Christian Chronicle (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 38, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 21, 1945 Page: 2 of 4
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February IL 1945
THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE
1
February 21, 1945.
Number 39
Volume 2
Xj
By JAMES D. BALES
2.
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3. Oklahoma City, Olka.—one out of 113.
4. Washington, D. C.—one out of 1,000.
5. Philadelphia, Pa.—-one out of 20,000.
6. New York City—one out of 50,000.
7. United States—one out of 213.
Northeast
1. Approximately 35,000,000 people in the sec-
HOW MUCH FOR MISSIONS
The following statistics were compiled from the
news pages of the Christian Chronicle and other gos-
pel periodicals and used recently in a lecture by Bro-
ther Ellis McGaughey during the David Lipscomb
College lectures.
Although not claiming to be absolutely accurate,
they afford a most helpful, though startling, view of
what is being done by “us.” They furnish what seems
to be a fairly chosen cross-section of the work among
the churches throughout the world, as it is being
pushed by American churches.
We pride ourselves that we are awakening to the
great need and opportunity of supporting missionary
work—every where; yet these figures show—even if
we allow the far too conservative estimate of 600,000
as our present membership—that we are only spend-
ing 8 1-3 cents per member for foreign evangelistic
work.
1. Where the church is established
1. Kirkland, Texas—one out of four residents
are members.
2. Elk City, Okla.—one out of 15
Each week the editorial article which is adjudged
most timely and valuable will be printed on
this page of CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE.
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
30 full time gospel preachers.
Maine—1 preacher and 3 churches.
New Hampshire—0 preacher and 1 church.
Vermont—0 preacher and 1 church.
Massachusetts—2 preachers and 4 churches.
Connecticut—0 preacher and 2 churches.
Rhode Island—1 preacher and 1 church.
New York—-7 preachers and 13 churches.
Pennsylvania—possibly five preachers and
churches (approximate).
New Jersey—4 congregations and 1 preacher.
Delaware—1 congregation and 1 preacher.
Maryland—5 churches and 3 preachers.
Virginia—approximately 15 churches and
preachers.
District of Columbia—3 churches and 4 preach-
ers.
New York has 66 cities over 10,000; Pennsyl-
vania 152 over 5,000; New Jersey 221 over 2,000; in
the rest of Northeast 284 cities over 2,000 with prac-
Published Wednesday of each week except the last week in June
and the last week in December at Abilene, Texas
$2.00 Per Annum in Advance
Send all communications and articles to Box 1158, Abilene, Texas
OLAN L. HICKS_______________________.Editor and Publisher
STAFF MEMBERS
Bonds Stocks, Washington, D. C. Otis Gatewood, Salt Lake City
Paul Southern, Abilene, Texas John F. Wolfe, Los Angeles, Calif.
Leon Carter, Kansas City, Kans. Jim Taggart, Dallas, Texas
Joe Malone, Dallas, Texas
Entered as second-class matter October 18, 1944, at the Post Office
at Abilene, Texas, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
______________igioi
us what ought to be.
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
our ideals and religion must tell
Its place
is to tell us what we must do if
we do a certain thing but its limi-
tation is that it does not tell us
whether or not we ought to do
that thng. Planes will drop bombs
on a city as quickly as bread—it
depends on the ideals and faith
which animate the people who
make and fly the planes. Science
will be the means of our suicide
unless it is sanctified by Christian
faith-
4. Can culture alone save man?
Culture adds to life but it can-
not furnish the meaning or aim of
life. Culture alone not only fails
to meet the deeper social needs,
it also fails to meet the deeper
needs of the individual heart.
Jung has shown, in his Modern
Man is Search of a Soul, how ill
and despondent educated and cul-
tured people can become when
they have denied themselves a
religious outlook and have for-
gotten that “faith, hope, love and
insight” are also necessary “in
order to live.” To culture we
must add Christ.
5. Can secular education alone
save the world? Secular educa-
tion has its function but unless
information is infused with spir-
itual determination and holiness
it may be only a sharpening of
tools of destruction. There is no
necessary correlation between
mere information and skills and
wholesome conduct. And even if
secular education, science, and
culture could make a better so-
ciety in the terms of well fed,
well housed and well clothed in-
dividuals, we would still be faced
by the deep problems of the hu-
man spirit. We need a cause by
which to live and a faith by which
to die. Our spirits pant for some-
thing more than bread just as
truly as the thirsty man pants for
water.
6. The cross is God’s power un-
to salvation (Rom. 1:16). We tes-
tify from history and from per-
sonal experience that the gospel
does elevate, sanctify and enoble
man both individually and so-
cially when he gives himself up
to its influence.
II. God and th* Crou
Although we are unable to com-
prehend the significance of the
cross in its fullness, we are able
to glimpse faintly a few truths.
