'!he ~4leJt!aIL-GUARDIAN

ContentsARTICLES - REVIEWS - FEATURES - EDITORIAL

By

Robert L. Atwell

Ralph E. Clough

Harvie M. Conn

Henry W. Coray

Herbert V. G. DuMont

Robert D. Knudsen

William D. Livingstone

John J. Mitchell

Robert E. Nicholas

Edwin C. Urban

Edward Wybenga

G. I. Williamson

E. Lynne Wade

Edward J. Young

Andrew Zwart

PICTURES - NEWS

VOLUME 30, NO.3 MARCH,1961

Studies and Meditations m the Gospel of Luke

The Fiery Ministry of John the BaptistBy EDWARD WYBENGA

H aving given us a brief account ofthe infancy and boyhood of Jesus

Luke novv proceeds to speak of thoseevents which opened the vvay for Jesus'public ministry. These events were:the preaching of John the Baptist; thebaptism of Jesus; and the temptationof Jesus in the wilderness,

The Preaching of JohnLuke 3:1-20

God has ordained the preaching ofthe Word as the means for the con­version of sinners, and for the build­ing up of the faithful in our mostholy faith. John the Baptist was oneof those preachers so used by God. Hewas the first inspired prophet tobreak the silence of 400 years sincethe last prophet of Old Testamenttimes, the prophet Malachi. He livedin a time of moral degeneracy, re­ligious stagnation, and political servi­tude of the jews to the Romans.

One of the greatest preachers ofall time was John the Baptist. In somevvays he was a strange figure, but asfor the clearness and effectiveness ofhis message there can be no doubt. Hewas a man of self-denial, courage,povver, and humility. His place ofpreaching was the wilderness; hisdress, camel's hair; his food, locustsand wild honey. The vvay he lived wasa living protest against the luxury ofthe time. His appearance and habitswould recall the stern days of Elijah.

John the Baptist was truly a manof courage. He dared to point out thesins of men - the sin of hyprocrisyin the Pharisees; the sin of materialismin the Sadducees; the sin of licentious­ness in king Herod and his court; thesin of graft in the publicans; the sinof violence in the Roman soldiers.Ministers are tempted to say pleasantthings, to tell their audience whatgood people they are, to tone down the

seriousness of sin and the certaintyof impending judgment. John theBaptist was not that kind of minister.

He was further a man of povver. Hespoke with conviction, with intenseearnestness. He did not have to coaxpeople to listen to him as so manydo today. He did not have to use allkinds of devices to entertain peopleand attract their attention as so manychurches do today. John spoke withthe power of conviction. If the min­ister is not convinced of the truth ofwhat he is saying, why should thepeople believe what he says?

John the Baptist was also a man ofdeep humility. He laid no claim toMessiahship. He said: "I am not theChrist. I am only his forerunner. Ihave come to prepare the vvay forhim. He is so much greater than Ithat I am not worthy to stoop downand unloose the latchet of his shoe.The baptism I perform is but an out­ward symbol of inner purification; ButChrist shall baptize with the purifyingfire of the Holy Spirit." Yes, John theBaptist VV1S a very humble and there­fore a very great preacher. The tempta­tion to display one's talents for popu­larity must be resisted by every trueservant of Christ.

What was John'S message? This:"Repent ye, for the kingdom ofheaven is at hand." Before men wouldbe ready to receive Christ as theirSavior, all moral obstacles must beremoved. Men must first repent oftheir sins and turn from them. Bap­tism without repentance will not help.John warns his audience that theymust bring forth "the fruits of re­pentance." The unfruitful tree is aboutto be cut dow.n by the axe of divinejudgment. An axe is a small thingbeside the great tree of the forest butit has the power to bring the proudtree crashing to the ground. Men maymake light of God's judgments butthey can be devastating!

"By their fruits ye shall knowthem," said Jesus. We must provethe truth of our repentance by ourconduct. A passing regret, a fewtears, an excuse or two, a wish to dobetter, a bit of outward reformation,or a dependence upon a godly ancestry- these will not save us. There mustbe a heartfelt repentance and a changeof life. When a ship is headed straightfor the rocks, what is to be done? Willit help to scrub the decks? No. If ruinis to be avoided, the course of the shipmust be changed. So it is with a humanlife. To avoid the rocks of sin andruin, we must change the course ofour lives. None are too wicked to besaved except those who are too wickedto repent.

John severely rebuked some of thosein his audience. He called them "ageneration of vipers." There is no ser­pent that is more poisonous than aviper. Behind the hypocrisy of theproud Pharisee, behind the decorum ofthe aristocratic Sadducee lay hiddenthe venom of deadly hatred. This hadto be changed and repented of, orthere would be no hope of salvation.

John rebuked sinners sternly, andyet they came in ever greater num­bers to hear him. They could notbut come to such a strange preacher,with such strange power, and withsuch a strange message.

Why was John not more winsome,more tactful, as vve would say? Be­cause he was so truthful. His messagewas stern but true. It is the kind ofmessage people need to hear to uproottheir false sense of security in theirown supposed goodness. This messageis needed to expose the shallow re­ligion of many today. A Biblical min­istry such as John conducted is aneffective ministry. It may drive someavvay, but it will draw and save others.It brings results. Would that therewere more such preaching in ourchurches now !

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42 The Presbyterian Guardian

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8).

"[RUSADE IN ATHENS"By E. LYNNE WADE

~~A small group of Jews, who seemto be traveling about the whole

empire setting forth strange gods anddoctrines, recently enlivened a sym­posium of the Stoics and Epicureanson the Areopagus by explaining anddefending their superstitions withsurprising forcefulness and very eVI­dent sincerity.

"The chief spokesman for thisgroup, who call themselves 'Chris­tians,' was a man named Paul, aRoman citizen freeborn in the cityof Tarsus, but a member of the strict­est Jewish sect, known as Pharisees.He is a man of undoubted learning,having studied in Jerusalem underGamaliel, the greatest contemporaryHebrew scholar. As such, Paul wasinvited by the Athenian PhilosophicalSociety to address the members on thesubject of his religion.

"Although it had been rumoredthat Paul was rather obsessed withthe person of a man named Jesus,who was executed as a criminal byRoman authorities in Jerusalem sev­eral years ago, and that he believedthat this Jesus had returned to lifeafter his execution, the audience atthe symposium was greatly surprisedby several of the speaker's assertions.

"In the first place, he began byaccusing the Athenians of being 'toosuperstitious,' failing to recognize, ofcourse, that he himself is the onethat is superstitious, rather than theAthenians, who, as the children ofMinerva, are the heirs and protectorsof the highest and purest wisdom inthe history of the human race.

"Paul proved to his audience's sat­isfaction that he is the one guilty ofsuperstition by most of what he saidafter his opening remark. For ex­ample, he is an avowed monotheist.He scorned our revered local shrineto the Unknown God, arrogantlyclaiming that God to be his own, andthe only true God, with all the attri­butes and powers residual in all thedeities combined, plus other irrational

March, 1961

characteristics as omnipotence, omni­science and omnipresence (an un­doubted influence of his Judaisticbackground) .

"He very cleverly quoted some ofour own Greek poets to support hisclaims, and wove several very rationalarguments into his address. Some ofthe audience were even beginning tolisten sympathetically, when Paul cameto his climax with the crowning, mostridiculous superstition of them all ­dogmatically predicting a 'day ofjudgment,' to be presided over by thisJesus whom Paul affirmed his God hadraised from the dead! To escape theevil results of this 'judgment,' he de­manded a complete change of mindand heart, feeling and practice on thepart of all men alike - nobility aswell as peasants, rich as well as poor,wise as well as ignorant.

"Such foolishness was too muchfor the majority present, and theywere compelled to rise and mock thespeaker into silence. There were someothers who requested to hear Paulspeak again at a later time, and it isreliably reported that several indi­viduals have actually cleaved to Pauland believed, among whom areDionysius the Areopagite, a womannamed Damaris, and a few others.

"All in all, the effort of this groupto proselytize in Athens was a dis­mal failure, and they must have leftthe city (as they did shortly after thesymposium) very disappointed. Butthey were doomed to failure here, inspite of their reported success inother cities, because they despise theperfection of wisdom to which onlythe Greeks, and especially the Athen­ians, have attained. Nothing more hasbeen heard of them in Athens, andit may be confidently predicted thatnothing more will be."

Two Differing "Reports"Thus Paul's "Crusade in Athens"

might have been "reported" if thatgreat city in his day had had the

facilities of a modern news magazine.It is a fairly accurate, objective report,with no more than the expected bias,considering that it includes a newsanalysis also. Now let us imagine thekind of report a popular evangelicalreligious news periodical of our daymight have made of the same "Cru­sade in Athens" had it been publishedin the first century:

"It is with disappointment border­ing on consternation that we must re­port the dismal failure of our brotherPaul's recent Crusade in Athens. Thiscomes as a distinct shock to the pub­lishers (and, we feel sure, our read­ers), who know Paul as the outstand­ing evangelist-missionary in all Chris­tendom, and who have followed withpride and gratitude his undoubtedsuccess throughout the Roman empirewherever he has gone.

"In fact, leaving Athens after onlya brief visit, he proceeded to Corinth,another large city in Greece, and thereenjoyed the usual and expected re­sults of great crowds in attendanceand many decisions for Christ.

"The disappointment and failure inAthens must inevitably raise the ques­tion in our minds: Why did it hap­pen? With all our undoubted love forbrother Paul, and our unconcealedadmiration and respect for him as bothour greatest evangelist and an apostleof Christ, we feel that he made sev­eral important mistakes which accountfor his failure in Athens.

"First, he made no previous prepa­ration for launching the crusade there,such as sending an advance party,even of one person, ahead of him.Actually, he went ahead himself, aloneand unadvertised, and waited for hisfriends to join him. By the time theothers got there, it was too late. Andthat was probably due very largely totwo more tactical errors in his meth­ods. Shortly he began disputing withthe Jews and other devout persons inAthens (and right in their own syna­gogue !) and even in public areas

43

The 'few' are as precious as the 'many'.such as the parker place, with any­body and everybody he met. We real­ize he has done some of this before,but he only seems to anger peoplewhen he does so. It will surely gethim into trouble if he continues,which may even result in the authori­ties' silencing his great voice. Surelywe are not to spread our faith byarguing and disputing, but simply bypreaching the cross positively andwithout controversy!

Further "Analysis""Paul's next mistake inevitably fol­

lowed the one just mentioned. Hisdisputing aroused the natural curiosityof the Epicurean and Stoic philoso­phers, who invited him to addresstheir Society in their forum on MarsHill. Now, the gospel is for all men,it is true, but we believe Paul shouldnever have wasted his valuable timeor his great talents in addressing asmall group of proud Greek intellec­tuals, who are only interested in hear­ing and telling any new thing thatcomes along, and were frankly antago­nistic and even contemptuous of ourprecious Christian truths. Certainlynot when the vast, unsaved multiudes,the 'hoi polloi' of Athens, therebywere left unreached.

