The Inn of the Eight Happinesses

If you like old movies, you might be familiar with the movie staring Ingrid
Bergman, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. It is somewhat based on the life of missionary Gladys Aylward. 

Gladys was born in 1902. She wanted to be a missionary to China, but she could find no organization to sponsor her. Small of stature and single, most thought that such a venture would be too difficult for her. Saving all her money, in 1932 she boarded a train by herself that took her across the Soviet Union on a very dangerous journey. 

Arriving in China she found another missionary by the name of Jeannie Lawson, who ran and inn called The Inn of the Eight Happinesses. It was based on the eight traditional Chinese virtues: Love, Virtue, Gentleness, Tolerance, Loyalty, Truth, Beauty and Devotion. The inn provided comfort to many Chinese travelers who were entertained by Jeannie and Gladys' Bible stories. 

After Jeannie died, Gladys carried on and became quite revered by the Chinese people. The Chinese government commissioned her to be a "foot inspector." This was part of a program to halt the practice of foot binding. Foot inspectors were very controversial, but Gladys was able to convince many to discontinue this practice. During World War II Gladys famously took one hundred orphans on a hundred mile journey to escape from the Japanese. Many of these orphans became Christians. You can read the rest of her story in Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman.

The eight Chines virtues bear some similarity to the Beatitudes of Jesus (Matthew 5.1-12). We usually translate the first word of each beatitude with "blessed." But μακάριοι can also be translated "happy."  Everyone wants to be happy. Even the Declaration of Independence states that "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is a right given by God. But people should also recognize that God, who gives this right, also shows us how happiness is attained. It is not attained apart from Him by our own efforts. People often make the great mistake of ignoring the problem of sin. Sin is the cause of all our sorrow, suffering and death, as Paul said, "Just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5.12). Happiness pursued in a selfish way without thanks to God or love for Him and the rest of humankind, will be devoured and destroyed by sin. 

Happiness is found through faith as Jesus said, "Blessed/Happy are those who are poor in spirit (repentant), who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are merciful and pure in heart, etc. They shall be comforted, satisfied, be shown mercy and see God." 

Prayer: Dear God, I know that You created me and everyone else for happiness. But we lost that through sin. Forgive me for following my temptations instead of following You. They always lead me to unhappiness in the end. Thank You for sending Jesus, Your Son, to show me the way of happiness through forgiveness and obedience by faith. Help me to live humbly, thankfully, lovingly and peacefully with You and all people. Amen.

Hymns: Greet the Rising Sun, Lutheran Service Book 871
Jesus Sat with His Disciples, Lutheran Service Book 931

Video: Torchlighters - Heroes of Faith Gladys Aylward

What About Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

     This question is an important one because it is often used by unbelievers to excuse their unbelief and to draw true believers away from God. The implication of the question is that the God of the Bible is not true because He is unjust. For others the question muddies the clear water of God’s salvation by faith in Christ alone and tempts them to think of other ways of salvation. 

     The Bible says that “There is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4.12); and, “Faith comes by hearing the word of God” (Romans 10.17). God wants us to seek Him as Paul said the philosophers at Athens (Acts 17.11). Yet, men do not seek God: “There is none who seeks after God” (Romans 3.11). Nevertheless, God seeks men. When Adam and Eve sinned, God came to them in the garden and restored them through His words. God seeks men through the proclaimed truth of Creation, but, as Paul tells us, men are constantly suppressing that truth (Romans 1.22-30). God seeks men through the proclamation of the Gospel, and yet many resist it and persecute it. 

     So, there is the picture of this world: Men are running away from God, and God is seeking to save them. Somehow in this divine chase some of us get caught. The truth overcomes the lies in us. We repent. We are turned back toward God in order to fear, love and trust in Him above all things. God doesn’t explain to us how this happens. He doesn’t explain how some are caught but others keep on running.  But it clearly happens. So, throughout the whole world and throughout all time, men have been running from God, and God has been pursuing them. 

