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Home / Publications / Free Presbyterian Magazine / 1998 to 2003 / October 2000 / Notes and Comments

Notes and Comments

The Road to Dublin

Murder has returned to the streets of Belfast. This time it was the result of feuding between two Loyalist groups. For over a year the UK Government and other interested parties have sold to the public “the peace process”, with all its concessions to the IRA, on the basis that it was the only way to bring an end to violence.

Yet, although no one can deny that violence has greatly decreased in the province, it was never true that the citizenry of Northern Ireland were free from the scourge of terrorism. Kneecappings and similar atrocities have been practised by the paramilitaries on their own people. And the Real IRA, whose membership includes those who were previously active in the Provisional IRA, has been responsible for a number of bombings, including the 1998 massacre in Omagh, when 29 people were killed. The result of “the peace process” is that there are two ministers in the Northern Ireland Assembly from Sinn Fein, one of whom stated after two serious bombings that he would not advise anyone with information to go to the police.

In a further highly irresponsible move, the UK Government has completed the release of terrorists from the Maze prison, in spite of the fact that the other side of the agreement has not been kept – decommissioning of weapons has not taken place. In fact, the trade in arms for Northern Ireland continues and the terrorists are still armed to the teeth. Particularly offensive, and unjust, was the release after only two years of James McArdle, the IRA terrorist convicted of conspiracy to murder and to cause the Docklands bombing in London. To make this possible, the Northern Ireland Secretary had to advise the Queen to issue a royal pardon.

All this bodes ill for the future. Unification with the South, where Romanism is still dominant, is the goal of the Republicans. It is in Rome’s political interests to have the facade of a “peace process” maintained. Let the UK Government ignore it all and come down firmly on the side of justice. Let them deal firmly with terrorists of all kinds. Why should law-abiding citizens in Ulster be drawn farther and farther down the road which they do not want to travel – a road that many intend to reach as far as Dublin?

A Secular View of the Sabbath

During the summer, a feature article appeared in The Scotsman giving the thoughts of a reporter who had spent a weekend on the Isle of Lewis to sample a “Calvinist” Sabbath. In the same issue, and reflecting this article, the editorial was entitled Day of rest forgotten in the rhythm of a working week. It revealed an ambivalent hankering after the state of things when the Sabbath was better kept than it is now.

The difficulties posed for family life by current working practices were clearly reflected. When 20% of people work regularly on Sabbaths, many who make no profession of religion can see that something valuable has been lost. Besides, the working hours of many employees are too long, with the result that, in many cases, family members are regularly not all at home at the same time. In one survey 86% of managers reported that their working patterns had an adverse effect on relationships with their children.

The editorial shows some appreciation of the function of a day of rest for those who are deeply religious, but closer to the surface is the feeling that there is a dreariness about the “traditional” Sabbath. What is missing from the whole piece is any appreciation of the Sabbath as divinely appointed – and this is typical of contemporary attitudes even at their most sympathetic. The fact is that God has given us the Sabbath, in common with the rest of the law, for our good. Proper observance of the Sabbath should not be considered primarily in negative terms, thinking merely of what is forbidden on the day. The ordinary work of the other six days of the week is indeed to be put aside as far as possible, but with a positive end in view: so that we may have the opportunity to obtain, to an extent not possible on other days, spiritual benefit for our souls.

A day of rest, as The Scotsman editorial admits, from a temporal perspective, is indeed useful. But the Sabbath is to be kept primarily for higher purposes. This generation refuses to face up to the fundamental realities of life: that we are God’s creatures, duty-bound to respect His authority. He has commanded us to keep the Sabbath holy. If we begin to appreciate the goodness of God, we will realise that “His commandments are not grievous”.

