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The Golden Age for May Bth, 1913
BLESSINGS FOR CURSES
THE STORY OF THE CONVERSION OF A YOUNG ISRAELITE WHO FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS HAS BEEN PREACHING
the gospel in brazil, south America.
By Solomon L. Ginsburg, Baptist Missionary in Brazil.
PART I.
C J URSED be he by day! Cursed be he
.by night!! Cursed while standing
still! Cursed while walking and lying
down! ’ ’
These words and a good many more like
them were being burled at a young Jew in one
of the parlors of a West End hotel in London.
It was the occasion of his excommunication
and the final separation from his relatives and
friends on account of accepting Christ as his
Saviour.
The young fellow stood listening for some
time, with his head bowed, feeling as if the
* whole world were about to disappear; as if
God Himself had abandoned him, but, appeal
ing silently for help to Him who has promised
never to leave nor forsake, it was given to
him; for, at that very moment, it seemed to
him as if that beautiful text, “He was made
a curse for you,” was written in plain letters
before his eyes. Listening quietly to the fin
ishing of the reading of these curses and in
quiring whether that was all, he left the ho
tel with his heart relieved, content and satis
fied, ready and willing to pursue a humble
Christian life.
His Family.
To be aV.e to appreciate the above scene,
let us go back a little while and see who this
young man is, and what were the circum
stances that brought these things about. This
young man was born in Russia, of a Rabbinical
Jewish family. Fortunately, his brother had
been educated in Germany—we say fortunate
ly, because Russian Jewish women, as a rule,
' HURC’H workers far and near will be deep
ox ly interested in a new movement in Atlanta,
fepggg as unique as it is tremendously needed.
Our churches have plenty of stylish music,
such as it is, but hundreds of village and city
churches—'yes, and thousands of country churches —
need, desperately need, something to wake up and
build up that kind of congregational singing that
will move the hearts of the masses. Charlie Till
man, the gifted and beloved evangelist singer and
song writer, has hit the keynote. In response to
a request from The Golden Age, to tell about it,
he makes the following statement:
“The establishment of an institute in the city ot
Atlanta for the training of young men for leader
ship in church work is a movement which has met
with the approval of every pastor and layman whose
counsel has been sought.
The purpose of this institute is to take young
men who have talent and ability and train them as
leaders for congregational and chorus singing.
In one month’s time we will give to a man the
best of instruction in the rudiments of music and
equip him to go out and continue to grow as he
gets the experience afforded in his church or Sun
day school, and if he so chooses can equip himself
with the art of chorus leading and will be able to
direct the choir in his home church or some other
church.
Classes will also be conducted in teaching har
mony if a student desires to go that far.
Where a man displays the special adaptability
as an evangelistic singer, he may secure training
for this special line of work, in connection with his
other studies.
The management has secured for the leading in
struction a graduate of Moody Institute, and one who
CHARLIE TILLMAN TO TRAIN SINGERS
NEW INSTITUTE IN ATLANTA WILL PREPARE YOUNG MEN TO LEAD CONGREGATIONS AND MAKE BETTER MUSIC.
are not allowed to study. Due to this educa
tion, the young man was sent to Germany at
the age of six years where he remained up to
the time he was fourteen years of age. When
ready to enter the University, his father ex
ercised his parental authority and bade him
return to Russia and prepare himself for a
Rabbinical Chair. Returning home with new
ideas so different from the Jewish orthodox
ideas, the young man found it very hard and
difficult to adjust himself to the exigencies of
his father, especially to his plans of making
his son a Jewish Rabbi. It was not long be
fore the young man resolved to abandon Rus
sia and home, and make a new opening for
himself in this world. The father, perceiving
these ideas, did everything possible to oppose
him, and, seeing that all his efforts were with
out results, he bethought himself of arranging
a marriage for his boy, 'connecting him with
some loyal family and thus perhaps obliging
him to remain and do his will. In Russia,
amongst the Jews, marriages are arranged by
outside parties, and not by the interested par
ties themselves, and it was not long before a
young girl was found suitable, with a dowry
sufficient to enable the young husband to
study at least nine years more. Once, only,
had the young man an opportunity to look at
his intended, and that once was enough! Not
only because he did not intend to marry, and
bind himself to a life of mere existence, but
because the girl could not have been more
than twelve or thirteen years old and was alto
gether unqualified for married life. The
young man there and then resolved to aban-
has had exceptional advantages as a leader and
voice teacher, having studied under the most suc
cessful techers of Boston and New York. In addition
to this, “Your Uncle” Charlie Tillman and O. W. Sta
pleton will give frequent lectures to the classes and
thus many points of advantage may be had as the
result of their wide experience.
