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March, 2006

Dear Christian friend,“The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the

LORD” (Job 1:21).As you’ve probably heard by now, my father, Dr. Henry Morris, ICR’s Founder,

is now with his Creator/Savior. He has no doubt heard those cherished words,“Well done, thou good and faithful servant. . . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord”(Matthew 25:21).

He passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m. He had suf-fered a cycle of strokes over the previous two weeks which had left him impairedand aching for heaven. In fact to visit him in the hospital or rehab center was to talkabout heaven. His eyes had long been firmly fixed on that goal. He had served Godfaithfully for many years and knew the time of his departure was at hand.

A plaque had been strategically placed on his office wall for 50 years whichproclaimed simply, “Perhaps Today!” Perhaps today is the day of salvation, per-haps today is the day of some break-through, perhaps today is the day ofdeath, perhaps today the Lord willreturn. It kept his focus on impor-tant things. His life was lived by thedictum “Redeeming the time, be-cause the days are evil” (Ephesians5:16). A review of his many accom-plishments underscores his reluc-tance to waste one moment or utterone idle word.

On behalf of the family let meask that you rejoice with us. His wasa life well lived, fruitful in His service. His personal life was wholly committedto God’s Word and a Biblical lifestyle, with no wavering and no dallying in sin.He has always been an example to us of a real Christian, and God has blessed himwith fruit which will last for eternity, and allowed him to change the world. TheLord has taken him; Blessed be the name of the Lord!

A memorial service for him was held at Shadow Mountain Community Churchnear San Diego on Thursday March 2, 4:00 p.m. Long time colleagues Dr. TimLaHaye and Dr. John Whitcomb joined my brother Dr. Henry Morris III and meto lead the time of celebration. Dr. D. James Kennedy offered a touching tributevia CD. Over 2000 friends, many from great distances, attended.

Many readers of this letter will feel a special connection to him, for he hastouched so many lives, through his public speaking and writing ministries. Hiswisdom has fueled not only the entire creation movement, but also the Biblicalinerrancy, Christian school and home school movements as well.

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He was a gentle man, always exhib-iting Christian character. Nevertheless,he always seemed to be in a battle. Thiscame from his absolute, unswervingcommitment to the Scriptures, and whenhe saw a need, he moved to fill it. Henot only founded ICR, but co-foundedChristian Heritage College (now SanDiego Christian College), started achurch in Blacksburg, Virginia, wrotethe study helps for the Gideon Biblesand their discipleship workbooks, and helped found a Christian/creationist collegeaccreditation association to name just some of his accomplishments. Of course hehad to administer and serve in these various entities. He was also an involved “church”man, actively involved in his local church wherever he lived, and of course a dedi-cated family man, with six children, seventeen grandchildren, currently nine greatgrandchildren, and his beloved wife of sixty-six years, Mary Louise.

His first stroke rendered him unable to stand, and put him in a rehab facility.There he witnessed to everyone, and often spoke of heaven. Oh how he wanted togo. Progress was slow, but then another stroke left him unable to swallow, andfirmly fixed his eyes above. Doctors said he was in imminent danger of a finalstroke. His mind and pen were not impaired, and he kept up his correspondenceand writing. His humor never left him either. Noting that baseball season wasstarting he saw his situation in a similar vein. “Three strokes and you’re out,” heexclaimed. He said this without fear, and prayed for God to take him soon. Hehad always hoped he would live until Christ returned, and still anticipated therapture of the saints, even as he put his final affairs in order.

All of his children had seen him in the days just before or after his first stroke,except one. My sister Mary arrived just three hours before he passed, and he wasas alert as ever. He fell asleep that evening and peacefully, but no doubt joyouslyentered his Savior’s presence. He died as only a Christian can die, with full con-fidence in his Redeemer, and with no fear of his future, for it is not unknown.

