Evening star., 1960-01-24
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Spires and the Sickle
By DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

Inere Is noCnlng more I'M
portant for q nation whose
very breath Is freedom than
to know the truth about So
Wet Russia. As the land Of
the spires appraises the land
Of the sickle, what are the
facts? The true reply to
that question may determine
whether this republic based
on the win Of the people can
long endure. We know the
principles and objectives Of
America. We seek no peoples
defeat, but only their highest
good. No exchange of visits
by the head Of a democratic
state where the people rule
and q police state where in
dividuals are only cogs in a
state machine can possibly
make clear the ultimate in
tention Of the latter regime.
With them, diplomacy is Of
ten the process Of concealing
thought. The glamour Of Wis
itations as a national spec
tacle may but take the atten-
ton from fundamental issues.
Today we are asking a dis
tinguished preacher and a
devout and intelligent young
layman to step into the
Spires" pulpit and give us
their reasoned impressions Of
the government OF the So
vietS. These two American
churchmen recently have
spent a sufficient length of
time under Russian skies to
know what they are talking
about.
The first one to speak to
us Is Richard w. Judy. He
has returned after a whole
years study at Moscow
University. He is now at
Harvard. He was at Moscow
University as an exchange
student from America. He
Is an active member of a
church In Kansas. After a
year Of intimate mingling
with thousands of Russians,
including his fellow stu5ents
in the university. a.s says:
The enemy is strong, but
strength without will and
faith is like muscle without
nerve. The enemy's driving
force is religion. The fact
that this religion is secular
does not deprive it of the
power that all true religion
possesses, a power grounded
deeply in faith. Christians
believe in God. Communists
believe in the laws and forces
OF history, and that these
laws are on their side.
1T does not matter that
the majority of the people
in the Soviet Union are
apathetic and Indifferent to
the grandiose plans that their
leaders harbor. The impor-
tant thing is that those
leaders sit at the top of a
system in which all the re-
sources Of society can be
modified and directed toward
ends which the leaders think
worthwhile.
THE Communist leaders
are pursuing their goals with
a zeal and determination
based upon the faith that the
laws Of historical develop
ment are on their side. If the
values we profess to hold dear
are to be protected and nur-
tured we will have to have
a rebirth Of faith and belief in
their worth, Only II this is
done will we have the neces-
sary will to shrug of our
apathy and complacency and
to make the sacrifices which
the struggle demands"
And now, following this
student there comes to the
pulpit Bishop Gerald Ken
nedy of the Methodist
Church, one Of the best in
formed church leaders and
with one of the keenest
minds in all America. In
referring to the arranged
visit Of our President to
Russia the bishop declares,
1T is no exaggeration to say
that the fate Of the world
may hinge in large measure
on the results Of that visit"
Addressing our Chief Exec
utive, he says, May God be
with you in your Journeys
our Nation prays."
Now, without interrupting
him, let US pass on the