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Editorial
COMMENTS
A Time For Perspective
Many consumer protection proposals are before
the current session of Congress. Irrespective
of their merits, they illustrate a side effect of
the consumerism movement that should be kept
in mind.
An official of a leading variety chain store,
W. T. Grant Company, put it this way. “The
government’s preoccupation with protection of the
consumer paints a highly unflattering picture
of business. Retailers in particular contribute
much to the communities they serve—above and
beyond any profit motive. Unfortunately, much of
what retailers do in this regard is unheralded
or taken for granted. Yet—if retailers stopped
their community and charitable efforts, huge rents
would appear in the fabric of community life and
well-being.”
This official’s own company has been one of
the leaders in pioneer efforts to train and employ
the mentally retarded. As a member of the Pre
sident’s Committee on Employment of the Hand
icapped, he has devoted much time to urging bus
iness to investigate and pursue employment poli-
A newspaperman friend who lives in New York
City has sent a marked quote from a prominent
“marketing consultant’’ in the big town. It’s
priceless.
“Evidently,” says the marketing consultant,
"the growing affluence and sophistication of farm
ers is hard to accept—and harder still to act
upon . . . Most farm advertising is old-fashioned
and strictly lower-echelon stuff...”
How right he is.
For some reason the men who make up the ad
vertisements for farm readers think they’re talk
ing to foreigners, or second generation immi
grants who wandered into the hills from the boat
and started kicking rocks out of the way so as
to plant a few turnips. It seems to have escaped
the ad-men ttiat farmers are a special breed of
capitalist in our society. In the words of one
wise old farmer that we know, “ If a man has enough
money to set up farming these days, he has enough
money to retire, and should.”
Not only does it take a small fortune to buy
the land, implements, and building improvements
to start farming, it takes a continuing annual
investment that would startle the ad-man’s wife
out of her wits, to think that the farmer is manag-
If you are unhappy with your lot, if you’re
not pleased with your job, if your business is
not flourishing as you would wish, ponder for
a moment the prospect of becoming a political
pundit, or a book publisher, or a comic strip
author.
Suppose, for example that you had spent feverish
weeks since last summer working on a biography
of George Romney, hours reading galley proofs
and page proofs, only to have the subject drop
out of sight and head for the hills of Michigan.
That happened to three or four biographers.
How many man-hours and how much money went
down the drain? None of the authors or pub
lishers has yet sobered up enough to make an
estimate.
Some mighty fancy verbiage went into the files
when Nelson Rockefeller declined the issue, too.
Even if you allow as how authors of campaign
biographies tend to get paid one way or another,
the waste in man-hours and nervous energy and
good clean paper can get to be pretty staggering.
Mr. Johnson set some publishing houses to tremb
ling, too. At least three books on the President,
and his relationships with Robert F. Kennedy,
his virtues and failures, prospects and plans, were
interrupted on April Fool’s Day. At least one
Britain had its day of financial reckoning on March
19. The Socialist government introduced its new
budget and its new taxes. The press called it a
"brutal budget.” It is that.
But it is remarkable in one particular which the
man in the street in this country may find perplex
ing. The Socialist government carefully avoided
soaking the rich to raise the vast amount of new
tax money it needed to pay Britain’s creditors.
Not a penny additional will come from corpora
tion or capital-gains taxes, nor was the ordinary
personal income tax increased. The only "soak
the-rich” measure in the whole tax program is a
special one-year levy on income from investments.
And that’s a progressive tax on investment income
above $7,500.
So where did the Socialists go for the taxes? To
the working man. There will be a 4 cent increase
in taxes on each gallon of gasoline, which now will
cost something like 56 cents. Cigarettes which sell
at 60 cents a pack will go up another 2 cents. And
there will be special taxes on liquor and wine, candy
and ice cream, refrigerators, washing machines,
television sets, and fantastic “purchase taxes” on
such "Ivxury” items. Os course the automobile
THE COVINGTON NEWS
lilt- 1122 PACE STREET, N.E.. COVINGTON GA. 30209
MABEL SESSIONS DENNIS
Editor «nd Publisher
LEO S. MALLARD
Axittont to Publithor
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF
NEWTON COUNTY
AND THE
i CITY OF COVINGTON
No “Hick ” Farmers
Tough Job?
Financial Brutality
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(Best Coverage: News, Pictures, and Features)
cies that will provide jobs for the handicapped.
In cooperation with appropriate public agencies,
this company is convinced that it is sound practice
to hire the handicapped--especially the mentally
retarded. It gives four reasons for its own con
viction. It believes the very scope of the problem
calls for help from everyone in a position to
help; it believes the capacity of the retarded to
become employable is far beyond what most peo
ple realize; it believes that employment of the
retarded is not only a corporate social respon
sibility, but is also good business; and finally
a business can help transform an individual from
being a tax burden to being a taxpayer.
As the company official points out: “It costs
SIOO,OOO to institutionalize one man for a life
time. Put him to work, and he will earn much
more than that during his years of employment.”
There is far more to praise than to criticize
in American business. This is but one example
of many, but it should help preserve a sense
of perspective.
ing a gross income a digit or so bigger than her
husband’s salary. Os course, the marketing con
sultant may have over-stated a bit when he talked
about affluence. We don’t know many affluent
farmers. But we do know a lot who are sophis
ticated—who can talk with authority about animal
husbandry and genetics, the latest developments
in fertilizers, hybrid seeds, crop rotation, internal
combustion motors, theories on irrigation, capital
gains and estate taxes. If that suggests that
farming has come to be a science for which a
lot of special training and continuing study is
required, then you’ve seen the point the ad
men have been missing.
And one thing about farmers, they don’t hold
with piling money into a bank account. Everything
works on a farm, and that includes money. It
gets invested in something that is producing—
land, equipment, or something that saves time or
labor. If the money isn’t working, what good is it?
The ad-men have been talking down to their
country cousins a long time. Maybe that fancy
talking marketing consultant will get the ad-men
out into the countryside to talk with some of their
readers.
of the grandly planned volumes was written, print
ed, and in the bindery ready to have some fancy
cloth and a gaudy book jacket applied. Where
will it all go now? Maybe to the garbage heap.
Maybe they’ll try to salvage some of it by adding
some new material. One stubborn publisher insists
that his book is going to be released as is; that,
after all, nothing has really changed.
Creators of cartoons and comic-strips live a
hazardous life, too. Who and what can you satirize
if you’re working on material for release a few
days or weeks in advance? If Lyndon Johnson
and Bobby Kennedy can do a full hour perform
ance of "Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Sheen” at the
White House after six years of "Hatfield and
McCoy” feuding, what’s safe to kid about.
Even editors of the editorialpage have to gamble.
Today’s political candidate may be in retirement
before the paper is printed and folded. Humph
rey may be running with Nixon. The TFX may
take off and land safely.
The only safe thing to do is restrict editorial
comment to deatribes about the weatherman. He’s
never been right yet, but this year, he’ll probably
bat 1,000 percent, the Mets will win the pennant
and the world series, and Bobby Kennedy will
get a haircut. It’s that kind of year.
And you think you’ve got it tough?
owner will be milked; he’ll pay S6O for a license,
instead of $42 and a 33 percent purchase tax when
he buys a new car.
Just to make sure that the beleagured taxpayer
doesn’t get unhealthy ideas when he finds his pock
ets bare, the Wilson government plans to limit
wages to a 3.5 percent increase in any year, with
the same percentage limitation on dividends and
commodity prices.
The experts say that this monstrous program
will increase the government’s revenues 8.5 per
cent
The same European bankers who insisted on such
a tax program in Britain to stabilize the pound, are
saying openly that a new tax program of similar bru
tality is necessary in the United States if the dollar
is to be saved. It’s pointed out that President John
son’s proposed 10 percent income tax surcharge will
raise only $9 billion, whenatleastsl3billion is re
quired.
