Kansas City Bible College - Armour Bearer Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

Text from Pages 1 - 122 of the 1952 volume:

, 1 .1 I 'X-'Q 'fn-': - -W -'HQ' 1' 1 F 1 , . 2 , , , K. : .f 1 1 I 's 1 , U . 1: 3 I I gf . A' iv 1 5 I I H I I, 5. I 1 U f ip 1 , VXI If 9 . N nw - ' lift V . YY , ,. ,, -51' . ' E . 5 , X., 1 v l'Jn 1 .fl-1 ' . gl ii., :N-JP . I 1. A ni- A 1 - ' 7'-U V ff N 1' M., -' 2-'4-3, A - ,MUNI lui Tw. '1' ' P ' ' adam: fn? -W g gf. ., f:f s : w v-ww'1S:i :wsf- N2 am ,f ' .4 Vw Aw , - X . ff, , ,.,:w.. -.,Y, . 4- ' ' v'- H -1' - J ' Ls N 1 4 w x x -'ZH' is X 'f '. ,-ACU! Amr- 1 ,f i .nv . . fue J' v ' 1 ,H , r-fi,-, u l Inspiring example . . . loyal friend . . . taithtul student of God's Word . . . one whose devotion to Christ has, for eighteen years, led us to realize the value of a consistent walk with God . . . to her, in deep appreciation tor her immeasurable contribution to the spirit, tradition, and spiritual lite of our school . . . we gratefully dedicate this 1952 Armour- Bearer. 2 'th Ni' me L-L. r .- Kin -,Q-.QA I '. 4!'u,v m, , y 5313-'H K 4. Y VJ, 4,5 .A ' A ,, V- fi? L V risfi' ' 4 I' 5 Ss nv vi . P , 1. Q ' - -laffifli ,, ,. 1 .,, 3vldf,T Ln. V.: ki .gm r de pzeedvlendlz Wieeeage IT is o gre-oT pleosure To greeT you young men ond young women,Qwho ore preporing now To enier The horvesT fields for The summer. You will corry wiTh you The frogronce of heoven ond o zeol Tor God Thot is occording To knowledge. You will Toke To The people ci living message wiTh living power which is oboui To bring life everlcisiing To The lost. You will find TesTs of foiTh ThoT will couse you To kneel of The Throne of God osking for deliveronce. You will hove new victories Thoi will bring To you o new knowledge of The wonderful, living core of The God who is AlmighTy. You go wiTh our proyers, We hove conhdence in you. We know ThoT The Holy Spirii will moke you chcinnels of blessing To mony. We sholl woii The reTurn of Those who conTinue in Their sTudies wiTh hoppy onTicipoTion ond wiTh she-oves for our Lord. DR. WALTER L. WILSON 4 CTA' 'i '--1.-9 DR. ROBERT H. BELTON Execuiive Vice President Deon of Men MR. EDWARD S. CRUM Music . TOLBERT A. WELCH Language MR. JACK W. WILSON Christian Service Director MISS JESSIE M EVES ecm oi Women pv- w- .-I :H A MRS. LUELLA H. GORDON Bible MR. GORDON CARPENTER Evangelism MISS ESTHER BROTHERSON Christian Education -..--.-1-iii I- xfff' MR. WADE K. RAMSEY Dean of Education MISS PEARL WISNER Registrar and Librarian MR. LEONARD J. LARSON History ef: f - 9, .E 1f , 1 .je ' -- 'u ,,r. r K an . 'Wg iw.-, .. ,, t. fm, M if ,H vii ,- 4' A1 I 2 . 1.1 A , , J w I A-ii ,u'l,','N ' f' JI. u we MRS. EDWARD S. CRUM Commercial MRS. R. H. BELTON Associate Editor of Commentator MR. DONALD VIEROW Maintenance Supervisor MISS KATHRYN POPE House Mother MISS CAROLYN WAGNOR Science Miss vloLA RHODES i Dietitian ' MRS. DONALD VIEROW Assistant to the Librarian mm. K MRS. ROBERT B. CRISWELL Phonetics 9 MISS ONA WOODWARD Secretary ! 1 1 ,ii ii, v 1 w f A C 515 ROBERT N. STEWART Kansas City, Mo. J. A. PETERSON Kansas Ciiy, Ma. HUGHES W. DAY Kansas City, Kans. N. P. ENBERG Topeka, Kans. H. H. SNYDER Kansas Ciiy, Mo. lim ' ul- 'v- v.-. Ya .Zi M, His gaczfzd af Dcizeataw WALTER L. WILSON, JR. Kansas City, Mo. WALTER L. WILSON, SR. Kansas City, Mo. ROY W. SEWARD Topeka, Kans. LEONARD J. LARSON Kansas City, Mo. W. LEE SANDERS Hickman Mills, Mo. RAY E. WETZEL Kansas City, Kans. Hdadeazq game! O. M. OWENSBY Linden, Ala, ARNOLD STEINBECK Buffalo, Mo. IO V. E. PETERSON Salina, Kans. WARREN E. WHEELER Akron, Ohio Mio GS- BESSIE MAE BASS Dallas, Texas, Social Committee i, 4, Chair- man of Missionary Prayer Bonds 2, Secre- tary-Treasurer of Class 3, 4, Annual Staff 4, Dining Room Hostess 3, 4, Choir, Girls Trio. ROBERT WINEGAR Kansas City, Missouri, President of Class 4, Associate Pastor Kansas City Baptist Temple 4, Other Schools Attended: Fort Worth Bible Baptist Seminary. Compliments of WALTER L. WILSON, M.D., L.H.D. Psalm 27:4- One thing have l desired of the Lord, that will l seek afterp that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the Days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. PHYLLIS DUNKIN stew l L Omaha, Nebraska, Publicity Committee, Choir. JAMES O. COMBS San Antonia, Texas, Associate Pastor Kansas City Baptist Temple 3, President of Class 3, Other Schools Attended: Fart Worth Bible Baptist Seminary, TH.B., Tl-l.M. ml in.. lfif' ? lt J. .L It tl fl' t Wi, TT 1 E Ln W' 1 ' 7:1 1 .' i G' il .ri ii LEAH HOLMES Kansas City, Missouri, Scholarship Chairman of the Alumni Association. JERRY MARQUIS Kansas City, Missouri, Annual Stat? if Sec- retary of Student General Association 2, Vice President Missionary Fellowship 3, Vice President of Class 4, Corresponding Secre- tary Alumni Association 4, General Ottice l, 2, 3, 4. MELVIN RHODES Kansas City, Missouri, Pastor of Christian Church of Smithton, No. 4, Other Schools Attended: Bob Jones University, Midwest Bible and Missionary lnstitute. CHARLES WEISS Auburn, New York, President of Missionary Fellowship 3, Award for Class Attendance and Attention 3, Choir. ARGENTINE BIBLE CHURCH The Christ-Centered Church on the Corner 42nd and Metropolitan Argentine, Kanasas Rev. Wendell Grout, Pastor 7n4,Ziz'vcZ'e ' endow STANLEY BLACK Kansas City, Missouri ,.w 'Wil 'L S Compliments of ORVILLE RAW Life is short, Death is sure Sin the curse, Christ the cure. Romans 1:16 nf- 5635 , Offy il L-f ce,.S HORACE BRELSFORD Kansas City, Missouri Iss W 'I 4 i- LORRAINE JOST Hillsboro, Kansas JUSTIN NEAL DIX Port Crane, New York HALLENE KLEPPER Kansas City, Missouri WALDO JEWELRY WATCHES - DIAMONDS JEWELRY - REPAIRING 7447 Broadway Ja 7971 15 Ns.. ORVILLE RAW Waverly, Missouri CHARLOTTE KNAPP Allentown, Pennsylvania gs 3-ji LESLIE R. RHODES Kansas City, Kansas Complimenfs of CENTRAL BIBLE CHURCH 106 East 3157 Terrace I Thess. 1:8- From you sounded out The Word of the Lord in the regions round about. I6 it 'Y' AUGUSTA THIESSEN Buhler, Kansas HOWARD SANDERS Kansas City, Missouri 4 , , . V 'fr' - ? Q? GEORGE H. YAPLE Binghamton, New York LLOYD J. OLIVER ALL KINDS OF INSURANCE 600 Dierks Bldg. Office Vi 9844 Res. Lo 6543 17 . f all aww 5273!-LW , .2 iaiffilffli '3r 5 mlb' iii!-3 ff fx: - S wg Y -Xi! ' , f . .: , mime,-,--' 1: fi-' - 1 Miny'5gggg.H'-:.'S5:.z..4-dip .V ,. V- M- -11 -K , , Ummm 7 ff Officers EVERYTHING IN FLOWERS BLOSSOM FLORAL CO.' Funeral Designs Our Specialty 4042 Broadway Lo 4310 DALLAS ARNOLD Topeka, Kansas Nm CECIL BRITTON Enid Oklahoma 20 gf W' Vs. BECKY CLASSEN DONALD CONNER EVA DUBERT GERALD DUNNAM Newton, Kansas Evansville, Indiana Silver Creek, New York Phoenix, ArIZOr1O LEIRD CHURCH FURNITURE - PEWS CHANCEL FURNITURE - PANELS MIDLAND EQUIPMENT CO. 5946 Nieman Road Shawnee, Kansas 0 WENDELL GROUT DARRELL HEIDNER WALLACE HIGGINS LAWRENCE JAMES Esbon, Kansas Kansas City, Kansas Atlanta, Kansas Kansas City, Kansas I ' :gg 1 1 '- - P-Eifsi., ' Q- II 'S 5' '? 'fum l l 11 iffy I fr BETTY JO JONES FORREST LIVINGSTON JACK MCMANUS MAXINE RHODES Mr. Vernon, Missouri Akron, Ohio Evansville, Indiana Kansas City, Missouri Compliments of the CHRISTIAN BUSINESS MEN S COMMITTEE of Greater Kansas Cnty Rom. 12111- Nor slofhful in business, fervent in spirit, serving The Lord. PATRICK RILEY SHIRLEY ANN RIMMEL Atlanta, Kansas KGHSOS Cify, Kansas O CAROLYN WAGONER OLLIE WEAVER DELILA SPORY RUTH WALBERG Odessa, Missouri Williamsport, Pennsylvania Suter, Illinois Teaneck, New Jersey ' Hu ,T' ffl Q ' ' -. 'I '1i ' ' -, 1-ft 1, IL -,lie V1 I I ., I i Y , V. . V! - , .i 1' Y ., - lff: U' Il, I '. -11 til . ' t v 'L fi, all? W ,-'.Z'. p T -Qi ., - -D - A- M' vm. l E W! Officers Compliments of FORREST R. LIVINGSTON 1 Prov. 4:7- Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understand- n-,, I Ig N ERLA BERGTHOLD Iowa City, Iowci LEG BERGTHOLD Iowa Cnty, Iowa 24 FE IS? Officers Compliments of FORREST R. LIVINGSTON ' Prov. 4:7- Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understand- ing. X ERLA BERGTHOLD iowcz City, Iowa LEO BERGTHOLD iowa City, Iowa 24 SPN -QI.. EDWIN SHELTON JOHN SHIDLER WAYNE SLOCUM LELA SWANSON Excelsior Springs, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri Ann Arbor, Michigan -A I if 5 I 1 ly ALEXANDER LUMBER 81 FUEL CO. ' ' 4808 E. sofh wA. uso Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new crea- ture: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. PATTY WOOD CALVIN WYDLE ROBERT WILLIAMS - La Russell, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri 15 Evansville, Indiana Io' THOMAS WEBB Evansville. Indiana LEWIS WISTROM Kansas City, Missouri f TQ 'tl ri Egg..- D Q5 ,X ,rg p, 'E 'xi-n Las . I. 1' i .1 'J Zia-11 ,. Ei i N. M - I 5.0 Q' v '4 . -.-' 1.7 in iii 1 I ' ',, -'ffiillli ,. . 5,..:.1-l Lg, ll A +-Q, Compliments of SMITHTON CHRISTIAN CHURCH Smithfon, Mo. Rev. Melvin Rhodes, Pastor Psalm i26:6- He Thai goeth forth and weepefh, bear- ing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. ,fn C' ,-LL! ilu LEATRICE ANN SHACKELFORD JACK W. PHILLIPS ANITA MAZE ELAINE CANNON Kansas City, Missouri Merriam, Kansas St. Louis, Missouri Cunningham Kansas Second Semeadec Stcmfeazfa C0mP'ime 'S PHOTOGRAPHER L t F of the Faculty Candids: and Student Portraits - . Thanks! See you next year! PAR! JE 6113 3435 1-2 BRUADWAY LELA BANMAN DELMER JONES Newton, Kansas Kansas City, Missouri N . MAX of Plqfured W00DsgE GORDON N G HOWARD VA LIDEWEU EDWARD N SANDT w DWAW Wf5'ERDALE LLEMAN , Q. . fi. T sl 726945 Sedan! C The night school of THE KANSAS CITY BIBLE COLLEGE has always been an important part ot the training ottered by the College. It is designed for the training of men and women whose employment prevents their attending the regular day school, but who wish to be trained tor more efficient service in their various churches. Many Sunday School oiticers and teachers, young people's workers and some who have gone into full-time Christian service have re- ceived their training in the night school. The classes meet on the campus every Monday evening from 6:30 till 9:00. There are three 45 minute class periods and one-half hour chapel period each evening. These chapel periods are addressed by out- standing speakers and pastors. The College is a member of the Evangelical Teachers Training Association. Students completing the course outlined under this heading will receive a diploma from this association signed by its oFHcers in addition to the regular diploma oiterecl for the satisfactory completion of 24 semester hours. Sponsored by TOM'S TOASTED PEANUTS C 81 R DISTRIBUTORS 428 Main Baltimore 3483 1 1 3 'V 1, 512 , 1 1 . I 1 - 1 N .K I ! 1 -1 5A 1 , 1 g 1 K 1 , 1 ' R I XA X 1 f I I 1 I 1, ffl E? X 7, X! 1 if If , ' I I 1, 31 XX kr '1 5 P V ' '1 l J! j I I 5 1. X E' l . , ' l I1 I 2 I V 1 ' I 1 1 r 5 . 17 - 5? iiffi' 574- i-'3 VI- 55. w .1-L., 'v V' ff- 'C' ' STN' VZ- ' ' 23 '-'if' 'K--It 'L :15'f ? f '5i9 ' 'fe mf P ' . Tw' -44. 99'-.5 . f-:fy hh- ,Z :gyxg Ny: A rj?-2 'st Qi wg if-'HH . .f L-T-7. - Nh' V re H 1 'M 5 gf' 1 Vw . -f- :W A- r'1.ef '. -W 'PHX f,..fL A A -' . -1 'L gfhw- 'rn' A gvvg, .I '-Y if W' ' '2'.- - f+' ' 2 ,s if 'f -' 5 . .J .1 1. kwgdasgdgg .qv riff! A gg. ls S by fl.-f' h sh' jx 'J 6, -,J Y-f,g5ig,,g5:r-'V if 15 , All 2.1 ,Q -55? , 1: ffffzvfr. aw - tw '-s,-we 'Pi ' gf'-., 1 'fs I , .- ' af?-,Q 4 ,ggi q,,4n..,,-hjf Q X '45 - .wx V-.1 --ft gf: ,I -ig , ig' - X 4' 1, 9 ,-,' 'L MMM p 15' 2, 'K ,,'-:.' ,,.',.-'f- v-512 In 'l'n '-ki j. Ai bf, .,Y-4 rv -,x .N ,ltx!,:AM.: .Q , ... VL 1: tux:-rx 'iw' I: .V -si? K ...th .ii-, 'pk'-7:-.gas-'rx' .55 H3 iff f5x'.. J, wr? I ,iffy 134: '. -. 0 ' 1-41345 ' . Q -P' ' ,vi 'xuWQ.x5v'x'4 ':::l'as.i Y. X 1' .- rv 1-'Z---5.-'M' -- 3 ' I xi, ' Tv - l 'LT ' I' -.fnRi Tg' 'mKgF3iv!fQ 1-ur, 'n j v' '-'IF --lE.VAu- V ' ' '-m5- 4 f ll-4 -' 4 7w..'f 'V- I , Ac .,f,,1 aff 3- nr ,A -J .gn ' -z,.:v f Q1 Q J n-Q ' f ,-4? 2.f-,,Q,c- ': , '-A-.354-Q - R XP. ,,-.. if ' ffl: ' .vi .Ep .2 77? . I QA . ,- ,Jf -. T .- -f -Y 7' gn W S' t' + if - if i f' x5'-4-wit. M 1 . , .,Q9-- x -v,,. -wi? - ark 1 fp yin fl A A I ik., .xxx I -.4 ,EJYIKA 5 ., X y .f 'tif , . - 1 'g-vu. I I ' -uw? -vi ' E, . 's -7. v W Z' TL' Q.: U' '? , 'T - V , ,. - --X X -2 5.1319 A-,Z W, , 51, , 1. Y ' 1 1' i, - .- fi K.. L.. . V . , ,..'bN V - X. :3 vw? x W uk, fi 4 4 4 A- ' ., XS4- uf ,,,., - - . ' v' z H H fl - 1 I 'gffvl-5 1 V, . ,.. ,lf ' 1 ' K xx L V, - .f,x, -v..4 7 .,. f - g ' - N '- wvr.,'?4 ,L .wa f-- M' . Q . ' - N,.. Y.. hr- - F.. 1 I X1 , 7279! 'I' 1 'S' 431 1 Q' v 4 1 , x - 4-N mf -.' N P . --....... ., .. , -.F ... ..., . T'.F,-A L'ffu fE 1.05 A 9 3: Qg 2 3-gr-xy: -- .wb Av fff9iBif':f.1:a ' 3 . A45 as 3 x f , 'Wi - P 1' ' 'ng . 5::w'i '7'm W -Qqx' -'re yt, 1 . . f::ff' . -11 4.' .f'4 PL4. fs, ,.,, , .wr ff' 'r ,..,,, pm, fm. 1 k,:,,,, . A lg-W , :L gf , ' 1, 514.1 P 1.64 .. , ,,.', .. 4 'A s 41' T. '-r-.,,,,,h'z,f 'f' ,-,Lf Y SQ P. 'P' Q' '.-fi'--ffl - 'eh 1- ' ' A ' ,f s p 'I . P' x Y A- ' fx . , - L- .gf -T x 5, ww 4-. Q., s-.Lil- Qgg. gg In .4 .Y --- -PM 1: - ' 1 -.-LW, .gg VJ! ',, - E , ,. . . tl. V-3 4 S In-A air, 'fi 'iw S3 W ' 13 --. ' , - lid I 5, if-E' 5 .V Q-T4 .X 2 , 411- '. -- 3 f ,iw 4 ' fqfk- ' f . 9,14 H 113 V, Q , . 4 D 1 . N. 'f : Af - ' 4 ., , L ff' Q - - -f Y in .4 jgww 4 4.-.-M ,'-. ,K Q I 2' ,fa ,- , -. 1 ' . MVK A If X ' A . 5.2-. gr. eva., W .V if , if -az .fi-Q lv ,fs Q A u if., 7Zkzmzdaz4 I The K.C.B.C. Warriors, starting slowly, lost their tirst two games, then they caught fire and cap- tured all their remaining hardwood bouts. This was the first year of inter-collegiate competi- tion, and the boys, playing larger schools, furnished the K.C.B.C. basketball fans with many thrills. Although handicapped by the lack of reserve strength and the time needed for practice, the team, playing in new uniforms, gave the fans a victorious season of improved ball. Coach Wendell Grout successfully guided the team through the season with six wins and two losses. With prospects of all ot this year's squad being back on deck, he predicts an even better team next year. K C B C 7. 65 70 42.. . III ' .:' J SCORES ' 'sierllng . . -Tabor , E H n I' -K. c. sch Bibi 5- .Shnwnee Bop, e ,.... Show,-,ee Bom- ,..,. Ind. Blvd, Chr' ---.37 Western '-'.....37 Western I in ' ' ' 55 4I HOME OF COMPLETE PROTECTION BUSINESS MEN'S ASSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA Kansas City, Missouri 7 GHQQ5 SXANOI A .... jf' W sl ' 1.3 5, 'is' fdlgg i.- .f . .f IJ' 1. 374 A s I . . ,,.. y yy , -. '1'- Ziff' 2 7 5 ' H 9 . E, ' ' ' gf- I '74 HIS , L 1, , I . I .AJ i I , ' t -,. K I . ' ' K .I 'I a ' - ' '- A I . . .su - Q .. AAL .V I. PULLIN' ,,- , KETCH! I! ,ww HORS N ROUND - V cHAMPsv DOUBLES? .si , f':'f3 Q Compliments of A FRIEND OF K. C. B. C. AGAIN? FOR QUIET ONES ,ff CHECK THIS! ,W WW 1 - ,M ' . I' l :.y.'I:'.-I-+4 . . ,,. H., ...H -NI if CHANDLER LANDSCAPE AND FLORAL CO. FLOWERS ON THE COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA By Wire - Bonded Service 101 W 47 Westport 5800 Oliiicers Among the outstanding developments of this school year was the organization and promotion ot The KCBC Choristers, directed by Edward S. Crum. Their primary purposes were to offer a musical outlet for students who love to sing and to serve the college and the Lord Through public programs. The chorus membership reached a total of Thirty students, Twenty of whom sang on oFT-campus programs. The Choristers were used to sing God's praises over the weekly College-l-lour Broadcast. Their first public appearance was a pre-Christmas Concert in Bulkley Auditorium. In late March their concert season started with appearances at The Central Bible Church in Kansas City and The Mclientree Methodist Church in Odessa, Missouri. The Chorus used a processional march especially written Tor The school by Mrs. Goeking, the composer of the Alma Mater. The choir program is supplemented by special numbers by the trio, H. Klepper, B. Bass and C. Wagoner. The soloists are V. Rhodes, H. Klepper, and W. Grout. Various duet combinations are also used. This challenging season was climaxed by the purchase of beautiful maroon robes with gold-maroon stoles giving the choir a pleasing, unified appearance. For the future years, the choir is anticipating a more extensive program including an extended concert tour. Compliments of 44451 Mr. Edward S. Crum Director ,. ,fn - f 1, i rI..f g.f,.Q. ILAX Mr FrcmkL Colller Accompcznlsf Sponsored by BAKER-LOCKWOOD AWNING AND TENT ANYTHING IN CANVAS 2900 Cherry Logan 2307 I John 4:19- We Iove him, because he first loved us. 37 Om Widaewnazdea 'If .IAUNITA FRIESEN X I South America X BILL BAUM Japan ELLEN DELAVAN Z Africa X BOB CLARK X R.B.C. LAURA .IANTZ India Z X Boa KIRKPATRICK X F.E.G.C, CHRISTENA WEEKS Sudan 2 Centropolis Baptist Church Truman Rd. at White Ave. Gordon L. Carpenter, Pastor The House of God's Impressions Through Holy Spirit Expressions. The Bible our Authority, Christ our Message, The Holy Spirit our Power. X I x Titty, 1 Y, ,, 'M' l X. u. 'I .1 pw , Mir- ' 1,1 v I X - -' 12 D. ARNOLD, Pres. X R. Walberg ff D. Conner I SHIRLEY MUSSELMAN Detroit WILLIAM POWELL Japan RAY SCHRAGG India JOYCE COKE Africa VIRGINIA AND HOWARD EPPLER Philippines ARTHUR COMBS Africa BILL AND GLADYS GIBSON South America LOIS BOWEN Italy l Christian Se Compliments of A FRIEND OF K. C. B C JACK WILSON ! Director of -vig -Lzssgssfxsmsffqfmbgg, Li'SrT'E.-u4mi ' A :?.-K-iKS'E3,,' ' 2 Y ' 7 55ffTEi':fx'11 fiilifia Eg? 2? 7'f7f5:f7'? 2czd6a Compliments of A FRIEND OF K. C. B. C. GE HOUR . . . Gerry 'PRESENTING . . . THE COLLE Dunnam steps back from the microphone as the choir ' O Wor- swells into the strains ofthe radio theme . . . ship the King. Heard over station KPRS, l59O on the ' Ol' 'l:3O .m., dial, every Sunday afternoon from l.O o p the College Hour is directed and produced by Rev. Jack Wilson with the able assistance of Mr. ,Edward fthe Music Department Featuring the College Crum o . Choir ladies trio, various local and guest soloists, h musical portion of the program paves the way T 9 for the brief message by Dr. Wilson, Dr. Belton, Rev. Wilson or Mr. Ramsey, and occasionally a campus guest. Covering the entire Kansas City area, The ' h hear College Hour is proving a blessing to those w o it, o medium for making the School better known, ' te. and a valuable training for those who partlcipa jf 71. Compliments of A FRIEND OF K. C. B. C. JACK WILSON Alidlftfdvt ezafice I 'hilt kj, ,-'mice Director of Chrustuon Servnce THE WAY TO LEARN HOW TO PREACH lS TO PREACI-ll . . . and that goes for Bible teaching, Child evangelism, song leading and any other type of Christian Service. Our emphasis on learning hovv to put our knowledge to work has carried our students into every possible type of situation, from prisons to orphanages, hospitals to rescue missions. Many students are pastors ot churches in the Kansas City area, and the Christian Service Department, under the direction of Rev. Jack Wilson, provides both student pastors and those in larger churches in the area with musical talent and other workers. God has used KCBC students in hundreds of ways, providing a much-appreciated service to local pas- tors and churches, as well as providing invaluable experience to the students in prepar- ing tor lite situations. Compliments ol A FRIEND OF K. C. B. C. Z' pf 'HL X 'ri ,gp 'X' f 'W ffl' ,Q Q ' il- A-5: Y JY E, .N - , hb 1 Q :fi 'Wai 3 v 5? 'A Q- -1 . . Hx, 4 3 , F lf 4 V x A1 ,,,.,- 'I ,-,. N, -e-QUE ' . ' 'L,.,5,:h , Q:- XC .N -X .X-X. Jr 'n ix- F GRAND PRIZE Jerry Dunnam Compliments of A FRIEND OF K. C. B. C. 1' a cated Wmaew I-ffm ,e ' 1 J F a ' 1 F ,El . ,B ml, , ji l QT T TST CONTEST 2ND CONTEST Jerry Dwnom 'ITT j , Charles Weiss ' HONORABLE MENTION he L af' gf CQ ficefza af ie Zcwmd TRUMAN PAGE, President EUGENE ENGEL LEAH HOLMES MRS. STELLA D. PLUMMER MRS. GEORGE WELCH ONA E. WOODWARD ALICE WOODWARD GERALDINE MARQUIS Sponsored by ALUMNI ASSOCIATION of The KANSAS CITY BIBLE COLLEGE A4 FRANK L. COLLIER Editor LELA SWANSON Ass't. Editor ROBERT PLANK Promotion WALLACE HIGGINS Photography BESSIE MAE BASS Layout HORACE BRELSFORD Advertising JACK WILSON Advisor Compliments of A FRIEND OF K. C. B. C. .2 , J ,J fit? 1' x 4 I X gg. Q , , ff Y, j fy ' Q '? ?' W ' j,f'?9 x 5 Q fly J fr' QL ,E 'ei 3' I an X -.W-2' 'U' li' Wlfjzi ff Iivf f' , 1 4, 49-5 0 Q 0.6: r if .x S A4 Yi ,, Compliments of MERRIAM BIBLE CHURCH , WW' ' Merriam, Kansas 5 STANDING FOR CHRIST IN JOHNSON COUNTY 1' Grandview 8. W. 62 Ter. Rev. McGilvrc HE 2040 402 'Sui' -fu b. gf Ye 51 Yong r Highness. Von CIT! . df X J Published by The Kansas City Bible College OCTOBER, 1951 A LASTI NG PEACE OVERCOMING BY TRUMAN PAGE, President Alumni Association, Kansas City Bible College Once again the nations of the world have bound their destinies together in a treaty of peace. Any saneperson wants peace, but none can seem to locate its elusive source. Nearly six millenniums have come and gone, and we are still seeking that will-o'-the wisp called peace. Decade by decade, in mournful dirge and in dismal cadences, the sing song of history beats time- war and peace, war and peace- a tremendous epic of montonously repeated phrases. In our search for this thing called peace we have been turned aside by an enticing bit of tinsel- a peace treaty. We fervent- ly pray that the present one will be per- manent Any treaty of peace, however, is no more secure than the integrity of the ones who sign. The surprising fact is that treaties last as long as they do. Yet the best of these documents do not touch the basic cause- rnan's propensity for fighting. Although man has built a marvelous civilization in spite of this propensity, if peace is not found now, modern methods of warfare will cause his annihilation. When man has a dispute with his fel- lows, it seems the only way he can settle the issue is to fight over it. History affords countless examples of belligerent nations refusing to listen to reason with the re- sult that peace is disrupted, war and death follow. Finally, one side capitulates in defeat, and the two armies get together and sign a binding agreement of ever- lasting peace. Yet all know full well that defeat on a battlefield guarantees no change of heart and eliminates no selfish aspirations for power. Our minds turn to another, more gi- gantic and eternal struggle. In this battle the issue is far more critical and grave. We refer to God's war against sin. God originally made man in His own holy image and said, Love me. If you love me, serve and honor me. He gave His creature free will because love cannot be commanded- it must come from free choice. Tragedy at once reared its ugly face because man chose to serve sin and self instead of his Maker. In substance he said I want to serve my own desires rather than God's. This was tantamount to a declaration of war, and peace be- tween God and man was gone. Would CContinued on Page 71 THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The new year has brought to us many new students. There has been a good increase in the number of men who are studying the precious Word in order to become able serv- ants of God. Some of our finest students are not our wealthiest- they must earn their way as they go. Your participation in our training program will be an investment that will bring splendid dividends in the coming years. We have added to our curriculum this year so that the students have a wider variety of subjects to study and therefore will receive a training that is second to none. We rejoice in being able to present to those who study with us so many splendid courses covering the fields of Chris- tian service. We invite you to visit the college when you come to Kansas City. THANK GOD FOR THE BIBLE Oh how can we thank Thee our God for the Bible, Whose truth doth each century clearer reveal The fountain of wisdom and source of all knowledge, The court of humanity's final appeal. Oh, here Thou revealest that Thou art our Father, The hand that hath fashioned and caused us to beg Oh, resident forces, electrons, and atoms Could never have made or have loved us like Thee! Oh, how can we thank Thee, our God, for the Bible, The gospel's glad story! Nor else had we known Of sinners redeemed and made meet for Thy glory, Of sinners redeemed who shall sit on Thy throne! Then glory and honor, dominion and power, Ascribe to the Trinity again and again, To Father and Son, and the blest Holy Spirit, Forever and ever, and ever- Amen -James M. Gray BY DR. WALTER L. WIISON The risen Christ spoke to seven of the early churches messages of encouragement and warning which are recorded in the second and third chapters of the Revela- tion. At the end of each message there echoes a challenging refrain: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Each time a promise is made to him that overcomethf' As we examine these promises, we find seven obstacles which are to be overcome, seven false standards to be avoided. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life. which is in the midst of the paradise of God. -Revela- tion 2:7. Verse 4 gives us the false motive which threatened defeat for the Christians at Ephesus. They had loved very much in the early days of their experience with Christ, but they had lost that love. There was still much activity, but it was labor which was not prompted by love for the Lord Jesus Himself, and He was quick to detect it. One can hire a person to work for him, but one cannot hire a person to love him. The Saviour wanted the love of the hearts that had been touched and blessed by His hand. He felt the lack so much that He asked them to overcome that lack and offered them a rich reward for doing so. The story is told of a certain botanist who had climbed to the top of an extinct volcano. There in the midst of the lava How a tiny flower was blooming. It stirred his heart to think that in the midst of all the destruction it should lift its face to the sun. What a lesson is here! Though your life may be full of weariness, in the midst of trouble there is a place for your heart to blossom. Be sure to take time to tell the Saviour you love Him, for He wants your love. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. -Revelation 2:11. Great persecution with possible martyr- dom is pictured for the church at Smyrna, but the warning of the risen Christ is against false fear, the fear of pain and loss. There was a widow at one time who had lost all that she had, and was unable to pay her rent to the landlord. Being afraid that the officers would come to evict her, she locked all the doors and windows and remained in seclusion in a bedroom. She heard a knock at the front door, then the CCo'ntimLed on Page 75 RAGE TWO THE COMIVIENTATOR Among the readers of The Commentator there may be some who have never re- ceived the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves as their Saviour and Lord. They are inter- ested in religious things, attend services - of worship, and yet themselves to Christ. never have given They know that Christ came and died for them, and yet continue to reject Him. By this rejection of Jesus Christ they are in- ferring, perhaps unknowingly, that God is a liar. God has declared that because ALL have sinned and come short of His glory, ALL need the Lord Jesus Christg for the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world CI John 41145. I want to mention several ideas that people hold which lead to the conclusion that God is a liar. There are some who try to deny their sin, or who say they haven't sinned Ha- grantly enough to be kept out of heaven. In I John 1:8 we read, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And in verse 10, If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Verse eight refers to one's condition, verse ten to one's conduct. The person who says he has no sin is deceiving him- self, and the one who says that he does not commit sinful acts makes God to be a liar. God in His word has declared over and over again that all have sinned and come short of His glory. An examina- tion of the ten commandments is enough to convince any honest person who will read them that he has not kept them. Paul has written in Romans 3:19 that the law, which is holy and just and good, has condemned every one because no hu- man being has ever been able to keep it. Everyone stands condemned by the ten commandments, and every mouth has been stopped. There are those who, admitting their sinfulness, are under the impression that they can atone for their sins. They think they can so balance the good they have done against the bad, that the good will outweigh the bad and thus give them an entrance into God's presence. The angel Justice is represented as standing with a blindfold across her eyes and with a scale in her hand weighing the good against the evil. Anyone who has this idea is calling God a liar, for He has said that without shedding of blood is no remission CHeb. 9: 229. Nowhere in the Bible is it ever intimated that the good works of an un- believer are ever recognized as having any merit with God. Christ said Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not pro- phesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work ini- quity CMatt. 7:21-237. Can you think of Making A Liar of God By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College better works than casting out demons from those possessed, and prophesying in Christ's name? I am sure the finest of philanthropic activities are included in the wonderful works which He mention- ed, yet He called all of these things works of iniquity . There were no words of praise nor cornmendation from His lips for them. What good works can you imagine which could be beyond these men- tioned by Him and which could make one right with God? There is none! It is not works of righteousness which we have done which make us right with Him. God is no liar, and He has declared that with- out the shedding of blood there is to be no remission. That leads to another point of view, com- monly held, that one can reach heaven without Christ. If one is sincere in what he believes, it really makes no difference what he does believe. Such pious non- sense isn't true in everyday affairs, for it isn't sincerity that determines whether the contents of a bottle are poison or not. In all sincerity one can take a dose of poison from the Wrong bottle, thinking it is good medicine, and yet the poison will work harm just the same. Sincerity is not the determining factor. If it were, then God is a liar, for Peter plainly de- clared by inspiration that Christ died for sins once, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God CI Peter 3:18J, and Christ said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me CJohn 14:65. He also de- clared, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and Find pasture. He said there are only two ways into eternity- the broad way which leads to destruction and the narrow way which leads to life eternal. One only walks the narrow way after he has passed through the narrow gate which is Christ Himself. One can be sincere in what he believes and yet be sincerely wrong. Christ is the way into heaven, and the only way. There are others who teach that every- one is a child of God, and that within the breast of every person there is a spark of divinity which just needs to be fanned into a flame. If that is so, then God is a liar, because of what Jesus Christ declared to a man who would have been a candidate for heaven in the estimation of many. He told Nicodemus that he needed a new birth and that unless he had it he could not see the Kingdom of God nor could he enter it. Christ said that the devil has children as well as God, and Paul wrote that within every unbeliever there is working the spirit of the Prince of the power of the air. God's salvation is not the same as man's reformation. God has no use for man's fallen nature. He never tries to patch it up, but He does put within everyone who will believe in Him a new nature, His own divine nature. In the case of others who are calling God a liar there is the swinging of the pendulum of human thought to the other extreme. Whereas many claim they have a right to heaven because of their good- ness, there are those who lay no claim to God's favor because of their badness. They feel God will have nothing to do with them because they have sinned too much. A friend of mine told me of talking with a young man who had this idea, and when told that it was not true, he replied, Yes, but you don't know what I've done. Men may not lmow, but God lmowsg and the Word of God plainly declares that the blood of Jesus Christ God's son cleanses from all sin. When we read that He suf- ferred for sins once, the just for the un- just, it means every kind of sin. Paul said that Christ came to save sinners, and that means every kind of sinner, the frag- rant as well as the flagrant. Others have gone so far as to say that God doesn't love them. That, too, makes a liar of God, for when we read, God so loved the world, it means just what it says without exception. It is sheer presump- tion for a person to say, God may love the world but not me. Christ said that He came to seek and to save the lost CLuke 19:10D. He also said, Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out CJohn 61371. Have you been calling God a liar by claiming either that your goodness will save you? or that you are too bad to be saved? or that God does not love you? Christ is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world CJohn 12295. He has taken away YOUR sin. To reject Him and spurn His salvation will result in eternal death, but to re- ceive Him brings eternal life CJohn 3:36D. Oh when heaven and earth are passing, Crumbling as a. burning scroll, Is there no abiding foothold, No fixed refuge for the soul? Yes! a. man, the Man Christ Jesus, On the wreck of time He stands And the souls of countless millions Lie within His pierced hands. DR. WlLSON'S ITINERARY Sept. 30 to Oct. 5 ........ Avenue Road Church Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 7 to 17 .... Norwood Baptist Church Norwood, Ohio October 24 to 27 .,...... Maplewood Congrega- tional Church, St. Louis, Mo. November 5 to 11 .... Temple Baptist Church St. Paul, Minnesota THE COMMENTATOR OCTOBER, 1951 Volume 13, Number 10 Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Editor Grace T. Belton, Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward, Associate Editor Price. single subscription, 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign, 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions, 50 cents each: Canada and foreign 60 cents. lainie Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.0. Box 7035, Coimtry Club Station Kansas City 2. Mo. School location: 75th 81 State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26. 1942. at the Post Office at Kansas City, Mo. under the Act of March 3, 1879. THE COMMENTATOR PAGE THREE News All THE COLLEGE NEW STAFF MEMBERS MISS JESSIE M. EVES Returning to Kan- sas City Bible Col- lege after an absence of two years, Miss Jessie M. Eves has joined our faculty this semester as Dean of Women and teach- er in the department of English. She has an AB. degree from Pennsylvania S tate College and an M.A. from New York Uni- versity. Most of her teaching experience has been in the public schools of Berwick, Pennsylvania, where she also served as psychological examiner for four years. During the school year 1948-49 Miss Eves spent her sabbatical leave with us as Dean of Women. Now, however, she has sever- ed those connections and is making K.C. B. C her permanent home. We thank our God for making her return possible. REV. W. JACK WILSON Mr. W. Jack Wilson joins the College family as Director of Christian Service and teacher of Speech, Missions, and Homil- etics. Much of his undergraduate work was done at Bob J o n e s University, his degree, however, is an A.B. from Wil- liam Jewell College. He is at present com- pleting the requirements for the M.A. degree at the University of Kansas City in the field of education. He has been pastor of the College Baptist Church of Manhatt- an, Kansas, has served as field representa- tive for Youth for Christ in the central area, and comes to us from the pastorate of the Merriam Bible Church, Merriam, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and small daughter, Sharon Sue, reside in Shawnee, News has come from Ecuador, South Kansas. MR. EDWARD S. CRUM ' ' 2 5.2ifiiiiiii'iifiiifI?E'f-Wffmwliii? Q55 X Q' sk sm -.t 4 . me-e W we aa. ff-f :.zaz::.:se , . .,.,,. .. EQS'Q5.4iig:, fMs3E:r ':1:.:,f.:- 45-3 ':m 4q:12f,. 'zfi' Iii-e. 2 5 92255 :'-f:s-122-2 Y'?E:15 . . X. .:.,..- - --.-.ze-:::,. . , 1 s . - 9 r.f,2l.QZf.fl:1ff22lE5l'212 ' zz: ,g U 2 If College, Greenville, plished organist and given us examples A long felt need at the College has been met in the arrival of Mr. Edward S. Crum as full time director of music. He holds a B. Mu. from Whea- ton College and a M. Mu. from the American Conserva- tory. He has taught in several mid-west- ern colleges, most re- cently in Greenville Illinois. An accom- pianist, he has already of his own classical arrangment of hymns. Choral singing and brass instruments are also his fields. We are expecting to set the echoes ringing for the glory of our Lord this year. MRS. E. S. CRUM Mrs. E. S. Crum has come to the Kansas City Bible College to teach the new com- mercial department classes in typewriting and shorthand. Her business training was received in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and her secretarial experience was obtained in Washington, D.C. Mr. and Mrs. Crum with their four children, aged 10, 8, 7, and 2 are living in their new home in Over- land Park, Kansas. We welcome all of them to our fellowship. MISS VIOLA RHOADES After a year as assistant dietician of the College, Miss Viola Rhoades from Wa- keeny, Kansas, has now assumed the full responsibility of keeping the College fam- ily well fed. She graduated from K.C. B.C. in 1948, and during her undergrad- uate years she was a student assistant in the kitchen. It is a joy to welcome one of our own alumni to the staff of the College. MISS KATHRYN POPE Another alumna of the school, Miss Kathryn Pope from !Flint, Michigan, of the Class of 1951, joins the staff this year as Matron of Jaudon Dormitory. Her coming not only helps the girls, but 1 ,also releases the 3 Dean of Women for 1 a teaching program. A NEW YEAR BEGINS The 1951-52 school year has started with a 192, increase in enrollment in the day classes over last year at this time. Eight denominations are represented in our stu- dent body and five among the faculty and staff. Truly we are an interdenominational group. As to geographical divisions 33 students are local, 22 are accounted for in Kansas and Missouri, then come Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and Colorado. In all, 12 states are represented. Forty- six of the total are men and twenty-eight are women. Interest in the typing classes is high, and the degree course continues its popularity. The men's dormitory has been rearranged to accommodate more students. A new shower room, additional lavatories, and double decker beds have stretched the capacity. Most important of all, there is a oneness of mind and purpose among these 74 stu- dents which is shown in their spirit of co- operation and prompt settling down to the business of training under the Lord's hand. Pray for them that their progress may be substantial and permanent. Howard Sanders, day school student, proudly announces the arrival of a son, on September 21. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders also have a little daughter. America, that Bill C495 and Glaclis C483 Gibson have a daughter, Shirley Ruth, born on September 19. Best wishes to the baby missionary. ALUMNI NEWS Announcement is made of the marriage of Juanita Smith C503 to James Milton Strauss on September 9, in Columbia, South Carolina, where both are attending Columbia Bible College. Congratulations and best wishes. Bob C503 and Betty Kirkpatrick have announced the arrival of a son, Robert Krieg. They are at Ten Strike, Minne- sota, doing preparatory work for the foreign mission field. Helen Green, former student, is moving from the territory of West Virginia and Kentucky where she has served the Lord for fourteen years to a new field among the Indians of Arizona. She will be affili- ated with the Flagstaff Mission to the Navajos. Her faithful ministry in the east has fitted her for the difficult work to which our Lord has now called her. Marcia Boznango C495 this year is teaching in the high school which is as- sociated with John Brown University. Mary Dayton, formerly in the night school, has written that she expects to go shortly to the Philippines where she will sielrve under the Child Evangelism Fellow- s ip. i In a recent letter from Ellen Delavan C515 she writes: My heart and mind are turned to dear K.C.B.C. as another school year begins. How good it would be to see each familiar smile and each new one. II Timothy 2:15 has come to mean much to me while studying linguistics at Camp Wycliff this summer. Although learning to make a lot of funny sounds and to re- cord them seems easy, it is studyg yet it is a joy when one remembers for whom he is studying. The habits of study, self dis- cipline, and especially and most emphatic- ally, regular daily devotions developed at K.C.B.C. have proved very valuable this summer. Ellen plans to serve the Lord under the Gospel Missionary Union on the foreign field. A Teaching Ministry The above picture shows Margaret Hutchins, former student, engaged in one of the important phases of her work, teach- ing an Indian woman and boy to read. Among her varied duties in Guatemala, Central America, are teaching in the in- stitute, assisting a local pastor, and doing personal work among the villagers and mountain people. PAGE FOUR TI-IE COMMENTATOR Was Patty A Christian? By Mrs. D. E. Wisner Child. Evangelism Instructor , PREPARATION Three outdoor scenes may be used ef- fectively with this story- one in the school yard, one showing Patty's home with sidewalk leading to the door, and another picturing the church at one side with an old log in the yard on the other. A fourth scene could be used to show the bedside scene in Patty's home if a more elaborate story is planned. The figures consist of 10-year-old Susie, standing and facing left, Patty, the same age, facing rightg Dr. Blake, carrying medical case and facing right, Patty's mother, facing rightg Patty's uncle and her pastor, facing each other, Miss Jones, facing leftg and a seated figure of Susie on a log. These may be sketched on con- struction paper, appropriately colored, backed with outing fiannel, and cut out. PRESENTATION It was recess time at lVIilville School, and Susie noticed little Patty Mason standing alone just around the corner of the school house. CSet up the first scene as sketched.D She had a very troubled look on her face. Hello, Patty, Susie greeted her with a smile. You look very serious about something. Thinking about anything spe- cial? Come on, tell me. What's it all about? Well, its about me, mostly, confided Patty. About you? Say, that reminds me, said Susie, 'Tve been intending to ask you- are you a Christian, Patty? Do you know Jesus as your Saviour?i' The timid little girl's eyes filled with tears, That's just what l'm thinking about, Susie. I'm- I'm not sure. The bell's ringing, we'd better run,', interrupted Susie, 'ibut say, Patty, I want to talk to you about that- sometime. CRemove figuresj aisle ....,. QW? X H :.-9'- f, H we Z 0 s. It R '51 an -., if f 'gp . lt .1 Wi' -Qt , The next two mornings when the roll was called, Patty did not answer. The teacher seemed alarmed. I wonder if she's sick. Who goes by her house on the way home? Susie raised her hand, I do, Miss Smith. I'll stop and ask. That afternoon when Susie called, she met Dr. Blake coming out of Patty's house. CSet up scene 2, using Susie from the first scene and Dr. Blakej. Oh, Dr. Blake, you're here? Then Patty is sick, exclaimed Susie. Patty's very sick, Susie, said Dr. Blake seriously. It seemed to Susie that the whole world was spinning around in big crazy circles. She could see Patty's little troubled face as she said, That,s what I'm thinking about, Susie- I'rn not sure. Then she could hear her own answer, I want to talk to you about that, sometime. Oh, she thought, if I only hadn't said 'sometime. ' She swallowed hard and asked, Is she-bad?-I mean-could I see her? The old doctor laid his hand on her shoulder in a kind way that made her think he understood how she felt, but he said, 'Tm sorry, Susie. She's too sick for anyone to see. tRemove figures.J Susie tried repeatedly to see Patty only to be told Patty was too sick. She knocked again, Could I see Patty? I've just got to talk to her. CUse same figure of Susie and figure of motheixl 'Tm afraid she wouldn't hear you, answered Pattyls mother. May I just come in and look at her?,' pleaded Susie. Yes, you may stand beside her a few minutes while I run next door. I'll be right back. CRemove flguresj Susie tiptoed into the little bedroom. She gasped as she saw Patty's face. Her face is so white, she whispered, and her breathing is so strange. She bowed her head, Dear God, I've just got to tell her. Help her to hear me, won't You? Susie did not hear the door open behind her as she leaned over the bed and whis- pered Patty-Patty-can you hear me? She leaned over and Whispered right in her ear, Patty, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Did you hear, Patty? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved- do you hear me? Just then a big hand was laid kindly on her shoulder. Susie looked up through her tears, Oh, Dr. Blake, I didn't hear you come in. I didn't disturb her. Really, I didn't. I just whispered in her ear. The doctor gave her a squeeze. Yes, I you, he said. Susie was glad he Christian. Do you think she heard me, Doctor? I thought she smiled. I hope so, Susie, he said slowly. But the way he said it made Susie know that he didn't think she did hear. Susie became suddenly frightened, Is she- is she going to- ?l' Dr. Blake turned away, 'Tm afraid so, Susie. CRemove scenej The next morning Susie had the sad news that Patty was dead. Oh, it can't be,', she sobbed. It just can't be. Patty's uncle who was a minister came to help with the funeral. CSet up scene 3 with uncle and pastor.J As he talked with Patty's pastor, he asked with a lump in his throat, Mr. Olsen, was Patty a Christian? When I was here last summer I meant to have a talk with her, but I just never got to it? There were tears in his eyes, and he looked so ashamed. heard was a The pastor looked ashamed too, I was afraid you were going to ask that. I'm sorry, I don't know. I called the day after she took sick, but it was too late. A few weeks ago when I was preaching on heav- en, I noticed how serious Patty was. I meant to have a talk with her, but I never got to it. A tear rolled down his cheek. I hope she was saved, but I'm not sure. I see, said the uncle. We've both failed. Let's see if her mother knows? CAdd figure of motherj 'Tm sure she does, said Pastor Olsen. She's one of the best members of our church. When asked this question, the mother wept, I don't know. I've thought of it ever since she became so ill. We have family worship, and she's heard the story of salvation many times. I've thought lately I ought to have a talk with her about the Saviour, but- well, you know how it is, I put it off- and I'm not sure. Then Pastor Olsen had a happy thought, Here comes Miss Jonesg she will know. They hurried to meet the Sunday School teacher. CAdd Miss Jones.D f' X1 A X 533 l ligiltiag-eQlI 1 .....- f, ...J -f 'fWe were just wondering, Miss Jones, if Patty Was a Christian. She stared blankly at the two men, 'Tm sorryjl she sobbed, but I don't know. It was only last Sunday that I noticed such an eagerness in her face. I meant to speak to her right after class, but something happened, and I was going to do it next Sunday. But that's tomorrow and tomorrow's her funeral. 'Tm sure Susie will know, Miss Jones said eagerly. I think she's talked about Jesus to everybody. Of course, said the pastor, why didn't I think of her? They found Susie sitting on a log in the church yard with her face buried in her hands. CShow seated figure of Susie and move other figures toward her.D When Pastor Olsen and Miss Jones had greeted her and Patty's uncle had been introduced, Susie burst into tears, Oh, Pastor Olsen, she said, Was Patty a Christian? Did she ever really trust Jesus as her Saviour? I meant to ask her lots of times. I started to talk to her about this on the school ground this week, but, well- the bell rang and I was going to do it the next day, but the next day she was sick. I whispered in her ear while she was sick, and I think she smiled at me- I think she heard and was trying to tell me, but I really don't know for sure. Patty's funeral was the saddest day of Susie's life- Patty, one of her friends, one of her playmates, a member of her Sunday School class- and Susie didn't know if she were a Christian. When the organ played Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Susie wondered if Patty was really safe in the arms of Jesus. She looked up just in time to see the two ministers ex- change glances. She saw Patty's mother THE COMIVIENTATOR PAGE FIVE bury her face in her hands. Miss Jones glanced at Susie, and both bowed their heads in shame. Was Patty a Christian? Was Patty saved? Was she safe in the arms of Jesus? Well, we hope she was. We hope she had trusted Jesus and received Him as her Saviour, but no one knew. That pre- cious little girl had been neglected by those who loved her most- her pastor, her uncle, her mother, her Sunday School teacher- and Susie, her friend and play- mate. CPoint to each figure in turn.J APPLICATION Christian boys and girls, how about your playmates- are they saved? And how about you who have never trusted Jesus and been saved? You know you've sinned: you know that Jesus died on the cross for you, but have you ever received Him as your personal Saviour? Perhaps you are saying, There,s plenty of time yet. Maybe so, maybe not. Re- member Patty. The safe thing to do is to trust Jesus now. Then if you live a hun- dred years you'll never be sorry you ac- cepted the Lord Jesus while you 'were young. Do it now, wOn't you? This little story is an adaptation of one by the same title in Little Miss Grumpy Susie Book, number 14, by J. C. Brumtield and is used with his permission. BOOK REVIEWS A Trumpet in Zion, by Carrie E. Gruhn CMoody Press, Chicago 10, 285 pages, 33.005 This book of fiction has as its setting, places and events which could possibly be a part of that thrilling period of time so close upon us- when the Lord calls to Himself a remnant of His brethren, the Jews. The story is told entirely from their standpoint and introduces a possible city of refuge for them, the ancient Arabian hideout of Petra in the Edomite Moun- tains. Because it presents so much of prob- ability, the book will fascinate the student of Scripture and cause the unbeliever to examine his own provision for refuge. William Carey, by F. Deauville Walker CMoody Press, Chicago 10, 256 pages, 32.751, is one of the Tyndale series of great biographies. The pioneer in all of modern missions is himself a miracle of God's pow- er. His earnest determination in the face of the indifference of the 18th century church and his accomplishment in spite of the opposition of India's paganism makes inspiring reading. It should be made available to Christian young people ev- erywhere. The Journal of John Wesley, edited by Percy Livingstone Parker CMoody Press, Chicago 10, 438 pages, 53.505, is a welcome reprint of the autobiography of this man of God. NO dry recital is this, but a mov- ing drama which evaluates for us his de- votion to the will of God and his purpose to daxalt Christ. He being dead yet speak- et . The Jolly P's Make Decisions, by Brenda Cannon CMoOdy Press, Chicago 10, 125 pages, 75 centsj, is another i.n the series of stories about these three happy Chris- tian young people. Teen-agers will enjoy reading more of the advancing lives and deeper experiences of the Jolly family. UESTl 'l Ox By Rev. Wade K. Ramsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College In this column Mr. Ramsey will be glad to answer questions sent in by our readers which concern Bible in- terpretation or application and are of general interest. -Editor QUESTION: How does God. personally lead the believer today? ANSWER: God's methods and means of guidance are often different, but the prin- ciples remain ever the same. In His wis- dom He always uses the methods and means best suited to the circumstances and character of the one to be guided. The matter of first importance on our part is that we be willing to be guided of Him, and turn ourselves unconditionally Over to Him for His leadership. When this is done, the ways are simplified. God will make His leading suHicient1y clear to us through various means. Sometimes He will lead through a scrip- ture passageg at other times He will lead through circumstances or the advice of Christian friends: and at still other times, through the combination of all of these. Then in addition to these outward means, there is an inner guidance by impulse and feeling, by intellect and reasoning. In His infinite wisdom He uses whichever of these means may be best suited to the individual. If the individual is particularly impuls- ive and emotional, the guidance may be of impulses or feelings. On the other hand, if the individual is more inclined to be of the quiet thoughtful type, then guidance is likely to be through the mind and rea- soning proc-esses. The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus said that the Spirit would guide His disciples into all truth. If we surrender all of our being to the indwelling Spirit, He will guide us by the means best adapted to our particular p-ersonality. Whether the means used are extraordi- nary or natural will depend upon the cir- cumstances. In the extraordinary exper- iences of leading the whole nation of Is- rael on a long journey through the wild- erness, He chose the colorful and spec- tacular pillar Of cloud by day and the pil- lar of fire by night. But in less spectac- ular circumstances, He has consistently used less spectacular means. How ever this may be, two things are important to remember: the first, that He will never lead us contrary to the Word of God: and second, that He will never guide us con- trary to what is right. It behooves us then to be thoroughly familiar with His Word and His ways, and to be attuned to all the movements of the Spirit. God says that He will guide His people with His eye, and this presupposes intimacy. Eye guidance is the guidance of lovers. If we would know God's will for us, we must know God and His Word. QUESTION: What does the Saviour mean in John 15 when He speaks of those who abide in me and those who abide not in men? ANSWER: Generally speaking, we believe that Christ is simply dividing people into two main classes- those who are saved and those who are not. Those who abide in Christ are saved, and those who do not are unsaved. In this parable of the vine and the branches He makes specific reference to those who have merely pro- fessed faith and those who have real faith. The professed Christian who is not one in fact may be said to be a branch in Christ in an outward way- a kind of par- asitic growth which must be cut away for the good of the other branches. Judas was such and so were the many disciples who went back and Walked no more with Him as recorded in John 6: 66. ,They were cut away by the pruning hook of the hard saying which Christ had just ut- tered. This type was referred to in the par- able of the sower as the seed which sprung up quickly only to wither away in the heat of the sun, because it had no depth of earth. All men, natural as well as spir- itual, are dependent upon Christ for their life as it is said, He be not far from ev- ery one of us, for in him we live and move and have our being CActs 17:27-283. The same general truth in regard to Is- rael is emphasised in Romans 11 where Paul taught that they were not all Israel which were of Israel. There the apostle uses the figure of the olive tree and shows that the natural branches Ctbose that were of Israel but not true Israelj were broken off. Those who abide in Christ are the true believ- ers, they are said to abide because they are never broken off. They are joined to Christ forever by faith, for He gives un- to them eternal life and they shall never perish. PAUL AND HIS BOOKS It is not sane to say we should never read any book but the Bible. There are extremists who do say that, who claim that they teach and speak only what they have found in the Word of God, indepen- dent of any man's teaching. But we have a very fine authority for the study of thoughtful books interpreting the Bible. Paul, anticipating a visit from 'I'imOthy, said: The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, bring when thou comest, and the books, especially the parchmentsn CII Tim. 4: 13D. I-Ie had previously said to Timothy, Give heed to reading CI Tim. 41133. As Mr. Gaebelein points out in a recent niunber of Our Hope, Paul was the greatly inspired apostle, who had preach- ed for over thirty years and had a far wider, moiie spiritual experience than perhaps any other man, yet he wanted the books. He had been caught up into the third heaven, and heard there things un- lawful for a man to utter, more than that, he had seen the Lord and then received the great and marvelous revelation put into his hand by the Spirit of God, yet he Wanted books. Bible teachers are gifts of the Lord to His church CI Cor. 12, Eph. 4:11, 123 for the purpose of the per- fecting of the saints. Their ministry may be through the written as well as the spoken word. -S. S. Times PAGE SIX THE COMMENTATOR :'1' ': 'ia:': X T Sundoy School Lesson Notes ' 1 gf Q' M, By Dr. Walter Wilson 'W QS? N O V E M B E R 4- God Reveals Him- self to Moses. Exo- dus 3:1-7, 10, 13-15. Golden Text: Exodus 3:15. God usually calls into His service those who are busy doing the thing that is at hand. Moses, W110 ' H ' M' was well-taught in all of the Egyptian sciences and arts, and trained in court procedure, had been oc- cupied with the king's business for many years. Now he was just as diligent in caring for the sheep. It is a great honor to be called of God for any work He may want us to do. On this occasion God called Moses to perform the greatest service ever given to any man to accomplish. He was to go Fback to Egypt, not fearing the wrath of fthe king, and in one night he was to lead over two million people out of their com- fortable homes, away from their business, and into a desert where there were no comforts or accommodations. Just before doing so, he was to perform miracles that would arouse the wrath of the king and all of the hosts of the Egyptians. God used the burning ,bush as an object lesson to attract the mind of Moses and arouse his curiosity. Probably he was to learn from this that the living God, who is a consuming fire, could dwell in the midst of His people without injuring them or bringing harm. Here God introduced Him- self to Moses, and revealed His plans and purposes concerning Israel. Just as most of us do, Moses began to make excuses and to avoid responsibility. His first objection was found in the ques- tion, Who am I? God very graciously refrained from answering that question, but He did promise to be with Moses. Again he asked, What shall I say to the people about you? God did answer this question and instructed Moses to tell the people about the name and the power of the One who had sent him. We should learn from this that God can take our in- sufficiency and inability and in a miracu- lous way make us invincible. 