eggs were his<br />
allergy No. 1. To the mother they were not eggs but<br />
scorpions. She knew it meant not only a night of<br />
sickness but days of sickness and breathing would<br />
be a painful operation. He thought he was asking for<br />
eggs but she knew he was asking for scorpions. It<br />
was a case of "Mother knows best."<br />
So it is with our prayers. "God has provided<br />
some better thing for "Your heavenly Father<br />
knoweth what things ye have need of before you<br />
ask Him." "He is able to do exceeding abundantly<br />
above all that we ask or think." God whose store<br />
house is the unsearchable riches of Christ reserves<br />
the right to make substitutions on our daily<br />
orders<br />
and His substitutions are wiser and better. So in<br />
stead of God having but three answers, Yes, No and<br />
Wait awhile, He has such answers as "Yes, More al<br />
"No, but take this instead," "Wait "But<br />
what I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know<br />
hereafter."<br />
A child gets into his mother's sewing bag where<br />
there are needles, pins, shears and all matter of<br />
lethal instruments and picks out the razor blades.<br />
But the wise onlooker, realizing how hard it will be<br />
to take anyone of them away from him, picks out the<br />
mending ball that has no cutting edges and tries to<br />
180<br />
concentrate his attention on it in preference to the<br />
other things.<br />
I am thinking of a home where a baby was born<br />
that was quite under weight. Anxiously and prayer<br />
fully his parents fed him with a medicine dropper,<br />
constantly anxious lest each day would be his last.<br />
After a year or more the baby began to grow but<br />
failed to grow normally. On the playground he was<br />
known as the runt or some equally obnoxious name<br />
and was the victim of all the bullies who couldn't<br />
match the boys of their own size. When he attained<br />
maturity he had difficulty in finding employment.<br />
So much so that he finally accepted the only job<br />
that seemed to be open to him,<br />
much against the re<br />
monstrance of his parents; and their daily prayers<br />
were that he might find something else. He became a<br />
publican or in other words a tax collector for the<br />
hated Roman Government. He was good in figures<br />
and was a success in that job if that job could ever<br />
be counted a success by his fellow countrymen. His<br />
inferiority complex found various ways for compen<br />
sating his consciousness of being looked down upon.<br />
One of these was the wealth he accumulated and he<br />
may not have felt too bad if part of it came from<br />
those who despised his image. But that very short<br />
ness of stature led to his ultimate triumph for he<br />
climbed a Sycamore tree that he might see the most<br />
distinguished guest Jericho ever had, who said,<br />
"Zachaeus, come down for today I must abide at thy<br />
house."<br />
Jericho had a "Who's Who" of unusual im<br />
portance for a city of its size and among the noted<br />
names, there was Rahab the Harlot, Hiel, the Bethelite<br />
who rebuilt the town after its destruction, Elijah<br />
and Elisha passed through there on the last day of<br />
Elijah's life, Blind Bartimaeus was on the list as was<br />
also his fellow blind man, the one who fell among<br />
thieves was one of its guests, and a good Samaritan.<br />
But most important of all was Jesus Himself, and<br />
who among all the list attained such honor as did<br />
Zachaeus Last in the alphabet, the first to grow<br />
from its shortest to its tallest citizen in a single day.<br />
Wherever his parents were on that day they must<br />
have, whether in Heaven or in earth, felt that now<br />
their prayers were answered.<br />
In the Greek city of Tarsus was born a child of<br />
unusual intelligence, his parents delighted in showing<br />
him off, he was such a prodigy; but that had its<br />
dangers, too, for he was apt to become spoiled. But<br />
seeing his<br />
they prayed that he might<br />
ever remain a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a Pharisee of<br />
the Pharisees ; they gave him all the advantages of a<br />
secular and religious education. They sent him to the<br />
feet of Gamaliel and he rose even as a young man to<br />
a seat in the Sanhedrin. His report cards came back<br />
to Tarsus with all A's and the green lights were<br />
showing down the street ahead. He was given the im<br />
portant post of being chosen as the head of the FBI<br />
and assigned the important duty of finding out all the<br />
Christians, not only in his own land but in such<br />
strange places as Damascus. Then suddenly this good<br />
home in Tarsus was shocked to learn that their son,<br />
Saul, had turned traitor to his cause. Comparable to<br />
Benedict Arnold or even worse than that, a Judas<br />
(Continued on page 186)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ever!"<br />
obedient."<br />
confess,"<br />
The Challenge of Covenanting<br />
Rev. Willard McMillan<br />
(Saturday night address at the Grinnell Conference)<br />
In his farewell speech to the Israelites Moses<br />
reminded the people of the covenant which they<br />
had entered into with God at Mt. Sinai. He repeated<br />
again in their hearing the ten commandments which<br />
constituted their covenant obligations. He reminded<br />
them of their solemn promise, "All that the Lord<br />
hath spoken will we do, and be And then<br />
Moses said that after they had made that promise<br />
God had said to him,<br />
"I have heard the voice of the words of this<br />
people, which they have spoken unto thee ; they have<br />
well said all that they have spoken. Oh that there<br />
were such an heart in them, that they would fear<br />
Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it<br />
might be well with them, and with their children<br />
for<br />
God's desire for His people Israel, upon hearing<br />
their covenant promises, was that there were such<br />
an heart in them that they would keep the covenant<br />
and receive the blessings promised. That is God's<br />
desire for all His people. "O that there were such<br />
an heart in them!"<br />
In order for a covenant with God to be of any<br />
value those taking it must have a right attitude of<br />
heart. Therefore, the challenge which confronts us<br />
on this eve of covenant renewal is to prepare our<br />
hearts.<br />
The Challenge To Prepare Our Hearts<br />
Man looks on the outward appearance, but God<br />
looks on the heart. It is the heart of a man in which<br />
God is interested. For man's Creator knows that if<br />
a man's heart is right, the whole man is right. "Keep<br />
thy heart with all diligence," commands God, "for<br />
out of it are the issues of life."<br />
When Sir Walter Raleigh was asked by his<br />
executioner if his head were lying right on the block,<br />
Raleigh replied, "It matters little, my friend, how<br />
!"<br />
the head lies, provided the heart is right<br />
A Christian stranger coming into our midst,<br />
and reading our Brief Covenant would be impressed<br />
that we as a Church make a noble profession of<br />
faith, and bind ourselves to some very commendable<br />
obligations. But as God is in our midst, He does not<br />
simply read the words of the Covenant, He reads<br />
our hearts.<br />
What does God see in our hearts tonight The<br />
value of our covenant depends upon that.<br />
Ezra was one of the great leaders in the restora<br />
tion of Israel following her captivity. We are told<br />
that "the good hand of the Lord his God was upon<br />
him"<br />
and the reason why "For Ezra had perpared<br />
it."<br />
his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do<br />
In drawing up our covenant we have sought the law<br />
of the Lord. In taking the covenant we pledge our<br />
selves to do it. But before this we, like Ezra, must<br />
prepare our hearts. And if we do that we can be<br />
sure that "the good hand of his God" will be upon us.<br />
There is one element especially which is abso<br />
lutely essential in preparation for covenanting with<br />
God. That is REPENTANCE.<br />
On October 6, 1648, approximately five years<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
after the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant<br />
by the people of Scotland, the Commission of the<br />
Church of Scotland passed an Act which called upon<br />
the Church to renew the Covenant. To be used in<br />
that connection the Commission drew up a "Solemn<br />
Acknowledgment of Public Sins and Breaches of<br />
the Covenant," and specified that this confession of<br />
sin was to be read in the Churches on a day of<br />
solemn public humiliation and fasting before the<br />
covenant was renewed. Covenant renewal should al<br />
ways involve confession and repentance of sin.<br />
Samuel Rutherford was one of the famous Scot<br />
tish preachers of this covenanting period. One of<br />
Rutherford's heart-searching sermons which has<br />
been preserved to our day was on "The Deliverance<br />
of the Kirk (the Church) of God." It was based on<br />
that passage in Jeremiah which pictures the chil<br />
dren of Judah and Israel going together, weeping,<br />
to seek the Lord, and saying one to another, "Come,<br />
and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual<br />
covenant that shall not be f<strong>org</strong>otten." In that ser<br />
mon the great Scottish preacher points out,<br />
"They go weeping to seek the Lord . . . and truly<br />
a work of reformation it requires weeping And<br />
. . .<br />
it looks more like a judgment, that so few are drawn<br />
to repentance by this work of reformation, for the<br />
former breach of our covenant, and our turning away<br />
from the Lord."<br />
Rutherford brings that sermon to a close with<br />
the cry, "Oh, that we had hearts and eyes to seek<br />
!"<br />
Him, and to look after Him<br />
It was in a spirit of repentance that the Fathers<br />
of our Church in America drew up that Covenant<br />
by which we are bound the Covenant of 1871. One<br />
of the most eloquent and inclusive confessions of<br />
sin that I have read begins that Covenant. I have<br />
been impressed that every element of that confes<br />
sion is applicable to our Church of today. Four of<br />
its paragraphs begin with these expressions :<br />
"We do humbly and sincerely confess and lament ....<br />
We acknowledge with shame<br />
We mourn ....<br />
We humble ourselves<br />
And, as it draws to a close, we come to this heart<br />
rending cry of Daniel, "Righteousness belongeth un<br />
to God, and shame and confession of face unto us,<br />
as appears this day !"<br />
Realizing the need for repentance our Church<br />
has included in the Brief Covenant a "Confession of<br />
Sin."<br />
Notice what that confession says.<br />
"We humbly it begins. Our confes<br />
sion is made in a spirit of humility. How could it be<br />
anything else when we realize that our covenant is<br />
with the infinite, eternal, unchangeable God! It is<br />
when men come face to face with God that they<br />
realize the stuff of which they are made ; that they<br />
realize that they are sinful creatures, undeserving of<br />
which God bestows.<br />
the grace and mercy<br />
If we are not humbled in entering into this cove-<br />
181
covenants."<br />
words."<br />
word."<br />
We<br />
away."<br />
you."<br />
'<br />
nant renewal, it is indication that our eyes are blind<br />
ed to God, and our very act is hypocrisy.<br />
So in humility we make our confession. We con<br />
fess "that we have transgressed the Law of God." It<br />
has always been God's prerogative to command, be<br />
cause He is Lord, and man's duty to obey, because<br />
he is God's servant. Oscar Cullman, in his study of<br />
"The Earliest Christian Confessions" states that one<br />
of the very earliest statements of faith used among<br />
Christian people was this: "Jesus Christ is Lord." It<br />
was this very confession which brought the Chris<br />
tians under the persecution of the Romans. For the<br />
Roman State demanded of its Christian subjects the<br />
civic cpnfession : "Kurios Kaisar"<br />
"Caesar is Lord."<br />
But Christians young and old were willing rather<br />
to, be fired, as torches in the garden of Nero's palace<br />
or torn apart by wild beasts in the arena, than to<br />
deny that there is but one Lord, and that is Christ.<br />
Jesus Christ is Lord. That has been virtually the<br />
watchword of our Church. To our Nation we bear<br />
testimony to that truth.<br />
How inconsistent, then, that we should bear wit<br />
ness to the Kingship of Christ with our lips, and deny<br />
it with our lives. If Christ is Lord we owe Him noth<br />
ing less, in our personal walk day by day,<br />
than abso<br />
lute obedience. He Himself said, "If a man love Me,<br />
he will keep my And yet, which of His com<br />
mandments have we not broken <br />
We confess "that we have come short of per<br />
forming our duty." One aspect of our Christian duty<br />
is witnessing for Christ. That was Jesus' last great<br />
command to His followers before ascending into<br />
Heaven. "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me." It was with<br />
that command ringing in their ears that the early<br />
Christians set out to serve their Lord. Consequently,<br />
within one generation the Gospel had spread with<br />
amazing rapidity.<br />
Take the Thessalonians for example. In the first<br />
letter which Paul wrote back to them after being<br />
away for a comparatively short time he writes, "For<br />
from you sounded out the Word of the Lord not only<br />
in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place<br />
your faith to God-ward is spread abroad ; so that we<br />
need not to speak any thing." What a noble example<br />
to follow! But how short we have fallen from per<br />
forming our duty!<br />
Recently a fellow <strong>Covenanter</strong> pastor told me that<br />
one of his fairly new converts came to him after a<br />
congregational meeting, confused and troubled. He<br />
had been a growing Christian for almost a year. Wit<br />
nessing was a regular part of his life in Christ. He<br />
had joined the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church. But after attend<br />
ing his first congregational meeting he came to his<br />
pastor bewildered. "We talked for three hours," he<br />
said, "about money. In the whole meeting there was<br />
not one word said about reaching men for Jesus<br />
Christ not one<br />
have come short of per<br />
forming our duty.<br />
We confess "that we have not measured up to<br />
our<br />
In our Covenant of 1871 we make<br />
some solemn promises to God.<br />
"Aiming to live for the glory of God as our chief<br />
end, we will, in reliance upon God's grace, and feeling<br />
our inability to perform any spiritual duty in our own<br />
strength, diligently<br />
attend to searching the Scrip-<br />
"Hi r*pQ<br />
Have you kept that covenant promise to God<br />
Many of us do not even read the Bible faithfully each<br />
day. Much less do we diligently<br />
attend to searching<br />
182\<br />
the Scriptures. And yet God's promise is to the one<br />
who searches as for hid treasures.<br />
In that same paragraph of the Covenant we<br />
promise that we will diligently attend to religious<br />
conversation. But our conversation is not normally<br />
religious. Most of us are not living in obedience to<br />
God's command that we should talk of His Words<br />
when we sit in our houses, when we walk by the way,<br />
when we lie down and when we rise up.<br />
And is this not because we have lost intimate fel<br />
lowship with Christ Is it not because we do not<br />
meditate on His Word We are accustomed to talk<br />
about the things which are in our hearts, and about<br />
the people with whom we have intimate fellowship.<br />
If, then, we sincerely love Jesus Christ, if we fellow<br />
ship with Him, if we have Him in our hearts, his<br />
Name, and the things which pertain unto Him, will<br />
certainly be mentioned often in our conversation. But<br />
they are not. We have broken this promise.<br />
The Bible says, "When thou shalt vow a vow un<br />
to the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it;<br />
for the Lord thy God shall surely require it of thee,<br />
and it would be sin in thee." We confess that we have<br />
not measured up to our covenants.<br />
We confess "that too often our faith has been<br />
weak."<br />
Jesus said, "If ye have faith as a grain of<br />
mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Re<br />
move hence to yonder place ; and it shall remove ; and<br />
nothing shall be impossible unto Nothing shall<br />
be impossible Yes, those are the words of Jesus<br />
Christ. And we want to have an alive and growing<br />
church Yes, so we say. Then, can we not combine<br />
these two Nothing which would be for the glory of<br />
God as would an alive and growing church is impos<br />
sible to us IF we have faith.<br />
We confess "that our works have been ineffec<br />
tual."<br />
At one time in the history of Christianity the<br />
building of the Church of Christ rested on the shoul<br />
ders of a few hundred disciples. After the Holy Spirit<br />
had come upon them that same Spirit whom Christ<br />
has given to us they, in their generation,<br />
carried<br />
the Gospel to almost every part of the known world.<br />
And with tremendous results! They reproduced<br />
themselves hundreds of times ! .If the building of the<br />
Church of Christ rested upon the shoulders of the<br />
90 some ministers, several hundred elders and several<br />
thousand members of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, what<br />
would become of the Christian Church <br />
Jesus told what happens when men are unfruit<br />
ful for Him. "Every branch in Me that beareth not<br />
fruit He (God) taketh And that is what is<br />
happening to our Church. Little by little, year by<br />
year, it is being taken away by God. BUT THIS CAN<br />
ALL BE CHANGED, IF WE WILL TRULY PRE<br />
PARE OUR HEARTS TO KEEP THE COVENANT<br />
WHICH WE ARE GOING TO RENEW.<br />
Our loyalty, we confess, has been wavering.<br />
Paul wrote to Timothy, "Endure hardness as a<br />
good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth<br />
entangleth himself with the affairs of this life ; that<br />
he may please him who hath chosen him to be a sol<br />
dier."<br />
But we poor soldiers that we are are con<br />
tinually entangling ourselves with the affairs of this<br />
life. We have been lacking in that singleness of heart,<br />
and steadfastness of spirit which would enable Christ<br />
to use us to accomplish great things for Him. Re<br />
cently my attention was called to a verse in the<br />
prophecy of Daniel which says, "And such as do wick<br />
edly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flat-<br />
COVENANTE2. WITNESS
earth."<br />
exploits."<br />
again.'<br />
much"<br />
words."<br />
rain"<br />
are;"<br />
teries: but the people that do know their God shall<br />
be strong, and do<br />
We confess our love to be too cold. In the words<br />
of the Confession of 1871 : "We have shown criminal<br />
apathy and unfaithfulness in that we have not cher<br />
ished love for all men, and especially for the faithful<br />
in Christ Jesus." God must be grieved with the in<br />
different attitude we display toward men about us.<br />
We act as though we simply do not care whether they<br />
know Jesus Christ or not. God is saying to us<br />
through his prophet Ezekiel, "When I say unto the<br />
wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him<br />
not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from<br />
his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked<br />
man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I re<br />
quire at thine hand."<br />
It is a manifestation of Christian love to warn,<br />
with compassion, your ungodly neighbor, or relative,<br />
or fellow-workman, or associate in any relationship<br />
of life. There is blood on our hands, for complacently<br />
we have let them go their way to hell.<br />
And how much more ready should we be to love<br />
our brethren in Christ. "Hereby perceive we the love<br />
of God, because He laid down his life for us : and we<br />
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." But<br />
how many of us, with utter self-denial, are living our<br />
lives entirely for others <br />
So it is that we must confess that knowing the<br />
right, we have too often done wrong. Except we re<br />
pent in humility and sincerity God will not be here<br />
to renew the covenant with us.<br />
It is utter folly for anyone of us to pray tonight,<br />
"God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men<br />
when our prayer should rather be, "God be merciful<br />
sinner!"<br />
to me a<br />
Prepare your heart this night to seek the Lord.<br />
Make sure that your heart is right with Him. God<br />
will make it right if you ask Him in a sincere prayer<br />
of confession and repentance. Turn to the God and<br />
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, "in Whom is re<br />
demption through his blood, the f<strong>org</strong>iveness of sins,<br />
grace."<br />
according to the riches of his<br />
In the midst of his great prayer of confession<br />
Daniel exclaimed, "To the Lord our God belong mer<br />
cies and f<strong>org</strong>iveness, though we have rebelled against<br />
Him."<br />
And it was after making that confession that<br />
an angel appeared to Daniel and said, "Fear not,<br />
Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set<br />
thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself be<br />
fore thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come<br />
for thy Would that God might come for our<br />
words tomorrow. And He will, if we set our hearts to<br />
understand, and chasten ourselves before Him.<br />
God's Plan of Salvation<br />
NATURE AND POWER OF PRAYER EXEMPLIFIED IN ELIJAH'S LIFE<br />
By R. E. Robb<br />
Against the background of the miracle that<br />
came in answer to Elijah's prayers, R. E. Robb<br />
writes on the meaning and power of prayer.<br />
He describes the various phases of prayer and an<br />
swers the question, "Does prayer influence God "<br />
Faith is a necessary prerequisite to the type of pre<br />
vailing prayer he is describing, the Columbia trav<br />
eling man says. This is the 141st in a series of Bible<br />
studies presented in The State every Monday morn<br />
ing. The lessons are also given to a men's Bible class<br />
at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation and now<br />
are being repeated on Sabbath evenings at a worship<br />
service in the sanctuary of Incarnation church.<br />
"Elijah was a man of like nature with ourselves<br />
and he prayed fervently that it might not rain and<br />
for three years and six months it did not rain on the<br />
(James 5:17).<br />
"And (Elijah cried to the Lord) '0 Lord my God,<br />
let this child's soul come into him And the<br />
Lord hearkened unto the voice of Elijah, and the<br />
soul of the child came into him again and he re<br />
vived."<br />
I Kings 17:21-22).<br />
'Answer Me, 0 Lord'<br />
"Elijah. . "O Lord God of Israel. . . Answer<br />
.said,<br />
me, 0 Lord, answer me. Then the fire of the Lord<br />
fell and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood,<br />
and the stones." (First Kings 18:36-38).<br />
"And Elijah went up to Carmel and he bowed<br />
himself down upon the earth and put his face be-<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
tween his knees. .<br />
.And in<br />
a little while the heavens<br />
grew black with clouds and wind and there was a<br />
great (Verses 42-45).<br />
Four times Elijah prayed and the immutable<br />
forces of nature were moved his prayers stopped<br />
and then started the seasonal rains, his prayer<br />
brought down a searing blast from the cloudless sky,<br />
his prayer restored a dead boy to life.<br />
What Is Prayer<br />
What is this thing called prayer, which Elijah<br />
used with such telling effect and which is available<br />
to all true followers of Christ, for He says, "The ef<br />
fectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth<br />
(The prayer of a righteous man has great<br />
power in its RSV) (James 5:16). Why<br />
effects"<br />
should we pray How shall we pray<br />
Perhaps the most understandable yet comprehen<br />
sive definition of prayer is found in the shorter cate<br />
chism, No. 98: "Prayer is an offering up of our de<br />
sires unto God, for things agreeable to His will, in<br />
the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and<br />
mercies."<br />
thankful acknowledgement of His<br />
The Black Sheep<br />
This world, among all the planets, is the black<br />
sheep, the prodigal. Perhaps on this planet only has<br />
sin found a foothold. Perhaps this is the only battle<br />
field where the forces of good and evil are engaged<br />
in a fight to the finish, where Satan is making his<br />
last stand although he knows that he is already<br />
de-<br />
183
spirit"<br />
again."<br />
feated. And on this field of combat God depends on<br />
the Christian to win the battle for Him. The battle is<br />
for the souls of men and God has decreed that man<br />
shall be a free agent, his soul cannot be coerced. But<br />
man is not expected, in fact is totally unable, to win<br />
the battle alone. Knocking at the door of his soul,<br />
waiting to be invited in, is the greatest power in the<br />
universe, God's Holy Spirit. A man or woman filled<br />
with that spirit and completely and fully controlled<br />
by that spirit, is irresistible. Nothing can stop him.<br />
Five Power Outlets<br />
There is just one source of power in our lives,<br />
God's Holy Spirit, but there are five power outlets by<br />
which He can work through us through our lives,<br />
what we are ; through our lips, what we say ; through<br />
our service, what we do; through our money, what<br />
we give; through our prayer, what we claim in<br />
Christ's name. Now the value of a life is limited to<br />
one spot at a time ; of<br />
words, to the life back of them ;<br />
of service, by time and distance; of money, by the<br />
motive for giving ; but prayer has no limits, the uni<br />
verse is its field of action.<br />
Prayer on the part of the Christian is essential<br />
to the working out of God's plan of salvation. God<br />
will do as the result of the praying of the humblest<br />
believer what otherwise He, the Omnipotent, could<br />
not do. Startling, but those are Christ's very words,<br />
"that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My<br />
name He may do it."<br />
(John 15:16). God, although<br />
all-powerful, must have our co-operation in this fate<br />
ful combat, because He has willed that man shall<br />
fight the battle and win the world for Christ. Our<br />
prayer then is God's opportunity to get into the<br />
world that would shut Him out so that there He may,<br />
through us, contend with the forces of Satan.<br />
Radio Is a Clue<br />
The radio gives us a little clue as to the way<br />
prayer works. Each devout believer is both a re<br />
ceiving and a sending set. As a receiver he can, al<br />
ways through the action of the Holy Spirit, tune in<br />
on God's great sending station in heaven and receive<br />
all the energy he can or will accept. And then, in turn<br />
he can be a transmitting station, directing his power<br />
beam to any quarter of the globe. And where that<br />
beam hits, a telling blow has been struck against the<br />
concealed foe, the only kind of offense, repeated of<br />
ten enough and with enough power, inevitably puts<br />
him to rout.<br />
Or another illustration of prayer is the main<br />
switchboard of a city's electrical system. Into that<br />
center comes the power from the generating plant.<br />
can direct<br />
The operator, by merely flicking switches,<br />
that power wherever he chooses over the outgoing<br />
lines. And prayer, like electricity, is power, and<br />
prayer does get results. Again witness Elijah. But<br />
there are myriads of modern instances, things hap<br />
pening around us daily, for which prayer is the only<br />
possible explanation.<br />
Three Phases<br />
Prayer is intercourse with God and consists of<br />
three distinct phases. The first is communion, simply<br />
being tuned in, being on good and familiar terms with<br />
God through the blood of the cross shed for our sins.<br />
This communion is the basis of all prayer, it is the<br />
essential breath of the Christian's life.<br />
18<br />
The second phase is petition, asking for what<br />
we need. That includes everything, for all good things<br />
are from God. With our station tuned in on God,<br />
there is and should be a constant, almost uncon<br />
scious, stream of petitions going up all the time,<br />
and a return stream of answers and power coming<br />
back. "Praying always with all prayer and supplica<br />
tion in the (Ephesians 6:18).<br />
The third phase of prayer is intercession. True<br />
prayer never stops with oneself, it is constantly<br />
reaching out for others. Communion and petition<br />
charge the battery of our lives, intercession turns<br />
that power into useful work in the whole world about<br />
us. And those directional beams travel with the speed<br />
of thought. Like radar they can instantly be directed<br />
where we will to a sick bed in a a loved<br />
hospital^to<br />
one far away, to a struggling missionary in Liberia,<br />
or Japan, or China, or on the Bowery, to a President<br />
beset on every side to wherever the battle is the<br />
fiercest and the help most needed.<br />
Six Basic Facts<br />
There are six basic facts underlying prayer<br />
which should be noted. First The earth is the<br />
Lord's, His by creation and sovereign rule. Second<br />
God gave the dominion of the earth to man. Third<br />
Man, by his sin of disobedience to God and<br />
obedience to Satan, lost that dominion and<br />
automatically turned it over to the devil. Fourth<br />
The kingship or rulership of the earth, which was<br />
given to man, now belongs to Satan. Fifth Since<br />
man, in the person of Adam, the representative of all<br />
mankind, gave the earth away, God, to get it back,<br />
must have another representative man. And the only<br />
man capable of doing that, of waging successful war<br />
against the arch enemy, was the God-Man, Jesus<br />
Christ. Sixth For 33 years God's Man and the pre<br />
tender-prince fought a duel on and for the earth, the<br />
most terrific combat ever waged or witnessed. "The<br />
waster prince of subtilty and force" did his best and<br />
his worst, and finally triumphed when God's Man<br />
hung dead upon the Cross. But did he On the third<br />
day Jesus rose triumphant, victorious over Death and<br />
Hell, and Satan knew that he was vanquished.<br />
But Satan refuses to acknowledge his defeat, he<br />
refuses to surrender his dominion until he must, he<br />
has the consent of the vast majority of men to his<br />
control, and he still hopes to make his possession of<br />
the earth permanent.<br />
Strange Sequel<br />
And now comes the strange and glorious sequel<br />
to this battle. What does Christ the victor do "He<br />
has left the conflict open, left the defeated chief on<br />
the field so that He, Christ, may win the whole prodi<br />
gal race back to His Father's home circle But,<br />
before that is accomplished, a great pitched battle,<br />
the last, must be fought on the earth. Apparently<br />
Satan is trying hard to get a Jesus, a representative<br />
man who will stand for him as Jesus stood for God,<br />
and when he finds that man then the great final<br />
battle will be fought.<br />
"Now prayer is this :<br />
a man down here on this<br />
sin-cursed earth, his life in full touch with the Victor,<br />
and contending against the pretender, insistently<br />
claiming that Satan shall yield before Jesus' victory,<br />
step by step, life by life. Jesus is the victor. Satan<br />
knows it and fears Him. He must yield before this<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
man."<br />
you"<br />
not"<br />
you"<br />
man who stands for Jesus on the earth. And he will<br />
yield. Reluctantly, angrily, as slowly as may be, stub<br />
bornly contesting every inch of ground, his clutches<br />
will loosen and he will go back before this Jesus<br />
Does Prayer Influence God<br />
So much for the effect of prayer on Satan and<br />
his deadly work in the world. Now, looking at the<br />
other side, 'Does prayer influence God "<br />
God's own words indicate that it does. "Call unto<br />
Me and I will answer thee and will show thee great<br />
and difficult things that thou knowest (Jer. 33:<br />
3). "Call upon Me in the day of trouble. I will deliver<br />
thee and thou shalt glorify Me" (Ps. 50:15). "Ask<br />
and it shall be given you, seek and you will find,<br />
knock and it shall be opened unto (Matt. 7:7).<br />
Does this mean that we mere humans can change<br />
the unchangeable decrees of God <br />
Answer is "Yes" and "No"<br />
The answer is both "No" and "Yes." God's pur<br />
poses are immutable but His actions can be changed<br />
by our petitions. "Our God has a great heart yearn<br />
ing after His poor prodigal world, and after<br />
each one on it. He longs to have the effects<br />
of sin removed, and the original image restored.<br />
(That is His purpose). Yet everything that is done<br />
for man must of necessity be done through man's<br />
will ; by his free will and So if consent."<br />
a man will<br />
call upon God, will turn his face toward God, he will<br />
have automatically turned away from the evil one,<br />
the pretender. And now, turned to and tuned in on<br />
God's infinite power station, the life-saving and lifegiving<br />
energy can flow from God through him and<br />
become a vital force in winning the long drawn-out<br />
battle here below. And God, infinitely wise and the<br />
very embodiment of love, wants His children to have<br />
blessings far "above all that we can ask or think."<br />
Thy Will Be Done<br />
But, before man can make an effective specific<br />
prayer, there is one prayer which must precede and<br />
underlie all others. That prayer is "Thy will be done."<br />
Let us analyse that short prayer a bit.<br />
Thy God, the "infinite, eternal and unchange<br />
able,"<br />
the ultimate of strength, the personification<br />
of love, our God and Saviour. Will His all embracing<br />
love which planned the salvation of lost mankind eons<br />
before man was ever created. With infinite skill He is<br />
untangling the mess man has made of the earth. He<br />
can be trusted implicitly and completely. Be this<br />
little verb requires us to yield our free wills to Him<br />
completely, to lose self in Christ. "For me to live is<br />
Christ."<br />
(Phil. 1:21) Done Completed. "Thy will be<br />
freely accomplished in its whole sweep and in all its<br />
items."<br />
A Daring Prayer<br />
_<br />
This is a daring prayer, razor sharp, an x-ray<br />
baring our inmost being. This prayer may completely<br />
change our lives. But unless this prayer is the basis<br />
of all of our petitions, they are worse than useless,<br />
mere empty, yes hypocritical, mouthings.<br />
With this as a necessary prerequisite, how do we<br />
go on to claim in prayer the wonderful promises Je<br />
sus gave to us. The scope of them staggers the imag-<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
ination. Note what He says. "And whatsoever ye<br />
shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father<br />
may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything<br />
in My name I will do it" (John 15:7) "Hitherto have<br />
ye asked nothing in my name ; ask and ye shall re<br />
ceive that your<br />
joy may be fulfilled" (w. 23-24)<br />
.<br />
Absolute Faith<br />
But, as a further prerequisite to fulfillment, Je<br />
sus had previously declared, that there must be abso<br />
lute faith. "Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall<br />
say unto this mountain, be thou taken up and cast<br />
into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but<br />
shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he<br />
shall have it." (Mk. 11:22-24)<br />
It all seems beyond us. Such faith is impossible,<br />
such results inconceivable. It takes still another word<br />
from Christ to tie the whole together and bring it all<br />
into focus. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide<br />
in you, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for<br />
(John 15:7).<br />
Key to Success<br />
Abide is a strong word, a continuing word; it<br />
means moving in to stay. That is the key to a suc<br />
cessful life and to success in prayer, abiding with,<br />
dwelling in Christ ; letting His words sink deep into<br />
our hearts and bear fruit in our lives.<br />
Abide also means going along with. Jesus had<br />
said, "If any man would come after Me, let him deny<br />
himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt.<br />
16:24).<br />
Are We Willing<br />
Are we willing to submerge our lives in Christ,<br />
to be completely obedient to His revealed will for us <br />
Can we say from the heart, "Thy will be done " Do<br />
we daily take up our cross, whatever it may be, and<br />
joyfully carry it in witness to Jesus Christ Is our<br />
basic fundamental desire in all the varied relation<br />
ships of life, to do that which will please our Sav<br />
iour<br />
If that is our goal, if we are truly and consist<br />
ently seeking first the kingdom of God, then our<br />
lives will become more and more in perfect harmony<br />
with Christ, and we may ask what we will and it will<br />
be done, because we will ask only what Christ wants.<br />
Then we can in faith claim the promises, and our<br />
prayers, which must always be in the name of Christ,<br />
will be answered and will become a vital force in<br />
bringing to fruition God's plan of salvation for lost<br />
mankind. For the purpose of prayer, always, is to get<br />
God's will done. (With grateful acknowledgement to<br />
Quiet Talks on Prayer by S. D. Gordon)<br />
GLIMPSES . . . from<br />
page 178<br />
five judges of the nine courts are Protestant, the rest are<br />
Roman Catholic or Jewish, and the great majority are Catho<br />
lic.<br />
American Tract Society<br />
The American Tract Society has distributed 13,000,000<br />
tracts during 19<strong>54</strong>, more than in any other year of its his<br />
tory. The Society has ministered to the needs of individuals,<br />
churches, missionaries, missions and service <strong>org</strong>anizations<br />
for over 130 years. According to its charter the purpose of<br />
185
yesterday."<br />
words."<br />
ahead.'<br />
promoted."<br />
wise."<br />
men"<br />
the Society is, "To diffuse a knowledge of the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ as the Redeemer of sinners, and to promote the in<br />
terests of vital godliness and sound morality through re<br />
ligious tracts."<br />
FAMILY WIN FAMILY<br />
A standing order of EVANGELISM is not only<br />
to win the individual but also to win the FAMILY<br />
to Christ and the church. "He that winneth souls is<br />
Chicago Judge Out<br />
Judge Stanley Pulaski, the only Republican on the Muni<br />
cipal bench in Chicago, was forced out of office by a Demo<br />
cratic landslide on last election day. Since Labor Day, Judge<br />
Pulaski said, he has sentenced 1,152 men to the house of<br />
correction, "to dry out from the cheap wine they had been<br />
drinking. The cost of rehabilitating the alcoholic should be<br />
borne in full by the liquor, industry, which has shown no dis<br />
position to come to grips with the disgraceful social prob<br />
lems the public sale of their products has<br />
The<br />
Judge further stated that, "last year 614 men died on Skid<br />
Row and the record so far this year is 746." He hoped he<br />
had saved some lives by sending them to jail "before they<br />
could drink themselves to death. At least two men a day had<br />
convulsions in court. Some could not see they were so<br />
blinded by alcohol and had to feel their way to the bench.<br />
One fellow was a lawyer I went to school with. Another man<br />
earlier this week had six children. He said he wanted to<br />
go back to his family<br />
and I said 'go<br />
THE PSALMS OF THE BIBLE<br />
By Rev. David T. Lauderdale<br />
He was back<br />
Dwight L. Moody in one of his sermons tells of<br />
a Scotchman who lay desperately ill in our country.<br />
A minister of the Gospel called to see him and tried<br />
to explain to him the way of salvation, but all of<br />
no avail. Finally there came to the minister's mind<br />
a verse from God's Precious Word, Psalms 34 :32 in<br />
the metrical version, so dearly loved by the Scotch.<br />
The minister said, "There is a line in your old Scotch<br />
Psalter that contains the whole way of salvation. I<br />
don't remember the rest of the verse, but here are<br />
the five words, and the whole Gospel is in them<br />
'None perish that Him trust.' "<br />
The sick man's face lit up as he looked up from<br />
his pillow and repeated :<br />
"HI shall the wicked slay ; lay waste<br />
Shall be who hate the just.<br />
The Lord redeems His servant's soul ;<br />
None perish that Him trust."<br />
"That is it," said the preacher. "Believe on the<br />
Lord Jesus Christ. None perish that Him trust.<br />
Where did you learn those words "<br />
"My sweet mother sang them to me when I was<br />
a child, and they sang them in our old Church in<br />
Scotland. Every Scotchman knows and loves those<br />
"None perish that Him trust." These words<br />
from God's own Book awakened holy memories in<br />
the sick man, memories of mother and home and<br />
and brought him to the Saviour.<br />
Jesus,<br />
The last visit the minister made to him the<br />
sick man's soul was going down through the valley of<br />
the shadow of death. His loved ones gathered around<br />
him saw his lips move. His face lit up with joy<br />
un<br />
speakable and full of glory as they bent over him<br />
and caught his last words, "None perish that Him<br />
trust."<br />
186<br />
Associate Reformed Presbyterian<br />
The church is in vital need of all age groups<br />
to carry forward her work. When the FAMILY is<br />
won to Christ and to the church, then we have adults<br />
and children, and the FAMILY working together as<br />
a unit for the Lord.<br />
Each family of the church has an opportunity<br />
in its community to invite and to bring another<br />
family to church. They befriend this family in a<br />
special way and in every way encourage them in the<br />
Christian life and worship.<br />
If every<br />
congregation would set as its goal to<br />
win ten new families for the church each year and<br />
work zealously to attain that goal, what a blessing<br />
it would be both to our church and our community!<br />
One has said the way to "discipline" your life in<br />
"disciplining"<br />
Evangelism is to be ever busy your<br />
life. Jesiis said, "Come ye after Me, and I will make<br />
you to become fishers of (Mark 1 :17).<br />
Will you pray that God by His Holy Spirit will<br />
lead you to do definite family<br />
evangelism Jesus<br />
said, "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields ; for<br />
they are white already to harvest" (John 4:35).<br />
[Assignment of the Evangelistic Committee<br />
for the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>.]<br />
Frank L. Stewart<br />
EDITOR'S NOTES from page 180<br />
Iscariot. What had become of all those prayers of<br />
fered by his parents that he might be a good and<br />
even a great man Had God forsaken them The God<br />
who cannot lie No, He had just done far exceedingly<br />
abundantly above all that they asked or thought. He<br />
had chosen Saul as a special vessel for Himself. When<br />
the final books will be opened it is safe to say there<br />
will be few if any that will stand out as a maker of<br />
history, a builder of the Kingdom of God like the<br />
name of Paul of Tarsus. At first God had seemed to<br />
say "Yes" to all their prayers and then He suddenly<br />
"No,"<br />
seemed to say and all the time he was saying<br />
awhile."<br />
"Wait<br />
Paul had a story, of his own concerning the 'No'<br />
answer. As he went on in the career that he had not<br />
chosen but had been chosen for him, he developed a<br />
malady that seemed to greatly hinder his usefulness.<br />
It was of such nature that it required the attendance<br />
of a physician though many a time he had been able<br />
to heal people by prayer for them but his own malady<br />
remained in spite of prayer. Three different times<br />
he had set apart periods, praying and fasting that he<br />
might be healed, and finally the answer came, "No,<br />
No, No. My grace shall be sufficient for thee and my<br />
wea<br />
strength shall be made perfect in your<br />
He became resigned to this condition; indeed he<br />
would not have surrendered that thorn in the flesh<br />
for any bodily comfort that could come, because it<br />
was the one thing that bound him close to God, and<br />
though it was a messenger from Satan to buffet him<br />
it drove him into the very arms of His Saviour.<br />
As we said at the beginning, God has an infin<br />
ite variety of ways of answering prayer and at no<br />
time is He limited to complying with the words we<br />
express. He is able to do far exceedingly abundantly<br />
above all that we ask or think.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
offenses,"<br />
you,"<br />
ry."<br />
me."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of April 10, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
AprU 10, 1955<br />
"The LIVING JESUS"<br />
John 6:51; 14:1-19<br />
Comments by Rev. Robert W. McMillan<br />
THE FACT HE AROSE FROM THE<br />
DEAD<br />
Standing in front of a shop window,<br />
a man was gazing<br />
upon a beautiful pic<br />
ture of the crucifixion. Beside him stood<br />
a ragged street urchin, also enrapt, stu<br />
dying the same picture. The man, won<br />
dering if the lad really understood the<br />
picture, asked; "Sonny, what does it<br />
mean"<br />
"Doncha know" he answered.<br />
"That there man is Jesus and them<br />
others is Roman soldiers, and the wom<br />
an what's cryin'<br />
is His mother, and<br />
they killed Him." After a bit the man<br />
walked away, but soon heard the sound<br />
of running feet behind him.<br />
Breath<br />
lessly the little street arab exclaimed,<br />
"Say, Mister, I f<strong>org</strong>ot to tell you, but<br />
He rose again."<br />
"But He rose That's again."<br />
the point,<br />
young people ! He was "delivered for our<br />
but He was also "raised<br />
again for our justification" (Rom. 4:25).<br />
These comments are written to help<br />
you with your meeting on April 10 the<br />
day when the resurrection of Jesus<br />
Christ will be the central theme in<br />
churches everywhere.<br />
THE MEANING OF THE FACT<br />
YOU WILL. RISE TOO!<br />
How important is this fact that Jesus<br />
is not a dead martyr, but a living Sav<br />
iour who is even now "prepare (ing) a<br />
place for<br />
and One who will come<br />
again and receive you unto Himself.<br />
Tom Olson, writing in NOW, lists the<br />
staggering implications of a denial of the<br />
resurrection.<br />
"If Christ be not raised from the<br />
dead:<br />
1. Prophecy would have failed, for it<br />
was predicted that His body<br />
no corruption (Ps. 16 :10) .<br />
would see<br />
2. The apostles would have been false<br />
witnesses, for they said again and again<br />
that He arose from among the dead<br />
(Acts 2:32).<br />
3. Preaching would be so much van<br />
ity, for if there is no resurrection people<br />
may as well live as they list (I Cor. 15:<br />
19).<br />
4. Faith would be an empty thing, for<br />
faith in a corpse is valueless for the re<br />
mission of sins (I Cor. 15:17).<br />
5. Christian martyrs could be shown to<br />
have been silly characters, sacrificing<br />
their lives for believing something which<br />
never occurred (I Cor. 15:18).<br />
6. Death would be hopeless, for if<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
Christ did not rise certainly His follow<br />
ers will not (John 14:19).<br />
7. The hope of the Church would be<br />
blasted, for if Christ be not raised, how<br />
can He come again (I Cor. 15:23)<br />
8. Assurance of God's satisfaction with<br />
the atoning sacrifice of Christ would be<br />
an impossibility (Acts 17:31).<br />
'But now is<br />
Christ risen from the<br />
dead, and become the firstfruits of them<br />
that slept. For since by man came death,<br />
by man came also the resurrection of the<br />
dead' 15:20-21)."<br />
(I Cor.<br />
FOR UNBELD3VERS<br />
THE RESUR<br />
RECTION OF DAMNATION<br />
There is another resurrection, often<br />
overlooked, that the whole world should<br />
consider today, and every other day in<br />
the year. The Bible speaks not only<br />
about the resurrection of believers, but<br />
also of unbelievers. (John 5:28, 29<br />
"The<br />
hour is coming, in the which all that are<br />
in the graves shall come forth; they that<br />
have done good, unto the resurrection<br />
of life; and they that have done evil unto<br />
the resurrection of damnation.")<br />
The<br />
resurrection of damnation! T. Dewitt<br />
Talmadge, in his book, "The Empty<br />
Tomb,"<br />
has this to say about that res<br />
urrection :<br />
"If, after the close of a night's de<br />
bauch, a man gets up and sits on the side<br />
of the bed, sick, exhausted, and horrified<br />
with the review of the past, or rouses up<br />
with delirium tremens, and sees ser<br />
pents crawling over him or devils danc<br />
ing about him<br />
what will be the feeling<br />
of a man who gets up out of his bed on<br />
the last morning of earth, and reviews<br />
an unpardoned past, and instead of im<br />
aginary evils crawling over him and flit<br />
ting before him, finds the real frights<br />
and pains and woes of the resurrection<br />
of damnation Between the styles of<br />
rising, choose you. I set before you, in<br />
God's name, two resurrected bodies. The<br />
one radiant, glorious, Christ-like; the<br />
other worn, blasted, infernal. I commend<br />
you to the Lord of the resurrection. Con<br />
fiding in Him, Death will be to you only<br />
the black servant that opens the door<br />
and the grave will be to you only the<br />
dressing room where you dress for glo<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
April 10, 1955<br />
Mrs. Luther McFarland<br />
THE VOICE IN THE FLAMES<br />
Scripture: Exodus Chapter 3<br />
Memory Verse: "Jesus saith unto him,<br />
I am the way, the truth, and the life : no<br />
man cometh unto the Father, but by<br />
John 14:6.<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm 103:9-12, page 244<br />
Psalm 19:1-4, page 41<br />
Psalm 95 :6-9, page 231<br />
Psalm 93:1-5, page 228<br />
If you read all of the second chapter<br />
of Exodus last week you learned that<br />
Moses was at the court of Pharaoh<br />
about 35 years. But because of his hasty<br />
action in killing the Egyptian task<br />
master, he fled to the wilderness, where<br />
he remained forty years, until the time<br />
of our lesson today.<br />
Here in the desert Moses found a<br />
home and became a shepherd like the<br />
people among whom he lived. For forty<br />
years God was his teacher. Moses had<br />
lessons to learn which neither his moth<br />
er nor the schools of Egypt could teach<br />
him. He was alone a great part of the<br />
time, and so had much time for quiet<br />
thought and meditation. We all need<br />
quiet times in our lives when we can<br />
listen to God's voice talking to us, and<br />
when we can talk to Him. Perhaps the<br />
greatest lesson that Moses learned, and<br />
that we need to learn, is that of self con<br />
trol. In the palace as the King's grand<br />
son he learned the lesson of the use of<br />
authority; in the desert with God and<br />
the works of God as his teacher, he<br />
learned the lesson of humility.<br />
There was yet another lesson Moses<br />
was to learn, it was a lesson of rev<br />
erence in the presence of God. On that<br />
day when God spoke to Moses, the sun<br />
rose as usual in all its brightness over<br />
the sandy desert and bare mountains.<br />
The sheep browsed as<br />
usual, or lay<br />
panting in the shadow of a great rock or<br />
shrub. These things were as they had<br />
been forty years ago; there was nothing<br />
to make Moses think that God was any<br />
nearer than in days past. Suddenly an<br />
ordinary bush began to shine; it seemed<br />
to be on fire. Moses turned aside from<br />
the path he was following, to better see<br />
a bush that was on fire but was not be<br />
ing consumed or destroyed by the flame.<br />
It was then that he heard God's voice<br />
calling to him, "Moses, Moses."<br />
Then it was that Moses learned a<br />
lesson in reverence to God, Exodus 3:5,<br />
a lesson that all of us should learn. God<br />
wants all His children to come into His<br />
presence in prayer, through His Son;<br />
but we are to come in humility and in<br />
reverence. Why When we come into<br />
God's house, His church, we are to be<br />
reverent; not loud and boisterous. Why<br />
Leviticus 19:30. With reverence we<br />
should listen to the Word of God, and<br />
try to hear His message. God, in the<br />
Bible, speaks to us through the prophets,<br />
187
eth."<br />
me."<br />
season."<br />
sight."<br />
manner."<br />
risen."<br />
the Psalmist, the apostles and especially<br />
through the words of Jesus His Son.<br />
Is God speaking to any of you Jun<br />
iors I am sure He is. Ps. 85:8. Who<br />
was the little boy in the Old Testament<br />
to whom God spoke I Sam. 3:8-10. God<br />
has promised to speak through His Word<br />
and He will keep His promise, Matt.<br />
14 :24. Are you reading the Word of God<br />
as though It was meant for you person<br />
ally As you hear the Bible read by oth<br />
ers listen to see what message there is in<br />
it for you.<br />
We can each one answer as Samuel<br />
did, "Speak Lord, for thy servant hear<br />
Moses answered God by saying,<br />
"Here am I," but when God told Moses<br />
that He planned to send him to Pharaoh,<br />
to demand the freedom of the Hebrew<br />
people, and that He had chosen him to<br />
lead the people out of Egypt, Moses hid<br />
his face.<br />
Just like we do, Moses made excuses<br />
to God, but each time God had an an<br />
swer. He said "certainly<br />
I will be with<br />
you."<br />
Moses alone could not do the great<br />
task God had for him, but God and<br />
Moses were to do it together. Don't we<br />
too often think of our own weakness<br />
rather than God's strength Moses could<br />
not do it alone, nor could God do it<br />
alone; He needed a man with whom, and<br />
through whom, He could work.<br />
When a great conqueror died, some<br />
who had heard of his great deeds asked<br />
to see the sword he had used. They were<br />
surprised when they<br />
saw how small it<br />
was and asked, "How could this sword<br />
win such victories"<br />
They were told,<br />
"You have not seen the arm that used<br />
it."<br />
Moses'<br />
next excuse for not answering<br />
God's call was, that he wouldn't know<br />
what to say if he were asked the name<br />
of God. He was told to say, "I AM<br />
THAT I AM." Tell the people, "I AM<br />
hath sent Today instead of saying<br />
"I AM THAT I AM," we say "Jehovah."<br />
The word Jehovah includes Jesus, the<br />
Saviour, as well as God, and it was a<br />
new name to the Hebrews. God told<br />
Moses that this was His name forever;<br />
His memorial to all who would come<br />
after. Exodus 3:15.<br />
Its full meaning is seen when we add<br />
other words to the, "I AM," and make<br />
it, "I AM the true Light." There are<br />
many others in the New Testament, and<br />
they all refer to Jesus our Saviour. Jun<br />
iors see how many you can find, and list<br />
them in your note book.<br />
References :<br />
Hebrews 12:9, 28; John 10:9-14; John<br />
6:35; John 11:25; John 8:12; John 4:<br />
25, 26; John 15:5.<br />
Questions :<br />
1-2. Answer the questions in the com<br />
ments.<br />
188<br />
3. How many<br />
years was Moses in<br />
training to become a leader<br />
4. Name a shepherd boy who became<br />
king. 1 Sam. 16 :12, 13.<br />
5. What excuses did Moses make to<br />
God What was God's promise each<br />
time Do you make excuses<br />
6. What lessons did Moses learn<br />
What have you learned from this lesson<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
April 10, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching;, copyrighted by the Interna<br />
tional Council of Religious Education.)<br />
OUR ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL<br />
LD7E<br />
Mark 16:1-7; John 11:25-37; 14: 1-2;<br />
I Cor. 15<br />
PRINTED TEXT. Mark 16:1-7; I Cor.<br />
15:3-10; 53-56; 58.<br />
MEMORY. John 11:25, 26 "I am the<br />
resurrection and the life; he that be<br />
lieveth on me, though he were dead,<br />
yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth<br />
and believeth in me shall never die."<br />
Among all races and tribes of men<br />
there is a spiritual longing for the con<br />
tinuation of life beyond what is known<br />
on earth. Some form of after-life fills<br />
the imagination until it becomes a be<br />
lief. Then these believers picture the<br />
after life according to their present<br />
idea of pleasure or luxury, and often<br />
bury with the dead the implements they<br />
think will be needed for their pleasure<br />
in their future existence. The ancient<br />
Egyptians and the American Indians<br />
are a good example. At the basis of<br />
their hope, they have only their imagina<br />
tions.<br />
As Christians, our hope is assured by<br />
the promises of God's Word, and proven<br />
by the life after death of Jesus Christ.<br />
Our Heaven is not to be patterned after<br />
our present pleasures. A great change<br />
will come to us, our capacity for life<br />
will be on a much higher level. Our em<br />
ployment and pleasure will be of a much<br />
higher order than we can know now.<br />
David was sure there would be no dis<br />
appointment, for he said, "I shall be<br />
satisfied, when I awake in thy likeness."<br />
A small boy, delighted with the delicious<br />
flavor of a yellow-ripe banana, asked his<br />
father if there would be bananas in<br />
Heaven. His wise father told him that<br />
if he wanted bananas very much in<br />
Heaven, he thought they would be pro<br />
vided.<br />
Our capacity for joy in heaven will<br />
be influenced in measure by the joys we<br />
cultivate on earth. There is one joy<br />
that we may cultivate here that will<br />
help us in the higher enjoyment of<br />
the same exercise with saints and<br />
angels in Heaven; namely, fellowship<br />
with others in the praise of God. When<br />
we<br />
enter into the praise service in<br />
the church and prayer meeting, we are<br />
practicing for greater joy in the per<br />
fected praise in Heaven.<br />
Jesus demonstrated the resurrection<br />
before many<br />
witnesses. The witnesses<br />
were of all classes. He was seen ten<br />
times over a period of forty days.<br />
Thomas the investigator, was a good<br />
witness. He had examined Christ's<br />
death, and so was able to testify to His<br />
life.<br />
A student challenged his teacher by<br />
saying, "You can't prove that Jesus<br />
ever lived." The teacher said, "How do<br />
you know Ge<strong>org</strong>e Washington lived"<br />
The student replied, "Why, by the<br />
books and monuments that tell of his<br />
life."<br />
Then the teacher asked him if he<br />
had not overlooked the fact that there<br />
are a thousand books and monuments<br />
telling of Christ, for every one that tells<br />
of Washington.<br />
Mark 6:1<br />
Each of the four Gospel writers, gives<br />
a different account of Christ's appear<br />
do not<br />
ances after His death, but they<br />
conflict. In forty days he appeared ten<br />
times, then He ascended into Heaven,<br />
and the promise came that He would<br />
come again. Note the careful wording:<br />
Christ was taken up, "And a cloud re<br />
ceived Him out of their<br />
The<br />
word "sight" refers definitely to the<br />
physical sight by the physical eye. They<br />
did not see Him ascend by their physical<br />
eye. He will come "In like<br />
That is, He will not be seen by the<br />
physical eye. And then Christ appeared<br />
to Paul, as unto one "born out of due<br />
Perhaps it is significant that Christ<br />
appeared first to women after His<br />
resurrection, and that it was to these<br />
women that He gave the first commis<br />
sion to proclaim the Gospel of the risen<br />
Christ. The resurrection is the heart of<br />
the gospel.<br />
Paul said that if Christ<br />
did not rise from the dead, then preach<br />
ing and faith were empty, vain.<br />
The women who came early to the<br />
tomb expected to find the body of<br />
Christ there. Their disappointment at<br />
failing to find Him was turned into<br />
joy by the words, "He is The<br />
Christian faith is unique among religions<br />
in that is dares to point to an empty<br />
tomb as a ground of hope. No other re<br />
ligion dares do that. They may point to<br />
the graves of their founders, and in it<br />
are his bleaching bones. That is all the<br />
hope that he offers to his followers. But<br />
we may stoop<br />
down and look into an<br />
empty tomb, and then follow the risen<br />
Lord, who rose from the dead and be<br />
came the First Fruits of them<br />
slept.<br />
that<br />
One of Chapman's most popular ser<br />
mons was on the text; "And Peter."<br />
"Tell my disciples and Peter." Where<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
place."<br />
sight."<br />
am."<br />
vinity"<br />
ye."<br />
was Peter after his denial<br />
count himself still a disciple<br />
Did he<br />
Christ<br />
would not have His attitude toward of<br />
fenders misunderstood. He said, "And<br />
Peter."<br />
Where the women found him, we<br />
do not know. But we find him again<br />
with the disciples, and we follow the<br />
story as he stood valiently for the truth<br />
as it is in Christ Jesus. Those two<br />
words, "And Peter," have brought hope<br />
to many sinner who thought they had<br />
sinned beyond hope.<br />
I Cor. 15:3<br />
Paul gives three stages in Christ's<br />
sacrifical work for us. He died for our<br />
sins; He was buried; He rose from the<br />
dead on the third day. All this was as<br />
it had been foretold in the scriptures.<br />
Life on the third day. Gen. 1:9; Land<br />
appeared above the water, and there<br />
was life "And it was the third day."<br />
Gen. 40:13; "Yet within three days shall<br />
Pharoah lift up thy head, and restore<br />
thee unto thy<br />
Gen. 42:18. "And<br />
Joseph said unto them the third day,<br />
This do and live." Hoshea 6:2; "And<br />
the third day he will raise us up, and<br />
we will live in his<br />
Jonah also<br />
found life after three days. That the<br />
resurrection on the third day<br />
was or<br />
dained for Christ could not have been<br />
more plainly foretold.<br />
Dr. Clarence McCartney sees a special<br />
significance in Christ's appearance to<br />
James and also to Peter, as recorded in<br />
Luke 24:34. "As between the Peter of<br />
the denial and the Peter of the Day of<br />
Pentecost, so between the James who<br />
did not believe in Jesus and the James<br />
who led the church in Jerusalem, and<br />
who in all probability commences the<br />
letter that bears his name by describ<br />
ing himself as 'James, the slave of the<br />
Lord Jesus Christ, there stands one<br />
great fact, the appearance unto him of<br />
the Lord."<br />
(From Peloubet's Notes.)<br />
Was Peter one of the two who journey<br />
ed to Emmaus There are many in each<br />
generation in the class with Peter and<br />
Paul who can say with Paul, "By the<br />
Grace of God, I am what I<br />
We are told so little and yet so much<br />
about our resurrection bodies. Two<br />
things are known by universal observa<br />
tion about our present bodies. First, they<br />
will die. Second, they will return to<br />
dust or ashes. We may delay, slightly,<br />
the natural death. We may retard the<br />
decay of the body. Still, we know that<br />
eventually our body will die and de<br />
cay. What a marvelous change, when<br />
these bodies have put on immortality,<br />
and incorruption! With Christ's resur<br />
rection, death lost the battle, and the<br />
grave has no sting. There is now no<br />
condemnation to them that are in Christ<br />
Jesus. Death has now no power to harm<br />
those who share in Christ's life, death,<br />
and resurrection.<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
I Cor. 15:27,28.<br />
In closing this marvelous chapter on<br />
the resurrection and what it means to<br />
us, Paul voices his thanks to God who<br />
gives us the victory through our Lord<br />
Jesus Christ; and encourages us to stand<br />
fast, and not allow ourselves to be<br />
moved from Christ, and to labor al<br />
ways abundantly in the Lord's work.<br />
And as a special encouragement he as<br />
sures us that our work will not be in<br />
vain in the Lord.<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
AprU 13, 1955<br />
"OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN"<br />
Rom. 8:15-16<br />
Paul D. McCracken, D.D.<br />
Psalms<br />
119:1-4, page 308<br />
103:5-8, page 247<br />
68:1, 4-6, page 162<br />
103:11, 14, 15, page 244<br />
COMMENTS<br />
With this topic this evening we begin<br />
a series of nine studies on "PRAYER"<br />
which will follow, in general, the out<br />
line of the "Lord's Prayer" (Matt. 6:9-<br />
13), although other scripture texts will<br />
be used.<br />
Of all the material available which I<br />
have studied in this connection there are<br />
two authors which, in my judgment, are<br />
outstanding, and well worthwhile. The<br />
first is "the old reliable" Matthew Hen<br />
ry, and those of you (especially Prayer<br />
Meeting leaders) who have access to his<br />
commentaries, will find his material on<br />
the "Preface" to the Lord's Prayer very<br />
helpful. In my set it is <strong>Vol</strong>. V, page 42.<br />
The other author is the Rev. Thomas<br />
Watson. As a part of his "Body of Di<br />
he deals at length and in great<br />
detail, in a question and answer method,<br />
with the Lord's Prayer. Here are some<br />
of his interesting statements about the<br />
general introduction to the prayer,<br />
"After this manner therefore pray<br />
"Our Lord Jesus, in these words, pre<br />
scribed to His disciples and us a direc<br />
tory for prayer. The Ten Command<br />
ments are the rule of our life, the<br />
Creed is the sum of our faith, and the<br />
Lord's Prayer is<br />
prayer. Christ said not,<br />
the pattern of our<br />
'After these<br />
words, pray ye'; but 'After this man<br />
ner'; that is, let this be the rule and<br />
model according to which ye frame<br />
your prayers. As the Moral Law was<br />
written with the finger of God, so this<br />
prayer was dropped from the lips of the<br />
Son of God. Never was there prayer so<br />
admirably and curiously composed as<br />
this. As Solomon's Song, for its excel<br />
lency, is called the "Song of Songs" so<br />
may this well be called the 'Prayer of<br />
Prayers.'<br />
Let it be the model and pat<br />
tern of all our prayers."<br />
And now I am taking the liberty of<br />
passing on to you, in summary, and al<br />
most verbatim, his questions and an<br />
swers (in brief) on this subject "Our<br />
Father in Heaven." Look up and study<br />
the references.<br />
I. In what sense is God a Father<br />
1. By Creation Acts 17:28; Mai. 2:10<br />
(But God is also Father to devils by<br />
creation)<br />
2. By Election Eph. 1:4<br />
3. By Special Grace I John 3 :9<br />
FT. What is that which makes God our<br />
1. Faith Gal. 3:26<br />
Father<br />
(Any unbeliever may<br />
call God his<br />
creator and his judge, but not his<br />
Father)<br />
IDT. Wherein doth it appear that God is<br />
the Best Father<br />
1. He is the most ancient Dan. 7:9<br />
2. He is perfect Matt. 5:48; James 5:17<br />
3. In respect of Wisdom I Tim. 1:17;<br />
Rom. 8:28<br />
4. He is most loving I John 4:16; Zeph.<br />
3:17<br />
5. For riches Eph. 3 :8<br />
6. He can reform His children Peter,<br />
Mary Magdalene, Paul, etc.<br />
7. He never dies I Tim. 6:16; Rev. 1:8<br />
IV. Wherein lies the dignity of such as<br />
have God for their Father<br />
1. They have great honor and esteem<br />
Isa. 43:4; Mai. 3:17; Phil 4:3<br />
2. They have honorable titles Ps. 16:3;<br />
Isa. 46:13; Rev. 1:6; Rev. 6:11.<br />
3. They are heirs Rom. 8:16-17; Heb.<br />
1:14; John 14:2; Rev. 3:21<br />
4. They are equal in honor to the angels<br />
Luke 20:36<br />
V. How may we know God is our<br />
Father<br />
1. By having a filial disposition that<br />
(a) Hates sin<br />
(b) Shows sympathy Ps. 119:158<br />
(c) Loves and honors the Heavenly<br />
Father Mai. 1:6<br />
2. By resembling Him Judges 8:18;<br />
Col. 3:10; Ex. 15:11<br />
3. By having His Spirit in us Gal. 4:6;<br />
Acts 9:11<br />
VI. Wherein lies the happiness of hav<br />
ing God for our Father<br />
1. He will teach us Isa. 48:17; Ps. 17:<br />
17; Ps. 112:5<br />
2. He loves us II Cor. 1:3; Eph. 3:19;<br />
I Pet. 5:7<br />
3. He is full of sympathy Ps. 103:13<br />
4. He will correct us Jer. 30:11; I<br />
Cor. 10:13<br />
5. He will mingle mercy with afflic<br />
tion Gen. 9:13<br />
6. The evil one shall not prevail Rom.<br />
16:20<br />
7. No evil shall befall us Ps. 91:10;<br />
Luke 10:19<br />
189
price"<br />
spirit"<br />
glory"<br />
saved"<br />
church."<br />
'<br />
8. He will stand between us and danger<br />
Acts<br />
18:10; Ps. 27:5<br />
9. We shall not lack anything good for<br />
us Ps. 34:10; Ps. 23:1<br />
10. The promises of the Bible belong to<br />
usHeb. 6:17<br />
11. We are conquerors Rom. 8:37<br />
12. He provides a rich inheritance I<br />
Pet. 1:3, 4; Luke 12:32<br />
(There is much more which I have left<br />
out)<br />
VII. If God is our Father, then let us<br />
1. Believe and trust Him Luke 12:24;<br />
27,28<br />
2. Imitate Him Eph. 5:1; Eph. 4:32<br />
3. Submit to Him Heb. 12:9, 10<br />
4. Give Him reverence Mai. 1:6<br />
5. Walk obediently I Pet. 1:14<br />
6. Show cheerfulness II Sam. 13:4<br />
7. Live holy lives I Pet. 1:16<br />
8. Show brotherly love Ps. 133:1<br />
9. Be faithful to our calling Mark 8:<br />
38; Rev. 2:10 (last clause)<br />
THESE ARE SOME OF THE<br />
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE<br />
PRAY TO OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor,<br />
Prayer Hour, 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
>^Mfcirh^<br />
W. M. S. TOPIC<br />
For April<br />
THEME: NEH. 2:20<br />
Mrs. Roy Blackwood<br />
THE BUILDING: (I COR. 3:16-17)<br />
Herein lies great responsibility for us<br />
to care for what God has made, "for we<br />
are not our own but are bought with a<br />
(I Cor. 6:19-20), and are com<br />
manded to glorify God in our bodies and<br />
in our spirit. "Yield your members as<br />
instruments of righteousness unto God"<br />
(Romans 6:12, 13), and "If we live in<br />
the spirit, let us also walk in the<br />
(Gal. 5:25).<br />
1. OUR "LIVING LIFE" (ROM.8:l-2)<br />
Each person must be sure for himself<br />
that he is living in Christ (I Peter 1:23).<br />
He must not just think it, imagine or<br />
hope he has Christ, but he must abso<br />
lutely know (II Pet. 1 :10). Too, we must<br />
hold nothing back, but surrender all to<br />
Christ (Rom. 12:1). Luke 14:33 tells us<br />
that whoever does not forsake all he has,<br />
he cannot be Christ's disciple. Do not<br />
trifle with what is not ours as did Ana<br />
nias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-12). We are<br />
also commanded to grow, to go forward<br />
(Luke 9:62). This we will do if we obey<br />
God's commandments to feed upon His<br />
Word and pray daily.<br />
190<br />
2. OUR "EVERLASTING LIFE"<br />
(JOHN 1:12).<br />
God's great and precious promises of<br />
salvation are numerous and we are hum<br />
bled by so great a love as He has for<br />
us, unworthy as we are. Yet He brings<br />
us joy as we count our blessings, the<br />
greatest of which is the gift of His own<br />
Son. If we receive Jesus Christ, we shall<br />
not come into condemnation, but "pass<br />
from death unto life" (John 5:24).<br />
"When Christ who is our life shall ap<br />
pear, then shall ye also appear with Him<br />
in (Col. 3:4), and in Rev. 2:10 we<br />
are told to "be faithful unto death and<br />
I will give thee a crown of life." And<br />
"neither is there salvation in any other;<br />
for there is no other name under heaven<br />
given among men, whereby we must be<br />
(Acts 4:12).<br />
3. OUR "BEAUTIFUL LIFE"<br />
(I THESS. 4:1)<br />
The ideal Christian life pleases God<br />
who looks on man's heart. Outward<br />
beauty, though we are commanded to<br />
acquire neat and clean habits, is not a<br />
true indication of inward beauty (Matt.<br />
23:27). Christ is our example in this<br />
(Luke 2:52). Through repentance we are<br />
inwardly cleansed (Acts 3:19; Isa. 1:18).<br />
Look over the list of fruits one can have<br />
by having the Spirit of the Lord dwell in<br />
him richly (Gal. 5:22-23). Are these<br />
not the ingredients of a truly beautiful<br />
life<br />
4. OUR "USEFUL LIFE"<br />
(JAMES 1:22) (TITUS 3:8)<br />
What service do we render unto God<br />
Is it enough Have we yielded our All to<br />
Him Are we following God's rules for<br />
daily living God can heal our backslid<br />
ing (Hosea 14:4), but we should check<br />
our prayer life (Luke 21:36); our Bible<br />
Study (Acts 17:11); and our service<br />
(Acts 5:42; Mark 5:19, 20). Have we<br />
been building as we should "THERE<br />
FORE WE HIS SERVANTS WILL<br />
ARISE AND BUILD" (NEH. 2:20).<br />
A Meditation for you<br />
from the Psalms in A B C's.<br />
As for me I will call upon the Lord . .<br />
55:16<br />
Be glad in the Lord ... 32 :11<br />
Create in me a clean heart . . . 51 :10<br />
Delight thyself in the Lord ... 37 :4<br />
Every day will I bless thee . . . 145 :2<br />
Fret not thyself ... 37:1<br />
God is our refuge and our strength . . .<br />
46:1<br />
Hold thou me up and I shall be safe . . .<br />
119:117<br />
In thy name we will rejoice all the day<br />
... 89:16<br />
Justice and judgment are the habitation<br />
of Thy throne ... 89 :14<br />
Keep me as the apple of the eye ... 17 :8<br />
Let the words of my mouth be accept<br />
able... 19:14<br />
My meditation of Him shall be sweet . . .<br />
104:34<br />
Not unto us, but unto Thy Name give<br />
...<br />
glory 115 :1<br />
Order my steps in Thy Word . . . 119:133<br />
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the<br />
death of His saints . . . 116:15<br />
Quicken me after Thy lovingkindness<br />
... 119:88<br />
Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous . . .<br />
97:12<br />
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth<br />
... 141:3<br />
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant<br />
places ... 16 :6<br />
Unless the Lord had been my help<br />
.<br />
94:17<br />
. .<br />
Verily the Lord hath heard me ... 66:19<br />
Why art thou cast down, O my soul<br />
... 42:11<br />
Xcept the Lord build the house they<br />
labor in vain . . . 127:1<br />
Yea though I walk through the valley<br />
... I shall fear no evil . . . 23 :4<br />
Zion heard and was glad, and the daugh<br />
ters rejoiced ... 97 :8<br />
AN OPEN LETTER FROM ABROAD<br />
P. O. Box 167<br />
Nicosia, Cyprus.<br />
7th March, 1955<br />
Dear Editor,<br />
It may seem a bit late to reply to the<br />
anonymous open letter in the COVE<br />
NANTER WITNESS 'of 22nd December,<br />
19<strong>54</strong>; but our issues do not arrive either<br />
promptly or regularly, so I hope I may<br />
have the opportunity to say a word on a<br />
very important subject.<br />
I would like to second the remark on<br />
the value of "Tither's Corner." If it is<br />
good to preach from the pulpit on the<br />
tithe, it is better for one tither to share<br />
his joy with another. Paul speaks of<br />
what "every joint" supplies to the ma<br />
turity of the church (Eph. 4:15, 16). We<br />
would grow up in our Head more rapid<br />
ly, happily, enthusiastically if we heard<br />
more expressions of this kind from the<br />
pews.<br />
This letter raises the important ques<br />
tion of how much liberty the individual<br />
member or congregation in the Covenan<br />
ter church has in saying how his tithe<br />
will be spent. It states that since oppor<br />
tunity is not given within the Budget for<br />
individuals or congregations to give to<br />
certain items in which they may be<br />
specially interested, "their only recourse<br />
is to give outside the<br />
And then,<br />
"There are single congregations in our<br />
church that could easily support another<br />
missionary to Japan over and above<br />
their regular contributions if they were<br />
permitted to give direct to this purpose<br />
at once."<br />
That sounds like a bit of over-state<br />
ment, but would it were true! Why don't<br />
said congregations put in print their of<br />
fer to pay their share of the Budget and<br />
then pay the salary of a missionary on<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
mentation"<br />
you."<br />
April 1 after the Budget has been paid<br />
in full It must not be f<strong>org</strong>otten, of<br />
course, that this means paying the mis<br />
sionary's salary annually, for the Bud<br />
get of the foreign Mission Board will<br />
have to include the salary and field ex<br />
penses of that missionary from then on,<br />
and that in addition to its present bud<br />
get.<br />
"Anonymous"<br />
recognizes the New<br />
Testament system of church government<br />
and planning when he says "The burden<br />
of responsibility should rest heavily on<br />
our church, especially in regard to those<br />
who have not heard." But then he calls<br />
budgeting, which is a practical plan to<br />
carry out accepted responsibility, "regi<br />
as though it were something<br />
quite unacceptable. Presbyterianism<br />
means unified faith and action in sub<br />
mission one to another and to the body<br />
in the Lord. If the church did not have a<br />
programme of specific activities, she<br />
would be guilty<br />
of a mere theoretical<br />
obedience to the Great Commission. If<br />
the church understands her task to in<br />
volve certain activities, she must ex<br />
pedite them. Obedience, like love, must<br />
be in deed and in truth, not in word<br />
and in tongue only<br />
(1 John 3:18). That<br />
cannot help but mean a certain amount<br />
of "regimentation".<br />
Another possibility<br />
is that the letter<br />
speaks for one or some who believe that<br />
the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church should be spend<br />
ing a greater percentage of her annual<br />
Budget on missions. If so, possibly the<br />
right line of action would be fof these<br />
people to use their influence in Synod to<br />
increase the amount set aside for For<br />
eign Missions.<br />
However, the letter states that the<br />
salaries of several missionaries are be<br />
ing<br />
withheld from the channels of the<br />
church because those who might give it<br />
are not satisfied that the Budget rep<br />
resents the task God has given the Cove<br />
nanter Church. To be specific, it is not<br />
as "evangelistic" as it should be. This<br />
makes us ask what the Great Commis<br />
sion is. "Make disciples .... baptize<br />
teaching<br />
them to observe all things<br />
whatsoever I have<br />
commanded<br />
There is a prevalent idea today that<br />
"evangelism"<br />
is the activity of getting<br />
sinners to confess Christ, and nothing<br />
more. But the Great Commission is as<br />
wide as The Christian Amendment<br />
Movement and teaching young Chris<br />
tians not to collect<br />
"souvenir"<br />
towels<br />
from all the hotels and conference<br />
grounds they visit. Let us not be de<br />
ceived by the astounding budgets of<br />
certain "missionary" churches for for<br />
eign Missions. What are they doing<br />
about the rest of the Great Commission<br />
There is, however, a legitimate form<br />
of the question raised, it seems to me:<br />
"Is the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, in her Bud-<br />
March 23, 1955<br />
Church News<br />
We beg leave to advise some 300 sub<br />
scribers that their subscriptions have not<br />
yet reached our office for the current<br />
year. The fiscal year is closing this week.<br />
Your cooperation will be much appreci<br />
ated. Managing Editor.<br />
WANTED Teachers!<br />
With a fastgrowing<br />
school population, California<br />
is always in need of good teachers. If<br />
you'd like to teach in California, give<br />
San Diego your prayerful consideration.<br />
We have a growing<br />
congregation and<br />
need earnest Christian workers in our<br />
get, giving expression to what God has<br />
commanded her to do, or is she adapt<br />
ing<br />
her task to her assumed financial<br />
ability It has appeared that Budget<br />
making was the task of whittling down<br />
the estimates made by the various<br />
Boards to a figure that we could reason<br />
ably expect to raise. When God said to<br />
the church at Antioch, "Separate me<br />
Barnabas and Saul for the work . . .<br />
they did not ask if there was sufficient<br />
surplus in the treasury to warrant the<br />
venture. God never pdints out a task<br />
without providing the means for carry<br />
ing it out. And His tasks are always be<br />
yond the expected human capacity. The<br />
church whose task is not greater than<br />
expect to accomplish can hardly<br />
she may<br />
be said to have received it from God. I<br />
should like to make this suggestion to<br />
the Co-ordinating Committee and the<br />
Synod, that they approach the Budget<br />
from the question, "What is necessary to<br />
carry out the task God has commanded<br />
the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church to do" When<br />
fasting and praying has made clear the<br />
task God wants of us, then declare it<br />
to the church with a statement of what<br />
is necessary to carry it out, and trust<br />
God to supply through the members of<br />
the church all that is necessary for that<br />
task. He has promised to make all grace<br />
abound toward us, that we having all<br />
sufficiency may<br />
abound to every good<br />
work (2 Cor. 9:8). It is conceiveable that<br />
this proceedure would produce a budget<br />
$20,000 greater than that set for the<br />
present fiscal year. And it is possible<br />
that the God who gives such an in<br />
creased task to His Covenanted Zion<br />
should reward such fidelity in Him by<br />
pouring<br />
out such a blessing upon us<br />
that there would not be room to receive<br />
it! "Without faith it is impossible to<br />
please Him."<br />
Sincerely yours,<br />
E. C. Copeland.<br />
group here. There are a number of fine<br />
public school systems in our metropoli<br />
tan area as well as colleges. For further<br />
information, write the pastor, J. D. Ed<br />
gar, 10140' Crestview Heights, La Mesa,<br />
California, giving your qualifications.<br />
SAN DH5GO, CALD7.<br />
Thirteen new members were received<br />
into the fellowship of our congregation<br />
last Sabbath: Mr. and Mrs. Howard<br />
Riggs, Charles Riggs, Evelyn Riggs,<br />
James Riggs, Peggy Cowell, Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Roy Bernhardt, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
James Riggin, Mr. James May, Sr., and<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Smith. This is a<br />
25 per cent increase in the member<br />
ship of our congregation and the second<br />
group to be received since we were or<br />
ganized less than a year ago. Others<br />
expect to join soon.<br />
In addition to the thirteen received<br />
into the full membership of the congre<br />
gation, four others were baptized Lin<br />
da Riggs, Leonard Riggs, Stanley Riggin,<br />
and Ricky Bernhardt.<br />
Letters have been received from vari<br />
ous parts of the church saying there<br />
hasn't been much news about San Diego<br />
in the <strong>Witness</strong> for sometime. Mission<br />
news can't very<br />
well be reported in<br />
news briefs, so we've just refrained<br />
from sending news to the <strong>Witness</strong>. But<br />
we have been in the news as those who<br />
read CHRISTIAN LIFE magazine<br />
know!<br />
Quite a number who noticed the news<br />
there that our Bible School won first<br />
place in the International S. S. Atten<br />
dance Contest have written to congratu<br />
late us. Participation in this contest was<br />
the high point in our fall activity. Our<br />
attendance increased from an average of<br />
95 the preceding year to an average of<br />
226 during the six weeks of the contest,<br />
with a high of 265 the last day of the<br />
contest. A tremendous amount of work<br />
went into the effort to bring this about<br />
6,300 invitations by mail, 3,100 per<br />
sonal invitations, and other advertising.<br />
We hope to keep<br />
our average atten<br />
dance around 200 even though this ex<br />
ceeds the capacity of our building and<br />
forces us to use garages and a tent to<br />
provide sufficient classrooms. We now<br />
have 17 classes a nursery class for 2<br />
and 3-year-olds, a 4-year-old class, 2 kin<br />
dergarten classes, 2 first grades, 2 sec<br />
ond grades, 2 thirds, 2 fourths, a com<br />
bined fifth and sixth, a seventh grade, a<br />
combined eighth and ninth, a Senior Hi,<br />
and an adult class.<br />
191
An attendance of 20 to 23 in the fifth<br />
and sixth grade class makes it necessary<br />
to divide this into two classes at the<br />
beginning<br />
Promotion Day, we'll also find it neces<br />
sary to divide<br />
of next quarter. With our next<br />
the eighth and ninth<br />
grade class, thus adding the necessity of<br />
finding<br />
even more classrooms, not to<br />
mention more teachers!<br />
Before our S. S. Contest was even<br />
over, the Lord had started a Building<br />
Fund to help provide the additional<br />
classrooms that we need to take care of<br />
our enlarged Bible School. It has grown<br />
bit by bit until we now have about<br />
$1,000 in this fund. It will require con<br />
siderably more to even buy the materials<br />
if we do all the work, but a Building<br />
Committee has been appointed to con<br />
sider our basic needs.<br />
Our pastor, Dr. J. D. Edgar, is now<br />
enjoying a much needed vacation, visit<br />
ing children, sisters, and brother in the<br />
Mid-west, South, and East. He expects<br />
to be gone six weeks. Licentiate Mar<br />
shall Smith has taken over his duties<br />
during his absence.<br />
HEBRON CONGREGATION<br />
We rejoice that we are once again<br />
having regular preaching services and<br />
thank God that he has sent Mr. Milton<br />
Harrington to be our pastor. He is now<br />
living in the parsonage at Idana.<br />
On February 4, the congregation en<br />
joyed a bountiful supper at the church<br />
to welcome Mr. Harrington and to hear<br />
Rev. Sam Boyle, who showed interesting<br />
pictures and gave an inspiring message.<br />
After the program Mr. Harrington was<br />
given a shower of things to help outfit<br />
his kitchen at the parsonage.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. John Greenlee have wel<br />
comed into their home a baby boy who<br />
will answer to the name of Roland Lynn.<br />
The W.M.S. and the Blue Banner So<br />
ciety<br />
sponsored a temperance program<br />
recently. Two interesting films were<br />
shown and a pantomime, "The Nail<br />
Family,"<br />
was given by the Juniors.<br />
Mrs. Byron McMahan recently under<br />
went an operation and we are thankful<br />
that she is now improving<br />
each day.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Bennett and<br />
family<br />
visited with Mrs. Bennett's par<br />
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Copeland,<br />
and worshiped at Hebron on February<br />
27.<br />
The Hebron W.M.S. met with Mrs.<br />
Dale McMahan on March 2, with Mrs.<br />
Jack Dunn as co-hostess for a noon<br />
luncheon. These officers for 1955 were<br />
elected Mrs. Raymond Milroy, presi<br />
dent; Mrs. Clyde Goodin, vice-president;<br />
Mrs. Harold Milligan, recording secre<br />
tary; Mrs. Clarence Milligan, corres<br />
ponding secretary; and Mrs. John<br />
Greenlee, treasurer.<br />
192<br />
SEATTLE<br />
The baptism of Shaun E. Collins, 2,<br />
and James Kevin Collins, 3 months,<br />
daughter and son of Mr. and Mrs. E. G.<br />
Collins was performed Sabbath morning,<br />
February 27.<br />
Washington's Birthday, February 22,<br />
saw a good representation of the Seattle<br />
Congregation journeying North to Burl<br />
ington, Washington, for a pot luck lunch<br />
at the home of Rev. and Mrs. Robert<br />
McConachie. The occasion was in honor<br />
of Ronald Lee Dunn, grandson of the<br />
McConachies and son of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Robert Dunn (June McConachie). The<br />
parents were presented with a baby shoe<br />
bank with contributions enclosed.<br />
World's Day of Prayer, February 25,<br />
was observed with an afternoon meeting<br />
at the home of Mrs. Eleanor Jameson.<br />
An excellent meeting was led by Mrs.<br />
Verd Dunn. We are pleased to announce<br />
the new officers for the coming year<br />
for W.M.S. : President, Mrs. Betty Dunn;<br />
Vice President, Miss Jean Diel; Secre<br />
tary, Mrs. Pauline Crozier; Treasurer,<br />
Mrs. Eleanor Jameson; Corresponding<br />
Secretary, Mrs. Gladys Smith.<br />
SANTA ANA<br />
Our Thank offering Service was Fri<br />
day evening, February 11. Following a<br />
church supper, Miss McElroy showed<br />
slide pictures of the Syrian field. Our<br />
offering was $237.25. On Sabbath, at<br />
the beginning of Sabbath School, Miss<br />
McCrea spoke briefly of her work in<br />
Cyprus. At the worship 'service Miss<br />
McElroy, with the aid of maps, told of<br />
her work among the Aloweets.<br />
The 16th, Miss Mae Allen was our<br />
Prayer Meeting leader.<br />
The 25th, we observed the World Day<br />
of Prayer in our church 1:00 to 2:00<br />
p.m. A good meeting.<br />
During February while renovating<br />
the church, our worship services were<br />
held in the basement. Still work to do,<br />
but we are again using the auditorium<br />
and first floor rooms.<br />
March 5, church supper, farewell for<br />
the Rubb family who are moving to<br />
Tehachipe, where he has work. We will<br />
miss them. Miss McCrea showed slides,<br />
and on Sabbath A.M. gave a splendid re<br />
port of the work in Cyprus, and in the<br />
evening gave recordings. It has been a<br />
great blessing to have these faithful<br />
workers in the service of the Lord, with<br />
us. May God richly reward them.<br />
Our S. S. collection March 6 was to<br />
help send a new missionary to Japan.<br />
Collection $65.00, the W.M.S. gave<br />
$30.00, Berean Class $5.00, Total $100.00.<br />
MORNING SUN<br />
Mrs. Fred Johnson was hostess for<br />
W.M.S. in March, Mrs. Maurice Hutche<br />
son was leader, and Mrs. Ralph Todd<br />
was leader of Mission Study. Johnson's<br />
farm is the site where the first Covenan<br />
ters of Morning Sun vicinity held their<br />
church services in a large barn, belong<br />
ing to McElhinney's. Officers for the<br />
new year are: President, Mrs. Milford<br />
Todd; Vice President, Mrs. Zenas Mc<br />
Murtry; Recording Secretary, Mrs.<br />
Ralph Todd; Corresponding Secretary,<br />
Mrs. Walter Hutcheson; Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
Merritt McElhinney.<br />
Mrs. Curtis Royer, our precentor has<br />
been absent several Sabbaths due to<br />
sickness.<br />
Mr. Wilbur McElroy<br />
of Topeka visited<br />
with his father and brother's family en<br />
route home from Atlantic City, N. J.,<br />
where he attended a School Principals<br />
convention.<br />
Rev. H. G. Patterson left this week<br />
to preach in Topeka.<br />
Those from Morning Sun and Sharon<br />
congregations interested in promoting a<br />
Daily Vacation Bible School will meet<br />
at the Sharon parsonage Tuesday eve<br />
ning. Four years ago no Bible School<br />
had been held for ten years in our com<br />
munity, but last year there were two<br />
other Bible Schools held.<br />
Another February birthday<br />
of im<br />
portance to TmRD PfflLADELPHIA<br />
Congregation was observed on February<br />
3 by the Rev. Ge<strong>org</strong>e W. Price, our<br />
minister. He and Mrs. Price also recent<br />
ly celebrated their third wedding anni<br />
versary. We wish these young folks<br />
many happy years, and pray<br />
richest blessings upon them and the<br />
our Lord's<br />
work they have undertaken for Him.<br />
A NOTE OF THANKS<br />
It was announced as a covered dish<br />
supper for the older adults at the Matt<br />
Chestnut home, but when the hostess<br />
suggested that we wait until later in the<br />
evening for dessert, things began to look<br />
a wee bit suspicious. Sure enough, at<br />
eight o'clock the pastor and wife were<br />
called to the door to be greeted by the<br />
younger members of the congregation.<br />
Pretty soon, like Daniel, we were cast<br />
into a 'den' but this was a den filled<br />
with delectable foodstuffs instead of<br />
lions. Many hands helped load the haul<br />
into the pastor's car, and we were sent<br />
home rejoicing.<br />
Thank you, Fresno congregation!<br />
Robert and Jadwiga McMillan<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ECHOES NUMBER<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 17, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,<br />
THE S:D IS THE WORD OP GOD<br />
*<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1955 NUMBER 13<br />
The Reverend Professor John Ramsey, LL.B.
The<br />
sober."<br />
new."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Catholics Would Take Land<br />
The Legislature of Quebec has refused to allow the<br />
Benedictines of St. Benoit du Lac to expropriate land sur<br />
rounding their monastery for the second time. Most of this<br />
land is owned by Protestants and if they could get the land<br />
the people on it would be subject to the rules dictated by the<br />
abbey. Even the Province of Quebec, though dominated by<br />
Catholics, has not had the effrontery to approve such a<br />
project. If it were approved the Supreme Court of the Do<br />
minion would not sustain the act of the Province of Quebec.<br />
Money for New Churches<br />
During 19<strong>54</strong> churches in the U.S. spent more than $588,-<br />
000,000 for new buildings, according to the department of<br />
Commerce and Labor.<br />
Parental Responsibilities<br />
A survey is to be undertaken on "The Responsible<br />
Christian Family" in preparation for May Fellowship Day,<br />
May 6. Church women over the country are to study their<br />
own and other families to find the answer to two main<br />
questions :<br />
1. How can Christian parents teach their chil<br />
dren to be good neighbors and good citizens 2. How many<br />
Christian parents are accepting their own responsibilities in<br />
church and community life They can easily find answers to<br />
these and other family problems in the Word of God.<br />
Honor to Mr. Graham<br />
The Freedoms Foundation in a ceremony at Valley<br />
F<strong>org</strong>e, Pa., gave a $1,000 special award and a Ge<strong>org</strong>e Wash<br />
ington honor medal to the Rev. Billy Graham. The Founda<br />
tion gave him this award for his "stirring works for the<br />
Godliness of people everywhere and for the faith which the<br />
atheist world conspires to destroy. In the ebb and flow of<br />
human life few men in recorded history have so captured the<br />
spiritual interest of multitudes as has Reverend Billy Gra<br />
ham."<br />
Bishop Opposes Bingo<br />
"The church has no business seeking a special privilege<br />
to promote gambling,<br />
and the State has no business, under<br />
our doctrine of separation of Church and State, offering to<br />
the church a special exemption from moral restrictions im<br />
posed on the citizens<br />
generally."<br />
Thus spoke the Protestant<br />
Episcopal Bishop H. W. B. Donegan of New York in a pro<br />
test to the New York State Legislature against efforts to<br />
legalize bingo for religious and charitable purposes.<br />
Opposition to Harlan<br />
The nomination of J. M. Harlan to the Supreme Court<br />
was sent to the Senate during last November. The Senate<br />
Judiciary Committee has opened hearings on his suitability.<br />
Some Southern senators have given fictitious reasons for<br />
opposing his appointment, but the real reason seems to be<br />
that they want to delay the effort to carry out the Supreme<br />
Court's decision against segregation in the public schools.<br />
The court cannot hold the hearings it has promised to hold<br />
until it has full roster of nine justices. Yet these senators<br />
have taken an oath to support the Constitution and to pro<br />
mote liberty.<br />
194<br />
Beer Intoxicating<br />
The sheriff of Scott County, Minn., suggested to the<br />
House Committee on law enforcement of the state that the<br />
legislature pass a law declaring 3.2 beer to be intoxicating.<br />
This would affect beer taverns and many drug and grocery<br />
stores. It has been said that many of the sheriff's woes stem<br />
from beer and its association with minors. Can any good<br />
reason be given why 3.2 beer should not be declared intoxi<br />
cating when, as a matter of fact, many thousands of men are<br />
intoxicated with beer A slogan like this has been published:<br />
"A pretty good rule for a feller to follow is never to take<br />
a drink while he is<br />
Campaign in Scotland<br />
Perhaps before this appears in print, on March 21, Billy<br />
Graham will have begun one of his largest evangelistic cam<br />
paigns in Glasgow, Scotland. The "Tell Scotland" movement,<br />
sponsors of the Graham campaign, has arranged for some of<br />
the Glasgow meetings to be heard in Edinburgh over a tele<br />
phone hookup. Arrangements are being made both to hear<br />
and see the evangelist in various parts of the British Isles.<br />
Was He Great<br />
Sir Arthur Keith was called a great anthropologist. His<br />
views have been quoted in many scientific books and maga<br />
zines, even in medical books. He died recently at the age of<br />
89, and we wonder where his spirit is now. He was an out<br />
standing advocate of the theory<br />
live without God and without hope in the world. He was<br />
of evolution and seemed to<br />
made president of the British Association for the Advance<br />
ment of Science in 1927, and at that time affirmed that the<br />
life of man was just like the light of a candle; when the light<br />
was put out that was the end. His view was that man had<br />
evolved from the lower animals by a natural and ascending<br />
process. This theory rules out the truth of the Bible of the<br />
direct creation of man by the power of God, the fact of the<br />
fall of man, the origin of sin, and by implication there would<br />
be no Saviour for there would be no need of one. To sum it<br />
up, his belief or unbelief is that of an atheist. Is an atheist<br />
great The Bible says, "The fool hath said in his heart,<br />
there is no God." The New Shorter Catechism<br />
The Church of Scotland, in the new revised draft of the<br />
Shorter Catechism- leaves out entirely the question, "What<br />
is God" The editor of The Evangelical Christian, after<br />
reading the new draft of the Catechism says : "There are few<br />
improvements that we can discern in the new over the old<br />
and many that are to be deplored. It seems to us that the<br />
new is a poor, weak thing of emasculated doctrine and tenu<br />
ous theology compared with the sinewy<br />
strength of the old<br />
Catechism in which we, with many others of our readers, were<br />
nourished. It was one of the great stalwarts of the Presby<br />
terian Church in Canada, the late Dr. R. P. MacKay, who<br />
once told the writer that he valued his knowledge of the<br />
Shorter Catechism above his university course, and that if<br />
he had to make a choice between the two he would choose<br />
the former .... new draft is to be submitted to the<br />
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when it meets<br />
in Edinburg in May. Jt will be a sorry day for Scotland<br />
should this great little compendium of moral and spiritual<br />
theology be discarded in favor of the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. RusseU, Ph.D.<br />
EXPLOSIVE DOCUMENTS<br />
Our State Department's publication of the long-secret<br />
Yalta papers has touched off a political storm both at home<br />
and abroad. Democrats claim that there was no reason for<br />
releasing the documents at this time, except to try to dis<br />
credit Franklin Roosevelt and the Democratic party. They<br />
also charge that it will make other nations less free in<br />
their future negotiations with us. The Republicans will dig<br />
diligently for material which they can use in next year's<br />
campaign, but they do not seem likely to find much. We<br />
would respectfully suggest that whatever his faults, Frank<br />
lin D. Roosevelt died ten years ago and the Republicans may<br />
as well stop running against him.<br />
The British Foreign Office disapproves of the publica<br />
tion while Churchill and other participants are still living.<br />
Churchill himself was displeased, though the documents<br />
show that his judgment was often better than Roosevelt's.<br />
The British may publish their own version. Our State De<br />
partment also has papers of the Potsdam and Teheran con<br />
ferences, but is not likely to publish them until the present<br />
controversy dies down.<br />
REVISITING YALTA<br />
The Yalta papers reveal nothing new about the basic<br />
decisions made at the conference, but it is interesting to<br />
learn of the thinking and bargaining which determined some<br />
of those decisions. Neither Churchill nor Roosevelt wanted<br />
to hold the conference in Russia, but Stalin insisted. Stalin<br />
and Churchill were the main antagonists; Roosevelt showed<br />
little vigor and often acted as mediator between the two.<br />
Our disastrous concessions to Russia in the Far East were<br />
based on the belief that even with Russian aid and the<br />
atomic bomb, it would take eighteen months after the fall<br />
of Germany to conquer Japan. U. S. and British representa<br />
tives assumed that Russian help was essential and that the<br />
wartime coalition must be kept together to make peace.<br />
There was little controversy<br />
over the Far Eastern conces<br />
sions, but Roosevelt promised to secure the "concurrence" of<br />
Chiang Kai-shek. The newly-released papers show that Rus<br />
sia asked for quite a bit more than she got at Yalta, such as<br />
concessions in Turkey and Iran, and more reparations from<br />
Germany.<br />
The Yalta agreements would not have been so bad if<br />
carried out in good faith, but we obtained no guarantees<br />
from the Russians. They promised free elections in Poland,<br />
for example, but never held them. Another mistake of Eng<br />
land and America was the failure to coordinate their aims<br />
beforehand and maintain a unified policy during the nego<br />
tiations. The final step<br />
which turned Yalta into a disaster<br />
was the one-sided disarmament of the West after the war.<br />
Since 1947 our government has been in the process of cor<br />
recting these errors.<br />
DOLLARS FOR ASIA<br />
Harold Stassen, Foreign Operations Administrator, has<br />
spent the past year working out the Administration program<br />
of economic aid to Asia. This has involved many compromis<br />
es, for the Treasury Department wants to balance the<br />
budget while the State Department advocates a big economic<br />
buildup to strengthen our position in the Orient. The final<br />
recommendation, which President Eisenhower will present<br />
to Congress, is for an appropriation of $915 million in tech<br />
nical and economic aid for the countries of "free Asia." This<br />
is about $200 million more than was appropriated for this<br />
year, and the request will face rough going in Congress.<br />
DISARMAMENT CHIEF<br />
On June 30 the Foreign Operations Administration will<br />
expire, and the State Department will take over its work..<br />
Harold Stassen will step into a new position as special assis<br />
tant to President Eisenhower on disarmament. This post<br />
will have cabinet rank, and other nations may<br />
now create<br />
similar officials to consult with Stassen. However, the pros<br />
pects in this field are not bright. In February a U. N. Dis<br />
armament Commission held meetings in London, but made<br />
no progress. The Russians insisted on the complete pro<br />
hibition of atomic weapons, which would leave them superior<br />
in conventional armaments. They also refused to permit any<br />
workable plan of inspection to enforce the atomic ban.<br />
SUPREME BENCH FILLED<br />
The Senate has confirmed the nomination of<br />
John<br />
Marshall Harlan as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,<br />
to fill the vacancy created last October by the death of Rob<br />
ert H. Jackson. Harlan's approval was held up for several<br />
weeks by a few bitter opponents in the Senate Judiciary<br />
Committee. They charged that Harlan was in favor of world<br />
government and might make decisions which would weaken<br />
American sovereignty. Harlan satisfied most of the Sena<br />
tors on this point, but quite properly refused to say how he<br />
might decide on future cases. Some Southerners helped<br />
delay his confirmation in order to put off the Supreme Court<br />
hearings on the means of implementing school desegregation.<br />
Nine Southern Democrats and two Republicans voted against<br />
Harlan.<br />
TAXES AND POLITICS<br />
One of the bitterest political fights in this session of<br />
Congress seems due to end in an Administration victory.<br />
(Continued on page 202)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
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Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
March, :;30,T9$5j 195
peace."<br />
months'<br />
years'<br />
man,"<br />
Jerry-Building<br />
By tiie late Rev. John Ramsey, LL.B.<br />
WHERE IS THE DAUBING WHEREWITH YE HAVE<br />
DAUBED IT" Ezekiel 13:12.<br />
Our tender susceptibilities are sometimes<br />
shocked with the "rude" language of the prophets.<br />
We are more inclined to be shocked with the lan<br />
guage than with the sin it speaks of. We blush not<br />
for the action, but for the discovery of it, and for the<br />
words in which its uncleanness is set forth. If God<br />
only set forth our sins as<br />
they really are, could we<br />
stand the language appropriate The prophets spoke<br />
boldly and often baldly. The aristocratic and cultured<br />
Ezekiel was forced to use the street drab and the<br />
cow's droppings in a way, no doubt, to shock the<br />
dainty and fastidious sinners of his day. But it was<br />
to make them realize the filth of their unclean souls.<br />
The delicate and highly-refined and fashionablydressed<br />
sinners recoiled, no doubt, from the "rude"<br />
language of the prophet, little dreaming how God was<br />
recoiling from them. Ezekiel had done some strange<br />
things before the people. A common tile and an iron<br />
pan had let them see the fate of their glorious capi<br />
tal. The prophet, lying for a period of many days<br />
first on one side, and then on the other, pictured to<br />
them the weighty burden of their sins. Weighed<br />
bread and measured water told them of dearth and<br />
drought. The quality of the bread and the mode of its<br />
cooking were such as to suggest the most terrible<br />
privations that man could suffer. The work of the<br />
barber and of the furniture remover were alike<br />
pressed into the service as affording needed teaching.<br />
And anon it is the "jerry-builder" that pays tribute<br />
to the instruction of Israel. A wall has been built of<br />
ill-dressed, ill-fitting stones. The foundation is bad<br />
and the superstructure worthless. A push or a blast<br />
of wind would level it to the ground. But, to cover<br />
all defects and make a good show in the sight of the<br />
ignorant and uncritical, a coating of plaster has been<br />
laid on the insecure structure. And the plaster is as<br />
bad as the wall, for it is nothing but mud that cannot<br />
take bond, and when the rain and storm come it will<br />
run as mud to the road it was taken from, and the<br />
wall will become a heap of stones. Under this strik<br />
ingly suggestive and belittling figure Ezekiel exposes<br />
the teaching of the false prophets. They had been<br />
preaching and prophesying "peace"; but God said,<br />
"there is no They had frequently pointed to<br />
the prosperity of the times. The Jews were generally<br />
and in<br />
a wealthy and prosperous race. Then, as now,<br />
all ages, they could lay down uncounted gold as the<br />
price of their ransom from trouble. The times were<br />
joyous feasting and dancing, singing and flirting<br />
were the<br />
whiled away the gay and happy hours. They<br />
days of a "Merrie Monarch." He would be a miserable<br />
croaker who would break in on such a mirthful com<br />
munity with words of reproach and condemnation.<br />
If such a man as Nebuchadnezzar existed and such an<br />
empire as Babylon, what had these to do with pros<br />
perous and happy Judah "Let us eat and drink, for<br />
*Sermon preached at the opening of the Reformed Pres<br />
byterian Synod of Ireland, at Belfast, on Monday evening,<br />
21st June, 1915.<br />
196<br />
to-morrow we die." The result was a deluded people<br />
going on in ignorance and blindness, drifting to their<br />
doom, and that doom just upon them. Ezekiel comes<br />
to them with God's message a very different one<br />
from that of the false prophets. He tells them of fail<br />
ure and widespread ruin, of pestilence and famine,<br />
and of the worst of all national calamities war. Dav<br />
id read the balance correctly, when, saying, "Let us<br />
fall now into the hand of the Lord ; for His mercies<br />
are great : and let me not fall into the hand of<br />
he chose three days' pestilence in preference to three<br />
war or seven famine. It is not, we<br />
trust, in the spirit of the Pharisee nor in that of Cas<br />
sandra of the old Greek legends that we would look<br />
on these words now and send forth their message.<br />
The Jeremiad is God's and the message of to-day is to<br />
a sinful world and sinning<br />
people. We look with sor<br />
row and disappointment and dismay on many a<br />
tottering fence and bowing wall that we and others<br />
foolishly imagined to be strong and beautiful. And as<br />
we look God is saying to us, "Where is the daubing<br />
wherewith ye have daubed it "<br />
I. We Have Modern Instances of Prophetical Lies<br />
and Daubings with Untempered Mortar.<br />
(a) We have had the theory often propounded<br />
that there can never again be persecution for reli<br />
gious opinions. Intolerance was a dark thing of the<br />
Middle Ages. The world has advanced centuries in<br />
time and in improvement from the days of Sharp and<br />
Claverhouse, of Alva and Philip II. Every Church<br />
and every creed and every nation partakes of the<br />
general improvement. Men are more civilized and<br />
could not now look with anything but horror on the<br />
sufferings of their fellow-men. Far from wishing to<br />
inflict pain, man is now more anxious to relieve the<br />
troubles of those in distress. Education has come to<br />
open and broaden the mind of men and to lead them<br />
to recognize the good in one another and in one an<br />
other's religion. And there is good in every religion<br />
so much so that the differences are not anything to<br />
quarrel over. Even if an attempt was made in any<br />
one nation to persecute any particular religious com<br />
munity, there is enough kindliness and sense of fair<br />
ness in the other nations of the world to compel<br />
them to step in and say, "This shall not be ; every<br />
opinion<br />
man has the right to his own religious<br />
Thus it has been proved to a demonstration that per<br />
secution is for ever dead. We need no longer fear the<br />
Roman Antichrist or the Mohammedan false prophet,<br />
for these have become the gentlest of persuaders.<br />
(b) And it is equally plain that poverty and<br />
hard work are nearly ended, and that a solution of<br />
labor questions is rapidly being arrived at that will<br />
make the whole world prosperous, happy, and con<br />
tented. Wealth is increasing enormously. The world's<br />
output is rapidly enlarging, and still vaster expan<br />
sions are possible and about to develop. It is an age<br />
of grand things for labor and capital. There is enough<br />
in the world to make all<br />
happy if only there was a<br />
fair distribution of<br />
it, and it is the work of the vast<br />
army of toilers to see that they get a fair share. It<br />
is the work of the nations of the world to see that<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
same."<br />
their citizens are all saved from penury and oppres<br />
sion, that their health and happiness are secured.<br />
What better work than providing Old-Age Pensions<br />
and Health Insurance What higher ideal could there<br />
be for the nation to keep before it than this that<br />
there should be no poor, no uncared-for sick or toil<br />
ers, no women or children loaded with burdens they<br />
cannot bear If the nation secures this, has it not<br />
accomplished its God-appointed task if God has any<br />
thing to do with nations Trade unionism has banded<br />
the workers, and they can enforce their will, and<br />
have little now to fear that man can do to them. The<br />
principles of Socialism have leavened the whole com<br />
munity, and if only these were universally accepted,<br />
then we had no more need for religion, nor for<br />
preachers, nor for the "figment" called God. And so<br />
the wall is built up, and the daubing laid on thick<br />
and fashioned as you please. Is it not a beautiful, im<br />
posing, and mighty structure<br />
(c) And as persecution is defunct and hard<br />
work and poverty almost at an end, the very idea of<br />
war, to the prophetic mind, is unthinkable. There<br />
cannot be war. The twentieth century says, "No!<br />
War is the outcome of a savage, primitive state, and<br />
of savage instincts. We have outgrown these. Moses<br />
and Joshua and David were but semi-savages, and<br />
so they shed blood, but the twentieth century man is<br />
an improvement on the earlier members of the race.<br />
The civilization of millenniums is behind him, and it<br />
all cries out against war. We have been educated, and<br />
have traveled, and have learned that men are breth<br />
ren, that the human race is one. How, then, could<br />
man slay his fellows Besides, in all civilized coun<br />
tries Socialistic principles are proclaimed and held,<br />
and bind the workers in all lands together. Here is a<br />
tie that cannot be broken. The German worker is not<br />
going to kill his British brother. The French artisan<br />
will not shoot the German. Trade unionism has shown<br />
men how to wage war relentlessly, heartlessly, but<br />
generally without blood-letting. Why should blood,<br />
then, be shed by the nations And logic has demon<br />
strated by the plainest mathematical and pecuniary<br />
reasoning that war is impossible, except among mad<br />
men, for war means incalculable loss, more even to<br />
the conqueror than to the conquered. Free-masonry is<br />
world-wide, and embraces all nations,<br />
all religions,<br />
and is a true brotherhood. No Mason would ever<br />
think of f<strong>org</strong>etting his fraternal vows so far as to<br />
kill a brother Mason. Peace societies and peace prizes,<br />
Arbitration Courts, Hague Conferences and Geneva<br />
Conventions, solemn treaties, and racial bonds all<br />
unite to make war impossible. And if anything more<br />
was needed, is not the great British-American-Ger<br />
manic pseudo-Protestant combination strong enough<br />
to guarantee peace to, and police the rest of, the<br />
world Yes! War is a thing impossible." And busy<br />
Antwerp and gay Brussels and licentious Ostend and<br />
beautiful, well-ordered and <strong>org</strong>anized Berlin, and the<br />
huge agglomeration called London all went on in<br />
security and thoughtlessness. The nations were pros<br />
perous, science advanced by leaps and bounds, inven<br />
tions teemed, and there was no need to recognize the<br />
Lord and His Christ. Oh ! it was a glorious structure<br />
and beautifullv "daubed."<br />
II. But Alas! Experience Gives a Flat Contradiction<br />
to All This.<br />
Here in the twentieth century, in the midst of<br />
the world's highest civilization, where education is<br />
March 30, 1955<br />
most appreciated and perfected, we are face to face<br />
with the greatest war in all the history of the world.<br />
And we are made to shudder at the atrocities and<br />
savage barbarities committed by civilized and edu<br />
cated men on their fellows. Not in the lowest savage,<br />
not in the most degraded cannibal of the Southern<br />
Pacific did the beast that is in the heart of the nat<br />
ural man ever show itself as it has done in educated,<br />
civilized Germans. Three hundred and fifty years ago<br />
the Council of Blood lived up to its name under the<br />
Duke of Alva in the Netherlands. "Columns and<br />
stakes in every street, the doorposts of private<br />
houses, the fences in the fields were laden with hu<br />
man carcasses, strangled, burned, beheaded. The or<br />
a tree the hide<br />
chards in the country bore on many<br />
ous fruit of human bodies." Go to Belgium today and<br />
a similar spectacle is seen. The cry of the outraged,<br />
mutilated woman, the shriek of the little child being<br />
crucified rises to the ears of an angry and avenging<br />
God. Read of the bursting of the Spanish Fury on<br />
Antwerp in 1576, when St. Bartholemew was out<br />
done, of the whirlwind of the French Fury that Anjou<br />
let loose on the same city in 1583, when he cried<br />
to his troopers, "There is the city, my lads; go and<br />
take possession of it." Even more bestial and aggra<br />
vated and treacherous has been the German Fury of<br />
1914, in spite of civilization and education and culture<br />
and Socialism and Freemasonry and brotherhood and<br />
so-called religion. A German student of theology<br />
writing home from the front, says<br />
"It has taken me<br />
a long time to get reconciled to war. I never could<br />
have believed it possible that so-called civilized States<br />
would still have recourse to arms. I thought we had<br />
got beyond that. I thought the detestation of war was<br />
so widespread amongst the nations that no Govern<br />
ment would ever dare again to take upon itself the<br />
responsibility of letting loose war. And here it is, let<br />
loose all the One of the greatest crimes in all<br />
history has been perpetrated. The most senseless<br />
blunder ever committed by wise men has been accom<br />
plished. Can we say, in the presence of this, that<br />
persecution can never again take place, or that want<br />
and poverty are almost driven from the world<br />
"Where is the daubing<br />
wherewith ye have daubed<br />
it"<br />
III. And Who Is to Blame<br />
Doubtless an arrogant and self-worshiping Kai<br />
ser, who seems to feel himself the equal or superior<br />
of Almighty God. Behind him are his counsellors and<br />
his officers, who engineered and guided and dictated<br />
the policy of Austria towards Serbia and Russia. But<br />
we must get further back than this..The millions of<br />
the German nation must bear the responsibility of<br />
their own misguided and ignorant zeal. The nation<br />
that suffers a Kaiser and Kaiserism, the Prussian<br />
officer and his brutality, that listens to the doctrine<br />
that might is right, and that necessity knows no law,<br />
that nation must suffer the penalty of its crime. But<br />
is it only Germany that is to blame Has not civiliza<br />
tion failed, has not education proved its folly And<br />
many say, is not Christianity shown to be a fraud<br />
If this war is the product of Christianity, and if<br />
(<br />
the preaching of Christ is responsible for the war,<br />
then away with such a religion. But before doing so,<br />
let it be fairly tested. Read its constitution and its<br />
precepts, and ask, "Do they produce such an <strong>org</strong>y as<br />
we now look upon " Listen to the Word of the Lord,<br />
197
saved"<br />
servant."<br />
and hear whether it incites to or encourages men to<br />
such actions as we have witnessed deeds that have<br />
shocked the world. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy<br />
God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with<br />
all thy strength and with all thy mind. And<br />
thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." These are<br />
the ethics of Christianity. Was it an effort to apply<br />
this to human life that produced the war Until it<br />
can be shown that it was, we cannot say Christianity<br />
is responsible. But we must separate between the<br />
principles announced and the men who profess them ;<br />
and it is when we come to the men that we meet<br />
with the responsible agents, and we see them setting<br />
themselves in direct opposition to the principles and<br />
the precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Others<br />
say the Church is to blame. What has the Church<br />
that is, the professing Christian Churches of the<br />
world -done Has it not tried to soften men's rough<br />
er natures by beautiful forms of worship Has it not<br />
appealed to the finest and gentlest in man by raptur<br />
ous music and exalted poetry Has it not taught man<br />
how great he is, what infinite possibilities are before<br />
him if he only exercises his grand will-power and the<br />
force of his reason Has it not held out the beautiful<br />
in sculpture and painting and ecclesiastical structure,<br />
and encouraged men to make their atonement in<br />
stone and lime, or, perhaps, in more apparent selfsacrifice<br />
Has it not carried civilization and educa<br />
tion to the heathen Has it not even in some instan<br />
ces held out Christ as the one Saviour of the soul,<br />
and said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou<br />
shalt be The Church has done much some<br />
times not according to the Master's will but a great<br />
deal in line with it. The message it has borne to the<br />
world has changed the wilderness into a fruitful field,<br />
and made the desert to blossom as the rose. It has<br />
made this wonderful transformation not only in the<br />
face of nature, but in the heart and soul of the be<br />
liever. And as far as it has gone in accord with the<br />
Master, He is saying, "Well done, good and faithful<br />
But what message has the Church had for<br />
the nations of the world What Church, what preach<br />
er has dared to tell the Kaiser that there is another<br />
King, one Jesus What Church has testified that<br />
Christ is King of all kings, and Lord of all lords<br />
What Church has proclaimed at the polls and in the<br />
Parliaments of men that unless a nation is born into<br />
Zion it is not the Lord's Christian nation Yet if the<br />
Church has not given that message to the nation it<br />
has not given Christ's message. The Church as a<br />
whole is largely responsible for the awful war be<br />
cause it has failed to carry the Gospel to the nations.<br />
It has treated the nations as either having no need<br />
of Christ's help or as being above Christ's authority.<br />
It has treated the great ones of the earth as if in<br />
government and diplomacy they were responsible<br />
only to their fellows. Too often it has looked -for<br />
Court favors and Government honors and pecuniary<br />
help, and has been willing to pay for these by a bar<br />
tering of God's truth. The result is before us. Man<br />
apart from the Gospel is still a savage brute. And a<br />
nation failing to recognize the authority of God and<br />
His Son Jesus Christ may fall to the level of the<br />
Canaanites and Hittites in an incredibly<br />
short time.<br />
Germany has done so. England may do so. And the<br />
Church that has failed to give Christ's message must<br />
bear the blame. And we may well hear God's re<br />
proaching voice, "Where is the daubing wherewith<br />
ye have daubed it "<br />
198<br />
IV. So We Are Brought Face to Face with the<br />
Fearful Failure of Human Devices and Human Hopes.<br />
The benefits of education cannot be over-esti<br />
mated. Civilization can never be too highly developed.<br />
The idea of brotherhood can never be too closely ap<br />
plied to human relationships. Trade unionism has<br />
done much, and may do a great deal more, for the<br />
working man. International treaties are valuable and<br />
necessary for international relationships. But any<br />
and all of these is always valueless and generally de<br />
structive apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And<br />
God has been teaching the world its need of Him<br />
a very much needed lesson. "We are<br />
engaged,"<br />
says<br />
Dean Inge, "in a still undecided battle of right<br />
against wrong here below; but God is not fighting<br />
for His existence, nor is He striving to realize Him<br />
self for the first time in this little planet of ours. God<br />
is: He is the supreme and eternal fact." "From a<br />
thousand sources we have been learning of what can<br />
only be called the re-discovery of God by the men at<br />
the front." A newspaper writer speaks thus<br />
"The war will change many things in art and<br />
life, and among them, it is to be hoped, many<br />
own ideas as to what is, and what is not, 'intellec<br />
tual.' "<br />
"Thou Whose deep ways are in the sea,<br />
Whose footsteps are not known,<br />
To-night a world that turned from Thee<br />
Is waiting at Thy Throne.<br />
The towering Babels that we raised<br />
Where scoffing sophists brawl,<br />
The little Antichrists we praised<br />
The night is on them all.<br />
The fool hath said. . . The fool hath said . .<br />
And we, who deemed him wise,<br />
We who believed that Thou wast dead,<br />
How should we seek Thine eyes<br />
How should we seek to Thee for power<br />
Who scorned Thee yesterday <br />
How should we kneel, in this dread hour<br />
Lord, teach us how to pray!<br />
Grant us the single heart, once more,<br />
That mocks no sacred thing,<br />
The Sword of Truth our fathers wore<br />
When Thou wast Lord and King.<br />
Let darkness unto darkness tell<br />
Our deep, unspoken prayer,<br />
For, while our souls in darkness dwell,<br />
We know that Thou art there."<br />
of our<br />
Lord Bryce, speaking from his Ulster-Scotch<br />
Presbyterian origin, and with a faint echo of old<br />
Secession and <strong>Covenanter</strong> days, says, "What is to be<br />
done Is there any other influence from which so<br />
much can be hoped as from Christianity Is there in<br />
deed, any force other than Christianity that will<br />
bring back the world towards peace and goodwill If<br />
there is no such other force, can something be done<br />
to revive among ourselves the inspiring power which<br />
Christianity has shown in its best spirits at its 'best<br />
moments If we follow the course of history during<br />
the last two thousand years, has not the Gospel been<br />
by far the strongest of the moral forces, often and<br />
as men have neglected or perverted its<br />
grievously<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
next."<br />
precepts It is the strongest because it begins from<br />
within. All improvement begins from the individual<br />
you.'<br />
soul. "The Kingdom of Heaven is within The na<br />
tion and the State are only so many individual men,<br />
and as the men are so will the State be. The problem<br />
has always been, and is today, how to apply Chris<br />
either of the<br />
tianity to the facts of daily life. Few,<br />
leaders or of the mass, have ever seriously tried to<br />
apply the principles of the Gospel so as to be in the<br />
world and yet not of the world. How difficult is the<br />
task has been proved by the failures, yet the effort<br />
must always be renewed, however great the difficul<br />
ties. The call is to each of us to begin with his own<br />
soul and his own life. We can try to think of what<br />
each can do to make the Gospel of love and self-f<strong>org</strong>etfulness<br />
fill his thoughts and guide his conduct.<br />
The circumstances attending this war, and the chal<br />
lenge to Christian principles which it makes, have<br />
stirred the depths of men's souls as nothing has done<br />
for the last three centuries. Must we not try, while<br />
this impulse is still fresh and strong upon us, to turn<br />
it to the fullest account Must we not make another<br />
effort to bring the individual life nearer to those<br />
Christian ideals in following which, as we believe, the<br />
best hopes for the peace and welfare of humanity<br />
are to be found"<br />
It is not often that public men are found speak<br />
ing thus, and it may be that God in His awful, but<br />
gracious, providence has permitted this war to teach<br />
men the folly of their rejection of His Word as the<br />
guide of national life. He is showing the devilishness<br />
of education and civilization and trades' unionism<br />
and even international treaties when no respect is<br />
paid to Jesus Christ the Lord. He is revealing the<br />
hollowness, in our own land, of that miserable traves<br />
ty called Socialism, that insists on one class<br />
being compelled while another must be free;<br />
that would make taxation compulsory (on some!)<br />
for the general good, but would insist on the liberty<br />
of the individual to shirk work and refuse military<br />
service for the common weal ; that insists on the na<br />
tion compulsorily <strong>org</strong>anizing capital, but denounces<br />
the idea that the nation ought compulsorily to or<br />
ganize labor. He is proving to the complete satis<br />
faction of many who would not previously entertain<br />
the thought that government without Christ is sa<br />
tanic; that the world refusing allegiance to Jesus<br />
Christ will become an inferno. Many ask, "Is this the<br />
"Yes,"<br />
some one has said, "till the<br />
war"<br />
last great<br />
And the next, or something equally appalling,<br />
will come just as surely as the nations persist in<br />
ignoring the sovereinty of God and of His Christ. But<br />
what can we do to bring this one to an end and pre<br />
vent another Such a result will not be achieved by<br />
shouting, "Delenda est Germania." Germany, and all<br />
the brute and immoral force that Germany stands<br />
for, must be ended. But if the nations will not cate<br />
gorically and constitutionally accept of Christ as<br />
their King, it is very easy for the devil to find anoth<br />
er Kaiser, to <strong>org</strong>anize another Germany, to build<br />
another Essen, and equip another Krupps. It may be<br />
French, or British, or Russian, or American. Little it<br />
matters; but it will be devilish. And the end of it<br />
will be another cataclysm. The one way to end this<br />
war and prevent others is to apply the truth of Chris<br />
tianity, as Lord Bryce indicates, to our national and<br />
international relationships. As he says, there are<br />
difficulties and there have 'been failures. The diffi<br />
culties are man-made. The failures have been in<br />
man's will. It is still the same old rebuke, "Ye will<br />
not come to Me that ye might have life."<br />
What Can We Do<br />
Many things. Much. Chief among them, we can tell<br />
the world that Christ reigns. It is our duty, our priv<br />
ilege, an honor that, we regret to say, we can share<br />
with none, to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of<br />
our Lord Jesus Christ to the British Empire and to<br />
all the nations of the world. It is our special mission<br />
to tell the nations that they must recognize the sov<br />
ereignty of the Lord Jesus in their constitutions and<br />
in their legislation; to point them to the Bible as the<br />
revealed will of their King, and to show them the<br />
blessings following obedience, and the disasters en<br />
tailed by rebellion. If we do this faithfully, then we<br />
shall never hear the reproach, "Where is the daubing<br />
wherewith ye have daubed it"<br />
The Reverend Professor<br />
John Ramsey, B. A., LL.B.<br />
By Dr. R. J. G. McKnight<br />
It is fitting that more than passing notice<br />
should be given to the death of Professor John Ram<br />
sey who served the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church in Ireland<br />
for more than sixty years. He was born in 1860, son<br />
of an elder in the Ballyclabber congregation.<br />
He received his higher education in Trinity Uni<br />
versity of Dublin, graduating with the degrees of<br />
B.A. and LL.B., with a Senior Moderatorship in<br />
Experimental Science.<br />
He was ordained as pastor of the Ballymoney<br />
Congregation in 1886. From that time he served the<br />
Irish Church with great devotion in every position to<br />
which he was called.<br />
In 1922 he was called to the chair of Biblical Lit<br />
erature in the Theological Seminary in Belfast and<br />
continued in that position until 1945.<br />
He was held in high esteem as a teacher. From<br />
1885 to 1917 he taught in the Ballymoney Interme<br />
diate School and later was a Governor of Dalriada<br />
School. Last year he was honored by the Community<br />
when an extension of the school building was named<br />
in his honor.<br />
He was twice moderator of the Irish Synod.<br />
(Note The names and dates here set down are<br />
taken from an obituary written by the Reverend R.<br />
B. Lyons in the COVEiNANTER in the issue of Janu<br />
ary 1955. R. J. G. M.)<br />
Positions held and honors received by Professor<br />
Ramsey give us a conception of the stature of the<br />
man. A personal acquaintance with him reveals more<br />
and better things. The Reverend R. B. Lyons writes :<br />
"The writer of this obituary knew Professor Ramsey<br />
in more relationships than most men and I thank<br />
God for my memories of him." None who understood<br />
him could speak otherwise.<br />
Professor Ramsey was an athlete. He excelled in<br />
all sports which required skill and strength. He was<br />
an outstanding cricket player. He would have been<br />
welcomed on any cricket team, amateur or profession<br />
al, in the world.<br />
Two generations have passed since he performed<br />
the deed which won for him the title of "The Hero of<br />
(Continued on page 202)<br />
199<br />
March 30, 1955
penny."<br />
you."<br />
out"<br />
the'<br />
church."<br />
REMO I. ROBB, D.D.<br />
Covena<br />
ECHOES<br />
March, 1955<br />
TO ILLUSTRATE THE APRIL<br />
TOPICS<br />
April S<br />
Dollars to Doughnuts<br />
Helping On The Work Of God.<br />
A widow found pardon and pe.acg in<br />
her Saviour in her 69th year. Her grat<br />
itude and love overflowed and often<br />
refreshed the hearts of Christians of<br />
long experience. The house of God be<br />
came very dear to her, and she was<br />
often seen to drop a gift in the church<br />
door box though her income was only<br />
75c per week. A fall in her 72nd year<br />
prevented her ever coming out again.<br />
A little boy being seen to drop some<br />
thing into the box was asked what it<br />
was. He said "It is Mrs. W 's<br />
He was told to take it back to<br />
her, and to say that her good intention<br />
was priced, but that her friends could<br />
not let her reduce her small means,<br />
especially as she could not come out to<br />
worship. She replied, "Boy, why did<br />
you let them see you give it Take it<br />
again and put it in when no one sees<br />
Then weeping she said, "What!<br />
and I am not to be allowed to help in<br />
the work of God any more because I<br />
can't get<br />
April 10<br />
The Living Jesus.<br />
A Fact of History.<br />
Lord Lyttleton and Gilbert Best, two<br />
English scholars who rejected the Chris<br />
tian faith, agreed to do concentrated<br />
research on two themes, expecting to<br />
discredit Christianity once and for all<br />
by the publication of their results. One<br />
undertook to disprove the resurrection<br />
of Jesus Christ and the other under<br />
took to disprove the supernatural ex<br />
perience of Saul of Tarsus on the Dam<br />
ascus road. After a period of time, ac<br />
cording to their agreement, they met<br />
to report results.<br />
Both were honest men and had taken<br />
it for granted that their results would<br />
discredit Christianity, but as each made<br />
his report and submitted his conclusions,<br />
he rendered an affirmative statement.<br />
Proceeding to evaluate all evidence, they<br />
concluded (1) that Jesus actually arose<br />
from the grave, and (2) that Saul of<br />
Tarsus was truly converted.<br />
200<br />
AprU 17 Church Membership and Its<br />
Responsibilities<br />
"Any person capable of forming moral<br />
judgments and of -decisions<br />
making for<br />
himself, may be received into full mem<br />
bership in the Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Church when he accepts the TeVins.of<br />
Communion, wherein he professes his<br />
faith in Christ and purpose of obe<br />
dience to Him, acknowledges the Bible<br />
to be the Word of God, approves the<br />
standards of the church<br />
founded upon<br />
the Scriptures, and promises submis<br />
sion in the Lord to the courts of the<br />
church.<br />
"Candidates for church membership<br />
shall be examined by the session in<br />
constituted court. The examination shall<br />
seek to bring out<br />
'degreeof<br />
the<br />
candidate's knowledge of Divine truth,<br />
his personal sense of sin and need of<br />
salvation, his knowledge and willing ac<br />
ceptance of the distinctive principles<br />
of the church; his purpose to keep the<br />
Sabbath, to separate from all associa<br />
tions inconsistent with the Christian<br />
life, to abstain from the manufacture,<br />
sale or use of intoxicating liquor as a<br />
beverage, to make diligent use of the<br />
means of grace the reading and study<br />
of the Word, prayer, family worship,<br />
faithful attendance upon the public ex<br />
ercises of Divine worship<br />
and to con<br />
secrate a due proportion of his income<br />
to the Lord's work. The degree of know<br />
ledge necessary for admission depends<br />
to a considerable extent, upon the ca<br />
pacity of the candidate and the oppor<br />
tunities which he has enjoyed. Child<br />
ren should be asked to memorize the<br />
Shorter Catechism and urged to read<br />
and study the Testimony and Confession<br />
of Faith as they come to years of fuller<br />
understanding. No one should be ad<br />
mitted who is ignorant of the first prin<br />
ciples of the plan of salvation, or who<br />
gives no evidence of having been born<br />
again, or who assumes an attitude an<br />
tagonistic to the principles set forth in<br />
the standards of the<br />
Constitution of the Reformed Pesbyterian<br />
Church, page 229, 230.<br />
April tk Our C.Y.P.U. Pledge.<br />
What Do We Rely Upon<br />
I shall never f<strong>org</strong>et what the late Dr.<br />
A. C. Dixon of Spurgeon's Tabernacle<br />
For<br />
once said when speaking upon the idea<br />
of prayer. I cannot quote him verbatim,<br />
but the substance was this. "When we<br />
rely upon <strong>org</strong>anization, we get what<br />
<strong>org</strong>anization can do. When we rely upon<br />
education, we get what education can<br />
do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get<br />
what eloquence can do; and so on. Nor<br />
am I disposed to undervalue any of these<br />
But,"<br />
things in their proper place. he<br />
added impressively, "when we rely upon<br />
do."<br />
prayer, we get what God can<br />
Lord."<br />
"I'll pay my vows now to the<br />
CORRECTION<br />
In last month's Echoes Conference<br />
Calendar, I listed as Pacific Coast<br />
Young People's Secretary, the Rev. Rob<br />
ert McMillan of Fresno, Calif. I am in<br />
formed that that was a mistake, and<br />
that the "real" secretary is Dr. Dean<br />
Hinton, D.D.S., 1215 Oak Circle Drive,<br />
Glendale 8, Calif. Correspondence con<br />
cerning the Pacific Coast Conference<br />
should be directed to Dr. Hinton, or to<br />
Miss Tillie Buck, the president.<br />
THE MINISTER'S TASK<br />
"Just as the people get the kind of<br />
government they demand, so do we lay<br />
men get the kind of church we demand.<br />
One must admit that, over the years,<br />
we have been demanding from our min<br />
isters many services which are largely<br />
secular. "We have burdened them with<br />
endless odd jobs, instead of doing those<br />
jobs ourselves so they can concentrate<br />
on the work which they alone can do<br />
studying, meditating, praying, searching<br />
out ways to best meet the deep needs of<br />
man's inner life, teaching us by spoken<br />
and written word to understand the<br />
moral code which should govern our<br />
relationships with God and with our<br />
neighbors, and the techniques and disci<br />
plines for coming to know more of God.<br />
"The situation is described in a letter<br />
from a father to his son, in which he<br />
says :<br />
'What does a minister do, my son<br />
Well, his time is his own, which means<br />
that he is always on the job. The min<br />
ister teaches, though he must solicit his<br />
own classes. He heals, though without<br />
pills or knife. He is sometimes a lawyer,<br />
often a social worker, something of an<br />
editor, a bit of a philosopher and en<br />
tertainer; a salesman; a decorative piece<br />
for public functions, and he is supposed<br />
to be a scholar. He visits the sick, mar-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
go."<br />
good."<br />
DES<br />
YOUNG PEOPLE'S<br />
SECRETARY<br />
oung People<br />
ries people, buries the dead, labors to<br />
console those who sorrow and to ad<br />
monish those who sin, and tries to stay<br />
sweet when chided for not doing his<br />
duty. He plans programs, appoints com<br />
mittees when he can get them; spends<br />
considerable time in keeping people out<br />
of each other's hair; between times he<br />
prepares a sermon and preaches it to<br />
those who don't happen to have any oth<br />
er engagement. Then on Monday he<br />
smiles when some jovial chap roars,<br />
"What a job one hour a week!" ' "<br />
From an address to The Committee<br />
on Religion in American Life, Inc., By<br />
Admiral Ben Moreell, chairman of the<br />
Board of Directors, Jones and Laughlin<br />
Steel Corporation.<br />
COMMUNIST EDITOR CHALLENGES<br />
CHRISTIANS<br />
It has taken a Communist to tell us<br />
how to defeat Communism. The follow<br />
ing is an article which appeared in a<br />
Chinese Communist newspaper and was<br />
brought out by Dr. John Hayes, Presby<br />
terian missionary, released in 1953 after<br />
ten months in a Chinese jail:<br />
"The Gospel is a much more powerful<br />
weapon for the renewal of society than<br />
is our Marxist philosophy, but all the<br />
same it is we who will finally beat you.<br />
We are only a handful and you Chris<br />
tians are numbered by the millions.<br />
"We Communists do not play with<br />
words. We are realists, and seeing that<br />
we are determined to achieve our ob<br />
ject, we know how to obtain the means.<br />
Of our salaries and wages, we keep only<br />
what is strictly necessary, and we give<br />
up the rest for propaganda purposes. To<br />
this propaganda we also 'consecrate' all<br />
our free time, and part of our holidays.<br />
"You, however, give only a little time<br />
and hardly any money for spreading of<br />
the Gospel of Christ. How can anyone<br />
believe in the supreme value of the Gos<br />
pel if you do not practice it, if you do<br />
not spread it and if you sacrifice neither<br />
time nor money for it<br />
"Believe me, it is we who will win,<br />
for we bejieve in our Communist mes<br />
sage and we are ready to sacrifice every<br />
thing, even our life, that social justice<br />
will triumph. But you people are afraid<br />
to soil your hands."<br />
From CHRISTIAN LIFE, March,<br />
1955, pgs. 66, 67.<br />
March 30, 1955<br />
THE BIBLE STUDIES with others . . . We plan to follow up<br />
couraging them to use them in working Selected.<br />
What people are saying:<br />
carefully any that we hand out, and<br />
A Pastor "It is a big project but<br />
are urging others to do the same. I am<br />
very glad to see that the opening studies<br />
what has been needed for a long time."<br />
A City Missionary "Will you please<br />
send five copies of Bible Studies 1 and<br />
2 I gave one to a Chinese girl the<br />
other day. She is a nurse, getting ready<br />
Bible. I also like the attractive, yet in<br />
expensive, form in which the studies are<br />
put up. The mimeographing is<br />
for semester exams just now. Just came<br />
from Hong Kong in December and is<br />
finding the work pretty hard. I made<br />
some copies on my typewriter of the<br />
INTERPRETATIONS OF LOVE<br />
Patience is love on the anvil, bearing<br />
blow after blow of suffering.<br />
first study and gave it to three folks.<br />
Zeal is love in the harvest field, never<br />
Hope to go and see them soon and see<br />
tiring of toil.<br />
if we can study and memorize."<br />
Meekness is love in company, when it<br />
An out of bounds member "I have<br />
vaunteth not itself.<br />
two boys, 6 and 3, whom I am doing my<br />
best to teach. They don't learn much<br />
at the S.S. where they<br />
Another pastor "I am pleased with<br />
the studies so far. At<br />
Joy is love making its own sunshine,<br />
present we are<br />
where others see nothing but gloom.<br />
not using them in any <strong>org</strong>anized way.<br />
I have shown the first one to the session Power is love driving the soul's char<br />
and talked about the use we might<br />
iot wheels over all opposition.<br />
make of them, and have talked to some Gentleness is nothing but love in her<br />
individual members about them, en own sweet voice and charming manner.<br />
I<br />
THE BIBLE STUDIES<br />
are designed for us with non-Christians,<br />
who have little or no knowledge of the<br />
Perseverance is love on a journey,<br />
pressing on with unflagging step toward<br />
the end.<br />
The First Unit of the Bible Study Program is now complete.<br />
It consists of Four Studies<br />
The Gospel<br />
Belief<br />
Repentance<br />
Surrender<br />
The Second Unit is now in preparation.<br />
It consists of Six Studies in Christian Character Development,<br />
Personal Devotion<br />
Obedience<br />
Meeting Temptation<br />
Growth in Grace (two studies)<br />
<strong>Witness</strong>ing<br />
These Studies are prepared primarily for use in bringing others<br />
to Christ, but they may be used as subjects for Discussion Class<br />
es. Indeed, a Class may be good preparation for effective use<br />
elsewhere.<br />
They come<br />
in mimeographed form<br />
in different colors<br />
at 2c per copy<br />
from Remo I. Robb, 1102 Ninth Ave.,<br />
Beaver Falls, Pa.<br />
201
.<br />
Continued<br />
morning'."<br />
Prof. John Ramsey<br />
.<br />
Niagara."<br />
.<br />
from page 199<br />
The story was spread on the front pages of<br />
newspapers from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was<br />
in 1892. Professor Ramsey was a delegate to the Pan<br />
Presbyterian Conference held in Toronto, Canada.<br />
He visited Niagara Falls to attend the opening of the<br />
first suspension bridge, in company with his hostess,<br />
Mrs. Grimason and her two daughters. While cross<br />
ing the bridge on foot they stepped from the crowded<br />
footpath to the main thorofare. As Mrs. Grimason<br />
attempted to regain the footpath she stumbled and<br />
catching her toe on the curb was catapulted through<br />
the guard rail and under the bridge where her cloth<br />
ing became entangled in the girders. There she hung<br />
more than a hundred feet above the rocks and roar<br />
ing waters of the g<strong>org</strong>e below.<br />
Without a moment's hesitation he took off his<br />
coat, crossed the railing and made his way down<br />
sixty feet of struts and girders to the last angle<br />
where the woman lay. Within a short time a rope was<br />
let down from above. Clinging with one arm around<br />
the slippery beam he fastened the rope around the<br />
woman's body and she was drawn up to the rail and<br />
to safety. Then he himself made the difficult ascent<br />
to the bridge without assistance. Is it any wonder<br />
that he was called "The Hero of Niagara" ! One false<br />
move, one slip of the foot and he would have been<br />
dashed to pieces on the rocks far below. He did this<br />
for a friend. True, he received a medal from the Royal<br />
Humane Society of Canada and the plaudits of many<br />
countries. But there was no thought of such things in<br />
his mind when he went over the rail of the bridge to<br />
help a human being in distress. This incident in the<br />
life of Professor Ramsey is indicative of the qualities<br />
of soul which he possessed.<br />
When he was chosen to fill the Chair of Biblical<br />
Literature in the Irish Seminary in 1922 I had been<br />
for six years in the corresponding department of our<br />
own Seminary. He wrote me at that time about text<br />
books and courses in our Seminary. Thus began a<br />
correspondence that continued until a very short<br />
time before his death. His letters were a joy to me. I<br />
feel quite certain that his family will not criticize<br />
me if I record here a letter in answer to one I had<br />
written him upon receiving the news of the passing<br />
of Mrs. Ramsey. It is the last letter he wrote to me.<br />
I had the honor of being a guest in his home in<br />
Ballymoney in 1928. His was a good home with the<br />
finest yard and gardens. What impressed me most,<br />
however, was the spirit of love and Christian dignity<br />
that pervaded the home and motivated every act.<br />
Mrs. Ramsey was a gracious hostess. The memory<br />
of that day in such a home has never faded. The<br />
memory of that kind of home life has endured in the<br />
sons and daughters and makes them what they are<br />
today.<br />
Professor Ramsey's last letter to me was re<br />
ceived on April 8, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
Portstewart,<br />
Co. Derry.<br />
Professor R. J. G. McKnight,<br />
My dear trusted, kind Brother:<br />
You have come through deep waters and can<br />
sympathize with one who has followed. Your<br />
thoughts and words are refreshing to a heart but re<br />
warmest thanks.<br />
cently stricken. Please receive my<br />
My dear wife was not unwilling to die. She went<br />
202<br />
away into sleep after a period of weariness during<br />
which she often wished that we might go together.<br />
Among her later sayings were:<br />
" 'Life'<br />
! We have been long together; Through<br />
cloudy and through sunny weather. 'Tis hard<br />
to part when friends are dear. Perhaps 'twill<br />
cost a sigh, a tear. Then steal away: give little<br />
night'<br />
warning. Say not 'Good but in a better<br />
clime, bid me 'Good<br />
You, too, will be there to bid me and yours<br />
"Good Morning."<br />
At present I can write no more. Thank you<br />
again.<br />
Yours ever,<br />
J. Ramsey<br />
And thus it was. Eight months and three weeks<br />
morning"<br />
later they said "Good on that distant shore.<br />
What blessed memories remain in the hearts of<br />
those who knew and loved him most. An athlete, a<br />
scholar, a gentleman, a wise counselor, in the delib<br />
erations of Synod, a loving father, a constant hus<br />
band, a loyal soldier in the army of the Lord, and<br />
faithful even unto death. What a heritage he has left<br />
us!<br />
Aptly did the Moderator of Synod base his ad<br />
dress at Professor Ramsey's funeral on II Samuel 3 :<br />
38"Know ye not that there is a prince and a great<br />
man fallen this day in Israel"<br />
In the turbulent years during which he served<br />
the church of his choice, the storms of Destructive<br />
Criticism, Liberalism, and Humanism were sweeping<br />
across the Western World. Within the circle of his<br />
influence and with all his strength, he stood firmly<br />
against the deadly sand-storms of the so-called Lib<br />
eralism. He became for our <strong>Covenanter</strong> Cause as<br />
"the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."<br />
Against his shoulders the desiccating sands of the<br />
desert fell back to windward and to leeward the Rose<br />
of Sharon still blossoms.<br />
R. J. G. M.<br />
Current Events .... from page 195<br />
Democrats in the House passed an income-tax reduction of<br />
$20 per person, attached to the bill for extending excise and<br />
corporation taxes. They made no provision for making up<br />
the lost revenue. Republicans accused them of "financial ir<br />
responsibility,"<br />
while the Democrats charged that the Re<br />
publicans favored the rich. The real motive for the cut was<br />
political<br />
the Democrats expect the Republicans to reduce<br />
taxes for next year's Presidential campaign, and decided to<br />
beat them to it. The Senate, however rejected all proposals<br />
for income-tax cuts and accepted the Administration pro<br />
gram for the continuation of present taxes. Five Southern<br />
Democratic Senators joined the Republicans on this issue.<br />
INDONESIA MAKES PLANS<br />
The Republic of Indonesia is working on a five-year<br />
plan for economic development, which it hopes to put into<br />
effect beginning next year. Indonesia, formerly the Dutch<br />
East Indies, has great natural resources which must be ex<br />
ploited to feed her people<br />
the island of Java is one of the<br />
most densely populated areas in the world. About 25 per<br />
cent of the budget will be designated for transportation and<br />
communication, 25 per cent for industry and mining,<br />
and an<br />
other fourth for irrigation. The remainder will be put into<br />
other improvements in agriculture, health, and education.<br />
One of the top priority projects is a multimillion dollar hy<br />
droelectric project to industrialize north central Sumatra,<br />
which is rich in minerals.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
say."<br />
rod."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of April 17, 1955<br />
other evidence of interest page 232,<br />
sibility."<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
March 30, 1955 for AprU 17, 1955<br />
"Church Membership and its Respon<br />
para. 11<br />
14. Should we be alarmed if we dis<br />
cover that all Reformed Presbyter<br />
CoL 1:18-29<br />
Rev. Robert W. McMillan<br />
Tonight, we suggest a Quiz program.<br />
Make it the boys against the girls, the<br />
ians do not think alike about every<br />
object of thought page 190, para. 4<br />
15. What testimony does the Reformed<br />
Presbyterian Church maintain in re<br />
Reds against the Blues, the Martins gard to intoxicants page 190, para. 6<br />
against the McCoys, or any division that<br />
seems fair. Ask a member of session<br />
who is well versed in church govern<br />
ment to ask the questions and be the<br />
judge. You will need to study this list<br />
16. Should anyone be received into mem<br />
bership who is antagonistic to the<br />
principles set forth in the standards<br />
of the church page 230, para. 3<br />
17. What is the one thing for which the<br />
of questions in advance, using your Church must censure a member<br />
Bible and the Constitution of the R. P.<br />
Church.<br />
(Unwillingness to repent when it is<br />
clear that we have sinned)<br />
l.What is the Church page 227, 18. How may the membership of our<br />
1*<br />
para.<br />
church be increased Acts 8:4; Col.<br />
2. Who is the Head of the Church Col.<br />
1:18; page 227, para. 2<br />
1:28,29; Matt. 28:19,20; I Cor. 13:<br />
1-13; John 15:7 (an uninhibited testi<br />
3. Where is Christ's will concerning the mony for Christ and the Gospel<br />
Church its form of government and wherever we are; a world-wide vis<br />
ordinances revealed page 227, para. ion; the whole Bible for the whole<br />
2<br />
world; backed by faithful and be<br />
4. Is it ever the duty of the church to lieving prayer)<br />
inflict physical pain and punishment<br />
on wicked people page 227, para. 3<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
5. What is the work (or mission) of the<br />
AprU 17, 1955<br />
Church Name three things. Five de<br />
Mrs. Luther McFarland<br />
finite things are mentioned on pp.<br />
227-8, para. 4<br />
6. What is the difference between the<br />
Church Visible and the Church In<br />
visible page 227, para. 1<br />
"What is that in Thine Hand"<br />
Exodus 4:1-23, 28-31<br />
Memory Verse: "Now therefore go, and<br />
I will be with thy mouth, and teach<br />
7. There are many, many branches, or thee what thou shalt Exodus<br />
denominations, within the Visible 4:12<br />
Church. Which one should you join<br />
page 228, para. 5<br />
8. Someone may ask you, "What is the<br />
PSALMS<br />
Memory Psalm 103:13-15, page 244<br />
Psalm 46 :7-10, page 118<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Psalm 27:4-8, page 62<br />
North America What would be a<br />
good answer page 228, para. 6<br />
9. Who may become a member of the<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church page<br />
229, para. 1<br />
10. In examining a candidate for church<br />
membership, what things should be<br />
considered Name four things. Eight<br />
Psalm 31 :l-4, page 71<br />
Our lesson this week is a continua<br />
tion of our last lesson. You remember<br />
how God called to Moses out of the<br />
midst of the burning bush. Moses was<br />
one of the most important persons in<br />
the Old Testament. Who would you say<br />
is the most important person in the<br />
definite things are mentioned on pp. New Testament That's right Jesus<br />
229-30, para. 3<br />
11. Since one of the chief sources of the<br />
church's membership is her own chil<br />
dren, what should parents do to pre<br />
pare their children for communicant<br />
membership page 231, para. 8<br />
Christ. How do you think Moses reminds<br />
us of Jesus Because just like Moses He<br />
is a deliverer. Moses led the children of<br />
Israel from cruel bondage in the land<br />
of Egypt into the land God had promised<br />
them. So Jesus our Saviour saves His<br />
12. Does the Reformed Presbyterian children from the bondage of sin. If we<br />
Church of North America have any<br />
testimony against dancing, card-play<br />
ing, and the theater page 232, para.<br />
9<br />
13. What may the session do if a mem<br />
ber, for a period of one year, with<br />
out any known reason, fails to at<br />
tend, to contribute, or to give any<br />
confess our sins and say we are sorry<br />
for them, Jesus will f<strong>org</strong>ive them.<br />
Moses answered God's call by saying,<br />
"Here am I." but he wasn't sure he<br />
could do the work God wanted him to.<br />
He made excuses. We talked about two<br />
of them last week. What were they<br />
How did God answer them<br />
Today<br />
we will talk about other ex<br />
cuses Moses made. Moses third excuse<br />
was that the people would not believe<br />
that God had sent him nor would they<br />
listen to him. But God took away his<br />
doubts by showing him miracles he was<br />
to do in Egypt.<br />
God asked Moses, "What is in thine<br />
hand"<br />
to which Moses said, "A<br />
It was only his shepherd's rod that he<br />
had used in the desert when he was<br />
tending sheep. In all the years to come<br />
Moses had only his shepherd's rod in<br />
his hand, but he did many miracles<br />
with it. The secret of power was not<br />
in the rod nor in the hand that held<br />
it. The secret was that God had promis<br />
ed Moses that He would be with him to<br />
help him. God commanded Moses to<br />
throw the rod on the ground. What hap<br />
pened God told him to take hold of<br />
it again. What happened this time The<br />
Egyptians worshiped serpents and<br />
when Moses saw the serpent, as it wig<br />
gled on the sand, it made him think<br />
of Egypt from which he had fled, so<br />
he fled from the serpent. But when at<br />
the command of God he reached forth<br />
and took hold of it, it became as harm<br />
less as his shepherd's staff. By this mir<br />
acle God was telling Moses that if he<br />
would obey Him, He would help to sub<br />
due Pharaoh and all his hosts. When<br />
Moses still hesitated, God performed an<br />
other miracle. He caused Moses' hand<br />
to become leprous, then "restored it as<br />
his other flesh." God was showing<br />
Moses how easily He could take away<br />
his sins.<br />
These signs were given to Moses so<br />
he could show them to the people as<br />
proof that God had sent him to bring<br />
them out of the bondage of Egypt.<br />
Juniors, perhaps God is asking you<br />
this same question, "What is that in<br />
thine hand" You boys, do you have<br />
a hoe a rake In the spring weeds<br />
need to be kept out of the garden so<br />
the vegetables can grow. In the summer<br />
the lawn needs to be mowed so your yard<br />
will look as nice as your neighbor's.<br />
In the fall there are leaves to be<br />
raked.<br />
You girls, "what do you have in your<br />
hand"<br />
A broom<br />
Sometime a plain<br />
white tea towel is very becoming in a<br />
girl's hand, especially<br />
when mother is<br />
tired or busy. During the school year<br />
what do you have in your hands A<br />
pencil A book These are very im<br />
portant because it is necessary that you<br />
go to school to prepare your minds and<br />
hearts for greater usefulness in God's<br />
kingdom. Whatever is in your hand you<br />
may be sure that if you use it to the<br />
203
go,"<br />
best of your ability God will bless it. It<br />
isn't only the things we have in our<br />
hands, but we may use our feet, our<br />
eyes and even our tongues to help<br />
others. Your feet run errands, you may<br />
use your eyes to read to smaller broth<br />
er or sister. Your tongue can be used to<br />
invite others to your Junior meeting or<br />
to Sabbath School. God can do great<br />
things through us if we are willing to<br />
let Him help us.<br />
Moses had one last excuse to make,<br />
it is one that God's children, young and<br />
old, often make. Moses said that he was<br />
not eloquent, that "he was slow of<br />
speech and slow of tongue." How did<br />
God answer Moses' excuse this time<br />
Verse 11. God's command to Moses was<br />
brief. Verse 10. "Now therefore<br />
and<br />
He again promised Moses that He would<br />
help him. Can we not see the pouting<br />
expression on Moses' face when he final<br />
ly consented to go. We are told that<br />
God became a little angry with Moses<br />
and told him He would send Moses'<br />
brother Aaron with him. Because Moses<br />
did not willingly consent to obey God,<br />
his brother Aaron shared in the honor<br />
of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.<br />
Moses almost missed filling his place<br />
in God's plan. God allowed Moses' slow,<br />
stammering speech to continue through<br />
out his life. If he had obeyed, God could<br />
have given him a free and easy speech.<br />
When God calls us to any task or duty,<br />
small or great, we<br />
should accept it<br />
without question or doubt. What ever<br />
we ought to do we can do. God has a<br />
plan for every one. He knows the things<br />
we can do, with His help.<br />
References:<br />
I Sam. 15:22; Acts 5:29; Phil. 4:13;<br />
Ps. 31:3; Jer. 7:23; Eph. 6:1; Heb. 13:5.<br />
Questions:<br />
1. Why did God show these signs to<br />
Moses<br />
2. What excuses did Moses make in our<br />
lesson today<br />
3. How do you know God has a plan<br />
for your life<br />
4. Each Junior tell how they can help<br />
others.<br />
5. Why is it so important to obey God<br />
Your parents<br />
For your notebook:<br />
Make a list of ways in which you can<br />
help others; ways in which you can<br />
help God.<br />
I have now disposed of all my prop<br />
erty to my family. There is one thing<br />
more I wish I could give them, and that<br />
is the Christian religion. If they had<br />
that and I had not given them one shil<br />
ling, they would have been rich, and if<br />
they had not that, and I had given them<br />
all the world, they would be poor.<br />
Patrick Henry<br />
204<br />
SABBATH<br />
SCHOOL LESSON<br />
April 17, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
REHOBOAM, KING OF JUDAH<br />
II Chronicles 10:13; I Kings 12.<br />
PRINTED: II Chronicles 10:1-11.<br />
MEMORY: James 1:5. "If any of you<br />
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that<br />
giveth to all men liberally,<br />
and<br />
upbraideth<br />
not;<br />
and it shall be given<br />
him."<br />
From outward appearance, Israel was<br />
in the days of her greatest strength and<br />
glory when Rehoboam came to the<br />
throne. Internally, there were the seeds<br />
of division. The Northern tribes were<br />
not in perfect harmony with the reign of<br />
David. The expensive court of Solomon,<br />
though it flattered the pride of the<br />
people for a time, became oppressive.<br />
So the Northern Tribes demanded of<br />
Rehoboam a promise of tax reform. He<br />
rejected the council of the old men, and<br />
followed the council of the young men,<br />
and lost the allegiance of the Northern<br />
Tribes.<br />
The Wisdom of Youth<br />
On the surface, this story would ap<br />
pear to show that superior wisdom<br />
comes with age. Ordinarily, wisdom<br />
should increase with years. If a young<br />
man at 40 is diligently seeking wis<br />
dom, it is reasonable to expect that<br />
he will continue to increase in wis<br />
dom as long as he retains his mind.<br />
The Youth Movement should be<br />
treated with caution. It was not the<br />
plan of Christ or the Apostles to appeal<br />
to the children and neglect their parents.<br />
Parents brought their children to Christ.<br />
Why invite only children to a Sabbath<br />
School where parents are not invited,<br />
perhaps not provided for.<br />
The Church and the Nation should en<br />
list the loyalty of all ages. When the<br />
leadership of any needed reform is in the<br />
hands of any age group, or a sex group,<br />
there is danger. It has been said that<br />
some men carry their religion in the<br />
name of their wives: some parents seem<br />
to carry theirs in the names of their<br />
children.<br />
Whatever may be the relative wisdom<br />
of Youth and Old Age, it is not sug<br />
gested in our lesson. The difference here<br />
has little to do with age. These young<br />
men were brought up with Rehoboam,<br />
the pet of the Palace, play-boys in the<br />
richest, most extravagant court in the<br />
world. Their luxuries came by the<br />
labor of the people. Rehoboam and<br />
his young men, though 40 years of age,<br />
had never had any fellowship with<br />
burdens, or those who bore them. These<br />
luxurious idlers had no experience of<br />
labor and no sympathy with the labor<br />
ers. These were the young<br />
grave<br />
advice.<br />
men who<br />
The Wisdom of Age<br />
The men of the older generation might<br />
be from three score years and upward.<br />
They would have lived in King David's<br />
reign. Some of them would have been<br />
shepherds, as David was. They had la<br />
bored and bore burdens. They had also<br />
lived in the court. They had experienced<br />
both sides of the problem. Knowing the<br />
people, they knew what they would and<br />
would not endure. Moreover they felt<br />
the justice of the people's demand. If Re<br />
hoboam had followed their counsel, he<br />
would have begun his reign with a unit<br />
ed kingdom. Instead, the kingdom was<br />
divided, and he prepared for such a war<br />
to force the submission of the Northern<br />
Tribes as would have been one of the<br />
most bloody in history. Chapter 11 tells<br />
of Rehoboam's preparing an army of<br />
180,000 men to undertake forcing the<br />
North into submission. The prophet<br />
Shimaiah brought him a warning, and<br />
he wisely gave up the campaign.<br />
Much of Rehoboam's fault must be<br />
laid at the feet of his father Solomon.<br />
Among Solomon's many wives, his fa<br />
vorite, the mother of Rehoboam was<br />
Naamah, an Ammonitess (I Kings 14:<br />
31)<br />
. She was not like Ruth, who left her<br />
tribal gods, and accepted fully the faith<br />
of Israel. Solomon met her half way by<br />
building an altar for her idol. We should<br />
not be too hard on Solomon. Of course,<br />
he did not accept the name Molech in<br />
its meaning, (Ruler), or believe the<br />
popular definitions of him. He did not<br />
want to offend his wife, and the little<br />
idol amused the children, including Re<br />
hoboam. Too bad to disappoint them.<br />
They might believe in Molech, so vividly<br />
portrayed, for a little, but they would<br />
loose faith in him after a while. (Would<br />
loose faith<br />
period.)<br />
Solomon showed his interest in his<br />
son by addressing five of the early chap<br />
ters of Ecclesiastes to him. His favorite<br />
son, the only one whose name we know,<br />
followed his father's example, rather<br />
than his advice. Rehoboam dealt wisely<br />
with his sons, by giving them offices to<br />
keep them busy, and scattering them<br />
widely through the kingdom.<br />
The Secret of Strength and Weakness<br />
"When the kingdom of Rehoboam was<br />
established and was strong, he forsook<br />
the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with<br />
him."<br />
So Shishak, king of Egypt, took<br />
advantage of<br />
the resulting<br />
weakness<br />
and put Judah under tribute. This was<br />
one of the bitter fruits of Solomon's<br />
playing around with idols. Of course he<br />
did not believe in them. One of the most<br />
classically profane men I ever heard,<br />
told me that he did not mean anything<br />
by his profanity. I believe he spoke the<br />
truth. Meaningless, empty, vain! Better<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
nant."<br />
messenger"<br />
way"<br />
ples"<br />
comforter"<br />
old"<br />
righteouness"<br />
have nothing to do with little Billiken,<br />
and all his tribe.<br />
Trying to Serve Two Masters<br />
Rehoboam tried to please God and<br />
play with idols at the same time. As a<br />
result, he paid tribute to Shishak. Shi<br />
shak left his story of this victory carved<br />
in relief on the walls of Karnak. He<br />
claimed to have put under tribute one<br />
hundred and fifty-six cities and villages,<br />
many of their names are found in the<br />
Old Testament. Solomon's advice to his<br />
son, written as we believe in his old<br />
age, seems to carry an undertone of la<br />
ment. He could see too late that Reho<br />
boam was following the evil part of his<br />
father's life. He was gathering heathen<br />
wives and playing around with their<br />
idolatrous idols. And Solomon had<br />
named him Rehoboam, Liberator. The<br />
name for which he was not trained did<br />
not help him. After a reign of seventeen<br />
years of trying to serve two masters, he<br />
left to his son Abijah part of a divided<br />
kingdom, and that was under heavy trib<br />
ute to a foreign king. His story ends<br />
with this unflattering comment (12:14) :<br />
"He did evil, because he prepared not his<br />
heart to seek the Lord."<br />
After the opening chapter of Ecclesi<br />
astes, read 12 :1, "Remember now thy<br />
youth,"<br />
Creator in the days of thy and<br />
then in the 11th chapter, "Rejoice, O<br />
youth,"<br />
young man, in thy and see if you<br />
do not see in all of that book and in<br />
Proverbs, an undertone of regret for his<br />
failure in his own life and in his influ<br />
ence on the life of his son.<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
for April 20, 1955<br />
THE PUNISHMENT FOR SPURNING<br />
Psalms :<br />
GOD'S LOVE<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood<br />
(Mai. 2:17 through 3:6)<br />
19:1-5, page 40 Call to Study<br />
37:1-5, page 91 Prosperity of Wicked<br />
145 :9-13, page 351 Either return God's<br />
love or spurn it<br />
Thus far in the book of Malachi, "My<br />
Messenger"<br />
has proven three things:<br />
First, God's love for Israel ; second, Their<br />
failure to return that love by fulfilling<br />
their duty to God; and third, Their failure<br />
to return that love by fulfilling their<br />
duty to their fellow Israelites. When<br />
God's chosen people began neglecting<br />
their duty to God by refusing to follow<br />
His directions for His own Worship<br />
Service (the touch-point of religion and<br />
fountain of all service to God), it led<br />
them to neglect and refuse their duty to<br />
their fellow man<br />
even their wives<br />
and now their self-centered minds begin<br />
to see God as they<br />
evil.<br />
themselves are<br />
Their actions and thoughts cul<br />
March 30, 1955<br />
minate in words, blasphemous words,<br />
and Malachi said, they "weary" God<br />
(2:17a; cf. Is. 1:14; 43:24; Eph. 4:30).<br />
But again they deny God's charges with<br />
an insolent, "Wherein have we wearied<br />
Him"<br />
Prove it! And Malachi obligingly<br />
gives them three specific instances (2:7).<br />
(1) They had said that the man who<br />
does evil isn't too bad in God's sight;<br />
in fact (2) God likes such a man, prob<br />
ably because He "loves all mankind,"<br />
and finally (3) they began to say God<br />
was only a God of love not a God of<br />
judgment. This last idea (3) developed<br />
into a bold question; "Where is the God<br />
of judgment", that pointed to the<br />
source of their problem. The Israelites,<br />
with God's particular revelation in their<br />
hearts had returned from bondage and<br />
sacrificed and saved and worked hard<br />
to rebuild their city. But instead of pros<br />
perity, came poverty; instead of peace,<br />
came war; because God was more in<br />
terested in<br />
rebuilding character than<br />
city. Then the Cadillacs and vacations<br />
and prosperity and ease of their Godless<br />
neighbors began getting into their eyes<br />
and filling their hearts, and finally com<br />
ing out in their mouths in the form of<br />
these three complaints against God; (1)<br />
God must like these wicked men or they<br />
wouldn't prosper. (2) He probably loves<br />
all men enough to tolerate sin. (3) There<br />
isn't any such thing as absolute justice,<br />
and never will be!<br />
As a lesson to us when we're tempt<br />
ed to think any of these things, God ac<br />
cepts their challenge. He was wearied of<br />
having His precious love<br />
kicked and<br />
abused and refused. He had given man<br />
one marvelous proof of His love after<br />
another: The wedding gift of Eden; the<br />
choice and "marriage" of Abraham; the<br />
away"<br />
"going gift as they left Egypt and<br />
their trousseau for the desert trip; a<br />
new home in "the promised land." He'd<br />
given them children and He sent them<br />
one special messenger after another to<br />
tell them verbally<br />
of His law and love<br />
and promise to send His Own Son to<br />
be a child of their race. Malachi stood<br />
before them at that moment. His whole<br />
message and his very name proved God's<br />
love "My<br />
surely no one<br />
could refuse him. But they were doing<br />
it, so God proceeds to speak plainly of<br />
the punishment for spurning His love.<br />
He promises that after sending a Mal<br />
achi to "prepare the<br />
(3:1), He'll<br />
come himself, and there's a note of irony<br />
in the promise that the Lord of judg<br />
ment whom they "questioned" (2:17 last<br />
question), would appear: first as the<br />
Lord of their Temple, and second as the<br />
long expected "messenger of their cove<br />
God promises a strict and dis<br />
criminating justice by using the words<br />
"refine," "purify," and<br />
"purge."<br />
("full<br />
ers soap" may have been borax v. 2).<br />
The preachers or "sons of Levi" as first<br />
to offend (1:6-2:9) would be dealt with<br />
first (3:3 cf. I Pet. 4:17) and the con<br />
gregation second (3:5).<br />
The PURPOSE of this punishment<br />
was God's purpose in sending Malachi<br />
to us<br />
repentance. He did not come to<br />
make us suffer, but to make us re<br />
pent. (Lu. 9:56) They had been wor<br />
shiping and serving God in other ways,<br />
because they had to, not because they<br />
wanted to return His love. It had led<br />
them to give God their worst instead of<br />
their best (1:13,18; cf. Lv. 1:6; Is.<br />
29:13). God didn't want any ritual of<br />
law performed without thought, He<br />
wanted "an offering in<br />
(3:3); a humble heart, willing hands, a<br />
hearty spirit that would make their of<br />
ferings "pleasant unto the Lord as in<br />
the days of<br />
(3:4). He was weary of<br />
their going to sleep mentally and phys<br />
ically the minute they sat down in the<br />
pew; He wanted an alert mind to reason<br />
with.<br />
In His conclusion (3:5,6) God again<br />
assures them that their bold request<br />
to see "the God of judgment" (2:17)<br />
would be answered by a "swift" (liter<br />
ally a sudden) witness who would also be<br />
a just judge. (Christ is both witness<br />
and juge!! Ps. 50:6,7).<br />
God puts His<br />
finger on the source of all their sins<br />
and stupidity, their insolence and ignor<br />
ance, their unwillingness to accomplish<br />
their duty to God or theii; duty to man,<br />
with the words; "They fear not me,<br />
saith the Lord of hosts" (3:5).<br />
John 16:7-11 could be used as the<br />
N. T. text for this O. T. sermon. All<br />
the law givers and prophets including<br />
Malachi and John Baptizer, revealed our<br />
sins to us (Rom. 3:20) and told us facts<br />
about God, but those were only "sam<br />
compared to what Christ told us<br />
about our sins and showed us about<br />
God. HE was the perfect example of life<br />
without sin and the perfect manifesta<br />
tion of God's love and righteousness; the<br />
perfect lawgiver and perfect prophet.<br />
But Christ, in turn, pointed to "the<br />
who would "bring all things<br />
remembrance"<br />
to (our)<br />
by convicting us<br />
(1) of sin, (2) of the righteousness of<br />
Christ, and (3) of judgment.<br />
If Moses was the great lawgiver,<br />
whose purpose was to tell us what was<br />
and was not sin in God's eyes; and the<br />
earlier prophets were the great describers<br />
of Christ's righteousness, then Malachi's<br />
work, the last in the O.T., more<br />
nearly resembles the work of the Com<br />
forter than does any other. He vividly<br />
and bluntly describes our sins as God<br />
sees them. He describes God's love<br />
of choice and of justice, ii the right<br />
eous actions and decisions of a Christ<br />
who is yet to come. He tells us plainly<br />
of the coming<br />
judgment when sin and<br />
205
ighteouness will be forced to kneel to<br />
gether before God's throne of absolute<br />
justice. In the three statements made<br />
by Israel against God (2:17), Malachi<br />
presents the three downward steps every<br />
man must take when he refuses God's<br />
three-step plan of redemption. Malachi<br />
promises that God will present the three<br />
ascending steps (antidote to three down<br />
ward steps) leading up to the judgment,<br />
when He appears on earth. Christ did<br />
present these three ascending steps to<br />
judgment in John 16:7-11.<br />
FOR DISCUSSION<br />
1. How have you been "bothered" re<br />
cently by the prosperity of wicked or<br />
unfaithful men Follow Malachi's ex<br />
ample by giving three specific<br />
stances. Show how the three actions<br />
of Comforter (John 6:7-11) can meet<br />
the three "statements" of Israel in<br />
(2:17): (1) by giving<br />
in<br />
us conviction<br />
of sin; (2) an appreciation of the<br />
great cost of Christ's life and death;<br />
and (3) a knowledge of judgment. A<br />
vivid knowledge of judgment can<br />
make sin and righteouness real.<br />
2. It would seem that Christ was pri<br />
marily interested in the church and<br />
her services as the fountain of good<br />
(or evil). Give other examples of His<br />
concern for it. (Rev. chapts. 1-3; John<br />
2:13-17; Eph. 5:25-27; 2 Cor. 11:2;<br />
and others). What does Christ see<br />
your congregation doing for the work<br />
of His kingdom, as He Keeps on ex<br />
amining it<br />
3. Is it true that Moses and the prophets<br />
including Malachi failed and therefore<br />
God had to send His Son, greatest of<br />
all His Messengers Was Christ, the<br />
Word, part of the O. T. prophets<br />
Compare this thought with Christ's<br />
own description of this problem.<br />
(Luke 20:1-9; Matt. 23:37).<br />
THE OLD FASHIONED WAY<br />
When I was chaplain of a penitentiary<br />
in Arkansas, out of seventeen hundred<br />
convicts I found only one who had been<br />
brought up in a home where they had<br />
had an old-fashioned family altar. I<br />
heard since that he was pardoned as he<br />
was found innocent of the crime with<br />
which he was charged.<br />
There was an atmosphere in the oldfashioned<br />
home, a kind of prophylaxis<br />
which made it impossible for skepticism<br />
or atheism to live there. May God give<br />
us back the old-fashioned Bible, and oldfashioned<br />
parents; and then the Holy<br />
Spirit will come down on your little<br />
home like the glory cloud came down<br />
and went in to the Tabernacle.<br />
206<br />
Chaplain Hogg.<br />
Church News<br />
If you find it necessary for health, or<br />
other reasons, to move away from your<br />
home congregation, we'd be most happy<br />
to tell you about our church in San Di<br />
ego and about job and business oppor<br />
tunities here. The climate doesn't need<br />
selling! Write the pastor, J. D. Edgar,<br />
10140 Crestview Heights, La Mesa, Cali<br />
fornia, for further information.<br />
MORNING SUN<br />
Mrs. Acheson, Washington, an outof-bounds<br />
member, sprained her ankle,<br />
and is at home at present.<br />
Lloyd McElhinney who has been at<br />
tending Miami University has returned<br />
home and is engaged in the fertilizer<br />
business with his father.<br />
Zelda Tackenburg<br />
Omaha, Neb., are visiting<br />
and children from<br />
with her par<br />
ents Clyde and Mrs. McElhinney until<br />
Mr. Tackenberg can find a house in<br />
Denver. He is a salesman for Swift.<br />
Mrs. Clyde McElhinney, Sharon,<br />
Lloyd, and Mrs. Fred Johnson and Tim<br />
my visited Mrs. Tackenburg, in Omaha,<br />
Neb.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. D. T. Armstrong visited<br />
their daughter at Monticello.<br />
BEULAH AND SUPERIOR<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Killough of<br />
Denver came to the Beulah community<br />
to see about the sale of the household<br />
goods of Mrs. Killough's mother, Mrs.<br />
Wm. Martin. This leaves a nice house<br />
vacant just three miles from the Beulah<br />
Church.<br />
Thomas Robison Hutcheson, born near<br />
Clarinda, Iowa, in 1877, and for many<br />
years a resident of the Holmewood and<br />
Superior communities, died February<br />
16 in Omaha, Nebraska, and was buried<br />
in Superior February 19. He was one of<br />
the oldest active traveling salesmen in<br />
this area up to the time of his illness<br />
a few months ago.<br />
The Rev. S. E. Boyle spoke in both<br />
Beulah and Superior churches on Feb<br />
ruary 13. He also addressed the Superior<br />
High School on Monday the 14th, and<br />
showed his pictures in the church that<br />
evening. His work was well received<br />
and was very much appreciated.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
We were very happy to have Orlena<br />
Lynn with us the last two Sabbaths<br />
she was in the States. She was a real<br />
blessing to our hearts as she told of<br />
her work among the Japanese people.<br />
Following prayer meeting<br />
on March<br />
9,<br />
a congregational meeting was held.<br />
At this time plans were made to ex<br />
pand our facilities and thus make our<br />
work more effective in Portland.<br />
Mrs. Frazer handed in her resignation<br />
as precentor for our congregation. A<br />
standing vote of thanks was given her<br />
in appreciation for the many years of<br />
service she has given us. Miss Iris<br />
Hutcheson was<br />
vacancy.<br />
appointed to fill this<br />
BELLE CENTER<br />
Jim Templeton was called into the<br />
armed service on February 14, and is<br />
stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, His<br />
address is,<br />
Pvt. Jim Templeton, U.S.<br />
52379872, Co. B. 29, A.I.B.; C.C.C., Third<br />
ARMD Division, Fort Knox, Kentucky.<br />
Before entering the service, Jim was<br />
presented by the congregation with a<br />
pocket-size Oxford Bible, a gift which<br />
he greatly appreciates.<br />
Notice from the Flannelgraph Librarian<br />
A new Gospelgraph," the Christian's<br />
Birth and Growth, the gift of Mrs.<br />
Robert D. Edgar, is now available in<br />
the Synodical flannelgraph library. This<br />
is a series of ten lessons for Juniors and<br />
Intermediates based on the Gospel of<br />
John and is suitable for D.V.B.S., Bible<br />
Clubs or any similar group. Ask for<br />
Library No. 123.<br />
STERLING<br />
Mrs. M. K. Carson<br />
Mrs. Ninnie McGee is visiting in Ola<br />
the with her lifetime friend Mrs. Ella<br />
McGee.<br />
The new officers in the Sabbath<br />
School are:<br />
Superintendent, Maurice<br />
Reed; Assistant Superintendent, Dean<br />
Fountain; Secretary, Pat Foley; Trea<br />
surer, Warnock Patton.<br />
Intermediate officers are: President,<br />
Harry Wilkey; Vice President, Vickie<br />
Wilkey; Secretary, Bonnie Morley; and<br />
Treasurer, Melody McFarland. The in<br />
termediates held a covered dish supper<br />
at the home of their sponsor, Mrs. A. J.<br />
McFarland, March 23.<br />
At the home of Mrs. Robert Dill, on<br />
March 17, Sterling's W.M.S. officers of<br />
the past year were unanimously re-elec<br />
ted. These officers are : Mrs. Mary Jane<br />
Wilkey, President; Mrs. Gail Wilkey,<br />
Vice President; Mrs. Clara Patton, Sec<br />
retary; Mrs. Christian McCrory, Corre<br />
sponding Secretary; and Miss Esther<br />
Dill, Treasurer.<br />
Delegates to Kansas Presbyterial are<br />
Mrs. Clara Martin, Mrs. Mary Humph<br />
reys, and Mrs. Mary Jane Wilkey. Mrs.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
way."<br />
Public Schools for earnest prayer.<br />
L. E. Kilpatrick, Presbyterial President,<br />
March 30, 1955:<br />
and Mrs. A. J. McFarland, Synodical Miss Fern Brown was united in mar<br />
President plan to attend.<br />
Rev. L. E. Kilpatrick preaches at the<br />
riage to Mr. W. H. Fletcher on Feb<br />
ruary 18 at Yuma, Arizona. They are<br />
County Jail each Sabbath afternoon. now at home at 675 East 12th St.,<br />
The Rev. F. L. Stewart plans to as Pomona, California. We wish God's<br />
sist at our Communion April 10.<br />
Mrs. Max Tener is taking a course of<br />
treatments in Mississippi for her asthma.<br />
Miss Eugenia Price was in Sterling<br />
March 8 and spoke at both the college<br />
richest blessings on them in this new<br />
relationship.<br />
Every Monday evening during March<br />
there are being held two Cottage Pray<br />
er meetings in preparation for the Re<br />
and the high school, also on radio and vival Services and Communion, April<br />
TV in Hutchinson, and at Convention 10-17.<br />
Hall in the evening at Hutchinson. She On March 4 the older folk gathered<br />
was a guest in the A. J. McFarland at the Chestnut home for dinner and<br />
home during her brief stay.<br />
fellowship, and the other members of<br />
the congregation joined the group later<br />
NEW CASTLE CONGREGATION<br />
Mrs. Mildred McConahy has been wel<br />
in the evening to shower our pastor and<br />
wife for their 12th wedding anniversary.<br />
We wish them<br />
comed in the membership of this Con<br />
many more anniversaries.<br />
On Sabbath, the 13th of March, our<br />
gregation from Rose Point.<br />
guest speaker was Miss Blanche Mc<br />
Miss Martha E. Dodds underwent an<br />
operation for cataract in the Eye and<br />
Crea, who took us to the American Acad<br />
emy<br />
Ear Hospital on March 15.<br />
Girls, and we were so glad to<br />
hear the fine testimonies of those girls.<br />
Rev. Harold Harrington has concluded<br />
God bless them all is our earnest pray<br />
a series of evening sermons dealing with<br />
er.<br />
the various cults, and is now beginning<br />
Mrs. Mable Olds, of this church re<br />
a series on the Book of Revelation.<br />
The Sabbath School is having a cently wrote her convictions in a letter<br />
pre-<br />
to the Fresno Bee recommending that<br />
Easter contest, and it has increased<br />
the Bible be restored to its rightful place<br />
the attendance in both the Sabbath<br />
in the public schools, seeing the rise<br />
School and Church services.<br />
of child delinquency as a result of bar<br />
FRESNO NEWS<br />
ring the Bible. A reply appeared in last<br />
Friday's paper charging that the Bible<br />
Friday, February 25, the World Day was too evil to be read in the schools.<br />
of Prayer Service, conducted by the What foolishness! Mrs. Olds is right.<br />
Evangelical Women's Fellowship, was The Bible does not corrupt youth. It<br />
held at the Full Gospel Tabernacle teaches them how to walk "undefiled in<br />
from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. The Noon lunch the<br />
was called "POT<br />
Is not<br />
TRUST."<br />
that much better than Pot-luck for us<br />
Christians to use<br />
Our Pastor is preaching a series of<br />
sermons on the Book of Joshua. Here<br />
ORLANDO<br />
The Blue Banner Class had a very en<br />
tertaining party at the home of Mr. and<br />
Mrs. C. M. Patterson on the evening of<br />
are three of the sermon topics; "Jo February 1. Three people were honored<br />
shua's Call," Salvation for Rahab," and<br />
"Crossing the Jordan." We are learn<br />
ing much from these kinds of sermons.<br />
The Intermediates have <strong>org</strong>anized and<br />
named themselves, "Christian Soldiers."<br />
The President is Edward Parnell; Vicepresident,<br />
Charlotte Gentry; Secretary,<br />
Pat Parnell; and Treasurer, Lloyd Presson.<br />
Their Sponsor is our pastor's ef<br />
ficient wife, Mrs. R. W. McMillan.<br />
On Tuesday, March 1, the Blue Ban<br />
ner Daughters met at the home of Mrs.<br />
Jeanne Gouge. Miss Matilda Buck was<br />
with appropriate words because of the<br />
closeness of their birthdays.<br />
During the month of February, every<br />
one has been engaged in the task of<br />
cleaning our church. At some of these<br />
sessions various classes had parties to<br />
go with the work. Some of those parties<br />
are : The Fellowship Class held a supper<br />
before starting work on February 18.<br />
The Builders for Christ Class had a<br />
luncheon on Saturday February 19. The<br />
Young People's Class had refreshments<br />
following their cleaning on the twelfth.<br />
the devotional leader. The new officers The B.W.M.S. held their February<br />
are as follows: President, Mrs. Annette<br />
Fischer; Vice-President, Miss Lois Cope<br />
land; Secretary, Miss Alice Smith; and<br />
Treasurer, Mrs. Evelyn Webster.<br />
The same evening the Men's Prayer<br />
Group had Dr. Frank Dyer and Rev.<br />
meeting on the fourth at the church.<br />
The Misses Betty Nance and Cordelia<br />
Price were hostesses.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. William Richards and<br />
their sons, Gary and Mark, were visitors<br />
at our services February 27. Mrs. Rich<br />
David Calderwood as guest speakers.<br />
ards'<br />
mother, Mrs. Elwyn Carson, was<br />
They presented the matter of Senate<br />
Bill 1152-Bible Reading in the California<br />
here also.<br />
Albert Donahue arrived home from<br />
Korea February 19. He was home for a<br />
couple of weeks, and then went to West<br />
Virginia to see about an offered job.<br />
As he travels, may he remember that<br />
the congregation's prayers follow him.<br />
GENEVA COLLEGE<br />
The Genevans, 34-voice mixed chorus,<br />
will begin their annual spring tour<br />
March 28. They will sing at churches in<br />
six states including Ohio, Indiana, Illi<br />
nois, Kansas, Iowa, and Michigan. They<br />
will be directed on the tour by Daryl<br />
Wonderly, Butler, a senior at the col<br />
lege. Wonderly is a graduate of the<br />
Nyack Missionary Training Institute,<br />
Nyack, N. Y. He will graduate from<br />
Geneva in June with a bachelor of arts<br />
degree with a major in Bible and a<br />
minor in music.<br />
The group's program will be divided<br />
into five parts. Part one will feature<br />
sacred music such as "Break Forth," "I<br />
Waited for the Lord," and "Gloria Excelsis."<br />
Part two will be Negro spirituals<br />
including "Listen to the Lamb" and<br />
"Steal Away." The third part will be the<br />
Psalms consisting of Psalms 146, 31,<br />
22, and 55. Part four will feature solos,<br />
trios, and quartet selections, and a talk<br />
by Rev. David M. Carson, head of the<br />
Geneva political science department.<br />
The final section of the program will<br />
feature secular numbers including hits<br />
from "Brigadon," "Barefoot," Bat<br />
tle Hymn of the Republic," "Moon on<br />
the Campus" and the Geneva<br />
Mater."<br />
"Alma<br />
The Genevans wili make the 2600-mile<br />
trip by chartered bus. While on tour the<br />
members will stay in private homes of<br />
the church congregations. The group in<br />
cludes 19 women and 15 men. DeWayne<br />
Kanagy, senior from Wampum, will be<br />
the pianist. Rev. Carson and Mrs. J. G.<br />
Vos are the sponsors. The Genevans will<br />
sing at churches in College Corners, O.,<br />
Bloomington, Ind., Oakdale, and Chica<br />
go, 111., Kansas City, Sterling, and To<br />
peka, Kan., Morning Sun, la., and Battle<br />
Creek, Mich. They will return to Beav<br />
er Falls April 7.<br />
Although the 19<strong>54</strong>-55 Geneva College<br />
basketball team didn't break any team<br />
scoring marks, Captain Stan Yukica,<br />
Midland, became the highest scoring in<br />
dividual in Geneva cage history. The<br />
6-5 junior center added 573 tallies to his<br />
freshman and sophomore total of 773,<br />
for a three-year mark of 1346. This bet<br />
tered the former record of 1193 Pete<br />
Kinkead, Monaca, made during his three<br />
seasons of varsity<br />
competition. With<br />
one year of eligibility remaining, Yukica<br />
has a possibility of reaching the coveted<br />
2000-point mark.<br />
Coach Cliff Aultman's squad estab<br />
lished a Pennsylvania standard as it won<br />
the state NAIA championship for the<br />
207
purses."<br />
one."<br />
you."<br />
you."<br />
third successive year. The Covies par<br />
ticipated in the NAIA playoffs for the<br />
fourth straight year, having lost to<br />
Clarion Teachers the first time.<br />
The Covies' final record of 19-8 was<br />
the third highest in Geneva history.<br />
Only the 22-5 mark of 1952-53, and last<br />
year's 21-8 record bettered this season's<br />
total.<br />
Coach Aultman's squad scored 2243<br />
points in 27 contests for the third high<br />
est total in the college's court history.<br />
Last year's club amassed 2428 tallies fpr<br />
a Geneva record. The 1952-53 quintet,<br />
sparked by Kinkead, scored 2251 points<br />
to better this year's point production by<br />
eight.<br />
The Covies, who averaged 83.1 points<br />
per game, finished with five players<br />
above the 200-point mark in scoring. Be<br />
sides Yukica and Woodeshick, Otto<br />
Pritchard and Frank Melchiorre,<br />
Monaca,<br />
and John Swogger, Wampum, made<br />
the select list.<br />
Pritchard, sophomore forward, ranked<br />
third with 271 tallies for a 10.4 per-game<br />
average. Melchiorre, freshman guard,<br />
got 241 points for a 9.3 average. Swog<br />
ger, sophomore guard, made 242 tallies<br />
for a 8.9 per-game average.<br />
Yukica, who was named to the Pitts<br />
burg Press All-district second team, had<br />
the Geneva one-game individual high for<br />
the season. He sank 15 field goals and<br />
five free throws against W&J for 35<br />
points. Yukica also gathered 34 points<br />
against both Indiana and Slippery Rock<br />
Teachers.<br />
The team high was 104 points against<br />
Youngstown. The Covies made only 29<br />
field goals against the Penguins, but<br />
sank 46 free throws.<br />
The Geneva College Alumni Asso<br />
ciation will commemorate its 75th anni<br />
versary the weekend of June 4-7. One<br />
of the highlights of the weekend will be<br />
a Jubilee dinner, to be held in the Hotel<br />
Brodhead, Saturday June 4, at 6 :30 p.m.<br />
An outstanding program has been<br />
planned for the dinner at which several<br />
alumni will be honored and at various<br />
activities throughout the weekend. Sat<br />
urday afternoon, alumni will be greeted<br />
at a special reception to be given by the<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Howard C. Emrick,<br />
Ellwood<br />
City, president of the association.<br />
The group also will hold its annual busi<br />
ness meeting that day.<br />
Sabbath June 5, alumni will partici<br />
pate in a special religious service at the<br />
College. The association plans a recep<br />
tion for the Class of '55 on Monday.<br />
Commencement exercises on Tuesday<br />
June 7 will conclude the celebration.<br />
THOMAS McCREARY PATTISON<br />
The Session and members of New Cas<br />
tle Congregation record with sorrow the<br />
death of T. M. Pattison,<br />
208<br />
an elder and a<br />
beloved member of the church. Mr. Pat<br />
tison died at the home of his son Paul<br />
M. Pattison of New Castle on Saturday,<br />
February 19, after two months illness.<br />
He was born in Lawrence County, Pa.,<br />
on July 19, 1868, the son of Robert D.<br />
and Margaret McCreary Pattison and<br />
had lived his entire lifetime in this<br />
community. He was preceded in death by<br />
his wife in May 1936. He is survived by<br />
one son Paul M. Pattison, a brother R.<br />
H. Pattison and a sister Mrs. Nancy<br />
Shelenberger, all of New Castle. Funer<br />
al services were held on February 22<br />
in charge of his Pastor, Rev. Harold<br />
Harrington.<br />
Mr.<br />
Pattison, or just<br />