"The nature of Paul's speech, more­over, was hardly conducive to success.It could not properly be called a 'ser­mon' at all. He used very poor psy­chology by attacking and accusing theAthenians in his very opening words.He even quoted the heathen writingsto support his arguments, and in anall too evident effort to appease hisnow-offended audience. He might bet­ter have quoted the Scriptures, and al­though he ended with a demand forrepentance and a warning of thejudgment to come, and pointed (verybriefly) to Christ as the only Saviour,again the damage had already beendone, with the result that the Societymembers actually rose to interrupt andmock him into silence. A number ofthem did ask to hear him again, butin the end there were only a fewpeople saved - a man named piony­sius, a woman named Damans, andperhaps several others.

"Thus the church must weep, aswe think Paul himself and his partymust have wept, since their soon de­parture from Athens evidences theirsense of failure and bitter disappoint­ment. A further sad consequence isthat Athens is now probably lost en­tirely to the gospel for the time be-

44

ing, and it is doubtful if we can hopefor any success there for many years,since our greatest evangelist has beenpractically laughed out of town. Let uspray there may be no more suchfiascos in our missionary enterpriseand rejoice that Paul has seemed torecover from his mistaken methods,with their tragic results in Athens."

* * * * *Shifting back to our twentieth cen­

tury, what lessons may we learn fromour sort of half-parable above? Well,many such should be obvious to thethoughtful Guardian reader, so I shallmerely suggest several, with emphasison only one, and perhaps a brief ap­plication in conclusion.

The Measure of SuccessNote that both "reports" agree that

Paul's "Crusade in Athens" was adismal failure and bitter disappoint­ment to Paul and the Christians ofthat day. Thus the world and thechurch (even evangelicals, includingCalvinists) too often judge success ­bv outward, visible results, by size,numbers, influence, and other purelyexternal and superficial standards.There is the tendency to despise the"few" who may be saved at one placeand to glory in the "many" at an­other. I find this same spirit in thearticle on Paul by an outstandingCalvinistic scholar of the last century,Dr. George T. Purves, in Davis'Biblical Dictionary. It appears also ina letter I received some time agofrom a strong, intelligent and maturemember of a genuinely Reformedchurch, who seemed to scorn the ideaof "rushing off to Guam to savesouls" on the part of certain churcheswhich "brush aside all precedent andchurch policy to save souls on someremote island."

But I cannot agree with such ananalysis. I rather glory in the eternaland electing love of God that hadso purposed the salvation of Dionysiusand Damaris as to decree also thatthe greatest and busiest missionary inthe history of the church should beforbidden to go into Asia and Bithynia(Acts 16: 6-7), with their multitudesof unevangelized souls, and be divertedfrom "successful" activities in otherGreek cities, just to go to Athens "tosave a few souls" whom God had

appointed unto salvation from beforethe foundation of the world. Those"few" in Athens were just as preciousand important to the Lord as the"much people" (Acts 18:10) he hadin Corinth. It's something like thewidow's two mites (Mk. 12:41-44),which were of greater value to theLord than all the other gifts cast intothe treasury. God's ways of measuringvalue, and of doing things, are notman's ways at all.

Methods and MessageI think there's a lesson to be learned

from Paul's sermon and methods inAthens, too. Paul was not stereotypedin such things. Much current Chris­tian thinking would have him so,including, I fear, many if not mostof the finest Reformed Christians Iknow today. I find none of that fixedsermon style in any sermon recordedin the Bible which is practically madea test of all correct preaching today ­introduction, three points, conclusion,with perhaps some nice alliterationthrown in. Rather, there is in theBible's sermons invariably one greattheme, with a "flowing" argument toestablish that theme.

As to' methods, in Ephesus Paulundoubtedly taught both "publiclyand from house to house," but inAthens (to the dismay of many mod­ern evangelicals), he stormed thesynagogue (as he often did) andmarket places, arguing and disputingwith one and all. He welcomed the

Continue to pray for the Rev. E.L. Wade, shown here with his wifeand Adele and Dennis, as he laborsfor the Lord in Guam.

The Presbyterian Guardian

"Every ring of the bell opens up a world crying for the gospel."

Ring the Bells

opportunity to speak to the heathenphilosophers in their own "temple,"as long as he was free to preachChrist with all the offense of thegospel. He certainly knew he wouldoffend them, but he knew the gospelis a savor of death unto death formany. Even so, at least one of theAreopagites was saved, and Paulfaithfully discharged his duty toeveryone who heard him preach theunadulterated truth, however offensive.His going to Athens, and his sermonand methods there, were no more a"mistake" than those in Corinth,Ephesus, or elsewhere.

Finally, I would emphasize the les­son that missionary "success" isneither more nor less than an un­compromising adherence and faith­fulness to the whole message of thewhole Bible. Insofar as is possible,within the limitations of each indi­vidual missionary's personal capaci­ties and the circumstances of theparticular time and location, he mustpresent it to "every creature." Themethods used must not be incon­sistent with the message, but on theother hand, must not be stereotyped;nor must they necessarily be confinedto exact patterns explicitly describedin the Bible, excluding everythingelse. And our message must not beforced into a set mold, either, slavish­ly aping the "successful" pattern ofsome great preacher or teacher. Themessage is the thing, and that mustalways and only be of "the wholecounsel of God" in all our preachingand teaching.

This is exactly and entirely whatwe are striving to do in fulfilling ourmissionary responsibility on Guam.We refuse to be judged by any otherstandard, but expect to be held ac­countable by Christ in his church forour obeying our commission on thatbasis. We believe God has given graceto enjoy that kind of true success thusfar (I write this some four years afterour return to Guam for this work),and we have complete confidence thatthrough the prayers of his people, hewill continue to give "good success"(cf. Joshua 1 :8), that his name alonemay be glorified in "the isles of thesea." May God so grant it, for Jesus'sake. Amen!

Change of AddressThe Rev. William J. Rankin, 9351

Andover Rd., Philadelphia 14, Pa.

March, 1961

Mr. Conn, now a missionary inKorea, wrote this article while he wasserving the Orthodox PresbyterianChurch as a home missionary. Itshould still ring a bell - in yourheart.

NOt long ago I heard of an Ortho­~ Presbyterian pastor who did notbelieve in ringing doorbells. It wasn'tthat he refused to ring doorbells. Hejust didn't see the sense of it. Preachthe Word, was his cry. If they wantit, they'll come for it. Put out the wel­come mat and wait. Fill up the spongeand pretty soon you'll get someone topour it out on.

I don't believe it. You can't fishthat way, for men or for perch. IsaacWalton never caught a thing by de­scribing the beauty of his line. Thefattest, most delectable worm on hishook never attracted any fish to comeand get it - out of the water. Fishingis never a process of "helping your­self."

Christianity itself can never bedescribed as a self-service market. Theessence of the Christian faith is thatyou can't help yourself. The essenceof fishing for men is built upon thatfact. They just won't help themselves.There is no other solution but tolaunch the boat and to go after themyourself.

I have great sympathy for the per­son who calls and quits. He knowsthat one in a thousand may respondto his invitation to worship God. Hehas felt the slammed doors, the gra­cious refusals, the firm "Not inter­ested!" He has met the sophisticatedunbelievers, the angry Witnesses, thehostile Romanists, the calloused sub­urbanites. I have great sympathy forthat man. Unfortunately, I have nosympathy for the man who won't evenstart, the one who quits before hebegins, the fellow so afraid of catch­ing cold he never goes out when itrains.

Every year there are seminary stu-

By HARVIE M. CONN

dents concerned as to whether therewill be openings for them when theystep out of the ivory tower into theworld of glass houses. Some may bewondering whether they can ade­quately meet the situation. Perhapsthey require a new sense of vision, ofcalling, of need. The renewed senseof their calling can come - throughcalling, perhaps on some Saturdays orduring the summers prior to gradua­tion.

Behind Every DoorThere are Sunday school teachers

who wish there were new pupils inclass, who wonder why some havedropped out, who long to see moreparents join their youngsters in thestudy of the Bible. There are churchmembers most unhappy at the sight ofempty pews week after week. May Isuggest to all such that they ring afew doorbells in this world of glasshouses, throw a few stones and seehow things break! Behind every doorthere is a challenge, every ring of thebell opens up a world crying for themessage of the gospel. Ring the bellsand look for the opportunities. Ringthe bells and listen to the needs. Theprogress and future of the church willbe measured to a great extent in termsof shoe leather spent, of fingers ring­ing doorbells, of preachers and teach­ers and people reaching out.

Yes, ring a few bells and see whathappens. Talk to the lady who cameto a prayer meeting a few weeks ago.She cannot believe that God will sendanyone to "hell - whatever that maybe" simply because they do not believein Christ. Jesus was "too simple" aman ever to teach something like that.Jesus a simple preacher? But didn'the teach that no one comes to theFather except through himself? Offerto have a Bible class in her home andwatch the smile on her face. Thatsmile is a challenge and a call.Answer it.

Listen to the young mother whojust lost her baby of an awful disease.Hear her tell you she can't believe

45

Meet your General Secretaries . . . (first in a series)

Interview with LcRoy B. Illivnr

that God loves this world. Feel herunburden the hate and sorrow of hersoul against the Lord. There is yourchallenge.

Your Call to ServiceOpen the door of the family who

just started their four-year-old to Sun­day school. Hear the mother ask youabout Genesis, chapter one, in a roomcluttered with bottles and a portablebar. Open your Bible when she asksyou to "christen" her eight-month-oldson. God is giving you your vision ofservice in that living room, as Isaiahreceived his in the temple.

Tell the foreign-speaking motheryou are a representative of the Back­to-God Hour in your neighborhood,and watch her face light up as shetells about the Rev. Peter Eldersveld'ssermons. Listen to her while she talksin broken English of her unhappinessin a local church that gave her thecold shoulder. God is speaking toyou through her need.

God speaks in many languages. Hecalls you through the garbled tongueof the alcoholic who gave up her faithin college, the distraught mother wholoves the church but whose husbandloves the golf course, the family offive children with the burdened wifeand the philandering husband. Godchallenges you when a father tells youit's pretty rough getting out of bed intime for an 11 a.m. service, or whena little boy says he'd rather play ballthan go to Sunday school.

Go to the hospital. Visit the bedwhere the man has suffered for overtwo months with internal sickness,the woman suffering from an incur­able blood disease, the man with onelung missing who appreciated yourprayers last week, the Jewess whothinks all religions have much incommon. What did Jesus say? "I wassick and ye visited me."

Talk to the parents of your Sundayschool children. Hear one tell you thatreligious training is essential for thechildren - but not for her. Wait foranother to describe her idea of Jesus:"He seems to have been a little betterat good living than anyone in theBible, wasn't he?" What opportuni­nities!

Someone once wrote a book calledThe Romance of Doorbells. That titlemeans a lot to me. It speaks of a needand a challenge and a vision. It criesout the future of the Orthodox Pres­byterian Church.

46

.First, a few personal questions. H oudid you happen to enter the ministry?

Well, I left high school at the ageof 14 and worked at the Federal Re­serve Bank in Philadelphia to helpsupport my family. Then, at the urg­ing of my pastor, I entered StonyBrook School at the age of 19 inorder to complete preparation for col­lege.

Who was your pastor, by the way?

The late Dr. John B. Thwing, whowas the pastor of the Beacon Presby­terian Church. He encouraged me toprepare for the ministry and withthat in view I enrolled in WheatonCollege.

When did you first hear of theOrthodox Presbyterian Church?