'I'he Lord assured Moses that his path would not be an easy one, that Pharaoh would not believe the message, and that the Egyptians would be antagonistic and hostile. The promise was given, however, that Moses would eventually be successful and the people would be delivered with wealth. NOVEMBER 11- Deliverance from Op- pressionf' Exodus 12:30, 31, 14:15-22, 31. Golden Text: Exodus 15:2. The Scripture tells us that the mercy of God is revealed by the punishment of Pha- roah and his host. We see the ease with which our Lord can punish and the cer- tainty of His judgments. The king had proudly asserted that he would not let Israel go, but he did not know that he was talking against the living God, whose power was unlimited and whose word was sure. Throughout the land there was death in every home, brought about with no flair of trumpets and no heralding of f ' .-:r:'s:::-:f-:aww 1 . .::: ra- 3... 1 ,,.-' 5, 2- Q.: . - : ' xr. - - -1.-:fr-:zrfr:' +:r:e..':-:-:r:..:. f .:rW::1-:mfr - , ',ig'..5-5,1-na -., -e ,.i2...,-spa. sa 1 .r ri: 11. :attkztgafiii ' 131125: . 1:.er:s:f ct::se1-:.-' t. - - :::z-as: 1 ze' f . - 4 1 .,:si.:e:af1is5. , - W1 -5 .. 1. I as f 3 ,, s if NY Sf? President, Kcmsas City Bible College armies. The destroying angels from heav- en silently entered each home as well as each barn, and the eldest among the people and among the animals died. God sent for His servants Moses and Aaron during that dark night. Those who were under the blood were preservedg those who believed God were saved. That home in which there was a dead lamb had a live child who escaped the judgment. God's mercy is revealed in His love and ample provision for those who believe Him. Those who do not believe Him must gag the fruit of their own attitude toward o . Moses was just beginning to live a new life. He, too, must learn to know God, to know that He keeps His word and is rich in assets for His people. Fortunately, Moses prayed to God even when his heart was filled with doubts and fears. The Lord approved him for this and informed him that the people who were in such desperate straits were to move into the impassable sea. As they moved, God also moved, and Israel marched through safely and comfortably. The enemies of Israel, following closely behind, thought that they too could enjoy the blessing of God and the results of His miraculous working power though He had kept the Egyptians in darkness all of the time that Israel was passing over. For a while it seemed as though God had forsaken them, for the enemy was progressing, yet God was only preparing them to see a great victory. When the hosts of the Egyptians with their chariots and horses, their horsemen and their armor, had all entered the path of the sea, then the waves returned and the enemy was destroyed. Moses at one time had begun to kill off the Egyptians one at a time, but God stopped that procedure because it was too slow. It was His plan to bury all the Egyptian soldiers in one grave at one time, and He did. God's ways are better than our ways. NOVEMBER 18- Laws for the New Na- tion. Exodus 19:7, 8ag 23:1-13. Gold- en Text: Exodus 19:8. Self-confidence is a weed that grows in ahnost every heart, and any boasting of self accomplishments does not have God's approval. God gave to Moses some stag- gering promises and expressed to him His great desire for Israel. The people listen- ed attentively to Moses and then asserted boldly that they would do all that the Lord had spoken. This was a presump- tuous statementg for, though their spirit was willing, certainly their fiesh was weak. Let us remember that rebellion against God is found to a greater or lesser degree in the heart of every person. The enemies of Christ said, We will not have this man to rule over us. The enemies of God said to Jeremiah, Find out what God wants us to do, and we will do itg but when the prophet told them what the Lord wanted, they at once exhibited their rebellious spirit and refused to carry out God's program. Only the Spirit of God dwelling in us can make any of us not only willing to do the will of God but al- so able to do it. If we consider the various laws given to Israel, we shall find that they present the basis for a perfect society. Courts, police departments, and penitentiaries could all be done away if the laws of God were ap- propriated by men. God speaks against gossip, ingratitude, and neglect of oppor- against against tunities to do good. He warns perversion of justice by bribes, falsehood and murder. He puts His own claim for a part of their love, devotion, and gifts. They were to give themselves to Him and a part of the increase of the land and the flocks. He had a right to expect their full cooperation in carrying out His will and plan, because He had delivered them from Egypt and had caused t.he Egyptians to give liberally to them when they came out of that affliction. The land was to rest, the animals were to rest, and the people were to rest one day in seven. God never planned a five day weekg His word is, Six days shalt thou do thy work. The Lord knew very well that An idle mind is the devil's workshop, and very often we see that the extra day is not used for improving one's knowledge or usefulness, and observe the tragic results in our social life. NOVEMBER 25-- The People at Wor- ship. Exodus 29:43-463 35:21-29. Golden Text: Exodus 35:5. God has in every generation shown a desire to be among people of the earth. He walked in the garden when there were but two. He had Moses build a tabernacle, for He said, That I may dwell among them. The Lord Jesus said to His dis- ciples, Lo, I am with you always. The living God in heaven said, The taber- nacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them. Even in our own day the church by the will of God and by His planning is the habitation of God through the spirit. Because God is with us, we need con- stantly to be in an attitude of worship and adoration of God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, and God the Father. Often the Lord reminded Israel of what He had done for them, in order to arouse their hearts to love Him, and our hearts bow in wor- ship at His feet as we meditate on what He has done for us. Worship is manifested in many ways. We should note that the head, the heart, and the hands are all occupied in this precious experience of adoration. The heart gets stirred, the spirit is made will- ing, and the hands become active in the service of the King. It was the willing hearted who brought of their treasures to give to their Lord. They gave so will- ingly and so freely that every need was met. In chapter 35 verses 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 34, and 35 all mention the willing, loving, giving heart. Worship is the outpouring of the heart to each of the three persons of the God- head. It is a realization in the soul of the wonderful persons of God, each of whom is marvelous in His own right. The power of each one, the grace and good- ness of the trinity, the witness and pre- ciousness of each one incites the heart and affections so that the soul is led to exclaim, O God, thou art my Godg early will I seek thee. Asking God for things or asking Him to do things is not worship, neither is thanksgiving for blessings re- ceived. True worship is occupied with the wonderful One who is so great and glor- ious, so majestic and powerful, so loving and sufficient, that the heart bows in His presence to love Him and adore. TI-IE COMMENTATOR PAGE SEVEN OVERCOMING fContinued from Page 15 back door, and then she heard the windows being tried. After that all was quiet. Later when she was getting supper, her pastor came to the door. He brought a gift of money from her church friends, who had heard of her need. As he pre- sented the gift, he said, I came this morning but. did not find anyone, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to bring you the help earlier. How often we are like that with God. Our fears keep us from getting a blessing. The fear of man worketh a snare. Do not be afraid of what men will say, if you want to live for God. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving him that receiveth it. -Revelation 2:17 The context tells us that the believers at Pergamos were to overcome false doctrine. They had in their midst one like Balaam, who taught false things to Israelg and others who held the doctrine of the Nic- olaitanes. The reward for rightly dividing the truth is an understanding in a unique way of the name one bears as a believer in Christ. He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. -Revelation 2:26. Following naturally after false teaching is false living, or ineffectual works. The risen Lord spoke to the church in Thyatira, I have a few things against thee, because thou suiferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornica- tion, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. They needed to overcome such sinful conduct by not tolerating it in themselves and by being antagonistic to it in others. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. -Revela- tion 3: 5. Here the Christians at Sardis are to overcome a false profession. In verse 1 we read of those who had a name to live but were deadg they professed to be Chris- tians but were not: they had the form but not the faith. The Lord wants us to get behind that mask of hypocrisy and see whether our friends are truly His. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, which is new J erusalefm., which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. -Revelation 3:12. Verse 11 gives us the warning here, Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. We are to avoid going after a false reward. Satan is ready to suggest that his rewards are more plen- teous and satisfying than the promise of future ethereal crowns. We must hold fast to Scritpural values, which will bring the best reward of all, His Well done, good and faithful servant. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. -Revelation 3:21. Here the Lord is asking His own to overcome their lethargy or coldness of heart which leads to a false sense of se- curity. 'I'he heart is to be on fire for Christ. He said, Because thou art luke- warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Sit at the cross, see his sufferings, and remember that it was for you. How your heart will glow with love and affection for Him, and with a desire to do His perfect will. There is a progression in the warnings we have seen in these chapters. If we have a false motive and lack love, a natural re- sult will be a false fear, the fear of man and what he may do to us. As our eyes stray from our Lord, false doctrines creep into our thinking. 'I'hen follow without fail, false living, ineffectual works, and sinful conduct. A false profession is set up, and we find ourselves enticed by false rewards. Utter coldness of heart gives us a false sense of security, and indeed we have gone down in defeat. Let us heed the warning words of the Christ of glory, and love Him with a pure heart fervently. Earning maketh an industrons mang spending, a well furnished mang saving, a prepared man, giving, a blessed man. I w A LASTING PEACE CC'ontinued from Page 13 God pick up the cudgel of war against His creature? No, He had a plan unique in the universe: instead of slaying man God slew Himself. This strategy to save man from eternal defeat had two aspects. God once again revealed Himself to man in the person of Christ as the God of holiness, and in that same Person He lifted from man the load of sin which was the cause of separation. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. If I go .... I will come again, and receive you unto myself. God will Himself restore peace. God signs no treaty of peace with sinful and warlike man. He knows better than to do that. Instead, He makes man a new creation in the second birth and thus es- tablishes peace. Treaties will come and, go, and in their wake awful wars will follow. Only God's method works be- cause changed hearts mean changed ways. Would that the nations of the world might seek to change hearts that they might effect a lasting peace. Is it not a privilege to be of the number of God's remembrances in these days of sore need! qw , ,Q Q GATH E I? I, up the 'dn' A, ..- Il 'Hx' I' A ' '1 f r '-- ,,,,, , , E., thi? Kmart: Q Sf lf? 7 be I .42 ' 59 Z'-3 ,1 l LOii.l.3..,. Q., fi? i . 'K ,g -H., 'Q - W X - R 437 What you invest for God xs eternally saved and will be re- turned to you in precious souls! The Alumni Scholarship Fund presents to you the opportunity for such an investment. Send your gift today to Anita Welch, Financial Secretary, Alumni Association, 3326 Brown Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. PAGE EIGHT THE COMMENTATOR ARROWS THAT HIT THE MARK The reason some people do not miss the mark is because they are not trying to hit anything. Satisfied with Christ, you envy none. The Bible begins with God and ends with man. In the middle verse of the Bible CPsalm 118:85 the two are brought together. We often wish for what we do not need, and we often need what we do not wish. In the morning praise God for oppor- tunity- but make some use of it before the morning goes. Service is the rent we pay for our life on earth. They all began to make excuse be- cause they had none. Faults are thick where love is thin. A CHRISTIAN'S MONEY All that I spend is gone- it is mine no longer. All that I save is mine until I spend it, lose it, or leave it behindg All that I give to God is added to my credit in the bank of heaven and will be mine forever and forever. CProv. 19: 17- Matt. 6:19-20- Luke 16:90 FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES Available lo Buble Sludenn Cluml an Workers and Missionaries al . SPECIAL DISCOUNTS , Willa Today for FREE lllaralure CHICAGO ACCORDION CENTER. Inc. Dept. CT, 754 N. Damen Av. Chicago 22. III. cconolons THE HIILIIHIYS VALENTINE DAY, EASTER, FOURTH OF JULY THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, NEW YEARS Take advantage of the recognized holi- days to send the Gospel to unsaved friends Send 25c for a Selection of 25 THE BIG BROTHER TRACT BAND BOX 888, AKRON 9, OHIO WHAT IS IN THINE HAND? When Richard Baxter lay dying, his friends, pitying his pain, liked to comfort him by speaking of the good that he had achieved by means of his writings. Baxter shook his head. No, he said, I was but a pen in God's hand, and what praise is due to a pen? When Saladin saw the sword with which Richard Coeur de Leon had fought so bravely, he marveled that so common a blade should have wrought such mighty deeds. It was not the sword, replied one of the English officers, it was the arm of Richard. When Paganini appeared for the first time at the Royal Opera House in Paris, the aristocracy of France was gathered to hear him. In his peculiar ghostly manner he glided on to the stage amidst the breathless silence of the expectant throng. Commencing to tune his violin, a string snapped. The audience tittered. Com- mencing again, a second string brokeg and a moment later, a third gave way. The people stared in consternation. Paganini paused for just a second, and then, giving one of his grim smiles, he lifted his instru- ment, and from the single string drew music that seemed almost divine. Only a pen- but a pen in the hand of a poet! Only a common sword- but a sword in the hand of Richard! Only a broken violin- but a violin in the hand of a master! Only five loaves and two small fishes- but five loaves and two small fishes in the hands of the Son of God! In the skillful hands of such a potter, the commonest clay may be fashioned into a vessel of honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use. -F. W. Boreham in the Nest of Spears Clean your fingers before you point at the spots of others. It is better to be alone with God than in a crowd with Satan. You Can Win Souls lor Christ with Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining. ' 1 t' t . Also free MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear out: quiet as a clock: needs no oilingg has no beltsg needs no servicing: trouble-proof. C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS It will be a reve a ion 0 you booklet describing revolutionary lifetime Sunnyside Avenue, Wheaton, Ill. BIBLE READING CALENDAR NOVEMBER DATE PRIVATE FAMHJY Ezekiel 1, 2 II Timothy Ezekiel 3, 4 Titus Ezekiel 5, 6 Titus Ezekiel 7, 8 Titus Ezekiel 9, 10 Philemon Ezekiel 11, 12 Hebrews Ezekiel 13, 14 Hebrews Ezekiel 15, 16 Hebrews Ezekiel 17, 13 Hebrews Ezekiel 19, 20 Hebrews Ezekiel 21, 22 Hebrews Ezekiel 23, 24 Hebrews Ezekiel 25, 25 Hebrews Ezekiel 27, 28 Hebrews Ezekiel 29, 30 Hebrews Ezekiel 31. 32 Hebrews Ezekiel 33, 34 Hebrews Ezekiel 35, 36 Hebrews Ezekiel 37, 38 Janqes Ezekiel 39, 40 James Ezekiel 41, 42 James Ezekiel 43, 44 James Ezekiel 45, 46 James Ezekiel 47, 48 I Peter Daniel 1. 2 I Peter Daniel 3, 4 I Peter Daniel 5, 6 I Peter Daniel 7. 8 I Peter Daniel 9, 10 II Peter Daniel 11. 12 II Peter I l LaSalle Engineering Corporation LaSalle Bldg., 8 East Ninth Street Kansas City, Missouri MONUMENTS Memorial Art Company Salina and Hutchinson, Kansas Finest display of Modem Memorials in the Midwest For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should . not perish, but have everlasting life. -Jolm 3:16 Midwest Plumbing and Heating Co. 6243 Prospect Ja-5757 Kansas City, Mo. The Sunday. School Lesson Helps You Need For Every Department of Your Sunday School! Christian Lifen Series following the International Uniform Lesson Topics Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School ' ofhcials upon request. Write for yours today! UNION GOSPEL PRESS P.O. Box 6059 Cleveland 1, Ohio Published by The Kansas City Bible College I NOVEMBER, 1951 ATOMS AND COMMUNISTS V A BIBLICAL THANKSGEVING BY TRUMAN PAGE President, Al.'ii.m'n.i. Association Kansas City Bible College From behind the iron curtain comes the announcement of another atomic ex- ,.losion. That information finds most of us in a more or less indifferent attitude to- war- vard atoms, atom bombs, atomic eads, atomic submarines, and the rest. Such a lulling of ourselves to sleep is, owever, dangerous to say the least. Any person must shudder to learn thinking of 'these preparations for one last titanic struggle between those forces which would grind the individual to the dust and those .vhich would leave him free. Wliich shall revail- the totalitarian or the democra- tic idea? Shall the individual he free or shall lie be a cog in a gigantic state acliins- this is the issue. Man stands at a historic crossroads, wondering which way to go. Under democracy a signpost says he may go either right or left. Under totalitarianism a policeman examines his credentials and then orders him which way to go- two radically opposed view- points. The remarkable thing is that totalitar- ianism of th-e twentieth century is not new. From time immemorial oppression has been the common lot of the individual. Dictatorships, oligarchies, a ut o c r a c i e s, modern totalitarianism, all have one end- suppression of the individual under the guise of collective planning. Russia has nothing new to offerg she is using the same old tactics under new names. American democracy should shed its inferiority com- plex. Democracy is not on trial- com- munism and oppression are before the tri- bunal of world justice. Communism is not the new or ultimate way of life. It is as old as the hills, it is power for the few at the expense of the many. Democracy, not communism,is one of the two truly revolutionary ideas to come out of 6000 years of man's history. The other is monotheism. The nations of the world, being farther and farther removed from Eden, forgot that there could be only one God and degenerated into polytheism. How could there be more than one God? There could only be one Creator- two is an absurdity. The ultimate in incongruity would be to think of a sole Creator creat- ing man and then turning him over to the care of a multitude of gods. Alone of all ancient peoples, the Hebrews kept intact a pure worship of one God, Jehovah. CCo'ntinued on Page 7D THE PRES! DENT'S MESSAGE The story is told of an old gentle- man who was so pious that all through th-e church service he would sit with his face aglow looking up to heaven. Wliezi the collection plate . was passed, however, he closed his 1 eyes so as not to be disturbed in his 3 meditation. , The law of Christianity is the law I of giving: God gave His Son, the W Lord Jesus gave His life. the Father and the Spirit gave the Saviour, the Father and the Saviour gave the Spirit, Paul gave his all for the bles- sing ol man, the vine gives grapes lor its owner, the tree gives fruit to its possessor. What are you giv- ing? At the Kansas City Bible College hearts are being trained and lives molded for the ministry of our Lord among the needy people. You may have a part in this wonderful work in gen-eral expenses or in any special way you care to indicate. IF HE SHOULD CCME If He should come that day And find my hands so full Of future plans however fair In which my Saviour has no share, What would He say? If He should come that day And find my love so cold, My faith so very weak and dim I had not even looked for Him, What would He say? If He should come that day And find I had not told One soul about my Heavenly Friend, Whose blessings all my way attend, What would He say? If He should come that day Would I be glad- quite glad? Remembering He had died for all And riiane, through me, had heard His ca , What would I say? -Central American Bulletin T he first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. Exodus 34:26. H onour .the Lord with thy substance, and with the lirstfruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns he filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Proverbs 319, 10. A nd ye shall eat in plenty, and b'e sat- isfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt won- drously with you. Joel 2:26. NI ow unto him that is able to do exceed- ing abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages. Ephesians 3:20, 21. K ings of the earth, and all people: princ- es, and all judges of the earthg both young men, and maidens: old men, and children: let them praise the name of the Lord. Psalm 148111, 12, 13. S ing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath clone marvelous things. Psalm 98:1. G ive thanks unto the Lordg for he is good: because his mercy endur-etth forever. Psalm 118:1. I n the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider. Ec- clesiastes 7:14. V oice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous ...... Thou art 'my God, and I will praise thee, Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. Psalm 118:15, 28. I n everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concern- ing you. I Thessalonians 5:18. N ow unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Philippians 4:20. G reat is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Psalm 48: 1. -Selected Thanks Be To God 1. Who gives victory-I Corinthians 15:57. 2. Who causes His people always to tri- umph- II Corinthians 2:14. 3. Vifhose gift is unspeakable- II Cor- inthians 9:15. -Moody Monthly PAGE TWO THE COMMENTATOR In I Corinthians 1: 21 we read, For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wis- dom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach- ing to save them that believe. A clearer rendering of that verse is: It pleased God by the thing preached to save them that believe, for the Apostle Paul is not speaking principally of the preaching of the Word by the minister, but of the content of the message. In verse 18 he said that it is the preaching of the cross which is to them that are lost foolishness. So we have contrasted the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. The wisdom of the world is not the wis- dom of man in the natural sciences pri- marily, for he has learned to put to use a great deal of knowledge for the benefit and blessing of mankind. But the wisdom of the world which God calls foolishness is that which pertains to Himself. The world by its wisdom knows not God to- day- the real heart of God, the nature of God, the plan of God. How is it possible for a righteous God to forgive a sinful man? The philosophies of the world are man's attempts to answer three basic questions which pertain to himself. In the experience of every nor- mal person the three questions will arise: Where did I come from? Why urn. I here? Where am I going? The world in its wis- dom has not answered one of these cor- rectly. To the question Where did I come front? philosophy answers that man has come about as a result of the evolution- ary process and that he is gradually rising higher and higher. To the question Why am I here? the average person responds with the belief that he is here to satisfy his five senses, and in proportion as he is able to do this, life is considered a success or a failure. Man's answer to the third question, Where am I going? is to be found in the many religions which he has in- vented and through which he expects to get to heaven. The natural bent of every man's heart is to seek salvation by works, to merit heaven by his own goodness. Vastly different is the wisdom of God. How has He answered these three ques- tions? The Word tells us that man came from the hand of God, created in His own image. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created he them CGen. 1:26, 275. Our first parents were high and holy crea- tures, but they fell from their high estate through listening to the voice of Satan rather than to that of God. Science orig- inates man on a very low level and has him climbing to better things. God has told us that by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sing and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sin- ned CRom. 52121. God's verdict is to be found in the first three chapters of Romans. Sin abounds in two distinct ways. First, the foolishness of A Righteous God and Sinful Man , By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College it abounds extensively. There is not a single human being omitted. All have in- herited a sinful nature, and all have sin- ned and come short of the glory of God. Then, sin abounds intensively. It is in every hunian heart. The Lord Jesus gives a vivid picture of the human heart in Mark 7:14-23. Truly there is none right- eous, no, not one. The question then is: How can a holy God have anything to do with such a sinful creature? How can He make him righteous and fit for heaven? Let us con- sider what God has done. In Romans 1: 16, 17 are these words of Paul, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God. revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just for the righteousjl shall live by faith. One of the most important words is that little word therein. In the 17th verse, for therein is the righteousness of God re- vealed. In other words, the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel, which is the good news of how Christ died for our sins acording to the Scriptures and that He was buried and that He was raised again the third day. We have the same truth brought out in Romans 3:21-26. In verse 21 we read, But now the righteousness of God with- out the law is manifested. Verses 24 and 25, Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins th-at are past, through the for- bearance of God. In other words, God the Father can forgive the sin of an individual because Christ became a propitiation. Propitiation is one of the great words of Scripture. But what does it mean? The dictionary gives the idea that it means to appease: that is, to appease an angry God, but the Bible gives one to under- stand that it means to satisfy God. So Jesus Christ must have done something that could satisfy God the Father and en- able Him to forgive a sinful man. He must have done something which would enable a loving God to bring rebellious man to Himself. The Greek word translated propitiation is used six times in the New Testament although it is only thus translated three times in the Authorized Version. Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. I John 212: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. I John 4: 10: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. These are the three places in the Author- ized Version where the word propitiation appears. However, in Hebrews 2:17 we read, Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. The word reconciliation could be translated propitiation. Hebrews 9:5 says, And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy- seat: of which we cannot now speak par- ticularly. The word mercyseat is really propitiatory place. It takes us back to the tabernacle in the wilderness. The mercyseat, as you know, was the golden lid of the ark of the covenant, which was in the holiest place within the veil, and the cloud of the glory of God's presence rested above it between the cherubim. Once each year on the day of atonement the high priest would enter the holiest place bearing the blood of the sin offering and would sprinkle the blood of the lamb on and before the mercyseat. It was on the ground of the sprinkled blood that a holy God could meet a sinful people and dwell among them. When the Lord Jesus Christ died on Calvary as the lamb of God who was to take away the sin of the world, the veil in the temple was torn from the top to the bottom, revealing the mercyseat, In Hebrews 10 we read that a new and living way has been opened into the very pres- ence of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, then, is our propitiation and also the pro- pitiatory place where a holy God can meet a sinner upon the ground of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and there pour out His love upon him. But we must remem- ber that the cleansing effect of Calvary only becomes effective when the individ- ual puts his faith in Christ, who shed His blood on the cross. This leads to the sixth tilne the word is used in the New Testament. It is found in Luke 18:13, in the well known parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee had been telling God what a righteous man he was and how different he was from other men, especially the sinful publican. The publican, however, stood with head bowed and beat upon his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. The Word merciful is really pro- pitiated. What he said was, God be pro- pitiated to me the sinner. Jesus said that the publican went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee. That is the way God saves men. For CCo'ntinued ofn. Page 31 THE COMMENTATOR NOVEMBER, 1951 Volume 13, Number 11 Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Editor Grace T. Belton, Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward, Circulation Manager Price, single subscription. 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign, 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions, 50 cents each: Canada and foreign 60 cents. use Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.O. Box 7035, Country Club Station Kansas City 2. Mo. School location: 75th 8: State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26. 1942. at the Post Office at Kansas City. Mo. under the Act of March 3. 1879. THE, COMMENTATOR PAGE THREE CHRISTIAN SERVICE REPORT ALUMNI NEWS REV. W. JACK WILSON Irene Tully C495 has been accepted as a Ll' t I Director of Cltristian Service 1'I1iSSi01'131'Y Candidate for the Ozarks by the U E I I American Inland Mission whose head- A - , The best way to quarters are in Gentry, Arkansas. She is learn how to preach ready to go, and her leaving is dependent 1- 27 is to preach. The only on the raising of her support on the Hrst man to sa field. She asks prayer fellowship for this Y these words has been long in antiquity, but the truth of the state- ment has been de- veloped and proved in the lives and ex- periences of count- less thousands of young preachers. The Kansas City Bible of utmost importance that the academic knowledge received in the classroom be supplemented and put to practical use by our students in the reality of the rescue mission, the street corner, the Sunday school class, and the church pulpit. With a new director at the helm of the Christian Service Department and with the usual settling down period which al- ways accompanies the beginning of the school year, the activities of our students in practical work has not reached the vol- ume that it will in days to come. Never- theless, the reports for the first six weeks are very gratifying. Our students have spent a total of fourteen 24 hour days, or over 350 hours, in practical Christian service. They have dealt personally with over half a hundred unsaved people and have won ten of them to Christ. In addition to the above, there were in- numerable song services, instrumental and vocal solos, public testimonies, 'Sunday school lessons, and other activities. In- stitutions such as the Lansing State Pen- itentiary, City Union Mission, Jackson, County Parental Home, and Jackson County Farm are visited regularly by teams of students from the school. It should be mentioned that all this activity is in addition to the work done by our students who are regular pastors and as- sistant pastors of churches in the Kan- sas City area. Their time and services are not included in this tabulation. We praise God that our student body has grown, available talent has increased, opportunities are pouring in, and the pros- pects for learning how tp do the job are excellent for our students in the days which lie ahead. A RIGHTEOUS GOD AND SINTFUL MAN CCo'n.tin'u.ecl from Page 21 the preachinlg of the cross is to them that perish foolis ness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God CI Cor. 1: 185, and again, For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishnessg But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God KI Cor. 1:22-245. When an individual will cry, God be propitiated to me the sinner, God replies, Jesus died for youg He bore your sins in His own body on the tree. Come to Me. Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. College considers it need and for her service among the moun- tain people. Patricia O'Nea.l, former night school student from Merriam, Kansas, left last month for India. She is serving under the New Tribes Mission, whose special training course she recently completed at Chico, California. John and Ruth Hausmamt, who were dormitory students from 1947-49, visited the College recently and told of their plans to go as missionaries to the Moslems of the Philippine Islands. They with their two children expect to go out under the Berean Mission some time next year. CHAPEL SPEAKERS Mr. Robert Reinmiller, secretary of the Gospel Missionary Union, gave a challeng- ing Chapel message on Proverbs 4:23, Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. He spoke of the analogy between the physical circula- tory system and the spiritual entity which God refers to as the heart. Its welfare affects all the borders, the outflow of the life. Guard it above all. The Wycliff Bible Translators was repre- sented by Mr. George M. Cowan, who told of the basic necessity for all missionary work, the Bible in the language of the people. He pictured for us a group of attentive, heart-hungry listeners to whom a teacher was reading the Scriptures. But the reading was in Spanish, and these Indians understood only their own native tongue. Truly th-e need is great and trained laborers are few. During Fire Prevention Week the local fire district chief and inspector, by word, picture, and demonstration, instructed the students in removing fire hazards and in the safe procedure in case of emergency. On October 17 two of God's servants brought messages at the chapel hour. Mary Dayton, who attended our night school several days ago, pointed her remarks with very attractive and effective posters. She is under appointment by the International Child Evangelism Fellowship and expects to leave next month to work with the children and to train children's workers in the Philippine Islands. Mr. R. I. Humberd, Bible teacher and publisher, spoke using a wall chart to il- lustrate his message on the Lord Jesus Christ. He also had a number of his books available to the students. DR. WILSON'S ITINERARY Nov. 5-11 ............ Temple Baptist Church, St. Paul, Minnesota Nov. 12-18 ............ Arlington Street Baptist Church, Akron, Ohio Dec. 5-7 ....... .......... W ichita Gospel Center, Wichita, Kansas Dec. 10-14 ........ ......... F aith Bible Church, Ottawa, Kansas By Rev. Wade K. Ramsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College In this column Mr. Ramsey will be glad to answer questions sent in by our readers which concern Bible in- terpretation or application and are of general interest. -Editor QUESTION: Why does Mark leave out the birth and genealogy of Christ? ANSWER: The best reason we know for this omission on the part of Mark is that these things do not contribute particularly to the design of his gospel. Mark's pur- pose is to set forth Christ as the servant of Jehovah as He was predicted in the prophecies of Isaiah. The detailing of the birth and genealogy of Christ did not vi- tally further this design. No one cares where or how or of whom a servant is born. The thing that matters about the servant is can he do the job? Mark therefore contents himself by declaring at the out-set that the servant he is about to describe is none other than the very Son of God. To him this is a sufficient recommendation of His ability to accomp- lish whatever He was sent to accomplish. In Matthew and Luke the case is dit- ferent. Matthew set forth Christ as the Messiah and King of Israel. Therefore, it is essential for him to establish His right by descent to the throne of Israel. Luke gives a wider view of Christ and designs to depict Him not merely as the King of Israel, but as the One who is to bring peace to all people and one who is to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and a glory to thy people Israel. In Luke the emphasis is on the fact that He is the Son of Man, and he traces Him back to Adam to show His connection with all mankind. John is concerned with His deity and takes Him back to the beginning, before all the worlds. Different from all of these, Mark begins his story with the ministry of the Lord Jesus. QUESTION: What is the difference be- tween 'pfriole and self-respect? ANSWER: The dictionary defines pride in both a bad and a good sense. On the one hand pride is said to be undue self- esteem, conceit, haughtiness, disdain g on the other hand a sense of personal dig- nity, self-respect. In distinguishing the latter from vain conceit, complacency, etc., the dictionary further states that pride may be a noble feeling, dignified and admirable. However in the Scriptures, pride invari- ably is used in a bad sense. God says, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall QProv. 16:18D. In Proverbs 6:17, a proud look is listed as one of- the things that is an abomina- tion unto the Lord. The Lord Jesus cata- logued it as one of the evil fruits of the heart which defile men CMa.rk 7:21,22J. Paul included it in the list of sins which CCo'nti'n'u.ed. on Page 71 PAGE FOUR TI-IE COMMENTATOR Musings in isaiah 53 By William G. Coltman, D.D. Pastor, Highland Park Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan Someone once picked up an old book and discovered a fragrance coming from its leaves. Upon investigation it was found that sometime earlier a flower had been placed between its pages, and the perfume had permeated the whole book. So it is with the Bible. The Whole volume is fragrant with the odor of the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Vallies, the glorious and gracious person of the Lord Jesus Christ. His death, which was the glory of His earthly life, receiveslarge recognition not only in history and doctrine but in Old Testament prophecy. The cross, which is central in the purpose of God for man- kind, existed in His heart before the ages began. It is not, therefore, surprising that from the very dawn of history we should have intimations of this mighty and stu- pendous event. As early as Genesis 3 we find the first reference to a suffering Re- deemer when God told the serpent that the seed of the woman would have his heel bruised in the process of bruising the head of the serpent. This was fol- lowed down through the pre-Christian centuries by blood-stained altars and di- vinely prescribed sacrifices which pointed ahead to the coming of the Lamb of God. The fifty-third chapter of Isaiah is one of the clearest and fullest prophecies of the vicarious suffering of our Saviour. It, therefore, preaches the evangel of re- deeming grace as no other chapter in the Old Testament scriptures. For wealth of detail and comprehensive coverage of the suffering of Jehovah's servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, it stands alone. Several hundred years after this won- derful chapter was written, a Man ap- peared on earth who fully lived out the minutest descriptions of this prophecy. Ever since, devout and believing hearts have had little doubt as to whom the pro- phet referred. Returning from Jerusalem to his home in Ethiopia the eunuch mention- ed in Acts 8 was reading this chapter when Philip the Evangelist appeared be- side his chariot. The question in the Ethiopian's mind was: Of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth and b-egan at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus tActs 8: 34, 353. What a delightful starting point at which to begin to expound the gospel! As we look at this remarkable chapter, three thoughts stand out: THE FACT or C1-1R1sr's SUFFERING Suffering is the pre-eminent reality in this chapter. It is the major note that dominates the celestial music. How varied and significant is the terminology: He was despised . . . rejected of men . . . man of sorrows . . . acquainted with grief . . . he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows . . . wounded for our transgres- sions . . . bruised for our iniquities . . . the chastisement of our peace was upon hirn...thein.iquityofusall...hewas oppressed . . . by oppression and judgment he was taken away . . . he was cut off out of the land of the living . . . for the trans- gression of my people to whom the stroke was due . . . his soul an offering for sin . . . the travail of his soul . . . he shall bear their iniquities . . . he poured out his soul unto death . . . was numbered with the transgressors . . . he bare the sin of many . . . made intercession for the trans- gressorsf' No wonder that the great exegete Delitzch said, Stronger expres- sions for the violent and painful death the language did not affordf' Let us take a closer look at some of these words. Wounded comes from a word which means to bore through, to pierce, to perforatef' The central fact here is the painful piercing of our Saviour's body. Bruised means to be broken to pieces, to be crushed. It is doubtless a figure of speech setting forth the inner sufferings of Christ. Chastise- ment is a word used to denote correction or punishment by parents. In other words, He was punished to procure my peace. Lastly, there is the word stripes which refers to marks or blows upon the skin. These terms give us a graphic picture of the beating and scourging of our Lord as recorded by the gospel writers and written in the prophetic Word centuries before. THE NATURE or CHRISTJS SUFFERINGS The special emphasis of the prophet in this chapter is upon the vicariousness of Christ's sufferings, by which we mean that they were endured or undergone for oth- ers. He did not suffer on His own accountg the wounds, stripes, and travail were en- dured for our benefit. The failure of God's ancient people to see this fact is graphically stated in verse 4: We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But the prophet goes on to say, He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon himg and with his stripes we are healed. Even today the descendants of Israel fail to grasp the reality of this great prophecy spoken by one of their own to their nation. Its very existence some seven hundred years before its fulfillment is evidence to any unprejudiced mind of its heavenly origin. The opening verse of the chapter registers the existence of prevail- ing and popular unbelief. The attitude of the nation toward their suffering Messiah is indeed a matter of wonderment. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. How thankful we are for the following verse in John 1: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons that believe on his leaves no doubt in real nature of these substitutionary and There have been will be some who mental reality of of God, even to them name. The prophet our minds as to the sufferings. They were redemptive. and probably always object to this funda- our Saviour's death. They clai.m it is not just or reasonable for one person to suffer for another: that such sufferings are unethical and ineffectual. But far from this central fact of our Chris- tian faith being isolated and singular, it is one of the common facts in the life of our race. Motherhood is vicarious. Many a mother has given up her life in bringing her child into the world. There are mul- titudes of people in the world at this hour who are suffering because of the negligence, the sins, and the wrong-doings of others. Hospitals are filled with people whose bodies are broken and maimed be- cause of drunk drivers. Whether we like it or not, it is a common fact in the life of our world. Likewise Christ died to save us from eternal death, and His sacrifice was not in vain. Even this chapter contemplates His triumph and ultimate victory: He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. THE Rssurrrs or Cn1usr's Surrrnnvcs After identifying the Sulferer, we natur- ally ask, Did this vicarious Sufferer ac- complish His purpose? Did these suffer- ings avail? Did they have value, and if so, what values were realized? , The prophet states, with his stripes we are healed. There is complete re- covery for sin-sick souls. They were not merely improved or relieved, but made whole-healed. Because of our sins we were sick unto death, and earth had no balm for our healing, no physician that could arrest the disease or cope with it. Praise God, with His stripes we are heal- ed! ' The punishment which He took made possible our peace with God. As the Apostle Paul wrote centuries later, He made peace through the blood of his cross CCol. 12207, and, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ CRorn. 5:11. Those vicarious sufferings brought to an end the battle between our hearts and God. They accomplished the cessa- tion of conflict within. Through His cross the warring elements in our nature were overcome, and we became friends with the Eternal God. How wonderful! It is stated in verse 6: The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Be- cause He took our sins He was condemn- ed, but this condemnation made possible our justification. Taking our sins He had to die our death and face the wrath of God for our transgressions. He drank the full cup of our condemnation: therefore it can be written of every believing heart, There CCo'n.tinued on Page 73 TI-IE COMIVIENTATOR PAGE FIVE Bad Eggs By Mrs. D. E. Wisner Child Evangelism Instructor PREPARATION This story might well be told by the Hash card method instead of the flannel- board for a change. 