And whether you like it or not, those European
bankers, who hold all those dollars, will have their
way. They’re in a position to dictate what the tax
programs in the United States will be. We’re in
no oosition to argue.
MARY SESSIONS MALLARD
Associete Editor
LEO MALLARD
Advertising Meneger
Entered et the Post Office
at Covington. Georgia, as
mail matter of the Second
Class.
\ OI R WEEKLY LESSON j
FOR I
I Sunday School \
WHAT IS WISDOM?
Devotional Reading: Proverbs
8: 12-21
Memory Selection: Behold, the
fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
and to depart from evil is under
standing. Job 28: 28
Intermediate-Senior Topic:
What Is Wisdom?
Young People-Adult Topic;
What Is Wisdom?
The dictionary defines the word
wisdom as the ability “to judge
soundly and deal sagaciously with
facts.”
To most of us today wisdom is
largely looked upon as something
which arises out of human exper
ience or experimentation. We
gain wisdom concerning the phy
sical world in laboratories and
as the result of a wide variety
of research projects. Very few
people think of wisdom as a gift
of God. Rather they consider it
the result of man’s careful, sci
entific efforts pondered over a
considerable period of time.
The Hebrew Idea of wisdom
was somewhat different. To them
wisdom was something that came
down from God out of heaven to
bless the righteous man. The
wisdom literature found in the
Old Testament consists of the
Books of Job and Ecclesiates.
The Epistle of James found In
the New Testament partakes al
so of this nature, being a Christ
ian homily on the blessings of
righteous living.
Today’s lesson (the opening
lesson of a three-month series)
is based on Scripture found in the
twenty-eighth chapter of the Book
of Job and the third chapter of the
Book of Proverbs. It goes into
considerable detail to acquaint us
with the nature, content, and pur
pose of wisdom literature. It al
so points out the value of wisdom
for spiritual growth and develop
ment.
Many of the biblical proverbs
have passed Into common usage.
For the most part they are att
empts to show how the will of
God can be fulfilled In man’s da
lly life.
There Is a mystery about di
vine wisdom on which Scripture
dwells. Wisdom Ues in fearing
God and departing from evil.
Job, the prosperous and happy
man, had fallen into»a state of
great distress. Certain of his
friends came to reason with him,
and basing their contentions on
the widespread belief that suffer
ing Is always the result of sin,
they urged Job to confess his In
iquity and be healed. Job denies
that he Is a great sinner. Heaff
irms-although at first he cannot
understand why-that the right
eous are often called upon to
suffer.
The Book of Job Is one of the
great masterpieces of literature.
It is in drama form, to be read
Instead of being acted, and deals
with a mighty and bewildering
problem. The formula that suf
fering is always the result of
evil is just too simple and un
complicated to be true. Fre
quently the righteous suffer and
although the writer of the Book of
New Pandering
Law Watched By
PO Authorities
Mall patrons offended by pan
dering advertisements can now
take steps to curb such mail,
Postmaster Lamar Callaway said
today in announcing plans for ad
ministering a new law which gives
each family the right to decide
that an ad Is “erotically arousing
or sexually provocative.”
When an advertisement sent
through the mails is offensive on
these grounds, a postal patron can
now ask the post office to direct
the mailer to send no more mall
to him and to remove immediate
ly the patron’s name from all
mailing lists he owns, controls
or rents.
To assist patrons, the Post
Office Department has published
a brief pamphlet-How You Can
Curb Pandering Advertlsements
whlch is now available at the
Covington post office. In addition
to explaining how the law works,
the pocket-size leaflet contains
a form letter one can use when
sending his complaint to the post
office.
The pamphlet explains that
when a patron receives an ad
vertisement which is, In his op
inion, pandering, he must send
the ad, its envelope and the form
letter, or one which includes its
language, to his post office with
the words, “Request for prohib
itory order” on the face of the
envelope.
