ON THE NEED OF WISDOM

The need of wisdom is universally admitted. Perhaps in no age has the wisdom of man been so highly thought of, and yet proved so futile in the solving of the problems confronting him, as in our generation. Our young readers will have understood from the conversation of their elders and from their own reading of the newspaper, that the nations of the world are in an extremely critical condition. As the days go by, crisis follows crisis and, while perhaps not able to follow the details of each situation, you will have gathered the general impression that a dark cloud hangs over us, theatening to burst upon us at any moment with results fearful to contemplate. In other words, the wisdom of man is proving insufficiënt to deal with the exigencies of the times, and as we cast our eye abroad on the theatre of world events, there are three spheres in which this is becoming increasingly evident.”

The first of these is the sphere of Economics. The science of Economics has advanced greatly since the time Adam Smith wrote his well-known text-book, The Wealth of Nations, about which some of you will have read. Indeed it was a common observation before the last War, that if we would leave the reins of our destiny in the hands of the Economists, we would soon be living in an Utopia of ease and plenty. As interest in this subject grew, Economics really became the religion of the common man. It promised him a society governed by economie laws in which he would receive what he could enjoy of the material things of life and that was all that he wanted. The secret thought was entertained that dependence upon the God of providence would be excluded and the all sufficiency of economie planning would provide the necessities of life as well as its pleasures. Since the conclusion of the War, economie planning has been a prominent feature of our national life, and controls of every kind have been applied to all sections of the community to ensure the ultimate success of the schemes set in motion. As the last financial crisis showed, however, our position has continued to deteriorate until recently we adopted the desperate expediënt of devaluing the pound. We are not despising economics as a science, but we hold that the trend of events is making it unmistakably clear that the wisdom of man is not sufficiënt to overcome our difficulties even in that sphere where men were so ready to imagine they had such expert knowledge and skill. Should Br’tain collapse economically, not only would the inhabitants of this island experience widespread unemployment and misery, but the shock of the crash would reverberate throughout the whole world. Economists, therefore, would do well to learn the truth of God’s Word, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Ps. cxxvii, 1 ) .”

The second sphere is that of Science, which has become the religion of the educated and intellectual classes of our society. They maintain that the answer to Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” is to be found in the realms of science. Apart from a few honorable exceptions, the majority of present day scientists are not believers in Christianity as revealed in the Bible. They and their supporters put their hope and confidence in the fresh discoveries of science in all its branches, and maintain that only along this road is the true path to felicity to be found. The discovery in recent years of the possibility of obtaining enormous quantities of energy from the energy stored in the cores of atoms, by a process commonly called “splitting the atom,” raised science up on a new pedestal. At first, the achievement raised great enthusiasm and aroused tremendous hopes. It was confidently affirmed that a new era of peace and prosperity would now be ushered in and science would have all the glory. It is just here, however, that the wisdom of man has failed. Instead of the new discovery being directed into channels beneficial to mankind, the new power has become a weapon of war, and the grim spectre of the Atomic Bomb haunts the council chambers of the world. Scientists, of course, hasten to assure us that the faults is not theirs. “Scientific progress has outstripped moral progress,” they aver, “and that is the cause of our present dilemma.” We reply by asking the question, “Who has retarded moral progress?” Is it not those scientists who have cast the weight of their learning and genius into the scales and sought to discredit the Word of God, the only source of true morality? It is sufficiënt to say, however, that to acknowledge even the need for morality has proved that man’s wisdom will not suffice. Scientists would do well to remember that there is such a thing as “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Tim. iii, 7).”

The third sphere is that of Statesmanship. This was the source to which the nations looked for peace at the end of the War. The great improvements in air travel and the advances in radio telephony, etc, had made the possibility of a World Council not only a probability but even a comparatively simple matter to organise. Accordingly, the United Nations Organization was formed, and soon the statesmen of the world found themselves seated at the conference table. Their object was the peace of the world, but the Prince of Peace was carefully excluded. He Who is the Wonderful and the Counsellor was ignored in the Councils of the Nations, and human wisdom was once more enthroned. By the arts of diplomacy and a skilful use of compromise, the statesmen hoped peace would be achieved. The results have been catastrophic, as we all know, and never did peace seem further from us than now. This was made very significant recently when Britain, who had hitherto supported the organization so whole-heartedly sharply criticised U.N.O. for interfering in her colonial administration. Indeed, the danger seems to be that U.N.O. instead of advancing the cause of peace may well provide the materials for a fresh outbreak of war. A suitable text for statemen would be, “Them that honor Me, I will honor, and they that depise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (I Sam. ii, 30).”

We dare not hide from our young readers that, as we cross the threshold of a new year, the outlook is dark—very dark. The signs are truly ominous and writ large over the activities of our generation are the words of Truth, “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?” (Jer. viii, 9 ) . Therefore, while we must say with Moses, the man of God, “By Thy wrath are we troubled,” let us also seek to have his prayer, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Ps. xc, 7, 12). In Christ is hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He alone is the hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land (Isaiah xxxii, 2). Our highest wisdom is to seek a saving interest in Him, saying with David, “Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be overpast” (Ps. Ivii, 1). If the resources of human wisdom will not suffice for the things of time, how much less will it be able to grapple with the dread issues of eternity! They alone are truly happy who are entering the new year bound up in the bundie of life with the Lord their God. For them, all things shall work together for good. Our earnest desire and prayer for our young friends is that they may, by the gracious power of the Holy Spirit, be made partakers of the wisdom which is from above so that their constant prayer may be, “O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Ps. xc, 14).”

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