Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

gospel,"
along"
gadgetry,"
ECHOES NUMBER
LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 12, 1955
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD,
THE SEED IS THE WORD OP GOD
VOLUME LIV WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1955 NUMBER 21
U
Back to Basics w
by Edwin Raymond Anderson
The conversation turned towards the fascinating
topic of the world of tomorrow . . . "What a place to
Bill!"
live in, the one man said to his companion.
"Think of the wonders of the world of the future . .
things we don't even dare to dream about today, even
with the wonderful things we possess. I can just ima
gine . . he slowly closed his eyes with the thought,
"I can just imagine one of tomorrow's children
hurrying in to the front room where dad is sitting
and asking, 'Say Dad ! can I borrow the family space
ship for this evening, please I want to take my girl
for a spin to the Moon ; maybe we'll go over to Mars
"
and see what's going on there. And the man op
.
ened his eyes and turned to his companion, "What do
you think of that, Bill"
The other said nothing for a long
he turned in the direction of the other and said soft
ly, "But even so, Bob, even so, tomorrow's children
will still get the same advice that today's fathers
give. 'Don't drive too fast, and don't stay
late' !"
moment. Then
out too
That is quite a suggestive story isn't it At least
it is spiritually suggestive, bringing us to the re
minder of those things which we ought never to lose
sight of. There are some things which never change,
notwithstanding the quickness of outward appear
ance. Sin will always be sin, whatever the century,
for the hearts of those who dwell in the centuries
will never advance beyond the need of the Atone
ment. Calvary must always be set into the center
of the scene, or else nothing will be important nor
profitable. There is no date-line where the iniquities
of the heart are concerned,
and no salve of science
will ever be able to soften, or smear away the stains
of sin. The centuries past had their desperate need
of Jesus Christ arid Him crucified as the One Hope.
The hours of today may have changed the outward
form and the apparent mould, but they have their
own horrors . . . Witness the horror of the hydrogen
bomb which hangs over us ! and still find no release
in aught else. And should He tarry and "the wonder
ful world of tomorrow" hold its fashion over this
sphere, there will still be the desperate necessity
for the personal experience of Him who above and
life."
beyond all is, "the way, the truth and the
Of course, we know all of this as a doctrinal po
sition and a theological reality. We have been
"brought up on the and know Him as the
only Saviour and sovereign Lord, upon the basis of
the personal experience. We may readily locate chapter-and-verse
which points up the power of the un
changeable Gospel, and that supreme salvation which
is unto everyone that believeth. But when it cornels
to the practical application of these basic truths it
may be quite another matter, and the gospel of the
doctrine seems to have become short-circuited some
where along the life-line, from being translated into
the gospel of daily doing and doxology.
Perhaps we have become "sucked in" by the
swiftness and apparent abilities of the outward
changes which we witness on every hand. It is too
tragically easy to "flow with this "progres
sive tide," and allow the god of this world (2 Cor.
4:4) to blind us to our business of occupying with
the Basics. There is the subtle temptation of leaning
upon new methods, more fascinating "twists," to
present the message in a more commodious manner
to Christless hearts. One has well called our times,
gadgets,"
"the age of and the "gods of
have seemingly invaded many a corner of Christian
so that we come to move the message behind
work,
(Continued on page 326)