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GOSPEL HERALD
l( W $11
“In the defence and confirmation of the gospel" "J-foiv beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace'
VOLUME XLV-
-TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1952-
*4L
NUMBER 1
“Mortify Therefore”
A Radio Sermon
BY WILLIAM G. DETWEILER
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the ivrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also icalked some time, -when ye lived in them” (Col. 3:5-7).
The writings of Paul are often in two .nain divisions: first comes the part that is more purely doctrinal (as we often use that word), and then comes the practical. That is true of his Epistle to the Colos- sians. Throughout the first and second chapters, and even in the first four verses of the third chapter, he has been teaching concerning the Person of Christ, and the dangers of the false doctrines facing the -1 believers at Colosse. A few times he re- ^ fers to the identification of the believer x vith Christ in His circumcision, in His burial, in His resurrection and quicken- ing. But now as we come to verse 5 and on through the rest of this chapter, and even into chapter 4, we have the practical applications of the great truths set forth in the preceding part of this Epistle.
Well has Dr. Maclaren said, “Char- acter is the outcome and test of doctrine.’’ I believe in studying the Bible by doc- trines. I enjoy studying and teaching
\the great doctrines of the Bible. But unless those great doctrines do something in my life, the true purpose of that study t and leaching has been thwarted. Let me 'i illustrate. One of the great doctrines 1 of the Bible is the doctrine of the Holy A Spirit. Even if it were possible for me to outline these same teachings perfectly; even if it were possible for me to teach them in such a way that my class would understand them correctly; yet if that reaching would not change my life and ate lives of those whom I taught, then something would be missing. Character must result from teaching. In fact, I .^riously question whether it is possible lor a teacher to teach the pure doctrines the Bible without producing char- ac er. Be that as it may, Paul now makes his doctrinal emphasis practical. He shows the relation of what he has taught to practical everyday Christian character and life.
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“Mortify therefore.” The word “there- fore” is significant. When you find a “therefore” you do well to look for the “wherefore,” or, as an old preacher one time said, when you find a “therefore” in the Scriptures, you had better find out what it is there for. This “therefore” takes you back of course to what Paul had said in the preceding passage. He had said in the first four verses of this chapter that since the believer is risen with Christ he shall seek those things which are above, that he shall set his mind upon the things above, not on the things upon earth. He had said that the believer is dead, and that his life is hid with Christ in God. He had also said that when Christ who is the believer’s life shall appear, then shall the believers also appear with Him in glory. Because of this, the believer shall mortify his members that are upon the earth. In other words, we shall bring our con- dition in line with our position. Posi- tionally we are raised with Christ. Posi- tionally the old man has been crucified with Christ. Positionally we are dead. Positionally Christ is our life. That which is our spiritual position must now become our spiritual condition. Since we are dead with Christ we shall now mortify the old Adamic nature.
I do not want to rob any of you of a blessing which you have received, but does this not teach that the old nature remains in the believer after he has been crucified, buried, and raised with Christ? The old Adamic nature has not been eradicated. Because we are dead to sin, dead to self, dead to the world through the cross, the power of sin, of self, and of the world having been broken, and we are not under any obligation to sin, to self, and to the world, therefore we must bring into the place of death the mem- bers, the inclinations to sin. We must make a corpse of them.
How do we mortify the members which are upon the earth? I fear that some fail in mortifying that which is earthly in them because they proceed in the wrong manner. I wonder whether this mortification can be done by reso- lutions, by fastings, and other exercises. Some, I fear, seek to do it by practicing
asceticism: they torture the body. In a sense it may be true that we are to fight the flesh, but I wonder whether the whole secret of mortification does not lie in identification with Christ. 1 think that Dr. A. C. Gaebelein has well said that when we try to fight the flesh we are defeated, but that the victory over the Hesh has been won for us. The old man has been put to death in the death ol Christ. The believer is now dead to sin. Sin is not to have dominion over the believer. As believers in Christ we need to reckon these things as done. Since positionally my old man has been cruci- fied with Christ, buried with Christ, and therefore I am dead to sin, now I need to count as real, as true, as actual these things. I need to keep my old man in the place of death where he wras placed in the death of Christ. As 1 reckon these things as true, reckon myself to be dead indeed unto sin, I can have victory so that sin will not reign in my mortal body that I should obey it in the lusts of this mortal body.
At the same time I do not want to say that there is no place for suppression of the inclinations and lusts of the old man, but I believe that the surest way to vic- tory is by way of reckoning ourselves dead with Christ, dead unto sin, reckon sin’s power broken. As we reckon this true, according to Rom. 6:11, 12, we shall experience victory, and find that we are
What Have You Done?
By Louetta M. Miller
A year has passed. We know not luhere The time has gone. The Master says, “Your life is mine. What have you done To ease a pain, to dry a tear,
To help a soul in dread and fear,
To spread my Word of hope and cheer: What have you done f”
I stand and bow my head in shame, When I think of hoiu my Saviour came To die for me. What have I done? Have I helped the one in pain and need ? Have I remembered to love in word and deed?
Have I prayed for souls? Have I sowed the Seed:
What have I done?
Archbold, Ohio.
GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
mortifying, bringing into a place of death, the members upon the earth, or the sinful inclinations.
Let me say again, before I go on, that we need to remember that the old man, the Adamic nature, what we were before we were saved, was not converted, was not made good, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved. The flesh, the old man, the Adamic nature- call it what you will— remains as bad as ever. But as believers we have the two natures, having received the divine na- ture, the nature of God, in the birth. Through the Spirit we are able to morti- fy the deeds of the body. Rom. 8:13.
T his old nature, which is altogether bad, in which Paul said “dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18), which remains in the Believer, is after conversion still capa- ble of doing these five things Paul men- tions in this same connection. Let 11s note them briefly one by one.
“Fornication.” This speaks of the sexual area of immorality. We need to bear in mind that sin originates in the heart. Jesus said that sexual sin origi- nates in the heart, and that even the desire, the look, is sin. (Matt. 5:28— “But 1 say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath com- mitted adultery with her already in his heart.”) In the heart is where sinful members must be mortified.
“Uncleanness.” A few versions trans- late this “impurity.” Remember that Paid admonished Timothy to keep him- self pure. How this admonition is need- ed today amidst all the impurity, all the filth, all the uncleanness on every side! There is impurity of thought. There is impurity of look. 1 here is impurity of speech. There is impurity of action. Need 1 mention some of the satanic agencies that foster this impurity? There are the low degrading magazines. There are the movies. There is the dance. There are the low courting standards. But, thank God, the believer can be kept. His life is hid with Christ in God. The Spirit now dominates, not the flesh.
“Inordinate affection.” A few versions translate this “passion.” How many have fallen through passion! The believer must mortify this, lest it master, him.
“Evil concupiscence.” This refers to unholy desire, evil desires. This too must be mortified by the believer.
“Covetousness.” It seems to me that some of you may have been pulling about you your cloak of self-righteousness as 1 spoke to you of fornication, of unclean- ness, of inordinate affection, and of evil concupiscence, You consider those things
beneath your standard of morality. Those you think of as being sinful. But when you think of covetousness— what then? Do you think of the miser as being covetous? Yes, he is. Do you think of the rich capitalist as being covetous? Probably he is. But do not forget that to be covetous one need not have riches. The poorest pauper may be more covet- ous than the rich man. Covetousness is a matter of desire, of attitude. Dr. Ma- claren has said that it is significant that Paul here connects covetousness with evil concupiscence or sensuality. “The world- ly nature flies for solace either to the pleasures of appetite or acquisition. How many respectable middle-aged gentle- men are now mainly devoted to making money whose youth was foul with sensual indulgence. Covetousness is ‘promoted vice, lust superannuated.’ ”
How many believers need to mortify covetousness! It is one of the big sins in the church today. The seriousness, the grossness of this sin, becomes ap- parent when we remember two things. The first is that Paul teaches in I Cor. 5 that believers shall not eat with a brother who is covetous. In the same category are fornicators, idolaters, railers, drunk- ards, and extortioners. I repeat, covet- ousness is such a heinous sin that be- lievers are forbidden to eat with a broth- er who is covetous. Personally I believe that this eating refers to the Lord’s Sup- per. So you see that any brother who is covetous shall not be admitted to the Lord’s table. The second is that Paul here, and elsewhere, teaches that covet- ousness is idolatry. That man who is covetous is an idol worshiper. What idol? It may be the idol of money. Be- sides that, does he not also worship the idol of self? John Wesley was afraid of covetousness. He said that he got money out of his hands before he got it into his heart. I believe that some of the Lord’s children are rich without being covetous. They have riches in their hands, but not in their hearts. Edgar Allan Poe said, “The Romans worshiped their stand- ards; and the Roman standard happened to ibe an eagle.
“Our standard is only one tenth of an eagle— a dollar— but we make all even by adoring it with tenfold devotion. May the Lord help us to mortify covet- ousness before money gets into our heart.
Then Paul goes on to say that because of these things— fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness — the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. You see Paul believed in the wrath of
God. Today many no longer believe and teach that God has wrath. Hundreds of times the Bible teaches that God is a God of wrath. Now He is dealing in grace and mercy. Now His golden scep- ter is extended. But someday His wrath will fall. Even now His wrath is abiding on those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:36. But Paul teaches that the wrath of God will fall on the children of disobedience. God help 11s to take these things to heart!
“In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.” One time we who are now saved walked and lived in these things. We may not have com- mitted the overt acts. People may not have been aware of our immorality, our impurity, our passion, our evil desires, and our covetousness, but we had these things in our hearts, if not in our open actions, and we were guilty before God, for He judges the desires, the attitudes, the thoughts, the motives. Thank God we have been saved from these things. Thank God we no longer live in them. Thank God that the reasons for the wrath of God have been removed. Thank God that because of the Lord Jesus
Christ the wrath of God no longer abides
on us.
“For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobe- dience.” As I close this message, let me address these few questions to you for your sober reflection. Are you still liv- ing in these things? Have you still the wrath of God abiding on you? Would you be delivered from these thi Would you escape the wrath of God? Then flee to the Lord Jesus Christ for, salvation. God help you to do that very thing now while grace and mercy are still extended to you.
Orrville, Ohio.
Our Readers Say —
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Since I was privileged to attend the Brunk re- vivals my soul has been stirred and 1 appreciate the Bible more. We use the Williams New Testament in our daily devotional period. It is in simple language that the children can easily understand. After we started to attend the re- vival meetings we could hardly stay away. The messages were so inspiring and stirring, es- pecially the one on, How Can I Know the Holy Spirit Dwells in Me. My prayer is that the re- vival fires may not die, but may continue to burn, that our congregation may also have a revival, for there are many just satisfied to be members, but spiritually asleep. Keep on pray( ing. — Mrs. Ruth Leaman , Denver, Pa.
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gospel herald
ESTABLISHED 1908 AS SUCCESSOR TO GOSPEL WITNESS (ISOS) AND HERALD OF TRUTH (1864) PAUL ERB. EDITOR CATHERINE HERNLEY, editorial assistant
J. D. GRABER, missions editor
JOHN L. HORST, MILLARD C. LIND, associate editors
MENNONITE PUBLICATION BOARD, SCOTTDALE, PA,.
THE GOSPEL HERALD IS A RELIGIOUS WEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MENNONITE CHURCH BY THE ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER IN ,908 AT THE POST OFFICE AT SCOTTDALE, PA., UNDER ACT OF MARCH S, .679. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: ,3.00 PER YEAR, THREE Y RS
IMPLE COPIES SENT FREE ON REQUEST. SEND ALL MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION TO GOSPEL HERALD, SCOTTDAI.E, PA.
IN ADVANCE, SS.OO, FIVE YEARS IN ADVANCE, $12.50. SAP.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
January i, 1952
GOSPEL HERALD
3
EDITORIAL
The Work in Arkansas
Recently the editor, with members of his family, had the privilege of visiting our churches in Arkansas. He had been there fifteen years ago, when our evangel- izing effort there was just beginning. It as gratifying to see the growth of the work during this time, and to sense the possibilities for further development.
We found workers whose consecration and devotion to the cause is an inspira- tion. Some of them are young people who have gone to that section and are working under the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities to carry on the varied program of a rural mission. Some are families who have gone there, en- tirely on their own financial responsi- bility, to make their contribution to the cause as they have opportunity. Then here are the faithful members who have ne into the church from the com- munities served, and are helping in their own way to build the kingdom of God.
There are three congregations. The oldest one is Bethel Springs, at Culp. It was established in 1936. Bro. Frank Horst is the pastor. It is the center of the work carried on by the Mission Board. This, in addition to the church, is three- fold. There is the Bethel Springs School, with work offered in twelve grades. Bro. Edwin Alderfer is the principal. He is assisted by Paul Diener, Theodore Wal- ter, and Arietta Selzer. These men are all married, and their wives assist in the work in various ways. Near by is the Mission Farm, managed by Clifford -Strubhar, who is also superintendent of a Sunday school at Advance. Upstream from the church is the Clinic. David and Rhoda Wenger live here. Sister Wenger is trained to give needed health service
to people who have difficult access to a doctor’s help.
The second congregation (third in order of founding) is Mount Joy, at Optimus, some ten miles from Culp. Bro. M. E. Bontreger is pastor here. He is establishing himself in the chicken business, and is planning to be self-
17
upporting. Some of the workers from
,ulp help here on Sundays. Services are tpld in a community building; a church
gets^eded.
has to third
congregation, Mountain
View, at Buffalo, is on the other side of the White River, which in this country of no bridges is a real barrier. There are ferries, but in high water they may not operate. Bro. Clarence Horst is pastor at Mountain View. He has a chicken busi- ness, and is self-supporting. (The Horsts last year furnished meals to over 2000 guests, many of whom forgot that meals cost money.) This congregation has a beautiful new church building. Adjoin- ing it is a splendid Christian Day School, taught by Marvin Miller. There is a preaching outpost at Rea Valley, a prom- ising location if a consecrated family could be located there. Rest Haven, at Midway, is the Baxter County Home. It is administered by our workers, with Bro. Will Schrock as superintendent. This service is highly satisfactory to the community, and a neighboring county wants the Mennonites to operate their home also. The workers of the Moun- tain View congregation also conduct a Sunday school at Three Brothers.
There is a good prospect, we were told, that a Mennonite doctor, perhaps also a laboratory technician, will take up prac- tice in this part of Arkansas. They will find great need for their services, and an opportunity for Christian witness.
We give this information on the edi- torial page in the hope that our people will read it here and become better in- formed concerning this portion of our home mission field. Let us repeat these general impressions:
1. The General Mission Board has made a good selection of a field for significant rural mission work. There is a variety of opportunity for Christian witness and service.
2. The sacrificial labors of the workers in Arkansas are a real inspiration and a challenge to others to go and do like- wise.
3. One does not have to be appointed and supported by a mission board in order to do mission work. It is financial- ly possible and spiritually profitable to live among those who need spiritual help, and thus also give them an example in the Christian way of life.
4. There are some fine opportunities for individuals and groups to help this work along by supplying pressing needs in these rural centers. The^editor will
be glad to make suggestions to any who are interested.
5. In our cross-country drives we do well to visit our churches in Arkansas. But let us not forget to leave our contri- bution for the work.
Respect for Personality
Every human being has the right to be treated as one. Some people are chil- dren; some are senile; some are mentally ill; some are subnormal in some respect or other; some are dependent, financially or otherwise. But they arc all people- created by God and endowed with a soul and with certain inalienable rights. We cannot dismiss them as “kids,” as paupers, as insane, as "foreigners,” as ol some lower stratum of society, just be- cause they are human, they deserve some different treatment from mere animals or inanimate “things.” No matter how much you think of some dog or horse, you wouldn’t want to stand up beside your pet and say, “God created us equal.” But so far as inherent right is concerned, when you stand beside any man or woman, boy or girl, you must say, “We stand equal before God.”
Even the mentally deficient, we are told, often quickly sense whether those who care for them really respect and love them. Children like to be recognized and to be treated, not as some subhuman playthings, but as real persons. Employ- ees respond with alacrity to employers who do not consider them as machines or as marketable “labor.” Congregations want a minister who appraises them, not as an “audience,” but as individuals with specialized needs and problems. Boys and girls need parents who do not “treat them all alike,” but who can talk to ‘hem one by one. Slavery of any kind is a sin against the human spirit, in that it forces some people under the tyranny of other people.
Respect is shown primarily in one’s fundamental attitudes. It expresses it- self in dignity of address, in a respectful attention to what another says, in a re- straint against all ridicule and scorn. Re- spect refuses to participate in humiliat- ing another, or in dragging his name into the dust. It sees in every person at least a potential son of God, and is ready to do anything possible to turn that potentiality into actuality.
Whom God hath honored with fife let no one dishonor by bringing that life into disadvantage or disrepute.
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GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
Atomic Research Dates Oldest Bible
Manuscript
Bible study has now been added to the growing list of peacetime uses for atomic energy. Nuclear scientists, using a Geig- er counter, have established the approxi- mate age of the Dead Sea scrolls found in a cave in Palestine four years ago. They date from the time of Christ, as archaeol- ogists have maintained, and not from the Middle Ages, as some language scholars have insisted. These ancient Hebrew scrolls of the Book of Isaiah thus have been verified as the oldest known Biblical manuscript.
Willard F. Libby, a radio chemist at the University of Chicago, devised the technique for dating by radioactivity. The December issue of Popular Science Monthly tells how Libby obtained frag- ments of the linen wrappings in which the scrolls were stored, burned them to pure carbon, then measured the radio- activity of the carbon-14 in a special Geiger counter, arriving at the conclu- sion that the llax from which the linen was made was alive and breathing 1,917 years ago.
This would date the scrolls in the year 34 A.D., approximate date of the cruci- fixion, but Libby notes that allowance must be made for a margin of error of a century or two either way.
“When the atom bomb first mush- roomed its message of death and de- struction into the sky six years ago,” says Popular Science , “there were many who speculated on the future uses of atomic energy. But few if any put Bible study on their list.
“Now, as Christmas of 1951 nears, we find the seeming miracle has come to pass. Science is revealed as the hand- maid of religion; radioactive carbon- 14 and the Geiger counter are instruments for casting new light on the accuracy of the modern Bible. Cosmic rays that bombarded the earth when Christ was born have left behind a coded message for nuclear physicists to decipher.
“It was strangely fitting that nuclear scientists, turning from war to peacetime research, should undertake the task of determining the age of an ancient tran- script of the Book of Isaiah, usually con- sidered the greatest of the Old Testa- ment prophets.
“For it was Isaiah who, 25 centuries ago, envisioned a time when the weapons of war would be reconverted forever into the tools of peace: ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.’ And it was Isaiah who asked: ‘14410 hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and
comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?’ Popular Science Monthly.
Carnal
By S. F. Coffman
All believers rejoice in the knowledge of a salvation that has been wrought by God Himself through His Son Jesus Christ, and is maintained by the presence and aid of the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. A salvation made effective and maintained by all the pow'ers of heaven is satisfactory, and gives to every believer the assurance of the blessed hope.
But in our experience in living the life that has been saved by the work of God we find many hindrances and meet many problems. Such experiences have been had by Christians many years ago. Our problems are such as have been faced by the first believers. Paul’s letters w'ere all written to the Christians and to the leaders of the churches. The letters of James, Peter, John, and Jude were ex- positions of the Gospel as related to Christian living. It would appear, from the nature of the apostolic messages, that it was more difficult to keep the believers saved than to have brought them to sal- vation. Their purpose, however, was to reveal more fully the nature of the blessed hope and to show the fullness of the grace of God through Christ.
It is difficult for the human mind to grasp with appreciation all that belongs to a normal Christian experience. We fail to distinguish between what is na- tural and physical and what is spiritual. Paul w'rote and prayed in his Ephesian letter, “That the eyes of your understand- ing be enlightened; that ye may know the hope of his calling, and the riches of his inheritance in the saints ...” (Eph. 1:17 ff ) . Spiritual enlightenment comes to those who are spiritual. I Cor. 1:12- 16. The Scriptures explain themselves. We often misapply or misinterpret them, and this results in difficulties.