"Tommie"<br />
many of his friends, had retired from<br />
active work a number of years ago. He<br />
was a member of one of the pioneer<br />
families of Lawrence County and a life<br />
long member of the New Castle Congre<br />
gation. He was a member of the Men's<br />
Bible Class and served his church as an<br />
elder very faithfully for many years. He<br />
had always enjoyed the best of health<br />
and was active in the service of his Mas<br />
ter until his death.<br />
As members and elders we shall cher<br />
ish the memory of a kind friend, a faith<br />
ful witness for Christ, and of our asso<br />
ciation together during his long and use<br />
ful lifetime. His life is an illustration<br />
and a fulfillment of the promise of<br />
Isaiah 40:31: "They that wait upon the<br />
Lord shall renew their strength, they<br />
shall run and not be weary, they shall<br />
walk and not faint." "They that trust<br />
in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which<br />
cannot be removed but abideth forever."<br />
We extend our sincere sympathy to<br />
the members of his family.<br />
Glenn Lemon<br />
For the Session of the<br />
New Castle Congregation<br />
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Our <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church professes to<br />
believe that the Bible is the inspired<br />
Word of God and the only infallible rule<br />
of faith and conduct.<br />
It professes to believe that our Lord<br />
Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord<br />
of Lords and that supreme allegiance is<br />
due to Him.<br />
Does<br />
The King<br />
our Church believe this<br />
of kings (Matt. 10:5-15)<br />
commanded His twelve disciples, "Pro<br />
vide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass<br />
in your<br />
This order was modi<br />
fied in Luke 22:35, 36 to "and he that<br />
hath no sword let him sell HIS garment<br />
and buy<br />
The King of kings (Luke 10:7, 8)<br />
commanded the Seventy "and into what<br />
soever city ye enter, and they receive<br />
to<br />
you, eat such things as are set before<br />
"And in the same house remain<br />
eating and drinking such things as they<br />
GIVE."<br />
Our Synod has overruled the King of<br />
kings and has ordered that free training<br />
and sustenance be provided for prospec<br />
tive teaching elders, that teaching elders<br />
be provided with a manse, with a mini<br />
mum salary, with pensions,<br />
expenses,<br />
traveling<br />
etc. and has encouraged mer<br />
gers of congregations for pecuniary<br />
gain.<br />
Said the King of kings (John 2:16):<br />
"Make not my Father's House an house<br />
of MERCHANDISE."<br />
Said Elder Peter (2 Peter 2 :3) :<br />
"And<br />
through covetousness shall<br />
they with<br />
feigned words make MERCHANDISE<br />
of<br />
Scripture indicates that the growth<br />
of the early church was not due to subsi<br />
dized missionaries, but to those who had<br />
established a residence in various lo<br />
cations (Acts 2:5 Acts 11:19, 20).<br />
After a group had been formed, the<br />
home church provided a temporary<br />
teacher or pastor (Acts 11:22, 23).<br />
Our own church in America was<br />
founded by families who came to a newland<br />
to LIVE, (not for a pleasure trip<br />
or to prepare for a lecture tour), and<br />
who built homes and churches.<br />
A denomination whose name is ana<br />
thema to <strong>Covenanter</strong>s builds hospitals,<br />
schools where the relation of the Crea<br />
tor to His creations is taught and have<br />
thousands of members who give up the<br />
joys of marital life, who pay for their<br />
own training and who serve in schools,<br />
hospitals, among the poor and in prayer<br />
WITHOUT REMUNERATION.<br />
Another denomination has five or six<br />
thousand missionaries who serve two<br />
years at their own expense to preach the<br />
Gospel at home and abroad.<br />
Can this be said of The <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Church<br />
Said the King of kings (Matt. 7:15-<br />
20) : "Ye shall know them by their<br />
fruits."<br />
Is it time for The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church<br />
to change its PROFESSION or to<br />
change its PRACTICE<br />
Robert J. Crawford, Sr.<br />
(Third Church, Phila.)<br />
March 1, 1955.<br />
Submitted to and passed by the Edi<br />
torial Committee.<br />
Editor<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Missionary Number<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 24, 1955<br />
"THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,<br />
TV. E SEED IS THE WORD Of GOD<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1955 NUMBER 14<br />
WorldiStrategy<br />
DR. CLYDE W. TAYLOR<br />
for Christian Missions<br />
Executive Secretary, Evangelical Foreign Missions Association<br />
In United Evangelical Action, used by Permission.<br />
(Continued from last Missionary Number)<br />
Mohammedanism<br />
Mohammedanism is a religion that never should<br />
have existed. If the Church of Christ had obeyed<br />
His command, the Arabs would have been won from<br />
their superstitious idolatry to Jesus Christ. But<br />
the Church had gone decadent. Its missionary<br />
zeal<br />
had vanished and it was left to an illiterate Arab<br />
of the city of Mecca in the 7th century to rebel<br />
against the idolatry of his people. He had oppor<br />
tunity to observe the small Jewish community and<br />
the small Christian one. He had read to him the<br />
Scriptures that were available. He became convinced<br />
there was but one true God and ridiculed idolatry.<br />
He claimed the archangel Gabriel had appeared to<br />
him. He became the Prophet of Allah. We won't go<br />
into his flight from Mecca to Medina, his gradual<br />
ascent to power in Medina, his return, conquest of<br />
Mecca and eventual political control of Arabia. His<br />
religious war exterminated opposition.<br />
What is the secret of the power of this satanic<br />
the<br />
masterpiece, for missionaries know it to be the most<br />
difficult of religions. The sacred book, the Koran,<br />
was written by his followers recording his many<br />
discourses and visions. He drew heavily on his know<br />
ledge of Hebrew and Christian writings. It is a<br />
religion that demands works daily prayers at least<br />
five times, and many<br />
other things to do. The obed<br />
ience of the Mohammedan is startling. In modern<br />
civilization it is not unusual to see a Mohammendan<br />
stop his huge truck on the highway, take out his<br />
prayer rug and pray with his face toward Mecca at<br />
hour of prayer. He isn't ashamed of his religion.<br />
Conversions may be made by force if necessary. It<br />
becomes a state religion, more or less intolerant. In<br />
most Mohammedan lands it is actually illegal for a<br />
Mohammedan to change his religion. In many in<br />
stances, apart from the legal violation, converts have<br />
been put to death by their closest relatives for turn<br />
ing to Christ.<br />
This religion is divided into almost as many<br />
sects and divisions as Protestantism. Some are very<br />
missionary minded. It is estimated that in some<br />
years as many as 5,000 new Mohammedan lay mis<br />
sionaries have gone down into Africa to trade and<br />
make converts. Once they take over, the messenger<br />
of Christ finds the going very hard. This religion of<br />
one God Allah, with one prophet, Mohammed, with<br />
his materialistic idea of heaven, dominates over<br />
150 millions of souls. It does everything possible to<br />
completely close lands to the Gospel through political<br />
control. It dominates the lives of its followers and<br />
threatens deviation by death. Yet the picture isn't<br />
all dark. In some lands through education the young<br />
er generation learns the Gospel in schools. In some<br />
sections of Africa Mohammedans are accepting<br />
Christ as never before. Pakistan, the largest of Mo<br />
hammedan lands, still has religious liberty. We need<br />
to press forward with the claims of Christ but let<br />
the missionary to the Moslems be sure God has call<br />
ed him to that work. May he enter it with his life<br />
revived by the Holy Spirit.<br />
(Continued on page 216)
crowds."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
More about Mendes-France<br />
Readers of this page will remember that in the issue<br />
of March 2 we guessed that the opposition to Mendes-France<br />
was mainly because of his stand for temperance. That has<br />
been confirmed by an article by Dorothy Thompson in the<br />
Chicago Daily News in which she quotes from a French<br />
paper. One of the economic empires in France is the alcohol<br />
interest and M. Mendes-France fell afoul of it when he pro<br />
moted a milk campaign<br />
a glass for every school child. The<br />
liquor business in France brings in 53 billions in taxes, and<br />
even though it costs the state 152 billions to deal with it,<br />
the people think it is a great asset to their country. The<br />
writer in the French paper, M. Barrat, says, "Everything<br />
conspires to impel the Frenchmen to drink." There is a<br />
constant sales campaign that alcohol is a real food. Even the<br />
schools are circularized to this effect. The alcohol bloc in<br />
cludes 8,000,000 people who earn their living from the indus<br />
try, plus 3,500,000 dealers<br />
a mass of voters large enough<br />
to block effective laws to limit or control the use of alco<br />
hol. Brandy is put in the bottles of infants, school children<br />
take a half bottle of wine in their lunch boxes,<br />
and the real<br />
homes of the workers are the bistros where they sip, sip, sip.<br />
France is anually producing 22 quarts of alcohol per French<br />
man woman, and child<br />
er country in the world.<br />
more proportionately, than any oth<br />
A Mounting Curse<br />
The above article goes on to say that alcoholism is a<br />
steadily mounting curse. In 1951 and 19<strong>54</strong>, reports to the<br />
National Assembly revealed that one in every 25 French<br />
adults was an alcoholic, and 15 per cent of the population<br />
on their way to becoming so. One fourth of hospitalized men<br />
tal patients owe their condition to drink, and only 75 per<br />
cent of the known mental cases are hospitalized. Alcoholics<br />
or their children produce 70 to 80 per cent of the nation's<br />
criminals. Abnormal mortality among men under 50 exists<br />
in no other country as acutely. Miss Thompson closes her<br />
article by saying: "Apparently what France needs is a<br />
troop of Carrie Nations." What France needs more than<br />
that is a nation-wide regeneration followed by a genuine<br />
reformation. As an ally to the U.S.A. France is like Egypt<br />
was to Judah, a broken reed on which if a man lean it will<br />
pierce his hand.<br />
Gospel Recordings<br />
The missionary effort is now being aided by gospel re<br />
cordings in a thousand languages and dialects. Many of<br />
these records are being<br />
work has never before gone.<br />
taken to places where missionary<br />
Christian Radio City<br />
Christian Radio City, Manila, is broadcasting twenty<br />
hours each day over the Far East. This was begun at great<br />
self-sacrifice of those who originated it. It carries a Bible<br />
correspondence course training in Bible and personal work.<br />
Christ's Mission<br />
Christ's Mission is planning to open a home for con<br />
verted priests where they<br />
can be helped in getting a new<br />
start in life and becoming<br />
acquainted with the Bible and<br />
210<br />
the true religion. The Converted Catholic is to be issued at<br />
twice its present size which will give much more information<br />
about Romanism.<br />
Revival In Africa<br />
A report by the Christian and Missionary Alliance of the<br />
Kinkonzi Station: "We have been having wonderful mass<br />
meetings lately with two or three thousand people out for a<br />
long day of services. . We look for the day<br />
. .<br />
have ten thousand, and it may be very soon. Our loudspeak<br />
ers are almost inadequate now for the<br />
Pastor Receives Exemption<br />
when we will<br />
The UEA reports the case of a young minister who is<br />
serving as an assistant pastor engaged in extension work in<br />
several needy communities in South Dakota. In addition to<br />
his ministerial activities it has been necessary for the regis<br />
trant to carry part time employment in non-religious work.<br />
His local draft board took exception to this outside employ<br />
ment and classified him in 1A. This was upheld by the State<br />
Board. At this point in the case the NAE Office of Affairs<br />
took up the case and was successful in getting the case<br />
passed up to the National Board. A letter from Donald H.<br />
Gill, Assistant Secretary of Affairs of NAE, explained to the<br />
National Board the nature of the home mission work in<br />
which the registrant was engaged. On January 17, 1955, the<br />
National Board classified the man in Class 4D, thus grant<br />
ing the ministerial exemption from military service.<br />
To Probe Comics and TV<br />
The Senate has voted to conduct a new probe into the<br />
influence of comic books and TV programs on juvenile de<br />
linquency. Senator Kefauver has been named chairman of<br />
the inquiry group which will serve as a subcommittee of the<br />
Senate Judiciary Committee. A special committee that in<br />
vestigated juvenile delinquency last year, of which Sen. R. C.<br />
Hendrickson was chairman, monitored television programs<br />
(Continued on page 216)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka, Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of<br />
Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers ;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: $2.50 per year: Overseas, S3. 00 ; Single CopiM<br />
10 cents.<br />
The Rev. R. B. Lyons. B.A.. Limavady, N. Ireland, Agent for the<br />
British Isles.<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansae<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
equal"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
VICTORY IN FRANCE<br />
The French Senate has ratified the Paris agreements,<br />
approving each provision by a large majority. This is<br />
France's most important political decision since World War<br />
II. Three of the agreements involve the restoration of West<br />
Germany to full sovereignty; her rearming within a West<br />
European Union and her admission into the North Atlantic<br />
Treaty Organization. There is also an agreement for inter<br />
national control of the Saar valley.<br />
France was the tenth nation to ratify the Paris pacts. Bel<br />
gium, Denmark, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and the<br />
United States have not yet acted, but no difficulty is expect<br />
ed. We have deliberately waited until France completed her<br />
ratification, in order not to be left "out on a limb'' as we<br />
were when the French turned down EDC. Hearings before<br />
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are now beginning<br />
and the final vote may come by the end of April.<br />
BIG FOUR TALKS<br />
President Eisenhower is willing to consider the advis<br />
ability of Big Four talks after the Paris agreements are<br />
ratified. The first conference would probably consist of ex<br />
ploratory discussions by the foreign ministers. Before the<br />
President would agree to a direct meeting of chiefs of<br />
state, he would expect the Russians to show some signs of<br />
good faith. For example, we would expect some real prog<br />
ress toward an Austrian peace treaty and German unifica<br />
tion. Eisenhower's views are close to those of Senator Wal<br />
ter Ge<strong>org</strong>e, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Com<br />
mittee, who first started the latest move for Big Power<br />
talks. Senator Knowland of California, however, fears that<br />
a conference would find the West divided and our position<br />
compromised by "appeasement-minded" allies. Soviet Pre<br />
mier Nikolai Bulganin seems receptive to the idea, but past<br />
experience makes us skeptical.<br />
ROADBLOCK<br />
President Eisenhower's original highway program, call<br />
ing for the spending of $101 billion over the next ten years,<br />
appears doomed to defeat in Congress. Objections were<br />
raised to the great increase in federal spending, and particu<br />
larly to its financing by special bonds. Congress is likely<br />
to approve less than half the amount originally requested.<br />
Most of the federal money will go into superhighways, with<br />
the secondary roads left to the states. Some Congressmen<br />
would like to pay the cost by an increase in the federal gaso<br />
line tax, which is now two cents a gallon. This would affect<br />
every American pocketbook so directly that the politicians<br />
are not likely to adopt it.<br />
NEGRO LEADER DEAD<br />
Walter White, our country's best-known champion of<br />
Negro rights, died of a heart attack at the age of 61. He<br />
had served since 1931 as executive secretary of the National<br />
Association for the Advancement of Colored People. White's<br />
career was especially unusual because he was not recogniz<br />
able as a Negro, having fair skin and light hair, with only<br />
a trace of Negro ancestry. He became a crusader for Negro<br />
rights after his father, an Atlanta postman, died following an<br />
injury received in a racial disturbance. He joined the staff<br />
of the NAACP in 1918, at the age of 25. White was a gradu<br />
ate of Atlanta University and did postgraduate work in so<br />
ciology and economics. His greatest achievement was last<br />
year's school segregation decision. Now a federal court at<br />
Richmond, Va. has ruled that the school decision invalidates<br />
the "separate but doctrine for public recreational<br />
facilities as well. This could mean the opening of all public<br />
beaches and parks to Negroes, which would certainly stir up<br />
bitter opposition in the South.<br />
OIL IN BRAZIL<br />
A gushing oil well has been brought in deep in the inter<br />
ior of Brazil, near the point where the Madeira River flows<br />
into the Amazon. Brazil's present oil wells, in the coastal<br />
state of Bahia, produce only one and a half million barrels a<br />
year, less than three per cent of the country's consumption.<br />
Oil has thus been one of Brazil's biggest imports, eating up<br />
the dollars earned by her coffee sales. Development has been<br />
hindered by strict laws against the use of foreign capital,<br />
and much of the interior has never been covered by geologi<br />
cal exploration. The recent strike was made by a Texas<br />
drilling firm hired by the national oil monopoly. Geologists<br />
believe that the deposit may be very large, and that if labor<br />
and transportation problems can be solved Brazil may be<br />
able to supply most of her own oil.<br />
HOPE FOR SURVIVAL<br />
Along<br />
with the increased power of atomic weapons<br />
comes the improvement of defensive equipment. The Air<br />
Force has announced a new guided missile, the Falcon, which<br />
is designed to be launched from a fighter plane against<br />
an enemy bomber. The Falcon can be released at distances<br />
up to five miles, and seeks out its target at supersonic speed<br />
under the guidance of an electronic brain. The Defense De<br />
partment has also revealed that it is working on atomic<br />
antiaircraft weapons. One indication of this is that the cur<br />
rent atomic tests in Nevada are to include a blast high in<br />
the Air. Such an explosion could wreck a whole formation of<br />
enemy planes; pinpoint accuracy would not be necessary as<br />
with traditional antiaircraft shells. If a guided missile such<br />
as the Falcon were equipped with an atomic warhead, it is<br />
difficult to see how enemy bombers could escape. Many<br />
believe that the airplane will soon become obsolete as a<br />
fighting weapon.<br />
JUNGLE HOLDOUTS<br />
Some of the strangest stories from World War II were<br />
of soldiers who hid for months or years to avoid capture by<br />
the enemy. Perhaps the last of these stories has not been<br />
completed. Four former Japanese soldiers have finally re<br />
turned home after hiding out in the jungles of New Guinea<br />
for nearly ten years. They were the only survivors of a force<br />
of 2500 which was cut off by an Allied drive in 1944. They<br />
went into the deepest part of the jungle, where they had a<br />
constant battle for survival against malaria and starvation.<br />
They did not know the war was over until they were found<br />
by the Dutch last fall. Meanwhile their families in Japan<br />
had long considered them dead. 211<br />
April 6, 1955
eligion."<br />
cyp rus<br />
The American Academy As a Missionary Project<br />
By Wilbur W. Weir<br />
(Excerpts from a paper read to the Board of Foreign Missions)<br />
Why will the parents of 500 students send their<br />
children to a Protestant school in the Bronx Let us<br />
look to Cyprus They will send them because they<br />
want for their children the results which they<br />
have seen in the lives of other students who have<br />
gone there. They see them efficient in English;<br />
they see them getting better jobs which pay larger<br />
salaries; they see them with ideas and character<br />
traits which are above the average they don't<br />
know how it happens, but there is just something<br />
at the Academy which makes a young person bet<br />
ter. So they bring their children and some of them<br />
say to their children: "Get all you can, but don't<br />
let them change your Others, not interest<br />
ed in any religion, bring their children with no<br />
strings attached. Still others come to the school of<br />
fice and say: "This child is now yours; consider<br />
him your son ; he is now entirely in your hands."<br />
All know before they come that Bible is one<br />
of the regular lessons; so all attend Bible classes<br />
as they do other classes. Each morning there is a<br />
chapel service at which a Psalm is sung, the Bible<br />
is read, and prayer is offered. On Sabbath there<br />
is Sabbath School at the church at 9:00 a.m. Stu<br />
dents are not obliged to attend, but 15 to 20 do<br />
attend. The Sabbath School enrolment is about 65<br />
to 70. The boarding students are free to attend<br />
their own church Sabbath morning, and some of<br />
them go at about 8:00. At 10:00 a.m. there is a<br />
service in Greek in the church, and this is attended<br />
by the smaller boarding students who are not re<br />
quired to attend the English worship service in<br />
the evening. As a rule there are about 25 persons<br />
at the Greek service. At 11:00 the Armenian serv<br />
ice is held. About 80 attend. At the same hour a<br />
meeting is held in the study-hall at the school for<br />
all the boarding<br />
students. Four or five Psalms are<br />
sung, scripture is read, prayer is offered, then one<br />
of the teachers talks to the group on some moral<br />
or spiritual topic. Sometimes it is turned to a ques<br />
tion period, or a panel discussion. At 3:00 p.m.<br />
the Young People's Society meets at the church.<br />
This is entirely voluntary and is sponsored by a<br />
missionary. Usually 15 to 20 attend, and the meet<br />
ing is conducted much as they are in the church in<br />
America. At 7:00 p.m. there is a worship service in<br />
students who know<br />
English at the church. Boarding<br />
English well are required to attend, and the aud<br />
ience usually numbers about 125.<br />
Thursday at 4:30 the Fellowship Clubs meet,<br />
one for boys and one for girls, 10 to 15 in each<br />
group. These young people are for the most part<br />
recent converts or persons who want to know more<br />
of the Bible, and have their questions answered.<br />
A missionary teacher meets with each group;<br />
there is a Bible study, prayer, praise. Here a num<br />
ber pray for the first time as a member of a group.<br />
There are other small groups as well, each spon<br />
sored by a teacher, endeavoring to strengthen their<br />
Christian life. One such group meets for prayer<br />
at least once a week. Another<br />
early in the morning<br />
group stresses Scripture memory work.<br />
212<br />
An outstanding week of the school year is<br />
one in May when evangelistic services are held<br />
each evening in the church, and students as well as<br />
others are invited. Usually about 100 attend these<br />
meetings at which the challenge to accept Christ<br />
as one's personal Saviour is given. Often the harvest<br />
of earlier sowing is reaped at these meetings.<br />
The Academy was founded in 1908. In 1909<br />
New York Presbytery sent its last candidate to<br />
the Seminary. Its congregations decreased from<br />
17 to 9. In Cyprus the congregations increased from<br />
0 to 3. Men have 'been put into Christian service.<br />
Argos Zodhiates while a student in the Academy<br />
became the president of the first C.Y.P.U. in Lar<br />
naca in 1931. When he left the Academy he went<br />
to Latakia, Syria, to take theological training un<br />
der the Rev. A. J. McFarland of our mission; then<br />
he completed his training in the United Presbyter<br />
ian Seminary in Assuit, Egypt. He became an or<br />
dained preacher in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, work<br />
ed in Cyprus, toured the Church in America. He<br />
is no longer in our church; is pastor of the largest<br />
Greek Evangelical Church in the Near East, the one<br />
at Katarini, Macedonia. The Rev. C. Christou, who<br />
has been for some years clerk of Synod's Commis<br />
sion in Cyprus, after completing<br />
certain courses of<br />
study, was ordained to the Gospel ministry in 1953.<br />
Mr. Barnabas Constantinopolos, who came out from<br />
the Greek Orthodox Church and joined the R. P.<br />
Church, has been engaged as colporteur for the<br />
British and Foreign Bible Society since 1931. He<br />
preaches most acceptably in the Greek worship<br />
services. Mr. Hassan Memour, raised a Moslem, at<br />
tended the Academy for six years, came out for<br />
Christ, is in the European Bible Institute at Paris,<br />
France. He is a member of the R. P. Church, and<br />
plans to return to Cyprus in the summer of 1955<br />
to teach part time in the Academy and to engage<br />
in evangelistic work among both Mohammedans<br />
and Greek Orthodox. These men have served in the<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Church in Cyprus.<br />
An Academy graduate, the Rev. Dioran Kountrouni,<br />
is pastor of an Armenian congregation in<br />
Beirut, Lebanon. Another graduate, the Rev. K.<br />
Sislian, is pastor of the Armenian Evangelical<br />
Church in Paris, France. Theodore Koyzis, who came<br />
to Christ when a student in the Academy, complet<br />
ed his studies in Moody Bible Institute last June,<br />
and is now in Wheaton College. He will enter fulltime<br />
Christian service. There is today an Academy<br />
graduate in each of the following Seminaries in<br />
America: Biblical Seminary, New York City, Zenia<br />
Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pa., Faith Seminary, Phila<br />
delphia. Two Academy students are in Bob Jones<br />
University preparing for Christian service. Five are<br />
in Geneva College ; one of them to graduate in 1955<br />
will begin teaching in the Nicosia Academy in Sep<br />
tember next. She is an out and out Christian, Miss<br />
Aphrodite Trombettas. In the November 19<strong>54</strong> issues<br />
of the Bible Society Record, page 139, there is a<br />
photograph of a conference of leaders of the two<br />
Bible Societies serving in the Near East: the British<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
suppose,"<br />
would."<br />
water"<br />
water."<br />
water"<br />
you,"<br />
gift."<br />
water."<br />
water"<br />
week."<br />
water."<br />
water."<br />
and Foreign Bible Society and the American Bible<br />
Society. The photograph shows Mr. V. M. Ekmekjian<br />
accountant of the British agency, speaking at the<br />
conference. Mr. Ekmekjian was led to Christ by<br />
the Rev. A. W. Smith, now pastor of our Orlando<br />
congregation, when Mr. Smith was serving as a<br />
short-term teacher at the Academy, 1919-22. Vahan<br />
Ekmekjian graduated in 1922, and since then he<br />
has been employed by the British and Foreign Bible<br />
Society operating in Egypt. Mr. Ekmekjian has a<br />
splendid Christian testimony which he gives fear<br />
lessly.<br />
Dear Friends,<br />
The Lord's Gracious Gift<br />
By Rev. E. Clark Copeland<br />
The following incident occured the other day<br />
wjien Rev. Christou and I were on an evangelistic<br />
tour of some villages. The village priest had just<br />
ordered us to leave his "flock" alone, and informed<br />
us that he had told his people to tear up our tracts,<br />
and pointed to some scraps of paper on the ground<br />
as evidence of their obedience. As we were leaving<br />
the village, we stopped at a water fountain at the<br />
edge of the village to get a drink and wash our<br />
hands. Two little girls had just filled their jugs.<br />
As we washed, I spoke to them. The elder was 12<br />
years old, blond with long braids. Her companion<br />
was about 7, shy, but pleasant. Both were Greeks.<br />
Rev. Christou frequently augmented my Greek !<br />
"What would we do without I asked.<br />
"Die, I quickly replied the older.<br />
"Hasn't God been good to us in providing all<br />
we need for our life here" She shook her head in<br />
agreement, and I continued. "Do you know the story<br />
in the Gospel about the woman who came to the<br />
well to get water and found Jesus sitting<br />
there"<br />
drink"<br />
"Yes,"<br />
she replied with a smile.<br />
"What did she say when Jesus asked her for a<br />
To our pleasant surprise she quoted verbatum<br />
"How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink<br />
of me, which am a woman of Samaria for the Jews<br />
have no dealings with the Samaritans."<br />
"And what did Jesus say to that "<br />
She started to quote again, but got mixed up<br />
and hesitated. I produced a Gospel of John, pointed<br />
to the verse and she read, "If thou knewest the gift<br />
of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to<br />
drink; thou wouldst have asked of him and he<br />
would have given thee living<br />
"What is living I asked, and pointed<br />
to verse 14.<br />
She read, "Whosoever drinketh of the water<br />
that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the<br />
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well<br />
of water springing up into everlasting<br />
life."<br />
"Would you like to have a drink of 'living<br />
water' "<br />
"Yes, I<br />
"Where would you look for it, and how do you<br />
think you would get it"<br />
"I think if I am good I might . .<br />
her.voice was<br />
a bit uncertain and she left the sentence unfinish<br />
ed.<br />
Pointing again to verse 10 I had her read, "...<br />
April 6, 1955<br />
the GIFT of God . . . GIVE me to drink ... He would<br />
have GIVEN thee living<br />
"Now,"<br />
I asked, "how would you get it"<br />
Her eyes twinkled and her smile brightened as<br />
she said, "It's a<br />
"Who gives it"<br />
"Jesus."<br />
"So, if it is a gift, and Jesus gives it, how<br />
would you get it"<br />
She hesitated, so I started to quote, "Ask, and<br />
ye shall receive. .<br />
and she joined in. Again I asked,<br />
"How would you get living<br />
"I would ask for it," she answered confidently.<br />
Handing her the Gospel, I said, "Here, take<br />
this home and read the story to your mother, and<br />
then you ask Jesus to give you living<br />
"Thank she said heartily. They picked up<br />
their jugs of water and started home.<br />
"What are you going to do when you get<br />
home"<br />
I asked.<br />
"I'm going to ask Jesus to give me living<br />
Will you join us in prayer that she may indeed<br />
know the joy of having in her a "well of water<br />
life"<br />
springing up into everlasting even though fa<br />
natics may tear or burn her gospel <br />
Your co-laborer in Christ,<br />
Greetings From Cyprus<br />
By Rev. Thomas M. Hutcheson.<br />
"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace<br />
that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou<br />
hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same<br />
commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to<br />
teach others also . . II Tim. 2:1,2,8.<br />
"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus<br />
the Lord." II Cor. 4:5.<br />
Pray that we will be channels through which<br />
the Living Word may flow to those destitute of the<br />
Bread and Water of Life in Cyprus.<br />
The Word is still going out in Cyprus through<br />
the schools and churches. Will it bear fruit The<br />
Lord knows what the increase will be. Rev. Cope<br />
land in a letter which I received a few days ago<br />
said, "Rev. Christou and I had a very profitable<br />
time in village visitation this This is one<br />
field which has been somewhat neglected for a num<br />
ber of years, because of lack of sufficient workers.<br />
We give thanks to God that the school has been a<br />
means of opening many village doors to our evangel<br />
ists. Often our students give considerable support<br />
to our evangelists in the informal discussions of the<br />
Bible in the village Coffee Shops.<br />
According to a recent report we are able to<br />
state that 2% of those to whom we give the Word<br />
through the schools and churches have accepted<br />
Christ. This may seem like small dividends, but it<br />
compares very favorably with the results obtained<br />
in the much publicized Billy Graham meetings in<br />
London. I have read that only 2% of all those who<br />
attended those meetings in London accepted the<br />
Lord.<br />
We are not satisfied, however, to stop with 2%<br />
when the Lord said in one of his parables that some<br />
seed sown, "brought forth fruit, some an hundred<br />
fold, some sixtyfold and some thirtyfold." Pray for<br />
us that Pentecost will truly come to Cyprus that<br />
213
saved."<br />
cometh."<br />
medicine."<br />
out."<br />
there may be "added unto the church<br />
daily<br />
such as<br />
should be<br />
The return of the Dr. and Mrs. W. W. Weir<br />
to the island was one of the high points of this last<br />
month. The esteem in which they are held by the<br />
people of Cyprus was shown in the fact that their<br />
arrival was mentioned on the evening news report<br />
with a statement of the amount of money raised for<br />
the Academy Building Fund.<br />
Many people were looking forward to their re<br />
turn and they have been kept busy receiving guests<br />
and calling on others, as well as assuming their<br />
school and church duties. We are glad to welcome<br />
them back to Cyprus.<br />
Mr. Thomas Edgar, who has been Acting Di<br />
rector, this year, has consented to continue his work<br />
as Assistant Director of the school, with Dr. Weir<br />
as Director. This will leave Dr. Weir freer to con<br />
tinue his work on the Academy Building Fund.<br />
I was sorry not to be up and out of bed to greet<br />
the Weirs. I was put to bed on the Saturday before<br />
they arrived, with yellow jaundice, where I have re<br />
mained for two and a half weeks. Thanks to the<br />
Great Physician, I shall be able to be out again the<br />
last of this week. I could enjoy Dr. Taggart's edi<br />
torial telling of his sickness, as our experiences were<br />
somewhat alike, except I could sit up in bed most<br />
of the time after the first five days. I was thus able<br />
to grade all of my First Semester Examination<br />
papers. Thanks to the Weirs and Dr. Edgar and per<br />
haps some others, my classes are being attended to<br />
this week. Rev. Copeland, already bearing a heavy<br />
load, has taken some of my preaching schedule.<br />
We are expecting, Hussein Hassan Memour,<br />
our young Turkish boy, to return to Cyprus this<br />
summer. He has been three years in the European<br />
Bible Institute and will complete his work this<br />
spring. We ask your prayers for him that he will be<br />
used of God in a real way in Cyprus.<br />
Two welcome visitors in Cyprus during the past<br />
month were Dr. J. Elwyn Wright of the World As<br />
sociation of Evangelicals, and a Mr. Keck, a Chris<br />
tian farmer from Ohio. They were on a world tour<br />
in the interests of W.A.E. At a Christian Workers<br />
Fellowship meeting, Dr. Wright told us of their<br />
work and offered to send us a gift of Christian<br />
books which they have received as donations in<br />
America, for our Church and School Library.<br />
The Nicosia Girls' Academy new building is<br />
progressing nicely, according to reports. By the end<br />
of February the entire building should have the flat<br />
cement slab poured over the entire first story. It<br />
is hoped that they may be able to use it by Septem<br />
ber.<br />
Plans for the dedication of the Larnaca Aca<br />
demy's new building, on April 30 are being made.<br />
It is very fitting that Dr. and Mrs. Weir will be here<br />
for it.<br />
The urgency<br />
of the Lord's work for 1955 is<br />
upon us. One month is past. Let us pray and work,<br />
"For we know not the day nor the hour when the<br />
Son of Man<br />
Syri1a<br />
A New Year in the Near East<br />
By Mrs. H. A. Hays<br />
The low horns of the freighters and firework<br />
display from freighter-passenger ships ushered in<br />
the year 1955. Little did we realize that many young<br />
people were walking along the sea front at that time.<br />
New Year's eve was warm and moonlight, more like<br />
a midsummer night than New Year's eve.<br />
Newr<br />
Year's morning we attended church and af<br />
ter the service all the missionaries met in the home<br />
of Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Hutcheson to receive callers.<br />
We took an hour off for lunch and met again to<br />
finish the day. The children stayed at home waiting<br />
their yearly treat, that of being entertained by the<br />
monkey. The monkey and his master comes around<br />
every New Year's day to receive a few francs. The<br />
children look forward to this every year.<br />
We had to start calling early Monday morning.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Hutcheson went one way<br />
and Miss<br />
McClurkin and we went in the opposite direction. We<br />
started visiting in groups a few years ago, as some<br />
of the homes, one room sparsley furnished, cannot<br />
accomodate us all at once.<br />
Schools opened on Tuesday, and on Thursday<br />
which was Armenian Christmas and the feast of Bap<br />
tism which is observed by the Greek Orthodox, we<br />
had another vacation. We visited Greek Orthodox,<br />
Protestants and Armenians on that day.<br />
In one home, that of Adell Yocoub for the 'bene<br />
fit of those who know her, they were busy making<br />
dinner, Kibbie Lebaniyeh. A plate was put in front of<br />
us, the three of us ate all but three Kubbies. The<br />
214<br />
mother and daughter wouldn't let us go until we fin<br />
ished it. I then ate one, Miss McClurkin followed up<br />
and of course Mr. Hays could do nothing else but fin<br />
ish it. The mother laughed and laughed and said,<br />
"How happy you made me on this day!" "A merry<br />
heart doeth good, like a<br />
We returned<br />
home after that for lunch, but all we could do was to<br />
sit at the table and pretend, you know! As we visit<br />
the homes from year to year we notice the improve<br />
ment in living conditions which is very encouraging.<br />
The same day we received word that an English<br />
lady died aboard the "Cyprian Prince," a boat in har<br />
bor, and had to be buried in the afternoon. Due to<br />
government regulations, making of the coffin and<br />
other arrangements, the funeral had to be postponed<br />
until the next day. They were to bring her ashore<br />
and had to have a place to put her until morning.<br />
The church was being used, as it was the week of<br />
prayer so we had them put the coffin in the south<br />
hall of the school, downstairs. Miss McClurkin seldom<br />
disturbs us with pounding over our heads, but that<br />
night she was pounding. The pounding came from the<br />
south end of the building and was low and rather<br />
muffled. Judy looked at me and said, "Maybe the<br />
lady isn't dead, and is trying to get It may<br />
sound foolish to you, but had you heard the stories<br />
we have heard about people being buried before the<br />
body gets cold and even sometimes stiff ,<br />
her wonder<br />
and amazement was not out of place. We heard the<br />
pounding off and on, finally Mr. Hays went down-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
me."<br />
ness."<br />
us,"<br />
saved."<br />
stairs to have a look, and put our minds at ease. Af<br />
ter it was all over we had a good laugh. The next<br />
morning the funeral was held. About ten friends and<br />
six sailors came ashore to pay their last tribute and<br />
to be with the deceased's husband. Two of the girls<br />
from the upper class laid wreaths, one at the head<br />
and one at the foot of the coffin. This alone was a<br />
token of our sympathy. Rev. Awad read a few words<br />
in Arabic and Rev. Hays held the service. The sailors<br />
carried the flag-draped coffin in true military fash<br />
ion.<br />
The husband received a shock in the graveyard,<br />
however, as the cloth on the coffin is cut before<br />
it is lowered into the ground. I explained to an Eng<br />
lish man standing beside me that this is an old cus<br />
tom. It is done to discourage anyone from opening<br />
the grave to steal the cloth off the coffin ; which was<br />
done years ago. After the funeral we all went to Miss<br />
MeClurkin's home and had coffee. Mr. Wightman,<br />
the husband, is from Edinburgh, Scotland. He was<br />
glad to find a strain of Scotch blood in the land of<br />
Syria. He thanked us all heartily and said. "You have<br />
made it quite bearable." His wish is to have a marker<br />
put on the grave and a picture of it sent to him.<br />
out."<br />
"His ways are past finding<br />
The church in Banias is growing. There is a<br />
class of young men which meets during the week<br />
for a prayer-meeting. The pastor Rev. Ibraheem<br />
Besna has a service before the Arabic service in<br />
Turkish, for Turkish speaking Armenians. The Sab<br />
bath School is held in the afternoon.<br />
Two of the young girls in Bmelkie are having a<br />
Sabbath School. This is the vision we long for. Serv<br />
ice without compulsion. We want it to be their own<br />
actual "bit," the overflow of superabounding devo<br />
tion to God. Pray that the people will catch a vision<br />
of service because of their love for Christ. We had<br />
word recently that one of these young girls was mar<br />
ried. She is living in the same village and we do hope<br />
and pray that she will continue to serve as before.<br />
All we are able to do is not because of our good<br />
ness or strength, but through Jesus Christ. "I can<br />
do all things through Christ which strengthened<br />
Jap an<br />
ON BOARD S. S. "PACIFIC BEAR"<br />
Homeward Bound to Kobe<br />
By Orlena Lynn<br />
Dear Friends:<br />
After several postponements of the sailing date<br />
we finally left San Francisco on the morning of Feb<br />
ruary 23. The first night out was quite rough. The lid<br />
had been left unscrewed on a bottle of ink on the<br />
desk, leaving me some "permanent blue" reminders<br />
of our first night at sea on my return trip to Japan.<br />
We did have some quite nice days following that.<br />
One of the passengers was wondering what it would<br />
be like to be in a storm at sea. During the last two<br />
days we have found out, and it has been the first<br />
experience in a real storm at sea for most of us.<br />
People were literally thrown out of their chairs and<br />
more than one went sprawling on the floor. No real<br />
damage done, though. We all had our sea legs by<br />
then, and the majestic waves of the ocean made<br />
quite a picture. The storm did slow us up so that<br />
now it will be March 14th before the ship<br />
reaches<br />
Kobe.<br />
Through the singing of the psalms together<br />
aboard ship, two missionaries on the ship have be<br />
come quite interested in the Psalter and each want<br />
to buy the complete Psalter to have for themselves.<br />
One is a Presbyterian and the other is a Methodist,<br />
both returning to Korea after furlough. Several of<br />
the passengers were interested in the Navigator<br />
verses. As I had some with me, two of them have<br />
already started on these aboard ship. The Korean<br />
lady in my cabin has asked me to pray for her. She<br />
is a professing Christian and church leader, but<br />
more because her grandfather was the first Chris<br />
tian in their part of Korea than because of a real<br />
conviction of our being sinners in the sight of a<br />
holy and righteous God before whom we can only<br />
come as we do so, clothed in the righteousness of<br />
Christ. A Korean man on board ship considers him<br />
self a Christian because his father was an elder in<br />
the church, but shows no evidence of the fruits of the<br />
Spirit in his life, and there is apparently no vital<br />
April 6, 1955<br />
personal faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour of his<br />
life. Pray for these among whom the seed has been<br />
sown that their spiritual eyes might be opened.<br />
What a wonderful promise we have that "If we con<br />
fess our sins, he is faithful and just to f<strong>org</strong>ive us<br />
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteous<br />
This furlough year has been a profitable one.<br />
It was good to see the family, relatives, and friends<br />
again. Also, I enjoyed the opportunities of meeting<br />
many of you and seeing your part of the work for<br />
the cause of Christ. My thanks to each of you who<br />
have written to me and who have shown me much<br />
kindness and warm hospitality during my time in<br />
the United States. The many steamer letters were<br />
greatly appreciated.<br />
The Japanese friends told me to gain weight<br />
while at home, but I doubt whether they expected<br />
me to add fifty pounds as I did. Hope they will rec<br />
ognize me. It will be good to get back to Japan and<br />
I am anxious to return to the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Book<br />
Room and to the work among the people of that<br />
land. Going forth with the Gospel message as am<br />
bassadors for Christ is truly a wonderful privilege,<br />
whether it be to those in America or to those in<br />
lands across the Ocean. Pray for me as I again<br />
take up the work in Japan that I might be used of<br />
God to His own glory. Also, pray for our Japanese<br />
Christians as they take to others in their land the<br />
message that "God commendeth His love toward us,<br />
in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for<br />
and that "whosoever shall call upon the name<br />
of the Lord shall be Knowing our stubborn,<br />
selfish human nature, how thankful we are that even<br />
that faith to believe is a gift of God!<br />
Communism<br />
Is this a religion It is a religion and much<br />
more. It is a religion of atheism, of dialectical mater<br />
ialism. It is a religion of redemption of the human<br />
215
ight."<br />
me."<br />
The Lord's Gracious Gift<br />
By Rose Huston<br />
Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and f<strong>org</strong>et not all His<br />
benefits :<br />
Who f<strong>org</strong>iveth all thine iniquities;<br />
Who healeth all thy diseases ;<br />
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;<br />
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender<br />
mercies ;<br />
Who satisfieth thy desire with good things<br />
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle.<br />
Bless Jehovah, 0 my soul!<br />
Three thousand years ago this Psalm of praise<br />
came from the heart of one who had been f<strong>org</strong>iven,<br />
and healed, and redeemed, and crowned, and satis<br />
fied, and his youth renewed. Today, Mr. Takihara<br />
is rejoicing in the same gracious Lord who has be<br />
stowed the same benefits on him.<br />
Since he entered the Hospital less than a year<br />
ago, he has made such remarkable recovery as to<br />
amaze the doctor. On February 10, 1955, the second<br />
operation was performed on his tubercular lung. Af<br />
ter an hour's work, they found the condition much<br />
worse than the x-ray had shown. Another half hour,<br />
and three of the four surgeons present urged the<br />
chief surgeon not to complete the operation as it<br />
was too dangerous. He agreed. But Mr. Takihara<br />
under local anesthetic said, "Go ahead. God is taking<br />
care of my body. I'll be all So they continued.<br />
He was so weakened by loss of blood that a trans<br />
fusion was necessary; but they had none at the<br />
Hospital. A nurse volunteered to give her blood, and<br />
it was transferred directly into his veins, and the<br />
operation completed, taking a little over three hours.<br />
His condition was critical; another transfusion was<br />
necessary. His fever continued very high until Sab<br />
bath afternoon when it began to go down. That was<br />
just the time when we had a special season of pray<br />
er for him before our church service.<br />
His wife came home a few days later as he was<br />
out of danger. The doctor said, "That man has a<br />
remarkable body. It is different from any body I<br />
ever saw. His recovery astonishes<br />
GLIMPSES from page 210<br />
of seven leading New York stations. They found an average<br />
of 6.2 acts of violence an hour on these telecasts. They also<br />
reported that children's television hours, 5-7 p.m., were<br />
"twice as saturated with violence as any other hours." They<br />
teacher"<br />
noted that television is frequently the "first of<br />
young children and stated: "What the effects of a child<br />
seeing five, six, and seven people killed each afternoon might<br />
be in terms of making callous his normal sensitivity to that<br />
kind of human destruction is an unknown<br />
quantity."<br />
All of<br />
the members of the subcommittee are active churchmen and<br />
several of them are Sabbath school teachers.<br />
Parochial Bus Bill<br />
Leaders in the Baptist Church in Missouri have begun<br />
an "all-out" fight against the passage of a bill by the legis<br />
lature which would permit parochial school children to ride<br />
on state-supported buses. Thousands of letters have been<br />
sent and more than 100 long distance calls were made ap<br />
pealing for immediate action opposing the bill.<br />
216<br />
WORLD STRATEGY .<br />
from front page<br />
race by science. It admits no God, aims at trans<br />
forming the world and tolerates no opposition. It has<br />
advanced much faster than any known religion.<br />
In one hundred years the Moslems crossed North<br />
Africa, into Spain and up into southern France be<br />
fore they were halted. Communism has advanced<br />
a-<br />
cross Europe and Asia so fast that for 11 years it<br />
advanced at the rate of 44 square miles a minute<br />
and today dominates the lives of 810 million people.<br />
behind iron and bamboo curtains. We know its strat<br />
egy and its method, so we'll pass it by.<br />
Romanism<br />
A religion that bears the name of Christ but<br />
which has turned out to be an ever increasing per<br />
version of the truth is Romanism. Each century sees<br />
additional dogmas added to "infallible faith." By de<br />
gree now, Roman Christianity is turning to Mariolatry.<br />
The mother of our Saviour has become the<br />
Mother of God. She has done everything but atone<br />
for the sins of a lost world. However, it isn't the<br />
doctrine of this religion that causes the most alarm<br />
today. It is the philosophy and functions of this<br />
Roman church. She believes that she alone has the<br />
truth, hence as far as possible she must protect<br />
all under her control from contamination. Rome has<br />
no concept of the right of the individual to choose<br />
life or death. The "church" is responsible, the<br />
"church"<br />
saves.<br />
The Roman Church believes and demands where<br />
possible that the state and church be united, with<br />
the church supreme, supported by the state. Other.<br />
religions will be tolerated only when totalitarian<br />
control by the church is not possible. Tolerance<br />
increases inversely to her size in a given country.<br />
These practices have invariably produced in lands<br />
which she dominates masses in poverty with a small,<br />
powerful, rich class. The masses remain illiterate.<br />
The Roman Church stays wealthy and politically<br />
dominant. The result today in most lands reveals a<br />
pagan people with as few as 5% of the population, as<br />
in France, attending church. According to a French<br />
premiere, from 65% to 80% of Frenchmen are agnos<br />
tics. A large per cent of French clergy is agnostic. In<br />
Latin America only an average of<br />
20% of the people<br />
are loyal to the church. The fields are ripe for Christ<br />
or Communism. As in Italy, Communism is winning<br />
the battle.<br />
What is Rome's strategy now Apart from the<br />
spiritual efforts made by some, as the American<br />
Mary Knoll Fathers, and a few orders of nuns, ef<br />
forts in Latin America are totally one of "Roman<br />
Catholic Action." Political infiltration to gain con<br />
trol of the government follows and then they impose<br />
a strict concordat. It is easy for them to work<br />
through a heartless dictator such as Franco in<br />
Spain to negotiate such a concordat. The Roman<br />
faith is declared the one uniting force. To leave the<br />
Roman church is equal to being a traitor to the<br />
country. Absolute intolerance becomes the logical<br />
sequence of these teachings of Thomas Aquinas.<br />
The result is continuing persecution with evangelical<br />
church sealed shut in Madrid last month and the<br />
expulsion of a missionary couple. The same teach<br />
ings produced the destruction of 43 evangelical<br />
the death of scores of Protestant Christians.<br />
churches in Colombia, the loss of 32 others and<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
all."<br />
presbytery)"<br />
of'<br />
The desperation of Rome can be seen in all those<br />
Latin American countries where the Church can<br />
not dominate. Today the multitudes as never before<br />
are turning against Rome, seeking education, build<br />
ing a new middle class economy and turning as<br />
never before to the Gospel wherever it is being pro<br />
claimed. I have known Catholic Latin America for<br />
25 years, and have recently traveled over all of<br />
South America and the Iberian peninsula. Evangel<br />
ical churches are full. The response is challenging.<br />
With little wonder Rome, in desperation has turned<br />
to political action. In the Protestant countries, where<br />
complete religious freedom rules, the Roman church<br />
is growing. Recognizing that much is by immigra<br />
tion and large birthrates, nevertheless Rome pros<br />
pers. True, the Roman Catholics in Protestant<br />
lands are also tolerant and the Roman Church ab<br />
sorbs much of the Protestant concept and attitude.<br />
Yet behind the scenes, even here in America, Rome<br />
is busy infiltrating government, the public school<br />
system, and the whole political structure hoping<br />
for the day of domination and totalitarianism.<br />
Christ<br />
Not just a religion, but a PERSON, a Life. He<br />
became the "Way" and thus Christianity was first<br />
known. What is our strategy How are we to con<br />
quer the world The disciples of Christ did not use<br />
force. They did not try to establish a political system.<br />
they made no effort to intrigue the heathen by a<br />
religion of works or tickle their minds with a mystic<br />
al philosophy. The Christian Scriptural strategy is<br />
so simple we have failed to use it. The whole basis<br />
of Christianity is the relationship of the man to his<br />
Redeemer. God saves men one at a time. By faith<br />
men receive Christ. That regenerated man, made<br />
a new creation in Christ by the Holy Spirit, is to<br />
tell others what happened to him. He is to intro<br />
duce them to Christ and help them put their trust<br />
and faith in Him. Then they are to do the same<br />
thing. Believers are to assemble together. They are<br />
to live, love and serve their Lord and one another.<br />
Does it work<br />
Incredible but in one century the Gospel spread<br />
across Asia Minor, across southern Europe, to Eng<br />
land, down into Africa, and over into India. In three<br />
centuries it dominated the life of the Roman Em<br />
pire and, had it not been sabotaged by Constantine<br />
and made a state religion, the world would have<br />
been its goal. Today we press for the goal, every<br />
open land is hearing the gospel. The greatest 'band<br />
of true missionaries this world has ever seen is<br />
pushing back the veils of darkness but there is still<br />
much to do. At least a billion souls have never heard<br />
the Name of Jesus. May God grant revival to His<br />
Church around the globe, that His divine strategy<br />
may be put into effect transforming millions of<br />
born again believers into witnesses of Christ. Then<br />
we'll reach every corner of the world. Then we may<br />
look up for our Lord comes.<br />
Warning to Catholics<br />
The Point, Roman Catholic <strong>org</strong>an, has the fol<br />
lowing item, "Warning! Official diocesan figures<br />
show that one third of our American Catholic boys<br />
and girls now marry non-Catholics. Two out of three<br />
children born out of such marriages turn out non-<br />
Catholic. In 6 out of 10 mixed marriages, the Catho<br />
lic partner leaves the church. In the past 10 years,<br />
165,000 young Catholics who married Protestants<br />
RESOLUTION OF THANKS OCCASIONED BY<br />
THE RESIGNATION OF G. M. ROBB AS RECORD<br />
ING SECRETARY OF THE FOREIGN MISSION<br />
BOARD . . .<br />
"There are diversities of gifts, but the same<br />
Spirit. And there are differences of administrations,<br />
but the same Lord. And there are diversities of op<br />
erations, but it is the same God which worketh all<br />
in I Cor. 12:4-6.<br />
These principles are everywhere apparent in the<br />
Church of Jesus Christ, but frequently the eyes of<br />
our<br />
understanding are darkened that we do not ob<br />
serve them. Again, on occasion, a youthful servant<br />
must be admonished in the words of Paul to Tim<br />
othy, "Stir up the gift of God that is in thee by put<br />
ting on of (the) hands (of the (n Tim.<br />
1:6). In the case of G. M. Robb, the church has,<br />
through the years, recognized certain gifts and has<br />
called for their dedication. First, gifts in the art of<br />
preaching, then gifts as a public lecturer for the<br />
Christian Amendment Movement, and gifts, of know<br />
ledge and judgment have been called into service on<br />
committees of the Synod.<br />
Soon after his appointment to the Board of<br />
Foreign Missions by the Synod 1944, the Board<br />
recognized in Mr. Robb good judgment and the<br />
grace of Christian charity. When, early in 1947, the<br />
Board came into the need of a Recording Secretary<br />
due to the illness of the late Dr. S. E. Greer, it rec<br />
ognized in Mr. Robb one who might well serve in this<br />
capacity. The Board was not disappointed, for Mr.<br />
Robb not only possessed gifts given from the hand<br />
of God, but he himself dedicated these gifts to the<br />
Master's service. Not only have the minutes of the<br />
Board Meetings been accurately and clearly recorded,<br />
but the extra touch has been rendered which made<br />
for the smoother and more effective running of the<br />
Board; these in the form of notes and notices sent<br />
to those members of the Board who had special as<br />
signments to fulfill.<br />
So, for these reasons especially, the thanks of<br />
the Board of Foreign Missions are herewith extended<br />
to our brother, G. M. Robb, as he moves from our<br />
area after nearly<br />
eleven years as a member of our<br />
Board and almost eight years as our faithful Re<br />
cording Secretary. We wish him Godspeed as he<br />
goes to take up the Lord's work in another part of<br />
the vineyard.<br />
This resolution of thanks would not be complete<br />
should we fail to record here, as well, our thanks<br />
to our Covenant God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,<br />
the giver of every good and perfect gift, for placing<br />
at our disposal, for these years, His servant in the<br />
Kingdom. "To Him be glory and honor and praise<br />
throughout all ages, world without end. Amen!"<br />
Respectfully submitted for the Board,<br />
J. Paul Wilson.<br />
BOTH KNEES NEEDED .<br />
. .<br />
A lecturer recently declared in the introduction<br />
of his lecture that he had received his moral training<br />
at the knee of a devout mother, and across the knee<br />
of a determined father. Sunday School Digest.<br />
and Jews before their parish priests have abandoned<br />
their Catholic faith." 217<br />
April 6, 1955
months,"<br />
shampoo,"<br />
closet, the household, the fellowship-<br />
Also, the word "love" is used<br />
instead of "charity.")<br />
meeting."<br />
guaranteed."<br />
go."<br />
sin."<br />
me."<br />
woman<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of April 24, 1955<br />
"OUR C.Y.P.U. PLEDGE<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
For April 24, 1955<br />
I Cor. 10:31<br />
Comments by Eev. Robert W. McMillan<br />
"Aiming to Live for the Glory of God<br />
as my Chief End, I will in Reliance upon<br />
God's Grace and feeling my inability to<br />
perform any spiritual duty in my own<br />
strength, diligently attend to Searching<br />
the Scriptures, Religious Conversation,<br />
Private Prayer, Family Worship, the<br />
Prayer Meeting, and the Sanctuary, and<br />
will seek in them to worship God in<br />
Spirit and in Truth. I do solemnly prom<br />
ise to depart from all iniquity, and to<br />
live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly in<br />
this World, Commending and Encourag<br />
ing by my Example, Temperance, Love<br />
and Godliness."<br />
One of the most common devices em<br />
ployed in modern merchandising is the<br />
giving of a guarantee, or a pledge, or a<br />
warranty, or a promise regarding the<br />
quality of a product and the willingness<br />
of the manufacturer to stand back of it.<br />
A serviceman was installing an Autolite<br />
battery in the car. "What's the guaran<br />
tee"<br />
we inquired. "Twenty-one<br />
he assured us. Later, the same<br />
day, the Raleigh salesman tapped a bottle<br />
of shampoo with his forefinger. "This<br />
he said impressively, "is un<br />
conditionally<br />
It may help you to understand the<br />
purpose of the C.Y.P.U. Pledge if you<br />
think of it as your personal pledge (call<br />
it a guarantee if you wish) to God in<br />
consideration of the infinite price which<br />
He paid when He purchased redemption<br />
for His children (I Peter 1:18, 19; I Cor.<br />
6:19, 20; 7:23).<br />
The C.Y.P.U. Pledge is taken from<br />
the Covenant of 1871, section one, para<br />
graph two, slightly modified. (The per<br />
sonal pronoun is used and modern term<br />
inology is employed instead of archaic<br />
expressions such as "the duties of the<br />
Caution: do not recite the pledge<br />
merely as a memory-feat, or as a beauti<br />
ful example of English prose. This is a<br />
solemn promise, and if we recite it<br />
"just for fun" or as something else to<br />
do to add variety to the meeting we may<br />
be guilty of profanity.<br />
The following seven topics may help<br />
you to discuss the meaning of the<br />
pledge :<br />
1. MY AIM: Aiming to live for the<br />
glory of God .<br />
218<br />
. .<br />
2. MY SOURCE OF STRENGTH: In<br />
reliance upon God's grace . . .<br />
3. MY ATTITUDE TOWARD SELF:<br />
Feeling my inability to perform any<br />
spiritual duty in my own strength . . .<br />
4. MY DEVOTIONAL HABITS : Dili<br />
gently attend to searching the Scrip<br />
tures, religious conversation, private<br />
prayer, family worship, the prayer meet<br />
ing, and the . . .<br />
sanctuary<br />
5. MY PURPOSE: (I) will seek in<br />
them to worship God in spirit and in<br />
truth . . .<br />
6. MY SOLEMN PROMISE: To de<br />
part from all iniquity, and to live sober<br />
ly, righteously, and godly in this world<br />
7. MY INFLUENCE AND EXAM<br />
PLE: Commending and encouraging<br />
temperance, love and godliness.<br />
Young person, this pledge is not for<br />
those who want to live a shallow, world<br />
ly, self-centered life. This is the ringing<br />
declaration of a good soldier of Jesus<br />
Christ (2 Tim. 2:3). The keeping of this<br />
pledge means that you will have a vic<br />
torious devotional life and an effective<br />
testimony for your Saviour.<br />
For discussion:<br />
1. Which phrases in our pledge are<br />
Bible expressions (See John 11:4; Luke<br />
2:40; John 5:39; John 4:23; 2 Tim. 2:19;<br />
Titus 2 :12)<br />
2. Tell of how you won a victory re<br />
garding any<br />
one of the spiritual duties<br />
mentioned in the C.Y.P.U. pledge.<br />
3. What should we do if we don't care<br />
to attend Prayer Meeting Recite the<br />
pledge anyway Recite all but that par<br />
ticular promise Begin attending Prayer<br />
Meeting, and PRAY (Will you)<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
April 24, 1955<br />
Miss Eleanor Boyd<br />
Montclair<br />
Topic: Bricks without Straw. Exodus<br />
5:1-19.<br />
Memory Verse: And Pharaoh said,<br />
"Who is the Lord, that I should obey<br />
his voice to let Israel go I know not<br />
the Lord, neither will I let Israel<br />
Exodus 5:2.<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm 103:1-15, page 244<br />
Psalm 2:1, 2, 4, 7, page 4<br />
Psalm 25 :7-10, page 59<br />
Psalm 34:6-7,<br />
You remember how Pharaoh had<br />
page 82<br />
made slaves of the Israelites. They were<br />
slaves of the State and not of individual<br />
masters as the slaves in our country<br />
were before the Civil War.<br />
They had been in Egypt nearly four<br />
hundred years and the time was draw<br />
ing near when they would be liberated.<br />
Moses asked Pharaoh to allow the<br />
children of Israel to go for three days<br />
into the wilderness in order to offer<br />
sacrifices unto the Lord. Our memory<br />
verse tells us his reply.<br />
Pharaoh had no<br />
knowledge of the<br />
Lord nor did he want to know Him.<br />
The reason for his defiance and final<br />
ruin was that he closed his heart against<br />
God. In his haughtiness he said that the<br />
Israelites had too much time on their<br />
hands, therefore he would see that they<br />
were really kept busy.<br />
The very day of Moses' and Aaron's<br />
visit, a new order was issued by Phar<br />
aoh to the task masters of the Israel<br />
ites. Probably before night, word had<br />
passed from the taskmasters to the lead<br />
ers who were set over the people and<br />
were responsible for the daily delivery<br />
of a certain amount of bricks, that<br />
they must expect no more straw, al<br />
though they must make as many bricks<br />
as ever.<br />
There followed a time of great dis<br />
tress. The Hebrew leaders assigned<br />
some of the people to scatter themselves<br />
over the country<br />
They<br />
to collect stubble.<br />
urged the rest of the people to<br />
work faster. From early morning until<br />
night the whole nation worked beneath<br />
the scorching sun. Yet as the bricks<br />
were counted there were not enough.<br />
In vain did the taskmasters hurry them<br />
saying, "Fulfill your tasks as when<br />
there was straw."<br />
In vain were the<br />
leaders beaten, and such beating as<br />
they would get might mean death.<br />
What do you suppose sustained the<br />
Israelites under this cruel regime Yes,<br />
it was their faith in God and His prom<br />
ises.<br />
The dilemma of the Israelites reminds<br />
me of a story of a young <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
woman in Scotland during the struggle<br />
between the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s and the Eng<br />
lish. The soldiers had killed her hus<br />
band and were taking her cow. As she<br />
stood in the doorway of her cottage,<br />
one of the soldiers felt sorry for her.<br />
He turned and said,<br />
"Poor<br />
"Dinna ye call me poor," she replied,<br />
"the Lord is my portion and ye canna<br />
take Him from<br />
Pharaoh could be cruel but he could<br />
not take away their faith. Do we need<br />
such faith today<br />
Throughout the Bible the slavery of<br />
Israel in Egypt is referred to as typical<br />
of the slavery under which the sinner<br />
is held. Our Lord himself says, "Who<br />
soever commiteth sin is the slave of<br />
(John 8:34).<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
unrighteouness."<br />
you."<br />
you."<br />
you."<br />
mourn."<br />
Look at the drunkard! Doesn't<br />
his<br />
appetite enslave him It makes him<br />
barter all his possessions for liquor. Our<br />
hospitals and mental institutions would<br />
not be so full if it weren't for so many<br />
victims of their own evil habits. If<br />
you visit our prisons, you will see how<br />
selfishness, jealousy, lack of self-control<br />
and dishonesty have caused the downfall<br />
of the inmates. It is the same with<br />
every kind of sin.<br />
Lowell in his beautiful poem, "The<br />
Vision of Sir Launfal," says:<br />
Earth gets its price for what earth gives<br />
us;<br />
The beggar is taxed for a corner to<br />
die in,<br />
The priest has his fee who comes and<br />
shrives us,<br />
We bargain for the graves we lie in;<br />
At the devil's booth are all things sold,<br />
Each ounce of dross costs its ounce<br />
of gold:<br />
For a cap and bells our lives we pay,<br />
Bubbles we buy with a whole soul's<br />
tasking;<br />
'Tis heaven alone that is given away,<br />
'Tis only God may be had for the<br />
asking.<br />
You see, boys and girls, that the devil's<br />
wares are expensive while the riches of<br />
God may be had free. But slavery to<br />
sin need not bind us forever. Jesus<br />
Christ has said,<br />
truth and the truth will<br />
free.''<br />
"Ye shall know the<br />
make you<br />
Go to Him then if you are en<br />
slaved by selfishness, jealousy, a weak<br />
will or a multitude of other sins. He<br />
alone can set you free. "If we confess<br />
our sins, he is faithful and just to for<br />
give us our sins and to cleanse us from<br />
all<br />
Questions<br />
How many Israelites went down into<br />
Egypt<br />
About how man ywere delivered by<br />
Moses<br />
Were the Israelites enslaved during<br />
the life of Joseph<br />
What sins do the Ten Commandments<br />
tell us not to commit<br />
How can we keep from enslaving<br />
ourselves to sin<br />
References Gen. 46:27; Ex. 1:7; 1:<br />
8-12; 20:1-17; John 8:32; First John<br />
1:19.<br />
To the leader, refer to lesson 6, "The<br />
Land of the Free" in the new book<br />
"Taught of the Lord."<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
April 24, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by International<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
ASA's RELIGIOUS REFORMS<br />
April 6, 1955<br />
2 Chron. 14-16.<br />
PRINTED: 2 Chron. 15:1-12.<br />
MEMORY: 2 Chron. 15:2 "The Lord is<br />
with you, while ye are with Him; and<br />
if ye seek Him, He will be found of<br />
Lt<br />
From the story of the kings of Judah,<br />
would appear that moral character<br />
is not so much a matter of inheritance<br />
as of teaching. Rehoboam was born<br />
about the time Solomon became king.<br />
Solomon, in the early years of his reign,<br />
was much engrossed with the affairs<br />
of government, in which he showed re<br />
markable wisdom, and in social life<br />
where he was famed for his luxurious<br />
extravagance. He had little time for his<br />
children, and Rehoboam seems to have<br />
been left to the influence of his mother.<br />
Then when Solomon was older and tried<br />
to impress his son with the need of<br />
godliness, (see early<br />
chapters of Eccle<br />
siastes) it was too late, Rehoboam had<br />
been too deeply influenced by the lux<br />
uries of life learned in his father's court.<br />
and the idolatries of his mother's court,<br />
to accept the wiser advice of this same<br />
father in his old age.<br />
Abijah followed his father Rehoboam<br />
in the kingdom and seemed to build<br />
a strong<br />
government. When threaten<br />
ed by a strong enemy, he appealed to<br />
God for help, and God gave him a re<br />
markable victory. His story<br />
(2 Chron.<br />
13) appears to show him as a righteous<br />
king. That, however, is the story of his<br />
administrative life. In 1 Kings we get<br />
a glimpse of his inner life and influence,<br />
that is, his, religious life, his heart; "he<br />
walked in all the sins of his father Re<br />
him."<br />
hoboam, which he had done before<br />
Then we find another problem when<br />
Asa comes to the throne. Why<br />
was he<br />
so much better than his father and<br />
grandfather For we read (14:2), "And<br />
Asa did that which was good in the<br />
eyes of the Lord his God." How did<br />
Asa escape the evil of his environment<br />
The Lord, through His Holy Spirit, op<br />
ened the eyes of Asa to see the right<br />
and wrong<br />
and turned his heart to ac<br />
cept the right and follow God's will.<br />
We do not know what human agencies<br />
God may have used. Even the sins of his<br />
parents may have served as a warning<br />
to him, and influenced him to seek the<br />
better way.<br />
A splendid Christian man told me that<br />
there were two influences that kept him<br />
from being a drunkard; first, his father<br />
who drank and sometimes got drunk,<br />
but sent him to Sabbath School. Then<br />
his brothers,<br />
who were drunkards. Sec<br />
ond, the work of the Holy Spirit in lead<br />
ing him to the better life.<br />
Perhaps the evils of Asa's surround<br />
ings were used by the Holy Spirit to<br />
strengthen his battle for the right. Then<br />
perhaps the pleading<br />
of the aged Solo-<br />
mon that failed to save his son and<br />
grandson, appealed to the heart of his<br />
great-grandson and helped him to see<br />
the way<br />
out of his sinful surroundings<br />
so that he could become good in the eyes<br />
of the Lord.<br />
GOD<br />
WILL GIVE NATIONS WHAT<br />
THEY ARE PREPARED TO RECEIVE<br />
The prophet Azariah encouraged Asa,<br />
"The Lord is with Promised, "If<br />
ye seek him, he will be found of you."<br />
And warned, "If ye forsake him, he will<br />
forsake<br />
These have been fulfilled<br />
through the centuries. Man is still on<br />
earth, God is still in Heaven. It is not<br />
needful that God should speak to nations<br />
now through prophets. The law and the<br />
prophets have been fulfilled in the ex<br />
perience of men and nations for six<br />
thousand years. We have more instruc<br />
tion than Asa had, a full statement of<br />
invitation, promise and warning,, and<br />
these illustrated by the experience of<br />
peoples and nations for many centuries.<br />
A NATION WITHOUT GOD<br />
For half a century, Israel, including<br />
Judah, was without God; that is, they<br />
did not serve Him. In desperate need,<br />
Judah turned to the God of Israel, and<br />
found Him. In every war, we have<br />
turned to God in some measure, (tem<br />
porarily). And each time He has given<br />
us victory, temporarily. We are on pro<br />
bation now. Faithlessness in public life<br />
is more devastating than the H bomb<br />
and is not confined to desert areas.<br />
Judah and the nations around, when<br />
without God, were broken in pieces.<br />
War abroad followed strife at home.<br />
"Man's inhumanity to man, makes<br />
countless thousands<br />
not begin on the battle field.<br />
Strife does<br />
WHAT D7 WE RECOGNIZE GOD'S<br />
LAW IN BUSINESS<br />
Ford planted an empire of rubber in<br />
Brazil, for the benefit of his company<br />
and the United States. He failed, because<br />
he could not control the natives working<br />
for him. Le Tourneau has started re<br />
claiming projects in Africa and Peru,<br />
and has his eye on Brazil. He is taking<br />
teachers to teach the natives modern<br />
methods of farming and industry, and<br />
no outside interests will be allowed to<br />
compete with the natives. His workers<br />
are all Christians, and Christian mis<br />
sionaries are taken everywhere they go.<br />
His ideas and practice in Christian Big<br />
Business is much worth watching. He<br />
looks on his business as a service for<br />
God and his fellow men.<br />
It is not hard to see that if all busi<br />
ness enterprises were in reality adminis<br />
tered as a service to God and man, not<br />
for a group of men, we would have both<br />
peace and plenty. We have labored too<br />
long<br />
under the delusion that God has<br />
219
pre-eminance!"<br />
verily."<br />
nothing to do with business and civil<br />
government. God will not use a flood to<br />
let the world start over again. It is not<br />
impossible that man with his<br />
bombs<br />
may destroy all modern industry, and all<br />
engaged therein, and leave just a few<br />
rural folks to start over again in the<br />
rudiments of civilization.<br />
GODLINESS, HARMONY,<br />
PROSPERITY<br />
Asa's reforms in putting away the<br />
idols and false gods brought the people<br />
closer together. Some of the people from<br />
other tribes joined them. A morally<br />
clean city attracts clean people. Saloons<br />
and gambling<br />
attract and breed an un<br />
clean population. Freed from the wor<br />
ship of idols, the people brought offer<br />
ings to God and entered into covenant<br />
with Him, with all their heart and all<br />
their soul.<br />
Why are church treasuries empty<br />
Partly, at least, because the worship of<br />
idols that are dedicated to pleasure re<br />
quires so much money, and that is paid<br />
first. We can attend church, and skimp<br />
the treasury. For our fun we pay cash<br />
in advance.<br />
In a lonesome valley in the Rockies,<br />
curiosity led me to follow what looked<br />
like a blind trail up the steep side of the<br />
mountain,<br />
where could it go At the<br />
end of the trail, there was an open cave<br />
that extended more than arm's length<br />
into the solid rock, with a flat smooth<br />
floor. In the middle of this floor sat<br />
Billiken,<br />
"The god of things as they<br />
ought to be." Scattered around him was<br />
money, much money, a good hand full.<br />
A few nickels, fewer pennies, mostly sil<br />
ver from half dollars down. Folks who<br />
would have stolen from a blind man<br />
were too superstitious to steal from<br />
Billiken. Many who would have fail<br />
ed to feed a hungry<br />
man were<br />
afraid to leave that lonesome "grove"<br />
without making a donation. How we are<br />
wed to our idols!<br />
In. 2 Chron. 16:13 we come to a sad<br />
disappointment. For 39 years Asa had<br />
led the nation in the fear of God. Then<br />
he suffered from a sore disease. "Yet in<br />
his disease he sought not to the Lord."<br />
It is possible to think much of personal<br />
religion, and f<strong>org</strong>et the place of religion<br />
in society. It is also possible to become<br />
so absorbed in public affairs as to neg<br />
lect our own soul's interest.<br />
the<br />
"That in all things Christ may have<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
WRONG MOTIVES IN RELIGION<br />
John 6:26, 27<br />
Scripture Beading: John 6:50-58<br />
Additional references: John 6:66-69; I<br />
Cor. 11:28-30; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 3:17-19;<br />
I Sam. 4:3, 10, 11<br />
Psalms<br />
59:7, 8, 13, 14, page 147<br />
34:1-5, page 81<br />
103 : 11-15, page 244<br />
15:1-3,<br />
page 26<br />
Almost everyone knows the meaning<br />
of the term "rice Christians."<br />
It no<br />
doubt originated in Eastern countries<br />
where people embraced Christianity for<br />
the food which the missionaries would<br />
give them, rather than because they had<br />
entered into a personal relationship with<br />
Christ. Perhaps the first "rice Chris<br />
tians"<br />
were some of those who were fed<br />
at the time of the feeding<br />
of the fivethousand.<br />
On the day following the mir<br />
acle there was a group who sought Jesus<br />
and would have made him king. It was<br />
not because they comprehended him as<br />
the Messiah, but because they were in<br />
terested in material things. With such a<br />
miracle worker as king, it would mean<br />
victory against all political enemies.<br />
Moreover, such a person could easily<br />
solve the nation's food problem and<br />
labor for food could become something<br />
of the past.<br />
Jesus, perceiving that the people did<br />
not understand Him, and that they were<br />
interested only in the material aspects<br />
of the miracle, denounced them, saying,<br />
"Verily, verily, (Amen, amen) ye seek<br />
me not because ye saw the miracles, but<br />
because ye did eat of the loaves and<br />
were filled." Note how emphatic the de<br />
nunciation is, by the use of. the words<br />
"verily,<br />
THE SELFISH MOTIVES OF THOSE<br />
WHO FOLLOWED CHRIST<br />
Jesus states plainly that those who<br />
came to Capernaum seeking Him had no<br />
spiritual interest and that they were<br />
only interested in having<br />
their physical<br />
appetites gratified. In all ages the<br />
Church has been troubled by those who<br />
professed Christianity<br />
for selfish rea<br />
sons. Simon Magus, the sorcerer, em<br />
braced Christianity at the time of the<br />
if the gift of<br />
apostles, and offered money<br />
the Holy Spirit would be conferred upon<br />
him. With this power of the Apostles<br />
Simon could soon have become a weal<br />
thy man. Sometimes people will join a<br />
church because of the standing it will<br />
give them in the community. A mer<br />
chant might be active on various boards<br />
or committees of a church but his mo<br />
tive might be entirely mercenary and<br />
not because of his love for Christ.<br />
Again, there are some who may ac<br />
cept an office in the church because of<br />
the power, influence or prestige that<br />
may be connected with the office. Some<br />
people have an inflated ego when elected<br />
to a church office, but unless one ac<br />
cepts the office in humility, and with a<br />
true desire to serve Christ, his motives<br />
are vain.<br />
THE FAILURE TO DISCERN CHRIST<br />
Those who had sought only the satis<br />
faction of appetite did not discern<br />
Christ. Most of the sixth chapter of John<br />
is devoted to this theme. In the 53rd<br />
verse he says, "Verily, verily, (Amen,<br />
amen) except ye eat the flesh of the<br />
Son of Man and drink his blood ye have<br />
no life in<br />
you."<br />
These words were spoken<br />
long before the Lord's Supper had been<br />
instituted by Jesus, but He is here set<br />
ting forth the spiritual experience of the<br />
sacrament. The feeding of the multitude<br />
was more than feeding the hungry. It<br />
was in truth a sacrament. No doubt<br />
there were some, who while eating the<br />
loaves and fishes, realized that they<br />
were in truth feeding upon Christ in a<br />
spiritual way. It was an experience<br />
somewhat similar to communion. Prob<br />
ably there were only<br />
a few who were<br />
able to comprehend this deeper meaning<br />
of the miracle!<br />
Paul warns that we should discern<br />
the Lord's body<br />
and blood when we<br />
come to the Lord's table. The failure to<br />
do so is to eat and drink judgment to<br />
one's self. Too often men have sought<br />
the blessing of the Lord's Supper in its<br />
outward observance instead of its in<br />
ward significance. For example, we<br />
might consider the communion break<br />
fasts of the Catholic Liquor Dealers of<br />
New York, which are conducted by high<br />
officials in the church. In so far as we<br />
are able to judge, it would seem that<br />
those who have but little regard for the<br />
souls and bodies of men would not in<br />
a proper way be able to discern the body<br />
of the Lord.<br />
THE FALLING AWAY OF THOSE<br />
WITH WRONG MOTIVES<br />
Those who seek only the loaves and<br />
fishes, and who fail to discern Christ,<br />
will sooner or later fall by the wayside.<br />
In John 6:66 we read, "From that time<br />
many<br />
of his disciples went back and<br />
walked no more with him." Those who<br />
follow Christ and join the church for<br />
mercenary motives will almost inevit<br />
ably fall away. They<br />
are like the seed<br />
which falls in sandy ground and springs<br />
up quickly, but soon dies for lack of<br />
nourishment.<br />
For Discussion<br />
1. Give examples of people who have<br />
wrong motives in religion.<br />
2. Can one who is not born again dis<br />
cern Christ<br />
3. Discuss the motives of Saul in I<br />
Sam. 15:10-23.<br />
For Prayer<br />
1. For the congregations of our church<br />
that are without pastors.<br />
2. For our Sabbath Schools.<br />
3. For our Home Missions.<br />
220 THE COVENANTER WITNESS
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer, Editor,<br />
Prayer Hour, 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
Church News<br />
W. M. S. COLUMN<br />
A THOUGHT FOR YOU<br />
Do you remember always that other<br />
beautitude: "BLESSED ARE THE<br />
PLEASANT TO LIVE WITH" If we<br />
remember, live, and enjoy, this princi<br />
ple, what great things can be wrought!<br />
Anon.<br />
In 1920 a woman who had known<br />
bitter days but whose heart was turned<br />
to prayer penned the poem "The Touch<br />
of the Master's Hand." In long-hand she<br />
sent it to a small religious publication in<br />
Elgin, Illinois. For fifteen years these<br />
lines cheered hearts around the world.<br />
This poem was among those "Best<br />
Loved Poems of the American People"<br />
with notation (author unknown).<br />
Once this author's son heard this poem<br />
given at a Y.M.C.A. convention in Ha<br />
waii. He was thrilled with the familiar<br />
lines but surprised by the words "author<br />
UNKNOWN<br />
unknown."<br />
to the world<br />
but not to him. In his mind's eye he<br />
could see his mother, he could hear her<br />
voice. Yes, he knew HER.<br />
Someone took the task of tracing the<br />
author<br />
Mrs. Myra Brooks Welch. She<br />
has published several books of poems in<br />
the past forty years of semi-invalidism.<br />
By her service to suffering humanity,<br />
she has lightened the loads of those who<br />
have beaten a path to her door.<br />
"Dear friend: Rise up from the ashes<br />
of your suffering.<br />
Certainly God has<br />
given you talents which He expects you<br />
to use. When you reach your limits GOD<br />
WILL NOT FAIL YOU then." Unknown<br />
MBS. ROBERT MARTIN<br />
The Clarinda congregation has again<br />
been called upon to give up<br />
one of its<br />
older members in the person of Mrs.<br />
Robert Martin who was called to her<br />
heavenly home on March 10. For several<br />
years she has been in failing health but<br />
was able to be about the home until a<br />
day or two before her death.<br />
Mrs. Martin leaves to mourn her death<br />
her husband, to whom she had been<br />
married fifty-seven years; her son, Har<br />
old and his wife Jean; and one brother<br />
John Young of Denison, Kansas.<br />
A life long member of the <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
church, Mrs. Martin loved the House of<br />
God and was active in church work un<br />
til failing health prevented. "Blessed are<br />
the dead who die in the Lord."<br />
April 6, 1955<br />
IN APPRECIATION<br />
As we take up the work in Kansas<br />
Cily we cannot fail to pay tribute to the<br />
more than thirty years of service ren<br />
dered by Dr. and Mrs. Paul Coleman.<br />
Nor can we f<strong>org</strong>et the work of Dr. J.<br />
M. Wylie, Dr. E. G. Russell, and others<br />
who preceded them. We find ourselves<br />
taking over a work that has been built<br />
upon strong foundations.<br />
The Kansas City<br />
congregation has<br />
been hospitable and cooperative in every<br />
way. In the reception they extended a<br />
truly royal welcome; and the program<br />
and evening of fellowship<br />
were the re<br />
sult of much planning and hard work.<br />
This seems the time and the place<br />
to tell about the wonderful new manse,<br />
which was purchased after a great deal<br />
of house-hunting on<br />
the part of the<br />
Board of Deacons and the Manse Com<br />
mittee. It is a six-room ranch-type<br />
house, practically brand new. It has full<br />
basement, automatic heat, two fire<br />
places, wall-to-wall carpeting, attached<br />
double garage, drapes and curtains<br />
throughout, large ceiling fan, and<br />
screened porch. The kitchen has a gar<br />
bage disposal sink; and the congregation<br />
provided a fine new electric range and<br />
refrigerator.<br />
After we moved in, the people have<br />
continued to show many kindnesses. In<br />
the work of the congregation, they have<br />
shown very clearly that they have a<br />
mind to work.<br />
Therefore we want to take this oppor<br />
tunity to express our heart-felt thanks<br />
to the Kansas City congregation.<br />
POSTHUMOUS<br />
G. M. and Ruth R. Robb.<br />
DEGREE AWARDED<br />
TO KANSAN<br />
MANHATTAN The late Ralph Boyd<br />
Cathcart of the animal husbandry de<br />
partment staff at Kansas State College<br />
was awarded a posthumous Ph.D. degree<br />
in animal husbandry at the University of<br />
Minnesota's March 17 commencement<br />
exercises, it was learned here.<br />
Mr. Cathcart had completed all work<br />
for the Ph.D. degree, except an oral ex<br />
amination over his thesis, before his<br />
death here January 30. He had a bache<br />
lor's degree in animal husbandry from<br />
K-State in 1933 and a master's from<br />
Nebraska University in 1934.<br />
SOUTHFIELD CONGREGATION<br />
Bible Mastery Month was observed by<br />
a study in Ephesians each Sabbath<br />
morning.<br />
Work on the new church basement is<br />
going forward. We are now back wor<br />
shiping in the church. However con<br />
struction work is still going<br />
on and<br />
the basement will not be ready for some<br />
weeks yet. It promises to add much<br />
to the usefulness of our church.<br />
We are glad to report that many of<br />
our sick people are making improve<br />
ment. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Henning and Mrs. Buford<br />
Abbott have both been out at services<br />
again after several weeks illness. We<br />
hope soon to be able to say that others<br />
like Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Malcolm Mc<br />
Donald are out again.<br />
Several have made trips this winter.<br />
Mrs. Claire Jameson to Iowa for Mary<br />
Dixon Patterson's funeral, Miss Edna<br />
Elsey to Glenwood to visit her brother,<br />
Mrs. Tom Halliday to Denver for the<br />
funeral of her father, and Mrs.<br />
Ted<br />
Clark to Winchester to visit her parents.<br />
The Douglas Frasiers are in California.<br />
Those going to Florida have been Halsey<br />
Lucas, Joe McGaw and the Emer<br />
son Beardslees.<br />
Mrs. Elizabeth McDonald celebrated<br />
her 100th birthday on February 14. Her<br />
family held an open-house in her honor<br />
on Saturday and Monday. Many friends<br />
221
nant"<br />
either called or sent their greetings;<br />
among the cards received was one from<br />
President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Rath<br />
er than giving personal gifts the family<br />
requested that money be given in her<br />
honor to a fund to be given to our<br />
church. Quite a sizeable sum was given<br />
to be used to buy<br />
equipment for the<br />
new basement. This is a splendid way<br />
to remember a birthday for one who<br />
lived such a long Christian life.<br />
The Women's Missionary Society<br />
made Mrs. Elizabeth McDonald a life<br />
member of<br />
the Woman's Association<br />
at their January meeting.<br />
Ralph McFarland met with a very<br />
serious auto accident in February. He<br />
is still in the hospital and just recent<br />
ly underwent surgery on his badly in<br />
jured left knee. Other broken bones and<br />
injuries seem to be healing satisfactor<br />
ily.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
Teachers! The Oregon Education As<br />
sociation reports openings in all public<br />
school levels, particularly to those avail<br />
able for interview. Write immediately to<br />
Oregon Education Association, 1530 S.<br />
W. Taylor, Portland 5, Oregon; Portland<br />
Public Schools, 631 N. E. Clackamas,<br />
Portland 12, Oregon; or James D. Car<br />
son, 5758 N. Moore Ave., Portland 11,<br />
Oregon. In addition to these teaching op<br />
portunities, we would welcome you to<br />
our work in the congregation.<br />
ATTENTION NEW YOBK<br />
PRESBYTERIAL!<br />
The New York Presbyterial will<br />
meet in the Cambridge Church, Cam<br />
bridge, Mass., on May 3 and 4. A fine<br />
program has been planned with the Rev.<br />
Claude Brown as the speaker on Tues<br />
day evening, and the Rev. Samuel Boyle<br />
as the speaker on Wednesday evening.<br />
Plan now to attend!<br />
TOPEKA<br />
On February 20, Dr. A. J. McFarland<br />
supplied our pulpit. Mrs. Lloyd McElroy<br />
conducted the prayer meeting services<br />
on February 27. Dr. H. G. Patterson<br />
and 20<br />
ably filled our pulpit March 6, 13,<br />
and Dr. A. J. McFarland on March 27.<br />
Mr. Walter Johnston is making good<br />
recovery from a throat operation, also<br />
their daughter Nancy Jo Johntson is be<br />
ginning to show improvement after be<br />
ing confined at home all winter with<br />
respiratory trouble.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Davies and daugh<br />
ter Ruth and son Harold have moved<br />
from our midst to a farm near Win<br />
chester. We wish them well in their new<br />
location.<br />
At the March meeting of the W.M.S.,<br />
election of officers was held with the<br />
222<br />
following elected for the coming year:<br />
President, Mrs. Wilmer Piper; Vice<br />
President, Mrs. Robert Maine; Secre<br />
tary, Mrs. Alden Hall; Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
Vincent Rocereto. We want to publicly<br />
acknowledge the efficiency and faithful<br />
ness of Miss Emma McFarland who has<br />
held the office of Treasurer for many<br />
years in our society.<br />
ALMONTE, CANADA<br />
Mr. Alexander Waddell, a member of<br />
the Almonte Congregation, was called to<br />
his Eternal Home on February 16. He<br />
had been at church on the Sabbath day<br />
and was a regular attendant even<br />
though he was in his eighty-eighth year.<br />
Rev. F. F. Reade officiated at the funer<br />
al services. Surviving Mr. Waddell are<br />
two sisters, Mrs. James Morton of Al<br />
monte, and a brother Robert of Delbourne,<br />
Alberta.<br />
The Young People held their quarterly<br />
business meeting on February 11. Plans<br />
for a Psalm Festival were discussed<br />
among other matters. After the meeting<br />
Rose Ellen Burns led the group in a<br />
number of lively<br />
esting quiz,<br />
day.<br />
games and an inter<br />
appropriate for Valentine<br />
On February 24, Mrs. Laura Morton<br />
was the hostess to the W.M.S.<br />
WALTON, NEW YORK<br />
John Russell was home for a few days<br />
during the mid-semester holidays. He<br />
gave an interesting talk at the evening<br />
service concerning "Religious Life on<br />
the Geneva Campus."<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rowley and Mr.<br />
Rowley's mother were present at one of<br />
our church services recently. They called<br />
on friends in Walton while here.<br />
Rev. Hill is conducting a very inter<br />
esting catechism class on Tuesday after<br />
noon of each week. His class is composed<br />
of those of Junior and Senior High<br />
School age.<br />
Miss Carol Jane McNaughton, daugh<br />
ter of Mrs. Esther McNaughton, became<br />
the bride of Mr. James Barton in the<br />
Esperance Methodist Church on Febru<br />
ary 22.<br />
Since graduating from Albany Busi<br />
ness College the bride has been em<br />
ployed as a stenographer in Albany. Mr.<br />
Barton is self-employed. Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Barton are enjoying a trip to Florida.<br />
They will make their home in Esperance.<br />
Dr. Walter Eells is able to worship<br />
with us again after having spent some<br />
time in Binghamton Hospital where he<br />
underwent surgery. He has resumed his<br />
medical practice. Several of our older<br />
members have been ill recently. Miss<br />
Elizabeth Arbuckle, Mr. Timothy San<br />
derson and Mr. David Alexander are at<br />
present in a weakened condition. We<br />
hope for their speedy recovery.<br />
OLATHE<br />
Olathe had her "Covenant<br />
Signing"<br />
Service the Sabbath after the "Week<br />
of Prayer." The two addresses to the<br />
congregation were given by Dr. Frank<br />
Stewart, using the topics, "The Spirit<br />
in which we should Covenant,"<br />
and<br />
"Covenant<br />
Keeping,"<br />
with prayer and<br />
the reading and the swearing<br />
of the<br />
Covenant between them. It was a very<br />
impressive service.<br />
We were very happy to have our three<br />
oldest members, who were unable to be<br />
present at the service,<br />
also sign the<br />
Covenant. Mrs. Ella McGee, who is 95<br />
years old said, "I want to sign the Cove<br />
nant. I also signed the other Cove<br />
referring to the Covenant of<br />
1871. Mrs. Ida Moore, before signing<br />
the Covenant said, "I have always been<br />
a <strong>Covenanter</strong> and I do not expect to be<br />
anything else but a <strong>Covenanter</strong>." Mrs.<br />
Anna Wilson said, "I would have liked<br />
to have been out to sign the Covenant<br />
but was not Then able."<br />
she said, "I am<br />
glad to sign it," as she affixed her name<br />
to the Covenant. May the blessing<br />
of our<br />
Covenant-God lead us onward in greater<br />
service and usefulness in Christ's great<br />
program.<br />
Mrs. Maggie Rogers entertained the<br />
W.M.S. in her home for the February<br />
meeting. A delicious luncheon was serv<br />
ed at noon. We were glad to have Mrs.<br />
Mary Rockwell as our guest. Mrs. Frank<br />
Stewart led the devotional period and<br />
Mrs. Frank Redpath gave the Mission<br />
Study.<br />
The February meeting of the Y.W.<br />
M.S. was held at the home of Mrs. Ruth<br />
Wallace. Mrs. Patty May reviewed a<br />
chapter from the Mission Study book<br />
and Mrs. Frank Stewart led the devo<br />
tional period. Tasty refreshments were<br />
served by the hostess.<br />
The "World Day of Prayer" was ob<br />
served, Friday, February 25, with a<br />
special Prayer Meeting at the church.<br />
The meeting was well attended and our<br />
faith in prayer was greatly strengthen<br />
ed.<br />
Rev. Samuel E. Boyle was the assis<br />
tant at our Spring Communion in<br />
Olathe, March 6.<br />
It was a privilege<br />
a joy and a delight to have him in our<br />
midst. His messages were stirring and<br />
heart-felt. We also greatly enjoyed his<br />
pictures on Japan and his Christian<br />
cartooning. We were happy to have<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Vos, Catherine Vos, and W.<br />
Frank Redpath with us at our Com<br />
munion Season. A fine group from our<br />
Kansas City Congregation joined with<br />
us in the closing service of our Com<br />
munion Season to hear Rev.<br />
Boyle.<br />
Samuel<br />
The March meeting of the Y.W.M.S.<br />
was held in the home of Mrs. Patty<br />
May. Mrs. Ruth Wallace led the Devo-<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
saints."<br />
report."<br />
tionals and Mrs. Maude Randall re<br />
viewed a chapter from the Mission<br />
Study book. The following officers were<br />
elected for the coming year: President,<br />
Mrs. Dorothy Brown; Vice-President,<br />
Mrs. Patty May; Secretary, Mrs. Mary<br />
J. Cochran; Treasurer, Mrs. Carrietta<br />
Brown. Party refreshments were serv<br />
ed by the hostess and a time of Chris<br />
tian fellowship was enjoyed by all.<br />
We greatly miss the Ge<strong>org</strong>e Brooks<br />
family in our midst. While living in<br />
Lawrence, Ks. they were frequent visi<br />
tors at our services, when they came to<br />
visit in the home Mr. and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Milligan. They are now living in Boul<br />
der, Colorado, where Mr. Brooks has<br />
taken up his new work as District Ex<br />
ecutive of the Boy Scouts of America.<br />
We know that Mr. and Mrs. Brooks,<br />
Bryan, Janet, Roger and Marjorie will<br />
enjoy their new home in Colorado.<br />
The Blue Banner Society had a social<br />
and business meeting<br />
in March and had a most<br />
at the church<br />
enjoyable<br />
time. The Blue Banner Group decided<br />
to "tile" the basement room of the<br />
church in the<br />
near future.<br />
"Eats"<br />
brought to a close a very pleasant<br />
evening.<br />
The March meeting of the W.M.S.<br />
was held at the church with Mrs. Mary<br />
Everett as hostess. A lovely luncheon<br />
was served. In the meeting which fol<br />
lowed, Mrs. Harvey McGee led the De<br />
votional period and Miss Belle McGee<br />
gave the Mission Study. The following<br />
officers were elected for the coming<br />
year: President, Mrs. Harvey McGee;<br />
Vice-President, Mrs. Frank Stewart;<br />
Secretary, Mrs. Maggie Rogers; Treas<br />
urer, Mrs. Mary Everett.<br />
A Congregational Valentine Party<br />
was given on Friday night, February<br />
11, at the church, honoring Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Delmer Reynolds, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
James Arnold, Baby Joseph Patrick Egner<br />
and Baby<br />
Marcia Ann Brown. Af<br />
ter playing a number of interesting and<br />
appropriate games under the leader<br />
ship of Mrs. James Redpath. Dr. Stew<br />
art presented to each of the married<br />
couples a gift of sheets and pillow cases<br />
from the congregation and Mrs. Stewart<br />
presented to each of the babies a bank<br />
containing "kale" because babies don't<br />
like spinach. It was a very happy oc<br />
casion.<br />
(Oversize)<br />
Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e O. Klingensmith<br />
The Hilltop Missionary Circle of First<br />
Beaver Falls desires to pay tribute to<br />
the Christian testimony of Louise Kling<br />
ensmith who entered her heavenly home<br />
on February 4, 1955 at the age of thirtynine.<br />
After an association of a year or<br />
more, Mrs. Klingensmith joined our con<br />
gregation upon confession of her faith<br />
April 6, 1955<br />
in Christ on April 20, 1951. During these<br />
years since, her "growth in grace and in<br />
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour<br />
Jesus Christ" has been a witness for<br />
Christ to all who knew her.<br />
Although she was not in the best of<br />
health, Mrs. Klingensmith was active in<br />
all the work of the church. She served<br />
for one year as secretary of our mis<br />
sionary circle, was a counselor of girls<br />
at Camp Stambaugh for two summers,<br />
and a faithful teacher of the young peo<br />
ple's Sabbath School class. Her home<br />
was always open to the young people,<br />
and they felt free to discuss their prob<br />
lems with her. She ever pointed them<br />
to Christ.<br />
She is sadly missed by her friends and<br />
her husband, Ge<strong>org</strong>e, and daughters,<br />
Gloria and Linda.<br />
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is<br />
the death of His<br />
STERLING<br />
The Women's Missionary Society of<br />
the Sterling Congregation wish to pay<br />
tribute to the memory of Mrs. Flora<br />
Cunningham, who passed away on De<br />
cember 28, 19<strong>54</strong> at Bellville, Kansas.<br />
She had been making her home with her<br />
daughter, Mrs. Wayne Milligan of Bell<br />
ville. She was a very helpful member<br />
of the Missionary Society as long as<br />
her health permitted. She was especially<br />
helpful in<br />
the devotional and prayer<br />
life of the Society. She was sacrificial<br />
in her devotion to her Lord and to her<br />
family. We<br />
commend her loved ones<br />
to the One who said "Blessed are the<br />
dead which die in the Lord from hence<br />
forth: Yea saith the Spirit, that they<br />
may rest from their labors, and their<br />
works do follow them." Rev. 14:13.<br />
Mrs. D. B. Martin,<br />
Mrs. R. J. Dill<br />
MISSIONARY AVIATION<br />
FELLOWSHIP<br />
By Robert L. Constable, Vice-President<br />
Moody Bible Institute<br />
Dear Friend:<br />
Imagine the excitement around the<br />
mission station when the missionary's<br />
son, Bobby, who was helping his father,<br />
was severely cut by a power saw. Hos<br />
pitalization was needed at once, but by<br />
trail and canoe through the Ecuadorian<br />
jungle it was seven days away.<br />
Missionary<br />
plane and radio service<br />
was available at their station and the<br />
plane base was contacted at once. The<br />
pilot's wife took the message and re<br />
layed it to her husband on his next ten<br />
minute "position<br />
Since he was<br />
on his way home from another station<br />
he changed his course. Within a few<br />
minutes he had the little boy aboard,<br />
and in less than two hours from the<br />
time of the accident, Bobby was in the<br />
hospital.<br />
From a report of the Missionary Avia<br />
tion Fellowship we have this word:<br />
"Ge<strong>org</strong>e and I started our work here<br />
twenty-three years ago. In those days<br />
we had to ride four days on mule-back<br />
down the steep eastern slopes of the<br />
Andes Mountains to the jungle's edge.<br />
But it was still another four or five<br />
days on foot to our jungle station.<br />
"The trails in the jungle are always<br />
muddy. Many times we waded through<br />
mud up to our knees. Often we'd have<br />
to dismount and make our way along a<br />
narrow ledge. Looking down sheer cliffs<br />
at swirling water below surely did<br />
things to my heartbeat.<br />
"Fording those swift rivers was terri<br />
fying too. Sometimes there would be a<br />
bridge across a river. But what bridges!<br />
The wood was rotten and they had no<br />
guard rails. Most of them were only four<br />
feet wide! The recommended procedure<br />
was to send the pack animals across<br />
first. If they made it, then we would<br />
dismount and cross on<br />
foot.<br />
"Needless to say, we're glad we don't<br />
have to travel like that any more.<br />
"We've spent over<br />
twenty years learn<br />
ing a very difficult language and try<br />
ing to win the confidence of these raw,<br />
heathen Jivaros. Finally after all these<br />
we have just<br />
years of prayer and work,<br />
recently baptized our first converts. The<br />
harvest is just beginning and there are<br />
signs of ripening fruit all around.<br />
"Now, we're not what you'd call<br />
physical wrecks, but we're not as strong<br />
as we were twenty-three years ago,<br />
either. There was a question whether we<br />
could stand the rigors of the trail for<br />
another term. We need a younger couple<br />
to take over. At the same time, we<br />
know the struggle a new couple will<br />
have with the language, and in win<br />
ning the Jivaros' confidence. We want<br />
to be here to help them.<br />
"The inauguration of the airstrip will<br />
make this possible. Because a little<br />
yellow airplane provides a lifeline for<br />
us here in the Ecuardorian jungle, we<br />
will have our missionary service leng<br />
thened."<br />
These stories have been repeated<br />
many times over, with variations, on<br />
mission fields all over the world as<br />
missionary aviation and radio have come<br />
into their own. Scores of lives, as well<br />
as thousands of work hours, have been<br />
saved by these modern inventions. In<br />
many cases the effectiveness of just<br />
one missionary has been multiplied<br />
manyfold by their use.<br />
A WRITING INSTITUTE<br />
A special writing workshop for mis<br />
sionaries is being offered at Moody Bible<br />
Institute summer school this year.<br />
From July 11 to 29 missionaries home<br />
on furlough or missionary candidates<br />
223
years."<br />
pheme,"<br />
sins,"<br />
can make an intensive and practical<br />
study of writing, publishing and market<br />
ing.<br />
Every missionary<br />
who has had to do<br />
no more than write a prayer letter is<br />
aware of the growing importance of<br />
writing in mission work. Writing<br />
studied at Moody<br />
will be<br />
summer school from<br />
the angle of newspapers and the news<br />
story, feature articles, religious maga<br />
zines, tracts, rewriting, editing, and<br />
writing for new literates.<br />
Students will have plenty of oppor<br />
tunity to demonstrate the saying that<br />
the only way to learn writing is to write<br />
written assignments will be a vital<br />
part of the course.<br />
Publishing studies will include : se<br />
lection of material, writing<br />
nationals, editing and proof reading, lay<br />
program for<br />
out, printing, financing, copyrights.<br />
Studies of marketing will include :<br />
distribution, sales, tract and book clubs,<br />
bookstores, catalogs, bookmobiles, col<br />
porteurs, local libraries, growing market<br />
through literacy, promotion and adver<br />
tising.<br />
Students will be able to observe the<br />
various techniques in<br />
action as they<br />
make field trips to Chicago newspapers,<br />
magazines, print plants and others.<br />
This missionary<br />
"literature" course<br />
will be taught by members of the Moody<br />
Bible Institute faculty and by experts in<br />
the various branches of the field.<br />
Tuition is free.<br />
OPEN LETTER<br />
"LEST WE FORGET," NOTE:<br />
1. That the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church of<br />
Scotland, in its 1866 Testimony reprint,<br />
Ch. 12, p. 229 on Worship states: "We<br />
testify against the celebration of Christ<br />
mas, or other festivals of the Papal or<br />
church."<br />
Episcopal<br />
2. That "Blue Banner Faith and Life,"<br />
Ian.-Mar. 1953, pps. 8-11, condemns ob<br />
servance of Christmas, Easter, and all<br />
other holy days so-called, except God's<br />
own holy day, the Christian Sabbath.<br />
3. That Gal. 4:10 seems to forbid such<br />
man appointed days, but not from keep<br />
ing holy the Sabbath Day. "Ye observe<br />
days, and months, and times, and<br />
Mk. 2:27, 28; Rev. 1:10; Ex. 20:8; and<br />
others.<br />
4. That the word "Christmas" is made<br />
and<br />
"mass."<br />
"Christ"<br />
up of two parts<br />
IVhy the 's' was dropped, the writer does<br />
not know.<br />
5. That so-called holy days are largely<br />
commercialized for monetary gain.<br />
6. That the more the observance of<br />
special days are multiplied, the less em<br />
phasis there is on strict Sabbath keep<br />
ing. I have a Christian friend who at<br />
tended a Bible class which he said was<br />
over 2,000, so large that it had to meet<br />
in a theatre. But it had over 30 special<br />
days a year in honor of Lincoln, of<br />
Washington, Easter, etc., until finally<br />
the class dwindled down to several hun<br />
dred.<br />
7. That more drunkenness, excepting<br />
possibly New Year's Day, more liquor<br />
advertising, more lies, more loss to legit<br />
imate and necessary business ("10% to<br />
25% amounting to several billions in<br />
America alone"), and more crimes are<br />
occasioned by the celebration of Christ<br />
mas, than that of any other day in the<br />
year. David's sin gave "great occasion<br />
to the enemies of the Lord to blas<br />
2 Sam. 12 :14.<br />
8. That it is the duty of Christians and<br />
the Church to witness against the sins of<br />
the Lord's people and others and of the<br />
generation in which they live, regardless<br />
of the risk of being called "pessimists."<br />
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice<br />
like a trumpet, and show my people<br />
their transgression, and the house of<br />
Jacob their<br />
Isa. 58:1.<br />
R. G. Graham<br />
Dr. C. E. Caskey informs me<br />
that<br />
the item in the <strong>Witness</strong> of February 13<br />
regarding his preaching at Oakdale is<br />
misinformation. Although the news<br />
came to us officially there seems to<br />
have been a mix up in regard to initials,<br />
last names, or possibly a case of mistak<br />
en identity. We do not believe that it<br />
was an effort at impersonation or it<br />
would have been detected by the people<br />
present. We are told truth must even<br />
tually<br />
veiling<br />
prevail and we await the un<br />
of that truth.<br />
The Editor.<br />
All those who gave a special address<br />
at the Grinnell Conference of last year<br />
will please note that the addresses of<br />
that Convention have about all been<br />
printed and the rest will be soon. These<br />
have appeared in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Wit<br />
ness and are to be put into book form.<br />
If you<br />
have changes that you wish<br />
made or if there are typographical er<br />
rors,<br />
would each writer look over your<br />
own as it appeared in the <strong>Witness</strong> and<br />
send in corrections to the Editor.<br />
The Christian Digest sent us notice<br />
that they will need 40,000 new subscrib<br />
ers if -they are to continue publication<br />
and in order to get those 40,000 sub<br />
scribers they are offering to send to new<br />
subscribers the magazine at one-half its<br />
regular price or $1.50 to you if you are<br />
new. This magazine is the same size in<br />
pages, but not in number of pages, as<br />
the Readers' Digest and contains quite a<br />
good deal of good material and is a<br />
monthly. I think if you will mention our<br />
name and send your subscription direct<br />
to Christian Digest Publishing Company,<br />
1420 Robinson Road, Lake Drive, Grand<br />
Rapids 6, Michigan, the subscription will<br />
be honored or if you prefer to send<br />
through us we will be glad to forward<br />
the subscription. We try to help this<br />
worthy magazine which received a spe<br />
cial award in the Evangelical Press As<br />
sociation Contest in 19<strong>54</strong>. The publishers<br />
are Zondervan & Co.<br />
LETTERS TO CONGBESS ABE<br />
VITAL<br />
Plans are under way for one or more<br />
representatives of the Christian Amend<br />
ment Movement to visit members of<br />
Congress relative to introducing the<br />
Christian Amendment bill in the 84th<br />
Congress. This task will be very much<br />
easier if friends of the Christian Amend<br />
ment will cooperate now in a letterwriting<br />
project.<br />
We earnestly urge you to write letters<br />
to the following: your two Senators and<br />
the Representative from your congres<br />
sional district. They can<br />
be reached<br />
at the Senate Office Building or the<br />
House Office Building, Washington, D.C.<br />
Write briefly, telling these men that<br />
you are interested in the proposed Chris<br />
tian Amendment to our national Consti<br />
tution and asking that they support it<br />
by introducing the bill if they are asked<br />
to do so and by working in its behalf in<br />
Committee or on the floor of Congress.<br />
If you receive favorable replies to<br />
your letters,<br />
to the office of the Christian Amend<br />
will you please send them<br />
ment Movement. They will be of great<br />
value to those who go to Washington<br />
in the interest of the bill.<br />
It is vital that thousands of letters<br />
be sent to members of Congress in the<br />
next two or three weeks, and it is our<br />
hope that all readers of "The Cove<br />
nanter <strong>Witness</strong>" will respond whole<br />
heartedly to this request.<br />
NEW YORK CITY<br />
Kenneth Sanderson, missionary from<br />
Latakia, Syria, now home on furlough,<br />
was the guest speaker Sabbath, March<br />
20, 1955 for the self-denial service spon<br />
sored by the Women's Synodical. Mr.<br />
Sanderson also spoke at the closing ex<br />
ercises of the Sabbath School.<br />
We welcome back Mr. and Mrs. Cum<br />
mings, former members. For some years<br />
they have lived in Chicago and attended<br />
the congregation there. Their address is<br />
1151 Clay Avenue, New York City.<br />
224<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
strength"<br />
power."<br />
will"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 1, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD, TB SQ (S THE WORD<br />
OP GOD<br />
VOLUME LTV WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1955 NUMBER 15<br />
Unlimited Power Available<br />
Most of us, in looking back over our Christian<br />
lives, realize that our greatest spiritual need is for<br />
more spiritual power. Christian people seem to be<br />
hungry for the kind of power that was so evident in<br />
days gone by. Indeed, some are wondering if they<br />
are serving the same God that Torrey, Moody, and<br />
Spurgeon served. Therefore, the startling question<br />
appropriate to this<br />
of Isaiah 40 :28 seems especially<br />
spiritually starved age, for it launches a marvelous<br />
four-point outline for spiritual power.<br />
The first fact which Isaiah brings to our re<br />
membrance is that the God we serve is an inexhaust<br />
ible supply of spiritual power. He fainteth not;<br />
neither is He weary. Consequently any power must<br />
come from Him.<br />
ultimately<br />
Our source of spiritual power is indeed the<br />
omnipotent Creator of Genesis 1. Certainly then no<br />
thinking individual would deny the availability of<br />
power for this present era.<br />
The only question that might arise would be<br />
the willingness of God to allow us to draw from His<br />
great resource of power. This question is promptly<br />
answered by the promise, "He giveth power to the<br />
faint ; and to them that have no might he increaseth<br />
(Isa. 40:29). Notice the promise is not<br />
to the strong or to those who esteem themselves<br />
strong, but it is to the faint. One who is faint pic<br />
tures an individual who has all but spent his own<br />
strength in activity and will surely go under unless<br />
revived and renewed by a source outside of himself.<br />
What a picture of the present-day Christian strug<br />
and the devil in<br />
gling against the world, the flesh,<br />
his own power! It is no wonder he is faint and all<br />
but defeated, but praise God, reinforcements are<br />
available and promised.<br />
By Curtis Mitchell<br />
Pastor, First Brethren Church Bellflower, Calif.<br />
The Brethren Missionary Herald (Used by permission.)<br />
One need not be ashamed to call for aid in this<br />
spiritual battle, for the writer goes on to tell us:<br />
"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the<br />
young men shall utterly fall." Yes ; even at the epit<br />
ome of development, human strength is not ade<br />
quate to cope with the adversaries which a Chris<br />
tian in God's service is called upon to face. If, then,<br />
the best in human strength utterly fails in battle<br />
without God-given power, how much more readily<br />
we, if not continually renewed and reinforced from<br />
on high.<br />
We clearly see now that the source is adequate,<br />
the promise sure, and the need urgent. What now<br />
remains for us to know is the condition for receiving<br />
the much-needed power. We find the condition at the<br />
beginning of the next verse. The promise is made to<br />
those who "wait upon the Lord." The term,<br />
"wait upon the Lord," seems to depict a persistent<br />
holding on to God for the promise rather than glib<br />
request for it. It is interesting to note that the<br />
same was true on the Day of Pentecost. The instruc<br />
tion then, as now, was to wait for the promised<br />
power. One might question the wisdom of God in<br />
requiring this condition of waiting, but it would<br />
seem to reveal that God is desirous that we should<br />
have an intense desire for spiritual power. The<br />
fact that one is willing to wait for something will<br />
usually reveal an earnest desire for it. Correspond<br />
ingly, many are willing to ask for power, but only<br />
those really desirous of real spiritual power are wil<br />
ling to wait upon the Lord for it, and to those earnest<br />
few the promise is ever sure. Yea ; "they shall mount<br />
up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be<br />
weary; they shall walk, and not faint" (Isa. 40:31).<br />
With this God-given power we can do what no hu<br />
man strength could ever do.<br />
Let us each say with the earnestness of the<br />
Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, "Lord, give me<br />
this It is available in unlimited supply; it<br />
is promised beyond question, the only stipulation be<br />
ing: Do we want it bad enough to wait upon the<br />
Lord for it
unity."<br />
supe<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
The Dead Sea Scrolls<br />
Four of the seven "Dead Sea Scrolls," said to be the<br />
oldest known Bible manuscripts, have been purchased by<br />
Israel for a sum announced to be $250,000. from the Syrian<br />
Orthodox Monastery of St. Mark, Jerusalem. Of these four<br />
manuscripts, one is the Book of Isaiah, another a commen<br />
tary on the Book of Habbakuk, and the other two are nonbiblical.<br />
Would Limit Liquor Advertising<br />
The Senate of South Dakota passed a resolution asking<br />
Congress to outlaw liquor advertising in interstate com<br />
merce. Specific mention is made of radio, television, and pub<br />
lications having<br />
a national circulation.<br />
Missions in Formosa<br />
Some missionaries in Formosa report that their work<br />
is going on as usual regardless of the disturbances in the outer<br />
islands. They affirm that opportunities were never better<br />
for mission work on Formosa than at the present time.<br />
Arab Evangelical Conference<br />
The first Evangelical Conference of the Arab World will<br />
be held in Beirut, Lebanon, April 28-30. The language used<br />
will be Arabic. The theme of the Conference will be "Christ<br />
calls the churches of the Near East to mission and<br />
Those who have spoken of the Conference say that it will<br />
be "a historic expression of the progress of the indigenous<br />
Christian Churches in the Near East."<br />
A New Type of S. S. Cards<br />
The American Tract Society is distributing<br />
4 cards which are designed to interest children in the Sab<br />
a series of<br />
bath School and serve as rewards for attendance. They<br />
present photos of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and Roy's<br />
horse Trigger on one side with religious messages on the<br />
other side.<br />
The Right of Dissent<br />
When Judge Learned Hand, retired chief judge of the<br />
United States Court of Appeals, celebrated his eighty-third<br />
birthday, he said that in these times of enforcement of con<br />
formity to some people's idea of "Americanism," it is well<br />
to be reminded of the right of dissent. He said in part : "All<br />
discussion, all debate, all dissidence tends to question, and in<br />
consequence to upset existing convictions : that is precisely<br />
its purpose and its justification. He is, indeed, a 'subversive'<br />
who disputes those precepts that I most treasure and seeks<br />
to persuade me to substitute his<br />
own."<br />
He further stated<br />
that a free society and free religion go hand in hand.<br />
Successor to Buchmanism<br />
The Moral Rearmament Movement is the successor to<br />
Buchmanism. Some leaders of the Church of England re<br />
gret its existence and say it is "Psychologically dangerous,<br />
gravely defective in its social thinking, and possibly a<br />
Christian heresy." Owes All to Bible Reading<br />
Mr. Renzo Sawada, quoted in the Bible Society Record,<br />
says: "I want to say that the fact I am here as the repre<br />
sentative of Japan to the United Nations is all on account<br />
of Bible-reading." He has had a distinguished career in the<br />
226<br />
diplomatic service of his country as Japanese Consul in New<br />
York, London and Paris, and later as his country's representa<br />
tive to the United Nations. Mr. Sawada and his wife, because<br />
of their Christian convictions have transformed their spacious<br />
residence in the suburbs of Tokyo into a home for 140 aban<br />
doned Eurasian babies. When R. Sawada was 13 years old<br />
his father sent him to an American missionary to learn to<br />
read English. The missionary began to teach him English<br />
from the Gospel by Matthew and from reading the Bible he<br />
became a Christian.<br />
Civilization's Crucial Hour<br />
The Premier of Alberta, the Hon. Ernest C. Manning,<br />
has written an article on the above subject which has been<br />
published by the American Tract Society. It begins as fol<br />
lows :<br />
"We have reached an hour in the history<br />
of civiliza<br />
tion which I believe is one of the most crucial mankind has<br />
ever been called upon to face. We are living in an age in<br />
which we see the accumulative consequences of the defects<br />
inherent in human nature coming to their climax. Today<br />
when you talk to men in the business world, the scientific<br />
world, the field of economics, politics, or whatever it may be,<br />
you find that most thinking, serious-minded people agree<br />
that present circumstances are such that they cannot con<br />
tinue very much longer without precipitating a crisis on the<br />
greatest scale humanity has ever known. I am convinced that<br />
the solution is to be found in the application of true Chris<br />
tianity to the lives of individuals and nations."<br />
Two Camps<br />
Mr. Manning continues: "The world today is divided<br />
into two great opposing camps. In one are the individuals<br />
and nations whose philosophy of life is wholly materialistic<br />
who not only reject spiritual and moral values but who have<br />
become openly aggressive in their repudiation of all things<br />
that in any way recognize the sovereignty of God, the Deity<br />
of Jesus Christ, and the true Christian way of life.<br />
"In the other camp are those who still retain at least a<br />
nominal recognition of spiritual and moral values. These are<br />
the remaining peoples and nations which today comprise our<br />
so-called Christian civilization. I use the word "so-called"<br />
purposely, for one of the great tragedies of this generation is<br />
the fact that so much of our so-called Christian civilization<br />
is entirely undeserving of the name.<br />
"What are we going to do about it It is clear that the<br />
solution lies in a return to the place where we make our pro<br />
fessed Christianity real . . . Let<br />
us get the Bible down from<br />
the shelf and give the counsel of God its rightful place of<br />
priority in our lives and homes, and in the councils of our<br />
land."<br />
Parental Supervision<br />
Some Illinois legislators have introduced a bill in the<br />
House that would punish "improper parental<br />
Improper parental supervision would include allowing chil<br />
dren under 18 to associate with known thieves, visit houses<br />
of ill fame, breach of the peace, commit lewd or lascivious<br />
acts, or violate curfew laws<br />
where such exist. The proposed<br />
law would assess a fine of $25 to $200 against a parent or<br />
guardian for the first offense, up to $200 and 6 months in<br />
jail for the second, and up to $500 and a year in jail for the<br />
third.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
mer"<br />
sans,"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
OPENING THE DOOB<br />
Our State Department has announced that<br />
seventysix<br />
Chinese students who had been refused permission to<br />
leave this country may now return to Communist China.<br />
At the time the Chinese Reds overran the mainland, there<br />
were about five thousand Chinese students training in this<br />
country. Only<br />
a small fraction of these were forbidden to<br />
return, because they had acquired scientific or technical<br />
skills which would be of special value to the Communists.<br />
The ban originally affected 124 students, but not all of these<br />
wanted to return to Red China.<br />
In removing this restriction, our government hopes to<br />
aid in the release of the fifteen airmen and forty-one U. S.<br />
civilians who are now held in Communist China. At the<br />
Geneva conference last summer the Reds gave the matter<br />
of the Chinese students as one justification for their de<br />
tention of Americans. The U. S. denied any direct connec<br />
tion between the two issues, but allowing the students to<br />
return should strengthen our moral position, particularly<br />
in the eyes of'other Asiatic countries.<br />
STOCK SPECULATIONS<br />
Senator Fulbright's investigation of the stock market<br />
seems to have accomplished little except to demonstrate<br />
that the market is very sensitive. No one seems able to state<br />
with authority whether the market is too high or whether<br />
there is likely to be a serious collapse. Fulbright uncovered<br />
no major abuses and the study<br />
seemed to make little po<br />
litical capital for the Democrats. During the first two weeks<br />
of hearings, stock prices took their worst drop in fifteen<br />
years; but most of the loss was recovered in the next two<br />
weeks.<br />
Figures for the first three months of this year seem<br />
to justify<br />
economic optimism. Automobile production and<br />
sales set new records. Steel production was also at an alltime<br />
high, and other metals were in short supply. The federal<br />
Reserve Board's index of industrial production tied the<br />
record set in May, 1953, and wages and department-store<br />
sales reached new peaks. One of our unsolved economic<br />
problems however, is a continued lag in farm income.<br />
REENLISTMENT PAY<br />
Congress has carried out a request of President Eisen<br />
hower for raising the pay of men who reenlist in the armed<br />
services. This is designed to counteract the alarming drop<br />
in the reenlistment rate since the Korean War. In 1949,<br />
41 per cent of the Army personnel reenlisted at the end of<br />
their first term of service, but in 19<strong>54</strong> the rate was down<br />
to 11.6 per cent. In some cases half the original enlistment<br />
period is taken up by expensive technical training,<br />
which is<br />
lost when the man drops out of the service. The new pay<br />
raise applies to enlisted men with at least two years service,<br />
and officers who have served three years. The greatest in<br />
creases are for the lower ranks of officers, where the drop<br />
out rate has been most serious.<br />
AID FOB LIBBAB1ES<br />
One modest but worthwhile bill now before Congress<br />
would give federal aid to the states for the improvement<br />
of public library service in rural areas. Libraries are ex<br />
pensive to maintain in sparsely-populated regions and it is<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
estimated that about 26 million Americans do not have<br />
access to any adequate public library. The bill calls for<br />
the appropriation of $7.5 million a year, for the next five<br />
years. To receive the aid, each state would have to submit<br />
a plan approved by the federad Commissioner of Education.<br />
The bill is backed by the American Library Association and<br />
would be an excellent investment of federal funds.<br />
BACK TO THE SOUTH POLE<br />
Next November Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd will<br />
lead his fifth expedition to the Antartic. Last winter ("sum<br />
in the Antartic) the icebreaker Atka conducted pre<br />
liminary explorations along the coast. Byrd will establish<br />
three observation stations, one directly at the South Pole.<br />
This will be by far our largest and costliest Antartic expedi<br />
tion. Admiral Byrd will use fourteen planes, including three<br />
of the biggest transports which will land supplies on the<br />
polar icecap. He will also have a large number of tracked<br />
vehicles for crossing the snow. The main purpose of the<br />
expedition will be to prepare the way for astronomical and<br />
geological observations during the International Geophysical<br />
Year of 1957-1958. Thirty-nine countries, including Soviet<br />
Russia, will participate in world-wide observations during<br />
that period.<br />
KREMLIN HEADACHES<br />
Recent reports from Russia indicate that the Soviets<br />
are seriously troubled with inflation. An article in Pravda,<br />
the Communist party newspaper, states that the money<br />
income of the Russian people rose 25 per cent from 1952 to<br />
19<strong>54</strong>. This was much more than the rise in the production<br />
of food and other consumer goods, and the natural result has<br />
been a boom in black markets. The Reds would like to raise<br />
the prices in state stores, but dare not do so for fear of<br />
the popular reaction. Last year's poor harvests have made<br />
the situation worse. One measure against inflation is com<br />
pulsory bond sales, which have almost doubled this year.<br />
Factory managers are also under pressure to reduce their<br />
labor force and increase production. Thousands of collectivefarm<br />
chairmen are being replaced. Russia has also cancelled<br />
over $12 million worth of orders for British textile and<br />
shoemaking machinery.<br />
TAXPAYEBS STEIKE<br />
One of the strangest forces in modern French politics<br />
is a group known as the Poujadists. They<br />
are named for<br />
their leader, Pierre Poujade, a small-town bookseller who<br />
heads a "Union for the Defense of Shopkeepers and Arti<br />
with about 800,000 members. They refuse to pay any<br />
taxes until the whole French tax system is reformed. In<br />
some districts tax inspectors and collectors have been forced<br />
to abandon their work. Poujade recently went to the Na<br />
tional assembly and threatened to overthrow Premier Faure<br />
unless the government removed all penalties for tax evasion.<br />
The government agreed only to stop tax inspection for the<br />
smalest businessmen. The Poujadists have some legitimate<br />
grievances, for France's personal income tax laws are not<br />
properly enforced, while businessmen have been strictly<br />
taxed by inspection of their books. The movement has<br />
alarming Fascist tendencies, however, and indicates a<br />
serious lack of confidence in the French government.<br />
227
not,'<br />
challenge."<br />
guilty"<br />
unawares."<br />
widow."<br />
me."<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
I DARE YOU<br />
A stunning letter received two or three years<br />
ago said something like this : "Please cancel my sub<br />
scription. The paper carries no<br />
Sixteen<br />
pages weekly, going into thousands of homes, more<br />
than 800 pages in a year, and not a challenge in a<br />
carload if that charge can be sustained, the crime<br />
is unpardonable. "Guilty, or not<br />
"Your Honor, I confess that I am<br />
guilty to a de<br />
gree, for 'there is not a just man on the earth that<br />
doeth good and sinneth but I am not so guilty<br />
as the plaintiff affirms, as the defense will attempt<br />
to show, and the readers and the fail-to-read-ers<br />
are particeps criminis. Cross examine yourselves.<br />
EHIBIT A. Our front page.<br />
Name<br />
"The Cove<br />
nanter <strong>Witness</strong>." That is YOU. To the left is his<br />
picture, a man with a seed bag, going forth to sow.<br />
The field is the world see map. The seed is the<br />
Word of God, including the Gospel of Salvation, and<br />
all the truths for which our church stands<br />
to every<br />
creature. Is that challenge too small for your abili<br />
ties Dr. Paul McCracken took that name plate for<br />
the theme and preached a most challenging sermon<br />
on it.<br />
EXHIBIT B. The Guest Editorials on page 1.<br />
These have been most highly commended by those<br />
who have ears to hear. Some weeks ago there ap<br />
peared one "We Win by Surrendering." A challenging<br />
title! The Christian Digest asked for permission to<br />
reproduce it and did in their March number. Since<br />
then three other magazines (one of them a Rescue<br />
Mission publication) have asked our permission to<br />
print the article. Perhaps others are printing it also<br />
without asking;<br />
nators, just one of the relays.<br />
we hope so. We were not the origi<br />
EXHIBIT C. Two pages of news,<br />
never profane, by Drs. Allen and Russell. Very in<br />
formative. If you do not find in them a challenge to<br />
take courage, take up arms or tools, or pen to write<br />
legislators, to pray, or to pass on your paper, whose<br />
fault is it, theirs or yours <br />
religious but<br />
EXHIBIT D. The Editor's Page: No comment.<br />
This is it. Does it challenge <br />
EXHIBIT E. The next few pages are devoted<br />
to the milk and the strong meat of the Word. Do not<br />
skip them if they look too long for a restless mind.<br />
They were written with considerable effort and care<br />
for your edification, and they may be concerning the<br />
very matters for which you will have to give an<br />
account in the Day of Judgment. For this cause,<br />
many are weak and sickly among you.<br />
What of the church member that doesn't keep<br />
up on his mission news Maybe he doesn't even know<br />
of Japan, China, Syria, or Cyrus. The congregation<br />
that does not insist on a <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> going<br />
into every home every week is inviting disaster in<br />
the not distant future.<br />
Now about those book reviews and the Tither's<br />
Corner, surely no one will chalsay<br />
that there is no<br />
228<br />
lenge in either of them, to read a book, and to give<br />
to the cause of the Lord that bought you.<br />
EXHIBIT F. The Lesson Helps. The very head<br />
ings are a challenge for every person from the Junior<br />
to the aged to find their place in the Church Pro<br />
gram, either as a teacher or a pupil and to grow<br />
in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and<br />
Saviour Jesus Christ. You are challenged to attend<br />
the mid-week prayer meeting, Sabbath School, etc.<br />
Over against the letter mentioned above I cite<br />
one from an out-of-bounds member, asking for sev<br />
eral <strong>Witness</strong>es of a particular date, and the addresses<br />
of certain persons. She had found several items in<br />
that number that had challenged her. The C.Y.P.U.<br />
Topic had been "What I Find in My Psalm Book"<br />
and she had induced a choir leader of another church<br />
to train the choir to sing the Psalms, and other<br />
groups to do likewise. She wanted Bible readers for<br />
other groups, and I have f<strong>org</strong>otten other matters, but<br />
she was really putting her <strong>Witness</strong> and its chal<br />
lenges to work.<br />
EXHIBIT G. If the ladies will pardon, we will<br />
pass by their W.M.S. column, to mention the Church<br />
News. There are many challenges here if you will<br />
search for them. "Mr. and Mrs. A are visiting Mr.<br />
and Mrs. B, C, and D." Visiting and breaking bread<br />
from house to house is a real Christian service if<br />
properly performed. "I was sick and ye visited<br />
Visited Christ. "Pure and undefiled religion is<br />
this to visit the fatherless and "And be<br />
not f<strong>org</strong>etful to entertain strangers, for many there<br />
by have entertained angels<br />
The sick are<br />
to be prayed for, and the bereaved to be comforted.<br />
The retired minister who sends out all those cheer<br />
ful postcards is doing a magnificent service. And<br />
then there is that Sabbath School that increased<br />
their attendance from 65 to . 265 in a few months<br />
through advertising and visiting! Isn't that a chal<br />
lenge to us all<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PEESBYTEBIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street. Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kansm<br />
to promote Bible Standards of<br />
Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing. Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: $2.60 per year; Overseas, $3.00; Single Copie<br />
10 cents.<br />
The Rev. R. B. Lyons, B.A.. Limavady, NT. Ireland, Agent for th<br />
British Isles.<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansaf<br />
under the Act of March 3. 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
you."<br />
you"<br />
reap."<br />
The Counter Charge<br />
Mr. Judge, Your Honor, and Ladies and Gentle<br />
men of the Jury : While we have not claimed to have<br />
wholly established our<br />
innocency of the charge of<br />
failing to challenge our readers as we should have<br />
done, we do claim that we have challenged them in<br />
every issue, to some extent. If they have failed to<br />
find a challenge, perhaps the fault lies in them. When<br />
Ezekiel was mysteriously transported and set down<br />
in the Valley of Dry Bones, very many and very<br />
dry, he was asked, "Son of Man, can these bones<br />
live"<br />
and on his expressing doubt he was command<br />
ed to prophesy to them. Strange to say, there was a<br />
faint rattle becoming noise of ankle bones joining<br />
shin bones, shin bones to knee bones, knee bones to<br />
thigh bones, etc., and flesh came upon them, and the<br />
four winds were called to breathe upon these slain,<br />
and they stood up an exceeding great army. The sub<br />
stance of that message, must have been, "I dare<br />
But without that breathing of the Holy Spirit<br />
on those bones, they never would have stirred. I<br />
dare you to read the pages of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Wit<br />
ness, sincerely praying for The Holy Spirit to chal<br />
lenge you, and not to feel a tremor.<br />
The Holy Bible is the most challenging Book<br />
ever written. Do you ever hear God saying to you,<br />
"I dare "I dare you to be a better servant<br />
or master, a better child of God." Is it not on every<br />
page "What is that in thine hand" The human<br />
hand itself is a mighty challenge, the most won<br />
derful of machines, a mass of levers and motors,<br />
made to grasp things, to hold one, two or five talents,<br />
with capability to increase them to ten or more. A<br />
little daughter was mending her father's vest and<br />
sewed a buttonhole too small. He couldn't button it.<br />
But it called his attention to the wondrous skill of<br />
that hand as he watched it making the attempt.<br />
Never before had he realized that the hand had a<br />
memory all its own. It never asked the brain for help<br />
on the thing it had done before. The brain was only<br />
called in emergencies<br />
a stand-by consultant. Is your<br />
hand skilled only in the use of a knife, fork and<br />
spoon, and complacently satisfied Your bones are<br />
very many and very dry. Your body, mind and spirit<br />
are constantly saying by their undeveloped possibili<br />
you."<br />
ties, "I dare<br />
Dare You Take a Dare<br />
Are you daring in the noble sense of the word<br />
Here is your chance to prove it :<br />
Dare No. 1. 1 dare you to write one, two or three<br />
passages from scripture that challenge us, on a postal<br />
card, and mail them to us, such as "Make straight<br />
paths for your feet" (Heb. 12:13). Initial them if<br />
you will. We ought to get a few thousand answers<br />
soon. When we have a page full, we will print it as<br />
your challenge to others.<br />
Dare No. 2. Send us quotations other than scrip<br />
ture that dare us to do worthwhile things, such as<br />
"Thoughts unused are soon diffused." "Count that<br />
day lost whose low descending sun views from thy<br />
done."<br />
hand no worthy action<br />
Dare No. 3. Have you a child in your home of<br />
pre-school age. Send us a picture (Kodak will do),<br />
write on back, name, age, parents, congregation. (We<br />
hope to print a few pages of these if results justify.)<br />
A small offering (strictly voluntary) will make this<br />
venture self-liquidating.<br />
We have a number of daring things to propose<br />
later, if you prove that you will take a dare.<br />
A Blessing<br />
and a Curse<br />
by Rev. Joseph A. Hill<br />
(A devotional address delivered before Synod and the Young People's Conference at Grinnell, Iowa<br />
on July 20, 195A).<br />
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 Behold, I set before<br />
you this day a "blessing and a curse ; a blessing, if ye<br />
obey the commandments of the Lord your God,<br />
which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye<br />
will not obey the commandments of the Lord your<br />
God, but turn aside out of the way which I command<br />
you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have<br />
not known."<br />
The "Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong>" is really the Crisis of<br />
19<strong>54</strong>. It places before the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church both<br />
opportunity and danger. For the alternatives set<br />
before us in this covenant are clear cut: either o-<br />
bedience or disobedience. The outcome of the cove<br />
nant is also plain: either blessing or curse.<br />
God's covenant with man is as a sharp twoedged<br />
sword. It is both a blessing and a curse at<br />
the same time. Moses, in this chapter, reminded the<br />
children of Israel that through God's covenant his<br />
people were delivered at the Red Sea while the Egyp<br />
tians were destroyed. The same mighty act of God<br />
was both a blessing and a curse.<br />
A blessing and a curse are set before us in<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
this Covenant. Placing our names on a document is<br />
not the essence of our covenantal relation with God.<br />
Unless the relation is already established by God,<br />
we will not be blessed through this Covenant. If<br />
our signing the Covenant proves to be merely a<br />
formality, we may expect to see the <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Church go downhill rapidly after Grinnell. The re<br />
ward of disobedience, as Moses warns, is a curse.<br />
On the other hand, if this Covenant draws us<br />
closer to our covenant-keeping God, so that we are<br />
enabled to keep the oath of obedience, we should see<br />
a real revival in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church. We may<br />
see a considerable increase in the growth of the<br />
Church. God will bless us if we obey Him. He will<br />
show His favor upon us in all the work which we<br />
undertake,<br />
at home and abroad.<br />
"Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatso<br />
ever a man soweth, that shall he also And<br />
whatsoever a Church soweth, that shall it also reap.<br />
If we obey, we will reap God's blessing; if we dis<br />
obey, we must endure His displeasure and His wrath.<br />
"Behold, I set before you this day a blessing<br />
229
curse."<br />
sacrifice"<br />
sinful"<br />
us."<br />
and a<br />
Which is it going to be<br />
a blessing or<br />
or further decline <br />
There are four things necessary if this Cove<br />
a curse, new life and growth,<br />
nant is to be a blessing to our Church and not a<br />
curse . . .<br />
I. A Personal Experience of Redemption<br />
The children of Israel were encamped on the<br />
border of the promised land, and were at last pre<br />
paring to cross the Jordan and take possession of<br />
Canaan. To prepare them for entering the promised<br />
land of Canaan, Moses stood before them and re<br />
peated the Law which had formerly been given,<br />
straitly charging them to be obedient.<br />
The Book of Deuteronomy is, for the most part,<br />
a record of the discourses which Moses delivered<br />
before the congregation of Israel just before they<br />
entered Canaan. Many times in these addresses to<br />
the people, Moses recounted the work of divine re<br />
demption which had been wrought on their 'behalf.<br />
He began with God's covenant with Abraham and<br />
told the history of redemption down to that time.<br />
He told how God had delivered His people from the<br />
cursed land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, in the wildnerness,<br />
at Horeb, in Moab. He told how God had<br />
helped them conquer the Amorites and the Ammon<br />
ites and Og king of Bashan. Throughout their long<br />
history God had been redeeming them from the<br />
power of evil, heathen enemies.<br />
Because they had this background of redemp<br />
tion, they were God's people and were now standing<br />
on the border of the promised land and were about<br />
to enter upon its blessings.<br />
This redemption from the bondage of Egypt<br />
and from the power of heathen enemies is typical<br />
of God's redemption of His people from evil through<br />
his Son, Jesus Christ. That is, all the marvellous<br />
deliverances wrought by God in the history of Israel<br />
are a sample of the final work of salvation accomp<br />
lished by Jesus Christ.<br />
Before the Israelites could enter Canaan and<br />
possess its promised blessings, it was necessary for<br />
them to experience God's work of redemption.<br />
God'<br />
And before people today can receive<br />
covenant 'blessings, it is necessary that they have a<br />
personal experience of redemption.<br />
If you have not experienced the salvation of<br />
Christ, what good will it do to "seek to conform<br />
your life to the teaching and example of our Lord<br />
Jesus Christ" (Section 3 of The Brief Covenant).<br />
If you are not saved from the power of sin, how<br />
can you expect to "forsake all that is <br />
.<br />
(ibid)<br />
How can you expect to receive the blessings of Sab<br />
bath keeping if you have not been healed by the<br />
Lord of the Sabbath How can you expect to receive<br />
the blessing of giving your tithes if you have not<br />
given your life to God, through the Redeemer How<br />
can you expect to receive the blessing of the Lord's<br />
Supper if you have not been redeemed by the sacri<br />
ficial death represented by the Lord's Supper<br />
True covenanting is based upon redemption.<br />
God says, through the psalmist, "Gather my saints<br />
together unto me, who make a covenant with me<br />
upon the (Psalm 50:5, translation, J.H.).<br />
on the ground of the sacrifice of Christ can<br />
Only<br />
we enter into covenant with God. Those who are<br />
not really saved, not really converted to God, can<br />
not receive the blessings of this Covenant. If they<br />
signed it last Sabbath, that was a sin. It will in-<br />
230<br />
crease their judgment before God because it will be<br />
added to all their other sins. Instead of a blessing,<br />
the Covenant will be a curse.<br />
Covenant blessings are granted only on the basis<br />
of redemption already experienced.<br />
II. A Heart of Obedience.<br />
Moses spoke very frankly with Israel. He made<br />
very<br />
plain the condition upon which Israel would<br />
enjoy the good things of the land of promise. "A<br />
blessing, if ye obey the commandmenots of the<br />
Lord your God, which I command you this day."<br />
Moses also straitly warned the people of the peril of<br />
disobedience: "A curse, if ye will not obey the com<br />
mandments of the Lord your God."<br />
Obedience would result, stated Moses, in the<br />
blessings of rain and fertile land, bringing a<br />
plentiful harvest each year. It would bring them<br />
victory over evil nations and would make Israel<br />
a great nation, doing service for God. But disobedi<br />
ence would result in drought and famine. It would<br />
bring war upon them to destroy them and carry<br />
them away captive into a foreign land, as they had<br />
been in Egypt. These material blessings and curses<br />
would be concrete expressions of God's favor and of<br />
His wrath upon them, whichever the case might be.<br />
The same alternatives are set before us<br />
today. This Covenant will be either a blessing or<br />
a curse. If we mean what we say, and earnestly en<br />
deavor to fulfill our vows, our Church will begin to<br />
flourish and prosper as never before. We will be<br />
as "the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted,<br />
and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself"<br />
(Psalm 80:15). But if we have no intention of keep<br />
ing the Covenant which we have signed and sworn,<br />
we will wither and die as a Church.<br />
Someone said to me not long ago, "We can't<br />
keep the Covenant ; we're sinners, and the terms of<br />
this Covenant are too high above Yes, we are<br />
sinners. And the terms of the Covenant are indeed<br />
high above us. But the Covenant mentions some<br />
specific things that we can perform if we want to<br />
perform them.<br />
It mentions Sabbath keeping: Do we really in<br />
tend to keep the Sabbath holy, or will we continue<br />
to use God's holy day as our holiday.<br />
It mentions worship: Do we really intend to<br />
come to Church, morning and evening, or will we con<br />
tinue to obey the inclination of our fallen,<br />
sinful<br />
nature on a sunny Sabbath morning or a stormy,<br />
cold Sabbath evening<br />
It mentions Bible study: Do we really intend<br />
to study the Bible regularly, and in a systematic<br />
manner, or will we just read ten verses now and<br />
then, or pick out a few choice gems to commit to<br />
memory <br />
It mentions the New Testament pattern of wor<br />
ship: Do we intend to sing only the Psalms in wor<br />
ship, or will we continue to sing hymns in other<br />
churches, and advertise the fact we do not really<br />
believe our profession of faith <br />
It mentions the Reformed Faith: Do we really<br />
intend to study the Westminster Confession of Faith<br />
and the other confessional standards of our<br />
Church, or will we just let them collect more dust on<br />
the book shelf Do we really intend to be Calvinists,<br />
or will we continue to make some pious remark about<br />
being "Christians"<br />
These are things that we can do if we want to do<br />
COVENANTEE WITNESS
sinful,"<br />
sinful."<br />
curse"<br />
wealth."<br />
them. There is not a single term in this covenant<br />
that we cannot fulfill. It is true that we cannot "con<br />
form our lives to the teaching and example of our<br />
Lord Jesus Christ." But our Covenant does not say<br />
that. It says, "we will seek to conform . .<br />
No, we<br />
cannot "forsake all that is in this life. But<br />
our Covenant does not say that. It says, "we will<br />
endeavor to forsake all that is That is some<br />
thing we can do, if we want to do it.<br />
There will, then, be no excuse for disobedience.<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church cannot go on<br />
indefinitely<br />
breaking God's covenant, without incurring the<br />
wrath and judgment and curse of God.<br />
We should remember that covenant blessings<br />
are bestowed only through covenant keeping. Let<br />
us purpose in our hearts that this new Covenant<br />
will mean new obedience, in our lives and in our<br />
Church.<br />
III. A Reliance Upon God's Grace.<br />
In order to prepare the people of Israel for<br />
entering into Canaan, Moses told the people repeat<br />
edly that God was giving them this blessing, not<br />
because of any merit on their part, but merely be<br />
cause of His grace.<br />
They had grieved God many times during their<br />
sojourn in the wilderness. They had provoked Him<br />
to anger. Israel did not deserve God's blessing. They<br />
deserved God's wrath and curse. They were unfaith<br />
ful and disobedient; yet God brought them into<br />
Canaan. He gave them His blessing when they de<br />
served His curse. That is the meaning of grace.<br />
Moses says to them, "Not for thy righteousness,<br />
or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go<br />
to possess their land (the land of heathen nations) :<br />
but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord<br />
thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and<br />
that he may perform the word which he sware unto<br />
thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (Deut. 9:<br />
5). While the curse that came upon the heathen<br />
nations was deserved, the blessings that came to Is<br />
rael were undeserved. And the thing that made the<br />
difference was the faithfulness of God to His pur<br />
poses of grace.<br />
God had sworn by an oath in His covenant with<br />
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that through them and<br />
their children He would accomplish the redemption<br />
of the world. And there is no power in heaven or<br />
earth or hell that can frustrate God's plan of grace.<br />
Israel might disobey God, but they cannot annul His<br />
promise. They might prove unfaithful, but God on<br />
His part would remain faithful. Israel may revolt<br />
at Kadesh, but God has in reserve a Moses and a<br />
Joshua and a Caleb to rise up and fill the breach. And<br />
we can be unfaithful to God, but we cannot kill the<br />
truth. We can disobey God, but we cannot break<br />
His covenant. If we rebel against God and refuse<br />
to serve Him, He will raise up a people who will<br />
serve Him, that His purposes of grace may be ful<br />
filled. We may receive a blessing, or a curse but<br />
GOD'S COVENANT WILL STAND.<br />
We have been accustomed to thinking of a cov<br />
enant as a mutual agreement between God and man.<br />
We have always thought that God makes certain<br />
promises to us, and if we keep our side of the agree<br />
ment, we will receive the things promised. But that<br />
is not the nature of a covenant at all. God's cov<br />
which God has<br />
enant is a one-sided arrangement,<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
ordered and will maintain (see "Blue Banner Faith<br />
and Life," Jan.-March, 19<strong>54</strong>, p. 11). God's covenant<br />
is "a sovereign administration of grace, divinely in<br />
itiated, established, confirmed, fulfilled" (The Cov<br />
enant of Grace, by John Murray, The Tyndale Press,<br />
London, 19<strong>54</strong>, p. 22). The prominent element in God's<br />
covenant is sworn fidelity to an oath, and not mutual<br />
agreement between God and man. The covenant is<br />
God's unconditional guarantee of perpetual faithful<br />
ness to His purposes of redeeming grace.<br />
We have been regarding this "Brief<br />
Covenant"<br />
as our pledge of faithfulness to God. But this is not<br />
OUR covenant: this is GOD'S covenant. The basic<br />
element of the covenant-idea, according to the Scrip<br />
ture, is not MAN'S faithfulness, but GOD'S faith<br />
fulness.<br />
We may be unfaithful, but God's covenant will<br />
stand. The fulfilment of God's covenant does not<br />
depend upon man's obedience. Instead, man's obedi<br />
ence is itself a part of Man's fulfillment of His cov<br />
enant. Covenant faithfulness (obedience to God's<br />
commandments) is a part of the covenant blessing.<br />
I mean that if we keep this covenant it will be only<br />
because God has given us a heart of obedience. When<br />
God makes His covenant with man, God not only<br />
binds Himself in sworn fidelity to His purposes of<br />
grace, but God also binds man to Himself, that man<br />
might love Him and keep His commandments. Obedi<br />
ence is a blessing of divine grace.<br />
That is why Moses told Israel that when they<br />
entered Canaan and enjoyed its blessings, there<br />
never would be a time when they could look back and<br />
say : "We have obeyed the commandments ; we have<br />
kept the covenant of the Lord our God. That is why<br />
we are here." That is what Moses meant when he<br />
said, in Deuteronomy 8, "Beware that thou f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
not the Lord thy God . . . lest when thou hast eaten<br />
and art full,<br />
and hast built goodly houses, and<br />
dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks<br />
multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied,<br />
and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine<br />
heart be lifted up, and thou f<strong>org</strong>et the Lord thy<br />
God . . . and thou say in thine heart, My power and<br />
the might of mine hand hath gotten me this<br />
No, Moses says, these blessings come through the<br />
grace and power and faithfulness of God.<br />
And we must remember when God blesses us<br />
in future years as a Church, there never will be a<br />
time when we can look back and say, "We have<br />
kept the covenant of 19<strong>54</strong>; that is why we have<br />
grown and flourished." No, covenant blessings are<br />
undeserved blessings. We receive them, not because<br />
we are faithful, but BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL.<br />
If we trust in our obedience and Christian serv<br />
ice and covenant keeping, we will receive a curse<br />
and not a blessing. For God's Word warns us that<br />
"as many as are under the works of the law are<br />
under the (Galatians 3:10). "By<br />
grace are<br />
ye saved through faith; and that (even faith is)<br />
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of<br />
works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8,9).<br />
Covenant blessings are not earned. They come<br />
by grace : "They which be of faith are blessed with<br />
faithful Abraham" (Gal. 3:9).<br />
IV. A Desertion of all Other gods.<br />
Canaan was filled with heathen gods, but Israel<br />
must not allow them to be mixed with the worship<br />
of Jehovah. They must worship and serve only the<br />
231
still!'<br />
you'<br />
Lord of hosts. Moses warned them that serving<br />
other gods might well be their downfall. "Take heed<br />
to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and<br />
ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship<br />
them"<br />
(Deut. 11:16).<br />
As it turned out, Israel did worship other gods,<br />
and this brought a real curse upon Israel. Serving<br />
other gods was what ruined and destroyed them as a<br />
nation serving God. And serving other gods might<br />
ruin and destroy our Church, if we put them at the<br />
center of our lives instead of God the Lord.<br />
A false god is anything you love more than you<br />
love God. Anything you put ahead of God in your<br />
life is a false god.<br />
There are false gods all around us, and we must<br />
not let them get between ourselves and God. There<br />
are the false gods of humanistic religions. Some of<br />
these religions claim to be Christianity. They even<br />
use the terminology of the Christian religion. The<br />
heathen in Japan must be converted from Shintoism.<br />
The heathen in Syria and Turkey and Africa must<br />
be converted from the Moslem religion. The heathen<br />
in America must be converted from liberalism and<br />
moralism and the worship of the world. We must<br />
not allow these false gods to get into our worship.<br />
Sometimes sins are false gods. If we love cer<br />
tain sins, and refuse to give them up so that we may<br />
gods."<br />
serve the Lord, then those sins are "other<br />
We cannot serve God and at the same time keep on<br />
committing sins. We cannot obey God and still do<br />
as we please. If we are to receive God's blessing in<br />
this Covenant, we will have to clean out our lives<br />
and destroy our idols and make a firm decision to put<br />
God first in our lives.<br />
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith<br />
without wavering; for he is faithful that promised"<br />
(Hebrews 10:23). There may be forty years of wan<br />
dering in the wilderness, but in due time God will<br />
bring us into Canaan, where we shall receive the<br />
goodly blessings of His covenant promise.<br />
A Champion Ploughman<br />
By Rev. HUGH J. BLAIR, B.A.<br />
Our sincere congratulations go to Mr. Hugh<br />
Barr, of Ballylaggan Reformed Presbyterian Church,<br />
for his recent success at the ploughing competition<br />
held at Killarney, where he was acclaimed as world<br />
champion ploughman. Mr. Barr is not only a good<br />
ploughman, but a fine singer as well, and the story<br />
of his achievement sent me back to a story in the<br />
Morning Watch of a precentor who did not get first<br />
prize in a ploughing championship<br />
reason.<br />
and for a good<br />
Here is the story as Rev. J. P. Struthers told<br />
it in 1893 in his little magazine for children:<br />
"John Jamieson and Andrew Todd were the best<br />
ploughmen in the county, and both so good that<br />
Todd, who was second best, would have been easily<br />
first anywhere else. Jamieson was our precentor.<br />
After raising the tune he always sang the tenor<br />
part I think I can hear him yet and our singing<br />
was famous far and near. Todd had once been very<br />
foolish, but had not touched drink for nearly two<br />
years.<br />
"The annual ploughing match in the January<br />
I am thinking of was looked forward to with unusual<br />
interest. The first prize was 6 and the silver<br />
medal and, of course, the Cup to which a newcomer<br />
to the county had added 12 lbs. of tea for the wife,<br />
mother or sweatheart of the successful ploughman.<br />
The second prize was 5 to which the member of<br />
Parliament for the county had added a guinea box of<br />
groceries, containing with other things two bottles<br />
of whisky.<br />
"One who has been a drunkard has often, for a<br />
time, a terrible longing for his old sin. When Todd<br />
heard of the contents of the box the two armies<br />
within him joined battle. His poor wife saw the<br />
struggle beginning, and fell to praying more earnest<br />
ly than ever. She told her fears to Jamieson, who<br />
had been her own and her husband's best friend.<br />
He tried unsuccessfully to get the bottles of whiskey<br />
omitted from the box, and then he made up his<br />
232<br />
mind that he would try for the second prize and let<br />
the cup go!<br />
"It was obvious that it was to be a neck-andneck<br />
race between the two men, but most agreed<br />
and in<br />
that Jamieson would have it by very little,<br />
deed he had never ploughed better. There were only<br />
a few furrows to go, and the cup was as good as his.<br />
How it happened, no one exactly noticed; yet some<br />
thing went wrong with that furrow and the next.<br />
Jura, the horse that walked on the land, saw it,<br />
though Rosie, the one that went in the furrow did<br />
n't. I was sorry for Jura, and when she turned she<br />
gave her master a look as if to say, 'Surely you<br />
won't disgrace us now after such a grand day's work<br />
as this ' But the last two furrows were as bad, and<br />
the judges, though sore again their wills, awarded<br />
Todd first prize!<br />
"Poor Mrs. Todd could do nothing but cry; a<br />
great temptation had been taken from her husband<br />
in a moment a temptation that was never to re<br />
turn. And Jamieson smashed the bottles of whisky<br />
as soon as he got home. Though he did not win<br />
the Cup, it was the best day's ploughing he ever<br />
did."<br />
I saw a photograph of some of Mr. Barr's fur<br />
rows in the newspaper, and there was no doubt what<br />
ever about their straightness. And I have been told<br />
that a skilled ploughman knows that to plough a<br />
straight furrow he must not look behind him, but<br />
keep looking ahead. Once a farmer lad who was<br />
learning ploughing was instructed by the farmer,<br />
his master, always to plough with his eyes fixed on<br />
some object in front of him. On returning and find<br />
ing the furrows anything but straight the farmer<br />
said angrily to the boy: T told you, didn't I to keep<br />
your eye fixed on an object in front of To<br />
which the boy replied :<br />
picked wouldn't stand<br />
'So I did, sir ; but the cow I<br />
That is a kind of parable. It is not possible<br />
for any of us to plough a straight furrow through<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
man,"<br />
ever."<br />
pledge."<br />
only."<br />
life unless we have our eyes fixed on an object in<br />
front of us. "No said Jesus, "having put his<br />
hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the<br />
kingdom of God." And the object to which we look<br />
cannot be something that is always changing. We<br />
must look at something or, better still, someone, who<br />
is steady and sure and unchanging. And Jesus<br />
Christ Himself, is the only one of whom we can<br />
say that, for He is 'Jesus Christ, the same yester<br />
day and to-day and for So for a straight fur<br />
row through life we must go forward, "looking unto<br />
faith."<br />
Jesus, the author and finisher of our<br />
The Reformed Presbyterian <strong>Witness</strong>.<br />
GOOD PEOPLE AND THE DANCE<br />
It is evident that it takes spiritual discernment<br />
for the average person to see the evil of the dance,<br />
because high minded people have exposed their sons<br />
and daughters to this injurious diversion who would<br />
not knowingly have sent their children into anything<br />
hurtful for the richest of bribes. We have heard of<br />
a few far-seeing wise men who made no pretense to<br />
religion who had an anti-dancing law in their homes<br />
as a safeguard to their children's character. We<br />
have wondered why pure reason could not lead one to<br />
see the danger, but with most persons only religion<br />
in the heart will open the eyes to the dangerous in<br />
toxications of Terpsichore.<br />
Will the reader suffer a few plain questions:<br />
Would not the attitude assumed by the sexes in a<br />
dance be regarded as a compromising attitude if as<br />
sumed when alone without music If you answer No,<br />
we now excuse you from the jury. If you answer<br />
Yes, we ask you another question : What is there in<br />
the music or the publicity of the exercise which<br />
renders honorable and wholesome an attitude which<br />
would otherwise be reprehensible and degrading<br />
Have you ever known an eminently, devout person<br />
who would dance If you were in a city and wanted<br />
to be absolutely sure of finding a dance any<br />
night in the year, what class of people would you go<br />
among You say you have known tolerably devout<br />
persons to dance; did you ever eat a tolerably good<br />
egg Did you ever hear an unconverted man say that<br />
he would like to have the kind of religion some toler<br />
ably devout person had If you were dying would<br />
you risk the destiny of your soul under the prayers<br />
of some tolerably devout person Among- what class<br />
of people does the art of dancing reach its highest<br />
development Selected.<br />
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
Best Sermon Pictures,<br />
Compiled by James Gilchrist Lawson.<br />
Jesus taught by parables. He illustrated the truths<br />
He taught by stories which were easily understood<br />
and remembered. This is a book of 2935 illustrations,<br />
covering almost every moral and religious subject.<br />
This was formerly published under the name Cyclo<br />
pedia of Religious Anecdotes. These illustrations<br />
are drawn from newspapers and magazines as well<br />
as from addresses and history and biography.<br />
I was particularly interested in two. On page 48<br />
is a part of an address by the late Dr. James S. Mar<br />
tin before a Committee of Congress. On page 456<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
there is the reprint of a short article from the Ster<br />
ling, Kansas, Bulletin on prohibition. There may be<br />
others that I would have known the author or the<br />
source, but these are the ones noticed.<br />
Illustrations are sometimes called "the windows<br />
sermon."<br />
of the They are needed and people listen<br />
to the illustrations and remember them. While the<br />
best illustrations for an individual are those that<br />
he himself has gathered, yet there is a definite place<br />
for such a work as this. Often a few facts can be<br />
found about a subject that will make one's address<br />
more definite and stories which illustrate the truth<br />
are easily remembered. This book contains a fine<br />
selection of splendid illustrations.<br />
This book of over 500 pages sells for $4.95. It is<br />
published by the Moody Press of 820 N. La Salle<br />
St., Chicago 10, 111. It can be ordered directly from<br />
them or from the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>. R.C.F.<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
D. H. Elliott<br />
Conserving Results<br />
Stewardship efforts during March have ended.<br />
Many replies suggest that the plan has been general<br />
ly observed among the churches. We thank all of you<br />
who so willingly gave your cordial support. Especial<br />
ly we are grateful to those who took the trouble to<br />
tell us so.<br />
We trust the venture has not been a mere rus<br />
tling among the leaves or as a vapor which appeareth<br />
for a little time, then vanisheth away. Our<br />
prayer is that the moving in the top of the mulberry<br />
trees betokens something more substantial in the<br />
days and years to come.<br />
We are sorry if anyone has signed the resolve<br />
with a mental reservation of for "one year<br />
This should be a lifetime covenant with our Master<br />
'bread."<br />
who gives us day by day "our daily<br />
One enthusiastic tithe promoter writes : "I have<br />
wondered if there wasn't a benefit in persons keep<br />
ing some reminder for themselves when they make<br />
a promise or pledge. I wonder if a double card would<br />
be useful with the signer keeping one for himself to<br />
remind him of his<br />
A good suggestion ! To meet this would it serve<br />
the purpose if the congregation would make and pre<br />
serve a permanent record of all pledges turned in<br />
then return the original cards as a "remembrancer"<br />
to the signers themselves<br />
"Finally brethren, be strong in the Lord." Keep<br />
in mind that good starters are not all good finishers.<br />
Let us ponder the fact that if and when a new minis<br />
ter is sent to Japan we are obligating ourselves, not<br />
for one year only, but for every year after that.<br />
"These are they likewise which are sown on stony<br />
ground, who when they have heard the Word, im<br />
mediately<br />
receive it with gladness: And have no<br />
root in themselves, so endure but for a time."<br />
(Mark 4:16,17)<br />
P.S. The Stewardship Committee is grateful to the<br />
editor of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> for his splendid<br />
sharing of the pages of the paper for this under<br />
taking.<br />
233
iver."<br />
me."<br />
good."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of May 1, 1955<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
May 1, 1955<br />
By Lillian L. Faris, Cambridge, Mass.<br />
The Beginning of the Miracles in<br />
Egypt<br />
Scripture Text: Exodus 7<br />
Memory Verse: "And Moses and Aaron<br />
did as the LORD commanded them, so<br />
did they." Exodus 7:6.<br />
Memory Psalm for May, Psalm 15: 1-3,<br />
page 26.<br />
Psalm 16: 1,7,8,10, page 27.<br />
Psalm 47:1-4, page 120.<br />
Pray that the Lord will help you to<br />
understand this chapter. Pray that the<br />
Lord will help you to love Him more,<br />
and follow Him better.<br />
The Lord sent Moses and Aaron to<br />
speak to Pharaoh "that he send the chil<br />
dren of Israel out of his land." The<br />
Lord intended to show both the Egyp<br />
tians and the Israelites what He could<br />
do. The Lord had promised Abraham,<br />
Isaac, and Jacob that their people would<br />
go back to the Promised Land. The<br />
bones of Joseph had been saved for hun<br />
dreds of years waiting for this very<br />
wonderful day. They were to carry them<br />
with them when they went out of E-<br />
gypt. Yet the people found it hard to be<br />
lieve.<br />
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh<br />
as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast<br />
down his rod before Pharaoh and his<br />
servants, and it became a serpent. Phar<br />
aoh called for his wise men and magi<br />
cians and every one of them cast down<br />
their rods. Pharaoh paid no attention to<br />
the miracle. He would not listen to<br />
them. He would not let the people go.<br />
I hope our hearts will not be like<br />
Pharaoh's. When the Lord sends us a<br />
message, I hope we will listen.<br />
The Lord said to Moses, "Get thee<br />
unto Pharaoh in the morning; and say,<br />
The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent<br />
me, saying, Let my people go, and thou<br />
wouldst not hear. In this thou shalt<br />
know that I am the Lord, I will smite<br />
with the rod that is in mine hand upon<br />
the waters which are in the river, and<br />
they shall be turned to blood. And the<br />
fish that is in the river shall die, and<br />
the river shall stink;<br />
and the Egyptians<br />
shall loathe to drink of the water of the<br />
After giving Pharaoh fair warning,<br />
Aaron stretched out his rod over all the<br />
waters of Egypt including their streams,<br />
rivers, ponds, pools, and in vessels of<br />
wood and stone, and all the waters<br />
234<br />
were turned to blood,<br />
Psalm 78:<br />
as it says in<br />
He turned their rivers into blood;<br />
Their streams no drink would yield.<br />
And also in Psalm 105:<br />
He turneth their waters into blood,<br />
And all their fish he killed.<br />
Pharaoh and his servants<br />
watched<br />
Moses and Aaron do this, then when<br />
his magicians did the same thing, his<br />
heart was hardened and he went into<br />
his house.<br />
Pharaoh was hard on his own Egyp<br />
tian people too. The children were wail<br />
ing, "Mother,<br />
we want a drink of water.<br />
Oh, give me a drink." The mothers and<br />
fathers were all out with shovels dig<br />
ging round about the river for water<br />
to drink. I don't think they found any,<br />
for it says all the waters were turned<br />
to blood. If their magicians were so<br />
wise, why did they not turn the blood<br />
back to water The Lord was away a-<br />
head of their wise men, but Pharaoh<br />
was too hard-hearted to realize this. All<br />
the fish died. The fishermen were out<br />
of work, the people were getting hun<br />
gry; but Pharaoh went into his house.<br />
The Lord was preparing to draw a<br />
nation away from Egypt to a life of<br />
faith. The people had to work hard<br />
where they were; but they liked the<br />
food, the onions and the garlic. Why<br />
should they pack up and leave, when,<br />
by the faith Moses was trying to give<br />
them they might not have so much<br />
We are asked to walk by faith in the<br />
Son of God, who said, "Come unto<br />
But count the cost, how much we might<br />
have to give up. First the tight-rope<br />
walker goes up the ladder. Let us go<br />
up. We put our foot out on the rope.<br />
See the crowd down below watching<br />
us to see if we are going to fall. Jude<br />
says the Lord is able to keep us from<br />
falling. Shall we stand right up straight,<br />
and walk along with assurance Shall<br />
we sit down, hold the rope in both<br />
hands, and inch our way along Shall<br />
we turn back To turn back is faith<br />
less. We who love the Lord will keep<br />
on with the life of faith till we reach<br />
the end of the rope, and the One who<br />
loves us takes our hand, and says, "Well<br />
done."<br />
The following Psalms are about to<br />
day's chapter. Would you like to read<br />
them, or copy them in your notebook<br />
Who can find them first<br />
Psalm 78: page 187, v. 10<br />
Psalm 80: page 196, v. 8.<br />
Psalm 81: page 199, v. 3,8.<br />
Psalm 89: page 217, v. 10.<br />
Psalm 99: page 236: v. 5.<br />
Psalm 103: page 247, v. 5.<br />
Psalm 106: page 261, v. 5,6.<br />
Psalm 114: page 280, v. 1.<br />
Psalm 118, page 284, v. 1,2.<br />
Psalm 133, page 330, v. 2.<br />
Psalm 135: page 332, v. 7.<br />
Psalm 136 : page 334, vs. 5-8.<br />
Will you find a Bible with a good<br />
map of Egypt, and trace it, and each<br />
week this month write on the map the<br />
places mentioned.<br />
If you like to study, try to get a<br />
copy of "Pocket Bible Handbook," by<br />
Henry Halley. This book has several<br />
pages of Archaeological discoveries in<br />
Egypt. Men went to Egypt with steam<br />
shovels, and dug deep down in the<br />
sand, and found of<br />
people of long<br />
ago, and big stones which they had a<br />
hard time reading. Everything they<br />
found agrees with the Bible.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
May 1, 1955<br />
Rev. J. W. McBurney<br />
JEHOSHAPHAT'S RIGHTEOUS<br />
LEADERSHIP<br />
2 Chronicles 17-20<br />
PRINTED, 2 Chron. 17:1-7,9; 19:4-7.<br />
MEMORY, 2 Chron. 19:11 "Deal cour<br />
ageously, and the Lord shall be with the<br />
The history of Israel and Judah as re<br />
corded in the Bible is remarkable be<br />
cause defeat and shame are as freely<br />
told as their victories. The sins and fail<br />
ures of their heroes are as freely re<br />
corded as their virtues and successes.<br />
In contrast, the inscriptions of other na<br />
tions, recorded only the victories and<br />
valors of their heroes. The Bible gives<br />
us a true picture of God's dealings with<br />
men and nations.<br />
2 Chron. 17:1-7 PROSPERITY<br />
THROUGH SEEKING GOD<br />
Jehoshaphat was the fourth king over<br />
Judah after the nation was divided,<br />
the sixth in the line of David. He did<br />
not follow evil examples, but walked in<br />
the first (best) ways of David.<br />
sought the Lord, and followed His com<br />
He<br />
mandments regardless of the idolatrous<br />
practices that were popular around him.<br />
He was not afraid to stand for a<br />
clean worship. He prospered in his reign<br />
because<br />
Jehovah was with him.<br />
The Temple had been looted by Shi<br />
shak, King of Egypt, in the reign of<br />
Rehoboam, and had not been repaired.<br />
While the people followed idols, the<br />
Lord's treasury was empty. When they<br />
quit spending their money on idols, they<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Salvation<br />
name."<br />
brought money in abundance to the<br />
Temple Treasury. Sometimes we speak<br />
of the increased generosity of the church<br />
now over what it was a half century<br />
ago. Compare the giving then and now<br />
with the incomes and standards of liv<br />
ing<br />
and the amount spent for amuse<br />
ments, and this generation has nothing<br />
to boast about. The tithe was never<br />
a measure of giving. It was, and is, a<br />
token of the recognition of God's own<br />
ership. It is just as important to pay it<br />
as to obey the Eighth Commandment.<br />
We should not speak of generosity un<br />
til after the tithe has been paid.<br />
v. 5 THE NATION'S STRENGTH IS<br />
BY GOD'S BLESSING<br />
As the idols were destroyed and the<br />
Temple worship prospered, God estab<br />
lished the kingdom in the land of Je<br />
hoshaphat. There is a definite relation<br />
ship between Christianity and patriot<br />
ism. Communism knows that it must<br />
destroy Christianity before it can win.<br />
When the Teacher's Oath was required<br />
in Indiana I got a verbal opinion from<br />
the president of the school board and<br />
the Superintendent of schools in Prince<br />
ton, and from the Secretary of Educa<br />
tion and the State Attorney of In<br />
diana. Each of these expressed the o-<br />
pinion that attaching the explanatory<br />
clause to the required oath, instead of<br />
indicating<br />
unfitness of the candidate<br />
was an evidence of special fitness.<br />
God does not establish<br />
a Kingdom<br />
without using means. One of His most<br />
powerful means is the God-fearing<br />
righteousness of the people.<br />
V. 6 GOD'S FAVOR ENCOURAGES<br />
IN GOOD WORKS<br />
"And his heart was lifted up (en<br />
couraged) in a good Herod's heart<br />
work."<br />
was lifted up with pride, and great was<br />
his fall. The way of the Lord may be<br />
through the slough of despond, the hill<br />
of difficulty, the valley of humiliation,<br />
doubting castle, but the Christian pre<br />
fers the interpreter's house and the de<br />
lectable mountains. Even if caught in<br />
Doubting Castle, there is always the<br />
Key of Promise.<br />
Jehoshaphat used the influence of his<br />
office to bring his people to a knowledge<br />
to God's law. He employed the best<br />
teachers he had, those trained in posi<br />
tions of honor and trust. They went to<br />
the cities of Judah and taught the<br />
people, and their text book was the<br />
Law of the Lord. That would include the<br />
first five books of the Old Testament,<br />
and perhaps Job, Ruth, most of the<br />
Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. It<br />
should be noticed that these teachers<br />
were not priests, they did not repre<br />
sent the church. They were employed by<br />
the state.<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
Chap. 18 (Not Printed) THE<br />
DANGER OF AN UNWISE ALLIANCE<br />
Jehoshaphat surely purposed well in<br />
making alliances with Ahab, King of<br />
Israel, and later with his son Ahaziah.<br />
The alliance seemed to accomplish one<br />
good; it brought an end to the wars<br />
between Judah and Israel. Jehoshaphat<br />
showed some strength when he insisted<br />
that Ahab call the prophet Micaiah<br />
whom Ahab hated.<br />
But he was not<br />
strong enough to stand by the message<br />
of the prophet, though it rang with the<br />
voice of truth. Then good-naturedly he<br />
allowed Ahab, by a most cowardly plan,<br />
to put him in the place of danger, while<br />
trying to hide himself in safety. Ahab's<br />
plan failed, brought his own death, and<br />
Jehoshaphat's safety. Later to strength<br />
en still further the alliance, Jehosha<br />
phat's grandson married Ahab's daugh<br />
ter, who was the daughter of Jezebel.<br />
Nuf sed! National Leaders have made<br />
some alliances in the hope of peace, but<br />
have not stopped war.!<br />
Z<br />
Chron. 19:4-7 JEHOSAPHAT LEADS<br />
A SECOND REVIVAL<br />
His first revival was not set on a<br />
permanent basis and cooled off. This<br />
is a common aftermath of special re<br />
vivals today. A regular consistent teach<br />
ing and life should be the aim of the<br />
church and the nation.<br />
In the race<br />
between the turtle and the hare, the<br />
turtle won. We are inclined to think<br />
that in Jehoshaphat's revival the basis<br />
for continuity and permanence was neg<br />
lected. At any rate, there was a special<br />
need for a second campaign of in<br />
struction. This second effort seemed to<br />
be on a better, more permanent plan<br />
than the first. It added to the teach<br />
ing, the administration of the law. No<br />
tice how both of these were co-ordinated<br />
with God's law. The Judges were to<br />
judge not for man, but for God. God's<br />
law should be on the teacher's desk,<br />
and on the judge's bench, and in the<br />
hearts of both.<br />
2 Chron. 20 (Not Printed)<br />
MOABITES DEFEATED<br />
The King had learned his lesson.<br />
When the great army of the Moabites<br />
came against him, he did not ask help<br />
of Israel, did not depend on his own<br />
vast army. He prayed and pleaded with<br />
the Lord, putting his hope in God.<br />
The Word of the Lord came to one of<br />
the priests of the Temple, Jehaziel, and<br />
he took this message to the king, "Be<br />
not afraid or dismayed by reason of<br />
this great multitude; for the battle is<br />
not yours, but the Lord's." So Jeho<br />
shaphat led out his great army, not to<br />
fight, but to see the salvation of the<br />
Lord. "Believe in the Lord your God,<br />
so shall ye be established."<br />
Psalms<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
FAITH AND WORKS<br />
James 2:14-26<br />
M. K. Carson, D.D.<br />
1:1-3, page 2<br />
15:1-3, page 26<br />
119:1-3, page 287<br />
26:1-2, 8-9, page 61.<br />
References as found in the discussion.<br />
This section is the controversial part<br />
of the Epistle. One could hardly<br />
miss its<br />
theme, Faith and Works, for it is stated<br />
about ten times. This paragraph moved<br />
Martin Luther to call it the "straw epis<br />
tle."<br />
Even in other respects this Epistle<br />
seems to be lacking in Christian teach<br />
ing. No mention is made of the Gospel,<br />
Redemption, Incarnation or the Resur<br />
rection. The name of the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ is mentioned only twice, but the<br />
expressions, "Lord" and "God" are used.<br />
But even if James does not emphasize<br />
these specific Christian features as Paul<br />
yet we believe that a "Church which<br />
lived in sincere accordance with his les<br />
sons would in no respect dishonor the<br />
Christian<br />
That there may be no misunderstand<br />
ing, we repeat that the only ground of<br />
our justification is the righteousness of<br />
Jesus Christ. "For by grace are ye saved<br />
through faith; and that not of your<br />
selves; it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8-<br />
9)<br />
. is not of "faith and works."<br />
It is all of grace. "And if by grace, then<br />
it is no more of works; otherwise work<br />
is no more work"<br />
(Romans 11:6; Rom.<br />
4:4-5, Rom. 3:28, Acts 13:38-39, Gala<br />
tians 2:16). What then is the purpose of<br />
Works according to James<br />
Works Are a Necessary Evidence<br />
of Faith.<br />
Christ said, "Ye shall know them by<br />
their fruits" (Matt: 7:16). Faith is the<br />
root but works are the fruit. If we have<br />
a real faith, the necessary inference is<br />
that there shall be works. James evi<br />
dently was speaking<br />
out of an actual<br />
experience (2:15-16). The famine (Acts<br />
ll:28*-29) may have brought great suf<br />
fering to some of the Christians. How<br />
could any one say to his cold and hungry<br />
brothers, "I wish you well; keep your<br />
selves warm and well fed" (Weymouth),<br />
and yet never offer to supply their<br />
need Perhaps much of our sympathy is<br />
a cheap thing. We are offering that<br />
which costs us nothing. How much of<br />
life is made up of "saying"<br />
"doing"<br />
faith"<br />
but not<br />
"though a man say he hath<br />
(2:14). What value is it to have<br />
one's name on the roll of a Church, if<br />
one's actions prove that it is an empty<br />
form ."If a man say Certainly we<br />
. .<br />
can agree with James.<br />
235
works"<br />
not."<br />
works"<br />
works"<br />
Mrs.<br />
Paul said, "For we are his workman<br />
ship, created in Christ Jesus unto good<br />
sence of "good<br />
. . . ((Ephesians 2:10). The ab<br />
works"<br />
should cause us to<br />
search our own hearts. If Christ is in us<br />
should we not be able to say at least in<br />
a measure as Paul said, "For to me to<br />
live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21). And if we<br />
are living as Christ lived, then the fruit<br />
of the Spirit will be manifest in our<br />
lives. Of course God knows our hearts<br />
even apart from fruitage. But with men,<br />
it is not so much what we profess or<br />
what we say we believe as it is what we<br />
do that convinces men of our faith in<br />
the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the posi<br />
tion of James. And it is our position toe.<br />
We expect the professed follower of the<br />
Lord Jesus to show his faith by the<br />
study of God's Word, prayer, Christian<br />
fellowship, service, stewardship, etc.<br />
Eph. 4:30-32.<br />
The teaching of this Epistle is that a<br />
professed Christian faith is vain and<br />
worthless unless there is a correspond<br />
ing Christian life. There is always dan<br />
ger of the antinomian error, of trusting<br />
in a dead faith. This explains the vigor<br />
ous emphasis which James puts upon<br />
works. But in a real sense it is a vigor<br />
ous emphasis upon faith too. It is unfair<br />
to judge James as partial to works or as<br />
presenting<br />
works apart from faith as<br />
the means of salvation. It is faith which<br />
produces works. "What doth it profit,<br />
my brethren, if a man say he hath faith,<br />
but have not works, can that faith save<br />
him (R. V.) And the implied answer is,<br />
"Of course<br />
Abraham's Works Are Evidences of<br />
His Faith (Genesis 22:1-18).<br />
(Perhaps one of the juniors or inter<br />
mediates would tell this story which is<br />
so full of interest and appeal to both<br />
young<br />
and old.)<br />
Back of Abraham's<br />
readiness and willingness to offer his<br />
own beloved Isaac there was a strong<br />
faith. James is emphasizing works. But<br />
there could be no such evidence such as<br />
Abraham gave<br />
his own son<br />
the willingness to offer<br />
had he not possessed a<br />
vigorous and living faith. In emphasizing<br />
works, is not James emphasizing faith<br />
too<br />
not only the genuineness of it, but<br />
its strength<br />
Rahab's works are an evidence of her<br />
faith (Joshua 2:1-24; 6:25). What a dif<br />
ference there is between these two char<br />
acters, Abraham and Rahab !<br />
Rahab, be<br />
cause of her faith in God (Joshua 2:10-<br />
11) refused to betray the two spies who<br />
were lodged in her home. For her pro<br />
tection and help to them, she and her<br />
family were spared when Jericho was<br />
destroyed. Jewish tradition has been<br />
kindly<br />
disposed toward Rahab and her<br />
name is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31 as<br />
an example of faith and by James as an<br />
236<br />
1 bushel oranges from Mrs. W. A.<br />
example of works. So two of the great<br />
Troy Hill Girl Scouts. avoid the drink that would end in a<br />
examples of faith are also mentioned as<br />
two great examples of works. And of<br />
course other examples might be given<br />
from this great Faith chapter.<br />
Abraham, (Gal. 3:6-9) father of many<br />
Russell<br />
Apples from Misses M. and J. Thomp<br />
son<br />
250 lb. powdered milk<br />
65 lb. butter<br />
nations, strong in faith, was saved by a 50 lb. rice U. S. Government<br />
living faith which manifested itself in<br />
works. Rahab, lowly and limited in op<br />
portunities and training was saved by<br />
Mrs. Wm. Esler, Donation ch.<br />
her faith as revealed by her actions. Or<br />
OPEN LETTER<br />
putting the emphasis upon works, both<br />
were saved by works works which Dear Mr. Taggart:<br />
proved that they possessed a strong and<br />
living faith. What do my works prove<br />
Questions:<br />
We are sending you the enclosed Re<br />
lease with the hope that you will run it<br />
in an early issue of your publication.<br />
The safety program with which it<br />
1. Can Paul's teaching concerning<br />
deals was developed a short time ago<br />
faith be harmonized with the statement<br />
Association,<br />
of James that faith without works is by the National Reform<br />
and,<br />
dead<br />
very little publicity has been<br />
given to it as yet, there has been a very<br />
2. Do we have any reason to be proud<br />
encouraging response. In order that<br />
of our "Good Works"<br />
more people may know about this safe<br />
See Confession of Faith, chapter<br />
ty<br />
program and the materials that have<br />
16, paragraph 5.<br />
been prepared, this Release is being sent<br />
3. Can we ever excuse ourselves from out.<br />
"Good on the plea that we are We realize that drinking and driving<br />
justified by faith<br />
is only one facet of the liquor problem<br />
4. What value is a faith that does not but this is one of the factors which<br />
change life<br />
leads to so many deaths on our high<br />
Prayer:<br />
ways. With wide use of the bumper<br />
That we might be able to do "Good sticker, with its warning slogan, and<br />
because we have great faith.<br />
also the general use sticker and calen<br />
That our prayer meetings may have<br />
dar cards, it is our belief that many<br />
power and effectiveness.<br />
people will be led to think and avoid<br />
That all our pastors and people may<br />
the drink that may end in a traffic<br />
be blessed in their witnessing.<br />
death. With this end in view we are<br />
That the Lord may bless the work on asking your cooperation in giving wide<br />
our Mission fields.<br />
publicity to this program by carrying<br />
the Release in an early issue of your<br />
publication.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
We would very much appreciate it if<br />
you would send us a copy of the issue<br />
in which this Release appears.<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1 :00 P.M. Monday<br />
Yours very truly,<br />
J. Renwick Patterson,<br />
Executive Secretary.<br />
Note: We are including news and<br />
notes of our Women's Association. This<br />
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br />
makes us very happy. This will continue Using the slogan "Arrive Alive! Don't<br />
until other plans develop. There is much Drink and Drive!" a safety program de<br />
potential material within our realms. signed to create an increased aware<br />
We welcome all that is sent for our ness in the public mind of the danger<br />
column and urge others to write. M.J.L. of drinking and driving has been launch<br />
ed. This program, originated by Dr. J.<br />
From our A. P. Home<br />
Renwick Patterson, Executive Secretary<br />
Donations acknowledged include:<br />
of the National Reform Association, is<br />
6 prs. pillow cases from Mrs. C. V.<br />
being promoted under his leadership.<br />
Walker.<br />
The slogan appears in eye-catching<br />
1 bushel oranges, Mr. and Mrs. R. M.<br />
red and black on a florescent bumper<br />
Young<br />
sticker, an envelope sticker and a wallet<br />
Cookies, Rev .and M .K. Carson. size calendar card. Many thousands of<br />
1 bushel apples, Eastvale W. M. S.<br />
these items are already being used.<br />
1 bushel oranges, Mr. and Mrs. K. M. All too frequently, innocent persons<br />
Young<br />
are the victims of alcohol-caused high<br />
Cash $10.00 for Valentine by Mont way tragedies. A bumper sticker with<br />
clair W. M. S.<br />
this slogan on your car may be the<br />
Cookies, Rev. and Mrs. M. K. Carson. means, of leading someone to think and<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
you."<br />
Church News<br />
CLARINDA<br />
The kitchen at the parsonage has been<br />
given a renovating of late, making it<br />
much more convenient and attractive.<br />
To show their appreciation to the Dea<br />
PORTLAND<br />
We were very glad to have Miss<br />
Blanche McCrea speak to us on March<br />
16. She gave us a very interesting talk<br />
on her work with the girls in Nicosia<br />
and also showed slides of the Island of<br />
Cyprus.<br />
The W.M.S. meeting<br />
was held on<br />
March 18 and the following officers<br />
were elected for the new year: Presi<br />
dent, Mrs. J. D. Carson; Vice President,<br />
Mrs. Thomas Chambers; Secretary, Miss<br />
Iris Hutcheson; and Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
