Toward A Better World — How?
Today we seem to drift along with the denominations and fraternal organizations. We are striving to make a better world — but of what does this better world consist? It seems to be rather vague — such as giving your heart to the Lord. What is it, Billy Graham? Billy Graham does not say; so each in his own way, according to his own wisdom, according to his own conscience is satisfied. Nothing is definite, but all are satisfied as none has disturbed his fellowman by a definite, certain stand for anything.
Just the last few weeks some of us have received a little medal about the size of a silver dollar. On it we read — "Let us have faith in our brother that we may find peace in our world and...in harmony...work together to build a better America — " Cage. On the other side is the prayer Jesus used to teach His disciples how to pray. A prayer that all enlightened Christians know is not to be prayed in its entirety today. As this came from a source not connected with the church, we were not surprised, we expected it.
But just recently I received some booklets published by the Texas and Pacific Railway that rather stunned me. I had heard of them from some of the brethren connected with the Herald of Truth and the Beacon Printing Company. They offered these little booklets free of charge to anyone. As we do not just take anything that comes along, especially something we know nothing about, we did not write for any copies. But brethren we did not understand how the forces of today operate. They just knew we needed some — so they just sent us a generous supply. No, we were not favored alone, as some of our sister congregations also received their allotment. Since, some seem to know what we need — let us look at what we got. I have before me a little booklet entitled — TOWARD A BETTER WORLD. It is comprised of seven illustrated pages of generalities about faith. It is written in such carefully chosen language that it would offend no one (who believes in God), or for that matter teach one to believe in Christ. The denominations could say amen to every word. It avers that we are to have FAITH — in God — in ourselves — in our fellow men — in freedom. But friends, this is a lesson in patriotism, not Christianity. Is it the whole truth? Many of these principles are true, but are they the whole counsel of God? Are we to mutilate the gospel of Christ?
Several other questions pose themselves before us — (1) Are we drifting into centralized control that will, if it continues, tell us what to read and what to teach? (2) Can we spend money to even distribute literature that is not worthy of our attention? (3) Who pays for the postage and labor involved in such a large undertaking? (4) Does the Herald of Truth or the Beacon Printing Company have surplus cash which it can, with or without the consent of its contributors, use in such a way? (5) Why should a booklet which does not even mention the name of Christ merit such a wide distribution?