The Church's Message

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13014, 4 December 1942, Page 2

The Church's Message

VERSEhOR TODAYIf any man will come after me. let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. — Mt. 16:23.

THE DISCIPLINED LIFE

So long as one inch of doubtful or disputed territory remains, Satan has a foothold and vantage ground. There is no greater peril to a believer than the neutral territory where doubtful indulgences lie, where duty and inclination dispute for supremacy, where no final decisive battle has yet been fought that makes that no longer neutralground. Here comes in the power of self-denial for Christ. It settles doubtful matters; no more parleying with selfishness and worldly amusement; no more compromises with conscience. Henceforth, as Edwards said, "I will do nothing of which 1 so much doubt the propriety as that I intend at the same time afterward to consider whether it be proper or not, unless I equally doubt the propriety of not doing it." When you are most spiritually inclined, you feel like finally resigning whatever is doubtful; when you are most carnally minded, you treat your misgivings as foolish questionings. You find that these things which are doubtful need a defence, and you go about asking others if they consider them wrong; and when you find another "good Christian" who so indulges, you feel justified in your own course, notwithstanding all these plain signs that on that side of your character you are exposing yourself to the devices of Satan.

From the hour when a child of God says, "Hencefores I am wholly the Lord's, nevermore to find any pleasure save in Him, nevermore to leave open any door of doubtful selfindulgence," all compromise with conscience is at an end. The peace of a will fixed on God is ours, for no chance of a parley with sin and self remains. A. T. Pearson, D.D.

Famine in Europe

War-weary Europe is suffering from a double famine. In many of the occupied countries, hollow-eyed and emaciated victims sink on the street and die, often too weak to utter a moan. We know nothing of famine in this land of plenty, and can only faintly appreciate the tragedy that is increasingly being enacted in Europe. But do we realise that, real and tragic as is this physical distress of the people, the famine of the Word of God is even greater? Europe is one of the greatest unevvangelised mission-fields in the world. . The European Christian Mission reports that a refugee camp of over 80,000 souls, it was found that less than 100 had ever seen a copy of the Word of God. In Eastern or Southern Europe, village after village may be visited without findin gone who knows anything about the Scriptures. They have never seen a copy.

Satanic Strategy

"This war is a spiritual war." —a statement we hear repeated in essence from many men of differing Outlook. No clearer evidence of this fact is needed than a survey of the mission-fields which have been affected by the entry of Japan into the war. Which have been the most fruitful fields of missionary endeavour in recent years? Korea, China, Dutch East Indies, Borneo, Siam, Philippines, Solomons. With unerring accuracy the enemy has directed the armies of Japan to these strategic fields, and has paralysed missionary endeavour. The only weapons in the hands of the Church with which to arrest this advance, is the weapon of all-prayer. Let us use it. A Vigorous Counter-Offensive

In the titanic struggle being waged in Russia ,this effectiveness of vigorous counter-offensives has been abundantly demonstrated. Hopeless situations have time and again been gloriously retrieved by daring, wellplanned counter-attacks. Surely there is a lesson here to the church, in her missionary enterprise. The enemy has struck crippling blows at strategic points in the missionary world. Many doors are now closed. The missionary force is depleted, but new recruits are available. Funds are being diverted into war channels. What are we to do? Fall back on the defensive? Defensive tactics have never won a battle in either Ihe spiritual or the phyiscal realm. Our true resource is to launch a vigorous counter-offensive, using the most potent weapon in our armoury—the weapon of all-prayer. A missionarywrote recently urging, "mobilising the forces of prayer in the home-

lands as a necessary preparation for the great spiritual offensive to be undertaken" when doors re-open. "Call unto Me and I will answer thee," is the unfailing promise.