John Fonaas.<br />
After our W.M.S. meeting the ladies<br />
held a surprise baby<br />
Mary Chambers.<br />
STAFFORD<br />
shower on Mrs.<br />
Stafford congregation "greatly appre<br />
ciated the messages of Rev. Sam Boyle<br />
on February 20. We were glad to have<br />
his son Robert with him.<br />
Rev. A. J. McFarland has preached for<br />
us frequently this winter as his C.A.M.<br />
work has allowed.<br />
On May 1, Rev. Lester Kilpatrick is to<br />
conduct our communion services. We are<br />
very happily looking forward to having<br />
Mr. Donald Felker with us for the sum<br />
mer.<br />
Several ministers still graciously sup<br />
ply us with sermon records for the many<br />
days we have no preacher. Dr. C. E. Wil<br />
son has made a loud speaker which is<br />
a great help.<br />
The S. S. has given $60 to CAM to<br />
help keep it on the air. The congregation<br />
has increased its giving to Synod's bud<br />
get this year by 50%<br />
above the past<br />
year. This has meant $73 per wage earn<br />
er above our local budget.<br />
The congregation of NEW ALEXAN<br />
DRIA, dedicated the "Educational<br />
Room," a new addition to the church<br />
building, March 18.<br />
Dr. J. B. Willson, representative of the<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Seminary, Pitts<br />
burgh, and Dr. R. C. Fullerton, pastor<br />
of the New Alexandria church, were the<br />
speakers.<br />
J. E. Steele, chairman of the congretraffic<br />
death. An attractive four page<br />
folder in color, giving the sizes and<br />
prices of each item and offering numer<br />
ous suggestions for their use may be<br />
had free of cost by writing to The Na<br />
tional Reform Association, 209 Ninth<br />
Street, Pittsburgh 22, Pa.<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
gation, presided at the dedicatory serv<br />
ices.<br />
Introductions were made, including R.<br />
Lloyd Brown, chairman of the building<br />
committee; Clarence Clark, chairman<br />
of the board of trustees; Emil Dorko,<br />
building contractor who supervised the<br />
building of the new addition, and W. B.<br />
Evans, engineer.<br />
The Educational Room is a one-story<br />
structure 31 feet by 53 feet and is con<br />
structed of brick and steel. It is the first<br />
such addition to the church building<br />
since it was built 85 years ago.<br />
Following the dedication,<br />
was held in the Educational Room.<br />
whitelAke<br />
a social hour<br />
Our latest newcomer is Ge<strong>org</strong>e Allan,<br />
who arrived March 7 to make his home<br />
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel<br />
H. Bosch. Mrs. Bosch is the former Ruth<br />
Winchell, who before her marriage was<br />
a member of the Coldenham, N. Y. con<br />
gregation.<br />
The W. M. S. held an all-day meet<br />
ing March 10 at the home of Mrs. Clara<br />
Donaldson. Election of officers for the<br />
ensuing year resulted in the following:<br />
President, Mrs. Daniel Bosch; Vice-Pres<br />
ident, Miss Dorothea Millen; Secretary,<br />
Mrs. Grace Weiss; Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Norris. That day happened to<br />
be the out-going president's birthday,<br />
and Mrs. Thomas Wilson was delight<br />
fully surprised with a beautiful birth<br />
day cake during the luncheon period.<br />
LOCHIEL NEWS<br />
The Lochiel congregation partook of<br />
the Lord's Supper on February 27. We<br />
were happy to have with us on this<br />
occasion Mr. and Mrs. Parke who re<br />
cently came from Toronto to make<br />
their home here near to their daugh<br />
ter, Mrs. W. A. F. Brodie. Ralph Mc<br />
Kelvy made a public profession of his<br />
faith in Christ at this time. Alice Mc<br />
Kelvy was home from Geneva College<br />
during the holidays.<br />
Mr. Andrew S. Brodie, of Red Deer,<br />
Alberta, passed to his reward on March<br />
17 in his eightieth year. Though a<br />
native of Lochiel, he lived many years<br />
in Alberta where he was an elder in<br />
the Delburne congregation until its dis<br />
<strong>org</strong>anization. His widow, two sons and<br />
two daughters mourn his death, but not<br />
as those who have no hope. His last<br />
words to his wife were, "The Lord be<br />
with<br />
con Board for their thoughtfulness and<br />
hard work, the Carsons entertained the<br />
members and their wives at dinner. Six<br />
teen were seated at the tables which<br />
were decorated in honor of "St.<br />
Pat."<br />
The evening was spent in games and<br />
visiting, ending with family worship be<br />
fore we separated. The Pastor and his<br />
wife are very<br />
grateful for these im<br />
provements which lighten kitchen tasks<br />
appreciably.<br />
We were glad to welcome home for<br />
brief visits Wendell and Joyce Westenberg<br />
en route from Ft. Bliss, Texas, to<br />
Baltimore, Md., and Robert Morrow of<br />
Geneva College who spent a few days of<br />
the Spring<br />
parents.<br />
vacation at the home of his<br />
John Morrow is missed from the serv<br />
ices as he has secured employment near<br />
Storm Lake, Iowa.<br />
Congratulations to Norma Woods who<br />
has worked up to the state contest in<br />
oration. She will compete in the finals<br />
at Ottumwa, Iowa, April, 21-23.<br />
Mrs. Myrtle Tippin has returned from<br />
a stay in her grand daughter's home in<br />
Girard, Kansas.<br />
GREELEY<br />
March was stewardship month in<br />
Greeley. Two of our laymen, Msrs. Ed<br />
win Keys and Neeland Siebring, spoke<br />
on Stewardship on Sabbath, March 13.<br />
Our Pastor preached on "Stewardship<br />
in all Things!" on March 20. The Offer<br />
ing received on March 27 was almost<br />
$1,200.00, of which over $900.00 was<br />
designated for Synod's Budget. We<br />
praise God for faithful stewards.<br />
Mr. Donald Johnson joined the Church<br />
by profession of faith on Monday, March<br />
21.<br />
A Booster Program for the Covenant<br />
Heights Conference (July 12-17, 1955)<br />
was held at the Church, Friday eve<br />
ning, March 25. The Young People serv<br />
ed a Spaghetti Dinner to 68 prospective<br />
campers, and then presented "A Preview<br />
of Covenant Heights 1955." Despite the<br />
snow storm the night before, the crowd<br />
was good, 23 coming up from Denver.<br />
We were pleased that Dr. J. C. Mitchel<br />
and the Rev. Paul D. White could have<br />
a part in the program.<br />
A new Sabbath School Contest start<br />
ed April 4. Each of the eight classes is<br />
competing against the others to bring<br />
the most new members. The theme of<br />
the contest is "Fishers of Men!"<br />
MORNING SUN<br />
Mrs. Anna Wilson, Morning Sun, Iowa,<br />
died in her sleep March 11, at the<br />
237
sons'<br />
home of her son Ralph. Folks who at<br />
tended 1948 Grinnell will remember her<br />
as the one who came in the wheel<br />
chair. She was regular in her attend<br />
ance at church, missionary society,<br />
prayer meeting until she became bed<br />
fast in November. She was a member<br />
of W.C.T.U. and sponsored many local<br />
and county Silver and Gold contests.<br />
She wrote a letter nearly every day and<br />
had a great interest in people. Her hus<br />
band C. B. Wilson served two terms<br />
as Iowa State Representative. She<br />
leaves to mourn: her sister Mrs. Lois<br />
Honeyman,<br />
and two<br />
families, Mr.<br />
and Mrs. E. Raymond Wilson, Wash<br />
ington, D. C, and Lee and Kent of<br />
Harvard U., Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Wil<br />
son, and Winnifred and Gwen of Ames.<br />
She was a double LL Wilson before<br />
her marriage. Her husband, two daugh<br />
ters and one son preceded her in death.<br />
Raymond Wilson, Executive Secretary<br />
of the Friends Committee on National<br />
Legislation,<br />
was called home while on a<br />
speaking tour in Florida, because of his<br />
mother's death. He made the trip from<br />
St. Petersburg, Fla. by plane.<br />
Several from Morning Sun are at<br />
tending the Geneva banquet honoring<br />
Rev. and Mrs. John Coleman, March<br />
29. He is assisting both Sharon and<br />
Morning<br />
Sun at communion services.<br />
Anna Hutcheson, student at Parkville,<br />
Mo., and niece of Mrs. Ralph Wilson<br />
will appear with the college choir on<br />
its tour in Iowa. Mt. Pleasant and Des<br />
Moines and Farmington are some of the<br />
points on their itinerary.<br />
The Genevans sing at Morning Sun<br />
high school, 8:00 p.m. April 4.<br />
Rev. H. G. Patterson has returned<br />
home after preaching<br />
baths in Topeka.<br />
for three Sab<br />
The Memorial gift from the Mission<br />
ary Society in lieu of flowers for Mrs.<br />
Patterson was sent to the Southern<br />
Mission.<br />
Several of our women attended the<br />
County Institute of the WCTU which<br />
met in Morning Sun Library. Three<br />
state workers were here. Mrs. Honey<br />
man acted as hostess to two of them.<br />
KANSAS CITY<br />
Doctor G. M. Robb was installed pas<br />
tor of the Kansas City congregation<br />
February 24, at 7:30 p.m. The message<br />
of the evening was brought by Rev. R.<br />
W. Caskey of Winchester; the address<br />
to the pastor by Dr. F. L. Stewart of<br />
Olathe. The queries were put by Dr.<br />
Huston of Winchester and the message<br />
to the congregation by Elder Henry Faris<br />
of Dension. Thus, a new epoch begins<br />
in the history of the Kansas City con<br />
gregation.<br />
A reception was given for Dr. and<br />
Mrs. Robb, February 10, at the church.<br />
238<br />
Although it was a near zero windy night,<br />
hazardous driving, all went well. A<br />
portion of the 148th Psalm was sung<br />
then prayer after which sweet little<br />
Margie Weimer came with a speech:<br />
"She was only a litle girl but she wanted<br />
to welcome the Robbs." Dr. R. P.<br />
Wright, gave the congregational wel<br />
come.<br />
"Howdy" came from the Juniors:<br />
Pamela Burke, presented a corsage to<br />
Mrs. Robb and John Ward gave Dr.<br />
Robb, a boutonniere. Welcome to Mid-<br />
West Presbytery was given by Dr. F.<br />
L. Stewart. The Intermediate Choir sang<br />
Blue."<br />
"Banner Rev. J. Roy Smith,<br />
President of the Roanoke Ministers' As<br />
sociation, gave a warm welcome for<br />
that group. Cute little Lynna Hunter<br />
gave her little speech, "We Must<br />
Scratch," she stepped forward, to give<br />
Dr. Robb a little rake and with much<br />
emphasis<br />
told him to just make us,<br />
"Scratch, Scratch, Scratch." To all this<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Robb responded graciously.<br />
A reception line formed and members<br />
and friends of the congregation greeted<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Robb. The folding doors.to<br />
the adjoining<br />
room were thrown open<br />
and there was a beautifully bedecked<br />
table, glistening silver service and large<br />
silver trays laden with dainty sand<br />
wiches and tea cakes. Mrs. Paul Wright<br />
sat at one end and Mrs. Benton Duffett<br />
at the other end, ready to pour. All was<br />
done in serving with so much ease and<br />
precision that Mrs. Frank Stewart want<br />
ed to see who was behind the gun<br />
and there in an adjoining room was Mrs.<br />
J. T. Humphries and her committee.<br />
Mrs. Humphries brought so much from<br />
her home that her husband Jim just<br />
had to take the morning off to get her<br />
over to the church early that stormy<br />
day.<br />
We are happy to have Dr. Robb as<br />
our pastor and will do all we can to<br />
help him to go forward here in Kansas<br />
City in work for the Master.<br />
TOPEKA<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Drennon an<br />
nounce the engagement of their daugh<br />
ter Doris to Al/c Ralph Enloe sta<br />
tioned<br />
at Forbes Air Base.<br />
Mr. Richard McAllister has been con<br />
fined to the hospital for the past two<br />
weeks but is now returned to his home.<br />
The ailment was an acute form of skin<br />
disease affecting his feet. This is a re<br />
turn engagement of previous years.<br />
Our congregation greatly enjoyed the<br />
concert of the Genevans given in our<br />
Church on Saturday evening, April 2,<br />
and stayed with us over the weekend<br />
and we enjoyed the gospel team in the<br />
forenoon of April 3 and a sermon by<br />
Rev. David Carson concerning the bene<br />
fits which flow from justification, adop<br />
tion and sanctification.<br />
The following teachers have been<br />
elected for the Sabbath School during<br />
the coming year: Mrs. Lyons Class,<br />
A. D. Robb; Men's Class, Henry<br />
Blackwood; Margaret Mitchell Class,<br />
Emma McFarland; Blue Banner Class,<br />
W. A. McElroy; High School Class,<br />
Harold McKinney; Junior High School<br />
Class, Dr. W. O. Martin.<br />
NEW ALEXANDRIA PA.<br />
We are sorry<br />
to report that several<br />
of our members have been absent be<br />
cause of illness. Mr. T. B. Monroe has<br />
been confined to his home. Mrs. Clar<br />
ence Clark in the Latrobe Hospital<br />
and Mr. John Steel in the Westmore<br />
land Hospital in Greensburg, Pa.<br />
LOS ANGELES<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Chambers be<br />
came the proud parents of their third<br />
son, Paul Allen on February 5.<br />
On Sabbath March 6, Jeffrey Elliot,<br />
son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gault,<br />
was baptized by his Grandfather Rev.<br />
John Gault. Also at this time Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Edward Chambers had their son<br />
Paul Allen baptized by Dr. E. G. Rus<br />
sell.<br />
We are happy to have Miss Jean Mc<br />
Elroy from Kansas, who is now residing<br />
in Los Angeles in our midst.<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> daughters elected the<br />
following new officers for the year:<br />
President, Mrs. Virginia Honeyman;<br />
First Vice President, Miss Alice Robb;<br />
Second Vice President, Mrs. Maude<br />
Lowe; Recording Secretary, Mrs. Doro<br />
thy Heinitz; Treasurer, Mrs. Jean<br />
Aikin.<br />
The new officers of the Covenettes<br />
for the year are as follows: President,<br />
Mrs. Margaret Wilson; Vice President,<br />
Mrs. Dorothy Buck; Secretary, Mrs.<br />
Betty Walker; Treasurer, Mrs. Fern<br />
Yogoda.<br />
Missionaries who have visited us dur<br />
ing the recent months have been Miss<br />
Orlena Lynn, who<br />
during a Sabbath<br />
evening service told of the work in<br />
Japan; Miss Elizabeth McElroy who<br />
was guest speaker at the annual thank<br />
offering meeting of the <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Daughters and Covenettes, and Miss<br />
Blanche McCrea who showed pictures<br />
after prayer meeting on February 25,<br />
the World Day of Prayer. The follow<br />
ing Sabbath morning Miss McCrea was<br />
guest speaker.<br />
"Drivers are safer when the roads are<br />
dry, but the roads are safer when the<br />
dry."<br />
driver is<br />
The Pathfinder<br />
The fellow who drinks and drives<br />
is putting the quart before the hearse.<br />
Americans are spending six times as<br />
much for liquor as for religion. This<br />
seems slightly out of proportion.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
powers"<br />
authorities"<br />
authorities"<br />
authorities"<br />
right,"<br />
gangsters'<br />
state."<br />
PREFATORY NOTE<br />
The following<br />
Open Letters<br />
letter is published be<br />
cause of some thought provoking ideas<br />
presented. Attention should be called,<br />
however, to the suggested translations,<br />
"rightful<br />
and "election by<br />
show of hands," for "powers that be"<br />
and<br />
"ordained,"<br />
respectively, as found in<br />
the King James Version of the Bible. It<br />
is by no means established that the<br />
KJV was wrong at these points, or that<br />
its translators so translated because<br />
they were subservient to the King of<br />
England, for in many instances of the<br />
use of these words the American Revised<br />
Version of 1901 and the Revised Stan<br />
dard Version of 1952<br />
which latter our<br />
Synod has warned against because of its<br />
"many imperfections"<br />
the KJV.<br />
both agree with<br />
The Greek word exousia which is<br />
translated by "power" in Romans 13<br />
cannot be limited to "rightful authori<br />
ty,"<br />
because this word is frequently<br />
used in the New Testament in speaking<br />
of wicked, Satanic and demonic power<br />
or authority. For example, Eph. 2 :2 and<br />
6:12 speak of Satanic exousia; Jesus in<br />
Luke 22:53 speaks of the exousia of<br />
darkness; in Rev. 13:4, 5, 7, 12 we read<br />
of the exousia of the beast. Moreover, in<br />
Romans 13 Paul speaks of "the existing<br />
using the Greek present parti<br />
ciple, hai ousai exousiai, which cannot<br />
be limited to "rightful<br />
exist at some other time, but must in<br />
clude<br />
the authorities existing<br />
to<br />
at the<br />
time of the writing and first reading of<br />
the Epistle.<br />
This letter, incidentally, shows the<br />
danger of considering the KJV as the<br />
standard version.<br />
signed/The Editorial Committee<br />
RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY<br />
There is a worldly proverb to the ef<br />
fect that "might makes but one<br />
would not expect Christian scholars to<br />
operate on that principle, as the trans<br />
lators of the King James version seem<br />
to have done. Thus in the first chapter<br />
of John they have us given the power<br />
to become sons of God, whereas what<br />
the record says is the right to become<br />
children of God. Likewise in Romans 13,<br />
they talk about "the powers that be,"<br />
whereas what Paul said was "the right<br />
ful<br />
world.<br />
all the difference in the<br />
Sensitive Christians have always been<br />
concerned about their relation to the<br />
pagan state, but they<br />
have not been<br />
helped by the King James version of<br />
Romans 13. Rather has it entangled<br />
them in their consciences to the point<br />
where often they have not known<br />
wheth-<br />
April 13, 1955<br />
er they were coming or going.<br />
How<br />
could they know when to obey God rath<br />
er than men<br />
Certainly the King James version was<br />
not intended to be an honest translation.<br />
The instructions the translators re<br />
ceived make it clear that they were to<br />
bolster the prejudices of the king, as is.<br />
apparent by the high-church emphasis on<br />
"ordination,"<br />
where the original is mere<br />
ly "election by show of hands," the in<br />
sertion of "bishop" where "supervisor"<br />
or "superintendent" would have served,<br />
the arbitrary use of "Easter." One of<br />
the rules followed was not to render the<br />
Greek "ekklesia" by "congregation,"<br />
which would have been a good transla<br />
tion, but by "church," which played into<br />
the hands of ecclesiasticism, inasmuch<br />
as anything<br />
not Church of England<br />
could be regarded not as a church but as<br />
a mere chapel. Some of the translators<br />
complained that they couldn't follow<br />
their own judgment but were hampered<br />
by "reasons of<br />
boot-lickers.<br />
They had to be<br />
In Romans 13, Paul is talking about<br />
"rightful<br />
authorities,"<br />
and he gives their<br />
ear-mafks, characteristics quite for<br />
eign to the ordinary<br />
operations of the<br />
Roman imperial power, which was a<br />
racket. Proper exegesis<br />
the passage requires familiarity with<br />
the whole of scripture, notably the<br />
eighth chapter of First Samuel, where<br />
God is on record in favor of the com<br />
munal <strong>org</strong>anization of society as against<br />
the political state, which history shows<br />
to have been always a device to enable<br />
a privileged class to exploit the popula<br />
tion.<br />
Our fathers did a disservice in saying<br />
that "the family, the church and the<br />
institutions."<br />
state are divine<br />
They<br />
should have said, "The family, the<br />
church, and the community (local, re<br />
gional, national, ecumenical) are divine<br />
institutions."<br />
of<br />
The political state can not<br />
be anything but pagan; any scholarly<br />
political scientist knows that. Hence the<br />
Christian always has to decide when to<br />
obey it and when to obey God, and the<br />
answer is to be determined on the basis<br />
of all that is known about Christian<br />
truth.<br />
Even if Paul cherished unwarranted<br />
personal hopes for the Christianization<br />
of the Roman Empire<br />
the sort of hopes<br />
that eventuated in the paganization of<br />
the church , and even if he tried to be<br />
lieve that Nero was God's minister, we<br />
can not let the personal limitations of<br />
the apostle cloud the eternal truth he<br />
was voicing. Very likely he "wrote bet<br />
ter than he knew," as was often the<br />
case with the prophets. We can't take<br />
the meaning of Paul's words as just<br />
what he, a mere man, saw in them; else<br />
where were inspiration We shall always<br />
have to determine by the ear-marks he<br />
suggested what are the "rightful author-.<br />
ities," and quite commonly that test<br />
will rule out the mandates of the pagan<br />
state, just as they did for the early<br />
Christians.<br />
This conclusion does not invalidate<br />
government. All institutions have gov<br />
ernments. But, if the Christian Amend<br />
ment were passed and made operative,<br />
we would be done with the political<br />
state. We would have, not a Christian<br />
state, which is a contradiction in terms,<br />
but a Christian society, such as Israel<br />
set aside in order to be like the nations.<br />
It would not be perfect, but it would be<br />
on a creative rather than a predatory<br />
principle. That is what the world is<br />
waiting for.<br />
Arthur W. Calhoun<br />
2950 West 14th Street,<br />
Los Angeles 6, Calif.<br />
March 31, 1955<br />
Dr. Raymond D. Taggart,<br />
Dear Friend,<br />
In the Issue of February 23, 1955, of<br />
The <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> there was an<br />
item, on page 127, entitled "Some Things<br />
To Know."<br />
It related to the matter<br />
of<br />
"Social<br />
Security"<br />
with particular<br />
reference to Ministers. It noted some<br />
of its effects, regarding coverage, etc.<br />
Without going into detail, after study<br />
and knowledge of its defects, after<br />
twenty years of operation, it is time<br />
for a due appraisal of its merits and<br />
demerits.<br />
First of all, we should remember,<br />
that it was but and still it, a make-shift<br />
measure, substituted for the first and<br />
Plan"<br />
original "Retirement for aged<br />
citizens and those who have retired from<br />
an active participation in the nation's<br />
business and industrial world.<br />
It was offered,<br />
and enacted as a sub<br />
stitute for the well known, and<br />
thoroughly feasible, and truly consti<br />
tutional American Retirement Plan, in<br />
augurated by its founder Dr. Fftincis E.<br />
Townsend.<br />
This Plan, is as it has always been,<br />
a Universal Pension or Retirement Plan,<br />
variable, and on a pay-as-you-go basis.<br />
The present Social Security Plan or<br />
system, is a selective pension plan. It<br />
pays benefits to some Americans, bars<br />
others from benefits. In contrast, with<br />
the Townsend Plan, which is based upon<br />
the belief that pensions are a matter<br />
of right. If it were in operation, the<br />
government would not say to one citizen,<br />
you,"<br />
"You have a pension coming to<br />
and to another, "Sorry, nothing for you.<br />
Apply at your local well-fare office."<br />
239
The Townsend Plan would pay bene<br />
fits to three classes of non-working citi<br />
zens, regardless of whether they were<br />
ministers or common laborers, provided<br />
that they are loyal American citizens<br />
60 years or over, totally disabled persons<br />
of 18 years, or widows with dependent<br />
children.<br />
All of these would receive the same<br />
amount of annuity. None would be<br />
favoured above another. Rich and poor<br />
alike, wife and husband would receive<br />
equal payments, as long as they fell<br />
into one of the three categories as<br />
named above, and were not earning a<br />
living.<br />
This is true 'Universal<br />
Coverage.'<br />
Some Administration officials have tried<br />
to picture the present existing system<br />
as "essentially universal. Such is not<br />
the case. Some professions and occupa<br />
tions are still excluded and, moreover,<br />
so are millions of elderly citizens, who<br />
merely were born too soon to take ad<br />
vantage of Old Age and Survivor's In<br />
surance, or who never happened to work<br />
in the favored occupations.<br />
It is well to note that the Townsend<br />
"Senior Citizen's Insurance Plan" per<br />
mits retirement at an earlier age than<br />
one on a pension. The more prosperous<br />
everybody is, the worse off he is. The<br />
post-war boom was nothing less than<br />
a "bust" for the retired people on fixed<br />
income. They are caught between rising<br />
prices and their income ceilings, and<br />
they have been mercilessly squeezed.<br />
Their troubles are a matter of com<br />
mon knowledge. There has long since<br />
ceased to be any excuse for failing to<br />
adopt the obvious solution of making<br />
pensions vary with the general economic<br />
level. And that is what the Townsend<br />
Plan proposes.<br />
In the United States, the Social Secur<br />
ity beneficiary must look to Congress<br />
for relief from 'inflation.' And while<br />
intentions are good, performances lag<br />
behind need. The "too-little and too late"<br />
story has become painfully familiar to<br />
the Nation's Senior Citizens.<br />
Under the Townsend Plan, Social<br />
Security taxes paid by the worker,<br />
while employed, would be used for the<br />
purpose intended, instead of being di<br />
verted to other channels and programs.<br />
When retirement time came, there would<br />
be sufficient currency to give him a<br />
living annuity instead of a pittance. If<br />
the Christian Church, would study this<br />
Retirement Insurance under the Townsend<br />
Plan, and after due consideration,<br />
give it its endorsement and support,<br />
it would not be long before the Activi<br />
ties of the Kingdom would have more<br />
than enough to carry on the work. There<br />
would be not only the tithe, but more<br />
than that, for the money would have to<br />
be spent every thirty days. Where there<br />
is prosperity and contentment, Commu<br />
nism cannot thrive, wars would cease, for<br />
the profit would be taken out of it. "To<br />
the law and to the Testimony. Knowing<br />
the truth of God's Economic Law, we<br />
can be made free."<br />
Sincerely, Robert J. Marshall<br />
those specified in the present system of<br />
Social Security, being 60 instead of 65.<br />
This is because it has long since be<br />
come obvious that the working life has<br />
been shortened.<br />
From middle-age on, the unemploy<br />
ed worker finds it increasingly difficult<br />
to get a new job. Any one who doubts.<br />
this is referred to Department of Labor<br />
where the problems of the aging jobseeker<br />
has received much sympathetic<br />
attention of late.<br />
The many<br />
members of Congress are<br />
aware of the situation, as it is shown<br />
by the large number of Bills already in<br />
troduced this year to lower the age<br />
of retirement under the Social Security<br />
program, to sixty years. This, obviously,<br />
is one special feature which has been<br />
the Townsend proposal from its incep<br />
tion, and has now won strong support<br />
in the recent years.<br />
In proposing pensions for totally dis<br />
abled persons, the Townsend <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tion recognized this fact. Total and<br />
permanent disability is merely enforced<br />
retirement. It is as legitimate a reason<br />
for paying<br />
a pension as age is.<br />
The post-war years have demonstrated<br />
one flaw that Social Security and pri<br />
vate pension programs have in common,<br />
and it is a very serious one. It is a fact<br />
that payments are fixed at certain<br />
levels so that no matter what the gen<br />
eral economic conditions are, the pen<br />
sioner's income remains the same. What<br />
this does is to put the pensioner into a<br />
situation where good times for the<br />
working<br />
240<br />
man mean hard times for the<br />
He Lost Out<br />
THE DOCTOR stopped reading his medical journal ... HE<br />
LOST OUT.<br />
THE TEACHER stopped reading his works on<br />
pedagogy .<br />
HE LOST OUT.<br />
THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER stopped reading his les<br />
son material ... HE<br />
LOST OUT.<br />
THE ELECTRICIAN stopped reading his journals on the<br />
science of . .<br />
electricity<br />
. HE LOST OUT.<br />
THE BANKER stopped reading the latest and most improved<br />
methods of banking<br />
. . . HE LOST OUT.<br />
THE FARMER stopped reading his agricultural journals .<br />
HE LOST OUT.<br />
THE CHURCH MEMBER stopped reading his church<br />
paper ... HE<br />
. .<br />
LOST OUT in his religious life, in his in<br />
terest in the Church, in his zeal for the spread of the<br />
Kingdom, and in his usefulness to his community in which<br />
he lives.<br />
Courtesy of The United Presbyterian<br />
Selected.<br />
. .<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
now!"<br />
past."<br />
experiences,"<br />
sacrifice,"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 8, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,<br />
TX 5EO IS THE WORD Of GOD<br />
*<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1955 NUMBER 16<br />
"From till!<br />
by Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
Past"<br />
It had been a wonderful and overwhelming ex<br />
perience of the very<br />
presence of the blessed Lord<br />
Himself. Heaven seemed to pour itself out in blessed<br />
fragrance. There was the consciousness of that mov<br />
ing and moulding power of the Holy Spirit, draw<br />
ing him clear out from himself and into the very<br />
heart of the Almighty.<br />
A. wonderful experience of communion and fel<br />
. . .<br />
lowship and such as, had simply to be written<br />
down on paper, kept as a sacred souvenir of the<br />
session. Whenever one would visit, there would be<br />
while,"<br />
the invitation to "come apart for a little<br />
and sit on the back-porch overlooking the bend of<br />
the creek, while the experience was read slowly,<br />
carefully, lovingly, word for word. It did not seem<br />
to matter that the experience itself had taken place<br />
over twenty years ago<br />
Then came the day when Jim called, and quick<br />
ly came the invitation to sit on that back porch.<br />
Jim settled in the chair waiting for the other to<br />
return with the paper and its heavenly tidings. A<br />
moment or so passed. Then there was the return<br />
with the holding high of the precious missive. Then<br />
it happened!<br />
As he started to seat himself beside Jim, a<br />
sharp gust of quick wind caught the paper clear<br />
out of his hand, whipped it across and over the<br />
porch railing and down upon the watery breast of<br />
the creek below!<br />
For a moment he sat, stiff with stunned sur<br />
prise. His face turned white, the lips began to trem<br />
ble. Then with voice nigh onto breaking he cried<br />
out, "There goes my blessed experience with the<br />
Lord! It's . . . it's ... all gone forever,<br />
Perhaps you smile at the story. Or perhaps the<br />
account leaves you rather uncomfortable. Perhaps<br />
days,<br />
this old man with his bit of paper relating the vision<br />
of the day long died away in the forever yester<br />
appears too sharply to be a picture of your<br />
self, of your own spiritual situation. There are too<br />
many saints who are living in the past, with a yearn<br />
ing for yesterdays which quickly become a paralysis<br />
for the present and. the harbinger of failure for the<br />
future. There is no present spiritual satisfaction<br />
in the experiences of days which have long died<br />
away. Every entreaty of the Word, every prompting<br />
of the Holy Spirit is towards the pivot of possess<br />
ing the fresh, renewed, "up-to-date," communion of<br />
present relationship of power, of fruitage, of bless<br />
ing with the ever living Lord. We are to be "filled<br />
with the Spirit," as the everlasting exercise of the<br />
soul for this present pilgrim passage. We are to,<br />
"present ourselves as the living<br />
in daily<br />
doxology, for the right meeting of today's tasks.<br />
Of course, the Blessed Lord Jesus is "the same<br />
yesterday, today and forever," but surely He would<br />
not have us trade the doings of today for the dreams<br />
of yesterday. Beloved, we surely need to keep in<br />
step with the Lord. Like Enoch of the early day, we<br />
" God,"<br />
must ever learn to, walk with one step at<br />
a time, and in time.<br />
But there is another side to this problem of<br />
the past, and we are in danger of overlooking it.<br />
We are not to live IN the past . . . but on the other<br />
hand, we are to live FROM the past. The days and<br />
activities of yesteryear have living truths which<br />
are to be acted upon for today's testimonies. Recall<br />
that suggestive word from Deuteronomy "Ask now<br />
of the days that are (Deut. 4:32); that is<br />
a definite command from the Lord. We are to learn<br />
from their lines. But ... do ... we<br />
Have there been defeats yesterday Well, have<br />
we learned the root of that defeat so there will be<br />
victory and triumph for today What about the<br />
of the former times<br />
"mountain-top<br />
(Continued on page 247)
nals."<br />
. When<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Good News re the Calendar<br />
The United Press reports that the United States pro<br />
tested that the United Nations should be able to find bet<br />
ter things to do than tinker with the calendar. A terse<br />
note from the State Department said this government is<br />
opposed to any change in the present calendar. Religious<br />
groups complained that such a system would upset the<br />
present seven-day Sabbatical cycle and change the day of<br />
worship. The U. S. said it would be inappropriate for the<br />
U. N. to sponsor any calendar revision that would conflict<br />
with the principles of religious faiths.<br />
Like Paul and others we thank God and take courage.<br />
It is several years since we began to protest against this<br />
proposed World Calendar. Lately<br />
we have seen protests<br />
in some other church papers. The power of protest is still<br />
of great value.<br />
Women Ministers<br />
The Bureau of Census reports that there are now 6,777<br />
women ministers in the United States. About one tenth of<br />
these who are serving as pastors are in denominations af<br />
filiated with the National Council of Churches. Nearly twothirds<br />
of women ministers are affiliated with four deno<br />
minations : Church of God, International Church of the Four-<br />
Square Gospel, the Methodist Church, and <strong>Vol</strong>unteers of<br />
America. Women make up 4.1 per cent of all ministers in<br />
the nation, as compared with 6.1 per cent of physicians and<br />
surgeons, and 3.5 per cent of lawyers.<br />
Busses in Missouri<br />
A bill which was intended to provide bus transportation<br />
for all Missouri school children, public and parochial, was<br />
sent back to the committee which is regarded as a defeat<br />
for it.<br />
News Not Good<br />
Both houses of the Iowa Legislature have voted by a<br />
large majority to repeal Iowa's 100-year-old so-called "blue<br />
laws,"<br />
and it is stated that the governor will sign the bill.<br />
While these laws have not been enforced to any extent they<br />
have served to restrain some Sabbath breaking. The<br />
large majority which favored the repeal shows how little<br />
respect the present generation has for the Sabbath in com<br />
parison with that of our fathers. It is one of the sad signs<br />
of the times.<br />
i eads :<br />
What the Law Was<br />
The chapter of the code repealed by the above bill<br />
"If any person be found on the first day of the week,<br />
commonly called Sunday, engaged in carrying firearms,<br />
dancing, hunting, shooting, horse racing, or in any mannerdisturbing<br />
a worshiping assembly or private family, or in<br />
buying or selling property of any kind, or in any labor ex<br />
cept that of necessity or charity, he shall be fined not more<br />
than five nor less than one dollar, and be imprisoned in<br />
the county jail until the fine, with costs of prosecution,<br />
shall be paid; but nothing herein contained shall be con<br />
strued to extend to those who conscientiously<br />
observe the<br />
seventh day of the week as the Sabbath or to prevent per<br />
sons traveling or families emigrating from pursuing their<br />
journey, or keepers of toll bridges, toll gates, and ferrymen<br />
same."<br />
from attending the<br />
A Blow at Godliness<br />
State Representative John Duffy, who introduced the<br />
above bill is from Dubuque, a predominantly Roman Catho<br />
lic city. After both houses voted to repeal the law Mr.<br />
Dulfy<br />
called on tne governor whom he quoted as follows:<br />
"The governor said the bill is a great stride toward improv<br />
ed law<br />
enforcement."<br />
The fact is that it is a movement<br />
toward godlessness and lack of respect for divine or human<br />
law. Godly men know that there is little respect for the<br />
Sabbath today, even among the majority of church members.<br />
and that when the Sabbath goes there is little of true<br />
Christianity left. The breaking of the Sabbath was one of<br />
the chief sins for which God allowed Israel to be taken<br />
captive.<br />
Juvenile Misdeeds<br />
The Legislature of Pennsylvania has before it two bills<br />
which are intended to place the responsibility for juvenile<br />
misdeeds on the parents. One of these bills would classify<br />
hardened offenders seventeen years of age a's "adult crimi<br />
Jewish Distribution<br />
The World Jewish Congress calculates that there are<br />
11,672,000 Jews in the world. They are<br />
countries. The Jewish population in the<br />
estimated at 5,000,000; about 2,000,000 in the Soviet Union;<br />
1,450,000 in Israel, and 1,200,000 in China<br />
the history of the Old Testament and the foreign wives and<br />
concubines of rulers and people he wonders if there are<br />
any Jews of unmixed blood today.<br />
Students Serving us Pastors<br />
distributed in 97<br />
United States is<br />
one reads<br />
A Baptist source states that approximately 100 students<br />
of Oklahoma Baptist University are serving as pastors of<br />
Oklahoma churches while carrying full-time work at the<br />
(Continued on page 250)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
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to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer.'<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Coutriburiny Editor<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
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Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
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The Rev. R.<br />
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Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
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242<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
statesman,"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
STEPPING DOWN<br />
immigration put in so many restrictions that only 15,000<br />
Sir Winston Churchill's retirement as prime minister is<br />
being hailed as the end of a political era for Great Britain.<br />
He served for 52 years in the House of Commons, and was<br />
in the cabinet over half that time. Churchill's public career<br />
began in 1S99 with the Boer War, and reached its peak<br />
when he led England through World War II. He returned<br />
to power in 1951, for a total of nearly nine years as prime<br />
minister. Besides his political career, Churchill has distin<br />
guished himself as an orator, journalist, and historian. He<br />
applications have been processed. The Administration has<br />
promised to liberalize the program, but when Corsi began to<br />
do this the restrictionists rushed to the attack. They ac<br />
cused Corsi of membership in Communist-front <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tions, which he denied. Dulles dismissed him, supposedly not<br />
on security grounds but because his appointment had only<br />
been temporary. Corsi was offered another job, but the<br />
whole affair puts the State Department in a bad light and<br />
helps to explain why top federal positions are hard to fill.<br />
gave his age, eighty, as his main reason for retiring. Queen<br />
Elizabeth offered him a dukedom, but he declined this honor<br />
so that he might continue in the House of Commons. He<br />
will have a unique position there as an "elder<br />
VOTING DEMOCRATIC<br />
Local elections this spring seem to have continued the<br />
Democratic trend set by the Congressional contests last fall.<br />
free from the burdens of office or ambition.<br />
Chicago Democrats won the municipal election to continue<br />
the grip on the city which they have held since 1931. How<br />
TAKING OVER<br />
ever, Robert E. Merriam, the young Republican candidate for<br />
Sir Anthony Eden succeeds Churchill as Britain's prime mayor, did well enough to give Chicago's Republicans hope<br />
minister. Eden is a statesman in his own right and will not for the future. Republicans were crushingly defeated in mu<br />
remain in Churchill's shadow, but no great change in policy<br />
nicipal elections in St. Louis. In voting for state offices in<br />
is expected. Eden, now 58, began his public service as an Michigan, the Democrats won five offices and the Republi<br />
army officer in World War I. He served as Foreign Minister cans three, though most of the races were close. Michigan's<br />
in the 1930's but resigned in 1938 in protest against the ap governor, G. Mennen Williams, has built up a strong Demo<br />
peasement policy. He has been very close to Churchill. Eden cratic <strong>org</strong>anization and will soon become a figure in na<br />
is a skillful diplomat and has represented the British at most tional politics.<br />
recent international conferences, but he has also helped to<br />
broaden the social viewpoint of the Conservative party on<br />
IMPROVING ON JESSIE JAMES<br />
domestic issues. He is bringing some younger men into his The FBI is alarmed at a rapid increase in our rate of<br />
cabinet, with Harold Macmillan becoming Foreign Secretary<br />
bank robbery. Last year there were 307 bank robberies sub<br />
and Selwyn Lloyd Minister of Defense. Britain will probably<br />
ject to federal law, as compared with only 100 in 1950. Fed<br />
have Parliamentary elections by the end of May, to confirm<br />
eral law covers 90 per cent of our banks and savings and<br />
Eden's position. The Conservatives have an excellent chance loan associations. The FBI is holding many conferences with<br />
of increasing their majority in the House of Commons, as the local law-enforcement officials on this problem. Many of<br />
general economic situation is good and the Labor party is the bank holdups are committed by lone criminals. A well<strong>org</strong>anized<br />
badly split.<br />
criminal gang, however, recently made the larg<br />
est cash bank robbery in our history, taking $305,000 from<br />
TROUBLE AT PEIPING<br />
a New York institution. This did not compare with Boston's<br />
Communist China has had its first big purge, disclosing 1950 Brinks robbery of $1.5 million, which is still unsolved.<br />
to the outside world something of the power struggle that Most of the bank robbers are caught before they can spend<br />
has gone on at Peiping. Two high government officials were the money.<br />
involved, according to the announcement of the Central Com<br />
mittee of the Chinese Communist party. One had been the<br />
HOMEWORK<br />
head of the State Planning Commission and the regional The do-it-yourself movement has become a major trend<br />
chief for Manchuria. He is said to have committed suicide in American home life. We have had a big increase in home<br />
following a "warning" by the Central Committee. The other ownership in the iast ten years, and also a shorter working<br />
was a member of the Central Committee, had been the or<br />
week with more leisure hours. Another contributing factor<br />
ganizational chief of the party, and was also a regional boss. is the high cost of professional labor in the building trades.<br />
Seven lesser officials were also purged. All were accused of Today amateurs apply 75 per cent of all the house paint<br />
supporting the theory that the army should dominate the and hang 60 per cent of the wallpaper. Sales of how-to-do-it<br />
party. Disagreements over economic policy, and deep per books are booming, and there are whole new industries turn<br />
sonal rivalries, seem also to have been involved. There may ing out tools to make the work easier.<br />
be a basic split between Premier Chou En-lai and some of Organized labor of course views this trend with disfavor.<br />
the older revolutionaries and army men.<br />
Some economists have also pointed out that it is contrary to<br />
the basic idea of economic specialization, which is respon<br />
SHORT TENURE<br />
sible for bur high standard of living. When everyone tries to<br />
Edward Corsi has become the center of Washington's do their own work there is a great waste of labor, materials,<br />
most recent dismissal controversy. Three months ago Sec and equipment. There has also been an increase in home ac<br />
retary of State Dulles appointed Corsi to manage the pro cidents. Falls from ladders are the most common type of<br />
gram of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953. This act was de accident, closely followed by mishaps from the improper use<br />
signed to admit 209,000 non-quota immigrants to the U. S. of power tools. Another unfortunate tendency is that much<br />
over a three-year period; but Congressional opponents of of the "do-it-yourself" work is being done on the Sabbath.<br />
243
cago"<br />
me."<br />
me."<br />
sacrifice."<br />
you."<br />
ground."<br />
water.'"<br />
wages."<br />
wages."<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
I Dare You<br />
Chapter II.<br />
The writer did not attend the Evangelical Press<br />
Association Convention in Chicago in January. He did<br />
not dare. It was the first one he had missed since it<br />
was <strong>org</strong>anized. But those "Beautiful Days in Chi<br />
were registering around zero, and even had<br />
they been much pleasanter my doctor would not have<br />
angels"<br />
consented. One has to discern between "dare<br />
and "dare-devils." The one beckons you to a more<br />
abundant life, the other entices you toward the<br />
snares of death.<br />
But from the echoes that come from that con<br />
vention I learn that Doctor Tozer challenged the<br />
editors to be the leaders of thought and action, not<br />
the followers of the popular trend of events. That is<br />
Paper"<br />
a very large order for a "Family where there<br />
is such diversity of localities, diversity of ages, diver<br />
sities of occupation, diversities of<br />
gifts, and diversi<br />
ties of aims. But the solution is not in regimentation,<br />
such as Moses used in leading to the Promised Land,<br />
but in diversification, as commended by the Apostles.<br />
"Having Gifts differing, according as God hath dealt<br />
to every man a measure of faith, present your bodies<br />
and your spirits a living But with all the<br />
diversity in those to be led, there can be unity of<br />
leadership and harmony of results if we all yield our<br />
selves to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. There are<br />
diversities of gifts, but there is One Spirit. So let<br />
him that teacheth and him that prophesieth, and<br />
him that exhorteth and him that giveth listen for His<br />
call, for He is saying to you, "I dare<br />
The very diversity of circumstances makes God's<br />
challenges personal and unique. Once upon a time<br />
there was a home, a father, a mother, a girl and a<br />
boy ; and an expected child, sex uncertain, but intensly<br />
important. For if it were a girl she would be<br />
permitted to live, but doomed to slavery. But if a<br />
man child should be born, his death warrerit was<br />
already signed he must be drownd. Then came the<br />
day ! It was a boy a goodly child. So perfect in form<br />
and features that every ounce of him seemed to say,<br />
"I dare you to drown So at the risk of incurring<br />
the wrath of the king they hid him for the night, and<br />
the next day,<br />
and the next, and the next, and the<br />
next ; but every cry must be stiff led, every<br />
stranger<br />
avoided. A month passed, then another, every day<br />
more anxious, prayer more intense, escape more<br />
hopeless, but the child more precious. But in the third<br />
month the clouds seemed to lift a little ; there was a<br />
vague hope, based on activity. A basket was taking<br />
form, and so were details of a plan. The script was<br />
completed, and Miriam was showing histrionic abil<br />
ity, though the leading part of one of the important<br />
members of the cast the bathing<br />
princess never<br />
appeared for rehearsal; but she did her part per<br />
fectly<br />
nevertheless. So did Moses. He cried at the<br />
proper moment when the lid was being lifted, such<br />
an appealing cry; but changing to a smile as the<br />
kindly face bent over him, he seemed to say, "I dare<br />
you to drown<br />
244<br />
"This is one of the Hebrews' chil-<br />
dren."<br />
(Enter Miriam) "Shall I go and call you a<br />
nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child<br />
you" "Go."<br />
for<br />
(Exit Miriam). A little later Jochebed<br />
enters. There was no written contract, just a<br />
Ladies'<br />
Agreement : "Take this child away and nurse<br />
him for me, and I will give you your "For<br />
me for Pharaoh's daughter" But God was saying,<br />
"Jochebed, what is that in thine hand A bundle of<br />
possibilities. A future leader, a commander, a law<br />
giver to all future generations. Nurse him for Me,<br />
and I will give you your<br />
"And the child grew, and she brought him to<br />
Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son, and she<br />
named him Moses, for she said, 'Because I drew him<br />
out of the Did he become her son "By<br />
faith, Moses, when he was grown, refused to be<br />
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather<br />
to share ill-treatment with the people of God than<br />
to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered<br />
abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the<br />
reward."<br />
treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the<br />
Mothers, I dare you to implant that seed in your<br />
offspring<br />
After forty years of growing in the fear of God,<br />
the foundation of all wisdom, then in all the learning<br />
of all the universities and libraries of Ebypt, this<br />
man of many degrees, undertakes singlehanded to<br />
start a revolution and free his kindred, but is soon<br />
in full flight into exile, glad to sink into oblivion, an<br />
unknown shepherd in the land of Midian. "Never<br />
again !"<br />
Those forty weary years had de-conceited Moses,<br />
now the meekest man. "Who am I that I should go<br />
unto Pharaoh " They had dehydrated his sympathy<br />
for the suffering sons of Jacob in Egypt. He had<br />
transferred his affections to the sheep, the bees, the<br />
flowers, and his small family. Conscious of, and sat<br />
isfied to be, slow of speech. That magnificent person<br />
ality had atrophied. When the Lord said, "What is<br />
that in thine hand " He answered lazily, "Don't you<br />
see it's just a rod, a stick I found." "Cast it on to<br />
the And it becomes a serpent, and Moses<br />
fled from it. The man who once could whip many<br />
times his weight in Egyptians, fleeing from his own<br />
rod ! And from his own possibilities ! His frightening<br />
responsibilities ! "Send by him whom thou wilt send !"<br />
He exhausted the Lord's patience that day. How re<br />
luctantly he must have taken that serpent by the<br />
tail ! and then courage began to come back. That was<br />
the rod that Moses used to change the rivers into<br />
blood, bring lice, frogs, flies, boils, etc. It was the rod<br />
used to open the Red Sea, to bring water out of the<br />
Rock, to cause the armies of Israel to drive back the<br />
Amalakites so long as Moses held up his hands, and<br />
like miracles. It was also the rod with which he smote<br />
the rock the second time, contrary to God's com<br />
mand, and thereby lost the privilege so much desired<br />
of entering into the Promised Land. Moses' despised<br />
rod and his despised abilities became irresistible<br />
powers so long as he dared to obey God.<br />
William H. Danforth was a<br />
boy from a marshy,<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
sturdy."<br />
you."<br />
path."<br />
chill-infested, malarial country, but when he entered<br />
the city high school sallow cheeked and hollow chest<br />
ed, there was a teacher there who was reckoned as<br />
a crank on health. "One day he seemed to single me<br />
out personally. With flashing eye and in tones I will<br />
never f<strong>org</strong>et he looked straight at me and said, 'I<br />
dare you to be the healthiest boy in the class ....<br />
I dare you to chase those chills and fevers out of<br />
your system. I dare you to fill your body with fresh<br />
air, pure water, wholesome food, and daily exercise<br />
until your cheeks are rosy, your chest full, and your<br />
limbs That was the beginning of a new life<br />
for Danforth. He finished the course one of the<br />
strongest boys in the class, but he was strong in<br />
other ways too, for he carried that dare into every<br />
sphere of his life. It became one of his aims to chal<br />
lenge others as his teacher Ge<strong>org</strong>e Warren Krall had<br />
challenged him. Successful in business, a leader in<br />
Christian youth work, a trustee of Berea College, in<br />
Y work in the First World War, he has lived his<br />
years challenging men and women to 'better their<br />
best.'<br />
One of his many books is titled, "I DARE<br />
YOU"<br />
"Privately printed for my<br />
and daring youth who may cross my<br />
personal friends<br />
All the<br />
profits from the sale of this book are given to the<br />
American Youth Foundation in Michigan. But thou<br />
sands of the books have been distributed free to the<br />
outstanding high school seniors who were recom<br />
"<br />
mended by their pastors. From his preface : T Dare<br />
You'<br />
is for the daring few who are headed some<br />
where. Those afraid to dare might as wellpass it<br />
up. It will weary the lazy because it calls for immedi<br />
and amuse<br />
ate action, it will bore the sophisticated,<br />
the skeptics. It will antagonize others ... But into<br />
the eyes of you, one of the priceless few, I trust will<br />
come the gleam of battle as you read on. You can<br />
be a bigger man than you are and I am going to<br />
you."<br />
prove it to<br />
But the clock is daring me to meet the dead line,<br />
so we leave the matter here for another time.<br />
God's Sovereignty Is Basic in Covenanting<br />
Rev. W. J. Sanderson<br />
This can be no meaningless or idle word to those<br />
who bear the ascription <strong>Covenanter</strong> with them daily<br />
through life. The Lord came in a special<br />
way to<br />
this sinful earth for one chief end, to bring salva<br />
tion to it. And God wants to make that salvation<br />
as real and secure a thing as it is possible for Him,<br />
dealing with free man, to have it. So he decreed<br />
covenanting the most meaningful, the highest and<br />
the strongest avowal that can be made in matters<br />
of salvation. It is the most impressive pledge<br />
by oath<br />
which one may ever give another. Covenanting is<br />
a Bible word and means more than an ordinary<br />
promise and engagement. It is the most significant,<br />
meaningful and impressive pledge which one party<br />
may ever give to another. Covenanting is a twosided<br />
affair ; comprising two parties, God and human.<br />
It is a compact by which if certain things are done on<br />
each side certain things are assured as real. Reli<br />
gion or saving Christianity is proffered to the world<br />
on the basis of covenanting. There is no salvation<br />
apart from covenanting. God is a covenanting God<br />
and the saved are a covenanting people.<br />
The Bible, God's revealed will, is a covenanting<br />
book. It has a double designation to this effect,<br />
the two Testaments or covenants as the word im<br />
plies. In the Bible Concordance I have, there are<br />
370 references relating to covenanting. Approxi<br />
mately two-thirds of them relating to men cove<br />
nanting with God and one third of them relating<br />
to God covenanting with men. It is not necessary nor<br />
befitting that God renew the covenant often. With<br />
Him it is everlasting. He once for all signed it with<br />
the blood of the everlasting covenant. But in Paul's<br />
day and even yet there are professors without un<br />
derstanding, covenant breakers. (Rom. 1:31). And<br />
if we would be saved from our enemies it might be<br />
April 20, 1955<br />
needful that we "remember His holy Covenant"<br />
(Luke 1:71). There is no need that God be reminded<br />
of His side of the Covenant of Salvation.<br />
From the earliest prophets and God's revelation<br />
for man's salvation covenanting is put down as a<br />
basic stone, that the surety of that salvation may<br />
ever be realized by any people. It is clearly manifest<br />
that some do not realize it. But it is most obvious<br />
down through all Bible history from Genesis to<br />
Revelation in home, church and state wherever the<br />
keeping of man's side of the Covenant "was mani<br />
festly present, there was blessing and good. Then<br />
it may be properly asked why is covenanting so re<br />
quisite and needed.<br />
1. God is the great originator of it and the pro<br />
vider of all its terms<br />
True it is that man had nothing to do with<br />
starting the way or the means of salvation. It takes<br />
two parties to consumate a covenant but as in this<br />
one<br />
only to formulate it. There has to be a pre<br />
scribed form of covenant before it is acted on. God<br />
says to all who would be saved "I will make an ever<br />
lasting covenant with God avowed that if<br />
Abraham were faithful and diligent that through<br />
him salvation would come to the world in a great<br />
Saviour, and because "he could swear by no greater<br />
he swore by himself." Nothing in heaven or earth<br />
could be surer ithan God fulfills His part of the cove<br />
nant. His own concern for the lost, His eternal viracity<br />
and great sacrifice confirm it. We can have no<br />
stronger avowal of God's purpose.<br />
II. A covenant is a two sided affair, God's side<br />
and man's side.<br />
And since God confirmed His side by an oath<br />
many, who regard themselves as in full earnest<br />
ness ought to do no less on their side. Hence the<br />
245
possession."<br />
Because<br />
salvation."<br />
please.'<br />
us."<br />
religion."<br />
term "<strong>Covenanter</strong>s" and what they have for all the<br />
terms of the covenant is the two-fold Testament<br />
Book given by God Himself. God is the prescriber<br />
of this covenant and we are to be the receivers<br />
and enrollers of it in our faith and life.<br />
Some may dissent from this covenant because<br />
they had no part in formulating it. They would have<br />
living and salvation on different terms. Perhaps one<br />
of the most difficult labors of life is to get and keep<br />
peoples and nations in the way of salvation. But the<br />
way and requirements come from heaven and it is<br />
for man to receive and accord with them in life. Not<br />
too many respond approvingly with lasting fervor<br />
to their side of the compact. We ought to think of<br />
God, our salvation and the Kingdom as the prime<br />
things of our iiving here. The diversion of these<br />
things in the hope of another world or another dis<br />
pensation of grace that will be better than the pres<br />
ent time in which salvation and the Kingdom on<br />
earth may be realized without such strong cove<br />
nanting and postponing device. Christ is King now.<br />
nanting engagements is nothing short of a deter<br />
ring find postponing device. Christ is King now. The<br />
Kingdom is extant. Are men, homes and nations<br />
putting their full names to their compact with God <br />
They should be doing so : "Now is the accepted time<br />
and now is the day of<br />
People can be<br />
lost in spite of all that God has done to save. The<br />
God-i rescribed covenant for the world's salvation<br />
awaits reception by the people by means of their pro<br />
fession and life. God's choice affirmation is, "If<br />
ye obey and keep my covenant ye shall be my prized<br />
nary<br />
God's covenant is more than the ordi<br />
church promise.<br />
III. Why is covenanting by the people so fittingly<br />
requisite and needed<br />
1 . God our maker in His sovereign power<br />
and<br />
goodness, for the furthering of salvation in this<br />
world of sin and rebellion, ordered covenanting. For<br />
surety of salvation He gave all that could be asked<br />
by humans. What praise and distinction is due Him<br />
from them There are different kinds of covenants<br />
so called among men. A contract to teach school for<br />
a year, a pledge to pay a note, one nation making a<br />
treaty with another, or any other merely human and<br />
earthly arrangement is scarcely comparable in im<br />
portance and quality. to the covenant prescribed by<br />
God for salvation. All thanks and honor and pre<br />
eminence be to Him, in word, heart, and act, or<br />
oath of allegiance; mortal men cannot exalt the<br />
Lord God too much. A moralist once said, "I don't<br />
believe in God but if I did as Christians say they<br />
do, no affirmation of allegiance to Him could be<br />
me."<br />
made too strong for<br />
2. Men's tendency to lapse into sin and away from<br />
God is a good cause for covenanting. To make salva<br />
tion as sure and secured a thing as possible, God<br />
has gone to His limits. He has died and then pro<br />
vided an oath of allegiance as a band to bind to<br />
Himself. Salvation is no slight thing or else there<br />
would never have been a Calvary and covenant. And,<br />
even, after all God has done, people can be slightholders-on<br />
to God's provisions for redemption. Some<br />
even intend<br />
may give no indication at all that they<br />
to be for God or do His will. Others are loath to ac<br />
cord to God very much space in their lives. A pastor<br />
once said to the writer "I have in prospect one who<br />
246<br />
would have his name put on the church roll, but<br />
he does not want to be asked any Bible questions or<br />
make any promise. T want to be free to change<br />
my mind and think as I<br />
it will do you good and help<br />
Well, come in and<br />
A prominent clergyman in New York said a<br />
good man ought to be counted a Christian and a<br />
church member whether he designates himself as<br />
such or not. Over a million members slumped from<br />
church rolls last year. For salvation and the Kingdom<br />
security these must be continuers to the end.<br />
In this nation there are many grave and wick<br />
ed sins by which many fall or are kept from the<br />
devout Christian life and salvation. The debauch<br />
ing drink traffic, indecent practices touching sex<br />
and divorce, glaring disregard for the Lord's Holy<br />
Day, seductive gambling devices, public default<br />
ing in Bible instruction and morals, substituting<br />
church connection for saving religion. A great exist<br />
ing nation void of even the recognition of the Sov<br />
ereign covenanting Lord God, and the feeble, un<br />
steady attention that is given to the gospel God<br />
appointed to save the world, these and many other<br />
conditions including the hearts of men tend to<br />
receive the subdued saving faith in the gospel of<br />
God.<br />
There is a grave let down in Bible and common<br />
morality. Recently the report was that a lecture<br />
was given in London on "Morals without<br />
In America we lack "Morals with Religion." In<br />
making covenant with God on the basis of His<br />
prescribed terms circumspection is demanded. For<br />
For thesalvation offickle and inconstant humans<br />
their covenanting with God under solemn oath<br />
is the best security they can ever know. Use the<br />
best securities God provides. He knows many fall on<br />
the way.<br />
3. Covenanting with God is essential to the reali<br />
zation and appreciation of Kingdom conditions. There<br />
is much praying or reciting the Lord's Prayer,<br />
"Thy Kingdom Come." What means the petition<br />
do we pray the Lord will come visibly to earth<br />
again and give us a better relation, or does it mean<br />
the Lord should take us to some<br />
heavenly realm<br />
of tranquility and give us good When Christ was<br />
here on earth He went "through all the cities and<br />
towns of the land" preaching the gospel of the<br />
Kingdom. The Kingdom was for the very day He<br />
was preaching the gospel. The gospel says "the<br />
Kingdom is at hand." It was at hand 2000 years<br />
ago, preeminently<br />
so nowr.<br />
The word Kingdom bears in it the truth that<br />
people live in relationship and that there is a king.<br />
And so there is ; He reigns in Sovereign power and<br />
righteousness. More often men are disposed to<br />
listen about a rejected and subjected Christ on the<br />
cross than they are disposed to listen to His man<br />
dated issues for His Kingdom. Functioning as the<br />
Great High Priest, He gave himself to the cross.<br />
Just as really as He ever functioned as priest He<br />
functions as Prophet and King. He sovereignly<br />
speaks and rules. To ignore or belittle those func<br />
tions is a wrong to Christ and a detriment to the<br />
Kingdom. On the 11th of November last, 50,000<br />
persons from other parts of the world stood before<br />
rulers and judges of America and with uplifted<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
cite"<br />
covenanting'<br />
me."<br />
hands and in solemn voice swore that hence forth<br />
they would be obedient and loyal citizens of this<br />
nation and give their lives to it for what it. stands.<br />
Would that this nation could be as definite in its<br />
stand and commitment to the Lord God. It would<br />
be the best promise for the nation's salvation and<br />
the future well being of its citizens. For civil power<br />
is of God, ordained by Him for His glory and the<br />
good of all that is Christian. This nation started<br />
with God, owned, submitted to; and in a large<br />
measure needed His voice. But departing from the<br />
source of its being, in its widespread influence and<br />
power it no longer touches savingly the home, the<br />
church or itself. Being so far reaching in its realm,<br />
it requires Sovereign wisdom for its guidance. A<br />
deep and real binding to the Lord God, with the<br />
"Book of the Covenant" in hand, God deems is man's<br />
side of the Covenant of salvation and only as he<br />
yields to it one way or another can there be hope<br />
on earth. This calls on the<br />
to be good<br />
and Christ<br />
Bible users, exemplary Sabbath keepers,<br />
exalters if they really desire "Thy Kingdom Come."<br />
In saving Christianity there is a high calling and<br />
the strongest of all bindings are provided. Loose<br />
church joining panders to lose living and a loose<br />
hold on Kingdom making here. As I go through<br />
life I have always felt we cannot exalt Christ too<br />
much in all His functionings as Priest and Prophet<br />
and Lord of all. I believe in tlie Christianity of<br />
Christ and "no affirmation of allegiance to Him<br />
could be made too strong for If I could think<br />
of any regret I might have on getting into Heaven<br />
it would.be this thought, I did so little for Christ's<br />
honor and kingdom when on earth. Many in earth re<br />
Thy Kingdom Come." Would that they prayed<br />
life"<br />
"Thy Kingdom come through my and there<br />
would be a sufficiency to have it now with all our<br />
enlightenment and religion. It doesn't take a big<br />
Christian crowd to make for betterment in this<br />
world.<br />
The Most Dangerous American<br />
By H. Bonner MeGill, Chairman of Synod's Standing<br />
Committee on Men's Work<br />
This person might be any kind of American.<br />
This person could be a person you know or do not<br />
know, or your best friend. He can be a member of<br />
any church. He can be a person of any nationality<br />
that is an American. This person can be a person of<br />
any other nationality and still be a dangerous person.<br />
Too many of these persons can keep it from<br />
raining properly. This person is a kind of a person<br />
that brings the curses of God in place of bringing<br />
the blessings of God (Psalms 67:5-6; Leviticus 25:<br />
.<br />
18-19) This kind of a person not only keeps it from<br />
raining properly, but will bring all kinds of curses<br />
down and if too many<br />
of these persons are around,<br />
it will be too bad for all of us. The Apostle Paul was<br />
one of these persons at one time. The writer expects<br />
you have guessed this person. He is a non-Christian.<br />
Why is the non-Christian a dangerous person<br />
Because he is out of tune and harmony, at enmity<br />
and rebellion against God. He was conceived in iniqui<br />
ty, born in sin with his face down and away from<br />
God, is of the world, flesh and devil. He is a natural<br />
April 20. 195i<br />
person. How did the devil get in the picture Man<br />
is a descendant of Adam and Adam obeyed the devil<br />
rather than God in eating the forbidden fruit. Being<br />
in this condition, he is under the wrath of God. To<br />
get this person out from under the wrath of God, it<br />
is necessary to have a spiritual birth through the<br />
Gospel.<br />
You might ask the question, What can I do<br />
about it You can do plenty. If you will work with<br />
God to change this person, you can help make a<br />
person that will bring down the blessings of God in<br />
stead of curses, an asset in place of a liability. If<br />
enough persons will work this way, he will be con<br />
verted or we will get rid of him like the one talent<br />
man, like Judas Iscariot and the rich man who was<br />
going to tear down his barns and build bigger barns.<br />
Proverbs 29:1 and Genesis 6:3.<br />
The wrath of God was set against Sodom and<br />
Gomorrah and they could have had this wrath re<br />
moved by turning to God and repenting. Nineveh was<br />
saved this way and so can our country and every oth<br />
er country. The Christians of Israel were carried into<br />
captivity, because they failed to do their duty. If<br />
there had been ten spiritually born persons in Sodom,<br />
God would have saved that city. This is how impor<br />
tant spiritually born persons are and what a great<br />
blessing they are.<br />
The people of this day and time cannot get by<br />
with a small number of Christians, like they did in<br />
Old Testament times for three reasons.<br />
The first reason is God winked at the people in<br />
the Old Testament times that is, God did not hold<br />
them down to a strict accountability (Acts 17:30).<br />
The second reason we cannot get by with so few<br />
Christians is that God has commanded all men every<br />
where to repent since Christ has come (Acts 17:30).<br />
The third reason we cannot get by with so few<br />
Christians is the greater opportunity and means of<br />
preaching the Gospel by the printing press, tele<br />
graph, telephone, television and radio. To whom<br />
much is given, of him much is required (Luke 12:<br />
48). An evangelist can preach the Gospel by radio<br />
around the world and in almost every country and<br />
some are calling for your prayers and money to do<br />
this.<br />
A non-Christian is a dangerous person anywhere<br />
in the world. That is why the communists are dan<br />
gerous persons. The only thing that can change<br />
these dangerous persons is the Gospel. That is why<br />
it is so important to preach the Gospel.<br />
Associate Reformed Presbyterian<br />
"FROM THE PAST" . . . Cont'd from front page<br />
Have we learned the lessons of His blessings, so<br />
that He gets the glory and we are clothed in right<br />
humility How is it then, with you. Are you liv<br />
ing IN the past or are you living FROM the past<br />
There is the decisive difference between the two,<br />
and the temper of today's testimony is clearly told<br />
out therein. It is high time (Rom. 13:11) to en<br />
gage in that spiritual exercise of the soul which<br />
shall make us "modern," in the ever-present prac<br />
tice of the faith ; up-to-date, right in step, true in<br />
time .<br />
. .<br />
with the Lord!<br />
247
praying."<br />
envied."<br />
The Christian Home<br />
ARTICLE FOR NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK<br />
May 1-8 from: National Sunday School Assn., <strong>54</strong>2 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, 111.<br />
Message by Rev. Alan Redpath, pastor of Moody Memorial Chapel, Chicago<br />
I want to take for the basis of our meditation<br />
Acts 12:12 "And when Peter had considered the<br />
thing, he came to the house of<br />
Mary the mother of<br />
John, whose surname was Mark; where many were<br />
praying."<br />
gathered together<br />
The Successful Church<br />
There are many different standards by which<br />
people try to measure the success of a Christian<br />
church. Some judge by the size of the congregation,<br />
but our Lord never accepted that standard. Others<br />
judge by the popularity of the minister, but that<br />
is certainly superficial. Some would judge by the<br />
purity of the church's doctrine, but that too is false,<br />
for we all know that a church may be pure in doc<br />
trine but still be dead. Others still would judge by<br />
the basis of a church's financial position and mis<br />
sionary giving. Your'e getting nearer the mark, my<br />
friend, when you judge on that basis, for very of<br />
ten the state of a church's finance is a very good<br />
barometer of its condition.<br />
But none of these really stand up to the New<br />
Testament measure of a successful Christian church.<br />
If we are really to assess correctly the success<br />
of the Christian church we must go further and look<br />
deeper. The test of a church is not merely in the<br />
ministry of the pulpit, but in that which is exer<br />
cised by the congregation. A New Testament church<br />
is not a building composed of bricks and mortar ; it is<br />
a fellowship of people who have been redeemed by<br />
the blood of Christ, who are indwelt by the Holy<br />
Ghost, and who share together one life the life of<br />
Jesus Christ our Lord.<br />
In northern Ireland, the size of the church is<br />
assessed in terms of the number of families. The<br />
most searching test of the quality of a church's<br />
life is to consider its homes the families that are<br />
linked with the church. I want to take my text<br />
as a window through which we may look into a New<br />
Testament home, "When Peter had considered the<br />
thing,"<br />
says our text, "he came to the house of Mary<br />
the mother of John, whose surname was Mark;<br />
where many<br />
were gathered together<br />
It is interesting that this home is spoken of in<br />
terms of the woman, not the man. It may be that<br />
she was a widow, but nevertheless it is not without<br />
significance, for very often it is the mother who<br />
makes the home what it is. I want you to observe<br />
with me from this text three things which mark<br />
this New Testament home, and which, I believe,<br />
should be the outstanding qualities of every Chris<br />
tian home.<br />
An Attractive Home<br />
First of all, it was a home to which people in<br />
stinctively went when they were in need. "When<br />
Peter considered the thing," when he recovered<br />
his senses, when he discovered what God had done<br />
for him in the amazing, miraculous deliverance from<br />
248<br />
jail. When he stood there a free man and yet in des<br />
perate need of help, he came to the house of<br />
Mary,<br />
the mother of John.<br />
You will observe that it was not a church to<br />
which Peter went, but a home. One of our great<br />
weaknesses today is that we look upon the church<br />
building as the base of all our testimony and ac<br />
tivity for the Lord. What tremendous strength there<br />
would be in the fellowship of the church if every<br />
home was a base of operation instead of just one<br />
church. That is always the New Testament concep<br />
tion.<br />
Why did Peter go to Mary's home I suggest<br />
to you that her wealth of spiritual experience was<br />
widely known. He went there because he knew that<br />
she was the kind of woman who would be able to<br />
help him in the time of difficulty. Do you think it<br />
is possible that your lack of spiritual experience is<br />
the reason why so few people come to your home<br />
when they are in trouble Would they fail to come<br />
to you because they have no reason to think that<br />
you are the kind of person who could really help<br />
them<br />
They came to Mary's house, the neighbors<br />
went there and Christian people went there she<br />
didn't have to go chasing after them. How much<br />
of our Christian activity is spent chasing after un<br />
converted people who run to get away from us ! Oh,<br />
what a need there is in Christian lives today for at<br />
tractive Christian living not a greater knowledge<br />
of doctrine, but a winsomeness, a radiance, a sweet<br />
ness, a graciousness, a love, a gentleness that at<br />
tracts to Jesus Christ.<br />
"pleasing,"<br />
The word, here is the word you get<br />
in the Beatitudes "blessed are they" and the real<br />
meaning of the word is : "a happiness to be<br />
I wonder how many of us are living like that, of how<br />
many people could it be said, "If only I had what she<br />
has!"<br />
Alas, let's admit it in the presence of God<br />
today we are often so keen, so orthodox, so con<br />
scientious, but we are desperately unattractive.<br />
They came to Mary when they were in trouble<br />
or in need, and wanted help, comfort, strength, wis<br />
dom and guidance. She was known, not only for the<br />
quality<br />
and the depth of her Christian walk and<br />
character, but I am sure she was known as a woman<br />
who knew the Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
I have often noticed in the New Testament<br />
how people came to the disciples and said to them,<br />
"Sirs, we would see Jesus." And the disciples came<br />
to see Jesus time and again and said, "Master,<br />
all men seek for Thee." It must have been very hu<br />
miliating for them to have to admit that they were<br />
not good enough, that people were seeking for Christ<br />
and these disciples did not have the thing that these<br />
people needed. The people of the world, we always<br />
say, are so indifferent to the things of God but they<br />
can always distinguish when there's real godliness<br />
in a Christian worker. They will bypass the man<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
praying,"<br />
off,"<br />
you"<br />
off."<br />
again."<br />
you."<br />
who is so busy that his life has lost its radiance, and<br />
will seek for the man and woman who have truly<br />
walked with God.<br />
Doesn't this go right to the heart of the need<br />
of the church life Alas, the spiritual ignorance, the<br />
spiritual immaturity, the impatience, the quickness<br />
to take offense, the criticism, the unsympathetic<br />
words there is so much that is repellent about our<br />
Christian testimony that other people just won't<br />
come to us when they are in trouble. Something is<br />
wrong, not with our<br />
doctrine, not with our beliefs,<br />
but with our character. Oh, that our homes would be<br />
like Mary's home, where people instinctively would<br />
go in time of need.<br />
A Prayerful Home<br />
The second thing that emerges from this text<br />
is this: Mary's home was a home in which people<br />
knelt in prayer. "He came to the house of Mary<br />
the mother of John, where they were gathered to<br />
gether I am sure that it wasn't the first<br />
time that people had met for prayer in that home.<br />
I have a feeling that John Mark would often remem<br />
ber the sound of voices lifted up to God in prayer.<br />
I think of one home especially where I know a<br />
father or a mother could take me around every<br />
room of that home and tell me of answers to prayer<br />
that have taken place in that very room a home<br />
where burdens are shared, a home marked by seren<br />
ity and strength, an absence of strain and rush,<br />
where there is gentleness in conversation and sweet<br />
ness in spirit and graciousness in manner. Could<br />
that be your home<br />
I heard sometime ago of a busy housewife who<br />
was seeing her husband off in the morning to busi<br />
ness. Things had been a little more hectic than usual<br />
in that home for the last few days, and as he went<br />
out he said to her, "I think you need a day<br />
"Just like a man, could I even take a day she<br />
retorted angrily. She hadn't read her Bible late<br />
ly, there had been no quiet time in that home for<br />
awhile but that day she took her Bible and she read<br />
of the woman who was sick with the fever, and the<br />
Lord touched her and her fever left her. She said,<br />
"Lord Jesus give to me and my home that touch<br />
today. Touch my home, take away from it the cold<br />
ness, the formality and the deadness and once again,<br />
Lord Jesus, give us Thy love." When her husband<br />
came home that night he looked at her and he said,<br />
You<br />
"Oh, I see you took the day off, did<br />
see what I'm talking about don't you It is perfect<br />
ly simple but practical.<br />
They knelt in prayer in Mary's home and they<br />
took the burdens of other people upon their hearts.<br />
Everything didn't just center around their own little<br />
family circle with their troubles and their com<br />
plaints. There was always a concern for other people<br />
that's why other people went there.<br />
Do you think there's room in your home which,<br />
if the walls could speak, could tell of prayers offered<br />
and wonderful answers. Could you say to me, "Pas<br />
tor, you see that chair My neighbor next door was<br />
unhappy it wasn't a Christian home and there was<br />
trouble and gossip had started. I went last week and<br />
left her some flowers. Nobody had ever done that<br />
before and she cried. Then she came just a day or<br />
two ago and unburdened her heart to me. I opened<br />
the Word of God to her and told her about my Sav<br />
iour and she knelt down beside that chair, pastor, and<br />
April 20, 1955<br />
there she was born Do things like that ever<br />
happen in your home Is it a home in which people<br />
kneel for prayer<br />
A Dynamic Home<br />
There is one other thing that I want you to ob<br />
serve from this text. It was a home from which<br />
people w7ent out into the service of the Lord. In the<br />
25th verse of this chapter we read, "Barnabas and<br />
Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had ful<br />
filled their ministry, and took with them John whose<br />
surname was Mark." This wasn't a home simply<br />
where people came in and out to visit, but where<br />
people went in and out in for prayer and out to<br />
serve, a home that was a true center and a base of<br />
missionary operation.<br />
In that mother's heart, even though she might<br />
have been a widow, there was a great concern for her<br />
son, John. Many times she went to the Lord and said,<br />
"Lord, I have given this 'boy to you, I want to see<br />
him out in the field, I want to see him a missionary,<br />
a trail for How<br />
I want to see him blazing<br />
many parents make that your ambition<br />
Isn't it true that many of us are satisfied to see<br />
our children grow up and have a good job and per<br />
haps step right out of the will of God in doing it.<br />
Our greatest longing is to see them happily married<br />
and living not too far away so that we may continue<br />
to have, at least part of them. How many fathers and<br />
mothers really make the supreme longing of their<br />
heart that at least one member of their family will<br />
blaze a trail for God<br />
If I know anything about a mother heart I'm<br />
quite sure that the day when John Mark went to this<br />
mother and said goodbye as he set out for mission<br />
ary service for the first time, there was many a<br />
tear shed. But I'm sure that when he'd gone Mary<br />
knelt down and thanked the Lord for an answer<br />
to prayer.<br />
You see, the test of a church is not its crowd,<br />
not its money, not its preacher, but its homes ! Let's<br />
search our hearts about this thing. We've got our<br />
orthodoxy, we've got our doctrine, we've got our<br />
belief, we've got our finances God has blessed us<br />
in these things and we are thankful indeed to our<br />
Heavenly Father. But how rich are we in terms of<br />
Christian families and Christian homes like that<br />
Have we homes where people come when they are<br />
in trouble because the wealth of your spiritual ex<br />
perience draws them Have we homes where people<br />
meet around one common mercy seat and frequently<br />
kneel in prayer, and when people are burdened they<br />
know perfectly well that somebody in that home will<br />
understand Have we homes whose supreme passion<br />
and desire is that at least one of our children might<br />
blaze a trail for God on the mission field of the<br />
world Has God been looking through the window<br />
of your home today and put His finger upon some<br />
spot, and showed that you haven't the thing that<br />
people want today In spite of what you believe,<br />
in spite of your orthodox church attendance, in spite<br />
of your sacrificial giving, somehow in your heart and<br />
in your home is there a lack of the ring of sincerity<br />
and reality Are sympathy and graciousness and<br />
love and kindness and tenderness missing Would<br />
you look up into the face of the Lord Jesus today<br />
and say, "Lord Jesus Christ, it's you I need, come<br />
into my home and make it like Mary's home."<br />
"O God our Father, may Thy Holy Spirit be<br />
249
searching our hearts today and if there be in our<br />
homes that which is empty, that which is formal,<br />
that which is superficial, that which is a contradic<br />
tion of all that we believe, Lord Jesus Christ, have<br />
mercy upon us and come afresh in all the fulness<br />
of Thy Spirit into our hearts. Make them tender<br />
and loving and Christlike, and make our home, my<br />
home, a base of operation to which people may come<br />
when they are in need, where we often kneel in<br />
prayer and out from which home there shall go one<br />
precious jewel to serve the Lord. For Jesus sake!<br />
Amen."<br />
Tither's Corner<br />
by Andrew Robb<br />
3, 5, AND 10<br />
No, this is not a new type of store.<br />
These three numbers should be written as the<br />
denominators of fractions with 1 as the numerator.<br />
They then represent the renumerative rates for use<br />
of another's product or resource, basically represent<br />
ed in land.<br />
In the Midwest the prevailing rental paid by<br />
shares is one-third of the resulting crop. In Egypt,<br />
after the seven years of famine, and production was<br />
again possible, the Egyptians proposed to their<br />
Pharaoh that he return the land to them for onefifth<br />
of the year's produce, with no time limit on this<br />
arrangement. When the Children of Israel came into<br />
the land "which thy God careth for, the land which<br />
drank water of the rain of heaven," their rate of pay<br />
ment for the land plus God's care and special provi<br />
dences was one-tenth of the increase. This was by<br />
far the lowest rate for use of land, and with all the<br />
added blessings it was little more than a token pay<br />
ment on the part of the Israelites.<br />
But we have far more than those who inherited<br />
the Promised Land, we have the complete Bible, if we<br />
will use it ; we have the Comforter, if we will let Him<br />
come into our hearts ; we have the Christ, if we will<br />
but believe Him. What is one-tenth of what you can't<br />
take with you, for ALL<br />
Topeka, Kansas<br />
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
Spiritual Home Training for the Child.<br />
Larry Lorensen<br />
This book is written w7ith the basic belief that<br />
the most important duty of parents is the spiritual<br />
training of their children. If parents disagree, they<br />
ought to read this book that they may better ap<br />
preciate the importance of this spiritual training.<br />
If they agree, this book has material to help them in<br />
performing this duty.<br />
It covers the period from infancy to junior age.<br />
It deals with lessons that children need to learn<br />
about prayer, the Bible, salvation, the church, giv<br />
ing and Christian living. Projects are suggested<br />
by which these truths and duties may be taught.<br />
There are three divisions of the book for each age<br />
period with lessons and projects for each.<br />
250<br />
There are too many children growing up in<br />
professed Christian homes without this religious<br />
training. These are growing up to lead evil lives<br />
because many parents have failed in their duty. Not<br />
all of these lessons will likely be used. But there<br />
is help in this book for parents who want to know<br />
and do their duty to their children.<br />
It is published by Moody Press and sells for<br />
$2.25. R-GF.<br />
Night of Weeping. Horatius Bonar.<br />
This books is a reprint of one of Bonar's books.<br />
He was an English minister who died in 1889.<br />
This book was written by a man who had learn<br />
ed, as Paul did, that some of God's richest blessings<br />
come in the sorrows He sends into the lives of His<br />
own. He sometimes sends these that His people may<br />
be able to comfort other sorrowing hearts with that<br />
same comfort wherewith they<br />
were comforted of<br />
God. This seems to have been Bonar's purpose, that<br />
he might bring to others some of the comfort he<br />
received from God. He does not offer any comfort<br />
to those who do not know the Lord, but he realized<br />
that God's purpose in all these sorrows is to bring<br />
His own closer to Him. He tells how these sorrows<br />
when rightly accepted, do bring His people closer<br />
to Him.<br />
Bonar was one of the leaders of England during<br />
his lifetime, and the republishing of this book will<br />
allow this generation to know something of his in<br />
fluence.<br />
It is published by the Moody Press and sells<br />
for $2.00.<br />
R.C.F.<br />
GLIMPSES . . . Cont'd from page 242<br />
University. The head of the <strong>org</strong>anization of student preach<br />
ers points out that more than 182 additional ministerial<br />
students have assumed responsibilities in Baptist churches<br />
in the vicinity of Shawnee while studying and training<br />
for active ministry. Members of the Ministerial Alliance<br />
travel about 18,345 miles weekly, in their services. The<br />
members report their activities for each week at the regular<br />
Monday evening meeting.<br />
Revival in Guatemala<br />
We have heard much that is unfavorable concerning<br />
Guatemala in recent months. It is encouraging to learn some<br />
of the favorable news. On Sabbath afternoon, February 27,<br />
1955, the open-air theater, Olympic City, Guatemala, was<br />
crowded beyond capacity, with over 7,000 people seated and<br />
standing in the hot tropical sun, in the first service of the<br />
Hyman Appleman campaign. More than 500 responded to<br />
the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as their personal<br />
Saviour. During<br />
six nights a larger number responded.<br />
Permanent Results<br />
There is much that is said concerning the lack of perma<br />
nent results of large evangelistic campaigns which is true.<br />
On the other hand there is much that shows astonishing<br />
evidence of consecration on the part of those who profess<br />
conversion. One such example is that of a business man<br />
of Shreveport, La., 29 years old, who is to leave for Ger<br />
many soon for full-time Christian service as a result of his<br />
conversion at a Billy Graham crusade. He will be sponsored<br />
by<br />
the Shreveport chapter of Christian Business Men, Inc.,<br />
and Broadmoor Baptist church. Mr. Hamm, who has sold<br />
his interest in a plumbing company, will take his wife and<br />
three children with him.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Lesson Helps for the Week of May 8, 1955<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
May 8, 1955<br />
THE HARDENED HEART<br />
By<br />
Mrs. Donald I. Robb<br />
Scripture Text: Exodus 10:16-29.<br />
Memory Verse: I Samuel 16:7b.<br />
For<br />
man looketh on the outward appearance,<br />
but the Lord looketh on the heart.<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm for May 15:<br />
Psalm 95: 1,2,3, page 231<br />
Psalm 78: 4,5,6,7, page 187<br />
Psalm 135: 14,15, page 333<br />
Psalm 26: 1,2,3, page 61.<br />
Pharaoh was angry! And no wonder!<br />
All of the water had been turned to<br />
blood.<br />
For a full week everyone had<br />
been without water, and it was all be<br />
cause of these Israelite slaves.<br />
Phar<br />
aoh didn't understand their God but<br />
he did understand that they had to<br />
keep these people as slaves. He had<br />
almost weakened and let them go when<br />
the water turned to blood, but as soon<br />
as it was all right again he hardened<br />
his heart.<br />
The next thing the Lord sent was<br />
the plague of frogs. They were every<br />
where, in the kitchen, in the baby's<br />
cradle, in the barns, in the beds and<br />
on the dining room tables, every place<br />
imaginable. As this went on Pharaoh<br />
thought perhaps these slaves should be<br />
freed. But as soon as the frogs were<br />
gone he changed his mind again, and<br />
told Moses and Aaron that the people<br />
were still slaves.<br />
Over and over again Moses and Aaron<br />
came to Pharaoh warning him of the<br />
plagues, the terrible things which would<br />
happen if he did not free them. And<br />
God did these terrible things, just as<br />
Moses and Aaron had warned.<br />
After the frogs God sent lice over<br />
the whole country. The dogs scratched,<br />
the cats scratched, and the people<br />
scratched, everyone was miserable.<br />
Then the flies came. They<br />
got into<br />
the food, in people's ears. No one could<br />
sleep for the buzzing. No one could<br />
take a step without stepping on dozens<br />
of them. Some people died from the<br />
diseases they brought.<br />
Then God made all of the animals<br />
sick, and most of them died; but still<br />
Pharaoh would not let them go. So<br />
the Lord kept on sending<br />
plagues un<br />
til Pharaoh would free the slaves.<br />
Next the people all became sick with<br />
boils. It hurt them to walk, it hurt<br />
them to lie down. It hurt them to stand,<br />
the children couldn't play, the mothers<br />
April 20, 1955<br />
couldn't cook, the fathers couldn't work.<br />
Everyone was too sick to move.<br />
When the people got better God sent<br />
a hail storm. It ruined the crops and<br />
destroyed the gardens. It broke the<br />
roofs of the houses. Still Pharaoh's heart<br />
was hard. So God sent locusts which<br />
ate anything that the storm hadn't<br />
destroyed. After the locusts there came<br />
a terrible darkness over all of Egypt.<br />
The people could see nothing; but where<br />
the Israelites were, it was light. None<br />
of the plagues came to the part of the<br />
country<br />
where the Israelites lived. In<br />
spite of all these plagues Pharaoh would<br />
not give in.<br />
God had sent all of these things for<br />
two reasons. First of all to show Phar<br />
aoh that He was the only real God and<br />
that He could do anything. Secondly,<br />
it was to show the Israelites that He<br />
was able to take care of them in every<br />
kind of trouble.<br />
This certainly shows that sometimes<br />
it takes a lot to make us give in to<br />
God. There are times we know what<br />
we should do but we don't do it. Other<br />
times we know we<br />
are doing things<br />
that are wrong but we go right on doing<br />
them. When these things happen God<br />
tells us in our hearts we are doing<br />
wrong. We should listen to God the first<br />
time He speaks. Pharaoh knew what<br />
God wanted for a long<br />
n't do it,<br />
time but would<br />
so God had to punish him. In<br />
studying about Pharaoh we have found<br />
out how really powerful God is, so we<br />
will want to do what He tells us in<br />
our hearts and in His Word, the Bible.<br />
Answer the following questions :<br />
ed<br />
1. Name the different plagues.<br />
2. Why<br />
was Pharaoh's heart harden<br />
3. Do you think Moses was discourag<br />
ed at times or did he really have faith<br />
in God<br />
4. What were the reasons God sent<br />
all of these plagues upon Egypt<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
May 8, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by International<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
JOASH REPATRS THE TEMPLE<br />
2 Chronicles 21-24<br />
PRINTED: 2 Chronicles 24:4, 8-14.<br />
Memory: 2 Chron. 29:31 "Bring sacri<br />
fices and thank offerings into the house<br />
of the Lord."<br />
Between the reigns of Jehoshaphat and<br />
Joash there were two kings and one<br />
queen, all evil. Jehoram married the<br />
daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and fol<br />
lowed her idolatries. He reigned four<br />
years. His son Ahaziah reigned less than<br />
two years. He was severely wounded<br />
while helping Israel against the King of<br />
Syria. His mother Athaliah usurped the<br />
thrown. She was the only<br />
queen in Ju<br />
dah, and the only ruler that was not of<br />
the blood of David. She tried to make<br />
an end of the royal dynasty of David,<br />
by killing all who might have a claim<br />
to the throne, even her own grandchil<br />
dren. Her husband's sister Jehoshabeath,<br />
hid Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah.<br />
When Joash was seven years old, Je<br />
hoiada, priest and husband of Jehosh<br />
abeath gathered the leaders of Judah and<br />
they placed the child Joash on the throne.<br />
During the youth of Joash we hear noth<br />
ing more of him. Jehoiada, acting for<br />
the young king, was busy cleaning up<br />
the corruption left by the three evil<br />
rulers.<br />
Notice the effect of leadership on<br />
three weak kings. Jehoshaphat was dom<br />
inated by his wife. Ahaziah was ruled<br />
by his mother, and Joash was led by<br />
Jehoiada. Two weak kings under the<br />
influence of a wicked woman. One weak<br />
king influenced by<br />
a good man and his<br />
godly wife. We see influences among the<br />
kings of Judah, both for good and evil,<br />
that are stronger than the influence of<br />
heredity.<br />
2 Chron. 24:4 THE FIRST RE<br />
CORDED ACT OF JOASH<br />
Jehoiada, acting for the young king,<br />
secured much toward the complete ab<br />
olition of false worship and idolatry.<br />
Finally Joash seems to take the initia<br />
tive in a popular and much needed proj<br />
ect. It evidently appealed to his desire<br />
to gain the notice of the people. The<br />
Bible narrative does not mention his<br />
age, but Josephus, the Jewish historian<br />
says that the repair of the Temple was<br />
in about the twentieth year of the reign<br />
of Joash.<br />
The Temple was a very expensive<br />
building. During the reign of three<br />
monarchs, indeed through four, it had<br />
been neglected, looted in war, and its<br />
equipment used for the worship of idols.<br />
It seems that in a certain half-hearted<br />
way, some form of the temple worship<br />
had been kept up. But there was great<br />
need for reform in every part of the<br />
worship, and to encourage worship there<br />
was need for the repair of the building.<br />
Perhaps we should not be severe in<br />
judging the motives of Joash. We do<br />
not read of anything that he took the<br />
251
secret."<br />
passed."<br />
sins"<br />
lead in until he was 27 years old. Even<br />
then Jehoiada is always mentioned prom<br />
inently in the work of temple repair<br />
ing. We wonder if Joash was not moved<br />
more by the desire to get into the lime<br />
light than with any deep interest in the<br />
spiritual affairs of the Kingdom. His<br />
failure to support his own work after<br />
the death of Jehoiada is an evidence<br />
that he had no deep interest in the<br />
temple worship. Joash should have<br />
learned to follow, not Jehoiada, but<br />
the leader that Jehoiada followed. We<br />
are safe under the leadership<br />
our Lord.<br />
of Christ<br />
2 Chron. 24:8 COLLECTING MONEY<br />
FOR THE TEMPLE<br />
Since the temple was of fine material<br />
and workmanship, it required a great<br />
deal of money to repair it. They pro<br />
ceeded according to the command of<br />
Moses. This seems to refer to the tithe.<br />
For a splendid presentation of the tithe,<br />
review the booklet "Ten Times Ten"<br />
that was distributed in your congrega<br />
tion some two months ago.<br />
The method of collecting was very<br />
simple; a box, Josephus says with a hole<br />
in the top, was placed in a convenient<br />
place. This method is frequently used<br />
today. It is not always effecient. When<br />
the proclamation for the repair of the<br />
temple was made, we read (v. 10),<br />
"And all the princes and all the people<br />
rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into<br />
the chest, until they had made an end."<br />
The prophet appealed to the people, and<br />
so they gave.<br />
Two pastors were comparing notes.<br />
One said, "Our congregations are about<br />
the same size and about the same fi<br />
nancial strength. Before we took up our<br />
offering for missions, I preached on<br />
liberality, brotherly kindness, the privi<br />
lege and duty of spreading the gospel,<br />
and urged the people to give generous<br />
ly. But our offering was just half what<br />
your congregation gave.<br />
The other replied,<br />
Tell me the<br />
"I never<br />
preach on generosity, or urge the people<br />
to give. When we approach the offering<br />
for missions, I tell of the field, the work<br />
ers, their success and difficulties, their<br />
encouragements and trials, their oppor<br />
tunities and plans for the future. Then<br />
the plate is<br />
vs. 11-14: ADMINISTERING THE<br />
LORD'S MONEY<br />
All money belongs to the Lord, popu<br />
larly recognized, but not commonly<br />
practiced. So many stories of grafting<br />
on public money. The big Teapot Dome<br />
is still attracting attention, and a thou<br />
sand little pots bubbling quietly. Every<br />
pocket, every treasury needs to be<br />
guarded. Even charitable treasuries<br />
have been raided. A few years ago I<br />
252<br />
saw this striking item. It said that the<br />
Salvation Army in New York City has<br />
an annual budget of five million dollars.<br />
And that there has never been a charge<br />
of irregularity in its administration.<br />
As the money for the temple came in<br />
it was given to the workers. The short<br />
story implies that the workers were<br />
faithful, and were properly paid. That<br />
materials were bought at a fair price<br />
and that there was no leakage through<br />
padded pay rolls or non-productive<br />
middle men. When the repair of the<br />
temple was finished, there was still<br />
enough money for vessels needed for<br />
service or beauty. With the temple made<br />
attractive, the regular worship of the<br />
Lord was observed continually, ALL<br />
the days of Jehoiada.<br />
Jehoiada died.<br />
The rest of the story of Joash could not<br />
be more disappointing.<br />
"Are there not among ourselves lead<br />
ers who keep us right, Jehoiadas but<br />
for whom our religious life would ex<br />
pire . . . Our<br />
abstinence from certain<br />
pernicious customs may be due to their<br />
influence. They are the stay of our<br />
house and the tenderest comfort of life.<br />
We do not know how much we owe to<br />
them."<br />
Joseph Parker, in Peluobet.<br />
'Tis well to follow a Christlike ex<br />
ample, if it leads to following the ex<br />
ample of Christ. Joash followed the ex<br />
ample of Jehoiada as long as Jehoi<br />
ada lived. Evidently, he had never found<br />
Jehovah. He forsook the Lord, and was<br />
forsaken by the Lord according to the<br />
warning and promise. We need Jehoi<br />
adas to lead Joash to Christ.<br />
"Nor knowest thou what argument<br />
Thy life to thy neighbor's creed has lent,<br />
All are needed by each one;<br />
Nothing is fair or good alone."<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
"THE EXCELLENT NAME" Psalm 8.<br />
Psalms<br />
Rev. P. D. McCracken, D.D.<br />
145:1-3,13, page 350a.<br />
20:1-7, page 43.<br />
8:1-4,7, page 12<br />
148:2,5, page 357.<br />
COMMENTS<br />
Names identify people, but also es<br />
pecially in the Bible, are used to sig<br />
nify personality,<br />
and character or char<br />
acteristics. Abram's name was changed<br />
to Abraham for he was to be<br />
father of many<br />
"the<br />
nations."<br />
Jacob's name<br />
which means supplanter or deceiver,<br />
was changed to Israel which<br />
means<br />
"Prince with God." Abagail's husband's<br />
name was Nabal, and according to<br />
her he was well named, for he was<br />
that kind of a fellow. (I Sam. 25:25).<br />
Elijah's name signified the very thing<br />
he believed and stood for, especially on<br />
Mt. Carmel,"Jehovah is God." Mala<br />
chi was "God's Messenger." The human<br />
name of our Lord was divinely specified,<br />
"Thou shalt call his name, JESUS,<br />
for he shall save his people from their<br />
iour."<br />
(Matt. 1:21). Jesus means "sav<br />
There are three names for God that<br />
are quite prominent in the Bible, often<br />
being used alone, but frequently in com<br />
bination, Jehovah, Elohim, and Adonai.<br />
The latter two emphasize power and do<br />
minion and might and authority, but<br />
the first signifies the intimate covenant<br />
relationship between God and his people.<br />
There are many other significant names<br />
of God scattered through the Word<br />
which we should study carefully<br />
as we<br />
consider "The Excellent Name." "I AM"<br />
Ex. 3:14; "The Lord of Hosts"<br />
1:3 (used dozens of times);<br />
Zech.<br />
"Jealous"<br />
Ex. 34:14; "The God of Jacob" Ps.<br />
20:1; "Holy One" Isa. 40:25; "Refuge"<br />
Ps. 46:1. There are many more. Refer<br />
to and sing the group of ten titles of<br />
God in Ps. 18:1 on page 36.<br />
Tied in with these are the 169 or more<br />
names that specifically apply to Christ.<br />
As a sample, turn to Isa. 9:6. You can<br />
find these alphabetically listed in a<br />
Name"<br />
leaflet called "The Supreme<br />
written by Rev. D. B.<br />
years ago,<br />
Russel several<br />
but, better still, you can<br />
search them out yourself in the Bible<br />
from beginning to end. The names be<br />
gin with about every letter of the Eng<br />
lish Alphabet except X, and even that<br />
is often used in our modern life, al<br />
though improperly, to stand for Christ.<br />
A composite of all the above, and<br />
more, seems to be in the mind of the<br />
Psalmist as he refers to "The Excellent<br />
Name"<br />
in Ps. 8:1-9, and "Jehovah's<br />
Matchless Name" (M.V.) in Ps. 148:2.<br />
This is the Name that is to be hallow<br />
ed, and honored, and reverenced, even<br />
as Christ taught us in the Lord's Prayer.<br />
And now, in the space remaining, let<br />
me call attention to some interesting<br />
expressions that are used here and there<br />
throughout the Old Testament, that are<br />
really names for God, and describe what<br />
kind of God he is. You will notice, I am<br />
sure, how the ideas are paralleled in<br />
Psalm 23.<br />
I. Jehovah raah, Psalm 23:1. That<br />
means the Lord is my SHEPHERD, and<br />
it has special reference to God's care,<br />
and protection, and provision. When<br />
David penned these words he was draw<br />
ing<br />
material out of his own experience<br />
as a shepherd. As he had done for his<br />
sheep, so God would do, and was doing<br />
for His people.<br />
2. Jehovah shalom, Judges<br />
6:24.,<br />
the Lord is my PEACE.<br />
Here Israel<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
soul."<br />
sake."<br />
me"<br />
me"<br />
ever."<br />
was being harassed and persecuted by<br />
the Midianites. To deliver them God<br />
called and commissioned Gideon, and a<br />
miraculous sign was given.<br />
Being in<br />
great fear because of the heavenly vis<br />
ion, Gideon was assured that he would<br />
not die, so he built an altar and called<br />
it by the above name. The name of<br />
the altar described God. He is a God<br />
of peace. He brings peace to troubled<br />
hearts, to troubled souls, and to a<br />
troubled world, when they<br />
Him.<br />
submit to<br />
"The storm he changes to a calm<br />
By His command and will;<br />
And so the waves which raged before<br />
Now quiet are and still."<br />
Ps. 107:21.<br />
"He maketh me to lie down in green<br />
pastures. He leadeth me beside the still<br />
waters."<br />
Ps. 23:2<br />
3.<br />
Jehovahropheca<br />
Ex. 15:26 The<br />
Lord is my HEALTH. This has in it the<br />
idea of repairs. Israel, under God's care<br />
and guidance, had successfully crossed<br />
the Red Sea, and experienced great de<br />
liverance from their enemies. But as<br />
they journeyed on, although they final<br />
ly came to water at Marah, it was bit<br />
ter and unfit to drink. As usual, there<br />
was great complaining. But the waters<br />
were made palatable by the "sweeten<br />
ing tree," and then God said, "I am<br />
the Lord that healeth thee." That state<br />
ment, and characteristic of God, is re<br />
inforced in Ps. 23 :3, "He restoreth my<br />
4. Jehovahtsidkenu Jer. 33:15-16<br />
The Lord is my RIGHTEOUSNESS.<br />
Here Jeremiah is prophesying concern<br />
ing salvation for Judah and Jerusalem<br />
which will come through the BRANCH<br />
of Righteousness. Here is suggested our<br />
justification which comes through the<br />
imputed righteousness of the BRANCH,<br />
Jesus Christ. He has met every require<br />
ment in our place. "He leadeth me in<br />
the paths of righteousness for His<br />
name's<br />
(Ps. 23:3).<br />
5. Jehovah shammah Ezek 48:35<br />
The Lord is my COMPANION. This<br />
was Ezekiel's prophecy about Jerusalem,<br />
where Jehovah had been chosen to place<br />
His name. It was verified by the psalm<br />
ist in Ps. 46:4,<br />
"Yea, God is in the<br />
midst of her." This expression becomes<br />
a fitting title for God, for it tells what<br />
kind of a God we have,<br />
one who is<br />
ever-present. "I will fear no evil, for<br />
thou art with<br />
(Ps. 23:4).<br />
6. Jehovahjireh Gen. 22:14 The<br />
Lord is my PROVISION. Abraham, in<br />
obedience to God, was about to offer<br />
Isaac, his only son, as a sacrifice upon<br />
the altar. God stayed his hand, and pro-<br />
April 20, 1955<br />
vided the ram as a substitute. When<br />
we have reached the point of obedience<br />
and full surrender. God will see and<br />
provide. "Thou preparest a table before<br />
(Ps. 23:5). Here is provision both<br />
for body and soul.<br />
7. Jehovah nissi Ex. 17:15 The<br />
Lord is my BANNER (victory). This<br />
refers to the altar erected by Moses<br />
to commemorate the defeat of the Ama<br />
lekites. God is a God of help when we<br />
obey and pray and trust and fight. This<br />
name should ever be our watchword in<br />
the presence of our enemies. (Ps. 23:5).<br />
See Psalm 44:4-6, page 110.<br />
8. Jehovah shamar Ps. 121:5<br />
The. Lord is my KEEPER. Here is as<br />
sured us the ever watchful and preserv<br />
ing<br />
care and favor of Jehovah both for<br />
this life and for that which is to come.<br />
As we respond to Him we each can say,<br />
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow<br />
me all the days of my life, and I will<br />
dwell in<br />
the house of the Lord for<br />
(Ps. 23:6).<br />
These are but samples of THE EX<br />
CELLENT NAME, "the name which is<br />
above every<br />
name,"<br />
which,<br />
when we<br />
honor will bring glory to God the<br />
Father (Phil. 2:9-11). "HALLOWED BE<br />
THY NAME."<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs<br />
Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Praver Hour. 1 :00 P.M Mondav<br />
WMS MEETING FOR MAY<br />
"Choosing the Architect" Joshua 24:15<br />
Mrs. R. S. McElhinney<br />
When one has decided the type'<br />
of<br />
building he wants to construct, the<br />
next move, normally, is to select an ar<br />
chitect who has experience and the<br />
necessary qualifications for supervising<br />
the construction of a building of this<br />
type. Among these qualifications would<br />
be: honesty or integrity, experience in<br />
this particular field, a sincere interest<br />
in the needs and welfare of the build<br />
er, and the ability to visualize clear<br />
ly the completed structure, patterned,<br />
arranged,<br />
and blueprinted to meet most<br />
effectively the builder's needs.<br />
In the physical realm there are many<br />
architects and a man can choose which<br />
one he wants to plan and supervise the<br />
construction of a building. But in the<br />
spiritual realm in the planning and sup<br />
ervising<br />
of the construction of a spirit<br />
ual building, the only<br />
of the task is God Himself.<br />
architect capable<br />
We are told in II Corinthians 5:1 that<br />
when the Christian's earthly house is<br />
dissolved he "will have a building of<br />
God, a house not made with hands, eter<br />
nal in the heavens." Is it not logical<br />
to believe that if one is to be prepared<br />
and qualified to live in this heavenly<br />
home whose builder and maker is God,<br />
it would be most essential to choose<br />
this same God to be the architect of<br />
his life<br />
1. Chosing<br />
sonal obligation.<br />
our master-builder is a per<br />
No one, not even a parent, friend, or<br />
teacher, can choose our architect for us.<br />
The decision rests with the individual<br />
himself. When we realize that it is a<br />
spiritual building we desire, we shall<br />
realize also that we need a spirit as<br />
our architect. Only the Holy Spirit can<br />
make a spirit holy. We must personally<br />
call in the aid of the great Creator and<br />
pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O<br />
Lord, and renew a right spirit within<br />
me,"<br />
and also ask Him:<br />
"Show me thy ways, O Lord,<br />
Thy paths, Oh teach thou me,<br />
And do thou lead me in thy truth;<br />
be."<br />
Therein my teacher<br />
2. The choice should be made today<br />
procrastination is dangerous.<br />
The longer we put off choosing God<br />
as our architect, the worse will be our<br />
condition and our situation. With our<br />
own plans and lack of wisdom, we very<br />
naturally make a failure or near fail<br />
ure of our spiritual lives. Try as we<br />
will we can never build a good life<br />
on plans that are crosswise with God's<br />
plans. Every day we delay in choos<br />
ing God as our architect means that<br />
more corrections and changes will have<br />
to be made. There is also another very<br />
important reason for not procrastinat<br />
ing: we do not know about tomorrow.<br />
Do you know "what another day may<br />
bring forth"<br />
3. Our responsibility of leading others<br />
to make a wise choice.<br />
Christ himself taught and demonstrat<br />
ed the principle of thinking of, living<br />
for, and dying for others. The follower<br />
of Christ should also consider the needs<br />
of those who are out of Christ. They<br />
may not know of the Master Architect<br />
or knowing about Him have not chosen<br />
Him to build their lives. By word and<br />
by example every Christian should seek<br />
to persuade others to give over to Christ<br />
the building<br />
of their spiritual lives.<br />
Lives built on sand can never stand.<br />
Lives built on the rock can stand the<br />
shock that comes from the forces of<br />
evil. When we persuade an individual<br />
to choose God as the architect of his<br />
life, we may "save a soul from death."<br />
253
this<br />
"<br />
Church News<br />
ing more about our missions as the<br />
various missionaries are home on fur<br />
lough.<br />
The Juniors met at the church Satur<br />
day afternoon, March 12 to work on<br />
their scrapbooks. Refreshments were<br />
FLASH: Synod's Budget of $110,062 has<br />
been paid in full,<br />
and more than $3,500<br />
of the extra $5,000 was announced on<br />
April 10, with six days left to make up<br />
the balance. We hope the goal<br />
reached. Praise the Lord!<br />
ALLEGHENY<br />
was<br />
We are glad to have Mrs. S. E. Greer<br />
of Philadelphia in our midst for several<br />
weeks while she was visiting<br />
with the<br />
pastor's family and giving temperance<br />
talks in schools and Sabbath Schools<br />
in this district. She spoke to our own<br />
Sabbath School the day of the Temp<br />
erance lesson. The main feature of<br />
the program of the March meeting of<br />
the Blue Banner Club consisted of a<br />
very informative film showing the re<br />
lation of smoking to lung cancer.<br />
Mrs. Wyman S.<br />
Robb is recovering<br />
nicely after a serious operation, and will<br />
soon be able to leave the hospital.<br />
Our congregation joined with Central-<br />
Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg Parnassus and<br />
New Alexandria congregations in a un<br />
ion service at Wilkinsburg. Sabbath eve<br />
ning, March 27. A large number as<br />
sembled to hear the Reverend Samuel<br />
Boyle speak on<br />
Communism and the<br />
Church in the Far East. Mr. Boyle's<br />
address was<br />
tive,<br />
interesting<br />
and informa<br />
and challenged to greater evan<br />
gelistic effort at home and abroad,<br />
and to more agonizing in prayer for<br />
lost souls and for sinful nations. Christ<br />
is the only<br />
world.<br />
solution for the evils of the<br />
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA<br />
We are very glad to report that little<br />
Tommy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell<br />
Kennedy, who received severe grease<br />
burns about a month ago is recover<br />
ing nicely.<br />
The young people enjoyed an evening<br />
of skating at the Bedford Skating Rink<br />
in February. Later, the group<br />
was serv<br />
ed delicious refreshments at the home<br />
of David and Dickie Wampler.<br />
The Senior Adult Sabbath School<br />
Class has selected as their new teacher,<br />
Mr. John Minnick. Mr. Minnick was<br />
formerly<br />
Dean of the School of Edu<br />
cation of a Philadelphia College. He has<br />
now retired and is making his home in<br />
Bloomington. We are very<br />
glad to have<br />
both Mr. and Mrs. Minnick with us.<br />
A number of students from the Indi<br />
ana University campus have been meet<br />
ing at the parsonage after the Sabbath<br />
evening<br />
2<strong>54</strong><br />
services for Bible study. The<br />
group continues to grow. Many of these<br />
students attend our regular services<br />
also. We are very glad to welcome them.<br />
The Phoebe Missionary Society has<br />
selected as officers for 1955-56: Presi<br />
dent, Mrs. Ray Wampler; Vice-Presi<br />
dent, Phyllis Moore; Secretary, Mrs.<br />
Anna Gregory; Treasurer, Maudeline<br />
Faris.<br />
We greatly enjoyed the concert given<br />
by the Genevans on March 29.<br />
It. is<br />
always a pleasure to entertain these<br />
young people in our homes. A carry-in<br />
dinner was served in the basement of<br />
the church before the concert.<br />
The Young Adults and Students' Sab<br />
bath School Class held a party in March<br />
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John<br />
Robertson. The attendance was very<br />
good and an evening of good fellowship<br />
was enjoyed. We are sorry some did<br />
not get to attend because of illness.<br />
WINCHESTER NEWS NOTES<br />
Rev. Sam. Boyle conducted a week of<br />
services in our church March 7-13.<br />
These services were climaxed by the<br />
signing<br />
morning.<br />
of the covenant on Sabbath<br />
Gene Stewart is spending some time<br />
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Stew<br />
art, after completing his service with<br />
the United States Army and receiving<br />
his discharge.<br />
Mrs. H. M. Clark and Phyllis of De<br />
troit visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Ross Keys. They came to fill the family<br />
circle on the surprise celebration of<br />
Ms. and Mrs.<br />
versary<br />
Keys'<br />
on March 10.<br />
35th wedding anni<br />
Mr. Henry Fulton is in Vail Hospital<br />
in Topeka for observation.<br />
We held our spring<br />
communion the<br />
weekend of April 2. Rev. Harold Thomp<br />
son of Southfield served as assistant.<br />
On Sabbath morning Rev. Thompson<br />
baptized his nephew, Jay Kenneth, the<br />
son of Mr. and Mrs. Gene O'Neill.<br />
Rev. Caskey baptized Martha Anna, the<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Dill.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Davies and Ruth<br />
were greeted back into our congrega<br />
tion .at<br />
communion season, too.<br />
OAKDALE<br />
We were privileged to have Rev. Sam<br />
Boyle with us on Wednesday evening,<br />
March 16. The evening started with a<br />
"Family Night" supper after which Rev.<br />
Boyle spoke and showed several films<br />
from Japan. The attendance was good<br />
and we are much interested in learn<br />
served after the work period.<br />
The Genevans<br />
presented their con<br />
cert at the church March 20. The writ<br />
er finds it hard to express how much<br />
everyone enjoyed the evening! A super<br />
was served in the church basement<br />
preceding the concert. Following the<br />
concert, the audience was invited to<br />
the basement for refreshments. A large<br />
crowd was invited for the fine music<br />
a number coming from our Sparta<br />
and Old Bethel congregations. The music<br />
was superb and the fellowship refresh<br />
ing. We're hoping Oakdale will be in<br />
cluded on the Genevan's itinerary again<br />
soon.<br />
Our Spring communion has been set<br />
for April 24, and we are looking for<br />
ward to having Rev. Raymond Hemp<br />
hill with us.<br />
Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Harold Auld recently<br />
visited with their daughter and son-inlaw<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Musselman in<br />
Kansas City.<br />
These officers<br />
SANTA ANA<br />
were elected at the<br />
April 8 congregational meeting: Mr.<br />
Hugh McCrum,<br />
chairman of the con<br />
gregation; Mrs. Mary Tippen, secre<br />
tary; Mrs. Gordon Betts, S. S. superin<br />
tendent; Mr. Lewis Keys, S. S. assist<br />
ant-superintendent; Mrs. Edna Nelson,<br />
S. S. Junior superintendent; Miss Viola<br />
McClurkin, S. S. treasurer; Mrs. Mae<br />
Vinson, S. S. secretary.<br />
Miss Joyce Allison became the bride<br />
of Mr. John Allen at a double-ring cere<br />
mony in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church on the<br />
evening of April 2. Dr. Samuel Edgar<br />
had a part in the ceremony. Misses<br />
Sharon and Rose Ellen Nelson were in<br />
charge of gifts and the guest book.<br />
Mrs. John Curry and Mrs. Harold Sedgeley<br />
assisted at the reception.<br />
We expect the newly-chosen<br />
pastorelect.<br />
Lie.<br />
of May. It is with joy<br />
Glenn McFarland, the last<br />
and thankfulness<br />
that we anticipate his coming.<br />
SYRACUSE, N. Y.<br />
During the time that we have had no<br />
pastor, we have had the following<br />
preach for us: Dr. Remo Robb, Dr.<br />
Robert Park. Rev. Charles Sterrett,<br />
Rev. E. R. Hemphill, and Messrs Paul<br />
Robb, Gene Spear, Robert McCracken,<br />
Ray Joseph, and Robert Fullerton. Mr.<br />
Hemphill told of the work at our Ken<br />
tucky Mission at Sabbath School and<br />
at the Young People's Meeting.<br />
The sympathy of the congregation<br />
is going out to the families and relatives<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS-
of Mr. Edward J. Dougall, a life long<br />
member of the congregation and to rela<br />
tives of Mr. William Wright, his neph<br />
ew. They passed to their heavenly re<br />
ward about a month apart. They are<br />
missed at our church services and by<br />
their many relatives and friends.<br />
The World Day<br />
of Prayer was ob<br />
served with a special meeting at the<br />
church on the evening of February 25,<br />
to which the congregation was invited.<br />
The meeting was in charge of the Mis<br />
sionary Society and Mrs. Charles D.<br />
Murphy presided. The work and needs<br />
of each of our mission fields were pre<br />
sented and then followed by prayer.<br />
The new officers of the W.M.S. are:<br />
President, Mrs. Charles D. Murphy;<br />
Vice-President, Mrs. William Pinkerton;<br />
Secretary, Mrs. Edson Ely; Treasurer,<br />
Mrs. James Park.<br />
The C.Y.P.U. enjoyed a party on<br />
April 1<br />
at the home of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
William Pinkerton.<br />
MONTCLAUt CONGREGATION<br />
The W. M. S. presented a program<br />
"that was different" for their annual<br />
Self-denial meeting. The congregation<br />
assembled at the church Friday even<br />
ing, March 4, for dessert served by the<br />
Social Committee with the aid of the<br />
Junior boys. After the social hour, Mrs.<br />
Harry Hunter, the T. O. Supt., presided<br />
over a well-planned program on Tith<br />
ing and Self-denial. Those who assisted<br />
were Mrs. Orrin Ferry, Mrs. Mario Messa<br />
Mrs. Edwin McBurney, and the Junior<br />
Misses Jean and Diane Messa, Faith<br />
McBurney and Virginia Donaldson. An<br />
offering of over $230.00 was received<br />
for missionary salaries.<br />
The second part of the program was<br />
in observance of the World's Day of<br />
Prayer and after a period of Psalmsinging<br />
and prayer, all left for our<br />
homes with a feeling that "it was good<br />
for us to have been there."<br />
The March meeting of the W.M.S. was<br />
in the home of Mrs. Ethel Ferry. Air<br />
outstanding note from this meeting was<br />
the welcoming into our W. M. S. two<br />
new members, Miss Jean McKnight of<br />
New York, and Mrs. Ethel Voeste as an<br />
associate member, making our total<br />
W. M. S. membership now 21.<br />
At our communion service on April<br />
3, 32 were at the Lord's table. The<br />
pastor's assistant, Rev. Sam Boyle, gave<br />
inspiring messages, the closing one on<br />
Sabbath evening dealing with the work<br />
in Japan and the ever increasing threat<br />
to the liberty of all the people by the<br />
sinister power of communism. We en<br />
joyed having Miss Mary<br />
Jane Park<br />
from Geneva College with us for all<br />
the services and having so many from<br />
New York join us in the last evening<br />
sermon.<br />
April 20, I955'j<br />
CHICAGO<br />
Mr. Gene Stewart of our Winchester<br />
congregation worshiped with us on<br />
Sabbath, March 20. He was in Chicago<br />
awaiting his discharge from the army.<br />
We regret having lost two of our<br />
faithful members from our midst. Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Allen Cummings will be missed<br />
in their faithful attendance at church<br />
services. Mrs. Cummings was a great<br />
help in our W.M.S. New York City's<br />
gain is our loss.<br />
We've proved that the men of our<br />
congregation can really<br />
cook! Our bi<br />
monthly dinner on March 26 was cook<br />
ed entirely by the men under the chair<br />
manship of Mr. Russell Huck. Hats off<br />
to the men for a delicious chicken<br />
dinner. Following the dinner we were<br />
entertained by the Juniors.<br />
Mr.<br />
Paul Levy has recently under<br />
gone surgery, but we are happy to re<br />
port that he is completely recovered<br />
and back to his usual routine.<br />
The<br />
young snap back quickly.<br />
Two of our members are at present<br />
on hospital beds. We trust in the Lord's<br />
care over Mrs. Collier and Mrs. Thomas<br />
Jack.<br />
Mondays and Fridays are proving<br />
to be very active nights at our church<br />
as we have set aside these evenings<br />
for church cleaning. We are washing<br />
walls, painting, and doing a thorough<br />
house cleaning. We hope to get the en<br />
tire church in spic and span order. Two<br />
floors are nearly<br />
completed with one<br />
more to go. We return home with dishpan<br />
hands and sore knees, but the fel<br />
lowship<br />
and results are well worth it.<br />
The following<br />
officers were elected<br />
at the annual business meeting of the<br />
W.M.S. President, Mrs. Norman Carson;<br />
Vice President, Mrs. Richard Bowes;<br />
Secretary, Mrs. Russell Huck; Treasur<br />
er, Mrs. Hyman Levy.<br />
The C.Y.P.U. started the ball rolling<br />
in their annual effort to raise money to<br />
send some of their number to Camp<br />
Covamikoi. The opening<br />
gun was the<br />
second annual "Popcorn Party" spon<br />
sored for the "benefit" of the congre<br />
gation, which was held in the church<br />
basement, March 5. Those who attended<br />
left with a few less pennies in the pock<br />
et, but the C. Y.<br />
start toward their goal.<br />
P. U. has a sizeable<br />
The Chicago Congregation played host<br />
April 5, to the GENEVANS, a splendid<br />
from Geneva College. From<br />
choral group<br />
the moment the bus rolled in, to the<br />
moment we shepherded the sleepy-eyed<br />
singers back to the bus the next morn<br />
ing, we 'who had contact with these<br />
representatives of our college were im<br />
pressed by<br />
was thrillingly<br />
their calibre. The concert<br />
presented and we were<br />
gratified to have nearly a full house.<br />
The presence of several Geneva alum<br />
ni contributed in no small way to the<br />
success of the enterprise. Come again<br />
Genevans.<br />
THIRD CHURCH,<br />
PHILADELPHIA, PA.<br />
World Day of Prayer was observed<br />
in Philadelphia with the combined con<br />
gregations of the United and Third<br />
Churches meeting under the leadership<br />
of Dr. Mary Elizabeth Coleman. Sincere<br />
earnest petitions were mad-e by various<br />
members of both congregations in be<br />
half of every phase of our denomina<br />
tional work for the Master. Third<br />
Church people served refreshments at<br />
the close of this pleasant and inspiring<br />
fellowship.<br />
Mrs. Robert J. Crawford, Sr. was<br />
hostess for the March meeting of the<br />
Women's Missionarj' Society. Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Price led the devotional period.<br />
Miss Jane McCleary was re-elected<br />
president for the coming year; Mrs.<br />
Herman Everett, Vice President: Miss<br />
Annabel McCullough, treasurer: and<br />
Miss Isabel Crawford, secretary. The<br />
society voted to send one hundred dol<br />
lars to Synod's Budget in memory of<br />
Dr. Ida Scott, long known, admired<br />
and loved by Third Church folks.<br />
The impressive service of Ordination<br />
and Installation of Deacons was held<br />
on March 6, when Miss Margaret Mc<br />
Candless and Mr. Frank Haussmann<br />
received the office of deacon. Our pas<br />
tor, Rev. Ge<strong>org</strong>e W. Price, gave the<br />
charge to the candidates using I Cor.<br />
10: 25, "All to the Glory of God" as<br />
his text. Rev. Dr. Finley M. Wilson,<br />
our pastor emeritus, gave the charge<br />
to the congregation, concluding with a<br />
magnificent<br />
prayer.<br />
The fund for the American Bible<br />
Society continues to grow as the con<br />
tributions are made by members of<br />
the Sabbath School when their birth<br />
days are observed. Miss Elizabeth Mc-<br />
Hatton sends a greeting<br />
card to each<br />
one, and annually empties the bank<br />
which holds the birthday offerings. The<br />
Sabbath School offering for March 20<br />
was designated for our mission in Cyp<br />
rus. An informative talk about our work<br />
on the island was given by Miss Isabel<br />
Crawford on the previous Sabbath<br />
Day.<br />
We note with joy<br />
Elder Thomas Armstrong to the High<br />
the promotion of<br />
er Life on March 13, just one day be<br />
fore he would have celebrated his 81st<br />
birthday. We miss his genial presence<br />
among us, his Biblical posers, and will<br />
ing cooperation. He had an enviable<br />
record of many<br />
years of unbroken con<br />
stant attendance at Sabbath School and<br />
Church, his prayers showed the depth<br />
of his faith and his intimacy with the<br />
255
Holy Spirit and knowledge of God's<br />
Word. Our sympathy goes out to his<br />
widow and three sons and their fami<br />
lies.<br />
Miss Mame Hogan, Miss Ray For<br />
sythe, Miss Elizabeth McHatton, Mrs.<br />
John McClay and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e J. Fish<br />
er assisted with the luncheon during<br />
educational week for the blind.<br />
Newly-weds Margaret and Walter<br />
McClay were surprised with a shower<br />
of lovely and useful household gifts<br />
by the congregation on March 22. There<br />
were 32<br />
present at Mid-week prayer<br />
service on March 23 and 24; boys and<br />
girls met together on the 24th under<br />
the leadership of Mr. Price for young<br />
people's devotions and recreation.<br />
Highlights of the Annual meeting of<br />
the Women's Missionary Society held<br />
March 29 included a most interesting<br />
account by Miss Shirley Stephen, a<br />
Philadelphia school teacher, of her ex<br />
periences in Kuwait, Arabia,<br />
where she<br />
had been called to teach the children<br />
of a Prince. She wore the woman's<br />
gown and veil compulsory in that Mos<br />
lem country and her charming humor<br />
ous anecdotes were illustrated by beau<br />
tiful slides. Surprise visitors at this<br />
meeting were Dr. and Mrs. Robert<br />
Clarke and their son, Dr. and Mrs. Edmond<br />
Clarke of Beaver Falls, Pa. Dr.<br />
Clarke, ever-welcome son of Third Phila<br />
delphia, made the concluding prayer to<br />
the challenging devotional message giv<br />
en by Mrs. Harry E. Mullen, Jr. Our<br />
treasurer reported more than two thous<br />
and dollars disbursed during the year.<br />
Two of our older and well-beloved<br />
women had birthday anniversaries in<br />
March. Sabbath, March 12, found Mrs.<br />
Finley M. Wilson, smilingly receiving<br />
the good wishes of her friends. We<br />
thank our Lord and Saviour for this<br />
beautiful radiant life<br />
she is an inspira<br />
tion in fortitude and courage, and ever<br />
challenges us to a more consecrated<br />
and devoted Christian life. Mrs. Frank<br />
Masterson, an out-of-bounds member<br />
living in Wildwood, New Jersey, was the<br />
recipient of our good wishes, via U.S.<br />
Postal Service. Passing<br />
her 80th mile<br />
stone several years ago, she is ever ac<br />
tive in her home and always eager to<br />
testify to our Lord's goodness and care<br />
and love. Prayers have gone to His<br />
Throne of Grace for the recovery of<br />
Mrs. D. Arthur Adams, long absent<br />
from God's house because of illness.<br />
Elder James MacKnight is vacation<br />
ing in Florida and Mrs. Thomas Gill,<br />
Miss Jane McCleary and Miss Margaret<br />
Crozier recently spent a week-end in<br />
Pittsburgh, visiting<br />
Miss Elsie Robin<br />
son, a guest in the Home there. They<br />
also enjoyed a pleasant visit with Rev.<br />
Blair and daughter, Anna.<br />
256<br />
Recent visitors at morning worship<br />
services included Mr. James Jackson,<br />
Mr. and Mrs. John Armstrong, Miss A.<br />
Bruce, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Arm<br />
strong, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. LaVerne Bish<br />
and son, Mr. Joseph Armstrong, Miss<br />
Ora Davies.<br />
HEBRON<br />
Sharil and Denis McMahan entertain<br />
ed the C.Y.P.U. at their home on March<br />
30. After much fun the business meet<br />
ing was called to order with the follow<br />
ing new officers elected; President,<br />
Ralph Craig; Vice President, Sharil Mc<br />
Mahan; Secretary, Charlene Hatfield;<br />
Treasurer, Ronald Dunn; Reporter Eve<br />
lyn Dunn; Psalm Leader, Jerry Mil<br />
roy. Mr. Harrington was chosen as their<br />
sponsor. The group presented him with<br />
a floor lamp as a "Welcome" gift. Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Jim Hatfield have been their<br />
faithful sponsors for the past few years,<br />
and the group expresses a big thank<br />
you to them.<br />
The Hebron annual congregational<br />
meeting was held at the Curch March<br />
31, preceded by a covered dish supper.<br />
Mrs. Joe Copeland baked and present<br />
ed cakes to two of our lovely "pin-up"<br />
girls, Mrs. Jamison who recently cele<br />
brated her 85th birthday and Mrs. B. W.<br />
McMahan who is soon to reach her<br />
91st year. These ladies are an inspira<br />
tion to all of us, and each Sabbath finds<br />
them in their regular places at church.<br />
During the business meeting these<br />
officers were elected. Congregational<br />
Chairman, Clyde Goodin; Clerk, Sharil<br />
McMahan; Precentors, Wilson McMahon<br />
and Byron McMahon; <strong>Witness</strong> Reporter,<br />
Mrs. Wilson McMahan; S. S. Superin<br />
tendent, Joe Copeland; Assistant S. S.<br />
Superintendent, Jack Dunn; S. S. Secre<br />
tary and Treasurer, Delber Copeland;<br />
Assistant Treasurer, Ge<strong>org</strong>e Craig; S.<br />
S. Precentor, Ronald Dunn; Junior S. S.<br />
Superintendents, Mrs. Ronald Hammel<br />
and Mrs. Raymond Milroy.<br />
The Young Adults' Class meets month<br />
ly in the church basement for an even<br />
ing of food and fun. They are making<br />
a list of worthwhile projects for which<br />
they will choose one or two to contri<br />
bute to financially. Recently the group<br />
met early<br />
and planted several good<br />
sized trees and enjoyed a "sack lunch"<br />
afterwards.<br />
Mrs. Russell James and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Craig have been chosen as sponsors for<br />
the Juniors for their Sabbath evening<br />
meetings.<br />
Several members of our congregation<br />
report hearing the Genevans, and that<br />
they were the best ever. Mr. Ray Milli<br />
gan, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Milligan, Miss<br />
Elva Mann, and Mr. and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Craig heard their Friday<br />
night con<br />
cert<br />
at Sterling, Kansas. The following<br />
drove to Topeka for the Saturday night<br />
concert: Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Milroy<br />
and Jerry, Ralph Craig, Mr. Harring<br />
ton, Ward McMahan and Marvin Ping.<br />
It was nice to say Hello to Mrs. Vos<br />
and other friends in the group.<br />
We are sorry<br />
to report that Mrs.<br />
Clarence Millian is hospitalized, but we<br />
rejoice that she is responding to treat<br />
ment. Her address is 550 North Hill<br />
side Wesley Hospital, Wichita, Kansas,<br />
Room 107.<br />
We are happy<br />
over the safe arrival<br />
of Irl Vos, infant son of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Frank Henderson, born April 3.<br />
OPEN LETTER<br />
An open letter to the <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
supporters of the National Reform As<br />
sociation :<br />
Please do not be disturbed if you<br />
receive an Appeal letter from the Na<br />
tional Reform Association and you have<br />
already contributed within the past year<br />
to our work.<br />
The explanation is that the Appeal<br />
letters which we send out three times<br />
a year, go to all contributors whose<br />
names are in our files and who are<br />
not shown to have contributed within<br />
the past year to our work. Several con<br />
gregations send their annual offering<br />
either to our office directly, or to Mr.<br />
Fox, without including the names of<br />
individual contributors, many of whose<br />
names are in our files. Consequently,<br />
when our secretary sends out the Ap<br />
peal letters, she may, without being a-<br />
ware of it, be sending to many Cove<br />
nanters who have already made their<br />
contribution for the current year<br />
through the congregational offering.<br />
If you are one of these, we want you<br />
to understand that we do not expect<br />
you to respond to the Appeal letter un<br />
less you feel you would like to make<br />
further contribution.<br />
However, if you would like to have<br />
your record in our files up to date, we<br />
would appreciate it very much if you<br />
would send us a statement of the ap<br />
proximate date the contribution<br />
made and the amount.<br />
was<br />
Since these Appeal letters go out over<br />
my signature I thought this explanation<br />
should be made.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
J. Renwick Patterson,<br />
Executive Secretary.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
me."<br />
ECHOES NUMBER<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 15, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1955 NUMBER 17<br />
Revival in Our Time<br />
by Billy Graham<br />
One of the verses that President Dwight D.<br />
Eisenhower quoted in his inauguration message was<br />
2 Chronicles 7:14: "// my people, which are called<br />
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,<br />
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;<br />
and will f<strong>org</strong>ive their<br />
then will I hear from heaven,<br />
sin, and will heal their land." This is the great re<br />
vival text of the Old Testament. It contains the heart<br />
of the whole divine philosophy of revival. This is the<br />
God-given method for bringing about a revival of re<br />
ligion which is desperately needed in our day. This is<br />
the method that was followed by the church down<br />
through the centuries when great revivals came and<br />
changed the course of history.<br />
FIRST:<br />
The first duty of a people seeking revival is hu<br />
miliation before God. By pride and haughtiness of<br />
spirit we have dishonored and grieved God. The Bible<br />
says before God can come in contact with us, we<br />
must humble ourselves in His sight. The pride of our<br />
hearts is an abomination in the sight of God. God<br />
demands that we bow in humility at the Cross of<br />
Christ and recognize our sinfulness.<br />
SECOND:<br />
Prayer is the second ingredient of revival.<br />
Prayerfulness is one of the greatest characteristics<br />
of a life lived for God. Many prayers sound great, but<br />
there is no life, fire or sincerity. When God's people<br />
beseech Him, as John Knox did when he prayed for<br />
Scotland, "Lord, give me Scotland, or I die!", then<br />
God opens the windows of Heaven and pours out<br />
upon us refreshing showers of His grace.<br />
THIRD:<br />
The Bible says that we must seek God's face.<br />
We must draw near to Him, and then He will draw<br />
near to us. God does not wish to have His children<br />
approach Him as a slave approaches a cruel master,<br />
or as a poor subject presenting his position by proxy.<br />
He wants us to draw nigh to Him as children go to a<br />
loving father. He wants us to come with boldness to<br />
the Throne of Grace. He never intended that His<br />
people should pray to Him as strangers. We are to<br />
seek the very face of God. We are to come into the<br />
Holiest Place and make our petitions known to Him.<br />
When Jesus Christ died on the Cross, the veil in the<br />
temple was rent in twain, and now we come directly<br />
into the presence of God in the name of Christ, the<br />
Great Intercessor, who is sitting at the right hand<br />
of God the Father. God will hear and answer our<br />
prayers if we seek His face in Jesus' name.<br />
FOURTH:<br />
Lastly, the Bible says that we are to forsake our<br />
sins. Until we turn from our wicked<br />
ways, God will<br />
not answer our prayers. The Bible says, "If I regard<br />
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear Sin<br />
is the only thing that can separate us from God or<br />
induce Him to hide His face from us. It dishonors<br />
Him. With it, He can have no fellowship. No matter<br />
how small the sin is, it can shut out our prayers from<br />
the ears of God. If there is sin in your life forsake it,<br />
turn from it. The first demand that God places upon<br />
the human soul is that of repentance. We are to turn<br />
from our sins, forsake our evil ways, our lying, pride,<br />
gossiping and the sins that we are guilty of, as<br />
Christians and sinners alike, and then, the Bible says,<br />
God is going to answer our prayers.<br />
Four things we must do: Humble ourselves;<br />
pray; seek His face; forsake our sins. Then the<br />
Bible says, we are ready for the great and mighty<br />
revival that God will send.<br />
After we have met God's condition for revival,<br />
God promises that He will hear from Heaven, that<br />
(Continued on page 266)
turned<br />
She<br />
persons,'<br />
while."<br />
A<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
One of Seven<br />
A missionary paper, "Under Syrian<br />
Skies,"<br />
tells of some<br />
refugee students who went to the Training College in Beirut<br />
to receive teacher training. Those who came were selected<br />
by "UNRWA." They were "a group of sophisticated young<br />
ladies, well-dressed, very red-lipped, and with no 'refugee'<br />
appearance at all. That was the first impression. As regards<br />
their homes, they were all 'displaced<br />
and no doubt<br />
their families had suffered great losses." They had come at<br />
UNWRA's expense, .<br />
their expenses were met, and pocket<br />
money given. They were difficult to manage as they wanted<br />
more money, could not wear lip-stick in school, lights had<br />
to be out at 10 p.m. and they complained much.<br />
All of these but one returned, having received their cer<br />
tificates, without receiving "that greatest Gift of all, God's<br />
Unspeakable Gift, offered without money and without price.<br />
Then, was their coming worth while as regards eternal val<br />
ues Yes, surely, for one of the seven was different, 'one of<br />
them .... back and glorified God,' for she had really<br />
received His Gift of Life.' She had read a book about Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Muller, and said, "I want to be like this man. I want to<br />
have faith .... received the Lord Jesus Christ as her<br />
Saviour, and witnessed to some of her class. She wrote back<br />
later : "How I praise God, for He has answered my prayer<br />
and I have been put to teach in a school where I do not have<br />
to work on Sundays. All the others are in Moslem areas<br />
where they have to teach on Sundays<br />
All seven heard<br />
the Word many times and studied it while here. In six there<br />
was apparently no response and, though the Word may even<br />
yet prosper, we may<br />
was only for this one, their coming<br />
never hear the result. But even if it<br />
Effective Teaching<br />
was worth<br />
There is an article in The Sunday School Times on<br />
"Three P's of Effective Teaching." This is written by a<br />
teacher of sixty years of service in the Sabbath School. The<br />
three are, patience, preparation and prayer.<br />
Of the first, patience,<br />
Patience<br />
she says: "Without this vital in<br />
gredient for successful teaching I just don't see how any<br />
one can hope to do effective teaching. Boys and girls are<br />
growing into maturity. They are filled with excess energy.<br />
They may do things which at times just seem to be well,<br />
also seem slow<br />
annoying, to put it mildly. And they may<br />
in grasping what one is trying to teach them. Yet some of<br />
these same boys and girls may turn into Christian ministers,<br />
evangelists, missionaries,<br />
ministers'<br />
wives. Patience can win<br />
a boy or a girl quicker than anything else, even if that<br />
sounds like a paradox.<br />
Preparation<br />
Of the second "vital ingredient" she says :<br />
"Preparation<br />
should consist of far more than last-minute, late Saturday<br />
night perusal of a Sunday school quarterly. The best Sun<br />
day<br />
school teachers start preparing for next Sunday's les<br />
son as soon as the present week's is concluded .... A<br />
real<br />
Sunday school teacher will, himself, become a keen student<br />
of the Scriptures, constantly attempting to make 2 Tim.<br />
2:15 a part of his life. . . . For such a purpose good Bible<br />
helps are needed.<br />
258<br />
Prayer<br />
Of the third important "ingredient," prayer, she says:<br />
"Without this all of his patience and knowledge, secured<br />
through study of the lesson and books 'How to Teach,' will<br />
be of little avail. He may be able to entertain the class, keep<br />
them amused during most of the session, but I doubt that he<br />
will truly reach them for Christ. A Sunday school teacher<br />
who doesn't pray is only half equipped to do the tremendous<br />
job that is his ....<br />
knowledge of the Bible is essentia],<br />
but prayer makes that knowledge truly effective. It puts<br />
keenness to the sword of the Spirit, the Bible (Heb. 4:12)."<br />
Nudism<br />
There is an article in The Banner on "Nudism<br />
A Moral<br />
Menace," which contains statements that are startling to<br />
Christians. There are more than 3,000,000 Americans who<br />
have embraced Nudism. In this country there are 150 nudist<br />
groups. The writer says :<br />
"Would you consider it 'amusing'<br />
or 'alarming' to wake up some morning to discover that a<br />
nudist camp had sprung up in your community What would<br />
be your reaction as a Christian citizen, to find strangers<br />
(nudists) ringing your doorbell, asking for directions to such<br />
a place Embarrassing Of course. Impossible Not at all. It<br />
has happened to Battle Creek people; it is happening to five<br />
other Michigan areas (to say nothing of many other states);<br />
and it can happen to your own city or ....<br />
community Nud<br />
ism is not content to remain as a closed group behind high<br />
board-fences. It openly solicits membership by<br />
mouth and<br />
mail. If you are shocked at the vast array of horror comics<br />
and smutty stories conspicuously displayed on our news<br />
stands, then you should be doubly shocked to know that the<br />
nudist <strong>org</strong>anization publishes several magazines depicting<br />
nudes. These temptational magazines find their way into<br />
thousands of our American homes passing through our postoffices<br />
unhindered, as 'art' and 'health' publications. Juven<br />
iles and adults alike eagerly buy up all the newsstand cop<br />
ies."<br />
Many of these degenerating pictures and articles find<br />
their way into our high-schools and teen-age groups.<br />
An effort to outlaw the nudists in Michigan has been<br />
made in a bill before the legislature of that state. The nud<br />
ists, speaking against the bill, claimed that Christ was a nud<br />
ist how shameful and blasphemous!<br />
Youth in East-Germany Tested<br />
The above paper tells us that Communist groups in<br />
East Germany have been sponsoring "Youth<br />
dedication"<br />
take the place of Protestant and Catholic confirmation for<br />
non-Christian youth. But it is reported that there is in<br />
creasing political pressure behind the dedication movement,<br />
that there is more and more demand that all East German<br />
youth submit to the dedication ceremony. The dedication is<br />
being promoted as a mark of good citizenship, and it has<br />
been reported that parents have been warned that it would<br />
be "very advisable for youngsters who want to find a job<br />
or who want to be admitted to East German high<br />
scho<br />
to participate in the dedication ceremonies. All of the<br />
churches of East Germany have declared that it is impos<br />
sible for a young person to confess the Christian faith and<br />
to submit to the secular dedication sponsored by the Com<br />
munists. It is a time of severe<br />
testing for the Christian<br />
youth of East Germany.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
to
ealistic."<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
BARGAIN FOR AUSTRIA<br />
Soviet Russia and Austria have agreed on the terms of<br />
an Austrian peace treaty, which would end the foreign oc<br />
cupation of Austria and restore her to full sovereignty. After<br />
blocking this settlement for ten years, Russia has made un<br />
expected concessions. She agreed to the immediate with<br />
drawal of occupying troops, and to the payment of $150<br />
million reparations in Austrian goods rather than cash. Rus<br />
sia promised to sell out her holdings in Austrian shipping<br />
facilities and oil installations. She also agreed to return all<br />
Austrian prisoners of war.<br />
This development will stimulate the calling of a Big<br />
Four conference. It should be easy to settle the Austrian<br />
treaty, but Russia also is likely to bring up the question of<br />
Germany. The Soviets stipulated that Austria must not join<br />
any military alliance, and Russia probably expects the<br />
Germans to believe that they too can be united if they will<br />
remain neutral and unarmed. If the Russians should make<br />
a genuine offer to free and unify Germany provided she did<br />
not rearm, Western strategy would be severely tested.<br />
POLIO VICTORY<br />
One of the happiest items in the recent news is the suc<br />
cess of the Salk polio vaccine. Thorough evaluation showed<br />
that the vaccine was 80 to 90 per cent effective against the<br />
paralytic form of polio, and at least 60 per cent effective<br />
against other forms. Its value may be increased by better<br />
methods of application; most vaccines are 90 to 95 per cent<br />
effective when fully<br />
perfected. Out of last summer's test<br />
group, less than one child in 200 suffered any unfavorable<br />
reaction.<br />
Polio will not immediately be eliminated as a health<br />
threat, for this would require vaccination of most of the<br />
population. The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis<br />
has already ordered enough vaccine for 13.5 million persons,<br />
and more will soon be available for private distribution. By<br />
late summer there should be enough to meet any polio epi<br />
demic. In many states, children in the first two grades of<br />
school will be offered free inoculations.<br />
OUT OF THE RUNNING<br />
Chief Justice Earl Warren has removed himself from<br />
the political arena by announcing that he intends to spend<br />
the rest of his life on the Supreme Court. He made this<br />
declaration after a public opinion poll indicated that he was<br />
second only to Eisenhower as a favorite for the 1956 Repub<br />
lican nomination. In language which was about as positive<br />
as he could make it, Warren said that he would not change<br />
his mind "under any circumstances or<br />
conditions."<br />
His state<br />
ment will increase the pressure from liberal Republicans for<br />
Eisenhower's renomination. Such declinations are not very<br />
common, and a few more would help to clear the air.<br />
SPENDING MONEY<br />
The chairmen of both the Democratic and Republican<br />
national committees have told a Senate subcommittee that<br />
the limit of $3 million on their campaign expenditures should<br />
be raised. Democratic chairman Paul Butler said that the<br />
ceiling should be increased to at least $6 million. Leonard<br />
W. Hall, Republican chief, did not name a specific amount<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
but testified that the present limit was "outmoded and un<br />
and television.<br />
Both pointed out the high cost of airplane travel<br />
There are many loopholes in the present laws on cam<br />
paign spending. They do not apply to primary elections, or<br />
to spending by state and local committees or temporary<br />
groups. The Senate Privilege and Elections subcommittee is<br />
considering<br />
a bill which would let the national committees<br />
spend $12 million apiece, but place limits on subsidiary<br />
groups and also extend the controls to primary elections.<br />
Next year's Presidential campaign will be shorter but more<br />
intensive than 1952's and probably just as expensive.<br />
POWER NEEDED<br />
The Office of Defense Mobilization would like to in<br />
crease America's electric power production by almost 50<br />
per cent in the next three years. It has presented a Congres<br />
sional committee with a program which would add 46 million<br />
kilowatts to the 104 million available at the end of 19<strong>54</strong>. In<br />
1953 and 19<strong>54</strong> our utilities added 21 million kilowatts, the<br />
largest increase in any two-year period. The need would be<br />
much greater, however, in case of full mobilization. One<br />
method by which the O.D.M. would encourage expansion is<br />
by allowing fast tax write-offs on new plants. Congress will<br />
soon be asked to extend for two more years the Defense<br />
Production Act which expires on June 30. This gives the<br />
O.D.M. extensive powers over production in case of war.<br />
CANCER DRIVE<br />
The annual fund-raising drive of the American Cancer<br />
Society centers attention on America's second most deadly<br />
disease. Cancer takes more than one hundred times as many<br />
lives as polio, and is outranked, as a killer, only by heart<br />
disease. At current rates, one person in four is likely to de<br />
velop cancer sometime in his lifetime. Modern research<br />
indicates that some viruses may be associated with the be<br />
ginning of cancer, in which case the Salk polio research may<br />
help in the discovery of a cancer remedy. At a recent meet<br />
ing of the American Association for Cancer Research, sev<br />
eral reports dealt with the relation between cigarette smok<br />
ing and lung cancer. The cancer-causing ingredient seems<br />
not to be nicotine, but some other unidentified substance<br />
in cigarette tar.<br />
SAFE DRIVING<br />
America's highways are gradually getting safer, the<br />
National Safety Council reports. The record number of<br />
traffic deaths, nearly 40,000, was set in 1941. Last year there<br />
were 36,300 deaths, but a great many more automobiles<br />
were in use. The deaths per 100 million car-miles have fallen<br />
steadily in the last 25 years. In 1930 the rate was 16, in 1940<br />
11.4, and in 1950 7.6. Last year there were only 6.5 deaths<br />
per 100 million car-miles, a new low. Cars and highways are<br />
gradually being improved. Modern freeways and super<br />
highways usually have a low accident rate. Drivers also are<br />
gradually getting more sensible and skillful. In most areas,<br />
however, the best accident preventive is still a strict pro<br />
gram of law enforcement. Thorough tests for licensing dri<br />
vers, and automobile inspection systems, have also contribu<br />
ted to the general improvement.<br />
259
studying."<br />
read,"<br />
words"<br />
silver,"<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
I Dare You<br />
Chapter III.<br />
I DARE YOU TO SHARE<br />
Sufficient time has not elapsed since we sent out<br />
our first "I Dare You" for us to have received re<br />
plies, so we do not know whether you are going to<br />
take a "dare" or not, nevertheless we are sending<br />
you additional "dares."<br />
Dare No. 1. I dare you to share experiences.<br />
Have you ever been challenged by sermon, lecture,<br />
by scripture verse, or other quotation to such an ex<br />
tent that you can say, "I have lived differently ever<br />
since" Tell us about it in twenty-five words, more<br />
or less. You may sign it or leave it unsigned, but<br />
authenticate it so that the Editor may know that it<br />
is not fiction. Just this morning a man who has<br />
achieved eminent success told me how much he owes<br />
to a certain high school teacher who in the middle of<br />
a class recitation, stopped the clock to deliver a per<br />
sonal to him. He replied that he thought he<br />
was doing as well as the average member of the<br />
class. "But you are not<br />
He remained after<br />
class to tell the professor that he would finish the<br />
semester with all A grades, a promise he kept though<br />
it cost a mighty effort. Won't you tell us what woke<br />
you up<br />
Dare No. 2. We need short, interesting, challeng<br />
ing material for our columns. Preferably it should be<br />
original. But clippings will help. Have you as a far<br />
mer, school teacher, doctor, minister, candle stick<br />
maker, found some method or plan that has helped<br />
in your work Is there some one in your community<br />
or in your memory that is doing<br />
a worthwhile piece<br />
of work that should be brought to public attention.<br />
Is there a part of your pastor's sermon that should<br />
be shared with the church at large not just the text<br />
or the outline, but an illustration and its application <br />
Maybe you can persuade him to share it with the<br />
whole church, or at least get his permission to let<br />
you do it. We confess to a curiosity as to why minis<br />
ters who live for the good they can do seem so will<br />
ing to confine the results of their studies to their<br />
own congregations, when the wider field is calling<br />
for those same thoughts. It is unfortunate that our<br />
portion of the budget does not permit our paying for<br />
contributions. $2 to $10 is the usual rate, but to fill a<br />
paper would run into large expense when you do it<br />
fifty-two times a year. But of that later.<br />
Dare No. 3. Every department of our church's<br />
work needs publicity, and few of them are getting<br />
it. It would be easier to raise the Budget if the<br />
church were sold on its own activities, and we have a<br />
lot of them. "But people won't you say. Well<br />
then, they will look at pictures ; even the small child<br />
from that part<br />
will do that, and few of us get away<br />
of our childhood. "One picture is worth ten thousand<br />
words,"<br />
and we probably average 1.8 cameras per<br />
person, or at least 3 per family. If each of our mis<br />
clear-<br />
sion fields will furnish us 5, 10, or more good<br />
we will arrange them<br />
cut glossy prints with titles,<br />
260<br />
into one page and print them. Each department of<br />
the College, pre-med, engineering, athletics, Chris<br />
tian Service, Music, Alumni, etc. should do likewise.<br />
Each of the Boards of the Church should present<br />
their work in graphic style, or be boycotted in the<br />
Budget. This is an experiment, and may have to be<br />
withdrawn, but we are daring in our plans. Who will<br />
pay for the plates Who will get the benefits "10,-<br />
000 one picture<br />
ought to be worth paying<br />
a dollar or so in advertising money, and multiply that<br />
amount by the number of pictures,<br />
and you have a<br />
bargain at $8.00 per page. That will keep us out of<br />
the red, we hope. Send us the pictures of your daily<br />
vacation Bible Schools this year, and your CYPU<br />
Conferences, or any worthwhile work that you or<br />
your congregation is doing. How about a page of pic<br />
tures of church choirs and precentors Are you<br />
photogenic <br />
Dare No. 4. I dare you to earn a REWARD. As<br />
said above, we are a little short on silver and gold,<br />
and not in condition to break over our established<br />
custom of not paying our contributors in cash, but<br />
such as we have, we gladly give and it may prove<br />
more precious than rubies. For "a word fitly spoken<br />
is like apples of gold in pictures of<br />
and may<br />
save a soul from death. Indeed it may echo down the<br />
generations, until it has literally enriched millions.<br />
Our subscription list is numerically below the mini<br />
mum we pay for, so to those who will send us a good<br />
article of your own (one to three pages double space,<br />
type-written, all manuscripts ours unless return<br />
postage furnished, decisions of the judges final, etc.)<br />
we will award the privilege of nominating a new sub<br />
scriber for one year, not now on a <strong>Covenanter</strong> church<br />
$2.50."<br />
roll. "Umph! Cash value, if any, It will all de<br />
pend on the reader. It may mean eternal life,<br />
least more abundant life. It's worth trying.<br />
we may<br />
or at<br />
Dare No. 5. We are open for suggestions how<br />
make this paper of more value to yourself<br />
and others. If your suggestion is accepted, the award<br />
will be as above.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street. Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo 1. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editor*<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latime'<br />
Subscription rates: S2.50 per year; Overseas. $3.00: Single Copiet<br />
10 cents.<br />
The Rev. R. B. Lyons, B.A.. Limavady.<br />
British Isles.<br />
N. Ireland. Agent for the<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton. Kansas<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
name."<br />
correct."<br />
Archaeology and the Story<br />
of Samson<br />
By J. A. Thompson<br />
(A pamphlet published by The Australian Institute of Archaeology)<br />
To some people, Samson is an elusive character<br />
To one man at least, of whom the writer heard re<br />
cently, Samson was merely a myth.<br />
This man was a school inspector, and during a<br />
visit to a certain country school, asked the children<br />
for the name of a strong man from the past. One boy<br />
gave the name of Samson. To this the inspector re<br />
plied, "Oh, that story is only a myth. Give me an<br />
other Strangely enough, the teacher of that<br />
class took the inspector up at this point, and sug<br />
gested that, in view of modern archaeology, his dis<br />
missal of the boy's answer was a bit hasty. Unfor<br />
tunately that teacher had no archaeological material<br />
to produce at the moment, so that her objection was<br />
a bit hollow. In this article we shall look at five pie<br />
ces of evidence connected with this general period<br />
of Bible History and will discover that in the light<br />
of these, the inspector would have been well advised<br />
to hold his criticism. Unfortunately, he is typical of<br />
so many who criticize in ignorance of the facts. That<br />
is a dangerous thing, when it is so glibly resorted to<br />
in matters which touch on a child's faith.<br />
Now the story of Samson is set in the general<br />
context of the Philistine occupation of Palestine. To<br />
day, we know something about the period, the geo<br />
graphical distribution, the customs and the activities<br />
of these people. Each of these aspects of our study<br />
throws light on the Bible story of Samson.<br />
1. The Philistines in History-<br />
The Philistines were part of a great folk move<br />
ment which began in the region of Asia Minor and<br />
the islands just before 1200 B.C. These peoples,<br />
known as "Sea Peoples," began to move into Asia<br />
Minor, Cyprus, Syria, Palestine and Egypt, and to<br />
set up their own states. In Palestine they settled on<br />
the southern coast around Gaza. In point of time, we<br />
may date them from 1200 B.C. onwards. They re<br />
mained strong in Palestine till the days of David,<br />
some time about 1000 B.C. they are recognizable by<br />
their peculiar culture, especially their pottery.<br />
Now the Israelites had come into the land some<br />
what before the Philistines, but not much before.<br />
By 1200 B.C. they were settling down on the hill<br />
country areas. The Canaanites still held the valleys<br />
and plains with their chariot forces. But our point is<br />
that it is historically quite correct to place the story<br />
of Samson, one of the judges, in the days of the Phil<br />
istines. The age of the judges must be in the general<br />
period 1150-1050 B.C. At this time the Philistines<br />
were well settled in Palestine.<br />
2. Geographical Distribution of the Philistines.<br />
The Bible speaks much of the Philistines in the<br />
area of Gaza, their home. It indicates that at times<br />
they pressed inland, as for example, when they came<br />
to Micmash (1 Samuel 14). David slew Goliath in the<br />
valley of Elah. which is not far from Gaza. They did<br />
penetrate to Shiloh (1 Samuel 4), but by and large<br />
they are confined to the coast. Samson met them at<br />
Timnath, Gaza, Askelon, Sorek all places close to<br />
the coastal plain. Now, the Philistines have a very<br />
distinctive type of pottery. Concerning this pottery,<br />
Albright says, "This Philistine ware is abundant in<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
all levels and deposits of this period in Philistia it<br />
self, and is also found in the adjacent sites of the Ne<br />
geb and the Shephelah between about 1150 B.C. and<br />
the late eleventh century. Its title to be called "Phil<br />
istine"<br />
seems excellent. Moreover the ware in ques<br />
tion decreases relatively as one moves away from<br />
Philistia; it still occurs in deposits of the same age<br />
at Beth-Zur, Tell-en-Nasbeh and Bethel, and is found<br />
very sparingly at Bethshan or Tell-abu-Hawam, al<br />
though there was continuous occupation of these<br />
sites throughout this period. From the standpoint of<br />
geographical distribution alone, the term 'Philistine'<br />
is thus perfectly<br />
Of course, the important thing for us is that the<br />
Biblical distribution of this people is in general<br />
agreement with what we know from archaeology.<br />
3. Drinking Habits of the Philistines.<br />
One impression we gain from the Samson story<br />
is that Philistines were great drinkers. Samson was<br />
a Nazarite and stood apart from the local people.<br />
(Judges 13.) Later on, he met his death at a Phil<br />
istine feast where there was much drinking. (Judges<br />
16:23-25.) Archaeological work has shown us that<br />
there was an abundance of large jugs with open<br />
spouts found in Philistine cities. Albright is again<br />
useful to us in this matter.<br />
"The jugs are usually provied with a strainer<br />
spout, obviously intended for the same purpose for<br />
which the highland peoples of antiquity used reeds<br />
in order to strain out the<br />
or pipes in drinking beer<br />
beer without swallowing barley husks. It is not diffi<br />
cult to infer from the ubiquity of these wine craters<br />
and beer jugs that the Philistines were mighty carousers.<br />
In this respect again, archaeology is in full<br />
agreement with Biblical tradition, as we see from the<br />
story of Samson, where drinking bouts are men<br />
tioned several times in connection with the Philis<br />
tines, though it is said emphatically of Samson that<br />
he drank neither wine nor beer" (Albright's Archae<br />
ology of Palestine, page 115)<br />
4. Philistines Houses.<br />
We know a good deal about the kind of dwellings<br />
the Philistines lived in. Our special interest, though,<br />
is in the large dwellings, such as would be used by<br />
the nobles. When Samson met his death, he was in a<br />
house with pillars. He asked the lad who guided him<br />
to let him feel the pillars which supported the roof.<br />
Archaeology had no comment to make on the super<br />
human strength of Samson, but it does make a com<br />
ment on the fact that houses with pillars which sup<br />
ported the roof were known. A recent Israeli exca<br />
vator, B. Maisler, describes one such building he<br />
found in the excavations at Tell Qasile near Tell<br />
Aviv. It was a Philistine town for some time. In Level<br />
XI of this excavation they found the building in<br />
question. He writes :<br />
"In Stratum XI we discovered among others, a<br />
large building, one of whose rooms is bisected by a<br />
row of pillars built of bricks on stone foundations.<br />
The pillars evidently served to support the ceiling<br />
and recall the story of Samson's death." (Judges 16 :<br />
25-29).<br />
261
myth."<br />
zers."<br />
5. The Destruction of Shiloh.<br />
The Bible indicates that Shiloh was destroyed<br />
by the Philistines in the days of the last Judge, Sam<br />
uel. This would be dated somewhere about 1050 B.C.<br />
since Saul became King about 1020 B.C. The story<br />
is given in 1 Samuel 4, and tells of the capture of the<br />
ark, and the defeat of Israel. In recent years Shiloh<br />
has been excavated. There is clear evidence that it<br />
was destroyed by fire about 1050 B.C. The excavator<br />
remarks :<br />
"Through the excavations thus far undertaken,<br />
we have on important points been able to reconcile<br />
archaeological facts with the accounts of the Old<br />
Testament with surprising accuracy. We have caught<br />
a glimpse of a town, Shiloh, which in any case exist<br />
ed between 1200 and 1050 B.C., and of its destruction<br />
through fire (by the Philistines) about 1050 B.C.;<br />
and thus we see the reason why the ark of the cove<br />
nant did not later return to Shiloh ; the town did not<br />
exist any longer. The victory at Ebenezer could not<br />
call the destroyed town to life."<br />
When we take these items into consideration, it<br />
becomes clear that it is quite wrong for anyone to<br />
make up his mind in advance about the worth of<br />
ancient records. Archaeological work is moving on<br />
apace, and is flooding the past with light. Biblical<br />
records, when viewed against modern discovery, are<br />
found to give us a surprisingly intimate picture of<br />
life in those eras and places which they cover. It is<br />
a risky thing for anyone to say of the story of Sam<br />
son, "It is only a Our discussion here shows<br />
that there are several important elements in the<br />
story which are quite clearly in correspondence with<br />
the facts. It is of value to Christian people to know<br />
some of these, and to use them in discussion with<br />
some of the glib critics of our faith.<br />
The Bible Times<br />
ASTRONOMY AND ARCHAEOLOGY<br />
Philip R. Foxwell<br />
Young's concordance has an excellent article on<br />
archaeology found in the back of this large volume.<br />
The author is William Foxwell Albright who has<br />
just been quoted in the story of Samson. It is be<br />
lieved Bible students would be greatly profited by a<br />
perusal of this article.<br />
How ancient dates are calculated is of special in<br />
terest and Albright mentions the place of astronomy.<br />
Writing on Assyrian chronology he affirms: "With<br />
the aid of astronomical documents and references to<br />
celestial phenomena in the other literature, we can<br />
now fix the dates with a possible error of not more<br />
than ten years back to the 15th century B.C. He fur<br />
ther points out that for another thousand years we<br />
can fix dates with some degree of accuracy. Assyria,<br />
Babylonia and some other countries who play a part<br />
in Bible history recorded the reigns of the kings.<br />
Astronomy only needs to supply us with a few an<br />
cient dates to make possible the definite dating of<br />
much more. It is believed that Hammurabi reigned<br />
from 2067-2025 B.C. By a stroke of good fortune the<br />
king who reigned some years later kept a record of<br />
the movements of Venus. These records compared<br />
with astronomical data enable us to date Ammizaduga,<br />
and king lists show how many years he followed<br />
Hammurabi. Eclipses also have greatly helped. An<br />
eclipse in the year 763 B.C. enables us, on the testi<br />
mony of Albright, "to fix the exact chronology of the<br />
Assyrian campaigns in the west in the time of the<br />
262<br />
Divided Monarchy." Archaeology, using astronomy<br />
is showing more and more that dead men do tell tales.<br />
The Bible Times<br />
EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES ARE<br />
WORLD ISSUES<br />
The recent disturbances in Belgium indicate<br />
that the educational issues so familiar to the Ameri<br />
world issues. The stories of the<br />
can public are really<br />
riots were quite adequately<br />
carried in print and<br />
pictures by the public press in many communities.<br />
The Roman Catholic journal America put it this<br />
way editorally :<br />
"As in countless other countries, including our<br />
own, the school question is crucial for Catholics in<br />
several Western European countries at the present<br />
hour. Up to a fortnight ago, however, feelings have<br />
not taken the extreme form that Brussels witnessed<br />
on March 28. On that date the Belgian capital was<br />
the scene of a mass Catholic protest against the<br />
Government's proposed educational reform law. De<br />
spite the mayor's ban and despite deliberate curtail<br />
ment of transportation, an estimated 60,000 demon<br />
strators thronged into the city. The protests were<br />
the culmination of a four-weeks' series <strong>org</strong>anized by<br />
the Catholic Committee for Freedom and Democracy.<br />
The Brussels climax was led by the President of the<br />
Christian Social party and by the head of the Con<br />
federation of Christian Trade Unions. Though punc<br />
tuated by arrests and relatively minor violence, the<br />
demonstration was termed a success by its <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
Later in the same editorial it is recognized that,<br />
"Their own particular way of protesting by mass<br />
demonstrations may seem strange and perhaps rep<br />
rehensible to many<br />
Americans."<br />
Some Background. In Belguim, Roman Catholics<br />
had been in political control for decades up until last<br />
year. During that time Catholic schools were expand<br />
ed systematically, but State schools were not given<br />
an equal chance, with the result that about 934,000<br />
of Belgium's 1,600,000 school children are in Roman<br />
Catholic schools. In the words of one leader in the<br />
present government, "The coffers of the State were<br />
at the disposal of the religious schools without end<br />
and often without control."<br />
When the new government announced plans last<br />
November to cut state subsidies for church schools<br />
in 1955, the Minister of education, Leo Collard, said<br />
the move was being made to "safeguard the econom<br />
ic and social possibilities of the future." He criticized<br />
the Christian Social (Catholic) Party, predecessor of<br />
the present government, for allegedly having<br />
raised<br />
subsidies to too high a level. "Catholic schooling has<br />
become a fact in Belgium," he said. "It is my belief<br />
that both forms of education (Catholic and State)<br />
can live side by side. But all is a question of measure<br />
of limit."<br />
Despite vigorous protests, which included a oneday<br />
strike on November 24 by Catholic schools, with<br />
Catholic teachers in State schools joining the walk<br />
out, and demonstrations staged in eight cities by<br />
Christian Social Party members, the Belgian Parlia<br />
ment voted on December 22 to reduce subsidies for<br />
the payment of salaries to teachers in religious<br />
schools.<br />
Several other bills are pending which would re<br />
<strong>org</strong>anize the country's educational set-up. Some<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
schools."<br />
relationship."<br />
sectarianism"<br />
state"<br />
up"<br />
would increase State control over the "free" schools,<br />
operated by various religious <strong>org</strong>anizations, most of<br />
them Roman Catholic. Under one provision, the<br />
Church schools would have to follow curricula and<br />
programs set up by the government for public<br />
schools, including the use of officially-approved text<br />
books, of they wanted to benefit by State subsidies.<br />
Others of the proposed measures favor expan<br />
sion of the State schools and would reduce Church<br />
influence in them. Among the measures that have<br />
been most strongly opposed by Roman Catholic lead<br />
ers are those that would affect teacher-training and<br />
recruitment. Directors and head-teachers of State<br />
schools are appointed locally by the municipal coun<br />
cils; where a council has a Catholic majority, these<br />
posts are usually given to graduates of Catholic<br />
teachers'<br />
training colleges. A pending bill would re<br />
quire that directors of State schools be graduates of<br />
State teachers' colleges. Since most Catholics plan<br />
ning to be teachers go to Catholic teachers' colleges,<br />
the proposed change would affect an important area<br />
of Church influence in the State schools.<br />
In a joint statement the Roman Catholic bishops<br />
of -Belgium charged that the government program<br />
was "nothing else but a means to fight the Roman<br />
Catholic They said, "On the one side it is<br />
apparently inspired by a spirit of malevolence and of<br />
mistrust toward the Roman Catholic educational in<br />
stitutions which one wants to hinder and paralyze;<br />
on the other side it shows the unvoiced intention<br />
to assure not only the strengthening of neutral edu<br />
cation but even an unacceptable domination thereof."<br />
The bishops also declared that the proposals were in<br />
spired by "narrow-minded<br />
and put<br />
"freedom of conscience in danger."<br />
The government, in reply, denied any attempt<br />
to force religious schooling into the background, but<br />
said it was seeking to expand the system of State<br />
schools for the vast number of Belgians who, for<br />
reasons of conscience did not desire religious educa<br />
tion for their children. In a large number of cases<br />
they have no choice at present for many localities<br />
have only Roman Catholic schools.<br />
What Happened. Despite government precau<br />
tions to prevent Catholics from massing in Brussels,<br />
the demonstrators turned out as scheduled; esti<br />
mates of the total number varied from 60,000 to 150,-<br />
000. The downtown area was virtually paralyzed<br />
from noon until about 4 :00 P.M.<br />
Reports of those injured ranged from 40 to more<br />
than 100; it was thought some did not seek treat<br />
ment because they feared arrest. Officials reported<br />
614 persons arrested, but most of them were re<br />
leased during the evening.<br />
Most of the violence was confined to the fringes<br />
of the crowd, where marchers, many<br />
of them stu<br />
dents, scuffled with police. At some points police<br />
used truncheons and the flat sides of their sabers to<br />
drive the demontrators back. Fire hoses were turned<br />
on the crowd at least twice, but police relied mainly<br />
on mounted militia and armored trucks to hold their<br />
lines.<br />
In mid-afternoon Theodore Lefevre, president<br />
of the Christian Social (Catholic) Party, went to the<br />
various concentration points and told the marchers<br />
the demonstration was over. He said their efforts<br />
had been successful and asked them to disperse<br />
quietly and go home. He promised the battle against<br />
the government's school policy would be continued<br />
in parliament.<br />
Significance. Obviously these incidents have a<br />
world wide significance. They demonstrate that the<br />
American political scene is not insulated from the<br />
rest of the world, but that we deal in the same is<br />
sues. America is no longer a world unto herself, and<br />
of course, she never was.<br />
A Christian Science Monitor editorial looked<br />
lesson"<br />
upon these events as an "object for the<br />
American public, concluding :<br />
"If this is the kind of pressure encountered<br />
when a people's elected representatives conclude sub<br />
sidies have gone too far, can it be wondered at that<br />
American non-Catholics balk at opening the door at<br />
all to a breakdown of the constitutional separation<br />
of church and<br />
Report from the Capital (Baptist)<br />
Dad and the Church<br />
ARTICLE FOR NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK-May 1-8<br />
from : National Sunday School Assn., <strong>54</strong>2 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, I1L<br />
by: Jesse C. Burt, Jr., reprinted Home,"<br />
by permission from "Church and<br />
Standard Publishing Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio (1955)<br />
How can Dad help the church And how can<br />
the church help Dad These two questions are equal<br />
ly important, and never more so than at the present<br />
time. As one minister declared recently to a visitor,<br />
"When Dad is interested in the church, its impor<br />
tance increases a hundredfold in the home."<br />
What the minister declared is matched by an<br />
opinion expressed 'by an attractive gray-haired lady<br />
who has visited in literally "hundreds of homes."<br />
She declared with real enthusiasm: "Regardless of<br />
the furnishings of the home, when Dad, as well as<br />
Mom, is behind the church, it is a rich home. I would<br />
go so far as to say that Dad is the plus factor in<br />
the home-church<br />
Far be it from the present writer to offer gra<br />
tuitous advice to fathers. Probably they get enough<br />
of<br />
that, anyway. Yes, fathers have their hands full<br />
at the present time, paying bills, making a living,<br />
and just trying to be a good dad.<br />
Even with this on the record, it appears to many<br />
church workers that in some cases the church is not<br />
exactly a live and vital matter to fathers. It may<br />
well be, as some fathers protest, this deficiency is<br />
not their own doing. Yet the fact is, seasoned work<br />
ers are saying that Dad is needed to help bring the<br />
church into the home, and to help further the values<br />
for which the church stands.<br />
Agree or disagree with the contention that<br />
sometimes Dad "slips in the matter of church.<br />
What can Dad do for the church, and what can the<br />
church do for him is of paramount importance in<br />
this era. Let it never be f<strong>org</strong>otten that the Chris<br />
tian home often is like an island in an alien and<br />
(Continued on page 266)<br />
263<br />
April 27, 1955
age."<br />
. . . Little<br />
sorry,"<br />
nation."<br />
strangers."<br />
see,"<br />
way"<br />
REMO I. ROBB, D.D.<br />
ECU<br />
For Covenah<br />
April, 1955<br />
Illustrations for the May C.Y.P.U.<br />
May 1<br />
Topics<br />
Filial Honor.<br />
The story is told of the Dean of Can<br />
terbury, afterwards Archbishop Tillotson,<br />
that one day after he had attained<br />
the churchly honors, an old man from<br />
the country, with uncouth manners,<br />
called at his door and inquired for John<br />
Tillotson. The footman was about to dis<br />
miss him with scorn, for presuming to<br />
ask in that familiar way for his master,<br />
when the Archbishop caught sight of his<br />
visitor and flew down the stairs to em<br />
brace the old man before all the serv<br />
ants, exclaiming with tones of genuine<br />
delight, "My father! It is my beloved<br />
father!"<br />
May 8<br />
F. E. Clark (Bib. Encyc.)<br />
A Parent's Concern for<br />
his Child.<br />
After the death and burial of Abra<br />
ham's faithful wife, Sarah, the patri<br />
arch is described as "old and well<br />
stricken in<br />
wonder that<br />
this father who had tested and proven<br />
the promises of God should have a grave<br />
concern about the future of his son. He<br />
was anxious that Isaac should not take<br />
a wife from among the daughters of the<br />
Canaanites, but that his selection should<br />
be from among the kindred of Abraham.<br />
This gives us an insight into the earnest<br />
longing and aspiration of the aging pa<br />
triarch. He wanted God's best for his<br />
son. This is not human selfishness but a<br />
desire for the purity and holiness of the<br />
"godly line" through whom "all nations<br />
should be blessed."<br />
May 15<br />
Evangelical Commentary. 1953<br />
Lincoln and Solomon.<br />
One night James Murdock, the noted<br />
elocutionist, overheard President Abra<br />
ham Lincoln praying. Mr. Lincoln was<br />
on his knees before an open Bible, and<br />
these were the words of his pleading:<br />
"Oh thou God that heard Solomon in the<br />
night, when he prayed for wisdom, hear<br />
me. I cannot lead this people, I cannot<br />
guide the affairs of this nation, without<br />
Thy help. I am poor and weak and sin<br />
ful. O God, who didst hear Solomon<br />
264<br />
when he cried tor wisdom, hear me and<br />
save this<br />
Evangelical Commentary, August, 1950<br />
May 22<br />
Russia's Ten Commandments<br />
The new manual of godless youth, reedited<br />
from the 1947 original is now be<br />
ing distributed in the Soviet Union.<br />
Here are the new commandments :<br />
1. Remember that the clergy, regard<br />
less of faith, is the foremost enemy of<br />
our Communist state.<br />
2. Thou shalt labor diligently to draw<br />
thy friends and acquaintances toward<br />
communism, never f<strong>org</strong>etting that the<br />
Communist party is the supreme au<br />
thority<br />
world.<br />
of the atheists of the whole<br />
3. Teach thy friends to shun all<br />
priests.<br />
4. Guard thyself against spies, con<br />
demn saboteurs.<br />
5. Busy thyself in the propagation of<br />
anti-religious magazines and newspa<br />
pers.<br />
6. Let every faithful Communist be<br />
also a militant and forthright atheist.<br />
7. Thou shalt resist religious ideas,<br />
always and everywhere, protecting thy<br />
friends from them.<br />
8. The faithful atheist is likewise a<br />
goodly policeman, ever watchful of the<br />
security of the Communist state.<br />
9. Give generously of what thou hast<br />
to carry on missionary work among the<br />
unenlightened, especially outside the<br />
Soviet Union where atheism suffers un<br />
derground.<br />
10. Remember that if thou be not a<br />
devoted atheist, thou canst not be a<br />
faithful Communist nor even a firm So<br />
viet citizen on whom our state can rely.<br />
Atheism and communism are of one<br />
bond, and these ideals are the founda<br />
tions of Soviet power.<br />
May 29<br />
Building God's House<br />
One Sabbath Ellen, looking<br />
round af<br />
ter the service was over, saw a strange<br />
girl hurrying out. Obeying a sudden im<br />
pulse, she ran after her. "Please don't<br />
go till I say, 'How do you do!' " she<br />
cried. The girl stopped abruptly. "I am<br />
she said, "but I had begun to be<br />
afraid that no one here cared to speak<br />
to<br />
"You<br />
Ellen apologized, "we're all<br />
so excited over our building. We are<br />
raising the money ourselves, and it's<br />
hard! But come let me introduce you to<br />
a girl you'll<br />
love."<br />
The other girl<br />
laughed, embarrassed. "You couldn't to<br />
day, thank you. Just now, I don't feel<br />
loving. But maybe I'll come back next<br />
Sabbath. Only please, please tell your<br />
church people to remember this: A<br />
church isn't a building!" And then the<br />
girl was gone.<br />
She was back the next Sabbath. Ellen,<br />
who was watching for her, slipped into<br />
the seat beside her, and her hand gave<br />
the stranger welcome. "Do you really<br />
feel that<br />
she asked. "I so want<br />
to believe you do!" Ellen heard nothing<br />
of the sermon that day; she was think<br />
ing over and over the sermon the girl<br />
beside her had preached. To think that<br />
girls like that were slipping away just<br />
because everyone was too much ab<br />
sorbed to notice! She could watch for<br />
them if she could not do anything else.<br />
Two years later the church was dedi<br />
cated. Ellen had no money and helped<br />
very little there were tears in her eyes<br />
as she thought how little, but how she<br />
loved it ! She was thinking of it all when<br />
the girl of two years before came up to<br />
her.<br />
"I want to tell you something, Ellen<br />
Haworth," she said. "You won't believe<br />
it, but it's true. Next to Doctor Bris<br />
church." "I"<br />
bane, you built this<br />
Ellen<br />
stammered. "Yes, you. You have made<br />
everyone belong. No one ever stood out<br />
side a group that you were in. I could<br />
count fifty people whose contributions<br />
should count to your credit; but that's<br />
the least part of it; it's the feeling that's<br />
the real thing. And that's what you have<br />
given us all."<br />
HAVE YOU READ THE COVENANT<br />
LATELY<br />
At the Sabbath morning service of the<br />
National Convention in July, 19<strong>54</strong>, the<br />
spirit of covenanting reached its climax.<br />
A<br />
large congregation of <strong>Covenanter</strong>s<br />
stood and solemnly said "I do" to the<br />
terms of the Brief Covenant. Afterward<br />
over 650 of them attested their promise<br />
by signing their names.<br />
What has happened in<br />
since<br />
the months<br />
Well, the Brief Covenant has been the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
cappella."<br />
covenant."<br />
wrong."<br />
3<br />
YOUNG PEOPLE'S<br />
SECRETARY<br />
oung People<br />
basis of a number of inspiring services<br />
among the congregations. I have helped<br />
to conduct covenant renewal services in<br />
at least seven different congregations.<br />
For the most part it has been a solemn<br />
and uplifting service.<br />
But did covenant renewal stop with<br />
the service where the covenant was<br />
signed I have not seen the Brief Cove<br />
nant on display in the churches. I have<br />
heard no reference to it in any meetings,<br />
nor have I noticed any different sort of<br />
attention being given<br />
promises that were made.<br />
to the solemn<br />
This is no way to merit the promised<br />
blessings of the Lord. He does not hold<br />
out His promises to covenant makers,<br />
but to "such as keep His<br />
How long has it been since you read<br />
the Covenant in your young people's<br />
meeting Or in your private devotion<br />
Has your pastor read it, or asked the<br />
congregation to read it together<br />
Let us recall our Declaration of Faith<br />
"We believe in the Reformed faith,<br />
emphasizing the sovereignty of Christ,<br />
the Presbyterian form of government,<br />
and the New Testament pattern of wor<br />
ship with its exclusive use of the Psalms<br />
sung a<br />
Let us renew our Confession of<br />
Sin---<br />
"We confess that too often our faith<br />
has been weak, our works ineffectual,<br />
our loyalty wavering, and our love too<br />
cold. We confess that, knowing the<br />
right, we have too often done<br />
Let us keep our Covenant Obligations<br />
"We do covenant with God that we<br />
will seek to conform our lives to the<br />
teachings and example of our Lord Je<br />
sus Christ; and that we will endeavor to<br />
forsake all that is sinful and that would<br />
compromise our witness for Him. .<br />
,<br />
.<br />
We do solemnly promise to seek first<br />
the Kingdom of God and His righteous<br />
ness in all the relationships of life .<br />
We said we'd do all these things, and<br />
we meant it when we said it. Are we<br />
now where the Psalmist was when he<br />
sang:<br />
"If we have f<strong>org</strong>otten the name of our<br />
God<br />
Shall not the Almighty<br />
uncover this sin,<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
.<br />
Who knoweth our hearts and the se<br />
crets within"<br />
In 1953 the Brief Covenant was print<br />
ed on a small four-leaf folder, in several<br />
thousand copies. These have been sent<br />
to all parts of the Church. No more are<br />
in stock. Did you get a copy Have you<br />
read it Do you know where it is now<br />
Is your copy like Grandma's spectacles,<br />
hidden somewhere in a Bible you seldom<br />
use<br />
We are not like to keep that to which<br />
we give little attention. Therefore we<br />
ought to be paying continued attention<br />
to our Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
I suggest that every C.Y.P.U. avail it<br />
self of copies of the Brief Covenant for<br />
19<strong>54</strong>, enough for every member, and that<br />
the Covenant be read aloud together at<br />
least once every two months.<br />
If there is sufficient demand for cop<br />
ies of the Covenant from congregations<br />
or societies, I will have a new edition<br />
printed and send them out at cost. But<br />
don't wait for a new printing, if you<br />
have some copies. Keep the Covenant in<br />
your mind, in your heart, and in your<br />
activities.<br />
NOTICE<br />
Not all the Societies have secured the<br />
C.Y.P.U. YEARBOOKS for 1955. Every<br />
home of <strong>Covenanter</strong> young people should<br />
have at least one copy. Let me hear<br />
from the societies that have not yet or<br />
dered. The cost is only<br />
15c per copy.<br />
A number of societies are using the<br />
new BIBLE STUDIES for their Bible<br />
Study project of the Plan of Work. Two<br />
units are now ready. Unit One has four<br />
studies: (1) The Gospel; (2) Belief;<br />
(3) Repentance; (4) Surrender.<br />
Unit Two has six studies on Christian<br />
Character Development: (1) Personal<br />
Devotion; (2) Obedience; (3) Meeting<br />
Temptation; (4 & 5) Growth in Grace;<br />
(6) <strong>Witness</strong>ing.<br />
All studies have a minimum of 14<br />
questions (2 for each day for a week)<br />
with answers from Bible passages. The<br />
cost is 2c per copy.<br />
Write about other materials you may<br />
want. Possibly your Young People's Sec<br />
retary can supply<br />
where to get them.<br />
THE BIBLE STUDIES<br />
them or tell you<br />
The First Unit of the Bible Study Program is now complete.<br />
It consists of Four Studies<br />
The Gospel<br />
Belief<br />
Repentance<br />
Surrender<br />
The Second Unit is now in preparation.<br />
It consists of Six Studies in Christian Character Development,<br />
Personal Devotion<br />
Obedience<br />
Meeting Temptation<br />
Growth in Grace (two studies)<br />
<strong>Witness</strong>ing<br />
These Studies are prepared primarily for use in bringing others<br />
to Christ, but they may be used as subjects for Discussion Class<br />
es. Indeed, a Class may be good preparation for effective use<br />
elsewhere.<br />
They come<br />
in mimeographed form<br />
in different colors<br />
at 2c per copy<br />
from Remo I. Robb, 1102 Ninth Ave.,<br />
Beaver Falls, Pa.<br />
..........
