THE
Demand
Commandos
100 M ile s Up
& Driven by insatiable curiosity, scientists are' sending photographic rockets higher and higher into the stratosphere to determine what the earth looks like from great' heights. Recent pictures taken from a V-2 rocket, 100 miles above the south western part of the United States, showed a total of 200,000 square miles of country. Clearly indicated in the photographs are the earth’s curvature, clouds and seas. Less .dis cernible are mountain ranges and rivers, and not visible at all are cities, people, houses, stocks and bonds, new hats, and many of the things that loom so large on our horizon. One Room J * Recently in our nation’s capitol the annual “spell down,” open to young Americans throughout our country, was held. The winner was Mattie Lou Pollard, 14 years of age, from Thomaston, Ga. The rather surprising feature of this interesting contest was that Mattie Lou is the product of one of our “one-room" rural schools. Her teacher, Mrs. George Phillips, took care of 34 boys and girls in all subjects over eight grades. It is refreshing to note that the winner over some 6,000,000 con testants was the product of simple, basic, old-time schooling. Half A Pasadena psychologist, Mr. Donald McLean, admits that alco holism is to be blamed for more than 50% of American divorces. Speaking to a number of ministers and social workers, Mr. McLean pointed out that 59% of alcoholics began drinking early in their twen ties. Soon the demon rum moves into full control and the alcoholic, in stead of hiding his drinking, begins to justify it, and, as a result, loses job, family, friends, and everything worth while. One would think, in an enlightened country of the stature of America, that thinking men and women would banish John Barley corn so fast and so far that he would never return.
A very splendid article appeared in the December issue of The Reader’s Digest, entitled, “Seven Reasons Why a Scientist Believes in God.” No sooner had this issue reached the newsstands than requests began to pour in for the book from which the Digest article had been taken. The Fleming H. Revell Company reports, “Never in our 77 years of publishing have we seen such an immediate and insistent demand for one of our books.” There may be a good sug gestion here for preachers. The gist of the article referred to, was that we know there is a God because of the overwhelming evidence to be found in His world. Perhaps a new ap proach to the heart of the average American hearer can be made through the field of natural theology. Report Two years ago, the National Con ference of Christians and Jews com missioned the American Council on Education to bring in a report on religion in the schools. Recently the committee published its conclusions including the statement: “It is not the business of public education to secure adherence to any particular religious system. . . But we believe it is the business of public education to impel the young toward a vigor ous, decisive, personal, reaction to the challenge of religion . . . A first step is to break through the wall of ignorance about religion and to in crease the number of contacts with it. “On all sides we see the disinte gration of loyalties. . . the revival of ancient prejudices, the increase of frustrations, the eclipse of hope.. . Religion at its best has always been an integrating force, a spiritual tonic for a soul wracked by fear and cring ing in weakness. . . Its imperfections will not be lessened by an attitude of splendid isolation on the part of intellectuals, or of indifference on the part of those responsible for the education of youth.”
& Something a bit out of the ordi nary is found in a news item which tells how 3,000 Christian Commandos invaded the devil’s territory in the city oi London in order to witness to the saving power of the gospel of Christ. For a period of ten days, the Commandos preached in clubs, public houses, movie theaters, work ers’ canteens, and open air gather ings. This movement had the earn est backing of practically every Protestant leader in the territory and many government officials. Surely something will be stirred up when Christian men and women revert to such first century methods of witnessing to others of the mirac ulous change which has taken place in their hearts. Too long has the gospel of Christ been confined to stereotyped meetings and methods. Radio Poll Recently the Mutual Broadcast ing Company took a census to deter mine the most popular radio speaker in the city of New -York^ The results of this poll were extremely interest ing. Voted the No. 1 popular speaker was Cardinal Spellman, which, of course, is not a surprise to any one, considering the large percentage of Roman Catholic listeners in that area. The second place went to Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt; but the aston ishing thing is that the third posi tion fell to Dr. William Ward Ayer, the brilliant fundamentalist pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church of New York. Dr. Ayer preaches no mu tilated gospel, but rather one that speaks in no uncertain terms of the sinfulness of man and the unique ness of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This Is, in itself, a commen tary, not only on the ability of the messenger, but on the penetrating power of the message which Dr. Ayer preaches. It is interesting to* note further that Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick was near the bottom of the list.
PAGE THIRTY-SEVEN
SEPTEMBER, 1947
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