I was there when it was born! Asearly as 1935 Dr. Thwing and a groupof members withdrew from the (then)Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. toform the Knox Presbyterian Church,unaffiliated; and that congregation, ofwhich I was one, was the first to beenrolled in the Presbyterian Church ofAmerica (as we were originallyknown). That was in June of 1936and I had just returned from my firstyear at Wheaton to attend, so I waslisted as a charter lay member at theAssembly which brought our churchinto being.

The Orthodox Presbyterian Churchhas been your home, then, for almost25 years nO1/!. When did you enterits ministry?

I served as an elder for a time inthe Knox Church, and after completionof theological training at WestminsterSeminary I was licensed and ordainedto the gospel ministry in 1943 uponreceiving a call to the Grace Church,Middletown, Del. Later I had theprivilege of serving in Harrisville andNew Hope, Pa. and in Fair Lawn,N. J.

The latter was at that time a homemissions field, was it not?

Yet it was, and I think I have apersonal appreciation for the arduousbut rewarding task of the men who

By the EDITOR

are serving our denomination so faith­fully in this way.

Let's see, you were called from tbatfield to serve as Associate Secretaryfor Home .Missions five years elgo, Ibelieve, so I suppose your new elS­signment as General Secretarv is notexactly strange to you?

No, not entirely. That which isnew is the overall responsibility forexecuting the work of the Committee.Previously I had been engaged in con­tact work and some oversight of homemissions. My activity in promotion wasvery limited.

Had you been able during thoseyMI'J to visit all of our present homemission fields?

Yes, and some of them severaltimes.

By the way, the Committee is of­ficially called "Home .MiJJions andChurch Extension." Just what is thedifference between these two aspectsof the work?

To my knowledge that differencehas never been defined clearly. Forpractical purposes "Home Missions"may refer to the effort to establishnew churches, while "Church Exten­sion" may be thought of as assistingalready organized churches in one wayor another.

Our TaskH ow would you state urhat you con­

ceive to be our tas]: as a churchthrough this Committee?

It is to seek to preach the gospelwherever there is a need, to the endthat the Church of Christ may beestablished and our sovereign Godglorified. I think too that the Commit­tee should seek to promote evangelismparticularly by encouraging every con­gregation to engage in evangelism.Home Missions is really everybody'Sjob.

Do you have mlY idea how mmlY ofour present congregations helve re­ceived assistance at some time throughour denominational Committee?

The Presbyterian Guardian

The Rev. Le Roy B. Oliver, GeneralSecretary for the Committee on HomeMissions and Church Extension, theOrthodox Presbyterian Church.

Over half of the churches, I amsure.

Let me ask about the starting of newprojects. ls there anyone way in whichit ought to be done? Who shouldtake the initiative?

I rejoice in the: starting of newwork for the Lord. Who is to say howor where an opening may come orwho should try to do something aboutit? I think the whole church must takethe initiative! In my opinion, however,when a church or a presbytery beginssomething, it should do all it can tosupport that work and not depend onothers to do so. Problems are likelyto arise: if they must come to thedenominational Committee for sup­port at a later point when the Com­mittee's commitments may already beat a maximum. But this is not to dis­courage the whole church from doingall it possibly can, keeping in mindthat obligations once assumed, at anylevel, may not be lightly transferredto others.

I presume there are m.1ny oppor­tunities that we really ought to begrasping, perhaps in areas where wehave no ioitness at all?

There certainly are. In at least 32cities of over 250,000 populationthroughout this country there is notone Orthodox Presbyterian Church, tosay nothing of hundreds of smallercities and towns.

I have a question that I have heardasked about getting loans for building

March, 1961

purposes. 1J every needy church eligibleon the basis of merit?

The Church Extension Loan Fundwas established to help both HomeMission churches and other congrega­tions to finance a part of their con­struction costs.

Have some of our aid-receivingchurches been able to achieve self­support even more rapidly than theschedule calls for?

Yes, and the Committee urges thisannually. Berkeley and Fair Lawn areexamples of congregations that havedone this. Whenever a local groupassumes a greater share of its ownsupport, funds are released for bring­ing the gospel to other areas.

How is current giving? The ThankOffering was down somewhat, was itnot?

Yes, the total Thank Offering re­ceived this past year from 88 churchesand some individuals was slightlyunder $60,000, or a little more thantwo percent less than the previousyear. Regular monthly giving forHome Missions seems to be downabout six percent. I suppose this re­flects the much-talked-about recession,but we trust the upturn is just aroundthe proverbial corner! The answer willcome in the long run through in­creased regular, systematic giving, andthis will arise out of a deeper com­mitment to our task on the part of usall. It should spring out of our lovefor Christ, not simply as a response tocontinuing appeals.

il1r. Oliver, we are in our 25th yea!'as a church. Is it important that wecarryon, or have the issues of a quar­ter-century ago faded somewhat?

The issues are as alive today as theyever were. We must never forget thatthe gospel is to be propagated: thisis our commission. At the same timewe must not fail to defend it in theface of error and unbelief. The swordof the Spirit which is the Word ofGod is our weapon for both purposes.Prayer is our indispensable aid.

Orthodox PresbyterianSeniors atWestminster Seminary

T en of this year's Senior class aremembers of the Orthodox Pres­

byterian Church. One of these, RollinKeller, comes from the Presbytery ofCalifornia. Norman Jones, originallya Westerner, .is a licentiate of the

Presbytery of Philadelphia and anelder in the Trinity Church of Hat­boro. Donald Parker, who is in theprocess of taking his licensure exami­nations in Philadelphia, has receiveda call from the Grace Church ofWhite Horse, Trenton, N. J.

Howard Hart and Ronald Nicker­son are both members of the GraceChurch of Fall River, Mass., in thePresbytery of New York and NewEngland. Mr. Hart has received acall to the Immanuel Church, Bell­mawr, N. J. Richard Gaffin expects totake his examinations for licensure bythe Presbytery of Philadelphia in thenear future. Duncan Lowe, the onlysingle man of the group, is takinglicensure examinations in the Presby­tery of Philadelphia, although hishome church is Franklin Square, L. I.

Richard Stevens and WilliamWhite, Jr., are members of CalvaryChurch of Glenside, and the latter isa licentiate of the Presbytery of Phila­delphia. These two men reportedlyhave expressed an interest in teaching.Lewis Zuelow, who is a member ofCalvary Church of Schenectady, N.Y, completes the list of ten in thisgroup of Westminster Seniors.

Eldersveld to AddressReformed Laymen'sInstitute

An overnight Institute for men ofReformed persuasion is planned

for Friday and Saturday, April 21-22,with the Rev. Peter Eldersveld, radiominister of the Back to God Hourof the Christian Reformed Church asthe guest speaker. The general themewill be the laymen's task and witnessin the church and in the world. Otherspeakers will also participate.

The place for the Institute is thePinebrook Camp in the Poconos nearStroudsburg, Pa. Arrangements forthe retreat have been made by a jointarea committee representing Presby­teries of the Bible Presbyterian, theReformed Presbyterian, and the: Ortho­dox Presbyterian Churches, togetherwith the Christian Reformed Churchof Broomall, Pa. The Rev. WilliamJ. Rankin is the chairman of the:committee.

The cost is announced as $7.50,with a $2.50 advance registration feeto be sent to Mr. Lewis W. Roberts,7401 Old York Rd., Phila. 26, Pa.

47

Melanie Ruth Urban is shown with a group of Tyal children. Hersister, Melissa Beth, was born on February 25, 1961 to the Rev. and Mrs.Edwin C. Urban. Mrs. Urban is the former Gwen Kellogg.

A Page from a Translator's Diary

Sunday, June 25, 1960A TyaI village, name unknownto me.

We are somewhere in Tao YuanCounty, but I don't know just

where. It is most pleasant here by thewindow. I can look out on the moun­tains and see the beautiful shadowscast by the moon. The cool air is re­freshing after the long, hot hikes oftoday. I think this must be the mostquiet place on earth. How high andfar away from everything we seem!Perhaps that is why the Tyals lovethese mountains, they are a place ofrefuge.

A bit earlier this evening, this roomwas crowded with children. We wereall sprawled out on the raised flooraround a small homemade oil lamp.A tiny little flame danced about onthe tip of the lamp and gave justenough light to write by. I had apencil and some paper and jotteddown words as fast as those chatter­ing youngsters could say them. Theolder people are a bit shy withstrangers. I got the impression thatthey were amused and didn't quiteknow what to make of a fellowsprawled out on the floor with abunch of kids writing down every­thing they said. One old fellow witha tatooed face warmed up to the ideaand even offered a word when one ofthe children faltered. But when herealized that he had permitted him­self to become involved in this gam;:,he became embarassed and backedaway.

But it certainly wasn't any probleminteresting the children. I am one ofthe very few white foreigners thatthey have ever spoken to. If they werea bit shy at all to begin with, theirshyness disappeared as soon as Ismiled at them. We couldn't under­stand a word of each other's language,but a friendly smile means the samething in all languages. How theirfaces beamed when they realized thatwe were going to be friends! Veryfew ever try to befriend a mountainboyar girl. After all, they are onlyignorant tribesmen. All that theyknow how to do is grow sweet pota­toes and take heads.

48

By EDWIN C. URBAN

As for their language, it is harshand displeasing to the ear. And what'smore not one of them can write hisown language, because, imagine it,they have no system of writing! Sens­ing the attitude of the other peoplesof this island who glory in their mil­lenniums of recorded history and litera­ture and in their highly developedand complex system of writing, thesemountain people have developed adeep sense of inferiority, especially inregard to their language. Thus thechildren's amazement when they real­ized that a white foreigner wanted tolearn their language and their appar­ent pleasure when they realized thathe wanted them, the children, toteach him!

Learning from ChildrenI confess it became a bit difficult to

write as they all edged closer andcloser to the lamp. Each was afraidthat the ether would gain an advan­tage by getting closer than he wac.There was considerable maneuveringas they inched up on the lamp. Ifeared for a time that some of themwould bu-n their noses. There wasn'tmuch time to work, and working with

children it seemed best to ask fornoun-like words, words that identifiedsimple objects or things. It only tookone try for the kids to catch on.

I began by quacking like a duckand motioning toward the paper withmy pencil. One little girl with blackeyes said, "Guru." Or was it "Gudu"or "Gulu?" The middle consonant waspronounced so quickly it was hard totell. I settled for what linguists calla "flapped r" and wrote "Gu:u." See­ing me write down the word, theyall wanted to say it. "Guru!" "Gum I"

"Guru!"

"All right, but one at a time," Isaid. "First you, then you, then you,"I said pointing to each one. Of cou.seit was only tactful to ask the oldest,most sophisticated of the little girls,who had been overseeing this littleflock with a decided air of superiority,to begin. She must have been all ofseven years. "Guru," she said withgreat dignity after waiting for all theothers to get quiet. I thanked her witha nod and conveyed the idea that theword had never been more beautifullyspoken. From that moment on shebecame my fast friend and ally andproved very helpful in encouraging thebackward ones with pokes to the ribs.

What can one learn about a lan­guage from just one word and theword for "duck" at that? After hear­ing it a dozen times, I began to realizethat the initial consonant "g" was

The Presbyterian Guardian

ANDREW ZWART

HISTORYI hear

of a diadem, covered with morning-splendor,designed incomprehensibly,perfected,polished,reflecting the Eternal!

