Birthday Message — E.A. Johnston

The Moral Climate of an Earlier Generation

I came into this world, on this day, a long time ago, when Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House, Hollywood had censors, states had obscenity laws, and there was still a fear of God in the land. It was a time when only sailors had tattoos and marriage was still between a man and a woman.

It was a day when gross evil stayed in the shadows, perversion was illegal, television was black and white, and there were still lines between right and wrong in society. It was a time before vulgarity and indecency were in vogue, and there was still a moral code in the land.

The Church's Voice on Sin and Judgment

It was a time when churches still had weekly prayer meetings, hymns were sung about the blood, and preachers weren't afraid to warn sinners about a future judgment and an everlasting hell, and they warned you that you must repent or go on to hell.

It was a time when the church still had a voice of authority and influence in the land. Like I said, I've been around a long while now, and almost died last year in the hospital, but God wasn't through with me yet.

Measuring Life by Usefulness to God

At my age, I have outlived George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, Sam Jones, and D .L. Moody, but hopefully I have not outlived my usefulness to God. Graham Scroggie said of Stephen the Martyr, One's life should not be measured in length of days, but in usefulness.

Stephen's Crown and Faithful Service

Stephen means crown, and early did he receive his.