'I'he Hash cards should be egg shaped, and covered with construc- tion paper of various pastel shades. The first one should be egg shell color bear- ing the title of the story. Others should have pictures of: Charles walking down the street, a bicycle in a store window, a woman standing on a porch holding an open letter, a dog, a hen and little chicks, a red barn, a nest of eggs seen behind stacks of feed, Charles sitting on a stool with pockets bulging, Charles kneeling before a stool, and Charles standing beside a bicycle. Pictures taken from magazines or color books may be used, or sketches may be made directly on the cards. PRESENTATION Boys and girls, I want to tell you a story about some bad eggs. CShow title card.J Well, you say, that's a queer title for a story! Yes, but the little boy in my story was a bad egg, and he got mixed up with some bad eggs, and, ac- cording to Dr. Harris Gregg, who has now gone to be with the Lord, we are all bad eggs, so perhaps the story will be more interesting than it sounds. WV? J. . ,. an mga l il itil- N--ff? L A W- x f-gif? fl il 4 +0 .Q Dr. Gregg was scheduled to speak to a group of high school students. When he arrived at the school, he noticed that someone had erased the g and r from his name on the bulletin board, making an egg of him. When he was introduced he said, I see that one of the fellows has made an egg of me by removing part of my name from the posterg but that's quite all right, for I a.m an egg and a bad one at that, and so is each of you. Then he proceeded to show them from God's Word how bad they really were. Since Adam and Eve sinned in the Gar- den of Eden and became sinners, all have been borh sinners. When we receive Christ as Saviour, we become saved sin- ners. Even then we have no goodness of our own to boast of, but God imputes to us, or gives to us, the goodness of Christ, so that whatever goodness we have is His goodness. Charles was walking down Main Street with his lips puckered up trying to whistle. CShow Charles walking down the street.D But he could only make a funny noise be- cause there was a lump in his throat that felt as big as a football. He had just passed Mr. Pratt's window, and for the twenty-third time that week he had look- ed in at the streamlined bicycle that stood window.J there. CShow bicycle in store No, I can never have it, so there's no use to want it, he said aloud as he walked slowly toward home, looking back every few steps. As he turned down his own street, he saw his mother on the porch with a letter in her hand. CShow woman on porch with letter.J Here is a letter from Aunt May, she said as he ran up the porch steps. She says she would like to have a boy visit her this summer to help Uncle Fred with the chores and take care of the chickens. Do you know of one who would like to go-?n The football vanished from Charles' throat. Oh! She means me! She means me! Doesn't she, Mother? he shouted, jinnping up and down with joy. Charles was very busy the next few days. He asked Daddy hundreds of ques- tions about the farm. He even asked what kind of cows gave buttermilk, and if eggs grew on eggplant! He surely needs to go to the farm and iind out some things for himself, said Daddy to Mother one night after Charles had gone to bed. When Charles arrived at the farm, Pal the dog came bounding out the front gate barking joyously, and they were fast friends from the first. CShow dogj With Pal at his heels he had soon explored every nook and corner of the farm. Every day he fed the chickens, Cshow hen and chickensl, gathered the eggs, helped his uncle with the chores, and hoed in the garden. One rainy morning when Charles could- n't hoe, he went to the barn to play. CShow the barn.J I'll pretend I'm a sea- captain, he said to Pal. This barn will be a robbers' cave, and you can be the first mate of my ship. Now I must find where the robbers have hidden their treasures, he Whis- pered to Pal as he prowled among the grain sacks, poking behind them with an old broom handle. With a loud squawk a hen Hew out, and Charles peeped in be- hind the sack and saw a nest with twelve lovely eggs. CShow nest behind sacks.J Oh! he exclaimed. Pearls! I've found the robbers' treasure, and I'll take it to Aunt May. He began to gather the eggs as he spoke. Then he remembered the bicycle in Mr. Pratt's store window and stopped. Pal, he said at last, I do want a bi- cycle so. If I would save these eggs and then take a few out of the nests every day and sell them, by the end of the surn- mer I'd have enough money to buy a bi- cycle. I could hide them in the hay and Aunt May would never know. Charles filled his pockets with eggs. He was just ready to climb the ladder to the hayloft when he heard a voice calling his name. He didn't have time to take the eggs out of his pockets but ran to the house just as he was, his overalls bulging out in funny lumps. Charles, said Aunt May, will you please sit right down and shell these peas for dinner? CShow Charles on stool.J ':Surely, Aunt May, he replied, trying to make his voice sound as if nothing were the matter, and he took the pan and climb- ed on the high kitchen stool. Just as he sat down, he heard a cracking sound and soon a stream of yellow and white be- gan soaking through the pockets of his overalls. Immediately a horrible smell began to fill the kitchen, for some of the eggs were rotten! ' Why, Charles! exclaimed Aunt May, hearing the noise and seeing the look of dismay on his face. What is it? And slowly, with burning cheeks and down- cast eyes, he told her. I don't think you will ever do such a thing again, will you, Charles? she said when he had finished. lu I 2 j l L 2-'Sv ,R I i' l!lZ1lx 4 ' C QD Oh no! he cried eagerly, Not even to get the best bicycle in the world! Now, then, we must get you cleaned up before Uncle comes home from town, she said, hurrying upstairs to get his clean. clothes and praying for Charles as she Went. When Uncle Fred came in, Charles told him all about it. 'Tm sorry, Uncle Fred, he said, and I won't do anything like that again, ever. I believe you mean what you are say- ing, Charles, but you are going to need Someone to help you keep that promise. It is a sin for anyone to want things so much that he would cheat and steal to get them. This is not the only sin you'Ve ever done either. You have sinned many times and so have I, and God says sin must be punished with death. But the Lord Jesus came and died on the cross in order to pay for all our sins, and He wants you to receive Him as your Sav- iour. Then He will live in your heart, and when you are tempted to do wrong, you can ask Him to keep you from doing it.' Oh, Uncle, may I ask Him to come in now, and save me right here in the kitch- en. Certainly, Charles. Then Aunt May and Uncle Fred bowed their heads while Chafles prayed. CShow Charles kneel- mg. Dear Lord, I'm so ashamed of what I've done. Please come into my heart right now and take away my sins. Thank you for dying for me. Amen. Charles, said Uncle Fred a few weeks later, 'KI brought home a piece of ma- chinery this afternoon. It's in the truck. Will you get it out and put it away? I think you can manage it. Yes sir! I'll do it now, he answered, running out to the truck. CCo'nti'n.'u.ed on Page 73 PAGE SIX -- THE COMMENTATOR . if Q ev! E sys .2 fm Mgr sa wha 'ii gfiafwe sr df? iw A ezerersggarar-'-:Gi'vs-' 'Q-2354: ,. -.. , 4:,1, .,,- at ,... :salaries 2259 5135-Q rt'NPwi'v: '-sf: . -' . '- .Si 1' -:C 'L. :sv-Ay.-Q- - .1 -rAa2F'9e4.f, . 3' -' ,::,, . 'ire ,sl i. 1 , v some because they Sunday School Lesson Notes By Dr. Walter L. Wilson President, Kansas City Bible College DECEMBER 2- A Doubting and Diso- bedient People? Numbers 14:1-11. Golden Text: I John 129, People weep for many reasons. Some weep because of their sins and others because they were caught in their sinsg have sinned against God and others b them as they well deserved. In our lesson the people were weeping ecause God punished because they seemed to be up against an impossible situation. They had forgotten that God had given the command to go across Jordan and invade the land of Canaan in order to possess it, and that He had promised to fight their battles for them. They saw only the walled cities, the giants, and the chariots of iron. God did have two men, however, who saw differently. While the people saw the dif- ficulties and hindrances, Caleb and Joshua saw the living God. Ten of the scouts were unbelievers while two of them were believers. It is usually sog most of God's dear people, even though redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, never get to know God very well nor to trust Him with very much of their lives. Yet God always has His witnesses whose faith He honors. We read that the people murmured against their lead-er. Although Moses was a man of faith and presented God's plans to the people, they were ready to desert his leadership and to turn back to the iron furnace of Egypt. It is often so in the present day when a godly minister insists that his people live separated lives and that the church be a holy sanctuary for the presence of God. Instead of responding to the faith and courage of Joshua and Caleb, the con- gregation would have none of their counsel and leadership and were about to stone them. They had forgotten the bitterness of Goshen and remembered only the fish, onions, garlic, melons, leeks, and cucum- bers. Perhaps there is a significance in the fact that all of these leave a disagree- able odor behind them. DECEMBER 9- Moses' Charge to the People. Deuteronomy 30:15-31:33 33: 27-29a. Golden Text: Deuteronomy 33:27. Any servant who is a God-sent man will bring before the people the Word of God, by which the very mind of God is reveal- ed to His people. Moses is here an ex- ample to every Christian leader in that he proclaimed God's message to the people. There are always two paths open to every man, woman, and child- the path that leads to life and the broad way that leads to destruction. One is the path of goodness and righteousness, God's path, and the other is the way of sin and wick- edness, Satan's road. Every person must choose for himself which way he will go. There must come a time in the life of each person when he decides which path he will take. The Lord goes before on the narrow path to straighten out the crooked places and make the rough places smooth. On the broad road Satan goes before to prepare enticing traps with which to catch and wreck the heart and destroy the soul. He makes his road appear to be smooth and lovely, but that which looks beauti- ful proves to be a delusion. On the narrow path there are pleasures forevermor- a quiet heart, a peaceful mind, and heavenly joy. On ,the broad road there are the pleasures of sin which last but for a season and those seemingly happy moments which leave dissatisfac- tion, misery, and finally a broken heart. On the narrow road is an eternal God who never destroys, never fails. He pro- tects and preserves those who belong to Him and is their refuge in the time of storm. He is able to minister richly to the heart as well as to the body and feeds the soul on the heavenly manna. The ungodly are not so- they have no helper when the storm comes, no comforter when the heart is broken, and no relief when the pressure crushes. Therefore choose life CDeut. 30:19J. DECEMBER 16- Into a New Land with God. Joshua 1:1-73 6: 1-5, 20. Golden Text: Joshua 1:5. Those who become born again enter into a new life, a new relationship, a new experience with God. They are no longer of the world or its affairs. They become a people separated to God and to His serv- ice. God does not leave His people without proper guidance. Israel was not to quit because Moses was dead. They were to enter into the new land under a new lead- er. Although this land was filled with giants and with well armed soldiers, al- though the cities were walled about and the enemy had Chariots of iron, the Israel- ites had God with them. Joshua was a leader who trusted God and walked with Himg and because of his life, the men un- der his guidance became men of strong faith. Joshua had an inexhaustible promise from God, I will not fail thee, nor for- sake thee CJosh. 1:55. With this assur- ance he could boldly enter the enemy's land and expect a glorious victory. If God was with him, it mattered little who was with the enemy. Because of the integ- rity of the God who gave the promise, he could attack any hostile force with con- Hdence. God warned him, however, that these blessings would be conditioned by the faithfulness of his walk and by his love for the Word of God. I-Ie was to read the Scriptures and meditate upon them con- stantly in order that he might know what God said in His Word and that with earn- estness and zeal he might press forward for God. Jericho was to be the first object of attack after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan. Joshua had arrived before this great city and made camp when sud- denly he saw a strange man. This man was the Holy Spirit, who told Joshua that He had come to take charge of the ight. Under His direction the victory was easy. We, too, should let the Holy Spirit take charge of our lives if we would be vic- torious Christians. DECEMBER 23- The Promise Fulfilled in Christ. Luke 1:46-553 2:1-7. Gold- en Text: Isaiah 9:6, 7. All through the Old Testament days the women of Israel were hoping for and ex- pecting the Messiah. Each one hoped that she might be the mother of that won- derful person who would come to Israel. A barren woman was a reproach because she knew she never could have this prom- ised child born in her family. The years rolled by and disappointed mothers throughout Israel died without realizing the fulfillment of their hopes and desires. Finally the day came when an exem- plary young maiden named Mary heard from an angel a message which caused her heart to leap for joy. Though the little one had not yet come, she believed the angelic message and rejoiced in the prom- ise. She gave God a new place in her life when she said, . . God my Saviour. Not only was her soul to be saved by the coming of this wonderful baby, but her life was to be saved from reproach. She herself was to be the fulfillment of the prophecy for Israel, that of being the channel through whom the Messiah was to come. She realized that this unborn babe was to be the sovereign Deliverer of Israel, who was to save His people from their sins, to overcome the proud, to con- quer the enemy, and to show mercy. Her heart could hardly contain the wonderful truths revealed to her. When the time came for the birth of this priceless baby, Mary must have been without assistance, for we read that she wrapped Him in the baby clothes and laid Him in the manger. The animals that were there had used that manger as a source of their food, and We are reminded that the Lord Jesus came to be the source of food for the souls of His people. As in the time of His birth, there are still those who shut Him out because they do not want Him to be their Lord. We may properly expect that some day He will shut them out of His presence for- ever. DECEMBER 30- Taking a Stand for God. Joshua 24:1-8, 14-18. Golden Text: Joshua 24:15. It is well for each of us to present our- selves before God for His examination and then present ourselves before the world for its examination. If we pass the first, there is no reason why we should not pass the second. Joshua had all the tribes of Israel present themselves before God while he rehearsed in their ears the victories of former years. Let us note the repetition of God's L He says, I took, I gave, I sent, I plagued, I did, I brought, I have done. The emphasis is on the doings of God rather than men. Paul, also, when he returned from h' journey, told the disciples what God ha wrought through him. It is always a mar of true humility and g-enuine faith to de- clare among the people His doings. The result of meditating upon the work of God is to lead us to love Him more an trust Him more fully. Joshua knew Is rael would have a difficult time of it ' Canaan, and he therefore prepared the for it by relating the victories of the past TI-IE COMMENTATOR PAGE SEVEN On many occasions the enemy outnurn- bered the people of God, but God was there. Joshua reminded them of this so that their faith and trust might not be in the resources of men. Having prepared the hearts of the peo- ple, Joshua proceeded to set forth the claims of God to their loyalty. Many of those whom he was addressing had been rebellious in their spirits against God and had questioned His justice and goodness. Others still served idols and indulged in forbidden pleasures and lusts. He appeal- ed to all of these by mentioning former deliverances and blessings from heaven. As he described these wonderful inter- ventions by God, their hearts were stirred, and they covenanted to walk with God and to serve Him only. BOOK REVIEWS World Crises and the Prophetic Scrip- tfwres, by Wilbur M. Smith fMoody Press, Chicago, 384 pages, 33001. This book fills a two-fold need which Bible loving Chris- tians feel. It gives a great deal of factual information about conditions and negotia- tions in the world today- a source book of the contemporary history with which prophecy deals. Perhaps what is more valuable, it also gives the prophetic pic- ture of Scripture as related to these events and their Biblically assured outcome. Notes on the New Testament, James- Jude, Volume X, by Albert Barnes CBaker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 404 pages, 53.001, The century old Barnes commentaries are classic among Bible ex- positors, and this volume of the new edi- tion, prepared by Dr. Robert Frew, is now off the press. The Notes are ex- haustive and devotional in character and will be invaluable as study or reference material. PROVIDE -nm-r Ano-rl-len .sHou1.D nun -fm -ru: mics AFTER you! ff'-st. , 9603-A 1 ff3'.'w 'P I 1' f 1 5 X it-' lx' Y J f H!-1' En g - A . ,-as ei- - - ' 1 W 1--gg U T V. I UK Us T T UN 'Q 3 'il 'iz I vi 5. ?- 3 ?- ?- 'V A bequest to the Alumni Association of the Kansas City Bible College will assure you that after your labors have ceased another will carry on in your stead, taking the glorious news of God's grace and mercy to those who have not heard. Write Anita Welch, Financial Secretary of the Alumni Association, 3326 Brown Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. ATOMS AND COMMUNISTS fContinaecl from Page 11 Democracy, the second revolutionary idea, springs from the first. Democracy can flourish only under Christian mono- theism. One God made all of usg all are equal before Him- a truly breath taking thought This one God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is interested in a person because he is a person. The history of mankind is a continuous story of one group of men exploiting another group. The idea that all are free and equal before God was, and still is, a fresh discovery. No one ever made clearer the dignity of all men be- cause they are men, than Christ. If there are many gods divided into geographic compartments, then men are not free and equal. Some are better than others if they have a god who is better or more powerful. Man has shamefully abused the democratic ideal, but, nevertheless, he has held it out as his ideal, fighting for it when necessary. Our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, having created men free and equal, was enough interested in them to die for them at Calvary. Christ does not want anyone to be a slave, whatever form that slavery might take- moral slavery to sin, politi- cal slavery to a state, or religious slavery to a ritual. Christ knew what He was about when He died for sinners. Because He could not create men and then leave them slaves to sin, He died for all that anyone might be free. Our prayer and our aim should be that the communist threat shall not blot out these self evident truths from before us. BAD EGGS CContinuecl from Page 51 A very happy little boy was soon back in the kitchen, dragging a bicycle with him. CShow Charles with bicycle.1 Oh, Uncle Fred- Aunt May! he gasped. Oh, what a beauty! It's the very one I want- ed! Did you get it at the Pratt Hard- ware Store? Yes, I bought it from Mr. Pratt, him- self, for a good farmer boy at my house. Do you like it? asked Uncle Fred, his eyes twinkling. Do I? Just look! Streamlined, built- in headlight, real speedometer, built-in tool box, and oh, everything is just grandln cried Charles getting things all mixed up in his excitement. Then he looked up soberly, But- but I don't deserve it, A11nt May, he said. We don't deserve a great many things our Heavenly Father gives us, she said softly, but He is good and kind to us, anyway. APPLICATION Are any of you boys and girls like Charles? Are you thinking of the many sinful things you have done? You can have your sins washed away just as he did because the Lord Jesus said, If we confess our sins, h-e is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnessn CI John 1:91. Why not pray just what Charles did: Dear Lord, I'm so ashamed of what l've done. Please come into my heart right now and take away my sins. Thank you for dying for me. This story comes to us from Mrs. Clyde Ellis of the Oregon Child Evangelism Fellowship and is used with her permission. MUSINGS ON ISAIAH 53 fContinued from Page 41 is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ J esus. His cross lifted the unbearable burden of guilt and made possible the Father's smile. Yes, these suf- ferings were eifectual. They brought life and peace and liberty to countless thou- sands, and our world holds within it mul- titudes of souls who are living evidences of the power and efficacy of the cross. THE QUESTION BOX CContinued, from Page 31 characterize the close of this present age CII Tim. 3:21. James and Peter both de- clared that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble CJ:-is. 4:6g I Pet. 5:51. The apostle John says that pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world CI John 2:161. The dictionary defines self-respect as a proper regard for one's character, a be- fitting sense of one's own value, commend- able self-esteem. This word does not occur in the Bible, but the thought is certainly there. The Lord Jesus expressed the idea of human worth time and time again. He declared that man was of more value than many sparrows, that the hairs of his head were all numbered. Indeed, He declared that man was worth more than all the world beside. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? CMark 8:361. Paul's statement in Romans 12:3 seems to mark the difference between proper self-respect and pride. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to thinkg but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Pride as used in the Bible is thinking more highly than we ought to think of of ourselves. Self-respect is thinking as one ought to think, soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the meas- ure of faith g that is to say, a befitting sense of one's own value. QUESTION! Do Christians or angels 'reap God's harvest? ANSWER: In the Bible both angels and men are assigned to this work but in two different respects. Christians are to reap in the sense of winning souls to Christ. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours fJohn 4:381. But at the end of the age the final reap- ing is to be done by the angels. In the parable of the tares as recorded in Mat- thew 13:39 the reapers are the angels. In verse 41 the Lord declares, The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity. Again He declares in Matthew 24:31, And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Accordingly, when it is said that the har- vest of earth is ripe in Revelation 14:15, we read in verse 19 that the angel thrust the sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth. PAGE EIGHT THE COMMENTATOR STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGE- MENT, AND CIRCULATION Required by the Act of Congress of August 24. 1912, as amended by the Acts of March 3, 1933, and July 2, 1946, of The Commentator, published monthly at Kansas City, Missouri. for October, 1951. 1. The names and addresses of the publisher. editor, managing editor, and business managers are: Publisher, The Kansas City Bible College, P.O. Box 7035, Kansas City, Missouri. Editor, Dr. Walter L. Wilson, Kansas City, Mo Managing Editor, None. Business Manager, None. 2. The owner is: fIf owned by a corpora- tion, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of stock.J The Kansas City Bible College, P. O. Box 7035, Kansas City, Missouri, a non-profit cor- poration: no stock issued. 3. The known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities are: None. 4. Paragraphs 2 and 3 include, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, the name of the per- son or corporation for whom such trustee is acting: also the statements in the two para- graphs show the z1ffianL's full knowledge :md belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stoclilioltlws and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the com- pany as trustees. hold stock and securities in ll capacity other than that of Z1 bona fide owner. Grace T. Belton, Associate Editor. Sworn to and subscribed before me this lst day of October, 1951. Velma Feeney. Notary Public CMy commission expires June 1.4, 1552.1 What we think determines what We are. We are no larger than our thoughts. valleys 5i'l'gl57liA 'Er if 6,-7. n iff. it F7132 if if ,vfffifgq Fi ffl V? 'Q Ui, fi ff, gwf mu' Ediffon- 150 Photon and Map, Size4L4x6li'x1H An ABBREVIATED BIBLE COMMENTARY: with notes on every book in the Bible. IAx'claneoloqicnl Discoveries- 'How We Got the Bible, and nn Epitomc of Church History. There is nothing published, of its uize. that has anything like as much practical Bible information. Book OF a Lifetime.. . F052 a Lifetime Loved alike by Young and Old Especially valuable for S S Teachers and Bible Students Widely used in Colleges and Seminnries Highly commended by leading Magazines and Minister! lFull particular: uni on rzquulj 764 pages. Cloth Binding. Only 32.00. Order from your Bookstore, or ll. ll. HALLEY, Box 774, Chicago 90, Illinois For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 Midwest Plumbing and Heating Co. 6243 Prospect Ja-5757 Kansas City, Mo. . Give Thanks to God 1. For His goodness- I Chronicles 16:34. 2. For His holiness- Psalm 3014. 3. For the revelation of Himself- I Thes- salonians 2:13. 4. For the gift of His Son- II Corinth- ians 9:15. 5. For a present salvation- Colossians 1: 12, 13. 6. For victory- I Corinthians 15:57. 7. For everything- Philippians 4:6. GOD'S UNCHANGI NG WORD For feelings come and feelings go And feelings are deceiving. My warrant is the Word of God, Naught else is worth believing. Though all my heart should feel con- demned For Want of some sweet token. There is One greater than my heart Whose Word cannot be broken. I'l1 trust in God's unchanging Word Till soul and body severg For though all things shall pass away, His Word shall stand forever, -Mcwtin Luther Y'.j---:jf 243, -.455 A- R4 V--A 1,51 h-:V :mfg 159' ,, 'L .1 :V-am-kziwgm.Nffz,eJ!l?ew. :.- ,sq . '?w:f.V-rlfhffi . ,- i FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES f Available Io Bible Students, Christian Workers ' Q, ond Missionaries of 4' SPECIAL DISCOUNTS 1 Write Today for FREE Liloraiure CHICAGO ACCORDION CENTER. Inc. Dept. CT. 754 N. Damen Av. Chicago 22. Ill. l ff In color with url work und appropriate strip- Q if ture. Enclose u gospel f 11165 message with your Chrislmus cards. SEND 25: FOR A SELECTION OF 25 minus' hnoiilm mm' BAND EBOX-88B AKR0N-9f'0Hl0 You Can Win Souls for Christ with Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining. It will be a revelation to uyou. Also free booklet describing revolutionary hfetxrne MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear out: quiet as a clock: needs no oilingg has no belts: needs no servicingg trouble-proof. , C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS Sunnyside Avenue, Wheaton, Ill. BIBLE READING CALENDAR DECEMBER DATE PRIVATE FAMILY Hosea . 1. 2 II Peter Hosea 3, 4 I John Hosea 5, 6 I John Hosea 7, 8 I John Hosea 9, 10 I John Hosea 11. 12 I John Hoesa 13, 14 II John Joel III John Amos 1, 2 Jude Amos 3 - 5 Revelation Amos 6, 7 Revelation Amos 8. 9 Revelation Obadiah Revelation Jonah 1, 2 Revelation Jonah 3, 4 Revelation Micah 1, 2 Revelation Micah 3 - 5 Revelation Micah 6. 7 Revelation Nahum Revelation Habakkuk Revelation Zephaniah Revelation Haggai Revelation Zechariah 1, 2' Revelation Zechariah 3. -1 Revelation Zechariah 5. 6 Revelation Zechariah 7. 8 Revelation Zechariah 9, 10 Revelation Zechariah 11, 12 Revelation Zechariah 13, 1-1 Revelation Malachi 1, 2 Revelation Malachi 3, 4 Revelation LQSQUHQ Enginmeering Corporation LaSalle Bldg., 8 East Ninth Street Kansas City, Missouri MONUMENTS Memorial Art Company Salina and Hutchinson, Kansas Finest display of Modern Memorials in the Midwest The Sunday. School Lesson Helps You Need For Every Department of Your Sunday School! Christian Lijfev Series following the International Uniform Lesson Topics Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School officials upon request. Write for yours today! UNION GOSPEL PRESS P.O. Box 6059 Cleveland 1, Ohio The MCR DECEMBER, 1951 P CHRIST AND GOVERNMENT BY 'FRUMAN PAGE President, Alumni Association Kansas City Bible College The season of the year is upon us when harsh people are a little less harsh, selfish people become a little bit generous, and pessimistic people turn a triiie optimistic. Christmas probably has as widely differ- ing appeals as there are those who ob- serve it. To one it means commercial profit, to another a vacation, to another a new sled. To the irreligious it means a good time, to the religious carol singing and festivals. Although Christ probably was not born on the date we commemorate, yet the cel- ebration of that momentous event brings to our attention one little recognized as- pect of tremendous significance, that is, Christ's relation to established government and his effect upon it. When Jesus was born, King Herod was afraid. Why he was afraid, he himself may not have known, yet he trembled and was troubled. God had appeared as a man, and consequently the governments of the world should quake. John the Revelator describes in graphic pen strokes how the governments of the World will tremble in that great day when this God-man returns once more. Looking down the years of time our mind has been pondering the impact the birth of Jesus Christ has had on the na- tions. Herod's trembling was an uncon- scious tribute to the ,towering virtue and holiness of Messiah, the Christg and in the years since, governments have little real- ized the power this One Man has had on their course. Paul admonishes us that governments have been set up and ordain- ed of God to maintain law and order as their God-appointed function, and Herod had not been fulfilling his proper duty. Governments are to maintain law and or- der, although they cannot create morality by act of parliament. It is a strange quirk of human psychol- ogy that moral individuals cannot exist without government. To die rather than do wrong is admirable, but we may over- look the devastating effect of such action in the absence of government. With no restraint the good would be at the mercy CCo'ntinued on Page 71 THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The blessings of God are gifts. At Christmastime we celebrate that greatest of gifts, the Lord Jesus Christ, with whom we receive the gift of peace, of rest, and of rela- tionship to God. With these He also gives us the graces of heaven for our daily life. All must be accepted by faith, for a gift has no value un- less it is received by someone. Be sure you are one who has received Jesus Christ personally and has made Him Lord of your life and Saviour of your soul. Other gifts are obtained by labor, study, and application. These gifts for service are presented to our stu- dents in the classroom and in the harvest field around the city, and by them our young people develop into excellent servants of God. Your pray-ers and your gifts will enable us to continue this wonderful min- istry for the glory of God and the blessing of men. ' CHALLENGE The star of Christ still burns within the sky The angels' song still rings across the night But if we listen we shall hear the cry Of millions who have never seen His light, Nor heard the glory song above the earth That heralded the blessed Saviour's birth. The centuries go by, and He who came That far off winter night, must weep to know How few have pointed out the silver Hame Of His high star, and oh, how few will go, As He has bid us do, to bear the Word To those in darkness who have never heard! , O Christian youth, He calls to' you today To take the joyous message to the lost. Go forth, His trust is in you-point the way To those seeking ones: the hurt, the tem- pest tossed. Give lthem the Christ, the greatest gift of a . This is your opportunity, Oh, heed the call! -Grace Noll Crowell ROMANS 14:11 For the kingdom of God. is not meat and drink, but iighteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Christ in His garden always knows Just where to plant the seed, For He knows the plants, and He knows the soil, And He knows our every need. Righteousness can never grow In soil that's hard with sing So He softens the ground with rays of love Before the seed goes in. Peace is always hard to growg But once it gets a start, It grows so fast- and seems to thrive In the garden of our heart. Joy is scarcely ever grown In soil that's not the best, For Satan's insects eat this plant In preference to the rest. Christ in His garden cultivates The soil and plants the seed. Ours is the task to plead with men: To His commands take heed. -Carolyn Wagoner Student at Kansas City Bible College CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS For unto you is borrl. .... a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became Son of man that we might become sons of God. He came from heaven where the rivers never freeze, winds never blow, frost never chills the air, and flowers never fade. He was born in a stable, lived in pov- erty, was reared in obscurity, only once crossed the boundary of the land, and that in childhood. He had no wealth or in- Huence, and had neither training nor ed- ucation. His relatives were of the corn- mon folks. In infancy He startled a king, in boy- hood He puzzled the doctors, in manhood ruled the co1.u'se of nature. He never practiced medicine, yet He healed the mul- titude of their diseases and blessed the broken hearted. fCo'ntinued on Page 75 PAGE TWO THE COMMENTATOR The happiest time of the year is the Christ- mas time. There is a quality in the happi- ness and good cheer that is peculiar to Christmas. It simply is not found in the lives of people in gen- eral at other times of the year. There is cheer, pleasure is ra- diated, even old Scrooges become mellow and gracious. This is because Christ was born. Note four things about the birth of Christ as it is recorded in the Gospel ac- cording to Luke, the second chapter: First, The Christmas Miracle, verses 1- 7. His Was no ordinary birth. Although Luke writes with a casualness that is striking, Christ's birth was unique. There never had been one like it before, and there never will be another like it- Christ was born of a virgin mother. In Mary was fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, Clsa. 72145. What was to be the real meaning of this? Isaiah continued, and shall call his name Immanuel. This is the unique truth about the birth of Christ: He was named Im- manuel, which means God with us. God had come to dwell in human form. The Word had become flesh and was to dwell among men. Paul states it thus: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh CI Tim. 31165. Let me quote Dr. Harry Ironside, whose comment I especially like: We begin- the whole Christian system begins- with the incarnation, not with an apotheosis. I do not like to use this theological term, for some of you may be asking, 'What does it mean'?' but it is such a conven- ient term, and stands in such direct con- trast to the other term which we do un- derstand. The wiord apotheosis comes from two Greek words, one meaning from, and the other God. We speak of an apoth- eosis as a man entirely under the influence from God- a deified man. There are many ministers and instructors today who teach that in our Lord Jesus Christ we have a remarkable youth, a child born in- to this world in man respects the super- ior of any other child, a religious genius who from budding consciousness was God- intoxicated, the bent of whose whole mind was toward a greater knowledge of the Deity, who was always reaching out after God, was so constantly under His influence and so absorbed in Him, that therefore, we see in Jesus Christ, God manifested. That is an apotheosis . . .The Word of God does not teach an apotheosis, but it does teach the incarnation. What do we mean by the incarnation? We mean that God, who existed from eternity in three Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- desiring to make Him- self known to men, to take upon Himself man's sin and iniquity and to make full atonement for them, stooped in grace in the Person of the Son to identify Himself singing and good Cur Response to the Christmas Angel By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College with humanity, and became incarnate by taking upon Himself iiesh and blood. But remember, it was God who did that. The Babe in Bethlehem was not merely a re- markable child who was born with a great religious instinct, but that Babe was God the Son, who stooped in grace to tenant the virgin's womb and was born into this world as a man, yet He did not cease for one moment to be God . . . Not that Jesus Christ began to be when He was born in- to the world, but that He came- came from where? From heaven . . . You were born into the world, you had no existence before you were born . . . You began here on 'earthg you came into existence when you were born of your parents. But that blessed One did not begin to be when He was born in the stable and cradled in the mangerg He came from heaven's highest glory down into this world to be the Sav- iour of the world. This is the Christmas miracle! God was manifest in the flesh. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us Uohn 1:1, 2, 143. In the second place note The Christmas Message, verses 8-12. The angel of the Lord- appeared to lowly shepherds as they ftook care of the temple sheep. The visi- tation took place at night- a beautiful night- but it filled th-em with terror until the angel spoke: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Sav- iour, which is Christ the Lord. There is a mistaken idea especially prevalent at Christmas time that the main message is, On earth peace, gobdwill toward men. That is not true. The main thought is, There is born to you a Saviour, which is Christ the Lordf' God the Father sent the Son to be the 'Saviour of the world CI John 41145. There can be no peace un- til we recognize and accept Christ the Cre- ator, who became our Saviour. That is the message for the world. The angel eagerly told the shepherds this good news, which was to be for all people. Then note The Christmas Music, verses 13-14. After the angel had finished speak- ing, there was a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. This does not re- fer primarily to peace among men and na- tions. It is the statement of the truth that God was making peace with men. Paul has stated it so clearly, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to him- self by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto th-em, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God KII Cor. 5:17-201. In Christ God had made peace with th-e world, that was the truth that inspired the angelic choirs to chant. There can be no lasting peace among men until they accept God's peace and become reconciled to Him. Peace on earth among men is definitely connected with the birth of Christ as the Saviour of men and the Forgiver of sin. Lastly, The Christmas Response, verses 15, 16, 20. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger . . . . And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Having heard the message, they returned to their jobs glorifying and praising God. That must be the response, for the birth of Christ means nothing to anyone until I-Ie is accepted. Christ means nothing to you unless, having heard, you have come to the Saviour, for the poem is true: 'Twas not enough that Christ was born Beneath the star that shoneg And earth was set that glorious night Within a golden zone. He must be born within the heart Before He finds His throne, And bring the gift of truth and God The reign of Christ-like brotherhood. Dr. Belton will be in Enid, Oklahoma, at the Enid Bible Church on December 2, and at the Evangelical Youth Fellowship in Salina, Kansas, both afternoon and ev- ening of December 15. DR. WlLSON'S ITINERARY Dec. 5-7 - - Wichita Gospel Center, Wichita, Kansa Dec. 10-14 - - Faith Bible Churc Ottawa, Kansa Jan. 18-20 - Madison Ave. Baptist Church Paterson, New Jerse Others may have ci greater work, But you have your part to do And 'no one ifn. all God's heritage Can do it so well as you. THE COMMENTATOR DECEMBER, 1951 Volume 13, Number 12 Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Editor Grace T. Beltoh, Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward, Circulation Manager Price. single subscription. 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign, 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions, 50 cents each: Canada and foreign 60 cents. JB Ki Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.0. Box 7035, Country Club Station Kansas City 2, Mo. School location: 75th 8: State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26, 1942 at the Post Office at Kansas City. Mo. und the Act of March 3. 1879. 'I'HE COMMENTATOR PAGE THREE CHRISTIAN SERVICE REPORT REV. W. JACK WILSON Director of Christian Service Figures are usual- ly dull and uninter- t ps esting, but the Chris- tian Service reports efu coming in this last month have made many realize that our students are really keeping busy in prac- tical Christian ser- vice. The reports vfvszewswzaf Q, ' -'EJB-,.Q f V- - 2525. f x? .gf:2EjE5::.,.:.-.:::.'-ff'ffI, ..-43E5:Qy.,' ' i- A - ' - 22: gifts- 5:3:5:,f, Q.. e Q. 15 , QQQK S , av? W 3 ' af 'sri fi 't X . i..,, Sizlgtxvl , E.:,, ,:.vE,.:, .::: . . ',..-'fffI'3ff: Q show an average of eight hours per stu- dent, spent in Chris- tian service, away from the classroom and the College campus. Our students pre- pared over 30 sermons, which as far as I know is a record for sermons prepared in any period of time, and this does not in- clude sermons prepared by faculty mem- bers or students who have regular pastor- ates. We are receiving an increasing num- ber of calls for preachers which is encour- aging inasmuch as the calls heretofore have been largely for musicians, tract dis- tributors, personal workers, etc. This in- dicates that apparently our young men are learning how to preach. ' , ,' . .. . sj jrf ' In the past month our students have dealt personally with over 90 persons con- cerning their soul's need, and 50 of these made definite, first time decisions for Christ. 50 out of 90 is a very high per- centage and would seem to indicate that our students are Very proficient in hand- ling God's Word and in knowing just how to apply it to individual needs. Our goal is to have an average of at least 16 hours per month, per student, spent in gaining the invaluable practical experience of the rescue mission, hospital, jail, street m-eet- ing, and pulpit. You pray for us, will you? Mr. Wilson will preach at the College Baptist Church, Manhattan, Kansas, on December 9 and 16. His Youth for Christ engagements are: Enid, Oklahoma, De- cember 22g Denver, Colorado, January 125 and Goodland, Kansas, January 14. Faculty at Conferences During October several K.C.B.C. faculty members attended conferences in their respective fields. Dr. Robert H. Belton went to Chicago for the workshop of the Friends of Higher Education. Later Dean Wade K. Ramsey joined him there for the accrediting meeting of the National Asso- ciation of Bible Schools and Colleges. Miss Esther Brotherson of the Christian Education department attended the ses- sions of the Commission on Christian Ed- ucation meeting in conjunction with the National Sunday School Association. Each conference was pronounced well orth while and should be helpful to the College in maintaining the high standards 't has set. Child Evangelism Conference On Saturday, November 10, the Kansas hild Evangelism Fellowship held its astern Kansas Workers Conference at CHAPEL SPEAKERS An unusual chapel service was that pre- sented by Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Zwall of California in October. They work in the migrant camps along the west coast and take their trailer home with them as they minister to these neglected people. Mr. Zwall drew a chalk picture while Mrs. Zwall read some of her poetry. They played several musical instruments, in- cluding a saw. One of the College directors, Mr. W. Lee Sanders, gave a heartwarming message on November 7, about the importance to us of believing God and knowing the Person of Christ. Mr. Philip Irabon, native of the Philip- pine Islands and a graduate of Wheaton College, spoke of the work the Lord has given him in the province of lloilo caring for orphans and conducting a Christian high school. Rev. Charles C. Colas was guest speak- er at the chapel service on November 9. Since he and 8077 of his congregation lost all their earthly possessions as well as their church in the recent Hood in Ar- mourdale, his message on Endure hard- ness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ was a real testimony to the sustaining grace of our Lord. Mrs. D. E. Wisner, who has been travel- ing on an extended conference tour through the 'South and East for the Na- tional Child Evangelism Fellowship, gave a plea in chapel on behalf of winning the children for Christ. She also stressed the Scriptural principle that the parents, es- pecially the fathers, should train their children in the Word of God and its trans- lation into practical living. The Thanksgiving chapel marked the first appearance of the College Choir. They sang three numbers, representing three types of gospel choral music. The Girls Trio and Miss Viola Rhoades, our singing dietician, also presented the gospel in songg and Dr. Walter Wilson, College president, brought a thanksgiving message. Halloween Outing It was pronounced a great success- the Halloween Party on October 26. Even a drizzling rain failed to dampen the spirits of the hay-riders. The tractor drawn wagons were furnished and driven by Bob Plank, freshman student, and his good neighbor, Mr. R. B. Lane, who live near Olathe, Kansas. The picnic supper was served in the local grange hall, and the entertainment was centered there also. Mr. Jack Wilson gave the devotional mes- sage which closed the evening. ALUMNI NEWS A note from Gladis C'48j and Bill C491 Gibson will give you a glimpse into the lives of two more busy K.C.B.C. miss- ionaries. Riobamba fEcuador, South Americaj is a city filled with priests. We are the only foreigners Cexcept two J ehovah's Wit- nessesj. But we do have a small group of believers and a native pastor. Since arriving Bill has been teaching the adult Sunday School class, and just recently I started teaching the beginners. They are so cute and so willing to help me with a Spanish word when I can't think of it. Bill leads most of the services but hasn't started preaching much. You see, in or- der to teach a class, to prepare that is, we first must write out the lesson word for word, have it corrected, then learn it. All this takes lots of tixne. Each Saturday Bill and our national pastor go to the many open markets where they preach, give out tracts, and sell Gospel portions- Bill's horn attracts the people. There as yet has not been much evidence of response. That is the spiritual side of the work. As for the physical side, at this center all the food and supplies are bought for our jungle missionaries and the Bible In- stitute. Bill buys the things and sends them by truck as far as possible, then they are carried on by plan-e. This, as you may realize and understand, means conside erable bookkeeping. My part of the work is to rim a missionary guest house which I find a real blessing in the fellowship of those who pass through our city for a night . . . 'Pray much, especially for those of us who are chained to the essential tasks, that we may escape the barrenness of a busy life. ' College Choir in Concert It is with ral joy that the Kansas City Bible College invites its friends to a Christmas concert in the chapel auditor- ium on December 14, at 8 o'clock. The Choir, which has been organized and trained by Mr. Edward S. Crum, director of music, will be featured along with other ensembles and soloists. Looking to Second Semester Perhaps the Lord has been leading some of our readers toward the Kansas City Bi- ble College for training. If so, write to Dean Wade K. Ramsey about the semester which begins January 28. A new Radio Program- THE K.C.B.C. VESPER HOUR Tune in to KPRS, Olathe, Kansas 1590 k.c.- Sundays at 1 P.M. Send it as a Christmas Gift- Tl1e Commentator Your neighbor, pastor, Sunday School teacher, relative, and friend will en- joy 12 months of its inspiration and helpful information Special holiday price through January- 50 cents per year per subscription e College. The program was inspira- Renew Your own today 'onal and practical throughout, and a arge group came to benefit by it. Dr. ank Mann, the state director, presided. P.O. Box 7035 Kansas City 2, Missouri PAGE FOUR THE COMMENTATOR I Am Alpha and Omega N'-I , ' BY DR. C. J. Roms U Author and Bible Teacher ' PART V The Greater than Solmon, Matthew 12: wif 'il Whatever may be the Sphere in which 42. As a king Solomon in his government, we contemplate our Lord in His many la- bors, His lovingkindness is never lacking, His vitality i.s never faint, His wisdom is never warped, and His faithfulness never falters. Therefore, the prospect of His perfecting His church according to His eternal purpose can never deviate. Our objective in the present study is to deal with twelve of our Lord's titles and offices beginning with the letter HG . The Glory of Goal, John 1:14. Glory is as difficult to define as light, because it constitutes the very essence of the divine character, and consists of all those incor- ruptible qualities that comprise the very nature of Godhead. Christ in Person is the expression of every feature of the holy nature of Deity. The glory of God is exhibited in the face of Jesus Christ CII Cor. 4:65. The Gift of God, John 3:16, 4:10p Rom. 6:23. Where else may we find more pro- found wisdom, or more prodigious wealth, than is expressed in the gift which God has given to mankind in the Person of Christ? What a legacy is this! For .... unto us a son is given Clsa. 9: 65, in whom the infinite fullness of love, light, and life abides. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ, the greatest gift of God, adds a new come- liness to love, a new character to labor, and a new charm to life, endowing and en- riching it with all spiritual blessings. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? CRom. 8:32J. Christ brings to us legacies that are immortal, incor- ruptible, and inseparable from His own personal character. The G-ood Master, Matthew 19:16, Luke 18: 18. Our Lord's answer to the rich young ruler who addressed Him in these words is very significant, for He said, Why call- est thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. The real implication of Christ's words is simply this, By your addressing me as good, do you really rec- ognize that I am God? Goodness is the very substance of God's character, and Christ is Emmanuel, the visible image of the invisible God. Because Christ is in- herently good, He is able to make good. He is the Sower of the good seed CMatt. 13:24Jg He is the good Shepherd CJohn 10:14Jg and it is He who makes the tree good fMatt. 12:33D. The Great High Priest, Hebrews 4:14. Christ as our High Priest is set down at the right hand of the throne of God in order to maintain us in acceptance before the holiness of the Father. This throne is not one of granite but of grace, not a throne of marble but of mercy, not a throne of stone but of sympathy. By vir- tue of our Lord's greatness He had the right to redeem, the strength to sanctify, and the ability to assure our acceptance for evermore CRom. 5:10J. In the might and merit of His priestly majesty Christ pos- sesses and dispenses all the resources of mercy, all the requirements of mediation, and all the requisites of compassionate kindness for our maintenance before God. He is the only one who made sorrow a scepter, and thorns a miter when offer- ing Himself without spot to God. ' garments, grace, and glory was unexcelled in Israel. Christ is greater than Solomon, however, in His government: for He is King in the material, physical, natural, ethical, moral, spiritual, judicial, and prov- idential realms, as demonstrated in the gospels during His manifestation. Like- wise, His administrative authority is also absolute in heaven and in earth CMatt. 28: 183. Christ is greater than Solomon also in His garments of official vocation. The proverbial robes of state of the earthly monarch have long since perished, but the indestructible garments of service, sacri- fice, and salvation as worn by Christ are immortal in their function and ineffable in their fragrance. Christ taugh.t that Sol- omon's robes were not as delicate and beautiful as the Hower petals wherewith He had strewn the entire landscap QMatt. 6:29D. The Greater than Jonah, Matthew 12:41. When our gracious Lord avowed Himself as being greater than Jonah, He uttered a tremendous claim. This prophet preached in the sphere of the Gentiles after exper- iencing what in figure represented death, burial, and resurrection. Our Lord Jesus Christ indicated beforehand that He would reach out to the whole Gentile world by means of His atoning death, burial, and resurrection. The Great Commission bears witness to the truth of His testimony CMatt. 28:18-205. Christ was certainly greater than Jonah in that He was never deflected from the pathway of devotion to duty by proffers of infiuence, pleasures of indul- gence, or privileges of independence. He never sold the truth to save the hour Nor bartered with the world in seeking power He let the sullen stream of rumor flow And pandered not to hearers high or low. The Greater than J acob, John 4:12. May- be had we been making comparisons of Old Testament characters with Christ we would not have included Jacob. However, Jacob makes one of the greatest contri- butions in this connection. The twelve sons of the patriarch expressed the twelve outstanding propensities of Jacob's char- acter. Christ called twelve of the sons of Jacob to be His disciples, and by His re- generating power He made them partakers of the divine nature and instructed each: Philip in godliness, James in holiness, John in lovingkindness, Peter in graciousness, Matthew in meekness, Thomas in truthful- ness, Nathanael in guilelessness, Simon in faithfulness, Jude in perfection, Andrew in goodness, Thaddeus in peaceableness, and Paul in righteousness. These twelve sons were entrusted to express Christ's own person, and their names are there- fore graven on the twelve foundation stones of the City of God. The Gazelle, Proverbs 30:31. The Auth- orized Version renders the Hebrew word greyhound which should be rendered ga- zelle, the animal fleetest of foot in the extensive deserts surrounding Palestine. This figurative representation of the Sav- iour is given here in conjunction with three others: the lion, goat, and king. CContinued on Page 7 J By Rev. Wade K. Ramsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College In this column Mr. Ramsey will be glad to answer questions sent in by our readers which concern Bible in- terpretation or application and are of general interest. -Editor QUESTION: Is the Christian always wiser than the unbelieoer? ANSWER: The Lord Jesus said, The children of this world are in their gen- eration wiser than the children of light CLuke 16:85. We all know how true this has proved in many cases. But note that it is in their generation that their wis- dom is said to surpass. It deals especially with the things that pertain to this life, and our Lord expects us to profit by this fact. It cannot, however, look beyond this generation: it is powerless to deal with future things, it is of the earth, earthy- es to the wisdom of this world which com nought, for the world by wisdom knows not God. On the other hand, the wisdom which the believer possesses comes from above, and it is of superior worth. It is the revealed wisdom received by the believer when he asks in faith, nothing waver- ingf' Personified, it is Christ Himself, the wisdom par excellence CI Cor, 1:30, 315. Consequently, it leads to God and deals especially with the things of the world to come. All believers do not have this wisdom to the same degree. They receive it as they ask, nothing wavering, and pos- sess it in proportion to their faith. Yet it is a distinguishing mark of all God's people. The Lord, in the parable of the ten virgins, divided them into wise and foolish: the wise are saved and the foolish are lost. In the Bible foolishness is always associated with unbelief, and wisdom with faith CPsa. 14:15 Prov. 14:9g I Cor. 15:34, 36: Dan. 12:35 Prov. 111305. Therefore, the humblest saint in the final reckoning will be accounted wiser than all the wise of the world. QUESTION: How may a person rejoice in trial? ANSWER: As strange as it may seem to many, we are required of God to rejoice in trial. The Lord Jesus said to His dis- ciples, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you fMatt. 