The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1946-10-10

lot OuISGlNGSJ, 81 lIldt VIC may AOL
be scattered all over the earth"
Gen. ia (Am. Trans)
These words come to us like a
voice out of the dark and the dis
tant past. 1t is part of an ancient
story. Regardless as to the truth
of its history, it does contain mach
truth for living. Truth which is
perhaps more true even now than
the day in which this part Of Holy
Scripture was first written.
The first fact that we see in this
story is that it tells of a great
dream that failed to come true.
These ancient people were perhaps
ignorant of much which is now
common knowledge, but there is
one thing about which they were
certain. That certainty was that
they were not living as rich and as
full life as they desired. They
believed that a more abundant life
was possible for them. SO they said
"Come, let us build ourselves a
city with a tower whose top shall
reach the heavens" They laid
plans to do something about the
setting up of a more ideal world
for themselves. Their plan was a
large one, it was somewhat am
bilious. BY planning the building
of a city with a tower reaching
into the heavens, they were plan
ming to contact the dwelling place
of the best of life, or at least that
which they thought to be the best
in life. They were thus making
plans to enjoy heaven, not in some
far distant furture, but in the pres
ent.
They not only planned to make
a contact with heaven, but they
hoped to see to it that that con-
tact had some degree of perman-
ency. This great tower that they
were building was not only to
make a contact with heaven but
it was to keep that contact by
keeping them a united people.
Listen to their purpose. Let US
build ourselves a city with tower
whose top shall reach the heavens
that we may not be scattered
all over the earth" The world in
that day was thinly populated.
There was danger of a man being
lost in the uncharted wastes of the
desert So in case one did get lost,
they hoped to have the great tower
as a mark on the landscape to lead
them home.
They had not only great plans
but they put forth the energy to
bring them to realization. Having
resolved to build a city with a
large tower, they set to work. They
builded a city that surpassed all
others. They build such a tower
as had not been seen before. Yet
in the main their undertaking was
a failure, because the result was
not good. For instead of remaining
a united people they were divided
one from the other. The heaven
that they had dreamed up for
themselves became a type of hell
e We can see more truth in this
than the people of that far off day
could see. For we today have
builded our cities, we have built
our towers. We have used science
in almost everyway. We can see
surely that knowledge can be uSeC
for good or it can be used for evil
We know even better than those
ancient people, that while sanctl'
fled science can help to build
heaven, yet, it is just as true thai
science put to the wrong use car
make lot of short cuts which
only create more hell for human
beings. Progress to be of any value
must be in the right direction. l.
a man is headed for the abyss, anc
we are certain that much IN lltt
is heading man in that direction
it would be best to use the oXcart
the mode of the anCientS, than the
high-powered vehicle or alrplane
the mode of the modern man.
Now since we have recognized
the fact that these ancient builder!
blundered, it would be we'll for u:
to examine their history to SCI
wherein they failed.
They did not fail because OF the
nature of the undertaking. 1t wa
daring for them to seek to fine
heaven in the here and now, bu
such an idea was not foolish. The
greatest SeerS of history have
SndfGQ lnlS SdillS uASalAl' HNSi
Jesus possessed the same idea. HI
believed that contact with tn
Kingdom of God, which he calle'
heaven, was possible in this pres
en- tlife. He taught his disciples t.
pray, '"Thy Kingdom Come ol
earth as it is in heaven" He ais
said, THE Kingdom of God
within you"
No these people did not fail be
cause their ambition was mean o
unworthy. Neither did they fai
because of lack of effort. They di
not offer mere lip service to tn
cause. They were great dreamer!
but they did more than dream
They did all possible to put thei
dream into execution, to chang
their plans into reality. They di
more than merely long for tn
Kingdom of God as they inter
preted that kingdom, but they di
something about it.
If all of the worlds great leader
were to meet in conference, the
would perhaps have many di!
agreements, but all of them Woul
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