Beyond The Horizons
A Dead Man's Sandals
Many a professed follower of Christ in both pulpit and pew is wearing a dead man's sandals and that dead man is Judas Iscariot. Moral cowardice has long since blanketed him with a "policy of silence" until he would not even for Christ's sake speak one word "against." All his words are "for". These "sanctified soft" persons would rather court favor and thereby sell truth and right for a mess of social and ecclesiastical esteem (the pride of life) than to be friends of Jesus Christ. In so doing they wear the blood-stained, blood soaked sandals of Judas. — From an article in Herald of Holiness by Leo C. Davis.
Gully Fighting
Dale Francis is a converted Protestant who writes a column in Our Sunday Visitor, a Roman Catholic weekly. He also conducts the "Operation Understanding" section of The Lone Star Catholic. Mr. Francis' approach has been fairly dignified in his efforts to win friends and influence people on behalf of the Catholic cause. However, he has recently shown that he will, like some other Catholic writers, resort to journalistic treachery when the matter at hand is paramount in importance.
Episcopal Bishop James A. Pike's thrust at the Roman Catholics, particularly Roman Catholic presidential candidates, on the birth control issue, has spurred Catholic writers to prolific journalistic reaction. In Our Sunday Visitor, January 3, 1960, Mr. Francis felt constrained to refer to Bishop Pike's wartime record. He left adverse implications. It seems that while serving in the United States Navy during the heat of World War II as lieutenant with Naval Intelligence, Pike decided to study for the Episcopal ministry. Mr. Francis refers to this matter and quickly observes that "No one would criticize Bishop Pike for choosing war time to begin his studies for the ministry." Why then would Mr. Francis be so interested in our knowing of the matter? No amount of smooth comment on the part of Mr. Francis can cover the effect which he should have known the reference would create. It is not that reference to Bishop Pike's past is necessarily out of order, but the setting in which it appears in Mr. Francis' article apparently reveals what the Catholic journalist was desirous of doing — impeaching this Episcopal critic of Catholic dogma and policy. Of course the fact that Pike was formerly a Roman Catholic has little to do with the nature of the reaction of the Catholic writer.
High Level Talks Ease Tension
It is generally agreed by political observers that high-level talks provide an opportunity for a gradual easing of international tensions. When men of diametrically opposing systems can meet and discuss policies of co-existence with dignity and respectability the world has reason to be hopeful for peace. In spite of the nature of certain political ideologies which seem so foreign to the good of man, the leaders of the nations can and do ease tensions in their debates and discussions. The high-level and high quality debating participated in within United Nations circles offers examples of dignity and respectability.
We wonder why brethren in debate cannot manifest similar dignity and respectability? If the attitude and approaches used by some of our brethren were generally employed in international politics the H-bombs and missies would have already been loosed. We wonder if the quality of debating seen among us is a sad commentary on character stature?
Recently I talked along this line with an editor of a paper circulated among our brethren. I commented to him that it appeared that denominational leaders generally showed a great deal more dignity and respectability than some of our debating brethren. The editor suggested that perhaps the reasons for our vehement actions in debate lay in the nature of the issues at stake — salvation and eternal welfare. I suppose this is a reason for our polemic meanness. But does the seriousness of the issues call for the abandonment of individual dignity and Christian respectability? It will not do to ease tensions by compromise of truth, but on the other hand can we ever truly win a battle for truth by augmenting tensions through careless, egotistical, self-righteous and partisan approaches?
These things are easy to talk about and the advocacy of Christian attitude and better relations among brethren comes natural. But to put these things into practice is difficult — for the little man who is not concerned with much more than a personal victory.
Bible Reading In Public Schools
In many areas Bible reading in public schools has become a real problem. Courts are called upon to rule on its constitutionality. In some places it is ruled out, in other places it is upheld. In a country where government officials are sworn into office over the Bible it appears strange that there would be objection to the mere reading of the Bible in public schools. Of course, exposition of Biblical texts is another matter. Former president Harry S. Truman said in a recent speech that "every foundation of our American government came out of this book (Bible) right here."
The discussion regarding Bible reading is just one facet of the growing controversy dealing with religious practices and teaching in public schools. A news article in Christian Century, January 6, 1960 reports the listing of other troublesome matters as surveyed by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Numbered with Bible reading there are the repetition of the Lord's Prayer," religious holiday celebrations, baccalaureate services, religious clubs in schools, the use of various religious symbols in school activity, and released-time and dismissed-time programs.
There is much to be discussed and learned regarding religion in public schools. Surely there is a place for religious study and expression in the public school system without the dominance of any particular religion or the favoritism to any one church or creed. In Akron, Ohio I was granted the opportunity to explain the nature of the church of Christ before a high school class which granted the same opportunity to preachers of every church body represented in the class. Inasmuch as religion plays such a major part in our national life it seems impossible to keep it completely out of the schools. To entirely omit it from the school is to impress the students with the idea that religion is unimportant and dispensable.
If our courts can decide on certain constitutional principles and rules to govern religious practices in the public school system which will not favor necessarily any particular religious group there should be no objection to the matter. It appears that the basic problem of the courts is that of distinguishing between religious acknowledgement and sectarian teaching.
The 1960's will see much discussion and litigation on these issues and where Bible reading is banned from public schools all reference to religion could eventually be banned. This can create complex situations which will result in growing tension and difficulty for those employed in the public school systems. The whole matter of church-state relations, of which religion in the public schools is only a part, is still in the development stage and the courts of the land will be continually called on to make essential clarifications.
Co-Ordinated Finances
I see where the "Texas Methodists have established a foundation to secure and invest funds for support of their institutions and activities in the state." I wonder how long it will be before our brethren create an organization to secure and invest funds for support of the institutions among us? God forbid that they go that far!