Western Recorder PDF - Feb 27, 1947

# Western Recorder ## Earnestly Contend for the Faith ## Once for All Delivered to the Saints - Jude 3 **Vol. 121 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, FEBRUARY 27, 1947 No. 9** # A Church Big Enough for God ## J. H. MADDOX, Pastor, Second Church, Hopkinsville, Ky. Some years ago in the meeting of a Baptist Dist...

# Western Recorder ## Earnestly Contend for the Faith ## Once for All Delivered to the Saints - Jude 3 **Vol. 121 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, FEBRUARY 27, 1947 No. 9** # A Church Big Enough for God ## J. H. MADDOX, Pastor, Second Church, Hopkinsville, Ky. Some years ago in the meeting of a Baptist District Association I heard a foreign missionary say, "We need churches big enough for God." He implied that churches could be in such a condition that the Lord would not dwell in them. This certainly was true of Laodicea, one of the seven churches of Asia. He said to this church: "Behold I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20). This church was lukewarm, self-satisfied, yet very weak spiritually. Jesus was not in this church; if He had been these conditions would not have prevailed. There is great need today in many places for church buildings adequate to care for the Sunday schools and other functions of the church. It is heartening to hear of the many which are enlarging, or contemplating the enlarging of their educational buildings and places of worship. Surely if we enlist many of the vast army of the unenlisted, we are going to need more room in many of our church buildings. However, as important and as much needed as this enlargement of our buildings is, we would do well to ask ourselves: "Is my church, as a body of baptized believers, big enough for God?" In I Cor. 3:16 where the Apostle Paul is speaking of the church he says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" Also in Eph. 2:22 he says, "In whom ye are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." The building up of the church must be according to the Lord's direction, and for His glory. "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it." "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it." (Psalm 127:1). Serious are the consequences if we undertake to build anything and fail to take into consideration the will of God. We see an example of building a civilization without Him in the antedeluvian world. God looked down and saw "That every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts was evil and that continually" (Gen. 6:5). An example of trying to build society without Him is found in the selfish effort to construct the Tower of Babel. Plans by changing their language, and they were scattered over the world to carry out His plans for them. Many nations and empires are scattered along the sands of time because they tried to build and leave the will of God out of their plans. On every hand we can see the lives which have come to dismal failure because they refused to let the will of the Lord be done in and through them. Jesus gives a notable example of this in His story of the foolish rich man in Luke 12. Also He warns against it in the conclusion of His wonderful Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7:24-27). ### What Kind of Church is Big Enough for God? First, one that is prayerful. As someone said, "God does not come uninvited." "My house shall be called an house of prayer." When one thinks of going to the House of the Lord to worship, he should think of "Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer That calls me from a world of care; And bids me at my Father's throne, Make all my wants and wishes known." Second, a consecrated membership. As has been said, "God does not ask for gold or silver vessels, but for clean vessels." "Living stones to offer up spiritual sacrifices" (I Peter 2:5). Somé years ago while assisting in a meeting in this state I asked a man whom I met at the hotel where I was staying, if he was a Christian. He replied: "I am an average church member: I curse when I get angry, and pray when I am scared." Is a church, made up of members like this, big enough for God? At this same hotel a lady told me of being a member of one of our larger Baptist churches in this state and said she sang special numbers for the services. Later I overheard her telling another that she enjoyed bridge and played poker ocassionally. Is.a church where many of the members are like this big enough for God? Third, one united in fellowship. God does not dwell in a church torn by strife and division. We must remember that the power of God came down on a church that was "In one place and of one accord." Ichabod can be written over a church that is not unitedly behind the Lord's work. Fourth, a missionary church. Winning souls and teaching and training the saved. According to statistics, out of every million that Southern Baptists win, they will lose 600,000. Think of it! Jesus has, promised to dwell in, and go with, a missionary church, "Go and make disciples baptizing them-teaching them and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world." Here are questions then which ought greatly to concern everyone of us pastors, and in fact all Christians: "Is my church big enough for God? Are we letting the will of God be done in and through our churches? Do we let the Holy Spirit lead in carrying on His work?" "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it." ### BIDLE If all the neglected Bibles have a record dust storm and the sun were dusted simultaneously, we would go into apse for a whole week! - David F. Nygren, "The Despised Standard Version of the Bible," in The Watchman-Examiner. # Heartening Word From Rumanian Baptists **By LOUIE D. NEWTON, Atlanta, Ga.