A Bone for Scotland
The former Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh returned from Rome on the 9th of May 1969 as Cardinal Gordon Gray. On his arrival at Edinburgh he was met by thousands of Roman Catholics and it was then announced he had brought back with him a relic — a bone of St. Andrew. Of course nobody really knows the origin of this bone. In this, he brought back no spiritual find for Scotland. Dead men’s bones are a miserable and superstitious substitute for the fulness of the gospel of Christ, which Scotland greatly needs. The Andrew of the Bible had a real message for his brother Simon, “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ”.
Prime Minister’s Sabbath Speech
The Prime Minister, Mr Harold Wilson, delivered a political speech on Sabbath, the 4th May 1969, in London. In his speech he sought to counteract the influence of his critics within his own party, the Labour party. He is reported as having said: “I know what is going on, I am going on. The Government is going on.” This was rather a witty way of expressing his mind. He certainly was going on as a man who had no respect for the Fourth Commandment. Of course the Lord will determine just how long Mr Wilson and his Government will, in fact, go on. We are aware, of course, that he is not the only politician with no regard for the Lord’s Day. One of our greatest needs today as a nation, is that God would raise up one man or more, with outstanding spiritual and moral qualities, among our rulers and who would have a powerful influence for good in the affairs of State. It is lamentable how much anti-Christian legislation has been proposed in the House of Commons in recent times.
Ulster Situation
At the time of writing, the agitated state of affairs and the rioting in Ulster have calmed down. This has been true since Captain O’Neill resigned as Prime Minister. He was, in our view, a man who was somewhat ready to compromise, as far as he might, with the members of the Irish Republican Government. Ulster Protestants, and Protestants elsewhere, were not happy at this. Rev. Ian Paisley opposed him at the recent election and obtained a large number of votes, so that Captain O’Neill won the seat by a narrow majority. As to Rev. Paisley’s demonstrations and marches and similar activities, we might not be very happy about these methods of protest and witness. Nevertheless the circumstances which have prevailed in Ulster for many years might in a limited measure call for peculiar methods of protest and witness. Rev. Ian Paisley has no illusions about background intrigues and activities of the Romish Church, which were not separate from recent Ulster disturbances. The aim of Rome is the separation of Ulster from Britain. We noted with dissatisfaction that two evangelical magazines which come to our hand regularly, one printed in Ulster and one in Scotland, that when referring fairly fully to the Ulster troubles, no mention at all was made of Rev. Ian Paisley. It is to be hoped that the Lord will deliver and preserve Ulster from the real root cause of present unrest there.
Euthanasia Bill
In March, Lord Raglan’s Voluntary Euthanasia Bill was given a first reading in the House of Lords. It authorises doctors to end the lives of incurably ill patients who have made a specific request that this should be done. It is good to learn that the British Medical Association still remain in opposition to euthanasia in any form. It is to be hoped that this evil Bill will never become law. The Abortion Bill gives sanction to end life at its very inception and now this Bill by Lord Raglan aims at ending human life before life actually comes to an end. These measures are thoroughly un-Christian and opposed to Biblical teaching. Our times are in the Lord’s hands. The true Christian in the greatest weakness and distress is reminded to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God and that his afflictions here are light and but for a moment viewed in the light of expected glory. The Euthanasia Bill is a pagan’s Bill, encouraging a pagan outlook on life and death. How different its provision to the 23rd Psalm, where David contemplates the Lord, His Shepherd, being with him when he would pass through the valley of the shadow of death!
Young Conservative, an Enemy of the Sabbath
At a recent Conference, Mr Victor MacColl, Chairman of the Scottish Young Conservatives, made a speech in which he showed that he was a determined and open enemy of the Lord’s Day. Among other things he said that the lack of Sunday entertainments in Scotland does immeasurable harm to the tourist industry. But ‘Sunday’ entertainments elsewhere do immeasurable harm to the souls of many, as they blind men to the claims of God’s law, which is holy, just and good. The tourist industry is the latest ‘god’ of this generation. The Sabbath must go, the worship of God and the gospel must take a back seat and the quiet of a Sabbath well-spent must be eliminated. We hope that Mr MacColl will not go far as to his influence in the Conservative party. This same young man called upon Young Conservatives to support the Sunday Entertainments Bill — a Bill re-introduced into Parliament recently by a Labour M.P. Who are to provide the entertainments Mr MacColl wishes on Sabbath? Are they to be such as will work a seven day week or will they have their weekly day off on some other day, other than the divinely appointed day of rest? One would think that tourists had no time for entertainments but on the Lord’s Day. Mr MacColl wishes to eater for lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Mr MacColl will get his wages!