Due to its length, the F.D. editor is unable to reprint the entire article. However, he is publishing excerpts that he believes are highly discerning and perceptive about some dangerous current trends within the professing Fundamentalist camp, with the major subheadings as the author originally penned them, and some minor subdivision headings yours truly has added.

          Though Fundamentalism has endeavored to be strong historically in ecclesiastical separation, one of its great weaknesses from its beginning has been its lack of personal separation. Because of this deficiency in personal separation throughout its history, we are now witnessing in the third and fourth generations a greater toleration for the absence of dress standards, the inroads of contemporary Christian music, the acceptance of various ungodly TV programs, mixed bathing in youth camps and church gatherings, and an overall worldly mindset within the church.

          This is greatly contributing to the sand of a different foundation, which will inevitably yield to the powers of erosion before the world. When this generation steps forward and gives voice to what it has been thinking for some time now, we will hear a new perspective given; this perspective will not include the old paths of apostasy… .

FUNDAMENTALIST MUSICIANS WHO SECRETLY BORROW FROM NEW-EVANGELICALS

          The up-and-coming music composers and arrangers have been fascinated by the variations of sound and modern harmony of the Neo crowd. These musicians have been listening secretly to Neo-Evangelical music composers, which they have now made to be their 'models and masters.' The musical diet a composer listens to will automatically come out in his writing. If the musical diet is Neo-[Evangelical] Christianity, then the music writing will unconsciously be Neo-[Evangelical] Christianity.

FUNDAMENTALIST PREACHERS WHO EMULATE NEW-EVANGELICALS

          But the new leadership coming on the scene is becoming content to live in that gray area, with a greater sympathy for New-Evangelicalism than their forefathers had. Accompanying this greater sympathy is an increased accommodation marked with a gentler consideration of the other side of 'the camp.' Because of this growing sympathy, their thoughts about God's standards, evangelism, education, etc. will change, and the day will arrive when God will allow the 'fruit of their thoughts' (Jer. 6:19) to become a reality.

          What was one time only in thought will be emboldened with words and writings. The older men will either step back and say nothing when such thoughts are expressed, or they will rise up for God and demand the old paths, the old separation, the old warnings, and the old message of Truth.

          As the Supreme Court is now interpreting the Constitution of the United States according to 'public policy' rather than according to what the founding fathers meant, we are witnessing new interpretations to accommodate a new generation rising to take over fundamental churches. They have bided their time while the 'ancients' [older militant Fundamentalists] have been slipping away; a new breed is arising to reinterpret and redefine Fundamentalism.

A DANGEROUS CROSOVER ABOUT TO OCCUR

          Whether acknowledged or not, the key difference between Separatist Fundamentalism and Neo-Evangelicalism is the absence of Biblical separation doctrinally, ecclesiastically, and practically. The crossover is coming! It is not Neo-Evangelicals becoming Separatists, but rather Fundamentalists (who for the most part have dropped the term 'separatists') are becoming New-Evangelicals.

          There must come a day when someone will rise up and declare the truth of the matter. The music of modern day Fundamentalism has become New-Evangelicalism; it has taken on the sound of the contemporary. Many of the churches have already become sympathetic to the Neo-crowd. Even the 'old' is now being redefined to accommodate the more 'up-to-date' views of contemporary Fundamentalism. What will we witness to take place in the name of 'progress' and 'growth' in the next five years under the discolored banner of Fundamentalism?

THE FAULTY RATIONALE FOR THIS UNSCRIPTURAL CROSSOVER

          We are called upon to preserve God's words and works without change. It comes down to this question: 'Will we preserve or will we change?' My dear earthly father, Dr. O. Talmadge Spence, often stated the following warning to his students:

          If a person changes in human things without those changes being of the Lord and led by the Holy Spirit, He will sooner or later change in the larger truths. A successor of any kind in any ministry carries with his office the responsibility of being loyal to three generations: first, the generation that he succeeded; second, his own generation coming after him, and third, the generation coming after him. No founder had that responsibility; he only sought root in the earth in his generation in order that there would come fruit in the next generation for his successor.’

          One may keep 'orthodox' doctrine all the days of his life, but it will be his changes in the policy, standards of holiness, and daily living that will give insight to the change of his heart from the past.

CONCLUSION:

THE TRAGIC SILENCE OF OLDER FUNDAMENTALISTS SIILL LIVING