** Heartening word comes from Baptist leaders in Rumania in letters from Brother J. R. Socaciu, for the past ten years President of the Baptist Union of Rumania, and from Brother Niculae Sava, one of the leading pastors. Still a third letter, this one from a Baptist woman who lives in Aiud, tells of a recent Baptist Congress in Cluj, capital city of Transylvania. They rented the largest hall in the city, and it was filled to capacity with messengers and guests. ## "Freedom and Progress" President Socaciu writes: "We have liberty as we did not have since Rumania existed. We are happy about it. We thank God for the help He gives us and because we enjoy great freedom and progress in the field of the Gospel God's hand is guiding us to green pastures and living waters in such a way that great and marvelous works are done among us, greater than any time before..." Pastor Sava writes: "About me I want to tell you that, though we are close to starvation, I am taking once more another hard field of work. Twelve churches in Banat, churches that could not find a pastor for a long while, called me to work there. I have six boys and a daughter. I do not have a drop of sugar in my house since last Easter. We need shoes and clothes. We need food. Please send us anything, and God will bless you for it." ### Cheering News Items Also, I have before me recent copies of Farul Crestin, the Baptist paper in Rumania, the name of. which being lifted over into English, is, The Christian Lighthouse, and a friend who was born in Rumania, and who knows the Baptist work there well, makes translations for me of news items in the paper. They run like this: "Sibiu. On July 7 a baptism was help in this city, Pastor Mircu Cocaru, officiating. Twenty-five persons were baptized. All day was spent in revival. The services were attended by people coming from many other towns and cities of Lugoj and Alba Iulia." "Bencecul-Timis. The Baptists in this town had great joy in a revival on June 23. Many Baptists from surrounding towns came, led by Baptist band from Fibis. The Baptists made a parade through the streets up to the city hall. The civil authorities attended." "Rapar-Bihor. The Baptists of this town had baptism service June 17, when seventeen persons confessed they will follow Christ all their lives. The baptism was officiated by Pastor Ionescu of Gurbediu. There were choirs from Ghesa and Petia." "Osand-Bihor. The Baptist Church of this locality had a great joy on June 10, when twenty-three persons confessed their faith in Jesus Christ in baptism. The band and choir from the Baptist church in Ianosda performed." "Tari-Verde. A joyful and great revival was held in this town on June 9. Every church of the Constanta Baptist Association attended, representing twenty-eight churches. Though the church is large, most of the members had to stand outside to give their places to unconverted people. Over twelve preachers spoke from the Word of God..." ### Why So Significant? Why are these letters and news items regarded as significant? For the reason that we have not had any information about our Baptist brethren in Rumania during the war, and it had been rumored that they were, perhaps, having a rather difficult time. Undoubtedly, they have had a difficult time, but it would appear from the above statements that whilst they have faced hardships, they have, nevertheless, enjoyed a measure of freedom for which we give thanks, and the progress of Baptist work in Rumania, as reflected in these statements, is heartening beyond words. One of these letters states that no relief has reached our brethren in Rumania from Baptist sources, and they frankly express the hope that such relief may yet come to them. They state that the Seventh Day Adventists have sent something like 32.000 pounds of shoes and clothing. I find that we may now send packages up to twenty-two pounds in weight, such packages not to exceed seventy-two inches in length and width, and our people at Druid Hills are sending several such packages at once. I shall be glad to report on any response that comes from these gifts. If we do get them through, I believe Southern Baptists will wish to send many such packages. We must not fail to respond to the needs of our brethren in Rumania, where the Baptist-movement was so strong at the outbreak of World War II. # Hargrove Assumes Full-time Work With Hospital; Resigns Pulpit Several months ago Brother Connie L. Hargrove resigned as pastor of the Porter Memorial Church of Lexington. He has spent much of his time during the last year working with the Central Kentucky Baptist Hospital. The church had given him a year's leave-of-absence, expecting him to return to them when that work had been accomplished. His resignation came as a shock, and the church was reluctant to accept it-in fact, refused to accept it. However, he has written the church an additional-letter insisting