The family thanks you for your concern and love for him and his message, andwe much appreciate your role in continuing his work and passion. Because of oneman’s submission to his Lord, the world will never be the same. Our mission nowis to “continue in the things which thou has learned” (II Timothy 3:14).

Yours for the Master,

John D. MorrisPresident

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A Personal Testimony Excerpted from:

For Time and ForeverI have been promoting scientific Bibli-cal creationism for at least sixty years,but it was not always so. I was more orless satisfied with theistic evolution forthe first 25 years, but that all changedwhen I started teaching at Rice Institute(now Rice University) back duringWorld War II.

As a young Christian, I felt the needto begin an intense study of both Scrip-ture and evolutionism in order to acquirea clear conviction about origins. Duringmy previous college days, at the sameinstitution, indoctrination in evolutionhad been the norm, but attending a strongBaptist church after graduation, plusjoining the Gideon ministry, had con-vinced me of the divine authority of theBible, so this conflict had to be resolved.

were seen to be vast and sound,whereas evolutionism was unscientificand based essentially on the presuppo-sition of total naturalism.

That conviction changed my life,and indeed has become stronger andstronger ever since.

The Two MandatesI had majored in civil engineering atRice and then had worked for threeyears with the International Boundaryand Water Commission as a junior en-gineer. Then Rice officials unexpect-edly called me back to teach the Navystudents that had been sent there tostudy engineering, before going off towar. Trying to witness about Christ andsalvation to these scientifically mindedstudents had, in fact, provided thestimulus to begin that study of scienceand Christianity in the first place.

My choice of engineering as a ma-jor had not been for spiritual reasons,but for economic reasons. I don’t thinkI had even prayed about it—as I’vetried to do for every important deci-sion since. But apparently God wasleading anyway!

I soon reached the strong convictionthat civil engineering had been an idealbackground for studying evolution andthe Bible, and for doing useful servicefor the Lord in general. The practitio-ners of so-called “pure science” (phys-ics, biology, etc.) seek to understandhow nature works and to organize it interms of natural “laws” and “pro-cesses.” But “applied scientists” (en-gineers, medical doctors, etc.) then usethe results obtained from pure scienceto produce structures, products, sys-tems, etc., which benefit mankind. Purescience often involved theorizing, and

His last major book.He considered it his most important.

And it was resolved, decidedly. TheBible was true, and evolution false!This had become to me not simply amatter of faith, as many would main-tain, but of true science and history.The evidences for Biblical inerrancy

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even metaphysical speculation. To theengineer, however, the science has towork. His designs must be tested. Onecannot just theorize about the size of abeam or the stresses of an engine.

I have since come to realize thatboth the pure and applied sciences arebasic in carrying out God’s very firstcommand to the human beings He hadcreated. That command, found in Gen-esis 1:26–28, but also expanded, ex-pounded and amplified in later Scrip-tures, has come to be known as God’s“dominion mandate.” In it, God hasmade mankind the steward of God’sphysical and animal creations, givingmen and women “dominion” over allthe earth.

In exercising this dominion, theearth and its processes must first be un-derstood; this is the domain of so-calledpure science. But then applying thisknowledge in useful systems is the do-main of applied science, and this is atleast as vital in “subduing” the earthand “having dominion” over it as sim-ply knowing about it.

Christians often fail to realize theirown ongoing responsibility in this con-nection. Engineers and geologists, doc-tors and lawyers, teachers and techni-cians, businessmen and housewives, allare responsible to function under theDominion Mandate in whatever ways

are appropriate for their vocation.Christians especially should not forgetto serve as faithfully in their secularjobs as they would if they were pastorsor missionaries. The Scriptures oftenstress this obligation: “Whatsoever yedo, do it heartily, as to the Lord, andnot unto men” (Colossians 3:23).“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, doit with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

In my own case, I spent about threeand one-half years in civil engineeringwork (both designer and construction)plus a number of later consulting jobs,then some 28 years teaching civil en-gineering (many different subjects) atfive secular universities, the last 13years as department chairman of whateventually became the third largestcivil engineering department in thenation. Although not thinking thenmuch about the Dominion Mandate, Idid feel responsible as a Christian todo the best job possible in practicingand teaching engineering. I tried alsoto teach my students—whether Chris-tian or non-Christian—to develop thesame motivation.

