ment, but rather a definite heart lack on the part of these officials. Senator Tobey’s recommendation is, “We must return to the teaching of God.” Remedial federal legislation will help only a little. We must get to the roots of the trouble to be really effective. In any community where law-enforcing of ficials have the courage, the support of the citizenry, and the will to put an end to these outrages, it can be done. There is no man living, no matter how much he has sinned, that cannot be redeemed if he turns about, confesses his sins, and accepts the Lordship of the Master of men. Senator Tobey continues: “ The American people have their political dif ferences, but they have the same pas sions in their hearts for decency and justice to create a safe world for our children to grow up in and to live. A sense of righteous indignation is being developed and when the people become aroused, God help those who would try to make of this nation a land wherein dwells unrighteousness.” Mercy From the Lord S OME things that appear in our public press immediately capture the atten tion. This was one of those times as the press reported the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The judge on the bench, Irving R. Kaufman, declared, “Your crime is worse than murder . . . and who knows but that millions more of innocent people may pay the price of your treason . . . It is not in my power . . . to forgive you. Only the Lord can find mercy for what you have done. The sentence of the Court . . . is . . . death.” It is not our purpose to go into the pros or cons of the trial. Sufficient to say that most American people approved the sentence. The phrase, “ Only the Lord can find ,mercy” struck our eye. Here, according to this learned jurist, was one of the most heinous crimes of history. In his opinion, these two were wholesale murderers because of their treason in allowing the secrets of the bomb to seep into Soviet Russia. The death toll of this betrayal will probably not be counted in either hundreds or thousands, but rather in the millions. It is easily understood how Judge Kauf man acting for justice and the American people, could not find it in his heart to show mercy. On the other hand, the jurist spoke a tremendous truth as he implied that God would find mercy for them. It was one of the Greek philosophers, in wres tling with his own conscience, who said, “ It may be that God can forgive sins, but I do not see how.” But, believe it or not, the mercies of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting and Jesus Christ, God’s Son died for a world’s sin. Every last person upon the face of the earth, be his crime large or small, if he shall turn in genuine repentance, can know the pardoning and cleansing power of God’s forgiveness. Page Five
of the righteous who is also the Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ; and the other the father of lies, a mur derer from the beginning and the spirit that now worketh in the children of dis obedience who also heads a vast brother hood whose destination is perdition. Would to God that this tremendous and vital truth could be spread abroad among the peoples of the world so that they might choose life and not be swept on ward to eternal death. The Man and the Book S OBER modern historians are ques tioning whether there has ever been a time in the history of our country when such a wave of national regard has been expressed for any one man as for General Douglas MacArthur. His triumphant welcome to this country has been far more than even a heartfelt national tribute. It was an inner reve lation of some of the deepest feelings of our American people, partaking al most of the spirit of a revival. It brought about a solidification of the opinions of right thinking people. Most Americans have followed very closely the reports of MacArthur’s serv ice. His love for his country and con cern for his soldiers have been reflected time and time again, not only in words, but in his actions. His features are clear-cut and his words the same. He walks with a firm stride; there is never any hesitancy in speech or manner. It is unnecessary to say that he is a man of high personal integrity. His movements betray a background of deep moral and religious convictions. He is a man among men. But why? How is it that this military man of over half a century’s experience with the trials and vicissitudes that military life can bring, can exhibit such sterling qualities and enviable ideals? On this question has been vast editorial comment. Many have given the credit to his father. Some have warmly ptaised his wife; others his own inner stability. We would like to suggest that Mac Arthur is America’s ideal military man and statesman because of his association with the Book. A year ago the President of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles visited Japan. He was there in the interest of the stu dents that had graduated from Biola. An interview with the General was re quested and granted. I quote from Dr. Talbot’s letter describing the interview: “ One of the high spots during our visit was an interview with General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Com mander of the Allied Forces in Japan. This interview took place last Friday, September 23, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. We were allotted about twenty minutes for the interview, but the General was so interested in the things that concerned us and our schools that we remained for nearly a full hour. “Among other things, he stated his conviction that the only permanent so- J U N E , 1 9 5 1
lution of Japan’s problem is to put the Word of God in the hands of the people of this country. In order to accomplish• this, he has called for 3,000 mission aries and for 10,000,000 Bibles for the next three years. Then, he would make another appeal for an additional 8,000,- 000 or 18 million Bibles or Testaments, all told. Then, the General added these significant words: ‘It will then be up to the Bible to demonstrate itself, and it is my firm conviction that there is power in that Book, for it has never failed.’ “He added, ‘Now is the time to strike, and if the church fails, it will prove to be the greatest tragedy the world has known since the beginning of the Chris tian era, and historians will hold us ac countable for failing Japan in the hour of its deepest anguish.’ Both Dr. Bau man and I felt that General MacArthur was expressing a conviction that he felt keenly, but it seemed to us that he felt a little discouraged because the response of the church at home was not up to his expectation. He was very delighted to learn that the schools which we rep resent, are training young people for Japan and that we were here in this land with a view of learning how to give the best preparation possible to students ivho are being fitted for this task. On leaving we assured him that he would have our utmost support and co-operation, and that we would return to our schools to challenge the young people with the words that he had spoken within our hearing. A fter a hearty handshake and a parting ‘God bless you,’ we went on our way.” It is our humble, yet firm conviction, that association with the Book of God makes men great. This association is not always openly apparent. Men do not parade their dependence upon the Scrip tures; rather, one learns of this depend ence only by intimate insight into per sonal lives. Without doubt, a part of General MacArthur’s daily routine is time spent with the Book of books. May God help us to follow his example! God Help America T HE spiritual pulses of many Chris tian Americans were quickened by a recent article in the American from the pen of Senator Charles W. Tobey, of New Hampshire. He served as a mem ber of the now famous Senate Crime Investigating Committee, headed by Senator Estes Kefauver. Most of the shocking revelations of that committee are already known to the American people. The net result of the entire sorry mess is a wave of intense and heartfelt disappointment and disillusionment on the part of the American people as men who were elected to high office were shown to be liars, cheats and despicable betrayers of their high office. Looking over the entire situation from the standpoint of one who sat in on the whole sorry investigation, Senator Tobey finds the fault a spiritual one. It is not merely a question of crime and punish
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