that they accept it that he may continue on with his present work on a full-time basis, so that the church work may suffer no loss from an absentee pastorate. When Brother Hargrove went to Porter Memorial Church sixteen years ago they had a membership of 300. Today they have a membership of 2,300. He baptized 1,523 in those sixteen years, and received nearly 1,000 by letter and statement. The church has raised more than $291,000 for all causes, and forty-per cent of this went to missions and benevolences. Two lots have been purchased in the Thompson Addition for the erection of a church, and one is contemplated in the South end. Nearly forty men and women have entered into full-time Christian work from that membership. Pastor Hargrove has had ten years of radio ministry from that pulpit. The church held a reception for Pastor and Mrs. Hargrove on the night of January 31. ### HONESTY A man in Atlanta took four friends to visit a farm he owned. The visitors entered the tenant farmer's house and were a little embarrased when they discovered he had only two chairs. They stood around awkwardly and finally the owner said, "I don't believe you have enough chairs here." The old farmer took a dip of snuff, muttered, "I got plenty of chairs just too much company." -Woodmen of the World Magazine. # Doctrinal Preaching **By J. H. THURMAN, Murray, Ку.** "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (I Timothy 4:16). There is great neglect of, and much need for, doctrinal preaching. We hear many fine sermons but too little doctrine. Much of the preaching of our day is soft and sentimental, with a tendency to break down denominational lines. It has no Bible stamina. It will not stand up, it cannot stand up. It is like a house without frame or a body without bones. Baptists are what they are because of the doctrines upon which, and for which we stand. If we are to retain our individuality and our identity, we must preach the grand old Bible doctrines which distinguish us from others. Certain Bible doctrines will not be preached if Baptists do not preach them. What is doctrine? Doctrine is teaching. It may be true or it may be false. All sound doctrine is based on the word of God. All false doctrine is based on a theory, by which men teach "for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:9). Jesus and the Apostle Paul spoke out in no uncertain sound against false doctrine, false prophets, false teachers, etc. New Testament preachers were practically all doctrinal preachers, with the Apostle Paul standing out preeminently above them all. He was strong on the doctrines of grace. He made the plan of salvation clearer and stronger by grace than any other New Testament writer. He was a great missionary preacher. He was the master preacher on the resurrection and immortality, 1 Cor. 15 being, in the writer's opinion, his masterpiece. He believed in a life beyond the grave and wrote "He hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim 1:10). He said, "... the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." Surely that day is here; for many people right now do not like to hear sermons on the plan of salvation, because people are not agreed on what the plan of salvation is. Some say it is by grace, some by works, some by both grace and works. Others say it is by baptism and church membership. Still others say it is by keeping the commandments, etc. This is the reason why some people do not like to hear sermons on blood atonement for sin, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, the church question, stewardship and tithing, sin and eternal punishment, etc. If we preachers omit all that some do not like to hear, there will be very little truth left to preach, not enough to save a soul. What is a preacher to preach when he goes to hold a meeting, if he doesn't preach doctrine? Sinners are deathly sick and greatly need "The Great Physician." They must be shown how deadly their malady, sin is, and given the one and only remedy for it-" the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." (I Jno. 1:7) They must be told, " "how Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures." They must be given the plain way of life and salvation and warned to flee the wrath to come. Modernism, Atheism, Unionism, Russelism, Catholicism and many others are invading our churches. Formalism and Ritualism are sapping our spiritual life. Surely it is high time we were reaffirming our faith in "The faith once for all delivered to the saints," and "That we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind and doctrine" (Eph. 4:14). "If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 Jno. 10-11). "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" (Tit. 2:1). The majority of saved people who are of middle age and older, were saved in an old fashioned revival. This writer was saved in one and he remembers very distinctly many such meetings in which scores were saved and added to the church. He remembers also, that those old time preachers bore down heavily on the doctrines of salvation by grace, repentance and faith, the security of the believer, sin and eternal punishment, etc. If we would have a return of the old fashioned revival, we must first of all have a revival of preaching the old time converting Bible doctrines. # A Staggering Blow