I had also become very much awareof Christ’s so-called Great Commis-sion—the command to believers to“preach the gospel to every creature”(Mark 16:15). Therefore, while trying

Chinese Tour Group, 1982.

Drs. Duane Gish and Henry Morris.

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to do a good job in engineering, I alsotried to witness for Christ to studentsand others whenever suitable opportu-nities appeared. This concern eventu-ally led also to writing books on sci-ence and the Bible; my first sevenbooks on such topics were writtenwhile still teaching engineering (I alsowrote five significant engineeringbooks during those years). Teachingand writing, of course, are key compo-nents in carrying out the DominionMandate and the Great Commission.

We should, in fact, actually view theGreat Commission as a second greatworldwide mandate, this one to be car-ried out specifically by Christiansrather than by mankind in general. Callit the “Missionary Mandate” or somesuch name, and regard it as supplemen-tary, though vitally important, to theDominion Mandate.

Christian believers, obviously, are re-sponsible for both. In fact, Christ shouldbe Lord of all creation as well as of Hisindividual followers. He not only cre-ated the entire world, but even now is“upholding all things by the word of Hispower” (Hebrews 1:3). The entire cre-ation is currently under God’s curse be-cause of sin and therefore in bondageto Satan. God has promised, however,that “the [creation] itself shall also be

delivered from the bondage of corrup-tion into the glorious liberty of the chil-dren of God” (Romans 8:21).

The redemption price is the shedblood of the Son of Man. As the oneperfect Lamb of God, He “taketh awaythe sin of the world” (John 1:29), andin the renewed Earth which God willcreate after this one fades away, “thereshall be no more curse” (Revelation22:3).

In that future world, the MissionaryMandate will no longer be necessary,because all its inhabitants will be hap-pily serving the Lord, and “there shallin no wise enter into it any thing thatdefileth” (Revelation 21:27).

But in all probability the DominionMandate will not only still be in ef-fect, but may well be extended to ap-ply to the whole universe, not merelythis Earth. God surely had a purposein creating the myriads and myriads ofstars and other marvelous things scat-tered throughout the infinite reaches ofspace. Our physical bodies will havebeen changed to be “fashioned like untoHis glorious body” (Philippians 3:21),and we, as “His servants shall serveHim” (Revelation 22:3) in an infinitevariety of meaningful job assignments,based in some yet-to-be clarified cri-teria on our faithfulness in serving Himhere in this life.

He has told us, intriguingly, that“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei-ther have entered into the heart of man,the things which God hath prepared forthem that love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9).We may be able, however, to sensesome of these, “by His Spirit” (I Cor-inthians 2:10), and I, at least, like tothink about having an eternity of time

Dr. Morris speaking in Hong Kong.

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to explore and develop and enjoy theendless marvels of His infinite creation.

Even in this life and this world, wewho are Christians have the wonderfulchallenge of “bringing into captivityevery thought [and, by extension, ev-ery product of those thoughts] to theobedience of Christ” (II Corinthians10:5), which in effect would involvemerging both the Dominion Mandateand the Missionary Mandate into onegreat Kingdom Mandate.

We should not only seek to win sci-entists and musicians and businessmento Christ, but also to lead the very dis-ciplines of science and music andbusiness to obey and honor Christ.Have Christians not been prayingthrough the centuries: “Thy kingdomcome. Thy will be done in earth, as itis in heaven” (Matthew 6:10)?