I seea pebble, toiling at the ocean-shore,forgotten by the waves,fading,crumbling,sinking into the earth!

I believein a diamond, recovered, recreated,repolished by God's hand,shining,blending,reflecting eternal love!

pronounced far back in the throat inthe velar or uvular area. It was a bitdifficult to repeat correctly after thechildren. Sound systems tend to besymmetrical and so I thought wemight find the close relative of the"g" the "k" pronounced far back inthe same area. This funny "k" poppedup twice in the same word, "kakay"the word for "leg." If you know onlya few things you can pretty safelypredict a great many more. It only re­mains to find a word that will sub­stantiate your predictions.Beauty in Sounds

Each language on earth has an in­tricate and beautiful sound systemwith sounds that contrast and form apattern of their own in the mouth.Y his pattern tends to be regular andbalanced in terms of its own design.But the most amazing thing is thatthe people who speak the languagenever give any thought to the soundstructure and are totally unaware ofthe beautiful patterns of contrast thatare formed in their own mouths. Whothen among the sons of men developedeach of these intricate patterns? Wasit an unconscious development bornout of necessity produced by the pro­cesses of biological and psychologicalgrowth as intelligent, speaking manadvanced from previous stages of brutedumbness?

o credulous man, listen! Y he sameGod who covers the earth with littleflakes of snow, each different, each asmall world of glistening crystal, regu­lar and balanced, a beauteous design;the same God who has adorned thefields with an innumerable variety offlOWJfS, each variety a different color,a different fragrance, a different worldof design, tending to balance andregularity; this God also created theuarioas patterns traced by the move­ments of the bones and muscles, thesinews and cords, the rhythmic flowof air and sound. Look and listen andsee here too the handiwork of God!

Well, "guru" seemed to be a two­syllable word for there was a pausebetween the "gu" and the "ru." Itappeared that the vowel of the firstsyllable, while shaped the same in themouth as the vowel in the second,was held twice as long as the second.So the word might be written "guuru."But during the course of the evening,I heard the first vowel of every noun­like word held for twice the lengthof time as the second! "Buuquh"which means "banana," "ruuhiy"

which means "pineapple," "raarnat"which means "vegetables," "quulih"which means "fish," "laaqi" whichmeans child, all had the long firstvowel. Perhaps all such words shouldbe written with a double first syllablevowel.

But suppose the pattern continuesand this phenomenon becomes pre­dictable? If that proves to be true,we can economize and use only onevowel and simply lengthen the firstvowel in every word as we pronounceit. The Bible Society will want toeconomize on the size of the printedNew Testament. And to omit such aletter will save much printer's ink,reduce the cost of typesetting, andsimplify the task of proofreading. Andit will make the printed words lesscumbersome and easier to read. Sofor now, we will write "gu-u."

I noted that the second syllableafter the pause of the lengthened firstvowel, received the stress or accent.And as might be expected, this oc­curred in all the other words that thechildren said to me. So already fol­lowing this duck down the gardenpath has told us something about thestructure of this class of noun-likewords in the Tyal language. They allbegin with a consonant, followed bya lengthened vowel, followed by apause, followed by a stressed syllablethat begins with a consonant, followedby a vowel, followed in some casesby another consonant. A diagram ofthe word class would look like this:CV (V) 'CV /c: I think that one has

to be a bit of an algebra and chemistrystudent to enjoy creating theseformulas.

The flickering of the little lamp toldus that it was just about bedtime.Mothers began to look for their chil­dren to put them to bed. It has beenan exciting evening, though there areperhaps some who wouldn't think so.But this is the beginning of a longadventure into the mysterious realmsof a living and dynamic language,one of the thousands that God hasmade. Real people, men made in theimage of God, speak it. It is the onlyadequate means of communicating thesaving message of God to that com­plex of mind and emotions that makeup Tyal man, and I might say, hislittle children. "Suffer them to comeunto me, and forbid them not, for ofsuch is the kingdom of heaven."

It is most pleasant here by the win­dow. Just a moment ago in one ofthe other houses a baby began to cry.I suppose it was thirsty for its mother'smilk. How like that baby are theTyal Christians. As newborn babes,they desire the sincere milk of theWord, that they may grow thereby.But how unlike that babe they are.They have no place to turn for nour­ishment. Wouldn't it be a wonderfulthing to return to this place ten yearsfrom now and see children readingthe Bible in their very own languagein the light of such a lamp, feedingon that sincere milk that is able tomake them grow in the grace andknowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord?

March, 1961 49

Thoughts on Jesus' Last Week

"Blessed is he that cometh inthe name of the Lord" (Malt.21:9).

Jesus rode into Jerusalem On a don­key. Anyone might have done the

same thing. But the Scriptures showthat there is unusual meaning in thisparticular ride that our Lord tookshortly before his death. It seems thatit had something to do with his beinga king.

Is that not a singular way, however,for a king to appear in public? Fromtime immemorial the travels of aking have been attended by muchpomp and circumstance. What, then,is the meaning of this strange PalmSunday parade?

The entire life of the Son of Godupon earth was an unbelievable hu­miliation. It was most unbecomingthat the King of heaven should con­descend to walk on the earth. But thishe did, and in so doing there werenumerous expressions of what thatmeant throughout his life.

His inglorious birth, for example,demonstrated it. Again, one time dur­ing his ministry he actually stoopedto wash the feet of his disciples in avivid display of the truth that "theSon of Man came not to be ministeredunto but to minister, and to give hislife a ransom for many" (Matt.20:28).

There we have it. His entrance intoJerusalem a week before his deathwas just another way of showing thecharacter of the Savior's ministry. Hewas willing to humble himself, he waswilling to appear in absolute meek­ness and lowliness, that he might servea desperately sinful race. This remark­able humility led him finally to thecross where he laid down his life tosave others.

He appeared as a king in the dayof his humiliation. But many failedto understand his kind of kingship.In the day of his final exaltation hewill come again in unmistakablesplendor and glory because he waswilling at the first to endure unspeak­able degradation. He has ascended thethrone of the universe because he firstdescended into the very pit of hell as

50

By RALPH E. CLOUGH

he suffered and died on the accursedtree. Now the apostle John on Patmos,who beheld him in vision, can write,"I saw heaven opened, and behold awhite horse; and he that sat upon himwas called Faithful and True . . .King of Kings, and Lord of Lords"(Rev. 19:11, 16).

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, whogave himself for our sins ... "(Gal. 1 :3, 4).

I t is the conviction of historic Chris­tianity that Jesus Christ died on

the cross as the substitute for sinners.This belief has a substantial amount ofScripture for its support. The prophetIsaiah in the Old Testament has writ­ten, "He was wounded for our trans­gressions" (53: 5). The apostle Peterwrote that Jesus Christ bore "our sinsin his own body on the tree"(1,2:24). And in another place inGalatians Paul has said, "Christ hathredeemed us from the curse of thelaw, being made a curse for us"(3:13).

We all know what substitution is.In the case of persons, someone takesthe place of another. And often thesubstitute is called upon to do whatsomeone else has failed to do.

H you will read again the verses wehave quoted, you will notice that Jesusis our substitute because of our sin. Wehave failed to comply with God'srighteous law. We have needed some­one to do for us what we cannot do.As lawbreakers we have needed some­one to make an atonement to God onour behalf. This is why God's Sondied on the cross.

It is the glorious truth of the Biblethat forgiveness for our many sins isours through faith in the preciousshed blood of the Lamb of God. Allour sins are remitted when we relyon this divinely appointed Savior, andon him alone, as the One who bringsGod's redeeming mercy to lost sin­ners.

The crucifixion of Jesus is the dark­est blot on the spotty history of man­kind. But, at the same time, shiningthrough that almost impenetrable dark-

ness are the rays of God's redeeminggrace. "For God so loved the worldthat he gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him shouldnot perish but have everlasting life"(John 3: 16). Amazing love! God theFather was willing to give up his onlySon to death on the cross as the sub­stitute for unworthy sinners.

"The last enemy that shall bedestroyed is death" (I Cor.15:26).

The fifteenth chapter of I Corin­thians is Paul's famous defense of

the truth of the bodily resurrection ofJesus Christ. He states that Christ'sdeath and resurrection have taken thesting out of death (v. 55). Deathemphasizes the fact of a fatal im­potence in man, because of sin. ButJesus Christ, the God-Man, has won avictory over every enemy. And he hasdestroyed the arch foe of all mankind- even death.

The death of which the apostlespeaks is not only physical death, al­though it includes that. The deathwhich is the separation of the soulfrom the body strikes enough terrorin our hearts. But there is a fardeadlier death. It is the eternal deathof banishment by the living God. Life,as the Bible defines it, is found in thepresence of God. Death is just the op­posite.

The resurrection of Jesus from thetomb is the proof that he has overcometho: grave. But it is more. It is thedemonstration that he has fought agood fight in delivering from thebondage of spiritual death all whomarch in the glorious army of theredeemed, of which he is the mightyCaptain.

It is little wonder that Paul breaksout into a joyous doxology as he thinkson the wonder and meaning of ourLord's rising from the tomb. "Thanksbe to God," he exclaims, "whichgiveth us the victory through our LordJesus Christ" (v. 57). And thethought of what all this means for thebeliever constrains him to continue:"My beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,unmoveable, always abounding in thework of the Lord, forasmuch as yeknow that your labour is not in vainin the Lord" (v. 58).

May the life of our risen Lord fillyour hearts at this another Easterseason, and always. May his powerover all sin and over death itself workin you his victory.

The Presbyterian Guardian

With best regards,EDWARD L. HARTINGWilmington, Del.

'1L ~liiian-GUARDIAN

EDITORRobert E. Nicholas

EDITORIAL COUNCILNed B. StonehouseEdmund P. Clowney

All correspondence should be ad­dressed to The Presbyterian Guardian,7401 Old York Road, Phila. 26, Pa.

The Annual Meeting

I n churches which have lost theirBiblical heritage the rights and

privileges belonging to the congrega­tion are no longer respected. Pastorsare sent to or removed from congrega­tions without their consent. Whenunworthy officers are placed in au­thority over them nothing can bedone. Whatever is handed down fromthe hierarchy is considered beyondreproach.

In a truly Reformed church, how­ever, it is recognized that all govern­ment and authority is purely minis­terial. Officers as well as people arefirst of all the servants of Christ.Officers may not seek to lord it overthe members. Rather, there is requireda vigorous and vigilant accountingbefore the people of God. The people,moreover, have the right and dutyto compare it with the supreme ruleof the Word of God.

It sometimes happens, however, thatthe members of the church themselvesnurture abuse and the seeds of apostasybecause they do not fulfill their duties.If church members become indifferentto basic essentials - the faithfulpreaching of the Word, the right ad­ministration of the sacraments, theproper exercise of church discipline ­then who is partly to blame if theylose them? If members take little in­terest in annual reports, ask no ques­tions, offer no suggestions, may notsuch negligence tend to weaken thesense of responsibility on the part ofthe officers?

It is, then, your God-given privilegeand duty to participate to the fullestextent in the yearly review providedat the annual meeting. By all meanstest the record by the Scriptures. Letyour voice be heard and your vote becast, thoughtfully and constructively.

