It Is Time To Work LOI 1952-3

"At a breakfast meeting in a large hotel in Chicago recently, a businessman who was schedule to talk about his own affairs chose instead to speak on the imminent danger of the United States being swallowed up by Communism. Born in a European country, he had experienced some of the horrors brought on by this godly philosophy. Again and again he punctuated his address with these words: 'Men, we are losing America and our freedom, bought at such a cost, and we don't know it." As he pleaded with his listeners to take action to halt this appalling menace, he spoke with a depth of emotion rarely displayed these days, even in the preaching of the gospel.

At least one of his listeners was smitten to the heart. As the speaker outlined the plan he thought would curb the encroachment of Communism, the hearer thought on the fact that we as assemblies of God's people hold the truth, which alone will crush Communism and cure every other ill, and yet how much we hold our peace and withhold from the world about us the only remedy. With eyes enlightened by the Holy Spirit, we see the approaching danger, yet we do little to warn our fellow men to flee from the wrath to come.

Too little are we loyal to our acquaintances with whom we hold friendly converse day by day, and to the land in which we live and enjoy freedom. How much more are we guilty of disloyalty to our God! Are we not satisfied with meeting to remember the Lord each Lord's Day, having a gospel service in the evening, and a midweek prayer and ministry meeting? Why have the gospel campaigns of eight to ten weeks passed into history? Why is so little agonizing prayer heard? Why are prayer meetings so poorly attended, and often such dull affairs? Why, in short, have we little concern for the souls of lost men?

Is it not, brethren, that we are self-satisfied, self-righteous, self-centered, and 'have need of nothing'? Our condition may be summed up in the sad words of the Apostle Paul, "All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's'. We are letting our Christian heritage slip away from us. Will we not wake up until we have been engulfed by a system hostile to all we believe? Will we not rouse ourselves until we have to pay with our lives to maintain a testimony to God?

Brethren, there is still time for us to work. It is yet day. And here and there throughout America a few assemblies are demonstrating that God still responds in grace in the salvation of lost sinners when His people are in earnest about sounding out the Word of the Lord. During the past few months, sizable numbers of souls have been saved in protracted gospel efforts in Danforth Gospel Hall in Toronto, Austin in Chicago, St. James in Winnipeg, South Main Street in Vancouver, and Hayward in California, to name but a few.

What blessing would come to the Lord's people if each assembly would plan a gospel campaign this year, and back it up with real prayer and sacrifical cooperation. There are evangelists among us who would be delighted to participate in such effort. Brethren, let us who have the oversight in the assemblies and who shall stand before Him in that day to give account of our leadership, fall before Him now, seeking guidance and an open door for a real gospel campaign in our own community during this year of grace 1952. Let us not plan just a campaign of one or two weeks, but let us determine to go on until the blessing of the Lord comes down.

Source

• Letters of Interest
  • LOI 1950's: 1952-3 editorial by William G. McCartney