These great themes may exceed ourimaginations in this world, but we havemuch yet to do even here in carryingout the two mandates. Right now, we

all have been commanded to “havedominion” over all the earth and “overevery living thing that moveth upon theearth” (Genesis 1:26, 28). Beyond that,we Christians have been commandedto witness for Christ as Creator, Re-deemer, and coming King “unto theuttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).There is much yet to do, right now!

The City with FoundationsThe Bible promises a wonderful cityas the future home of the righteous (thatis, those to whom has been imputed theperfect righteousness of the Lord JesusChrist, who had created them and thensuffered and died in their place to re-deem them forever).

That future city is called “the holycity, new Jerusalem.” The apostle John,supernaturally translated in his spiritinto the future by the Holy Spirit, waspermitted to see that city “coming downfrom God out of heaven” (Revelation21:2) to the new Earth: “for the firstheaven and the first earth were passedaway” (Revelation 21:1). He then pro-ceeded, in the last two chapters of theBible, to describe the wonders of thatgreat city where we shall dwell some-day.

He promised His followers that Hewould “go and prepare a place for you,. . . that where I am, there ye may bealso” (John 14:3). Perhaps it is almostready, for many signs indicate His com-ing is near.

And indeed, when He comes backas He said He would, “so shall we everbe with the Lord.” That will be the mostblessed aspect of our future home. Butwe shall also see again all those whohave preceded us to their present heav-enly home, for when He comes, we

Passing The Torch Conference, 2002,Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, CA.

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“shall be caught up together with them. . . to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thes-salonians 4:17).

At my highly advanced age (85 asof this writing), most of my friends arealready there, as are my parents, mytwo brothers, and even my son Andy,so I’m happily looking forward to be-ing there, too, whether at the Lord’spersonal return or through physicaldeath before His coming. And thatbeautiful city and home are also await-ing me there!

Long before the Lord Jesus was hereon earth, His ancient followers, suchas Abraham, also, “looked for a citywhich hath foundations, whose builderand maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).Therefore, God was “not ashamed tobe called their God: for He hath pre-pared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:16).

The city as a whole will be marvel-ous in size and beauty. It is also called“Paradise.” The paradise of Eden will berestored and made even better than at first(note Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 12:4;Revelation 2:7)! The “tree of life” willbe there—not a single tree as in Eden,but many such trees, lining the banks ofa great river emerging from the throneof the Lamb (Revelation 22:1–2).

In size, the city will be a tremen-dous cube, 12,000 furlongs on eachside. The word “furlong” is from theGreek stadios; this works out to meanthat the city is about 1,380 miles long,wide and high (see Revelation 21:16).The “streets” of the city, like the cityitself, are of pure transparent gold, likepure glass (Revelation 21:18, 21).These must be both horizontal and ver-tical streets, the latter presumablysomewhat like elevator shafts. There

will be no need for “lifts,” of course,nor even for automobiles or carriagesof any kind. Our new bodies will en-able us to travel very swiftly through-out all levels of the city and eventhroughout the universe. Christ willhave transformed “our vile body, thatit may be fashioned like unto His glo-rious body” (Philippians 3:21), so wewill probably be able to go easily andquickly wherever He can go.

Now all this is admittedly hard tovisualize or even imagine. It would bevery hard to believe at all, if it werenot for the fact that our Lord JesusChrist (who created the universe itself)is building the city. Our mighty cos-mos, with its incredible size and infi-nite complexity, also would be impos-sible to imagine had He Himself notcreated it and then given us the Man-date to study it, describe it, use it, andhave dominion over it.

Speaking of this universe, the Biblemakes it clear that the stars and othercomponents of the cosmos will neverpass away (e.g., Psalm 148:1–6). Godis not capricious, so must have a pur-pose for everything He has created.Since we know from astronomy as wellas the Bible that “one star differethfrom another star in glory” (I Cor-inthians 15:41), the purpose for eachstar must be unique to itself, and, there-fore, so must also its structure and func-tions be different from all others.

