Japan and the Vatican.
The Pope has accepted a representative of Japan as Minister to the Vatican. It was intimated that Britain made a protest but her own hands being anything but clean in her relations with the Vatican it would probably be regarded only as a scrap of paper. All sorts of lame excuses are being made for the Vatican’s response to Japan but these excuses will not hold water. The Vatican is evidently manoeuvring to have a place in the council of nations when the War is over and it is to be feared she will get it. It is most regrettable that our ally, China, through General Chiang Kai-Shek has also sought representation at the Vatican. The nations seem determined to follow the Scarlet Woman.
“Sunday” Shows Banned.
The Dumfries magistrates have banned cinemas and theatre shows for the troops as from 3rd May. The Military Authorities, at least some of them, and the great army of the anti-kill-joys have rather a crude way of keeping up the morale of our fighting forces when such entertainments are given on the Lord’s Day. It is to be hoped the magistrates will stick to their decision for we may be sure Satan will raise a hue and cry that the liberty of the subject is seriously endangered, and probably suggest to the darkened mind of his followers that such action is only conceivable under Nazi rule.
The Lutheran Norwegian Churches and Nazi-ism.
The Norwegian clergy have refused to toe the line to the New Order of the Nazis. They were warned after sending in their resignations following the arrest of Bishop Berggrav that they must continue their offices until such time as their resignation was accepted and that failure to conduct the church services would be regarded as sabotage. The clergy took up the challenge and kept away from their churches on Sabbath, 12th April. The laity followed their example and only in a few churches did a handful of Quisling pastors preach to a few of their own brand of patriotism.
The B.B.C.’s Actions.
The following paragraph appeared in the Radio Times: “Holy Week.—For some years the B.B.C. Director of Religious Broadcasting, Dr. J. W. Welch, has chosen and read the devotional readings for Holy Week from a published book, often a book of addresses given many years ago before visible audiences. This year the readings (daily at 10 a.m., March 30th to April 4th) will be new ones specially written for broadcasting by Sister Penelope, of the Anglican Convent of St. Mary the Virgin, Wantage. She is the author of many delightful poems, some of which have been heard in the Children’s Hour. These talks will be published by the Pax House just before Holy Week, so that listeners may, if they wish, follow the broadcasts more closely, look up references, or re and re-read what they have heard. In the early-morning ‘Lift Up Your Hearts!’ Robert Speight will give readings from the Passion story. Dom Bernard Clements will conduct the one-hour service on Good Friday.” Personally we do not recognise or countenance Easter services but it does seem strange in a Protestant country that these broadcasts should be in the hands of two Anglo-Catholics and a Roman Catholic (Mr. Speight). It is time the pandering to Roman Catholicism by the B.B.C. was raised in Parliament.
A Useful Pamphlet.
The Scottish Reformation have issued a pamphlet on Romanism and the Sabbath by the Rev. R. Moffat Gillon, Ph.D. (price 2d.). Dr. Gillon points out that the exaltation of feast-days to a like importance with the Sabbath led to laxity regarding the observance of the Lord’s Day. By the time of the Reformation the Church of Rome had forgotten the apostolical and divine origin of the Sabbath. “It is time,” says Dr. Gillon, “we woke up to the truth that Rome is no friend of the Christian Sabbath as we understand it, and it is time we realised that, bound up with our evangelical Protestantism is the faithful yielding of one whole day in seven to Him whom we call Master and Lord.”
Digging for Victory.
Between V for Victory and the slogan “Digging for Victory” one wonders at the simplicity of the British people and those who are supposed to lead them. One would think if we repeat a few catch phrases often enough that victory will surely come our way. The 29th March was supposed to be a National Day of Prayer. How was it observed by multitudes? In some of our newspapers it was described as a busy day on the land. I wonder if it ever enters into the heads of these diggers for victory that unless God will make the seed to grow all their digging will be in vain. In their eagerness to help their country it would show wisdom if they took a rest from digging on the Lord’s Day and thus acknowledge His divine law.
Is This as it Should Be.
In the third year of the war 19,000,000 standard barrels of beer are allowed. In the last war the limit was 10,000,000. Six hundred thousand tons of barley and 130,000,000 lbs. of sugar go to the brewers for the making of beer. No wonder the Chief Constable of York says: “There is one matter which must give rise to anxiety to parents as it does to the police—the apparent increase of drinking among girls of adolescent age. Ribaldry in the public streets after turning-out time indicates a lack of restraint which is undesirable and distressing.”