Postmaster Callaway said;
“This new law should give some
protection to American families
offended by advertisements they
believe to be morally harmful,
particularly to their children.
“Last year the Post Office De
partment received some 140,000
complaints from those offended
by pandering advertisements.
While In most cases the ads were
not legally obscene and were
therefore mailable, they are often
offensive and are usually not the
type of material one would want
his children to read,” Post
master Callaway said.
THE COVINGTON NEWS
Job lived hundreds of years be
fore Christ, the death of God’s
Son was the supreme setting forth
of the undeserved suffering of the
righteous at the hands of the wick
ed.
What Job had contended for is
amply vindicated in the suffering
and death of Christ on the cross.
The innocent frequently suffer
through the sin of the unrighteous.
Job did not claim to be sinless,
but he did maintain that his pun
ishment was out of all proportion
to the magnitude of his sin.
One of the most amazing state
ments In the Book of Job-or In
the whole of the Old Testament,
for that matter-is Job’s conten
tion regarding the immortality
of his soul: "I know that my
redeemer llveth, and that he
shall stand at the latter day
upon the earth: and though af
ter my skin worms destroy this
body, yet in my flesh shall I
see God” (Job 19: 25).
As one listens to the magni
ficent solo in the oratorio Mess
iah based on these words of Job,
it is hard to realize that this Is
not a New Testament affirmation
but one found deep in the Old
Testament.
When at last Jehovah speaks
to Job, he shows him that man
knows far too little to justify
his attempts to explain the mys
tery of God’s rule.
Job’s victory comes when in
acceptance and with humility he
bows before the will of God. He
knows that he and the whole of
humanity are in the hands of a
loving Being and that the out
come can be left to the Supreme
Mind.
Man can discover many things
as the result of his own clever
ness and diligence, but wisdom
is a mystery hidden in the coun
sel of God who in the beginning
ordained Its existence.
Since God is the Creator, He
and He alone knows where wis
dom is to be found. God is per
fect wisdom as well as perfect
love, and the more men lay hold
on wisdom, the more do they un
derstand the divine quality of wis
dom.
Wisdom Is rare, precious, and
costly. It is both the basis of faith
and the outcome of faith.
Our very lives are enigmas to
us. We cannot understand why the
path of our lives is so frequently
broken, our hopes shattered, our
peace turned into misery. Life
seems at times a wild, chaotic,
aimless, and frequently cruel,
thing. But we can rest in the
realization that God Is love and,
furthermore, that his wisdom
is perfect.
God and God alone knows where
the treasures of wisdom are hid
den. He sees plainly the path
which leads to wisdom. Through
prayer we are brought to see
plainly the pathway that is before
us. "If any of you lack wisdom,
let him ask God, that giveth to
all men liberally, and upbraldeth
not; and it shall be given him”
(James 1: 5).
Only as we walk in the pathway
of God’s purpose and commune
with Him through prayer are we
led to those deep mines of wisdom
which reflect his perfection.
Oxford Folk
Singers On
Club Program
Two Oxford College folk sing
ers and musicians will conduct
the program at the Covington Ki
wanis Club today (Thursday) at
the Teen Can at 1 p. m. The pro
gram will be in charge of Prof.
John Austin of the college facul
ty. Kiwanlan Dr. Johnny Maloney
is in charge of the program today
and he will present Mr. Austin.
Tony Baker and Tom Murphy
are the Oxford students on the
program today.
Rev. E. Owen Kellum, Jr.,
pastor of the First Methodist
Church of Covington, was the
guest speaker at the Covington
Kiwanis Club Thursday.
Visitors at the meeting inclu
ded: Roger Mclntosh and Bennett
Hancock of Covington; John
Thompson, a Kiwanlan of Mon
roe; Pete Carter and Sammy Oz
burn of the Newton High Key Club;
and Governors Honors Program
students of NCHS, Phyllis Ward,
Susan Kirkland, Susan Chesnut,
Lee Piper and Jim Peay.
