Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
October 27, 1960
NUMBER 25, PAGE 5,13a

Righteousness Exalteth A Nation --- (II.)

Jerry C. Ray, Irving, Texas

A nation cannot continue on in ever-increasing wickedness and immorality and long exist. This is a great truth demonstrated in the nations of the world from remotest antiquity. Moral decay and lawlessness lead inevitably to national destruction.

Edward Gibbon (17371794), English historian, in his monumental work, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, gives the following reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire:

"1. Rapid increase of divorce, with the undermining of the sanctity of the home, which is the basis of society.

"2. Higher and higher taxes; the spending of public money for bread and celebrations.

"3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal.

"4. The building of gigantic armaments, when the real enemy was within; the decadence of the people.

"5. The decay of religion; faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life and becoming impotent to guide it."

My friend, does this not sound like the U. S. A., 1960? These warning signs are found in alarming proportions in America today.

1. Concerning politics and government. The political foundations of our country are rotten. There are few statesmen left, only politicians; few men of convictions, only men of policy. Graft and fraud have crept into the affairs of our government, as has been pointed out abundantly in Senate investigations in the last few years. Our money is being wasted in the most shameful way by our government. To illustrate: In the June 27, 1960 issue of Life there is a picture of Illinois' Senator Paul Douglas angrily holding up a light socket which cost 25 cents in a store, but cost the U. S. government $21.10! Displaying other such appalling examples, Douglas charged that the U. S.'s failure to use competitive bidding is costing the taxpayers at least $2 billion a year. Again, in the Aug. 6, 1960 issue of Saturday Evening Post there is mention in an editorial of a $50,000.00 Federal grant to Cornell University for the study of bird sounds. No wonder Rep. H. R. Gross of Iowa stated that he would much prefer the shrieks of angry taxpayers upon learning of such a waste of their money. This same editorial mentions that a grant from the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare provide funds for an investigation of the cocktail party as a part of a "systematic study of sociability." This little section of a study entitled "Functions of Play Developing Adult Behavior" cost the taxpayers $89,811,001 In the last few years a new 500-room, $25 million Senate Office Building built in Washington was quickly labeled "The Great White Goof." The clocks had bronze hands that were too heavy to hold the time, the mail chutes choked up with letters and had to be taped shut, slow-moving elevators forced Senators to overflow into freight lifts, private conversations were being filtered into the halls through louvered air ducts in the doors, the floors of rubber tile were so slippery that an appropriation of $150,000 was put through to cover up the $100,000 rubber tile, and the subway to the Capitol lay dead-ended 250 ft. short of its destination with the cost to complete it set at $4,000,000.

2. Concerning our economic world. In years past a man's word was his bond, but today trickery and deceit are on every hand. Everything must be in writing, and then sometimes we are cheated. No longer do Americans practice "an honest day's work for an honest day's pay" and "pay your debts." Ours has become the philosophy of the "easy buck."

What is more, America is spending more and more on fun and frolic with no time or money left for the Lord.

3. Concerning morality. Moral standards are being lowered. Divorce has become a national problem, and with this problem there is the destruction of the sanctity of the home followed by greater juvenile delinquency. In 1870 there was one divorce for every 33 marriages; in 1900 one in twelve; in 1928, one in six; in 1935, one in five; and now somewhere between one out of every three or four marriages ends in divorce here in the U. S. A. Hollywood and T. V. have so affected our people until marriage is contemplated as a "trial" arrangement. And Alabama is doing a landslide business in $300.00 thirty minute divorces.

More and more people are smoking and drinking their way straight into the grave. Social dancing and drinking have become acceptable, even to many of our brethren; and the preachers who dare oppose these sins are looked upon as fanatics and cranks. Alcoholism has become a national shame, but nothing is done to correct this.

4. Concerning religion. Our religious faith is being undermined by modernism in our public schools, state-supported colleges, seminaries and churches. In the May 18, 1958, bulletin of the Central church of Christ, Chattanooga, Tenn., there was a list of statistics concerning a "certain State school." I do not know what school this refers to, but I feel confident these trends are true in colleges throughout the country.

Chart Goes Here

Freshman Seniors How many believe in a personal God? 84% 60%

How many believe in the theory of evolution as to the human race? 15% 75%

How many believe in the inspiration of the Bible? 75% 15%

How many believe in the miracles of the Bible? 88% 46%

How many use tobacco? 40% 80%

How many approve of girls' smoking? 17% 54%

How many think gambling is wrong? 62% 26%

How many go to church services regularly? 70% 27%

If I understand the statistics our youth enter believers, but the influence of the school turns them out unbelievers. I have first-hand information that this is true.

With this disbelief has come the added emphasis on the "here and now" — the Social Gospel, with less emphasis on preparation for the life to come. Our children are growing up in almost complete ignorance of the teachings of God's Word, and without this foundation, their moral standards drop lower than the preceding generation; and the vicious cycle continues.

What will be the final outcome in this nation of ours? We are persuaded that God will not continue forever to tolerate such wickedness in this land of freedom. We have freedom of speech and use it for malicious gossip, the use of profane and blasphemous language, and taking God's name in vain. We have freedom of religion and we use it for freedom from religion. Religion is replaced with irreligion.

Shall we continue as a great nation or go down in history in shame? Let us pray for God's continued blessings and work for the saving of souls. "The wicked shall be turned back unto Sheol, even all nations that forget God." (Psa. 9:17)