The Editor’s Page
Wake Up America!
There appeared in the January 16, 1961 issue of the Pittsburg Press, a full-page challenge to the people of America to “Wake Up.” The page was announced by Moral Re-armament. Space does not permit us to reproduce the page in full. There are some statements in it, however, we would like to pass on to our readers. These statements set the tome for the entire page.
The article opens by calling attention to the lateness of the hour, saying:
“America is at war. A war we are losing. We are under attack by Godless Communism on a world front and Godless materialism on the home front. Selfishness, prevision, & division within our borders are the forces through which Communism takes over. It is an ideological war. We are losing it because we are not fighting it. We move headless and headless without an ideology against an ideological enemy. America is in danger of losing her life and the Free World it’s freedom.”
“Guns, dollars, & diplomacy alone are no match for an enemy who has all these but advances because of the super-arm of an ideology. America needs an ideology. A change of policy is not enough. We need a change of motives and character. A great cleansing and uniting force for the nation.”
“We judge ourselves by our ideals. Others judge us by the way we live. Unfaithfulness in the home, perversion in high places and low, decadence in the arts, lawless youth, class war, race, dishonesty – These are becoming the marks of American life. We are all responsible. There are no weapons with which to win the struggle for the hearts and minds of the millions of the world…”
“Chancellor, Adenauer of Germany, said ‘Communism is a false ideology, but it is an ideology and can only be met with moral and spiritual weapons. We are in an ideological battle. Therein lies the decisive task. It may last decades, but it must be won. A nation with an ideology is always on the offensive. A nation without an ideology is self-satisfied and dead.’ Because we do not have an ideology, we fail to recognize those who do. We were fooled by Mao Ts e-tung. We were fooled by Castro. In our blindness we are led by those in our own press and government whose task it is to make Communists look like harmless reformers until they are safely in power.”
“Our greatest sin has been to cheat the world of the nation-saving truths upon which America was founded. Our destiny is to free the world of tyranny. Instead, we have cashed in our fighting faith for a soft materialism and retreated before the greatest tyranny the world has ever known. ‘Men must choose to be governed by God, or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants.’ In William Penn’s words lies America’s death sentence, or Her one hope. The hour is late, but not too late to turn to the answer.”
“Washington, clean, straight, and God-directed, would be an invincible force leading mankind to its destiny. The urgent need is for Patriots, Democrats, & Republicans, labor & management, black & white, young & old – who will put right what is wrong in their own lives and in the life of the nation. Such men will take on the task of arming America with her true ideology. It means absolute standards of honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love, unconditionally. It means men accepting the guidance of God. Definite, accurate, and adequate information can come from the mind of God to the minds of men. It comes to those who listen and obey. It is the new dimension of statesmanship.”
The article closes with these words from the address of Dr. Frank Buchman, delivered to a World Assembly for the Moral Rearmament of the Nations at Mackinac Island, Michigan:
“My deep personal wish is to have every American free under the direction of God to fight for America; so to fight that America really be free, free from the tyranny of sin, under God’s direction, the unseen but ever-present Power. I wish this no less deeply for everyone in every nation. I don’t want our sons, especially our fighting sons, to go about without an answer. It simply enslaves them. It is not good enough. It will drive them to the same philosophy that rules our opponents. We shall never create an inspired democracy that way. Men must learn to have a faith that will create the right revolution. If we can spread this revolution fast enough, we can save America and the world. Unless we have this revolution, there will be a revolution of chaos.”
“It needs this stronger dose. Sin leaves us with such a dull, heavy thud. ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, His son, cleanseth us from all sin.’ That is the discovery everyone is looking for. That is the answer. Then you will have a wonderful example that the whole world will want to follow. You will have an America to which the wise and honest can repair. And that is what the world expects today of America. You will have a battle-cry of freedom, and that is what America wants. You will have a democracy that is really inspired.”
“Then our young men and our old men will fight as Lincoln fought of old. Our young men will know what to fight for and our wars will be won. And we shall be at peace with all men and the whole world. The answer … Wake Up!”
To this we have no comment except to add our hearty “Amen,” for, as our Lord tells us in the Gospel of John 3:17, “For God sent not His Son into the world to Condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” In Him is found the ideology that is all sufficient. In Him is found the answer. Wake up, America, the hour is late indeed. Soon it may be too late.
Two new folders are available from the National Reform Association. These are attractively printed in two color-ism so as to catch the eye, and are brief enough that they can be read in a minute or two. One is entitled “What is Moderation?” It shows that moderation cannot be defined – that the effects of the same quantities of alcohol are different under different conditions and presents total abstinence as the only safe policy.
The second one is entitled “The Problem of Alcoholism.” It presents some interesting facts relative to alcoholism