At Religious Liberty **By LOUIE D. NEWTON, President Southern Baptist Convention** Washington, Feb. 10. I listened to the majority opinión of the Supreme Court's decision in the New Jersey case, this afternoon, as read and argued by Mr. Justice Black, and I could not dis-associate the name of the eloquent jurist with a shadow, now no larger, it may appear, than a man's hand, but portending a great and terrible cloud that may be drifting out over every hamlet and dale from Plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate to darken the torch of religious liberty in our beloved land. I also listened to Mr. Justice Jackson as he rendered the minority opinion and referred to the Court as turning back the hands of the clock to those dark days of ecclesiastical dominance and tyranny which prompted Jefferson and Madison to finally write the First Amendment into our Constitution. I watched the face of Mr. Justice Black grow pale as the unanswerable arguments of the minority opinion were cogently and courageously marshalled. While acknowledging the frightening implications of the majority opinion, as it will be seized to further hammer down the wall that separates church and state in our country, I do take courage in the fact that the minority opinion restates the case in the full light of history and in terms of invincible logic. I hope and pray that this ominous decision may serve to arouse the freedom-loving people of this nation to prompt and uncompromising action by which the pressure of political ecclesiasticism shall be finally lifted from the administrative, legislative and judicial branches of government, local, state and national. The next battle in this war on the time-honored citadel of religious liberty in the United States will take place in the Congress, when pending bills to provide federal funds for education, with loop-holes for use of such funds in parochial schools, are argued. Remembering that public opinion is the final court of appeal in a democracy, it is still our privilege to let our lawmakers and public servants know how we believe and feel on this vital issue. A ruffled school teacher demanded of a bright-eyed ten-year-old how long he had studied his poorly-recited, lesson. "Well," drawled the little boy, "I studied from 'Blondie' until the ten o'clock news." Capper's Weekly. # A Youth-Centered Church Program **By HERBERT C. GABHART, Williamsburg, Ky.** I began my ministry with the conviction that a church program should be youth-centered. This conviction has not changed nor diminished; however there are more angles to a youth-centered program than the youth angle. One can very quickly work untold havoc on the present and future status of a church's life by over-emphasizing the work to be done for and with the young people while overlooking the importance of adults. Several observations have come to me within the last five or six years as I have tried to plan, promote, and vitalize a youth program in the field of labor where my ministry has placed me. First, the greatest need of the hour in any church program is the need of consecrated, conscientious adults. No youth program can stand alone. It must be upheld by the parents. Many parents think of the regularly church scheduled activities as good places to send their children while they proceed to do the things they wish to do. Church organizational meetings are just a place to get rid of them for the time being. This attitude is obvious from the standpoint of the lack of co-operation, encouragement, and help given by the parents during the time elapsing between one youth activity and another. Second, young people need more than ever the day-by-day influence of a Christian home. When children are sent to the church on Sunday morning, "angels" cannot be made of them during the Sunday School period. Many parents think the Sunday school should be able to work wonders with their children on Sunday morning even though they have done nothing during the week to keep alive the previous Sunday's efforts nor turned a hand to prepare the child for the Sabbath hour. Some parents will even allow their children to close the Lord's day in a theatre. When I was a junior and intermediate I was not a problem to my church leaders. My attendance, lesson preparation, and behaviour was attended to by my father and mother. They saw to it that I was present, that I had studied the lesson, and that I behaved "in an orderly manner. Third, young people have lost the ability to think beneath the surface. Good old horse sense and gumption are a minus in quantity and quality. This goes back likewise to the home. Time has not been spent in reasoning with the child by trying to show the right way and supporting it with the right reason. Fourth, the average young person fails to recognize the voice of authority. He seems to think he is his own boss at an age far too early in life for him to be capable of bossing himself. He wants his liberty before he knows how to use liberty. Take a boy or girl out of a home where there is a voice of authority and more than likely that boy or girl will co-operate and carry his or her load. Fifth, far too many of our adults want all of the church's program centered in the church. Modern homes have become too fine and well-furnished for use by children. Youth has been pushed out of the