The Crisis in Morality (continued) America must face up to this moral crisis. It is vastly more than psycholo gists, sociologists and criminologists can handle. The problem is sin in the human heart. What kind of witnesses are we for Christ? You may be counted JUVENILE OR PARENTAL DELINQUENCY? We read in the paper, we hear on the air Of killing and stealing and crime everywhere. We sigh and we say, as we notice the trend— "This young generation, where will it end?" But can we be sure, that it's their fault alone? That maybe a part of it, might be our own? Too much money to spend; too much idle time, Too many movies, of passion and crime. Too many books, not fit to be read; Too much evil, in what they hear said. Too many children, encouraged to roam, By too many parents who won't stay at home. Youth don't make movies; they don't write the books, That paint the gay pictures, of gang sters and crooks, They don't make the liquor, they don't run the bars, They don't make the laws, and they don't buy the cars. They don't make the drugs, that addle the brain; It's all -done by older folk, greedy for gain. And how many cases, we find that it's true, The label "D ELINQ U EN C Y " fits old er folk too.
We as parents and adults are at fault. Self-discipline, self restraint, im pulse control and the like are unknown commodities to youth. It may appear from the number of luxuries which have now become necessities that we have a higher standard of living with a resultant pride in achievement. Ex perts declare that we are creating Frankenstein monsters who .will re spond to no control and will be moti vated only by their own selfish de sires.” The only true principle for child rearing are such Biblical teachings as, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15). And again, “Withhold not correction from a child, for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die” (Prov. 23:13). Judge William J. Obermiller of Whiting, Indiana, a suburb of Chi cago, has become known as the “Spank ing Judge.” I think his philosophy needs to be practiced elsewhere. Re cently, when he got fed up with teen age culprits, he ordered three young people paddled in open court. Accord ing to community records there has been a noticeable falling off in the juvenile delinquency record. Judge Obermiller states, “Tve only done what parents should be doing at home. Yes, I guess it s a 'get tough* policy, but we’ve tried the spare the rod approach and all too often it hasn’t worked. It’s time we went back to strict disci pline. Kids have to learn there’s a law more important than their own de sires.” As the Bible teaches us, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son,, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” If we are to put a stop to vandalism, some such stringent meth- ods are going to have to be followed. God’s Word warns us, “Awake to righteousness, for many have not the knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame.” Your voice may be only one, but it is one. Use it in the home, in the neighborhood, in the school and in the church for truth and righteous, for our time is limited and the day cometh when no man can work! 24
old-fashioned or fanatical, but your in fluence, as little as it may seem on the surface, is beyond coniprehension, if you are faithful.
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