What Was Good about the Good Old Days? In a relatively recent article by a well known young preacher the “good old days” were severely criticized. He asked, “what was good about them?” He observed, “I can do without the kerosene lamps and the outdoor toilets.” There is no question we have made improvements in many areas. There were some things that were not all that good, although they were the best we had at that time. We did have lamps, instead of electric lights, and we did not have indoor toilets. Since we did not have electricity, we did not have a refrigerator, or a deep freeze. We did have an ice box, and the ice truck would come through the country- side periodically, and we would buy 50 or a 100 pounds of ice. My mother heated flat irons by the fireplace, and attached a handle to them to iron clothes. Etc, etc. However, I can remember more than 50 years ago, when some things were very good. Let me list some of them for you: 1. One could lie down at night and sleep unafraid even with the doors unlocked. 2. Men kept their word, oral or written. It was their bond. 3. Youth was taught to respect age. 4. It was considered shameful, disgraceful, and sinful for a couple to live together outside of marriage. I do not mean to imply that no one sinned, but it usually was not out in the open. 5. The divorce rate was 1 in 5, instead of 1 in 2, comparing the number of marriages with the number of divorces. One thing that makes the numbers look so negative is the fact that some people get married and divorced a great number of times. 6. Church members knew what and why they were what they were. 7. Preachers preached the Bible – unflinchingly, and the members backed solid Bible preaching. 8. There was more interest in saving souls than promoting “programs.” It was so much easier to get people to study the Bible with you. 9. There was a time in the early 60s that the church was the fastest growing religious body. 10. When children got home from school, there were chores to do. We fed the livestock, brought in wood to burn in heating the wood cookstove. And we did not have the hundreds of things to do and places to go, and we did not have the craving for entertainment that is now prevalent. – Max Patterson, 4438 South 89th Road, Bolivar, MO 65613-8012
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 09:13:53 +0000
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