“Weathervanes” is an article from Dr. Gordon H. Clark’s papers. Both the original scan and a transcribed document are here made available. If you notice any typos on the typed document please email the administrator at douglasdouma@yahoo.com.
**Items from the unpublished papers of Dr. Gordon H. Clark should not be considered his definitive statement on the particular topic addressed. These papers are being provided for educational value. For Dr. Clark’s official positions consult his published writings.**
Unpublished 74. Weathervanes (original)
Unpublished 74. Weathervanes (typed)
Notes: From the papers of Dr. Gordon H. Clark. From “The Home Evangel”, date unknown.
Weathervanes
Weathervanes are useful and sometimes decorative. They show which way the wind is blowing. Men and women are often like weathervanes in that they turn with the prevailing winds of opinion. They like to be up to date; it would mortify them to be thought of as midvictorian or prescientific. Instead of being weathervanes merely, they would do anything to be barometers and hold opinions today which their neighbors will not have until twenty-four hours later. Such people are of some use, in that they show which way public opinion is moving.
But a weathervane is of no use as a compass. A compass must point always in one direction, if it is to be a good compass. The people may not want to walk in that direction, but a good compass cannot follow the crowd. In a crowd of weathervanes a compass might feel lonely; it might even be thought midvictorian and prescientific. But if it is a good compass it does not change to keep up with the prevailing winds of doctrine. If loose divorce was wrong in 1850, it will remain wrong in 1950. If it was proper and needful to worship Almighty God and believe and study His Word in the nineteenth century, it is no less needful in the twentieth century.
Prevailing winds may be adverse. They may blow people away from God, away from the Bible, away from morality, and away from Heaven. But a true Christian, like a true compass, will not change his direction because of wind.
G.H.C.