Although I like to believe that God’sprimeval Mandate to have dominionover the earth may be enlarged even-tually to cover the whole creation,would it not be a wonderful future tobe able to travel to distant stars andplanets, explore them, and then write

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about the nature and uniqueness inGod’s plan for a book in God’s library?Others could read our reports, and wecould read theirs, and all would stillfurther increase our awe at God’s greatcreation and our love and devotion toHim.

The universe and its intricate com-plexities are infinite, and the time to studythem will be endless. “O the depth of theriches both of the wisdom and knowledgeof God! how unsearchable are His judg-ments, and His ways past finding out!”(Romans 11:33). We shall never lack forchallenging, enjoyable, and useful workto do in these ages to come.

I am personally looking forward notonly to learning more about God’s cre-ation but also just resting for a while!And not only to seeing loved ones andold friends again and sharing with themall our (and their) experiences, but alsogetting to meet and talk with Noah, andElijah, and John the Baptist, and Timo-thy, and all our other heroes of the faith,and then eventually to meet and knowall the saints of all the ages. What won-derful times of fellowship, as well asservice, await us in that beautiful citysoon coming down.

It is also fascinating to note that theBible apparently predicts more thanjust one future age. The apostle Paulrefers at least twice to ages yet to come.I love especially the promise ofEphesians 2:7—”That in the ages tocome He might shew the exceedingriches of His grace in His kindness to-ward us through Christ Jesus.” Thenthere is the great doxology of Ephe-sians 3:21—”Unto Him be glory in thechurch by Christ Jesus throughout allages, world without end. Amen.”

Occupying until He ComesEach man and every woman is destinedto spend the coming future age eitherin the lake of fire or else headquarteredin the new Jerusalem, the promised citywith sure foundations—hell or heaven.The decision as to which it will be isto be made personally by each indi-vidual, by either rejecting (or neglect-ing) Christ’s wonderful gift of for-giveness and salvation or else byvolitionally coming to Him in true re-pentance and faith.

That decision must be made whilein this life, of course, and no one knowshow long that opportunity will last.Sooner or later, either Christ will comeor death will come—and that will bethat! The Lord Jesus has promised toreturn someday to bring this age to aglorious and triumphant climax, andthen to bring in that wonderful futureage, with its new Earth and its fantasticcapital city, the new Jerusalem.

But that is not all. Two importantparables (that of the talents in Matthew25:14–30 and that of the pounds inLuke 19:11–27) promise rewards forpragmatic faithfulness and diligence incarrying out Christ’s work here onEarth while He is away in heaven and“occupying” until He returns. These re-wards have their fulfillment in “thekingdom of heaven” (Matthew 25:14)or “the kingdom of God” (Luke 19:11),both surely having to do with the ageto come.

Then note that the rewards for faith-fulness are threefold. First (and this tome would be the most gratifying) willbe the joy of hearing the Lord say:“Well done, thou good and faithful ser-vant” (Matthew 25:21, 23). Second,

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there will be an assignment in the fu-ture age somehow related specificallyto our service in this age. “Thou hastbeen faithful over a few things, I willmake thee ruler over many things”(Matthew 25:21, 23). In the parallelparable of the pounds, the “manythings” are specifically called “cities”over which the recipient is to “have au-thority” (Luke 19:17). Finally, thefaithful servants will be told: “Enterthou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew25:21, 23).

These rewards clearly apply to thefuture age and to our future service forour Creator and Savior in that age. Re-member also that the last chapter of theBible says that in that age: “And thereshall be no more curse: . . . and Hisservants shall serve Him: And theyshall see His face; and His name shallbe in their foreheads” (Revelation22:3–4).

