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| Volume 25 Number 10 October 2023 |
Page 6 |
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| Volume 25 Number 10 October 2023 |
Page 6 |
Dennis Doughty
During the California gold rush, two miners hit it big in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In 1859, one of the miners, W. W. Bodie, died in a snowstorm, but his partner continued on. By the 1870’s, Bodie, California had become a boom town of over 10,000 residents. During this time, the town boasted of having 65 saloons and no churches. By the mid-1880’s, the gold was mostly gone, as were the people. Bodie closed in 1932 and is now a famous ghost town toured by many visitors.
In many ways, our nation is duplicating the history of Bodie. We discovered the gold of democracy and religious freedom, growing into a strong, materially blessed, deeply religious people. However, our “gold” is fast disappearing. Democracy has given way to worldliness, and our spiritual beliefs have vanished like the gold of Bodie. Our church buildings sit mostly empty or with their doors closed while casinos, saloons, sports stadiums and concert halls fill to overflowing.
Job argued to his friends, “If I have put my confidence in gold… I would have denied God above” (Job 31:24, 28 NASB). While our nation is denying God, the America I grew up in is fast becoming a ghost town.
