IN last month's paper we overlooked a December letter from Pastor Willard Spilman which announced plans for a Family Camp to be sponsored by the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, of Arvada, Colorado, during the week of July 15-19.
    Bethel Church has reserved the Deer Creek Christian Camp, of Bailey, Colorado, (located 45 miles West of Denver) - the same facility that was used for a similar camp in 1983. This camp site can accommodate a maximum of 135. Thus, reservations should be made soon if you plan to attend the camp this year.
    According to Bro. Spilman, Pastor Leonard Garlington (of W. Monroe, Louisiana) will be the featured speaker - though other brethren present will be asked to speak as opportunities arise.
    Rates for the five days at camp are as follows:
    Adults --------------- $62.50
    Grade School --------- $58.75
    Pre-School ----------- $40.00
    Tots (2 yrs. & under) -- 2.50
    This will include food and lodging.
    If you plan to attend this Camp you should make your reservations.

    "Christ's great end", said Richard Baxter, "was to save men from their sins; but He delighted to save them from their sorrows". His heart bled for human misery. Benevolence brought Him from heaven and followed His steps wherever He went on earth. The journeys of this Divine Philanthropist were marked by tears of thankfulness and breathings of grateful love. The helpless, the blind, the lame and the desolate rejoiced at the sound of His footsteps. Of Him it might be truly said: "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me", (Job 29:11).
    Suffering hearts were like a magnet to Jesus. It was not any more His prerogative than His happiness to turn tears into smiles. One of the few pleasures that the "Man of sorrows" enjoyed on earth was that of doing good - soothing grief and alleviating misery. Next to the joy of the widow of Nain, when her son was restored, was the joy in the bosom of the Divine

restorer! He often went out of His way to be kind. A journey was not grudged if but one aching spirit were to be soothed, (Mk. 5:1; John 4:4-5).
    Nor were the kindnesses of Jesus dispensed through the intervention of others. They were all personal acts. His own hand healed. His own voice spoke. His own footsteps lingered on the threshold of bereavement, or at the precincts of the tomb. Ah! had the princes of this world known the loving-tenderness and unselfishness of His heart, "they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory!"
    Do YOU know the blessedness of active benevolence? Have YOU ever felt the luxury of doing good! Have YOU never felt that, in making others happy, your own day was filled with joyful radiance? That "it is more blessed to give than to receive?"
    Has God enriched YOU with this world's goods? Then, try to view

yourself as a consecrated instrument for dispensing them to others. Beware of such selfishness as is manifested in both hoarding and extravagance! How sad is the lot of those whose lot God has enriched with temporal mercies, but who, nevertheless, have gone down to the grave without the consciousness of having diminished a single human misery, or eased the ache of a single human heart! How the example of our Lord rebukes the cold and calculating kindnesses - the mite-like "offerings" of many claiming to be His people - "whose libation is NOT like His, from the brim of an overflowing cup, but from the bottom - from the DREGS!"
    You may have little to give. Your sphere of means may be limited. But God can be as greatly glorified by the trifle saved from the earnings of poverty as by the splendid outlay from the lap of plenty. "The Lord loveth a cheerful giver!
    The noble thing about genuine Christian benevolence is NOT its size, but its quality. The merciful visit, the friendly word, the look of sympathy, the cup of cold water, the giving without thought or hope of recompense, the kindly consideration of the poor - these are what God values and loves. They are tributary streams to the river of His pleasure - things concerning which He will ultimately acknowledge: "Ye did it unto ME!"
    When the Lord's people are of such a mind, His name will be honored and multitudes will be blessed by their benevolent deeds.

    The Lord's collars are "yokes" fashioned for two, and He himself is always one of the two. Thus, the significance of our Master's appeal is this: "Take off that SINGLE COLLAR! Exchange it for this yoke, and let me share the burden with you!"
    The offering of a yoke is the tender purpose of the Lord that we should pull our loads in fellowship with Him. But we decline the partnership; we work in single collar, and our necks are galled, and our strength is broken.