vider."<br />
priority"<br />
no!"<br />
from<br />
call."<br />
school."<br />
gol"<br />
DAD AND THE CHURCH . . . from page 263<br />
angry sea, swept by waves that generate from the<br />
casual<br />
living practices that we see everywhere<br />
around us.<br />
Dad can help the church because he does have<br />
high leadership in the home, even if he scarcely<br />
seems to exercise this prestige of his. A sociologist<br />
explained : "Dad is the male of the family. He sup<br />
plies the answer from his own experience. He goes<br />
out into the world and makes a living. He is looked<br />
up to, respected. His opinions, attitudes, and actions<br />
children."<br />
often determine those of his<br />
Also, Dad can help the church by completing<br />
the partnership between home and church. Often<br />
he can do this more effectively than Mom. But<br />
church workers report many instances in which it<br />
is Mom, not Dad, who really is alert to the privilege<br />
of Church. The point is : She cannot do it alone ! On<br />
the other hand, experience shows many a Dad who<br />
is a tireless worker for the church. Indeed, seeing<br />
whole families coming to church is a thrilling and<br />
moving experience.<br />
Dad through his church activities shows the<br />
importance of God and Christ in his daily living.<br />
It is by Dad's acceptance of Christ in his own life<br />
and by learning about Christ in the church that he<br />
shows the spiritual implications of fatherhood. These<br />
implications are what dad needs to ponder and weigh<br />
and take into his life.<br />
For the home, the church is the one institution<br />
that seeks to help, and this help is done in an abso<br />
lutely unique way. The unique mission of the church<br />
is to forward the teachings of One who gave His life<br />
for us. He said to bring the little children to Him.<br />
If Dad has any doubt about the functions of the<br />
church, the reason for its being, he should get out<br />
his Bible and read the letter to the Colossians, es<br />
pecially the third chapter where Paul reviews the<br />
dismal story of the casual Colossians. After Dad<br />
thinks about these Colossians, he might note partic<br />
ularly these words of the apostle: "Let the Word<br />
of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teach<br />
ing and admonishing one another in psalms and<br />
hymns and spiritual songs with grace in your hearts<br />
to God" (Colossians 3:16).<br />
The question finally comes down to this one<br />
point of emphasis: Dad can set a powerful and per<br />
suasive example in his daily Christian living. It is<br />
this example, growing out of Dad's realization of<br />
the spiritual side of fatherhood, that is far more<br />
important than just being the proverbial "good pro<br />
When Dad in his daily living puts the church<br />
and its values into "top rating, the church<br />
achieves a great significance in Dad's home. Ex<br />
ample is so strong it is almost beyond belief. All<br />
of us have been gently amused at the way a little<br />
boy imitates his father's walk. We can understand<br />
this. But we need to realize children also take on<br />
the spiritual traits and attitudes of their parents.<br />
Consequently, when Dad studies his Sabbath<br />
school lesson, goes to church, studies his Bible, plans<br />
and carries out his contribution to the church bud<br />
get, when he conducts family prayers, when he<br />
shows by his daily living he is a spiritually alert<br />
father he furthers enormously the partnership be<br />
tween church and home.<br />
What is the difference between an "average"<br />
266<br />
home and one that is a joy to behold Experience<br />
reveals that most often it's a churchgoing Dad who<br />
counts !<br />
"PLEASE,<br />
DADDY LETS<br />
GO"<br />
A little girl with shining eyes<br />
Her little face aglow,<br />
it is almost time<br />
Said, "Daddy,<br />
For Sabbath school. Let's go !<br />
They teach us there of Jesus' love,<br />
Of how He died for all<br />
Those who on Him will<br />
"Oh,<br />
said Daddy, "not today,<br />
I've worked hard all the week,<br />
I'm going to the creek,<br />
For there I can relax and rest,<br />
And fishing's fine, they say.<br />
So run along; don't bother me,<br />
We'll go to church some day."<br />
Months and years have passed away<br />
But Daddy hears that plea no more<br />
"Let's go to Sabbath<br />
Those childish days are o'er.<br />
And, now that Daddy's growing old,<br />
When life is almost through<br />
He finds some time to go to church<br />
But what does daughter do<br />
She says: "Oh, Daddy, not today<br />
I stayed up almost all night ;<br />
I've just got to get some sleep,<br />
Besides, I look a fright."<br />
Then Daddy lifts a trembling hand<br />
To brush away the tears,<br />
As again he hears the pleading voice<br />
Distinctly through the years;<br />
He sees a small girl's shining face<br />
Upturned, with eyes aglow,<br />
As she says, "It's time for Sabbath<br />
School Please, Daddy, won't you<br />
Author Unknown<br />
Book Reviews<br />
Sailor Sam and the Golden Mummy Case<br />
This is a mystery story for youngsters of Junior<br />
High and High School age. It tells something of the<br />
mysteries of the old Egyptian religion, the way of<br />
burying their dead, and their faith. But all through<br />
the story, Christian faith and conduct are emphasiz<br />
ed.<br />
It is a paper backed book and sells for 75c. I be<br />
lieve youngsters will read it with enjoyment. R.C.F.<br />
REVIVAL ....<br />
front page<br />
He will f<strong>org</strong>ive our sins, that He will heal our land.<br />
A great spiritual revival in our land would do<br />
more in a single year to solve our financial problems<br />
and secure us against the national dangers which we<br />
see looming on every horizon than our worldly-wise<br />
politicians can accomplish in ten years.<br />
WE MUST have a revival, but God will not send<br />
it unless we are willing to meet His conditions.<br />
Are you willing you, as an individual You say,<br />
"But I'm only one Ah person."<br />
yes, but when you<br />
make your decision it is America through you mak<br />
ing its decision.<br />
American Tract Society<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
world."<br />
world."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of May 15, 1955<br />
MAY 1, 1955<br />
MAY 8, 1955<br />
MAY 15, 1955<br />
may<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPICS<br />
FOR<br />
be found in the ECHOES NUM<br />
BER, March 30, 1955.<br />
The Comments have not reached this<br />
office, but if they<br />
come in time to be<br />
used, will be published later. But please<br />
do not let this happen again.<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
May 15, 1955<br />
Mrs. Charles F. Millican<br />
Cambridge, Mass.<br />
Passover, the Saving Blood<br />
Editor<br />
Scripture: Exodus 11 to 13:14<br />
Memory Verse: "Behold the Lamb of<br />
God, which taketh away the sin of the<br />
John 1:29b<br />
Psalms:<br />
Psalm 15:1-3, page 26 (Memory Psalm<br />
for May)<br />
Psalm 31:1-4, page 71<br />
Psalm 116:1, 2, 8 and 9, page 282<br />
"I am God. With mighty signs and<br />
wonders, and judgments, I will deliver<br />
my people out of Egypt. And they shall<br />
know and Pharaoh shall know, and the<br />
Egyptians shall know, and all the earth<br />
shall know that I AM GOD."<br />
In recent lessons we have read and<br />
learned about the plagues that God sent<br />
upon Egypt. The plague of blood, of<br />
frogs, of lice, of flies, of locusts, of mur<br />
rain, of boils, of hail, and of darkness.<br />
All these plagues were sent upon Egypt<br />
because Pharaoh stubbornly refused to<br />
obey God. He would not let the Israel<br />
ites go. We read how Pharaoh after<br />
each plague yielded but always changed<br />
his mind. Do you think God had a pur<br />
pose in hardening the heart of Pharaoh<br />
Yes, He wanted him to repent. However,<br />
when one refuses to submit to the will<br />
of God, even the mercies of God result<br />
in the further hardening<br />
heart.<br />
of that man's<br />
God told Moses that He was going to<br />
bring one more plague upon Egypt and<br />
that after that Pharaoh would let the<br />
Israelites go. The time was soon ap<br />
proaching<br />
when God would deliver a<br />
crushing blow upon Egypt and release<br />
His people from bondage.<br />
Moses told the Israelites that on the<br />
tenth day of the first month they were<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
to select a lamb. There must be nothing<br />
wrong with him. On the fourteenth day<br />
the lamb was to be killed. After killing<br />
the lamb all the Israelites were to<br />
sprinkle some of the blood on the door<br />
post. They were then to roast the lamb<br />
with fire and eat it. (Each family was<br />
to select a lamb and carry out these in<br />
structions). At midnight God was to<br />
pass through the land of Egypt and<br />
carry out the last of His mighty plagues<br />
that of killing all the first-born of<br />
man and beast. However, where He saw<br />
blood on the door post it was a sign that<br />
the people within belonged to Him and<br />
He would pass over and no harm would<br />
come to them. This was a great night<br />
for the Israelites. The feast was called<br />
the Passover and is a Memorial of the<br />
night when God delivered the Israelites<br />
out of the land of Egypt.<br />
Can you think of the blood of another<br />
lamb that saves people Yes, the Son of<br />
God is that precious lamb. He is the<br />
only one who ever lived a perfect life<br />
perfect just like the lamb chosen for<br />
the Passover Feast. It was He whom<br />
God chose to send into the World. It was<br />
He who gave His life for the sins of that<br />
world. It was He who was betrayed,<br />
forsaken and left alone to suffer the<br />
guilt of the whole world and to be taken<br />
by<br />
wicked men and crucified. "But he<br />
was wounded for our transgressions, he<br />
was bruised for our iniquities : the chas<br />
tisement of our peace was upon him;<br />
and with his stripes we are healed. All<br />
we like sheep have gone astray; we have<br />
turned every one to his own way; and<br />
the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity<br />
of us all."<br />
The sorrow that should be our ex<br />
perience as a sinner lost forever was<br />
laid upon Christ, the lamb of God. It<br />
was He who was stretched upon the<br />
cross and had great nails driven through<br />
His hands and feet. Because His pre<br />
cious blood was shed on Calvary for us,<br />
atonement has been made<br />
redemption<br />
accomplished. "Forasmuch as ye were<br />
not redeemed with corruptible things,<br />
as silver and gold, from your vain con<br />
versation received by tradition from<br />
but with the precious<br />
your fathers;<br />
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without<br />
blemish and without spot: who verily<br />
was foreordained before the foundation<br />
of the world, but was manifest in these<br />
last times for you, who by him do be<br />
lieve in God, that raised him up from<br />
the dead, and gave him glory; that your<br />
faith and hope might be in God."<br />
There is a story about a little lame<br />
dog who was trying to climb up the<br />
curbstone from the street to the side<br />
walk. He just couldn't reach the top;<br />
he always fell back. Many people passed<br />
by. They watched the little dog, laughed<br />
at him and went on. After awhile a<br />
workman came by, he saw the little dog<br />
and pitied him. He went over and lifted<br />
the little dog up to the sidewalk, Then<br />
he went on his way. Isn't that just what<br />
the Lord Jesus Christ did for us He<br />
left His heavenly home and came down<br />
to earth to lift us up from sin and its<br />
ruin.<br />
The feast of the Passover is celebrated<br />
by the Jews once every year as a mem<br />
orial of their deliverance out of Egypt.<br />
How often do you thank Him for what<br />
He did for you Do you have the joy of<br />
knowing that Christ died for you, that<br />
He loves you Do you have the assur<br />
ance that your sins are f<strong>org</strong>iven Only<br />
through Christ can sins be f<strong>org</strong>iven.<br />
Therefore do you not need Him as your<br />
Saviour If you have not accepted His<br />
sacrifice why not accept Him and ask<br />
Him now to f<strong>org</strong>ive your sins and to<br />
enroll you as one of His followers If you<br />
have given your heart to Him and really<br />
do love God, why not consecrate your<br />
life to Him<br />
The Passover is a symbol of Christ<br />
the Lamb of God, slain, His blood shed<br />
on Calvary for us. When we accept Him,<br />
death will pass over us and we shall in<br />
herit eternal life. Won't you do it NOW!<br />
"<br />
Behold the Lamb of God, which<br />
taketh away the sin of the<br />
QUESTIONS:<br />
1. Why did God let a stubborn man be<br />
Pharaoh<br />
2. Why doesn't it pay to be stubborn<br />
with God<br />
3. How does trouble sometimes help<br />
people get to heaven<br />
4. What kind of lambs were they to<br />
take<br />
5. What did the blood on the door<br />
posts mean<br />
6. What do we mean when we say<br />
we are saved by the blood of the Lamb<br />
NOTEBOOK PROJECT:<br />
Divide a piece of paper down the mid<br />
dle. Head the left-hand column with<br />
"reasons why the psalmist loves the<br />
Lord"<br />
(using psalm 116); in the righthand<br />
column have the juniors list rea<br />
sons why "I love the Lord." Just before<br />
the close of the period have some of the<br />
reasons read.<br />
267
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
May 15, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
UZZIAH'S STRENGTH AND FAILURE<br />
2 Chronicles 25-26<br />
PRINTED: 2 Chron. 26:3-5, 9, 10, 16-21<br />
MEMORY: Hab. 2:20 "The Lord is in<br />
his holy temple: let all the earth keep<br />
silence before him."<br />
Joash, best known for his repairing of<br />
the temple, was followed by his son<br />
Amaziah. Again, we find the story of a<br />
good beginning and a drifting away. In<br />
trouble with the Edomites, descendents<br />
of Esau, he hired a great army from<br />
Israel, at a big price. Being warned by a<br />
prophet that it was displeasing to God,<br />
he did not use the hired army, but la<br />
mented the loss of the money paid them.<br />
By the help of the Lord, he defeated<br />
Edom and took much spoil. With the<br />
spoil there were many idols. Often de<br />
feated nations adopted the gods of the<br />
victors, because of the evidence of su<br />
perior strength. Why bother with the<br />
weaker gods of a defeated nation It is<br />
likely that Judah took these gods as<br />
souvenirs, play things, or perhaps be<br />
cause of the value of the materials.<br />
Eventually, those idols became a snare.<br />
A Good Beginning<br />
Uzziah came to the throne in a pros<br />
perous, victorious, idolatrous nation. It<br />
is reported that he did right, as his fath<br />
er had done. This certainly does not<br />
mean to endorse all that his father had<br />
done. Rather that he did the right things<br />
that his father had done; for Amaziah<br />
had done some good things. That surely<br />
is the meaning of the commendation<br />
given to those who did right as David<br />
had done.<br />
Uzziah came to the throne at the age<br />
of 16 and reigned 52 years. That was the<br />
longest reign in Judah. The mention of<br />
his mother, Jecoliah of Jerusalem, sug<br />
gests that she exercised a good influence<br />
in his youth. The prophet Zechariah also<br />
was a good influence as long as he lived.<br />
(Notice the parallel in lesson of two<br />
weeks ago.)<br />
The Influence of the King on Industrial<br />
Prosperity, 2 Chron. 29:6-16<br />
Uzziah was a strong leader. Along<br />
with his moral reforms, he led the na<br />
tion in useful labor. He fortified Jeru<br />
salem, and built protective towers in<br />
strategic places. He <strong>org</strong>anized and<br />
equipped a strong<br />
army. God helped<br />
against the Philistines, and the Amorites<br />
sought peace by bringing presents.<br />
These protective measures had to be<br />
supported by productive industry. Uz-<br />
268<br />
ziah set them a good example in pro<br />
ductive labor; he loved husbandry.<br />
Farming<br />
seemed to be his favorite re<br />
creation. It was productive and set an<br />
example of how to work productively,<br />
and gather the fruits of their labor.<br />
Farming is the only truly<br />
essential in<br />
dustry. It can live without any other.<br />
All other industries combined would<br />
perish without the farmer. We are told<br />
that bombs can destroy all our cities.<br />
They cannot destroy all our farms. As<br />
long as there are farms and farmers,<br />
our civilization can live and rebuild. A<br />
month ago TV announced that Russia<br />
had produced a weapon that antiquated<br />
all others. Prosperity by destruction,<br />
will eventually work its own disaster. It<br />
seemed necessary for Uzziah to have a<br />
strong defensive army. In developing<br />
the industries that made the nation<br />
prosperous, he provided food for the<br />
stomachs that the army must travel oh.<br />
Disregard of God's Law, 2 Chron.<br />
26:16-21<br />
Uzziah, in his zeal for the material<br />
strength of the nation, seemed to f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
the need of national obedience to God's<br />
law. He became proud of his power and<br />
prosperity. Idolatrous practices were be<br />
coming more popular, and it must have<br />
been more in the spirit of idolatry than<br />
of true faith, that he tried to take on<br />
himself as king, the prerogative that be<br />
longed to the priesthood. In presuming<br />
to offer incense in the Temple, he was<br />
not honoring God, but disobeying God's<br />
instruction. When the priests interposed,<br />
first, I suppose, with argument, then<br />
when the priests persisted he became<br />
angry and resisted by force. The priests<br />
were in the process of removing the king<br />
from the altar of incense, when the<br />
Lord relieved them from a very embar<br />
rassing situation by setting a mark on<br />
the king's forehead that forever barred<br />
him from the temple and all other gath<br />
erings of the people. Evidently the<br />
Church has some right to defend God's<br />
law in civil affairs.<br />
Not long ago the churches in America<br />
were offended by what was looked upon<br />
as a Presidential marriage of doubtful<br />
morality. They could do nothing. Re<br />
cently the English King offended in<br />
marriage, and the Church compelled him<br />
to abrogate the throne. At the present<br />
time it is reported that the Princess<br />
plans to marry a divorced man. Even<br />
though it is declared that this man is<br />
an innocent party in the divorce,<br />
seems that the strict code of the church<br />
demands that the Princess abandon her<br />
plan, or renounce her claim to the<br />
throne. The English code may seem se<br />
vere in this case. We are glad that there<br />
is one nation in the world that provides<br />
that her rulers must be just, "Ruling in<br />
it<br />
the fear of the Lord," and that demands<br />
a clean example in the family life of her<br />
rulers.<br />
Uzziah transgressed the law in the<br />
province that belonged to the priests.<br />
They withstood him even with force,<br />
and the Lord gave visible evidence that<br />
He disapproved of the King's presump<br />
tion.<br />
The Death of the King.<br />
The King's folly was in about the 27th<br />
year of his reign. That left about 25<br />
years that he was a leper, and could not<br />
leave his own house. It is evident that<br />
his purpose in going into the temple to<br />
offer incense was for public display,<br />
rather than for a sincere desire to honor<br />
God. He had violated the law of public<br />
service, and his punishment placed him<br />
where he could not appear in public at<br />
all.<br />
This does not mean that he was shut<br />
out from salvation. We like to think<br />
that he learned to see the greatness of<br />
his sin of presumption, and that he fully<br />
repented of it. And we know that if he<br />
did his sin was f<strong>org</strong>iven. His son became<br />
regent. It is not certain how much exec<br />
utive power Uzziah continued to use.<br />
His power of mind and body may not<br />
have declined for many years. We are<br />
told little of the reign of his son Jotham.<br />
He did right as his father had done,<br />
which as we said at the beginning of<br />
the lesson, must mean that he followed<br />
his father's example in the good things<br />
that he did,<br />
things.<br />
rather than in the evil<br />
Uzziah was subjected to great tempta<br />
tions. He was strong, wealthy and popu<br />
lar. He failed to remember that these<br />
were gifts from God that put him under<br />
obligation to use them for God. He for<br />
got also that God's law applies equally<br />
to all. They apply equally to king and<br />
subject, to rich and poor. Then he lost<br />
the sense of cooperation with his fellow<br />
men. He should have supported the<br />
priests in their special work, and should<br />
not have tried to usurp their office. Aft<br />
er the longest reign in the history of<br />
Judah, Uzziah died and was buried in<br />
his own sepulchre.<br />
It may throw some light on some pas<br />
sages in Isaiah to notice that he grew<br />
up in the reign of Uzziah and witnessed<br />
his success and his failure.<br />
Quick quotes for your bulletin:<br />
An egotist is a man who thinks too<br />
much of himself and too little of other<br />
people !<br />
(Joseph Fort Newton)<br />
Wisdom is knowing what to do next;<br />
skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue<br />
is doing it.<br />
(David Starr Jordan)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
. . i.<br />
suggests,"<br />
you."<br />
all"<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
THE TITHE<br />
Psalms:<br />
For May 18, 1955<br />
Rev. Roy Backward<br />
ONE PROOF OF OUR<br />
LOVE<br />
(Mai. 3:7-12)<br />
22 :9-ll, page 51 Call to Worship<br />
116: 8-12, page 282 A Reason for<br />
Paying the Tithe<br />
34: page 79 Taste and See<br />
From 2:17 to 3:6, My Messenger<br />
(Malachi) reviews what has gone before.<br />
The current evils of worship and society<br />
have their roots in hearts which do not<br />
fear God. (3:5)<br />
But displeasing God by doing things<br />
He hadn't authorized in Worship Serv<br />
ice, and being unfaithful to their fellow<br />
men and wives in particular in their<br />
Daily Service, weren't the only<br />
ways in<br />
which they proved to God that they<br />
really didn't love Him enough to obey<br />
Him. He had spoken primarily to the<br />
priests in 3:3 and now He charges the<br />
people<br />
with unfaithfulness "from the<br />
days of their fathers" (3:7), and when<br />
they reply with another sullen question<br />
(7b) another "prove it if you can!",<br />
God charges them with robbing Him<br />
(3:9). They had probably pleaded their<br />
punishment as a reason for not obeying<br />
God .<br />
e. because crops were poor,<br />
they couldn't give the tithe and offer<br />
ings. It was a vicious circle, the more<br />
they withheld, the harder things became,<br />
until here God offered them a 'break'<br />
when He said (3:10) Try the tithe once<br />
and "prove me now herewith." I'll give<br />
you good crops (3:10) and kill all your<br />
bugs (3:11) and keep<br />
(literally) from "miscarriage."<br />
your fruit trees<br />
God might have said, "Since man and<br />
land, the seeds and the rain, the sun and<br />
the air are all mine, I want 9/10 of<br />
everything that's produced and man<br />
may keep the tithe." But His gracious<br />
love prompted Him to take the tenth<br />
and give to man the 9/10. Once the law<br />
was made (and no one has yet found the<br />
place or example in the New Testament<br />
which breaks it), God let it be known<br />
that it was no light matter to break it.<br />
The man who does not give tithe and<br />
offering today is still robbing God, and<br />
may expect punishment. Of that punish<br />
ment, one of the early fathers said;<br />
"There be three keys which God hath<br />
reserved in His own hands, and hath<br />
not delivered to any<br />
minister or sub<br />
stitute, the keys of life, of rain,<br />
resurrection."<br />
and of<br />
(Compare Acts 14:17 and<br />
I Cor. 3:7)<br />
There is a close connection between<br />
this chapter of the book of Malachi and<br />
our previous studies. God has not only<br />
ordered that we give one-seventh of our<br />
time to particular services of worship<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
for the building and work of His king<br />
dom; He has also ordered that we give<br />
one-tenth of our income to the particu<br />
lar work of building<br />
These we owe to God<br />
His Kingdom.<br />
the Time and<br />
Money for the building of His Kingdom.<br />
He didn't need the "time" because He's<br />
timeless, and He didn't need the money<br />
because He could have made or taken it<br />
all (Ps. 50:12) but He wanted some<br />
definite minimum by which to check<br />
man's willingness to return His own<br />
great love. To argue about these or to<br />
give Him less than He asks is an ex<br />
cellent indication of a wrong heart-atti<br />
tude toward God. It would speak louder<br />
than any denial, to say that we were<br />
spurning God's great love (II Cor. 9:7).<br />
It is also true that the man who does<br />
not have enough money to fulfill his<br />
financial duty to God will soon find it<br />
easy to neglect or f<strong>org</strong>et his financial<br />
duty to his fellowman even his wife.<br />
The wife who discourages tithing is<br />
cutting her own throat, and the girl who<br />
marries a non-tither is taking a chance.<br />
In 1951 I heard professors of the<br />
Church of Scotland sneer at the tithe as<br />
"hypocritical<br />
legalism"<br />
and in 1953, I<br />
heard them cut their mission work bud<br />
get almost one-third. When a babe in<br />
Christ first asks, "How much should I<br />
pay How much does God want me to<br />
give"; and we soothingly suggest,<br />
"Whatever your feelings tell you, what<br />
ever your heart<br />
"NO! !<br />
God<br />
says<br />
I set the tenth as a minimum,<br />
you'll be cursed for giving less,<br />
and<br />
those of you since Old Testament times<br />
who have seen My<br />
love-made-flesh and<br />
walking and working and dying among<br />
you to save you will surely not be<br />
content with either one-seventh of time<br />
or one-tenth of income. You'll go beyond<br />
that because you're beginning to ap<br />
preciate what Christ did for you and<br />
because you would like to try to return<br />
something of His love for<br />
Christ did not change the law; on the<br />
contrary, He fulfilled it (Matt. 5:17-20),<br />
and in every respect went beyond it<br />
(Matt. 5:21, 22, 27, 28, 33-37, 38-42,<br />
43-<br />
48), and so must we.<br />
QUESTIONS FOR DICUSSION<br />
1. Check the difference between a<br />
tithe (Lev. 27:30, 32; Num. 18:21, 24;<br />
Dt. 14:22-25; 26:12, 13; Neh. 9:38; 10:<br />
29-32; 13:10-14) and the offerings (the<br />
first fruits Num. 15:19, 20; the annual<br />
half-shekel Ex. 30:13-15; the offerings<br />
for tabernacle Ex. 25 :2, 3 & 35 :5, 21, 24<br />
& 36:3, 6; offerings for the second tem<br />
ple, Ezra 8:25; the ordinary offerings, 2<br />
Chron. 31:10, 12; tithes of the tithes<br />
paid by the priests, Num. 18:26, 28, 29;<br />
tithes of the priest's "portions" (bonus<br />
es) Lev. 8:14. See also Dt. 26:1-11) and<br />
make a N. T. application. . . i.<br />
e., if the<br />
Hebrew gave that much in anticipation<br />
of Christ's coming, how much should we<br />
give How should we give (Matt. 23:<br />
23; Lu. 11:42; 18:12)<br />
2. What could be "profitable" about<br />
contributing to the work of God's King<br />
dom Prove it, as did Malachi with spe<br />
cific instances. (Lu. 6:38; Matt. 7:2;<br />
James 2:13, 14; Phil. 4:10, 14-19; and<br />
others.)<br />
3. What have you done recently re<br />
tithing in your own congregation If<br />
time permits, discuss recent actions of<br />
Synod and the financial need for the<br />
tithe i.e., the budget for the year.<br />
God had previously proven to these<br />
Israelites through Malachi that they<br />
were spurning His love by their insin<br />
cere and disobedient worship, and by<br />
their treachery with their fellow Israel<br />
ites. But these were, perhaps, too vague<br />
(perhaps they didn't snore loud enough<br />
to be heard in church and perhaps their<br />
whip-marks did not show on the backs<br />
of their unloved wives) so God now be<br />
comes very<br />
as the crowning<br />
specific and cites the tithe<br />
proof of their lack of<br />
love for Him. Every good Hebrew would<br />
have had a detailed account of all his<br />
givings. Either he was a Hebrew or he<br />
"did<br />
not<br />
know"<br />
how much he had<br />
given or should have given, that year<br />
but he could not claim to be a Hebrew<br />
and also "not know." In the same way,<br />
every American wage-earning adult is<br />
required by Uncle Sam's tax officials<br />
not to be vague on this same issue.<br />
What do your check stubs for the<br />
past year indicate about your love for<br />
God<br />
The story is told of an only survivor<br />
of a shipwreck who was thrown upon an<br />
uninhabited island. After a while he<br />
managed to build a rude hut in which he<br />
placed the "little<br />
from the sinking ship.<br />
that he had saved<br />
He prayed to<br />
God for deliverance, and anxiously<br />
scanned the horizon each day to hail any<br />
ship that might chance to be passing<br />
that way.<br />
One day, upon returning from a hunt<br />
for food, he was horrified to find his hut<br />
in flames. All that he had, had now gone<br />
up in smoke! The worst had happened,<br />
or so it appeared. But that which<br />
seemed to have happened for the worst<br />
was, in reality, for the best.<br />
To the man's limited vision, it was the<br />
worst. To God's infinite wisdom, his loss<br />
was for the best<br />
that for which he<br />
had prayed. The very next day a ship<br />
arrived. "We saw your smoke signal,"<br />
the captain said.<br />
Can we not take our seeming calami<br />
ties, and look for God's best in them<br />
From BETTER CHURCH BULLETINS<br />
by Stella O. Barnett<br />
(Fleming H. Revell Company)<br />
269
Church News<br />
Kansas. We are thankful that she is re<br />
gaining her strength.<br />
We are thankful that Mr. Raymond<br />
Milroy did not receive serious<br />
injury re<br />
cently, when he slipped and fell 15 feet<br />
while engaged in carpentry work.<br />
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY<br />
The 145th Commencement<br />
program<br />
of the Theological Seminary will be held<br />
on Tuesday evening 7:45 P.M. May 3,<br />
1955 at the Wilkinsburg church.<br />
The final student sermons by the<br />
three Seniors will be given. The Board<br />
of Superintendents will meet to hear<br />
students preaching on Monday evening<br />
at the Allegheny<br />
church. The annual<br />
business meeting will be on Tuesday at<br />
the Seminary.<br />
The Baccalaureate sermon<br />
will be<br />
given by Professor S. Bruce Willson,<br />
Sabbath evening, May 1, at the Central<br />
Pittsburgh church.<br />
LOCHIEL<br />
During the past year we have been<br />
privileged to have had two of our mis<br />
sionaries in our midst, Miss Eunice<br />
McClurkin and Miss Orlena Lynn. They<br />
brought their missions so close to us<br />
with their fine reports and delightful<br />
slides.<br />
We are thankful to the Lord that<br />
He has enabled Miss Jennie Jamieson<br />
to return home from hospital much im<br />
proved in health after a very trying<br />
and painful illness.<br />
Miss June Parke and Mrs. Robert<br />
MacDougall of Clydebank, Scotland,<br />
were married on March 11. June is the<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Parke,<br />
formerly of Toronto, now of Lochiel.<br />
BARNET, VERMONT<br />
Pvt. Harold Hutcheson, presently sta<br />
tioned at Camp Devens, Massachusetts,<br />
was a weekend visitor at the parsonage<br />
with his cousins, the Rev. and Mrs. J.<br />
Paul Wilson and family. At the Sabbath<br />
morning service Mr. Hutcheson gave an<br />
interesting talk on the mission work in<br />
Latakia, Syria, where he served a threeyear<br />
term as a teacher in the mission<br />
school prior to his induction into the<br />
army.<br />
Miss Winifred McLam who was a pa<br />
tient at Brightlook Hospital for five<br />
weeks is now recuperating<br />
at home.<br />
Officers of the W.M.S. for the coming<br />
year are as follows: President, Mrs. J.<br />
Paul Wilson; Vice President, Mrs. Roger<br />
Berry; Secretary, Miss Mary McLam;<br />
Treasurer, Mrs. Ellsworth Shields.<br />
During the winter there have been<br />
many<br />
cases of measles in the congre<br />
gation. Among<br />
them was our oldest<br />
member, Mrs. Jessie Gibson, who had<br />
just celebrated her 80th birthday.<br />
270<br />
Miss Lauren Wilson recently had the<br />
misfortune to fall down stairs and break<br />
her arm.<br />
GENEVA<br />
The regular Family Night Dinner in<br />
March featured the showing of the mo<br />
vie about the Cyprus Mission.<br />
Numbered among our sick are Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Householder, Miss Grace Rodgers, Lois<br />
and David Hemphill, and the mother of<br />
Mrs. J. R. Lathom, Mrs. Mattie Davis.<br />
The birth of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lathom's<br />
daughter, Melodie Lynn, has in<br />
creased our cradle roll membership.<br />
We welcome back to our fellowship<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Patterson, who<br />
have spent the winter in Orlando.<br />
Our young people's <strong>org</strong>anizations have<br />
each enjoyed two socials recently. In<br />
February, the Juniors held a Valentine<br />
Party while the C.Y.P.U. traveled from<br />
home to home eating their Progressive<br />
Supper. In March the Juniors had a<br />
work meeting to fix Christmas cards to<br />
send to the Syrian Mission, and the<br />
C.Y.P.U. celebrated with a St. Patrick's<br />
Day party.<br />
Several of our congregational <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
zations have elected new officers. The<br />
Sabbath School has selected Donald<br />
Smith, superintendent; Willard Hemp<br />
hill, assistant; Kay McCready, secre<br />
tary; and Samuel Lathom, treasurer.<br />
The C.Y.P.U. has elected as their offi<br />
cers, Kay McCready Lauren Wolcott,<br />
and Mary Lou Swager. The Women's<br />
Missionary Society elected Mrs. Ethel<br />
Young, Mrs. Samuel Edgar, Mrs. C. L.<br />
Fallon, and Mrs. J. B. Willson. The Lil<br />
lian McCracken Missionary Society will<br />
be led by Mrs. E. F. Lathom, Mrs. Rob<br />
ert Dean, Mrs. J. G. Vos and Mrs. W. S.<br />
McCready. Officers of the Geneva Guild<br />
are Mary Mitchell, Virginia Henery,<br />
Kay McCready, and Sylvia Montini.<br />
HEBRON<br />
Our Blue Banner<br />
(Young Women's<br />
Missionary Society) met for a covered<br />
dish supper with Evelyn Dunn. This<br />
year's officers are: Evelyn Dunn, Presi<br />
dent; Janice Henry, Vice President;<br />
Shirley Goodin, Secretary; Sharil McMa<br />
han, Treasurer. The group, while a<br />
small one, does many interesting things<br />
for their yearly projects. Their sponsors<br />
for the coming year are Mrs. Clyde<br />
Goodin and Mrs. Wilson McMahan.<br />
Mrs. Albert Henry had major surgery<br />
in St. Joseph's Hospital at Concordia,<br />
LOS ANGELES<br />
The session of the LOS ANGELES<br />
CONGREGATION wish to pay tribute<br />
to the memory of our senior elder Ed<br />
win L. Dodds who passed to his Heaven<br />
ly Home on January 8, 1955 at the age<br />
of 82 years.<br />
He was born at Lucerco, Pennsylvan<br />
ia, on March 2, 1873 and came to Los<br />
Angeles in 1910. He was elected elder in<br />
1912 which office he held at the time of<br />
his death.<br />
His faithfulness in attendance at the<br />
house of God was an inspiration to all<br />
who knew him.<br />
He held the office of precentor for<br />
many years and the praise service was<br />
improved because of his leadership.<br />
He was very faithful in his attendance<br />
at our session meetings and his council<br />
will be greatly missed in our delibera<br />
tions.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
On the evening of April 6 the Port<br />
land Congregation had a surprise dinner<br />
at the Thomas Chambers' home in honor<br />
of Miss Elizabeth Knight. Miss Knight<br />
has been very faithful to the Lord and<br />
His Church through the many years of<br />
service she has given to the Portland<br />
Congregation since its beginning in 1911.<br />
Miss Knight came out to Portland<br />
from Evans, Colorado, where she had<br />
been a faithful member and Sabbath<br />
School Teacher. She found we had no<br />
congregation in Portland and so en<br />
couraged Rev. Frazer to come out and<br />
start a <strong>Covenanter</strong> church in the grow<br />
ing Northwest. Miss Knight then be<br />
came a charter member and a tremen<br />
dous worker in our church. She has<br />
accepted responsibility<br />
that of the average member and has ful<br />
over and above<br />
filled all her duties with utmost care.<br />
Miss Knight is a Deacon, Treasurer of<br />
the congregation and general overseer<br />
of the physical needs of the church.<br />
Mr. Carson presented a Bible to her<br />
on behalf of the congregation. It was a<br />
privilege for us to honor Miss Knight<br />
for her unselfish service. How truly, "He<br />
that is faithful in that which is least is<br />
faithful also in<br />
much"<br />
!<br />
We would like to thank her publicly<br />
and desire for her the Lord's continued<br />
blessing.<br />
NEWBURGH, N. Y.<br />
Out-of-bounds members and friends<br />
worshiping with us recently were Mr.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
parents'<br />
Emerson Lynn and family, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Raymond McKay, Miss Alice Millen,<br />
Mrs. Walter Magee and Lt. Col. Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Simmons. It is always a pleasure to<br />
have these friends with us. It is also<br />
nice to have Jack White with us during<br />
his spring vacation from Geneva Col<br />
lege.<br />
On Sabbath, February 13, Rev. Wal<br />
ter Magee brought the morning message<br />
to us. Rev. Sterrett was preaching in<br />
Syracuse, N. Y. on this day.<br />
Wednesday evening, March 2 a Visi<br />
tation Delegation from the New York<br />
Presbytery<br />
visited our congregation.<br />
They first met with the Session and<br />
Board of Managers, then with the con<br />
gregation. After a devotional period led<br />
by Rev. T. J. Wilson of White Lake, a<br />
question and answer period was held.<br />
Others on the committee were Elder<br />
Ren. Tacey of White Lake and Rev.<br />
Walter C. McClurkin of Coldenham.<br />
The Newburgh, N. Y.,<br />
congregation<br />
notes with regret the death of our for<br />
mer pastor, Dr. R. M. C. Ward. Sincere<br />
sympathy is extended to his family at<br />
this trying time. We are also sorry to<br />
note the passing<br />
of another one of our<br />
members, Mrs. Mary Masten, who was<br />
called home on March 3.<br />
We are thankful that Mrs. John White<br />
who suffered a fall in her home recently<br />
is able to be worshiping with us again.<br />
Mr. Joe Klomp,<br />
who has been on the<br />
sick list for quite some time,<br />
under<br />
went an operation on March 26. We<br />
trust and pray that it will not be Ions<br />
before Joe will be back with us again.<br />
Friday evening, March 11, a congrega<br />
tional party was held at the church un<br />
der the sponsorship of the W.M.S.<br />
We welcome Elder S. J. Robinson and<br />
wife back to Newburgh after their va<br />
cation in Florida.<br />
At the March meeting of the W.M.S.<br />
the following officers were elected for<br />
a term of two years : President, Miss<br />
Elizabeth Henderson; Vice President,<br />
Mrs. Margaret Klomp; Secretary, Mrs.<br />
Ruth Price and Treasurer, Mrs. Ethel-<br />
White. They took over their duties at<br />
the. April meeting, after which a social<br />
time followed. Mrs. Price and Mrs.<br />
White were hostesses.<br />
The Annual Congregational meeting<br />
was held on Wednesday, April 6. It was<br />
well attended and all departments of the<br />
church work seemed to be progressing<br />
April 27, 1955<br />
pit by Mrs. Henrietta Hill and Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Simmons in memory of one of<br />
our former pastors, Rev. John W. F.<br />
Carlisle.<br />
The Annual Sabbath School Teachers<br />
meeting was held at the home of the<br />
Superintendent Mr. John White on<br />
Tuesday, April 12.<br />
lowed the meeting.<br />
MORNING SUN<br />
A social time fol<br />
Corporal Clifford Royer of the Mar<br />
ines left Korea March 10, arriving in<br />
Santiago, California, March 24. He<br />
called on his cousin's family Florence<br />
Hetherington Sweet, Glendale, Cal., and<br />
at the James Honeyman home, La Crescenta,<br />
Cal. He also visited in Mexico.<br />
After spending two weeks with his par<br />
ents Curtis Royer's he will report to<br />
Camp<br />
Pendleton, California, for duty<br />
until August 1956. Tuesday a family re<br />
union was held at his<br />
home.<br />
Frances Royer, R.N. was also home<br />
from Iowa City Veterans Hospital.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Fischer, Glenwood, Iowa,<br />
are visiting their daughter's family, the<br />
Maurice Hutcheson's for three weeks.<br />
Shirley Todd, Curtis Royer, Jr., and<br />
Thomas Dunn signed their names on the<br />
church roll Sabbath morning to signify<br />
their membership in the church.<br />
Rev. and Mrs. John Coleman remained<br />
a day longer to hear the Genevans sing.<br />
Dr. Coleman gave the speech for Geneva<br />
at the concert intermission. During their<br />
two weeks with us they<br />
quaintance of many<br />
made the ac<br />
relatives on the<br />
Willson family tree, in both congrega<br />
tions.<br />
We wish to add our praise for the fine<br />
quality concert rendered by the Gene<br />
vans. It would rate with Fred Waring<br />
or any high class choral group. Many<br />
commented that it was the finest Gene<br />
va glee club ever heard. Sharon and<br />
Morning Sun WMS served supper at the<br />
high school, and they were entertained<br />
in our homes overnight. They boarded<br />
the bus for Chicago, by 7:30 A.M. The<br />
time was too short. We also enjoyed<br />
meeting their sponsors, and Mr. Carson's<br />
descriptions of the Psalms was splendid.<br />
Dr. H. G. Patterson preached at Shar<br />
on April 10 when Rev. Edgar assisted<br />
communion at Hopkinton, Iowa.<br />
Iota Sigma WCTU<br />
Hoyt Cummings in April.<br />
met with Mrs.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. John Ifft, Butler, Penna.,<br />
sent the congregation two lily<br />
plants in<br />
well. The past year's officers were re<br />
memory of her mother and step-mother.<br />
elected. Also re-elected to the Board of The W.M.S. met with Mrs. David<br />
Managers were : Miss Martha G. Hen<br />
Armstrong who served ice cream and<br />
derson and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Simmons. Be<br />
cause of illness, Mr. Joe Klomp was un<br />
able to continue serving on the board.<br />
Easter Sabbath, April 10, a beautiful<br />
basket of flowers was placed in the pul-<br />
coffee honoring our guest Mrs. John<br />
Coleman, Drexel Hill, Pa.<br />
Stanley Geiselman, Burlington, is vis<br />
iting his grandparents Walter Hutche<br />
son's during Easter vacation.<br />
FRESNO, CALIF.<br />
The Board of Church Erection has<br />
granted our request as a congregation<br />
for a loan of $2,000 for purchasing lots<br />
for off-street parking. This is good news,<br />
and it is a reminder that pledges should<br />
be paid as quickly as possible.<br />
Thirty-four signed the Tither's Re<br />
solve on March 13.<br />
The Cottage prayer meetings were<br />
well attended, and the Lord answered<br />
many prayers, as 113 were present for<br />
Rally Day in the S.S. on April 10. The<br />
church was full for the first sermon by<br />
Rev. James D. Carson in the Revival<br />
Series. Several were present, for whom<br />
prayers had been offered. We praise the<br />
Lord.<br />
There was a joint meeting<br />
of the<br />
W.M.S. and Blue Banner Daughters at<br />
the home of Mrs.<br />
Matt Chestnut on<br />
Thursday, April 7 to greet Miss Eliza<br />
beth McElroy and to hear of her work<br />
as a Bible Woman in the villages of<br />
Syria near Latakia. She also spoke at<br />
the close of the S. S. on April 10 and<br />
again in the evening from 7 to 8 to a<br />
joint meeting of the adults, Young Peo<br />
ple, and Juniors. We are always so glad<br />
when our missionaries come to visit us.<br />
Saturday, April 9, the second planning<br />
Committee meeting for the Summer<br />
Conference of the Pacific Coast met at<br />
our church. Dr. Dean Hinton brought<br />
Miss Mary Marshall, Miss Alice Robb,<br />
Mrs. W. H. Lowe, and Mrs. Arthur Rus<br />
sell from Los Angeles. The Kenneth<br />
Caskey family also came from Los An<br />
geles. Mrs. John Vogt and Mrs. Richard<br />
Anderson came from Santa Ana. Lunch<br />
was served in the basement of the<br />
church at noon. Many important deci<br />
sions were made. We are glad to report<br />
that we are expecting the Sam Boyle<br />
family to be with us. Also that Dr.<br />
Remo Robb is to conduct the Y. P. For<br />
ums. Our Conference is to be July 16-23<br />
at Hume Lake. "GOD CAN" is our<br />
theme.<br />
DAVID M. ALEXANDER<br />
David M. Alexander was a life-long<br />
member of the Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Church in Walton, New York. Born in<br />
Hamden, New York, in 1870, he was<br />
baptized in infancy by the Rev. David<br />
McAlister, L.L.D., for whom he was<br />
named. He was a nephew of the late<br />
Rev. Henry Easson, Jr., who for thirty<br />
years labored as a missionary in Lata<br />
kia, Syria. In 1895 Mr. Alexander was<br />
married to Miss Jennie B. Bartow. In<br />
their Christian home they reared two<br />
sons and three daughters: Ralph Alex<br />
ander, Laurens. N. Y.; Hilton Alexan<br />
der, Putnam Valley, N.Y.; Mrs. Bernice<br />
Moore, Rochester, N. Y.; Mrs. Veda<br />
Thompson, Walton, N. Y.; Mrs. Evelyn<br />
271
Frick, Union City, N. J. The major part<br />
of Mr. Alexander's life-work was devot<br />
ed to the grocery business, in which he<br />
served his Lord as a Christian busi<br />
nessman.<br />
David Alexander was a loyal Cove<br />
nanter. During his years of retirement<br />
he made frequent visits to the homes<br />
of church members and others, encour<br />
aging them to attend the worship serv<br />
ices of God's House. Although he was<br />
crippled by arthritis, made worse by a<br />
fractured hip, he managed to be in his<br />
regular place whenever he could, and<br />
he signed the Brief Covenant in 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
His long life of nearly eighty-five years<br />
in the Church is an enduring monument<br />
to the covenant-faithfulness of our Lord.<br />
And in old age when others fade<br />
Their boughs with fruit shall bend;<br />
They shall be hale and hearty still,<br />
Their life in vigor end.<br />
JAH<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor,<br />
Prayer Hour. 1 :00 P.M. Monday<br />
A thought for you :<br />
What's wrong with<br />
YOUR LIFE<br />
the wheel of<br />
Even your closest friend won't tell<br />
you. Well, it's the hub. Let Christ be<br />
the HUB and let yourself take your<br />
rightful place out on a spoke (or even<br />
the rim) and your misery will be<br />
turned to joy<br />
your failure to success.<br />
NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAL meets<br />
May 3 and 4 at Cambridge, Mass., An<br />
trim St. between Broadway and Cam<br />
Corres. Sec'y.<br />
bridge streets.<br />
OUR HOME<br />
Wednesday evening, March 9, Mrs.<br />
Samuel Greer, State Field Worker for<br />
the W.C.T.U., gave a most interesting<br />
and inspiring flannelgraph talk on tem<br />
perance to the folks at Our Home.<br />
On Sabbath April 13, Mr. Armour Mc<br />
Farland preached at the Home. The sub<br />
ject of his sermon was "Prayer." It was<br />
a splendid sermon.<br />
On Wednesday April 16 two represen<br />
tatives from the Women's Auxiliary of<br />
the National Association of Evangelicals<br />
gave fifteen minutes talk on the work of<br />
the women's auxiliary.<br />
This was followed by<br />
the Reverend<br />
Samuel Boyle showing his pictures of<br />
Japan which were exceptionally beauti<br />
ful,<br />
instructive and delightful to our<br />
members. How much they have said<br />
over and over again they<br />
enjoyed this!<br />
On Wednesday evening, March 23,<br />
four of our students from the seminary<br />
272<br />
brought a tape recording<br />
of Reverend<br />
Samuel Boyle's address at the union<br />
service of our three Pittsburgh congre<br />
gations held in the Wilkinsburg church.<br />
Thank you, boys, you cannot realize how<br />
much joy you brought to Our Home.<br />
Again we beg: Won't you in your<br />
private devotions,<br />
and in your <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tions, and in your public worship hold up<br />
the Board and Our Home to the Throne<br />
of Grace Pray especially for the Fundraising<br />
Committee that it will be guided<br />
and directed in the preparation of ma<br />
terial, individuals to solicit, and <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
zations whom we might interest. We are<br />
inexperienced in this kind of thing, and<br />
can do nothing without your prayers.<br />
Press Committee<br />
NEW YORK PRESBYTERY NEWS<br />
If you have vacation time in July,<br />
plan to attend White Lake Presbytery<br />
Conference from July 25 through 30. The<br />
speakers will include Harold Harrington,<br />
Robert Tweed, Kenneth Smith, and Dr.<br />
Edward Young of Westminster Semin<br />
ary.<br />
You are welcome into the fellowship<br />
which we anticipate there.<br />
HALLELUJAH! LET US ALL GIVE THANKS!<br />
Contributions to the Budget of the<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church<br />
April 1,<br />
of North America<br />
19<strong>54</strong>March 31, 1955<br />
Amount of Budget set by Synod $110,015.00<br />
Amount to send Missionary to Japan 5,000.00<br />
115,015.00<br />
Amount raised for the Budget 119,<strong>54</strong>2.51<br />
Amount designated for Missionary for Japan 2,843.75<br />
Total Amount raised 122,386.26<br />
Distributed to the Departments of Church 117,528.95<br />
Credited to the Japan Missionary Acct. 2,156.25<br />
Departments to Receive<br />
Received<br />
Foreign Missions $27,000.00 $28,350.00<br />
Home Missions 9,000.00 9,450.00<br />
Southern Mission None 2,013.20<br />
Indian Mission 1,800.00 1,890.00<br />
Kentucky Mission 6,300.00 6,615.00<br />
Home Mission Secretary 3,625.00 3,806.25<br />
Young Peoples Secretary 225.00 236.25<br />
Women's Association 4,500.00 4,725.00<br />
Theological Seminary 9,000.00 9,450.00<br />
Students Aid 1,800.00 1,890.00<br />
Ministerial Relief 9,900.00 10,395.00<br />
Widows & Orphans 2,700.00 2,835.00<br />
Geneva College 14,400.00 15,120.00<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> 8,000.00 8,400.00<br />
<strong>Witness</strong> Committee 10,800.00 11,340.00<br />
Christian Education 450.00 472.50<br />
Miscellaneous Acct. 425.00 446.25<br />
Nat. Association of Evang. 90.00 94.50<br />
110,015.00 117,528.95<br />
Respectfully Submitted,<br />
Cheoster R. Fox, Treas.<br />
The report given above is cause for great thanksgiving to God!<br />
Should we not accept it as a mandate from God, and from the whole<br />
church that an additional<br />
missionary be sent to Japan at once, and that<br />
the whole program of the church take an advanced step with new cour<br />
age<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
missions,"<br />
Missionary Number<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 22, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD, TW 5/rtO (S THE WORD Of- GOD<br />
VOLUME LTV WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1955 NUMBER 18<br />
Facts Every<br />
Christian Know<br />
Secretary, Christian Missionary Fellowship<br />
O. D. JOHNSON<br />
In "United Evangelical Action," Used by Permission<br />
The Mission Field is a term which conjures up<br />
different pictures in people's minds. Sabbath School<br />
children, women's society members, and church offi<br />
cers all see their own mental images when they hear<br />
these words.<br />
pictures"<br />
Since few such "mind are based on<br />
first hand knowledge, probably most of them are<br />
vague and inaccurate. Just what do we mean when<br />
we talk about missions <br />
In a word, missions means evangelism. Thus de<br />
fined, it is easy to see that missions is the whole<br />
program of the church, not merely a department.<br />
In ordinary usage, of course, the meaning is restrict<br />
ed to church work outside of and beyond the inte<br />
grated circle of the congregation. Though many<br />
churches have "home the mission fields<br />
are usually thought of as lying in distant and back<br />
ward lands.<br />
We would all be much straighter if we would<br />
stop thinking in terms of countries. Christ died for<br />
people, not for places. Missionaries are not sent to<br />
India, Ethiopia, and Brazil, but to the people who<br />
live there. Mission work is a personal thing,<br />
with<br />
the emphasis on personality, not on geography. How<br />
ever different their culture and their standards of<br />
whom the<br />
living and morality, the people among<br />
missionaries labor are men and women, boys and<br />
girls who are basically the same as we. The point<br />
is that they need Christ, whatever their social status<br />
may be.<br />
The Aim of Missions<br />
The missionary enterprise really has but one<br />
aim the establishment of the church of Christ a-<br />
mong all people in every place. The great tragedy<br />
of modern missions has been the failure to keep this<br />
aim clearly and constantly before every Christian.<br />
This basic goal encompasses more than giving a<br />
brief exposition of John 3:16 to the most people in<br />
the shortest time. It does not stop with indirect ap<br />
proaches that sow gospel seed which may or may<br />
not result in definite conversions. It means the estab<br />
lishment of a self-propagating, self-governing, and<br />
self-supporting native church.<br />
To recognize this goal<br />
the building of indigen<br />
ous Christian churches throughtout the world is<br />
the first step to an understanding of missions..<br />
Christians can be confident that if the missions<br />
they support are true to the task of building an in<br />
digenous church, then that church can faithfully<br />
survive even if the orthodoxy of the parent mission<br />
should diminish,<br />
even if an external force like Com<br />
munism should force the mission to close.<br />
Training of National Workers<br />
The training of church workers from among the<br />
nationals of the country shoud be a No. 1 operation<br />
of every mission. Yet great care must be taken that<br />
the training methods do not defeat the purpose of<br />
this training. There is a place in the mission field<br />
for Bible schools, institutes, some colleges and<br />
seminaries, but there is a much greater place for<br />
a non-academic program of training leadership. The<br />
natural leaders among village converts need to be<br />
given enough training to enable them to teach and<br />
lead others. This training needs to be given with<br />
them to influences that would make<br />
out exposing<br />
them dissatisfied to remain in the little world of<br />
their nativity and to serve there on the meager<br />
salaries provided by the tithes of their brethren.<br />
Because of this, American Christians who sup<br />
port mission field training schools do wrong to in<br />
sist upon much, if any, direct contact with nationcontinued<br />
on page 279)
evealed,"<br />
consider."<br />
apologies."<br />
frightened<br />
anyway."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
How the Walls of Jericho Fell<br />
An article which appeared recently in the public press<br />
cast doubt on the biblical record of the fall of the walls of<br />
Jericho in Joshua's day. There was a headline which read:<br />
"23 walls of Jericho fell long before Joshua's day." One<br />
statement of the article was: "All that is left of the Joshuan<br />
period is the stone foundation of a house at the eastern<br />
edge of the tell (mound)."<br />
There were two Jerichos and it may be that these ex<br />
cavations have been made at the site of the later Jericho.<br />
However, the archaeological excavations made under the<br />
direction of Professor Garstang, then Director of Antiqui<br />
ties to the Palestine government and recorded by Sir Charles<br />
Marston in his book, "New Bible Evidence," shows that<br />
the evidence is complete to substantiate the Bible record.<br />
Mr. Garstang and his wife examined 100,000 fragments of<br />
potsherds from the debris of the city, all of which attested<br />
to the same date, about 1400 B.C.<br />
Walls Fell Outwards<br />
Mr. Marston says: "The 1932 and 1933 excavations have<br />
completely exploded the theory of a pious fraud on the part<br />
of Joshua. The walls had fallen outwards quite flat in<br />
various places, particularly on the west side of the city<br />
which alone had remained undisturbed by the German<br />
excavators (p.<br />
141).''<br />
"The further fact was<br />
Jericho Burnt<br />
says Marston, "that<br />
Jericho had been most systematically burnt, although it<br />
had not first been systematically plundered. There in the<br />
houses were found foodstuffs, such as wheat, barley, lentils,<br />
onions, dates and pieces of dough, all reduced to charcoal<br />
by the intense heat of the conflagration, and so preserved<br />
for more than three thousand years mute witness to the<br />
course of events attending the destruction of Jericho. "The<br />
reason that the food had been left untouched was because<br />
the city and all that was in it was devoted to God (Josh.<br />
6:17). "They burnt the city with fire, and all that was<br />
therein"<br />
(Josh. 6:24).<br />
Would that newspaper reporters and radio announcers<br />
would examine the most accurate evidence before making<br />
statements which question or cast doubt on the Bible record,<br />
for wherever archeological evidence is reasonably complete<br />
it has corroborated the accuracy<br />
of the record in the<br />
Bible, and that now covers nearly all important phases of<br />
Bible history.<br />
7s a Lie Justifiable<br />
Dr. L. H. Bartemeier, of Baltimore, Md., addressing the<br />
American Academy<br />
of General Practice in Los Angeles, is<br />
reported by the press to have said: "Doctors should lie to<br />
human<br />
life."<br />
their cancer patients as a means of prolonging<br />
There may be times when it is advisable for a doctor<br />
to withhold his findings from a patient for a time, but he<br />
has no more right to lie to them than a banker has to lie<br />
about the account of a depositor. A doctor should be a<br />
Christian, and a Christian should try to show those who<br />
seem to be near the end of life the way<br />
that they<br />
of salvation so<br />
do not die in their sins and after death suffer<br />
more terribly than if they had cancer. One who is a<br />
Christian will receive comfort in his sickness, and one<br />
274<br />
who is not a Christian should be shown the way of life<br />
and warned against the way to eternal death. "In the day<br />
of adversity<br />
A $10,000 Award to Waverly<br />
A $10,000 award was made to the citizens of Waverly,<br />
la., for their successful move to find housing for Captain<br />
Daniels and his wife and three children. Capt. Virgil Daniels<br />
is a Negro air force officer who some time ago was about<br />
to be denied an apartment in Waverly, but the citizens of<br />
the town became interested and welcomed him with his<br />
family. The award was given by the Ford Foundation to<br />
advance civil liberty. The citation reads: "Your prompt<br />
action in extending the hand of neighborly friendliness brings<br />
honor to Waverly<br />
Efforts such as yours give life and meaning to our Consti<br />
and makes it an example to the country.<br />
tution and Bill of Rights." The money<br />
will be used for<br />
civic betterment and will be administered by the civic area<br />
committee of the Chamber of Commerce. Waverly is the<br />
first city in the U. S. to receive an award of this nature.<br />
In receiving the award their spokesman, Mr. S. Spear, said:<br />
"We greatly appreciate it, but the people of Waverly cer<br />
tainly don't feel that we deserve anything<br />
doing what should have been done<br />
The Influence of Romanism<br />
special for<br />
A writer to Christian Herald says : "A group of churches<br />
in Detroit purchased a full page in the Detroit News, in<br />
an effort to express the biblical (Protestant) teaching on<br />
the worship of Mary, Mother of Christ. It was a paid ad.<br />
As soon as the first edition was circulated, the Roman<br />
Catholic ....<br />
hierarchy the management into<br />
dropping the ad. The check used in payment was returned,<br />
with<br />
The writer closes with these words: "It<br />
is frightening, to say the least, that a group<br />
can wield<br />
such influence in this land of the free." The Knights of<br />
Columbus can purchase space in the papers to promote<br />
Romanism, but they threaten and frighten the editor who<br />
(Continued on page 280)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street. Newton. Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue. Topeka. Kansai<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer*:<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editory<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
The Rev. R. B. Lyons. B.A..<br />
British Isles.<br />
Departmental Editor*<br />
Rev. John O. Edfrar<br />
Mrs. .1. O. Edfrar<br />
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Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton. Kan-wr<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
HOPE FOR PEACE<br />
A new peace drive seems to be under way in the Com<br />
munist world. The Big Four are making preparations for a<br />
conference to settle the Austrian peace treaty. While at<br />
Bandung, Chinese Premier Chou En-lai asked for direct ne<br />
gotiations with the U. S. over Formosa and other Far East<br />
ern questions. Last February Chou rejected the idea of U.N.<br />
negotiations. His recent announcement followed a luncheon<br />
conference of the eight leading Asian premiers. The state<br />
ment professed friendship for the American people and a<br />
desire to lessen tension around Formosa, but Chou still in<br />
sists that Formosa belongs to Red China. The U. S. will de<br />
mand the participation of Nationalist China as an equal in<br />
any conference. As a guarantee of Red sincerity, we also<br />
want the immediate release of our imprisoned airmen, and<br />
a cease-fire in the Formosa straits. Chou En-lai is not likely<br />
to accept these conditions without modification; but his new<br />
attitude lessens the immediate danger of attack on Quemoy<br />
and Matsu, and offers new hope for peace.<br />
U. N. EVALUATION<br />
A provision in the United Nations Charter calls for a<br />
conference, at the end of ten years, to consider revising the<br />
charter. This fall the General Assembly<br />
will automatically<br />
take up the question of holding such a session, and some<br />
worthwhile discussion has already resulted. The Senate For<br />
eign Affairs Committee is holding hearings on the subject.<br />
One proposal is to strengthen the U. N. Security Council by<br />
limiting the big-power veto, which has been a major obstacle<br />
to the handling of important disputes. At the other extreme,<br />
some believe that either the free nations or the Communists<br />
should get out of the U. N. Most of the practical suggestions,<br />
however, have involved little change. Secretary of State Dul<br />
les believes that the Russians would not agree to any major<br />
changes in the charter, but that some improvements can be<br />
made in procedure. Ex-Presidents Hoover and Truman have<br />
made similar statements. Mrs. F. D. Roosevelt, who has<br />
given most of the past ten years to U. N. work, is also skep<br />
tical of the value of a revision conference.<br />
HOME FROM BANDUNG<br />
The Asia-African Conference at Bandung, Indonesia, has<br />
adjourned without the Communist victory which many West<br />
erners had feared. Twenty-nine nations, from Egypt to the<br />
Philippines, were represented at the seven-day meeting.<br />
Several pro- Western countries made strong attacks on Com<br />
munism, denouncing it as a new form of colonialism and de<br />
fending their alliances with the West. Premier Chou En-lai<br />
of Red China was taken aback by this hostility, but kept<br />
a conciliatory attitude. He threw his country's support be<br />
hind the Arab states in their quarrel with Israel. Premier<br />
Nehru of India failed to dominate the proceedings as ex<br />
pected, though he made a forceful appeal for neutrality and<br />
coexistence. Our diplomats are relieved that the conference<br />
did not commit itself to an anti-Western position, and that<br />
the Afro-Asian nations apparently do not form a solid bloc.<br />
MENTAL GIANT<br />
Few scientists have won such affection and respect as<br />
Dr. Albert Einstein, who recently died at the age of 76.<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
One of the great mathematicians and physicists of moderntimes,<br />
he was also famous as a humanitarian. Einstein left<br />
his native Germany in 1932 because of the rise of Nazism,<br />
and spent his last years at the Princeton Institute for Ad<br />
vanced Study. He was most famous for his theory of rela<br />
tivity, which introduced time as a fourth dimension. His:<br />
work on the quantum theory<br />
showed the relation between<br />
matter and energy, and thus opened the way for the develop<br />
ment of atomic energy. Einstein's passion for social justice<br />
sometimes led him into unpopular causes, but he was widely<br />
loved for his sympathy and humility. He willed his brain to<br />
science, to determine whether it had any physical variations<br />
which would help to explain his mental power.<br />
GOOD NEWS FOR BRITAIN<br />
Great Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, R. A. But<br />
ler has given Parliament a budget with sweeping tax reduc<br />
tions. The basic rate of income tax is cut from 45 to 42.5<br />
per cent on all taxable incomes above $1,400, and more lib<br />
eral deductions are allowed for dependents. The 50 per cent<br />
purchase tax on textiles will be reduced 25 per cent. These<br />
cuts will lower government revenues by $375 million, but a<br />
treasury<br />
surplus is still expected. Britain had a surplus of<br />
over $1.2 billion for the past fiscal year, much higher than<br />
predicted. Political considerations are also involved in the<br />
new budget, as Parliamentary elections will be held May<br />
26. Britons will still pay much higher income taxes than we<br />
do in the U. S. more than double at the upper income levels.<br />
SURPLUS DOLLARS<br />
A recent report of the Hoover Commission brings out<br />
the possibility of large savings in the disposal of federal sur<br />
plus property. Our national government holds property,<br />
scattered around the world, worth about $155 billion, not<br />
including land, surplus farm commodities, or stockpiled<br />
strategic materials. Each year about $2 billion worth of unneeded<br />
goods are sold, usually at auction. The average sur<br />
plus sale brings only 5 to 7 per cent of the original cost.<br />
Better methods of disposal might increase this percentage<br />
and save many millions. The commission also found that the<br />
government needs a better inventory and cataloging system<br />
to keep track of its property and prevent the accumulation<br />
of excess stocks. The report estimated that such improve<br />
ments could eliminate from $10 to $20 billion worth of sup<br />
plies now in government warehouses.<br />
STOCKHOLDERS FIGHT<br />
One of the bitterest battles in modern corporate finance<br />
has ended in victory for 82-year-old Sewell Avery, who will<br />
keep control of Montgomery Ward & Co. As the nation's sec<br />
ond largest mail-order house, Ward has 650 retail stores<br />
and $327 million in cash assets Avery's management was<br />
challenged by Louis E. Wolfson, a Florida financier, who<br />
charged that Avery was hoarding Ward's assets and losing<br />
business to Sears Roebuck. Last August Wolfson began a<br />
campaign to secure the proxies of other stockholders for the<br />
election of the board of directors. He promised to expand<br />
Ward's operations and pay bigger stock dividends; but when<br />
the balloting began, he had to concede defeat, and Avery<br />
apparently has no plans for retirement.<br />
275
void."<br />
How the Gospel Came to North Korea<br />
William N. Blair, D.D.<br />
Rev. Robert J. Thomas was born in Wales<br />
September 7, 1840. He went to China in 1863 as an<br />
agent of the London Missionary Society. In 1865, he<br />
met two Koreans, members of the Catholic Church<br />
in Chefoo, in the home of Rev. A. Williamson, of<br />
the National Bible Society<br />
of Scotland. When Mr.<br />
Thomas found that these Koreans could read the<br />
Chinese Scriptures and learned from them that all<br />
educated Koreans could read the Chinese characters,<br />
he resolved then and there to go to Korea and give<br />
the Korean people the Gospel in Chinese. This was<br />
a resolution easier to make than to carry out as<br />
Korea was then a hermit country forbidding all for<br />
eigners on the pain of death from entering her bor<br />
ders. But Mr. Thomas never wavered in his deter<br />
mination to go to Korea.<br />
In September of 1865 he secured a vessel with<br />
financial help from Mr. Williamson, and succeeded<br />
in reaching islands near the west coast of Korea,<br />
one of them being the island of "White Wings"<br />
which we can see from Sorai, our missionary sum<br />
mer resort on the west coast of Korea.<br />
Unable to reach the mainland of Korea, Mr.<br />
Thomas returned to China only to make a second<br />
attempt one year later when he found that an Am<br />
erican ship called "The General Sherman" planned<br />
to make a voyage of exploration to Korea. No doubt<br />
the officers of the ship hesitated to permit a mis<br />
sionary to accompany them on such a dangerous<br />
journey, but somehow they were persuaded to re<br />
ceive Mr. Thomas and his cargo of Gospel tracts<br />
and Bibles. On board the ship were five Occidentals,<br />
Mr. Preston, the owner; Mr. Page, the Master; Mr.<br />
Wilson, the Mate; an Englishman named Hogart<br />
and Mr. Thomas and a crew of 24 Chinese and<br />
Malays.<br />
The General Sherman crossed the Yellow Sea<br />
and entering the mouth of the Tai Tong River sailed<br />
slowly up this wide river towards the walled city of<br />
Pyengyang on the west bank of the Tai Tong River<br />
fifty miles inland. Stops were made at several places<br />
and at each place Mr. Thomas gave copies of the<br />
Scriptures to those bold enough to receive them and<br />
left other copies on the bank of the river.<br />
Nearing Pyengyang the officers of the ship<br />
went ashore and met the governor of Pyengyang and<br />
the commander of the garrison who seemed disposed<br />
to be friendly. Unfortunately the crew of the General<br />
Sherman detained five Koreans on shipboard when<br />
they resumed the journey toward Pyengyang. This<br />
greatly frightened the captured men and enraged<br />
the Korean people, especially when two of the cap<br />
tured men were drowned trying to escape from the<br />
foreign vessel. Rumors spread that the foreigners<br />
had come to rob the ancient tombs and to secure<br />
eyes of little children for foreign medicine.<br />
There are a number of islands in the river just<br />
below Pyengyang City with swift rapids above and<br />
below them. Only once a month at high tide is it<br />
possible for an ocean going vessel to ascend these<br />
rapids, lt so happened that The General Sherman<br />
276<br />
arrived at the full of the moon and passed over<br />
the rapids without difficulty and anchored above<br />
the islands in sight of the walled city.<br />
Thousands of Koreans lined the banks on both<br />
sides of the river, shouting and discharging their<br />
flintlock guns at the unwelcome visitors. Little dam<br />
age was done, but no landing was possible. After<br />
several days of this sort of thing the men on The<br />
General Sherman decided in favor of discretion as<br />
the better part of valor. But they had waited too<br />
long. When they<br />
started to descend the river their<br />
ship went aground in the middle of the first rapid<br />
and could not be dislodged. Even here they were<br />
able to keep the Koreans at a distance with their<br />
superior arms for a number of days. During this<br />
time at least twenty Koreans were killed and many<br />
more injured. In the meantime the Koreans secured<br />
a large number of small fishing boats and piled<br />
them high with<br />
dry pine branches. Binding them<br />
together with iron chains they stretched them out<br />
in a long line across the river. Then at the right<br />
moment, when the tide was running swiftly towards<br />
the ocean, they set the boats all on fire and let<br />
them drift like outstretched arms of flame down the<br />
river to encircle The General Sherman. With their<br />
ship on fire the men on board had no alternative<br />
but to plunge into the water and make for the<br />
shore where the Koreans waited for them with<br />
knives and clubs and rifles.<br />
All of the foreigners were killed, but there was<br />
a difference. The Koreans say that the men from<br />
The General Sherman came cyt of the water with<br />
swords and pistols and tried to defend themselves;<br />
all save one who acted very<br />
strangely. This man<br />
staggered out of the water with his arms full of<br />
books which he thrust into the hands of the Koreans<br />
as they clubbed him down.<br />
Of course they killed Mr. Thomas, not knowing<br />
that he had come to Korea to help them; not know<br />
ing the precious gift he offered. But multitudes in<br />
Korea today know that the Bible is the most pre<br />
cious book in the world and God has marvelously<br />
kept His promise, "My word shall not return to me<br />
Though the officials in Pyengyang sought to<br />
gather and burn all the Bibles which Mr. Thomas<br />
left at various places along the river, and tossed to<br />
the crowd as he died at the river's edge, many copies<br />
were concealed and read later in secret. One of the<br />
early catechumens received by Dr. Moffett in Pyeng<br />
yang some twenty-seven years later was the son of<br />
a man who had received one of these Bibles. In<br />
Pyengyang City today there are twenty-seven Pres<br />
byterian Churches with an attendance of over ten<br />
thousand besides many churches of other denomina<br />
tions. All down the Tai Tong River strong<br />
churches<br />
mark the places where Mr. Thomas gave the Gospel<br />
to Korea and across the river just below Pyengyang<br />
stands the beautiful Thomas Memorial Chapel which<br />
the Presbyterian Church of Korea has erected in<br />
gratitude to God for the man who gave his life for<br />
Korea.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
expense"<br />
The Daily Rounds<br />
By Wilbur W. Weir<br />
1. Back on the job after a furlough of eighteen<br />
months, I am inclined to look at the work more<br />
objectively, for a year and a half of separation<br />
breaks a number of links. It affords an opportunity<br />
to step aside, look at the work, attempt an appraisal.<br />
When I told the Director of Education that the<br />
Academy had apparently run smoothly during our<br />
absence he said that was the way any well-<strong>org</strong>anized<br />
school should do in the absence of the Headmaster.<br />
So that was that. To the Staff and students assem<br />
bled for chapel, I felt impelled to say that after<br />
every furlough I had found the Academy a better<br />
school. The impression after this fifth furlough was<br />
no exception. No comment : the assumption seemed to<br />
be: what else can you expect from a growing or<br />
ganism During these last two months a question<br />
has often come to my mind: "Why was it neces<br />
sary to speak in defense of the school when on fur<br />
lough"<br />
It seems incredible that anyone should<br />
question the value of throwing one's life into a proj<br />
ect of this sort.<br />
2. Yesterday when I was about to put into the<br />
waste paper basket the typed schedule of preach<br />
ing for January, February, March, it occurred to<br />
me to count the number of sermons that had been<br />
preached in the mission here during those thirteen<br />
weeks. To my surprise they added up to 90. Rev.<br />
C. Copeland was high man with 20 sermons preach<br />
ed. Rev. C. Christou was second with 17 ; I was third<br />
with 11 (in 9 weeks). Rev. G. Moissides, 9, Rev.<br />
Thomas Hutcheson 8, (but for illness he would have<br />
preached more. The Sabbath before he became ill<br />
he preached three times, taught a Sabbath School<br />
class, and was sponsor at the Young People's Meet<br />
ing.) Mr. Barnabas 7, Mr. Halvadjian 6, Mr. Kyriakos<br />
4, Mr. Chopourian 4, Mr. Kassauni 2, Mr. Pana<br />
yiotides 1, Dr. Mouradian 1. That means approxi<br />
mately 7 services each Lord's Day. Success cannot<br />
be measured by the number of sermons preached;<br />
yet, like Paul, we can rejoice that the Gospel is being<br />
preached.<br />
3. On our return in January we were led to<br />
compare prices here with those we had been paying<br />
in New York. Bread here is 9 cents a loaf, New<br />
York 20 cents, and the loaf here has at least twice<br />
the substance of the New York loaf. Eggs in N.Y.<br />
were 45 cents a dozen, here 47 cents. Sugar 10 cents<br />
per lb. in N.Y., 9 cents in Cyprus. Rice 18 cents a<br />
lb. N.Y., 19 cents in Cyprus. Pork roast 40 cents<br />
N.Y., 55 cents in Cyprus. A 3 lb. chicken cost 1.05<br />
in N.Y., 1.80 in Cyprus. We saved money by buying<br />
clothing in N.Y., especially when we bought second<br />
hand.<br />
4. The last time I got my hair cut in Bronx<br />
ville, N.Y., I asked the barber, an employee, how<br />
many hair-cuts, at the price I would pay him, he<br />
could<br />
buy with the money he earned in a day. The<br />
answer was "21." In Brindisi, Italy, I asked my<br />
barber the same question; his reply was "5." Here<br />
in Larnaca, Cyprus, my barber told me he could<br />
buy 8 hair-cuts with what he earned in a day. That<br />
shows something of the difference in standard of<br />
living. It means nothing to compare wages and sala-<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
ries of different countries; the important question<br />
is, what can you buy with what you can get for a<br />
given period of work. In New York a carpenter can<br />
buy 420 pounds of potatoes with one day's wages.<br />
In Naples a carpenter can buy 100 pounds with a<br />
day's wages. In Cyprus he can buy 112 pounds.<br />
In Naples a carpenter can buy only 2^ pounds of<br />
beef steak with a day's labor; in Cyprus he can<br />
buy 41/2 pounds ; in New York he can buy 21 pounds.<br />
Many still wonder why Communism enjoys the pop<br />
ularity it does in so many countries. When people<br />
cannot see how a change could make matters worse,<br />
they rally to the movement promising help.<br />
5. The Rev. Argos Zodhiates was with us for a<br />
week-end about the middle of March. He came to<br />
bring his mother to Cyprus, but he said he was at<br />
our disposal on the Lord's Day. He preached at<br />
Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca. His message on<br />
Sabbath evening at the English service attended<br />
by the boarding students was most helpful, on the<br />
text: 1 Samuel 4:21 "The glory is departed from<br />
Israel."<br />
He flew back to Greece on Monday. We<br />
had special prayer for his guidance in the days<br />
ahead. His permit to remain in Greece would ex<br />
pire on April 14. No word has yet come to show<br />
whether he has succeeded in getting an extension<br />
of time.<br />
6. The Cyprus Commission of Synod has just<br />
adopted its budget for the year beginning April 1,<br />
1955. The 1600 dollars sent annualy to Cyprus for<br />
"field is 85 per cent of the Commission's<br />
income. The 15 per cent comes from rent of prop<br />
erty and from offerings at certain worship serv<br />
ices. At this point two facts are worth noting:<br />
1. The money sent for field expenses never gets<br />
into the schools. The Cyprus Commission has a<br />
treasurer who is bound by the budget adopted by<br />
the Commission annually. His report goes to the<br />
Foreign Board. The new treasurer is the Rev. C.<br />
Christou. 2. The amount of 1600 dollars is the sum<br />
which has been sent to Cyprus for field expense<br />
for a good many years. In the Minutes of Synod<br />
one reads a much larger figure. For example, in<br />
the Minutes of Synod, 1953, page 111, it is recorded<br />
that Cyprus field expense amounted to $5399.04.<br />
Actually<br />
what happens appears to be that when<br />
the Cyprus schools ask the treasurer of the Foreign<br />
Board to pay bills for goods (especially books)<br />
purchased in America, he charges that to "field<br />
expense"<br />
though he actually cuts it from the amount<br />
he is to spend for salaries, and from the 1600 due<br />
to come for field expense. It is a helpful service<br />
he renders us, and we don't mind how he records<br />
it, as long as he doesn't lead people to complain<br />
that the Cyprus Mission is a greater burden on<br />
the home church than it actually is. Readers may<br />
be interested in learning what the 1600 sent an<br />
nually is used for. Here are the items that ap<br />
pear in the expense column of the 1955 budget:<br />
1. Travel for those conducting services. 2. Trans<br />
lation work. 3. Part salary of H. Memour. (The Ar<br />
menian pastor is paid by the local people.) 4. Re<br />
pairs and upkeep of church buildings. 5. Water,<br />
Ins. Taxes, Telephone. 6. Rent. 7. Church building<br />
fund. 8. Literary Fund tracts. 9. Evangelism.<br />
10. Sundries.<br />
7. Last Sabbath we had communion services<br />
277
in both Larnaca and Nicosia. We had a united serv<br />
ice here, but in Nicosia I believe they had one at<br />
the Greek church and one at the Armenian. We be<br />
gan at 10:00 but did not finish until 12:30, for the<br />
sermon and the table address were both inter<br />
preted into Greek and into Armenian. The interpret<br />
ing is of course a handicap, but the fellowship is a<br />
great lift when three nationalities, with all their<br />
differences, unite in Christ Jesus around His table.<br />
Problems and Policy in the<br />
Girls'<br />
School<br />
by Eunice L. McClurkin<br />
It has pleased the Lord, whose work this is,<br />
to increase the Girls' School enrolment to well over<br />
300 during the school years that ended and began<br />
in the calendar year 19<strong>54</strong>. We know that He has a<br />
purpose in bringing these girls (and little boys, as<br />
well, in the kindergarten and first grade) into our<br />
school. We pray that His Spirit may guide us in<br />
our witness to them, and also in formation of future<br />
school policy.<br />
About half the students are registered as<br />
Christians, and all these, whatever their sect, are<br />
enrolled in daily Bible classes, and attend chapel<br />
weekly in the church. It is a constant challenge to<br />
teachers and students who know Christ to show<br />
Him in their lives before the unbelieving students,<br />
and we confess with shame that we fall far short<br />
of our goal. There is evidence of the Spirit's ac<br />
tivity and also of Satan's counterattacks. Christian<br />
fellowship groups for elementary and secondary stu<br />
dents are sponsored after school hours by two of the<br />
younger teachers, and many Moslems attend and<br />
hear the Word of God. The Intermediates' meetings<br />
on Sabbath, conducted in English, are attended by<br />
some from the Moslem homes who have shown in<br />
terest in the Christian message. The Inter-Scholas<br />
tic Christian Association of high schools in Syria<br />
and Lebanon has regular Easter-time conferences<br />
and other rally times in which our students partici<br />
pate. One of the Latakia delegates at the 19<strong>54</strong> con<br />
ference in Sidon who professed Christ as Saviour<br />
is from an Alaweet home. Five boys and two girls<br />
from our high school attended a one-day ISCA<br />
Rally in Tripoli, Lebanon, in November, 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
There is ever-increasing demand for education<br />
represented by<br />
government certificates (5th, 9th,<br />
and 12th grade examinations) and the government<br />
school system is unable to fill the demand. Their<br />
policy has therefore been to accept for further ed<br />
ucation in government schools not all who have<br />
passed a certificate examination, but those who<br />
have exceeded a certain minimum above the pass<br />
ing grade. That leaves the weaker students with<br />
out free education, and those with the will to con<br />
tinue must find places in private schools such as<br />
ours. Our increased enrolment in classes above 5th<br />
has been mainly from such weak students, but some<br />
of them have shown improvement scholastically<br />
with more individual attention than they had re<br />
ceived in larger government classes. Taking in such<br />
doubled our teaching<br />
program<br />
students has partially<br />
in classes above 5th, as new students from other<br />
schools cannot fit as a rule into our high school<br />
278<br />
classes conducted in English. In the Girls' School<br />
this has meant an added government program sec<br />
tion of 7th grade this year, opening the way for<br />
an increase of one or more subsequent sections<br />
every year up to 9th grade or beyond if such seems<br />
advisable.<br />
Sacraments in Cyprus<br />
Rev. E. Clark Copeland<br />
Dear <strong>Covenanter</strong> Friends,<br />
Sabbath, April 3, 1955, was a day of great joy<br />
for us here in Nicosia. We celebrated Communion<br />
in both the Armenian and Greek Congregations.<br />
It was my privilege to conduct the sacrament in<br />
the Armenian congregation; Rev. Christou and I<br />
together conducted the sacrament in the Greek con<br />
gregation.<br />
In the Greek Congregation we had the joy of<br />
receiving into the membership of the church Miss<br />
Avge David. We had watched Avge come under<br />
the gospel message, receive Christ as her Saviour,<br />
and grow up under Him the past nine years since<br />
she entered the elementary school of the Academy<br />
for Girls. She has taken an active part in various<br />
church and school activities where she has had a<br />
powerful witness, having been instrumental in lead<br />
ing others into the saving knowledge of Christ also.<br />
For the past two years she has helped Mrs. Cope<br />
land with the children's S. S. class, among other<br />
things. As we studied the sacrament of Baptism,<br />
Avge came to the conviction that she should be bap<br />
tized because of the unscriptural nature of Greek<br />
Orthodox baptism. As this is in harmony with the<br />
statement of the Constitution, Church Government,<br />
ch. 2, par. 5, we performed the sacrament of bap<br />
tism, though it has not been done before in cases<br />
of persons received from the Greek Orthodox<br />
Church. It was an inspiration to us all to hear her<br />
clear "Malesta" (I do) responses to the terms of<br />
the Covenant of Church Membership in receiving<br />
baptism. It seemed to us all the appropriate climax<br />
to her spiritual experience.<br />
We are having our Easter Vacation in the<br />
schools. I am not sure just what the meaning of the<br />
except that classes do not meet.<br />
We are trying to catch up with ourselves in a number<br />
of ways. There are a lot of things to be done at<br />
home which had to be let go. There are many details<br />
to be looked after in connection with our school<br />
building. There is family visitation to be done when<br />
word "vacation" is,<br />
we can go as a family. So the days will pass rapidly.<br />
Our plans have been made to have our evan<br />
gelistic meetings in Larnaca and Nicosia the last<br />
two weeks of May. Remember them in your pray<br />
ers. May God give us a harvest to the year's work<br />
of sowing in the schools, that His Word may be<br />
honored before men.<br />
Triumph of Grace<br />
By SPIROS ZODHIATES<br />
In these columns we have often referred to<br />
the name of Ge<strong>org</strong>e Galanakis, the young Greek<br />
who was shot six times through the body and once<br />
through the head. "His "executors," the Nazis dur-<br />
COVENANTEB. WITNESS
people."<br />
ago,"<br />
waiting."<br />
ahead"<br />
one."<br />
ing the war, thought that he was dead. But in the<br />
providence of God his life could not be terminated.<br />
Christ wanted to give him life eternal because He<br />
knew what a blessing he would be in the ensuing<br />
years. For ten solid years he has been on his bed<br />
of affliction 85% incapacitated, paralyzed on one<br />
side, blind in one eye and constantly<br />
shaken with<br />
convulsive fits. Can a man like that be used as a<br />
missionary <br />
Through his "execution" experience and what<br />
followed he accepted Christ as his personal Sav<br />
iour. In the morning, disregarding physical excru<br />
ciating pain, he and his wife always start the day<br />
with the singing of a Gospel hymn. He has become<br />
the unexplainable sufferer of Greece. People passing<br />
by stop in to see what it is all about. Everybody<br />
gets from his mouth a living testimony to the sav<br />
ing grace of the Lord Jesus. They are all amazed at<br />
how a man who has suffered so much can be so<br />
happy and rejoicing. He always has his answer<br />
ready: "It is Christ revealed in the Book," he says<br />
of the New Testa<br />
as he hands the visitor a copy<br />
ment. The word about Ge<strong>org</strong>e Galanakis spreads<br />
like wild fire. Men and women stream into his little<br />
8'xl0'<br />
room eager to know what makes him happy.<br />
Thus his room, bare as it is with only a bed, chair<br />
and a tiny table, has become a great evangelistic<br />
center. There is nothing that breaks his heart more<br />
than to have to send people away without giving<br />
them God's Word. One night as I visited him the<br />
first thing that he said to me was : "Did you bring<br />
me Scriptures There are so many Mean<br />
while a brother who was there informed me that<br />
they hardly had anything to eat that day,<br />
and yet<br />
instead of<br />
asking for something for his stomach,<br />
he asked for the Bread of Life for other starving<br />
souls. Maybe after you read this short sketch of<br />
the life and industry of this invalid missionary,<br />
you will never permit him to send away anyone<br />
empty-handed.<br />
His Story in a Newspaper and<br />
the Athens Radio Station<br />
As the word about Ge<strong>org</strong>e Galanakis spread<br />
even among influential people, the medical editor of<br />
a large Athens newspaper and one of the broad<br />
casters of the Athens Radio Station heard about<br />
him. From the columns of the newspaper and<br />
through the radio everyone was invited to write<br />
to this exceptional man and find out the secret<br />
of his happy life. The invitation was especially di<br />
rected to shut-ins, invalids and patients in the hos<br />
pitals and homes. The assurance is given that<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e, who has been through some of the most<br />
trying experiences, is able to spread hope where<br />
there seems to be no hope.<br />
As soon as these announcements were given<br />
out our invalid missionary found his little room<br />
flooded with letters from all over Greece. "I never<br />
realized,"<br />
said Ge<strong>org</strong>e, "that there are so many af<br />
flicted people and so many who long for happiness.<br />
I have no doubt that this earth is inhabited by un<br />
happy And now as a result of this, our<br />
brother is in full time service for the One who<br />
came to give the joy that no one can give and no<br />
one can take away. "Ever since my<br />
years Ge<strong>org</strong>e wrote in a most recent report,<br />
"I have always believed that the Christian should<br />
salvation four<br />
never wait for opportunities for witnessing to come<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
to him, but he should try to create such opportuni<br />
ties. Thus I try to use every experience of my life<br />
Christ."<br />
for the purpose of witnessing for my And<br />
he surely does in spite of the fact that he can never<br />
leave his tiny room. END.<br />
Dreams Becoming a Reality<br />
The Lord has finally given us the "go<br />
signal on several long planned important projects.<br />
Since the completion of our second orphanage build<br />
ing, in faith we have launched out and are now estab<br />
lishing in that building a workshop and a print shop<br />
for the vocational training of the children. Further<br />
more we are purchasing 100 acres of farm land for<br />
the needs of our orphanage work. Last month we<br />
sent $4,000 as the first installment for the realiza<br />
tion of these important projects. Another $21,600 is<br />
needed for the final completion. If every one reading<br />
this paper sends $5 designated for this purpose this<br />
work would indeed be a reality. It may foe of interest<br />
to you to know that there are over three million out<br />
of the seven millions who live in Greece who earn less<br />
than $10 a month. Aren't you glad you are on the<br />
giving end instead of on the receiving "Blessed is<br />
he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver<br />
him in time of trouble." (Ps. 41:1)<br />
American Mission to Greeks<br />
MISSIONARY FACTS . . . Cont'd from front page.<br />
als in training. The idea is prevalent in foreign<br />
lands that money grows on trees in America, and<br />
young nationals in training can easily be tempted<br />
to ask their correspondents in America for money<br />
to help them in various ways. The trouble is this<br />
money doesn't help them. It tempts them to feel<br />
proud that they are "attaches" a western capital, in<br />
stead of glorying in their being ministers of and sup<br />
ported by the indigenous church. They can easily ac<br />
quire a "superior" attitude.<br />
Training programs that steer clear of these pit<br />
falls are the ones that pay off in realizing their<br />
aim, for no people or tribe is ever evangelized from<br />
the top downward, but from the grassroots of the<br />
population upward.<br />
Erection of Church Buildings<br />
The indigenous principle of missionary work<br />
calls for great caution in the erection of church<br />
buildings. Surely God would say to many a mission<br />
as He said to David, "Whereas it was in thy heart<br />
to build a house for my name . . nevertheless thou<br />
.<br />
shalt not build the house A missionary re<br />
said "all over there are fine church build<br />
cently<br />
ings and about ten people worshiping in each<br />
With but few exceptions, mission-financed church<br />
buildings have done more to hinder the indigenous<br />
church than to help it.<br />
How much pride would we take in our own<br />
church buildings in this country if they were great<br />
cathedral-like structures built by agencies from<br />
other countries and of architectural types utterly<br />
foreign to us Dare we rob any group of Christians<br />
of the privilege to build a chapel, hallowed by their<br />
own sacrifice and labors, that parallels their own<br />
economic level and ability to maintain And until<br />
they are sufficient in number to build themselves<br />
a humble chapel, is it not more natural and Scrip<br />
tural that some Christian should have the honor of<br />
279
workers"<br />
opening his home to what Paul referred to as "the<br />
church in thy house"<br />
Support from Home Two Kinds<br />
Mission work needs two kinds of support from<br />
home spiritual and financial. Spiritual support is<br />
the most costly. There is a price of<br />
intercessory<br />
prayer to be paid by those who stand back of mis<br />
sionaries. This spiritual support is praying with<br />
missionaries rather than merely praying for them.<br />
Missionary epistles sent to home supporters are<br />
correctly called prayer letters. The Christian who<br />
commits himself to prayer support of a missionary<br />
(and may none pledge financial support without<br />
prayer support) must keep posted on the status<br />
and needs of the missionary so as to pray purpose<br />
fully as an active partner in his ministry.<br />
The New Testament bears out this concept of<br />
spiritual partnership. Paul, the great missionary to<br />
the Gentiles, was mightily concerned about his fel<br />
low Christians praying for him and with him in<br />
regard to specific needs. He likewise assured them<br />
of his reciprocal intercession. Nothing is clearer in<br />
the New Testament than that the fulness of God's<br />
blessing in evangelism is conditioned upon the part<br />
nership of His people in fervent prayer.<br />
The exigencies of life on the mission field re<br />
quire strong spiritual undergirding for the mis<br />
sionary even to survive, much less to serve. Mis<br />
sionaries are not machines who need only material<br />
help for their maintenance. Transportation does not<br />
mean transformation. Indeed, the mission field may<br />
bring out the worst in a person. The duress of new<br />
waves of nationalism and Communistic threats on<br />
most fields make missionary life even more a battle<br />
of nerves. No wonder frustration has reached a<br />
new high among missionary personnel. No wonder<br />
that by May, 1951, it was announced that of the<br />
missionaries who went to India after the last war,<br />
65% had gone home with no intention of returning.<br />
How much of this could be charged to lack of spirit<br />
ual support<br />
Continued in next missionary number.<br />
GLIMPSES . . . Cont'd<br />
prints a Protestant reply<br />
trine.<br />
from page 274<br />
or Scriptural statement of doc<br />
To Ban Liquor Advertising<br />
Representative Eugene Siler, who is serving his first<br />
term in Congress and is a former moderator of Kentucky<br />
Baptists, has introduced a bill to ban beer, wine and liquor<br />
advertising in all interstate media, including radio and<br />
television.<br />
Nepal Open to Missions<br />
The Kingdom of Nepal has opened its doors to Christian<br />
missionaries for the first time in nearly 200 years. Two<br />
medical missionaries with their wives from the United<br />
States have already<br />
established a small hospital in the<br />
picturesque Himalayan country. The most of the Napalese<br />
practice the rites of an ancient branch of Hinduism, and<br />
there are also many Buddhists.<br />
Release Holdings in India<br />
The Northern Presbyterian church has released titles to<br />
all property in northern India which has been held by<br />
their Board of Foreign Missions. These properties are to<br />
be held by "properly<br />
constituted and<br />
approved"<br />
native trust<br />
associations. Presbyterian missionaries will be called "frater-<br />
280<br />
nal<br />
and will be under the absolute jurisdiction<br />
of the Kolhapur Church Council of the provincial division<br />
of the United Church of North India.<br />
To Aid Missionaries<br />
The law of Tennessee has been so formulated as to aid<br />
foreign missionaries in the operation of motor vehicles.<br />
The new law applies to any<br />
person "who is now or who<br />
hereafter" will be in a foreign country in the employment<br />
of a religious or charitable <strong>org</strong>anization. Missionaries in a<br />
foreign country, when their current license expires, will<br />
henceforth merely forward a certificate from a physician<br />
attesting that they are qualified physically to drive a motor<br />
vehicle. It is thought that the removal of this seemingly<br />
small, but often serious problem will be appreciated by<br />
many evangelical missionaries.<br />
Book Reviews<br />
Idea Book for Young People's Meetings<br />
Richard J. Mullin<br />
This is the third idea book for young people's<br />
meetings prepared by Mr. Mullin. It has plans for<br />
a year's meetings, with a particular theme for each<br />
quarter, and lessons to teach it.<br />
The theme for the first quarter is "A Closer<br />
walk with God;" for the second, "Being Good Wit<br />
nesses for Christ;" for the third, "Victorious<br />
Christian Living;" and for the fourth, "Faithful<br />
Christian Service."<br />
There is considerable material which would not<br />
be used, naturally, but it has a good deal of help<br />
ful and suggestive material that could be used with<br />
profit. Some is prepared to help children become<br />
better acquainted with the Bible itself.<br />
It is all prepared with the purpose of helping<br />
young people to know their Bibles, and Christian<br />
duty and Christian truth so that they will lead<br />
better Christian lives.<br />
It is a larger paper backed book and sells for<br />
$2.25. R.C.F.<br />
Danny Orlis and the Angle Inlet Mystery<br />
This booklet is also in the Moody Colportage<br />
Library. It is a story for children without any vul<br />
garity, indecency or profanity. That is to be noticed<br />
and commended in these days. It is a story that will<br />
interest youngsters and hold their interest to the<br />
very end. It also stresses the need for Christian<br />
habits and Christian living if one is to be a Chris<br />
tian. It emphasizes the fact that Christianity is a<br />
way of living as well as a profession of a faith.<br />
It sells for 35c.<br />
R.C.F.<br />
The Perfect Will of God. G. Christian Weiss<br />
This booklet in the Moody Colportage Library<br />
emphasizes the fact that God has a plan for every<br />
life, tells how that plan can be found, and the<br />
tragedy if it is never found. He emphasizes the fact<br />
that an interest in worldly things and a lack of dedi<br />
cation can cause one to miss the plan.<br />
Naturally it is principally for young people who<br />
are interested in knowing God's plan for their lives,<br />
or for those not so young, who feel that they should<br />
be doing more for the kingdom than they are.<br />
The books sells for 35 cents. It is well worth<br />
the price.<br />
R.C.F.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
worry,"<br />
afraid."<br />
me'"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of May 22, 1955<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
May 22, 1955<br />
Betty<br />
Jo Dickson<br />
THE SEA BECOMES DRY GROUND<br />
AND A DROWNED KING<br />
Scripture: Exodus 18:20-22; 14:1-31<br />
Memory verse: "In all thy ways ac<br />
knowledge him and he shall direct thy<br />
paths.''<br />
Proverbs 3:6.<br />
Psalms:<br />
Memory Psalm 15:1-3, page 26<br />
Psalm 103:5-8, page 247<br />
Psalm 25:3, 4, page 58<br />
Psalm 37:lr4,<br />
page 91<br />
Pharaoh had finally done it! Yes, he<br />
let the Israelites leave the country,<br />
BUT don't think this is the last that<br />
God's people will hear from him.<br />
Has your family ever started out for<br />
a vacation without knowing where they<br />
were going A lot of people do that,<br />
and it is kind of fun. But you know<br />
when the day begins to darken as the<br />
evening shadows come, Mother some<br />
times wonders where the family is go<br />
ing to eat or to spend the night.<br />
The Israelites did not know where<br />
they were going, but they had Almighty<br />
God leading them, and you would not<br />
think they would have been afraid.<br />
During the Second World War the story<br />
is told of a little London family who<br />
were sending their children into the<br />
country to escape the daily bombings.<br />
A brother and sister were saying good<br />
bye to their parents at the train sta<br />
tion when the girl began to cry because<br />
she did not know where she was go<br />
ing. "Don't<br />
comforted the both<br />
er tearful himself. "We may not know<br />
where we are going, but the King does,<br />
so we don't have to be It is<br />
too bad that God's people did not trust<br />
their King as much as these young<br />
children did.<br />
If you have been following the map<br />
in our study of the Israelites in Egypt,<br />
you will see that in order to get back<br />
to the Promised Land, they<br />
would have<br />
to cross the Red Sea. Now there were<br />
no boats to use nor maps that would<br />
show where the river might be shallow<br />
enough for all these folks to walk<br />
through. But God had promised to lead<br />
them. Do you know how He led them<br />
In the daytime, a big tall cloud went<br />
ahead of them, and at night the cloud<br />
became red and burned like a fire. Every<br />
time the cloud moved ahead, God's<br />
people followed after it.<br />
In the meantime Pharaoh was prob<br />
ably thinking<br />
how stupid he had been<br />
to let all these hard working people<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
leave so easily. It seems strange that<br />
when Satan gets hold of a person no<br />
amount of warning from God will make<br />
him realize he is wrong in what he is<br />
doing.<br />
I certainly hope none of you<br />
boys and girls will allow Satan to run<br />
your life so that you will not hear God<br />
calling you.<br />
The next thing the Israelites knew was<br />
that a whole army<br />
of the Egyptians<br />
was chasing them with Pharaoh him<br />
self in the lead. Even though the pillar<br />
of cloud stood before them and Moses<br />
was bringing them the commands and<br />
promises of God, the people began to<br />
complain that they were in such a mess<br />
now they would have been better off<br />
in Egypt. It reminds me of the little<br />
tot who asked her father for a nickel.<br />
When he lovingly handed her a dollar<br />
bill, she frowned and said, "But, daddy,<br />
I want a nickel."<br />
The Israelites did not<br />
understand what wonderful things God<br />
was to show them this very day.<br />
With their eyes straight ahead the<br />
Israelites only saw the Red Sea and<br />
directly behind only the soldiers of Pha<br />
raoh. If they had looked higher they<br />
would have been conscious of God's<br />
presence from them in the cloud and<br />
behind them in the angel of God. (Ex.<br />
14:19).<br />
Night fell and suddenly the Egyptians<br />
were unable to follow<br />
the Israelites<br />
anymore because of the intense dark<br />
ness. The cloud that had led God's<br />
people now<br />
divided them from their<br />
enemy. It brought darkness to the<br />
Egyptians, but light to the Israelites.<br />
God used his servant Moses to start the<br />
miracle which led to the salvation of<br />
the Israelites and the destruction of the<br />
Egyptians. After Moses stretched out<br />
his hand over the waters, God caused<br />
them to divide. There in front of them<br />
was a path of DRY ground that stretch<br />
ed to the other side of the sea.<br />
As the dawn began to creep over the<br />
horizon, the Egyptians were able to see<br />
the Israelites. We see God's miracle is<br />
still working when their chariot wheels<br />
begin to stick in the ground that was<br />
DRY when the Israelites passed over it.<br />
Moses, now on the other side of the<br />
Red Sea, again stretches forth his hand<br />
and the miracle is complete. God's ene<br />
mies were destroyed.<br />
If you had been an Israelite boy or<br />
girl and had been afraid the cruel<br />
Egyptians that you had known all your<br />
life were about to capture you, how<br />
do you think you would have felt after<br />
seeing them completely destroyed not<br />
in battle, but by God's miracle Little<br />
wonder the "people feared the Lord and<br />
believed Him." Fear of God meant rev<br />
erence and love of One who was able to<br />
care for them in comparison to the<br />
fear the people had for the enemy.<br />
And you know, that same Wonder<br />
ful God wants to lead you and take<br />
care of you today, if you belong to Him.<br />
Maybe you will not see a big cloud to<br />
follow, but as you daily pray to your<br />
Father, He will show you just what<br />
to do and say during the whole day<br />
and the week and your lifetime. Let's<br />
thank God right now for accepting us<br />
as His children, and promise Him we<br />
will follow Him wherever He leads us.<br />
"And Jesus said to them all, 'If any<br />
man will follow me let Him deny him<br />
self, and take up His cross daily and<br />
follow (Lu. 9:23).<br />
Handwork:<br />
The boys and girls might enjoy draw<br />
ing a pillar of cloud and a pillar of<br />
fire to illustrate some short verse they<br />
can rhyme to show God's leading. Here<br />
is a simple verse as a suggestion but<br />
encourage originality.<br />
A cloud for the day,<br />
A fire in the night,<br />
God led His children<br />
In a path that was right.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL, LESSON<br />
May 22, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by Internationa)<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
HEZEKIAH ATTEMPTS<br />
RECONCILIATION<br />
2 Chronicles 27-30; Micah 6-7<br />
PRINTED 2 Chronicles 30:1, 2, 6-13<br />
Memory, 2 Chron. 30:9: "The Lord<br />
your God is gracious and merciful, and<br />
will not turn away his face from you,<br />
if ye return unto him."<br />
Since the last lesson, we are passing<br />
over two regencies; Jotham, counting<br />
his regency before the death of Uzziah,<br />
reigned 16 years; then Ahaz reigned 16<br />
years. Jotham did some of the right<br />
that Uzziah had done, but the influence<br />
of Ahaz was very bad. He made molten<br />
images of Baalam. These images ap<br />
pealed to the eye, and to the licentious<br />
desires of the people. People are gre<br />
garious, Most of them follow a leader.<br />
A strong leader always gets a following.<br />
Some will follow a weak leader because<br />
he is right. Society's safety is in the<br />
few who will do the right, whatever<br />
others may do. There are many who<br />
281
you."<br />
will follow the king because he is the<br />
king. It is very important that he that<br />
ruleth over men shall be just, ruling in<br />
the fear of God.<br />
The reform of Uzziah did not seem to<br />
be very deep spiritually. Hence the<br />
falling into idolatry<br />
rapid.<br />
under Ahaz was<br />
HEZEKIAH LEADS IN A GREAT<br />
REVIVAL, 2 Chron. 29.<br />
There were many in Judah who had<br />
not been led away by the idolatries of<br />
Ahaz but did not seem to have the<br />
power of leadership that could stem<br />
the power of evil that swept the land.<br />
Then there would be many that, though<br />
they had followed the crowd, had an<br />
underlying sense of guilt, and were<br />
glad to return to the Lord under the<br />
strong leadership of Hezekiah. The<br />
greater number had followed a bad lead<br />
er.<br />
This was the moral condition of Judah<br />
when Hezekiah come to the throne. The<br />
material prosperity that had been de<br />
veloped under the reforms of Uzziah,<br />
was used by Ahaz to demoralize the<br />
people. It requires stable character to<br />
withstand the temptations of wealth.<br />
Wealth in the presence of poverty may<br />
be used as an aid to righteousness or as<br />
a means of practicing selfishness and<br />
lust. Righteousness is not effected by<br />
wealth or poverty. But the material<br />
condition most conducive to godliness is<br />
neither poverty nor riches. A true faith<br />
in God teaches us with whatsoever<br />
things we have, therewith to be content.<br />
Hezekiah very wisely sought the co<br />
operation of the princes and the priests.<br />
With this strong support, he appealed<br />
to the people, and they gave a quick<br />
response. There were preparations that<br />
had to be made. The proper use of the<br />
Temple had been neglected, and it had<br />
been desecrated and abused by idol wor<br />
ship. It was dirty, broken and littered<br />
with Idols. The priesthood was badly<br />
dis<strong>org</strong>anized. The first thing then, was<br />
to <strong>org</strong>anize and sanctify the priesthood.<br />
Then the Temple had to be cleansed<br />
of all idol trash. The work began the<br />
first day of the year, and was not com<br />
pleted on the 14th day of Nizan, which<br />
was the first month in the year, and the<br />
regular time for the observance of the<br />
passover. So the Passover was set for<br />
the month following. The day is not so<br />
important as the spirit of worship and<br />
obedience. A fanatical holding to a cer<br />
tain day rather than to the spirit of<br />
fellowship and worship on an establish<br />
ed day, is a great obstacle against a<br />
harmonious Sabbath, both in law and in<br />
practice.<br />
Hezekiah's call to the passover was<br />
sent to all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba.<br />
It was met by many with scorn.<br />
282<br />
Since it was to be held in Jerusalem,<br />
the scorn might have been caused from<br />
the spirit of nationalism, jelousy, pride<br />
or stubbornness. Change the first word<br />
to denominationalism, and we may find<br />
all of these working against the com<br />
plete hrmony among Christian people<br />
today. They may appear when the loca<br />
tion, building or repair of a church is<br />
discussed; or in the discussion of church<br />
policies or sometimes in the election of<br />
officers. There are some who will not<br />
concede their preference even where no<br />
moral issue is at stake, for the sake of<br />
harmony. We do not like that spirit<br />
when we see it in the Northern Tribes<br />
of Israel. God does not like it when<br />
He sees it hindering the comfort, in<br />
dustry and efficiency of His flock.<br />
WE MUST HAVE ORGANIZATION<br />
AND LEADERS<br />
A leader of men should himself be led<br />
by God. And Christ should be recognized<br />
by all as the supreme leader. Human<br />
rulers and leaders should be followed in<br />
moral life only so far as they follow<br />
Christ.<br />
We see the effect of a stable leader<br />
ship on Nations. As compared with other<br />
nations in Europe, Denmark, Finnland<br />
and the Scandinavian nations, whatever<br />
the vicissitudes have been, have main<br />
tained a high stability in government.<br />
England, under a nominal Christian<br />
leadership has shown remarkable stabil<br />
ity. James Brice of England, author of<br />
"The American Republic," (I am sorry<br />
that I cannot quote his exact words,)<br />
said in effect, that while with a few<br />
exceptions the presidents of the United<br />
States had not been great men, there<br />
had been none that did not hold a high<br />
moral and intellectual standard. The<br />
recognition, even in measure of Chris<br />
tian standards in civil government has<br />
been blessed of God in giving stability to<br />
civil governments, wherever it is found.<br />
There is a growing effort in our country<br />
to separate the state, beginning with<br />
our schools, from the influence of<br />
Christianity. Atheistic communism has<br />
no greater ally.<br />
CONFIDENCE LN THE LORD<br />
REMOVES FEAR<br />
Ahaz found himself involved among<br />
the nations around. Judah was paying<br />
tribute to Assyria, but was not free<br />
from other dangers.<br />
Ahaz sought to<br />
make alliances. Isaiah advised against<br />
such alliances, but Ahaz would not<br />
listen. Instead of finding protection in<br />
alliance, he was overpowered by As<br />
syria, and put under heavier tribute.<br />
This was the state of affairs when Heze<br />
kiah came to the throne. Hezekiah had<br />
faith to trust in God, and so was not<br />
afraid to refuse to pay the tribute to<br />
Assyria,<br />
and to declare the independ-<br />
ance of Judah. Sennacherib answered by<br />
the invasion of Judah, which we will<br />
consider next week.<br />
THE VALUE OF A UNITED FAITH,<br />
v. 12<br />
Several generations had passed since<br />
Israel had separated from the original<br />
nation. Now Samaria was completely<br />
helpless under the power of Assyria.<br />
That, no doubt, influenced many to at<br />
tend the Passover in Jerusalem. If they<br />
had given full co-operation they might<br />
have joined in the deliverance that the<br />
Lord gave Judah. Patriotism is a strong<br />
bond. Faith is stronger.<br />
So Sennacherib's invasion met a strong<br />
ly united Judah, with some support from<br />
the Northern tribes. It was a nation<br />
that God could work with. They did<br />
what God told them to do. They trust<br />
ed in God to do what was beyond their<br />
power, and God did.<br />
The possibility of a world disaster is<br />
driving us to God as our only refuge.<br />
Or should I say, toward God. We are<br />
still trusting very<br />
much in horses and<br />
chariots. In the victories God wrought<br />
for Hezekiah and Gideon, armies had<br />
their place. Victories are not given to<br />
the overwhelming army, but to the<br />
faithful army. This promise was to a<br />
Nation: "If ye seek Him, He will be<br />
found of<br />
2 Chron. 15:2<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
"The 'Aniens' of Jesus" (No. 5)<br />
Birth"<br />
"The Necessity of the New<br />
John 3:3-5<br />
Psalms:<br />
138:1-4, page 338<br />
146:1, 2, 4-7, page 353;<br />
91:1, 2, 13-15, page 223<br />
37:30-33, page 94.<br />
References: II Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15;<br />
Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:1-6; I Pet. 1:23; I John<br />
3:9; Ezek. 36:26.<br />
In a letter from Whitefield to Benja<br />
min Franklin, dated 1752, occur these<br />
words: "As I find you growing more<br />
and more famous in the learned world<br />
I would recommend to your diligent and<br />
unprejudiced study the mystery<br />
of the<br />
new birth. It is a most important study,<br />
and when mastered, will richly answer<br />
all your pains. I bid you, my friend,<br />
remember that One at whose bar we<br />
shall both presently appear hath solemn<br />
ly declared that without it we shall in<br />
no wise see His kingdom."<br />
The reference is to the solemn words<br />
of Jesus, addressed to Nicodemus.<br />
"Verily, verily (I most solemnly say<br />
unto you), except a man be born again<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
verily."<br />
spots"<br />
mire."<br />
you."<br />
exhibition"<br />
he cannot see the kingdom of God."<br />
Three times in the first 11 verses of<br />
this chapter we find Jesus using the<br />
words, "Verily, Where the word<br />
"verily"<br />
(amen) is doubled it is to be<br />
considered as most emphatic.<br />
Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the<br />
Jews, that he must be bom again.<br />
Whitefield, one of the greatest preach<br />
ers who has ever lived, told Franklin<br />
that he ought to study the doctrine of<br />
the new birth. Nicodemus and Franklin<br />
were both intelligent, cultured, upright<br />
men. They were good men, according to<br />
this world's standards of goodness. But<br />
they were both warned of the necessity<br />
of the new birth.<br />
WHY IS THE NEW BIRTH<br />
NECESSARY<br />
(1) Because Of Man's Sinful Nature.<br />
How often Paul warns that we are<br />
dead in trespasses and sins. There is<br />
no exception to this rule. Every<br />
Adam becomes a part in his great trans<br />
son of<br />
gression. A dead body has no power<br />
within itself to rise. Christ arose from<br />
the dead because He had an inward<br />
source of power, and because He arose<br />
from the dead He is able to raise up<br />
the bodies of those who sleep in Him.<br />
In like manner, Jesus is able to bring<br />
new life to the soul and spirit of man.<br />
What the resurrection is to the physical<br />
body, describes and explains what the<br />
new birth is to soul and spirit. The<br />
change must take place within the<br />
heart. There must be no putting of new<br />
wine in old bottles, or of putting new<br />
cloth on old garments. It is not a matter<br />
of reformation, but of repentance and<br />
renewal. Where there is true repentance<br />
there will be reformation.<br />
We would not say that every person<br />
who does not have the new birth is<br />
wicked in the usual sense of the word.<br />
There are many good and upright<br />
citizens like Nicodemus. But neverthe<br />
less they are sinners and are lost, ex<br />
cept they turn unto Christ and ex<br />
perience<br />
the renewal which He can<br />
give. Man in his sinful estate is self<br />
centered<br />
set upon having his own way.<br />
But as long as he insists upon choosing<br />
his own way of salvation, and rejects<br />
the plan which God has provided, he<br />
is lost.<br />
(2). Because It Is God's Plan<br />
Ever since the fall men have been<br />
trying to work out their own salvation.<br />
Cain brought an offering of his own<br />
choosing instead of bringing that which<br />
God had commanded. He worshiped in<br />
the manner in which he wanted to wor<br />
ship. It is characteristic of false re<br />
ligions or heresies that they teach sal<br />
vation through good works. Men must<br />
work their way to heaven rather than<br />
rest upon the saving<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
grace of Christ.<br />
Even within the membership<br />
of Chris<br />
tian churches there are thousands who<br />
believe that salvation depends upon be<br />
ing good, and not upon one's personal<br />
relationship with Christ.<br />
Some declare that a man must be<br />
religious to be saved. The Mohamme<br />
dans are very religious, but their re<br />
ligion does not even produce good<br />
works. Recently a man was telling me<br />
about what a wonderful philosophy the<br />
Indians have concerning the future<br />
life. But he didn't mention the Indian's<br />
fear of evil spirits, and the evil in<br />
cantations of the medicine men. This<br />
man apparently believed that all the<br />
Indians would be saved because they<br />
believed in a hereafter. When I spoke<br />
to this man who claimed he was a<br />
church member about the necessity of<br />
a personal faith in Christ, he seemed to<br />
have no understanding<br />
of the subject.<br />
His philosophy of salvation was that one<br />
must be religious.<br />
(3). A Necessity to Enter the Kingdom<br />
Of God<br />
Jesus makes this very plain to Nico<br />
demus in verses 3 and 5.<br />
"Except a<br />
man be born again he cannot enter the<br />
kingdom of God." We usually think of<br />
this as pertaining to heaven. Certainly,<br />
one must have the new birth to go to<br />
heaven. But it means far more than<br />
that, for the kingdom of God is upon<br />
earth as well as in heaven. Jesus said,<br />
"The kingdom of God is within<br />
When the new birth takes place, the<br />
changes which take place within a per<br />
son are evident in his life upon earth.<br />
We don't have to wait for heaven to<br />
experience the blessings of the new<br />
birth.<br />
Man has been created in the image<br />
of God, a higher creation than the ani<br />
mals. Animals are lacking in soul and<br />
spirit and cannot experience the new<br />
birth. An animal trainer had a theory<br />
that the nature of an animal was de<br />
termined by the kind of food it ate. To<br />
test his theory he raised a lion cub<br />
on milk. But to his sorrow, he learned<br />
that the lion still had a thirst for blood.<br />
Its nature had not been changed in any<br />
way. Jeremiah writes (2:23), "Can the<br />
Ethopian change his skin, or the leopard<br />
his<br />
"But<br />
Peter writes (II P. 2:22),<br />
it is happened unto them ac<br />
cording to the true proverb, The dog is<br />
returned to his own vomit again; and<br />
the sow that was washed to her wallow<br />
ing in the<br />
Discussion<br />
1. How may one know that he has<br />
been born again<br />
2. Is it essential to know when one<br />
was born again<br />
3. Can one be born again more than<br />
once Can those who are born again<br />
experience a spiritual renewal<br />
For Prayer<br />
1. The young people who will be<br />
graduating from our schools.<br />
2. The coming meeting of Synod.<br />
3. For the Vacation Bible Schools that<br />
are being held, or that are to be held.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
COLORADO WOMEN'S<br />
PRESBYTERIAL<br />
The Thirty-sixth Annual Convention<br />
of the Colorado Women's Presbyterial<br />
was held in the Greeley Reformed Pres<br />
byterian Church on Wednesday, April<br />
20, 1955. Miss Pearl Allen of Denver pre<br />
sided. The Devotional Service was led by<br />
Mrs. M. T. Metcalf; reports of officers<br />
and superintendents were next on the<br />
agenda; matters of routine business<br />
were attended to. During recess, the<br />
delegates attended Tea in the Prayer<br />
Meeting room; hostesses were Mrs.<br />
Earle L. Coon and Mrs. Bruce C. Stew<br />
art; Mrs. Edwin R. Keys poured.<br />
The second session opened with a<br />
Memorial Service led by Mrs. Leonard<br />
Willcox. Mrs. Robert McBurney, Mrs.<br />
Wylie Kennedy, and Mrs. Paul White<br />
conducted a panal discussion; and the<br />
Rev. Bruce C. Stewart reported on the<br />
seminar on Visitation Evangelism which<br />
was recently held in Denver under the<br />
auspices of "Christ for America." Sev<br />
eral other items of business were dis<br />
cussed, and the meeting adjourned, Dr.<br />
J. C. Mitchel leading in prayer.<br />
A bountiful ham dinner was served by<br />
the ladies of the Church, and a "Cyprus<br />
prepared by Miss McCrea<br />
was on display at this time.<br />
Miss Gwen Elliott led the devotional<br />
service in the evening; the Juniors of<br />
Greeley under the leadership of Mrs. R.<br />
M. Carson presented some Psalms and<br />
memory work that they had completed.<br />
The speaker of the evening and honored<br />
guest for the Presbyterial was Miss<br />
Blanche McCrea, Principal of the Amer<br />
ican Academy for Girls at Nicosia, Cy<br />
prus. She challenged us with an appeal<br />
for help, and showed pictures of Cyprus.<br />
Rev. Paul D. White led in prayer, install<br />
ing the new officers. They are: Presi<br />
dent, Mrs. Bruce C. Stewart; Vice-Presi<br />
dent, Mrs. Ruth Carson; Recording Sec<br />
retary, Mrs. J. C. Mitchel; Correspond<br />
ing Secretary, Mrs. David McFarland;<br />
and Treasurer, Mrs. Wylie Kennedy.<br />
Miss Anna Dickey,<br />
Corresponding Secretary<br />
283
away."<br />
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT<br />
Donations Acknowledged by Our Home<br />
Entertainment and refreshments from<br />
Y.W.C.A.<br />
Showing of Cyprus pictures by Rose<br />
Munnell<br />
Ice cream, cake, and coffee by Rose<br />
Point Y.W.M.S.<br />
Three cakes from Mrs. K. S. Edgar<br />
Easter favors from 8th U.P. Girl Scouts<br />
Easter favors from College Hill highlanders<br />
Cookies and candy from Wilkinsburg<br />
W.M.S.<br />
MARY KENWILL<br />
The Board of Directors of the Aged<br />
People's Home announces sorrowfully<br />
the passing of one of our Directors Miss<br />
Mary Kenwill who was the daughter of<br />
Arthur and Catherine Kenwill, members<br />
of the Central church in Pittsburgh.<br />
Miss Kenwill was a much loved and<br />
highly respected teacher in our Perry<br />
High School for 26 years before retiring<br />
in 1948. She was elected to the Board<br />
only last year to serve the unexpired<br />
term of Mrs. J. H. McBurney, and gra<br />
ciously and unobtrusively filled her<br />
place on the Board as a valuable mem<br />
ber, even though the period of service<br />
was so short. She had been made chair<br />
man of a new committee and had started<br />
to lay the foundation for the project.<br />
She was active in her own congregation,<br />
the Central-Pittsburgh, as a Sabbath<br />
School teacher for the past 28 years, and<br />
for two years was President of<br />
Woman's Missionary Society.<br />
the<br />
Miss Kenwill was a vital Christian,<br />
one who loved her Lord with all her<br />
heart, soul and mind and His church in<br />
its every phase. She leaves a nephew,<br />
Robert McConaughy<br />
an elder in the<br />
Central-Pittsburgh congregation, and a<br />
niece, Mrs. Mary McCrory of Colorado<br />
and hosts of friends to mourn her. For<br />
her to live was Christ, and to die was<br />
gain.<br />
Precious in the sight of the Lord is<br />
the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15<br />
STOP HURRYING!<br />
The Bible seldom speaks,<br />
and cer<br />
tainly its deepest, sweetest words, to<br />
those who always read in a hurry. Na<br />
ture can only<br />
tell her secrets to such<br />
as will sit still in her sacred temple<br />
till their eyes lose the glare of earthly<br />
glory and their ears are attuned to her<br />
voice. And shall revelation do what<br />
nature cannot do Never. The man<br />
who shall win the blessedness of hearing<br />
the voice of divine wisdom must watch<br />
daily at her gates, and wait at the<br />
posts of her doors. F. B. Meyer.<br />
284<br />
Church News<br />
NOTICE:<br />
Committee is<br />
Synod's Co-ordinating<br />
called to meet in the Geneva College<br />
Library, Beaver Falls, Pa., June 8, 10:00<br />
A.M., EDST.<br />
M. W. Dougherty, Chairman<br />
The Publication Board will meet May<br />
4, 10:00 A.M. at the Denison Church.<br />
M. W. Dougherty, Pres.<br />
UNITED PHILADELPHIA<br />
At its temporary location in East<br />
Lansdowne, Pa., the United <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Church held its Communion on Sabbath,<br />
April 10. It was conducted by our Pas<br />
tor, Dr. Paul McCracken, with Licen<br />
tiate Paul Robb assisting. We had a<br />
very large attendance, some people com<br />
ing long distances. All agreed they had<br />
a fine, uplifting experience.<br />
The Women's Missionary Society meet<br />
ing this month was held at the home of<br />
Mrs. Nellie Jackson. Miss Deborah Arch<br />
er was the devotional leader. Our new<br />
President is Mrs. Paul McCracken. Dele<br />
gates to the Presbyterial in Orlando<br />
were chosen.<br />
HEBRON PASTOR TO BE<br />
INSTALLED<br />
The Ordination and Installation of Mr.<br />
Milton Harrington will be held at the<br />
Hebron Church on May 17, beginning at<br />
2:00 P.M. Friends are welcome to this<br />
solemn and joyous occasion.<br />
GENEVA COLLEGE<br />
"Twilight Time" will be the theme of<br />
the Geneva College May Day ceremonies<br />
to be presented in the college chapel<br />
May 5 and 6. The event is sponsored by<br />
the Women's Student association at the<br />
college. Siola Velazquez, New York,<br />
N.Y., will be crowned the 1955 Geneva<br />
May Queen. She was elected by vote of<br />
the student body. Because of the large<br />
attendance at the festivities in past<br />
years, college officials decided to repeat<br />
the ceremony<br />
a second night instead of<br />
the usual one performance. The program<br />
will begin at 8:15 p.m. both nights. The<br />
chapel will be open at 7:30 p.m.<br />
This year's activities include the tra<br />
ditional Maypole dance, and a pageant<br />
entitled "Our Toyland Fantasy." Miss<br />
Velazquez will wear a gold and white<br />
robe,<br />
and will be crowned amid a back<br />
ground of stars. Marjorie Houston and<br />
Nancy Mandeville both of Beaver Falls,<br />
will be the crown bearer and sceptre<br />
bearer respectively. Other members of<br />
the court are Lasca Barbee, Beaver<br />
Falls: Ruth Davidson, East Liverpool,<br />
O.; Margery Poppe, New Alexandria;<br />
Joan Watson, Yorklyn, Del.; Erla Jean<br />
Willson, Beaver Falls; and Jacqueline<br />
Woznicki, Aliquippa.<br />
Robert McFarland, Sterling, Kan., and<br />
Robert McMaster, Pittsburgh, will es<br />
cort Miss Mandeville and Miss Houston.<br />
Royal escorts for the remainder of the<br />
court will be Charles Cruikshank, Pitts<br />
burgh; Wendell McBurney, Spring Val<br />
ley, N. Y.; C. Dick Park, Valencia; Au<br />
gust Schnider, Norwood; James Shumaker,<br />
Beaver Falls; and Donald Wit<br />
ney, Gibsonia. Maypole dancers will be<br />
Joann Colteryahn, Eighty Four; Sally<br />
Daugherty, Monongahela; Kay Follette,<br />
Beaver Falls; Miriam Johnson,<br />
Monessen;<br />
Frances Kappas, Ambridge; Patri<br />
cia Kerr, Beaver Falls; Ruth Wimer,<br />
Aliquippa; and Vivian Wilson, Battle<br />
Creek, Mich.<br />
Vocalists in the coronation will be<br />
Sally Dishler, Rochester; Beverly Fleeson,<br />
Ellwood City; and Carol Love, Free<br />
dom. Janice Martin, East Liverpool, O.,<br />
will be the <strong>org</strong>anist, and Lois Weimer,<br />
Franklin, the pianist.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>ia Wilson, Stafford, Kan. and<br />
Wayne Spear, Bovina Center, N.Y. will<br />
be the narrators for the coronation. Miss<br />
Wilson is also chairman of the May Day<br />
committee. Miss Doris Nevin, women's<br />
physical education instructor, is director<br />
of the entire program. About 45 students<br />
will participate in "Our Toyland Fan<br />
tasy"<br />
pageant.<br />
CAMBRIDGE NEWS<br />
On March 30, at 11:55 P.M., David<br />
Irwin Robb arrived at Symmes-Arlington<br />
Hospital in Arlington, Massachu<br />
setts. He weighed in at nine pounds-one<br />
ounce and came with a fine set of lungs.<br />
His mother is fine and we thank the<br />
Lord for His goodness in granting such<br />
health and recovery to them both.<br />
Mrs. Ruth Tuttle, sister of Dr. E. J. M.<br />
Dickson and a very frequent attender<br />
at Cambridge, passed away on March 31.<br />
She will be deeply missed by the congre<br />
gation and her many friends, but we<br />
know with Peter that she, who lived<br />
and now sleeps in Christ, will "receive a<br />
crown of glory that fadeth not<br />
A month ago the church basketball<br />
team was struggling to get into fifth<br />
place in the Cambridge Senior Protes<br />
tant League at the YMCA. Then some<br />
thing happened and the season closed<br />
with the church team finishing in second<br />
place. Members of the team are Bill<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
.<br />
ducted<br />
Grant, Bob McKinley, Leo Wolcott, Kinnon<br />
Burgess, Rusty Burgess, Roy Dean,<br />
Tom Smyth and Rev. Robb.<br />
Lights burn late some week nights at<br />
the church. Men of the congregation are<br />
working hard and long to improve the<br />
S.S. room of our church. New acoustic<br />
tile ceiling is being put up, naturally<br />
paint is also being added. . . and bright<br />
flourescent fixtures to replace the old<br />
standard ones will finish the remodeling.<br />
We hope that the members of presbyter<br />
ial will enjoy these improvements and<br />
that the new cheery room will add much<br />
to the S.S. classes which meet there.<br />
We hope to have Rev. Claude Brown<br />
with us as assistant at communion on<br />
May 1. He will also be a speaker at the<br />
Womens'<br />
Presbyterial which meets here<br />
on May 3 and 4.<br />
PHOENIX<br />
Our Sam McFarland Memorial Li<br />
brary is happy to report that during the<br />
past fiscal year ninety books have been<br />
added. If it is true that we become like<br />
those with whom we constantly asso<br />
ciate, then it is logical to say<br />
that the<br />
companionship of good books will have a<br />
salutary and stimulating effect for us.<br />
The Deacon Board has made it possible<br />
for the library to be moved, and thanks<br />
to Messrs. Mackenroth, McGaffick,<br />
Mc-<br />
Murray, and Means, for building new<br />
shelves so that we will have room for<br />
further expansion. We thank the follow<br />
ing for their donations of books; the<br />
Sabbath School, W.M.S.; Mmes. Cady,<br />
Bushnell, House, Mackenroth, McElhin<br />
ney, Neiman; Dr. D. Raymond Taggart,<br />
D.D.; David Daugherty and Glen Wolfe.<br />
OLATHE<br />
Sabbath morning, March 20, Mr.<br />
Charles McBurney<br />
ject of<br />
"Stewardship,"<br />
spoke on the sub<br />
in cooperation<br />
with Synod's Committee on Steward<br />
ship. The booklet "Ten Times<br />
Ten"<br />
was partially reviewed and several of<br />
the members of W. M. S. took part by<br />
responsively reading portions of the<br />
booklet. The Tithe Pledge Cards were<br />
distributed to the congregation and<br />
there was a fine response. We would<br />
recommend the reading of this booklet<br />
"Ten Times Ten" which is one of the<br />
finest messages on this important sub<br />
ject.<br />
The annual congregational meeting<br />
was held Friday, April 15, at the<br />
church,<br />
preceded by a "covered-dish"<br />
supper. The financial report of the con<br />
gregation was very encouraging and<br />
the amount given to Synod's Budget<br />
was almost twice as much as last year.<br />
We are happy to announce that the out<br />
side of the church is being painted and<br />
that we have sufficient funds on hand<br />
for this project.<br />
May 4, 1955<br />
The following officers were elected for<br />
the coming year: Chairman of the<br />
Congregation, Harvey McGee; Secretary<br />
of the Congregation, Mrs. Roger Brown;<br />
Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Frank<br />
Stewart; Treasurer, Edgar Moore; Sup<br />
erintendent of the Sabbath School, How<br />
ard McGee; Assistant Superintendent of<br />
the Sabbath School, Kenneth Tippin;<br />
Treasurer and Secretary of Supplies,<br />
Mrs. Mary Tippin; Superintendent of<br />
Junior Sabbath School, Mrs. Charles<br />
McBurney; Assistant Superintendent of<br />
Junior Sabbath School, Mrs. Harvey<br />
McGee; Ushers, Kenneth Tippin, Alfred<br />
Spencer, Kenneth Gifford.<br />
The April meeting of the W. M. S.<br />
was held at the home of Mrs. Frank<br />
Redpath. After a very tasty luncheon,<br />
Mrs. Harvey McGee, the new President,<br />
opened the meeting. Mrs. Mary Everett<br />
led the Devotional Period and Miss Lila<br />
Smith gave the missionary review.<br />
Dr. H. G. Patterson was a recent<br />
visitor in the home of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Frank Redpath. He made a call at the<br />
manse which was very enjoyable to<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Frank Stewart.<br />
The W.M.S. and the Y.W.M.S. had a<br />
joint Temperance Meeting, Wednesday<br />
night, March 30, in which the Juniors'<br />
also participated. A covered-dish sup<br />
per preceded the meeting<br />
well attended.<br />
which was<br />
Mrs. Carrietta Brown was the hostess<br />
for the Y.W.M.S.<br />
which met at the<br />
church for their April meeting. There<br />
was a brief business session after the<br />
Devotional Period in which delegates<br />
to the coming Presbyterial meeting<br />
were discussed.<br />
A large group from Olathe went to<br />
Kansas City to hear the "Genevans"<br />
give their concert. Many remarked that<br />
it was the best ever! The Glee Club<br />
was a real credit to Geneva College!<br />
We were very happy to have Mrs.<br />
Ninnie McGee of Sterling, Kansas, in<br />
our midst for a couple of weeks. She<br />
visited in the homes of Mrs. Ella McGee<br />
and Mr. and Mrs. Harvey McGee.<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Frank Stewart had a<br />
delightful time in the home of Rev.<br />
and Mrs. Lester Kilpatrick at Sterling,<br />
Kansas where Dr. Stewart assisted in<br />
the Communion Services. They also<br />
greatly enjoyed their fellowship among<br />
the members of the congregation.<br />
In the absence of Dr. Stewart, Mr.<br />
Harvey McGee conducted the Sabbath<br />
morning Prayer Meeting and led in a<br />
very helpful meeting.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
We were very happy to have Mr.<br />
Frazer fill our pulpit during the time<br />
our pastor was in Fresno, April 10 to<br />
16.<br />
We always welcome our out-of-bounds<br />
members into our fellowship when they<br />
are in our vicinity. Mrs. Death of Van<br />
couver, B. C, recently<br />
worshiped with<br />
us while she was visiting relatives in<br />
Portland.<br />
WILKENSBURG<br />
The W.M.S. and Y.P.M.S. were hos<br />
tesses at the annual temperance meet<br />
ing of<br />
the three Pittsburgh congre<br />
gations and New Alexandria. The de<br />
votional service was conducted by the<br />
Wilkinsburg C.Y.P.U. Rev. Kermit Ed<br />
gar gave a helpful talk, bringing things<br />
of interest from the meeting of the<br />
National Temperance Council in Wash<br />
ington, D. C. A temperance film follow<br />
ed "The Power Of Decision." Following<br />
the meeting, refreshments were served<br />
in the church dining-room.<br />
We were privileged to have Rev. Sam<br />
Boyle preach for us both morning and<br />
evening on March 27. There was a<br />
large audience in the evening, with<br />
Allegheny, Central Pittsburgh, New Al<br />
exandria and Parnassus congregations<br />
joining in that service.<br />
At the morning service on April 17<br />
Miss Marianne Campbell and Miss Sally<br />
Ann Frakes, who had been received by<br />
the session on profession of faith and by<br />
certificate, were publicly welcomed by<br />
our pastor as they took the Covenant<br />
of Church Membership.<br />
As the result of a recent fall in her<br />
home, Mrs. R. D. Brown suffered a<br />
broken wrist and a severe neck injury.<br />
On April 3 the sacrament of baptism<br />
was administered to Donna Jean Tib<br />
by, little daughter of Jim and Maxine<br />
Steele Tibby.<br />
Our annual congregational meeting<br />
was held the evening of April 12. It<br />
was preceded by a dinner,<br />
following<br />
which our pastor Dr. McKnight<br />
con-<br />
the devotional service. Good re<br />
ports were given on the work and<br />
finances of the various <strong>org</strong>anizations,<br />
and by Dr. McKnight. Mrs. R. D. Brown<br />
and Mrs. Jim Harris were elected to<br />
succeed themselves on the Board of<br />
Trustees for a term of three years. Mr.<br />
James C. Harris was elected to fill the<br />
unexpired term of Mr. M. G. Hodgkiss<br />
who resigned. Agnes Liggett was ap<br />
pointed correspondent for "The Coven<br />
anter <strong>Witness</strong>."<br />
Dr. Frank E. Allen of the Hopkinton,<br />
Iowa, congregation assisted Dr. T. C.<br />
McKnight in the services connected<br />
without communion on April 24. Mrs.<br />
Allen accompanied him East.<br />
Preachers at our evening services<br />
from time to time in recent weeks have<br />
been students from our Seminary. Rob<br />
ert McCracken, Donald Felker, Armour<br />
McFarland, Ray Joseph, Glenn McFar<br />
land, Paul Robb, and Donald McClurkin.<br />
The members of the Wilkinsburg con-<br />
285
gregation appreciate greatly the fellow<br />
ship with and help of the young men of<br />
the Seminary and, having known them<br />
in this way, will follow each of them<br />
in his ministry<br />
prayers.<br />
with our interest and<br />
COLLEGE HILL<br />
The Women's Missionary Societies<br />
of the congregation sponsored a mission<br />
ary Conference March 20-23. On Sab<br />
bath evening our Pastor Dr. Lathom<br />
preached a fine sermon on "Missions in<br />
the World Today." Tuesday evening it<br />
was our privilege to hear Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Kenneth Sanderson tell about our work<br />
in Syria. On Wednesday evening Mr.<br />
Chester Fox, Treasurer of the Foreign<br />
Board, spoke on the problems con<br />
fronting this part of our Church's work.<br />
Questions by those present were asked<br />
and answered by Mr. Fox. It was a<br />
very<br />
profitable evening. We felt that<br />
this project was very much worth-while.<br />
Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Mclsaac were in<br />
Harrisburg, Pa. attending<br />
an Educa<br />
tional Convention. Dr. Mclsaac was<br />
President of the Pennsylvania Associa<br />
tion of Liberal Arts Colleges for the Ad<br />
vancement of Teaching. While on the<br />
same trip they visited their daughter<br />
Louise who lives in Washington, D. C.<br />
Mrs. Howard McAnlis has returned<br />
after spending the winter with daugh<br />
ters in Vermont and New Jersey.<br />
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Clarke and Dr.<br />
Edwin C.<br />
Clarke spent some time in<br />
Philadelphia during the vacation.<br />
Our mid-week Prayermeetings have<br />
been most interesting<br />
and the attend<br />
ance very good. Various <strong>org</strong>anizations in<br />
the congregation and Sabbath School<br />
have presented the special work they are<br />
doing. These programs have shown that<br />
all are active in the Lord's work and<br />
have stimulated our prayer activity on<br />
their behalf.<br />
A daughter Roberta Lee was born to<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Dwyer on March 15.<br />
Congratulations. !<br />
Dr. R. I. Robb was the assistant at<br />
our recent Communion. He gave us ex<br />
cellent preaching. One member was re<br />
ceived on profession of faith in Jesus<br />
Christ, James Bradley Goe, two by cer<br />
tificate from other congregations, Dr.<br />
Doris Birkie from Wampum, Pa.,<br />
Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Minnie Goe<br />
was restored to membership. The fol<br />
lowing were baptized, two infants,<br />
Vickey Jean Hardies, daughter of Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Charles Hardies and David<br />
Alan Gache, son of Mr. and Mrs. John<br />
Gache. Also James Bradley, Robert<br />
David, Thomas Charles, Terrell Ruth,<br />
children of Mr. and Mrs. Wilford Goe.<br />
We welcome all these to our Christian<br />
fellowship.<br />
286<br />
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO<br />
After a covered dish supper, the Rev.<br />
Robert Tweed showed slides of his trip<br />
to the Holy Land. Everyone enjoyed the<br />
pictures very much, even<br />
though we<br />
had to find our way home through a<br />
sudden spring snowstorm.<br />
We were glad to have the opportunity<br />
of hearing Paul Robb from our Semi<br />
nary preach for us once again before he<br />
leaves for Los Angeles.<br />
Robert McCracken preached Sabbath<br />
April 3rd. While our pastor assisted<br />
communion at the Belle Center con<br />
gregation.<br />
Our spring communion was held April<br />
17, with Dr. S. Bruce Willson assisting.<br />
Preparatory services were the preceding<br />
Thursday and Friday evenings. Dr.<br />
Willson is a former pastor and we are<br />
always glad to welcome him to our pul<br />
pit.<br />
SAN DD3GO<br />
We wish to thank the following gen<br />
erous friends for gifts recently received<br />
for our church Building Fund: Mrs. J.<br />
M. McDowell, Mrs. J. H. McBurney,<br />
Almonte Congregation, Pittsburgh Pres<br />
byterial, and Kansas Presbyterial. We<br />
now have about $1,200.00 in our Build<br />
ing Fund. We hope to start our much<br />
needed addition as<br />
soon as we have<br />
sufficient funds to pay for the neces<br />
sary materials. Our Bible School at<br />
tendance last Sabbath was 223 (this in<br />
quarters built to accommodate 150), so<br />
we do need more room!<br />
There are still some openings for<br />
teachers in our part of the State. If<br />
interested in locating where you can help<br />
in the work of the Kingdom as well,<br />
write the California Teachers Associa<br />
tion, 1625 So. Figuero, Los Angeles 14,<br />
asking for placement in the San Diego<br />
area, or write the pastor, Rev. J. D.<br />
Edgar, 10140 Crestview Heights, La<br />
Mesa, California, giving your qualifica<br />
tions.<br />
If you are out-of-bounds and would<br />
like to get where you can be useful in<br />
the Lord's work, we'd like you to con<br />
sider San Diego. Or, if you need to<br />
move for reasons of health, San Diego<br />
can offer you many advantages and an<br />
opportunity to serve the Lord in help<br />
ing build up His work in our church<br />
community. There are many types of<br />
employment and self-employment op<br />
portunities available here. The pastor<br />
will be glad to answer your questions.<br />
GREELEY<br />
The Annual Congregational Meeting<br />
was held following a supper on Tuesday,<br />
April 12. The Pastor introduced a Visi<br />
tation Evangelism Program. At the re<br />
commendation of the Deacon Board, the<br />
Congregation voted to secure bids and<br />
to proceed with a program to paint the<br />
outside of the Church. Congregational<br />
Officers elected were: Chairman, J.<br />
Clyde Dunn; Secretary, Mrs. Geneva<br />
Elliott; and Treasurer, Neeland B. Sie<br />
bring.<br />
Recent improvements to the Church<br />
include new cornices in the Prayer Meet<br />
ing Room made by Mr. R. Wendall<br />
Speer, and new drapes and curtains in<br />
the Sabbath School Room made by Mrs.<br />
Elliott and her committee from the two<br />
missionary societies.<br />
The Thirty-sixth Annual Convention<br />
of the Colorado Women's Presbyterial<br />
was held in the Greeley Church on Wed<br />
nesday, April 20. Miss Blanche McCrea<br />
of Cyprus was the Missionary Speaker.<br />
A full Report of the Presbyterial will<br />
appear in the <strong>Witness</strong>.<br />
DENISON<br />
The Rev. Joseph Caskey assisted in<br />
the communion services the week end of<br />
April 10. He brought interesting, help<br />
ful messages. James Preston Robb, son<br />
of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Robb, was<br />
baptized.<br />
Miss Mary McCrory has returned to<br />
her home here after some weeks of con<br />
valescence following major surgery in<br />
the Stormont-Vail Hospital, Topeka. She<br />
was able to attend some of the com<br />
munion services.<br />
Some men of the congregation partici<br />
pated very ably in a home talent play,<br />
sponsored by the Denison Men's Chris<br />
tian Fellowship, to augment the fund for<br />
floodlights for the ball field on the<br />
school grounds.<br />
SEATTLE<br />
March 17 was a red letter day for all<br />
the Irish in the Fellowship Group (and<br />
all those who aren't Irish), for a St.<br />
Patrick's Day party was held at the<br />
home of Betty and Verd Dunn. The<br />
theme was complete from Irish potato<br />
race to Irish folk songs sung by the host<br />
ess. Very tasty refreshments were served<br />
at the close of this entertaining evening.<br />
Again on April 1 the same group<br />
journeyed by Ferry boat to Bremerton<br />
for a pot luck dinner at the home of Kay<br />
and Evelyn Gilchrist. Although most<br />
everyone was on guard for the usual<br />
April fool jokes, a few new jokes put a<br />
lot of life in the party and we all en<br />
joyed the evening immensely.<br />
The semi-annual Congregational meet<br />
ing was held April 12 with the following<br />
persons elected to office: Chairman,<br />
Thomas Rea; Secretary, Jean Dill; Pre<br />
centor, Donald Crozier; Assistant Pre<br />
centor, Mrs. Marian Martin.<br />
Time April 15, Place, Seattle Church<br />
basement. Event, Mr. Joseph Fleming's<br />
annual dinner for the Congregation and<br />
friends. A delicious roast beef dinner<br />
was served to some 125 persons. A pro<br />
gram followed consisting of local talent<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
skirts"<br />
said"<br />
said!"<br />
and a testimonial speech by the captain<br />
of the 1953 Washington University bas<br />
ketball team.<br />
WALTON, NEW YORK<br />
The Spring Communion of the Walton<br />
congregation was held April 10, preced<br />
ed by preparatory services Friday eve<br />
ning<br />
and Saturday afternoon. Rev. Rob<br />
ert Tweed of the Geneva congregation,<br />
Beaver Falls, preached four very help<br />
ful sermons. He drove to Walton on<br />
Thursday<br />
and that evening showed his<br />
pictures of the trip he took through<br />
Europe and into the Holy Land.<br />
Wendell Spear accompanied Mr.<br />
Tweed to Walton April 7 and spent the<br />
week-end with his mother, Mrs. Norman<br />
Spear, returning<br />
Monday.<br />
with Mr.<br />
Tweed on<br />
John Russell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mil<br />
lard Russell, accompanied the "Genev<br />
ans"<br />
on their tour as far west as Ster<br />
ling, Kansas, during the Spring vaca<br />
tion at Geneva College.<br />
The Boyle family and Mrs. W. M.<br />
Robb spent some time in Orlando, Flori<br />
da, in April. While there they enjoyed<br />
a family<br />
reunion with Mr.<br />
and Mrs.<br />
Philip Robb and Dr. and Mrs. Wm. Dill.<br />
Mr. Boyle assisted at the Communion<br />
services April 17.<br />
Wayne Spear spent part of his Spring<br />
vacation at his home at Bovina Center.<br />
Mr. Maurice Loker of Louisville, Ken<br />
tucky, was at church April 3. He was<br />
visiting his mother, Mrs.<br />
and other relatives here.<br />
Fred Loker<br />
Mrs. A. M. Thomson, Sr. recently<br />
visited her son Archibald, Jr. who lives<br />
near Baltimore, Maryland.<br />
Word has been received of the mar<br />
riage, April 20, of Robert Elwood to a<br />
German girl. Robert has been stationed<br />
in Germany for some time and he ex<br />
pects to be discharged from service in<br />
late summer.<br />
The annual congregational meeting<br />
was held Saturday, April 23 at the<br />
church. A dinner wag<br />
served at noon.<br />
Howard Gilchrist was chairman<br />
Mrs.<br />
and<br />
Marian Spear clerk. The treas<br />
urer's report indicated that we had paid<br />
more to Synod's budget than was plan<br />
ned in the local budget.<br />
Our pastor, Rev. Joseph Hill assist<br />
ed at Communion services for the New<br />
York congregation April 17. He was ac<br />
companied by his family and they visit<br />
ed Mrs. Hill's mother, who lives in the<br />
New York area.<br />
BE A TRACT DISTRIBUTOR<br />
There is hardly a family in America<br />
today that is not in one way. or anoth<br />
er<br />
being bombarded with tracts in an<br />
attempt to win the readers to the<br />
writer's point of view^ True, all of this<br />
printed matter is<br />
not evangelical in<br />
content, for the various cults spend<br />
millions of dollars a year to promulgate<br />
their perverted doctrines. Communism<br />
alone has unlimited quantities of prop<br />
aganda in the form of tracts and<br />
pamphlets. They fully<br />
realize this is<br />
one of the cheapest and easiest ways to<br />
reach people of all ages and all walks<br />
of life.<br />
What a challenge this presents to the<br />
Christian church which has in its keep<br />
ing the words of eternal life through<br />
the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus saves!<br />
What more wonderful way can<br />
this<br />
good news be spread abroad than<br />
through leaflet evangelism<br />
It has been reported that<br />
Benjamin Franklin ghost-wrote and<br />
printed the tracts of several early<br />
American evangelists, including those of<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Whitefield.<br />
William Penn, founder of the City<br />
of Philadelphia, wrote a single religious<br />
tract that freed 12,000 Quakers im<br />
prisoned for Christ's sake.<br />
John Wanamaker, while Postmaster<br />
General of the United State, carefully<br />
selected gospel tracts for distribution to<br />
those he came in contact with.<br />
Martin Luther wrote more than one<br />
tract, booklet or book for every working<br />
week of his entire life.<br />
Whistler's Mother was called "a<br />
preacher in<br />
because she distri<br />
buted tracts to the workers on the rail<br />
road between Moscow and St. Peters<br />
burg, Russia.<br />
Already this year the Lord has won<br />
drously blessed the efforts of the<br />
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, New<br />
York City, enabling this 130-year-old<br />
<strong>org</strong>anization to publish over 4 V2 -million<br />
pieces of literature during the first<br />
three months of 1955.<br />
Among the new releases are several<br />
which demand careful reading:<br />
A missionary challenge to every Chris<br />
tian, HOW SHALL THEY HEAR, by<br />
John A. Mawhinney, Jr., asks the pro<br />
vocative question, "If apart from Christ<br />
there is no hope, God has given the<br />
command to go, and the responsibility<br />
is ours as Christians, why don't we get<br />
at the job as we never have before"<br />
Written specifically for use with<br />
children, Rev. J. Charles Pelon has<br />
authored THE GREATEST EMANCI<br />
PATOR,<br />
which points up the fact that<br />
although Moses, Martin Luther and<br />
Abraham Lincoln were all great eman<br />
cipators, there has only been one Eman<br />
cipator who could set the world free<br />
from sin and its consequences<br />
Christ.<br />
Jesus<br />
Edwin Raymond Anderson, in his<br />
leaflet, GETTING THE MOST OUT OF<br />
IT, scrutinizes the value of time, and<br />
quotes Lord Chesterfield's advice:<br />
"Know the value of time. No idleness,<br />
no procrastination; never put off till<br />
tomorrow what you can do today." As<br />
a Scriptural application to 2 Corinthians<br />
6:2 ("Now is the accepted time; behold,<br />
now is the day of salvation"), Mr. An<br />
derson pleads with the reader to wait<br />
no longer to accept Christ.<br />
WHO WAS HE, by Nathanael Olson,<br />
is a good gospel tract showing, by<br />
Scripture quotations, that Jesus Christ<br />
was the Son of God, the Saviour of<br />
Men, and God's Love Gift to Man.<br />
Compiled by Priscilla Lyle during her<br />
long illness, hoping that it might be of<br />
solace to others, a small booklet of<br />
Scripture portions, THE HEM OF HIS<br />
GARMENT, contains some wonderful<br />
verses from the Bible to lay hold on<br />
when in pain or sorrow. They are broken<br />
down into categories such as : Not Alone,<br />
Comfort, Why People Suffer, Tempta<br />
tion, Prayer, Guidance, Assurance, Love,<br />
Etc.<br />
Samples of any<br />
of the above-mention<br />
ed tracts will be sent upon request,<br />
without cost, by writing to the Society<br />
at 21 West 46th Street, New York 36,<br />
N. Y.<br />
SERMON MANUSCRIPTS INVITED<br />
Sermon manuscripts about the Chris<br />
tian family are being solicited for a<br />
book to be published next year by Ab<br />
ingdon Press.<br />
Two typewritten copies of each manu<br />
script should be submitted to the editor,<br />
Rev. J. C. Wynn, 1105 Witherspoon<br />
Building, Philadelphia 7, Pa., by the<br />
deadline of August 10. Preachers are in<br />
vited to enter sermons about marriage,<br />
parental responsibility, family religion,<br />
sex standards, etc. An honorarium of<br />
$25.00 will be paid for each sermon se<br />
lected for publication by<br />
an editorial<br />
committee from the Joint Department of<br />
Family Life in the National Council of<br />
Churches. Sermons sent in become the<br />
property of the committee and will not<br />
be returned.<br />
"HE HATH SAID"<br />
If we can only grasp<br />
these words of<br />
faith, we have an all-conquering weap<br />
on in our hand. What doubt is there that<br />
will not be slain by this two-edged<br />
sword What fear is there that shall<br />
not fall smitten with a deadly wound<br />
before this arrow from the bow of God's<br />
covenant "He hath<br />
said!"<br />
Yes; whether<br />
for delight in our quietude, or for<br />
strength in our conflict, "He hath<br />
must be our daily resort. Since<br />
hath<br />
"He<br />
is the source of all wisdom.<br />
and the fountain of all comfort, let it<br />
dwell in you richly<br />
as a "well of water<br />
springing up into everlasting<br />
life."<br />
So<br />
shall you grow healthy, strong, and<br />
happy in the divine life. Spurgeon. 287<br />
May 4, 1955
News Notes from Syria<br />
By Chester T. Hutcheson<br />
Dear readers of the <strong>Witness</strong>;<br />
Spring is on us with a jump this<br />
year, with a hot desert wind the first<br />
two days of April.<br />
Schools are going along rather evenly<br />
and three-fourths gone for the year.<br />
We had only two strikes this year,<br />
losing a total of six days of school.<br />
Public schools have lost more.<br />
Next week we expect to send two<br />
teachers and six students to the Chris<br />
tian Young People's conference in Alep<br />
po, Syria. We are very thankful that<br />
these conferences have taken a very<br />
evangelistic viewpoint and interest for<br />
the last few years. Pray that much<br />
spiritual good will come of the con<br />
ference for the Protestant youth of the<br />
land. Miss McClurkin is to be one of the<br />
leaders.<br />
During the last week of May there<br />
is to be a conference of all Protestant<br />
missions and native Protestant churches<br />
in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel.<br />
Mrs. Hutcheson is privileged to be our<br />
delegate. Pray that this also may be<br />
blessed richly from above.<br />
When foreign countries have colonies,<br />
one sometimes hears that the minority<br />
groups do not get a fair deal. It is<br />
generally conceded that when the for<br />
eign government left and native govern<br />
ments took over, these minorities often<br />
got less fair treatment. Here is one in<br />
stance of how our converts are being<br />
vexed. When they want to register a<br />
new baby, if the name does not sound<br />
Arab enough to the registering of<br />
ficials, they say they<br />
cannot accept that<br />
name, and tell them they must choose<br />
a more Arabized name; that that is too<br />
foreign. Then they put them off, and<br />
put them off many times, trying to wear<br />
them down, so to speak. Eventually<br />
after some weeks or months the par<br />
ents can usually get their children regis<br />
tered under the name they want; but not<br />
without a struggle and many perplex<br />
ities. Even adult Christians from other<br />
countries have been asked to change<br />
their names when they wanted to be<br />
nationalized. But I don't know of any<br />
that just had to, or did. Pray that our<br />
people may show the right spirit and<br />
perseverance in such cases.<br />
Our church young folks group has<br />
been re<strong>org</strong>anized this winter and is<br />
very active, having weekly meetings<br />
with a social every third week. They<br />
are a large group. They have their own<br />
officers, and committees and seem to be<br />
functioning nicely. The pastor does not<br />
attend except when invited, but of<br />
course is always ready to give advice,<br />
and is often consulted. The society is<br />
actively using a vacant lot near the<br />
church for such games as tennis and<br />
volley ball. These days, it is patronized<br />
from sun-up till school begins;<br />
from 4 P.M. till sundown.<br />
then<br />
We have recently received new Arabic<br />
Psalm books with all the psalms. We<br />
have been using only selections for the<br />
last 15 years or so. Each Sabbath<br />
evening now for about six weeks we<br />
have had an hour's psalm singing to<br />
learn the new tunes, and have used<br />
them the past two Sabbaths in church<br />
quite satisfactorily.<br />
The Junior society of the church,<br />
sponsored by the Ladies Society of the<br />
church is meeting a hearty response<br />
among the children each<br />
forthright, with<br />
an attendance around 50.<br />
We trust we are doing your bidding<br />
to a great measure, and that of our<br />
Lord and Saviour,<br />
as His human repre<br />
sentatives here in our group.<br />
Some 270 students will receive diplo<br />
mas at the Moody Bible Institute 1955<br />
commencement, June 10. This is the<br />
largest graduating class ever to go out<br />
from the famous old school in Chicago.<br />
Sixteen evening school students also will<br />
receive certificates. Since it was estab<br />
lished 69 years ago, the Institute has<br />
trained some 58,000 men and women for<br />
Christian service.<br />
COVENANT JULY<br />
HEIGHTS<br />
J I i$si<br />
IAIN SPEAK^S<br />
^Rev. W
people."<br />
good,"<br />
school,"<br />
LESSONS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 29, 1955<br />
"THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,<br />
THE SED (S THE WORD OP GOD<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1955 NUMBER 19<br />
The Biggest light of My Life<br />
It Happened In A Tokyo Stadium<br />
I felt every muscle straining for more speed as<br />
I rounded the curve of the track and sped toward the<br />
finish line. But up ahead I could see the smooth, al<br />
most effortless movement of the champion. He ran<br />
like an Arabian thoroughbred, I thought, as his feet<br />
beat out their steady rhythm on the track. I gave a<br />
final tremendous effort and narrowed the distance<br />
between us. But even as I did, I heard the crowd of<br />
10,000 people burst into spontaneous applause. I<br />
knew that the champion had broken the tape at the<br />
finish line.<br />
In any other race I might have felt the quick<br />
rush of disappointment. But this was not an ordinary<br />
race. I, Kikuo Moriya, an obscure Japanese college<br />
student, had been running against the world's<br />
champion indoor miler. Instead of disappointment in<br />
defeat, I felt a warm kind of pleasure. I had never<br />
been so challenged. And, after all, I had come in sec<br />
ond<br />
second to the champion.<br />
The race was not an ordinary one for another rea<br />
son. It was the prologue to a Gospel rally. Gil Dodds,<br />
the American champion, had come to Japan not to<br />
run, but to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was<br />
sponsored by The Pocket Testament League. The<br />
League was distributing Scriptures all over Japan.<br />
Now, here in Tokyo's Nile Kinnick Stadium, 10,000<br />
people had gathered to see Gil Dodds run an exhibi<br />
tion race and to hear the Gospel preached. All top<br />
runners in Japan had been invited to run against Gil.<br />
I had looked forward to this night for weeks. I had<br />
read every newspaper story on Dodds and I knew<br />
that in addition to being one of the world's top run<br />
ners, he was a Christian. I was anxious to meet this<br />
Christian athlete.<br />
Soon after our race, the Gospel meeting began. As<br />
I listened to the message I felt myself deeply moved.<br />
The things I heard struck familiar chords of halff<strong>org</strong>otten<br />
memories and quick vivid flashes of child<br />
hood scenes came back to me.<br />
My Mother Worshiped Idols<br />
Suddenly I was back in our comfortable home in<br />
Nirasaki, a little Japanese town about 100 miles west<br />
of Tokyo. I was eight years old and my big sister,<br />
Tamika, had just come home from school. She was a<br />
student at the Baptist mission school in Kafu. As I<br />
sat beside her, she began to tell me what she learned<br />
at school. She pointed to the idols which had been in<br />
the symbols<br />
our home ever since I could remember<br />
of my mother's Buddhist and Shinto faith. "They do<br />
she said.<br />
not worship little gods like that at<br />
"They are Christians and they say there is only one<br />
God. They cannot see him, but they pray to him." She<br />
told me many other things about the strange Chris<br />
tian religion of the mission school. I liked the things<br />
she said. The Christians sounded so kind. They<br />
sounded happy, too. My mother, I knew, was a very<br />
religious person. She prayed for her family and of<br />
fered many sacrifices to her gods. But one never<br />
knew when the gods might get angry.<br />
.<br />
Again my memory took me back into my past. I<br />
was in high school, in history class. And my history<br />
teacher was explaining to us the Christian religion.<br />
"The Christian ideals are he told us. "Christ<br />
was a good man, and Christianity teaches that His<br />
followers should be good men, too. The Christians<br />
send missionaries to other countries to teach Chris<br />
tianity. The missionaries are often good people. But<br />
their governments use Christianity as a wedge to get<br />
into other countries and conquer and enslave the<br />
He told us that Christianity had come to<br />
(Continued on page 297)
affirm"<br />
requirement,"<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
The items in this issue, owing to special circumstances,<br />
are taken directly from other papers.<br />
Missionaries in India<br />
The growing impression in this country that India has<br />
no place for Christian missionaries from the U.S. is a false<br />
one, mission leaders meeting in New York were told last<br />
week. The door is open, and large numbers of American<br />
missionaries are freely carrying on their ministry of preach<br />
ing, healing, and service. During 1953 and 19<strong>54</strong>, the Indian<br />
government granted 89%% of all requests for visas by U.S.<br />
mission boards, a total of 399 persons. The report, based on<br />
a recently completed survey of 20 U.S. mission boards with<br />
work in India, was presented at the annual meeting of the<br />
South Asia Committee of the National Council of Churches<br />
by the Rev. A. Russell Stevenson, executive director of the<br />
Council's Office for Southern Asia and the Near East. Dur<br />
ing the same period, the Indian government refused only<br />
49 visa applications.<br />
University of Japan<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Togasaki, president of the Board of Trustees of<br />
Internationa] Christian Union University, Japan, and presi<br />
dent of the Nippon Times, Ltd., Tokyo, is paying a visit<br />
to this country. He was introduced by Dr. Stanley I. Stuber<br />
to a group of religious editors at a luncheon in the ICU<br />
head office in New York. Mr. Togasaki reported the Uni<br />
versity as rapidly developing. Its incoming class will number<br />
167 picked students who come from all parts of the country.<br />
One third of the students are women. The students volun<br />
tarily maintain two Bible classes a week as part of student<br />
activity. The school has a campus of 296 acres.<br />
Various Sects in France<br />
Since World War II, some thirty new religious denom<br />
inations have sprung up in France. These sects have<br />
arisen largely on an anticlerical basis, as in Italy. The<br />
predominant, monopolistic Roman Catholic Church in France<br />
is resented by numerous elements of the population, largely<br />
among the working classes. An attempt by that church to<br />
stem this tide of alienation and even opposition was made<br />
by the use of labor-priests in industry, but this turned out<br />
to be dangerous for the ecclesiastical powers, because the<br />
disaffection of the masses infected the loyalty and obe<br />
dience of the priests. When ordered to stop their labor ac<br />
tivities, some of the young priests refused, and the church<br />
does not tolerate disobedience in the priesthood. The social<br />
unrest coupled with a deep desire for full religious freedom<br />
among the masses has created the opportunity for promot<br />
ers of various religious sects to propagate. This has resulted<br />
in a warning being issued by the Roman hierarchy to their<br />
church people of "the grave danger which threatens their<br />
faith .<br />
. .<br />
"Evidently,<br />
evangelicals in France are making<br />
some headway in awakening the people.<br />
Court Decision on the Oath<br />
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that wit<br />
nesses with religious scruples against oath-taking do not<br />
need to make more than a simple affirmation that they will<br />
tell the truth. It reversed the conviction of Perry Bowen<br />
Moore, of Sullivan, 111.,<br />
who received a 2-year sentence<br />
on charges of draft evasion and ordered that he receive a<br />
290<br />
new trial. Moore claimed religious objections to military<br />
service. The opinion, which was unanimous, held that Fed<br />
eral Judge William Campbell,<br />
of Chicago, 111., erred in re<br />
fusing to let Moore take the stand in his own defense, as<br />
well as other defense witnesses who refused to swear the<br />
usual oath or to "solemnly<br />
truth. "There is no<br />
that they would tell the<br />
the high court said,<br />
"that the word 'solemnly' be used in the affirmation, and<br />
the judgment of conviction is therefore reversed and the<br />
case is remanded for a new trial."<br />
Worship in Egyptian Camp<br />
For the first time, an Egyptian military camp<br />
will have<br />
a Christian place of worship. A Coptic Orthodox church<br />
will be constructed soon in the huge Abbassia barracks<br />
near Cairo for Egyptian soldiers of the Christian faith sta<br />
tioned there.<br />
Graham Invited to Norway<br />
American Evangelist Billy Graham has been officially<br />
invited to visit Norway by Bishop Johannes Smemo of<br />
Oslo, Primate of Norway and his predecessor Bishop Eivind<br />
Berggrav. The action virtually assures plans for the evan<br />
gelist to stage a 5- to 6-day campaign in Norway next<br />
June, since Dr. Graham earlier had indicated his willingness<br />
to come to this country if all of its churches participated<br />
in the invitation. A committee appointed by the Evangelical<br />
Alliance, representing most of Norway's free churches, has<br />
been working for some time on plans for a Norwegian cru<br />
sade by<br />
the American preacher. Committee officials said<br />
that, since Oslo had no indoor auditorium large enough to<br />
handle the anticipated crowds, the rally probably will be<br />
held at the Bislet sports arena, which can accommodate<br />
up to 30,000.<br />
Congregation Supports 325 Missionaries<br />
Dr. Oswald J. Smith celebrated his 25th anniversary<br />
as pastor of the People's church, Toronto, Canada, March<br />
(Continued on page 298)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kansas.<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers :;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: 12.50 per year; Overseas. J3.00 ; Single Copiee<br />
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Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansa^<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ministers'<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
TEN YEARS AFTER<br />
The tenth anniversary of V-E Day finds the world still<br />
longing for peace. Though no fighting is going on at the<br />
moment, our politics and economy are dominated by the<br />
possibility of war. The anniversary is being marked by a<br />
foreign meeting at Paris, which will restore the<br />
formal sovereignty of West Germany. Few Americans would<br />
have dreamed, in 1945, that we would now be rearming the<br />
Germans; but few then realized the strength of Communist<br />
imperialism. We have had many disillusionments in the past<br />
ten years, and made many mistakes. Gradually, however, the<br />
free countries have learned to cooperate and pool their<br />
strength for defense. American foreign policy has not al<br />
ways been wise, but it has usually been unselfish, and in some<br />
cases extraordinarily generous. How much stronger our lead<br />
ership would be if this were truly a Christian nation!<br />
ITALIAN POLITICS<br />
Italy has a new President, Giovanni Gronchi, who was<br />
elected by the parliament for a seven-year term to succeed<br />
Luigi Einaudi. The presidency of Italy, like that of France,<br />
carries little political power but considerable prestige. Gron<br />
chi was formerly president of the Chamber of Deputies. His<br />
choice is considered a major setback for Premier Mario<br />
Scelba, for Gronchi is a left-wing Christian Democrat while<br />
Scelba belongs to the right-wing faction. Scelba backed an<br />
other candidate but could not command the necessary twothirds<br />
majority. The socialists helped elect Gronchi, and he<br />
also received some Communist votes. Scelba must submit his<br />
resignation on May 12, and is likely to have a hard time<br />
forming a new cabinet. If a new government follows, it will<br />
be more leftist. The Communists have suffered some sharp'<br />
defeats, however, in labor union elections and in the choice<br />
of farm administrators for rural areas.<br />
TUNISIAN SETTLEMENT<br />
Premier Edgar Faure of France has announced a plan<br />
which may bring peace to the troubled North African pro<br />
tectorate of Tunisia. Mendes-France began the negotiations<br />
last summer but was thrown out of office before he could<br />
finish. France will continue to manage Tunisia's defense and<br />
foreign relations, and will keep military control of the<br />
Libyan border and the naval base at Bizerte. Both the<br />
French and Arabic languages may be used in the govern<br />
ment, and the Tunisian and French schools will remain sep<br />
arate. No town council can have a majority of Frenchmen.<br />
The Tunisians will take control of the police in two years,<br />
and of the courts in twenty years. Tunisia's Arabs outnum<br />
ber the Europeans twelve to one, and have a well-<strong>org</strong>anized<br />
nationalist party. If the French National Assembly ratifies<br />
the new plan and the two governments carry it out in good<br />
faith, it should end the disorders in Tunisia and also lead to<br />
improvements in Morrocco and Algeria.<br />
PROGRESS REPORT<br />
If Congress is to adjourn in July, as planned, the law<br />
makers either will have to speed up their work or go home<br />
with little accomplished. The Administration's trade bill,<br />
extending the Reciprocal Trade Act for three years and giv<br />
ing the President more tariff-cutting powers, passed the<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
House in February. The Senate Finance Committee finally<br />
approved the measure after making some concessions to in<br />
dustries which want special protection. More amendments<br />
will undoubtedly be offered on the Senate floor,<br />
and Eisen<br />
hower will have to exert all his influence to get a worth<br />
while bill. A Senate committee has cut the President's am<br />
bitious road-building program to a measure allowing<br />
$21.7"<br />
billion over a five-year period, with an increase in the federal!<br />
gasoline tax. The Administration bill for a large militaryreserve<br />
is also being modified, and it appears that the<br />
sixmonth<br />
"universal" training program for youths aged 17 to<br />
19 will be made voluntary.<br />
CLOSED GATES<br />
Los Alamos, New Mexico, a center of atomic research<br />
since World War II, will remain a closed city according to<br />
a recent decision of the Atomic Energy Commission. A<br />
lively debate among the residents preceded this announce<br />
ment. A majority seemed to favor the continued exclusion<br />
of the general public, to prevent crime and the annoyance of<br />
tourists and salesmen. Others felt that the security restric<br />
tions surrounding Los Alamos were a violation of traditional<br />
American freedoms. It was generally admitted that the con<br />
trols were no longer necessary to protect atomic research.<br />
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, one of the earliest centers for build<br />
ing atom bombs, took down its gates in 1949. The federal<br />
government is now liquidating its real-estate holdings there<br />
and giving up its control of the local schools.<br />
DUST BOWL<br />
Continuing dust storms in the southern Great Plains<br />
have now created a situation as serious as the "dust bowl"<br />
of the 1930's. Under the high prices of wartime, wheat was<br />
planted on land which had barely sufficient moisture. Since<br />
1951 a cycle of dry weather has led to crop failures and<br />
serious erosion in a wide area, centering in western Kansas<br />
and eastern Colorado. Last year's "dust bowl" region was 11<br />
million acres, and has now increased to 14 million. So far this<br />
year the area has had only about half its normal rainfall,<br />
and much of the winter wheat crop has been blown out or<br />
killed. The emergency aid program begun last year is being<br />
continued, with over $7 million being paid out for emergency<br />
tillage and the planting of soil-conserving cover crops. The<br />
Federal<br />
.<br />
Crop Insurance Corporation has cancelled next<br />
year's wheat insurance in nine counties of Colorado, Texas,<br />
and New Mexico. This may seem harsh, but it is certainly<br />
unwise to encourage farmers to keep growing wheat on this<br />
marginal land, when we are already burdened with a<br />
heavy surplus.<br />
MIDGET RADIOS<br />
Germanium transistors, which have revolutionized elec<br />
tronic equipment, are now being applied to ordinary radios.<br />
A transistor smaller than a pencil eraser can do the work of<br />
a radio vacuum tube and take only a small fraction of the<br />
space and current. Hand-size portable radios using transis<br />
tors are not on the market, and a "transistorized" auto radio<br />
has been announced. It requires only one-tenth the battery<br />
power used by conventional auto radios. It also is smaller,<br />
lighter, and simpler and more rugged in design.<br />
291
miles."<br />
universe,"<br />
cattle."<br />
sma'<br />
construction,"<br />
risk."<br />
equal."<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
A CALL TO CHRISTIAN EFFICIENCY<br />
A few years ago we were hearing a great deal<br />
about efficiency experts. These engineers () pro<br />
posed to go into any factory or office and make a<br />
survey of each man's job, analyze it, breaking it<br />
down into its several component parts, and teach him<br />
how to eliminate lost motion. Two men unloading a<br />
carload of pig iron could save three hours of time<br />
by following the expert's instructions, and all other<br />
jobs likewise. The reaction of many men was that<br />
made into mere robots and lost their<br />
they were being<br />
liberty and their personality. Nevertheless the as<br />
sembly line still persists.<br />
Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the Chris<br />
tian's efficiency experts, and if the whole world<br />
would listen to them and read God's Rule Book,<br />
the hindering forces of the world would be elimi<br />
nated, and the constructive forces speeded up. But<br />
mankind in general insists on learning the hard way.<br />
Trial and error (mostly error) , sowing wild oats, is<br />
their idea of self education. In most cases the results<br />
are fatal.<br />
"Make straight paths for your feet" (Heb. 12:<br />
13), says the Scripture. "I am the Way, the Truth<br />
and the Life," says the Great Shepherd. Eliminate<br />
the lost motions of your life.<br />
Boston, "the hub of the has crooked<br />
streets<br />
bent spokes. One tradition says that aristo<br />
cratic Bostonians used to own milch cows instead of<br />
Rolls-Royces, and when they drove them across the<br />
Commons after the morning chore, the cows went<br />
from one green tuft to another, and made the paths<br />
that afterwards became the streets. Maybe that is<br />
where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow got that unfor<br />
gettable line, "Be not like dumb driven An<br />
other tradition has it that these are paths of the<br />
wayward citizens, coming home in the wee hours<br />
of the dusky dawn. The Evolution of the Super High<br />
way might make you a good thesis subject for your<br />
doctorate degree. From the Pathfinder to the Turn<br />
Piker. But note this : Every path or turn pike once<br />
had its first traveler.<br />
Psychologists tell us that all our habits are path<br />
ways or grooves in our brains figuratively speak<br />
ing, of course. The first time you do a thing is like<br />
a very light pinscratch, but repetition makes the<br />
score deeper, and soon it becomes a groove, then a<br />
rut which reminds us of the kindly man who put up a<br />
warning at the beginning of a very bad piece of<br />
road : "Choose your rut carefully, for you will be in<br />
it for the next forty So God says to the be<br />
ginner of habits, "Make straight paths for your<br />
feet."<br />
Habit Centers Are Scattered Throughout the Body.<br />
A skilled piano player will play a piece of music<br />
she has never seen before, reading the several clefs<br />
with the eyes, playing them with the fingers, check<br />
ing the harmony<br />
and the time with ears and coordin<br />
ating them all so unconsciously that scarcely a<br />
thought needs to be given to the whole performance.<br />
But this is possible as a result of many hours of fin<br />
ger exercises, in which the various phrases of the<br />
music have all been seen by the eyes, heard by the<br />
292<br />
ears, and only the general effect is recorded in the<br />
mind. Whoever thinks of which muscles he is using<br />
in walking, or which foot he is advancing, keeping<br />
his balance with all those bones and muscles in<br />
each of his feet The straight-paths-for-his-feet<br />
habit he mastered when a mere infant.<br />
But the moral habits of feet, hands, eyes, ears,<br />
tongue, and heart, are not so easily trained. "Keep<br />
thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the is<br />
sues of life." Touch not, taste not, handle not, look<br />
not, walk not, sin not, such are the constant warnings<br />
of scripture. Make a covenant with thine eyes, and all<br />
those other wayward members, and see that they<br />
keep their covenants. And the covenants of yester<br />
day need revising today. As one travels what was a<br />
marvelous road when it was built years ago, he often<br />
sees the new improved highway, straight and level<br />
being constructed parallel to it. A few miles further<br />
on he is allowed to travel on the new road "under<br />
construction, at your own From it you look<br />
down on the old road, narrow, crooked and worn, dip<br />
ping into the valleys and over the hills. So should<br />
the straightened paths for our feet be ever "under<br />
every valley being exalted and every<br />
hill brought low, the crooked being made straight<br />
and the rough places plain, a vertible King's High<br />
way. To straighten out the old worn-out habit paths<br />
we need to make frequent re-surveys ; are we doing<br />
our work in the most efficient way We should set<br />
new objectives for ourselves, as the ploughman who<br />
would plow a pilot furrow keeps his eye fixed on the<br />
stake at the far side of the field, remembering that<br />
having put his hand to the plough, if he looks back<br />
instead of forward, he is unfit for the job. Perhaps<br />
the best way of all is to run our race with patience,<br />
setting our feet into the very footprints of our Pace<br />
maker Jesus who says, "Follow Me."<br />
Christian Efficiency Helps Your Fellow Traveler<br />
There is a strange contrast between the King<br />
James Version and the RSV. The KJV reads:<br />
"Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and<br />
confirm the feeble knees" (pep up the other fellow,<br />
as I supposed) ; "make straight paths for your feet,<br />
way"<br />
lest that which is lame be turned out of the<br />
(fatally missing the curve in the road, as I sup<br />
posed) ; "but let it rather be healed." That would be<br />
an altruistic motive for going straight. But the RSV<br />
(possibly more correctly translated) appeals to our<br />
selfish motives : "Therefore lift your drooping hands<br />
and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight<br />
paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be<br />
put out of joint but rather be healed." That leads me<br />
to think of the man back in southern Ohio, or was it<br />
in the Green Mountains, who had one of those hill<br />
side farms so nearly perpendicular that the sheep de<br />
veloped their legs on the off side so that they were<br />
some four inches longer than those on the near side.<br />
"The legs of the lame are not That's why<br />
we walk in circles when we get lost in a prairie bliz<br />
zardjust that fraction of an inch difference. A<br />
straight path helps to correct our deficiencies,<br />
and<br />
of those who follow our footsteps also. Let's cut out<br />
those lost motions, and practice Christian efficiency.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
eternity."<br />
preach."<br />
sin"<br />
The Pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ<br />
Rev. R. H. McKelvy<br />
In 1893 Dr. R. J. Ge<strong>org</strong>e, as Synod's retiring<br />
moderator, preached on Col. 1 :18, using as his theme,<br />
"The Pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ." Fol<br />
lowing are some excerpts from his sermon. Taken<br />
from the Reformed Presbyterian and <strong>Covenanter</strong>,<br />
vol. 31.<br />
"Conclusions. I. The pre-eminence of the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ is the determinative doctrine of Chris<br />
tianity. By this is meant that this doctrine fixes and<br />
determines the limits and boundaries of a true Chris<br />
tian profession. Where the pre-eminence of Christ<br />
begins, there Christianity begins, and where it ends,<br />
there Christianity ends. This doctrine is so woven<br />
and interwoven with the whole web of revealed truth<br />
that it cannot be separated from it without the de<br />
struction of the whole fabric. The kingdom of God<br />
has for its corner-stone the Divine Sonship of Jesus<br />
Christ; and for its cope-stone his Mediatorial Head<br />
ship; and no person, church or nation, which either<br />
denies His divinity, or rejects His Kingly authority<br />
makes a true Christian profession.<br />
"II. This doctrine of the pre-eminence of the<br />
Lord Jesus Christ is determinative of the position of<br />
Christianity among the so-called religions of the<br />
world.<br />
"Christianity is as transcendent as the person<br />
of its founder.<br />
III. The doctrine of the pre-eminence of the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ is determinative of the position of the<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church. Our church main<br />
tains a separate denominational existance in order<br />
that she may be a true witness for the mediatorial<br />
authority of the incarnate Son of God. She regards<br />
this doctrine of the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ as so fundamental to Christianity that it must<br />
be embodied in a consistant life if we are to set be<br />
fore the world a true Christian character. That the<br />
doctrine may be exemplified we must maintain a<br />
position of political dissent and separation from all<br />
institutions of civil government, which are set up<br />
without due regard to the authority of the King of<br />
kings and Lord of lords. The objection is made, that,<br />
admitting that the ground is scriptural, it is too nar<br />
row a basis on which to maintain a separate denom<br />
ination. If, however, it be true that the same doctrine<br />
which is determinative of Christianity is also deter<br />
minative of our denominational position, then our<br />
church is not founded upon a side-issue, but is built<br />
squarely<br />
upon the foundation of apostles and pro<br />
phets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner<br />
stone, and her position instead of being narrow is as<br />
broad as the Gospel of the Son of God, and as firm as<br />
the Rock of Ages.<br />
"I do not hesitate to affirm that in its relation<br />
to the integrity of a Christian profession ; in its re<br />
lation to the establishment of the kingdom of God<br />
among the race of men now in rebellion against Him ;<br />
in its relation to the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus<br />
Christ in a universe that was created in Him and by<br />
Him and for Him ; in its relation to the glory of God<br />
the Father, who has enthroned Him at His own<br />
right hand ; I do not hesitate to affirm that our dis-<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
tinctive ground is broader, more fundamental, and<br />
more important to be maintained than all the other<br />
distinctions which separate the evangelical denom<br />
inations combined.<br />
. . . "Her position is a timely one, because all the<br />
Christian movements of the present hour are in the<br />
direction of the personal Christ; and if she will be<br />
true to her oath and keep unfurled the banner in<br />
scribed, 'For Christ's Crown and Covenant' she can<br />
lead the march of the churches and nations to Immanuel's<br />
throne. The position is one that holds the<br />
key to the future, because the acceptance of this doc<br />
trine will be the consummation of the world's his<br />
tory, and the coronation of Christ will be the song of<br />
Training<br />
Visitation<br />
By Jacob Prins<br />
Teams<br />
(Used by permission of Earnest Worker and<br />
the writer)<br />
In training visitation teams, it is well to remem<br />
ber that Jesus did not wait for people to come to<br />
Him ; He went to them. He welcomed and used oppor<br />
tunities to speak to people personally. He won many<br />
of His converts by means of private conversation.<br />
He trained His disciples to use this method<br />
also. They returned, rejoicing in the wonderful re<br />
sults accomplished, as men do, and will. "He ordained<br />
twelve that they should be with him, and that he<br />
might send them forth to "The Lord ap<br />
pointed other seventy also and sent them two and<br />
two before his face into every city and place whither<br />
he himself would come."<br />
Let us remember that, after the manner of<br />
the seventy, men and women go out today "two and<br />
two."<br />
Blessed fellowship is experienced, holy respon<br />
sibility is shared, hands and hearts are mutually<br />
strengthened. Whether those called upon are ac<br />
quaintances or strangers it matters not. Christ<br />
would be presented to all. There is no "city or place<br />
would"<br />
whither he himself not "come." Every gen<br />
eration of ambassadors for Christ has a great mis<br />
sion, the spiritual results of which may be far-reach<br />
ing.<br />
As his ambassadors, we endeavor to win people<br />
to faith in Him and to fellowship in His Church.<br />
We seek to make clear how one becomes a Christian.<br />
First, there must be an acknowledgment of sin.<br />
Second, we must have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ<br />
who came "to take away and to "reconcile us<br />
unto God." Third, there must be the will and resolve<br />
that, by the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we<br />
will lead a Christian life.<br />
293
Some of those visited are already members of<br />
some church in another community. They have<br />
simply neglected to transfer their membership: we<br />
will invite them to become active members of our<br />
fellowship and offer to help them in securing that<br />
transfer soon. Some have allowed their membership<br />
to lapse: we will invite them to make reaffirmation<br />
of their faith. Others have never made any profes<br />
sion of their faith: we will present Christ to them<br />
as their Saviour and Lord.<br />
It may be well to keep the following in mind as<br />
we carry on this mission:<br />
1. You are, first of all, an ambassador of Christ and<br />
as such represent His Church.<br />
2. Limit your call to approximately thirty minutes.<br />
3. Before you call:<br />
(a) Decide which of the two will open and direct<br />
the conversation.<br />
(b) Pray before and as you enter the home; keep<br />
praying as you converse.<br />
(c) Be sure you know why this person or home<br />
has been assigned for a call.<br />
4. After entering the home :<br />
(a) Be cordial in your greeting.<br />
(b) Make clear the purpose of your call and the<br />
name of the church you represent.<br />
(c) If company is present in the home, excuse<br />
yourself and offer to come back another time.<br />
Seek to make a definite date.<br />
(d) Assume the best.<br />
(e) Manifest a friendly interest in and concern for<br />
the members of the family, their work, their hob<br />
bies, their needs. Remember you are members of<br />
Concerned."<br />
the "Fellowship of the<br />
(f) Come to the point of your mission as soon as<br />
possible.<br />
(g) Visit for a verdict.<br />
(h) Be natural, relaxed.<br />
(i) Make your call Christ centered, not church<br />
centered.<br />
(j) Ask questions, for questions get people to talk<br />
ing; help bring out what is upon their minds and<br />
hearts.<br />
Specifically, make clear our need for the Saviour<br />
our need for salvation from sin unto God. If they<br />
confess that need, point out God's wonderful provi<br />
sion for meeting that need in the person and work of<br />
Jesus Christ, His Son. Make clear the necessity for<br />
accepting that which God has provided for our sal<br />
vation. If the person, or persons, indicate their readi<br />
ness and willingness to repent, confess, and accept<br />
God's provision for their need, encourage them to<br />
make that decision at once and to record it on a card<br />
you provide for that purpose. If opposition is mani<br />
fest or excuses are offered, deal with them in the<br />
spirit of Christ. If they say that their knowledge of<br />
spiritual truth is wholly inadequate to make such a<br />
decision, invite them to the pastor's instruction class.<br />
Make absolutely clear the steps necesary for mem<br />
bership in your local church.<br />
In bringing your visit to a close, express your ap<br />
preciation and thanks for the visit. If a decision has<br />
been made, give expression to your joy and satisfac<br />
tion. In any event, offer to pray briefly with them,<br />
giving thanks for blessings received and interceding<br />
294<br />
for needs revealed in the interview. If no decision has<br />
been made, ask that the matter be given earnest,<br />
prayerful consideration and indicate your willingness<br />
to return. Invite all the members of the household to<br />
the ministry of your church. Make clear that, if de<br />
sired, your pastor will be happy to call and explain<br />
more fully what it means to be a Christian.<br />
Avoid : Controversial questions, if possible (you<br />
are there as a witness to Christ, to give expression<br />
to and to seek to obtain affirmations of faith in Him<br />
and His Word) ; "holier than thou" attitude ; dis<br />
couragement (remember seed sown today does not<br />
immediately take root and come to fruition) ; preach<br />
ing (you are not sent to preach but to present Christ<br />
in your own words) ; arguments (you are not sent<br />
as a lawyer but as a witness) ; being sidetracked;<br />
keep directing the conversation toward Christ ; mak<br />
ing mere goodwill visits; merely getting people to<br />
join your church.<br />
Believe: That you have a Christ to share who<br />
save unto the uttermost all that<br />
can really<br />
come unto the Father by him." that there are<br />
people waiting for an invitation to come in<br />
to the joy of salvation and into the fellowship<br />
of His Church ; that the Holy Spirit can do for and to<br />
others what He has done for and to you; that the<br />
Lord can and will use you to bring others to faith in<br />
Him.<br />
Be: Patient, pleasant, prayerful, expectant; "ac<br />
cording to thy faith be it unto thee." Be on the look<br />
out for all you may commend. Be eager to lead men<br />
to want to do what you are inviting them to do. Be<br />
prepared to report your results and to share your<br />
experiences with others sent out on similar missions.<br />
Be sure always to please Him by your conduct and<br />
conversation.<br />
Resource Material<br />
Instructions For Evangelistic Visitors<br />
Preparations For Evangelistic Visiting<br />
Order from Division of Evangelism of<br />
The Presbyterian Church, U. S. A.<br />
The Prebyterian Church, U. S.<br />
The United Presbyterian Church<br />
Laymen Visit for Christ and His Church<br />
They Went Forth Two By Two<br />
Order from Tidings<br />
1908 Grand Avenue<br />
Nashville 5, Tennessee<br />
BOOK REVIEWS<br />
The Christian Sabbath. Arthur W. Pink<br />
@2c<br />
@2c<br />
@2c<br />
@10c<br />
In a day when the Sabbath is so largely neg<br />
lected or misused, this pamphlet ought to be widely<br />
read.<br />
Mr. Pink speaks of the purpose of God in giv<br />
and how it was emphasized in the<br />
ing the Sabbath,<br />
Ten Commandments, how kept by Christ and how it<br />
ought to be kept in the Christian church.<br />
Sabbath breaking is a common sin. It is wise<br />
and right for us all to take time enough to think<br />
about the Sabbath, our need of it, and how we<br />
should keep it. This book is Biblical and needed.<br />
It sells for 30c a copy and can be had from The<br />
Bible Truth Depot, Mr. I. C. Herendeen, of Swengel,<br />
Union County, Penna.<br />
R.C.F.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
strength."<br />
wheels."<br />
programs."<br />
position."<br />
army"<br />
world"<br />
A Preacher Speaks to Laymen<br />
Jacob J. Sessler<br />
Laymen and the Church<br />
Let us not be overawed by appearances. If our<br />
church services are not as well attended as they once<br />
were, it is because those who were lukewarm and had<br />
no other place to go now have something else to at<br />
tract them. They never did belong to the church spir<br />
itual. These times are giving the Church a long over<br />
due pruning. The church steeple points up and is<br />
symbolic of the highest and noblest aspirations of<br />
which we humans are capable.<br />
In such a church, laymen cannot shirk their re<br />
sponsibility. You, laymen, have duties to perform for<br />
your God. If you see something that ought to be<br />
done, that makes you the one to do it. The question<br />
of big or little, spectacular or obscure, has no signifi<br />
cance in God's sight. Was it big to rule the world as<br />
Alexander the Great once did Was it small to sing<br />
to a baby as Mary did in the stable To do what God<br />
wants done is the real honor.<br />
Laymen should exert their influence to preserve<br />
the true function of the church as a House of Prayer.<br />
You should visualize the church as the center of wor<br />
ship for its people. Look at it as a great and holy in<br />
stitution holy and great because it has been dedi<br />
cated for worship and for the preaching of God's<br />
Word; great, not only because the men and women<br />
in it are lifting their eyes beyond the range of our<br />
present vision.<br />
Laymen are subject to the danger of applying<br />
the machine technique to the life in the Church. The<br />
Church must not be compared with the lodges, fra<br />
ternal <strong>org</strong>anizations, and chambers of commerce.<br />
What the Church has to offer puts it into a class by<br />
itself. It ministers to the spirits of men, and its lies<br />
in the words of Isaiah, "In quietness and confidence<br />
shall be your<br />
We do well to recall the<br />
words of John R. Mott: "An alarming weakness<br />
among Christians is that we are producing Christian<br />
activities faster than we are producing Christian ex<br />
perience and Christian faith."<br />
Pastors and laymen are equally responsible for<br />
the multiplicity of "wheels within Too often<br />
the pastor splits the church into splinters in order<br />
that he may have work enough for all. There are<br />
large city churches with programs that call for some<br />
thing every hour of every day in the week. No less a<br />
successful pastor than Charles M. Sheldon said: "I<br />
have come to the conclusion that the Church in<br />
America is <strong>org</strong>anized to death with<br />
Lay<br />
men can help by refusing to be overawed by the pro<br />
posed program and by kindly frankness at the busi<br />
ness meeting. This is not to say that business meth<br />
ods should not be applied to the business end of the<br />
church. But I am certain that the best business<br />
methods strive for simplification.<br />
Laymen and the Parish<br />
The parish includes two types of people the<br />
church members and the unchurched, or the insiders<br />
and the outsiders. The ultimate aim of the Church is<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
to extend its Christian influence as far as possible,<br />
and the best way which is perhaps the only way<br />
is for the insiders to teach the outsiders.<br />
The chief task of the Church is to bring Christ<br />
and His Church to the community. If the Church<br />
members are content to remain on the inside and<br />
multiply activities there, how will the outsider be<br />
reached, or persuaded to become an insider There is<br />
only one way to reach the outsider and that is for the<br />
insider to go outside the walls of the church and<br />
reach out.<br />
Many churches are like an introvert, i. e., they<br />
cannot get outside of themselves. We often refer to<br />
those who are not active in the church as standing<br />
on the outside looking in. But it is equally true that<br />
there are many Christian laymen who are standing<br />
on the inside of the church and looking out. In the<br />
parish outside the church building every layman can<br />
find work. Too often the job of filling the pews is<br />
left entirely to the minister. All our churches would<br />
take on new life and become sources of power, if the<br />
laymen would speak to one person per week about the<br />
claims of the Christian Church upon our lives.<br />
By personal work laymen can bring Christ and<br />
the Church to people. There are people who are lone<br />
ly, new families in the neighborhood, homes into<br />
which death has entered all these have a claim upon<br />
you. Ask someone to be your guest at church next<br />
Lord's Day ; call for them to go to church with you.<br />
There are only two requisites for this personal work:<br />
love and devotion to Christ and His Church.<br />
This personal work is more important than of<br />
ficial positions on church boards. I personally would<br />
consider it a healthy sign if some who are holding<br />
important positions should say to me : T am so busy<br />
doing personal work that I have to resign from my<br />
Bringing others into the church will give<br />
you joy and stabilize your religious convictions. If<br />
all laymen did this we would have a revived Church<br />
in an old sinful world.<br />
No single pastor can do it. A company of tired,<br />
exhausted soldiers was revived when the band met it.<br />
At the sound of the martial note the soldiers revived.<br />
The Church of God has been likened to a "mighty<br />
but this army of soldiers has been dragging,<br />
not marching. We need to hear the martial note of<br />
our Lord, "Go ye into all the<br />
and march. A<br />
mighty army cannot march in a circle from one ac<br />
tivity to another within the four walls of a church.<br />
The slowness with which the Church grows is due to<br />
the fact that the insiders have spent their energy<br />
to reach insiders to win them over to their particular<br />
slant on Christianity.<br />
Every layman is under just as strong an obliga<br />
tion to bring people into the church as the pastor.<br />
Your promise to be a witness for Christ is just as<br />
solemn and binding as his promise. It is your church<br />
just as much as it is your minister's church. What<br />
general ever gained a victory without the aid of his<br />
army Intelligencer-Leader.<br />
295
society"<br />
wise"<br />
How Drunkards Are Produced<br />
By William James Robinson, A.M., D.D.<br />
We have in America 4,000,000 alcoholics, and<br />
probably 3,000,000 problem drinkers (near alcohol<br />
ics). A majority of our men and almost half of our<br />
women drink. Many high school boys and girls, col<br />
lege and university students drink. In all these<br />
groups the percentage of drinkers varies in different<br />
parts of the nation. This situation is deplorable in the<br />
extreme. How can such a condition exist in a socalled<br />
Christian nation It exists because the wor<br />
shipers of Baccus dominate the "land of the free and<br />
the home of the brave." I will prove this.<br />
Liquor is being sold at taverns, night clubs,<br />
roadhouses, honky-tonks, drug stores, lunch counters,<br />
and department stores. The number of drinking<br />
places has increased from 177,000 in pre-prohibition<br />
days to more than 494,452 in 1952. Many of these are<br />
equipped with every thing conceivable to induce boys<br />
and girls, men and women to drink. There is one<br />
place where alcoholic beverages can be bought for<br />
every 300 persons, including children as well as<br />
adults. One place where liquors are sold for every<br />
71 homes. There are almost two liquor outlets for<br />
every church. Americans spend nearly twice as much<br />
for alcoholic beverages as for education and several<br />
times more than for spreading the gospel. To put it<br />
bluntly we are more determined to degrade our na<br />
tion than we are to uplift our people. The facts stated<br />
prove that we are more nearly a Baccanalian nation<br />
than we are a Christian nation.<br />
But you ask how this condition was developed<br />
We once had National Prohibition. Conditions were<br />
not perfect then. No friend of prohibition will say<br />
they were ; but they were very much better than be<br />
fore prohibition and exceedingly better than they<br />
have been since repeal.<br />
How was repeal brought about Many factors<br />
compose the answer to this question. First, and more<br />
important than any other, was diabolical greed. A<br />
men desired to de<br />
goodly number of very wealthy<br />
stroy prohibition claiming that it was in every sense<br />
a curse to the people. They claimed that it was the<br />
cause of almost every imaginable evil. They openly<br />
said if the law could be repealed it would save them<br />
many millions of dollars. They preferred to make<br />
debauches of the laboring people, keep their families<br />
in intolerable poverty, squalor and lead them into dis<br />
grace, base immoralities and crime if by so doing<br />
they could amass millions of dollars. Many openly<br />
urged the people to break the law in order to make<br />
it unpopular. There is not a fouler, more disgraceful<br />
or deplorable chapter in American history than the<br />
history of how repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment<br />
was accomplished.<br />
After Repeal<br />
Prominent people urged every one to drink. One<br />
of the most outstanding women in America and well<br />
known abroad (I am ashamed to call her name)<br />
urged young women to learn how much they could<br />
safely drink and stay in that limit. This was the ad<br />
vice of the liquor dealers. They said drink moderately<br />
296<br />
but do not get drunk. They knew moderate drinkers<br />
would soon drink to excess. A more diabolical bit of<br />
advice was never given by the devil himself. You had<br />
just as well tell little ducks to go into the water but<br />
never swim as to tell people to drink moderately but<br />
never get drunk. Large numbers of people calling<br />
themselves the "elite" and "high seemed to<br />
think they could not have a delightful social affair<br />
without alcoholic cocktails. It is possible that some<br />
people have no better judgment than to urge people<br />
to drink but do it moderately believing you need to<br />
drink to be delightful socially.<br />
The example of the rich, the supposed leaders of<br />
society, was followed by aspiring people in lower<br />
classes of culture and finances. The "elite" and social<br />
leaders tried to make it appear that to be "some<br />
body" you must drink and so millions drank and<br />
started on the way to shame, disgrace and to "skid<br />
Row" and so we now have 4,000,000 alcoholics, one<br />
in six of whom is a woman. And these are men and<br />
women from every rank of society including men who<br />
at one time were regarded as ministers of the gospel.<br />
There is no degree of shame and disgrace to which<br />
moderate drinking will not lead people. Mark you,<br />
social drinkers who are prominent are a curse to<br />
