might, Great God our King.” Because o f the protest of a very few individuals, this verse may not be recited as a prayer and it will be but an easy step to require its elimination from all school functions where the great patriotic hymn, "America” is sung. There was a time when the Supreme Court of the United States was considered the last bulwark of defense against those who would destroy the great American heritage. Amd one o f the great foundation truths upon which our American heritage rests has been the well-nigh universal belief in Almighty God and a con tinuing prayer expressed in all facets of public and semi-public gatherings that God would guide and protect this great nation from the pitfalls that have caused other nations to sink into decay, and in some instances, total oblivion, except as their records are to be found on the pages of almost-forgotten history. W e have been hear ing in recent years, on frequent occasions, statements to the effect that "i t can’t happen here” . But the simple facts are that it is hap pening here before our very eyes and we seem quite helpless to do anything about it. Another great foundation truth upon which our nation has been built has to do with the rule of the majority. O f course it is quite readily recognized that in times past this principle was greatly abused so that a minority was downtrodden and treated in a very arbitrary and ruthless manner. In more recent times, the rule of the majority has carried with it a recognition of the obligations of the majority toward those of minority groups. But the principle of democracy has completely ceased to exist when the United States Supreme Court will give heed to a very small, loud-mouthed minority demanding its rights in not allowing its children to hear anything in the public schools that pertains to God or even a Supreme Being. In showing such a magnanimous deference to those who, in effect, would make our country an atheistic nation, no whit better than God-denying, God-defying Russia herself, the Supreme Court is deliberately ignoring the vast majority who prefer to have their children taught at least the basic principles of belief in God and an acknowledgment of His sovereignty. It seems strange, indeed, that these men on the Supreme Court bench, who are supposed to be so erudite, do not realize that in prohibiting the name of God to be used in any form of prayer, they are in effect advocating that the children be taught atheism. The very word atheism means "no God” . Atheism is an ideology; it is in fact a "religion” all its own. It begins with certain basic assumptions and develops its ideology on the basis of those assumptions. It is impossible to have any middle- ground attitude between atheism and theism, or belief in God. The children in our schools must be taught a belief in God, or, inevitably, they will be taught a belief in no God. And we have our present United States Supreme Court to thank for this tragic trend. But now that it is possible for even one person in a school district to prohibit all reference to God in any form or prayer whatsoever, what is there left for God-fearing people to do in behalf o f their children? O f course, it is possible for such parents to establish and maintain private schools where their children will be taught basic (C O N T IN U E D ON P A G E 4 0 )
With the Herald Summer Bible S ch oo l Series and the 1963 theme, “My Fa ther’ s W orld ”
The LEADER’S GUIDE, your help to true success, is free. Write for your copy today and learn how this series provides sound Bible teaching in grad ed lessons, nursery through junior high. Usable year after year as stu dent advances. LEADER’S GUIDE gives you the new theme, theme song, 10 devotions, closing program, lesson descriptions for each grade, and other valuable information. Don’t miss this big, beautifully illustrated 8M x 11 book. Highly Recommended “This is our fourth year using your VBS material so you see we like it,” one church reports; another writes, “We highly recommend the course.” Don’t miss the enthusiasm and in creased attendance this series will gen erate. Write Today Get your free copy of LEADER’S GUIDE HERALD PRESS Dept. KB, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
FEBRUARY, 1963
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