1. The cross is not unnatural.
Sacrificing for the object of one’s
love is a principle deeply im-
bedded in the heart of the uni-
verse. From the animal kingdom
and the kingdom of man, such
examples can be gathered. We
praise the man who sacrifices
for what he considers worthwhile.
Shall we sneer at the thought
that God is willing to suffer for
his creatures? Has this principle
come from matter? Does the
creature have it while the Crea-
tor is devoid of it? The cross of
Christ assures us that God suf-
fers that man might be saved.
Sin hurts God, for .it insults his
holiness and hurts his creatures.
2. The cross assures us in gra-
phic language that God loves
man. “It is the language of God’s
love, expressed in suffering and
sacrifice.” No one can doubt the
sincerity of such love (Rom. 5:8).
There is no more powerful assur-
ance of God’s love than the cross
of Christ. It is the most wonder-
ful news that has ever reached
man. «
3. The cross indicates the sin-
fulness of sin. The cross is not
a comedy. It reveals that sin
stands between man and God.
Sin cannot enter Heaven, nor give
peace and happiness to sinners.
Though sin is evident, and its
nature partially revealed, in the
drunkard in the ditch, th* broken
home, the dissipated life, the dic-
tator’s throne built on human
bones and the bloody battlefield;
its true hideousness is not seen
until we view the cross. L.
thunders to us that the wages of
sin is death, separation from God.
It thunders that there is some-
thing worse than death itself since
God in Christ found it necessary
What should one preach to
money-mad men? to the lustful?
to selfish seekers of power? to
the careless? to the futile? to the
sorrowful? Is there one message
which ought to be taken to all of
them? How did the early preach-
ers deal with this problem?
When the tentmaker of Tarsus
entered the city of Corinth he
faced men of all classes and con-
ditions. Corinth was a city of
wealth, culture, learning, pagan-
ism, and pleasure seekers. To
such as these Paul said, “I deter-
mined not to know anything
among you, save Jesus Christ,
and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:1-2).
Some thought this absurd (1 Cor.
1:18-24).
I. The Cross as a Stumbling
Block
(1) The cross was a stumbling
block to the Jews. In spite of
Psalm 22, and the blood red pic-
tures of the Suffering Servant of
God in Isaiah 53, the Jews found
it difficult to conceive of a cruci-
fied Messiah. Their desire for a
political king blinded them to
the One with whose stripes they
were to be healed and thus they
stumbled at the cross (Isa. 53:1-
12). Jesus did not feed their car-
nal expectations so they rejected
him.
Today many stumble because
Christ’s way involves sacrifice
and persecution. However, this
should not turn back needy souls,
for current events emphasize that
men are willing to sacrifice and
suffer for a cause they consider
sacred and for a victory which
they regard as of supreme impor-
tance.
(2) The cross was foolishness
to the Greeks. The Greeks be-
lieved in the incarnation of gods
but they did not believe that God,
through his son, would suffer the
death of the cross (Acts 14:11).
They also thought that it was
“absurd to speak of being saved
by one who did not save him-
self.” They had not visualized
the truth that we cannot save
others as long as we save our-
selves from suffering and sacri-
fice.
Much of modern thinking re-
gards the cross as absurd. But in
spite of this men have been un-
able, on a materialistic basis, to
explain the origin of the feeling
of guilt, of sinfulness, and of
blood-atonement. The Bible gives
the only satisfactory origin and
purpose of such sacrifice. It re-
veals why that man, from the be-
ginning of history, has offered
blood-offerings in an attempt to
atone for sin. Those who reject
the cross—because of an inability
to comprehend the mind of the
Infinite which permitted the cross
of Christ—reject the supreme
drawing and martyr-making pow-
er of Christianity.
II. The Cron Is God's Power
Unto Salvation
(1) In spite of the modern atti-
tude that sin is not so bad, there
is still such a condition as an evil
condition. Innocent babes may
develop into heartless brutes.
Only the foolish contend that
there is no difference between
good and evil. Current convul-
sions illustrate the fact of sin.
And it is either death unto sin in
our lives or sin unto death. The
question: What must we do to be
saved? is neither antiquated nor
irrelevant. It is brutally real.
(2) Paul stated that men, un-
aided by God, found it impossible
to answer that question satisfac-
torily (1 Cor. 1:18). Two thous-
and years of additional blunders
made by man leave us with the
belief that it is still impossible
without God. Mankind is still
making disastrious trials of old
errors. Science, culture and sec-
ular education are still proposed
aa the means of salvation.
(3) Can science save the world?
Science can serve men, but it
cannot of itself save men for it
will aid sinners as readily as
saints,, I| can tell us what is, but
tically no churches as can be seen from above figures.
