• Pastor Peterson’s latest poem probably deserves a footnote. He declares that flight from responsibility is flight from God. The only way out is the way into God. The glory of the Gospel is that when we come to terms with God’s righteousness in Christ we find the miracle of his satisfaction for sin and the freedom of new life with God and for God. Freedom, individual or national, is more than independence; and it is never independence from God.
EUTYCHUS
CAUTIONING CONSERVATIVES
I must compliment you on, and thank you for, the excellent article by Professor Zylstra and the cogent editorial “The Crisis in Education.” The May 12 issue was particularly relevant and important to me.
As a high school history teacher, I have coexisted with the Deweyites for nine years. Many of these educationists are decent people and effective teachers. Even the zealots have their good points. My own experiences lead me to the conclusion that, regardless of individual merits, Deweyism has sowed deep discord and dangers within our civilization.
I would like to caution Christian conservatives on a few items. I speak generally to people who are concerned and specifically to rural folk.
1. Be cautious and fair in your attacks on educationists. Many selfish persons are trying to exploit your concern for their own purposes. They are not really interested in educational philosophy, only in taxes and money.
2. Accept the fact that the Deweyites are entrenched in positions of power, status and influence—in the National Education Association, state teachers associations, state departments of public instruction, and professional schools. These constitute a power elite, although they do not necessarily reflect the philosophies of classroom teachers. It would be best to work with the moderate Deweyites; many of them are interested in academic standards and school discipline.
3. Secularization of our schools is pretty much of a fait accompli. Here the school only reflects the American mood. As Christians, try to reach those teachers who may not be secularists and protect those students who want to learn. Many youngsters are disgusted with the “climate” of Deweyism and anxious, believe me, for a more genuine faith.
4. Do not attack individual teachers or school officials. You will do far more harm than good. The morale and self-respect (as well as status) of teachers must be protected. If inadequate standards and poor discipline necessitate action, be very cautious of your leadership (see item one and add reactionary small-town editors to the list). Do not cater to public opinion. By and large public opinion is not Christian. Moreover, public opinion is most generally in favor of “social education,” the child-cult and teen-cult, the emerging social ethic.
5. Make deliberate efforts to offset the pushing of parental, moral and civic responsibilities onto the teacher. You must labor to have the family and community reacknowledge their basic responsibilities. It is a most difficult task.
6. Finally, keep yourself informed. The popular periodicals are not always intellectually honest. They often contain misinformation and half-truths. Harper’s and The Atlantic Monthly print articles that are both pertinent and instructive.…
I should add one more item: if you know youths who plan to go into education, encourage them to attend colleges where Christian organizations such as the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship will encourage their Christian growth, and also to take the absolute minimum of education courses. There is no substitute for subject-matter. A high school teacher, for example, needs at least 40 semester hours in his major field. Courses in philosophy and humanities will be of much greater help than “hot air” education courses.
New Brunswick, N. J.
TEACHER SHORTAGE?
Dr. Edman writes (May 12 issue) of … “the already appreciable shortage of college teachers.” … Just how much of a … shortage is there? Perhaps there is one in science and mathematics now, but surely not in the arts? Lack of reciprocity in certification procedures between the states has resulted in disqualifying some elementary and secondary school teachers. Lack of a central clearing house or teacher agency for Christian colleges has resulted in frustrating teachers who are interested in Christian education and who are vitally concerned with training young people in evangelical schools.…
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St. Paul, Minn.
Hasn’t Christian education something more to say in this time of crisis?.…
St. Louis, Mo.
Dr. Edman asks whether qualified young people will be willing to undertake the long, costly preparation necessary for Christian college teaching, and states, “Much of the responsibility … rests with today’s Christian student.…” This seems to me a misplaced emphasis. Responsibility would appear to lie more centrally with college administrators and teachers to present effectively the challenge of Christian higher education to superior students. Strong appeals for youth to dedicate themselves to missions and the ministry, though eminently in place, have not often been joined by similarly earnest presentations of the need of Christian colleges for staff and faculty members. The narrow conception of the Christian call that results is reflected in the present teacher shortage. It is reflected also in the startling percentage of our college administrators and teachers who spent their early careers in ministerial training and service.
Eugene, Ore.
“JEWISH JAPANESE”
With reference to your news item concerning the 8000 “Jewish Japanese” … (March 31 issue), I wish to call your attention to the fact that there is no truth whatsoever to this fantastic story.
This fairy tale (I do not wish to be impolite by calling it an outright falsehood, which it really is) has also appeared in various other publications, doubtless copied from the Jewish publications. Why respectable and responsible men should be interested in spreading such tales all over the world, is a question for the psychiatrists to answer.