The particular service will no doubtbe assigned to each individual by theLord Himself (as in the parable). Ob-viously, not all His servants can be as-signed to rule over a number of cities,but the principle of relatedness willapply—that is, our future service willsomehow relate to our former servicehere on this present Earth. Further-more, the rewards are not to be basedon quantity of results in our work here,but quality. “Every man’s work shallbe made manifest: for the day shalldeclare it, because it shall be revealedby fire; and the fire shall try everyman’s work of what sort it is” (I Cor-inthians 3:13).

What sort it is, not how much it is!For example, a woman who has been afaithful wife and mother, a “virtuous

woman” such as described in Proverbs31:10–31, consistent also in daily lifeand witness to the saving gospel ofChrist, might well be given a futureassignment commensurate to that of agreat scientist or a great evangelist. Adedicated Christian teacher could wellbe honored as much as a famous pas-tor, and a sacrificial witnessing shop-keeper as much as a faithful mission-ary. The Lord no doubt, as the “Judgeof all the earth” will be careful to “doright” (Genesis 18:25) with His re-wards.

The world will certainly be differ-ent in a multitude of ways, yet therewill be a definite continuity of sorts.The earth and the heavens will be es-sentially unchanged, except that all theeffects of sin and the Curse will begone, and righteousness and divine lovewill be manifest everywhere. We don’tneed to know any of the details at thispoint in time. It is enough to know thatHe has promised to “shew the exceed-ing riches of His grace” through ChristJesus to us “in the ages to come”(Ephesians 2:7).

Right now, it is simply our respon-sibility to “occupy” until He comes.Each of us as a Christian believer hasbeen given specific work to do underboth the Dominion Mandate and the

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Missionary Mandate, so we need tobe doing it, and doing it “with [our]might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) as “to theLord” (Colossians 3:23). “Whethertherefore ye eat, or drink, or whatso-ever ye do, do all to the glory of God”(I Corinthians 10:31).

Whatever God’s calling may havebeen for each of us, we can and shoulduse it as our personal contribution tothe implementation of the DominionMandate and also such opportunitiesas are available to witness for Christ,as He commissioned in His Mission-ary Mandate. As Christians, we have adirect commitment to both, underChrist our Creator and Savior.

This double responsibility impliesa lifelong commitment to study—bothof God’s Word and also of His world—or at least that part of it which relatesdirectly to our particular calling. Sci-entists, technologists, and educatorswould certainly seem to have verygreat responsibility under the Domin-ion Mandate—perhaps even more thanthose in most other fields. To “havedominion” over God’s creation re-quires knowledge about it, first of all,and this implies the work of researchscientists. Then to use that knowledgein actually exercising that dominionrequires the development of struc-tures, machines, and other systems byengineers and other technologists.Then teachers, of course, must trans-mit the knowledge gained by the sci-entists and developed by the technolo-gists from generation to generation.

But then we are also each to obey theMissionary Mandate as well. If Chris-tians are indeed to “preach the gospel toevery creature” (Mark 16:15), then it is

crystal clear that every Christian must bedoing it. One can “preach the gospel” toone person or to a congregation of thou-sands, but it must be the true gospel be-ing preached! Therefore, every Christianneeds to know the gospel thoroughly,with answers to the various questions andobjections that people tend to raise. Thisalso requires life-long study, not just byprofessional theologians but by everyserious Christian believer. Certainly hemust be thoroughly acquainted with thetruths about Jesus Christ—especially Hisfinished work on the cross and then theimpregnable evidence for His resurrec-tion. More study!

He must also know the argumentsof the great Adversary, and how to dealwith him. These cluster around thephilosophy of evolution, which isSatan’s attempt to explain the worldwithout God and even ultimately totake the place of God as supreme rulerof the universe. But evolutionism isnot only utterly contrary to God’sWord, but also vacuous scientificallyand deadly spiritually. It is utterly con-trary to all the solid data of biology,

Passing The Torch Conference, 2002.

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geology, astronomy, psychology, andevery other natural or social science.It is Satan’s grandest deception, andmust be rejected and exposed as thedeadly delusion it is, by Christianseverywhere.

