The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-07-22

About the author:
DIR. L. Nelson Bell, an elder
in the Presbyterian church, a re-
tired surgeon missionary to
China, is associate editor Of The
Presbyterian Journal, a privately
owned weekly publication. To-
Gated at Weaverville, N. c. He
also contributes to a number of
religious magazines.
definitely committed to left-wing
philosophers, or worse.
But there is no excuse for
ignorance, nor is there juSh-
fication for letting some ill-ad-
vised alarmist divert ones at
tention from a danger which is
both real and evident.
Confused by subversive forces
working from within and the
agents of infiltration and intrigue
to be found everywhere today,
many feel that America is in the
graveSt danger in her history.
Compromised by official recog-
milton of our political enemies,
we are also confronted by the
softening and degrading influ-
ence of immortality and greed
run riot. Our great educational
institutions. once the bulWark of
national integrity. have them
selves sounded a note of uncer-
tainty: for academic freedom"
is now often interpreted as god
less license, and tenure" has
become a wall behind which
some hide as they shoot at the
spiritual and moral values which
once made our nation great.
The Church, wherever she be-
comes more concerned with
sicial engineering than with pro-
claiming the Gospel Of redemp-
ton at the personal level, con-
tributes to the confusion while
she neglects her God-given task
of preaching to the lost.
The solution to our dilemma
does not lie in the realm of parti-
san politics. Men are needed who
will rise up and join ranks re-
CARELESS of party affiliations;
men who see the cause Of our
danger and have the courage to
call for a reversal of any and
all policies which play into the
hands of our national and spiri-
tual enemy.
It is our conviction that there
can be no permanent relief until
we have severed all diplomatic
ties with Communism, Commun-
iSt nations and agencies. This
would also require the expulsion
Of the Communist nations from
the U. N.
"Unthinkable!" is the loud cho-
rus which will rise to such a
proposal. This would be giving
up the great advances achieved
for international brotherhood" it
will be argued.
Within the political and Church
life of America, the overwhelm-
ing majority will arise to de-
nounce even the suggestion that
we cut all ties with international
Communism. For much passing
for religion" seeks to practice
a ministry of reconciliation"
which. when interpreted. means
that we must open our arms to
the enemies of God regardless of
the destruction of person or prin-
ciple which is threatened
But what is the alternative
politically?
A growing spread of Commun-
ism faces all. 1t is not the ma
jority in any country which takes
over, but the dedicated and ef-
ficient small group of highly
trained and carefully supervised
minority which takes advantage
of local situations and strikes at
the opportune moment. Cuba,
ninety miles south of our border,
is the latest threat. Communist
supervised riots in Tokyo is an
other.
Against the devilishly ingenious
and effective spread of Commun-
ism there is but one answer:
separate from it and trust the
Lord to take care Of the conse-
quences. We believe our present
dilemma is due to a fatal mis-
take. If this is true, the mistake
must be remedied at the place
where it was made.
It is our convic tion that
Americas future rests squarely
on that which God permits to
take place, and we believe we
now have no right to claim His
special protection. The words Of
Isaiah may speak to us today:
"Woe to the rebellious chill.