5:11, 123. Also in the second verse of James I we read, Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Peter says, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory a-t the appearing of fCon1:inued on Page 73 THE COMIVLENTATOR PAGE FIVE Christmas Swapping By Mrs. D. E. Wisner Child Evangelism Instructor PREPARATION The use of scenic backgrounds with this story is optional since the figures may be placed against a neutral back. If scenery is available, we suggest using two boards, one showing an indoor and the other an outdoor Christmas scene. Probably most of the figures can be obtained from the brightly colored pictures in Christmas magazines, and the figure of Christ from Sunday School literature. The indoor setting includes a fireplace, . large armchair, and the following figures: John, a boy of about eight, with toy in ex- tended hand, a group of children, each holding an object to be tradedg books, a pet, a blue sweater, a cap, and gloves, a Christmas tree and wreath to be added to the indoor background, seated picture of ohn in pensive attitude to be placed in the armchair, and the picture of a puppy ' a circle to indicate John's thoughts. In the outdoor scene the figures are: ohn warmly dressed pulling a wagon h1ch contains an assortment of toys and 1 ackages hidden in the wagon under the oys bundles marked Suns Hell Death, Darkness Fear and Sadness White clothed I gure of Christ carrying large white pack abeled Grace brightly colored bundles arked My Rlghteousness Heaven Life, Light Peace and Joy For the last setting use standing figures f John and his mother and father and lso kneeling figures of the three All of ese should be colored if necessary back- d w1th outing Hannel and cut out PRESENTATION They called him Swapping John and o wonder' CSet up first scenej He tried o swap off everything he owned' He wapped his toys his books his pets- he ven swapped the nice blue sweater his other had bought him as well as his cap d his gloves CPlace figures of John and e group adding the book pet sweater, ap and gloves as mentionedj His par- nts tried to cure him they punished un they promised him nice things His eacher at school tried but Swapping John till loved swapping more than anytlung lse in the world' CRemove all iiguresj 'nh 11111111 llth-Si!! -nu-H-it 11111111 -1:1--r -.- :fs 5, WQJ to -ga By noon each Christmas Day he had wapped off most of his presents. fPlace eath in window and Christmas tree to ne sxdej Tonight on Christmas Eve, he as thinking what fun he would have to- orrow CI-'lace seated Figure of John in he armcha1r.J His last thought before omg to bed was of the cunning little pup- y Charles had. CAdd picture of puppy in r . ' Si , u 'Q' -- 5 L ' N K - .-LZ. circle above his head.D He wondered what Charles would take for it. Early on Christmas morning he loaded up his presents and started to see his friends. C'Set up the outdoor scene on the other board, and add John pulling the wagonj As he was going down the snowy lane to Charles' house, he saw a white-clad Stranger coming. John saw that He had the kindest face. W'hen He smiled, His brown eyes twinkled. I see you're doing your iCh.ristmas swapping early, John. John hated to be teased about his swapping, but there was something about the Stranger that kept him from talking back. John, why do you always get the worst of the bargain? Why, I don't. I never losef' Why don't you do some swapping with me?', asked the Stranger. What do you have? Oh, I have many good things, and then John saw that He had a huge white pack on His back. On it was written in large letters the word Grace. ' All right, I'll swap you, John replied. Wouldn't you like to get rid of that dirty looking bundle marked Sins? the Stranger asked. John was surprisedg he had never seen that bundle before. Per- haps you'd rather have this. The Stran- ger held up a beautiful package marked My Righteousness. CExchange bundles as indicatedj O yes, exclaimed John. What else do you have ? Well, I know you'll be glad to part with that one. He pointed to one marked Hell. O yes, do take it, cried John. 'Tll give you this instead, said the Stranger, handing him a shining gold pack- age marked Heaven. This is great, exclaimed John. But say, this is no swapping. You're getting nothing. You're just giving me these won- derful things. 'I'hat's right, said the Stranger. They are gifts, but if you want the good things in my pack, you must be willing to hand over what's in yours. You can't have both. Well, I see that my bundles are no good anyway. I'd rather have yours. Let's swap! And- so they swapped. A package mark- ed Death was exchanged for one called Life: Darkness for Light: Fear for Peace: Sadness for Joy. At last Swapping John's pack was overflowing, yet wonderfully light. He thanked the Stranger for all the beautiful packages and hurried home to tell his mother, but when he stepped up on the porch- he awoke! It had been only a dream. CReturn to the indoor scene! All Christmas Day he thought of his strange dream, and when evening came, he told his parents all about it. Mother studied about it for a moment. fShoW three characters standing near the fire- placej Why, I've never thought about it be- fore, but I guess being a Christian is a little like swapping- only the Lord Jesus already did His part of it many years ago. Now let's see: He came to our Earth that we might go to His Heaven. Surely, that's swapping, isn't it? Then He was born in- to the Human Family that we might be born into God's Family. C ,g,g,J.1j,,.,2, -he , Jr-. KH ' 2 it t N--..- as f if QQJ J il- -25.-L . -4- 11-, or--1 ' lgff x Father spoke, And remember, too, son, that He took Our Sins that we might have His Righteousness- He took our Death that He might give us Life. But what about that bundle marked Hell? He didn't really take our Hell like in the dream, did He, Father? I don't un- derstand how He could do that. Yes, I-le did, said Father softly. In a way we ca.nnot understand our precious Saviour took the full punishment for our sins as He hung there on the cross. Be- cause of what He did, there will never be Hell for a Christian, only Heaven forever- more. O, that's wonderful, exclaimed John. Then my dream was really true. He has already taken my bad things, but- He hasn't given me His things-yet. If I ask Him will He give me all those good things like in the dream? Yes, said Father. If you will ask Him to come into your heart, He will bring those good things with Him. He says, 'Be- hold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in CRev. 3:20J. Why don't you let Him come into your heart today John, and He will bring Life to you, and Righteousness and Heaven, and many other wonderful things. Why yes, I guess I will. Yes, I will this very minute, said John. Then he knelt and asked the Lord Jesus to come into his heart and save him. CReplace standing fig- 'ure of John with kneeling one.J His parents looked at each other with tear-filled eyes. How wonderfully God had brought salvation to their boy at Christmas time. You know, dear, said Mother, I think I need to do a little Christmas swapping myself. How do you mean? Well, you know how often we have spoken of the way we want it to be in our hearts- the Lord Jesus on the Throne and Self on the Cross. Somehow, lately, in the awful rush of this season, I think Self CCo'n.tinued on Page 71 T'he Child Evangelism story is being illustrated each month with the sketches of Eva Dubert, sopho- more student at the College. Her own interest in the salvation of the children is well expressed in her use of this talent for her Lord. PAGE SIX THE COMMENTATOR XJ P Aw was 5 'f 22 if ' . -... b:i:3bt.-25255, :-'cease ' nr-1. if. -.s,,,:3,:,5:fs.g,g V-ve...-:--1-v .. ,-sf . -we ,. Kev .- K., 53 , R, 4 1 6 148- , Y Q, f 2' ' I av Q 1 X,2gS f Jig X A 3 'Z fig 3 fishesg professional the church in orde Sunday School Lesson Notes ' By Dr. Walter L. Wilson President, Kansas City Bible College J A N U A R Y 6- Finding the Christ John 1:35-49. Gold- en Text: John 1:41. The Lord is al- ways interested to know why we fol- low Him and still asks the question, What seek ye? Some follow Jesus for the loaves and men sometimes join r to et business and 8 Q politicians to get votes. When the Sav- iour asked the question of the two disci- ples in our lesson, they answered, Where dwellest thou? They were interested in th-e place where Jesus lived rather than in His precious Person. Too often men's hearts are not occupied by the Person of Christ, but with the mechanics of living. 'I'he secretary in the office may be more occupied with her letters and filing than she is with the Lord of glory. The care- taker of the church property may busy himself in gathering up the hyrnnbooks and the Bibles but have little interest in the Saviour of sinners. The kindness of our Lord is seen in that He made no comment or criticism but in- vited them to come and see. What did they see when they came? There is no record of it whatever. As His Word is oc- cupied with His Person, so our attention is to be turned toward Him and not to- ward things. The effect of this visit was that Andrew became a missionary. It is nearly always soy those who keep company with Christ find that the spirit of soulwinning some- how grips the heart. No wonder Andrew sought out his brother Simon Peter. An experience with Christ gives a heart a hunger for others who have not yet known Him. Andrew did not say he had found the right church or the right religious society, his message was, We have found the Mes- sias. That is what counts. Jesus found another willing heart and spoke just two words, Follow me. These were satisfying words to Philip, who heard, believed, and followed. His visit with the Saviour had the same effect as Andrew's -he must go and tell what he had seen and heard to Nathanael. Andrew found his brother, but Philip found an outsider, and so it goes. JANUARY 13- The Call of the Fisher- men. Luke 5:1-11. Golden Text: Mark 1:17. What our Lord taught that day from the boat is not revealed in this passage. It was intended only for them, or else it would have been preserved for us. Un- doubtedly He gave them, as He always did, just the truths that they needed. Hav- ing finished His sermon, He at once sought out others who would carry His message to hungry hearts and continue to go with the Word of Life after H-e had returned to His Father. This passage verifies our own experience that the Lord has no single plan for call- ing all his servants. In the case of Simon, he had to learn that his own efforts did not avail in the business of winning souls for God. He had toiled as an expert fish- erman, in company with others who were experienced, nevertheless, he had failed. We don't serve God by our own wisdom, but by and through the Spirit of God. Zerubbabel had to learn that it is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts CZech. 4:63. The blessing Peter received in this case was greater than he had anticipated. In their last fishing experience the Lord tells how many fish there were and that they were large ones, but here we do not know whether they were large or small. We need not always be concerned with the size of the catch or the character of the folk. Sometimes the Lord saves little children and enables them to grow up into great servants of God. Sometimes He saves men of giant intellect and women of un- usual talent. The number and the kind is the business of the Lord of the har- vest, while we are only His servants to carry out His will. Does it seem strange that the effect of this great catch was to make Peter feel he was a sinner? It is still the same. Most servants of God have a feeling of great weakness and inferiority when they see God working, hearts melting, and lives being changed. The gentleness of Christ is revealed when He said to Peter, Fear notg from henceforth thou shalt catch men. Nat- urally, Peter might well feel afraid, for he had not been trained to be a preacher. His training was at the seaside with a group who knew little of culture, tact, or wisdom, except as it applied to fishing. At Jesus' words, however, he and those with him turned their backs on all, in order to follow Him only, in the great business of wirming men. JANUARY 20- Matthew Becomes a, Fol- lower. Matthew 9:95 Luke 5:27-39. Golden Text: Luke 5:31, 32, Most of those who tell about their con- version make a great deal of the occasion and relate in a dramatic way the wonder- ful things that took place when the soul and the Saviour met together. Matthew, however, tells the story of his conversion in one verse. He had listened to a ser- mon of two words, and without taking time to consider the results of his action or to ask for any assurance of future se- curity, his whole desire was only to heed the call made by the Master. 'I'hose two Words transformed his life. He did not hold onto his office and seek to ,follow Christ as well. He severed completely his old associates and connections and laid his life at the disposal of the sovereign Son of God. Levi, or Matthew, was so enthused over this new and wonderful relationship that he invited his friends to a f-east. This was no ordinary affair, for the Scripture calls it a great feasti' with a great company who came to hear Matthew's Lord. This was a genuine conversion by a man who was to be out and out for Christ. Matthew was chosen by the Holy Spirit to write the first book in the New Testa- ment, and his name has become honored throughout the world. He never could have known that this experience with the Lord Jesus would make him a winner of souls in over a thousand languages and dialects throughout the world. Not any of us know what God will do with us when we trust Him fully and give our- selves to Him without reservation. We may be sure of this that the Lord who bought us with His blood and the Holy Spirit who led us to Christ will not leave us stranded and bewildered, but will teach us the way of the Lord more perfectly and will fit us for places of responsibility ac- cording to His will. It is quite evident that our Lord con- sidered Matthew to be one who was ill and a sinner because He said that He call- ed that kind of person. Probably the associates of Matthew thought of him as a very fine citizen and a worthwhile neigh- bor. The Lord, however, sees through the outward appearance and reads the heart. How sweet it is to know that He calls us even though He knows what kind of folks we are. JANUARY 27- Nicodemus, a Hesitant Follower. John 3:1-10, 7:45-52. Gold- en Text: John 323. Nicodemus was a religious man, yet in all of his religious exercise he had missed the Lord Jesus. In his study of the Old Testament he had failed to see that those Scriptures testified of Christ. It is easy to be occupied with religious affairs and even to teach and preach many things in the Word of God without discerning the simple figure of Jesus Christ our Lord. Nicodemus also failed to find the need of the new birth. He possibly took the position of many in our day who feel that all men have a spark of God in their hearts and that this ember just needs to be kind- led afresh and made to glow. The Sav- iour certainly refuted this idea by His def- inite statement, Ye must be born again. It was not enough to say to Nicodemus, Except a man be born again, He must make it more personal so that this great religious leader would know that he him- self must be changed by the transforming power of the Spirit of God. This message from One who was almost unknown and who was not recognized as a teacher nor a leader by the rabbis was revolutionary in character. Nicodemus had never heard such a statement before, it confused and distressed him. He wanted to enter heav- en, yet here was an experience which Christ declared was essential, and he ha never heard of it. This definite statement from the Lord Jesus should cause everyone to stop an think. He did not make this statement to a drunkard, a thief, or an outlaw, but to a very good, upright, moral, religious man. Possibly, this man was better than mos of us who read this article. Certainly he was above reproach. He could not hav held such a responsible position unless he had the confidence of the people. With al of this, however, it was necessary for hi to be born again and rec-eive from heave th.at life which can enjoy heaven. There was real hatred in the hearts 0 the religious leaders to the Lord Jesus Even today many religious men refuse t permit the gospel in their Sunday 'School and church services. The people must no hear about the sorrows and suffering o the 'Saviour for their sins, nor of the s punishment awaiting the sinner. THE COMMENTATOR PAGE SEVEN I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA fContinued. from Page 47 The lion is used as a symbol of strength, the gazelle suggests speed, the he-goat signihes sure-footedness, and the king stands for supreme sovereignty. Each one is beautifully descriptive of the func- tions Christ Blls when carrying through the work of redemption. Our attention is attracted in the fourfold portraiture to the mastery of His prevailing as the lion, the ministry of His purpose as the gazelle, the mystery of His passion as the he-goat, and the majesty of His power as the king against whom there is no revolt. The Guide even unto death, Psalm 48: 14. T'he importance of having a trustworthy guide is inestimable. He made His own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock QPsa. 78:52, 533. The location of the forty-two encampments where the nation rested, the training and testing, were all associated with His guiding hand. All the bounties and benefits we enjoy during the pilgrim- age of life are bestowed by our beloved Guide. The Governor among the nations, Psalm 22: 28. Man's need in his interrelationships is government, but where are we to turn for a qualified governor capable of legis- lating and administering for all the nations of the earth? The greatest need of the world is for centralization of authority un- der one scepter, with one absolute gover- nor permanently administering. A Caesar may enact law and justice, insure peace and progress, and estabilsh security, but Caesar cannot represent God, reveal truth, redeem man, regenerate lives, and remove death. Christ can and is the only one qual- ified to be world Governor among the nations. The Gatherer of lambs, Isaiah 40:11g John 11:52. The effects of sin the world over have been to divide and disperse mankind, but Christ came as the great Gatherer to unify the people of God. He cannot be frustrated in His purpose, for in the new ord-er of the fullness of times He will gather together in one all things in Christ QEph. 1:9-103. The Apostle Paul indicates the final gathering of the re- deemed in II Thessalonians 2:1. Christ is the only one who can gather His people into harmony, amity, and unityg and there is no one else that can overcome the di- versities, disruption, and disparities of the entire world. The Glorious Lord, Exodus 15:11. The description of the wondrous deliverance from the dominion of Pharaoh which is incorporated in this song of Moses, records the victorious tribute of praise in one su- perlative statement, Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in prais- es, doing wonders'? The magnificence of he might that wrought the exodus makes ajestic music that never dies away. Be- side the crystal sea of commemoration a great host that no man can number will ing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb CRev. 15:31. o wonder the question is twice asked in he passage, VVho is like unto thee ? One of the main differences between a ew and a Christian is, that wherein the ew mistakenly says, Jesus was a man ho wanted to become God, the Christian ightly declares, Jesus was God who anted to become a man. -Bible Tid-Bits CHRIST AND GOVERNIVIENT fContinaed from Page lj of the bad. Inferior persons who are su- perior by brute strength are now kept at bay by a government which preserves from extermination those of intellectual and moral caliber. If civilization is to be saved at all, it is necessary that a nobler type of citizenry be preserved- and this entails a nobler variety of government. We wonder if fundamentalism has done the right thing in shunning participation in government. Does the Christian ethic mean withdrawal from the world in a twentieth century variety of monasticism? If morality is not available to society's machinery from Christian circles, from where will it come? To disparage government and call for freedom from control involves a dreadful end. Probably we little realize how cor- rupt government could be and how unsafe society could be apart from the seen and unseen power of the presence of Christ. At this season of the year when Christ seems a little more real, let us take stock of how much His power is made knovsm through us in our society. After all if our gospel cannot promote good and restrain evil, of what value is it? CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS CContin'aecZ from Page lj He never wrote a book, yet not all the libraries of the country could hold the books that could be written about Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has fur- nished the theme of more songs than all song writers combined. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together can- not boast of as many students as He has. He never marshaled an army, drafted a soldier, or used a weapon, yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have un- der His orders made rebels stack arms or surrender without the tiring of a gtm. Great men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod could not kill I-Iirn, Satan could not seduce Him, death could not destroy Him, the grave could not hold Him. He laid aside a purple robe for a peasant's gown. He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor. How poor? Ask the wise men! His cradle was a manger. He cruised the lake in another's boat, He rode on another's colt. He was buried in ?nother's tomb. All failed, yet He never ails. The ever perfect One- He is Chief a- mong ten thousand. He is altogether lovely. -Selected QUESTION BOX fContinfaed from Page 41 Jesus Christ: whom having not seen ye loveg in whom, though now ye see him -not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspezfkable and full of glory CI Pet. 1:7, 8 . But the question is: How can it be done? It will be Well for us to remember that this requirement is for the Christian alone. It is utterly beyond all who are out of touch with God, but the believer has power from on high. Our Lord declared that all things are possible to him that believeth fMark 9:23J. He said to Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul replied, Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my inflrmities, that the power 'of Christ may rest upon me CII Cor. 12:95. Again Paul declared, I can do all things thzrough Christ which strengtheneth me. All true Christians will immediately recognize these things to be true, but some may still be perplexed as to just how God brings it about. One may appear joyful in pain, but actually to be joyful is something else again. Joy is a state of the mind and heart, and so is sorrow. How can they both occupy the mind and heart at the same time? To explain this fully is impossible, but some helpful hints are given in the Word of God. There are several ways God produces joy in the midst of sorrow. Peter and the other disciples rejoiced in persecution because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ. The thought of the Lord brought joy in spite of persecution. The writer to the Hebrews says that chastening is the sign of both sonship and God's love CHeb. 12:5-SJ. Paul was made to rejoice because the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us CRom. 8:18J. He calls all his sufferings light affliction, which is but for a moment, because they work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory QII Cor. 4:17J. Jesus' rea- son for telling the disciples to rejoice and be exceeding glad was that great is your reward in heaven. The method God uses is to count the suffering so eminently worthwhile because of the reward, that we gladly suffer it. By comparison with eternal rewards which they make possible, the trials and testings seem mean and insignificant. Men of the world often endure privations, hardships, and inconveniences gladly and happily if only they are assured sufficient reward. How much more will the believer be able to endure for the eternal rewards. CHRISTMAS SWAPPING CContin'aed from Page 53 ' has crawled back on the Throne. I need 'to swap places. Same here, said Father. I guess things are a little mixed up for me, too. Let's both put Him in His rightful place- ,the throne of our hearts. Together they knelt by the big chair in front of the fireplace, asking the Lord Jesus to rule over the hearts and lives of the three of them forever. CReplace standing with kneeling figures.J And so it was that Swapping John and his parents did their Christmas swapping! APPLICATION P-erhaps you will want to do some Christmas swapping, too. If you have never let Him take your load of sins and give to you His righteousness, His peace, unending joy, everlasting life, and a home in heaven, will you not do it just now? This story. was written by Miss Mildred Holler. who IS workmg under the International Child Evangelism Fellowship in Auckland, New Zealand, and is used by her permission. Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King, Let every heart prepare Him romn, And heaven and nature sing! PAGE EIGHT THE COMMENTATOR THE LOVE OF MONEY Money is a good servant, but a danger- ous master. -Bonhours. - The uses to which money is put deter- mine its value. In the hands of a benevo- lent man it becomes a great blessing, but when it is hoarded it has a withering effect upon the hoarder and does no one any good. Colton says that gold is an idol wor- shiped in all climates, without a single temple, and by all classes without a single ACCORDION God depends upon our dependence upon hypocrite. The motto of: The The The The The The The The vain man is: Win gold and wear it. generous man: Win gold and share it. miser: Win gold and hoard it. haughty man: Win gold and lord it. profligatez Win gold and spend it. broker: Win gold and lend it. gambler: Win gold and lose it. wise man: Win gold and use it. Money has enriched its thousands and damned its tens of thousands. If you make it your servant, it will do you good, its mastery will ruin you. The love of money is the root of all evil CI Timothy 61105. -The Fellowship News Prayer for Christmas The Lord grant you- the Prosperity of Psalm 1:3g 4 the Prayer of Hebrews 4: 16: the Praise of Isaiah 61:35 the Peace of Philippians 4:73 the Purpose of Colossians 3:1- while you Walk in the light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day when faith shall be sight and you behold the. Presence of the altogether lovely One for whom the chimes ring out at this glad Christmastide. -Betty Barbour LaSalle Engineering Corporation LaSalle Bldg., 8 East Ninth Street Kansas City, Missouri For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 Midwest Plumbing and Heating Co. 6243 Prospect Ja-5757 Kansas City, Mo. CHRISTMAS WORSHIPERS When He fGodj bringeth in the firstbe gotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. Hebrews When Elishas servant Gehazi became frightened because the Syrian armies were approaching their city of Samaria, the prophet prayed saying: Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of Ere round about Elisha QII Kings 61171 . Similarly, we believe, that if the eyes of those who surrounded the newly born holy Infant were opened by the Lord to see the supernatural there would have appeared before them a sight, the like of which the world never saw. They would have seen angels and archangels, cheru bim and seraphirn, Gabriel and Michael and all the hosts of heaven, including per- haps the seven spirits of God, the four beasts, the four and twenty elders the spirits of just men made perfect, and all ministering spirits, leaving heaven, descending to earth. hovering over Bethle hem, and finally forming a close array of holy spectators, at the signal of God fall -ing prostrate and crowning the Child Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords Oh that with yonder sacred throng We at His feet may fall Well goin the everlasting song And crown Him Lord of all Moses H Gitlm Him New opportunity to gave them o lg gospel witness by trained personal workers Your ' I 'lg part In tlns plan will be unknown TI1e lord I5 greully blessing tlns program SEND 254: FUR A SAMPIE OUTIINE THE BIG' BROTHER TIIACT BAND'BOX 888'AKRON9 OHIO You Can Win Souls for Christ with Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining It will be a revelation to you. Also tree booklet describing revolutionary lifetime MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear out' quiet as a clock needs no oiling' has no belts' needs no servicing' trouble-proof C O BAPTISTA FILMS Sunnyside Avenue Wheaton Ill BIBLE READING CALENDAR It delights our hearts to hear from time to time of those who read the Bible through each year following our print calendar For this reason we will con tinue to print it for each month of 1952 for there is no substitute for the readm of the Word under the ministry of th Spirit of God JANUARY DATE PRIVATE FAMILY Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Genesis Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Exodus Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Mark Mark Mark FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES Avarlablo to B bla Students Christian Worker! and Missionaries at SPECIAL DISCOUNTS Wnlo Today for FREE lrlaraturo CHICAGO ACCORDION CENTER Inc Dept CT 754N Damen Av Chicago 22 Ill MONUMENTS Memorial Art Company Salina and Hutchinson Kansas Finest display of Modern Memorials in the Midwest The Sunday School Lesson Helps You Need For Every Department of Your Sunday School! Christian Life Seri following the Internatlonal Uniform Lesson Topics officials upon request Write for yours today' UNION GOSPEL PRESS 12.0, BOX 6059 Cleveland 1, Ohio , - I 1: 6. , - Y , ' 7 7 . . . at as , 5 7 7 1 ' 1, 2 . 2 3, 4 - 3 ' 5, 6 4 7. 8 f 5 ' 9 - 11 ' 6 12. 13 R 7 14. 15 ' 8 16. 17 . : 9 18. 19 ' 10 20. 21 1 ,, 11 22. 23 1 12 24. 25 i 12 J 13 26, 27 1 14 28. 29 1 15 30. 31 1 H as 16 32. 33 1 Y 17 34 - 36 1 18 37. 38 1 19 39. 40 1 20 41. 42 2 ' ' 21 43. 44 2 22 45. 46 2 - 23 ' 47. 48 2 24 49. 50 2 25 1. 2 A - 26 - 3. 4 2 ' 27 5. 6 2 ' , 28 7. 8 2 g as 9. 10 y . . . 30 11, 12 31 13. 14 l , I I . . 1 I 7 7 ' G . 4 . ,, .es Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School I Published by The Kansas City Bible College JANUARY, 1952 A Missionary Ministry For the Last Days BY BRUCE C. Donn Pray ye therefore the Lord of the har- vest, that he will send forth labourers in- to his harvest. Matthew 9:38. These were the words used of the Lord to change a local tract ministry into a world-wide missionary organization with special opportunities for service during this, the end of the age of grace. One day the Holy Spirit brought the writer to the conviction that the Lord wanted him to be a harvester' of souls rather than a sower of the Word. He felt that the mass dis- tribution of tracts, in which he had been engaged for twelve years, was more of a sowing than a reaping process, and accord- ingly he sought the Lord's leading in using tracts basically to harvest souls for Christ. The change from sowing to reaping lies in the fact that the distribution of tracts is now organized on a follow-up basis. It is not expected that a tract will do the entire work of leading a soul to Christ, but that it will simply catch the attention of the receiver and serve as an introduction and preparation to a personal visit and witness. The tract distribution is carried on as a mailing program. Personalized letters are written once each month to a very large mailing list. The Big Brother Tract Band members do not choose these names them- selves. They invite earnest Christians to supply the names of unsaved loved ones and friends. These persons whose names are supplied receive each month a per- sonal letter, a gospel tract, and a com- panion blotter. The letter mentions the business in which the individual is em- ployed and makes an appropriate comment related to the Word of God. The tract deals with some subject of everyday life and its application to the Word of God. The blotter with its art work and Scrip- ture quotation serves as a reminder of the message of the letter and tract, should they be discarded. For example, the following letter was sent to a grocer: As a grocer you are doubtless interested in the appetites of your customers. It is a won- derful grace from God that they become hun- gry three times each day and are reminded of their need to patronize your store. It is too bad that people do not grow him- gry three times a day for the Bread of Life. It is a shame that there are people who have never been spiritually hungry in all their lives. ecause of this fact we publish a monthly blotter and tract dealing with the things of ur everyday life and their relation to the THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The training of young lives in the use of the Word of God, is a priceless privilege. The church often suffers loss from the actions and the ministries of those who do not know their Bible or who do not use the Scriptures wisely. Our College is a great training center where students receive much prac- tical experience in using that which they learn in the classroom. The ' graduates of this college are occu- pying important positions through- out the world and are yielding splendid dividends to those who help to train them. We invite your prayerful consideration of the needs of this fine student body. Word of God. We mail them to English-spealb ing people around the world. You have been added to our mailing list, and the enclosed pamphlet entitled Who and Why explains the reason. We hope that the tract and blotter accomp- anying this letter prove helpful to you, and that you will be looking forward to our mailing each month. Because of Calvary, The Big Brother Tract Band With this letter went a tract and blotter combination entitled Hungry Months with Matthew 5: 6, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled , and Psalm 23:1, The Lord is my shepherdg I shall not want, as the message. After six monthly mailings the director or one of the missionaries makes a per- sonal call upon the prospect to determine his interest. Those known not to be in- terested are dropped. Others remain on the list and are visited twice a year until they confess Christ as Saviour and Lord, or definitely reject the witness. These calls are made anywhere in the United States or Canada. The one who supplies the name for the mailing list is called a sponsor. His name is never reveal-ed, either by mail or dur- ing the calls, until the person accepts the Lord. The sponsor receives copies of all correspondence and pays the cost of mail- ing, which is S5 per year per name. Vlfhile the charge to the sponsor does not begin to meet the expense of the ministry, it means that those who submit names sup- ply only the names of those for whom they 1Continued on Page 75 1952 BY DR. WALTER L. WILSON President, Kansas City Bible College What shall be my goal for 1952? Paul stated his ambition in Philippians 3:7-14, and we shall do well to examine it care- fully. The apostle, looking forward in his life, was conscious of great honor to be obtained and great rewards to be earned from his blessed Lord. With the goal in mind he said, This one thing I do. He was not concerned with the ambition of another but confessed to the world what his own purpose and plan of life was. Such an open confession is profitable, because folks will then not bother you about going into sinful practices, or worldly pleasures, or activities that would waste your time or your ministry. All this was not a dream that Paul was havingg it was a great reality in his life. He did not say, This one thing I hope to do g rather, he said, This one thing I do. He purposed in his heart that when eter- nity came that he would have a place with his Lord, with a crown on his brow, a happy heart in his bosom, and a memory that didn't hurt his soul. First, the apostle purposed to forget the things that were behind. He was not go- ing to run the race in the new year with the weights and the griefs of the old year hanging around his neck. He determined to forget the sorrows, the troubles, the wounds, those experiences in the jail, the way the mob beat him, the way that his message and ministry were rejected by his own brethren. Next, Paul would reach forth to those things which were before. He saw that there were heights and breadths and lengths and depths of the love of God and the grace of Christ and the things of heav- en that he had never yet tasted, and his purpose and desire was that he would ob- tain all that he possibly could of the things of God on earth. He stretched out his arms as far as he could to get as much as possible of this treasure, for he wanted in his life the richest blessing that he could possibly obtain from his blessed Lord's storehouse. Not only did he look forward, but he said. I press toward the mark. The things of God are worth pressing forward for, and the children of God should this day have the same purpose of heart- to press toward the mark for the prize. This prize -great, rich, and valuable- is given by fCo'n.ti'nfued on Page 21 PAGE TWO THE COMMENTATOR The Fruit of The fruit of the Spir- it and the gifts of the Spirit are not identical. There is much confu- sion at this point with the result that there is much failure in liv- ing. The Christians in the church at Corinth had the gifts of the Spirit, but the fruit of the Spirit was sadly missing. Paul wrote to them, Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. CI Cor. 1:6-77. Later on in his first epis- tle he enumerates the nine gifts of the Spirit: Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differ- ences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of opera- tions, but it is the same God which work- eth all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spiritg to an- other faith by the same Spirit, to another the gifts of healing by the same Spiritg to another the working of miraclesg to an- other prophecyg to another discerning of spiritsg to another divers kinds of tonguesg to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsarne Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will CI Cor. 12:4-113. The manifestation of the Spirit is not al- ways the same. There is a manifold va- riety of operations and manifestations of the one Spirit. These often are according to temperament, according to capability, and according to function. The Holy Spir- it is the One who determines where and how the child of God should serve. He it is who designates the believer's service, for He divides to every man as He will. The Corinthians had been richly blessed with many gifts, which Paul acknowledg- ed, but the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit was woefully lacking. Paul had to rebuke them severely for their carnality. He wrote against the divisions and schisrns in the church. Some were claiming to be fol- lowers of Paul, others of Apollos, some of Cephas, and still others of Christ. It was not friendly rivalry betwen them, but bit- terness and backbiting, censoriousness and ugliness. At such times they were seek- ing after worldly wisdom and not after the wisdom which is in Christ. There was the condoning of sin in their midst and going to law against one another, and that before heathen judges. Grave disorder al- so prevailed at the Lord's table for which some had received severe rebuke by God in the form of sickness and even physical death. The nine-fold fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control CGal. 5: 221, was not manifested in their lives although the nine gifts of the Spirit were present. It is, therefore, very possible for Chris- tians to have the gifts of the Spirit while the Spirit and The Gifts of the Spirit By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College lacking the fruit of the Spirit. Have we not seen Christians of many gifts and tal- ents with whom it is very hard to get a- long? They have ability for God, and yet, they are sharp and bitter, censorious and ugly. In their everyday living there is very little of Christ-like love, gentleness, longsuffering, patience, rneekness, and self-control. In fact, as one searches his own heart, he is too often conscious of the lack of the fruit of the Spirit. Dr. Samuel Chadwick in his very help- to Pentecost, has a on this very subject. rather extensively: not identical. Fruit gifts are enduements ful book, The Way most helpful chapter Let me quote him Fruit and gifts are belongs to character, of power. Gifts are an evidence of the Spirit: but they are no proof of holiness. Gifts are according to the elections of the sovereign will of the Spirit of Godg fruit is the manifestation of cultivated life. Gifts are for service, fruit is for character. Gifts are functional, fruit is a quality of life. Gifts are bestowed, fruit is a manifesta- tion. Gifts may be immediate and com- plete, fruit is implanted and of gradual development. Both are of the Spirit and are intimately connected with one another, but thev are inseparable, much less iden- ital. The gifts of the Spirit are given to people who are elect according to the sovereign will of God, who by His Spirit divides to every man severally as He will. Love, in which is included all the fruit, is not in the list of spiritual gifts. Fruit is for all, gifts are for those for whom they have been prepared. All may not proph- esy, but all must love. We may covet gifts, but we must bear fruit. Gifts can- not take the place of fruit. Spiritual gifts are no proof of spiritual- ity. Gifts are not substitutes for grace, and ignorance and carnality have made them a menace to holiness of heart and in- tegrity of character. Do we not often seek for the manifes- tations of the gifts of the Spirit and are not concerned about the cultivation of the fruit of the Spirit? Yet it is the fruit of the Spirit which glorilies God. In John fifteen the Lord Jesus Christ is talking to His disciples about the necessity of bear- ing much fruit. He tells them that He is the vine and they are the branches and that if a branch bears some fruit the Fath- er prunes it that it may bring forth more fruit. When the branch brings forth much fruit then is the Father glorified. The fruit referred to here is the fruit of the Spirit. Later on in the chapter He tells them that they have been chosen and or- dained to go forth and bear much fruit which will remain. This refers to souls saved and saints edified. It stands to reason that the gifts of the Spirit manifested in a life where the fruit of the Spirit is missing will bring no glory to God and will with difficulty woo an unbeliever into the fold. But a Christ-like character filled with love, joy, peace, long- suffering. gentleness, goodness, faith, meek- ness, and temperance will witnessvto the reality of the presence of Christ in the life and will be a tremendous influence in bringing others to Christ. What is the condition in our lives? Be- cause some gifts of the Spirit manifest themselves, do we rest content feeling that we are on good terms with God? How about the fruit of the Spirit? Is there love, joy, and peace with relation to God: longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness with relation to our fellowmeng faith, meekness, and self-control with relation to ourselves? At the beginning of this new year let us bow low before God and ask Him to empty us completely of self, fill us with His Holy Spirit and produce a Christ-like character within us. Herein is my Fath- er glorified, that ye bear much fruity so shall ye be my disciples. The proof of real discipleship is fruit bearing. May the Lord make us healthy branches this year. 1952 CCo'n.timLed from Page 15 the pierced hand of the Son of God, the prize pf the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' There are three other desires that Paul mentions here: That I may win Christ, and be found in him, and that I may know him. Our first thought is that sure- ly this man already belonged to the Lord Jesus, and how could he then win Him? He might have gone in for winning money, for he was an astute man with a gifted mind. He might have gone in for a life of letters, for he was an able man with his pen. He was, however, not striving to gain. fortune, but to win Jesus Christ. He de- sired that all those whom he met should find him wrapped up in the Saviour, liv- ing with his identity hidden in Christ. And did not Paul already know Christ? He was not interested in knowing politics, or world problems, or questions of agricul- tureq but he was determined to go on to know Christ. The Lord grant that this may be the purpose, the ambition, the desire of every one of God's children. May the God, of all grace fill you with all joy and peace through believing. It will give you much of joy and little of sorrow, much of His blessed presence and little of darkness in the coming year of 1952. THE COMMENTATOR JANUARY, 1952 Volume 14, Number 1 Dr. Walter L. Wilson, Editor Grace T. Belton. Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward. Circulation Manager Price, single subscription, 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign, 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions. 50 cents each:- Canada and foreign 60 cents. Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.O. Box 7035, Country Club Station Kansas City 2. Mo. School location: 75th lk State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26. 1942 at the Post Office at Kansas City. Mo. und the Act of March 3, 1879. THE COMMZENTATOR PAGE THREE CHRISTIAN SERVICE REPORT BY Rav. W. JACK WILSON Director of Christian Service There has been a- mong fundamental Christians for some time a mild contro- versy over whether we prefer our mu- sicians and other Christian workers to be talented or con- secrated, assuming, in many cases, that we cannot expect them to be both. Too often a poorly prepared mes- sage or an unrehearsed musical number is expected to be excused by the fact that the performer really loves the Lord. It should be made very clear that we aren't interested in hearing anyone sing about our Lord who has never met Himg that is nothing but hypocrisy. And God's Word makes very plain the attitude of the Lord toward those who do anything for any other purpose than for His glory. I am sure that David, the sweet singer of Israel, never needed such excusing. True, he was singing from the depths of a grate- ful and trusting heart, but it was good, and it thrilled and impressed all who heard it. The Christian Service Department is upholding the definite policy of the Col- lege concerning our students who partic- ipate in any public service, either as mu- sicians or as speakers. Every student whether performing for a mission service attended bythe derelicts of skid-row, or for the morning service of the First Church of a large city, must have his musical proficiency checked and approved by our music faculty. Every preacher or other speaker from our College is expected to know how to use his Bible as well as a doctor knows how to use the contents of his little black bag. We are dealing with souls, and we cannot afford to be crude or uncertain. Although each must learn by doing, it is possible for even a freshman student who has only one sermon, to de- liver it forcefully, intelligently, in the power of the Holy Spirit to reach menis hearts for Christ. The pulpit is no place for apologies, and we trust that our stu- dents never need offer apologies for their spirituality, consecration, or the quality of their performance for the glory of God. Kathleen Jane arrived on December 16 to gladden the hearts of her parents, Rev. and Mrs. W. Jack-Wilson, and her sister, Sharon Sue. IN CHAPEL During the Youth for Christ confer- ence held at nearby Gray Rock for high school Bible club workers, the College as privileged to have two of the lead- ers as chapel speakers. Mr. Lacey Hall resented the peculiar need of his state f Florida, where pleasure seeking is too ften over-emphasized and where the oung Christians too often find indiffer- nce and even open rebellion to their test- ony. Mr. Herbert Tyler, who recently eturned from an evangelistic tour of Eu- ope pictured the pathetic need for the ospel all over that continent. Both of hese men presented a vital challenge to ose seeking the Lord's place for them in he harvest field. ALUMNI 'NEWS John and Pauline Prnden C505 be- came the proud parents of a baby girl, Grace Marie, on December 6. The Pru- dens with their son, John Daniel, are in Winona Lake, Indiana, this winter where John is attending Grace Theological Sem- mary. Lois Bowen C495 has received accept- ance for service in Italy under the H.O.P.E. Mission. Lois will be in the Kansas City area during January and February in dep- utation work. Alice Woodward, night school '45, has been appointed chairman for 1952 of the Kansas City Chapter of the Christian Bus- iness and Professional Women's Council of America. The appointment was made by the national chairman- of that organiza- tion and founder of Youth Home Missions, Mrs. Helen Duff Baugh. Leora Chard Moberly, former student, with her husband and two daughters vis- ited on the campus for a few hours re- cently. They expect to leave soon for the Philippines where they will serve our Lord under the Berean Mission. They will trav- el with John and Ruth Hausmann, former Ettifilents, who will also be serving in that e . Q l The above photo shows Bill Baum C505 with a group of orphans in a missionary's home in Nenana, Alaska. Since gradua- tion Bill has been Working in Washington, Oregon, Canada, and Alaska, speaking at Youth for Christ rallies, church banquets, Christian Business Men's Committees, ra- dio broadcasts, Bible conferences, and high school assemblies. He expects to go to Japan in the spring under the Far Eastern Gospel Crusade. CEditor's note-- Bill paid the College an unexpected visit after the above article went to press and told us that he has been accepted by the Crusade for missionary work in Japan. He is already engaged in language study and expects to sail about August, 1952.5 THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY BY HORACE BRELSFORD U Senior K.C.B.C. Student Paul, in writing his first epistle to the Thessalonians, concerned himself with presenting the truth about the rapture of the saints. Then, because of wrong con- ception in 'the minds of the Thessalonians concerning the time of the day of the Lord, he wrote the second epistle. The Brst was to show Christ coming for His ovsm, the second to show Christ coming with His own to accomplish the end of Satan. Before the first coming there is to be a great apostasy, then the church is to be removed and the man of sin revealed. This man of sin is Satan's man, the anti- christ, whose distinguishing feature is sin, whose crime is treason, and whose aim is to set himself up as God to be worshiped as God. It is outward rebellion against God, or lawlessness at its height. But Paul goes on to say that this program of Satan is already working. For the mys- tery of lawlessness doth already work CII Thess. 2:7 R.V.5. John, in his first epistle, says, Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many anti- christsg whereby we know that it is the last time CI John 21185. The mystery of iniquity, then, is the program of Satan that stands in opposi- tion to Christ and His program. -It is man- ifested in the hearts of men by the spirit of rebellion to Christ, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Cpeople who do not accept the Lord Jesus are spoken of as disobedient5. Jesus Him- self said that many would come in His name, saying, I am Christ, and would deceive many CMatt. 24:55. 'I'his program of Satan can be traced back to his rebel- lion and fall in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, and to the entrance of sin into the human race in Genesis 3, where we see man Brst rebelling against the commandment of God CRom. 5:125. It may be seen in the many times that Satan tried and succeeded in leading Israel away from God, his attempts to stop the Saviour from coming i.nto the world, and finally to the time of Christ, when he inspired the world to crucify the Lord Jesus. At the cross Satan was de- feated and his doom was sealed, but, since he is still allowed to promote his program of rebellion against God, the mystery of lawlessness now is working. There are three main spheres of operation: 1. It is working in the field of govern- ment. In Ephesians 6:12 Paul speaks of the rulers of the darkness of this world. Today, in government circles lawlessness is very prevalent. The government of Russia is, of course, opposed to Christ and His church. Our own government has re- cently removed the Bible from our public high schools. The newspapers every day tell of the lawlessness of government of- ficials. Satan is molding the thinking of the people toward a universal govern- ment of which he plans to be the head. The United Nations is a tendency in that direction. 