A study of the Oxford Group movement and its influence in Southern California

PDF

Download

Open document

Flip pages

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content A STUDY OF THE OXFORD GROUP MOVBMEHT ARD ITS IRFLUSNCB m SOUTHBBH OADIFOHNIA A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Religion University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts Harry 1* Smith May 1934 UMI Number: EP65063 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation, Riblishpng UMI EP65063 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346 This thesis, w ritte n under the direction of the candidate^s F a cu lty C om m ittee and approved by a ll its members, has been presented to and ac cepted by the C ouncil on Graduate S tudy and Research in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the require m ents fo r the degree of Master of Arts ’ :ary Dean X Faculty Committee TABZS OP CQHXBBTS CRAPTBB PASS I. IHTH<H)W:TIOir ......................... X II. RISTOBICAl. STATBHEHI . . . . . . . . . . 7 A. OISTIPCTIVB TEACHINGS .......... . 12 I. Pour AbBoXutea . . . . . . . . X2 XI. Practices . . . . . . . 12 III. Theological ............ 16 B. IKTBOBTJCTIOB TO CAPADA ......... 19 C. SOUTRBBP OALIPOHtriA . . . ......... 27 D. SOOIAL ................ . 29 1. Class ......... 37 2. Costume .............. 39 III. FRIKCIPIBS APD PHACTICBS ........... 42 A. PRIPCIPEBS ............... 42 1. Honesty ............. 42 2. Bnselfishness ........... 50 3. Purity................ 56 4. Ik)Te ... ... . .. .. 63 B. PRACTICES ............... 89 1. Guidance . . .. .. ... .. 69 2. Sharing . . . . .. .. . . . . 82 3. Confession ............ 88 4. Best!tution ...... 97 5. &»UBe-Parties .......... 102 CHAPZBR PASS IV. PBRSOPAI. TBSTIMOPIES ............. . 108 V. RESULT OP THE GROUP UFOP CHURCHES ...... 126 VI. TBPDBPCIES APS TRBPDS ............ 138 BIBLIOGBAPHT ...................... 160 CHâPTBH I inmcmvGTios The Oxford Group Movement is a recent social and religious movement which has been creating much interest, and because of its challenging message and the technique which it practices, the writer was prompted to make a thor^ ough study of it# Because of the challenge, the writer has followed the Group, taken notes on conversations and conduct in public and private meetings; he has checked up on persons who have been influenced by the Group; he has watched their lives and conduct and compared them with other Christians who have had no intimate relationships with the Group# How the Group has influenced college life as well as business, has also been a reason for the interest taken by the writer# Any religious movement that has power to change the lives of college professors and college students, in such colleges as Princeton, Oxford, and similar institutions^ and can change the lives of bishops, ministers, members of par liaments, sportsmen, business men. Communists, and like groups and classes of men, is worthy of careful investigation# The writer has been invited by Oxford Groupers to pub lic and private meetings# He has conversed with a large num ber of followers from various sections of Southern California, and has questioned them from various angles in order to gain E first hand information necessary for such an extensive study# Such a method has made it possible to present the problem more accurately, and perhaps with less bias, than is to be expected when all material is gathered from literature. Due to a very inadequate supply of literature discuss ing the problem pro and con,” the writer in many cases has found it necessary to rely upon his personal contacts and in vestigation to supply the necessary information. Since the Oxford Group movement is very recent and the founder is still very active with the Group, Chapter II has been devoted to the life and experiences of this unusual Christian character* Dr. Frauik N. D. Buchman. The writer did not have the opportunity to see Dr. Buchman when he was in Dos Angeles in the spring of 1933. In order to verify the validity of printed material concerning him, the writer has made contact with many who know him personally. Therefore, every word printed in this thesis about Dr. Buchman Is auth entic* Chapter II also gives an account of the first appear- ûice of the Group in, and its influence upon, the lives of the people of Cemada prior to its coming to Southern Cali fornia# Also in Chapter II there has been an honest endeavor to set forth the distinctive teachings of the Group, as well as its social and class aspects. Many religionists are of the opinibn that the Oxford Group is lacking in the social Gospel# They are convinced in 3 their own minds that it is very impractical to place so great an emphasis upon the individual rather than the larger group. In the: following chapters the social gospel, as held by the Oxford Group, has been discussed frankly# A brief result of the Group appearance in Southern California will be found in Chapter II, but the major por tion of the findings will be distributed throughout the thesis* Chapter IV will give results in more specific cases. The controversy with regard to the members of the traveling team wearing dress suits while doing Christian work, has been investigated. The findings may also be found in Chapter II. It has been briefly discussed from different points of view with some quotations from leaders to verify the reasons for the controversy, and the conclusions reached. Chapter III has been devoted to the Principles and Practices of the Oxford Group* The Principles, Absolute Honesty, Absolute ünselfishness, Absolute Purity and Absolute Dove, have been thoroughly investigated in so far as material has been available# The reader will find very little dis cussion against the Principles. The one-sidedness of the discussion has been due to a lack of material showing enough criticism against it. A number of illustrations taken from Southern California have been given to show that many men and women have literally put into practice the Pour Abso lutes, which proves the effect it would have upon one's life. 4 Some of the illustrations were taken from Southern California in order that it might be easy for one to investigate the authenticity and the validity of such an attempt of living. When the field of the Practices of the Group has been entered, one will find a wide range for discussion. Such Practices as divine guidance in one's daily life; sharing of one's sins and victories with others; making confessions, publicly and privately; making restitutions of the wrongs which one has done to some individual, group, or business; Euid the house-parties, are so vital in one's personal life WMlfe many believe that they are unnecessary in the Christian:^ life. The writer has discussed these practices pro and con and has given many quotations from both sides of the ques tion in order that the public may be able to draw its own conclusions without bias* Throughout, the investigation has been made with the public in mind* Chapter IV has been devoted entirely to personal wit nesses of a group of men representing various professions* They have endeavored to write a summary of their lives before and after meeting the Oxford Group. They have told in a few words what the Group has meant in their lives, their attitude toward their business since they have made complete surren ders of their lives to the will of God, and the affect it has had upon their lives, their business and their ministry* The writer has asked ho one to write any specific statement* He 5 has not limited any one in his witness* He told each one that his manuscript would be inserted in the thesis as a direct quotation with no adjustments. Whatever may be found in Chapter VI, no credit is due the writer of the thesis. The Oxford Group has had some influence upon the church in general. In Chapter V much thought has been given along this line, because it is vital; it is dealing with individuals and organisations which have a great deal to do in moulding character and stabilizing society* The problem has been discussed without bias in order that the public may know the exact influence the Group is having upon the church life of the world and especially in Southern California. In this chapter, the possibilities of the movement becoming another denomination have been discussed, also the Group at titude toward churches and the extent of their co-operation. The tendencies and trends of the movement make up the final chapter. Therein is brought together a summary of the findings of the preceding chapters. It has been written to show the tendencies of the Group and its trends. Where is it going? ^at will happen if its goal should be reached some where in the future? With what class of people does it deal? Why? Are all others excluded? Is it purely Christian or is it a Combination of Christian, social, and political? These questions have not been answered directly, but the answers may be found in the last chapter. Such problems as the ô marriage and sex problems are discussed and the Group concept regarding them* What has the Group to offer for the child? What about the race problem? These are other questions which come to one's mind* They are also answered in the final chapter* It has been found that the Group has made certain contributions toward solving many social and religious prob lems in the short time which it has been in existence* The writer has endeavored to face these questions and problems fairly and present formally the facts regarding them. CHAPTER II HISTORICAIi STATBMBHT When the economic, social, political and religious pulse of any country becomes abnormally low, a leader usual ly comes forth with a challenge for the people in order that they may meet the situation whatever or whenever that may be Saint Francis appeared at the time when it was necessary to free men from the bondage of things* Martin Luther was welcomed and gained a large following when he freed the people from bondage to institutions and dogmas* John Wesley was no less a hero when he arose to face the situation of lethargy, from which he freed the church, even to the pres ent day* Like every leader of religious revivals, the founder of the Oxford Group movement also found it necessary to make it a practical personal experience before he could expect others to catch the glow of his experience* The founder was Frank Nathan Daniel Buchman, born in Pensburg, Pennsylvania* in 1878, of Swiss parents* He graduated at Mount Airy Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, 1902, an ordained Lutheran minister* He is past fifty years of age, and holds an A*B*, A*M* , and D*D* degree from Muhlenberg College. Dr* Buchman, like many students of theology, was dis satisfied with his spiritual experience after leaving the 8 seminary. He acknowledges that he was unhappy and perplexed* He felt resentment in his life against certain religious people. This complex pricked his conscience to such a de gree that he began to realize his own pride and selfishness formed the basis for his unhappiness. In 1908, he began to travel, and found himself at Keswick, England. Still in an unsatisfied state of mine, ahd yet seeking a spiritual peace which he was positive was available for him, he attended a little country church where a woman was speaking on some aspect of the cross. Dr. Buchman said later that he did not know her name. She said something in her sermon that stirred him to the depth, which helped him to see himself as he really was, for the first time* This experience marked the turning point In his life. Having received the new experience, he found it necessary to write a few confessions to friends. The following day he wrote six letters of apology, and at the head of each he wrote one verse of the familiar hymn: When I survey the wondrous cross. On which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss. And pour contempt on all my pride. Dr. Buchman has a personality which seems to capti vate most everyone who has any dealings with him. Many of his friends admit, however, at first they do not care for him because of his abrupt msuiner of speaking. Yet it isn't long until their love for him has been increased far more 9 than their feelings of disrespect had been. Sam Shoemaker, Pastor of the Calvary Episcopal Church in New York, says of him, **It is like this, you go to a doctor and he gives you medicine. You don't like the medicine, but it is none the less good for you*Dr. Buchman is ever in the background as far as it is possible. Most leaders have a desire to be heard as well as seen by the public. He has a power of getting beneath the outer man and getting into the real self, which characteristic is not found in most public leaders. He has a habit of taking nobody for granted. It doesn't matter with whom he deals; whether he be a clergyman, an elder or vestryman in the church, a Sunday* school teacher or superintendent, or lawyer, he declines to take them for granted. A. J. Russell gives the following il lustration: In New York City a University student leader came to talk with Frank about entering the Christian Ministry. He had just been attending a conference of the ministry at which brilliant addresses had interested but not convinced him. . . . » Frank answered his questions to the best of his ability, but still the man seemed un satisfied. They had finished dinner with very little accomplished, and Frank then invited him to his room for further conversation; In time the student opened a little more and said, ’I'll tell you why I didn't enter the ministry. I want my own way too much. ' 'Isn't there something else?' Frank asked, and the 1 A. J. Russell, For Sinners Only (New York: Harpers Brothers, 1932), p. 121. 10 student said, 'No.' Then Frank was told what he should say as suspicion became conviction; and, leaning forward, he said quite naturally: 'Isn’t your trouble . . . The barrier of pride crumbled away, and a new begin ning was made on a sure foundation which transformed the young man. As they were talking together to the Subway, the student said: 'Frank, I'd have cursed you tonight if you had not got at my real need. Perhaps no one has learned to listen to "The Still small Voice" of God speaking to the individual as definite ly as has Dr. Frank Buchman* What is the source of his great power? At first thought, one would be apt to say that it is a positive personality. He does not have a domineering char acter which carries everyone with him by sheer force. He is pleasant, merry, active, strong-willed and obliging. He is not what we call in the popular language* "a natural born leader." His acquaintances say that he is perfectly dis ciplined. He is like a child listening to God and obeying Him. He then has a way of getting all those around him to do the same. It is difficult, if not impossible, for one to understand the Oxford Group movement without endeavoring to practice and prove for One's self that "guidance" Is not theory but a working principle. 2 Ibid., pp. 122-183. 11 Without a prayer life, one cannot expect to have a complete understanding of one of the principles of the Oxford Group, namely. Guidance. All the information about Dr. Frank Buchman shows that he is constantly in a prayerful attitude even when dealing with some individual's problems. He tries to keep his whole life alert to the Father's approval* He is constantly watching for a signal from the Father, so all he does is not his own doing, but his Father's. A. J. Russell makes the following statements about him: He is always thinking of the people. He loves festi vals; his birthday list is growing; he is a great man at any celebration. He is a dominating character, but does not believe in domination, for that kills initia tive. Meet him and you may not like him, because he does not appreciate you too much at your present worth, the reason being that he wants to get you to a higher attitude; more spiritual exercise and more spiritual air. For, says he, the spirit, like the body, needs food, air, and exercise.3 Dr. Sam Shoemaker, Rector of Calvary, says of Dr. Buchman: I have never seen a man so completely surrendered to God. He is the most disciplined personality I_know. Everything he has is absolutely given up to God. I have seen him at night seated in his chair thoroughly done in with his day's untiring labours for God, pale and utter ly exhausted. Then the door opens and in walks another opportunity for service. Tired though he is, Frank is on his feet instantly, his face glowing, his merry smile back again, hand outstretched, his whole being a-quiver for further effort for his Master, ready to go on right 3 Ibid., p. 137. 12 through the night if he can only help another from shadow to light* He allows himself to be just carried along without effort on a wave of the Holy Spirit#^ A* DISTINCTIVE TBACHINGS lè Four Absolutes* Dr. Buchmstn does not claim to have anything new* He only places a new emphasis upon the first century Christian ity* Dr. Buchman, in order to place a new emphasis on the teachings of Christianity, has four points which he claims are the keys to the kind of spiritual life God expects of every Christian# His four points are: absolute honesty, absolute purity, absolute unselfishness, and absolute love. II. Practices. To be spiritually reborn, and to live in the state in which these four points are to be guides to our life in God, Dr* Buchman has advocated four practical spiritual activi ties, namely: 1. The Sharing of our sins and temptations with another Christian life given to God, and to use Sharing as a Witness to help others, still unchanged, to recog nize and acknowledge their sins* 2* Surrender of our life, past, present, and future, into God's keeping and direction. 3. Restitution to all whom we have wronged directly or indirectly. 4 Ibldi, p. 138. 13 4* Listening to, accepting# relying on God's Guidance and carrying it out in everything we do or say# great or small Dr. Buchman claims that these activities are indis pensable to thousands whose lives have been "changed" through the Oxford Group emphasis upon a complete individual surren dered life. He denys that they are new inventions, but claims they are tenets of simple Christianity. Dr. Buchman does not claim to be an ascetic. His garb has no distinctive markings. He affects no unusual manner, and makes no claim to an unusual personality. He discourages, and bars any undue emotionalism, religious hys teria and neurosis. He does not have anything to do with these* He claims that the business of the Group is to erad icate them from religion, thus setting the life free for absolute honesty of living. He knows by experiences that absolute love can and will conquer all evil. He also claims that absolute truth is as generally necessary for those who preach it as it is for those to whom it is preached. He be lieves that people depend too much on other people for hap piness, and advocates a greater depending upon Christ in whom there is strength* Dr. Buchman claims that sin is anything that keeps us from God or from one another. He believes that it is quite 5 The Leiyman with a Notebook* What Is The Oxford Group? (New York: Oxford University Press, 19537, pp. 8-9. 14 necessary for one to share his sins with another person who is living a surrendered life, as well as to God, in order to gain the maximum Christian experience* It is on that basis that he made sharing one of the Group principles* That meth od, he believes, is the best method of forgetting the unde sirables* He believes that the "i" in the word sin, is the secret of the power of sin* He advocates the surrendering of the *1*, ego, to God and sin will go with it. He believes that the individual self-interest is the cause of world sin. Therefore he has set the individual as his goal. Through Dr. Buchman's special emphasis, the movement which he has founded is one of interest. It has a Unique and peculiar emphasis in religious life of our day. Bishop Hoots of China said# "Its purpose is to reclaim for the es tablished churches their rightful heritage of vital Chris tianity."^ This movement, to fulfill this purpose, has no organization, no machinery. There are no dues and no offi cial members. There are no executives as such. Mr. Harris says that the chief executive is God ruling in the heart of all mankind. There is no formal creed. Yet, says, Mr* Harris, its beliefs have been stated as follows: 1. The need for the unconditional surrender of the human ^ Erdman Harris, "An Attempt at an Impartial Apprais al." Religion in Life (Winter Number, 1933), p* 13. 15 will to the will of God made manifest in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour* E* The need for continuous daily contact with God through the reading of the Bible# prayer, and through listening.for the voice of the Holy Spirit. S. The need for every Christian to witness for Christ, sold to bring others to Him. 4. The need for working in and through and with a group of like minded, consecrated individuals.” One can readily see that these are not new fundamen tals of Christianity given in a new age. They are principles Of Christianity from the First Christian Century period. Erdman Harris gives a very concise picture of the Group and of the struggle which Dr. Buchman and his followers endured during the time they were working on the campus of Princeton University. Writing in the Religion In Life. he said: Everywhere it has gone it has won vigorous converts and made violent enemies. It has been a bone of conten tion among Oxford and Cambridge undergraduates, with con troversies raging in London papers* It has stirred up the campuses of Yale# Colgate, Smith, Vassar, At Prince ton, Dr. Shoemaker and other members of the Fellowship were# for a number of years, the dominating influence in the voluntary religious organizations. The undergrad uates and the administration finally got so upset about the undercurrent of rumors concerning the Group's empha sis on sex, confession# and emotionalism, that an investi gation was conducted by a supposedly impartial committee; the rumors were in the main proved to be either exagger ated or false, but the subsequent reverberation caused the withdrawal of Mr. Buchman's followers and the establish ment of quite a different religious policy, in charge of Ibid., p. 13. 16 ail experienced dean of the chapel.® III. Theoiogical. The writer has heard a number of persons criticise the Oxford Group movement because the Group omits some of the sacred terms which are found in the New Testament* One young minister became greatly enthuiastic about the movement in February, 1933, the Group's first visit to Los Angeles, California. It was during some of the meetings which he at tended at the Biltmore, a fashionable down-town hotel# that he made "confession" of some of his own attitudes of life. Just a few days later, the writer met the young minister on the campus of the University of Southern California* It was then that he criticised the movement severely. He had read one of the Oxford Group books, and in the book he found no mention of the cross# blood, redemption, virgin birth# and other familiar sacred terms. They were too modernistic for this young man. He agreed, however, with the Oxford Group technique# but he failed them when they failed to dis cuss theological doctrines. Other fundamentalists have noted that the theologicfiüL attitudes are as various as the persons one happens to meet. A writer in The Presbyterian, a Fundamentalist organ of the ® Ibid.i p. 16-17. 17 Presbyterian Church, believes that on the whole the movement is theologically conservative. He criticises the members for putting Sanctification ahead of Justification, and for suppressing the Atonement. He thinks that they have "almost" a Quaker doctrine of Inner Light. He also thinks that they praise men more than Christ. Then he concludes his argument by saying: On the whole they need to recul some Church History and study their systematic theolo^* I see the movement is now being praised by some of the ecclesiastical mag nates. That I fear will kill it, and there is a lot of good in it.^0 Since it is a group rather than an organization, it has unlimited possibilities to develop definite lines of thought and doctrines. The leaders are of the higher intel lectual class. They are college men and women. They hold A.B*, M.A. degrees and many have higher degrees, acquired from theological seminaries. Such is a legitimate proof that they know church history as well as theology and could discuss it extensively if it were found to be necessary* Theological doctrines are seldom mentioned by any of the Groupers, neither in the secret meetings, nor in public. The Group movement is Fundamental in that they teach what they believe to be the ^ Quoted by E. L. Mills, editor# in "Toward Reality in Religion." The Christian Advocate, UOOCII,. (Mar. 16,1933), p.4, 10 Ibid., p. 4. 18 fundamental necessities of Christianity. By necessities is meant those which are essential in living up to the Four Ab solutes # and in making saints out of sinners* Since they have no written creed, or articles of religion, one has to base their conclusion on observations and conversations with indiv idual followers of the Group* One finds that there are as many variations as there are individual beliefs* If one be lieved in the virgin birth before coming in contact with the Group, he naturally continues to retain that belief, because there is no occasion to question his belief* The Oxford Group seeks to assist one another to use his beliefs to the best ad vantage for himself, and the world. That, of course, means living as near as one can, by God's help, to the life which He mapped out for man. If it is necessary to be strictly fund amental or modern, in order to live that life, then the Oxford Group makes no objections as to the belief one accepts. A surrendered life is more important then words spoken. Dr. A. E. Gaebelein, speaking of the Story Book Assem bly, took occasion to score the Oxford Group. This Fundament alist leader maintains that the movement is in no real sense a First Century Christian fellowship am it claims, and he says that the "guidatnce" claimed is practically that taught by spiritualism* He takes the Group to task also for not using the Scripture terms such as Salvation, Grace, and the Hew Birth* It is interesting to note that "Buohmanism" seems to X9 be mercileasly criticised both by extreme Fundamentalists and by Modernists; yet it continues to grow* There can be no doubt that many outstanding brilliant people find the Christ life through it*^^ Professor Halford E* Luccock# also strikes a key note of the Oxford Group present trend of theological practice when he says: The Oxford Group has much to say of sin* But its idea of sin, as far as can be gathered from any expres sions of emphasis, is nothing less than a caricature of the profound conception of sin to be found in the Hew Testament* There is evident rneit her any understanding of atonement nor of social nature of sin in such a com plicated hiiman network as men are involved in today* B. IHTHOBUCTIOH TO CANADA A traveling team may travel from one continent or one country to another upon "Guidance of God." In order to make sure that the guidance is divine, they "check up" with one another to assure themselves that there can be no mistake before a major move is made* If the guidance "checks" with the others, then they claim that there is no doubt of the validity of the guidance* It was under such guidance that A* E. Gaebele in. The Christian Century, I » , (August 30, 1933), p. 1092* Halford B* Luo cock, "Buchman ism an Escape." The World Tomorrow, XVI, (January 18, 1933), p* 63* 20 they claim to have been directed to North America* In Canada# the Team wais met with opposition, as else where* Yet, in spite of opposition, there was a positive attitude which writers claim has won respect and as a result# a large following has been gained* The Group has left its sting, or stimulus, with individuals and churches* Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker, writing in The Christian Century, quotes the opinion of one of Canada's leading daily papers, the "Toronto Daily Mail and Empire", which gives a very vivid picture of the welcome and impression the travel ing team made upon the Dominion the short time it was there. Before thousands of Toronto citizens, men and women from all walks of life, thousands which included three hundred clergymen# a dozen members of parliament, a score of eminent financiers . . * the Oxford Group last night made its debut in this city* From a meeting, in the ballroom of the King Edward Hotel hundreds of persons overflowed into other hastily arranged gather ings which surpassed in number the first one* An hour before the meeting was scheduled to start in the big ballroom at the top of the hotel, it was jammed, and men and women struggled in halls and corridors* Across the street James' Cathedratl was thrown open * . * a thous and men and women rushed and poured in through its doors. To this audience, scattered in three groups, members of the team .... told simple stories of find ing new lives*^S Dr* J. R. P. Sclater speaks highly of the Oxford Group as a "movement." The movement is one which has not been 13 Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., "House Parties Across the Continent." The Christian Century. L, (August 23, 1933), p* 1056* defined either in ideas or methods# It is still plastic* and is ready to adopt such changes as seem necessary, and as guidance may indicate. It is not a movement with defIn- ate laws and rules to which the followers must sometime grudgingly anhmit* The movement was not accepted in Canada as from above and without room for criticism either of its ideas or methods* Dr* Sclater* spesdcing before a large assembly about the Oxford Group movement, said* Welcomed too* the demand that God be given the key to every room in one^s life; but pointed out that this should include the rooms in which economic policies and international policies are wrought out*^& All men are alike as far as their spiritual needs are concerned; but those needs must be met in various ways because of the peculiar psychological differences in indiv iduals* When these profound differences are ignored, confusion inevitably follows* That confusion frequently leads to a spiritual* social and economic chaos. The Oxford Group be lieves that these misunderstandings can be largely avoided by the Christian practices* They advocate the practice of the reserved periods of prayer each day# The neglect of the practice of prayer seems to be widespread among all peoples# In Canada, the Oxford Group discouraged any effort on 15 Earnest Thomas* *Buchmanites End Canadian Tour.* The Christian Century* L, (June 14, 1933), p. ?93* 28 the part of any individual to sectarianise the movement. They repudiate any thought or effort toward that purpose. There is* howeveri a tendency on the part of a few to enter the Group for that purpose, but that is being overcome as rapidly as possible* The method by which this problem is met, is abandonment of old fellowships and the grouping of new ones. The effect of the Oxford Group upon the ministry in Canada has been very distinct. * * Among the ministers two different kinds of reactions are d i s c e r n a b l e . * 1 5 some of the ministers were led by self-discovery* to distinct eth ical adjustments* These adjustments have penetrated to the depths of life. Others have welcomed the Group as a new agency by which they seek to enrich and enlarge their own churches* The latter were the first to adopt the new move ment even without understanding the new technique. Some ministers have from the first felt antipathy to the movement* A feeling among the ministers has arisen which may in time create further misunderstanding* Those who have adopted the movement, feel that the others should unreservedly commit themselves. Again the psychological differences must be taken into account. There is a class of people who are wil ling to be swept into the swelling current of emotionalism. 