many less prominent persons.<br />
Advertising<br />
Never in American history has any business<br />
spent so much on advertising. Distillers and brew<br />
ers spend millions of dollars annually in the most de<br />
ceptive, most alluring advertising that money can<br />
pay conscienceless ad writers to produce. Many of<br />
America's keenest minds have sold their abilities to<br />
promote this diabolical business and have succeeded<br />
far beyond their fondest expectations. They have<br />
paid such fabulous prices for space that it amounts<br />
to bribing editors and owners of many publications,<br />
but thank God there are still some notable publica<br />
tions that love integrity better than the alcoholic<br />
gold.<br />
Other factors could be mentioned but space for<br />
bids. Just keep in mind the liquor business is diaboli<br />
cal in the extreme. It violates more laws than all<br />
other business and its devotees are the greatest law<br />
breakers in the nation. It leads men and women, boys<br />
and girls, from all ranks of society that it can induce<br />
to imbibe and to commit all kinds of disgraceful acts<br />
and every known crime, but it has never led one per<br />
son, to rise from degradation and live nobly. Yet<br />
every day scores of our brightest boys and girls, men<br />
and women, are induced to begin, drinking. Truly<br />
"fools rush in where angels dare not tread." No won<br />
der beholding the wrecks made by liquor, Wisdom<br />
exclaims "What fools we mortals be !"<br />
We must arouse our people to the fact that<br />
"Wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging: and<br />
whosoever is deceived thereby is not Prov.<br />
20 :1. According to this proverb more than half of our<br />
people are not wise. "At the last it biteth like a ser-<br />
(Continued on page 297)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
adder."<br />
government."<br />
nations."<br />
OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES<br />
(Song of Solomon 2:15)<br />
By Lillian Hitt, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<br />
We are a<br />
family of four. Dad and I, David our<br />
fourteen-year-old, and Susan who is ten. Fortunately<br />
we have a rich heritage. We, as parents, had the<br />
priceless possession of Christian parents before us.<br />
We grew up in the church, and attended Sabbath<br />
school so early in life that we scarcely remember at<br />
tending any public gathering prior to that.<br />
My recollection as a little girl of the church serv<br />
ice was that sometimes it seemed to go on and on.<br />
But I always brought a handkerchief and with it I<br />
discovered that I could have a world all my own. By<br />
folding and refolding it, the handkie became a pa<br />
poose, a cradle, and so forth. And so in those tender<br />
years, only the Sabbath school really meant some<br />
thing to me. The story of ten virgins, told by an art<br />
ist who with blackboard and chalk depicted the story,<br />
shall be one that I shall carry forever in my memory.<br />
And I was a very tiny tot sitting on a little red chair<br />
that Sabbath afternoon.<br />
So without the Sabbath school in those early<br />
formative years and the compulsory verse memoriz<br />
ing, I might not be enjoying today the deeper things<br />
of God . . . how important to have the right Sabbath<br />
school teachers to tell the story graphically and in<br />
the power of the Spirit so that it will be retained in<br />
the pliable hearts and minds of these little ones.<br />
And how important it is for us as parents to see<br />
that our children are taken to this school to learn les<br />
sons that will be lost forever if the opportunity is not<br />
grabbed up at this precise moment.<br />
We have done this. And have rejoiced to see the<br />
results in some measure in the spiritual develop<br />
ment of our children.<br />
But once a week Sabbath school, as good as it is,<br />
is not enough to build them up in the nurture and<br />
admonition of the Lord. We have found that a family<br />
altar at home each day can be the tie binding Sab<br />
bath to Sabbath.<br />
We have set aside a few moments after dinner<br />
each evening for our family devotions. They are not<br />
long,<br />
nor complicated. But we read the Word and<br />
have printed notes to assist us. And incidentally<br />
these notes are leveled not to the adult, but rather<br />
to the We child.* consider this paramount. Some<br />
times we might discuss or answer questions in con<br />
nection with what we have read.<br />
And then we pray. Sometimes it is the parents.<br />
Sometimes just the children. Sometimes we all pray.<br />
HOW DRUNKARDS ARE . . . con't from page 296<br />
pent, and stingeth like an Prov. 23:32.<br />
Truer words were never penned.<br />
How much longer will God-fearing men and<br />
women allow the devotees of greed, crooks, liars,<br />
thieves, thugs, racketeers, outlaws, adulterers and<br />
adulteresses to dominate "our land" If all who pro<br />
fess to love and serve the Lord were true to Him,<br />
Greed's rule would soon end. We put on some of our<br />
coins "In God we trust" and then allow Bacchus to<br />
rule our nation. Words are too weak to express the<br />
shame of this folly.<br />
8100 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Mo.<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
If we do, they are short but to the point. They in<br />
volve the family interests school interests neigh<br />
borhood interests church interests plans for a<br />
trip-:that examination tomorrow a safe journey<br />
the missionaries we know personally and all that is<br />
important to us.<br />
In it all, we don't f<strong>org</strong>et to thank Him. For when<br />
we pray together like this, we have seen many<br />
prayers answered. How this increases our faith as<br />
well as the faith of our children ! And little by little,<br />
we see some progress being made.<br />
Recently we had to go out for dinner and the<br />
evening thus leaving the children a little while. When<br />
we returned, they told us that they had had their<br />
own devotions<br />
and the other praying.<br />
one reading<br />
Our hearts were strangely<br />
brushed away a tear !<br />
warmed and I<br />
*JUNIOR NOTES by Scripture Union, 3 Cawthra<br />
Square, Toronto 5, Canada<br />
THE BIGGEST NIGHT<br />
Cont. from front page<br />
Japan 400 years ago through Spain and Portugal.<br />
"But the Christians fought our<br />
he said,<br />
"so we closed our land to Christian Chris<br />
tianity sounds good, I thought, but maybe my teach<br />
er is right.<br />
Again, as I listened to the speaker in the sta<br />
dium, my mind went back to the war years. I remem<br />
bered that during the war Christians in Japan were<br />
not permitted to meet for worship. This did not seem<br />
right to me. But some said the American mission<br />
aries were spies. It did not seem logical that Amer<br />
ica would use missionaries to spy for them. I could<br />
not decide whether Christianity was good or bad.<br />
Politics Interested Me<br />
At the time World War II broke out, I was a<br />
socialist politically. I had been interested in commun<br />
ism, but had given it up because I came to realize<br />
that the claims it made were false. However, because<br />
I opposed the war, I became suspect and was jailed as<br />
a communist. After my release from jail, I was con<br />
fined to my home and could not work or go to school<br />
until the war was over. I reasoned that the govern<br />
ment had been wrong about me<br />
maybe they were<br />
wrong about the American missionaries, too. After<br />
the war I decided that the missionaries had not really<br />
been spies.<br />
In college, I again encountered the Christian re<br />
ligion. One of my best friends there was a Christian.<br />
Although he invited me, I didn't go to church with<br />
him on Sundays because I was busy training or run<br />
ning in track meets. (Running was becoming my<br />
chief interest outside the classroom, although I still<br />
planned on a career in government.) However, I was<br />
increasingly interested in Christianity, and attended<br />
some Bible studies sponsored by the YMCA.<br />
My mind raced through these thoughts in a mat<br />
ter of seconds as the speaker spoke of Jesus Christ<br />
and salvation from sins. In all my previous brief en<br />
counters with Christianity, I had never heard the<br />
Christian Gospel explained so clearly and simply. And<br />
never foefore had I felt such an overwhelming desire<br />
to give my life to this Jesus who could f<strong>org</strong>ive sins<br />
and make men good.<br />
297
you,"<br />
Almost too soon, the meeting was over, but I<br />
was overjoyed when Gil Dodds met with our team<br />
and coached us on our running. It was a thrill for me<br />
to get this chance to talk personally with the man<br />
whom I admired so much. We talked about running<br />
then we talked about Christ.<br />
That Spring<br />
I Became A Christian<br />
night of 1950 in the Tokyo Stadium<br />
was to be the turning point in my life. For it was<br />
soon after talking to Gil Dodds that I decided to ac<br />
cept Jesus Christ as my<br />
personal Saviour.<br />
And now my life seemed suddenly to take on a<br />
kind of pattern. My early contact with Christianity<br />
through my sister (although she herself has never<br />
become a Christian) my interest in running my<br />
meeting with Gil Dodds my salvation. They all<br />
seemed to tie together in God's plan for my life. And<br />
now I saw the great possibilities of an athlete in Ja<br />
pan witnessing to the young people of Japan for<br />
Christ, for Japanese youth greatly respect athletes. I<br />
decided to devote my life to God through the medium<br />
of athletics.<br />
Since that time much has happened to me.<br />
Through writing to Gil Dodds when he returned to<br />
America and through my friendship with Mr. Robert<br />
son, The Pocket Testament League representative in<br />
Tokyo, I was encouraged to come to America to study<br />
in a Christian college and learn to be an athletic<br />
instructor. So it was, that in the fall of 1952, I found<br />
myself at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, as a<br />
student and a member of the track team coached by<br />
Gil Dodds.<br />
I received fine training at Wheaton both in<br />
athletics and in the Word of God. Now I am anxious<br />
soon to return to Japan and to begin to lead young<br />
people to Jesus Christ. I know how many of the boys<br />
and girls of Japan are being won over by the false<br />
claims of materialism.<br />
I believe it is all-important that Japan get the<br />
Gospel now..And I would like to ask Christian friends<br />
in America to pray for and support The Pocket Tes<br />
tament League in their wonderful work of taking<br />
God's Word to my people.<br />
Steeple of North Church<br />
The famed steeple of Old North Church, from which<br />
Paul Revere hung his lantern, will be replaced within a<br />
year from the time that it was toppled in last summer's<br />
hurricane. Contributions amounting to $150,000 came in<br />
from all over the nation, and even from England. The last<br />
"over- the-top" contribution of $10,000 was given by the<br />
Colgate-Palmolive Company.<br />
Bingo Games<br />
A bill amending the State constitution to permit bingo<br />
games under the auspices of religious and charitable groups<br />
has been defeated by the House in Delaware. Rejection of<br />
the measure came after exceptional parliamentary man<br />
euvering by legislators who wanted to defer a vote until a<br />
public hearing could be held. Efforts to postpone action<br />
were unsuccessful. Protestant groups have been bombard<br />
ing legislators with anti-bingo telegrams and letters in<br />
recent weeks.<br />
A CHANCE FOR A HOME RUN<br />
By Addison Hardie Leitch<br />
Bogard makes out of Bible reading a kind of<br />
baseball game. When we actually read the Bible we<br />
are on first base. When we understand what we read<br />
we have reached second base. When we understand<br />
what the words of Scripture mean in our own life we<br />
have reached third base. And when we put into prac<br />
tice what the Bible teaches we have scored. Since the<br />
point of the game is to push over the runs, the end<br />
product in Bible reading is to put into practice what<br />
we read. As Bogard points out, a great many Bible<br />
readers never score. On the other hand there are<br />
good people who try to score before they have run<br />
the bases, so the score never really counts; in fact<br />
they have not scored at all. So, everything in decency<br />
and order. First we read, then we understand, then<br />
we make it personal, then we apply it. What a pity to<br />
"die on third"!<br />
United Presbyterian<br />
Gil Dodds says:<br />
Cookie is not only one of the finest athletes,<br />
but one of the most promising young Christians it<br />
has ever been my privilege to coach. He is typical of<br />
hundreds of young Japanese who are being won for<br />
Christ through the marvelous ministry of the Pock<br />
et Testament League. I praise the Lord for PTL<br />
and urge you to give this soul-saving ministry your<br />
wholehearted support.<br />
GIL DODDS Phil. 4:13<br />
Send your gifts for the work of PTL to:<br />
Mr. Alfred A. Kunz, Executive Director<br />
The Pocket Testament League, Inc.<br />
156 Fifth Avenue, New York 10, N. Y.<br />
GLIMPSES from page 290<br />
27. In the past 25 years the congregation has contributed<br />
$2,7<strong>54</strong>,000 toward the missionary<br />
taking<br />
enterprise and is now<br />
care of the personal support of 365 full-time mis<br />
sionaries on 40 different fields of the world.<br />
298<br />
A PRAYER FOR PEACE<br />
Dear Lord, the world has known so many wars,<br />
It bears such bitter, deep and lasting scars,<br />
Reach out Thy hand, O maker of us all :<br />
Bend down Thy listening ear and hear our call<br />
In this, and every other threatening hour.<br />
Only Thy might, dear Lord, only Thy power<br />
Can change the hearts of men can bid them cease<br />
Their avarice and greed<br />
and bring us peace.<br />
Lord of the nations, let no nation reign<br />
To crush another. Free us from all the stain<br />
Of blood and slaughter let us not f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
The loving kind example Thou hast set.<br />
God help us lift the Golden Rule so high<br />
That its bright words will flame against the sky :<br />
"Do unto others as ye would that they do unto<br />
And then will come the day<br />
The crushed will rise, the bound will find release,<br />
And we shall know the blessedness of peace.<br />
Selected<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
mark."<br />
out"<br />
chain.''<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of May 29, 1955<br />
C.YjP.U. TOPIC<br />
for May 15, 1955<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood, Jr.<br />
GOD'S WILX. FOR MY LIFE<br />
Rom. 12:6-18<br />
1. We Know That God Has a Par<br />
ticular Plan for Every Life.<br />
EVERY LIFE.<br />
Because God has created us;<br />
food and aid to keep us alive;<br />
Only<br />
given us<br />
sent His<br />
Begotten Son with a plan of sal<br />
vation to save us; and prepared a man<br />
sion in heaven to keep us for eternity:<br />
we know He has a particular plan for<br />
the time we spend on earth. He wouldn't<br />
have planned all these other things so<br />
carefully without caring about what we<br />
did on earth.<br />
Because God told us quite plainly in<br />
Eph. 2 :10 that we are "created in Christ<br />
Jesus unto good works which God<br />
hath before ordained (or planned)<br />
we should walk in them"!<br />
that<br />
Because Christ told us of that plan.<br />
In Matt. 10:29-33 He told us that God<br />
had a plan for everything, even the<br />
sparrows, and that His particular plan<br />
for our lives begins with our salvation<br />
on the day we say, along<br />
with Paul,<br />
"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do"<br />
No other life can fulfil the plan which<br />
God has made for your life, and the<br />
man that misses God's plan for his life<br />
is like the wheel that's out of line in a<br />
big machine: it beats itself to pieces<br />
and damages the whole machine.<br />
2. Many People Miss God's<br />
Plan for Their Lives<br />
Thousands of people come and go like<br />
actors on the stage of earth without<br />
even trying to get in touch with God and<br />
His plan for them. Their lives "miss the<br />
They're uneasy<br />
and unhappy.<br />
And that was why God said; "Work out<br />
your own salvation with fear and trem<br />
bling, for it is God which worketh in you<br />
both to will and to do of his good plea<br />
sure."<br />
Watch for that plan, study to find<br />
it, pray for it, work for it, and wait for<br />
it, "with fear and trembling"<br />
lest you<br />
miss it. We should treasure every talent,<br />
guard every friendship, evaluate every<br />
influence and plan every year and day<br />
carefully because these are the means<br />
by which we must "work the plan<br />
of life which God has already made for<br />
us. These are the means by which He<br />
speaks to us to tell us where He wants<br />
us to be and what He wants us to do.<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
What a terrible thing if we missed any<br />
of His plan for our lives!<br />
Some miss God's plan because they're<br />
afraid to look for it<br />
afraid of what God<br />
might ask them to do. Others allow the<br />
wrong kind of friends or even their fam<br />
ily, to make them deaf to God's wishes<br />
and some allow a desire for wealth, a<br />
career, or social position, to blind them<br />
to God's plan. Some try to "choose their<br />
own calling"<br />
and find that the phrase<br />
contradicts itself. It's God who does the<br />
calling and the choosing and when we<br />
insist upon choosing our own path, we<br />
inevitably choose wrong. Christ has giv<br />
en us a very pointed command about<br />
this (see John 15:16).<br />
3. How Does God Reveal His Will<br />
for Our Lives<br />
1. God guides us by the Bible. First<br />
and most important is God's written<br />
manual of detailed instructions the<br />
Bible. Many "Christians" today say,<br />
"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do"<br />
and then never make any consistent ef<br />
fort to study God's Word to know what<br />
He's directing them to do. When we re<br />
ceive a letter of instruction from some<br />
one, we don't wait for some sudden tele<br />
gram or telephone call to tell us what to<br />
do, we read the letter first. But many<br />
people keep asking God for some super<br />
natural revelation from God concerning<br />
His will for their lives, without reading<br />
His letter of Instruction. (See Rom.<br />
12:1; II Tim. 2:15).<br />
2. God guides us by the Spirit. He can<br />
and does give us "a sanctified imagina<br />
tion,"<br />
and the Spirit of Truth, who has<br />
written the Bible, can act as our person<br />
al interpreter to explain its application<br />
to our individual lives. Paul explains one<br />
instance of this in Rom. 8:26.<br />
3. God guides us by circumstances. He<br />
doesn't usually send a deaf man to lead<br />
music; or a man who can't learn lan<br />
guages to a mission field. But this is not<br />
an infallible rule. The story around Josh.<br />
9:14 is an illustration of the WRONG<br />
way to consider circumstances. They<br />
must always be tested thoroughly in the<br />
test chambers of the Word and Prayer.<br />
4. What Must We Do to Find<br />
God's Will for Our Lives<br />
1. BELIEVE: Believe Eph. 2:10 just<br />
as much as Eph. 2:8. Believe that God<br />
has a detailed plan for your life and then<br />
look for it. Just as there's only one an<br />
swer to a mathematical problem, so<br />
there's only one plan for your life. Set<br />
yourself to find God's plan and watch<br />
2.<br />
for it at every stage of life.<br />
PRAY: God has promised the neces<br />
sary wisdom (Jas. 1:5). If we will pray<br />
regularly, trustfully, and expectantly,<br />
God will help us to see His plan for our<br />
lives.<br />
3. WILL: That is, determine to do<br />
God's will whenever it is made clear to<br />
you, whatever it might require of you.<br />
Christ said; "If any man will to do My<br />
will, he shall know . . When we begin<br />
to choose God's will instead of our own<br />
for our lives, then we will begin to<br />
know His will.<br />
4. BE DILIGENT with the task at<br />
hand: Some people insist that consecra<br />
tion can be measured in miles; i. e. the<br />
farther God sends you from home, the<br />
more consecrated you are. But Christ<br />
Commanded the disciples to work for<br />
Him "beginning at Jerusalem"<br />
where<br />
they were (Luke 24:47). God usually<br />
leaves a man right where he is after he<br />
has consecrated his life<br />
at least until<br />
he proves his sincerity and ability to<br />
handle some bigger task. Usually, God<br />
requires us to prove our diligence to<br />
witness at home with a dishcloth or a<br />
hammer or a school book, before sending<br />
us overseas as a missionary (I Cor. 10:<br />
31). See Gideon's example: Judges 6:<br />
11, 12.<br />
5. FOLLOW Him step by step<br />
throughout life: We should always be<br />
preparing ourselves to find Christ lead<br />
ing us on to something more. Someone<br />
has said; "The golden chain of God's<br />
great purpose for your life is woven of<br />
the single links which we lay hold of<br />
one at a time along the pathway of daily<br />
. . .<br />
opportunity The man who faithful<br />
ly picks up the links need never fear<br />
about missing the It was at this<br />
point too that God issued the warning<br />
in Prov. 29:18 and gave the promise in<br />
II Cor. 12 :9.<br />
FOR THE LEADER<br />
1. Outline with scripture God's plan<br />
for Salvation.<br />
2. Have someone share a CHARAC<br />
TER STUDY of Gideon showing how he<br />
found God's will for his life.<br />
3. Discuss what revelations of His<br />
will God has made for your own lives.<br />
Invite some older person to tell you how<br />
God has guided his life preferrably an<br />
elder in the congregation.<br />
PSALMS<br />
51:7-14, page 131<br />
23:<br />
119: page 287<br />
299
me."<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
For May 29, 1955<br />
SWEET WATER AND DAILY BREAD<br />
Mrs. Mildred L. Ramsey<br />
Cambridge, Mass.<br />
Scripture, Exodus 5:23-27; 16:11-36<br />
Memory verse: "But my God shall sup<br />
ply all your need according to His riches<br />
in glory by Christ<br />
Jesus."<br />
Phil. 4:19<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm 15, page 26<br />
Psalm 27:1-4, page 62<br />
Psalm 146: 1-3, 7, page 353<br />
Psalm 23:1-5, page 52<br />
References: Psalm 31:19; Deut. 2:7; I<br />
Kings 17:6; Psalm 115:12; Matt. 6:32, 33<br />
On your map locate Desert of Shur;<br />
Marah; Elim; Desert of Sin.<br />
Have you ever seen a magician doing<br />
tricks Perhaps you saw him turn a<br />
yellow scarf into a red one, or make<br />
some money disappear. No one believes<br />
magicians really do these things, but we<br />
know they are just clever at fooling us.<br />
In our topic today, God does some<br />
wonderful things we don't understand.<br />
Only God isn't fooling us. He never does.<br />
He can really do these wonderful things<br />
we call miracles. We must remember<br />
God made us and the world, and contin<br />
ues to control the world. Sometimes in<br />
the history of. man, He did things dif<br />
ferently from the ordinary way to re<br />
mind us of His power and glory.<br />
In this story of the deliverance of the<br />
children of Israel from Egypt, God per<br />
formed many wonderful miracles. He<br />
brought the plagues to the Egyptians;<br />
He led them by the pillar of cloud;<br />
and then most exciting of all, He parted<br />
the waters of the Red Sea,<br />
and let the<br />
Israelites march across to freedom, and<br />
drowned their enemies. How thrilled the<br />
Israelites must have been at these mira<br />
cles and how thankful! One would ex<br />
pect after these experiences that the<br />
Israelites would trust the Lord forever.<br />
Let us see what happened.<br />
The children of Israel began their<br />
journey to the land of Canaan. They had<br />
to cross the sandy desert of Shur and<br />
they had very little water. Every one<br />
was getting thirsty. Soon they came to a<br />
place called Marah, where they found a<br />
stream of clear running water. The peo<br />
ple were so happy until they tasted it.<br />
Alas it was bitter and they couldn't<br />
drink it! What did the people do then<br />
Did they say, "God will help<br />
us as He<br />
did before" No, they began to com<br />
plain to Moses, their leader. Did Moses<br />
know what to do Yes, he knew where<br />
to get help. He talked to God and God<br />
told him to cut down a tree nearby and<br />
throw it into the water. When Moses<br />
cast the tree into the water, it made the<br />
water sweet so the children of Israel<br />
300<br />
could drink all they wanted. How<br />
ashamed the Israelites must have been<br />
at their lack of faith in God!<br />
After this the Israelites rested for a<br />
while in the little oasis called Elim.<br />
They enjoyed the shade of the palm<br />
trees and water from good springs. They<br />
relaxed here after the rigors of traveling<br />
the hot sandy desert. But the time came<br />
for them to move on, so they folded up<br />
their tents and packed up and started<br />
into the desert again. They came into<br />
another wild desert country, called the<br />
desert of Sin, reaching towards Mt.<br />
Sinai. They had been traveling for weeks<br />
now, and the grain and other food sup<br />
plies the people had brought with them<br />
were almost gone. Again Moses hears<br />
the people complaining. They wish they<br />
had never left Egypt. They think they<br />
will die of hunger. They are thinking<br />
that they had food to eat in Egypt, but<br />
f<strong>org</strong>et how cruel the Egyptians were to<br />
them. But Moses had more faith than<br />
his people. He knew God would not for<br />
get them. He said, "Wait and see. This<br />
evening the Lord will give you fresh<br />
meat and in the morning fresh bread<br />
from heaven. Then you will know that<br />
it was the Lord<br />
not Aaron' and I who<br />
brought you out of the Land of Egypt."<br />
Sure enough, that evening flocks of<br />
quail flew over the camp and the people<br />
caught them and cooked them for sup<br />
per. Then in the morning they found<br />
small white things like seeds with the<br />
dew on the ground. They called it Man<br />
na. This means "What is it" for no one<br />
knew exactly what it was. But they soon<br />
found it was good to eat and to cook.<br />
God had provided for them again. There<br />
was thanksgiving among the children of<br />
Israel and wonder at the provisions of<br />
their God.<br />
God gave several interesting rules<br />
about the use of this Manna. They were<br />
to gather only enough for one day be<br />
cause it would spoil in the desert heat if<br />
kept overnight. Of course some people<br />
tried to keep it more than a day and it<br />
became wormy and bad smelling. Only<br />
on the sixth day, the people were to<br />
gather twice as much so that they would<br />
not have to work on the Sabbath Day.<br />
This time it did not spoil because God<br />
had commanded it so. God kept it sweet<br />
and good to eat. Later Moses and Aaron<br />
filled a bowl with manna and kept it to<br />
show their grandchildren. God kept this<br />
from spoiling too, and the Israelites<br />
saved it for hundreds of years. They<br />
wanted the Israelites to remember for<br />
ever how God cared for His people the<br />
forty long years they traveled in the<br />
wilderness.<br />
As we read these stories of God's care<br />
for the children of Israel, we are very<br />
disappointed in them for their lack of<br />
faith and their ingratitude. We keep<br />
thinking if we had been there we would<br />
have trusted God to care for us, and<br />
praised Him for the miracles. But be<br />
fore we criticize these people, let us find<br />
out how many of us have ever been<br />
thirsty on a desert or afraid we would<br />
die of hunger. No, nearly all of us have<br />
comfortable homes and plenty to eat,<br />
and parents or friends to help us. How<br />
do we show our gratitude for God's daily<br />
care over us How do we let others see<br />
our faith in Him when things go wrong<br />
It is easy to trust and smile when our<br />
lives have fallen in pleasant places. Let<br />
us learn from the Israelites something.<br />
to remember when we are in difficulties.<br />
First our memory verse shows us that<br />
God will supply every need<br />
not every<br />
whim or desire. God did not provide<br />
Manna to the Israelites until their other<br />
food was gone. Then He provided it for<br />
forty years. He filled their special need<br />
as He will fill ours. Just let us come to<br />
Him in prayer as Moses did.<br />
Second, we must obey God's rules. The<br />
manna spoiled when the people kept it<br />
against God's laws. God gives us cer<br />
tain rules of health and behavior. The<br />
results can be disastrous for us if we<br />
break these rules.<br />
Finally, God expects us to do our part.<br />
Even the Israelites had to gather their<br />
manna. God expects us to put "legs" un<br />
der our prayers. God will not do for us<br />
things we can do for ourselves.<br />
As we compare our lives to those of<br />
the children of Israel, "Let us make a<br />
joyful noise unto the Lord" for His good<br />
ness to us, for the daily blessings we re<br />
ceive from Him who is the source of<br />
"every good and perfect gift."<br />
have quiet trust and faith too, for dif<br />
May we<br />
ficulties that may lie ahead, remember<br />
ing that as the Lord cared for the Is<br />
raelites in the wilderness for forty years,<br />
He will watch over us too. "Yea, though<br />
I walk through the valley of the shadow<br />
of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art<br />
with me, Thy rod and Thy staff they<br />
comfort<br />
Questions:<br />
1. Name all the miracles you can re<br />
member that the Lord performed in de<br />
livering and caring for the children of<br />
Israel.<br />
2. Why did the people of Israel not<br />
trust the Lord after all He had done for<br />
them Why do we not trust Him more<br />
3. Why did the children of Israel re<br />
ceive no manna on the seventh day<br />
What can we learn from this<br />
4. What did Moses do every time they<br />
seemed to be in trouble<br />
5. List some of the people who care<br />
for and protect you.<br />
6. Have you ever been afraid Did you<br />
pray then Tell the others about it.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS-
earth."<br />
wash."<br />
For Your Notebook:<br />
Imagine you were traveling<br />
with the<br />
children of Israel and make a list of all<br />
the things that made you happy<br />
the things that made you sad.<br />
SABBATH<br />
SCHOOL LESSON<br />
May 29, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
and all<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons foz<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by International<br />
Council of Religious Education.)<br />
HEZEKIAH MEETS A CRISIS<br />
2 Chronicles 31-32, Isaiah 36-39<br />
Printed, 2 Chronicles 32:1-8, 32, 33.<br />
Memory: Psalm 124:8: "Our help is in<br />
the name of the Lord, who made heaven<br />
and<br />
We have the story of today's lesson<br />
from two sources; we follow it as it is<br />
recorded in the Bible. We can find it<br />
also inscribed on Assyrian monuments.<br />
The difference in the records is not a<br />
difference of viewpoint, but a desire on<br />
the part of Assyria to praise her own<br />
valor, recording only her victories. The<br />
inspired story does not spare the leaders<br />
or the people by seeking to cover up<br />
their sins, failures or defeats. The As<br />
syrian story is almost true in what it re<br />
lates, and it bears testimony to the truth<br />
of the Bible record.<br />
As we learned last week, Hezekiah,<br />
when he had strengthened the defences<br />
of Judah against their enemies, and ren<br />
ovated the Temple, proceeded to <strong>org</strong>an<br />
ize the priests for the Temple service,<br />
and renewed the Passover that had been<br />
neglected for many years. Today we see<br />
some of the results of this reform.<br />
The Quality of the Revival<br />
2 Chron. 31:1<br />
When the call for the Passover was<br />
issued, there was a movement in the<br />
hearts of the people. In the midst of<br />
their idolatries, they<br />
were oppressed and<br />
disheartened. Hezekiah's work and call<br />
to them inspired new hope and longing<br />
for the "Old Time Religion." Many, sod<br />
den in their rebellion and sin, scoffed.<br />
There must have been much conversa<br />
tion, encouragement and prayer to per<br />
suade some of the faint hearted to un<br />
dertake the journey. After weeks<br />
preparation a great host gathered. It<br />
was no longer a divided religion, but a<br />
united worship<br />
nations.<br />
of<br />
of the One God of all<br />
When the excitement of this great<br />
gathering was over, they did not f<strong>org</strong>et.<br />
The worship was restored and priests<br />
appointed in every city, and the people<br />
went to their new homes with a new<br />
purpose. They broke down the idols.<br />
With this renewed sense of unity, they<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
were better prepared to face the Assyr<br />
ians.<br />
The Boast of Sennacherib<br />
The story in 2 Chron. is very brief.<br />
It is told in much greater detail in 2<br />
Kings 18-20, and in Isaiah 36-39. Sargon<br />
was the King of Assyria, Sennacherib<br />
was his general, and Sanballat his<br />
spokesman. Sargon and his officers were<br />
cruel, arrogant and had no mercy. When<br />
they captured, they killed the old and<br />
the worthless, and carried off the best<br />
for slaves.<br />
Sennacherib had by-passed Jerusalem<br />
and occupied Phillistia on the west<br />
southward. Samaria on the north was al<br />
ready his vassal and Judah was paying<br />
high tribute from the time of Ahaz.<br />
Sennacherib wanted to take Jerusalem<br />
without a struggle. So he approached<br />
with a mighty army, and sent letters de<br />
manding and threatening. He not only<br />
defied the power of Judah, but belittled<br />
and insulted the God of Israel, counting<br />
him as but one of the many gods whose<br />
worshipers he had conquered. When he<br />
did not get the action that he desired<br />
from Hezekiah, he sent loud-mouthed<br />
Sanballat to shout his insulting mes<br />
sage and threats to the people on the<br />
walls, who would tell it to all in the<br />
city. Thus he thought to frighten the<br />
people into submission and take the city<br />
undestroyed.<br />
Hezekiah's Declaration of Independence<br />
Now the Declaration of Independence<br />
Hezekiah took the insulting letters to<br />
Isaiah and spread them out before the<br />
Lord. The insults were indeed against<br />
the Lord, and the Lord took charge of<br />
the matter as He always does. Hezekiah<br />
did not remain idle. He took every pre<br />
caution that was in his power. He took<br />
council with his leaders. To deprive the<br />
invaders of water, he stopped the foun<br />
tains. This strategy is made clear by re<br />
cent discoveries.<br />
A water tunnel has<br />
been found, cut through the solid rock<br />
from springs just outside the city on<br />
the north, passing into the city. An in<br />
scription on the wall inside this tunnel<br />
shows that it was built by Hezekiah.<br />
They could fill these springs with stone,<br />
cover them over so they could not be<br />
seen, and let the water run through into<br />
the city. Then they<br />
strengthened the<br />
walls and the towers, and prepared the<br />
army for the siege.<br />
Now the Declaration of Independance<br />
came from the Lord to Isaiah. We are<br />
not told that it was eventually delivered<br />
to Sennacherib, but as it was in part<br />
concerning him and his army, and in<br />
answer to his insulting threats, it was<br />
probably so delivered. The defeat that<br />
the Lord promised was fully realized.<br />
Sennacherib led the remnant of his de<br />
feated army back to Damascus, and his<br />
own sons killed him. Probably they<br />
thought that the disgrace of such an<br />
overwhelming defeat could be erased in<br />
no other way. A Japanese officer would<br />
have saved his friends the trouble.<br />
The Death of Hezekiah. 2 Chron. 32:<br />
32,33; Isaiah 38.<br />
Hezekiah was sick unto death with a<br />
(malignant) boil. He was promised life.<br />
He asked for a sign, and it was given;<br />
the shadow was turned back ten de<br />
grees on the dial of Ahaz. The creator<br />
of the universe can readjust it without<br />
upsetting its ordinary working. We do<br />
not need to fret ourselves about how<br />
the Lord performed this feat, or length<br />
ened the day for Joshua. We might<br />
notice, however, that in this case that<br />
it was the shadow that turned back.<br />
Did you ever see a mirage I did. I<br />
saw one, that while I do not suppose it<br />
was exceptional, would easily have turn<br />
ed back the shadow of a setting sun<br />
perhaps nearly ten degrees.<br />
Isaiah applied a poultice of figs to<br />
the boil, and it was healed. We under<br />
stand that there was an immediate, mir<br />
aculous healing, but the ordinary means<br />
were applied; even Christ<br />
in almost<br />
every case used them in the miracles of<br />
healing. Today, we hasten to the apoth<br />
ecary and for a large price secure a<br />
complicated concoction that is almost as<br />
good as the poultice that Grandmother<br />
used to make in her own kitchen. We<br />
have such faith in the apothecary's art,<br />
that we feel no need to ask God to per<br />
form tht mysterious miracle in us that<br />
means healing.<br />
In historic words, Hezekiah trusted<br />
God and kept his powder dry. God<br />
works miracles, but for some good rea<br />
son. He gives the one who is to be bene<br />
fited some work to do. Christ said, "Go<br />
"Get up and "Stretch walk."<br />
out<br />
your hand." The great draught of fishes<br />
did not jump into the boat.<br />
And at last when this great man died<br />
the fact is stated in words that might<br />
have told of the death of king or peas<br />
ant, rich or poor, saint or sinner. He<br />
died and was buried. The manner of the<br />
burial may differ, but death has no<br />
favorites. That is the physical story of<br />
death. With the soul, it is vastly differ<br />
ent.<br />
Hezekiah was followed on the throne<br />
by his son, whose sin and repentence<br />
we will study next week.<br />
It is not the fact that a man has rich<br />
es which keeps him from the kingdom<br />
of heaven, but the fact that the riches<br />
have him.<br />
(David Caird)<br />
301
condemned."<br />
man."<br />
generation."<br />
on."<br />
cursing."<br />
repo<br />
and'<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
The Unbridled Tongue<br />
James 8:1-12.<br />
M. K. Carson, D. D.<br />
Psalms: 34:7-10, page 80;<br />
141:1-4, page 344;<br />
140:1-2, page 343;<br />
145:12-13, page 351.<br />
References: Rom. 3:14; 10:9-10; Eph.<br />
4:29; 6:19; 4:15; Ezekiel 33:31; Col.<br />
3:8; Ps. 51:14; Luke 6:45; Proverbs<br />
10:20; 12:18; 15:2-4; 16:1; 18:21; 21:23,<br />
Ps. 52:2.<br />
As we study this Epistle, let us ever<br />
remember that a man is justified by<br />
faith without the deeds of the law.<br />
(Rom. 3:24-28). Good works can never<br />
be the "ground" of our justification. But<br />
they have their place, for as has been<br />
said, we are saved by faith alone, but<br />
the kind of faith that saves is never<br />
alone. (Eph. 2:8-10). This true and liv<br />
ing faith produces fruits. Among these<br />
"fruits"<br />
is the right use of the tongue.<br />
"Let me see your tongue." If the doc<br />
tor can tell us something about our<br />
physical condition by looking at our<br />
tongues, we shpuld be able to learn<br />
something about our spiritual condition<br />
as we "look" at this portion of God's<br />
Word.<br />
"Be not many of you teachers." (3:1<br />
R.V.) Yet most of us are teachers in<br />
the home, church, school or elsewhere.<br />
We cannot escape it. And we do not<br />
want to escape it for teaching is a noble<br />
work if it is done for the glory of God.<br />
But it is a work which carries a heavy<br />
responsibility with it. "For by thy<br />
words thou shalt be justified and by<br />
thy words thou shalt be<br />
(Matt. 12:36-37). The man who speaks<br />
only<br />
when he should speak what he<br />
should speak and in the way that he<br />
should speak is truly a "perfect<br />
"We all oftentimes offend;<br />
and of those<br />
frequent offences, sins of the tongue are<br />
so weighty<br />
a part and so constant a<br />
cause, that he who is free from them<br />
may be said to be perfect . . "able<br />
also to bridle the whole body." (3:2).<br />
We admire a great teacher like Dr.<br />
Robert Dick Wilson, who was constrain<br />
ed by his conscience and convictions to<br />
withdraw from Princeton where he had<br />
been an outstanding professor for thirty<br />
years. A few days before his death, he<br />
congratulated the students of Westmin<br />
ster Seminary that they had been "given<br />
faith and courage to stand up for Jesus<br />
in the midst of a faithless<br />
The Lord gives us each one the faith<br />
and courage to use our power of speech<br />
in witnessing for Jesus in this genera<br />
tion which seems to be even more faith<br />
less than 1930.<br />
302<br />
The unbridled tongue is lawless<br />
"But the tongue can no man tame;<br />
it is an unruly evil, full of deadly pois<br />
Our tongues need to be controlled.<br />
Two illustrations are used, the horse<br />
and the ship. The horse, many times<br />
stronger than the driver or rider is<br />
controlled by<br />
the use of a bit in the<br />
mouth of the horse. The bit is very<br />
necessary in the breaking of a young<br />
and unruly horse. But with the bit the<br />
horse is controlled and is made useable.<br />
The "very small helm" enables the gov<br />
ernor to guide the large ship. And it is<br />
quite an achievement to bring the ship<br />
into the dock, especially if the water is<br />
rough. How useless both the horse and<br />
the ship are if they cannot be control<br />
led! How necessary it is that our tongues<br />
be controlled! Is an unbridled tongue an<br />
evidence of a true and living faith or<br />
the lack of such a faith This warning<br />
is often found with a new fountain pen.<br />
"When this pen flows too freely it is<br />
a sign that it is nearly empty and should<br />
be filled." Are uncontrolled tongues an<br />
evidence of empty hearts Psalm 39:1-3.<br />
The unbridled tongue is destructive<br />
The tongue may be a small member,<br />
but it can cause great destruction. This<br />
was true in the first century. But the<br />
influence of the tongue for either good<br />
or evil is even greater in these days of<br />
the telephone, radio and television. It<br />
does not take very much to start a very<br />
destructive fire. Many lives, much prop<br />
erty and thousands of acres of the finest<br />
timber have been destroyed because<br />
some one was careless with a match. So<br />
there are many warnings along<br />
our<br />
highways about the dangers of fire, es<br />
pecially where there are valuable forests<br />
and great fire hazards. The tongue is<br />
like a fire and may be very destructive.<br />
for there are always "fire hazards" for<br />
the tongue. "Behold, how great a matter<br />
(forest) a little fire kindleth!" Most of<br />
us are very conscious of the danger of<br />
fire. Are we as conscious of the danger<br />
ous fires which may be caused by our<br />
tongues In contrast with the greatness<br />
of the fire is the smallness of the first<br />
spark. Who can estimate the serious<br />
damage which is often caused by a word<br />
from an unbridled tongue During the<br />
days of the war there was a poster<br />
with the picture of a ship being de<br />
stroyed and both the soldiers and the<br />
sailors being lost. The caption on the<br />
poster was,<br />
"SOMEBODY TALKED."<br />
Some one had revealed some secret in<br />
formation which made it possible for<br />
the enemy to locate the transport. Are<br />
we giving aid to the enemy by the way<br />
we use our tongues How far-reaching<br />
is the effect of one's words life or<br />
death! Paul uttered a very important<br />
and sometimes difficult obligation when<br />
he commanded us to speak the truth in<br />
love. Such a practice could turn a de<br />
structive tongue into a constructive<br />
power for good. We have the power of<br />
speech, may we use it for the glory of<br />
God!<br />
The unbridled tongue is inconsistent<br />
'Therewith bless we God, even the<br />
Father; and therewith curse we men . .<br />
Out of the same mouth proceedeth<br />
blessing and (3:9-10). Do we<br />
find such things in nature What about<br />
the fountain Or do we expect olive<br />
berries from a fig tree No tree can<br />
bring<br />
forth fruit inconsistent with its<br />
nature. If the fountain did send forth<br />
at the same place both sweet water<br />
and bitter it would not be long until<br />
the fresh water would lose its charac<br />
ter. The consistent use of his tongue en<br />
abled James Renwick, the last Scottish<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> martyr to suffer death by<br />
public execution upon the scaffold, to<br />
utter his last words, "Lord, into Thy<br />
hand I commit my spirit, for Thou hast<br />
redeemed me, Lord God<br />
(Luke 23:34; Acts 7:59-60).<br />
of<br />
Truth"<br />
Augustine said, "He (James) does not<br />
say that no man can tame the tongue,<br />
but no one of men; so that, when it is<br />
tamed, we confess that this is brought<br />
about by the pity, the help, the graceof<br />
God." Lord give us power to control<br />
our tongues. "Consistency thou art a<br />
jewel!"<br />
Questions<br />
How can we bridle our tongues Mat<br />
thew 12:34-35; Luke 6:45.<br />
2. How is this subject of the "Tongue"<br />
related to the Ninth Commandment<br />
See Larger Catechism, Questions 144<br />
and 145.<br />
Prayer<br />
For the Lord's f<strong>org</strong>iveness for the<br />
times we have used our tongues in the<br />
wrong way and for power to control<br />
them.<br />
For the various Boards of the Church<br />
and for the meeting of Synod.<br />
For the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Crusader Corps:<br />
and our summer C.Y.P.U. Camps.<br />
SCOREBOARD<br />
The State Board of Health<br />
that during 19<strong>54</strong> in Kansas there was:<br />
A birth every ten minutes.<br />
A death every 27 minutes.<br />
A marriage every 30 minutes.<br />
A divorce every hour and 40 minutes.<br />
A heart disease death every hour and<br />
20 minutes.<br />
A cancer death every 3<br />
10 minutes.<br />
hours and<br />
An accidental death every 6 hours.<br />
An infant death every six hours<br />
30 minutes.<br />
A motor-vehicle fatality every 14<br />
hours.<br />
A pneumonia death every 21 hours.<br />
A suicide every 36 hours.<br />
A tuberculosis death every 72 hours.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
Church News<br />
SECOND NOTICE<br />
NOTICE : Synod's Co-ordinating Com<br />
mittee is called to meet in the Geneva<br />
College Library, Beaver Falls, Pa.,<br />
June 8, 10:00 A. M. EDST.<br />
WANTED<br />
M. W. Dougherty, Chairman<br />
SAN DD3GO<br />
V.B|S. Teachers! If you're<br />
going to be in our area this summer and<br />
would like to help in V.B.S., we can<br />
put your talents to good use! Our<br />
school runs for two weeks, June 27<br />
through July 8, followed a week later<br />
by<br />
our Conference at Hume Lake in<br />
the Sequoias. So, here's a chance for<br />
two worth-while events.<br />
We'll probably haye to limit attend<br />
ance at our V.B.S. to 150, both because<br />
of lack of teachers and lack of space.<br />
If you would like to help as one of the<br />
teachers, please write our Director, Mrs.<br />
J. D. Edgar, 10140 Crestview Heights<br />
La Mesa, California, at once. We can<br />
promise board and room for the time<br />
you're here. The Lord will pay the<br />
balance of the remuneration.<br />
FOR SALE<br />
Does your church need a<br />
fine new lighted outdoor bulletin board<br />
This is one of the prizes we won in the<br />
S. S. Attendance Contest last fall. Since<br />
we already had one, we'd like to sell<br />
this one and put the money into our<br />
Building Fund for our much needed ad<br />
ditional S.S. classrooms. Your church<br />
name will be lettered on a lighted glass<br />
panel. We also have a fine new 40"x40"<br />
Screenmaster Projection Screen, tripod<br />
style, for sale. This was another of our<br />
prizes and its sale price will also go<br />
into our Building Fund. If you can use<br />
either of these items<br />
who can<br />
right away!<br />
or know anyone<br />
please get in touch with us<br />
TOPEKA<br />
We are greatful indeed to Dr. John<br />
Coleman who conducted our services on<br />
the 10th of April and also brought help<br />
ful messages in our preparatory services<br />
April 13, 14, 15, climaxed by communion<br />
services on the 17th. It was a week full<br />
of blessings. We were glad to welcome<br />
into our membership by<br />
profession of<br />
faith Harold and Martha McKinney and<br />
Fred Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mc<br />
Kinney and their children Karen Sue<br />
and Rodney received the sacrament of<br />
baptism at the Friday evening prepara<br />
tory services. This Sacrament was per<br />
formed by Dr. Taggart, assisted by Dr.<br />
Coleman.<br />
May 11, 1955<br />
The following were elected to fill<br />
church offices<br />
for the coming year:<br />
Chairman, Wilmer Piper; Vice Chair<br />
man, Lloyd McElroy; Secretary, Rober<br />
ta McElroy; Treasurer, Herbert Davies;<br />
Precentor, Dr. W. O. Martin; Assistant<br />
Precentor, Albert Crane; <strong>Witness</strong> Cor<br />
respondent, Mrs. Elizabeth Maine; Social<br />
Chairman, Louise Calhoun.<br />
NEW ALEXANDRIA NOTES<br />
Sally Shaw, daughter of Mr. and<br />
Mrs. W. Steele Shaw of New Alexan<br />
dria was capped on March 11, 1955 at<br />
the Allegheny General Hospital School<br />
of Nursing. Sally is taking the five<br />
year course and completed two years<br />
at Pennsylvania College for Women be<br />
fore entering the Allegheny General<br />
Hospital School of Nursing.<br />
STERLING NEWS<br />
Dr. and Mrs. F. L. Stewart of Olathe<br />
were welcome guests in our communi<br />
ty the week end of April 10, while<br />
Dr. Stewart gave us wonderful ser<br />
mons at our spring communion.<br />
William Joseph, four months old son<br />
of Joe and Roberta McFarland, was<br />
baptized April 9 by his grandfather, Dr.<br />
A. J. McFarland.<br />
Others home for communion were<br />
Mr. Ralph Snair, and Mr.<br />
and Mrs.<br />
Howard Mann, Wichita; Mr. and Mrs.<br />
W. Edgar of Burdett; Miss Lulu Tippin,<br />
of Otis, Mrs. Allan Marshall of Sylvia;<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Joe McFarland of Turon;<br />
and Marjorie Humphreys and Jean and<br />
Alice Edgar of Hutchinson.<br />
Mr. Robert McCrory, treasurer of our<br />
congregation, is the current president<br />
of the Rice County Farm Bureau.<br />
John McFarland, senior, and David<br />
Kilpatrick, sophomore, are leading<br />
Sterling High in tennis. Larry Oline,<br />
senior President won a superior rating<br />
at the State this year on his bass horn<br />
solo.<br />
Present teachers in our Sabbath<br />
School are: Mrs. Clara Martin, David<br />
Kilpatrick, Diane Oline,<br />
Mary Hum<br />
phreys, Zetta Wilkey, and Evelyn Mor<br />
ley. Sam Wilkey will relieve David Kil<br />
patrick in June.<br />
Mr. Karl Cunningham of Gypsum has<br />
been elected president of the Saline<br />
County<br />
Teachers Association for next<br />
year, and Mrs. A.<br />
J. McFarland, the<br />
president of Rice County Teachers As<br />
sociation.<br />
Eldo McFarland, conductor of the<br />
Junior Choir, entertained the choir<br />
members and their guests at a skating<br />
party at the Sterling College Recreation<br />
Hall recently. Twenty-five friends en<br />
joyed this fine evening of skating, fel<br />
lowship and refreshments. We appre<br />
ciate their music leadership many even<br />
ings.<br />
Mrs. Mary Moore accompanied Dr.<br />
and Mrs. A. J. McFarland to Wichita<br />
April 17 to visit their cousin Mrs. Clar<br />
ence Milligan of Hebron, who is a pa<br />
tient in the St. Elizabeth Hospital.<br />
The Rev. J. D. Edgar, D.D., of San<br />
Diego, California, spoke twice in our<br />
services April 17.<br />
Miss Esther Dill entertained the Dill<br />
relatives at a dinner in the College<br />
Banquet Hall Tuesday evening, April<br />
26, honoring five of her friends from<br />
the Welfare Board of Oskaloosa where<br />
Esther labored for several years.<br />
Mrs. Margaret Taylor is back at<br />
church after sustaining<br />
jury.<br />
a bad knee in<br />
FROM "TRADITIONS OF THE<br />
COVENANTERS"<br />
By Rev. Robert Simpson D.D.,<br />
Sanquhar, Scotland<br />
James Glendenning "then brought a<br />
Bible from the shelf, and, placing it on<br />
the table, said : "There is one duty which<br />
besides many others we have heretofore<br />
neglected<br />
I mean family worship; it is<br />
my intention, therefore, to perform that<br />
duty this evening.<br />
"This service is a duty which no one<br />
who has any regard for the divine honor,<br />
and regard for personal responsibility, or<br />
any concern for the spiritual welfare of<br />
a family, can possibly omit. The religion<br />
of that household in which God is not<br />
worshiped is either extinct or greatly on<br />
the wane *<br />
* * Who can tell how much<br />
of the disorder, unhappiness, and pover<br />
ty which prevail in many a household<br />
may be owing to the neglect of this<br />
duty While, on the other hand, the har<br />
mony and prosperity with which other<br />
families are blessed may, through the di<br />
vine favor, be mainly attributed to the<br />
conscientious performance of this duty."<br />
Free Methodist<br />
"A MAN CALLED PETER"<br />
NOW A MOVIE<br />
By S. L. M<strong>org</strong>an, Sr., Wake Forest, N. C.<br />
For once, I hail with confidence and<br />
joy the coming of a great religious mov<br />
ie, A Man Called Peter, which is to be<br />
released "shortly after Easter." This is<br />
the information just received from Mrs.<br />
Peter Marshall, author of the now fa<br />
mous best-seller, A Man Called Peter-.<br />
Sixteen months ago she wrote to me<br />
as one of the 1,800 who, she said, had<br />
written her their high evaluation of her<br />
book. That letter was an urgent appeal<br />
to her "friends" to send up a "veritable<br />
303
prayer"<br />
experience."<br />
movie."<br />
glad."<br />
years!"<br />
world."<br />
tidal wave of<br />
while she was in<br />
Hollywood, that the moving message of<br />
her book might become the heart also<br />
of the movie, to carry its message to the<br />
heart of America. In the letter just re<br />
ceived she says, "Someday, I hope to be<br />
able to tell in detail the exciting story<br />
of what prayer did for the<br />
As technical adviser for the screen<br />
play in Hollywood, she went through<br />
some "bad<br />
moments,"<br />
when she saw the<br />
producers "on the verge of very wrong<br />
decisions."<br />
Her faith often "wavered and<br />
faltered"; how was God to guide those<br />
who often were not even aware of Him,<br />
and who perhaps did not even seek His<br />
guidance<br />
"With Complete Integrity"<br />
But, she writes, "On January 21 in<br />
Hollywood, 80 clergymen Protestant,<br />
Jewish, and Catholic<br />
saw the rough-cut<br />
version of this movie. Their overwhelm<br />
ing reaction was, 'We didn't think Holly<br />
wood could do it!' " She is overwhelmed,<br />
she says, with gratitude that the spirit<br />
of the book is so faithfully carried<br />
through in the movie; that Richard<br />
Todd impersonates Peter Marshall "with<br />
complete integrity"; and that "big<br />
chunks"<br />
of Marshall's sermons in his<br />
own words are spoken on the screen<br />
this "for the first time in motion-pic<br />
ture history." She herself saw it March<br />
7 in New York "an awe-inspiring and<br />
humbling<br />
In her letter dated March 15 she again<br />
appeals for a tidal wave of prayer that,<br />
as Peter again preaches to vast audi<br />
ences across the land, God will open the<br />
hearts of the people to receive the mes<br />
sage.<br />
United Presbyterian<br />
RISING TIDE OF EVANGELISM<br />
NEW KORK CITY, April 2 This<br />
Easter, when Americans will traditional<br />
ly throng to worship services in their<br />
greatest numbers, the nation's churches<br />
will welcome more new members than<br />
ever before in history, according to the<br />
Rev. Berlyn Farris, executive director<br />
of the Department of Evangelism of the<br />
National Council of Churches.<br />
"The Lenten Season of 1955 will see<br />
more persons uniting with the Christian<br />
churches of America than in any other<br />
similar time," he declared. "A rising tide<br />
of religious interest and evangelistic ac<br />
tivity<br />
on the part of the churches, and<br />
particularly of the laity, can point to<br />
this."<br />
nothing less than<br />
Dr. Charles "Chuck" Templeton, na<br />
tionally known evangelist who has travel<br />
ed in 26 states during the past 12 months<br />
said he has seen "unmistakable evidence<br />
of the greatest interest, in evangelism in<br />
my<br />
memory."<br />
Speaking<br />
as evangelism<br />
secretary of the 2,000,000-member Pres<br />
byterian Church, USA, Dr. Templeton<br />
said that last year his<br />
304<br />
denomination<br />
"had the greatest results from its evan<br />
gelistic program in all its history." He<br />
predicted that the trend will carry into<br />
this year.<br />
Some 90,000,000 persons in the U.S.<br />
are enrolled as members of Christian<br />
churches an all-time high. Of these,<br />
2,500,000 joined the church during the<br />
past year. Another 35,000,000 chiefly<br />
children and young people belong to<br />
Sunday Schools. The Religious Newsweekly<br />
On Easter this year the churches of<br />
the United States were attended by a<br />
greater number of people than ever be<br />
fore in the history of this nation or any<br />
other. This at least is the opinion ex<br />
pressed in a recent issue of the popular<br />
weekly magazine,<br />
"Newsweek."<br />
In its<br />
survey of religion in the nation as of<br />
"Newsweek"<br />
the present time,<br />
said in<br />
part :<br />
"The resurrection was celebrated<br />
in the nation's churches by some ninety<br />
million persons, the highest church-go<br />
ing percentage of total population in the<br />
country's history. Some fifty-seven per<br />
cent of all Americans (paid) homage be<br />
fore some altar to the risen Christ; a<br />
century ago it was only sixteen per cent.<br />
This fourfold -expansion cannot be dis<br />
missed as an empty statistic. Rather, it<br />
apparently symbolizes a steady growth<br />
of America's belief in God, and an in<br />
creasing desire to participate in the life<br />
of His churches. American church mem<br />
bership since the turn of the century has<br />
increased more than twice as fast as the<br />
population. But even the numerical<br />
growth has been overshadowed in recent<br />
years by the obvious vigor and scope of<br />
America's religious life. If the United<br />
States is undergoing a genuine religious<br />
revival<br />
that it is<br />
and there is every indication<br />
the rebirth is one which has<br />
been fostered by preacher and parishion<br />
er together in unprecedented co-opera<br />
tion to spread the Word of God." We can<br />
be grateful that as Bishop Kennedy of<br />
the Methodist Church expresses it,<br />
"Something has happened! Something<br />
tremendous!"<br />
Let us hope that it is still<br />
happening<br />
every day.<br />
not on Easter day alone, but<br />
Influencing Our Little Ones<br />
"When we go dead, then we are going<br />
to live again. That makes us<br />
Thus spoke four-year-old Johnnie<br />
writer's little nephew.<br />
the<br />
"When we die that's the end of us,"<br />
said a niece, nicknamed "Johnnie," who<br />
is ten years old. These two Johnnies<br />
belong to the same Christian communi<br />
ty. And yet how different!<br />
The ten-year-old "Johnnie"<br />
the case with the younger Johnnie<br />
as was<br />
did<br />
not give expression to views which ori<br />
ginated with her personally. She voiced<br />
the religion of her larger surroundings.<br />
The ten-year-old has been exposed to<br />
non-Christian influence. The stamp of<br />
the world has been impressed upon her<br />
young soul. As a natural reflex the<br />
language of the world flows from her<br />
lips.<br />
Another True Story<br />
A boy had attended a certain school<br />
up to the fourth grade. In this school<br />
the Bible was honored. Then his pa<br />
rents moved, and the boy went to<br />
another school. One day, in Spelling,<br />
the word "create" was in the word<br />
list. The class was asked to use the<br />
word in a sentence. The new boy held<br />
up his hand and said: "God created<br />
the This was met by a telling<br />
smile from the teacher, and the whole<br />
class burst out laughing. (Fourth grade,<br />
"Well,"<br />
mind you!) said the teacher,<br />
"there are still some who believe that."<br />
No subject not even Spelling is<br />
safe in the hands of an unbelieving<br />
teacher. Ridicule on the part of the<br />
teacher and classmates is a deadly wea<br />
pon of destruction. Who can stand under<br />
its withering effects in more mature<br />
years <br />
How many children of the King are<br />
exposed to the attack of the enemy<br />
while at school<br />
Know this: a child<br />
of the King taught by worldly teach<br />
ing is royalty set up as a target in<br />
easy range of the enemy.<br />
"To mispronounce a word is a griev<br />
ous blunder, to misquote an author is<br />
a crime<br />
but to put a kink in a stu<br />
dent's thinking is to tamper with his<br />
eternal destiny."<br />
Stearns<br />
National Association of Christian<br />
Schools, <strong>54</strong>2 S. Dearborn St., Chicago<br />
5, Illinois.<br />
THE GREAT COMMANDMENT<br />
A Slaveholder had committed the care<br />
of one of his teams to a faithful slave<br />
for some years; at last one of them died.<br />
While the slave was burying the faithful<br />
animal, the other horse came across the<br />
field and stood by, watching the opera<br />
tion as a silent mourner.<br />
The master said to the slave, "I be<br />
lieve Dick loved Billy." Instantly the<br />
slave replied, '"Course he did, Massa;<br />
why they pulled together for twenty<br />
It is the pulling together of the<br />
various Christian forces against the<br />
common enemy and for a common cause<br />
that will unite the hearts of the follow<br />
ers of the Master.<br />
J. W. Knopp, D.D.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
anger"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 5, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1955 NUMBER 20<br />
THE ATOM BURSTS ITS SWADDLING CLOTHES AND MANIFESTS THE ALMIGHTY POWER OF ITS<br />
CREATOR. "Who knoweth the power of thine Psalm 90:11 Topeka Capital photo
made."<br />
efficient."<br />
wisdom."<br />
stand"<br />
century,"<br />
good"<br />
year,"<br />
manger."<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
NATURE'S SWADDLING CLOTHES<br />
God's Arguments Versus the Atheists'<br />
Sales Resistance<br />
"There are no atheists in the Fox-holes," said<br />
the G.I.s in the World Wars.<br />
"There are no atheists among the nuclear scien<br />
tists not a single<br />
one,"<br />
says Col. John D. Craig, a<br />
former Army man Commissioned by the government<br />
to photograph the atomic explosions at the original<br />
Bikini and Eniwetok tests.<br />
"There are no atheists among the nuclear scien<br />
tists not a single one. When they succeeded in split<br />
ting the atom, they realized for the first time man<br />
had stepped into the realm of Creation, that it was<br />
Divine Sovereignty speaking to him, and that man<br />
had better listen to what his Creator was saying to<br />
him. For now two destinies were offered to man. The<br />
very power that was active in creation had been<br />
and he could use it either for<br />
placed at his disposal,<br />
untold blessings or for his own undoing. Once more<br />
he had been confronted with the age-old alternative<br />
of choosing between life and death." (ERA-4/13/55)<br />
.<br />
Of the power of the bomb he says it not only caused<br />
an island to disappear but "blew a hole in the ocean<br />
bottom a mile in diameter and 75 feet deep." Despite<br />
this fact, Craig says, "only about one-thousandth of<br />
the potential power of the bomb had been actually re<br />
leased, since the nuclear bombs are onetenth<br />
of one per<br />
only about<br />
cent<br />
The news reports of the recent bomb test at<br />
Yucca Flat, Nev., say that the flash had the bril<br />
liance of 300 suns, the force of 35,000 tons (not<br />
pounds) of TNT, and that the shock wave was heard<br />
and felt in Los Angeles 250 miles away. (See pictures<br />
on our front page and explanation on p. 306).<br />
"Who considers the power of Thy anger, and thy<br />
wrath according to the fear (perhaps lack of fear is<br />
intended) of Thee So teach us to number our days<br />
that we may apply our hearts unto (Psalm<br />
90:11, 12, RSV).<br />
God Is Pressing Home the Argument<br />
In Romans I we are told; "For the wrath oif<br />
God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness<br />
and wickedness of men .... for what can be known<br />
about God is plain to them, because God has shown<br />
it unto them. Ever since the creation of the world<br />
His invisible nature, namely His eternal power and<br />
deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that<br />
have been But now when man's sophistication<br />
has grown, and his resistance to awe, the Palomar<br />
telescope has revealed the incomprehensible infini<br />
tude of the universe. When we had begun to be con<br />
cerned about the exhaustion of our fuel supplies of<br />
coal and oil, the limitless power resources of the atom<br />
is being revealed to us. Not that it sets our minds to<br />
rest, rather it is increasing our fears, because of<br />
man's inhumanity to man. But that can be a school<br />
master to bring us to Christ. We are learning that<br />
the wisdom of yesterday was "but the outskirts of<br />
His ways; and how small a whisper do we hear of<br />
Him ! But the thunder of His power who can under-<br />
306<br />
The Atomic Age is both an invitation and<br />
a threat.<br />
Will the Atheist Be Convinced<br />
When we quoted that there are no atheists in<br />
fox-holes or among nuclear scientists, let Us not sup<br />
pose that all these persons have become convinced,<br />
evangelical, born-again Christians. There are practi<br />
cally no Atheists in the world in the root meaning<br />
of the word no-godists, even among the loud<br />
mouthed variety. There are many willful agnostics<br />
don't-knowists. "The fool (wishful thinkers) hath<br />
said in his heart, "There is no God. Corrupt are they,<br />
and have done abominable iniquity; there is none<br />
that doeth (Psalm 53:1). The atheism is in<br />
his heart, not in his head. His life demonstrates his<br />
practical atheism, and until his heart is convinced<br />
he will remain a practical demonstration of atheism.<br />
Through all the centuries past, the atom and the<br />
electron have been wrapped in their swaddling<br />
clothes, and now that they are being unbound for<br />
the use of mankind, and will continue to be in the<br />
coming decades, we need not expect miracles of grace<br />
wrought by them, except as they are employed by<br />
Him Who was once Himself bound in swaddling<br />
clothes.<br />
GOD'S OWN SON IN SWADDLING CLOTHES<br />
"And so it was, that, while they were there (in<br />
Bethlehem), the days were accomplished that she<br />
(Mary "the mother of the "the mother of her<br />
"the mother of ail time not excepting Eve<br />
the Mother of All Living") brought forth her first<br />
born son (conceived in her womb by the power of the<br />
Holy Ghost,) and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes,<br />
and laid Him in a To manger."<br />
the shepherds the<br />
Conductor of the Angel Chorus announced, "Unto<br />
you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,<br />
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign<br />
unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swad<br />
dling clothes, lying in a<br />
Why did Luke,<br />
the Dean of all Research Historians, the paragon of<br />
all reporters, lay such emphasis on that insignificant<br />
fact "wrapped in swaddling clothes" Did he copy<br />
that from the Bethlehem Evening Dispatch of De<br />
cember 25 It could hardly have been news in Beth<br />
lehem, for the custom was as old as Job (38:9), as<br />
old as Jeremiah (Lam. 2:22), as old as Ezekiel (16:<br />
.<br />
4) But it is news to us, and always will be, that the<br />
Almighty Son of Almighty God, to whom all power<br />
has been given was once wrapped in swaddling<br />
clothes and laid in the manger of a cow-shed. A most<br />
significant fact! Selah. Meditate.<br />
I had thought to speak more about the swaddled<br />
Christ, how His friends and His enemies and I and<br />
you have kept Him from using His full power, but<br />
circumstances have interposed, so think it over for<br />
the next few days, and God willing, we shall continue<br />
the subject next week.<br />
D.R.T.<br />
EXPLANATION OF THE PICTURES ON OUR<br />
FRONT PAGE<br />
ATOMIC FIREBALL CHURNS DESERT<br />
FLOOR The long-delayed nuclear test over Sur-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
manners."<br />
none."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Formal Worship<br />
The editor of United Evangelical Action says: "There<br />
is in America a disconcerting tendency toward hollow ritual,<br />
especially in "liberal' churches which call themselves Prot<br />
estant. Unfortunately evangelicals of a sort are succumbing<br />
to the popular trend. Wherever interest in formal worship<br />
is found there is usually a marked indication that spiritual<br />
religion is on the wane ....<br />
Possibly<br />
the time has come<br />
for a fresh study of the basic principles and practices of<br />
evangelical Christian worship as revealed in the Holy Scrip<br />
tures and to rethink their meaning for us. Let us measure<br />
our practices by what we discover and take steps as may<br />
be necessary to restore the simplicity and reality which our<br />
Lord counseled in His discourse to the woman at the well of<br />
Sychar."<br />
Before the Reformation ritual worship was almost<br />
universal and meaningless, but the most scholarly and con<br />
sistent reformers turned back to simple, plain worship<br />
with the use of Psalms without instrumental music. There<br />
is a call, even in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> church, to guard against<br />
the beginning of ritualism and formality.<br />
Bible in Schools<br />
A bill to permit Bible reading in the public schools of<br />
California has been defeated by<br />
a vote of the Senate com<br />
mittee on education. The bill provided that materials which<br />
will promote and encourage moral and spiritual values, in<br />
cluding selections from the Bible, may be read in the public<br />
schools. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction was<br />
opposed to the bill, and the Attorney General E. G. Brown<br />
indicated that he was preparing an opinion to the effect<br />
that the proposed legislation was unconstitutional. The Jews<br />
were opposed to it. Men pay lip service to the Bible Society<br />
and the Bible and yet oppose its use in the very place where<br />
it may be most effective, namely on the youth of the land.<br />
Such actions are a direct affront to God who gives us His<br />
Word.<br />
Thank God for Food<br />
The State Board of Education of Ge<strong>org</strong>ia has directed<br />
that a set of rules be drawn up which would require teach<br />
ers to sit with students during meals in school lunchrooms<br />
and see that a blessing is asked at the table. One board<br />
member said that many children will never hear grace said<br />
unless they hear it at school. Another board member stat<br />
ed: "Nobody but atheists and agnostics could object to the<br />
saying of grace. I also think the teachers could do a lot<br />
for table<br />
Surgeon and Christian<br />
Mr. Ernest Gordon produced an article on<br />
"Arthur<br />
Rendel Short: Surgeon and Christian," in a recent issue of<br />
The Sunday School Times. It is also the title of a book<br />
which may be had from Intervarsity<br />
Christian Fellowship,<br />
vival City, Nev., bursts in the pre-dawn darkness<br />
Thursday (upper left) and two or three seconds<br />
later (upper right) the fireball developed streaks of<br />
dark and churned the earth into waves of dirt. Dust<br />
from the desert floor at Yucca Flat (lower left)<br />
was stirred into mountainous gray billows as the<br />
blast expanded with a roar. (Topeka Capital)<br />
May 18, 1955<br />
1444 North Astor, Chicago 10, 111., price $2.50. The Lancet<br />
(British medical journal) said of him, "He was a general<br />
surgeon in the best sense of the word and, as diagnostician,<br />
he yielded place to<br />
He was a professor of surgery<br />
in the University of Bristol, England, and wrote very many<br />
scientific articles and some books. A few years ago he sent<br />
to me as a gift his book, "The Bible and Modern Research,"<br />
which tears to shreds the theory of evolution, especially the<br />
evolution of man and stands firmly for the inspiration and<br />
infallibility of the Bible.<br />
Of the relation of man to the higher animals he says :<br />
"Likeness is no proof of common descent .... As for the<br />
blood test, no sane physician would transfer ape's blood<br />
into a living man. Except in tiny doses it would almost<br />
certainly kill him .... At no stage is the human embryo<br />
at all like an ape or monkey."<br />
Dr. Short was an active Christian, a member of the<br />
Brethren, a promoter of missions. He taught elementary<br />
medical courses to missionaries and gave his services al<br />
most without charge to ministers and missionaries. One<br />
wonders how he ever did all the work that he accomplished<br />
either in the medical field or the religious field.<br />
Ambrose Fleming<br />
Sir Ambrose Fleming was a very prominent young<br />
British scientist who was also opposed to evolution, speaking<br />
and writing against it and showing the fallacy of those<br />
who argued in favor of it. He also died not long ago. Great<br />
names favoring certain statements do not necessarily prove<br />
that they are true, but when psuedoscientists declare that<br />
we have no great names in science upholding the authen<br />
ticity of the Bible and opposing evolution, they show that<br />
they are either ignorant or guilty of falsifying, for the<br />
names of Short and Fleming stand at the top in the scien<br />
tific world.<br />
Religion in the Classroom<br />
Bangor, Michigan, is a town about 27 miles west of<br />
(Continued on page 310)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday fay the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kansas<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers ;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editor<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: $2.60 per year; Overseas, $3.00; Single Copies<br />
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Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansas<br />
under the Act of March S, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
307
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. RusselL Ph.D.<br />
OUR NEW ALLY<br />
The political situation in Europe is now changing rap<br />
idly. West Germany has been restored to full sovereignty,<br />
and the Allied high commissioners now become ambassadors.<br />
The Big Three will continue to maintain 450,000 troops in<br />
West Germany, but as allies rather than as occupational<br />
forces. The Bonn Republic has been admitted to NATO,<br />
with authorization to raise an army of half a million men.<br />
Actually, the West Germans are not enthusiastic about re<br />
armament, and have been virtually sovereign for some time.<br />
Their biggest interest is in reunification with East Germany,<br />
which is Europe's next item of "unfinished busness" after<br />
the settlement of the Austrian peace treaty. In order to fore<br />
stall West Germany's rearmament, Russia may ask for neu<br />
tralization as the price of German unity. Russia and her<br />
satellites are drawing closer together by a series of military<br />
talks at Warsaw.<br />
ONE BIG UNION<br />
The drafting<br />
of a common constitution marks another<br />
step toward the merger of the A.F.L. and C.I.O. The new<br />
charter follows the main outlines of the agreement reached<br />
by union leaders at Miami Beach last winter. It firmly op<br />
poses racial or religious discrimination, and provides for<br />
quick action against Communism or corruption in the mem<br />
ber unions. Other sections would facilitate the merger of<br />
competing unions, and help to settle jurisdictional disputes.<br />
Next December the two unions will hold a joint convention<br />
in New York City to complete the merger. The new group<br />
will have a combined membership of 15 million, covering<br />
nearly all of <strong>org</strong>anized labor except for John L. Lewis' Unit<br />
ed Mine Workers and the railroad brotherhoods. One of the<br />
biggest isues remaining is the selection of a name. A.F.L.<br />
leaders want to transfer their old name to the new group,<br />
but the C.I.O. will undoubtedly insist on a new title.<br />
SURVIVAL, CHANCES<br />
An entire model town was deliberately<br />
exposed to an<br />
atomic blast in one of the recent nuclear- weapons tests in<br />
Nevada. The bomb used had about twice the power of those<br />
we dropped against Japan. Frame and brick houses nearly<br />
a mile from the blast center were demolished. Those of cin<br />
der block and concrete slab remained standing, though their<br />
windows were broken and furnishings damaged. Flying de<br />
bris either "killed" or "seriously injured" the dummies, rep<br />
resenting people, in unprotected areas up to three miles from<br />
the bomb. Home bomb shelters proved effective, however,<br />
and Civil Defense officials survived the blast in trenches just<br />
over a mile from the explosion. Army tanks also provided<br />
good protection. The main lesson from this test seems to be<br />
that survival is possible if people will prepare. Forty-five<br />
state governors, meeting in Washington, have asked the fed<br />
eral government for more help with their civil defense prob<br />
lems. The responsibility is now diffused and there seems to<br />
be great confusion.<br />
REMOVING WAR SCARS<br />
Twenty-five Japanese girls have arrived in the U.S. for<br />
plastic surgery to remove scars left from the atomic bomb<br />
ing of Hiroshima. They<br />
will receive free treatment at Mt.<br />
Sinai Hospital in New York City. This program, which may<br />
308<br />
require more than a year in some cases, is being financed by<br />
private American groups and individuals, as a gesture of<br />
goodwill and Christian charity. None of the girls seemed to<br />
have any<br />
resentment over the American bombing.<br />
COMMUNIST ATHLETES<br />
The Soviet Union has announced that it will spend $62<br />
million this year to expand athletic facilities in Moscow.<br />
About 300,000 athletes will take part this summer in the<br />
first "Moscow Games," a national sports festival. Work<br />
has begun on a gigantic stadium in one of Moscow's suburbs.<br />
This will probably be used to support a bid for the 1960<br />
or 1964 Olympic games. Since World War n the Russians<br />
have put great emphasis on athletics, sending teams to com<br />
pete all over Europe. Their top<br />
performers all claim amateur<br />
status, but actually are heavily subsidized by the state.<br />
FOR MENTAL HEALTH<br />
As a climax to Mental Health Week, the Ford Founda<br />
tion announced a grant of $15 million for research over the<br />
next five to ten years. The program will cover both the<br />
causes of mental illness, and methods of treatment and pre<br />
vention. The U. S. now has over 700,000 mental patients, oc<br />
cupying more than half of all our hospital beds. Thousands<br />
more have less serious mental illnesses which limit their<br />
happiness and usefulness. Our federal and state governments<br />
spend over a billion dollars a year for the care of mental<br />
patients, but less than one per cent of this goes for research,<br />
and many public institutions are so understaffed that very<br />
little treatment can be given.<br />
RAIN OR SHINE<br />
Can artificial rain-making change the general pattern of<br />
our weather For two years the U. S. Navy conducted ex<br />
periments along the Atlantic coast to answer this question.<br />
Of 37 different storm centers which came along during that<br />
time, half were "seeded" by rain-making techniques,<br />
and the<br />
others were untouched. The conclusion was that<br />
cloudseeding<br />
had no "large-scale meteorological<br />
effects."Rainmaking<br />
may cause local showers, but it cannot change the<br />
general path of the winds and pressure areas which deter<br />
mine our major weather patterns. This conclusion has con<br />
siderable military significance, but not all meteorologists<br />
agree with it. President Eisenhower has an Advisory Com<br />
rainmaking,<br />
which has become a million-dollar business in this<br />
mittee on Weather Control to study problems of local<br />
country. One difficulty is that the rain-makers may "steal"<br />
rain which would normally fall somewhere else. Also, overseeding<br />
may actually prevent rain.<br />
COURT PACKING<br />
Prime Minister Johannes Strydom of the Union of South<br />
Africa has removed one of the last obstacles in the way of<br />
his segregation program. Twice the High Court of South<br />
Africa has disallowed, as unconstitutional, Nationalist legis<br />
lation which would disfranchise the people of mixed blood<br />
in South Africa. Now Styrdom has secured permission from<br />
his parliament to pack the High Court with five new judges,<br />
increasing the bench from six to eleven. All the new judges<br />
are favorable to the Nationalist policies. This is not only a<br />
blow against the rights of the native peoples of South Af<br />
rica, but a big step toward dictatorship.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
work."<br />
A<br />
Gift for God<br />
Address at the dedication of the Educational Addition to the church, New Alexandria, Pa. March 18, 1955<br />
Prof. J. B. Willson, D.D.<br />
This is a happy occasion. We have met to set<br />
apart, to dedicate, a new building for the worship<br />
and service of God. There is connected with this the<br />
rededication of the old house of worship, to which<br />
the new is now joined, to a larger and fuller service<br />
to God, to His people, and to this community.<br />
Builders, Ancient and Modern<br />
We turn back in thought to a happy occasion<br />
about twenty-four hundred years ago. Cyrus, king of<br />
Persia, had sent home from captivity a group of God<br />
fearing people of Judah, about fifty thousand in<br />
number, with the special commission to build the<br />
house of the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. Chap<br />
ters I, III, and VI of Ezra bear on our subject, but<br />
we are especially interested in chapter III.<br />
There are several differences between their sit<br />
uation and ours. Their old house of worship had been<br />
destroyed. Ours is still standing, in good condition,<br />
still an attractive building, both inside and outside.<br />
The people who were building the church then had<br />
just recently returned after an absence of many<br />
years, in captivity. The builders now have had their<br />
homes here for many years. There were many there<br />
to support the work of building. There are not nearly<br />
so many here. The people there met with great oppo<br />
sition after the work was under way. Their neigh<br />
bors, whose families had been settled there by the<br />
Babylonians in the exchange of populations when not<br />
allowed to join in the work, opposed it vigorously.<br />
They stopped it for about fifteen years. Here the<br />
work has continued without any such interruption.<br />
There are several resemblances. The people at<br />
Jerusalem had good leadership. The book of Ezra<br />
places on record for ever a number of names. You<br />
had good leadership here, in planning, in starting the<br />
work, and in carrying it through to completion.<br />
They had and you have had good helpers. A few<br />
leaders cannot do it all. The record tells of their giv<br />
ing money to the masons and to the carpenters, and<br />
food to those who brought cedar trees from Lebanon ;<br />
of their setting forward the workmen in the house of<br />
the Lord. They secured men who knew how to put up<br />
a building. When later on the wall was being built,<br />
we read "the people had a mind to This is the<br />
secret of the satisfactory completion of any task.<br />
You wanted this building, and you stayed with the<br />
job till it was done.<br />
They had good givers. The end of chapter two<br />
tells of offerings for the house. This building has<br />
taken money as well as work. You have been ready to<br />
meet the cost.<br />
They had God's blessing upon them. Cyrus is<br />
sued his proclamation. Those who returned were<br />
those whose spirit God had raised up. When the<br />
foundation was laid, they had a service of praise and<br />
thanksgiving to God. When the work was stopped,<br />
God opened the way again. They dedicated the house<br />
with special offerings, and with the observance of<br />
May 18, 1955<br />
the passover. "The Lord had made them joyful, and<br />
turned the heart of the king of Assyria, to strength<br />
en their hands in the work of the house of God." You<br />
feel that God has helped you, and directed you. Now<br />
you have assembled to dedicate this building,<br />
and to<br />
give thanks to God.<br />
Mingled Sorrow and Rejoicing<br />
Two verses about the first service tell how the<br />
people felt about it. "But many of the priests and<br />
Levites and chief of the fathers,<br />
men, that had seen the first house, when the founda<br />
who were ancient<br />
tion of this house was laid before their eyes, wept<br />
with a loud voice ; and many shouted aloud for joy :<br />
so that the people could not discern the noise of the<br />
shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the<br />
people ; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and<br />
off."<br />
the noise was heard afar<br />
The younger people in Jerusalem had never seen<br />
the temple of Solomon in all its glory. The oldest peo<br />
ple recalled going to it in company.<br />
They recalled<br />
their fellow-worshipers ; those who led in the services<br />
of the sanctuary. They recalled the passing of the<br />
glorious building. They recalled the years in cap<br />
tivity. Memories that bless and burn pressed upon<br />
their hearts. So often it is with us. I have a feeling of<br />
sadness and a sort of homesickness of the heart when<br />
I pass our old Allegheny church building where I<br />
worshiped through childhood and youth. I rejoice in<br />
the new church on Perrysville Avenue, but my heart<br />
turns back to the place which I knew as a child. When<br />
a congregation celebrates an anniversary, we usually<br />
have a diagram of the pews, often of an older build<br />
ing, with the names written in of the families who<br />
sat in each pew. We older people can shut our eyes<br />
and picture the old days. Younger people who have<br />
not grown old along with the old church, undisturbed<br />
by memories, know only joy in the new church.<br />
The Evolution of Our Homes<br />
Do we need new churches or new additions to<br />
churches What about our homes We love our old<br />
homes. But we make improvements. Caves and tents<br />
and sod houses and log cabins were displaced by<br />
frame and brick and stone dwellings ; in time by man<br />
sions, castles and palaces. One room for all purposes<br />
has become many rooms for specialized purposes. The<br />
trip to the spring or pump was abandoned for run<br />
ning water in the home; bathrooms have become<br />
standard equipment. Candles yielded to oil lamps, to<br />
gas jets, to electric lights ; a wood fire to a stove, to<br />
a gas range, to an electric range. Now we have ranch<br />
type houses and picture windows. With buildings as<br />
with generations of people, one passeth away and<br />
another cometh.<br />
The Evolution of Our Churches<br />
Study the places of worship in the Old Testa<br />
ment. At first there was the altar under the open<br />
sky. Then came the tent without the camp where<br />
309
curtains."<br />
Moses met with God ; then the tabernacle. Study the<br />
preparations for the tabernacle. The people were<br />
of workmanship. Gold, silver, brass, precious stones,<br />
called on to give the best of materials and the finest<br />
the best of timber, brought from afar. Those whom<br />
God had specifically qualified made the vessels; and<br />
did the fine work on the curtains. This house contin<br />
ued as the place of worship through the period of<br />
the conquest and of the Judges. Why was it<br />
changed David had become established as king. Hi<br />
ram king of Tyre sent messengers to him, and cedar<br />
trees, and carpenters and masons; and they built<br />
David a house. David recognizes the hand of God<br />
in all of this. He says to Nathan the prophet, "See<br />
now I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God<br />
dwelleth within<br />
He compares his home<br />
with the place of worship. God approved his plan, but<br />
postponed its completion. He gathered together vast<br />
amounts of materials for the building; and again<br />
these were of the best, and the workmen were the<br />
most skilled. So Solomon built the great temple.<br />
This temple was much larger and grander than<br />
the tabernacle. In addition to the larger holy places<br />
there was a three story building erected against its<br />
two exterior sides and the rear, containing chambers<br />
for officials and for storage. Perhaps there were<br />
chambers above the holy of holies. Before the<br />
front entrance a portico was built, and two brazen<br />
pillars stood there. There were two courts, the inner,<br />
upper court of the priests, and the great court for<br />
Israel. This temple served for nearly four centuries.<br />
When the hearts of the newly returned captives<br />
from Babylon were stirred up to rebuild the house of<br />
God, again they sought materials and skilled help.<br />
was not as magnificent as Solomon's<br />
The building<br />
temple, but followed the same plan. There were out<br />
side chambers, and the whole was surrounded by<br />
courts. For Herod's temple the old area was enlarged<br />
to twice its former size. The building was much larg<br />
er, with the addition of two wings extending from<br />
the front corners, and an attic over the holy and most<br />
holy places. There were additional inner courts, sep<br />
arate for men and for women.<br />
It is in accordance with Scripture teaching and<br />
example that church buildings keep pace with the<br />
standards and needs of the times, and with the uses<br />
for which they are properly required ; and that they<br />
measure up at least to the standard of the homes in<br />
which the worshipers live themselves. With the<br />
death of Christ upon the cross, the veil of the temple<br />
was rent, and the ritual of the temple worship was no<br />
longer needed or authorized. The followers of Christ<br />
met in the simple worship of the synagogue. Early<br />
church buildings met this need. The enlarging work<br />
of the church called for changes. Increasing ritualism<br />
had its part in dictating the manner of change. Per<br />
haps emphasis was placed on the beautiful and the<br />
impressive rather than on the practical. Some of the<br />
great cathedrals of the past and present were and are<br />
the work of decades or centuries.<br />
In our own country the early churches were log<br />
buildings, unheated. A comment after a cold winter<br />
day's services has come down from, I think, the old<br />
Union church near Mars, "We were not troubled with<br />
mosquitoes today." The first church at New Alexan<br />
dria was a log building, back of where the Presbyter<br />
ian church now stands, and was used by<br />
all denom-<br />
310<br />
inations. John Cannon came to Greensburg as pastor<br />
in 1816. His grave is in the old burial ground which<br />
was beside the log church. In 1835 a brick building<br />
was erected on the present site. This was replaced<br />
about 1870 by the present building.<br />
The Evolution of the Church School<br />
In recent years a large emphasis has been on the<br />
needs of what we call the church schools. Early edu<br />
cation was in the hands of the church. The leaders of<br />
the church established schools in which the Bible was<br />
taught along with the other subjects. What we call<br />
Sabbath schools were not established then, and were<br />
not introduced without considerable opposition in our<br />
own and other churches. The changes in the system<br />
of education in our country have called for a change<br />
on the part of the church. There has been, we be<br />
lieve, a steady decline in the knowledge of the Word<br />
of God. The church is trying to meet this challenge.<br />
The church building as well as the church program<br />
must keep pace with the requirements of the times.<br />
We need a place for the Sabbath School which will<br />
give to the teachers and pupils at least something of<br />
the opportunity which our modern public school<br />
rooms give their teachers and pupils.<br />
(To be continued)<br />
GLIMPSES from page 307<br />
Kalamazoo, where the officials of the school are threatened<br />
with prosecution in the courts if they do not discontinue<br />
teaching religion in the classroom. However, the superin<br />
tendent, Homer Hendricks, has been determined to con<br />
tinue the program until they are proved to be wrong. Stu<br />
dents are free to go to hear lectures on religion or not<br />
as they choose. There are eight religious groups which have<br />
taken advantage of the opportunity to provide religious<br />
speakers. Though there has been much opposition the lead<br />
ers regard the experiment a success and they are laying<br />
plans for the next school year.<br />
The Time Spent in Prayer<br />
The editor of The Banner refers to an article in a re<br />
ligious magazine entitled, "How to pray an hour" and among<br />
other comments,<br />
says: "Is it true that the strength of our<br />
prayer life can be measured by the amount of time we spend<br />
on our knees We do not think so The important question<br />
is not how long but how well we pray. How intense and<br />
fervent are our prayers How urgent are our petitions Je<br />
sus praised the widow for her importunity in making a re<br />
quest. God requires sincerity and humility in prayer. Faith,<br />
confidence in God's power and willingness to hear our sup<br />
plications, is one of the leading requisites of true prayer.<br />
"He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that<br />
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb.<br />
11:6). Not less indispensable is our submission to His will,<br />
as our Lord himself was submissive when He prayed in<br />
Gethsemane: Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup<br />
from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. In<br />
short, our prayers must be Scriptural in harmony with<br />
God's revealed will. Five minutes of intense outpouring of<br />
the soul before God is better than a whole hour of praying,<br />
in which our thoughts wander, and in which the weakness<br />
of our faith leads to much needless repetition. All of which<br />
is no denial of the fact that our prayers of intercession,<br />
in private as in public worship, may<br />
time."<br />
require considerable<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
nations."<br />
nots'."<br />
country.'<br />
atheism"<br />
Bandung: A Challenge to Evangelicals<br />
A Special E/P News Report<br />
The Afro-Asian Conference of<br />
Bandung is now<br />
history. For years to come politicians, law-makers<br />
and journalists will attempt to evaluate the true sig<br />
nificance of the week-long babel produced by 1,000<br />
delegates from 29 nations representing half the<br />
world's population "the 1.4 billion 'have Was<br />
mice"<br />
there anything in this rally, in which "mighty<br />
from the small nations of the world succeeded in<br />
toning down red China's propaganda blurbs, for<br />
America's evangelicals <br />
Before the conference got under way, Life maga<br />
zine published a thought-provoking editorial (April<br />
18) which should stimulate evangelical consideration.<br />
It opened with this statement:<br />
"An enormous fact about the world is often ig<br />
nored. It is that more than half of the world's people<br />
are nonwhite. For the first time in history they are<br />
getting together, in something called the Africa-<br />
Asian Conference which begins at Bandung, Indo<br />
nesia on April 18. The 30-odd nations attending<br />
make up nearly 60% of the world's population; they<br />
have excluded most of the lighter-skinned peoples<br />
a sort of reverse form of color discrimination.<br />
Whether such exclusion should alarm the lighter col<br />
ored peoples or not, it will certainly arouse their cu<br />
riosity about what goes on at Bandung."<br />
During the early days of the conference the im<br />
portance of moral and spiritual force, including re<br />
ligious beliefs, was strikingly prominent in the<br />
speeches of both Asian and African leaders. One re<br />
porter observed that "expressions of religious senti<br />
ment and faith have been much more numerous than<br />
in comparable meetings in Western<br />
There are reasons why religion crept into the<br />
Bandung conference.<br />
One is that the conference included the great<br />
Islamic and Buddhist countries of the world and in<br />
many of them religion plays a larger role in national<br />
life than it does in the Western countries.<br />
Another reason is that the majority of the coun<br />
tries are small and lack military or material power.<br />
Lacking this power they hope to exert some influence<br />
on international affairs by attempting to exert<br />
"moral force."<br />
The outstanding exception to this, of course, was<br />
Communist China. It probably was a revelation to<br />
Red China's Chou En-lai to learn how important re<br />
ligion is to many countries represented.<br />
In Chou's first speech, a draft of which was dis<br />
tributed to the delegates, the question of religion was<br />
left out. But in his later supplementary remarks he<br />
made an important issue of it.<br />
Reporting by cable from Bandung, A. Doak Barnett<br />
said :<br />
"The tone of the conference regarding religion<br />
was set in the opening speech made by Indonesia's<br />
President Soekarno. Soekarno said:<br />
"<br />
^Religion is of dominating importance particu<br />
larly in this part of the world. It would be a source of<br />
interference.'<br />
unity and a bulwark against foreign<br />
"In speeches which followed the importance of<br />
religion was frequently stressed.<br />
May 18, 1955<br />
"For example, Ceylon's Prime Minister Sir John<br />
Kotelawala said: 'The heritage of Buddhism is one<br />
of the most precious possessions of my<br />
"Iraq's delegation chief, Mohammed Fadhel Jamali<br />
quoted from the Koran: 'Allah will NOT change<br />
the condition of a people until they change from<br />
within themselves.' He stated that 'Communism is a<br />
one-sided materialistic religion. It denies God, and<br />
the spiritual heritage of " mankind.'<br />
Because preceding delegates, by making such<br />
references to religion, forced him to do so, Chou Enlai,<br />
Premier of Communist China, took up the re<br />
ligion angle. He tried to "sell" the idea that it should<br />
be possible for believers and atheists in Asian and<br />
African countries to unite.<br />
Premier Chou's remarks on religion were defin<br />
ite and deliberate. He said :<br />
"I would like to talk about the question as to<br />
whether there is religious freedom in our country.<br />
"Freedom of religious belief is a principle recog<br />
nized by all modern nations. We Communists are<br />
atheists, but we respect all those who have religious<br />
beliefs. We hope that those with religious beliefs will<br />
respect those without.<br />
"China is a country where there is freedom of<br />
religious beliefs. There are in China not only seven<br />
million Communists, but also tens of millions of Mos<br />
lems and Buddhists and millions of Protestants and<br />
Catholics. Here in the Chinese delegation there is a<br />
pious iman (priest) of the Islamic faith. Such a situ<br />
ation is no obstacle to the internal unity of China."<br />
"buyers"<br />
But, Chou could not find any for that<br />
line. One delegate from an Islamic state saw through<br />
the shallow reasoning and declared : "The whole basis<br />
of our life is belief in God. How could we possibly be<br />
favorably impressed by an admission of<br />
With amazing foresight the Life editorial, writ<br />
ten before the Bandung conference opened, summed<br />
up the value of the confab and came to two conclu<br />
sions :<br />
"The first is that most Asians lead lives of ap<br />
palling poverty, ignorance and hardship, as they have<br />
for centuries past ; but that they are no longer recon<br />
ciled to their backwater role in modern history. Their<br />
determination to do something about this has thrown<br />
the whole East into a political ferment which will not<br />
cease until hope and progress have taken the place of<br />
hunger, dust and mud. To this Asian demand for pro<br />
gress the West must give not only sympathy but ac<br />
tive aid. Otherwise the revolutionary politics of Asia<br />
will embroil us in conflict without end.<br />
"But the second big fact about Asia is that Com<br />
munism, that brand of exploitation so incomparably<br />
worse than the vanishing colonialism whose vacuum<br />
it seeks to fill, can never satisfy the deep Asian need<br />
for hope and progress and most Asians know it.<br />
Non-Communist Asia is the real Asia, however di<br />
vided and miserable. As a House Foreign Affairs<br />
Committee survey has just noted after a tour of<br />
Eastern nations, the non-Communist people of Asia<br />
number 700 million, more than a match for Red<br />
China's, and their armed forces actually in being<br />
number 2,350,000 men, almost as much as our own<br />
311
cat"<br />
vain."<br />
cat."<br />
planned for next year. Non-Communist Asia lacks<br />
unity but not potential strength. The Western atti<br />
tude, and particularly the American attitude, should<br />
therefore be one of<br />
discriminating thought about<br />
Asia and resolute adherence to our own political prin<br />
ciples. We must sympathize with all Asia but dis<br />
tinguish between the cry of those countries we can<br />
usefully help now (Free China, South Vietnam, Thai<br />
land, etc.) and those (the mainland Chinese) whose<br />
hopes for true progress may have to wait. If we show<br />
this discrimination and resolution, our stand in Asia<br />
will be supported by Asia's own best strength,<br />
and<br />
none need wait in<br />
The challenge of all this to evangelicals should<br />
be evident. Just to list some of them should be<br />
sufficient: 1) Half of the world's people are nonwhite;<br />
2) The non-Christians of the world are not<br />
antagonistic to religion ; 3) Religion in non-Christian<br />
countries plays a larger role in national life than it<br />
does in America; 4) Communism can be swayed by<br />
religious opinion; 5) Christian America must extend<br />
social and economic aid to Asia ; 6) Non-Communists<br />
in Asia are numerically more than a match for Red<br />
China; 7) The Asians have a deep-seated need for<br />
hope and progress.<br />
All of the needs of Asia and Africa and the<br />
rest of the world, too could be met if evangelicals<br />
would unite in one great effort to present Christ and<br />
Christianity as the Hope of the World. This is the<br />
true challenge of Bandung.<br />
(ERA-4/27/55)<br />
FOR WOMEN ONLY<br />
MICE, THAT CAT, AND US<br />
A houseful of happy mice and a wonderful out<br />
look on life. There were spacious cupboards with<br />
food, and shelves for capers, and soft wool for nests,<br />
yes, and a career-bent housekeeper not much given<br />
to domestic arts. All was going well for the mice<br />
until one day, alas, a kitten came into the house an<br />
innocent furry little kitten. But soon, how very soon,<br />
that kitten became a huge mouse-eating cat. Life<br />
became dangerous for the once happy mice. They<br />
called a council. No mouse could think of a solution<br />
until one very wise young mouse exclaimed, "Let's<br />
put a bell on the How happy they were, f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
ting their plight for a moment, until one very wise<br />
old mouse ventured, "But who will put the bell on<br />
the<br />
So far as we have been able to learn that still<br />
is an unsolved question. With a Cat in the house,<br />
mice can only exist in terror for their very lives<br />
without hope, peace, safety, or happiness till tragedy<br />
trips them up. DO I DARE speak from the<br />
point of view of one woman and in behalf of wo<br />
men only<br />
How often we women are like mice. We live in a<br />
fine world of plenty and life is grand, until one<br />
day something comes into our lives yes, a CAT, if<br />
you please, and no solution seems to help. The aw<br />
ful handwriting appears on the wall. There is no<br />
one to put the bell on the CAT.<br />
In life we see many many women like that. This<br />
problem his become greater in proportion than any<br />
epidemic of measles in our generation. The medical<br />
profession proclaims that about 75% of their patients<br />
312<br />
are victims of mental and emotional disturbances pri<br />
marily. With our American way of life our high ed<br />
ucation, our fine social set-up, our leisure, our church,<br />
our creed, our revered background, yes, and we claim<br />
the second birth, and life could be so wonderfully<br />
abundant but for the CAT, and there is yet no prac<br />
tical solution.<br />
That Cat may exist in any of various feline<br />
forms: it may be financial difficulties, or family<br />
troubles, or losing a job, or an unsuccessful mar<br />
riage, or incompatible in-laws. Perhaps its an insane<br />
fear of some dread disease, or it may stem from<br />
pain of a very real illness. There may be the death<br />
of a loved one, life may be completely changed and<br />
a new pattern for living demanded. It could be a<br />
neighborhood row or a feud in a women's group.<br />
Could it be the children have grown and left mother<br />
unable to cope with life Or might it be the death<br />
of the last hope of finding a husband or having a<br />
baby or that age or, or, just that sinister CAT<br />
ad infinitum. In any case this cat looms up chok<br />
ing us and threatening our very lives. Our play house<br />
is toppled, our fun ruined, our future menaced, and<br />
life is no longer normal.<br />
Ah, we might expect such<br />
tragedy among the<br />
heathen and the ungodly, but we are astounded when<br />
Christian friends, fallen in despair, resort to hys<br />
teria, mental disorder, divorce, suicide, or perhaps<br />
just yield to a low plane of unhappy existence with<br />
out hope for that abounding life. For them there<br />
is no one to put the bell on the CAT.<br />
Christ came that we might have life and that<br />
we might have it more abundantly, and we know the<br />
Bible is full of the promises of God, and God never<br />
fails. We know this life has its troubles, and these<br />
trials should make us stronger and better. So who is<br />
to blame for this sinister CAT that warps and ruins<br />
life, driving its victims, sometimes, beyond that<br />
tragic point of no return<br />
Who is to come forth with a practical solution<br />
The church does not meet the need. Fine or<br />
thodox sermons do not seem to be the answer for<br />
mending broken hearts and crushed souls. Society<br />
has its education and its psychiatrists, but few of<br />
us have the desire or means for an effective psycho<br />
analysis. We have long prided ourselves in our re<br />
form and missionary enterprises and community<br />
projects all very necessary, but how little we have<br />
to offer the woman baffled and suffering emotional<br />
collapse because of the CAT. Her world of friends<br />
may suddenly become uninterested, unsympathetic,<br />
perhaps critical and antagonistic regarding her as<br />
one to be blamed for her pitiful state. Where is she<br />
to turn in seeking help Who is there to help her<br />
put a bell on the CAT<br />
Did someone say something about looking for<br />
a challenge Did anyone ever get the idea there are<br />
no opportunities for pioneering souls today If you<br />
are looking for a challenge, open your eyes and ears.<br />
and most of all your heart ; for here is a wide open<br />
field. Look about you and see the need. Come down<br />
from your pinnacle of high intellect and stand on a<br />
mutual level for (don't look now) but psssttt ! that<br />
CAT lurks on YOUR side, and sooner than you think,<br />
your pedestal may topple. Offer a helping hand. Set<br />
yourself to the task of finding a solution<br />
solution. There is a solution. We need your help !<br />
Anne HOWE<br />
a practical<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
world."<br />
place"<br />
yesterday,"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of June 5, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
May 22, 1955<br />
"FORWARD WITH CHRIST"<br />
Phil. 3:1-14<br />
Comments By Rev. J. Paul McCracken<br />
There is something very entertaining<br />
about a squirrel in a cage, running on<br />
the inside of a whirling<br />
wheel. People<br />
will stand for hours and watch a sight<br />
like that, and they<br />
wonder if the poor<br />
squirrel will ever realize that he isn't<br />
getting anywhere. A lot of exercise, but<br />
no progress! Pity the poor animal that<br />
runs itself tired, but goes nowhere!<br />
But let us leave the zoo, and get to<br />
human beings. Better yet, let us pick out<br />
a certain group<br />
of human beings. Better<br />
yet, let us pick out a certain group of<br />
human beings that we are interested in,<br />
and concentrate on them. Let us enter a<br />
church, and without stopping go straight<br />
into one of the back rooms where the<br />
young people are meeting Sabbath eve<br />
ning. There is young Bill Jones leading<br />
the ...<br />
meeting a nice Christian fellow,<br />
neat, friendly, and lots of fun.<br />
Two years ago Bill was a high school<br />
sophomore, and he decided then that he<br />
should start improving his spiritual life.<br />
So his life soon included the following:<br />
Bible reading 5 minutes a day; prayer<br />
3 minutes; S.S. and church (morning)<br />
regular; C.Y.P.U. fairly regular;<br />
Prayer Meeting No. (Busy school<br />
night); <strong>Witness</strong>ing for Jesus None.<br />
(Didn't feel qualified).<br />
A year ago Bill was a High School<br />
Junior. And he was still "improving" his<br />
spiritual life. Bible reading 5 Minutes;<br />
Prayer still 3 minutes; S.S. and Church<br />
(morning) very regular; C.Y.P.U.<br />
fairly regular; Prayer Meeting No.<br />
(Very busy school night) ; <strong>Witness</strong>ing<br />
none. (Didn't quite feel qualified yet).<br />
Now, Bill is a Senior in High School<br />
(of course). And what about his spirit<br />
ual progress Yes, he's still reading the<br />
Bible five minutes a day. He doesn't<br />
exceed his three minutes prayer time as<br />
yet. We are glad to see that he is still<br />
faithful at morning services, but he still<br />
misses C.Y.P.U. occasionally. Wednes<br />
day night is so busy for him, now with<br />
the added burdens, responsibilities, and<br />
functions of Senior life. And doesn't he<br />
ever mention anything to anybody about<br />
his Lord Jesus Christ, who saved him<br />
Bill may be a nice fellow, all right, but,<br />
as a Christian, he's in a rut! . . . he's<br />
going around and around ... in a way<br />
it reminds you of . . .<br />
yes, a squirrel run<br />
ning inside a wheel. Lots and lots of ex<br />
ercise, but NO PROGRESS!<br />
And what about John and Shirley and<br />
Eddie and Carol and Margie and Nick<br />
and Isabel who are also in the C.Y.P.U.<br />
What about their spiritual progress Is<br />
the leader typical of the rest And in<br />
another year, will there be anybody else<br />
in the C.Y.P.U. besides Bill and John and<br />
Shirley<br />
and the others<br />
In 1950, the theme of the Grinnell<br />
Conference in Iowa was this subject,<br />
"Forward With Christ," and, if memory<br />
serves correctly, it was taken from the<br />
passage which is our study this evening.<br />
Especially the phrases apply in Phil. 3:<br />
13, 14, ". . . this one thing I do ... I<br />
press toward the mark for the prize of<br />
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."<br />
What progress have you made with<br />
Christ since 1950, or '52, or '<strong>54</strong> And is<br />
the C.Y.P.U. going "Forward with<br />
Christ," or is it running in one spot<br />
Paul the Apostle seems determined in<br />
this part of his letter to Philippi to show<br />
Christians that the normal life is going<br />
forward, progressing, always moving<br />
ahead toward a distant goal. Paul was a<br />
man of action, just like his Lord when<br />
He was on the earth. Paul set goals<br />
(I Thess. 3:11-13), and made plans (I<br />
Cor. 16:5) subject always to the Lord's<br />
changes, and then he worked and trav<br />
eled and prayed to see them carried out.<br />
Every day was a day of pressing toward<br />
a goal.<br />
Our first and basic goal as Christians<br />
is an individual one, and that is Paul's<br />
emphasis here. As societies, we like to<br />
set goals regarding number of members<br />
stewardship, financial stability, service,<br />
and yet striving for the individual goal<br />
will help in attaining these other ends.<br />
So then, in order to make Progress in<br />
Christ, to go Forward with Him, let<br />
us. . .<br />
I. Beware.<br />
The Philippians were first warned<br />
about other people, and then about<br />
themselves. Evil companions are danger<br />
ous to spiritual progress, and even the<br />
ordinary associations of every day pre<br />
sent a challenge to us, for we must rub<br />
elbows with many worldly people. Keep<br />
world,"<br />
clean and separate. Be "in the<br />
but never "of the<br />
Mostly<br />
we are warned against our<br />
flesh."<br />
selves, "taking confidence in the<br />
Pride, we call it; "thinking<br />
more highly<br />
of ourselves<br />
than we ought to<br />
think,"<br />
and thereby tending to depend on our<br />
selves in the matter of salvation. But<br />
look at what Paul had done, and had<br />
been! And he knew that all of that was<br />
worthless except Christ should save him<br />
by His grace and power.<br />
II. Value only Christ.<br />
It saddens us to say it, and yet we<br />
certainly must admit, that much of our<br />
public school teaching today is<br />
done<br />
purely from the idea of how much it<br />
will help the student to make money<br />
when he grows up. Of course,<br />
moneymaking<br />
is essential, but training with<br />
emphasis only on the value of the ma<br />
terial, and not the spiritual, is sadly<br />
lacking. As a result, it is often the case<br />
to see young married couples who feel<br />
that all of their time must be spent in<br />
amassing these material goods, while<br />
God and Christ are neglected. Notice<br />
verse 7, "But what things were gain to<br />
me, those I counted loss for Christ."<br />
Only Christ is truly valuable, and if we<br />
had a choice to make between things<br />
which were gain just to us, and Christ<br />
(which choice we do have) He alone<br />
would be the wise choice, for life or<br />
death carries no real blessing without<br />
Him.<br />
III. Look Forward.<br />
What does he mean, "f<strong>org</strong>etting those<br />
things which are behind" Are we to<br />
f<strong>org</strong>et sins of the past which are for<br />
given Very definitely. The only cause<br />
for their remembrance is to guard us<br />
lest we again fall. There are other<br />
things to f<strong>org</strong>et also: the old sins<br />
and inconsistencies in others which<br />
may not exist today; past<br />
bitterwhich<br />
may<br />
not exist today; past bitter<br />
nesses and "hurts." But here"the Apostle<br />
speaks chiefly of past accomplishments.<br />
"F<strong>org</strong>et the triumphs of<br />
he<br />
says, "do not dwell on them. Look ahead.<br />
There is far more to be accomplished<br />
ahead than has been done behind. Look<br />
always ahead. Reach out for goals be<br />
yond, even as "I press toward the mark<br />
for the prize of the high calling of God<br />
in Christ Jesus."<br />
Questions :<br />
1. What kind of goals should a society<br />
set for itself<br />
2. What are some ways for us to keep<br />
from "running<br />
itual life<br />
in one<br />
in our spir<br />
3. Why did Paul value Christ so<br />
much Is your testimony anything like<br />
Paul's, in verses 7-10 Why not<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
For June 5, 1955<br />
'OUGHT' "<br />
"Big Words:<br />
Acts 5: 29; Matthew 23:23;<br />
II Peter 3:11-14<br />
Topic used by<br />
permission of Christian<br />
Endeavor.<br />
Psalms :<br />
119:1-3, page 287 313<br />
May 18, 1955
anyway."<br />
sire"<br />
giver."<br />
obedient."<br />
89:13-17, page 217<br />
18:19-22, page 32<br />
25:7-12, page 59<br />
Scritpure References: Jer. 20:9; Luke<br />
12:50; John 4:4; John 9:4; Acts 4:20;<br />
Acts 20:22; Rom. 12:1,2; I Cor. 9:16.<br />
Comments by the Rev. Bruce C. Stewart<br />
Greeley, Colo.<br />
Our topic this evening is the first in<br />
a series of four topics on "Big Words<br />
for Youth to Know and Use."<br />
What does<br />
the word "ought" sug<br />
gest to you Does it instill obedience<br />
or vacillation Does it fill you with joy<br />
or resentment Does it make you think<br />
of something which you want to do or<br />
something which you do not want to do<br />
"Ought"<br />
very definitely has in it the<br />
idea of compulsion; it is associated with<br />
that which is right; it makes us thnk<br />
of words like<br />
"Must," "Should," "Duty,"<br />
and "Conscience." Its use is based on<br />
the assumption that there is an absolute<br />
authority which reveals the truth. God<br />
in His Word has given to us an infallible<br />
guide for faith and life; thus we "ought"<br />
to follow His revelation.<br />
Sometimes we "ought" to, but don't<br />
Unfortunately, the word "Ought" is<br />
frequently linked to the word "but."<br />
How often do we say, "I know I ought<br />
to<br />
but<br />
"<br />
God's Word and our<br />
conscience tell us what to do, but we<br />
do what we like instead.<br />
Compulsion of any kind is unpopular<br />
today.<br />
"Junior"<br />
is supposed to be left<br />
freely to express himself. Subjects in<br />
school are supposed to be chosen from<br />
those things we like; the fact that the<br />
easy<br />
subjects are the most popular is<br />
more than coincidence. Society in gen<br />
eral is conformed to lower moral stand<br />
ards by making<br />
acceptable that which<br />
is done rather than that which ought<br />
to be done. A recent issue of "Time"<br />
contains an article about morals in<br />
Sweden; it states that unchastity is be<br />
ing taught in the schools because boys<br />
and girls are "going to do it<br />
The general secularization of our cul<br />
ture today is diminishing<br />
"oughtness."<br />
our sense of<br />
Sometimes we "ought" to, but<br />
do it grudgingly<br />
The scribes and Pharisees referred<br />
to in Matthew 23:23 were paying the<br />
tithe; they were doing it quite scrupu<br />
lously. Christ commended them for it,<br />
and said that they "ought to have done"<br />
it, (incidently, here is an explicit New<br />
Testament passage commanding the<br />
"tithe") but He also showed them that<br />
mere obedience was not enough. He<br />
pointed out the importance of their per<br />
sonal relationship with God; He revealed<br />
the all-important fact that HOW WE<br />
DO IT is just as important as WHAT<br />
314<br />
WE DO. True obedience is a response<br />
to the love of God, and not a thing of<br />
virtue in itself.<br />
When I tell Dougie to clean up his<br />
room, and he complains and groans and<br />
sulks around, he will eventually get it<br />
cleaned, but neither he nor I are too<br />
happy about it; he knew he should do<br />
it, but did so grudgingly. On the other<br />
hand if I tell him to clean up his room,<br />
and he says with a smile, "Alright<br />
Daddy!"; he not only finishes more<br />
quickly, but both of us feel happy about<br />
it.<br />
I believe that the church member<br />
who serves God grudgingly does more<br />
harm than the open sinner; from him<br />
others will get the impression that the<br />
Christian life is superstitious drugery<br />
rather than a joyful service.<br />
Sometimes we "ought" to, and do<br />
it cheerfully<br />
Do you think that Peter and the other<br />
Apostles begrudged or resented doing<br />
what they "ought' 'to The power and<br />
the glory of Christ was so wonderful<br />
that they couldn't help teaching in His<br />
name. Sure, they were put into prison,<br />
but the angel who released them con<br />
firmed their compulsion to spread the<br />
Gospel. When they were apprehended<br />
again, they said, "We ought to obey<br />
men!"<br />
God rather than<br />
The word "ought" and the word "de<br />
should be synonymous for the<br />
Christian. That which God wants us to<br />
do is that which we want to do! The<br />
love of Christ constrains us. "Every<br />
man according as he purposeth in his<br />
heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or<br />
of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful<br />
A cheerful and willing service<br />
goes hand in hand with what we "ought"<br />
to do whether it involves money or time<br />
or talents. True happiness and success<br />
comes only to those who desire whole<br />
heartedly to do God's will.<br />
Suggestions:<br />
1. Have someone read and comment on<br />
"Ode to Duty" by Wadsworth.<br />
2. Why is "ought" a moral word<br />
3. In the light of II Peter 3:11-14, what<br />
is the relationship<br />
between Christ's<br />
second coming and what we "ought"<br />
to be<br />
4. Discuss "ought" and "want."<br />
5. Why do we fail sometimes to do what<br />
we ought to do<br />
6. Why do we sometimes do what we<br />
ought to do grudgingly<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
June 5, 1955<br />
THE SMOKING MOUNTAIN<br />
By Mrs. Ray Park, Syracuse, N. Y.<br />
Scripture Text: Exodus 19:16-25<br />
Memory Verse: Exodus 24:7b. "All that<br />
the Lord hath said will we do, and be<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm for June :<br />
Psalm 103: page 247<br />
Psalm 121:1, 2, 3, 4,<br />
Psalm 119:1, 2,<br />
page 299<br />
page 314<br />
Can you imagine thousands and thou<br />
sands of people on a camping trip to<br />
gether When the Israelites left Egypt<br />
there were so many people that they<br />
needed six hundred thousand tents.<br />
Finding good camping spots for so many<br />
people was not easy. There had to be<br />
pasture and water for the animals as<br />
well as food and water for the people.<br />
The Israelites were fortunate to have<br />
Moses as their leader. Of course they<br />
could not have done it without God's<br />
guidance.<br />
If you have a map see if you can<br />
find Mt. Sinai. At the foot of this moun<br />
tain the Israelites pitched their camp<br />
and stayed a whole year. Some wonder<br />
ful things happened here.<br />
If I were to ask you how you know<br />
there is a God you might answer, "Be<br />
cause the Bible says there is." If you<br />
would have asked a young boy from the<br />
camp<br />
of the Israelites, he<br />
may have<br />
answered, "Because Moses has told us<br />
that there is but one true God. He is a<br />
Spirit and we must never again worship<br />
idols as the Egyptians taught us to do."<br />
You see, they had no Bible and no<br />
written law. Just as today, each family<br />
could make laws for itself within its<br />
home (or tent), but for all families to<br />
live together peacefully<br />
and happily<br />
more and greater laws were needed.<br />
While they were camping at Mt. Sinai<br />
God gave them their first set of laws.<br />
The Israelites had been in Egypt for<br />
over four hundred years. When the<br />
Egyptians found that they were a grow<br />
ing nation, they were afraid that the<br />
Israelites would become too powerful<br />
and so they made them slaves. In that<br />
way they could control them.<br />
At this time the Israelites did not<br />
know that they were God's Chosen peo<br />
ple. It was not until they were on their<br />
journey to the new land that they<br />
began to know that God had adopted<br />
them in a very special way. They real<br />
ized too that they also must adopt Him<br />
to be their One and only God. Some of<br />
these people were mothers and fathers<br />
and even grandparents before they came<br />
to know God.<br />
Therefore it is not strange that God<br />
made Himself known to them in an un<br />
usual way. You and I often see clouds,<br />
thunder and lightning. We know that<br />
God rules over them but we do not often<br />
think of them as messages from Him.<br />
But one morning<br />
as the children of<br />
Israel were all gathered at the foot of<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
obedient"<br />
words."<br />
uprightness."<br />
oats"<br />
good."<br />
pain."<br />
Mt. Sinai there was terrible thunder<br />
and lightning. The top of the mountain<br />
flashed "like a devouring fire" and<br />
smoke poured forth while the whole<br />
mountain quaked greatly. Moses spoke<br />
to God through all this and somehow<br />
God answered him in thunder.<br />
In getting ready for this Moses had<br />
built a fence around the mountain so<br />
that the people could not climb it or ev<br />
en touch it. But they hardly needed the<br />
fence. The people were so frightened<br />
that they trembled and pushed back<br />
from the mountain in fear. Only Moses<br />
was unafraid. God called him to the<br />
top of the mountain and there gave him<br />
rules and directions for the people.<br />
Moses wrote these rules and read aloud<br />
to the people.<br />
People are usually<br />
firsts. We are very<br />
excited about<br />
proud of Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Washington, the first president of our<br />
country. The first airplane to fly the<br />
Atlantic Ocean is kept in a museum in<br />
Washington, D. C. Everyone respects<br />
Dr. Salk because he was the first man<br />
to find a way to prevent polio.<br />
Our lesson today is about a very im<br />
portant first<br />
the first written laws that<br />
God gave to man. It has been so long ago<br />
that we do not remember it in a special<br />
way. But we should realize how very im<br />
portant it was for the Children of Israel<br />
and for us, too.<br />
Turn in your Bible to Exodus 20. As<br />
you read it you will see that it is the<br />
Ten Commandments. Chapter 21, 22, and<br />
23 are also laws. They are called "The<br />
Book of the Covenant." They are laws<br />
about worship, feasts, how to treat<br />
slaves, strangers, widows and orphans,<br />
the poor and even the enemy.<br />
talk about being<br />
ments for doing wrong.<br />
fair about punish<br />
They<br />
Before Moses read these laws to the<br />
people he built an altar and offerings<br />
were made to the Lord.<br />
Blood was<br />
sprinkled on the altar and then Moses<br />
read the Covenant. The people said, "All<br />
that the Lord hath said will we do, and<br />
be<br />
(Ex. 24:7b<br />
our memory<br />
verse). Then Moses sprinkled blood on<br />
the people and said, "Behold the blood<br />
of the covenant which the Lord hath<br />
made with you concerning all<br />
these<br />
Were you at the Covenant signing<br />
ceremony at Grinnell or at your Church<br />
Compare it with this service. The chil<br />
dren of Israel saw God<br />
through the<br />
smoking mountains; we see Him through<br />
Christ. We no longer offer sacrifice and<br />
sprinkle blood because Christ gave His<br />
life's blood as a sacrifice for us.<br />
You might like to copy the Ten<br />
Commandments in your notebook.<br />
This might be a good meeting to dis<br />
cuss rules. What are some rules we ob<br />
serve in Church Why do we need<br />
them<br />
May 18, 1955<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
June 5, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Interna<br />
tional Council of Religious Education.)<br />
MANASSEH'S SIN AND<br />
REPENTANCE (Temperance)<br />
2 Chronicles 33<br />
PRINTED 2 Chronicles 33:9-20<br />
Memory: Psalm, 143:10, "Teach me to<br />
do thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy<br />
spirit is good; lead me into the land of<br />
Physical and mental traits are to some<br />
extent inherited. Moral character is not.<br />
The birth of a child is but the beginning<br />
of parental obligation. The church and<br />
the nation also have each a duty to pro<br />
vide safeguards, opportunities and influ<br />
ences that will help the child to develop<br />
properly in body, mind and spirit. The<br />
final determining factor in Christian<br />
character is the grace of God.<br />
Parents in trying to be kind may for<br />
get that indulgence is not kindness. The<br />
idea that youth should be allowed to<br />
"sow his wild<br />
has been grossly<br />
overworked. Manasseh sowed many<br />
crops of wild oats and harvested them<br />
to his sorrow. Here is Mathew Henry's<br />
summing up of Manasseh's sins, slightly<br />
abbreviated;<br />
Abandoned himself to impiety.<br />
Copied abominations of the heathen.<br />
Ruined the established religion.<br />
Discouraged his father's glorious ref<br />
ormation.<br />
Profaned the House of God with idola<br />
try-<br />
Dedicated his children to Moloch.<br />
Counciled with the devil's oracle.<br />
Part of the physical means used to im<br />
press on his soul the dangerous nature of<br />
wild oats was a hook in his snout by<br />
which he was led like a bull across<br />
the weary desert to Babylon.<br />
The Weakening Power of Sin<br />
This is called a Temperance Lesson.<br />
Temperance is "Total Abstinence from<br />
the use of things that are bad, and<br />
Moderation in the use of what is<br />
God has favored us above any other<br />
nation in the bountiful supply of good<br />
things for our comfort and nourishment.<br />
Nearly every medicine<br />
advertised or<br />
perscribed is for the pupose of relieving<br />
the effect of intemperance in the use<br />
of wholesome, or unwholesome, foods.<br />
All our children know the evil effect<br />
of the use of alcohol. They<br />
hear about<br />
it so often. But temperance in the use<br />
of what is good has been largely ne<br />
glected. This is reflected in the popular<br />
advertising of foods and medicines.<br />
Magazines give recipes for looks and<br />
taste. Do they<br />
Prepared foods are fortified by adding<br />
vitamins. All known vitamins are in<br />
ever mention health<br />
natural food in perfect balance. The re<br />
placement by imitations after the vital<br />
vitamins have been removed, gives food<br />
an appeal to a jaded appetite that en<br />
courages intemperance in eating.<br />
Notice the host of medicines offered<br />
to relieve the ills of indigestion. Here<br />
is a characteristic phrase; "When you<br />
suffer pain<br />
the only important<br />
thing is to get rid of the That<br />
is a deadly heresy in either physiology<br />
or religion. Just find some excuse to<br />
ease the conscience,<br />
or the stomach.<br />
The liquor and tobacco interests are<br />
working that idea overtime. They appeal<br />
to pride, glamour and appetite, and so<br />
remove the pain of a live conscience.<br />
Yes, we should study temperance.<br />
God Used Wicked Nations to<br />
Punish His People<br />
David prayed, "Deliver my soul from<br />
the wicked, which is thy sword (Psalm<br />
17:13). God's sword. A hundred times<br />
Israel and Judah are warned that if<br />
they sin, the sword of heathen nations<br />
will be used to punish them. Of course,<br />
we have been on the right side in all<br />
our wars, and have been victorious. But<br />
we have been sorely punished. Were we<br />
ever punished more than we had sinned<br />
Esar Haddon, son of Nebuchadnezzer,<br />
was allowed to punish and disgrace<br />
Manasseh and his people for their gross<br />
sins.<br />
The King's Sorrow and Repentance<br />
This repentance, not recorded in<br />
Kings, seems to have come toward the<br />
close of a long wicked reign. His sinceri<br />
ty is shown in his confession and prayer,<br />
followed by a courageous attempt to un<br />
do the effect of his evil reign. What pur<br />
ports to be his prayer was written cen<br />
turies later in the Apocrypha.<br />
Manasseh's disgraceful slavery in<br />
Egypt seems to have been very brief.<br />
On returning he immediately tried to<br />
clean up the evil condition he had cre<br />
ated. That was a hard task. It is easy<br />
to pollute a house ; it is difficult to clean<br />
it. A bad example may start a boy down<br />
ward, but it takes more than a good<br />
example to bring him back. Manasseh<br />
tried to do a thorough job. There were<br />
many idols scattered through Jerusalem.<br />
There were some of special beauty that<br />
he had carved. Some were in the House<br />
of the Lord, the Holy Temple. He gath<br />
ered them all up from the Temple and<br />
from the city and threw them out. Out<br />
of the city. On the dump. Where the<br />
children played. He had a young son, a<br />
child, who played on the dump where<br />
the idols were thrown out. An up-to-date<br />
city today forbids dumping. It uses an<br />
incinerator. Manasseh dumped his idols.<br />
315
earth."<br />
come,"<br />
References :<br />
relationships."<br />
A Demonstration of God's Mercy<br />
22:12-14, page 51 the prophetic pattern. It is divine in its<br />
So free is God's mercy that it begins Dan. 2:31-45; Matt. 6:10; Mark 4:30-<br />
even before repentance. It is so rich<br />
32; Luke 13:18-20.<br />
that it does not count the cost, or does<br />
Comments<br />
it We may not be able to count the<br />
As we meet for another Wednesday<br />
stars. God has counted them. Manasseh's<br />
evening service, you will remember that<br />
sin had to be paid for in full. The cost<br />
our general topic for this series is<br />
was the value of his life. Our life too "PRAYER,"<br />
and that the Lord's Prayer<br />
is lost on account of sin. Unless our life<br />
is being followed step by step, even<br />
is worth less than the life of Manasseh though other portions of Scripture may<br />
our redemption costs just as much as be used. This evening, the key verse<br />
his. We cannot count the cost of God's<br />
is "THY KINGDOM COME" found in<br />
mercy, unless we can weigh all the sins<br />
of all the redeemed.<br />
Manasseh's Death and Legacy<br />
The King, like every serf, died and<br />
was buried. The small bit of room that<br />
he had occupied was soon filled. He left<br />
Matt. 6:10.<br />
The two parables found in the three<br />
verses of our Scripture reading are tak<br />
en from the group of seven Kingdom<br />
Parables spoken by Christ at the seaside<br />
the single parable of the sower, and<br />
behind much evil of his own creation then the three pairs, the wheat and<br />
that he had not been able to remove.<br />
The world was worse for his having been<br />
in it.<br />
tares and the drag net, the mustard<br />
seed and the leaven, the hidden trea<br />
sure and the pearl of great price.<br />
He left a son. His son became King. "The kingdom is like said Jesus.<br />
His son had played on the dump where<br />
the idols had been thrown out. He had<br />
fancied the carved idols, pretty things,<br />
and had kept them. Just a child, they<br />
But what is the kingdom A definition<br />
frequently heard, and one which serves<br />
very adequately, is "The reign of Christ<br />
in the hearts of men, and in all the in<br />
amused him, why grieve him by taking<br />
stitutions of man's<br />
That<br />
them away Amon became King. He<br />
brought out those beautiful carved idols<br />
puts Christ first. That gives Christ pre<br />
eminence. That accepts Christ as Sav<br />
that his father had thrown away on iour, and recognizes Him as Lord. It im<br />
the dump. He set them up in the sight plies regeneration as basic and funda<br />
of the Lord, and sacrificed to them. mental, and consecration and obedience<br />
What a legacy for Manasseh, a con<br />
verted man, to leave; Manasseh did not<br />
as a logical follow-up. It is individual,<br />
but it is much wider and more compre<br />
build an incinerator. Remember this hensive than that. It includes the home,<br />
when we study Josiah's reform next<br />
week. Josiah had no incinerator; he had<br />
a hammer.<br />
the church, and the state. It operates<br />
in time, and prepares for eternity. It<br />
signifies an order of society where the<br />
will of God is supreme, and righteous<br />
"So live, that when thy summons comes<br />
ness the predominant feature. Christ<br />
to join<br />
taught us to pray, "Thy Kingdom Come."<br />
The innumerable caravan, which moves<br />
In his Pocket Bible Handbook, Mr.<br />
To that mysterious realm where each<br />
Halley has this to say about the two<br />
shall take<br />
Kingdom Parables, the mustard seed<br />
His chamber in the silent halls of death, and the leaven. "Two similar parables,<br />
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at<br />
illustrating the small beginning of<br />
night<br />
Scourged to his dungeon; But, sustained<br />
and soothed<br />
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy<br />
Christ's Kingdom, the gradual and im<br />
perceptible growth, both in the individ<br />
ual and in the world at large, ultimate<br />
ly reaching vast proportions, leavening<br />
grave,<br />
all the institutions, philosophies, and<br />
Like one who wraps the drapery of his<br />
governments of the<br />
couch<br />
This idea is reinforced by the vision<br />
About him, and lies down to pleasant<br />
dreams."<br />
of Daniel, recorded in Dan. 2:31-45.<br />
William Cullen Bryant.<br />
A study of these verses would seem to<br />
reveal that this Kingdom is :<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
1. Divine in its origin<br />
34 and 35<br />
v. 44. Also<br />
"PRAY FOR THE KINGDOM"<br />
2. Humble in its beginning v. 45<br />
Matt. 13:31-33<br />
Rev. P. D. McCracken, D.D.<br />
3. Progressive in its tendencies<br />
34, 35, 44, 45<br />
vs.<br />
Psalms :<br />
100: 1-4, page 237<br />
72: 1-6, page 172<br />
86:6-9, page 209<br />
4. Triumphant in its extent<br />
45<br />
5. Universal in its extent<br />
6. Eternal in its duration<br />
vs. 35,<br />
v. 35<br />
v. 44<br />
72:9-12, page 175<br />
The history of the Kingdom as it has<br />
73:9-11, page 179<br />
developed to date follows specifically<br />
origin, set up by the God of Heaven. This<br />
is no man-made institution. It did have<br />
a humble beginning. Christ was born in<br />
a stable and cradled in a manger. It<br />
has been progressive through the cen<br />
turies. When<br />
two of John's disciples<br />
heard Jesus speak, they followed Him.<br />
Later one of them brought his brother.<br />
A third (a fisherman who had been<br />
called enlisted another. After a time<br />
there were 12, then 70, then 120, then<br />
3,000 and 5,000. Within three centuries<br />
this Kingdom had overspread the Roman<br />
Empire. Now it claims 70 to 80 mil<br />
lions, and goes on to further triumphs.<br />
In God's own scheduled time the pro<br />
gram will be complete. See Psalm 72,<br />
and keep working and praying.<br />
There are many enemies of Kingdom<br />
progress to be overcome. In the parable<br />
of the soils there are four great hin<br />
drances mentioned, hard ground, birds,<br />
stones and thorns. These same ideas<br />
seem to catalog the enemies of today.<br />
There is the hard ground in men's hearts<br />
of selfishness, indifference, pride, de<br />
ceit, and hypocrisy. There are the<br />
scavenger birds of gossip, ridicule, care<br />
lessness, doubt, fear, self-pity, worry,<br />
bad temper, and impatience. There are<br />
the stones of laziness, blindness, impeni<br />
tence, discouragement, defeatism, com<br />
promise, and disloyalty. And there are<br />
the thorns of wrong pleasures, lusts, evil<br />
habits, riches, and worldliness. The<br />
more these things are tolerated and<br />
cultivated, the more the Kingdom is<br />
retarded.<br />
On the other hand, as fellow-workers<br />
with God, we are not only to destroy the<br />
works of the devil, but the good seed of<br />
the Word of God is to be scattered and<br />
tended, and the leaven of the Gospel<br />
disseminated far and wide. Let us<br />
earnestly pray "Thy Kingdom Come,"<br />
and then do all we can to help answer<br />
our petition.<br />
A fine summary of what this petition<br />
involves is found in the Shorter Cate<br />
chism, Q. 102. "In the second petition,<br />
which is, "Thy kingdom we pray<br />
that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed;<br />
and that the kingdom of grace may be<br />
advanced, ourselves and others brought<br />
into it, and kept in it, and that the king<br />
dom of glory may be hastened." See<br />
Scripture references p. 147 in Blue<br />
Book.<br />
The Larger Catechism, Q. 191,<br />
goes<br />
into much more detail, and merits a<br />
careful and unhurried study. These three<br />
small words, "Thy Kingdom Come," are<br />
most meaningful, comprehensive, and<br />
significant. Let us use them reverently<br />
in our prayers, and be trustful of their<br />
ultimate fulfilment.<br />
You will find suggestions for prayer<br />
and discussion scattered all through<br />
the comments.<br />
316 THE COVENANTER WITNESS
steps."<br />
church"<br />
mount."<br />
required."<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer, Editor,<br />
Prayer Hour, 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
W. M. S. Topic for June<br />
THEME: SELECTING THE PLAN<br />
Titus 2:7-8<br />
Mrs. M. K. Carson<br />
It was our "dream house" ! High above<br />
the water, its windows commanded a<br />
wide view of the city, of the bay with<br />
its busy coming and going<br />
of craft of<br />
all sizes and errands, of the tree-covered<br />
hills beyond the harbor, and in the dis<br />
tance, the peaks of the snow-capped<br />
Olympics. Time and time again we turn<br />
ed from our way to pass the house, so<br />
beautiful in its construction, so perfect<br />
in its landscaped setting, so utterly de<br />
sirable.<br />
We had the fond hope that<br />
some day by some strange turn of cir<br />
cumstance we might enter its door and<br />
walk through its lovely rooms. That<br />
day never came, but the house still<br />
lives in memory, beautiful beyond all<br />
dreams of possession.<br />
Yet an even more satisfying dream<br />
house can be your own possession and<br />
mine as we build our life structure for<br />
the Lord and by His grace. But first we<br />
must choose well the pattern of our<br />
building. Paul, who finished his course<br />
with joy, set down for us his pattern<br />
in Philippians 3:12-14, the eager follow<br />
ing of the Lord for Whom he had suf<br />
fered the loss of all things and counted<br />
them but refuse for the love of the One<br />
he had found. This same Jesus, who is<br />
our guarantee of the covenant of grace<br />
and of our acceptance in the Lord (Heb.<br />
7:22), may be just as truly<br />
our perfect<br />
pattern. Peter knew Him as his pattern,<br />
for he wrote (I Peter 2:21), "leaving<br />
us an example, that we should follow<br />
His John, the Beloved disciple,<br />
followed that pattern and at the end<br />
of his life he could say, "It doth not<br />
yet appear what we shall be, but we<br />
know . . . that<br />
we shall be like Him."<br />
Centuries before, David had set himself<br />
the same pattern when he wrote, "I<br />
shall be satisfied with Thy likeness." To<br />
Peter and John on the lake shore, He<br />
offered Himself when He said, "Follow<br />
Me."<br />
To us each one He makes the<br />
same offer, to be not only our true and<br />
perfect pattern, but much more to be<br />
our very life, to make of us new crea<br />
tures. "Who would not follow when He<br />
called"<br />
To choose a true pattern, one that<br />
will never need alteration to suit time<br />
or circumstance, that is of utmost im<br />
portance. Yet even that most excellent<br />
pattern can be of little avail unless it be<br />
closely followed. "And look," said the<br />
May 18, 1955<br />
Lord to Moses, "that thou make them<br />
after their pattern which was showed<br />
thee in the<br />
Moses had seen the vision of the com<br />
pleted tabernacle in all its perfect beau<br />
ty. With Moses worked Bezaleel and<br />
Aholiab and all who were wise-hearted,<br />
whom God had filled with the spirit of<br />
wisdom, following in every detail the<br />
pattern set before them. When the<br />
"tent was complete, "the glory<br />
of the Lord filled the tabernacle." For<br />
all who had helped, what a day it was<br />
to remember, when the Lord accepted<br />
th,eir work,<br />
the perfect plan!<br />
the perfect execution of<br />
As Moses had his perfect unalterable<br />
plan to follow, so also have we. "Look<br />
ing unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher<br />
of<br />
our<br />
faith."<br />
The skilled<br />
workman<br />
checks his work constantly by the speci<br />
fications of his blue-print. So must we<br />
constantly, humbly, earnestly look to<br />
Jesus, being good stewards of the grace<br />
He has given us, and so build our house<br />
that at its completion it may, by His<br />
grace, be filled with the glory of God.<br />
The choice is ours. If our work is<br />
willful, heedless, setting aside God's per<br />
fect pattern to work out our own; if we<br />
have neglected the good material He<br />
has provided and built instead with hay<br />
or stubble, then our work is only loss,<br />
and to those who look to us for guidance<br />
and inspiration, we become only a hind<br />
rance,<br />
a stumbling-block, a millstone<br />
about their neck. But if we have chosen<br />
the true pattern, have followed its every<br />
direction and command, comparing our<br />
work with the perfect model set before<br />
us, then by the grace of God and the<br />
working of His mighty power in us, our<br />
building grows into the very likeness of<br />
the Pattern and the beauty of the<br />
Lord shines upon it. And others seeing<br />
in us the pattern of good works are<br />
themselves led to glorify God and choose<br />
His way.<br />
Our dream house! What could it not<br />
be with such a Pattern, such grace in<br />
every line, such beauty in its reflected<br />
Glory, such permanence, as it endures<br />
forever! Your dream house and mine,<br />
by the exceeding riches of the grace of<br />
God!<br />
NOTICE TO ALL WOMEN from our<br />
year book chairman, Mrs. Harold Hanna :<br />
Harold Hutcheson is no longer teach<br />
ing in Syria, but is in Germany in the<br />
Armed Forces.<br />
On the back of the program the name<br />
of Mrs. R. H. Ge<strong>org</strong>e should replace that<br />
of Mrs. Agness Steele as treasurer of the<br />
Home for the Aged. Her address is Box<br />
358 A.D.R. 7, Pittsburgh 29, Penna.<br />
The Mission of the Covenant (Jew<br />
ish Mission) has been closed and the<br />
property sold.<br />
Some effort has been<br />
made toward the possibility of starting<br />
work in New York City.<br />
Hot Springs is an <strong>org</strong>anized congre<br />
gation, no longer a mission.<br />
See Calendar for Giving, page 26. This<br />
is a recommendation from the Plan of<br />
Work Committee. Some find it advisable<br />
to interchange the months especially<br />
concerning the Special Project which is<br />
new each year. Our Special Project of<br />
this current year will be decided in the<br />
Official Board Meeting June 11, 1955.<br />
The Special Project last year was pay<br />
ing transportation of a new missionary<br />
to a foreign field, but no one sailed.<br />
OUR WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT<br />
OUR VICE-PRESIDENT WRITES:<br />
To the Members of the Women's<br />
Synodical Missionary Society<br />
Dear Co-Workers :<br />
How nice it would be if we could all<br />
know one another personally! Since that<br />
is not possible the best substitute is to<br />
become acquainted through our Wom<br />
en's Department Column in the "Cove<br />
nanter <strong>Witness</strong>."<br />
In a few short weeks it will be just<br />
one year since many of us were gathered<br />
at Grinnell. What wonderful memories<br />
each of us has of the days spent there<br />
with the Convention reaching its climax<br />
Covenant!"<br />
in "the Signing of The<br />
Not only should this linger on in mem<br />
ory but it should produce tangible re<br />
sults. First, this Grinnell vision and rededication<br />
should give new impetus to<br />
our Christian life. It would be tragic to<br />
revert to our former state. Second, this<br />
should produce a desire to impart to<br />
others some of that inspiration. This can<br />
be done through our W.M.S. fellowship<br />
and work.<br />
Some of our Presbyterials will be over<br />
before this appears in print. Neverthe<br />
less, we are approaching the summer<br />
time of relaxation when possibly we will<br />
need most this zeal and extra effort.<br />
Therefore, we need to remember the<br />
words of Paul, "ever abounding in the<br />
work of the Lord," or The Master's<br />
words, "Unto whomsoever much is given<br />
of him shall much be<br />
Now is<br />
the time when those who have had the<br />
privilege of "Grinnell" and "The Signing<br />
of the Covenant" can use it for the<br />
honor and glory of the Lord.<br />
The Plan of Work in the Uniform Pro<br />
gram is given for this purpose. There<br />
you will find an outline of suggestions,<br />
some of which will be helpful in your<br />
particular situation.<br />
May we all "be steadfast, unmoveable,<br />
always abounding in the work of the<br />
Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your<br />
labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Cor.<br />
15:58<br />
Affectionately yours,<br />
Mrs. Kermit S. Edgar<br />
317
OUR WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT<br />
A NOTE FROM MRS. D. C. WARD<br />
I have so many happy<br />
the loving kindness shown me in Grin<br />
memories of<br />
nell by the women of the Synodical and<br />
many others. It was a wonderful ex<br />
perience to realize how many people<br />
really cared when I was injured, and it<br />
made me feel very humble to be remem<br />
bered so graciously. It was worth a lot<br />
of pain and the very deep disappoint<br />
ment of missing so many of the meet<br />
ings, and it has all turned out very well<br />
for my injury is completely cured in the<br />
knee although it was the one which had<br />
the most severe arthritis. I still have a<br />
lingering tenderness in my left hand<br />
which also suffered in the mishap but<br />
my recovery was truly remarkable.<br />
Church News<br />
UNFINISHED BUSINESS<br />
to come before the 1955 Synod<br />
1. Letters of Remembrance.<br />
2. Report of the Committee to develop<br />
a long-range plan for study and action<br />
leading toward future covenanting.<br />
S. B. Willson.<br />
3. Report of the Committee to survey<br />
the Jewish Mission possibilities. R.<br />
A. Henning.<br />
4. Report of the Committee to assemble<br />
the parts of the plan on Continuance<br />
of Pastorates.<br />
G. S. Coleman.<br />
5. Report of the Committee on the use<br />
of various translations of the Bible.<br />
S. E. Boyle.<br />
6. Report of the Delegates to the N.A.<br />
E. Convention J. C. Mitchel, N. M.<br />
Carson.<br />
7. Report of the Committee on granting<br />
of<br />
degrees to seminary students.<br />
J. R. Patterson.<br />
NEW ALEXANDRIA<br />
The dedication of the new addition<br />
to the New Alexandria church was a<br />
fine occasion. The building is attached<br />
to the old church at the front and con<br />
stitutes a right wing. It occupies the<br />
space of lawn in front of the cemetery<br />
beside the church. It is excellently de<br />
signed. The man who prepared the plan,<br />
Mr. Evans, explained his purpose, to<br />
make it fit in with the architecture of<br />
the old building, for which he right<br />
ly<br />
expressed admiration. It is a large<br />
room, with modern lighting and the best<br />
of floor covering. Two entrances lead to<br />
it through the wall of the old church,<br />
one from the vestibule, and the other<br />
from the auditorium, well up from the<br />
back corner, to satisfy, state safety laws.<br />
This made it unnecessary to sacrifice<br />
any of the beautiful windows, for the<br />
one in the corner remains in the wall,<br />
visible from both sides. At the far end<br />
are a kitchen with up-to-date<br />
ment,<br />
equip<br />
and two toilets. In the basement<br />
is a modern heating sysem which takes<br />
care of both buildings. Partitions be<br />
tween classrooms for the Sabbath<br />
318<br />
School are a future project. The congre<br />
gation is to be heartily congratulated<br />
on the vision, the determination and the<br />
sacrifice which have made this new<br />
building<br />
possible. We also regard it as<br />
one of the fruits of the labors of the<br />
pastor and his wife. They are now in<br />
the twenty-eighth year of their earnest<br />
capable, self-sacrificing and<br />
successful<br />
service to this congregation. Dr. Fullerton<br />
is an excellent preacher, and a faith<br />
ful and diligent pastor.<br />
A large audience was present for the<br />
dedication service. A number of our<br />
people came from other congregations,<br />
and many friends from the neighbor<br />
hood were there. It was a time of fel<br />
lowship in worship and in friendly in<br />
tercourse after the service. We came<br />
away encouraged for the future.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
J. B. Willson.<br />
Our Communion services were a rich<br />
blessing to our lives. Rev. Robert Mc<br />
Millan from Fresno was our assistant,<br />
who brought us challenging messages<br />
from the Word of God.<br />
ORLANDO, FLA.<br />
The B.W.M.S. met at the home of<br />
Mrs. W. R. White on the evening of<br />
April 1st. Mrs. Clarabell Worsham was<br />
leader of devotions.<br />
A congregational meeting was held at<br />
the church on the evening of April 8.<br />
The Orlando Junior Band enjoyed a<br />
social at the home of J., Joe, and Susan<br />
Worsham on Saturday afternoon, April<br />
9. An Easter egg hunt, swimming,<br />
games, a temperance lesson and plenty<br />
of eats filled the afternoon.<br />
The Orlando Congregation<br />
too has<br />
been blessed by the presence of Rev.<br />
Sam Boyle and his family. Rev. Boyle's<br />
first message was on the "Twillight of<br />
Missions,"<br />
which he gave on the eve<br />
ning of April 10. Following this service<br />
a Psalm sing<br />
and Fellowship was held<br />
at the home of the Louis Donahues.<br />
The monthly Fellowship Dinner was<br />
held on the 13th of April. After the<br />
filling dinner, Mrs. Boyle showed in<br />
teresting and educational slide scenes<br />
of Japan in the absence of Rev. Boyle<br />
who had gone to speak at the Columbia<br />
Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Geor<br />
gia, and at our Selma Mission in Ala<br />
bama.<br />
Rev. Boyle conducted inspirational<br />
preparatory services on Thursday and<br />
Friday evening preceding our Spring<br />
Communion on April 17. As implied,<br />
Rev. Boyle assisted at our Communion<br />
services on this Lord's Day. Three<br />
young men partook of their first com<br />
munion upon profession of faith at this<br />
time. They were Robert Simon, J. Wor<br />
sham and Joe Worsham.<br />
The Boyles were guests of Dr. and<br />
Mrs. Wm. E. Dill. Also visiting at the<br />
same time were Mrs. Orlena Robb and<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Robb, from Wal<br />
ton, N.Y., and Aliquippa, Pa., respective<br />
ly.<br />
The Builders for Christ class held its<br />
monthly social at the home of Anna<br />
Belle Donahue the 19th of April. Every<br />
one enjoyed a new variety of games.<br />
The Fellowship Class held its month<br />
ly social at the home of the Howard<br />
Worshams the evening of April 22nd.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Forest became<br />
the proud parents of a boy the eve<br />
ning of the 25th of April. They have nam<br />
ed him Roy Edward. Mrs. Forest is the<br />
former Jean Fullerton of New Alexan<br />
dria, Pa. Mrs. Forest's mother, Mrs. R.<br />
C. Fullerton is visiting here at present.<br />
Mother, son, and father are doing fine.<br />
The C.Y.P.U. held a party at the home<br />
of Alan and Donald Windham the eve<br />
ning of April 29. The evening was filled<br />
with plenty of roasted wieners for<br />
everyone present and numerous relay<br />
games.<br />
KANSAS CITY<br />
Sabbath, March 27, we completed our<br />
spring Communion Season, with Rev.<br />
Dougherty of Denison as guest minister.<br />
Dr. Robb's sermon, Wednesday even<br />
ing, prepared us well for Rev. Dough<br />
erty's good sermons which followed. The<br />
congregation profited greatly by Rev.<br />
Doughterty's ministry. Mrs. Doughtery<br />
came with him and we enjoyed having<br />
her. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Ward were<br />
received into our membership. Dr. Robb<br />
baptized their youngest son, Harry Alan,<br />
on the previous Sabbath, and with Wil<br />
liam, and John, three names are added<br />
to the roll of baptized members. Mrs.<br />
Robb was received by letter from Syra<br />
cuse.<br />
The Olathe congregation joined in<br />
the closing service,<br />
Sabbath evening,<br />
and just before the sermon, we had a<br />
praise service, ably led by Mr. Charles<br />
McBurney of Olathe.<br />
Dr. Robb was invited and appeared<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
on the radio program, "Know Your<br />
Pastor"<br />
over WDAF, Saturday morning,<br />
March 26. He was interviewed by Rev.<br />
J. Roy Smith, President of the Roan<br />
oke Ministers' Association; the program<br />
is sponsored by the K.C.<br />
Council of<br />
Churches. Dr. Robb, in a very interest<br />
ing way, told about the work of our<br />
church, not only here but at large,<br />
bringing in what is so dear to our<br />
hearts<br />
the CAM. He also announced<br />
the coming of the Genevans, and we<br />
believe this resulted in the attendance of<br />
some additional strangers.<br />
The Genevans arrived promptly, early<br />
in the evening of March 31, and were<br />
all ready<br />
for the dinner served at 6:00<br />
o'clock by the ladies of the Roanoke<br />
Presbyterian Church. The Concert was<br />
excellent. We were glad to have these<br />
fine young<br />
people with us they<br />
are a<br />
credit to the college. The Olathe con<br />
gregation were with us<br />
part of the expense.<br />
and covered<br />
Dr. Paul Coleman is not improving.<br />
He enjoyed having his sister here again<br />
and not only did she cheer him up but<br />
was a good lift to Mrs. Coleman and<br />
Betty. When Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e was here<br />
several months ago, she attended our<br />
WMS meeting and gave us much inter<br />
esting information regarding the Aged<br />
People's Home. Dr. and Mrs. John Cole<br />
man were also here for a short visit<br />
on their way to and from Topeka. Mrs.<br />
Coleman attended one of our WMS<br />
meetings.<br />
Don Weimer's parents also<br />
visited in their home on their way West<br />
to visit another son.<br />
April 17, our Pastor assisted in Com<br />
munion in the Lake Reno congregation<br />
at Glennwood, Minn. Mrs. Robb accom<br />
panied him.<br />
Dr. Robb gave a children's message<br />
April 3, wonderfully illustrated with<br />
chemicals.<br />
The Psalms are being broadcast over<br />
the Billy<br />
Graham "Hour of<br />
Decision"<br />
program since the beginning of the<br />
Glasgow campaign and we presume that<br />
some of our people have heard the 1200<br />
voice choir sing the 23rd and 24th<br />
Psalms.<br />
Mrs. Harold Ward is Junior Superin<br />
tendent with Miss Margaret Hall as<br />
sisting her in the work.<br />
FIRST BEAVER FALLS<br />
We are glad to have Mr. Norman<br />
Javens Sr. back to worship with us after<br />
his illness in the Hospital.<br />
Mr. Adam Wissner has been ill since<br />
January. Although discharged from the<br />
hospital, he is not well enough to at<br />
tend church. We miss him as one of the<br />
choir and his regular attendance at the<br />
services.<br />
Mrs. Mildred Hill and Mrs. Virginia<br />
Nahas were the hostesses for the March<br />
meeting of the Hilltop Missionary Cir<br />
cle. Mrs. Winnifred Elliott led devo<br />
tions and gave a book review on our<br />
mission study book, "Queen of the Dark<br />
Chambers."<br />
Officers for the coming year<br />
are:<br />
President, Mrs. Florence Ramsey; Vice<br />
President, Mrs. Virginia Nahas; Secre<br />
tary, Mrs. Anna Lane; Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
Chloe Adams.<br />
Our congregation has been saddened<br />
by the deaths of Mrs. William Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Klingensmith. Our<br />
sympathy goes to the families of these<br />
faithful members.<br />
The Joy Class entertained their fami<br />
lies at a covered dish dinner. Films and<br />
feates of magic performed by Rev. and<br />
Mrs. Elliott were the highlights of the<br />
evening.<br />
Jimmy Boyce has been hospitalized<br />
twice this year with a bone disease in<br />
his legs. Our prayer is that God will<br />
heal him so that he will walk without<br />
crutches.<br />
Mrs. Charles Belles is recovering from<br />
an eye operation in a Pittsburgh hos<br />
pital.<br />
WHITE LAKE<br />
We were very happy to have the Rev.<br />
Walter Magee and his family with us<br />
for our Spring Communion Season. Mr.<br />
Magee brought us some very helpful<br />
messages from the Word of God.<br />
It was a thrilling experience on Sab<br />
bath, May 1, when two babies of the<br />
congregation were presented for bap<br />
tism. Those baptized were : Patricia Ann<br />
Tacey, the daughter of Elder and Mrs.<br />
Renwick F. Tacey; and Ge<strong>org</strong>e Allan<br />
Bosch, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel<br />
H. Bosch.<br />
Five of our ladies attended the Pres<br />
byterial which was held at Cambridge<br />
this year. They were Mrs. Daniel Bosch,<br />
Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Norris, Mrs. Grace Weiss,<br />
Mrs. Lena Van Kuren, and Miss Doro<br />
thea Millen.<br />
We are looking forward once again<br />
to the unique conference which is plan<br />
ned primarily for adult <strong>Covenanter</strong>s.<br />
The New York Presbytery's Adult Bible<br />
Conference is to be held at the White<br />
Lake Camp during the last week in July.<br />
Judging from the past conferences, it<br />
will be a Christian experience of great<br />
value.<br />
HOT SPRINGS<br />
The end of March saw one of our<br />
members leaving for Philadelphia. Miss<br />
Dolly Everett, a faithful worker both in<br />
the Sabbath School and Clinic, has<br />
gone to be with her sister-in-law, Mrs.<br />
Margaret Everett, and her two children.<br />
We hope that Dolly will find it possible<br />
to return to us again.<br />
The spring communion<br />
season was<br />
observed on April 8 through 10.<br />
We<br />
were sorry that not all of our members<br />
could be present, due to distance or<br />
sickness. Elder and Mrs. John Dale Russel<br />
were unable to be present as they had<br />
hoped, due to the serious illness of Dr.<br />
Russell which necessitated hospitaliza<br />
tion and surgery. We understand that he<br />
is slowly on the road to recovery.<br />
The Rev. Mr. Paul Faris and family<br />
visited in the home of The Rev. Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Boyd White en route to their<br />
home in Qinter, Kansas from Phoenix,<br />
Arizona, where Mr. Faris assisted with<br />
Communion.<br />
We were happy to have Miss Eliza<br />
beth McElroy with us for our prayermeeting<br />
hour, April 27. She gave us a<br />
very interesting and inspiring message<br />
on our Mission Work in Syria.<br />
At our congregational meeting, April 1,<br />
our retiring chairman, Mr. Albert Cun<br />
ningham, handed over the gavel to our<br />
new chairman, Mrs. James Lucas.<br />
UNITED PHILADELPHIA<br />
It was a church social, Friday April<br />
29, and the congregation gathered for<br />
lots of fun. When Martha Jilek and Jim<br />
Hartin arrived the entire group greeted<br />
them singing "Here Comes the Bride."<br />
They were escorted to a specially pre<br />
pared place, and there beneath a para<br />
sol<br />
(which they used occasionally to<br />
hide their blushes) they accepted a<br />
large basket of gifts. Amid much fun<br />
and laughter the gifts were opened.<br />
Practical, decorative, and altogether<br />
lovely they were. Two gifts brought<br />
much attention, a box of bandaids and a<br />
rolling pin well-padded with toweling.<br />
You would never guess who from Jack<br />
Peoples. (Dr. John) Why<br />
A beautifully decorated cake and re<br />
freshments were served.<br />
Games were<br />
played. We all felt "a merry heart doeth<br />
good like a medicine"<br />
MORNING SUN<br />
(Prov. 17:22).<br />
The Morning Sun Young People's So<br />
ciety enjoyed a social at the parsonage.<br />
Mrs. Ralph Todd is hostess to WMS.<br />
Leaders are Mrs. McMurtry for devo<br />
tions, and Mrs. McElroy for mission<br />
study.<br />
The men dug out the parsonage drain,<br />
so the kitchen drain could be connected,<br />
not such a big job, but a news item when<br />
that many men stop their plowing in<br />
April. McElroys provided refreshments.<br />
Mrs. Fred Johnson, Mrs. Robt. Dick<br />
son and Mrs. McElroy will be teachers<br />
in the Daily Vacation Bible School<br />
May 23-June 3. Others will help on the<br />
serving committees.<br />
David Armstrong is valedictorian of<br />
the Morning Sun High school seniors.<br />
Rev. Patterson used to say that Cove<br />
nanters always took this honor at<br />
May 18, 1955 319
missies"<br />
you."<br />
written."<br />
me."<br />
Morning Sun and again it is true.<br />
David's sister Mary Ann was also vale<br />
dictorian of her high school class a few<br />
years ago. Rev. Edgar will give the<br />
baccalaureate address.<br />
Jimmie McElroy, Junior Royer, and<br />
the Patterson brothers took part in a<br />
large Boys Scout carnival at Burlington,<br />
Iowa, both Friday and Saturday nights.<br />
Our regular congregational meeting<br />
was held in April. Several bequests have<br />
been received in recent months from<br />
these estates: Lizzie Marshall, Jennie<br />
Armstrong, Jessie Moore, and Ge<strong>org</strong>e<br />
Scheming. New officers elected were:<br />
James Dunn President, and Mrs. M. J.<br />
McElhinney Secretary.<br />
The S. S. officers and teachers met at<br />
the home of the secretary Mrs. M. M.<br />
Todd.<br />
John Honeyman, Master-Pilot on the<br />
Arnold V. Walker Mississippi river tow<br />
boat, visited his mother and both visited<br />
in Mankato, Minnesota, with the Forrest<br />
Talbott family.<br />
Gwendolyn Wilson of Ames attended<br />
the National convention of Tomahawk,<br />
a sophomore honorary activities Sorori<br />
ty, at Monmouth College, 111.<br />
BELLE CENTER<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Harsh of Morn<br />
ing Sun have recently purchased a very<br />
commodious and attractive rural home<br />
in our area and are now at home to<br />
their friends. We welcome them into our<br />
fellowship.<br />
In a pretty home ceremony Mary Eliz<br />
abeth Rutherford and Eugene Berry<br />
were united in marriage on Saturday,<br />
March 26, by Rev. M. K. Carson, pastor<br />
of the bride. After a wedding trip to<br />
Washington, D.C, they are making their<br />
home at Lake Ridge, Indian Lake. To<br />
the satisfaction of her large clientele,<br />
Mrs. Berry continues to operate her<br />
beauty salon in Belle Center. Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Berry were honored with a bridal<br />
shower on May 5 at the home of Mr.<br />
and Mrs. James M. Keys.<br />
The spring communion was held April<br />
3 with Rev. John Tweed as assistant.<br />
His fellowship and searching<br />
gospel mes<br />
sages were a great blessing to us all.<br />
On Sabbath, April 17, Dr. Carson as<br />
sisted the Rev. John McMillan in com<br />
munion services in the Old Bethel and<br />
Sparta congregations. Mrs. Carson and<br />
Mrs. Coleman accompanied him on the<br />
trip and all were happy to renew as<br />
sociations of former days. Mr. and Mrs.<br />
James M. Keys also accompanied the<br />
Carsons and were guests in the home<br />
of their daughter and family, the Ralph<br />
Mathews of the Old Bethel congrega<br />
tion.<br />
Mrs. J. Melville Rutherford and<br />
daughters Melba Grace and Rose Mary<br />
were recent visitors in the home of her<br />
parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Patterson of<br />
the Old Bethel congregation.<br />
James Templeton has completed his<br />
basic training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky<br />
and is enjoying a two weeks furlough<br />
before beginning specialized training in<br />
"guided<br />
nois.<br />
at Ft. Sheridan, Illi<br />
Robert Templeton, a junior in the<br />
local high school, was recently elected<br />
to the National Honor Society. Robert<br />
is active in 4H work and in sports and is<br />
a member of the High School band,<br />
besides being dependable and willing in<br />
all congregational activities.<br />
ELMA JANE HOLMES<br />
Elma Holmes was born in Baldwin,<br />
m., but had lived in Topeka the greater<br />
part of her life, where she was an effi<br />
cient teacher in the elementary grades<br />
until her retirement. Her extra-curricu<br />
lar courses were quite as important to<br />
her as the prescribed curriculum, for<br />
she believed that the fear of God is the<br />
beginning the foundation for wisdom,<br />
so the children minored or majored in<br />
Bible, according to the tastes of the pu<br />
pil, but she was faithful in it all. For<br />
years she served on the Trustee Board<br />
of the Church. Besides her church mem<br />
bership<br />
she belonged to a number of<br />
patriotic, educational and social clubs.<br />
After she had lived her three score and<br />
ten and a few of those bonus "and if by<br />
reason of strength"<br />
years, she answered<br />
the Master's call on April 20, in a To<br />
peka Hospital. Her sister Mabel survives<br />
her.<br />
The large group<br />
of friends from far<br />
and near that attended her funeral at<br />
tested the esteem in which she was held.<br />
Dr. Taggart, a former pastor, spoke on<br />
I Cor. 3:11-15, "The Cremation of the<br />
Soul."<br />
Burial was at Baldwin, 111.<br />
To Whom Shall We Pray<br />
A little lad in central Africa had<br />
learned to read the New Testament in<br />
the mission school.<br />
Some time later<br />
the Roman Catholic fathers persuaded<br />
him to be baptized into the Roman<br />
Church.<br />
They<br />
gave him a medal to<br />
wear, on which was a representation<br />
of the Virgin. "It will be easier for<br />
you to pray when you look at that,"<br />
they said,<br />
"and the mother of Jesus<br />
will pray to her Son for<br />
Several months passed, and the boy<br />
returned to the evangelical<br />
mission.<br />
Asked the reason why he did not go<br />
to the Catholics he said, "I read in<br />
the Gospels that Mary lost Jesus when<br />
she was on a journey; so I thought,<br />
If she f<strong>org</strong>ot her own little boy, she<br />
will surely f<strong>org</strong>et me, so I am going<br />
to pray<br />
straight to<br />
Jesus."<br />
Christian<br />
Digest<br />
BRDLLIANT SIDESTEiPPER<br />
Robert G. Ingersoll was one of the<br />
most brilliant and eloquent men of<br />
America in the nineteenth century. He<br />
was the son of a minister. Once as a<br />
boy<br />
he lived in a parsonage in Greenville, Il<br />
linois.<br />
Ingersoll was a lawyer and a politi<br />
cian, but chiefly he used his great tal<br />
ents lecturing against the Bible and<br />
Christianity at $50.00 a night when most<br />
ministers were receiving less than so<br />
much per month.<br />
Once he said that his father was a<br />
"devil" while his mother was an "angel,"<br />
which was probably<br />
overstatements.<br />
one of his usual<br />
At the close of one of his lectures he<br />
gave the usual privilege to any who de<br />
sired to answer his arguments. The<br />
many<br />
ministers present in the great<br />
crowd sat silent<br />
not wishing to engage<br />
so able a man or to be in reproach, being<br />
worsted by him. But as told by one of<br />
the auditors, a humble man, a local<br />
preacher, unlearned, arose and told<br />
what the Lord had done for him<br />
just<br />
his testimony. Ingersoll listened intently,<br />
then replied, "I would give all I have<br />
if He would do that for<br />
To his saintly aunt he presented one of<br />
his books against the Bible. On the fly<br />
leaf he wrote, "To my Aunt Sarah. If all<br />
Christians would live as she does, prob<br />
ably this book would never have been<br />
At the grave of his brother he ex<br />
pressed a yearning for a good immortal<br />
ity.<br />
If his father was a "devil" and his<br />
mother an "angel," was this sufficient<br />
excuse for his following his father in<br />
stead of his mother<br />
If many<br />
"Christians"<br />
do not live like<br />
Aunt Sarah, is this ample excuse for the<br />
failure of a man who knew well the<br />
Word and the way<br />
of salvation<br />
Anyone who wants to can somehow<br />
defend his failure to serve God and find<br />
defence for the squandering of his gifts.<br />
But at the Judgment Ingersoll and<br />
each of us answers as a moral and re<br />
sponsible being.<br />
Alone we stand before God!<br />
Free Methodist<br />
Anxiety and worry are the parents<br />
of temper and disease.<br />
320 COVENANTER WITNESS
gospel,"<br />
along"<br />
gadgetry,"<br />
ECHOES NUMBER<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 12, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,<br />
THE SEED IS THE WORD OP GOD<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1955 NUMBER 21<br />
U<br />
Back to Basics w<br />
by Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
The conversation turned towards the fascinating<br />
topic of the world of tomorrow . . . "What a place to<br />
Bill!"<br />
live in, the one man said to his companion.<br />
"Think of the wonders of the world of the future . .<br />
things we don't even dare to dream about today, even<br />
with the wonderful things we possess. I can just ima<br />
gine . . he slowly closed his eyes with the thought,<br />
"I can just imagine one of tomorrow's children<br />
hurrying in to the front room where dad is sitting<br />
and asking, 'Say Dad ! can I borrow the family space<br />
ship for this evening, please I want to take my girl<br />
for a spin to the Moon ; maybe we'll go over to Mars<br />
"<br />
and see what's going on there. And the man op<br />
.<br />
ened his eyes and turned to his companion, "What do<br />
you think of that, Bill"<br />
The other said nothing for a long<br />
he turned in the direction of the other and said soft<br />
ly, "But even so, Bob, even so, tomorrow's children<br />
will still get the same advice that today's fathers<br />
give. 'Don't drive too fast, and don't stay<br />
late' !"<br />
moment. Then<br />
out too<br />
That is quite a suggestive story isn't it At least<br />
it is spiritually suggestive, bringing us to the re<br />
minder of those things which we ought never to lose<br />
sight of. There are some things which never change,<br />
notwithstanding the quickness of outward appear<br />
ance. Sin will always be sin, whatever the century,<br />
for the hearts of those who dwell in the centuries<br />
will never advance beyond the need of the Atone<br />
ment. Calvary must always be set into the center<br />
of the scene, or else nothing will be important nor<br />
profitable. There is no date-line where the iniquities<br />
of the heart are concerned,<br />
and no salve of science<br />
will ever be able to soften, or smear away the stains<br />
of sin. The centuries past had their desperate need<br />
of Jesus Christ arid Him crucified as the One Hope.<br />
The hours of today may have changed the outward<br />
form and the apparent mould, but they have their<br />
own horrors . . . <strong>Witness</strong> the horror of the hydrogen<br />
bomb which hangs over us ! and still find no release<br />
in aught else. And should He tarry and "the wonder<br />
ful world of tomorrow" hold its fashion over this<br />
sphere, there will still be the desperate necessity<br />
for the personal experience of Him who above and<br />
life."<br />
beyond all is, "the way, the truth and the<br />
Of course, we know all of this as a doctrinal po<br />
sition and a theological reality. We have been<br />
"brought up on the and know Him as the<br />
only Saviour and sovereign Lord, upon the basis of<br />
the personal experience. We may readily locate chapter-and-verse<br />
which points up the power of the un<br />
changeable Gospel, and that supreme salvation which<br />
is unto everyone that believeth. But when it cornels<br />
to the practical application of these basic truths it<br />
may be quite another matter, and the gospel of the<br />
doctrine seems to have become short-circuited some<br />
where along the life-line, from being translated into<br />
the gospel of daily doing and doxology.<br />
Perhaps we have become "sucked in" by the<br />
swiftness and apparent abilities of the outward<br />
changes which we witness on every hand. It is too<br />
tragically easy to "flow with this "progres<br />
sive tide," and allow the god of this world (2 Cor.<br />
4:4) to blind us to our business of occupying with<br />
the Basics. There is the subtle temptation of leaning<br />
upon new methods, more fascinating "twists," to<br />
present the message in a more commodious manner<br />
to Christless hearts. One has well called our times,<br />
gadgets,"<br />
"the age of and the "gods of<br />
have seemingly invaded many a corner of Christian<br />
so that we come to move the message behind<br />
work,<br />
(Continued on page 326)
games."<br />
evil."<br />
violence."<br />
Is<br />
counts.'<br />
If<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Bingo in New York<br />
The Legislature of New York voted to legalize bingo and<br />
recommended it for a vote of the state. The editor of the<br />
Watchman-Examiner, commenting<br />
on this says: "It was,<br />
undoubtedly, a concession to certain churches, clubs, or<br />
charitable <strong>org</strong>anizations, so-called. We do not believe that<br />
they are worthy of the title, for any philanthropic institution<br />
which pays no attention to the promotion of good morals is<br />
hardly 'charitable.' " Since bingo has been permitted and<br />
licensed in New Jersey in an eight-month period it has grown<br />
to be more than eleven times as prevalent. Receipts from<br />
bingo games were $6,7<strong>54</strong>,519, and from raffles, $1,892,882.<br />
The New Jersey Commission has revealed that "professional<br />
elements"<br />
are trying to "knuckle into the operation of Bingo<br />
"Every decent citizen in New Jersey has a troubled<br />
conscience at the public permission and approval of the<br />
gambling<br />
Lutheran Mergers<br />
At one of the meetings of representatives of Lutheran<br />
churches four of these bodies planning merger tentatively<br />
approved a major portion of the first draft of a proposed<br />
constitution for the new Church of more than 1,800,000<br />
members. Those involved in this plan are the Evangelical<br />
Lutheran Church, American Lutheran Church, United Evan<br />
gelical Lutheran Church,<br />
and Lutheran Free Church.<br />
Missions in Latin America<br />
Now is the time to send new missionaries to Latin<br />
America, to purchase choice properties which may<br />
not be<br />
on the market later, to promote field missions and direct<br />
evangelism, declared Dr. F. K. Means, secretary of the Mis<br />
sion Board of the Southern Baptist church, after a ten weeks<br />
visit to the areas for which he is responsible.<br />
Expenditures on Visual and Radio Programs<br />
This year the National Council of Churches plans to<br />
spend $1,405,000 on religious films, television, and radio pro<br />
grams, which is an increase of $245,000 over that of 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
The "Martin Luther" Film<br />
The film entitled, "Martin Luther," is being shown in a<br />
number of European and Asiatic countries, including Austria<br />
and India, Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Hol<br />
land, and is said to be a great success. It is to be shown in<br />
Ceylon and Burma and other countries.<br />
Comic Books Outlawed<br />
The State of New York, through its legislature, has ap<br />
proved a bill to outlaw the sale to any one under 18 years of<br />
age of comic books dealing with crime, horror, sex, and bru<br />
tality. It defines such books as "any book, pamphlet, or<br />
magazine consisting of narrative material in pictorial form,<br />
and commonly known as comic books,<br />
colored or uncolored,<br />
the title or titles of which contain the words,<br />
'crime,' 'sex,'<br />
'horror,'<br />
or 'terror,' or the contents of which is devoted to,<br />
or principally made up of, pictures or accounts of methods of<br />
crime, or illicit sex, horror, terror, physical torture, brutal<br />
ity,<br />
322<br />
or physical<br />
Blind Leaders<br />
Under the above caption the Evangelical Christian tells<br />
us that "on a recent Sunday evening a lady Hindu doctor<br />
told the young people of the St. Columbia United Church<br />
in Toronto, 'It is not what you worship, but the sincerity of<br />
how you do so that<br />
She then proceeded to trace the<br />
growth of modern Hinduism from its beginning 4,000 years<br />
ago down to the present time ....<br />
this woman's views<br />
are correct these young people must be wondering why the<br />
United Church, or any other church for that matter, sends<br />
missionaries to India, Africa, China and the ends of the<br />
earth. If it does not really matter what people worship as<br />
long as they are sincere, then all the animists who bow down<br />
to monkeys, cattle, snakes and a hundred and one other idols<br />
of wood and stone do not need the Christian Gospel, for they<br />
are perfectly sincere in the worship of their false gods. Our<br />
Lord certainly did not believe that, the apostles did not be<br />
lieve it ....<br />
it necessary that people like this should be<br />
invited to speak in Christian churches, to set forth doctrines<br />
and teachings that if true would nullify the whole Christian<br />
message We wonder why the pulpit is losing its power to<br />
day. Well, one reason is right there."<br />
Human Speech<br />
The above editor tells of a recent article in one of the<br />
Toronto newspapers written by a graduate of Trinity College<br />
which purports to tell the story<br />
of the development of hu<br />
man speech from the unintelligible sounds made by children,<br />
which he considers are an expression of primitive emotions<br />
through which after a long passage of years man developed<br />
language. "There in a he nut-shell,"<br />
says, "lay the secret of<br />
human language. Only 300,000 years ago our forefathers, the<br />
cavemen, expressed themselves exactly the same way, not<br />
only in their childhood, but all through their lives .... these<br />
primitive animal reactions were the beginnings that event<br />
language."<br />
ually grew into human<br />
The editor remarks: "It is articles such as this appear-<br />
(Continued on page 327)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kansai.<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer*;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors-<br />
Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editor*.<br />
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Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
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under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
AUSTRIAN INDEPENDENCE<br />
The people of Austria are rejoicing over the final sign<br />
ing of the treaty restoring their full independence. The Big<br />
Four foreign ministers had to settle several last-minute<br />
issues before agreeing on the treaty. The final draft re<br />
moved from the preamble a clause implying that Austria was<br />
partly<br />
responsible for World War II. The<br />
big powers<br />
agreed to "respect" Austrian neutrality, but not to guaran<br />
tee it. The Austrian government will soon issue its own dec<br />
laration of neutrality, in the form of a constitutional law.<br />
The intention is to give Austria the same status as Swit<br />
zerland, but this will not be easy to achieve.<br />
The foreign occupation troops will leave Austria within<br />
ninety days. Though Austria has not been entirely sovereign<br />
since Hitler occupied the country in 1938, it has had its own<br />
government since 1945 and was never as sharply divided as<br />
Germany. Austria's seven million people are strongly anti-<br />
Communist, but they still face difficult economic problems.<br />
WARSAW ALLIANCE<br />
The Communist states of Eastern Europe have complet<br />
ed a military pact which is designed to counterbalance our<br />
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Meeting at Warsaw,<br />
Russia and her satellites signed a mutual defense treaty<br />
providing for unified command of their armies. No one could<br />
have been surprised when a Soviet Marshal was named the<br />
supreme commander. Each country will have a deputy com<br />
mander, and the general structure is simpler than NATO.<br />
East Germany's military participation was left open for later<br />
settlement, possibly as a hint that Russia may try to have all<br />
of Germany neutralized. The Defense Minister of Red China<br />
attended the meetings and pledged full cooperation with the<br />
new <strong>org</strong>anization, though China is not a member. The new<br />
agreement actually makes little difference in the balance of<br />
power, as the armies of the satellite states have always<br />
been under Russian direction.<br />
SUPPORTING SELF-GOVERNMENT<br />
In spite of recent disorders, Premier Ngo Dinh Diem of<br />
South Vietnam seems likely to remain in power. He has<br />
named a new Nationalist cabinet of fourteen men, only four<br />
of whom were in his original government. Early<br />
elections are<br />
promised for a national assembly to adopt a permanent plan<br />
of government for South Vietnam. Bao Dai remains the<br />
Chief of State, though Premier Diem has virtually repudiat<br />
ed his authority. The French support Bao Dai as a prop<br />
for colonialism, but he has spent the last several years in<br />
France, and is so tainted with corruption that he cannot<br />
possibly be the head of an indigenous democratic govern<br />
ment. France is determined to protect her economic inter<br />
ests in Indo-China and has prevented Premier Diem from<br />
suppressing some of the opposition sects. The U. S. is more<br />
interested in strengthening Vietnam against Communism,<br />
and has given Diem full support.<br />
NEW ARMY CHD3F<br />
Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor is replacing Gen. Matthew B.<br />
Ridgway as Army Chief of Staff. Gen. corn-<br />
Taylor is 53 and<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
manded an airborn division in World War II. He was re<br />
cently head of the Far East Command and of U. N. opera<br />
tions in Korea. Gen. Ridgway's term was to expire in August,<br />
but he asked to retire earlier, following a public disagree<br />
ment with the Administration about cuts in Army manpow<br />
er. Ridgway may accept the presidency of a new Henry<br />
Kaiser corporation to build trucks and autos in Argentina.<br />
The House has approved the Administration military bud<br />
get, calling for total appropriations of $31.5 billion; but the<br />
Senate Armed Services Committee may restore some of the<br />
cuts in manpower.<br />
STATEHOOD DEND3D<br />
The House of Representatives has returned to commit<br />
tee the bill granting statehood to Hawaii and Alaska. This<br />
virtually kills the measure for this session of Congress. The<br />
vote was 218 to 170, so it will be difficult for friends of the<br />
bill to revive it. Politics seem to have determined many of<br />
the votes. Republicans opposed the bill because both territo<br />
ries are now Democratic. Southern Democrats also voted<br />
against the measure because the representatives of Hawaii<br />
and Alaska would favor civil rights legislation, and would re<br />
duce Southern influence in the Democratic party. This re<br />
sult is unfortunate, for if the issue were considered on its<br />
merits, we would not only have two more states, but would<br />
show that we really<br />
BLACKOUT PREPARATIONS<br />
believe in democracy.<br />
The longest eclipse of the sun in over 1,200 years will<br />
take place June 20. It will be visible, in total form, only on<br />
a narrow strip of the earth across southern Asia, and the<br />
maximum period of totality will be a little over seven min<br />
utes. Astronomers from the U. S. and several other countries<br />
are converging on Ceylon, the island off the southern tip<br />
of India, which will be the best observation point. Photo<br />
graphs taken during a total eclipse give us our only good<br />
view of the edge of the sun and its flaming projections,<br />
which are believed to have some influence on our weather.<br />
Astronomers can also use the eclipse to test one of Ein<br />
stein's theories, that light is deflected by the mass of nearby<br />
bodies.<br />
DIPLOMA PROSPECTS<br />
This June our colleges will graduate 264,000 seniors,<br />
the smallest number since 1948. America's largest graduat<br />
ing class was 434,000 in June, 1950. Employment prospects<br />
are good for this year's seniors. In some fields, such as en<br />
gineering, there is strenuous competition for the graduates,<br />
with beginning salaries of from four to five thousand dol<br />
lars being offered. High-school seniors who do not go on to<br />
college will find their situation more difficult, for this year's<br />
high-school graduating class is the largest in history, and<br />
college training is becoming<br />
more and more essential for<br />
the more desirable jobs. In two or three more years the num<br />
ber of college graduates will begin a steady rise, and the<br />
job competition may become keener at the upper levels. All<br />
this results from the increase in America's birth rate, which<br />
began in the late 1930's and has continued strongly since<br />
World War II.<br />
323
sorrowing."<br />
come."<br />
strings,"<br />
wine."<br />
you."<br />
ulate"<br />
mother."<br />
also!"<br />
The Editor's Page<br />
THOSE SWADDLING CLOTHES<br />
When "Rusty" Williams came home from school<br />
late, wearing a 'shiner,' it resulted in an investiga<br />
tion which revealed that Rusty had retaliated when<br />
a larger boy than he had insinuated that Rusty was<br />
a 'Sissy' on account of his high curly pompadour. In<br />
the family debate that followed, Rusty and his father<br />
Danny Williams supported the affirmative of the<br />
question: "Resolved that Rusty is now sufficiently<br />
advanced in life to shed those long curls and have a<br />
manly haircut." The negative was upheld with con<br />
siderable vigor by his mother and older sister. For it<br />
seems to be a natural trait of mothers to view with<br />
reluctance the passing of babyhood of the young<br />
est child. The booties, the soft soled slippers are pre<br />
cious relics salted for preservation in Mother's tears.<br />
So the Mother of Jesus brought forth her first<br />
born child, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and<br />
laid Him in a manger. This kindly intentioned treat<br />
ment must not be so confining as it sounds, for we<br />
have no record of lasting resentment on the part of<br />
anyone subjected to it, though the same may not be<br />
true of being "tied to Mother's apron a later<br />
stage. That the boy Jesus was properly restrained<br />
and disciplined is evidenced by the confidence of His<br />
parents in Him when He was twelve years of age<br />
-when they assumed that He would be in their homebound<br />
company. That He was more than willing to be<br />
left 'behind is apparent by the advantage He took of<br />
His several days of freedom to be "about His Fa<br />
ther's business," and to ask and answer questions of<br />
the doctors of the Law, and to astonish, and even<br />
confuse them by His Socratic astutenes and simplici<br />
ty.<br />
That He considered this freedom well within His<br />
rights is shown by His answer to His mother's re<br />
proachful look and gentle rebuke, "Why hast thou<br />
dealt thus with us Thy father and I have sought<br />
you<br />
"Why did you seek me Did you not<br />
know that I must be in My Father's house " And He<br />
went down with them to Nazareth and was obedient<br />
unto them. And He began His ministry at about thir<br />
ty years of age. Don't you think He felt those swad<br />
dling clothes binding Him through all those years<br />
But even those thirty years of subordination did<br />
not satisfy that maternal instinct for regency. But<br />
even after His public ministry had well begun, His<br />
mother came to Him with at least a hint of authority<br />
There was<br />
in her voice to say, "They have no<br />
no suggestion of what He should do, but would he not<br />
do something Jesus answer was an appeal to the<br />
Statute of Limitations, veiled in mild but unmistak<br />
able language ; "0 woman, what have you to do with<br />
me My hour has not yet His mother said to<br />
the servants. "Do whatever He tells It sounds<br />
like a mutual understanding that His filial obliga<br />
tions had been paid in full, and from now on He was<br />
taking orders only from His Father in Heaven, and<br />
she immediately turned the servants over to His<br />
management.<br />
We know of no further interference on the<br />
mother's part until near the end of His ministry. His<br />
popularity had passed its zenith, and there was a ris-<br />
324<br />
ing tide of opposition that was no longer concealed.<br />
Nazareth was openly hostile and would have pushed<br />
Him over a cliff had they been divinely permitted.<br />
Rumor had it that Herod was seeking His life. Judea<br />
was lying in wait with stones, until the disciples<br />
feared for His life and theirs if He dared to go there.<br />
The rulers had a price on His head, and were only<br />
waiting for the Passover season to be over to kill<br />
Him. What could a mother do but interfere and bring<br />
Him home as one "beside himself" And who but a<br />
mother could persuade her other sons to go with her<br />
to bring Him home So we find Jesus talking to a<br />
great crowd of people, so many that Mother and sons<br />
could not get near Him, so the word is passed from<br />
one to another, "Thy Mother and thy brethren stand<br />
without, seeking thee." And He answered, "Who is<br />
my mother, and who are my brethren " And stretch<br />
ing out His hand toward the multitude He said, "Be<br />
hold my mother, and behold my brethren. For whoso<br />
doeth the will of My Father, the same is my brother<br />
and sister and He was not to be swaddled<br />
by any family circle ties, nor pressured by public<br />
opinion.<br />
"The Return From Calvary" is a heart touching<br />
picture familiar to most of you. Mary is climbing the<br />
hill and entering Jerusalem on the arm of her newly<br />
assigned son John, the Beloved Disciple. But they<br />
stop to look back to that tragic hill where the three<br />
crosses stand silouetted in the distance. Their eyes<br />
are holden of course against the coming resurrection.<br />
The day's happenings must have seemed to them as<br />
a terrible nightmare too impossible to be true ! But<br />
there stood the crosses against the sky! There was<br />
no denying the facts. Did Mary who treasured so<br />
many things in her heart think back to those happy<br />
days when "she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes,<br />
and laid Him in a manger Of the happy day when<br />
they presented Him in the temple, and those old<br />
saints came out and blessed the child; but kind old<br />
Simeon looked her sadly in the eyes and said, "Yea,<br />
and a sword shall pierce thine own heart This<br />
day was that prophecy fulfilled. Oh, for those happy<br />
days of the swaddling clothes, but He had outgrown<br />
them, in spite of all she could do.<br />
And yet that very evening two comparative<br />
strangers would take Him down from the cross, and<br />
lovingly wrap Him in linen swaddling clothes, and<br />
put Him in a new tomb, and roll a stone over the<br />
door. Later the Roman Government would put their<br />
seal upon it, and make it as sure as they could and<br />
set a watch. SWADDLED !<br />
From the day that Mary first swaddled Him to<br />
the present it has been the chief end of the world,<br />
the flesh and the devil to keep Him bound. And<br />
again we say, you and I are also guilty. But even<br />
death could not hold Him.<br />
The Roman Catholic Church is swaddling Jesus<br />
Christ by putting Him into subjection to the "immac<br />
Virgin Mary, and swaddling Him in the infalli<br />
bility of His so-called Vicar, the pope. Swaddling<br />
Him in the filthy rags of false traditions, but He to<br />
whom all power has been given will not remain con<br />
fined.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
motion."<br />
meditate."<br />
me."<br />
A Gift for God<br />
Address at the dedication of the Educational Addition to the church, New Alexandria, Pa. March 18, 1955<br />
Prof. J. B. Willson, D.D.<br />
(Continued from last week)<br />
What is the Purpose of This New Building<br />
Its first purpose is WORSHIP<br />
Worship began with an altar under the open sky.<br />
When these returned captives came to restore their<br />
place of worship, they first set the altar upon its<br />
bases, and proceeded with the offerings. They kept<br />
also the feast of tabernacles as it is written. When<br />
the foundation of the house was laid, they sang<br />
praises to God, after the ordinances of David, king<br />
of Israel. When they dedicated the house, they pre<br />
sented the offerings and "set the priests in their<br />
divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the<br />
service of God. ... as it is written in the book of<br />
Moses.<br />
The Psalms are full of the thought of wor<br />
shiping in God's house. "I was glad when they<br />
said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."<br />
"Lord, I have loved the habitation of<br />
thy house,<br />
and the place where thine honour dwelleth." "How<br />
amiable (lovely) are thy tabernacles, O Lord of<br />
hosts!"<br />
The Psalmist said again "One thing have<br />
I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that<br />
I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days<br />
of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and<br />
to inquire in his temple." "To behold"<br />
some one<br />
has said "I look at God, and He looks at "To<br />
inquire"<br />
may also mean "to<br />
Both ideas<br />
include some thoughtful study<br />
of God and of His<br />
Revelation to men. This is one purpose in our wor<br />
ship ; it is the special purpose in our Sabbath School<br />
work. God's Word will be studied in this building.<br />
The President of Princeton University in a<br />
message last fall to alumni and parents of under<br />
graduates quoted from a former President of the<br />
eighteenth century, Dr. Witherspoon, a definition<br />
of a liberal education as one designed to "put all<br />
human powers into Dr. Dodds considers<br />
this still applicable in 19<strong>54</strong>. He says : "If the individ<br />
ual man of the twentieth century is to develop<br />
all his powers to the highest possible degree and<br />
to permit none of them to remain dormant or un<br />
used, if he is to learn how to use them in his ef<br />
fort to live honorably and well in an age when (as in<br />
all ages) it is very difficult to do either, if he is<br />
to make only the wisest choices among the myriad<br />
possible options which lie open to him in his per<br />
sonal life, humanistic studies are clearly indispensible<br />
to him." If this be true of the studies of<br />
the secular schools, how much more true is it of the<br />
studies in our church schools If we are going to<br />
put all human powers into the right kind of motion,<br />
if we are to make the right choices in life, we need<br />
to know God, and we need to know Him through<br />
His Word. We had in our Seminary within fairly<br />
recent years students from our Seminary in Ire<br />
land. They were accustomed to having examinations<br />
in Sabbath School classes, with grades given out.<br />
Would that help us to maintain higher standards of<br />
progress<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
A second purpose of this building is FELLOWSHIP<br />
In Israel there must have been a happy fellow<br />
ship in connection with the annual journeys to Je<br />
rusalem for the feasts. It would compare with our<br />
good times at summer camps and conferences. That<br />
in later times, at least, they traveled in different<br />
groups, perhaps general family or age groups, would<br />
appear from the account in Luke's Gospel of Joseph,<br />
Mary and Jesus going to a passover.<br />
It does us good always to meet together in wor<br />
ship. Some churches have a plan for every one to<br />
speak to the person behind him at the close of the<br />
service. We ought to greet our fellow-church-mem<br />
bers regularly, and to ask about absentees. We<br />
ought to make a special point to greet visitors. There<br />
is a bond of<br />
unity in worshiping together. Families<br />
and individuals are bound up together in the bundle<br />
of life in the great family of God.<br />
Social gatherings of the people of a congregation<br />
are a part of the church life. There are the mis<br />
sionary societies, the young people's Society, perhaps<br />
a Men's League, which meet regularly for worship,<br />
for study and for fellowship. My thoughts go back<br />
to the Allegheny congregation of my youth. We<br />
young people had many good times together. We had<br />
our regular socials, an annual summer picnic, and iceskating<br />
in winter. My social life was bound up with<br />
my fellow <strong>Covenanter</strong>s, thanks to the leadership of<br />
our faithful pastor, Dr. W. J. Coleman. I know you<br />
have this opportunity here, under the leadership<br />
of your pastor. I covet the same experience for all<br />
young people,<br />
in their several churches.<br />
The church building should be adapted to such<br />
social events. It is neither convenient nor fitting<br />
to have them in the auditorium which should be<br />
reserved so far as possible for worship. We need a<br />
kitchen, and a room large enough for tables to<br />
seat all the congregation and more, and also adapt<br />
ed for games. These needs are provided for in this<br />
new building.<br />
The third purpose of this building is SERVICE<br />
We worship together as those who are saved<br />
to serve. We are our brothers' keepers. We are to<br />
go into all the world and preach the Gospel. We<br />
have responsibility also for material welfare. Church<br />
members have always been helpers of their neigh<br />
bors and of all in need. Deacons were chosen in the<br />
apostolic church to direct this service, and should<br />
still take the responsibility for it. Churches are still<br />
the center of every united effort for others, and<br />
leaders in every good work. That kind of service will<br />
be taught in this building, and from it we trust<br />
all will go forth to do their part.<br />
The church by its very presence and by its<br />
teaching serves the community and the nation. Long<br />
ago a minister wote a railroad company to thank<br />
them for the courtesy of reduced rates. A letter of<br />
acknowledgment said that if it were not for the<br />
churches railroad trains could not run. The church<br />
325
system,"<br />
all<br />
is the greatest force to control lawlessness and<br />
crime.<br />
We believe that the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church renders<br />
special service by the high standard of truth which<br />
of the Lord<br />
it teaches. We proclaim the Kingship<br />
Jesus Christ. He is Lord over the whole of man. He<br />
is Lord over our doctrines, and we cannot give them<br />
up because they are unpopular, or to suit our own<br />
desires or convenience. He is Lord over our worship.<br />
We still sing in worship the Psalms, and we still<br />
leave out of our praise service instruments of music,<br />
because we believe this is His appointment. He is<br />
Lord of our life among men. We believe that this<br />
rules out membership in a secret order. We believe<br />
that in our social life, in our business life, in our<br />
political life we must give Him the first place. We<br />
believe that He is Lord of nations, the divinely ap<br />
pointed King of kings and Lord of lords, and that<br />
nations should acknowledge His supreme authority.<br />
Since our nation makes no acknowledgment of Him<br />
in the fundamental law, the Constitution, we do<br />
not seek political office nor vote for others to hold<br />
office. We bring no railing accusation against those<br />
who differ with us on some or all of these points.<br />
To use the words of Abraham Lincoln, "with malice<br />
toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in<br />
right,"<br />
the right as God gives us to see the we cleave<br />
to our profession of faith, and strive to finish the<br />
witness which we have received from our fathers.<br />
We believe that this congregation renders a distinct<br />
service in holding and in proclaiming this high stan<br />
dard of truth and of loyalty to truth.<br />
The Church is a Nation's Protecting Wall<br />
The temple was finished and was dedicated.<br />
But Jerusalem's wall lay in ruins. Over fifty years<br />
later Nehemiah came to the city. At his urging a<br />
host of earnest men got to work. There were those<br />
who kept aloof the nobles of the Tekoites put not<br />
their necks to the work of their Lord. But many<br />
wrought faithfully, and often the work was done<br />
by individuals or groups over against their own<br />
houses. They were working both for themselves<br />
and for their city. And the wall was finished.<br />
Let us apply this all to a wall which we need<br />
around our homes and our nation, not a wall of ma<br />
terial weapons and defenses, but a wall of spiritual<br />
protection. There can be such a wall. And in a real<br />
sense, in building the house of God, we build this wall<br />
around our homes, our cities and our nation.<br />
Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse in his survey of<br />
19<strong>54</strong> in the January issue of his magazine Eternity<br />
ended a brief discussion of the relations of our Amer<br />
ican oil interests and our government with Arab<br />
countries and Israel with the statement that if the<br />
United States favors Israel against the Arab states,<br />
God cannot allow Russia to strike us, but that if we<br />
side with the Arabs against Israel, we will have lost<br />
our protection. We disagree with him in the apparent<br />
implication that the righteousness required of our<br />
nation for its safety from the Russian foe is limited<br />
to taking the part of this new Jewish nation against<br />
its enemies. We agree in two ideas suggested, that<br />
God can keep a nation secure from enemies, and that<br />
His requirement for the giving of such security is<br />
obedience to His law.<br />
It was sin and disobedience that brought judg<br />
ment on the nations round about Israel and on Israel.<br />
The cup of their iniquity become full. Because Israel<br />
326<br />
sinned, she was delivered into the hands of her ene<br />
mies. Her earthly kings helped her to f<strong>org</strong>et her<br />
heavenly King; and the nation that will not serve<br />
Him shall perish. God's command to nations is "Kiss<br />
the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the<br />
way when His wrath is kindled but a little." "Right<br />
eousness exalteth a nation."<br />
"Blessed is the nation<br />
whose God is the Lord."<br />
In commanding that the men go up regularly to<br />
Jerusalem for the appointed feasts, God gave the peo<br />
ple assurance of protection for families and posses<br />
sions left at home. "No man shall desire thy land."<br />
In the days of the Judges deliverance and peace came<br />
when Israel repented and made a new effort. When<br />
Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem, Hezekiah laid the<br />
matter before the Lord. The Lord disposed of the at<br />
tacking army. Solomon, wisest of men, said, "If a<br />
man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his ene<br />
mies to be at peace with him."<br />
We think of our nation's sins<br />
robberies, gam<br />
bling (including the unrighteous plots at Harrisburg<br />
within the week), murders, sins of impurity, the<br />
liquor traffic with its train of evils, profanity, Sab<br />
bath desecration, disregard for God and for His law,<br />
sins of fathers and mothers, and sins of our young<br />
boys and girls. The wall around our persons, our<br />
homes and our nation is crumbling. We keep wonder<br />
ing if an atomic war is about to bring our day of<br />
judgment.<br />
The way to build up the wall is to build the house<br />
of God, and to maintain its worship, its fellowship,<br />
its service. Then from our churches will go forth<br />
bands of boys and girls, and of men and women,<br />
whose hearts God has touched, to touch the lives of<br />
all the people of the land, and to touch the nation's<br />
life for God. This is our hope.<br />
