Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 20
December 12, 1968
NUMBER 32, PAGE 3b,5a

Self Destruction

Dale Smelser

To the person with moral sensibilities that are God originated, the decline of morality, the prevalence of irreverence, and Supreme Court sponsored malignity can only be viewed as self-destructive madness. Standing with miscountenance against this seemingly irresistable tide, seeing some pushed into retreat by its force and others swiftly swept away in a roaring swirl, he feels it almost useless to protest. But protest he must, that somehow the current may not be slowed but reversed, or lacking that, that when the inevitable and consequent calamity comes upon this people, and there is left only the shattered debris of the immoral flood, the righteous alternative may be remembered and those that are spared may seek God.

When will it come? I do not know. I make no pretense at prophecy. I only know by the lesson of history and the word of God spoken by the ancient prophets, whose inspiration and verity was attested by scrupulous fulfillment, that without a spiritual transformation it shall come.

When the iniquity of the Amorite was full (Gen. 15:15), he forfeited his nation. Not for the righteousness of the conqueror was his land and that of his neighbor nations taken, but, "whereas for the wickedness of these nations Jehovah doth drive them out" (Deut. 9:4). God's land cannot definitely tolerate extreme immorality without judgment. Under such conditions, "the land vomiteth out her inhabitants." (Lev. 18:25).

While many Americans squeal gleefully in the titillating tide and engineer its course, thinking to have avoided judgment, they do not perceive that present strife and war are judgments: "Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment" (Job 19:29). We are habitually at war. While victories are alternated with few defeats, nevertheless our position grows steadily weaker, and our resolve dissolves. Our ineffectiveness is simply reflecting our moral character. And our namby-pamby liberal faithless preachers preach social change rather than personal moral transformation and salvation by Christ.

The origin of our frustrations at home and abroad can be seen in one word: sin. It is time for this people to come to their knees before God, before they are forced there by a less benevolent conqueror.

Probably the individual freedom that has made this nation great will not be seen again in the world for many generations, if then. The freedoms upon which this nation was founded are incompatible with the lack of moral restraint preferred today. Probably the Supreme Court is constitutionally correct in its rulings which encourage lawlessness and immorality. That humane document can only be effective where there is sufficient piety and voluntary self denial, and was written to govern that kind of people. It has no defense against an immoral people.

Without a moral change, America as we have known it is doomed. It may be at the hands of an 'alien conqueror. More likely it will come by internal revolution. The seeds of such are certainly present. And the conqueror may not be kind. It could come in the form of the final universal judgment. Will you see it? Your children? It depends on you! Even if there are not enough righteous souls left to save this nation, you can and must save your soul. What are you doing toward either end?

— P.O. Box 95, Zion, Illinois 60099