Dr. Charles King To Speak
At Jonesboro Sun.
The Presbyterian Church,
Jonesboro, will hold special ser
vice beginning Sunday, April 21.
Dr. Charles King will preach at
the 11:00 o’clock service on Sun
day morning and each evening
at 7:30 through April 26. Dr.
King is a native of Newton Coun
ty, and Is retired from the First
Presbyterian Church of Austin,
Texas after serving the church
there for 25 years.
Mr. Herman Miller of McDon-
(Our Advertisers Are Assured of Best Results)
Sen. Pennington
At The Capitol
(Editor’s Note - Number four
in a series of discussions by
Senator Brooks Pennington of
Madison, Georgia, of legislation
passed during the recent Gen
eral Assembly is a continua
tion of bills relating to Traffic
Safety on our streets and high
ways.)
"Last week we covered
changes In penalties for 'Driv
ing Under the Influence’, Dri
ver Training Schools, Radar
Traffic Control and a 'PointSys
tem’ for revocation of Drivers
Licenses,” Pennington said.
"Not as newsworthy but equal
ly important in our effort to re
duce loss of life and property
on our highways are the fol
lowing:
Speed Limits on 4-Lane Li
mited Access Highways: This
bill established a maximum day
time speed of 70 mph and max
imum nighttime speed of 65 mph
with a minimum speed at all
times of 40 mph on all 4-lane
limited access highways. Ano
ther bill made It mandatory that
slower traffic on highways must
keep to the right or when over
taken by faster moving cars must
move to the right in order to
maintain a smooth, even flow
of traffic. Statistics show that
slow moving traffic has been
a predominant factor In many
accidents.
Weighing of Trucks: Legis
lation was passed which permits
law enforcement officials as well
as the State Highway Department
to stop and weigh trucks they
believe are carrying a load so
heavy as to be unlawful. This
will prevent many violators, who
have in the past been able to
curcumvent weighing stations,
from continuing the practice
which is dangerous to other mo
torists.
Uniform Standards for Radar
and Traffic Control Devices: This
bill requires all city and coun
ty radar and traffic control de
vices to meet uniform standards
established by the Department
of Public Safety.
Reflectorized License Plates:
This requires license plates to
be treated with a reflective ma
terial in order to reduce road
accidents and Improve the vi
sibility and legibility of license
plates after dark.
Roadside Stands: This bill
makes it unlawful to park or
leave unattended any vehicle on
a State highway right-of-way for
over 48 hours and makes it un
lawful for anyone to sell mer
chandise, fruits or vegetables or
nuts while parked on a right
of-way. Many vendors have caus
ed serious traffic hazards while
doing "roadside” business and
this eliminates such hazards.
Logging and Gravel Trucks:
New safety standards requiring
logging trucks to use 2 chains
to secure their load was pas
sed. This will reduce accidents
without impeding the logging in
dustry. A state-wide bill failed
but one was passed which re
quires all sand and gravel trucks
on the roads and highways in
Atlanta and Fulton County to be
covered.
"Much of this legislation was
a part of the ‘Traffic Safety
Package’,” according to Penn
ington, "which was drawn up by
the Governor’s Traffic Safety
Study Committee. Legislation
was passed authorizing the oper
ation of this Committee for ano
ther year In the hopes of their
findings producing even better
legislation for the protection of
our citizens next year.”
Senator Pennington has been
busy throughout the 45th District
since the adjournment of the Gen
eral Assembly in an effort to
explain major legislation. His
calendar showed he had made
fifteen speeches in nineteen days,
which Included the Monticello
Kiwanis Club last week.
Men's Club To
Sponsor Circus
Porterdale — The Porter
dale Men’s Club is proud to an
nounce a circus to be held at
Snow Field on April 19-20 be
ginning at eight o’clock each ev
ening. Presented by the Royson
Brothers Circus will be aerlal
ists, wirewalkers, acrobats,
gymnasts, and an army of hi
larious clowns.
