TRUTH by interpreting the Bible. WHY? I asked. Men don't
interpret other books--they let other books mean what they say.
But they have not accepted what the Bible plainly says. They have
put other meanings into it--they have perverted it, twisted it,
distorted it, and led the whole world to suppose the Bible says, in
many basic fundamentals, precisely the opposite of what it does
say.
The BIBLE, I discovered, is not a namby-pamby collection of
sentimental, sanctimonious but impractical religious sayings. It
is a down-to-earth common-sense revelation of basic, essential
KNOWLEDGE, plus a revelation of the only right approach to further
and real scientific knowledge which is acquirable by man. It
contains, for instance, the foundation for, and the only right
approach to a study of psychology, history, biology, philosophy,
the humanities, sex, music, business, homemaking, nutrition, etc.,
etc., etc. Taken as it is, the Bible makes sense, and is the most
rational book ever written! And it foretells today's world events
and the immediate FUTURE!
I had discovered the SOURCE of TRUTH! I had discovered true
and absolute AUTHORITY! I had discovered the cause of world
conditions--disastrous, unhappy conditions unsolvable by MAN
without God's instruction and intervention. I found the PURPOSE
for human existence, and God's Master Plan for working it out! I
saw humanity in the raw--human nature as it really is.
This brought me to see myself, for the first time, as I really
was--and to a recognition that what I now saw was not good. It
opened my eyes to TRUTH--and brought me to real repentance,
complete submission to my Maker, and to FAITH. It brought
conversion--completely changed my life. I honestly felt my life
was as worthless as a "burned-out hunk of junk." And when I very
seriously GAVE mySELF over to Christ, I felt I was giving something
worthless in exchange for the supreme life Christ had given for me.
But I told Him that if He could in any way use it, this worthless
life of mine, it was now His. "Receiving Christ," meant, to me,
letting Him come literally (in Spirit) into my very mind and body,
to live HIS life in me.
Never before could I understand the Bible. But now it became
plain, and the most absorbing interest I had ever known. So I
continued study almost night and day. Literally, Jesus Christ
yanked me out of the advertising profession, thrust me into His
Work.
In 1931 I was ordained as a minister of Jesus Christ. In 1933
I was receiving a very small salary, holding an evangelistic
campaign. Those who paid the salary demanded I preach and act
contrary to this Word I had PROVED to be the authoritative Word of
God. I learned that whoever pays one demands that the one paid
serves the one who pays! I learned I could not work for, and serve
GOD, and receive my salary from MEN. If I was to serve GOD--work
for Him--I would have to look to HIM ALONE to supply financial
needs. I realized this would require utter FAITH.
I was well aware of the fact many--if not just about all