SCRATCHINGS FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Wha’ happin? Where’s Beacon Lights? How come so late this time? Here they are folks, the reasons, excuses, call them what you will. Here’s a brief report on what has happened, is happening, and what we hope will happen in the near future.
Part of the delay is due to the time lapse encountered in the execution of certain changes apparent in this month’s issue of Beacon Lights. It was decided to combine the October Issue with that originally scheduled for November and to publish this issue later than the October date but earlier than the November date of publication.
Convinced that an occasional change of authorship is healthy, the Rev. G. Vandenberg requested that we obtain another writer for the department entitled “Truth vs. Error”. In response to his request, we have asked the Rev. R. Harbach of Lynden, Washington to continue this valuable column for the edification of our readers.
The column “Nature Study” has been temporarily discontinued due primarily to its specialized nature. It seems that the few persons qualified to write on this subject are already so much in demand for other church and school projects that the additional responsibility of these columns has proved to be a burden.
Here’s an opportunity to win a year’s free subscription to Beacon Lights! On page 9 you will find the first appearance of a brand new feature called…well it’s so new we don’t even have a name for it yet and that’s where you and the free subscription enters the picture.
The staff of Beacon Light has decided to make this prize available to the person who suggests the winning name for the new feature. It should be relatively short and should contain some reference to the special nature of the column. (Best way to determine this is to read the first installment on page 9).
Send your suggestion to Beacon Lights Title Contest, 1312 Rosewood, S.E., Grand Rapids 6, Michigan. The staff reserves the right to select any or none of the suggestions and will be the sole judge. All entries must be postmarked by midnight November 1, 1959.
Get your suggested entry in the mail today!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Mr. Editor,
I would like to comment regarding question No. 3, in your answer to Reverend Hoeksema concerning the possibility of life existing a half-million years before the birth of Christ.
You wrote the following, “I have been unable to relocate the source of the information that carbon dating has placed man on the earth calendar some half-million years before Christ.”
May I say that if you had information concerning that possibility it was entirely invalid. There can be no validity to a statement that organic matter has been, by means of carbon 14, measured to the age of half-million years. Carbon 14 is valid only to approximately 60,000 years. Carbon 14 can be found only in matter which is living or had been living. Thus rocks and stones cannot be measured with Carbon 14. There is however some lead compound which can to some degree of accuracy, measure the age of inorganic matter. Yours in Christ, Roger Harbin
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