The Carnal Problem
Our English translators were more inclined to be classical in their use of our language than to be explicit in their translations. A variety of terms was used for the same Greek or Latin word. It is because of the interchange of terms that we have two words in our English ver- sion for one word, both in the Greek and Latin versions. The term flesh is a trans- lation of the Greek word sarx, and the Latin word caro. Rut we have the deriv- ative, carnal, from the Latin, which
means fleshly. Eleven times the term carnal is used, and in all the passages in the Greek the word sarx or its deriva- tives is used and refers to flesh. But in four passages the same Greek word is translated fleshly: II Cor. 1:12; I Peter 2:14; II Cor. 3:37; Col. 2:18.
Everything that is termed carnal, therefore, is related to our flesh— to our physical nature. The term body is uni- formly translated. Only four adjective forms are found, and are derivatives ol the word body— bodily. One passage con- tains both terms, showing the relation between the flesh and the body: Col. 1:22. “Reconciled in the body of his flesh, through death.” This Scripture gives significance to the nature of the body of Jesus. “A body hast thou prepared me” (Heb. 10:5). “The Word was made Hesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). There was a glory of life manifested through that flesh. See the context. “What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the Hesh, God send- ing his own Son in the likeness of sinful Hesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the Hesh” (Rom. 8:3). In this passage the flesh of Christ is the same as that of man. T he resurrected hody of Jesus was!
changed from that which He bore in life
and which went to the grave, let H spoke of His resurrection body, “Behqfli my hands and my feet, that it is I myf handle me, and see; for a spirit hath/not Hesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). The term flesh in this passage is the same as in other Scriptures, from the Greek sarx, which means flesh. But the flesh which Jesus bore after His resur
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It Happened —
f
FIFTY YEARS AGO
( From Herald of Truth, Dec. 19, 1901 )
The new meeting house at Elmdale, Mich., was opened for public worship on the 24th of November. Bro. John Blosser, of New Stark, Ohio, conducted
the services.
The new meeting house built by the congregation at . . . Ephrata, . . . Pa., was opened for public worship . . . Dec. 1. Bishops Jacob N. Brubacker, of Mt. Joy, and Abraham Herr, of New Danville, officiated. ,
The missionaries, P. A. Penner and® wife, and John F. Kroeker and wife, who went to India under the auspices of the Mission Board of the General Confer- ence Mennonites, and have been makin: their home with our missionaries Dhamtari, report that they have no1 found suitable places for mission statio: the former at Champa, C.P., India, the latter at Janjgir, C.P.
January i , 195 2
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rection was without blood. He shed liis blood on Calvary.
It is possible to summarize a lew lacts regarding the Hesh:
1. All men have the same Hesh.
2. Jesus had the same Hesh as men, although He was the Son of God.
3. Christians have the same Hesh as other men.
4. it is not sin to dwell, or live, in the Hesh.
5. The Hesh is not changed by con- version, nor by any act ol grace in Chris- tian life or experience. Paul continued to live in the Hesh.
b. Flesh is corruptible; it will die. Our bodies are mortal.
7. The mortal body cannot be quick- ened, and is not quickened, except as Christ’s body was quickened from the dead by the Holy Spirit.
8. Our bodies and members can be yielded to the Lord to become servants ol righteousness, but remain Hesh in such service.
Vineland, Ont.
Sam Hoskins Writes
XII
Dear Editor,
Well if you really are interested in what janitors see when they go visiting I’ll be glad to tell you what we saw in some of the services we was privileged to attend.
Just like I said there wasn’t all good or all bad any place we was. It was a funny thing though, the church that had the most talking during the services had a preacher that waited until they got quiet before he would pray. I liked that, but I don’t know why he didn’t wait until everybody stopped talking before he preached because it was one of the most practical sermons 1 heard lately. It helped me and I think it would have helped the two intermediate boys that sat in front of me and talked for three fourths of the time if they had listened. But 1 guess you couldn’t blame them too much Because I saw some married wom- en talking too. I mean to each other, not just visiting with their babies. What would you do in a case like that?
Then of course I was interested in what became of the extra Sunday-school literature. I used to use ours for kin- dling, but the juniors got to reading in the Words of Cheer about ways oL using them for scrapbooks and the like and there aren’t many left. I’m glad, for I always did hate to be burning up those good papers. I get enough old quarter- lies yet to start my fires.
From what I saw in the churches we visited there are a number of ideas how to get the papers to people. One church has all its papers sent right to the homes according to the ages of the people in that home. That way everybody always gets a paper and nobody but the secretary has to bother and that just once a year,
GOSPEL FIERALD
1 understand. Doris and another girl in the class that had moved in sometime before didn’t get any paper that way, but seems to me they could have a few extra papers at the church for visitors and the like.
Another way that looked right practi- cal to me was a post office arrangement in the vestibule, where each family goL papers. That way they didn’t miss any eitner even when they didn’t come every Sunday and there was somebody to see that strangers got a paper.
At our Sunday school the papers are put on a Lable in the vestibule alier everybody goes in to the church service. That way tlie children don’t have them to be tempted to read when the preacher preaches. (But 1 don’t think we can be so Hard on them if they do. Sometimes when the service gets so draggy like some do sometimes I'd read the hymn- book myself or count up how many pieces Isaac Watts or somebody wrote if I didn’t know better. Sometimes I have divided the offering by the attend- ance. I guess 1 didn’t fool myself or God, but I wasn’t an evil influence and you learn a good bit that way.)
But getting back to tne subject, 1 want to tell you about two situations that I thought were just too bad. In one church we visited, a secretary kept bob- bing around counting papers ana hand- ing them into the classes. Fhen of course there was a iot of noise as the teachers distributed them at the end of the class and I saw a lot of even young people reading during the services. 1 guess you down there at Scottdale will be glad though to hear that they found the papers so inviting.
The worst was a little church that was about the sleepiest outfit I ever saw in my life. I saw the preacher wasn’t mak- ing much progress beyond talking to the deacon up at the pulpit and I wanted to shake hands with him because he’s Ben Yoder’s brother-in-law and I knew Ben would ask about him. That way I got to see in the cupboard in back of the pulpit and I declare there must have been a half bushel of literature back there and some of the rolls of papers weren’t even opened. I imagine that was when the big blizzard was or maybe they had an epidemic last winter. Don’t you call that being on your toes?
Maybe that’s enough in that key. I wanted to tell you about several good ideas I run across that maybe you would want to write an editorial on sometime if you think they are good. Here is one I told our preacher about and he’s Been doing it ever since. That is instead of the preacher staying up front and being held up by some good brethren that don’t need him so bad anyway he pro- nounces the bendiction and then has the chorister lead in a hymn while he walks to the back of the church and then he’s ready to shake hands with everybody in- cluding the boys that always dash for the door.
Then another thing f found out was that aL one church tne superintendent never calls on anybody to pi ay unless he asks him betoreliand. That sure saved me a lot ol embarrassment. I’m not as lluent as you preachers and don’t get called on so often so I get sort of rattled when I’m supposed to pray out loud so sudden like, it would have really lius- Lered me away from home like that. But Lhat isn’t the most important reason 1 like the idea ihough. I think most anybody would be more likely Lo really Lead in prayer il he had a little time to consider what Lhe congregation needs. He can think who’s sick and say, "God bless Brother Smith,” and so forth, in- stead of just saying, “Bless the sick and the afHicted” e^ery Sunday. He could think what to pray lor in line with the Scripture that was read. He can remem- ber that he read in the conference mis- sion news that they need a new mission home in Bacon Holiow instead of say- ing, “Bless all our misionaries and sup- ply all their needs.” I’d think that would remind himself and the other people that God wants them to give a little more lor Bacon Hollow instead of leaving so much of it to be supplied if it ever is.
Another thing tms same superintend- ent did they told me was to sometimes ask another brother a couple days ahead of time to prepare to read the devotional reading and lead in prayer. It always has struck me sorta queer that any eighth grader knows enough to study his piece lor literary but some leaders think they can look in the quarterly on the way to church to see what reading is suggested and then stumble over the words. It’s no wonder some of them still say “shoe” when they read “shew.” (Cory straight- ened me out on that soon after we was married.) I wish we’d have more reading like in Nehemiah’s time when they read “distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” No wonder those people “were attentive to the book of the law” a half day at once.
Another thing on the good side of this plan I was telling about is that the leader of the prayer is up front where his petitions can be heard and not down fac- ing a bench, like as not with his head between his hands like he’s in the habit.
I reckon there’s some who don’t think we ought to do anything different from what we’re always used to. But if we’re glad we don’t still worship like they done Before the Reformation we ought to be glad for some little reformations along where somebody sees they can be done. I ain’t much for this building sepulchres stuff myself while we try to kill every new idea that comes along be- fore we take a good look at it.
Cory says she knew it would be like this if I got started writing again. I’ll try to write along when I think of things you might be interested in.
Sincerely,
Sam
6
GOSPEL HERALD
What God Expects of Youth — A Christian Character
Topic Presented at Prairie Street Men- nonite Church, Elkhart, Indiana
By Ruth C. Roth
By way of introduction to this topic, let us hrst of all detine the two mam words under consideration. A Christian, in the broadest sense of the term, is a disciple or follower of Christ. Character is wfiat one actually is; reputation, wliat he is thought to be by omers. God ex- pects a Christian character of youth who have chosen His name. Why? Because, as followers of Christ, we are to try, with His help, to live perfect lives.
What are some of the “earmarks” of a Christian character? Honesty, temper- ance, personal holiness, and love are tour of the necessary traits of a Christian character that shall be considered in this topic.
In Heb. 13:18 we read the following verse concerning HONESTY: “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good consci- ence, in all things willing to live hon- estly.” According to the dictionary, hon- esty means to be fair, true, just, upright, or trustworthy.
The Program Builder offers the fol- lowing thoughts concerning honesty: “If someone asked us to name some traits of character, probably one of the first we would mention would be hon- esty. Even among non-Christians, to say ‘He’s an honest man’ is one of the highest tributes that one man can pay to an- other. ‘Honesty is the best policy’ sug- gests its advantages from a worldly point of view. If the world values honesty, God does much more. If honesty brings material advantages, much more does it bring spiritual blessings. God expects youth to be honest.”
In Melvin Gingerich’s book Youth and Christian Citizenship, it is suggested “that people tend to fall into four class- es with respect to their attitude toward truthfulness. At the bottom are those who lie frequently, even when it would be just as easy to tell the truth. In the second position are those who always tell the truth except when their interests are deeply involved and they think they can gain an advantage by lying. The next two classes are on a higher moral plane. In the third group are those who never deliberately he. They always at- tempt to speak the truth, and people have faith and confidence in them. The fourth group occupies the highest po- sition of all. They have such a high re- gard for truth that they will spend time and energy in discovering it. They are aware of the fact that falsehoods often masquerade as truths.” They also know “that many statements are mere rumors” and are careful to discover the truth be- fore repeating it. This class of people “determine not merely to be passively honest, accepting and following truth
when it is easy to do, but positively and actively honest. They do not merely ac- cept and follow the truth, but they fer- ret it out, look for it, find it, and pro- claim it.”
“To be a Christian is to be genuinely truthful,” according to Bro. Gingerich. He states that “falsity and hypocrisy are sins that bring the wrath of God upon individuals, according to the teaching of the Scriptures.”
In Phil. 4:8, as found in the Wey- mouth translation of the Bible, Paul says: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever wins respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is loveable, whatever is of good repute, if there is
“He Staggered Not”
Romans 4:20 By S. N. Leitner
He staggered not but marched right on, The ancient hero Abraham ;
He trusted in the Eternal One ;
His heart had heard God say, I Am.
He staggered not, though unbelief Sought everywhere to bar his way; The promise gripped his eager soul, And nothing could his progress stay.
He staggered not, but strong in faith, Believing God with all his soul,
By faith o’ercame his every foe;
The promise led him to his goal.
He staggered not but glory gave To God whose promise he believed. Sure that in God’s own good time The promised heir should be received.
So let me live my life each day And stagger not but still believe, That in my Father’s own good way All that is best I shall receive.
Birch Tree, Mo.
any virtue or anything deemed worthy of praise— cherish the thought of these things.”
TEMPERANCE is the next trait of Christian character about which we shall think. I Corinthians 9:25 reads as fol- lows: “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” For the same verse, the American Stand- ard Version of the Bible states: “And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things.”
According to Erdman’s Commentary on First Corinthians, “Paul was fond of picturing the Christian life under figures drawn from the Greek games. He refers here to these contests, in order to em-
January t, 1952
l
: V
phasize the need of self-control and selt- uenial even in matters morally indiffer- ent. In answering tne question as to the use of meats oliered to idols, Paul has been insisting upon the necessity of retraining irom wnat is in itselt innocent in case indulgence may interfere with Christian service. He made it his rule to become ‘all things to ail men,’ that is to accommodate himself to the preju- dices and scruples of others in order that he might win them for Christ and be- come partakers with them of the fuff blessings of the Gospel. Here he insists that ad who are to share this blessed- ness must likewise limit their liberties and must practice the same denial which the apostle is imposing upon himself.”
The Program Builder suggests the fol- lowing concerning temperance or self- control: “The backbone of Christian character is temperance or self-control. Possibly there is nothing so hard for young people to develop. We have a reputation (and can we deny that it is too often true?) for going to extremes. We are young, strong, abounding with life. Is it strange that youth should be a time when we are especially tempted to run to excess and abuse good things, or to trust in our strength and indulge in things that we should leave strictly alone? But under God we need to har- ness and direct our energies. He expects us to be temperate.”
There are several paragraphs from an article entitled, “Solt Christians,” writ- ten by Lauren A. King, appearing in the February, 1949, Christian Digest that 1 would like to have you consider with me I" on this subject of temperance.
“Soft Christians? Yes, soft, self-indul- ^ gent, undisciplined Christians! There j are far too many of them. Oh, they are probably Christians. They don’t seem ( wicked; they are not committing open sin; they are satisfactorily orthodox; 1 they are mildly active in the work of Christ.
“But they are soft, flabby. They are without toughness and discipline of be- lief and life.
“They are mild in everything. They don’t reject the fundamentals of the Christian faith; they don’t believe them passionately either. They are not a burning disgrace to their Christian pro- 1 fession; they are not an honor to it. At j times they are deeply stirred by religious feelings; at others, are perfectly un- emotional about religion; but they have no deep, unflagging passion for God. They see no harm in a great many pleas- ant but questionable or borderline prac- tices. Wide areas of their lives their professed Christianity seems not to touch. They are self-indulgent. They follow mostly their own feelings or de- sires or whims of the moment; they sel- dom refuse a personal desire or do a difficult and unselfish deed. . . .
“Now, in contrast with this soft Chris- tianity, real Christianity is tough and requires self-control, self-discipline, self-
: -r
January i, 1952
GOSPEL HERALD
7
A Prayer for This Week
Our Father, we thank Thee for Thy infinitude; that Thou art perfect in every virtue, and that we are Thy chil- dren.
We praise Thee for Jesus Christ our Saviour, Lord, and Hign Priest: for His accomplished salvation, received and possessed; for Thy Holy Spirit, to com- fort, give light, life, guidance, and to intercede for us.
We thank Thee for committing unto us the ministry and word of reconcilia- tion for the world.
Enlighten and awake Thy sleeping churches. Revive and enlighten their leaders, to be not only preachers, but shepherds and teachers, to nurture every member, young and old. Cleanse our people from sin, that the church be not a mission field, but every member a mis- sionary.
Open the closed countries for the Gospel, Lord, by Thy providence. Hold the devil’s wrath in abeyance. Let there be tranquillity among nations, instead of war. Prosper the Bible societies. Find translators for the thousand languages still waiting for the Gospel. Send faith- ful laborers to every nation and tribe and to the many thousands of islands, that millions may yet receive salvation before the judgment.
Thou hast promised ALL through Christ: in His name we pray.
—Shem Peachey.
denial. ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up Ins cross daily, and follow me’ (Luke y:23). Here is a ngure of speech built on cruci- fixion. It calls for a daily death by self- denial. It means that those desires that iead to evil must be so thoroughly denied every day that they are for eacfi occasion made as good as dead. We cannot follow every passing fancy, yield to every im- pulse, continually do what we like, in- dulge every appetite and desire— and yet follow Christ. Some desires must be con- trolled, some impulses tamed, some parts of ourselves denied. We must leave this softness, this moral flabbiness that ac- quiesces to all our desires. We must learn to say ‘No.’ Only thus can we fol- low Him.”
God expects PERSONAL HOLINESS of youth. This is the third character trait of a Christian that we shall con- sider. The Herald Press has printed a tract entitled, “How Good Do I Need to Be?” which is condensed from a Goshen College chapel address by Carl Kreider. I wish to quote several paragraphs that
express my thoughts on this topic as stated in the tract.
“In the final analysis there are only two types of ethical ideals. One insists that there is an absolute standard to which all people should try to conform. In the Christian religion this standard is outlined in the Word of God and was manifested in the perfect life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The other type of ethical thinking says that all standards are relative, that what is right or wrong depends upon the time or place— upon what other people around you are doing.
“If, as Christians, someone were to ask which ethical ideal we have, absolute or relative, we would all agree that we be- lieve in an absolute standard. If we re- flect on some of our actions in concrete cases, however, we may discover that the relative idea has made far greater in- roads into our thinking than one might suppose. . . .
“In school students sometimes cheat on examinations. At some other time an instructor asks for written papers to be handed in. Perhaps he does not give enough time and perhaps the writing of papers seems without value. For these reasons it becomes a temptation to copy from a book and turn in the paper as the original work of the student. Do we try to justify such conduct by saying that it isn’t as bad as cheating on an examina- tion? If so, we are using a relative stand- ard of morality. . . .
“ ‘Not as bad as . . .’ and ‘no worse than . . .’ are not really moral standards at all for two very important reasons. In the first place, any possible action could be defended in this way. This is true because we can always (in our own minds, at least) find someone else who is just a little worse than we are. Swear- ing would be all right because we can always find someone who is capable of using more vile language. Lying would be ail right because there is always some- one else who tells still greater falsehoods. Stealing would be all right because someone else has stolen still larger sums of money or still more valuable property.
“The next time you hear yourself de- fending one of your actions by saying you are not being as bad as someone else, stop short and ask this question: ‘Am I as good as Jesus would want me to be?’ The next time you catch yourself saying that you have been no morse than some- one else, why don’t you immediately ask yourself the question: ‘Is the thing I have done the right thing for a Chris- tian to do?J
“Jesus has commanded us, ‘Be ye there- fore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matt. 5:48). Jesus’ remarks in the two verses immediately preceding this verse add a great deal of lorce to the verse: ‘For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?’ In other words.
Prayer Requests —
Pray that a former missionary in China may find an open door among the Chinese of Los Angeles.
A sister who is ill and has poor vision re- quests the prayers of God’s children.
Pray for Sister Dora Taylor as she min- isters through the newly established clinic in Honduras.
Pray for a spiritual cleansing in the church.
Pray for the lepers who come for treat- ment to our mission in Ethiopia.
Pray that the curse of permanent mili- tarism may not come upon us through Universal Military Training.
Pray that the way may be opened for effective witness in alternative service by our 1-0 men.
Pray for the Mission and the Church in India as they prepare to operate unit- edly under a new constitution, begin- ning July 1.
Pray for our young men of draft age, and their parents, that they may stand for Christian convictions on nonresist- ance, and be willing to make personal sacrifice in the interests of Christian witness.
Pray that the door may continue to be open for teaching the Bible in the government schools in Tanganyika.