This age-long war between God andSatan will all end when Christ comesagain and the future ages begin. Soon willcome the great separation, with multi-tudes dispatched to a fearsome homecompletely separated from the light andlove and grace of God, the place calledin the Bible the “lake of fire.”

But there will also be “a great mul-titude, which no man could number, ofall nations, and kindreds, and people,and tongues,” who will stand beforeChrist in that day (Revelation 7:9) andwho will be led by Him “unto livingfountains of waters,” where God Him-

self “shall wipe away all tears fromtheir eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

I have touched on many subjects inthis book, and there is much, muchmore that could be written about eachof them. But I hope that each readerwill at least be a little better able tocomprehend in some measure and ap-preciate in greater measure this won-derful plan of God in creation. We doneed to think way beyond our own littlesituation and our own personal salva-tion to see something of God’s greatplan for all of us in the ages to come.We must somehow learn to view thingsfrom His magnificent perspective, notjust from our own very localized andlimited point of view. His wonderfulplan ranges all through time and all theendless ages to come. And—wonder ofall wonders—we shall be there, too!

The Morris family, Christmas, 1986.

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In 1918 a young boy was born to ayoung lady trapped in a failing mar-riage. Although a member of First Bap-tist Church in downtown Dallas, shewas unskilled in Scripture and untaughtin spiritual matters.

About that time the well-knownevangelist, R. A. Torrey, held a seriesof meetings at First Baptist Church. Thepastoral staff made him aware of thisunfortunate young mother and with thepastor, R. A. Torrey traveled across townto pay her a visit. There, after encour-aging her in the Lord, he gathered theyoung boy into his arms, held him uptoward heaven and prayed a most fer-vent prayer. He prayed that the boywould quickly come to a saving knowl-edge of Jesus Christ, acknowledge Himas Savior and Lord, and that he wouldgrow to be mighty in faith and strong inthe knowledge of the Scriptures. Heprayed that he would become a faithfulwarrior for the King and that God woulduse him in a mighty way. That younglad was Henry Morris.

After two more brothers were born,the father deserted them all, leavingthem to face the Great Depressionwith no visible means of support. Assoon as he was old enough Henry was

selling newspapers on the street cor-ners of Houston helping his motherearn enough money to put food on thetable. For a time they lived in the at-tic of a building with only a tin roofto separate them from the hot Texassun. The mother’s extreme poverty ledher to send her oldest son, youngHenry, to live with his grandmotherfor awhile. A Godly woman, she toldhim of the Lord and how his sins couldbe forgiven through the blood of JesusChrist on the cross, and gave him hisfirst Bible.

Young Henry was a studious boy,excelling in school; he quickly beganto devour the Scriptures believing whathe read but remained rather untaught.

His scholastic excellence allowedhim to obtain a full scholarship to RiceInstitute, otherwise there would havebeen no college training. The sciencedepartment at Rice University, was atthat time dominated by the famous

atheist evolutionist Julian Huxley andHenry became an evolutionist althoughstill a nominal Christian.

His first professional job was in ElPaso, Texas, where he got involved ina good church and joined the Gideons.There he fully fell in love with the

A visit to Rice University, 1982.

by John D. Morris

Bits of Early History

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Scriptures even memorizing great por-tions and saw its power in transform-ing lives. The origins issue nagged athim but was put aside.

During WWII Rice University af-forded him the option of a teaching po-sition instead of joining the Navy asan Engineer in the Seabees. At Rice hewould train Navy seamen in the engi-neering skills they would need in thewar effort.

As he tried to witness to these dearsouls who so soon would travel overseasinto harm’s way he found that evolutionwas a serious stumbling block to theiraccepting Christ as Savior. He vowed tofind answers to these questions, thusstrengthening the Christian’s witness.