2. Then, it is working in the social realm. Paul says in II Tim. 3:1-5, This know al- so, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, un- thankful, unholy, without natural affec- CConti'n.ued on Page 75 PAGE FOUR THE COMIVIENTATOR MY TALK WITH JESUS 1 ' BY rzzszsf u ESTID I am an old man now, wrinkled and bent, and with not too many years left ere I depart from this world to be with my Lord. My life has been full and rich, and I have no complaints with my lot here. Wealth, position, and honor were mine in my younger days, yet life began to take on a newer, richer, and fuller meaning only after the first fiush of my youth was over and I was entering into middle age. At that time I met One who had a great iniiuence over me and who changed the whole course of my life by giving it a new meaning. Although my mind sometimes fails me when I try to recall events of the past, this meeting is as clear and refresh- ing to me as if it happened just yester- day. His face is as sharp in my memory as if He were standing before me. Let me tell you about it. At the time of this event I was a ruler of the Jews and a member of the Sanhed- rin. I was a man of eminence, a leader in the ecclesiastical, political, and intellec- tual world. When I passed through the streets, everyone knew and honored me. One would think that there was absolutely nothing in the world needed to make my life perfect. No doubt there were many who were envious of me and wished that they could be in my sandals for just one day. My home was lovely, my family was all devoted to me, my clothes were the best that could be purchased anywhere. Yet, although everything seemed perfect on the surface, there was a hidden ache in my chest that seemed almost to smother me at times. What was the matter? I did not know. Nothing satisfied me. I search- ed everywhere for relief. I delved into the Scriptures, yet even the services of the Temple with all the rites and cere- monies were a mockery to me. Where could I find relief? Rumors began to come to me of One who was performing marvelous cures and miracles. We questioned one man who claimed that this Jesus had cured him of his blindness, and nothing could shake his testimony. We knew that Jesus had turn- ed water into wine while attending a wed- ding feast in Cana. The common people were turning to Him, and the talk was that this was the Messiah long promised to our people. Truly, if there was ever a time when the Messiah was needed it was now, but how could this man who was born of such lowly parents be the long looked-for King who was to lead our people to victory over all of their foes? Surely His works were those of one who had been sent of God. His name was on all tongues, and even in the chambers of the Temple we discussed Him. There was a force within me compelling me to go to Him. Perhaps He could answer my questions and give me the peace for which I longed so desper- ately. Finally the urge became so strong that I sought Him out, even though it was at night. Just seeing Him did me some good. There was about Him a certain quiet in- ner strength. I started the conversation by saying, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God. To my utter amazement He replied, Ex- cept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Here I had every- thing that a man could want and He told me that I had to begin all over again To say that I was stunned and completely be- wildered is putting it mildly. I could not help asking Him, How can a man be born again when he is old? Everyone knows that a man cannot go back over the process of life from the day of conception in his mother's womb and repeat the whole mysterious development. That which is born of the flesh is Heshg and that which is born of the Spirit is spi.rit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The Wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it com- eth, and whither it goethg so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Was He tell- ing me that I must be born from above? A glimmer of the truth was coming to me so that I asked Him, How can these things be? He told me that as a teacher of Israel these things should not be difficult for me. He said that if I had found difficulty in understanding this life as it had been manifested in purely human spheres of action, it was no wonder that I was slow in apprehending its meaning in the inner- most life of the soul. The truth which He desired me- and even the whole world- to know was that as Moses lifted high in the wilderness the brass serpent which brought life to all who looked upon it, even so when He was lifted high above all else, everyone who trusted in Him should have eternal life. . As a student of the Scriptures, I knew the full story of how our fathers had mur- mured against God while traveling in the wilderness and the Lord had sent fiery serpents among the people, causing many to die. When the people confessed that they had sinned against God and asked Moses to pray for the serpents to be taken away, the Lord told him to make a fiery serpent of brass and to erect it on a pole so that everyone who was bitten could look upon it and live. I knew that story well, and began to understand that in some manner this One sent from God must be the Christ who would have to be lifted up. I went away from Him satisfied that I had found the answer to my hunger, and I became a disciple of His. I did not un- derstand all of the mystery concerning Him, but I knew that I-Ie was the Christ. When they brought Him before the San- hedrin, I was able to stand up and plead with the members that they should be fair and just to this One whom they were hounding to death. I had not given much of a testimony before this, but I was just trying to do what I could to alleviate the suffering He was undergoing and to let Him know that I was on His side. It did not do much good, but I felt a lot better for having spoken up in His behalf. I saw what they did to Him during that black night, and was there when they crucified Him. There He was, suspended between heav- en and earth, lifted high. It was then that I fully understood the meaning of what He had told me that night, for I saw then that He had come to die in my place, tak- CCo'n.ti'n:u.ed on Page SJ By Rev. Wade K. Ramsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College QUESTION: What is the significance of the 'number seven in the Scripture? ANSWER: Seven seems to be the favorite number in the Bible with regard to spir- itual matters, and is perhaps used more than any other number. It signifies com- pleteness or perfection. In the book of Revelation, where the Bible is completed and God's dealings with the world are set forth as consummated, we have this num- ber mentioned 54 timesg in fact, the num- ber seven is basic to the entire book. Ex- clusive of the prologue and the epilogue, the book is divided into seven parts. Here, also, we have the seven spirits, the seven churches, the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars, the seven letters, the seven seals, the seven angels, the seven trumpets, the seven vials, the seven thunders, and the seven plagues. When Peter would know of the Lord how many times he should forgive his brother, the answer was seventy times seven CMatt. 18:22j. The week is made up of seven days. In Daniel's prophecy it was seventy weeks, or seventy Sevens, which were de- termined upon God's people to finish God's dealings with them before the kingdom was to be set up CDan. 9:24-275. It is interesting to note that the num- ber seven occurs in a significant way in God's creation as well as in God's rev- lation. As far as we know, the period of gestation of all animals is a multiple of seven. This is just another evidence that the God of creation is the God of reve- lation. QUESTION! What is the Bible meaning of the words prophet and prophecy? ANSWER: These words by common usage today generally mean one who predicts the future and a prediction of the future. When one announces a discourse on proph- ecy, the public generally understands that the subject is to be on future events. The Bible, however, does not limit these words to this idea. According to the Scripture a prophet is one who speaks forth the words of another, and a prophecy is the words of one in the mouth of another. In other words, God's prophets are all those who speak His words, and the words thus spoken are prophecies. Consequently, all the Bible, being God's Word, is a prophecy, and all the writers of the Bible are pro- phets. This meaning is clear from II Peter 1:21, which reads, For the prophecy came no in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The same -conclusio also is drawn from the fact that all in- spired writers, both in the Old and Ne Testaments, irrespective of whether or no they predicted the future, are constantl referred to as prophets. For example, th expression, Moses and the prophets, i used over and over again by Christ an His apostles to designate all the Old Test CConti'n.ued on Page 85 THE COMIVIENTATOR PAGE FIVE Learn to Live -. . . r . if 'ii' By Mrs. D. E. Wisner M' Child. Evangelism Instructm- PRnPAnA'r1oN The figures of this story may be used gainst a plain background since the scene hanges so often. They include: the unk, shabbily dressed, reclining against everal barrels, standing Hgure of the runkg a rosebush in bloomg a perfume ounter, showing clerk nearby, a well essed mang a counter with man serving drink, a family group of mother, father, nd boy, a group of three girls, varying gesg a girl with school books, talking to er churn, a boy walking away from a roup of boysg a set of figures to make the ospel plain- the Lord Jesus on the cross, esus knocking at the heartis door, or any ther suitable figures you may have. Most f these may be found in magazines, or hey may be sketched on construction aper, colored appropriately, backed with uting flannel, and cut out. PRESENTATION Look at him! CShow drunk asleepj sn't he disgusting? Just a good-for- othing- a dirty, ragged, drunken bum sleep among the whiskey barrels in the ear of a saloon. His beard looks as if t hadn't been cut for at least two weeks, nd what can that terrible smell be? Well, 'll tell you. While he was sleeping, some- ody played a horrible trick on him by bbing limburger cheese into his beard. pon awakening he smells the stuff and onders where the odor is coming from. CReplace with standing figure of drunk.J e snilfs the air, looks about, then smells is hands. Something around here smells terrible, e mumbles. There must be something ead in this corner. Getting to his feet, e staggers out into the street for a breath f fresh air, but the smell seems to be ll about him. Passing a park, he plucks a rose and mells it. CAdd rosebushj Queer, he utters, even the roses smell bad around ere. Much puzzled, he turns around and starts ack to town. He turns into a drug store, icks up a bottle of perfume, and asks the lerk, Would you mind my smelling some f this perfume? CRep1ace bush with per- me counter and clerk.J No, answers the attendant, remember- g that even drunks buy presents at times. 'That's all right. Go right ahead. But he is a bit surprised at the drunk's words s he recorks the bottle and shuffles out. To think that people actually pay good oney for that awful smelling stuff! On the street he passes a well dressed an. Looks nice, but smells bad, he re- arks to himself. CRemove counter and dd well dressed man.i Finally, he goes back into the saloon. 'Mister, I have just one dime. Please ive me something to drink right quick. Replace figure of man with counter and an serving a drinkj He swallows the rink, and sets the glass down on ounter, complaining, Isn't it awful? Isn,t what awful? asks the man ind the counter. Can't you smell it? The whole world mells rotten. the 3! be- Poor old fellow. He is looking every place, but the right place, for the offensive odor, isn't he? Boys and girls, I wonder if we aren't like this miserable old wretch many times. Not me, perhaps you are saying. Why I've never been drunk in all my life. I've never even tasted intoxicating liquor. That's line. We hope you never, never dog but you don't have to be a drunk to be like this fellow in the way I'm think- ing of. QRemove all figures.J wg - 22, Q if -1 J an at tsl ,r f 'rl .r li 0 gf M-, fe.. Jesus said, And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but con- siderest not the beam that is in thine own eye?,' CMatt. 7:35. Did you ever find yourself wondering what was wrong with all your family as Jimmy did? CPlace family group- father, mother, and Jim.my,j Mom, where's my ball cap? Wherever you left it, likely, dear. I haven't seen it. Are you sure? It's queer the way my things disappear. Somebody is always hiding my things. It just has to be that somebody did something with my ball cap. What's this? asked his dad, dragging the missing cap from behind the door, right where Jimmyihad last dropped it. Oh, said Jimmy, looking rather foolish. I guess I did drop it there. Or did you ever meet a girl like Sally, who thought everybody else lazy? QRe- place family group with three sisters.J Jenny, won't you do the dishes tonight? 'Tm sorry, but I have homework to do. It's your turn anyway, I did them last night, O Jen, you're the laziest person I ever saw. Then she tried to get her older sister to iron a blouse for her, and because she re- fused, Sally thought her lazy, too. Finally, she went off to her unmade bed, even thinking her mother lazy because she hadn't made it for her. Strange, it never seemed to dawn on Sally that she really was the lazy one. Have you ever known anyone like Joan? CReplace sister group with two girls com- ing from school.J No use to even try to get good grades with a teacher like that! She's got it in for meg she just doesn't like me. It's all her fault. She wouldn't give me a good grade if I earned it. Or did you ever hear anyone talking like this? CReplace girls with group of boys.J I just can't get along with himg he always wants his own way, And I don't like Tommy either. I'm sick of the whole bunch, they can't get along with anybody. I think I'll play by myself. And at home in the evening he sulks be- cause all his family are so hard to get along with. Say, do you see any connection now be- tween these and the drunk? Why of course, you get the point. The drunk thought the whole world smelled like limburger cheese, but he never dreamed the cheese was in his own beard. Poor Jimmy blamed his whole family for his own carelessness, and lazy Sally thought everybody else lazy because they refused to do what she should have done for her- self. Joan blamed the teacher for her own failure, and that last fellow in the story was probably mighty hard to get on with, himself. Yes, isn't it easy to blame someone else and excuse ourselves for our own wrongdoing? Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., says, No doubt the trouble is with you. Don't start out in life blaming anybody but yourself. When you fail, don't blame the teacher. Don't blame circumstances. Don't make alibis. Start out in life always to take the responsi- bility. You are a Christian, aren't you? You have a God to help you, haven't you? Well, isn't God Ahnighty greater than the difficulties in life? There are a lot of saved people who don't know how to live. They can't fit into situations, they can't get along anywhere. Learn how to live, that is the greatest lesson in the world. Arr-L1cA'r1oN Shall we who know Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord determine now by His grace to do a better job of living in 1952? Let's stop blaming others and look closer home for the trouble. Of course if you are not a Christian, you are dead and aren't living at all. fUse salvation figures.J God says in His Word that you are dead in trespasses and sins CEph. 2:13. You need not stay deadg you may join the ranks of the living by saying to Him just now, Come into my heart, Lord Jesus: cleanse away my sins and save me for 'I'hy nam-e's sake. Then you will pass from death to life CJohn 5:24D, and you, too, by His grace and power can make this new year a glorious one by learning to live as He would have you. -- We are indebted to Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., for the story of the drunk and the quoted paragraph, which were taken from his book, Things I Have Learned. They are used with his permission. DR. WILSON'S ITINERARY Jan. 18-20 - Madison Ave. Baptist Church Paterson, New Jersey Jan. 25-27 - Victorious Life Conference Kansas City Bible College Jan. 29-Feb. 3 - Evansville Rescue Mission Evansville, Indiana - Day of Prayer Kansas City Bible College Feb. 10-14 - St. Petersburg, Florida Feb. 6 - - - PAGE SIX THE COMMENTATOR H Albl Y. N S d S h l L N tt dence icgfzzhe high esteem in whichhHe was un held. er Mary had finished wit thing' s C O she felt should be done for the tatge feng B D . W If L W1 while waiting perhaps for some of t e oo P .dy gi C el ' , I Smal to finish cooking, she went in to sit at the fem mf 'mm CW Bible C0 292 feet of this Master Teacher, but Martha FEBRUARY 3- The other gospels, came running to Jesus and femalned 111 th? kltchefl WOTIUIIE- Agffel' WOWLFLU Wlw WGS knelt before Him. He came to the right ? While She decided that Mary VY3S Shlfk Fo'rgi'uen', Luke 7: person, and in the right way, and vgfith a ing her share of the work. It is so easy 36'50' Golden Text: real deSiI'eg but he Went away without that for us to plan a life that the other person I John 129- which he sought, This young man had should live and to lay out for ourselves The woman in this great possessions and a position of honor 3 Program to Whlch We demand that Oth Story learned the Val- among his fellow-citizens. Because they ers agree uable jesson that the had made him their ruler, we know he Fortunately, she went to Jesus about the Lord Jesus had the was a man of integrity and eigcellent char- matter instead of to the neighbors. Sh rgmedy which She acter. He claimed to have obeyed the six had a wee bit of censure for the honored needed to break the commandments that refer to one's relation Guest intimating that she was neglecte power of sin and set her free. She did not have to go through any of the disciples nor through Mary, His mother, but came directly to Him as every sinner may and should do. There were no preliminaries, for she came'as she was with her burden of sin and pre- sented herself to Him for cleansing and transformation. As she knelt at His feet, her very tears made it clear that she rev- erenced Him as her Lord and trusted Him with her case. The Pharisee had invited Jesus to his home, but not in order to have his sins forgiven, for he felt no need of that bless- ing. His was a social affair, as many such cases are today. The sin question did not enter into the situation, for he wanted Jesus in his home merely as a guest- but there was no worship there, nor adoring trust. Perhaps this sinful woman had heard those inviting words ring out for all to hear, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Evidently she hurried hometo find. her alabaster box, which according to cus- tom she had reserved for her espousal. This she broke at His blessed feet as she covered them with her tears and wiped them with her beautiful long tresses. Simon's religion was a philosophical, theological reasoning which had little place for emotionalism. He did not know that a meeting with Christ affects the heart as well as the mind, and when he saw this woman deeply 'stirred as she kissed the Lord's feet and knelt there in adoring worship, he objected. Jesus, sensing the hypocrisy of his proud heart, spoke to him the parable of the two debtors. It was quite evident that Simon did not love, be- cause he had not been forgiven. Simon had shown no care for the person of Christ, but this woman had given undeniable proof of her personal faith in Him. Jesus told Simon that the woman's sins which were many were forgiven, but when He spoke to the woman He omitted the words, which are many, for He did not accuse her when she had proved that her own heart had repented. FEBRUARY 10- The Decisions of Two Rich Men Luke 18:18-23g 19:1-10. Golden Text: Matthew 7:13, 14. Our Lord never condemns anyone for being rich. His condemnation is upon those who depend upon their riches for eternal life and those who obtain their wealth by unrighteous means. There were many rich men mentioned in the Bible, of which several are found in the gospel of Luke. The two in our lesson are in sharp contrast to one another. The first man, as we find by reading the to his fellowmen, although the Lord did not mention the four commandments that refer to our relation to God. Even with all of this splendid character and excellent reputation, the young man knew that he did not have eternal life. He seemed con- vinced that he lacked something which the Saviour could furnish,'but which he him- self could not define. Jesus saw the need of his heart, and He had the remedy. Sell all that thou hast . . .and come, follow me. He did not need the young man's wealth, He wanted his heart. In this we learn that salvation is obtained by a personal link with Christ Jesus in devoted trust and faith. Jesus said, Yet lackest thou one thing. T'his one thing was a choosing of Jesus Christ over and above all other things in life. Immediately, the young man objected. He wanted Christ to save his soul but did not want Christ to manage his life. He was quite willing to be saved, in fact, he wanted to be, but he wanted the Saviour at the end of the journey, rather than as Lord all the way. This mistake is made constantly these days, yet never in any place in the Word is the sinner told to accept Christ as his Saviour but always in every Scripture on the subject, the sinner is to make Christ Jesus his Lord. Christ becomes the Sav- iour as we make Him our Lord. In the second case the rich man wanted Jesus. He accepted the Lord immediately and became His obedient servant. He welcomed Christ, the person, and began to do His will. ' FEBRUARY 17- Using Our Homes for Chrisf, Luke 10:38-423 John 11:1-5, 24-27. Golden Text: John 11:27. In every dispensation there were those who were especially dear to God. It was so in the case of the Lord Jesus. He had three special friends among the disciples- Peter, James, and John. He also had three special friends among his social contacts- Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. In every case, it is quite evident that it was the ,person of the Saviour who was loved, trusted, and desired. It was not His doctrines they fell in love with, although they believed them. It .was always He who attracted their hearts, and therefore it was easy to ob- serve His ways and to obey His words. The family in Bethany made Jesus wel- come in their home, and He seemed glad to be there. They loved Him, and He loved them. At supper time Mary and Martha worked together in the kitchen to prepare an attractive meal for their hon- ored Guestg perhaps Lazarus had not yet returned from his daily tasks. The two sisters did not give Him an ordinary meal, but an unusual one, as a proof and evi- because He did not advise Mary to return to the kitchen and help her. No doubt Mary had performed the needful tasks but chose to be with the Saviour rathe than make more elaborate preparation Martha was not so much interested in the Person of Christ as she was in servin Him. She did not care whether she re ceived anything from the Saviour as lon as she could give to Him The loving wisdom of our precious Lord is seen in His reply to this complainin girl. He did not scold her as He migh have done, but only called attention to he troubled heart and the care that burdene her. He told her very graciously, y-et ver clearly, that He would rather have som service and much worship than all servic and no worship. How many times we ar so busy in Christian work that we tak no time to sit at Jesus' feet learn Hi Word, and have the sweet fellowship o His presence FEBRUARY 24- Trained and Teste Followers Mark 912' 10:35-40' Act There are some of God's people who ar interested in Christian things in a pro fessional way, while there are others whos deep desire is to know the plans of th Lord, understand His ways, and fit int His program. So it was with these thre men- Peter, James, and John. They wer found in closest association with Christ and to them He revealed in a great meas ure the thoughts of His heart James and John who were brothers ha a great ambitiong they also had a grea faith. They knew that Jesus was the Kin of kings who would one day rule over th earth, and they knew that He would ele as His leaders those who were faithful Him in the day of His rejection. Becaus their love for Him was great, they Wante to share with Him in the glory which the knew He would some day receive. The did not realize that to have such a plac of prominence and honor would mean tha there were some bitter cups to drink, a Jesus explained to them. In their enthus iasm and ambition they said, 'We can g with you through these tests. We our selves should learn that there is many pitfall in the road to glory. Peter did hav a terrible fall, but He repented at one and was quickly forgiven. The Lord di not say whether He would permit Jame and John to sit with Him but we do kno that He said To him that overcometh wil I grant to sit with me in my throne CRev 3:21J The rest of the disciples were quite up set over this apparent effort of the two t get ahead of the ten. Jesus, however, wit His kindness, tenderness, and wisdom, re minded them that each one was to be th 4:13, 18-20. Golden Text: Acts 21: 20. THE COMMENTATOR ' ervant of the rest: and none was to aspire o be the leader The way to be the great- st m the house of God is to be the hum- lest and best servant of all. The experiences that the disciples had, lus that wonderful anointing of the Holy pirit at Pentecost made the servants of od bold and zealous Their language and ctions were of such character that Christ eceived the glory from the lips of their nemies These men did not bow down 1 the restraining influences of Satan's ollowers but spoke as God's men. Their essages were powerful and effective. God ant it may be so with us. A MISSIONARY MINISTRY CConti'n.ued from Page 13 ave a definite burden. The remainder of e expense of this program is handled by ersonal support of the missionaries and y general contributions from individuals d churches. The wonderfully high percentage of af- ative responses to this mailing min- stry is evidence of the Lord's approval nd blessing upon the work. Many glor- ous conversions result each month. A enator is brought to the Lord, an elevator perator a young man in a penitentiary, n entire family accepts Christ, as the ssionaries make the follow-up calls. Those who confess Christ continue to e ministered to as the occasion requires: 1 If the sponsor lives in the same com- unity the situation is easily handled. I e new convert worships with the spon- or as a natural result. 2 If the convert is in another city, he placed in contact with a fundamental hurch in his own area. 3 If there is no fundamental church variable as is sometimes the case in a arsely settled area the 'I'ract Band be- arries on what is called Christian Coun- elor mailing until such time as the con- ert moves to a place where a fundament- l church is available or one is established his area. There are many converts with hom the Tract Band has been corres- nding for years particularly in peni- As the work continued to expand, the ames of servicemen naturally were pre- ented Soon the Lord supplied a means f following up the mail within the armed orces personnel through the Christian litary Men s Committee. This newly or- anized group of earnest Christian ser- icemen in all branches of our nation's rmed forces offered to use its personnel o make the follow-up calls in any branch f the service anywhere in the world. The rector of the Big Brother Tract Band erves as secretary of the CMMC with oint offices of the two organizations in on Ohio. Only God Himself could give such glor- ous op n doors of opportunity, but the rowth of this ever widening ministry con- nues Equipment has been purchased to ite in every major language of the orld As this age of grace comes to a lose great sections of the world are be- ng denied to missionaries from the west- rn hemisphere. The mailed message may oon be all that we in America can give in ertain countries. The Apostle Paul wrote. Romans 1:15 As much as in me is, I m ready to preach the gospel. If the I l 5 . . , ' . . 2 , , . I , ins-a Bible study program by mail, and 7 1 4 . I 1 entlaries. I . . , I ' 1 I 5 h e I , Sl only preaching we can do maybe by mail, then we can count upon our all-powerful Lord to bless greatly the written message to the saving of precious souls. New sponsors, from practically every state in the Union, are being added daily, as Christian people learn of the gracious things our Lord is doing through the Tract Band. TI-IE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY fCo'n.tinued from Page 33 tion, trucebreakers, false accusers, incon- tinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of Godg hav- ing a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. We could easily illustrate this portion of Scripture with everyday happenings from our local newspapers. Today, young peo- ple glory in rebellion against their parents. It is the smart thing to see how much they can do without Mom and Dad knowing about it. Pick up your paper tonight and see where the mind of the world is turn- ing by the proportion of advertising of pleasures as compared with the things of God. Our paper every day carries a full page of ads on the pleasures of the world, but only one page a week is given to all religious advertising. Certainly there is a spirit of lawlessness prevailing in the hearts of men today. 3. Lastly, it is working in the sphere of religion. Satan's supreme desire is to be worshiped as God. Paul says in I Corinth- ians 10:20, The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. All heathen and idolatrous wor- ship is devil worship: in fact, any religious system that leaves out Christ in His Per- son and work is devil worship. Paul says that Satan has blinded the minds of them that believe not. This religious form may be concealed under the cloke of hmnan righteousness, love one another, or in the superstition of heathen worship: but it all shuts out the need of the soul for Christ and leaves the individual in spiritual darknes. Then Satan is spoken of as having his ministers of righteousness, who say that if you are right with your fellow man, God will ac- cept that righteousness and permit you to enter heaven: but Christ says, No man cometh unto the Father, but by me fJohn 14:63. Satan causes the people to rebel at admitting they are sinners and need the crucified Christ as their substitute. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishnessg but unto us which are saved it is the power of God CI Cor. 1:83. This mystery of lawlessness is truly at workg and, as John said in his first epistle, The whole world lieth in wickedness 15: 193, or rather, in the hand of the wicked one. But Paul continues in II Thessalon- ians 2:7 to say that this mystery of law- lessness is held back, or checked, by one person, and this one can be none other than the Holy Spirit, for I John 4:4 says, Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. The Holy Spirit through the believer is holding this lawlessness in check in the world. We can see what will be the chaotic condition of the world when He is taken out of the way, by looking at nations that today have tried to stamp out Christianity and have become extremely lawless. Jesus said to His disciples, Ye are the PAGE SEVEN NEW BOOKS Best Bible Verses to Memorize, arranged by Joseph Larson Cpublished by the au- thor, 571 Stuart Street, Denver, Colorado, 35 cents, 40 pages3, is a selection of 365 Scripture verses, arranged 7 each under 52 subjects. The course is recommended for vacation Bible schools, memory con- tests, and home study. Because the sub- jects follow a deepening scale of Christian experience, they are especially appropri- ate for new converts who deisre to mem- orize the Word of God. The Biblical Illustrator, Volume I, Mat- thew, edited by Joseph S. Exell CBaker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 688 pages, 54.95, 54.50 per volume with sub- scription for the 57 volumes of the set3. This compilation of sermon material in- cludes a wealth of outlines, expository notes, practical lessons, and illustrations selected from the writings of more than 900 Bible students and pulpit masters of all centuries. The present volume, pro- duced in larger and more readable type than the original, is expected to be off the press about January 31, 1952, with 4 other volumes of the set of 57 planned for ap- pearance during the year. Bedtime Stories, by Theodore W. Eng- strom CZondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 162 pages, 51.953, is a collection of 32 favorite stories by various men and women who have been used of God in winning boys and girls for Christ. These are true stories based on Bible truths- a most delightful volume for bedtime reading. Battlefront Messages, by Edward E. Ham 1193 pages, 32503. These inspiring ser- mons, prepared through the years by Dr. Mordecai F. Ham, demonstrate the deep yearning of this evangelist for the souls of men. The messages are taken from various Scriptures and are applied in a gracious manner to the heart and life. They are especially valuable for reaching the unsaved and for instructing young preachers in methods of presenting the gospel. H Whiter Than Snow and Little Dot, by Mrs. O. F. Walton CMoody Press, Chicago, 126 pages, S.753. The two stories in this little book have a strong gospel appeal for junior age children. In each case the narrative leads through suffering, and climaxes in a death scene. They might well be used where the reality of life af- ter death needs to be emphasized. SECOND SEMESTER NIGHT SCHOOL Mondays 6:30 - 9:00 P.M. Begins January 28, 1952 COME salt of the earth. As salt prevents the spread of corruption, so the Christian to- day is empowered by the Holy Spirit to prevent the spread of lawlessness. He ac- complishes this politically, by praying for the authorities: socially, by glorifying the Lord Jesus in his manner of lifeg relig- iously, by giving the gospel of Christ to the world, for it is the power of God un- to salvation to every one that believes. PAGE EIGHT THE COMMENTATOR QUESTION. Box . CContinued from Page 45 ament. CSee Matt. 5:17, 7:12g 11:13g 27Z35Q Luke 16:16g Acts 26:22, 27.D In Ephesians 3:4, 5 Paul called all the New Testament writers prophets. He says, Whereby, when ye read, ye may under- stand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and pro- phets by the Spirit. The same thought is brought out by God to Moses when he tells Moses that Aaron shall be his spokes- man to the people. Then He adds that Aaron will be His prophet. By this we see that irrespective of whether the Bible is giving history, or presnt circumstances, or future events, it is all prophecy in the Scriptural sense of the word. A prophet of God, then, is one who speaks God's words, and the words he speaks constitute the prophecy of God. If what you did for the Lord yesterday still looks big to you, you have not done much for Him today. A C IC O R D I O N S Famous ITALIAN MAKES Available to Bible Sludann Christian Workers and Missionaries at SPECIAL DISCOUNTS Write Today for FREE Liiorarulo CHICAGO ACCORDION CENTER. Inc. Dept. CT, 754 N. Damen Av. Chicago 22, Ill. Pocket auth ok 'Wt Ed - 150 P1-tw. and Map. sm rxxsyaxm An ABBREVIATED BIBLE COMMENTARY: with notes on every book in the Bible. lArr:haeoloq-ical Discoveries- How We Got the Bible, and en Epltome of Church History. ' h' bl' h d f its i , that has an thin ' Wiki There is not mg pu is e , o sze y 2 like aa much practical Bible information. Book OF a Lifetime. . . FOR a Lifetime Loved alike by Young and Old Especially valuable for S S Teachers and Bible Students Widely used in Colleges and Seminariea Highly commended by leading Magazines and Minister: rr-'nu paffacuraf. .mi fm rfquun 764 pages. Cloth Binding. Only 32.00. Order from your Bookstore, or ll. ll. HALLEY, Box 714, Chicago 90, lllillbli For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him. should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 Midwest Plumbing and Heot ng Co. 6243 Prospect Ja-5757 Kansas City, Mo. MY TALK WITH JESUS ' CContinued from Page 41 . ing my sins upon Himself, and paying the penalty for me. How awed I felt then as I looked up at Him on Calvary's cross and realized that He was there because He wanted to draw me to Himself. Stand- ing there, I wished that I could have taken all the brutality for Him and taken His place there on the cross, but I know that I could not have come back to life again. It was His work- the work for which He had left heaven's glory, had emptied Him- self as it were, and humbled Himself, and became obedient, even to the death on the cross. Yes, I was truly born again. Can I offer excuses for my silence? I have none. He knows and understands, and He said that He came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. After they took His body down, I brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes that I might prepare His body., Joseph of Ari- mathea shared with me the responsibility of preparing His body. I would not have let anyone else do this job- I wanted it because I loved Him. The vision is fading again now, and I am here all alone in my room. Although He rose from th-e grave and ascended to the right hand oflthe Father, His presence is as real to me now as if I-Ie had never left. Truly He has not left me nor for- saken me from that time until now. My eyes are getting dim, mists seem to be coming up before me. I pray that the next thing I shall see will be the beloved face of Him who died that I might have eter- nal life. e U llel Opportunity to give . - them a gospel witness by 3 trained personal workers 1 also in the service. TIIE L0llD IS GREATLY ' ' BLESSING TlllS PROGRAM Send 251: for a sample and outline. BIG BRUTHIR TRACT BAND-BUX 888-AKRON 9, UHIU You Can Win Souls lor Christ with Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining. It will be a revelation to you. Also free booklet describing revolutionary lifetime MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear outg quiet as a clock: needs no oilingg has no belts: needs no servicing: trouble-proof. C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS Sunnyside Avenue, Wheaton, Ill. BIBLE READING CALENDAR FEBRUARY DATE PRIVATE FAMILY 1 Exodus 15. 16 Mark 2' Exodus 17. 18 Mark 3 Exodus 19. 20 Mark 4 Exodus 21. 22 Mark 5 Exodus 23, 24 Mark 6 Exodus 25. 26 Mark 7 Exodus 27. 28 Mark 8 Exodus 29, 30 Mark 9 Exodus 31. 32 Mark 10 Exodus 33, 34 Mark 11 Exodus 35, 36 Mark 12 Exodus 37. 38 Mark 13 Exodus 39, 40 Mark 14 Leviticus 1 -.3 Luke 1:1- l5 Leviticus , 4, 5 Luke 1:39- 16 Leviticus 6, 7 Luke 17 Leviticus 8. 9 Luke 18 Leviticus 10 - 12 Luke 19 Leviticus 13, 14 Luke 20 Leviticus 15. 16 Luke 21 Leviticus 17, 18 Luke 22 Leviticus 19. 20 Luke 23 Leviticus 21, 22 Luke 24 Leviticus 23, 24 Luke 25 Leviticus 25 - 27 Luke ' 26 Numbers 1 Luke 27 Numbers 2, 3 Luke 238 Numbers 4, 5 Luke LaSalle Engineering Corporation LaSalle Bldg., 8 East Ninth Street Kansas City, Missouri MONUMENTS Memorial Art Company Salina and Hutchinson, Kansas Finest display of Modern Memorials in the Midwest The Sunday. School Lesson Helps You Need For Every Department of Your Sunday School! I Christian Lifev Series ' following the International Uniform Lesson Topics Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School oiiicials upon request. Write for yours today! UNION. GOSPEL PRESS P.O. Box 6059 Cleveland 1, Ohio Published by The Kansas City Bible College FEBRUARY, 1952 THE GLORY OF SACRIFICE A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL BY RALPH W. MITCHELL Regional Director- The Pocket Testament League A young school teacher, a member of the League, came into the office a few weeks ago, and after we had enjoyed some fellowship together in the things of the Lord, she presented her contri- bution for the work. Miss Hawn, our of- fice secretary, opened the envelope which contained -no less than five twenty dollar bills, along with a little note, For Script- ures in Japan. When I began to express thanks on behalf of the League for such a generous gift, this dear young servant of Christ said sweetly, Mr. Mitchell, it is the Lord's money, and He told me to do this. Then she added, After all, when the Lord Jesus gave Himself for us, can we hold back anything from Him? This is the true Christian reasoning, and it demonstrates the glory of sacrifice. Such was the argument of the Apostle Paul re- peatedly in his epistles when he was anxi- ous to secure the deepest loyalty and the greatest service from the saints of God. His appeal was always in relation to Cal- vary. Think of his plea to the Romans, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the merices of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service CRom. 12:17. There is that well known story of King David who desired to buy the threshing floor of Araunah that he might erect an altar to God. That patriotic Jebusite de- sired of the king that he should accept it as a present. The suggestion of Araunah was kindly, but it was abhorrent to King David, who said, Nay: but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which dost cost me nothing CII Sam. 24: 245. Now, of course, no Jew came to his worship empty-handed. To give of his means was a part of his devotions. Of the thirteen boxes in the temple treasury, four were for the free-will offerings of the peo- le. This fine spirit of the ancient wor- ship later passed over into the worship of the church and was enormously deepened and intensified by the glowing thought of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. 'Thanks be unto God for his unspeak- able gift CII Cor. 91152 was the main- pring of Christian liberality. It was the arming thought of all that Christ had iven which quickened the poorest to be THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Letters from our missionaries in foreign fields reveal to us afresh the great benefit that is derived from the training and the teaching given in this college. There are many essen- tial requirements in the Christian life and service which are not found written in books. These practical advantages are obtained through our Christian Service Department. The students learn to work well with others and to bear patiently with those who differ from them. It is a joy, indeed, to see the growth which our students make during their years of study with us. Our fellow-helpers would be delighted to see the transformed lives of these splendid young Christian workers. Your assistance in our training pro- gram will bring to you the joy of knowing that lives are bearing fruit for god in the far-flung Helds of the ear . giving, toog and that so sanctified the Christian oifertory that Paul could speak of the resurrection triumph and then, as if unconscious of descent add, Now con- cerning the collection . . . CI Cor. 16:11. While all such offerings were acceptable to God and while all brought a blessing to the giver, yet it was felt from earliest times that the true offering must touch on self-denial. Shall I offer to my Lorcl that which doth cost me nothing? It is such touches amidst all his failures that reveal the true genius of the king. Then, too, we have all heard of how our blessed Lord Jesus commended the widow for her two mites which He pronounced a rich gift because there was self-denial in the giving. She of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her livingi' CMark 12:44J. It was a wonderful cry that broke from the lips of Zacchaeus when he came face to face with Jesus. Lord, he cried. looking upon Jesus, The half of my goods I give to the poor CLuke 19:85. He had always given in his Jewish way- he had never entered the temple without giving- but now under the gaze of Jesus Christ he felt that he could not give enough. Breth- ren, that is the mark of Christian givingg it reaches over into self-denial. You may give as a citizen and never feel it, but I CCofnt-inued on Page 85 BY TRUMAN PAGE President, Alumni Association, Kansas City Bible College A recent news item tells of a church calling a new minister to its pulpit- a common enough event and always a thrill- ing one. There is certainly no worthier calling than that of a minister of the gos- pel. But just what is a minister of the gospel? One who preaches the gospel- trite but true. But what is the gospel he preaches? Too often, we fear, the preacher of the gospel tends to conine his ministry to only one phase of that gospel- the presentation of God's love for the lost. His work at Calvary, and an appeal to the lost to come to Christ for salvation. All of this is exceptionally worthy and nec- essary. But this is just one of the infinite variety of truths found in scripture, or per- haps we should say, the evangelistic appeal to the sinner is just one aspect of the Gos- pel of God. It is a fact few Christians like to admit, yet it is too disconcertingly true, that our churches are not Hlled with sinners seek- ing to be saved. In the average church audience a show of hands of those claiming to be saved would include almost all pres- ent. Of course some of these would be making false claims, and some churches would have a larger proportion than others of unsaved in attendance. Yet our audi- ences are predominately saved , or, at least, claiming to be so. The lost simply do not go to church and the fact may as well be faced. And indeed, why should they? They have no interest in God. If our audiences are, therefore, mostly Christians, why should there not be more expository preaching of God's Word to these believers than we usually find? Why concentrate on evangelistic preaching if most of our audiences are not composed of lost sinners? A revival of deep teach- ing ministry is a desperate need of the day in our churches. The Bible teaching on separation from evil, stewardship, moral- ity, marriage standards, child training, the life of Christ, community and civic respon- sibilities, are subjects we hear mentioned too little! Is it possible there is too much preaching and not enough teaching of God's Word from our pulpits? We fear these things are true and that a shallow variety of Christianity has aris- en in our midst. A diet of only one food is unhealthy for the body. A spiritual diet of the one subject of salvation by faith alone, CCo'nti1w.ed on Page 71 PAGE TWO THE COMMENTATOR, Christian ministers are constantly meeting people who have troubled minds. Satan is so busy tormenting God's own with dis- tressing thoughts and pointing his accusing fingers at them that he makes them think they themselves are respon- sible for their thoughts and that there is no help in God. Behind many a smiling face there is a heavy heart and a mind filled with dismal thoughts. One only has to preach on the subject of peace of mind to have many come to him at the close of the service and unburden the heart. Re- cently an article came to my attention written by D.. W. Griffin, which appeared in the World Conquest magazine the issue of November-December, 1950, and it bears repeating here: Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Prov- erbs 16:3. Be 'ye transformed by the 're- newing of -your mind. Romans 12:2. The mind has been likened to the room of a house where visitors are entertained. All visitors to one's threefold being come in through the mind, entering the mind first, then dropping down in to the spirit to' take rest, then possessing the whole man. Thoughts are bold and daring things, strong and persistent. Like armed men they force themselves into the mind. They come in a thousand ways- sometimes singly, other times in droves. Some wait at the door of the mind and push and crowd to get in while the room is full. They keep up the din and chatter, strain- ing the nerves and chilling the heart. Fear dashes into the mind to capture and hold one -fast. A thought knocks at the door of the mind, is admitted and entertained. Pas- sion follows and is considered awhile, then it possesses the whole being and leads to sin and shame. Anxiety and nervousness appear and drive off rest and keep one sleepless all night for nothing. Doubt, as full of death as hell itself, is let in and consulted with, and blows out every light and fills the room with darkness. Trouble, many-faced, many-handed, big and squat- ty, will fill the mind and stay all day, and return in the morning by the time you open your eyes. Cares, weighing a thou- sand pounds each, come to unload in the room. Old Self, under God's judgment and re- fusing to die, wants to stay on hand all the time. It has a ready sword of pro- tection and pitying attendants with fans and camphor bottles in case it is hit or wound- ed or slighted or knocked down. It wants the best chair in the mind and the most attention, notwithstanding it is the most unwholesome visitor there. It has been deposed of God and is under His ever- lasting curse, and yet it constantly lurks about. And friends and foes and husbands and wives and children, and tomorrow, and houses and lands, and the work on hand of whatever nature, and what was and The Mind Under the Blood By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College what is to be, and this and that and the other, real and imaginary, and demon im- pressions and suggestions, and the thoughts of friends and foes toward you, coming to you in deams and while awake as swift as messengers- all these things in the dif- ferent shapes and sizes and sounds will harass and possess and occupy and claim all the attention of the mind possible, if allowed. Thousands are in the grave and the rnadhouse, and other thousands are in physical torments and sickness because of the mind thus occupied. And many hon- est souls are craving deliverance. How is it to be found? These visitors cannot be humanly driven off. They are too many and too strong and too smart for us. They have no shame nor feeling. Kick them out and they are right back. Lock the door and they every one have a mas- ter key. But thank God there is a way of de- liverance from these tormenting thoughts, spirits, and things. And that way is through the precious blood of the Lamb of God once slain. When my eyes opened from sleep, there thoughts of past, present, and fixture trouble would be on hand to torment me. They had made an early start and would come trooping in. I was helpless. know- ing not what to do with them. Then the Lord showed me that door in Egypt with the blood sprinkled over and around it CEX. 12:21-243, into which no evil, tor- menting spirit could come. I saw that I was just simply to be willing to commit my mind unto Him in helplessness and then to claim and believe and see the blood of Christ over and around it just like that door, that room in Egypt. It was a new and blessed thought to me, and I obeyed. The old troublemakers came again, and I said, The blood is over the door. The world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world. You cannot enter under the blood. They backed off. Again' and again they would come, but I simply point- ed to the blood over the door, that is, the mind. I thought on the blood whenever they came, and soon their power was gone, and they ceased their visitations. My tor- ments ceased, and my mind had rest, as I committed all to God and thought on the blood. The spotless Lamb of God has shed His most precious blood for you, to cleanse and cover and free and keep you, not only from sin and sickness. but from torments and distractions in the mind as well. The blood is our one safety. Not a death- dealing, tormenting, fearful visitor could enter the room that night in Egypt where the blood was on the door. And dear, tormented soul, a thousandfold more real and powerful than the blood of that little lamb is the precious blood of the Lamb of God. See by faith His blood sprinkled over the mind, the door to your being, and when these things appear and knock for attention, throw up your hands, helpless soul, and point them to the blood on the door. By faith put death between them and you. Consent to your death in that blood and take your place definitely and continually under its protection. Say to thoughts and all hindering visi- tors, to the mind's distractions from Go and peace, I am dead to you, and you ar dead to me. Say it in faithg say it ove and overg say it persistently. Believe tha the blood is on the door of your mind an that it is protecting you as God said i would. Dr. Griffin's article reminds us of Paul' words about the peace of God which pas sed all understanding, guarding the hea and the thoughts through Christ Jesus There is nothing to surpass God's peace nothing can equal it, and that peace is th heritage of every Christian who will com mit his way unto the Lord and trust ' Him. JESUS IS HERE CThese 'verses penned by an unname missionary bring to as at home some ap preciation of the difficulties of those wh are newly a'r'ri1Jed on a mission field. Ma it convict us if we have become cliscour aged in the place 'where He has called us. Out where the loneliness presses aroun me, Looking on sights that are sordid an drear, Strangely abiding- yet surely God calle me, Why do I wonder it Jesus is here? Strangeness of living and strangeness o people, Have I not come with the gospel of cheer Why is my heart, then, depressed with i burden? Isn't my Comrade, my Jesus, out here? God! Teach me quickly to do withou friendships, How to let go of those things that wer dear, How to be rid of this self that is bind ing me, Surely, my Master, my Jesus, is here. He who is God took the form of a servan Humbled Himself unto death without fea Lonely, forsaken, despised, and rejecte My blessed Saviour, my Jesus, came her Wilt Thou forgive me for failure in servin Heartache, depression, regrets disappear, Born of the Cross, a new courage infills me Jesus, my Victory, my Life, is now her THE COMMENTATOR FEBRUARY, 1952 Volume 14, Number 2 Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Editor Grace T. Belton. Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward, Circulation Manager Price, single subscription. 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign. 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions, 50 cents each: Canada and foreign 60 cents. Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.O. Box 7035, Country Club Station Kansas City 2'. Mo. School location: 75th 8: State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26. 