Wild and domestic animals,
high school ponies, and perform
ing elephants will also be on hand
for fun and frivolity.
Advance tickets are now on sale
among club members and maybe
purchased now for SI.OO rather
than for $1.25 at the gate. Ad
vance purchases also insure your
not waiting In the long line to see
the excitement.
Proceeds will be used by the
club for their many communi
ties projects.
ough will be the song leader for
these services.
Rev. Philo L. McKinnon is
pastor of the Jonesboro Presby
terian Church.
About $1 million in undellver
able checks is returned to the
Veterans Administration each
year.
Only dedicated people and in
terested officials in government
can make things work. With this
thought in mind, hope rises for
a recreation program in Newton
County.
A spirit of cooperation is de
veloping between the city govern
ments and the county government
in meeting the needs for recrea
tion in Newton County.
Recognizing the problem that
exists is the first step; appoint
ment of members to the Coving
ton-Newton County Recrea
tion Commission is the second;
third step is budgeted support
of a recreation program by the
governments of the county and
the municipalities; fourth is the
hiring of a full time recreation
director to guide a year-round
program for children and adults,
both Negro and White.
The immediate need In the
county is a crash effort to pro
vide a summer recreation pro
gram this summer. This is vita
lly needed in the Negro comm
unities in order to provide whole
some activities for youngsters
with idle time on their hands.
Children, White and Negro,
need direction by trained adults
when they play in order to keep
them Interested and enthusiastic
about their activities.
Some equipment Is needed. It
doesn’t have to be elaborate, but
there are basic things that must
be purchased. More play areas
are needed, even If they are va
cant lots that are cleaned off and
made safe for children.
Volunteer workers to work with
the children are needed, but their
efforts need to be coordinated by
an overall director in order to
The Newton Methodist Circuit
Gaithers . Lovejoy . Red Oak
James E. Luke, Minister
OBEDIENCE IS THE WORD
What will history recall about
the sensational 1960’5? Every
age has its legacy of memorable
events and noteworthy personal
ities. Certainly some happen
ings are more indelibly impres
sed on the pages of time than
others. Even now however, peo
ple are asking, “who will ever
forget this Spring of 1968?’ ’ While
the roar of war machines’ echoes
across the world, the clatter of
looters resounds on our cities’
streets, the protests of college
students decry long accepted po
licies of the campus community,
and while numerous bizarre and
puzzling Incidents rear their ugly
heads as if attempting to shat
ter the minds of men, some
faint but persistant voices ask,
"WHY”?
The question "why” lingers,
and although no one instant cure
all or answer is clearly at hand,
you may have already observed
that a Sense of obedience is sim
ply ndt the "in” thing. Focus
your attention on the ageless
testimony of the New Testament
recorded by Luke 2:51,52: “And
he went down with them and
came to Nazareth, and was obe
dient to them... And Jesus in
creased in wisdom and in sta
ture, and in favor with God and
man.” Growth is the process
of movement toward fulfillment.
Jesus said, "Consider the lilies
of the field, how they grow.”
The lily begins its growth from
the bulb by pushing up a blade
through the soil. Growth con
tinues until It finds Its highest
expression in the beauty of the
flower. God’s creative process
appears to work through the law
of growth whether in the lily
of the field or in Jesus of Na
zareth. The lily is obedient to
the laws of nature and so ful
fills its mission. Jesus was
obedient, first to his parents,
but supremely to the Heavenly
Father and so fulfilled his mis
sion as the revealer of God and
the Saviour of men.
There can be no growth with
out obedience to the laws of the
realm in which the growth takes
place. The boy, Jesus, grew
physically, mentally, and in his
relation to God and to man. In
his spiritual maturity he towered
above all men because he alone
| Layona Glenn
| Says..