25 while the remaining class wish to test and think through any new movement or problem before publicly committing themselves. Earnest Thomas summarizes his thought by saying: Yet in spite of all these morbid growths there has been a definite enrichment of life and unless the churches are more moribund than the present writer believes to be the case there is every reason to expect much healthy growth beside the less desirable forms, Progressive and growing Christianity always means a great deal of effort* hike the progress of a conflagration, it depends upon the atmospheric condition. The atmospheric condition in Toronto was very favorable * Its flames spread from one person to another. Often it was more than a leaven* According to George C* Pidgeon who writes from Toronto, it swept the country like a forest fire. Ee says: Many people, who had no personal contact with the Group or any of its members, are being changed, and their souls are kindled with fire that comes from God. Some of the most interesting cases with which the writer has had to deal have been of this character. It is easier today to speak about spiritual experiences, to pray with people, and to touch the central issue of life and char acter than it has been for years* There is a tenderness in worship and a consideration for one another in dis cussion that makes a heart-fellowship possible* Convic tion of sin is going to the root of personal and family sinfulness and of business and social failures, insist ing on a thorough-going renewal* This change issues in conscious union with God, and under divine leading the energies of the soul are turned in a new direction. Ibldé. p. 793. Qeorge C* Pidgeon. "The Oxford Group In Toronto*" Religion in Dife, {Spring number, 1935#) p. 285. 24 In Canada, writers claim that the awakened are taking the initiative in new forms of service. There has been an unusual eagerness shown in favor of the Group. Every Sunday the new converts are going to the churches, testifying with marked effect to the work of grace within. They are taking upon themselves the responsibility of spreading the news. **^The spiritual Influence is spreading silently in all direc tions, and the church’s cause for gratitude is easily under stood.**^^ Like any Christian movement or revival, the progress is not as easy as it appears. There are always oppositions, some of which are very destructive. Generally speaking, desî- 8tractive criticisms directed toward a constructive project, however good or bad the method may be, always does a great deal of harm* That has been true throughout history. Jesus found it so* The Apostles, Paul, early Wesleys, McPhersion- ism, and hundreds of others have realized that to be a fact* The Oxford Group met with great opposition in Canada. The Few Outlook, a religious journal belonging to the United Church of Canada is reported to be the chief among the enemies* The Presbyterian Record also published fiery criticisms. The opposition became so tense that a number of ministers of the United Church protested, and the columns were soon closed Ibid.. p. 287. 25 against discussion* The effect of the Oxford Group on the ministry in Canada has been enormous, which is the general opinion of writers from there. Special meetings were held for minis ters. It has been the custom of men who come to speak to a group of ministers to take them for granted. It was differ ent with the **Traveling Team.** They take no one for granted* Humble honesty often brings men under conviction of sin, then through the confession, which is the Oxford Group method, lives are changed into purity and power.’ Such was the result upon the ministry in Toronto. This has been very apparent in the lives of the younger ministers* **There is no doubt,** says George C. Pidgeon, **that the changes wrought in the lives of our ministers opens a new day for the Church of Christ in Canada. According to the information given out in the press by leading educators and church men in Canada, the conventional Wednesday evening prayer meetings have been greatly modified to meet the growing needs of a spiritual progressiveness. Some of the churches are yet somewhat skeptical about some of the Group principles. One church under a very able leader. Dr. Hichard Roberts, has adopted a program where the people begin to gather about five o’clock in the afternoon for a ao Ibid.. p. 288. 26 general social program# About six in the evening they are invited to a well planned dinner at a nominal price of twen ty-five cents per person* This plan enables the pastor to mingle among the people to talk to them about their spirit ual welfare. Thus there is a directed group experience as well as a guided personal experience. After the dinner hour, the meeting is carried on after the plan of the old Methodist class-meeting which in princi ple is a forerunner of the Oxford Group testimony meeting* There, people are given opportunities to give their witness with the hope that someone else who may be having similar spiritual problems may be benefited. They maintain that such practices not only benefit the listener, but the witnesser. Dr. Roberts claims that the coming of the Oxford Group and the adoption of its principles by his church has caused a great enrichment of life in his congregation and community. He claims to have received new courage, zeal and determination to continue in the Christian Way and constantly endeavor to grow spiritually regardless of opposition. The Witness and Canadian Homestead, a weekly paper printed in Montreal, which devotes a large space to the Oxford Group news, emphasizes the influence of the Group upon the citizens of Canada as well as over the world. It points out how ministers who have never preached in the pulpits of an other denomination, now do so with ease and confort, as well 27 21 as eagerness* C. SOUTHBRF CALIFORHIA After a brief stay in Canada# the traveling team moved southward into the United States. Then# in February, 1935# Los Angeles threw open its doors to the traveling team. They made their first public appearance in the Bovard Auditorium# at the University of Southern California* In their evening gowns and Prince Alberts, they told of the saving power of Jesus Christ to a capacity audience. The influence which the Traveling Team left upon the Southern California churches has varied. There have been individuals in congregations who have had a deepening Chris tian experience. Those individuals have, in most cases, been leaders, or those who had leadership ability. With the re kindling of the spiritual spark, their influence has been keenly felt. The writer is acquainted with a number of persons who have been Christians for years and have been merely church parasites* They have been hanging on, living off the spirit ual lives of others* and have given little or nothing toward the support and advancement of God’s Kingdom* Since the ar rival and departing of the Oxford Group, those same persons 21 **The Oxford Group.’ * Witness and Canadian Homestead, UDGCIX# (February 28# 1954. ) 28 have been retouched by the Christ way of living, and are now leaders and eager_workers in the churches* It is not unusual to hear ministers say that they have been changed; they have a new outlook toward the ministry; they are no longer too timid to speak of Christ in terms of every day life and do it enthusiastically* In some cases ministers have changed their technique in their public worship* Roy L* Smith says: Others have dismissed their chair, suspended preaching* or otherwise radically altered their procedure in the name of Oxford discipleship. Several small groups, composed of earnest and devout people are meeting in the quiet of homes for the discussion of religious problems, without much pub licity or furore* Unlike any other movement of the kind there have been no reports of splits or divisions in churches as a consequence, and aside from the occasional use of the peculiar Oxford terminology, one hears little of the movement* It has made its contribution and is gone* Individuals have been vitalized, many individuals have been helped, but generally speaking it is not a movement that has seriously affected the life of the church*" Investigation shows that the author of the above quo tation shows his lack of knowledge of the extent and influence of the Oxford Group, perhaps because he has not made any ex tended investigation* A large number of his fellow denomina tional ministers have been given a complete new outlook ot i the Christian ministry* both in their lives and ministry* It is not only evident by their lives and conversation, but by Roy L* &nith, **Result of the Oxford Group Visit Slight*® Christian Century* L* (July 5, 1933*) 29 the response of their congregations to their appeal for a closer relationship with Christ* D*. SOCIAL The trend of the Group toward the Social i& very pro mising* The writer has found no mention where the Group has held any strictly social functions* It is very evident that they expect the social to take care of itself and fall into life at the proper place* but they believe that this cannot be done until the spiritual life has been properly met and challenged* All the Group literature points to one fact, that the Group lays stress upon the individual and never the larger social mass* The Witness and Canadian Homestead* prints an article taken from the Methodist Times and Leader* The author approaches the question without bias and from various angles* For example, [says the authorJ let us imagine a man who is a big employer of labor sitting down in his ’quiet time’ and facing up to the four standards* He has to put the whole of his life to those great tests, and this includes his business* He has to ask himself# ’Am I absolutely unselfish? Am I absolutely loving? Am I absolutely honest? Am I absolutely truthful?’ And he has to apply these questions to his business*^ An em ployer who fully appreciates the implication of these 'Absolutes’ will himself revolutionize his business*22 The social emphasis is applied in the above quotation* 22 George Fairfoot, ®Groups and the Social Gospel.® Witness and Canadian Homestead, LXXXIX, (February 1934), p. 10* 30 If any employer were to practice the four absolutes, possibly there would be a social good come from his practice* The Oxford Group believes that this method will solve larger social problems, such as war* How can war be abolished and can there be a permanent peace on earth? This question is constantly being asked by the thinking people today. It is understood by most people that this major social question will never be solved until the problem of vested interest and social Jealousies are solved. The Group says: Odnfront a man who holds shskres in an armament fac tory with the challenge# 'Are you being absolutely lov ing and unselfish in this matter?' and as he faces up with the challenge the vested interests will go. Let men of all nations and colors face up to the challenge of absolute love and all racial jealousies and hatreds will have to go and so here again the way of individual 1ife-changing is the way to national and international salvation.23 A criticism against the Oxford Group with regard to the ®quiet time® has a tendency to make one too introspec tive and less sensitive to the human needs and the social appeal. The above quoted author is of another opinion. Hear what he has to say: # * * 4 in practice the opposite is the case. One only has to look at such a great religious body as the Quaüc- ers to see how entirely wrong such an argument can be. The Quakers have always emphasized the fact that God can guide auid direct a man's actions, and have stressed 23 Ibid.. p. 10. 31 obedi^Qûe to the 'inner light. ' But this has not meemt m lack of social zeal* On the other hand it is recog nized on all sides that the members of the Quaker com munity have always been in the van of all movements for social progress of mankind.24 The Oxford Group firmly believes that man should never slack his efforts to better the social system* But# they also believe that the social system can never be bettered until we have a perfect people to run the system. %ach has been said of the Oxford Group in the way of destructive criticism about their social Gospel* It is very true that there is some room for criticism. Something one should keep in mind, however, before one criticises too mUch one way or another is that the Oxford Group movement is, of course, only a very recent movement* They have made errors, which were not all good for the movement at the time, but time will help to remedy those unwelcomed lessons* Many times the social reform and the effect of the social gospel of a movement comes many years after the movement had been fairly established* The Editor of the Hamiletic Review says it in the following manner: Mr* Birrell, walking once in Cornwall, said to a vil lager he met, 'You seem a very temperate people here4 about * ' The QOrnishman stopped, took off his hat* and quietly replied, 'There came a man among us Once whose name was John Wesley « ' Yet John Wesley, preached indiv idual sin, repentance, reparation* rignteousness, 84 Ihid.* p. 10* 38 things that as surely issue in corporate and social bles sings as the buds on the spring trees forecast the re freshment of the forest shade in mid-summer. Is it pos sible that these critical gentlemen never heard of the Evangelical Review or read Sir James Stephens on the Clophais Sect with its individual gospel according to Calvin and its social results according to John Fenn, Granville Sharpe, William Wilberforce, Zachary Macaulay, and pre-eminent among them all in the next generation, the Seventh Bârl of Shaftesburg. These men not only led in social reform that mounted almost to social revolution, they brought into a view so deaf that it could never again be obscured, the fact that true religion is never a thing merely of individual faith or of social service. It is anà must ever be, if it be real* a thing of both. Its motto is not 'either--or', but 'both— and.' So long as the Oxford Groups help to convict of sin and emphasize individual reparation, they will be preach ing a social gospel because social improvement is the improvement of the soul. IShen his devout nurse, Maria Millie, taught young Anthony Ashley Côôper to think upon his soul's salvation, she had small knowledge of the folk M^English mills; but when the boy came to be Lord Ashley and Lord Shaftesburg# every labouring man and woman in England had cause to bless him. The religion Of Jesus when it really comes home to a heart is of necessity an outreaching power. We believe in its f u t u r e .25 The editor of the Christian Century believes that it As pathetic to think of any movement expecting to save soc iety by placing emphasis upon the individual spiritual life. He believes that the social gospel must be dealt out to the group rather than the individual or there can be little con structive results. Here is what he has to say: We may, however, be allowed to make the general state ment that the pre-ocoUpatiOn of evangelical Christianity with periodic efforts to save the world by direct dsal- ing with the ihner life of individuals without reference to an objective social vision has lasted so long and 25 Editor The Hamilectie Review. (July 1933), p. 18, 33 brought forth so little permanent gain to the Kingdom of Gbd that any renewal of any such effort seems, in our opinion# pathstie.25 Some denominations of the Christian Church have done very little Of personal evemgellstic work with the non-churched# Some do more than others* It has been the observation as well as the personal experience of the writer to note that it is extremely difficult to get the whole church interested enough in the needs of non-Christians to go to them and talk with them about personal salvation* It is more difficult to get church members to go to the home of another who is not a church member and pray with that individual* One may note that it is the custom of some churches# those are usually the emotional type# while the less emotional find it very difficult to do personal work* It is no uncommon thing to hear members of the church criticise the pastor because he doesn't do more personal work# or make calls more frequently* When the pastor asks members to help him# the common reply is# ®Ohl I can't do that2® Halford B* Luccock is of a different opinion* On the contrary he criticises the Group for laying stress on person al evangelistic work* He calls it "individual piety*® His opinion of the Oxford Group is in the following quotation: Editorial# The Christian Century# L, (August 83, 1933)# p* 1053. 34 li iô far easier and less demgereûs to center one's effort on individual piety than to carry the message of Christ out on the moral frontiers of our time. There is danger that some may use the movement as an escape from the tanks of a Christian witness against the paganism of our present order. There are many in the pulpit who are pathetically like the crowd gathered around the pool of Beihesda, 'waiting for the watertto bubble* # waiting for some new movement, some fresh craze, feeling that they Can plunge into that and find a new access of interest and strength. If in these days of appalling need for the proclamation of a gospel of redemption for the whole life and a whole social order of life, a considerable section of the church should retreat from that task in the absorption in individual piety# it would be a dis astrous betrayal of Christian responsibility.2? The social aspect of the Oxford Group, according to John Irving Daniel, is very promising. He believes that dogmas are gradually crumbling and giving way to a richer personal and socialrreligious experience. Though the "dis integration is slow® Hr. Daniels believes that the liberals need not wait for its culmination. It Is being shown every where# in the industry, and mission field, the purposeful Christian living is being challenged in those movements which are transforming the world. Mr, Daniels says: Specialists are engaged upon various parts of the structure that is the Kingdom. Through prophetic eyes most of the mockers have seen à picture of the finished glOry, but the details of the various enterprises are not discernible.26 Mr# Daniels asks the question. Which is more important# 2*? Halford B, LuccOck, on, cit.. p* 63. 26 John Irving Daniels, "Buchmanism and Social Vision.® The World Tomorrow, XVI, (February 22, 1933), p* 106, 35 to put on the outer stones oftthe cathedral mall or to place the decorative portions of the chancel? He likens the two types of workers to personal evangelism and social crusade in molding a more perfect society* He shows how both are very necessary* but the two groups of workers frequently misinterpret one another's efforts* Hr» Daniel's criticism of Professor Halford B* Lucckco's article printed in The World Tomorrow# as mentioned above# was because he so severely censored the Oxford Group movement. He believes that the criticism of Mr* LUccock--"are inimical to the growth of the Kingdom as is any engaged ^If-truth dog matically presented as a w h o l e . "29 g y , Daniels believes that Mr. Luccock's criticism was aimed primarily at the socially minded Christians. Hr* Daniels in 1930, went out on a speaking tour for the Socialist Party for Louis Waldman* He says# "Fever in my life has there been so objectified the psychological exper ience of escape!He believed that he was trying to "build the Kingdom through organization work and speeches.® He says that after the tour ended, he realized that he had been "on a jag.® He points out the danger and the mistakes which he made 29 Ibidè. p* X8d. 2° Ibid.. p. I8d. 56 and the futility of attempting to spiritualize the millions who lacked the hare necessities of a living. He continues to give the error which he believes he made when he says: « , 6 . Whatever practical socialism my wife and I are iivihgè whatever 'at-one-ment* with our under-privi leged fellows we have achieved (independently of econ omic determination), has been the direct result of our Oxford Group-prescribed morning Quiet Times* Before we were converted under the auspicies of the Fellowship, oUr socialism was ecohomic theory alone. Like so many of our fellow party members, enjoying various degrees Of privileges, we were agitating for social reform, while making no pretense at living under amything but the present social dispensation.31 Mr. Daniel does hot agree with Professor Luccock who said he did not believe that the Buchmanites had ever changed their living standards, but have continued in the lap of luxury. Mr. Daniels has the following to say to Mr. Luccock: I affirm that there is no one to whom Jesus has been made more real within the atmosphere of a First Century Christian Fellowship who has not changed his standard of living appreciably as a result* True, some are not as aware of the extent of social injustice, entailing a conviction of their own consequent responsibility; as are others, but the problem of socialization is very much simplified. The Surrender serves as a blank check which subsequent enlightenment, in respect to its social im plications, fills out.38 Mr. Daniels believes that the unconverted, who tries to advance the social theory to the underprivileged class, spreads more sldwly. It is much easier after one has defin- itely become an exponent of practical Christianity. 31 Ibid., p. 38 ibid.à p. 187. 37 In Professor Luccock*s articio he criticised the Oxford Group for not having enough humility in their exper ience* Hr* Daniel points out that he believes that humility is at the base of all vital religions, particularly of Christianity* Mr. Daniel further says: Dr# Luccock should temper his critical faculties with more Christian charity* His keen mind should be at work in constructive contemplation, rather than in usurping the prerogative of men like Walter Lippmann and H. L* Mencken* Let the sophisticates take pot shots at everything which sticks up its head--from Technocracy to Methodism* . # * But the more socially-minded Christian party member or liberal, is pledged to more constructive labor* * * * * If sincerely, all prejudices aside, he sees nothing which might be of value to him in his own work, he may at least refrain from carrying Out the journalistic precept: * If you can' t praise, punch*' Personal and social religion are two blades of the.same sword* If we find Ourselves able only to Use one of them, let's at least be complimentary toward those who, in the . Master's name, employ the other*33 1* Class* Is the Oxford Group a privileged class, taking advan tage of the lesser privileged because of their superiority? An editorial in The World Tomorrow points out that critics have radsed the question whether the promotion of individual piety, practiced by the Group, may have a tendency to side step social issues of the commonplace* The editor said that the test is provided by its own methods* He asks the 33 I b id * A p . 187* 58 question for any Oxford Group evangelist to answer: 'How does it happen that I have enough to eat? That I wear clothes? That 1 slept last night in a comforta ble bed? That I ride in sleeping cars? That I do not occupy the steerage when I cross the ocean?' The answers to these questions, if the questioner be rigorously real istic# will show that he is spiritually related (or re lated anti spiritually) to a multitude of persons to whom he cannot confess in an Oxford Group meeting or in a hbuse-party* He obtains all the blessings just enum erated by participating in the prerogatives of a priv ileged class* • • * * He is a part of the cause of class divisions, and of the hatreds and wars that devastate humanity#34 The editor says that "This is said not at all by way Of condemnation, but solely to sharpen the question*He believes that the method practiced by the Group is the "de ceptive processes of the mind*" It is a common criticism that the Group is deceptive and might be bordering on a revival of the privileged class es# As the writer of this thesis has stated in his intro ductory chapter that it would be necessary to make a few personal comments because of the lack of adequate material, it seems necessary to say that after a years study of the Group from personal contacts and conversations with many leaders in Southern California, the writer has found little or no lean toward class discriminations* Their meetings are Editorial, "An Appeal to the Oxford Group*" The World Tomorrow* XVI, (March 1, 1955), p* 196* 35 Ibid#* p* 196. 39 Open to all* The rich and poor, educated and lees educated, sit side hy side in public and closed meetings. It is true, however, that the person who shows leadership ability always takes the lead in any special political, dr religious meeting. The same may be applied to a group of children On the play- ground* 2* Costume. At the first appearance of the Oxford Group in Southern California, in February, 1933, the public fairly gasped when the traveling team made its appearance in the Bovard Auditor ium in dress suits and evening gowns* It should be well to recall that the majority of the team were English. It is the custom of the English people to wear the dress suit On most all public occasions. That custom, of course, is contrary to American ways, and it is therefore difficult for Americans to accustom themselves to the unconventional. Halford B. Zmccock criticises the Group very severely when he says: To imagine that an 'evening dress-evangelism' which talks easily of ' changed lives' to groups of the rich and comfortable, with the shades pulled down on those social maladjustments which conditions the spiritual life of millions, is an adequate evangelism for our times, is vanity. The pivotal question is, Bh&t does the 'changed life* mean? Is it a change to a thorough-going spirit of love, honest enoUgh and deep enough to question in the name euid spirit of, Christ the whole code Of a profit driven society? For it must not be forgotten that reli gion which gives comfort without rebuke may be one of 40 the most immoral things in the w o r l d *36 The investigator has diseovered nowhere, that the Oxford Group practice of Ghrietianity is one of ease, luxury, and comfort, and without rebuke to all sins* To the contrary, they frequently make an individual feel rather uncomfortable in their presence until that one surrenders his sins and his will to the will of God. After there has been a complete surrender, comfort and ease in the presence of other surrend ered people and GOd, always follows* Perhaps if a Christian finds it more comfortable and can confess his sins with more ease in a dress suit, it is very doubtful that he would be rebuked by Christ* Most college professors are owners of dress suits. Prince Alberts, and most of the ministers of larger churches as a rule make their appearance in the pulpit on Sundays In Prince Albert suits. The Reverend Dr* Willsie Martin of Los Angeles, writing his view toward the Oxford Group said: The movement centers on the dress suit class* I do not object to that, for I own one myself# It is a field that should be entered, for it is one of the most neg lected areas as far as moral and spiritual culture are concerned* It certainly needs to be reclaimed * Any move ment or technique that can open a door and pre-empt it for Christ is worthy of commend at ion .37 35 Halford £* Luccock, on* cit*. p* 63. f s t O Villsie Martin, "The Oxford Movement on the West Coast*® The Christian Advocate, LXXXII, (March 9, 1933}, p. i * * ■ > - ^ ^ 41 It may be possible for the "boiled-shirt® and the "silver slipper® class to bring Christ to the upper class with more ease and a sense of freedom than for the others. Perhaps the unconventional may be able to do more toward bringing back First Century Christian idealism than the con ventional* That will, however, be left for the historians to record* The writer's investigation has revealed that the Oxford Group has never appeared in dress suit in the City of Los Angeles, except at an initial public meeting where the more wealthy and educated class was expected to attend. CHAPTER III PHIHCIPIB8 ABD PRACTICES^ A* PBIFCIPLBS The word absolute» taken over by the Oxford Group to express their ideas of life values » Implies perfection* Absolute» according to Webster, is "not limited.® It puts one in the position of being "free from dependence upon anything else.® Webster says that honesty is "freedom from fraud or guile.® It is the "straight-forwardness of conduct and speech.® When Dr. Buchman prefixed the word absolute to the four standards of Christianity# he certainly provoked some thought in the minds of thinking people. I. Honesty. One friend Of the writer, as we talked about the four absolutes, expressed his feeling toward the matter when he ^ The reader may feel a personal note of the authors throughout the discussion of the four absolutes. The writer has attended public meetings, housedparties, closed meetings, and has had many intimate talks with leaders of the movement for more than a year. He has found that the book What is the Oxford Group, by A Layman With a Fotebook, expresses accur ately the principles of the Group* Therefore he has endeav ored to give an unbiased interpretation of the book. The writer has written without bias and has taken most of the thought from the above mentioned book. What appears to be moralising on the part of the author is not necessarily his Opinion, but he has stated facts and beliefs of the Group as he has found them over a period of one year of personal investigation and research* 43 said: well, that would he some job, wouldn't it? Suppose that half of the people aeoepted the four, wouldn't the Other half have some fun? They would not be long in getting everything in their hands. The first half would be as a bunch of lambs in a slaughter house. They would be poorer than they are now during the depression.2 How anyone can possibly be even apparently honest in these days# is a question which naturally comes to most everyone, even the church member. Even business, for most people, is one big fight for bare existence, let alone pro fit. Honesty in business has too often become a forgotten cipher. Cut-throat competition, false trading, false methods used in salesmanship, shortage of capital; such conditions are known everywhere and send thousands to a premature old age and often to the grave. In many cases the Inversion Of the Ck>lden Buie is the type of honesty practiced. "Do others before they can do you." This inversion is the motive of many business men, who, if honest, will admit that this does hot bring lasting fruits or peace. Money makes for greed. One Oxford Grouper, in the city of Los Angeles, said that he had gained a million, and was well on the way to the second when the "crash" came* He admits that the money was not a source of peace, for which he continually sought. He also said that if he had gotten the second million he would not have been satisfied until he had reached the third, etc., etc. 2 Interview# 44 He found little time to stop and meditate on God* Admitting that he was sm official member of one of the largest churches in Los Angeles * be nevertheless was dissatisfied spiritually until he became honest with himself, his friends, and his God. That was not accomplished until he came in contact with the Oxford Group. The Oxford Group, however, did not make him spiritually satisfied, but he shows evidence of growing hap pier in spiritual dynamic. The natural, wealth of the world is neither ours nor theirs, but God's. Therefore, "Bender unto Oaesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's," said Christ. Hot only does the Oxford Group recommend that absolute honesty is essential in business for a surrendered life, but it also applies to the "family® life. If a family is to re main united, honesty in practice is essential. It is not at all surprising that children who know that their parents are not honest with each other, are not honest with their parents* Some believe that children are insolvable problems. They are; "Children of any age are a problem to grown-ups of a previous generations."3 The Group claims they cannot be properly trained Unless there is absolute honesty on the part of the parents with each other and with the children* There csumot be real 3 A Layman With a Notebook, What is The Oxford Group? (Few York: The Oxford Press, 1933)# p* 77* 1 45 happiness in the home unless there is honesty in morals* The following quotation gives the exact belief of one writer: If their parents or their teachers cannot or will not# show the power of Christ to youth as a living force which does not bind youth but offers it the best and fullest way of living, then the fault is^theirs, because they will not face the undeniable truth that the simple rules of Christianity are as modern, and as applicable to enjoyment and appreciation of life at its best today as they were when Christ changed the old tribal conditions into a new and practical way of family co-operation#4 "Harbored secrets," they say# on the part of a husband or wife, is a seed which creates a misunderstanding and often leads to wrecked partnership# The Oxford Group believes that reluctance to be honest about one another's faults, mistakes, or sins, with a person to whom we are united by love, is a lack of faith in the person as well as in the reality of iove# Ho love should die because a sin has been confessed; rather, the love should be made more secure, providing the confession was made with honest motives# They believe a love which em braces absolute mutual honesty, comes close to being the ideal of love which God had for men and women when He ordained mar riage. Absolute honesty in "friendship" is valued very highly# A friend who is always honest with us and with others about us is in great demand# The friend who is honest with us and * Ibid.. p. 78. 