SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR NAME?
jet transportation, western irrigation, a low tariff, new crops or military might is a revival of piety, the kind fathers and mothers used to have. We need that same spirit of true godliness that counted it a good business to stop for daily prayers before breakfast, even though it might be right in the middle of the harvest; or that quit a half hour earlier on prayer meeting night. We need that same love for God that bor rowed money to pay the preacher’s salary and prayed fervently in secret for the salvation of the rich man who looked with scorn upon such unbusi nesslike behavior. Tins is what we need now to clean up this country of graft and greed; of the worship of fine houses and big lands, of high offices and grand social functions. Instead we find that what Americans are worshipping today is nothing but a vain repetition of what became of nations which fell into obscurity and antiquity in ages past. Read the history of some of them, in cluding the Roman Empire. Great wealth never made a nation substan tial or honorable.” The Bible presents this same forceful message. We would do well to give heed to it: “Righteous ness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” * Tomorrow is the time when our worries look the most ridiculous. * * * FREEING THE SLAVES From the looks of things, we have barely seen the beginning of our coun try’s racial difficulties. A rather un gainly back - woodsman had drifted down the Mississippi River on a barge which was loaded with goods for the markets in New Orleans. While he strolled along the docks of the city he noticed a crowd gathering around a platform. There seemed to be quite a bit of agitation. So, out of curiosity, he- went to see what it was all about. To his horror he discovered that it was a slave auction. Inwardly raging with anger he witnessed the purchase of * *
The annals of time have recorded, the names of many famous conquerors. One, although tie only lived about 35 years, was Alexander the Great. Some historians say his early demise was caused by a frustration with life itself; he felt he had no more worlds to con quer. One of his soldiers, who had been caught in a series of repeated crimes, was brought before the monarch for appropriate punishment. T h e ruler sternly asked him, “What’s y o u r name?” Stammeringly, the condemned responded, “ Alexander; sir.” Thinking he wits being mocked, Alexander the Great thundered, “1 said, tell me your name!” But again came the response, “Sir, my name is Alexander. It is the name my mother and father gave me at birth. 1 swear it to you.” Getting up from his throne Alexander seized the young culprit by the shoulders, shook him violently, a n d charged h im straightly, “Young man, either change your name or else change your way of life. Your name can’t be Alexander and you live like you have been.” Spiritually speaking, our nante is the same as our Lord’s; we are Christians, “Christ’s ones.” Is our conduct, our speech, our thoughts befitting the Sav iour? We must either live worthily of Him or else cease to call ourselves Christians. You are the only example of Christ someone can see. “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). * * * The ability to apeak several languages may be valuable, but the art of keeping silent in one canbe most precious. » » » AREVIVAL OF PIETY These are days when thinking men and women are awakening to the im pending crisis which our nation faces. The Wall Street Journal, the financier’s publication, recently printed, “What America needs more than high speed
Made with FlippingBook Annual report