Editorial May 5, 1962 Issue

The Need for Moral Strength

Ralph E. Wagers

The strength of a nation is in the morality of its people as well as in its economy. "From lack of moral strength empires fall," Mrs. Eddy states in her book "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 268). Then she adds: "Right alone is irresistible, permanent, eternal. Remember that human pride forfeits spiritual power, and either vacillating good or self-assertive error dies of its own elements."

An informed, disciplined, self-reliant people presents a formidable obstacle to any and every aggressive intent. Those, however who disregard moral values and concern themselves with their own selfish desires and pleasures make their nation increasingly vulnerable to weakening and destructive forces from within as well as from without. The currents of self-indulgence and sense gratification carry us away from enduring achievement rather than toward it. No effort is required to go downstream with these currents, but they lead eventually to frustration and failure.

Experience shows that very often one is able to detect moral decline more readily in another than in himself. The devastating effect of moral weakness is that it seldom makes one aware of his faults in time to correct them. Such weakness blinds one to the dangers of a faulty position and permits progressive moral defilement.

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