APR 24

2 Timothy 2:1-4
Memorise 2 Timothy 2:3
“... endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ…”

WHO WAS CARL MCINTIRE? (II)

Carl McIntire became pastor of Collingswood Presbyterian Church in 1933 after he graduated from Westminster Seminary. He was only 26 years old. The next year he was invited to sit on the Independent Board of Presbyterian Foreign Missions, This was a newly formed Missions Board for the old one had fallen into the hands of the modernists. This new Board was started by Dr. Machen to promote true biblical work. The General Council of the Presbyterian Church opposed this work and wrongly charged the Independent Board of diverting funds from the official Board. When Dr. Machen, and Carl McIntire refused to disband, they were brought to trial.

Both of them were disciplined and defrocked. Despite all that, he was not discouraged at all. To McIntire, suffering is in the perfect plan of God for all of His true saints. He courageously fought on after his dismissal and persevered in the work of the Lord. A man of great energy and vision, he continued to proclaim his conservative beliefs.

Carl McIntire fought all the way to his death. He endured many harsh criticisms against him. His grandson, Curtis Bashaw put it this way, “He was willing to lose the physical and temporal things because of his beliefs.” Another pastor said that he was the most consistent fundamentalist of the 20th century for he spoke up for the truth, no matter how few friends he would end up with. Carl McIntire said, “The more we suffer, the more we love. The greater the tribulation, the deeper our discernment and our understanding as we wait upon the Lord.”

Dear teen, are you willing to lose friends because of your faith? No matter how nice your friends are, if they are dabbling in the occult by playing with the ouija board or enjoying Halloween parties, we should part company with them. If they invite you out to drinking parties or to enjoy worldly entertainments, we must have the courage to turn them down. It is better to please God than man.

Thought: “You do what God tells you and God will take care of the consequences” - Carl McIntire.
Prayer: Loving heavenly Father, teach me Thy way, to understand that the darker the day, the more the light will shine.