Will all of you who are here tonight join hearts<br />
and hands in building the house of God and the wall <br />
You come from different communities and from dif<br />
ferent churches. You have a common goal. Will you<br />
build, every one of you Will you begin by building<br />
each one over against his own heart and his own<br />
home Will you say with Joshua of old, "As for me<br />
and my house, we will serve the Lord " Let us arise<br />
and build.<br />
As this house is dedicated this evening and as<br />
we rededicate ourselves, may joy fill our hearts. May<br />
the blessing of God which maketh rich and addeth<br />
no sorrow rest upon the old house and the new, and<br />
upon all who come here to worship. To this commun<br />
ity and to a wide circle of influence may He make<br />
this house and these people a blessing.<br />
"BACK TO BASICS" . . . continued from front page<br />
the marvel of these modern methods. It is horrible<br />
to behold the "Hollywood in so much of<br />
Christian work, as if the message of salvation were<br />
otherwise crippled or bereft of its life-giving power.<br />
But the Lord is the same in every direction.<br />
There is the same gospel. His call to the gospeleers<br />
is the same ; men and women "on fire ... out . . .<br />
aflame,"<br />
out and out . . . heart's with passion for<br />
the sake of the Man of Calvary. When He has the<br />
whole man as the living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), then<br />
and not until then ! does He have His Basic Method<br />
of moving on and out with the Message. Let us never<br />
lose sight of that in these days of clamoring changes.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
nothing."<br />
ministers'<br />
glory."<br />
HURRAH! WHAT DOES IT MEAN<br />
The whole Budget has been raised, also the extra<br />
$5,000, also some thousands more. It is wonderful<br />
what a special dramatic appeal will do by its vivid<br />
ness. It has brought forth a response passing that of<br />
many years. It has turned many members into cheer<br />
leaders,<br />
and made still more into responsive partici<br />
pants. It has given a large number a sense of<br />
strength and hope.<br />
$12.57"<br />
"BALANCE<br />
better in the Minutes than last years<br />
looks so much<br />
$353.94."<br />
"Balance OVERDRAWN<br />
That<br />
first is imagination, but the latter is an actual record.<br />
Last year the Board of Pensions recommended in<br />
their report a cut of 10% in<br />
pensions,<br />
since the Board had paid out $1,600 more than it re<br />
ceived. This year's receipts fill up the $1,600 with<br />
$675.04 more. How different a feeling every board<br />
when the year's results of their<br />
and committee has,<br />
management seem a demonstration of wisdom!<br />
How differently the Church feels at the larger<br />
giving ! The total should be impressive this year. It is<br />
good to remember, in any discussion of giving, that<br />
our Synodical Budget is not much over a fourth of<br />
our total enterprise in most years. Last year's total<br />
of $430,243 will be moving on up toward $500,000.<br />
Less than 5,000 communicants give that each year<br />
and keep it up, year after year. Tell that to any per<br />
son who mocks at the "little denomination" which<br />
they think "does<br />
And now, what does this year's achievement<br />
mean for the future What does it mean in sustained<br />
giving The missionary supposedly is to go to Japan.<br />
Then what happens Is he to be self-supporting at<br />
the end of the year Is he to come home at the end<br />
of just twelve months Is he, indeed, to stay there<br />
still, but without money for rent or sufficient means<br />
to buy food Of course not! Well then, that means<br />
a permanent increase in the Budget, does it not <br />
Last year the Foreign Mission Report showed,<br />
on p. 98 of the Minutes, an overdraft of $1,264.72 for<br />
the year,<br />
even though page 97 shows that $10,000<br />
was transferred from the Gihon Estate to meet the<br />
demands. Not all problems are settled by one year's<br />
unusual success. An additional missionary calls for<br />
increased support, year after year; and that means<br />
obviously that sustained giving is necessary.<br />
What does this year's success indicate has hap<br />
pened where it counts most, in the hearts of church<br />
members Was the triumph only the temporary suc<br />
cess of special appeal, which will lose its power when<br />
repetition makes it commonplace Or is it the result<br />
of a sharp increase in the number of tithers, a be<br />
ginning of systematic giving by a larger part of the<br />
membership who will do the same kind of thing year<br />
after year as a matter of conviction If the joy of<br />
giving this larger amount this once is sufficiently<br />
strong, some may decide now to make a habit of find<br />
ing that joy.<br />
Plainly there is room for the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s to do<br />
better than they have done, better even than this<br />
year. The Free Methodists maintain a far higher<br />
average with a much larger number of members.<br />
So do the Seventh Day Adventists and the Wesleyan<br />
Methodists. They 'all do it on the tithing system. So<br />
watch for the report on the number of tithers this<br />
year.<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
May it be that a goodly number of the givers of<br />
this past year will cultivate a sense of greater de<br />
votion to God and His work as a continuous experi<br />
ence One of the most remarkable and appealing<br />
facts about tithing is that few who accept it ever<br />
drop the plan. Indeed, in full Christian faith and de<br />
votion there is a "joy unspeakable, and full of<br />
Let those who promised at Grinnell to labor for more<br />
tithers "be here dedicated to the unfinished work"<br />
of bringing all <strong>Covenanter</strong>s to the full measure of de<br />
votion. Then all sorts of good things will be pos<br />
sible, under God's promised blessing, with joy and<br />
glory.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e S. Coleman<br />
How can I be sure that the Bible is the Word of God<br />
This booklet by the Moody Press is prepared<br />
for use in DVBS or for released time Bible teaching<br />
for youngsters of the 5th or 6th grades.<br />
Other material may be needed, but this book<br />
let will help the teacher in planning to teach chil<br />
dren the answers to the great question which is the<br />
subject of the book. It gives helps so that the chil<br />
dren can be assured that the Bible is the Word of<br />
God.<br />
It sells for 50c but for anyone planning to<br />
teach such a course, it will be well worth the price.<br />
All of these books can be ordered through any<br />
bookseller or from the Moody Press at 820 N. La<br />
Salle St., Chicago 10, 111.<br />
R.C.F.<br />
GLIMPSES continued from page 322<br />
ing in reputable journals that do infinite harm to the faith<br />
of young people, and make the task of Christian parents in<br />
creasingly difficult .... The whole theory of evolution has<br />
received such a setback in recent years by a series of frauds<br />
that one would think reputable men would be careful before<br />
going<br />
out on a limb with such rediculous statements con<br />
cerning the origin of man. Only a year or so ago the much<br />
publicized 'Piltdown' man faded away as a shameless hoax,<br />
and is now the subject of a book by the British Association<br />
explaining the fraud!"<br />
A Confucian Mason<br />
A Chinese-born Confucian has been made Master of a<br />
Masonic Lodge in New York. His name is Sang Mun Hoe, is<br />
a naturalized American,<br />
and is a Confucian.<br />
Mr. Hoe was received not as a Confucian, but as a man<br />
worthy to be received into the Order because he believed in<br />
a Supreme Being. He could have been a Christian or a Jew<br />
a Buddhist or a Moslem. We are told that on the grand seal<br />
of the Grand Lodge in Israel are emblazoned the Star of<br />
David, the Cross and the Crescent. The Jew, the Christian<br />
and the Moslem are viewed alike.<br />
$50 to Quit Smoking<br />
The National Voice tells of an oil man of Wichita Falls,<br />
Texas, who is willing to pay any of his employees $50 to quit<br />
smoking. He told his men in a letter that he had been read<br />
ing with great interest what some of our great medical men<br />
have to say about smoking, that lung, throat and stomach<br />
cancer and many other troubles are on the increase due to<br />
who makes the offer, says: "I have<br />
smoking. Mr. Bridwell,<br />
watched some of my very good friends become seriously ill<br />
and some go to their death, all because of smoking."<br />
327
mander."<br />
me."<br />
servant."<br />
successful."<br />
nominations."<br />
REMO I. ROBB, D.D.<br />
For Covena1''<br />
May, 1955<br />
To Illustrate the June CYPU Topics<br />
June 5<br />
Ought.<br />
Big Words<br />
A clergyman was once asked by the<br />
Duke of Wellington, "How are you get<br />
ting on with the propagation of the gos<br />
pel abroad Is there any chance of the<br />
Hindus becoming Christian"<br />
To which the clergyman replied, "Oh<br />
no! I do not see anything doing there; I<br />
see no reason to suspect any work of<br />
the kind being<br />
"Well," said the Duke, "what have<br />
you to do with that What are your<br />
marching orders Are they<br />
not 'Go ye<br />
into all the world, and preach the gos<br />
pel to every creature' Do your duty,<br />
sir, and leave the results to the Com<br />
June 12<br />
Grow.<br />
Years ago I heard of a contractor who<br />
had just finished the work on a long,<br />
high bridge. On the day of dedication,<br />
when he was ready to turn over his<br />
work to the city, he put on a demonstra<br />
tion to prove the strength of the bridge.<br />
He took all of the huge building machin<br />
ery<br />
which had been used in the con<br />
struction and ran it out on the bridge.<br />
Thus all who saw would believe that,<br />
even under this terrific weight the<br />
bridge would stand up.<br />
In the same manner God has "tested"<br />
His children, does "test" them,<br />
when He<br />
knows they have grown to a point of en<br />
durance. Remember what the angel<br />
said to Abraham "For now I know that<br />
thou fearest God seeing thou hast not<br />
withheld thy son, thine only son from<br />
God often puts us to the test. There<br />
are times when He asks us to do things<br />
which seem to be entirely unrelated to<br />
our idea of His will for us. Our growth<br />
at such times will bring us ultimately to<br />
hear his "Well done, thou good and<br />
faithful<br />
June 19<br />
Serve.<br />
In the Tate Gallery in London hangs<br />
one of the last and most notable paint<br />
ings of Frederic Watts, his "Sic Transit<br />
Gloria Mundi." A shrouded form lies<br />
upon a bier in the middle of the room.<br />
On a table near by is an open book, and<br />
against the table leans a voiceless lyre.<br />
328<br />
In one corner of the room is the rich<br />
mantle of a nobleman and in the other<br />
corner a lance and shield and divers<br />
pieces of armor, with roses strewn over<br />
them to show that the arts and tastes of<br />
life were mingled with the sterner du<br />
ties. But now all is over. The still form<br />
cannot read the book, nor don the man<br />
tle, nor catch the odor of the roses. On<br />
the wall in the background are three<br />
sentences of a German proverb: "What<br />
I spent I had. What I saved I lost. What<br />
I gave I have." Whatever you give in<br />
the ministry of your profession of your<br />
hopes, your enthusiasms, your tears,<br />
your labors (for Christ's sake) that<br />
and that alone is yours, and yours for<br />
ever.<br />
June 26<br />
Love.<br />
Macartney.<br />
In "A Tale of Two Cities" (Dickens),<br />
Charles Darnay, a royalist, and Sydney<br />
Carton, very much a commoner, are<br />
both in love with Lucie Manette, and<br />
while they are very much alike, it is to<br />
Charles Darnay that she gives her love.<br />
Then the French Revolution<br />
broke<br />
out. The down-trodden peasantry gained<br />
control, and sought to destroy every per<br />
son who might be counted as one of the<br />
aristocracy. In the course of time,<br />
Charles Darnay is taken prisoner, and<br />
awaits his doom on the guillotine.<br />
Then, because he loves Lucie and<br />
wants her to be happy above all else,<br />
Sydney Carton gains admission to the<br />
prison, takes Darney's place, and has<br />
him smuggled away to safety, while he<br />
remains to pay the price with his life.<br />
YOUNG PEOPLE'S<br />
SUMMER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM<br />
In 1951 the National Young People's<br />
Staff began a program of early summer<br />
activities. This followed the request of<br />
the 1950 National Convention for "the<br />
<strong>org</strong>anization and development of a pro<br />
gram of youth evangelism similar to the<br />
caravaning<br />
program used in other de<br />
The program had two<br />
parts, a "School" of seven days, held<br />
during Synod, with intensive courses on<br />
subjects vital to Church leadership; and<br />
Service Teams who went into congrega<br />
tions, where they were invited, to carry<br />
on work as requested, chiefly in Vaca<br />
tion Bible Schools. The School was open<br />
to anyone who wished to attend, but<br />
Team membership<br />
was limited to high<br />
school graduates and upward through<br />
college and first year seminary students.<br />
School expenses of all students were<br />
paid in full, and, of course, Team expen<br />
ses were taken care of. Through the<br />
team services, the field at Hot Springs<br />
got its Sabbath School under way. Other<br />
teams have served in New York City,<br />
where testimonies were given at the<br />
Bowery Mission, and at San Diego, Los<br />
Angeles, Orlando, and many congrega<br />
tions across our country. For three years<br />
this summer program was promoted un<br />
der the name of the<br />
"Crusaders' Corps."<br />
Last year was National Convention year,<br />
which seemed to be summer program<br />
enough, so the Crusaders' Corps did not<br />
operate.<br />
This year the Staff took stock of the<br />
previous three years of experience.<br />
Those had been years of beginnings, and,<br />
admittedly, some parts needed improve<br />
ment. The program of this year has<br />
many new or changed features.<br />
To begin, the name has been changed<br />
to the Leadership Training Program.<br />
As before, it has two principle parts:<br />
a. The Leadership Training School.<br />
b. The Summer Service Teams.<br />
Leadership Training Program<br />
This will be held at the Seminary<br />
building, 7418 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh,<br />
Penna., from June lfy to 21. This is the<br />
week following Synod. Previously the<br />
school was held at the college during<br />
Synod. Some are asking<br />
changes in date and place.<br />
about the<br />
Several factors led to the decision to<br />
change.<br />
For one thing, while the meeting of<br />
the School during Synod made it pos<br />
sible to select teachers from among min<br />
isters who live at a distance, it also took<br />
them out of the sessions of Synod for a<br />
specified time each day. Sometimes the<br />
teachers were involved in the discussions<br />
of Synod and therefore unable to meet<br />
their classes. Besides, it is part of the<br />
minister's obligation to attend the meet<br />
ings of the Church courts, and it does<br />
not seem quite fair to ask permission of<br />
the Synod each year for some ministers<br />
to be allowed to attend part time.<br />
From the young person's viewpoint,<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
ginnings."<br />
DES<br />
YOUNG PEOPLE'S<br />
SECRETARY<br />
oung People<br />
the Synod was an interference with their<br />
School. Many of the students served as<br />
waitresses in the college dining room.<br />
Meals were set at certain hours. No mat<br />
ter what the lessons were about, or how<br />
interesting they were, the School had to<br />
dismiss in time to get the tables set for<br />
Synod's meals. And, since Synod was not<br />
scheduled to reconvene as early in the<br />
afternoon as the school, the dining hall<br />
personnel had to wait for Synod and its<br />
guests to visit around the tables<br />
which<br />
is most certainly their pleasant privilege<br />
and not infrequently<br />
the afternoon<br />
classes were delayed in getting started.<br />
It seemed best therefore to set dates<br />
when the students could give their full<br />
time to their task. Hence the dates were<br />
set for the week following Synod, June<br />
14-21.<br />
Since the Geneva College summer<br />
school is under way by that time, and<br />
their class rooms and dormitories are in<br />
use, a request was made of the Semin<br />
ary Board to conduct the School in the<br />
seminary building. This request was<br />
most graciously granted.<br />
The School is to be under the direc<br />
tion of Lie. R. Paul Robb, president of<br />
the 19<strong>54</strong> National Young People's Con<br />
vention. He is giving the young people<br />
this final service before he "graduates"<br />
from their number into the membership<br />
of Synod. His committee members are<br />
Lie. Robert McCracken, and Miss Nancy<br />
Mandeville, participants in the pro<br />
grams of 1951 and 1952.<br />
Because of limited facilities at the<br />
seminary, the enrollment has been held<br />
to 26 young people 13 boys and 13 girls.<br />
These have been selected from a list of<br />
nearly 100, recommended by<br />
pastors and<br />
others, from 36 congregations in all nine<br />
presbyteries. The selection was made<br />
prayerfully by the Leadership Training<br />
School Committee and Synod's Young<br />
People's Secretary. Where pastors gave<br />
special recommendation to their .<br />
nomi<br />
nees, this was given particular weight by<br />
the committee. Some who were chosen<br />
at first have found they cannot attend,<br />
and others from the recommended list<br />
are being invited. During the School, the<br />
boys will be housed in the seminary<br />
building already used to boys and the<br />
girls will be housed in Pittsburgh homes.<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
Every care is being taken to have the<br />
group properly supervised. Board will be<br />
furnished at cost, .and, following last<br />
year's National Convention recommen<br />
dation, the students will bear one-half<br />
the expense, except for those chosen<br />
to the Teams whose expenses will be<br />
paid in full.<br />
Courses in the School include Bible<br />
Study and how to prepare it, Principles<br />
of Christian Teaching and use of Visual<br />
Aids, Recreation and Singing Leader<br />
ship, Gospel Team work, and other mat<br />
ters. Selected speakers will address the<br />
School each evening.<br />
For students who must travel when<br />
their pastors come to Synod there may<br />
be work opportunities during Synod<br />
week,<br />
and there are some prospects for<br />
rides at least part way homeward.<br />
The Service Teams<br />
From the 26 young people at the<br />
school, recommended as having leader<br />
ship ability, three teams, if possible,<br />
of two boys and two girls each will be<br />
selected early in the school week, to re<br />
ceive special instruction in Vacation Bi<br />
ble School leadership<br />
ties,<br />
and other activi<br />
and will then go into two congre<br />
gations each, where there services are<br />
requested. Applications for their services<br />
have been sent to every congregation.<br />
The teams will travel by<br />
public con<br />
veyance, and at minimum travel cost.<br />
The congregations where they serve will<br />
provide additional help in meeting their<br />
expenses.<br />
We thank God for the interest and<br />
support He has given to the Young Peo<br />
ple's program over "the years of be<br />
We have learned some valu<br />
able lessons, which we are trying hard<br />
to integrate into the program of this<br />
summer.<br />
A deepening interest by <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
young people in preparation for the<br />
Lord's service throughout life, whether<br />
in the ministry or the mission field, or<br />
in the challenging prospects of Christian<br />
service in the modern teaching, business<br />
and industrial worlds, encourages us to<br />
give to them the best in brief but earn<br />
est training that we can provide, that<br />
the coming leaders of the Church may<br />
ever serve and glorify our Lord and Sav<br />
iour Jesus Christ, always "aiming to live<br />
end."<br />
for the glory of God as our chief<br />
From Recent Books<br />
In Europe, America and elsewhere re<br />
ligious thought is returning hopefully to<br />
the Bible. The Bible has ever proven its<br />
authority when men have turned to it in<br />
times of crisis or calamity. It does not<br />
yield its deepest secrets when ap<br />
proached in a faithless or negative at<br />
titude. But when men reverently and<br />
lovingly turn to it as the Word of God,<br />
or to discover honestly if it be the<br />
Word of God, the search is rewarding<br />
and deeply satisfying.<br />
It was belief in the authority of the<br />
Bible which gave rise to the Reforma<br />
tion principle<br />
of universal education.<br />
This principle was brought to the new<br />
world by our founding fathers. Why,<br />
then, should Christian education desert<br />
the very attitude which gave rise to the<br />
American system of public education<br />
From ABIDING VALUES IN CHRIS<br />
TIAN EDUCATION<br />
by Harold C. Mason<br />
(Fleming H. Revell Company)<br />
A<br />
great Latvian Christian said to<br />
some of us a short time ago, "Twenty<br />
million Communists are taking the<br />
world away from six hundred million<br />
Christians."<br />
There are only twenty mil<br />
lion really dedicated Communists on the<br />
party rolls of the Communist party, and<br />
there are six hundred million enrolled<br />
Christians !<br />
When we look at the corruption in<br />
public life<br />
both state and national<br />
when we look at the racial and national<br />
prejudice still rampant in the world,<br />
when we consider the very unpleasant<br />
fact that one out of every twelve people<br />
in the United States is either neurotic<br />
or emotionally or mentally confused, it<br />
doesn't make us feel very<br />
effective as<br />
Christians, does it If we were more vi<br />
tal, if we were more dedicated, if we<br />
were really channels of God's holy pow<br />
er and energy, these conditions would<br />
not continue to exist, and Communism<br />
would have no appeal. Communism has<br />
no appeal to people who are well fed,<br />
both physically and spiritually; it ap<br />
peals to the physically and spiritually<br />
starved. If the Christian Church were a<br />
pillar of fire leading the peoples of the<br />
(Continued on page 334)<br />
329
others."<br />
aliens,"<br />
righteousness"<br />
paths"<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of June 12, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
For May 29, 1955<br />
Comments by Rev. J. Paul McCracken<br />
"HEROES OF FAITH AND PEACE"*<br />
Hebrews 11:7-10<br />
The Bible doesn't use the word<br />
"hero."<br />
it is a word which we use in our<br />
Twentieth Century in many different<br />
ways, and it seems that one of the ways<br />
that it is used is to describe some out<br />
standing people in the Bible. But just<br />
what does it mean to be a "hero"<br />
Perhaps some of you have just taken<br />
part in a Senior Class Play during the<br />
month of May. One of the most enter<br />
taining features about many such plays<br />
is the development of a clash between<br />
one cruel person, the "villain," and one<br />
courageous, dashing one, who is the<br />
"hero."<br />
That is one way we use the<br />
word.<br />
In history books, the outstanding per<br />
sonage in a certain battle or period of<br />
history is often referred to as the<br />
"hero," and in a poem, drama, or narra<br />
tive, the "hero" is usually the outstand<br />
ing male character, the one with noble<br />
characteristics. But the word is used in<br />
a little different sense in the topic for<br />
this evening.<br />
These "heroes of faith and peace"<br />
as<br />
described in the passage in Hebrews fall<br />
more into the category of "persons who<br />
are regarded as models, or examples, for<br />
They are our "heroes" in the<br />
sense that they have shown in their lives<br />
qualities that we hold to be of the high<br />
est type, and that we would do well to<br />
imitate.<br />
Not that we have chosen them. They<br />
have been chosen for us, to follow. Like<br />
a father directing the attention of his<br />
son to a picture of Abe Lincoln, and urg<br />
ing him to follow the example of that<br />
great man, so God, our Heavenly Father,<br />
has given us here in Hebrews 11 a cata<br />
logue of great saints to follow. Here is a<br />
Hall of Fame, but the qualifications for<br />
admittance involve far more important<br />
matters than a batting average in base<br />
ball, or even great accomplishments in<br />
science, politics, or education. These men<br />
and women portrayed here achieved the<br />
favor of God, and still receive the ac<br />
claim of the whole Christian world, be<br />
cause of their faith in God, and their<br />
contentment in doing His Will. Through<br />
it they virtually set the world on fire<br />
for God, accomplishing the impossible,<br />
and overcoming the worst of Satan's op<br />
position. See the amazing things that<br />
God did through these faith-full saints<br />
in 11:33-38. They "subdued kingdoms,<br />
wrought righteousness, obtained prom-<br />
330<br />
ises, stopped the mouths of lions,<br />
quenched the violence of fire, escaped<br />
the edge of the sword, out of weakness<br />
were made strong, waxed valiant in<br />
fight, turned to flight the armies of<br />
the etc.<br />
Of course, Christ is our primary<br />
"hero," or model. We are told in many<br />
Bible passages to follow Him first (see<br />
I Pet. 2:21, 22; I John 2:6). Yet we are<br />
also called to follow those of His people<br />
who are truly imitating Him. Paul ex<br />
horted the Christians (I Cor. 11:1), "Be<br />
ye followers of me, even as I also am of<br />
Christ."<br />
So we are likewise to follow<br />
the Heroes of Hebrews insofar as they<br />
were followers of the True God.<br />
Let us notice, then, some of the char<br />
acteristics of the two men described in<br />
the assigned passage, and see why they<br />
are well qualified to serve as our ex<br />
amples in the Christian life.<br />
I. Noah. What a man! He was around<br />
five hundred years old when God said,<br />
"Build Me a boat." It was to be longer<br />
than a football field, approximately 75<br />
ft. wide, and as tall as a three story<br />
house, or better; quite similar in size to<br />
many ocean-liners today. It took at least<br />
one hundred years to build it. He may<br />
have had help other than his three sons<br />
in building it, but no one else believed<br />
his predictions. Only his own family<br />
were fit to enter the Ark when the flood<br />
came. Peter describes him as a "preach<br />
er of<br />
(n Peter 2:5).<br />
Think of preaching for a hundred years<br />
to people, and never winning a convert!<br />
All he received was ridicule, and pity,<br />
and sarcasm. What a story it must have<br />
been for his neighbors to tell. Farther<br />
and farther over the civilized world it<br />
must have spread . . . "Did you hear<br />
about crazy old Noah Ha!" How would<br />
you like to be the laughing stock of the<br />
whole world<br />
If we think we have our troubles<br />
with ridicule,<br />
persecution, and if we<br />
think the Lord is asking us to<br />
do unreasonable and unpopular things,<br />
what about Noah! This "Hero" shows<br />
us: (a) Determination to do God's will;<br />
(b) perseverance over a long period of<br />
time; (c) faithful witnessing in the face<br />
of unbelief; (d) obedience to every de<br />
tail of God's command (Gen. 6:22); and<br />
(e) a clear-cut example of what it<br />
means to "walk with God" (Gen. 6:9).<br />
II. Abraham. Another "hero" of equal,<br />
or surpassing, fame. He is known as the<br />
"father of the faithful." Born in heathen<br />
surroundings, and with a father who<br />
was an idolater, Abraham might have<br />
been the same type. But he wasn't.<br />
Somehow he learned of, and believed in,<br />
the One True God. Eventually the Lord<br />
told him to leave home and seek a land<br />
of promise, so Abraham obeyed (even<br />
though he had not the slightest idea<br />
where it was, or how long it would take<br />
to get there!). When he arrived in Ca<br />
naan, God showed him that it was the<br />
area that would some day contain mil<br />
lions of his descendants. But had not Ab<br />
raham been a powerful man of faith and<br />
trust, he might have become discour<br />
aged. The inhabitants were little dif<br />
ferent from those he had left back in<br />
Ur, idolatrous heathen. But he, and his<br />
family, eventually settled down there,<br />
living in tents, satisfied that God would<br />
accomplish what He said He would.<br />
Abraham's experiences perhaps do not<br />
excite as much sympathy in us as the<br />
experiences of Noah, but yet the ac<br />
counts of Abraham's faithfulness, might,<br />
and accomplishment show us much in<br />
"hero"<br />
the way of example for us. This<br />
shows us: (a) Sound belief in the true<br />
God in a sea of wickedness; (b) willing<br />
ness to leave his home for God though<br />
"flying blind," going not by sight, but<br />
by faith; (c) obedience even without<br />
understanding (Gen. 22:2, 3); (d) per<br />
sistence in Prayer for others (Gen. 18:<br />
23-32) ; (e) a full and blessed life lived<br />
wholly for the Lord (Gen. 24:1).<br />
Solomon had not written his in<br />
spired advice as yet, but the life of<br />
Abraham says the same, "Trust in the<br />
Lord witli all thine heart and lean not<br />
unto thine own understanding; in all thy<br />
ways acknowledge Him, and He shall<br />
direct thy<br />
Questions :<br />
(Prov. 3:5, 6).<br />
1. Other Bible heroes are listed, in<br />
cluding Gideon, Barak, Samson, etc.<br />
What qualities do we find in their lives<br />
of faith that we can imitate<br />
2. Mention historical and modern-day<br />
Heroes of Faith, and show how they<br />
have demonstrated that faith.<br />
3. What heroes does each person pres<br />
ent have Are they<br />
follow Why or why not<br />
good examples to<br />
* Used by permission of International<br />
Christian Endeavor.<br />
Psalms :<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
For June 12, 1955<br />
BIG WORDS: GROW<br />
Luke 2:39-52; II Peter 3:18<br />
Topic used by permission of<br />
Christian Endeavor<br />
92:11-14, page 226<br />
1:1-6, page 1<br />
144:10-13, page 349<br />
19:5-9, page 42<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Scripture References: n Cor. 9:10; Eph.<br />
4:15; I Thess. 3:12; Heb. 6:1; I Peter 2:<br />
2, 3; II Peter 1:5, 6; I Sam. 2:26; Luke<br />
1:80; 2:40, 52; Acts 9:22; II Thess. 1:3;<br />
I Cor. 13:11; Heb 5:14.<br />
Comments by the Rev. Bruce C. Stewart<br />
The word, "Grow," is a part of our ex<br />
perience before we can define it. At<br />
birth we weigh 7 pounds and are 22<br />
inches long (more or less). We can see,<br />
but not discern; we can hear, but not<br />
understand; we can make noise, but not<br />
speak; we can eat, but not appreciate;<br />
and we can feel, but not distinguish.<br />
However, if this is still true twelve<br />
months later, something is wrong. Na<br />
turally<br />
we expect these senses to de<br />
velop; this process of development will<br />
best define the word "grow." And this<br />
is true of animals, of plants, of every<br />
"Grow"<br />
thing that has life. might be<br />
used as an antinym of "die" because it<br />
is so important to life.<br />
But this is not a biology lesson. We<br />
want to consider growth in our spiritual<br />
life. In the passage in Luke 2:39-52,<br />
Jesus'<br />
physical growth was natural and<br />
expected (and you may be sure that Je<br />
sus was the best athlete of His com<br />
munity), but His growth in spiritual<br />
things is the surprise to His parents and<br />
the lesson to us.<br />
In order to "grow," a thing<br />
must be<br />
gin to live. You cannot grow spiritually<br />
until you have been born spiritually.<br />
Look into your own heart to see if a<br />
new life in Christ Jesus is present there.<br />
If you have not given your heart to<br />
Christ, you can go no farther with this<br />
topic. Get right with Him. Repent of<br />
sin, and accept Him as your Saviour.<br />
Then it is only natural that you should<br />
grow! "But grow in grace and in the<br />
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Je<br />
sus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).<br />
In our Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong> we promised<br />
"to avail ourselves of opportunities, pub<br />
lic and private, FOR GROWTH IN<br />
GRACE!"<br />
Then the Covenant goes on to<br />
point out those things which help us<br />
to "grow."<br />
For Discussion:<br />
1. Consider each of the seven things in<br />
the Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong> which help us to<br />
grow. In what way does each one help<br />
us<br />
a. Worship<br />
b. Prayer<br />
c. Study of the Scriptures<br />
d. Keeping holy the Sabbath day<br />
e. Observing the appointed sacraments<br />
f. Giving regularly to the Lord's work<br />
g. Seeking to win others to Christ<br />
2. Can we grow if we neglect any one<br />
of the seven<br />
3. Was there a relationship between<br />
Jesus'<br />
sinlessness and His physical<br />
growth His spiritual growth<br />
4. What will help our CYPU to grow<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
our Church to grow What is our soci<br />
ety doing about it<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
June 12, 1955<br />
THE GOLDEN CALF<br />
By Mrs. Ray Park, Syracuse, N. Y.<br />
Scripture Text: Exodus 32:1-6, 15-20<br />
Memory Verse: Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt<br />
have no other gods before me.<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm for June Psalm 103,<br />
page 247<br />
Psalm 34:6, 7, 8, 9, page 82<br />
Psalm 19: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 41<br />
Last week we learned how God<br />
showed Himself to the children of Israel<br />
through a smoking, quaking mountain<br />
and thunder and lightning. Then He<br />
called Moses to the top of the mountain<br />
and gave Him laws for the people. Moses<br />
wrote these, then read them and the<br />
people agreed to obey them. In today's<br />
lesson we find the Israelites getting "off<br />
the track."<br />
If you have ever made a trip on a<br />
new throughway you may remember<br />
how fast you could travel. But do you<br />
also remember that it was so new, and<br />
straight,<br />
and level that it became tire<br />
some You rarely even slowed up for<br />
sideroads! Sometimes drivers on a<br />
throughway become bored and sleepy<br />
and wish for a more interesting and ex<br />
citing road. Something like this hap<br />
pened to the Children of Israel. Let's<br />
say that Moses had led them to and on<br />
the Right-way rather than the Throughway.<br />
Moses left on one of his trips to the<br />
mountain-top to talk with God. He prob<br />
ably did not realize that he would be<br />
gone as long as forty days and forty<br />
nights. If he had, he would have told<br />
the people that even though it would be<br />
a long time until he was back, yet they<br />
on the Rightway.<br />
must stay<br />
But as the days and nights passed the<br />
people began to wonder if their great<br />
leader was gone forever. Everything was<br />
so new to them<br />
the country<br />
and the<br />
way of living. Now the one who best un<br />
derstood it, was gone and they were<br />
lonely, tired and perhaps afraid<br />
wanted to find a different route.<br />
they<br />
They began to think of Egypt and the<br />
gods they worshiped there the idols<br />
that they could see and touch. Their new<br />
God, who was a Spirit, seemed too far<br />
away. And so they asked Aaron if he<br />
would make them a god to worship.<br />
Aaron was the brother of Moses; he<br />
was in charge of the camp while Moses<br />
was gone. What a pity that he was not<br />
strong enough or wise enough to refuse<br />
to do what the people asked of him! In<br />
stead he had them bring their beautiful<br />
golden earrings to melt and form into a<br />
CALF<br />
this was their new god!<br />
How glad you and I should be that we<br />
have grown up in a land where we learn<br />
about the true God! We do not see or<br />
touch Him but we feel Him in our<br />
hearts. We can read His word and know<br />
the way He wishes us to live. It seems<br />
strange to us that the Children of Israel<br />
could think of a golden calf as a god.<br />
They even built an altar before it and<br />
had a feast day. They killed sheep and<br />
oxen and burned them on the altar. Then<br />
they ate and drank, danced and sang.<br />
Aaron, their leader, said, "This is your<br />
god, O Israel, who brought you up out<br />
of the land of Egypt." How they needed<br />
Moses to help them at this time!<br />
Of course Moses could not see all this<br />
because he was above the clouds. His<br />
life was so different from his people at<br />
this time. He was alone with God, living<br />
a simple life yet keeping busy; God was<br />
giving him the precious stones on which<br />
were written the Ten Commandments.<br />
Very suddenly<br />
Moses had to leave this<br />
simple and peaceful life. God was aware<br />
of all that was going on in camp. He<br />
knew how much the people needed Moses<br />
and He directed Moses to hurry back to<br />
them.<br />
Can you picture Moses coming down<br />
the mountain carrying the large slabs of<br />
stone<br />
carefully guarding this precious<br />
word of God. First he would begin to<br />
hear strange music, then wild singing<br />
and shouting. Finally, he would be<br />
where he could see the dancing and<br />
feasting before an altar which was burn<br />
ing with a sacrifice for the golden calf<br />
behind it.<br />
Moses was shocked and hurt and an<br />
gry. He cast the stones from him and<br />
rushing to the image, he tore down and<br />
destroyed it! He alone knew how angry<br />
God was! He must make the people<br />
know it! They were Children of God;<br />
idol worship was wrong something they<br />
were never to do!<br />
Moses knew he had to do two things.<br />
He must punish the people for their<br />
wrong and he must divide them and get<br />
rid of those who wanted idol worship.<br />
So he set about immediately to do these<br />
two things. He ground up the golden calf<br />
and sprinkled the tiny grains on the<br />
water so that the people had to drink<br />
every bit of it.<br />
Now you and I drink a lot of good<br />
water. We have so much that we f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
how fortunate we are to have it. This<br />
was not so with the Israelites. On their<br />
journey from Egypt they had often suf<br />
fered and become frightened because<br />
they did not have water for themselves<br />
and their animals. They knew how valu<br />
able good water was and having to drink<br />
the ground up gold was a real reminder<br />
of the wrong they had done.<br />
Not all of the people were sorry for<br />
their sin. There were some who had led<br />
331
me."<br />
in the wrongdoing. They were angry<br />
and rebellious ready to try to turn the<br />
people away from God again when<br />
they<br />
got a chance. Moses knew that these<br />
leaders must go. He stood in the gate<br />
of the camp and said, "Who is on the<br />
Lord's side Come to<br />
All the sons of Levi came and Moses<br />
told them that God wanted them to slay<br />
the men who were leading the people in<br />
the worship of images. These trouble<br />
makers had to die so that the nation<br />
would not continue to be lead away from<br />
God. Aaron had allowed the people to do<br />
wrong but he had not persuaded them<br />
to do it. Aaron was a Levite; he came to<br />
God's side.<br />
Through all of this sorrow Moses did<br />
not lose his love for his people. He had<br />
to punish them, yet he continued to love<br />
them<br />
just as mothers and fathers some<br />
times need to punish their children<br />
whom they love dearly. His love was so<br />
great that he pleaded with God to for<br />
give his people. He asked that if God<br />
would not f<strong>org</strong>ive them that he, Moses,<br />
be blotted out with the people. What a<br />
wonderful leader<br />
a man of God who<br />
was firm and just, who loved his people<br />
so much that he was willing to sacri<br />
fice his life for them. We think here of<br />
Christ many years later He did give<br />
His life for Christian people. Moses was<br />
in many ways like Christ.<br />
God's answer was that those who had<br />
sinned must themselves be punished for<br />
it. Yet he saved the nation and told<br />
Moses to go on leading them, on their<br />
journey to the promised land. Again<br />
Moses climbed the mountain and re<br />
ceived the tablets of stone<br />
(the Ten<br />
Commandments) showing God's f<strong>org</strong>iv<br />
ing love.<br />
In your notebooks, you might draw a<br />
map of a Throughway (the Rightway,<br />
of course). At the end could be a city;<br />
give it a name<br />
God."<br />
it might be "Kingdom of<br />
Leading from the Rightway<br />
would be<br />
ramps. Draw and name as many as you<br />
can<br />
"Telling Lies," "Cheating," etc.<br />
In what ways was Moses like Christ<br />
Why do you think that God called<br />
Moses to the mountain top to talk with<br />
him<br />
If anyone in<br />
the group has flown<br />
above the clouds ask him or her to de<br />
scribe it.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
June 12, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on international Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religious Education.)<br />
YOUNG KING JOSIAH<br />
2 Chronicles 34; Nahum.<br />
PRINTED 2 Chronicles 34:l-12a<br />
332<br />
MEMORY, Psalm 119:9 "Wherewithal<br />
shall a young man cleanse his way By<br />
taking heed thereto according to Thy<br />
Word."<br />
Amon followed his father Manasseh<br />
to the throne at the age of 22.<br />
probably<br />
He<br />
saw several years of his fath<br />
er's idolatry. Evidently he was old<br />
enough when his<br />
father dumped the<br />
idols to choose and keep the choicest<br />
of them, the carved idols. Perhaps he<br />
hid them. Or his father may have rea<br />
soned that since he was just a child,<br />
they would do no harm, and too bad to<br />
disappoint him by taking the idols away.<br />
Amon failed to respond to his father's<br />
reformation.<br />
Josiah did not follow the idolatries<br />
of his father. Amon may have been too<br />
busy to bother with his son, and that<br />
would be to the son's advantage. Prob<br />
ably Manasseh, failing to influence his<br />
son Amon, took an interest in his grand<br />
son Josiah until his death, when the<br />
child was six. Lasting impressions can<br />
be made on a child. Manasseh may have<br />
surrounded the child with godly teach<br />
ers who remained with him and helped<br />
him in the management of the kingdom<br />
in his youth. At the age of 8,<br />
came to the throne.<br />
Josiah<br />
Josiah Prepares For His Work, Vs. 2, 3.<br />
For 8 years, until Josiah was 16, he<br />
would be in his studies, and the govern<br />
ment would be administered by older<br />
men. Then he became actively interest<br />
ed in the affairs of his office. He "began<br />
to seek after the God<br />
father."<br />
of David his<br />
Then for four years until he<br />
was 20, he got ready for his great work.<br />
He did not rush into his work unpre<br />
pared. His reign is marked by thorough<br />
ness in everything he undertook.<br />
It was a difficult time for any King<br />
young or old. The early, idolatrous part<br />
of Manasseh's reign, that could not have<br />
been exceeded in wickedness, covered 30<br />
or 40 years, and his reformation was not<br />
complete. Then Amon, in two years,<br />
led the people back into gross idolatry.<br />
Josiah Begins His Reformation, vs. 3-7<br />
Surely a child of eight is not cap<br />
able of leading a nation. At the age of<br />
sixteen, Josiah began to seek the "God<br />
of David" as his guide in planning his<br />
work. When he did take decided action,<br />
the leaders that he called in council<br />
were in sympathy with his program.<br />
It is probable that between 16 and 20<br />
years, he had been carefully selecting<br />
wise leaders, and influencing those who<br />
were already leaders in the nation. . He<br />
did not rush into the work alone, but<br />
made careful preparations to lead a<br />
willing<br />
tion.<br />
people in a thorough reforma<br />
Josiah's appeal touched the hearts of<br />
the people. The purged Judah and Jeru<br />
salem of all idols, and brake down the<br />
altars and destroyed the idols. Some of<br />
the choisest idols, carved images, were<br />
those that Josiah's grandfather had<br />
made and failed to destroy. Josiah did<br />
a thorough job. He beat the idols into<br />
dust and strewed them to mingle with<br />
the dust of their worshipers. The chil<br />
dren could never again play<br />
idols.<br />
Repairing the Damage Done<br />
by Sin, vs. 8-11<br />
A boy threw a<br />
with those<br />
stone and broke a<br />
window. His father f<strong>org</strong>ave him, but<br />
required him to do as much work in<br />
addition to his usual chores as would<br />
earn money for the window. He should<br />
learn, so far as possible, what sin costs.<br />
Josiah put the people to work to repair<br />
the damage. Not only the idolaters, but<br />
all the people, innocent and guilty, must<br />
share in the punishment for sin. A whole<br />
family, a whole church, a whole school,<br />
a whole nation suffers from the sin of<br />
one of its members. There is a degree<br />
in which all are responsible for the sin<br />
of one. Truant and other officers would<br />
be able to serve the law much better<br />
if they had the intelligent co-operation<br />
of all the citizens. School teachers would<br />
have little trouble with discipline if<br />
the parents did their duty. And it is<br />
likely that those who had the least to<br />
do with idols did the most of the work<br />
of cleaning up<br />
after them.<br />
Faithful Work Under Honest<br />
Leadership, vs. 9-12a<br />
In the lesson of May 8, we studied a<br />
similar reform under Joash (2 Chron.<br />
24:4-14). These two reforms are very<br />
similar in the zeal and faithfulness with<br />
which they were carried on. Much<br />
money had to be collected and spent.<br />
There was no hint of wasting funds,<br />
or padding pay<br />
rolls. And this was a<br />
national task. There are financial ty<br />
coons, prominent in the church and in<br />
charities, who scruple not to defraud<br />
the public so long as they keep "with<br />
in the Law." Of course, these men as<br />
individuals, could be trusted. But they<br />
act as corporations, which have no soul.<br />
It is cheering to know that there are<br />
many men in positions of trust who<br />
are honest. Not too many<br />
when they<br />
bury their acts in large companies.<br />
I heard a senator, in public address,<br />
condemn federal development of water<br />
for irrigation or power, on the ground<br />
that it would corrupt the government.<br />
He said it would turn all our senators<br />
and representatives into grafters. I<br />
wanted to ask him if that was the kind<br />
of men that guard the interests of our<br />
nation. He was in a position to know.<br />
Also he was (indirectly) interested in<br />
power. "Other People's<br />
Money"<br />
by<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
faithfully."<br />
sure"<br />
me."<br />
Louis D. Brandeis is worth reading.<br />
The story of how Josiah collected and<br />
used the money comes to a very pleas<br />
ing end; "And the men did the work<br />
There are three items, not in the les<br />
son, that ought to be noted before we<br />
come to the lesson for next week;<br />
The Finding of the Law, vs. 14-21<br />
Found when they<br />
cleaned out the<br />
idols. Some Christians have not courage<br />
to speak against social idols, so the law<br />
is covered in dust. With a housecleaning,<br />
we might find some things that we have<br />
lost.<br />
Hulda Speaks, vs. 22-28<br />
Huldah did not gloss over the sins of<br />
Judah and Israel, but warns them of<br />
their coming captivity. Josiah is to be<br />
favored by the captivity not coming in<br />
his day.<br />
The Reading of the Law, vs. 29-33<br />
The law had been covered by the im<br />
plements of sin and by dust. When found<br />
it was read to Josiah. He rent his of<br />
ficial robe from off him, and stood un<br />
covered before the world and God. He<br />
would not hide behind his office. To<br />
some, they had found the law of Moses.<br />
To Josiah, it was the Word of God.<br />
The Prophecy of Nahum<br />
This is mentioned in this connection<br />
because it was written in the reign of<br />
Josiah and fortells the overthrow of Judah's<br />
great enemy Assyria. Already the<br />
capital was moved from Damascus to<br />
Nineveh. The captivity would not be to<br />
Nineveh, but to Babylon.<br />
SYNOD SABBATH PRAYER<br />
MEETING TOPIC<br />
For Sabbath, June 12, 1955<br />
Theodore F. Harsh<br />
TOPIC: "The Convicting<br />
Holy Spirit"<br />
SCRIPTURE : John 16 :8-ll<br />
SUGGESTED PSALMS :<br />
Psalm 19:5-9, page 42<br />
Psalm 51:7-12, page 131<br />
Psalm 139:1-6, page 341<br />
Psalm 130:1-5, page 325<br />
Psalm 1:1-3, page 2<br />
Power of the<br />
RELATED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES<br />
Psalm 51:10-17; Acts 2.22; Rom. 3:7<br />
Gal. 3:22; Isaiah 42:6, 21; I Cor. 1:30<br />
Gal. 5:5; I Sam. 16:7; Matt. 12:18<br />
John 7:24<br />
What is the Work of the Holy Spirit<br />
in the World "And He, when He is<br />
come, will convict the world in respect<br />
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judg<br />
ment."<br />
(John 16:8 ASV). The Holy Spir<br />
it must work with men created in the<br />
image of God in knowledge, righteous<br />
ness and holiness, but in whom the im<br />
age is badly<br />
marred by sin. The work of<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
the Spirit is to restore that image, but parties in the crucifixion believed that<br />
first He must set men straight on the Jesus was the Son of God, that person<br />
three points at which they in their nat would have refused to take part, and the<br />
ural state differ from the Perfect Man, crucifixion would not have taken place.<br />
Jesus Christ. Jesus was perfectly sinless, Unbelief was at the root of the crime.<br />
men are sinful; Jesus had perfect right All who are guilty of unbelief are guilty<br />
eousness, men have no righteousness of of the same sin, lacking only the oppor<br />
their own; Jesus looked to the favor of tunity to commit the same crime. The<br />
His Father in Heaven, men look to the Spirit came with convicting power at<br />
favor of the prince of this world. To men Pentecost and continues to convict men<br />
in their natural state, sin is the trans of their participation through their un<br />
gression of an arbitrary human code, belief in the crucifixion. However else<br />
righteousness is the satisfaction of hu the Spirit may convince men of their sin,<br />
man consciences, and judgment is the it is not until the cross is presented<br />
verdict of this world. Until men are that He can bring home the awfulness of<br />
brought back to the original design of their sin, showing them that by their<br />
creation on these points, nothing further unbelief they become a party to the<br />
"convict,"<br />
can be done. The word, brings greatest of crimes, crucifying the Son of<br />
to mind a prosecuting attorney seeking God, and putting Him to an open shame.<br />
a pronouncement of guilt. We get closer 2. "OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE<br />
to the intent of this passage when we I GO TO THE FATHER AND YE SEE<br />
"convince,"<br />
take the word,<br />
from the ME NO MORE." Righteousness is the<br />
RSV translators. It gives the idea of a great aim of men in all their religions,<br />
physician convincing a patient of the though the ways of achieving vary. Yet<br />
presence of a deadly disease and of the there is a constant feeling of guilt, that<br />
necessity and effectiveness of curative something more needs to be done, a lack<br />
measures.<br />
of assurance of God's being reconciled<br />
The first step of the Spirit's Work is<br />
to men.<br />
to Convict, not to Convert. Conversion<br />
Jesus Christ came and lived a life<br />
of perfect righteousness.<br />
may follow, but the first step is to<br />
He gave His<br />
con<br />
vict, even as the doctor life for the sins of men. But had it all<br />
must convince<br />
the patient of the seriousness of his ended with His con<br />
death, the world could<br />
not<br />
dition before he will consent to drastic have been convinced of righteous<br />
ness.<br />
action. How does the Spirit<br />
But He rose from the dead and<br />
convict<br />
Jesus points to Himself as the<br />
was received<br />
means by<br />
up to be with the Father,<br />
which the Spirit will convict. Christ's showing that the only righteousness ac<br />
presence in the world was necessary to ceptable to God is that of Christ. For<br />
enable the Spirit to convict the world of guilty men, the only way of obtaining<br />
sin, righteousness, and judgment, but<br />
it is through Christ (Acts 4:12).<br />
without the Holy Spirit, the coming of In this way the Holy Spirit convinces<br />
Christ would have been<br />
the world of righteousness. It is<br />
useless.<br />
only<br />
when men learn that Christ rose from<br />
1. "OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY BE<br />
the dead that the Spirit can convict, can<br />
LIEVE NOT ON ME." Disbelief in<br />
make men see that their sins are f<strong>org</strong>iv<br />
Christ is the great evidence (symptom)<br />
en through Christ (Romans 8:1), and<br />
by which the Spirit is to convict the<br />
that they must accept Him or reject<br />
world of sin. What is there by which to<br />
their only hope of being reckoned right<br />
convict the world of sin outside of<br />
eous before God.<br />
Christ's death There is the law of God<br />
written upon the heart, telling what is<br />
3. "OF JUDGMENT BECAUSE THE<br />
PRINCE<br />
right and what is wrong, and a<br />
OF THIS WORLD IS<br />
feeling<br />
JUDGED."<br />
of obligation to obey that law<br />
Jesus had<br />
(Romans<br />
said, "Now is the<br />
2:14, 15). There were the Old Testament<br />
judgment of the world. Now shall the<br />
prince of<br />
law and the pronouncements of the<br />
this world be cast out, and I,<br />
prophets, but all of these were inade<br />
if I be lifted up will draw all men unto<br />
quate instruments for the conviction of<br />
There<br />
the world by the Spirit.<br />
is a judgment pronounced by<br />
Jesus Christ came as a "more God, and one pronounced by men. Only<br />
when men's judgment coincides with<br />
revelation of God's law. He not only<br />
taught all that was in God's is it a true judgment.<br />
men's conscienc<br />
Satan, the<br />
prince of this<br />
es and all that was in human and di<br />
world, warps men's judg<br />
ment and makes men believe that world<br />
vine law, He showed the way, He carried<br />
it out, He was a living example of what ly success is a mark of God's favor, that<br />
God's law means. He was the<br />
the gifts offered<br />
living<br />
by this world are to be<br />
Word that could not be<br />
the aim of life. Jesus Christ has shown<br />
perverted or<br />
twisted to men's own ideas.<br />
the judgment of God to be the reverse of<br />
How did the world receive the Word<br />
this. The cross is the symbol of this<br />
It put Him to death. Should He then revolutionary disclosure. Christ's resur<br />
rection<br />
have said, "Of sin, because<br />
told the world that God's<br />
they judg-<br />
put me<br />
to death" Had any of the responsible ( Continued on page 334)<br />
333
Church News<br />
.<br />
NOTICE<br />
Will the ministers or clerks of sessions<br />
please foreward the certificate of their<br />
delegate to Synod to D. Howard Elliott,<br />
207 Darlington Rd., Beaver Falls, Pa. as<br />
soon as possible.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Thomas Chambers on the birth of<br />
Thomas Parker Chambers,<br />
who arrived<br />
on Mother's Day, May 8, to gladden the<br />
hearts of his parents and three sisters.<br />
Prayer Meeting Topic Cont. from pg 333<br />
ment was against the prince of this<br />
world and gave the Holy Spirit the<br />
means of convincing the world of judg<br />
ment.<br />
Through the centuries the Spirit has<br />
convinced many of judgment and led<br />
them to choose the reproach of Christ<br />
before the pleasure and honor of this<br />
world. To this day He convinces many<br />
more of the blessing of serving Christ<br />
for His rewards, rather than the world<br />
for those which it offers (Matthew 6:<br />
24).<br />
From Recent Books<br />
(Continued from page 329)<br />
world, instead of an ambulance corps,<br />
bringing up the rear as it so often seems<br />
to be, Communism probably would never<br />
have been born.<br />
From THE SECRET OF EFFEC<br />
TIVE PRAYER<br />
by Helen Smith Shoemaker<br />
(Fleming H. Revell Company)<br />
If evil were stronger than God, He<br />
would never have sent His Son to show<br />
us how to overcome it. God in His wis<br />
dom knew that evil could be defeated.<br />
God in the person of His Son faced the<br />
cruel facts of evil and pain and death<br />
unflinchingly for us. The crucifixion was<br />
the seeming triumph of evil, and God<br />
allowed it, but the resurrection was<br />
God's secret weapon and with it He tri<br />
umphed by demonstrating His power to<br />
replace evil, suffering, and death with<br />
the creative force of love and life. The<br />
resurrection tells more about God and<br />
His power to overcome evil than any<br />
other event in history.<br />
334<br />
From THE SECRET OF EFFEC<br />
TIVE PRAYER<br />
by Helen Smith Shoemaker<br />
(Fleming H. Revell Company)<br />
The Session of the CAMBRIDGE Con<br />
gregation wishes to place itself on rec<br />
ord as commending the Report of the<br />
Committee to Evaluate The Revised<br />
Standard Version as found on page 114<br />
of the 19<strong>54</strong> Minutes of Synod. It de<br />
serves the careful examination of every<br />
one interested in Bible Study. The re<br />
port is signed by Delber H. Elliott, Les<br />
ter E. Kilpatrick, Robert K. Mc<br />
Conaughy.<br />
William S. Ramsey Jr.<br />
Clerk of Session<br />
The death of Mary Kenwill recalls an<br />
episode of sixty years ago. A group of<br />
eleven-year olds in a schoolroom were<br />
discussing the merits of their respective<br />
churches. Mary, whose family belonged<br />
to Central Allegheny, stoutly maintained<br />
the superiority of the <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Church (she did not call it Reformed<br />
Presbyterian). Mary had something that<br />
lasted. Arthur W. Calhoun, Sterling.<br />
ATTENTION<br />
Those within driving distance of Spar<br />
ta, Illinois, Welcome to our Worship<br />
Services! Daylight Saving Time in ef<br />
fect through September. Old Bethel<br />
Church on Route 1<strong>54</strong>, near Houston.<br />
Sparta Church, 401 N. Vine Street.<br />
Those coming from the west cross the<br />
Mississippi river bridge at Chester. Sab<br />
bath School, Old Bethel, 10:00 A.M.,<br />
Sparta 1:30 p.m. Worship Service, Old<br />
Bethel 11:00 A.M., Sparta 2:30 p.m.<br />
Pastor, Rev. John M. McMillan.<br />
NEW YORK CITY<br />
On May 1 Dr. F. M. Wilson preached<br />
for us in the absense of Rev. Henning<br />
who was assisting communion for the<br />
Mercer Congregation.<br />
May 6 we held the annual congrega<br />
tional meeting. Encouraging reports<br />
were given by all departments of the<br />
church work and the following officers<br />
were elected: W. K. Metcalf, Chairman<br />
of Congregation; Adele Newell, Secre<br />
tary of Congregation; Trustees (3 year<br />
term) Margaret Little, Theo. M. May,<br />
Allen Murphy and Bert Whitehead; Mrs.<br />
W. K. Metcalf, Congregational Reporter;<br />
Miss Lola Weir, Agent for <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
<strong>Witness</strong>; Bertha Singenwald, Social<br />
Chairman.<br />
ALMONTE, CANADA<br />
A social evening<br />
was enjoyed at the<br />
home of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Bowes on<br />
March 25. The evening was spent play<br />
ing<br />
various games. When refreshments<br />
were served birthday<br />
cakes were pre<br />
sented<br />
to John Morton and Clarence<br />
Bowes.<br />
The March meeting of the W.M.S. was<br />
held at the home of Mrs. James Morton.<br />
New Officers for the year are as fol<br />
lows: President, Mrs. James McGregor;<br />
Vice President, Mrs. F. F. Reads; Sec<br />
retary, Miss Rose Ellen Burns; Treasur<br />
er, Mrs. John Morton.<br />
OAKDALE<br />
My apologies to Rev. C. E. Caskey. He<br />
did not preach for Oakdale but Rev.<br />
Wylie Caskey did.<br />
Dr. A. J. McFarland was with us Sab<br />
bath April 17 and brought the morning<br />
message. That evening a large group<br />
went to Sparta to hear Dr. M. K. Car<br />
son who was assisting Communion at<br />
Sparta and Old Bethel.<br />
The following Sabbath, April 24, Rev.<br />
E. Raymond Hemphill held Communion<br />
services here. All the meetings were<br />
very well attended. The spirit-filled mes<br />
sages were enjoyed and very helpful. A<br />
number from Sparta and Old<br />
Bethel<br />
were present for the Sabbath evening<br />
service.<br />
Mrs. Preston Carson and children<br />
visited recently with Mr. and Mrs. Frank<br />
Harsh of Sidney, Ohio, and Rev. and<br />
Mrs. T. F. Harsh in Cincinnati.<br />
Rev. Walter Magee was present to<br />
preach for us May 8 and plans to be<br />
with us the following Sabbath also.<br />
TOPEKA<br />
Rev. R. H. Martin supplied our pulpit<br />
April 24 and Mr. A. L. Anderson, mana<br />
ger of The Topeka Bible Store, spoke<br />
to us on behalf of the Gideons in our<br />
morning service, May 1. That evening<br />
Mr. C. E. Thomlison, former police chief<br />
in Hot Springs, N. M., brought us the<br />
message.<br />
Our sympathy is extended to Miss Ma<br />
bel Holmes in the death of her sister,<br />
Elma, who pased away April 20.<br />
Mr. Lloyd McElroy has undergone sur<br />
gery and is making good recovery.<br />
Mr. Knox Carson has been confined to<br />
the hospital, but is now home. He is<br />
quite weak, however.<br />
It was with deep regret that we bid<br />
farewell to Misses Emma and Mary Mc<br />
Farland who have gone to make their<br />
home at the Aged People's Home. Their<br />
prayers, faithful interest and service will<br />
ever be remembered by the congrega<br />
tion. We wish them well in getting set<br />
tled in their new location.<br />
QUINTER<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Paul Faris and children<br />
returned home on April 20, after making<br />
a one week trip to Phoenix, Arizona,<br />
where Rev. Faris helped with Commun<br />
ion Services. They also went through the<br />
Carlsbad Caverns, and other points of<br />
interest.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
Mrs. Ellsworth Francy returned home<br />
from the Quinter Hospital on the week<br />
of April 18, after a major operation.<br />
A Social was held at the church Fri<br />
day evening, April 29. We enjoyed slide<br />
pictures shown by Juanita and Eugene<br />
Graham of their trip<br />
spring.<br />
SANTA ANA<br />
to Florida this<br />
Dr. J. D. Edgar of San Diego brought<br />
preparatory messages<br />
on Friday and<br />
Saturday<br />
ion on the first Sabbath of May.<br />
nights and conducted commun<br />
Mrs. Harriet Pogemiller of the Sharon<br />
congregation attended our worship serv<br />
ices on May 1 and visited in the homes<br />
of Mrs. Mary Tippin and Miss Margaret<br />
Walkinshaw.<br />
King's Daughters' officers for the new<br />
year: President, Mrs. Virginia Ander<br />
son; Vice President, Mrs. Vicky Curry;<br />
Secretaiy, Mrs. Catherine Vogt; Trea<br />
surer, Mrs. Mae Vinson.<br />
Christian Brotherhood officers for the<br />
new year: President, Ronald Shepard;<br />
Vice President, Albert Wylie; Secretary-<br />
Treasurer, Lewis Keys.<br />
of<br />
Ladies of the congregation and friends<br />
King's<br />
Daughters'<br />
members<br />
were<br />
guests of the King's Daughters' Mission<br />
ary Circle on Saturday afternoon, May<br />
7. Mothers were honored with a tea in<br />
the church reception hall. Corsages were<br />
pinned on Mrs. Samuel Edgar, oldest<br />
mother present, and Mrs. Virginia An<br />
derson,<br />
youngest mother present. Music<br />
for afternoon enjoyment came from our<br />
young ladies Sherry Anderson, Virginia<br />
Hurd, Saundra Anderson and her mu<br />
sical pals, and Sharon and Rose Ellen<br />
Nelson.<br />
Born to Mr. and Mrs. William Hart<br />
zell on May 8 a son, Ronald Allen.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. McCloy of Hemet<br />
attended the morning service on May 8.<br />
Mrs. Mary Johnson was hostess for<br />
the May me.eting of the King's Daugh<br />
ters. After a covered dish dinner a<br />
teacher from a Light and Life Christian<br />
Day School was heard as a guest speak<br />
er.<br />
Through the months when our pulpit<br />
was vacant we have had preaching regu<br />
larly because in our midst are Dr. Wal<br />
ter McCarroll, Dr. Samuel Edgar, and<br />
Rev. John Gault. These ministers have<br />
filled the pulpit whenever they were<br />
needed.<br />
THIRD CHURCH OF THE<br />
COVENANTERS OF PHILADELPHIA<br />
The Women's Missionary Society of<br />
Third Philadelphia met at the home of<br />
Mrs. Thomas McClay and Miss Helen<br />
Schaal. Mrs. Walter McClay was wel<br />
comed and accepted into our member-<br />
May 25, 1955<br />
ship. Six hundred dollars was disbursed<br />
by the Society among the Foreign, Ken<br />
tucky and Southern Missions, the Penn<br />
sylvania Temperance League; the Sem<br />
inary; the Home (for food mixer) and<br />
Kobe Book Room. The devotions, led by<br />
Miss Margaret McCandless included a<br />
circle of prayer for the evangelistic serv<br />
ice held in connection with the showing<br />
of the Billy Graham film, "Mr. Texas."<br />
Nineteen boys and girls responded to the<br />
Call when the invitation to accept Christ<br />
as their Saviour was given following the<br />
picture.<br />
Our Spring Communion season was a<br />
time of deep searching and challenging<br />
messages given us by the Rev. Dr. Del<br />
ber Elliott who assisted our pastor. Dr.<br />
and Mrs. Elliott were the guests of Rev.<br />
and Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Price during their stay<br />
in Philadelphia. We were glad that so<br />
many<br />
out-of-bounds members were en<br />
abled to journey to Philadelphia for the<br />
Communion time. These included Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Robert Wilson and Miss Helen<br />
Euwer of Ocean City, N. J.; Miss Edna<br />
Claypoole and Mrs. William Foster of<br />
Yonkers, N. Y.; Mrs. K. Wagner of At<br />
lantic City, N. J.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert<br />
Adams of Springfield, Pa. We welcomed<br />
the presence of <strong>Covenanter</strong>s of other<br />
congregations also: Miss Dolly Everett;<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Julius Kempf; Mrs. J.<br />
McClean and son and daughters; Mr.<br />
and Mrs. A. Dodds; Mr. and Mrs. J.<br />
Jackson; Mr. and Mrs. Gene Spear; Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Everett Mcllwee of Wappinger<br />
Falls, N. Y.; also Dewey and Linda.<br />
Other recent visitors at worship services<br />
include Mr. and Mrs. William McClurken<br />
and sons of Hatbora, Pa., Mrs. K.<br />
Behm and Mrs. Walter Cameron and<br />
children of Germantown, Pa.<br />
Our sincere sympathy goes out to the<br />
four sons of Mrs. D. Arthur Adams<br />
whose death occurred on April 16. We<br />
miss the warm greeting<br />
courageous gentlewoman.<br />
of this quiet<br />
Elder James MacKnight had his Flor<br />
ida vacation interrupted by a sudden ill<br />
ness which necessitated surgery. He is<br />
now back in his home in Philadelphia<br />
convalescing.<br />
Little Robert C. Everett is now regu<br />
larly attending church again, having<br />
been absent several weeks due to chick<br />
en-pox.<br />
Our hearts are gladdened by news<br />
that Mrs. F. M. Wilson, very ill for over<br />
a month, has begun to show slight im<br />
provement. Sincere and earnest petitions<br />
are being made in her behalf.<br />
Mr. Gene Spear spoke at closing ex<br />
ercises in Sabbath School, telling of the<br />
activities of the Seminary and Geneva<br />
College. He stressed the need for our<br />
prayers for faculty and students of both<br />
of these institutions of our Church. The<br />
following Sabbath the entire S. S. offer<br />
ing was designated for the Seminary<br />
and College.<br />
Third Church folks enjoyed a delicious<br />
dinner and social evening April 18, given<br />
to introduce our minister to ministers of<br />
neighboring churches who were our din<br />
ner guests.<br />
Miss Isabel Crawford was elected su<br />
perintendent of the Sabbath School for<br />
the coming year. Mr. John McClay is<br />
assistant Superintendent, Mrs. Arthur<br />
Danenhour, treasurer and Mr. Frank<br />
Haussman, Secretary. Miss Elizabeth<br />
McHatton is Birthday Secretary. Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Price is Cradle Roll superinten<br />
dent. The Home Department workers<br />
are Miss Matilda Wolfert and Mrs. W.<br />
J. McClay. Mr. Robert J. Crawford is<br />
Chorister and Mr. Walter McClay, as<br />
sistant Chorister.<br />
STERLING NEWS<br />
The Genevans gave a real boost to<br />
Geneva College in the wonderful con<br />
cert given in Spencer Hall, April 1, be<br />
fore an appreciative audience of 350<br />
persons. The quartet was a good "fore<br />
runner"; they came ahead by night from<br />
Kansas City and sang in both the Col<br />
lege Chapel and Elementary Schools<br />
earlier in the day. Robert McFarland<br />
was a member of that quartet.<br />
The speaker at the April 21 meeting<br />
of W.M.S. was Mr. Wong Kim of Korea,<br />
a college student who told of his life<br />
both at home and in America. Twentyeight<br />
members met in the spacious coun<br />
try home of their president, Mrs. Mary<br />
Jane Wilkey.<br />
Sterling's offering toward the budget<br />
on the last Sabbath of the year totaled<br />
$1,065.<br />
Miss Blanche McCrea of Nicosia,<br />
Cyprus, spoke at both services on Sab<br />
bath, May 1, while Rev. L. E. Kilpatrick<br />
held communion at Stafford.<br />
Armour McFarland plans to be at<br />
home between May 13 and<br />
30, after<br />
his second year in seminary. He plans<br />
to be licensed during that time.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Joe McFarland, and Bill,<br />
worshiped in Minneola, May 1, in an<br />
swer to an invitation to help lead Psalm<br />
singing<br />
in a union service.<br />
Sterling graduates this spring are:<br />
8th grade Elaine Boyd, Vickie Wilkey,<br />
and Bonnie Morley; High School John<br />
McFarland, Scott Boyle, and Larry<br />
Oline; Sterling College, Ruth McKissick,<br />
Hugh Hays, and Kathleen McCrory;<br />
Geneva College, Robert McFarland.<br />
Mrs. A. J. McFarland was pleased<br />
to win a "I" rating on her one-act play<br />
at both the League and District High<br />
School Speech Festivals. Her play won<br />
a II at the State.<br />
335
JILEK HARTIN<br />
In the United Philadelphia parsonage,<br />
on May 7, 1955 at one P.M. before a<br />
bower of palms and dogwood, a very<br />
pretty wedding was solemnized. The<br />
bride, Mrs. Martha Jilek, in a blue lace<br />
gown and James Hartin, were married<br />
by their pastor, Dr. Paul D. McCracken,<br />
in the presence of their families and a<br />
few friends. The bride was attended by<br />
her sister Mrs. James A. Carson and the<br />
groom by Charles J. Jilek. A dinner and<br />
reception at Strath Haven Inn, Swarthmore,<br />
Pa., followed the ceremony. After<br />
July 1 Mr. and Mrs. Hartin will be at<br />
home at 124 South Pennock Avenue,<br />
Upper Darby, Pa.<br />
A TESTIMONY<br />
Yes, verses of Scripture presented by<br />
Holy Ghost power have brought to me<br />
conviction of sin more than once. For<br />
example: In the Providence of God, I<br />
roomed with a young lady for one year.<br />
We were both Christians who needed<br />
chastening temperamental differences,<br />
maybe .<br />
Speaking for myself, I was<br />
conscious of the need of God's power to<br />
give harmony<br />
and prayed that God<br />
would show me my part in the discord.<br />
My habit in those days was to read por<br />
tions of the Bible at three periods of the<br />
day. In these readings I was halted by<br />
this verse Proverbs 22:10 "Cast out<br />
the scorner and contention will go out;<br />
yea reproach and strife shall The<br />
cease."<br />
Holy Spirit enabled me to see myself in<br />
the role of Scorner and furthermore He<br />
enabled me to change my attitude.<br />
Proof<br />
Two years later we two, in<br />
the Providence of God, lived together<br />
again but this time there was harmony<br />
the work of God's Spirit through the<br />
applied Word of His grace.<br />
This lesson is faithfully brought to<br />
my remembrance as occasion requires<br />
for which I praise God through Jesus<br />
Christ my Lord and Saviour.<br />
OPEN LETTER<br />
Do We Dare Lose Our Lifef<br />
"For whosoever will save his life shall<br />
lose it; and whosoever will lose his life<br />
for my sake shall find it." Mat. 16:25.<br />
I've been interested in Dr. Taggart's<br />
articles on,<br />
Taking<br />
a dare. And I've<br />
been wondering if we as a church are<br />
willing to take the dare of this verse<br />
Matt. 16:25. We have been so concerned<br />
trying to save our selves that we are<br />
in danger of losing our life. We get so<br />
alarmed over the fact that the church<br />
might die that we f<strong>org</strong>et that we are<br />
in a much bigger fight than merely<br />
keeping the <strong>Covenanter</strong> church in exist<br />
ence. In the first place we don't need to<br />
worry about the truth dying. God takes<br />
care that it doesn't die. The Jews pre<br />
served the truths of the Old Testament<br />
336<br />
through hundreds of years. They be<br />
came so zealous in keeping the church<br />
that they killed the 'Messiah they had<br />
been looking for through the centuries.<br />
The Jewish church had served it's pur<br />
pose, but the truth went on living in<br />
the Christian church. During the dark<br />
ages a little group of Waldenses held<br />
on to the true teachings of the apostles.<br />
That truth was taken up by the reform<br />
ers, Luther, Huss, Knox and the rest.<br />
So we don't need to be afraid that the<br />
truth our church holds will die. But the<br />
church as an <strong>org</strong>anization can die and<br />
will, if we in our efforts to save our<br />
selves lose sight of the fact that we have<br />
a much bigger task to do.<br />
We are in a struggle that takes in<br />
the whole world, Satan against God;<br />
evil against good. Are we in there fight<br />
ing for all we are worth Or are we so<br />
busy being jealous of who is going to<br />
get the credit, or making sure that if a<br />
soul is won it must be for our congrega<br />
tion so we can report it, that we fail;<br />
to win any one Are we thinking of<br />
advancing the cause of the kingdom or<br />
of our own pride and prestige Are<br />
we just as willing to work for the<br />
kingdom where we see work to be done<br />
even though no one but the Lord knows<br />
about it<br />
Satan has not gone to sleep. He is<br />
fighting for all he is worth and it's<br />
amazing how much his followers will<br />
sacrifice for the cause of evil. The Com<br />
munist fights with zeal. The liquor in<br />
terests never lose a trick. While so<br />
many protestant churches dally around<br />
taking it easy, chiefly concerned in try<br />
ing to keep up with the Joneses. We talk<br />
about the nation being blind to the<br />
Bible truths. It's easy to put the re<br />
sponsibility on the rulers of our country,<br />
but the nation is made up of people. The<br />
Christian church must sound the alarm,<br />
wake people up to the great need of<br />
Christian living and sacrifice. We talk<br />
from the pulpit but do nothing about it<br />
when no change of life is made. We are<br />
afraid to upset the apple cart. We know<br />
not where the waves might reach, per<br />
haps to some influential member. We<br />
need Christians that are born-again to<br />
spread the gospel of love, not only in for<br />
eign fields but in our own country. I think<br />
we need some shouting preachers, at least<br />
some that talk as if the cause is urgent.<br />
But too often it seems the sermon is just<br />
another chore for the week and it<br />
doesn't make too much difference<br />
whether people are in the fight or not.<br />
Do you wonder why Billy Graham is a<br />
success Well, part of it is because he<br />
talks as if he really has a message<br />
that must be put across with no time<br />
more<br />
to lose. He makes people feel that they<br />
are sitting on a keg of dynamite. Sam<br />
Boyle has the fighting spirit. We need<br />
of it. Nothing<br />
suits Satan better<br />
than take-it-easy talks and methods.<br />
The attitude that seems to say, "Let's<br />
stay<br />
on our own little island and be<br />
good and let the rest of the world go<br />
by."<br />
It doesn't work. Unless we get into<br />
the fight we lose our own goodness. He<br />
who would find his life must lose it<br />
for My sake.<br />
If the <strong>Covenanter</strong> church f<strong>org</strong>ets the<br />
big fight in their efforts to hold the<br />
members we have, if we spend all our<br />
time and money trying to keep members<br />
in bounds and pay<br />
preachers to holeup<br />
somewhere, where there are no<br />
people to reach, if we think we can<br />
revive ourselves by signing a Covenant<br />
when we know &<br />
great many<br />
of our<br />
members weren't keeping the Covenant<br />
they had taken when they joined the<br />
church; then it's time for us to wake<br />
up. We have long consoled ourselves<br />
with the story of Gideon and his three<br />
hundred. The story is good, but remem<br />
ber the three hundred soldiers that were<br />
left were the most alert men of Israel.<br />
Is that true of our <strong>Covenanter</strong> church<br />
es If so, some of them are low enough<br />
now that they should get started in the<br />
other direction.<br />
Why don't we send our Home Mis<br />
sionary Superintendent and other min<br />
isters out into new settlements, buy<br />
them a house and let them start a mis<br />
sion Sabbath school in the basement<br />
and work to get a church started. Some<br />
ministers in our church have done it.<br />
Baptist and other churches are doing<br />
it all the time. One town on Long Island<br />
has grown from forty to four thousand<br />
in only a few years. The same thing is<br />
happening around all our cities. Are<br />
we too far gone to take the dare and<br />
really get into the fight Only alert,<br />
born-again Christians would be interest<br />
ed in this kind of a project. And if a<br />
few people did the work would some of<br />
us be jealous if they succeeded, instead<br />
of rejoicing in the work done Of<br />
course if we sat down and talked it<br />
over from a business stand point we<br />
would shake in our boots and say it<br />
isn't practical. That's right, it isn't.<br />
It would take faith. We<br />
talk about<br />
faith. Do we have it Are we willing<br />
to lose our life Are we enough in<br />
earnest to put away jealousies, pride,<br />
and our own easy life If we are not,<br />
remember the words of our text, "For<br />
whosoever will save his life shall lose<br />
it. "And that is God's Word.<br />
Jean L. McFarland.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
Missionary Number<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 19, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1955 NUMBER 22<br />
WELCOME...<br />
It is a great pleasure for<br />
rae, on behalf of Geneva<br />
College, to extend a cordial<br />
invitation to you to our<br />
beautiful<br />
campus for the<br />
meeting<br />
of the Reformed<br />
Presbyterian Synod.<br />
I trust I will have the<br />
pleasure of visiting with<br />
many of you personally. It<br />
is our sincere hope that<br />
your visit with us will be<br />
both profitable and enjoy<br />
able.<br />
Charles M. Lee, LL.D.<br />
President<br />
"Old Main"
wrought"<br />
about."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Luther Film Banned<br />
The Board of Review for Motion Pictures of the Philip<br />
pine Islands has banned the Martin Luther film. However,<br />
in order to ease the ban somewhat, President Magsaysay<br />
has authorized the showing of the film in Protestant church<br />
buildings. The chairman of the Board of Review, in an<br />
effort to justify the board's action, said: "The flim glorifies<br />
one religion at the expense of another."<br />
No Bible Credits in Arizona<br />
The Superintendent of Public Instruction in Arizona<br />
asked: "May a (public) high school give credit to pupils for<br />
classes that are non-denominational in nature but deal only<br />
with historical aspects of the Bible" The State Attorney<br />
General answered this question in the negative and claimed<br />
that his ruling was based on the constitution of Arizona.<br />
shoulder on the concrete terraces as is the custom of Brit<br />
ish soccer fans. The total number of decisions for Christ<br />
throughout the Crusade was 52,253. The total attendance at<br />
crusade meetings and relay<br />
services was 2,647,365.<br />
Mr. Graham is scheduled to hold meetings this summer<br />
in France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Norway and<br />
Sweden. Interpreters in five languages are now<br />
being<br />
chosen. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Beverly Shea has begun learning solos in<br />
five languages.<br />
If we had been told a few years ago that in this year<br />
there would be<br />
held evangelistic meetings which would<br />
reach hundreds of thousands and even millions we would<br />
have thought the suggestion unbelievable. "What hath God<br />
Mr. Graham said that, "whoever described the Scottish<br />
people as 'dour' did not know what he was talking<br />
Niemoeller Resigns<br />
Pastor Martin Niemoeller has notified the German<br />
Evangelical church leaders that he is resigning from all<br />
duties in the church's governing <strong>org</strong>anization. He stated<br />
that he was doing this. because of criticism of his work by<br />
the General Synod of Protestant Churches which was re<br />
cently meeting in Weimar, East Germany. Niemoeller has<br />
actively opposed West German rearmament. Protestant<br />
authorities said that their criticism referred mainly to the<br />
pastor's handling of administrative matters.<br />
Broadcasting in Korea<br />
Early in May a missionary, Tom Watson, flew from the<br />
U.S.A. to South Korea to acquire property for a new radio<br />
station. Cash and pledges have been received for one third<br />
of the amount needed to construct the new broadcasting<br />
station. It is to be a 20,000 watt station and is intended to<br />
broadcast the gospel behind the bamboo curtain to China,<br />
Manchuria, Siberia, Mongolia and North Korea in the lan<br />
guages of those lands. It is two years since Mr. Watson be<br />
gan to negotiate with the Syngman Rhee government to<br />
secure a license for this project.<br />
Mennonite Gains Citizenship<br />
Complying with an order of the U. S. Supreme Court<br />
in February 19<strong>54</strong>, the Superior Court of Fresno, California,<br />
has granted citizenship to Mr. Arthur Jost, Mennonite of<br />
Reedley, California. This is the end of a legal battle which<br />
has been going on for three years. It is said to be the first<br />
application for citizenship contested under the McCarran<br />
Act of 1950 to be granted.<br />
Mr. Jost's earlier applications had been rejected because<br />
he refused on religious grounds to agree to bear arms for<br />
his country. In the oath asked of him he was required to<br />
swear to support the Constitution, but no reference was<br />
made in it to bear arms or do non-combatant work in the<br />
case of a national emergency. He is a native of Canada and<br />
a member of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church. He<br />
served four years during World War II as a conscientious<br />
objector in civilian forestry camps and hospitals.<br />
DeShazer in U.S.A.<br />
A well-known missionary in Japan, Jacob DeShazer,<br />
former Doolittle bombbardier, is now in the U. S. on fur<br />
lough and to hold a series of meetings. He expects, later, to<br />
enter Asbury Theological Seminary<br />
Graham Meetings in Scotland<br />
for advanced study.<br />
The largest attendance records in the history of Billy<br />
Graham's evangelistic ministry were broken on April 30, the<br />
closing day of the Scotland Crusade, when 113,000 crowded<br />
into Hampden Stadium. Only 14,000 of the great crowd had<br />
seats. The greater part of the crowd stood shoulder to<br />
338<br />
Romanism in Argentina<br />
Those who are acquainted with the problem of the<br />
Peron regime as over against the Roman Catholic Church<br />
believe that there will be a separation of church and state<br />
in Argentina. There is an intense campaign going on led by<br />
the pro-Peron newspapers for a constitutional change dis<br />
establishing the Catholic Church. (Later, this separation<br />
has now been affected by an overwhelming vote. Editor.)<br />
Waldensian Celebration<br />
The Waldensian church celebrated the 100th anniver<br />
sary of the establishment in Rome of the Waldensian<br />
Theological College, which is the oldest seminary in Italy<br />
for the training of Protestant pastors. The Waldensian<br />
church did not obtain religious and political recognition in<br />
Italy until 1848, though it is the oldest and largest non-<br />
Catholic group in that country. The Waldensian church is<br />
named after Pietro Waldo, who was once a rich merchant of<br />
Lyons, but who in 1170 gave up his possessions and began<br />
the itinerant work of a minister.<br />
Would Ban Liquor Ads<br />
The House of Representatives of Maine has voted by a<br />
majority of 90-17 to ask Congress to forbid all liquor adver<br />
tising<br />
on TV and radio. One of those who promoted this ac<br />
tion stated that "liquor advertising is bringing the saloon<br />
atmosphere into the home."<br />
(Continued on page 345)<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
.<br />
SUN<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
ON THE FENCE<br />
Will President Eisenhower run again in 1956 Republi<br />
can leaders seem to have growing doubts. Continued oppo<br />
sition from right-wing Republicans is making Eisenhower's<br />
position less attractive, and removing any feeling of obli<br />
gation to the party. Mrs. Eisenhower is not in vigorous<br />
health and she and the President are increasingly attached<br />
to their country home near Gettysburg, Pa. Some are al<br />
ready referring to their choice as the "Battle of Gettys<br />
burg."<br />
The biggest worry of Republican leaders is that they<br />
have no other good candidate in sight. Public opinion polls<br />
indicate that Adlai Stevenson can win over any Republican<br />
except Eisenhower. Even if the President has made his<br />
decision, he is not likely to announce it before the adjourn<br />
ment of Congress, since the prevailing doubt increases his<br />
political leverage.<br />
SERVICE RECORDS<br />
One of the biggest headaches of the armed services has<br />
been the handling of the records of discharged servicemen.<br />
A tremendous storehouse now is being built near St. Louis<br />
to bring all these records together in good order. The build<br />
ing will contain the files of over 25 million persons who<br />
have seen service in the last fifty years. The six-story<br />
structure will have thirty-five acres of floor space, making<br />
it one of the largest filing centers in the world. Anyone's<br />
record will be available within ten minutes. Many <strong>org</strong>aniza<br />
tional documents, such as morning reports and sick books,<br />
will be preserved on microfilm. The new center will cost<br />
about $15 million and will begin operations with a staff of<br />
2,500, mostly civilians.<br />
POLIO BUNGLING<br />
Regardless of the final outcome, there is no denying<br />
that the polio vaccine program has been seriously mis<br />
handled. The U. S. Public Health Service apparently was<br />
unprepared to deal with the matter and took no action<br />
until the Francis report was released. It then acted as if<br />
there were no doubt whatever of the safety<br />
and effective<br />
ness of the vaccine, until polio cases began to appear among<br />
the vaccinated children. None of the subsequent shifts in<br />
policy have been adequately explained, and the whole pic<br />
ture is very confused. Parents are torn between the desire<br />
to protect their children from polio and the fear that the<br />
vaccine is not safe. Apparently this year's vaccine has not<br />
been as thoroughly tested as that used in last year's ex<br />
periments. Unfortunately, the whole matter has now become<br />
a political issue, in recent years the Public Health Service<br />
has suffered from economy cuts, and Mrs. Hobby, the Sec<br />
retary of Health, Education and Welfare, is now under fire.<br />
The Administration still opposes federal control over vaccine<br />
distribution.<br />
STATE VS. CHURCH<br />
Dictator President Juan Peron of Argentina has<br />
turned his campaign against the Roman Catholic Church<br />
into an all-out war. Many priests have been arrested and re<br />
ligious <strong>org</strong>anizations disbanded, and the teaching of the<br />
Catholic religion in the public schools has been stopped.<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
Peron has secured legislation legalizing divorce, prostitution,<br />
and illegitimacy, in defiance of the standards of the Church.<br />
Now both houses of the Argentine Congress have voted for<br />
complete separation of church and state, ending the official<br />
status which the Catholic Church has always had in Ar<br />
gentina. It will be interesting to see whether Peron's attack<br />
on the Church strengthens or weakens his hold on the peo<br />
ple. Ninety-three per cent of the Argentine people are<br />
Catholic, but many of these, especially in the cities, have<br />
only a nominal faith.<br />
POWER<br />
A scientist in Israel has made discoveries which may<br />
lead to the world's first practical power plant using solar<br />
heat. He has found a way to treat black metal plates so<br />
that they will retain nearly all the heat they receive from<br />
the sun. Water pipes will be placed under the plates to<br />
produce steam for power. It is estimated that sixteen per<br />
cent of the sun's energy could thus be converted into pow<br />
er,<br />
and that the process would be no more expensive than<br />
conventional sources of power. Solar power has been tried<br />
before, but always proved inefficient. The idea is a good one<br />
because our conventional fuels will not last more than one<br />
more century at the present rate of consumption. Israel will<br />
start a pilot plant this summer to test the process.<br />
AT THE SUMMIT<br />
It seems that a Big Four conference definitely<br />
will be<br />
held this summer, though the time and place are not yet<br />
decided. The invitation came from the Western powers as<br />
they met at Paris to receive West Germany into NATO<br />
membership. Soviet Russia promptly accepted, but continues<br />
to charge us with obstructing the peace. Before the chiefs<br />
of state gather there will be a preliminary meeting of for<br />
eign ministers. It is doubtful, however, whether there can<br />
be any advance agreement on an agenda. The problem of<br />
Germany surely will be discussed, but there is no good<br />
prospect of an agreement on unification. Disarmament and<br />
atomic controls also are likely to be considered. Both sides<br />
are maneuvering to strengthen their positions before the<br />
talks begin. The last few months have brought great im<br />
provements in the unity and defense of western Europe, and<br />
President Eisenhower has promised that he will not follow<br />
any policy of appeasement.<br />
ATOMIC CONTROLS<br />
After twelve weeks, the U. N. subcommittee on dis<br />
armament has suspended a five-power meeting in London,<br />
without any definite achievement. The Russians helped to<br />
sabotage the conference by breaking the rule of secrecy on<br />
the negotiations. But Jacob Malik, the Soviet delegate,<br />
made proposals which indicated some change in the Russian<br />
position. He suggested a complete ban on the manufacture<br />
and use of atomic weapons. First all countries would pool<br />
information on their armaments and agree not to increase<br />
them. The U. S., Russia, and Red China would be allowed<br />
one and a half million men each. Then in 1957, the produc<br />
tion of atomic weapons would be stopped and existing bombs<br />
(Continued on page 340)<br />
339
. This<br />
earth."<br />
Editorial Notes<br />
By Walter McCarroll<br />
Synod's Budget. It was raised in full plus anoth<br />
er $12,500. An astonishing record! For this we<br />
should raise our song with thankful hearts. Tlie<br />
response of local congregations and of individuals all<br />
over the church has been most heartening. This, for<br />
one thing, was an answer to prayer, for there were<br />
many praying for this. For another thing it was a<br />
human response to the challenge flung out to the<br />
church by Mr. Boyle in his articles in the December<br />
Missionary Number. The 2,000 members did not need<br />
to borrow $60 each to pay more than $122,000 to<br />
Synod's treasurer. They did it without borrowing.<br />
This is an evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit<br />
in the minds and hearts of His people. The Spirit<br />
works through and uses human instruments. The<br />
self-denying giving on the part of some stirred many<br />
to action who had been satisfied to let their stand<br />
ard of giving be what it had been in previous years.<br />
Too often the members of the financial board of a<br />
congregation feel no responsibility for challenging<br />
the congregation to greater efforts for the support<br />
of the different departments of the church's work.<br />
The church needs leaders in the local congregations<br />
who will have a sense of responsibility for the work<br />
of the church at large.<br />
There has been no such outpouring of money for<br />
the different departments of the church's work since<br />
the Great Depression which began late in 1929. Back<br />
in the 1920's large sums of money were freely given.<br />
In one year, perhaps it was 1926, the amount desig<br />
nated in Synod's budget for foreign missions alone<br />
was about $105,000. Those were days too when we<br />
sent too much money to the fields, for the native<br />
people came to expect every thing from the Mission.<br />
The times of stringency in the home church did not<br />
prove an unmixed evil, if it was evil at all. "And we<br />
know that to them that love God all things work to<br />
good."<br />
gether for<br />
Another Missionary to Japan. Synod adopted a<br />
recommendation authorizing the Board of Foreign<br />
Missions to appoint and send to Japan not later than<br />
September of 1955 one more ordained minister, pro<br />
viding that Synod's budget be oversubscribed by<br />
$5,000. That provision has been met. We understand<br />
that Gene Spear has received the appointment, and<br />
that reservations for the Boyles and the Spears have<br />
been made on a passenger ship sailing from Seattle<br />
August 3, 1955. Thus there are two families to sail<br />
for Japan: Mr. and Mrs. Boyle and four children,<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Spear and two children, a party of ten.<br />
This band of missionaries needs to be undergirded<br />
with our prayers.<br />
News Items from Cyprus. A committee of the<br />
Cyprus Mission is preparing a Bible Syllabus for the<br />
Academies . . . Mr. Christou has completed the trans<br />
lation of one version of each of the Psalms. This<br />
probably means versification. After being checked<br />
this will be ready for the printer . . . The Christian<br />
Herald Tour under the direction of Dr. and Mrs.<br />
Daniel Poling will stop for a day at Cyprus. Plans<br />
are afoot for a meeting with the leaders of that Tour<br />
summer it is planned to hold the Cyprus-<br />
Syria Missionary Conference in Syria . . . H. H.<br />
Memour having completed his three years in the<br />
European Bible Institute in Paris is expected back in<br />
Cyprus to work in the school and among his own peo<br />
ple. His article on the work of the European Bible<br />
Institute, which appeared in the Larnaca Academy<br />
Herald, is published on another page of this issue.<br />
MISSIONARY FACTS from page 341<br />
while she lingers other forces<br />
religious and secular<br />
engage in missionary activities that rival her own<br />
in the quest for men's loyalties. Communism is mis<br />
sionary from start to finish. Big business is mission<br />
ary. Nowhere is the climate too disagreeable or are<br />
the people too backward for the great corporations<br />
to send their missionaries in the interest of "the<br />
almighty dollar."<br />
Conversions to Christianity are barely exceed<br />
ing the increase of the pagan population. There are<br />
thought to be about 700 million professed Christians<br />
(Protestants, Roman Catholics, et al.) out of a world<br />
population of 2,430,000,000. To realize that the<br />
greater percentage of these 700 million know noth<br />
ing of regeneration in Christ is to see more clearly<br />
the gravity<br />
of the picture.<br />
The word missions stands for a global enter<br />
prise at once home and foreign. He who would win<br />
for Christ the people of distant lands will also be an<br />
evangel in the community where he lives. The Chris<br />
tian who is consecrated to the task in his immediate<br />
surroundings is also the first to catch the vision of<br />
carrying the gospel "to the uttermost part of the<br />
CURRENT EVENTS .<br />
from<br />
page 339<br />
destroyed. The Allies have advocated some of these ideas for<br />
several years. However, the Reds still refuse to admit any<br />
system of inspection and control which we would consider<br />
adequate. They<br />
would also put the whole plan under the<br />
Security Council, where they have a veto. The new pro<br />
posals probably justify more negotiation, but they do not<br />
offer any immediate hope for atomic disarmament.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka, Kansa'<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer* :<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
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Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
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The Rev. R. B. Lyons. B.A.<br />
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Address communications to the Topeka office<br />
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under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Kansaf<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
out"<br />
Facts Every Christian Know<br />
O. D. Johnson<br />
Secretary, Christian Missionary Fellowship, in "United Evangelical Action," Used by permission.<br />
(Continued from last Missionary Number)<br />
Everyone understands that missionaries must<br />
draw their salaries from homeland sources. It needs<br />
to be understood, however, that a missionary's per<br />
sonal salary is only part of his financial support.<br />
Other necessary items include his insurance or re<br />
tirement fund, deposit for furlough ship fare, medi<br />
cal needs, field expenses in connection with his resi<br />
dence and<br />
work,<br />
and some expenses in the homeland.<br />
Notwithstanding the outlay of money required<br />
to keep missionaries on foreign fields, it is still far<br />
cheaper in terms of cold cash to evangelize than to<br />
militarize. In the fiscal year 1950 United States mili<br />
tary personnel on active duty totaled 3,249,455. With<br />
a total military budget of $44,633,000,000 for that<br />
year, this figures to an average of about $13,735 for<br />
each person in service. Depending on fields and mis<br />
sions, the same amount could provide the annual<br />
support from five to nine missionaries.<br />
A fairly accurate report shows the total giving<br />
of American churches to foreign missions for a re<br />
cent year was $56,567,292, or $1.33 per member.<br />
Evangelicals, who are substantially responsible for<br />
the increase of missionary ranks in recent years, are<br />
giving far more than this per member. Still one won<br />
ders if anyone is really giving sacrificially to provide<br />
a gospel witness for all nations and to bring back the<br />
King.<br />
Every Christian must think in terms of what he<br />
individually is doing for world missions. One must<br />
face up to the question, how much am I giving for<br />
missions Interestingly enough,<br />
in<br />
churches which are<br />
the forefront in missionary giving are those<br />
which constantly confront their members with this<br />
very question. Personalized underwriting of mission<br />
aries by individuals and groups and individuals with<br />
in the congregation is the method that results in<br />
both maximum giving and maximum blessing to the<br />
giver.<br />
The Shortage of Personnel<br />
There is always a shortage of qualified and will<br />
ing men and women to serve overseas. "But are there<br />
not always more missionary volunteers than can be<br />
sent someone is sure to ask. That is true, but<br />
we are speaking of those who are both qualified and<br />
willing. Mission boards are not tyrants because they<br />
insist upon high standards for candidates. It is for<br />
everyone's good and certainly it is in harmony with<br />
the teaching of the Holy Spirit.<br />
The shortage of manpower<br />
literally manpower<br />
on the mission fields represents the most acute<br />
of all personnel needs. Mission agencies send out<br />
from 50 to 200 per cent more women than men. Yet<br />
the cultural patterns of most non-Christian societies<br />
is such that they respect men far more than women.<br />
It is even truer abroad than in this country that to<br />
win a man is to win a family. Surely the inequity in<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
the comparative numbers of men and women mis<br />
sionaries is not God's doing<br />
His will.<br />
nor in accordance with<br />
Non-professional Opportunities<br />
There are many people for whom it would be<br />
poor stewardship to attempt to go to a mission field.<br />
These folk need to find their place in an army of<br />
specially dedicated missionary boosters in the home<br />
land.<br />
First, these volunteers could become effective<br />
prayer partners with different missionaries. Their<br />
own interest and closeness to missions qualifies<br />
them for this in a special way. Then in their own<br />
homes they could do much. They could make their<br />
homes a meeting place for missionaries on deputa<br />
tion and people who are lacking in missionary vision.<br />
People who think they don't believe in foreign mis<br />
sions have a way of changing their minds when they<br />
get acquainted with a missionary through an infor<br />
mal visit and find his zeal is catching.<br />
This volunteer army should include many, yes<br />
every, minister. The effective promotion of missions<br />
in a local church is both an art and a science which<br />
all too few ministers ever master. Yet the minister,<br />
more than anyone else, can determine just how great<br />
the missionary commitment of the congregation will<br />
be. With a minister who has paid the price of learn<br />
ing how to put over a missionary program, no con<br />
gregation can remain indifferent to its obligation.<br />
There is another great field of opportunity<br />
among the 31,000 or more foreign students who are<br />
studying in the colleges and universities of the na<br />
tion. Many of these wander as sheep without a shep<br />
herd, having abandoned the old orthodoxy of their<br />
native non-Christian religions and having found<br />
nothing to take their place. It is easy for them to<br />
see, if not to assimilate, the worst and most profane<br />
aspects of American life and never to come in con<br />
tact with the vital Christianity that made this coun<br />
try great. Christians having access to these students<br />
could find a worthy ministry in presenting to them<br />
the evidences of Christianity.<br />
There is even a missionary opportunity for<br />
Christians serving overseas in secular posts, for<br />
those in military service, other governmental duties,<br />
and in commercial activities. These people cannot<br />
take the place of full-time missionaries, but they<br />
have some entrees never offered to regular mission<br />
aries. One church has been known to hold a com<br />
missioning service for one of its families which went<br />
abroad in the employ of a large business corporation.<br />
Others could well follow this example.<br />
The Immensity<br />
of the Task<br />
The Christian church is making painfully slow<br />
progress in accomplishing her evangelistic task. And<br />
(Concluded on opposite page)<br />
341
J;arjan<br />
P<br />
Highlights of a Year<br />
By Rose A. Huston<br />
Thankful to God for His mercy in granting<br />
daily strength for daily needs, I have come to the<br />
end of a year of work, for most of which I was illfitted<br />
because of inexperience and lack of training.<br />
One afternoon a week was spent in going to Ichino<br />
tani for the meeting for women and part of another<br />
afternoon at the Shinoda home for a second group of<br />
women. Most of the remainder of the week was spent<br />
on Book Room business.<br />
A two weeks rest in a Japanese farm home,<br />
time out for a conference, the usual holidays, and<br />
two days in bed in February, kept me in working<br />
form until Miss Lynn returned and took over the<br />
Book Room.<br />
The work with the women's classes has been most<br />
satisfying, though the attendance was small; this<br />
was largely because I had no time to call on some who<br />
would have been interested in studying the Bible.<br />
One class completed Mark and are beginning Philip<br />
pians : the other class studied Hebrews and are now<br />
on Romans. They are so eager and intelligent that<br />
it was necessary to study Commentaries and Theo<br />
logical books in preparation ; usually they spent an<br />
other hour after class asking questions and discuss<br />
ing difficult points.<br />
Mrs. Nitta and Mrs. Takihara have been faith<br />
fully passing on what they have learned, as they go<br />
to Hospitals and homes to teach. In talking with oth<br />
ers about their need of salvation, of comfort, or of<br />
help, they turn readily to chapter and verse in their<br />
well-marked Bibles. Mrs. Takihara has experienced<br />
so much of the love and goodness and power of God<br />
in the life of her family that she bubbles over with<br />
praise and thanksgiving to God. Mrs. Nitta has been<br />
a teacher and will soon be given a class to teach.<br />
Since Mr. Masunaga was laid aside by illness in<br />
June, Mrs. Oonishi has been my interpreter, and is<br />
an excellent one. She insists on doing this without<br />
pay because she says God has made this Bible study<br />
a great blessing to her.<br />
The Children's Bible class at Chashi, on Friday<br />
evenings, was continued through the year with at<br />
tendance averaging 35 or 40. With ages varying<br />
from four to fourteen, besides one or two women, it<br />
was an achievement worthy of note for my interpre<br />
ter to hold the interest of all to the end of the les<br />
son, and to the end of the year. Mr. Masunaga was a<br />
most efficient interpreter until his illness made it<br />
necessary to have a young college student ; he began<br />
with fear and trembling, but improved with experi<br />
ence. Several of the older children have professed<br />
faith in Jesus Christ, and should be in a special class.<br />
Vacation Bible Schools were held as usual dur<br />
ing the summer. Mr. Katayama, Mrs. Nitta and oth<br />
ers had charge of the one at Ichinotani. Mr. Kata<br />
yama, Mrs. Hansen and others gave much help at<br />
Chashi, so that it was not too burdensome to any.<br />
Work on the Japanese Psalter was somewhat<br />
neglected, though quite a number of new Psalms<br />
342<br />
have been completed, and Mr. Takase has several in<br />
meter that I have not had time to check or find suit<br />
able music. All or part of<br />
seventy Psalms have been<br />
prepared, and when divided into portions for singing<br />
make about a hundred numbers. The Church group<br />
in Suma plan to set aside twenty thousand Yen<br />
(about $55.00) from their budget for the printing<br />
of the Psalter. If this proves to be a rolling snowball<br />
in a deep snow, the printing might begin in a few<br />
months.<br />
My few short years here in Japan years which<br />
seem to pass with accelerating speed as one nears<br />
have been filled with satisfying<br />
"quitting time"<br />
service and happy Christian fellowship ; and it is my<br />
hope and prayer that the work I have tried to do,<br />
may soon be carried on by those who can do it in<br />
their own tongue.<br />
"THY RIGHT HAND HATH HOLDEN ME UP"<br />
By David Hansen<br />
The Lord has been pleased to use this mission<br />
during the past year. He has allowed us to win souls,<br />
to guide another infant congregation, to comfort and<br />
help many who were in need spiritually and physi<br />
cally, and to fill a need for good literature to help the<br />
Japanese pastors in their teaching.<br />
We have had a reasonable amount of harmony<br />
among ourselves, and with the Japanese brethren.<br />
We have had to contend with Satan constantly for<br />
every new step which we have taken has been a<br />
struggle to maintain, but we have had the Lord's<br />
strength accomplishing that which we have been too<br />
weak to do. Thanks to Him we are acquiring a group<br />
of young men who will be able to take over the work<br />
here, and who will, I think, remain true to their con<br />
victions concerning our church's principles. One, Mr.<br />
Katayama, has finished seminary and is now study<br />
ing with me for a year or so. Another is in his first<br />
year of seminary. Two others are in college but are<br />
planning on entering seminary. The increase in the<br />
congregation has been small but steady, and is a<br />
constant proof that our church needs to make no<br />
sacrifice in principles in order to operate a mission.<br />
Personally the study of the language has been<br />
my major task and also my major cause for lament<br />
ing. After a year's study I can say very little more<br />
in Japanese and much less in English. I can under<br />
stand a little of what I hear others speaking, but not<br />
to the extent that I've ever been able to overhear<br />
anyone making a complimentary<br />
remark about my<br />
Japanese ; I keep listening though. I spent one year<br />
with three hours per day in classes plus three in<br />
preparation, but this second year I have cut down<br />
to two hours plus preparation. I figure it shouldn't<br />
take any more than that to polish off my ignorance.<br />
I have moved my headquarters to a village in<br />
the mountains near Kobe called SUZURANDAI.<br />
Here there is a population of some 5000 and no other<br />
Christian influence. The Lord willing I hope to make<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
it the start of a new congregation just as the one<br />
was started in Ichinotani by the Boyles. There is no<br />
worship service yet at Suzurandai but there is a<br />
Sabbath School with a good attendance, plus Bible<br />
Classes in Japanese on Monday and Wednesday eve<br />
nings, and in English on Friday evenings. Tuesday<br />
evenings I taught a Bible class in English at the Book<br />
Room and on Saturday evening a Bible class in<br />
English in a nearby town. Mr. Chao, Mr. Katayama,<br />
and I, alternately preach at the Ichinotani church<br />
service, which makes little burden upon any of us,<br />
yet my time seems to be pretty well taken up with<br />
these things plus visiting the people and teaching<br />
Mr. Katayama.<br />
It is our constant prayer that God will send us<br />
other workers to help in such a fertile field as this<br />
one seems to be. My earlier fears that the door in<br />
Japan would soon be closed seem somewhat ground<br />
less. The situation here in regard to the relations be<br />
tween the government and the Christian missionary<br />
have not changed to any noticeable degree since my<br />
arrival. During this year we have had the same free<br />
dom to worship and carry on our activities as you at<br />
home have had, and we all recognize the Lord's<br />
hand in bringing this to pass. So it is with hearts<br />
full of praise and thankfulness to God that we make<br />
this report on the past year's work.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
OBUKAMIKOYASUBA, YAMADA-CHO,<br />
HYOCO-KU, KOBE<br />
By Rev. David D. Hansen<br />
If you've looked at the address up above, you<br />
will notice that we have moved to a new place. We<br />
can at least be thankful that we don't have a street<br />
name other than the 12-1, or the name would be<br />
much longer. One day in January we were looking<br />
through the ads in the newspaper and noticed an ad<br />
for a western style house in a village not too far<br />
away. The rent was only half as much as the rent for<br />
the apartment in which we were living so we<br />
thought it was a mistake, but just to make sure we<br />
went out to check. It turned out to be only about half<br />
an hour's electric train ride from downtown Kobe<br />
and was a village of about 5,000 population. The<br />
house was built 30 years ago or so by a foreigner and<br />
is still in pretty good shape. There were no other<br />
missionaries or churches in the town so we promptly<br />
moved in. Of course, there are the ever present tem<br />
ples and shrines, but no Christian influence.<br />
The day after we rented the place, we tried driv<br />
ing out to it by car. It's a good thing that it wasn't<br />
the day before or we would never have rented it.<br />
That road defies description. One often follows a<br />
cow-drawn cart for a good long way before finding a<br />
place wide enough to go around it. I thought it was<br />
about as narrow as it could get but now they have<br />
dug a ditch along one side of it for laying pipe and<br />
that leaves it only 2/3 as wide as before and we can<br />
still squeeze through.<br />
For all of the inconvenience though, it is a plea<br />
sure to make the trip by car for the houses along<br />
the way are all typical Japanese country houses.<br />
There are high thatched roofs made of rice straw<br />
laid a couple of feet thick. These are always trimmed<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
very neatly so look quite nice and I hear they<br />
better than the tile roof for they keep the house<br />
are far<br />
warmer in winter and cooler in summer. I suppose<br />
you've seen pictures of Japanese trees on postcards<br />
or in your geography books; they always looked<br />
quite weird and distorted to me. But here all of the<br />
trees except on the mountain side are of that odd<br />
shape and the people go to great pains to trim them<br />
to look that way. Then these country homes always<br />
have a wide front covered with nothing but shoji<br />
doors. A shoji door is a sliding wooden framework<br />
covered with very white paper. The paper is opaque<br />
so one can see the wooden frame through it and it<br />
presents quite a pleasing appearance. All along the<br />
way are terraced rice paddies terraced because this<br />
village is in the mountains<br />
and sometimes one sees<br />
a farmer plowing with a wooden plow behind the<br />
family cow.<br />
Children are surely in abundance here. Of<br />
course, we wanted to start a Sabbath School right<br />
away so gave out a few invitations. The first day<br />
about 70 showed up so we're afraid to give out many<br />
invitations before we have a place fixed for them<br />
to meet. After the weather warms up perhaps we<br />
can meet out in the garden which is adjacent to the<br />
house and then it won't matter too much how many<br />
come. Kizumi-san, who works at the Book Room, is<br />
teaching them with the use of flannelgraphs and<br />
some Psalm charts. Masunaga-san, the interpreter,<br />
is also helping with the duties equivalent to our S. S.<br />
Superintendent. Every week they receive an old<br />
Christmas card with a Bible verse mimeographed on<br />
the back and they are memorizing these verses.<br />
Then also, we send a tract home with them each<br />
week for the parents. People who wouldn't take them<br />
from us will take them from their children and read<br />
them.<br />
Some of the children have requested a Bible<br />
class in English which is an opportunity that I've<br />
been waiting for. Always these people want to<br />
study English and sooner or later they request a<br />
class themselves. Since I'm here to teach the Bible<br />
they naturally settle for a Bible class, and from<br />
these classes come those who make up the congrega<br />
tion later.<br />
Former Students' Column<br />
THE GOAL OF THE E. B. I.<br />
By H. H. Memour<br />
The European Bible Institute was founded by<br />
Robert P. Evans about four years ago. Mr. Evans<br />
was a chaplain in the American Navy during the Sec<br />
ond World War and during those years he spent<br />
some time in Europe. While there he saw the great<br />
need of the Continent for Christian Leadership and<br />
True Christian Education. Through those circum<br />
stances the Lord burdened him with the need of<br />
Europe. Gradually, this burden developed into a<br />
great desire to found a Bible School, where young<br />
men and women from Europe, who could not afford<br />
to go elsewhere for studies, could attend very easily<br />
at home, and prepare themselves for the Service of<br />
the Lord. By the year 1952 Mr. Evans was in Europe<br />
343
out."<br />
again and began to search for a place a building<br />
which was to be used as a school. After some time<br />
the Lord, in a marvelous way, led him to buy the<br />
present building which is in a town in the suburbs of<br />
Paris, a place easily accessible from the city itself.<br />
Fortunately the E.B.I, faculty gives as great<br />
importance to practical teachings as to theoretical.<br />
Since the time when the E.B.I. began operating, stu<br />
dents going out have founded about sixteen to twen<br />
ty children's classes, where the Bible is taught by<br />
means of flannelgraph. Schools here in France are<br />
closed on Thursday afternoons and availing our<br />
selves of this opportunity we have founded Thurs<br />
day Clubs where we teach children about the Bread<br />
of Life. In these clubs, from time to time, we have<br />
the joy of seeing some of the children come forth<br />
and give their lives to Christ.<br />
Time and again I have been challenged<br />
by the<br />
great need that there is for the Gospel of Christ in<br />
Europe and particularly by the great need in France.<br />
Every Monday afternoon we make door-to-door calls<br />
here in our own locality and many times we are sur<br />
prised to see how little people know about the Bible ;<br />
in some cases we even find people who do not know<br />
what the Bible is. So -the need is indeed great, but<br />
the labourers are few. It is for this purpose that the<br />
E.B.I, stands today, namely, for preparing young<br />
men and women who will go out and preach the Gos<br />
pel without fear and without shame.<br />
Dear Reader, does not this stir you to pray for<br />
France I hope it does. If it does, then pray particu<br />
larly for the E.B.I, whose goal is to prepare men and<br />
women to meet this great need. Pray that God may<br />
send more French students to E.B.I, and that those<br />
of us who are already here may be used in a mighty<br />
way for the Salvation of many a precious soul. Pray<br />
particularly for a spirit of unity among the faculty<br />
members and the students, for more moral integ<br />
rity and sanctified lives before the Lord, for we real<br />
ize that all our strength lies therein. We firmly<br />
believe that unless the truth of Romans 12:1, 2 is<br />
realized in the lives of each one of us we are abso<br />
lutely helpless.<br />
Thus far the information I have given is for the<br />
purpose of laying a burden for prayer upon Christian<br />
brothers and sisters who desire to see the advance<br />
ment of His Kingdom on this earth, but in closing<br />
I want to write a word or two to those of you who<br />
have not yet decided what to do with your lives. Out<br />
of eleven years of personal experience in the Chris<br />
tian Life I can say with conviction that the<br />
greatest investment a person can make is to give<br />
himself or herself for the Service of the King of<br />
kings and Lord of lords. But before yau can have a<br />
desire to serve Him you must allow Him to come<br />
into your life and fill you with His joy and peace and<br />
reconcile you to God, for that is the first thing He<br />
would like to do. You who have sought your joy and<br />
peace in the pleasures of the world, the material<br />
things, or even in a religion, but have not as yet<br />
found them and you are still struggling desperately<br />
and helplessly and you may be frustrated, won't you<br />
at this moment try Him Jesus of whom you may<br />
never have thought before I am sure He will not<br />
disappoint you, for He has said in His Word, John<br />
6:37b, "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise<br />
cast<br />
344<br />
Academy Herald, Larnaca, Cyprus<br />
OBSTACLES: CHECKMATE OR CHALLENGE<br />
By Chester T. Hutcheson<br />
Our Boys' school here in Latakia is still carry<br />
on with the usual classes, beginning with the<br />
ing<br />
First grade. The ninth class boys, take the second<br />
official examination, and the larger per cent of them<br />
do not go on to any school. This is considered a stand<br />
ard of education here,<br />
much as the popular con<br />
ception of a High School education is considered in<br />
U.S.A. A few students, however, take another year<br />
with us, and in this way complete our High School<br />
course, if they have taken the High School course,<br />
and thus learned enough English to study mathe<br />
matics, geography and sciences in this language.<br />
Our attendance is all that we could wish for<br />
with the room space we have at our disposal. We<br />
even refuse some students in certain classes 'because<br />
of lack of space, but do not refuse until we have<br />
about 40 in a class. Most of our rooms are as big as<br />
office rooms in schools in U.S.A. and not large like<br />
classrooms there. If we had such rooms here we<br />
would use them for assembly rooms. Our school is<br />
considered one of the four Boys Schools of the town,<br />
for secondary education, i.e. of High School level,<br />
and one of several more for elementary education.<br />
For a few years after the war, we were able to<br />
expand our school some and put in a good High<br />
School course, and add a class so that we could pre<br />
pare students for the second government examina<br />
tion, mentioned above. We were then visited by dep<br />
utations from the American colleges of Syria and<br />
Lebanon to see what our scholastic standing would<br />
be considered in their eyes. We were told that they<br />
would accept our graduates from High School in<br />
their Freshman class without examination, for the<br />
present. We were also told that we must improve<br />
our laboratory and library, or would likely lose<br />
standing with them. We improved these two some,<br />
but not enough, so three years ago we lost this<br />
standing with the American University of Bierut,<br />
Lebanon; and last year with<br />
Aleppo, Syria; and<br />
American Junior college. We need a good large room<br />
for both, then some equipment for the same. This<br />
room does not seem available, unless we build.<br />
Since the war we have spent a fair amount of<br />
money in repairs of rooms and buildings but have<br />
not built any new ones. Some of these repairs have<br />
been rather extensive, as we put on new roofs, to<br />
replace old clay ones. The new7 ones are flat,<br />
re-inforced<br />
concrete roofs, that should last forever. We<br />
have a few more that may need replacing ere long<br />
and some tile roofs also that may need replacing,<br />
with concrete, as new tiles are practically impossible<br />
to get.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Sanderson were able to carry on a<br />
considerable youth program during the six months<br />
they were here last year. When they went to the<br />
youth conference in the spring, our students seemed<br />
to be really touched spiritually. One proof of this<br />
was the spiritual testimonies that Dr. Krikorian<br />
wrote about in his letter to Mr. Hays last fall, ex<br />
cerpts of which were published in the "<strong>Witness</strong>" last<br />
winter ; (in December missionary number, I think it<br />
was) and I hope you were all privileged to read. By<br />
the way this Dr. Krikorian's wife is a daughter of<br />
our beloved Dr. Badeer who worked with our mission<br />
in Mersine.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
us"<br />
us"<br />
us"<br />
minister"<br />
service"<br />
n<br />
One of these boys referred to as having a<br />
spiritual<br />
awakening wrote after being in college a<br />
few weeks, that it seems there was no religion in<br />
the college he went to after leaving us, saying that,<br />
one was free to do most anything, and he came in<br />
contact with several that lived a rather fast life.<br />
Then he went on to say ". . . but I am trying to live<br />
up to the standards and religious truths that I have<br />
been taught in my former days." Let us hope that<br />
we were partly responsible to make these standards<br />
and truths fundamental in his life and that of many<br />
other young people in our midst.<br />
GLIMPSES .... from page 338<br />
Old Bible Manuscript<br />
A manuscript of the New Testament in Aramaic, said<br />
to be 1600 years old, supposed to be the oldest known copy<br />
of the N.T., has been placed on special display in the Li<br />
brary<br />
of Congress. This is the first public exhibit of the<br />
manuscript since it was brought to America in 1930. The<br />
owner is Norman Yonan and the Aramaic Bible Founda<br />
tion is seeking a fund of $1,500,000 to purchase it and do<br />
nate it to the Library of Congress. Mr. Yonan emigrated to<br />
the U. S. from Iraq after World War I. He says that the<br />
manuscript has been in his family for nearly 50 generations.<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of June 19, 1955<br />
C.Y.P.U. TOPIC<br />
For June 19, 1955<br />
Big Words: SERVE<br />
Matthew 20:20-28; Galatians 5:13;<br />
Colossians 3:22-24<br />
Psalms :<br />
Topic used by permission of<br />
Christian Endeavor<br />
22:12-14, page 51<br />
134:1, 2, page 331<br />
20:1-7, page 43<br />
100:1-4, page 237<br />
Scripture References: Ex. 23:25; Deut.<br />
10:20; Psalm 2:11; Josh. 24:14; Eph.<br />
6:7; Heb. 12:28; Mark 10:43, 44; John<br />
13:14; Gal. 6:2; Matt. 10:42; Acts<br />
20:18, 19; Luke 22:27; Phil. 2:7.<br />
Comments by the Rev. Bruce C. Stewart<br />
Here is a word of many meanings<br />
"serve"! We "serve" guests at a party;<br />
we "serve" customers in a store; we<br />
"serve" a summons upon someone; we<br />
"serve" a tennis ball; we let oleo "serve"<br />
as butter; we "serve" a hitch in the<br />
Marines; we "serve" the public in offi<br />
cial capacity; we "serve" our master;<br />
and we "serve" the Lord. You probably<br />
can think of other uses of this word; it<br />
is a big word in scope and usage.<br />
However, we are interested in this<br />
topic to consider the word "serve" as it<br />
applies to our relationship with Christ.<br />
My Webster's Abridged Dictionary gives<br />
18 definitions to this verb, but the first<br />
one is "to exert oneself continuously or<br />
statedly for; specifically, in a religious<br />
sense, to obey or True worship."<br />
service,<br />
no matter what its varied applications,<br />
is based upon service to God.<br />
There are three "c's" we might think<br />
of in connection with out service:<br />
CLEANSING<br />
Just as we must get right with God<br />
before we can grow spiritually, so we<br />
must have our hearts cleansed before we<br />
can serve God acceptably. Gideon had to<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
clean out the idolatry of his own village<br />
before he could serve God as the one<br />
who would bring victory over the idola<br />
trous Midianites. When Isaiah had his<br />
vision of God, he realized that his own<br />
life had to be cleansed before he could<br />
serve God. It is only as we experience<br />
the cleansing power of the blood of<br />
Christ that we are able to serve Him.<br />
CALL,<br />
When our hearts have been cleansed,<br />
then we wili hear the Call of God. When<br />
Isaiah's heart was cleansed, then He<br />
heard the voice of the Lord, saying,<br />
"Whom shall I send, and who will go for<br />
Isaiah said, "Here am I; send me!"<br />
Today<br />
we need ministers in our<br />
church; there are vacant congregations;<br />
there are many communities where<br />
churches might be started, and the Call<br />
of the Lord comes, "Whom shall I send,<br />
and who will go for<br />
Today<br />
we need missionaries both<br />
on the foreign field and in our congre<br />
gations; people who will witness for<br />
Christ; soulwinners, and the call of the<br />
Lord comes, "Whom shall I send, and<br />
who will go for<br />
COMMISSION<br />
When God calls us, He has a specific<br />
work for us to do! Jesus Christ came<br />
to this earth for a specific purpose<br />
save sinners! That was His work! As<br />
we read in Matt. 20:28, "He came not to<br />
be ministered unto, but to<br />
(not to be served, but to serve). Just as<br />
Christ served us, so we have the com<br />
mission to serve our fellow men; and in<br />
so doing we are serving Him.<br />
to<br />
In our Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong> we promised<br />
to avail ourselves of opportunities<br />
public and private .... FOR CHRIS<br />
TIAN SERVICE." Then the Covenant<br />
goes on to point out those things which<br />
help us to "serve."<br />
For discussion:<br />
1. Consider each of the seven things<br />
in the Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong> which help us<br />
to "serve." In what way does each one<br />
help us<br />
a. worship<br />
b. prayer<br />
c. study of the Scriptures<br />
d. keeping holy the Sabbath Day<br />
e. observing the appointed sacraments<br />
f. giving regularly to the Lord's work<br />
g. seeking to win others to Christ<br />
2. What is the difference between the<br />
service of the believer and the unbeliev<br />
er<br />
it<br />
22<br />
3. Are we serving if we are paid for<br />
4. What is "eye<br />
See Col. 3:<br />
5. What is the relationship between<br />
"serve" and "grow"<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
June 19, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Parke W. Wicks<br />
Syracuse Congregation<br />
THE TABERNACLE AS PLANNED<br />
BY GOD<br />
Scripture Text: Exodus 25:1-22<br />
Leader: Exodus 26<br />
Memory Verse: "Every man according<br />
as he purposeth in his heart, so let him<br />
give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for<br />
God lovetH a cheerful Corinth<br />
giver."<br />
ians 9:7<br />
Psalms<br />
Memory Psalm for June, Psalm 103:<br />
5-8, page 247<br />
Psalm 15:1-3, page 26<br />
Psalm 117:1, 2, page 283<br />
God tells Moses that the children of<br />
Israel should build Him a sanctuary, for<br />
He wishes to dwell among them. He had<br />
chosen the people of Israel to be His peo<br />
ple, and He Himself would be their<br />
King. The tabernacle, or sanctuary, is to<br />
be His royal palace; in it He would<br />
keep His court. While in the wilderness<br />
the people lived in tents, so too, was the<br />
345
giver"<br />
rams'<br />
tabernacle to be a tent, so that it could<br />
be moved with them. God gives Moses<br />
exact directions as to how to build it,<br />
and the people of Israel are to furnish<br />
the materials and labor. This is only<br />
right<br />
as God had given them protec<br />
tion, food and shelter in their journey<br />
through the wilderness. Their offering<br />
was to be given willingly and with love<br />
and gratitude. Just as now,<br />
all our bless<br />
ings come from the Lord, so should we<br />
offer the best that we have, in service,<br />
riches, love and obedience to Him. "God<br />
loves a cheerful (II Cor. 9:7).<br />
The people were to bring gold, silver<br />
and brass," and "blue, purple and scar<br />
let and fine linen," and precious stones.<br />
The tabernacle was made of linen cur<br />
tains, embroidered with cherubim. The<br />
curtains were fastened together. Over<br />
the linen curtains were curtains of hair<br />
cloth, and then a covering of<br />
skins<br />
and badgers' skins over them. The<br />
stronger coverings were to protect the<br />
fine delicate curtains from the weather.<br />
The arrangement of curtain panels made<br />
the tent easy to set up or take down as<br />
they moved from place to place. The<br />
curtains were attached to boards so that<br />
the tabernacle might be strong as well<br />
as beautiful. Everything was very rich<br />
and of the best, for God deserves the<br />
best. Our tabernacle is our body, where<br />
in the Spirit of the Lord dwells, and only<br />
the best and purest thoughts and feel<br />
ings should come into it, and go out<br />
from it. In our study<br />
of the Bible we<br />
need to be careful to build our life with<br />
its verses so that when strong storms<br />
beset us we will be strong to withstand<br />
them.<br />
The first thing to be made to be<br />
placed in the tabernacle was the ark.<br />
This was to be kept in the holy of holies,<br />
the most holy place of the sanctuary.<br />
The ark was a chest, in which the two<br />
tables of the law written with the finger<br />
of God were to be carefully kept. The<br />
ark was covered within and without<br />
with thin plates of gold. It had a crown<br />
of gold around it with rings and staves<br />
to carry it with. In this way as the peo<br />
ple of Israel moved about on >their jour<br />
ney to the Promised Land they would<br />
have God's law or commandments with<br />
them wherever they would go. We also<br />
should have God's law and command<br />
ments written in our hearts, so that<br />
wherever we go we may take them with<br />
us.<br />
The next thing to be made was the<br />
mercy-seat or covering for the ark. It<br />
was to be of solid gold and made to fit<br />
the ark exactly.<br />
Next came the two cherubim of gold;<br />
these were fixed to the mercy-seat and<br />
they spread their wings over it. Their<br />
faces looked toward each other, and<br />
downward to the ark, while their wings<br />
346<br />
were stretched out to touch one another.<br />
God was to dwell between the cherubim<br />
on the mercy-seat, and meet with Moses<br />
and talk with him. This, then,<br />
would be<br />
the throne of the King where He would<br />
give laws and rule His people.<br />
In all the planning<br />
and building of<br />
the tabernacle the people were to offer<br />
their service as well as their gifts. When<br />
we offer ourselves to the Lord, each<br />
must give according to his talent. We<br />
each should offer to God that which we<br />
are able to do best. Not each one will<br />
bring the same offering. One may bring<br />
a beautiful voice to sing praises to Him.<br />
Another may be a clever speaker and<br />
persuade others to follow Him and do<br />
His bidding. Still another may be<br />
wealthy in money and give that to help<br />
the church. The main thought to remem<br />
ber, both in the building of the taber<br />
nacle by the people of Israel, and in our<br />
building of our "personal" tabernacles to<br />
God, is that God's grace to them and to<br />
us is free; and so whatever offering is<br />
made to Him should be free-willed and<br />
lovingly given.<br />
For Your Notebook:<br />
Draw and label the plan of the taber<br />
nacle, showing the curtains and rooms.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
June 19, 1955<br />
W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Interna<br />
tional Council of Religious education.)<br />
JOSIAH KEEPS THE PASSOVER<br />
2 Chronicles 35; 2 Kings 23<br />
PRINTED TEXT 2 Chronicles 35:1-6,<br />
16-19<br />
MEMORY, Psalm 122:1: "I was glad<br />
when they said unto me, Let us go into<br />
the house of the Lord."<br />
Josiah came to the throne at the age<br />
of eight. He spent twelve years in pre<br />
paring himself and <strong>org</strong>anizing his help<br />
ers. When he was 20, he began a strong<br />
leadership in ridding the land of idola<br />
try and repairing the Temple. Six years<br />
later, he called the people to Jerusalem<br />
for the observance of the Passover.<br />
That was the greatest Passover since<br />
the time of the Judges. Judah at this<br />
time seemed so strong and prosperous,<br />
who would suspect that in six years<br />
Nebuchadnezzer would invade the land,<br />
and in a quarter of a century Judah<br />
would be carried captive to Babylon<br />
Israel, the Northern Kingdoms, had al<br />
ready been in captivity for 80 years.<br />
Preparation for the Passover, 2 Chron.<br />
35:1-10<br />
The last Passover under Hezekiah<br />
was five or six years before the cap<br />
tivity of Israel. There would be few liv<br />
ing who would remember it. Much can<br />
be f<strong>org</strong>otten in two generations. Heze<br />
kiah was not ready for the Passover at<br />
the usual time,<br />
postponed it till the<br />
second month, and then made his prep<br />
arations in haste and not too well. Jo<br />
siah did not call the people to the Pass<br />
over till the 18th year of his reign, six<br />
years after he began his reformation.<br />
Josiah was thorough in every thing he<br />
undertook, but not in haste. There was<br />
much to do. The Priests and the Levites<br />
had to be re<strong>org</strong>anized and trained, then<br />
he called all the people in Israel and Ju<br />
dah. There was a splendid response.<br />
The Passover was held at the usual<br />
time of the year. Notice that it was the<br />
fourteenth day<br />
of the first month. The<br />
year always began with the first day of<br />
the week. That would account for 364<br />
days in the year. What became of the<br />
365th day The only<br />
explanation that<br />
I have heard is that Pentecost, coming<br />
on the 50th day, after the passover fol<br />
lowing the 49th day, which was the<br />
seventh sabbath of the week of weeks,<br />
was treated as a Sabbath, making two<br />
Sabbaths together. Then followed the<br />
first day of a new week. If that is true,<br />
it leaves the Seventh Day people with<br />
no place to stand.<br />
There was a seven day preparation<br />
for the Passover. Some living today will<br />
remember when in our preparatory<br />
week for the Communion, we observed<br />
a fast-day. I recall when a pastor and<br />
elder on their way to Synod from a<br />
western congregation, arrived with us<br />
on Saturday morning, and went to<br />
church as it was our Communion week.<br />
They met with the session, and our pas<br />
tor, Rev. Wm. Slater, said that though<br />
they had been traveling, their thoughts<br />
were no doubt on the Communion of<br />
which they knew,<br />
so he thought it<br />
would be right for them to commune.<br />
They would not tell a lie, so they ex<br />
plained that, having an hour off in Chi<br />
cago, they had done some business, on<br />
fast day. So Rev. Slater advised them to<br />
be just observers, rather than partakers<br />
of the Communion. No doubt this advice<br />
was extreme even in those days. I re<br />
cord it to show that within our memory,<br />
fast day was observed much as a Sab<br />
bath. Where is fast day now Is our<br />
Sabbath slipping too<br />
Preparation of the Priests and Levites,<br />
v. 2<br />
The priests and Levites were teach<br />
ers. They were distributed among the<br />
communities.<br />
Then they<br />
held special<br />
schools and classes in connection with<br />
the Passover. Christ attended these<br />
classes when He was taken to the Pass<br />
over in Jerusalem, and made such prog<br />
ress that we find Him among the doc-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
tors, following them to the limit of their<br />
knowledge.<br />
There was a regular ritual for the<br />
sanctifying of the priests. It compared<br />
in some measure with our ordination.<br />
This had been neglected for so long<br />
that there were few priests that had<br />
been rightly inducted into their office.<br />
They<br />
needed also to be encouraged for<br />
their work. Josiah provided for this.<br />
Some were discouraged for lack of<br />
knowledge. Some were hopeless because<br />
of the greatness of the task. Others<br />
would fear to become unpopular. Josiah<br />
encouraged them by word and example.<br />
The Levites were the custodians of<br />
the Law, including the Ark of the Cove<br />
nant. The Ark had been removed from<br />
the Temple, probably in some time of<br />
invasion in order to hide it. It would be<br />
a rich prize. Surely, if it had ever been<br />
captured, the fact would have been<br />
mentioned. Where is it now Josiah di<br />
rected the priests to return it to its<br />
place in the Temple.<br />
The Passover a Symbol of Hope<br />
The Passover was instituted when the<br />
Death Angel was about to visit every<br />
family in Egypt. It was provided, how<br />
ever, that God's people might be saved<br />
if they would kill a sacrifice and sprin<br />
kle the blood on their door posts and<br />
stay behind that blood. Death by sin;<br />
Life by blood. But safety depended on<br />
your relation to the blood. The Angel of<br />
Death was not an enemy to the Chil<br />
dren of Israel. It was by his work that<br />
night that the last chain of their slav<br />
ery was broken. So the Passover, in re<br />
membrance of the deliverance from<br />
Egyptian slavery, was a type of the de<br />
liverance from sin. Christ fulfilled the<br />
type, and instituted in its place a com<br />
memoration, not of<br />
a type, but of the<br />
actual deliverance from sin. We are<br />
brought near by the blood of Christ.<br />
The blood on the door did not avail<br />
for those who strayed away. Family re<br />
ligion will not save those who forsake<br />
it. Not by the faith of our fathers, but<br />
by our own faith we are saved. National<br />
religion for the nation; Church creed<br />
and faithfulness for the church; Person<br />
al faith for every individual.<br />
The House of the Lord<br />
"I was glad when they said unto me,<br />
"Let us go into the House of the Lord."<br />
I attended the dedication of a new<br />
church. It was on the location of the<br />
old church. The old church had been<br />
torn down. Beside the new church in<br />
the shade of the trees, the pews from<br />
the old church had been arranged where<br />
the congregation had been meeting in<br />
had no church.<br />
the open air while they<br />
It was a quiet place on the hill top<br />
where there was no traffic to annoy and<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
I wondered if they would not keep<br />
those seats there, where they could<br />
meet outside the church when the<br />
weather was fine.<br />
I wonder if you have not felt that<br />
there is something wrong with the way<br />
this story is told. It's true in every<br />
word, except that in every place the<br />
word church appears, it should read<br />
Church Building. A church may be torn<br />
down by jealousy, hatred, stubbornness<br />
or any other sin, but not with a ham<br />
mer and crowbar. A Church should<br />
have a suitable building in a suitable<br />
place. The Jews and the Samaritans<br />
could not agree on the place where the<br />
building should be. So they hated each<br />
other. Churches have been split wide<br />
open because they could not agree<br />
where the church building should be.<br />
The building sometimes seems to out<br />
rank the Church in importance.<br />
Josiah's Passover "was<br />
the greatest<br />
gathering for the feast since the time of<br />
Samuel. What was done by Josiah was<br />
undone by those who followed him. Ev<br />
ery generation needs to watch the mileposts<br />
and the direction of travel. I have<br />
seen the origin of every new lighting<br />
method since the flat wick kerosene<br />
lamp. I have seen many changes in so<br />
cial and moral standards .We are trav<br />
eling<br />
going<br />
Psalms<br />
at terrific speed. Where are we<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
For June 15, 1955<br />
THE DAY OF THE LORD<br />
Rev. Roy Blackwood<br />
(Mai. 3:13 through 4:6)<br />
Psalm 105, page 257<br />
Psalm 78, page 189<br />
Psalm 78, page 187<br />
When the Jews returned from Baby<br />
lon, they expected peace and prosperity<br />
but God did not want to bribe them<br />
into loving Him and the only way to sift<br />
the desire for pleasure from their love<br />
of righteousness, was to "try" them for<br />
a few years by famine and persecution.<br />
But instead of standing fast, they grew<br />
sullen and rebellious. They had learned<br />
to fear punishment but most of them<br />
still refused to fear God. Their great<br />
sin was formalism. They only pretend<br />
ed to be doing what God wanted them<br />
to do. They went to church but they<br />
turned their minds off the minute they<br />
sat down in the pew they never al<br />
lowed themselves to reason seriously<br />
with God. They read their Bibles but it<br />
never caused them to change their<br />
habits of life. God sent Malachi (My<br />
Messenger) to reveal them to them<br />
selves, but every time he made an<br />
accusation, they lived their hypocrisy by<br />
making a sullen, self-justifying denial.<br />
Even when Malachi proved his accu<br />
sation with specific illustrations from<br />
their personal lives, they shrugged<br />
their shoulders<br />
apparently untouched.<br />
The form, they thought, was all that<br />
was necessary. This same spirit later<br />
led their descendants to crucify Christ.<br />
Malachi was the last O. T. prophet to<br />
try to stop them; to try to get them<br />
ready to receive Christ. He finished the<br />
messages of the prophets as did the<br />
minister who died in his pulpit<br />
the words of the Gospel on his lips.<br />
with<br />
Malachi made a final accusation and<br />
they sneered again (v. 13) ; Malachi an<br />
swers their sneer wi.th five specific<br />
proofs (vs. 14, 15), each a little more<br />
serious than the last: (1) They<br />
had said<br />
it's impossible to serve God perfectly<br />
and it doesn't "pay" to keep His com<br />
mandments why try to do any better<br />
These people say today; "it really<br />
doesn't matter what you do to serve<br />
God, so long as you do it with sinceri<br />
ty."<br />
(2) They had said we have done<br />
what God wants us to do. We sit<br />
through church services and watch ev<br />
ery act of worship and look serious and<br />
wise when anyone talks about God.<br />
Isn't that religion Even when we<br />
weren't sincere, we "conformed." (3)<br />
They had called all proud people good<br />
people reversing God's reasoning on<br />
the subject<br />
see v. 12 for God's state<br />
ment of the "blessed." (4) They had<br />
even helped along those who worked<br />
against God<br />
perhaps they had insisted<br />
no scripture should be taught in pub<br />
lic schools; or that Anti-Christian<br />
courses should be allowed to be taught<br />
in their state universities, 'in the name<br />
of (5) They had science.'<br />
managed to<br />
find the wisdom to have more mercy<br />
than God had. They kept delivering or<br />
excusing those who "tempted" God.<br />
All evil has its day but finally must<br />
come "The Day of the Lord." And with<br />
this, final proof of their double-mindedness,<br />
Malachi stops instructing and<br />
abandons them to their own self-blinded<br />
fate. He promises that God's day will be<br />
a day of righteous judgment. The more<br />
and the louder the ungodly men had<br />
talked, the more the few God-fearing<br />
men had been thrown together (v. 16),<br />
so God begins the prophecy of Judg<br />
ment by telling us of "the book of re<br />
membrance"; the reward for those who<br />
love God and obey Him (v. 17) and the<br />
distinction to be made between those<br />
who fear God and those who f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
Him (v. 18).<br />
In chapter 4, Malachi closed the O. T.<br />
with the same prophecy<br />
John Baptizer<br />
opens the N. T. (cf. Luke 3:17). No-<br />
347
wings."<br />
selves"<br />
selves"<br />
righteousness"<br />
sin,"<br />
count"<br />
eat."<br />
verily,"<br />
where have the two sides of God's right<br />
eousness been more vividly described<br />
than in Malachi. Unspeakable tender<br />
ness is promised to those who love Him,<br />
and the strictest severity for those who<br />
finally rebel. Some people find fault yet<br />
today, with "the severity of the last<br />
word of the O. T.; and in so doing align<br />
themselves perfectly with these Jews<br />
who followed the form of the words but<br />
missed the spirit and meaning<br />
(com<br />
pare Christ's "last" words Matt. 7:23).<br />
God's Messenger is describing God's<br />
righteousness and he promises an even<br />
more vivid example of that in "the sun<br />
of righteousness,"<br />
but for the present<br />
(v. 4) he urges them to remember the<br />
law of Moses for it was the bridge that<br />
could carry them safely across the in<br />
tervening 400 years till Christ came<br />
(compare Gal. 3:24); and he also prom<br />
ised them an Elijah who .wouldhelp<br />
them to learn the faith and reverence of<br />
their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Ja<br />
cob. The words of 4:4 might have come<br />
from Christ himself, and it's only by<br />
f<strong>org</strong>etting why Malachi came to speak<br />
this message, that we can begin to com<br />
plain about the warning of curse found<br />
here.<br />
This prophecy was particularly ful<br />
filled when Christ came. John the Bap<br />
tist was the Elijah or forerunner whose<br />
purpose and message and life so closely<br />
resembles that of Malachi. In Christ,<br />
men for the first time saw God's Right<br />
eousness face to face.<br />
He was "The<br />
word Made Flesh" and lived Moses'<br />
commandments perfectly. One<br />
symbol<br />
of Christ's ability to heal spiritually<br />
was His ability to heal physically. He<br />
literally "rose with healing in his<br />
But the prophecy was by no<br />
means exhausted there and the phrase<br />
"sun of<br />
refers to more<br />
than the person of Christ; this book is<br />
to prepare us for the final "Day of the<br />
Lord,"<br />
the last judgment. The Jews in<br />
sisted on hypocrisy, "lying to them<br />
and "pretending to the world";<br />
and it caused them to crucify Christ.<br />
It will cause us to do the same thing<br />
(see John 1:47). Our whole nation has<br />
just returned from captivity to warjitters,<br />
we're still threatened, and many<br />
have learned to fear God's punishment,<br />
Lord."<br />
but comparatively few "fear the<br />
Very often today people "kid them<br />
into an unconsciousness of their<br />
own sins. They kill their consciences<br />
by thinking often of ther good deeds and<br />
quickly f<strong>org</strong>ettnig the sins they do ad<br />
mit. "Oh that's not such a bad<br />
still a common expression.<br />
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION<br />
1. It is almost instinctive to associate<br />
goodness and physical prosperity. Suf<br />
fering<br />
348<br />
and sin are repulsive and pros-<br />
is<br />
perity and goodness are desirable. These<br />
Israelites pleased Satan as much as Job<br />
displeased him but discuss the bene<br />
fits of suffering. Is it fear of punish<br />
ment, desire for reward, or love for God<br />
that causes you to live as you do<br />
2. Discuss Malachi's charge (vs. 13-<br />
15) and his specific instances of proof<br />
as they apply to us today.<br />
3. List some current instances of in<br />
sensibility to sin Remember the mis<br />
application of such titles as "Christian"<br />
"gentleman," "noble," etc. Discuss the<br />
danger of not labeling sin as "sin" (cf.<br />
Mai. 2:17).<br />
4. "Keeping a prophet and loss ac<br />
(bargaining) with God is a com<br />
mon sin. One of the best deterrents is<br />
to begin by remembering God's love of<br />
choice (see <strong>Witness</strong> for Jan. 19). An<br />
other is to do a topical study<br />
"Book of Remembrance."<br />
on God's<br />
5. Compare the conclusion to this<br />
book (4:4) with conclusions to Prov.<br />
31:30; and Eccl. 12:13; and Job.<br />
6. If God were to appear today, to run<br />
a clear sharp line between all good and<br />
evil (motives as well as deeds), would<br />
it be to your advantage or disadvan<br />
tage On which side of that line would<br />
your worshiping and tithing and your<br />
attitude toward your wife and your fel<br />
lowman, fall<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
June 22<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
THE AMENS OF JESUS: THE BREAD<br />
Psalms<br />
OF LD7E<br />
John 6:32, 33<br />
146:1, 2, 5, 6, page 353<br />
78:13, 14, 18, 19, page 188<br />
104:9-12, page 250<br />
34:1, 2, 5, 6, page 79<br />
References: Exodus 16:11-21; John 6:<br />
48-58; Matt. 4:3, 4; Deut. 8:2, 3.<br />
A few weeks ago our topic was, "Op<br />
portunity Brings Responsibility." It con<br />
cerned a rebuke Jesus administered to<br />
the Galileans after the feeding<br />
of the<br />
five-thousand. There were some who<br />
had followed Him for the loaves and<br />
fishes and had not used their opportun<br />
ities for spiritual discernment. Our<br />
study tonight has the same background<br />
and we find Jesus elaborating concern<br />
ing the bread which came down from<br />
heaven. John 6:32, 33.<br />
The Galileans were challenging Jesus<br />
to give them further evidence that He<br />
was the Son of God. They said, "Our<br />
fathers did eat manna in the desert;<br />
as it is written, He gave them bread<br />
from heaven to<br />
Jesus answered<br />
them using the emphatic words "verily,<br />
"My Father giveth you the true<br />
bread from heaven." Those who ate<br />
the manna were sustained in a physical<br />
way, but it could not keep them from<br />
dying. But those who ate the Bread of<br />
Life (Christ) would live forever.<br />
So often in Scripture we find physical<br />
things being<br />
used as a type or symbol<br />
of things which are spiritual, and all<br />
too often men have failed to grasp the<br />
significance. This was certainly true of<br />
those who saw only the physical side<br />
of the miracle of the loaves and fishes.<br />
PHYSICAL BREAD<br />
God is ever concerned about the physi<br />
cal needs of men. He created the earth<br />
that it might be productive and provide<br />
sufficient food for man. One of the<br />
greatest miracles we can behold is that<br />
of seed being placed in the earth, dying,<br />
living again, and producing one-hundred<br />
fold that which was planted. God pro<br />
vided the manna for His people when<br />
they were in the wilderness. When<br />
Jesus saw the hungry multitude He<br />
multiplied the loaves and fishes to meet<br />
the need.<br />
Our Heavenly<br />
Father is still con<br />
cerned about mankind's need for food.<br />
Millions in the world are hungry. In<br />
India and China there is almost contin<br />
uous famine for millions. Russia is prob<br />
ably facing a food shortage. The recent<br />
"shake-up"<br />
in government was due at<br />
least in part to the fact that the com<br />
munal farms are not producing suffici<br />
ent food. Even in the more prosperous<br />
countries of the world there are people<br />
who do not have enough to eat because<br />
they cannot afford to buy food.<br />
In our nation there is a surplus of<br />
food. Thousands of bushels of corn and<br />
wheat are stored in government gran<br />
aries, and are in danger of spoiling be<br />
fore use can be found for them. During<br />
the past decade thousands of tons of<br />
foodstuffs have been shipped to needy<br />
people around the world.<br />
Many economists believe that with the<br />
rapid increase in world population, we<br />
are approaching the time when there<br />
will be mass starvation. But we believe<br />
that the earth is still far from reaching<br />
its peak of food production. Soil con<br />
servation, irrigation, and scientific farm<br />
ing might easily double the world's pro<br />
duction of food. But this is not the<br />
world's greatest problem. The real prob<br />
lem, as Jesus revealed to the Galileans,<br />
enough to<br />
was a spiritual one. Having<br />
eat is important, but it is not as im<br />
portant as having the Living Bread,<br />
Christ Jesus.<br />
SPIRITUAL BREAD<br />
One of the popular philosophies of the<br />
present day is, that if everyone in the<br />
world had enough<br />
to eat we would<br />
no longer have war, crime, or disease.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
good."<br />
In other words, sin would largely be<br />
abolished. In the little magazine "NOW"<br />
it is related that a Mrs. Hudson, a Lon<br />
don expert on juvenile delinquency, has<br />
been reported to recommend brown<br />
bread and raw vegetables as a cure for<br />
bad girls! "A great deal of juvenile de<br />
linquency has to do with digestion," she<br />
said.<br />
In comment, the reporter of the above<br />
incident says, "We are for brown bread<br />
and vegetables, and believe them to be<br />
assets to good health; but on the other<br />
hand, we feel it is asking too much<br />
of such morsels of food to ask them to<br />
change the nature of girls from bad to<br />
If man is only an animal as some phil<br />
osophers claim, then the physical bread<br />
is the all important requisite for life.<br />
But if man is a living soul, created in<br />
the image of God,<br />
as we are taught in<br />
His Word, the matter of our spiritual<br />
nourishment is the all important prob<br />
lem. Though one may feed on manna<br />
from heaven, as did the Israelites of<br />
old, it cannot keep him from physical<br />
death. Not even Moses, beloved as he<br />
was of God, could stay the hand of death<br />
by eating the manna. But Moses was<br />
looking forward to the Spiritual Bread<br />
which would come in the person of<br />
Christ, and feeding on Him in a spiritual<br />
way he was able to enter into the life<br />
which is eternal.<br />
It is<br />
LIFE GIVING BREAD<br />
not enough that people have<br />
food in quantity; it must be full of life<br />
giving vitamins. Many of the processed<br />
foods which we use today are enriched<br />
with vitamins. It is a known fact that in<br />
the milling process, much of the good<br />
ness is taken out of wheat flour. To<br />
make up for the deficiency, synthetic<br />
vitamins and minerals are added.<br />
Nutritionists say that in spite of all<br />
the abundance in America, there are<br />
many<br />
people who are not well fed be<br />
cause they do not eat the foods con<br />
taining the necessary vitamins.<br />
We have a parallel in respect to spirit<br />
"religion"<br />
ual bread. Many consider that<br />
is the only requisite for spiritual health.<br />
They declare that it matters little what<br />
one's spiritual bread may be, whether<br />
of Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed, or<br />
of Christ. Jesus said, "I am the bread<br />
of life" (John 6:48). He is the only<br />
bread which can give eternal life unto<br />
men.<br />
He is the only<br />
spiritual leader<br />
who can back His claim with the author<br />
ity by which He was able to multiply<br />
the loaves and the fishes. All about us<br />
there are those who are feeding on devitaminized<br />
spiritual bread. Modernism<br />
which denies the divinity of the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ is a bread which is lacking<br />
in life giving<br />
vitamins. Many feed upon<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
this bread and apparently are satisfied.<br />
But without the vitamin of "Divinity"<br />
it is a savor unto death.<br />
For Consideration<br />
1. Are people with empty stomachs<br />
likely to comprehend the doctrine of<br />
Jesus, the Bread of Life<br />
2. What are some diseases that are<br />
due to vitamin deficiencies What are<br />
some spiritual diseases, due to lack of<br />
spiritual vitamins<br />
3. Do men today complain about the<br />
"Living Bread" as the Children of<br />
Israel complained about the manna<br />
while in the wilderness<br />
For Prayer<br />
1. Our C.Y.P.U. conferences, the con<br />
ference officers, and our young people's<br />
secretary.<br />
2. For our workers in the foreign<br />
fields.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
KANSAS WOMEN'S MISSIONARY<br />
PRESBYTERIAL<br />
The Thirty-ninth annual convention<br />
of the Kansas Women's Missionary<br />
Presbyterial met at the Reformed Pres<br />
byterian Church at Denison,<br />
Kansas,<br />
May 3 and 4, 1955. The convention<br />
"<br />
theme was "Ask, and ye shall receive<br />
the convention Psalm was Psalm 5:1, 5.<br />
The welcome to the delegates was<br />
given by Mrs. Albert McCrory of Deni<br />
son, and the response by Mrs. Charles<br />
McBurney of Olathe.<br />
The devotional services were led by<br />
Mrs. Ray Milligan, Hebron, Mrs. Hobart<br />
Haney, Quinter, Mrs. F. M. Redpath,<br />
Olathe, Mrs. Lucy McClement, Sterling,<br />
and Mrs. Dale Musselman, Kansas City.<br />
The subjects for the devotions were,<br />
Prayer of Adoration, Mary; Prayer of<br />
Intercession for Others, Moses; Prayer<br />
of Petition for Ourselves, Paul; Prayer<br />
of Confession and for F<strong>org</strong>iveness, Da<br />
vid; Prayer of Thanksgiving, Hannah.<br />
A special season of prayer for Revival<br />
was led by Mrs. F. L. Stewart of Olathe.<br />
The Bible Study for the three ses<br />
sions was conducted by Mrs. Herbert<br />
Davies of Topeka. She gave first some<br />
methods for Bible study, then a study<br />
on Discipleship which was very helpful<br />
and soul searching.<br />
Mrs. T. B. Boyle of Topeka led in the<br />
Personal Testimony period. Many testi<br />
fied as to what the Lord had done for<br />
them, and our hearts rejoiced at the<br />
power of the Lord.<br />
The Winchester W.M.S. gave a play,<br />
"The Missionary Barrel," and the Deni<br />
Delbert<br />
son Juniors under the leadership of Mrs.<br />
Braum gave a Thank Offering<br />
exercise.<br />
The Tuesday evening address was<br />
given by Mrs. Lloyd Northrup of Kan<br />
sas City. Mrs. Northrup is a converted<br />
Jewess. Her portrayal of Jewish cus<br />
toms was interesting, and her testimony<br />
for the Lord was wonderful. She and<br />
her husband are missionaries to the<br />
Jews in Kansas City, Mo.<br />
At the business session, Mrs. Lester<br />
Kilpatrick, Presided. Officers and de<br />
partment reports were heard, and busi<br />
ness matters were attended to at that<br />
time.<br />
Mrs. H. H. Hunter of Kansas City led<br />
in a lovely memorial service, five mem<br />
bers of the Presbyterial having depart<br />
ed this life in the past year.<br />
"Nest above the Abyss" by Isabel<br />
Kuhn was reviewed by Mrs. W. O. Mar<br />
tin of Topeka.<br />
Greetings were brought to the Pres<br />
byterial by the Synodical President,<br />
Mrs. A. J. McFarland of Sterling.<br />
Mrs. Charles McBurney, Presbyterial<br />
Representative for Home for the Aged,<br />
gave some pertinent facts about the<br />
needs of the Home.<br />
On Wednesday evening the new offi<br />
cers were installed by the retiring<br />
President: President, Mrs. Paul Faris,<br />
Quinter; 1st V. Pres., Mrs. Don Weimer,<br />
Kansas City; 2nd V. Pres., Mrs. A. D.<br />
Robb, Topeka; Recording Secretary,<br />
Mrs. J. Harvey McGee, Olathe; Cor.<br />
Secretary, Mrs. L. G. O'Neill, Winches<br />
ter; Treasurer, Mrs. Ross Latimer, Esk<br />
ridge.<br />
The address of the evening was given<br />
by Miss Blanche McCrea, Principal of<br />
the American Academy for Girls at Ni<br />
cosia, Cyprus. She chose as her theme,<br />
"Christ Challenges Us." Miss McCrea<br />
gave an inspiring talk and said that<br />
Cyprus<br />
had many challenges for us,<br />
new teachers, financial aid and above<br />
all, our prayers.<br />
The convention closed by singing the<br />
convention Psalm and the pronouncing<br />
of the benediction by Rev. Dougherty of<br />
Denison.<br />
*t**i*fcx**T**r**i**i-*i<br />
I**!*I"*I-<br />
"3<br />
Mrs. J. Harvey McGee, Sec.<br />
..T..T..%TTT%T<br />
OUR HOME<br />
The Reformed Presbyterian Woman's<br />
Association at its Annual Meeting, April<br />
27, 1955, elected the following officers<br />
and directors of the Home.<br />
President, Mrs. Kermit S. Edgar; 1st<br />
Vice President, Mrs. Wyman S. Robb;<br />
2nd Vice President, Mrs. D. H. Elliott;<br />
3rd Vice President, Mrs. J. S. Tibby; 4th<br />
Vice President, Mrs. John M. Allen; 5th<br />
Vice President, Mrs. K. M. Young; Re-<br />
( Continue don page 352)<br />
349
grown!"<br />
Church News<br />
DISAPPOINTED YES.<br />
A few weeks ago I called for volun<br />
teers who were willing to take a dare.<br />
There was some response, but not such<br />
as I had hoped. For one thing I asked<br />
those whose lives had turned a corner<br />
because of some scripture verse. I had<br />
supposed that nine out of ten Christians<br />
could answer that one, and would for<br />
the sake of Him who had given them<br />
that grace. There were some who did<br />
respond; one out of ten Well, if so,<br />
things are looking bad! Either folks<br />
have been deaf to the voice<br />
of the<br />
Spirit, or they are not ready to "speak<br />
a good word for Jesus Christ."<br />
There was a call also for those who at<br />
some time had been challenged by some<br />
word other than a verse from Holy<br />
Writ, for God oftentimes uses the pres<br />
ent day prophets to awaken sleeping<br />
saints. Here again there were signs of<br />
life, but most of the bones didn't even<br />
rattle. Surely at some<br />
time in your<br />
life some word fitly spoken engraved it<br />
self in letters of gold on the silver<br />
screen of your memory. The light-meter<br />
registered, but how feebly!<br />
I called for the pictures of your pre<br />
school children. I meant any child that<br />
had graduated into swaddling clothes,<br />
or more mature garments. At almost<br />
any gathering<br />
where there are parents<br />
whose quiver is filling up with arrows,<br />
one may see parents and grandparents<br />
opening pocket-books filled with snap<br />
shots just back from the photo-finishers,<br />
proudly displaying and comparing the<br />
pictures of yesterday with those of the<br />
day before "Just see how they have<br />
row are worthy<br />
Surely these leaders of tomor<br />
of a picture in the<br />
church paper. The mail was not clogged<br />
as I expected, or was it When thy son<br />
asketh thee in, days to come, "How does<br />
it come that my picture did not appear<br />
in The <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong> along with<br />
my contemporaries Were you ashamed<br />
me"<br />
of How are you going to answer<br />
those accusing eyes for your dereliction<br />
in duty Please don't try to shift the<br />
blame on the Editor no longer able to<br />
defend himself with the real facts in<br />
the case. That would be cowardly! I<br />
give you one more chance on all these<br />
and other matters I dared you to do.<br />
We published a testimony last week<br />
that came. We will have room for yours<br />
soon. "As you shall give your account<br />
on that last great day<br />
.<br />
350<br />
.<br />
Editor<br />
MID-WEST PRESBYTERY ORDAINS<br />
AND INSTALS REV. MILTON<br />
HARRINGTON<br />
Midwest Presbytery convened at the<br />
Hebron Church, Idana, Kansas, at 2:00<br />
o'clock on May 17, 1955.<br />
In the absence of the moderator Rev.<br />
Bruce Stewart, Rev. Wiley Caskey or<br />
ganized the court, and was elected mod<br />
erator pro tem.<br />
The action of the moderator and clerk<br />
in calling this special meeting was sus<br />
tained, and the steps were related by<br />
the clerk.<br />
Trial Pieces of Licentiate Milton L.<br />
Harrington were given in a very able<br />
and acceptable manner. The vote on the<br />
Trial pieces and the Examination were<br />
all unanimously sustained. Dr. Paul<br />
Wright was elected traveling fund<br />
agent.<br />
Court took recess with prayer by Rev.<br />
M. L. Dougherty to re-convene at 8<br />
o'clock.<br />
After a bountiful dinner and social<br />
time, the court was called to order and<br />
re-convened with prayer by Rev. Har<br />
old Harrington.<br />
Greetings from friends and former<br />
pastors were read.<br />
The adherence of the congregation to<br />
the call was unanimous, and Mr. Har<br />
rington gave his acceptance.<br />
The prescribed Queries were pro<br />
pounded by the clerk.<br />
Rev. Paul E. Faris gave the Ordina<br />
tion Sermon from John 15:16 "Ye have<br />
not chosen Me, but I have chosen you."<br />
The ordination prayer was offered by<br />
Dr. Frank Stewart.<br />
Rev. Milton Harrington was wel<br />
comed to the Midwest Presbytery, and<br />
the terms of communion were signed<br />
by him.<br />
The address to the pastor was given<br />
by Rev. M. W. Dougherty and the one<br />
to the people by Rev. R. W. Caskey.<br />
In the receiving line of welcome for<br />
the new pastor were his parents Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Hugh Harrington of Johannes<br />
burg, Michigan, his brothers Rev. Har<br />
old Harrington of New Castle and Gor<br />
don Harrington, recently<br />
Korea, his brother-in-law Lie. Don Fel<br />
ker and his cousin Glen McFarland, en<br />
returned from<br />
route to California soon to be installed<br />
as minister at Santa Ana; these were<br />
greeted by members of the congregation<br />
and a large number of friends and sev<br />
eral ministers from local churches were<br />
present to extend greetings.<br />
Paul Wright, in be-half of the Pres<br />
bytery, thanked the Hebron congrega<br />
tion for their generous hospitality.<br />
After adjournment of the court, the<br />
newly installed pastor pronounced the<br />
benediction, and a coffee hour followed<br />
for those who were leaving for their<br />
homes at a distance.<br />
GENEVA COLLEGE<br />
The Reformed Presbyterian Synod to<br />
be held at Geneva College, beginning<br />
June 8, comes at the conclusion of sev<br />
eral weeks of intense activity at the col<br />
lege.<br />
Starting with final examinations May<br />
27, the campus will be host to a whirl<br />
wind of events. Highlight of the usual<br />
before-graduation flurry is the Alumni<br />
Association's Diamond Jubilee, week<br />
end, June 4-7.<br />
The association has a gala program<br />
scheduled to celebrate the 75th anni<br />
versary of its founding. The event will<br />
begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4, with<br />
registration in Old Main. At 1:30 p.m.<br />
meetings of reunion and honor classes<br />
will be held in Old Main. Honor classes<br />
are 1895, 1905, and 1930. Reunion class<br />
es are 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1909, 1910,<br />
1911, 1912, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1947, 1948,<br />
1949, and 1950.<br />
The day's activities will continue with<br />
the association's annual business meet<br />
ing in the Old Main chapel at 3 p.m.<br />
Alumni President Howard C. Emrick<br />
and Dr. Charles M. Lee, president of<br />
the college, and their wives, will hold a<br />
reception for alumni, students, and<br />
friends in McCartney library beginning<br />
at 4 p.m.<br />
The climax of the busy day will be<br />
the Diamond Jubilee dinner in the Hotel<br />
Brodhead ballroom at 6:15 p.m. Con<br />
gressman Robert J. Corbett will be the<br />
principal speaker. Presentation of the<br />
Life<br />
"G"<br />
Awards will be made.<br />
and Distinguished Service<br />
Special alumni services will be con<br />
ducted at 11 a.m. Sabbath morning. The<br />
annual Baccalaureate service will be<br />
given in the college chapel at 8 p.m.<br />
Sabbath evening. Dr. A. J. McFarland,<br />
Sterling, Kans., class of 1924, will deliv<br />
er the sermon.<br />
Rev. McFarland's subject will be:<br />
"The Price of an Ideal."<br />
Alumni will hold a reception for the<br />
graduating class of 1955 at 8 p.m., Mon<br />
day.<br />
Commencement exercises will be held<br />
in Reeves field at 10 a.m. Tuesday.<br />
Charles Lee Austin, president of Jones<br />
and Laughlin Steel corporation, will<br />
give the commencement address. Hon<br />
orary degrees and prizes will be award<br />
ed.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
night"<br />
SYRACUSE<br />
En route to a Medical Convention in<br />
Philadelphia, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Met<br />
calfe and Tommy of Crossville, Tenn.,<br />
spent the week-end with Mrs. Metcalfe's<br />
parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Park.<br />
Mrs. C. D. Murphy attended the Pres<br />
byterial at Cambridge, Mass., and gave<br />
an interesting account of it the next<br />
week at the Missionary Meeting at the<br />
home of Mrs. S. B. Patterson.<br />
Mr. Raymond Park and family spent<br />
two weeks in Florida in April.<br />
Mrs. William Ramsay visited in Phila<br />
delphia and drove,<br />
with others, to the<br />
Philadelphia Presbyterial at Orlando.<br />
Jack Ramsey has been discharged<br />
from the army. Jimmie Russell has just<br />
entered the service.<br />
We're looking forward to having Miss<br />
Elizabeth Mcllroy speak to us, on Sab<br />
bath, May 15 and Rev. Samuel Boyle<br />
on May 22.<br />
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA<br />
A "Peter Rabbit" party was held in<br />
the basement of the church April 9 for<br />
the nursery and kindergarten groups.<br />
Mothers were invited. After appropriate<br />
games, refreshments of ice cream, cup<br />
cakes and cookies were served. Each<br />
child was presented an Easter basket.<br />
Mrs. John Robertson's Sabbath School<br />
class were entertained with a party at<br />
her home on the Nashville Road. The<br />
children enjoyed an Easter egg hunt on<br />
the lawn.<br />
Our young people enjoyed a "Bum"<br />
party Thursday, April 7. Entertain<br />
ment was in charge of David Wampler<br />
and Joe Moore, two of our young<br />
people who did an excellent job. The<br />
games were well planned and in keeping<br />
with the "Bum" theme. The serving<br />
table was appropriately decorated with<br />
candles in an odd assortment of jars,<br />
etc. Delicious food was served to a<br />
tired and hungry group. Devotions were<br />
led by Rev. Roy Blackwood.<br />
Mrs. Laura Jane McMillan, age 93,<br />
died April 16, 1955. She was born in<br />
Fairfield County, Ohio, January 12,<br />
1862, the daughter of Samuel and Eliza<br />
beth Fishbaugh. For the past several<br />
years, she had made her home with<br />
her daughter, Ethel, in Mitchell, In<br />
diana. Her husband, Moore McMillan,<br />
died April 13, 1934 at Bloomington.<br />
Surviving are two sons, Thomas F.<br />
McMillan of<br />
Detroit, Michigan, and S.<br />
Ward McMillan of Bloomington, In<br />
diana; also, two daughters, Ethel Mc<br />
Millan of Mitchell, Indiana, and Mrs.<br />
Robert W. Curry of Bloomington. Mrs.<br />
McMillan was a life long member of the<br />
Reformed Presbyterian Church.<br />
Our spring communion services were<br />
held May 1 with Rev. John Coleman<br />
June 1, 1955<br />
as assistant. The congregation gained<br />
much from his messages and enjoyed<br />
having both Dr. and Mrs. Coleman with<br />
us.<br />
Miss Blanche McCrea of Cyprus<br />
brought both morning and evening mes<br />
sages to us on May 14. We greatly en<br />
joyed the slides and tape recordings she<br />
brought to us. We are happy to have<br />
Blanche visit us,<br />
since she attended<br />
Indiana University and attended our<br />
church while working<br />
Degree.<br />
LAKE RENO<br />
on her Master's<br />
During our spring communion season,<br />
April 14-17, we were privileged to have<br />
the assistance of Dr. and Mrs. G. M.<br />
Robb of Kansas City. This visit of a<br />
former pastor and wife was much en<br />
joyed by members of the congregation,<br />
and we profited by Dr. Robb's splendid<br />
messages from the Word.<br />
On communion Sabbath, Gary War<br />
ren, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale<br />
Blair, received baptism. James McCrory<br />
and Paul Mitchel were received and wel<br />
comed into communicant membership<br />
in the church.<br />
On the evening of April 5 the young<br />
people's class and their teacher, Mrs.<br />
Charles Peterman, entertained the con<br />
gregation and friends at a "family<br />
party. There were interesting<br />
games, contests, and a missionary film<br />
entitled: "Regions Beyond." There was a<br />
good attendance and every indication<br />
that the party was enjoyed.<br />
The newly-elected officers of the Wo<br />
men's Missionary Society are: President,<br />
Mrs. Ermel Blair; Vice President, Mrs.<br />
Roland McCrory; Secretary, Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Blair; Treasurer, Mrs. Leo<br />
Brock.<br />
One project followed in recent months<br />
has been the taking notes on the pas<br />
tor's sermons by younger members of<br />
the Sabbath School. Awards for note<br />
books were recently presented to the<br />
following: David and Edgar Peterman,<br />
Eileen and James McCrory, and Paul<br />
Mitchel.<br />
Members of the young people's S. S.<br />
class are committing the Shorter Cate<br />
chism, and a leather-bound Psalter or<br />
Bible is offered to each one completing<br />
the Catechism. Thus far David Peter<br />
man and Paul Mitchel have received<br />
their awards.<br />
One of the dreams for community<br />
betterment of the late Dr. Edward M.<br />
Elsey was a lecture series which would<br />
be informative and beneficial to the pub<br />
lic. Since Dr. Elsey's death a fund has<br />
been<br />
established for this purpose by<br />
citizens of Glenwood and community<br />
to be known as the Dr. Edward Elsey<br />
Memorial Lecture Fund. On Monday<br />
evening, April 25, the first of these<br />
lectures was presented in the Glen<br />
wood H.S. auditorium. The speaker<br />
was Dr. Tagus Chisholm of<br />
Minneapolis,<br />
a specialist in child surgery. His ad<br />
dress on "Safety," especially in regard<br />
to children, was well received.<br />
FRESNO<br />
At mid-week prayer meeting, March<br />
16, Bob Seiffert, a transfer student at<br />
Fresno State, spoke of his work in tak<br />
ing the Gospel to College students. He<br />
follows the pattern of Campus Crusade<br />
in speaking to<br />
fraternities and other<br />
groups. Bob worked in Pittsburgh last<br />
year with several of the students from<br />
Geneva College and our Seminary.<br />
On March 18,<br />
a bridal shower was<br />
given in honor of Matilda Buck, who<br />
became Mrs. Sidney Knight on April<br />
16. The shower was held in the home<br />
of Mrs. Evelyn Webster, with an over<br />
flow attendance.<br />
On April 4 the annual Congregational<br />
Meeting was held. The new officers are:<br />
Chairman of<br />
Congregation, Don Chest<br />
nut; Secretary, Lois Copeland; Corre<br />
sponding Secretary, Mrs. Joyce Chest<br />
nut; Superintendent of S. S., Mrs.<br />
Matilda Knight; Assistant Superintend<br />
ent, Don Gouge; Secretary-Treasurer,<br />
Mrs. Evelyn Webster; Assistant Treas<br />
urer, Mrs. Helen Buck.<br />
During the week of April 10-17 re<br />
vival meetings were held with Rev.<br />
James Carson of Portland preaching.<br />
We enjoyed the messages, which were<br />
so clearly and wonderfully presented.<br />
There were several decisions for Christ<br />
made and a renewing of the Spirit in<br />
many. On April 17, as a joyous con<br />
clusion, we observed the Lord's Supper.<br />
There were six new communicants who<br />
were received into the church by profes<br />
sion of faith in Christ. They were: Mrs.<br />
Jim Copeland, Janice Moore, Margaret<br />
McMillan, Patricia Parnell, Charlotte<br />
Gentry, and Judith Gentry. The last<br />
three, faithful attendants of our Bible<br />
School for several years, also received<br />
Baptism.<br />
NEW CASTLE<br />
Seminary Student Donald Felker<br />
preached for us on April 24 while Rev.<br />
Harrington was assisting in communion<br />
at Rose Point.<br />
Our Spring Communion was held on<br />
May 8. Five new members were received<br />
at that time. Mrs. John S. Riley Jr., and<br />
John Riley III were received by letter<br />
from the Epworth Methodist Church.<br />
Albert Booher, Jacqueline and John<br />
Evans also were received, the latter two<br />
receiving the sacrament of baptism.<br />
Plans are being completed for Daily<br />
Vacation Bible School to be held June<br />
351
en."<br />
goest."<br />
6 through June 17 under the super<br />
vision of the Sabbath School.<br />
Kenneth Gaston,<br />
the new Superin<br />
tendent of the Sabbath School, along<br />
with other officers, was installed by<br />
Rev. Harrington on Sabbath morning,<br />
May 1.<br />
The annual Congregational meeting<br />
was held in the church on April 20.<br />
Kenneth Kennedy was re-elected Chair<br />
man and Mrs. Katheryne Pattison Sec<br />
retary. Encouraging reports were heard<br />
from the various <strong>org</strong>anizations and the<br />
Church Treasurer.<br />
LOS ANGELES, CALIF.<br />
Dr. E. G. Russell conducted our Spring<br />
communion unassisted, with the excep<br />
tion of one evening service, when Mar<br />
shall Smith of San Diego preached for<br />
us. We had a very helpful communion<br />
season, and are happy to welcome Dr.<br />
and Mrs. R. E. Smith back into the<br />
membership, and also to welcome Edwin<br />
Dodds who joined on profession of faith.<br />
On May 6, we held our annual con<br />
gregational meeting, preceded by a potluck<br />
dinner, with Mrs. Howard Boyd<br />
heading the dinner committee. The new<br />
officers elected were: Congregational<br />
Chairman, Arthur Russell; Assistant,<br />
James Honeyman; Recording Secretary,<br />
Mrs. Donald Walker; Corresponding<br />
Secretary, Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Chambers. The<br />
basic plans presented by the parsonage<br />
committee, were discussed and accepted<br />
and we are looking forward to the time<br />
when the parsonage will be completed,<br />
at least we have made a start.<br />
The new officers for the missionary<br />
societies are as follows: <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Daughters, President, Mrs. James<br />
Honeyman; 1st Vice President, Miss<br />
Alice Robb, 2nd Vice President, Mrs.<br />
Harper Lowe; Secretary, Mrs. David<br />
Heinitz; Treasurer, Mrs. Jean Aikin.<br />
For Covenettes, President, Mrs. Earl<br />
Wilson; Vice President, Mrs. Francis<br />
Buck; Secretary, Mrs. Clarence Walker;<br />
Treasurer, Mrs. Jerry Yagoda.<br />
Sabbath School officers are: Super<br />
intendent, Mrs. Tom Gault; Assistant,<br />
Miss Jean Robb; Secretary Treasurer,<br />
Mrs. Floyd Walker; Primary Superin<br />
tendent, Mrs. James Honeyman; with<br />
Mrs. Samuel Marshall as Assistant.<br />
Mrs. Wilbur Aikin is the program chair<br />
man and we had a lovely Mother's Day<br />
program under the direction of Mrs.<br />
Aikin, with primary and junior children<br />
taking part.<br />
After May 10, Dr. and Mrs. E. G.<br />
Russell's address will be 1332-A, Bar<br />
rington Way, Glendale, Calif.<br />
On May 11, Miss Eugenia Price spoke<br />
in the Burbank Emmanuel Church, and<br />
many of our members attended and had<br />
the pleasure of hearing her, and also<br />
352<br />
of getting acquainted. Our prayer meet<br />
ing was dismissed in order that more<br />
might attend and we were well repaid<br />
for Miss Price brought us a very spirit<br />
ual and uplifting message.<br />
Miss Betty Forsyth, who has been an<br />
invalid for over twenty years from<br />
arthritis, underwent major surgery re<br />
cently in the Santa Monica Hospital,<br />
but is making satisfactory progress<br />
toward recovery and was to be brought<br />
home on May 15.<br />
Plans are underway for our D.V.B.S.<br />
under the direction of Mrs. Arthur<br />
Russell. We ask for your prayers for<br />
this project that many children may<br />
attend and many new converts won.<br />
The dates are June 20 to July 1.<br />
RHODA HILL REID<br />
Mrs. Rhoda Hill Reid passed to her<br />
Eternal Home a few weeks ago. She was<br />
the last of that well known family of<br />
La Junta, Colorado. She will be remem<br />
bered by those early workers in the be<br />
ginning days of our church in Chicago.<br />
She with her Cousin Edwin Dodds and a<br />
devoted band were those who nobly<br />
sustained Dr. Robert Clarke when he<br />
was laying the foundations in that new<br />
field. After her marriage, she and Mr.<br />
Reid continued in Chicago for a number<br />
of years, later moving to the Northwest,<br />
here she kept in contact with our Port<br />
land church.<br />
After Mr. Reid's death she joined her<br />
daughter, Mrs. Margaret Riddell, also a<br />
widow, and made her home with her in<br />
Pasadena, California, till the call came<br />
to the Heavenly Home. Dr. Sam Edgar<br />
of Santa Ana conducted the Farewell<br />
service and counted it a privilege, as it<br />
was his to be much in that Hill home in<br />
his early ministry. Mrs. Reid loved her<br />
church and delighted in the wide work of<br />
her missionaries, and followed them<br />
through the printed page in all their la<br />
bors. In her passing the labors and en<br />
thusiasm of another pioneer family<br />
closes of those who moved from the<br />
Old Brookland Church to La Junta.<br />
With appreciation of her life and<br />
friendship we say, "She hath done what<br />
she could."<br />
OUR HOME from page 349<br />
cording Secretary, Mrs. J. B. Willson;<br />
Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. C. M.<br />
Patterson; Treasurer, Mrs. Mary Cole<br />
man Ge<strong>org</strong>e; Assistant Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
Bertha H. McKnight.<br />
Directors<br />
Three Years<br />
Mrs. William Esler, Mrs. J. P. Hickey,<br />
Miss Edith A. Miller, Mrs. J. Merrill<br />
Robb, Mrs. J. R. Patterson, Mrs. M. L.<br />
Watson, Miss Myrtle E. Wylie.<br />
One Year<br />
Mrs. Harry W. Ziegler.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Mitchell were<br />
elected Managers of the Home.<br />
The Board of Directors of Our Home<br />
wish to express their appreciation for<br />
the long and faithful service given to<br />
the Home Family by the Misses Edith,<br />
Mary and Elizabeth McWilliams, of our<br />
Allegheny congregation.<br />
The Misses McWilliams' father for<br />
many years had charge of the prayer<br />
meetings every week in Our Home. He<br />
provided speakers and conducted the<br />
meetings himself when no speakers<br />
were available. He was faithful and his<br />
meetings were stimulating and a great<br />
blessing to all who attended. That was<br />
certainly "laying up treasure in heav<br />
And the blessing<br />
which he received<br />
was not all "laid up in heaven." His<br />
three daughters lovingly assumed this<br />
work which their father had laid down<br />
when his Master called him Home. For<br />
seventeen years these sisters have con<br />
tinued their father's work here con<br />
scientiously and well. Our Home fam<br />
ily expressed their appreciation by pre<br />
senting the Misses McWilliams with a<br />
gift of a purse.<br />
The Board feels they cannot ade<br />
quately express their appreciation for<br />
these years of loving service to His ag<br />
ing saints and to the Board. So, we just<br />
say, "Thank you, Misses McWilliams,<br />
and may the Lord bless you, and guide<br />
you, and direct you all the days of your<br />
lives."<br />
As a small token of their very<br />
great appreciation, the Board presented<br />
the Misses McWilliams with a table<br />
lamp.<br />
The Board announces with regret the<br />
resignation of Mr. and Mrs. McWhinney<br />
(Miss Jean Barr) from their positions<br />
at Our Home. Mrs. McWhinney<br />
has not<br />
been well, and feels she is no longer<br />
able to carry on the work. They are<br />
both looking forward to a good rest,<br />
and we hope they will be enjoying re<br />
newed strength and vigor soon. We are<br />
sorry you feel it necessary to give up<br />
your work, but we know "The Lord, thy<br />
God, is with thee, withersoever thou<br />
May the Lord bless you both,<br />
and give you many happy years togeth<br />
er is our prayer for you.<br />
Respectfully,<br />
Press Committee.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
people"<br />
people"<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 26, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THB WORLD, THE SrD S THE<br />
WORD'<br />
OF GOD<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY JUNE 8, 1955 NUMBER 23<br />
The Christian Amendment Introduced in Congress<br />
The following appeared on the front page of the Congressional Record<br />
for Wednesday May 25, 1955:<br />
LET US ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN OUR CONSTITUTION<br />
(Mr. Ashmore asked and was given permission to address the House<br />
for one minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)<br />
MR. ASHMORE: Mr. Speaker, about one year ago both Houses of<br />
Congress voted unanimously to place "under God" in the Pledge of Alle<br />
giance to the flag of the United States of America. Shortly before that we<br />
voted unanimously to have a Prayer Room in our National Capital, and<br />
that room is now complete. Plans are under way to have stamped on<br />
our currency "In God We Trust." Many of our postage stamps are now hav<br />
ing "In God We Trust" imprinted on them. But there is no acknowledg<br />
ment of the Supreme Being in our Constitution.<br />
Our nation needs an anchor. "We, the cannot lift ourselves 'by<br />
our own bootstraps, yet "we the are the highest authority acknowl<br />
edged in our Federal Constitution. There is an answer for Communism and<br />
all our other moral and spiritual problems and that answer is God. Our<br />
forefathers believed that God was the answer.<br />
For example, the Mayflower Compact contained the following :<br />
"In the name of God, Amen. We, having undertaken for the Glory of<br />
God and the advancement of the Christian faith, do by these presents,<br />
solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and one another, covenant<br />
and combine ourselves into a civil body politic .<br />
Then in 1643, the Articles of Confederation said in part:<br />
"Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the<br />
same end and aim, namely to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus<br />
Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the gospel in purity and in peace . .<br />
Not only did the early settlers of America put God first and foremost,<br />
but the Supreme Court of the United States as late as 1892 recognized our<br />
faith in God. In the case of "The Church of the Holy Trinity vs. The United<br />
States (143 U. S. 457-271), the Court said:<br />
"These and many other matters which might be noticed add a volume<br />
of unofficial declarations to the mass of <strong>org</strong>anic utterances to show that<br />
nation."<br />
this is a Christian<br />
Since it is God who has made and preserved us a nation can we do less<br />
than acknowledge our Maker in the Constitution of our land. "Blessed is<br />
that nation whose God is the Lord."<br />
(Continued on page 366)
Current Events<br />
By<br />
Prof. William H. Kussell.<br />
Ph.D.<br />
BRITAIN VOTES CONSERVATIVE<br />
Great Britain's recent<br />
Parliamentary<br />
elections produced<br />
a substantial victory for the Conservative Party. They<br />
raised their majority from 17 seats to 59, and increased their<br />
share of the popular vote by l.S per cent. This continues the<br />
Conservative trend which began with the elections of 1950<br />
and 1951. The Conservative triumph is attributed to general<br />
prosperity, and to Prime Minister Anthony Eden's success<br />
in foreign negotiations, such as the Paris pacts and forth<br />
coming Big Four talks. "The Conservatives also gained by<br />
the serious split within the Labor Party, which offered very<br />
little in the way of a constructive program. Eden is now<br />
securely in power and the new Parliament may last a full<br />
live years. Government policy is not likely to change, but<br />
the Labor Party must have a showdown soon to settle its<br />
interna) disputes over policy and leadership.<br />
AIR SUPERIORITY<br />
Washington is embroiled in an argument over the rela<br />
tive strength of Soviet and American air power. For several<br />
months, Air Force spokesmen had hinted that our present<br />
goal of 137 wings was inadequate. Then came a brief an<br />
nouncement that the Russians had displayed a new type<br />
of bomber comparable to our eight- jet B-52, which we have<br />
just begun to put into regular service. Congressmen and Air<br />
Force officers reacted with a rash of conflicting statements<br />
and conjectures.<br />
Most estimates place the Soviet rate of plane produc<br />
tion above ours, and some also believe that they have more<br />
planes in .service.<br />
However, we are definitely<br />
superior in<br />
certain categories, such as naval aviation, transport planes,<br />
and long-range medium bombers. Our fighter planes proved<br />
their general superiority<br />
over the Russian MIGs in the<br />
Korean war. We also have important geographical advan<br />
tages, for we have air bases closer to Russia than she has<br />
to the U. S. To meet the threat in heavy bombers, the Air<br />
Force has announced a 35 per cent speedup in production<br />
of B-52s. Under the new schedule, all our B-36s will be re<br />
placed with B-52s by 1958.<br />
WILD WINDS<br />
The tornado season again has arrived. In an average<br />
year the U. S. has 145 tornadoes,<br />
which take 230 lives and<br />
destroy property worth $20 million. They usually<br />
late spring and early summer, and are most common in the<br />
come in<br />
Midwest and Southeast. In one 24-hour period this May, we<br />
had several "twisters" which killed at least 114 persons and<br />
injured many more. Sixty-nine died in the little town of<br />
UdaJl, Kansas. Let us hope that we do not surpass the<br />
record of 1953, when tornadoes killed 516 people and de<br />
stroyed property worth nearly<br />
REFUGEE PROBLEM<br />
$225 million.<br />
Controversy over the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 has not<br />
died down since the firing of Edward Corsi as chief admin<br />
istrator of the program. The law provides for the admission<br />
of 214,000 Iron Curtain refugees, beyond the regular quotas,<br />
by 1956. So far, with the period covered by the act half<br />
gone, only 22,000 have entered this country, and only about<br />
one-fourth of these were actual refugees. The White House<br />
has now asked Congress for ten changes to liberalize the<br />
3<strong>54</strong><br />
law. These amendments would broaden the definition of a<br />
"refugee," ease the necessity of sponsorship by an American,<br />
and relax the requirement of a complete personal<br />
history<br />
over the past two years. Most persons coming from behind<br />
the Iron Curtain cannot provide any proof of their past his<br />
tory, and many have had to wait out the two-year period<br />
in a DP camp. In spite of strong support for these changes,<br />
it is doubtful whether Congress will comply, for many<br />
Congressmen are fearful of any liberalization in the immi<br />
gration laws.<br />
HOT WATCHES<br />
Swiss watch movements have become one of the biggest<br />
items in the modern smuggler's trade. Last year the Ameri<br />
can tariff on foreign watch movements was increased 50 per<br />
cent, to meet the demands of American watchmakers for<br />
protection. Our legal imports of Swiss watch movements<br />
have fallen from 12 million in 1953 to a rate of about eight<br />
million this year. But the smugglers, it is estimated, are<br />
bringing in over a million Swiss movements a year. Customs<br />
officials believe this is done by a well-<strong>org</strong>anized internation<br />
al syndicate. Watch movements are small and easily hidden,<br />
so the detection problem is very difficult. America's legiti<br />
mate watch dealers, who pay the tariff, are complaining of<br />
competition from the illegal imports. They have asked the<br />
Swiss Watch Federation to police the Swiss factories, to<br />
prevent watch movements from getting into illegal channels.<br />
The Swiss Federation, however, is more interested in getting<br />
the American tariff reduced. Perhaps you have seen their<br />
attractive ads in some of our national magazines.<br />
GERMANY FLIES AGAIN<br />
Planes bearing German insignia are again flying the<br />
world's airways. Early this year Lufthansa, the prewar<br />
national airline of Germany, was revived. Permission for<br />
this was granted even before the signing of the Paris agree<br />
ments which restored West Germany to full sovereignty.<br />
The West German government owns 90 per cent of the<br />
shares in the new Lufthansa. (Nearly all European airlines<br />
are at least partially government-owned.) Its main base is<br />
at Hamburg. Domestic service began in May, and trans-<br />
Atlantic flights on June 1. When more planes are acquired,<br />
Lufthansa also will begin service to South America and the<br />
Middle East. Some of Hitler's Luftwaffe veterans are being<br />
retrained to fly the new German airliners.<br />
DOCTOR SHORTAGE<br />
Officials of<br />
American medical schools have begun to<br />
complain that they do not have enough applicants. The num<br />
ber of applications for admission to medical schools has de<br />
clined steadily for the past five years, and the national aver<br />
age is now 1.96 applicants for each opening. This still leaves<br />
college graduates with only a fifty-fifty<br />
chance of being<br />
admitted<br />
immediately to a medical school. Most state uni<br />
versities continue to restrict their admissions to residents of<br />
their own state, and all too often political "pull" is useful<br />
in gaining admission. But the schools are already com<br />
peting for the better students, and complaining<br />
of a de<br />
cline in the quality of applicants. Among the reasons given<br />
for the decline are the length and expense of the training,.<br />
and the improved employment opportunities in other fields.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
voice"<br />
witness."<br />
grace"<br />
was"<br />
Christ As Revealed in the Book of Daniel<br />
Retiring Moderator's Sermon Before The Synod of 1955<br />
by Frank E. Allen, D.D.<br />
"I am an old man and have never seen God," said a gray-haired<br />
Indian to Sir John Franklin when he was making his way into the<br />
Arctic region. So said Pharaoh when Moses was sent by God to de<br />
mand the release of the Hebrews: "Who is the Lord, that I should<br />
So said Nebuchadnezzar when Shadrach, Meshach,<br />
obey his<br />
and Abednego refused to bow before his golden image: "Who is that<br />
"<br />
God that shall deliver you out of my hands<br />
But that God whom Pharaoh defied caused the water of the Red<br />
Sea, which fled before Israel, to roll over the head of Pharaoh and<br />
his host. That God stood in the inidst of the furnace of fire with the<br />
three men who had been thrown into it, protecting them from all<br />
harm.<br />
He Was Christ<br />
That God was the Lord Jesus Christ who is declared in the second<br />
Psalm to be the one whom the Father has commissioned to break the<br />
rebellious nations as with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces as a<br />
potter's vessel. He is the same Christ spoken of in the 45th Psalm<br />
whose arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies. He is the<br />
Christ of the 72nd Psalm who has dominion from sea to sea and to<br />
the ends of the earth. He is the Christ of the 110th Psalm to whom<br />
God said, he will make his enemies his footstool.<br />
Rev. F. E. ALLEN, D.D.<br />
Moderator of the 19<strong>54</strong> Synod<br />
The Stone<br />
The second chapter tells us of the stone cut out<br />
of the mountain without hands which was to break<br />
in pieces all those kingdoms. The stone was un<br />
doubtedly Christ. The record of the destruction of<br />
those kingdoms, through much of the Book, demon<br />
strates how Christ in His providence breaks them<br />
and executes His decrees.<br />
How could it be true that Christ was to be<br />
raised up, or anointed, in the days of these kings,<br />
and also break them all in pieces Most of the com<br />
mentators are confused on this point. Christ was<br />
King from eternity but was given special honor, or<br />
invested in a special manner, after His work was<br />
completed on earth. In the gospels we are told that<br />
the kingdom of heaven was at hand. The King was<br />
to be revealed in human form, but He had been both<br />
Saviour and King through the ages. He was a Sav<br />
iour to Abel and Enoch and Abraham, and was King<br />
over Pharaoh, and David, and Nebuchadnezzar. He<br />
called himself "Captain of the Lord's Host" when<br />
He appeared to Joshua as the latter was becoming<br />
the leader of Israel.<br />
Examples are common among earthly kings of<br />
those who were kings a considerable time before<br />
their coronation. The Queen of Great Britain,<br />
Elizabeth II, was a queen with all the rights of a<br />
queen, several months before the coronation cere<br />
mony. So Christ was King ages before the special<br />
honor of His crowning, when<br />
following His death on<br />
the cross His name was exalted above every name.<br />
Christ Now King<br />
Andrew Melville boldly declared to king James<br />
that when he was in his swaddling clothes Christ<br />
Jesus reigned freely in Scotland, and he might have<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
added, when Adam was hunting fig leaves to clothe<br />
himself Christ reigned in all the world.<br />
In the Alps there is a little circular church with<br />
statues of the twelve apostles ranged around its<br />
wall, all pointing their fingers to Christ as He is por<br />
trayed emerging from the tomb on the resurrection<br />
morning. Written above is the text, "To him give all<br />
the prophets<br />
Dr. J. R. W. Sloane, in his sermon on "Christ in<br />
History,"<br />
said: "All events are to be ascribed to<br />
Christ as Mediator." He showed that Christ is: (1)<br />
The author of all events ; (2) He controls them ; (3)<br />
He limits all events.<br />
On the "appointment of Christ to Mediatorial<br />
dominion, "William Symington, in his book, "Mes<br />
siah the Prince," says: "Christ was formally ap<br />
pointed to the kingly office by His Father from all<br />
eternity in the covenant of (p. 40). We are<br />
told in Scripture (of the personal wisdom of God in<br />
Christ) : "I wTas set up from everlasting, from the be<br />
or ever the earth (Prov. 8:23).<br />
ginning,<br />
Christ the Center<br />
Christ is the center of the Book of Daniel, not<br />
Nebuchadnezzar not Belshazzar not Darius or Cy<br />
rus, but Christ in whose hand all these great kings<br />
and empires were as the dust of the balance. The<br />
book deals mainly with the kingship of Christ. It<br />
presents Him also as priest and prophet, but it does<br />
not dwell upon His priesthood with nearly as much<br />
emphasis as His kingship. It shows that He is as<br />
truly king of the Gentile nations as of the Hebrew<br />
nation.<br />
In All the Chapters<br />
Christ is referred to definitely in six, possibly<br />
eight, chapters of Daniel. Since He is spoken of so<br />
often as having power over these nations, is it not<br />
355
generation."<br />
wise."<br />
most reasonable to infer that He was also present to<br />
uphold and protect His own. With that in mind we<br />
can say that His presence is evident in every chapter<br />
of the Book.<br />
In the first chapter, Christ was preparing four<br />
handsome, brilliant, devout youths for His service,<br />
that they might give His testimony to several worldfamed<br />
kings and dynasties.<br />
In the second, Christ is represented as a stone<br />
cut out of the mountain without hands which would<br />
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms. He<br />
would stand forever and His kingdom would fill the<br />
whole earth.<br />
In the third, Christ protected and supported,<br />
even in the fire, the three men who would not wor<br />
ship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had<br />
set up.<br />
In the fourth, it was the "watcher" Christ who cut<br />
down the great tree, representing Nebuchadnezzar,<br />
and humiliated him until he was ready to confess<br />
that "his dominion is an everlasting dominion and<br />
his kingdom from generation to<br />
In the fifth it was Christ who in the midst of<br />
the drunken feast of Belshazzar wrote his doom upon<br />
the wall and gave his kingdom to Darius the Mede.<br />
It was Christ, in the sixth chapter, who gave<br />
Daniel the faith and the courage to refuse to pray<br />
to Darius, and who protected him in the den of lions.<br />
It was Christ in the seventh chapter who is de<br />
scribed as one like the Son of Man who came with<br />
the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days, God<br />
the Father, and was given an everlasting kingdom<br />
over all peoples. This is the climax of the whole book<br />
of which we wish to speak more specifically later.<br />
The eighth and ninth chapters tell of the time of<br />
the coming of Christ and of His sacrificial death.<br />
The ninth chapter names Him "Messiah the Prince."<br />
The tenth describes Christ as both priest and<br />
king, as a man clothed with linen and girded with<br />
gold, and His appearance like lightning, in almost<br />
the same highly figurative language as He is de<br />
scribed in the first chapter of Revelation.<br />
The eleventh chapter implies Christ's control<br />
of a plethora of nations of that day and on through<br />
the inter-testament era, as Persia, Greece, Egypt,<br />
Svria, Ethiopia and Palestine, causing potsherd to<br />
dash against potsherd, "sifting out the nations with<br />
sword,"<br />
liis terrible quick preparing for the world<br />
wide rule of the nation whose feet were as iron,<br />
which was to rule over the world when our Lord<br />
would come in the flesh.<br />
The twelfth points to the same man clothed with<br />
linen as in the tenth, that is to Christ, to His com<br />
ing, to the resurrection, the judgment,<br />
and the re<br />
wards of the righteous.<br />
There are many lessons in this book a few of<br />
which we wish to make special note.<br />
I<br />
Christ Prepares Men for His Service<br />
Christ was preparing Daniel as a boy for the<br />
great work that he was to do through a long<br />
period<br />
of leadership in his mature life. He had been taken<br />
captive along with others about three years before<br />
Jerusalem was destroyed. Though a boy<br />
of about fif<br />
teen vears of age he had not lost hope, and resolved<br />
to his best wherever he was placed and remain<br />
true to God.<br />
.<br />
He was in Babylon and probably saw Zedekiah<br />
356<br />
brought in with a chain around his neck, his eyes<br />
bleeding, his back swollen from beatings, footsore<br />
and burned with the desert sun, a sorry, humiliated<br />
sight, a captive because he disobeyed and dishonored<br />
God. Amidst all the devastation, death and horror,<br />
Daniel and his three companions had been preserved<br />
unharmed.<br />
His Parents<br />
If Daniel's parents were preserved alive they<br />
would have nothing to regret in the way they had<br />
trained their son. But what of other parents who<br />
had not taught their children the Bible, who had al<br />
lowed them to engage in false worship, and who had<br />
not restrained them from breaking the Sabbath and<br />
other forms of evil Melanchthon, Luther's friend,<br />
said: "Rightly to train a single youth is a greater<br />
exploit than the taking of Troy." Rating them by<br />
this definition, Daniel's father and mother were<br />
great heroes.<br />
Daniel Tested<br />
Daniel had not been long in Babylon when he<br />
and his three friends were severely tested. They<br />
were among those who had been chosen for special<br />
training with a view to advancement among the hon<br />
ored advisers of the king. Daniel protested against<br />
drinkingthe<br />
wine and the kind of food they were<br />
given. He and his friends were given the opportunity<br />
would thrive better if<br />
to show by a test that they<br />
the wine were eliminated from their rations.<br />
Daniel had seen the disastrous results of intoxi<br />
cating wine in his home land. He had probably heard<br />
the prophet warn: "Woe to him that giveth his<br />
neighbor drink!" He had known how Noah had got<br />
ten into a shameful state, and how Lot had been<br />
dragged into the gutter by his own daughters who<br />
made him drunk with wine. He knew that Solomon<br />
had said, "Wine is a mocker ... he that is deceived<br />
thereby is not He knew what Isaiah had said:<br />
drink!"<br />
"Woe to them that follow strong He knew<br />
more about the fearful results of beverage alcohol<br />
than some of the modern schools for the study of<br />
alcohol are willing to admit today.<br />
Rewarded<br />
Christ was Daniel's daily support and he was<br />
rewarded far beyond his expectations for his tem-<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by tne Publication Board of th*<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kan km<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual<br />
writer* .<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors-<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Rusaell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo T. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Etii rot-<br />
Rev. John O. Edgrar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edprar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latime'<br />
Subscription rates: i'l.oO per year: Overseas. $3.