Consequences of Uncleanness in Scotland

The Scottish Chief Medical Officer, Sir David Carter, has warned in his annual Health of the Nation report that the health of a generation of young Scots is being put at risk from juvenile sex, drink, smoking and depressive illness. He emphasised that thousands of teenagers are having sex before the age of 15 – with the situation being worse among girls than boys. The number of 15- to 19-year-old girls diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases has risen from 1546 to 2390.

We need not be surprised by such a tragic and shocking increase when health boards, led by successive governments, high-handedly ignore the Bible-based principles of chastity before, and fidelity within, marriage. Instead, they try to combat the problem by giving sex education and contraception advice. When will they learn that their “safer sex” policies encourage sexual immorality and greatly exacerbate the problem, and that they must adopt a radically different approach?

The approach we refer to is, of course, teaching young people the absolute necessity and wisdom of abstaining altogether from uncleanness. Several USA surveys have shown that pregnancies increased in schools which opted for contraception education, whereas teenage pregnancies dropped significantly in schools using the abstinence-only approach. The Care for Education organisation reports that its abstinence educational resource has proved effective in convincing many young people in the UK that “sex should be for marriage only”. The situation can only become worse as long as governments ignore the Scripture principle that “marriage is honourable” (Heb 13:4).

NMR

Unborn Babies and the Pain of Abortion

We can well imagine the horror that would be felt around the world if the population of the UK was wiped out within a year by an awful plague. It is a fact – and a horrendous one – that every year an almost equivalent number (an estimated 53 million) of unborn infants worldwide are killed by social abortion (as opposed to abortion to save the mother’s life). Nations may enact laws to legalise such murders, but that will not prevent the perpetrators from having to give an account to the divine Lawgiver.

Another fearful fact is that the unborn child, in being aborted, probably feels pain. Aborted foetuses have been heard to cry at 21 weeks, and some doctors believe that distress can be felt as early as 13 weeks. Under present law, abortions can be carried out only until the twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. Professor Vivette Glover, London, a foetal stress expert, is calling for all terminations between 17 and 24 weeks to be performed under anaesthetic. Professor Susan Greenfield of Oxford University, Britain’s most prominent neuroscientist, has also expressed her concern that some abortions may be causing suffering to the unborn child.

The Daily Telegraph has recently reported that, while there is no legislation to protect the foetus, the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act of 1986 for “pre-born vertebrate animals” such as rats, guinea pigs and hedgehogs, ensured that they were not subjected to undue suffering. It is a most sad and solemn indictment of our nation that it gives more protection to an unborn rat than to an unborn child.

NMR

Liberal Policing Strategy

When the latest figures for offences of violence in England and Wales increased by no less than 16% over the previous year, we would expect greater crime prevention by police forces. Also, when 70% of those arrested as crime suspects have tested positive for illegal drugs, we might expect that the police would adopt a tougher approach to drug abuse.

The police approach to some recent festivals was otherwise, as at Glastonbury, and at the Notting Hill carnival in London. It seems that Scotland Yard chiefs sanctioned a liberal policing strategy and instructed their police officers to ignore minor offences – while reserving the right to charge offenders at a later date. Police officers at Notting Hill were told for the first time by their superiors not to search men suspected of carrying firearms. They also permitted drug dealers to ply their trade openly during the carnival.

The work of the police at such events is very difficult, and sometimes dangerous, but we agree with those who believe that a liberal policing strategy will make their work even more difficult and the crime situation worse. When minor offences are ignored, contempt for the social order will increase, and there will be an upsurge in crime. Sadly, most of those who are responsible in government for maintaining law and order seem unaware that it is God who has laid on them the responsibility of curbing evil-doing and encouraging well-doing. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. . . . For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil” (Rom 13:1,3).

