by Dr. John M. Adams • Executive Director – Moral Action
Paul Harvey (1918-2009) transformed radio by inspiring a nation to listen to common sense. This man was unique not only in radio voice but in timely sayings.
The brutal murder of his father shaped Paul Harvey’s life and career, howbeit, through many tears. He had a wonderful high school teacher who helped launch his career into radio. He became a champion for God, His church, those serving in uniform, and our American nation.
Paul Harvey wrote and quoted a prayer that he wrote in 1952. It was a plea for God to raise up a certain type of President for our country. The following is that excerpt:
“Almighty God, send us a leader.
A man with his feet planted firmly in American tradition.
A tall man…with his head above the fog of selfish interests.
Not a common man.
This time, God, send us an“Uncommon man”…a statesman.
We don’t deserve him, but send him anyway.
And hurry, please. The hour is late.
The candle of freedom burns low.”
In the foreword of the book by Stephen Mansfield and David Holland, Paul Harvey’s America, is presented the fact that Paul Harvey understood that America is unique in human history, a nation founded in a vision of freedom that was new in the world at that time.
Harvey wanted Americans to never forget the price our forefathers had to pay for freedom. He would give us the “Rest of the Story” series to teach us what little we knew of our Founding Fathers and Mothers. They were stalwart souls who paved a great path for each of us.
So, that is the reason that at the peak of his radio talk it was estimated that 24,000,000 people a week listened to his inspirational presentations of hope and love.
One of his greatest speeches was given on April 3, 1965. It is as follows:
“If I were the Devil…I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States. I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve; ‘do as you please.’ ‘Do as you please.’ To the young, I would whisper, ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is ‘square.’ In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’
“If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions…let those run wild. I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say ‘she’s right.’ With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.
“If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my policestate would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.”
Paul Harvey, Good Day.
I recommend for enjoyable reading the patriotic common sense book, Paul Harvey’s America, written by Stephen Mansfield and David Holland, Tyndale House, $19.99.