FAMILY CAMP .... Continued

as soon as possible - or you may be disappointed. Write:

    To those who wrote last month, to let us know that you are still reading the CLARION HERALD, and remembering this ministry in your prayers, we take this opportunity to express our sincere THANKS! A SPECIAL THANKS to those who, not only last month, but sometime during the year, have sent offerings to assist in this labor of love. Your support is greatly appreciated and is a means of real encouragement to this editor, and to Landmark Church.
    We want to be a blessing, and welcome your suggestions as to how we may serve the needs of our readers more effectively.

Studies in I Corinthians


    Because a division of opinion existed in the Corinthian church, over the use of meats sacrificed to idols, an appeal has been made to Paul for his apostolic counsel in settling the matter. In I Corinthians 8:1-11:1, he makes his reply.

I. PRINCIPLES OF ACTION GOVERNING THE EXERCISE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY, (vs. 1-3).

 A. KNOWLEDGE, standing alone, tends to foster such pride, arrogance, high-mindedness and lack of consideration as is destructive, because it is incomplete - "knowing nothing yet as he ought to know", (3:18; 4:6, 18; Gal. 6:3; I Tim. 6:3-4; contr. I Cor. 13:4).

  B. LOVE (involving understanding, respect, care and responsibility) "builds up": it is a constructive force in building and maintaining Christian fellowship, (Rom. 14:19; 15:2; I Cor. 10:23; 14:3, 26; 2 Cor. 12:19; Eph. 4:12, 29; comp. Col. 4:6).

II. THE APPLICATION OF THESE PRINCIPLES, (vs. 4-13).

  A. KNOWLEDGE, through which the spiritually mature may eat, with thanksgiving, (even of meats previously sacrificed to idols) without any qualms of conscience, (vs. 4-

6). "We know":
  1. "That an idol is NOTHING", (10:19-20; Gal. 4:8; 2 Chron. 13:9; Isa. 37:19; Jer. 2:11).
  2. "That there is but ONE GOD" (Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4) - though many be called gods.
    a. "The FATHER, (Mal. 2:10; Eph. 4:6) of whom are all things" (Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10) - and in whom we live and move.
    b. "The Lord Jesus Christ" - maker of all things, (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16) and through whom we have access unto the Father, (Eph. 2:18; comp. 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5-7).

 B. BUT, NOT EVERYONE POSSESSES SUCH KNOWLEDGE, (vs. 7, 10-11).
  1. Some of these have recently been saved out of idolatry; with weak consciences, they view, with horror, the thought of eating anything associated with the filthiness of idolatry - in spite of the "cut-rate" prices! (Rom. 14:14, 22-23).
  2. Seeing the elder, and (theoretically) stronger members eating of meats so offered, they might reluctantly ascent to do the same; but, because of the lingering doubts in their minds, their consciences would be defiled.
  3. Thus, through knowledge, without the gentle constraint of love, a weak brother is caused to perish (Rom. 14:15, 20) - one "for whom Christ died"!

 C. SINCE NO ONE IS COMMENDED TO GOD BY HIS DIET, a person is neither "better" or "worse" in His sight for eating whatever is available - except that which is

specifically forbidden, (Rom. 14:17).
 D. BUT LOVE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! (vs. 9, 12-13).
  1. It will be concerned that its "liberty" not become a stumbling block to the weak, (vs. 9; Rom. 14:13, 21; I Cor. 10:28; Gal. 5:13).
  2. Loving Christ, one will not want to sin against, or wound the weak conscience of, a weaker brother who is the object of His love, (vs. 12; Matt. 25:45).
  3. Paul's conclusion is that "if eating (such) meat causes a brother to stumble" LOVE will NEVER EAT IT! (vs. 13; comp. Matt. 18:6; Rom. 14:20; 2 Cor. 6:3; 11:29).