NMR

Return to Table of Contents for The Free Presbyterian Magazine – October 2000

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        • The Need for Opened Eyes
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        • Offering up Our Desires to God
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        • “A Zealous, Godly Preacher”
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        • Everything Devoted to God’s Service
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        • Tragedy
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        • Calling a Minister
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        • Scotland’s Preachers
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        • “Just with God”
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        • Pastoral Letter – Rev Alexander McPherson
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        • Blessedness
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        • Who Belong to the Visible Church?
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        • Cry Aloud Spare Not
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        • Looking Forward
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        • Faith, Its Nature, Origin and Effects
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        • The Divinity of Christ
        • Religion in the Highlands after 1688 – Part 1
        • Keep a good conscience
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        • What is the Object of Faith?
        • Communion in Singapore
      • February 2001
        • Calling the Sabbath a Delight
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
        • Christ Set up from Everlasting
        • Stevenson on the Offices of Christ – Christ as Prophet
        • Religion in the Highlands after 1688 – Part 2
        • Book Review – Daily Prayer and Praise by Henry Law
        • Psalm 122 – Henry Law
        • The enemies of the Christian
        • African Mission News
        • Protestant View
      • December 2001
        • Protestant View
        • African Mission News
        • Eastern Europe News
        • Book Review – Tell it to the Generation Following
        • The Westminster Confession of Faith – Usefulness on the Personal Level
        • The Impossibility of Neutrality
        • “Christian”Entertainment
        • Attaining a Knowledge of Our Sins
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        • A View From Zimbabwe
      • August 2001
        • “There They Preached the Gospel”
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        • “He Will Bless Us”
        • Stevenson on the Offices of Christ
        • “He Delighteth in Mercy”
        • “The Voice of Christianity in Scotland”
        • Obituary – The late Mr Ian M MacLeod, Elder, Dingwall
        • Obituary – The late Mrs Catherine MacKenzie, Stornoway
        • Book Review – Southern Presbyterian Leaders 1683-1911
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        • Sowing the Seed
        • The Duty of Nations to the Church
        • The Establishment Principle – Part 1
        • “The Finger of God”
        • Obituary – The late Miss Peggy Nicolson, Inverness
        • A Deputy’s Visit to Africa – Zimbabwe
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      • September 2000
        • The Resurrection of Christ
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        • Reading the Scriptures Profitably
        • The believer is to put those sins… into the hands of Christ
        • The Puritans and the Ministry
        • Christ Glorifying God
        • Blessed Are They That Mourn
        • The Nature of Vital Piety (2)
        • Protestant View
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      • October 2000
        • The Fear of God
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        • Reading the Scriptures Profitably (2)
        • He indeed is rich in grace whose graces are not hindered by his riches
        • The Puritans and the Ministry (2)
        • James Stewart
        • Christ Healing a Leper
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        • Notes and Comments
      • November 2000
        • “What Are They Among so Many?”
        • Vain Religion
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
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        • The Desired Haven
        • God may bear long with the wicked, but…
        • Thomas Halyburton
        • James Stewart (2)
        • The Temptation of Christ
        • Book Review
      • May 2000
        • The Church of God From Age to Age
        • Jesus of Nazareth passeth by
        • Rev Lachlan MacLeod (1918-1998) – Obituary
        • “So let him give”
        • The Solemn League and Covenant
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
      • June 2000
        • The Example of the Church in Smyrna
        • Eastern Europe – Spring 2000 Report
        • Church Information
        • The Nature of the New Birth
        • This is Indeed the Christ
        • Obituary The late Mr Alasdair Gillies, M.A., Elder, Dingwall
        • Report of Mbuma Zending Meeting – 29th April 2000
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Ma Donsa One of the Pilgrims at Ingwenya
        • African Mission News
      • March 2000
        • Two Free Churches
        • Sermon The Gracious Invitation of Christ
