IN our last issue we recorded briefly the results in the voting in the House of Commons on the Festival of Britain (Sunday Opening) Bill. Our readers will remember that Parliament, in November last, agreed by a majority that the Festival as a whole should be open on the Lord’s Day; but by an amendment it was agreed that the Amusement Park, at Battersea, should not be open on that day. The facts of the debate are generally known to our readers, yet we deem it proper to put on record some particular observations on the whole matter.
(1) The Government introduced this Bill to protect the Festival against existing laws forbidding such opening. The North Star, Dingwall, in a leader, states, “Here is a Government seeking to provide for this Festival a particular license dispensing with Sabbath Observance Laws . . . It cannot be a pleasant thought (for the common man) to realise that this is the modern way of overcoming matters of law.” This, of course, is nothing else but legislation against the Moral Law. What daring action!
(2) Mr. Herbert Morrison, President of the Council, admitted that the desire to open the Amusement Park was to obtain money to secure the financial success of the Festival. The Daily Mail, in a leader, stated, “The Government are not pleading any principle in this matter. They are not even running a charity show. They want a Sunday fun fair in order to make money.” So the Government would dispense with the Sabbath of the Lord in Britain for so many pieces of silver. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. This spirit has actuated the Government. Let members of the Government involved beware of consequences. On this point, a leading article in the Inverness Courier for December 1st, 1950, states, “. . . The British Government showed itself to be, in the main, more concerned with possible material benefits than with the observation of the Christian principles of which it is the guardian.” We would take this opportunity of stating that the leading articles of this Northern paper, the Inverness Courier, are consistently of a high order and never fail, when necessary, to emphasise in no uncertain terms, moral issues from the standpoint of the Scriptures. This is most commendable.
(3) This Bill has brought the vital question of the Sabbath law more prominently before the nation as a whole than anything else for many years. God has His own purpose in permitting this. The question may have been buried out of sight for millions of our people since many years. Now they have been reminded of it in this manner in providence. The question arises, are we as a nation to persevere as Sabbath breakers? If so—what then? God always punishes transgression unrepented of.
(4) Some Members of Parliament spoke much against the Sabbath, and one even called for drastic action against the Lord’s Day Observance Association. This attack savoured of persecution in the bud. The Christian lover of truth lives in perilous times. Other Members spoke commendably well against encroachment by the Government, upon the divinely appointed Day of Rest. We should be thankful that there are such men who are not afraid to speak, when necessary, on religious and moral questions.
(5) The Festival will be opened this summer and is intended to publicise Britain to the world. It will bear the stigma of a nation forgetting her Sabbaths. The unjustifiable expense of millions of pounds incurred even now, will mount up later. And more than likely the Festival will be a colossal failure financially.
(6) The time for such a Festival has been ill-conceived. The international tension, the war in Korea with its disasters, and the abundant preparations for war on every hand, make it clear to the sober-minded, that 1951 is no time for festivities. “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccles. ii, 11). Truly it is high time for Britain to return to a penitential remembrance of the Sabbath Day to keep it holy!
(7) The Government in particular and the House of Commons by the voice of a majority (apart from the Fun Fair amendment) have taken upon themselves the heavy responsibility and guilt before the divine Law-giver and Judge of men and nations, of setting a wicked and unworthy example before our nation. The Most High will not be mocked; and whatsoever men or Governments sow, they shall also reap. “For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption” (Gal. vi, 8).