The Monroe journal., 1922-06-20
VARIOUS OPINIONS ARE
DUE TO THE VIEWPOINTS
One Person Believes the World Is
Growing Worse While Another
Thinks Ii Getting Better
By Rev. 4. j. Huggins

By Rev. 4. j. Huggins
This is question concerning
which there is a wide divergence of
opinion. depending on the standpoint
from which il is viewed. One man
happens 10 live in community
where there is a great deal of law
leSsneSs and crime. he reads all the
bad things published in the newspa-
gers. forgets that the population is
much larger than il was twenty-five
years ago and that the facilities'for
gathering and distributing news are
much greater than formerly: so very
naturally he decides that the world
i rapidly going TO the bad. Another
mal is optimistic. always looking on
the bright side OF everything and
medliatinS upon the good things
which he reads h the papers and OBJ
serves in his fellowman: 50 he very
naturallA concludes that the world is
all the time growing better.
However. 10 the careful observer
and student o. history. il is evident
that ever since the fall in the Gar
den of Eden. This old world has been
/ IN bad plight. From that time on.
down through the centuries We read
OF deception falsehood, immortality
and murder. Hardly a generation
/ has pass ii without one or more cru
al wars 10 shock humanity and retard
| the progress OF civilization. Ii is
true that We have made progress in
many ways. but selfshness and sin
hat family
and will continue to do so until the
Kingdoms of this world shall become
the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Then he will drive out every
thing that pollutes and iefiles, aud
establish a kingdom OF righteousness
IN the earth. Then will crime and
wars cease. and capital punishment
can safely be abolished. But this
great work can not be accomplished
| by any process of human evolution.
Education and natural progress in
! civilization cannot do I. NotniAg
short Of the New Birth-the actual
establishment of Gods kingdom in
| the hearts Of men and women is
equal ID the task. and that is some
,hing altogether different from nat
ural evolution or education. But
while We patiently wait for the es-
tablishment Of Gods kingdom in the
world. instead of caviling over the
question under discussion, let each
one of us endeayor TO do his part in
making the world better, always re-
memberng that God works through
/ human instrumentality.
l. the World Growing Better?
But naturally we should like TO
know whether the world with all its
modern inventions is morally and re-
ligiously growing better or worse. In
my judgment II is growing better in
some respects and worse in others.
| OF course there are more churches,
school houses aud charitable houses
being built now than ever before. In
this country tine legal manufacture
and sale OF intoxicating beverages has
been abolished. all of which Is very
encouraging. But on the other hand,
there is in the church vast amount
OF worldliness and hypocrisy. the
schools are failing to do their part
in teaching principles OF honesty and
morality. many church members and
otherwise splendid citizens have been
deuded into believing that there is
no harm Ia dancing or in playing a
social game Of cards, in some sections
blind tiger products are being
made and sold, every year thou
sands are being killed by automobile
accidents; greed, sefishness and
strikes are the ord,r OF the day. all
OF which is very discouraging. But
let us remember that through all the
centuries similar conditions have pre-
vailed, There has always been a con-
| tinual warfare between the forces of
evil and the forces OF righteousness
! Human deprav,y has always been
VERY much the same. and. ii there
is more crime and immortality than
| formerly. il is due TO the fact that
the opportunities for such conduct
are $, much greater than in former
days,
So let rs not become discouraged,
/ Tor We have assurance that ultimately
the cause of Righteousness shall
triumph, aud that An things shall
work together for good Il them that
love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose.