I have frankly to confess that I myself have often been impatient because the progress toward the only family of Christian Churches in the world was so unduly delayed by what I proved as too cautious Christians. I know now that this feeling arose out of lack in absolute commitment to God's will. God does not want "ecumeniacs" but faithful followers, eagerly expectant, enduring in holy patience.
There is as well no promise for us to become satisfied and happy because our aspirations seem to come true! But we are fully in accord with Christ when we are filled with gratitude where under God we may believe that He himself did stir up this process of growth. Many of us have felt this gratitude here in Evanston. If I go back to Amsterdam, I become ashamed of myself. God did not take directions from us, but He acted in His own way, and we become filled with thanksgiving for the growth that has taken place. It awakens in me the steadfast hope that God still has greater things in store, until—. To be under God's will until is our burden and our privilege.
God did give us no big results to be proud of. God has good reasons not to like our pride about results. But something important has changed, there is a new start before us, and we know for certain that our growth shall be up to him who is the head also of His Christian family of Churches on earth.
"A Christian And A Gentleman"
Unfortunately, the words Christian and gentleman are not synonymous. We have known nonChristians who had all of the social graces, personal manners and attitudes to others which we associate with being a gentleman.
We have also known Christians who were woefully lacking in conduct and attitudes towards others. Tragic, but a fact nevertheless.
But, the ideal Christian should be both a Christian and a gentleman. This refers to habits, demeanor, attitudes to others, consideration, politeness and those multiplied evidences of the indwelling Christ which set an individual apart from people of the world.
There is something definitely wrong when nonChristians show considerations for their fellow men which are lacking in those who profess the name of Christ.
Unbelievers are watching us at times when we never dream that they are doing so. Control of temper when provoked; kindness and consideration extended even to the unlovely and trying; all of these and many other things can contribute to one's Christian testimony. Let us all try to honor our Lord by being gentlemen as well as Christians.—L.N.B.
The Word Of God
By Gordon H. Clark, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy in Butler University
Indianapolis, Indiana
Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of articles which Dr. Clark has written for this Journal. We are grateful to Dr. Clark, who is professor of Philosophy at Butler University, for this valuable and constructive presentation of truths so important in these days.
When the Reformers of the sixteenth century proposed to establish a church and order their own lives in a manner pleasing to God, they were forced to consider what God's requirements are. They needed a rule of faith and practice. In the Roman church tradition as well as the Scriptures was accepted as such a rule, and in actuality superseded and contradicted them. At the same time there were mystics and visionaries who claimed that God spoke to them directly. The rule of faith which the Reformers acknowledged was the Scriptures alone. Their views were summarized in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms. Two quotations follow:
Art. I, Sec. 10. "The supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other than the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture."
Shorter Catechism: "Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
"A. The word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him."
Since the Roman church still exists, and since there are still those who claim private guidance and revelation, the Westminster standards are as timely today as they ever were. Sermons and Sunday School lessons should constantly refer to them.
With the introduction of modernism into our churches in the nineteenth century and with the coming of neo-orthodoxy in the twentieth, an appearance of loyalty to the Bible and to the Confession has been attempted by emphasizing certain words in the standards, by failing to mention others, and by misinterpreting the whole. Thus unbelieving ministers made the double claim that they themselves accepted the Confession as originally intended, while the fundamentalists were inventing theories never before heard of.
Against the fundamentalists, who insisted on the inerrancy of the Bible, the modernists asserted that
