multiplied organizations working among adults. Want To Be Centenarians «** A recent survey by the American Institute o f Public Opinion put the question to a balanced cross section o f adults o f all ages as to whethèr or not they would like to live to be 100 years old. More than half of all adults, in fact, 57% said they would like to live to be 100. Considerably more men than women wanted to reach this ripe old age and the older a person is, the more he desires to attain 100 years. Those who disclaimed interest in liv ing that long gave a number o f rea sons, chief among them being that they did not want to be a burden to those round about them. It is true that many more people live longer today and yet the average life is, according to reliable insurance statistics, still below the Biblical three score and ten. While it is sure that very few people will attain the 100 year mark, it is glorious to remember that God has given life eternal to all those who put their faith and trust in His Son. Crocodile Tears The up and coming, but rather lib eral, Christian Herald takes many a pot shot at the liquor industry. In a recent issue o f the Herald, attention was called to the paradox o f the liquor industry blandly assuring the world that it will continue to tackle in forth right fashion the causes and cure o f alcoholism. Along with this straight- faced announcement, they loudly claim that through the industry’s ef forts 140,032,345 gallons o f whisky were bottled in the U. S. last year, at the same time disclaiming any respon sibility for the creation o f 350,000 alcoholics and 350,000,000 excessive drinkers. The Herald asks signifi cantly, “ Now who do you suppose could really be doing it? ” Student Drinking ^ In a recent session o f the Institute o f Scientific Study for Prevention of Alcoholism, estimates were given that about 50% o f high school and college students use alcohol. According to this report, alcohol is becoming a ma jor problem even among junior high school students o f 13 and 14 years o f age. Discipline with education was suggested as a means o f meeting this problem and the convention urged that the effects o f alcohol on society be taught as a senior high school course. A warning was presented that if the present trend continues, we will be a nation o f Alcoholics Unani mous. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
William W . Orr, D.D.
Insurance Advice & Some o f us have been agreeably surprised by the advertisements of various commercial organizations calling upon the American people to live lives o f righteousness. An ex ample outstanding is the John Han cock Mutual Life Insurance Company, Boston, Mass. Under the caption, “ The Lord Was Their Shepherd,” and a picture o f one o f the early colonial churches, attention is directed to the simple faith o f our Puritan ancestors. The copy continues “ It was not only on Sundays, or in church alone, that they thought o f Him, but always and everywhere. They felt that the world was God’s house, and they walked reverently in it, and they tried to re member to live by His ways.” Of course, this is not pure altruism on the part o f an insurance company, but it is good business for insurance companies when people live godly lives. Sinful living cuts down the years, and consequently the payment of insurance premiums. The man who loves God and lives for Him often finds his years extending far beyond the average. On the other hand, we do not mean to discount the influence o f such unequivocal approval o f spir itual values on the part o f a commer cial concern. New Sanhedrin? «** Readers will remember that at the time of our Lord’s life the ruling body o f the Jewish political-religious economy was the Sanhedrin, a group o f 70 Jewish leaders who directed most o f the affairs o f the Jewish State. Today, if Rabbi Judah L. Mai- mon has his way (he is the new Israeli Minister o f Religion) the Jewish San hedrin will be revived. I f this plan goes through, the Sanhedrin will be made the highest spiritual authority for world Jewry. There are several rather influential groups o f people Pag« Ton
who oppose the plan, but you may be sure that if this is God’s time it will certainly be carried through. The re establishment o f the old temple wor ship is but another strong indication o f the near return o f our Lord. Penny Christians Each year the Golden Rule Foun dation sharpens its pencil and makes some very enlightening calculations. During the year 1949, the average church member gave not 10c out of every dollar, but 2 l/1 0 c out o f every dollar. In contrast, the average Amer ican citizen, counting both church and non-church members, give 1 l/1 0 c out o f every dollar. This means that the church people are one penny closer to God than those who have nothing to do with the church. As a background for these figures, let us not forget that church members spend 28 billions for food, 21 billions for housing, 13 billions for clothing, 1.2 billions for hair cuts, 5.3 billions for recreation, and for all re ligious purposes 2.2 billions o f dol lars. This is a good indication o f just how much the American church mem bers really love God. Sunday School Convention Christian workers from all parts o f our land are expected to convene in Philadelphia, November 2 through 4, for the fifth annual convention of the National Sunday School Associa tion. Meetings will be held in Town Hall and some 30 leading Christian educators will be included in the heav ily-packed program. The supporters o f the Convention are the Evangelical Teacher Training Association and the Philadelphia Area Sunday School As sociation. One o f the extremely heart ening signs o f the day in which we live is a revival o f interest in the Sunday school program. This institu tion, properly supported, is capable of doing more real work fo r God than
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