scenity." (What a godless paradox!) The author tells of the concerted and deliberate effort to produce the most pornographic, obscene, and lewd pub lications in an effort to break down laws governing t h e censorship of books. The writer suggests trium phantly that “in 5 or 10 years literary censorship in England and America will be a thing of the past.” Think of the cesspool of books, magazines and motion pictures which pander to the depraved nature of man. Certainly this is another sign of the times, for our Lord reminded us that as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man. The Bible declares, “Blessed is the nation whoseGod is theLord." * * * Half the worldspends more than half its time wondering how the other half can afford it. * * * REDEEM THE TIME Time is merely an accommodation for man. In comparison to eternity, however, it is so infinitely small that we can hardly grasp its true meaning. Have you ever wondered what the first time piece looked like? Perhaps it was nothing more than a stick in the ground, a forerunner of the sun dial. Alfred the Great is the one who gets the credit for a method of keep ing time after the sun went down. He ingeniously divided a candle into equal sections, p a in tin g alternate ones black. It took about an hour for each section to bum and, in this way, time could be told at night. The Chinese, meanwhile, tied knots in equal lengths of rope. Then they hung the strand up and set fire to it. The knots marked the hours. Of course, most house wives are familiar with the hour glass- by which eggs are cooked or three- minute phone calls are carefully ob served. But as we think of God’s truth we ask ourselves, what is our life? Scripture answers this pertinent ques tion with the words of the apostle James, “It is even a vapor that ap peareth for a little time and then van- isheth a/way.” 14
"GO FORWARD" Many have been th# fascinating journals of missionary statesmen who have carried the Gospel to the far reaches of the world. One such comes from the land of Tibet, revealing the intrepid determination of one of God’s ambassadors. The devil tried to tempt him with discouragement for a very heavy snow had covered the high pla teau. Icy winds cuttingly moaned across the desolate island. There the missionary sat in his tent, wondering whether he should go on to an un reached area of Tibet. He knew if he gave up now there would be many of the native people who would never hear the Gospel. So continuing in prayer, he wrote in his diary, “While I thought of turning back, deep snows, hunger, suffering, yet God said, ‘Forward.’ ” Then, months later, after exhausting climbs, fr e e z in g nights, and excruciating pain, he could say, “Mission Accomplished." For the first time the Gospel had pene trated this particular unreached area of Tibet. When one stops to think about it, the hills we have to climb may not be nearly as treacherous as those in Tibet, but as we go through the sorrows and hardships along the way, Satan also tempts us to turn back. Don’t give up in despair. God has a wonderful plan for you. Our Lord Je"susChrist said, “No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” In the power of the Lord, all things are possible! Our Saviour says, “Go forward.’’ * The firstthingthat seems to get broken after Christmas is the New Year's resolution. * * * MORAL DECLENSION It was Oliver Goldsmith who penned the words in the long ago, “111 fares the land to hastening ills a prey, where wealth accumulates and men decay.’’ This should serve as a danger flag for our own nation. A recent issue of one of our nation’s leading magazines had an article on “Advance Through Ob * *
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