On February 5, President Lyndon B. Johnson made some remarks at the "Presidential Prayer Breakfast" in Washington which call for some scrutiny. He suggested that International Christian Leadership which sponsored the prayer breakfast should undertake the mission of bringing together the faiths and religions of America to jointly build a "fitting memorial to the God who made us all,"—this memorial to be "a center of prayer, open to all men of all faiths at all times." What utter confusion!—a place where Christian men and women would bow themselves down to the God of heaven "in the house of Rimmon" (2 Kings 5:1818In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. (2 Kings 5:18)). There those who would address God as Allah and by other names could bow down in the ecumenical finality with rejectors of Christ; for there are many who name the name of God and utterly reject the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. But the Lord said, "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me." The broadminded, all-inclusive religion, however, would know no boundaries.
Nebuchadnezzar knew the value of a common religion, and he set about to enforce ecumenicalism in his day. Doubtless he borrowed the idea of the great image from the dream that God gave him in the previous chapter of Daniel, where he was displayed as the head of gold of Gentile supremacy. So he made a great golden image and brought together all the populace to inaugurate this new system of religion. Everything was done to work on the emotions, so that all might join in a concerted worship at the appointed moment. Rulers have long known the advantage of having no dissensions in religion, and for this reason many people have been persecuted for opposing a national religion; as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and countless thousands of others since have proved.
It may be contended that Russia and China have largely succeeded in eliminating religion, but this is a mistake. In a broad sense they have made a religion of atheism, secularism, and materialism. Their new god is the state, which is allpowerful, and to which everything and everyone must give allegiance. This form of religion is fast taking hold of this nation also—religion without the Christ of God.
The President further said, "In this capital city, we have monuments to Lincoln, to Jefferson, to Washington, and to many statesmen and soldiers. But at this seat of government, there must be a fitting memorial to God who made us all." And this is the city where the Supreme Court recently ruled against the most common and anemic of formal prayers in school. Why should anyone seek to present a false impression of this land as a God-fearing one? And think of a memorial to God when His handiwork is everywhere present, except to the willfully blind; for there are none so blind as those who will not see.
Furthermore, to speak of memorials to God reminds us of. Peter's ill-advised comment on "the holy mount": "Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles [or tents]; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said." He was promptly rebuked from heaven, for God could not tolerate the placing of His beloved Son on the same level with Moses and Elijah. They were honored men, but MEN nevertheless. He was God, the Creator and sustainer of all things. To even think of making a memorial to God as to one on equal footing with great men of the country is an affront to God. We do not say that the President realizes this, but it is true for all that. Let real Christians not lose their spiritual perspective in this day of abandoned faith.
According to Christianity Today, the first public endorsement of President Johnson's memorial plan came from Dr. Robert A. Cook, the president of the National Association of Evangelicals. Evangelist Billy Graham was also there and spoke of the need in the country for a spiritual awakening that will give the nation a moral fiber that we need. O that the nation would turn back to God with repentance toward Him and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. But the last days are upon us, and departure from God is characteristic of them; it is everywhere apparent. Memorials of God are as but the "form of godliness," while the power of it is rejected. Christianity Today (Feb. 28, 1964) quoted from a sign in an elementary school in Rochester, N.Y.: "The heavens declare the glory of nature," not of "God," as in divine revelation. This vital verse of Psalm 19 was written in this manner at the principal's request; it was on a classroom blackboard.
In the same article a student, in speaking of "Religion on the Campus," said, "Sir, there is none." He admitted that some students went to religious services and took courses in it; and some even belonged to religious clubs, but said that they had no deep sense of owing reverence to God. The professor admitted much of the truth of the student's remarks, but contended that in another sense religion was growing in American colleges. This man said it was "mainly a personal quest by young men for some reasonable guidelines for their own actions and clues to the meaning of history." Of what use is religion of this sort? Is it one whit better than the religion of Cain? God says of Cain's religion, that his works "were evil." Every attempt to find out God by the natural mind, or to worship God according to his own ideas apart from the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross, is worse than folly; it is EVIL. And the divine comment on all such is, "WOE UNTO THEM." God's just judgment against sin will be executed on all rejectors of Christ and His finished work. A clearer testimony to the characteristics of the last days when men talk religion, make memorials to it, and withal deny "the power thereof," is what we are now witnessing. But God is not mocked. God's judgment is soon to break over this world.