March, 1961

Where there is laxity, do what you canto bring improvement. Where thereis progress, do what you can toacknowledge and promote it.

Thus we will together dischargeour sacred responsibilities to Christ theKing and Head of the church.

G. I. W. in "Good News of Grace."

EDITOR'S MAIL BOXDear Sir:

Mr. Richard Bube's letter (Februarynumber) is plainly an appeal forfavorable consideration of modernecumenism. The tenor of his remarksraises serious question as to whetherthe writer has adequately appraisedthe modern situation . . . What kindof unity is in view? Mere organiza­tional regimentation or "the unity ofthe Spirit" of which Paul speaks?

It may be true that there are truebelievers in all churches. We thinkthere are, but, comparatively speaking,how many? Does the Bible teach usto consort with unbelievers, or withchurch organizations in which bothleaders and people are predominantlyliberal and pseudo-Christian?

Certainly bona fide Christians andChristian churches should, as much asin them is, seek to compose their dif­ferences so as to be "perfectly joinedtogether in the same mind and in thesame judgment." And when this endhas been attained it would seem thatorganizational union ought to follow.

Meanwhile let the true believers inall denominations seek out and findtheir own kind and have fellowshiptogether as it is only natural and rightfor them to do. Even so, the fact re­mains that righteousness has and canhave no fellowship with unrighteous­ness, light no communion with dark­ness, Christ no concord with Belial,believers no part with infidels, andthe temple of God no agreement withidols (II Cor. 6:14-16).

JOHN C. RANKINWorcester, N. Y.

Dear Sir:The letter of R. H. Bube in the

February issue will doubtless provokemuch reaction ... First, I think Mr.Bube has addessed his letter to thewrong "brethren." He should be ap­pealing to "Christians of other tradi­tions and heritages" (to use hiswords) to cease being separated fromus! It is they, not we, who have de­parted from the truth of Christ.

But, secondly, if Mr. Bube reallydoes mean what he says about theOPC, then the obvious implication ofhis letter is that we do have somesuperfluous and erroneous "words"and "forms" (his words) which arecreating a sinful separation from otherChristians. We eagerly await somespecifics on this. If our standards areerroneous and therefore offensive toother Christians, let these faults bepointed out. If, however, after reflec­tion, he finds our standards are theteachings of Scripture, then he shallhave to confess with the rest of usthat the greatest demonstration of lovethat we can possibly perform towardthese other "brethren in Christ" is tocontinue to hold up our beacon lightof truth to which they can repair.

Sincerely in Christ,NORMAN JONESHorsham, Pa.

Dear Editor:I wonder how you allowed that let­

ter ("Separatism, Unity, Union") toget into the GUARDIAN without com­ment, or better still, at all. This tomy mind is a dangerous article to themovement to which our church isdedicated, thanks to faithful heroes ofthe Faith, who set the pace for thismost wonderful movement, namely Dr.Machen and others.

One wonders what Mr. Bube isabout, what is he standing for? Whatgreater Scriptural basis is there for"separatism" than II Corinth. 6:14­17? I wonder if we are slipping. Ihope and pray not, for the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church has been myrefuge and hope in these last twentyyears or so. Please do better, Mr. Edi­tor, the next time, and I think youshould apologize for that article andquick.

(Perhaps we should make it clearthat opinions expressed in the "Edi­tor's Mailbox" are not necessarily thoseof the Editor. In fact, most lettersthat come are reactions "against" ratherthan "for" something. So with thesereplies to a reply! Moreover, it maybe good for tiS to know that thereare "contrary" opinions within thechurch. Is it not better that honestdifferences be aired openly rather thanconcealed? The truth will not lack fordefenders. - Editor.)

51

We Are Supporting a Graham Erusailn

By ROBERT L. ATWELL

Last May it was announced that aCrusade was to be conducted in

Philadelphia in the late summer of1961 by the Dr. Billy Graham evan­gelistic team. The session of the Cal­vary Orthodox Presbyterian Churchof Glenside immediately began an at­tempt to assess its responsibility inthis matter. Clearly the Scriptures re­quired that we be diligent in evange­lism. Clearly the same Scriptures for­bade sinful compromise.

If we could, in the light of ourstandards, support the Graham Cru­sade we should do so wholeheartedly.If we could not, we felt we mustmake clear the Biblical reasons pre­venting our support. This we owedto our congregation and to the neigh­borhood that would certainly be madeaware of the church's evangelistic min­istry as it had not been aware of it inour generation. The early announce­ment of the Crusade destroyed anyexcuse for aloofness, hesitancy orindifference.

While we are not concerned thatour denomination take an official posi­tion, especially in view of differing cir­cumstances in different localities, wefeel it may be helpful to indicate thefactors that persuaded us to supportthis Crusade. Our session began byappointing a Committee of three ­Howard Porter, Lambert Van Eerdenand the pastor - to make a carefulstudy. Recourse was had to consider­able literature, FO and con, and weundertook correspondence with a num­ber of pastors of Reformed persua­sion who had had acquaintance withsuch crusades in their own neighbor­hoods.

We first faced the objections, vari­ously urged, against participation insuch a crusade. (At one time I wasquite certain that these objectionswould prove decisive.) Of primeconsideration was the message. "Themessage of evangelism is the wholecounsel of God as revealed in HisWord, the Scriptures of the Old andNew Testaments" (Biblical Evange­lism Today, p. 1). This is the proper"Reformed conception" and certainlywe could not rightly support any

52

other message. Members of our com­mittee read sermons by Dr. Grahamand listened weekly to his Hour ofDecision. We concluded that any gen­eral evaluation must be that his mes­sage was that of the Bible. Once inparticular his appeal was ranklyArminian but this constituted an ex­ception. His approach was character­ized by "the Bible says" and on thewhole he followed that introductoryphrase by a faithful delineation ofwhat the Bible does say.

Objections ConsideredOne particular criticism of the mes­

sage, however, still required carefulevaluation. Preaching the gospel al­ways includes relevant preachingagainst sin. Graham's audiences, so thecriticism ran, are made up 90 percentof church members, and the departureof our great denominations fromBiblical norms constitutes the sin oftoday's churches and must be dealtwith in any true preaching of thegospel. This is a weighty matter.There is no adequate way of express­ing our regret that Dr. Graham doesnot better use his great influence tothe destruction of Satan's kingdom,which kingdom is so well served by"the lie" within the church. However,Dr. Graham and his associates insist

A Forum on Evangelism was heldlast September at the invitation of thesession of Calvary Church, Glenside,whose pastor is the author of thisarticle. Participants uiere three panel­ists and an audience of more than ahundred elders and pastors holding tothe Reformed Confessions, and discus­sion centered around several of thematters herein considered.

The session has recently extended asimilar invitation for further discus­sion of this subject on Monday eve­ning, April 3, at the Glenside cburcb.Among the panelists will be Profes­sor Edmund Clowney, of WestminsterSeminary, and a representative of theGraham Crusade team, which hasopened its office in Philadelphia inpreparation for the campaign startingAugust 20, 1961.

that, as much as they rejoice in thepresence of these multitudes of churchpeople, his message is directed to theunevangelized. His ministry is, in hisown mind, a restricted one, and hisconcern to have church people in hisaudience is that they may bring theirunsaved friends with them. This doesnot involve the assumption that all"church people" are saved, but it doesprevent the absolute judgment thatGraham is not relevantly preachingthe gospel.

The serious objection against co­operation with "modernists" (that is,unbelievers) was only slightly lessenedby the fact that in Philadelphia theCouncil of Churches failed to endorsethe Crusade. Rather the fact, disclosedin careful investigation, that actuallyonly the finances were in control ofthe local committee, meant that wewere not involved in a joint effortwith miscellaneous groups and indi­viduals. Our support would be of Dr.Graham and his "team" and in nosense of his "sponsors."

We considered the objection that aneighborhood which had slowly cometo recognize the solid, dignified char­acter of our "Reformed testimony"would, by our support of the GrahamCrusade, be led to suppose that wewere after all superficial fundamenta­lists. We weighed it but we found itwanting. To the extent that the"neighborhood" took cognizance ofour policy, it would simply concludethat if we didn't support the Crusadewe weren't after all really interestedin evangelism, regardless of howloudly we might say we were.

We have continued to regret thatin referring inquirers the Grahamteam makes no clear distinction be­tween churches that are faithful tothe Scriptures and those that are not.However, counsellors are encouragedto urge inquirers to find a place inchurches where the gospel is preached,while telling them that some churchesdo not preach the gospel, withoutnaming specific churches in eithercategory.

We were told too that such churchesas ours would actually "get nothing

The Presbyterian Guardian

Gua..dian Book Reviews

out" of the Crusade. Investigationmade it quite clear that any givenchurch would get out of it in propor­tion as it put in. If there were thosewho went forward as inquirers, whohad attended the meetings with or atthe invitation of our members, theywould doubtless request referralto us.

The powerful incentive, at last, forsupporting the Crusade was not foundin the discovery that there were nocompelling and wholly decisive objec­tions. That incentive was rather foundin the positive good to be expected.

ExpectationsWe expect that souls will be saved.

Some of the finest students in neigh­boring Westminster Seminary came toa saving knowledge of Christ underDr. Graham's preaching. The gospelis God's power unto salvation,

We expect our people to becomemore zealous and confident in thework of evangelism. We know ofruling elders whose whole outlook ontheir work in their communities hastaken on a new Biblical orientationthrough their experiences as counsel­lors in other Graham Crusades. In­cidentally, the testimony of Reformedpastors has been uniformly in praiseof the Biblical character and hence thevalue of the instruction provided forcounsellors.

We expect that our lives will comeinto closer alignment with our doc­trine. None are more concerned aboutevangelism than Orthodox Presbyter­ians, theoretically. Yet we are toooften strangely static. We could pon­der an earlier evangelist's rebuke: "1like the way I do it better than theway you don't do it!" And it is tobe noted that there is a great deal thatis commendable about "the way" Dr.Graham does it. He has made con­sistent effort to avoid the pitfalls ofmass psychology and emotionalism.

So we are supporting the GrahamCrusade. We are doing it with oureyes open, aware of the objections andof the dangers. But we are doing iteagerly and wholeheartedly, believingthat it is in conformity with the Bibli­cal imperative that the church beactive in evangelism. We are doing itwith the earnest and confident prayerthat God may be magnified as Dr.Graham, in our neighborhood, pro­claims "the Bible says."

March, 1961

A Rewarding Life of ChristA Believer's Life of Christ, by JohnC. Rankin: W. A. Wilde Company,Natick, Mass. 1960. 210 pp. $3.50.

Certainly it is a distinct and rarepleasure to read such a book as

this. The title, with its emphasis onbelief, was intentionally and aptlychosen. The author presents in thismeditational study a portrait of Onewho is unabashedly declared to betruly God and truly man, who wasseen in all the fulness of grace andtruth as he walked the stony pathsof ancient Palestine. Not the leasthint is to be found of today's quib­bling over a distinction between thehistory of faith and the history of"real" chronological events. This is alife of Christ from the viewpoint ofone whose thought is in full agree­ment with the orthodox Christianfaith of the Westminster standards.For this we should give thanks toGod!

There are of course minor pointson which many good Christians willdiffer. The author rarely engages ina defense of his views. The book isthe result of his own lifetime of studyand expresses his own matured con­victions. For example, contrary toseveral able scholars, he accepts Mark16:9, ff. as part of the original Gos­pel (page 176). Of more concern,he seems to imply (page 65) that therighteousness mentioned in the Sermonon the Mount is something which isattained by us through the "applica­tion of the law of God in heart andlife." But the righteousness whichbrings with it the blessedness of fel­lowship with God is a God-righteous­ness (as in Romans 3: 21). And it isthis "righteousness of God" which isdescribed by Jesus in the Sermon,which he fulfilled for us, which isimputed to our account in God's actof justification, and which makes pos­sible any fellowship with God.

A more immediate reaction amongsome readers will be generated by histreatment of the parousia, the comingof the Lord. In chapter XXVIII theauthor expounds and defends at

The Rev. John C. Rankin, whosefather and grandfather were bothPresbyterian ministers, became acharter minister of the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church in 1936. Now inhis seventies, and retired, Mr. Rankinand his wife reside in Worcester,N. Y., which has been their homesince 1927.

length the view that the coming ofthe Lord predicted by Jesus in Mat­thew 24 ( and parallels) has beenfulfilled already. A first stage of thecoming occurred at Pentecost throughthe Holy Spirit to rule the life of theChurch. A second stage is the Lord'scoming in power to rule and judgethe nations which was initially ful­filled in the destruction of Jerusalemin 70 A.D. The final personal, visible,and glorious return is yet to come.To this reviewer it seems preferableto follow the opinion of those exe­getes who interpret all references to"coming" in Matthew 24 as referringto the final great and terrible day ofthe Lord. The difficulties of chron­ology can be largely resolved if weunderstand much of this discourse asparallel and recapitulatory, rather thanchronologically arranged.

There is one problem which con­fronts every attempt to write a 'lifeof Christ." Mr. Rankin's presentation

53

Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia 18, Pa.

Professor John Skilton,A.M.,Th.B.Students affirm that noteacher can correct anerror in Greek grammarwith John Skilton'scourtesy. His goal is totrain exegetes with areverent love for theScriptures. His compe­tence in Greek ismatched by his flair for

English style; both are evident in a major workhe is preparing on English versions of the NewTestament which have appeared since 1881.He has served as Associate Dean, and is asympathetic and ready counsellor.

Courses leading to the B.D., Th.M.,and Th.D. degrees are offered.

For information, writeThe Director of Admissions,

testament"But who say ye that I am?" asks Jesus.Modern scribes have answered: mystic,mantic, medium, or myth. The questfor another Jesus finds only the imageof its generation in the New Testament.But Peter's ringing answer summonsNew Testament scholarship to the ex­position of the apostolic witness - toJesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Professor Ned B. Stonehouse,Th.D.Machen's biographerand friend is West­minster's Dean of theFaculty. He is first ateacher who brings toclass scholarship thatis catching. Under thisworkman in the Wordmen gain life-long loveof the Greek New Testa­ment. He is editor of the New InternationalCommentary on the New Testament and theauthor of books and articles that have ad­vanced evangelical study of the Gospels andthe book of Revelation.

Books mentioned in the Guardianreviews may be ordered convenientlythrough the Committee on ChristianEducation, the Orthodox PresbyterianChurch, 7401 Old York Road, Phila­delphia 26, Pa.

erners who need to be "preached to."But as our history books tell us, slaverywas present in the North too; in fact,the first statutory recognition of it bylaw in the States was in Massachu­setts in 1641, and continued in theNorth until about 1840. Today ourpopular magazines are reminding usNortherners that race prejudice is byno means confined to the South. Asthough we need to be reminded! Juststrike up a conversation about it inthe shop, or a bus ... or in a church!

This is a good time to read, or re­read, that little book of HerbertOliver's here under review, as I havedone just recently. Here is a clear,concise presentation of some Biblicalfacts and teaching that deserve a lotmore careful thought on our part.

Careful study and exegesis of God'sWord form the platform on whichthe thesis of No Flesh Shall Gloryrests. It evidences a wide research ofrelevant matters, as well; and theauthor brings the results together toform a very lucid and thorough treat­ment of the subject at hand. Thechapter headings tell the story: Th.eUnity of the Human Race, The Signi­ficance of Shem, Ham, and Japheth,Christian Ethics and Segregation, As­sociation, and Human Marriage.

While the reader may not agreewith everyone of Mr. Oliver's con­clusions, he will be brought to facesquarely the teaching of Scripture.With the central emphasis thus onwhat the Bible teaches, the book de­fies classification as either "pro-Negro"or "pro-Caucasian." Rather does theauthor, himself a Negro, displaythroughout a forthright and charmingbalance. He reminds us that "in theBible the color of a man's skin isnever an issue" (p. 26); further, that" ... sin is not racial; nor is right­eousness" (p. 34).

We teach our younger children tosmg,

"Red and yellow, black and white,All are precious in His sight . . . "Then why do we permit that

wretched prejudice of our pride, thatreduces all but 'pure whites' to lowerstatus, to dwell unmolested in ourhearts? God slay our pride!

This is a useful book for adult oryoung people's discussion groups aswell as for personal reading. To myway of thinking it ought to have awide, wide circulation.

HERBERT V. G. DuMONT

Portland, Maine

JOHN J. MITCHELL

Philadelphia, Pa.

avoids many of the extreme posrtionswhich have been taken on the chron­ology of Jesus' earthly ministry. Ashe himself states (footnote, page 82),"Of all the (Gospel) writers it maybe said that their aim is not biographybut character-depiction." This reviewerwould go even further: "Their aimwas to preach Jesus as the Son of theliving God, to preach Christ and himcrucified." The four gospels were notintended to provide source materialfrom which a chronological study ofJesus' earthly life is to be recon­structed. The arrangement of material,though including many chronologicalreferences, is designed primarily toprove that Jesus was truly God, trulyman, the Servant of the Lord who isour Savior and Lord.

This is, nevertheless, a richly re­warding book. Though not designedfor the pastor's study, it will affordhim many gems of insight and poeticexpression. The author's descriptionsof our Lord's personality and charac­ter in the context of his earthly ex­perience is often artistic narration atits best. The discussion (page 124)of Jesus' hatred for sin as a pre­requisite to his love for the sinner isaltogether delightful. The many ref­erences from the Old Testament, in­cluding several from the metredPsalter, add much to the Biblical rich­ness of the book.

For the believing reader - youngor old - or for one willing to listento the truth, this book with its manyScripture study references providesmuch nourishment for the soul. Thestudies in this volume "are neversuperficial. The reader who pond~rs

them with open Bible at hand willnot fail to receive benefit. May theHoly Spirit use and bless this bookto the glory of Him who is its theme"(from the Foreward by JohannesVos).

Pride and PrejudiceNo Flesh Shall Glory, by HerbertOliver: The Presbyterian and Re­formed Publishing Co., Nutley, N. J.1959. 96 pp. $2.50.

I n these days C?f. re~ping the. whirl­wind of the IniqUity sown rn that

wicked business of slavery, we North­erners for the greater part have beenprone to think that it is the South-

54 The Presbyterian Guardian

OUf N~w HymnalTRINITY HYMNAL is to make itsappearance early this summer. It isthe product of several years of laborof love on the part of a special Com­mittee of the Orthodox PresbyterianChurch. Professor E. J. Young ofWestminster Seminary, a member ofthe Committee on a Hymnal, haswritten this article. Other members ofthe Committee are the Rev. Messrs.Robley J. Johnston, Arthur W.Kuscbee, [r., and LeRoy B. Oliver.

Reading the proof sheets of thenew hymnal has proved to be a

rewarding, as well as a difficult task.The pages are green and the notesare printed in white. Checking eachnote and each word for errors is agood way of becoming acquaintedwith the contents of the book. It isjust this work which the Committeeon a Hymnal has been engaged infor the past few months. Tedious andpainstaking the task is, but veryworthwhile.

For most people acquaintance withthe new hymnal will be a gradualprocess. As they sing from it theywill find many old favorites, but theywill also come to know many newhymns. Making the acquaintance ofa new hymn is usually difficult; one'sfirst reaction to anything new is gen­erally opposition or dislike. The firsttime we sing a new hymn we maytend to dismiss it with a feeling ofdispleasure. Then we sing it a secondtime, and a third, and before we real­ize it, we find ourselves liking it andeven looking forward to singing it.

Examining the HymnalAnyone who peruses the hymnal

will soon make the discovery thatthere are many hymns which are newto him. To some people this will bea decided drawback. They will singonly what they know, and will haveno desire to learn anything new. Notmuch can be done about such people;they exist, and if they want to gothrough life ignorant of the greatbody of hymnody, there is really verylittle that can be done about it. TheCommittee hopes that such peoplewill be few. We hope that those whouse the hymnal will take the time toacquaint themselves with some of thewonderful hymns that are foundtherein. It is the purpose of this briefarticle to call attention to some of

March, 1961

the hymns that are comparatively un­known in our circles.

When the hymnal appears it shouldpresent a challenge to all of us. Ifwe have the ability of playing thepiano, we can thumb through thebook and play selection after selection.Let it be said now that anyone whodoes that will find some pleasant sur­prises. Here are the old favorites, andamong them we would mention thatthere are some one hundred of thebest "Gospel" songs. These are songsthat can be used for informal occa­sions and in young people's meetingsand Sunday school. They are goodhymns. The words are Scriptural, andthe tunes are singable without being ir­reverent. Great care was expanded bythe Committee in the choice of these"Gospel" songs. This selection willprobably need no introduction to ourpeople; here are hymns with whichwe are all familiar, hymns that wehave learned from our earliest days.

In addition there are many of thegrand hymns of the church, hymnsthat over the years we have come tolove. But there are also those withwhich we are not so familiar, hymnsbased upon the Psalms and manychorales. In time we shall come tolove these also, for they exalt thegrace of God in our salvation andexpress our praises to God for hiswondrous acts. Here, indeed, is a richbody of devotional material. If weneglect it, we shall be impoverishedindeed.The Grace of God

Let us look at the words in someof the hymns that are not veryfamiliar. A mere glance will showhow these hymns exalt the grace ofGod in salvation.

"By grace! None dare lay claim tomerit;

Our works and conduct have noworth.

God in His love sent our Redeemer,Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;His death did for our sins atone,And we are saved by grace alone."

And note this verse:"By grace! This ground of faith is

certain;

By EDWARD J. YOUNG

So long as God is true, it stands.What saints have penned by in­

spiration,What in His Word our God com­

mands,What our whole faith must rest

upon,Is grace alone, grace in His Son."

Here are three stanzas of comfort:

"Jesus sinners doth receive;Oh, may all this saying ponderWho in sin's delusions liveAnd from God and heaven wander!Here is hope for all who grieve ­Jesus sinners doth receive.

"Oh, how blest it is to know:Were as scarlet my transgression,It shall be as white as snowBy Thy blood and bitter Passion;For these words I now believe:Jesus sinners doth receive.

"Now my conscience is at peace,From the Law I stand acquitted;Christ hath purchased my releaseAnd my every sin remitted.Naught remains my soul to grieve­Jesus sinners doth receive."

