Supernational! —This is an hour of exaggerated, growing nationalism, which readily becomes an ungoverned passion. Under the impulse of some great issue or crisis one can easily be swept away from safe moorings by the surgings of blind patriotism, national prejudice, or racial consciousness, as these earthly elements are daily intensifying. This is the time to be on our guard, and to remember our unique place in this old world, which is swirling rapidly toward the involvements of Armageddon. We as a people will soon be the object of anger and ostracism by all. We are pilgrims and strangers here, with a message of warning and entreaty for every nation, tongue, and race.
Let us not cripple nor curtail our influence by unwise entanglements. Ours is not a national nor merely an international movement. It is truly supernational, in the proper sense and spirit of the term. We are ever to remember the place of our eternal citizenship. This will exclude narrowness, provincialism, and partisanship.
Tricked!—The projection of counterfeits has proved one of Satan's most effective methods of thwarting acceptance of the true and imperative provisions of God. Unseemly conduct on the part of some claiming to receive the Holy Spirit leads many to refrain from importunately seeking God's indispensably genuine gift and provision. The unsanctified life of others claiming to live the victorious life, while flaunting the claims of the moral law and present truth, leads not a few to look askance at this imperative for standing triumphantly with the Lamb. The manifest unrighteousness of some stressing righteousness by faith causes many to shy away from that which is the third angel's message in verity. Let us not be tricked into shunning God's life-and-death provisions for this remnant hour. Nor should we shun proper terms because used in a perverted sense by others.
Gloom!—Some persons forever talk gloom. One comes from their presence as from a haze of depression. They dwell on the human limitations, on the weaknesses of men, the failures of leadership, the shortsightedness of vision, and the inadequacy of plans and conceptions. And truly we are a poor lot at best. Our frailties are glaring. But the beauty and wonder of it all is that God uses such blundering instruments to His glory. He supplements our weakness with His strength, our limitations with His omnipotence. Look at the failures and limitations of apostles, prophets, and patriarchs in past ages. One would think the cause of God doomed in such hands. But fix the eye upon the divine element, and His hand is seen in and through it all. That has been the basis of hope through the ages, and it is the basis of our hope today. Talk up, not down; courage, not gloom. God is at the helm in the church of His choosing.
Capitalize! —All honor to the youth of this movement who in the several youth's congresses recently held, have voluntarily gone on record with declarations of loyalty to denominational principles and practices that shame the laxness of certain of our older members. Pastors, capitalize these voluntary declarations. Build upon the ardent vigor of these young soldiers of the cross. Use the steadfast youth of this movement increasingly. They will grow under responsibility, and will ofttimes disclose a loyalty to principle that will outmatch many of their elders. Read their declarations in your union conference paper bearing on the many and varied problems confronting the youth of our churches, such as Bible temperance; proper recreation; amusements, including the movies; reading and music; Christian association; Sabbath observance; and soul-winning evangelism.
Originals!—It is not good form to lug into ordinary discourse or writing one's acquaintance with Biblical Greek or Hebrew, unless there is a very definite point to be made, not otherwise possible. It usually savors of display. And though it may impress some who know nought of the originals, and have no basis for judging, it has the opposite effect upon the more thoughtful and informed. We may well remember that the best Greek and Hebrew scholarship of the age has made its full findings available in the various translations and notes accessible, and that we do not have in our ranks lingual specialists comparable to those masters. Moreover, the would-be scholar will sooner or later be challenged, to his chagrin, by someone in his audience or reading group who knows the original better than he, and rightly objects to some position faultily taken. Let there be every encouragement to a good working knowledge of the Bible originals for personal use, but let us be sparing and very sure when basing a public argument thereon.
Side Lines! —What business and what right has a full-time gospel worker, employed to give his entire time, thought, and energy to this cause, to engage in side lines that consume time, divide the interest, draw upon the strength, and reduce the sum total of possible service for the cause? "This one thing I do," should be our operating principle.
L. E. F.