3. World
1. Missionaries in Africa, Scotts, Reeses, Mer-
ritts, Shorts, Browns, Hobbys, Brittels, Show-
makers, Boyd Reese and Eldred Echols.
Sister Rowe and the Garrets are at present in
the U. S., intending to return to Africa next
, summer.
2. Sister Andrews in Japan but no help from this
111. ■ •
I
•ide can reach her.
3. Arley Moores and Dow Wilsons in Alaska.
4. Rivas and Rodriquez in Mexico.
5. Jiminez and Estevez in Cuba.
6. Colin Smith in Australia. \
7. Weavers in Hawaii.\ \
8. Our expenditures for work abroad last year
Was not over $50,000, about eight and one-
third cents per^capita for the 600,000 mem-
y"
I
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J_________
to go such lengths to redeem sin-
ners.
4. The cross sets forth the right-
eousness of God (Rom. 3:25-26).
IV. Man and the Cross of Christ
1. The cross and the alien sin-
ner. Christ said that his draw-
ing power was to be in his death
(John 12:32-33). . And such it is,
for it appeals to the two basic
motives of man and thus breaks
the heart of stone and motivates
man to obey God. The cross ap-
peals to fear, for it points out
God’s view of sin, and its con-
demnation. The cross appeals to
love, for it reveals the love of
God. He first loved us and his
love-dcindles love (1 John 4:10).
Think of it! In our moments of
futility let us remember that God
loves even us. It stirs one’s heart
to read Isaiah 53 and to substitute
“my” for “our” and recognize that
he suffered for us. We cannot
truthfully say that no one loves
us, for God loves us. And that
there can be no doubt about it,
is the message of the cross. And
our love for God leads to obe-
dience (John 14:16; 1 John 5:3).
2. The cross and immersion.
The cross of Christ leads to re-
pentance, for it brings about a
change of mind concerning sin
and a change pf attitude toward
God. It draws us to Christ. The
cross is set forth when repentance
leads us to be baptized into the
death of him who died for us and
into the resurrection of him who
was raised that we might be jus-
tified (Rom. 6:3-5, 17-19; Acts
2:28; Matt.-28:18-20). No indi-
vidual who believes that Christ
suffered for him could want to
hold back from that burial and
resurrection with Christ which
marks the entrance into his body,
the church (Eph. 1:22; Gal. 3:26-
27).
3. The cross and the Lord’s Sup-
per. The supper preaches the
story of the crucifixion, for when
we observe it on the first day of
the week we set forth his death
and suffering for us (Matt. 26:26-
28; I Cor. 11:20; Acts 20:7). This
honors him and keeps us from
becoming cold.
4. The cross and Christian ser-
vice. Christ’s work for our sal-
vation involved a cross. Our
work for the salvation of man
involves the cross of self-sacrific-
ing service, which oddly enough
leads to the fulfillment of our
better self. This cross is not the
ills to which the flesh is heir;
that is the cross of man because
he is man. Our cross is one of
voluntary sacrifice and service
for God and man. Without it we
cannot be Christian (Luke 14:27).
5. The cross and world-wide
evangelism. We shall not be able
to fulfill the great commission
of Matthew 28:18-20 if we back
it with nothing but the surplus
of our time, talent and money.
The cross points the way and the
means to the fulfillment of the
commission, for it indicates the
necessity for, and inculcates the
spirit of, sacrifice. We shall be
able to save the world only as
we sacrifice in time, money and
personal inclinations in order to
carry the good news to all men.
6. The cross and our attitude
towards others. It indicates that
we must be willing to suffer to
serve our friends (1 John 3:16-18).
It further indicates the only way
Christ has authorized the Chris-
tian to conquer his enemies. The
cross reveals that we must have
an active goodness which is will-
ing to return good for evil, good
will for hate, thoughtfulness for
thoughtlessness and gentleness
for brutality (Matt. 5:38-48; Rom.
5:8; 1 Pet. 2:21; Rom. 12:14, 17-21).
V. Have You Accepted the
Cross of Christ?
1. You cannot save yourself.
Money, moral goodness, and per-
sonal power cannot of themselves
save you. You must accept the
cross of Christ. To reject it is to
call the cross a mistake and to
spurn the love of God. You can-
not afford to do it.
2. How can you accept the
cross? The credentials of Christ
lead us to believe in him (John
5:35; Rom. 10:9). The cross kin-
dles repentance, it works a change
of mind (Rom. 2:4). And since
the gospel—Christ’s death, burial
and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-5)—
___ must be obeyed, you must be bap-
It tized into the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ (2 Thes.
1:9; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27; Rom.
6:H-18). Then your lift must in-
creasingly set forth the example
of redeeming, sacrificial love and
service. »
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Hicks, Olan L. Christian Chronicle (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 38, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 21, 1945, newspaper, February 21, 1945; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1305855/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.