Words of Praise

Note also the following:

"A Helper just He comes to thee,His chariot is humility,His kingly crown is holiness,His sceptre, pity in distress.The end of all our woe He brings;W~erefore the earth is glad and

smgs:We praise Thee, Saviour, now,Mighty in deed art Thou!"

And lastly:

Oh, that I had a thousand voicesTo praise My God with thousand

tongues!M~ .heart, which in the Lord re­

JOICes,Would then proclaim in grateful

songsTo all, wherever I might be,What great things God hath done

for me.(Continued)

55

Some Final Preparations for the Printer

Some Voices of Protestfrom United Presbyterians

"Lord, I will tell, while I am living,Thy goodness forth with every

breathAnd greet each morning with

thanksgivingUntil my heart is still in death;Yea, when at last my lips grow

cold,Thy praise shall in my sighs be

told."

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Van Til volun­teered to do some last-minute cuttingand pasting on copy for the newhymnal.

H ere and there within the UnitedPresbyterian Church in the U.

S. A. a courageous voice is beingheard in protest against the proposalmade last December by Dr. EugeneCarson Blake for a union of fourlarge denominations. The daily Ari­zona Republic, for example, quotesa mid-February sermon by Dr. CharlesS, Poling, in which he declared him­self to be "unalterably opposed" tosuch a plan.

The pastor of Phoenix' 2,500-mem­ber First Presbyterian Church went onto say: "I am in no mood to departfrom 'the traditions' of our churchnor to allow her to lose her identity.. . . We have but to study the recordof what happened in Canada whensuch a union was forced. The dreamof one great united church was never

56

If all goes according to schedule,the hymnal should be in the hands ofthe church in a very short time. Itsproduction has been long, and hun­dreds of hours have been devoted toits preparation. May God be pleasedto use it to his own honor and glory.May it truly be an instrument of de­votion and praise as it makes its wayin our midst.

Rev. Robley J. Johnston, a memberof the Committee on a Hymnal, isreading proofs just before the March15 deadline.

realized but bitterness, division, andcontinuing communions" resulted.

More to the point was a forcefuland hard-hitting sermon delivered byDr. William D. Livingstone, pastor ofthe second largest church in hisdenomination, First Presbyterian ofSan Diego. His sermon, entitled"Union Or?" was preached at thethree morning services, was broadcastover radio station KGB, and has sincebeen rather widely circulated inmimeographed form. Last year Dr.Livingstone spoke out repeatedlyagainst the appointment of Dr. Theo­dore Gill to the presidency of SanAnselmo Seminary in a controversyover the Virgin Birth issue.

In his December sermon Dr. Living­stone said, "It is my conviction thatthis proposal is utterly irrelevant to

the real problem of Protestantism. Itis a naive notion, it is a false formula,it is a deceptive scheme, it is a pro­posal that does not at all hit the mainIssue.

The Basis of Unity"Now, the organic union of the

Protestant churches must have a basis,and there are two possibilities. One isthe basis of spiritual unity, that is,that we are united in our basic beliefs,that there is one Lord, one faith, onebaptism. But there is no such unityin Protestantism today for the onlypossible source of such unity, theBible, has been rejected as the infal­lible word of God. Now, the otherbasis is that of a unity due to thefact that no one believes anythinganymore, so why not get together? Atleast we would have a big efficientorganization which could be like theRoman Church, we are promised. Wecould make a loud noise. We couldput the squeeze on government andsociety. We could have a hierarchyand put on quite a show. And, frank­ly, in my opinion, that is what thisproposal amounts to. The union wouldbe no real union at all, but rather apatchwork of apostasy."

A bit later in his sermon Dr.Livingstone asked this question:

"Now, does this viewpoint makeme a narrow-minded old denornina­tionalist? It does not! I don't care afig for denominational labels, althoughI believe that the Calvinistic churchesare nearer to a true understanding ofthe Bible. Again, does this viewpointmake me opposed to Christian unity?It does not! I can and do feel a senseof Christian brotherhood and love forany born-again Christian whatever hisdenominational label. We can praytogether, we can work together, wecan honor Christ together.

"But, someone may ask, is it thenimpossible for such to be in the sameorganization? No, it is not. And wehave a good illustration of this rightin this church. Right here we havehundreds of former Methodists andBaptists and Congregationalists andLutherans and Episcopalians andDisciples and Roman Catholics and soforth. By and large we work and weworship and we live in harmony. Butnote this: this union is based not onthe fact that we believe so little, buton the fact that we believe so much.There is no doubt as to where westand as a church. While we have

The Presbyterian Guardian

THE [HANGING 5[ENE

many weaknesses and many imperfec­tions, yet we hold with no reserva­tion to the historic Christian faith.We do not hesitate to affirm our be­lief in the supreme authority of theBible, the sovereignty of God, thesinfulness of men, and the sole head­ship of Christ, the unique savingpower of Christ's death and resurrec­tion, the central role of the HolySpirit in the life of the church, andthe main mission of the church toproclaim the message of redemptionto a lost and dying world. And if thisis true of us, it is equally true ortruer of many other evangelicalchurches.

Dr. Livingstone's Answer"What is the answer, then? Is it

organic union? It is not! What thechurch needs today is not organicunion. What the church needs todayis a reformation. It needs repentanceand revival and a re-awakening anda return to the historic Christianfaith. This is the answer, and it isthe only answer.

"The real problem in Protestantismis that a large segment of the churchhas departed from the historic faith,because it wants to be smart andmodern and sophisticated. What thechurch needs is reformation. Whatthe church needs is a return to thefoundations and the fundamentals.Let each denomination examine itselfand repent and be revived and return,and then let us talk of union.

"Let the Presbyterian Church, forexample, return to its historic stand­ards, which too many of us keep asa relic of the past rather than as areality of the present. Let us returnto the last great declaration of a doc­trinal sort made by our General As­sembly, before the signers of thehellish Auburn Affirmation got con­trol of the church. For some fortyyears now we have wandered in thewilderness of theological confusion.For it was in 1923 that our churchlast asserted the five points essentialto understanding the historical, factual,earthy nature of the Christian faith;the Virgin birth of Christ, the physicalresurrection, the inerrancy of Scrip­ture, the substitutionary atonement,and the belief in miracles, all ofwhich are specific expressions of ourProtestant and Reformed faith - ourfaith in the supremacy of the Bibleas the word of God, the centrality ofChrist, salvation by faith alone in

March, 1961

Jesus' death and resurrection, and thepriesthood of all believers.

"Let our clergy reaffirm these greatdoctrines and believe th ern and teachthem. And let our laity stop expectingto hear "love songs" sung with abeautiful voice and played well on aninstrument. Let our laity stop clamor­ing for a man-centered religion andfor messages on how to get this orthat, peace of mind, or freedom fromanxiety, and so forth and so on. Letour laity start learning what theChristian faith really is and what itrequires of man.

Repentance and Reformation"When and if that day comes, we

will witness a radical change in thechurch. When and if that day comes,the Revised Standard Version of theBible will be replaced with a newand more faithful version. When andif that day comes, our denominationalpublishing houses will stop turningout devilish works such as the Inter­preter's Bible and the WestminsterStudy Edition of the Bible. When andif that day comes, our denominationswill no longer publish and distributebooks such as that tissue of heresysent out as the study guide for theWomen's Associations of our de­nomination in 1961. Instead, therewill be a whole new literature, faith-

A cunous feature of Chinese his­tory is that it runs in cycles

of approximately eight hundredyears. Every cycle begins with .apowerful military dynasty u n 1 ­

fying China after decades of internalconflict. Then follow four or fivehundred years of peace issuing inmore wars and other disorders. Rivalrybetween the north and south leads toan open break between the two sec­tions. The whole nation is thus weak­ened, and the way is opened for aforeign army to sweep in and sub­jugate the people. The cycle ends withthis power in control. History repeatsitself with the inevitable absorption ofthe foreign elements and the unifica­tion again under Chinese rule. Eachunification seems to be accompanied

ful to the Bible and honoring, toChrist.

"If and when that day comes, theseminaries will become centers ofevangelical learning and scholarshiprather than breeding grounds for mod­ernism and Neo-Orthodoxy. Whenand if that day comes, there will beless emphasis on organization and ad­ministration, there will be less empha­sis on clerical vestments and liturgyand all the other ecclesiastical clap­trap, and more emphasis on evangel­ism and missions, for which thechurch was created. When and if thatday comes, the choked channel of thechurch will be cleared of the debrisnow blocking it, and the Holy Spiritwill flow through with power andjoy and love.

"Let us not, then, fall prey to afalse formula. Let us not be taken inby clever schemes. Let us not be fooledby naive notions. Let us not be de­ceived into accepting a solution to theproblem of Protestantism today whichis no solution but which will onlycompound and aggravate the problem.What the church needs is not organicunion. What the church needs is areformation - a spirit of repentance,a revival, a return to the historicfaith. Let us pray for it, let us workfor it, beginning with you and me."

By HENRY W. CORAY

by a new flowering of culture in theland.

Roughly, the cycles have developedthus:

(1) The Chin Dynasty, 221 B.C. ­588 A.D., terminating the rule ofthe Tartars.

(2) The Sui Dynasty, 589 - 1367,terminating the rule of the Mongols.

(3 ) The Ming Dynasty, 1367 ­1945, with Communism coming intocontrol.

It can be seen that if history runstrue to form it will be some twohundred years before a revolutionwill take place again. All of which, ofcourse, proves nothing in view of thecatastrophic developments in TheChanging Scene.

Meanwhile, word out of the Orient

57

I n your Great CityI see, in jewellers' windows

Clocks that tell the guaranteed Correct Time;And in front of these clocksPeople always haltAdjusting their watches.But suppose there were displayed, beside the watchesSome great poem setting forthGems of Truth and Beauty,How many people would pauseTo adjust their minds?

has it that the church has been forcedunderground. The public branch thatpasses off as the church is under Com­munist domination, and most of itsministers cooperate with the govern­ment. One of the true men of thefaith, Wang Ming Tao of Peking,has been brainwashed and broken bythe Reds, and is no longer in theactive ministry.

* * * * *"We have obviously, for a number

of generations past, been living onspiritual capital, I mean clinging toChristian practice without possessingthe Christian belief - and practiceunsupported by belief is a wastingasset, as we have suddenly discovered,to our dismay, in this generation."

ARNOLD TOYNBEE

Civilization on Trial

* :k * * *

A few years ago a clergyman fromOxford, Ohio appeared on a

TV quiz show and startled Americawith his encyclopedic acquaintancewith jazz music. In an aside, he statedthat he believed God spoke to manthrough the medium of jazz. Therector's endorsement of this vehicleof revelation touched off a crusadefor the channeling of Tin Pan Alleymaterial into the church. Result: insome sections of the nation jazz con­certs are staged at Vespers or at theSunday evening service.

Here is a new thing in Israel. Caco­phony supplants the sacred chorale,the hipster takes over for the hymnist,and nervous excitement shades thebeauty of holiness. Instead of listen­ing to the admonitions of Paul thepublic is invited to sit in on the ar­rangements of Brubeck. Solomonbows out and Sachmo comes on.Either live or on tape the Voices ofWalter Schumann, the frenzied beatof Presley, the Norman luboff Choirdrown out the sacred canticles ofIsrael's sweet singer and the sublimeoratorios of the Apocalypse.

