The Pulpit Speaks: January 16, 1960

An article written by my father, the Rev. C. Thomas Paige, as it appeared in the Tri-State Defender on the date shown.

A few days ago I was made aware of the fact that 26 civilizations have come and gone during the history of mankind. These people have come and gone in many instances foiling opportunities to make lasting contributions to their day and time, Not only is this true of nations but also of individuals. As I look about me day in and day out I am quite appalled at the great number of people who have missed opportunities to do something constructive. At the beginning of this year it becomes mandatory that each of us start thinking in terms of what we can do as individuals to make conditions better.

The tragic thing about world conditions today is wrapped up in the fact that far too many people have lost the drawing power necessary for bringing this civilization to the caliber it should be. All of the cultures before ours have fallen largely because of moral decay. As we enter into a new year, one of the great imperatives is wrapped up in the fact that each of us must rethink our moral and spiritual values and directions.

Counting everything else out, we stand face to face with a new realization today that demands that each of us become more conscious of individual responsibility. I am fully aware of the fact that many of us receive great consolation through our rationalizations. We look about us and see supposedly many people who apparently are doing worse than we are and we console ourselves by saying “If he is someone, I am someone, too.” What rationalization!

The day has come when one must realize that right and wrong are things that are stable and no amount of changing of values on the part of society will change the basic concepts of what is worthwhile.

There are some things that are stable – honesty, dependability, industry, good character and the like never fade in their values. What was good along these lines for civilizations long ago are still good. In this year of 1960 we must once again turn to the old paths and walk therein. These old paths lead to the higher and nobler things in worthwhile living.

At this point in life we are fully aware of the fact that there is something drastically wrong. One reading the newspapers shudders at the breakdown of home life, school life. and the lack of respect for the church. All of these things have been characteristics of other fallen civilizations. Apparently we are on our way to falling, too. Somewhere along life’s highway there must be those who, like the prophets of old, move around in such circles and live on such planes that they will be constant challenges for us to seek the better things of life.

Nineteen hundred sixty boils down to one thing: those who are strong must stand up as never before. We live in a day when those who have found their way must be ever on the alert to lead other people to find their way into righteousness and the like.

No longer is there time for a day of indifference or unconcern. At the point in life when we are tempted by popularity and the like we must realize that is the only thing that will give us lasting worth in the sight of those who live in a world of indecision. This is no time for faltering. Strong men must come on the scene. Men must come on the scene who will not falter under indifference or unconcern. There are far too few men of Gandhi’s caliber who will revolutionize the thinking of the man on the street. We must let our lives make an appeal to the masses of people. This must happen here and now – the sooner the better.