 In these chapters Paul states three basic principles that ought always to govern the exercise of the liberty that is ours "in Christ Jesus".
 1) It must never be exercised in such a way as to cause another to stumble, (I Cor. 8:13).
 2) It should always be exercised with edification in view, (I Cor. 10:23).
 3) And, in everything, we should conduct ourselves in such a way as to bring glory to God, (1 Cor. 10:31). E.G.

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 This is the tit1e of a study recently republished by the editor and now available at:
 Though small, it will keep the earnest student busy for some time.

    Paul's life was a persuasion of men to Christ. But he was not content with presenting each man to Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord and leaving the matter so, as though relationship to Christ did not involve also a relationship to all of Christ's. He was the great individualist, never allowing the institution to overshadow the personal; but he was also wholly alive to the social realities of the gospel and the visible and indissoluble communion of men in Christ. When a man came to Him he came out of one set of relationships into another - not less real and tangible and human, but only more vital and enduring, because divine and eternal. This separate and communal life was most actual and practical to Paul. It made Christians (united in fellowship) a temple to be kept holy for divine fellowship, (2 Cor. 6:14-18).
    The church was a building in Christ, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner-stone, and each believer was brought into a new relationship - not only with Him, but with fellow-believers in Him, (Eph. 2:19, 22). Thus joined together, His people were viewed as being Christ's BODY, (Col. 1:24; 2:19; 3:15); and from Him "fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part", the body makes increase "unto the building up of itself in love", (Eph. 4:16).

    Both the unity and the love of the church in herself, and the perfection of her living and full relationship to her Lord, were indicated in Paul's figure of husband and wife. "For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church ... Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church ... For this cause shall a husband leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the twain shall become one flesh. This mystery is great, but I speak in regard to Christ and to the church", (Eph. 5:22, 23). What a full and vital concept of the church this man Held!
    Furthermore, the church, in his view, is also WITNESS TO THE TRUTH. He expressly calls it "the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth", (I Tim. 3:15). As truly as it is the church of the "living" God is it the witness to a "living" truth.
    All of Paul's figures of the church, except this one of "pillar and ground" are living metaphors. They speak of freedom, of movement, of eternal expansion. And even here (I Tim. 3:15), he guards against the lethargic, immobile idea. His idea of the church is of a growing thing, the attainment of any one day not to check us from passing through the attainment of another day toward the divine ideal. We have not yet grasped the whole of any single truth or vision of God; to think that we have, and to try to settle the hot mass of life into its mold, is now fatally impossible.

    The church is not authorized to originate NEW TRUTH, (Gal. 1:9; 12; I Cor. 15:1; Phil. 4:9; Col. 2:6; I Thes. 4:1; 2 Thes. 3:6; 2:5) She is a witness - not a source. She is to be what her Lord was when on earth. Hers is the communication of a divine life through the manifestation of a divine life. It is the raising up of a divine life in our souls, through the knowledge of the divine life in the risen Son of God. The "Spirit of the Son" so enters into us that we, in measure, become sons also. Though one may not fully comprehend the workings of this indwelling authority - come to reveal the light of God within us; there is at least no substitute for it!

I am so weak, dear Lord, I cannot
    stand
  One moment without Thee;
But, oh, the tenderness of Thy en-
    folding,
And, oh, the faithfulness of Thy
    upholding,
And, oh, the strength of Thy right
    hand --
  That Strength is enough for me.

I am so needy, Lord, and yet I know
  All fullness dwells in Thee;
And, hour by hour, that never-fail-
    ing treasure
Supplies and fills in overflowing
    measure -
My last and greatest need, and so
  Thy Grace is enough for me...

There were strange soul-depths,
    restless, vast, and broad,
  Unfathomed as the sea -
And infinite craving for some in-
    finite stilling;
But now Thy perfect love is perfect
    filling;
Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God,
  Thou, Thou art enough for me!


I am not skilled to understand,
What God hath willed, what God
  hath planned,
I only know at God's right hand
Stands One who is My Saviour!

I take God at His word and deed,
Christ died to save me, this I
  read;
And in my heart I feel a need
Of Him to be My Saviour!