If the state of Ohio produced thearchitect of this prophetic (?) min­istry, it also gave America its mostsubtle critic. "The god of music,"Edith Matilda Thomas once wrote,"dwelleth out of doors."

* * * * *Episcopal churchman James Pike of

San Francisco has followed Dr. Theo-

58

dore Gill, President of San FranciscoTheological Seminary (Presbyterian),in publicly repudiating the doctrine ofour lord's virgin birth. Episcopalclergy in Georgia have accused Dr.Pike of heresy. Indignantly, thebishop has counterattacked, charginghis southern brethren with practicalheresy for not integrating coloredfolk into their congregations.

From here it looks very much likePike's Pique.

Westminster Seminary32nd Commencement

T he Rev. John M. 1. Young, Presi­dent of the Japan Christian Theo­

logical Seminary, Tokyo, is to givethe address at the Westminster Theo­logical Seminary commencement onWednesday, May 17. President Youngis the author of The Two Empiresin Japan, published two years ago atthe time of the centennial of Protes­tant missions in that land. The 32ndannual exercises will take place at3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Baccalaureate services on the pre­ceding Sunday, May 14, are to beheld at the Calvary Church acrossfrom the campus at 3:30 p.m. Pro­fessor Cornelius Van Til will preachthe sermon.

The annual Seminary Banquet isscheduled for the Casa Conti Restau­rant in Glenside on Tuesday evening,May 16. The Executive Committee ofthe Alumni Association has invitedProfessor Edwin H. Palmer to speak.The Women's Auxiliary Committeeis planning its annual luncheon onWednesday noon at the Seminary.

The Old Chinese Philosopher

John J. MitchellOrdained as Evangelistto Serve Committee onChristian Education

John J. Mitchell was ordained tothe ministry of the gospel on

February 21, 1961 by the Presbyteryof Philadelphia of the Orthodox Pres­byterian Church. Mr. Mitchell, whowas licensed earlier by the same Pres­bytery, had received a call from theCommittee on Christian Education inApril of 1960 to serve as a writer­editor on its staff.

On the basis of this call the Pres­bytery examined Mr. Mitchell lastJanuary and approved his ordination asan evangelist. The Rev. Robert 1.Atwell, pastor of Calvary Church,Glenside, presided at the service ofordination, which took place in thatchurch of which Mr. Mitchell hadbeen a member for several years.Professor Edmund P. Clowney, ofWestminster Seminary, and a memberof the Presbytery of New Jersey,preached a sermon on "A Scribe inthe Kingdom."

Following the prayer of ordinationProfessor Edward J. Young, presidentof the Committee on Christian Edu­cation, delivered a charge to the newlyordained minister, who pronouncedthe benediction. Mr. Mitchell's father,the Rev. Thomas H. Mitchell, whodied in 1954, was one of the charterministers of the Orthodox Presbyter­ian Church. The Rev. John Mitchellthus becomes the first son of anOrthodox Presbyterian pastor to beordained into the ministry of thatdenomination.

Prior to his entrance into West­minster Seminary Mr. Mitchell had

The Presbyterian Guardian

Be..e and The..e in IheO..lhodox P ..esbyle..ian Ch...ch

The Rev. John J. Mitchell, shownhere with his mother and his wife,at a reception following his ordina­tion to the ministry.

labored for seven years both as aclassroom teacher and in school ad­ministration. He interrupted his sem­inary career to teach for one year inthe Philadelphia-Montgomery Chris­tian High School, and he is presentlychairman of that school's EducationCommittee. He distinguished himselfas a man of high scholastic attain­ments as a student in WestminsterTheological Seminary, from which hewas graduated last year.

His responsibilities with the Com­mittee on Christian Education have todo in particular with the preparationof the new Sunday school curriculum."By training, experience, and com­mitment to the infallible Word ofGod, Mr. Mitchell is well preparedfor this task," stated the Committee'sGeneral Secretary, the Rev. Robley J.Johnston. "The Committee rejoices inhis ordination to the ministry."

West Collingswood, N. J. ­Immanuel Church will hold its 21stannual Missionary Conference April6-9. Speakers are to be Professor C.Van Til of Westminster Seminary,Mr. and Mrs. David Thomas of theWycliffe Bible Translators, and Ortho­dox Presbyterian missionaries Francis

March, 1961

Mahaffy of Eritrea and Boyce Spoonerof Korea.

San Francisco, Calif. - Workon the new church building nearscompletion. Mr. Clem Smith, one ofthe men who helped with the con­struction, who had been a missionaryin Brazil for ten years, was guestspeaker and showed slides of thatwork at a fellowship dinner on Feb­ruary 3rd.

Bellmawr, N. J. - ImmanuelChurch has voted to extend a call forthe pastoral services of Mr. HowardHart, a senior at Westminster Sem­inary and presently under the careof the Presbytery of New York andNew England. Mr. Hart has beenpreaching in Bellmawr with somefrequency in recent months. The pul­pit has been vacant since the Rev.Albert Edwards left for Portland,Ore., last summer.

Santa Cruz, Calif. - The con­gregation moved into its newly pur­chased building in January withoutwaiting for planned renovations, with101 persons present at the first serv­ice in the former Lutheran sanctuary.Organized in May of 1958 by thePresbytery of California, the churchhad been meeting first in Capitola,and then until January 1, 1961 inSoquel, both small towns outside ofSanta Cruz. Pastor of the church isthe Rev. R. J. Rushdoony.

At a congregational meeting heldon January 18, the congregation, witha debt of only $8,000 remaining onthe property, adopted an open-endbudget plan as its means of opera­tion. In terms of this plan, the trusteesand session will be free to spendavailable money for needed improve­ments and worthy causes without re­course to a congregational meeting, aslong as a cash reserve equal to onemonth's regular expenditures is main­tained.

The session and trustees alsoadopted a plan of a full financial re­port each month to the congregation,together with a statement of plans,goals, and hopes. This report, mimeo­graphed, will be made available toall members at the beginning of eachmonth.

Evergreen Park, Ill. - West­minster Church, of which the Rev.Bruce A. Coie is the minister, is con­templating action which will result inits receiving no further financial sup­port through the Committee on HomeMissions and Church Extension afterthe close of the fiscal year on March31. The trustees have recommendedthis important step in the progress ofthe work toward self-support, infaith that the members of the con­gregation will rally to meet the in­creased budget.

Neptune, N. J. - A new testi­mony is opening up in Neptune town­ship, a growing community near As­bury Park on the Atlantic shore. Itbegan with one family, the Robinsons,who moved to Neptune and began

Will the Bible itself be the center of yourVacation Bible School? Or will handwork, fieldtrips and other activities compete for theattention and affection of the children?

Concern for the child and his interest is vitalin an effective VBS program, but it should notovershadow the desire to impart tfie savingknowledge of God's Word. The Bible and itsmessage - the child and his needs - bothare essential to give purpose to VBS.

Your VBS gains perspective with materials thatmaintain balance between emphasis on the Bibleand concern for the child. GREAT COMMISSIONmaterials guarantee a program with depth byproviding two lessons each day to present fullythe heart of the gospel story. Breadth is alsoassured with handwork and activities completelycorrelated to the Bible lessons.

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Demetrius was a craftsman, a silversmith. Like many of the other crafts­men of the city of Ephesus he earned his livelihood by making silver

images of the Ephesian goddess, Diana. This idol worship was a vital partof the economy of the city.

It was a real shock to these Ephesian craftsmen when Paul and hiscompanions came to town and preached the gospel. Demetrius and hisfriends went to complain to the authorities. They complained that theHebrew God and the Christ were being preached, against the great god­dess Diana. It was not so much that they feared for the great goddess;but if this fo~eign teaching should take hold in their city, the peoplewould not be interested any more in Diana and their own way of makinga living would be destroyed.

In the meanwhile the people of the city had become excited. Theycaught Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's companions, and rushed them to thearena. In the confusion everyone was calling out different accusations.Then, in order to present their own defense, the Jews brought forwardAlex~nder.; but when. the mob heard that he was a Jew, they drownedout hIS vOICe by shouting for two hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!Great is Diana of the Ephesians ... !"

Finally, the cooler heads got the upper hand. The town politiciansmade speeches to convince the people that it would be unwise to havesuch an uproar, which might be displeasing to the Roman authorities.Further, they said, if Demetrius and his fellows had a complaint, therewere the law courts to which they could appeal. Then the crowd wasdismissed, and everyone went home.

.The Bible does not tell us any more about this violent situation;but It lets us see something about this man, Demetrius. He was whatpeople nowada~s would c~ll a "~ood fellow." J:Ie was fighting for theli:elihood of hIS fellow silversmiths. He was bemg zealous for his reli­gion." In Dem~rius, however, we have a go?d example of how even 8.

good fellow can be contrary to God and hIS Word. Demetrius' love forgain blinded him ~o the truth of the gospel. He was quite content thatmen shoul? worship gods of wood and of stone, as long as he and hisfellow craftsmen could profit from it.

How our generation also likes to commercialize! How it also takes~v~ry .opportunity to m.a~e a "fast buck." How it is also willing to toleratemJustlce. and false religl?n, when there is "something in it." In doingthese things, our generation also falls under the judgment of God whosaid, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." '

ROBERT D. KNUDSEN

an informal Bible study in their home.Members of the Grace Church ofWestfield, the Rev. Leslie Dunn, pas­tor, they met another family of Pres­byterian background, the Pipelings.A Sunday school was started in De­cember in the home of the latter withthree families present, and the en­rollment has jumped to about 40.

Two worship services have nowbeen held in the same home, withsome 25 present besides the ten littlechildren in the "nursery." There isearnest prayer for a larger meeting­place, with none available as yet, anda request that readers join in petitionto God for this and many other needs.Seminarian Rollin Keller is making thetrip to Neptune every other Saturdayto help in calling and survey work andto preach on the Lord's Day.

Philadelphia, Pa. - A seriesof pre-Easter Sunday evening messagesat the Mediator Church has broughtmen from a number of communionsto the church, of which the Rev. Wil­liam Rankin is pastor. Bible Presby­terian William Mahlow was the first.He is the General Secretary of W orIdPresbyterian Missions. Other guestsscheduled were the Rev. GeorgeSmith, assistant pastor of Calvary Re­formed Presbyterian Church of Wil­low Grove; Dr. Edwin Palmer, In­structor in Systematic Theology atWestminster Seminary; and OrthodoxPresbyterian John Galbraith, GeneralSecretary of the Committee on For­eign Missions of that denomination.The series is to conclude with Pro­fessor John Skilton of the New Testa­I?ent department, Westminster Sem­mary.

Cedar Grove, Wise. - CalvaryOrthodox Presbyterian Church needspulpit supplies for the five Sundaysin July. If you will be in Wisconsinor traveling through the Midwest inJuly and would be available forpreaching, the Session would like tohear from you. Write to Elder Wil­fred Gesch, Sr., 323 N. Main St.,Cedar Grove, Wise.

I will make holders for envelopesand cards to go on the backs ofpews at a very reasonable cost forany church. Size 3" x 2 1/2" x 3/8".

For further information write:

JOHN M. MacDONALD17 Mitton StreetPortland, Maine

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