When Jesus gave His dlsipies
the right of petition and taught
them to pray He put into their
hands a signed, blank check on
the unlimited bank of Almlght
God. With His infinite wisdom
He established the conditions:
... IF.
"If ye abide in ME, and my
words abide in you ye shall ask
what ve will and it shall be done
unto you”. Jolin 15:7. That
sounded like a reckless promise,
but It was safe-guarded by the
big little two letter word, IF.
IF we live in Him, and His words
guide our every thought and act,
we will, under no circumstances,
RECREATION
PROGRAM
By: Leo S. Mallard
make sure that the recreation
program reaches the children and
teenagers who need the interest
and activities that a recreation
program can provide.
Most important of all is the
financing of a recreation pro
gram. It costs money, big money,
and it cannot survive on dona
tions from merchants and citi
zens.
Money to support a recreation
program must come from the an
nual budgets of the cities in, and
the government of Newton County.
Although Covington Is the largest
population center in the county
this program is not to be for Cov
ington people alone it cannot
be and survive.
Commissioner Tom Bates has
said that approximately $1250
could be made available for this
summer’s program by the county.
He will appoint two members to
the Recreation Commission and
the Mayor and Council of
Covington will appoint two more.
Another member will be ap
pointed by the Commission
making a total of five directors.
Some funds are already in the
City of Covington budget for re
creation and these funds can be
used this summer. The recrea
tion program is off to a good
start. It is vital that Newton
County people realize that this
program must be established and
continued for the benefit of child
ren, teenagers, and adults.
Our people have more leisure
time than ever before in history.
Leisure time with no sponsored
recreation leaves people bored
and restless. Guided recreation
Is a healthy and profitable answer
to this problem in our society.
Wnri>s_®n
Our W
among all men was fully obedient
to the laws of God whom he knew
as his Father. The obedience
which was first seen in the Na
zareth home continued until "he
became obedient unto death, even
death upon the cross.” Because
he never faltered in his obed
ience from first to last, power
life giving power, flowed from
him and continues to flow.
Because Jesus was obedient to
the Father, he can ask obedience
of his disciples; and as they
behold the beauty and power of
his life they dare to set out on
a life of obedience to his com
monds.
Yet, if obedience Is Important
as a word to live by, the fool
ishness of obedience without love
must be recognized and avoided.
Spiritual growth without obed
ience is an Impossibility. Fel
lowship with God is a mark of
spiritual maturity, but obedience
is a necessary prerequisite of
fellowship with the Father. There
Is, however, a kind and a de
gree of obedience that does not
lead to fellowship. It is the
obedience of the elder son in
the parable of the prodigal. “I
never disobeyed your com
mand,” he said to his father,
and we may assume that he spoke
the truth. Nevertheless, his atti
tude toward his brother and his
father places a question mark
in front of his motives. Al
though he did not lead a march
against his father, or go to San
Francisco and become a “Hip
pie”, or even burn his draft
card, he quite evidently did har
bor resentment toward the little
brother for his scandalous “living
and toward his father for dividing
the Inheritance with his younger
son. Still, the obedience of the
elder brother, from whatever
cause it may have been prompt
ed, certainly was not spurred
because of love for his father.
The refusal of an individual
to be obedient to God or nation
is indeed tragic, but no less
saddening is that person who is
obedient, not because he loves
goodness, but because he fears
Intensely the consequences of
wrongdoing. Look In the mir
ror, are you that person?
Each obedient response to God
moves us closer to spiritual ma
turity and: “This is the love
of God, that we keep his com
mandments. And his command
ments are not burdensome.”
(1 John 5:3)
ask any thing against His wQE
Our petitions will be unselfish
for the good of others and for
the glory of God.
What a wonderful world we
would have if we all lived un
der those conditions! It would
be really heaven on earth, just
as God intended it to be when He
created this world and the human
race.
The promise stiH stands: “IF
my people”, that means the
church. If the members of the
Christian churches would comply
with those conditions we would
move the world from the mess
it is in.
Thursday, Anrll 18, 1968