Decay of the Moral Sense

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 30, 1910

Decay of the Moral Sense

A WRITER in a recent number of the Christian Work and Evangelist sees many indications of what he terms “signs of decay of the moral sense.” He feels that the great need to-day is “a sweeping revival of just common, decent honor and honesty,” and a “sweeping sense of sin and its horror.” He sees signs of this moral decadence in the conditions prevailing in the great Christian church. He says that men and women profess Christianity and unite with the church, they pledge themselves to support the church activities and ministries, they assume solemn obligations to manifest the Christ life in all their relationships; but they signally fail in carrying out these pledges.

And not only are vows to serve the church broken, but vows to moral and ethical laws; vows to live Christ’s life as far as in them lies; vows to purely serve the country they have made their own; vows they have made to wives and husbands,—these seem to be very loosely held in our day. But the sense of obligation to vows is the mark of all true, strong, worthy, and worthful men. Let us get back this mark of true manhood.

Proceeding further, the writer discusses the corruption which has crept into national, state, and municipal administration. He cites the wholesale bribery which has been carried on in connection with the city administration of San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and other centers, and says:—

The horror of all this is that many of these men have not moral sense enough to realize that they are both dishonest and dishonorable! They are surprised that such a turmoil is aroused over the mere giving and receiving of bribes. Now, these men are our so-called respectable men. They are the men who wear high hats and frock coats, and go to church, and have boxes at the opera or symphony concert.

The writer recites how this moral degeneracy is pervading all classes, and is affecting mercantile dealings, and even the relationship of the young in their service to their employers. He inquires:—

If this goes on much longer, where can we issue except in moral chaos? We need a new sense of honor; we need a new generation of men, with such a sense of honor that they will despise and turn from anything that deprives them of pure hands and clean hearts,—men who will hate a lie in any form.

This side of the coming of the Lord, conditions will not be bettered. “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse.” But out of these unfavorable environments there will be gathered “a new generation,” even those who, through the work of divine grace, will hate a lie, and stand with clean hands and pure hearts to welcome the Prince of Peace and his reign of righteousness. His coming will prove the only remedy for these malefic influences.