Evening star., 1940-06-08

Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked. but that
the wicked turn from his way and
live; turn ye. turn We from yoor
evil ways, for why will ye die, o
house Of Israeli"
"His Blood will REQUIRE
Let us see how this awesome truth
applies 10 us. -
There was once an eminent Phila.
delphian, bank president, who was
honored as "a leading layman."> He
was an officer in his own church
and conspicuous In denomina tional
and civic affairs. Sunday after Sun
day he sat under the preaching Of
fashionable clergyman. Yet all
the while he was thief. a robber
OF his friends and depositors Dis
covered, he committed suicide, and
the crash Of his big bank rocked
the city. What responsibility had
that preacher in the case? Had he
been a true watchman upon the
walls, so preaching Gods word that
no sinner could abide it in com.
placency and impenitence?
Recently I happened into a church
where the preacher was desperately
shaken, because one of his officers
had on the previous day committed
suicide. But the man had been Hv-
ing in open sin; and the church had
not disciplined him. That minister
was suffering tortures of contrition
for what he felt 70 be his failure
What of the editors who view the
days moral slump, and the corrup-
ton and crime all about them,
merely as spectators and news-pur.
Veyors? If society crashes, what will
be the responsibility of these profess
sional watchmen upon the walls?
We turn to the professors in In.
stltutions Of learning. with their CAV
responsibility and disregard of es-
sential morality. When. with amaz-
ing disregard of the automatic truth
that what a man is speaks more
loudly than what he says, New York
City College appointed as teacher
a man of shamelessly immoral con-
duct and teaching, a large group Of
professors supported the appoint
ment. Such responsibility con-
corning the ageless moral standards
brings many teachers within the
scope Of Ezekiels warning. Moral
indifference is the blight of our
time -
Stern Words for Slack Times.
Ours is a tolerant" age. There
has been growing slackness in the
moral sense of the public. We take
as a matter Of course many things
that would have deeply shocked our
grandparents-such as widespread
gambling and drinking and un-
chastity. Graft permeates public life
in many places. Divorce has become
so common that it is scarcely a
scandal any more. Sabbath break.
ing is well-nigh universal. Business.
as the depression revealed, is shot
through and through with unethical
and even criminal practices. The
United States Congress has not
gumption enough to stop the flow
OF war munitions to Japan, without
which it could not conquer China.
Sordld business has a sanctitv in
many eyes that brings into contempt
the moral law.
Now here reappears the old He.
brew prophet, sternly pointing the
finger of doom. not only at thu
wrong-doers. but also at the watch.
men who permit the vrong-doina,
His blood will I require at thy
hands This truth OF account
ability to God Is soul-shaking,
Turn Ye! Turn Ye."
Sometimes I dream of the dav
when, over the radio and through
the press, a divinely anointed
prophet voice will call all of our
reckless. wandering world back to
mans first obligation, sense of
responsibility to God. I cannot he
convinced that God has not made
ready this new, universal trumpa.
the radio, for some high design k
His providence. He is getting Is
ready to hear anew the EzekAl
message. Turn ye! Turn We! from
your evil ways; for why will We def
Even the dullest of us-save thoSe
sadistic souls who look upon it Is
a mere spectacle. as interesting news
are having our souls torn by the
war in Europe; which never would
have come to pass had statesmen
and citizens possessed a high sense
OF personal responsibility. Now the
burden and grief of it rest upon
us all.
We cannot shift or evade our d,1tv
to God and man. BY voice and vuse
by practice and by prayer, each of
us must demonstrate that he stands
as personally responsible to the Most
High.