On Sundays and other days as may be convenient,
the classes will be taken to the city churches, Sun
day schools and missions, and given practical ex
perience and observation of the leader in action from
which many helpful points will be gained.
This institute will be conducted by men of the
highest type of Christian character and intellectual
and religious training, and will aim to assist men
in becoming stronger workers from every stand
point.
That such an institute has been needed for years
has not been denied, and the churches should en
courage their young men in their congregations to
attend and by some plan assist them when neces
sary in raising the funds to pay for their course.
This would be worth while to the church, for it
could expect and secure the services of such a
man for the stimulation of their work at home.
If a man already has the training in the reading
of music we can take him for a month and train
him to be an excellent leader. If students want
a more advanced training, and stay longer than
one month, the same can be secured by special
arrangements with the management.
Students planning to take advantage of this insti
tute may And it convenient to spend the month
of their vacaion during the summer in the health
ful and attractive city of Atlanta.”
The cost will be reasonable, and those inter
ested can address Tillman and Stapleton, Austell
don his home, and after several months, he
succeeded in leaving and never since has been
back again. For nearly a year, getting expe
rience that have been useful to him ever since
in his great work as a missionary in South
America. After getting himself into various
troubles, he finally was obliged to flee from
the country, crossing the frontier one night
and making his way to Hamburg where a ship
for London took him on board and landed him
in that great city with only three nickels in
his pocket.
Hearing the Gospel.
In London, the young man found an uncle
of his who took him in, and, after correspond
ing with his father, the young man decided
to enter into commercial life, seeing that the
Rabbinical and religious life was out of the
question. One day, passing through the East
End of London, this young man met a con
verted Jew —a countryman of his —who in
vited him to assist in his preaching. He went
and, for the first time, he heard a satisfactory
explanation of the 53d chapter of Isaiah. While
listening to the commentary upon this chap
ter, he could not belp but remember a scene
that took place while he was in Russia with
his father. It was at the Feast of the Taber
nacles. Several Jewish Rabbis were in one of
the tents with his father and a book of the
Prophecy of Isaiah was on the table. By ac
cident, he happened to open the book at the
53d chapter of the Prophecy and was struck
(Continued on page 13.)
Bldg., Atlanta Ga. The editor of The Golden Age
believes that this institute for training leaders will
bring a great blessing to countless churches that
need such leaders.
A WONDERFUL MOTHER GONE
(Continued from page 1.)
at home, devoted to church work and the beau
tiful duty of scattering sunshine over the mel
low evening of their honored parents’ lives.
What a picture!' What a family! It was
no surprise to Judge Folk that his sons and
•daughters should do something notable in the
Kingdom of God or the kingdom of men!
They had been trained for such achieve
ments. “Mother” Folk did not wonder when
some of her boys became preachers and others
climbed high up the ladder of fame and Chris
tian usefulness. She had dedicated them all
to God even before she ever saw them, and
she had taught the meaning of that dedica
tion as they grew up around “the altar of
mother’s knee”—and she knew her God would
not fail.
Never can that boy on the rolling chair for
get how she came as he started away and said
with motherly tenderness: “Let me kiss you
goodbye for your mother.”
Dear, gentle, queenly, consecrated “Mother
Folk”! You saw your crown in Christian
sons and daughters before you received your
Heavenly crown! And the beckoning music
of the skies is calling wherever the song of
your beautiful life was heard!