One of the outstanding characteristics of this age is the departure, everywhere manifest, from the old standards of morality, faith, and righteousness, and the casting aside of the restraints that have held the passions of men in check.
"With many today, religiop is mere philosophic speculation. With others it is the mere adoption of some creed, in connection with some church. But with nearly all, it seems to lack that profound, vitalizing life and intense godliness which marked the religion of our forefathers. It is a deplorable fact that, with many today, religion is a mere form. The individual who has really experienced the new birth has become a new creature, and a new light illumines his soul. New joys take possession of his heart, and new hopes allure him onward in the path of right. It is for the purpose of bringing this lasting joy and peace into your lives that we go to the trouble to conduct these Community Bible Schools with no expense to you.
"We are living in an age of uncertainty, and in no phase of human life is this more manifest than in the realm of religion. So many faiths, so many baptisms, so many ideas of God are being taught that the mind of the honest seeker for truth is left in a maze of doubt and uncertainty. And yet, as we read these words from God's book, it would seem that He did not plan this condition of things: 'There is one body, and one Spirit; . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism' Eph. 4:4, 5.
"As the result of this uncertainty regarding the most essential things of life, thousands of good people have lost their faith in God, and in the Bible as the inspired word of God. In this Bible school we purpose to give abundant proof that the Bible is God's book, and that it is all written by divine inspiration, and is dealing with facts, not mere theories of men.
"Too many today blindly accept the opinions of men, without making a personal investigation of those matters so vital to their eternal welfare.The tendency seems to be to trust our bodies to the doctors, our souls to the preachers, and take what they give us, asking no questions. But in these studies I do not want you to take my word for anything. Unless we bring you a plain 'Thus saith the Lord' to establish every point, do not accept it. Under no circumstances shall I endeavor to establish any point merely upon my personal opinion, nor yet upon the opinion of some other man or group of men. Christ uttered a solemn warning on this point: 'Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.' Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Mark 7:7, 9. So, in these studies we are going back to the good old Book, following the Lord's definite instruction here in Isaiah 34:16, 'Seek ye out the book of the Lord, and read.' And to those who do this He says: 'Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.' 2 Tim. 2:7.
"It is evident that not all who profess to be Christians will be saved in God's kingdom, for lie says, 'Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.' Matt. 7:21. Now if our entrance into heaven depends upon our doing the Father's will, then it is certain He has made His will so plain, here in His word, that any normal person can understand it, if he really has a desire to do God's will. 'If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself.' John 7:17.
"We are not here to study denominationalism. The world has enough of that already. Mere denominationalism never helped to bring any man or woman nearer to God. It is high time that we lay aside our denominational prejudices, and get down to an earnest study of God's word, with an honest desire to know His will, and a determination to obey it as He reveals it to us in His word. And so, my friends, in this Bible school I want each one to forget that he is Methodist, Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian Scientist, Lutheran, or that he belongs to no church at all. 'This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou bast sent.' John 17:3.
"The object of these Bible schools is to help you to know Jesus wetter, whom to know_isices life eternal.--Denominational prejudices are the most cruel and unreasonable things in the world, and we certainly do not wish them to get into this Bible school. And now, as we enter into the subject of the evening, I would urge that you consider carefully, and accept quite literally, this instruction from God: 'Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.' 1 Thess. 5:21."
At this point we launch into the study of the evening. Because of the preliminaries we do not attempt to finish the subject in this first class period. Please note that we do not at first ask them to bring their Bibles nor to read the texts. Few people read the Bible and give the proper emphasis, or sense. We are given a hint concerning this important matter in Nehemiah 8:8: "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." We have found it far better merely to have them take down the reference. We want their attention riveted upon us and what we are saying. I use. the stereopticon in all my Bible schools, throwing all Bible texts, historical quotations, etc., upon the screen so they can read them as I do. I also have all my charts and other illustrations on slides, and use many apt illustrations to help in impressing the thought and making it clear.
In public evangelism, sermons must sometimes be preached with the idea of attracting the crowds. Such subjects can well be omitted when conducting Bible schools, thus saving much valuable time. Then, too, when you have carried your people through the course of studies in the Bible school, you do not need a Bible worker to do personal work with them afterward, and teach them the truth. You will find, also, that you have very little to do after bringing them into the baptismal class.
We begin with the origin of evil, showing how the controversy between the forces of good and the forces of evil originated, making it clear from the start that there is such a controversy, and that there are just two sides to the controversy, and each side has a leader. After showing that Christ is the leader of the forces of good, and Satan is the leader of the forces of evil, we show the danger of the growing popularity of the idea often expressed thus: "After all, I don't think it makes any difference what we believe, or whether we do as the Bible says in everything, so long as we are sincere." We show what a difference it makes whether we are found on the right side and following Christ, or on the wrong side and following Satan. After showing how the controversy started in heaven and was transferred to this earth, we impress the idea that there are two spiritual forces contending for the souls of men and for the mastery of this world. Thus we have laid a solid foundation for our study of Spiritualism later, and for many other studies, such as the state of the dead.
Completing this subject in our second school meeting, we go to Daniel 2 for the third study, showing that the four kingdoms were just steps in the controversy, and represented distinct efforts on the part of Satan to gain world control, and to stamp out of existence all who paid allegiance to Jesus Christ, his hated rival. We maintain this central thought all the way through the studies, taking each subject and considering it from the standpoint of its being another phase of the great controversy between the forces of good and the forces of evil. In this way the perpetuity of the law, the Sabbath, the seal of God and the mark of the beast, the United States in prophecy, health and temperance, tithing, the Spirit of prophecy, and every other Bible truth can be easily taught, and readily grasped by our students. And when we come to the end of the course of studies, we have brought them to the time when the great controversy is ended, and one pulse of harmony and peace beats throughout the vast creation of God.
Not having permitted any new members to enroll after the third study, those who have been taken through a course of studies like this are thoroughly established in every phase of the truth, and instructed regarding organization, the Spirit of prophecy, Christian education, our colporteur evangelism, etc. Members brought into the church by this method rarely leave the truth, and they immediately become factors, instead of problems, as is sometimes the case with those who are brought in without having been thus thoroughly instructed.
You will note that this method provides a very successful plan of evangelism for the worker who does not have a Bible worker to assist him. Having been the humble instrument in the hand of God for bringing in several hundreds of believers by this method, very few of whom have left the truth, we recommend the method most heartily to both ministers and lay members.
Providence, R.I.
* In this concluding article of the series, the author proceeds by presenting what he says in introducing the subject of the evening to the select group of people who have joined the Community Bible School. It is well to keep in mind that this is a distinct method of evangelism, not a series of cottage meetings nor an adjunct to a series of public meetings.—Editor.