46 àishûnest aWüt us #heu with others, is not wanted as a friend* Half truths are of little value * as are words of consolation or negative advice when one is facing a crisis which needs to he confronted with absolute honestyë Some people shun truth as though it were poison* Truth is truth as facts are facts whether one admits it or not* There is no such thing as half truth# It must he true or untrue* God is God* and not half or part God* Ignorance is not always hliss* neither can we he like the proverbial ostrich and hide our heads under the semd of ignorance* There is little excuse for ignorance today* Hiding our heads does not prevent one from meeting responsi* bility* Our heads must cOme from Under cover sometime* The longer the head is hid and the eyes shut* the more difficult it will he to face the truths when we are confronted with them and are forced to make a decision which may mean our own des^ tiny or that of another person* The Oxford Group teaches that the older one becomes and the longer one puts off the nee^ essity* the more difficult it becomes for one to surrender to God*8 will* But it is necessary to do that before a maximum Christian experience is found* We have a custom of disassociating ourselves from the person who has not been honest in games* or has been indecent in society* Then* what would be the result if decent society should disassociate itself from the man who has been dishon* est in business* cheated the poor* robbed a widow* stolen the 4T property of orphans* though his conduct may have been wholly within the law? Absolute honesty? They claim that the world is hungry for it2 That is what the Oxford Group is endeavor ing to do* the business world of today must be cleaned up* and swiftly* if the devastating moral degeneration its ten dencies are causing is to be checked before they have made a lasting harmful impression on the lives of mil lions They prefer not to work with the mass* rather with thé individual# They believe that God*s Kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven* as the leaven works in the dough* i»e.* from individual to individual* until the whole is leav ened* They believe* too* that Absolute dishonesty is at the root of our lassitude in the way we perform our work. The Oxford Group stresses absolute honesty as a Chris tian practice* not a theory# They say that it is of paramount importance not only to the religion which we accept * but to ourselves and to a living Faith in Christ* The following illustration comes from the campus of the University of Southern California* and is written by the writer of this thesis through the permission of the party in volved. The story illustrates absolute honesty as practiced by am Oxford Grouper on the campus* He has requested that his name hot be used# The writer will therefore use an assumed S Ibid.. p. 81. 48 name # The story is true in-so-far as it is recalled by the writer# John was taking a very popular course on the campus # There were approximately fifty students in the class* both seniors and graduates » The professor had announced an exam ination to be given in two weeks# John said that he knew the material well* but found difficulty in remembering the points in detail* As the time grew closer for the examination to be given# he said that he became very nervous but didn^t know just why* Then he was tempted to follow convention by writ ing the answers to what he believed would be the questions# on a small card * thus the examination would be easy and he would be assured of a passing grade# He said that he objected to such a method* but nevertheless grew more nervous as the day of ex amination approached# The temptation to do a thing against his will * somehow overpowered his true self and he therefore yielded with great remorse and anguish of the soul# He said that he got a grade* but deserved an After the exam ination there arose within his true self a determination never to submit to anything again that would hinder himself* whether anyone else ever heard of it or not# In a few weeks another examination was given in the same course by the same professor# John said he had learned his lesson* and would face the second examination as a man* fail or succeed* come' what might# He said thereacame to him 49 no temptation to cheat again* and as a result of his pluck and determination he received a grade * which was consid ered good by the professor# John frankly admits that though the examinations were over# the school year closed* he could never forget the deed which he had performed with much humiliation and guilt# An?- other school year opened and yet he could not forget the past# Then# John said# there came to him ^guidance* to make the wrong right# He should confess to the professor* explain the situation and the act and take the consequence as meted out by the professor# He saidJ^he hesitated# but made two or three trips to the professor’s office and each time he was not in# but that didn’t help much because he could find no relief through the absence of the professor# John* however# finally made contact with the professor and related the whole exper ience with tears in his eyes# and with a chokey voice# The first thing he said to the professor was* ’ ’ Doctor# 1 have decided that oheicannot be a Christian and be dishonest# It just isn’t possible because I have tried it#” The professor# not having any knowledge of the act# and John being; the last person in the class whom he would ever have suspected# looked at John with a sympathetic understanding and said# ”Tou’re right# for I have been a Christian since I was about sixt een years of age# I hold nothing against you# I believe that yOu proved yourself on the second examination#” John said 50 that thé conversation which followed for the ensuing thirty or forty minutes was the relating of experiences in the most friendly nature# and talk about school and life# John# later# talking to the writer said* How I understand what thé Oxford Group means about absolute : honesty * confession# rest!tution* etc# # because there has come over me a sense of ease* freedom# friend liness* and lOve for others and respect for self* These are true because I have had some personal experiences with these principles#® 2# Unselfishness. The second absolute which is given by the Oxford Group as being one of the primary requisites of a Christian life is ^absolute unselfishness#” Is anyone living an absolutely un selfish life? Ho doubt it would not be easy# Vhat is meant by unselfishness? How far cam its connotation be carried? The Oxford Group believes that absolute unselfishness is only possible if we have absolute love# The degree of abso lute unselfishnesa depends upon the degree of love we have for our fellow men* or toward the object of our unselfishness# Then what can be meant by love? Ho one would think that it is a passionate love which would entice one to embrace another* The Oxford Group says* * • • • sacrifice of our selves or our interests to other people’s interests* without thought of rewwd is* in itself love* although we may not consciously recoghize ® *Jo hn. * * 51 it as such when we are performing our act of Unselfish- ness*”? Some would say that absolute unselfishness certainly would be a drab life* There would be no joy* no color* no variation* Unselfish life brings with it the knowledge that that life is active for Christ* The Oxford Group believes that to one who has never had that desire* perhaps it would be a joyless mental reservation* The Oxford Group believes that if we cast our bread upon the waters * we shall find that it will return to us in a positive fact. The bread of unselfishness which is cast upon the ocean of human life comes back to us* not ohly a hundredfold* but in the only happiness that is real to the modern person* ”SnvioUsness”* to them* is one type of selfishness as well as of sin* They say people are envious of others be cause they see things which the other person has aind think they need it worse than the other* We feel we could appre ciate it more than the other* Thus we become dissatisfied* We feel that life has been unfair to us* We want to have publicity# We desire to be popular* We want to be noticed* If we fail in these we become jealous * envious* and very selfish* Then one gets the attitude that he wishes he were dead* as if that woiild help the situation* Then the A Layman With a Hotebook* op* cit* > p* 9T* 52 individual begins to wallow in ”self-pity”* which the Oxford Group claims is sin# The Layman with a Hotebook# has the following to say: ’Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ*’. The curious thing is that the practice of Christ-Unseifishness takes away# as if by magic# all that self-pity# all those excuses we make to ourselves for our failures# all those feelings that we are being cheated# and definitely# gives us in return the wonder of an inex plicable spiritual'*treaisure# a description of which is - impossible to put into words. It is curioiis because it is true# and some great truths are very curious to many of us ordinary people.® The Oxford Group places great emphasis upon ”spiritual ... selfishness.” There is such a thing as spiritual selfishness. The following discussion is the Oxford Group opinion.^ They say that many of us have had spiritual ecstasies and have chosen to remain in that loftiness. Perhaps after due per suasion we learned for the first time the meaning of the Scripture which gives the Transfiguration story. There Peter wanted to remain in the mountain peak of spirituality. He soon realized that it was necessary to go to the veil ley where the people were to be able to serve* Our spiritual selves are often selfish* This is true ini the prayer life# Ve often f orget that others need our prayer as much or more than our selves# We should realize that a great social evil must be changed in order to check the heavy loss of moral character# ® Ibid.# p# 98* 9 Ibid* * p* 99. 53 That task may be beyond the hope of any one person* It would be absolute unselfishness for us to ask for prayers of other Christians I to unite them with our own* It is nothing uncommon to sense selfishness in the ”home-life.” The Group believes that unselfishness in the home is a sure foundation for harmony* It eliminates fric tion and elevates love. Perhaps there is not one of us who does not know of a family that is not split or has within its walls emnity* How many of us who do not know of someone who hates a relative because that relative may be more successful in business# more beautiful# has more friends# or because he or she is more popular? How often have we seen relatives who never speak to one smother when they meet in public# church# or on the street? The Oxford Group says that ” ’ Give sind take ’ is the very successful remedy for unselfishness# but it would be better if the ’tsüce’ were omitted.”^® Jesus said# ”It is more blessed to give than to receive*”^! One Oxford Group writer says; Because it is founded on love# unlimited unselfishness between married people makes marriage proof against dis agreements and divorce# and the bond between them grows stronger as the years pass* This mutual unselfishness can become# by practice# an instinct; one knows what the other needs withodt asking and supplies it without show ing what the unselfishness costs the giver. Appreciation 10 Ibid.. p. lOOi 11 Acta. 20:35. 54 of the other's unselfishness does not lessen hut grows as character develops* It is real comradeship# and love without comradeship is not marriage in the true sense of the word.iS Absolute unselfishness is# of course# difficult to practice in the home when it is one-sided* There must be co operation or it cannot be put into practice# unless one is well established in Christian fundamentals. The writer has heard many men and women give their testimonies# or personal witnesses# of what life means to them since they came in contact with the Oxford Group and since they accepted its teaching# or in other words accepted Christ in their lives* They too were having martial diffi culties* Many of them were about to break up the home ties* They admitted that there was selfishness and dishonesty in the home* In some cases# just one would accept the Group teaching and eventually lead the other* Often both parties would decide at the same time to live the Christ way of life* Where this has been done in a mutual way they say that the homes are happy# congenial, there is a mutual understanding# Unselfishness# absolute honesty# purity# and love in the home* How far this can be questioned remains to be seen* In many cases in those homes where there were children# they too# have fallen in line with the new life and the ”quiet time” is kept by the whole family* There is aULso a family sharing where 1^ A layman With a Hotebook# on* cit*. p* 101* 55 each benefits from the experiences of the other* The Oxford Group believes that the amount of one’s selfishness which he retains# that much will he fall short of a maximum Christian experience* They believe that the amount of the dynamic which one is to receive# depends upon the amount one is wil ling to pay* The Oxford Group believes that ”pride” Is one form of selfishness and is becoming a world-wide obsession* There has never been a time in history when a man is judged and given rank because of his possessions# feats and accomplish ments# as in the present* The Oxford Group believes that the modern memia for record-breaking is often fostered by national# state# or local selfishness# jealousy# or pride* The drivers defy and wink at death# but often death wins the race* What is true with the group is also true with the in dividual* Pride is selfishness* The Oxford Group says# ♦Pride is sin*” In Southern California# as well as all over the world# pride has kept and is keeping scores from the Kingdom of God* The writer has heard large numbers of persons testify that their pride was a hinder an ce and kept them from attaining the full emd maximum Christian experience* One particular person comes to the mind oftihe writer as an outstanding example of pride in the city of Los Angeles* This person was born of well-to-do parents * She was educated in private 56 schoola and by tutors* She never wanted for material posses sions* She married# but was early left a widow* She knows ail the leaders in society» city and county officials; is at liberty to come and go at will among the leading hotels. This woman became interested in the Oxford Group* It had an appeal to her sense of superiority* To make a long story short# another lady was invited by her to visit one whom they expected to ”change”; instead# the One in question was "changed*” #hen asked if she could go down into the slums of the city to work for God* she said# ”Ho#” but she could go to any fash ionable home or group to talk to them about God* Pride# how ever# kept her from working with the so-called "untouchables*” The standards of a dynamic Christian life were too costly* Another party of outstanding influence# with whom the writer has had the privilege of becoming acquainted# also had a battle against pride# but this party marvels over the fact that pride has disappeared* How? She says# "Only through prayer and by constantly surrendering it to God*” The Oxford Group definitely believes that selfishness# pride# and Jealousy# are sins# and no one can live the max imum for God when sins are permitted to crowd out higher 3* Purity* ^3 lire* j | * # Los Angeles* 57 Often people think of purity as having only one con notation, i.e., pertaining to moral or immoral acts* The Oxford Group reads more than that into the meaning of purity* Says an Oxford Grouper, absolute purity embraces clean conduct in business# in work and play, interest in world affairs, our use of our possessions, our attitude towards relations, friends, and acquaint ances* In this sense Absolute Purity is akin to Absolute Honesty* Purity is being honest to the best side of our natures, mental, physical, and spiritual; it does not of necessity mean dullness* There is adventure in Purity. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus is recorded as having said, ^Blessed are the pure in heart*” Ho doubt the seat of real purity is in the "heart.” Many people thrive upon the publicity of their outward purity, but only God can see the secret chambers and motives of the impure heart* The Oxford Group does not hesitate at any time, either in print or vocally, to point out those elements in life which act as impure channels and institutions* It would be well, perhaps, to mention some of those places and institutions which are so often used to create impurities* The Oxford Group spend a great deal of their time discussing old ethical problems * They admit that sins are everywhere * To put it in the Oxford Group words, "Grows are black the world over.” A Layman With a Hotebook, on* cit. * p. 37* A great deal of criticism has arisen because they spend so much time on old and general moral problems. They hold that they do, but further admit that these are the sins which ruin character, and therefore believe it best to deal with existing problems rather than to create new ones* 58 The "newspapers" frequently publish filth and call it "confessions.” "notoriety has a market valueThey say many sell their lives and souls for the publicity which goes with the crime which they commit. The paper prints the story of the court trial in large headlines for the purpose . of selling more papers, not to help the criminal or the pub lic. Even if the criminal goes to the gallows, he is sure of being remembered at least for a few weeks. Let thé indiv idual lay bare his crime, hideous details, and when taken by the magistrates the crowds will file to the court, and then he is heard of throughout the nation* In other words, his sins are his salvation, says the Oxford Group. Thus goes absolute impurity. It is not unusual to hear people say that publicity which is mistaken for honesty, moral dirt, physical degeneracy, lying# swindling, adulteryë etc*, are not impuri ties. In this case souls are for sale cheap. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said, "Blessed are the pure in heart.” "The pure in heart* know that absolute purity is never in vain. Thus the Oxford Group is seeking to have all people understand the meaning of Absolute purity. The Oxford Group believes that ”sex” should be men tioned openly• When sex thoughts are whispered from one to another, then it becomes impure, because the parties participating Ibldi. p. 88. 59 are harboring impure thoughts about a God-given vitality* To some, sex is Love. To them sex is a humdrum world. As one Oxford Grouper says: They earn money for it; dress for it; live for it and dream of it; without this blatant absorbing sex obses sion they can conceive no life possible for them; every thing they do is traceable to sex-domination* Impurity? ’ What is that?* they ask. There is no such word as im purity to those people who have made sex their god. On the other hand, the Oxford Group believes that sex education should be taught the child through proper intellect tual and spiritual methods, in order that the child may have the proper concept of that God-given power which is so often used for self-abuse and immorality. They condemn a certain class of writers who are doing an enormous amount of harm by publishing the indecent literature. Though they are in the minority, their works are widely read. They are highly pub- llci2:ed by the act of condemnation on the part of good moral people* When anything is branded as indecent, immediately the public flock to see that which was condemned* The "Theatre,” says the Group, is an easy prey to those who commercialize indecencies* The moral person some times wonders whether there is any kind of censorship existing at all. The Oxford Group is greatly opposed to the absolute impurities of the film industry* They say the minority de- msuids indecencies; therefore the management is willing to 17 Ibid.. pp. 89-90. 60 pay well for that type of entertainment to supply their wants* The result has been that the old adage has been put into practice, "Where there’s a will there’s a way*” The Oxford Group criticises portions of the modern art* Modem "art” has shocked the world. The person who has been blessed with a God-given ability to use the brush and spread paint artlsticsLlly, has frequently debauched his own calling* The modern artist thinks that it is necessary to shock to attract attention* Let us hear what the Oxford Group has to say about some of the types of modern art which people are compelled to observe* Modern art galleries and exhibitions exude suggestive nudity from their walls* Grossness is misteiken artistry; blatancy for originality; indecency for truth, until the average person often wonders if these artists are half wits who have never grown beyond silly crudity of their childish sex-obsessions,1® The Oxford Group admits that it is quite difficult in this modern world, to live an active virtuous life* How can one think modesty when films, literature, art, plays, etc* rely upon impurity to tickle the palate of a jaded public? The business man may ask. How can one have untainted motives in the business world, when one has to compete with the lying representation of One’s competitors who will stick at nothing to ruin one? To paraphrase one Oxford Grouper’s words, how can one behave with purity when impurity is so dominating 18 Ibid.. p. 92. 61 through the agencies of the press# theatre# play# literature# etc.# and when we are surrounded by people who find the purity of action an incentive to forgetfulness that we live in the future as well as today and that our influence upon the child is unlimited# and that the life we live is greater than the words we speak? Is there any shame in the pseudo scientific writer who insists upon being "natural” eind claims that being "natural" is the path which leads to happiness?^^ - , t r . The Oxford Group would say that to be Godlike is being nat ural# The Group does not make any effort to answer these gen eral but vital questions. They believe that there is only One Person who can answer them# and He cannot unless we really want to know and are willing to listen to what He has to say to us* Anyone who can meet all temptations must of necessity be pure* They believe that a person cannot be pure unless God has been given a chance to purify him* The Oxford Group believes that anyone can receive sufficient power to resist any temptation which might come up in his life# whether it be of sex nature# drink# stealing# or otherwise* It is necessary for the individual to use his mind and his will to help him self* The saying# "God helps those who help themselves" must 2-9 Ibid*. p* 92* 20 Tbia# ^ p* 93, 62 of necessity be given some place in one's life* They admit that the will plays its part# but it may be able to exercise a greater influence over the body# if it is given full sway with the Holy Spirit. One Oxford Grouper makes a similar statement when he says: Feeding the mind on impurities is like feeding the body on tainted food* Because we know the consequences to the body of such foolishness we would not eatttainted food; why then do we feed the mind on impure food that must slowly but surely kill the soul? Kill it until# because the Holy Spirit has been destroyed within us# we say bitterly that there is no God?21 One* out of the many men and women in Southern Califor nia# whom the writer could mention# when asked how he stood with the four absolutes# quickly responded to a member of the traveling team saying# "My life doesn't live up to any one of the four.” That perhaps may be the thought of the majority of men and women in Southern California if they would be ab solutely honest in their answers* A person who lives a life of absolute purity is hard to find* Yet some of the Group believe that it is possible to find them. It is easier to find those who are honestly endeavoring to live it* The question may arise# How do you know they are endeavoring to live it? Perhaps the answer would be# The result of that effort would deceive no one* It was Jesus who said# "By their fruits ye shall know them* ” That is true of one young man in Los Angeles 21 Ibid* * p. 93* 65 who is a member of one of the largest churches in the city* The reader ma^ read his own statement which will be found in Chapter IV of this thesis* 4* Love* Love was not overlooked by Jesus* All through the Hew Testament, love is emphasized as the fundamental basis of a righteous life* Paul and the other Hew Testament writ ers sought the significance of love in the individual life# The church to the present day, too, has realized that it is necessary to love our neighbors* There are mwiy conditions in the present day that point out the fact that the practice of love has been partially neglected. Thus the Oxford Group has endeavored to revive its significance in the everyday life* They, therefore, placed love as one of the four abso lutes which they believe to be necesseury to observe if one is to live the Jesus way of life* "Love is the motive power for absolute honesty, purity, and unselfishness," says one of the writere*^^ The writer asked an insurance agent how he "stacked up with the four ab solutes," and received the following reply after a moment of silence* "I think I could measure up with absolute hones ty all right, because i have always believed in representing my business in an honest manner." Shaking his head, he 22 Ibid*, p* 109* 64 continued, "Ab to the others, I am afraid I would have a long way to go*" Then the writer asked another question, "How about absolute love?” "That’s the worst of all," he replied* "Is there anyone whom you do not particularly love?" the writer asked* "Is there?" he replied* Then he made the following statement* "There are two or three fellows, if I could ever get close enough to them, I think I could almost beat them up* They never give me a chemce* They always shun me.” ♦What do you suppose would happen,” said the writer# "if you were to go to those fellows, reach out your hand in a friendly way and say, ’Old pals, I am sorry* I realize that I have been partly in the wrong* So far as I am con cerned, I am ready to ask your pardon with the promise that hereafter I shall do all there is in my power to forgive and forget* ’ Then slap them on the back as a friend to friend and take your leave?” Then the agent looked into the face of the writer and said, ”I am afraid it wouldn’t work with those birds.” The Oxford Group would say to the eigent "Try it and test it for yourself.” The Group believes that. Absolute Love trsmscends everything; it envelops the world, but the world will not see it* Absolute Love is the language of God and Truth in Perfection* The real ization that God loves Us takes away all fears, doubts# regret and remorse, shame of the past, dread of the 65 future They believe that if we could love God with a fraction of the love God has for us# our eyes would be opened to new visions for all mankind# The Group believes that absolute love is not self-negation, but it is using the best of our selves for the best of others# Samuel M. Shoemaker# Jr., gives the Group concept of love when he tells how Dr. Buchman is so willing to give unlimited time for the Individual* He says that Dr* Buchman loves people so much and is so eager to see others have the maximum Christian experience# that he will drop anything he may be doing to help that person* He says that Dr& Buchman*s bags may go unpacked and his letters unanswered for a long time if he can only help someone spiritually* Dr* Shoemaker says of Dr. Buchmem, "He put in hours on me--but he got me* He was individual conscious. The Group believes that when any person has acquired absolute love# that person becomes individual conscious* Dr. Shoemaker says : "The average Christian is organization- conscious, meeting-conscious# service conscious, sermon conscious# problem-conscious* We ought to be person - Ibid.. p. 110* Samuel l i * Shoemaker# The Conversion of the Church (Hew York: Fleming H* Hevell Company# 1932)#p. 68. 66 conscious*"^® Dr# Shoemaker eays# that before he attempted to live the four absolûtes, he tried to use rules for reach ing people# On the Texas border In 1916, in the war-camp of England in 1917i he says he missed two good opportunities to lead two men into a Christian experience, but he says that because he didn’t know the value of the four absolutes, es pecially love, "I didn't know what to do for them."^® He believes that an unselfish, happy, loving personality is the greatest drawing card Christianity has# The four absolutes which the Oxford Group has used as a basis for their principles and practices of Christianity, when viewed in their entirety, or in part, offer a challenge to any thinking person who takes time to think through the challenge offered by them# When anyone lives a life of abso lute love, absolute unselfishness, absolute purity, and abso lute honesty, that life would unconsciously offer contagion that would leaven the whole of society over a period of time# Let us hear from a man who has had experience in the business world and found the solution to the ecohomic and labor problem when he was challenged by the four absolutes# He, like thousands of others, has learned from personal ex perience the reality and the existence of a God ; he no longer 25 Ibid.. p* 68. 