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dustry is in trouble as is also steel.
textiles. aod our never-ending
stream of manufactured commodi–
ties, including shoes, radios. tape
recorders, television sets, motor–
cycles, and clothing. Even agricul–
ture is being deeply affected.
We are right now in the opening
shots of a worldwide trade war. The
dollar has been devalued, but
American industry isn't ready to
withstand a trade war.
When you look at Uncle Sam's
muscles, they still have a lot of life.
But you've got to say: " He's not as
well as he ought to be. And unless
could solve our other ailments. If we
lose our heart, we have lost every–
thing.
This analogy of the heart is not
really original. It was used long ago
by a sage prophet, a very patriotic
man deeply concerned about his
people. T he prophet was lsaiah - of
the Bible.
Isaiah's message was recorded
and is still vividly alive in the Bible.
lt's there because Isaiah's message
was not only intended for his time,
but also for us, the American people
and the British, Canadians, Austra–
lians, New Zealanders, South Afri-
We are right now in the open1ng
shots of a worldwide trade war.
we take serious action now, he's go–
ing to grow worse."
Our
#
1 Sickness
The
heart
of Uncle Sam, to me,
would be the most importan! factor
of a ll - our moral purpose, our
goals as a nation. G oals give a na–
tion direction and resolve. Direction
and resolve produce character and
strength. But the only goal we really
seem to have in life is just hanging
on to a little bit of the good life
while we have it.
America should have a supra–
national , transcendental cause.
That cause should be ingrained as
part of our daily way of life. The
world desperately needs us to carry
that responsibility. But instead, we
don ' t know where we are going.
If you get two people together
and ask them about America any–
more, you may have a fight on your
hands.
This country has lost the pride of
its power. lt has felt or finds itself
weakening in spirit, in motive, in
national resolve. With national
goals and national character, we
8
cans and others at this particular
moment in history.
" The Whole Head ls Sick"
Jsaiah talked about people who
had lost their way, their purpose for
being. "The ox knoweth his owoer,"
he said, "and the ass his master's
crib: but Israel doth not know, my
people doth not consider. Ah sinful
nation, a people laden with iniquity,
a seed of evildoers, children that are
corrupters: they have forsaken the
Lord, they have provoked the Holy
One of Israel unto anger, they are
gone away backward" (Isaiah l :3-4).
Isn't that the way it is? We claim
to be God's peoplc - using bis
name, producing, translating, and
distributing more Bibles than ever
before in history. We appea r to be
religious - observing religious cere–
monies, building churches, fiocking
to them. But how many of us really
look to God for guidance in direct–
ing our lives?
Isaiah goes on to describe our
modern national condition: "Why
should ye be stricken any more? ye
will revolt more and more:
the whole
head is sick, and the who/e heart
faint.
From the sole of the foot even
unto the hcad there is no soundness
in it; bu t wounds, and bruises, and
putrifying sores: they have not been
closed, neither bound up, neither mol–
lified with ointment" (verses 5-6).
The sickness and wounds lsaiah
depicts are in need of healing. By
that he means that our affiictions
need exposing, explaining, and most
of all, they require that the nation
repent.
He then warns us of what will
ha ppen if we do not repent: "Your
country is desolate, your cities a re
burned with tire: your land, strang–
ers devour it in your presence, and it
is desolate, as overthrown by strang–
ers" (verse 7).
Too many of our leaders tell us,
"Let's talk about what's right with
America." They ought to be talking
more about Washington, O .C.,
about crime and divorce, drugs and
pollution, the government itself and
its stifling, agonizing bureaucracy.
We ought to be talking more about
the imbalance of payments, the
trade deficit, the devaluation of the
dollar, and be honest with ourselves
and admit our national sickness.
And most of all. we need to repent
of the basic source of our problems
- turning from God and hís way,
the way that would make our nation
strong.
Another prophet, Ezekiel , de–
scribed the solulion to ou r prob–
lems: "And I [God] will give them a
new nature and puta oew spirit into
them,
l
will remove their hard na–
ture and give them a nature that can
be touched, that they may live by
my laws and observe and obey my
orders ..." (Ezekiel 11:19, Moffatt
translation).
God promises that he will make
this change for all men, whether
man consciously seeks it or not. But
until that day comes. Uncle Sam's
health is at stake. Unless we seek
this change now and look to God to
heal our national sicknesses. we
won't survive as a nation.
O
PLAIN TRUTH September 1973