seat."<br />
not."<br />
ward."<br />
mercy."<br />
not."<br />
exploits"<br />
perance, his faithfulness and assurance of Divine<br />
aid. Daniel has served as an example to young men<br />
and women for more than 2,500 years. Christ was<br />
preparing him for other tests of faith, purity of life<br />
and worship, and he did not fail when put to the<br />
most severe tests.<br />
"Dare to be a Daniel ;<br />
Dare to stand alone;<br />
Dare to have a purpose firm;<br />
Dare to make it known."<br />
II<br />
Christ Is the Mediator by Whom Prayer<br />
Is Made Effective<br />
Long before Israel was taken into captivity her<br />
people were told that if they<br />
should sin and be taken<br />
captive, if they would repent and pray toward Jeru<br />
salem, God would bring them back to their own land.<br />
When they prayed toward Jerusalem they thought<br />
of the temple, of the sacrifices, of the holy<br />
place and<br />
the mercy seat. These pointed to Christ who was to<br />
offer Himself a sacrifice and show mercy to His peo<br />
ple. Daniel prayed, not once, but three times a day<br />
toward Jerusalem. He was pleading for mercy<br />
through the great Redeemer.<br />
When Daniel and his companions were threat<br />
ened with death if they did not reveal and interpret<br />
the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, they prayed earnestly<br />
and believingly, and God heard and answered, re<br />
vealing not only the interpretation, but the lost<br />
dream to the unreasonable king.<br />
Daniel Sad<br />
As recorded in the tenth chapter in the third<br />
year of Cyrus, Daniel had been a captive for about<br />
seventy-three years. Some of the Jews had already<br />
returned to Palestine. Why Daniel had not returned<br />
we are not told. Tradition affirms that he died in<br />
Shushan and a monument was erected in his mem<br />
ory there.<br />
Daniel had mourned and fasted for three weeks.<br />
Why was he so sad He had not fallen into disfavor<br />
with the king. He had not committed some great sin<br />
and was not mourning<br />
on that account. He was<br />
called by the holy angel, "a man greatly beloved."<br />
There were probably different reasons why he<br />
was sad. His people were having trouble in Jerusalem<br />
as recorded by Ezra. The adversaries of the Jews<br />
wanted to make an alliance with them, and when<br />
their sinster proposition was refused, they troubled<br />
the people of Judah and hired counselors against<br />
them to frustrate their purpose.<br />
By Hiddekel<br />
One day after the period of mourning and fast<br />
ing, Daniel stood by the river Hiddekel, or Tigris,<br />
when a marvelous vision appeared to him. Christ<br />
was giving him encouragement in the midst of his<br />
sorrow. Remember that it was by the river Hiddekel<br />
that the garden of Eden was located,<br />
where man<br />
was placed amidst beauty, ease and perfection. He<br />
was probably thinking, as Milton expressed it:<br />
"Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit<br />
Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste<br />
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,<br />
With loss of Eden till one greater Man<br />
Restore us, and regain the blissful<br />
He would think of the result of that sin upon man<br />
kind, how it had been transmitted from generation<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
to generation, and how it caused Israel to sin re<br />
sulting in their captivity.<br />
The Time<br />
The time was on the 24th day of the first month<br />
when he as a boy, with his family, would have just<br />
returned from Jerusalem after the observance of<br />
the Passover. He remembered the sacrifices which<br />
pointed to a greater sacrifice, to One who was led<br />
as a sheep to the slaughter, and by whose stripes we<br />
are healed. As he prayed and wept, I can hear him<br />
cry in the words of a prophet whom he may have<br />
known, "O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the<br />
years, in the midst of the years make known: in<br />
wrath remember<br />
Vision of Christ<br />
Christ revealed himself to Daniel in a marvelous<br />
vision, in the tenth chapter, in almost the same man<br />
ner in which He was revealed to John in his loneli<br />
ness on the Isle of Patmos. He saw a man clothed<br />
with linen, wearing a girdle of gold, His body like<br />
beryl, His face like lightning, His eyes as lamps of<br />
fire, His arms and feet like polished brass, and His<br />
voice like that of a great multitude. Christ was re<br />
vealing Himself both as priest and king, in His beau<br />
ty, glory and power. What could better encourage<br />
and strengthen him and the church in view of the<br />
troubles through which they were to pass Daniel<br />
was overpowered with fear, but a hand touched him<br />
and said, "0 Daniel, a man greatly beloved . . . fear<br />
How often has our Lord come to His people in a<br />
trying hour, saying, "Fear He came to Abra<br />
ham in an hour of perplexity, saying, "Fear not,<br />
Abram, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great re<br />
He came to Paul, when threatened with ship<br />
wreck, saying, "Fear not, Paul !" He has come to His<br />
not!"<br />
servants in every age, saying, "Fear<br />
Still Mighty<br />
Christ is still the great High Priest, willing to<br />
save. He is still upon the throne. He has put down<br />
Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, Alexander and<br />
the Caesars. He has overcome the Charleses, the<br />
Jameses, the Hohenzollerans, and Hitler and He<br />
shall reign until He has put all enemies under his<br />
feet.<br />
Not Discouraged<br />
Do not be discouraged, ye faithful of the Cove<br />
nanter Church in America, or Ireland, or Scotland,<br />
or Syria, or Cyprus, or Japan, or China. He has given<br />
you a banner to be held aloft. Why art thou cast<br />
down, why are ye disquieted, ye <strong>Covenanter</strong>s Trust<br />
in Christ for your cause is His cause.<br />
Jesus encouraged His disciples saying, "Fear<br />
not little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to<br />
give you the kingdom." Christ assured Daniel that<br />
though his people should pass through exceedingly<br />
trying times, "The people that do know their God<br />
shall be strong and do (11:32).<br />
Palissy, a Huguenot potter, was made a prisoner<br />
of France visited him in the<br />
in the Bastile. The king<br />
dungeon, assuring him that he had a regard for him,<br />
but declaring that if he did not conform to the es<br />
tablished religion he would be forced to leave him in<br />
the hands of his enemies. Palissy replied: "Forced,<br />
sire this is not to speak like a king ; but they who<br />
force you cannot force me. I can die." 357
stroyed"<br />
Like Daniel, let us pray on and let us labor on,<br />
for Daniel's God is our God, and His Mediator is our<br />
Christ, ready to hear and also ready to answer and<br />
give redemption and victory to His own.<br />
Ill<br />
Christ Demands Submission of All Men and Nations,<br />
Exalted above All<br />
It is said of Christ, "By me kings reign, and<br />
princes decree justice." We are told in the words of<br />
the apostle Paul that Christ became man, "humbled<br />
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the<br />
death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly<br />
exalted him, and given him a name which is above<br />
every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee<br />
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,<br />
and things under the earth ;<br />
and that every tongue<br />
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory<br />
of God the Father."<br />
Ascension and Crowning<br />
The Psalms portray the ascension of Christ and<br />
Daniel portrays his crowning more vividly than else<br />
where in the Bible.<br />
The Psalmist said :<br />
"God is ascended with a shout,<br />
The Lord with trumpet sound.<br />
Sing praise to God our King : sing praise,<br />
resound."<br />
Yea let His praise<br />
What a glorious reception in heaven our Lord<br />
received as portrayed in another Psalm ! It may have<br />
been sung in honor of the return of the ark to Je<br />
rusalem, but how much more truly did it tell of the<br />
ascending Lord!<br />
The host of angels accompanying Christ as He<br />
ascended seem to sing in a loud voice :<br />
"Ye gates, lift up your heads on high;<br />
Ye doors that last for aye,<br />
Be lifted up, that so the King<br />
may."<br />
Of glory enter<br />
The guardian angels seem to ask,<br />
"But who of glory is the King"<br />
The reply comes back:<br />
"The mighty Lord is this;<br />
Ev'n that same Lord that great in might<br />
And strong in battle is.<br />
Ye gates, lift up your heads on high ;<br />
Ye doors that last for aye,<br />
Be lifted up, that so the King<br />
may."<br />
Of glory<br />
enter<br />
Again the guardian angels call:<br />
"But who is He that is the King<br />
Of glory Who is this"<br />
The heavenly<br />
escort exclaims in reply:<br />
"The Lord of Hosts and none but He<br />
The King of glory is."<br />
Thus the Psalms give us a glorious picture of<br />
Christ's ascension, but it was given to Daniel to see<br />
a vision in the seventh chapter which takes us be<br />
yond the veil to the very throne of God, in a manner<br />
which is not even revealed in the gospels.<br />
358<br />
Daniel saw till the thrones were cast down and<br />
the victorious Christ came into the presence of the<br />
Ancient of Days, God the Father, who was sitting<br />
upon the throne in all His glory. He saw one like the<br />
Son of Man (Christ Jesus) come with the clouds of<br />
heaven to the Ancient of Days, and they brought<br />
Him near before Him. "And there was given him do<br />
minion, and glory and a kingdom, that all people, na<br />
tions and languages should serve him: his dominion<br />
is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass<br />
away,<br />
and his kingdom that which shall not be de<br />
(7:9-14).<br />
Here heaven is opened and we are given a pic<br />
ture of Christ being crowned as Mediatorial King by<br />
God the Father.<br />
The Psalmist was directed to say of this con<br />
quering King:<br />
"Jehovah to my Lord hath said,<br />
Sit Thou at My right hand<br />
Until I make thy foes a stool<br />
stand."<br />
Whereon Thy feet may<br />
Always King<br />
The exercise of the kingly office of Christ be<br />
fore and after His resurrection was much the same<br />
as the exercise of an earthly king before and after<br />
his coronation. The ceremony of the coronation<br />
makes a public display of the sovereign's investiture<br />
with kingly power, but his authority and power may<br />
have existed long before.<br />
Christ is before all things, and by Him all<br />
things consist. All things were created by Him and<br />
for Him. In all things He should have the pre-em<br />
inence (Col. 1:16-18).<br />
In the day in which we live when there is so<br />
much defection in the church and so much rebellion<br />
in the state, we see the need of a new realization of<br />
Christ the Mediator upon the throne, and of Him<br />
holding all peoples and all nations as a drop in a<br />
bucket, by His almighty power.<br />
The Right to Demand Submission<br />
We should remember that this is the outstand<br />
ing book of the Bible dealing with Gentile nations.<br />
We have here the record of the rise and fall of three<br />
world-conquering kings, and of another king which<br />
was used of God to carry out His will toward His<br />
people.<br />
Daniel had reproduced and interpreted the<br />
dream of the wicked tyrranical king, Nebuchadnez<br />
zar, which taught him that Christ, the stone cut out<br />
of the mountain, was not only over him, but had<br />
power to destroy him and all the succeeding kings.<br />
After interpreting another dream which showed that<br />
Nebuchadnezzar should be brought low, and if he did<br />
not repent would lose his reason and be degraded to<br />
the statue of the beasts of the field until he should<br />
be ready to recognize the power and dominion of<br />
Christ, in place of<br />
repenting he became more<br />
haughty and the sentence was carried out. After he<br />
had thus suffered and his reason returned to him<br />
he was willing to admit that the Most High ruleth<br />
in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of<br />
the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto<br />
thou"<br />
him, what doest<br />
Tested by Fire<br />
Moreover, Daniel had seen the effort of Nebu<br />
chadnezzar to force all the people of his realm to be<br />
come idolaters and bow before his golden image:<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
sians."<br />
return,"<br />
contempt."<br />
world."<br />
angels."<br />
and when<br />
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused<br />
to bow or worship, he cast them into a fearful fiery<br />
furnace. The men were not burned or even harmed,<br />
and there walked with them, as the king said, one<br />
like the Son of God. The king spoke more wisely than<br />
he knew, for the Son of God was there to keep and<br />
protect them from all harm.<br />
Tested by Lions<br />
The most severe test which came to Daniel was<br />
when Darius commanded his subjects to pray to<br />
none other but himself for thirty days, or, as a pen<br />
alty, to be cast into a den of fierce lions. When Dan<br />
iel prayed to God as usual he was cast into the den,<br />
but Christ was there to protect him from all harm.<br />
When the men who sought his death were cast into<br />
the den they were torn to shreds before they reached<br />
the bottom of the den. Then the king issued a decree<br />
declaring that the God of Daniel is the living God<br />
and stedfast forever,<br />
and His kingdom that which<br />
shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be<br />
even to the end.<br />
Handwriting on the Wall<br />
When Belshazzar on the night of a drunken de<br />
bauch with a thousand of his lords saw the hand<br />
writing on the wall, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin,"<br />
Daniel was called in to interpret the writing. He told<br />
the trembling king that though he knew of the pow<br />
er of God over Nebuchadnezzar, he had not humbled<br />
himself and had rebelled against the God of heaven.<br />
The writing on the wall declared, "God hath num<br />
bered thy kingdom, and finished it. Thou are<br />
weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy<br />
kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Per<br />
In that night was Belshazzar the king of the<br />
Chaldeans slain. It was the stone cut out of the<br />
mountain (Christ) who brought to an end Belshazzar's<br />
reign, and it was He who ruled over all the<br />
kings whose reigns are recorded here, and over sev<br />
eral others whose subjection is foretold in the latter<br />
part of this Book.<br />
The Assyrian Army<br />
Christ has no less power today than when the<br />
proud army of Sennacherib, the Assyrian, stood at<br />
the gates of Jerusalem. The prediction through<br />
Isaiah came true, "He shall not come into this city,<br />
nor shoot an arrow there ....<br />
By the way that he<br />
came, by the same shall he broken, ruined<br />
and disgraced by the hand of the messenger of the<br />
King of kings.<br />
Can you throw out your hand and stop a jet<br />
plane as it shoots by like a rocket Can you rush<br />
down to the beach and block an ocean wave as it<br />
catapults toward the shore No more can you halt<br />
the purpose of Christ the Mediator as He deals with<br />
men and nations of the world.<br />
On a mosque in Damascus, formerly a Christian<br />
church, there still remains on its wall the inscrip<br />
tion: "Thy kingdom, O Christ, is an everlasting<br />
kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all<br />
generations."<br />
Mrs. Jennie Kennedy, a missionary<br />
in<br />
Alexandretta,<br />
Syria, told of the destruction of the German<br />
consulate during the First World War. A French<br />
warship had come into the harbor and ordered the<br />
German consul out within an hour. He left just be<br />
fore the hour was up and the French gunners<br />
promptly shelled the building to pieces, but the<br />
cen-<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
tral wall was left and on it pictures of the Kaiser<br />
and Frederick the Great. The German consul called<br />
Mrs. Kennedy to come and see the remains of the<br />
building, and looking up at the portrait of the Kai<br />
ser, shouted: "See! they couldn't bring him down!<br />
They will never bring him down!" But the Kaiser<br />
was brought down. So will it be with all the powers<br />
that rebel against the honor and the kingdom of<br />
Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.<br />
The Right of Dissent<br />
These courageous, good men, Daniel, Shadrach,<br />
Meshach and Abednego, not only taught us the im<br />
portance of a pure life and pure worship, but they<br />
demonstrated the right of the child of God to dissent<br />
from the laws of a government which contravenes<br />
the commands of God. What would we know of these<br />
men today if they had not only been willing to dis<br />
sent, but to die if need be, rather than dishonor God <br />
If they had not been pure, temperate, men of prayer<br />
and faith, they would have died in their early career<br />
along with the wise men of Babylon. Christ would<br />
not have honored them and preserved their lives;<br />
He would not have heard their prayers and given<br />
them wisdom above others if they had not honored<br />
Him and had true faith in Him.<br />
IV<br />
Christ Will Judge and Reward His Own<br />
The Dead Raised<br />
In the last chapter of this book we are told of<br />
the resurrection and the judgment. "Many of them<br />
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some<br />
to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlast<br />
ing<br />
The resurrection is a great fact which men of<br />
all ages need to know. It was not a fact hidden from<br />
those who studied the Old Testament. There are a<br />
number of references to it in the Psalms and else<br />
where. Martha, who was a student of the Old Testa<br />
ment, said to Jesus, "I know that he shall rise at the<br />
resurrection at the last day."<br />
It was an encouraging truth to those who were<br />
to undergo persecution in that day and in the future.<br />
There is a story in the second book of the Maccabees<br />
of seven brothers and their mother who were sus<br />
tained during torture and martyrdom by the assur<br />
ance of their resurrection to everlasting life.<br />
The Judgment<br />
The last judgment,<br />
which is so briefly men<br />
tioned here, is vividly portrayed by<br />
our Lord in the<br />
latter part of Matthew 25. There we are told of the<br />
great and final separation of the righteous from<br />
the wicked, of the sentence pronounced on the<br />
wicked and the reward of the righteous. Christ shall<br />
say to the righteous: "Come, ye blessed of my Fa<br />
ther, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the<br />
foundation of the To the wicked he shall de<br />
clare: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting<br />
fire, prepared for the devil and his The<br />
wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment:<br />
but the righteous into life eternal. It is a fearful<br />
thing to neglect Christ as sad as to openly defy Him.<br />
Eternal Rewards<br />
Earnest laborers for Christ shall have a great<br />
(or more<br />
and eternal reward. "They that be wise<br />
exactly, teachers) shall shine as the brightness of<br />
the firmament; and they that turn many to right<br />
eousness as the stars for ever and ever."<br />
359
nations."<br />
you.'<br />
prayer."<br />
us!"<br />
years.'<br />
This is an epitome of such commands as we<br />
have in the New Tetament as, "Go ye therefore, and<br />
teach all In such commands Jesus pro<br />
claims the duty of teaching the gospel ; here in Dan<br />
iel He presents the reward. What greater reward<br />
could the child of God ask than to shine as the fir<br />
mament and as the stars for ever The stars, though<br />
they may seem small to us, are far greater and<br />
brighter than the sun.<br />
Men of the world seek some great gain or ambi<br />
tion for themselves, and they frequently trample<br />
down others in the effort to reach their goal. Nebu<br />
chadnezzar, Darius, Alexander and Caesar rose to<br />
places of power by physical force, wading through<br />
blood and crushing their rivals. Christ presents to<br />
us a far higher ideal and a far greater reward. The<br />
places of honor under Him are promised to those<br />
who have been most like Him in holiness, in the con<br />
secration of their lives, in the eminent spiritual in<br />
fluence they have manifested, and in the testimony<br />
they have given. Paul went to the far ends of the em<br />
pire beseeching men night and day with tears to be<br />
lieve in Christ and be saved. He considered himself a<br />
debtor to the Jew and to the Greek, to the barbarian<br />
the bond and the free. We too, have the call to be<br />
wise teachers, seeking to turn many to righteous<br />
ness.<br />
No Door Closed to God<br />
Have we been discouraged about the future of<br />
Christian work at home or abroad If you are dis<br />
couraged and think the door is closed or closing<br />
listen to Samuel H. Moffett, missionary to China,<br />
who was arrested, imprisoned, and tried by the Com<br />
munists before being expelled from that country.<br />
In a recent article he declares that no door stays<br />
closed to God.<br />
When the Communists had come into China, had<br />
arrested one of the pastors and the door seemed<br />
about to close, a commencement speaker thrilled his<br />
discouraged audience, students and teachers, when<br />
he took as his text: Revelation 3:8, "Behold I have<br />
set before thee an open door, and no man can shut<br />
it."<br />
As he spoke they could almost see the graduates,<br />
about to leave the shelter of the campus for the hard<br />
and hostile future of a Christian in a Communist<br />
land, "Graduates, teachers, all, straightened their<br />
shoulders and lift their heads. It was Red China;<br />
the Communists were upon us, but God was speaking<br />
to us, 'Behold I have set before thee an open door,<br />
and no man can shut it.' "<br />
The missionary continues: "It is high time we<br />
stopped this deadly talk about closed doors before us.<br />
It is time we listened to God, not to our own de<br />
feated hearts. Our God is able, and it is He who is<br />
speaking, the Almighty God, maker of Heaven and<br />
earth, Alpha and Omega, who by the word of His<br />
power rolled away the stone that closed the tomb at<br />
Calvary. No door stays closed to Him."<br />
The door seems to be closed, "closed by the<br />
might of the Red Army. But it is not closed to our<br />
brothers, the Chinese Christians, 800,000 of them,<br />
some weak, some dying, some deserting, and yet, by<br />
the grace of God, still bearing their witness as the<br />
remnant of the faithful. . . .<br />
"There is the door of new methods of reaching<br />
the unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every<br />
year the Bible is translated into new languages,<br />
un<br />
locking yet more frontiers to the Word of God ....<br />
360<br />
"There is the magic door of the radio. On a bul<br />
letin board in the office of the Presbyterian Mission<br />
Board in New York there is the slogan : 'Our (radio)<br />
programs reach more people in one week than heard<br />
the gospel in the first one-thousand The<br />
Christian mission has rimmed the whole world with<br />
broadcasting stations, and we have not even begun<br />
to exhaust the possibilities of this wide-open door<br />
that is spread ibefore us. . .<br />
.<br />
"There are some doors that never have and<br />
never can be closed. There is the door of prayer.<br />
Jesus said, 'Ask, and it shall be given to you ; seek ;<br />
and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto<br />
How easily we f<strong>org</strong>et this door that never can<br />
be closed to<br />
As Mr. Moffett was about to leave China he said<br />
"<br />
to an earnest Christian girl, 'Is there anything that<br />
I can do for you now ' She looked at me straight in<br />
the eye and said, 'Yes, there is, you can pray for<br />
me.'<br />
"<br />
And he adds : "How dare we say there is noth<br />
ing we can do about the doors that are closing all<br />
over the world to the Christian mission We have<br />
in our hands a power greater than all the Commun<br />
ist armies of Asia and Europe, a power that can<br />
split the Iron Curtain wide open as the veil of the<br />
temple was rent at Calvary, a power that can open<br />
any and every door known to man. It is the power of<br />
Daniel's Prayers Heard<br />
Christ who heard Daniel and his three friends<br />
and preserved them from being cut to pieces by the<br />
cruel king; the Christ who heard their plea and<br />
walked with them in the fire : the Christ who broke<br />
in pieces the Chaldean, Persian and Grecian and<br />
Roman empires of old, can hear the prayers of His<br />
people today<br />
and put down and break in pieces all<br />
dictators and heathen powers that resist the onward<br />
march of his kingdom.<br />
Our Lord who promises that they who turn<br />
many to righteousness shall shine as the stars, ex<br />
pects of us a courageous, faithful, persistent effort<br />
to seek those who are lost and to witness to the na<br />
tions. They shall shine as the stars! What a won<br />
derful reward! How that reward held before us<br />
should revive and enthuse us when we tend to be<br />
come weary with well doing !<br />
The Joy of Home<br />
A terrible storm was sweeping over the Great<br />
Lakes. A steam tug towing a barge began to found<br />
er. The captain and his crew took to a small boat.<br />
Throughout the night they were tossed about fear<br />
ing for their lives. In the morning they were rescued<br />
by a passing ship. Later the captain testified that<br />
all night long as they were beaten and tossed by the<br />
tempest there was one thing which encouraged them<br />
to row on and kept their hearts from sinking in des<br />
pair. It was this: shining through the darkness and<br />
the storm they saw the lights of home.<br />
When in the midst of the storms and struggles<br />
of life we are tempted to yield, may we keep before<br />
us the fact that Christ rules and the assurance of<br />
the resurrection and our eternal home, and may we<br />
never yield to despair!<br />
Let us not become weary of witnessing or<br />
preaching for Christ ! If we are faithful to Him and<br />
exert our talents for Him, He promises a glorious<br />
and eternal reward.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
unsurpassed."<br />
night."<br />
sung."<br />
sight,"<br />
REFLECTIONS ON MAKING A WILL<br />
There are many reasons why a person should<br />
make a will. If you have in your life time accumu<br />
lated money and other forms of wealth you need to<br />
make a will. By making a will you will save your<br />
heirs a lot of trouble and they will respect your<br />
of your estate. If you have not<br />
wishes in disposing<br />
made a will there is bound to be different opinions<br />
as to how the estate should be divided and maybe<br />
hard feelings will arise. Then no one has as much<br />
right to say how your estate is to be settled as your<br />
self.<br />
Having decided to make a will you will need to<br />
keep in mind certain things relative as to how you<br />
are to divide your estate. You will not seek to escape<br />
any of your responsibilities ; if you have dependents<br />
you will want to do the right thing by your de<br />
pendents. You will recognize the rights of men and<br />
the rights of God.<br />
If you have been in the habit of giving your<br />
tithes and offerings you will likely want to continue<br />
this giving in your will. Money is a trust and we are<br />
to use all of our money in a way that will cause it<br />
to do the most good, and this is as true of what we<br />
leave behind as it is of what we spend. For this rea<br />
son when we make our wills we should consider the<br />
claims of God.<br />
If you want to leave money for the furthering<br />
of the Lord's work you can leave it in various ways.<br />
You can leave it as an endowment fund. This will<br />
mean that only the interest of the money will be<br />
used each year, the principle will remain intact and<br />
continue to bear interest for years to come. This ap<br />
peals to some people because long after they are<br />
gone, a yearly<br />
contribution will be given to the work.<br />
The disadvantages of the endowment is that institu<br />
tions and their principles change and the interest<br />
may be furthering something that you would not ap<br />
prove fifty years hence. Then too, a substantial gift<br />
today might do more to further the kingdom of Je<br />
sus Christ than the interest from that sum over a<br />
period of years.<br />
If you prefer you can leave your money to the<br />
Current Account of Synod's budget and the money<br />
will be used at the discretion of Synod. If any of the<br />
departments of the church's work is in a particular<br />
need your gift may ease that need, or it may 'be di<br />
vided pro rata between all the departments. Money<br />
left to the current account is used as the need arises.<br />
or maybe we should say, the opportunity arises. If<br />
to a particular<br />
you desire you may leave your money<br />
department, or departments, of the church's work,<br />
either stipulating that it is for endowment or the<br />
current account.<br />
This article is not written to apply any pressure<br />
upon anyone to leave money too the church, but is<br />
written to urge people to make a will and to consider<br />
when they are making the will the just claims of the<br />
Church of Jesus Christ. After all there is no place<br />
where we can invest our lives or our money to a<br />
better advantage than in the kingdom of Jesus<br />
Christ.<br />
(Written by request of Synod's Special Committee.)<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
THE PSALMS OF THE BIBLE<br />
By Rev. D. T. Lauderdale<br />
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.<br />
Psalm 23:1.<br />
E. C. Olsen in his recent book, "Meditations in<br />
the Book of Psalms," says : "The twenty-third Psalm<br />
undoubtedly is the most universal Scripture, known<br />
and loved in all lands. One can go on exhausting ad<br />
jectives in an attempt to express its great message,<br />
and still he would only have touched the fringe of its<br />
contents. Yet it is a Psalm of only six verses. If I<br />
were a lawyer pleading the case of the inspiration of<br />
the Bible before a tribunal, I think I would say some<br />
thing like this, 'Gentlemen, I rest my case upon the<br />
twenty-third Psalm.' "<br />
Kyle M. Yates in his late book, "Studies in the<br />
Psalms,"<br />
says of the -third<br />
twenty Psalm : "It is the<br />
first one that a child learns, the one he repeats most<br />
often as he grows up, the one he remembers longest,<br />
the one his thick lips repeat in the last moment of<br />
his life. It is more than three thousand years old and<br />
yet so new, so colorful, so adapted to our every need,<br />
that it could well have come from the pen of God this<br />
morning. The little child learns to repeat it at his<br />
mother's knee. ... In the Church service the voice of<br />
the minister speaks forth its words and the entire<br />
audience becomes still and listens to its matchless<br />
message. . . . When the end of life comes and the<br />
shadows darken about one, the choice of all would be<br />
these blessed words of David."<br />
Charles H. Spurgeon in his noted commentary<br />
on the Psalms, "The Treasury of David," says of the<br />
twenty-third Psalm, "Its sweetness and spirituality<br />
are<br />
Robert C. McQuilken in his booklet, "The Lord<br />
Is My Shepherd, The Psalm of Victorious Life," says,<br />
"The twenty-third Psalm is the greatest poem ever<br />
penned in any language. ... It is the best known<br />
chapter of the Bible."<br />
W. Graham Scroggie of Edinburgh, Scotland, in<br />
his recent devotional commentary, "The Psalms,"<br />
says that the twenty-third Psalm is, "the simplest,<br />
sweetest song that was ever He adds, "Happy<br />
are they who can sing it in the Scottish metrical<br />
version to the tune of 'Stracathro,' or '<strong>Covenanter</strong>s,'<br />
or 'Crimond.' "<br />
Associate Reformed Presbyterian<br />
'BE STILL, AND KNOW'<br />
How can God give us visions when life is hurry<br />
ing at a precipitate rate I have stood in the national<br />
gallery and seen people gallop round the chamber and<br />
glance at Turner's picture in the space of five min<br />
utes. Surely we might say to such trippers, "Be still<br />
and know Turner!" Gaze quietly at one little bit of<br />
cloud or at one branch or at one wave of the sea or<br />
at one ray of the drifting moon. "Be still, and know<br />
Turner."<br />
But God has difficulty in getting us still.<br />
That is perhaps why He has sometimes employed the<br />
ministry of dreams. Men have had "visions in the<br />
In the daytime I have a Divine visitor in the<br />
shape of some worthy thought or noble impulse or<br />
hallowed suggestion, but I am in such feverish haste<br />
that I do not heed it and pass it along. I do not "turn<br />
aside, and see this great and so I lose the<br />
Heavenly vision. If I would know more of God, I<br />
must relax the strain and moderate the pace. I must<br />
be "still." J. H. Jowett.<br />
361
nothing."<br />
cymbal."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of June 26, 1955<br />
CYPU BIBLE STUDY DURING JULY<br />
We are to study the two epistles, to<br />
the Galatians and to the Colossians,<br />
during the five Sabbaths of July. To<br />
make our time count the following is<br />
recommended :<br />
1. Read the background given in the<br />
Acts from ch. 13:14 through ch. 16:8.<br />
Note mention of Galatia, 14:6, 7; 16:6.<br />
See also Acts 18:23.<br />
2. Study your Bible map, then draw<br />
or trace a map showing Paul's first two<br />
missionary journeys. Mark on the map<br />
all the places where he preached.<br />
3. Read Galatians first two chapters,<br />
at least.<br />
4. Bring<br />
with your Bible.<br />
your notebook and pencil<br />
Thanks for your cooperation.<br />
C.YJP.U. TOPIC<br />
For June 26, 1955<br />
BIG WORDS: LOVE<br />
Alvin W. Smith<br />
I John 4:7-11; I Corinthians 13;<br />
Psalms<br />
John 3:16<br />
Topic used by permission of<br />
Christian Endeavor<br />
103:1-4, page 246<br />
116:1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 12, page 282<br />
36:5-9, page 90<br />
89:1-4, page 216<br />
Scripture References: John 14:15, 16;<br />
14: 22, 23; 15:9, 13; 16:27; I Peter<br />
1:8; Gal. 2:20; I John 3:16; 4:16;<br />
Rom. 8:35; II Cor. 5:14; John 13:35;<br />
15:12; Rom. 12:9; I Thess. 3:12; I<br />
Peter 1:22<br />
Comments by the Rev. Bruce C. Stewart<br />
This is the biggest of them all<br />
four letter word, but the biggest word<br />
there is<br />
"love"!<br />
God's Love For Us<br />
In order to approach this subject, we<br />
must turn first to God. We must realize<br />
that God knows all about us; He knows<br />
our thoughts and our hearts; He sees<br />
the power of sin in our lives; and yet<br />
"God so loved the world that He gave<br />
His only begotten son . . . There<br />
a<br />
is<br />
the best definition of the word "love."<br />
Look again. Look at Jesus! He knew<br />
what His incarnation would mean; He<br />
knew what suffering and humiliation<br />
He would endure here upon the earth;<br />
He knew that the cursed death of the<br />
cross lay before Him; and yet He came<br />
to live and to die for us; "Greater love<br />
hath no man than this . . If<br />
we can<br />
but comprehend even a speck of the<br />
love of God, we know what love is.<br />
362<br />
Then We should respond to that love!<br />
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and<br />
thy<br />
neighbor as<br />
thyself."<br />
First,<br />
Our Love For God<br />
we must love God. That is the<br />
message of the Scriptures; that is the<br />
unity of the first four commandments;<br />
that is the core of the Gospel message;<br />
that is the basis for Christian behavior;<br />
again"<br />
that is the expression of a "born<br />
life; that is the criterion of consecra<br />
tion; that is the response of the heart to<br />
the heart to God's love.<br />
Our Love for our Neighbor<br />
Second, we are to love our neighbor<br />
as ourselves. If we profess to love God,<br />
but can't get along with others, we had<br />
better examine our profession. There<br />
are those who go to church and know<br />
the Bible, but are constantly nagging,<br />
contradicting, and fighting; unfortun<br />
ately, this even takes place in the<br />
church circle. I was talking to a min<br />
ister recently<br />
who said that in his<br />
church they just expect to have a<br />
church fight and split about every six<br />
months. Yet our love for our neighbor<br />
is a measure of our love for God. In<br />
I John 4:20, we read, "If a man say, I<br />
love God, and hateth his brother, he is a<br />
liar; for he that loveth not his brother<br />
whom he hath seen, how can he love<br />
God whom he hath not seen"<br />
love is an evidence of divine love.<br />
Human<br />
That is why it is important for us as<br />
parents to show love and affection to<br />
our children; that doesn't mean a lack<br />
of discipline, but how are we going to<br />
lead our children to experience the love<br />
of God if they have not experienced love<br />
on the human level. It is important to<br />
love and be loved humanly.<br />
God realized the value of interpreting<br />
divine<br />
things through human experi<br />
ence; that is why God sent His Son that<br />
we might know the love of God. Until<br />
we have come to love and be loved<br />
humanly, we cannot fully<br />
show the love of God.<br />
appreciate or<br />
I Corinthians 13 shows us that love<br />
is the greatest of the Christian virtues.<br />
Love stands first in Paul's list of the<br />
fruits of the Spirit.<br />
We might be tempted to think that<br />
obedience is the most important thing in<br />
the Christian life, but the greatest thing<br />
is love.<br />
We might be tempted to think that<br />
witnessing is the most important thing<br />
in the Christian life, but Paul wrote,<br />
"Though I speak with the tongues of<br />
men and of angels, and have not love,<br />
I am become as sounding brass, and a<br />
tinkling<br />
We might be tempted to think that<br />
faith is the greatest thing in the Chris<br />
tian life, but Paul wrote, "and though<br />
I have all faith so that I could remove<br />
mountains, and have not love,<br />
I am<br />
We might be tempted to think that<br />
martyrdom is the greatest evidence of<br />
the Christian faith, but Paul wrote,<br />
"Though I give my body to be burned,<br />
and have not love, it profiteth me noth<br />
ing."<br />
Love means that self comes last; it<br />
means considering the feelings of oth<br />
ers; it means leaving the last piece of<br />
cake for someone else; it means using<br />
the money you saved for a new coat to<br />
get clothes for someone else; it means<br />
that even though you are dead tired,<br />
you will make a special effort to invite<br />
someone to church.<br />
You remember Jesus' last journey to<br />
Jerusalem. He knew what lay before<br />
Him. All the sins of humanity were to<br />
be laid upon Him. If ever anyone had<br />
reason to think of Himself and f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
everyone else, it was Jesus at this par<br />
ticular time. But as He passed Jericho,<br />
a blind beggar called out to him; the<br />
disciples passed by, but Jesus who was<br />
going to suffer and die f<strong>org</strong>ot about<br />
Himself and thought about this beggar.<br />
He stopped the procession and took<br />
time to heal and to bring<br />
cheer. Such<br />
was the completely unselfish love of<br />
Christ! Can we do less<br />
God created us that we should love<br />
people and use things, but today too<br />
many<br />
of us have reversed the order;<br />
we love things, and use people. The<br />
object of love is to be loved in return,<br />
but when we love things there is no re<br />
sponse, and so we want more and more<br />
things. Life is a frustrating and unsatis<br />
fying thing without love for God and<br />
love for our neighbor.<br />
The word "Love" seems especially<br />
appropriate for June since we see so<br />
many June weddings. You will notice<br />
the word "love" frequently in the mar<br />
riage service; and many<br />
ministers will<br />
say that love is the foundation of a<br />
happy home.<br />
However, I believe that it depends on<br />
the kind of love. There is physical at<br />
traction which is sometimes called<br />
"love"; but when the bloom dies, what<br />
is there to bind hearts together There<br />
are things in common which frequently<br />
draw people together<br />
sports, social<br />
position, art, etc. and people say,<br />
"What a perfect couple!"<br />
but what hap-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
cymbal"<br />
nacle."<br />
pens when one or the other becomes in<br />
terested in something else There are<br />
many other things which pose as love<br />
sympathy, hero worship, success, etc.<br />
but none of these should be the basis<br />
for a Christian marriage.<br />
True "love" in marriage is a response<br />
to the love of God; it should reveal that<br />
discernment, purity, unselfishness, and<br />
understanding which characterize every<br />
part of the Christian life. True love<br />
does not come magically<br />
at the marri<br />
age ceremony, but it is developed dur<br />
ing courtship. As we date and eventual<br />
ly become engaged, we should always be<br />
thinking of those things which will<br />
make for a mature and lasting love.<br />
Especially, the question of our faith is<br />
important, for not only our love, but<br />
also the love of our partner should be<br />
a response to the love of God.<br />
Love is something that grows with<br />
use; without use, it dies. The more we<br />
love, the more we want to love. And the<br />
more we love, the more discerning our<br />
love becomes;<br />
want to help<br />
it becomes natural to<br />
and understand others.<br />
Both our CYPU Pledge and the Cove<br />
nant of 19<strong>54</strong> remind us that "we will<br />
encourage by our example . . .<br />
love!"<br />
Let others see that we have received<br />
the love of God by the way in which we<br />
show love toward God and toward our<br />
fellow men.<br />
For discussion:<br />
1. What is love God's love Our re<br />
sponse<br />
2. Show the difference between mere<br />
physical attraction and true love.<br />
3. What do you think about someone<br />
who says he loves God, and yet is dis<br />
respectful to his parents<br />
4. Why is witnessing "as a sounding<br />
brass or a tinkling<br />
love<br />
without<br />
5. If we truly love our fellow men are<br />
we going to let them go on living with<br />
out telling them about Christ<br />
6. How do we know when we are "in<br />
love" What place do mutual interests<br />
and a mutual faith have in loving some<br />
one<br />
7. How would you answer someone<br />
who said, "What do you do if you fall<br />
in love with an<br />
unbeliever"<br />
(Should<br />
we date someone whom we know to be<br />
an unbeliever)<br />
It's You<br />
It's not money He wants, but men;<br />
Not coin, but character;<br />
Not tithes, but tithers;<br />
Not gifts, but the givers;<br />
One's sense of partnership with Christ<br />
is heightened as one places first in his<br />
life of obligations, the one he owes to<br />
the Master through His Church.<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
June 26, 1955<br />
by Mrs. Parke W. Wicks<br />
Syracuse Congregation<br />
THE TABERNACLEGOD'S<br />
DWELLING PLACE<br />
Scripture Text: Exodus 40<br />
Leader: Exodus 25:23-40; 37; 38:1-8<br />
Memory Verse: "Then a cloud covered<br />
the tent of the congregation, and the<br />
glory<br />
Psalms:<br />
of the Lord filled the taber<br />
Exodus 40:34<br />
Memory Psalm for June, Psalm 103:<br />
5-8, page 247<br />
Psalm 29:1, 2, 6, page 66<br />
Psalm 95:1, 2, 5, page 231<br />
The curtanis and boards, the furni<br />
ture of the tabernacle have been com<br />
pleted and Moses has passed his ap<br />
proval of the work. God now tells him<br />
to set up the tabernacle the first day<br />
of the first month. This is almost a year<br />
since the people have come out of<br />
Egypt. Moses is ordered to set up the<br />
tabernacle first, then to put the ark in<br />
its place, and draw the veil before it,<br />
then to fix the table, and the candle<br />
stick, and the altar of incense, without<br />
the veil, and to fix the hanging of the<br />
door before the door. In the court he<br />
was to place the altar of burnt offering,<br />
and the laver; then the curtains of the<br />
court, and a hanging for a court-gate.<br />
After the tabernacle and furnishings are<br />
set up Moses was to anoint them with<br />
oil, and then consecrate Aaron and his<br />
sons as priests. As soon as Moses placed<br />
the table he set the show-bread on it<br />
(verse 23), for God will never have His<br />
table empty. When he placed the can<br />
dlestick he lighted the lamps before the<br />
Lord (verse 25) ;<br />
when the golden altar<br />
was put in its place he burnt sweet in<br />
cense thereon (verse 27). Then the al<br />
tar of burnt offering was set up and he<br />
had an offering ready to offer upon it<br />
(verse 29). Moses did all these things,<br />
not only to instruct the priests, but to<br />
show that God's gifts to us are for use<br />
and not show. We are to make use of<br />
our talents and not save them.<br />
All this was done while they were in<br />
the wilderness. "Then a cloud covered<br />
the tent of the congregation, and the<br />
tabernacle."<br />
glory of the Lord filled the<br />
Now here God comes to dwell with the<br />
people, to be their King. He owned<br />
them, and was pleased with their labors.<br />
He f<strong>org</strong>ave them for their sin of the<br />
golden calf. We can use this lesson to<br />
show how Christ came to save us. We<br />
need to prepare ourselves according to<br />
His directions; the tabernacle of old be<br />
ing our bodies,<br />
and after we have made<br />
our minds and hearts ready to receive<br />
Him, He will come and dwell within us.<br />
He will f<strong>org</strong>ive us of our sins if we but<br />
follow His word and do His will<br />
as the making and erecting<br />
bernacle. Also as they<br />
tabernacle in the wilderness,<br />
just<br />
of the ta<br />
established the<br />
so we can<br />
accept Christ as our Saviour in any<br />
place and at any time, as long as we<br />
confess our sins, and acknowledge Him<br />
to be Lord and Master of our lives.<br />
The same cloud which led the people<br />
out of Egypt settled upon the taber<br />
nacle and became a token of God's pres<br />
ence to all Israel. When the cloud was<br />
taken up the camp moved, and when<br />
the cloud was not taken up they re<br />
mained in camp. The cloud made an ex<br />
tra protection for the tabernacle. Our<br />
protection for our tabernacle comes<br />
from the love of the Lord Jesus, and is<br />
constantly with us too, covering us over<br />
like a cloud, and is with us at home, at<br />
play, wherever we may<br />
go. So as the<br />
Israelites'<br />
glory of the Lord filled the<br />
tabernacle, the glory of Jesus in our<br />
hearts should cause us to shine before<br />
others in our doing the will of and lov<br />
ing our Saviour.<br />
When we have the word of the Lord<br />
in our hearts it is clear to all we meet<br />
that we would do good, and not evil, and<br />
that the Saviour truly dwells within us.<br />
Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons<br />
acted as the go-betweens between God<br />
and His people. We have Jesus Christ<br />
to plead our cause to God and help us in<br />
our life here on earth. How easy it is to<br />
kneel in prayer each day to talk with<br />
our Lord, each one of us, and not de<br />
pend on others to carry<br />
our messages<br />
for us. We can come to Him with our<br />
problems and questions with the com<br />
plete assurance that He will answer<br />
wisely<br />
solve them.<br />
and direct our paths so as to<br />
For Your Notebook:<br />
Draw the inside view of the taber<br />
nacle, and place and label the furniture.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
June 26, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on international Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religions Education.)<br />
GOD AND THE NATIONS<br />
Zephaniah 3<br />
PRINTED TEXT, Zephaniah 3:1-5.<br />
14-20<br />
Memory Verse: Psalm 67:4: "O let the<br />
nations be glad and sing for joy: for<br />
thou shalt judge the people righteously,<br />
and govern the nations upon earth."<br />
All that we are told about Zephaniah<br />
is in the first verse of his prophecy. It<br />
was written during the reign of Josiah.<br />
363
sorrow."<br />
afraid."<br />
.... to<br />
rusalem."<br />
voice."<br />
people."<br />
me."<br />
anymore."<br />
rejoice."<br />
singing."<br />
Zephaniah was not writing of the con<br />
ditions that he saw before him in the<br />
prosperous days of Josiah's reign. He<br />
was dealing broadly with the history of<br />
Judah, not only in times of obedience<br />
and blessing, but also in times of rebel<br />
lion and punishment.<br />
The prophecy begins with a very<br />
dark picture of national idolatry, and<br />
then in the midst of our lesson today, it<br />
changes suddenly into as bright a pic<br />
ture as could be written. The two parts<br />
of our lesson seem to be about the same<br />
people, but they really describe the con<br />
duct and destiny of two entirely dif<br />
ferent groups of people, occupying the<br />
same land at the same time.<br />
The Woe of Jerusalem, Zeph. 3:1-5<br />
"WOE!"<br />
terjection of<br />
Thayer defines it as "An in<br />
How could we<br />
describe a greater sorrow than this A<br />
thousand times I have spoken that word<br />
where it was understood and usually<br />
obeyed promptly. It meant<br />
"Stop."<br />
Sometimes it meant that disaster was<br />
imminent if it was not obeyed quickly.<br />
I do not know if we borrowed the<br />
word from the Hebrew, but there is cer<br />
tainly a degree of similarity in the<br />
meaning. Is not the very pronounce<br />
ment of the woe a call to stop the evil<br />
course, a warning of disaster if sin is<br />
persisted in<br />
Judah had gone so far in sin that we<br />
marvel at the mercy of God offering<br />
salvation at all. She was rebellious, pol<br />
luted, oppressive, living in violent con<br />
tradiction of God's purpose, princes,<br />
prophets, judges and priests perverting<br />
their office, government of the rich, by<br />
the rich, for the rich. Man's work is<br />
never complete. There is always a rem<br />
nant. Josiah's reform left a remnant of<br />
idolatry. Chap. 1 :4 shows that when<br />
God takes charge the remnant of idola<br />
try<br />
will be destroyed. Then when the<br />
people fall into idolatry<br />
and are spirit<br />
ually lost, there is always a remnant<br />
that remains faithful. Chap. 2 :7 shows<br />
that when Judah has been carried into<br />
captivity, there will be a remnant that<br />
God will save. He will destroy the rem<br />
nant of idoJs, and save the remnant of<br />
His people. The remnant is to wait un<br />
til the Lord gathers the nations (Chap.<br />
3:17). They<br />
are to wait until the rem<br />
nant of Israel has been purged and does<br />
no iniquity, and speaks no lies.<br />
they<br />
"For<br />
shall feed and lie down, and none<br />
shall make them<br />
of the 23rd Psalm.)<br />
(Reminiscent<br />
Judah Slow to Learn vs. 6-8<br />
(not printed.)<br />
In the midst of a picture of God's lov<br />
ing grace, the vision changes suddenly<br />
to earnest advice and stern warning.<br />
They are not to rest in idleness on God's<br />
364<br />
mercy, but to "wait" in obedience and<br />
faith until the day when the Lord shall<br />
gather His people. God is still speaking<br />
to His people; He is still working for<br />
His people. He is setting before them a<br />
warning the example of wicked nations<br />
that brought them to ruin. Judah and<br />
Israel could see what sin was doing to<br />
the nations around her. We are sur<br />
prised that she did not heed the lessons.<br />
We have a much plainer warning. We<br />
have the story<br />
nations,<br />
of the rise and fall of<br />
even from the Garden of Eden,<br />
with the unbroken testimony that<br />
"Righteousness exalteth a nation, and<br />
sin is a reproach to any<br />
The<br />
world has heard the warning, but is slow<br />
to heed. If there is a great disaster, a<br />
remnant will be saved. Where will we<br />
be<br />
The Joy of Obedience, vs. 9-20<br />
(vs. 9-13<br />
not printed)<br />
"In that day." Though not included in<br />
the lesson, it is a key to the book. The<br />
Day of the Lord is set in contrast with<br />
the day when man works his will. "The<br />
remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity."<br />
There has always been a remnant. The<br />
Lord is never without a witness. The<br />
remnant remains faithful to God<br />
through disaster and persecution. "Woe<br />
not my<br />
the oppressing city! She obeyed<br />
But in that polluted city,<br />
there was a remnant. On the remnant of<br />
idols and their worshipers, a woe is<br />
pronounced. But the remnant of faith is<br />
addressed in most endearing terms :<br />
"Daughter of Zion," "Daughter of Je<br />
Sing, shout, be glad and re<br />
joice with all thy heart. Thy judgment<br />
(condemnation) is taken away, thine<br />
enemies are cast out. "The King of Is<br />
rael even the Lord, is in the midst of<br />
thee: thou shalt not see evil<br />
"Yea though I walk through the valley<br />
of the shadow of death, I will fear no<br />
evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and<br />
Thy staff, they comfort Redemp<br />
tion takes the place of judgment, and<br />
mercy comes in instead of punishment.<br />
The blessings that are promised to<br />
the seed of Abraham are not for a tribe,<br />
but for a World Kingdom, the Kingdom<br />
of the Redeemed, under the reign of<br />
Christ. When Christ came, Abraham.<br />
like John the Baptist, decreased, and<br />
the faithful Jews submerged their hu<br />
man ancestry and their nationalism in<br />
Christ's Kingdom. They let go of Abra<br />
ham, and laid hold of Abraham's Christ.<br />
They lived for Christ's Kingdom in<br />
stead of for the Jewish Nation, because<br />
Christ was the Messiah, the Hope of the<br />
Jews. Those who followed the faith of<br />
Abraham, followed it right into the<br />
service of Abraham's Christ. And those<br />
who were the children of Abraham by<br />
faith were driven from their land by<br />
those who were the children of Abra<br />
ham only by the flesh. They<br />
were scat<br />
tered abroad, and went everywhere car<br />
rying the blessed Gospel of the Son of<br />
God. The unrepenting descendants of<br />
the rebellious Jews,<br />
who crucified their<br />
Christ, who are now trying to regain<br />
the Jerusalem that they destroyed, are<br />
but a handful to those who carry the<br />
blood of Abraham in their veins,<br />
thlove<br />
of Christ in their hearts, and the<br />
Gospel of the Son of God in their lips.<br />
"In that day!" God is gathering the<br />
"remnant"<br />
into the glorious Kingdom of<br />
Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of the Re<br />
deemed, where all families and tribes<br />
and nations are one. To this redeemed<br />
remnant comes the call, "Sing, shout, be<br />
glad and<br />
"The Lord thy<br />
God in the midst of<br />
thee is mighty; He will save, He will re<br />
joice over thee with joy; He will rest in<br />
His love, He will joy<br />
over thee with<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
For June 29, 1955<br />
Mark 8:37<br />
"WHAT WILL A MAN GIVE IN<br />
EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL"<br />
C. E. Caskey, D.D.<br />
(The Scripture Reading might be taken<br />
from Psalm 37.)<br />
Suggested Psalms:<br />
Psalm 63:1-5, page 153<br />
Psalm 37:14, 20-22, page 93<br />
Psalm 49:4-8, page 125<br />
References: Psalm 119:72; 119:127; 39:<br />
6; Luke 12:13-21; Jer. 17:11; I Cor.<br />
15:32; Matt. 6:19-21; 6:31-34: II Cor<br />
inthians 4:16-18.<br />
This is the second in our series on the<br />
subject: "GREAT QUESTIONS GOD<br />
ASKS,"<br />
which were to be prepared<br />
"with a view to interesting the young<br />
people and securing young leaders." The<br />
first question, "What is that in thine<br />
hand,"<br />
prompted us to ask ourselves as<br />
parents if we are willing<br />
to give our<br />
children over to the Lord's service, and<br />
to ask the young people if they are will<br />
ing to take the talents which the Lord<br />
has so graciously given them and conse<br />
crate them to His work.<br />
The question, "What will a man give<br />
in exchange for his<br />
soul"<br />
is not asked<br />
for information. It is a rhetorical ques<br />
tion and it implies that there is nothing,<br />
not even the whole world, that equals<br />
the soul in value. It isn't like one man<br />
coming to another and asking, "What<br />
car"<br />
will you give me for my A car<br />
has a definite value for which it may be<br />
exchanged. The life and soul are in<br />
valuable. It is more like a man sayingi<br />
"All the money in the world couldn't<br />
buy. .<br />
. and then he names something<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
nal."<br />
he considers priceless. The difference is<br />
that what he considers priceless has a<br />
value, but the whole world gained is<br />
not to be weighed against the loss of the<br />
soul.<br />
Some translate the word "soul" with<br />
the word "life" instead. Jesus Christ<br />
used a word that means both the life<br />
and the soul, and to keep the meaning<br />
clear we had better stick to "soul." Had<br />
He meant just the life He could have<br />
said so.<br />
martyr proves<br />
Furthermore the death of a<br />
that there are things<br />
which are of more value than the life<br />
alone. For these a man will rightly ex<br />
change his life, but not his soul.<br />
While<br />
the question actually means<br />
that there isn't anything, even the<br />
whole world, which equals the value of<br />
the soul, the fact is that we do in ef<br />
fect trade things for our souls. Esau<br />
traded off his birthright, and wished he<br />
hadn't done it. Men trade their souls for<br />
things they<br />
want at the moment and<br />
quickly find to be of no value, for our<br />
sense of values changes. Here is an il<br />
lustration. A ship is in distress at sea<br />
because of fire in the hold and it must<br />
be abandoned. The captain tells every<br />
one that there are enough lifeboats to<br />
hold all the passengers, and that each<br />
boat will carry in addition three boxes.<br />
There is plenty of food and the ship has<br />
in its cargo many boxes of gold. The<br />
captain's advice is that each boat take<br />
two boxes of food and one box of gold,<br />
but in one boat there are those who have<br />
a different idea. They think it is too bad<br />
not to get all the gold they can so they<br />
take one box of iood and two of gold.<br />
They begin to drift and are not picked<br />
up<br />
so after some days there comes a<br />
shout from this boat, "We'll trade a box<br />
of gold for a box of food." Still they are<br />
not rescued and the supply<br />
of food is<br />
dwindling so a second offer is shouted.<br />
"Two boxes of gold, for a box of food."<br />
Finally the situation becomes desperate<br />
for them and they cry in anguish, "Take<br />
all our gold and give us just a little of<br />
your<br />
food."<br />
Today the things of<br />
the<br />
world have their apparent value and the<br />
temptation is to take them in preference<br />
to the things of the soul, but there will<br />
come a time when they will lose their<br />
value and the tilings of the spirit will be<br />
seen to be of inestimable worth. Then<br />
we would gladly, if it were possible,<br />
trade all of the world for one soul. "The<br />
things which are seen are temporal; but<br />
the things which are not seen are eter<br />
A drink may seem harmless and<br />
desirable, but drunkards do not inherit<br />
eternal life. Sex attracts and seems to<br />
offer much, but it can destroy the soul.<br />
Pride, wrong ambition, selfishness, and<br />
many other wares are offered in the<br />
devil's market in exchange for the soul.<br />
In fact nothing is too large or too small<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
for him to offer it in this exchange.<br />
Norman McLeod has given us an alle<br />
gory with some lessons. A young man<br />
walks the path of life holding carefully<br />
to a silver thread which guides him<br />
safely as long as he grasps it and fol<br />
lows it. As he goes along singing he<br />
notices a little way off the path the<br />
most beautiful golden bird he has ever<br />
seen. As he starts for it the bird flies<br />
away leaving a beautiful golden egg<br />
which he feels he must have. Holding<br />
the silver thread he tries to reach it,<br />
but it is too far away. Surely it will do<br />
no harm to let go of the thread for<br />
just an instant and get the beautiful<br />
egg, but when he lets go the heavens<br />
suddenly become black, lightning flash<br />
es, and thunder terrifies him. The egg<br />
in his hand is nothing but ugly ashes,<br />
and when he gropes for the thread it is<br />
gone. Finally, above the trees, he sees a<br />
little light and there, out of reach, is the<br />
silver thread.<br />
Young people, what are you giving in<br />
exchange lor your souls Parents, what<br />
are you holding out as most desirable in<br />
life, the things of the world or the<br />
things of the spirit. "What shall it profit<br />
a man, if he shall gain the whole world,<br />
and lose his own soul Or what shall a<br />
man give in exchange for his soul<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Praver Hour I :00 P.M Monday<br />
The Thirty-Second Annual Meeting<br />
of the<br />
Women's Presbyterial Missionary<br />
Society of the<br />
New York Presbytery<br />
The 32nd Annual Meeting of the New<br />
York Presbyterial was held in the Cam<br />
bridge, Massachusetts, church, May 3<br />
and 4. The Rev. and Mrs. Donald I.<br />
Robb, the members of the Missionary<br />
Society and Missionary Guild gave all<br />
a very<br />
gracious and warm we'come.<br />
We were indeed fortunate in that we<br />
had the Rev. Claude C. Brown from our<br />
Southern Mission and the Rev. and Mrs.<br />
Samuel E. Boyle as speakers. Mr. Boyle<br />
showed pictures of the work and work<br />
ers in our Japan Mission field.<br />
Officers elected for the year 1955-56<br />
were :<br />
Mrs. Paul Wilson, President<br />
Groton, Vermont<br />
Miss Elizabeth Henderson, Vice-presi<br />
dent<br />
Newburgh, New York<br />
Mrs. Orrin R. Ferry, Recording Sec<br />
retary<br />
Montclair Society<br />
Mrs. Norman Speer, Corresponding<br />
Secretary<br />
Walton, N. Y.<br />
Mrs. Abbott S. Cutter<br />
Cambridge Society<br />
The Convention Theme was "Ye Shall<br />
Be My <strong>Witness</strong>es," Acts 8:1, and the<br />
Convention Psalm, the 40th. The devo<br />
tional periods conducted by the Rev.<br />
Donald I. Robb, and Mrs. Samuel E.<br />
Boyle were very helpful.<br />
Important business included action<br />
taken which will in the future divert<br />
monies from Life and Memorial Mem<br />
berships of the New York Presbyterial<br />
to be used for building<br />
of the Aged People's Home of the Re<br />
formed Presbyterian Church.<br />
and maintenance<br />
A recommendation was also sent to<br />
the Woman's Association that the name<br />
be changed to The <strong>Covenanter</strong> Home.<br />
The spiritual atmosphere of the con<br />
vention was very high, and the renewal<br />
of friendships and the making<br />
of new<br />
ones added greatly to the enjoyment of<br />
all. It was indeed an experience of fine<br />
Christian fellowship with a real purpose,<br />
that of promoting the mission work.<br />
Ethel Ferry<br />
Recording Secretary<br />
MISS MARY L. KENWILL<br />
The passing from this life of Miss<br />
Mary L. Kenwill on Tuesday, April 19,<br />
1955 brings to the members of the Cen<br />
tral Pittsburg W. M. S. a deep sense of<br />
bereavement and loss, and we desire to<br />
pay a tribute of love and esteem to her<br />
memory.<br />
Miss Kenwill was born and reared in<br />
Pittsburgh, and her forty-two years of<br />
faithful and efficient public school serv<br />
ice was rendered in this area.<br />
From childhood she<br />
participated in<br />
the activities of the Sabbath School and<br />
Church, and when older, carried many<br />
responsibilities in the service of the<br />
congregation. She was capable in the<br />
work she performed and her consecrat<br />
ed leadership will be greatly missed.<br />
The members of our W.M.S. recall with<br />
pleasure and gratitude the times our<br />
meetings were held in her home where<br />
she extended the hospitality<br />
cious Christian hostess.<br />
of a gra<br />
We rejoice in the assurance that she<br />
is now at Home with the Lord, and our<br />
prayer is that all those who knew her<br />
and witnessed her devotion to Christ<br />
may be led to dedicate their lives anew<br />
to Him.<br />
With thanksgiving to God for the<br />
salvation that is ours through the aton<br />
ing<br />
work of Jesus Christ our Saviour,<br />
we look forward to a glorious reunion<br />
with loved ones gone before in His pres<br />
ence. Committee of W. M. S.<br />
365
wait."<br />
ed."<br />
a<br />
statement."<br />
Christian Amendment Movement News<br />
CAM NEWS<br />
(Continued from front page)<br />
Washington, D. C.<br />
May 24, 1955<br />
Letter from A. J. McFarland, D.D.<br />
Dear Dr. Taggart:<br />
I have been in Washington, D. C. just<br />
a little over two weeks, and have talked<br />
with many Congressmen and Senators,<br />
and have had some good results. It is<br />
hard to know for sure the final out<br />
come, but if promises hold out seven or<br />
eight Congressmen will introduce our<br />
Bill in the House. They have said they<br />
would, and have given me their pic<br />
tures to include in the Patriot. Some<br />
take considerable time at something<br />
such as this, so we will have to wait for<br />
final results. In the Senate it is also,<br />
like the army, "hurry and<br />
Right<br />
now I am waiting on the final word of a<br />
Senator who just took the plane for his<br />
home state and will not be back until<br />
next week. If, in the end, he doesn't<br />
introduce the Amendment bill, I think<br />
there is another who will.<br />
But I am writing this, not to talk<br />
about hopes and maybes, but I want to<br />
see put in the <strong>Witness</strong> the statement<br />
made by the Honorable Eugene Siler,<br />
Congressman from Kentucky. This was<br />
his own idea, and this is what he said as<br />
he introduced the Christian Amend<br />
ment Resolution on May 23, 1955.<br />
I might just say that he said, "I<br />
hope every<br />
Bill<br />
person who introduces the<br />
will make a similar<br />
And then he made this further com<br />
ment: "As long<br />
as I am in Congress,<br />
and this Amendment has not become a<br />
reality, I will continue to introduce it."<br />
He was for two years the President of<br />
the Baptist State Convention of Ken<br />
tucky, the only layman to have held<br />
that position in many, many years. His<br />
father before him,<br />
held the same position.<br />
But this is the statement:<br />
"Mr.<br />
as a layman, had<br />
Speaker, I have introduced in<br />
this great legislative body a resolution<br />
seeking to add<br />
amendment 23 to our<br />
present United States Constitution to<br />
the end that the basic and fundamental<br />
law of our land might recognize the<br />
Master Architect, Creator, and Builder<br />
of the Universe, the Almighty God, who<br />
hung<br />
out the stars and lit the burning<br />
taper of the sun and draped the glorious<br />
rainbow as a scarf about the shoulders<br />
of the storm: and also to the further<br />
end that there may<br />
be recognized in<br />
that same Constitution Jesus Christ as<br />
the Son of God and Universal Saviour<br />
of all mankind.<br />
"Many people, I believe, think the<br />
greatest deficiency of our present Con-<br />
What the Amendment Is<br />
The Amendment proposed is stated as follows:<br />
"SECTION 1. THIS NATION DEVOUTLY RECOGNIZES THE AUTHORITY<br />
AND LAW OF JESUS CHRIST, SAVIOUR AND RULER OF NATIONS,<br />
THROUGH WHOM ARE BESTOWED THE BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD."<br />
Sections two and three read as follows:<br />
"Section 2. This amendment shall not be interpreted so as to result in the<br />
establishment of any particular ecclesiastical <strong>org</strong>anization, or in the abridgment of<br />
the rights of religious freedom, or freedom of speech and press,<br />
semblage.<br />
or of peaceful as<br />
"Section 3. Congress shall have power, in such cases as it may deem proper,<br />
to provide a suitable oath or affirmation for citizens whose religious scruples pre<br />
vent them from giving unqualified allegiance to the Constitution as herein amend<br />
stitution lies in its failure to recognize<br />
specifically God Almighty and Ameri<br />
ca's definite position .as<br />
great Chris<br />
tian nation. In this modern day<br />
of paganistic<br />
and mundane attitudes, when<br />
Communism and all its philosophy of<br />
atheism and statism and materialism<br />
hold full sway in many places of the<br />
earth and embrace millions of its peo<br />
ples there is surely a great need for<br />
America to assert humbly her unalter<br />
able dependence upon God and her own<br />
daily followership of Christianity as<br />
the prevailing ideology of most of her<br />
people. As most everyone knows, the<br />
Constitution is whatever the people de<br />
cree it shall be, and since most of the<br />
people are God-fearing<br />
lowing,<br />
and Christ-fol<br />
the Constitution itself should<br />
make manifestation accordingly.<br />
"This proposed amendment is in no<br />
way an enroachment upon the demarca<br />
tion line of Church-State separation<br />
that has always characterized our Gov<br />
ernment, since this amendment would<br />
neither recognize nor support with tax<br />
revenue any<br />
soever.<br />
church <strong>org</strong>anization what<br />
While this Amendment would<br />
not in any wise establish a church, yet<br />
it would in a positive way recognize the<br />
authorship of the Supreme Being and<br />
His Son Jesus Christ, as Saviour of<br />
mankind.<br />
"Mr. Speaker, the Holy Bible tells us :<br />
'Blessed is that nation whose God is the<br />
Lord.'<br />
wrote :<br />
"And the great Apostle Paul once<br />
'For other foundation can no<br />
man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus<br />
Christ.'<br />
"I hope our great Constitution may<br />
come to recognize God as our Lord and<br />
may<br />
also come to recognize that the<br />
Nation's foundation must be laid upon<br />
Jesus Christ as the firm Rock of Ages<br />
and Saviour of the<br />
Siler's remarks.)<br />
world."<br />
(End of Mr.<br />
Why not, right now, while you are<br />
thinking<br />
about it drop a card or<br />
letterto<br />
Mr. Siler and tell him how grateful<br />
you are for his having introduced the<br />
Bill, and for the message he gave in<br />
connection with its introduction.<br />
I am writing this Tuesday evening<br />
May 24 from Washington. Tomorrow,<br />
another is to introduce this Bill in the<br />
House, and he too is to give a brief<br />
message in connection with its intro<br />
duction. Perhaps next week we can<br />
have that message for the paper. Maybe<br />
we can have a little more complete<br />
story at that time, as well.<br />
But please write these men and thank<br />
them for championing the cause of Je<br />
sus Christ in our national Capitol.<br />
My most sincere thanks to so many of<br />
you who have been praying that the<br />
Lord would open hearts and doors here<br />
in Washington. God has answered.<br />
Sincerely in Christ,<br />
A. J. McFarland<br />
Address your letter to:<br />
The Honorable Eugene Siler<br />
House Office Building<br />
Washington, D. C.<br />
THE CHRISTIAN AMENDMENT<br />
INTRODUCED<br />
(Continued from front page)<br />
Today I have introduced a joint reso<br />
lution to amend the Constitution of the<br />
United States so as to give due recog<br />
nition to Almighty God.<br />
The resolution was the Christian<br />
Amendment.<br />
I was present to see Mr. Ashmore<br />
hand in this paper and also the Bill. The<br />
Bill was handed in just after the open<br />
ing prayer, at the beginning<br />
of the Ses<br />
sion, thus the comments ranked a place<br />
on the front page. There were a number<br />
of others who handed in Bills at the<br />
same time. Mr. Ashmore scanned the<br />
gallery and we waved at each other as<br />
he walked back after putting the Bill in.<br />
So far as I can determine no one else<br />
submitted the Bill on Wednesday. We<br />
have hopes of some others doing it<br />
(Continued on page 367)<br />
366<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
'<br />
Church News<br />
I moderated a call for the Topeka<br />
Congregation on June 1. Licentiate<br />
Donald McClurkin was chosen on the<br />
first ballot, and the call was made<br />
unanimous.<br />
ALMONTE, CANADA<br />
D. R. Taggart<br />
Visiting with Mrs. Bella Burns and<br />
Wm. Burns over the Easter week end<br />
were Mr. and Mrs. Sam Burns and<br />
Danny of Hamilton, and Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Ernie Burridge and Erna Lee of Otta<br />
wa.<br />
The hostess for the April meeting of<br />
the W.M.S. was Mrs. Milton Bowes.<br />
This was* an evening meeting.<br />
Mr. Will Burns is recovering from an<br />
accident which resulted in a severe<br />
chest injury and a fractured rib. He is<br />
now home from the hospital.<br />
The annual congregational meeting<br />
was held at the church on May 3. The<br />
new officers are Mr. James Morton,<br />
Chairman, and Miss Elizabeth Burns,<br />
Secretary. Prayer Meeting was held<br />
before the business was discussed.<br />
Rev. and Mrs. F. F. Reade left on<br />
the 2nd of May for Cambridge, Mass.,<br />
The Christian Amendment . . .<br />
(Continued from p. 366)<br />
shortly, but it isn't necessary at all that<br />
all do it on the same day. The others.<br />
perhaps, will make no comment, but we<br />
do expect that there will be at least one<br />
or two others, and possibly as many as<br />
four others who will introduce the Bill<br />
in the House. We will have to wait a<br />
little longer in<br />
the Senate, since the<br />
Senator whom we hoped would do it<br />
left Tuesday evening to be gone for the<br />
rest of the week, and we await his reply<br />
when he returns.<br />
I am now on my way to the office in<br />
Pittsburgh. I want to say of my trip to<br />
Washington, in general, that I consid<br />
ered it most profitable. It had its prob<br />
lems, its heart breaks, but it also bore<br />
much fruit, and we have learned some<br />
things that we are sure will be helpful<br />
in the future in holding<br />
what gains we<br />
make. If you will indulge a further<br />
story I will try next time to give a<br />
brief summary of what transpired and<br />
some of our hopes for the future. It is<br />
to a great extent your prayers, and your<br />
money, that has made any of this work<br />
a success. You deserve to know of some<br />
of the fruits. We will try and give those<br />
next time.<br />
June 8, 1955<br />
Sincerely,<br />
A. J. McFarland<br />
and will<br />
attend the Presbyterial. On<br />
Sabbath the services were in charge of<br />
the elders and the Y. P.<br />
A large number attended the social<br />
on the evening of May 6 at the home<br />
of Mrs. Jane Waddell. Our purpose was<br />
to help Mr. and Mrs. John Morton cele<br />
brate their 15th Wedding Anniversary.<br />
The anniversary cake was enjoyed by<br />
everyone of course.<br />
Spring has arrived here in Canada<br />
and we are happy to report that Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Will White have also arrived<br />
from Florida.<br />
HOPKINTON<br />
Miss Minnie Anderson, the oldest<br />
member of our congregation, is very ill<br />
in the Memorial hospital at Manchester.<br />
We enjoyed the fellowship of the Rev.<br />
and Mrs. John O. Edgar and Louise,<br />
and were much helped by his ministry<br />
in connection with our recent commun<br />
ion.<br />
Mr. Ray Joseph who has completed<br />
his second year at the Seminary<br />
has<br />
gone to the Indian Mission to minister<br />
while the Rev. and Mrs. D. C. Ward are<br />
away.<br />
Mr. Hugh McGlade who has been<br />
treasurer of our congregation for more<br />
than a quarter of a century was honored<br />
on the occasion of his 80th birthday by<br />
his family, the congregation and other<br />
friends who met in his home. His daugh<br />
ter, Mrs. Ruth Stevenson, had come<br />
from near Detroit to be present on that<br />
occasion. Mr.<br />
McGlade was presented<br />
with a handsome (Thompson's) Bible<br />
by his pastor on behalf of his friends.<br />
Mr. J. R. Stevenson of Farmington,<br />
Mich., a former member of our congre<br />
gation, stopped over night, taking his<br />
wife and family<br />
to the funeral of his<br />
mother, Mrs. James Stevenson of Clar<br />
inda.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. John Finlay attended<br />
the funeral of their aunt, Mrs. Steven<br />
son, at Clarinda. Mrs. Stevenson was<br />
known and loved in our congregation<br />
and community.<br />
ROSE POINT<br />
Rev. Harold Harrington of New<br />
Castle ably assisted our pastor at our<br />
Spring communion on April 24.<br />
Two new members have recently<br />
come to our congregation, sons born to<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Stoner and to<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Bessell.<br />
Martin Hutcheson was the winner of<br />
a bronze medal in a Junior Speech Con<br />
test held in New Castle under the di<br />
rection of the Lawrence County Wom<br />
an's Christian Temperance Union. Lois<br />
Stickle, a member of our Sabbath<br />
School, participated in a Silver Medal<br />
Contest also held in New Castle.<br />
The young men of the congregation<br />
have been busy recently putting a new<br />
ceiling on the entrance hall and audi<br />
torium of the church. It is a decided im<br />
provement.<br />
Paul Robb, recently<br />
graduated from<br />
the Seminary, preached for us while our<br />
pastor Rev. T. R. Hutcheson was ab<br />
sent assisting in communion at the<br />
Parnassus church.<br />
Linda McElwain, daughter of Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Harry McElwain, is able to be at<br />
church again after being kept indoors<br />
most of the winter with a bronchial in<br />
fection.<br />
Merle Wilson represented our session<br />
at the meeting of Presbytery held in<br />
the College Hill Church.<br />
Stephanne Dudash is a graduate of<br />
Princeton High School this year. She is<br />
assistant secretary<br />
School.<br />
of our Sabbath<br />
The Daily Vacation Bible School will<br />
be held at Princeton school this year<br />
June 13 to 24. Rev. and Mrs. T. R.<br />
Hutcheson and Miss Mary Jane Wilson<br />
assist as teachers in this school.<br />
A number from Rose Point attended<br />
the Pittsburgh Presbyterial held in the<br />
Parnassus church in New Kensington.<br />
Miss Anna Blair was timekeeper and<br />
Mrs. T. R. Hutcheson and Miss Mary<br />
Jane Wilson are members of the Exe<br />
cutive Board.<br />
CAMBRIDGE, MASS.<br />
Our Communion season was a bless<br />
ing to all who were able to attend. Rev.<br />
Claude Brown from Selma was our as<br />
sistant and broke the Bread of Life to<br />
us most faithfully. But he was not<br />
through when Sabbath services were<br />
over. The New York Women's Presby<br />
terial met the next Tuesday and Rev.<br />
Brown was the evening<br />
first night.<br />
speaker the<br />
All of the messages and fellowship<br />
which he afforded us were a witness to<br />
his walk with Christ.<br />
The second night of Presbyterial was<br />
in the hands of Rev. Sam Boyle who<br />
not only showed films from Japan, but<br />
challenged us to pray urgently for the<br />
work of Christ in Japan now.<br />
Last month several of the men of the<br />
congregation spent some long<br />
and late<br />
hours at the church. They refinished<br />
the Sabbath School room. Of course<br />
there was new paint, but they<br />
up an acoustic tile ceiling<br />
also put<br />
and bright<br />
new flourescent light fixtures. The dif<br />
ference is amazing and helps out great<br />
ly on occasions when this room is used<br />
for dinners, entertainments, etc.<br />
367
We have been very glad to have Bob<br />
Dodds of the Central-Pittsburgh con<br />
gregation with us lately. He is in the<br />
Coast Guard and has been stationed<br />
here in Boston as a dental technician.<br />
As far as he knows now he may be here<br />
for quite some time and so he is a very<br />
welcome addition to our number, and<br />
we trust that we will find him in our<br />
fellowship as often as his duties permit.<br />
OLD BETHEL (Houston, 111.)<br />
The Sparta and Old Bethel Congrega<br />
tions united in communion services,<br />
Sabbath, April 17, with the usual pre<br />
paratory services. Dr. M. K. Carson of<br />
Belle Center assisted our Pastor and<br />
brought us inspiring<br />
messages. Mrs.<br />
Carson and Mrs. J. M. Coleman came<br />
with Dr. Carson and renewed old<br />
friendships in this community.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. James Keys also of<br />
Belle Center came with the Carsons and<br />
enjoyed a short visit with the Ralph<br />
Matthews Family. We were glad to<br />
have them with us for this Communion<br />
Season.<br />
Our Pastor, Rev. John M. McMillan<br />
conducted "Family<br />
Devotions"<br />
a fifteen<br />
minute program on our local radio sta<br />
tion WHCO recently. He used the Grinnel<br />
Psalm records and made very in<br />
teresting and effective talks during the<br />
week that he was in charge of the pro<br />
gram.<br />
William R. Finley<br />
and James W.<br />
Mathews were welcomed into the mem<br />
bership of<br />
communion.<br />
Old Bethel at our recent<br />
Mrs. R. C. Adams of our Kentucky<br />
Mission visited in the home of her<br />
daughter Mrs. J. M. McMillan recently.<br />
While here she made a very interesting<br />
talk on the work in Kentucky.<br />
Old Bethel has been greatly favored<br />
in contacts with our Missionaries dur<br />
ing recent months. We have listened to<br />
very fine reports of the work from all<br />
three of our foreign mission fields. We<br />
feel that our interest has been quick<br />
ened and that we can pray more in<br />
telligently for our workers since hearing<br />
these reports.<br />
The new officers of the W.M.S. are<br />
Mrs. L. S. Finley, President; Mrs. W. L.<br />
Finley, Vice President; Mrs. Ralph<br />
Mathews, Secretary; and Mrs. Olive<br />
Mathews, Treasurer.<br />
ALLEGHENY<br />
For the past few weeks, Mrs. C. R.<br />
Fox has been in Wooster, Ohio, where<br />
she has been combining a visit with her<br />
sister, Mrs. Thomas Graham, with med<br />
ical treatments from a doctor.<br />
Mrs. W. S. Robb has been home from<br />
the hospital for several weeks. We are<br />
glad that she is<br />
able to be with us<br />
again at our Sabbath service<br />
S68<br />
and are<br />
hoping that her strength will soon re<br />
turn to normal.<br />
Mrs. R. Howard Ge<strong>org</strong>e has returned<br />
from Kansas City. Our prayers went<br />
with her, as she was going to the bed<br />
side of her brother, Dr. Paul Coleman.<br />
We were pleased to have Mr. Richard<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e and his family<br />
with us at church<br />
last Sabbath. We were particularly glad<br />
to see their little daughter Linda for the<br />
first time. Richard is<br />
in the Service,<br />
stationed at the Engineering Depot at<br />
Granite City, Illinois.<br />
Our communion was on April 24. It<br />
was a very<br />
good communion season,<br />
with helpful sermons by the assistant,<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar, of Sharon, Iowa.<br />
We were privileged to hear Dr. Bruce<br />
Willson preach at the closing of the<br />
Seminary in a combined service at the<br />
Central Pittsburgh Church. The follow<br />
ing Sabbath evening, we joined with<br />
Central Pittsburgh at their closing com<br />
munion service, when we heard a fine<br />
sermon by Dr J. G. Voss of Geneva<br />
College.<br />
QUINTER<br />
A supper was held in the church base<br />
ment Monday evening May 16, in honor<br />
of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bailey of Greeley,<br />
Colorado.<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Paul Faris and chil<br />
dren, Mrs. Hobert Haney, Mrs. Lloyd<br />
Ewing and Mrs. Bert McElroy attended<br />
the Kansas Women's Presbyterial at<br />
Denison, Kansas, on May 3 and 4.<br />
A work day at the church is planned<br />
for Thursday May 26.<br />
A hearing<br />
aid system has been pur<br />
chased for the hard of hearing.<br />
CINCINNATI<br />
The Sacrament of Communion was<br />
observed on May 8. The Rev. E. R.<br />
Hemphill brought inspiring and helpful<br />
messages on Friday evening, Saturday<br />
afternoon and Sabbath morning. The<br />
congregation expresses thanks to the<br />
provisional session, Mr. R. H. Reed and<br />
Mr. James King, for their presence at<br />
Communion times. The Covenant was<br />
also signed on this occasion. Three new<br />
members were received into the church,<br />
Mr. Howard Miles, Mr. Leroy Diss and<br />
Mr. Wm. Haynes. The Sacrament of<br />
Baptism was administered to Mr. How<br />
ard Miles, Mr. Leroy Diss and Mr. Wm.<br />
POETRY TIME<br />
God gives us joy that we may give;<br />
He gives us joy that we may share;<br />
Sometimes He gives us loads to lift<br />
That we may learn to bear.<br />
For life is gladder when we give,<br />
And love is sweeter when we share,<br />
And heavy loads rest lightly too,<br />
When we have learned to bear.<br />
Selected.<br />
Haynes on May 1. Deborah Jane Harsh<br />
was baptized on Saturday afternoon,<br />
May 7, by Rev. E. R. Hemphill.<br />
A Cradle call was formed with thir<br />
teen members. The recognition service<br />
for the Cradle call was held on April 10.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Patton (Grace<br />
McGaha) announce the birth of a son,<br />
Bradley, born April 30.<br />
The congregation is indebted to Mr.<br />
R. H. Reed of Belle Center for a very<br />
attractive out door sign for the church.<br />
Miss Cecil Smith has been very gen<br />
erous in supplying interesting tracts for<br />
the new church tract rack.<br />
At S. S. Association meeting held,<br />
May 16, at the newly finished home of<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Esty Pickelheimer, 3105<br />
Diehl Road, an Oxford Bible was pre<br />
sented by the congregation to Mrs.<br />
Pickelheimer for twenty-five years of<br />
faithful services as Church Custodian.<br />
Mrs.<br />
Pickelheimer's mother was hon<br />
ored on the occasion of her eightieth<br />
birthday. Because of ill health Mrs.<br />
Pickelheimer resigned her position as<br />
Church Custodian. The Board of Trus<br />
tees elected Mr. Howard Miles to fill<br />
the position.<br />
TO OUR NEWS REPORTERS<br />
Thank you<br />
during the past year<br />
our new correspondents.<br />
for your faithful work<br />
and welcome to<br />
May we request a shortening of some<br />
of the church news, perhaps by elimin<br />
ating some of the regular monthly<br />
meetings unless something<br />
special oc<br />
curs. Some reports recently have taken<br />
considerable space<br />
and printing is ex<br />
pensive. Stress items of denominationwide<br />
interest. Thanks for your coop<br />
eration.<br />
Quoted<br />
OPEN LETTER TO CAMBRIDGE<br />
CONGREGATION<br />
Dear friends,<br />
My wife and I want to thank you sin<br />
cerely for your kindnesses to us when<br />
David was born. Your letters were ap<br />
preciated as were your visits.<br />
help<br />
And we wish to thank you for your<br />
with the expenses of the hospital<br />
and doctors. It was a kindness which we<br />
shall not f<strong>org</strong>et.<br />
You have more than supplied our<br />
needs from day to day,<br />
and so we want<br />
to make wider recognition of your good<br />
ness to us through this open letter.<br />
Sincerely in Christ,<br />
Donald and Betty Robb<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
strength."<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 3, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1955 NUMBER 24<br />
Spiritually<br />
How Tired Do You Get<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e B. Duncan<br />
Condensed from "The Bible Speaks to Britain"<br />
I suppose that most of us have known what it<br />
has meant to be tired. And how difficult life can be<br />
come when we are in such a state. Everything be<br />
comes so much harder. But if physical and mental<br />
weariness can make life difficult, even more so does<br />
spiritual weariness, for this is the most vital part of<br />
our lives. There is a wonderful verse in the Bible<br />
which has something to tell us about the secret of<br />
spiritual strength. "They that wait upon the Lord<br />
shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with<br />
wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary,<br />
they shall walk and not faint" (Isa. 40:31).<br />
I want you to note that here the writer speaks<br />
of the limitation of our strength. It is something<br />
which needs to be renewed. I wonder how many<br />
Christians have ever stopped to think of this, and<br />
how many take any practical steps to meet the situ<br />
ation of spiritual weariness. Think for a moment as<br />
to why it is that we need to guard our spiritual<br />
strength. Why is it that we do become spiritually<br />
tired <br />
I think of the exhaustion through service that<br />
is bound to exist. Anybody<br />
who works hard physical<br />
ly will get physically tired, mental effort leads to<br />
mental weariness, spiritual service will lead to spir<br />
itual weariness. Do you recall how of Christ we read<br />
that He knew that virtue had gone out of Him <br />
I think too of the impoverishment through neg<br />
lect. Anybody who neglects his body<br />
and health will<br />
soon discover that his strength is not the same as<br />
that of others. But how often men and women be<br />
come spiritually tired simply for the same reason,<br />
they have been neglecting the simple and elementary<br />
rules of health. Lack pf food; of feeding upon the<br />
Word of God; lack of fresh air; of prayer in the<br />
presence of God;. lack of exercise, of witness Yes,<br />
neglect is one of the most common reasons for spirit<br />
ual weariness.<br />
But think also of enfeeblement through disease.<br />
Have you ever been ill, really ill Do you remember<br />
the utter weakness that afflicted your body Why,<br />
you could scarcely walk across the room! And so<br />
too, sin, in the realm of spiritual disease, weakens<br />
the body. Samson "wist not that the Lord had de<br />
parted from him," but his sin had broken the fellow<br />
ship that once had existed.<br />
Are you spiritually tired I wonder if some of<br />
the above thoughts will give you a clue why it is<br />
that you have found your strength to be so limited,<br />
how it is that it needs to be renewed.<br />
But this verse goes on to tell not only of the<br />
limitation of our strength but also of the inspiration<br />
of our strength. "They that wait upon the Lord shall<br />
renew their<br />
"They that wait upon the<br />
Lord."<br />
Are you in this company of people who know<br />
what this is in their daily life Note three things<br />
here concerning the inspiration, the inbreathing of<br />
strength into our spiritual lives.<br />
Firstly, there is the fact of derivation. Our<br />
strength is not in ourselves, it is in God. Nothing is<br />
more obvious than this from the teaching of the<br />
whole Bible. Spiritual strength is not human, it is<br />
divine.<br />
This suggests then the need for the place of de<br />
votion. "They that wait upon the Lord," well then, I<br />
must surely have a place where I wait upon Him.<br />
Do you have such a place<br />
And this suggests finally the need for discipline.<br />
I will not form this habit without the most exact and<br />
careful discipline of my time, my habits. So that<br />
amongst the many other priorities that make their<br />
(Continued on page 376)
evil"<br />
public."<br />
wane."<br />
evening."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Would Ban Drink on Planes<br />
The association of stewards and stewardesses on air<br />
lines recently adopted a resolution disapproving the serving<br />
of liquor on commercial air transports. The association<br />
asked its officers to do what they could to discourage this<br />
practice "in the interest of the safety of the<br />
The<br />
practice of serving free drinks on foreign air lines on trans<br />
oceanic flights was started several years ago, and now<br />
American lines serve liquor on the extra-fare planes even<br />
on short flights. The reasons seem to be that they fear los<br />
ing customers because of close competition among the dif<br />
ferent lines. The stewardesses and stewards have the best<br />
opportunity to see the harmful results of drinking on planes<br />
and no doubt have to clean many messes which have result<br />
ed from drink. Men on trains who have been drinking are<br />
difficult to manage, how much more on planes. When we<br />
were riding recently all night on a train we were bothered<br />
and lost sleep because of a man in front of us who was<br />
drunk. Why do not the Christian citizens of our land rise as<br />
one man and demand the banning of drink, not only on air<br />
and land transports, but throughout the whole country<br />
A Crusader Passes<br />
A man who was probably the oldest and one of the best<br />
known crusaders against the liquor traffic, Clinton N. How<br />
ard, passed to his reward April 27. He was known as the<br />
"Little Giant of Prohibition Reform." He was almost 87<br />
years old when he died. This writer can remember him as<br />
a prominent prohibitionist and Chautauqua lecturer when<br />
I was a boy. Clinton Howard, Billy Sunday<br />
and Wm. J.<br />
Bryan had much to do in the leadership of bringing about<br />
the 18th amendment outlawing the liquor traffic in the<br />
U.S.A. It was a sad day when that law was repealed. The<br />
slaughter on our high ways, at least half of which is due to<br />
drinking drivers, is a sufficient reason alone for prohibiting<br />
the whole liquor traffic, and this includes beer. If more<br />
people read such temperance papers as the National Voice,<br />
and learned of the fearful disaster of drink, they would be<br />
more willing to take a stand against it.<br />
Crime Due to Drink<br />
The National Voice quotes Judge Raymond Campbell of<br />
Sullivan County, Tenn., as saying in a public address: "No<br />
man could sit on the bench and ... be complaisant about . . .<br />
this tremendous<br />
of alcohol. He estimated that 90 per<br />
cent of the criminal cases in his court are the direct or in<br />
direct result of alcohol and that this evil is responsible for<br />
three-fourths of the divorces.<br />
Beer Broadcasts<br />
It is estimated that $50 million will be spent by adver<br />
tisers to sponsor major league ball games on radio and tele<br />
vision during the 1955 season. More games will be sponsored<br />
by brewers than any other industry. Probably the largest<br />
baseball beercaster of all is Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser<br />
Beer) of St. Louis, owners of the St. Louis Cardinals. They<br />
are to sponsor half of all the Cardinals' games on radio over<br />
90 stations in at least nine Midwestern and Southern states.<br />
Can millions listen to these broadcasts praising beer, with<br />
out being impressed Some will be disgusted, but thousands<br />
370<br />
will wish to use their product. Do you want your boy<br />
to be inclined to sample beer<br />
Family Worship<br />
or girl<br />
The Free Methodist, quoting from Simpson's "Tradi<br />
tions of the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s," says: "James Glendenning then<br />
brought a Bible from the shelf, and placing it on the table,<br />
said: "There is one duty which besides many others we<br />
have heretofore neglected I mean family worship; it is my<br />
intention, therefore, to perform that duty this<br />
"This service is a duty which no one who has any re<br />
gard for the divine honor, and regard for personal respon<br />
sibility, or any concern for the spiritual welfare of a fam<br />
ily, can possibly omit. The religion of that household in<br />
which God is not worshiped is either extinct or greatly on<br />
the<br />
Ministers to Russia<br />
The Watchman-Examiner informs us that four Ameri<br />
can Baptist ministers may be allowed to preach in Russian<br />
churches this summer. Russian Baptists have obtained<br />
approval of their government to invite the American min<br />
isters to Russia. The project does not yet have the approval<br />
of the U. S. State Department.<br />
Fewer Divorces<br />
There has been a drop in the number of divorces in<br />
West Germany. In 1948, there were 19 divorces for every<br />
10,000 inhabitants, but in 1953, for which statistics have<br />
just been made public, there were only ten.<br />
Victims from Japan<br />
The 25 girls, victims of the atomic bomb attack on Hiro<br />
shima, who have been brought to New York for medical<br />
treatment for their scars, are under the care of the Rev.<br />
Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister. Of these girls, 15<br />
are - members of Mr. Tanimoto's Nagaragawa Christian<br />
(Continued on page 376)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue. Topeka, Kansan.<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers .<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll. D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editor*<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: $2.50 per year:<br />
Overseas. $3.00; Single Copiei-<br />
10 cents.<br />
The Rev. R. B. Lyons. B.A., Limavaoy, N. Ireland, Agent for the<br />
British Isles.<br />
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansas<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
affairs."<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
REEDOM FOR FOUR<br />
Red China has released four of the fifteen U. S. airmen<br />
hom she has admitted holding prisoner. All four of those<br />
eed were jet pilots captured individually when they were<br />
lot down during the Korean War. After being held for two<br />
sars in violation of the Korean armistice agreement, they<br />
ere recently brought to "trial" before a Chinese military<br />
jurt. All were convicted of intruding on Chinese territory,<br />
ut their punishment was reduced to deportation. Of course<br />
genrous.<br />
The real motive for the release is not yet<br />
lis was merely a device to make the Chinese appear<br />
clear;<br />
'eiping has never before made any<br />
xpecting something in return.<br />
concessions without<br />
Hope is now revived for the release of the eleven other<br />
irmen. Their case is more difficult, however, since they<br />
rere "convicted" as spies last November and given long<br />
rison sentences. But the U. S. will continue to press for<br />
heir freedom, and for the release of forty-one American<br />
ivilians who are also held in China.<br />
JRADUAL INTEGRATION<br />
The long-awaited Supreme Court ruling on means of imlementing<br />
its ban on school segregation proved to be a<br />
loderate decision. In a unanimous opinion, the Court directd<br />
the lower levels of the Federal judiciary to comply with<br />
he principles laid down in last year's decision. But no deadine<br />
was set for the ending of comlexity<br />
of the problem and the great variation in<br />
segregation, due to the<br />
local<br />
onditions. The Supreme Court merely directed the states<br />
3 eliminate segregation within a "reasonable" time. The<br />
>wer Federal courts will have the responsibility of passing<br />
n local plans. This ruling should help to end the immediate<br />
ension in the South, and is accepted with good grace even<br />
y Negro leaders. However, it will probably lead to lengthy<br />
ligation in the lower courts, which might have been<br />
revented if the Supreme Court had taken a more courgeous<br />
stand.<br />
1AISING CONTROVERSY<br />
In his first veto of this session of Congress, President<br />
lisenhower killed the bill for an 8.8 per cent increase in the<br />
ay of postal workers. He disapproved the act because it<br />
arried no corresponding increase in postal rates, and beause<br />
some provisions were unfair to certain groups of post-<br />
1 employees. The veto was easily sustained and Congress<br />
ill probably adopt an 8 per cent increase, which the<br />
resident is likely to approve. Congress may also try to<br />
xtend the same increase to more than a million workers<br />
l the classified civil service. But Eisenhower recommended<br />
nly a 5 per cent increase for them, and will probably veto<br />
nything over 6 per cent. In any case, the postal raise is<br />
are to bring increases for other federal employees. The<br />
bngressmen can hardly refuse, since they<br />
wn salaries substantially at the beginning<br />
ARGAINING WITH TITO<br />
raised their<br />
of the session.<br />
The Soviet Union's top leaders spent eight days visiting<br />
ugoslavia's Marshal Tito, without bringing him back into<br />
le Soviet bloc. The visit began with an abject apology,<br />
y party chief Khrushchev, for Tito's ouster from the Comiform<br />
in 1948, and for all the economic and propaganda<br />
une 15, 1955<br />
attacks of Russia since then. But Tito was unmoved. At<br />
the end of the conference, a joint declaration was issued<br />
announcing agreement on many elements of foreign policy,<br />
such as Red China's right to Formosa and to membership'<br />
in the U. N. However, the declaration did not denounce<br />
the West, so Tito is free to continue friendly relations:<br />
with us. There also was no mention of a tie between the<br />
Russian and Yugoslav Communist parties. The declaration<br />
included a significant provision upholding the principle of<br />
"mutual respect and noninterference in internal<br />
American officials seem satisfied that Tito has maintained<br />
his independence, but will soon meet him to review our poli<br />
cies. Since 1950 we have given Tito about $500 million in<br />
economic aid, and even more in military equipment.<br />
ECONOMIC PARALYSIS<br />
A transportation tieup late in May threw Great Britain<br />
into her worst economic crisis since the general strike of<br />
1926. First 20,000 dock workers walked out in six British<br />
ports. Then 70,000 locomotive engineers and firemen went<br />
en strike for a wage increase. Their effort to gain special<br />
benefits was opposed by the National Council of Railwaymen,<br />
representing 400,000 workers. But within a few days<br />
rail service was cut to 20 per cent of normal, and shippers<br />
found it difficult to get goods to and from the ports that<br />
were still open. All available trucks, busses, and cars were<br />
used, but this produced record traffic jams. Britain is<br />
especially sensitive to transportation because she imports<br />
60 per cent of her food and many of the raw materials<br />
of industry. After one week of the strike, over a quarter<br />
of a million industrial workers had become unemployed, and<br />
Great Britain's new-found prosperity was being seriously<br />
threatened.<br />
DEFENSE LEADERS<br />
President Eisenhower has reappointed Admiral Arthur W.<br />
Radford as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for<br />
another two-year term. When Radford was first named to<br />
the top service post, in 1953, there was criticism because of<br />
his sharp attacks on the Air Force. Since then he seems<br />
to have satisfied even the airmen that he places the total<br />
defense of the country above the immediate fortunes of the<br />
Navy. Nathan Twining has been reappointed as Air Force<br />
Chief of Staff, and General Maxwell Taylor succeeds Gen<br />
eral Ridgway as Army Chief.<br />
SAVE THE FISH<br />
The U. S. Senate has unanimously approved a treaty with<br />
Canada for cooperation in eradicating sea lamprey from<br />
the Great Lakes. The sea lamprey<br />
is an eel-like parasite<br />
which fastens itself to other fish, sucking out their vital<br />
fluids and eventually killing them. It lives part of its life<br />
in the ocean, but returns to inland streams to spawn.<br />
In the last twenty years it has invaded the Great Lakes<br />
and destroyed most of the trout and whitefish in Lake<br />
Huron and Lake Michigan, and is also entering Lake Super<br />
ior. This has ruined a fishing industry which used to bring<br />
in several million dollars a year. Electric cages have been<br />
developed which will kill the spawning lamprey without in<br />
juring other fish. With effective international cooperation,<br />
there is good hope for saving the Great Lakes fisheries.<br />
371
works."<br />
abide."<br />
goal"<br />
city."<br />
(.(.<br />
The Race Before Us"<br />
The Wednesday morning devotional address at the Grinnell Conference<br />
Rev. Kermit S. Edgar<br />
Hebrews 12:1, 2, "Wherefore, seeing<br />
we also are<br />
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,<br />
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth<br />
so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the<br />
race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the<br />
;"<br />
author and finisher of our faith<br />
Life is a race, in the sense of striving toward<br />
an objective. The apostle Paul summed up his life in<br />
these words: "I have fought a good fight, I have<br />
finished my course, I have kept the faith." His life<br />
had been a race, characterized by effort and struggle<br />
all the way, and he had not faltered. Hence the ex<br />
hortation of this Epistle, beginning at chapter 10,<br />
verse 19, is to hold fast to our hope in the New Cove<br />
nant through the blood of Christ, and to help the<br />
"brethren. The 11th chapter adds its list of illustra<br />
tions of such faith. Then,<br />
supported by examples,<br />
the writer calls upon us to follow in their footsteps<br />
of faithfulness. "Let us run with patience the race<br />
us."<br />
that is set before<br />
I. We Must Run The Christian Race.<br />
There are many kinds of races, races against<br />
'competition and races against time. There are short<br />
dashes and races of long endurance. The Christian<br />
race is a relay race one in which others have run<br />
before us, and still others shall follow us. It is now<br />
our turn to carry the baton.<br />
The stadium is filled with old grads, all of them<br />
runners at one time or another. Some are terribly<br />
battered and mutilated. But they are the most glori<br />
ous company of winners the world has ever known !<br />
Every one has received the crown of righteousness !<br />
The list is not complete, for it numbers a great mul<br />
titude which no man can number, from the days of<br />
Abel down to the times of our fathers of whom we<br />
have been most conscious during these days of cove<br />
nanting. Each in turn has carried the baton, and<br />
now it is passed to us.<br />
It is most important that we appreciate the<br />
heritage of truth we have received from the past,<br />
and that we carry it as a sacred trust for the future.<br />
The race did not start with us, neither does it stop<br />
with us. Paul in Ephesians 2:19-22, uses another<br />
figure, that of a temple, "built upon the foundation<br />
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself<br />
being the chief corner stone ; in whom all the build<br />
ing fitly framed together groweth unto a holy tem<br />
ple in the Lord : in whom ye also are builded together<br />
for a habitation of God through the Spirit." Peter<br />
speaks of us as living stones in this temple. So as one<br />
stone is built upon another, we are built upon the<br />
past,<br />
and the future will rest upon us.<br />
In our sixth Term of Communion we acknowl<br />
edge that "Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord of men<br />
and of nations, and that in loyalty and obedience to<br />
Him, it is our duty to follow the noble example of<br />
the faithful confessors and martyrs of Jesus in their<br />
372<br />
witness for divine truth, and in their sacrifices and<br />
labors to establish the Kingdom of God on earth."<br />
That is what is handed us from the past, divine<br />
truth and its application to every relationship of life.<br />
Only as we are faithful to their example in witness<br />
and labor, shall we be able to hand to those yet un<br />
born this sacred trust.<br />
In the 73rd Psalm, the Psalmist was having "a<br />
rough time" until his faith wavered, and he was<br />
ready to speak rashly from momentary surface im<br />
pressions. But he checked himself: "If I had said,<br />
been."<br />
children false had<br />
I thus will speak, I to Thy<br />
Young people, in the moments of the trial of your<br />
faith, do not lightly esteem the faith of your fathers,<br />
verified through generation after generation of test<br />
ing, and do not lightly discard it until you can re<br />
place it with something that will yield the same<br />
fruit of steadfastness! Moreover, you will be dis<br />
loyal to God's children after you if you do not pass<br />
on to them the conclusion of the Psalm, "I have put<br />
my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Thy<br />
"For Whom have I in heaven but Thee<br />
None else on earth I long to know.<br />
My flesh may faint and weary be ;<br />
My heart may fail and heavy grow ;<br />
With strength doth God my heart restore;<br />
evermore."<br />
He is my portion<br />
II. We Must Run toward a Definite Goal.<br />
It was said that Abraham "looked for a city which<br />
hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."<br />
In Hebrews 11:16 we read: "They desire a better<br />
country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not<br />
ashamed to be called their God: for He hath pre<br />
pared for them a Psalm 107 expresses God's<br />
leading, "That they might to a city go, wherein they<br />
might Jesus said: "When ye pray, say, Our<br />
Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy Name.<br />
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it<br />
is in heaven." The goal before us is a Kingdom of<br />
righteousness, a world for Jesus Christ,<br />
all of life for Him.<br />
all life and<br />
Therefore, ours is the goal of the ends of the<br />
earth turning, repenting, unto the Lord. It is the<br />
goal of the knowledge of the Lord covering the<br />
earth, as the waters cover the sea. It is the goal of<br />
that day when at the name of<br />
Jesus, every knee shall<br />
bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ<br />
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. It is the<br />
goal of all<br />
knowing Him, from the least unto the<br />
greatest. For He "is set down at the right hand of<br />
the throne of God." "He must reign, till He hath put<br />
all enemies under His feet."<br />
But we say, "That is too far away. It may<br />
not<br />
come when I am, running. What is my goal today"<br />
That is it. There is no lesser. Our question should<br />
be, "What can we contribute toward the attainment<br />
of that The answer is in the Covenant we<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
saved."<br />
us."<br />
covered!"<br />
us."<br />
serve."<br />
signed, which is an individual and world program of<br />
positive righteousness, an aggressive program for<br />
the regeneration of man and society.<br />
Some may believe our goal to be the preserva<br />
tion of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church. It is true the church<br />
needs members. We pray also for the day when all<br />
shall be one in Jesus Christ. Moreover, it is false<br />
optimism to ignore the dangers to the church. But<br />
remember, the church has always been in danger.<br />
Cain slew Abel and the existence of the church was<br />
threatened. After three years which Jesus spent<br />
with His disciples, still on the night of the trial all<br />
forsook Him and fled. The call from Macedonia was<br />
heard, and Paul answered that call, and the whole<br />
new continent was opened to the Word. What hap<br />
pened Paul and Silas landed in prison from man's<br />
point of view, hopeless! Nevertheless, they sang<br />
Psalms to Him whom no prison wall, nor Caesars,<br />
nor empires, nor civilizations, nor persecutions<br />
could stop!<br />
We are to preach Jesus Christ and Him cruci<br />
fied, Christ the wisdom of God and the power of God<br />
the wisdom of God in dealing with sin, and the<br />
power of God to transform the sinner, and all his re<br />
lationships of life. Following John 3:16, we read:<br />
"For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn<br />
the world ; but that the world through Him might be<br />
All the vows<br />
Saved men, and a saved world !<br />
of our Covenant are a positive effort toward that end,<br />
and our goal is faithfulness to the heavenly vision!<br />
We cannot agree with those views of the Kingdom<br />
which shrug off personal responsibility for seeking<br />
to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, by saying<br />
that Christ will do it when He comes. We are com<br />
missioned to go and preach the Kingdom of God!<br />
III. We Must Run as a Church Unshackled.<br />
"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which<br />
doth so easily beset There are many obstacles to<br />
bar the way, many burdens to slaken our pace, many<br />
encumbrances to hold us back. In Philippians 3, Paul<br />
speaks of "f<strong>org</strong>etting those things which are be<br />
hind," so he presses on. What are some of the things<br />
which shackle us<br />
1. The Remembrance of Past Glories. Paul had<br />
a glorious past, but if he stopped to admire it, his<br />
forward progress would be stopped. We too, have a<br />
glorious past. Our <strong>Covenanter</strong> history is filled with<br />
those who received the crown of faithfulness. If we<br />
stop to admire their crown, we shall never receive<br />
ours. So often I meet someone who glories in the fact<br />
his grandfather was a <strong>Covenanter</strong>. I always wonder,<br />
What about you <br />
2. The Burden of Past Sins shackles us. Sin al<br />
ways enslaves. But we have confessed our sins as a<br />
church as well as individuals. It is written: "If we<br />
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to f<strong>org</strong>ive us<br />
our sins, and to cleanse us from all<br />
Did God not mean every word He said Did Christ<br />
carry our sins to the cross in vain We ought to go<br />
forth with all the joy of the Psalmist as he sang,<br />
"0, the blessedness of the man whose transgression<br />
is f<strong>org</strong>iven,<br />
whose sin is<br />
3. The Lures of This World shackle us. One of<br />
the saddest sentences of Scripture is that of Paul,<br />
"Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present<br />
world."<br />
Was it the deceitfulness of riches I think<br />
June 15, 1955<br />
more likely it was the fear of persecution. In either<br />
case Satan offered the easy way out, and Demas<br />
took it. Jesus answered Satan's offer with these<br />
words, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and<br />
Him only shalt thou<br />
It cost Him the cross.<br />
It is easy to be a Christian at Grinnell, but it<br />
will mean struggle and hard work at home. It is easy<br />
to visualize programs at Synod, but it is a different<br />
matter working out the kingdom program, even in<br />
our larger congregations ; and 0, how hard for those<br />
in little groups where young people and others must<br />
labor almost alone! But we are His <strong>Witness</strong>es. One<br />
of the most challenging records of Scripture is that<br />
of a nameless little slave girl in the home of Naaman<br />
the Leper. She was a captive, with all her former<br />
dreams shattered, a prisoner in a far country, in the<br />
midst of heathen idolatry. Yet she was true to her<br />
God and gave her testimony, and not only was a man<br />
cleansed of his leprosy, but the relationship between<br />
nations was changed.<br />
IV. We Must Run with the Endurance of Hope.<br />
"And run with patience the race that is set before<br />
That is the patience of expectation. There is<br />
nothing more deadly than hopelessness. It may dem<br />
onstrate rare courage, or dogged determination, but<br />
to what end Ours is the endurance of hope.<br />
Toward the end of the Civil War, President Lin<br />
coln was asked if he had ever doubted the outcome.<br />
"Never for an instant," was his reply. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Muller<br />
was asked if he had ever had a doubt. He replied<br />
that once he had doubted for five minutes. Think of<br />
that only five minutes in a lifetime ! No wonder his<br />
was a life of power. Martin Luther walked out of the<br />
Diet of Worms where he had taken his famous stand<br />
on the truth of Scripture, with his hands held high,<br />
not as a prisoner, but in the symbol of victory. Lu<br />
ther was standing on the Truth, which endureth<br />
forever !<br />
We have renewed our Covenant on the basis of<br />
the promises of God. Does God mean what He says<br />
concerning His Truth He calls us to a life of posi<br />
tive goodness. Does He mean it He commissions us<br />
as He did Paul to proclaim His Name before kings.<br />
Does He mean it Paul believed that He did! One<br />
of our great messages is that of the Crown rights of<br />
Jesus Christ over the nation. If Christ does not<br />
mean it, how do you explain 140 radio programs in<br />
33 states today, and that backed by the meager bud<br />
get of the <strong>Witness</strong> Committee We have the Chris<br />
tian Amendment Bill in Congress; but some say,<br />
"Nothing will come of it." Nevertheless, through the<br />
"Congressional Record" it has gone into homes and<br />
offices all over this land. God led the editors of a<br />
national magazine to copy it, and thus millions of<br />
copies were distributed over this land. We need to<br />
run more with the patience of hopefulness.<br />
V. We Must Run with Our Eyes on Christ.<br />
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our<br />
faith."<br />
When we look to Jesus in our Christian Race,<br />
What do we see We see not yet all things put under<br />
Dr. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Morri<br />
Him, but we see Jesus crowned !<br />
son has written about the hopefulness of Christ.<br />
No where is Christ more hopeful than at the cross.<br />
We read: "Who for the joy that was set before Him,<br />
373
missionaries'<br />
me,"<br />
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set<br />
down at the right hand of the throne of God." Isaiah<br />
casts light on this "joy" in his prophecy (53:10),<br />
"when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin,<br />
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and<br />
the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand."<br />
Then we turn to Philippians and read that because<br />
He was obedient unto death, even the death of the<br />
cross, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him,<br />
and given Him a name that is above every name:<br />
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow<br />
and every tongue should confess that Jesus<br />
Father."<br />
of God the<br />
Christ is Lord, to the glory<br />
This is the victory that overcometh the world, even<br />
your faith.<br />
Only as our eyes are centered upon Christ<br />
shall we continue to run our Christian race, shall we<br />
be faithful to our trust, shall we run with purpose<br />
toward a goal, shall we run unshackled, shall we run<br />
with enduring hope, and shall we run unto victory.<br />
Last summer it was my privilege to stand at<br />
Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River, where<br />
over 21,000,000 tons of concrete were poured into<br />
that spot, building that dam 550 feet high and<br />
stretching over 4,000 feet between the hills. As a re<br />
sult, the water that once rushed headlong toward<br />
the sea was backed up and directed out in an irri<br />
gation project which brought new life to nearly a<br />
million acres of land. And I thought how when Jesus<br />
Christ is at the heart of a man, or a church, all the<br />
resources of that man or that church are turned<br />
into a great life giving power which brings blessing<br />
to mankind, and glory to God. When we look unto<br />
Jesus and cry, "I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in<br />
me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I<br />
live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,<br />
and gave Himself for then CHRIST'S CHARGE<br />
BECOMES MY CHALLENGE.<br />
And blessed be His glorious name,<br />
Long as the ages shall endure.<br />
O'er all the earth extend His fame;<br />
Amen, amen, for evermore.<br />
Why Not a Letter<br />
By Mrs. M. W. Dougherty Sytaodical Corresponding Secretary<br />
Twenty-two of the twenty-seven books of the New<br />
Testament took the form of letters under the Spirit's<br />
guidance. Paul's epistles overflow with warmth of<br />
love,<br />
assurance of prayers and a godly concern for<br />
the growth of Christian believers.<br />
Is letter writing a lost art Not to some folks<br />
who are constantly taking up their pens as instru<br />
ments of blessing. If you have been neglecting it,<br />
consider that your pen can greatly extend your op<br />
portunities for doing good. Its use may truly prove<br />
to be an avenue of Christian service.<br />
What may letters accomplish Friendship build<br />
ing may be one objective. Friendships through per<br />
sonal association require time and cultivation. What<br />
added care must be taken if one is dependent largely<br />
on letters ! Through them distance can be erased and<br />
the fires of friendship kindled and maintained. Even<br />
for friends near at hand a written message is more<br />
impressive and often more aptly phrased. Writing is<br />
a more permanent form of expression than the spok<br />
en word. When letters glow with the warmth of true<br />
friendship they can be helpful and satisfying. One<br />
has said that a person is rich in the friendships<br />
which he has made.<br />
So important did one consider letters to mission<br />
aries that the suggestion was made at a recent meet<br />
ing of the Kansas Women's Presbyterial Executive<br />
Board that this item be included in the secretary's<br />
report blank, so that it would receive more emphasis.<br />
Kind, friendly letters from home can brighten the<br />
days immeasurably.<br />
Write to bring cheer to the sick, the sorrowing,<br />
the burdened, the distressed. A letter will be less<br />
tiring to one very ill than a personal visit. Such a<br />
letter may well precede a personal visit. Who will<br />
not testify to the comforting strength of letters in<br />
times of bereavement One man told of a letter that<br />
he received after the volume of letters had dwindled<br />
374<br />
and he thought that people were fast f<strong>org</strong>etting his<br />
sorrow. But this one was especially appreciated in<br />
its understanding concern. A letter can assure those<br />
burdened and distressed that we feel keenly with<br />
them in their trials, and can praise them for their<br />
courage or other commendable conduct and encour<br />
age them to cast their burden upon the Lord.<br />
The least compensation one can give a bene<br />
factor is a note of thanks and yet how often that is<br />
neglected. Even gifts have sometimes gone unac<br />
knowledged. Gratitude is not a fruit of the natural<br />
heart ; it requires special implanting and cultivation.<br />
A gracious note came one day by mail from around<br />
the section. That one had taken the time to write<br />
made its message of thanks more special. A hostess<br />
finds her reward, for hospitality extended, in a<br />
thoughtful note sent promptly by an appreciative<br />
guest.<br />
David Dunn, in his inspiring book "Try Giving<br />
Yourself Away" states : "Years ago I learned that a<br />
'second thanks' is an important part of the gracious<br />
act of receiving. If a person sends me a book and I<br />
cannot read it immediately, I write a note of appre<br />
ciation at the time. Later and it may be many<br />
months, for I have much reading to do<br />
finish the book I write a second note, telling the<br />
when I<br />
giver of my enjoyment, this time in specific terms."<br />
Some years ago a "Readers Digest" article sug<br />
gested that each day in November one write a letter<br />
of thanks and appreciation to someone who had con<br />
tributed something to his life, a school teacher, a<br />
writer, a fellow worker, a person of the church or<br />
community. What a tidal wave of cheer, encourage<br />
ment and good will this custom would release !<br />
Open letters to newspapers and magazines offer<br />
an excellent opportunity for the common person to<br />
mold public opinion on the side of righteousness.<br />
This was suggested by a dry leader as a very helpful<br />
avenue of service. "The pen is mightier than the<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
you.'<br />
church"<br />
sword"<br />
because it molds the thought life of the na<br />
tion and this is the source of all action, humanly<br />
speaking.<br />
Be generous with your letters of commendation.<br />
If you like a radio or television program, say so.<br />
Many people in public life long for approval and en<br />
seek to do the right. David<br />
couragement when they<br />
Dunn says again, "How can you know that your<br />
word of appreciation or commendation will not<br />
strengthen or encourage some great person at a<br />
critical hour in his or her life I think often of the<br />
loneliness of Abraham Lincoln as he left the battle<br />
field after his Gettysburg address. After the long,<br />
flowery speech of Edward Everett, the orator of the<br />
day,<br />
which drew thunderous applause from the<br />
crowd, his simple speech was received in silence. He<br />
could not know that his hearers were so moved by<br />
his message that applause would have seemed sac<br />
rilege. He could not foresee that his words would one<br />
day be cast in imperishable bronze, and be taught<br />
every school child in the land. He could not know<br />
because no one told him."<br />
Do not hesitate when you feel that a letter of<br />
protest should be written. Make it kindly but firm<br />
and precede the protest by a word of commendation<br />
if possible. Some years ago wine advertising was dis<br />
continued in "Better Homes And Gardens" because<br />
of a volume of protests.<br />
Again, a letter may contain your witness for<br />
Christ your Saviour. Why can we talk so readily of<br />
a new recipe, a good book, a new product in the mar<br />
ket and yet refrain from telling the best news of all<br />
"That Christ died for our sins according to the<br />
Scriptures"<br />
Some like to enclose helpful tracts.<br />
Letter writing can be used by people of limited<br />
strength to do great good. One elderly woman writes<br />
each child in the congregation a letter on his birth<br />
day, that will be treasured.<br />
Here are suggestions to aid in really getting the<br />
contemplated letters written :<br />
1. Keep well stocked with stationery, stamps,<br />
postal cards, a convenient pen and all-occasion cards.<br />
These can aid us greatly in expressing the desired<br />
message.<br />
2. Have a correspondence corner somewhere so<br />
that you can write with ease.<br />
3. Set a time in the daily or weekly schedule<br />
when you will devote yourself to this form of serv<br />
ice.<br />
4. Pray for God's guidance that you may say the<br />
right thing. Certainly you will never say in writing<br />
anything that you could not say face to face. Seek<br />
to promote God's glory and the good of your fellow<br />
men through your pen.<br />
David Dunn assures us: "There is something<br />
peculiarly you in the letter or note you write. It<br />
says, T think enough of you to take the trouble<br />
to sit down and try to put into words the feeling I<br />
have toward It matters not whether you have<br />
the gift of expression. If you say what is in your<br />
heart, the words won't matter. And who knows your<br />
letter may<br />
arrive at a time of crisis. The course of<br />
many a person's life has been changed by a letter<br />
mail."<br />
received in the morning's<br />
Years ago in my address book I pasted this<br />
poem by Margaret gangster:<br />
June 15, 1955<br />
"Oftentimes it makes you better<br />
When you're ill to get a letter.<br />
Oftentimes when you are sad<br />
A wee note will make you glad.<br />
Sometimes when you're all alone,<br />
In a letter's friendly tone,<br />
You will find the sympathy<br />
That you need! It seems to me<br />
Letters are an easy way<br />
To make brighter someone's day.<br />
Letters make the miles seem fewer,<br />
Letters make old faiths seem newer,<br />
Letters make a friendly hand<br />
Warmly reach from land to land.<br />
Oh, I think we should (don't you)<br />
Write more letters than we do!"<br />
Book Review<br />
HIS NAME by the Rev. William Dyer, and EPHE<br />
SIANS by Walter C. Wright.<br />
These two books in the Moody<br />
brary<br />
Colportage Li<br />
contain 128 pages each and sell for 35c.<br />
HIS NAME is a series of sermons on the names<br />
of Christ found in the Old Testament the Desire of<br />
all Nations, the King of kings, the Mighty God, etc.<br />
It was the author's purpose to make his hearers and<br />
readers realize the matchless beauty of the Saviour<br />
and our need of Him. He was distressed because so<br />
many spent life very careless about the all important<br />
things of eternity and very careful about the less<br />
necessary things of time. He compares them to a<br />
woman who carried out her possessions from the<br />
burning house and her child was left to perish in the<br />
flames. The author, an English minister who died in<br />
1696, left the church in which he was raised and<br />
trained to work among the Quakers who were more<br />
interested in bringing others to know the Lord. It<br />
is well worth the price asked.<br />
EPHESIANS is a brief commentary<br />
on the let<br />
ter. Being brief it does not deal with every verse at<br />
great length, nor with some of the critical problems<br />
that some may raise. Yet for a good understanding<br />
of the real meaning of this letter "from the heart<br />
of Christ through the heart of Paul to the heart of<br />
the this booklet has much to offer. The av<br />
erage reader will find it more interesting and more<br />
helpful than some larger and far more expensive<br />
works.<br />
Stories for Young People.<br />
R. C. F.<br />
The Moody Press has also published three stor<br />
ies for children and younger young people. These are<br />
entitled Judy's Birthday Wish, Peppermint Sue, and<br />
Jack-o'-lantern house. The first two sell for 50c each<br />
and the third one for 75c.<br />
These are all paper covered, well bound booklets.<br />
The stories are well written. Each one emphasizes<br />
the need for faith and that young people need to be<br />
Christians in all of life. They teach the truth that,<br />
in the long run, the Christian life really pays.<br />
If you have children and young people in your<br />
homes, they will read and enjoy these books.<br />
R. C. F.<br />
375
The Spanish Brothers, by Deborah Alcock.<br />
HOW TIRED DO YOU GET .<br />
. . (from<br />
front page)<br />
Many books have been published concerning the<br />
persecutions of our <strong>Covenanter</strong> ancestors in Scot<br />
land. But this same struggle for religious freedom<br />
went on in other lands as well. This book is the story<br />
of that struggle in Spain. The great facts of the<br />
story are true, even though the book is written as<br />
fiction instead of history. There is a great deal said<br />
about the Inquisition and its cruelties as those were<br />
experienced in Spain. Yet the emphasis is upon the<br />
life and spiritual growth of those who loved the Lord<br />
and did not "love their lives" so much. They faced<br />
great suffering, but they found that the Lord's grace<br />
was sufficient for them. The hatred and the cruel<br />
ties of their persecutors did not cause them to turn<br />
their backs on the Lord. These drew them closer to<br />
Him.<br />
Protestantism failed in Spain, because of the en<br />
trenched power of Roman Catholicism, the fact that<br />
the church and the national government cooperated<br />
so closely in stamping out Protestantism, and be<br />
cause of the thoroughness with which the Bible was<br />
kept from the people. But God never failed to give<br />
His people all promised blessings.<br />
This same opposition exists to Protestantism in<br />
Spain today, and the same powers cooperate to keep<br />
it from spreading. The story is well written and will<br />
hold the interest of the reader. It is from the Moody<br />
Press. It is a book of 350 pages and sells for $3.00.<br />
R. C. F.<br />
We Learn to Worship God, By Robert T. Sutherland<br />
This is a book of sixty stories,<br />
each two pages<br />
long. Some are taken from the Bible, some from<br />
nature and some from missionary biography. Follow<br />
ing each story is the personal application of the truth<br />
to our need, and ends with a short prayer. The au<br />
thor of the book is a retired physician. He must have<br />
been a child's specialist ! He knows how to write for<br />
children. The old saying was, "All roads lead to<br />
Rome."<br />
All these stories lead to Christ and our need<br />
and His ability. The book was written for children,<br />
but parents, reading this book to their children, will<br />
find themselves richly repaid. It is another Moodv<br />
book and sells for $2.00.<br />
R. C. F.<br />
GLIMPSES . . . from<br />
page 370<br />
church in Hiroshima. They will receive free medical treat<br />
ment at Mount Sinai Hospital. The plane which brought<br />
them was furnished by the U. S. Air Force as a goodwill<br />
move toward Japan. Three Japanese surgeons will assist the<br />
U. S. doctors in a series of operations to correct deformities<br />
and scars on the girls. This is a small reminder of what an<br />
atomic war would do for our nation and other nations.<br />
Argentina's Religious War<br />
The National Congress of Argentina, overwhelmingly<br />
Peronist, has voted to approve a bill to separate church and<br />
state. If my memory serves me right, it was announced on<br />
the radio that the Senate had voted unanimously, and the<br />
House had only 16 out of 100 against the bill. The Pope<br />
protested vigorously against this action as did Catholic<br />
leaders in Argentina. Peron has been and probably still is a<br />
strong dictator. Perhaps this is a forward move for Argen<br />
tina which only a dictator could force through the Congress.<br />
376<br />
claim upon my time, this will have the first priority.<br />
The words of the text go on to speak of the<br />
manifestation of our strength. "They shall mount<br />
up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be<br />
weary, they shall walk and not faint." What do these<br />
words suggest to you They suggest to me the<br />
strength which comes from a soaring vision. That<br />
eagle can see so far. The man who shares the vision<br />
of God will see beyond the immediate present to the<br />
ultimate purpose. He will see beyond the difficulties<br />
the goal that awaits him.<br />
The words finally suggest the strength which<br />
shows itself in a plodding determination, "they shall<br />
walk and not faint." Who was it who said that suc<br />
cess is ten per cent inspiration and ninety per cent<br />
perspiration !<br />
Christian Digest<br />
OPENING OF SYNOD<br />
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1955, 7:30 P. M.<br />
Synod opened on schedule, with Rev. C. R Cas<br />
key precenter, Dr. T. C. McKnight reading the scrip<br />
ture, Dr. M. S. McMillan leading in prayer, the latter<br />
two seminary classmates of Dr. F. E. Allen, the re<br />
tiring moderator, who is preaching the sermon<br />
which appeared in last week's <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>.<br />
After the introduction of three newly-ordained<br />
ministers, Rev. Harold Harrington, Rev. Milton Har<br />
rington, and Rev. Glen McFarland, and six elders<br />
who were delegates to Synod for their first time, El<br />
ders Dodds Balph of College Hill, Mr. Bish of Cen<br />
tral Pittsburgh, Mr. McKee of Almonte, Ontario, Mr.<br />
Charles McBurney of Olathe, and Paul D. Bennett,<br />
Allegheny.<br />
The roll was called. Nominations for the new<br />
moderator were called for. Rev. F. F. Reade present<br />
ed the name of Dr. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Coleman. This was sec<br />
onded by Dr. M. S. McMillan who said that two years<br />
ago he had hoped to present the name of Dr. Paul<br />
Coleman but was enjoined not to do it on account of<br />
his (Paul's) health, but would be glad to see his<br />
brother Ge<strong>org</strong>e act by proxy for Paul as moderator<br />
if this were parliamentarily possible.<br />
Dr. R. J. McKnight then presented the name of<br />
Rev. W. C. McClurkin as candidate for the Modera<br />
tor. The final result was (after some discussion)<br />
that Dr. Paul Coleman, very seriously ill in a hospi<br />
tal in Kansas City was elected by a hearty unani<br />
mous vote to be Honorary Moderator, and Rev. W.<br />
C. McClurkin was chosen as the acting moderator.<br />
The former clerks, Rev. Howard Elliot and Rev.<br />
Waldo Mitchell were re-elected to serve another<br />
year. After the court adjourned there was the Cove<br />
nanter Palaver, when Scotch meets Scotch. The new<br />
Moderator adjourned the court in prayer.<br />
This report will be continued next week.<br />
If you think you are useless, it is pretty good<br />
evidence that you are. If you think you are indis<br />
pensable, it is pretty good evidence you are not.<br />
Merrill H. Eve.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
gospel."<br />
other."<br />
man,'<br />
several."<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of July 3, 1955<br />
C. Y. P. U. TOPIC<br />
For July 3, 1955<br />
STUDTES IN THE EPISTLE TO THE<br />
GALATIANS I.<br />
(Magna Charts of Christian Liberty)<br />
Galatians Chapters 1 and 2<br />
Comments by Alvin W. Smith D.D.<br />
Psalms:<br />
103:5-8, page 247<br />
40:9-12, page 103<br />
Prayer<br />
1. For the guidance and enlighten<br />
ment of the Holy Spirit.<br />
2. For all of our CYPU Summer<br />
Camps.<br />
3. For God's blessing<br />
upon the preach<br />
ing of the true gospel and the refuting<br />
of error.<br />
For Starting Acquaintance<br />
From our knowledge of the Acts we<br />
are already acquainted to some extent<br />
with Paul, his conversion, his com<br />
mission,<br />
his journeys, his writings to<br />
the churches and his prayers. For to<br />
night and the two succeeding Sabbaths<br />
we<br />
are undertaking the reading and<br />
studying of one of Paul's early letters<br />
sent to his converts in order to establish<br />
them in the true gospel. With great in<br />
tensity of feeling and concern as a fa<br />
ther and a tender nurse, Paul wrote to<br />
the Galatians.<br />
Value in This Study<br />
"This is the epistle that was the in<br />
spiration of Martin Luther in the Refor<br />
mation of which he was the great lead<br />
er. Its doctrine of Justification by Faith,<br />
so clearly set forth and so explicitly<br />
taught, led that mighty man out of the<br />
mazes of Romanism into the clear light<br />
of the<br />
We all have been bene<br />
fiting from the Reformation. But not<br />
only do we owe so much to this epistle<br />
because it inspired Luther four hundred<br />
years ago, we owe just as much to it<br />
for equipping us to meet the onslaught<br />
of unbelief and counterfeit gospels right<br />
now.<br />
Galatians declares:<br />
1. All men are condemned sinners.<br />
2. Salvation is impossible by the<br />
works of the law.<br />
3. Christ alone can save.<br />
4. By faith Abraham was saved.<br />
5. Jew and Gentile distinctions are<br />
done away.<br />
(Christianity is a world religion, not<br />
a Jewish sect). Purves in Davis Dic<br />
tionary.<br />
June 15, 1955<br />
"The Galatians had some marked<br />
Why Paul Wrote It<br />
came powerful among the Galatians." 1. Who were the Judaizers Does the<br />
"It was near the close of his residence characteristics. Fickleness was a strik<br />
at Ephesus (Acts 18:21) and about ing feature in the character of the Ga<br />
three years after his last visit in Galatia,<br />
latian converts. No country embraced<br />
that Paul was astounded to hear the Gospel so readily and cordially.<br />
that the churches in Galatia were ac<br />
tually in danger of turning their backs<br />
(Stony ground hearers). They received<br />
Paul with such gratitude and respect<br />
upon him and the Gospel he had as if he were an angel of God (Gal. 4:<br />
preached to them with so great appar<br />
ent success.<br />
"The tone of surprise of his letter suf<br />
14, 15). But no church fell so quickly<br />
from the faith. Soon converted they<br />
soon relapsed into Judaism."<br />
"It<br />
ficiently proves that he was wholly un<br />
was upon his second missionary<br />
prepared for the bad news when it did journey that Paul in company with Silas<br />
and<br />
reach him and this apparently indicated<br />
Timothy came into Galatia. A sud<br />
den attack of his peculiar<br />
that he had not heard from<br />
malady, his<br />
the Galatian<br />
thorn in the<br />
teachers for some time" (Warfield).<br />
flesh, evidently compelled<br />
Judaizing teachers had made their the apostle to remain longer than he<br />
ap<br />
had at first intended.<br />
pearance among the Galatians.<br />
Utilizing his en<br />
They<br />
forced stay, he were preached the gospel to<br />
attempting to undermine the au<br />
thority of the the Galatians, apostle and were who heard with readiness<br />
teaching<br />
his words and embraced the salvation<br />
a very different gospel from the one he<br />
through Christ. We have no means of<br />
had taught."<br />
"The reception of this information<br />
telling how long the missionary band<br />
remained in Galatia, but it is evident<br />
was the occasion of this letter, and his<br />
that phenomenal success attended their<br />
object in writing it was to defend his labors."<br />
own apostolic authority and to confute<br />
"Some three years later (<strong>54</strong> A. D.)<br />
the erroneous teachings of the Judaiz<br />
Paul revisited the churches in Galatia<br />
ing teachers as well as to exhort the<br />
of which there were<br />
Gala<br />
Galation Christians to constancy in the<br />
tians was evidently written from<br />
faith he had preached unto them.<br />
Ephesus or Corinth. The time is not<br />
He saw what principles were at stake<br />
and how the whole future of Christian<br />
decided upon. The outside limits are set<br />
down as A. D. <strong>54</strong> and 58. For our pur<br />
ity was likely to be compromised. Hence<br />
pose, at present, the exact time is a<br />
in this epistle there is an impress of<br />
minor consideration.<br />
severity and indignation which we find<br />
in no (Kerr, Introduction to N.<br />
Meeting Program<br />
T. Study).<br />
With the psalms and prayers, read<br />
aloud the first two chapters. Note how<br />
To Whom Addressed and When<br />
in chapter 1:1-12 Paul pointedly es<br />
"Unto the churches of Galatia." The tablished the fact that his gospel com<br />
three principle cities were Ancyra mission was received directly from<br />
(name of modern capital of Turkey), Christ. (Compare with his similar de<br />
Tavium and Pessinus. The Galatians fense to the Corinthians. See 1 Cor. 1:1,<br />
were descendants of the Gauls who in 9:1 and 2 Cor. 12:12).<br />
vaded Greece and Asia Minor about In detail note the expressions 'not<br />
three centuries before the Christian era. of men,'<br />
'neither by v. 1, also in<br />
For a time these fierce Northerners verses 11, 12. In contrast note "by Je<br />
swept everything before them, but at sus Christ" v. 12. From 1:13-24 note<br />
length, they were defeated in 238 B. C. the account of his own personal life and<br />
by Antiochus Soter, King in Syria and the change wrought in him. How does<br />
Attalus, King of Pergamos. After that this supplement what is told in the<br />
disastrous defeat they were confined to Acts<br />
a part of Phrygia, and they gave the<br />
name Galatia to it.<br />
In Chapter 2.<br />
"The Galatia of Paul and Luke was<br />
In connection with the reading of vs.<br />
1-10 recall the significance of the Coun<br />
not the Roman province of that name,<br />
cil at Jerusalem (Acts 15). Explain the<br />
but was the earlier kingdom of Galatia<br />
which was only a part of it. The<br />
rebuking of Peter at Antioch by Paul<br />
coun<br />
and the justification for<br />
try of Galatia afforded great facilities<br />
it, vs. 11-21.<br />
Note the<br />
for commercial purposes. The<br />
setting forth of the true way<br />
special<br />
of<br />
privileges granted to<br />
salvation,<br />
the Jews of Gala<br />
2:16, 21 and Paul's own<br />
tia attracted many of that testimony, vs. 19, 20.<br />
nationality<br />
to the province, and their influence be<br />
Questions<br />
377
man'<br />
work."<br />
gospel need<br />
defending against such or<br />
will it stand of itself<br />
2. What did Paul mean by 'another<br />
gospel' Name counterfeit gospels cur<br />
rent today.<br />
3. Why is it necessary that the gospel<br />
be by the revelation of Jesus Christ<br />
rather than 'of<br />
or 'by man'<br />
4. Remembering Peter's experience in<br />
the matter of Cornelius (Acts 10),<br />
show wherein he was open to censure<br />
for his conduct in Antioch.<br />
5. Explain the issue set forth in Acts<br />
15 and how it was settled. Did the Ju<br />
daizers ever conform to the ruling<br />
6. Why is Galatians so valuable to<br />
Protestantism<br />
-<br />
Church<br />
and to the entire<br />
For Memory's Bank<br />
Learn 1:3, 4 and 2:20. RECITE.<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
July 3, 1955<br />
Mrs. Robert Russell<br />
Walton, New York<br />
NADAB AND ABD3TJ<br />
Temperance Lesson<br />
Scripture Lev. 10:1-11.<br />
Memory Verse: "Behold, to obey is bet<br />
ter than sacrifice and to hearken than<br />
the fat of rams."<br />
Psalms<br />
1 Sam. 15:22b.<br />
Memory Psalm 44, 1-4, page 112<br />
Psalm 26, 1-3, 6-8, page 61<br />
Psalm 141, 1-4, page 344<br />
Psalm 9, 6, 7, 8, 10, page 16<br />
Did you ever listen very carefully<br />
when your parents told you how to do a<br />
certain piece of work and then decide to<br />
do it the way you thought best Maybe<br />
you can remember a time when you<br />
were very tired or your mind was con<br />
fused and you didn't care if you fol<br />
lowed your parents' or leaders' instruc<br />
tions and advice. If you have had such<br />
an experience, I'm sure you have<br />
learned how important it is to do your<br />
work exactly as you have been told.<br />
I am going to tell you a very sad<br />
story about Nadab and Abihu. They<br />
were punished because they did not fol<br />
low God's commands concerning their<br />
work in the worship of the Tabernacle.<br />
One day the two older sons of Aaron,<br />
Nadab and Abihu, were in the Holy<br />
Place. It was part of their work to take<br />
in a censer, some burning coals from<br />
the great altar of burnt offering in<br />
front of the Tabernacle, and with these<br />
coals to light the fire in the small gold<br />
en altar of incense, which stood inside<br />
the Holy Place, near the veil.<br />
These young men had been drinking<br />
wine and their heads were not clear.<br />
They did not think of what they were<br />
doing. Instead of taking the fire from<br />
the altar of burnt-offering, they took<br />
some other fire, and with this they went<br />
378<br />
into the Holy Place to burn the incense<br />
upon the golden altar. God was very<br />
angry with these young men for coming<br />
into His holy house in a drunken state,<br />
and for doing what He had forbidden<br />
them to do. No fire except that from<br />
the great altar was allowed in the Holy<br />
Place.<br />
While they were standing by the gold<br />
en altar, fire came out from it, and they<br />
both fell down dead in the Holy Place.<br />
When Moses heard it, he said "This is<br />
the sign that God's house is holy, and<br />
that God's worship is holy; God will<br />
make people to fear Him because He is<br />
holy."<br />
Moses would not allow Aaron, the<br />
father of the two men, to touch their<br />
dead bodies, he said, "You have on the<br />
robes of the high priest. You are leading<br />
in the service of worship. God's work<br />
must go on, and must not stop, even<br />
though you are greatly troubled."<br />
Then Aaron stood by the altar and<br />
offered the sacrifice, though his heart<br />
was very sad.<br />
When the men had been buried, Mo<br />
ses said, "After this, let no priest drink<br />
wine or strong drink before he enters<br />
the Tabernacle. Be sober when you are<br />
leading the worship of the people, so<br />
you will know the difference between<br />
the things that are holy and those that<br />
are common; and so that you may teach<br />
the people all the laws which the Lord<br />
has given them."<br />
The rule that Moses gave the priests<br />
to be kept when they were leading the<br />
worship of the people, not to drink wine<br />
or strong drink, is a good rule for every<br />
one to keep, not only when worshiping<br />
God but at all times.<br />
In His Word God has told us how we<br />
must worship Him. True worship must<br />
come from the heart. If our hearts are<br />
full of love for God, we will worship<br />
Him according to His will. Sometimes,<br />
like Nadab and Abihu, we take strong<br />
drink or alcohol into our bodies. It is<br />
quickly carried from the stomach, in the<br />
blood stream, to the brain, where much<br />
of it remains. There it starts to put the<br />
brain to sleep. Alcohol goes first to the<br />
fore-brain which controls bad instincts<br />
like anger, hatred and the desire to<br />
fight. This part of the brain helps you<br />
to love God, your parents and your<br />
friends. Always remember, alcohol puts<br />
this part of your brain to sleep first be<br />
cause, with love and self-control asleep,<br />
you are not yourself. Love for God no<br />
longer rules your actions and you will<br />
do things which are very wrong and sin<br />
ful.<br />
Your brain is precious. Be sure to<br />
keep it clear and alert. Never take any<br />
thing into your body to harm it. You<br />
alone must decide who will rule your<br />
life. Will it be God or sin Ask God to<br />
help you each day to make the right<br />
decision. "Choose you this day whom<br />
you will serve but as for me and my<br />
house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua<br />
24:15.<br />
For your notebooks.<br />
Nadab and Abihu made God angry by<br />
the way they worshiped Him. Make a<br />
list of ways in which we displease God<br />
in our worship today. Make another list<br />
of ways of honoring God in our worship.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON<br />
July 3, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Interna<br />
tional Council of Religious Education.)<br />
THE PROPHET OF JUDAH'S<br />
DECLINE<br />
Jer. 22; 36; 3 Kings 23:31-24:7<br />
PRINTED TEXT Jeremiah 23:1-9,<br />
24, 25; 36:4, 20, 21<br />
MEMORY: Jeremiah 22:13, "Woe unto<br />
him that buildeth his house by unright<br />
eousness, and his chambers by wrong;<br />
that useth his neighbor's service with<br />
out wages, and giveth him not for his<br />
Jeremiah prophesied in the reign of<br />
five kings, from Josiah to Zedekiah, in<br />
whose reign Nebuchadnezzer carried<br />
Judah captive to Babylon. Jeremiah was<br />
contemporary with Zephaniah, Habak<br />
kuk, Ezekiel and Daniel. He was the<br />
outstanding prophet of the last days of<br />
Judah. He began to prophesy in the fif<br />
teenth year of the reign of Josiah, when<br />
he was quite young (1:6). That was just<br />
after Josiah had begun to purge the land<br />
from idolatry. His enemies respected,<br />
while they feared him.<br />
When Nebuchadnezzer captured Je<br />
rusalem, he had respect for the in<br />
tegrity of Jeremiah, and left him at lib<br />
erty to go with the captives to Babylon,<br />
or to remain with the remnant in Jeru<br />
salem. He decided to remain. When<br />
Johanan gained control of the remnant<br />
in Jerusalem, he decided, against the<br />
advice of Jeremiah, to go for safety to<br />
Egypt. Jeremiah was carried with them<br />
and died in Egypt. There is a story that<br />
he was stoned by his own people.<br />
The Certain Fulfillment of Prophecy<br />
In Chap. 22, Jeremiah foretold the sad<br />
end of the Kingdom of Judah. His mes<br />
sage was always in the spirit of a warn<br />
ing that offered, or at least implied, a<br />
way of blessing. Josiah was seeking to<br />
follow that way. The four kings that<br />
followed him on the throne would not<br />
listen to the warning. Always,<br />
were two courses open to them;<br />
downward, the other upward.<br />
there<br />
one led<br />
Jere-<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
scroll."<br />
sea,"<br />
miah's prophecy was not so much a<br />
foretelling of the future, as an analysis<br />
of conduct and its results in national<br />
life. The prevailing<br />
conduct that he<br />
saw in the morals of the Kings and the<br />
life of the people was what would nat<br />
urally lead to disaster, even as they<br />
did. A few of the kings of Judah chose<br />
the way of the Lord, and they<br />
and the<br />
people were blessed. Often the people<br />
became angry with their prophet, as<br />
though he was their enemy. They should<br />
have known that the Lord's messenger<br />
was their best friend, because he was<br />
revealing to them the natural results of<br />
their own conduct. God is always ready<br />
to bless, if we repent and obey, even<br />
though we forfeit all claim to His mer<br />
cy. Our worst doom is to suffer the re<br />
sults of our own sin.<br />
Jehoiakim Tries to Overrule Jeremiah's<br />
Prophecy<br />
Jeremiah was saying things that were<br />
not pleasant to his listeners, but that<br />
could not be denied. So Jehoiakim put<br />
him in prison. There the Lord told him<br />
to write on a scroll, and just what to<br />
write. So he pronounced the words that<br />
the Lord gave carefully<br />
and Baruch<br />
wrote them down, then carried them to<br />
the Temple and read them to those who<br />
were there. The princes heard of it and<br />
asked for it to be read to them. When<br />
they had heard it, they hid the scroll<br />
and told the King. The king sent Jehudi<br />
to get the scroll, and commanded him<br />
to read it aloud. As each page was read,<br />
the king cut it off with his penknife,<br />
and threw it on the brazier and watched<br />
it writhe like a live thing<br />
And so<br />
on the coals.<br />
with a self-satisfied grin he<br />
watched the last of the sheepskin<br />
shrivel into an ill-smelling coal. "That<br />
finishes Jeremiah's<br />
What a ter<br />
rible mistake! He had destroyed the<br />
parchment, but not God's Word. It soon<br />
appeared on another scroll that was not<br />
destroyed. And every word of it was<br />
fulfilled. It is easy to destroy a book.<br />
The Truth endures forever.<br />
In the dark ages, pagan blasphemers<br />
tried to destroy God's Word by trying<br />
to destroy every book in which it had<br />
been written. They could not succeed<br />
in finding all the books. But if they had<br />
found them all and burned them all,<br />
that would not have destroyed the<br />
Word. Moses broke the tables of stone<br />
on which the Law was written. God<br />
wrote it again. There are men today<br />
who could reproduce from memory the<br />
entire Bible. Many have followed the<br />
example of David and laid it up in their<br />
heart, at least great parts of it. God's<br />
word is truth, and the truth endures<br />
forever.<br />
Jehoiakim was very anxious to estab<br />
lish his own house. But with his son<br />
June 15, 1955<br />
Coniah, (Jeconiah) the house of Jehoia<br />
kim came to an end. He had built his<br />
house by oppression with no purpose to<br />
strengthen Judah except in such ways<br />
as would make it serve to support his<br />
own house in royal splendor. This was<br />
the surest way for his own destruction.<br />
His house became such a spectacle of<br />
failure that nations passing by asked,<br />
"Wherefore hath the Lord done thus to<br />
this great city Then shall they answer,<br />
Because they forsook the covenant of<br />
the Lord their God, and worshiped<br />
other Gods and served them."<br />
Patriotism<br />
A Patriot will seek to do what is<br />
best for his country. There are always<br />
those who look to their own selfish in<br />
terests or desires rather than to their<br />
own good and the good of others. We<br />
are learning slowly that the interest of<br />
our nation is bound up with the interest<br />
of the world. We are also learning slow<br />
ly that a nation cannot prosper unless<br />
freedom to prosper is granted to every<br />
person in the nation.<br />
In verses 2-4 of our lesson the condi<br />
tions for prosperity are detailed. The<br />
program for prosperity is righteousness,<br />
helpfulness, mercy. With these, there is<br />
the promise of national and social se<br />
curity. With the offer of this bright op<br />
portunity, a warning is introduced with<br />
the adversative conjunction, 'but.' There<br />
was, and is, no excuse for failing to heed<br />
this warning. Each generation in every<br />
land has seen this whole program com<br />
pleted in some measure. We are trying<br />
at great labor and expense, and in much<br />
fear, to correct now, the effect of our<br />
national sins that we see clearly now,<br />
and that we could have seen just as<br />
plainly before, if we had not been blind<br />
ed by our own lusts.<br />
The third verse is addressed to offi<br />
cers. There are many duties that belong<br />
first in the family; then neighbors have<br />
a part to play. If these fail in their du<br />
ty, civil government should see that the<br />
work is done. We spend millions from<br />
public taxes to combat foot and mouth<br />
disease along our Mexican border, and<br />
other millions to eradicate the Medi<br />
terranean fly from the citrus groves of<br />
Florida. These dangers are met quickly.<br />
That's business. Caring for the health of<br />
the people, that's charity. Most people<br />
agree that there should be public help<br />
to an indigent, I heard one Christian<br />
say, "Worthy indigent."<br />
A letter recently appearing in the<br />
WITNESS referred to the Townsend<br />
plan. Dr. Townsend offered a plan that<br />
was based on the nature in which God<br />
created man. He comes into the world<br />
helpless and normally he is helpless in<br />
his declining days. The Doctor made the<br />
mistake of announcing his plan in some<br />
striking details. Those who counted<br />
themselves sitting nicely in their own<br />
individual plan made adverse slogans of<br />
the Doctor's phrases, and publicized<br />
them so thoroughly that most people<br />
never went beyond that to investigate<br />
the plan. I speak of this now, to call our<br />
attention to the fact that we are just<br />
now riding on the tide wave of pros<br />
perity. In the 20s, we were as sure that<br />
depression would never come as we are<br />
now. Our reasons for that certainty<br />
were the same as they are now. It came.<br />
I worked on a committee that was try<br />
ing to feed the families of 300 unem<br />
ployed working men, with inadequate<br />
funds, (charities). I hope those condi<br />
tions will not return.<br />
The third verse of our lesson deals<br />
with the care of those in need. The<br />
thirteenth verse deals with justice to<br />
the laborer. God's message through Jere<br />
miah made clear that greed was one of<br />
the great sins that brought unrest,<br />
weakness and captivity.<br />
Human nature and God's law do not<br />
change. We are part of our nation. Our<br />
nation is part of the world. We help one<br />
another in obedience to God's Law, or<br />
we perish.<br />
Psalms<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
July 6, 1955<br />
TRUE WISDOM<br />
James 3:13-18<br />
M. K. Carson, D.D.<br />
111:1-3, 9, page 276<br />
25:7-12, page 59<br />
34:7-10, page 80<br />
107:31-32, page 268<br />
References: Found in the comments.<br />
Dean Howson observes that "there is<br />
more imagery drawn from mere natural<br />
phenomena in the one short epistle of<br />
James than in all St. Paul's Epistles put<br />
together. How many<br />
such references<br />
can you find "The waves of the<br />
"wind,"<br />
"flower of the<br />
grass," "sun,"<br />
"man with a gold ring" are a few of<br />
these vivid figures of speech. Is it a<br />
sign of true wisdom to be able to find<br />
"tongues in trees, books in the running<br />
brooks, sermons in stones and good in<br />
every thing" How much can we learn<br />
these vacation days from the wonders of<br />
nature. Of course we do not need to<br />
limit this opportunity to the summer<br />
time.<br />
We believe that Paul and James<br />
are in agreement with each other. Their<br />
setting forth of the same truth from op<br />
posite points of view seems to present<br />
a contradiction. But men can see nei<br />
ther our faith nor the new nature com<br />
municated in regeneration, but they can<br />
379
more."<br />
say."<br />
right"<br />
sorrow."<br />
work."<br />
. .<br />
right"<br />
wisdom"<br />
and should see the effects in our new<br />
manner of life. And if it is a living faith<br />
the fruits will be seen. "If there be life<br />
in the body, the pulse will beat; and if<br />
there be faith in the heart it will<br />
So the wise man endued with knowl<br />
edge will show out of a good conversa<br />
tion (manner of living) his works with<br />
meekness of wisdom. Such a one might<br />
be described as a man of "practical wis<br />
dom in pious living." (Vincent). Char<br />
acter, a good life and right conduct are<br />
the evidences of true wisdom and the<br />
requisites of all worthy teachers. The<br />
man of true wisdom must prove the<br />
superiority of his wisdom by his good<br />
life.<br />
"Knowledge is proud that she has<br />
learned so much<br />
Wisdom is humble that she knows no<br />
In these verses in James we have a con<br />
trast between the wisdom which is not<br />
from above and that which is<br />
from<br />
above. There is the true wisdom and the<br />
counterfeit. Christ is the true Wisdom.<br />
"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus who<br />
of God is made unto us, Wisdom . . . I<br />
Cor. 1:30 Bitter envying (jealousy) is<br />
an evidence of the lack of true wisdom.<br />
True wisdom is lacking<br />
where there is<br />
not the good life. "What you are speaks<br />
so loudly that I cannot hear what you<br />
So character reveals the nature of<br />
our wisdom.<br />
The wisdom of the world is "earthly,<br />
sensual, devilish." And as we would ex<br />
pect this wisdom has always been a<br />
curse. It has produced factions and jeal<br />
ousy. Jealousy has been described as<br />
"sorrow at other men's goodness and joy<br />
at other men's<br />
This sin pro<br />
duces confusion and every vile deed.<br />
In our Covenant (1871), "we abjure<br />
and condemn infidelity,<br />
under all its<br />
various aspects, atheism . . . pantheism<br />
. . . spiritualism . . . indifferentism .<br />
formalism .<br />
. . and we might add athe<br />
istic communism and materialism. The<br />
working out of man-made systems,<br />
earthly wisdom, if it can be called wis<br />
dom, has been and is responsible for<br />
world conditions. Yet men continue to<br />
reject the True Wisdom. If "might<br />
makes<br />
(earthly wisdom)<br />
then<br />
wars and fightings will naturally follow.<br />
But this claim that "might makes<br />
is earthly, sensual and devilish. What<br />
a terrible thing war is and who can even<br />
imagine the sufferings and horror of a<br />
possible third World War!<br />
The licensing of the liquor traffic,<br />
evidently a product of earthly wisdom,<br />
causes "confusion and every<br />
vile<br />
deed"<br />
disorder, pauperism and crime.<br />
Materialism and the inordinate desire<br />
for money is not heavenly<br />
380<br />
wisdom. How<br />
much strife is caused by the love of<br />
money! There are lawsuits, jealousies,<br />
separated families . . . W.<br />
J. Bryan said,<br />
"Those who live for money spend the<br />
first half of their lives getting all they<br />
can from everybody else and the last<br />
half trying to keep everybody else from<br />
getting what they have away from<br />
them; and they find no pleasure in<br />
either half."<br />
But there is the true wisdom. This<br />
wisdom makes for righteousness. "And<br />
the fruit of righteousness is sown in<br />
peace for them that make R. V.<br />
peace."<br />
We cannot secure peace by compromis<br />
ing with evil. In striving for righteous<br />
ness there may be conflict, misunder<br />
standing and suffering, but it is the way<br />
to peace. To give up that which is right<br />
for the sake of peace will not make for<br />
peace. Peace is one of the fruits of<br />
righteousness.<br />
This true wisdom has seven-fold ex<br />
cellence. Is this primarily a wisdom of<br />
the heart It is first "pure." Purity is<br />
its essential nature. It is free from all<br />
wrong motives. It is not numerically,<br />
but first essentially. (Vincent). This<br />
wisdom, coming from above, even from<br />
God Himself, is pure. How many times<br />
did James see this kind of wisdom ex<br />
emplified in Jesus as they played and<br />
worked together in that home in Nazar<br />
eth! What a lasting effect this perfect<br />
example had upon James!<br />
It is also peaceable. The beatitude<br />
about the pure in heart is followed by<br />
the beatitude concerning<br />
"peacemakers."Matt.<br />
5:8-9. Why should purity of<br />
heart lead to peace Another character<br />
istic of true wisdom is gentleness. Gen<br />
tleness made Jesus great. Psalm 18:35;<br />
Matt. 12:20; Mark 10:13-16; Isaiah 40:<br />
11. Jesus was infinite in power, yet in<br />
finite in gentleness too.<br />
Perhaps the expression "easy to be<br />
entreated"<br />
is one of the most appealing.<br />
It is easy to approach some people.<br />
Those who come to Jesus in all sincerity<br />
and truth found Him most approach<br />
able, available and able. We are urged<br />
to come boldly unto the Throne of<br />
Grace (Heb. 4:16). He will in no wise<br />
cast out those who come (John 6:37).<br />
"Come."<br />
His gracious invitation is,<br />
Matt. 11:28-30. All of us have been<br />
greatly blessed and our lives have been<br />
enriched because our teachers have been<br />
patient and longsuffering with us. They<br />
have been easily entreated<br />
true wisdom.<br />
a sign of<br />
This ideal wisdom is full of mercy<br />
and good fruits. What a blessing a good<br />
teacher is! Is it any wonder that the<br />
multitudes were astonished as they lis<br />
tened to Him Who spake as never man<br />
spake Matt. 7:28<br />
Men possesed with true wisdom arenot<br />
"time<br />
servers,"<br />
influenced by par<br />
tiality and hypocrisy. There is no shift<br />
ing of convictions to gain favor, no pre<br />
tense and no attempt to be evasive.<br />
Evidently there are many<br />
attempts to<br />
use words to conceal the real convic<br />
tions. Liberal leaders have been accused<br />
of using the language of the orthodox to<br />
deceive their hearers. This kind of wis<br />
dom is described above as "earthly sen<br />
devilish."<br />
sual, They try to blow both<br />
hot and cold at the same time.<br />
Questions<br />
1. What is the relation between char<br />
acter and true wisdom<br />
2. Why are men opposed to the "true<br />
God<br />
Prayer<br />
as revealed in the Word of<br />
For the C.Y.P.U. Conferences.<br />
For the work of the Church in For<br />
eign Fields.<br />
For the Christian Amendment Move<br />
ment.<br />
W. M= S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour, 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
The 37th Annual Meeting<br />
of the<br />
Philadelphia Presbyterial was held at<br />
the Orlando Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Church, May 10 and 11.<br />
The Theme<br />
was "The Open Door" I Cor. 16:9.<br />
Supper was served to the guests on<br />
Tuesday evening. This was followed by<br />
the evening meeting at which Rev.<br />
A. W. Smith preached. After the serv<br />
ice a Reception was held in the Social<br />
Room of the Church.<br />
Wednesday consisted of the meeting<br />
of Presbytery and Presbyterial in the<br />
morning and afternoon. At noon a fill<br />
ing meal was enjoyed at the Broadway<br />
Methodist Church, prepared by the<br />
women of that same church.<br />
Wednesday evening a Fellowship din<br />
ner was held in the Social Room for<br />
the guests and host congregation. At<br />
the 8:00 p.m. meeting those present<br />
witnessed the Licensure of Robert Mc<br />
Cracken. During the day Mr. Mc<br />
Cracken had given his trial pieces, to<br />
be climaxed by this memorable event.<br />
Miss Elizabeth McElroy<br />
gave the<br />
missionary address to bring to a close<br />
this meeting of Philadelphia Presby<br />
terial.<br />
The Fellowship Class had a covered<br />
dish supper at the church May 20. Mr.<br />
Bob Simon showed some films for the<br />
entertainment.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
.I..I..I-H-H-I-I-I-M-I-H'<br />
-I-I--I I I I-I-I-I-I-I' I I<br />
OUR HOME<br />
GOD BLESS OUR HOME<br />
A report on the Aged People's Home<br />
for Presbyterial WMS<br />
sented at Denison May 11, 1955.<br />
Dear Presbyterials:<br />
We<br />
meetings Pre<br />
have reached the point where<br />
something must, be done about Our<br />
Home. First, the main or brick building<br />
was an addition over fifty years ago to<br />
a dwelling house which formerly served<br />
adequately<br />
for a private family. That<br />
portion is now over 100 years old, so has<br />
rooms too large which waste space, and<br />
extra high ceilings which waste heat.<br />
A year or more ago we had the roof<br />
insulated on the brick addition, hoping<br />
to conserve heat in winter and be more<br />
comfortable for those on the third<br />
floor during the summer. We have had<br />
mounting bills to keep it serviceable (as<br />
is true of any fifty-year-old building)<br />
and make it comfortable and attractive<br />
as a home for our members. We started<br />
by dreaming of a completely new home<br />
but when we learned of costs those<br />
dreams were reluctantly abandoned and<br />
we then began thinking in terms of an<br />
addition.<br />
Our kitchen and dining rooms both as<br />
to size and equipment are inadequate.<br />
We have one average size sink with<br />
wooden drainboards. Meals for 40 are<br />
prepared here and dishes for them<br />
washed here three times a day. We can<br />
not seat all our members in the dining<br />
room at one time. Our deep freeze<br />
(which was a gift) has extra boards un<br />
der it to prevent it from dropping<br />
through the floor. To get to our laundry<br />
one has to go outdoors. In inclement<br />
weather this is often hazardous to those<br />
who help. In the summer the clothes<br />
must be carried up the hill to be hung<br />
out. We have no dryers, and in the win<br />
ters the wet clothes have to be carried<br />
upstairs to a drying room above the<br />
lean-to shed of the laundry to be hung<br />
on lines there when the weather does<br />
not permit hanging<br />
of our members are bedfast,<br />
outside. A number<br />
so one can<br />
easily understand our laundry problems.<br />
We must have a new laundry with mod<br />
ern institutional equipment.<br />
We have a staff of seven full time<br />
and four part time,<br />
members, and every<br />
and thirty-three<br />
month new appli<br />
cations come in! Our Home is so favor<br />
ably known in the community that many<br />
local people apply.<br />
What do we offer our folks<br />
First, a Christian Home. We have<br />
preaching once a month in the Home.<br />
Our Pittsburgh Presbytery ministers<br />
and our Seminary<br />
June 15, 1955<br />
students have charge<br />
of this. Other Sabbaths those who can<br />
walk the block and a half to our Alle<br />
gheny congregation do so; for those who<br />
can't walk a taxi is provided.<br />
Every Wednesday evening prayer<br />
meeting is held in the Home. Once a<br />
month the Seminary students have<br />
charge; the remainder of the times the<br />
Misses McWilliams take charge of the<br />
service and provide speakers.<br />
At the close of each morning and eve<br />
ning meal there is a worship service.<br />
Twice a year communion is held at<br />
the Home. The Allegheny minister of<br />
ficiates in the spring and the Central<br />
Pittsburg in the fall.<br />
Entertainment Oh yes!<br />
Local <strong>org</strong>anizations outside our<br />
church entertain with music, etc.<br />
Our local churches and societies en<br />
tertain them with songs, pictures, and<br />
addreses, and refreshments, of course!<br />
A Memorial dinner is given in the<br />
Home once a year to the members in<br />
honor of Mrs. Eda McKee by<br />
daughters.<br />
her two<br />
The Board, often with friends or<br />
missionary societies contributing of<br />
course, either in money or food, always<br />
provides special Holiday dinners.<br />
But our Reception and Donation Day<br />
are looked forward to from year to year,<br />
for then the members see so many<br />
friends and loved ones, and there is al<br />
ways ice cream and cake!<br />
And one birthday is looked forward<br />
to: the ninetieth. A lovely party is<br />
given at the Home for the Honor guest<br />
by the Board.<br />
And what does the Board do<br />
Its thirty-one members meet once a<br />
month at the home from 10 :30 to five or<br />
later. They bring their own lunches, and<br />
frequently<br />
committee meetings require<br />
very hurried consumption of that food.<br />
Each month the House Committee<br />
consisting of two members of the Board<br />
visit every member in his or her room,<br />
and the matron. We check for any needs<br />
the members may have, comfort, health,<br />
and contentment. This is rarely done in<br />
less than two days by each committee<br />
member. It has been estimated that<br />
each Board member actually devotes<br />
two full weeks to the Home in a year's<br />
time. This does not include committee<br />
meetings, purchasing supplies, writing<br />
letters, ad infinitum.<br />
What do we vjant<br />
First of all, your prayers.<br />
We need your prayers for the whole<br />
work of the Home.<br />
The Building Committee is launched<br />
on a tremendous project for which they<br />
have no training or experience. Pray<br />
that the Lord will guide their every de<br />
cision that they<br />
will be given wisdom.<br />
The Fund-Raising Committee covets<br />
your prayers. This Committee is a com<br />
bination of the Publicity<br />
and Press<br />
Committees. They have had no experi<br />
ence in fund-raising. Over and over they<br />
have said they can do nothing without<br />
the Lord's help. Won't you pray that<br />
His guidance will be poured out on us<br />
for this campaign That He will direct<br />
us whom to see and when.<br />
Second, we want you to know what a<br />
blessed place Our Home is, so that you<br />
can and will support it joyfully. GIVE<br />
TILL YOU REJOICE.<br />
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my<br />
name, that will I do, that the Father<br />
may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall<br />
ask anything in my name, I will do it."<br />
John 14:13, 14.<br />
"With God all things are possible."<br />
Matthew 19:26.<br />
Yours in His Service,<br />
The above letter was sent to me to<br />
distribute to all Presbyterials. Since it<br />
is most too late to reach all, I am hav<br />
ing it brought to the attention of every<br />
church member through the WITNESS.<br />
Synodical Representative,<br />
Mrs. Charles R. McBurney<br />
Miss Blanche McCrea showed slides<br />
of Latakia on the evening of May 26.<br />
After this, the Reverend Kermit Edgar<br />
treated the Home Family to ice cream,<br />
and Mrs. Brown Sterrett with cup<br />
cakes. The pictures and talk were<br />
thoroughly enjoyed by all, as well as<br />
the ice cream and cakes. Thank you,<br />
all three!<br />
The writer of this report has this<br />
past month visited each member in the<br />
Home. The members all seemed very<br />
happy, but some of them are failing.<br />
Dear Miss Dolly Aiken 99 years old<br />
lies in her bed, perfectly comfortable,<br />
with her white hair tied with pink or<br />
blue ribbons. Sleeps most of the time.<br />
Three other members are failing men<br />
tally. Right now there are quite a num<br />
ber of tray patients.<br />
Due to the students of the seminary<br />
being so busy with the closing of the<br />
seminary, no preaching was held in May,<br />
but the usual prayer meetings were<br />
held.<br />
A Spelling Test for Juniors<br />
B. L. L. Faris<br />
(a) My soul was 1 by Jesus.<br />
(b) My friend's soul was 1 2<br />
(c) Now 2 souls are 1 in Him,<br />
(d) Because both were 1 by Him.<br />
(e) The 2 of us will find souls<br />
(f) 2 win 4 Him 2<br />
(g) And if each 1 1 1<br />
,<br />
(h) 4 would be 1 4 Him,<br />
(i) And be 1 in Him.<br />
(Answers on page 384)<br />
381
cometh."<br />
Church News<br />
OAKDALE, ILLINOIS<br />
In the moderation of a call in the<br />
Oakdale Congregation on the evening<br />
of June 1, the first ballot resulted in<br />
the choice of Dr. J. R. Patterson to be<br />
their pastor. It is hoped there will be<br />
an early acceptance.<br />
GENEVA COLLEGE<br />
C. Lee Austin, president of Jones and<br />
Laughlin Steel Corporation, will deliver<br />
the commencement address at Geneva<br />
College, Tuesday, June 7, on "Facing<br />
Up to Our New World." The address<br />
will be given at 10 a.m. in Reeves field.<br />
The public is welcome. Mr. Austin be<br />
came one of the youngest presidents of<br />
a major industrial corporation in the<br />
country when he was elected president<br />
of Jones and Laughlin at the age of<br />
49, in January 1952.<br />
CLARINDA<br />
Mrs. Mary Alice Lee Price, of Los<br />
Angeles, a former member, is visiting<br />
the Lee relatives in this community.<br />
Norma Woods and Phyllis Perry are<br />
our high school<br />
graduates this year.<br />
Both girls are looking forward to Gene<br />
va College in the fall. Susie Perry and<br />
Glola Caskey<br />
eighth grade.<br />
are graduates from the<br />
Martha Caskey is attending the sum<br />
mer session at Maryville Teachers Col<br />
lege. Martha has been teaching at Leon,<br />
Iowa, the past year.<br />
Mr. J. Ren Lee spent a week in the<br />
hospital receiving<br />
treatment but is at<br />
home again, and able to get out some.<br />
Another of our Elders, Mr. Miller Dunn,<br />
is now in the hospital having undergone<br />
surgery. We have been remembering<br />
these friends in prayer.<br />
We miss the cheery presence of Mrs.<br />
Mabel Stevenson who was called to be<br />
with her Lord in the early morning of<br />
May 23. She had been failing in health<br />
for several weeks but was at church the<br />
week before her death. Mrs. Stevenson,<br />
wife of the late James Stevenson, leaves<br />
two children, Mrs. Kenneth McCalla, of<br />
Clarinda and Raymond Stevenson of<br />
Birmingham, Michigan. Besides these<br />
there are three grandchildren, Eddie<br />
McCalla, and Paul and Linda Steven<br />
son. Mrs. Stevenson was a woman of<br />
strong faith and great courage. Called<br />
upon to suffer a great deal at times,<br />
she was<br />
cheerful and uncomplaining.<br />
Her faith was summed up in a verse<br />
she gave a friend who was ill, "The<br />
name of the Lord is a strong tower;<br />
Saturday, May 14 to give the entire life that is filled with the Spirit"<br />
building a thorough cleaning floors,<br />
chairs, pews, carpets, windows, etc.<br />
About 20 workers were present. At noon<br />
Miss Letha Conway prepared a delicious<br />
luncheon to serve to the working party.<br />
The New York presbyterial met at<br />
Cambridge, Mass., May 3 and 4. Those<br />
the rightepus run into it and are safe."<br />
attending from Walton were Mrs. Rob<br />
Lyle Cabeen is at Camp Chaffee, Ark.,<br />
ert Russell and Rev. and Mrs. S. E.<br />
getting his basic training.<br />
Our DVBS is in session at present<br />
Boyle, who were on the program as mis<br />
sionary speakers.<br />
under the leadership of Mrs. Howard Walter Eels, accompanied by Miss<br />
Caskey and a corps of faithful teachers Elinor Biedekapp, attended<br />
May-Day<br />
and assistants.<br />
festivities at Geneva College and visited<br />
in the home of Dr. and Mrs. Lathom.<br />
SHARON NEWS ITEMS<br />
The Sharon-Morning Sun Bible School<br />
The pastor preached at the County<br />
Home on May 1.<br />
was held from May 23 to June 3 with<br />
Two of the little folks underwent<br />
an enrollment of 84. A program was<br />
given on June 3. Staff members from<br />
Sharon included Mrs. Calvin McClurkin,<br />
Mrs. Robert Harsh, Mrs. Robert Mc<br />
tonsillectomies recently: Gladys Boyle<br />
on May 7 and Virginia Russell on May<br />
14.<br />
Measles have been the order of the<br />
Clure, Mrs. Lloyd Edgar, Mrs. Bert day in Walton this month and have kept<br />
Gregory, Mrs. Wylie Kilpatrick, Mrs.<br />
some of our Sabbath school scholars<br />
James Robertson, Rev. and Mrs. John<br />
Edgar.<br />
from their regular attendance.<br />
Mr. Timothy Sanderson is still con<br />
Miss Margaret McElhinney, Mrs. fined to Smith Hospital at the present<br />
Pearl McElhinney and Mrs. Iva McEl<br />
hinney attended the funeral of Mrs.<br />
writing.<br />
May visitors at church have been:<br />
Jack McCloy at Greeley on May 16. Miss Miss Ruth Henderson, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Margaret McElhinney remained for a Andrew Price and sons, Tommy and<br />
visit in the Dr. Robert Patterson home<br />
at Ault.<br />
Rev. and Mrs. Philip Coon and Dr.<br />
and Mrs. Larry Coon stopped at the<br />
Everett Cummings home over Sabbath,<br />
Stephen, Walter Price and Miss Terry<br />
Irwin and her mother.<br />
Mr. T. A. Henderson is Session's dele<br />
gate to Synod at Beaver Falls, June<br />
8-14.<br />
May 29. They were en route to Colo<br />
rado.<br />
Donald McClurkin, a recent graduate<br />
MRS. TELFORD SANDERSON<br />
The Women's Missionary Society of<br />
of the Seminary visited his parents the Walton, New York, congregation<br />
briefly on his way to Topeka to supply<br />
the pulpit for several weeks.<br />
Miss Joanne Pogemiller, a teacher in<br />
wishes to pay tribute to the life of Fan<br />
nie Sanderson, lived among us for over<br />
fifty years.<br />
Fort Madison, Iowa, is planning to at Mrs. Sanderson was born May 14,<br />
tend the Crusader School in Pittsburgh.<br />
David Edgar arrived in the United<br />
States from Okinawa on May 27 and<br />
1878 at Cannonsville, New York, daugh<br />
ter of Roswell and Frances (Tiffany)<br />
Smith. She was married to Telford P.<br />
will soon receive his discharge from the Sanderson on November 3, 1903 and<br />
army.<br />
The Sharon Seniors had a film "The<br />
Regions Beyond" at their recent social<br />
evening and the Blue Banner Group en<br />
joyed slides of missions in Africa shown<br />
by a Winfield couple who have visited<br />
there.<br />
since that time had lived in the town of<br />
Walton.<br />
She died suddenly at her home on<br />
May 10, 1955. The funeral was held on<br />
the following Thursday, conducted by<br />
her pastor Rev. J. A. Hill, assisted by<br />
the Rev. Samuel Boyle. She is survived<br />
The Sharon Juniors gave a play,<br />
by her husband.<br />
"Convincing Mr. Worldly Wiseman" at<br />
the evening church service on May 22.<br />
Miss Lena Eckhardt was honored by<br />
the Sharon ladies at a shower on May 7.<br />
Miss Eckhardt and Wilmer Faigle were<br />
God called, she was ready and may<br />
the Lord sanctify to our hearts this<br />
sudden providence. Matt. 24:44: "There<br />
fore, be ye also ready: for in such an<br />
hour as ye think not, the Son of man<br />
married in Burlington on May 28.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Merle Kerr (Dorothy<br />
Mrs. Norman Spear<br />
McElhinney) are the parents of a<br />
for Walton W. M. S.<br />
daughter born May 31.<br />
WALTON, NEW YORK<br />
Field Day was held at the church on<br />
"The fruits of righteousness are the<br />
fruit of the Spirit, and grow only in a<br />
382<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
Dry Weekly Newspapers<br />
R. H. Martin, D.D. Chairman Committee Against Liquor Advertising of the<br />
National Temperance and Prohibition Council, 209 Ninth St., Pittsburgh, 22, Pa.<br />
Newspapers are one of the leading<br />
media employed by the Alcoholic Bev<br />
erage Industry in advertising to pro<br />
mote the sale and consumption of their<br />
products.<br />
Newspaper editors and publishers are<br />
largely dependent on advertising to<br />
meet the cost of publishing their papers.<br />
It is therefore a strong<br />
temptation for<br />
them to accept liquor advertisements<br />
when the Industry is ready to spend<br />
probably<br />
as much as $100,000,000 a<br />
year in the newspaper advertising of<br />
liquor, wine and beer. While a large<br />
majority<br />
of the editors and publishers<br />
of newspapers succumb to this tempta<br />
tion, not a few stand out against it and<br />
refuse to accept any<br />
advertisements of<br />
alcoholic beverages, while others accept<br />
beer, or beer and wine advertisements<br />
only, and refuse all advertising<br />
tilled spirits.<br />
of dis<br />
This is particularly true with refer<br />
ence to weekly, bi-weekly and tri-weekly<br />
newspapers. The 1952 issue of Week<br />
ly Newspaper Representatives, Inc.,<br />
combining the American Press Associa<br />
tion and Newspaper Advertising Serv<br />
ice, contains a complete list, by states,<br />
of all the weekly, semi-weekly<br />
and tri<br />
weekly newspapers published in the<br />
United States, their editors and pub<br />
lishers, circulation, and other informa<br />
tion, including whether or not they ac<br />
cept liquor, wine and beer advertising.<br />
3,<strong>54</strong>7 DRY WEEKLY PAPERS<br />
The number that refuse all alcoholic<br />
beverage advertisements liquor, wine<br />
and beer totals 3,<strong>54</strong>7. In addition, 584<br />
accept beer advertisements only,<br />
and<br />
772 accept only beer and wine adver<br />
tisements.<br />
There is<br />
not a single state in our<br />
48 states which does not have any<br />
weekly papers that refuse all advertis<br />
ing of alcoholic beverages. Delaware,<br />
Rhode Island and Vermont each have<br />
only 2; Wyoming, 3 and Arizona, 4.<br />
The remaining states have anywhere<br />
from 4 to 257 each.<br />
12 STATES WITH MORE THAN 100<br />
DRY WEEKLIES EACH<br />
Following<br />
are the states each of<br />
which have above 100 weekly,<br />
semiweekly<br />
or tri-weekly<br />
papers which ac<br />
cept no advertisements of liquor, wine<br />
or beer, and those which accept only<br />
beer,<br />
or beer and wine advertisements:<br />
With<br />
Beer<br />
Beer and<br />
only wine only<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>ia 153 3 74<br />
Illinois 195 16 14<br />
Indiana 103 12 8<br />
Iowa 404 0 247<br />
Kansas 233 68 13<br />
Missouri 153 24 32<br />
New York 102 5 15<br />
North Carolina 72 21 18<br />
Ohio 141 10 21<br />
Oklahoma 155 117 6<br />
Pennsylvania 105 7 10<br />
Texas 277 42 18<br />
reference to daily newspapers,<br />
our Committee Against Liquor Adver<br />
tising has no reliable up-to-date list of<br />
dailies which decline all advertising of<br />
alcoholic liquors. We are at work to ob<br />
tain such a list which, when obtained,<br />
we will send out in a "Release" to fol<br />
low this one.<br />
In the meantime, we urge all those<br />
who oppose liquor advertising to com<br />
mend the editors and publishers of these<br />
dry papers and their communities for<br />
their stand on this issue; most of them<br />
at a financial loss when they are hard<br />
pressed for funds to meet expenses. This<br />
is one way you can help the temperance<br />
cause. We would appreciate a letter<br />
letting us know what you have done<br />
and giving us any information that will<br />
help the cause.<br />
AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY DISTRIBUTES 15,391,171 SCRIPTURES DURING<br />
19<strong>54</strong>; SOCIETY PASSES 450,000,000 VOLUME MARK ON ITS 139TH<br />
Annual Meeting Also Marks Society's<br />
120th Year In Work For The Blind<br />
New York, May 12<br />
Distribution of<br />
Scriptures to the blind reached a record<br />
high mark during 19<strong>54</strong>, members of the<br />
American Bible Society<br />
were told to<br />
day at the <strong>org</strong>anization's 139th annual<br />
meeting, held at the Fifth Avenue Pres<br />
byterian Church.<br />
Marking its 120th year in work for<br />
the blind, the society issued 55,076 vol<br />
umes of Scriptures in 21 languages.<br />
New publications during the year in<br />
cluded a new edition of the "Small <strong>Vol</strong><br />
ume of Scripture Passages" in English<br />
Braille, which is frequently called the<br />
Bible"<br />
"pocket by the blind.<br />
The same "Small <strong>Vol</strong>ume" also was<br />
recorded on five "Talking Book" rec<br />
ords in Portuguese for the blind in Bra<br />
zil. Other new publications during 19<strong>54</strong><br />
included Braille editions of portions of<br />
the Bible in Portuguese, German, Ar<br />
menian, Korean and the new colloquial<br />
Japanese. The German edition was for<br />
distribution in the Eastern zone,<br />
ANNIVERSARY<br />
and<br />
the Korean and Japanese were com<br />
plete New Testaments.<br />
"Talking Book" Records, which are<br />
recordings of the Bible for the blind<br />
who cannot use the various touch sys<br />
tems, were shipped to Liberia, France,<br />
Switzerland, England, Philippine Is<br />
lands, Japan and Ethiopia, in response<br />
to urgent requests for them. Materials<br />
to aid the blind in learning Braille, and<br />
to aid the production of Braille volumes<br />
in foreign lands, were sent to Liberia<br />
and Korea. Since it began its work for<br />
the blind in 1835, the society has dis<br />
tributed 480,282 volumes and recordings<br />
in 40 languages and systems. In the<br />
United States, a large measure of the<br />
society's work is directed to supplying<br />
the needs of blinded veterans of recent<br />
wars.<br />
Pauline Nodhturft, 11, student at the<br />
New York Institute for the Education<br />
of the Blind, read the Scripture lesson<br />
at the annual meeting. Pauline, who<br />
lives at 2240 Seward Ave., Bronx, N. Y.,<br />
received her first volume of the Braille<br />
Bible from the society when she was six<br />
years old and has since received all ad<br />
ditional volumes to complete an entire<br />
set of the Bible. The 20 volumes are<br />
more than five ieet high.<br />
In the United States, distribution of<br />
Scriptures totaled more than 9,000,000<br />
volumes for the second time in the so<br />
ciety's history. Extraordinary progress<br />
was noted in the society's southern dis<br />
trict comprising the states of Ge<strong>org</strong>ia,<br />
South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mis<br />
sissippi and Tennessee, where, for the<br />
third successive year, more than 1,000,-<br />
000 volumes of Scriptures were distrib<br />
uted.<br />
Total distribution throughout the<br />
world, including the United States,<br />
amounted to 15,391,171 during 19<strong>54</strong>, and<br />
the society passed the 450,000,000 mark<br />
for its 139 years.<br />
Other highlights from the annual re<br />
port include:<br />
***The society met increasing requests<br />
for Scriptures from our armed forces.<br />
***The society published the first Scrip<br />
tures in six languages. These were Puebla<br />
Aztec (Mexico), Bandi (Liberia),<br />
Gbeapo (Liberia), Ayacucho Quechua<br />
(Peru), Junin Quechua (Peru), and<br />
Shipibo (Peru). The first New Testa<br />
ment was printed in Aymara (Bolivia)<br />
and in Ecuadorean Quechua. The total<br />
number of languages in which at least<br />
June 15, 1955 383
one book of the Bible has been trans<br />
lated now stands at 1,084.<br />
***The society distributed more Scrip<br />
tures in Latin America than in any<br />
previous year.<br />
***The society expects the publication<br />
of the entire Bible in colloquial Japan<br />
ese to have wide acceptance and "to af<br />
fect profoundly the literary future of<br />
Japan."<br />
***Despite the many hardships caused<br />
by unsettled conditions in all parts of<br />
the world, and the restrictions placed<br />
upon its work by many governments,<br />
the society<br />
was not compelled to re<br />
trench on any of its activities in any<br />
country.<br />
In an address before the meeting,<br />
Rev. Dr. Francis C. Stifler, a society<br />
secretary who retired last year, told<br />
members that more copies of the New<br />
Testament in Japanese have been sold<br />
in Japan in the past 10 years than in<br />
all the 60 years that missionaries had<br />
been advocating it there before World<br />
War II. "In Brazil,<br />
where the evangeli<br />
cal churches, we are told, are growing<br />
more rapidly than anywhere else in the<br />
world, it has been impossible to keep up<br />
with the demand," he said.<br />
A new motion picture in color, "The<br />
Living Word in Japan," depicting Bible<br />
distribution in that country, was pre<br />
viewed for the audience.<br />
Elected Honorary Life Members of<br />
the society were Louis F. Powell, a<br />
businessman of Richmond, Va.; Jose M.<br />
Chicol of Guatemala, for his revision of<br />
the translation of the New Testament<br />
into the Cakchiquel language of Guate<br />
mala; Rev. Ge<strong>org</strong>e H. Eastman, O.B.E.,<br />
England, for his revision of the transla<br />
tion of the entire Bible in the language<br />
of the Gilbert Islands; Dr. Lauro Monteiro<br />
da Cruz, a member of the Federal<br />
Congress of the Republic of Brazil,<br />
father of the legislation whereby Bibles<br />
and other religious literature are ad<br />
mitted into Brazil free of duty and of<br />
import licenses; Gregorio Jus-<br />
Choque,<br />
tino Quispe and Modesto Aliaga, all of<br />
Bolivia, for making the first translation<br />
of the New Testament into Aymara,<br />
the language of nearly<br />
a million peo<br />
ple in the High Andes of South Ameri<br />
ca; and Rev. Senji Tsuru, Rev. T. Endo,<br />
Rev. G. Tezuka, Rev. Takuo Matsumoto,<br />
Rev. K. Takahashi, Rev. S. Yamaya, Mr.<br />
K. Baba, the translators of the Japan<br />
ese Kogotai Bible, the first translation<br />
of the whole Bible into the commonly<br />
used form of the Japanese language.<br />
Answers to Spelling Test page 381<br />
(a) won; (b) won, too; (c) two, one;<br />
(d) won; (e) two; (f) to, for, too; (g)<br />
one, won, one; (h) four, won, for; (i)<br />
one.<br />
GENEVA<br />
The Rev. A. J. McFarland, D.D., of<br />
Sterling, Kan., will deliver the sermon<br />
at the Geneva College baccalaureate<br />
service to a class of 188 seniors in the<br />
Old Main chapel at 8 p. m. Sabbath eve<br />
ning, on the subject, "The Price of an<br />
Ideal,"<br />
Psalm 16:8.<br />
Dr. McFarland was graduated from<br />
Geneva in 1924. He is field secretary of<br />
the Christian Amendment<br />
President Charles M.<br />
Movement.<br />
Lee will be in<br />
charge of the service. Music will fea<br />
ture a selected choir under the direction<br />
of Louis J. Krepps, instructor in music.<br />
Dr. McFarland's son, Robert H., is a<br />
member of the graduating class.<br />
MINNTE JANE ANDERSON<br />
Miss Minnie Anderson of the Hopkin<br />
ton congregation was called to her eter<br />
nal reward on May 26, 1955. She was<br />
born June 15, 1869, and so was almost<br />
86 years of age. She was laid to rest in<br />
the Hopkinton cemetery. She had been<br />
a member of the Reformed Presbyter<br />
ian Church from her youth, and a faith<br />
ful and devout member she was. She<br />
loved her Lord and His Word and exem<br />
plified His truth in her life. She was a<br />
very considerate, humble, kindly, gen<br />
erous, patient, optimistic woman. She<br />
loved her church and supported it with<br />
her tithe. Of her immediate family, she<br />
is survived by but one brother, Mr. Jas.<br />
H. Anderson of Orange, California. She<br />
will be greatly missed by her friends.<br />
Dr. Remo I. Robb<br />
rV 4- V\rs.<br />
&.-per ok.ld<br />
2>-(o<br />
Vi/- Registration for Adults<br />
Kevnneth SancW^on \"*2.- Redis Ration tv Families<br />
For -father information please Write tot %V. Bruce C. Sfcsvtoct<br />
1<br />
15Q5 1QW Ave., Cxveeley, Col<<br />
P.S-!<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
up."<br />
ruined!"<br />
well"<br />
LESSONS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 10, 1955<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1955 NUMBER 25<br />
"The<br />
Missing Center"<br />
by<br />
Edwin Raymond Anderson<br />
Do you recall the Jig-saw puzzle It was quite<br />
the rage a few years ago, with almost everyone bent<br />
low over a table littered with all manner of sizes of<br />
pieces, feverishly seeking to scramble them together<br />
into the sense of the pattern pictured on the cover of<br />
the box.<br />
For most people, the jig-saw puzzle has given<br />
way to some later fad, in the bewildering crazy-quilt<br />
of our civilization. But there is one old-timer in town<br />
who is still excited over the game. At every oppor<br />
tunity he will turn his hands to the putting together<br />
of a pattern. I dropped over to visit on a particular<br />
afternoon. As soon as he opened the door in response<br />
to my knock, I could sense that something was terri<br />
bly wrong !<br />
He stared at me for a moment, his lean frame<br />
trembling from head to foot. Then he suddenly<br />
reached out, grabbed my arm and pulled me into the<br />
living-room, hurried me through to the side-room<br />
where he kept his precious puzzles. There on the<br />
table before me, I spotted one of them.<br />
"Take a good look at that . . . just<br />
take a good<br />
look !" he was almost shouting in my ear, in the grip<br />
of whatever disaster had befallen him. "See what<br />
has happened. Never before in all the time I've been<br />
working these things, has anything like this come<br />
I drew closer to the table. Instantly I spotted<br />
the "tragedy." There, spread before me, was a jig<br />
saw puzzle almost completed. It was a beautiful re<br />
production of a famous painting, and I appreciated<br />
the time it must have taken the old-timer to have<br />
come thus far with it. But right in the center of<br />
that picture was a jagged blank; a piece was miss<br />
ing!<br />
!"<br />
"And . . and. he cried out behind me, "I've<br />
been looking all over the house for that one piece to<br />
finish up the picture . . for days ! Yes, I said, days !<br />
Asked everyone, had them help look for it . . . but<br />
no luck. Just for that one piece, the whole thing is<br />
ruined And as he<br />
. .<br />
formed that<br />
.<br />
word,<br />
"ruined"<br />
the poor old chap broke out into bitter<br />
weeping.<br />
Perhaps you smile ; I did at first. But there is a<br />
solemn spiritual lesson which has long lingered with<br />
me. For lack of a center-piece, the picture was in<br />
complete, and that blank would haunt the whole.<br />
Surely one can see the spiritual implication in that!<br />
Let us allow that this life is like a jig-saw puzzle,<br />
taking many things of differing forms to go into<br />
the making thereof, so there be harmony and fruitfulness.<br />
But where is the evidence of it Is it not<br />
more evident that for so many in our day, there is<br />
every indication of the missing center-piece of the<br />
Lord Jesus Christ and His "so great salvation" pro<br />
vided in the wonder of His finished work at Calvary<br />
For all the talk, all the longing of peace, of rest, of<br />
quietness, of assurance, it is hardly much more, for<br />
life without the Lord of life, is not life at all, at<br />
highest and richest and best, but rather a tragic lie<br />
lived under the rule of this world's god.<br />
But unlike the old-timer, many in our day ap<br />
pear totally indifferent, unconcerned about this vital<br />
center-piece. They blandly, blindly believe that "all's<br />
without the wonder of it. It is your business<br />
and mine, beloved, to so labor with the Word, in the<br />
enabling power of the Holy Spirit, that they shall be<br />
stabbed awake to their emptiness, their vital need.<br />
And if we are to be at all effective in this service,<br />
we must first make certain that there are no miss<br />
ing center-pieces in our make-up. We have accepted<br />
Him as Saviour, we must go on and "fill in" by<br />
crowning Him as LORD of life, presenting ourselves<br />
continually as the living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1, 2).<br />
There must be the feeding on the Word, the "water<br />
ing"<br />
by fervent prayer, a constant occupation in re<br />
deeming the time, approving ourselves in all things<br />
as faithful stewards of the things of the Lord.<br />
Are you missing "something" Is your life ALL<br />
that is intended of the Lord It is high time (Rom.<br />
13:11) to return unto the Lord, mark that which is<br />
missing, and thus meet with Him in renewal and<br />
consecration. May we be truly concerned about this<br />
vital matter!