26 Ibid.. p. 67. 67 has to rationalize and logioize the existence of God. He found Him in industry in the hearts of employees and his real self* I surrendered my life in October when one of the Group challenged me* I knew I had to relate my experience of Christ to the company for whom I worked* Three months before my sur render I had been sent to one of our plants to improve efficiency* I had paced up and down the floor like a slave driver bullying the men into speedier work* When ever I thought a man was shirking I fired him* as am example to the others * knowing full well the impossibil ity of his getting another job in these times* I was the big stick method; the terror of losing their jobs made them spurt in their work* Within a fortnight their production had increased seventeen per cent; when I went to another plant of the same company within a few weeks it had sunk back to its old level* We called the manager down and said to him ’What the is the matter? Unless you maintain this new stand ard* out you go I’ I knew why he did not maintain the brow-beaten pace I had developed* He cared for his men* He could not drive as I did* However* production must be increased* costs lowered* if we were to meet our competition* How* after my transformation* I was summoned to repeat this efficiency managements With Christ* I could not repeat my former methods* So I just said to God* "Lord* this is a difficult proposition* You’ll have to do it*’ Then in quiet came the natural and surprising thought * ’Write a letter to each of the employees * explain your new position with Christ* share with them* ’ God guided me to tell them why I was back again* what the mcuiagement meant to them* and where they fitted into the picture* and other slants* Furthermore# He told me to ask them to share with me the real cause of the inefficiencies * and In the letter were a number of possible suggestions concerning conditions under which they laboured and technicalities concerned with the performance of their tasks* The letter just flowed from my pen; no high-pressure to manufacture trick phrases and startling headings* X took it to the boss and explained the proposition* adding that the letter 68 W8U3 a result of listening to God# He did not quite Understand the explanation* hut said * 'Try anything that gets the results#' In each man's slip by the time-clock I had the letter placed# From my office window I saw them go out reading it and congregate in the pub. across the way* talking# running to each other and talking# l^l I thought the fat was in the fire# The next morning I was somewhat uneasy# I even de layed a bit about going to the factory. When I arrived the foreman said frantically* 'Hr* Petersen* come quick ly* the men are bursting to see you# They are waiting before they started work. ' I went into the familiar shed* and met a crowd of men eager to tell me things I could never have pried from them* of how the work could be im proved * and why they had fallen down on their job# The results were amazing# Hen shared all sorts of troubles* i.e.* poor tools* gossiping fellow-workers* laziness* resentments* fear of wages being cut* and dozens of other reasons# Within three hours we had the whole affair in the open# God gave me insight into all sorts of problems* The result was that the efficiency sat up much higher than it ever was before* and has remained at a satisfactory level ever since* the job taking only three weeks instead of* as previously# several months. %ese results were only obtained by honest sharing* with the men emd foreman* and breaking down down barriers and replacing my pride with a love emd confidence through Christ for every man on the floor. I now am welcome and Lappy in a department where X was previously hated* and X am convinced that when executives and management decide to be honest with their employees and employees honest with them* and allow God to run the business* unemployment will be unheard of# The man who was my superior has become my companion in this fellowship* where before there was distrust between us# When I think of how many examples X have made of men who had been caught stealing or being in any way dishonest* I know as far as possible X must seek them out and help them to find a position# For* with our present method of placarding in every industry the men whom we dismiss* there is no possibility Of these unfortunates securing a job# present method of dealing with those who have been caught is to share with them places in my own life where I have been 69 dishonest* It works Ihen the Four Absolutes are practiced they will make for one hundred per cent efficiency in any professional life. B. PRACTIOBS 1 # Guidance. The Oxford Group concept of Guidance has invoked a large amount of criticism from men and women of various pro fessions* Some are of the opinion that guidance as practiced by the Oxford Group is a farce and others seem to be in some doubt of its validity* while others are in one accord with the belief of the Oxford Group. In this section, the writer will endeavor to present the beliefs and opinions as they were discovered by his re search. The writer will* of course* present some of his findings which came through observation and personal contact with members of the Oxford Group. The Group presents a very unique method of getting divine "guidance* during a period which they call the "quiet time." They advocate the use of the pencil and notebook so that every God-given thought or idea may be quickly recorded* even in the minutest detail. They believe that however seem- 0* A. Petersen* "Bfficiency Management." The British Weekly. LCIV* (July 6* 1935)* p. 275. 70 iïigly trifling the thoughts may he, they must not be over looked nor failure made to record them. The phrase, "quiet time" is an Oxford Group phrase which means talking to God in quietness and listening to Him speak to the Individual. The thoughts which one may receive during the quiet time are said to be divine guidance. They admit, however, that it is necessary to be in a prayerful spirit and mood and living a Christian life, or one will not be as susceptible to divine guidance. They place a great importance upon the quiet time* Eleanor Hapier Forde in her pamphlet "The Guid ance of God" gives the value of the quiet time. The reason the quiet time is of supreme importance is that there we can shut out the world with its clamour of duty, its conflicting appeals, and our own tangled thoughts, and realize the presence of God--'the inef fable something that holds the mind. ' That other world is more nearly in touch with us than we dream* Waves from the everlasting shores roll in and break at the very threshold of our lives, but few take heed. The quiet time is not to bring that world into touch with us, but to carry us out of ourselves, beyond its frontier, where our spirits may be swept by the spirit of worship and wonder, which is the very climate of the unseen.28 While some deny that divine guidance may be a prac tical method to keep Oneself in constant obedience to God's will, one Oxford Group writer points out how this has been the practice from the beginning of the race* The writer has 28 Eleanor Hapier Forde, The Guidance of God (Oxford: Great Britain: Oxford University Press, n.d*), p. 23. 71 the following to say: The history of man's adventure into the supernaturaX begins.with the race* He has always reached out to something beyond himself* He has felt compulsions* asked for signs* and according to his \inderstanding has put them to the test# The range of experience has de pended upon man's conception of God* The heathen's runs the gamut of his idolatrous practices* while Socrates' draws attention in his trial to that super human influence in his experience which he calls some times by the name of a 'divine somewhat ' and which he occasionally has the shorter name of 'the sign'* He tells his judge..in his defence that 'the sign' was one which he experienced ever since he was a child*39 Eleanor Eorde continues her discussion of how history shows the guidance of God by pointing out that within the Bible there has been running through the dark perplexing panorsuaa of time a stream of communication with the unseen world of the spirit* She says: *'lCen talked with God* More importcmt* God talked with men*"^^ These were the "chosen who knew him*" so much better than others* The mass of the people# according to Fords* have lived by the progressive revelation given them through the guidance of God through the men of the past* Eleanor Forde quotes Dr. Edgar Brooks* Professor of Political Science* Transvaal University College* Pretoria* South Africa* where the Oxford Group spent a most successful period * He says : Eleanor Hapier Forde* op. clt*. p* A2. 30 Ibid.* p. AS* ?& There is no question on which I have spoken more than on the Native question. X have offered detailed plans* advice* even in the da^s of my callous youth 'solutions' of Native problems* I do not do this today* That is a wonderful thing about this movement; we have not to tell people what to do* but ask them to let Christ tell them what to do* The Native question is one in which the surrender operates* It is going to be a hard tussle for many of us* Do not think that I say this having at the back of my mind a particular programme as to how to handle the Native question* % know no longer* But I do know that we must handle the Native question as Christ would do it if He were here * and that we dare not do anything less than that * Eleanor Forde believes there is unconscious guidance* That is brought about by training oneself to listen and constantly live such a life that §od could speak to one* One young man said* after he had been out with some pals and was trying to "put away a pint of beer#" "I codld feel God breathing down the back of my neck*" and then remarked* "the Holy Spirit is not limited to conventional phraseology* He uses the language of the person to whom He speeuks*Cod speaks to us wherever we are* and in a way we can understand* The Oxford Group believes that many times people have experiences in which God relates to the future of his pleuc as well as to the present * They say that perhaps this ex plains why guided experiences come* It is then up to the individual to act upon the guidance with faith in God* But how are we to know the will of God? Bet us hear from 31 Ibid** p* 9. 52 Ibid** p* 15 73 Eleanor Forde again* She 8aye: There must be absolute readiness to obey* coupled with a faith resolute enough to carry conviction into action* It is not an uncommon experience at the out set to find one's seemingly harmless habits brought into question. Socrates said: 'Hitherto the familiar oracle within me has been in the habit of opposing me about trifles.' Many an adventuring Christian might hear in that the echo of his own experience* But the time comes when the pressure of God's will may bend us* against our own inclinations and deepest desire* toward some sphere of sacrifice and service. A young man in Oxford» his mind running on such .a possibility* said thoughtfully* 'Ho doubt I can when I am told to*' He had found the secret spring of God's will* Know ledge comes with willingness* power with obedience*33 The writer of this thesis was invited to attend an Oxford Group meeting for men only* in March* 1934* He was told that the purpose of the meeting was to mold the fellow ship more closely and perhaps the men might have something to talk about which could not be mentioned In an open or mixed meeting* The meeting had been planned under guidance and had grown out of another meeting held previously. The meeting was opened by a short quiet time. It was during that quiet time one of the men received as direct guidance* two sentences which formed the basis of thought for that meeting* He took the sentences down on his notebook as he received them* and then made known what he had received* The two sentences were as follows: "This is to be a meeting where no one is to leave until there has been a complete Ibid.» p. 18. 74 surrender* Know one another to the depthsThe last sentence was so challenging that they asked what he thought God mesLnt by that* Then he gave his interpretation* When we are dealing with individuals* it is necessary to be able to relate our experiences to that individual in order to show him wherein we have sinned and God had given us the victory over those sins* Most of you men are strangers* in so far as knowing your inward lives and the victories over your specific sins. I believe that when I am dealing with some individual whose prob lems have been different from my own* and because of that difference* I am not able to show him that God has given me victory over the sin with which he is troubled* I ought to know you fellows well enough to refer him to one of you who has won victory over sins which are similar to his*35 The challenge was so great that they realised that in that case * many of the seventeen men present were total strangers. Those men represented University students* pol^ itiGians* lawyers* and other phases of business* As a result those seventeen men* as they felt guided* "shared to the depth*" They are all now intimately acquainted and know things about each other that no one else knows. The Oxford Group custom is * that when one individual shares his exper ience with another, the words spoken are closed secrets be tween them* The above related experience is made more simple by Eleanor Forde when she says: In the silence we are led into God's secret plans as far as He wishes us to know them at the time* We will — "‘I ' .... 35 John Doe. 75 be reminded of letters to write* people to see* and things to do* As with Philip* Peter* and Ananias* the summons comes with a stamp of divine urgency upon it when we are trying to win others to Christ* Guidance comes in Action*3o The Oxford Group realizes that guidance is not just anyone's particular property* It is as free to all as are the sun and air* They believe that every one has a chance and can come out of the darkness and breathe the fullness of God's life* One Oxford Grouper writes: Life under guid^ce takes on eventful potential ities* is full of interest* and is in accordance with every type of personality. It is all-wide and all- embracing* building up our right God-appointed kind of ego* until we feel that life has always for us in the future that adventurous feeling of youth and hope that is reborn within most of us when a glorious fresh morning we breathe the exhilarating air of Spring*37 One of the Gkdvantages of guidance is* they claim* that it takes away the fear of tomorrow* Often our troub les of today make life intolerable for us* It gives the assurance of God with us today as well as the fearlessness of tomorrow. They believe that fear of the future* whether it be the tomorrow or old age, means that we do not trust in guidance of the divine God. One's faith in the future is one's infallible test of faith in his God. The "quiet time," which is one of the principle sources 3® Eleanor Napier Forde, op* cit#. p* 25* A X*ayman With a Notebook, op. cit*. p. 67* 76 of power for the Oxford Grouper* and which he holds the first thing in the morning upon awakening from sleep* puts one in the right key for the day. An Oxford Grouper's tes timony about the quiet time may be of some interest to the reader. She says : "When I fail to keep the quiet time in the morning* it is like missing a bus and running all day trying to catch up with it."38 Every Oxford Grouper will acknowledge that the "Early morning quiet time is when God impresses on our minds His counsel becomes living spots in the routine of ordinary life.*3^ How are we to distinguish divine guidance and human thoughts? The human mind wanders. Being human* it weinders from concentration at an outside interruption. It takes up a train of thought which becomes extremely difficult to dis card. The human mind recalls past events and contemplates the future* The Oxford Group maintains that after a short while* it becomes easy to differentiate between spiritual and human messages. They also advocate* that in case of difficulty* it is well to "check up" with the teaching of the Bible and with other consecrated people who are also receiving guidance during the quiet time. Jane Bell (Personal Observation.) 39 A Layman With a Notebook* on* cit*. p* 68* 77 The Oxford Group does not deny the value of prayer in the individual's life. One writer has said: We cannot expect God to talk to us if we do not talk to Him* but to the Oxford Group it is not always essen tial continually to ask God for help in every move we make* or in every problem of our daily lives. If we have fully surrendered our lives to Him* God is our Pilot and knows our every movement emd thought * . . . . Petitions are hot always necessary. For if our attitude toward God is conducive to real guidance* then that in itself is P r a y e r . ^9 Some are of the opinion that divine guldamce would do away with individuality. The author has heard Miss Olive M. Jones * one of America's greatest psychologists* and an ardent follower of the Oxford Group* strongly advocate the surrendering of the mind to God's will and letting our wills be guided and controlled by His. The self-will is the hard est thing in existence to surrender to God. Host "of us are willing to surrender Just enough of ourselves to Him so that we can keep what we think is our independence.Perhaps it may be that that which we keep is Just enough to pre vent the individual from receiving the complete benefits of guidance. The Oxford Group believes that . ♦ .A discipline over our self-will* although it may be slow* comes with practice* and practice and regular ity are necessary to learning to make the best use of guidance as they are in learning anything that is worth Ibid.. p. 69. Ibid., p. 72. 78 learning in this world. The writer has made the statement that the Oxford Group believes in guidance for every minute detail of one's daily life# In case there should be some misunderstanding of his finding with regard to this matter* it would be well to make some statement that may help to correct that opinion. Hr# T# S# Matthews* in commenting upon A* J. JRussell's book* For Sinners Only, says: The Buchmanltes believe in it* and act on it* very earnestly# A good Buchmanite* on a good day ought to be able to get guidance on a number of different pro jects. Mr. Bussell had apparently been asking himself embarrassing questions about all this. Finally* when he was having dinner with Buchman himself, he came right out with his difficulty# The inventor of guidance, 'had just taken a second helping of asparagus when I asked him to explain where common sense ended and guid ance began.' 'I don't pretend that every detail of my life is guided*' said Frank# 'For instance* I did not have guidance to take that asparagus. I was hungry* and like asparagus.' Mr. Russell's doubts were half cleared up; he had found out what guidance was not.43 Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker, writing in the Christian Century* gives a very timely illustration of Guidance in Los Angeles of a very prominent person in Southern California. He says: One of the men who had prayed for the Group to come to Califorhia was in Los Angeles making preparations for its arrival. One. day he said to me* 'Do you think it is right for me to foreclose a mortgage I hold on a 42 Ibid## p. 72# T. S. Matthews* "Spiritual Nudists." The New Republic. LX3CIV* (March 8* 1933)* p# 104# 79 man in this city?' I said, 'Let us ask for guidance on it*' It came to him clearly.not to foreclose it* though it vas legal* and to tell the man the reason for his decision* The result vas that the mortgagee was changed* his wife and two children were changed* he arranged a meeting of eight hundred in his community* and is now thinking in the largest terms of vhat Christ can mean in every phase of life.44 It is not at all unusual to hear beginners in the Christian life say that they can't get guidance. When such a statement is made to an Oxford Grouper* he immediately* gently but lovingly* endeavors to find the reason* He has a few personal beliefs why the beginner does not get guidance. He claims to know vhat some of the hinderances are because of his own past experiences. By using his own experiences as examples of his own victories over sin* he proceeds to enlighten the beginner. Ssimuei K. Shoemaker* says: We should come out from a Quiet Time with no barriers * ready to right any wrongs* with guided plans for the day* with a feeling of being buoyed like a ship which has slid down the way and is steaming out to sea. There are no people who 'cannot get guidance* except those who will not* or have not fulfilled the conditions. I be lieve that there will be spiritual stagnation some where if the full Hew Testament experience of the Holy Spirit is not an abiding reality to us* and to all whom we help*45 The Group believes that if one is to be successful in Samuel M* Shoemaker* "House-I^rties Across the Continent." The Christian Century, L* (August 23, 1933)* p. 1057. , 45 Samuel M. Shoemaker* The Conversion of the Church* j& p . Clt. * p. 80. 80 the quiet time * there must be Bible study* prayer* ample time to wait upon God in quiet and writing down what is given* They also say that there must be a "sharing" of the thoughts which come to us with others who are closest to us— certainly with husband and wife or with someone of the "spir* itual family." The "spiritual family" are members of the Group who are fully surrendered* Dr* Buchman* who is heralded as a great prophet and reviver of Christianity* claims to have learned that it is necessary to have a life complete in God* and the way to arrive at that state is to let God guide that life in every detail* The American Mercury quotes Dr. Buchman as having said : Give Christ possession of your soult Lead a life of Absolute Purity* Absolute Unselfishness* Absolute Love* and Absolute Honesty* Let your every moment be guided by God* If His will is your will He will provide for you* Your unapid bills will not worry you. Your troubles with your wife will cease* There are no prob lems when Jesus is your G u i d e * 46 Frank Buchman affirms all that Barth denies. The Group!St claims that God will come to you immediately and without the aid of priest or book* He says that many do not know God because of their evil lives* and that their are are beclouded with sih. It is necessary to prepare to re ceive Him in one's life* Lyman V* Rutledge* says: 46 Frank Devine * "Salvation for the Select*" The American Mercury* XX7III* (March* 1933)* p* 313* . 81 Let your thought travel what distance it will toward Him* hut do not falter when your feeling urges you beyond the range of intelligence* God will come to you in the silence and give you guidance. The best way to prepare for the coming of God's spirit is to share your inner life with others* You must approach the absolute by cultivating in yourself the absolute honesty, abso lute purity* absolute unselfishness* and absolute love* The act of sharing helps you to become honest* pure* unselfish* and loving.47 The investigator talked to a graduate student on the campus of the University of Southern California about guid ance. The student was a Christian young man* and also had a very keen intellect. He could not understand the validity of guidance. He believed that one's intellect and reason ing power should be his guide rather than God. Samuel M. Shoemaker* Jr.* gives his views toward guldamce and intellect in the following: Guidance comes rather to active than to passive peo ple. .... The more obedient, the more guidamce. Guidance always comes with am authority all its own. This varies in intensity; for guidance is sometimes the motion of a consecrated hum^ mind* mobilized to do the will of God; amd sometimes it is the clear shoo ting-in of God's thought above our thought# transcending humsm thought supernaturally. I cannot wholly describe to you the experience if you have not had it# but 1 caution you not to make too much of a mystery or a fetich of it. Consider that an Infinite God is trying to compress His thought into terms that we csm understand. You do a similar thing when you try to explain something to your child whose vocabulary consists only of à few nouns* You are hot discouraged if he does not get it all at 4^ Lyman V. Rutledge * "The Oxford Group Movement. " The Christian Register* CXII, (July 20* 1933), p. 474. 82 once; but you are available whenever he will make a further try. Most objections to guidance are based on complete inexperience* ... * But real# honest# dis passionate thinking should precede guidance. It must come in and do all that it can* Then it must retire# and leave the final disposition to God. For reason is seldom adequate to make those synthetic judgments which are the most important judgments in life. We all know that intuition is better than reason in such cases; and some of us know that guidance far exceeds intuition. Reason, then, goes as far as it can. God is greater than reason, and makes the final decision and reveals it to us through g u i d a n c e . 48 2* Sharing. Mary Sauter# a Catholic# writes in the Commonweal#4^ that the principles of the Oxford Group have been general practices of the Catholic Church. She says that a "changed" friend came to her to talk it over. The friend was surprised to learn that the Catholics believed in "absolute surrender" to the will and purposes of God; that they kept the "quiet hour" as a means of communion with the Holy Spirit. She also pointed out to her friend that the Oxford Group "shar ing" was in danger of grave error psychologically. Mary Sauter believes that the method of sharing as practiced by the Oxford Group does not give "release" from the dangers of sin and that they have no surety of forgiveness vouched for by Christ Himself, as is provided in the Catholic Church. 48 Samuel M. Shoemaker, op. cit., p. 54-55. 49 Mary Sauter# "The'Oxford Group*". The Commonweal. X7I, (June 16, 1933), p. 187, ~ 83 She marveled over the fact that her friend was greatly im pressed and that she told others* She admits, however, that great sincerity prevailed in the meeting which she attended upon the invitation of the friend* She believed that "at last" they had found "a means of vital Christian living*" "When the fever dies down, when the reaction from mistaken psychology of "sharing" comes, as come it must, are me going to be prepared to do our part?" asks Mary S a U t e r . 3 0 ■ Mary Sauter, believes that the movement will do a great deal of good and that her church must work and pray that there may come people "comparable spiritually to Cardinal Manning and Cardinal Newman to work for the glory of God and the honor of Holy Mother Church. The reader may ask, "What is the distinction made between Sharing and Confession?" J. P. Thornton Duesbery# in his pamphlet on "Sharing," makes the following distinction. He divides sharing into two classes. (l) Sharing as Confes sion, and (2 ) Sharing as Witness. He says that the "simplest definition of the form of sharing (confession) is "being Ibid.. » p. 187* Ibid.4 p. 187. J. P. Thornton Duesbery» Sharing (Oxford: University Press, n.d.) 64 honest about o n e s e l f * *"33 thinks that Sharing in this sense is being willing to acknowledge our mistakes, wrongs, concede our failures, and to own up to our sins* This he calls Sharing for confession* The aim of the sharing, he believes, is the right relationship with God, Now ideally, he says, such confession as this would be made direct to God, without the need of any human assistance* But, unfortunately, we men and women are not ideal, and experience has shown the value of shar ing with some Christian man or woman, as a help towards reaching the relationship with God. . * * Theoretic ally, there is not the smallest reason why a sinner shouldn't confess his sins direct to God and receive, and know that he is receiving, God's forgiveness then and there; obviously, in fact, this has happened and happens time and time again. But in practical exper ience, and just because we are not ideal, instance after instance could be quoted to show that there are very many who need to help sharing with another, in order that they meuy come directly face to face with God* For them sharing is a practical necessity* Only so do they grasp the reality of their confession, of the God to whom they confess, and of the forgiveness which he bestows* The forgiveness itself does not depend upon the sharing; its appropriation by the individual con stantly does,34 The same writer points out that from the earliest dsiys of Christianity, this type of sharing was in practice* (James 5:16; Acts 19:18.) He reminds us that the churches have been constantly aware of the important= practice of pro moting a growing Christian Experience. "Wesley and the modern Anglo-Catholic are at one in this*" He also believes 33 Ibid,. p* 41. 34 Ibid*, p* 45. 05 that the psycho-analyst with his technique based upon ex haustive experiments, is only a scientific verification of the belief that the church has learned long ago under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Mr* Thornton-Dueshery also acknowledges that repressions are dangerous. Such dangers are clearly seen in the modern society, and modern society owes a great debt of gratitude to the help of psychology in this field* He believes that many of the heart-breaking problems of this generation such as distrust between par ents and children, suicide, insanity in many forms, could have been prevented from ever arising, if there had been enough confidence between the persons concerned, so that natural sharing could have lifted the barriers in the early stages. He also believes that willingness to share with an other person is an indication of true repentance. There are many who go for many years verbally confessing the same sins to God, perhaps time without number, and have no lasting vic tory. It may be that those persons have never learned the difference between mere remorse and real repentance. In summing up Mr* Thornton-Duesbery*s arguments of sharing for confession, he says: Finally, as a part of true repentance, it is often necessary for the individual concerned to make confession and restitution to any other person who has been wronged. (Numbers 5:6-7; Luke 19:8.) And this frequently proves the utmost value as witness, which carries us straight 86 Into the other aspect of sharing* 35 The second aspect of sharing as mentioned above, is "Sharing as Witness." This phase of sharing is different from the one mentioned above in that it gives the other per son some faith in the power of Christ because of the thing which He has done in your life. Mr* Thornton-Duesbery puts it as follows: Sharing as confession takes place before the sick man's cure ; sharing after# it is witness to what the Great Physician has done* The man in need confesses his sins; the man whose needs have been met bears wit ness to Christ.36 The Oxford Group believes that such sharing deepens the reality of the sharer's life as well as the one to whom the sharing has been made. In the opinion of the Group# if we wish the Christ way of living to be accepted, it is nec essary that we make plain what we mean* To make ourselves clear# they suggest that we tell who he is amd what he has done# This then leads straight to the sharing of His vic tories over our sins in our own lives, as recorded in Luke 8:39; John 4:39; 9:25; I Corinthiams 6:9-11* They claim that am adequate presentation of Christ's claims must be made by such sharing# and that it must be intelligent as well as guided sharing, or the one whom we are trying to 55 Ibid., p. 6. 