( Requests for this column must be signed.)
though His hearers might have claimed that certain of their acts were no worse than others, Jesus condemned them for being ‘just as bad as’ some of the worst sinners of their day not meeting the perfection found in God. Certainly Je- sus would have had no use for a stand- ard of righteousness other than our per- fect Fattier in heaven, and if we aim to follow Him we too must have this ab- solute standard.”
The fourth character trait of a Chris- tian which we shall consider is LOVE. All other traits of character fail without love. Let us meditate on portions of I Corinthians 15, according to the Wey- mouth translation of the Bibie, to find out what Paul thinks of love.
“Love is forbearing and kind. Love knows no jealousy. Love does not brag; is not conceited. She is not unmanneny, nor selfish, nor irritable, nor mindful of wrongs. She does not rejoice in in- justice, but joyfully sides with the truth. She can overlook faults. She is full of trust, full of hope, full of endurance.
8
GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 195 2
OUR SCHOOLS
A Christian Witness Against Low Morals in Athletics
By Nelson E. Kauffman
Love never fails. . . . And so there re main faith, hope, love— these three; bui of these the greatest is love.”
As previously suggested, four of the basic character traits that a Christian should have are honesty, temperance, personal holiness, and love. In order loi Christian youth to be what God wants them to be, they must try, with God's help, to develop strong characteristics along the lines mentioned. Since God has created mankind, He naturally has a right to expect every youth who has be- come a Christian to try to live up to those standards which He has given to us in His book, the Bible. Let us re- member that as Christian young people we are building the church of tomorrow. Unless we develop strong Christian char- acters today, we cannot expect to provide the church of tomorrow that will be pleasing to God.— Missionary Guide.
Anticipation
By F. Rose Buckwalter
‘‘Spring is just around the corner” has become a phrase in common usage in our American communities.
Just how large is the corner? It may be a month or perhaps just a few weeks, or, wonder of wonders, a few days. How- ever long or short the corner is, Spring will inevitably come around it. The hint of its coming is either felt or seen or merely anticipated.
It is one of those things we are sure will come; so we eagerly look for the signs. They are in the little green blades of grass, the returning robins, the swell- ing buds, blooming crocuses, pussy wil- lows, jonquils in the garden, and the honk, honk of wild geese flying north. This last one is the surest sign and gives the greatest thrill of anticipation.
We greet the coming of Spring with a great purging of our homes and grounds.
“Surely I come quickly” is not a com- mon household phrase; however, it is a promise laden with a greater antici- pation and surrounded with signs just as sure as those which point to the com- ing of Spring. But it is not held in es- teem by everyone. Why the difference?
Perhaps we who believe this promise of Jesus’ coming are not showing our eager desire for it as we do for the tran- sient yearly coming of Spring. There are signs of His coming which are just as sure and even more thrilling. They are all written in the Book of books. We can see them in the budding fig tree, in the increased revealing of earth’s vast secrets to men, in the restless migration of the peoples of the world because of war or for other reasons.
The flying of the wild geese following one leader is symbolic of humanity seek- ing One to give them peace. The major- ity find no peaceful habitation because they are following the wrong leader. He “that hath this hope [Christ | in him' purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
Hesston, Kans.
During the past months few weeks have passed in which there were not articles in the press— editorials, columnist reactions, or reports of court proceed- ings regarding the crime and low morals in the field of intercollegiate athletics. In a barbershop today, while a football game was being broadcast, the barber remarked that the corruption in this area of college athletics was only a re- flection of crime and corruption in poli- tics, and other areas of public life. There is no doubt more than a grain of truth in that observation.
In a metropolitan newspaper of Nov. 22 a columnist of that paper and con- tributing editor of Newsweek magazine says: “The full text of Judge Saul Streit’s statement in sentencing ‘fixed’ basket- ball players should be printed in every educational journal in the land. In that way or in some other way, the presidents and governing powers of our colleges should be shamed or frightened or other- wise persuaded to do what most of them have shirked doing up to date.” He then went on to describe “low college morals” which countenance virtual pur- chase of ballplayers and tampering with grades and transcripts in order to build a winning team.
As we observe the reaction of the pub- lic to these scandals, and the editorial sentiment against these evils, we thank God that our Mennonite colleges have been free from the occasion to fall into such temptations because our Board of Education has firmly stood opposed to any form of intercollegiate athletics. But we are at the same time alarmed at the growing interest and participation of parents of our high-school and college students in commercialized sports, which is evidenced in their attendance at games. These students, then, bring to the church college campus a pressure for at least a limited form of intercollegiate athletics which college administrators and Board officials must face and resist. This form of worldliness must be recog- nized and definitely dealt with. Board members should be ready to stand by the position which the current exposure clearly indicates is the Christian position, an intramural program of athletics which is a means for the physical and social de- velopment of the student. This program must never become an end in itself.
The temptation that besets our young men and athletic directors is to engage in questionable programs with compet- ing teams, under cover of semisecrecy or pretense of other interests. Young peo- ple may plan a trip, presumably for some
other reason, but under close scrutiny it is clear that the real objective is some competitive game. This is the same type of low moral conduct which the press is combating. We as Christians must deal with it in the light of God’s Word.
This is a day when the Christian Church must define its position on mod- ern types of recreation. Some are totally contrary to the way of Christ and others are sintul, if and when they become an j end in themselves, or if and when they I occupy an undue amount of time, ex- pense, and energy. We must have a clear, consistent, and genuinely Christian po- sition in this area of life, be it anything from playing with our children, to hunt- ing, college athletics, going South for the winter, or North for the summer.
As ministers we need to be alert to the trends in church league ball games, do constructive thinking in this area, and furnish leadership in keeping every • phase of life under the control of Jesus j Christ. The Board of Education needs and seeks the support of the church in maintaining her position of total intra- mural athletics and to resist the pres- 1 sures that seek to inject a limited form of intercollegiate or interchurch sports into our institutions. In the area of athletics we are also called of God to be lights in the world. May we rise with spiritual strength, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to challenge our youth to a dedi- cation to Christ, which will gladly recog- nize that “bodily exercise profiteth little,” and utilize that little in the great struggle against the moral evils of our day, and to bring light and life to men through Christ, our Lord.
Hannibal, Mo.
Alluding to the Kefauver committee’s dis- closures about the loss of moral integrity in the nation, the National Council’s General Secretary said Senator Fulbright put his fin- ger on our condition when he said: “Too many people in our nation do not believe anything with conviction. The values of life which were clear to the Pilgrims and Founding Fathers have grown dim and fuz- zy in outline.”
This sense of values has grown dim, Dr. Cavert suggested, because religious faith has grown dim.
“Our moral standards cannot be strongly and permanently maintained apart from the faith that produced and nourishes them. Nothing is so crucial for America as an evan- gelistic and missionary ardor which will win the rank and file of our people to a robust Christian faith.” — News, from the National Council of Churches.
January i, 1932
GOSPEL HERALD
9
FOR OUR SHUT-INS
|
The Sympathy of Christ
. . so he was their Saviour; in all their afflictio?is, he ivas afflicted” (Isa. 63:8, 9).
’Tis sweet to know when we are tired, and pain
Lies on our hearts; and when we look in vain
For human comfort— that the heart divine
Still understands these cares of yours and mine;
Not only understands, but day by day Lives with us while we tread the earthly way;
Bears with us all our weariness— and feels The shadow of the faintest cloud that steals
Across our sunshine— even learns again The depth and bitterness of human pain. There is no sorrow that He will not share.
No cross, no burden for our hearts to bear
Without His help— no care of ours too small
To cast on Jesus. Let us tell Him all- Lay at His feet the story of our woes, And in His sympathy find sweet repose.
—Author Unknown.
Thoughts for January
By June B. Weber
If I gave a pair of roller-skates to some- one sick in bed it would be an inap- propriate gift. Our heavenly Father is a wise gift-giver. At the end of an old and worn year He gives each one of us the welcome gift of a sparkling New Year. Everyone can use a new year. Old and young, well and sick, we all need new beginnings. In memory some of our actions in the old year make us ashamed. We may have resisted God’s plan for our spiritual growth. He lets us “trade in’’ our spotted, frayed year on a shining new one. How that calls us to use this year to bring Him honor and glory. Don’t forget to thank God for such a gracious gift. Ask for guidance and patience to live one step at a time with strong faith in Him “w'ho neither slumbers nor sleeps.” Then we can meet the challenge of this New Year.
“That’s very well,” someone counters, “for people who are up and about, but when one lies in bed sick, life is just static. The New Year means nothing.” Don’t say that— don’t THINK that! It is not the purpose of our lives here to do what we think is best or most pleas-
ant. The working out of God’s purpose for one’s life may cut clean to the soul. Then faith and trust come to maturity. We begin to understand how Job felt when he said, “Though he slay me yet will I trust in him.” We need to trust His wisdom in every circumstance.
The way we respond to sickness and suffering can give witness to the suffici- ency of Jesus Christ. The world needs that witness. What will your life say lor Him this coming year?
Oyster Point, Va.
Satisfied
He Shall Be Satisfied
Isaiah 53: 11 He shall be satisfied When all He died to win By loving-kindness gently drawn, Are safely gathered in.
When in the glory bright He views His glorious bride; Sees of the travail of His soul— He shall be satisfied.
I Shall Be Satisfied Psalm 17:13 I shall be satisfied,
But not while here below Where every earthly cup of bliss Is wisely mixed with woe.
When this frail form shall be Forever laid aside,
And in His likeness I awake I shall be satisfied.
—Now.
A Book Review
Bedside Devotions, by Alfred Doerff- ler; Concordia Publishing House; 1950; 30 sheets; n.p.
Each of the sheets is headed with a verse from the Psalms, the great devo- tional book. The author aptly continues the devotional spirit and brings it most tenderly to the bedside of the sufferer. One side is filled with meditative thoughts drawn from the Scripture verse above. The opposite side has a prayer well suited to the heart’s desire of every “shut-in.”
Not only the afflicted, but also such as minister to the spiritual needs of the sick will find these brief devotional read- ings a means to that end. The busy pastor and Christian worker will find on each of these leaflets “seed-thoughts” that will stir his thinking, thus the better enabling him in this work of bringing
comfort to the sick and courage to the despairing.
I’he meditations are centered in the will of God. The prayers are unselfish, recognizing the overruling providence of God. So all prayers should be. “Thy will be done,” coming from the heart of the praying Christian, opens the heav- ens for every tried soul. The greatest blessing that can come to a suffering Christian is a rounded-out devotional life. Perhaps few of us who are in physi- cal health have ever come to the depth and power of a full devotional life.
Most of the sheets have at the top some emblem, an “eye,” “anchor,” “rock,” the “dove,” thus already pre- figuring the message that follows. The prayers are so worded as to cover almost any type of sickbed experiences.
The purpose of the author is to bring heavenly cheer to the sickroom. In this he has succeeded very well. The author has proved himself a boon to the af- flicted. The suffering will thank the author for so coming to the bedside. All who wait on the ailing will benefit by the reading of these devotional write- ups.—Moses G. Gehman.
Why Doubt God’s Word?
It is strange we trust each other-, And only doubt our Lord.
JVe take the ivord of mortals And yet distrust His Word;
But oh, what light and glory Would shine o’er all our days,
If we always would remember God means just xahat He says.
—A. B. Simpson.
The Promised Rest
Cares seem to grow heavier as the years go by. Perhaps it is that the flesh is weaker and less able to endure. Or is it that the enemy is busier today because his time is short? It does seem as though God’s children are more tested than ever before and the cares become “too heavy for thee” (Ex. 18:18). Let us be- ware lest we deserve the loving but faithful rebuke given to Martha. “Thou art careful and troubled.”
Every day brings its own testings, but let us remember “He daily beareth our burden.” . . . He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and longs to relieve the strain of every care.— Selected.
“My Grace Is Sufficient”
When, sin-stricken, burdened, and weary, From bondage I longed to be free, There came to my heart the sweet mes- sage:
“My grace is sufficient for thee.”
10
GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
TO BE NEAR TO GOD
THEME FOR THE WEEK: BABIES
Sunday, January 6
"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah .... And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died" (Gen. 5:21, 27).
When we modern parents name our babies it is usually the practice to name them after a favorite relative, or because there has al- ways been a Henry or Mary in the family. Or we may have thought a name sounded nice and we would like to tag our little one with it. But here was a man of God who named his son prophetically. It is true that the prophecy was concerning an event which as yet was nine hundred and sixty-nine years away, but no matter. Enoch, who walked with God, named his baby Methuselah, that is, “When he dies it shall come.” And it did, for Methuselah died in the year of the flood. Then was the “it” revealed as being God’s righteous judgment upon a wicked world. Even by a baby’s name was God preaching to the world for well-nigh a thousand years, yet the deaf old world would not hear. How is it with you?
Monday, January 7
"Hannah . . . bare a son, and called his name Samuel, savina. 'R=cause I have asked him of the Lord" (I Sam. 1:20).
The name means “asked of God.” No need to repeat the story. This woman per- petuated a memorial to answered prayer. Her son’s name has rung down through the ages. What a fine thing to ask for, and what a fine thing to get! But before she received a prom- ise even that her prayer was answered she dedicated her son — -if ever he was to be born — she dedicated her son to the Lord. Some people dedicate their son to the second farm, “the other place, not the home place”; you know what we mean. Some act as if the daughter is dedicated to wear the clothes Mother would like to wear but dare not. But Hannah wanted a son, for the Lord. Would to God all children were born that way. All children have the inalienable right to be “asked of God.”
Tuesday, January 8
"Therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead . . . But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (II Sam. 12:19, 23).
Though born of grievous sin, the babe was sweet and innocent. He was loved. A palace awaited him; loving hands would do what they could. But he was taken. Mystery of life — who can fathom it? Born to breathe the Palestinian air for but a few short weeks or months — what was his mission? I do not know, except that his little life evoked the faith of the “sweet singer of Israel” who de- clares the living truth that our righteous de- parted dead await us in that haven from which it would be folly to return. Sweet babe of David and Bathsheba, your few breaths kindled love in David’s heart, and
I know that I, as he, may go one day to where you, he, and mine own await me. No, babe, you did not draw breath in vain. You teach me.
Wednesday, January 9
"And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water" (Ex. 2:10).
This baby was named by a heathen wom- an, but Jochebed, his mother, couldn’t have done a better job of naming the baby. You see his name means “Drawn out.” How very prophetic was the name. Drawn out of the water, to be sure, but first he was drawn out of death, drawn out by faith. He was drawn out in spite of the king’s displeasure at his very birth. And then he was drawn out of the courts of Egypt when he was grown, magnetized by the recompense of the reward of the godly. Drawn out of the desert to the burning bush, drawn up to re- ceive the Ten Commandments, drawn up to view the land of Canaan, and drawn at last to the Mount of Transfiguration, there to converse about the plan of the ages. Baby Moses! You never can tell how far an in- nocent babe may go.
Thursday, January 10
"And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thpe: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16).
All grown people were once babies, and Ruth was no exception. Look at her name, for it means “Friendship.” How prophetic and satisfactory the name. Truly a friend to Naomi was she, and through that friendship was she also a friend of God. Here too was the Providence of God that a heathen family should name their girl thus. Is it supposing too much to think that they taught her to live up to her name? At least she did live up to it. And should not all our babies be taught to be friendly with the right people? Of course Ruth’s friendship did not extend to evervone, only to the righteous children of God. Well may we train our innocent babies to do the same.
Friday, January 11
"Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God" (Hosea 1:9).
If Hosea’s name were not enrolled among God’s obedient servants I should pity him. As it is I don’t. Married to a harlot at God’s command, naming his children prophetically with queer names, and then having to buy back from the slave market this runaway wife of his, who wouldn’t pity him? But no obedient servant of God needs pity. Any- wav he named his boy “Not my people.” But as “Not my people” ran around playing, his father by inspiration preached, with a lively object lesson in the neighborhood for all to see. Hear Hosea preach, perhaps with little
(Continued on page 11)
CALLED TO FOLLOW
Sunday School Lesson for January 13
(Matthew 4:18-25; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11)
We say to God, “Where He leads I will follow.” Will we? Do we? What if He asks us to change jobs? What if He asks us to do a less remunerative job? or to do work that grants only a living allowance? Will we follow Him anywhere?
In our lesson four successful businessmen were called to leave their business to go to a work that had only a living allowance. Who were they? What do we know about them before this? As disciples of John the Bap- tist they believed in the coming Messiah. When He came they recognized and accept- ed Him as the Messiah, as Master and as Lord. Often had they associated with Jesus in His work during the past year. The su- pernatural power of the Divine One was observed a number of times.
In the important event of this lesson the Master is giving the four disciples a great demonstration of divine power and success of the Gospel. The crowd is pressing and the listening conditions are poor for hearing the word of God from the lips of Christ. The Master, “One standing over others,” request- ed the use of Peter’s boat which was gladly granted. Peter had what Jesus could use in His kingdom.
After having finished preaching, Jesus asked Peter to “put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch.” What a test Jesus put to Peter. “Will you believe what- ever I say? Will you go counter to all your fishing experience and disregard what the men about the shore might think and say, and do what I say?” Fishing in shallow waters and at nighttime v/as a natural meth- od for success, but Jesus was above the nat- ural.
Peter declared that he would obey be- cause his Master had commanded it. This was an act of great faith in a Great Lord. Jesus learned Peter’s attitude toward Him.
The great multitude of fish enclosed dem- onstrated Jesus’ miraculous and absolute power of nature. At that unlikely place and at that altogether wrong time many fish more than filled Peter’s net. Peter, realizing the deity of Jesus, felt his unworthiness to be in the presence of such an Holy One.
Thus Jesus began the preparation of these fishermen to follow Him, “to catch alive” men. From this day on these disciples and believers entered the school of training under the great Teacher. It would be but a two- year period and then the Master would leave the catching to them alone (assisted by His Holy Spirit).
Jesus has need of each one of us to for- sake all and follow Him. Do we doubt His power to do great things through us if we obey His commands? With Peter let us never think we know more than our Master, 1 but just trust and obey. And do not forget the enormous catch. — Alta Mae Erb.
Lesson based on "International Sundav School Les- sons: the International Bible Lessons for Christian Teaching," copyrighted 1951 by the Division of Chris- tian Education National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
January i, 1952
GOSPEL HERALD
11
CHURCH MUSIC
Instruments in Worship
By Darrel Hostetler
If you have recently visited a church where a musical instrument was used for congregational singing, will you try to recall how the singing sounded? That is, if they had congregational singing. Was everyone singing? Did the people really seem to be worshiping or were they just following the words? Did you hear four distinct voice parts or could you hear only the organ? Perhaps you heard only the loud banging of the pianist trying to keep the congregation going.
At one time many people, leaders in their churches, were trying to keep un- accompanied congregational singing. Among these were Calvin, John Wesley, and Charles Spurgeon. It was Tohn Wes- ley who said, “I have no objection to instruments being in our chapels, pro- vided they are neither heard nor seen.” Robert Nevin, another church leader, said:
“The effort should be to get the people to sing universally and heartily, and no paltry economy should be allowed to stand in the way of such a desirable con- summation. There may be some reason to complain in many quarters of the numbers who are dumb when God’s praise is being sung. The remedy is not to be found in the introduction of in- struments—that will only have the effect of multiplying the number of mute lis- teners—but in having the people in- structed in the art of singing. It is right and proper and much to be desired, not only that all should sing, but that they should do it skillfully; although there is a danger to be guarded against of being so absorbed in the outward and artistic effort, the merely bodily service, as to fail in rendering real worship in spirit and truth. God judges not as man judg- es. He looks upon the heart.”
The Mennonite Church is one of the few churches which has maintained a stand against the use of instruments in the church throughout the centuries. Some of the reasons have already been implied. Another reason is to keep sim- plicity in the worship service. Machinery is often a hindrance to a truly edifying spirit of worship within the believer himself. The Mennonite Church has de- veloped a unique kind of congregational singing throughout the years by relying on the human voice for all the beauties of music. To depend on one’s own na- tive musical ability is to escape the danger of instrument-dependency and guarantees the development of the finest and best musical talent within the in- dividual. It is the belief of many people
that the day musical instruments enter our churches, something else will leave. This is our good four-part congrega- tional singing. The introduction of in- struments will not liven the spirit and tempo of the service, nor will it inspire us to sing more heartily. Rather, it will make singing congregations just groups of listeners, and we will end up with just mediocre singing ability.
