The Recent General Election.
The result of the General Election has been to send to the House of Commons mainly two Parties, the Socialist and Conservative Parties, the Socialists holding a small overall majority of seats over the Conservatives, including a few Liberals, etc. The consensus of opinion is, although the Socialists, under Prime Minister C. Attlee, intend to carry on the King’s Government, that this shall be extremely difficult with such a small majority of seats in the House. Whatever may transpire before this note appears in print, it is apparent that all praying people have serious subject matter in the present political situation, to submit to the Hearer of prayer at the throne of grace. We need nationally, the hand of Him by whom kings reign and princes decree justice, to guide our affairs at this present juncture in our history.
Mercy Killing Trial in U.S.A.
At the end of February there began in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.A., the trial of Dr. Hermann Sander, for what is called the “mercy killing” of fifty-nine-year-old Mrs. Abbie Borroto, said to be an incurable cancer patient. It is alleged that Dr. Sander injected air into Mrs. Borroto’s veins. An indictment of “Murder in the first degree” was read against Dr. Sander. He pleaded “Not guilty,” and since the trial began his defence lawyer has declared that the woman was dead before the doctor injected air into her veins. Before the trial there was considerable sympathy and support for Dr. Sander on the ground that “mercy killing” of this nature was morally justifiable. Support came from some who professed the Christian religion. Whether Dr. Sander did what he is alleged to do or not is for the Court concerned to determine. But the question of “mercy killing” must of necessity be a serious one to all who believe and hold to the doctrines of the Bible and the binding obligation upon all to reverence and obey the Moral Law. God says, in the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” The Westminster divines declare in the Shorter Catechism that the sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life, and the life of others. There is no warrant in Scripture for any man to put his hand to the life of another for the specific purpose of bringing to a speedy end a life of suffering. It is a terrible commentary on the religious emotions and
outlook of some to-day when they deem it the depth of charity to condone such action. God reigns in regard to the most grievous and painful suffering as well as in relation to comfortable providences. Did not the thief on the Cross seek and find Jesus as his Saviour and Lord amid the anguish of his own protracted sufferings? Time is brief enough to prepare for Eternity without having one’s days shortened by common consent. Many a sinner found mercy and grace through the Lord Jesus in the furnace of affliction and while left on the brink of the eternal world and just prior to their departure out of time. To deprive a precious soul of time and the means of salvation, under the pretext of human sympathy, is wicked and merits the divine anger, and is wholly repugnant to spiritual Christianity.
Ulster Holds to Status Quo.
Sir Basil Brooke, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, replying on 28th February to Mr. Sean MacBride’s offer of a Federal Parliament for Northern Ireland in a Republic of Ireland, declared that Mr. MacBride had offered civil and religious liberty, but that Northern Ireland already had them. Northern Ireland people believed they were better off as part of the United Kingdom. They were happier and wealthier than if they joined with Eire. Sir Basil Brooke is following in the footsteps of the great Protestant and Ulster leader, the late Lord Carson, who fought nobly for the retention of Ulster under the British Crown and Protestant constitution. Eire offers religious liberty to the Protestants of Ulster! Let Mr. MacBride appeal to the Pope for religious liberty for all classes in Spain.