choices."<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
No Atheists<br />
Col. John D. Craig, a former Army man commissioned<br />
by the government to photograph atomic explosions, states<br />
in one of his lectures that "there are no atheists among nu<br />
clear scientists<br />
not a single one. When they succeeded in<br />
splintting the atom, they realized that for the first time man<br />
had stepped into the realm of creation, and that it was di<br />
vine Sovereignty speaking to him, and that man had better<br />
listen to what his Creator is saying to him."<br />
Stative of Mohammed Removed<br />
A marble statue of Mohammed that stood for more than<br />
50 years in a New York City courthouse has been removed<br />
at the suggestion of the U. S. State Department. This action<br />
was requested by the Islamic governments of Indonesia,<br />
Egypt and Pakistan in order to comply with the Moslem<br />
objection to graven images.<br />
Archeological Discoveries<br />
Archeological discoveries in Palestine are becoming<br />
more frequent. Among the recent discoveries are: (1) An<br />
underground church carved out of solid rock 50 feet below<br />
the tomb in the garden at Gordon's Calvary. (2) The re<br />
mains of what may be the idolatrous shrine denounced by<br />
the prophet Amos (Amos 5:5) (3) The ruins of the 2000-<br />
year-old palace of King Herod the Great at Masada, near<br />
the dead sea.<br />
Among the treasures located at the site of Herod's<br />
palace were the palace fortress which has a mosaic flooring<br />
fronted by a large columned terrace, four cisterns estimated<br />
to hold 40,000 cubic meters of water, remains of pottery,<br />
pillars, inscriptions, food and trees, and the earliest mosaics<br />
yet found in Israel.<br />
Youth in Formosa<br />
A group of young people, in the teen-age, have <strong>org</strong>an<br />
ized themselves into a band which they call, "Christian<br />
Youth in Action." They have decided to form tract bands,<br />
to help in street meetings and do hospital visitation. On each<br />
Sabbath afternoon they<br />
distribute tracts on the highways<br />
and byways of Taichung. On certain Sabbaths the group di<br />
vides and each separate group goes to a village in the vicin<br />
ity for tract distribution. Most, of these are children of<br />
missionaries.<br />
Work in Ecuador<br />
An evangelistic effort has been launched by missionar<br />
ies in Ecuador in an effort to reach the Quecha Indians.<br />
They have established an inn for them near the city Cuenca.<br />
When the Indians come to the city on market days they<br />
find the inn a convenient place to sleep, store their products<br />
and quarter their animals. While they are guests at the inn<br />
gospel messages are given, slides and recordings are used<br />
and tracts are given out.<br />
Atheism in China<br />
The Chinese Communists have joined the campaign still<br />
spreading in the Soviet Union and its satellites to promote<br />
"scientific<br />
atheism"<br />
among<br />
China's youth. The latest effort<br />
appeared in China Youth and labeled religion "an opiate for<br />
386<br />
the intoxication of the people, a social problem and an in<br />
strument of aggression."<br />
The magazine declared that "God<br />
was created by the psychology of fear and religion owes its<br />
birth and continued existence to the helplessness of man<br />
against social relations."<br />
Supreme Court Decision<br />
The Supreme Court has just now (today as I write)<br />
ordered the courts of the South to try to carry out as<br />
rapidly as they can well do so, the order to discontinue<br />
segregation in the schools.<br />
More Alcoholism than Polio<br />
An item in The Free Methodist states that alcoholism<br />
is one hundred times more prevalent than polio, according<br />
to Dr. Caradine R. Hooton, executive secretary of the<br />
Methodist Board of Temperance, Washington, D.C. "The<br />
American people raise millions of dollars each year to fight<br />
cancer, TB and Polio," said Dr. Hooton, "but spend billions<br />
to help spread the virus that causes alcoholism."<br />
Causes of Juvenile Delinquency<br />
The Moody Monthly in an editorial says :<br />
"Pity a nation<br />
such as ours that is literally terrified at the spectre of its<br />
young people out of control! Yet in Washington, D. C, New<br />
York, Chicago, Los Angeles and throughout the country,<br />
courts, school officials, juvenile authorities and communi<br />
ty leaders are perplexed and appalled by that they see.<br />
"No one who has faced the problems of juvenile delin<br />
quency will argue that they<br />
are simple or easy. But the<br />
source of juvenile delinquency may be located without much<br />
trouble.<br />
"Like it or not, nearly every juvenile delinquent is a<br />
monument to the failure of a home and the parents in that<br />
home. In the economy of God, the child is entrusted to the<br />
parents not only for physical care but for guidance in his<br />
spiritual and moral<br />
(Continued on page 394)<br />
Other institutions as the<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka, Kansu<br />
to promote Bible Standards of<br />
Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editor<br />
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Prof. William H. Russell<br />
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Departmental Editors<br />
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Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
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COVENANTER WITNESS
war,"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
GUARANTEED WAGE<br />
The contract settlement between the United Automobile<br />
Workers and the Ford Motor Co. set a new precedent in<br />
industrial relations. The union rejected a company for em<br />
ployee stock ownership, and instead won a modified form of<br />
the guaranteed annual wage for its 140,000 workers who<br />
are paid by the hour. The three-year contract was signed<br />
after eight weeks of intense negotiating, just in time to<br />
avert a strike. The company will contribute five cents an<br />
hour for each employee into a special fund, which will reach<br />
$55 million in three years. When a worker is laid off, the<br />
fund will be used to supplement his unemployment insur<br />
ance payments, in such a way that the worker will receive<br />
65 per cent of his previous take-home pay for the first four<br />
weeks, and 60 per cent for the next twenty-two weeks.<br />
Other benefits in the new contract bring its total value to<br />
about twenty<br />
cents an hour.<br />
EXPANDING GAINS<br />
The Ford plan is a compromise, for the union wanted<br />
100 per cent payments for a full year; but the principle of<br />
the guaranteed wage is established. General Motors, with<br />
nearly three times as many workers as Ford, avoided a<br />
strike by accepting a similar plan. In each case the special<br />
funds will be started immediately, but payments from them<br />
will not begin until June, 1956.<br />
change many<br />
It will be necessary to<br />
state laws so that a worker can receive un<br />
employment compensation and guarantee payments at the<br />
same time. The automakers would like to reduce the sea<br />
sonal fluctuations in their business, but their keen compe<br />
tition, and the custom of introducing new models every fall,<br />
will make this difficult. Unions in other seasonal industries,<br />
such as steel, will also push for some form of guaranteed<br />
wage. Tt will be difficult, however, for any but the largest<br />
companies to meet the cost.<br />
BONN AND MOSCOW<br />
Russia has made a dramatic move in foreign policy by<br />
inviting Chancellor Konrad Adenauer of West Germany to<br />
discuss the opening of diplomatic, trade, and cultural rela<br />
tions. This implies recognition of West Germany's sovereign<br />
ty, a major concession by the Reds. The German people<br />
were delighted at the prospect of a warmup in the "cold<br />
and Adenauer had no choice but to accept the invi<br />
tation. However, he promised that he would not desert the<br />
West for a neutral position, and came to Washington for<br />
preliminary<br />
consultations. He also insisted on a neutral<br />
place for the meeting, rather than going to Moscow. Russia<br />
probably hopes to delay German rearmament by reviving<br />
the popular hope for unification. Adenauer and the West<br />
will continue to insist on free elections as the basis for<br />
German unity, and the Communists can hardly<br />
agree to this<br />
without losing all their power in East Germany.<br />
LAND RIGHTS<br />
In 1953, at the height of the Mau Mau killings in Kenya,<br />
Queen Elizabeth appointed a Royal Commission to investi<br />
gate the whole matter of relations between natives and<br />
whites in East Africa. The basic problem is land distribu<br />
tion. Of the eighteen million persons in Uganda, Kenya, and<br />
Tanganyika, only fifty thousand are white, but the whites<br />
control nine-tenths of the best land. Though not actually in<br />
slavery, the Negroes have had to work for the whites in or<br />
der to secure money to pay a "head tax." The Royal Com<br />
mission has finally reported, recommending for Kenya that<br />
part of the five million acres now reserved for whites be<br />
opened to Negroes. Land not now in cultivation would be<br />
leased to anyone regardless of color. This recommendation<br />
will not be popular with the whites, but it seems a simple<br />
matter of justice, as well as the only<br />
tinued violence.<br />
DECISION AVOIDED<br />
alternative to con<br />
Dr. John Peters, who was dismissed from federal em<br />
ployment as a medical consultant in 1953, after an adverse<br />
decision by the Loyalty Review Board, has won a favorable<br />
ruling from the Supreme Court. Peters claimed that the<br />
action against him was illegal because he had no opportun<br />
ity to confront the witnesses who testified to his Communist<br />
leanings. However, the Court refused to rule on this basic<br />
constitutional issue, which is involved in many recent se<br />
curity cases. Instead, the Court threw out the Board's action<br />
because it was made on its own initiative, without appeal<br />
from the government.<br />
It is in accordance with judicial principles that the Su<br />
preme Court will not rule on a constitutional question if a<br />
case can be decided on any other grounds. However, we still<br />
need a decision as to whether security hearings must provide<br />
all the constutional rights guaranteed to persons accused of<br />
crime. Justice Douglas, in a dissenting opinion, strongly<br />
condemned the use of anonymous informers in such hear<br />
ings.<br />
niON IN ABUNDANCE<br />
Taconite, a hard black rock containing about 25 per<br />
cent iron, will soon provide a big new business for northern<br />
Minnesota. For many years, industrialists and defense offi<br />
cials have been worried over the depletion of the Mesabi<br />
range, our chief deposit of high-grade (50 per cent) iron<br />
ore. After many years of research, complex processes have<br />
been developed for mining and processing taconite so that it<br />
can be used commercially. One company has nearly com<br />
pleted a processing plant on the north shore of Lake Su<br />
perior, and a mine fifty miles to the northwest. The plant<br />
will convert the taconite rock into small pellets of con<br />
centrated iron ore, which will then be shipped down the<br />
Great Lakes to the steel mills. Since the reserves of taconite<br />
are enormous, its development assures continued prosperity<br />
for northern Minnesota and greater security for our steel<br />
industry.<br />
COMMUNIST FAMINE<br />
Famine is raging in Red China, according to reports<br />
from Hong Kong and evidence furnished by local news<br />
papers. Last year's disastrous floods were followed by heavy<br />
frosts in the central portions, while the south has had its<br />
worst drought in one hundred years. Over four thousand<br />
peasants were arrested in Canton for the theft of small<br />
amounts of food, and there have been food riots in some<br />
towns when the peasants tried to storm the Communist<br />
granaries. China has always known famine, but the Com<br />
munist regime has made it worse by exporting<br />
as much<br />
food as possible to Russia, in return for industrial goods.<br />
Added to this is corruption, as bad if not worse than under<br />
any previous Chinese government.<br />
June 22, 1955 387
ministers'<br />
ances"<br />
Report of The Synod of 1955<br />
WHICH MET AT GENEVA COLLEGE, JUNE 8-14.<br />
(Continued from last week)<br />
THURSDAY 8:45 A. M.<br />
Those of us who have attended many Synods<br />
recognize it has a routine program. Prayer, roll call,<br />
devotional period, reading of minutes, etc.<br />
But the devotional periods are new every morning<br />
and refreshing. The program for the week follows ;<br />
While the praise and prayer programs are very im<br />
portant and the names<br />
interesting we will give only<br />
the condensed form and hope to print the addresses<br />
later.<br />
DEVOTIONAL SERVICES<br />
Theme :<br />
Having Done All, To Stand<br />
Thursday, June 9<br />
"How to be an Example" (I Pet. 5:1-4)<br />
Speaker: S. Bruce Willson, D.D.<br />
Presiding: Rev. T. Richard Hutcheson<br />
Friday, June 10<br />
"How to Meet Personal Discouragement"<br />
(I Kings 19:9, 10)<br />
Speaker: Rev. E. Raymond Hemphill<br />
Presiding: J. Renwick Patterson, D.D.<br />
Saturday,'<br />
June 11<br />
"How to Encourage the Flock" (II Chron. 32:<br />
6-8)<br />
Speaker: D. Howard Elliott<br />
Presiding: T. F. Harsh<br />
Monday, June 13<br />
"How to Redeem the Time" (Eph. 5:16)<br />
Speaker : M. K. Carson, D.D.<br />
Presiding: Rev. Harold Thompson<br />
Tuesday, June 14<br />
"How to Increase our Vision" (II Kings 6:15-<br />
17)<br />
Speaker: Dr. Remo I. Robb<br />
Presiding: D. Ray Wilcox, D.D.<br />
Thursday is the time for the Memorial Service ;<br />
ministers, wives, missionaries, and elders,<br />
called Home during the year are memorialized. The<br />
writer does not remember any former year when<br />
there were no ministers or ministers' wives on this<br />
list. There was but one missionary, but there were<br />
eight elders, as follows :<br />
Zenas McMurtry<br />
Thomas J. Armstrong<br />
Thomas M. Pattison<br />
John T. Doig<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e H. Arnott<br />
Edwin L. Dodds<br />
Andrew S. Brodie<br />
Timothy Sanderson<br />
ELDERS<br />
MISSIONARIES<br />
Dr. Ida M. Scott<br />
Morning Sun<br />
Third Philadelphia<br />
New Castle<br />
Walton<br />
Coldenham<br />
Los Angeles<br />
Delburne<br />
Walton<br />
Later: Word came Monday evening of the death of<br />
388<br />
Dr. Paul Coleman, and a memorial prepared by Dr.<br />
P. D. McCracken was read at a later session.<br />
Papers concerning matters of discipline or pol<br />
icy from sessions, or individuals are presented by<br />
the clerks.<br />
Reports Boards of Trustees, all<br />
treasurers,<br />
treasurers'<br />
etc. follow. All<br />
reports are concerned<br />
with four more important figures six column fig<br />
ures more or less, "Receipts," "Expenditures" "Bal<br />
at beginning and end of the year. But those<br />
details ! Much bookkeeping and headaches are a<br />
weariness to the flesh. Can you visualize two hours<br />
of<br />
figures, read rapidly If they were mimeo<br />
graphed, or microfilmed and projected on a screen it<br />
would be easier. Maybe some day we will have an<br />
auditing committee to examine all books and certify<br />
to the honesty and wisdom of the receipts and ex<br />
penditures. One hundred men, two hours each, mini<br />
mum wages $1.00 per hour- -count it yourself. Such<br />
is the expense of hearing the reports !<br />
But there are more interesting intervals. Rev.<br />
Harold Harrington read the report of the Coordinat<br />
ing Committee's results of two grinding sessions of<br />
condensing the irreducible minimum requirements of<br />
the various Boards from $126,900 to $120,000, the<br />
maximum reasonable asking from the contributors.<br />
The report adopted will be published later.<br />
The Stewardship committee told us that 1066<br />
tithers were reported last year and 1700 enrolled<br />
during the current year. Synod voted to set a goal<br />
of 2200 for the coming year. The committee was<br />
commended for its efficient work of increasing the<br />
number of enrolled tithers, and promoting the over<br />
subscribed budget. Dr. D. H. Elliot was the chairman<br />
of the committee.<br />
THURSDAY P. M.<br />
Elder W. J. Adams of Kansas City opened the<br />
session with prayer.<br />
Representatives as follows were heard. Rev.<br />
Dilworth of Philadelphia brought a message<br />
from the American Bible Society, encouraging us to<br />
continue our co-operation in sending out 15 billion<br />
portions of scripture to all nations, tongues, kin<br />
dreds and languages.<br />
Rev. DeBoer of<br />
Washington, D. C. brought fra<br />
ternal greetings of the Christian Reformed Church.<br />
He told us he had just come from a meeting in their<br />
college<br />
Calvin, to our meeting in Geneva College<br />
which showed the close relation in faith of our two<br />
denominations. A request of our Synod of 1948 for<br />
their help in forwarding the Christian Amendment<br />
Movement had lain dormant until it was revived by<br />
the appointment of a committee to study the matter<br />
in their meeting of 1955. Also the proposal of our<br />
Synod of last year for a mutual study of each other's<br />
distinctive teachings was welcomed as a possible step<br />
toward union.<br />
Business resumed The Jewish mission. The<br />
Philadelphia building has been sold on a long time<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
isk."<br />
saved."<br />
groups'<br />
service."<br />
will,"<br />
message."<br />
contract. Synod voted not to continue the work for<br />
the present but to use funds to liquidate financial ob<br />
ligations now pending, and to hold the balance for<br />
later action.<br />
Rev. Norman Carson and Dr. T. C. Carson gave<br />
their impressions favorable of the immense work<br />
being done by the National Association of Evangeli<br />
cals, and of its worthiness as an instrument for our<br />
use and their use of us.<br />
The discussion of Making of Wills led by Elder<br />
Ross Latimer who recommended the building of an<br />
endowment fund of $100,000, out of the undesigna<br />
ted bequests, the income to be used for promoting<br />
such emergency requirements as may arise, brought<br />
an expression of opinions pro and con as to whether<br />
they should be invested in the present needs or<br />
stored for future needs. This was left for further dis<br />
cussion in the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>.<br />
Session closed with prayer by Rev. W. J. Mc<br />
Burney.<br />
THURSDAY 7:30 P. M.<br />
Elder William Dodds conducted a Round Table<br />
Discussion on methods of improving Midweek Prayer<br />
Services. Speakers were Mrs. A. A. Wylie, W. O. Hill,<br />
and Mr. Hemphill. One congregation found a ceme<br />
tery a suitable place for an inspiring and well at<br />
tended meeting (preceding Memorial Day). But take<br />
your prayer meeting to the cemetery, rather than<br />
bring the cemetery into the meeting.<br />
FRIDAY 8:45 A. M.<br />
This session was given over to the discussion of<br />
the Report of the Board of Foreign Missions. It was<br />
voted to approve the appointment of Lie. Gene Spear<br />
as Missionary to Japan, and of Eleanor Faris also,<br />
the latter without salary her own proposition. This<br />
latter provoked some discussion as a departure from<br />
"calculated financial<br />
The item that consumed the major part of the<br />
session was stricken out of the report. Should all<br />
students in the Latakia Schools be required to take<br />
Bible courses contrary to the government's regu<br />
lation that religious instruction must be given only<br />
according to the sect to which the pupil belongs, Mo<br />
hammedan, Jew or Christian. Expediency keeping<br />
the schools functioning, or risking the closing of our<br />
schools on the principle that we are commanded to<br />
preach the gospel to all, and ought to obey God<br />
rather than man. This question has troubled our<br />
Board and our missionaries for years and they<br />
wished Synod to take the responsibility of deciding.<br />
The matter was committed to members of Synod<br />
and the missionaries in an open conference.<br />
Recess.<br />
Thus far the report is prepared by the Editor.<br />
He is using a ghost writer from here on.<br />
The following notes on proceedings of Synod<br />
are prepared by the Rev. T. R. Hutcheson. Editor<br />
Friday Afternoon<br />
Dr. R. A. Blair opened the session with prayer.<br />
Rev. Paul Wison moved that, to complete the<br />
regular procedure, the paper from the Foreign Mis<br />
sion Board requesting the ordination of Gene Spear<br />
be granted. The motion was carried.<br />
Foreign missionaries present at Synod were<br />
then introduced by Rev. Charles Sterrett, Corres<br />
ponding Secetary of the Board. Each field had been<br />
June 22, 1955<br />
allotted 30 minutes, but Miss Blanche McCrea, the<br />
sole representative of the Cyprus field said she had<br />
been glad to hear of the progress being made on the<br />
building for the Girls' School in Nicosia, which is<br />
expected to be ready for use this September. The<br />
present school would not have endured the recent<br />
hurricane on the island, and is past repair.<br />
The aim of the school at Nicosia is deeper than<br />
teaching English, but English instruction is a big<br />
drawing card. The children there are normal children,<br />
with problems similar to those in American schools.<br />
But this school is special, a school for teaching<br />
Christianity.<br />
"Do you like it there ," Miss McCrea has been<br />
asked. Many things, of course, are not likable. There<br />
are many strange customs and attitudes. There is a<br />
lack of deep freezers, air-condition units, etc., but she<br />
loves the people, and recognizes prevailing living con<br />
ditions as part of the "joys of There is<br />
need for American teachers : a life- termer if possible ;<br />
at least a short-term teacher.<br />
Miss Elizabeth McElroy, who has been on the<br />
field in Syria for 35 years, spoke of the work in<br />
the mountain villages. She does not go into Moslem<br />
homes now the danger is great but she does teach<br />
in Alouite homes. Evangelists go from house to<br />
house and hold meetings for children after school<br />
hours. The children especially are hungry for litera<br />
ture and information. Twelve hundred villages, and<br />
no other denomination responsible for them. "Tell<br />
young people they will get happiness through Christ,<br />
and knowing they are doing His she said with<br />
conviction in appealing for people to prepare now for<br />
work in Syria.<br />
Mrs. Kenneth Sanderson observed that a time of<br />
furlough gave missionaries a new vision of the field,<br />
an encouraging vision. She expressed appreciation<br />
for support here of the schools and mission in Syria,<br />
and fine experiences in the home land. She once<br />
thought it was enough if teachers gave the Bible<br />
instruction, and let results be incidental. "I know<br />
now that that is not enough. We must approach<br />
people personally about their relation to Christ," she<br />
said, and then gave examples of how Syrian young<br />
people are doing that.<br />
Mr. Sanderson felt Syria was now home. There<br />
he and Marjorie were married six and one half years<br />
ago. He told of disappointment about students who<br />
had gone to other schools after being in Latakia Mis<br />
sion Schools, and had succumbed to liberal theological<br />
concepts and modernistic ideas. He quoted, "It is<br />
possible to come within 18 inches of salvation, and<br />
not be<br />
To convert Moslems is difficult, but<br />
so is it to convert anyone. And here is the attitude<br />
to take "If God worked a change in my heart, can<br />
He not change a Moslem's heart, too"<br />
Rev. S. E. Boyle, representing the Japan field,<br />
chose to talk on, "What I found in the American<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Church." He found what first impressed<br />
him as tiny, lonely groups. But he came to recognize<br />
the quality of these sacrifice, working, and<br />
giving. "A church is not measured by the size of its<br />
roll, but by the size of its He found the<br />
church is missionary-minded, and found pastors with<br />
faithfulness and originality. We are a small church<br />
with a heavy load, but a great message. He, as Miss<br />
McCrea in Cyprus, finds in Japan strange customs<br />
uncomfortable customs, like sitting on the floor. But<br />
389
he finds also people with aching hearts, and lost<br />
souls.<br />
Women's Association<br />
Mrs. J. B. Willson read the 58th annual report of<br />
the Women's Association. Meeting from 10:30 a.m.<br />
to 5:00 p.m., the Board of this association, in charge<br />
of the Home for the Aged, has a tremendous work<br />
to do. Desirable projects have sometimes had to<br />
be left undone. Mrs. Agnes Synder who entered in<br />
1930, has the longest record membership in the<br />
home. The Rev. B. M. Sharp who deceased after 2<br />
days'<br />
residence had the shortest membership. There<br />
are now 35 members living at the home and all quar<br />
ters are filled. Guests cannot be accommodated for<br />
meals as the Home would like to do.<br />
But $65,000 are in the building fund, and draw<br />
ings are printed of a proposed $100,000 annex. Copies<br />
of the plans were distributed to pastors to give to<br />
members of missionary societies.<br />
Bible Reading Folders<br />
Rev. F. F. Reade, of Almonte congregation, re<br />
ported sales of 1,814 copies of Bible Reading Folders,<br />
a hundred less than in 1953. There was an excep<br />
tional demand however, for the Children's Reader,<br />
second series. Synod approved an increase in the<br />
price of the readers, to meet printing costs. Dr.<br />
P. D. McCracken, of Philadelphia, commented that<br />
this record does not tell the whole story. More than<br />
1,814 <strong>Covenanter</strong>s are reading the Bible, since other<br />
systems of reading are being used.<br />
Dr. A. W. Smith, chairman of the Temperance<br />
Committee read the committee's report which warn<br />
ed of a plan by enemies of temperance to change the<br />
thinking of a church people about alcohol. Authori<br />
ties were quoted to show the relation of tobacco<br />
smoking to lung cancer. Dr. R. Paul Wright of<br />
Kansas City, a member of the committee, had in<br />
cluded in the report some comments on tobacco. He<br />
said, "It is a standard,<br />
rather gruesome wisecrack<br />
among the surgeons, that when one of the leg-aching<br />
smokers (suffering from a tobacco-caused disease<br />
of blood vessels) is told of the amputation conse<br />
quences facing him, the question the smoker asks is<br />
not, "How do I quit tobacco," but what is more<br />
likely to be, "How long before we'll need to ampu<br />
tate"<br />
The report was commended. D. H. Elliott re<br />
ported hearing Dr. Sam Morris, in one of his temper<br />
ance broadcasts, refer to the fine work being done<br />
by A. W. Smith in Florida. The moderator reminded<br />
Synod that the adoption of these reports requires<br />
corresponding action when delegates return home.<br />
Sabbath School Teachers Commended<br />
The report of the Board of Christian Education,<br />
presented by chairman F. H. Lathom, suggested a<br />
commendation for teachers, and a "Decision Day" in<br />
the Sabbath Schools. He reminded the church of<br />
services available from the Board of Christian Edu<br />
cation, which will appear in the printed report. The<br />
stimulus of hearing of work that has been done is<br />
an incentive to do like work, and no specific recom<br />
mendations were submitted.<br />
Seminary Board Report<br />
Dr. J. R. Patterson, secretary of the Board of<br />
Superintendents of the Theological Seminary, read<br />
390<br />
the report of that Board reviewing the work of the<br />
year. Two of the items, the election of seminary pro<br />
fessors and remarks by the president of the semi<br />
nary, were made the order of the day following the<br />
Publications Board report on Saturday, and Dr. H. G.<br />
Patterson was asked by the moderator to adjourn the<br />
court in prayer.<br />
Friday Night<br />
Mrs. Walter F. Mandeville of First Beaver Falls<br />
Church was in charge of an evening<br />
program in<br />
Geneva College chapel Friday night, one of the eve<br />
ning conferences planned by Synod's Committee on<br />
arrangements. The conference theme, "The Place of<br />
Women in the Local Church." The program was in<br />
the nature of a pageant, "Salt of the Earth," which<br />
was a dramatic demonstration of what women are<br />
doing in local churches. Parts of the pageant were<br />
performed by the Junior Society<br />
of Geneva Congre<br />
gation, directed by Mrs. Lucille Henery and Mrs.<br />
J. B. Willson; the Highlanders of College Hill Con<br />
gregation, demonstrating a missionary society; the<br />
Junior choir of the First Beaver Falls 'Congregation,<br />
under the direction of Mrs. Guy Spratley; the YTC<br />
of Beaver County led by Mrs. Stewart McCready;<br />
and Mrs. Kenneth Sanderson, missionary, presented<br />
the matter of consecration. Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Coleman,<br />
narrator, with Rhonda Coast, Susan Wood, and Mel<br />
Adams, of Eastville, took the part of a mother and<br />
children. The script for the pageant was written by<br />
Ellen Lathom. Hugh Barbour was in charge of<br />
lights. Mrs. Henery, Mrs. McCready, and Mrs. Rob<br />
ert Park comprised a trio.<br />
Saturday Morning<br />
The Saturday session began with prayer by Dr.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Coleman. Those taking part in the devotional<br />
exercises included Donald Crawford of Phoenix con<br />
gregation, Kenneth Kennedy of New Castle, and<br />
Paul Bennett of Allegheny, elders ; and Rev. Howard<br />
Elliott, pastor of First Beaver Falls, who gave the<br />
address. Rev. T. F. Harsh, pastor at Cincinnati, pre<br />
sided. The theme this morning was "How to Encour<br />
age the Flock," suggested by II Chron. 32:6-8. Under<br />
this theme, the speaker asked both "Why encourage<br />
the flock " Helpful answers were considered.<br />
Meeting the time of<br />
paper-presentation, a paper<br />
was presented by Rev. John Tweed requesting a defi<br />
nition of the proper relationship we should have<br />
with church councils and groups which are part of<br />
unorthodox <strong>org</strong>anizations or in cooperation with<br />
such. This was referred to a special committee.<br />
Copies of the report of the Board of Publica<br />
tions were distributed (as were copies of most of the<br />
reports when they were presented) and read by Ross<br />
Latimer, secretary of the Board. Again, the over<br />
subscription of Synod's budget was reflected in the<br />
favorable balance in the account, and the Board<br />
was glad to have a part in the program of the Ste<br />
wardship Committee.<br />
It is still planned to publish a Memorial <strong>Vol</strong>ume<br />
of the Covenant of 19<strong>54</strong>, but publication has been<br />
delayed this year. The Board was grateful to God<br />
that in spite of the illness of Dr. Taggart, and the<br />
moving of Dr. Vos to Beaver Falls, the issues of<br />
both the <strong>Witness</strong> and the Blue Banner were publish<br />
ed regularly.<br />
Often resolutions are passed by Synod,<br />
and<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
mittee,"<br />
actions recommended, of which the church knows<br />
little, except for the people present at the meet<br />
ings. The Board had some proposals under the<br />
heading<br />
Expediting the Work of Synod,<br />
and M. W. Dougherty was appointed chairman of a<br />
special committee to prepare for a "Publicity Com<br />
to definitely publicize the various phases of<br />
the church's work. The body of the report mentioned<br />
such phrases as doctrine, and distinctives. With<br />
qualifications, the <strong>Witness</strong> will receive for publica<br />
tion articles on the oath question. The editor asked<br />
a good response to his request for pictures of small<br />
children. A page full of these could be used to tmphasize<br />
"The Stewardship of Your Children." Look at<br />
the response to articles on the stewardship of your<br />
dollars !<br />
Theological Seminary<br />
Next in order was the election of professors<br />
to the seminary. Ballots were distributed with the<br />
names of three nominees, as provided by the report<br />
of the Seminary Board. In accord with the action of<br />
the Synod of 19<strong>54</strong>, the Board made nominations, and<br />
nominated the incumbents to succeed themselves<br />
Dr. S. Bruce Willson, Dr. J. B. Willson, and Dr. R. C.<br />
Fullerton. Delegates were to mark the ballots "yes"<br />
or "no." Later action on this election was taken the<br />
following Tuesday morning.<br />
Dr. Bruce Willson, President, was heard on<br />
behalf of the seminary. He reminded Synod of a<br />
predicted growth in population by 1972 of 26 million<br />
people. This should indicate a need for an increased<br />
number of ministers.<br />
There is also need for increased training in the<br />
Reformed faith, especially, in adherence to the Bible<br />
as the Word of God, with applications in all of life.<br />
There is need for a charter enabling the seminary<br />
to grant. a degree in theology; hence a need for an<br />
increase of $60,000 in the endowment fund, to an<br />
amount which would provide for the employment of<br />
three full-time professors.<br />
Recently Pittsburgh Presbytery prescribed that<br />
the moderator of a call should send a duplicate<br />
copy to the pastor-elect. This action was made a<br />
policy for the whole church by Synod's action in<br />
adopting a paper to that effect.<br />
The Saturday<br />
by Dr. J. A. Kempf, retired missionary to China.<br />
session was adjourned in prayer<br />
Picnic Canceled<br />
Normally, Saturday afternoon is for relaxing<br />
and recreating, a necessary part of Synod's program.<br />
But the picnic planned by the committee on arrange<br />
ments, for Bradys Run Park, was canceled due to<br />
showers (which were characteristic of this week in<br />
Pennsylvania) and a buffet supper was served in<br />
McKee Hall dining room. Recreation was provided:<br />
<strong>Vol</strong>ley ball in the field house ; shuffleboard and pingpong.<br />
Jim Bowers, alumni secretary, had it an<br />
nounced that it never rains on a golf course, and<br />
available courses were mentioned.<br />
However, many delegates used Saturday after<br />
noon to scatter to the ends of Pittsburgh Presbytery,<br />
in preparation for Sabbath appointments or to visit<br />
friends. Several were seen on Seventh Avenue wist<br />
fully eyeing the products of an advanced civilization.<br />
June 22, 1955<br />
Delegates in Near-by Pulpits<br />
On Sabbath morning, the names of ministers<br />
present for Synod were noted on the bulletins of<br />
most of the Pittsburgh area congregations. Some ex<br />
plained Psalms, some taught enlarged Bible classes,<br />
some preached sermons. Others delighted in the<br />
opportunity to sit in the congregation. Even out<br />
lying churches were happy hosts to people here for<br />
Synod. The Sabbath dinner had the least participants<br />
of any Synod meal, due to the scattering of the dele<br />
gates.<br />
At three o'clock Sabbath afternoon, Rev. Joseph<br />
A. Caskey led a prayer meeting in the College Chapel,<br />
always a blessing to the delegates in its effect upon<br />
Synod's business.<br />
The leader of the praise at the prayer meeting,<br />
as in Synod, was Dr. C. E. Caskey. This provided<br />
a father-and-son leadership of the afternoon worship.<br />
Lie. Gene Spear Ordained<br />
A highlight of the Synod was the ordination of<br />
Lie. Gene Spear, following the prayer meeting, to<br />
the Gospel ministry in Japan. This service was pre<br />
sided over by Rev. Bruce Stewart, moderator of Mid<br />
west Presbytery of which Mr. Spear is a member.<br />
Rev. Lester Kilpatrick preached on Ecclesiastes 3 :11,<br />
"He hath set the world in their heart."<br />
Then members of Midwest Presbytery laid their<br />
hands upon Gene Spear as Rev. S. E. Boyle led in<br />
the prayer of ordination. Rev. Charles Sterrett, cor<br />
responding secretary of the Foreign Mission Board,<br />
addressed the new minister briefly, and the people<br />
present, a mighty host, came forward to greet Mr.<br />
Spear and his wife, who sail this summer for Japan.<br />
Sabbath Night<br />
"Go Forward"<br />
Many of the congregations of the surrounding<br />
area united with Synod in worship Sabbath night<br />
in the College Chapel. Persistent rain may have kept<br />
some at home but the chapel was nearly full. A. W.<br />
Smith presided, Ge<strong>org</strong>e W. Price led in prayer,<br />
Licentiate Paul Robb read the Scripture, Exodus 14.<br />
Dr. P. D. McCracken brought the challenging<br />
message based upon Exodus 14:15, "Speak to the<br />
children of Israel, that they go forward!" To stand<br />
still is to die. There are barriers to going forward,<br />
but the question should be, "What is God's will, what<br />
is His command " Mr. McCracken recalled seeing an<br />
ox team pulling, and illustrated the need of united<br />
effort by the description of a fourteen-ox team pull<br />
ing a stalled threshing machine. He maintained, "Re<br />
sults are guaranteed when instructions are followed."<br />
Monday Morning<br />
Following the constitution of the court and the<br />
roll call on Monday morning, Dr. C. E. Caskey, clerk<br />
of Midwest Presbytery, introduced to Synod, as a<br />
new member, Rev. Gene Spear, ordained the day be<br />
fore as a missionary appointed to Japan.<br />
In the devotional period Monday, led by Harold<br />
Thompson, Southfield pastor, Dr. M. K. Carson, pas<br />
tor at Belle Center, Ohio, spoke on "How to Redeem<br />
the Time." Prayers were offered by Dr. John Peoples,<br />
Philadelphia, and Elder Irl McMahon, Topeka, and<br />
Missionary Kenneth Sanderson read the Scripture,<br />
Ephesians 5:1-21. A closing story in the address was<br />
391
quest,"<br />
now,"<br />
about the last words of showman P. T. Barnum,<br />
"What were the receipts today " The Synod was told<br />
to consider our receipts, but to think of better things<br />
than silver and gold.<br />
The order of the day was an offering to defray<br />
Synod's expenses.<br />
Then David M. Carson, chairman of the <strong>Witness</strong><br />
Committee, presented a report telling of the special<br />
emphasis given, as for several years, to the support<br />
of the Christian Amendment Movement. Synod re<br />
joiced in the introduction of the Christian Amend<br />
ment Bill by three different members of the House<br />
of Representatives, none of them saying "by re<br />
but each of his own will.<br />
Dr. A. J. McFarland, field secretary of CAM, in<br />
his remarks following the report, testified, "We are<br />
in different times and indicated a changed<br />
attitude in Washington from the years the bill was<br />
first being presented. Rev. S. E. Boyle led Synod in<br />
prayer for the success of the Christian Amendment.<br />
According to the report of Dr. John Peoples,<br />
Philadelphia, the property of the Jewish Mission has<br />
been sold, after a long time of failure to secure a<br />
buyer. It is purchased by a mission congregation,<br />
and continues to be used for worship, which is grati<br />
fying to the Jewish Mission Board who feared it<br />
might be turned into a tavern.<br />
Synod expressed its appreciation to Dr. Peoples<br />
for his sacrificial work at the Jewish Mission, and<br />
later voted him a small monetary token of appreci<br />
ation.<br />
In the report of the House Mission Board, Ker<br />
mit Edgar, recording secretary, noted the change<br />
in objective in the work in Kentucky, and the work<br />
of all the fields was reviewed. Each year several<br />
congregations are granted salary supplements, and<br />
the recommendations of the Board were adopted,<br />
which are on the basis of paying pastors $2,700 a<br />
year plus parsonage or an additional $600.<br />
Remo Robb then spoke on behalf of Home Mis<br />
sions, and appealed for a worker in Kentucky, a wo<br />
man qualified to teach Bible in the schools, and able<br />
to drive a car. Supplements will be published later.<br />
Monday 8:45 A. M.<br />
The Home Missions Report<br />
Synod voted its appreciation to Rev. Kermit<br />
Edgar for his diligence as secretary of the Home<br />
Mission Board. Field workers were presented: Dr.<br />
Claude C. Brown of the Southern Mission, Rev. D. C.<br />
Ward of the Indian Mission, and Rev. E. Ray Hemp<br />
hill of the Kentucky Mission, each spoke briefly of<br />
the situation in his field. Dr. Brown said the South<br />
is going through another transition period as severe<br />
as the years following the Civil War. Rev. D. C.<br />
Ward explained that the Indian's worst problems<br />
came from his association with white men, especially<br />
the habit of beer-drinking. Mr. Hemphill expressed<br />
his appreciation of support and help given in Ken<br />
tucky and especially mentioned Dr. Remo Robb and<br />
Milton Harrington.<br />
Kentucky Not Abandoned<br />
Mr. Edgar emphasized that Kentucky has not<br />
been abandoned, but the objective modified. Synod<br />
voted appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Boyd White for<br />
splendid work in New Mexico, and to the Hemphills<br />
who soon end nine years labor in Kentucky.<br />
392<br />
Then Dr. Remo T. Robb reported on his work as<br />
Home Mission Secretary and Secretary of Young<br />
People's Work. Approval was given the series of Bi<br />
ble Studies prepared this year and a committee was<br />
appointed to continue that work and extend it. Sev<br />
eral testimonies were given of the value of these<br />
studies, and how they are meeting a great need.<br />
The morning session closed with prayer by Dr.<br />
Robert Clarke.<br />
Monday Afternoon<br />
The attention of the church is anually called to<br />
conditions in the world which effect the church,<br />
through the work of the committee on the Signs of<br />
the Times. This was read by Dr. R. C. Fullerton,<br />
New Alexandria.<br />
The rest of Monday<br />
afternoon was given to dis<br />
cussion of the proper use of various translations of<br />
the Bible, in connection with Rev. S. E. Boyle's re<br />
port for such a committee, appointed last year. The<br />
report warned against considering anything as in<br />
spired except the original scriptures in Hebrew and<br />
Greek, but called upon the church to be alert to mat<br />
ters of accuracy<br />
and dignity.<br />
Dr. R. J. McKnight said of the Revised Stan<br />
dard Version, "It is a New Bible." He deplored the<br />
monetary aspect of the promotion of the RSV, and<br />
objected to the change from "Thou" to "You" in<br />
addressing God.<br />
It was pointed out that perhaps not officially,<br />
but in practice, we have adopted the King James<br />
Version as the authorized Bible, and we should dis<br />
courage the use of other versions, as confusing and<br />
misleading.<br />
Dr. F. E. Allen felt the committee had missed<br />
the object of its assignment, and pointed out evi<br />
dence of the bias of the RSV committee toward a<br />
liberal theology.<br />
Others maintained we need a Bible in the lan<br />
guage of the people, which is not satisfied by the<br />
King James Version.<br />
The discussion was interrupted by* the after<br />
noon recess.<br />
Monday Night<br />
The night session was opened by prayer by<br />
R. H. McKelvey, pastor of the Lochiel congregation.<br />
The report of the Board of Corporators of<br />
Geneva College was read by Rev. Robert Tweed, the<br />
secretary of the Board.<br />
Merril Robb, president of the college Board of<br />
Trustees, presented the proposed changes in the char<br />
ter and by-laws, including an increase in the size of<br />
the trustee board from 21 to 31. He also reviewed the<br />
work of the past year, noting six professions of faith<br />
by students, meetings of groups for prayer and de<br />
votions. The report had been prepared by Ethel M.<br />
Lytle, secretary of the board.<br />
Saddened by announcement of the death of Dr.<br />
Paul Coleman, Dr. R. A. Blair led Synod in prayer.<br />
Comments were made on the retirement of Dr.<br />
Robert Park, professor in the College since 1922.<br />
Dr. Park was asked to speak. "It is a great school.<br />
It could be the greatest in America," he said, in ex<br />
pressing<br />
appreciation of Synod's<br />
remarks. As a<br />
former student of Dr. Park, Dr. Bruce Willson paid<br />
tribute to influence of the retiring professor.<br />
In connection with the report, Dr. Lee, president<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
see,"<br />
stitution."<br />
will."<br />
of the College, was asked to speak, and told several<br />
interesting items. There are students of several<br />
races, religions, and 20 or 30 denominations. En<br />
dowment is now $924,<strong>54</strong>2.01, goal is a one million<br />
dollar endowment. Rev. Willard McMillan, Parnassus<br />
pastor, has been elected to teach Bible in the College.<br />
Dr. J. G. Vos will be acting head of the Bible depart<br />
ment. The healthy financial condition was noted,<br />
past deficits being eliminated.<br />
Dr. Vos was also heard by Synod,<br />
with special<br />
attention to the Bible department. He reported en<br />
joyment of the work, and the busiest year of his life.<br />
Bible study is required, and classes are large. He was<br />
gratified by opportunities for personal counseling.<br />
Elder's Conference<br />
Elders who are delegates to Synod have a meet<br />
ing for consideration of the church's work from the<br />
viewpoint of the elders. A call was issued for 30<br />
theological students iii the next 5 years. A request<br />
was made for reconsideration of actions in the elec<br />
tion of seminary professors. The matter was post<br />
poned to come up Tuesday morning.<br />
Tuesday Morning<br />
Dr. D. R. Taggart constituted the court in<br />
prayer. The final devotional program of Synod was<br />
led by Dr. D. R. Wilcox, with Merrill Robb reading<br />
the Scripture and elders Dr. E. J. M. Dickson and<br />
Chester Fox leading in prayer. The topic of this last<br />
address was "How to Increase our Vision," 2 Kings<br />
6:15-17. Since Robert McMillan, whose name was<br />
on the program, could not attend, Dr. R. I. Robb had<br />
been asked to speak. He applied the verse, "Lord,<br />
open his eyes that he may to the <strong>Covenanter</strong><br />
Church.<br />
It is sometimes asked, "What shall we do"<br />
essential"<br />
"What is<br />
Mr. Robb asked. "Is hair<br />
essential Ten fingers An appendix"<br />
He maintained that more is essential than mere<br />
life. We should grow. We should increase our vision.<br />
It was pointed out that we stand before the church<br />
as Elisha before his servant, who prayed for an en<br />
larged vision. This was a challenge to pray for our<br />
selves, and open our eyes to see.<br />
From back in the docket, the moderator called<br />
upon the Board of Pensions, which now had mimeo<br />
graphed outlines of theij suggestions. The board<br />
believed ministers should enroll under social security.<br />
But present pension contracts will continue: those<br />
with the Presbyterian Ministers Fund. A point of<br />
discussion was the discontinuance of the collection of<br />
1% of the salary of ministers now paying that<br />
amount into the pension fund, to allow the easier<br />
payment of social security tax of 3%, which will be<br />
increased to 6% eventually.<br />
Elder J. L. Wright led in prayer, closing this<br />
session.<br />
Tuesday 8:45 A. M.<br />
In the report of the Elders Conference it was<br />
suggested that Synod reconsider the election of Sem<br />
inary professors. This was done in executive session,<br />
and resulted in confirming the action of a previous<br />
session.<br />
Tuesday, 1:30 P. M.<br />
The roll call was omitted, to save the time of<br />
Synod. The last day, time was at a premium.<br />
June 22, 1955<br />
Dr. Paul D. McCracken read the memoir he had<br />
prepared of the life of Paul Coleman. Dr. H. G. Pat<br />
terson led Synod in prayer, which was followed by<br />
the singing of the 23rd Psalm.<br />
Resuming the consideration of the report of the<br />
Board of Corporation of Geneva College, comments<br />
were made about the proposed loyalty oath to be re<br />
quired of corporators and Covenators members of<br />
and faculty. This<br />
the trustees, and administrations,<br />
was in the form of a promise to live and teach the<br />
position of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church. The item was<br />
referred back to the Corporators, and the remainder<br />
of the report approved.<br />
Dr. J. R. Patterson, executive secretary of the<br />
National Reform Association, presented the report<br />
of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> members of the Board of Direc<br />
tors. This covered the areas of printing, liquor facts<br />
folders, the Christian Statesman, public addresses,<br />
10,000 letters mailed, a program of cooperation with<br />
Allegheny County, Pa., ministers, to promote Sab<br />
bath observance. Bible reading in schools was given<br />
considerable attention.<br />
One enterprise that got a fine response was the<br />
showing of the film "One in 20,000," which drama<br />
tizes the injurious effect of tobacco. This film was<br />
shown in the chapel last Friday<br />
night. It had been<br />
shown to over 7,000 high school students. Nine<br />
recommendations were offered, and adopted.<br />
Following the report, Dr. R. H. Martin, presi<br />
dent of the Association, related his experiences in<br />
Chicago, where he addressed the meeting of the Na<br />
tional Association of Evangelicals on the critical<br />
reflected in the inquiries<br />
situation in public schools,<br />
and pronouncements of various churches and coun<br />
cils.<br />
COMMITTEE ON THE OATH<br />
The committee on the Oath, read by Dr. S. Bruce<br />
Willson,<br />
gave particular attention to a paper re<br />
ferred to them by Synod on the distinctions between<br />
the Oath to the Constitution, and the Oath required<br />
of enlisted men in the Army. This presented a ques<br />
tion of conscience to one member of the church es<br />
pecially. In reply, the committee emphasized the dis<br />
tinction between "Country, or Nation," and "Con<br />
One recommendation extended the use of<br />
the "Explanatory Declaration" to the enlisted man's<br />
oath in case of conscientious scruples. A year's study<br />
is to be made of the limitations upon a Christian's<br />
obedience to governmental authority.<br />
Dr. A. J. McFarland of the Judicial Committee<br />
reported their action on the question sent from Cy<br />
prus about relations with the Armenian congrega<br />
tions there which are not <strong>Covenanter</strong> congregations.<br />
The question was about the meaning of "ecclesiasti<br />
cal fellowship and good The reply sent to the<br />
Armenians was approved.<br />
The committee on Church Union, reported by<br />
Dr. D. Ray Wilcox, stated they had correspondance<br />
with seven denominations, some of whom have ap<br />
pointed committees to consider our Constitution. The<br />
committee is continued, to negotiate with the same<br />
seven denominations.<br />
Dr. C. T. Carson presented the report of the<br />
committee on finance. Synod's Trustees are to out<br />
line proceedure in sale and disposal of church prop<br />
erty. Dr. Peoples was awarded $100 in recognition of<br />
his work in caring for the Jewish Mission property.<br />
Next each presbytery reported its situation as<br />
393
sin."<br />
pray<br />
to congregations, ministers, etc., reports read by the<br />
clerk of presbyteries. In connection with the report<br />
of New York Presbytery, J. A. Hill commended Wal<br />
ter J. Magee, new minister on the roll of that pres<br />
bytery, to the church. Mr. Magee had given a fine<br />
testimony<br />
of his belief in the principles of the Cove<br />
nanter church. Reports were also read from the Com<br />
missions in Cyprus and the Far East.<br />
Roy C. Fullerton is to be Fraternal Delegate to<br />
the next Synod of the Christian Reformed Church.<br />
Resuming the consideration of the use to be<br />
made of various versions of the Bible, the discussion<br />
centered on whether or not Synod should place re<br />
strictions on the free and proper use of translations.<br />
The emphasis of the report was upon the Greek and<br />
Hebrew Scriptures being the authority. The report<br />
adopted after discussion and amendments.<br />
Dr. C. T. Carson spoke for the committee that<br />
examines the church's task in the light of Biblical<br />
and creedal basis, a committee continued from Synod<br />
of 19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
THE CHURCH'S TASK<br />
The report, attributed largely to Rev. S. E.<br />
Boyle and Rev. W. G. McMillan, offered some ex<br />
planations for the recurring loss of membership in<br />
the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church, and some definite sugges<br />
tions for improvement. After prayer, and praise<br />
from Psalm 25, the report was adopted. Dr. F. E.<br />
Allen conveyed the greetings of Kahlil Awad, pastor<br />
at Latakia, Syria. Remo Robb closed session with<br />
prayer.<br />
Tuesday Night<br />
R. I. Robb reported for the committee to con<br />
sider a petition from Santa Ana congregation pro<br />
posing changes in Chapters 25 and 22 of the Testi<br />
mony, to modify the position on close communion.<br />
The committee presented a plan for discussion<br />
through the <strong>Covenanter</strong> <strong>Witness</strong>, limited in amount<br />
and frequency, to be supervised by the Editorial<br />
Committee of the Publication Board. The principle<br />
of the plan and the method of carrying it out were<br />
adopted. The last item provided that the question<br />
may be discussed by Synod in 1956. Dr. F. L. Stew<br />
art registered his dissent to the action.<br />
An item referred to the Foreign Mission Board,<br />
about teaching Bible to all students in the Latakia<br />
schools, was reported as a recommendation that all<br />
students be given Bible instructions who wish it. At<br />
present the law forbids Bible instruction to any but<br />
registered Christians. It was voted to strike out the<br />
item.<br />
A motion was made that when the Budget is<br />
over-subscribed, the following Synod dispose of the<br />
surplus. This motion was lost, and the present pro<br />
rata policy continued.<br />
A motion was made that discussion of admission<br />
to the sacraments be limited to the plan for the<br />
<strong>Witness</strong>, prohibiting circulation of rejected material<br />
on private initiative. The motion carried.<br />
Traveling fund committee reported a deficit,<br />
and recommended a one-dollar assessment for 1956.<br />
It was agreed to meet again at Geneva College, in<br />
1956 on June 6.<br />
Dr. T. C. McKnight adjourned the court in prayer,<br />
Psalm 133 was sung. The moderator, Rev. W. C. Mc<br />
Clurkin, pronounced the benediction.<br />
Again the Editor thanks Rev. T. R. Hutcheson<br />
for his kindness in reporting the meetings of Synod.<br />
THE AMERMICAN MISSION TO GREEKS<br />
WHAT IT DOES:<br />
Has built and maintains the only Evangelical<br />
Orphanage in Greece.<br />
Has built and supports the only Evangelical Day<br />
School in Greece, with a capacity of 500 children.<br />
Supports the Macedonian Bible Institute in<br />
Katerini, Macedonia, the only full-time Bible Insti<br />
tute in Greece.<br />
Has established and maintains the only Protes<br />
tant Bookstore in the heart of Athens.<br />
Is the main supporter of the Greek Evangelical<br />
Church, the oldest body of Evangelical believers in<br />
Greece.<br />
Supports over 40 missionaries.<br />
Maintains two summer youth camps and a Bible<br />
conference in Greece.<br />
Is the leading Evangelical Publishing House in<br />
Greece.<br />
Has prepared the latest and one of the best<br />
editions of the Modern Greek New Testament, pub<br />
lished by the Million Testaments Campaigns and the<br />
American Bible Society.<br />
In cooperation with the Million Testaments<br />
Campaigns, the World Home Bible League and oth<br />
ers, has distributed over 300,000 New Testaments<br />
and Bibles in Modern Greek.<br />
Publishes the leading Greek Evangelical month<br />
ly, the "Voice of the Gospel," edited by the Rev.<br />
Spiros Zodhiates, and assists in the publication of<br />
two others, the "Children's Pages," edited by Dr.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e A. Hadjiantoniou, and the "Star of the<br />
East,"<br />
edited by the Rev. Michael Kyriakakis.<br />
Publishes two Gospel messages every Sabbath<br />
in the only two daily Greek newspapers of America,<br />
the "Atlantis" and the "National Herald."<br />
Sponsors nation-wide broadcasts of the "Voice<br />
of Greece."<br />
Maintains food and clothing centers throughout<br />
Greece.<br />
Provides large quantities of antibiotics and oth<br />
er drugs to individual patients and whole sanitari<br />
ums in Greece.<br />
"We ask for toys when we should ask for con<br />
tinents and be claiming the world for Christ.<br />
The United Brethren<br />
GLIMPSES .... Continued from page 386<br />
school, the church and Sabbath School have a part, but "it<br />
is basically the responsibility of the parents to teach obe<br />
dience to authority, to teach the fear of God and to point<br />
the child to the Lord Jesus Christ as the great Deliverer<br />
from<br />
Mrs. Hitt is quoted as saying: "Recently we had to go<br />
out for dinner and the evening, thus leaving the children<br />
a little while. When we returned, they told us they had had<br />
their own devotions one reading and the other<br />
The editor asks: "Is this like your home Are your children<br />
being fed by the Word of God, lifted by prayer and pointed<br />
day by day toward Christ" COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
394
spirit"<br />
am"<br />
principles,'<br />
sons,'<br />
converts."<br />
QUESTIONS<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of July 10, 1955<br />
CYPU TOPIC<br />
for July 10<br />
Second Study in Galatians<br />
Chapters 3 and 4<br />
by Alvin W. Smith D.D.<br />
Psalms:<br />
25:1-6, page 57<br />
32:1-6, page 74<br />
Prayers:<br />
1. For spiritual perception of the<br />
apostle's teaching.<br />
2. For faithful and true preaching of<br />
the gospel.<br />
3. For Vacation Bible Schools.<br />
REVIEW QUESTIONS BY THE<br />
LEADER<br />
Who were the Galatians Where did<br />
they live<br />
What were some of their characteris<br />
tics<br />
What shocking news<br />
reached Paul<br />
concerning the Galatians<br />
What charges had the Judaizers made<br />
concerning Paul With what success<br />
How did Paul meet those charges<br />
How had the Judaizers made neces<br />
sary the Council at Jerusalem<br />
To what extent did they comply with<br />
its settlement<br />
Was Paul's rebuke to Peter personal<br />
or strictly on principle 2:11.<br />
How did Paul back up his doctrinal<br />
teaching with the personal testimony of<br />
his life<br />
Recite the memory verses: Ch. 1:3,<br />
4; 2:20 (Tell where found).<br />
READ ALOUD 3rd and 4th Chapters.<br />
Note the content of their teachings.<br />
By this time you have observed doubt<br />
less, that the subjects treated by the<br />
apostle overlap<br />
chapter boundaries. As<br />
you can see from ch. 1:11 through 2:14<br />
Paul has well answered the first charge<br />
of his enemies that it was not from<br />
man that he had received the gospel,<br />
but from Christ. From ch. 2:15 through<br />
5:12 Paul answers the second charge<br />
concerning the way of salvation, (posi<br />
tively) THAT SALVATION IS BY<br />
FAITH ALONE AND NOT BY<br />
WORKS.<br />
Visualize The Situation<br />
Endeavor to imagine yourself in<br />
Paul's position, undertaking by appeal<br />
and reason and scripture to bring back<br />
the Galatians gone astray. Read care<br />
fully that series of questions one after<br />
another in 3:1-5. Note the contrasts:<br />
"works of the law" vs. "hearing of<br />
faith" v. 2.<br />
"begun in the<br />
vs.<br />
"made perfect by the flesh," v. 3.<br />
"works of the law" vs. "the hearing of<br />
faith,"<br />
v. 5.<br />
June 22, 1955<br />
That is, the Galatians themselves had Abraham's two sons. Note how the<br />
Here we are treated to the allegory of way God commanded them to observe<br />
been saved by faith, not works. parts of the allegory are identified:<br />
bond-maid free-woman<br />
Abraham likewise was justified by faith<br />
(3:6-9).<br />
mount Sinai<br />
Agar Jerusalem above (free)<br />
"That is God's perpetual and unvary after the flesh by promises<br />
ing method. The gospel as preached to Ishmael Isaac<br />
Abraham announced blessings for all<br />
"So then, brethren, we are not chil<br />
nations, and that through faith."<br />
dren of the bond- woman (flesh law)<br />
but of the free (Spirit promise), v. 31.<br />
The Curse and the Blessing (3:10-14). Why then relinquish freedom in Christ<br />
"Those who remain under the law can<br />
to go back into the bondage of the law<br />
expect only the law's curse. Christ died<br />
This leads right on to the exhortation in<br />
in order to redeem us from that curse,<br />
the next verse . . . (next week) "Stand<br />
so that, instead of the curse, the bless<br />
fast therefore in the liberty wherewith<br />
ing promised to Abraham, the blessing Christ hath made us free . .<br />
of the promised Holy Spirit might come<br />
to all nations through faith."<br />
SECOND DEPOSIT IN MEMORY'S<br />
BANK. 3:22. 4:4,5.<br />
The Real Function of the Law (3:15-23).<br />
"The law as only a temporary pro<br />
1. Wherein had the Galatians made<br />
vision: it is not contrary to faith but<br />
themselves foolish<br />
was given in order to prepare men for<br />
2. What<br />
the era of faith." similar teachings of 'justifi<br />
Read carefully in this<br />
light, verses 22-26.<br />
In This Era of Faith We Are Sons of<br />
cation by faith' are found in Paul's<br />
other epistles (Romans, Ephesians,<br />
Titus).<br />
God (3:24-4:7).<br />
3. Why does Satan (through false<br />
"The law led us to Christ, in whom<br />
teachers) attack this truth so violently<br />
today<br />
we found justification by faith." We<br />
4. Wherein is Abraham the father of<br />
have come of age and have attained to<br />
all Christian believers 3:7, 29.<br />
the stature of sons and heirs of God."<br />
5. What is meant by 'the fulness of<br />
Note these expressions : all one in<br />
the time' 4:4.<br />
Christ Jesus (3:28), elements (rudi<br />
6. Contrast the status of the son-heir<br />
ments) of<br />
12, 'first<br />
time."<br />
. . . see Hebrews 5:<br />
"the fulness of the<br />
with that of the bond-servant; the sta<br />
tus of the minor under-age with that of<br />
the world<br />
(4:4) Here is emphasized the<br />
the mature come-of-age son. Apply to<br />
reality of the incarnation, so needed to<br />
law and grace and their privilege.<br />
day. Note also the expression 'the adop 7. Explain<br />
tion of v. 5.<br />
allegory of Ishmael and<br />
Isaac.<br />
The Foolishness of<br />
Wishing to be Again<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
in Bondage (4:8-11).<br />
July 10, 1955<br />
Had Paul's labor been all in vain by<br />
THE SCAPEGOAT<br />
their retrogression v. 9. See 3:4. What<br />
Mrs. Robert Russell, Walton, N. Y.<br />
do you think of the observance of days<br />
Scripture Text: Lev. 16:1-10; 20-28<br />
on the Church Calendar in 1955<br />
Memory Verse John 3:16.<br />
Memory Psalm for July Psalm 44:1-4,<br />
A Call to Remember Their First<br />
page 112.<br />
Reception of the Gospel (4:12-20). Psalm 22:1,2,3, page 49<br />
A strong personal appeal is made. v. Psalm 40:13, 18, 19, page 104<br />
12, "Brethren, I beseech you, be ye as Psalm 71:1,2, page 170.<br />
I (free from Jewish ordinances). Last week we learned how God taught<br />
"7 threw off the yoke of the Jewish law His people that they must worship Him<br />
in order to bring myself to the level of in the way and manner He had com<br />
my Gentile Write out a para manded. You remember how Nadab and<br />
phrase of verses 13-15. What may have Abihu were killed because they dis<br />
been Paul's thorn in the flesh How had obeyed God and came into God's holy<br />
it become the occasion of their having place in a drunken state, and for taking<br />
received him and the gospel<br />
fire which was not from the great altar<br />
as God had commanded.<br />
Another Appeal to the Scriptures To-day we are going to study about<br />
(4:2-31).<br />
the Great Day of Atonement and the<br />
395
away."<br />
away."<br />
the day. On this one day of the year,<br />
only the high priest could enter into the<br />
Holy of Holies," where the ark of the<br />
covenant was and where God was sup<br />
posed to live.<br />
We learn about this service from God's<br />
Word, the Bible. In those days there<br />
were no Bibles and God taught the peo<br />
ple then by acts which they could see.<br />
This service was to show the people that<br />
all are sinners and that they must seek<br />
from God f<strong>org</strong>iveness for their sins.<br />
The Day of Atonement looked forward<br />
to the day when Christ would shed His<br />
blood on the Cross to take away our<br />
sins.<br />
All the people were to appear before<br />
God as seeking for mercy and were to<br />
show a sorrow for their sins. Everyone,<br />
even children, were required to fast for<br />
a full day. No one could eat anything<br />
all that time.<br />
Early in the morning of the great day,<br />
the high priest offered on the altar<br />
before the Tabernacle what was called<br />
a "sin-offering." A young ox was burned<br />
on the altar and its blood was carried<br />
through the Holy place into the Holy<br />
of Holies and sprinkled on the lid of the<br />
Ark of the Covenant. This act was to<br />
show that the priest himself was a sin<br />
ner and that he was seeking mercy and<br />
f<strong>org</strong>iveness for his sins. The priest must<br />
have his own sins f<strong>org</strong>iven before asking<br />
f<strong>org</strong>iveness for others.<br />
Then the priest came again to the<br />
Great Altar before the Tabernacle. Two<br />
goats were brought to him. Lots were<br />
cast upon them and on the forehead of<br />
one was written "For the Lord" and on<br />
the other goat was written words that<br />
meant "To be sent<br />
These two<br />
goats were considered to be carrying<br />
the sins of the people. One goat was<br />
killed and burned on the altar; and<br />
the priest took some of the blood into<br />
the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the<br />
blood on the Ark of the Covenant as he<br />
had done before. He was really asking<br />
God to receive the blood and the offer<br />
ing and to f<strong>org</strong>ive the sins of the people.<br />
Remember there two goats and now<br />
the high priest came out of the Taber<br />
nacle and laid his hands on the head of<br />
the goat marked "To be sent<br />
This act was called "The Scapegoat" and<br />
he was then led away into the wilderness<br />
to some desolate place where he would<br />
never find his way back to camp. There<br />
he was left to wander as he wanted.<br />
This was the way God took to teach the<br />
people that their sins were taken away,<br />
never to come back again.<br />
When the service was over the peo<br />
ple considered their sins were f<strong>org</strong>iven<br />
and f<strong>org</strong>otten by God. The people would<br />
go home happy and end their long fast<br />
with all the food they could eat.<br />
396<br />
God was trying to show the people<br />
that sin is terrible. It separates man<br />
from God; it brings death; it must be<br />
taken away by blood.<br />
Thus we see that God was teaching<br />
man the way of f<strong>org</strong>iveness and peace<br />
long before He sent His Son Jesus<br />
Christ into the world to take away our<br />
sins by His death on the Cross.<br />
For Your Note-Book<br />
Draw a picture of two goats. On the<br />
Scapegoat, list all the sins you can,<br />
which you need to ask God to take from<br />
your life.<br />
SABBATH SCHOOL, LESSON<br />
July 10, 1955<br />
W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lessons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons ; the International Bible LeBsons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Interna<br />
tional Council of Religious Education.)<br />
HABAKKUK'S FAITH TESTED<br />
Printed. Habakkuk 1:1-4, 12, 13; 2:1-4;<br />
3:17-19<br />
MEMORY, "The righteous shall live by<br />
faith."<br />
Habakkuk 2:4<br />
In the darkest hour, we know that the<br />
dawn is near, if we see signs of it,<br />
we know that the time has arrived. The<br />
or if<br />
old proverb, however, is not always true.<br />
The darkest hour is sometimes just after<br />
the sunset.<br />
The sunset in Judah did not come<br />
suddenly. It followed a long spiritual de<br />
cline. Habakkuk saw the past and the<br />
present in the light of God's revelation.<br />
What he foretold was the natural result<br />
of what was transpiring before him.<br />
Judah had merited her own doom, and<br />
the prophet shows them the folly of the<br />
way of sin and destruction.<br />
The Prophet Was Speaking for God<br />
The Revelation of Habakkuk is an<br />
explanation of what is going on, as much<br />
as a warning of what is about to come.<br />
God was destroying the power of the<br />
enemies of Judah one after another. If<br />
Judah would follow God's command,<br />
they would have every opportunity for<br />
their own prosperity and peace. Their<br />
time was fast running out, yet they did<br />
not heed the warning. Even in the wick<br />
ed reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim.<br />
the prophet still came to warn them.<br />
The affairs of Judah were a heavy<br />
burden on the heart of Habakkuk, and<br />
he took it to the Lord in prayer. There<br />
were some who shared the burden with<br />
the prophet. But many in the nation<br />
tried to cast off their fears. In this they<br />
only deceived themselves. They were<br />
like the drunk man that does not feel<br />
the blow that crushes him. The prophet<br />
is awake to their dangers. He questions<br />
the Lord: why is his cry not heard<br />
Why is all this evil shown to him And<br />
why is the Lord not enforcing the law<br />
against the wicked who are destroying<br />
the righteous.<br />
The Lord answers: Judah had only<br />
to behold God's work among the<br />
heathen, to see how He was allowing<br />
them to work their own destruction.<br />
Even the wicked Chaldeans were being<br />
used against Judah's enemies. Time and<br />
again the door to victory was opened<br />
to Judah, but was immediately closed by<br />
sin. They were followers, and chose bad<br />
leaders, instead of those God sent.<br />
A promise has been compared to a tele<br />
scope that brings distant objects near<br />
to our vision, if accepted in faith and<br />
at hu<br />
obedience. Those who look only<br />
man history see only human factors.<br />
God's promises show the future in its<br />
true perspective. Our own desires may<br />
be like an inverted telescope and make<br />
a hungry lion look like a tabby cat.<br />
Habakkuk's earnest questions were<br />
not in doubt. He took them to God, the<br />
author of Truth. The answer came. It<br />
was not for Judah alone. It was an ap<br />
plication of truth to the conduct of men<br />
and nations. He was to write it. It was<br />
for all who would come after. It is<br />
not simply the story of a nation. It is a<br />
study of the destiny of all nations. Just<br />
now its value is for us. It tells us how<br />
to meet national and world conditions.<br />
Until quite recently, we were quite con<br />
fident that we could meet any war that<br />
could be waged against us. Now we are<br />
faced with an instrument that we our<br />
selves introduced into the world war<br />
fare, that we cannot meet. Our only<br />
human hope is that no nation will ever<br />
use our own weapon against us. God's<br />
word offers us safety if we trust and<br />
obey Him. Destruction, if we trust in<br />
the arm of flesh. Judah never needed<br />
to heed the prophets more than we do<br />
today. Our safety is in God's eternal<br />
Holiness. We should wait for it (2:3).<br />
The Hand of God<br />
The blessing and doom of nations has<br />
been written in history. It has been<br />
analyzed in God's word so that we can<br />
know its meaning and profit by it. God's<br />
promises to Judah were not only of<br />
blessing, but also of doom. So far, they<br />
have all been fulfilled. Those promises<br />
are also to us. They are being fulfilled<br />
to us. If we had kept and enforced Pro<br />
hibition, our Pacific War would have<br />
lasted just one day.<br />
It is no sign of God's disfavor that He<br />
does not grant our requests as we desire.<br />
In the twelvth verse, the prophet re<br />
ceives assurance that they shall not die.<br />
He is shown that those who are oppress<br />
ing them, whom they so greatly fear, are<br />
themselves ordained for punishment and<br />
correction.<br />
The Lord Chastens Whom He Loves<br />
In verses 4-12 God gave Habakkuk the<br />
full story of the course Judah was fol-<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
vation."<br />
earth."<br />
perfect"<br />
righteousness."<br />
lowing<br />
and that it led to captivity. They<br />
should have profited from what they had<br />
seen in Samaria. Those who will not<br />
learn from the experience of others,<br />
may learn in the school of fools, namely<br />
their own experience. It is an expensive<br />
school. Can we imagine more striking<br />
examples than what we have seen in<br />
ages past and present Our own experi<br />
ence has been very costly; Civil War, by<br />
oppression;<br />
strikes and lockouts on ac<br />
count of greedy unwillingness to recog<br />
nize common interests. Corruption,<br />
bribery, cheating, in the effort to provide<br />
a competent<br />
"security."<br />
In all these<br />
things, we are being chastened. We talk<br />
much about God as our nation's ruler.<br />
Talk is not sufficient.<br />
When the prophet had taken his ques<br />
tions and complaints to God, and had<br />
taken his place on the watch tower to<br />
see what God was doing, he received<br />
an answer. God was pleading<br />
with His<br />
people. There was encouragement for<br />
obedience,<br />
and doom for disobedience.<br />
The prophet, judging his people by his<br />
own faith, exclaimed, "We shall not die."<br />
He was speaking for all the faithful in<br />
the land.<br />
Century after century, the<br />
faithful have been preserved. In the<br />
darkest times, God has always had a<br />
faithful witness, so that the World has<br />
ever been without excuse.<br />
Some General Lessons<br />
When God seemed to be inactive in<br />
the deliverance of His people, the proph<br />
et exclaimed, "How long" God was not<br />
inactive.<br />
The prophet was shown in<br />
iquity and grievance at home. God's own<br />
people are the great obstacle in the way<br />
of progress. Complaint of wrong does not<br />
suggest doubt when it is carried to God<br />
in sincere search for the answer. When<br />
we take our questions to God in sincere<br />
desire for His answer, and are willing to<br />
accept His answer, we may expect an<br />
answer of peace. When Habakkuk cried,<br />
"How long, O Lord, shall I cry and<br />
thou shalt not hear" he found that the<br />
answer was in the very people for whom<br />
he was praying.<br />
"Unanswered yet The prayer your lips<br />
have pleaded<br />
In agony of heart these many years,<br />
Say not the Father hath not heard your<br />
prayers,<br />
Perhaps your part is not yet fully<br />
done."<br />
There are many lands today where<br />
those who know the truth are afraid to<br />
speak or act for fear of their own per<br />
sonal safety, or the safety<br />
of their<br />
friends. It is not often with us that one<br />
needs fear to speak the truth for physi<br />
cal danger. Many are afraid to speak<br />
the truth for lack of moral courage. It<br />
took spiritual courage to stand before<br />
the king and the people of Judah, and<br />
June 22, 1955<br />
deliver the message that God gave<br />
Habakkuk. Hudson Taylor was on an old<br />
sailing vessel caught in a typhoon that<br />
for fourteen days threatened every hour<br />
to break the vessel in pieces. He found<br />
his song in Habakkuk 3:18 and sang it<br />
continually. "Yet will I rejoice in the<br />
Lord. I will glory in the God of my sal<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
July 13, 1955<br />
PRAYER FOR OBEDIENCE<br />
I Sam 15:10-16, 22, 23<br />
Rev. Paul D. McCracken, D.D.<br />
Psalms:<br />
18:19-22, page 32<br />
25:7-12, page 59<br />
26:1-4, 8, page 61<br />
89:14-17, page 217<br />
81:6-8, page 200<br />
References: Deut. 11:27; Josh. 24:24<br />
I Sam. 12:4; I Sam. 15:19; Jer. 7:23<br />
Jer. 38:20; Dan. 9:10; Zech. 6:15<br />
Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:22.<br />
COMMENTS<br />
The first sin of mankind was disobe<br />
dience, Gen. 3 :3, 11. The virus of that<br />
sinful act has poisoned the whole<br />
stream of humanity ever since (Rom.<br />
3:23; Rom. 3:10). And because of his<br />
sinful nature, the tendency<br />
of unre<br />
generate man has been to rebel against<br />
God's way, to refuse to do His will, and<br />
to substitute something<br />
of his own in<br />
place of what God has prescribed. Even<br />
the child of God has to struggle con<br />
tinually against this "tendency<br />
old<br />
of the<br />
man"<br />
which persists, and multitudes<br />
are sinning today along this very line.<br />
That's what is wrong with the world.<br />
It won't obey. It will offer sacrifice to<br />
gods known and unknown, to the one<br />
that is true, and to many that are false<br />
but it won't obey. Recall the Bible illus<br />
trations of Cain and Saul and Jeroboam<br />
and many others, and bring it up to<br />
date with what is in evidence all around<br />
us of disobedience to God's way and<br />
will.<br />
When God says "don't," as so often<br />
He does for our good and His glory, we<br />
too often listen to and follow after the<br />
devil who says "do," and of course pun<br />
ishment follows either<br />
immediately or<br />
ultimately.<br />
When God in infinite wisdom says<br />
"do this or that," like Moses we find<br />
excuses, or like Jonah we try to run<br />
away, or like David we follow heathen<br />
example and build a new cart, or like<br />
Israel we sit down and murmur, and<br />
decide God has made a mistake. When<br />
God wills,<br />
been "We<br />
continues to be<br />
the prevalent attitude has<br />
won't."<br />
Such has been, and<br />
the attitude toward<br />
Christ as God's appointed king:<br />
"We<br />
won't have this man to reign over us."<br />
Oh, the mess that this old world is in<br />
because of disobedience!<br />
Men, of course, have to know God's<br />
will before they can do it. But God has<br />
revealed His will clearly in the written<br />
Word which we call the Bible, and in<br />
the Incarnate Word, who is Jesus<br />
Christ, and multitudes across the world<br />
have been given these revelations.<br />
Other revelations in the realm of nature<br />
concerning God's eternal power and<br />
Godhead have left the remainder of<br />
humanity without excuse. Men know<br />
far better than they are ready to do.<br />
Over and over again these revelations<br />
indicate "To obey is better." God's way<br />
is best, and He has said "This is the<br />
way, walk ye in it." Commit to memory,<br />
and then follow the instruction God<br />
gave to Joshua in Josh. 1:8.<br />
Christ, in the Lord's Prayer, teaches<br />
us to pray "Thy will be done, in earth<br />
as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). This is<br />
really a prayer for obedience. When<br />
that prayer is answered this world will<br />
be a different place, "a new earth<br />
wherein dwelleth<br />
When Richard Hooker, a great saint<br />
of God and a mighty<br />
minister in the<br />
church, was on his deathbed, a friend<br />
came to visit him and found him in<br />
deep meditation. The friend asked<br />
Hooker what his thoughts were and re<br />
ceived this answer: "I was meditating<br />
on the nature and number of angels,<br />
and above all on their blessed obedience<br />
to God without which there can be no<br />
peace in heaven." Then Hooker added<br />
so significantly: "Oh! that it might be<br />
so on<br />
That longing should fill every heart,<br />
and lead to action commensurate with<br />
the desire. Obedience to God's will and<br />
way is the secret of peace and joy in<br />
heaven, and likewise is the way to peace<br />
and goodwill among<br />
men on earth.<br />
Obedience took Abraham out, although<br />
not knowing whither he went, to be<br />
come the father of many nations and<br />
the progenitor of the One who is to be<br />
a blessing to the whole world. Obedience<br />
sent Christ to the cross, praying that<br />
submissive and obedient prayer "Not<br />
my will but thine be done," to pay<br />
man's debt, and to make sufficient and<br />
effective atonement for man's sin.<br />
Obedience meant for Paul the preaching<br />
of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and the<br />
obedience of faith among all nations.<br />
Such obedience is ideal for every child<br />
of God.<br />
Since God is omniscient it is logical<br />
to believe that He knows best, and that<br />
His revelation is the only infallible rule<br />
of faith and conduct. "The law of the<br />
Lord is<br />
(Ps. 19:7). He knows<br />
and has revealed what is best for man<br />
in all of his activities and relationships,<br />
and when that way is followed it brings<br />
397
om."<br />
sacrifice"<br />
east."<br />
us"<br />
name"<br />
come<br />
evil"<br />
blessing, and when it is ignored or dis<br />
regarded it means a curse,<br />
if not im<br />
mediately then surely ultimately.<br />
There are many problems and diffi<br />
culties abroad in the world. Someone<br />
has said that four-fifths of all the<br />
world's trouble is domestic. This could<br />
be remedied by<br />
obedience to the re<br />
vealed will of God for the home and its<br />
relationships (Eph. 5:22-6:9; Col. 3:18-<br />
4:1). The answer to the disagreements<br />
andjproblems between capital and labor<br />
are found in the Golden Rule (Matt.<br />
7:12). The reason and the remedy for<br />
the troubles in and among the nations<br />
are suggested in Isa. 60:12 and Psalm<br />
33:12. For every sin that can be named<br />
juvenile and adult delinquency, crime,<br />
drunkenness, immorality, gambling,<br />
Sabbath desecration, and all the rest,<br />
OBEDIENCE to God's Will is the an<br />
swer.<br />
"Thy Will Be Done" is a petition of<br />
far-reaching implications. The fulfill<br />
ment of far-reaching implications. The<br />
fulfillment of it will change the world.<br />
For this we must pray, even as Christ<br />
taught us to do.<br />
Topics for discussion:<br />
1. How wide-spread is disobedience<br />
today Give illustrations.<br />
2. What is meant by "To obey is bet<br />
ter than<br />
3. The effects of obedience.<br />
W. Mo S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1 :00 P.M. Monday<br />
W.M.S. Lesson for July<br />
By Mrs. G. M. Robb<br />
Choosing the Site<br />
"And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld<br />
the plain of Jordan that it was well<br />
watered everywhere . . . Then<br />
Lot chose<br />
him all the plain of Jordan and Lot<br />
journeyed<br />
Gen. 13:10-11<br />
This is a question of accommodation.<br />
Lot surely had none of these thoughts<br />
about "Pitching his tent toward Sod<br />
any doubt.<br />
So we will give Lot the benefit of<br />
A Good Situation<br />
This is most important. We have the<br />
world to chose from. There is plenty of<br />
room although most of us feel we could<br />
use more. Before buying<br />
a home one<br />
wishes to get information concerning<br />
the vicinity, the schools, the church ad<br />
vantages, postal service, the highways,<br />
streets, type of neighbors,<br />
factors. Just recently<br />
and all other<br />
one of our<br />
churches was forced to move backward<br />
because the street was being widened.<br />
Homes often move and may<br />
398<br />
leave the<br />
church without members in the area.<br />
Then the church must move.<br />
There<br />
must be plans for growth and expansion<br />
in considering building a church. Even<br />
mission stations are forced to move be<br />
cause of changing times and conditions.<br />
At present our church is considering<br />
building up new churches<br />
in certain<br />
promising areas, also considering the<br />
closing down of certain stations where<br />
work has been carried on.<br />
Access to our own church<br />
In choosing a home this factor is most<br />
important. For the good of all a new<br />
home should be planned near the church<br />
where the family worships.<br />
For Discussion:<br />
1 Seeking divine guidance in choos<br />
ing a new site.<br />
2 Disappointment in building without<br />
God's guidance. Deut. 28:39; Jer. 14:19;<br />
Zeph. 1:13<br />
3 Results from following God's guid<br />
ance. Jer. 30:17; Proverbs 10:27; Is.<br />
3:10; Ps. 34:20; Matt. 6:33; Joshua<br />
1:6-9<br />
PITTSBURGH PRESBYTERIAL<br />
The seventieth annual convention of<br />
the Pittsburgh Presbyterial W.M.S. met<br />
at the Parnassus R. P. Church at New<br />
Kensington, Penna., Thursday May 19,<br />
1955.<br />
The theme of<br />
the convention was,<br />
"We are ambassadors for Christ," and<br />
the Psalm was the 146th. The president<br />
Mrs. John S.<br />
Mclsaac called the first<br />
session to order at 10 :30 a.m. The devo<br />
tional period was conducted by Mrs. S.<br />
B. Willson. Reports of officers and su<br />
perintendents were given and routine<br />
business was attended to. During the<br />
noon recess the delegates were invited<br />
to the basement rooms for lunch. Tea,<br />
coffee and salad were served by the<br />
women of the church.<br />
The afternoon session was opened<br />
with a devotional period led by Mrs. J.<br />
Paul McCracken. Seventeen memorial<br />
members were remembered in an im<br />
pressive service conducted by Mrs. J. P.<br />
Mitchell. Mrs. K. S. Edgar reported for<br />
the Women's Association, which is in<br />
need of our prayers and financial sup<br />
port.<br />
We were very fortunate to have sev<br />
eral missionaries bring brief reports of<br />
their work and relate incidents of some<br />
of the people with whom they work.<br />
They include, Miss Elizabeth McElroy,<br />
Latakia, Syria; Miss Blanche McCrea,<br />
Nicosia, Cyprus; Mrs. R. C. Adams,<br />
Sandy Hook, Ky.; and Mrs. D. C. Ward,<br />
Apache, Oklahoma.<br />
Mrs. R. H. McKelvey of the Lochiel<br />
congregation gave a very interesting<br />
message on the work they are doing and<br />
the opposition they<br />
receive from the<br />
Catholics.<br />
Mrs. R. H. Ge<strong>org</strong>e led in the<br />
closing prayer.<br />
A delicious turkey dinner was served<br />
by the Parnassus U. P. Church.<br />
The evening devotions were conducted<br />
by Mrs. J. G. Vos with Mrs. J. P. Hickey<br />
leading the praise service.<br />
Rev. S. E. Boyle of Kobe, Japan<br />
brought a very enlightening message of<br />
his work in Japan, of our responsibility,<br />
and the need for help to China and Ja<br />
pan through our money, literature and<br />
prayers. He suggests we go out in our<br />
neighborhoods and bring in people to<br />
become Christians.<br />
The Rev. Willard McMillan closed the<br />
convention with prayer and the benedic<br />
tion.<br />
New officers are: President, Mrs. D.<br />
Howard Elliott; Second vice<br />
president,<br />
Mrs. Bruce Willson; Corresponding Sec<br />
retary, Mrs. John Tweed; Treasurer,<br />
Mrs. Raymond Stahl.<br />
By Mrs. Fred Nahas<br />
HOW DO YOU PRAY THE LORD'S<br />
I cannot say,<br />
PRAYER<br />
"Our"<br />
if I live in a<br />
watertight spiritual compartment.<br />
I cannot say, "Father" if I do not live<br />
that relationship in daily life.<br />
I cannot say, "which art in Heaven"<br />
if I am so occupied with the earth that<br />
I am laying up no treasure there.<br />
I cannot say, "Hallowed be thy<br />
if I, who am called by His name am not<br />
striving for holiness.<br />
I cannot say, "Thy kingdom<br />
if I am not doing all in my<br />
hasten its coming.<br />
power to<br />
I cannot say, "Thy will be done" if I<br />
am questioning, resentful of, or disobe<br />
dient to His will for me.<br />
I cannot say, "on earth as it is in<br />
Heaven"<br />
if I am not willing to devote<br />
my life here to His service.<br />
I cannot say, "give us this day our<br />
daily bread" if I am an under-the coun<br />
ter-shopper.<br />
I cannot say, "f<strong>org</strong>ive us our tres<br />
passes as we f<strong>org</strong>ive those who trespass<br />
against<br />
any one.<br />
if I harbor a grudge against<br />
I cannot say, Lead us not into temp<br />
if I deliberately place myself in<br />
tation"<br />
face of temptation.<br />
I cannot say, "Deliver us from<br />
I do not put on the WHOLE ARMOUR<br />
of God.<br />
I cannot say, "Thine is the kingdom"<br />
if I do not render my King the loyal<br />
obedience of a faithful subject.<br />
I cannot say, "Thine is the<br />
I fear what men will do.<br />
I cannot say, "Thine is the<br />
I am seeking glory for myself.<br />
I cannot say, "Forever and<br />
if<br />
power"<br />
if<br />
glory"<br />
if<br />
ever"<br />
if<br />
my horizon is bounded by the things of<br />
time.<br />
Selected<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
Church News<br />
Into our midst have returned Misses<br />
Ticia and Delia Patton of Washington,<br />
Iowa. They liked southern California<br />
well enough to come again.<br />
Other friends worshiping with us have<br />
SAN DD3GO NOTES<br />
San Diego just experienced a precious<br />
Communion Season. There were 15 re<br />
ceived into the Communion of the<br />
Church since last spring's Sacrament of<br />
the Lord's Supper; most of these by pro<br />
fession of faith. There were 13 Bap<br />
tisms, most of these were adults. We<br />
praise God for victories of faith.<br />
We have 61 communing members and<br />
about 25 baptized children.<br />
We need an election for Elders. Pray<br />
that God will raise up suitable men for<br />
this office.<br />
Plans are laid for our Vacation Bible<br />
School. We need more S. S. class room.<br />
Pray<br />
that God will soon provide for<br />
this. It will cost about $6,000.<br />
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO<br />
J. D. Edgar<br />
The May church supper was followed<br />
by a devotional period led by the Rev.<br />
Harold Harrington. Afterwards the an<br />
nual business meeting of the Congrega<br />
tion was held.<br />
Congratulations to our High School<br />
graduates Louise Marshall, David La<br />
thom and Murray Bishop.<br />
A representative from the Gideon or<br />
ganization gave a short talk on the<br />
work that they do. The offering<br />
of the<br />
morning was given to help them carry<br />
on their work.<br />
Paul Robb spoke at a recent evening<br />
service. He brought with him several<br />
students from Geneva who gave their<br />
testimonies.<br />
Miss<br />
Elizabeth McElroy from Syria<br />
spoke at our morning service June 5.<br />
She also brought a message to the Sab<br />
bath School. We are always glad to be<br />
brought closer to the work carried on<br />
by<br />
our missions.<br />
PHOENIX<br />
Our communion was April 17 with<br />
the Rev. Paul Faris of Quinter, Kansas,<br />
as the assistant. We were inspired by<br />
his messages and enjoyed the fellowship<br />
of him and his family. The following<br />
Monday evening a supper was given in<br />
their honor. Beautiful pictures of Japan<br />
were shown by Elmer Searle.<br />
Miss Elizabeth McElroy gave an in<br />
teresting account of her work in Syria<br />
during the services on Sabbath, April 24.<br />
The officers chosen for the Sabbath<br />
School for the following<br />
year are Elmer<br />
Graham, Superintendent; Esther Faris,<br />
Assistant Superintendent; Secretary,<br />
Fred Mackenroth; Treasurer, Robert<br />
Cox.<br />
Congregational Officers : Chairman,<br />
Don Crawford; Vice-Chairman, Robert<br />
Cox; Secretary, Mrs. Don Crawford;<br />
Librarian, Mrs. Arnold Wolfe; Precen<br />
tor, Mrs. Robert Cox.<br />
WMS officers : President, Esther Faris;<br />
Vice President, Mrs. Elmer Graham;<br />
Recording Secretary, Mrs. Orville Wol<br />
cott; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs.<br />
Fred Mackenroth; and Treasurer, Mrs.<br />
Robert Cox.<br />
Mrs. Wolcott's Beginners and Mrs.<br />
Cady's Primary S. S. classes enjoyed an<br />
afternoon of games on the lawn of the<br />
Wolfe home May 21. Glen Wolfe led the<br />
games which were followed by lovely re<br />
freshments.<br />
A weiner roast climaxed an afternoon<br />
of fun for the Junior and Intermediate<br />
S. S. classes at the South Mountain<br />
Park. These classes are taught by Mrs.<br />
Elmer Graham and Miss Lillian Mc<br />
Cracken.<br />
Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Killough from Denver<br />
worshiped with us May 22. She spent a<br />
few weeks getting<br />
acquainted with her<br />
new grandson. Mr. and Mrs. Ladd<br />
Kwiatkowski are the proud parents.<br />
The Adult Class enjoyed an evening<br />
of food and fellowship at Doyle's Smor<br />
gasbord during April.<br />
A hallway from the kitchen to the<br />
classrooms has been completed this<br />
spring giving lots of cupboard space<br />
which has been put to good use. Our<br />
thanks go to Delmar McGaffick and<br />
Melvin Means and all others who helped<br />
in the work.<br />
SANTA ANA<br />
W.M.S. officers for the new year:<br />
President, Mrs. Sadie Henderson; Vice<br />
President, Mrs. Effie McCrum; Record<br />
ing Secretary, Miss Viola McClurkin;<br />
Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Mary<br />
Tippen; Treasurer, Mrs. Mary Linton.<br />
Beverly Jean Keys, four month old<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Keys,<br />
was baptized on Sabbath, May 15, by<br />
Dr. Samuel Edgar.<br />
On Sabbath, May 22,<br />
we welcomed<br />
into the pulpit our Pastor-elect Mr.<br />
Glenn McFarland whose ordination and<br />
installation followed on Friday, May 27.<br />
We rejoice in God's providence that has<br />
brought the Rev. Glenn McFarland to<br />
our congregation.<br />
Miss Margaret Crockett of the Syra<br />
cuse congregation worshiped with us<br />
two Sabbaths while visiting in the<br />
Crockett and Lindsey homes. Miss<br />
Crockett is a sister of Mr. M. J. Crock<br />
ett.<br />
been Mr. John Keys of Los Angeles on<br />
May 15, Miss Jean McElroy of Los An<br />
geles on May 22, and Mr. Marion Rich<br />
ardson of Fresno on May 29.<br />
ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION<br />
OF GLENN McFARLAND<br />
The Pacific Coast Presbytery met in<br />
special session on May 27 for the ordi<br />
nation of Glenn McFarland, and his in<br />
stallation as pastor of the Santa Ana<br />
Congregation. After presenting an ex<br />
pository lecture on Luke 14:15-24 and a<br />
textual sermon on Ephesians 1:7, Mr.<br />
McFarland was examined in Systematic<br />
Theology by Dr. Walter McCarroll, in<br />
Church History by Rev. John Gault, in<br />
Distinctive Principles by Dr. J. D. Ed<br />
gar, and in Personal Piety by Dr. E. G.<br />
Russell. Mr. McFarland was sustained<br />
unanimously in the examination, and<br />
several voiced their pleasure in the<br />
soundness and quality of his work.<br />
At 6:30 o'clock the out-of-town guests<br />
and members of Presbytery joined with<br />
the congregation in a delicious dinner.<br />
The church was filled for the Ordina<br />
tion Service at 8:00 o'clock. Many<br />
friends from the Los Angeles Congre<br />
gation were present.<br />
Following the Ordination Sermon by<br />
the Moderator, Rev. Robert W. Mc<br />
Millan, with the laying on of hands of<br />
the Presbytery, Glenn McFarland was<br />
ordained to the Gospel Ministry and<br />
installed pastor of the Santa Ana Con<br />
gregation. Dr. P. J. McDonald, our<br />
senior Presbyter, led in the Ordination<br />
Prayer, assisted by Dr. Samuel Edgar,<br />
former pastor of the congregation.<br />
Glenn McFarland graduated from the<br />
Seminary on May 3, and is now at home<br />
in the recently purchased parsonage<br />
(formerly the Ben Linton home), 522 E.<br />
Chestnut, just a few steps from the<br />
church. Robert W. McMillan, Moderator<br />
Pacific Coast Presbytery<br />
UNION CONGREGATION, MARS, PA.<br />
The assistant at our spring com<br />
munion was Dr. S. Bruce Willson who<br />
brought appropriate messages at all the<br />
services.<br />
We were glad to have also<br />
Mrs. Willson and their three children at<br />
the preparatory services.<br />
The Annual Congregational meeting<br />
was held May 27 when reports were<br />
read from all departments, officers were<br />
elected<br />
and other necessary business<br />
transacted. The congregation has in<br />
creased in membership and trebled its<br />
giving in recent years. Dr. J. B. Willson<br />
was also present as a representative<br />
of the Home Mission Board.<br />
Miss Elizabeth McElroy was a wel-<br />
June 22, 1955 399
come visitor at the Elliott home for a<br />
few days and spoke to the Sabbath<br />
School and the congregation on May 29.<br />
The congregation enjoyed a bountiful<br />
supper in the new recreation room of the<br />
church on June 3 and the annual sum<br />
mer picnic is planned for June 17 at the<br />
Eden Hall Farm which is operated by<br />
the H. J. Heinz ("57") Company of<br />
Pittsburgh.<br />
Mr. S. B. Woodruff, our newly elected<br />
elder,<br />
passed through a very serious<br />
operation some months ago and is still<br />
not fully recovered. This not only kept<br />
him from his work but has long pre<br />
vented his attendance at church. Mrs.<br />
Woodruff, by invitation, speaks each<br />
Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. (E.D.S. time) on<br />
the Jerry McConnel evangelistic pro<br />
gram over Pittsburgh station WPIT.<br />
Miss Patricia Sterrett, daughter of<br />
Mrs. Myrtle Sterrett, is graduating from<br />
the Oliver High School in Pittsburgh<br />
with high honor.<br />
Mr. W. R. McWhinney<br />
and his wife,<br />
Mrs. Jean Barr-McWhinney, since clos<br />
ing their work at the Aged Peoples<br />
Home have moved near to Evans City,<br />
Pa., which brings them into the vicinity<br />
of our church at Mars.<br />
WINCHESTER NEWS NOTES<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Steuart celebrated<br />
their 50th wedding anniversary April<br />
26. Many friends called to extend best<br />
wishes at an open house, planned by<br />
their children, held at their home on<br />
April 30.<br />
The Father-Son Banquet, sponsored<br />
annually by the churches of the com<br />
munity, was held April 27. A good<br />
crowd attended.<br />
Graduates from our<br />
congregation this spring were Barbara<br />
Huston and Roy Freer from high school<br />
and Carol Wray and Garry Milroy from<br />
grade school.<br />
Paul Hensleigh, Jr. was a member of<br />
the Jefferson County 4-H Land Judg<br />
ing Team which went to Oklahoma<br />
City April 29 to participate in the Na<br />
tional Land Judging Contest. The team<br />
placed fourth among the 24 teams from<br />
over the nation entered in the contest.<br />
Mrs. Ross Keys was elected to the<br />
National Board of the Y.W.C.A. at the<br />
national convention in New York re<br />
cently. Mr. Keys visited his brother, Dr.<br />
Robert Keys and family at Darien,<br />
Conn. On their return trip they visited<br />
their daughter Mrs. Harry Clark and<br />
family in Detroit and were present at<br />
the baptism of their new grandson,<br />
Harry Meade Clark III.<br />
Mrs. Dale Curry rode part way with<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Keys and went on to<br />
Toronto, Canada, to visit her parents.<br />
Mrs. Zetta Huston was elected Y.W.<br />
C.A. president for the coming year. Mrs.<br />
Edith Milroy continues as secretary.<br />
Two local 4-H Clubs had good dele<br />
gations at our church on May 15 in ob<br />
servation of their National 4-H Sabti@i. Q qSjinqS Q. %J[<br />
Mrs. Mary Ann McElroy and<br />
TommBAy Iltta^ BXf~h<br />
of Salina visited her sister, Mrs. Mark AXfitrflllQsi A H<br />
Dill recently. Mrs. Esther Amidon of '<br />
Kansas City, worshiped with us May 1.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. John Madory and children,<br />
and Miss Mary Jane Curry of Denver,<br />
visited at the Neil Curry home.<br />
The Community Vacation Bible School<br />
was held from May 23 to June 3. Rev.<br />
Caskey was superintendent of the school<br />
this year. All previous attendance re<br />
cords were broken with a total enroll<br />
ment of 145. The demonstration program<br />
was held in our church on June 4. The<br />
church was filled with friends and rela<br />
tives for this occasion.<br />
THE REV. PAUL COLEMAN,<br />
Th.D., D.D.<br />
From 1923 Until July, 19<strong>54</strong>, He Was a<br />
<strong>Covenanter</strong> Pastor<br />
Last Week the Reformed National<br />
Synod Made Him Honorary Moder<br />
atorPresident of a Church Board.<br />
The Rev. Paul Coleman, 70, of 2421<br />
West Forty-ninth terrace, Kansas City,<br />
died yesterday at the University of Kan<br />
sas Medical Center. He was pastor of<br />
the Reformed Presbyterian church at<br />
4400 Wyoming street, from December,<br />
1923, until last July.<br />
Only last week the national synod of<br />
the church, now in session at Beaver<br />
Falls, Pa., made him honorary modera<br />
tor. He had been secretary of its Board<br />
of Publications and was President of the<br />
board of Church Erection.<br />
Born at Beaver Falls, the son of a<br />
minister and with three brothers in the<br />
same denomination, Dr. Coleman had<br />
forty-two years of professional life be<br />
fore retiring because of illness last July.<br />
His only other pastorate was at Blanch<br />
ard, la.<br />
Dr. Coleman formerly was treasurer<br />
of the Kansas City Ministerial Alliance,<br />
Chairman of the commission on leader<br />
ship for the Kansas City Council of<br />
Churches and worked seventeen years<br />
in the weekday<br />
church schools of Kan<br />
sas City, Kansas, both as a principal and<br />
a teacher. In 1938 his congregation sent<br />
him to Scotland for the tercentennial of<br />
the signing of the National Covenant of<br />
Scotland.<br />
Completing his undergraduate work<br />
as valedictorian of the 1905 class at<br />
Pittsburgh university, Dr. Coleman stu<br />
died at Harvard and completed his mas<br />
ter's work at Columbia in 1911. It was<br />
not until 1936 that he achieved his Doc<br />
torate of Theology at the Central Bap<br />
tist Theological seminary.<br />
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Margaret<br />
Coleman, and a daughter, Mrs. D. G.<br />
Weimer, of the home; a son, Richard B.<br />
Coleman, San Luis Obispo, Calif.; two<br />
brothers, Dr. John Coleman, Philadel<br />
phia, and Dr. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Coleman, Beaver<br />
Falls, Pa., and a sister, Mrs. R. H.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e, Bradfordwoods, Pa. K. C. Star<br />
LOS ANGELES<br />
May 22, Sabbath. Miss Jennie M.<br />
Dean and her sister, Mrs. Miller, wor<br />
shiped with us. They were the guests of<br />
Miss Alice Robb.<br />
May 29, Sabbath. Miss Margaret<br />
Crockett of Syracuse, New York, and<br />
Mr. Burney from Denver, Colorado, wor<br />
shiped with us. Mr. McBurney is visit<br />
ing his sister Mrs. Hamilton of Los<br />
Angeles.<br />
June 5 Sabbath. Mr. John Elliott of<br />
Phoenix, Ariz, worshiped with us.<br />
We are happy to welcome Mrs. Nash<br />
back after a long absence when she<br />
suffered a broken shoulder.<br />
Miss Edith Fowler has left for Van<br />
couver, Canada, for a vacation and will<br />
be visiting relatives there.<br />
Our delegate to the 1955 Synod was<br />
Elder Donald R. Dodds, who left by<br />
plane Wednesday evening, June 8.<br />
Mrs. Wilbur Aikin, our Sabbath School<br />
program chairman, was responsible for<br />
the fine Children's Day Program May<br />
12, and many children took part with<br />
scripture and psalms. Mrs. Arthur Rus<br />
sell, the superintendent of the D.V.B.S.,<br />
was introduced and gave a fine rally<br />
talk on the D.V.B.S. which starts June<br />
20.<br />
July 14 is the date set for the ordina<br />
tion and installation of our pastor-elect,<br />
Lie. Paul Robb. We ask for your pray<br />
ers as we take up the work of this con<br />
gregation together.<br />
400 COVENANTER WITNESS
earth."<br />
earth."<br />
people"<br />
sin."<br />
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 17, 1955<br />
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,<br />
THB 5CEO (S THE WORD OP GOD<br />
'<br />
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1955 NUMBER 26<br />
This Nation<br />
Paul S.<br />
Rees<br />
Under<br />
God<br />
Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land. Psalm 85:1<br />
One hundred and seventy-nine years ago the<br />
thirteen original states adopted the Declaration of<br />
Independence. That this was one of the most amaz<br />
ingly significant days in modern times is admitted<br />
by every student of history.<br />
Ninty-two years ago the Union forces defeated<br />
the Confederate Army in the Battle of Gettysburg.<br />
Four months later the scene of that battle was dedi<br />
cated as a National Cemetery. The orator who was<br />
brought in for the ceremonies was Edward EVerett,<br />
who spoke for two hours. The world has long since<br />
f<strong>org</strong>otten his oration. But that day President Abra<br />
ham Lincoln delivered a two-minute speech which<br />
was destined to take its place among the immortal<br />
classics of human utterance "The Gettysburg<br />
Address."<br />
In the final seconds of the speech came<br />
these deathless words : "That we here highly resolve<br />
that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this<br />
nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom,<br />
and that government of the people, by the people,<br />
shall not perish from the<br />
for the people,<br />
Now here is a curious thing: times without<br />
number we have rung the changes on the eloquent<br />
phrases, "that government of the people, by the<br />
people, for the people, shall not perish from the<br />
but we have largely ignored the clause that<br />
goes before "that this nation UNDER GOD shall<br />
have a new birth of freedom."<br />
God Versus Tyrants<br />
"Under God !" Lincoln was speaking out of pro<br />
found conviction. He was speaking also out of an<br />
accurate knowledge of American history. He was<br />
persuaded that no nation can live and thrive in free<br />
dom and justice unless it pays ultimate homage to<br />
Almighty God. Lincoln had probably read William<br />
Penn. If he had, he subscribed, I am sure, to Penn's<br />
saying, "Men will be governed by God, or they will<br />
tyrants."<br />
be ruled by<br />
One of the many values of the Old Testament is<br />
that it gives us the history of a remarkable people<br />
the people of Israel who developed this controlling<br />
sense of the ruling and overruling of God in their<br />
affairs. They were, to be sure, a "chosen in<br />
a manner not claimed for any nation today. Yet I<br />
venture to say that any nation will be strong, where<br />
strength is measured in the highest terms, if it<br />
will follow the lead of the prophets and psalmists of<br />
old, and enthrone God at the center of its affairs.<br />
At any rate, I invite you to examine an inspired<br />
piece of patriotism that has come down to us from<br />
ancient Hebrew times, in which we shall see, I think<br />
some striking<br />
Americans.<br />
resemblances to our situation as<br />
I.<br />
One observes, to begin with, that this patriot of<br />
old sounds the note of praise to God for the past.<br />
Both the authorship and the occasion of the psalm<br />
remain obscure. If David wrote it, it might well have<br />
been at a time when Judah was overrun by the<br />
Philistines. If a later singer composed it, it perhaps<br />
had reference to the Babylonian captivity. In any<br />
case, it was a time of trouble. The people had broken<br />
God's law. They were now being broken under the<br />
rod of God's enemies.<br />
In this melancholy hour the psalmist, interpret<br />
ing the plight of the nation, turns to the Lord. He<br />
begins by recalling the yesterdays. He finds that the<br />
paths of the past are covered with the footprints of<br />
"Lord,"<br />
the -Almighty. he cries, "thou hast been<br />
favorable to thy land." Then, remembering how de<br />
liverance came from former oppressions by the en<br />
emy, he adds, "Thou hast brought back the captivity<br />
of Jacob." Furthermore, "Thou hast f<strong>org</strong>iven the in<br />
iquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their<br />
That was Israel. What of America today <br />
No citizen of these forty-eight States could do a<br />
(Continued on page 406)
properly."<br />
practice,"<br />
Glimpses of the Religious World<br />
Frank E. Allen, D. D.<br />
Facing Reality<br />
In Colorado beer industry lobbyists urged that state<br />
assembly to pass a law stating that 3.2 beer was non-alco<br />
holic. Commented the Colorado Springs Free Press:<br />
"We are not prohibitionists, but we do not believe that<br />
our legislators should make a laughing stock of the truth.<br />
The truth is that citizens can become as intoxicated on 3.2<br />
beer as on just about anything else, if they drink enough<br />
of it. Calling beer a soft drink, selling it in grocery stores,<br />
as it is in many states, does not help society one whit. It<br />
does help make laughing stock of our laws . . . for if the<br />
law can say with a straight face that 3.2 beer is non-alco<br />
holic, then there is something drastically wrong with the<br />
law."<br />
Youth<br />
Eastern German Communists<br />
The National Voice<br />
staged the first large<br />
"youth dedication" ceremonies throughout the zone recently,<br />
marking a climax in a new crisis between Church and State.<br />
The atheistic youth dedication ceremonies were timed to<br />
coincide with confirmation activities in most German church<br />
es, and have been attacked by both Evangelical and Roman<br />
Catholic leaders. The angle of the affair that caught our eye<br />
was a part of the ceremony itself. According to East Ger<br />
man newspapers, the ritual included the following questions<br />
asked by prominent Red leaders, with answers by the par<br />
ticipating youth:<br />
Q: Are you prepared to devote all your powers, togeth<br />
er with all patriots, to fight for a unified, peace-loving,<br />
democratic and independent Germany<br />
A: Yes, we do so vow!<br />
Q: Are you prepared to devote all your powers, togeth<br />
er with all peace-loving people, to fight for peace and de<br />
fend it to the last<br />
A: Yes, we do so vow!<br />
The most warlike brand of peace-making we've seen for<br />
a long time'<br />
Kagawa Overworked<br />
Christian Herald<br />
One of the most vicarious personalities in Asia is Dr.<br />
Toyohito Kagawa,<br />
of Japan. Since his conversion to Christ,<br />
he has applied himself without limit to the spiritual, ma<br />
terial, and social redemption of his fellow Japanese. On<br />
March 27, Kagawa collapsed from overwork in Osaka,<br />
Japan. The 67-year old Christian minister exhausted him<br />
self in preaching and in working late nights to raise money<br />
to transport American relief supplies to Japan. Unable to<br />
move for several days, he was at last moved to his Tokyo<br />
home. Although against his doctor's orders, Kagawa has<br />
resumed his preaching and other ministries for the relief<br />
of the unfortunate and the poor. Our prayers will surely<br />
rise to God on behalf of Japan's great evangelist. He is a<br />
preacher of the gospel in Japan who can at any time get<br />
large hearing from the Japanese. Many are converted in<br />
his meetings. Our prayers for him enable us to share in<br />
his ministry.<br />
402<br />
The Watchman-Examiner<br />
Opposed to Merger<br />
Missouri Synod Lutherans will never in the foreseeable<br />
future join in merger negotiations with any other Church,<br />
according to Dr. John William Behnken, St. Louis, Mo.,<br />
their long-time president.<br />
He said that union of all Lutheran bodies in this. coun<br />
try would not be a good thing, even if it could be accom<br />
plished. "We hold that before there can be unity or altar<br />
fellowship there must be unity in scriptural doctrine and<br />
biblical Dr. Behnken said.<br />
Union of all Lutheran bodies in the country would be<br />
"too<br />
cumbersome,"<br />
he said. "It would make effective work<br />
at conventions difficult. Or the conventions would be so<br />
limited that individual churches could not be represented<br />
Dr. Behnken did not foresee a closer fellowship even<br />
among the communions making up the Synodical Con<br />
ference, in which the Missouri Lutherans are loosely allied<br />
with the Wisconsin, Norwegian, Slovak and Finnish synods.<br />
The Preaching<br />
United Evangelical Action<br />
The Christian Herald has polled 1600 persons to see<br />
what they think about today's preaching. Ninety<br />
per cent<br />
of those questioned would like to have more Biblical and<br />
expository preaching. They are tired of book reviews and<br />
discussion of political and economic problems. They think<br />
the minister should help them with personal living<br />
and con<br />
crete life situations. Concerning the length of the sermon,<br />
a large number did not object to long<br />
sermons. One said,<br />
"If a preacher has anything to say to my heart's need, an<br />
hour is not too long; if he hasn't, five minutes is too long."<br />
Bible in Braille<br />
The Free Methodist<br />
An 11-year-old blind girl read the Scripture lesson in<br />
Braille at the 139th annual meeting of the American Bible<br />
(Continued on page 407)<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS<br />
Issued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of the<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH<br />
OF NORTH AMERICA<br />
at 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas or<br />
through its. editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka1, Kansas<br />
to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and Life<br />
For individuals, churches and nations<br />
Opinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual write ;<br />
not necessarily the views of the <strong>Covenanter</strong> Church or of the Editor.<br />
Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor<br />
1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka Kansas<br />
Contributing Editors<br />
Frank E. Allen. D.D.<br />
Prof. William H. Russell<br />
Walter McCarroll, D.D.<br />
Remo I. Robb. D.D.<br />
Departmental Editors<br />
Rev. John O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. J. O. Edgar<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer<br />
Subscription rates: S2.50 per year; Overseas, S3.00 ; Single Copies<br />
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Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kannas<br />
under the Act of March 3, 1879.<br />
Address communications to the Topeka office.<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
clause"<br />
Current Events<br />
By Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.<br />
OPERATION ALERT<br />
Fifty-nine American cities were "bombed" on June 15,<br />
in the nation's greatest air-raid drill. President Eisenhower<br />
led 15,000 key officials from thirty-one federal agencies in a<br />
three-day evacuation to secret hideouts around Washington.<br />
The President issued a mock proclamation of martial law<br />
for the entire United States, and other agencies participated<br />
as if it were a real emergency. This was the first test which<br />
assumed an attack with hydrogen bombs. Theoretically, over<br />
eight million persons were killed and six and a half million<br />
injured, with large areas contaminated by radioactive fall<br />
out. The general public cooperated well on a superficial<br />
level. But the test showed what most persons already knew<br />
that our civil defense personnel, shelter provisions, and<br />
emergency supplies are totally inadequate, for any actual<br />
attack. Since 1951, Congress has always slashed the Admin<br />
istration requests for civil defense funds, and most Ameri<br />
cans feel too secure to have any interest in volunteering for<br />
local defense assignments.<br />
TRADE AGREEMENT<br />
One of the Administration's key measures, the foreign<br />
trade bill,<br />
has finally passed Congress. Both houses ap<br />
proved a law extending the reciprocal trade act for three<br />
more years, and giving the President the power to lower<br />
tariff rates five per cent a year for three years. Congress<br />
compromised on the demands of special protection for<br />
certain industries. The bill includes an "escape by<br />
which the President can grant tariff protection to industries<br />
which are essential to national security if they are threat<br />
ened by foreign competition. Within the next few weeks we<br />
should have action on several other important bills, such<br />
as the military reserve plan, highway program,<br />
al minimum wage increase.<br />
TALKING POINTS<br />
and nation<br />
The Big Four are making intensive preparations for<br />
the "summit" meeting on July 18 at Geneva, Switzerland.<br />
British, French, and American officials began a series of<br />
conferences early in June, and preliminary talks continued<br />
at the celebration of the U. N.'s tenth anniversary in San<br />
Francisco. The Russians maintain their friendly approach,<br />
but still charge us with obstructing the peace. President Ei<br />
senhower holds a cautious attitude toward the conference.<br />
He sees little hope for any settlement on disarmament or<br />
German unification, but may bring up the matter of Russia's<br />
hold on her East European satellites. Eisenhower wants a<br />
brief meeting, of about four days,<br />
so that the Soviets<br />
cannot prolong it for propaganda purposes if they<br />
willing to make any real concessions.<br />
ARGENTINE REVOLT<br />
are un<br />
Dictator-President Juan Peron of Argentina has crushed<br />
a bloody revolt in Buenos Aires, his greatest crisis in ten<br />
years of power. Argentina has had economic difficulties in<br />
recent years, and a few months ago Peron began an in<br />
tense campaign against the Catholic Church. This finally<br />
led the Vatican to excommunicate Peron. A few hours after<br />
that announcement, several planes of the Argentine navy<br />
flew over Buenos Aires and dropped bombs on the govern<br />
ment buildings. Heavy fighting followed around the Presi<br />
dential residence and in some other cities. The army re<br />
mained loyal to Peron and some of his followers counter<br />
attacked by burning churches. Early reports indicated that<br />
over 380 persons were killed in the fighting. Some of the<br />
rebels fled to Uruguay, but over 800 were arrested and<br />
brought to trial. Even if no more revolts occur, Argentina<br />
may look forward to a period of tension and repression.<br />
HAD ENOUGH<br />
Three of the American soldiers who chose to stay in<br />
Communist China after the Korean War have changed their<br />
minds, Peiping reports. Two of them want to return to the<br />
U. S., while the third may stay in Japan. Low living stand<br />
ards, language difficulties, and homesickness were the<br />
reasons given for their decision. The Reds say that the<br />
seventeen remaining Americans are free to leave if they<br />
wish.<br />
Originally twenty-two American soldiers elected to re<br />
main with the Communists, but two have already returned.<br />
Both of these are now serving prison sentences for mis<br />
conduct while in enemy prisons before the armistice. The<br />
two new returnees probably will not be prosecuted, how<br />
ever. They cannot be punished for remaining in China, for<br />
the armistice specifically gave them that choice. They have<br />
been dishonorably discharged from the service and are now<br />
civilians. The services still claim the right to try discharged<br />
personnel for serious offences committed before their dis<br />
charge, but this right is now being tested in the courts.<br />
POWER CONTROVERSY<br />
The Dixon- Yates power contract has passed a hurdle in<br />
Congress, with House approval of an appropriation to fi<br />
nance construction of transmission lines to bring its power<br />
into the area of the TVA. The project still faces heavy op<br />
position, however, from local politicians, who nearly all back<br />
the T.V.A. The region's power needs are rising because of<br />
new atomic installations and general industrial growth<br />
for which T.V.A. can take most of the credit. T.V.A. now<br />
has 8 million kilowatts of capacity and 1,300,000 retail cus<br />
tomers. Its supporters point to the great benefits this power<br />
has brought to the area,<br />
and to the fact that three-fourths<br />
of the T.V.A. power is now used by government installations<br />
or by industries with defense contracts. But the Administra<br />
tion and most of the Republican Party are firmly committed<br />
against the expansion of public power.<br />
MASS WALKOUT<br />
Family desertion has reached the point where more<br />
federal action is needed, says the National Desertion Bu<br />
reau. More than 250,000 families which have been hit by<br />
desertion are now helped by the federal program of Aid to<br />
Dependent Children, part of the Social Security System.<br />
This involves nearly one million women and children, and<br />
costs over $267 million a year. However, only 22 per cent of<br />
desertion cases are handled by public assistance agencies.<br />
Only a few states have effective machinery for locating er<br />
rant husbands and forcing them to provide for the sup<br />
port of their families. The National Desertion Bureau wants<br />
the federal government to help the states train welfare<br />
workers and law enforcement officers in the problems of<br />
family desertion. Modern social workers try<br />
whenever pos<br />
sible to find what went wrong with the marriage and to<br />
restore normal family life.<br />
June 29. 1955 403
new."<br />
vote."<br />
citizen."<br />
A Letter To My Congressman<br />
by Barbara Ann Brodbeck, Peoria, Illinois<br />
(This letter and her record of citizenship activi<br />
ties won for Miss Brodbeck first place in Division B<br />
in the 1955 Christian Citizenship Award Contest<br />
sponsored by the International Society of Christian<br />
Endeavor.)<br />
Dear Mr. Congressman:<br />
All of us are alarmed by the rapid progress<br />
which Communism is making all over the earth. We<br />
have seen it swallow up much of Asia in recent<br />
years. We have noted its growing influence over<br />
some of our most important European allies in the<br />
past few years. As we look at these oppressed na<br />
tions we are forced to the conclusion that many of<br />
the evils which confront them, and us, are a direct<br />
result of man's failure to serve God.<br />
The creation of Godless ideals, the setting up of<br />
wealth, power and personal success as the chief aims<br />
of life, has contributed more than any other single<br />
factor to precipitate the moral and economic crises<br />
wTith which these lands are faced today, and with<br />
which we will be faced if Christians do not provide<br />
our country with leadership in its fight to preserve<br />
freedom. Yes there is a chance we might lose our<br />
freedom. Democracy is freedom, but you cannot con<br />
tinue to build a free country on lack of initiative and<br />
independence, on selfishness, on<br />
cowardice,<br />
or on<br />
Godlessness and immorality. Fortunately, democracy<br />
doesn't depend upon one wise leader, but upon thou<br />
sands of men, women and young people who will<br />
work together.<br />
A fundamental belief in God is the essence of<br />
citizenship, democracy and freedom. Our country<br />
was founded by Pilgrims who were seeking freedom<br />
to worship God the way they pleased. Our Constitu<br />
tion is based on the fundamentals of Christianity.<br />
The home and constitutional government depend<br />
upon it. Christianity is more, however, than good<br />
moral character; it is more than the belief that all<br />
men were created equal and that the government<br />
should be of the people, by the people, and for the<br />
people ; it is more than a sense of honesty and integ<br />
rity. Christianity is humble repentance by sinners,<br />
followed by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as their<br />
personal saviour through His death on the cross and<br />
His resurrection.<br />
"For all have sinned, and come short of the<br />
glory of God." "For by grace are ye saved through<br />
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of<br />
boast."<br />
God: Not of works, lest any man should<br />
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a<br />
newcreature:<br />
old things are passed away; behold, all<br />
things are become<br />
A Christian is a changed being through faith<br />
and the result of this faith is good works. Christian<br />
citizenship, therefore, is a logical and necessary ex<br />
pression of one who loves God. Our free enterprise<br />
system is great because Christians do not rely solely<br />
upon the FREE part but upon their OWN ENTER<br />
PRISE. Personal achievement which lies in devo<br />
tion to Christianity and freedom has made and will<br />
continue to make this great nation !<br />
People do things because others do them. This<br />
places a great burden upon all of us to be always a<br />
proper example for others who might follow or imi<br />
tate. Unconsciously,<br />
even more than consciously,<br />
404<br />
young people are making this world a better or<br />
worse place. It's up to EACH YOUNG PERSON<br />
what SOMEBODY will be. Nothing has ever been<br />
done as well as it can be done. And it's up to Chris<br />
tians to improve their communities, the nation and<br />
the world.<br />
Mr. Congressman, this is the need for Christian<br />
Citizenship !<br />
Daniel Webster once said, "Whatever makes a<br />
makes him a good It is<br />
man a good man,<br />
never hard to think of greatness in terms of heroic<br />
deeds, or of rising to dangerous opportunities. But<br />
too often men feel no responsibility for greatness<br />
in good citizenship. Everything we have came from<br />
God, our parents, and our community. Isn't it logical<br />
to put something back<br />
Yes ....<br />
There are always enough projects to go around.<br />
projects for young people in the commun<br />
ity. When there is an election, there is always work<br />
to be done to "get out the Churches vitally<br />
need Sabbath School teachers. Their city's recrea<br />
tional program offers many opportunities for young<br />
people to help by leading craft classes, supervising<br />
recreation for children, and doing general office<br />
work. Fund drives for the Community Chest, Red<br />
Cross, Heart, Boy Scouts, and so forth, require a lot<br />
of volunteer help. The many temptations for young<br />
YOUTH<br />
SPEAKS<br />
people in drinking, gambling, narcotics, class dis<br />
tinction, etc., can be overcome by group projects in<br />
the schools and churches.<br />
The greatest thing we can do is to make every<br />
possible effort to be a good citizen. We are fortunate<br />
people within a fortunate land. God has given us His<br />
only Son as our Saviour and has blessed us much<br />
more abundantly than we deserve. Our forefathers<br />
have given us a philosophy of government that gives<br />
every man, woman, and child the right to life, liberty<br />
and the pursuit of happiness.<br />
As we take these blessings and give them back<br />
measure by measure, so we become beautiful in our<br />
citizenry,<br />
much as the Sea of Galilee is one of the<br />
most beautiful spots in the world because it allows<br />
its waters to flow out into the other parts of the<br />
land. If our citizenship is not Christian ... if its goal<br />
is selfishness, personal success, wealth, honor and<br />
power .... it is no longer great and we become as<br />
miserable as the Dead Sea which harbors all of the<br />
water of the River Jordan to itself and gives back<br />
nothing.<br />
That to me is the great challenge of Christian<br />
citizenship. A Christian is A MIND through which<br />
Christ thinks, A HEART through which Christ<br />
loves, A VOICE through which Christ speaks, A<br />
HAND through which Christ helps, A LIFE through<br />
which Christ lives.<br />
That is why, Mr. Congressman, I speak for<br />
Christian citizenship.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Barbara Brodbeck<br />
f<<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
A Letter To My Congressman<br />
by Elda Ann Thornburg, Eudora, Kansas<br />
(This letter and her record of citizenship activi<br />
ties won for Miss Thornburg first place in Division<br />
A in the 1955 Christian Citizenship Award Contest<br />
sponsored by the International Society of Christian<br />
Endeavor.)<br />
Dear Congressman:<br />
It is my desire to speak for Christian Citizen<br />
ship, because I believe that Jesus Christ in the life<br />
of each individual is the answer to any problem that<br />
may arise anywhere.<br />
Christian Citizenship starts at home. When one<br />
is very small, parents with their Christian teaching<br />
and the help of a family altar start to sway his life.<br />
He learns consideration of his elders and most of all,<br />
respect and love for his Heavenly Father. He learns<br />
to get along with his friends and people about him<br />
in a loving and respectful manner.<br />
As he grows older, he takes on more responsi<br />
bility of the home, community, and school. He learns<br />
still more how to cope with his surroundings and<br />
people without the help of his parents.<br />
Sometime in his first years of school he takes<br />
Christ as his own personal Saviour. No matter how<br />
much training he has had, without this big step in<br />
:hristian citizenship<br />
his life he would be a failure in the things of the<br />
Lord and in Christian living.<br />
In his early teens he is beginning to meet up<br />
with more and more decisions which must be made<br />
by him. As he keeps up his daily devotions of prayer<br />
and Bible reading, he knows he has a Friend more<br />
dear to him than loved ones who will help him with<br />
these decisions. Without Him, he knows he could<br />
never be a good Christian Citizen anywhere.<br />
There come to him problems of good recreation.<br />
Although his parents have helped him along this line<br />
it now comes to him alone to really decide. No one<br />
can make his decisions for him. It is revealed to him<br />
that in being a good citizen he must always be help<br />
ful in a spiritual sense also. He must be a good sport<br />
in good wholesome activities to show others that<br />
Christians can be just as good citizens and have just<br />
as much enjoyment in this type of thing as others.<br />
He knows that some recreation would be harmful<br />
to him and would hinder him as a Christian. These<br />
decisions are made in the will of God.<br />
Some youth use narcotics. But the Christian<br />
knows his body and life must be kept a clean temple<br />
in which Christ may dwell. He must do his best to<br />
help others see the harm in the use of narcotics and<br />
the loss of money, time, and healthy bodies.<br />
Gambling is more prevalent as he grows older.<br />
He must also try to help his fellowmen see the harm<br />
in this. God gives us all we have and ever will have.<br />
He expects us to use our possessions to the best of<br />
our ability and not be taking chances. This is an evil<br />
and can never be practiced by any Christian Citizen.<br />
June 29. 1955<br />
He knows that a good Christian Citizen will find<br />
his place in worship services both evening and morn<br />
ing on the Sabbath Day. Only one day out of the<br />
week is set aside for this purpose; surely everyone<br />
should use it and worship God in this manner. As a<br />
person grows to be a better citizen, he must grow<br />
spiritually to help him be better fitted for the task<br />
of helping others in the role that God has given him<br />
to play.<br />
He feels the necessity of Christian Endeavor<br />
and knows this is an important feature in training<br />
young people. Here he fellowships with other Chris<br />
tian young people and learns the value of living a<br />
Christian life and being a good citizen.<br />
He loves those of different race and nationality.<br />
There is no bitterness in his heart toward them no<br />
matter what they may have done to his race or coun<br />
try. With Christ there is no respect of persons ; so it<br />
should be with the Christian, He feels this is im<br />
portant for every Christian Citizen.<br />
When he is a man, these ideas come to him more<br />
forcibly. His vision is clearer; he can see the need<br />
for more Christian Citizens greater than ever before.<br />
He also sees that his vote, votes of other Christian<br />
Citizens, and his interest in the country and public<br />
affairs will help keep his country from Communism<br />
or being atheistic. When he was young he could only<br />
stand out against the liquor traffic, narcotics, etc.,<br />
but now besides this he can place his vote and en<br />
courage others to do so also. He must do his best as<br />
a Chritian Citizen to stand up for what he knows<br />
is right and keep faithfully the laws which he is able,<br />
to keep.<br />
As he becomes an older man, he finds he no<br />
longer can do the things he once did for the cause of<br />
a Christian country. As he thinks back over his life,<br />
he knows he has overcome many things: hardships,<br />
temptations, prejudices, and hard feelings. He has<br />
made mistakes in his life, but he has tried to over<br />
come them. With the help of his Heavenly Father<br />
he has tried to do his best to be a good Christian<br />
Citizen and to help others also in like manner.<br />
Mr. Congressman, I firmly believe that without<br />
Christ and the Church, this country would be a com<br />
plete failure. What a big part a good citizen plays in<br />
the citizenship and laws of our country, but how<br />
much more a Christian Citizen can do with the stand<br />
ards he holds and the help of the God whom he<br />
serves !<br />
The youth of<br />
today may think they cannot play<br />
a very big part in Christian Citizenship, but a good<br />
Christian Citizen is not born, neither is he made in<br />
one day. It takes a period of learning and striving<br />
to procure the knowledge of what a Christian Citi<br />
zen can do, will do, and must do.<br />
I, as a member of today's youth, want to do my<br />
best to be the kind of Christian Citizen that God<br />
would have me be; one that He can use, maybe<br />
not in a great part on this big stage of life in which<br />
we play, but in my home, school, community, and<br />
elsewhere. Christian Endeavor has been important<br />
to me in being a Christian and being a good citizen.<br />
May we as Christian Youth help those who are<br />
striving to be good citizens without the help of Jesus<br />
Christ that they may know Him as their Saviour<br />
and guide for living.<br />
Mr. Congressman, if you have not known the<br />
joy of having Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord,<br />
(Continued on page 407)<br />
405
achievement."<br />
agency."<br />
earth."<br />
gift."<br />
welfare."<br />
own<br />
THIS NATION UNDER GOD . . . from front page<br />
better thing today, in his celebration of the Fourth<br />
of July, than to bow his head in fervent, humble<br />
gratitude and say, "Lord, thou hast 'been favorable<br />
unto (this) land." Glowing Phrases<br />
We have been favored with great ideals. John<br />
Gunther, in the closing chapter of his Inside U.S.A.<br />
says, "The United States became great largely be<br />
cause it was founded on a deliberate idea a complex<br />
and enveloping idea including equality of opportunity<br />
for all, government only by the consent of the gov<br />
erned, and the Bill of Rights." What Gunther fails to<br />
point out is the basic Christian philosophy out of<br />
which that idea sprang. This philosophy,<br />
or better<br />
still, this faith, which brought the Pilgrims to Amer<br />
ica in the early 17th century, was hammered into the<br />
glowing phrases of the Declaration of Independence<br />
in the 18th century: "We hold these truths to be<br />
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they<br />
are endowed by their Creator with certain inalien<br />
able Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and<br />
the Pursuit of Happiness."<br />
This pattern of lofty ideals took further shape<br />
in the Preamble to the Constitution : "We the people<br />
of the United States, in order to form a more per<br />
fect Union, establish<br />
Justice, insure domestic Tran<br />
quility, provide for the Common Defense, promote<br />
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of<br />
Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain<br />
and establish this Constitution for the United States<br />
of America."<br />
Here indeed is what someone has called "the<br />
American dream the dream of a land where life<br />
shall be richer and fuller and better, with opportun<br />
ity for every person according to his ability and<br />
But mark this : just as the dream was<br />
born "under God," so it must be kept alive "under<br />
God."<br />
Editor's Note: Paragraphs, omitted here for the<br />
sake of brevity, concern God's favor to us in giving<br />
Incalculable Wealth and Great Leaders.<br />
Tokens of Providence<br />
In his First Inaugural Address Ge<strong>org</strong>e Wash<br />
ington has a beautiful passage in which he makes<br />
reverent acknowledgment of the guiding hand of<br />
God upon the development of the new-born nation<br />
and expresses his firm conviction that the Divine<br />
Goodness has superintended the brave venture. He<br />
then says: "In tendering this homage to the great<br />
Author of every public and private good, I assure<br />
myself that it expresses your sentiments not less<br />
than my own. . . No people can be bound to acknowl<br />
edge and adore the Invisible Hand, which conducts<br />
the affairs of men, more than the people of the<br />
United States. Every step by which they have ad<br />
vanced to the character of an independent nation<br />
seems to have been distinguished by some token<br />
of Providential<br />
The deluded disciples of Karl Marx may tell you<br />
otherwise, but the unshakable truth is that no na<br />
tion can rise to greatness which leaves out such<br />
sterling sentiments and such profound faiths as were<br />
expressed by our greatest American leaders. It is<br />
"under God," and only "under God," that America<br />
deserves to be called great. For this heritage of the<br />
past let us pay ungrudging tribute to the Giver of<br />
406<br />
"every good and perfect<br />
Indeed, "Lord, thou<br />
hast been favorable unto (this) land."<br />
II.<br />
Consider, next, how our ancient patriot sounds<br />
the note of prayer for the present. Look at verses<br />
4-7.<br />
The psalmist says in part: "Turn us, 0 God of<br />
our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to<br />
cease . . . Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy<br />
people may rejoice in thee" Such language is suited<br />
to America's situation today. We too have sinned.<br />
We need a national alarm clock to wake us up.<br />
Our National Debauch<br />
We have sinned against the law of sobriety, and<br />
we need a revival of temperance. Fifteen years ago<br />
the United States was spending a little more than<br />
a billion dollars on its liquor in one year. Steadily<br />
our national debauch has increased until now the<br />
outlay for liquor is approximately nine billion dol<br />
lars. For that sum of money you could place a $4 Bi<br />
ble in the hands of every human being in the world.<br />
You could support 4,350,000 missionaries at a rate of<br />
$2,000 each.<br />
Yes, America has sinned against the law of tem<br />
perance, and she desperately needs a revival of so<br />
briety. This need alone, if we were intelligent about<br />
it, would put America on her knees before Almighty<br />
God.<br />
America has sinned, too, against the law of the<br />
whole, and needs a revival of national unity. Perhaps<br />
the most completely f<strong>org</strong>otten clause in the Pream<br />
ble to the Constitution is the one which says: "To<br />
promote the general About the only place<br />
left where they remember it is the Supreme Court.<br />
Emotional Dynamite<br />
Today we are afflicted with the fanatical spirit<br />
of group interest expressing itself in high-powered<br />
propaganda and in the employment of extreme pres<br />
sure techniques to influence legislation. It has<br />
reached the point where, for example, if you use the<br />
initial "NAM" or "PAC" you are carrying emotional<br />
dynamite. The National Association of Manufactur<br />
ers is held by many to be a symbol of a state of mind<br />
a reactionary, labor-baiting mentality. Similarly,<br />
the Political Action Committee of the CIO is made<br />
the symbol of a radical, anti-capitalist labor mind.<br />
Thus we tend more and more to think and to act and<br />
to vote with our prejudices and our emotions, f<strong>org</strong>et<br />
ting the while that what happens to America as a<br />
whole is more important than what happens to any<br />
one block or group within it. I want Mr. Lincoln's<br />
phrases to stand: "that government of the people,<br />
by the people, for the people shall not perish from<br />
the I do not want it altered to read : "govern<br />
ment of groups, by lobbies, for special interests."<br />
If Jesus Christ were permitted to take our wide<br />
ly split groups by the hand they with their narrow<br />
viewpoints, their stubborn prejudices, and, at times,<br />
their bitter hatreds He would say to them what<br />
He said long ago, as recorded in Luke 16:12, "If<br />
ye have not been faithful in that which is another<br />
man's, who shall give you that which is your<br />
To complete the list of America's sins is not<br />
within the scope of this message:<br />
There is the sin of wrong attitudes toward the<br />
colored peoples.<br />
There is the sin of immorality and adultery<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
salvation."<br />
you"<br />
peace"<br />
repentance,"<br />
other"<br />
people!"<br />
myself.'<br />
people."<br />
a foul blot on our national honor.<br />
There is the sin of broken homes and the re<br />
sultant warping of the lives of innocent children.<br />
There is the sin of our prayerlessness, our neg<br />
of the church<br />
lect of the Bible, and our by-passing<br />
of Christ.<br />
A New Spirit<br />
Leaving out the small children, if a hundred<br />
million Americans would get on their knees and,<br />
with no empty sanctimoniousness, would honestly,<br />
fervently, believingly pray, we could change the<br />
spirit of this nation in twenty-four hours and the<br />
history of it for God only knows how many years to<br />
come. The prayer you ask. Why, what better one<br />
could we offer than this one in verses 6 and 7 : "Wilt<br />
thou not revive us again: that thy people may re<br />
joice in thee Show us thy mercy, 0 Lord, and grant<br />
us thy<br />
III.<br />
See, finally, how this ancient patriot-psalmist<br />
strikes the note of promise for the future. Is it<br />
worth-while to pray for moral renewal and spiritual<br />
revival It is ! All the great leaders in the things of<br />
the spirit have told us so, including the author of<br />
our text. Such prayer, offered in faith and backed<br />
by works "meet for<br />
never fails to flag<br />
the train of God's mercy. Listen to the psalmist: "I<br />
will hear what God the Lord will speak : for he will<br />
speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but<br />
let them not turn again to folly" (v. 8).<br />
What else "Surely his salvation is nigh them<br />
that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land"<br />
(v. 9).<br />
Then what "Mercy and truth are met togeth<br />
er ; righteousness and peace have kissed each<br />
(v. 10). On this Maclaren remarks, "Righteousness<br />
and her twin sister, Peace, only come in the measure<br />
in which the mercy and the truth of God are re<br />
ceived into thankful hearts." If America's future is<br />
to be bright, here is the way. Nor is there any other<br />
way.<br />
A False Note<br />
We have some citizens among us who often<br />
shout "America First!" and they appear to think<br />
that because they yell it loudly their patriotism is<br />
of the "super" variety. That slogan strikes a false<br />
note -at least for the Christian. For the Christian<br />
has been taught, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God<br />
and his righteousness, and all these things shall be<br />
added unto (Matthew 6:33).<br />
"America First!" needs to be replaced with a<br />
higher slogan: "Righteousness First!" And that, of<br />
course, means going straight to God, through Jesus<br />
Christ, and exchanging our own unrighteousness for<br />
the righteousness of Christ. It is a gift from God re<br />
ceivable, if we only knew it, by child-like trust in<br />
Jesus Christ, our crucified Saviour. But it is a gift<br />
which, once we receive it, demands that we apply<br />
the law of righteousness to every relationship of our<br />
lives all the way from the treatment we accord the<br />
members of our family to the honesty and honor<br />
with which we pay our income tax.<br />
If we are to have peace in the world, we must<br />
have righteousness. If we are to have peace in our<br />
economic life, we must have righteousness. If we are<br />
to have peace in the hidden sanctuary of our own<br />
heart, we must have righteousness. Only as "right<br />
eousness and kiss each other within our<br />
borders shall "this nation under God" be assured of<br />
a useful and honorable future.<br />
The Demand of the Hour<br />
Has this wedding of righteousness and peace<br />
taken place in your life That is where it must begin<br />
if the country as a whole is to be preserved. Dorothy<br />
Thompson, whose recent writings have revealed an<br />
increasing sensitiveness to spiritual<br />
values, wrote<br />
recently in a national magazine: "Two weeks ago I<br />
interviewed a young man who told me that he him<br />
self had never come under the conviction of the Holy<br />
Spirit, but he worked for a man who was an elder in<br />
the Presbyterian Church, and the young man was<br />
sure of the reality of the Christian faith because of<br />
the way his employer lived. That young man had<br />
never had the pleasure of going to the Grand Canyon<br />
and of being inspired to say, 'Something has hap<br />
pened here.' But in the office of his employer he saw<br />
a common man plus God and he said to himself,<br />
'Something has happened here and I want the same<br />
experience for Those who have come to<br />
know God as Sovereign and who have submitted<br />
their wills to the Lordship and Saviourhood of Jesus<br />
Christ, can be depended upon to subdue the earth<br />
rather than be subdued by it. The demand of this<br />
present hour is for many more such<br />
Whatever mistakes Dorothy Thompson has<br />
made as a journalist she was never more completely<br />
and profoundly correct than when she wrote those<br />
words. "The demand of this present hour is for many<br />
more such<br />
Are you one of them If not, will you be God<br />
help you to say, "Yes !"<br />
United Evangelical Action.<br />
Dr. Paul Rees is Pastor of the Covenant Church<br />
in Minneapolis, and was for two years President of<br />
the N.A.E. He has also been a member for the past<br />
two years in the Billy Graham Team in Great Brit<br />
ain.<br />
YOUTH SPEAKS . . . Continued from page 405<br />
I encourage and invite you to accept Him. The task<br />
and responsibilities which you have as a leader of<br />
our country can only be met adequately with the help<br />
and wisdom of our Lord. May God bless you.<br />
Sincerely yours,<br />
Elda Ann Thornburg<br />
GLIMPSES ....<br />
from<br />
page 402<br />
Society. In a clear, confident voice, with her fingers skim<br />
ming lightly and swiftly over the page, Pauline Nodhturft, a<br />
student at the New York Institute for the Education of the<br />
Blind, read the first 12 verses from the Book of Genesis,<br />
recounting the story of creation. Her reading provided a<br />
moving dramatization of the fact that the Society's distribu<br />
tion of Scriptures to the blind reached a record high of<br />
55,076 volumes in 21 languages during 19<strong>54</strong>, the 120th year<br />
of its work for the blind. Pauline received her first volume<br />
of the Braille Bible from the Society when she was 6 years<br />
old.<br />
The Watchman-Examiner<br />
Increased Giving<br />
Members of Disciples of Christ churches increased their<br />
giving to missions and education by nearly $1,300,000 dur<br />
ing the last four years, Dr. C. O. Hawley, executive secre<br />
tary of Unified Promotion, reported at the biennial meeting<br />
of the agency in Indianapolis recently. Unified Promotion is<br />
the denomination's new<br />
"Community Chest." 407<br />
June 29. 1955
so."<br />
Booze Broadcasting Is a Beast<br />
Extension of Remarks of<br />
HON. EUGENE SILER<br />
of Kentucky<br />
In The House of Representatives<br />
Monday, April 18, 1955<br />
MR. SILER: Mr. Speaker, I have introduced<br />
H. R. 4627, which is a bill to prohibit the transporta<br />
tion in interstate commerce of advertisements of al<br />
coholic beverages. It is my hope and desire that my<br />
colleagues will study this bill carefully and then act<br />
favorably<br />
upon it for the sake of a more spiritual<br />
citizenship, a more stabilized American home, and a<br />
more serious-minded youth of tomorrow.<br />
There are some things that should be strictly<br />
regulated while they exist or else put in complete<br />
subjugation among civilized peoples, for example,<br />
the rattlesnake, the brothel, the stalking murderer,<br />
the insidious thief, the trouble maker at home or<br />
abroad, and the nice genteel advertisement of booze<br />
in whatever form may be best calculated to make the<br />
strongest appeal to our boys and girls. You say it is<br />
a legal subject matter. So is the rattlesnake. You say<br />
freedom of speech and press are inviolable. Yes ; but<br />
under exercise of police power we do not allow the<br />
free-speech man to use indecent language in the pub<br />
lic square nor do we allow the free-press man to pub<br />
lish obscene language in the Daily Times. Moral<br />
health, and welfare may be, ought to be, and must<br />
be closely and firmly regulated under the police<br />
concept breathed into our Constitution by our Found<br />
ing Fathers more than a century and a half ago.<br />
In the dusty annals of bygone history, there<br />
once lived a king named Belshazzar. He was a "man<br />
of distinction." So much so that one night he had a<br />
great feast and invited 1000 of his lords, not to speak<br />
of the many princes, wives, and concubines that also<br />
came along in great numbers. Now it looked like<br />
everybody wanted to be a man of distinction and get<br />
on a big binge on that occasion. I suppose about all<br />
the 1000 lords got tanked up and doubtless we have<br />
derived our current expression, "drunk as a lord,"<br />
from the unseemly<br />
condition of Belshazzar's lords at<br />
that famous festival when wine flowed like a moun<br />
tain stream after a hard shower in the spring time.<br />
Strange handwriting suddenly appeared on the plas<br />
tered wall, old Belshazzar took a bad case of delirium<br />
tremens and on that very night the drunken king<br />
was killed and new and sober administration came<br />
into power under King Darius. Of course, the Bel<br />
shazzar Wine was perfectly legal. None whatever<br />
thought it could be regulated. "Let it flow freely,"<br />
said everyone from the king on down. "Let it come<br />
into the very home of the king and let its free inter<br />
course be unmolested in the name of complete liber<br />
ty."<br />
But before that fateful night was over, there<br />
was some free writing on the wall, some free delir<br />
ium tremens among the men of distinction, some<br />
free rigor mortis on the regal throne of Babylon.<br />
In 1871 the Chicago fire raged over the city<br />
unregulated and caused $196 million in damages.<br />
In 1889 the Johnstown flood surged down the<br />
unregulated and cost 2,200 lives.<br />
valley<br />
And now, unrestricted and uninhibited, alcohol<br />
ic advertising may well, in my humble opinion, cost<br />
408<br />
much more than all the damage and loss of life of<br />
both the Chicago fire and Johnstown flood combined<br />
and then multiplied by two.<br />
During my lifetime my good State of Kentucky<br />
has continuously stood at the top<br />
of the list of al<br />
coholic producers and has frequently bragged about<br />
this, and yet during that same lifetime span I notice<br />
that whereas Kentucky once stood 11th in popula<br />
tion among the states, it now stands 19th in the list<br />
of states. Cause and effect Well you be the judge.<br />
The same handwriting that was once on the plas<br />
tered wall of Belshazzar may now be appearing on<br />
the plastered wall of Kentucky or on that of America<br />
if we persist in going ahead with our total indiffer<br />
ence toward the harmful influences that come within<br />
our homes and about our hearthsides in the form of<br />
alcoholic advertisements.<br />
Twenty million people in America are offended<br />
every day by the alcoholic advertising that comes to<br />
their homes consistently and continually without<br />
even knocking at their doors, entering the very im<br />
pressionable minds of boys and girls with the ob<br />
vious purpose of making customers for an industry<br />
that destroys, dooms, and damns human personality<br />
as it rolls along.<br />
We would not think of allowing an offending<br />
beast to come into the American home unrestrained<br />
and uninhibited. Yet, booze broadcasting by TV, ra<br />
dio, or publication is a beast and it sorely offends<br />
millions everyday in the American home. It is now<br />
time to illegalize it in interstate commerce. It may be<br />
later than we think.<br />
The Pre-eminence of the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ versus<br />
The United States Constitution<br />
Have we as a church grasped the significance<br />
of the great doctrine concerning the pre-eminence of<br />
the Lord Jesus Christ Dr. R. J. Ge<strong>org</strong>e has shown<br />
to our Lord in everything. Cer<br />
that it means loyalty<br />
tainly it means loyalty to Him as Ruler of nations.<br />
Our allegiance belongs to Him. We cannot give to<br />
another that which belongs to Him alone.<br />
The following statement is made in the 19<strong>54</strong><br />
minutes of Synod, page 158: "There is no question<br />
but that we have departed from the early position of<br />
the church on the oath question. It does not follow<br />
that we have erred in doing<br />
The question is, has this departure from the<br />
early position of the church been made while main<br />
taining the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ<br />
in all things If we have compromised our loyalty<br />
to Him in any way, we have erred. If we have prom<br />
ised obedience to civil laws that are contrary to the<br />
law of God, we have erred. If we have accepted prin<br />
ciples that are contrary to the Bible, we have erred.<br />
Whenever we promise obedience to laws that are<br />
contrary to the law of God we do not give the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ the pre-eminence in all things. The<br />
same is true whenever we accept principles that are<br />
contrary to the Bible.<br />
In taking the prescribed oath to the United<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS
say"<br />
rulers"<br />
others."<br />
grace"<br />
you."<br />
you"<br />
you."<br />
church."<br />
you."<br />
you."<br />
with."<br />
States Constitution one is required to accept princi<br />
ples that are contrary to the Bible. The following<br />
antichristian principles must be accepted: Firstly,<br />
that nations need not acknowledge the sovereignty<br />
of the Lord Jesus Christ. That this is a principle of<br />
the constitution is shown by the fact that such an<br />
acknowledgment is not found in it, in fact it was<br />
purposely avoided. This principle is contrary to the<br />
Bible. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all<br />
the nations that f<strong>org</strong>et God." Psa. 9:17.<br />
Secondly, that Christianity is not a necessary<br />
qualification for holding<br />
office under the constitu<br />
tion. This unscriptural principle is embodied in the<br />
phrase "no religious test." Christianity<br />
as well as<br />
false religions is ruled out as a necessary qualifica<br />
tion for officers. But the Bible says, "Moreover thou<br />
shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as<br />
fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and<br />
place such over them, to be (Ex. 18:21).<br />
Thirdly, that nations should not recognize<br />
Christianity as the national religion. This unscrip<br />
tural principle is embodied in the phrase "no estab<br />
lishment of But religion."<br />
since it is the duty of na<br />
tions to recognize Christ, it is their duty to recog<br />
nize His religion<br />
by encouraging it in every legiti<br />
mate way and by exercising Christianity, not sec<br />
tarianism.<br />
It must be remembered that every one who<br />
takes the oath, whether for the purpose of taking of<br />
fice or for any other reason, must accept these un<br />
scriptural principles. This is true Whether it is taken<br />
with an explanation or an interpretation. As long as<br />
the constitution remains as it is, we cannot swear<br />
allegiance to it and give the Lord Jesus Christ the<br />
pre-eminence in all things. Only when the constitu<br />
tion is brought into harmony with the Word of God<br />
so that allegiance is in harmony with allegiance to<br />
Christ, can we take the oath and still give the Lord<br />
Jesus Christ the pre-eminence in all things<br />
R. H. McKelvy<br />
Lesson Helps for the Week of July 17, 1955<br />
CYPU TOPIC<br />
For July 17, 1955<br />
STUDY IN GALATIANS, Chapters 5, 6.<br />
Psalms:<br />
by Alvin W. Smith, D.D.<br />
112:1-3, page 277.<br />
4:1-3, 5, 8, page 6.<br />
Prayers:<br />
1. For the ability to catch the spirit<br />
of the apostle in his effort to save the<br />
Galatians from error.<br />
2. For God's blessing upon the teach<br />
ing of the true gospel.<br />
3. For the CYPU CAMPS.<br />
THE LEADER'S RESUME<br />
Supposing some to be in the meeting<br />
tonight for the first time, let the leader<br />
in about three minutes review our study<br />
of the epistle to the Galatians, chapters<br />
1-4, pointing out the author, readers in<br />
tended, occasion, intensity of feeling re<br />
vealed in the epistle : give leading teach<br />
ings.<br />
Proceed to Read Aloud ch. 5, 6<br />
Note the apostle's appeals and exhor<br />
tations. V:l VI:18<br />
A. The call to steadfastness, 5:1-12<br />
Christ hath set us free, stand fast<br />
therefore in this liberty. Paul was using<br />
his final argument. "I Paul that is,<br />
"with all the authority of an apostle of<br />
Christ, and as one who knows from bit<br />
ter experience the truth of what I say.<br />
Submission to circumcision would mean<br />
going back to the method of seeking<br />
salvation by law-works and would thus<br />
mean accepting the obligation to keep<br />
the whole law, which requires a perfect<br />
fulfillment of all its precepts. See 3:10<br />
To this no man can measure up.<br />
June 29, 1955<br />
Examine carefully these expressions<br />
v. 4, "fallen from<br />
(fallen down<br />
from the higher plane of grace to the<br />
lower plane of law.)<br />
v. 7. "Ye did run well."<br />
ning well . . . before<br />
came). "Who did hinder<br />
(Ye were run<br />
the Judaizers<br />
(a meta<br />
phor from military operations, suggest<br />
ing the idea of the breaking up of a<br />
road to arrest the progress of an ad<br />
vancing army.)<br />
v. 9. "A little leaven." See 1 Cor. 5:6,<br />
15:33. (The influence of a few perverted<br />
converts to Judaism would soon prove<br />
far-reaching<br />
and pernicious.)<br />
v. 10. "I have confidence in you . . .<br />
Paul turns from reproof to encourage<br />
ment. See 2 Cor. 2:3; 8:22. Sometimes<br />
expression of confidence works when re<br />
buke would fail.<br />
v. 10. "he that troubleth v. 12,<br />
"they which trouble ch. 1 :7 there<br />
be some that trouble Acts 15:24,<br />
"certain have troubled The<br />
troubling was in the nature of 'unset<br />
tling."<br />
Paul expresses the wish that the<br />
troublers would not stop at circumcision<br />
but "entirely mutilate themselves" ... at<br />
least 'sever themselves from all con<br />
nection with the<br />
B. The works of the flesh and the fruit<br />
of the Spirit, 5:13-26<br />
vs. 13-15. "Freedom from the require<br />
ments of the law does not mean disobe<br />
dience to its spirit, which is that of<br />
love to<br />
We hear so much about<br />
liberty. How terribly it is abused!<br />
life<br />
vs. 16-26<br />
"The spiritual and carnal<br />
contrasted."<br />
Recall the teachings<br />
in Romans 7th and 8th chapters.<br />
Works of the flesh. "Lightfoot classi<br />
fies them under the four headings of<br />
Sensual Passions v. 19.<br />
Unlawful dealings in things spiritual,<br />
v. 20.<br />
Violations of brotherly love, vs. 20, 21.<br />
Intemperate excesses, v. 21.<br />
Fruit of the Spirit. 'A lovely nine-fold<br />
cluster of fruit.' Again we make use of<br />
Lightfoot's classification.<br />
Habits of mind, v. 22<br />
Social qualities, v. 22<br />
General Principles of Conduct, vs. 22,<br />
23.<br />
In the exercise of these there is no<br />
restraint.<br />
C. Burden Bearing, Chapter 6:1-5.<br />
Here is an appeal for helping a broth<br />
er 'get 'back on the beam.' It is also<br />
the figure of 'repairing damage' . . .<br />
setting a broken bone or mending a torn<br />
net. v. 1. (Who can do it and in what<br />
spirit). Contrast 'bear ye one another's<br />
burdens'<br />
with 'every man shall bear his<br />
own burden.' Paul is dealing with selfcenteredness<br />
and that irritating thing of<br />
laying<br />
claim (in one's self)) to spiritual<br />
superiority, vs. 2-4, also the problem of<br />
personal responsibility, v. 5.<br />
v. 6.<br />
D. Sowing and Reaping<br />
that is,<br />
'Communicate'<br />
'share.'<br />
a. Give liberally for the financial sup<br />
port of their teachers.<br />
b. Share with the teacher in every<br />
good work. (Every pastor seeks both).<br />
vs. 7, 8. "The laws of God cannot be<br />
trifled Reaping is in kind with<br />
the sowing. Flesh and Spirit are the<br />
seed-beds. Then there is the waiting<br />
period before harvest. Do not faint from<br />
apparent lack of results. Sow lavishly<br />
NOW.<br />
E. CONCLUSION. 6:11-18.<br />
It appears that at this point, Paul as<br />
409
. . .<br />
namely<br />
eat."<br />
he often did, took the pen out of the<br />
hand of his helper and wrote personally<br />
in large letters the eight concluding<br />
verses, perhaps for the sake of emphasis<br />
to his final words.<br />
Here "the cat is let out of the bag,"<br />
so to speak. The Judiazers are un<br />
masked, exposed in their real motives<br />
:<br />
a. To make a fair show. v. 12. 'to put<br />
on a good face.'<br />
b. To escape persecution, v. 12.<br />
c. To glory in your flesh. Through<br />
it all showing their inconsistency (not<br />
even themselves rigidly observing all<br />
the requirements of the law). Jesus had<br />
unmasked the hypocrisy of the scribes<br />
and Pharisees just so, Matt. 23:3-5.<br />
(Not lifting a finger).<br />
Paul's life the clinching argument,<br />
verses 14, 17. (They could not gainsay<br />
that.) Paul crucified, recalling 2:20.<br />
Bearing in his body the stigmata,<br />
brands, marks of the nails. The Juda<br />
izers had sorely troubled him. They<br />
could do no more. If they doubted fur<br />
ther his apostleship let them examine<br />
the scars on his body suffered from<br />
the stoning at Lystra.<br />
"The soft tongue breaketh the bone.''<br />
The severity of the epistle is softened<br />
by Paul's final touch, BRETHREN.<br />
v. 18. Upon them he gives his benedic<br />
tion.<br />
Memory Verses<br />
5:1.<br />
6:1.<br />
Questions<br />
1. What have you learned about Paul<br />
which you did not know before<br />
2. What five things can you take with<br />
you from these studies Write them in<br />
your notebook and share in the meeting.<br />
3. Review all the memory verses as<br />
signed.<br />
Acknowledgment: Liberal quotations<br />
have been drawn from various sources,<br />
such as Davis' Dictionary of the Bible,<br />
New Bible Commentary, Introduction to<br />
N. T., Study by Kerr, Life and Times<br />
of Paul, by Conybeare and Howson, and<br />
Dummelow's One <strong>Vol</strong>ume Commentary.<br />
JUNIOR TOPIC<br />
July 17, 1955<br />
A COMPLAINING PEOPLE<br />
Blanche Gilchrist, Walton, N. Y.<br />
Scripture Text: Numbers 11<br />
Memory Verse: Numbers 10:29, "Come<br />
good."<br />
thou with us and we will do thee<br />
Psalms:<br />
Memory Psalm for July: Psalm 44,<br />
1-4, page 112<br />
Psalm 55:12, 13, 17-18, page 140<br />
Psalm 4:1-3, 8, page 6<br />
Psalm 103: 5-8, page 247<br />
God had done so much for the Israel<br />
ites as they traveled through the wilder<br />
ness. He had saved them from the<br />
Egyptains. He had guided them with a<br />
cloud by day and a pillar of fire by<br />
night. He had provided a great leader<br />
for them in Moses. Every morning they<br />
had received delicious manna to eat.<br />
Wouldn't you think that they would<br />
be very thankful for all this But they<br />
grumbled, "We are tired of this manna.<br />
In Egypt, we had such wonderful things<br />
to eat. Do you remember the melons,<br />
the leeks, the onions, the garlic, and the<br />
fresh cucumbers Why didn't we stay<br />
there We are tired of the manna. We<br />
would like meat to<br />
Moses was discouraged. All he heard<br />
was complaining. The people were<br />
standing<br />
in their tent doors with tears<br />
rolling down their cheeks. They were<br />
feeling so sorry for themselves. Moses<br />
did not know what to do. He no longer<br />
wanted to be their leader. He even said<br />
he would lather die than go on with<br />
these people.<br />
God Himself became weary with the<br />
grumbling and complaining. He decided<br />
to give them what they asked for. First,<br />
He would help Moses with his tiring<br />
work of caring for this people. So, God<br />
told Moses to pick out seventy<br />
of the<br />
best men of Israel. God said He would<br />
help Moses govern the people.<br />
Moses selected the seventy<br />
men as<br />
God commanded. He told them to rule<br />
justly. He warned them against favoring<br />
the rich more than the poor.<br />
God told Moses that He would give<br />
the people meat. Moses could hardly be<br />
lieve it. Where would the meat come<br />
from There were six hundred thousand<br />
men among the Israelites not counting<br />
the women and children. But God prom<br />
ised to send meat. There would be<br />
enough meat to last a month. There<br />
would be so much that the people would<br />
become sick of it. God sent a great wind<br />
which brought birds, called quails, from<br />
the sea. There were so many and they<br />
flew so low that the people had no<br />
trouble catching them. They had far<br />
more than they needed. So they spread<br />
them out in the hot sun to dry. The<br />
person who caught the least had ten<br />
homers. This would be equal to eighty<br />
bushels. The people ate so much that<br />
they became sick of the meat. God pun<br />
ished this rebellious people. They be<br />
came ill and many died.<br />
The Bible tells us of still other peo<br />
ple who complained. You remember that<br />
Moses'<br />
brother Aaron and his<br />
sister<br />
Miriam were with this company of<br />
people. Aaron and Miriam became jeal<br />
ous of Moses. They grumbled about him.<br />
God was displeased with these two. He<br />
asked Aaron and Miriam if they were<br />
not afraid to find fault with Moses.<br />
Aaron suddenly saw that Miriam was<br />
as white as snow. He realized that she<br />
had the dreadful disease leprosy. Aaron<br />
pleaded with Moses to f<strong>org</strong>ive them for<br />
their jealousy. He pleaded that Miriam<br />
need not suffer this terrible disease.<br />
Moses prayed mightily<br />
to God. God<br />
told them to shut Miriam out of the<br />
camp seven days. The Israelites halted<br />
in their journey<br />
until Miriam could go<br />
on with them.<br />
Why did this people grumble so when<br />
they had been so blessed They became<br />
dissatisfied with their food and their<br />
leader Moses. Since Moses had been<br />
chosen of God, they were really finding<br />
fault with God.<br />
Do we ever grumble about things<br />
I'm afraid we do. We find fault about<br />
our food, our clothes, our friends, our<br />
homes, our lessons, and the weather.<br />
We are really finding fault with God.<br />
This is a terrible thing to do.<br />
Our memory verse suggests doing<br />
others good. We cannot do good to oth<br />
ers when we are always complaining.<br />
The Israelites found that the thing<br />
they prayed for was not best for them.<br />
This is often true. Sometimes God with<br />
holds from us what we ask, knowing<br />
that it will not be good for us. Some<br />
times we-are given what we ask for in<br />
our prayers to teach us a lesson.<br />
In your notebook, you might make a<br />
list of the things the Israelites grumbled<br />
about. Make a list, also, of the things<br />
we grumble about. Then, make a list<br />
of some of the things we may trust God<br />
for.<br />
SABBATH<br />
SCHOOL LESSON<br />
July 17, 1955<br />
Rev. W. J. McBurney<br />
(Lssons based on International Sunday School<br />
Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for<br />
Christian Teaching, copyrighted by the Inter<br />
national Council of Religions Education.)<br />
EZEKIEL AND THE EARLIER<br />
CAPTIVITY<br />
Ezekiel 1:1-3; 2:1-4; 3:11-15; 11:14-20;<br />
18:30-32; 2 Kings 24:8-16; 25:27-30<br />
Printed Text, 2 Kings 24:ll-15a; Ezek<br />
iel 1:2, 3; 3:11; 11:16, 17, 20; 18:30, 32<br />
Memory verse, Ezek. 18:30: "Repent,<br />
and turn yourselves from all your<br />
transgressions; So iniquity<br />
your ruin."<br />
shall not be<br />
The capitivity of Judah was complet<br />
ed in three stages. The first was under<br />
Jehoiakim. That was when Daniel was<br />
taken. Jehoiakim was left as King under<br />
heavy tribute. The tribute was not be<br />
ing paid to the satisfaction of Nebu<br />
chadnezzer, so he came again in the<br />
reign of Jehoiakim's son,<br />
Jehoiachin.<br />
He gave up without a struggle, went out<br />
with all his household and the princes<br />
to meet the invader, and gave over all<br />
410 COVENANTER WITNESS
uin."<br />
you."<br />
place."<br />
evil"<br />
the vessels that Solomon had made for<br />
the temple and the other furnishings<br />
that were of gold. All the strong and<br />
rich were carried with them to Baby<br />
lon. Ezekiel was taken in this captivity.<br />
One more king, Zedekiah,<br />
was allowed<br />
to come to the throne,<br />
strong<br />
but he was not<br />
enough to support his rebellion<br />
against Nebuchadnezzar,<br />
treated most cruelly<br />
and he was<br />
and all but the<br />
weak and poor of the land were carried<br />
to Babylon,<br />
as we shall see next week.<br />
Ezekiel in Babylon, Ezekiel 2:1, 2<br />
Carried to Babyon in the second cap<br />
tivity, Ezekiel seems to have been treat<br />
ed quite well. In fact, it seems that<br />
these captives were not abused if they<br />
were obedient. Favoritism was shown<br />
to Daniel which caused jealousy and<br />
stirred up plots against his life. Then<br />
hatred for Mordecai because of his<br />
prominence led Haman to plot the masacre<br />
of all the Jews. These plots are an<br />
evidence that the captives were, as a<br />
rule, treated in a way<br />
that gave them<br />
an incentive and a fair chance to win<br />
favor. Of course those captives that<br />
showed a rebellious disposition would<br />
receive no mercy. Any slavery is oppres<br />
sive, but we read of no such cruelty be<br />
ing practiced on the captives as a group<br />
as was practiced in Egypt.<br />
It seemed to be the purpose of Nebu<br />
chadnezzar to carry away the leaders<br />
so as to dis<strong>org</strong>anize the nation, and the<br />
strong so as to weaken it. Then he<br />
sought out those skilled in industry and<br />
the arts that he might have their serv<br />
ices, and learn from them.<br />
After five years of captivity, Ezekiel<br />
received his commission from the Lord,<br />
and was given his message to deliver<br />
to the captives. The narrative of our<br />
lesson is taken from 2 Kings, 24th chap<br />
ter. Then some scattered verses from<br />
chapters 1, 3, 11 and 18 of Ezekiel. In<br />
the first chapter is Ezekiel's vision of<br />
the Living Creatures, and the wheels.<br />
These visions came as a preparation<br />
for the message that was to follow.<br />
Both the vision and the message are hard<br />
to understand. Let us pass them with<br />
this suggestion: These visions proclaim<br />
ed the Mystery, Knowledge, Power and<br />
Glory of the Author of the message he<br />
was to deliver. Everyone who faces the<br />
job of being<br />
vision.<br />
a Christian needs such a<br />
The Character of the People,<br />
Ezekiel 2:3, 4.<br />
Here we have God's evaluation of the<br />
Children of Judah in captivity. It was<br />
probably very different from the way<br />
they judged themselves. A young man<br />
just through school took a job in his<br />
father's mills. In a few days he re<br />
ported to his father a very harsh opinion<br />
of his overseer. Indeed he advised his<br />
June 29. 1955<br />
father to discharge him. His father re<br />
plied, "I am more interested in what<br />
your overseer thinks of you than in<br />
what you think of him." We need the<br />
power to see ourselves as God sees us.<br />
The Masons, with their "Compass and<br />
Square,"<br />
might build the Leaning Tower<br />
of Pisa. The Masons, like the Israelites,<br />
neglected the one essential instrument,<br />
the plumb line, which points straight up,<br />
to God.<br />
Ezekiel was sent to a people who re<br />
belled, transgressed and were stiff-neck<br />
ed. He was to say to them, "Thus saith<br />
the Lord." That's the Plumb Line. "To<br />
know, obey and submit to God's will on<br />
Heaven."<br />
Earth, as the angels do in<br />
Ezekiel's Sustaining Vision,<br />
Ezekiel 3:11-15<br />
The message was to be delivered to<br />
the people,<br />
"Whether they<br />
will hear<br />
or whether they will forbear." An easy<br />
task if they will hear, what if they for<br />
bear For the Prophet's encouragement,<br />
the Spirit took him up, and he heard a<br />
voice behind him, saying, "Blessed be<br />
the Glory of the Lord from this<br />
With the consciousness of this backing<br />
he feared not the face of man. This<br />
is the secret of the Christian's cour<br />
age in all ages.<br />
God's Plan, Ezekiel 18:30<br />
"There will I judge God's plan<br />
is not for our condemnation, but for<br />
our salvation; for immediately he says,<br />
"Repent ye, and turn yourselves from<br />
your transgressions; so iniquity shall<br />
not be your<br />
Why does not God send a prophet to<br />
us as he did to Israel He does. It is<br />
probable that very few of the captives<br />
had the opportunity to see Ezekiel or<br />
hear him speak. There would be very<br />
few if any copies of his message, and<br />
very few of the people could read. We<br />
may each have a copy<br />
of His message<br />
today and we are able to read it, and<br />
study it and measure it's truth by its<br />
fulfillment in the lives of men and na<br />
tions from that day to this. If we will<br />
not hear Moses and the prophets, why<br />
send another But God, in His infinite<br />
mercy has sent another. Christ came<br />
not to condemn the world, but to give<br />
life. And to prove His power, He even<br />
rose from the dead,<br />
Satan offers sin, the destruction of<br />
nations as well as of men. God offers<br />
repentance and obedience for the peace<br />
and prosperity of the world. If warn<br />
ings seem harsh, they are accompanied<br />
by<br />
gracious promises.<br />
Our Part in Salvation<br />
I may be lost and my country saved.<br />
My country may be lost, while I am<br />
saved. But how can I be saved if I have<br />
no interest in the salvation of my coun<br />
try and the world The Law of Sal<br />
vation requires love for both ourself<br />
and our neighbor. Righteousness in<br />
national life is an aid to all those with<br />
in the nation who would live righteously.<br />
And the character of the nation is de<br />
termined by the people who live in it<br />
The people to whom Ezekiel was sent<br />
were in captivity in Egypt, because they<br />
were spiritually disobedient. Our Nation<br />
has never been in bondage to any other<br />
nation, but what about bondage of sin<br />
Ezekiel was in bondage to Neubuchadnezzer,<br />
but his spirit was free. Nebu<br />
chadnezzer held nations in bondage, but<br />
was himself in bondage to sin and death<br />
and ripe for destruction.<br />
Psalms :<br />
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC<br />
July 20, 1955<br />
THE RICH FOOL<br />
Luke 12:16-21<br />
Rev. W. C. McClurkin<br />
49:4-9, page 123<br />
49:11-13, page 126<br />
39:3, 4, page 100<br />
37:30-33; page 94<br />
References: Exod. 20:17 Prov. 28:20;<br />
Psalm 119:36; Eccl. 4:8; Isa. 5:8;<br />
Ezek. 33:31; Micah 2:2; Hab. 2:9, 10;<br />
I Cor. 5:11; Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5; I Tim.<br />
6:9, 10; Heb. 13:5; I Peter 2:3.<br />
In this parable of the Rich Fool is<br />
moral medicine prescribed by the Great<br />
Physician for the covetous. It is here<br />
administered at His direction by Dr.<br />
Luke. A dose of it would be good for<br />
what ails every one, or is likely to : cov<br />
etousness.<br />
Though it makes the covetous wince,<br />
those healed by it find it pleasant to<br />
take as a preventative against further<br />
trouble. Some (Job 23:12) esteem it<br />
more than their necesary food. They<br />
find it to be not only medicine, but food,<br />
good food for thought and life. In the<br />
fellowship of the saints, such as our<br />
prayer meetings, testimonies of its ef<br />
fectiveness and blessing are often heard.<br />
In many of the Psalms of their worship<br />
the Lord is praised for His treatment<br />
and healing<br />
of the covetous.<br />
A COMMON SIN<br />
Covetousness is very prevalent. The<br />
malady is not peculiar to the rich. The<br />
poor also have it. Those of the middle<br />
class are not immune from it. It is an<br />
innate corruption in every one since the<br />
Fall, though in varying degrees.<br />
Covetousness is just as aggravating in<br />
the picket lines of ordinary laborers on<br />
the sidewalks as in the offices of mana<br />
gers higher up.<br />
Covetousnes is very prolific. Among<br />
the many ills flesh is heir to, this one is<br />
basic, being "a root of all kinds of<br />
and productive of "many<br />
hurtful<br />
lusts"<br />
foolish and<br />
(I Tim. 6:9, 10, R.V.).<br />
411
eward"<br />
company"<br />
rights,"<br />
possesseth."<br />
eousness"<br />
you."<br />
soul"<br />
provided"<br />
not"<br />
grace."<br />
world."<br />
Alcoholism, the sexual perversions, the<br />
ungodly arts which ungodly advertisers<br />
are ungodly displaying, et cetera, run<br />
ning "greedily after the error of Balaam<br />
for (Jude 11), are largely the<br />
fruit of covetousness.<br />
Covetousness is<br />
victim of it may<br />
very insidious. The<br />
not be aware of its<br />
existence within himself. Apparently,<br />
in Luke's account (12:13) the "one of<br />
the<br />
that interrupted Jesus'<br />
sermon with a civil complaint, was not<br />
conscious of his own covetousness. He<br />
saw symptoms of it in his brother, but<br />
not in himself.<br />
Ordinary covetous folk are just as<br />
likely to figure on a stroke of business<br />
during a sermon, if they are present.<br />
But they usually wait until after the<br />
sermon to carry it out. But this ambi<br />
tious man got in his stroke, or tried to,<br />
during the sermon, and schemed to use<br />
the Preacher to help. It may be noted<br />
here that this solicitant was not alone in<br />
requesting a preacher to speak a word<br />
to check<br />
some*<br />
one else's injustice, to<br />
correct another's fault, or maybe<br />
even up an old score,<br />
or sore.<br />
While Jesus was interested in folks'<br />
temporal affairs, in His preaching here<br />
and everywhere, as well as in His every<br />
day life, He left us an example of keep<br />
ing temporal affairs in their proper<br />
place. So this aspirant, keen on getting<br />
his share of an earthly inheritance, got,<br />
along with the whole company, a more<br />
emphatic word on obtaining the riches<br />
of the heavenly inheritance. Doubtless<br />
this was what they all needed. The word .<br />
was, not to "beware of injustice and<br />
stand up for your<br />
heed, and beware of covetousness :<br />
to<br />
but, "Take<br />
for a<br />
man's life consisteth not in the abun<br />
dance of things which he<br />
And then<br />
Jesus'<br />
THE PUNGENT PARABLE<br />
parable of the Rich Fool de<br />
picts a course of thought and action<br />
that is quite familiar. But let us look it<br />
over again as presented in the Record.<br />
and remind ourselves of some of its<br />
plain and deductible lessons, among<br />
them a few "Don'ts."<br />
Don't get so wrapped up in your tem<br />
poral affairs that you f<strong>org</strong>et duly to<br />
consider your latter end.<br />
Don't depend on material social secur<br />
ity to be sufficient protection against<br />
all the uncertainties of life.<br />
Don't regard all the products of your<br />
labor and investments as just being for<br />
your own or your family's selfish plea<br />
sure.<br />
Don't miss the current opportunities<br />
to share your income with the needy<br />
and to contribute to the Lord's work.<br />
Don't fail to "BE READY," for none<br />
of us knows when we shall be called<br />
412<br />
to render our final accounts.<br />
Don't aim to live on Easy Street<br />
when you retire, and like it.<br />
Don't set yourSELF as the pole star<br />
of your life.<br />
Don't fail to give God an early and<br />
important part in the drama of your<br />
life.<br />
Don't waste your life accumulating<br />
worldly wealth, for as they say, "You<br />
can't take it with<br />
Don't f<strong>org</strong>et that a good go-getter<br />
will not overload himself with things he<br />
gets.<br />
And, better words it would be well to<br />
remember, are in Proverbs 3:27; 11:24-<br />
28. Also, Mark 8:36 "What shall it<br />
profit a man, if he shall gain the whole<br />
world, and lose his own<br />
After the man in the parable had<br />
dialogued with himself, and settled his<br />
affairs to his own liking, an uninvited<br />
unexpected Interlocutor is heard:<br />
"Thou fool, this night thy<br />
soul shall be<br />
required of thee : then whose shall those<br />
things be, which thou hast<br />
No answer is given. Unprepared to meet<br />
his God! So<br />
The LOGICAL<br />
"<br />
CONCLUSION<br />
"So is he that layeth up treasure for<br />
himself, and is not rich toward God"<br />
just as foolish! Not only his labor, but<br />
his soul is lost!<br />
"Wherefore do ye spend . . . your la<br />
bor for that which satisfieth<br />
(Isa.<br />
55:2). Christ offers us Himself and His<br />
Word,<br />
"the riches of His<br />
In<br />
vesting these in "the life that now is,"<br />
we become, not only rid of the deadly<br />
sin of covetousness, but have eternal<br />
life, are "rich toward God," and have<br />
treasure laid up in heaven.<br />
So let us resolve that we will "seek<br />
first the Kingdom of God and His right<br />
tate.<br />
and not our own worldly es<br />
And this will include a regular use<br />
and sharing of the means of grace which<br />
will keep us "rich toward God" and fit<br />
for His service, and safe from the virus<br />
of Covetousness.<br />
W. M. S. Department<br />
Mrs. Ross Latimer. Editor.<br />
Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. Monday<br />
W.M.S. LESSON FOR AUGUST<br />
by Mrs. E. G. Russell<br />
Selecting<br />
the material.<br />
I Pet. 2:1-5<br />
The recent atomic tests on the Yucca<br />
flats of Nevada established the fact that<br />
the kind of materials used in building<br />
our material homes is most important.<br />
Certain materials withstood the blast<br />
fairly<br />
well and occupants could have<br />
survived, but where less durable ma<br />
terials were used the buildings were<br />
totally destroyed. If this is important in<br />
material building, how much more im<br />
portant it is to build our lives of most<br />
durable materials.<br />
Beautiful, Ps. 84:1<br />
Most people enjoy the beautiful things<br />
of life, lovely scenery, lovely lives, any<br />
area in which we see beauty. Undoubt<br />
edly our Heavenly Father, Creator of<br />
all things material, loved beauty, as wit<br />
ness His creative work of beauty in<br />
nature, the flowers, green verdure of<br />
forest and field, the firmament above<br />
with the sun,<br />
heavens declare the glory<br />
moon and stars. "The<br />
of God and<br />
the firmament showeth His handiwork"<br />
(Ps. 19:1). "He hath made everything<br />
beautiful in His time" ((Eccl. 3:11).<br />
None of these things would have beauty<br />
were it not for the light in which they<br />
of the sun. If life<br />
exist from the shining<br />
could continue without light it would<br />
be monotonous and colorless. How<br />
dreary<br />
and drab the world would be<br />
without the red rays of the dawn and<br />
glorious colorings of the sunset<br />
If our Creator loved beauty in nature,<br />
how much more must He desire beauty<br />
in the lives of His children. Christ is the<br />
Light of the world. He gives us life. He<br />
cleanses it and makes it lovely. The<br />
Psalmist prayed, "Let the beauty of the<br />
us."<br />
Lord our God be upon Jesus said,<br />
"Ye are the light of the That is<br />
only<br />
true of us when we reflect Him<br />
and His loveliness. There is much ma<br />
terial available to accomplish this. The<br />
fruits of the Spirit, love,<br />
joy, peace,<br />
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,<br />
meekness, faith and temperance adorn<br />
ing one's life produce beauty and at<br />
tract others to the Christian life. The<br />
beauty of holiness, humility and unself<br />
ishness are chief qualities to acquire<br />
and make life winsome.<br />
Permanent, I Cor. 13:13<br />
These three things are lasting,<br />
faith,<br />
hope and love. In building for perma<br />
nency we must begin with Jesus Christ<br />
as our foundation." For other founda<br />
tion can no man lay than that is laid<br />
which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11).<br />
God's word suggests that some build of<br />
wood, hay or stubble, all easily and<br />
quickly destroyed. The contrast is gold,<br />
silver and precious stones, all of more<br />
enduring quality, with inherent beauty<br />
as well. When we combine beautiful and<br />
durable materials in building our spirit<br />
ual lives, surely we please our Heavenly<br />
Father and become fit members of His<br />
wondrous household.<br />
Several years ago as we passed<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
wisdom."<br />
joy and value of our W. M. S. "Greeters."<br />
through Vermont we admired the beau<br />
tiful buildings of glistening white mar<br />
ble, which were so enduring in appear<br />
ance and will doubtless stand for years<br />
to come. Also while living in Indiana we<br />
often passed the beautiful and sturdy<br />
structures of the state university built<br />
of limestone,<br />
erected to serve future<br />
generations and at the same time to<br />
present a beautiful picture to the eye.<br />
They<br />
stand permanently in the place<br />
chosen for them.<br />
The Lord has a chosen place for us in<br />
which to stand and serve. "Stand there<br />
truth,"<br />
fore having your loins girt with<br />
etc. He expects us to be in our place,<br />
at our tasks, in His cause, exercising<br />
faith, maintaining hope, constrained by<br />
love. Should we not in our spiritual<br />
building try to combine both beauty and<br />
permanency, thereby honoring Christ<br />
and making attractive to the world the<br />
life lived in Christ and for Him.<br />
MEETING OF OHIO PRESBYTERIAL<br />
Ohio Presbytery and Presbyterial met<br />
in Southfield Reformed Presbyterian<br />
Church on Tuesday Evening, May 10,<br />
1955. The retiring moderator, Dr. M. K.<br />
Carson, preached from I Corinthians 15 :<br />
58, taking for his theme, "The Dynamic<br />
of Christian Service." Following this<br />
inspiring sermon, the address of wel<br />
come was given by Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Hen<br />
ning of Southfield and the response by<br />
Mrs. M. K. Carson, Belle Center. The<br />
joint meeting<br />
was then adjourned to<br />
continue throughout the next day.<br />
The Devotional theme of the meetings<br />
was "Christianity and Life." The presi<br />
dent of the Presbyterial, Mrs. J. R. Ste<br />
venson of Southfield, addressed that<br />
group separately on the subject "A life<br />
Obedience,"<br />
of<br />
I John 5:2. Devotional<br />
periods at the beginning<br />
of the three<br />
sessions on Wednesday were based on<br />
the topics "Christianity, a New Life,"<br />
"Christianity, a Life of<br />
"Christianity, a Life of<br />
taken from I John 5.<br />
Love,"<br />
Victory"<br />
and<br />
all<br />
Present at all of our meetings were<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Sanderson, home<br />
on furlough from the Syrian Mission<br />
field. They spoke of the work there at<br />
both the afternoon and evening meet<br />
ings on Wednesday. The afternoon talks<br />
were given in the form of question and<br />
answer periods, questions being asked<br />
by one and answered by the other. In<br />
the evening each spoke separately and<br />
gave us a very<br />
clear picture of what<br />
our schools are trying to do and what<br />
needs to be done.<br />
At the memorial service conducted by<br />
Mrs. Ed. Roby of Hetherton, the names<br />
of five former members of the Presby<br />
terial who have passed to their reward<br />
since our last meeting were read. They<br />
are:<br />
ter.<br />
Mrs. Agnes Coleman Wilson<br />
Mrs. Margaret Stewart Hardesty<br />
of New Concord<br />
Mrs. J. B. Forsythe<br />
Mrs. Daniel C. McLean of Belle Cen<br />
Mrs. Elizabeth Ann McDonald of<br />
Southfield who on February 14 celebra<br />
ted her 100th birthday.<br />
Officers elected by the Presbyterial<br />
for the coming year are as follows:<br />
President, Mrs. T. F. Harsh of Cin<br />
cinnati<br />
1st Vice President, Mrs. R. H. Reed of<br />
Belle Center<br />
2nd Vice President, Mrs. L. M. Har<br />
rington of Southfield<br />
Recording Secretary, Mrs. Ed Roby of<br />
Hetherton<br />
Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Harold<br />
Thompson of Southfield<br />
Treasurer, Miss Frances McKelvy of<br />
Hetherton.<br />
Superintendents :<br />
Foreign and Home Missions Mrs.<br />
Howard Keys of Belle Center<br />
Lit. and Mission Study<br />
Beardslee of Southfield<br />
Mrs. Emerson<br />
Temperance Miss Edna Elsey of<br />
Southfield<br />
Thankoffering Mrs. Clara Elsey of<br />
Southfield<br />
Standard of Efficiency Miss Grace<br />
Wagner of Cincinnati<br />
Juniors<br />
Center<br />
Mrs. M. K. Carson of Belle<br />
Junior Camp Director for '56 Mr. R.<br />
Hemphill of Hetherton<br />
The Juniors were not f<strong>org</strong>otten, for<br />
at the evening meeting on Wednesday<br />
the group from Southfield under the<br />
leadership of Mrs. L. M. Harrington pre<br />
sented a fine program of Bible verses,<br />
psalms and readings. They showed that<br />
through Junior activities, children learn<br />
to be Christians.<br />
After the singing of the 133rd Psalm,<br />
Ohio Presbytery and Presbyterial ad<br />
journed to meet at Belle Center in May,<br />
1956.<br />
YOUR PRESIDENT'S LETTER<br />
Dear Synodical Friends,<br />
We have just completed our mission<br />
ary year of "seeking God's indispensible<br />
We trust that all have bene<br />
fited in this search and are living closer<br />
to the Lord, so that in this coming year<br />
we, on this foundation may "arise and<br />
build."<br />
For this new year's building, we have<br />
among others the following foundation<br />
stones upon which to build.<br />
We published 500 "Taught of the<br />
Lord"<br />
books by Mrs. Hayes McKelvey at<br />
$691.20 and on April 23 we had sold<br />
266 copies or $274 worth. These books<br />
should be on<br />
used for Daily<br />
the market NOW and<br />
Vacation Bible School.<br />
Has<br />
your society<br />
ordered her share<br />
This is an opportunity to build soundly<br />
upon God's Word.<br />
We have been witnessing for Chris<br />
tian education in donating to the Cyprus<br />
Building Fund. Larnaca's new school<br />
building was dedicated Saturday, April<br />
30, upon which occasion a message from<br />
your Synodical president was read.<br />
On stated occasions there have been<br />
in our Women's Missionary Column in<br />
the <strong>Witness</strong> reports of our Aged People's<br />
"Home's activities. Although the Home<br />
for the Aged does not come under our<br />
jurisdiction, for it is a separate <strong>org</strong>ani<br />
zation,<br />
yet your president gave this<br />
permission until Official Board Meet<br />
ing, Saturday, June 11, at which time<br />
the Board may condemn or affirm this<br />
action. As we saw it, it saved the ex<br />
pense of mailing reports to our many<br />
members.<br />
The question comes again, "What may<br />
we call Missionary Books<br />
I feel we have done too much quib<br />
bling about the exact type and I favor<br />
the approval of devotional, biography,<br />
or any good missionary novel that sets<br />
forth the cause, the remedy or the re<br />
sults of missionary effort. Missionary<br />
characters in a novel will remain longer<br />
and speak oftener in one's mind than<br />
statistical facts, I feel.<br />
Temperance Superintendents imply<br />
that they do not feel their report blanks<br />
fit a congregation where there is no<br />
W. C. T. U. Nevertheless write your re<br />
port on the back and we shall ask the<br />
Temperance Superintendent to consider<br />
the matter of revision.<br />
Many missionaries who have sailed<br />
to or from our shores testify as to the<br />
According to our new Yearbook, we<br />
have added eight Memorial and thirteen<br />
Life Members to our Synodical Memor<br />
ials, the fund of which was voted at<br />
Grinnell to be used to pay $25 per month<br />
to married missionaries, and $10 a<br />
month to a single missionary to be used<br />
for rent during their furlough year. This<br />
past year the amount paid out was<br />
$1,075, while the intake was only $475.<br />
There were more missionaries than<br />
usual at home on furlough this year.<br />
When one "arises to build" he is<br />
somewhat concerned if the money cal<br />
culated does not materialize. This year<br />
the Church Budget plus the $500 has<br />
been raised but our Women's Synodical<br />
treasury is more than $4,400. less than<br />
last year.<br />
The Official Board will have problems<br />
to meet concerning our continued pro<br />
gram. May we be much in prayer for<br />
those who must make decisions June<br />
(Continued on page 414)<br />
June 29, 1955 413
.<br />
Church News<br />
J. L. McCartney Prize: Medal offered<br />
by Prof. McCartney's sons for the best<br />
work on some assigned topic in the De<br />
partment of science, to Tom B. Jones,<br />
Aliquippa.<br />
GENEVA COLLEGE<br />
COMMENCEMENT<br />
Honorary degrees were conferred on<br />
three persons by President Charles M.<br />
Lee at the Geneva College commence<br />
ment exercises in Reeves field, June 7.<br />
C. Lee Austin, president of Jones and<br />
Laughlin Steel corporation, gave the<br />
commencement address. Dr. Austin's<br />
topic was "Facing Up to Our New<br />
World."<br />
Bachelor degrees were presented to<br />
117 seniors, including<br />
12 who completed<br />
their work in January, and four stu<br />
dents received secretarial certificates.<br />
Those receiving honorary doctor of di<br />
vinity degrees were the Rev. Howard C.<br />
Emrick, pastor of the First Methodist<br />
Church, Ellwood City; and D. Ray Wil<br />
cox, assistant professor of Greek and<br />
Bible at the College. Rev. Emrick has<br />
served as president of the Geneva alum<br />
ni association the past two years. Rev.<br />
Emrick was graduated from Geneva in<br />
1929, and Rev. Wilcox in 1928. David C.<br />
Park, president of Smith and Caffrey<br />
Steel company, Syracuse, N. Y was<br />
awarded an honorary doctor of laws de<br />
gree. Mr. Park is a brother of Dr. Park,<br />
retiring Dean of the College and acting<br />
head of the Bible department. He has<br />
been a member of the Geneva Board of<br />
Trustees since 1949.<br />
Ten students were graduated with<br />
honors including<br />
highest honors.<br />
three seniors with<br />
Of the 117 bachelor degrees awarded,<br />
31 were bachelor of science; 28 were<br />
bachelor of arts; 24, bachelor of science<br />
in business administration; 21 bachelor<br />
of science in education; and 13, bachelor<br />
of science in industrial engineering.<br />
Prizes were awarded by Dr. .<br />
the following students:<br />
Lee to<br />
Valedictorian's Prize: Interest on a<br />
trust fund given by Dr. S. C. Milligan,<br />
of Pittsburgh, in memory of his father,<br />
the Rev. J. S. T. Milligan, D.D., amount<br />
ing this year to $<strong>54</strong>.67, to Celeste A.<br />
Battilocchi, Ellwood City.<br />
Alumni Prize: $50 given by the Alum<br />
ni Association to the person in the sen<br />
ior class, recommended by the faculty<br />
and chosen by the alumni council, for<br />
Your President's Letter, from page 413<br />
11, remembering Psalm 127:1, "Ecxept<br />
the Lord build the house, they labour in<br />
vain that build it .<br />
414<br />
Your servant in<br />
Mrs. A. J. McFarland<br />
Synodical President<br />
Christ,<br />
superiority in character, scholarship,<br />
leadership and participation in college<br />
activities, to Guy Dille, Rochester.<br />
General Excellence Prize: $50 offered<br />
by Dr. Robert M. Young<br />
and awarded<br />
on the basis of the highest scholastic<br />
average for the year, with general char<br />
acter and conduct considered, to Janice<br />
C. Martin, East Liverpool, O.<br />
Senior English Prize: $20 offered by<br />
the College Hill Women's club for the<br />
best work in senior English, to Celeste<br />
A. Battilocchi, Ellwood City.<br />
W. A. Bliss Economics Prize: $50<br />
given by Mr. and the late Mrs. W. A.<br />
Bliss to a senior in the department who<br />
is high in scholarship and outstanding<br />
in character and usefulness, to Guy<br />
Dille, Rochester.<br />
R. W. Redpath Memorial: $25, do<br />
nated by Mrs. R. W. Redpath, is given<br />
in memory of Dr. R. W. Redpath to a<br />
student planning to enter Christian<br />
service, to R. Paul Mathews, Wilkins<br />
burg.<br />
Isabella Stewart Memorial Award:<br />
$25 given in memory of Miss Isabella<br />
Stewart, the former head of the Modern<br />
Foreign Languages department and As<br />
sociate Dean of Women, by her family,<br />
to a senior whose character, scholarship,<br />
religious and social activities are in ac<br />
cord with the ideals of Geneva College,<br />
to Erla Jean Willson, Beaver Falls.<br />
Pep Club Prize: $10 presented by the<br />
Pep Club to a senior student contribut<br />
ing the most to the life of the college<br />
during his Geneva career, to Nancy F.<br />
Mandeville, Beaver Falls.<br />
Christian Service Union Prize: A<br />
gold-lettered Bible, awarded to the sen<br />
ior chosen by the Christian Service<br />
Union as having<br />
contributed most to the<br />
spiritual life of the college in his or her<br />
four years as a student, to R.<br />
Mathews, Wilkinsburg, Pittsburgh.<br />
American Association of<br />
Women Award: Membership<br />
Paul<br />
University<br />
for a year<br />
offered by the National chapter to the<br />
young<br />
woman student considered out<br />
standing in character, scholarship and<br />
leadership in college activities, to Mar<br />
jorie L. Houston, Beaver Falls.<br />
Accounting Prize: An accountant's<br />
handbook offered by the Pennsylvania<br />
Institute of Certified Public account<br />
ants to the senior who has thirty hours<br />
and the highest average for the entire<br />
four years in accounting, with character<br />
and leadership taken into consideration,<br />
to Peter R. Gault, New Brighton.<br />
Edwin F. Wendt Greek Prize: $10 of<br />
fered in memory of the late Dr. Edwin<br />
F. Wendt for the best work in the de<br />
partment of Greek, to be divided be<br />
tween Kenneth E. Miller, Beaver Falls,<br />
and Loukis C. Theocharides, Larnaca,<br />
Cyprus.<br />
John Lincoln Downie Prize: $25 of<br />
fered by the late R. M. Downie in honor<br />
of his son, John Lincoln Downie, to the<br />
most successful student in oratory, to<br />
Robert H. McFarland, Sterling, Kans.<br />
Engineering Prize: Set of drawing in<br />
struments offered by Mr. Joseph M.<br />
Steele, of Philadelphia, for the best<br />
work in mechanical drawing, to Richard<br />
M. Ramer, Beaver Falls.<br />
Bible Prize: $25 offered by Dr. and<br />
Mrs. John Robertson McCartney in hon<br />
or of their mother, Catherine Robertson<br />
McCartney, for the best work in Bible,<br />
to Donald H. Mullinnix, of Indianapolis,<br />
Ind.<br />
History Prize: $50 offered by David<br />
C. Park, Syracuse, N. Y., brother of Dr.<br />
Robert Park, for the best thesis in the<br />
History Seminar course, to Loukis C.<br />
Theocharides, Larnaca, Cyprus.<br />
French Club Prize: $5 offered by the<br />
French club to the upperclassman mak<br />
ing the most progress in French during<br />
the year, to Erla Jean Willson, Beaver<br />
Falls.<br />
Christian Service Award: $10 offered<br />
by Mr. and Mrs. Isaac McKee, of Al<br />
monte, Canada, in memory of their<br />
daughter, Agnes, who at the time of<br />
her death was a freshman at Geneva<br />
College and a member of the Christian<br />
Service Union. The award is given to<br />
the freshman who in the opinion of the<br />
Christian Service Union has rendered<br />
the most valuable service to that group<br />
during the year, to John H. White, New<br />
burgh, N. Y.<br />
Freshman English Prize: $30 offered<br />
by the late Mr. Hayes Euwer, of Pitts<br />
burgh, for the best essay on an assigned<br />
topic in English composition, to Donald<br />
E. Lutz, Ellwood City.<br />
Old Testament History Bible Prize:<br />
$25 given in memory of Dr. J. Boyd<br />
Tweed, former head of the Department<br />
of Religious Education, by his wife and<br />
family to the student doing the best<br />
work in Old Testament History, to<br />
Louis T. Deverka, Aliquippa.<br />
Engineering Prize: $10 offered in<br />
memory of the late Dr. Edwin P Wendt<br />
for the best survey and map of the cam<br />
pus made by a second year student in<br />
engineering, to Mauro Chiaverini,. New<br />
Castle.<br />
THE COVENANTER WITNESS
CLARINDA<br />
Mr. J. Ren Lee has had several rela<br />
tives visiting him helping him recuper<br />
ate from his recent 10 days in the hos<br />
pital. His sister Mrs. Paul Paddock and<br />
husband from Marshalltown, Iowa,<br />
spent Memorial Day week-end with Mr.<br />
Lee and Gertrude. William Boyd Berggren<br />
from Omaha spent two weeks with<br />
his great uncle Mr. Lee and attended<br />
the <strong>Covenanter</strong> D.V.B. school. Mary<br />
Alice Price from Hollywood, California,<br />
spent a week with her uncle Mr. Lee<br />
on her way to the 25th reunion of her<br />
class at Parsons College. During her<br />
visit the Sabbath School Class that she<br />
belonged to when she lived in Clarinda<br />
entertained at a party<br />
in her honor.<br />
There were 35 guests who spent a very<br />
happy hilarious evening reviewing old<br />
friendship.<br />
ESKRIDGE<br />
Alice Mable Caskey,<br />
youngest mem<br />
ber of the Eskridge congregation, ac<br />
companied her parents, Rev. and Mrs.<br />
Joseph Caskey<br />
to Beaver Falls where<br />
she will get acquainted with her ma<br />
ternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Hill,<br />
attends Synod.<br />
while her daddy<br />
The Evangelical churches of Eskridge<br />
held their D.V.B.S. this year, the last<br />
two weeks of May.<br />
Rev. Joe Caskey was Superintendent.<br />
Transportation was furnished for all<br />
who could attend. Many<br />
people in the<br />
community worked hard and faithfully<br />
to help make this school a success.<br />
Some, who have never been associated<br />
with any church helped with this work.<br />
Busy housewives and mothers did<br />
their washings in the afternoon so they<br />
could teach classes.<br />
Eugene<br />
Stevenson and Roy Carson<br />
were chosen by the Kiwanis club to be<br />
guests for a week at a boys camp in<br />
Wichita the first week of June.<br />
Mrs. Myrtle McDowell spent a few<br />
days in Research Hospital, Kansas City,<br />
recently and come home much improved,<br />
for which we are all very thankful.<br />
Ross Latimer is attending Synod in<br />
Beaver Falls, Pa.<br />
We enjoyed the Louis McCulleys from<br />
Hutchinson worshiping with us recently.<br />
David McKnight finishes his fourth<br />
year at Manhattan this spring. He is<br />
in the Veterinarian school so has two<br />
more years before he gets his degree.<br />
We always welcome him home on his<br />
vacations.<br />
THIRD CHURCH OF THE<br />
COVENANTER<br />
IN<br />
PHILADELPHIA. PA.<br />
The May meeting of<br />
the Women's<br />
Missionary Society was held in the<br />
church with Mrs. Robert J. Crawford<br />
leading the devotions on "The Architect<br />
of Our Lives.'7 Following the devotional<br />
June 29, 1955<br />
period all went to the downstairs room<br />
where a social was given in honor of<br />
Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Gene Spear and Carol<br />
and Bruce. This wonderful little family<br />
has worshiped with us while Gene was<br />
making further study of God's Word in<br />
preparation for the ministry in the<br />
foreign field. Their faith and sincerity<br />
of purpose have been an inspiration to<br />
us<br />
and their charm and friendliness<br />
have endeared them to our hearts. We<br />
are grateful to our Heavenly Father<br />
that He blessed us with their presence<br />
and we send them to their chosen field<br />
in His Vineyard with our loving thank<br />
ful prayers. A token gift of our affec<br />
tion was<br />
presented to them by the<br />
Society president, Miss Jane McCleary.<br />
We were glad that so many of the<br />
United Congregation joined us in this<br />
social hour. Gene occupied our pulpit<br />
on the Sabbath before their departure<br />
and gave us a memorable challenge to<br />
deeper spiritual life and<br />
service to our Lord.<br />
more effective<br />
The Mother's Day exercises in Sab<br />
bath School included selected Scripture<br />
readings of the Bible Mothers, with<br />
comments by Mrs. Thomas Gill. Flower<br />
ing plants were distributed at the close<br />
of the exercises. An information talk<br />
in Sabbath School about our Missions<br />
in Syria preceded the offering taken for<br />
the work there. Many<br />
of our younger<br />
Sabbajth School children have been at<br />
tending morning worship recently the<br />
incentive being credits to be earned in<br />
anticipation of a trip to White Lake<br />
Camp. For some time our teenage boys<br />
have been serving the Lord in the sanc<br />
tuary by assisting the deacons in the<br />
collection of the tithes and offerings.<br />
At the annual Congregational meeting<br />
held May 10, encouraging<br />
reports were<br />
made by the various <strong>org</strong>anizations of the<br />
Church. Extensive repairs to the roof<br />
were authorized; also the purchase of<br />
more new Psalm Books. It was agreed<br />
that special offerings for Synod's bud<br />
get would be continued on the first<br />
Sabbath of each month. The Pastor's<br />
salary was increased retroactive to<br />
April first. Mr. James Finlay was elect<br />
ed to a three-year term as trustee<br />
serving with Elder Ge<strong>org</strong>e J. Fisher and<br />
church Treasurer Walter McClay.<br />
Our minister's report to the congre<br />
gation disclosed a very<br />
active program<br />
of pastoral visits, neighborhood visiting<br />
(500 cards were distributed in 19<strong>54</strong>);<br />
junior girls weekly meetings; Junior<br />
boys club meetings; and teen-group de<br />
votional and social meetings.<br />
The sacrament of Baptism was ad<br />
ministered to one adult and four chil<br />
dren and there were three accessions to<br />
church membership. The total church<br />
membership of 67 remains the same as in<br />
19<strong>54</strong>.<br />
Mr. Price attended the meeting of<br />
Presbytry held in Orlando, Florida, ac<br />
companying Dr. and Mrs. McCracken<br />
of the United Congregation.<br />
Miss Isabel Crawford represented our<br />
Women's Missionary Society at the<br />
Presbyterial held in Orlando also.<br />
We are thankful to our gracious God<br />
for the recovery of several of our older<br />
members.<br />
Elder James MacKnight is<br />
home again and slowly regaining his<br />
strength. Miss Anna Taylor, recently<br />
hospitalized, is now recuperating at the<br />
home of her nephew William McClurken<br />
in Hatboro, Pa. And our beloved Mrs.<br />
Finley M. Wilson has shown some im<br />
provement these past few weeks lean<br />
ing heavily on the Great Physician for<br />
strength and healing. Miss Matilda Walfert<br />
who suffered the effects of a fall is<br />
also now on the mend.<br />
Our minister has begun a series of<br />
sermons on the Ten Commandments by<br />
refuting the prevailing present-day<br />
theory that these laws of God are out<br />
moded; were given exclusively for the<br />
Jews; and are not necessary to our<br />
times.<br />
Visitors to our morning worship ser<br />
vices<br />
during May included Mr. Samuel<br />
Jamison of our Home in Pittsburg, who<br />
was the guest of Miss Annie Forsyth;<br />
and serviceman Norman Hutcheson,<br />
nephew of Dr. Finley M. Wilson; and<br />
Mr. Robert Wilson, of Ocean City<br />
J.<br />
HEBRON, KANSAS<br />
Hebron Congregation greatly rejoices<br />
that Rev. Milton Harrington has been<br />
duly ordained and installed as our min<br />
ister. In connection with this, we were<br />
happy to have a large number of<br />
friends who came to witness this serv<br />
ice and welcome Rev. Harrington. We<br />
were especially glad to make the ac<br />
quaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Har<br />
rington and son Gordon, and to meet<br />
other relatives of Rev. Harrington.<br />
W.M.S. members who attended<br />
Kansas Presbyterial were: Mrs. Ray<br />
mond Milroy; Mrs. Clyde Goodin; Mrs.<br />
Ge<strong>org</strong>e Craig and Mrs. Ray Milligan.<br />
Y.W.M.S. were represented by Mrs.<br />
Ronald Hammel and Elva Mann. These<br />
all gave fine reports of unusually inter<br />
esting meetings the inspirational sing<br />
ing, the joyful hearts, the impressive<br />
Spirit-filled messages and the bounti<br />
ful hospitality. Thank you, Denison W.<br />
M. S.<br />
Mrs. Sadie Greenlee, a former mem<br />
ber, has been spending some time at the<br />
home of her son John, Maxine and<br />
Lynn. Other visitors in the Greenlee<br />
home were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Green<br />
lee. We were glad to have these folks<br />
with us again.<br />
Mrs. Clarence Milligan is home from<br />
N<br />
415
nite"<br />
a several weeks stay in a Wichita hos<br />
pital, and able to attend services. Mrs.<br />
Byron McMahan and Mrs. Albert Henry<br />
are also able to be out again following<br />
surgery.<br />
Mr. Raymond Milroy is still unable to<br />
work full time following<br />
weeks ago.<br />
a fall several<br />
Several of our young people are stu<br />
dents in the Clay County Community<br />
High School. They<br />
are really proud of<br />
the school's track team which won<br />
State Championship in a Wichita meet<br />
on May 22. Jerry Milroy, a Junior in<br />
High School,<br />
is a member of the team<br />
and did much to help the team<br />
win this rating. He brought home a<br />
medal as well. Jerry is also a fine bas<br />
ketball player, sings with the Boys<br />
Quartette, and plays the clarinet, as<br />
well as being an active CYPU member.<br />
Miss Myrtle Tippin is convalescing,<br />
following major surgery at the Clay<br />
Center hospital.<br />
Ronald Dunn recently enlisted in the<br />
Clay<br />
Center National Guard unit.<br />
Ronald Hammel has been rehired as a<br />
teacher for a rural school Northwest<br />
of Clay Center.<br />
Mrs. Hazel Root of Kansas City spent<br />
two weeks visiting with her mother<br />
and sister, Mrs. E. Jameson and Maime.<br />
Rev. Milton Harrington is helping<br />
with the Victory Bible Camp in Ken^<br />
tucky, then will attend Synod.<br />
Hebron Bible School was held May<br />
23-27. All day sessions were held with<br />
three classes of youngsters keeping<br />
busy. About 21<br />
pupils were enrolled.<br />
The closing program was held the fol<br />
lowing Sabbath evening. Several of our<br />
ladies and young women were able and<br />
willing teachers and Rev. Harrington<br />
also had a share in the work.<br />
On the evening of May 21, Miss<br />
Barbara Chapman and Mr. Bob Cope<br />
land were united in marriage in the<br />
Methodist Church at Riley, Kansas. A<br />
large gathering of relatives and friends<br />
were present for the ceremony. Mrs.<br />
Copeland is the daughter of Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Carl Chapman of Riley. Bob is<br />
the youngest son of Mrs. Effie Cope<br />
land of Riley,<br />
and a member of our<br />
congregation. Congratulations and best<br />
wishes to the newly weds!<br />
Rev. Harrington is assisting with the<br />
Junior soft-ball games at Idana, Kansas.<br />
This is a small town near our church<br />
and the parsonage is located there. We<br />
are glad for this opportunity for him<br />
to become acquainted with his commun<br />
ity.<br />
Janice Henry, daughter of Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Albert Henry, was graduated from<br />
the Idana grade school, and will enter<br />
Clay County Community High School<br />
in Clay Center next fall.<br />
416<br />
Recent improvements at the parson<br />
age include a new electric water heat<br />
er, replastering and redecorating a bed<br />
room, and other minor repairs.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Tague and family,<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ross Latimer, and Harold<br />
McCrory were recent visitors at church.<br />
Our East side prayer meeting group<br />
has been having covered dish suppers<br />
preceding their meetings.<br />
Our W.M.S. was entertained in the<br />
home of Mrs. Ge<strong>org</strong>e Craig, who with<br />
Mrs. Delber Copeland are our newest<br />
members of the society.<br />
The first "family<br />
covered dish<br />
supper was held at the church, June 1.<br />
Several June birthdays were acknow<br />
ledged, a short program and devotions<br />
were held.<br />
Mr. Joe Cor)eland led prayer meeting<br />
on Sabbath morning June 5. Mr. Harold<br />
Milligan will have charge of the serv<br />
ices on Synod Sabbath.<br />
Mrs. James Hatfield was a youth lead<br />
er at the 4-H Round-up, held on the<br />
campus of Kansas State College at<br />
Manhattan. She has been an active 4-H<br />
leader in various capacities for eight<br />
years, and was among others who were<br />
recently given recognition for this valu<br />
able contribution to the community.<br />
HETHERTON, MICH.<br />
On April 23, in Alpena, Mich, Miss<br />
Dorothy Brown was married to Mr.<br />
Russell Phillips. Mr. and Mrs. Harold<br />
Phillips, brother and sister of the groom<br />
and his bride, were the only attendants.<br />
Dorothy, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Thad Brown of Johannesburg is a<br />
member of the Hetherton Congregation.<br />
The couple are making their home in<br />
Flint, Mich. The best wishes of the<br />
congregation go with them.<br />
Rev. Raymond Hemphill, our pastorelect,<br />
preached for us on May 15. At this<br />
time, Patricia Ellen, daughter of Mr.<br />
and Mrs. William Leino,<br />
and Ron Alan,<br />
son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Roby, were<br />
baptized.<br />
Spring Communion was held on May<br />
1 with Dr. R. I. Robb officiating. He<br />
brought some very timely<br />
messages.<br />
and helpful<br />
Gordon Harrington has retuned home<br />
after receiving his release from active<br />
duty<br />
in the Army. He spent sixteen<br />
months in Korea. Since his return home,<br />
he visited his brothers and sisters in<br />
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and then<br />
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh<br />
Harrington,<br />
installation services of his brother Mil<br />
attended the ordination and<br />
ton at Hebron, Kansas. While in the<br />
west, they visited many points of in<br />
terest in the Rockies and spent Sabbath<br />
with the <strong>Covenanter</strong>s at Hot Springs,<br />
N. M.<br />
Donald Harrington, who has been in<br />
the service and located at Fort Dix,<br />
N. J., has also received his release and<br />
after visiting with other relatives, plans<br />
to be at Hetherton for the summer with<br />
his wife Marie and son Steven. They<br />
will be living with Donald's parents, Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Hugh Harrington.<br />
Joyce Hoy has returned home after<br />
the close of the school term at Geneva<br />
College.<br />
Mrs.<br />
Haddie Hagadorn and grand<br />
daughter Carol are leaving June 11 on a<br />
month's vacation. They expect to visit<br />
at Detroit, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia,<br />
Washington, D. C, and Orlando, Fla.<br />
Hetherton Congregation is looking<br />
forward with pleasure to the near fu<br />
ture when Rev. and Mrs. Raymond<br />
Hemphill and family will be coming to<br />
make their home here and minister to<br />
our spiritual needs.<br />
Guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Ed Roby on June 11 and 12 were Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Robt. J. Westmore, Mrs. Wal<br />
ter Westmore and Mr. Robt. S. Westmore,<br />
all of Detroit. Mrs. Roby's mother<br />
and aunt stayed the remainder of the<br />
week and returned to Detroit accom<br />
panied by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Roby and<br />
son Ron.<br />
Election of officers of Hetherton<br />
W.M.S. resulted in the following: Presi<br />
dent Shirley Roby; Vice President, Dol<br />
ly Hagadorn; Secretary, Olive Harring<br />
ton; Treasurer, Haddie Hagadorn.<br />
SERVICE<br />
A Brahman while visiting a mission<br />
ary saw on the wall of his home a pic<br />
ture of Christ washing the disciples'<br />
feet. After studying the scene for a-<br />
while he turned to the missionary and<br />
said, "Your Christians pretend to fol<br />
low Christ, but I have never seen any<br />
of you washing people's<br />
feet." Then<br />
with measured words the missionary re<br />
plied, "But that is just what we are<br />
doing here in India all the time! Ac<br />
cording to your sacred books the Branmans<br />
sprang from the head of your god,<br />
Brahm; the soldier caste from his<br />
shoulders, the merchant caste from his<br />
loins and the low caste from his feet<br />
We are daily washing India's feet. Some<br />
day when you see the low caste and the<br />
outcast clean, educated and holy, you<br />
and all India will say to Christ, like the<br />
Apostle Peter, 'Lord, not my<br />
but also my hands and my head.' "<br />
feet only,<br />
Selected<br />
COVENANTER WITNESS