Poling's Progress

"The front line of the Christian ministry no longer is in the so-called heathen lands. It runs through the heart of 20th Century civilization. It is on Fifth Avenue and on Broadway, and not in darkest Africa, that the Christian Church will live her abundant life or sink to mediocrity. Is Christ the Son of the Living God? What of the great confession of Peter?*... It is the Christ of Peter's stupendous affirmation who can and will save man and man's society. Only He is the world-sufficient Saviour. In Him, our schisms shall at last be healed and our divisions removed."

Thus last week spoke popular, robust Dr. Daniel Alfred Poling in his farewell sermon at Manhattan's Marble Collegiate Reformed Church. After seven years he had resigned to devote his time to radio preaching, writing and editing--the only pastor of his 302-year-old sect in New York ever to leave his post for a reason other than ill health.

Dr. Poling's connection with his church had been happy, but his tendency has always been expansive, his influence moving ever outward. Having played potent football at Dallas College (Oregon), having run for the Governorship of Ohio (1912) at the age of 28 chiefly to boost Prohibition (he was too young to hold office), having written novels and campaigned for Labor, he entered organized religion with energy unabated and was soon not only pastor of a big metropolitan church but editor-in-chief of The Christian Herald, President of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America, President of the International Society of Christian Endeavor.

It is this last interest which will particularly absorb Dr. Poling in the immediate future. On the Berengaria he and Mrs. Poling sailed last week for Europe, where he will superintend preparations for the Eighth World's Christian Endeavor Convention to be held in Berlin next August. Similar conventions have heretofore been irregular (the last was in London in 1926) ; hereafter they are intended to be biennial. To Berlin will go representatives of 34 national Christian Endeavor organizations, including from 700 to 1,000 delegates from the U. S. Theme of the convention, at which Dr. Poling will preside: "The Challenge of Christ to Modern Youth." Topics to be emphasized: international goodwill, citizenship, evangelism.

*And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.-- MATTHEW 16:16.

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