The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-18

crushing every other consideration
that. she might achhve primacy in,
material things. Some of her great
intellectual leaders said that Chris
tianity must be gotten out Of her
way because n insisted on fair deal
ing. God can make use OF natures
laws to carry out his purposes ana
prevent the contamination OF evil
designs. Napoleon said: II propose
and dispose too" But God threw
a snow storm in his face and he went
down. Judah. even though 1t had
the assurance Of being Ged's chosen
people. went down when Its priest
hood became corrupt, It's altars neg
lected, and when dishonesty. corrup.
ton, immortality had eaten into the
nations moral life. II America Is
TO continue the favored OF God II
must show its wor;h!ness to main.
tain that honor
Responsibility uf Leadership.
God taught these ancient writer's
that true religion is necessary TO
good government. and that both po-
litical and religious leaders who are
false to their trusts and wicked In
their conduct deserve like severe
condemnation. The reason for this
condemnation IL made plain. when
people in high places do evil they
not only ruin themselves but they
corrupt and weaken the entire com
pany they lead. The larger the
group led. the greater Is the sin ~
the leader From this point Of view
national officials bear grave rcspon-
sibilities. for their individual sins
lead toward the death OF thA;r ma
| tion and the death of nation Is
| the greatest tragedy of history"
Lesson for Present Day.
| The lessons we are studying en-
phasizs the demand that loyalty to
God be given it's rightful place In
political life. as well as in the life
OF the individual. Its absence means
sure political wreckage. The truth
they taught is as true for our day
as II was for theirs The books Of
the Bible were not written and pre-
served Just that we might crafty ,ur
thirst for historical knowledge. he
prevalent motive in all scriptuN Is
that Gods purpose In dealing W IN
mankind should be made plan to al
men that they might learn of his
ways and take warning OF the mis-
takes OF past ages. National trage-
dies continue. and they are caused by
the same sort of sins that caused the
downfall Of Israel and Judah The
lessons taught by the record of these
ancient propbets and historians arc
OF tremendous practical modern
value and should not be dismissed
with an impersonal view of the men
and the times. Rather let us hasten
to set the house of our own nation
In order and live. not only as clti-
zens but az integral parts Of a great
nation. so as To profit by the. errors
held up to our gaze. The questions
they deal with are not something
far away In time and place and OF
little material moment. but are living
facts for the present day, fruitful
with either blessing or curse accord
ing as we adapt them TO ourselves
and to our lives in this twentieth
century. For the same God rules
over all. both ancient and modern
and Will be quick TO recognized on,
attempts at achieving national rec.
tttude and certain to condemn oul
decadence into sin.
The census that reports the mum
her OF square miles. the national re.
sources, the populations. does no
present the real strength of a coun,
try. The safeguards OF a nation are
round in the character of the people
IN Intelligence, morality, Eonscien
tiousness and sense OF responsibIlity
the power to think and to turn emer.
gencies into opportunities, Our coun-
try today Is the richest In the world
blessed with the greatest~opportun
ties for both moral and materia
Rood. but It's real wealth ia found ir
the moral spirit OF the people, It,
fine laws. it's sense of national Jus
tice. the feeling that Il is entruste %
by the Almighty with great respon
sibilities to be lived and maintained
II we, like Judah. turn our back
on all these great things. God ma,
raise up another Babylon to punisi
lus for our infidelity.