Years ago the Mennonite Church did not have four-part singing. Everyone sang the melody. It was during the period from 1870 to 1916 that the church had singing schools led by capable men to procure the four-part singing which we have enjoyed to this day. The music in our churches has gone down since that period. There are too many light Gospel songs sung in churches where good hymns could be appreciated. Where Gos- pel songs are all that seemingly can be understood, the people should be gradu- ally led to the singing of hymns. There is a need for singing schools today. The Mennonite Church needs men trained to help us keep our four-part unaccom- panied congregational singing. In place of buying instruments, why not use that money to support these men, who would be playing a great part in keeping a worshipful attitude in our church? These men could not only help the congrega- tions, but could have special classes for those who are and would like to be choristers. They would be men qualified to work with the children of the church.
There are some works, of course, such as The Messiah, which may require use of instruments. But since auditoriums are usually made available to church groups for such presentations, it would be senseless to buy an instrument for just those occasions. It is best to choose songs which are written for, or can be sung, a cappella. Good quality songs of this type are not hard to find.
Instruments have their uses in the schools and homes, and it is hard to find a better way to increase general musical knowledge than by taking piano lessons. But for use in our worship services, the instrument is not in order, and the Men- nonite Church will do well to maintain her present witness. All of us must catch the vision of the consequences of a failure to maintain this witness, and realizing that it is worth all our efforts to with- stand the innovation of instruments into our churches, do all in our power to educate our people to the same under- standing and vision. It means that we will need to cultivate an even better type of congregational singing than we have now, and to do this means the giving of some basic knowledge and training to all our members. Something should be done
soon. Are you willing to do your part to better our worship services through better singing?
Goshen, Ind.
Singing at Work
Give us, oh, give us the man who sings at his work. Be his occupation what it may, he is equal to any of those who follow the same pursuit in silent sullen- ness.
He will do more in the same time— he will do it better— he will persevere long- er. One is scarcely sensible of fatigue while he marches to music. The very stars are said to make harmony as they revolve in their spheres.
Wondrous is the strength of cheerful- ness . . . past calculation its power of endurance. Efforts to be permanently useful must be uniformly joyful— a spirit all sunshine, graceful from very glad- ness, beautiful because bright.— Thomas Carlyle.
TO BE NEAR TO GOD (Continued)
Loammi perched on a stump and his father pointing to him. “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor num- bered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.” I am one of those sons, and I thank you, baby Loammi, for your queer name; the whole story of your naming warms me up.
Saturday, January 12
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).
The name is a contraction of the sentence, “Jehovah saves.” And in the giving of the Baby and His name there is a grand fulfill- ment of David’s Twenty-third Psalm when he says, “Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.” That the world could receive a baby acknowledged as its Saviour before His birth even, that is a miracle. And that He could be received in my heart so many years later, that too is a miracle. Love was born in my heart when I first saw my little brothers, now grown and fathers of families. That love was begotten of that which is seen. But greater yet is the love of Him who is unseen. Love is born today in the hearts of our children as they receive Jesus. Just this December a small lad of eight told me that he is glad at Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday and that even if he received no presents he would still be glad “because it’s Jesus’ birthday.” Thus has the babyhood of Jesus appealed to the children, “for of such is the kingdom of God.”
— J. Paul Sauder.
The safest road to hell is the gradual one — the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sud- den turnings, without milestones, without signpost. — C. S. Lewis.
12
GOSPEL HERALD
January i, I952
FIELD NOTES
Items to appear In this column for any issue. of the following Tuesday must reach Scottdale by Wednesday morning.
Bro. Willard Hunsberger, Doylestown, Pa., has been appointed director of the Laurelville Mennonite Camp for next summer’s season.
Fourteen young people were received into church fellowship by water baptism at the West Union Church, Wellman, Iowa, on Dec. 16.
Junior-intermediate teachers are reminded to send in their reports for Herald Honor Roll to Words of Cheer by Jan. 15. Please give of- ficial name and address of the congregation, and for convenience list the names alpha- betically by last name. A score of 1350 points makes a child eligible for the honor roll. See Words of Cheer for Dec. 16 for detailed in- structions.
Young people from the East Petersburg, Pa., congregation caroled at Steelton on Christmas Eve.
Teachers of juniors and intermediates should note the new contest on “Our Church Leaders” beginning in Words of Cheer on Jan. 6. This contest is designed to help chil- dren understand that there have been follow- ers of Jesus in recent times and in the pres- ent day. Encourage individual participation throughout the quarter. Enter the class con- test.
Table of Contents
1 — "Mortify Therefore"
What Have You Done? (Poem)
2 — Our Readers Say
3 — The Work in Arkansas Respect for Personality
4 — Atomic Research Dates Oldest Bible Manuscript Carnal
It Happened
5 — Sam Hoskins Writes XII
6 — What God Expects of Youth — a Christian Char-
acter
"He Staggered Not" (Poem)
7 — A Prayer for This Week Prayer Requests
8 — Anticipation
A Christian Witness Against Low Morals in Athletics
9— The Sympathy of Christ (Poem)
Thoughts for January Satisfied (Poem)
A Book Review
Why Doubt God's Word? (Poem)
The Promised Rest My Grace Is Sufficient (Poem)
10 — To Be Near to God
Sunday School Lesson for January 13
11 — Instruments in Worship Singing at Work
12 — Field Notes
13 — Mission News
14 — Evangelistic Efforts with the Puerto Ricans in
Eastern Pennsylvania
15 — M.C.C. in Japan O Consistency!
16 — Dedication at Kushiro
17 — Average Church Giving
Voluntary Service and Spiritual Needs Glimpses of Japan
18 — The Unevangelized Millions Shall We Expand?
Women's Activities
Gays Creek, Kentucky
19— M.C.C. Weekly Notes Church Correspondence
22 — Births Marriages Obituaries
23 — The Book Shelf Items and Comments
A tape-recorder is a new addition to the equipment of the Orrville, Ohio, Church.
Change of Address: Newton S. Weber, from West Liberty, Ohio, to Box 241, Gulf- port, Miss. Bro. and Sister Weber have been given charge of the M.C.C. voluntary service unit there.
A winter Bible school will be conducted by the Clinton Frame and Benton congregations in Indiana. It will meet Tuesday, Wednes- day, and Thursday evenings for four weeks beginning Jan. 1. The instructors are Nor- man Kauffman, Amos Yontz, Ira S. Johns, Galen Johns, and Vernon Bontreger.
Bro. Richard E. Martin, Elida, Ohio, spoke in a youth conference at the Shore Church, Shipshewana, Ind., Dec. 21-23.
A remodeling of the church building at Yoder, Kans., is being planned.
Bro. Glen Whitaker, Wichita, Kans., is ill at the Spears Sanitarium, East Tenth Street, Denver, Colo. Pray for his recovery.
Bro. Aquilla E. Riehl was ordained to the ministry at 200 St. Annes Avenue, Bronx, New York City, on Dec. 16. The ordination was under the direction of the Lancaster Con- ference.
A ministerial and Christian workers’ study course will be conducted at Souderton, Pa., Jan. 7-19. Classes will meet in twelve ses- sions Monday through Friday nights and Saturday afternoons for two weeks. Elmer B. Moyer is the director. Milton G. Brack- bill will teach The Work of the Holy Spirit; Markley H. Clemmer, Jewish Evangelism; Paul M. Lederach, Church History Survey; Paul R. Clemens, Old Testament Poetry and Prophecy.
Seven persons were baptized and received into church fellowship at Elmira, Ont., on Dec. 25.
Guest speakers in the annual district Christmas program which began at Leetonia, Ohio, on Dec. 22, were P. L. Frey, Archbold, Ohio, and Wyse Graber, Stryker, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kim, Korean Chris- tians who are attending school in America, spoke in the Sunday morning services at Scottdale on Dec. 23.
The Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp Association was organized at La Junta, Colo., on Dec. 2. Officers are W. J. Dye, La Junta, Colo., president; Harold Dyck, Hesston, Kans., vice-president; Harold Hjelmstad, Denver, Colo., secretary-treasurer; Allen King, Yoder, Kans., Isaac Leatherman, Che- raw, Colo., and Clarence Ebersole, La Junta, Colo., additional members of the Board. Bro. Jess Kauffman, Colorado Springs, will direct the camp program in 1952.
Bro. Roy D. Roth, president-elect of Hess- ton College, accompanied by a male quartet, toured Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi during the holidays. A second team from Hesston College, headed by Perry Miller, visited Amish churches in Iowa and Indiana in the interest of foreign students.
Sister Isla Zink, employed in the treas- surer’s office of the Publishing House, was hospitalized on the evening of Dec. 25 after having been struck by an automobile. At the time of going to press the extent of her in- juries is not yet known.
Announcements
Hymn-sing, with special singing, at Deep Run meetinghouse, Deep Run, Pa., Jan. 1 at 7:30; speaker, Paul Clemens. Youth Fellow- ship Meeting, Millersville, Pa., Jan. 5, 7:30; speaker, Emory Herr. Young people’s meet- ing, Lititz, Pa.; subject, Return of the Lord; on Jan. 6.
Evangelistic Meetings
Mark Peachey, Grantsville, Md., closing Dec. 18.
Visiting Speakers
Nov. 29: Levi Headings, Hutchinson, Kans., at Bethel Springs School, Culp, Ark.
Dec. 13: Nevin Bender, Greenwood, Del., at Yoder, Kans.
Dec. 16: Rhoda Peachey and Shem Peach- ey, Kirkwood, Pa., at Perkasie, Pa.; Clayton Beyler, Hesston, Kans., at Pennsylvania Church, Hesston; Frank Raber, Kansas City, Mo., at Garden City, Mo.; Joe Pantana, with men’s quartet, Elida, Ohio, at Anderson Church, Ft. Wayne, Ind.
Dec. 29: Milton Brackbill, Paoli, Pa., at Youth Gospel Evangelism, Vine Street, Lan- caster, Pa.
Jan. 1: Simon Bucher, Amos W. Weaver. Henry Frank, and T. K. Hershey at Sunday School Meeting, Elizabethtown, Pa.
Jan. 3: Raymond Bucher, Lititz, Pa., at Landis Valley Youth Fellowship group, Lan- caster, Pa.
Calendar
Winter Bible School, Loman, Minn., Jan. 7-27 Winter Bible Term, Hesston College and Bible School, Hesston, Kans., Jan. 2 to Feb. 8 Johnstown Bible School, Stahl Church, Johnstown, Pa., Jan. 2 to Feb. IS
Canton Bible School, Canton, Ohio, Jan. 7 to Feb. 15 Michigan Mennonite Bible School, Fairview, Mich., Jan. 7 to Feb. 15
Winter Bible School of North Central Conference and Northern Light Gospel Mission, Loman, Minn., Jan. 7-25
Ministers' Normal, Stahl Church, Johnstown, Pa., Jan. 8-10 . ,
Maple Grove Winter Bible School, Atglen, Pa., Jan.
Kishacoquillas Bible School, Pennsylvania, Jan. 14 to Feb. I
Special Bible Term, Lancaster Mennonite School, Lancaster, Pa., Jan. 14 to Feb. 22 Conference on Summer Camps, Sponsored by Com- mission for Christian Education and Young Peo- ple's Work, Salem Church, Elida, Ohio, Jan. 25, 26 Winter Bible School, Goshen College, fin. 28 to
Special Bible Term, Eastern Mennonite College, Har- risonburg, Va., Jan. 29 to March 10 Mennonite Publication Board, Annual Meeting, Way- land, Iowa, Feb. 20, 21
Conference on Christian Community Relations, Tis- kilwa. 111., March 27-29
Lay Evangelism Conference, Goshen College, Gosh- en, Ind., April 5-7
Mennonite Youth Fellowship Workshop. Iowa Men- nonite School, Kalona, Iowa, June 9-12
Mennonite Youth Fellowship Annual Meeting, Lower Deer Creek Church, Kalona, Iowa, June 13, 14
Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, Annual Meeting, Lower Deer Creek Church, Kalona, Iowa, June 14-17
Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference, Springs, Pa., July 20-23
Illinois Mennonite Conference, Flanagan, 111., Aug 19-21
Mennonite General Conlerence, Place Undecided Aug. 26-30, 1953
January i, 1952
GOSPEL HERALD
13
Go, Preach . MISSIONS *
Give, Pray
The General BoaTd Headquarters ior Missions, Relie! and Service: 1711 Prairie Street, Elkhart, Indiana. Telephone, Elkhart 2-2786.
Mission News
Frank and Anna Byler write from Bra- gado, Argentina: “We received some summer Bible school material from Scottdale, printed in Spanish; and are making plans for using it this summer. So far they have translated and published the materials for grades 2 and 4, so that is what we will use: dividing the children into two groups, then dividing the groups for smaller classes. We will also have a preschool group, with materials which we are now preparing. There are some fine young girls in the church here who will serve as teachers, and they are really enthused with such nice teaching materials. The date set for Bible school is Dec. 5-15.”
Philhaven, new mental hospital being con- structed by the Lancaster Conference, will likely open about April 1. A voluntary serv- ice unit is being organized to assist there.
Brethren David Shank and Orley Swartz- entruber, Mennonite missionaries in Belgium, have been requested by the Mission Board Executive Committee to visit France and Spain during the Christmas holidays to make some preliminary investigations regarding missionary opportunity and challenge in those countries.
November marked ten years since the Wooster, Ohio, Mennonite Mission moved into its present building on Gasche Street. The work was organized in 1944 with eight charter members. The Sunday-school at- tendance for 1950 averaged 113 and for 1951, 123. The Lord has blessed the work and the growth of the church has increased until the present membership is ninety-nine. The con- gregation is now in the process of moving into their new church built during the last year.
On Monday, Dec. 17, the Missions class of Goshen College, under the instruction of Ernest E. Miller, visited Mission Board Head- quarters in Elkhart to get a bird’s-eye view of the work of the Board.
New missionary appointees to Ethiopia are Robert and Alta Garber.
Plans for the special training course for preparing young workers for service in Puer- to Rico were discussed at the meeting of the new evangelizing committee in Puerto Rico Dec. 11. The training program is to begin Jan. 10. Bro. Fidel Santiago, assistant to the pastor at Rabanal, and others interested in service, will plan to attend.
A brief farewell service was conducted dur- ing the daily chapel period at the Mission Board headquarters on Dec. 19, for Delbert and Ruth Erb, missionaries to Argentina. A final farewell service was held for them at Scottdale on Dec. 23. They were scheduled to sail from New York on Dec. 29. and are due to arrive in Buenos Aires on Jan. 15:
The Committee on Lay Evangelism, ap- pointed to plan a conference in April, met at Mission Board headquarters on Dec. 18, in preliminary session. The conference will be held April 5-7 on the Goshen College campus. The committee was appointed by the Goshen College Biblical Seminary and the Board Executive Committee, conjointly.
Bro. Dale Nofziger, Cleveland, Ohio, plans to worship with the mission congregation at Fairpoint, Ohio, on Jan. 13.
Bro. Howard Hammer, Wooster, Ohio, preached the Christmas sermon at the Wooster Mennonite Mission on Sunday morning, Dec. 23.
Sister Una Cressman, missionary nurse in the Argentine Chaco, says: “There is not so much time on hand for the women to come together to knit, so Mabel and I are closing up our lengthy visits of several days at the outstations for the season. Through the aid of the flannelgraph, we have been trying to give the Christmas story step by step on our last visits.”
Bro. Ezra Beachy writes from Pinckney. Mich.: “Anna Mabel Kilmer, who has assist- ed so nobly in the work for the past six years, has gone back to her home in Indiana, and is teaching there this year. We are grateful for the help of Floyd Eash and his wife. Both teach classes and she is church chorister and he is chairman of the young people’s meet- ing.”
Grades seven to ten from the Sonnenberg Parochial School gave the Sunday evening
Your Treasurer Reports
Brother and Sister Alvin Hostetler from Topeka, Indiana, have recently been appoint- ed as missionaries to India to work in the area of maintenance and construction for the India hospital and other mission activities. Since Brother Hostetler is a trained mechanic and will be of great assistance to our mission effort, particularly in the hospital area, it is desirable to send with him considerable equipment for the work. Contributions to help purchase the field equipment and other special equipment for these outgoing workers would be much appreciated. The regular field equipment will amount to $700.00. In addition to this, funds will be needed for spe- cial mechanical and building tools.
Brother and Sister Hostetler are being ap- pointed by the Mennonite Relief Committee as their first India long-term service workers. We trust the Lord will bless their labors in this field of service.
H. Ernest Bennett, Treasurer Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities Elkhart, Indiana
MENNONITE RELIEF COMMITTEE (M.R.C.)
Bro. and Sister John Brandenberry, Julia, Robert, and Carmen have recently returned to their home near Middlebury, Ind., after a term of service in La Plata Mennonite Proj- ect, Puerto Rico. Carmen, a seven-and-one- half-year-old Puerto Rican girl, joined the Brandenberry family several months ago.
Bro. and Sister Royal Snyder and son Vic- tor, La Plata, Puerto Rico, recently welcomed into their home a seven-week-old Puerto Ri- can baby boy left for adoption at the La Plata hospital. They have named him Danny.
Bro. and Sister Jasper Roth, Rantoul, 111., Sisters Esther and Mary Neff, Lagrange, Ind., Bro. Kenneth Oswald, West Point, Nebr,. and Bro. James Hershberger, Hesston, Kans., completed their terms of service in the Kansas City hospital unit on Dec. 31.
Over 600 Christmas bundles for the Nava- jo Indian children had been received by Dec. 15 with more still coming, according to re- ports from the unit at Phoenix, Ariz. Dis- tribution was to begin on Dec. 18. The unit is now working in three migrant camps west of Phoenix, two Navajo camps and one Ne- gro camp. As was anticipated, the unit is finding quite a few Indians in the Phoenix camps who had also lived in the camp near Grants, N. Mex., where they worked during the past summer and fall.
Bro. and Sister William Swartzendruber, Telford, Pa., and Bro. Raymond Vallarta, Freeport, 111., left by car from Elkhart on Dec. 31 for Mathis, Texas, to begin a service program among the Spanish-speaking Amer- icans served by our mission there.
Applications for summer service units have recently been sent to mission pastors and in- stitutional superintendents where units served last summer. Anyone else desiring the serv- ices of a unit next summer should contact the Secretary for Service and Relief as soon as possible.
program at the Wooster, Ohio, Mennonite Mission on Dec. 16.
Bro. T. K. Hershey, Elverson, Pa., began a mission study course on Latin America on Dec. 6 at the Maple Grove Church near At- glen, Pa. Some seventy persons were in at- tendance at the first meeting. Good interest and attention were reported.
Prayer is requested for a family with a fine group of boys at Pinckney, Mich. The parents and two oldest boys are in the church, but are losing out. The spiritual problems have become a serious threat to their home life. Pray for complete consecration.
The congregation at Palo Hincado, Puerto Rico, continues to worship in the concrete (Cpntmued..on page. . 2.0J. .
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GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
One of the groups with whom religious services were held at the Oley, Pa., church.
Evangelistic Efforts with the Puerto Ricans in Eastern Pennsylvania
Bv T. K. Hershey
TTN former years, the task of taking the Gospel to the migrant Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania fell largely on the shoulders of the writer. The reason for this was that no one else in this section preached in Span- ish. This year, however, we were able to secure the most valuable help of Brother John T. N. Litwiller, who is an Argentine by birth and knows the Spanish language perfectly.