19 at the Post Office at Kansas City. Mo. und the Act of March 3. 1879. THE COMIVIENTATOR PAGE THREE CHRISTIAN SERVICE REPORT BY REV W JACK WILSON Drrector of Christian Service For the sake of anonymity we shall call his name Edward Brown- this 14 year old lad at the Jack- son County Parental Home. His record listed: Two arrests for petty larceny. Conviction and sus- pension of sentence on both. One arrest for attempted auto Conviction and six months on pro- Two arrests for suspected larceny. five arrests three convictions. the services conducted at the home by one of our teams last od at the back of the room, a looking young man. Of students did not know first met him. The they knew was that he was an looking rather personable boy, very mterested in all that was When Bob Plank stood to sing, eyes were riveted on him. The was short, simple, to the point, reached Edward Brown's heart. As mvitatlon to trust Christ was given, he quickly, eagerly, and opened his 1S mcldent, repeated hundreds of times the school year, gives an indication the excellent Job being done by our in Chrlstxan service. The lad convicted two days later of larceny was sentenced to the Boy's Reforma- School at Booneville. What may take in h1s heart during the time he is remains to be seen, but we do know our God IS faithful and we can trust who has begun a good work to per- it until the day of Jesus Christ. are grateful to God for the many op- we have to carry His Word to who need it so desperately. In ad- the lnvaluable experience our on such assignments, there that comes from knowing that meet in eternity all of the Edward and others like him whom we been privileged to reach for Christ. DR WILSON'S ITINERARY 29 Feb 3- Evansville Rescue Mis- s1on Evansville, Indiana. 10 24-Central Presbyterian Church, St Petersburg, Florida. 25 Mar 2 The Pines Bible Confer- ence Orlando, Florida. 8- Youth for Christ, Havertown, Pennsylvania 9 Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia Pennsylvania. 10- Dr Barnhouse Bible Class, New York New York. 11 14- First Baptist Church, Peekskill New York 15 Youth for Christ, New York, Robert Belton will speak at a Bible held at the United Pres- of Clarinda, Iowa, Feb- ALUMNI IN INDIA January 6 marks the date of the first anniversary of Ray C491 and Marry Sclm'ag's arrival in India. Would you like to know some of the thoughts of these young people after such a period of time in a new land? We quote from one of their recent letters, that you may know how to pray for them, and that you may hear of their work of faith and labor of love. We know at first hand now some of the often mentioned problems which face the missionary in a foreign land- the lan- guage, which might not be such a monu- mental problem if we were not so impa- tient in nature- the absolute stone wall that one runs against when he attempts to preach Christ to those who already have their own religion- the constant heart-break of having to spend so many hours each day away from one's dear children- the terrible sensation of hav- ing all the innumerable roots and ties of the homeland pulled out and then being, at least for the time, without roots in this strange land- the cold, hard reality of this last fact when the novelty of living in a new land begins to wear off. BUT GOD- How thankful we are that we didn't come out here because it gwas our own idea, but rather in answer ito God's call. Some of these very diffi- culties are proving to be a source of rich blessings as well. As we have talked dur- ing the last month with an old man here at the hotel la priest of the Parsee or Zo- roastrian faithl and the Holy Spirit has given us opening after opening to witness to him, our hearts have been thrilled a- new at the wonderful Gospel provided in and through Christ and at the matchless worth of our God and Saviour. It would interest you to know that at long last those of us who are studying for our 'first year' exam are actually getting into the Scriptures. We are studying Mark and are about half way through reading and translating. It was very difficult go- ing at first because the style and vocabu- lary are quite a bit above the material we have been studying, but it is gratifying to note that day by day these things become more familiar and that it goes easier each time we work on it. George is making progress in several ways-he has passed his first birthday an- niversary and now weighs 25 pounds and is 32 inches tall. He has had some sick- ness, but most of the time he is happy and so full of energy that he can't decide what to do with it all. For Christmas we went out to the woods with some other missionaries and found some evergreens. We brought home a small branch and made a tiny 'real' Christmas tree. All the decorations were hand made, but it turned out to be quite pretty. We were invited over to Seaview by the Willms to share their Bungalow Christmas dinner and had a blessed time We had several get-togethers together. where we sang carols and the like, so all in all we had a very fine Christmas, al- though we admit our thoughts often turn- ed homeward. We ask your prayers that Satan might be defeated in his purposes in Parbhani. The Lord has opened the door to that ter- ritory in a most marvelous way and we don't propose to turn the ground back to Satan and his cohorts. Please join us in praying that the Lord will overrule the government officials and all others con- cerned who have no interest whatever in seeing the Lord's work go ahead. With Ray and Mary, Laura C463 and Milton Jantz also sailed to India and are now at Basti. In a recent letter she wrote these interesting bits: While we were still in Balrampur, I taught my Hrst Child Evangelism class. I had to think fast. I taught Jairus' daughter with flannelgraph and thought I would have to stop several times and turn it over to Grace, but some- how I got through it. What's more mir- aculous, they understood what I said. There's nothing more gratifying in learn- ing a new language, than to know you're being understood. At Basti is the Thomson Memorial Boys Home. There are thirty-one boys ranging in ages from five or six to sixteen. Some of them are orphans, and most of them don't know anything about their families. The small ones are so thin and tiny. Al- though they get good food here, and enough of it, they still don't put on much weight. They must have had a very bad start in life. I wish you could hear them sing. It would just thrill you, as it did us the first time we heard them. 'I'hey sing many of the hymns and gospel songs we use at home. 'I'hey have regular Sun- day School classes and prayer meetings. Of a young couple's wedding she wrote: Grace, the bride, has asked me to sing and play. I'rn also in charge of icing the cakes, including the wedding cake. This is something I haven't done much of, I mean icing and decorating a wedding cake -other cakes aren't so particular. This will be a very happy event and is really exciting inulndia. It is so different from at home- all the preparation is so diifer- ent- we have to do without so many things. However, I'm sure their wedding will be very nice. We feel a new responsibility and chal- lenge laid upon us in this new location. Do pray that the Lord will daily Ht us for the task of serving Him in this place. Bunn-Murphy ' Miss Barbara Bunn, College librarian from 1948 to 1950, and Howard Murphy of the class of 1950, were married in North Kansas City on January 1. Howard has been attending William Jewell College the last two years, and Mrs. Murphy has been employed in the city. Congratula- tions and best wishes. SPECIAL GIFTS Several unusual gifts have come to the College recently. Mr. Norman of Herring- ton, Kansas, the father of Charles Nor- man, who is a K.C.B.C. student, presented a whole beef which he had raised for us. A new 4 drawer file cabinet, given by a friend, already has proved a great help in the business office. Join the College family on the DAY OF PRAYER A Tuesday, February 6, 1952 PAGE Form TI-IE COMMENTATOR Jamaican Proverbs By Mrs. Leonard H. Bewick In our twenty-five years spent in mis- sionary work in Jamaica, British West In- dies, we learned to love and to appreciate the thousands of proverbs that are in con- stant use, particularly with the peasant class of that island. There is perhaps no race of people on earth that have been more misunderstood, misrepresented, and more oppressed than the black race. Out of their unfortunate experiences the negroes have developed a philosophyall their own, which they ex- press with their proverbial sayings. As we examine a few of the best known, I trust we shall understand the people a little better and learn something from em. A word should be said about their dia- lect. It is essentially English, but through the years the native misuse of the lan- guage has been built into a colloquial tongue which seems strange indeed to the white man. All pronouns in the first person are me, and all in the third person are him, regardless of gender. Each prov- erb will be quoted in the native dialect and translated. Rock tone a ribber bottom doan know that rock tone on the road side feel. A rock Qstoneb on the 'river bottom cloesn t know how a rock on the roadside feels. It is difficult, if not impossible, for per- sons in one set of circumstances to under- stand the feelings of others in a wholly different set of circumstances- for the rich to understand the feelings of the poor, the well the sufferings of the sick, and so on. The beautiful force of this is brought out when we remember the tropical climate andupicture the stone at the bottom of the river in its cool, restful, undisturbed posi- tion. The stone of the road is exposed to the dust, glare, and heat of the burning sun and is kicked about and run over a hundred times a day. This proverb teaches us the beauty of sympathy. Donkey say, De worl no lebel. The don- key says, The world is not level. None can say this with more feeling than the poor little beast of burden as it wends its way up and down the mountain trails of that lovely island. This is the negro's way of expressing that things are unequal in this world. Some things can never be equal for all because people are different, but some things are not equal to the black man that ought to be- equality of privi- lege, opportunity, and justice. The ass as he draws his load, in the hampers on his back, finds the world is not levelg there are ups and downs in life. Horse doan business at bull fight. The horse has no business being at a bull fight. 'This is a lesson to the young to keep out of undesirable company and also for all of us to mind our own business. Imagine a horse at a bull fight, and you will see the humor of this proverb. When foul drink water him lif him head and say, Thank God, thank God! but when man drink him say nuttin. When a bird drinks water, he lifts his head and says, Thank God, thank God! but when 'man drinks, he says nothing. Ingratitude, too, has its proverbial rebuke in this saying. When black man tief him half a bit: when white man tief him tief whole estate. When a black man steals, he steals five centsg when a white man steals, he steals a whole estate. The pilfering propensities of the black race have often been the sub- ject of the white man's jest. The above is a powerful reply. In other words the black man pilfers while the white man steals wholesale. When trouble ketch goat him find him masse yard. When a. goat gets into trouble, he looks for his rnaster's yard. Goats are very plentiful in Jamaica, and they will frequently break a rope to get away. If one finds good feeding, it may be away for several days: but should it meet with bad treatment or misfortune of any kind, it will lose no time in returning home. This is their way of expressing the wonderful truth told us in the story of the Prodigal Son. The wayward one comes back to his father when he needs help. Mas. LEONARD H. Bswrcx Sickness take horse ride come but him take walk toot go away. Sickness rides a horse when it comes, but it goes away on foot. The suddenness and facility with which evil may come and the d.iHiculty of remedying it are well expressed here. How quickly it comes: how slowly it goes away. A character it has taken years to form may be blighted in a moment. If fish come from ribber an tell you alli- gator have belly ache believe him. If a fish comes from the river and tells you that the alligator has a bellyache, believe him. The wisdom of learning from other people's experiences and of paying heed to what we are told by those who are older is strikingly put forth here. In other words don't insist on testing everything for your- self, but be willing to learn from others. When you see your neighbor's beard ketch fire wet fe you. When you see your neigh- bofs beard on fire, wet your own. When you see people around you being attacked by disease, start using protective measures, rather than waiting until you are sick to get treatment. When evil befalls some- one else, just make sure the same thing does not happen to you. Fire dey a mus-mus tail, him tink say it a cool breeze. When a 'mouse's tail catch- es fire, he thinks it is a cool breeze. This may be construed to mean that one may get so accustomed to evils around him that he sometimes allows himself to be lulled into a sense of false security. Dog say pig mouth long because he can't see fe him own. The dog says the pig's smut is long because he can't see his own. Our Scotch friends would perhaps state the same meaning in these words: O wad some Power the giftie gie 115 To see oursels as ithers see us! And now comes the timely advice to keep out of family quarrels: When you see family bickel you no fe take sides but say to one, Don't do so, and to the other, Don't do so, becausin awhen dey mek it up you will lef in a it. When you see a. family quarrel, you must not take sides, but you must say to each, Don't do that,', because after they have made up, they will still have a quarrel against you. When peace reigns again in the home, each will remember what you said against the other, unless oil has been poured on the troubled waters by the gentle, Don't do so. This is human wisdom of the Jamaican peasants- will you not pray that Christ, who is the wisdom of God may be all in all to them? THE GATES OF ZION Psalm 24:7-9 1. The Sheep Gate- Nehemiah 3:1 'I'he Gate of Sacrifice 2. The Fish Gate- Nehemiah 3:3 The Gate of Soul-winning 3. The Old Gate- Nehemiah 3:6 The Gate of Sound Doctrine 4. The Valley Gate- Nehemiah 3:13 The Gate of Humility 5. The Dung Gate- Nehemiah 3:14 The Gate of Separation 6. The Fountain Gate- Nehemiah 3:15 The Gate of Thanksgiving 7. The Water Gate- Nehemiah 3:26 The Gate of Bible Study 8. The Horse Gate- Nehemiah 3:28 The Gate of Conquest 9. The East Gate- Nehemiah 3:29 The Gate of Hope 10. The Assembly Gate CMiphkadl- Nehemiah 3:3 The Gate of Reconciliation 11. The Ephraim Gate- Nehemiah 8:16 The Gate of Fruittulness 12. The Prison Gate- Nehemiah 12:39 The Gate of Judgment -The Clario The A sermon is strong only when it is pow erful to produce the effect for which sermon is made. If the great end of sermon is to arouse a man to hate ' sins, and to see in Christ a divine Saviour and so awaken him as to cause him to im mediately accept Christ and find forgive ness, then that sermon is a strong sermo which brings about that result, and th man who attempts to do it in any othe way and fails, has preached a weak ser mon, no mater how scholarly nor ho splendid its rhetoric, nor how profound i thought, nor how dignified its delivery Sermons are strong that pull down th works of the devil and capture sinners fo Jesus Christ. Aim in Gospel Preaching TI-IE COMMIENTATOR .PAGE Captain Robert Wins A Wctory UESTI0' i v ox I Child Evangelism Instructor PREPARATION baby and torn book and later Robert standing as in the first scene.J Many of BY Mrs. D. E. Wisner All the action of this story may be shown against a single background. Any living room scene including a door and window may be used. The Bgures are: Robert, about 8 or 10 years of age, with his face pressed against a window: Motherg Robert facing Mother, two hands with fingers opened out: two eyesg two ears: a mouth showing tongue, baby Carol sitting on the floor: a book with torn pagesg an appleg and Father with hand at salute. These figures may be found in magazines or may be sketched on construction paper. They should be backed with outing flannel and cut out. PRESENTATION Robert was kept indoors by a severe cold. As he Battened his nose against the window pane, he sw a company of soldiers marching by. lShoW Robert at Windowj He was fascinated by their uniforms and the way they kept step. He watched un- til the last man disappeared around the corner. Then he turned to his mother with a sigh. CRemove figure of Robert at window and place Robert and Mother fac- ing each other.j I would like to be a soldier, he said. Very well, said his mother. Then I would be. Robert stared at her a few minutes, won- dering whatever she could mean. Then he said, Would be what? Why, a soldier. Isn't that what you said you wanted to be? b ':,Yes, Mother, but- well, how could I e. e Oh, that's easy enough- that is, if you put your mind to it. A soldier's life is never an easy one, of course. But, Mother, I don't know what you mean. You don't? Have you forgotten the verse we talked about so long, that tells us that he that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city CProv. 16:32J ? It takes real soldier-like Hghting to rule a spirit, I tell you. Oh, said Robert as he once more flattened his nose against the pane while he thought about what his mother had said. But, Mother, I didn't mean that kind. I would like to be a captain and have soldiers under me. Nothing easier, said his mother. There are your ten fingers, and your eyes, and your ears, and that troublesome tongue that hates to obey. CPlace each figure be- tween Robert and Mother as mentioned.J I'm sure you will have soldiers enough to control. I pity any captain who has more troublesome ones. Robert stood a good while thinking about what his mother had said. Then he de- cided that he would be a captain at once and that his soldiers should obey per- fectly. He wondered what orders he would have to give them irst. Poor Robert! In less than ten minutes he knew. CRemove all figuresb When he went to read his new adven- ture book he had received for his birth- day, he found that baby Carol had been there before him. CPlace figures of the the pages were torn out, and some of the best pictures torn into pieces. Oh, how angry was Captain Robert! He wanted to run after Carol and slap her naughty fingers. She was almost two years old and ought to know better. He wanted to cry out with angry voice that Carol be spanked. He wanted to bury his face i.n the sofa cushions and cry aloud. Why did he do none of these things? Because he remembered in time that he was a cap- tain and had soldiers that must obey. lrnleh KE ' N1 1 , - ,. fa-tv'- -r Halt! he said to his feet, as they were about to rush at little sister. Stop! he commanded his eyes, as the tears began to rush to them, and back went all the tears except one little straggler that rolled down his nose and was instantly wiped out of existence. In short, Robert proved himself a good captain, for that time at least. He even sent his feet out for a rosy-cheeked apple for Carol. fRemove the book and place the apple beside the baby.J Then he bade his arms give her a loving hug, which they immediately did. CRemove all figures except Robert.J Mother found out about Robert's victory and reported it to Father when he came home. Father gave Robert a snappy sa- lute. CPlace figure of Father before Ro- bertj Captain Robert, I am proud to sa- lute you. I hear you have fought a battle and won a victory today. Robert was very happy, but he knew that he could never have won that battle alone. At each step he had to call on his Com- mander-in-chief for help. You see Robert was a Christian boy, he had a wonderful Saviour living in his heart, and he could call on Hi.m for help in time of need. APPLICATION Would you like to be a captain and rule over your soldiers: hands, feet, eyes, ears, and tongue? Then you had better ask the Lord Jesus to come into your heart and cleanse it from sin. He will gladly do this for you because He died to pay the penal- ty for all your sins and He longs to come into your heart and save you from them. Then you can look to Him every moment of every day to give you the victory over every one of these troublesome soldiers. This little story is taken from The Shcmty- man, and is used by permission of the pub- lishers in Toronto. Canada. Greatness is a two-faced coin, and its reverse is humility. A 'man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back to the crowd By Rev. Wade K. Ramsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College . In this column Mr. Ramsey will be r glad to answer questions sent in by our readers which concern Bible in- - terpretation or application and are of general interest. -Editor QUESTIONI Why was Moses told to smite the rock for water in Exodus 17: 6 but only. to speak to the 'rock in Numbers 2018? ANSWER: The rock, as I Corinthians 10Z3, tells us, was symbolic of Christg the smit-' ing of it, therefore, typified the smiting of Christ upon the cross for our sins.. In symbol God was saying to the peo- ple that only through the crucified One, the smitten One, can a person have the water of life. Thus in Exodus 17:6 He commands Moses to smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people 'may drink. But in Numbers 20:8 He says, Speak ye unto the rock before their eyesg and it shall 'give forth his water. The reason for this is that since the rock symbolizes Christ, it needs to be smitten but once, for Christ was crucified but once. His own offering was abundantly sufficient to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by I-Iim. We read also in Hebrews 10:12,f But this man, after he had offered one' sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Then in verse 14 of the same chapter, For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. After Christ was smitten at Calvary, all we need to do is to turn to Him by faith and request the water of life. Consequently, when Moses smote the rock the second time, he disobeyed God and marred the significance of the type. Therefore, God punished him by refusing to allow him to bring the children of Israel into the land of promise. QUEs'r1oN: What is the nature of the sin of Nadab and Abihu which caused their instant death by the hand of God? ANSWER! Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron, their sin was the offering of strange fire before the Lord, a sin in holy things. Such sins seem to he the most heinous in the sight of God. At any rate, His judgment upon them is often instant and direct. It is instructive to note that in every instance in the Bible where God intervenes and directly takes life as a judgment, it is because of sins in holy matters. Beside the example be-. fore us, there are several other similar instances. There is the case of Korah and Dathan and Abiram who tried to set up a new priestly order, not only without divine order, but in direct op-- position to the order God had already setr up. Their swift and horrible fate ish recorded in Numbers 16:32-35, And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed: QCo'n.tinued on Page 7D I PAGE six Q: THE COMMENTATOR Sunday School Lesson Notes A,, ' By Dr. Walter L. Wilson A, President, Kansas City Bible College MARCH 2- Barna- bas, a Good Man. Acts 4:36, 37, 9:26, 275 11:19-26: 13:1-3. Golden Text: Acts 11:24. It is not often that a ,4 5 man's lovely charac- ter invites his friends to give him a name that indicates that character. In this case, however, Barnabas fthe son of con- solationh was such a delightful Christian, so devout and so devoted, that he received 'this special recognition from those with whom he worked. He was not a native- born Palestinian, but he was of the priest- ly family. He had moved into another country where idolatry prevailed, but somehow he had heard the precious gos- pel and had turned his heart heavenward as he trusted Jesus Christ. His was not just an empty profession of being a Chris- tian as was proved by his sacrifices. He sold some property and brought the full amount to the apostles as a gift to the King of kings. He was no half-way dis- cipleg he gave his all. Not only was Barnabas a godly man, wholly devoted to his Lord, but he was also a separated man. Separating himself from the world, he sought out the company of those who walked with God and who could heya blessing, to his soul. His keen discernment recognized Saul as a truly horn again man. His help to Saul at this time proved that Barnabas was the brother born for adversity. The beautiful description given of the character of this man should stir our own hearts to want to be like him. He rejoiced in the blessing that God had given through the preaching of others and the growth in grace of God's people at Antioch. When he had led these saints as.far as he could, he resigned and sent for Saul to teach them deeper truths. The Scripture records three character- istics rarely attributed to meng Barnabas is called good, full of the Holy Spirit, and full of faith. No wonder the Holy Spirit selected this man to be one of His chosen vessels. MARCH 9- Paul, a Prisoner of Christ. Philippians 3:4b-17. Golden Text: Philippians 3:13, 14. - Paul was one of God's giants in intellect. He was unsurpassed in devotion, unex- celled in Christian character, and above reproach- but without Christ. He lists seven enviable characteristics in his life which in the eyes of the world would make him acceptable to God, but he had no eternal life. He might have been well satisfied with his beautiful character were it not that he had met the risen, glorious Christ on the road to Damascus, and the light of that Person eclipsed forever all of these personal, religious attributes. Aft- er rneeting the Saviour and being redeem- ed by Him, he discounted in a vigorous way all of the things which he had for- merly trusted as a basis for salvation. He could not get rid of them quickly enough. He used only the filthiest word to describe st? . 5 rx 5 if .A,f2,g, Kits . V . : 553 : ,g.,5:, 2:12, f-,f .I ., g '-,., mg? 1 ai H -1. .. V .. i. , B at -sa 'Y f as,r,e.gQ1,',.' - .- -- - V r fr,-.e::a':-:::::-'ea2 1 . -, ,,. , - these religious characteristics in which he had trusted for salvation, because now he was saved by faith in the precious Person who alone can make us fit for heaven and then take us there. He had been spending his time studying the multitudinous de- tails of the law. Now, however, he would know Christ Jesus and all of the wonders of His work and the witness of His sacri- fices. He wanted to he moved and stirred in his soul by the resurrection of this mmdered man whose blood had been shed and whose heart had been pierced. Paul had a unique experience in his life, as is suggested in verse 11, when he was stoned to death at Lystra, went out into eternity for a short time, where he saw the wonders of heaven and hell, and then came back to pr-each as no other man has preached. What he saw out there made him leave everything else behind in his intensive search for all of the blessings of God. He invited others to join with him in the finest and the best that could be obtained from the living God. MARCH 16- Timothy, a Dependable Fol- lower. Acts 16: 1-35 Philippians 2: 19-24: II Timothy 2: 1-5. Golden Text: I Timothy 4:12. Paul had a human heart that loved fel- lowship. Silas was his churn for a while, and before that Barnabas. Timothy, how- ever, seems to have been the one who understood Paul best and stayed with him the longest. It is well for young men to become associated with older saints who know God's Word and His ways, because they save themselves many difficulties and perplexities thereby. Timothy sought first the things that are Jesus Christ'sg and, like Paul, he had a shepherd's heart. God is still looking for those whose hearts are moved and stirred by the needs of the church and who care for the growth of the believers in spirituality. Paul had found Timothy when he visited Derbe and Lystra. This young man had a good reputation among the Christians there, in that he was ambitious and' had a real desire to grow in grace and in usi- t e fulness. Paul had led him to know Saviour and therefore called him his soma an in the faith. He traveled with Paul saw the working of the Spirit of God and learned to know the path of faith as God's path for His servant. Let us consider some of the wonderful truths brought to Timothy in the last passage in our lesson. Paul calls this young man in verse 1, his song in verse 2, a sol- dierg in verse 6, a husbandman or carpen- terg in verse 24, a servant who is to carry out the will of his master. He was a son in relation to his Father. He was a soldier as to his activity in attacking the enemy. He was a husbandman in that he sought to produce fruit for God and establish something stable for God's glory. He was a worman in that he could examine and explain the Word of Truth so that others could understand God's will, God's wav, and God's mind. He was a servant as to his ministry for and around God's dear people. Paul did not fail to encourage Timothy by reminding him that if we suf- fer we shall reign. What a teacher, and what a pupil! . MARCH 23- An Open Heart and Home? Acts 16:6-15, 40. Golden Text: Pro- verbs 31:30. Paul believed implicitly in being led of the Spirit whether He commanded to go or not to go. In each case he acted without hesitation and with full assurance. The Holy Spirit is the Lord of the harvest, to whom we should pray about harvest activities. It was a man who called Paul to Ma- cedonia, but when he arrived there, it was a woman that he met. The man said come help us, but his first meeting was with a group of women at the river bank. The man who called him to Macedonia was probably the Holy Spirit because it was He who knew that Lydia's unsatisfied heart was seeking relief. He knew also that Paul had the message she needed, and thus the seeking sinner led by the sovereign Spirit met the servant of God whom the Spirit had brought. We rejoice to see the way that the Holy Spirit un- tangles the web, arranges the impossible program, and reaches through the dark- ness and the unbelief to find a woman's heart. The Word tells us that the Lord opened her heart, and she opened her house. Thus it is always that those who re- ceive Christ receive Christ's people and de- sire their fellowship. Lydia was not asham- ed of these who had brought her the gos- pel but she welcomed the servant of God openly. Paul's zeal and earnestness at Philippi brought him into much trouble. The magistrates removed Paul's clothes from him to hold him up to shame and scorng then they had the soldiers beat him with 39 stripes, and after this they cast him into prison. The Lord delivered him, and we find in the closing verse that he went right back to the house of Lydia where he was comforted and helped. May there he many more Lydias. MARCH 30- How Luke Served His Lord. Luke 1: 1-49 Acts l:1, 29 16:6-105 Col- ossians 4: 14. Golden Text: Acts 118. Luke was a physician, whose books are so accurately written that it is easy to see his medical mind. In writing to Theo- philus, he mentions that he was an eye- witness. The thought found in this very interesting Greek word is that of autopsy. ln order for the doctor to really know what caused the patient to die, he must open up that body and End these fatal changes that 'took ploe in the brain or the heart or some other susceptible portion. Having made an autopsy on the body, he can then tell accurately the de- tails concerning the suffering and death of the patient. Luke said he did this with the record of Jesus. He examined every detail of everything said and done about Jesus and by Him. We may therefore receive with open heart his revelation, knowing it is absolutely true. Before Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles, these truths also were definitely examined before he presented them. We are not told whether Dr. Luke was with the one hundred on the day of Pentecost, or what reception the Word of God had through his lips as he traveled with Paul. We don't know whether he preached or won any souls for Christ. Evidently, Dr. Luke went with Paul on his journeys, and probably he often returned to his home weary. Paul calls him the beloved physician and indicates that he was much in love with God's people and desired THE, COIVEMENTATOR PAGE greatly to see their blessing. Not much is given of his spoken ministry, but a great deal of space has been given to his written ministry, for his book is the long- est in the New Testament. God sovereign- ly selects for us the' kind of work He wants each one to do. Somehow He knows our intellects, our capabilities, and our inabilities, and arranges the kind of serv- ice we can render to best advantage. TI-IE QUESTION BOX CContinued from Page 55 them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that pertained unto them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congrega- tion. And all Israel that were round about them Hed at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. Then there is the case of Uzzah who in- truded the flesh into holy matters by put- ting forth his hand and taking hold of the ark of God when it was being brought back to Jerusalem by David. His act and instant death are recorded in II Sam- uel 6:6, 7. Then there are the New Testament ex- amples of Ananias and Sapphira and Her- od. Ananias and his wife were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit in the matter of their offering fActs 5:1-115 while Herod was smitten by the angel of the Lord for taking glory to himself which belonged unto God CActs 12: 231. In God's sight, then, the sins which are directly against Himself are the most reprehensible and deserve the swiftest and severest punishments. According to our Lord, the one sin which is unpardonable of this type is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. QUESTION: Are all unbelievers in bond- age? ANSWER: Yes, the Bible teaches that all unbelievers are in bondage notwithstand- ing their often vaunted freedom. Their bondage arises out of two sources, namely, ignorance and sin. Our Lord said to the Jews in John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free, implying that to be ignorant of the truth is to be in bondage. All unbelivers, there- fore, are in bondage to their ignorance, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis- cerned CI Cor. 2: 141. This ignorance sometimes leads to the bondage of law as was the case with the Jews of whom Paul speaks, who being ig- norant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteous- ness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God CRom. 10:35. Then it leads to the bondage of super- stition as was the case of the Gentiles in Acts 17:22. In Ephesians 4:18, the apostle speaks of the unbelieving Gentiles as hav- ing their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through ig- norance. Of course, it is to be under- stood that the ignorance here referred to is the ignorance of spiritual things and not the things of this world, for many unbe- lievers are highly enlightened in matters pertaining to this life. Our Lord said the children of darkness are often wiser in their generation than the children of light The second source of their bondage is their sin. In John 8:34 we read, Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the ser- vant Ibond-servantj of sin, and Peter teaches us that while the false teachers among unbelievers promise others liberty, they themselves are the servants of cor- ruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage CII Peter 2:19J. The kind of freedom which these teachers promise is the freedom from righteousness, as Paul says, for when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness CRom. 61201. So while the men of the world pretend to have free- dom and liberty, they are in reality hope- lessly in the grip of an unbreakable bond- age. Only Christ can set them free: con- sequently, only the Christian enjoys true freedom. ' A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL CContinuecl from Page 11 as commendable as it is, will not be con- ducive to a well rounded Christian life. It could and may actually be producing born again believers, like the seed that -fellamong stony places, but it does not grow up into a fruitful life. God's cause is certainly not helped when, among groups of- His own people, basic virtues of kind- ness, compassion, longsuffering, honesty, thrift, and moral cleanliness are not prac- ticed. When bitterness, schisms, back- biting, petty crimes, sexual promiscuity are seen among such groups, is it because the pulpit has failed to sound forth God's standards on these subjects? Obviously those who claim to be saved by the blood of Christ should be peerless examples of what Christ can do in one's personal testi- mony to the world. MY TESTIMONY BY CAROLYN Wacom-:R Student, Kansas City Bible College I wonder what others must surely think Of the Lord I love and praise, As they see my actions day by day Which may a question raise. Christ did not have a bitter tongue Nor thoughts of shame and sin, But His heart has longed to share with us The love of God within. My life should be a lighted lamp To burn and not grow dim, For the life I live with others, I live it now through Him. O Gocl.' Forgive me for the times I've fallen and lost my way, And seemed to shatter the 'rays of light And even failed to pray. O gracious God who never fails, Thou hast answered my prayers again! For my light will shine through the darkest night When I put nothing first but Him. A 1'RANQulLl rY BY Louisa B. EAVEY I do not ask to leave this lonely road, If here Thine own acquaintance be more sweety Why shouliil I seek a pleasing, crossless pat When Thy choice led Thee forth to pierced feet? For poignant stings thrust by a hating world There flows from Calvary Thy healing balmg For sudden storms without- and in my heart- Thy Peace, be still restores the quiet calm. But little matters on this pilgrimage From earth to heaven, if, by plenteous grace, My pardoned soul may, mirrored in Thy Word, Behold fresh glimpses of Thy loving face. I claim Thy sovereign power to plan my course. Content to let Thee choose, come joy or pain, With footsteps planted deeply in Thy Word, Assured, my Lord, I cannot trust in vain! -Moody Monthly One Step Sometimes the path ahead seems rough, and oh, so dark! A way to climb its 'rugged steeps I can- not see: But God is ever walking by my side, and so I need not know the trail- one step's enough for -me. --Irene Judy New yearh pesolulions ' P . ' I. Q? . Q1 J ' - -. 'i' Q, ' 1' l . 2. nm. -V. - . S .vah!f f,,,n.,, f R1 Xsx ? 51 ilruf ,glxxrl-lx, 1 . ' Li-a: - ,A A 1'Q'1L-if-sie' 5 A 'x ' ' 'f 1' X' -- ,., ,. , Ts, if :' iff!! ' -v...,4-.aQJ Remember your good resolutions to sendl regular contributions to the Alumni Scho- larship Fund. You will benefit Gocl's ser- vants-in-training, the needy peoples of the world, and yourself. Start your gift on its way today to Ani- ta Welch, Financial Secretary, Alumni As- sociation, 3326 Brown Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. :PAGE EIGHT THE COMMENTATOR THE GLORY OF SACRIFICE CCont-inued from Page lj do not think you can give as a Christian so. I do not think that we give in the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ until, like Him, we touch on self-denial, until His love constrains us to some sacrifice as it constrained Him to shed His precious blood on the cross of Calvary. Let us then, seriously, ask ourselves, have we been giv- ing to the point of sacrifice? Have we ever denied ourselves in anything that we might bring an offering and lay it at His feet? Dr. Jowett somewhere tells of a rich man who made many large gifts to the church. One day his only son asked him if he might give himself for missionary service to India. No, the father had many other plans for his son, and with the re- quest many dreams faded. But after three years the father walked with the son across the gangplank of an ocean liner. With bent form and dim eyes he said goodbye. He was giving at last a gift that cost him dearly. Now Dr. Jowett adds, The steps that led to that altar were dripping with the blood of a living sacrifice. This is never easy, but praise God it will always be blessed. Think of a man like David Livingstone, whose motto was, I will count no sacrihce too great to do for Him who gave His life for me. Was it worth it? Listen to what Stanley said when writing of his experiences after ind- ing Livingstone in Central Africa. I lived with this man week after week, and I watched him . I saw patience beyond any- thing I ever dreamed possible. I stood by him as he loved these heathen men. I watched him almost day and night giving himself to others, and I could not help it- I became a Christian by his side. Well might these words be written on Living- stone's tomb-stone:, lHe needs no epitaph to guard a name Which men shall prize while worthy work is knowng He lived and died for others- be that his fame- Let marble crumble, this is LIVING-stone. PERFECT PEACE I look not back: God knows the fruitless 217011, The wasted hours: the sinning, the re- grets. I leave them all with HIM who blots the record, And graciously forgives and then, for- gets. I look not forward: God sees all the future The road that, short or long, will lead me home. And HE will face with me its every trial And bear for me the burdens that may come. I look not round me: then would fears assail me, So wild the tumult of earth's restless seas, So dark th? world, so filled with woe and em , So vain the hope of comfort and of ease. I look not inward: that would make me wretched, For I have naught upon which to stay my trust, Nothing .I see save failures and short-co'm.- ings, And weak endeavors, mumbling into dust. But I look up: Up into the face of Jesus, For there my heart can rest, my fears are stilledg And there is joy and love and light for darkness, And perfect peace and every hope ful- filled. -Author Unknown Now opportunity lo glvo lluem o ,g - 1 1 l',.,-gjiggg .,,: 3 A:,.,, A, gospelwitnesslryrroindl porsonul workers. Your - ' part ln this plon will In fl 1f' V I :':l:i 'i1:' f '- ': ' unknown. The lord is greatly blessing Ilris program. lii smn 251 ron A snmru ounlnz Tl'lE'lilG-Bll0TIlEll TRACT BAND'BOX 888-AKRON.fl',-OHIO FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES Av lab! to Shade t Tea he s Ch Isl an Wo kes nd M onales at SPECIAL DISCOUNTS Wrila Yoday lor FREE lirorature CHICAGO ACCORDION CENTER. Inc. Dept. CT. 754 N. Damen Av. Chicago 22. Ill. LA. C gfii .. e For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 Midwest Plumbing and Heating Co. 6243 Prospect Ja-5757 Kansas City, Mo. You Gan Win Souls for Christ wlth Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining. It will be a revelation to you. Also free booklet describing revolutionary lifetime MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear outg quiet as a clock: needs no oilingg has no belts: needs no servicing: trouble-proof. C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS Sunnyside Avenue, Wheaton, Ill. 3352553232'8SBl3'85ZSE5KSS'L'Swea-1asu1.suw- E g E ra gggssgssssasssssesgaz22222222222 .- ......s.s...ss.s.s.fs.s.s.s.s.s.s. 5555555555555 m 222assessesssmssssgsggggggggggg 8555885S55S35S5S5ssanaansssaaas 'U so ooooooooooooooooo E M EBBEBBEEBEBEEEEEE y 4'4'4'4W'4'4'4'4'4'4 '4'4 '4 p U :.owN1oNNNr-u-r- 'i- Www NNmm 'i- 'i- lg - ew:-:D:1s s-2:-serlsf-'f'99QsffM' 'Ts-f9?3v1-f-wo w Qwm Z . . . . ,. ,. . . 233S39lE52E'5ECw-:mm-S.'3f3'rE'l1'585E322-'IZ'-e-1 Q Q 9 an-1eruf-if-4Quan.:-1r-.uf-rr-iuuf-ruuurfr-'rl-'L-irq-4rrer1 aj ll: oooooooooooooooooooooggggcglg-gig z sssassaassfssssaraassgr....e.f........ E ,., '4 :U l33SE5'6SG.'Z5l3l5Seam-:museum-2355555555 LaSalle Engineering Corporation LaSalle Bldg., 8 East Ninth Street Kansas City, Missouri MONUMENTS Memorial Art Company Salina and Hutchinson, Kansas Finest display of Modern Memorials in the Midwest The Sunday School Lesson Helps You Need For Every Department of Your Sunday Schooll Christian Lif following the International Uniform Lesson Topics e Series Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School officials upon request. Write for yours today! UNION GOSPEL PRESS P.O. Box 6059 Cleveland 1, Ohio Published by The Kansas City Bible College MARCH, 1952 WHAT IS A MAN WORTH? EXPLAINING A MIRACLE BY TRUMAN PAGE President, Alumni Association Kansas City Bible College Our newspapers recently carried a story involving an accident damage suit in which the plaintiff was seeking compensation for the death. of a seven year old girl. After deliberation the judge awarded several thousand dollars as the amount the child might have earned in a reasonable length of time if she had remained alive. That is one way of measuring a person's value. If our bodies were reduced to the chemi- cal components of iron, carbon, nitrogen, etc., perhaps each one might be worth 81.50 at today's inflated prices. Militarily speaking, a soldier is worth several hun- dred dollars if we measure his value in terms of his training and equipment. The crooked politician buying illegal votes might buy a person for 55.00. We won- er what valuation God puts upon a human soul. Obviously, God's way of evaluating hu- man Worth is not man's. A dollars and cents estimation would have nothing to do with the case. Among all the other profound truths Christ expressed by His life and words, one seems to stand out- He valued people because they were peo- ple. He was not concerned about their wealth, education, or social standing. He was moved with compassion over sinners. That is the secret of His appeal to people. Sinners can go to Christ and be assured He will listen to them. This is also the true secret of the suc- cessful soul winning Christian. The per- sonal worker giving the gospel to the prisoner in his cell has won half the battle if he can convince the prisoner of his con- cern for him... The criminal has lived a life of planning only for himself and his own selfish interests. He cannot visual- ize anyone being moved about another's welfare with no selfish motive at all- simply out of love for the lost. Once he sees that truth he is half won for Christ. One of the paradoxes of our modern social welfare state is the gradual cheap- ening of human life. The cradle to the grave philosophy of modern government has on the surface the idea of raising the individual to a higher plane of value. when in reality it reduces him to a statis- tic- a cog in a vast and ponderous bu- reaucratic machine. We can see this when we look at the calm way in which social- istic states sacrifice millions of lives With- out a qualm in their imperialistic con- TH E PRESI DENT'S MESSAGE We rejoice in the development and progress of the students who have entered the College in this new year. Here the rough edges are smoothed off, crudeness is replaced by cultureg and ignorance of God's ways is replaced by the knowledge of God's will and plan. Shyness and bashfulness are replaced by a holy boldness in the things of God. Thus the Scriptures are fulfilled, where- in we are told to grow in grace Cgracious actionsl, and in know- ledge Cunderstanding of Godfs Wordj of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the investment you make in prayers and gifts is producing re- sults which will last for eternity. Thank you, dear friendsg we appre- ciate your helpfulness and are hap- py, indeed, that you will share the reward. GOD'S GREAT CREATION BY CAROLYN WAGONER Student, Kansas City Bible College I wonder how God made the sand And brightened up the sun. I wonder if it worked Him hard, Or was it all in fun? How was each star put in its place And flowers made to bloom? And did He use a telescope To formulate the moon? Why did He make the cherries red And every plum bright blue? And why do roosters crow? But cows- they never do! God's greatness spans the endless time, Just look at all He's done! We leave His handiwork to Him- Our love this day He's won. The greatest thing God ever made Was not a universe, But saving grace through Christ His Son For all who put Him first. quests. In a day when the individual is losing value more and more as an individual the church needs to sound out more clearly than ever God's message of love for peo- ple as people. God has given a dignity to man that no social or religious system can equal. May His servants proclaim that fact to the world. BY J. F. RODABAUGHT Nicodemus said to the Lord Jesus, as John 329, How can these You can describe a miracleg recorded in things be? you can tell what happensg possibly you can tell how it happensg but you can't tell why. Take the story of the man born blind in the 9th chapter of John. A Man spits on the ground, makes clay of the spittle, rubs it on the eyes of a blind beggar, who hears a Voice telling him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The blind man doesn't get of- fended but goes and washes and comes seeing. Yet he hasn't seen the Man who did it. These are the facts. This is what happened, but why? The Man who per- formed the miracle had offended because He did it on the Sabbath day, and the re- ligious leaders wanted to hear how it hap- pened. Finally, the man who had been blind told them frankly and bluntly, One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see Uohn 91253. In the 16th chapter of Acts, the Philip- pian jailer saw his jail so shaken up that the doors all came loose, the bonds were shaken off the prisoners, but the prison- ers did not run away. A Power that could free the prisoners, and still keep the pris- oners in their places, was a Power with whom he did not care to take issue. He did not want an explanation. After he knew the facts, he wanted to be safe and asked, Sirs, what must I do to be saved. The answer came: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. There is just one Name available and availing. There is none other name un- der heaven CActs 4:12J. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow CPhil. 2: 109. The all important question: Do you know? do you want to see? do you want to be saved? For if you are unsaved, you are on the road to hell as God plainly says in Revelation 20:15. If you want to be savedg if you are in dead earnest, then God is ready. He says, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock CRev. 3:20b. It is so hard because it is so simple. A man gives me a ticket which reads, Good for one passage from Kansas City to Chicago, I get on the traing the ticket is acceptedg and I sit back and relax. I am going to Chicago- not because of any- thing I am doing, or have done, or will do, or am. It is the 'ra.ilroad's business to get me there. I would make a mess of it if I CContinued on Page D7 1. PAGE TWO TI-HI COMMENTATOR One. hears a good deal in our day about the self-made man. He is the individual who through his own aggressiveness and de- termination has made good. He did not wait for his ship ,to come in, but he went out and brought it in. One does admire that spirit which has caused men to triumph over physical obstacles and to attain success in life. Although this may be true in the material world, it is not true in the realm of the Spirit. Because one makes good in material things is no reason to think that he can make good in spiritual things by his own effort. And yet the thought prevails that since one though his own efforts can make him- self fit for earth, he also can make him- self fit for heaven. The Scriptures re- pudiate this theory with the truth that the Christian is not a self-made person. He does not make himself fit for heaven through his own efforts. All that he is and will ever be, he is because of his pos- ition in Christ. Let us remember, then, that the Chris- tian is made righteous because of the grace of God. The work of Jesus Christ on Calvary was so complete and sufficient that the believer has imputed to him Christ's own righteousness. Romans 5: 19 is one of the many verses giving this truth: For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedi- ence of one shall many be made right- eous. II Corinthians 5:21 is another, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sing that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. In both of these Scriptures the believer is told that he has been made righteous and fit for God's presence because of what the Lord Jesus Christ did at Calvary. The question maybe in the minds of some readers: Why must I be made right- eous in order to stand in God's presence? I am better than most people of my ac- quaintanceg my background reveals that my ancestors were people of integrity and prominenceg and the record I have made for myself shows that I am a person who is respected by his fellow men. Why then, do I need to be made righteous? The person who thus argues has set up an artificial standard and has been meas- uring himself by others. Because he feels himself to be better than other human beings, he thinks that this standard will make him fit for God's presence. Then, too, he is ignorant of God's righteouness. Paul said in Roman 1023, For they be- ing ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own right- eousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Jesus illustrated this in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The Phar- isee was a very self-righteous man- he prayed three times a day, read the Old Testament, gave at least a tithe, and was very moral and cultured. One day such a person went into the temple to pray. He Self-Righteousness Versus God's Righteousness By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College stood and told the Lord the kind of per- son he was, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men areg extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess CLuke 18:11, 121. The pub- lican, who was considered a scoundrel by his Jewish brethren because he 'was col- lecting taxes for the Roman government, did not lift up even his eyes to heaven but smote his breast saying, God be mer- ciful to me a sinner. Jesus said that he went down into his house justified rather than the other, for he who exalts himself shall be abased, but he who humbles him- self shall be exalted. Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse has given an illustration which brings out this truth. After the first World War forty American soldiers were guarding an ammunition dump about 100 miles from Paris. The lieutenant in charge received a two weeks leave and went to the city. Shortly after he had gone, a motorcycle messenger from General Pershing's headquarters came rid- ing up with the message that the general' was seeking 2,700 American soldiers to march in the victory parade with other allied forces in four European cities-Lon- don, Bussels, Paris, and Rome. The sol- diers were elated at the prospect of getting away from this little French town and the guarding of the ammunition dump. There were two requirements, however. The first was that the record of each one must be clear. All in that small group could qualify, for none had a blot against his name as a wldier. The other require- ment was that each one chosen had to be at least one meter eighty-six centimeters tall. General Pershing had adopted the metric system, but none of these soldiers knew the equivalent in linear measure. The corporal said to the sergeant, At any rate, Sarge, I'm taller than you. Soon all of the soldiers were measuring themselves with each other, and the taller ones felt confident they would get to take this trip at the expense of the government. When the lieutenant returned, he was told of the message, and he asked if there were any candidates. They replied that no one knew how high one meter eighty- six centimeters would be. After a bit of figuring he marked off six feet one and one fifth inches on the wall. Somelooked at it and knew they were too short. Others backed up to it and then discovered they were too short. Finally Slim, the tallest man in the outfit, measured himself: but he, too, was a quarter of an inch short. General Pershing secured his 2,700 men, but not one of the forty was in the parade. God has a standard, which is absolute holiness and glory. His verdict is that all have sinned and come short of His glory. How then, is one to become righteous enough to enter heaven? He must be made righteous, for he cannot make him- self righteous. And that is the very thing that God proposes to do for any person who will accept Jesus Christ as his Sav- iour and Lord, for the work that Christ accomplished at Calvary enabled God to be just andx yet the justifier of them that believe on Jesus. God's righteousness is a gift that He wishes to bestow. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus CRom. 3:24J. The word freely is found nine times in the New Testament, with various English transla- tions such as without price and with- out returnl' But the best is found in the words of Christ when He said of the Phar- isees and those who rejected Him, They hated me without a cause. The words, without a cause, are another translation of the word here rendered freely. We have been justified without a cause by His grace. There was nothing in us that mer- ited His salvation. There was nothing in any one of us that could call forth His righteousness. God did it out of His grace because He loved us, but Calvary was the terrific price He paid to make it possible. God desires to make each person right- eous and fit for His presence: however His righteousness is conditioned upon the faith of the individual. For they being ignor- ant of God's righteousness, and going a- bout to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to ev- eryone that believeth ...The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the work of faith, which we preachg that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto right- eousnessg and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation QRom. 1023, 4, 8- 103. For one to be made righteous he must receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Ask your heart this question: Am I clothed in God's righteousness because I have accepted Jesus Christ, or am I try- ing to clothe myself in my own righteous- ness because I am ignorant of His? Re- member always that in God's sight all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Clsa. 64:67, but His righteousness, which He wants each one to have, makes one acceptable in His presence. This price- less gift' is yours if you will take Christ Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. THE COMMENTATOR MARCH, 1952 Volume 14, Number 3 Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Editor Grace T. Belton. Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward. Circulation Manager Price. single subscription. 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign. 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions. 50 cents each: Canada and foreign 60 cents. Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.O. Box 7035. Country Club Station Kansas City 2, Mo. School location: 75th 8: State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26. 1942. at the Post Office at Kansas City. Mo. under the Act of March 3. 1879. THE COMMENTATOR PAGE THREE CHRISTIAN SERVICE REPORT BY Rav. W. Jacx Wu.soN Director of Christian Service Meet Don Conner. Don hails from Ev- ansville, Indiana, and is a sophomore this year. Because he is typical of many of our young men, I am using him as an ex- ample for this report. Early this year the Christian Church in Kingsville, Missouri, wrote to ask wheth- er there was a young man in the College who could fill in as a minister in the ab- sence of a regular pastor. I talked with Don about it and found him eager for any opportunity to preach. I might add, by the way, that his grades are above average and his practice preaching in the homil- etics class gave evidence of real prepar- ation and ability. We do not send out students whose grades are poor or who have not shown proficiency in the prac- tical application of what they learn in the classroom. So Don Conner went to Kingsville. God blessed his ministry with them that first Sunday, and apparently the people liked his message. They asked him to return, and he did. He now goes regularly, and is considered the temporary pastor of that congregation. Occasionally he takes mus- ical groups from the College, and the church is receiving a rich blessing in the ministry of these young folks, We are grateful to God for opportuni- ties like this. It is a wonderful exper- ience for our students, and a blessing to the churches to enjoy a ministry they might not have if Kansas City Bible Col- lege students were not available. SPRING BANQUET ON APRIL 4 The annual spring banquet of The Kan- sas City Bible College will be held' in the Bulkley Memorial Building on the College campus, Friday, April 4, at 7:00 p.m. Dr. R. R Brown of Omaha, Nebraska, will be our speaker again this year. Those who heard Dr. Brown last year will not want to miss his message. Music will be furnished by the College music department under the direction of Mr. E. S. Crum. Alumni and friends are cordially invit- ed to be present for this evening of in- spiration and good fellowship. The din- ner, which will be served by the Califor- nia Catering Company, will be 52.00 per person. Reservation may be made through the College office, Fe-3000. CONFERENCE BLESSINGS The inter-semester student conference, January 24-25, was a spiritual high point in the year's activities. Some comments by the students themselves will 'give an insight into its results. ' Horace Brelsford, senior student, writes: The Victorious Life Conference meant to me a realization of a greater need of doing God's work in the power of the Spirit of God, and not in the power of human wis- dom or ability. My heart was challenged to yield my life more fully to God for His use. From Augusta Thiessen, senior and mis- sionary candidate to the Philippinesg The conference was a time in which the Lord was able to continue the work in my heart which He began several years ago. It was not a time in which I learned about Him, I learned to know Him in a deeper way, 'Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ' CGal. 2:16J. Junior student Lorraine Jost comments: Victory through Christ has always seem- ed to be a good motto, but so often it has not been a reality in my life. Through this conference the Lord has shown me that victory is a practical thing, and day by day we, through Christ, may be over- comers in our spiritual walk. Frank L. Collier, freshman, says: It was through the deeply spiritual mes- sages of Rev. Darrel Handel in our con- ference that I was made to realize my complete dependence upon God. So often we feel so self confident, but if we are going to be used and blessed of Him, we must depend on the Spirit of God. I thank the Lord for the conference. for it has brought me nearer to Himself. Another freshman, Mary Guttery, also reports blessing: During the conference I realized I was letting the lusts of the flesh hinder the work of the Lord in my life. If He is to be Lord at all, He must be Lord of all- and I realize that if I let Him be Lord of all, He can even use a 'nobody' like me for His service. DR. WILSON'S ITINERARY March 8, Youth for Christ, Havertown, Pa. March 9- Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pa. March 10- Dr. Barnhouse Bible Class, New York, N. Y. March 11-14- First Baptist Church, Peekskill, N. Y. March 15- Youth For Christ, New York March 16- Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pa. March 17- Dr. Barnhouse Bible Class, New York, N. Y. March 18-21- Grace Chapel, Havertown, Pa. March 22- Youth For Christ, Philadel- phia, Pa. March 31-April 3- Bob Jones University, Greenville, S. Car. April 11- Afternoon, First Reformed Church, Newark, N. J. Evening, Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Paterson, N. J. Usa NEW P.O. Box NUMBER At WALDO STATION Box 8426 s ALUMNI NEWS Former students, Robert and Retho. Far- thing, write from French Equatorial Afri- ca: We have had the joy of seeing many accept Christ as their own personal Saviour, coming out of darkness into His marvelous light. It has been a real joy to us to be able to reach so many who have never before heard the Name of Christ. There are still untold thousands yet to hear, so we would ask especial prayer as we seek to make Him known in the re- gions beyond. In February I leave again to go on the path to Haraze where we went last Feb- ruary. Many of the men who were work- ing here at the mission have now left the work rather than have to make that trip again, and in a way I do not blame them, for many of the men are yet strangers to His saving grace and were it not for the fact that we are trving to reach the peo- ple on this path with the Gospel, I am sure that I would not be anxious to go either. I hope to be able to get a bicycle which will keep down the number of men needed for the trip. If I can get enough men just to carry water and food, I will go ahead, but unless the Lord definitely undertakes, it will be a real problem to get even that many . . .This time Retha is staying at home, not because she does not want to go, but because I believe it is the wise thing to do. We are nearing the end of the term, and years do have a way of tell- ing on a person out here. If the Lord so provides, we shall be heading for the States in August or Sep- tember of 1952. fx Q . Roberta Watters, former student and dietician at the Col- lege 1948 - 49, left on E February 15 for serv- . ice in Costa Rica un- der the Latin Ameri- ca Mission. She is to work in her pro- fessional capacity in one of the hospitals there. Her departure for the field occurred within only a few weeks after her acceptance as a candidate because of this remarkable incident. At the Mission headquarters in New Jersey the members of the Board of Directors had met with the candidates, and they had prayed together for God's enabling grace. Within an hour Miss Watters' entire monthly support, plus traveling expenses and' language school, had been supplied by an unknown servant of the Lord. COLLEGE CHOIR AT CHAPEL The College Choir presented the Chapel program on February 1. The beautiful maroon robes with gold colored stoles which the choir members wore for the first time on that occasion were dedicated appropriately to the service of God through the Kansas City Bible College. The spring itinerary of the Choir, which will be pub- lished in full next month, will start with the first off-campus appearance on March 30 at Central Bible Church at the 11 o'clock hour, followed by an evening pro- gram at Odessa, Missouri. .i,,. it Has PAGE FOUR - THE COMIVIENTATOR The Blessed Way of Life Matthew 5:1 -12 By Rev. Leonard J. Larson It ls our plan to present a series of articles by members of the Board of Directors of the Kansas City Bible College in order that the friends of the College may become acquainted with the men of God who are ultimately res- ponsible for its welfare. Rev. Mr. Larson, who is pastor of the Mis- sion Covenant Church of Kansas City, Mis- souri. has worked to promote the school almost since its inception, as a member both of the Board of Directors and of the faculty. .At the present time he is teaching courses in Church History and World History. His deep spirit- ualit and wide ex ri n m y pe e ce ake him a bless- ing to the school. lEditor's note.J Everywhere men are seeking for the blessings of life. Jesus understood this deep yearning in the hearts of men, and here in a matchless message He proclaims the nature of the blessed life and how men may find it. Delitzsch has called the Mount of Beatitudes the Sinai of the New Testament. But what a contrast these two reveal! On Mount Sinai, far out in a desolate wilderness, God was hidden in the fire and smoke and thun- ders of a mountain that trembled at the awful presence of the Almighty. It was a mountain of wrath and death to any whose feet might touch it. Its command- ments were stern and unyielding de- mands. Here on a beautiful mountain-side fill- ed with the fragrance of lilies, the song of birds, and the laughter of happy chil- dren, to a wondering multitude the Son of God proclaims the constitution of the spiritual kingdom He would bring to men. Here is set forth the only true and bless- ed way of life. No promise of a worldly kingdom or material blessings and gross delights does He bring, but the challenge of a new spiritual kingdom of righteous- ness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit CRom. 14:17 RVJ. Jesus proclaims that true blessedness consists, not in what men have, but in what they are. The em- phasis is not on doing, but on being. Life and character are the supreme considera- tions of this blessed way of life. FINDING 'mr BLESSED LIFE The Beatitudes consist of trinities with- in a trinityg there are three groups of 'three each. Taken together they form a gospel in miniature, the details of which are supplied by the subsequent gospel story. The first three beatitudes reveal the way by which men may find the bless- ed life. No man can enter this kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit except by the narrow gate of spiritual poverty, a consciousness of his own sin and utter unworthiness. The proud, the self-righteous Saul of Tarsus must first become the chief of sinners, before he could become a recipient of the grace of God. When Isaiah cried out, Woe is me! for I am undoneg because I am a man of unclean lips, then came a seraphim with cleansing fire from the altar to touch him. Beloved, you, too, must become undone because of your sins and spiritual poverty before the por- tal to this blessed life will open to you. Secondly, the way to this blessed life is by a crushed and boken heart. Out of this sense of spiritual poverty and conscious- ness of sin, must come the agonies of deep spiritual mourning and penitence. The Sermon on the Mount is no easy re- ligion of good works, for we are imme- diately brought to the cross of Calvary where sins are revealed and forgiveness is given. The tragedy of much shallow, joy- less Christian living lies in the fact that there, has never been any deep sorrow over sin, no soul anguish that has given birth to a new life. Only those who peni- tently grieve over their sins to forsake them can ever taste the sweetness and joy and comfort which a gracious, for- giving God can give. Finally, entrance into this blessed life must be by way of a meek and humble heart. Mighty achievements, earthly riches, worldly honors avail nothing. Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhab- is Holy, I place, with iteth eternity, whose name dwell in the high and holy him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, the contrite and to revive the heart of ones Usa. 57:157. Jesus himself once said, Verily I say unto you, except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall hum- ble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven cMate. 18: 3, 4, R.V.J. LIVING 'rua BLESSED LII-'E The next trinity of beatitudes presents the virtues that are essential to living this blessed life. It is not enough to have discovered the way to this blessed life, we must find grace and power to live it. To live as a Christian, we must first be 'right with God and deeply concerned about the things of God. There must be a CCo'nti'n.ued on Page 75 UESTIOV7 5. x By Rev. Wade K. Romsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College In this column Mr. Ramsey will be glad to answer questions sent in by our readers which concern Bible in- terpretation or application and are of general interest. -Editor QUESTION: How can we explain the fact that Moses' pagan education neither wrecked or seemed to weaken his early training in faith? ANswER: That trained in Egypt in Egyptian learning is 7:22, And Moses was Moses was thoroughly attested by Acts learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. That this training neither wrecked nor weakened his faith in the true God is equally attested by all of his life and teaching. The remarkableness of this fact is emphasized to us when we remember the wreck and ruin that has been wrought by the present day pagan learning. Not too long ago, a college president said, . . . I have met hundreds of young peo- ple reared in godly homes who went off to college believing the Bible from cover to cover and came out of college with wrecked faith and blighted morals. What, then, is the explanation of Moses' faith? His preservation from the impiety and immorality of the world despite his pagan education like all other such pre- servation can finally be traced to Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Uude 241. But since God often uses ordinary means to accomplish his wise ends, it still remains for us to ask what were the means used to preserve Moses in the faith. In answer to this we think there are at least four factors which contributed to the stability of Moses' spiritual life: Q15 His parents set before him a very consistent, godly life CHeb. 111231. 125 They faithfully taught him in spir- itual things. CBJ They succeeded in actually bring- ing him to a personal knowledge of God lHeb. 11:2-17. C41 He had a long period of training under God Himself in the wilderness. As Paul had his time of training in Arabia, so Moses had his in the desert of Midian. QUESTION! Was Lot a saved man? ANSWER! It seems clear from the Scrip- tures that Lot was saved. This is ap- parent from the following considerations: C15 Abraham evidently numbered him among the righteous when he said to the Lord, Wilt thou also destroy the right- eous with the wicked? CGen. 18: 232. See also Genesis 18:24, 25, 28, 30, 31 and 32. CCo'rLtinued on Page 71 THE COMMENTATOR PAGE FIVE Rewards and Crowns By Mrs. D. E. Wisner Child Evangelism Instructor Pnsrmmrion The figures for this story may be used against a plain background. They in- clude: a large red cross with a door that opens, a throne made of goldg a strip of blue construction paper' with the word Joy in yellow lettersg a larger strip with Joy in larger lettersg a still larger strip with Joy in still larger lettersg 5 gold crowns: Jack and George, boys about 12 years of age: reclining figure of Bill, about 16, Bob, the same age, reading his Bible, Jim, about 24, carrying a brief case, Jerry, wearing a sun helmet, standing before a grass hut. These figures may be selected from magazines or sketched on construc- tion paper and colored, or stick figures may be used. They should be backed with outing flannel and cut out. PRESENTATION Did you ever receive a prize? If you did, you had to work for it, didn't you? Today we are going to go exploring in the Bible to discover something about the prizes, or rewards, God offers to Chris- tians. Since they are only for Christians, we should first make sure that we are eligible. CPlace the cross with open door in the lower left corner of the board.J Jesus said, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved fJohn 10:93. It doesn't cost anything to enter the door: in fact, you receive a gift when you enter- the gift of eternal life. Are you inside? Would you like to be? Just tell the Lord Jesus about it. Ask Him to come into your heart and save you. He'll do it, and that very minute you'll enter the gate of salvation. Then you will be eligible for God's rewards, or prizes. Will every Christian receive rewards? No, only those who have earned them. CRead I Cor. 3:12-15.5 We cannot live just any old way down here and expect rewards in heaven. When are these prizes to be given, and what are they? CRead II Cor. 5:10.J It is there at the Judgment Seat of Christ that the rewards are to be given. CPlace the throne in the upper left corner.b All Christians will be there, but some will receive no rewards because they did nothing to earn them. Let us first see what God says about joy in John 15:11, That my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. so it seems there must be de- grees of joy: joy for everyone, more joy for those who are ready for it, and much joy for those who have lived the closest to the Lord. CPlace the three sizes of strips reading Joy as they are men- tioned.J Do you know anything about the joy of Bible study, and prayer, and soulwinning? Then the Bible speaks of crowns that the Lord offers as rewards. We will read about five of these. First, the crown of life is offered to those who endure suffer- ing patiently for Christ's sake. fRead Jas. 1:12 and place the first crown.J Has anyone made fun of you or mistreated you for being a Christian? Enduring suf- fering patiently for Christ's sake will mean a reward for you. In I Corinthians 9:24-27 we read about the incorruptible crown. CRead the pas- sage and place the second crown.J The Grecian wrestlers and runners exercised much and lived on a diet of coarse food to obtain a corruptible crown- one made of leaves that would soon wither. God offers a crown that endures forever to those who do not allow the fiesh to rule in their lives. The crown of rejoicing is offered for winning others to Christ. fRead I Thess. 2:19 and place the third crown.D If you have ever known the joy of leading a soul to Christ, you will understand why this is called the crovim of rejoicing. The crown of glory is mentioned in I Peter 5:1-4. CRead the passage and place the fourth crown.l This is for those who teach, God's word. Even boys and girls can earn it if they teach other boys and girls more about the Lord Jesus and the Bible. iii as .iii Then there is the crown of righteousness fRead II Tim. 4:8 and place the fifth crown.J This is for those who long for the return of the Lordg for those who pray, Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Now let us take a look at some Chris- tians and see what they are doing about these things. Jack and George accepted the Lord Jesus at camp one summer, then they went back to Junior High. CPlace Jack and George before the cross and bring them through the door.J George refused to smoke, but he didn't say much about the Lord Jesus. He seemed afraid to. But it wasn't long before Jack had led Ted and Andy to the Lord, then Ted led his brother and another pal to accept Christ. Let us imagine these boys at the Judgment Seat of Christ. CMove the figures up to the throne, placing one above the other.l Here is George alone. Here is Jack with four others. There will be joy for George. CPlace small Joy be- side George.J There will be at least one crown and more joy for Jack. CPlace one crown and larger Joy beside Jack.J Bill and Bob are young Christians. fRemove Jack and George and return other figures.J Bill takes life easy. QPlace reclining figure of Bill.D He sleeps until breakfast and just never has time to look at his Bible. He means to do it in the evening, but after reading the comic books and hearing his favorite radio programs he is too sleepy. He listens to the fiesh, of course. I think we would call him a lazy, careless Christian. But you ought to know Bob. He made the football team and scored in every game, but he never forgets to get up fifteen minutes early to read his Bible. CPlace figure of Bob, reading.D You never catch him without his New Testament in his pocket. He gives out tracts, though some ridicule him for doing it. He teaches a class of boys and has led some of them to the Lord. Now let us show Bob and Bill at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Bill will have joy- all will have thatg but Bob ltas earned all the crowns and much joy will be his. CPlace small Joy beside Billy place larg- est Joy and all the crowns beside Bob.J Jim and Jerry are two other young Christians. God called them both to the mission field, but Jim decided to stay at home and send some money to the mis- sionaries instead. CPlace figure of Jim carrying brief case at the lower edge of the board.J He feared the hardships of life on the mission field. but Jerry went out. He lives in a grass hut with no conveniences, but he doesn't mind, fPlace figure of Jerry and the grass hut beside Jim.l He is happy to be where God wants him to be. You can just tell by looking at him that he wouldn't want to be any place else in all the world. If he had not come to Africa these natives would still be living in sin with no hope of heaven. When Jim and Jerry stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, which do you think will be the happier? APrL1cA'r1oN All six of these boys were Christians, but three of them missed the rewards and much of the joy that might have been theirs. They must have been quite asham- ed to meet the Lord, and very sorry they had no gift for Him CI John 2:28J. How will it be with us when we stand before Him? Do we need to meet Him empty- handed? No, we can serve joyfully and well, and then some day we'l1 hear His Well done. This story is one of a set of ten object lessons called. The Good Enough Fami1y, published by Hollenbeck and McCall. P.O. Box 1275, Aberdeen. South Dakota, and is used by their permission. FOR PLACING CHILDREN Dr. Harold L. Lundquist, nationally known Christian leader and author, has resigned from the pastorate of the First Evangelical Free Church of Chicago to be- come Executive Director of the Evangel- ical Welfare Agency. This licensed child placing agency, with a charter to serve Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Southern Wis- consin, has its headquarters at 542 South Dearborn Street, Chicago. Dr. Lundquist will be supervising the placing of children for adoption and foster care in Christian homes. Licensed in 1950, the agency has found a tremendous opportunity in serv- ing the needs of evangelical Christians. 'Supported by churches and organizations of more than 30 denominations, the Evan- gelical Walfare Agency is rapidly expand- ing its services to help meet the needs of homeless children. Every life is a signpost. Which way are you pointing- toward God or othefr- wise. --Selected. PAGE SIX THE COMIMENTATOR APRIL 6- A Fel- lowship of Many Fol- lowers. John 15:5- 95 Philippians 2:14- 165 Romans 16:1-7. Golden Text: 15:8. The interesting les- son presented to us today on the subject of fellowship among Christians may well --f- be divided into three parts. In John 15 the fellowship is based on relationship, in Philippians 2, on a mu- tual faith, in Romans 16, on service. God did not intend that Christians should live or serve alone, as all of the similes and metaphors used about the church and about individual Christians clearly indicate. As members of the body of Christ, each member serves each other member, as branches on the vine, each branch assists and helps each other branch, as stones in the temple, each stone supports and assists each other stone to stay in place and to serve its purpose. The branch has no interests outside of the purpose of the vine. Whatever the activity of the vine is to be, the branch also enters into it and executes it. The branches all look alike, produce alike, though not in like quantity, and all have the same purpose since they all draw and are sustained from the same source. In the second aspect of fellowship, where a mutual faith is the basis, we find that there cannot be fellowship if there is fault-finding, adverse criticism, murmur- ings, or disputings. We must be willing to let our brother serve the way he chooses to the extent that he wishes. It is one of the principles of fellowship that we bear with one another as each one serves to the best of his ability in his own way and time, The Lord did not tell us to be bosses: He told us to be fel- low-heirs and fellow-laborers in the truth of God. We are to be blameless in regard to our relations with other Christians, and harmless in that we don't hinder any of God's people in their services, seeking rather to make each other as useful and as profitable as possible by exhortation and encouragement. In the third passage in our lesson, Ro- mans 16:1-7, fellowship is based on serv- ice wihch is rendered within the church 'to one another. Mention is made of, a number of God's dear people, and in each case it is in connection with the ministry freely given to help others. Phebe sought to bring blessing, comfort, and help of every kind to everyone. The details of the ministry of Priscilla and Aquila are not given, but they were helpers in time of need. Then he gives honor to Adroni- cus and Junia because they were there with him in his bonds and brought a blessing to his heart. The Lord enable each one of us to be devoted, fellow- helpers to all other believers. APRIL 13- Thomas and the Risen Lord. CEaste'r Lessonj John 11:14-163 14: 1-6: 20: 24-29. Golden Text: John 20: 29. Sunday School Lesson Notes By Dr. Walter L. Wilson President, Kansas City Bible College Thomas was devoted to both the person and the work of the One who had called him out of the world to be His follower, yet like the others he had not fully under- stood the purpose and plan of our Lord Jesus. Jesus could not die until His time came: He could not be murdered by His enemies but must be legally put to death in order to fulfill the Scriptures and in order to die for us as a vicarious sacrifice. The loyalty of Thomas is here revealed in that he was willing to give his life for and with this One who had won his heart. Let us note that He wanted to go with the others, in fellowship with those who had been chosen to be disciples as he was chosen. This is another mark in proof of real leadership and real Christian fellowship. Peter had also offered to die for and with Jesus, and it was that re- mark which called from the Saviour's lips those wonderful words of John 14. Again Thomas was in evidence, although verses one to four were given directly in answer to Peter. Thomas did not intend to miss any opportunity of being with his Lord in any place. It is interesting to note that Thomas recognized Jesus as his Lord. He real- ized that this precious One to whom he had given his life was his Sovereign. For that reason he wanted to know everything that could be known about the Saviour. It was to Thomas that those wonderful words were spoken in verse six, words which have dissolved the doubts of mul- titudes and revealed the Way of life to people in every part of the world. Thomas' question brought from the Saviour's lips an unfolding of the mysteries which had puzzled several. How can we get to God? Who will take us through those tremen- dous spaces of the skies to the throne of God and then present us to Him there? Thomas received the answer: Christ is the way. He did not come to show the way or to tell how to get to God: He came to take us to His Father. Thank you, Thomas, for asking such an important question. But Thomas was not with them when Jesus came. What a tragedy, what a time to stay away. The Lord carefully covered up the reason for the absence of Thomas. Even John did not tell us why Thomas was not there, but what a bless- ing he missed. When the disciples told Thomas of their experience, he revealed in a new way his love for his Lord. Noth- ing would do but to feel the very Hesh of the Saviour. Then when he had the proof, he cried out, My Lord and my God. APRIL 20- Jesus and the Law. Mat- thew 5:17-20g Mark 10:17-22. Golden Text: John 1:17. Jesus kept the law perfectly. He could not do otherwise, for He Himself was per- fect and in Him there was no sin of any kind. He also kept the law perfectly for us. He is our Substitute in law-keeping as He is in sacrifice, yet this was not in- cumbent upon Him. He left heaven and lived here because He loved us. In Romans 5:10 we read that we are saved by His life. When we trust the Lord Jesus with our souls, then at once we receive credit for the sinless, stainless, spotless life that He lived, a condition which every person must have who enters heaven. But a man will say, I don't have that kind of a life. No one who really knows God and knows His holiness will ever think for one moment that he lives up to the glorious perfections of Christ Jesus, yet that is absolutely necessary for entrance into heaven. How then can it be brought about? God has answered the question. The righteousness of God lis manifestedl . . . unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no differ- ence: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God fRom. 3:22, 231. The scribes and Pharisees had a 'high degree of righteousness as it looked through human eyes, yet that which en- titles us to enter God's presence is im- puted righteousness, the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Ciuist. Romans 4:6 describes this righteousness of God the Father revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ and placed to our credit by the Holy Spirit. There is no failure in that righteousness, and it becomes ours by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul prayed that he might not have his own righteousness, even he with all of his wonderful char- acter and position discarded his own life as only dung in comparison with that per- fect and beautiful righteousness given to him as a gift that day on the road to Damascus. Even so, must we lay aside our own good character, our righteous acts, our Christian service as only refuse when it comes to the matter of saving the soul. It has no value in God's sight for redemptive purposes. An example of this truth is revealed in the story found in the next part of our lesson, Mark 10:17-22. This young man had a blameless character, but he knew that he needed eternal life, an important discovery to make. He came to the right Person and in the right way, for he was running and. kneeling, but he wanted God's gift, rather than the Giver. He wanted life, but he did not want the Lord. APRIL 27- Supreme Loyalty to God. Exodus 20:1-6: Luke 14:25-27: 16:13- 15. Golden Text: Exodus 2023, 4. Loyalty to God is manifested by love for His Person and obedience to His will. God has spoken, and those who really love Him will want to carry out His program. As in the home where true love reigns and lives have truly been joined together in wedlock, each one wants to know the desire of the other in order to do it. Each one wants to please the other in every possible way: thus love and obedience reign supreme. It is the same in Christian matters. The Christian life does not con- sist of an unsaved person trying to keep the commandments of God and trying to live a religious life. God gave the commandments to Israel. They were not given to the Egyptians or the Philistines or the Assyrians. 'I'he commandments of God were given to the people of God because only those who belong to Him will be interested in know- ing and doing His will. The more one knows and loves the Lord, the easier it is to carry out His will and plan. It is for that reason that commandments flourish in the worship of idols, relics, images, and medals. Riomanists are not taught to know God personally nor to love the Lord THE COMMENTATOR PAGE SEVEN Jesus individually, hence they care prac- tically nothing about the Word of God or the will of God. Dr. Luke presents this truth very clearly as he records the statements of Jesus in this matter. There are those who have a religion and a name to live by. They have great loyalty to their church, main- tain its rules and principles, and engage in its activities, yet there is no love and devotion to the Lordof the church. Christ is the Head of the church, and therefore His Word and His will should control our works and our ways. In the passage just before us we find a very strong statement in regard to the strongest loyalties of our lives. Devotion to family is usually paramount in every well developed life. The wishes of par- ents or relatives very frequently are sub- stituted for the will of God. Family gath- erings take precedence over the gather- ing together of the saints of God for the work of God. The purposes and plans of God must be laid aside for the personal wishes of relatives. Someone's feelings must be hurt, and the decision must be made whether the Holy Spirit will be grieved because we are not with His people or the family will be grieved be- cause we did not meet there. We must choose which one has the first place in our affections and our time. To take up the cross in this particular respect means that we lay aside the desires of the family at those crucial times when the church calls for our presence and counsel. TI-IE QUESTION BOX CCofnttnued from Page 45 C25 God confirmed Abraham's opinion of Lot's status by actually saving him from the burning city and thus making a distinction between him and the wicked CGen. 19:15, 165. C35 Lot received the angels of the Lord gladly and respected them highly, being willing to make great sacrifices for their protection CGen. 19:1-3, 6-105. Also he gave heed to their message of warning and fled from the city. All of this seems to indicate that although he had allowed some worldliness to creep in, yet at heart Lot was a real believer. Q45 The question is quite definitely settled hy the Holy Spirit's statement through Peter. After referring to the extinction of the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah, he declared, And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversa- tion of the wicked. CFor that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds5 QII Pet. 2:7, 85. Here God definitely says that Lot was just, that is, justified, and that his righteous soul was vexed daily by the wickedness of his soul's surround- ings. To us this statement definitely an- swers the question in the aEirmative. In calling Lot just and righteous, of course, God does not mean that he was blameless or righteous in himself but rather that he was justified by grace through faith. He, like Abraham, be- lieved God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness CRom. 4: 35g it was the righteousness which is of God by faith fPhil. 3:95. Unfortifnately, some preachers and teachers have exaggerated Lot's worldli- ness and sin. As far as the Scripture reveals, he possibly was not any more worldly than hundreds of true Christians today. Peter reveals that though Lot al- lowed himself to be somewhat attracted by the world and compromised his testimony, he nevertheless did not abandon himself to the world. Its ways daily vexed his righteous soul. His escape into the world cost him dearly- it cost him all of his loved ones and his worldly possessions, but he himself, was saved yet so as by ire. THE BLESSED WAY OF LIFE CConti'n.ued from Page 45 passionate hunger for spiritual things. Like hunger and thirst, this eagerness for spiritual things must be a continuing con- dition. This hunger and thirst will re- veal itself in the devotion with which we appropriate all the means of grace and spiritual growth, such as the Word of God, the place of prayer, the fellowship of the saints, the place of worship, and the serv- ice of God. Alas, how often a .soul is stirred and enters the blessed way of life, but the cares of life, the appeals of the world, sap his interest and rob him gradually of his joy and love for the Lord. Only the soul that goes on ever yearning and eagerly seeking for more of righteous- ness and of God will be filled. Robinson says that the word filled. means, literally. to be made fat as cattle are fattenedf' So the soul that lives with an intense desire for spiritual things will grow ro- bust and radiant in faith. To live the Christian life, we must be in a 'right relation to our fellowmen. This Jesus sums up in the word merciful in the fifth beatitude. This word refers, not to negative qualities, but to the active virtues of kindness, tenderness, gentle- ness, and love. It is that quality of good- ness which Jesus showed as He lived among men. Oh, how desperately the world today needs this kind of Christian living! The great hurt of the world will never be healed by more victories, by peace treaties, United Nations agreements or by education in morals. Only as men learn the mercy of God to live it among their fellowmen, will justice and mercy prevail in this wicked world. Finally, to live this blessed life, there must be a right relation in the heart. Christian living calls for heart-holiness. Once more' we are driven to Calvary, for only there can a sinful, darkened heart be rnade pure. Like David of old we must cry, Create within me a clean heart, O God. Only through the power of Cal- vary can a cleansed heart be kept pure. Blessed. is the man who lives right with God, right with his fellowmen, and right within his own heart. He shall know the joy of the old fisherman who, when asked by his little friend where God lived, an- swered with tears in his eyes, Lad, it's getting so I can't see anything but God everywhere I look. And some day with unveiled eyes we shall behold the King in His glory. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Vrcronv IN 'ri-IE BLESSED LIFE ' Christ was a realist. He does not prom- ise that this blessed life will be a way of ease and worldly joy. On the contrary, those who choose the Christ-way of life must be prepared for testings, trials, and persecutions. But with all its persecutions and oppositions it is still the blessed way, for it is the way of victory. 'I'his is the consolation .of the last trinity of beati- tudes. The true saint of' God will live among men bringing peace between man and man, and between man and God. Wherever he goes, the winsome Chris- tian will leave behind him peace and light and joy. Blessed are those great souls whose victorious living among men helps to resolve the strifes and enmities and misunderstandings of life. Even a scoffing world must at last call them sons of God. Best of all, God accepts them as His sons. Where other men Hnd only failure, disappointments and de- feags, these radiant souls find victory and Go . Then, too, there will be victory over the trials and persecutions of life. So surely as men live consecrated Christian lives, so surely persecution in some form will come. All that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution CII Tim. 3:125. But the Christian has learned the mystery of making each trial a step- ping stone to bring him closer to God. Lastly, the Christian will not only find that he can live victoriously among men and mount victorious over the persecutions of life and simply endure them, he will find in this blessed life a victory of joy. Rejoice and be exceeding glad. Only the saint of God who is living this Christ- way, richly and fully, can find joy in pain, can smile in the long hours of sorrow, and rejoice in-the midst of tribulations. With courage and strength and joy he can face a hostile world. He has met Christ and found the blessed way of life. Dear friend, even now deep in your soul you hunger for this sweet peace and joy and power. In your loneliness, your days of suffering and pain, you long for comfort and grace to bear these trials. Quietly, just now, lift your spirit in hum- ble surrender to the blessed Christ, and He will give thee the desires of thine heart. EXPLAINING A MIRACLE CCo'n.tinued from Page 15 tried to help. God says in John 5:24, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ljudgmentjlg but is passed from death un- to life. And as many as received him, to them gave he power Ilauthorityl to be- come the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name CJohn 1:125. That's all there is, it is just that simple- believe, receive, and leave it to The Management. Mr. Rodabaugh carries on an interesting ministry for God in small towns not far from Kansas City with his station wagon which is equipped for sound amplification. On Satur- days and many summer evenings he takes a team of workers who provide an excellent musical program. At the close he gives a short, clear. pungent message with a gospel appeal. Before and after the broadcast the workers give a tract to every person who will receive it on the street and in the stores. A different tract is used each week. This article is one of his Gospel Cargramsf' I LITTLE THINGS Little leaks of idle speaking, Little leaks of sin, Little leaks of self-indulgence, Let the waters in. Little leaks, great ships are sinking, Little rifts may swamp the wholeg 'Tis the little sins, make often Shipwreck of the soul. PAGE EIGHT ' THE COMMENTATOR THE SEA HATH SPOKEN Isaiah 23:4 With what different tones the sea speaks! Sometimes in the musical breath of her wavelets on the beach, or the long drawl of the shingle in the recession of the re- tiring billowg or in the rising storm, when the waters lift up their voiceg or in the angry roar-'of the mighty waves far out at sea. Speaking in whispers and in thun- derg speaking to itself and to God under the canopy of night! The sea-voices are not the least amongst those of nature. Old Ocean seems to us something like a great organ on which every note of the heart is represented. And what are the wild waves saying? Listen! We are His, for He made usg we own His sway, for He once trod our crestsg His voice is as the voice of many watersg His thoughts are deep as our profoundest depthsg His throne stands beside the sea of glass mingled. with fire, His least word is omnipotent over our wildest fury. But the sea shall one day speak for the last time. The lonely soul of the beloved apostle, which had so often listened to the chime of the Aegean waves around his is- land prison, rejoiced to know that the sea should one day be no more. No more the speech of the storm, no more the mourn- ful cadence of the retiring wavelet at night telling of separation and loneliness. The first heaven and the first earth are passed away, and the sea is no more. -F. B. Meyer CONSIDER . . . CHRIST JESUS To the artist, He is altogether lovely. To the architect, He is the Chief Corner Stone, To the astronomer, He is the bright and morning Star and the Sun of Right- eousness. FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES Available lo Students Teachers Chrlsllan Workers and Miss onarles at SPECIAL DISCOUNTS Write Today lor FREE lilerulure CHICAGO ACCORDION CENTER. Inc. Dept. CT. 75-1 N. Damen Av. Chicago 22. Ill. Acconolons Q llalleg? v Poclzet anhbooh 19th Edltwn' 150 Pholoe and Maps Size 4l4x6HxlH An ABBREVIATED BIBLE COMMENTARY: with notes on every book in the Bible. lArchaeeloszicaI Discoveries- How We Got the Bible, and an Epitome of Church History. There in nothing published. of its size, that has anything like an much practical Bible Information. Book OF a Lifetime. ..FOR a Lifetime Loved alike by Young and Old Especially valuable for S S Teachers and Blhle Student! Wldely used in Colleges and Seminariel Highly commended by leading Magazines and Minister: fruit parricularuu-nt nn req-.un 764 pagel. Cloth Blndlng. Only 82.00. Order from your Bookstore, or ll. ll. HALLEY. Box 774, Chicago 90, lllinoll the bankerg in Him are all the treas- ures of wisdom. the baker, He is the living Bread. the biologistg He is the Life, the huilderg He is the sure Foundation the carpenterg He is the Door. the doctorg He is the great Physician. the educatorg He is the great Teacher. the farmerg He is the Sower and Lord of the Harvest. the Horistg He is the Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valleys. the geologistg He is the Rock of Ages. the horticulturist, He is the true Vine. the judgeg He is the righteous Judge, the Judge of all men. the jurorg He is the faithful and true Witness. the lawyerg He is the Counsellor, the Law Giver, the Advocate. is the Light of the eyes to the oculist. is the Unspeakable Gift to the phil- anthropist. is the wisdom of God to the philos- opher. is the Word of God to the preacher. is the Living Stone to the sculptor. is the Desire of all nations to the statesman. is the Incarnate Truth to the student. is the Author and Finisher of our faith of the Theologian. is the Giver of rest to the toiler. is Saviour and Lord to all who re- ceive Him. What is He to you? -The Testimony g' lrainerl personal norliers also in the service. f me Loan is cnrnnv BLESSING THIS PROGRAM Send 25c lor a sample and outline. BIG BROTHER IRACI BAND-BOX 888-AKRIIN Sl, lllllll 9 llen Opportunity to give 5 them a gospel witness hy is, f 6 You Can Win Souls for Christ with Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining. booklet describing revolutionary lifetime MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear out: quiet as a clock: needs no oilingg has no belts: needs no servicing: trouble-proof. C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS Sunnyside Avenue, Wheaton, Ill. It will be a revelation to you. Also hee BIBLE READING CALENDAR A APRIL DATE PRIVATE FAMILY 1 Joshua 1. 2 Psalms 1. 2 Joshua 3. 4 Psalms 3. 3 Joshua 5. 6 Psalms 5. 4 Joshua 7. 8 Psalms 7. 5 Joshua 9. 10 Psalms 6 Joshua 11 - 13 Psalms 7 Joshua 14 - 17 Psalms 11. 8 Joshua 18 - 20 Psalms 13. 9 Joshua 21. 22 Psalms 15. 10 Joshua 23. 24 Psalms 11 Judges 1, 2 Psalms 12 Judges 3. 4 Psalms 13 Judges 5. 6 Psalms 20, 14 Judges 7, 8 Psalms 15 Judges 9, 10 Psalms 23. 16 Judges 11, 12 Psalms 17 Judges 13. 14 Psalms 26. 18 Judges 15, 16 Psalms 28, 19 Judges 17 - 19 Psalms 20 Judges 20. 21 Psalms 21 Ruth 1. 2 Psalms 22 Ruth 3. 4 Psalms 23 I Samuel 1, 2 Psalms 24 I Samuel 3. 4 Psalms 25 I Samuel 5 - 8 Psalms 26 I Samuel 9, 10 Psalms 27 I Samuel 11. 12 Psalms 28 I Samuel 13. 14 Psalms 29 I Samuel 15. 16 Psalms 40. 30 I Samuel 17. 18 Psalms 42. O O LaSalle Engineering Corporation LaSalle Bldg., 8 East Ninth Street Kansas City, Missouri For God so loved. the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in htm should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 Midwest Plumbing and Heating Co. 6243 Prospect Ja-5757 Kansas City, Mo. The Sunday School Lesson Helps You Need For Every Department of Your Sunday School! Christian Life Series . following the International Uniform Lesson Topics Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School officials upon request. Write for yours today! UNION GOSPEL PRESS P.O. Box 6059 Cleveland 1, Ohio i Published by The Kansas City Bible College APRIL, 1952 A NEW DICTIONARY SIMON PETER BY TRUMAN PAGE P-resident, Alumni Association Kansas City Bible College Latest dispatches from the Korean truce talks reveal the usual routine of Red dou- ble talk. Russia wants to be represented on the neutral commission to supervise the Korean cease-fire. The United Nations representatives are justified in rejecting Russia as a neutral. Of course the Rus- sians have their own way of defining neu- trality. This is merely another sample of the new dictionary coming from the Rus- sian dictators to deceive the world. They are lovers of peace, or so they say. Peace to them, however, is not the democratic definition of peace. Russian peace means a world ruled from Moscow. They are striving for the people's freedom. By free- dom they do not mean freedom from co- ercion, as we usually define the term, but they define freedom as absence of res- traint. Such a definition obviously makes freedom a synonym of license. The Red agitator preaches freedom which will al- low him to rule as he pleases, and rule to him, of course, means exploitation. Such dubious use of words is typical of would-be world conquerors. It is like calling a chair a table, and then branding anyone who calls the chair a chair as a reactionary and an enemy of the people who have defined the chair as a table. Those who are old fashioned enough to call the chair a chair are enemies of the state. Such ways of thinking are seen even in our own United States. The wel- fare state idea has so captured the mind of most people that the simple word profit has taken on a new and sinister meaning. Formerly, it meant a reward for work. Now it has become almost dangerous to say that one is making a profit. Why is the making of profit a thing to be ques- tioned? We wonder if Christians cannot learn a lesson from this example of Red du- plicity in reasoning. The way one lives his Christian life before men is a tacit admission of his own version or definition of God's commands. Does our definition or standard of the cardinal truths of Scrip- ture agree with God's view? Our lip def- inition should coincide with our living definition. Simon the Pharisee had a hard time learning this lesson. He compared himself to the fallen woman and was saying, as fConti-nued on Page 57 THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE It would be a source of great de- light to the faculty and staff of this College if our friends who pass through the city would visit our campus and see for themselves the splendid progress being made by our student body. There is being de- veloped in our classes this year a confidence in God, a vision of serv- ice, and a devotion to the King of kings that is bringing great joy to all of those whose responsibility it is to operate this school. Our men and women are growing strong in faith and will go out into the harvest fields next June with the unction of the Lord upon them and with the know- ledge of God filling their hearts. We appreciate the kindness of you friends who by your prayers, your gifts, and your encouraging words make this wonderful work possible. NOT THERE Oh, the anguish of Mary! Her grief and despair When she came To the tomb And the Lord was not there! A As she silently stood With her balm and her myrrh And His winding-sheet only Was waiting for her. Oh, the blackness of death! Li.te's utter despair Had she come to the tomb And the Lord had been there Lying wrapped in the shroud With the balm and the myrrh And no Risen Redeemer Had waited for her. -Author Unknown RISEN INDEED The arch-adversary of God has so plan- ned his great travesty of the Gospel that Christ should be largely represented to men as either in a cradle or on a cross. He whom the Gospel preacher has to pre- sent is a living Christ, A Prince and a Saviour - on the ground of His expia- tory death indeed, and that as a result of His incarnation- but emphatically a risen, exalted, glorified Lord, able to save to the uttermost, and to be received by faith as Lord of the life as well as Saviour. -W. E. Vine in The Gospel of the Bible BY Ou.1E WEAVER Student, Kansas City Bible College We may assume that Peter had a hum- ble birth and an education which was com- mon to the average Jew. He was a fish- erman by trade. As we look into the life of this great servant of God, let us see how much we are like Peter. According to John's gospel, Peter's con- version and call were simultaneous, but he did not forsake everything then and follow Christ. This is a good lesson for us. When we are saved, we are called to follow Him, but we are not all called to give up our occupation and devote all our time to the service. The ministry is too high a calling to be entered into lightly or persuaded into by well-meaning friends. It was not until Peter was blessed with a net full of fish that the Lord said, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. We note that Peter waited until the Lord had called and sent him. It is when we wait for the Lord to direct and send us that we can be sure of His blessing upon our ministry. Then, too, the Lord waited until Peter's business was at its peak before He called him. In this we see that Peter had to count the cost of following his Lord's will. Many times the Lord will allow us to reach a place of prominence and then say, Son, are you willing to lay all of this aside and follow Me ? Many Christians fail to make the right decision, but those who do will have God's richest blessing in their lives. The Lord didn't ask Peter to follow Him when he had empty nets, because He fore- saw the time that Peter would say, We have left all, and have followed thee. No! God doesn't allow us to have a few old broken nets to leave when we say, Lord, we have left all to follow Thee. That would be no credit to Christ. Next, we see Peter as a doubter when Jesus was walking on the water, and Peter requested permission to come to Him. Yes, Peter had faith to leave the boat, but his -faith was swallowed up in doubt when he saw the waves. This also is true of us when we take our eyes off Christ. It is at this time that we might well remember the words of Isaiah, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee Clsa. 26:31. The next picture we see of Peter is of his willingness to confess Christ openly. CCo'nti'nued on Page 73 PAGE TWO THE COMMENTATOR In the Gospel record there is the account of 'Jesus riding into Je- rusalem on the back of an ass. This is pop- ularly called the tri- umphal entry and is celebrated as such on Palm Sunday. It re- calls the time when, some days before His crucifixion, Jesus proclaimed His kingship to the Jews for the last time. The pilgrims from Galilee preceded Him into the city waving palm branches and shouting, Ho- sanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord CMatt. 