homes in which they were born. The very day most of our new furniture arrived a group of youngsters met in our home and one fellow allowed the rocker of his chair to eat several scars in a certain piece of our living room furniture. My wife and I decided then and there that any household equipment too nice to be used by boys and girls was too nice for our home. Locally, we have tried to remedy this situation by having as many of our church sponsored youth programs right in the homes with mothers and dads. We talk about juvenile deliquency and the increase of it. We should be careful to notice that the increase keeps step with the decrease of parental Instruction and supervision. It is fallacious, reasoning # The Louisville, Home For Boys The Long Run Association, Louisville and vicinity, is pushing ahead in providing a home for dependent boys. The building (see picture) is being rapidly put in order for the boys' use. It is an eleven-room house located on twelve acres of good land. There are two smaller houses, a swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts, and large space for gardening. There are at present seven boys in the Home, and the program is being rapidly enlarged to accommodate thirty to fifty boys. The project was undertaken officially after several visits to the Louisville Juvenile Courts revealed an appalling need for someone to take the leadership in providing suitable home environment and employment for unfortunately situated boys. Rev. J. Perry Carter, Superintendent of the Long Run Association, undertook the official leadership of the project, securing the adoption of the program by his Association. He has the welfare of these boys on his heart, and is leading in the work in an admirable way. Rev. Edward J. Lee, who graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary last year, is the Superintendent of the Home and has served as Probation Officer with the Courts in an effort to give guidance to the boys placed under his supervision. A notable fact is that all but two of the latest arrivals have made professions of faith in Christ. Baptists everywhere will be wanting to know more about this work, and unquestionably many will follow this noble example. # Faith At Work and Faith At Rest **By P. I. LIPSEY** These are two aspects of faith often spoken of in the Bible. We read of "faith that worketh by love," and again that "in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." This is not an accidental statement, but rather covers the function of faith in its essential character. Faith is the victory that overcometh the world, and faith brings the peace that passes all understanding. This double mission of faith is nowhere better expressed than in the eleventh chapter and first verse of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Here we are told that faith is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," > King James version. Other translators have tried their hands at rendering into English the words in this verse, with great variety in results and without much satisfaction to the Bible student. It will be interesting to read them, but somewhat confusing. We venture here to give the result of some study of the passage, for what it may be worth. The word which is translated "assurance" or "substance," or "title deed" is *hypostasis*. You will probably find this word in your English dictionary. And that will tell you that it originally and etymologically means *standing under*. It belongs to the class of verbal nouns, and indicates action. Of course, the word *substance* is its exact equivalent, for that also means *standing under*. A similar word in more common use is *hypothesis*, both derived from the same language.. Literally *hypothesis* means to put under, or place under, while *substance* means to stand under. *Hypothesis* is a well known word among scientists. These men begin to dream or to think about the why and how of things. After a while a notion comes into their minds that maybe this is the explanation of the mystery. So they venture a guess or a theory to see if it works, like a spider turns loose its web on the wind. That is the way Newton discovered the law of gravitation. So men experiment with their theory or *hypothesis*, sounding out causes and effects until they come to some conclusion. This is what is done in physical and chemical laboratories all the time. That is what laboratories are for. That is the way Edison made the incandescent lamp. That is the way the radio came into being, the airplane, the atomic bomb, and all the rest. The experiment is the process by which you "go through" and come out with something worth while. *Hypothesis* is the putting something under a test until you find out the truth. You may call it a "working" hypothesis, and that is where the working part of faith comes in. The truths of religion are subjected to tests as truly as is done in a laboratory. The Lord says, "Prove me, and see if I will not." John says, "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." And when you thus experiment with the truth of God, you will have a Christian experience. White people talk about their Christian experience. The colored people talk about "coming through." The latter is English, the former Latin, but they mean the same thing. But someone says, you were talking