At that time there were almost no cre-ation books available, certainly nonewritten from a scientific perspective. Herightly discerned that the key to cre-ation/evolution was the great Flood ofNoah’s day for it had shaped the sur-face of the entire globe, and determinedas soon as possible to return to gradu-ate school and get further training inhydraulic engineering to understand thepower of Noah’s Flood. This led to afruitful engineering career but also tothe publication of many books, includ-ing The Genesis Flood, which for thefirst time presented a serious scientificdefense of the Biblical worldview.

Notoriety from this book gave himopportunities to speak in numerous lo-cations, both on secular campuses andChristian conferences. In 1969, whilea professor at Virginia Tech he wasasked to speak at the R. A. Torrey Me-morial Conference at Biola Universityand there he met an energetic youngpreacher by the name of Tim LaHaye.LaHaye was seeking to start a Biblecollege in the San Diego area and askedHenry Morris to join him in this en-deavor. The answer was yes under thecondition that the college be a liberalarts college with science majors andwhich would develop its whole curricu-lum around a creationist worldview.Furthermore, its science staff wouldcomprise a creationist think tank whichwould research and disseminate cre-ation information. Thus was startedChristian Heritage College (now SanDiego Christian College), and the In-stitute for Creation Research. Withouta doubt, R. A. Torrey’s prayer for ayoung boy has been answered in manyways. Things will never be the same.

Drs. John Whitcomb and Henry Morris.

Drs. Morris and LaHaye withMary Louise and Beverly.

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Several items had been pasted intothe flyleaf of his Bible he used formany years, which had energized andmotivated him. One of them was aquote from Martin Luther. He too hadstood almost alone against an establish-ment in opposition to Scripture. Hismindset of “Sola Scriptura” energizedboth of them in their work. This quotewas used often in lectures and in hiswritings.

“If I profess with the loudestvoice and clearest expressionevery portion of the truth ofGod except precisely thatlittle point which the worldand the devil are at that mo-ment attacking, I am not con-fessing Christ, however boldlyI may be professing Christ.Where the battle rages, therethe loyalty of the soldier isproved, and to be steady onall the battlefield besides, ismere flight and disgrace, if heflinches at that point.”

Martin Luther

Favorite Scripture Passages

Psalm 33:6

Psalm 119:89

Isaiah 40:28–31

Jeremiah 32:17

Romans 12:1–2

II Timothy 4:1–8

I Peter 3:15

Another tattered piece in his well-worn Bible was a tract by G. D. WatsonOthers May, You Cannot! As you readit, picture him on a debate platform,where the evolutionist opposite wouldridicule him and the crowd would jeer.He always answered with meeknessand kindness, and always won the day,as well as the hearts of many in theaudience.

Dedication of ICR’s educationalbuilding, 2000.

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Others May, You Cannot!

If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you into a life ofcrucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that youwill not be able to measure yourself by other Christians; and in many ways Hewill seem to let other good people do things which He will never let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, can pushthemselves, pull wires and work schemes to carry out their Christian goals, butthese things you simply cannot do. Others may boast of their work or their writ-ings or their success, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing,and if you ever try it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that willmake you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, but most likely God willkeep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold,namely, a helpless dependence on Him and the joy of seeing Him supply yourneeds day by day out of an unseen Treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and keep you hidden and unappreciatedbecause He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory,which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others do a work for Himand get the credit for it, but He will make you work on and on without knowinghow much you are doing; and then, to make your work still more precious, Hemay let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and thus makeyour reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will rebuke you for little words or deeds or even feelings, orfor wasting your time, which other Christians never seem to be concerned about,but you must make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and He has aright to do whatever He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you athousand things which puzzle your reason in the way He deals with you, but ifyou will just submit yourself to Him in all things, He will wrap you up in ajealous love and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those whoare very near to His heart.

Settle it, then, that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chainingyour hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others.Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that your secret heart be-comes pleased and delighted with this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guard-ianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, then you will haveentered the very vestibule of heaven itself.

G. D. Watson 1845–1924