        • The Rev John Sinclair of Bruan (1801-43)
        • Princeton Theology – the Scottish Connection
        • Regeneration Regulating the Affections
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • July 2000
        • The Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Church Information
        • Lift up a Standard for the People
        • At the Westminster Assembly
        • The Earth Corrupt before God
        • The Trinitarian Bible Society Report
        • Obituary – The late Mr Kenneth Gillies, Elder, Raasay
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • February 2000
        • The Rev. Christopher Munro (1817-85)
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
        • “Come unto me”
        • Joy and Peace in Believing
        • Princeton Theology – the Scottish Connection
        • Negotiations in London
        • Obituary
        • Trinitarian Bible Society Scottish Day Conference
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • January 2000
        • Another Millennium
        • Notes of a Sermon The Earth Filled with His Glory
        • The Second Coming of Christ – Three Main Views
        • The Latter Day Glory
        • Building up the Church of God
        • Princeton Seminary – The Majestic Testimony by David Calhoun.
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • December 2000
        • The Divine Saviour
        • A Sermon by John Kennedy
        • Thomas Halyburton
        • The Late Roderick Macleod,
        • The Aberdeen Church
        • Book Reviews
        • Book Reviews
        • Notes and Comments
      • August 2000
        • Where Are We Now?
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
        • Christ Given in His Fulness
        • Alexander Henderson
        • I cannot always come to Christ
        • Obedience to Christ
        • The Nature of Vital Piety
        • The Puritans for Today
        • Protestant View
      • April 2000
        • The Family Under Attack
        • Sermon
        • Princeton Theology – the Scottish Connection
        • The King in Scotland
        • Comments on Psalm 51
        • Unsettling the Settlement
        • The pope’s visit to the Holy Land
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • October 1999
        • Declaring All the Counsel of God
        • Church Information
        • God so Loved the World
        • The Rev. James S. Sinclair
        • The Glasgow Assembly
        • Calvin’s View of the Millennium
        • Book Review
        • Trinitarian Bible Society Annual General Meeting
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • September 1999
        • Old Testament Types
        • Church Information
        • Christ Seeing of the Travail of His Soul
        • Alexander Stewart of Cromarty
        • The Intercession of Christ
        • Resolved to Abolish Episcopacy
        • “And the sun was darkened”
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • November 1999
        • Morality and Politics
        • Church Information
        • Sermon
        • Rev Alexander Morrison (1925-1999) – Obituary
        • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
        • Casting down the Walls of Jericho
        • A Visit to Singapore
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • May 1999
        • “Upon this rock I will build my church”
        • The Blessed Poor
        • Rev Angus Mackay
        • Is Christ our High Priest?
        • Signs of Religious Declension
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • March 1999
        • Heaven-provoking Legislation
        • Church Information
        • The Drawing Power of the Cross
        • The Alpha Course Examined
        • Teaching Christianity in Scottish Schools
        • The late Mrs Margaret Tallach, Glasgow
        • Letter by John Love, D.D.
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
      • June 1999
        • Made a Faithful Shepherd
        • Notes and Comments
        • How May Sanctification Be Attained?
        • Protestant View
        • Mbuma Zending Meeting Report
        • Address to Mbuma Zending Meeting
        • Spiritual Pride in Man
        • Church Information
        • Preaching the Unsearchable Riches of Christ
        • The Free Church and the World
      • January 1999
        • When the Enemy Shall Come in Like a Flood
        • Church Information
        • Let me see thy countenance
        • The Religion of the Highlands
        • Personal Creed and Resolutions
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
        • Eastern Europe Mission
      • July 1999
        • The Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
        • The Pre-eminence of Christ
        • A Man Who Wished to Live Obscurely
        • The Nature of Saving Faith
        • The Light of the World
        • God is: therefore God is to be Worshipped
        • Book Review
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
        • Protestant View
      • February 1999
        • The Purposes of the Lord’s Supper
        • The Trinitarian Bible Society – Appointments
        • The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God
        • Holy Importunity in Prayer
        • A Heavenly Eternal Crown of Glory
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
      • December 1999
        • The End of a Millennium
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
        • Until the Day Break
        • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