55 Ibid.. p. 6, 87 help wiXX feel that it is all too vague to become a reality in his life. When we can definitely say, the Group believes, , . . Here, and here and here, Christ has given me forgiveness for my past sins and power over them in the present* we shall be on the way to convincing the other man that Christ can and will do for him what he has done for us* We are giving a far more adequate picture of Christ's power by sharing the thing from which He has saved us# than we should by making no mention of our own problems and their solutions*37 The Oxford Group gives four fundamental principles which should govern this method of sharing* The following outline summarizes the four principles* 1. It must always be done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and must aim at giving intelligent help* There are various tests for such guidance* (a)* Is it consistent with the revelations which Christ has already made in and through the Bible? (b)* Is it absolutely honest, pure, unselfish# and loving? (c). Is it consistent with our real duties and responsibilities to others? (d)« Is it in accordance with the guidance of other consecrated people? 2* There must be nothing in our lives that we are not willing to share if God commands* This does not mean sharing everything, everytime, with everyone. Thèré can be nothing too sacred for God to Use* . * * What should we know Of the Temptation or the Agony, if Christ had not been guided to share some thing of them with the disciples? 3# The question of just how much to share must be left 57 Ibid.. p. 10. 60 to the guidance of the Holy Spirit* * « * • In most cases it is enough to name the sin in general# e*g«, pride# fear# dishonesty# impurity# selfishness# hatred. In private interviews there may he a call for more de tailed sharing. 4* Finally# it is never right to betray a confidence or in volve another without his consent. If the story is nec essary# the name should be suppressed.38 3. Confession* In order to arouse interest and prepare the mind for a receptive mood# members of the "team" or Group# will give pub lic testimonies to their changed lives. This propaganda it self is valid and cumulative in power* This method is ef fective in any public meeting* It sways the politically minded crowd. It moves the mob to the riot mood* It emo tionalizes the religious group to great spiritual ecstasy* "Sharing#" or sometimes it is spoken of as witnessing# is an other method of confession. The old terminology was "testi monies." In the Oxford Group# however# sharing seems to have two aspects* First# the public confession of sin and the pub lic witness to victory over sin* Those sins which have in emy way estranged one person from another should be confessed to the person concerned. That confession# they believe# should be made orally# but if circumstances do not permit# then it is permissible to make it in writing* One's writing is a part Ibid., p. 10. 89 of one's own self and therefore it should be satisfactory* There should be a wise discrimination made between human souls and their specific condition* The Group believes that a testimony should be one Of deliverance or victory* but that should be made convincing# and must to some extent disclose the sin which the confessor has overcome* That is* no doubt# true* But there is a dan ger which arises when one makes public the sins which he has committed* This method was very common in the earlier church* The method was discouraged and finally abolished by Pope Led I (about 450 A* D*)* only when the confession was written and sanctioned by the priest* Then again in 1215# we find the church abolishing public confession* Perhaps similar methods may be practiced by the Group in the future* Of all the destructive criticisms which the Oxford Group Movement has received* perhaps confession is leading them all* "Why should I go around telling everyone about my sins? I make my confessions to God and not to man*" is the opinion of the general public toward the Oxford Group method of confession* The Buchmanites believe that confidence is necessary before confession* Every person holds within the dark reces ses of his mind many experiences which are often never brought to light* Sunlight is the surest way to destroy germs* Keep them in the dark and suitable environment and they breed so 90 rapidly that over a short period of time diseases become deadly to the body# Their theory is that sin works on the same principle# i.e.# if sin is kept smothered in the self# it not only remains but grows* On the other hemd# however# if it is "confessed under guidance" to some interested sur rendered person# it will gradually die* There must be con fidence on the part of both parties or confession has little or no value within itself* H* A. Walters says: Through the avenue of confidence we may view a man's friendship* Through confession we may win his soul-- for Christ* Even where there is abundance of natural confidence, our work may be à comparative failure# be cause we have stopped short of the ultimate confession that is needed in order to complete penitence and vic tory. 61 Thus light is necessary in all the rooms of one's inner life. One Oxford Grouper believes that there are four levels on which men live their lives--spiritual# intellectual# social# and physical# and the diseased spot may be the center of infection and spreading in all directions in any of the four# The lack of the Oxford Group's "four absolutes," absolute purity# absolute love# absolute unselfishness# and absolute honesty# represented as the four levels enumerated# may be poisoning the whole personality* With such a heavy dose of poison# the Group believes that it would be very dif ficult to discard them from our lives* 39 H. A. Walters, Soul Surgery, (Oxford: University Press# 1932), p* 42* 91 Dr* Buchman gives ten suggestions of personal work and steps on reaching the very life center of the individual which slowly helps him to see himself as he really is and to get him to make his confession which is considered the only true method of relieving Oneself from the heavy mental bur dens which constantly hold him from having a Christ like experience* *1. Get a point of contact* E* Diagnose the person's real difficulty* 3* Make the moral test* 4* Avoid ar gument* 5* Aim to conduct the interview yourself* 6* Adapt the truth to the hearer's need* 7* Bring the per son face to face with Christ*. 6* Show the way out of the special difficulty* 9* Bring the person finally to the point of decision and action* 10* Start the person on the new life with simple » concrete, and definite sug gestions regarding daily Bible study# prayer* over coming temptation# and service for others*'30 They maintain that ninety per cent of sins are on the lowest physical level, suod to that, we apply the greatest maladaptation in our personal work* They admit that it is rather difficult, if not Impossible » to really get a confes sion amd chsmge a life if the personal worker himself is ignorant of the need of the individual* They believe the weakness of our present day evangelism# public and personal# is that we fail to get at the seat of the trouble* We have a tendency to touch the trouble but never use the spiritual ray which enables us to see the real cause* A glimpse at the trouble may bring contentment# which is the first step 39 Ibid** p* 44 (Foot notes*) 92 of laziness and selfishness; both of these# according to the Oxford Group# are sins which we large enough to hinder spiritual progress and satisfaction* They believe that it is possible for the window of one's soul to be so covered with filth, that he cannot see God, though he try* They believe that all confession must be made under the guidance of God. It is only God who can show a man when and where he must confess* Likewise it is only God who can show a personal worker when he ought to press for the con fession* After the personal worker is sure that there is a definite need for confession, he must be lovingly firm in insisting that the confession be made only when it is neces sary* The Oxford Group maintains that it is only this kind of confession that can prevent a superficial repentance and unreal conversion* The Buchmanites strongly urge their personal workers never to be surprised or appear shocked at any confession, because that surely would quickly destroy all confidence already created* Shock or surprise usually comes from inex perience on the part of the personal worker* We must not forget that we are in the world as well as a part of it* Many Christians live as though they are neither in nor of the world* The Oxford Group thinks that many of us are living a Christian life of our own creation# and are largely ignorant of the sins of others about us# because we too Often endeavor 93 to shake the dust of sins of others from our shoulders. Per haps most Christians would shudder at the thought of confes sing any of their wrongs to someone else. The psychology of confession# to the Christian# has been one of uselessness» heretofore. Some followers of the Oxford Group believe that their coming and their technique of confession has changed the whole outlook for those who have followed them# Confes sion gives a complete cross-section of life in its reality. The Oxford Group believes that Christians should be ready and eager to confess their sins, weaknesses# and short comings honestly and humbly under guidsuice. Nothing will blot out the appearance of self-righteousness more quickly than one's confession of sins to which he fell# to someone who may be suffering from similar experiences. The confes sion of the personal worker is most sure to bring the hearer and seeker into the saving power of the presence of Christ and his security. They believe# also# that nothing else will break through the barrier of pride as quickly as con fession# which barrier the hearer may be worshipping or hiding behind# There are# perhaps, few who will deny that confession does help to relieve and purge a bad conscience# There is the psychological aspect to be considered# however. If one confides in some one person all his sins and thus gets the guilty secret "off one's cheat#" the Group believes that it 94 relieves one of the tremendous burdensome and heavy "pres sure." There is much to be said in favor of those churches which provide a recognized procedure and channel through which such confessions are made* Reginald Lennard# speaking of confession# has said: « • . • though most of us would think it better to con fide in a wise and helpful personal friend than in a priest as such# But there is a vast difference between confession as an emergency remedy# like a surgical oper ation# and confession as a regular practice used as part of the ordinary nutriment of the moral life. Though Catholics will no doubt disagree# regular confession must tend to debase and mechanise morality# and the his tory of the confessional system of the mediaeval Church is an abiding witness to these dsingers* The practice of regular confession is bound to concentrate the mind of the penitent upon Outward acts--deeds which can be counted# and# as it were, measured. Thoughts and feel ings suid the spirit in which a man acts--these things must tend to fall into the background. Hence greater emphasis will be put upon the sins of the body than Upon the sins of the mind# and escape from the sins of the body may even engender a selfrighteousness which is it self a sin of the mind. For these reasons# the importance which the Group Movement attaches to confession must be counted as an other indication that its ethical standards are low and that its methods do not make for a fine type of char acter. 61 Geoffrey Allen# in his book# ^ That Cometh, presents the argument of confession from two points of view* They are the Open acknowledgment of sin and the private confession. It is sometimes said that the Church at One time repudiated 3^ Reginald Lennard, "Morals and the Group Movement." The Nineteenth Century. (November# 1933), pp. 596-597* 95 public confession; which dates are quoted above. It is then affirmed by one school of thought that private confes sional is all there is needed for the individual to have the awssurance for the release of sin* Mr* Allen's opinion of the two is as follows: If those who thus speak know in experience the real release of sin# so that old sins perish out of the personality# and the conscience is refined to face new obedience to God; if they further know in experience not only the change in their own lives# but the fullness of power which their Master would have them have to change others# then by their fruits of love let them be known* If the confessional does not prove itself by these fruits# then we must be pardoned for pointing out certain greater costs# and certain greater results# where there is open acknowledgnent of sin. The confes sional stops short of the full cost by the very reason of its privacy* * . . . The open acknowledgment of sin in the Christian fellowship involves the far greater humiliation that all around me# even the very people with whom I work# know that of which I was guilty. . • * • With its greater cost the open confession is rpo- ductive of greater f r u i t s . 62 Mr. Allen believes that when the sin is openly ack nowledged# it ceases to be a burden upon the conscience# thus its power is broken* After the sins are confessed they ap pear as disease# for which the individual feels responsible and must make restitution# but the heavy burden# Christ Him self has borne and cured* After the sins are confessed and are thus cured# they become positive assets for the work of Christian evangelism* Mr* Allen again said: 68 Geoffrey Allen# He That Cometh (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1933)# pp. 127-188. 96 As one school of thought eyases the cost of open humiliation with the confessional, so another school seeks to cover the same evasion, by claiming to possess a more orthodox theology of the cross. Again by their fruits let them be known. ISr* Allen believes that there is no such sin as private sin* He believes that any sin whatever inhibits our power for effective Christian living and works as a sin against the individual, also the group^ and Ought to be con fessed# It would be better that the person learn this fact early and quickly and clearly in order to be cleansed. With a daily acknowledgment of sin and sharing deeply with some one individual who would understand and give counsel, our conscience would be clarified, and thus wé would learn the new lesson of government* We must first of all, believes Mr. Allen, share our sins before we are fully released from their power, for it is in the sharing that forgiveness is completed* One should, undef ^guidance** apeak in concrete detail of the sins which God has shown Us and forgiven, and we shall then, believes Mr. Allen, see how He breaks the power of the latent fear or pride or selfishness which pro duced these sins. Mr* Allen, like all other Oxford Groupers, believes that concrete details should not be made in public. *Itt public confession we shall speak in general terms of those moral conflicts which in us Christ has conquered, in Ibidi. p. 129. 97 order to give to others the assurance of His power to con quer# *@4 4* Restitution. Today people believe in seeing things done rather than in hearing of them# For that reason the Oxford Group has restored the practice of restitution as one of the primary principles of a Christian life. Restitution is apparently as old as the human race. Thus restoration, as practiced by the Group# is nothing new. One layman writes that Restitution is righting to the best of our present ability wrongs we have committed in the past.**^5 The act of restitution has tremendous power# not only with the self, but to whom the restitution was made. The philosophy of restitution is sound. The writer has ob served that many times, because we are honest, and have the courage to acknowledge our sins to the person whom we have wronged, that person is awakened to a realization of what a changed life may mean to him or her. Therefore the Oxford Group believes that an *act of restitution not only brings forgiveness with it but a new life to God.*^^^ 64 Ibid.» p. 135. 65 A layman With a Notebook» op. clt.. p. 56. Ibid., p. 56. 98 Dishonesty has been taken for granted, and truth has lost much of its significance in recent years. Absolute honesty is usually “an eye opener“ to those who have been unaware of the value of a surrendered life to the will of God # One needs to be careful about making restitutions, as going into it haphazardly may do harm. A. J. Russell has said: Sometimes harm may be occasioned by unwise and 'un checked* restitution, nevertheless, the Group do not compromise on the necessity for wise reconciliation and restitution. Zaocheus told Jesus that if he had taken anything by false accusation he would restore fourfold as ordered by the Mosaic Law. But, for instance, how could a man with nothing restore fourfold what he had stolen? Why stir up trouble unless you were in a posi tion to make amends? The answer to these questions was that each person must decide the thing to do on his own guidance, checked perhaps by the guidance of others. Supposing a person to whom an apology or reparation is offered behaves badly? Usually he behaves very well, for the restitutional act has the psychological effect of raising the other person's ego, putting him in good temper with himself and with everyone else, including his humble enemy. But should he act otherwise (says the Group), his behavior must be accepted cheerfully as the natural consequence of wrongdoing. Mothing is born without pain; not even a soul born again.67 The writer, during his observations, has heard no Oxford Grouper regret that he has ever made restitution. On the contrary, the result has always been a pleeusant experi ence, fruitful in its results* It is very difficult to 67 A. J. Russell, op. cit., p. 98. 99 muster our courage and strength sufficiently to face the other person and make restitution* The writer heard one person say that when he got through making the confession, his forehead was wet with large drops of pres pi rat ion. An other who spoke, said that his must have been more than prespiration, “it must have been blood.“ The Group admits that it is no easy task to right a wrong* It is indeed hum iliating. They admit that the feeling which comes over one after the “battle,** is worth the effort* They believe that, if one expects to put one's self right with God, one must also put one * s self right with man. That is no new teaching; it is as old as man's knowledge of a righteous God. The reader may ask, “What class of people should make restitution?** The Group says that anyone who has wronged another should make restitution. A husband may tell his wife of a sin which has been the cause of their drifting apart; a confession goes to some one too far off to own up to by spoken word and atones for a wrong; an employer is interviewed by an employee who acknowledges some wrong done against him, and vice versa; sins are acknowledged, forgiveness asked* But whatever the occasion of the restitution, it is not just an empty dramatic gesture with no true or construc tive significance; it is an indispensable condition for the birth of a new spiritual life*88 What appears trivial to the world, may be a mountain to the individual* Often a letter which contains that “mduh- tain“ is very difficult to get into the post-box. 88 A Layman With a Hotebook, op. cit*, p. 58* 100 “When should I make restitutions*“ The Oxford Group recommends that one make restitution only under God-guidance# Surrendered lives are in reality God-directed lives# If that he true then we have the Purity of the Christ-mind as our example* God takes care of other people as well as our selves* The Group teaches that what God guides us to do is for the benefit of all cbncerned* Making restitution Under the guidance of God* they say, is the stcid test Of the good and the wisdom of our intentions and the arbitrator for our decisions* They say that God-given guidance should prompt all our acts of restitution* The purpose of making restitu tion under guidance is that it may be made at the proper time and in the proper way, and that if we need it, we will receive spiritual strength to carry it out for the best of all con cerned* Restitution, in the opinion of the Oxford Group, is absolutely necessary before one can become a good Christian* When one makes a confession of a wrong which he has commit ted, the Group will immediately urge that one to go to the person wronged and make the necessary apologies* Once the apologies have been made, they say that there comes over the mind, or self, a sense of a release of a heavy burden which may have been carried for many years * Then, one feels free, untainted, unabased and the sense of guilt has been removed * Thus one can meet the wronged person at any time with ease 101 and comfort. He feels a renewed sense of love for that person and others. It is found that restitution is being made by all. There is no exception. It matters not how great the sacri fice may be, reports reveal that when one has made an honest surrender of his life to be ruled and run by God* that per son just can't help making right the wrongs he has done* The writer knows one man who lives in Long Beach, Calif orniai^® who was at one time in the real estate business. After his surrender# he found it necessary to return as far as possible all the money which he had swindled from the people# which amounted to a large sum# before he could receive the tran quility of soul and mind. The restitutions were made ; now he is one of the greatest dynamic Christians in the city. The following quotation gives some information of the affect of the Group in Canada# and the restitutions which followed: The Oxford Group Movement has again helped the Treas ury of the Dominion of Canada. In its travels through Canada and the United States the movement influenced great numbers of people# among whom were many who have forwarded to the income tax office of the Department of Rational Revenue various sums of 'conscience money' totaling several hundred dollars.. Letters accompanying these monies definitely link their return to the Domin^ ion Treasury with the efforts of the Oxford Group, John Doe. loa officials of the Department stated 5» House-oarties » In May# 1917, Dr. Buchman severed his academic connec tions as professor at Hartford Theological Foundation. Having previously traveled extensively throughout the east and near east observing missionaries at work in their various fields of activities, he realized that the Christians lacked a tech nique in winning souls for the Master. With that first-hand information, he organized a “team“ of about twenty evangel ists. The next two years were spent with the group in China, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. Then in 1916, in Peking, Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr;, met Dr. Buchman, at which time he was “converted•“ Dr* Shoemaker later became one of the strongest and most enthusiastic workers with the traveling team. While traveling from place to place doihg personal evangelistic work, they realized the need of a retreat for refreshment, prayer, and planning. This was the beginning, or the birth, of the “house-party“, which has become so fam ous in the Oxford Group Movement. Dr. Buchman's acquaintances agree that he has learned, perhaps as no other person, how to create an atmosphere in which personal testimonies seem natural. Persons from all *^8 «Conscience Money Still Comes In. “ The British Weekly. XCIF, (July 6, 1933.) p. 278. professions have been known to be swayed by the great con vincing and dynamic personality of Dr. Buchman* Mr# Jules-Bois, writing from the Romsm Catholic point of view# condemns the house-party by quoting St* Paul* He believes that St* Paul condemns its principles* He points out some of the practices which he does not think are Chris- tiah* He says: “* « • * a prominent feature of the House- party, at which people of distinction, or simply of good repute, elbow drunkards and thieves, not to mention more spectacular sinners*“*^^ However, he does not believe that Christians should keep away from the sinners in business relations* He says that “They are * * # * the followers of a wandering person ality, occult if not occultist* The house-party is a unique method in dealing with sin and getting people to confess it in their own lives* How are the house-parties set up? A place is chosen* Usually it is an attractive hotel or country home * People are then invited to attend* There is an inner group of fully committed indiv iduals who meet in advance to decide upon the program “Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.® A number of followers are H# A* Jules-Bois, “The Oxford Croup*“ The Commonweal, XFIII, (May 12, 1933), p. 41. 72 Ibid* * p. 42* 104 invited to come, and with them a group of men and women who “need changing#® It is customary in some cases, that a large amount of work has been done with the “sinner® before he is invited by the Fellowship# This method prepares them for what is to take place, thus they rarely come in ignorance# However, this is not always true# Often people go unaware of the principles of the Oxford Group, and in many cases their lives are changed# There is always friendship shown. One is always welcomed by members of the Group. They endeavor to call everyone by his or her first name, or by the nickname. They endeavor to become acquainted with each other. The meetings are held in as comfortable and attractive quarters as possible. If it be in the cold of winter, they may sit around in comfortable chairs before an open fireplace. There may be dishes of apples or nuts sitting on tables which are in convenient places, euid anyone is invited to eat when he desires. With these preliminaries out of the way. a leader pro ceeds with the meeting by making remarks which cause everyone to “feel at home®, and free. Usually there is a good deal of humor throughout the discourse; One is made to feel that he may stay or leave ; he may laUgh or cry ; he may remain silent or talk; he may invite any member of the group to leave at anytime to talk with him about his spiritUeil welfare# The converted persons begin to tell the difficulties 105 they had in bringing themselves to a complete surrender to God's will. They tell of their unhappiness before they sur rendered* Then they tell of their conversion and the joy and happiness which followed, and the power of a spiritual life. The force these testimonies have upon the unsurrendered hearers is tremendous* They begin to feel uncomfortable. They wish that they, too, had something in life as vital as those whom they have just heard. They begin to search their own lives and uncover the deeds which have caused the dis tance between them and their God. Men and women become eager to rise to their feet in earnestness to tell of their need of Christ* To be sure, there may be some in attendance who will not be at all moved by the testimonies* They may, on the other hand, be dis gusted, shocked, at the revelations* There is, however* a good moral atmosphere and humor maintained by those in charge* These meetings are followed by Individual interviews* They may take walks through the woods, parks, and around city blocks, earnestly discussing, into the late hours of the night if necessary* to attain their object, namely a complete surrender to the will of God. There is a negative side to the house-party which mariry place a great deal of emphasis upon* The method of obtaining the confession has a tremendous psychological effect upon the newcomer. He may be led by his emotions to confess 106 incidents of his life which he may regret later, after he has had a chance to he alone and think it over for himself# Many object to having confession made in public meeting# They feel that confession ou^t to be made to God» or to the person or persons wronged# The hoUse-parties, too » are sometimes held for workers# Such meetings are not made public* Such a house-party has been held twice at Riverside » California, in the past few months# The writer attended those two house-parties, at which members of the “traveling team® were present to lead the meetings under “guidance#® Printed invitations are some times sent to those whom they wish especially to attend* In many instances individuals who have recently surrendered their lives to God are quite inadequate to lead others to make a similar surrender* They need to be more firmly ground ed in their Christian experience and the technique of “life changing# ® It is impossible for a sinner to change a sinner into a saint# The “life changer® must first be “trhanged® himself# The house-party is one type of revival meeting# The people hear testimonies of others; how they had faced tempta tion, the problems they must endure and solve; talk about getting “guidance®; how they fail in their efforts at times, and the joy which comes in “resurrendering®, “sharing®, and making “restitutions®, and getting back into the conscious relationship and fellowship with Christ# The workers leave 107 the house-party with new hopes and a greater zeal for Christ# They leave# also, with a new spiritual dynamic which helps them to live a constant surrendered life# Dr# J# Lewis Gillies, District Superintendent of the Los Angeles District of the Methodist Episcopal Church# has the following to say about the house-party. Having heard and read much concerning 'Buchmanism*, or the 'Oxford Group Movement *, I have counted it a privilege to attend their meetings in Los Angeles, and also to have a 'close-up' of the 'house-party' held at the Mission Inn, Riverside# The prejudices and criti cisms I had held prior to seeing and hearing the 'Group' are not felt so keenly. The dangers pointed out by many are apparent.”