     The only question that matters for each one of us is: Am I running with the truth or from it? Do I have peace with God or not? It is not for us to figure out how we are caught by the truth. But it is for us to believe it, to live it and become one of God’s chasers after the lost souls who running in the wrong direction. 

     What about those who have never heard the Gospel? I will respond with another question: What about all who have heard and continue to hear the truth of God in Creation? Why do they run from that? Why do they not honor the true God and give thanks as Paul says they should (Romans 1.22-30)? I have no idea. But I know that God loves them, and He is running after them, and He will catch some of them. In the end I will let God decide what is just and right for each and every person. As Moses said, “His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32.4).  

Evening Prayer Service, September 12, 2018. Scripture and Sermon at 11:32

Rosa Young - Tramping for the Lord!

   

     Rosa Young's book, "Light in the Dark Belt," is a great inspiration to me. Her story is a great example of Hebrews 12.1: "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us."

     She was born in 1890 in Rosebud, Alabama. Her father was an African Methodist pastor. Her mother was a  woman of high moral character and a great encouragement to her. She, along with so many in the post-war south, lived through great poverty. She describes the huts and cabins in which people lived, the ragged clothing, and the poor table fare eaten from tin pans and buckets with fingers.

     Worse than this was the spiritual and educational situation of the people. Here is her description of the spiritual conditions:

I knew something was wrong with the kind of religion my people had, but I did not know what was wrong about it. I desired a better Christian training for myself and my people, but I did not know where to find it. The religion of my people was a mere pretense, a kind of manufactured religion. Those who belonged to church were no better than those who did not. In most of the homes the so-called Christian families as well as the unbelievers lived in envy, strife, malice, prejudice, bitter hatred, yea, hellish riot; in covetousness; in adultery and fornication; in theft and lying.

In hundreds of homes the Bible was never read, a prayer was never spoken, and a Christian hymn was never sung. The whole family lay down at night and rose the next morning, and each went out to do his work without saying a word of thanks to God. Sin was looked upon by most people as a small thing. They held divine services in their churches twelve times a year, on the average once a month. No one took the time to teach them Christian hymns; they sang old plantation songs during their services.

     Rosa was a good student who loved learning. With encouragement and help she was able to graduate from Payne University in Selma, Alabama in 1909 to become a school teacher. She advocated relentlessly for education and worked hard to raise the educational standards of the children in southern Alabama. 

     The 1914 Boll Weevil infestation of the Alabama Black Belt (named for the soil color) wreaked havoc and made Rosa's educational efforts difficult. But this proved to be a blessing in disguise. Rosa wrote to Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute for help. He wrote back telling her that his funds were exhausted, but that she should contact the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in St. Louis. They might be able to help. They sent Rev. Nils J. Bakke, who began helping Rosa with her education and mission efforts. Along with help from other pastors, Rosa eventually founded 30 Lutheran schools and 35 Lutheran congregations. 

     I am especially impressed and encouraged by Rosa's concern for the Bible and true doctrine. She was not a missionary with a lot of zeal and very little doctrine. Like the Apostle Paul, she was both zealous and devoted to the truth of God's word and particularly to the Gospel message of forgiveness in Christ, crucified and risen. Rosa's method was to go out and visit. She wrote, 

Visiting is the key to success in mission work. It unlocks the door of opportunity where you may enter many a home and tell the people the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

And again,

During the summer months, when I was not teaching school, I made it a rule to visit every home in the community and also in the adjacent communities, both Lutheran and non-Lutheran. I made a list of the names of the people who did not belong to, or attend, any church. Such people I called my mission-material, and I endeavored by the help of the Lord to get them into my Church. As it was summertime, I would find the people mostly in the fields. Many times they worked miles away from their homes; but no matter where they were or who they were, men, women, or children, I would find them and deliver my Bible message to them.

I hunted lost souls for Jesus somewhat as I hunted for money to build and maintain my first school. I endeavored to tell this Bible message to every person I saw that day. No matter how long it took me to work up to the point in our chat or conversation where I could deliver my Bible verse, I would deliver it. When I had told my message to one person, I would proceed to another. I walked in prayer all along the way from one person to another, asking the Lord to bless the message of His Word as I delivered it.

