Dear Grandchildren:

You will have noticed the date line in the upper right hand corner of my letter. Yes, September one! And you have just received it November one. Postmaster Moelker warned me about that. The mail moves so slowly these days by dog-sled, by rowboat (have you any idea how long it takes to row across Lake Michigan?), by carrier pigeon, and on foot. What other reasons could there be to cause a two-month delivery time?

I have in mind to write you about inclines. Yes, inclines, you know, steep ones when you are skiing or bob-sledding, and gradual ones when on a skateboard. But whether they be gradual or steep, all inclines take you down to a lower level. It is so easy to go downhill, and so much fun!

The inclines I wish to write about are of a different character but having many of the same characteristics of ski slopes. Those which concern me this time are those that the Heidelberg Catechism calls, “inclined to all evil.” We all have that inclination, babes, toddlers, boys and girls, young adults, parents and grandparents! Worse still, we have an inclination to all evil. That incline differs in different people and different ages (I’m sure that toddlers and grandparents do not incline to listen to rock music) and the resistance put forth to avoid falling down differs also. Are you on one or more inclines which inevitably lead downhill towards the abyss of hell? How much resistance do you put up? To incline to sin is one thing, but to fall into sin is much worse. Skiing downhill is one thing, but falling may give you a broken leg!

We mentioned “all evil.” What is evil? The shortest and most comprehen­sive list is found in Exodus 20. The Ten Commandments engraved by the Finger of God on a slab of stone. You have all memorized them in Catechism and school, so I do not have to remind you of their contents, nor how our Lord Jesus sum­marized them – all ten – in just 29 words. But even though they may be summed up in 29 words they are still so rich and comprehensive that it takes your minister twelve Sundays to preach the truth of them.

Back to the differences of inclines and resistance. Toddlers incline to be dis­obedient at a very early age; boys and girls add to that first inclination, and young adults must resist many more: (toddlers and boys and girls are not inclined to experiment with drugs, are they?) and parents and grandparents have still other inclines to resist.

Do you put your trust in any other object besides the One True God Who has revealed Himself in the Bible? Do you possess a picture of Christ and tell yourself that it looks like Him? Of course you do not have an inclination to worship that picture or any other likeness of Him, do you?

How about it so far, no inclines yet?

But do you ever swear, or hear others take God’s Name in vain without resisting it? When a person on the radio or T.V. does so you immediately snap the switch to the “off” position? Or do you overlook that heinous sin-the sin which carried the death penalty in the Old Testament times? Do you laugh at his jokes when they include the profaning of God’s Name either by swearing directly, or by oblique references to the Deity, or by snide sarcasm in regard to religion? Or do you resist the inclination by turning him off, and deciding never to tune in on that program again? That incline (that of profaning of His Name) is so serious that the Catechism tells us there is no greater sin or more provoking to God! Is there such an incline in your life that you say, “Gee” for Jesus; or “darn” for damn; or “heck” for hell; or that you even dare to say “heavens’’ when you know that heaven is His dwelling place? You say that such a small incline as using slang for swear words? Yes, but a small incline under your skateboard may give you a nasty fall, and is an inclination to the abyss. God doesn’t like those words at all He hates them! And do you feel comfortable about using words God hates?

I see another ski slope (incline) which endangers some of my grandchildren. The letters, S.O. are on the caption, Sabbath Observance. Of course we do not observe the O.T. Sabbath anymore. That day has been fulfilled when our Lord entered The Rest on Resurrection Day. That is why when we “remember the Sabbath Day” we do so each Sunday. The Sabbath Day rest of the O.T. was so important that a desecration of it was often punished by stoning. So horrible was that sin! But now we “remember the Sabbath” joyfully and without fear. We attend Church twice each Sunday. We attend each catechism class faithfully. We prepare for the lesson by memorizing the questions and answers. Do you? Do you sometimes feel an inclination away from that norm? Do you sometimes wish that you did not have to go to church? Or, that you fell asleep while the Minister was speaking for God for your benefit-but now to your con­demnation? Is your inclination to skip your bed-time prayers or your thanksgiving at mealtime? And you young adults, are you inclined to forget to “contribute to the relief of the poor” in the collection box?

I ask all these questions because I am unable to see all your inclines. Your keen sense of equilibrium tells you when your path is inclining, so your conscience tells you when your spiritual path is inclining to a lower level. So you must answer all my questions for yourself. Be honest with the answers and you will have taken the First step to resisting them. First you must know your sins and miseries before you can seek forgiveness and walk in a new holy life. Does that sentence sound familiar?

Now my letter is getting so long and the envelope will be so heavy that it may slow down the rowboat mail delivery. And up to now I have only looked at the one side of the stone tablet, which is called the First Table of the Law. My next letter will be concerned with the Second Table, which Jesus compressed into the few words: “Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.”

’til then.

Love, Gramps.