monthly and are read by teenagers. (5) There are more bar maids than college girls in America. (6) One million illegitimate r babies are born annually. (7 ) One million young girls have venereal disease. (8) Our nation harbors three times as many criminals as college students. (9) A major crime is committed in America every twenty-two seconds.” The simple facts are that no other so-called civilized country in the world even begins to pro- r duce the per capita statistics which are revealed by our FBI. These law enforcement officials are in a position to know these facts as they actually exist. They are not presenting any polyanna utopia in which so many would like to think we are living. W e do not have to look very long to find out the reason for i our disgraceful moral condition. It is simply because we have gotten away from our final authority on all matters of morality and spirituality. All too many ministers of the Gospel today have left off preaching the great truths of the Word of God as they pertain to our individual salvation and our daily conduct. Instead < as a country we have set up our own standards of morality. These standards are being established and enforced by unregenerate men upon an unregenerate society. Alas, in so many instances the lead ership of the organized church of Jesus Christ goes right along with these unregenerate standards instead of solemnly declaring "Thus saith the Lord!” and speaking out boldly against the lower ing of moral standards. Obscene literature is allowed unchecked distribution with the feeble excuse that it portrays life as it actually exists. That is just the trouble: it does portray life as it actually exists and the church of Jesus Christ is not making any concerted effort whatever to raise a voice against that manner of life and conduct. It is quite readily admitted that these conditions always will prevail among a certain segment of the people. But the tragedy is that they exist among an ever-increasing proportion of the people of our land. This evil way of life is becoming more and more acceptable to society in general. What was considered utterly immoral a few decades ago has now become more or less * the standard of morality today, and nobody seems to be doing very much about it. The above facts related by Mr. Hoover ought to bring the visible church of Jesus Christ to its knees in humility and abject repentance. And from there the church should rise to meet the challenge revealed by these conditions and never again ^ rest or "take things easy” until the standards of morality and spir ituality as thundered forth in the Word of God are once again heard throughout the length and breadth of our beloved land. It is doubtless too much to hope that the forces of evil ever will be completely overcome, but at least they can be shoved back f into the dark recesses of a godless existence where once they lurked instead of being openly espoused and indeed encouraged, by a so- called respectable society. W e used to hear the rather plaintive cry that these forces of evil should be brought out from underground into the light of public glare where they could be properly dealt with. That is exactly what has been done; they have been brought (continued on page 31)
THE ALL-NEW STANDARD VBS COURSE FOR ’65 L ■
MySaviour TeachesMe
Reach, teach your pupils in Jesus' way with this colorful, complete, all-Bible VBS course from STANDARD. Because each of the ten lessons is more closely graded—aimed directly at the needs of the pupils and the de gree of pupil development— your boys and girls w ill be strengthened spiritually, grow to understand and apply Christ's teachings to everyday experi ences. Send today for the MY SAVIOUR TEACHES ME Introduc tory Kit and examine the "work ing samples" of texts, crafts, and publicity materials. Order 9598 . . . $8.36 value, only $4.95 FREE for use in your church "Seek Ye First The Kingdom"—full- color filmstrip with LP record nar ration. Will help "sell" VBS to church members, recruit workers. Cincinnati, Ohio 45231 Alhambra, Calif. 91801 Dept. KB-265 O Complete 1965 VBS Introductory Kit. 9598, $4.95 □ 1965 VBS Planning Filmstrip "Seek Ye First The Kingdom," 9599 (You will be billed $3.50 which will be cancelled when film is returned on date specified.) Reservation date _____________ Return date - □ FREE 1965 VBS Planbook. (Planbook included in Kit.) 8339 FROM YOUR DEALER, OR STANDARD PUBLISHING
. Church
Send to ____________ Name ______________ Position in Church Address ___________ i City --------------- I State _______________
ZIP
7
FEBRUARY, 1965
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online