about *hypostasis*, not about *hypothesis*. Let's come to that. In a *hypothesis* you put something else under the test tube, or experiment. In *hypostasis* you get under and stand under yourself. *Hypostasis* is using yourself to find out the truth, not some other matter. Here, in religion it is a personal matter. You commit yourself in faith to test the truth of God, and you find it is true, that what God says works. The scientist and the Christian both walk by faith. You can't walk if you don't believe something. Believing is putting God to the test, and all that he has commanded or promised is only known in fact when it has been personally tested out. *Faith* is active, it is the *hypostasis*, the testing out, of things hoped for. Now look at the other word in the verse, which speaks of faith at rest. This word in the King James version is "evidence," in the American Standard is "conviction." The latter more nearly expresses the idea. This word describes not the process of testing or experimenting but the result. The result of putting to the test the things of God, the things of the spirit, of immaterial things, of the things that were hoped for but could not be seen, is conviction, or satisfaction, finality. The thing you have sought to know has been proved to be true and there is in your soul the complete conviction that it has been demonstrated to be true. You have come to rest at the end of your experimenting, and there is the sense of satisfaction and rest. Hebrews 4:3, "For we who have believed do enter into that rest." Or as Paul says in Romans 5:1, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." We have tried his promise, we have tested his direction and find that it works. There is the same sense of satisfaction and assurance that one has when he has finished an experiment in a laboratory, or has demonstrated a problem in mathematics, and you can write at the conclusion of it "Quod erat demonstrandum." That this is what is meant by a "conviction of things to come," is shown by the words that follow, when they are correctly translated: "For therein the elders had witness borne to them" (American Version), and not "obtained a good report" (King James Version). Of Abel it was said, "he had witness borne to him that he was righteous," verse 4. And in verse 39, after there had been introduced a long line of witnesses, it is said, "These all having witness borne to them." When Abel offered his sacrifice there was something on the inside of him which testified to the truth of God and his own acceptance with God. If you wish to know whether there is water in the bottom of a deep dark well, drop a stone in it, and if the water is there you will hear the splash. There is the answer to your question. You can have the same assurance in dealing with God, that a scientist has in dealing with material things. # Cecil Jones Ordained to Ministry at Ashland Avenue, Lexington Lexington, Ky. At the call of the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church a council of brethren from the churches of Lexington and vicinity assembled on Monday, February 3, 1947, at 7:30P.M., for the purpose of examining and ordaining Brother Cecil Jones to the full work of the gospel ministry. The council was composed of Messrs. T. C. Ecton, E. N. Wilkinson, W. M. Nevins, Clarence Walker, Joe Carl, Grover Rupart, Clyde West, W. D. Hundley, J. W. Crisman, Squire Hall, Sam Denis, Raymond Kays, Carl Chipley, Lloyd Mahanes, and Ellis M. Ham. T. C. Ecton became Moderator, E. N. Wilkinson the questioner, and Ellis M. Ham the clerk. After the relation of the candidate's experience and a thorough questioning, the council recommended that the Ashland Avenue Church proceed with the ordination, to which they acceded. Pastor Clarence Walker took charge of the service and preached the ordination sermon based on I Peter 5:1-4. Brother Mahanes presented the Bible and delivered the charge. Brother Kays delivered the charge to the church. The ordination prayer was led by Brother Carl, after which the brethren of the council laid their hands upon the head of Brother Jones. At the conclusion the newly ordained minister pronounced the benediction, after which the congregation came forward to shake hands with him. # Deepening the Spiritual Life through Evangelism **By L. E. MARTIN, Severn's Valley Baptist Church, Elizabethtown, Ky.** The need for a deepening of the spiritual life of our churches greatly concerns every earnest member and leader. When one considers the needs of a stricken world and realizes that those needs are largely spiritual and must be met and supplied through the ministry of Christ's churches, the call for a spiritual life of greater depth and power is most urgent. In comparison to past achievements our churches and denominations are making considerable progress. For this we thank God and take courage. But every one whose spiritual eyes are open knows that for the most part the churches are still falling short of their possibilities. The percentage of active members, the amount of per capita gifts, the number attending prayer meetings, the number of available workers, the amount of personal soul-winning being done, the number of baptisms, and such considerations, applied to most churches, show the actual condition to be one of low spiritual life and power. A church