Plans for the Work
Plans to divide the work between Brother Litwiller and myself were prepared by a con- joint meeting of the bishops and ministers of the Lancaster Conference and bishops and ministers of the Ohio Mennonite and Eastern A.M. Joint Conference. This committee met several times. Plans as to location of church- es to hold these services, how conduct them, and how create interest in this work among the eastern churches were freely discussed. It was felt that this year the entire effort should be considered as a Voluntary Service project. Thus the Voluntary Service Unit of Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities was the principal factor in helping to create interest, as well as to divide the district and the work to be done.
Several Mennonite churches were visited weeks before the work was launched. Ad- dresses were given and interest in this work was aroused. The importance of giving the Gospel to the Puerto Ricans was laid on the hearts of the brotherhood, and all were urged to co-operate in every way possible to make this work a success.
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The congregations assigned Brother Lit- willer were Slackwater, Bossier’s, and Hern- ley’s. These churches are west of Lancaster. The churches assigned to me were Parkes- burg, Oley, and the Rock. These are east of Lancaster. Before starting the services, each congregation where the meetings were to be conducted, appointed a committee of three whose duty it was to notify, and bring if necessary, all Puerto Ricans in the commu- nity to the services.
The Work Launched
The work began at some places in July and in others the first Sunday in August and closed the first Sunday in October. In all these services, we had many things in com- mon. The attendance in all of the churches was very good. The total weekly average was upward of 500. Besides these regular places of worship, we were called to con- duct Spanish services in several other points. One such service was about thirty miles north of Harrisburg. Another south and east of Parkesburg at a place called “West Grove.” Here the loud-speaker was used as the serv- ices were conducted in the open air.
Literature Distributed
The following were distributed among the Puerto Rican men: 243 Bibles, 376 New Testaments, 400 Gospels, 1,000 Heraldo Evan- gelicos (our Spanish monthly), and approxi- mately 20,000 tracts. The Bibles were usual- ly sold to them. Some of the congregations requested that we sell the Bibles at half price and they make up the other half. This re- sulted in their securing a Bible for 50^. The songbooks used were Canticos de Esperanza
(Songs of Hope). Several hundred were purchased. At the end of the season, each man was given one of these songbooks (at least it was so in the eastern section). He was also given a New Testament, Gospels, and tracts to take with him to Puerto Rico.
Out on the Farms with the Men
Brother Litwiller and myself were called on to accompany and interpret for the two state representatives who were in charge of finding work and locating these men among the farmers. This gave us an opportunity to visit them in their living quarters, as well as out in the tomato and potato fields and in some of the fruit orchards. Thus we con- tacted the Puerto Rican men during the week and also on Sunday. It gave us exceptional opportunities to converse with them on their many perplexing family and individual prob- lems.
Puerto Rican Assistance
We were very glad for the help of Broth- er Jose Delgado and Arcadio Natal, young Puerto Rican men who had an experience of salvation and a burden for the lost. They came to work as did the rest. Both could deliver the Gospel message in a very force- ful manner. They were useful in singing, and when the invitation was given, they ac- companied the men into the prayer room where they further instructed them and had prayer with them. At present, both these young men are at Hesston College preparing themselves that someday they may return with the Gospel to their people. Pray for them.
Results
Only eternity will reveal the good done in this effort this summer. The visible results were most encouraging. Two to three hun- dred expressed their desire to know the way more perfectly. Surely, they need your pray- ers.
Cards were given them to fill out, giving their names with address in Puerto Rico, the farmer for whom they worked, and which church they attended. With this system, we expect to keep in touch with them when they return to the island. At our closing and final meeting, we had a consecration service at the central church to which all attending the other meeting centers were invited. The church was well filled. The testimonies from the employers and the employees were in- spiring to hear of the spiritual times the farm- er had with his boys, and in turn hear the boys tell of the influence these Christian homes and the Gospel had on them. This made us all feel that our efforts were worth while.
Grateful for Help
We want to thank all our brethren volun- teers who so faithfully helped to make these meetings a success. Because of the many trips made to bring and to take the men to their homes after the services, some of our brethren did not retire until the late hours of the night. To do this noble work, all oth- er appointments were laid aside. May God bless all these efficient helpers for the sacri- fice made. We also want to thank the church-
January i, 1952
GOSPEL HERALD
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es for the financial help which made possi- have remained in the States, securing work ble literature, trips, and other expenses in- in factories and among farmers for the win- curred in this work. ter. May God bless all that was done to His
Pray for these Puerto Rican migrants. Most honor and glory and the salvation of many, of them have returned to their homes. Some Elverson, Pa.
M.C.C. in Japan
By H. G. Thielman
“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest” (Gen. 28:15).
HTHIS was the promise that God gave to Jacob, when he was on the way to Haran. As we read the history of Jacob, we can clearly see how God has been true to His promise. Many other passages tell us that we too can claim this promise of God for ourselves. This seems to be a special blessing and comfort if one labors in a for- eign country.
It has been the privilege of the M.C.C. to be in Japan for more than two years. As we look back we admit that it has not always been easy, but that there have been trying hours in our time in Japan. However, the things we would like to keep in mind are the many blessings that we had and the many times when we so definitely felt the leading of God in our work. May these few lines be a testimony of thanks toward God and our churches at home, who have so nobly supported our work here.
Five M.C.C. workers make up the Japan unit, each trying to serve “In the Name of Christ.” The sewing program is one of the main projects. In the morning at nine o’clock, mothers from poor families gather here to sew. We supply the materials and machines. Before the mothers start to sew, we have a brief devotional period with them
every morning. I am sure that many of them have never before heard the Word of God, and that it will leave an influence upon them.
Many English classes are conducted. This is a good way to contact people and enables us to have a Christian influence upon the students.
Three times a week we have meetings with children. Many children come for these meet- ings, and it is a privilege that we are able to bring the Word of God to the children of the slum districts. We also have native Chris- tian help for this work. It is a real joy to hear these dirty, poorly dressed children sing Christian songs and pray the Lord’s Prayer.
Three times a week we have dental work for children who are not able to have treat- ment otherwise. Two native dentists are devoting their spare time to help the poor people. These dentists are not yet Chris- tians, but it is our prayer that through con- tact with us they too may be led to Christ.
Many Bible classes are conducted here at the center and elsewhere. This has proved a real blessing to many Japanese people as well as for the ones conducting them. Many Jap- anese have become interested in the Word of God and have been saved by His grace.
Every Sunday evening we have regular church services. It is a joy to see how the room of a little over one hundred seats fills
Through the work of M.C.C. many little Japa- nese boys and girls have received Christmas bundles.
up to the last seat. Just now, I had a young man in my office again, who was in our meeting last night. He came to ask how he could become a Christian. Much of our work is in dealing with individual souls, listening to their problems, and trying to help them by pointing them to Christ.
Osaka, Japan.
0 Consistency!
According to the new requirements of the Belgian Government, missionaries to the Bel- gian Congo must come to study in Belgium for a year before beginning work in the colony. Examinations in the French lan- guage must be passed, followed by a stiff course on Colonial matters. Visits to spots of historic interest are part of the training.
A group of missionaries accompanied by a Congolese visitor was being guided about the ancient city of Bruges this last year. The Congolese man was well educated and ca- pable of enjoying the architecture and rich art treasures of the cathedrals. As the group passed the high altar in one church, he paused to examine some wax objects hanging there. Wax legs, babies, and even pigs repre- sent the objects of fervent petitions.
“Whatever are these things?” cried the Congolese to his embarrassed guide. “I can guess well enough what they represent, for we have them where I come from. You white men come from Belgium to take away our witchcraft, but when I come to your home churches, I find that vou too have fetishes.” — From “Flanders’ Fields.”
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GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
Pastor Ito Sensei and some of the children from his kindergarten playing together. Pastor Ito has been a real help and inspiration in the work of our mission in Kushiro.
Dedication at Kushiro
By Ralph Buckwalter
The Buckwalter family — Ralph, Genevieve, and Araya San — have now moved to their new home in Kushiro. In the letters which follow, they are rejoicing in the many opportunities they have in witnessing for Christ in Japan. — Ed.
Our house is a little behind schedule, as we had anticipated, but we are quite certain of moving in before October 31. It is work- ing out just perfectly, for we have the use of our “dance hall” room only through this month, since they have started the dances again. We plan for the morning service to be held at No. 13 Tsurugadai Nov. 4. Tenta- tive plans are for our dedication service on Nov. 11. Then we expect to have baptism and communion service at Obihiro on Nov. 25, or about that date. Lee (Kanagy) will likely come up for that glad occasion. Then Becks’ dedication service will be around the middle of December. We rejoice in the way the Lord has blessed us during the summer, how He is calling and a few are answering to give themselves earnestly to Christ and to an eager study of the Word.
We are hoping to begin a Sunday school soon after moving to Tsurugadai. One of the girls who is attending our meeting and has had some experience with children is eager to help. Several fellows who are attending the Teacher’s College want to help also. They are Christians from Kitami, Abashiri, and Yubetsu. We have a lot of work to do in gathering materials and in preparing a group of teachers to start this work for the children in the community.
In another week I will begin a Bible class at the Teacher’s College. This is the oppor- tunity I’ve been looking for. The opportunity of teaching in four different schools this winter is a good one. We are going to have
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to go a little easy in order to reserve enough time for serious language study. We have started now spending every Monday and Sat- urday morning with a tutor studying new material. We are spending at least one more morning a week with Araya San reviewing lessons we had studied. We want to put in a
minimum of twenty hours a week on lan- guage study this winter if at all possible. It is going to be a hard pull, but we really have to do it.
A Month Later
We wrote to you exactly one month ago to- day. The past four weeks have been exceed- ingly busy ones and work isn’t tapering off. We are actually moved into our new house. We have a different outlook on life here. There are fewer dogs, but more school chil- dren and a grand view. We moved over two weeks ago even though the work was not completed. There are still a few odds and ends and leaks in the water system which need correction before we can say the house is completed.
Carls were here for the dedication service Sunday, Nov. 11. About five of their young people came along with them. We had sixty in the morning service. Carl preached. We figure we can get seventy-five or eighty peo- ple in our dining-living room combination. The chairs we ordered a month ago haven’t arrived yet; so we borrowed fifty stools from the Middle School for our special Sunday services.
Pastor Ito led the afternoon dedication service and preached the sermon. He inter- preted the Mennonites to the congregation, explaining something of Anabaptist history, etc. Carl and I also spoke briefly. During the tea following the service a number of people gave aisatsu (greetings): the mayor, several of the teachers, Dr. Kogo. Mr. Hasegawa, one daughter, and a son came from their dairy farm for the service. (This is the fami- ly we visited, the story of which will appear in the Y.C.C.) They spent two days with us and were our first guests. We enjoyed their visit immensely. Much to their delight and our joy, it will be possible for the two
Araya San (left) with some of the membersof the Bible class at Kushiro composed of Pres- byterian young people.
January i, 1952
older girls to take turns spending the winter with us. It is their slack season, of course, and it will aflord a good opportunity for some social life for the girls. They will not come as maids to help Genny, but as part of the family. It will be a two-way learning process. When we made the suggestion at the breakfast table Monday morning just before Hasegawas took their leave, Keiko San could hardly keep the tears back. Mr. Hasegawa asked her whether she had sail! anything to us. She said, “No.”
Mr. Hasegawa surprised us Monday morn- ing at breakfast by asking whether he could lead in prayer. He prayed with feeling. It was his first time and he told Araya San later that it was very hard for him. But he is not willing yet to become a committed follower of Christ. We pray that perhaps through the daughters, as the Lord uses us to help them to a life of faith in Christ, he too, and Mrs. Hasegawa will become open and com- pletely dedicated Christians.
The student members of the Y.M.C.A., in- cluding about ten fellows and three girls, of the Teacher’s College have begun a weekly meeting in our home especially for Bible study. We are not in charge of the group, which is as it should be. We will help in an- swering questions and in giving guidance and suggestions as the opportunities present themselves. We are very happy with this ar- rangement. About five of the Y.M.C.A. fel- lows are very enthusiastic about getting a Sunday school started. They, along with sev- eral other young people who have been at- tending our meetings, will make up the first corps of teachers. This week we are making a survey of the community. Several of the students helped mimeograph the Sunday- school statement of purpose and the survey cards. Our plan is to begin the school early in December. We pray this may be a means of helping the young people who want to teach to a deep Christian experience and broad understanding of the Bible. They realize their need for knowing the Bible bet- ter and are committed to a program of serious study.
This is throwing us into some phases of the work which we had not planned to begin quite so soon, but it is good and ours is the great responsibility of helping to channel energies and enthusiasm into the right chan- nel for the glory of God.
Among those who come to our Bible study services are some of the former workers on our house. For this we are grateful. It is really true that the contacts one makes at the bicycle shop, the fruit store, the carpenter shop, the fish market can and must be cap- italized on for the glory of Christ. That’s the way it has worked for almost all who now come to our services and the group is steadily increasing. Soon we will be hoping for a real chapel.
A number of earnest seekers, both at Obi- hiro and Kushiro, will not be ready for bap- tism this Sunday, but we think that later, perhaps in February, we can plan our first baptism service here at Kushiro. Truly the kingdom of heaven is as a grain of mustard seed and as a piece of yeast in a lump of dough. We do not pioneer for God with a
GOSPEL HERALD
jazz band, but we pray that the Word of the Lord may run with power as the mustard seed grows.
Kushiro, Japan.
Average Church Giving
Recently the United Stewardship Council released figures for per capita giving in 195(1 in forty-eight Protestant denominations. The average gift for all purposes is reported to have been $30.58. In that same year the na- tional aggregate of personal income for that year was set at an all-time high of 217 billion dollars; the per capita income for that year was $1,436.00. If in 1950 Protestants had con- tributed the same percentage of personal in- come as they gave in 1933, the average con- tribution— when the per capita income was $368.00 — would have amounted to $79.78. If they had given the tithe, it would have amounted to $143.60. (The Federal govern- ment would have permitted an average de- duction of $215.40.)
Thus it will be seen that our Protestant giving was at a per capita rate of two per cent. Total giving of the American people for all religious and philanthropic purposes amounted to less than half of the eight bil- lion spent for liquors.
The Golden Rule Foundation, which has released these computations, makes no com- ment on them. Perhaps no comment is need- ed. We cannot, however, resist the raising of a question or so.
Are we in our individual churches holding before our people sufficiently high and chal- lenging objectives? Is the rigid budget sys- tem, with its dehumanizing of issues and ap- peals, reaching merely pocketbooks and not hearts as well? Does not that system make for coldly calculated, rather than for spon- taneous giving? — “The Protestant World.”
Voluntary Service and Spiritual Needs
By H. Raymond Charles V.S. Director, Eastern Mennonite Board
of Missiotis and Charities
The time and energy spent by Voluntary Service workers from our conference this summer would add up to about the service of one person serving for eight continuous years. Most of the workers served in outpost Bible school work such as Steam Valley. An- other important phase of need is that of the migrant farm laborer who finds his way into the harvest fields of America. A missionary is usually sent into the field of possibility, but in recent years we are having the mission field come to us. One current example of this is the increasing number of Puerto Ricans who are coming into our country. This summer Bro. John Litwiller, who was born in a Spanish-speaking country, has giv- en his whole summer to ministering both to the physical and spiritual needs of these peo- ple. As a pastor to them he has visited them in the fields and also preached to them in the church. As a result of the invitation he
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gave for them to decide for Christ we have discovered that about one hundred of these persons have a desire to become Christians. Bro. Litwiller feels they are very sincere.
Now they will soon be returning to their homes on that tiny, crowded island to have no spiritual help until they come to us again. 1 am deeply moved at this response and want to enlist your prayers for them. Also pray that someone may be sent to visit them in their home and help both them and their families to become true followers of Jesus.
Another need right in front of us is in evidence in the Kirkland Bros, labor camp. One needs only to drive by the camp to see the plight and need of these persons. The Home Missions Council of North America has been carrying on a spiritual and recrea- tional ministry at this camp until last Mon- day when their worker left to take up school- work. As Voluntary Service Director, I was called and asked whether we would assume responsibility for the Sunday morning serv- ice. As long as the camp continues to operate we have planned to have the Landisville and Salunga Mennonite congregation to take care of this service. This is not a service for you to visit. It is intended that only workers with assigned responsibility attend.
Potter County, Pa., has nineteen separate camps for Negro migrant workers such as the one at Salunga. Will you pray that we may meet the challenge of these needs?
Lancaster, Pa.
Glimpses of Japan
Early one Sunday morning, we climbed one of Japan’s loveliest mountains to see the sun rise. As we stood on top of Tohaki, and watched the lovely pink tint the clouds, 1 caught a vision of the beauty and order of the world.
That same week, I stood almost ankle-deep in mud and looked out over an area devas- tated by the atom bomb. I climbed over the ruins of what was once a gorgeous cathedral. I looked across the way to the skeleton of Chinzei, once a steppingstone into a life of service. My mind could scarcely grasp the destruction for which man is responsible.
Japan presents many such contrasts — lovely mountain peaks above disease-laden valleys. Somehow the work of men’s hands must match the beauty of God’s world. — Alice F. Boyer, Japan, in World Outlook.
# * #
As for the “success” of Christianity in Ja- pan, I will not attempt to estimate it. You can read the reports published by the church- es, and those given by people who have a more over-all view than I do. As the old say- ing goes, “I can’t see the forest for the trees.” There is a great deal in practical Christianity which the Japanese people need and want. They need a religion stripped of gaudy trap- pings—they need a Christianity that works. And here I offer a plea: you, back home, please do all you can to see that Christianity works in America. All types of unfairness,
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shady deals in government, signs of race prejudice coming from America do not pass unnoticed by these “new” Christians. Some of them come to me, genuinely puzzled by something they have read in a magizine or heard from different sources. I never hesitate to tell them that “American” and “Christian” are not synonymous; I can only wish that they were.- — Ruth Myers Taylor, Japan.
The Unevangelized Millions
The tragedy of the yet unevangelized mil- lions of the world should stir the church to missionary action.
Three hundred millions are still in the maze of superstition-ridden Confucianism and Taoism; 240,000,000 are still steeped in the idolatry of Hinduism; 300,000,000 are still in the ugly grip of sensual, loveless, heart-hardening Mohammedanism; 180,000,- 000 are bound in the weird mysticism and demon worship of Buddhism and Lamaism; 158,000,000 are still groping in the unrelieved darkness and superstition of Animism; 327,- 000,000 are shadowed beneath the sinister cloak of Rome, with its Mariolatry, its saint worship, its magic ritual of the mass (in which God is carried aloft as a piece of bread), its false doctrine of purgatory, its abominable confessionals, and many other de- ceiving teachings and ceremonials. There are still 12,000,000 Jews who are turning their backs on Him who is indeed the “Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people, Israel!” 150,000,000 are still atheists, agnostics, or unconcerned.
Think of it: over 2,000,000,000 human be- ings on earth today, with moral accountabili- ty, intellectual activity, and immortal destiny — a mighty host marching to the grave and to a vast beyond. For their present and eter- nal happiness do we spare merely a passing or passive thought? Over 1,500,000,000 of the world’s twentieth-century population are non-Christians! Of the approximately 500,- 000,000 in so-called Christendom, including the millions of Roman Catholics and those of the Greek and Eastern churches, how many are merely nominal Christians, hypo- crites, heretics, reprobates, unregenerate, and spiritually unenlightened?
Missionaries are said to number in Africa only one to every 80,000; in Korea, one to every 120,000; in Japan, one to every 170,000; in India, one to every 320,000; in China, one to every 470,000. It is said that, at the present rate of missionary progress, 80,000,0u0 Ne- groes are beyond all prospect of hearing the Gospel in their lifetime.
Two thirds of India’s population are yet unevangelized and over three quarters of the peoples in South America. 160 towns and villages in China are yet denied the Gospel. In Japan the heathen population is greater today than it was when missions first started.