21:91. When the residents of Je- rusalem protested and said, Who is this? they replied, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth. Palm Sunday is invariably thought of as a day of triumph and victory for Christ: but when one studies the attitude of Christ on that occasion, he is forced to admit that Jesus did not share in the enthusiasm of the crowd. He was not happy in an- ticipation of a grand reception by the peo- ple, and He was, therefore, not surprised a few davs later by the rejection of the fickle multitude who cried for His cru- cifixion. He had been predicting that the Son of Man must enter into Jerusalem and there be mistreated and slain. When the procession came in sight of Jerusalem, Jesus wept, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side. And shall lay thee even with the ground. and thy chil- dren within theeg and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon anotherg because thou knewest not .the time of thy visita- tion fLuke 19:42-443. Because the peo- ple knew not the time of their visitation, He predicted the doom of Jerusalem. This was tragically fulfilled forty years later when Titus, the Roman emperor, leveled the city. Jerusalem, the city of peace, so wise yet so ignorantg so self-satisfied, yet so wickedg Jerusalem, the city of God, was now preparing to crucify the Son of God. This was not the triumphal entry. The real triumphal entry is described in the book of the Revelation where the same Christ who rode into Jerusalem on the back of an ass is seen coming from heaven upon the back of a white horse. The record is: And I saw heaven open- ed, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and 'h'ue, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a ilame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was cloth- ed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of -his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall When Jesus Christ Rides Horseback By Dr. Robert H. Belton Executive Vice President, K. C. Bible College rule them with a rod of iron: and he tread- eth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name writ- ten, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS fRev. 19: 11-161. This is the triumphal entry for which the whole world is waiting. Contrast the two scenes: The ass was the symbol of civic and governmental dig- nity. It was the animal the kings rode in the Old Testament days. The horse symbolized military leadership and vic- tory. There is a day coming when all the enemies of Christ are to be made the footstool of His feet. The verses follow- ing the quotation in the nineteenth chap- ter speak of great victory over Satan and men, the final victory of Christ, and the casting into the lake of fire of the beast and false prophet. The birds of the heav- en are called to come to the great supper of God and to feast on the flesh..of men who dared to oppose Almighty God. Note also the contrast in the names for Christ. 'I'he fickle multitude who shout- ed as Christ made His way to Jerusalem said, This is Jesus the prophet of Naz- arethf, All they could see in Him was that He was a prophet. But in the Revelation He has four names: Faithful and True is ever expressive of His essential being. Then He has a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. I think this refers to value rather than to secrecy about the name. Paul wrote in Philippians that God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above ev- ery name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . .and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father CPhil. 2: 9-115. Only He knows the value of the name Jesus. To us it means Jehovah saves, but we have not begun to compre- hend what the salvation of God really means and what it includes. The name Jesus is really beyond human comprehen- sion. Another name is The Word of God. This recalls, of course, the beginning of John's gospel when he wrote ln the be- ginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, fand we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,J full of grace and truth CJohn 1: 1, 143. This speaks of His eternity of being. The fourth name is King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the official title belonging to Him as the Son of Man, for He is the rightful heir of all things- principalities and pow- ers in heaven and on earth- for all auth- ority has been given unto Him. These names set Christ forth in all of His dig- nity as the eternal Son, the eternal Sav- iour, and the eternal Sovereign. Shortly after the crowd had shouted His praises as He entered Jerusalem, they de- manded His blood. And putting a crown of thorns on His head and a scarlet robe on His shoulders, in mockery they led Him forth to be crucified. But when He comes upon the white horse, He will be wearing the crowns and diadems of the universe upon His head and a vesture dipped in blood, which symbolizes the price of re- demption and of judgment. The Galilean followers shouted, Hasan- na . . . Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord , but within a few days they shouted, Crucify him, crucify him . . . His blood be on us, and on our chil- dren. But in that day when He returns on the back of a white horse, He will be followed by the armies of heaven. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Who are they? They are the believers of the ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are to share in His triumph, for the purpose of His coming the first time was to become man's Saviour, but the purpose of His coming as referred to in the Revelation is to become the Judge and mighty Ruler of the universe. All kingdoms are His, and He will rule with unswerving justice and equity. As Paul wrote, Who in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords CI Tim. 6: 151. This is the triumphal entry for the world waits. Between the two events -the time He rode into Jerusalem on the back of an ass, and the time in the future when He will ride in triumph upon the back of a white horse- we are living. One of four attitudes will be manifested by all who read this message: Like the fickle crowd, some will shout Hosanna on Palm Sunday, only to say by lip and life a few days later, Crucify Him. After the religious sentiment and fervor stirred up by the Easter season, one can lapse back into his old habits and ways and live as though Christ had never died. Or one can be indifferent like those in Jerusalem who said, Who is this? and tum away and pay no attention to Christ. Then, like the Pharisees, one's heart can be filled with hatred toward Christ and His cause and do everything to wreck it, but there is nothing more futile. The fourth attitude is that of a receptive heater who receives Him into the heart and turns the life over to Him, acknowledging Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords. l trust this is what you have done. which THE COMMENTATOR APRIL, 1952 Volume 14, Number 4 Dr. Walter L. Wilson. Editor Grace T. Belton. Associate Editor Ona E. Woodward. Circulation Manager Price. single subscription. 75 cents a year: Canada and foreign. 85 cents. Two or more subscriptions. 50 cents each: Canada and foreign 60 cents. f5 3 Published monthly by The Kansas City Bible College P.0. Box 8426. Waldo Station Kansas City. Mo. School location: 75th 8: State Line Road Entered as a second-class matter June 26. 1942. at the Post Oiice at Kansas City, Mo. under the Act of March 3. 1879. THE OOMIIENTATOR PAGE THREE CHRISTIAN SERVICE REPORT THE COLLEGE CHOIR BY Rrv. W. JACK Wn.soN Enwmm S. Cnum, Director Director of Christian Service While on a recent trip through the south one fact was greatly impressed on me ev- erywhere I went- that the Christian people seemed to know about the Kan- sas City Bible Col- lege. It was very gratifying to see that a school which is comparatively small, is so well known so far from home. Much of that is due, of course, to the ministry of our beloved president, Dr. Wilson, but it is also due to the fact that some of our graduates are beginning to make their ministry felt in almost every part of the country. Bill Baum C503 had preceded me in Charlotte, and everyone spoke very highly of his ministry and the blessings he brought there. We are grateful that God has giv- en us an expanding ministry. With it there comes a consciousness of our res- ponsibility to keep the standards high, make the training practical, and send out students who are well prepared and on fire for God. In the Christian Service department we shall use even closer supervision so that every student who goes out from here may be a credit to us and to the Lord, regard- less of where he goes. MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIP The Missionary Fellowship of the Kan- sas City Bible College is a student organ- ization whose purpose is to study the var- ious mission fields of the world and to provide group fellowship for those inter- ested in both home and foreign missions. The members meet each Monday evening from 6:15 until 7:00. Present officers are: Dallas Arnold, presidentg Ruth Walberg, vice president, Carolyn Wagoner, secre- taryg Don Conner, treasurer. Some of the meetings are study groups led by the students, and others are aid- dressed by returned missionaries. Mr. G. Christian Weiss, world missionary trav- eler, Rev. Leonard Bewick, formerly of Jamaica, B.W.I., and Mr. Morris Vanden- burg, city mission leader, have brought challenging messages. Another source of inspiration is the fel- lowship of young men and women who are candidates for the foreign fields. Ellen Delavan, bound for Africa, Lois Bowen, for Italy, and Bill Baum, for Japan have recently deepened the interest in their fields. This group is one of about 90 members of the Foreign Missions Fellowship which operates on Christian campuses like ours. Beside these chapters, Inter-Varsity Chris- tian Fellowship has over 300 fully affiliat- ed groups at secular colleges and univer- sities. Another organization spearheaded by the IVCF is the Christian Nurses Fel- lowship formed in over 150 hospitals, nur- ses' schools, and medical colleges. As a result the students in our Missionary Fel- lowship feel that they are an integral part of this whole missionary enterprise of the wor . The College Choir, pictured above, has been making marked progress during the last few months, both in music and interpretation. There are over thirty in the choir, but twenty are selected for each concert appearance. Leo Bergthold is president, and Lorraine Jost is secretary-treasurer of the group. On March 13 the Choir gave a concert at the Kansas City Christian Union Church, and on March 30 at Central Bible Church in the morning and at Odessa, Missouri, in the evening. MISSIONARY NEWS Word from Margaret Hutchins infomis us that because of furlough vacancies, she will be teaching in the school for mission- aries' children in Huehuetenango this year. Feeding the lambs is also Christ's com- mand. Augusta Thiessen, who will graduate this year, spent two weeks in the south, observing techniques in the Leprosarium at Carrville, Louisiana, and in several hos- pitals in New Orleans. Augusta plans to sail for the Philippines in August under the International Christian Leprosy Mis- sion and to work with Howard and Vir- ginia Eppler Cboth '49J there. From India comes the news that Ray C495 and Mary Schrag are preparing a set of slides and movies of their work there to be sent to the home base. They report that their language study now enables them to converse quite well in ordinary life, but that the more diificult classical forms must next be mastered in order for them to read and interpret the Scriptures for the people. DR. WI LSON'S ITI NERARY March 31 - April 3, Bob Jones University April 11-Afternoon, 1st Reformed Church Newark, New Jersey Evening, Madison Avenue Church, Paterson, New Jersey April 19 - - - Youth for Christ, Carbondale, Illinois April 23 - - London Gospel Temple, Ontario, Canada April 24-26 - Shantymen's Convention, Toronto, Ontario April 27 - 30 - Immanuel Baptist Church, Brantford, Ontario May 1 - 4, New Brunswick Bible Institute, Victoria, New Brunswick May 6 - 11 - Main Street Baptist Church, Sackville, New Brunswick SINGING HIS PRAISES BY CAnor.YN Wacomzn . Student, Kansas City Bible College I know that Christ belongs to me, For He paid the debt at Calvary And brought me out of the miry clay. That's why I sing His praise this day. He bore the thorns upon His brow And stood the pain- I know not how. He suffered for my sins to pay. That's why I sing His praise this day. Dear one, I only wish that you could sing! Then bells in yonder heaven would ring, For they rang for me, I now can say. That's why I sing His praise this day. THE RISEN CHRIST The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the vertebrae of the Gospel. It is the Gospel- the good news that a Man has risen from the dead. It is the one thing that rails off the testimony of Jesus Christ from all other systems of religion. It was the one startling note that arrested the attention of the Athenian idlers and drew multitudes to listen in the cities and villages, whither- soever the disciples preachedg not because they exhorted to morality, or righteous living, did the people gather to hear, but because the disciples proclaimed that a Man had risen from the dead, a Man who had power to raise the dead, to give life and bring in judgment. -I. M. Haldeman DR. BELTON IN ILLINOIS On April 12 Dr. Belton will be in Wash- ington, Illinois, for Youth for Christ, and on April 13 in the Madison Theater, Pe- oria, Illinois, for Easter Sunrise Service. Make Your RESERVATION x.c.s.c. srnma BANQUET April 4- 1 P.M. PAGE FOUR THE COMMENTATOR Christ As Seen by the Minor Prophets I UES-I-'pw X 'Q By Waller L. Wilson, Jr, for the Christ of the prophets had come. iq One of our old songs expresses the thought P -l beautifully: This article continues the series by members of the Board of Directors of the Kansas City Bible College. Mr. Wilson. who is the eldest son of our president, Dr. Walter L. Wilson, is auditor for the Greenlease Motor Car Company in Kansas City, Missouri. A statement in t.he last chapter of Luke recently arrested my attention. It was spoken of our Lord and recorded in verse 27, And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning him- self. 'I'he word all caught my attention and inspired a study of the minor prophets. I found Christ there, and the following are a few of the gems that were uncovered in these little but inspirational books. In Hosea 3:5 we read, Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall - fear the Lord and his goodness in the 5 H was His latter days. When Hosea wrote, David 1 Rafi' was s ,I s x swag Zigi, so-as din. had been 'dead many years. He was speaking of Christ, the Son of David, and His goodness. No other one is good. But we have found that His goodness, forebear- ance, and longsuf- fering lead us on, bring us, to repent- ance CRom. 2:41. How could we help but love One who has been so good to us? His good- ness is shown in the abundance of His provision for all our needs. He has show- ered us with spiritual blessings of every kind, and each blessing is more than our little cups will hold. There is forgiveness for all our sins, comfort in sorrow, strength for every weakness, hope to scatter des- pair, fellowship in prayer, and a thousand other blessings in His presence. Then, too, His goodness has given us such a bountiful variety of things to enjoy on this earth that none of us will ever know them all. Think of the variety of meats to eat, of vegetables, fruits, and berries. There are more kinds that we have not tasted than there are that we have enjoyed. Think of all the materials for dress and of all the climates and places to live. Think of God's colors in the sky, in the hillside, and in His abundant vari- ety of flowers. These are just a few evi- dences of His goodness to us. Zechariah foresaw that, as King, Christ would be great in goodness, and he spoke also of His good shepherding C9:16, 171. Nahum wrote of His goodness in the day of trouble 11:71. It was said of the Lord Jesus that He went about doing good, WALTER L. Wn.soN, JR. How good is the God we adore, Our faithful, unchangeable friend, Whose love is as great as Hisrpowex' And knows neither measure or end. The Prophet Joel spoke of Christ in Zion, and wrote this wonderful prediction: But t.he Lord will be the hope lplace of repair, or harborj of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel Q3:161. Joel was thinking of the safe harbor at the end of a long, stormy voyage, of the berth where the battered ship is repaired, repainted, refurnished, and made ready for service again. Joel was speaking of the One who would say, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Lord Jesus knows how to repair our lives, harbor our souls. He makes us over when we come to Him, and con- stantly fits us with new furnishings for the journey ahead. He is our hope, our blessed hope, and with Paul we can say, I can do all things through C h r i s t w h i c h strengtheneth me fPhil. 4: 131. Joel was right, for Jesus the Christ has been t h e h o p e a n d strength of His peo- ple since Bethle- hem. ala B1 Jonah prophesied of the sufferings of Christ. In chapter 2, verses 2 and 3, he speaks of being in the belly of hell , and again, all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. There is material for deep medita- tion in the words, and thou heardest my voice. The writer of the Hebrews tells us When he had offered up prayers and supplica- tions with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared, though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. His prayer was heard, but He was not saved from death, He was saved out of death, out of the belly of hell, out from under the waves and billows, out of the tomb. God did not answer His prayer in the way we would have expected. The mariners who threw Jonah into the sea thought his God would let him sink to death. Years later, the accusers of our Lord sneered, He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him. They did not know that God had heard Jesus' cry, and had given an answer of peace and salva- tion to men. The Prophet Micah wrote in about 700 B.C. It is his prophecy of the birthplace CCo1l.ti'n.ued on Page 71 t 2-1-cr . ,.,, it .gi :-:vi -' uf.-:-2,-,ass .,.i51'1'131E'-gil, ......... ,. ' 1, : Sgt gg, By Rev. Wade K. Ramsey Dean, Kansas City Bible College QUESTION: What is the Christianfs rela- tion to secular governments? lX.NswER: According to Romans 1311, the Christian is to recognize secular govern- ments as ordained of God and consequent- ly to be subject unto them. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Then, in I Peter 2:13 God says, Submit your- selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the pun- ishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. Because of this nature and origin of human government, the Christian is also to pay tribute. Paul says to the Roman believers, For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers attend- thing ing continually upon this very CRom. 13:61. Then, too, the Christian is enjoined by the apostles to pray for gov- ernments and those in authority. In I Timothy 2:1, 2, I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, inter- cessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honestyf' All of this, however, does not mean that human governments are given unlimited authority over us and that we are to obey them whatever be the command. On the contrary, their authority is lirnited by God's Word to their specific sphere. If, therefore, a human government oversteps its authority and demands that a Christian do contrary to the unmistakable will of God, the child of God must always obey God rather than men. This fact is clearly shown by the apostles themselves, who when commanded by their rulers to cease preaching the gospel, continued to do so, replying, We ought to obey God rather than men CActs 5:291. It is also illis- trated by the capturing of Daniel and his three friends, who when they refused to worship the image of the king, suffered in the lion's den and fiery furnace CDan. 3, 51. But it should be noted that it is passive resistance that is here exempli- Hed and not active revolution. The whole relation of the Christian to secular govern- ment is concisely summed up by a state- ment of the Saviour Himself in Matthew 22:21 when in repl to the Herodians con- cerning paying trilbute, he said, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. QUESTION: What is the difference be- tween Johnfs baptism and the baptism of believers today? ANSWER: The Bible does not specifically contrast John's baptism with water and CCo'nti11.'u,ed on Page 71 THE COMMENTATOR PAGE FIVE God Chose A Donkey By Mrs. D. E. Wisner Child Evangelism Instructor PREPARA'rroN Only one figure, that of a donkey, is needed for this story, besides the letters and cards finishing the words. Make large capital letters of some color that will show up well against your plain back- ground to spell TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. Prepare cards with letters of appropriate size to finish the words of the acrostic as follows: ied, estless, nferior, nclean, arked out, icked out, onored, ccepted, oosed, ntered new life, ear, amed, edeemed, ielded. Back all the cards and the figure of the donkey with outing flannel and use as directed. PRESENTATION Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord fMark 11:93. Do you re- member how the people shouted these words of praise so long ago on that first glad Palm Sunday? We speak of this occasion as Jesus' triurnphal entry into Jerusalem. QArrange letters spelling Tri- umphal Entry on board as shown in the diagramj Triumphal is just another word for victorious. On this day the Lord Jesus was enter- ing Jerusalem with the people shouting as though He were a great and victorious conqueror, as indeed He was. Instead of riding on a white steed as most conquerors did, He rode a little donkey. fPlace don- key in center of the board.J Shall we read the story from Mark 11:1-9? This little donkey is like us in so many ways. First, he was tied. fPlace card ied after the letter TJ He is a picture of boys and girls who are not saved. They are tied by sin and evil. Like the little donkey, they are tied at the crossroads where two roads meet- the broad way which leads to destruction and the nar- row way which leads to life. It is up to us to decide which way we will take. No doubt this little donkey was rest- less, pulling and tugging to get loose. CPlace card estless after letter RJ This, too, is a picture of all who are without the Lord Jesus. They are restless and dissatisfied, not knowing that what they really need to make them happy is the Lord Jesus. Another thing about this little donkey is that he was such an inferior animal. CPlace card nferior after letter IJ He was not at all like the prancing steeds used by kings. O no, he was just a lowly an- imal used to carry men's burdens. Most of us are like that, too. We are not very mighty or great- just ordinary folks. There was something very sad about this little donkey which he could not help --he was an unclean animal. fPlace ncleam, after UQ God has said so in His Word. A long time ago God had given His peo- ple a list of animals which He called clean and others which He called unclean. A clean animal was one that had a divided hoof and chewed the cud. The little don- key had a divided hoof, but since he didn't chew the cud, he was considered unclean. Here, again, he is a picture of us. We are unclean in a far more terrible way. We are unclean in our hearts, until we re- ceive the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. The Bible says, There is none righteous, no not one CRom. 3:10J. There was another interesting thing about this little donkey- the Lord Jesus had, marked him out. CPlace arked out after MJ He knew all about him. He could see him tied there at the parting of the ways, and He had chosen him. The Lord chooses us in the same way. He has marked us out and wants us for His own. No matter where we live, or how poor we are, the Lord sees us and wants us. Jesus picked him out. fPlace icked out after PJ There were other donkeys in the land but Jesus picked this one out. And the Lord has picked us out. He says to those who have received Christ as Sav- iour, I have chosen you. Though we were tied by sin, restless, and unclean, yet He loved us and chose us for Himself. What an honor came to this donkey to carry the King of kings and Lord of lords! CPlace onored after HJ Do you know, boys and girls, there is no honor compared with carrying the Lord Jesus to those who are lost? Ti ed Entered a new Life Rest Less Near Inferior Ta med Unol ean Qedeemed Marked OUT Yielded picked QUT Honored cccepied oosed ,1 if 9 This little donkey was accepted by the Lord that day. CI-'lace ccepted after AJ And you and I are accepted in the Be- loved when we are saved. God accepts us because we have accepted His dear Son. And the little donkey was loosed. CPlace oosed after LJ No longer was he held by the rope which tied him. Now he was free, not to run aimlessly here and there, but .to do the bidding of his Master. Like the little donkey, we who have opened our hearts and asked the Lord Jesus to come in have been loosed from our sins. Now we want Him to lead us, and we listen for His voice saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. The donkey entered into a new life that day- a life of service to the Man who sent for him, and to others. CPlace ntered new life after EJ This is like us, too, if we belong to the Lord Jesus- we have entered a new life. Surely, then, we will want to serve Him. Not only was the donkey loosed, but he was brought near to Jesus, for Jesus had said, Loose him and bring hirn to me. CPlace ear after NJ That is the blessed thing that happens to Christians- we are brought near to the Lord. He even dwells within us and we walk with Him in a fel- lowship that this little donkey could not possibly know. The little donkey was tamed. CPlace amed ofter TJ When they brought him to the Lord, he was a wild, untamed little creature, not knowing the feel of a harness or the burden of a human being on his back. But when he heard the voice of the Lord and felt His gentle hand, he stood, patient and quiet, while his Master mount- ed him. So it is with us- the touch of the Lord tames us, hushes our wildness, and causes us to wait quietly for His di- rections. There was another thing about this don- key, which he did not know. God had said that if an unclean animal lived, it had to be redeemed by a clean animal. So when this little donkey was born, an in- nocent little lamb had to give its life that the donkey might live. You and I are like the donkey in this respect, too. The Bible says, The soul that sinneth, it shall die CEzek. 18:41. Since all'of us have sinned, we were under the sentence of death, and the Lord Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, took our places and gave His life on Ca1vary's cross so that we might live. He died to redeem us from sin. Our last letter gives us one more word. He was yielded to the Lord. CPlace card ielded after YJ This means he was will- ing to be led. Tell me, boys and girls, are you yielded to the Lord, or do you still want your own way? The Bible says Yield yourselves to God. This is said to God's born again children, of course. Have you truly given your hands, feet, minds, tongues, your all to Him? If you are not yielded to Him, you will not be able to bring others to Him, for your words will have no power. APPLICATION If you are not one of God's dear chil- dren because you have never been born again, you may become one by receiving the Lord Jesus as your Saviour just now. You have sinned, but the Lord Jesus paid for all your sins on the cross. He longs to come into your heart and make it clean and make you a child of God. But He will not come into your heart until you invite Him. If you would like Him to do this for you, just tell Him now. This story was adapted from That Little Donkey Was Just Like Me. by Mrs. .Helen Schaefer. in the book Seasonal Stories for the Flannelgraph, published by Wm. H. Dietz. Inc. A NEW DICTIONARY CContin'u,ed. from Page lb it were, Yes, I'm a sinner, all right, but not like this woman. Jesus rebuked Simon in no uncertain words. Simon, you are spelling religion as 'self-righteousness' when you should spell it 'love.' God's measurement of sin is not com- parison with another sinner. Simon, if you would define religion rightly, it would, in this case, be called 'common courtesy? Hers was a warm, fervent love which act- edg his was a cold, heartless attitude which criticized. Which definition was God's? Religion can be spelled in a thousand ways, such as love, kindness, honesty, de- cency, morality, liberality. If it is spelled rightly in our thinking, it will result in a way of life that exhibits the loving kind- ness and mercies of a faithful God. m l PAGE SIX THE COMMENTATOR MAY 4, Warning A- gainst Profane Liv- ing. Exodus 20:7g Matthew 5:33 - 373 23: 16 - 22. Golden Te:rt: Exodus 20:7. , The enmity of the human heart against God is revealed by the prevalence of profanity through- - out our society. Men, women, and children continually use the names of the Father and the Lord Jesus to express their feelings in anger, derision, or surprise. It is a rather remarkable thing that even heathen who have come in contact with the white race use the names of the Christian's God in their pro- fanity although they never use the names of their own false gods. It is also note- worthy that none of the names of the Holy Spirit are ever used in profanity. It seems as though the Spirit Himself some- h.ow prevents men from using His name lest the unpardonable sin be committed and they be eternally condemned with no hope of salvation. - The name of God or of Christ is often used as an exclamation, carelessly, and without meaning. In the hour of extrem- ity one who has never known God at all may use His name to cry out in sudden fear. There are those who use the names of deity in blasphemy frequently without being aware of it. In one case, when the manager of a garage was using Jesus' name frequently in his conversation about the cars, I went over to him, put one arm around him, and said, You must think far more about the Lord Jesus than I do, because you talk about Him so much. You use His name frequently all day long while I only mention His name under cer- tain conditionsf' He blushed and said, Really, Doctor, I did not notice I was doing it. I know that I shou1dn't. Never again have I heard him use that precious name when I have been in the garage. There are those, however, who, hating God and Christ and the church, generally, use those names to express bitter feelings of animosity toward God. Of course, each word is placed upon God's record to be dealt with in the day of judgment. There is still another side to this com- mandment in Exodus 20 which is related to the fact that his commandment was not given to the Gentiles, but to Israel, the blood bought people of God. There is a sense in which the Christian may take that name in vain. The expression, in vain, means that we take something which should be of great use and obtain no good from it, as though one should receive med- icine from the doctor and never take it, or receive the gift of an automobile and leave it unused in the garage. By Jesus' name we may enter into God's presence, obtain the richest gifts of God, and be de- livered from Satan's wiles. We may go without many precious things because we fail to use His name to advantage. The Lord enable us to value that precious name. MAY 11- The Right use of summyff rx- Sundoy:SchooI Lesson Notes By Dr. Walter L. Wilson President, Kansas City Bible College odus 20:8-11: Mark 2:27, 285 Luke 4: 16abg 13:10-17. Golden Text: Exodus 2018. It is well for us to remember that God's original Sabbath day was the seventh day which is Saturday. He Himself rested on the seventh day, and since then He invites His people to do the same, yet Sunday is not a Sabbath .day in the sense of the Old Testament teaching. It is simply a day set aside in which to enjoy rest and the worship of God, because the human body needs to cease from labor for a while each week in order to regain strength lost. The Sabbath was a picture or sign of the rest which is given by the Lord Jesus to all of those who find in Him a resting place for salvation. In the book of Hebrews, chap- ters three and four are devoted to this precious truth. Let us note that God did not rest until He had finished all of His work. There is, however, a rest for the soul in Christ, wherein we cease from our own labors in trying to merit salvation and we rest fully in the Lord Jesus be- cause He finished the work of salvation on Calvary. After he had finished the work that saves the soul, He sat down at the right hand of God. We come to that Saviour, believing the work that He did for us, and we sit down in His presence to rest and rejoice in His saving grace. In Romans 5:10, we read that we are saved by His life, it is not our lives that bring merit but His. The sinless life that He lived is imputed to us as though we lived it, while our sinful lives are imputed to Him as though He lived them. This is described in Romans 4: 6, 7. Thus we rest in the love of God while being as busy as possible for His glory. We rest from our labors for salvation and rejoice in our labors because we are saved. We should note in Colossians 2:16,17 that the various Sabbath days were only a shadow of that which we are to find fully in Christ. No one ever did finish his work on Friday night. Because God knew that this would be the case, He sent the Saviour to completely finish every- thing necessary for our soul's salvation. We should, however, use the Sunday as a day of rest and a day in which we devote our love and our talents to the service of the King. Let us honor the day by re- fraining from every unnecessary work in order that our bodies and souls might be repaired in God. MAY 18- Conserving Our Family Her- itage. Exodus 20:12g Mark 7:9-13: John 19:25-27 Golden Text: Exodus 20:12. The commandment of God to Israel was intended for those who had godly families. When father and mother worship the Lord, believe the Word of God, and seek to obey His commandments, their children should honor them. There are parents, today, however, who are often drunk and as a result cruel in their family relations. Cer- tainly the children could not honor such lives. Then, again, there are children who are bent on living wicked lives, dishonest, cruel, lustful, and rebellious. 'I'hese hon.- or no one. The ideal home is that one in which both the father and the mother belong to the Lord, where the Word of God is read and loved, where the parents take the children to the Sunday School, stay for church, and seek to know and obey the Word of God. Such homes are rather scarce. The ma- jority of homes today have no Bible but do have cards, cigarettes, liquor, or other detrimental influences. There is no fear of God before their eyes nor love of God in their hearts, but a woeful indifference to the spiritual welfare of the children. The modern child, in a great majority of cases, is raised to be rebellious against any law or order in the home: the child com- mands the parents. The parents in many cases make -no effort to direct the careers of the children or their desires and can- not provide the kind of home that God wants when His rule is shut out. When the Bible is taught in the home and the commandments of God are taught to the children, then the fear of God is instilled in their hearts, and they know very well -that if they live sinful lives they may ex- pect to be sent to hell by a righteous God. This teaching has a restraining power in the heart and life of the child. The right- eousness of God must be taught in the home. His justice must be revealed, and His punishment must be explained. Where these are missing, then righteousness. is Haunted, and godliness becomes an object of scorn. Ungodly fellowship produces un- godly lives. If we would have a godly home then there must be the family altar, prayers at the table, a teaching of the Word, and the committing of the life to the Lord for His care and protection dur- ing the day. This would bring the fam- ily to the church house on Sunday and make the whole family interested in the spiritual welfare of others. God give us more God-fearing homes. MAY 25- God's Estimate of Human Life fTempe'rance Lessonj Exodus 20: 133 Matthew 5:21-26, 1825, 65 Luke 9:51- 56. Golden Text: Exodus 20:13. Life is a priceless gift which can be given only by the living God. The expres- sion, in Him was life, could only be said of the Lord Jesus. God gave Him the power to have life in Himself and to com- municate it to others. Every life is differ- ent, yet every one is priceless. When the Lord said, Thou shalt not kill, He was commanding us never to take away that which we cannot replace. Death is per- manentg there is no return. Those who kill set themselves up as enemies of God. God had intended a certain life for that person, but the murderer steps in to thwart God's plans and to destroy that life. Of course, all killing is not premeditated. There are accidents, some of which are unavoidable. The commandment does not apply to governmental discipline, for in Numbers 35 there is a frequent repetition of the ex- pression, shall surely be put to death. No fine or term of imprisonment was per- mitted: the murderer must be put to death. If this admonition were carried out today, there would be very few murderers. 'God expects the nation to put to death those who don't wish to let others live. The murderer wants to have his own way even at the expense of destroying the life of another and wrecking two homes, therefore, he should be out of the way promptly by the gallows or the gas chamber, lest his brutal lust for power I , THE COMIVIENTATOR PAGE SEVEN lead him to murder others. Every man who is guilty of a hold-up with a loaded gun is a potential murderer, who intends to kill unless he obtains what he desires, and should be treated as such. Murders by juveniles are on a tremen- dous increase. The reason is clear. They never go near a church, or read a Bibleg they have no godly associatesg therefore, their brute nature brooks no interference, and they will kill in order to obtain. Their fathers and mothers have not restrained them. Teachers in school are not per- mitted to reprove them. Their associates encourage them, and thus their rebellious hearts lead them to destroy that which hinders their free actions. The Scripture is plain that the murderer is sent to hell. It takes him just a brief moment to fire the gun, but he will spend eternity with all of its endless ages suffering the ven- geance of eternal fire. Those who are taught in the Scripture do not commit murder. Those who know God respect the lives and properties of others. CHRIST IN THE MINOR PROPI-IETS CConti'nued from Page 43 of Christ which is often used at Christmas time. He tells us that the One to come would be ruler in Israel, and that His goings forth have been from everlasting. This everlasting One, who has the wisdom of the ages, shall be the peace 15:53. Who is more qualified to know the things that make for peace than He? Has He not watched men struggle for satisfaction since Adam began to look at the fruit? Yet we find it hard to yield wholly, and trust completely in this ageless, all-wise Giver of peace. You will remember that Paul repeated the same truth in Ephesians 2:14, For he is our peace. He is the One of whom the angels sang, and on earth peace. He brought peace to troubled hearts, to the demoniac, to the restless sea. He is the God of peace, in Romans 15:33, and Micah knew it 700 years before He came, the Light of the world, and the Saviour of men. Zephaniah, descendant of a king, speaks of Christ as the mighty King in Zion. He saw that the Lord would bring good, days, happy days to Israel. He makes an in- teresting prophecy in 3:17, He will rest Ibe silentj in his loveg he will joy over thee with singing. It is hard to compre- hend the King of kings loving us, in all our sin and smallness. Then a look at Cal- vary grips us with its show of unspeak- able love. He was silent when accused of iny sin, your sin. He was silent in His ove. We do not often think of the Man of sorrows singing for joy. He opened not his mouth at Calvary, but there is a day coming when He will sing over us with joy. What a transcendently happy day that will be when we hear his voice as the sound of many waters, singing, joying over us. Our Lord revealed some different beauty to each of the prophets, just as He does to each of us. Haggai saw the Lord as the desire of all nations C2:7J. The same word is used of Christ as Samuel used of Saul in I Samuel 9:20, where he asks, And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house? The people longed for the glory, pageantry, and power of a king. They wanted a ruler to bind the tribes together in national unity and security. A wise and victorious king was the dream and desire of all the people. All men long for what Christ is, and what He gives, without knowing their de- sire could be satisfied in Him. He said, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Our testi- mony as Christians is so weak and lifeless, generally speaking, that the world does not know that the Lord Jesus is the de- sire of all nations. He has the answer to all the longings of every heart. He gives peaceg he satisfiesg He comforts and soothesg He strengthens and gives hope. Let us join the prophets in telling the world what a wonderful Saviour we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord. SIMON PETER fConti'n.'u.ed fro-rn. Page D This event took place in Caesarea Philippi where he confessed that Christ was the Son of the living God. When we, like Pet- er, will confess Chxist openly, we will hear the Saviour call us blessed. Not too long after this experience Peter, along with James and John, was privileged to see the transfiguration of Christ. At this time he unknowingly placed Christ on the same level as men, Elijah and Moses. For this Peter was rebuked by the Father Himself as He spoke from heaven with the words, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleasedg hear ye him. Howfsad is the case of former soul-winning Chris- tians who have been drwn into organi- zations that place the Son of God on the same level as man. From this time Peter kept sinking deeper and deeper. He cpm- mitted his besetting sin when he became self-confident and said, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. This was followed by his falling asleep in the garden when the Lord asked him to pray. Peter continued on the downward road. He fought in the flesh, followed afar off, got in with had company, and finally ended by cursing the lovely Saviour. I wonder how many times we, too, have been where Peter ended. Yes, the easiest thing the Devil can do, and would like to do if the Lord would allow him, is to keep us from a close fellowship with Christ while we are here studying for the ministry and finally cause us to end the same way Peter did. But wait! This is not all in Peter's life. Although he had gone as far as he could go, it took only one look into the Saviour's face, that was filled with love, tenderness, pity, and peace, to break his heart. Peter, feeling he had failed, went back to his old trade. Yet after Christ arose He was will- ing to welcome Peter back. Then Christ put Peter to the test. Lovest thou me ? This was asked to see whether all his con- ceit was gone. Christ repeated it againg then again to make sure. After He found out Peter was a broken and empty vessel, Christ told him to feed His people. Peter's experience has also been mine. Undeserv- ing as I was, Christ welcomed me back, and then put me to the test to see whether He was getting the same inconsistent per- son that had denied Him. Oh! the good- ness of God to take us back and use us after we have denied Him. O let my life be given, My years for Thee be spent, . . Thou. gav'st Thyself for meg I give myself to Thee. -Havergal THE QUESTION BOX fConti'n.'u.ed. from Page 41 our baptism with water. The contrast in the Scripture is between John's baptism unto repentance and Christ's baptism with the Spirit. In Luke 3:16 John the Bap- tist said, I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the lat- chet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. However, there is a difference between our water bap- tism and that of John's, for while the es- sential significance of purification is the same in both, they differed as they were related to the Lord Jesus. J ohn's baptism was unto repentance, it signified that the one who received it had repented and con- fessed his sins in preparation for the re- ception of the Saviour to come, who was to baptize them with the Spirit. On the other hand, the Christian's baptism today is to signify that he has received the Sav- iour who has already come, who is ready to cleanse our hearts through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The difference is in- dicated in the case of the twelve men Paul mentioned at Ephesus as recorded ,in Acts, chapter 19. 'I'hey only knew the bap- tism of John and, consequently, had not received the Holy Spirit. Upon discov- ering this, Paul said to them, 'John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus .... And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they sgaice with tongues, and prophesied CActs : , 63. A WORD OF WARNING .... Therefore it is well to let prayer be the first employment in the early morning and the last in the evening. Avoid diligently those false and deceptive thoughts which say, 'Wait a little, I will pray an hour henceg I must first perform this or that! For with such thoughts a man quits prayer for business, which lays hold of and entangles him so that he comes not to pray the whole day long . . . -Martin Luther CORRECTION In New Books for January, 1952, an in- correct address was given for the pub- lisher of Best Bible Verses to MCWIDTTZC. It should be 4571 Stuart Street, Denver, Colorado. FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES Available lo Students T ll Ch I ll Workers and MIxd::e.I:: ntl. In SPECIAL DISCOUNTS Wrih Today for FREE literature CHICAGO ACCOIDION CENTER. IIC. DON. CT. 154 N. Damen Av. Chicago 22. Ill. .ACCORDIONS Now opportunity to give than u 4 ..... f '. -'1. ' 'Hr' hw .... . ...::..:':..t blasting this program SDID 25: FOR A SIMPLE OUTLINE IHE HIG BROTHER TRACT BAND BOX B88 AKRON9 OHIO ' lvl PAGE EIGHT THE COMM ENTATUR Sl 'U 9 5.2 gs 33 ii' 5 N U -. 0 egg 1 32859. 00000 3 FU MLE 04: l +3225 0-4-o -n 3 P-I Ph gf-30 R 5- ?K35'Q 103,50 3' R- 2 DNS fb as QQO 0 -Clngx 5 :P 9-05 -.g3 '2 I-Z-lmT fn ri FSM 3 vffls :T U cw O GW Q CD W f-1 ., 1: .,, -. :U SCT' TD--fd-+3 Z m -- rn g Q 35 I?-1 een P3 O TJ' 4 lui 1-132 E3-m -. 'UP' Fl' D rn m CD Pd Ei ua 5'f EQ2a POZWS 0 V' 35' N 'lo5'o'3 Z'UU'6Ln 95 5 CID m 3 :Q F, f-Gp, 7- Z L2 O O V' F' ao' -f I- '13 U-E O 'U W U7 -H-. Uv, C1 g Z2 Q g 5 52 2 z rn CU rr 0522- gem rf 2: Ori' 2 R4 Ia-f' 55' Of' '-U K4 '- g mf -IO-1754 H F4 5.1 32-23 25090 Q o C -. tn. Z I P+ -I y-- -flag F:-E m P4 C E Z S' 0 E' .2 O W X' 2 D 'D X Q o .40 1 H- .U V5 g -I 3-3 D' Q G pu c g 2. 8 5 -0 Q - ' ' F Wei : Z 2 2' Qcro 35512 fb H 5- -4 Z: rn I - gg Ug U -2 vs W8 -5 W Z or -Q U n -- n 1 0-'H 2 o 5' an Tm m Q ,.1 'U gp 1 I o .... o O 9 2 2 E G -. 2 2: 9- an 4 UI N mums- Na- tg 2 S S ses: aa 2 2, 8 z Q gg - g nu:nQHQHHg-gggggumm::::'.mm:az:::::3'-0-'35 'wg 5 I T 9 -. Ss? - va 'msgsggs ssssU Z 'E! '.'4 ' w m 55 5 55 g cn 3 :x Q, eg,-3-e ra., Q m.gMU.:eeesemeese,,,g,5:EgEfiH55eeeeE i '4 - 'U Q, .ri '0 Q Q 1 rlggmgomoggglllll Z -U Nm Q Co m pg .- ..- .....-..-..-...... m X' In 39+ I lb Siis 3 3 5' 2 0 E3 3, 5' .4 .D 2: we nge 1: Q. U : Q Q D 1 gigs 55' S: 2 g' :lenses-F-'5? 55fF-'w sh :-573: 3Ff5 5ff75:'7-'f'9 :-59l,'P - 3E E E E g .E-Q? E QFES Q5 ng 2. Q massesassess.swssessrssslwssmme '4 0 Nw-vs so Z E in 3 L 5. 3 'U U'U'U'U'U'U'U'U'U'U d'U'U'U'U'6'U'11'U'!J'U U U'U'U'U'U U'U'U n g ' 0 U' gi 5531.5 53 5 m EEEEEEESEQEQEQSSEEEEQ3553595535 f-' Q- ,Ep 9 3 3 33455. EEEEEMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE E 'Q E ' isis: ul .H F, 2 -' 5'P-'H' 55? EH? '3 335333 'Q' 3 '4 gg You Can Win Souls for Chrlst with Gospel Films Send for free booklet today explaining. It will be a revelation to you. Also free booklet describing revolutionary llfetlme MIRACLE SOUND PROJECTOR that does not wear out: quiet as a clock: needs no oillngg has no belts: needs no servicing: trouble-proof. C. O. BAPTISTA FILMS Sunnyside Avenue, Wheaton, I11. P.O. Box 6059 Christian Life Series following the International Uniform Lesson Topics Free sample pack covering all departments supplied to Sunday School officials upon request. Write for yours today! UNION. GOSPEL PRESS Cleveland 1, Ohio ,- X 1 I 3 Q ,zz I' , 5 -is A D I Q I U , , W ,W ,, I , , -.--------m -,-- --- ,,-fAAAA -- -- - ----Y ------ - ------i-- -- -- ,VVV -MY-fi--1 A Q. I -- X , ' ' fl -. ' 22-iii . - ' - ZQQQYQ . .. Az -Vbiff . ' , i A ,f,.,l. i I,-,. 4 ' ' 4' 2 4 A H ' x v f-gifs' f V13 1 , I 'F V ' '5 .. W . ' 4 . 4-:Y N I , i . W sl , ! A . . ig L- - - . ,pug ' 9 1 - ' VIEW. 1 ' f' il ' 1:1105 3 ' ,, ME gg ,' ' xml C. 1 '- 3-1 1' lg M I . itil? N 2-E515 V - ' ' ' MF' 'Q X - I - . 'J 1 , I . xv' W fl ' A:- Y , I . i ' . V V , I , I . . . h u Q .5 4 w' - ' ' I ' w ' . . W 1 - 4 A 1 1 . Q l A , , .v- ' -,a A '45. 1 ' 1 ' ' 1' IAM, A, 51,151.1 - 11 2 '17 X1 I1 1 Y 1 . A - ., ,, 1 1!1 ',1,-1,17'41fv:11. , J- 1 1 1 . .1 1.1.9 : 11 1 ,, ,. , 1 .1111 1--1J.. 1111131131 ilk, 1 I 1 ' , 1 :1 ' 1 11 .i' ' - 1PT 1.' 1 1 TMI' ,1 Y 4, 111- 1.12 -1 1 31113 1 14 , 1 ..k,,.1. 11.11 1. 1 1. 1 1 1 1 I I . 1 111, 1. , .'1411,1 . - - 1 , 1 '11 1 1 ' ' 11 'W Ia .1 -1 3 1' 1 : 1- JA 1.21: .11 ' 1' ,t!1'f511J aiwg . A N 1 . f 111:-111f5.s.1141111111111111 11ff:'+a121.11.1f11', 31 , V 1111 ' 111 31431111 11. ' 11 V'- Y 1111-1ir:::'H.:' ' 1 1 ,lr .., 1 -:1- A 1 'E1'1' 1 ,. 14111 11' 1 1:fi1 11, 1: 17 ,I-V, K ', I U N 1111-1111, 1- .111-1 h ,..,kH,!H 1 1 . 1 ' 11:1 1. 11' 1 - 1 . :1-- 1 11 'pl 11111 111- 11JP'1-1 11 1 1111 1 1,.1,l 1 11 11 11- 11 11 1111 - .1 1 , , 121 . .1 1'1- 1 I A 1 1!R4 . A X , , s 1111.IL3!Il1 1 ,111 1 . . 1 1 , . , 1 ,I ., 1 ,13 1 1 . .. ,1- l, . 1 1-.V JA XV1 i.:',1,:1 3 . .1 ' 1 Vi NV! 51 3',1.- 1 ' ., J '111-1 1 l i 1 1 ' ' 5 ' ' 1 t ' ' 1,',,f-'..l-,' 1,1 ' J '1 , K 1 - 5 I. 1. 11 -11 . 1 11, 1 1. 21,1 xg 1 '.,!i1.1: .1I,. ', - ,1 ,. 1 , 5 .1 -1 .. . 11 1 ' 1 11' Lx . -1 1 11-'15 , .1 . 1 .-X I 1 :jf 1 111 ' 4' 111- 1 1 V: 1 -- VQE1. 1 ' 1 Q .. .1g111 .A.lI11'F ' ' - . 1. .11 1 1 1' 1 1 1 1' ' .1 :1 . 1 ,1 , 1 --. ,-2 . .. 1 -: .13 11 -1 111.111-1 1 ,f 1 1- . ' 1 ' ' 1 a ' ' 1 1' 1 1 1 ' 1,,1.. 1- 11 ' 1 ' i 1 1 U 1 . 17 1, 1. 1, .1 1-1, '1g- L :I1 1-1-!. 1 T ':1 1 'A :y,1' 1, 1 1 ,1- .- 11-1 -217.z1,.y- 1 ' I 1 .1 .1 151:11 1 4,..,1,,1 ' , 1. G-