H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh and Paris Visit.—On the 8th of June last, the Duke of Edinburgh received the Freedom of the City of London. In his address on that occasion, he referred, in very positive terms, to the pleasure the recent visit to Paris gave to his wife, H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth and himself. In the opinion of some who heard this address and read the report of it, the Duke quite obviously set himself out to justify their whole round of activities, which, of course, included attendance at horse-racing on the Lord’s Day, while in France. The protests by our Synod, and other bodies, against this desecration of the Sabbath by the royal couple, received national and world-wide publicity; which was appreciated by lovers of God’s Law, derided by worldly churchmen, and mocked at by many others in their pitiful ignorance of the content and binding obligations of the Fourth Commandment. No Duke will, even guardedly, justify transgression of the divine Law before the King eternal at last.
The Marshall Plan.—The Marshall Plan, as is known, originated with Mr. Marshall, American Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and aims at assisting the economically weak countries of Western Europe, including Great Britain, by sending quantities of food and other commodities from America. It is held that this Plan is a disinterested and generous act by the U.S.A. On the other hand, it is regarded in some quarters as a political move, having in view ultimate advantages to the sponsors of it. We would like to take the more charitable view; although at the time of writing, some American politicians are seeking to have this Plan curtailed. Yet after all, why do we need Marshall aid? The God of Providence rules in the world of economics. He sustained Britain in the past. The fact is that “Our backslidings are many and our iniquities testify against us,” and the Giver of all good, in His divine indignation, has been drying up our temporal resources, in ways not discernible by a worldly-wise people. In our straits we turn to any “arm of flesh” holding forth expectation of help, instead of, in the first instance, turning to the Most High in national repentance, seeking His favour and assistance. May this repentance be speedily granted to us.