Editorial Postscripts

Witticism!—Let witticism be reserved for those who have no divine message to deliver. With the most sobering commission ever com­mitted to man, ours should be the most solemn warning and entreaty that can be framed by human lips. The dignity of sincerity should always mark our witness, and the stateliness of truth should characterize all our utterances.

Sour—It is tragic when a worker of ability goes "sour," and becomes supersensitive, hypercritical, peevish, and noncooperative. Soon at loggerheads with his brethren, he both cripples his own service and limits his in­fluence, as well as hampers that greater achievement which unity and community of ef­fort alone make possible. It is bad enough for children to pout. It is worse for mature adults. But what shall be said of a Christian worker? When everyone else seems at fault, it is well to examine one's own heart.

Publicize!—Proper publicity pays. But we so often fail to adequately publicize our de­nominational institutions and projects. We do not keep them sharply before the public eye. Returning from the Conference we passed a very creditable-appearing academy. The build­ings were substantial and representative in ap­pearance, set back a quarter of a mile from a famous transcontinental highway, paralleling the main line of a great railroad. We looked in vain for an identifying signboard. Finally, having passed the property, we found an in­significant board close to the ground giving in small letters the academy name with a little arrow pointing down the side lane. A real op­portunity had been lost. Our colleges, acad­emies, schools, sanitariums, dispensaries, con­ference and mission offices, publishing houses, depositories, churches, food factories, and the like should in most countries be kept constantly before the public eye. Let us capitalize our denominational name and message in ways that are in keeping with its dignity and importance.

Jealousy!—Jealousy is such a mean, hate­ful thing. It is so small, intolerant, selfish. It refuses to see the strength or worthiness of others, or their plans or methods, however good they may be. It always has a minimizing, nul­lifying remark to make. It will not concede another's success or achievement, lest its own be damaged by the contrast. It cannot tolerate another's recognition or acclaim, lest the spot­light be drawn away from itself. Jealousy always schemes for its own advancement, and ever connives at the constriction or overthrow of others. And the sad part of it all is that we can see and deplore this unlovely trait in others, but will rarely recognize or acknowledge it in and of ourselves. Jealousy is foreign to the Christian spirit, and alien to the Christian ministry. Let us banish the accursed thing from our midst, and smite it whenever its ugly head is lifted.

Divergents!—As in apostolic days, the busi­ness cares of the church take increasing toll upon the time and energies of our executives and other ministers. But such a practice is no more in harmony with God's ideal and purpose for His ministry today than it was nineteen centuries ago. His specific instruction then was to seek out laymen of integrity and ability and put the business responsibilities of the church upon them, thus releasing the min­isterial leadership for the appointed ministry of the Word. Our people often languish for genuine upbuilding in the Word through men who, by prayer and study, have become giants in the Word. We should definitely plan and work in harmony with this instruction un­folded by the Spirit of God, and expressly written for our admonition. And we should make whatever adjustments are necessary to conform to the divine pattern revealed. Thrust business cares back onto consecrated business­men.

Variations!—Modernists now claim that Bib­lical expressions concerning "hell" are figura­tive, and that there is really no such bogey. In our presentations concerning future retribution, this fact may be reckoned with. This presents a different problem from the fantastic pictures painted by the proponents of endless torment a few decades back. But the unvarying truth of God marches on unthwarted by the perversions of men. And our presentations must meet both extremes of perversion.

Cathedral! —The vast, towering walls of multicolored stone in God's great out-of-doors cathedral at Zion National Park, rising to their awesome heights draw out the reverent heart in adoration of the One who framed their mas­sive outlines. Their majestic splendor and sheer vastness are so overawing that the in­significance of man in contrast to the greatness of God make an indelible impress upon the soul, and the divinely implanted instinct to worship lifts the heart in prayer and praise to Him who made it all, and who ordained the seventh-day Sabbath as its perpetual memorial, raising up this movement as the final witness to His creatorship in a world gone apostately evolu­tionistic. Great are Thy works, O God! Help us never to forget them, and Thee, and to stand as Thy faithful, effective mentors to the world in these last, great crisis hours.                     

L. E. F.