Look on the fields waiting to be reaped for Christ! While churches delay, unrelenting death — that other reaper with his wide, un- sparing scythe — lays millions low at a turn. 90,000 die out of Christ each day, and sixty every minute. It is time for Christian action in Christian missions ! — Condensed from United Evangelical Action.
GOSPEL HERALD
Missions Editorial
Shall We Expand?
The Executive and Missions Committees of the General Mission Board met for an all-day session in Elkhart on Dec. 13. There was routine business. There were personal inter- views with prospective missionaries. But the chief discussion of the day was concerning an enlarging vision.
We hung a large world map on the wall before us. It is surprising how a map like this influences one’s thinking, and how it helps to bring the world challenge home. That is why a world map on the wall or a good-sized globe on the mantel is such an appropriate “ornament” in a missionary- minded home.
We looked at the home field. There is so much more that we should be doing in our cities — millions, literally, without the Gos- pel. The Negroes as a race are remarkably responsive to the Gospel. They are surprised to find earnest Christian people who love them and who bring to them the love of God in Christ without racial prejudice. The groups of these people are large and are rapidly growing in dozens of our northern cities. We looked at blueprints and tenta- tive drawings for our proposed new church and service center in the midst of Chicago’s vast, new housing projects.
More evangelism in the home church; more outposts; more advance into neglected rural areas; more mass evangelism; more personal soul-winning; more Holy Spirit in- spired missionary zeal among all our people — these were a few of the imperatives for the Mennonite Church which we saw more clearly again as we faced up to the oppor- tunity and the challenge in the home field.
Our eyes wandered over the map and we saw Alaska, Japan, Malaya, Indonesia, Oceania, and the huge blacked-out area be- hind the iron curtain in Asia. In Europe one sees Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Eng- land— country after country with a mature culture, but with so little of the living Gos- pel. Our eyes turn southward to Latin Amer- ica— from our own next-door neighbor of Mexico on down through twenty-one repub- lics to Cape Horn — a vast continent seething in political unrest, which unrest is but sym- bolic of millions of souls who do not know the “peace that passeth understanding.”
Africa, the Middle East, the Moslem world — we were overwhelmed as we “looked on the fields” and as we weighed world need against Mennonite resources — as we meas- ured our own meager missionary outreach with the command of Christ to “go into all the world and make disciples of all people.”
January /, 1952
We have a mandate from Christ to expand our witness, and we believe we have a man- date from the Mennonite Church to do more, go farther, and to enter new fields.— J. D. Graber.
Women’s Activities
In the November Women’s Activities letter there is a request for bandages for Java and Formosa. Sister Ida Stoltzfus says that this is a project that Juniors love to do. How about it, Juniors?
The bandages should be torn from old sheets in 2-, 3-, and 4-inch widths, and rolled tightly. The roll may be two or three inches in diameter, each roll being wrapped in a piece of cloth and sewed to keep it clean.
Winter dresses are needed for Germany in the children’s home and for distribution. Many warm dresses made of wool, spun rayon, or gabardine are needed in cold damp Germany where many homes are not proper- ly heated. — Mrs. C. L. Shank.
GAYS CREEK, KENTUCKY
Dear Christian Friends:
Greetings of love in the Master’s name. Since we last wrote to you, our church build- ing has been erected with the help that a number of you gave. We have appreciated very much the interest that you have had in the work and above all, we are glad for your prayers for the work.
Christians from West Liberty, Ohio, have very generously donated and delivered to us some used benches which we are using. We will likely need a few more benches in the future, but there are enough for the present.
November 8 marked the close of the first week of evangelistic meetings which have been held here in this community by our group since our arrival on the field. Brethren Emanuel Swartzendruber, Pigeon, Mich., and Alvin Swartz, Talbert, Ky., were our speakers during the week. Bro. and Sister Eli Swartzentruber, Greenwood, Del., were also with us during most of the week and we were happy for the help they were able to give at that time. The assistance of John Detwiler was also much appreciated.
Since the close of the meetings we have ex- perienced a fresh thrust of the enemy against the work and Word of the Lord. A number seem at the point of turning away to a seem- ingly easier path because ot the Bible teach- ings on marriage and divorce and on nonre- sistance. They and we need your prayers that Satan may not get an advantage of us. Although there are some who seem at the point of going away, we are encouraged by those who are making real progress in their Christian life and are going on with the Lord.
Thanksgiving season is here again and we have much to praise the Lord for and we long that He may receive from our lives and lips the praise and thanksgiving due unto Him.
David and Rhoda Showalter, Ruth Yoder.
January i, 1952
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CHURCH CORRESPONDENCE
M.C.C. Weekly Notes
DJP.’s Must Report Address
The Internal Security Act of 1950 requires that all aliens admitted to the United States for permanent residence, file an address re- port each year between Jan. 1 and 11.
Reports are to be made on an “Address Report Card” (Form 1-53) which may be secured at any U.S. post office. The com- pleted card should be taken (not mailed) to the post office and handed to the postal clerk. Parents or guardians should submit this re- port for aliens under fourteen years of age.
Sponsors should be sure that the D.P. im- migrants are aware of their responsibility in this matter.
Service Units Follow Migrants
Even in the winter season, service units are in contact with needy migrant labor camps. Near Coalinga, Calif., the M.C.C. unit of our young people carries on Bible classes and other religious teaching, recrea- tion and crafts, in the camps of Negro and Mexican laborers.
The Lancaster Mennonite Conference has opened a service project in the Redlands migrant camp at Homestead, Fla.
Women Needed in Voluntary Service
Young women are needed in several serv- ice units, including housekeepers, cooks, hos- pital attendants, workers with children, nurses, and others. Although the V.S. pro- gram is preparing to accommodate some young drafted men, there will continue to be need and opportunity for purely volun- tary workers, both women and men. Wom- en are especially needed now because some are completing terms of service in projects which are significant.
Far East Relief News
A cablegram from Franklin Beahn brings the word that he arrived in Hong Kong on Nov. 16. He had been the last M.C.C. work- er to be engaged in a relief project in China, that of directing the Free Christian Voca- tional School in Shanghai. Even after the Communist occupation of Shanghai he was able to continue until regulations made it impossible for him as a foreigner to receive remittances and to direct the school. For the past months he has been endeavoring to leave Shanghai.
In addition to helping to care for forty children in an orphanage at Taichung, For- mosa, Ruth Fisher has been asked to con- duct three weekly half-hour programs on a local radio station. Two of these are English Bible lessons, and the third is religious music and poetry. Through these contacts she also is called upon for other services, such as telling Bible stories in a high school with over 2,000 students.
Released December 21, 1951 Via Mennonite Central Committee Akron, Pennsylvania
Retirement is not quitting one’s career, but fitting into one’s sphere. — Dr. Howard T. Kuist.
MARION, PENNSYLVANIA
Dear Herald Readers: We have been blessed with a number of missionaries wor- shiping with us in the past few months. Bro. and Sister Harvey Miller were with us Aug. 25, just a week before their sailing. Bro. Clarence Fretz, with whom the Millers sailed, had been here at a service on June 23. Bro. and Sister Herschkowitz, missionaries to the Jews, were with us in regular service Oct. 7. Bro. Herschkowitz gave us his life history.
Bro. Henry F. Garber, president of the Eastern Board of Missions and Charities, of the Lancaster Conference, was present on Dec. 9 and brought a message from Ezek. 9:4, “A Mark ot a Christian.” The after- noon of that day a large group met for the farewell service for Bro. and Sister Lester Eshleman, who expect to sail on Dec. 20 for the Tanganyika mission field in Africa. Bro. Amos Martin, Sister Eshleman’s uncle, spoke on John 20:21, after which testimonies were given by Bro. Garber, Lois and Lester Eshle- man, and the home ministers.
We are glad there are those among us who are willing to use their talents in telling the glad news of salvation. We wish them the blessing of the Lord. May the Lord also bless those whose part is to “tarry by the stuff,” for they are needed too.
On Dec. 3 our sewing circle was reor- ganized, with Sisters Elizabeth Martin and Mattie Shank as presidents. The same eve- ning our annual business meeting was held. Merle Cordell and Glenn Shank were elected superintendents of the Sunday school for the coming year.
During October we were richly fed on spiritual food by Bro. Emanuel Peachey, who was with us in our fall revival meetings.
Several brethren from neighboring con- gregations have filled the pulpit several times this fall, in the absence of our home ministers.
“Make me a channel of blessing today.” May this be our prayer as we think of the newborn King our Saviour.
Dec. 10, 1951. Lydia R. Hess.
PRYOR, OKLAHOMA
(Zion Congregation)
Dear Herald Readers: Greetings in the name of Him who loved us and gave His life for us. The year 1951 is nearly gone. With it go the joys and sorrows of another year. Truly the Lord has been good to us. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”
The new Sunday-school year is well on its way. Our Sunday school was reorganized on Sept. 23: Supt., William M. Chupp; Asst., Eli Miller; Pri. Supt., Jerry L. Troyer; Chor., Gladys Yoder; Asst., Elmer Miller; Libr., Eunice Mae Histand; Secy., Kenneth Schef- fel.
On Oct. 14 we were privileged to again
commemorate the suffering and death of our blessed Lord and Saviour. Bro. Nelson His- tand, our minister who was ordained to the office of bishop on Dec. 31, broke the bread and passed the cup in this service.
Our summer Biofe school was well attend- ed. Many outside children were given trans- portation to and from the school. Bro. and lister Leo Miller, now of Wichita, Kans., were in charge.
Twelve members were received into the church by letter this year.
We are looking forward to evangelistic meetings some time in January. Bro. D. D. Miller, Berlin, Ohio, is to be our evangelist. Pray for these meetings, that souls may be won for Christ, and that we may ail be strengthened in the faith. Pray that Bro. Miller may be used in a mighty way in de- claring unto us God’s Word.
Bro. Baldwin Miller has been suffering for nearly a year from paralysis. Remember him in prayer.
Pray for us. And God bless you all.
Jerry F. Troyer.
NORTH LAWRENCE, OHIO
(Pleasant View Congregation)
Dear Herald Readers: Since our last let- ter we have enjoyed many good services, es- pecially the Brunk brothers’ tent meetings held Sept. 9 to Oct. 14.
Bro. Elmer Yoder, of Elida, has been com- ing about every two weeks to preach in the morning services. He and his family have also visited in many of the homes.
Other brethren who have brought us good messages are Howard Hammer, Jacob Wei- rich, Keuben Hofstetter, Stanford Mumaw, Isaac Zuercher, and Marion Berg.
Bro. Lawrence Brunk also gave us a mes- sage one Sunday. The same day a busload from Souderton, Pa., worshiped with us.
Sister Mabel Hess, missionary to Africa, and formerly of this community, spoke dur- ing the Sunday-school hour on Aug. 19.
Our services were held in the basement sev- eral Sundays while the auditorium was be- ing redecorated.
On Sept. 15 we were glad to have the Eastern Ohio Women’s Missionary meeting. The attendance was good and many inspiring talks were given. Sister Ruth Miller, wife of E. E. Miller, of Goshen, Ind., was guest speaker.
On Sept. 9 the annual Sunday-school gath- ering was held at the Melvin Boley home.
A week-end Bible conference was held Nov. 9-11, with B. B. King, of Sheldon, Wis., and Elmer Yoder as instructors. Many used this opportunity to study God’s Word to- gether.
Bro. Albert and Sister Ann (Hosteder) Fath, who were recently married, have taken up work at the Home for the Aged, Eureka, 111. Our prayers and good wishes go with them.
(Continued on next page)
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GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
MISSION NEWS (Continued)
building which was originally built as a bakery. For several reasons it was impossible to purchase land to build a new church in Palo Hincado. However, the Baptist Church held possession to a small plot of ground which the Insular government had given them for the purpose of building a chapel. This plot is located in a very densely popu- lated area called “Las Pamelas.” The Bap- tist Church has given permission to the Men- nonite Church to build a chapel on this plot.
This note of appreciation comes from the Chaco: “We have planned to give each of the women who have met with us regularly a booklet of the Christmas story which we made out of the Christmas cards that many of you sent to us. We prepared 100 of them. We think they look nice and we’re sure they will treasure them.”
The clinic building in Pulguillas, Puerto Rico, will be ready for use soon. This build- ing was the first tabernacle church at that place, then converted into a school, and now again changed into a clinic. The work was done by two builders from the La Plata serv- ice unit, brethren John Miller and Alvin Kauffman.
A few India calendars are still available. Send your order soon if you wish to have one or have some sent to your friends. They may be purchased for 25 apiece. Order from Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, Elkhart, Ind.
Sister Florence Nafziger, missionary on furlough from India, may be addressed at 523 Seventeenth Avenue North, Nampa, Idaho.
Let us continue to remember the church in India as they meet for their annual con- ference and Jalsa during this season of the year.
Bro. and Sister George Beare, missionaries in India, were scheduled to leave on furlough on Dec. 29. They will visit our missions in Africa, stop in Ireland to visit some of Bro. Beare’s relatives, arriving in the States some time before annual Board meeting in June.
Bro. Ezra Beachy, Pinckney, Mich., writes: “Rejoice with us for three young girls and a middle-aged lady who made the happy de- cision for the Lord and were received by bap- tism during the past year. Pray that they may continue to grow in Him.”
Sister Goldie Hummel, missionary in In- dia, will be stationed at Drug for the coming year. She says: “Although the work of med- ical science has done much in recent years, yet as one sees the many lepers of India, the compassion of Jesus and His love comes to us anew.” Leprosy clinic work is carried on at Drug and will be in charge of Sister Eliza- beth Penner, with whom Goldie will be liv- ing.
Bro. and Sister Lester Eshleman sailed for the Africa mission field, if plans carried, on Dec. 20.
Sister Marie Naffziger becomes, on Jan. 1, director of nursing at the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital at Greensburg, Kans. This hospital is under the direction of the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities.
Johnny Allison, who was wonderfully con- verted at Palmyra, Mo., after his imprison-
ment for murder, has begun a life term at the Missouri state penitentiary. His address Is Reg. No. 65381, Box 900, Jefferson City, Mo. He is allowed to Write only two letters week- ly but may receive all letters sent to him.
A special missionary program was held at Fisher, 111., Dec. 15, 16. Paul Lauver and L. C. Hartzler were the visiting speakers. It was the occasion also for a farewell service for the Elmer Springer family, who are re- turning to mission work in Puerto Rico. Bro. Hartzler also filled appointments at Dewey and at the colored church in Gibson City.
CORRESPONDENCE (Continued)
The Martins congregation were with us in a union Thanksgiving service. Bro. Frank Sturpe, of Toledo, Ohio, gave a stirring and practical message.
Remember the work at this place in your prayers.
Mrs. David Falb.
PROTECTION, KANSAS
Dear Herald Readers: Sept. 23 we had the privilege of listening to Sister Ida Stoltz- fus, from Pennsylvania, who showed slides of the work and conditions in northern India.
Oct. 14 the Protection, Greensburg, and Perryton, Texas, congregations of the Men- nonite Church met at Greensburg for the semiannual Sunday School Conference. The weather was fine and we had an excellent meeting. Bro. John Duerksen, Hesston,
MENNONITE MUTUAL AID, INC.
1413 South Eighth Street Goshen, Indiana
Organized in 1945 by General Conference to meet financial needs of the Mennonite Church. Several plans available to put capi- tal to work in the church. Money available for loans to establish homes or livelihood in the Mennonite community. Write for informa- tion.
Kans., who was holding meetings at Greens- burg at the time, brought the morning mes- sage.
Nov. 4 we had our communion, at which time Bro. and Sister Earl Buckwalter wor- shiped with us.
Nov. 11 was the day Bro. Peter Dyck, Moundridge, Kans., spoke at the Protection Church. A number came from Greensburg, Kans., to hear Bro. Dyck and to see his pic- tures. The house was well filled.
Bro. Earl Buckwalter held meetings for our group each evening Nov. 25 to Dec. 2. Those who heard the messages were strength- ened. Bro. Clayton Beyler and family, Hess- ton, Kans., visited our congregation Sunday morning, Dec. 9. Bro. Beyler brought an in- spiring message.
The junior sewing circle made some fruit plates to pass to shut-ins at Thanksgiving time. The primary department of the Sun- day school is preparing a Christmas program for Christmas morning.
The adult sewing circle has been meeting twice a month during the winter. Besides our regular offering we bring an article for
relief or missions, each time something dif- ferent, as designated by the chairman.
Dec. 12, 1951. Ursula Miller.
FISHER, ILLINOIS
Dear Herald Readers: On Sept. 16 bap- tismal services were held here. Thirteen boys and girls were received into church fellow- ship by Bro. J. N. Kaufman.
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever” (II Peter 3:18) was the key verse to the series of meet- ings that was held in our congregation on Nov. 9-20. The theme song was “Higher Ground.” Bro. Milo Kauffman served as evangelist and Bro. I. Mark Ross was song leader. The presence of the Holy Spirit was felt, and we trust that East Bend will go forth better fitted to serve Christ as a result of these meetings.
Bro. Ross stayed and brought the message on Thanksgiving morning. The local chorus sang several numbers.
Bro. Paul DePaepe is making good recov- ery following the amputation of his limb.
The sewing circle prepared over a hundred Thanksgiving plates to give to the patients at convalescent homes and to other shut-in friends in this vicinity. Each plate had a suitable tract and Scripture stickers. It warmed our hearts to see the joy of the in- dividuals as they received these.
Since Bro. and Sister Elmer Springer will soon be returning to Puerto Rico, a mission- ary program was planned for the evening of Dec. 15 and an all-day meeting Dec. 16, in recognition of their labors. Guest speakers were the brethren Paul Lauver and Levi C. Hartzler.
Dec. 17, 1951. Mrs. A. R. Zehr.
GREENWOOD, DELAWARE
(Tressler Congregation)
On Sept. 2 Bro. Omar Kurtz, Oley, Pa., filled the pulpit in the absence of our pastor, Bro. Campbell, who with his family was spending several days in the Masontown, Pa., community, where they lived before coming here.
On Saturday evening, Sept. 29, our bishop, Bro. Isaac Metzler, was with us for prepara- tory service. Sunday morning, Sept. 30, we had communion services.
John Ash, one of our members, passed away Oct. 13. We were again reminded that we have no continuing city but seek one to come.
Our weekly prayer meetings are held in the homes again during the winter months.
We were thankful for the privilege of at- tending revival meetings at our neighboring sister church. Bro. Andrew Jantzi conducted these meetings, at the Greenwood C.A. Men- nonite Church.
We welcome into our church two new families who moved here from Virginia, the Wendell Berkshires and the Glenn Berk- shires. Wendell and Glenn are brothers of Sister Hazel Campbell, our pastor’s wife.
Pray for us, that the Lord’s will may be accomplished.
Dec. 14, 1951.
Amanda Ash.
January i, 1952
21
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
(Calvary Mennonite Church)
On Oct. 7 our bishop, Sherman Maust, served communion. It was a very impressive service, reminding us again of our Saviour’s love and sacrificial death for us. One young girl was received into our number by bap- tism.
Our pastor, John David Zehr, was the delegate from the South Pacific Conference to the annual meeting of the Board of Edu- cation at Morgantown, Pa. One Sunday dur- ing his absence Bro. William G. Detweiler, of the Calvary Hour broadcast, filled our pulpit. Sister Detweiler told of their work from the beginning until the present time.
Nov. 18 a Joint Missionary Day service was held at Upland, at the Seventh Street Men- nonite Church. Most of our members at- tended.
Nov. 22-24 our South Pacific Conference held its third annual meeting at Winton, Calif. Sixteen from our congregation attend- ed. They report a good meeting.
Oct. 28 our group opened a Mexican mis- sion Sunday school, with Bro. Joseph Toledo as superintendent and Bro. and Sister Ezra Kennel and Sister Mary Wenger assisting in the work.
Bro. and Sister Stanley Weaver, leader and matron of the M.R.C. Navajo Indian migrant work, who are now stationed at Phoenix, Ariz., were with us Nov. 25 and spoke interestingly of their work with the migrants.