This “Jewish Japanese” tale is not a new fabrication. About two years ago the Jewish press published a similar story—only then it was 7000 proselytes. At that time, I wrote to a friend in Japan to verify it and after a careful investigation he informed me that there was no truth whatsoever in the whole story. Several years ago there were about 7000 Jewish refugees in Japan who came from Russia with tourist visas. They could not remain in Japan, neither could they go to any other country. And so they asked permission to go to Palestine.
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Fantasy or propaganda transformed these Jewish refugees into Japanese, then reconverted them to Judaism and made them knock on the doors of the promised land to be admitted.
These reports, after having been widely publicized, seemed to smolder for a while only to flare up again a few weeks ago into a brighter flame. But instead of the original 7000, the figure grew to 8000 well-organized Japanese proselytes who were but the vanguard of 100,000 less-organized proselytes, who were also ready to settle in Israel within the next 10 years.
Moreover, these proselytes are now engaged in widespread propaganda among the remainder of the 80 or 90 million Japanese to “return” to the Jewish faith as they believe that the Japanese are the descendants of the tribe of Dan.
Now after this whole confab had been widely circulated among millions of Jewish and non-Jewish readers, the Jewish authorities themselves are denying all these reports as pure inventions. While on a visit to Washington recently, the Israeli Economic Minister, Mr. P. Sapir, told a representative of The Jewish Post and Opinion that these stories about the Japanese proselytes were like the report of Mark Twain’s death … slightly exaggerated.
The Jewish people were destined to fulfill a sacred mission to the world, but like Jonah of old they have been running away from God, and thus the confusion in their midst. They try to delude themselves and the whole world with fables, legends and sensational reports.
May this serve as an object lesson to Christians to help Israel return to God and live by his truth, and not by myths, and thus be prepared to fulfill their mission as did Jonah after having learned his lesson.
International Board of Jewish Missions
Atlanta, Ga.
“NEVER ALONE”
Dr. Elson’s article (Apr. 28 issue) … was wonderful.
Lawton, Okla.
Most stimulating and encouraging.…
Bethlehem Baptist Church
Taylorsville, N. C.
How very heartening it was.…
Tucson, Ariz.
CHRISTIANITY AND FREEDOM
I am grateful for Mr. David W. Baker’s generous review of my latest book, God, Gold and Government (Mar. 3 issue) but I am surprised at his statement that I left the impression “freedom, political and economic, came first and afterward, Christianity.”
I think just the opposite and fully agree with Mr. Baker that Christianity came first and out of it the possibility of freedom. Some quotations in which I sought to emphasize this very point are:
“If men do not practice the Christian virtues of honesty, truthfulness, generosity, kindness and goodwill, there is no hope that they can be free” (p. 13).
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“The possibility of a free, self-governing society entered this world with the coming of Christianity” (p. 52).
“The hope of freedom for all men awaited the voluntary acceptance of the Christian religion and if Christianity should decline, this hope will most certainly disappear” (p. 52).
On page 52 I explained that righteousness could not be brought about by law and “Not until Jesus came, lifted up the ancient law, glorified it, and wrote it into the hearts of men, did it really begin to change their lives” (p. 52).
“Straight out of the teachings of Jesus, therefore, stem the vision and the possibility of free men in free association for self-government; of free institutions of all kinds, including the freedom to worship God according to one’s own conscience. The very existence of freedom depends upon this religious basis” (p. 53).
“Freedom is possible only when men accept the authority of God” (p. 54).
“The source of our freedom is God. Only as men and women are willing to live in accordance with his will as revealed to us in the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, the Sermon on the Mount and other words of Jesus, the writings of the Apostles and the leading of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men—only then can we hope to achieve material well-being, abolish war and recover our freedom and self-government” (p. 55).
Of course I agree with Mr. Baker that Christianity did and can exist without freedom, but under statism we would not be free to propagate it. It could be done but not freely as in our country at present. Mr. Baker is right in calling for a study of what the relations between a Christian and his government should be and also between a Christian and his God, but that would require, at the very least, another volume.
New York City
FOURTH READING
After reading L. Nelson Bell’s “The Holy Spirit” (Apr. 14 issue) for about the fourth time, I decided to tell you how much I enjoyed it.… This article is especially significant after seeing wave after wave of people flowing forward to accept Christ at the … Cow Palace. Just as we “see” the wind only by its results, so the evidence of the Holy Spirit was clearly seen by everyone present under Billy Graham’s spirit-filled ministry.…
Berkeley, Calif.
I enjoy “A Layman and His Faith.” The battle for the faith is … to be determined, not by the seminaries … not … by the ministers but by … men and women in the pews.
Tigard, Ore.
AT THE GOLDEN GATE
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In the May 12 issue, you carry a very interesting report of the Billy Graham meetings at San Francisco.… The statement is made, “The Presbytery of San Francisco voted its official approval of the crusade.” As public relations officer for the Presbytery of San Francisco I am responsible for pointing out to you, … that said action was not by any means unanimous.
United Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
San Francisco, Calif.
Just a note to let you know that not all conservative Baptists share the views expressed by G. Archer Weniger and conservative Baptists in the Bay area who have refused to cooperate in the Billy Graham Crusade. There are many of us who deplore the actions against these crusades and regret the often unfounded and false accusations made against the Lord’s servants.
… Your … splendid articles are of great help to me personally in the work. I also appreciate the fine Christian spirit of charity toward all.
Barrington Baptist
Barrington, R. I.
NEW REPUBLIC CALLED FOR
We do not think the Republic … can be salvaged for several reasons.…
The editor’s sentimental reconstruction of the past … forgets the unChristian, the sordid, the cruel, the wasteful, the undemocratic, the unfree, the narrowly partisan, etc. aspects of our nation’s past.
The Republic (as it actually existed) was built to solve the problems of that day … Today the problems are different, and the political, cultural, etc. conditions are different.…
That Republic (as it actually existed) is not worth salvaging. It could not solve the slavery problem short of civil war … the race problem short of discrimination … the Indian problem short of a kind of extermination … the problem of the business cycle short of depression … the problem of functional distribution short of excessive income differentials … the problems of international relations short of some imperialism and the wars of 1812, 1846, 1898 and 1917. It could not solve some problems of civil liberties in a way that promoted the democratic freedoms.
Salvage the editor’s Republic? Never! Let us create something better than that Republic and something better than the present Republic …
Dept, of History and Political Science
Bethel College
St. Paul, Minn.
• Debunking of the American heritage, doubt about fixed principles of political life, and devotion to social change more than to social stability, are no cause for rejoicing, least of all in an evangelical college. “Can We Salvage the Republic” noted that the American emphasis on limited government and inalienable rights is in jeopardy, and urged Christian forces to support the changeless principles of revealed morality.—ED.
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FURTHER MEDITATION
Mr. Chesterton was right.
The best way to get rid of the Eiffel Tower is to live in it.
So with the soul.
One of the best ways to get away from the love of God
Is to sit alone and meditate,
And sneer.
There is the glory of God in a Cathedral,
The chant in beauty filling the soul
With his love and love of Christ,
Who chanted in the Temple,
Loving her liturgy.
There are also other things—
The formal nothings which hurt the nostrils of the sensitive
And pietistic.
And rightly so—for these other things are not good.
They are there because a Cathedral embraces the sinner
As well as the righteous.
The wicked kneel and offer their sins
In the Communion which God ordained
Saying “Do this,” and in a Cathedral it is done,
But not everywhere.
The blood of Christ to the meditator
May seem but the whiff of eucharistic wine,
But to me—a negro—it is the heart of my life,
To me—a simple priest—it is the Scriptures
Living with the reading of them.
To me—a dowager—a warning and a trumpet call
Of the Prophet, for the rich may yet be saved.
There are also other things, unpleasing to God,
Unpleasing to the Cathedral chapter,
Who are men of God, though weak.
It is easy to sneer, for the devil is there,
Sitting at the heart.
The Dean, hearty and jolly, though not too jolly,
Gives his hand to the negro as well as the dowager,
The laugh—and later the pipe, tea, and marmalade—
Are the trimmings also of depth, not always shallow,
Though much is, to the distress of the church,
To the distress of the Cathedral chapter.
And, do not mistake, the Dean.
It’s nice to go to the church and the Cathedral,
For there you can nod to God.
There you can pray and hear his Word,
Receive his body and blood,
Make confession of sin, and
Kneel humbly.
Quebec City, Que.
SIGHTING THE FOE
I enjoyed [the Apr. 28 issue] … so much, and especially the two articles entitled “Do Humanists Exploit Our Tensions?” and “Foundations: Tilt to the Left” … because I believe you exposed some of the greatest enemies known to the Christian church today.
Bethel Baptist Church
Olanta, S. C.
You don’t seem to be abreast and reacting to the best in theology and especially in social ethics. Is this due to … a pharisaical satisfaction with one’s own limited brand of holiness and the rightness of that way?
Wardensville, W. Va.
The big profiteers continue to finance foundations tilting to the left, still ignoring and by-passing the U. S. Constitution and Bible economics.
Monmouth, Ill.
CLAIMING ENGLAND
I refer … to the letter from A. A. Cone (Apr. 28 issue).… Eric Treacy … is not a Roman Catholic but a member of the Church of England, and, knowing him, I am quite certain that his words have been lifted out of their context, and could only have been uttered in irony or as a warning against apathy. Mr. Treacy is, I am sure, the last person to wish to claim England for the Roman church.
Moxley Parish Church
Wednesbury, Staffs, England
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