    I think what I will remember most about Rosa is a comment by one of her relatives. After Rosa had recovered from an illness and was preparing to continue her work, her relative asked: “Are you going back to tramping again?” To which Rosa replied: “Oh, don’t call it tramping! I am going back to save souls for Jesus.”

Denn der Glaube ist nicht jedermanns Ding.

In our Men's Morning Bible study we were finishing our reading of 2 Thessalonians. I am continually amazed at the relentlessness of the Apostle Paul. This was a man who would never give up no matter what the odds. Almost every church God brought into existence through his preaching of Christ created some kind of controversy or opposition. But Paul expected this. As he said to the Thessalonians...

"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith." (2 Thessalonians 3.1-2)

"For not all have the faith." I love Luther's translation... "Denn der Glaube is nicht jedermanns Ding." In English that would be "Because faith is not every man's thing." How true that is. Every day we run into opposition and rejection. But this shouldn't discourage us. It should be expected, and it should propel us to prayer because God is the only one who can change a man's heart. Not only that, it should cause us to seek exactly what Paul was seeking... that "the word of the Lord may run swiftly..." The opposition is strong. Faith is not every man's thing. But God's answer to that has always been to continue sharing that word and praying for it's reception.

Dear Lord, thank You for bringing the word of salvation to us. Grant that it would be glorified in our lives and that faith would certainly be OUR THING. Give us a living faith that shows the Gospel, and bless the church in its mission to send the word out swiftly. In Your name we pray. Amen.

The Wild Man of Borneo

I was looking for a break from my "religious" books. So I found this war story called "The Airmen and the Headhunters." I anticipated a story about some airmen who crashed in the jungles of Borneo and had to switch from fighting the Japanese to headhunters. Boy was I wrong!

The "Airmen and the Headhunters" turned out to be a true story of the greatest of all stories - the Love and Grace of God in a wicked world. In November 1944 the crew of a B-24 Liberator took off for what should have been an easy mission off the coast of Borneo. Instead they encountered a Japanese fleet and were shot down. When they cut themselves loose from their parachutes, they were scattered across the brutal mountains of interior Borneo. The only image they had of Borneo was "The Wild Man of Borneo." They were scared to death.

They were quickly spotted by the Dayak tribesmen, and realizing they were outnumbered, they immediately surrendered their weapons and hoped for the best. Would they be turned over the Japanese, killed, tortured, or cannibalized? They had no idea.

Although it was awkward at first the tribesmen treated them kindly and seemed to be in awe of them. Only later would they understand why. Borneo had been taken over by the Dutch. Early in that process the Dutch officials brought missionaries in to teach the tribesmen the Christian faith. Their main concern was not salvation but the cessation of head-hunting. The tribesmen were very impressed by the love of the missionaries and the way they treated each person equally regardless of their skin color.

When the Japanese came, all the missionaries were killed or driven off. Yet the tribesmen held fast to their new faith. The missionaries came from two different denominations one of which was Lutheran (I'm not kidding!). These must have been some old time Lutherans...

In one of the most fascinating parts of the story, a young tribal girl is talked into taking off her clothes to lure Japanese soldiers out of their position so they could be killed. The girl did it because she remembered the apocryphal story of Judith. Judith is a part of those books in the Catholic Bible that Lutherans used to read. In that story the beautiful Judith goes to the tent of Holofernes, seduces him, and then whacks off his head with a sword. It worked for the tribal girl as well.

Throughout the book the airmen are impressed by the faith and morality of the tribesmen. At one point the tribesmen risk discovery by the Japanese because they insist that they must celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas!

How refreshing it was to stumble onto this book! It shows me that the work of spreading the Gospel is often hard and unrewarding. You just don't see the result immediately. How discouraged those missionaries must have been when the Japanese came. But again "the gates of hell" did not prevail.