Also in November the M.Y.F. unit spon- sored a Sunday evening meeting. After the service Sister Alice Klassen from Coalinga, Calif., gave an interesting talk on M.C.C. migrant work and showed her colored slides.
Sister Florence Nafziger, missionary on furlough from India, arrived at Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 19 and was met by her parents who are spending the winter in Upland, Calif. On Dec. 2 Sister Nafziger spent the morning and evening with our congregation. In the morning she wore the garb of India and showed us various other things from there. In the evening she gave a good talk on India, about the Christian natives and the work of the Mennonite hospital.
Our boys and girls club work had forty- seven in attendance recently.
Bro. and Sister Hersey Bumstead, formerly of Goshen, Ind., have moved into the city and are joining our fellowship. John Horst and Amos Drawbond, Mary Drawbond, Mar- tha Harshbarger, and Arlene Mishler are working in our city. We welcome them into our fellowship.
Bro. and Sister Ralph Holderman and daughter left for Alaska for the school year. They are located at Deering, Alaska. No ships can reach them; they can be contacted only by air mail. Letters from them tell of their work among the Eskimos. They are busy from morning until night, with people coming to them continually with medical needs. So they serve not only in school teach- ing but also as nurse, doctor, and missionary.
Bro. and Sister J. M. Brubaker, from Orange, Calif., are not very well at present. Bro. Zehrs visit them occasionally.
GOSPEL HERALD
The Lord bless you, every one, until He comes.
Catharine B. Kulp.
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
(North End Mission)
Dear Christian Friends: Greetings of love in the Master’s name. Our revival meetings were held Oct. 7-14, with Bro. John S. Hess as evangelist. An elderly man and a mother of eight children accepted the Lord. The mother has grown cold in her spiritual life and has stopped coming to church. We re- quest your prayers for her.
Bro. Frank Kreider from the East Peters- burg congregation brought us an inspiring message one Sunday in October. Roy Wissler was elected superintendent and Richard Lehman assistant superintendent for the fol- lowing year.
We miss the ones who have left us. Milton and Lois Good have gone to E.M.C. A fare- well service was held for Sister Anna Neff, a worker for the past nine years, who is go- ing to a new field of labor — the Slack water Mission near Millersville. May God richly bless her.
Dec. 12, 1951. Mrs. Glenn Ranck.
WADSWORTH^ OHIO
(Bethel Congregation)
We can truly say with the psalmist, “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” We thank God that we have had the privilege of having the Brunk broth- ers in our community for five weeks this fall. We praise God for revival in the hearts of many and for the spiritual blessings we have received. Many of our hearts have been blessed with deeper fellowship with our Lord and Saviour.
On the morning of Sept. 23 Bro. J. D. Gra- ber brought us a missionary sermon. The same morning Bro. Matthew Kolb, from Spring City, Pa., had devotions. In the after- noon Bro. J. D. Graber and Bro. O. N. Johns were with us for the farewell services for Sister Anna Lois Rohrer of this congregation, who sailed for India in October. Word has been received of her safe arrival.
On Oct. 21 Bro. Warren Miller, of Millers- burg, Ohio, brought us the morning mes- sage and on the evening of Dec. 2 Bro. Gerald Studer spoke on “Why Live a Separated Life.”
A special Missionary Day program was given by the primary department, followed by a missionary sermon by Bro. S. D. Rohrer on the evening of Nov. 18.
As we come to the close of a year and the beginning of another, we pray that we may continually serve the Lord in whatever way He may lead, even more faithfully than in the past. Bertha Gehman.
UPLAND, CALIFORNIA
Dear Herald Readers: The last of the yams have been dug and the grape vineyards appear lifeless and bare. And again we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to us, for He has kept His promise recorded in Gen. 8:22.
New officers were elected for the Sunday school and took their places on the first Sun- day of October. Robert Groff is superintend-
ent and Lloyd Eason assistant. Our choristers are appointed to serve monthly. Jacob Shetler superintends the children’s Sunday-school pe- riod.
Bro. Merle Bender, representative of Hess- ton College, told us of the needs of the school on the evening of Oct. 14.
Bro. and Sister W. G. Detweiler, Orrville, Ohio, were other October visitors. We now feel a new kinship with the Calvary Hour.
Nov. 11 was a special day for us as we re- membered together the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus and observed the commun- ion service.
A joint Missionary Day program with the Los Angeles congregation as our guests stirred us anew and made us realize our re- sponsibility to our fellow men on Nov. 18.
Quite a few of our group were privileged to attend the South Pacific Conference, held at Winton, Calif., Nov. 22-24.
We appreciate the many visitors among us for the winter months. L. J. Miller, from Idaho, Joe Driver from Missouri, and Moses Brenneman from Oregon have all added in- spiration to our worship services by their messages from God’s Word. We were also glad for Sister Florence Nafziger’s recent account of India mission work.
Dec. 9, 1951. Olive Shetler.
ORRVILLE, OHIO
Dear Christian Friends: Surely the Lord has been good to us. How thankful we arc for His abiding presence!
Revival meetings were held June 25 to July 1, with Bro. C. F. Derstine as evangelist.
Singing classes were held on Friday even- ings during June, July, and August, with Dwight Weldy as instructor.
During the month of July members of the congregation helped in readying the recently purchased parsonage for occupancy by Bro. Bauman and his family.
On Aug. 12 Bro. A. J. Steiner was with us to conduct baptismal service.
Aug. 19 James Welty, of the Lima Rescue Mission, was with us in our evening service.
On Aug. 31 Lester Hostetler, who spent a year in Berlin in M.C.C. work, showed pic- tures and spoke concerning the work and his experiences.
During the month of September the Brunk brothers held revival meetings. Many of our congregation renewed their covenant with the Lord.
On Sept. 9 election of officers was held, with Marion Lehman elected Sunday-school superintendent and Edward Gerber assistant.
Sept. 23 Bro. George Brunk was with us for the morning worship service.
Communion service was observed on Oct. 7. Our annual business meeting was held Oct. 24.
On Nov. 17 Bro. S. Jay Hostetler showed pictures of India mission work. He was also with us on Nov. 18, giving a missionary ser- mon.
On Nov. 22 a Thanksgiving service was held in the evening.
Remember us as a congregation in your prayers as we endeavor to carry on the work of the Lord.
Dec. 6, 1951. Virginia Hartzler.
22
GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
BIRTHS
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord" (Ps. 127:3a).
Bowman. — To Paul and Geneva (Heatwole) Bowman, Harrisonburg, Va., a daughter, San- dra Louise, Nov. 30, 1951.
Brubaker. — To Paul G. and Martha (Herr) Brubaker, Lancaster, Pa., a son, Dale La Mar, Dec. 6. 1951.
Denlinger. — To Harold D. and A. Miriam (Neff) Denlinger, Honks, Pa., a daughter, Rhoda Jean, Dec. 1, 1951.
Deter. — To Clayton L. and Dorrine (Bos) Deter, Morrison, 111., a son, Randy Lee, Dec. 2, 1951.
Freed. — To Russell L. and Dorothy (Hagey) Freed, Franconia, Pa., a daughter, Mary Ann, Oct. 18, 1951.
Hochstetler. — To Milan M. and Martha (Kra- mer) Hochstetler, Fentress, Va., a daughter, Dana Fern, Dec. 2, 1951.
King. — To Lloyd and Ccna (Plank) K’.ug, Oley, Pa., a daughter, Sylvia Ruth, Nov. 27. 1951. „ „
Kramer. — To Daniel and Edna (Troyer) Kra- mer, Portsmouth, Va., a daughter, Lois Evelyn, Oct. 17, 1951. , /Ti
Kropf. — To John, Jr., and Hannah (Bru- baker) Kropf, Sheridan, Oreg., a daughter, Er- lene Faye, Dec. 4. 1951.
Miller. — To Cecil E. and Verda (Hershberger) Miller, Kalona, Iowa, a son, Galen La Von (born Dec. 3, 1951), by adoption, Dec. 6, 1951.
Oyer. — To Walter and Freda (Teuscher) Oyer, Fisher, 111., twin sons, Donald Dean (still- born) and Ronald Gene, Nov. 30, 1951.
Smoker. — To Wilmer and Ruth (Smoker) Smoker, Parkesburg, Pa., a daughter, Lorraine Fay, Nov. 22, 1951.
Stutzman. — To James, Jr., and Beulah (Det- weiler) Stutzman, Schwenksville, Pa., a daugh- ter, Linda Rose, Oct. 22, 1951.
MARRIAGES
May the blessings of God be upon the homes established by the marriages here listed. A year's subscription to the Gospel Herald is given to those whose address is supplied by the officiating minister.
Bender — Roi. — Daniel Bender, Maple View congregation, and Agnes Roi, East Zorra con- gregation, Tavistock, Out., by Henry Yantzi at the Cassel Church Nov. 1, 1951.
Brubaker — Stahl. — .T. Clarence Brubaker, East Chestnut Street congregation, Lancaster, Pa., and Grace E. Stall), Kaufman congregation, Ilollsopple, Pa., by Pastor Sturgil of the Bap- tist Church, Elkton, Aid., Sept. 29, 1951.
Godshall — Shenk. — Ernest Godshall, Souder- ton, Pa., and Martha Shenk, Denbigh, Va., by John H. Shenk at the home of the bride Oct. 14, 1951.
Hege — Zimmerman.— -Noah H. Hege, Marion congregation, Chambersburg, Pa., and Ella L. Zimmerman, Slate Hill congregation, Shire- manstown, Pa., by W. M. Strong, with J. Irvin Lehman and (Marlin Lauver assisting, at the Slate Hill Church June 23, 1951.
Leiss — 'Gerber. — Elton Leiss, East Zorra con- gregation, Tavistock, Ont., and Ellen Gerber, Steinman congregation, by Henry Yantzi at the Tavistock Church Oct. 13, 1951.
Martin — Clymer. — Benjamin F. Martin, Jr., and Esther Clymer by D. Stoner Krady, assist- ed by Noah Hershey, at the Laurel Street Church, Lancaster, Pa., Dec. 5, 1951.
Roth — Ruby.— Wilfred Roth and Jean Ruby, both of the East Zorra congregation, Tavis- tock, Ont., by Henry Yantzi at his home Oct. 20. 1951.
Wagler — Jutzi. — Elmer L. Wagler, Steinman congregation, and Hilda Jutzi, East Zorra con- gregation. Tavistock, Ont., by Henry Yantzi at the East Zorra Church Oct. 17, 1951.
Wagler — Yantzi.— Leander Wagler and Bea- trice Yantzi, both of the East Zorra congrega- tion, Tavistock, Ont:, by Henry Yantzi at the’ East Zorra Church Nov. 3, 1951.
Weaver — Hack. — Joseph Milton Weaver and Margaret Jane Hack, of the Churclitown con-
gregation, Narvon, Pa., by W. M. Strong at their new home, Mt. Holly Springs, Dec. 8, 1951.
Weaver — Zimmerman. — George M. Weaver, Narvon, Pa., Weaverland congregation, and Marian Zimmerman, Blue Ball, Pa., also of Weaverland, by Joseph O. Weaver, father of the groom, assisted by John B. Weaver, at the home of the bride Nov. 18, 1951.
Yantzi — Gerber. — Lester Yantzi, East Zorra congregation, Tavistock, Ont., and Helen Ger- ber, Steinman congregation, by Henry Yantzi at the Tavistock Church Oct. 13, 1951.
Zehr — Birky. — John Zehr, Rantoul, 111., and Betty Birky, Foosland, 111., both of the East Bend congregation, by Harold Zehr, father of the groom, at the church Dec. 7, 1951.
OBITUARIES
May the sustaining grace and comfort of our Lord bless those who are bereaved.
Helka. — Norman Clayton, son of the late Elias Helka and Mary Ann Hoover, was born near Selkirk, Out., Aug. 23, 1903 ; passed away at the Hamilton, Ont., General Hospital Oct. 22, 1951; aged 48 y. 1 m. 29 d. In 1926 he was converted and joined the Rainham Men- nonite Church, wfiere he served his Master until his homegoing. He cared for his widowed moth- er while operating a small farm and general re- pair business. Surviving are his mother, a broth- er (Freeman, of Selkirk), 3 nephews, one great- nephew, and a large circle of other relatives and friends. For a number of years he suffered ill health, and in his more recent illness called for the special prayers of God’s people for the heal- ing of his body. But God planned otherwise. The funeral was held Oct. 25, with a short serv- ice at the Fisherville Funeral Parlor and a pub- lic service at the Rainham Mennonite Church, in charge of A. Lewis Fretz, assisted by Amsa and Urias Martin, of Elmira, and Abram Smith, of Markham. Burial was made in the Lake Shore Cemetery.
Herr. — Harry B., son of the late C. B. S. and Lizzie A. (Herr) Herr, was born June 21, 1871 ; entered into rest Nov. 13, 1951, at his home, near Lancaster, Pa.; aged 80 y. 4 m. 22 d. He and his wife (Minnie Groff Herr) celebrated their fifty-fifth wedding anniversary Nov. 4. Surviving besides his wife are 3 children (Anna — Mrs. Clair Deiter, Strasburg, Pa.; Willis G. and Harry G., both of West Lampeter, Pa.), 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. He was a member of the Willow Street Mennonite Church and a teacher in the Sunday school for many years. Brief funeral services were held at the home Nov. 16 by John A. Breneman, with further services at the Willow Street Church by Emory H. Herr and Jacob T. Harnish. Texts: II Cor. 5:1; Job 14:14. Burial was made in the cemetery adjoining the church.
Hochstedler. — Savilla, daughter of Samuel and Rosa (Schrock) Hochstetler, was born in Wash- ington Twp., Johnson Co., Iowa, Sept. 23, 1875 ; died at the Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, Nov. 25, 1951; aged 76 y. 2 m. 2 d. Jan. 22, 1907, she was united in marriage to John A. Hochstedler. They lived in the Sharon-Frytown community. She leaves her husband, one sister (Lizzie), her brothers (Noah and Aaron S., of Kalona ; Lewis, Grants Pass, Oreg.), and a num- ber of other relatives and friends. In her youth she accepted Christ as her Saviour and united with the Mennonite Church. She was a faith- ful and devoted member of the East Union con- gregation. Death resulted from a stroke, from which she did not regain consciousness. She was a true friend and her daily life was a tes- timony to her profession as a Christian ; her influence will be remembered long in the church and community. Funeral services were held at the East Union Mennonite Church, with bur- ial in the East Union Cemetery. D. J. Fisher and Albert S. Miller officiated.
Kropf. — -Mattie, daughter of John and Cath- erine (Rhodes) Keim, was born in Elkhart Co., Ind., Jan. 23, 1878 ; departed from this life Nov. 8, 1951, at her late home north of Wellman, Iowa, after an illness of several months; aged 73 y. 9 m. 16 d. She was united in marriage March 22, 190S, to Noah Kropf. To this union 4 children were born. Three died in infancy. Surviving are his father,; one -son (Emery), one brother (Menno . Keim,. AliddLcr bury, Ind.), 2 grandchildren, and other rela- tives and friends. She accepted Christ in her youth and was a member of the East Union congregation. She will be remembered by her friends for her devotion and concern for the
church which she loved. After their marriage they established their home on a farm in In- diana, until 1938, when they moved to Iowa. They have lived in the Kalona and Wellman communities. Funeral services were held Nov. 11 at the East Union Church, with D. J. Fisher, D. C. Bissinger, and S. B. Nafziger in charge. Burial was made in the East Union Cemetery.
Lantz. — Eva Delilah, daughter of David A. and Elizabeth (Yoder) Miller, was born near Middlebury, Ind., Aug. 18, 1877 ; passed away at the Washington Co., Iowa, Hospital Nov. 6, 1951; aged 74 y. 2 m. 19 d. Death was caused by diabetes, from which she suffered the last six years. She was confined to bed the last four years. The family moved to West Liberty^ Kans., where she grew to womanhood. In 1897 she went to Iowa and was married to Milo J. Kempf. After their marriage they settled on a farm in the Kalona community. There they lived until 1923, when they moved to Wayland. To this union 8 children were born. Her hus- band, 2 daughters (Addie — Mrs. Harley Keiser and an infant), her parents, and 2 brothers pre- deceased her. December, 1943, she was united in marriage to David Lantz, after which she resided in Kalona. Surviving are her husband, 6 children (Mrs. Milo J. Miller and Mrs. Law- rence J. Miller, of Kalona ; Mrs. Chester Miller, of Wellman; Loyd, Wayland, Iowa; Glen, Charles City, Iowa; and Zene, Pasadena, Calif.), 11 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, 4 sis- ters (Mrs. Will Hel-muth, Harrisonville, Mo.; Mrs. Barbara Zink, Inman, Kans. ; Mrs. Roy Troyer, Hesston, Kans. ; Mrs. Sam Troyer, Harper, Kans.), 4 brothers (Roy Miller, Hutch- inson, Kans. ; Samuel Miller, Nampa, Idaho ; Chris Miller, Harrisonburg, Va. ; David Miller, Edwards, Mo.), and a large number of other relatives and friends. At the age of thirteen she accepted Christ as her Saviour and united with the Mennonite Church. At the time of her death she was a member of the East Union Men- nonite Church. She bore her affliction with Christian fortitude, never complaining. The reading of the Scriptures and prayer brought her much comfort. Funeral services were held at the East Union Church Nov. 9, conducted by Edward Diener and D. J. Fisher. Burial was made in the East Union Cemetery.
Martin. — Fannie, daughter of the late Daniel and Anna Burkholder, was born May 5, 1865; died at her home near Ephrata, Pa., Sept. 11, 1951 ; aged 86 y. 4 m. 6 d. She had been in fail- ing health for over a year. From the time of her youth she was a member of the Martindale Mennonite Church. Nov. 22, 1887, she was united in marriage to Henry M. Martin, who preceded her in death eleven years ago. To this union were born 9 children : Mrs. Ada Hoover, Brownstown, Pa. : Daniel, Titus, Mary, and Ervin, Ephrata. Pa. ; Leah — Mrs. John B. Weaver, Terre Hill, Pa. ; Anna — Mrs. George Horst, Weaverland; Abel, Bards Crossing; and Eva — Ms. George Zimmerman, deceased. Sur- viving besides 8 children are 49 grandchildren, 110 great-grandchildren, one sister (Mrs. Mary Weaver), and 3 brothers (Moses, David, and Daniel, Hinkletown, Pa.). The funeral was held Sept. 14 at the home by Harry Martin, and at the Martindale Church by Aaron Sen- senig and Isaac Zimmerman. Interment was made in the adjoining cemetery.
Schrock. — Lewis R., son of Levi and Mattie (Stutzman) Schrock, was born in Sheldon, Nebr., Feb. 11, 1910; passed away very sudden- ly, of a heart attack, while attending services at the Wellman Mennonite Church Sept. 30, 1951 ; aged 41 y. 7 m. 19 d. He was united in marriage to Ada Lehman Nov. 6, 1930, and lived in Nebraska until 1935, when they moved to Iowa. From that time they farmed in the Kalona community. He leaves his companion, 2 sons (Dellis and Leroy, both students at Hesston College, Hesston, Kans.), 3 daughters (Lila Mae, Wilma, and Thelma, at home), his father and stepmother, one half sister (Doro- thy Schrock, Kalona, Iowa), 2 foster brothers ( Clarence Schrock, Downey, Iowa, and James Pearl, Canton, Ohio), and a large number of other relatives and friends. His mother, one brother, and 2 sisters preceded him in death. In his youth he accepted Christ as his Sav- iour and united with the Mennonite Church at W’ood River, Nebr. At the time of his death he was. a member of the Iowa City Mennonite Church. There he was active and faithful, a teacher- ‘In’ the Sunday school and a member of the,- local mission board-. He served in various other offices of the church, where he filled a large place. He will be missed in the home and community as well. He was a kind and loving husband and father, a good neighbor; his daily life was a testimony of his profession. Funeral
January i, 195 2
services were held at the East Union Church, in charge of D. J. Fisher, Norman Hobbs, and Paul T. Guengerich. Burial was made in the family lot in the East Union Cemetery.
