The midland journal., 1946-11-22
LOOKING
-AHEAD
GEORGE S. BENSON
, PresideHt--HardiHg college
Searey. ArkaEsas
A Heritage


Phrase-makers who refer to Dixie
as the Bible Belt have missed an
important point. Without ignoring
anything, I should like to appraise
the whole of America as a Bible
Land. This is done humbly, for
Americans have sometimes failed to
follow the light of truth when that
light burned brightly before them.
Despite efforts of some modern
historians to interpret the facts diff
ferently, our forebears developed
this nation with religious principles
in mind. They read their Bibles.
Regardless of how many Americans
have forsaken these fundamentals, it
remains nation that has been
blessed bountifully by God.
Our Best Seller
Where in the realm of recorded
human experience can you find a
land so blessed with liberty and op-
portunity, as in America? And
where in history has there been a
land so prosperous, where material
blessings fit only for kings of the past
may be enjoyed by each man and
his neighbor? Let it be remembered
that Americas best seller is still
the Bible, phenomenon which is
cause and not effect.
National Bible Week was celebrat-
ed this year from October 81 to 27.
Where else among the nations can
you find land so dedicating itself?
In calling America a land of Bibles,
l affirm that the religious people
of this nation constitute it's great
est asset. There now would be no
hope for world peace, there would
be no prospect of good citizenship
at home, were this not so.
Practical Application
For example, the Bible offers us
the perfect formula to put an end
to industrial strife. In fact, I could
never expect fair play in industrial
relations to come about in a land
where the Golden Rule is unknown
We must not forget it, here in Amer
lea. Shall labor forget this rule of
action and become a pressure group
so determined to apply pressure
upon industry that investment capi-
tai will be driven out and become
unavailable to buy and replace
tools? That is exactly the way to
cut production and achieve lower
and lower wages.
Industry aims at profits: it wants
dividends for stockholders and capi-
tai for expansion. Should industry
withhold fair wages and seek spe-
cialized legislation? No, that is the
road to bankruptcy. Industry's first
objective should not be it's own well
fare, but the welfare of labor and
of agriculture.
Back to Fundamentals
Agriculture wants high prices for
all it can produce. How shall it OBJ
tain these high prices? Through
selfish, class legislation? No, that's
the road to failure. Agriculture
wants prosperous market, with
many people eating and living well.
This it cannot attain by selfshly
looking to itself. 1t must be more
interested in the welfare of other
groups.
Wherever we have strayed from
God, and from His laws and His
formulas, that is exactly the point
where we must return. Harmony,
prosperity, and peace will surely
follow. If we loved one another as
we love ourselves, we should have
no fear about what use might be
efice, nor so-called civilization
nor any of the human "isms," offers
a sure cure for the worlds ills. A
return to God and the principles
found in the Bible is our only hope
that we shall not literally destroy
ourselves.