Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

Many of our national leaders sound the alarm that our society is sick. This is evident with all the violence, war, injustice, and immorality. Is there any hope for things to get better? Can we hope to solve these pressing problems on our own? Over one hundred years ago the answer would have been an emphatic “Yes.” We had just fought World War I—&ldqu...

12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and s...

Edward Gibbon, the English historian, defined history as “the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.” You need not read very far in history to see that there is much truth in this analysis. While in sports, technology, and a few other areas man has made magnificent advances, in personal and international relations his record is one of...

One of the most unique things in all the world is a person's memory. Many years ago Dr. Wilbur Penfield, the eminent Canadian brain surgeon, discovered that the human mind stores a permanent record of every experience, and when the brain is electrically stimulated, it can call up in vivid detail all of these experiences. This marvelous ability to remember is both a b...

Bob Gibson, star pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–75), once spoke about the rough and rugged life of a famous athlete. After telling of many unpleasant experiences with the fans, he said, “I don’t like crowds—and fans, except for a very few, are all fair weather.” I suppose every famous person knows how fickle the crowd can be. J...

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a story about a handsome, kindly Dr. Jekyll who discovered a drug that had the supernatural power to change a person’s personality. When taken, it immediately transformed him into Mr. Hyde, a monster who delighted in evil deeds. He spent the rest of his days living the double life of the good Dr. Jekyll and the evil Mr. Hyde until he...

Man has always examined his plight and tried to determine what was wrong with him. Karl Marx studied man and concluded that his problem was rooted in economics. He taught that if we would take the money and power away from the capitalist and give it to the working man we could establish the classless society and utopia would come. Sigmund Freud studied man and conclu...

Newspaper accounts told of a famous playwright (who had given the entertainment world some of its most filthy literature) joining a church. He explained his actions by saying, “I wanted my goodness back.” There are many people like him today. We start our lives with such innocence and purity, but gradually, through our sins and mistakes, there comes over...

The question of right or wrong is a never-ending one for people of all ages. Young people especially are forced to struggle with it today. The pressures of friends, advertising, and the confusion and uncertainty of many adults about what is right or wrong add to the problem. Everyone has questions. Where can people turn for the answer? The Bible is the best source o...