Article February 22, 1958 Issue

Signs of the Times

with contributions from Frank E. Fischer

Rev. Frank E. Fischer in a sermon as reported in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Ohio

The phrase "self-made man" has been used so often it has become an American tradition, said the Reverend Mr. Fischer, and is meant as the highest praise. Its philosophy, however, the minister told his congregation, cannot stand in the light of Christian belief. Excerpts from his sermon follow:

The real difficulty with the term "self-made" is that it focuses attention on man and not on our God. ... The true meaning of our existence is not realized until we discover that our place and our course is determined by God and not by ourselves alone. We all are inclined to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. We are too ready to believe that it is we who do the good things on earth, and we are too prone to give ourselves credit for what we are able to do.

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