        • The Rev. Donald Macfarlane of Dingwall
        • The Pagan Origin of Christmas A Reminder
        • Ministers Prepared by Temptation
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • August 1999
        • The Advance of Rome under Hume
        • Notes and Comments
        • Eastern Europe Mission
        • Church Information
        • The Marks of a Time of Revival, and the Means of Bringing it About
        • The Free Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Thy Kingdom Come
        • The National Covenant
        • Work of the Trinitarian Bible Society in 1998
        • Unsettled and Discouraged?
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
      • April 1999
        • The Observance of Easter
        • The Smitten Shepherd and His Flock
        • The Prince of Highland Preachers
        • The Inter-Faith Movement
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • September 1998
        • The Golden Key of Prayer
        • Church Information
        • Weighed in the Balances
        • Christ, the Way
        • Praying as Beggars
        • Book Reviews
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Our African Mission
        • Patrick Mzamo – A sketch of an African elder and lay-preacher
      • October 1998
        • The Westminster Assembly and Romanism
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
        • Christ Liveth in me *
        • God’s Way of Bringing Sinners to Christ
        • The Effects of Television Violence
        • Sin and Sanctification
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Philemon Ndebele
      • November 1998
        • Faithfulness or Vilification
        • Church Information
        • The Best Security in Evil Times
        • Pentecostal Dialogue with Rome
        • The Prayers of the Aged
        • The Religion of the Highlands – The Persecution of a Highland Laird
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Eastern Europe Mission Work
      • May 1998
        • The Mode of Baptism – A Defence
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • A Vessel Meet for the Master’s Use
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
        • Serving the Lord with Humility
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland on the Internet
        • Booklet Reviews
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • The Story of Mamlotshwa
      • March 1998
        • A Minister of God
        • “I will yet for this be inquired of”
        • African Mission News
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        • Godliness With Contentment
        • Protestant View
        • African Mission News
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • Private Prayer and Public Profession
        • Truth and Life
        • The Free Church, Psalms and Hymns
      • June 1998
        • Family Worship
        • Notes and Comments
        • Ma Ngwenya – Mother of the late Rev. B. B. Dube
        • Church Information
        • The Lord is Risen Indeed
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Pastoral Epistles
        • The Church of Scotland and the Bible
        • Mbuma-Zending Meeting – 1998
        • Three Characteristics of True Faith
        • Book Reviews
        • Protestant View
        • Three Characteristics of True Faith
      • July 1998
        • The General Assemblies
        • Church Information
        • The Scriptural Warrant for Creedal Subscription
        • The Pastoral Epistles
        • The Trinitarian Bible Society Report
        • A Cambuslang Case of Conversion
        • Booklet Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
      • January 1998
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • MaHlabangana
        • Winter Visit to Eastern Europe
        • THE NEW YEAR
        • The Church Built and Kept by the Lord
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Fruits of the Declaratory Act In the Free Church of Scotland
        • Redeeming the Time
        • African Mission News
      • February 1998
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • A Mission Day of Prayer
        • Church Information
        • Leaning Upon her Beloved
        • Brought Home to Heaven
        • Observing the Sabbath
        • Church Deputy’s Visit to North America
        • African Mission News
        • A Faithful Ambassador is Health
      • December 1998
        • When the Enemy Shall Come in Like a Flood
        • “My grace is sufficient for thee”
        • The People of the Great Faith
        • Sudden Conversions
        • A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ
        • “Give ye them to eat”
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • August 1998
        • The General Assemblies
        • Sermon – The House of Many Mansions
        • Lessons From the Doctrine of Divine Justice
        • Book Notice
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Paul Magaya – Lay Preacher in Shangani
        • Church Information
      • April 1998
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Mode of Baptism – A Defence
        • Notes and Comments
        • Protestant View
        • The Manner of Coming to Christ
        • Book Notice
        • A Lily from the Ukraine
        • Eastern Europe Mission
        • Church Information
        • Called of God
        • Threats to our Religious Liberties
        • Mazwabo’s Amazing Transformation
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