^ J# Lewis Gillies, “The Oxford Movement on the West Coast#“ The Christian Advocate, LXXXII, (March 9, 1933); p # lO #. CHAPTER IV PBRSOHAL TESTIMONIES In order to show the influence of the Oxford Group Movement in Southern California, the writer haid _the promise of many personal testimonies of men from various professions, whose lives have been changed# They are constantly and bold ly witnessing for Christ in their daily lives. Possibly through negligence, or the lack of time in which to write them, many testimonies failed to arrive in due time. The few which follow will, however, show in a small degree the influence of the Group in Southern California, and upon the lives of those who have come in contact with it* The following witness is from a minister in the. Methodist Episcopal Church, who has been a follower of the Group for three years* His experiences, we deem, are val uable to the study of the Movement* About three and a half years ago at a time when I was much dissatisfied with my own religious experience as lacking vitality, I read Sam Shoemaker's book, “Twice Born Ministers® and became convinced that it contained both the diagnosis and prescription for my own spirit ual sickness. My life was Undisciplined and unsurrend ered ; and only a complete commitment of myself to Christ, and the acceptance of his standards of absolute honesty, purity, unselfishness and love, working them out In a daily program of guidance and discipline could make pos sible the kind "of life I needed. On February 17, 1931, just as the sun was rising, I made my surrender and ex perienced the joyous emotional release which often ac companies a real conversion* It made a tremendous dif ference in every phase of my life as I tried to learn the teohnique of discipline and guidance, sharing with my wife, and later with the church and with personal 109 friends, especially in the ministry# Then in May I drove to Phoenix with another young minister and met Sam Shoemaker and John Roots and others in some meetings in the Episcopalian Cathedral* There I was strengthened in my experience and learned much concerning the quiet time and sharing under guidance* Many things had to be straightened out in my life and numerous letters of apology written* I joined with some Of the other min isters in group meetings which were helpful# While I am ho longer in active touch with the movement# except through its literature, and while I am critic^ of some aspects of its work, yet 1 believe it is in line with the great line of evangelical tradition, and 1 know that the whole level of my own ministry has been permanently lifted* You suggested some questions, Harry, in your original letter concerning the reaction of the church, the val idity of the technique, the limitations of the movement, etc* In the limits you suggested, I can only indicate the present trend of my thinking without sufficiently qualifying and illustrating my statements* My own church at Winterburg, of which you were formerly pastor# is a very conservative rural congregation# Although their pastor's change of heart and earnestness made quite a stir, no one active in the church accepted whole heart ed ly the Oxford Group program* There was, however, a definite lifting of the spiritual tone of the community leading finally to a real old fashioned revival a year and a half ago* A better response was made by a number of the younger preachers and several college students with whom I felt led to share my experiences* The dif ferences were probably partly due to personality dif ferences in the groups involved and partly to the con servatism of a rural congregation slightly suspicious of the theology of its pastor with his modern ideas* With nroner safeguards there is no question in my own mind concerning the value of the Oxford Group technique of guidance and sharing# Despite the mistakes I have made through haste and enthusiasm, guidance which I have obeyed has too often been in accordance with facts which I could not foresee to have been mere coincidence* How ever, it is as important to recognize the limitations of guidance and the dangers of unguided witnessing as it is to recognize their value * It is here that much of the criticism of the movement has come# Having been guilty of some extreme statements myself, I have learned that there is no substitute for hard study and common sense* Faith is the leap of the mind beyond the 110 limit knowledge, and guidance is the leap of the will in action beyond the limits of the facts known by the individual* There is no guarantee against error# as I know to my sorrow* We are never justified in going beyond our knowledge until we have gone the limit through study, thought, seeking the facts, and checking with others* We never go against them* The best il lustration, to my mind, within the Movement is the relative lack of social vision concerning the essential ly pagan nature of our capitalistic society. When all is said in criticism, I want personally to record my gratitude to God for the Oxford Movement* At a critical time in my life when 1 was considering leav ing the ministry because of insufficient spiritual re sources in my own life, it gave me a new experience with God and set me on the right track* 1 was a failure be cause I had failed God. Through the.group I discovered my sin, repented from it, and found a new life which is tremendously worth living* Sincerely yours, (signed) Wm* Archie Matson The following witness is most interesting and shows victory over a definite sin* It shows development of a Christian experience in an anxious life* It shows that in memy cases older men and women fall to take sufficient inter est in yoUng people* This young man is a student at the University of Southern California* He is working part time outside the University in order to support himself* His income is very insufficient to meet his needs* He goes to school on prayer and faith and somehow it works* His life is radiant with the assurance of victory through Jesus Christ. He is fearless in matters of the spiritual, which is in it self# the essence of a “changed® life* Maintaining the I l l Oxford Group Principles and Practices is his goal, and through them, he has experienced a new life; new power; and has found the way to help others to realize similar exper iences* I am deeply dissatisfied with my life* Fourteen months ago I prayed to hé even as I am how# at least# but here 1 face a new mountain* This way of the Ohrist, who uncompromisingly demands that I face the perfect life, is glorious but not easy* “Absolute Honesty® leaves me no room for doubt or care less discourse, even* “Absolute Purity® is simply more than I can handle at my_youthful age of ^ twenty-one years, without the miracle of Christ's presence and rule* “Absolute Unselfishness “ and “Absolute Loving Kindness® are the aspirations, hot^to say the qualities, of a Saint or a Paul* Those are the essence of Christ# Those are so far above me, and yet through daily committment of my way to Jesus, I am being taught that they are not “impossible® aspirations* He tells me that I should be like that; so I figure that He feels I can be if I will* The Oxford Group has been the agent through which has come the inspiration to try, and the tools with which to work are, Sharing, Surrender, Quiet Time Prayer, and Friends of equal aspirations and skillful minds* In the past year there has been growth* My most happy victory is in the matter of sex* I was baffled for more than six years with this sin# I took counsel with a doctor, minister, and science professor, none of whom were able to, or much interested in, solving the problem# You may know I was considerably interested when I now humbly confess to you the ridiculousness of branding my self on the arm with a white-hot fork* Yes, in extreme moment of the battle, I was that silly* Row it is clear to me Just how silly I.was, since good friends of the Fellowship have shown.me a real Christ and a healing psychology* To be able to say there has been real progress this year, along the lines of the four Absolutes, is a joy* Even the defeats and problems of my life have, on sever al occasions, been turned into victory and used by Christ to help, if not to save, some friends* That is what constitutes the “change® in me* Trying to “Let go and let.God®, trying to live a calm and guided life this year, has led through thrilling 112 adventures* Life has become a constant surprise and a happy adventure. One of the experiences has been the thrill of going to the University on Guidance, and living on sheer faith and prayer* God has not answered my prayers with a golden egg served on a silver platter, but somehow at every turn, during this “year of depression®, something has happened to make the way possible* The first one hundred times I had a tendency to call it “luck®, now I call it God* Indeed, I have seen miracles happen this year, since the Oxford.Group Fellowship called my attention to Christ- living instead of religion-living* They have convinced me that the “impossible® inevitably happens* It has been so in my own.life,,and my not-too-gullible eyes have seen it in the lives of others* My philosophy major and my for mer psychology pursuits should have saved me from this “foolishness®, but they haven't* To be sure, I even went into this affair well aware of all the current.criti cisms, feeling that no one would be kicking a dead horse, and found most, if not all, the criticisms adequately answered* No matter how you known it, the good old two and two still meikes four, and when something “cures® me, and even makes me into a “doctor®, I will base the rest of my “mathammatics“ on that* I was reared in the Sunday School of the Methodist church and I love that church. Some how, X feel that it just patted me on the back and sent me on, defeated* I pray that my future sons and daughters will live in a . Sunday school that will deal frankly with life problems and find the solutions that may be applied in every day life* The Group has made some sUnday schools like that* My social problems and social attitudes have been re formed* Where I once spent my energy and enthusiasm fighting the old problems of economics, politics, and social morality in an abstract way, I now see these ac complishments made permanent through the “Life Changing® method* house is in order. I am prepared to help my neighbor solve his problems* .My neighbor and I will join the rest of the world neighbors and tie the devil down by weaving a chain of surrendered folk around his heart, instead of his legs. (signed )--•«•*-- (Note): The writer's name has been omitted for obvious reasons* However, he was willing to have it attached to his manuscript* 113 Dr* John Gaynor Banks, whose witness follows# is a man who has spent several years in academic work, in America and abroad* He has been a professional man for many years, yet in spite of his keen intellect and his ability, which he por trays# he has suffered from a malady which has kept him from attaining an adequate personal satisfaction in his spiritual development which is necessary to be successful in the Chris tian ministry. His “four aces® are sins which most everyone has or has had sometime in his life* The Oxford Group believes that they are sins, and that one cannot be his best for God so long as any one of them remains in one's life* THE FOUR ACBS--A Study in Pride. Several years ago at a Houseparty at Briarcliff, I heard a platform Talk on the sin of Pride. The speaker analyzed this sin of pride under four headings: Pride of Face Pride of Place Pride of Race Pride of Grace I listened to the talk with interest, but the appeal to me was mainly academic* It seemed to me a clever sum ming-up, an analysis that would come in usefully some time in my own work as an evangelist* I took careful notes* Then I went away with a certain feeling of satisfaction that# whatever my faults might be, certainly I was free from pride 2 Several years later, I was looking through an old Note book filled with outlines of Talks and Witness collected at various meetings of the Group* My eyes fell on the outline describing the Four Aces and “I began to feel con victed* It seemed as though my whole life could be writ ten under those four headings* Could I be really honest and re-write the Four Aces# not as an impersonal analysis but as my own experience? 114 I would try* This is what I wrote: (1) Pride of Face This includes general pride of appearance, not literal ly pride based on 'good looks'* It was the motive back of my eagerness to,make a good impression upon others* It explained a long-standing “Inferiority Complex®* Several times I had heard the_Group describe this Complex as simply “pride back-firing®* Now I saw the logic of this and began honestly to seek a cure for it* My father was a retail grocer in north London and I resented this fact* It kept me (I thought) from rising to that place in society whick I coveted* The fact that my mother was well educated and a graduate of a College in Cheltenham did not help matters* There were no funds available to send me to the University and I was not sufficiently industrious to earn a scholarship* Finally I gravitated into the English Civil Service, after a few years preparation at King's College, London* I attended the Evening Classes there.but tried to make an asset out of this ; in subsequent years I referred in a superiod tone to the fact that I had been “educated at King's College, University of London®, which was a half-truth and calculated to deceive my hearers* I strove to escape from my sense of 'Inferiority' by associating with ' superior' people* This was notswrong'in it self, but to do it I resorted to various deceptions, ex aggerations and artificial embellishments* I had a gift for making friends, but I wanted friends who would do me good, elevate me socially and professionally and to this end I secured or affected those external marks of cul ture which would promote my main purpose, the boosting of my own Ego. At 20 I was self-appointed Head of a Correspondence College in London* In 19i0 I became “pastor® of a Congregational Church in Kent, without ordination* There was nothing wrong in this except that I was only a Lay-reader and had no training or authority--but wanted to pose as a regular “Minister® and coveted the title of “Heverend® which I had not earned* These all illustrate the tendency to “Pride of Face®* I affected a clerical collar and frock coat (known in,the U*S*A* as a “Prince Albert®) because the ministers of that day all wore these evidences of their rank and vocation* In 1912 I came to America, still wearing these signs of affected position and was given charge of a little church in a prairie town in Texas* Here I discarded clerical attire (except on Sundays)as I found it was a 1X5 liability in the great South West. Later in my ministry the “pride of face® recurred in the almost avaricious love of vestments and academic sym bolism which still further served to cover up my spirit ual nakedness# (2 ) Pride of Place I sought and obtained four academic degrees (over a period of several years) which served to cover up my lack of concentrated study. These degrees were practically worthless, intrinsically speaking. Having at this time no official status with any Church, I began to covet membership and office in the Episcopal Church, which seemed to me to represent social prestige and superiority. There wets plenty of good motive mixed in with this ambition, since I had been baptized in infancy in the Anglican Church and had later read enough to express in telligent preference for this branch of the Church univer sal. But pride.preponderated in my choice of a vocation. For a few years I made rapid progress. I became intimate with the rector of a neighboring parish and through him I secured a scholarship at the University of The South, Sewanee, Tennessee, where I really did work for several years and earned a little genuine scholarship, though I was often dishonest when it came to examinations and still lacked ambition to overcome a temperamental laziness. After three years preparation I was ordained to the priesthood in Texas and was appointed in charge of a parish. It is significant that many months before my ordination as presbyter I had some expensive let ter-heading engraved, with the title “rector® after my name--a title to which I had no right until fully ordained and instituted. I wore my stole as Priest while still canonically a Deacon. This likewise was not honest. I coveted honor and distinctions. With Shakespeare's Henry V I could say: “It yearns me not if men my armour bear. Such outward things dwell not in my desire ; But if 'tis a sin to covet honour I am the most offending soul alive!® King Henry Y. was at least honest about it; I wanted the “honour® without working or fighting for it# It was during the opening years of my parish ministry that I sought and obtained four academic degrees from a Correspondence College. It is perhaps fair to say that some years lateral managed to earn a doctor's degree in Psychology quite honestly from a small college, because 1 1 6 this subject always fascinated me# This pride of place robbed of their value many posi tions and affiliations I enjoyed during those first ten years of my ministry. Masonry, Rotary, Greek Letter Fraternity and other club memberships (perfectly good in themselves) became in turn fresh “compensation mech anisms® for my pride and attempted cures for my sense of mediocrity and inferiority. I plunged into evangelistic work for which I had a natural liking and a little talent# I explored the field of Spiritual Healing with enthusiasm and sin cerity of purpose, but much of this activity was vit iated by a desire to capitalize my knowledge or exper ience for the feeding of my vanity. On my record in the field of Evangelism and Christian Therapy I was made Director of an International Society and later appointed 'Mission Preacher' of the National Cathedral at Washington# The responsibilities entailed by these appointments evoked in me a good deal of genuine and sacrificial effort, but the “pride of place® and self-seeking still crept in a good deal and when# final ly, I had to give up these positions, I was assailed by a crushing sense of defeat and futility. By way of interpolation, may I say at this point, that it was about this time that I met the First Century Christian Fellowship and began to see myself under the searchlight of truth that was lived and not just talked about. I met Garrett Stearly at the College of Preachers in Washington and he asked me if I was finding any 'fun' in my work? I tried to bluff, but secretly felt he could see through me and read my dissatisfaction with things as they were* For several years before I went to a regular House- party, I began to feel the impact of personalities who advertised Christ by their obvious transparency--by the Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness and Love which emanated from them. (3) Pride of Race Meanwhile I was making several trips to my old home in England. It gratified my pride to attend Conferences in Oxford and.Cambridge and London and to be received as a “man with a message“--an author, an editor# a traveller! Pride of Race is subtle and we must carefully dis tinguish between actual Pride of Race and that loyalty to background which is legitimate. I indulged in play ful remarks and implications about the superiority of 117 the British and even in odious comparisons which could produce nothing hut more pride and might foster a divisive spirit between Christians of one country and Christians of another. I took the admitted and well known good qualities of the British and arrogated them possessively to myself. I liked to quote in conversa tion with friends in America the fact that I had friends among dignitaries of the English Church and.knew a num ber of titled people in the old country* I liked to f et a laugh from my friends by quoting Horace J* Bridges author of “On Becoming An American®) in his quip about Americans: _“The American will always tell you that his is the greatest country in the world * The Englishman will never tell you this because he assumes that you know it!® Pride of Race in me was partly corrected by my becoming an American citizen and by doing work with the American Red Cross during the War, but it still represented an area requiring constant surrender and vigilance. (4 ) Pride of Grace .This element of pride asserted itself so quietly that for years I never suspected it at all. I was “religious® by nature. After seven years in the English Government , service I was almost irresistibly drawn into full-time religious work--and so, finally, into the regular min istry* I was “converted® at sixteen and functioned as a Lay Preacher during the.period of my residence in London in the Civil Service. My ecclesiastical relationships are mostly dealt with in the paragraph above on “Pride of Place® from which it will be seen that I measured suc cess in religious work largely by the titles 1 was able to secure and the prominence given me in the ministry through which my vanity might be gratified. The editorship of a monthly magazine gave me plenty Of opportunity for “projection® emd a sense of being in the limelight. My work as editor, author and mission preacher offered excellent fields for the development of this “pride of grace® and many real friends warned me of this and begged me not to dissipate a divinely- bestowed talent in wasteful fashion. I gave them little heed* But the achievement of some degree of success in my vocation had made me intolerant of advice or admoni tion. I developed violent antipathies towards those who criticized me or disagreed with me. X wanted to be a freelance and “run my own show®. And the end of these things meant failure, separation.from many of my friends* a “martyr-complex® when I met opposition and a growing 118 sense of futility in my own personal life. Then the Group gave me a real challenge. I went to Briarcliff to investigate the Movement* Result : The Group investigated me I My four Aces were annihilated--at least I began to see how deadly they were, and to hate them. I listened to witness after witness who told of sins and struggles and always of a discovery of a new way out. I learned that this whole miserable business of Pride is nothing more or less than Self-projection. Pride is Self--and Self is Sin; it was no use mincing matters. The road back was slow and arduous. I envied those people I met at Houseparties who seemed to get a com plete deliverance right on the spot and with but one definite surrender. I found it necessary to make not one but many surrenders. This Fellowship through its keen and transparent Quality of Life convicted me of deplorable lacks in my practice of the simplest Chris tian virtuea--of a basic deficiency in the simple el ements of Christ's own life— in the matter of Absolute Honesty, Absolute Purity, Absolute Unselfishness and Absolute Love. But they did more than convict me. They helped me up and out. They admitted me into their “Fellowship of Sinners*“ They showed me the relief and the dis cipline that come from honest sharing; they revealed to -me the lure of the God-guided life and the difference between the thrill of professional evangelism and the thrill of becoming a “Life-Changer®. I went to more Houseparties; I found.more than a new technique--! found a new way of Life. I caught a glimpse of a Move ment which might bring back the lost lustre of Aposto lic Christianity and which was competent to touch every section of society and to meet every conceivable human need. I felt Christ was profoundly in this Movement and to reject its inexorable che&llenge we#s really to reject Him. I began to reconstruct my ministry. It took a long time. There were several failures and.dis appointments * Much had to be torn down. I went to Oxford and learned more. Then became a recruit in an Overseas Team to visit the colleges and universities Of South Africa. I saw a whole nation in process of transformation— and the invincible power of a changed life to meet every situation that arose. The discipline of this experience was not without its value. Instead of a well-known missioner of the Church, I was a member of a Team Of 25 (afterwards growing to 75) and any tendency towards individualism was promptly cor rected. It was uphill work, but it wqs also the way of 119 emanoipation* 1 was led to resign my position in America and for a brief period everything seemed to be lost* God gave me no rest till I was willing to let go of that whole pride-ridden area of my life— until I could say sin cerely and just for myself what I had so freqyently urged other people to sing at my missions When I survey the wondrous Cross On which the Prince of Glory died. My richest gains I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride! Having hit the bottom, God began to lift me up. Being lifted up by God is very different from being exalted by a projection of Ego. Indeed it comes only after a pain ful operation known as ^go-ectomy®. Those things which were gain to me 1 learned to esteem as loss for Christ's sake. Through Pride I had lost nearly everything in this world that was worth losing* But on the new basis of Surrender and Guidance things began to come back. God led me into new and beautiful relationships. I was brought out to the Pacific coast and for a year I lived without salary or official position. God sup plied my needs in many wonderful and beautiful ways. I won't deny several set-backs and fluctuations, but one felt the steady upward pull deep down in one's life* The coming of the Overseas Team to Oalifornia a year ago was another epoch-making event. It meant for me another fresh start and the beginning.of many priceless friendships and opportunities for service. I feel with V. W. Dyer of Burma that this Quality of Life has only one technique; he calls it the “psychology of expert friendship.® Through Guidance I have received a new vocation, a fresh pastoral and evangelistic vocation full of promise and fine team-work and joyous prospects. There is a Hbuseparty going on all the time in Our home and “the best is yet to be.® I have many things to share which do not properly be long to a published article. When one has really sur rendered in the full sense, it means that every area of life--past and present--can become redemptive* The sharing of one's failures and sins is but the prelude to the sharing.of all that is best and most glorious in life. The Koinonia is a living fellowship, a “sharing group® as the original Greek implies. That Group is the very soul of the Church and to that Group I pledge, in Christ, my eternal love and loyalty. San Diego, (Signed) John Gayher Banks California# January 1934* 120 The writer of the following witness to the power of God* when one is willing to accept it, is one of the many successful business men in Los Angeles who have been changed* The writer of this thesis has known this young man for more than a year* He has heard him witness before large crowds on many occasions# of how his life has been different since he “let self go and let God*® His life and conduct has been watched from various angles* His words are true* His life is a testimony* He is fearless about the spiritual contents of life needs* He is able to choose life values* and dis card life hindrances at will and with ease* He is not a “long faced® Christian, but joyous and happy, and portrays a sense of freedom* from all embarrassment in the presence of Christians or non-Christians# Jesus said* “Ye shall know them by their fruits * ® Mr* Phelan has proven himself by his fruits. At this writing he has been directly responsible for twenty-two persons to make complete surrenders of their lives to the will of God since he made his surrender* My Witness: When I met the Oxford Group I was impressed at once by several outstanding characteristics of those who were of the Eastern Team and International Team stopping at the Biltmore during February of 1953* There was a certainty in their manner* a sparkle in the eye* something extra in the hand clasp, a light joyousness in attending to the most serious of tasks and withal an underlying con sciousness of being on important business that required intelligent application of each waking moment. 