Springer. — John B., son of John and Lizzie (Sutter) Springer, was born in Biarn, Ger- many, May 24, 1873; departed from this life Oct. 20, 1951 ; aged 78 y. 4 m. 25 d. At the age of seven he came to America with his par- ents, first settling in Illinois. A few years later he moved to Stuttgart, Ark. There he lived until 1920, when he moved with his family to Pryor, Okla., where he resided until deatli. Eeb. 14, 1895, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Kuntze. To this union were born 2 sons and 3 daughters. His wife preceded him in death Jan. 6, 1929. March, 1943, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Iva Sutter, who survives. Also surviving are 2 sons (Jacob C., Archbold, Ohio; and Samuel W., Pryor, Okla.), 3 daughters (Ida E. — Mrs. Dan Sommers, Arch- bold, Ohio ; Susie M. — Mrs. Alvin Oswald, Shickley, Nebr. ; and Mrs. Ellen Kennel, of Archbold), one sister (Mrs. Barbara Roth, Wayland, Iowa), 11 grandchildren, 9 great- grandchildren, and a large number of nephews and nieces, other relatives and friends. In his youth he accepted Christ as his Saviour and united with the Mennonite Church, remaining a member until death. He will be greatly missed by the family and the community. Funeral services were held Oct. 23 at the Green Funeral Home and at the Zion Mennonite Church, con- ducted by I. J. Hartzler, Nelson Histand, and Alva Swartzendruber. Burial was made in the Fairview Cemetery.
THE BOOK SHELF
Books reviewed in these columns may be ordered trom the Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pa.
i seen him when he done it, by Gladys Blanchard Muller and Dorothy Blanchard Bennet; Van Kampen Press; 1951; 70 pp.; $1.25.
The authors, their father a minister, grew up with a vantage point from which they were able to see many of the bad habits prac- ticed in Christian circles and the resultant damage, not only to the Christians them- selves but also to those they were trying to win. In this book they tactfully present in a humorous style a handbook on Christian etiquette. By presenting exaggerated ex- amples of ill manners, bad taste, and thought- less conduct by Christians both in the church service and out, they achieve a thought-pro- voking self-examination without causing needless offense. Ordinarily, dealing in this sensitive area of human weakness becomes a delicate operation.
The style of writing makes it very easy reading. The average reader will not be con- tent to lay the book down until he has fin- ished it. One is lured on with a growing conviction that things are being said that need saying badly. One also has the com- fortable feeling that they are being said in such a way that does not do harm. No names are mentioned (except highly fictitious ones) and no finger is pointed. The faults and not the persons are condemned. Some of the ideas may seem old-fashioned to many today, but are well founded in pious Chris- tian propriety. There is a protest made to appearing in a worship service in the infor- mal attire which is so popular today. While the book does not have a Mennonite back- ground or flavor, the things dealt with in general do not confine themselves to de- nominational boundaries.
The book carries a number of pen sketch
GOSPEL HERALD
illustrations which caricature various ex- amples of offensive habits. While some of these seem to be overdone and grate on one’s finer sensibilities, they effectively make their point. This book should have a wide reading in Christian circles. — Amos W. Weaver.
Sunrise in the Nation’s Capital, by Dale Crowley; Van Kampen Press; 1950; 192 pp.; $2.00.
1 he title of this spiritually invigorating book, “Sunrise in the Nation’s Capital,” in- dicates its origin. It is a compilation of several of the morning radio messages by “Washington’s radio minister” for nine years, Dale Crowley. Twice each morning he has conducted broadcasts under the headline, “The Right Start for the Day,” which have given just that to many people. He is also the director of “radio’s original Bible quiz, ‘Quiz- piration,’ ” and the author of “The Bible Has the Answer,” “Red World Revolution,” and “The Curse of a Nation.” One forms the concept from Dale Crowley’s use of Scripture in his works, the nature of his evan- gelistic activity, and the fundamental con- tent of his messages that Dale Crowley is a man of God who is vitally interested in winning men and women to Christ, a man who can sense human need, a man well quali- fied to be the author of such a book as “Sunrise in the Nation’s Capital.”
Whether you are just setting out on the trail of Christian living, or whether you are well toward its destination, I believe that “Sunrise in the Nation’s Capital” may well prove to be an inspirational, challenging de- votional book for you. It is divided into a series of short messages under such broad divisions as “Prayer, Faith, and Power,” and “The Believer’s Abundant Resources.” You will find set forth in these messages whole- some thoughts and Scripture passages which will provide abundant material for your own reflection and meditation and which will act as incentives to worship. — Nancy Burk- holder.
2.3
ITEMS and COMMENTS
The total membership in the United States of the Society of Friends is approximately 115,000. Membership is distributed in forty- six states, with Mississippi and Nevada the only states unrepresented. Indiana ranks first in the number of meetings, Ohio second, and Pennsylvania third. About thirty-one new monthly meetings have been organized in the past fourteen years.
* * *
A federal judge in West Virginia has sup- ported a Roman Catholic conscientious ob- jector, ruling that a man may be a conscien- tious objector by personal conviction, though the religious faith he professes requires no abstention from bearing arms.
* # #
Religious News Service reports that plans are being completed by state welfare and selective service officials to assign conscien- tious objectors to duty in Pennsylvania men- tal hospitals.
* #
Seventh Day Adventists maintain 4,438 schools throughout the world, an increase of 800 since 1948. Of the total, 283 are colleges and academies, the balance, elementary schools.
* * *
A record distribution of Bibles, Testa- ments, and Gospel portions in the United States this year was reported to the thirty- third annual meeting of the Advisory Coun- cil of the American Bible Society recently. Some fifty denominations support the work of the agency and had representatives at- tending this session. The 1951 domestic dis- tribution is the greatest in the 135-year his- tory of the Society. Dr. Eric M. North, gen- eral secretary, reported that no Bibles have been printed in Russia for two decades and
Middle-East So/*
ourn
By SAMUEL A. YODER
There wasn’t much literature available on Ethiopia. Consequently the author learned as he went. So will you— in five of the book’s twenty-four interesting chap- ters. Here is also an unglossed picture of relief work — its tragedy, its humor, its frustrations and compensa- tions. “As a record of relief experiences this volume ought to prove a valuable help to future outgoing work- ers who have not had experience of this nature, espe- cially those who have not worked previously with refu- gees.”— Peter J. Dyck in the Introduction.
A book for the family including especially those con- templating relief work. 310 pp. $2.75.
MENNONITE PUBLISHING HOUSE, SCOTTDALE, PA.
24
GOSPEL HERALD
January i, 1952
What’s ahead
'ilium11
i iiiM*
. . ;
Prepare for the future by evaluating ivhat is past
How did wax affect the inner life of the Mennonite Church? THE MENNONITE CHURCH IN THE SEC- OND WORLD WAR seeks to answer this question. The war crisis revealed severe weaknesses. On the other hand there were a number of desirable outcomes. Guy F. Hersh- berger points out both phases. Chapters cover such areas as missions, education, CPS, relief, voluntary service, peace literature, and the relation of the Mennonite Church to other peace groups. CPS as pictured here is shown in re- lation to the total church program during the war years.
The information given in this book should provide guid- ance for future planning. 308 pp., $3.50.
Mennonite Publishing House Scottdale, Pennsylvania
few had been distributed. No Scriptures have entered the Soviet Union in the last three years, but the American Bible Society has $125,000 worth of Scriptures on hand for distribution in Russia if and when the situa- tion changes. Next year’s production pro- gram of the Society calls for 14,599,750 volumes.
* # *
The American Council of Churches, the more pronounced Fundamentalist group in this country, has adopted a sharply worded resolution favoring universal military train- ing. “Some form of military training is in- dispensable to the security of our nation and the maintenance of freedom in other areas of the world,” the resolution reads. And yet this organization claims to stand firmly for the literal Word of God.
* * *
Dr. Benjamin Mays, Negro educator from
Atlanta, Georgia, has expressed opinion that pressure upon the Federal Courts rather than any religious belief is responsible for the im- provement of race relations in the South.
* * *
A nation-wide survey released by the Na- tional Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. shows that this past year the mi- grant workers in the United States had
helped to bring in $48,000,000 worth of cot- ton in New Mexico; $700,000,000 in fruits, vegetables, and other crops in Washington; $1,500,000,000 in nuts, fruits, vegetables, and cotton in California; $311,000,000 in toma- toes and other crops in New Jersey; $121,-
557.000 in fruit and vegetables in Florida. But these migrants, contributing so largely to the nation’s prosperity, are often jobless and hungry, shut out of local schools and churches, ignored or resented by the com- munities where they work for a little while. More than a million of these seasonal work- ers and their families move up and down the country following the crops. Only a small portion of them receive any spiritual ministry.
* * *
Approximately 25 per cent of the total re- tail expenditures of the American people is now being annually confined to purposes that carry with them antisocial consequences, such as crime costs, commercialized vice, gambling, and alcoholic beverages. In 1950 about twenty-seven times as much money was spent for these purposes as for religious pur- poses, and about eight times as much as is being spent for education. About the only encouraging thing in the list of 1950 ex- penditures is the fact that milk and dairy products have outstripped alcoholic bever- ages.
* * #
Heifer Project, which has shipped over
6.000 heifers and a large number of goats to twenty-one different nations in the past five years, is making plans to send 10,000 milk goats to Korea as soon as possible after an armistice. Since the average farm in Korea is only three and one-half acres, and since a goat can live on less than a cow and is prac- tically immune to tuberculosis, it is better to ship goats than cattle to this country.
American school executives are faced by the fact that 8 million additional children will be enrolled in the American schools by I960. This will require more school build- ings and more teachers. There is always a great opportunity for Christian teachers.
* * *
Although 62 churches were denied steel by the National Production Authority, in a re- cent allotment the agency, at the insistence of the Department of State, granted 41 tons of steel for the completion of the new mosque in Washington. This new mosque will be
X
completed by June. All funds for its con- struction have been contributed by Moslem rulers, chief among them, the King of Egypt. Evidently the State Department is playing for the good will of Mohammedans.
* * *
The American Bible Society has contribu- ted 240 different translations of the Scrip- tures to the projected Truman Library at Grandview, Missouri. The 240 volumes are writen in 120 languages and dialects. One of them is in Braille.
Ill h l OUVDIHD 3AV NMV1G-Q0M
GOSPEL HE
In the defence and confirmation of the gospel" “Jdotv beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
volume XLV TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1952
Jacob
BY JOSEF I. HERSCHKOWITZ
For centuries the character of one of our patriarchs has been very much dis- torted. He has been called from the pul- pit such names as deceiver, supplanter, cheater, thief, and once I even heard him called a murderer. When after the serv- ice I went to this minister (not a Men- nonite), and asked him where he finds that Jacob was a murderer, he said he just used his ministerial imagination. I believe that is the case with the most of them who teach Jacob today. They use a lot of imagination, while God’s Word is very clear about it.
In Rom. 9:11-13 we find these words: “ (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) it was said unto her. The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Those are very, very strong words— “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” God could have used more delicate words, such as “I have liked Jacob, but have disliked Esau,” and yet He put the contrast as He did— the one have I hated while the other one I have loved. That is right in the New Testament.
Now when we go to the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, we read: “I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say. Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness”— again, a very big contrast in expressions.
We read in Obadiah 18, “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.” As there was a big contrast in hate and love, there is more contrast in “The one shall be fire and the other one shall be the stubble.”
Let me begin with the story of Jacob in Genesis.
In Gen. 25:21 we find the story about the birth of Esau and Jacob. It is very interesting to note that it was Isaac who intreated the Lord for his barren wife
and after the Lord granted the wish we read in verse 22 that the children strug- gled within her and she went to the Lord to enquire. We have to realize that it was a very unusual thing under the law for a woman to go directly to the Lord. We have only a very few instances re- corded, and yet the Lord listened and not only listened, but answered her. I do not believe that Rebekah was so ac- customed to listening to the voice of the Lord, that she would not have spoken about it to Isaac later on.
The Lord told her, in verse 23, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two man- ner of people shall be separated from thy bowels: and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” When it speaks of two nations and two manner of people, that does not mean brother nations as you would think of the Ger- mans and Austrians— different nations, but speaking the same language and hav- ing the same customs. It means two an- tagonistic people— people with two dif- ferent characters and habits; one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. Now if God told her that the elder should serve the younger, that again was a very remarkable thing, and I do not think it makes good sense to believe that she did not tell her husband about that too.
When Esau was born he was all over red, having a hairy garment, and they called his name Esau. In the time of old a name and appearance had a meaning, and was not as it is in this day and age in which we live. Then, it was taken that being red all over was pointing to the fact that he would be a very brutal, blood-hungry man. And after that came his brother, Jacob, having his hand on Esau’s heel and for that he was called Jacob. Now Jacob is commonly trans- lated as supplanter, but the real meaning of it is heel. Many teachers today call Jacob a heel, because the name implies it, but that is not the type of a heel. He was called Jacob because he had his hand on Esau, exercising already the right which God had given him to rule over his elder brother just as if to say, “Take it easy, brother, and do not hurry so much.”
number 2
In verse 27 we read the description about the boys. Esau was a cunning hunter. If we look up the word cunning, we find a lot of synonyms for it, such as able, sly, clever, and crafty. It is good to remember that he was this type of a hunter, while Jacob was called a plain man— the first and only plain man men- tioned in the Bible. Then a statement is made which is very important— “And he dwelt in tents.” Why this? Didn’t they all dwell in tents? They surely did, but it had a special meaning. Jacob stayed at home. Esau, as the older son, should have been filling the priestly duties of the family, but he was what we would call today, an outdoor man, while Jacob was the type of a homemaker. Jacob was for filling the priestly duties of the family,* and as suggested, he was very devoted to the Lord and his greatest longing was to receive the Messianic blessing which God had given to his grandfather, Abraham, and to his father, Isaac.
Thy God Hath Led Thee . . . In the Wilderness
Deuteronomy 8:1-10 By Theodore Wentland
The Lord thy God hath led thee In the wilderness of life ,
In your desert vast and dreary Where despair cuts like a knife.
He suffered thee to hunger That He might humble thee;
Lead thee to brooks of water,
To the Christ of Galilee.
To prove thee and to know thee;
To see deep in thy heart;
To teach thee that bread only Is of life, but just a part.
Manna will come from heaven When God is all in all;
When self you have forgotten,
And for God you humbly call.
Always thou shalt remember The way which God thee led;
In thy heart thou shalt consider How with manna He thee fed! Charlotte, 111.
26
GOSPEL HERALD
January 8, 195 2
While filling his priestly duty one day and preparing a dish of pottage, his brother, Esau, came from the field and wanted some of the pottage. It is in- teresting to notice in verse 30, “Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage.” He did not want to be fed with anything else but with the red pottage. It is surprising that Esau, the cunning hunter, should have been faint, and yet if he was, why did he not go into the tent of his mother— just be- cause he smelled his favorite dish. When he said, “Feed me, for I am faint,” it re- minds me of our children. When they come home, they declare, “Can I get something to eat, for I am starved?” It seems this was not the first time this hap- pened, and Jacob was tired of always having to feed his brother, Esau, with this red pottage, and then having to start all over again in preparing it. Besides, Jacob should not have done it at all. It really would have been the duty of his brother, Esau, to do it. And so he said to himself, “If I have to keep the duties, then, why should not I have the right to do it,” and when Esau asked him for the food, he just very plainly and outspoken- ly said, “Now sell me this day thy birth- right,” which Esau did, declaring, “There is no profit in it.” There is nowhere recorded in the Bible that Ja- cob forced Esau to do it. But Esau, not caring for it, willingly gave it for the dish of lentiles, and “Thus Esau despised his birthright.”
In chapter 27 Isaac is blind and speaks to Esau about fetching some venison. Rebekah overheard it and she remem- bered what the Lord had told her, that Jacob, not Esau, should receive the bless- ing. She remembered that she had spok- en to Isaac about it, and yet, there was no use to remind him of it, because he was set in his ways and if she would have told him about it, he would still have gone ahead. But she did not want her husband to get the wrath of God, and so she chose a woman’s way and called Jacob, and it was he whom she sent out to get the kids. Jacob answers in verse 12. He does not say, “My father will feel me and I shall be to him a deceiver,” but he says, “And I shall seem to him a de- ceiver.” He knew he had bought the birthright and it was his. Let me il- lustrate. If I would buy a large company, Pomeroy’s for instance, and Mr. Pome- roy would sell me his store for a dish of lentiles, that is his business and no one else’s. But, after he sold it, Pome- roy’s Store is mine with all its rights and liabilities. Now, should there come some-
thing whereby that store is called before the court, and the court crier would cry, “Mr. Pomeroy” and I would say, “Here I am,” am I a deceiver? I have bought the store with the name. It is mine. In the eyes of the law, I am Mr. Pomeroy. Or we can put it another way. For in- stance, I am living here in Harrisonburg. I would have to make some kind of transaction in Minneapolis. Instead of just going there for that purpose, I could hire a lawyer and if the court crier would cry, “Mr. Herschkowitz,” then the lawyer would answer, “Here I am.” Is he a de- ceiver?
When Isaac called Esau and asked “Art thou my very son, Esau,” then Jacob very rightly could answer, “Here I am.” fust as I gave to the lawyer accreditment which would show that he has my rights, so Jacob had to put on the kidskin that his father might be convinced it was Esau, which through the price he had paid, he was. But Isaac somehow was irritated, and in verse 22 of the same chapter, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. So he blessed him.” In verse 28 the blessing is given and Isaac put first, “the dew of heaven” and second, “the fatness of the earth.”
Then when Esau comes home and finds out what happened he did like every crook— he cries and weeps and makes a statement which is astonishing. In verse 36 we read “Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times.” Remember, who is calling him a supplanter? God or Esau? And then he makes a very, very, star- tling statement. “He took away my birth- right.” As we have read, he sold it. And then he says, “Behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.” That was going with the birthright. He begs his father if he has for him a blessing too. The blessing that Isaac gives to him is just the op- posite from the one Jacob received. Here the fatness of the land is put first and the dew of heaven put in the second place.
Rebekah saw what was going on in the mind of her boy, Esau, that he was going to slay his brother, Jacob, and again, using a woman’s way, she talked to Isaac. She may have talked to him as though she was not worried about Esau getting married to one of the daughters round about, because he was a he-man, but she was very much concerned about Jacob, who was of a much more sensitive nature and wondered if it would not be a good idea to send him to Padan-aram to her father, that he might take a girl from them. And Isaac called Jacob, now
knowing very definitely it was Jacob, and gave him the Messianic blessing. Genesis 28:3, 4: “And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.”
And Isaac sent away his son, Jacob, to Padan-aram. And on his journey the first night, he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night. Every day the Jews have an evening prayer which they say originated right here when Jacob lighted on this certain place, and so it is not true, as is sometimes said, that Jacob went without God. Jews to- day still base their evening prayer on this occasion.
Now when Jacob fell asleep, he dreamed and behold, there was a large
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Our Readers Say —
A number of years ago I heard over the radio (WMBI) that a partially shut-in lady would be glad to have pictures from outdated Gospel text calendars. She would mount them and send them to missionaries. I sent her some and we have had a scattered correspondence ever since. My husband was the church janitor, and we had good reason to know that there were many left- over picture cards and quite a number of pic- ture rolls. We asked for them and sent them to the lady. She had evidently never seen picture rolls before, as she was so profuse in her ap- preciation. She has friends and addresses among missionaries all over the world, who are now requesting the rolls. She knows of no other place to get them, and last summer wrote to the publishers in Rhode Island. Due to a state law of some kind the company does not sell out- dated copies outside the state.
Now I am laying the matter before your judgment. If our Mennonite workers can use the rolls, I am in favor of supplying them.