Pressing Questions of All Time – Sunday, August 09, 1942
It would seem that we have gone far beyond that point where any mere rationalization of the issues of life would give any of us much satisfaction. We have come to a time when nothing but the bedrock facts will suffice—not only the immediate facts, but the greater facts that underlie all things, and reach beyond the present.
First of all, we have crowding upon us the necessity of answering the pressing questions of this troubled hour—questions which if answered incorrectly may destroy for the world and for the race of men the hard-won fruits of centuries. But these clamoring questions that rise from the din and confusion of this troubled time will never be answered fully and finally and satisfyingly until some other questions have been answered—questions which are beyond the immediate passing issues of the day—questions which underlie all the ultimate issues of life—such questions as are suggested by these statements of choice: Either life has a purpose, or it has not. Either that purpose is a good one, or it is not. Either men shall enjoy personal immortality, or they will not. Either there is a God, or there is not. Either men were created in His image, or they were not. Either God overrules in the affairs of the world, or He does not. Either His purposes will be accomplished, or they will not.
What have these questions to do with the pressing decisions of the hour? Just this: The confidence of men in the present is according to their faith in the future. The degree to which men are willing to sacrifice now, depends upon the promise of things to come. If life were not purposeful, if men were not immortal, if there were no God, if His purposes were not to be accomplished, then our answer to the questions of the day might be vitally different from what they are since these things are so.
Intelligent sacrifices directed by an intelligent leadership are readily accepted where there is vision of ultimate worthwhile objectives, and a belief in the possibility of their attainment. And so as we decide the issues of the day we must know what manner of creatures we are, and what our eternal destiny is. We must know that God is, that His purposes will be accomplished, and then we can lay our strategy, pursue our ends, and solve our problems in accordance with the certainty of things to come. And thus the words of the Psalmist, uttered these many centuries ago, may come to have deep meaning for us: “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 44:15.)
By Richard L. Evans, spoken from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, Aug. 9, 1942, over Radio Station KSL and the nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System. Copyright – 1942.
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August 09, 1942
Broadcast Number 0,677