Invasion of Czechoslovakia
The world was shocked by the most callous and wicked invasion of Czechoslovakia by troops from Russia, assisted by other Communist countries. Our readers are aware of the facts of this oppression of a small nation. The godless Russians appear to be exceedingly afraid even of other Communist countries who desire some freedom from the hard yoke and bondage of extreme Communistic rule. The denial of God and enmity to Christianity has not brought the mighty Russian rulers freedom from fear. What are they afraid of? The boast on their part is that they possess and spread the greatest ideology in the world today. Can it be destroyed if not supported by tanks and guns? Once the peace of God, through faith in Christ Jesus, enters the heart of a sinner, it is not preserved by military weapons, but by the power of God and fellowship with God. There was no assault upon Russia by the army of a neighbouring nation; but what did affect Russian leaders was the emergence of desires and aspirations for freedom from the oppression of an evil system. Their philosophy of life could not stand up against an increase of this. If men and nations would only embrace the truths of the gospel of Christ, the Prince of life and the Prince of peace, there would be freedom from oppression, fear and suspicion and love to one’s neighbour. In respect of this calamity by aggression, the United Nations Organisation consists of a helpless body of men, capable only of talk at the expense of the American and British taxpayers. There is, of course, no thought of prayer to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in this time of trouble. It is a Christless, prayerless and impotent organisation.
An Explanation
We have agreed to note the following explanation:— In the August issue of the F.P. Magazine it was observed that the Free Church minister of Brora had conducted a Watchnight Service. To avoid misunderstanding it must be noted that this was not a Christmas Watchnight Service: but an effort to bring the gospel and solemnity of eternity to the community in a special way before worldly revellings began. Although an innovation, it was also an evangelical effort and thus perhaps unfair to interpret it as a deviation from the spirit of the Reformed Church.
The Inhumanity of Communism
The inhuman conduct of extreme Communistic rule is referred to by Miss Renee Krausova, editor of a woman’s magazine in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, in a special article in The Scotsman of August 10th, 1968. She refers to this aspect of the government of her country before the recent liberalisation in the following terms: “The people of the country lived in fear, they were afraid to express the truth, became phlegmatic and passive. Thousands of them were thrown into jail though they were innocent, and suffering also overtook members of their families . . . We have new laws regarding the rehabilitation of thousands of those who have been unjustly convicted, even though we know that no rehabilitation, no public honours, can make up for three, five or ten years of life spent in prison for no cause whatsoever.” These revelations are not heresay but facts, and provide one other witness against the evil spirit which actuates and pervades the Russian type of Communism. This is the ideology which affects to bring satisfaction and prosperity to the human race. It is a system without God and based on the denial of a Supreme Being and the Christian religion. We need as a nation, that God would open our eyes to the terrible danger of casting away respect for the Word of God and the Christian gospel. Without these, we are exposed to evil “isms” of many kinds, including Communism.
Australian Minister resigns in defence of the Bible
A paper cutting sent us from Australia tells of the resignation from his Church, of a Rev. Amis C. Shelton, Presbyterian minister at Warren in Central, New South Wales. He says his church no longer implicitly believes in the Bible. He avers that some sections of the church, to which he belonged, were teaching that Jesus Christ was not God. This state of affairs obtains also in certain sections of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. What these present-day rationalists in the professing Christian Church hope to achieve by their God-dishonouring teaching is difficult to
understand in one sense. On the other hand, it is clear that they are accomplishing the overthrowing of confidence in the Word of God, as such, in the minds of many of their fellow-men. This is the work of servants of the devil and will bring its own terrible reward, if such do not deeply repent of their special sin.
The Roman Church — Autocratic
As an aftermath of the Pope’s ruling on birth control, a Roman Catholic clergyman, Paul Weir, of St. Cecilia’s Church, North Cheam, Surrey, has been suspended from all his ecclesiastical duties. He disagreed with the Pope’s ruling and refused to give even “external” obedience to it. The Vicar General in the Cheam area stated that the Roman Catholic Church was an autocratic society, and any who did not like this, must get out. It will not be amiss to refer to the dictionary meaning of the word “autocratic”, viz., An autocrat is one who rules by his own power; an absolute sovereign. Autocracy, an absolute government by one man: despotism. And the adjective is, autocratic, as used by the aforesaid R.C. ecclesiastic. We claim that the Presbyterian form of government from the congregation’s Kirk-Session to the Presbytery, then to the Synod and finally to a General Assembly, is scriptural and democratic. We wonder what effect such dogmatic assertions by R.C. clergy have upon the minds of men in the Church of Scotland, who have agreed to invite a Roman Catholic representative to their 1969 General Assembly. There is another matter we see in the case of this suspended R.C. clergyman: and it is the fact of an “iron” ecclesiastical discipline exercised by the Roman Church towards its clergy and members. We are not against, but very much for the exercising of a discipline consistent with the guidance of the New Testament Scriptures, in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Some Anglicans and Presbyterians who, today, are actively engaged in courting the official friendship of the Roman Church have little or no heart for the exercising of church discipline. An “autocratic society” would not suit many of them.
Gambling Casino for Inverness turned down
An Aberdeen businessman planned to establish a gambling casino in the town of Inverness. The press reports stated that the sub-committee of Inverness Planning Committee decided to recommend that approval be refused, after representatives of the applicant and objectors had been heard. The applicant intended to convert an empty supermarket into a casino, which would therefore be sited in the Kessock area of Inverness. A petition was signed by residents in this district objecting not to the casino as a centre of the vice of gambling, but on the choice
of the site, particularly from the point of view of noise and traffic hazard. This was the case put up for the objectors by Councillor Mrs M. Skinner and Bailie James Cameron. Further, Mrs Skinner said that the town centre is the place for such a venture, not the middle of a housing scheme. It seems that the objectors and the two Town Councillors were more opposed to noise from traffic (quite a trying nuisance) than afraid of the spread of the plague of gambling among young and old in the Capital of the Highlands. All that the people of our country have heard and read lately about the “gambling world”, from government and police sources, does not seem to have come to the knowledge of the objectors, or at any rate has had no good effect upon them. Why did those Councillors not take the opportunity to condemn gambling as a moral and social evil? Of course the law of the land permits the granting of licenses for the establishment of such evil places as gambling casinos. A gambling casino in Inverness would deprive many of much money and leave such with nothing in return; and in cases bring debt and misery and slavery to this vice.
Knife Attack Obtains Money
Many are the headlines in the press reporting the use of the knife by drunken toughs, by irresponsible youths and organised criminals. Lately, we read a brief item of news which reported that an attendant was held at knife-point during a raid on an all-night garage in Aberdeen, early one morning. Men arrived in a car and burst into his office and one held a knife at his chest, while the other rifled the till. That’s the story. No doubt the ruling factor in the attack was that the men were desperate for money. They use a knife as they did and obtain cash. Like many others today, they were desperately wicked men in heart and practice. If apprehended, would a fine or term of imprisonment be suitable punishment for threatening to plunge a knife into a man’s heart if he dared to act in preservation of his master’s property? Certainly not! Such dastardly conduct in the quiet of the night should expose men to the imposition of the birch and imprisonment. It is time the birch was brought back to deal with criminal cowards. Even in regard to the parent-child relationship, the Bible stipulates, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him”: and “He that spareth his rod hateth his son . . .” (Proverbs).