The Single Eye

A few years ago, the statement was made that there were three great American agencies which were exerting wide-spread influence in China. These were a well-known oil company, a large tobacco corporation, and the various foreign mission organizations. It was said that the motto of all three was: “Let there be light.” The oil company dispatched agents all over China in an endeavor to induce the Chinese to use kerosene lamps, while consequently, boosting company profits. The tobacco company had as its motto: “A cigarette in the mouth of every man, woman and child in China”! The missionary agencies sought to disseminate the light of the Gospel of Christ.

We wonder what would have happened if the oil company had discovered that some of its agents were inducing the Chinese to use candles and pointing out the disadvantages of kerosene lamps. We wonder what the tobacco company would have done if it had discovered some of its agencies were engaged in spreading information regarding the detrimental effects of tobacco upon the human body. In any such case, the corporation would undoubtedly have broken its connection with those agencies which were devoting part of their energies to working against its business and would have sent out others who would have devoted themselves with single eye to the purpose of the corporation.

We know what these secular organizations would do in such a situation. What is the situation as regards foreign missions today? Great mission boards are sending out some men who are preaching the word of God and at the same time sending out others who are attacking the Scriptures. They send fine godly workers into pioneer districts to preach Salvation through Christ. The leaders among those who are converted are then sent into the large cities to be trained for Christian leadership, and there they are often taught by men who deny the Word of God and endeavor to destroy faith in its teaching. These Boards pursue an inclusive policy.

Suppose a man is giving to a mission board and learns that the agency is supporting some who deny the teaching of the Bible? Suppose he learns that it is joining with other agencies in the support of educational institutions in which there are professors who are attacking the Word of God? Suppose that repeated complaints have been given about these activities and that the board has declined to make any change? What is the reasonable attitude for the contributor to take? Shall he continue to support the agency and piously hope that the good that is done will outweigh the evil that his money is supporting? Shall he designate his funds for individuals whose work he knows to be good, overlooking the fact that this designation merely releases other funds to be used for the spreading of Modernism? One who uses ordinary business common sense will certainly not follow either of these two policies. He will desire to give his money to an agency which will use every cent of it for the spread of the Gospel.

It is because of this situation that The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions was founded. Its purpose was to provide an agency to which Presbyterians could give, with full assurance, that not a cent of their contributions would be used to support Modernism.

The need which called the Independent Board into being is as great today as it ever was. It is not an agency of one denomination. It holds to the system of doctrine contained in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms and to the fundamental principles of the Presbyterian form of government. Its members and donors consist of people who believe this sort of Gospel is to be proclaimed. Christians can give to it, knowing that no part of their gift will support missionaries who do not believe in the Deity of Christ. No part of it will go to the support of union educational institutions in which some of the teachers deny that the Bible is God’s Word. No part of it will go for the publication of books denying the Gospel as found in the Scriptures. Every cent that is given to the Independent Board is devoted to that which directly works toward the preaching of the pure Gospel of Christ. To this Gospel its members and its missionaries are unreservedly committed.

The Independent Board Bulletin; July, 1937