The series of meetings and conferences now being held at Lake Success on Long Island in the state of New York under the name of the United Nations Organization is an interesting spectacle.  Aside from the cosmopolitan atmosphere created by the presence of delegations from most of the prominent nations of the earth and aside from the far reaching consequences of some of the decisions being made by this conference of powers, we see the spectacle of nations anything but united.  On every issue, minor or major, we see a deep rooted cleavage making itself apparent.  The readers of this column are no doubt aware that it has been a common thing for certain delegates, particularly those of the Soviet Union, to leave the conferences in a dramatic walkout at some crucial point during the deliberations.  Whatever the merit or lack of merit these actions have, we do not wish to say except that generally speaking the name “United Nations” is fast becoming a farce.  We desire to point out however to the readers of the Beacon Lights that there is an underlying current of unity whose principle is utterly incompatible with the Christian religion and our Reformed heritage.

The unity of the United Nations revealed itself first of all in a negative manner by the fact that it rejected the conventional acknowledgement of the rule of God over the affairs of men.  Although it is the practice to open our national and state assemblies with prayer offered by a duly appointed chaplain, yet at the opening of the UNO assembly, the host nation, the U.S.A. made no arrangements to continue this practice.  In spite of the fact that in most cases the prayers in question are mere lip service to Christianity and are usually perfunctory petitions for carnal desires, we feel that the omissions at the opening of the UNO have great significance.  We are of the opinion that it was a concession to the ungodly character of the delegations.  We feel that it was omitted for political considerations as a concession to those delegates who have made atheism their creed, for example, Soviet Russia and her satellites.  We believe that, in view of the fact that there was not a single voice of protest, that they have revealed themselves as truly united nations, united in their ungodliness.

The unity of the United Nations, in the second place, was revealed in the sponsorship of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, in which a highly organized program of education, scientific and cultural attainment was proposed for the peoples of the United Nations.  Careful analysis of the basic principles of UNESCO shows that it is devoted to the development of a world and life view committed to the dignity of man and the glory of “one world” of humanity.  UNESCO has lost no time in asserting its principles and you will find its propaganda and literature in all the public schools and colleges of our nation.

Concerning this UNESCO philosophy, we believe that it bears a very close resemblance to what Scripture calls the number of man, 666, of man in all his achievements but without God in his thoughts.  Over against this view of life, the adherents of the Reformed faith hold and by the grace of God shall continue to hold, that man is the servant of God and that in all things we are obligated to serve Him, that God is the sovereign Creator of the universe and that all things are in subjection unto Him, that “In Him we live and move and have our being”, that He has revealed Himself to His church as the God of all grace, mercy and compassion in Jesus Christ our Lord.

We believe that the day is close at hand when we shall be called upon to make a life or death decision concerning the hope that is in us.  We do well to prepare ourselves by a thorough mastery of the teaching of Scripture and the doctrinal formulations of the Reformed faith.