121 A young woman «as speaking from the platform to some 3#500 people in an easy relaxation of some experience that was personal hut not intimate and she said# did that thing with God squarely in the middle of my life** and right then I sat up in my seat for that was a chal lenge hy way of direct statement of fact in a life and not preaching# An hour later I was reading **^or Sinners Only** hy A# J# Russell and experiencing such a thrill as I had not had from a hook for it answered my need# Coming of a Christian family with devoted parents whose love somehow failed to fathom the existence of amd cure of such sins as deep selfishness, impurity, dishonesty and general lack of love, I had not been a stranger to things of religion# Rather I had a close up view of it. At the age of 13 X had a religious experience that was real tho heavily charged with emotionalism* It lasted a few days and while it lived it was fine# The.whole world was different because I was different# It.did hot last for it was not well enough fortified# There was a know ledge within of the sins that had to go hut there was no confession, no sharing,friend with whom to confide the difficulties I was having in holding on# There was not enough definiteness of what had to happen to one who had been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ if he were to stay clean# If James is right that conversion is where the **^consciously wrong** become ^consciously right** then I was . only converted for a few days and then became consciously wrong again, reverting as the sow to her wallow# etCé That condition continued for a period of over twenty years, with variations to suit the age of experience. I know definitely what it is to be a prod igal son during those years for I was just that. I remem bered that wonderful cleansing I had had at the teen age conversion and the feeling of it and I had faith that it was the real thing. I believed in God# I believed in the miracles# I knew that faith without works was dead so I set out to do my works and I had a pretty lot of works all built up# èeing a willing worker and knowing that I should be I took on every job that came my way and had the least reasonable possibility of accomplishment through me# Should we laugh when we reflect on how many things I was trying to do last February? When I stopped to check up I found that I was serving oh some sixteen boards, com mittees, etc#, about the city, all of which were worthy enough but it is questionable if I should have been the one to be serving# In addition to this I was a member of several clubs, moved in a social group and on top of every thing else I was trying to be a Sunday school Superinten dant# To say that I needed something in the middle of my 122 life is to put it middly and if nothing else a central core about which my activities could operate and to which they could be related* I was a set of Unrelated circles trying to run together like an unsolved puzzle. It was a badly patched coat* Here was new wine and I had an old wine skin* The next ten days were days of struggle and suffering* I knew that somehow something had to happen* Here were people whom I felt sure were God * s * One could see that* They were on God*s business. They had come half way around the world, to do His will* They were the same kind of Christian I had claimed to be all these years and still they had.a quality of life or something that I did not have* I wanted it* I knew some of the things that had to happen if I were to.have the same sort of speaking relation with.Almighty God that they had. They could actually speak God’s name in ordinary tone of voice without wincing. I tried keeping the daily Quiet Time each morning. The Bible was interesting if one took the messages there as personal. This was different for before it had been material for another lesson or talk* I began to see that I had to do a lot of things differently if I were to run my life God’s way. Really, I believe it frightened me at first because I saw such a wide gulf between what I had been and what I saw I ought to be. In the meantime I was attending these public meetings of.the Travelling Team and I had heard a number of them speak and had heard some of them talking to my f riends. I had even dared to ask one or two of them some questions about it. However I was careful not to talk to either of them very much or long for I had an idea they would condemn certain things I had in my life relating to these four absolutes of Honesty* Burity* Unselfishness and Love. The Unusual came about in that they were the soul of courtesy and etiquette* not pushing over into my backyard to ask me any leading questions at all. That seemed queer and was different for I had expected they would hound me to death as soon as I made known the least interest in whatever it was they had to sell* During those days I really began trying to watch out in the things of the day to see that I was consciously right in the main. It was apparent this thing had me. They had captured my imagination. All they had to do was give me time. However the worry I had was over the past sins which I had not been able to forget altho some of them were several years old. Ten days later at a House Party at Mission Inn, Riverside* California I really came to grips with whatever it was going to be they had to offer* Here again was this lack of concern about whether I wanted it or not. It actual ly took me three days to get one of the Team to go horseback riding with me, they were that busy in confer ences with those who wanted to be changed worse than I did, and said so. I, of course, only wanted to get a close up glimpse of one of them when they were off guard* I had an idea that they were not as sincere about this thing as they claimed. I had known a lot of preachers before this and I remembered some Of the things that they did and X could not find any reference to these things in the Sermon on the Mount* Well, we did go riding and I thought this fellow knew horse flesh in spite of his claims to saintliness and his seeming intentional ignor ing of the American language. That fellow was Martin Kiddle who has since turned out to be curate in one of the greatest churches of Kngland* He had the courage to share with me some of the problems he had had in his life and what had happened to him when he had gone to God with them. The first thing I knew I was talking to him about myself out there in the open air which I loved and it sort of seemed to ease the strain a little if we 'let it off where there was plenty of room. Actually I found myself talk ing about personal things which I had never talked about before in my life but which had been problems and I did not have the answer to them altho I had tried with,all the will power that I had. It was.real nice of Martin to get me to open up out there for it helped just to tell somebody, tell somebody what I had been carrying deep hidden in my heart for over twenty years, things I was aahaaed of but did not know what to do about them* That was not the end of it tho. On the way back after we had talked I began to think some more and I then realized shame for the first time in my life. Before these things had remained locked up inside and nobody knew but God. How someone else knew and that was different. I was ashamed. I was troubled for I saw my life as I.had never before seen myself, thru the eyes of another. In the in terest of honesty something ought to be done about it and I was now ready. I forgot all about the possibility of insincerity on the part of the Team or the personal dis likes I had raised to them as defenses* I only saw myself, a ragged sinner before the bar of justice.and found want ing in my own conscience. I was ready when the suggestion was made to go down on our knees in prayer before God to ask forgiveness for my transgressions and power to break fefad hold sin had on me. That prayer was like fire burn ing thru me and like only one other, the one when I was 12 4 13, when I had had the previous contact with God. This time I knew what had to happen if I were to remain in the grace of God. I came up off my knees feeling dif ferently* The load was gone. Really I felt a lot like I did that earlier time, only I was a cool as a pickle and had a very clear picture of what I had to do. The next day before breakfast I wrote the Dean of my university that I was mailing him my degree as soon as I got home# I was afraid to wait for fear I would weak en* That was one thing that had worried me for 17 years* That day I went home to fix things up,there where a gulf had come between my niece, her husband and myself. I wrote home to my parents who had patiently been praying for this day for many years and told them what had hap pened. I went to the home of the leading social friend in whose set I moved at some distance necessarily from my church affiliations and told them of what had happened to me and how much I liked it. I hunted out that teacher in my church school.who had been.on the rough end of an unpleasant situation a year or so before and she would not speak to me, so that I could apologize to her. I cleared the books out of my bookshelf that did not belong to me and sent some checks to pay certain bills overdue for a period of years. This is being written at the end of one year from the time of that experience. May I be considered conservative if I say that this has been the most enjoyable year of my whole life? Whereas before I had never been used to bring a single individual to,find happiness in God I may say now that there are twenty-two IWividuals with whom I have united in prayer at the time of their complete giving of themselves to life with God in the middle, seven of whom I have reason to believe were thinking of suicide as the only way out. They seem to be on the way and perfectly happy today as far as I know. Some of them I am close to and they profess the most profound experiences and unusual things have come to bless some of them. As for me my old problems are a thing of the past. Conscious ly wrong has become consciously right* Power has taken the place of strain. God guidance has led me to giving up a considerable part of the work I was doing to others who can do it better, relieving the.strain. The satis faction Of the daily Quiet time in clearing the road for God’s things has been an increasing revelation. The 125 Bible has become personal. I have made over with the help of God and members of the Group my business, social, personal and religious life on a basis of which I at this time at least am not ashamed. Itido not feel that I have arrived but I am sure that 1 am being used and life is a constantly growing adventure. I have found that the most important thing in my life is being a Christian, even more than being a Sunday School Super intendant. February 22, 1934* (Signed) Irvin V* B. Phelan CHAPTER V RESULT OF THE GROUP UPOH CHURCHES The **BUchmanitee** deny that they are starting a new sect. They are not concerned with distinctione drawn be tween races, classes within races, or churches. They ask no one to leave his church or join another* They encourage their followers to work in their own churches. When one is ’ ’changed,’ ’ that person is always eager to help someone else to receive a similar experience* He eagerly seeks guidance as to whom he should see. They usually have their influence upon relatives and friends at first, but may later be guided to approach some stranger. The ’ ’changed*’ person, if already a church member, ordinarily seeks out his friends in his church circle* They do not form an organization, but through guidemce he shares his life experience with a friend who be comes eager to participate in this experience. Through guid ance aand ’ ’sharing,*’ his friend soon becomes ’ ’changed” and is eager to follow the Christ way of life. This changed person, in turn, is instrumental in converting another to the Christ- like life* That one, too* becomes eager to change some other life* Thus the procedure grows and becomes extended indefin- ately* That is the method by which the Group is so rapidly growing and is now international in scope* Since they are not attempting to form another sect# 127 but are, on the other hand discouraging it, it must not be overlooked that other sects have been formed by similar methods. One only needs to look at the largest protestant denomination, the Methodist Episcopal Church, to realize that there is some possibility of the Oxford Group some day be coming another denomination. It would, perhaps* be named from its founder, rather than ^Oxford Group** • John Wesley* the founder of Methodism* himself, never became a Methodist* He discouraged the people from starting another denomination. His followers increased in numbers so rapidly and became so dissatisfied with the Episcopal form of worship* that Methodism became inevitable. Will a similar experience happen to Dr* Buchman and his followers? The fu ture alone holds the key to the locked safe wherein is stored the secret and the answer to the much discussed question. What are the Oxford Groups doing in the churches? In almost every protestant church, Buchmanism, or the Oxford Group, is being discussed. Where it has never been introduced by any of the followers, the churches in most cases are eag erly waiting for such an introduction. The Buchmanite Move ment, however, is especially strong in the Anglican Church. P. W. Wilson SE^s: The Anglican Bishops have always been suspicious of emotion in evangelism, and the advice of one of them, when confirming Eton boys, to beware of enthusiasm in religion, has long been remembered. But the Bishops do not wish to repeat the mistake they made in the eighteenth 128 century when they cold-shouldered the Methodists. The pulpit and the press have resounded with lamentations over the decline of faith and the epidemic of disillu sionment. According to numerous testimonies, Buchmanism has filled a vacuum, and the aim is to keep the Buchmanites within the churches It is very evident, as one studies the movement from all angles, that it is a revival, not ’ ’just another sect,” lout a force for unity. Revivals have been a necessary element in the life of the church. They have been a vitalizing and creative force, breaking its way into the lives of men. Writers are of the opinion that this new movement, which is now of world-wide proportions, is simply another outbreaking of the spirit which occurs frequently each century. The Oxford Group, as far as the writer has been able to determine, has never planned any meeting of its own to con flict with any church Sunday program, with the exception of the house-parties which are usually held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Such meetings, however, are only held once in a few months* There is, of course, no certain stipulated time set for house-parties. The Oxford Group claims that they al ways leave the decisions to the ”Guidance” of God* When a traveling team arrives in any city, they are found in different churches throughout the city on Sunday* The denomination de pends upon the choice of the individual. ^ P. W. Wilson, ^Buchmanism Stirs a Debate.” The Hew York Times Magazine. (January l4, 1934.) 1 2 9 Many of the churches of Southern California are yet very skeptical about the Oxford Group theories. After an investigation made by contact with ministers and laymen, from the San Joquin valley, and south to San Diego, the writer is in a position to make an authoritative statement about the influence of the Group upon the churches of this wide area. A large number of the Protestants, far from the majority, however, have been influenced one way or another by the new spiritual emphasis upon Christianity* In one leading denom ination, one of the church authorities,^ who himself has been in the Christian ministry for approximately twenty-five years, claims to have received a changed outlook on life and the aims of the church. Where he formerly went from church to church, in an official capacity, urging the ministers to ”make a showing and build up the church in numbers,” he now urges what he believes to be the fundamental, i.e., the qual ity of life. He admits that numbers should not be the mark of quality of the work which the individual church is doing. He puts a new emphasis upon his life and sermons which he preaches. Many of the ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church es in this valley have taken over the Oxford Group ’ ’tech nique. ” They come together occasionally and share their ex- ^ ”John Henry,” San Joquin Valley, California. 130 experiences one with the other* thus breaking down old bar riers and molding themselves into a spiritual dynamic unity, which they claim helps them psychologically, socially, and spiritually* Investigation has revealed that in some instances where traveling evangelists^ once went from community to com munity arousing the emotions of the people into high spiritual ecstasy, they are now changing their methods* They endeavor to ”go to the bottom” of the individual’s needs and there eradicate the source of the failures in moral character# They also aim to establish some permanent and constructive activity for the people before leaving the church. The old method had been for the evangelist to create an emotional stir and then move to another community, and thus leave the church to struggle without adequate leadership. In many cases the collapse would be worse than the state prior to the revival. The evangelists are taking over the Oxford Group methods. They organize a ”sharing group” where young people share their sins and victories with one another, thus help ing the group to grow. The Oxford Group admits that Chris tian life and experience in life is a growth and unless one is ^changing,” and ever on the alert to the need of growth, growth stops. ^ One near Fresno and one in San Diego and others could be mentioned, of different denominations* 131 Investigation of another section of Southern California shows great effort is being put forth to advance the work of God’s Kingdom under serious handicaps* Generally speaking, the clergy are very hesitant about accepting the Oxford Group principles. Some are in hearty sympathy with it, yet they hesitate to publicly announce their wishes. Perhaps they could be likened to the first century Christians who sought underground shelter as a secure place to worship with out being molested by the church officials and unsympathetic laymen. A few citizens in Santa Barbara, California, tell with pride that the Traveling Team stopped for a few days in their ”fair city.” One gentleman who had spent many years of his life drinking, which was contrary to the will of hie minister father, now is one of the leading workers in the Oxford Group of the city. Where he had not been in church for several years, he eagerly admits that he is now a regular attendant and worker.^ Some of the clergy there are wanting to accept the Group principles, and have made public statement© to that effect. On the other hand some are opposed to the Group and do not hesitate to make known their opposition.^ As in other places, many are finding a new outlook on life; many are now ^ ”Bill Jones#” interview. ^ Information came from ”Bill Jones.” 132 realizing for the first time the meaning of a personal Chris tian experience and the value of the church in any community* The Rev* Dr* H* C* Parke of Pasadena# writes in The Los Angeles Churchman: If# as we all believe# the primary work of the church is to bring human lives back into harmony with God# through the power of the living Christ; and we as church men are painfully conscious that the world is not as seriously impressed with us as we could wish; then we have reason to thank God for sending us the help of this band of evangelists, who have spent some two weeks in our midst* Here are fifty men and women, British, American, Dutch, German, and Swiss# from all walks of life, largely Angli cans, but including many others# bringing a single mes sage, expressed in varied personalities .. * . They bring nothing new but present the old Gospel message in the language of modern life, their own lives, surrend ered to the service of Jesus Christ*® Dr. Parke also is of the opinion that the Oxford Group is not an ”ism.” He believes that they emphasize the ”real power of the old faith,” which they expect the church to follow in its own way and methods# to inculcate as well as cultivate. Dr. Parke, in giving his opinion of the influ ence of the Group upon the churches and life in Southern California says: What priest of the church is there# who is not hungry for this very power and baffled by his inability to exercise it effectively* Hundreds of men and women, young and old# have been given this vision and been changed. Whole families have ^ H. C. Parke, ”To Take Christ Seriously.” The Los Angeles Churchman, XXXVI, (March, 1933), p. 3. 133 been reunited and brought to an experience of love for each other, some of them for the first time, couples who have been divorced, or were drifting into divorce, have been reconciled, and everyone of them is sent back to his church.? Î. The writer has, been in public meetings, and house- parties where he has heard many ministers of Southern Cali fornia witness to the change in their own lives, and because of the change in their lives, their congregations are being changed also. Men who have been preaching for many years, admit that they had not been satisfied, and their work was often a drugery; they often wondered why their congregation never responded to their ministry, but now make public state ments that they had discovered that theyy were the only ones to be blamed for any failure of success. Throughout Southern California# the Protestant Episcopal Church is responding to the challenge of the Oxford Group. Some work is being done in Baptist Churches, but not as extensively as in other de nominations. The Methodist Episcopal Church has been greatly enriched by the challenge of the Group. One Methodist minister who has been eager for numerical in crease of his church, after being changed, went to his offi cial board and asked permission to take no one into the church until they volunterred to join. His ministry was enriched because of an enriched life. As a result of the unusual 7 Ibid.. p. 3. 1 5 4 request# many have volunterred to join his church; The writer could mention others of the Methodist Church who have had their ministry made brighter because of the influence of the Oxford Group. In one of the Baptist Churches of down-town Los Angeles# many lives have been changed through the influence of one of two persons whose lives were enriched by the Oxford Group. In another Baptist Church the young people of high school age hold Oxford Group meetings every Sunday afternoon# preceding their regular Sunday evening Christian Endeavor meeting* Some of the group have made complete surrenders and are endeavoring to live the Christ way of life. The Literary Digest* in commenting upon the Oxford Group# points out how young people of High School ages# as well as older people, have been changed. It also points out that Bishop Manning is enthusiastic over the result the Group is having upon the Church. The Digest’s statement is as followsL A high-school sophomore confessed at one of the ses sions at the recent houseparty at Briarcliff Manor, Hew York# that high school boys and girls in Westchester County have formed mixed drinking clubs at which Bacchanalian orgies are staged. At his school# he says# it is Called the Mug Club. ’We go out late#’ the Hew York Daily Hews quotes him confessing. ’We drink all night until no one can hold any more. ’ At one such party# he testifies# re read, ’girls became drunk, and rolled all over the floor. It was a terrible thing ; terrible; but now I have been how wrong it is, and I have changed.’ Similar testimonies were given by another sophomore, who_ also has ’changed.* 135 But lest anyone think that these purgings of the soul are purely sophomorlc and sensational, we turn to the testimony of men and women of position offered at a big mass meeting in the Waldorf-Astoria, where every one of the 2,300 seats was occupied* Bishop Manning, who was ill, was represented at this meeting by Suffragan Bishop Arthus S* Uoyd* A telegram from Bishop Manning, read by the Rev* Samuel M* Shoemaker, Jr., rector of Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church, said: ’Your Group is making a great contribution to the life of the church at large by emphasizing the need and the power of personal faith in Christ* Dr. Phillip Marshall Brown, Professor of International Law at Princeton University, who is another one of the emin ent converts, is quoted in the Literary Digest as having said: I wonder how many of you husbands and wives have the joy of fellowship in such a movement. It is nothing new, but it has a freshness. It is a great flood-tide surging into the church.^ The Rev. Dr. Edgar A* Lowther. Pastor of the Temple Methodist Episcopal Church# San Francisco, writes that he is deeply indebted to the Group coming to San Francisco and for the privilege of having Dr. Buchman speak from his pulpit. He says : Uy own attitude toward the Oxford Group is one of friendly co-operation. I think it would be far better for our ministers to know it from the inside rather than the outside; to offer criticism directly to those con cerned when it is justified rather than indirectly and without the basis of personal observation........ This looks to me like the First Century Christianity in action D ”The Oxford Group--Genuine or Mockery?” Literary Digest, 115, (January 28* 1933)# p. 18. 9 Ibid.* p. 18. 136 with unlimited possibilities in the realm of personal social religion. . . . ♦ There is enough spiritual dynamic in the Movement to bring about a world-wide revival. In fact, that revival is here, and the losers are those who stand aloof and debate the pros and cons of what is erroneously called ’Buchmanism.* The right attitude, it seems to me, should be one of.prayerful participation that it may be used of God to answer the deeper needs of life today and kept under the control of the Christian Church#^® The Methodist Episcopal Church in general, has been greatly affected favorably by the Group Movement. Many have expressed their gratitude for such a revival; on the other hand, some refuse to accept its technique. The editor of The Christian Advocate# an official organ of the Methodist Church quotes a few words of one minister; My subject was# ’What the Oxford Group did for the Ministers, ’ and not..only was I changed but there has come a reconcilation of many of our people one with the other, and whereas# much of the Church membership was pulling against one another, being harsh, jealous, and selfish# now we are for the first time united in the Holy Spirit and our Quiet Time tells us that we are in the beginning of^ an unheard-of revival in * *11 What George C. Pidgeon of Canada says can also be thoroughly applied to the churches in Southern California, and is being practiced by a large number of ministers and laymen: He says: It will not do for the church to ignore the movement. Edgar A. Low the r, ”The Oxford Movement on the West Coast.” The Christian Advocate, LXXKII# (March 9, 1933), p.11. Editorial, ”The Oxford Movement Continues to Move.” The Christian Advocate, LXX3CII, (May 25, 1933), p. 4. Wcific EditiSHT]---- 137 It is not enough for her to go on with-her work as if nothing extraordinary were happening in her field; This movement has been producing results which the church has not been producing to anything like the same extent in recent years# and this spiritual achievement is the occasion for a new effort to bring the old message of salvation home to men# and a new ground of thankfulness to the God of all grace for his intervention on his people’s behalf and for the new resources which he is adding.to his church’s store. The editor of The Christian Advocate, in commenting upon a similar thought# quotes ”Dr* Phelps” who calls atten tion to the freedom from institutional responsibilities from which the Oxford Group has, leaving them free to exercise greater spiritual concentration. He says: What a chance they hadI Ho debts to raise, no church to run or push* Ho choir,practice* Ho Boy Scouts to drill. Ho tickets to sell; Ho Sunday School class to entertain in their homes; Ho church dishes to wash at midnight* What a chancel And they took their chance# speaking at churches and _ clubs and seeking personal interviews and winning men and women, one by one ;13 George G* Pidgeon, **The Oxford Group in Toronto.” n ^ M ' 19337# p. 291. Rellgcion in Life, (Hew York: Abingdon Press# Spring Humber, Editor# ”Toward Reality in Religion.” The Christian Advocate. LXXKII, (March 4, 1933)# p. 4. . ~ CHAPTER VI TEHDBHOIES ASB TRBHD8 The founder of the Oxford Group Movement Is no doubt a true Christian leader# No one * so far as the writer has been able to find, has ever said anything against his moral and spiritual character# He has founded a Unique movement# There is a tendency ©n the part of all the followers of Dr# Buchman to carry on the work just as he has outlined it. The public meeting and housetparty seldom, if ever, vary from the usual method. Dr* Buchman does not claim to have anything new or to have added anything to the Christi^ reli gion. He has only placed a new emphasis upon the religion which was founded by Jesus. His distinctive teachings are emphasis upon the Four Absolutes, which are absolute honesty, absolute purity, ab solute unselfishness, and absolute love. These are to be the basis for one’s Christian life* He has added other prin ciples which he believes should be practiced, if one is to be able to practice and live the Four Absolutes. They are, Sharing, Surrender, Restitution, Guidance, and Quiet Time. Contrary to most religious uprisings or revivals, the Oxford Group gives no thought to a new sect or denomination. They have no creed; most of the followers are members of some church, Catholic or Protestant* The creed of the Group is 139 is the creed of the various churches which the Group follow ers attend* The Oxford Group is not an organization but an organ ism# They have no elected or appointed officers. There is no office which would have a tendency to bring politics into the Group# It is just what it has been called, a Group* It is a group of'Ghristians giving their energy to helping sin ners find God# and helping the Christians retain their Chris tian experience. The Group is constantly working in churches* This has a tendency to break down denominationalism and es tablish a Christian Fellowship# or on the other hand# to bring about Christian unity on the part of various denominations and sects. A personal letter from Samuel M» Shoemaker, who is the leading authority of the Oxford Group Movement in America# says : Remember that the Oxford Group is not an organization, a sect# or a church* We are members of all churches# and our creeds are therefore determined by the creeds of the church. We feel no need of further statement than the historic creeds of Christendom*! While it has sometimes been called a ”boiled-shirt” and ^silver slipper” movement# men and women of all classes, creeds# educational standards and cultural background# find that there ^ Personal correspondence of the author, letter from Samuel M. Shoemaker, (March 5, 1934.) 140 is no difference in their sins. They find that the same God is able to forgive the sins of one as easily and willing ly as the sins of another. Therefore to that end, the drunk ard, thief, those troubled with sex, and all other types of sinners, sit down with the Christian and share his problems. The Christian shares with the sinner how he at one time had similar troubles but through his complete surrender to God, had gained a victory which had taken away all desires for the one time evil. Thus the sinner finds that there is a God who can help him too. Through confession, and a complete surrender to God and by prayer, he too, finds the coveted victory. He then goes out to win his friends. There is nothing original or borrowed in the message of the Oxford Group. The aim and tendency is to recapture the First Century Christianity so far as it is possible. The tendency of the Group is to include some of the major present day denominational practices, plus. One can readily see traces of the Roman Catholicism, Methodism, Christian Scient ist, and some of moviedom* Like the Roman Catholic and Christian Science, the Group makes confession to man one of the chief practices. The Roman Catholic confesses his moral delinquencies to a priest. The Christian Scientist confesses his moral maladies in the testimony meeting. Like Methodism the Group exalts witnessing over sin and the great victories which follow, 141 the joyous experience of God in the heart. The Group also witnesses the joy of holiness and perfect love in the indiv idual after he has been assured of the forgiveness of his sins# The Group resembles moviedom to some extent in that it is unconventional and spectacular# and has to a degree attracted the attention of the press# especially when a large traveling team arrives in a city* The local meetings# however# go on# unnoticed by the press# and seldom find a space in its pages* They seldom advertise a local meeting# but meetings are always well attended. There are at the present time more than eighty groups meeting in Southern California* The Oxford Group, like other revivals# has a tendency to show a ”let-down” in enthusiasm after the ”rush” is over. Group psychology offers a stimulus with the group# but acts differently with an individual. He hears and sees the group in action, immediately the latent habits# thoughts# desires and soabitions have been aroused to action. The Group’s pur pose of securing action# is to bring to the surface the individual’s retarded capacities# then follow the person with individual consultation and aid until he has arrived at the stage in his spiritual progress where he may be able to main tain himself on that level# but with growth* This has been revealed at the University of Redlands perhaps more than any other large group In Southern California* 142 The appearance of the Oxford Group in February# 1933# took the University by ’ ’storm.” Investigation shows that a large number of students’ lives were changed. ”Oxford Group” was the subject of conversation for several months. Quiet times were held in various places throughout the dormitories# as well as at other places throughout the University Buildings. The report shows that after one year’s experience of the Group on the campus, the number of adherents has dimin ished. The report also shows that a large number of students continue their practice by meeting in various groups in the morning quiet time. It also shows that those whose lives were definitely changed, and who were able to maintain their experience regardless of oppositions, are now proving to be stable Christian leaders* The Oxford Group# like other religious revivals# has drawn a large number of followers because it offered some thing for life needs# but many followers have not had enough stamina to live up to the values which it presents. Investigation of the Oxford Group has also shown that Unlike many other religious movemerits# or revivals# it has shown a steady increase of adherents# regardless of the num ber who find that they do not care to any longer endeavor to endure the hardships of living the principles and practices of the Group. The marriage problem in Christianity has been# in 143 recent years# an ever increasing problem# which has been demanding the attention of thinking people. The Oxford Group treats the problem of marriage as they do all other problems. They realize that problems which involve the life companion ship# conduct# etc* # are often too great for the finite mind of the human being to solve. They advocate that one who is facing such problems should seek guidance in order that there be no mistake made. Mr. T* S. Matthews# writing in The Hew Republic, in analyzing the words of Mr. A. J. Russell# has the following comment to make on these matters: It is perfectly true# however# that most people, even Buchmanites, do tend to grow up and get married--which rather changes the emphasis on sin. But marriage itself has always been a knotty problem to Christianity. The Buchmanites have solved it. ’Of course* the real solu tion of the marriage problem is a guided engagement. That is the Group secret of marriage where romance never fades.’ They still do bear down on sin from time to time; you mustn’t get the idea that they’re getting to be softies.^ The sex problem has been one of the major problems of society since the dawn of the human race. It has been one of the factors that has been the dominating cause of low moral standards. Hotwithstanding that sex-instinct is God-given* it hot only heeds suppression# but sublimation under certain conditions* By sublimation# the Oxford Group means using sex energy for a higher purpose. That higher purpose is a ^ T. S. Matthews# ”8piritual Nudists*” The Hew Republic* (Hew York: LXXIV# March 8# 1933)# p. 104* 144 a process by which one diverts the sex instincts from their original ends# and re-directs them to the satisfaction of the individual toward community values* The Oxford Group consistently insists that there is no sex problem when it is surrendered to God* Sex desires disappear with no injury to the individual# either physically or mentally, when God’s will is put into practice. The ques tion which inevitably comes to the individual who reads these statements is: ”Is it humanly possible for one to have such complete control over sex instinct?” The answer to the in quiry must necessarily be: not within one’s own power, but one’s own power plus the power of God exemplified in the individual. Purity in life is only possiTole through the cleansing power of a spiritual power followed by a genuine change. Christ is real and his Spirit is real, thus there is no possibility of fulfilling the lusts of the flesh when walking in the Spirit* The Oxford Group# as it gradually Unfolds itself, has been found to touch different sides of the church life* It is in many cases# skf fee ting the life of the young people# the church school and religious educational emphasis. Children are learning to practice the Oxford Group technique of shar ing, making restitution# quiet time# and it is having a great influence upon the homes where this is done in the church school. 145 The Group is also making some contribution toward higher education. The writer cannot produce any statistics of this# but it is very evident in the lives of some pro fessors. Also general research shows tendencies toward it. For instance# great progress is being made in Africa* Samuel M* Shoemaker says# of one particular school: I have heard much of the Gray School in South Africa* and.the courageous witness to his boys of the headmaster# Mr. Lang. He came to a house-party for a short time# and went away saying these people were frauds* He came back saying that it was he who was the fraud# and that he had something to share with his boys. He witnessed publicly to his school as to what the movement had meant to him in his own life* and offered to see any boy who .wanted to talk with him privately along these lines. I am told that eighty of his boys came to him next day and wanted to talk with him.^ Dr. Shoemaker also believes that the private schools are very unsatisfactory. He believes that In the private schools# the services are superimposed by the authorities# and as a result# a number of boys leave these schools saying ”they are done with religion for good.” It has also been found that the Oxford Group is having a great effect upon the unity of the church. In Canada# some ministers found opportunities to preach in the pulpits of other denominations for the first time. Unity must be something besides federation. Unless there is a unity in spirit# and unless men will to be one in 2*Samuel M. Shoemaker# ”First Century Christian Fellow ship.” Reprint from The Calvary Evangel# (November, 1930)# p. 10. 146 form, there caoi be no valid unity* The churches are already at unity in outlook* To quote Br* Shoemeiker again on the subject of unity would be to clear up the thought: One of my Anglo^Oatholic. friends who came into a deep er experience of Christ through a young Presbyterian minister in the Fellowship, said to me, * I am as convinced an Anglo-Catholic as ever, but I have got a good deal more use for Presbyterians than.I used to have, and be lieve much more in God*s grace working in their lives.# Bishop Roots has gone so far as to say he feels this move ment must supply that necessary spiritual impulse towards Unity. As a matter of fact, such a meeting as that I described in Oxford, is already unity by anticipation.4 There is a tendency to make a great contribution toward missions. The movement has no conscious difference between home and foreign missions. They say: There are Christians in every country and heathens in every country. Distances and differences are nothing; too many of us are at the heart of the Fellowship have trageled amd worked in these countries for them ever to seem to us either far away or fundamentally Unlike our selves# We believe that the investment of a man#s life must be God-guided, and that only so, and not by,any 8teamed-up missionary appeal, must he decide where to spend it. The missionary consciousness must embrace the whole world# and not the socalled #heathen land# only.5 When one associates with educators, one hears whisper ing and questioning as to the program the Oxford Group has to offer in behalf of the child. What are they doing for the child? How about religious education, specific and in general? ^ Samuel M. Shoemaker, op* cit., pp. 11-12 ^ Ihid.# p. li. 14? The future outlook of the Oxford Group with regard to the child appears at present to he very encouraging# Some say that they have nothing to offer the child* They have no child program* A child cannot share, confess, make restitu tion, nor have anything to do with the Four Absolutes. That is only partially true# The writer knows fathers and mothers who have been ##changed*# through the influence of the Oxford Group and have been instrumental in seeing all the members of their family surrender their wills to the will of God and let Him guide their daily lives# One Oxford Grouper, who has been changed, now is a superintendent of a large church school* The church school material was unsatisfactory, so she makes her own material suitable for the child's spiritual development* Modern re ligious education has to do with the natural development of child training* The Oxford Group deals with the reformative method, i#e*, conversion after sin has been established in the individual* After the reformed adult has seen the need of the child, he then may be able to promote a program which would keep the child from getting to the stage of life where the reformative method would be less essential* Many churches in Southern California have already seen this need# They are beginning to realize the significance of a child-centered church. A child-centered church, would mean a Christ-centered life* A Christ-centered life is indeed not impractical but 148 extraordinarily practical. One Oxford Grouper in Southern California, who Is a worker with children in one of the churches, has been trying to apply the Oxford Group methods in her child work. She said it worked* The children are beginning to learn to share their experiences. They are learning how to confess their faults. They eagerly tell what Jesus means in their lives. Perhaps they may be superficial. Grant it# it is neverthe less good training and not a destructive method in child psychology. The child who practices that method and gets in the habit of telling others of his defeats# and how they were made into victories, through the help of God, will have ah extrovertive character that will be of untold value to him self and others in his adult age# It is, of course, neces sary to expect a child to share, confess, and make restitu tion in a child-like manner. It would be necessary to have a leader well trained in child psychology as well as one having a spiritual dynamic, in order that the child might not devel op a complex which he could never overcome. Psychologically it would not be reasonable to expect a child to fully understand the sharings of the adult. The words, phrases, and terminology would not be suitable to a child's experiences any more than he could understand a ser mon delivered to a group of adults* Perhaps the Oxford Group is doing more than any other 149 religious movement to break down racial prejudices and jeal ousies. It is doing what many of the churches are not doing. In South Africa where the Oxford Group was so successful, the racial problem has been greatly minimized. Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker says: By all odds the most remarkable field in which the Group has worked is South Africa. At Oxford I came in contact with a South African architect, an English gen tleman of about fifty. For almost a year he has been living a surrendered and guided life, and has been In the fullest fellowship with the Oxford Group. His work happens to carry him to most of the principle cities of South Africa. He told me that he was quite sure that as many as six or seven thousand people had been definitely affected by the movement, and that of these he knew not less than two thousand had made definite surrenders of their lives to our Dord. « • . # In Johannesburg alone, with its immediate environs, there are seventy groups meeting steadily. And I have not space to tell of the remarkable stories of individual conversions which have been taking place. It made me feel that the last chapters of the Acts of the Apostles were still being written. One needs little information, only a little imagination, to realize the tremendous racial anteigonisms in South Af rice ; Dutch versus English, and black versus white. One knows that, even these break out in no further war, they lie festering and churning in men's minds. It has been often said that the message of a First Century Christian Fellowship is personal to the exclusion of social vision and influence. We have always said that it was only a false and truncated personal religion which issued only in the self-satisfaction of people, who after their conversion merely thanked God for their own salvation, and did nothing to change the social order. We have also said, 'Wait until those who have the right approach to these things from within get the heart of the message, and you will begin to see social results.'8 Mr. F. B. Bourdillon, writing in The nineteenth Century, ® I b i d . , p p . 4 -5 . 150 an English Publication, marvels over the progress which the Oxford Group has made in matters of racial problems* He points out that national political problems have been af fected by the Group's message* He said that the Group has been the means of hundreds of ^^rapprochements** between mem bers of the two races in South Africa, which has resulted in a marked increase In political harmony* He quotes a leading South African statesman as having said, **If the Group con tinues to grow in the next three years as they have grown in the last three, there will be no racial problem in South Africa*He says in the same article that * • * in Europe outstanding cases have occurred in which racial animosity has been overcome without loss of devotion to Rational causes. At Geneva this year, at the time of the assembly of the league of Rations, a leading delegate called on the movement to play a bigger part in relation to the League. Sam Shoemaker makes the following statement about the results of the coming of the Group to Southern California in 1935. He says: We saw glorious thirds in Los Angeles. Twice the Sala Be Orb of the Biltmore was jammed with 3,500 people* One of the best loved of the actors in Hollywood, Alec Francis, always a loyal churchman, found a new experience which sent him out into the lives of several people the very week he was changed, and they were changed also. Another outstanding actor, well known in England, became interest ed through the striking conversion of his lawyer, who met the Group in Edinburgh and made his decision in Los Angeles. The life of one university man shot through with F* B. Bourdillon, **Morals and the Group Movement The Rineteenth Century, (December, 1933), p. 715. A 151 the new-found power of Christ, and some of the most unlike ly students became forces for Christ. A former presi dent of the Chamber of Commerce was changed. Clergy, pagans, business men, teachers, working people— there is no naming them all, but it was a great harvest. All travelers through California make for the Mission Inn, at Riverside. Soon interested in the Group, the managers gave us the lowest rate they ever quoted, and a house-party of 500 gathered in mid-February, and took them as thoroughbreds take hurdles. Others came for their first touch with the Group. A young wife, appalled at financial catastrophe which had overtaken her husband almost immediately after their marriage, found a new security better and beyond a security in money; her wit ness has since resulted in spiritual children and grand children, An actor, a dozen clergymen, widows of two Presbyterian missionaries who nursed resentment against God for the loss of their husbands, at least six whole families of modeirn, prosperous pagans, and also several members on the staff of the inn--all came into new and deeper experience of a living Christ. So great was the demand, so eager the interest on all sides in Southern California, that there were two subsequent house-parties held at Mission Inn.® T. S. Matthews in The Rew Republic shows how the Oxford Group had its difficulties in its beginning. The principle of the Group was so severe as compared to conventional Chris tianity, that people scoffed at the idea. Mr. Matthews points out how some who were converted, perhaps not deeply, became antagonistic toward the new movement. But he goes on and says : Rothing appeals so much to Americans these days espec ially, as a going concern. And once a venture has sur vived the first outraged gasp that greets any 'new# idea, it can go as far as it likes, with the blessings of the ® Samuel M. Shoemaker, # • House-Parties Across the Continent.** The Christian Century, L, (August 23, 1935), p. 1057. 152 Chamber of Comme roe. 9 Since the Buchmanites have made their first high hurdle of world's recognition as to their conduct, Mr. Matthews believes that they can "By the same patents of gentility the Buchmanites have received a world safe-con duct ; they can go ahead now and become the Methodists of the twentieth century»"^® The effervescent spiritual and social spirit of their conduct under all circumstances has won for the Oxford Group a desire of the same contagious spirit on the part of all who hold self conduct on a high moral stand ard. The emphasis of the Oxford Group upon Christian fel lowship has struck deeply into the hearts of many church mem bers, particularly those of the Protestant Episcopal in the Los Angeles Diocese. In The Los Angeles Churchman, Clarence B. Parlour says: But regardless of what we as individuals think, the coming of 'The Group' has been a blessing in that it has put us to the task of reasoning out more clearly and definitely, the faith that is within us, especially as that faith is related to Sunday-worship* Entirely apart from its personnel and technique, its recognition of sin and the emphasis upon a possible cure is one that must engage the mind of every earnest Christian. .... There are phases of the movement which can justly be criticised, continues Mr. Parlour, but no small amount of its unpopularity no doubt is bound with the fact that it deals uncompromisingly with a nasty business which ^ T. S. Matthews, £p. cit., p. 103. 10 Ibid., p. 104. 153 the church in her smug complacency has a tendency to forget# ♦ # é . Fundamentally as far as we ourselves are concerned, this movement is not a question of 'Frank* or '8am', it is not a question of dressing up an old time revival in evening clothes, it is not a question of its touching but perhaps shallow psychol ogical and intellectual appeal# In reality it is not a question of approach, or method* lie can throw the externals of this thing overboard and perhaps most of Its internals too, we can tear its programs into threads and bits* we can ridicule* its'Houseparties* and its working principle of 'Sharing*, but we cannot escape its central message, 'Sin la our sickness and Christ is our cure**11 Samuel Shoemaker says: Judged by sheer depth of influence, there cap be no question that the Oxford Group is todays one of the mightiest movements on earth* Roughly, I suppose, the Group touched on this side half a million people* I mesui that this many people heard an evening meeting, or a service, at the least, and thus came within range of the actual influence of the message of Christ through the Group*1^ In the preceeding pages of this thesis many interest ing discoveries have been made with regard to the Oxford Group Movement* Religion has become exciting daily news again* Newspapers carried the Group message as news which made, not only publicity, but helped to remind the general reading populace of the yet living and present God* The Ox ford Group has helped to make the acid test of religion in action* That action has been in recent months, in Southern California* on a large and concerted scale. The result of a 11 Clarence E* Parlour, "Lent, 1933, and the Oxford Group." The Los Angeles Churchman, XXXFI, (March 1933), p. 1. 1^ Samuel M. Shoemaker, "House-Parties Across the Continent." clt*. - p. 1058. united group action has been remarkable. Heretofore many Christians worked solo* But fifty to seventy-five people functioning as a phalanx universalizes religious experience* The Group has shown how very easy it is to get a group of modern people vitally interested in Christ. That does not come about so quickly by preaching as it does by being frank and absolutely honest about one's experiences* Another discovery found in the study of the practices of the Oxford Group is that a personal Christian religion is the greatest leaven for social regeneration# #hen men see their social Interrelationships in the mirror of their moral and humaui values* in the light of the teaching of Jesus, they soon get new relationships with one another and a new view toward society in general* The Oxford Group movement has arisen within the church es. It grew out of the needs of the church, which needs the church was failing to satisfy, i.e., the hungry soul of the layman* Thus the Oxford Group sprang into being as a layman's movement* The majority of the churches are officially wel coming it* The Group is constantly relating lapsed or new people to the churches, as well as helping those churches themselves to relate the inwardness of their own message to a modern people in a modern way to help solve modern problems* The Oxford Group is a revival which continues in sur vival* We have discovered that they believe the principle 155 of life and continuity is inherent in the daily discipline of the "quiet time" and Bible study, in sharing and witnes sing for the purpose of helping someone else# We too have discovered that leadership is not sought. They believe that leadership emerges naturally from those who are willing to live out the principle of honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love under the guidance of God, and in the fellowship with those who are of kindred minds. The Oxford Group has given a special sort of prayer to the world# Instead of the ordinary and conventional prayer or method of praying, such as communion, petition, and wor ship, it is the prayer that listens, in quietness and faith, for God to speak* The sentence of the Old Testament, "Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth," has been restored to a pri mary Christian practice* Through this method of prayer and guidance the conventional method of people planning programs and then asking God to bless and forward them, members of the Group habitually wait for the program to be indicated to them through divine "guidance" during the "quiet time." The Group waits with expectation and faith for the guidance to be given* If there is any doubt, they "check up" with other Oxford Groupers who seek guidance on the same problem or program to varify their guidance* The Oxford Group has given a new vocabulary to the world* They seldom speak of conversion, but of being "changed." 156 They do not speak of testimonies, but about "sharing." The Group never uses the words "soul winners," "personal workers"; instead they speak of "life changers." The early Methodists organized classes, but the Oxford Movement built "groups." The early church members sought experiences, but the Oxford Group talks of "obedience" to God's will. The early church has laid stress on "How do you feel?" but the Group says, "How do you live?" Religion in the past has sought an abode with science and philosophy* We have often said# "Believe, because reli gion is rational." We have often said that experience has the approval of psychology, in fact, many books have been written on the subject* The church in the past has said, "The Christian life is the social solvent." Thus far the Oxford Group has asked the sanction of no human achievement. It speaks with authority. It has something to offer to science, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and to the Theologian. One tendency of the Group is to deal with the Upper class. The others are in no wise excluded. They meet to gether, talk together, share together, and eat together. It has been found that when a traveling team goes from city to city, country to country, it always makes its headquarters at some leading hotel. There is an advantage as well as a disadvantage in this method. It is very pleasing to the upper class, but to the others, It leaves a feeling of inferiority. 157 The usual response is, "I can't go to a large hotel to hear them or talk with them, because I am not able to dress well enough." Sometimes they feel their lack of culture and eti quette to make their appearance in a large hotel. The Group has a purpose, however, in dealing with the upper class. It is this class who has control of world affairs, national# state, county and city governments. The Group believes that when the white collar class is changed to Christ's Absolutes they will have a greater influence upon the others, more than the lower would have Upon the upper. The following quotation from the Literary Digest will give some idea of the type of men and women the Group is reach ing and winning for Christ* The sin-shedding movement has brought him peace and happiness and a new kind of life, declares HUssell Firestone, son of Harvey Firestone, the rubber manufac turer. 'Even tho we don’t serve cocktails, all our old friends are glad to visit us.' Others who testify to the change wrought in their lives by the First Christian Century Fellowship, include barons and boot-leggers, admirals, and socialists, professors and stock brokers, ministers and newspaper men, a kilted Soot and high-school students. Curtis B. Dali, son-in- law of President-Elect Roosevelt, is interested in the movement, and it has the endorsement of Bishop William T* Manning of New York, and many others eminent in religious life of the United States, Canada, and England* It has spread to Germany, France, and South Africa# and, from all accounts, is as contagious as one of the early crusades*13 13 «The Oxford Group--Genuine or a Mockery?" Literary Digest. 115, (January 28, 1933), p. 18. 158 One of the greatest features of the Group in action is that it works as a team. That was Jesus' idea of evangel izing the world. He started with a nucleus. The Oxford Group teams are “ bound by ties of loyalty and its cause. Each team gives to and takes from the other* They are revitalized nuclei. They are not to be found in any one locality or nation. They have gone over England, France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Rear East, Canada, United States of America, Japan and China; in fact more than fifty countries. It has been discovered that the Oxford Group is a mod** ern Group. It believes in treating problems of individuals in modern ways. They think of God as a modern God. He is as modern today as He was through all the yesterdays and will be throughout the infinite tomorrows. While the concept of God is modern, the Group places no emphasis upon theological interpretation. The individual is the interest of the Group# therefore, the individual must treat his theological problems the way he sees best anà feels guided to do. The Group has often said, 'You may do anything you want to so long as you do it with the assurance that it is God's will.* Surely when one's acts are such that God would always approve, those acts would lead no one from the Christ way of life. A very definite trend is the restoration of the family* Hundreds of families have been restored merely because honesty, purity, love, and unselfishness became the basis of a united 159 life* Where the father and mother have become Christians, in every case, so far as is known to the investigator, the chil dren have also become enthusiastic followers of the Christ way of life. The individual becomes the life changer. It is never the larger group that change lives* Wherever there is one individual who knows one or a dozen men or women whose lives have not been changed, that individual must of a nec essity assume the responsibility of changing those lives from sin to righteousness*- The individual holds in his hands the future spiritual and material happiness of other individuals* To a large extent, he also holds the responsibility of the awakening of the nation to a sane and constructive program which would eventually be for a united fellowship of all peoples. The leaders of the world are saying as never before that the solution of moral, ethical, social, political, economical, and religious problems is in Jesus Christ. The writer hem dis covered that the greatest trend of the Group is to euscomplish this end by first changing the lives of individuals* The following quotation reveals this belief more vividly: Where the Group have been in Europe, drifting, useless, often harmful lives have been redirected and given purpose; discouraged, despairing and cynical people have been filled with hope, joy and confidence; and especially here in Geneva, this world centre of thought and action, an in creasing number of leaders see new hope for a solution of national and international as well as personal problems. 14 D. A. Davies, "Another Opinion." The British Weekly, XCIV, (July 6, 1933), p..277. B IB U O aB A fH Ï BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Allen, Geoffrey, That Cometh* Raw York: The Macmillan Company, 1933. 123 pp. Beghie, Harold, Life Changera» Hew York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1927* 142 pp. Day, Sherwood Sunderland, The Principles of The Group. Oxford: University Press, 1933. 11 pp. Horde, Eleanor Hapier, The Guidance of God. Oxford: University Press, n.d. 28 pp. Russell, A. J., For Sinners Only. Hew York: Harpers Brothers, 1932. 293 pp. Shoemaker, Samuel M., Jr., The Conversion of the Church. Hew York: Fleming H. Re veil Company, 1932. 125 pp. * * e * , Religion that Wo rks. Hew York: Fleming H. Re veil Company, 1933. 128 pp. The Layman With a Hotehook, What is the Oxford Group? Hew York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1933. 132 pp. Thornston-Dueshery, J. P., Sharing. Oxford: University Press, n.d. 10 pp. Walters, H. A., Soul Surgery. Oxford: University Press, 1932. 107 pp. PERIODICALS Bourdillion, F. B., "Morals and the Group Movement." The Nineteenth Century. December, 1933. pp. 710-717. Carpenter, Joseph C., "The Oxford Movement on the West Coast." The Christian Advocate# LXXKIII, March, 1933. Davidson, George, "The Church's System versus the Oxford Group." The Los Angele s Churchman, XXXYI, March, 1933. Devine, Frank, "Salvation for the Select." The American Mercury. XFIII, March, 1933. pp. 313?14. 162 Editorial Gomment, "Barth and Buchman*" The Hamiletic Review, 106, July, 1933. pp. 16-19. Editorial# "Oxford Movement Continues to Move." The Christian Century. LXXXII, May 25, 1933. Editorial, "Toward Reality in Religion." The Christian Advocate. LXXXII, March 16, 1933. pp. 4«5. Frost, Henry H., "The Oxford Movement on the West Coast." The Christian - Advocate, LXXXII, March 9, 1933. Gaehlein, A. E., "Oxford Group Attacked." Christian Century. L, August 30,-1933, 1092. Gillies, J. Lewis, "Oxford Movement on the West Coast." The Christian Advocate, LXXXII, March 9, 1933. Jules-Bois, H. A., "The Oxford Group." The Commonweal, XFIII, May 12, 1933. pp. 41-42. Lennard, Reginald, "Morals and the Group Movement." The Nineteenth Century, CXIV, November, 1933. pp. 592-603. Luccock, Halford, "Buchmanism an Escape." The World Tomorrow, XVI, January 18, 1933, pp. 62-63• Lowthar, Edgar A. , "The Oxford Movement on the West Coast." The Christian Advocate. LXXXII, March 9, 1933. p. 11. , Martin, Willsie, "The Oxford Movement on the West Coast." The Christian Advocate, LXXXII, March 9, 1933. pp. 10-11. Matthews, T. S., "Spiritual Nudists." The New Republic, LXXIV, March 8, 1933. pp. 103-4. McNab, John, "The Oxford Group in Toronto." Religion in Life. 11, Spring Number 1933, pp. 291-96. Miller, Thomais, "The Oxford Movement in England." The Christian Advocate, LXXXII, April 20, 1933. p. 3. Mills, E. D., "Toward Reality in Religion." The Christian Advocate. LXXXII, March 16, 1933, p. 4. Parlour, Clarence E., "Lent, 1933, and the Oxford Group." The Los Angeles Churchman, XXXVI, March, 1933. p. 1. 163 Parke, H* Q., "To Take Christ Seriously." The Los Angeles Churchman. . XXXVI. March, 1933. p. 3. Pidgeon, George C., "The Oxford Group in Toronto." Religion In Life, Spring Humber, 1933. pp. 285-896. Robert, Richard, "The Oxford Group." The Christian Century. L, February, 1933, p. 147. Roots, John McCook, An Apostle to Youth, Hew York: Rowcroft Press, 14 pp. Rutledge, Lyman V*, "The Oxford Group Movement." The Christian Register. 102:478, July 20, 1933. Sauter, Mary, "The Oxford Group." The Commonweal. XV, June 16, 1933, p. 187. Shoemaker, Samuel M., "House parties Acores the Continent." The Christian Century, L, August 23, 1933, pp, 1056-57* Smith,-Roy L., "Results of the Oxford Group Visit Slight." The Christian Century, L, July 5, 1933, p. 894. "The Oxford Group--Genuine or a Mockery." Literary Digest. 115:18, July 28, 1933. , . Thomas, Earnest, "Group Respect for Buchnaan." L, September 13, 1933, p. 1155* Thornston-Duesbery, J. P., "Typical Testimonies from the Oxford Group." The Christian Advocate, LXXXII, September 28, 1933, pp..13-24. Warner, Carl M*, "The Oxford Group Movement." The Christian Advocate. LXXXII, February 16, 1933, pp. 2, 11. _ HBWSPAPBRS Peterson, O* A., "Efficiency Management*" The British Weekly, LCIV, July 6,.1933, p. 273. Wilson, P. W., "Buchmanism Stirs a Debate." The Hew York Times Magazine, January 14, 1934, pp. 12, 19.

Asset Metadata

Creator Smith, H. I. (author)

Core Title A study of the Oxford Group movement and its influence in Southern California

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Degree Master of Arts

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,philosophy, religion and theology

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c39-165053

Unique identifier UC11312502

Identifier EP65063.pdf (filename),usctheses-c39-165053 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP65063.pdf

Dmrecord 165053

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Smith, H. I.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA