The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931, April 21, 1909, Page 9, Image 9

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( April 21, 1909. THE PRESBYTERIi ren about the resurrection. He surprised me by saying that a party in his church held that the only resurrection is that of the soul to righteousness. I recalled several cases where they had divided on other doctrines. Away back seventy years ago a party called The Two Seed Baptist split off. Later on there were the Wayside Baptists. rv * ? ? uikx an innuemiai cnurcli tliey are gradually dying out, not for lack of piety or zeal or orthodoxy, but because they refuse to engage in foreign missionary work. It is strange how they fail to see God's purpose and > command to go to all nations. They are extremely prejudiced on the doctrine of predestination and have little scruples in condemning any contrary belief. Their aggressive antagonism towards all faith and practice contrary to their own is wholly out of harmony with the spirit of the age, and the world will soon leave them far behind. We are growing into a unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. We are learning to pray together, preach together, work together for the one great end that men may he saved. It is a peculiar fact that few young persons ever unite with that church. May we not conclude that this results from their failure to have Sabbath schools, failure in fact to recognize the claims of the young upon the church? Thus a Church with orthodox creed and nrarti.-ni piety in many respects is decaying because it fails to recognize two great practical methods of building up the kingdom of God. J. A. M. HOW THE WORD OF GOD WAS EXALTED IN CHICAGO. By Ezra Westcote Clark. An experiment in instructive evangelism has been successfully tried in the heart of Chicago's great commercial district by Dr. James M. Gray, dean of the Moody Bible Institute, who has just concluded a series ~ f i ui noon-ciay meetings lor business men and women in the Great Northern Theater, located adjacent to the great department stores and office buildings which make the city the "Great Central Market" of the country. Dr. Gray believes in the Bible. He believes in it not as a literary classic, or collection of interesting traditions. He believes in the Bible as the inspired Word to God. To him it is meat and drink. It is the revelation to him of the divine plan of salvation. His meetings have been unique. Departing from the usual methods of evangelism he discarded all attempts at emotionalism and the telling of catching stories. The gatherings were the most deeply spiritual and reli giously instructive that have been held in Chicago in a generation. Not for years has the city given enthusiastic support to a series of religious meetings. The building was crowded at all times, and the attention accorded to the speakers and singers was little less than remarkable. The power of Gospel singing was strikingly illustrated throughout the series of meetings when time and again the great audiences, packing the theater from i : * < ' K.N OF THE SOUTH. 9 pit to balcony, were wonderfully swayed by the singing of Dr. D. B. Towner, the well-known Gospel singer and hymn writer. Assisting Dr. Towner with the music were a male chorus choir of students from the Moody Bible Institute, the faculty male quartette and a ladies' quartette from the Moody church. "Five Roman Jewels" formed the subject of Dr. Gray's daily message. It developed that the jewels were really the five fundamental principles of the Gospel as revealed in Paul's epistle to the Romans, as fol1 O - 1- - . * r, . . , . ~ iuws. oaivanon, ^atistaction, Sanctification, Security and Service. "Chicago needs a revival. If it is to come it must be by the Word of God pressed home in the power of the Spirit of God not by means of a worldly philosophy or scraps of poetry, as some seem to think." Thus did Dr. Gray on the opening day announce the need of Chicago and tell how it must be supplied. * He held true to this platform in every meeting. Never, since the days of Moody, has Chicago hjard the Gospel more clearly and forcefully proclaimed. The people hung upon the words of the speaker hungry for the Word of God. It showed unmistakably that the power to attract, hold and interest people has not departed from the Scriptures. Dr. Gray is essentially a teacher. He has the happy faculty of interesting and holding the attention of large audiences. For years his services have been in constant demand at large Bible conferences and conventions, his engagements along this line carrying him into all parts of the country, and annually for a number of years across the ocean. Ministers nnd nn?tnrc - i ? ?. J Iiuiv uma^ a |UI IIICU il UllgC part of the constituency of Dr. Gray as an expositor of Biblical truth, due in large measure to his ability to work on friendly terms with representatives of the different denominations, and the breadth and fairness of his interpretation. It was from the late Dwight L. Moody that Dr. Gray got much of his inspiration for this work. Prior to his cominsr into relationship with th?? gelist, Dr. Gray was engaged in the work of the regular ministry, giving part of his time to lecture work in various theological seminaries. At Mr. Moody's earnest solicitation and cordial co-operation he determined to give almost his entire time to Bible evangelism. The recent work in Chicago has followed along the same general lines as his former efforts, except that certain innovations, most adaptable to the scene of the meetings, were introduced. Each day the text and Scriptural context were displayed across the stage in letters eight inches high on an immense screen. Pointer in hand Dr. Gray led the vast aildipnrP in tllP rpaHinw nf flip \\rr??-U ... V..V V* mv ? * w? Via X I IV. i I , turning toward the assembly, he expounded unto them the meaning of the verse or verses. In the midst of an explanation he would wheel around, and, pointing to the screen, call attention to the particular word oj phrase he desired to fix in the minds of his auditors. It was no small undertaking for the Moody Bible Institute to attempt the holding of such a series of religious meetings in the heart of Chicago's business