is both a human and a divine institution. It is human because human beings compose its membership. People with finite minds and subject to the limitations of the flesh. People who think and plan and act according to the natural gifts which they possess. A church is a divine institution because it is also a spiritual body of which Christ is the head. It is composed of regenerated persons, in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. In carrying on the Lord's work the church functions as both human and divine. Just here one may discover the cause of the principal weakness of most churches. The human element seems to be in the ascendency, while the spiritual life remains at a low ebb. And the failure is not that the human side which is concerned with organizing, planning, training, promotion and the like has been overemphasized. It is rather that the spiritual element which includes personal dedication, earnest and united prayer, seeking the will of God, being filled with the Spirit, a burden for lost souls, and the like has been too much neglected. How to improve this condition and bring about a deeper spiritual life is something everyone would like to know. Therefore, a humble suggestion of one approach may be welcomed. This writer is convinced that a major emphasis upon evangelism in a church will definitely lead to a deepened spiritual life. Not the evangelism that includes only an occasional revival series when lost persons are urged to come to Christ, but a planned program of unceasing evangelistic effort. Not to neglect other important phases of the work, but to place special emphasis upon winning the lost to Christ as the central purpose and ultimate end of the whole program. The church which has as its constant and consuming desire the bringing of lost souls to Christ is interpreting the very heart of Christ Himself. It remembers that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (I Timothy 1:15) and that "the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Such a church has the spirit and zeal that characterized the churches of the New Testament. To such a church Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God," and the Holy Spirit is the conscious Presence empowering and directing in the sublimest of all earthly endeavors. Evangelism is not just a "phase" of church life. It is the throbbing heart of a spiritual organism. The work of evangelism in a church stimulates to vital activity every gift and talent, and utilizes every spiritual entity made available in the wisdom and grace of God. For instance, prayer is always considered an important matter. It is regarded by Christians as one of the highest privileges to man. And it plays a major role in the work of evangelism. The winning of lost souls apart from prayer is a thing unknown. Again the use of the Word of God in the work of the churches is always central and indispensable. One cannot conceive of a church even pretending to operate as a Christian body apart from the Bible. Upon its strong foundation the churches rest, and from its teachings they receive inspiration and instruction. Evangelism presents the Word of God in personal witnessing, in classroom and conference, from the pulpit, and in the lowly place of prayer at the mercy seat. Music, both vocal and instrumental, comprises no small part of a church program. It is a natural expression of Christian joy and peace. A church without its hymns and songs of praise is quite inconceivable. Evangelism makes much of music. Christ and his disciples sang, the apostles sang, and Christians of all ages have used their musical talents in worship and service. Nothing is more effective in persuading sinners to seek the Lord than music bearing the message of Christ, inspired and energized by the Holy Spirit. The cause of missions at home and throughout the world is a vital part of the church program. An evangelistic church will look after the work of missions in the local community and will give its utmost support to missions everywhere. # Southern Baptist Foundation Receives First Check Dr. Duke K. McCall (right), executive secretary of the Southern Baptist Foundation, is shown receiving from Dr. T. L. Holcomb, executive secretary of the Sunday School Boardy the first check given to the new Foundation set up by the Convention at Miami. The Sunday School Board voted to give $10,000 as an initial gift for the Foundation. Additional gifts are expected to follow. # Sunday School Department **W. A. GARDINER, State Secretary** # Southwestern Sunday School Clinic At half past nine (9:30) next Monday morning, March 3, the Sunday School Clinic for the churches of the Southwestern Region will begin. Several from Little River Association are also expected to attend. The program will begin each morning at 9:30 and the afternoon session will close at 3:15. Dr. J. O. Williams and Mr. Jesse Daniel of the Sunday School Board will be two of the speaker-teachers and Dr. W. C. Boone will give us a study in the growth of one of his Sunday schools. The State workers will be there to render such service as they may. Dr. Boone is to be one of the speakers at the Southwestern Sunday School Clinic Dr. W. C. Boone At night three churches will likely have training classes-the First, High Point and First Street churches in Mayfield, and the Milnburn Church